Consumption Today vs. Consumption Tomorrow Essay

Consumption Today vs. Consumption Tomorrow - Essay Example Brie tarts. Tansy cakes with peppermint cream† for William’s training, gear and other expenses to win in the Rouen tournament. In a sense, it is their capital to â€Å"to glory and riches none of us ever dreamed of†. Taking this in a bigger context such as the choices presented to the government with its consumption today and investment tomorrow, it meant striking the balance between addressing theâ€Å"Eel pie. Brie tarts. Tansy cakes with peppermint cream† of today with the â€Å"glory and riches none of us ever dreamed† of tomorrow. In simpler terms, it meant that government has to allocate its resources to satisfy the need of today (i.e. social security, food security, defense, etch) versus the need of tomorrow. Addressing the need of tomorrow meant investing today and this could have in several forms such as education, research and development, resource exploration, supporting start-up companies etch. Thus, the resources of the government must be effectively allocated so that it could address the needs of its people today as well as

An evaluation of the importance of communication for Inter Essay

An evaluation of the importance of communication for Inter professional practice for social workers. Specifically looking at Perth & Kinross Council (Scotland) - Essay Example One primary goal of the social worker is to close the opportunity gap between the rich and the poor by way of aiding individuals and families to have more control over their lives, and through the development of hope for the future. To be effective the inter-professional working context of social workers needs to communicate effectively and efficiently. For only by achieving a streamlined team-focused work environment can it be hoped that independence and resilience amongst the rest of the population will be promoted (Perth & Kinross Council, 2006). Without optimal communication structures between social workers, and their contemporaries in other disciplines, can a "person-focused" approach be truly implemented and an integrated social care system achieved. This dissertation aims to explore the perceptions of the importance of inter-professional communication among social workers in the Perth & Perth & Kinross Council (Scotland) district. Firstly, a review of literature supporting effective communication in the social care system will be presented. Secondly, the rational for this dissertation and the research question will be delivered. Next, the methodology for data collection and analysis to answer the resear ch question will be outlined. Finally, ethical considerations for this study will be detailed. A conclusion shall summarise the main points of the paper and demonstrate the importance of inter-professional communication for social workers. To achieve the goal of the comprehensive and effective use of the entire social service workforce, and to build capacity, develop confidence and trust at all levels of the social care system, it is necessary that dramatic shifts in the balance of power and control take place (Perth & Kinross Council Council, 2006). It is clear that inter-professional communication plays a significant role in the breaking down power imbalances and at establishing

Project Risk Management Process

Project Risk Management Process Introuction To Project Risk Management A recent investigation into the recent rise in failed projects, financial meltdown and the deadly environmental hazards occurring globally have proved that non-inclusion of risk management in the planning and entire stage of the project, poor and total neglect of project risk management practices and overlooking minor risks account for majority of them. While experts have stated that a proper and strong project risk management process can reduce project problems by as much as 75 90%, combining it with concrete project management plans, defining a proper scope, managing change and communication, a good project risk management helps in reducing and eliminating surprises and unexpected project risks. A good project risk management process can also help with resolving problems when they occur. To have a better understanding, ability to structure, implement and execute a good project risk management practice; we need to understand the processes involved in â€Å"PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT† properly. What Is Project Risk Management? Project risk management according to the project management body of knowledge book, chapter 11, Pg. 111, it is a term that encompasses and involves all processes concerned with identification, analyzing and response to project risk. It also consists of maximizing the results of likely positive events and minimization of the impacts of negative events. Also according to Vicki Wrona, a project management professional, before we begin a project risk management process, we must have a justified knowledge of major key definitions. Project risks according to the Project management institute perspective are â€Å"at their core, unknown events†. These events are often positive or negative. This makes â€Å"RISK†, neutral though most time is spent on tackling negative project risks (threats) rather than the positive (opportunities). Processes Involved In Project Risk Management A proper project risk management includes the following four processes: Risk identification Risk quantification Risk response development Risk response control These processes are often implemented with different names though they all arrive and achieve the same goal. Also they are often renamed and combined as stated below: Risk identification and quantification are often treated as a single process and the resultant process is called â€Å"risk analysis† or risk assessment. Risk response development is also often referred to as â€Å"† risk response planning and risk response development often referred to as â€Å"risk management†. Whether they are referred to individually or collectively, they usually maintain their requirements, tools and output. A proper analysis of these processes is stated below. Risk Identification involves the identification and determination of the possible risks that are more likely to affect the project and properly documenting the properties and effect of each one. This process is not a â€Å"once in a project† affair. It is meant to be carried out regularly as long as the project is being carried out. It should also include both internal (activities that can be controlled or influenced by the project team such as cost estimation) and external (risks beyond the project teams control such as business laws or government action) risk. Risk identification could be achieved by either identifying â€Å"causes and effects† (events likely to occur and what will be the result) or â€Å"effects and causes† (outcomes to be avoided or appreciated and method of occurrence). Risk Quantification This step involves evaluation of the risks identified in the first step and risk interactions to assess the range of possible project outcomes. Its primary aim is to determine which risks need response. It is complicated and affected by a number of factors but is not limited to them. They include: Threats and opportunities can interact in unforeseen ways such as regular delays could cause consideration of a new strategy thereby reducing total project duration. A single risk could trigger multiple effects such as: a late delivery of a vital part of the project could result in penalty (fines and payments), over run cost, delay in schedule and often a poor quality product. Reduced cost may favor a stakeholder at the expense of the other. (opportunity for one, loss for the other). Mathematical principles used may create a false impression and negatively affect reliability and precision. Risk Response Development This step in the project risk management activities involves clearly defining enhanced steps to utilize opportunities and respond to threats. Threat response usually fall into one of three categories:- Avoidance which has to do with eliminating a threat by eliminating the cause. All risks cannot be eliminated but certain ones can often be eliminated. Mitigation which deals with reducing the expected cost of a risk event by reducing the occurrence probability, buying insurance and using proven technology. Acceptance which deals with acknowledging the occurrence of a risk and developing a plan to tackle the risk in cases when it occurs. Risk Response Control This step involves execution of the developed risk management plan in response to the risk events during the course of the project. Whenever there are changes made to the project, the first three risk management processes (identification, quantification and response) are repeated. It is a good practice to bear in mind that even the most comprehensive and thoughtfully structured analysis cannot point out all risks and likelihood of occurrence correctly. This makes the project risk management processes an activity to be repeated often. After a clear definition of all the activities project risk management entails, it is best to have a â€Å"step-by-step† approach for proper execution of all involved activities as a (PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT). Project Risk Management Process Vicky Wrona again outlined a possible â€Å"7 step† outline as a project risk management process. They are: Step 1: this step states that everyone involved in the project planning process should list at least 10 possible risk items. This also helps tackle assumption because some risks that are believed to be known are often neglected and they end up occurring. Scope creep is a perfect example because even with a perfect management process, it could still arise and cause problems. It is best to tackle it rather than ignore it. Step 2:- involves collection of all the listed risks and compiling them into a single list (master list) with duplicates removed. Step 3: assessment of the probability and impact of the risks outlined in the master list is the third step. This can be achieved by giving each risk a rating (numerically) or otherwise in order of vulnerability (low, medium, high). Detectability is also important because risks that are not detected or hard to detect e.g. scope creep are even more risky. Step 4: involves dividing the planning team into smaller groups and dividing the master list into portions and giving it to them. They are then to find out the warning signs for the risks. These warning signs (triggers) should be documented and none should be overlooked. Step 5: involves the small groups that identified the risks to also structure out preventive measures. Step 6: here, the small groups created from the planning team develop a â€Å"contingency plan† for majority of the risks. This plan should include response to be taken if a risk occurs. This is usually done for risks with high vulnerability so as to give room for proper management of the risk management process because if the risk management process takes a lot of time and couldnt be executed, then it is a futile effort. Step 7: this is the final step in the risk management planning process. It involves giving each risk â€Å"an owner†. This owner is usually responsible for tackling the risk should it occur and utilizing the approved contingency plan. Though other members are advised to also be vigilant for all risks. At the end of the above steps, a risk register is created. It is advisable to have this register in tabular format so that it could carry enough information on one page. Golden Rules For A Successful Project Risk Management. According to Bart Jutte, managing director of Concilio, a consultancy specialized in project risk management; these 10 steps usually result in proper project risk management implementation. They include: Make risk management part of your project. Identify risks early in your project. Communicate about risks. Consider both threats and opportunities. Clarify ownership issues. Prioritize risks. Analyze risks. Plan and implement risk response. Register project risks. Track risks and associated tasks. Benefits Of Project Risk Management It contributes to the overall success of the project because it points out threats and opportunities which are either eliminated or utilized. It results in better business outcomes through more informed decision making activities achieved from corrections made after the risk management activities. Uncertainties are recognized and a forecast of possible occurrences is provided. Gives room for better control, tackles time wasting and has greater focus on benefits. It influences innovation and positive thinking. Effects Of Negligence And Poor Project Risk Management (Using Real Life Scenarios) Catastrophic Example  · The â€Å"hurricane Katrina† is an example of negligence of project risk management by the government. During the construction and development of the country, the then government didnt focus on the risks this project (development) would cause. Even after this, the current government ignored weather reports and warnings of failing levies and the damage that floods could bring. This led to the death of 1300 people and loss of over 250,000 homes with property worth billions being destroyed. If project risk management had been implemented at the development period, the effect of weak levies and flood would have been identified and tackled and this would have prevented this risk (hurricane Katrina). Loss Of Market, Customers And Brand Trust  · Chrysler Corporation introduced the â€Å"PT CRUISER† in 2000, with hopes of delivery via dealer showroom in 2001. At the supposed â€Å"available date†, it wasnt available. Chrysler and its dealers encouraged its customers to deposit for â€Å"a guaranteed delivery†. Eager customers did this but only few cars were produced due to manufacturing constraints and poor production efforts and conditions. This resulted in a refund of all deposits to the prospective customers and a further loss of faith in Chrysler by its customers. They decided that instead of waiting for the PT Cruiser, they decide to patronize other vehicles from other manufacturers. If Chrysler had included project risk management in their project (PT Cruiser), the production and delivery constraints would have been discovered and tackled and the goals of the project (delivery of the PT cruiser by 2001) would have been met. Conclusion Project risk management as simple as it may seem and less regarded by many is a key component for a better project plan, time management, cost estimation and project scheduling. An effective project execution is also achieved through inclusion of risk management at all stages of the project starting from the planning, to implementation and finally execution. Finally if project risk management is properly understood and a stepped approach included in this book is followed with application and adherence to the 10 golden rules for a successful project risk management, there is possibility or a very successful project because the risk management points out and gives you room to tackle, correct and utilize problems that could have risen at the execution / completion of the project. References 10 Golden rules of project risk management. Bart Jute Founder and consultant at Concilio. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-golden-rules-of-project-risk-management.html Your risk management process: A practical and effective approach Vicki Wrona Project Management Professional (PMP) President of Forward Momentum, LLC, instructor with Westlake Training and development. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/your-risk-management-process-a-practical-and-effective-approach.html Project management Risk Management CJ Williams Tutor Mgt. Consultant Brighton School of Business Mgt. in the UK. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-management-risk-management.html A Guide to the Project Mgt. Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) PMI Standards Committee William R. Duncan Director Of Standards. Risk Analysis Risk Management Evaluating and Managing the Risks You Face Mind tools website http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_07.htm Basics of Managing Risks Neville Turbit IT consultant / Principal of Project Perfect. http://www.projectperfect.com.au/downloads/Info/info_risk_mgmt.pdf Bibliography Project Risk Management chapters 1, 3, 8, 9, 10 By Bruce T. Barkley Copyright 2004 Project risk management: a proactive approach Chapters 1, 3, 5 By Paul S. Royer Copyright -2001 Practical Project Risk Management: The Atom Methodology Chapter 1, 2, 3 6 David Hillson Peter Simon Copyright-2007

The Role of Women in Marjane Satrapis Persepolis Essay -- Muslim Wom

Throughout Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi displays the vital role that the women around her have in developing her character and becoming the woman she is today. Women such as her mother, her grandmother, her school teachers, the maid, the neighbors, and even the guardians of the revolution influenced Marjane and caused her to develop into an independent, educated, and ambitious woman. Throughout the novel, Marjane never completely conforms or lets go of her roots, this is primarily due to the women who have influenced her. Marjane’s mother was one of the most influential people in her life, her mother taught her to be strong and independent. By introducing her mother through the story of her mother getting photographed at a demonstration, Marjane presents her mother as being independent and rebellious (Satrapi 5). Later in the novel Marjane’s mother argues with her father to allow Marji to come to a demonstration with them, she claims it is Marji’s time to â€Å"defend her rights as a woman† (76). Because her mother taught Marji that it is okay for a woman to rebel and speak her mind, Marji never hesitates to speak up and will not conform and allow herself to become just another veiled, female traditionalist. Marjane’s mother shows her acceptance of Marjane as an independent woman when she visits her in Austria and asks her for a cigarette (204). Marjane’s mother is not ignorant, nor does she hold her daughter back to the rules of society. She knows Marji is grown up and treats her as an adult, allowing Marji not only to view their relationship in a different way but also to view herself in a different way: an independent adult who can make her own choices. Another major role model in Marjane’s life was her grandm... ...Marji to realize that the culture’s idolization of martyrs is completely warped. Throughout the rest of the novel Marji never truly escapes the pain that witnessing so much death has caused her, in Austria she tires drugs and love to comfort her, but nothing works the gruesome picture is never able to escape her mind. Marji is impacted be the courageous women came before her, the women that die unjustly, and even the women who attempt to take away her individuality. Throughout the novel Marji is constantly trying to figure out who she is and who she is going to become. But by the end of the novel Marji evolves into an independent woman who does what she wants with her life to make her happy, something that would never have happened without the influence of women throughout her life. Works Cited Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. Pantheon; First Edition, 2004

The Scarlet Marxist

There have been many critiques of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Some critiques are far-fetched. Some indict society’s views of religion and the guilt of women in the downfall of the human race. However, when taking a modern Marxist view of The Scarlet Letter, the scope of the entire novel takes a dramatic spin, not just for the characters Hawthorne utilizes to bring passions to light, but for society and its conventions used towards certain persons. When evaluating the characters of The Scarlet Letter, the characters represent a particular station and social structure within the time. According to Associated Content, Governor Bellingham is one who â€Å". . . free to stand tall as judge of right and wrong, good and bad, but seemingly never commits wrong himself. † (2009). This Marxist evaluation of Governor Bellingham may not make sense unless you apply it within the realm of Marxism as an indictment on the society and how the classes tend to be separated. Governor Bellingham would then represent those who are of affluence or those who are on the upper end of the economic ladder. This separation of the upper class from the other classes then allows Bellingham to make the judgments that he makes ue to his financial status within the community. Had Bellingham not had this type of financial influence, then he would not be allowed to make any kind of judgments on anyone. Bellingham’s position as governor gives him certain rights that ordinary citizens would not have. The position in society gives Bellingham a reason, whether good or bad, to hand down wha t he feels to be justice for all involved. The justice may not be beneficial but for a few. Yet, when looking at the classes, in Marxist theory, if it benefits the upper class, then it is a benefit. The benefit does not carry or trickle down to the lower classes, which leaves those who are not apart of the upper class at a disadvantage. The character Pearl, daughter of Hester Prynne can be considered a very animated and active. She is the product of the physical relationship between Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne. The child suffered the isolation and condemnation that had been handed to her mother for becoming a part of an adulterous affair. Pearl is a stark representative of what happens to persons born or placed into a lower stature in society. Regardless of how witty, bright or un-loving Pearl was as a child, the society within the Puritan community would never accept her because she was the embodiment of higher society deemed inappropriate for persons to participate in. In looking at Pearl in this way, it is not a stretch to say that she is the form of the content presented by the society at that time. Terry Eagleton states that â€Å"Marxist criticism sees form and content as dialectically related, and yet wants to assert in the end the primacy of content in determining form† (Eagleton 537). In other words, Pearl’s form is created by the content of her character, to take a phrase rom Dr. MLK, Jr. The circumstances in which she was conceived puts in her the essence of being one who is deeply enthralled with passion. Also, Pearl is one who is stubborn to a fault, just as her mother who refused to give up the name of her lover. Knowing these things about Pearl would allow one to cast judgment on her and never allow her to ascend to a higher station or class in life. It is this creation of her within the confines of the Dimmesdale and Prynne relationship that would keep her limited to a specific class and socio-economic status in life, had she decided o live within the small Boston neighborhood in which she grew up. Roger Chillingworth’s character illustrates a di fferent kind of class and form altogether. Chillingworth returns to town to find that his wife, Hester Prynne has not only been accused of adultery, but has a child as proof. Prynne never reveals her lover, pushing Chillingworth to a level of sinister evil that had not been presented within the novel. He never revealed his true identity to anyone but Hester Prynne. He acted as caregiver and doctor for Dimmesdale. It was also at this time that Chillingworth befriended Dimmesdale o find what was eating at his very soul. This type of deception is contemptible to say the least. However, from the Marxist point of view, the true character or form of Chillingworth is a valid indication of the content of his soul. Being a doctor represented being a person of an esteemed stature in society. It also gave him as a member of high society privileges that others in lower classes would never have. He took those privileges and misused them for his own selfish gain (which was to find Prynne’s lover). Chillingworth is the classic example of how the privileged iphon from others to achieve the goal ahead. Eagleton would define Chillingworth’s character as the following: â€Å". . . is not the first place a set of doctrines; it signifies the way men live out their roles in class-society, the values, ideas and images which tie them to their social functions and so prevent them from a true knowledge of society as a whole. † (Eagleton 534) In other words, it is Chillingworth’s class in society that does not allow him to show mercy to Prynne. His class also allows him to be cunning and crafty to find the real illness that afflicts Dimmesdale, use the guilt from the sin to rive Dimmesdale into a chasm of self hatred and loathing, while he simultaneously decays into the demonic fleshly figure that imposes hatred and merciless upon all who dare cross him. Yet, this ghastly figure was indeed Chillingworth’s true form and content. It is his functioning within the u pper class of society that not only gave Chillingworth his form, but also allowed him to participate in the actions leading to Dimmesdale’s without repentance. For Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, society’s position came with a price. He ended up denying his own flesh and blood in the body of Pearl, and he et the woman he loved (Hester Prynne) carry the weight of the sin they both committed. After the town branded Prynne and adulteress, Dimmesdale could not bring himself to admit to the public that it was he who shared the night of passion with Prynne which led to the conception of Pearl. His station or class in society would not allow for such a confession. Associated Content refers to Dimmesdale â€Å"As the ultimately religiously pious figure of the town and he is held in high regard. . . † (2). It is the status of being the reverend for the town along with his education â€Å" a young clergyman, who had come from one of the reat English universities, bringing all the learning of the age into our wild-forest land† (Hawthorne 62) that keeps Dimmesdale from initially admitting what had taken place between himself and Prynne. In comparison to Eagleton, Dimmesdale is the representation of the society and the superstructure that is in place (532). Regardless of how he may want to become a permanent part of Prynne’s life, the superstructure in place would never allow it to be so. It is this superstructure of society that Hester Prynne rebels against and causes her to live a life of isolation with her daughter , save her lients who come to her. Hester Prynne has been called an adulteress by many. Even within the religious community, Prynne is thought of at the least, wrong for her actions, including not revealing the father of her child. It is the content of her life that takes form in this novel. Prynne, strong-willed and determined, did not give in to the demands of the community which asked of her to give Pearl’s father’s name. Prynne refused to do so and in her refusal, lost her status within the community, never to have it returned to her. Relating her character to Marxist literary theory is relatively asy. Prynne is one of the few who would gladly give up his or her station or class in society to the protection of one if not al l. Prynne would not be accepted within the upper class of Boston at this time for she did not conform to the way t he higher classes, both religious and social, decided that life should be conducted. Dr. G. B. Loring declared that â€Å"It would be hard to conceive of a greater outrage upon the freezing and self-denying doctrines of that day, than the sine for which Hester Prynne was damned by and for which Arthur Dimmesdale damned himself† (1). Prynne’s refusal to become part of the culture that denied itself for form and fashion is what pushed her to the outskirts of society. However, even with the refusal to bend in tow, Prynne went on to live a productive life and see her daughter become a elegant young lady. Evaluating The Scarlet Letter from the Marxist point of view is interesting to say the least. Yet, the Marxist point of view gives the reader a broader look at the characters and society as a whole. Through Marxism, it is not just the sin that is looked at, but the condition of the heart, the station and class of man, along with his content and form that makes up society then and now.

Psychological Measure

Abstract * There are various psychological measures which are used to evaluate conditions such as depression in children and adults and even insomnia. The articles Revised Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and also Antidepressants and the Sound of One Hand Clapping discuss the use of the Hamilton Depression Scale. These articles also compare and contrast the measurements which were discovered by using this scale. Within the contents of this paper is an explanation as to who is qualified to administer and interpret the measure as well as the settings in which it would deem proper to use the measure. Finally, validity of the Hamilton Depression Scale is reviewed within this paper. Psychological Measure The Hamilton Depression Scale or normally known as HAM-D is a test that was developed by Max Hamilton around 1960 (Warren, 1994). The test has been revised in the years of 1966, 1967, 1969, and finally in 1980. It is a questionnaire that is filled out by the patient and professional after the patient’s initial interview. The main goal of the test is not to help diagnose the person’s depression, but to test the severity of the depression. Max Hamilton was also clear that the test he created should not be used to diagnose patients, but simply to test the levels of severity. Summary of Articles The articles analyzed were, Revised Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, written by W. L. Warren and Antidepressants and the Sound of One Hand Clapping written by Ronald W. Pies, MD from the Psychiatric Times. HAM-D looks at the level of severity of the different symptoms that are found in patients that have depressions. The symptoms of mood, insomnia, agitation, anxiety and weight loss are some the characteristics that are addressed in the questionnaire. In other words, it tests people that have already been diagnosed with clinical depression to find, if any, changes that may have come from treatment, or symptoms that have worsened due to daily struggles. This test is used by psychologists on children, teenagers, and adults (Warren, 1994). A great example of its many uses is trying to find the effect of placebos on patients. The placebo, also known as a sugar pill, is known to have no true physical effect on the human body except in the psychological belief of its healing power by the patient (Pies, 2011). The article written by W. Warren explored more on the clinical therapy that is achieved from the test, while Ronald W. Pies MD’s article focus more on the experimenting research benefits of the test. They both agree on the purpose of the test, but have slightly different goals or focus of its use in the psychological community. HAM-D Administration The majority of psychological testing for antidepressants is done through the HAM-D test (Pies, 2011). In Warren’s article, he explained that the reliability of internal tests done with the HAM-D comes around 81% with a fair sample reaching the general representation of the demographics of clinical depress patients. The validity was also to be found in a mean around 61% as being correlated by other depression tests such as the BMI (Warren, 2011). There are seven items that Hamilton felt were necessary to consider when administering the HAM-D. The first would be the severity and longevity of the symptoms. The second is that the test should cover the last week or two weeks. It is not meant to cover just a day since it is difficult to monitor lack of sleep, or weight loss in one day. The third item is that each item in the scale must be evaluated separately. Just because a person rates high in one area does not mean that they will rate high in another area. The fourth item that Hamilton covered was that the scale is based on a change from the norm in the patient. This scale is used to rate the depressed mood symptoms not the personality of the person. The fifth item is that each week should be looked at separately. The researcher should not look at one week, or ask about the previous week when doing the new test. The sixth item, which is rarely done now, is that the person administering the test should look at all sources of information, such as listening to what family members have to say. The last item that Hamilton felt necessary was to caution the clinician to use their own judgment when evaluating a person. For example, if a person says they have lost a lot of weight, but in reality it is only a few pounds, the clinician must be able to evaluate this information for what it really may be, such as dieting, or eating special foods due to a holiday (Hersen, 2004). Hamilton never did set a specific set of standards for who should be allowed to administer the test. He did feel that the person who was administering the test should have certain skills and knowledge. Hamilton is quoted as saying, â€Å"The value of the scale depends entirely on the skill of the interviewer in eliciting the necessary information (Hersen, 2004)†. Hamilton felt that the clinician should have a varied background with dealing with people with all different degrees of severity in their depression. The rater should have didactic training as well as a background in psychology especially with affective disorders. The person doing the rating should have good interviewing skills, this would include knowing when to ask certain questions as well as how to phrase the questions that are to be asked (Hersen, 2004). Validity It is difficult to say that the Hamilton Depression Scale in general is either valid or invalid without considering a few factors. Researchers have analyzed content, convergent, discriminant, factorial and predictive validity which are found within this scale. Content validity refers to the reflection of the scale items in correspondence to known factors of depression. Convergent validity correlates with other depression’s other measures. Discriminant validity involves distinguishing between groups which suffer from depression and those groups that do not. Factorial validity stems from factor examination of the data-based structure of the scale, determining whether each item focuses on the designed factor. Finally, predictive validity occurs in predicting change in the severity of symptoms which are associated with treatment (Bender, 2005). Validity within the Hamilton Depression Scale varies depending on what is being examined. Testing for information regarding older adults may be more or less valid than testing to see if the condition of the economy influences depression. Validity studies which examine scaling and item content concluded that several items failed at measuring single symptoms or containing response options that correlate with the degrees of severity (Bender, 2005). However, as previously mentioned, when this scale was used to measure antidepressants as they relate to depression, it proved 61% valid in comparison to other tests which are administered to produce information which pertains to depression. These two discoveries assist in concluding that the validity of this measure varies based on different factors such as what it actually being tested and possibly the whom is person or persons responsible for administering the test due to interpretation and biasness. Conclusion Various measures evaluate the factors which correlate with depression, but the Hamilton Depression Scale is one of the most widely used in terms of depression. This measure is not used to diagnose depression, but rather to produce information about the level of severity. Although there is no definitive answer about who should be administering this test, the administrator should take seven factors into consideration during this process. As with any other testing measure, validity has to be taken into consideration when determining if the test should continue to be used in the future. However, validity is not cut and dry, but rather complex as it concerns what is being measured. Overall, this widely used measure, has revealed useful results in the past concerning depression and will continue to do so in the future. References Bender, K. (2005). Throwing Out the Gold? Reconsidering the HAM-D. Psychiatric Times Retrieved from http://www. psychiatrictimes. com/blog/couchincrisis/content/article/10168/1968125 Hersen, M. , Hilsenroth, M. J. , & Segal, D. L. (2004). Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. Pies, R. W. (2011) Antidepressants and the Sound of One Hand Clapping. Psychiatric Times Retrieved from http://www. psychiatrictimes. com/blog/couchincrisis/content/article/10168/196812 Warren, W. (1994). Revised Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Chapter 48 Essays

Chapter 48 Essays Chapter 48 Paper Chapter 48 Paper Essay Topic: Poetry The gamelan is a traditional orchestra from Japan. false The white tone singing style in the vocal part of George Crumbs Ancient Voices of Children is a style in which the singer: sings without vibrato In composing, Crumb uses techniques and instruments from various world musics. true The harmony in Crumbs Caballito Negro is primarily: atonal For which work did George Crumb win a Pulitzer prize in 1968? Echoes of Time and the River The prevalent rhythm in Crumbs Caballito Negro is meant to: emulate the sound of a galloping horse The gamelan orchestra is made up largely of percussion instruments. true Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Sonata V? improvisation How many books of madrigal sets did George Crumb write? four John Cages work 433 challenges the differentiation between music and noise. true Henry Cowell is known for combining Asian instruments with traditional Western ensembles. true Which composer has written several compositions on the poetry of Federico Garcà ­a Lorca? George Crumb Whose poetry did George Crumb set in his second book of madrigals? Federico Garcà ­a Lorca Harry Partch was a serious proponent of microtonal music. true Cages work Sonatas and Interludes is written for: prepared piano Which composer invented new instruments capable of microtonality? Harry Partch What instruments accompany the voice in Crumbs Caballito Negro? metallic percussion and flute John Cages work 433 is known for its consonant harmonic writing. false One of Henry Cowells innovations was the prepared piano. false George Crumb is representative of avant-garde composition in the United States. true The form of Sonata V from Sonatas and Interludes is: binary, with each section repeated John Cages Sonatas and Interludes is a work for Javanese gamelan. false Who is considered to be the inventor of the prepared piano? John Cage The prepared piano called for in Sonatas and Interludes simulates a: gamelan orchestra

JavaFX Controls and ComboBox

JavaFX Controls and ComboBox The ComboBox class creates a control that allows the user to select an option from a drop-down list of options. The drop-down list appears when the user clicks on the ComboBox control. When the number of options exceeds the size of the drop-down window, the user can scroll down to further options. This differs from the ChoiceBox which is primarily used when the number of choices is a relatively small set. Import Statement javafx.scene.control.ComboBox Constructors The ComboBox class has two constructors depending on whether you want to create an empty ComboBox object or one populated with items. To Create an Empty ComboBoxComboBox fruit new ComboBox(); To create a ComboBox object and populate it with String items from an ObservableList ObservableList fruits FXCollections.observableArrayList( Apple, Banana, Pear, Strawberry, Peach, Orange, Plum);ComboBox fruit new ComboBox(fruits); Useful Methods If you create an empty ComboBox object you can use the setItems method. Passing an ObservableList of objects will set the items in the Combobox. ObservableList fruits FXCollections.observableArrayList( Apple, Banana, Pear, Strawberry, Peach, Orange, Plum);fruit.setItems(fruits); If you want to add items to the ComboBox list later on you can use the  addAll method of the getItems method. This will append the items to the end of the options list: fruit.getItems().addAll(Melon, Cherry, Blackberry); To add an option to a particular place in the ComboBox option list use the add method of the getItems method. This method takes an index value and the value you wish to add: fruit.getItems().add(1, Lemon); Note: The index values of the ComboBox start at 0. For example, the above value of Lemon above will be inserted into the ComboBox option list at position 2 as the index passed is 1. To pre-select an option in the ComboBox options list, use the setValue method: fruit.setValue(Cherry); If the value passed to the setValue method is not on the list, then the value will still be selected. However, it does not mean this value has been added to the list. If the user subsequently picks another value then the initial value will no longer be in the list to be selected. To get the value of the currently selected item in the ComboBox, use the getItems method: String selected fruit.getValue().toString(); Usage Tips The number of options normally presented by the ComboBox dropdown list is ten (unless there are less than ten items in which case it defaults to the number of items). This number can be changed by using the setVisibleRowCount method: fruit.setVisibleRowCount(25); Again, if the number of items in the list is less than the value set in the setVisibleRowCount method the ComboBox will default to displaying the number of items in the ComboBox dropdown. Handling Events To track the selection of items on a ComboBox object you can use the addListener method of the selectedItemProperty method of the SelectionModel to create a ChangeListener It will pick up the change events for the ComboBox: final Label selectionLabel new Label();fruit.getSelectionModel().selectedItemProperty().addListener( new ChangeListener() { public void changed(ObservableValue ov, String old_val, String new_val) { selectionLabel.setText(new_val); }});

Uses of the Verb to Do for ESL

Uses of the Verb to Do for ESL The verb to do is used in a number of different ways in English. Here are the main uses of the verb to do for reference, self-study and in-class use. To do can be used as an auxiliary verb, a verb to speak about action in general, as well as combining with many nouns to express taking care of various tasks. Examples: To Do - Main Verb To do is used as a principal verb in many set phrases used with the various tasks we do around the house and at work. To do is generally used to express tasks we do, rather than things we make. Of course, there are some exceptions to the rules. Here are some of the main set phrases about tasks we do: do gooddo the dishesdo sportdo exercisedo businessdo homeworkdo yard work Examples: Ill do the dishes if you make dinner.Sheila tries to do sport at least three times a week.Hes done that exercise a number of times. Note: To do exercise is used with a number of different types of exercise. Generally, we use play with competitive sports, go with activities such as walking, riding, and hiking. Do is used with exercises such as yoga, karate, etc. Examples: Jennifer did yoga for two hours this morning.I try to do some exercises like sit-ups and push-ups every morning.James does pilates at his local gym. To Do - Auxiliary Verb To do is also used as an auxiliary verb in the simple tenses. Remember that the auxiliary verb takes the conjugation in English, so the verb to do will change depending on the tense. Remember that to do is used as an auxiliary verb only in the question and negative form. Here is a quick review of the tenses that use to do as an auxiliary verb: Present simple: Examples: She doesnt like tofu.Do you enjoy rock n roll? Past Simple: Examples: Mary didnt visit her aunt last week.Did they talk about the economy? To Do - General Use Verb To do is used as the main verb when asking general questions about what happens, is happening, is going to happen, etc. Examples: What are you doing?What will you do?What have they done?What do you do on Saturdays?etc.

If you could imagine an entirely different life from the one you led, Essay

If you could imagine an entirely different life from the one you led, how would you want it to be - Essay Example Being the leader I had the responsibility of allocating different individuals to a certain block and ensuring that they have done the work as expected. There was no pay and so the morale was low. This position exposed me to various challenges that one can face while working in a team. While working at various levels in various teams, I have come to realise that people respond differently and some can really pose serious challenges to attaining the goals set by the team. The first challenge that I have come across is when people have personal differences with me and they want to use that as a hindrance in the task we are supposed to undertake. I have realized that this is one of the major reasons why many teams do not perform as expected. I have learnt that it is very important to avoid bringing issues of personal differences into the team. I also realised that some people will always try to disregard my ideas and try to come up with better ones which ought to be implemented. Such people are present in any working environment and in any team. It is hard to address them since they are people who often think that they can do much better if they were in the position that one is in. I learnt how to handle them and ensure that they become part of the team instead of condemning them. Sometimes it is good to take their ideas if they are valid and show them there is no personal difference between the two of you. Some people are opposed to change. I found out that dealing with such people can pose to be a daunting challenge. Such people who like to conserve the already set policies as much as possible will always oppose any idea proposing change as much as they can. It is important at times to have dynamic people in your team. Such people are ready to think widely and embrace change when it comes. Conservatives will try to pull you down when you set new policies and they are a major hindrance in the

Maisie is representative of her class (the working poor) and gender Essay

Maisie is representative of her class (the working poor) and gender. Discuss the effects of WWI on the class system and on women, in particular - Essay Example One of the ways in which Maisie Dobbs represents the working class poor is by having a history and identity that totally correlates with the working class poor. Particularly, Maisie Dobbs hails from a poor background. Alongside this, Maisie becomes less fortunate as she loses her mother her mother at her pubescent stage of life. To show for this poverty and underprivileged status, Dobbs has to work to supplement her father’s efforts. In fact, the matter is graver since this means that Dobbs is being exploited, since she is a minor yet she is employed. This is not so uncommon among low income earners or the working class poor societies which may not mind their underage children being conscripted into child labor, to supplement their meager earnings (Winspear, 12). Likewise, Dobbs represents the working class poor by landing a lowly job as maid at Lady Rowan Compton’s Belgravia Mansion, in 1910. Mostly, it is the working class poor which cannot discriminate against jobs that come their way, because of prevailing antecedent factors such as previous inability to access quality education. This means that in the long run, the working class poor subculture cannot produce favorable qualifications to help them attain meaningful jobs. Dobbs also represents the working class poor by taking education seriously. The working class poor takes education seriously because it sees it as the only conduit by which it can become empowered and scale upwards in the society. High income earners and the upper middle class may mostly not take learning as seriously as the working class poor, since the two classes are privileged to have several options. The seriousness that Dobbs expends in her learning is seen in her being filled with the joy of reading and learning when she is introduced to Lady Compton’s library. Dobbs also gladly and willingly becomes Maurice Blanche’s

Canadian Imperal Bank of Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian Imperal Bank of Commerce - Essay Example It also has a business segment offering financial services to its customers. Wal-Mart Canada is one of the international divisions of Wal-Mart Inc. in USA. It is considered to be the largest retail group in the world and offers wide range of products and services to its clients through its retail stores. Different cost management practices followed by these three companies have been studied here. All the three companies have been observed to follow expansion strategies. It results in the growth of sales at a higher pace than the increase in operating expenses of the companies. CIBC and Canadian Tire have been following the Activity Based Costing (ABC) system. JIT, wage management strategy while Wal-Mart has also effectively implemented other cost minimization strategies. Following these management accounting practices, all the three companies are expected to have a sustainable growth in future. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (C IBC) 4 Canadian Tire 6 Wal-Mart Canada 7 Conclusion 8 References 10 Introduction Accounting relates to a process of recording of business transactions carried out by an organization. The information related to the business activities followed by an organization are first identified, evaluated and then communicated to the various users in order to facilitate the decision making process. Accounting can be divided into three parts, namely cost accounting, financial accounting and management accounting. Management accounting refers to those accounting information which is utilized by the managers of the company to perform their managerial activities within the organization (Khan, & Jain, 2006, p.1.3). Hence, management accounting is an integral part of any organization. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart Canada are three of the large organizations operating their business activities in Canada. Some of the key management accounting practices followed by these three companies has been discussed in this study. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) CIBC is involved in the business of providing different kinds of financial services to various individuals, corporate, etc. in Canada and outside. It has in offer both retail and wholesale banking products for its clients. CIBC is headquartered at Toronto and was founded in the year 1867. There has been a recent change in the organizational structure of CIBC in the year 2011. As of now CIBC has three Strategic Business Units (SBUs), namely Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking and Wealth Management. Each of these SBUs is considered to be the profit centers of the company. The treasury activities associated with each of these SBUs have an impact on its financial performance. The revenue performance of each of the SBUs are affected because of the policy of using cost of funds based on market prices adopted by the company's management. Transfer pricing system is also prevalent in CIBC (CIBC, 2012, p.41). If we look at the overall cost structure of CIBC, it can be found that it has both interest and non-interest expenses. The interest expenses of the company mostly include interest on deposits. On the other hand its non-interest expenses include employee benefits and compensation, occupancy costs, advertising costs etc. In addition to this the company has a provision for credit losses. The provision for cre

Multiple Regression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multiple Regression - Essay Example We use a State-wide data set that includes a record of property crimes rates (CRIMES) as well as a record on per capita income (PINCOME), school dropout rates (DROPOUT), precipitation amounts (PRECIP), percentage of public aid recipients (PUBAID), population density (DENSITY), public aid for families with kids in terms of dollars received (KIDS), percentage of unemployed workers (UNEMPLOY), percentage of population living in urban areas. The methodology that we use is that of multiple regression analysis to obtain the magnitude and signs of the coefficients and t and F-tests obtain whether the respective coefficients are significant, individually, or jointly. The regression equation we estimate is the following: (1) Results In this section we present the results of the analysis. Table 1 presents the results of the estimation of equation (1). Table 1: Results of simple OLS regression, all variables included Before interpreting the coefficients we look at the individual and joint signi ficances of the estimated coefficients. From the upper right hand panel we find that F(8, 41) = 11.43 and prob>F =0.000. Recall that the null hypothesis of the f-test is that all coefficients are jointly zero. From the computed statistic and the associated p-value we reject the null hypothesis. Thus, at least one of the parameters is non-zero. Now, from the lower panel in table 1 looking at the 3rd column (t-values) and the 4th column (p values) we can identify which coefficients are significantly different from zero. The null hypothesis of the t-test is that the coefficient in question is equal to zero while the alternative hypothesis is that it is non-zero. Recall that the 5% critical value for the two-sided t-test is 1.96. Looking at the elements from column 3 and 4, we find that only the variables DROPOUT, DENSITY and and URBAN are associated with coefficients that are statistically significantly different from zero. We fail to find evidence in the data that suggests that the nu ll hypothesis is false for the rest of the coefficients as well as the intercept. The upper right hand corner also presents the R-squared and the adjusted R-squared values which show that the fit is decent (anything greater than 50% on these scales is considered decent). In table 2 below, we take a look at whether our results may have been affected by the presence of multi-collnearity. The t-tests of significance showed that there were two significant coefficients and this was further confirmed by the f-test. If multicollinearity is present to any worrisome degree, typically, although the f-test rejects the null, we fail to identify any statistically significant coefficients in the t-test. Thus, there is little evidence of multi-collinearity. Additionally, we also look at the VIFs in table 2 below. Observe that the mean VIF is only 2.46 and the VIF for PINCOME is a bit large (although significantly smaller than 10, the standard indicator of severe and worrisome multicollinearity). T able 2: Testing for presence of multi-colinearity, VIFs Now, we rerun the regression incorporating only the significant variables in the specification. The model is specified as follows: The results of this regression are presented in table 3. Table 3: Results of OLS estimation including only the significant variables Observe first from the table above that the signs and the significances of the included variables remain the same. That is

See the instructions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

See the instructions - Research Paper Example Given these detrimental consequences of the attack, a revolution in the modern aviation was ineluctable. This discussion will establish the impact of the 9/11 attacks on the contemporary aviation with a keen interest in the changes that have been put in place in this respect. Prior to the 9/11 an attack, the â€Å"Common Strategy† tactic was employed in the case of aircraft hijacks but were no longer effective after the striking event. The â€Å"Common Strategy† involved complying with the hijackers because most of the hijacks entailed the plane being flown to a particular destination after which the hijackers made their demands, such as ransom. As such, compliance was the sure way of surviving hijackings. However, in the 9/11 attacks, the hijackers neither made any demands nor did they allow for negotiation and this meant that the mundane tactic was inapplicable. Given this, the modern aviation security system has been altered to accommodate suicide attacks, such as the 9/11 attacks. Passengers and crew members have been encouraged to consider the risk of cooperating and resisting the commands of the hijackers by not only considering their interests but the people on the ground as well. Pilots and flight attendants now undergo intensive tr aining in self-defense and anti-hijacking training aimed at baffling bombing and hijacking (Sheehy, 2004). Besides, Air Marshalls have been added to the crew in order to forestall hijacking. Cockpit doors have been fortified and made bullet prove to deter hijackers from taking control of planes (Woodruff, 2011). These novel improvements to the aviation security system stem from the lesson learned in the 9/11 attacks. Airports security checking systems were proved to be weak, and major changes were inevitable. Before the attacks, private companies conducted the screening of passengers under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Criminal Justice Scenerio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Criminal Justice Scenerio - Essay Example , the parole board must consider the vocational education, work assignment or training, institutional records, therapy and performance during temporary release programs. In addition, the board will conduct an investigation with the victims, if any, of the incidence that lead to the imprisonment of the applicant, Dawes, (2014). In my opinion, John White qualifies for consideration of parole grant. According to the case study, he has already acquired a considerable level of education as compared to the pre-imprisonment period. In this case, he will be more productive to the society than before. In addition, his brother has offered to give him a job and hence John White will be able to cope with his dairy need. I John White do hereby surrender expatriation to the united state of America and agree to faithfully abide by all laws, by-laws, regulations and federal and state governments policies. I hereby submit that I am a corrected person and I will be able to be absorbed by the society to join other persons in the nation building. In addition, I will not engage myself in any unlawful endeavors nor associate myself with persons likely to ruin my morals. I entirely understand the consequences involved should I, in any conduct, breach the abovementioned

See the instructions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

See the instructions - Research Paper Example Given these detrimental consequences of the attack, a revolution in the modern aviation was ineluctable. This discussion will establish the impact of the 9/11 attacks on the contemporary aviation with a keen interest in the changes that have been put in place in this respect. Prior to the 9/11 an attack, the â€Å"Common Strategy† tactic was employed in the case of aircraft hijacks but were no longer effective after the striking event. The â€Å"Common Strategy† involved complying with the hijackers because most of the hijacks entailed the plane being flown to a particular destination after which the hijackers made their demands, such as ransom. As such, compliance was the sure way of surviving hijackings. However, in the 9/11 attacks, the hijackers neither made any demands nor did they allow for negotiation and this meant that the mundane tactic was inapplicable. Given this, the modern aviation security system has been altered to accommodate suicide attacks, such as the 9/11 attacks. Passengers and crew members have been encouraged to consider the risk of cooperating and resisting the commands of the hijackers by not only considering their interests but the people on the ground as well. Pilots and flight attendants now undergo intensive tr aining in self-defense and anti-hijacking training aimed at baffling bombing and hijacking (Sheehy, 2004). Besides, Air Marshalls have been added to the crew in order to forestall hijacking. Cockpit doors have been fortified and made bullet prove to deter hijackers from taking control of planes (Woodruff, 2011). These novel improvements to the aviation security system stem from the lesson learned in the 9/11 attacks. Airports security checking systems were proved to be weak, and major changes were inevitable. Before the attacks, private companies conducted the screening of passengers under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Castles Don’t Have Phones, Asshole!” by Jodi Parker Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Castles Don’t Have Phones, Asshole!† by Jodi Parker Essay

Alfred Hitchcock Impact on Society

Alfred Hitchcock Impact on Society Whenever people desire to watch a movie, they have thousands, if not millions of options to choose from. The first movie dates back as far as the late 1800s and since then, movies have become one of the most popular forms of entertainment and art worldwide. This is all thanks to the people who create movies for a living, people known as directors. Each director differs in his or her own way, leaving a â€Å"thumbprint,† or directing style on all of his or her films. Many directors today try to mimic the thumbprints of previous minds from the early 1900s in order to become as successful and legendary as they were. Names such as Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Charlie Chaplin, and Woody Allen still live on for their groundbreaking contributions to the history of cinema. However, one of the most famous directors to have lived is none other than Alfred Hitchcock, whose career spanned more than fifty years and helped define an entire movie genre. The film industry has been greatly i nfluenced by the British director Alfred Hitchcock, whose works employed techniques to instill suspense, reoccurring plot devices, and innovative cinematography. Throughout the world, Alfred Hitchcock is known as the Master of Suspense for his special techniques he incorporated in his films. One thing he always kept in mind was how the audience would react to his movies, because without the audience he considered his movie incomplete. Hitchcock says there is no satisfaction in having a large auditorium but with only one seat. It is the collective audience and their reaction that gives interest to your endeavor (Alfred Hitchcock 10). His goal was to take the audience on a journey to escape the reality of their own lives and, the more fun they have, the quicker they will come back begging for more (Bays 1). Keeping the mentality of the average moviegoer in mind, Hitchcock only used straightforward plotlines which could easily be followed. When reviewing a film script, he removed anything that was considered boring or irrelevant to the story. What is drama, Hitchcock states, but life with the dull bits cut out (Bays 4). Using this method, the audience can maintain their interest in the movie and suspense can be delivered more efficiently. Vital to any Hitchcockian film is what is known as information. Information is something the characters do not see, yet the audience does. In most cases, the information is usually dangerous and is presented in the opening of a scene. As the scene continues, the audience is reminded of that information which could jeopardize the ignorant characters. For example, in the 1976 movie Family Plot, the audience sees a shot of a car leaking brake fluid, yet the characters in the car have no idea this is happening. Watching scenes with information build up tension, and it is one of the most popular techniques Hitchcock has made famous. Surprisingly, one would not think to include anything comical in a thriller movie, yet Hitchcock believed suspense doesnt have any value if its not balanced by humor (Bays 1). By using contrasted characters and settings, it made his films more amusing to watch. In order to intensify the audiences anxiety, Hitchcock utilized understatement, which was a means of turning the attention of an action scene to insignificant and petty character features or actions. In Rear Window, the protagonist Jeff tries to stall the villains attack by blinding him with flashing camera bulbs. The great effort the villain uses to regain his vision is amusing, yet at the same time is suspenseful because of his steady and eerie approach. Hitchcock also frequently inserted a character which mocked a serious matter such as murder. This is usually a sign of foreshadowing, as seen in Rear Window when Stella (the nurse) laughs about the idea of a killing in an adjacent apartment. Irony is also evident in Hitchcoc ks films because he places characters in terrible situations against bright and joyful settings. He thought the more happy-go lucky the setting, the greater kick you get from the sudden introduction of drama (Bays 3). An excellent example of irony is in The Trouble With Harry, where a dead body appears with a beautiful fall scenery. The final suspense method is none other than the twist ending. Hitchcock never wanted his films to have a predictable ending because it would destroy the entire point of putting suspense into the audience. In the key moment of Saboteur, Barry Kane corners Fry, the real saboteur, on the top of the Statue of Liberty. Although one would normally think the scene ends with Fry being captured, Kanes sudden talking actually startles the saboteur, which causes him to tumble over the railing and plunge to his death.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   When watching several Hitchcock films, it may be noticed that certain objects and themes have a tendency to appear in the plot over and over again. These plot devices are an important quality because they link the British to the American period, because their recurrence is particularly obstinate, and because they seem taken in conjunction, central to the thematic complex of Hitchcocks total oeuvre (Wood 2). The three themes which are profoundly examined are the wrongly accused man, the female culprit, and the alluring villain. The accused man is usually the central character who is blamed for something he did not do, and often experiences the double chase. The double chase is the hero is pursued by the police and in turn pursues (or seeks to unmask) the actual villain (Wood 2). The female culprit is present in Sabotage, Notorious, Vertigo, Dial M for Murder and many more Hitchcock films. Interestingly, the villains in his films are considered to be some of the most intriguing charact ers to observe. They all possess one or more of the following characteristics: a) Sexual perversity or ambiguityb) Fascist connotationsc) The subtle associations of the villain with the devild) Closely connected with these characteristics is a striking and ambiguous fusion of power and impotence operating on both the sexual and non-sexual levels (Wood 2). Norman Bates in Psycho is one of the most famous sociopaths in cinema history.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚      Arguably one of Hitchcocks greatest contributions to the film industry is the MacGuffin. Yet the MacGuffin is, in truth, one minute entity. Its definition describes it as a device or plot element that catches the viewers attention or drives the plot. It is generally something that every character is concerned with (Alfred Hitchcock Film Techniques 1). Primarily, the MacGuffin is something that the majority of the film revolves around, yet in the end its importance diminishes and can sometimes be forgotten. Examples of MacGuffins include the government secrets in North by Northwest, the uranium in Notorious, and the stolen 40,000 dollars in Psycho. These MacGuffins keep the audience spinning in a certain direction while the real action was getting ready to come in from the side. A true MacGuffin will get you where you need to go but never overshadow what is ultimately there (Alfred Hitchcock Film Techniques 2).  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Although Hitchcock was greatly identified for his suspense techniques, his movies would not be complete without their creative cinematography. He was excellent at knowing what to film, when to cut to a different shot, and how to edit a scene after it was completed. Because Hitchcock began directing silent films, he liked to work purely in the visual and not rely upon words at all (Alfred Hitchcock 2). Camera angles make a great contribution to the quality of Hitchcocks films. He incorporates his â€Å"theory of proximity to plan out each scene† (Bays 2). Essentially, this means a certain scene would call for a certain camera shot in order to change its emotion. The closer the camera is to the characters eyes, the more emotion the audience could see. If Hitchcock wanted to increase suspense, he would use a high angle shot above the characters head. In a way, the camera also acts as a human eye because it gazes around objects as if it truly contained curiosity. His idea of personifying the camera remains constant because when films did not have sound, visuals were the only form of communicating with the audience. In order to  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚     Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Hitchcock always welcomed innovation in film technology, but in the 1950s he reveled in it (Silet 2). As a result of combining these three factors, Alfred Hitchcocks movies will forever be considered some of the most revolutionary works of art known to man. It is also not an exaggeration to claim that his films elevated the medium as a form of art in the minds of the public in ways that exceeded the work of more self-consciously artistic directors. And that is not a bad accomplishment for a director who set out merely to entertain (Silet 3).  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚     Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  

The History of the Dog :: essays research papers

the dog has been around for many years they are careing loving animals but they also have a darkside. Dogs have been considered mans best friend for many many years; but do they really fit in the category as mans friend. DOgs have been known to turn on there owners and cause chaos throughout homes even neighborhoods. should they really be let in our homes and if so haow close can we really get to the vicious creatures? Domestic Dog, mammal generally considered to be the first domesticated animal. This trusted work partner and beloved pet learned to live with humans more than 14,000 years ago. A direct descendant of the wolves that once roamed Europe, Asia, and North America, the domestic dog belongs to the dog family, which includes wolves, coyotes, foxes, and jackals. Dog ancestry has been traced to small, civet-like mammals, called miacis, which had short legs and a long body and lived approximately 40 million years ago. The evolving relationship between the domestic dog and humans has been documented in fossil evidence, artifacts, and records left by earlier civilizations. Prehistoric dog skeletal remains, excavated from sites in Denmark, England, Germany, Japan, and China, indicate the early coexistence of dogs with people. An ancient Persian cemetery, dating to the 5th century BC, contained thousands of dog skeletons. Their formal burial and the positioning of the dog remains reveal the esteem in which the ancient Persians held their dogs. The relationship shared by dogs and humans also is evident in cave drawings, early pottery, and Asian ivory carvings that depict dogs. A statue of Anubis, the half dog, half jackal Egyptian god, was discovered inside King Tutankhamen's tomb, constructed in about 1400 BC. Literary references to the dog include those found in the Bible and in the Greek classic the Odyssey by Homer. In 1576 an English physician and dog fancier, John Caius, wrote a detailed text on dog breeds, Of English Dogges. Dogs are featured in tapestries that were created in the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century), and in the work of many artists, including 17th- and 18th-century European painters Peter Paul Rubens and Thomas Gainsborough. Although it is not known how humans and dogs first learned to coexist, people soon discovered the many ways dogs could enrich their lives. Dogs have been used to hunt for food, herd animals, guard livestock and property, destroy rats and other vermin, pull carts and sleds, perform rescues, and apprehend lawbreakers.

Optimal Synthetic Aperture Radar Image Detection Essay -- Technology

Introduction The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a microwave active imagery system that has been largely used due to its possibility of day-and-night operation in all weather conditions. The SAR system generates images by the coherent processing of the scattering signals; this results in a scene texture that has an undesired multiplicative speckled noise, drastically reduces the ability to distinguish the features of the classes [1]. The rejection of the speckle noise motivated many works where ANN algorithms have been applied to SAR imagery classification [2][3][4][5]. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms have been increasingly applied to remote sensing for image classification in the last years [6][7][8][9]. SAR images have found many applications in the field of Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). Target detection is a signal processing problem whereby one attempts to detect a stationary target embedded in background clutter while minimizing the false alarm probability. The rapid increase of ANN applications in remote sensing imagery classification is mainly due to their ability to perform equally or more accurately than other classification techniques [10]. In a general way, the major advantages of the neural network method over traditional classifiers are: †¢ Easy adaptation to different types of data and input configuration, †¢ Simple incorporation of ancillary data sources, as textural information, which can be difficult or impossible with conventional techniques, †¢ Does not use or need a priori knowledge about parameters of distributions. ANN algorithms find the best nonlinear function, in the optimal case, between the input and the output data without any constraint of linearity or pre-specified nonl... ...e Galinhas, November 2002. 7. J.A. Benediktsson, P.H. Swain, O.K. Ersoy, â€Å"Neural Network approaches versus statistical methods in classification of multisource remote sensing data†, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and. Remote Sensing, v.28, n.4, p.540-552, 1990. 8. H. Bischof, W. Schneider, A.J. Pinz, â€Å"Multispectral classification of landsat-images using neural networks†, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, v.30, n.3, p.482-490, 1992. 9. Y. Hara, R.G. Atkins, S.H. Yueh, R.T. Shin, J.A. Kong, â€Å"Application of neural networks to radar image classification†, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, v.32, n.1, p.100-109, 1994. 10. K.S. Chen, W.P. Huang, T.H. Tsay, F. Amar, â€Å"Classification of multifrequency polarimetric SAR imagery using a dynamic learning neural network†, IEEE Trans. Geoscience and Remote Sensing, v.34, n.3, p.814-820, 1996.

GCSE statistics coursework

In this coursework I am going to investigate the affect that age has on the car. I am going to look at price, engine size, mileage, and age of the car. By the end of the coursework I am aiming to have a set of results about how the cars are affected by the age, price and mileage. My prediction should show that * As the car increases its price will decrease * The higher the mileage the price will decrease. Plan I am going to be collecting a sample of 100 cars. I will find mean, median, mode and range for some certain makes of cars, from the data I have been given. I will then represent my data by the following diagrams * Bar charts * Tally charts * Pie charts * Standard deviation (mean and mean deviation) * Scatter diagrams. The reason why I am doing so many diagrams is to give a clear understanding and also to give the reader a pictorial view about what is happening, and also I must say to get more accurate results. The diagrams would maintain a clear understanding and show what is happening to the cars and what people prefer according to their engine size. After each of the diagram I would explain how I did the diagram and what people prefer and why. I would compare the mean, median and mode to support my hypothesis. At the end of the coursework I would be doing a conclusion explaining what has happened and why. I am going to calculate the number of each type of car according to its age and mileage. I would provide my entire hypothesis to get more accurate results and also to include my prediction. I would provide me working on computer to avoid biased results and also to get more accurate results. I think doing my investigation on computer would give a better pictorial view than by hand. I predict that as the age of car increases the mileage would increase. I think that this is because an older car would have been driven more than a new car and therefore

Rhetorical Analysis Ap

Rhetorical Analysis Essay: 2008 AP Question 2 John M. Barry argues that scientists need to embrace uncertainty within the passage; he asserts that they need the courage and will to overcome the intimidating uncertainty of exploring new fields. With an honest and clear tone Barry highlights the divide between certainty and uncertainty in the passage, discussing the importance of â€Å"pioneers†, individuals who are willing to adventure into the unexplored to further their researches.Courage and wit are indeed two crucial factors for the biologists, chemists, and engineers of today to further develop science; it is important to â€Å"probe† the unknown in order to search for answers, and it is important to embrace failure instead of fearing it, for mistakes and faults help in perfecting research techniques. In The Great Influenza, Barry employs extended metaphor, repetition, and juxtaposition to deliver his message on the need for scientists to explore the unknown.Extended metaphor is used to highlight the intimidation brought from exploring undiscovered aspects of science, furthering her argument that researchers require courage. Barry claims that â€Å"real scientists† are â€Å"on the frontier† and must therefore â€Å"deal with the unknown† and develop â€Å"tools and techniques needed to clear the wilderness†.He describes the harshness and fear-inspiring nature of conducting foreign and novel experiments by comparing it to a â€Å"frontier†, describing it as the â€Å"unknown† and the â€Å"wilderness†Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬Å"frontier† connotes a barren landscape, insinuating the vast and unexplored characteristic of performing ambitious researches, and â€Å"unknown† and â€Å"wilderness† imply fear and intimidation, deterring scientists away from furthering their hypothesis. In doing this Barry emphasizes that courage is a crucial requirement for scientists to have in developing science.Furthermore, Barry mentions â₠¬Å"shovel†, â€Å"pick†, and â€Å"dynamite† as examples of â€Å"tools one needs†. All of the utilities are used for grating and arduous purposes, which furthers the idea that scientists â€Å"must create . . . everything†; scientists must work diligently and face the challenges they are given with perseverance; to execute successful experiments one must preserver in the face of failure by utilizing whatever means of tools that is available, and by connecting this to the â€Å"wilderness† and â€Å"frontier† at the beginning, Barry suggests that scientists might be afraid of this ailure and onerous work. The extended metaphor portrayed the larger idea that scientists must be courageous in dealing with unexplored areas and topics.Repetition was used to enforce the precarious nature of exploring new areas, insinuating that doing so required a strong mentality by researchers. Barry contends that even a â€Å"single laboratory findingâ⠂¬  can destroy a seemingly monumental belief, saying that it â€Å"can also take one off a cliff†, while arguing that it is also beneficial in that it â€Å"can take them through the looking glass into a world that seems entirely different . . crystal to precipitate an order†. In repeating â€Å"single† and describing many effects that can arise from it, Barry reasons that even a small, isolated finding can destroy a monumental belief that had been upheld for a long time, and that scientists must readily acknowledge this. He also repeats the notion of fragility in using â€Å"sharp edge†, â€Å"glass†, and â€Å"crystal†, implying that new experiments are delicately balanced; he contends that such a brittle nature by intimidate scientists.Barry introduces obstacles that must be overcome by scientists not only through a smart mind, but also through a daring heart. By juxtaposing the two mentalities of following a pre-established road and pi oneering a new one, Barry argues that scientists need to have an adventurous and brave spirit to truly expand the horizons of current models and research techniques. He contrasts â€Å"Certainty† and â€Å"Uncertainty†, describing the former as â€Å"strength† and â€Å"something upon which to lean†, while distinguishing the latter as â€Å"weakness† and â€Å"mak[ing] one tentative if not fearful†.From the very onset Barry describes two very different paths that scientists are faced with in facing â€Å"certainty† and â€Å"uncertainty†. These two significant but strikingly different ideas are posed as the difference between comfort and fear, and Barry argues that scientists need to push themselves into stepping into â€Å"uncertainty† and facing the possibility of disproving their own hypothesis, or the possibility of using the wrong equipment, or even the possibility of making a crucial mistake in order to further dev elop not only science but also their own research techniques.Barry conveys his argument that scientists must overcome the obstacle of â€Å"uncertainty† and must be willing to embrace the fear that entails it through juxtaposing the two ideas of â€Å"uncertainty† and â€Å"certainty†. Through using extended metaphor and repetition to highlight the stark and intimidating conditions of conducting innovative experiments, and juxtaposition to emphasize how the difficult obstacles to overcome, Barry reasons that scientists not only need intellectual curiosity and bright wit, but also a courageous and adventurous spirit.Today education is emphasizing on spoon-feeding children; it teaches children what to think, not how to think; standardized exams pressure students into abiding by â€Å"proven† methods, and creativity and critical thinking are left in the back seat. Barry’s dissertation on the necessary qualities of a scientist indirectly but gratingly points out this flaw within the system, admonishing us that at this rate there will be a lack of â€Å"investigators† or â€Å"pioneers† in the future.

How and Why the Nazis Rose to Power

In this essay I will explain how and why the Nazis rose to power, elaborating on the circumstances of the great depression, the Weimar republic, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. Hitler and the Nazis were not prosperous in gaining power from up to 1928, this is because people thought all Nazis were brutes and believed that Hitler was a big joke. Nobody was interested in the Nazi ideas or plans and plus, Germany wasn’t quite ready for them. But Hitler soon came into power in many different ways. He promised to undo the Versailles Treaty which Germany had to reparation to England and France.He also promised to restore hope and to deal with the depression. Hitler also blamed the Jews for inflicting tragedy to Germany. Everyone soon agreed to the Nazi plans for getting rid of democracy and started to follow his ways. In 1929, the American stock exchange collapsed and caused an economic depression. America called in all its foreign loans, which destroyed Weimar Germany. Unemployment in Germany rose to 6 million. The German companies collapsed, the unemployment rate was extremely high, everyone resulted to violence and farming was a crisis because of the low food prices.The government didn’t know what to do so in July 1930 the chancellor cut wages and unemployment pay which had to be the worst thing to do during the depression. The anger and bitterness helped the Nazis to gain more support; in 1928, the Nazis had only 12 seats in the Reichstag and by July 1932 they had 230 seats and were the largest party. The Weimar Republic was after WWI when Germany became a democratic republic after the Kaiser fled. German citizens were allowed to vote, hold meeting for trade unions and would only be arrested if they broke the law which was all fair.There were many problems with the Weimar Republic which was the high unemployment, hunger, poverty; hyperinflation and the leaders were blamed for signing the hated Treaty of Versailles. The Weimar Republic lasted until 1 945, when the German government was finally dissolved because of the Second World War. The main reason why he became chancellor was because of the great depression advantage he had but Hitler was also a great speaker, with the power to make people support him. The depression of 1929 created poverty and unemployment, which made people angry with the Weimar government.People lost confidence in the democratic system and turned towards the extremist political parties such as the Communists and Nazis during the depression. The SA also attacked the Nazis opponents. The Nazis were clearly all Fascists because they all had very extreme right wing views which were racist and nationalistic (e. g. getting rid of Jews/ perfect race). There are many reasons why Hitler had come to power. Germany had just been through a war and had lost. The Treaty of Versailles made a contract for Germany which made living in Germany very hard.The people of Germany were poor and where upset with the Treaty. They wanted someone to help them out of the hole they were in. So Hitler offered them everything they wanted, the people of Germany were brain washed with posters, radio, newspapers and leaflets. Hitler's speeches where strong and effective, the Germans liked the idea of having one strong leader. The Nazis were organised and smart, people liked that; in 1930 The Nazis pulled 6,500,000 votes. Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg on 30th January 1933 which was 1/3 of the total votes an outstanding 13,500,000.

The Economy of Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Economy of Japan - Essay Example Exchange rate in a floating regime are determined by the supply and demand for a that currency, if the demand for a currency is high then the value of the currency will appreciate against other currency, if demand for a currency falls and speculators sell the currency then the value of the currency depreciates against other currencies. This paper analyses the factors that have contributed to the fluctuations in the Japanese yen exchange rate, this factors include inflation, interest rates, unemployment levels, monetary policies, fiscal policies and trade balances and other factors. Inflation is the rise in prices of products in the entire economy for a long period of time, inflation is caused by increased money supply or even an increase in the level of prices of inputs such as crude oil prices, there exist two types of inflation as Keynes depicted, the cost push and demand pull inflation, in Japan the level of inflation has risen steadily and this means that the local currency namely the Yen has appreciated over time against the other major currencies. Governments will always try to balance inflation and unemployment levels, according to the Philips curve the... Unemployment can be defined as the number of people who are jobless in an economy it is calculated by dividing the number of people who are unemployed with the number of people who are termed as the work force in an economy it may also refer to a condition in which an economy has idle resources that are not being utilized. Today japans unemployment levels have declined to 4.0% since May this year, the highest recorded level of unemployment in Japan from 1953 because this is when the economy initiated records was 4.8%, unemployment can be reduced through the use of fiscal and monetary policy, unemployment has slightly gone down in Japan, this decline is as a result of increasing interest rates, when interest rates increase the cost of borrowing capital rises and therefore less investment will occur in the economy and this will result into a decline in the employment rates. Therefore the decline in unemployment means that the exchange rate will appreciate. Interest rates: Interest rates are referred to as the cost of borrowed funds, a rise or drop in interest rates will affect the exchange rate of a countries currency, the interest rates are expected to rise according to the Japanese, when interest rates increase then the currency will appreciate, however if low interest rates exist in a country its currency will devalue. Today interest rates are rising and therefore the value of the yen is appreciating against the other major currencies, this is the reason why the Japanese yen has appreciated against the US dollar for the past two months as a result of rising interest rates. Trade balance: Trade balances occur when the level of exports do not balance with the value of imports, when there is a positive balance of trade whereby exports exceed imports then

Determinism verus Free Will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Determinism verus Free Will - Essay Example This was not only an accepted conceptual position, it was also a computational fact of life with all of the then-existing sex-role orientation measures. However, Constantinople's (1973) conceptual reorganization allowed for the possibility of two independent dimensions: masculinity and femininity. From this new vantage point, one is not forced to deny one set of characteristics in order to assert possession of high levels of the other. Now, people can be different combinations (conceptually and computationally): high on both masculinity and femininity (androgynous); high on one and low on the other (stereotypically masculine or stereotypically feminine); or low on both dimensions (undifferentiated). It was this simple, conceptual reformulation that appeared to spark the present revolution in sex-role research. Might a similar reformulation of the free will-determinism question stimulate new solutions to an antinomy that has perplexed thinkers for more than 25 centuries Before sketching a re-conceptualization of the free will versus determinism issue, this article will offer a working scientist's or a counseling practitioner's specification of the issues--not a philosopher's reformulation of this seemingly everlasting controversy. ... , in so defining these terms, it becomes unclear exactly what the implications of these conceptual moves (and research findings) might be for philosophical debate on the issues of agency, mechanistic determinism, self-determination, and free will. There have been many different construals of free will (van Inwagen, 1983) over the last two and a half millennia. Some of these construals (e.g., free will results from the absence of any physical constraint upon the agent) clearly do not square with the arguments and research summarized herein. Whenever an agent makes a choice (and then acts for the sake of that choice), however, one might see it as a free choice (and act) if indeed the agent might have chosen to do otherwise ceteris paribus (i.e., all other things being equal). The notion of free will entertained herein is seen in Robert Frost's (1951) poem "The Road Not Taken." Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. If Frost's (1951) traveller had also been able to choose "the road more [italics added] traveled by" but instead opted for "the road less [italics added] traveled by," one might assert that he or she had made a free choice. But since the time of Heraclitus (with his point that one can never step in the same river twice), philosophers and scientists recognized the virtual impossibility of meeting the demands of the ceteris paribus condition in such cases. Fortunately, new experimental methodologies now allow for the testing of the causal force of free choice in studies that do fully meet the requirements of the ceteris paribus assumption (see Howard & Myers, 1989). Like free will, the meaning of determinism has changed over time. "Determinism" was until the mid-nineteenth century a theory

Case 9A (Middlehurst House) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case 9A (Middlehurst House) - Coursework Example A few though especially those who have children in 5-6 age group do not support any increase. Both scenarios will be analyzed separately to determine the best way forward. Decreasing the size of the class and increasing tuition fee by 25% will not be the best thing to do since the business will operate at a loss. However, a decrease in class size followed by a 50% increase in tuition fee will be favored since the later generates $4,780 in profit. Both options, however, yield positive marginal profit as seen but fixed costs eat into the profits generated in the first option. From the analysis, the best increase to maintain current profit levels would probably be X-(6,970+22,150) = 500 gives 29,620 for X. This is 8,120 more than the current revenue (21,500) which translates to 8,120/21500*100 = 37.7% required increase if the partnership must maintain the current profit levels after decreasing classes. Creating of new classes will raise the cost especially by the new tutors who will be required to teach the extra students. Classes will not be functioned at their capacity, and this will lead to a loss of $261 as shown in the calculations above. It is therefore not the best decision for the daycare home. It is profitable to create new classes from the waiting list while keeping small. This will generate $5,117, which is $4,617 more than the current profits. Other factors have to be carefully analyzed apart from the current costs (Brewer, 2008). Starting an infant class will be a good thing to do if classes are decreased and new rates are in effect. The effect of adding a single infant class is evaluated below. According to Hoffjan & WÃ ¶mpener (2006), evaluation of several situations is necessary to arrive at the best. From the analysis, the management is best placed if it does two simultaneous decisions at the same time i.e. decreasing class size by increasing tuition fee by 37.7% and starting of

Discuss the theoretical and practical factors that influence the level Essay

Discuss the theoretical and practical factors that influence the level of gearing and the maturity structure of debt in large qu - Essay Example In this context, borrowing has become a common method of financing for large firms, a fact that has influenced the status of these organizations as investment units. Indeed, large firms with high financial obligations, due to borrowing, are likely to be avoided by potential investors. The latter will examine each firm’s financial characteristics before deciding to invest on a particular firm. Current paper focuses on the examination of two important issues related to the debt in large firms: the factors that influence the level of gearing and the maturity structure of debt in large quoted companies are presented and critically discussed. The literature published in the specific subject is used in order to show the various implications of the above issues. It is revealed that the level of gearing and the maturity structure of debt in large quoted firms are likely to be depended on a series of factors which are not standardized. Rather the type and the power of these factors is depended on the characteristics and the rules of the local market, as influenced by the global economic trends. 2. Theoretical and practical factors that influence the level of gearing in large quoted companies Gearing is a term used in order to reflect ‘the proportion of the firm’s total assets owned by long and short – term creditors’ (Chisholm 2002, p.147). In other words, gearing shows the ability of the firm to repay its creditors, even through its assets in case of lack of cash. In the context of gearing, two are the most important factors that are expected to influence the ability of the firm to pay its creditors: the level of debt and the company’s assets. In modern firms, the level of gearing seems to be differentiated in accordance with the size of the firms. The above phenomenon can be explained as follows: in small firms, borrowing is the most common form of financing – aiming to avoid offering part of the firm’s management in order to be financed. In this context, small firms are expected to have high level of gearing. In large quoted firms, where there is no problem with giving part of the firm’s equity to third persons (the investors) for securing the necessary financing, the level of gearing is low (Walton 2000). There is also the opposite view. More specifically, Atrill et al. (2008, p.231) notes that large quoted firms are expected to have higher gearing compared to the small firms. The above view is based on ‘a report of the Bank of England regarding the financing of small businesses’ (Atrill et al. 2008, p.231). This report reveals that the level of borrowing of small firms is lower compared to that of the large firms, probably because the financing needs of large firms in the particular market cannot be covered by the capital of the shareholders (Atrill et al. 2008). Under these terms, the level of gearing in small and large firms cannot be considered as standardized. Rath er, it would be depended on the conditions and the characteristics of the local market – in the context of which the borrowing schemes available to the large firms may be more attractive compared to those offered to small firms, a fact that would minimize the level of gearing in small firms and maximize the level of gearing in large firms. In accordance with Chisholm (2002), normally, the level of debt of firms is lower from their equity