The effect of hyperinflation

The main effect of hyperinflation is that consumers struggle in buying what they need. The prices of goods rise continuously, so people do not have enough money to buy the items they would have been able to afford previously. This results in debt, which would be hard to pay off especially if prices continue to rise, or going without, which could cause health issues. There is also the temptation of theft; in desperation some people might be drawn to thievery to support their family. Even for those few people whose salary kept pace with inflation, it was hard to buy the goods. They needed so much money to buy what they needed that they would physically struggle to transport the money to the shop. In some cases of hyperinflation, people had to transport money in wheelbarrows because they needed so many notes for even small items. An example of this was in Germany 1923, where a single loaf of bread eventually cost 200 billion marks. Another result of prices rising all the time was that workers had to get paid twice a day to rush out and buy their goods before prices rose even more. Furthermore, this meant that wages never caught up with the ever-diminishing value of money, and were insufficient to cover the costs. Another important effect of hyperinflation is that people in general struggled with growing shortages. When small items were equal to thousands, or even millions, of notes, foreign suppliers started refusing to accept the hyper-inflated currency. This meant that imports dried up and shortages of food and other goods got worse, for everyone. In addition, savings, insurance policies and pensions became worthless. This mainly affected the middle class, particularly old age pensioners, and widows. For unemployed people relying on savings and pensions, this was devastating and caused many problems. On the other hand, this worked to the advantage of those in debt before the hyperinflation, who would now easily be able to pay them of as the sums involved became worthless. Businesses were greatly affected by hyperinflation as well, for good and bad. Wealthy businessmen would benefit from hyperinflation because property was cheap and with smaller businesses struggling; the bigger, more successful businesses would take over the smaller ones at low cost. . Unfortunately, it didn’t help smaller businesses as much. They had to pay higher wages which they could not afford and had less buying power. They were also in risk of being bought out by the bigger businesses leaving them unemployed. Leading on from this, the workers would struggle too because when the smaller businesses got taken over, they would lose their jobs and then struggle to pay for goods, whilst unemployed. . On some occasions, one result of hyperinflation was that the government printed more money. This made it better to start with, but ultimately made inflation worse and initiated another cycle. As the prices rose, more money was printed, causing prices to rise again. In conclusion, the main effect of hyperinflation was that people struggled with buying what they needed, however there are many other effects that caused shortages and hardship: savings and debts becoming worthless, bigger businesses taking over the smaller ones, leading to unemployment, and the government printing more money. There are lots of effects of hyperinflation, and although it benefited a few people, on the whole, it caused chaos and misery for the people.

My Best Beauty Pageant

As soon as the host, Jason â€Å"The Local Celebrity† Jacobsen, introduced me to the crowd as a wonderfully gifted dancer I thought I was in trouble and had made a mistake because my specialty performance was singing, not dancing! I could feel the rush of blood drain from my head and I became so light-headed that I had to lean against the backstage railing that was leading up to the stage behind the velvet curtains. I could feel the cold sweat beginning to condense on my forehead. I remember thinking, â€Å"Oh no!My make-up is going to smear! † My mom later told me that my eyes were as big as apples when I shot a glance at her right after he said that I would be dancing for my special talent section. I nervously walked out onstage with my hands shaking and sheepishly walked up to Jason to whisper to him in his ear, â€Å"Sorry Jason, but I like to sing more than I like to dance so I’m going to sing, O. K.? † He smelled like expensive cologne and his hair h ad way too much gel in it. I thought he was going to throw me out of the pageant!Thankfully he handled it like the good host he was and then he apologized to the crowd for his â€Å"egregious† error and then he excitedly announced to the crowd, â€Å"We are in for a huge surprise, we are going to be serenaded by song instead of dance, enjoy! † He looked back at me with a huge, fake smile and delivered the tried and true line, â€Å"Alright, the stage is yours, take it away! † It almost felt like I was in a cheesy teenaged Disney movie. As soon as the lights dimmed and the crowd settled in I knew I was going to be great.I composed myself, took a few deep breaths and waited for the song to begin. After all, I had practiced I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly hundreds of times before. Of course it was going to be great. Right? I remembered the first time I heard the song at the end of the movie Space Jam with Michael Jordan and I immediately fell in love with the song because of the hope it inspires. I remembered singing it to my parents at the dinner table the night before the pageant and them standing up and cheering for me after I had finished.Most of all, I remembered waking up in the morning and immediately posing in front of my bedroom mirror, comb/mic in hand, and belting out I Believe I Can Fly before I hopped in the shower and to sing it some more. If you want to know the truth, I don’t even remember singing in the pageant. As soon as it had begun, it was over. All those flashbacks must have occurred while I was on stage. The next thing I knew the crowd was on their feet and clapping and cheering. For me! I couldn’t believe it.Jason Jacobsen came out from backstage and gave me a wonderful hug and I smelled his god-awful cologne again and then the next instant I was back in the dressing room sitting in disbelief staring at myself in the mirror. I had no clue if I even sang the right words but all I can tell you is that was t he greatest feeling I’ve ever had in my whole entire life! It didn’t even matter to me whether I won or not, I had fulfilled my dream of performing my favorite song in front of an audience of strangers, and apparently they even liked it. Who could ask for more? I was really flying†¦

Report of Contract of Agency

Topic: Law of agency Summary of Facts: Company Star Boat employed Tom as the manager for marketing and sales department. Being an agent for Star Boat, Tom frequently concluded contracts with a number of suppliers for acquiring certain parts to manufacture boats. Smooth Sailing was one of the suppliers. Tom resigned from Star Boat in July 2012 upon being offered a better position in Star Ferry. However, he acquired 4,000 parts from Smooth Sailing in August and manager of Smooth Sailing did not notice that in the contract Tom indicated his signature as â€Å"manager, Star Ferry† and thought they were dealing with Star Boat as usual.When Smooth Sailing later notified Star Boat to make payment, Star Boat wanted to ratify the contract. Legal Issues: First, Star Boat wants to ratify the contract, we must know that whether there is any valid contract formed. There are six elements to create a valid contract including intention to create legal relation, an offer and acceptance, consid eration, privity of contract, capacity of contract and legality of contract. The first element – intention to create legal relation is not fulfilled. As Smooth Sailing intended to deal with Star Boat but not Star Ferry.However, the contract now is dealing with Star Ferry. Smooth Sailing has no intention to deal with Star Ferry. As there is no intention, no valid contract is formed. Second, there is a unilateral mistake in this contract. Unilateral mistake involves only one party mistaken. To be operative, it must be known to the other party. Normally involve fraud on the part of the non-mistaken party. In the above case, Tom was dealing with Smooth Sailing before July. However, in August, Tom did not tell the truth to Smooth Sailing that he is the agent of Star Ferry but not Star Boat now.Therefore, Smooth Sailing thought that he was dealing with Star Boat as usual. In the following paragraph, we list two relevant cases which are similar to the present case. Cundy v. Lindsay (1876) HL, L & Co, a linen manufacturer, received an order for a large number of linen handkerchiefs from Blenkarn, who signed his name in such a way that it looked like ‘Blenkiron & Co’, a well-known respectable firm. L & Co dispatched the goods on credit to Blenkarn, who resold 250 dozen to Cundy. Blenkarn did not pay for the goods. L & Co sued Cundy to recover the handkerchiefs.It was held that the contract between L & Co and Blenkarn was void for unilateral mistake. L & Co intended to deal with Blenkiron & Co, not Blenkarn. Cundy was liable to return the handkerchiefs to L & Co because no right of ownership had passed to him. Lewis v. Avery (1971) Lewis sold his car to a man who claimed to be Richard Greene, a popular star. The man paid by cheque, providing a film studio pass as a proof of his identity. He sold the car to Avery. The cheque had been taken from a stolen cheque book and was later dishonoured. Lewis sued Avery to recover his car.It was held that this co ntract cannot be voided as the plaintiff cannot show the importance of identity. The mistaken belief to the credibility of act is not sufficient. Comparison: Comparing the legal issue between Cundy v. Lindsay (1876) and our case, both cases have the unilateral mistake. Cundy v. Lindsay can be voided because the identity was vital for them to form a contract. For the second case Lewis v. Avery (1971) compare with our case, both are also have the unilateral mistake. But the case Lewis v. Avery cannot be voided as it cannot show the importance of the identity.In our case, Smooth Sailing was dealing with Star Boat in the past and it shows that the identity is very important. Conclusion: In our case, Smooth Sailing thought it was dealing with Star Boat as usual and the identity is very important as it affects the credibility. In fact, Smooth Sailing always deals with Star Boats. We apply the case law, the contract should be voided because Smooth Sailing mistakes the identity and the iden tity is vital to the contract. Moreover, Smooth Sailing has no intention to deal with Star Ferry. Therefore, no valid contract exists and Star Boat cannot ratify the contract.

GEOGRAPHY - Comparison of Two Latin American Nations -CHILE and Essay

GEOGRAPHY - Comparison of Two Latin American Nations -CHILE and ARGENTINA - Essay Example If we compare these factors, it can be noted that the population below poverty line is high in Argentina (38.5%) than in Chile (18.2%). In terms of inflation rates also Argentina has a higher inflation rate than Chile and hence it can be noted that the cost of living is high in Argentina than in Chile. When we compare these factors such as population under poverty line and inflation rate, it can be said that Chile is a better developed nation than Argentina. Though Argentina in more industrialized than Chile, unemployment rate is high in Argentina. Argentina and Chile have good infrastructure including railroads, highways, airports and telecommunications facilities. Comparatively, Argentina has better infrastructure than Chile. The idea of a standard may be contrasted with the quality of life, which takes into account not only the material standard of living, but also other more subjective factors that contribute to human life, such as leisure, safety, cultural resources, social life, mental health, environmental quality issues etc. When we compare these factors, Chile is comparatively safer and peaceful than Argentina. The potential for terrorist activity is low in Chile where as in Argentina individuals and organizations with ties to extremist groups, including some known to provide financial support to designated foreign terrorist organizations, operate in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, in the tri-border area between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. It was also noted that Argentina has seen in recent years, a number of small bomb/incendiary incidents in metropolitan Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Santa Fe, and other cities. The bulk of the targets have been bank branches (ATMs), fast food restaurants, and Arge ntine government-affiliated offices.   These incidents usually occurred in the middle of the night and appeared intended to cause only property

Bringing extinct animals back to life Assignment

Bringing extinct animals back to life - Assignment Example This project involves withstanding painstaking research and consumption of large sums of money in the project. It also involves fighting back ethical issues raised by environmentalists concerning the undertakings. Novak and Brand represent the group of new generation who are passionate about having the extinct animals back in the global ecosystem. The author is biased in the way he present the project Revive and Restore as the solution to the extinction problem. The mission and vision of the organization trying to launch the de-extinction program which would ensure the extinct birds and animals are restored back into the ecosystem. The underlying value is down to giving conservation measures a different approach as well as the restoration of beauty of having those birds and animals around. However, the writer fails to address the issues that lead to extinction in the first place. The project Revive and Restore will consume a lot of funds which can be channeled to more conservation measure to guards the animals which are already being faced by extinction. In addition, the author fails to address the repercussion of the extinct animal regenerate upsetting the current ecosystem balance as they struggle to adapt themselves to an environment tat have changed over the decades. It is worth mentioning that the article present some valuable information about the importance of conservation. It highlights how human negligence over animal conservation can lead to a very expensive and time consuming reversal process. So what ought to be done to conserve the existing endangered species should be put in place to avoid the expensive and unproven de-extinction

Persuasive Research Paper on Edgar Allen Poe re The Cask of Essay

Persuasive Research Paper on Edgar Allen Poe re The Cask of Amontillado - Essay Example Cronenberg actually pays particular homage to Poe in one of his most popular films: His "Dead Zone" (based on a story by Stephen King, like Kubrick's "The Shining" opens with a recitation of a "The Raven" and deals with the dissolution of a man of exaggerated sensitivity... The self-destructive twins of Dead Ringers recall pose the various doppelgngers with boundary issues. (Hayes.p128) Edger Allan Poe was a master in the art of creating a mood of suspense, tension, mood, and terror. And all of his works we find elements of bleakness and suspense, often times mixed with strange and unsettling elements of depravity and perversity; yet paradoxically in most of his works the narrator, although often times submerged or controlled to the point of abject subjugation or subsisting in total despair, almost consistently manages to overcome whatever terrible situation he is confronted with, generally through the application of the rational power of mind. In The Cask Of Amontillado one of the main elements that we find is the passage of the main character into the depths of a dank and dark cavern or labyrinth. In many respects we can look at the two characters that descend into the depths of the cellar in The Cask Of Amontillado as representing two aspects of the personality of the narrator. While on the surface it may appear that in The Cask Of Amontillado we are presented with the tale of an horrendous crime committed by the narrator against someone who the narrator seems to hold some great but yet unstated grievance against, in my opinion what we are really presented with in this story is the tale of the repression by the narrator of an aspect of his personality that he cannot face dealing with, and which he must bind and secure, and seal up in the darkness, forever, until the time of his own death. In other words, the narrator is locking away forever what we might call today in Freud's terminology the Id. Freud himself, in the preface to the main scholarly work on Poe, took note of this: "My friend and student Marie Bonaparte has projected the light of psychoanalysis onto the life and work of a great writer with pathological tendencies." (Bonaparte: preface) Other theorist and writer have also noted the similarities between the main thrust of Freud's work and Poe's writings: Yet by 1933 when Marie Bonaparte published her 700 page "Edger Poe - A Psychoanalytic Study", it was clear that psychoanalysis could inspire new and innovative ways of reading literature. Theorists and critics quickly recognize the opportunities both presented for psychoanalytic study, given his thick shins emphasis on hidden motives and detection, altered states of consciousness, sadism, and obsession as well as the self destructive tendencies he exhibited in his own life" (Peeples p29-30) We can see each of the elements that are in miniature in The Cask Of Amontillado in three of the most popular short stories by Edger Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher, Murders in the Rue Morgue, and The Pit and The Pendulum. The Fall of the Ho

An analysis of the financial crisis and collapse of Lehman Bros Essay

An analysis of the financial crisis and collapse of Lehman Bros - Essay Example An analysis of the financial crisis and collapse of Lehman Bros. Many of the investment strategies designed to improve the liquidity position of major banks and ensure asset growth had lost the majority of their value and companies such as Lehman Bros. were unable to find appropriate buyers for many derivatives that were backed by the high volume of home mortgages granted to higher-risk consumer segments prior to 2007. As aforesaid, the inter-dependency within the international banking system led to a crisis when asset values on certain derivatives plummeted, when major banking institutions could no longer successfully meet their debt obligations, and even sizeable financial bailouts both internal and from government were insufficient in sustaining banking operations. The main contributors to the financial crisis of 2007-2010 was not largely attributable to improper or lax regulatory forces, it was a product of poor banking leadership and inappropriate investment strategies within the financial institutions’ business models. This essay describes the catalysts for what drove the financial crisis, focusing specifically on the role of Lehman Bros. in facilitating the problem. Research has identified that the mechanisms creating the financial disaster included the derivatives market, investor and executive-level behaviour in the financial markets, poor auditing systems responding proactively to observable or quantitatively-supported market trends, and the growing consumer adoption of adjustable rate mortgages being offered by major banking institutions. ... The main contributors to the financial crisis of 2007-2010 was not largely attributable to improper or lax regulatory forces, it was a product of poor banking leadership and inappropriate investment strategies within the financial institutions’ business models. This essay describes the catalysts for what drove the financial crisis, focusing specifically on the role of Lehman Bros. in facilitating the problem. Research has identified that the mechanisms creating the financial disaster included the derivatives market, investor and executive-level behaviour in the financial markets, poor auditing systems responding proactively to observable or quantitatively-supported market trends, and the growing consumer adoption of adjustable rate mortgages being offered by major banking institutions. The Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Consecutive and recurring drops in the national interest rate in the United States and the United Kingdom occurring between 2001 and 2006 in an effort to stave off a perceived, impeding economic recession created a favourable environment for home ownership. When the Federal interest rate is lowered, it affects the published prime rate by which financial lenders establish an appropriate interest rate on home mortgages. In 1982, the prime rate in the United States was set at a record of 19 percent (Fedprimerate.com 2013), a period where the country was emerging from a period of intense inflation increases and previous economic recession. Home mortgages generated between 1982 and 2000, therefore, were significantly profitable for lending institutions as they were able to justify loan generation to diverse consumer

(Government) Towns and Township Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(Government) Towns and Township - Essay Example rchase Information for South Carolina, Motor Fuel online Filing System, Check Out eSales, Electronic Payment System and South Carolina Withholding Reconciliation Tax Return. The collective performance of these departments makes South Carolina Department of Revenue a successful organization (Welcome to the South Carolina Department of Revenue, n.d). South Carolina Business One Stop is an online business portal that aids businessmen through the state. South Carolina Business One Stop offers businessmen a portal between the businesses and the government. This online web portal allows people to apply and pay for licenses online, registrations, permits and other official filings. A few of the services the organization provides is to establish business entity with secretary of state, registration for corporate taxes, submit filings to inform secretary of state about changes, apply for renewal of alcohol beverage license and applying for renewal of department of consumer affairs (SCBOS, n.d.). South Carolina Department of Revenue is responsible for collection of Use Tax. Use Tax is the tax which is imposed on purchase of items made outside of South Carolina. The USE TAX is paid to South Carolina Department of Revenue. The items on which USE TAX is applicable are items purchased on mail order, catalogs, and shopping networks and on any items bought on the internet. Online items which are bought include books, electronic, clothing and jewelry (All About Use Tax, n.d). South Carolina Department of Revenue has an electronic sales taxing system which has been made to make taxpayers a fast, free, electronic and secure way to submit taxes and revenues. This online electrical system gives people an option to make payments online without the need to leave your homes (What is the Sales and Use Tax System, n.d). Another online forum working to collect tax is â€Å"South Carolina Department of Revenue Electronic Withholding System† is made specifically to provide the individuals

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple - Essay Example The major subject of the art work is the sexuality and growth of the Indian women. The sculptures are designed stylistically to show the growth in women and to represent their beauty. The erotic sculptures also show the passionate interactions between humans along with changes that occur in human bodies. The artwork also represents the cultural influence of the Indians by using ornaments on the sculptures thus, showing how Indian women value ornaments. The artwork also applies religious styles by positioning the erotic sculptures in such a way that they appease evil spirits. Stylistic influences used in the sculptures include the use of good positioning and use of imagery. The artwork has applied imagery in the sculptures by using symbolism where different meanings can be derived from each of the sculptures. The religious style has a significant influence on the art since; it determines the major positioning of the erotic sculptures. This is a portrait which was done by anonymous cou rt artists during the Kangxi period, which was around the year 1662-1795. The portrait mainly represents one of the royal rulers of the Qing Dynasty. The medium used is mainly paint and silk, with paint being made on the silk. The subject matter of the artwork is mainly to convey messages about the countries strong dynasties and the religious views. Thus, a lot of symbolism has been used in the artwork to convey different messages. Thus, from the colors used and the pattern of art, different meanings. can be derived from the artifact (Kleiner, 43). The major cultural context of the relic is the glorification of the Chinese art and to uphold their religion and the political ideologies. The artwork is also symbolic and metaphoric in producing its message. For instance; the colors used on the robes are bright signifying the peace in the dynasty of the emperor. In addition, the artwork also embraces the use of different patterns

Research Proposal Essay Example for Free

Research Proposal Essay I would like to write about a famous Arabic writer, Naguib Mahfouz. His poetry and works inspire me a lot and I enjoy reading his things. My father always used to read them to me, because his poems were true. Mahfouz always talks about the issues affecting the people of Egypt: generational, historical, religious, and political. Egyptians always have something going on. With his writings, Mahfouz’s introduces the reader to Egyptian reformers and modern and traditional characters as they change. We all know that as a country Egypt constantly reforms, even at an early age, Mahfouz has been able to capture hints of revolution. Mahfouz’s novels are stories of love, ethics, moral responsibility, and crises that characterize a culture that has had many changes. His stories talk about and describe the lives of ordinary individuals caught in struggles of identity and religion. His fictional work paint a picture of Egyptian Muslims that are ruled by their own culture, as well as those they encounter as a result of the outside influence of colonialism. This simultaneity allows Mahfouz to depict the contemporary Egyptian identity as both modern and traditional. In Naguib Mahfouzs short story Zaabalawi there see a young man in search of the mysterious Zaabalawi, because he afflicted with a disease which doctors are unable to cure. Zaabalawi is known to cure illnesses, a holy man that has healing powers. Zaabalawi is like a mysterious figure that has some strange powers to accomplish the impossible. While in this search, the protagonist visits a variety of figures including a religious lawyer, a book seller, a government officer, a calligrapher, and a musician. Not able to find any definite answers as to the whereabouts of Zaabalawi, he begins to doubt his existence. Eventually, however, while in a drunken sleep in a tavern, he dreams that he is in a beautiful garden and experiences a state of harmony and contentment. He awakes to find that Zaabalawi was with him but has now disappeared again. Though upset at having missed him, the main character is encouraged by his dream and determines to continue his search for Zaabalawi. In this story the author uses symbolism to convey his message to his audience, that the quest to find Zaabalawi is a journey into our souls in search of the inner peace that inside us. Mahfouz uses a lot symbolic meanings, such as irony, that is why I want to write about this work. I have always been drawn to these types of writing. Annotated Bibliography 1. Aboul-Ela, Hosam. The Writer Becomes Text: Naguib Mahfouz and State Nationalism in Egypt. Biography: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly, 27:2 (2004 Spring), pp. 339-56. I chose Prof. Aboul Ela because his work because it’s easy to read and very simple, some of the other materials was a bit too hard to put together. 2. Naguib Mahfouz. The Happy Man ONE WORLD OF LITERATURE Shirley Geok-Lin Kim and Norman A. Spencer. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993. p.46-p.53 Im using this source because it’s going to help me explain other literary works of Naguib Mahfouz in this essay. 3. Modern Egyptian Short Stories by El-Gabalawy, Saad (trans.) (Najib Mahfouz, Youssef Idris, Saad Elkhadem) ISBN: 0919966039 Im using this other source because of the type of writing. This book explains how Mahfouz writes his stories, and what he uses in terms of grammar and how he builds the story, symbolism and irony. 4. http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/mahfouz.htm This source is going to help me discuss the state of mind of Naguib Mahfouz when he wrote his books. It explains how Mahfouz became a beginning of an era not only in the Egyptian literature but also in the Arab literature.He was always lonely, maybe that’s the reason why his writings were always kind of sad.

Sociological theory of religion

Sociological theory of religion 1 Using examples critically assess one sociological theory of religion In most traditional societies, religion is an important form of social togetherness. It augments a feeling of community and promotes a set of shared values and beliefs in some form of god. Religion also plays a central role in cultural life; people often synthesize religious symbols and rituals into the material and artistic culture of the society: literature, storytelling, painting, music, and dance.[1] It is the focus of the society that is of interest to religious sociologists, in particular theories concerning the way religious behaviour differs between and within societies. Beckford notes that theories revolving around how social interaction benefits or holds back societies, has made sociology a renowned area of study.[2] In order to establish a fundamental starting point in this thesis, the foundations of sociology and the sociology of religion will be described in context. Furthermore, it will discuss, in some detail, the sociological theoretical approach of functionalism by sociologists; a critical analysis will aim to show the differences in their approaches to functionalism and will include supporting and critical statements from preceding and subsequent sociological theorists. Sociologists generally define religion as a codified set of moral beliefs concerning sacred things and rules governing the behaviour of believers who form a spiritual community[3]. Auguste Comte (1798 1857) describes sociology as the study of human societies.[4] A classical view is that, it is a social science that, uses varied methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis,[5] and is often used to develop theory about human social activity. The sociology of religion therefore takes into account the aforemention ed and also includes the practices, historical backgrounds, developments, universal themes and roles of religion in society.[6] Jones (2003) describes Comte as the first to proclaim the virtues of an empirically based social science,[7] a type of sociology that would have enormous implications for someone like Comte, who had been born during the aftermath of the French Revolution. Bilton et al (1996) explain this further: Positive social knowledge could offer the means for peaceful reconstruction of social order by the elite of enlightened scientists and intellectualsSocial change need not depend upon revolutionary violence and the manipulation of the mob[8] Comte was able to make use of the new science for the progression of society and the re-establishment of order as well as being able to apply the positive method to social theory[9]. Comte and his fellow Frenchman Durkheim are said to be the forerunners in creating the discipline of sociology. Thompson (1982) describes Comte as giving the subject its name and an ambitious prospectus, whilst Durkheim gave it, academic credibility and influence.[10] Functionalist sociologists focus their attention on the nature of institutional relationships in society.[11] To understand this further, one can use Talcott Parsons functionalist ideas as an example. Parsons, [who supported functionalism in the United States] used the functionalist perspective to group institutions in society into four related functional sub-systems; economic, political, kinship, and cultural. This theory stressed the importance of interdependence among all behaviour patterns and institutions within a social system to its long-term survival. [12] In a similar way Durkheim In trying to explain the value of social and cultural character, illuminated them in terms of their contribution to the operation of an overall system. Furthermore, Malinowski, who promoted functionalism in England, endorsed the idea that cultural practices had psychological and physiological functions, such as the reduction of fear and anxiety, and the satisfaction of desires.[13] Another English man Radcliffe-Brown contended that, all instituted practices ultimately contribute to the maintenance, and hence the survival, of the entire social system, determining the character of inter-group relations.[14] It is Parsons sub-system of culture that encompasses religion that we now turn to. A functional definition of religion is fundamentally based on the social structure and drawing together of people, it pays particular attention to how religion guides and influences the lives of people who are actively involved, and through this promotes unity and social cohesiveness.[15] Durkheim believed and argued that, religion was a socially constructed institution, serving the needs of society by socialising members into the same norms, values and beliefs, therefore reinforcing the collective conscience upon which the stability of society rests.[16] He looked in depth at the origins, meaning, and function of religion in society. His belief was that religion was not so much about God, but more about the consolidation of society and the sense of identity that this creates within a particular society.[17] He fully believed that individuals who accepted their role within their own society develop a form of social conscience as part of that role, which Durkheim labels as the Conscie nce collective,[18] which in simpler terms could be labelled as, a common understanding.[19] Published in 1921 and penned by Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, is renowned as the best-known study on the sociology of religion.[20] Using secondary data, Durkheim studied native totemism in primitive Australian tribes, in effect the totem is a symbol that is an integral part of the group, and during ceremonies will be the magnet that draws everyone together to form a collective whole. Therefore, totemism in this instance is explained not in terms of what it is, [what the content of its doctrines and beliefs are] but what it does, that is, the function it performs for the social system.[21] Durkheim claims that, the totem, the sacred object is a representation, by which society symbolises itself,[22] which according to Fulcher and Scott, he believed to be the real basis of social solidarity.[23] From his observations Durkheim developed his theory of the sacred and profane, believing that all things in society can be separated into these distinct categories, as a fundamental dichotomy the sacred and profane are seen as two separate domains or worlds. For Durkheim the sacred meant the unity of the group embodied in symbols, as in his example of totems, the profane was more about the mundane or the individual, and less concerned with the group. However the British anthropologist Evans-Pritchard (1937) observed that sacred things may be profane at certain times, an example he gives is the case of the Azande[24], who, when their shrines were not in ritual use, were used as props to rest their spears.[25] This analysis of the sacred and the profane was extended to all religions by Durkheim and his followers, making a focus on what is similar about what they each do, and about the integrative functions all these religions perform on their social systems.[26] He therefore viewed religion within the context of the entire society and acknowledged its place in influencing the thinking and behaviour of the members of society.[27] Furthermore he beli eved that order flowed from consensus, from the existence of shared norms and values,[28] for him the key cause of social upheaval stems from anomie, the lack of regulating norms. Without norms constraining behaviour, explains Durkheim, humans develop insatiable appetites, limitless desires and general feelings of irritation and dissatisfaction.[29] Radcliffe-Brown continued Durkheims sociological perspective of society; he particularly focused on the institutions of kinship and descent and suggested that, at least in tribal societies, they determined the character of family organization, politics, economy, and inter-group relations.[30] Thus, in structural-functionalist thought, individuals are not significant in and of themselves but only in terms of their social status: their position in patterns of social relations. When regarding religious ceremonies Radcliffe-Brown contends that ceremonies, for example, in the form of communal dancing, promoted unity and harmony and functioned to enhance social solidarity and the survival of the society, in this he agreed with another renowned anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. Malinowskis functionalism was highly influential in the 1920s and 1930s, a British anthropologist, he conducted one of the first major studies of religion from an ethnocentric perspective, on the people of the Trobriand Islands.[31] The first anthropologist to undertake a long-term piece of field research, Malinowski lived among the Trobriand islanders for four years.[32] In studying the functions of religion in a small scale, he agreed with Durkheim that religion reinforced social norms, values and promoted social solidarity.[33] Malinowski also believed that religion could relieve social anxiety and could provide a sense of security especially when people are faced with situations in which they have no control, an example Malinowski gives is based on his observation of the Trobriand islanders fishing in a calm lagoon, no religious practice was attached, however when faced with the perils of fishing in the open ocean, religious rituals were always performed. In this way Malinowski b elieved humans could exert a perceived control over a world in which they held no significant, individual power.[34] This individual, perceived control can be seen to be used by people facing a personal crisis. Often in a situation where they have no control over the outcome, people will turn to religion looking for guidance and sanctuary; thereby giving them a sense of power. For Malinowski then, religion also helped to conciliate periods of life crises and events such as death, marriage and birth, these rituals, known as rites of passage are marked by ceremonies, that by their very nature, are a form of social togetherness that help to create social order and contentment. These rites however can be seen to be controlled in that to a certain extent one is prepared for new life, death and marriage, these events form part the circle of life and therefore come with some prior knowledge. Ceremonies that relate to these life events could be seen as a predictable common bond that will help to reinforce social solidarity. Malinowski argues that religion minimizes the disruption, in particular, of death. He believes that the assertion of immortality gives rise to feelings of comfort for the bereaved, whilst the act of a funeral ceremony binds the survivors together.[35] Coser (1977) explains further: Religion can counter a sense of loss, which, as in the case of death, may be experienced on both the individual and the collective level therefore religion as a social institution serves to give meaning to mans existential predicaments by tying the individual to that supra-individual sphere of transcendent values which is ultimately rooted in his society.[36] So far we have seen that collective or communal gatherings are generally aimed at promoting social solidarity and cohesion, this is backed by the empirical evidence offered by Malinowski in his study of the Trobriand Islands. Hamilton (1995) offers that these gatherings can also be interpreted as involving the recognition of divisions, conflict and disharmonies inherent in the society and rituals may be seen as a means of coping with and defusing them.[37] Concerning Malinowskis empirical evidence, a contrasting point is noted by Casanova (1995) who questions functionalism on empirical grounds, he argues that religion does not provide consensus and unity, instead he says that most conflicts [an example he gives is the Iran/Iraq war] in society have religious foundations.[38] Marxist sociologists also criticise functionalists on a theoretical level. Marx claims that religion does not create societal consensus, instead it creates conflict between those that have wealth in the ruling class and those that do not in the working class.[39] Therefore according to Marx, the only norms and values that are conserved by religion are those of the ruling class. Functionalist theory could therefore be said to neglect the areas in which religion has been dysfunctional for society, whereby religious divisions have caused disruption and conflict rather than promoting social order. History provides numerous examples of this including the aforementioned Iran/Iraq dispute, Northern Ireland and Bosnia. An Extreme functionalist assessment of religion, declares William Stevens, is put forward by American sociologist Robert Bellah. Bellah fuses Parsons argument that America derives its values from Protestantism, with Durkheims belief that the worship of god is the disguised worship of society. From this Bellah develops a new kind of religious concept, that of a civil religion.[40] Therefore despite the individual belief systems of American citizens, it is the overarching faith in America that unites Americans. Wallis (1983:44) cited in Jones, explains that Bellah finds evidence of civil religion in Presidential inaugurations and ceremonials such as Thanksgiving Day and Memorial Day are similarly held to integrate families into the civil religion, or to unify the community around its values.[41] A further point to be made here is that generally civil religion does not hold to a belief in the supernatural. Bellah disagrees and says examples of confirmation in the supernatural can be see n or heard on a daily basis, phrases such as God Bless America and the words In God we trust on the national currency, he believes are prime examples of this. However Stevens asserts that this is not the god of any particular creed, but a god of America. For Bellah then civil religion creates a social cohesiveness by gathering people together to collectively partake in some form of ceremonial event. Therefore flag waving at a sporting event or lining the street to celebrate a royal marriage or death can bring about a united outpouring of joy or grief that in itself generates order. A contemporary example is the untimely death of Princess Diana. Her funeral witnessed a monumental combining of people, faiths and nations in a symbolic act of grief. Functionalist sociologists tend to emphasize what maintains society, not what changes it and are criticized for being unable to account for social change because it focuses so intently on social order and equilibrium in society. Functionalists have to take into account that change does happen in societies and that change is a good thing, and can represent progress. Jones says that the functionalist way around this is to use an organic analogy social progress occurs as it does with organisms as an evolutionary change.[42] Bilton et al explain that this takes shape in the form of structural differentiationdifferentiation is a type of splitting or separation of a previously undivided unit, the new units differ in that they are more specialised in the functions they perform.[43] Talcott Parsons, in his approach to social change, emphasises differentiation. According to Parsons, Institutions change, if the need of the system changes.[44] An example of a system change stems from The Indu strial Revolution, which was facilitated by capitalism, was increasingly demanding technological advances to increase profit. In order to make this possible there was a need for more educated workforces. As a result the industrial economy needed a new form of family to perform these specialist functions. Thus, as one aspect of society changed the economy and production it required a comparable change in the educational system, bringing social life back into equilibrium. This new modernization of society, explains Marske, is associated with the increasing indifference of the individual from the traditional social bonds of an intimate network of diffuse social relationships. [45] Due to a greater demand in the workforce people from all walks of life came together causing an increase in the cultural diversity within a particular society. As a result individuality became a more prominent feature; religion it seems was becoming less social and more personal. Durkheim would disagree with this statement as he believed it was possible to be an individual as well as social institution, he explains, In reality, the religion of the individual is a social institution like all known religions. It is society which assigns us this ideal as the sole common end which is today capable of providing a focus for mens wills.[46] Dillon (2003) explains that social scientists and Western intellectuals have been promising the end of Religion for centuries, Comte announced that, as a result of modernization, human society was outgrowing the theological stage of social evolution and a new age was dawning which the science of sociology would replace religion as the basis or moral judgements.[47] Durkheim predicted the gradual decrease in formal world religions; in post-enlightenment society he felt that there would be a greater emphasis on the individual. This he believed would lead to a weakening of ties in the modern world. In addition he envisaged that social solidarity and the collective conscience would be taken up by other institutions that would evolve into new forms of religious experience.[48] Furthermore a maturing modernity would see scientific thinking replace religious thinking. As a consequence, Durkheim considered the concept of God to be on the verge of extinction. In its place he envisioned society as promoting civil religion, in which, for example, civic celebrations, parades, and patriotism take the place of church services. If traditional religion were to continue, he believed it would do so only as a means to preserve social cohesion and order. Parsons disagrees with this synopsis, with modern life will come structural frameworks that are more competitive and specialised, however they would still persist because religion is an adaptable structural framework for the explanation of inexplicable social phenomena.[49] A criticism applied to the functionalists perspective stems from Durkheims analogy that societies and social institutions have personalities.[50] To imagine that a society is a living, breathing organism is a difficult concept when in fact it is seen as an inorganic object. This creates what can said to be a philosophical problem and an ontological argument that society does not have needs as a human being does; and even if society does have needs they need not be met. The view here is that society is alive in the sense that it is made up of living individuals. What is not taken into account is that each individual is a different entity, with their own wants and needs. As part of the unit they can function and integrate within the group as a viable member. However individual life choices may not always create a positive function for the society as a whole. Functionalists in general tend to have a too positive view by believing that everything that exists in society does so because it has some kind of functional purpose. Robert Merton believed that it was entirely plausible for society to have dysfunctional elements.[51] Durkheim also recognised that some forms of social life could be seen in the same way, however he did not use the term dysfunctional. In his work on crime, he noted that crime was functional to society, this seems to be a contradiction in that he also said, too high a level of crime might not be functional, because it could create a state of confusion regarding what constitutes the norms that applied to peoples lives. As a society dysfunctional actions, in particular criminal actions are frowned upon, and as a society we can become mob-handed in the way people come together to condemn an act of crime. Durkheim has a point to make here in that, people combine together, forming a collective cohesion in defining themselves against what they are not.[52] Picturing society like a vast machine, Merton argues that a society should best be considered as a cross between the cultural goals of a society-what it holds its members should strive for-and the means that are believed, legally or morally, to be legitimate ways that individuals should attain these goals. In an ideally organized society, the means will be available to deliver all of its members to their goals.[53] One must take into account when analysing such theories that at the time of writing the world was a very different place to the one we live in today. Social anthropology has come under criticism for looking into primitive societies as a representation of unchanged societies criticism in particular stems from the lack of historical records that could confirm or deny any findings. Radcliffe-Brown considered this type of work a mistakehis belief was that the religious and ritual systems had to be understood in the context of the existing society and their role in that society.[54] One could linger on Durkheims prediction that religion would decrease with modernity, religion here being in reference to the act of attending a social gathering in the worship of some form, whether it be totemic or divine. However an important point to note is that at the time when the Sociology of Religion was in its infancy, religious practice was more of a regular occurrence than one would perhaps find in todays society. However individuals are still irrevocably influenced by the role of religion in their own lives. Their beliefs and values allow them to feel supported in their everyday life; religion sets aside certain values and infuses them with special significance. Culture plays an important part here, as values, customs and beliefs combine to become a moral code by which societies adhere to and live by and pass on to future generations. Religion encourages collective worship be it in a church, mosque, temple, home or some other specified gathering place. Through the act of collective worship the individual is encouraged to feel part of a wider community. Today, societies are classed as more secular in their nature, yet if one consider the earlier statement about religion being an important form of social togetherness it would be easy to make analogies with the different groups that make up the society we inhabit. For example schools hold assemblies, awards evenings and performances all which can be seen as an example of community spirit and social cohesion. People as individuals, have interests outside of their immediate social groupings, this does not make them an outcast or outsider, and instead it promotes a sense of identity, individualism and the self. The writings of sociologists such as Durkheim, Comte, Radcliffe-Brown and Parsons are still important today, especially in comparing the way society sees religion. However, in contemporary society sociologists have a different set of problems to contend with as belief in modern society and materialism for many becomes a more vital moral value than partaking in a religious practice . BIBLIOGRAPHY Beckford, James A. (2003) Social Theory and Religion, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003). Bilton et al, Introductory sociology 3rd Edn (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1998). Casanova, Jose, Public Religions in the Modern World (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995) Christiano, Kevin J., William Swatos Jr Peter Kivisto, Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments Lanham, 2nd edition (MD: Rowman Littlefield publishers, 2008). Comte, Auguste, A Dictionary of Sociology (3rd Ed), John Scott Gordon Marshall (eds), (Oxford: OUP, 2005). Coser, Lewis A. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context, 2nd Ed., (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1977), pp. 136-139, Coser, Lewis A. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context, 2nd Ed., Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1977: 136-139, Dewar, Greg, Religious studies, Philosophy and Ethics, (London: Oxford University Press, 2002). Dillon, Michele, Handbook of the sociology of religion (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003). Durkheim, Emile, The Division of Labor in Society. Translated by, George Simpson. (New York: Free Press, 1893/1964). Durkheim, Emile, and Coser, Lewis A., The Division of Labor in Society. (Free Press, 1997) Durkheim, Emile. The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life: A Study in Religious Sociology. Translated by, Joseph Ward Swain. (New York: Macmillan, 1915). E. E. Evans-Pritchard, Theories of primitive religion, (Oxford: Clarendon press, 1965). Emile Durkheim, Sociology and philosophy (New York: free press, 1974). Evans-Pritchard, E. E. Social Anthropology and Other Essays. ( London,1950).Contains a critique of Radcliffe-Browns functionalism from the perspective of historicism. Fulcher, J. Scott, J. Sociology, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003). Giddens, Anthony, Durkheim, (London: Harper Collins, 1996). Goldschmidt Walter, Functionalism In Encyclopaedia of Cultural Anthropology, Vol 2. David Levinson and Melvin Ember, (eds) (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996), p. 510. Hamilton, M, The sociology of religion, 2nd edition (Oxon: Routledge, 2001). Hunt, S. Religion in Western Society, (Hampshire: Palgrave, 2002). Jones, Pip, Introducing Social Theory, (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2003). Jones, Robert Alun., Rules of the sociological method 1895, in Emile Durkheim: An Introduction to Four Major Works. (Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1986), pp. 60-81. Macionis, J. Plummer, K. Sociology: A Global Introduction (Essex: Pearson, 2005). Merton, Robert, Social Theory and Social Structure, (USA: Macmillan, 1968), chapter 3. Orenstein, Ashley D. DM, Sociological theory: Classical statements 6th edition (Boston: Pearson Education, 2005), pp.3-5: 32-36. Sociology Quarter, Durkheim as a functionalist, vol 16 no 3 (Summer, 1975), pp 36 -379. Thompson, Kenneth, (1982) Emile Durkheim, (Sussex: Ellis Horwood Limited, 1982). Winthrop, Robert H. 1991. Functionalism In Dictionary of Concepts in Cultural Anthropology (New York: Greenwood Press, 1991), p. 130. WEBLIOGRAPHY Functionalism, in Anthropology and Sociology The Columbia Electronic Encyclopaedia. 2000-2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0819881.html (Accessed: 18.01.10). Functions OF religion learningat.ke7.org.uk/socialsciences/soc-sci/soc/a2/R. Accessed 14.1.10. CliffsNotes.com. Introduction to Religion. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26927.html. Accessed 10.1.10 Chris Livesey, Functionalist perspectives on Durkheim, www.sociology.org.uk Marjolin, Robert French sociology-Comte and Durkheim, University of Chicago press American journal of sociology, vol. 42, no 5 (Mar., 1937), pp693 -704. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2767763 (Accessed: 12.1.10.). Mark Glazer, Functionalism http://www.utpa.edu/faculty/mglazer/theory/functionalism.htm (Accessed: 13.12.09). Marske, Charles E, (1987) Durkheims Cult of the Individual and the Moral Reconstitution of Society, Sociological Theory, Vol. 5, No. 1, (American Sociological Association, 1987), pp. 1-14. http://www.jstor.org/stable/201987. Accessed: 17.01.10. The Azande, http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/EthnoAtlas/Hmar/Cult_dir/Culture.7829 (Accessed: 15/1/10). William J. Stevens, Religion: A Functionalist Assessment, http://www.helium.com/items841304-religion-a-functionalist-assessment. (Acces

Tourism Policy And Planning In Australia Tourism Essay

Tourism Policy And Planning In Australia Tourism Essay Tourism makes an important contribution to Australias export earnings. The objective of tourism marketing is not merely to increase international visitor arrivals, but primarily, to increase expenditure injected into Australia on goods and services purchased by tourists. Recently there has been an increased emphasis on the importance of enhancing Australias tourism yield by attracting visitors from high-spending markets (sited in the Australian Government 2004; Dwyer et al.2007). To market Australia as a tourist destination, Tourism Australia works closely with the travel industry, the Government and the State/Territories. The demand function for international tourism for a given destination may be expressed as a function of income, prices, and marketing expenditure. Australia has had one of the strongest performing economies of the world. Australia has an efficient government sector, a flexible labour market with a very competitive business sector. Such environment is a key driver o f tourism activity. The policy settings set by the government are designed to deliver a vibrant tourism industry that makes a strong contribution to the economy. In Australia tourism is increasingly seen as an instrument for sustaining indigenous communities, many of whom look to tourism for a better future. The Australian federal, State/Territory governments has sought to create tourism policies to facilitate market growth and product development in the indigenous sector. On 5 June 2003, the Federal government released a draft medium to long term strategy to help grow a sustainable Australian tourism industry and better position it against future shocks by making it more robust and flexible. Main key themes of the strategy include sustainable growth and diversification of the Australian tourism product, and a focus on business yield and niche markets. The shift from an emphasis on quantity to quality is important for reducing pressure on infrastructure, protecting the environment, encouraging diversification and product development and improving profitability in the industry. Australian environment is unique from the unspoilt beaches, tropical rainforests, rugged mountain ranges and vast tracts of desert. Some few examples of Australias natural wonders include the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is as big as the total combined area of the UK and Ireland which contains more than 1,000 islands, from sandy bays to rainforest isles. The Wet Tro pics World Heritage Area Tropical North Queensland is the sort of place that someone would like to travel, it covers 900,000 hectares. The Uluru Ayers Rock is considered one of the great wonders of the world and one of the Australias most recognizable natural icons. Australians care about their unique environment such as sustainable tourism is an important factor in policy making. The Australian government is committed to and works closely with the tourism industry to deliver an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible tourism product. A significant contribution to tourism is made by cultural tourism. The experiences generated by Australian performances, visual arts and our heritage are unique. Australias National Tourism Policy the broad mission statement of Australias Federal government in relation to tourism policy is to contribute to Australias economic and social well being through the development of policies that achieve on internationally competitive tourism sector focused on sustainable growth. In the year 1998 a National Action Plan for Tourism was released by the Federal government to provide direction for tourism policy formulation and industry planning. Some of the key objectives of the Plan included developing potential new and emerging markets through targeted marketing strategies. Encouraging the development of efficient and competitive transportation networks, Fostering regional tourism development, enhancing industry standards and skill levels, improving the industrys information base, encouraging the conservation and preservation of Australias unique natural and cultural heritage, encouraging diversification of the industrys product base and reinforcing Australias image as a safe and friendly destination. The whole of the government approach pursued in Australia is intended to ensure a sound economic foundation that aims to create an optimum policy environment for tourism development. Community involvement is an important factor that is likely to significantly influence the sustainability of any tourism development. The involvement of locals in the planning and operational stages can ensure that development will be socially and environmentally responsible and that resulting impacts will be perceived as appropriate by the host community. Tourism businesses in Australia will continue to face a range of short- and long- term external shocks and challenges in major climate change reports. Climate change is an example of a material threat to Australias tourism industry. The Australian government should try controlling the number of visitors arriving in Kakadu Park which is a World Heritage site, the government can either do so by limiting numbers to match capacity rather than having the tourists concentrated in time in a focused tourist season. The Australian government realized in 1990s that tourism was affecting wildlife in the park. A number of bird species includin g red-winged parrots, sulphur coackatoos and shiny flycatchers were recorded as being highly disturbed when tourist boats passed them. Most activities done at the Great Barrier Reef which is made up of some 600 islands, 300 cay (reef islands) and almost 300 submerged reefs. The chef activity on the reef is scuba diving and snorkelling. There is increase in environmental impacts by these human activities which include physical destruction of reefs by anchors and divers feet and hands. Divers can even cause damage to the coral merely by resting on it, as it so sensitive. Some boats end up polluting the water by releasing sewage, furthermore divers feed or touch fish which leads to the modification of fish behavior. The Australian government should have a pandemic preparedness and planning for the Australian Tourism Industry for example an influenza pandemic in Australia would be unlike any other modern disaster and would create new challenges for communities and business that operate within them. Should an influenza pandemic emerge, the tourism industry is likely to be impacted by temporary measures to prevent its tra nsmission and spread, such as restrictions on travel, closer of public places, reduced consumer confidence. My personal critique of the policies are by developing potential new emerging markets through targeted marketing strategies the Australian government should try improving their international marketing strategies and effectiveness through a greater focus on regional dispersal and by freshing and enhancing the brand Australia. Encouraging the development of efficient and competitive transportation networks can only work if the government helps to facilitate the development and growth of sustainable air, sea and land transport services and key tourism infrastructure. Fostering regional tourism development can be achieved by supporting domestic tourism marketing and doing promotions, which include regional promotions by advertising in the newspapers or television. The policy of enhancing the industry standards and skills levels can be achieved by the government ensuring training delivers skills appropriate for the tourism workforce and businesses and promote improved productivity. Improving the industrys information base can be achieved by improving tourism information, research and forecasts to more effectively serve the needs of industry and government. Encouraging the conservation and preservation of Australias unique natural and cultural heritage policy can be a success if only the Ministry of Tourism in Australia improves Australian knowledge of Australia by encouraging domestic travel. A healthy tourism sector contributes to the economic and social well being of Australians. Major policy challenges for the future include coordination of all levels of government working towards an agreed framework between the various levels of government on the national coordination of tourism development will assist in clarifying the roles and responsibilities between the different levels of government.

Michael Moore :: essays research papers

Michael Moore ‘Michael Moore is one of the most popular but also one of the most feared and hated people in America’. Why is this? Michael Moore is seen by the American society as a representative to the people, or as a public disturbance, expressing the views of an ‘average American’ to the rest of the world, in such mediums as film, text, presentations and interviews. There are many reasons to Michael Moore’s popularity and hate, which all come from his productions and beliefs. The way Moore delivers his information to the society comes in many different forms, and strikes up many different views upon his opinion as well. The views that arise in Michael Moore’s ideas and plans are taken to a higher scale than the ordinary American citizen and people fear Moore will run in politics one day. Some of his words are controversial, others pure fact and some statements are stretched far out of context. Many of Michael’s ideas run through his film, Bowling for Columbine, his multiple press/film conferences and award ceremonies and many interviews with highly ranked people. Focusing on this film, many issues and themes are present from a single movie length feature. Michael Moore raises such issues as violence, crime and killings, but most importantly, gun laws. Michael Moore presents information and facts to the people, because they need to know. Michael strongly believes in this, as many people can see, how Moore mercilessly uses his tricks and taunts to lure out important pieces of information from his interviewees, and making fools of them. With this point, it is one of the main reasons why Michael Moore is one of the most feared or hated people in America. With many different groups having their own opinions upon this man, Michael believes himself to be informing the people about issues he himself would like to know about. And no matter how this information is drawn out, he is there to present it. Throughout his movie ‘Bowling for Columbine’, Michael uses a different variety of ways to present his information to the viewers, including dramatic, humorous, shocking, satirical ways to convey his message.

Gambling Essay example -- essays research papers

Gambling has effected many people I know in a negative way and the problem is getting increasingly more serious due to the large amount of young adults who are starting to gamble. Teenagers often face routine warnings about drugs and alcohol but Not about gambling. Gambling is highly addictive, and compulsive gamblers have the same symptoms an alcoholic or a person addicted to drugs would have with their addiction , when someone is addicted to gambling they have a brain disease that is chemically and genetically driven, just as addictive as cocaine in certain individuals. The same way a drug addict needs to take drugs in order to maintain a high, a gambler has to gamble in order to experience the high of winning. Every state except three permit gaming and state governments actually encourage their citizens to gamble because its an easy way for them collect tax free money. You are considered a compulsive gambler if you have done 5 out of the 10 following criteria: 1. if you are preoccupied with gambling. 2. if you need to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement. 3. if you have had repeated efforts at stopping but cant. 5. if you gamble as a way of escaping from problems 6. if after losing money gambling, you return another day to get even 7. If you lie to family members about the extent of involvement with gambling. 8. if you commit illegal acts to finance gambling. 9. if you have jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, jo...

How Has the Position of Vice President Changed

How has the position of the vice president changed? (30 MARKS) The position of the vice president has drastically changed in many areas such as the way in which they are voted in, but it is still unchanged in areas like the powers given to the vice president in the constitution. As the role of the federal government and the presidents responsibilities grew presidents began to see the vice-presidency as a source of help in running the executive branch of government.Beginning with the Eisenhower- Nixon administration 1953-61, vice presidents were given more high profile tasks and became in some cases significant presidential advisors in 1977 vice-president Mondale was shown the presidential daily briefing and was given an office in the west wing, Mondale was the first vice-president to receive this but after Mondale this was the normal thing for the vice-presidents.The improved position of the vice-presidency has attracted more significant people to seek the office, over the past 50 ye ars the list of vice-presidents has been a distinguished one, including names such as Lyndon Johnson and Al Gore, of the eleven vice-presidents who held office between 1953 and 2008 four went on to become president, while a further three were selected to run. The election of vice-president Dick Chaney was seen as a bit of a joke not because he was not qualified enough but because he was more qualified than the president George W. Bush, it was said ‘if Dick Chaney were assassinated, Bush would have to become president'.Dick Chaney did not take the roles of a normal vice-president he had lots more power Bush gave Cheney access to ‘every table and every meeting' making his voice heard in whatever area the vice-president feels he wants to be active in. The first two decades of the nations history, the vice-president was the person who came second in the balloting of the electoral college, until the 1804 the 12th amendment changed the vice presidential system, from then on it was elected on a joint ticket with the president so the choice for the potential president Is the choice of the people.Modern day vice-presidents have take on new roles, many have played a role in legislation in congress, this is the role that Dick Chaney who was former member of the house of representatives took for George W. Bush and this is the role that Joe Biden a senator for 36 years plays for president Obama. The vice-president often becomes the party worker, electioneer and fund raiser, Cheney played this role in the run up to the 2002 mid term elections, according to the times Cheney was â€Å"drawing packed crowds and raking in millions of dollars for Republican candidates†.The vice-president may become a major spokesman for the administration, Gore became a regular face at the podium on environmental issues as well as over government efficiency drives. However vice-presidents have always had four powers in the constitution which are still in place today, the vice- president is the presiding officer of the senate, even though this function is rarely performed by the vice-president is usually assigned to junior members of senates chambers, the vice president can also break a tied vote in the senate, which can be very helpful for the president as when there was a tie breaking vote in 2001 on President Bushes $1. trillion tax cut Dick Chaney voted in favour of President Bush, between 1981 and January 2009 vice presidents were called upon to break tied votes on 19 occasions eight of these by Dick Chaney. The vice-president is given the task of counting and then announcing the electoral college results, so in 2001 vice president Al Gore had to announce his defeat in the previous November election.The previous three powers are either of little importance or occur rarely or both, it is the final power that gives the office of vice-president its potential importance. The vice-president becomes president upon death, resignation or removal of the presid ent from office, this has occurred on nine occasions, four times following the assassination of the president, four times following the natural death of the president, and once following the resignation of the president, president Nixon resigned in 1974 after the Watergate scandal.The insignificant powers of the office, coupled with this potential importance led the first vice-president, John Adams to remark of the post ‘in this I am nothing but I may be everything'. More recently the vice president has acquired a fifth power ‘to become acting president if the president is declared, or declares himself disabled, this has been used three times but only for a short time, Dick Chaney was acting president twice but for just over two hours.So there has been some drastic changes in the position of the vice-president, they have taken on a lot more responsibility than they have previously had, gradually getting more and more power, but it depends on the vice president such as Di ck Chaney he was a very powerful vice-president which could be due to his expertise and the lack of experience of Bush in comparison, but some parts of the vice-presidency are still the same as they are still written in the constitution.

Age and Second Language Acquisition Essay

For over sixty years scientists and linguists have been doing the researches about the second language acquisition and bilingualism among children. It has been discovered that second language acquisition is a parallel of the first language acquisition but also there are a lot of differences. At the beginning it must be said what the bilingualism and second language acquisition are. SLA (Second Language Acquisition) refers to the process by which people learn second language that means that they know one language and then start learning the other one. On the other hand, bilingualism refers to the ability to use two languages with equal fluency. But some scientists believes that even though those abilities are nearly equal, one language will always dominate above the other. There are three types of bilingualism: * Simultaneous: learning both languages as the first one. So a new born child who does not speak any languages goes directly to the phase that it speaks two languages; * Receptive: it means that children are able to understand two languages but express themselves only in one; * Sequential: refers to the acquisition of the second language after establishing the first one. As for the second language acquisition, there is main theory elaborated by the psycholinguist, Stephen Krashen, which consist of the five hypothesis: 1. The Acquisition-learning hypothesis. There are two independent systems: the acquired system and the learning system. Acquisition is the product of subconscious process, needs natural conversation in which speaker is focused on the communicative act, not on the form. It can be compared with the acquisition of the mother tongue by the child. Learning, on the other hand, is the product of formal instructions, so it is the conscious process. This is represented by the norms grammar, vocabulary and so on. It demands effort and attention. Krashen emphasizes that acquisition is more important than learning. 2. The Monitor hypothesis. This hypothesis explains the relation between acquisition and learning. As the acquisition is the initiator of the utterance, the learning is the editor. The function of monitor is, according to Krashen, to correct â€Å"deviations from normal speech and to give speech a more polished appearance†. 3. The Natural Order hypothesis. It is based on the claim that the acquisition of grammatical structures follows a natural order that can be predictable. It is also said that some grammatical structures are learnt earlier and some later and they seem to be depended on the learner’s age. 4. The Input hypothesis. This hypothesis explains, according to Krashen, how the second language is acquired. It explains only the acquisition not learning. This hypothesis shows that the learner processes along the natural order when one receives second language input that is beyond one’s current stage of linguistic competence. 5. The Affective Filter hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, there are some affective variables that are facilitative in second language acquisition. These are for example motivation, anxiety and self-confidence. It was claimed that learners with high motivation and self-confidence and low level of the anxiety are better â€Å"equipped† for success in second language acquisition. From the beginning of life, babies acquire their first language due to the same pattern. All children go through the same phases. These are: * bubbling, * one-word utterance, * two-word phrases, * full sentences, * complex grammar. As it is generally said, children acquire second language faster than adults. Children who are younger than 6 years old learn two languages as one. As one of the Harvard professors, Patton Tabors, in his book One Child, Two Languages: A guide for Preschool Educators of Children Learning English as a Second Language (1997, p. 12) noticed that â€Å"For these children, then, second-language acquisition is not a process of discovering what language is, but rather of discovering what this language is†. It means that all new elements of the language are developed as the acquisition of the first language. In the age of 6-7 children start to recognize and separate two languages. They learn the second language rather than acquire due to the way that the language is taught. Also it is worth noticing that some of the sounds of second language can be weird for child and not always he or she is capable to pronounce words properly. It results with foreign accent. According to Stephen Krashen, child acquires a second language by receiving input in the target language which is a little bit above their current level of acquired understanding. What is more, according to Krashen’s Affective Filter hypothesis, high motivation, self-confidence, a good self-image, and a low level of anxiety play great role in the second language acquisition among children. Children learn also by the imitation of adults. What is more SLA depends on the quantity of input, so the quantity of the parents speech. The more child hears, the more efficiently and faster he or she acquires. As I have mentioned, the second language acquisition makes a parallel of the first language acquisition but is slightly different. In 1983, Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell in their book The Natural Approach: Language Acquisition in the classroom (1983) distinguished five stages of second language acquisition among children. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in United States organized them and listed. These are: 1. The Silent/Receptive or Preproduction Stage: The stage lasts from 10 hours to six months. During this time students know up to 500 words which they understand but do not feel comfortable to use them. This period is often called as silent because students may not speak but respond with simple gesture or with the simple answers like â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no†. In this stage they can also understand new words that are made comprehensible to them. 2. The Early Production Stage: this stage can last more less six months until students learn approximately 1000 which they can understand and use. This stage is similar to the phases of one-word utterance and two-word phrases. Students are able to ask some Wh-questions and use simple negatives and of course â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no† answers. 3. The Speech Emergence Stage: this stage lasts another year. There are over 3000 words developed. In this stage students are able to use simple sentences, dialogues and they can ask simple questions and answer them. Longer sentences are produced but often with grammatical mistakes. 4. The Intermediate Language Proficiency Stage: it is next year after the speech emergence. Students developed up to 6000 words and make clear and correct statements. They can share their opinions and thoughts and speak at greater length. 5. The Advanced Language Proficiency Stage: it takes about five to seven years to speak second language fluently and without any grammar mistakes. By this stage students have developed some specialized vocabulary which is more less the same level as native speakers. Of course, the case of each student is different. Some can acquire second language faster and do not feel â€Å"blocked† from speaking. It all depends on the student’s will and involvement. It is said that adults are not able to acquire second language as quick as children but it can be misleading. Firstly, it has to be noticed that if children acquire second language it is mostly in the natural setting where they have natural contact with the language and can acquire all aspects of language and it is not only to say about grammar rules but also proverbs, phrasal verbs, vulgarisms and slang. On the other hand, adults mostly learn second language in classroom with other beginners and level of given lessons is adjusted to the student with the lowest level. In such conditions it is obvious that the second language acquisition takes more time than the SLA among children. In adult age, even though we understood and we are able to use correctly grammar rules, it is hard to acquire natural way of talking, it is the authentic, native-speaker pronunciation, which often determines the level of second language acquisitio n. It can be said that adults can exceed children in all aspects of SLA except the accent. For example, it is said that adults who learn Chinese or any other Far-East language will not ever acquire the language pronunciation properly. Of course any children who learn those language will acquire it not only properly but also without any traces of foreign accent. It happens because children can â€Å"shape† their vocal cords to pronounce words properly and it is impossible for adults whose vocal cords are already shaped. There are several linguists that had been doing the researches on the adult and children second language acquisition. I would like to present some of the results of those researches. Cartherine Snow, Bradford Marshall and Stefka Marinova-Todd say that the age does not constrict the acquisition of second language to achieve the native-speaker level. They argue that the speed of language acquisition and misattribution of age are the generalized misconceptions. On the other hand, Jean-Marc Dewaele demonstrates the need for the inclusion of emotional comm unication factor. He says that the competence will help learners in faster second language acquisition. However, other linguist, David Singleton, believes that only learners who are exposed to the second language early in life have chance to acquire completely second language. Children easily acquire the language and reach high level of success, while adults become fossilized on account of neurobiological assumptions. What is more, the wrong interpretation of the children’s acquisition speed misled to belief that children can absorb a language within months. Researches made in 70’s proved the opposite. Adults in the first stages were more efficient and absorbed language faster than children. It was explained by the neuroscientist who indicated that the localization of the languages in children’s and adults’ brain is different. Results made in 1990’s showed that two adjacent centers of activation in Broca’s area, which is responsible for the speech, were activated in adult learners whereas in children’s brains there was no separation of t his area. Although, the others scientists argue that brain is plastic and â€Å"flexible† so children can acquire more. With puberty people lose it. It leads us to the Critical Period Hypothesis which was presented by the American linguist, Eric Lanneberg. He argued that if the second language is not absorbed completely before the certain age, its total acquisition will not ever be possible. In so called critical period we can absorb second language by means of the Language Acquisition Device which includes the rules of the common grammar. According to other linguist, Noam Chomsky, all languages in the world have the same common grammar rules and what is more they are inborn and do not have to taught. It can be illustrated by the example of Genie, a feral girl, who in her early years, until she was 13, was tortured by her father and isolated from the society. Scientists could observe in which way she was absorbing the language. And as a result, she never acquired language completely. On the other hand, the world is full of people who acquired second language perfectly after the critical period. For example pope John Paul II who spoke eight languages fluently or Ioannis Ikonomou, who works in European Commission, who speaks fluently in thirty two languages. Summing up, there is the great disagreement between scientist if the early ages helps or rather slows down the second language acquisition. Also the arguments about Genie, who could not absorb any language completely due to the vanished language acquisition device or about Ioannis Ikonomou who fluently speaks thirty two languages do not help to prove it completely. It all depends on personal ability of each person. References: 1. Genesee Fred, Neuropsychology and Second Language Acquisition, New York, 1988. 2. Gitsaki Christina, Second Language Acquisition Theories: Overview and Evaluation, Journal of Communication and International Studies, volume 4, 1998, p. 89-98, retrieved from Internet at http://espace.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:9550/L2-theories.htm, last revised on November 27th 2012. 3. Grisel Aloin, Child-Adult differences in Second Language Acquisition. Part 1, 2010, retrived from Internet at http://www.examiner.com/review/child-adult-differences-second-language-acquisition-part-1, last revised on December 1st 2012. 4. Grisel Aloin, Child-Adult differences in Second Language Acquisition. Part 2, 2010, retrived from Internet at http://www.examiner.com/review/child-adult-differences-second-language-acquisition-part-2, last revised on December 1st 2012. 5. Krashen Stephen and Terrell Tracy, The Natural Approach: Language Acquisition in the classroom, Michigan, 1983. 6. Schà ¼tz Ricardo, Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition, retrieved from Internet at http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html, last revised on November 28th 2012. 7. Tabors Patton, One child, two languages, Baltimore, 1997, p. 12. 8. Website of the European Commission, retrieved from Internet at http://ec.europa.eu/languages/orphans/faq_pl.htm, last revised on December 2nd 2012.

Many Films Have a Bad Influence on Young People. What Is Your View? Essay

Everyone needs entertainment to refresh their minds and get relaxed after everyday chores. The most common way people usually use to entertain themselves is to watch a Movie. Movies are entertaining but some movies can have a negative impact on the audience esp. youth. Youngsters are immature and easily susceptible to any perception. In this era where movies are the part of our daily life and youth mostly watch it on almost every weekend can cause a great impact on their mindset. Youth love to watch movies but indirectly many of those movies are a bad influenced on them. Like in cartoon movies the characters do things those are impossible in real life and are supernatural and little kids get admired by those characters and they think that they can also do all those things. Today’s teenagers the real youth are greatly influenced by such movies like by watching action or gangsters type of films they may lead themselves in committing crimes and killing people that is illegal and that may cause themselves into great trouble. The violence and bloodshed in these movies make them think more about violence and extremism. By following their favorite actor they started doing everything they do and those acts, which are dislike by the society. Their favorite actor might take drugs, alcohol and smoke in the movie so the young people begin smoking too or they may think they’ll leave a cool impression on the society by doing all this. They also follow their lifestyle like what they wear, what they eat and so on and they get influence of their culture. So it’s a bad impact on our culture and lifestyle. These movies can also damage our faith and lead us to the wrong path. Young people also begin to do dangerous stunts that may harm them or sometimes may take their lives as well. They get indulge in bad companies and torture others by different means. Films also affect their way of speaking and attitude towards others. They adapt abusive languages and make themselves violent. And maintain this kind of bad behavior towards everyone. This may decrease their social status. It’s not wrong to say that many films do have bad influence on the young people and make them superstitious but there are many films which have a positive effect on youth. Like there are many educational and inspirational films out there that gives us a lesson and we have a lot to learn from those films. That will not only guides us to the right way but will also help us to be a good citizen and raise our social status.

My Favorite Restaurant

I don’t like homemade food too much so I often tend to go out to have lunch or dinner; I’m not talking about fast food, in fact I don’t like fast food that much. So the first place that always popped to my mind is the Ponto Alto restaurant; it is my favorite restaurant in town for many reasons. I visit this restaurant 2 to 3 per week; it is located on a hill in the Bahsass area in front of the sea, so you can imagine how beautiful the view is up there. This is the biggest reason why I like this restaurant the view is amazing especially during the sunset!One can sit-down and have their food while looking to its beautiful view, it is so relieving. Of course since I go there a lot the food must be great. It serves Italian food such as pasta and pizza and also large varieties of chicken and beef with its remarkable sauce. It’s not like fast-food it much closer to home food but more delicious and very healthy also. The dà ©cor and design inside are very creati ve; it has a large painting on the ceiling with cheerful colors that draws a smile on your face every time you look up and see it.Moreover, the restaurant also play many classical English and French music, which make you relax and comfortable! Lastly all the servants in the restaurant are both warm and hospitable they make you feel like at home. In conclusion, I think that Ponto Alto is the perfect place to eat and have a quite time especially if you are out with the wife or girl friend. I don’t hesitate for a second to recommend anyone to visit and try this unique restaurant.

Academic Performance in Nursing Students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Academic Performance in Nursing Students - Essay Example The more experienced person become good in critiquing and the more person know about the research, the more detailed he/she will do his/her analysis. When a person starting critiquing, he/she will simply need some basic guidelines to follow and to make their data collection successful and effective. Ethnicity and age are two variables that are known to be quite considerable predictors of academic achievement among nursing students. The restricted particular area in nursing shortage has increased that push to diversify, resulting in more mature-age students and students from diverse ethnic and cultural groups in nursing programmes. There is increasing pressure for nursing students to participate in part-time employment undertaking higher education and this may affect their academic performance. Difference in culture, age, language and ethnicity will influence on person’s personality and while performing this study or data collection that may be difficult to deal for the instructors to deal with all kind of people. The underlying objective of this study was to construct and testify a model that describes some of the psychological processes that underlie nursing students' academic performance.... ce in culture, age, language and ethnicity will influence on person's personality and while performing this study or data collection that may be difficult to deal for the instructors to deal with all kind of people. The underlying objective of this study was to construct and testify a model that describes some of the psychological processes that underlie nursing students' academic performance. The model hypothesized the age and entry qualifications influence students' academic motivation for example academic worries, expectations, self-efficacy, and this in turn has a significant impact on their decisions to seek maintain that consequently has an influence on their academic performance. LITERATURE REVIEW In this step a person who performs critique data collection have to see what others have done in context to their research or what is already known about their subject. Literature review may contain any article or journal etc. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of quality science course performance and tutoring services with academic performance of nursing students. Let's suppose we have taken first semester nursing students as an example. Quantitative data were collected using student records posterior to a semester in which the tutoring services were offered. The expediency sample consisted of thirty seven students who were enrolled in first semester of the nursing courses. The influence on academic performance was found out by comparison of the academic performance of the two groups i.e. the students who had participated in less than five tutorial sessions and the students who attended five or more than five tutorial sessions. The prior academic presentation was illustrated to have a statistically. A literature search showed that previous

ART AND RENAISSSANCE HUMANISM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ART AND RENAISSSANCE HUMANISM - Essay Example II. The female in Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Girlhood of the Mary Virgin Without doubt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s first public oil painting The Girlhood of Mary has religious theme and symbolisms. In the visual rendering of the painting, it already impressed some sort of religiosity although it may not be that obvious until one interprets the symbolisms in the artwork and associate the description of the sonnets inscribed at the bottom of the frame. In addition, the production of another painting of the Virgin Mary in the succeeding year which is the Ecce Ancilla Domini which depicted the Annunciation of Angel Gabriel to Mary that she is about to have an immaculate conception confirms the religious anthem of the painting (Cullari 3). Donnelly aptly described that Dante Gabriel’s Rossetti’s idea of â€Å"female’s excellence† such as the depiction of a woman and her femininity in his first major public painting The Girlhood of Mary Virgin is pure, innocent and clean (476). In The Girlhood of Mary Virgin, Rossetti’s elevation of the female as a subject transcended beyond her aesthetic beauty of which Rossetti was known to be enamoured and included her sanctity as a woman to the point that she belonged to the deity. This may have been attributed to the various influences of Rossetti’s social milieu during the Renaissance era where the female is idealized as pure and innocent where Rossetti lavished it with religious theme in his first two works (The Girlhood of Mary Virgin and Ecce Ancilla Domini) to stress further how much he esteemed the female. The manner of which the subjects (Mary and St. Anne) were conveyed was startling if not unconventional. Rossetti’s portrayal of his female subjects transcended beyond the visual but also included verbal description through sonnets that were equally beautiful and lofty. The representation of the female in Rossetti’s first two works, particularly the first ( The Girlhood of Mary) to his audience was as if to educate medieval parishioners about femininity by the authority of a priest using words and pictures for those who cannot read (Marsh 28). The combination of this two medium goes beyond â€Å"the word-image opposition in that it consistently threatens the temporal-spatial divide through which images and texts are normally separated† (Donnely 476). The meanings derived from the associated of the painting and the sonnet goes beyond the regular perception of narratives that disturbs the traditional perception in art with regard to its progression and form. In a way, The Girlhood of Mary is a prelude and preparation of the Virgin Mary before she will bear the child Jesus as announced by the angel Gabriel in the Annunciation or Ecce Ancilla Domini. The accompanying â€Å"sonnet captured the intense segment of Rossetti’s thought and feeling† that made the painting dense not only in the style and manner it was rendered but also in symbolism (Armstrong 462). III. Christian iconography in The Girlhood of Mary Virgin Rossetti’s painting The Girlhood of Mary is dense with symbolism. Almost every person and object in the painting suggests some form of symbolism and was not just placed in the painting just to serve a singular aesthetic purpose. The most noticeable symbolism in the painting is the mentoring of Mary’s mother, St. Anne. Typically, tutorship involves homeschooling that required a student to read. In the

Ethnographic Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethnographic Review - Essay Example The complexity of the issues discussed with regard to women in pain is also clearly explained. Finkler’s objective in writing the book was to deepen our understanding of human sickness through what she termed as life lesions. In addition, biomedicine has without doubt made incredible advances and has succeeded in treating difficult medical impairments. Nonetheless, at times biomedicine fails to lessen patients routinely experienced symptoms because of the restrictions of the biomedicine script, a script that fails to understand life’s lesions. Finkler develops life lesions in an outstanding symbol of how wounds imposed on people that is women during their lives are narrated in the concept of life lesions in the reflection of a sense of loss of control, or the life of a person being out of control. Finkler analysis of the Mexican gender role outlook makes it understandable why women with little control of their lives would convey chronic and unexplained physical pain. In case, readers would presume that all Mexican women are trapped in similar gender roles and experience the type of life lesions described by Finkler, she warns against stereotyping the whole population of Mexican women. The women discussed in her book, are a specific set of women. She chose them as a subset from a sample of 205 women she interviewed earlier at the hospital, of which 161 were later interviewed at the comfort of their homes. The 10 case studies in the book were drawn from the 161 women interviewed both in the hospital and at home. The book is divided into three parts: the first part evaluates the literature with regard to the nature of sickness, nature of gender and the connection between gender and sickness. The second part puts out a good review of gender roles in Mexico, historical associations between men and women and the place of spiritualist or evangelical movements in the lives of poor men and women. Additionally, Finkler also incorporate an overview profile o f women in her chosen population. The longest section of the book is left for case studies. The reader is expected to meet with â€Å"Juana who is in search of dignity amid a garbage dump, Susana a woman who has ventured into the public domain, Carlota who changed from proletarian to a housewife, Maria whose life experiences have changed from bad to worse, Norma who claimed to have found God, Josefina who narrates that she has dedicated her whole life to working very hard. Rebecca on the other hand is a woman at the verge of disintegration, Julia who struggles to live with a drunken husband, Alicia who is a mother and a mistress and Margarita a woman in such of individualism†. With regard to nature of sickness, women and men have differing health needs and outcomes. This is because of biological differences, especially â€Å"sex-connected biology such as genital secretions, secondary sex characteristics and reproductive events like pregnancy and menopause†. Finkler not ed that gender affects the risk of mortality and morbidity through diverse exposure and helplessness, the harshness and consequences of illness and access to health care services (Finkler 5). In most of Mexican cities, there exists biasness when it comes to gender and healthcare. Most men are given priority than women therefore putting the women under the risk of further complications and stress. Moreover, the existence of socioeconomic inequality has been the main reason for health biasness in Mexico.