Black Death in Europe Essay

European people faced great hardship during the years 1347-1352 suffering from the effects of the Bubonic Plaque. Prior to this epidemic hitting Europe the population of Europe was growing faster than the food supplies could keep up with and economic crisis was beginning to take place. Once the Bubonic Plaque started spreading it took center stage and over population would not be an issue of concern any longer. The Bubonic Plaque, also referred to as the Black Death, was caused by a bacterial infection found mostly in rodents and their fleas. The infected fleas would come into contact with humans and death would occur in less than a week. Humans suffered from high fever, aching limbs, and lymph nodes would swell and turn black. Humans also contributed to the spread of the plaque by non-effected people coming into contact with the body fluids of an effected person. As the plaque spread the people of Europe found themselves shifting from community and family to worrying about survival of the individual. Men who worked with animals contracted the plaque and died. Women that contracted the plaque that survived could no longer carry a child and were abandoned by their husbands. Children found themselves fighting to survive as their parents were taken by the plaque. Families that did have children would abandoned their children who became infected, the plaque would kill children within hours of contraction if not immediately. In attempt to escape the plaque people that lived in the cities often traveled to the country and most often taking the plaque with them only cause more death. Europe lost roughly one third of the population due to the Bubonic Plaque. The economy during this time also saw a great shift from the twenty five million people lost due to the plaque. Feudalism, which was strong before the plaque, weakened as European people realized that they could work and survive on their own. Many of the farm workers died leaving the land in bad shape which meant poor crop return and a declining food supply. The famers and workers that managed to survive the plaque were able to demand more wages from the knights, baron, or king that owned the land they worked. The cows, goats, sheep, and other live stock that were used for food supply were often shared among communities but as people feared for survival these animals were brought inside homes to prevent exposure only causing more death from spread of the plaque and other diseases. Lastly the economy  suffered from lack of trade with other counties. The Bubonic Plaque’s massive death toll left other countries fearful of trading goods adding to the already hard economy. While the Bubonic Plaque did not completely vanish until late in the fifteenth century the effects on life and economy during the peak of contamination was dramatic. In a five year span Europe experienced entire towns and villages being left lifeless from the Bubonic Plaque. The bacterial infection spread without regard to social and economical class, killing both adults and children. Those that did survive the plaque found new opportunities through negotiating and rebelling.

Family Nursing Diagnoses Essay

Conducting a family assessment is a challenging and important step in the care of the client. It is essential to identify problems and situations inhibiting a family from practicing healthy behaviors and developing healthy habits to thrive in the home and community. Identifying problems then deciding the family nursing diagnosis and planning interventions beneficial to the family is the next step in the client’s care. Three Family Nursing Diagnoses The three family nursing diagnoses identified to assist SS and her family are anxiety related to several short- and long-term stressors, delayed growth and development related to CS’s handicaps, and chronic pain related to SS’s rheumatoid arthritis. These nursing diagnoses were most appropriate for this family. Healthy People 2020 Indicator The indicator chosen that links to the nursing diagnoses mentioned above is social determinants (â€Å"Healthy People 2020†, 2012). This indicator is relevant to the identified family nursing diagnoses because of numerous reasons. CS has a disorder that has caused him to have developmental delays and numerous health issues. He reports getting bullied at school periodically, is in special needs classes, and will not be able to live independently. The indicator is also relevant because of the number of stressors SS has identified through the family assessment that affects the family’s lives daily. Researching information on Healthy People 2020 and  specifically the social determinants indicator reveals that assisting the client and her family with healthy behaviors, physical activity, assistance with dealing with stress-related issues leads the family to being successful members of the community and being successful in tasks necessary for improved health and longer life expectancy. Linking the indicator to the family nursing diagnoses will also provide the family with strategies to deal with school, community, and workplace issues that are barriers to accomplishments within the family. Opportunities for Community Health Nursing Interventions One opportunity where I can make a positive impact with community health nursing interventions would be providing a lecture at CS’s high school about bullying. This would be beneficial for students in many high school communities. The lecture should include information about why children bully each other, strategies for how to deal with bullies, and why bullying is wrong. Another way to influence in a positive way is provide SS and her family ways to deal with the issues that cause the most stress in the family, whether it is financial concerns, time management issues, or health concerns. Conducting family meetings to share responsibilities for chores around the house, making the children aware of what can be afforded monetarily month to month, and ensuring the family is keeping regular health check ups are a few techniques that may be beneficial. Making sure SS is aware and takes advantage of workplace assistance for a variety of reasons is another opportunity to make a posit ive impact on her family and on the social determinant indicator. Health Education Topics There are a number of topics related to health education that would be beneficial to SS and her family as well as any community. One topic SS may find helpful deals with emotional wellness, which is a subject I have spent time discussing with SS and her family. Finding a balance between everything going on in one’s life, such as school, work, sports, or other activities is necessary in protecting emotional health. Another topic relates to stress, which is another area of concern for SS. There are different levels of stress and they can be short-term and long-term  stressors as SS has identified within the family assessment. Stress does not have to be bad, but how to deal with it is what makes the difference. Developing and learning coping strategies are helpful in managing stress. Here is where the emphasis in education should be. Nutrition and physical activity is another health education topic beneficial for everyone. SS’s oldest son who is in college could be a target of this topic, as college students are not known to have healthy eating or sleeping habits. Diet teaching and assistance with developing a physical activity plan would be a focus of the education (â€Å"Health Education Center†, n.d.). Conclusion A family assessment is a vital step in diagnosing what potential problems and areas for improvement a client may have. Evaluating aspects of the family unit including family history, support system, stressors, and social structure will aid in determining and prioritizing the family diagnoses. Family involvement in decision-making of what diagnoses to conquer and intervention planning will help the success of the plan. What is learned through the family can help develop topics the general public could be educated on and benefit from. References Health Education Center. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healtheducation.uci.edu Healthy People 2020. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov Nursing Diagnosis List. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nandanursingdiagnosislist.org Stanhope, M. (2012). Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. Family Assessment I. Family Demographics a) Family Name-Sindle b) Family Composition-mother, 3 sons c) Type of family form (single parent) d) Cultural Background-English, German, and Cherokee†¦.great., great,  great grandmother was Cherokee Indian e) Religious Affiliation-Baptist and Presbyterian f) Social Class Status-low income class g) Family’s recreational or leisure-time activities-soccer, 2 of 3 boys very involved with soccer teams. Watching movies, riding bikes. II. Developmental Stages and family history a) Family’s present developmental stage-one child in college, one in high school and one in middle school. Mom taking classes part-time to earn nursing degree. b) Nuclear Family History-SS’s parents are originally from Franklin, NC. Mother is of English and German descent and dad is English and Cherokee Indian. I II. Environmental Data a) Characteristics of home-reside in a 2 story home in a single-family dwelling subdivision. Approximately 300 homes in the neighborhood. b) Characteristics of neighborhood and larger community- There is a community park with a small playground used for gatherings. They have neighborhood watch in their subdivision. Gloucester is considered a rural community. It has a large shopping center that has a Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Applebees, Chick-fil-a, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Hardees and Wendy’s. Several churches of various denominations, one free medical clinic, a wellness center, one small hospital, a boys and girls club, several parks with baseball fields, soccer fields, and playground equipment. Family-owned shops on main street with restaurants and banks, a bookstore and antique stores. Volunteer fire stations and rescue squads throughout the county. c) Family’s Geographic mobility- SS was born and raised in Williamsburg, VA. Lived in Tappahannock, VA for a year and then moved to Gloucester, VA where she have resided for 25 years. Her sons have lived in Gloucester since they were born. d) Family’s associations and transactions with community- Her boys participate in parks and rec activities. They go bowling as a family and to the movies occasionally. Attend annual Daffodil festival that is held in the community every spring. e) Family’s social support network-SS has aunts, uncles and a few friends that help out sporadically. Her two youngest boys go to Florida every summer to spend time with their grandparents. SS sees her work environment and peers as a support system as well. Her oldest  child has a support system through his soccer teammates and friends at college. IV. Family Stress and Coping a) Short and long-term familial stressors and strengths: Short term- SS is trying to finish classes so she can start nursing school. Also trying to balance work and school and getting children where they need to go for activities. Long term- son (CS) with special needs-what will he do after he graduates high school in 2 years. Has Williams Syndrome and has cognitive and developmental delays. Finances. Getting oldest son through college. Single parent (children’s father passed away in 2009, he and SS were divorced prior to that). SS has recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. CS’s health-worry about his cardiac issues as he gets older, hypertension, and GI issues. b) Extent of family’s ability to respond, based on objective appraisal of stress-producing situations- This family has been able to respond to the stressors that have been placed on them relatively well. They have had their ups and downs, but are a very close family and they rely heavily on ea ch other and help each other out. SS’s sons are very protective of their mother. c) Coping Strategies Utilized by all members of family-They work together as a family to get things accomplished. The boys have had to grow up quick. Working through one issue at a time. Make time for fun and for the 2 boys to participate in soccer. V. Family Functions a) Family’s need-response Patterns (affective function)- Very close knit family. They watch out for each other always. They go to soccer games together as a family to watch the 2 boys play. Take at least 2 family vacations each year with SS’s parents. Watch a lot of family movies together. Watch professional sports on TV. b) Socialization Function (child rearing practices, who is socializing agent for children, cultural beliefs that influence family’s child-rearing patterns)- SS is primary socializing agent. Discipline for bad behavior depends on what the infraction is, ranges from no TV to no friends over for bad grades or if school work not completed. c) Adequacy of home environment for children’s needs to play- have a large fenced-in backyard with an above-ground swimming pool. Pool table, ping-pong table. Bikes, soccer net  and balls, tennis rackets, TV room with xbox 360, DVD player, Computers. d) Health care function-SS has health insurance through her employer. Middle child now 18 and qualifies for Medicaid. The family sees a physician yearly for physicals. CS sees many different specialists. JS has frequent bouts of strep throat which makes him miss several school days each year. SS sees a rheumatologist for her RA.

Down Freedom's Main Line Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Down Freedom's Main Line - Essay Example This emphasis on love as the solution gave people an alternative to active resistance. FOR also established the International Fellowship Reconciliation in Holland. FOR also made Non-violent actions against segregation by organizing its supporters and mounting nonviolence campaigns. FOR mainly used Mahatma Gandhi's approaches (Williams, 48). Question 2 The actions of the Four Black Freshmen, also known as the Greensboro Four in 1960 organized sit-ins, which were basically nonviolent protests, against racial segregation. The main purpose of the sit-ins was to spark an increased sentiment at a time when US history was critical. The problem that blacks encountered was racial segregation in all places of the US life (education, job market and in social events). The February 1, 1960 (4:30 pm) underscores the extent of racial segregation that blacks underwent. In the incident, four black university students were not served food and beverage at Woolworth's 132 South Elm Street's store, simpl y because they were black. The white race and the police reacted to the sit-ins by being antagonistic. Question 3 The reason for the formation of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) which was formed in 1960 was to protest against racial, social injustices and even the Vietnam War. This group coordinated southern African American college students in nonviolent protests and activities against lunch counter-segregation which followed the Four Black Freshmen sit-ins. SNCC also campaigned to de-segregate voter registration in America, particularly, in the Deep South. All in all, it is accurate to state that the SNCC purposed to bring about social change and emancipation, through civil rights activism. According to Williams, the role of Ella Baker in the development of SNCC was that of helping form, and directing the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference), under whose auspices, the SNCC operated and existed. Baker (together with Rev. James Lawson) also injected SNCC politics and administration with participatory democracy. Thus, Ella Baker's contributions to SNCC are indispensible (Williams, 61). Question 4 The reasons for the Freedom Rides were to challenge the non-enforcement of the US Supreme Court, on the cases, I. Morgan v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 1946 and Boynton v. Virginia, 1960. In both cases, the US Supreme Court had ruled that the segregation of public buses were unconstitutional but the Southern states ignored the rulings as the federal government failed to make measures to ratify the rulings. The Freedom Riders sought to challenge this status quo by organizing and riding interstate buses in the South. Participants of the rides comprised mixed racial groups, as a way of discounting the local customs and laws which had solidified segregated sittings. Both the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the SNCC sponsored the Freedom Rides. The involvement of the Kennedy Administration in the Freedom Rides cannot also be discounted. Particularly, the Kennedy Administration got involved in the Freedom Rides after the 1961 Jim Crow South incident which deeply ashamed the administration. A mob set one of the Freedom Ride buses on fire, outside Anniston, Ala. the Kennedy Admin

Electronic Healthcare System Issues Research Paper

Electronic Healthcare System Issues - Research Paper Example This paper is a report on electronic healthcare system that analyzes and assesses the challenges that are part of the electronic system. It will also explore ways that can be appointed to overcome the challenges will also be addressed in the report. The paper is assisting managers in the healthcare dealing with information and data management operations. It will guide the professionals to manage their healthcare system in an effective way. Body Content Risks and Opportunities involved in sharing Clinical Data In healthcare there are several risks involved in patients’ exchange of information. There are some external and some internal risks involved in client’s data sharing. There are risks of patient’s identity exposure, identity mismatch or conflict, and data stealing which could result through clinical data exchange. Similarly, there are simultaneous risks involved of identity fraud, distortion of patients’ healthcare record, and distortion of patientsâ €™ medication record through healthcare data exchange (American Medical Association, 2013). The responsibility and obligation lies on healthcare organizations, that they protect patients’ personal information by making their electronic health system protective and secured. If information systems are highly protective, they can ensure the safety of patients’ personal records and data. For healthcare organization, information is an asset which if gets managed is a value to the organization and if gets lost or detracted is a complete threat to the organization (American Medical Association, 2013). In healthcare information integration is an essential thing required which is achieved by means deliberated data exchange. Exchanging patients’ personal clinical information links all the departments together. The departmental coordination makes patients’ care highly qualitative. This is one major opportunity that lies with clinical information sharing (America n Bar Association, 1994). On further, data pooling (sectional data sharing) comes out valuable for research departments of the healthcare organization. This operation is made possible through sectional information sharing. Looping information from one period of patient trial to another is enabled through data exchange. Conducting a clinical research gets easier when pooled information is available on the research desk. Information sharing provides data to researchers which can further be used for scientific argument (American Bar Association, 1994). On further, information sharing keeps departments proactive. When the information required for patient’s treatment is available at the right time, the treatment gets effective as it is done on the real time basis. This is an opportunity which usually most healthcare organizations avail through sectional data sharing. According to Deborah Zarin (the director at the National Library of Medicine), information sharing brings transpare ncy in health care operations (National Academy of Sciences, 2013, p. 4). It brings transparency on how well the patients are provided treatment and care. Information sharing also gives the opportunity of patient’s retrospective analysis as it allows the data exchange of patient’s past record of trials. Opportunities are there on the line with electronic health information sharing but it is on the organization’

Cultural Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Communications - Essay Example Business communication in the United States has distinct features that differentiate it from communication in other cultures. Communication style in the United States focuses on the message as opposed to development of long-term relationships during a communication process. Interactions are therefore short-term based and are limited the tasks to be performed. Another feature of the United States communication protocol is individualism culture. People put their self-interest before others, operate independently, and are identified with the culture of â€Å"self promotion† (Nafsa, n.d., p. 1). The American business communication protocol is further informal and disregards social class. Individuals prefer interacting with peers to underscore rank recognitions and even communications with people at higher social classes or ranks are informally conducted without consideration to the ranks (Nafsa, n.d.). Nature of interpersonal relationships is another characteristic behavior in Ame rican business communication. The individualistic approach undermines development of strong interpersonal relationship. Consequently, the culture reports loosely formed relationships that only last for short periods. The loose interpersonal bonds together with the culture of independence also identify lack of long-term obligations in business communications because interactions are limited to tasks. American business communication culture is also direct, involving confrontations. An emerging issue is directly criticized, and people are not afraid to â€Å"discuss controversial topics† (Nafsa, n.d., p. 1). Further, individuals in American culture always feel free to communicate their thoughts (Nafsa, n.d.). Business communication in the culture is also proactive and aligned to applicable rules of law. An American manager would for example comfortably initiate communications to discuss issues and similarly observe legal constraints and consequences of elements of the communicat ions, and agreements made thereof (Li, 2012). A direct approach to communicating feedback also characterizes the culture’s business communication protocol (Hrmagazine, 2008). How the protocols would create challenges The identified protocols in U.S. business communication create challenges by inducing culture based communication barriers in communication with individuals from a different culture. The Americans individualistic approach to communication may not be acceptable to a person from a collective culture, and may lead to suspicions. Similarly, an individualistic approach to communication with a party from a collective culture would communicate selfishness against the communist morals, a factor that would identify ethical concerns and lead to withdrawal from communication as the collectivist seeks to maintain his or her expected moral standards. The United States culture that disregards social hierarchy and cultural practices is also likely to raise ethical concerns and negatively influence communication with a person from a different culture. A person from a culture in which people regard social hierarchy and integrate culture in communication would for example lose interest in a communication in which a young American manager fails to recognize the party’s seniority while negotiating. Failure, by Americans, who do not

Case Study Work Based Learning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Case Study Work Based Learning - Assignment Example L'Oreal reported revenues of $19.8 billion in 2004 with more than 52,000 employees worldwide. The news of acquisition has surprised Animal protection organizations and ethical consumers worldwide. Though this deal has been endorsed by financial analysts for its financial viability there are sharp protests from ethical consumer forums. They have reacted with surprise at the news that L'Oreal will acquire The Body Shop International. There have been particular concerns over the future of The Body Shop's firm and consistent stance against animal testing and ethical consumerism. The groups issuing this statement work together in a global coalition operating those programs such as the Corporate Standard of Compassion (US) and Humane Cosmetics Standard (EU), working closely with leading cosmetics companies worldwide to end animal testing. The acquisition is over but major challenges lying ahead of L'Oreal and Body Shop of identifying the metrics to measure success, and unifying the contrasting 'people' cultures and management styles of a French corporate giant and a UK-based company whose culture - and business and operating model - is inextricably based upon a strong ethical trading stance, is matter of importance for success of merger. Though L'Oreal and Body Shop belonged to the same business domains there was a large gap between their operating business philosophies. While Body Shop has been a champion of ethical business and ethical consumerism L'Oreal's track record in this field has not been that clean. L'Oreal has accepted in past, the use of animal testing for their cosmetology and dermatology research. L'Oreal receives a worst rating from Ethical Consumer for its animal testing policy, and also has had boycott calls against it for testing its cosmetic products on animals. And while the Body Shop has always considered natural ingredients as important, L'Oreal is criticized by environmental campaigners for including harmful pollutants and worrying chemicals in its cosmetics. Another worry is its link to Nestle. In many European surveys consumers have voted Nestle as a least ethical and responsible organization because of its baby milk which it advertise to be substitute of breast milk. Business Ethics Body shop has sensitized the European customers about the business ethics. According to business philosophy of Body Shop it is opposed to testing products and various ingredients used in cosmetics on animals. Body Shop has also been a champion of business ethics and corporate responsibility to contribute for the cause of society. Following are some lines from the corporate values they are said to follow: "We consider testing products or ingredients on animals to be morally and scientifically indefensible. We support small producer communities around the world who supply us with accessories and natural ingredients. We believe that it is the responsibility of every individual to actively support those who have human rights denied to them. We believe that a business has the responsibility to protect the environment in which it operates, locally and globally." Considering above statements, L'Oreal and Nestle, which owns 26% of L'Oreal, do not have a healthy records at least for the social activists, environmentalists and for Body Shop till the date of acquisition. Anita Roddick, CEO and founder of Body Shop, has many times lashed out at the policy of Nestle of not being ethical. Following Anita's

Scientific principles and techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Scientific principles and techniques - Essay Example Mechanics are based on a few laws of nature which are evident without proof or argument. Mechanics is a highly developed branch of physics which is tasked with the determination and description of the motion of bodies and the investigation of the forces that are associated with the motion (Gross, et al. 2009). Suspension system The suspension system of a car is a collection of important systems that are located on the lower part of the car and are part of the chassis. These include the frame, suspension system, steering system and tires and wheels. The suspension of a car is mainly composed of three systems namely springs, dampers and anti-sway bars. Springs are based on four designs: coil springs which are the most common and are made of a heavy-duty bar that is coiled around an axis. They compress and expand when a force is applied on them to absorb the motion of the wheels; leaf springs which are made up of several layers of metal that are bound together to perform as a single uni t. They absorb shock in trucks and heavy-duty automobiles to reduce the force exerted on the wheels; torsion bars which are made of a steel bar that is coiled; and air springs which are made up of a cylindrical chamber of air placed between the wheel and the body of the car. Manufacture The material is commonly used is alloys of steel such as high-carbon, chrome vanadium and stainless steel. The manufacture process of the springs involves coiling, hardening and a final stage of finishing. Leaf springs are made from bars of flat stock and are heated to elevated temperatures. They are then formed by the use of a machine or by hand. Car springs are made by hot winding which involves heating the metal to very high temperatures to make it formable. When red hot, the bar is then coiled around a mandrel until it acquires the required shape then it is quickly removed from the mandrel and dipped in oil to cool and harden it. To ensure the spring acquires the required strength it is heat trea ted appropriately. For the leaf springs, the flat ends are attained by grinding. The bar is mounted in a jig and is held against an abrasive wheel that is rotating until the required flatness is achieved. A coarse wheel is used first then a finer wheel is used to ensure a fine finish and a cooling lubricant is used to ensure a quality finish and to increase tool life. In a subsequent processes, the spring is exposed to bombardment with tiny steel balls that hammer the steel and make it smooth and this ensures that the steel can resist fatigue and cracking after years of use. The spring is then compressed fully in order to achieve the desired pitch and length and this process is sometimes repeated severally. The coating process which is aimed at preventing corrosion of the metal is the next step. The entire surface of the metal is either painted, dipped in liquid rubber or plated with another metal for example chromium or zinc though electroplating. The spring is then tested through various quality control checks to ensure it adheres to the standards. Function They support the weight, absorb and reduce shock and help to maintain contact by the tire on the road surface. 1. Statics. At rest the coil spring is extended with the only force acting on it being the weight of the car. The leaf spring is curved at rest or when no force is acting on it. 2. Strength of materials. The springs in a car are made of a strong heavy-duty bar that is made of steel. This

Marketing Plan for SmartTravel App Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Marketing Plan for SmartTravel App - Essay Example One of the featured and most interesting feature will be that of allowing users upload videos and pictures of places they have visited, stayed and had fun. Therefore, it is hoped that this feature and the user friendly, interactive and clean interface will boost SmartTravel to be the fastest growing travel app market. SmartTravel is the name of the company as well as the first product that this company will launch. However, all the future products will be listed under the company name but will have different names that will reflect the target market. SmartTravel aims to harness the power of the crowd like no other designed app has managed to do. It will offer printed travel guides that will and that have been essential for tourists. However, such publications are printed after a two year period so as to offer up to date information to the clientele base. However, the guides are printed by one person who does not cover the different tastes of different people. Furthermore, they only cover one region which implies that tourists have to spend lots of money to purchase the guides if they are embarking on numerous tours in different places. Therefore, as there has been a continuous influx of smart phones with WiFi and also mobile coverage is everywhere, it will make sense to travelers to leave their cumbersome, outdated travel guides at home and carry smart phones loaded in an app that can update them with important information very fast. For instance, if one was in the Himalayas, they can share that information instantly on the SmartTravel. Thus, SmartTravel’s objective is to be the heart of this customer-focused movement by getting to let tourists share information, encounters and insights with each other directly and at the same time, bypass ancient channels. SmartTravel aims at venturing into the tourism industry. Traveling is a hobby for most people. Those who do not travel frequently, at least travel during the holidays.

Occupy Wall Street Movement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Occupy Wall Street Movement - Assignment Example Thus, it can broadly be stated that all the aforementioned issues ultimately paved the way towards the emergence of this particular movement (Kim, 2011). The paper intends to analyze the moral as well as the economic implications involved in the movement. Various aspects such as the analysis of the identified implications against the Kantian, utilitarian as well as virtue ethics and the determination of the individuals or entities liable for income disparity along with inappropriate wealth distribution particularly in the US will be taken into concern. Besides, a suggestion regarding an equitable outcome from the movement that would be appropriate for capitalistic society and the prediction concerning whether the movement will continue, fad away or turn into another perspective will also be discussed in the paper. The moral implications that have been involved in the movement i.e. Occupy Wall Street movement contain numerous important aspects that include the contemplation of individual responsibility instead of moral responsibility and predominance of self-interest. With regard to the moral implications, the movement has been viewed to remain significantly focused upon determining the role of hierarchical authorities that is based upon wealth or different sources of power. In accordance with the viewpoints of the protestors of the movement, the role of any government is to safeguard as well as to empower every citizen of a nation through enhancing different avenues of growth. In this similar context, the areas include health as well as education, transportation, public infrastructure, trade policies, art and culture, scientific research, public lands, and resources. It has been viewed that the movement relating to moral implications has been based upon certain moral guidelines.

Alice Walkers depiction of men in The Color Purple Essay Example for Free

Alice Walkers depiction of men in The Color Purple Essay Alice Walkers depiction of men in The Color Purple has been controversial. Explore the opinions of the two critics printed below and explain your own view of the way Walker presents men in The Colour Purple. In The Color Purple, Alice Walkers depiction of men has been seen by some as controversial. Walker seems to be attacking black men because of their mistreatment of black women. Although, there is another force at work in this powerful, and emotional, book. That force is the unwitting testimony which Walker cannot control, because it was not deliberately written to be part of her story. Between the lines of her story is the strong message of personal rage: rage which cannot be hidden. The rage can be seen throughout the novel in numerous forms; the words used by Walker, that are strong and emotive; the portrayal of the characters, from innocent, like Celie, to evil, like Mr. Alphonso and the realism in which the characters are brought to life, because of the real anger used to describe them. Therefore, in considering the opinions of the two opposing critics, this circumstance must be borne in mind. The first critic, Tony Brown, wrote an article about The Color Purple for the Carolina Peacemaker. He has many views on the book, and expresses those views confidently. Brown admits in his article that some men have raped their daughters, some black men have raped their daughters, However, immediately afterwards, he is stating his defence of black men. He defends himself instantly, saying that the majority of black men have not. He then speaks of the problem that black men have when it comes to loving, saying the love has been drained out by the brutality of a society panic-stricken over black masculinity. Brown then goes on to tackle the issue of lesbian affairs in the book, and that they give women emotional and sexual salvation He defends his position saying that this is not the case in the real world, even though many frustrated black women seem to want to believe. Brown then admits that some black men are like Walkers characters, he says they are but, sad examples He also says the book focuses only on the failings of black men, and that black men are being abused by a white mans movie. He is blaming everyone else. Famous black men are mentioned by Brown in his argument, and the fact that they were non-incestuous and non-brutalizing and had healthy relationships with women. He states that, Their women never needed a Shug. Brown fails to support his argument about famous black males though, he merely mentions their names briefly. Brown blames the publishers in the final part of the extract. He says that white men and women only publish books by black women, or homosexual black men, and then label them as being the black experience. Brown is constantly blaming others throughout his extract, he never accepts responsibility for the actions of black men; he merely shirks the blame to other people. The second critic writes as a response to Browns article, their name is not given. Their argument defends The Color Purple, and retorts to Browns scathing attack of Walkers depiction of men in the book. The critic opens their response with the line that states the book is, strictly fiction They stress though, that Walker has written about real suffering, and the ideas were not conjured up by the imagination of Walker. The critic then speaks of the books content, and speaks of Walkers characterisation. The critic gives Celie as an example of a woman who grew from her own strength, a self-assured, strong woman even if it was at the expense of a few male egos. After stating the facts in the book and showing the main character development, the critic then launches a scathing attack upon black men, saying that, the shoe is such a good fit that it becomes downright uncomfortable Meaning that, the black men are offended, because the book is too truthful for their liking. The critic then emphasises that Walkers message is that of oppression, and that it is, ugly no matter what colour it is. They state that oppression is wrong, and that the message given by the book mustnt be forgotten, or else the ugliness will live on, and continue to breed. In the closing lines of the critics argument, the critic states that the book is a story about black women; not a book that is against black men. Brown is then contradicted by the anonymous critic, as they write that Walkers is a feminist book, and that it is not specifically against black men, even though black men are on the defensive because of it, black men protesting and licking their wounded egos. Both critics focused on actual events in the book; relationships in the book; the powerful difference between men and women; the differences between sex and the raw influence in sexual matters. In spite of this, both critics overlooked the power in the book, that being of Alice Walkers real message which encompasses so much of bitterness and grief experienced by black people in the USA. In my opinion, the men in The Color Purple presented during anger, Walkers anger when writing. Therefore, the presentation of men is biased. Personally speaking, I think the depiction of men in the novel is true; that is, all aspects of the male personality are represented by Walkers characters, from kindness in Reverend Mr (Samuel) to brutal cruelty, seen in Albert. The way in which Walker writes, with such conviction and passion about her characters makes the depiction true, it cannot be fained. The slightly biased view on the male characters in the novel is so because Walker only shows two good black, male characters; Samuel and Harpo. Harpo cares deeply for his family, and loves them sincerely, but his sensitivity causes him to be dominated over by his wife. Samuel does so much to help Nettie; he takes her in after Alberts assault on her. He educates her, shows her new and exciting places abroad. The marriage between Samuel and Corrine also knows no cruelty, no violence or sexual abuse. This example is compared to several other male characters that are portrayed as raging, unprincipled creatures. An example of a raging, unprincipled creature, as shown by Walker, would be Mr. Alphonso, he rapes his own step-daughter, on more than one occasion, and then when Celie gave birth to two children, he gave them away. This was not the act of a decent human being.

Economic Aspects of Global Warming and Climate Change

Economic Aspects of Global Warming and Climate Change Abstract The issue of global warming and climate change has proven to be one of the most controversial and difficult problems facing all the nations of the world.   Assessing the impact of climate change is extremely complex as it is very difficult to project the future and assess the hypothetical impact it will have on the world.   Additionally, it is unknown how technological progress will respond and potentially alter the effects of global warming.   This paper will focus on some impacts of global warming and climate changes on the global economy and review possible methods of mitigating the adverse effects. Introduction Climate change is one of the most challenging problems facing the world community.   According to NASA, global warming is a natural process.   A layer of greenhouse gases which include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide acts as a thermal blanket for the Earth, absorbing heat and warming its surface to an average temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit which help sustain life (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2017).   Without this natural cover, the Earth’s surface would be colder than it is today, making the planet freezing and mostly likely uninhabitable. However, scientists are concerned that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing an unprecedented rise in global temperatures, with potentially harmful consequences for the environment, human health and the economy.   We are adding to the natural greenhouse effect with emissions from industry and agriculture, trapping more energy and increasing the temperature. The possible causes of global warming are numerous.   But according to Environmental Protection Agency, the most concerning and alarming are manmade emissions of CO2 caused by burning fossil fuels and cutting down carbon-absorbing trees. Other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide are also released through human activities, but their presence is relatively small when compared to carbon dioxide.   According to a 2016 BBC article, the level and concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere is significantly higher than it was at the beginning of the industrial revolution which began in 1750 (What Is Climate Change?†, 2016). Climate change has a broader meaning as it not only refers to the increased temperature trends described by global warming, but also changes such as sea level rise; ice mass loss in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic and mountain glaciers worldwide; shifts in flower and plant blooming; and extreme weather events. Kenneth Green (2002) argues that human prosperity in many parts of the world, especially developing countries, heavily depends on climate. Agriculture, tourism, transportation, energy use, and many other activities that define our economies are largely influenced by climate.   Therefore, it is crucial to understand the effects of global warming in short and long run and perform the cost and benefit analysis to determine what policies and measures should be taken to mitigate and prevent the climate change and its various impacts. Climate change is a global issue, but the impacts are likely to differ in different continents, countries, and regions. Some nations will likely experience more adverse effects than others. Other nations may benefit from climate changes. The ability to adapt to climate change can influence how climate change affects individuals, communities, countries, and the global population. This paper will discuss the effects of global warming on the energy industry, agriculture and food supply, production output and inflation.   Next, it will focus on the cost benefit analysis of implementing the policies and procedures to mitigate and/or prevent global warming and climate change. Lastly, the paper will review the possible methods of reducing the effects of global warming and climate change and the mitigation policies to be implemented. Global Warming and Climate Change Economic Impact Climate Change Effect on Energy In my opinion, energy is the key industry that will be highly affected by global warming and climate change. The world’s production and use of energy is the primary cause of global warming.   Climate will affect energy consumption by changing consumers’ wants and needs in both the intensive (short) and extensive (long) terms. There are several ways in which climate may affect energy consumption. In the residential, commercial and industrial sectors in a warmer world higher cooling demand is expected, which would lead to increased electricity consumption. On the other hand, fewer cold winter days would result in decreased heating demand, which would decrease natural gas, oil and electricity demand. These are demand side effects.   On the supply side, one would expect increased use of natural gas on hot days, as some power plants become less efficient as well as higher natural gas consumption for generation due to higher electricity demand. During the winter, there might be a decrease in natural gas demand for generation due to lower electricity demand. According to a 2009 report on global climate change, the majority (87%) of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions are from the production and use of energy production.   The research was primarily on the energy usage in buildings concerning the various heating and cooling demands. The findings stated that, â€Å"the demand for cooling energy increases from 5 to 20 percent per 1.8 °F of warming, and the demand for heating energy drops by 3 to 15 percent per 1.8 °F of warming† (Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States Report, 2009).   Additionally, the 2009 report projects that global warming’s increasing temperatures will increase the peak demand for electricity as it is the main source used for the cooling of buildings.   This would result in a disproportionate increase in energy infrastructure investment and possible pollution as most of the nation’s electricity is currently produced from coal.   This would potentially increase the nation’s CO2 emissions and slow the development of alternative â€Å"green† energy sources (Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States Report, 2009). Climate Change Effect on Agriculture and Food Supply Since temperature and precipitation are direct inputs in agricultural production, this sector will experience significant effects as well.   Recent droughts worldwide have highlighted that the advances in modern farming techniques and technologies cannot insulate the world’s food production and supply.   In fact, rising CO2 concentrations could increase production of some crops, such as rice, soybean and wheat (Clark, 2012).   However, Clark (2012) also stated, â€Å"the changing climate would affect the length and quality of the growing season and farmers could experience increasing damage to their crops, caused by a rising intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts, flooding or fires†.   Furthermore, in many developing regions, agriculture is of major importance for national economies, as it represents the large share in gross domestic product (GDP).   Therefore, with prospects of continued global warming, the damages for poor regions could be substantial (Clark, 2012).   Climate change’s probable impact on agricultural production patterns and prices in these regions lower the profitability of agriculture industry and increase the share of consumers’ income spent on food.   This may lead to food shortages or insufficient access to food in some countries or regions. In addition to agriculture, the worlds fisheries which provide an important source of food for at least half the worlds population are very susceptible to climate change.   Fisheries are plagued by two problems, overexploitation and pollution.   Additionally, the various marine fish species are encountering their own problems due to climate change such warming surface waters, and rising sea levels due to melting ice.   Clark (2012) states, â€Å"some marine fish species are already adapting by migrating to the high latitudes, but others, such as Arctic and freshwater species, have nowhere to go†.   If we are unable to find sustainable solutions to help the fisheries and fish, we may end up with shortages of edible fish which will cause prices to soar. According to Schierhorn (2016), over the last century, the global population has quadrupled. In 1915, there were 1.8 billion people in the world. Today, according to the most recent estimate by the UN, there are 7.3 billion people and we may reach 8.5 billion by 2030 (UN projects world population to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, driven by growth in developing countries, 2015).   This population growth, along with rising incomes in developing countries, is increasing global food demand.   Schierhorn’s (2016) research shows that food demand is expected to increase anywhere between 59 to 98 percent by 2050.   Therefore, the world’s crop production will need to increase.   That means there needs to be an expanse of farmable land to grow crops, and current productivity needs expanded through the use of modern farming methods (Schierhorn, 2016). A recent EPA (2016) study concludes that â€Å"climate change is very likely to affect food security at the global, regional, and local level† and that â€Å"climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality†.   The study projects that changes in temperatures and precipitation patterns, along with extreme weather events may reduce agricultural productivity (Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply, 2016). The same study further suggests that â€Å"increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events can also interrupt food delivery, and resulting spikes in food prices after extreme events are expected to be more frequent in the future†.   Increasing temperatures can contribute to food spoilage and contamination (Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply, 2016). Furthermore, Clark (2012) argues that food production itself is a significant emitter of greenhouse gases, as well as a cause of environmental degradation in many parts of the world. Clark states agriculture contributes about 15% of all emissions, on a par with transport. He concludes that to limit the long-run impacts of climate change, food production must become not only more resilient to climate but also more sustainable and low-carbon itself (Clark, 2012). Climate Change Effect on Economy Growth According to a recent study by Wade (2017), climate change will most likely reduce the capital stock and productivity in the world economy. Global warming is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events causing property and infrastructure loss. While the initial economic response to recover the damages may be positive for GDP while it is possible, in the long run the world economy will face an extreme challenge. The harm to economic output may become irreversible.   Wade (2017) argues that it will not be worth for businesses to replace their capital stock unless future damages could be prevented or the business could be relocated to the safer area.   This could cause a short period of disruption as businesses relocate, or in the worst case scenario, a permanent loss of capital stock and output.   As the temperatures continue to rise, the damages will increase and become permanent (Wade, 2017). Wade (2017) represents the likely effect of climate change on output in production function in Figure 1 (See Appendices).   If there is less capital stock available due to the damage resulted from climate change, the productive capacity of the world economy will fall.   It is represented by the downward shift in the world production function as each unit of labor produces less output (Wade, 2017). However, lower labor productivity may occur not only due to a lower level of capital stock.   Global warming may affect food safety, promote the spread of infections, cause social unrest and thus reduce availability of labor. Wade (2017) shows this effect as a supply shock in a supply and demand graph (Figure 2, Appendices).   Global warming is likely to contract supply at any given price and result in a backward shift of the supply curve (from S1 to S2) (Wade, 2017). As the graph demonstrates, this will result in a lower level of output (Y2) and a higher price (P2). This analysis is based on the assumption that the world will not respond to climate change and no prevention or mitigation measures are taken. Climate Change Effect on Inflation Wade (2017) also proves that as global production output is reduced, an increase in the general price level will occur as a result of global warming. As discussed earlier, higher food prices will affect consumers’ income and overall food price inflation will rise.   Furthermore, reduced land availability may also contribute to rising inflation. Per Wade (2017) the surge in global temperatures may eventually cause some areas of the world to become uninhabitable and cause mass migration. Along with the political and socioeconomic implications of the migration there will be higher demand for decreasing amount of land.   Higher energy costs are also likely to boost inflation. As discussed earlier, as our climate becomes more extreme the demand for energy used for cooling will likely to rise.   As the energy demand will rise, the supply will shrink as the efficiency of existing power stations is compromised due to higher temperatures (Wade, 2017).   Policy actions by governments to transition to green energy may further contribute to inflation in the short-run when taxes are placed on fossil fuel electricity. Since energy is the basis of most of the world’s production, the effects of higher energy prices on inflation will impact the global economy (Wade, K. 2017). Cost-Benefit Analysis According to Mendelsohn (2013), â€Å"the biggest threat climate change poses to economic growth is from immediate, aggressive and inefficient mitigation policies†. Thomas C. Shelling believes that climate change is the global public good, because each country’s emissions of greenhouse gases contribute cumulatively to the increase of the overall concentration, and each country’s abatements entail higher cost than benefit, unless effective concerted collective actions take place (Stiglitz & Shelling, 2012).   Therefore, benefit-cost analysis is a principal tool for deciding if this public good should be altered through mitigation policy. There are many conflicting views regarding the true dimensions of climate change problem and a lot of various policy assessment models. The most famous are DICE model created by William Nordhaus and the Stern Review prepared by Sir Nicholas Stern for the British government in 2006.   The modeling approach by Nordhaus views climate change as a matter of investment efficiency and assumes that climate change policies will compete with other investments such as public health and education.   This model provides estimates of the appropriate price path on carbon emissions, with prices starting relatively low and gradually rising as a result of discounting. (William D. Nordhaus and Joseph Boyer, 2000) The Stern Review, in contrast to Nordhaus’ model, recommended strong and immediate action on climate change.   Stern (2006) found that the costs associated with uncontrolled global warming would be up to a 20 percent drop per year in the world’s GDP by 2050. The Stern Review incorporated new scientific evidence suggesting that the climate system may be more sensitive than previously thought.   Also, it supported the application of much lower discount rates. (Stern, 2006). Therefore, two aspects of the benefit-cost calculation are critical. One is allowance for uncertainty as the possible outcomes of global warming in the absence of mitigation are very unclear.   The other critical aspect is the choice of discount rate as most of the climate-related benefits from current policy efforts would take the form of avoided damages in the long run with many of the costs incurred in the short run. Stiglitz & Shelling (2012) suggest a number of behavioral changes to mitigate the problem of global warming such as shifting to fuels with higher ratio of useful energy to CO2 emissions (from coal to oil, from oil to natural gas); developing technologies that use less energy per unit output; shifting demand to products with lower energy intensity; planting trees and reducing deforestation; pursuing policy of sequestering the CO2 by pumping it directly into underground reservoirs. The process of mitigation will require a temporary economic transition from consumption to investment, provided that the transitional costs are small relative to the cost of inaction (Wade, 2017).   However, as the costs of mitigation rise, budget limitations will become increasingly important. Possible Mitigation Measures Despite the disagreements between nations, in recent years we have witnessed the gradual emergence of a range of international and domestic climate change policies, including emissions trading programs, emissions taxes, performance standards, and technology-promoting programs (Goulder & Pizer, 2006).   At the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate agreement that outlined a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 °C. Therefore, there is now an agreement among climate economists to consider climate change as a global externality that must be compensated for to recover economic optimality. Hence, basic public economics wisdom requires some mitigation eï ¬â‚¬orts (IPCC, 2007). The issue gets controversial however when we try to answer the â€Å"when† and â€Å"how much† questions. One approach that has become widely used is cap and trade. The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1990 established emission levels (caps) and permitted companies with emissions below the cap to sell (trade) their rights to remaining permissible amount to firms that have exceeded the cap. Over time, the government would reduce the cap, thus overall emissions would be gradually reduced. This approach gives companies flexibility. It increases the pool of available capital to make reductions, encourages companies to cut pollution faster and rewards innovation. But the critics pointed out that it allows richer companies to pollute more as they are able to buy those rights.   Another type of emissions control is establishment of emissions charges or fees. Each business would be charged accordingly for the amount of emissions produced. It would become very expensive for the companies to pollute and will create incentive for them to clean up. In recent years governments also experimented with various green taxes and eco-taxes that levy a fee on environmentally damaging behavior. Beside the punishment, governments also offer positive incentives for the companies that improve their environmental behavior. For example, the government may decide to purchase only from those firms that meet certain pollution standard or to offer financial aid to those that install pollution control equipment. Tax incentives such as faster depreciation for pollution control equipment may also be used. Overall, the trend has been for governments to use more flexible, market oriented approaches such as tradeable allowances, pollution fees and taxes, and incentives, to achieve the goals of protecting the environment and mitigating climate change. (Lawrence & Weber, 2017) Many challenges remain though. 2 °C stabilization goal set at the Paris Climate Conference     requires decarbonization of the world economy. Carbon pricing would be a necessary tool in reaching that goal. The advantages of carbon pricing would be the following: it would trigger economy-wide decarbonization in a cost efficient manner, generate revenues that can be used for financing the sustainable development goals and become a focal point for international climate policy cooperation focusing on carbon pricing coordination. For many policy issues, there is an important and clear distinction between the short-run and the long-run responses by businesses and individuals. The short run is a period when businesses and individuals are locked in to some past decisions and have fixed costs that they are not able to avoid. But over a period of time, they might respond by making gradual adjustments in their behaviors and choices. They are more responsive in the long run than in the short run because they have more time and opportunities to respond to a change in price. As we know, supply and demand are generally more elastic in the long run. We can use the example of a gas tax that was introduced as a tool to reduce pollution. If we look only at the short-run elasticity of demand, we might come to conclusion that a gas tax will have little effect on driving since demand is inelastic. However, if we had an estimate of the long-run elasticity of demand, we might see that the demand curve is flatter. As recent studies how, the effectiveness of many market-based environmental policies depend on the responsiveness of businesses and individuals to a change in incentives, economists and policymakers should keep in mind the difference between short-run responses and long-run responses (Global Warming Causes, 2017). Summary The overall effect of climate change on economic growth will most likely be negative in the long run. Although there will be winners and losers from climate change at different levels of warming, the impact of climate change will be widespread due to the financial, political and economic integration of the worlds economies. Global warming will primarily influence economic growth through damage to property and infrastructure, lost productivity, mass migration, security threats. The issue of global warming and climate change invokes the highest form of global citizenship. The nations have to be willing to sacrifice hundreds of billions of dollars of present consumption in an effort that will largely benefit people in other countries, considering that the benefit that will not be instant. Moreover, the threat of climate change is uncertain and based on modeling rather than direct observation. In considering climate change policies, the fundamental trade-off that society faces is between consumption today and consumption in the future. By taking measures to slow emissions of greenhouse gases now, the economy reduces the amount of output that can be devoted to consumption and productive investment. This is the opportunity cost of the investment into mitigating global warming. However, the return for this investment is lower damages and higher consumption in the future. The climate investments involve reducing fossil-fuel consumption and moving to low-carbon fuels.   In return, the impacts on energy, agriculture, economic growth and inflation as well as the potential for catastrophic climate change will be reduced. Appendices Figure 1: Global Production Function (Wade, K., 2017) Figure 2: Supply and Demand (Wade, K., 2017) References Carbon Pricing for Climate Change Mitigation and Financing the SDGs. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2017, from https://www.global-economic-symposium.org/about-the-ges/council-of-global-problem-solving/recommendations/carbon-pricing-for-climate-change-mitigation-and-financing-the-sdgs Clark, D. (2012, September 19). How will climate change affect food production? Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/sep/19/climate-change-affect-food-production Climate Change Indicators in the United States. (2016, December 19). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators Green, K. P. (2002). Global warming: understanding the debate. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow. Mendelsohn (2013).   Climate Change and Economic Growth, Commission on Growth and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Development, Working paper no.60 Global warming / opposing viewpoints. (2002). San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Global Warming Causes. RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.briangwilliams.us/environmental-economics/shortrun-versus-longrun-substitutions.html Lawrence H. Goulder and William A. Pizer (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://stanford.academia.edu/LawrenceGoulder National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.nasa.gov/ Schierhorn, M. E. (2016, April 07). Global Demand for Food Is Rising. Can We Meet It? Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2016/04/global-demand-for-food-is-rising-can-we-meet-it Stern (2006). Stern Review on The Economics of Climate Change (pre-publication edition).  Executive Summary, HM Treasury, London. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010) Stiglitz, J. E., & Shelling, T. C. (2012). The economists voice: top economists take on todays problems. New York: Columbia Univ. Press. Wade, K. (n.d.). Climate change & the global economy: Growth and inflation. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from http://www.schroders.com/en/us/institutional/insights/economic-views3/climate-changethe-global-economy-growth-and-inflation What is climate change? (2016, November 14). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772 William D. Nordhaus and Joseph Boyer, Warming the World: Economic Models of Global Warming. MIT Press, Cambridge Mass., 2000. ISBN 0 262 14071 3. UN projects world population to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, driven by growth in developing countries. (2015, July 29). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=51526#.WP083IWcHIU

The Use of Creatine in Sports Essay -- Athletics Steroids Drugs Sports

The Use of Creatine in Sports The first weeks of my senior season of football were the toughest times I had ever had in my life. We had two practices a day. We had one practice early in the morning, and one late in the afternoon. Physically, I wasn't at a level like most of my teammates. I felt like I couldn't do anything on the high school level; plus I was being thrown around like a rag doll. I needed something that would help me reach my potential. That's when I tried creatine. I started out taking small doses of creatine as an energy booster before practice, noticing that I wasn't getting tired and out of breath like I once was. I continued to use the supplement before I did any type of exercising activity, although I never exceeded the daily amount. I used the supplement for about three weeks, noticing muscle development and body fat loss all over my body. Gradually, I started reducing my dose each day until my supply was gone. In my short three weeks of taking creatine, I gained about 4-5 pounds of lean muscle. I was being noticed in practice and was getting more playing time in games. I was still unsure about what consequences I would have to face if I continued to use the substance. I needed to know more. Everything has a price; l wanted to figure out what mine could be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It's been called the drug that separates the great from the greatest. It has helped athletes all over the world reach their potential. Creatine is an all natural food and supplement drug that works like anabolic steroids without the side effects. It has the capability to help produce muscle mass, energy, and speed all in one pill. Over the past few years, creatine has become a controversial issue in the athletic world. A lot of research has been put into creatine although long-term effects are left unknown, leaving the controversial question of whether creatine should be legal or illegal. Being a former user of creatine showed me how I could maximize my potential athletic ability, although leaving me cynical about harm to my body. I wanted to know more specifically how it works on the chemical level and major side effects and precautions I should take if I were going to continue using the supplement. The only way for my to find the answers to my questions was with research. I began interviewing people who knew more about creatine while at the same time I began my own rese... ...arch 12, 1999 Bernards, Neal. War on Drugs. San Diego: Greenhaven Books, 1990. Creatine and Muscle Building. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/askdiet/na/get960901.htm, April 14, 1999. Creatine FAQ’s. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.nutrasense.com/nutrasense/creatine.html, March 13, 1999. Dreyfuss, Ira. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.nando.net/newsroom/aploth/1996/mor/feat/archive/091596/mar/75430.html, March 15, 1999. High Power Creatine. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.whole-salecreatine.com/1013/faq.htm Jalloh, Ali. Telephone interview. 27 April. 2000. Klein, Scott. Creatine. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://nimbus.ocis.temple.edu/~sklein/#ABOUT, May 6, 1998 London, David. Creatine Concerns in England. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/wc98/full/wc98.htm, April 5, 1999. Marks, Alexandra. â€Å"Schools Wrestle with ‘Bulk in a Bottle’†. The Christian Science Monitor. September 30, 1998. Mumby, Chris. Personal interview. 2 Mar. 1999. Potratz, Adam. Personal interview. 3 Mar. 1999. Sahelian, Ray. Creatine Nature’s Muscle Builder. [Online] Available   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.raysahelian.com/creatine.html, March 12, 1999.

Brave New World :: Essays Papers

Brave New World Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, while fictitiously showing the future possible advances of science and technology, is actually warning people of what science could become. In the Foreword of Brave New World, Huxley states: â€Å"The theme of Brave New World is not the advancement of science as such; it is the advancement of science as it affects human individuals† (xi). He is not suggesting that this is how science should advance, but that science will advance the way that people allow it to. The novel is not supposed to depict a â€Å"utopian† society by any means, but it is supposed to disturb the reader and warn him not to fall into this social decay. Huxley uses satire to exploit both communism and American capitalism created by Ford. Huxley’s first example of satire is that he shows elements of communism in the World State. Dictatorship is an element of communism and is shown in Brave New World by means of the World Controller, Mustapha Mond. In the World State, people â€Å"belong† to everyone else. Mustapha Mond, when lecturing students, says, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢every one belongs to every one else’† (40). This thought in the novel is similar to that of communism where everyone shares everything. In Brave New World, however, Huxley takes this thought to another level. Sex, in the World State, is encouraged to occur with everybody. Even kids are encouraged to participate. People are scolded for having only one partner. Fanny, Lenina’s friends said, â€Å"’I really do think you ought to be careful. It’s such horribly bad form to go on and on like this with one man†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  (41). Lenina could possibly be punished for â€Å"having† only one man. This is how Huxley uses satire to exploit communism. Huxley also uses satire to show that consumption is becoming a religion in America. Henry Ford is a god in this novel because he invented the assembly line. The assembly line creates a means for mass production of items. In the novel, mass production is how people are born. Because of this, Ford is an ideal god for the World State. He symbolizes a religion that lets a ruler rob people of their individuality for progress and stability. People in the novel use the name of Ford like people today use God’s name. Bernard, when talking to Lenina, said, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢for Ford’s sake, be quiet!’† (90).

Nervous Breakdowns :: Nervous Breakdown Mental Collapse Stress

In the middle Ages, it was called melancholia. In the early 1900s, it was known as neurasthenia. From the 1930s to about 1970, it was known as a nervous breakdown. "Nervous breakdown" is a term that the public uses to characterize a range of mental illnesses, but generally it describes the experience of "snapping" under massive pressure, mental collapse or mental and physical exhaustion. Have you ever wondered how you can tell if someone is having a nervous breakdown? Or what causes them or how they're caused? Well, the causes of nervous breakdowns are very similar to panic attacks, ADD, and ADHD. There is always a trigger or catalyst that sparks a nervous breakdown. Breakdowns usually stem from a change in a major life event such as a broken relationship, death of a loved one, a demanding job or financial difficulties On some cases getting nervous breakdowns are genetics, you receive them because a past family member has had one or in simpler words family history. Another sign is Coexisting medical conditions such as vitamin deficiencies or thyroid disorders. Stress, drugs, alcohol and depression are one if the most main causes of nervous breakdowns. You can always treat a breakdown. Sometimes people talk to therapist or someone they trust to discuss their issues and just â€Å"let it all out† instead of breaking down. As for others talking doesn’t always work at times it may tend to worsen the problem, so they take prescribed depression pills. Other treatments are drugs, alternative treatments, surgery, and lifestyle changes. If you feel close to having a nervous breakdown right now you are probably feeling like you have hit rock bottom. Many people who are close to a nervous break down feel a million miles from their real self. Feelings of anger, negativity, exhaustion and anxiety are probably overwhelming you and your ability to pursue a 'normal' life and 'normal' relationships is no doubt proving tough. Obviously the best approach is to prevent the breakdown from occurring in the first place. Recognizing the warning signs of a nervous breakdown and reducing and managing stress levels can often produce excellent results and prevent the total collapse usually associated with a nervous breakdown.

Analysis of Commercial Bank Balance Sheet

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DEFINITION_ OF COMMERCIAL BANK_ *â€Å"Banks and other deposit taking institutions are financial intermediaries whose assets consist overwhelmingly of loans to a wide variety of borrowers and whose liabilities consist overwhelmingly of deposits. † THE ECONOMICS OF MONEY BANKING AND FINANCE 3rd* Edition PETER HOWELLS & KEITH BAIN Pg 32 A sound system of banking is very important for any economy. Commercial banks are directly related to the payment system of the economy. Generally most commercial banks are controlled by the central bank of that particular country. The central bank can never allow the banking system to fail because if banks start to fail the payment system will fail. They may allow some banks to fail but the government will never allow big banks or the whole payment system to collapse. This is very evident from the recent where government have pumped in huge amount of money to save the so called â€Å"too big to fail† banks. Banks helps in the payment services through various kinds of deposits, debit cards and credit cards ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL BANK BALANCE SHEET For my assignment I have picked up Lloyds TSB as my bank. Lloyds TSB is one of the four biggest bank in the UK. I have taken 2007 annual report as the group has published only the 2008 interim report. The second item which we see in Lloyds TSB balance sheet is loan and advances to banks. It reflects the interbank relationship. This figure has fallen for most of the commercial bank and also for Lloyds TSB there is an decrease of 16. 50%. This is due to the financial crisis which has hit banking sector very badly and many banks have failed as a result. Llyods TSB gives loans to customer just like any other commercial bank and bank charge an interest for giving loans which is higher than the interest on deposit. But there is always a default risk attached with the loan which the bank gives. Commercial Banks gives different kinds of loans starting from mortgage, education loan, overdraft facility etc. In case of Lloyds TSB mortgage comes out to be 48. 4% of loans to customer. And thing we should bear in mind is that mortgage are long term loan and it can be for 30 years as well. Customer Accounts got an increase of 11% and there is an increase of 11% from 2006 to 2007. LIABILITIES OF LLOYDS TSB Lloyds TSB is also having some fixed deposit like Certificates of deposit. In these deposits customers cannot withdraw there money before a specified time and they also receive some interest as well. Second are the commercial papers which are unsecured promissory notes to meet short term obligations. Certificate of Deposit comes to around 14,995 million GBP and commercial paper is 17,388 million GBP for Lloyds TSB. Lloyds TSB is also having reserves after paying reserves. This reserve can be used in case of emergency or any unexpected risks The main risks that commercial banks face due to their exposure to different kinds of assets and liabilities are liquidity risks, market risk and credit risk. Lloyds TSB faces liquidity risk because of deposit in central bank. They have a deposit of 4330 million GBP. This means that they cannot give this amount as loans because it’s stuck with the central bank. This amount has increased considerably from 2006 to 2007. The bank faces liquidity risk because of their mismatch in assets and liabilities side. The group liquidity risk exposure is 33,185 million GBP. The main sources of liquidity risk for the bank are deposits from banks and customer accounts. As we seen above the assets of Lloyds TSB are long term whereas the liabilities are short term. The commercial bank is the main source of payment service in any economy. Whenever bank gives loan they are exposed to default risk. Default risk arises whenever a company or individual is unable to meets its obligation on interest or principle payment of the loan. The bank faces asymmetric information problem as well. Though the bank does proper due diligence before giving out any loans but asymmetric information problem cannot be ruled out with any banks at all. Due to asymmetric information we have adverse selection and moral hazard problem. Adverse selection problem comes to picture before entering into the transaction. In short the bank has to filter the good borrowers and the bad borrowers. Sometimes the bank may give loan to the bad borrowers and may suffer of this. Though banks have put checks like credit history before making out the loan but adverse selection problem cannot be neglected completely. The other problem which is created because of asymmetric information is moral hazard problem. The moral hazard problem starts after the bank has sanctioned the loan. Borrowers may get into undesirable activities. The main objective for which the loan was sanctioned may never get fulfilled. The other side of moral hazard problem is the conflict of interest between the borrower and the bank. Borrowers may try to act on their interest rather than the interest of the bank. Banks like Lloyds TSB can overcome the problems of adverse selection and moral hazards if they have proper check and control on their customers but rarely any bank achieves 100% success in these problems. These are two most important risks which any financial intermediary faces in order to serve their most important duty i. e. ayment services to the economy. Just like any other financial institution the group also faces credit risk. {text:bookmark-start} â€Å"Credit risk {text:bookmark-end} is risk due to uncertainty in a counterparty's (also called an {text:bookmark-start} obligor {text:bookmark-end} ‘s or {text:bookmark-start} credit's {text:bookmark-end} ) ability to meet its obligations. Because there are many types of counterparties—from individuals to sovereign governments—and many different types of obligations—from auto loans to derivatives transactions—credit risk takes many forms. † (www. riskglossary. om). After the group’s acquisition of Halifax of Scotland, the credit rating of the bank has come down. In order to counter credit risk credit rating plays a very important role. The group exposure to credit risk is 356,860 million GBP. PART 2 Asset Liability Management â€Å"The ALM group within a bank has been concerned with control of interest rate risk on the balance sheet. For some bank it may be equally important to manage interest rate risk arising from off balance sheet, but it is instructive to look at the traditional methods and progress to the relatively new procedures. (HEFFERNAN, SHELAGH A. 2005) Moreover banks have mismatch in maturity of their asset and liability. Banks use asset liability management to manage interest rate risk, mar ket risk and credit risk. Let’s take an example where all deposits are on fixed rate of interest but all loans are made on floating rate of interest. Commercial banks mainly use three types of markets to cover these risks. These are money market, capital market and derivative market. Capital Market is generally used by large companies or governments to raise funds for the long period. Capital market can be of two types like primary market, securities are traded for the first time and secondary market, and in this securities are traded after they are traded in the primary market. Another subdivision of capital market is bond market and stock market. There are various stock market around the world like London Stock Exchange, whereas bond market includes different kinds of bonds like government bonds (US Treasury bills), foreign bonds etc. One of the most important changes in this market is the development of asset backed securities. text:bookmark-start} â€Å"Securitization {text:bookmark-end} is a financial transaction in which assets are pooled and securities representing interests in the pool are issued†. (http://www. riskglossary. com/) When securitization is backed by any assets such as student loan, mortgages this becomes asset backed security. Lloyds TSB also securitizes its assets in order to overcome its liquidity problem. The process of securitizati on has become quite complex with the introduction of Collateralized Debt Obligation, Collateralized Loan Obligation etc. And these complex securities are the heart of the financial crisis. Lloyds TSB is not having much exposure to these complex securities. Banks get into off balance sheet activities to get more profit. It helps the bank to get fee income. One more advantage of off balance sheet activity is that it does not appear into the balance sheet of the bank. The derivative market is also used by the bank to hedge their risks. â€Å"By their nature, derivatives instruments can be used for hedging different types of risks. Owing to this, banks and insurance companies use derivatives in the management of their Asset Liability Management† (Cornelius Nandyal, 2001). The derivative market is going through lot of new changes. Regulators are trying to put lot of new regulations in order to bring transparency. Banks use interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, total return swap, credit linked notes etc. But different people have different views on derivatives. According to Warren Buffet derivatives are weapon of mass destruction and can act as time bombs in the future. Whereas Alan Greenspan says â€Å"Derivatives have permitted the unbundling of financial risks. Because risks can be unbundled, individual financial instruments now can be analyzed in terms of their common underlying risk factors, and risks can be managed on a portfolio basis†. Banks have also used money market for asset liability management. The most important organ of the money market is the interbank market. In interbank market banks with surplus lend to bank with deficit. This market is severely hit by the recent financial crisis. Banks don’t know about the financial soundness of the bank to which they are lending. This has increased the liquidity problem of the bank. Other types of market are the gilt repo, commercial paper market and the certificate of deposit market. As we have seen above Lloyds TSB invest in commercial paper and certificate of deposit. Securitization and the Global Financial Crisis DIAGRAMATIC EXPLANATION OF SECURITIZATION: {draw:frame} Source: http://www. usbancortrusteeservices. com/images/ygpa7_chart_offering_structure_ptnm. pg The recent crisis started because of the sub prime mortgage loans that originated in the USA. But these loans were repackaged and sold all round the world, so this crisis which began in USA became a worldwide crisis. Securitization gives banks lot more leverage. The seeds of the recent crisis were sown in when the Federal Reserve made interest rates around 1% and the economy was pumped with lot of cash. Banks started giving these loans as mortgage to the s ub prime customers, without any credit check and at very easy terms and condition. Once interest rate started to increase in 2004, borrowers started to default on their loans. With the increase of interest rates house prices started to come down. Credit rating agencies who gave these securities AAA rating made these securities junk. The assumption on which these rating agencies were working was that house prices will keep raisingin the future as well. â€Å"The combination of low capital requirements imposed on AAA-rated assets and a commonly held perception that they were â€Å"safe,† allowed banks to hold on to any senior tranches that were not sold to investors. But when the structured finance market collapsed in late 2007, the investment banks found themselves holding hundreds of billions of dollars of low-quality asset pools, many of which consisted of leveraged buy-outs loans, subprime mortgages, and bonds from CDO’s in process-that is, where the tranches had not yet been sold to other investors. † (Coval et al, 2008) No one knows the worth of these complex securities which the banks are holding. Banks have stopped lending to each other because no one is sure of how much the other bank is holding. So interbank market is almost closed.

Article Review: Unequal Childhood Essay

Abstract: Lareau’s open and detailed information about the issues and difficulties of conducting the research. The importance of this topic can’t be overstated, confronting the legend of equal opportunity in order to address the realities of providing good opportunities for all children will be a crucial area of social discussion for the coming years Sociological Connection: In the book Class, Race, and Family Life, Lareau explains that although working-class and poor parents are no less eager than middle-class parents to see their children succeed in school, they take a different approach to reaching this goal (Lareau 198). To me, keeping this point in mind as a future educator is crucial. So often, it seems as though school personnel have a tendency to blame the child or the family when issues arise. Instead, educators should take into account their own practices, as well as consider larger societal influences that are at work. If our goal as teachers is to have harmonious part nerships with students’ families, then we have to approach these relationships with patience and understanding. Lareau reports that many working-class and poor parents feel that educators hold the expertise, and often fear doing the â€Å"wrong thing† in school-related matters; therefore, their tendency is to maintain a separation between school and home (Lareau 198). Whereas middle class parents can be demanding toward school personnel, working-class and poor parents tend to be deferential (Lareau 198). Most educators wish that poor and working-class parents would be more assertive (Lareau 198). â€Å"Put differently, they wish these parents would engage in forms of concerted cultivation† (Lareau 198). Instead of schools imposing their beliefs on working-class and poor families, it would be far more productive to take a step back, try to understand where these families are coming from, and respect their position. To automatically jump to the conclusion that parents who aren’t constantly advocating for their children don’t care about their education is detrimental, counterproductive, and above all, a far cry from the truth. So What/Insight: All of the families  want their kids happy and to grow and thrive. Still, social Class makes a difference in how parents go about meeting this goal. Middle-class parents promote what I call â€Å"concerted cultivation.† Middle-class parent’s actively foster kid’ss talents, opinions, and skills: enrolling children in organized activities, reasoning with children, and closely monitoring children’s experiences in institutions such as schools. Through this pattern of concerted cultivation, middle-class children gain an emerging sense of entitlement. There is a focus on kid’s individual development. Most of the middle-class families in the study are extremely busy; this pattern holds for white and Black middle-class families. Children have soccer games, Girl Scout trips, homework, and birthday parties; parents need to arrange these activities as well as get children there and back. None of the parents report having this kind of schedule of activities when they were children. Despite this busy schedule, most parents work full-time and some of the parents have overnight travel for their jobs. In addition, parents need to manage the details of life. Like going to the grocery store, preparing dinner, having children take showers, and getting children to bed. The book says children’s schedules mean for family life. Things are so hectic that the house sometimes seems to become a holding pattern between activities.

Favorite Teacher Essay

Choosing a favorite teacher is fairly difficult when one puts into account all the types of teachers they have known, all of them are important. Teachers are the second most important people in our lives, right after our parents. Teachers are persuasive and have the power to build a child up from an immature student to become a responsible adult; or they can completely and utterly crush a students hopes and dreams. As an identical twin my mother has always pulled a few strings to have my sister and me in the same classes throughout elementary school. We were absolutely inseparable. Transitioning from elementary to middle school was a milestone for me. Every class I was placed in was different from my sister’s. I was friendless, and at times I felt hopeless scrambling to find friends; I was overwhelmed by the turmoil of the middle school system. At my locker I forgot a key ingredient, the combination; completely overloaded with homework, tests and loneliness, I sat at my locker and sobbed. It was there I crossed paths with one of the most important people I have ever known. The first time I met Ms. Reagan was when she gave the upcoming middle-schoolers a tour of the school the summer before my sixth grade year. She was short, thin and had an intelligent look. She seemed truly interested in me, given my mother had met her on vacation a few years back. Ms. Reagan assured my worried mother I would do perfectly fine in a new environment without my sister. However, when school began, so did my problems. Mr. Wolff was my sixth grade English teacher, as an advanced English student the first essay he assigned was rather demanding. Struck by writer’s block, I was only able to conquer five pages of the assigned six-page essay. Mr. Wolff asked for a word after class; obliging I listened to him rant about how he expected more out of me than five pages of redundancy. I left the classroom with a rigid, seemingly emotionless expression. I went to my only friend, my locker, and began to sob when I remembered I had forgotten my combination. Walking back from the teachers’ lounge, Ms. Reagan calmly asked me to explain my dilemma; she offered support and assured me I would do well, promising me I would make friends. I left school that day consoled and filled with a newborn hope that I would progress through the sixth grade successfully; after all it was just the third day of school. After a few weeks of attending middle school, I began to gain friends; they were not comparable to my twin, but they were accepting. I listened to what Ms. Reagan had mentioned to me and I was able to gain more and more friends I today refer to as my closest friends. With Ms. Reagan’s advice I was able to conquer my fears of having no friends, and I finally was able to master the dreaded locker combination. Ms. Reagan is the embodiment of a leader and sets an endless example of respect and commitment for her current students and students of years prior. She treats everyone with kindness and compassion and is always willing to give advice to anyone. Most importantly, she believes in herself as a teacher and, in turn, her students learn to believe in themselves. I have been able to acquire this knowledge of Ms. Reagan through various lunch visits when I was unable to find a table. We spoke of our families, futures, travels and opinions. Although it has been years since I sat in her classroom, Ms. Reagan continues to affect me in a very meaningful way. In the summer we often go to the same part of Newport during the same time; she often walks past my house, and even on the hottest of days, she will always stop at the end of my driveway just to chat. In return, when I get the chance, I like to stop by to visit her after school lets out just to catch up for a little bit and fill her in on the latest news in my life. However, although our conversations may be few and far between, they always make for memorable moments. As I continue to get older, I cannot help looking back and reminiscing about my days as an elementary student. I feel lucky for having such an unforgettable childhood and thankful for the people that were apart of it. Ms. Reagan has always been more than an educator to me, and I am so blessed to have her as a part of my life.

Of Mice And Men Characters Essay

In ‘Of Mice And Men,’ all the characters have different problems, whether they are physical, mental or personal. Although the two characters who I feel have the most problems are Crooks and George. Crooks, the black stable buck is forever being pick on by the other men at the ranch, mostly because of his colour. In the time in which the book was set, black people in America were thought of as lower than white people. At the ranch, Crooks cannot live in the bunk-house with all the other men, but he has to sleep in the harness room, at the back of the barn. In this room he is surrounded by all the unused horse tack, and therefore has hardly any space for his personal belongings. Crooks is given no privacy, and gets quite cross because he is not allowed to enter the bunk-house but the other men can just walk into his room. In the book he says to Lennie, â€Å"You’ve no right to come into my room, nobody got any right in here but me.† After he has talked to Lennie for a while, he starts to enjoy having someone to talk to, because when he is in his room by himself, there is no one he can talk with. I think that he likes talking to Lennie because he realized that Lennie is slow, so Crooks can say what he wants and Lennie will not remember anything. To get the other men back for teasing him, he becomes very sour when they enter his room, and as he passes the other men he ignores them, as a pay back for the names they call him. Although I do feel that Crooks gets extremely lonely. All day long he is on his own, he cannot work because he has a crooked back, from once being kicked by a horse, so he has to stay behind at the ranch and generally look after the place. When he was abused by Curley, he cannot answer back, because Curley is the Boss’ son, and he knows that if he gets fired, he will probably not get another job because of his disability. The other man who I think has a lot of problems is George. He has to take Lennie with him everywhere, although, Lennie often gets into trouble and this gets George into trouble too. Without Lennie around him George could have such a good life, â€Å"God almighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could get a job and work, an’ no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come, I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want.† This shows that without Lennie with him, causing trouble, he could keep a good job, and spend his time in the way he wants to, without having to think about anyone else. Although I do think that George likes Lennie, as he is always there to talk to and to share dreams with, they are obviously very close, but George does get annoyed with him, especially because Lennie finds it hard to remember things, such as where they are traveling to. Although he does seem to remember every bad word George says about him. When George talks of the ‘little place’ they’re going to get, his face lights up and he really enjoys seeing Lennie happy and even though George is stuck with Lennie, he still likes having him there. When George is talking to Slim, in the book, he tries to cover up for Lennie’s mistakes in Weed, as he knows that Lennie would never hurt anyone on purpose. At the end of the book when George shoots Lennie he knew that he had to kill him. I think that partly the reason for this is because George knows that Lennie will be shot any way, but if he did it, it would be out of love and protection, and not revenge and hatred. George also knows that he cannot go on with Lennie, always running away from some kind of trouble that Lennie has caused, and the incident at the ranch was probably the last straw. Out of the two men described, I think that the person with the most problems is George. In the first part of the book, he always had Lennie with him, making things very difficult for him to have any privacy or time for himself. Lennie prevented him from ever keeping a job, and this often got him into trouble. At the end of the book, when George shot Lennie, he felt awful, because he was killing his best, and probably only friend. George would always live with the memory of Lennie, and the memory of how he shot him. All throughout the book George was telling Lennie that the other guys on these ranches move from place to place, having nobody. Now George would be like these other guys, but before he and Lennie. I think that George has more problems than Crooks, because in America in those times, all black people were treated lower than whites. Crooks cannot help this problem, because wherever he goes, he would receive the same kind of abuse. Another disadvantage Crooks has, is his crooked back, but again, he cannot help this so he did not create the problem. I feel very sorry for George, as he and Lennie have been through so much together, at some times, he wished that he never had to stay with Lennie, but now everything it over for him and he wants Lennie back.