Globalization and Its Merits and Demerits

[edit]Proto-globalization Main article:  Proto-globalization The next phase, known as  proto-globalization, was characterized by the rise of maritime European empires, in the 16th and 17th centuries, first the  Portuguese  and  Spanish Empires, and later the  Dutch  and  British Empires. In the 17th century, world trade developed further when  chartered companies  like the  British East India Company  (founded in 1600) and the  Dutch East India Company  (founded in 1602, often described as the first  multinational corporation  in which stock was offered) were established. [39]Animated map showing the development of European  colonial empiresfrom 1492 to present The  Age of Discovery  added the  New World  to the equation,[40]  beginning in the late 15th century. Portugal  and  Castile  sent the first exploratory voyages[41]  around the  Horn of Africa  and to the Americas, reached in 1492 by the Italian explorer  Christopher C olumbus. Global trade growth continued with the  European colonization of the Americas  initiating the  Columbian Exchange,[42]  the exchange of plants, animals, foods, human populations (including  slaves),  communicable diseases, and culture between theEastern  and  Western  hemispheres.New crops  that had come from the Americas via the European seafarers in the 16th century significantly contributed to world population growth. [43]  The Puritans migration to New England, starting in 1630 under John Winthrop with the professed mission of converting both the natives of North America to Puritan Christianity and raising up a â€Å"City Upon a Hill† that would influence the Western European world, is used as an example of globalization. [44]

Assess the Importance of Employability

Assess the importance of employability, and personal skills in the recruitment and retention of staff in a selected organisation. Introduction In this task, I’m a going to talk about the importance Importance of employability is to refer a person’s capability for gaining and maintaining employment. For personalities, employability depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities they possess, the way they present those assets to employers, and the context e. g. ersonal conditions and labour market environment within which they seek work. As such employability is affected by both supply side and demand side factors which are often outside of an individual's control. This will make Burger King Employment much better by giving out these particular things. Suitable qualifications: Knowledge and skills that a candidate must have to be eligible for the job. Burger king will require candidates to have good qualifications, so they’re can upper come the duties and position at the job.Certain qualifications such as GCSE, degrees, diploma and training courses having the ability to speak another language terms that would otherwise be interpreted broadly. They don’t have a suitable qualification to work at burger king because it isn't really important to the company just that they need to have Maths and English. Without these qualification employers cannot employ Experience in a similar role: All candidates must have an experience in another fast food retailer E. g. Mac Donald's, so that burger king can know if that person is good enough for the job.They must have experience in a similar role to what they did in Mac Donald's, dealing with customers keeping the cooking area clean. (Asses) Knowledge of products/services: Burger King Employers must have knowledge of the products, because that can mean more sales. It will be difficult to sell to consumers if Burger King couldn’t show how a particular product would address to a customer needs. So Burger King Employers will need to have good communication skills, having an understanding of the products to use different techniques and methods for presenting the product to customers. (Asses)

Discuss Why Culture Is Important To The State In Asia

Culture is very important to the state in Asia because most of the activities of the people in the region are deeply rooted in the cultural beliefs they hold. Indeed, most of the interactions that take place in the region especially the rising economy of China and the North Korea Nuclear program are deeply entrenched in the fabric of culture. This permeates both the local and international deals most of these countries have. Culture is the way of life of a group of people. This includes their behavior, their beliefs, societal norms and foundational tenets.It includes customs, lifestyles specificities, eating habits, party organization, religion, community activity and everything that forms part of interactive activities of people in a particular geographical location. Culture is specific to a group of people and varies from place to place. I can be adjusted or modified for the benefit of better erupting behavioral patterns or community development. The current situation in Asia is ma rked by wars and conflicts in the Middle East, terrorism in some parts of same location, increased and perpetual religious autocracy.In the same place, countries like Japan and China are improving the technological facilities while the Koreans are busy maintaining ‘peace’. In all the circumstances that surround the state of Asia, one realizes that culture has a major part; indeed it forms the only fulcrum upon which all acts are carried. The culture in China supports communism and individual multinational companies are only allowed to work or operate in this nation if they are ready to abide by existing rules and regulations of the country. The religious affiliation of people of this country also allows them to work effectively in the team, and even cater for the elderly.Every one is working for the good of the ‘colony’; and as such respected for that service. These factors have been responsible for the economic prowess of this emerging superpower. Another nation is United Arab Emirates. This is dominated by the ‘skeihic’ rulership method wherein there is no election,. It is deeply rooted in Islamic tenets, and most of the policies of the government of these emirates are governed by the content of the Holy Quran. One even realizes that there is segregation in work based on cultural beliefs directly linked to customary religion.One of the Emirates, Dubai, is a growing economy because of the accommodative approach to government and globalization it encourages. In the midst of this, contemporary culture little affected by Westernization is affected by this. As part of the culture of this people is the respect for the rule for the elders, responsibilities to the state and resistance to intrusion to cultural sanity. These factors form a bulk of the impetus for the current state of art and acts within Asia. This drives home the point that culture in intrinsic to events within Asia.

Georges Bizet's Carmen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Georges Bizet's Carmen - Essay Example The other player in this ill-fated triangle is a celebrity matador named Escamillo, for whom Carmen discards the ruined Don Jos. The opera reaches its climax outside the arena where Escamillo is to challenge a bull. There, Don Jos confronts Carmen, begging for her to return to him, but she cruelly refuses. In his misery and loss, Don Jos stabs her to death. The opera ends as Escamillo, victorious from the ring, discovers the lifeless body of Carmen with a bloodied Don Jos sobbing over her. Several years ago, I attended a production of Carmen and, though it was sung in English, I had a great deal of difficulty following the story. In addition, I remember thinking that the English text sounded forced and contrived-almost humorous in places. In preparation for this assignment, and as a review of the opera, I viewed the Metropolitan Opera's 1987 production starring Agnes Baltsa in the title role. The opera was sung in French with English subtitles provided. What first struck me about the Met's production was how well the text and music seemed to mesh. Though I am by no means fluent in French, it was immediately apparent that the musical themes were much more intimately joined with the French text than was the case with the English version I had attended previously. One other surprise was the fact that the solos, particularly the better-known arias, are simply more lyrical when sung in French. As I mentioned, Carmen was my first foray into the world of opera, and while reviewing it, I was surprised at how much of the music I remembered. The opening bars of the Overture-the brisk, march-like theme heard again at the opening of Act IV-are unmistakable and remind me more of a Sousa march than an operatic overture. As well, I recognized the Act I aria sung by Carmen outside the cigarette factory (I have since learned that this piece is called Habanera) during which Don Jos first glimpses Carmen and falls in love with her. (The Metropolitan Opera 1) I suppose my opinions about opera in general have been that the music is overly dramatic, the women overly large, and the plot lines overly romanticized. I was surprised to find, while viewing the Met's production, that Carmen reversed these opinions. Agnes Baltsa as Carmen was beautiful, seductive and captivating. Her rich mezzo-soprano was remarkably agile, particularly in the Habanera. Jos Carreras, as Don Jos, was handsome and masculine. Bizet scored this role for a tenor, but Carreras' voice seemed to me more of a high baritone, as his tone was rich and full, even in the upper register. His portrayal of the poor discredited and discarded corporal was compelling, and I was drawn into his tragedy to the point that, by the final act, I was ready to "do in" Carmen myself. The Metropolitan Opera production of 1987 was lavish in its costuming and staging-more so certainly than the live production I had attended. The trade-off, of course, is that the scope of the stage production was much greater, even if the costuming, sets, etc. were not. The plot and stage action of Carmen are fast-paced. There are a great many people moving across the stage-villagers, children, soldiers, smugglers, bull

Kiosk Technology paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kiosk Technology - Research Paper Example Kiosk point-of-sale systems provide 24 x 7 availability to the customers where they can make transactions in an easy, user-friendly manner (Silicon Landmark, n.d.). The ease, with which transactions can be made, provides an important element towards an organization's ability to attract customers; as the customers look for user-friendly and always available systems that can take care of their needs. Kiosk promises to be the technological advancement that can take care of this need. In addition, kiosks provide customers with product information and interactive features that improves the overall image of the company in customers' minds. Kiosks are available in various types and for various purposes. Ranging from a simple cash register to a complex and integrated ATM (Automated Teller Machine), kiosks are believed to improve customer relationships, reduce headcounts for manual/ traditional operations, to take benefit of technology boom, to achieve accuracy and efficiency in operations and to improve customers' perception about the company by providing various marketing and product/ services information on the kiosk terminals. However, as yet no study has been conducted to verify the above claims of kiosk vendors. Whitech Solution (n.d.) has explained the process through which the customers are relieved from standing in the queue for getting a product or service; rather they can use the self service feature that is provided by the kiosk system at POS sites to reduce the response time that is otherwise on a higher side in traditional systems. The kiosk software communicates directly with organization's database systems from where it fetches information to the customer at the kiosk site. 1.2 Implementing a Kiosk at POS A company needs to adopt an organized approach for implementing a kiosk system at its POS sites. This strategic IT decision should be taken after careful analysis of costs and the perceived expected benefits of the implementation. The site, technology, type of kiosk to implement the hardware and software requirements, the vendors and strategic partners for the implementation are needed to be identified well before the actual implementation gets underway. As with any strategic IT implementation, the Return On Investment (ROI) must be calculated for this decision as well. However, since a number of qualitative factors are involved in this scenario, it is relatively a bit difficult to do a quantitative analysis to determine the degree of effectiveness and efficiency that a kiosk will provide to the business. This inherent limitation requires the organization to apply a focused effort to carefully examine and evaluate different criteria that it believes will have an impact on the overall implementation. 1.3 Managing the Change Although it is believed that kiosks add value to the business, yet the implementation needs to be monitored and supervised. The importance of using the right technology for the business can not be undermined; however, Mitra (2007) has pointed out the importance of employees' and customers' support towards introduction of new technology.

Explain the evolutionary mechanisms that can change the composition of Essay

Explain the evolutionary mechanisms that can change the composition of the gene pool - Essay Example In addition, certain evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift cause a decrease in these genetic variations (Colby; Lerner). Mutation is a phenomenon by which chemical changes occur within the DNA which in turn alters the sequence of the gene resulting in a mutant gene. The extent to which the DNA is altered depends on the type of mutation which could be a point mutation in which on letter of the genetic code is changed, insertion or deletion of a stretch of DNA within a gene or inversion, translocation or duplication of a segment of the DNA. Such mutations can produce truncated proteins, abnormal proteins or a silent mutation that does not introduce any change in the resulting protein. Hence a mutation can have both a deleterious as well as a beneficial effect on the organism (Colby; Lerner). In addition to mutation, gene expression within an organism also depends on the built-in natural variation that occurs within a gene pool. Not all genes within an organ ism are expressed as only those which are activated produce their respective proteins and are hence expressed in the phenotype. Such selective expression of genes is also responsible for the variations observed between each individual (Veith).

Human resource Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Human resource - Assignment Example along with sharp observations and strategic management decisions, their loyal and skilled workforce is one of the reasons behind their success. With a fleet of airplanes at their service and a multinational and lean workforce Emirates is able to employ labor cost and fleet cost economies and lower their overhead (El Namaki, 2007). The airline’s continued performance and profitability for the last 24 years has enabled them to pursue a strategy of rapid expansion and growth in recent years. The Emirates Group has posted a net profit of AED 2.3 billion ($629 million) for the 2011-12 annual year, with revenues growing by 14.9 per cent when compared to the 2010-11 financial year (Graphic Ghana, 2012). In the same year the group acquired around 22 new aircrafts to grow their transport services. A very important part of their business is the crew and staff that manages their services and Emirates has developed a long term strategy with selecting, recruiting and training the best fit employees for the Emirates culture. The official website provides transparent information about their recruitment procedures. Taking advantage of the global talent pool, The Cabin Crew recruitment team regularly travels to over 60 countries to select the best people for the organization.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Global Information Open Days†Ã‚  and  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Global Assessment Centres†Ã‚  are currently scheduled at various international destinations to streamline the process. These events are conducted to allow aspiring pilots and technicians (along with other staff) to connect with the company, after initial short list, interviews are conducted - assessment centers are used and in some cases psychometrics tests are required (Emirates Group, 2012). They provide an extensive training for their pilots of upto four years including foundation stage of airline flying, practical training in Spain and Dubai and training with commercial planes for 6-9 months before getting their air transport pilot’s license. The extensive recruitment and training process cuts down on employee turnover and performance is up to the standards required by the airline. In 2012 Emirates increased its overall staff count by more than 10 per cent. The group employs a total of 63,000 multicultural workforce from 160 countries. (Graphic Ghana, 2012)Adel Al Redha, Executive Vice-President, the Department of Engineering and Operations, Emirates Group, said ‘the company has a strategic plan for recruitment in the coming years, in conjunction with the expansion." (Staff, 2011). As well as international recruits, the group plans to invest in cultivating local talent from the Emirates. At present Emirati pilots, engineers and technicians from about 12 per cent of the airline's staff, but with an expected 8,500 more jobs opening in the organization- hiring close to home will let Emirates help the community and increase the job base for the nationals. For the group, the external recruitment strategy is in line with their mission to become a global air transport service provider. The ‘Open’ business model they follow (Annual Report, 2010-11) which favors open sky policies and liberalization in the aviation industry to foster health competition as different

Management high performance ip 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management high performance ip 2 - Essay Example â€Å"No man is an island,† so is an adage that has increasingly found favor in the work place, with hierarchical authority finding its way down to the lower cadre employees/subordinates. Organizational progress depends much on how much authority to act is devolves downwards, for no matter how hardworking and/or talented a manager is, only a limited amount of task can ever be done by an individual at the helm. Subordinates are always in control of situations that require their training skills, and so will more often than not be directly responsible for tasks performed on behalf of leaders. It is important to note that individuals with extensive job experience in their areas of expertise generally do a lot more without direct supervision from superior managers, thus, the delegation in making decisions. Delegation, in its broadest sense, simply refers to entrusting authority to deputies/assistants/subordinates for the accomplishment of assigned responsibilities (Anbuvelan, 2007). In other words, it is the consented transfer/sharing of the right to act on behalf of a principal/superior(s) within (an) organizational working dynamics. Accordingly, it is a critical aspect of getting the priced duties and responsibilities within an organization done not only as specified, but also on time; for it basically removes a portion of the burden from the top management, allowing them to focus more on the most important duties that keeps a firm solidly running (Shell, 2002). More importantly as oppose to contract-based forms of organizational transactions, work delegation require/work best with high-powered incentives along a continuum of distributed leadership, with the mangers/principals still answerable for any work done. Given the distributed workload as a result of transferred authority exercised in different fronts, a firm not only benefits by getting more work done concurrently, which by and large releases quite a significant chunk of time for other valuable

Can Go Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Can Go - Essay Example Marketing strategy is needed to be fulfilled by marketing director who should take care into account the product itself, the price for the product, its promotion and distribution. CanGo regularly renew their market strategy in order to keep the competitive advantage. Target market is classified into segments, which are psychographic, demographic and geographic, product related and behavioral. When the target market is identified, the company should build the right strategy to reach this market. There are many strategies but I would like to overview the one offered by Roger Best: â€Å"Select the target audience – the customers are grouped based on similar needs and benefits sought by them on purchase of a product. Identify clusters of similar needs – demographics, lifestyle, usage behavior and pattern used to differentiate between segments. Apply a valuation approach – market growth, barriers to entry, market access, switching, etc. are used. Test the segments à ¢â‚¬â€œ A segment storyboard is to be created to test the attractiveness of each segment’s positioning strategy. Lastly, modify marketing mix – expanding segment positioning strategy to include all aspects of marketing mix (Identify Target Market)†. Such strategy can help CanGo review its target market, advertising and pricing to satisfy the customers’ needs. Jack’s Memo: Employee and Product Flows in the Current Warehouse Layout. Retrieved May 28, 2014 from

Voices of Youth Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Voices of Youth Violence - Essay Example The youth are a very vulnerable group in the society and should always be handled with care. Not that they are delicate but they are an easy target when it comes to danger. The rules of engagement for a changed society that is ready to adopt t new way of doings things should be founded on honesty and respect as suggested by therapist Pipher. Understanding the rules of engagement, such as tone in arguments of the youth, would be much easier to solve their issues and come up with a more organized society when it comes to decision making processes. The youth deserve respect, and need to be heard when airing their voices about violence or for how long shall they cry go unanswered? Their decision making process is compromised and any attack which will be launched on them despite of type will for sure compromise their activities. The Dalai Lama posits that â€Å"The purpose of life is to be happy and to make others happy. From a keen perspective, these words and more so Harvey’s statement from his book do carry a natural and much more attention to the platitudes of politicians that motivates one to realize that such cases which lead to the death of young people in the society are generated and instigated by a certain group of people which in one way or the other, leave an indelible mark on people’s psyche.

About Going to School Essay Example for Free

About Going to School Essay As young Americans living in the 21st century, we have many options when it comes to what we want to do after we graduate high school. Many choose to go to college and earn a degree while others choose to go straight to work or join the military. While all are very good choices for the young men and women who choose each path, some might be more rewarding than others. Earning a degree is something I think all young adults should do regardless of which path they choose; it brings much more economic security, many more job opportunities, and, in most cases, a broader understanding of the world and how it works. One of the first major reasons for my believing this is the economic benefits of the college degree. As we all know, we have been in economic downturn for the past several years, and one study in 2008 found that this was due to a lack of college degrees, or partially at any rate. â€Å"One of the biggest developments in this years report is the strength of the relationship between higher education and the economy,† said Dewayne Matthews, Luminas vice president for policy and strategy. â€Å"People are beginning to understand that job growth is a structural issue, and that higher education is the key to economic growth. (UPI Top New, 2010) See more: My Writing Process Essay As you can tell, there is a correlation between what our economy does and the education that we, as Americans, receive after we leave high school and start to enter the real world. It is saying that the American economy cannot survive with employees that have limited knowledge and education. This is not to say that those who do not go to college do not contribute to society however there is an extremely important need for an educated populous to pull us out of this economic deficit. The opportunities for person to find a well paying job are exponentially increased upon receiving a degree from an accredited college or university. â€Å"America needs more workers with college degrees, certificates and industry certifications. † (Arabia 2000, 2010) This quote indicates another point I am trying to make: The employers in America simply cannot find the people they need to fill the jobs that require higher education and training. It used to be that you didn’t need a degree to get a job, sure it helped, but you didn’t have to have it. Well in today’s society it’s practically a requirement and the trend seems to only be growing. If this is the case, wouldn’t you want to arm yourself with as much education and prowess before meeting with employers who won’t consider your application if you do not have a degree attached to it? The answer is yes, you are more likely to get a job over someone if you have a degree and they do not. There is a correlation between jobs and degrees, and the article â€Å"Help Wanted: Projecting Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018† (Arabia 2000, 2010) indicates that this relation is growing closer and even estimates that 63% of all jobs will require some type of post-secondary degree by the year 2018. As you can see, there is substantial evidence leaning towards employers needing a degree, specifically the ones that will allow you to live in a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. Instead of exercising the appropriate mental muscles, were allowing ourselves to become a nation of nitwits, obsessed with the comings and goings of Lindsay Lohan and increasingly oblivious to crucially important societal issues that are all but screaming for attention. What should we be doing about the legions of jobless Americans, the deteriorating public schools, the debilitating wars, the scandalous economic inequality, the corporate hold on governmental affairs, the commercialization of the arts, the deficits? † (Guelph Mercury (ON, 2010) this seems rather harsh, but it speaks some truth. There seems to be a lot of Americans these days not contributing anything but TV ratings to society. It’s not a very pretty picture to paint of our country, but the author is saying that our world view is extremely limited and higher education helps broaden that. Going to college is a unique experience in its own, going off on your own, being independent and everything that comes with it. But what about the education you are receiving, when you receive a college education you receive the social responsibility as a global citizen to help us advance as a society. Through your college experiences you are obtaining the tools to go out and change the world, to be a responsible global citizen and to change the way things are going in this country. By not obtaining higher education you are sitting by and watching as the world zooms passed and doesn’t even glance your way. For those who choose to go to work or the military instead of college first, there are still options for you to earn a degree and become successful and earn a higher pay and better job. If you attended a career center and decided to go straight to work, you can and should pursue a degree in the field that you trained in, some jobs might even pay for you to go and getting more training in order to have you as a strong asset in the future. Other companies might even pay towards your student loans after graduating college. New Hampshire has a program called â€Å"Stay Work Play† (Work-Life Newsbrief Trend Report, 2009) that uses incentives for companies to keep jobs in the state by paying $8,000 towards your college loans and get you to work for them. As for the military, you have the option to go to college for free. The GI Bill of Rights (FDCH Congressional Testimony, 2010) was created at the end of World War II and contains a provision to help pay for servicemen and women to attend college. This give you the option to earn a degree and still serve your country, and get a high pay and maybe earn a higher status in the military by having a degree that helps you perform a job for them. There are thousands of opportunities awaiting you when you start your journey after earning a high school diploma, as you can see. Living in this current economy is not a fun experience and the more money you can make helps not only you but it helps the economy start to thrive again. You have the opportunity to prove the nay-sayers in the world wrong, and help change the world and become an effective global citizen. For those who don’t think they should earn a degree or think they can’t because they chose to go into the military or work, you can still do it! In this day and age we all need an edge in order to get anywhere and succeed, empower yourself to become the successful young man or woman you know you can be and get a degree.

Great Gatsby and Elizabeth Barrett Browining Essay Example for Free

Great Gatsby and Elizabeth Barrett Browining Essay The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald and Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning are influenced by their varying context in their portrayal of love in their respective texts. Both authors explore the concept of love using various language features such as metaphors the use of irony. The Great Gatsby explores how the desire for the American Dream has taken prevalence over romantic love during post world war 1. This is contrasted with Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese where we are able to visualise her passion towards her lover through linguistic construct and also through the construction of an intimate sonnet. The Great Gatsby is set in what is commonly known as â€Å"The Roaring Twenties† or â€Å"The Jazz Age.† Given the 20s was about opulence, the nihilist attitude is reflected in romantic needs. Fitzgerald dismisses the idea of idealised love and refers to America’s love with the American Dream. Post World War 1 was a period of hedonism that reflected people’s determination to forget the sufferings and loss of the war. It was also a time of moral confusion. There was a mood of superficial optimism as people tried to hide their disillusionment. Fitzgerald explores the difficulty of individuals maintaining moral integrity in a material society that values wealth above all others. It was a time where there was great importance placed on what people had and not what people were. Fitzgerald’s use of Nick as the unreliable narrator is meant to represent cultural mores of the 20s. He represents the voice, failings and cynicism of the time and acts as a filter through which ideas and characters are reflected and mediated. We gain a pessimistic and fragmented insight into the tragic love story of the novel. The fragmentation and complex structure of the novel builds up Gatsby as the paragon of the Jazz Age and epitome of the American Dream. Ultimately, someone who represents the 20s cannot gain true love in the face of Tom’s wealth and riches. At the end of the play, Nick comes to fear that he is living in a loveless and faithful w orld. The narrative structure shows that time is a representation of love. The exploration of love in The Great Gatsby is treated with great ambiguity as Gatsby who is to be admired for his hope and vision, is sadly tragic and is unworthy in a society in which he loves. Fitzgerald is alluding to the fact that in successful America at the time, many were preoccupied with their social standings and wealth. The American Dream took precedence over romantic relationships. He condemns  love to be distrustful and faithless. This is shown through the numerous relationships throughout the novel. The relationship between Daisy and Mr. Gatsby is a clear example. Before Gatsby went to war, Daisy promised to wait for him but instead, married the very wealthy Tom. It becomes clear that Gatsby loves and wants the idea of Daisy rather than the real version. In order to eligible for Daisy’s love, Gatsby recreates himself to become a successful and wealthy man; hence he shows Daisy all his possessions after their meeting at Nick’s house. When Daisy cries over Gatsby’s â€Å"beautiful shirts† it highlights, the materialistic views she possesses and the relationship between love and money at that time. Part of Gatsby’s yearning for Daisy is her link to an exclusive society that he desperately wants to join. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is clear when he takes the blame for the death of Myrtle. We are positioned to see his devotion to Daisy as being foolish. â€Å"I love you now, isn’t that enough?† Although Daisy is unsatisfied with her marriage and enjoys her relationship with Gatsby, she never intended to leave Tom. In the end, it is not enough as Gatsby is not accepted in society or accepted by Daisy. F.Scott Fitzgerald shows the shallowness of love through the relationship of Myrtle and Tom. Their relationship is a symbol of an exploitative relationship. Myrtle is not content with her marriage and vies for a higher position. Myrtle admires ‘breeding’ and the aristocratic society and sees nothing immoral about her position as Tom’s mistress. She feels more superior when walking around New York with Tom and looks down on people who cannot afford materialistic goods although she normally would not be able to afford these products either. Tom provides Myrtle with presents that she normally would not receive. Ironically, Myrtle condemns her husband, George Wilson, for not owning his wedding suit. However, Tom doesn’t want to sustain the relationship with her. It is purely for his sexual needs. Hence, Fitzgerald depicts love to be superficial and is determined by the amount of wealth and social standing of a person. F.Scott Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream. Gatsby is an apparent self-made man who went from almost nothing to extravagance and wealth. However, Gatsby, Myrtle and George are seeking a better life but only achieve humiliation and death. Myrtle dies in the pursuit of the American Dream. Ironically, she is killed by Daisy who represents the idealised woman of her time in terms of wealth and status. Elizabeth  Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese explores love from the perspective of a 19th century women in order to convey the passion she feels for her lover. Barrett Browning ref lects a society where idealised love is admired and where there is faith in the individual. Barrett Browning presents an optimistic view of love. She manipulates the Petrarchan sonnet form, which is traditionally written from a male perspective, by subverting the writing scheme. She subverts the form by writing as the subject and object of the poem. Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes of her personal experience of love and idealised love. She is challenging how the art form challenges woman and celebrates love as a liberating force. By exploring her emotions, she explores her own identity. Elizabeth Barrett Browning believes her love with Robert has elevated so much that they approach transcended beings, â€Å"Our two souls stand up erect and strong.† Barrett browning is suggesting that if they didn’t have a body they would still move towards each other in passion. She captures the intensity of their love and the depth of their love through the line â€Å"Until their lengthening wings break into fire† This reiterates their passion and connection of love. There is a stark contrast with F.Scott Fitzgerald’s bleak view towards idealised love to Barrett Browning’s optimistic representation of love. In each sonnet, Browning portrays the notion of love has empowered her and made her value herself as an individual, â€Å"I love thee with the love I seemed to lose† (sonnet 43) She reveals to us that before she met Robert, her life was characterised by fragmentation and loss. This reinforces how love has transformed her life. She attempts to measure her love for Robert through the line, â€Å"I love thee to the depth breath height.† The use of the half-rhyme unifies Sonnet 1 but fractures it at the same time. Half rhymes show the impact of the love she is feeling and the reassessment she is feeling. The half rhymes are created to show how the predictable known ways of seeing the world have led her to innovation. In conclusion, it can be seen that both authors deal with love in their respective texts. However, F.Scott Fitzgerald takes a pessimistic view towards idealised love and rather, comments on the love for the American Dream in his society. Elizabeth Barrett Browning takes a more optimistic view, suggesting that it is a liberating force.

Facebook and Knowledge Management

Facebook and Knowledge Management Until the advent of Facebook, no inventor of an Internet-based technology has ever been heralded on TIME Magazine as person of the year (Grossman 2010) until Mark Zuckerberg came up with an invention that ate the world (Grossman 2009). The importance of Facebook as a technological platform has been unparalleled precisely because it has transcended from being a mere digital platform to become a part of the social reality of people around the globe (Naughton 2010). In the Facebook Age, knowledge creation has become ubiquitous. People transmit and consume knowledge every second as they share information, thoughts, opinions, and multimedia (Richardson 2010). This innovation started out as a college tradition before becoming a social networking site (Grossman 2007). Facebooks launch occurred in 2004 in a Harvard dorm room and started out as a networking for undergraduate students (Fuglsang 2008, p. 13). Students get introduced to one another using photographs into a physical facebook patt erned after Hot or Not where students got to vote who looked hotter in compared photos (Schwartz 2003). From its origin as a networking tool, Zuckerberg developed it into a web-based service where members can post their profiles containing information such as birth dates, employment, interests, favourite books, favourite music, and others (Schonfeld, 2008). Moreover, the service enabled people to privately communicate with each other through messages or by posting a message on someones wall (Richardson 2010). During his interviews, Zuckerberg underscores the motivation behind Facebook: enhancing real connections (Grossman 2010). His theory revolves around the fact that people communicate most naturally and effectively with those they know friends, family, and associates. All Facebook did was to provide information to a set of applications through which people want to share information, photos or videos or events (Calrson 2010). Today, Facebook is a way of life for millions of peopl e, which as of January 2011 total 600 million users (Carlson 2011). Due to its phenomenal rise and usage, Facebook has become a significant product that has several implications for the practice of knowledge management. How Facebook has revolutionised collaboration for knowledge management One area where technology has become a crucial tool for knowledge management has been in collaboration. Among the fundamental goals of knowledge management is to improve organizational performance by enabling individuals to capture, share, and apply their collective knowledge to make optimal decisionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in real time (Smith and Farquhar 2000, p. 17). Knowledge management goes beyond technology facilitating information sharing and collaboration; it creates and sustains communities of practice, copes with culture and behavior of people, and creates trust and validated content (Payne 2007).The use of technology for collaboration has vastly changed from what it meant 10 years ago. The evolution could be divided into stages: Disks and file transfers via email. Before, collaboration referred to the process of transferring files one-by-one via email or passing around floppy disks. This proved time-consuming for people and difficult to retrieve information; labelling was either incomplete, out-of-date, or the contextual information was vague. The effect was that people took too much time browsing in order to retrieve data (Adler and Kwon 2002). Network drives. After file transfers came the more advanced collaboration tool by using network drives so that all folders can now be accessed by all through a local network. Yet, this system of collaboration posed problems: it was limited by memory and attention spans and personal connections. People still relied on others to determine where data can be retrieved. A linear relationship existed between the time required to manage data and the size or number of data being managed. Hence, managing data was still time-consuming and people found minimal incentives in dealing with data or information management. Web-based software solutions. The advent of the Internet made collaboration easier especially when Web-based collaboration software was developed by companies. A case in point is Microsoft SharePoint which offered features that allowed the smooth flow of information: alerts, document libraries, forms, surveys, discussion boards, personal profiles, categorizations, and functions such as pulling information from data sources on the Web (Payne 2007). Despite expanding access to resources and organizing data at the same time protecting information, what lacked was a critical element of the collaboration process: user participation. Social networking. Encouraging people to become active participants in the knowledge management process is a challenge. With the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, knowledge management has now considered the use of the social media approach to stimulate collaboration (Shih 2009). Facebook offers not merely a platform where people exchange information it also enhances satisfaction and emotional gratification because the engagement becomes personal and hence, more fun. Effective collaboration requires two primary elements: adoption (number of teams having access to the system) and engagement (number of people regularly using the system) (Alavi and Leidner 2001). Social media such as Facebook has revolutionised the way knowledge management among organisations has been defined. Current state of the art of Facebook: a review From a simple networking technology, Facebook has progressed and evolved in terms of interface and interaction for users, ability for knowledge creation, as well as potential threats to knowledge creation (Gawer 2009). Interface and interaction for users. Many interface changes have been made to address privacy issues and improve page management for Facebook users. Some of these changes were received positively and negatively. On the one hand, the new privacy features limited knowledge sharing and exchange while on the other hand, it also enhanced trust during the knowledge exchange. Some of the following listed here are the major interface changes in Facebook: May 2006 Networks are expanded to workplaces as well as colleges and high schools. September 2006 News Feed and Mini-Feed are added, aggregating profile changes of friends. New privacy settings are made available. Additionally, registration is expanded so anyone can join. May 2007 Facebook launches their Applications platform. July 2007 Facebook removes the profile field that allows users to list their courses. March 2008 New privacy controls are added (Lampe, Ellison and Steinfeld 2008). October 2010 Facebook changed user interface to accommodate its Groups feature. The Edit Notifications button was changed to Edit Settings and users have the option to opt out (Constine 2010) February 2011- Providing one-click link for various administrative tasks, removal of tabs for page improvement, a new masthead composing five images latest to be added (called Photostrip) (Ware 2011) Ubiquity in knowledge creation. What makes Facebook lead its rivals such as MySpace is its friendliness to third-party application developers. Facebook developed an application programming interface (API) which developers can now use and take advantage of in the context of social networking at Facebook. Developers can now utilize user social graphs and from there design applications which would enhance user interaction in a myriad of ways. Aside from user interaction, businesses stand to gain from API because advertising and financial transaction functionalities can also be integrated. However, the key element to the ubiquitous knowledge creation in Facebook is the news feed which has already been patented to Zuckerberg. Developers could now tap into the social graph of users and create applications of all types that would allow people to interact in new and interesting ways. Once a user posts information, status, media, or installs an application, a message kicks off and appears in the news feeds of all the users friends (Treadaway and Smith 2009, p. 186). For November 2007, more than 7,000 applications were developed using the Facebook Platform or roughly 100 every day (Rampell 2007). There were over 400,000 registered application developers (Ustinova 2008). Moreover, Facebook simplifies gathering and connecting information between images, videos, and text. Its structure allows individuals (nodes) to be connected to information from non-connected individuals; for instance, a user can view messages through the news feed made by unconnected contacts to the users friends. Moreover, groups are able to create knowledge based on interest such as social or political groups or a group of experts exchanging knowledge. Another interesting feature that enhances knowledge creation is Notes which allows individuals to create content on topics or concepts (Kirkpatrick 2010). People may respond through the comment facility which refines and develops information further. Som e of the numerous features which Facebook has that contribute to knowledge creation include: liking; comment; ratings; threaded conversations; feeds; automatic updates when specific things of interest happen; the ability to ask questions (survey); the ability to make requests; and the ability to pass word along about things that are happening (Hearn 2008, Gawer 2009). Factors that help or hinder KM when using Facebook. While Facebooks API platform has made knowledge creation and knowledge sharing easier, it has also raised questions of privacy. Some of the popular apps that Facebook has have become spam or in some cases, relayed identifying information without users consent (Acohido 2011). These are then transmitted to advertising companies and Internet tracking businesses (Steele and Fowler 2010). Privacy issues have affected nearly 10 million Facebook users; this issue is forecast by some tech experts to plague Facebook for years to come (Malbon 2011). The impact of Facebook of KMS Knowledge work. Facebook has facilitated the process in which users share their knowledge with a group of other users or an organisation (Hearn 2008, p. 74). The sharing of knowledge can be within a closed or open community. In the knowledge sharing process, users possess the knowledge they contribute (Van Grogh 1998, p. 151). This means that the identity of the users is known and associated with the contributions. Ideally, users have full control over the content with respect to granting and withdrawing access rights for sharing, grouping, and annotating contributions (Alavi and Leidner 2001) but loopholes in Facebook has led to significant privacy control issues (Van Grove 2010). Collaboration communication. Mass collaboration using digital technologies like Facebook is transforming all aspects of the knowledge society even more rapidly than envisioned (Howlett 2010, p. 21). These users can give hints, make suggestions how to solve the problem, or give concrete solution directions (Choi and Lee 2003). Private communication between the users through the collaborative problem-solving platform is not possible, thus all feedback, hints, answers, and solutions provided are visible to all users of the community (Golder and Huberman 2006). There are however features which allow for private communication. Management. Facebook has had several implications for management. First, there is the perceived loss of productivity because of excessive engagement with social networking sites. An article featured in The Economist stated that an IT company lost over 1.4 billion pounds (USD 2.3 billion) yearly due to overuse of social networks during working hours. The same article cited how banning Facebook from the workplace would improve productivity (Yammering away at the office 2011). However, Facebook has also revolutionised the recruitment process because it has made information transparent. In fact, almost half (47%) of executives in the U.S. reported that they browsed through the Facebook pages of potential candidates and from that information, made decisions pertaining recruitment (Anonymous no more 2010). Trust issues. Perhaps the biggest issue with Facebook in relation to knowledge management is trust (Schwartz 2011a). Privacy experts have repeatedly indicated that Facebook sent user information to its advertising through cookies (Van Grove 2010). Essentially, Facebook is said to have deanonymised the whole social networking process and only when the issue gained significant media mileage did Facebook act (Malbon 2010). The future of Facebook The future of Facebook with respect to KMS seems bright but if it is unable to resolve privacy issues, it may find itself out of the lead (Schwartz 2011b). Facebook may lead to fast and easy knowledge creation but the high participation of end users presents problems such as privacy issues and low productivity. The Facebook Platform allows the integration of different kinds of knowledge particularly the integration of applications and the constant creation of content (Gawer 2009, p. 134; Kirkpatrick 2010). Facebook, when properly managed, can provide knowledge management support for professional organisations as well as of non-professional organisations.

Internet Legislation :: essays research papers fc

With the recent popularity of the Internet many topics concerning it have hit main street media. One of these topics is legislation to control its certain aspects. Legislation is now one of the feuded discussions when it comes to the Internet, and through my report I hope to shed some light on this topic of conterversy. The Internet by definition is an international web of interconnected government, education, and business computer networks--in essence, a network of networks. A person at a computer terminal or personal computer with the proper software communicates across the Internet by placing data in an Internet Protocol (IP) packet--an electronic envelope--and "addressing" the packet to a particular destination on the Internet. Communications software on the intervening networks between the source and destination networks. And these collections of networks linking millions of servers (computers) together, where in essence one computer can access info from another. The Internet was first formed in the lats 60's by the military as a form of communication incase of nuclear attack. Just recently in 1984 is when it was first opened to the everyday consumer as a form of communication. After a few years of mild aknowledgement of its assistance, From a thousand or so networks in the mid- 1980s, the Internet has grown to an estimated 30,000 connected networks in 1994 with about 25 million people having access to it. it all of a sudden boomed with popularity with networks expanding at an exponential rate. And with the networks came multi billionaire business such as American Online. Along with information the Internet has links to other more unmoral forms of entertainment, on of these is pornography, "porn" of the past few years has taken up more than one half of the web pages on the Internet (about 4Â ¼ out of 10 web pages are porn) a number which has caused much dismay with users and nonusers alike. Those who support porn on the Internet say its with in there rights and everybody should have access to it. But parents are afraid that the Internet carries a large number of minor users who with almost no Internet experience can access porn. Only Legislation that currently exsists is We start with the federal Communications Decency Act of 1996, a controversial piece of legislation signed into law by President Clinton on February 8, 1996, and now under legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union and others.

Homeland Security :: Terrorist Attacks Terrorism

Homeland Security   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When we pause to think about all that has happened in years past, we truly are lucky. The purpose of this paper is to define and give detailed information about Homeland Security in the United States. I hope to inform people as to why we constantly live in fear. I will give detailed information about what the government is doing to solve this problem. Also I will give possible solutions to our current predicament, based on extensive research and knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homeland Security is a relatively new agency that was created by the president, because of the terrorist attacks on America. President George W. Bush vows to never let an attack happen to America again. Therefore he created the office or agency, of Homeland Security. This group is backed by director of this group is ex-senator Tom Ridge. George W. Bush specifically appointed him. This group watches Americans and the world extremely closely (Security, a top priority in new budget). The mission statement of this group is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur (Homeland Security Actions). The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for securing our nation's borders and transportation systems, they manage who and what enters our homeland and work to prevent the entry of terrorists and the instruments of terrorism while ensuring the speedy flow of legitimate traffic (White House Online). Many dubious terrorist groups and organizations are under a microscopic viewpoint from the group of Homeland Security. Terrorist attacks on America have sparked a national fear that many people face daily. People live in fear for a variety of reasons. Scores of Americans fear traveling abroad, flying, and people of Middle Eastern decent (The Attack on America: September 11, 2001). There is unfairness towards people of the Islam religion, and people who are of Middle Eastern decent. This is wrong. Just because a strong-minded group of people attacked innocent civilians to prove a political point and spark fear in millions does not mean we should discriminate on those people. But because of these attacks on America there have been many different security changes made, in the hopes to improve our safety. Such as at airports, the military was placed as security in the airports. This was the first time that the military could be placed in airports.

Witchcraft In U.S. History Essay examples -- essays research papers

The religion of Witchcraft dates back about 25,000 years, to the Paleolithic Age, where the God of Hunting and the Goddess of Fertility first appeared. Out of respect for the overwhelming power of Nature grew a belief in beings, gods, who controlled the winds, the seas, the earth and the fires (Rinehart). People have been slaughtered for ages because they had different belief systems or they simply were not liked. Whether they were witches or not, hundreds of thousands of people have been burned at the stake, dunked in freezing rivers, or otherwise tortured because people accused them of being witches. People have been moving over to get a better life Shortly after Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic trying to get to India and unknowingly bumped into South America. People started moving over very quickly after finding that gold was present in South America. Several countries moved into various parts of South America, Central America, what is now Mexico, North America, and Canada. This new place was ripe for the taking there was gold, plenty of game and a lot of farmland. In 1620, a group of Separatist Puritans called Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in the Mayflower seeking religious freedom. Once the pilgrims got settled down in various villages people started accusing each other of practicing witchcraft. Whether it was new people from another separatist group or just jealousy the accusations flew. The people who were often thought to be the accusers of witches were commonly believed to be men wishing to suppress unruly women. This may be true, but is far more indirect and subtle than popularly believed. The responsibilities held by a housewife had immense importance in her role in society. Women were responsible for preserving the boundaries of social and cultural life. When this process was disrupted, the authority and identity of the housewife were put into question, she could no longer control the processes needed to fulfill her role. Instead of admitting this loss of control, it may have been easier for the housewife to blame a witch, usually someone who had wronged her. (Starkey 24) Female accusers may have felt the need to prove their own â€Å"normality† and their willingness to accept the restrictions and assumptions of a religious society. Accusing another may also have been a way of diverting attention away from themselves. It may ... ...ft or Wicca is more widespread than one might think. But it is actually quite popular, especially around teenage youths. Sources â€Å"Cerridwen's Retreat† http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/cerridwen/index.html.. Site 1 George Malcolm. 1692 Witch Hunt the layman’s guide to the Salem witchcraft trials. Heritage books, in 1992. â€Å"The History of Witchcraft and The Salem Witchcraft Trials† http://www.angelfire.com/mi/WitchHistoryReport/index.html Site 2 â€Å"The Inner Sanctum† http://www.witchway.net/.. Site 3 Starkey L. Marion. The Devil In Massachusetts. Anchor Books NY New York, 1949. â€Å"Naidra's humble abode† http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2903/ Site 4 â€Å"Nemain† http://nemain.virtualave.net/. Online, July 18 2000 Site 5 Trask B. Richard. â€Å"The devil hath been raised† A documentary of the Salem village witchcraft outbreak of march 1692. Yeoman Press, Danvers Massachusetts, 1992. Marshal Richard. Witchcraft The history and Mythology. by Random house publishing, Avenel, New jersey 1995. Rinehart, Catara. Personal interview, 19 July 2000 â€Å"Witchcraft in Salem village† http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/ Site 6 9

Romanticism in American Literature

Tennyson, in â€Å"The Princess† describes, under the diagnosis of catalepsy, probable temporal lobe epileptic dreamy states with deterioration which serve as a adaptor of sexual and moral ambivalence, the poem's central theme. It seems that Tennyson knew such seizures from his own father who had been given a diagnosis of catalepsy. Poe gave his Bernice in the novella of the same title a diagnosis of epilepsy as a reason for a premature burial.However, there was a good deal of unlikelihood in this, and when he came to this theme in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† and in â€Å"The Premature Burial† he chose instead a diagnosis of catalepsy which fitted better with the plot. The fits of the title character in George Elite's Sills Manner, ignored as catalepsy, would today rather be seen as epileptic twilight states. It would seem that this author drew from contemporary dictionary descriptions which described conditions similar to Manner's fits under the headin g of catalepsy.In Elite's â€Å"legend with a realistic treatment†, the twilight states are a central factor in the plot and explain Manner's reclusion and passivity. In Poor Miss Finch by English realist Willie Collins, the postgraduates seizures of Oscar, one of the main characters, their cause, their treatment with silver nitrate, and the subsequent disconsolation of his kin are central supporting elements of a perfectly constructed plot. Collins gives an exact description of a right aversive seizure with secondary generalization, and how to deal with it.In none of these works seizures are seen in a negative light. They rather evoke reactions of sympathy and support. Keywords: Anglo-American literature, disease in fiction, romanticism, realism, Tennyson, Poe, George Eliot, Willie Collins. INTRODUCTION The romantics were fascinated by unusual behavior and exceptional psychic phenomena. Psychiatric illness was threatening and unexplored UT also had the attraction of the morb id and was a poetic treasure chest.For the literature in the realistic period, illness remained an important theme in general because the dark sides of life were not to be neglected, and we can thank the great English realists for sometimes being the first to give us De- tailed descriptions of pathological conditions, such as developmental dyslexia in Dickens' Bleak House Jacob, 1992). For this reason it is not surprising to find epilepsy represented in literature written in the middle of the nineteenth century. Here we also meet the term catalepsy and a relationship between the two diagnoses warrants our examination.Address correspondence to: Peter Wolf, Plenipotentiary Bethel, Kline Mar l, Marriage 21, D – 33617 Believed, Germany. Tell: +49-521-1443686. Fax: +49-521-1444637. E-mail: panorama. De. EPILEPSY & CATALEPSY IN ANGLO-AMERICAN LITERATURE 287 ALFRED TENNYSON: â€Å"THE PRINCESS† Alfred Tennyson (1808-1892) was one of the main literary figures in the middle of the last century in England. The pair of terms seizures and catalepsy in his â€Å"Princess† (1847-1851), a long narrative poem, has gently been pursued by an American philologist, Barbara Herb Wright (1987), who is married to a neurologist. The Princess† first appeared in 1847, and in a reworked second edition in 1848. In the third edition in 1850, six songs were added between each of the chapters and in the fourth edition Weird seizures' are mentioned for the first time but then as an essential element of the composition. The literary studies' dispute about this element's artistic value and function, as well as the author's refusal to comment on the question, has been depicted in detail by Ms Wright. Tennyson called his work a ‘medley.The structure is multifaceted, and it has allegorical, discursive and ironic elements. The story uses the story-in-story technique. On the first level, the story narrator and a group of fellow students visit the castle of one of th e students. The student comes from a very old family and has found an ancestor in his family tree, a lady who, ‘miracle of noble womanhood' (p. 154), has defended the fortress in full armor and weapons against its foes. At a garden party Lila, his friend's sister appears, ‘half child, half woman' (p. 55; the half ND half motif, the ‘inebriate' is a basic motif of this work), and decorates the statue of a warlike ancestor with her head scarf and silk stole while talking about women's oppression and the founding of a radical Amazon state. In the next seven chapters the seven students tell the story of such a community: The prince and princess of two neighboring kingdoms have been engaged to marry since their childhood. When the father of the prince sends for the bride-to-be with pomp and presents, her father writes a letter saying she wants to live alone with her women, and not wed.When the elderly king, father of the prince, hears this, he wants to declare war but t he prince sets off to clear up the situation himself. Two friends accompany him, also to help him in the event that he should have seizures. The seizures are the result of a curse on his family, laid on them long ago by a man who a former ancestor had burned as a sorcerer because he cast no shadow: none of their blood should know the shadow from the substance, image from reality, and one ‘should come to fight with shadows and to fall' (p. 1 57).For this reason Waking dreams were an old and strange affection of the house' (p. 57), and the curse manifests itself in the prince as Weird seizures' (p. 157) which are marked with deterioration experiences. The prince hears from the princess' gentle, peace-loving father that she has withdrawn to their summer castle, founded a women's university and now holds a purely female court: no male being may enter the area under penalty of death. But the prince and his friends dress up as girls and go there. They are discovered and have to flee .The fact that the prince has saved the princess from drowning does not help. During this time period the prince has two seizures without the princess noticing. The first happens at their second meeting when he is overwhelmed by her royal appearance, her foot on a tame leopard, before they ride out together. During their excursion his love, previously unnoticed, blossoms. The second seizure happens when he lets himself be despicably thrown out by her, even though he not only saved her life, but is also convinced by and willing to accept the equal rights of women.Both times the princess appears to him as a shadow in his seizures, whereas otherwise he admires her for her uncompromising consistency and loves her because she sticks to her cause in a more straightforward manner than others. War is declared, the prince and one of the princess' brothers defending the princess fight against each other along with 50 of the best knights on both sides. The prince remembers the prophecy that on e of his family will fight against shadows, gets a seizure, and goes into battle although he is still in a dreamy state. He and his group of men lose the battle.He is seriously injured, and experiences his long recuperation period as a continuation of the seizure. After clearly winning the war, the princess becomes less rigorous in her attitude and takes care of the 288 PETER WOLF prince and all of the other injured on both sides. The prince and princess forgive each other and the question of dream or reality, shadow or substance, becomes a question about who the princess really is, what her essence is. Is it the masculine unwillingness to compromise with which she tries to demonstrate her rationality or rather the other side, which allows for feelings of pity, gratitude, love, and duty?As this is decided, the prince's seizures cease and he changes into a stronger, more masculine person. He can convince the princess that her holding a purely female court was not right for her, not g enuine, only a copy of the male world. The prince and princess, until then both a cross between male and female, discover one another. They also both find their own selves in the recognition that man and woman remain incomplete, only half of a whole, as long as each attempts to be whole alone, or as long as one sees the other as the dominate or superior one.The court physician diagnosed the prince's seizures as ‘catalepsy (p. 1 57). We now know that Tennyson used, or at least owned, Quinsy's medical dictionary of 1804 (Wright, 1987)), which defined catalepsy as ‘a sudden suppression of movement and perception where the DOD is immobilizers (freezes') in its present position'. This comes in seizures, lasts a few minutes, seldom up to a few hours, and at the end the patients do not remember anything that has happened during the seizure. It is as if they awake from sleep (Wright, 1987).Interestingly enough, the prince's seizures are described completely differently: Others n otice nothing, he even fights in a battle during a seizure. Only his perception is altered. This change in perception usually only lasts for a short time. It seems to him as if he is surrounded by ghosts and he himself only a shadow of a dream. The princess appears to him as an incomplete sketch, her leopards as a fantastic painting, other people as empty masks. Things are present and not present at the same time, a scene Just experienced happened and at the same time did not happen.He is unable to tell the difference between reality and illusion. Ms. Wright (1987) was the first to suggest that epileptic seizures were being described here and she is without doubt correct: These are focal seizures of the temporal lobe with illusionary experiences of De-realization and diversification – a type of seizure that was underscored in medicine at Tennyson time. How did Tennyson know about them? There were several cases of epilepsy in his immediate family, for example his father, as ca n be seen by a letter describing his situation which fits the diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy.We also know that doctors told the family that his seizures were ‘catalepsy rather than epilepsy (Wright, 1987). This could have been intended to calm the family or make the diagnosis sound less threatening. On the other hand, it is also unknown how clearly a distinction between the terms catalepsy and epilepsy was made in the early nineteenth century (Teeming, 1971)1. Trances also play a securing role in the rest of Tennyson work, and it is well known that he often set himself into trances by repeating his own name.But the description of the subjective seizure experiences in the â€Å"Princess†, whose origin and terminology seem to be explained by Wright, stands alone, and the seizures have their special literary sense as metaphor for the indecision and insecurity that leads to the main theme of the story. EDGAR ALLAN POE: â€Å"BERNICE†, â€Å"THE FALL OF THE HOUS E OF USHER† AND â€Å"THE PREMATURE BURIAL† The possibility that Poe was also a model for Tennyson and the use of catalepsy as a motif in his writings cannot be excluded.Tennyson was deeply affected by Poe, admired him, and contributed substantially to the literary acceptance of the American in England – in nineteenth century something not to be taken for granted. (The 1 . Something similar may have been true, in the public mind, for the terms epilepsy and apoplexy. Thacker in Inanity Fair† seems once to have mixed them up (Wolf, 1995), and simple-minded Joe Gagger, in Dickens' â€Å"Great Expectations† says his father went off in a purple elliptic fit, obviously meaning apoplectic. † 289 other way around, Pope's lyric was influenced by Tennyson. Poe created a figure with he diagnosis of epilepsy, Bernice, in the story carrying her name in 1835. The story belongs to a group of dismal fatalistic novellas, and he needs a progressive physical and mental illness for Bernice, which would also make it plausible for her to appear dead. The story is told in the first person from the point of view of Usages. Usages lives in a lonely mansion with his beautiful cousin Bernice. Bernice has ‘a species of epilepsy not infrequently terminating in trance itself – trance very nearly resembling positive dissolution' (p. 172).In a reversal and projection that is not typical for Poe, Usages does not explain these trances but rather his own, which are trances or daydreams induced by concentrating on coincidental objects or meditation on trivial words. Bernice and Usages become engaged. In the progression of her disease Bernice loses her beauty. One day in her altered condition she silently stands in front of him. In an unexpected smile of peculiar meaning her splendid white teeth which have remained perfect are exposed and their overleaf image becomes the focus of a monomania, a daydream of his lasting several days.During this ti me he is vaguely aware that she has seizures one ironing. In the evening she appears to be dead and so is buried. His state of trance continues. Finally, he awakens out of his trance with a bad feeling, a vague recollection of a deed, of the shrill cry of a woman's voice. He learns from a menial who is wild with terror that Prince's grave has been violated, and that she has been found in her grave still alive: There is a spade leaning on the wall next to him.As he opens a little box that he finds on his table without knowing how it got there, dental surgery instruments fall out together with thirty-two small, white, and ivory-looking substances' (p. 77). Behind the similarity of Usages' and Tennyson self-induced daydreams and trances no hidden allusions should be suspected. These things are a part of the type of psychic experiments that the romantics were enthusiastic about. Nevertheless, the affinity in motif and the relationship to epilepsy that both authors created are worthy of being mentioned.Poe must have noticed that it was unlikely for someone known to have epilepsy to have seizures in a familiar environment in the morning and on the same evening to be declared dead and buried. He prepares the reader by mentioning some pages fore that Bernice, in most cases, recovered from her seizures surprisingly rapidly, but the construction remains dubious. Perhaps this is the reason he gives Madeline of Usher another diagnosis to allow her to be mistakenly buried alive a few years later in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† . She has transient affections of a partially cataleptic character' (p. 82), and this leaves more room for the unlikely. Madeline appears only once before her apparent death. The narrator, a friend of her brother Redbrick, talks about her appearance: she ‘passed through a remote portion of the apartment, and, without having noticed my presence, disappeared' (p. 182). She is not described in more detail (unusual for Poe); foremos t is the feeling her appearance leaves in the narrator and her brother observing her: ‘A sensation of stupor oppressed me as my eyes followed her retreating steps' (p. 182). Her appearance causes her brother to sorrowfully bury his face in his hands.Later they lay her in her coffin although there still is ‘a faint blush upon the bosom and the face, as usual in all maladies of strictly cataleptic character' (p. 186). In spite of the improbability, Madeline manages to fight her way out of the coffin, and presents herself in silent reproach to her brother who must have suspected she had not really been dead. Poe must have been virtually obsessed with the idea of being buried alive: It plays an important role, for example, in the early tale â€Å"Algeria†, and later became a theme in a own story with the title â€Å"The Premature Burial†.This begins with reports about actual live burials and leads to describing the fear associated with waking up in a coffin aft er being buried. The narrator, who believes that such things happen more often Han people suspect, tells his own story of being ill with increasingly frequent and long cataleptic seizures, trances, semi-syncope, and 290 his growing fear that he will be buried in such a state. He takes extensive organizational precautions to prevent such an incident, but it does not calm him in the least.He talks about a further symptom, a disassociated awakening with very slow reorientation, preparing the scene for a cathartic experience ending the entire terrible episode: He awakens one day in a tight wooden chamber in total darkness with the smell of damp earth around him, and experiences the real horror of being ride alive. He remembers that he had been on a hunting excursion when a storm arose and that he fled to a barge laden with garden McCollum and went to sleep in a very tight berth.Now he can shake away his fear – and he also loses the catalepsy which had perhaps been less the cause than the consequence of his fears (p. 271). Here the construction of the disease history – especially with the final considerations – is really convincing. Nevertheless, this tale is one of Pope's less familiar stories and literally not fully satisfying due to the approximate balance between reported facts ND fiction being only loosely connected.Poe apparently did not use Quince for his catalepsy motif, but another source, since his descriptions are completely different. They seem to be based on a tradition that Could and Pyle (1896) summarize: ‘Catalepsy, trance and lethargy, lasting for days or weeks, are really examples of spontaneously developed mesmeric sleep in hysteric patients or subjects of incipient insanity. It is in this condition that the lay Journals find argument for their stories of premature burial'.GEORGE ELIOT: â€Å"SILLS MANNER† In contrast, it seems that George Eliot (pseudonym or Mary Ann Evans, 1819-1880) also used Quinsy's Medical Dictionary or a similar source to describe the seizures of the title figure in Sills Manner (1861), because her description corresponds much more exactly to Quinsy's definition than Tennyson. In Sills Manner the seizures of the title figure, a poor linen weaver, are an important structural element of the story. They are conditions that can last from a few minutes to an hour or more, and which are described in the book as trance or cataleptic seizures.When Manner has such a seizure he falls into an unconscious and snootiness stiffness with an empty look in his eyes. The seizures leave him with amnesia and Manner is not even aware of having had a seizure. At first, his community, a ‘narrow religious sect', the middle point and content of Manner's life, where he is respected for his faith and exemplary life style, interpret the seizures as a mark of his being specially chosen by God, as visitations of divine origin.But as the man who Manner thinks of as his best friend becomes hi s rival, he uses Manner's seizures to discredit him in the community by indicating his seizures might also have satanic origins (p. 0). Furthermore, he deals a devastating blow by blaming Manner for a theft that occurs during a death wake when Manner is in a trance. Manner is exiled and emigrates to a faraway region where he sets up his weaving loom in a hut at the edge of the village (up. 11-15). There he lives a secluded hermit-like existence for 15 years.Despairing of God and his fellow man, he only thinks of his work and of his treasure of gold, sovereigns, that he has managed to scrape together by living so frugally. In this village he is also known for having fits and this contributes to his role as an outsider. When Manner leaves his hut on an errand one stormy evening, someone steals his treasure, leaving him empty-handed for the second time. But in contrast to the first time, he becomes integrated into the community because the members have pity on him (p. 03). Then a third event happens, when he is in a twilight state which falls over him while standing in the open door of his hut: When he awakens from the trance he perceives a vague, golden shimmer in his hut that he at first believes must be the expected return of his gold coins; but it is the golden hair of a little orphan girl who has sought shelter in 91 the hut (p. 1 51). He accepts the child and raises her with the help of a neighbor and a happy time starts now and lasts into his old gage.The treasure is also found again. It is discovered – and the reader is told this early in the story – that the father of the child and the thief are the same person. All these motifs are woven together in a very complex manner and build into an artful design interwoven with the golden threads that make a legend. In a letter to her publisher, John Blackfoot, George Eliot characterized the work as ‘a sort of legendary tale' which she ‘became inclined to give] a more realistic treatment ' (Karl, 1995).The disease is of utmost importance in explaining the necessary static and passivity of the title figure which would normally be unnatural. It also allows for unexplainable events to happen which contribute to the story's legendary quality. Sills Manner is one of the most perfect of the literary works in which an epileptic disease is an essential stylistic element. Today we use the term catalepsy to describe a condition of motionless rigidity which can occasionally be observed over a longer period of time with androgenic psychosis or with severe life-threatening brain diseases.The seizures with impairment of consciousness from which Sills Manner suffered would today no longer be classified as catalepsy but as twilight states, and epilepsy would primarily be considered the cause. A recent biographer of Eliot (Karl, 1995) talks about Manner's epileptic fits as a matter of course. It seems as though Eliot did not use direct observation in describing catalepsy but relied on the lexicographic definition. This included certain epileptic phenomena and catalepsy and epilepsy were probably not strictly separated at that time.Earlier, catalepsy had even been considered a variant of epilepsy (Teeming, 1971). AS we have seen in the case of Tennyson, catalepsy may sometimes have been used as a euphemism for epilepsy (see above). WILLIE COLLINS: â€Å"POOR MISS FINCH† Willie colitis (1824-1889), a mend of Charles Dickens, is considered together with Dickens and George Eliot to be one of the great English realists of the nineteenth century. His Poor Miss Finch (1872) is one of the books in which epilepsy plays a key role in the construction of the plot. Oscar loves the beautiful, capricious, and blind Lucille who also loves him.His twin brother, the ruthless Nugent tries to be his rival. Their voices are indistinguishable and they have he same features to someone who looks at them or touches them. An eye specialist appears on the scene who is able to ma ke Lucille see by operating on her. Like some blind people, Lucille can imagine colors, loves everything light and hates everything dark. This almost leads the bad Nugent to succeed because he argues that when Lucille will see Oscar she is sure to despise him: His skin is disclosure to a blackish blue as a result of the treatment of his epilepsy with silver nitrate (p. 3). Oscar fears the day she will be able to see him but argues nevertheless unselfishly and generously for the controversial operation. Lucille then reacts completely different than expected and there is a happy end. In this novel Collins was particularly interested in the discoveries that had been made throughout the 18th and 19th century about what people born blind or who became blind in early childhood could sense or experience and how, after successful operation on their eyes, they reacted and learned to create a visual environment.These reports deal extensively with theories about the conception of space and the construction of visual space, and with Molybdenum's problem, whether a congenitally blind person who had learned to extinguish and name forms like a sphere and a cube by touch would be able to distinguish and identify these forms visually if the faculty of sight was recovered (v. Sender, 1960). Collins was more interested in the sys- 2.The village doctor who has been called to the scene is mildly made fun of by the author: the sages of the village urge Manner strongly to smoke a pipe â€Å"as a practice ‘good for the fits'; and this advice was sanctioned by Dry. Kimball, on the ground that it was as well to try what could do no harm – a principle which was made to answer for a great deal of work in that gentleman's medical practice† (p. 91). Manner follows this advice faithfully even though he actually dislikes tobacco and it doesn't really help. 92 ecological and moral responses of his characters to such an event. His description of the tests and tasks that are given his heroine by her doctor shows that he conducted thorough research for the story. Likewise, the epilepsy is not Just there but the result of a brain trauma (p. 68) from a robbery which has its own function in the carefully constructed story. In order to make the blackening of the skin more credible people with the same coloring appear marginally twice in the story (up. 3,269). Is that exaggerated? Apparently not.The treatment of epilepsy with silver nitrate was very common until the middle of the nineteenth century. One of the affected in Collins' book says there are hundreds of people disclosure as I am, in the various parts of the civilized world' (p. 84), and the English neurologist Todd complained that so many patients showed in the disconsolation of their faces the indelible marks of the ineffective treatment they had undergone (Teeming, 1971). Collins thinks better of Oscar and allows the treatment to be successful: His epilepsy is cured (p. 0). CONCLUSIONS Four author s from two consecutive epochs of literature in the English language gave four completely different pictures of illness: In Poe, the romanticist, the epileptic and cataleptic conditions are more conjured up than described, whereas not the seizures themselves but the motif of a slow physical and mental deterioration are a point of focus. The epileptic and cataleptic states are essential elements to the gloomy mood that seem to drive these stories into inevitable fatalistic catastrophes.Tennyson depicts subjective perception of seizures and has resalable found an authentic source so that we can correct the diagnosis of catalepsy. Eliot probably followed a lexicographic definition for her description of ‘cataleptic' semi-conscious or trance states fairly exactly, but this definition subsumes symptoms of a condition which would nowadays be classified as epilepsy. Collins is furthest away from Poe. He virtually gives us a clinical case study with a matter-of- fact description of a s eizure which begins with a wrenching aversive movement towards the right and the calm attitude of the doctor mastering the situation at hand.The diagnosis is given n a short and concise sentence, the etiology and therapy are a part of the case history in this realistic novel. Whereas with the earlier authors the distinction between epilepsy and catalepsy appears somewhat blurred, which may be typical for the time, Collins' description of (post-traumatic) epilepsy and a focal seizure is fully correct. These four significant authors from the middle of the nineteenth century also handle the function of the seizures in the structure of their works very differently. Poe uses seizures as a reason for the supposed death and subsequent live burial.Tennyson uses De-realization during seizures as a metaphor for his basic motif of half and half, and for the indecision in the main characters. Once these are overcome, the seizures disappear. In Elite's work, the occurrence of recurring seizures is necessary for the plot of the story, they are an important element for the legendary aspect and a reason for Sills Manner's timidity and resolution to fate. For Collins, who like Dickens laid special value on clean construction in his books, Scar's epilepsy is a central supporting element which combines many associations in a perfectly structured story.In none of the authors' works are the seizures indifferent, a mere curiosity or spectacle. Nor are they seen in a negative light. They rather evoke reactions of support, and sympathy with 3. A frightful contortion fastened itself on Scar's face. His eyes turned up hideously. From his head to foot his whole body was wrenched round, as if giant hands had twisted it, towards the right. Before I could speak, he was in convulsions on the floor at his doctor's feet. ‘Good God, what is this! ‘ I cried out. The doctor loosened his cravat, and moved away the furniture that was near him.

Civils rights and liberties

Explain why conceptions civil rights or liberties (choose only one) which are supposed to be granted to all under the constitution, changed so greatly In the second half of the twentieth century. Make sure to discuss the court's role in this shift. A civil right Is a right or privilege that represents protections by government power or things government must secure on behalf of its citizens. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from Involuntary servitude; and the right to equality In public places.Discrimination ccurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership In a particular group or class. Various Jurisdictions have enacted statues to prevent discrimination based on a person's race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and sexual orientation. In American history, there are so many clvll rights movements in the second half of the twentieth century and Congress enacted numerous civil rights statues. Many of these are still in force today and protect Individuals from discrimination and from the deprivation of their civil rights.If we want to talk about civil rights of America, we cannot skip a famous person, Martin Luther King. He is a great leader of human rights In American history. He makes himself reasonable to help people of Birmingham fighting against racial discrimination. For example, King says, â€Å"l am In Birmingham because injustice Is here. † In 1963, he gathered a lot of people in Washington DC and gave his famous â€Å"l have a dream† speech. He inspired his followers; passions and triggered their eagerness to listen to his solutions to unjust situations. Declared in US Constitution, every American is guaranteed civil rights.I think it was not until 1791, that the Bill of Rights was appended to the constitution, which helped clarify these rights to citizens. The famous Dawood stated that rights were eventually applied against actions of the state governments in a series of cases decide by the Supreme Court. Actually, In previous years, Supreme Court had little say in decisions being made by government. As time went on, the Supreme Court took on more responsibility and started making additional decisions, which In time helped minorities gain their civil rights. In 1954, the landmark trial Brown vs. theBoard of Educauon of Topeka Kansas ruled that segregation In public education was unfair. â€Å"We conclude unanimously that in the field of public education the doctrine of Separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. † Many African-Americans waited to hear this quote from Chief Justice Earl Warren after many years of fighting for better educational opportunities by means of school desegregation. That decision changed American history and culture forever. Till this day, it effects our school system s and without that decision changed, who knows what could have and what could have not happened. n civils rights and liberties By ryanheinl to be granted to all under the constitution, changed so greatly in the second half of A civil right is a right or privilege that represents protections by government involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination their membership in a particular group or class. Various Jurisdictions have enacted orientation. In American history, there are so many civil rights movements in the statues. Many of these are still in force today and protect individuals from Martin Luther King. He is a great leader of human rights in American history.He discrimination. For example, King says, â€Å"l am in Birmingham because injustice is here. † In 1963, he gathered a lot of people in Washington D. C and gave his famous â€Å"l decide by the Supreme Court. Actually, in previous years, Supreme Court had little took on more resp onsibility and started making additional decisions, which in time Board of Education of Topeka Kansas ruled that segregation in public education was of ‘separate but equal' has no place.

Medicare Assignment Essay

Medicare Assignment What is Medicare? What governmental agency administers it? Medicare is a national social insurance program; it is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease known as a permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant. Medicare helps cover different specific medical cost. As a social insurance program, Medicare spreads the financial risk associated with illness across society to protect everyone, and thus somewhat different social role from for-profit private insurers, which manage their risk portfolio by adjusting their pricing according to, perceived risk. Medicare is managed by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), a division of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services which also administers Medicaid. Who is eligible for Medicare? Who is not eligible for Medicare? People who are at age 65 or older qualifies if he or she is A U.S citizen or a permanent legal resident  He/She or their spouse has worked long enough to be eligible for Social Security or railroad retirement benefits – usually having earned 40 credits from about 10 years of work He/She or their spouse is a government employee or retiree who has not paid into Social Security but has paid Medicare payroll taxes while working. Note that He/She can qualify for Medicare on their spouse’s work record if he or she is at least age 62 and he/she is at least age 65. They may also qualify on the work record of a divorced or deceased spouse. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act in June 2013 people in same sex marriage may qualify on their spouse’s work record if they live in the state where they were wed or in another state that recognizes same-sex marriage, or if they are civilian or military employees of the federal government. People who are under age 65 qualifies if he or she is Have been entitled to Social Security disability benefits for at least 24  months ( which need not be consecutive) Receive a disability pension from the Railroad Retirement Board and meet certain conditions Have Lou Gehrig’s disease ( amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which qualifies them immediately Have permanent kidney failure requiring regular dialysis or a kidney transplant , and either he/ she or their spouse has paid Social Security taxes for a certain length of time depending on their age. People do not qualify for Medicare if they do not meet the above requirements. How do you apply for Medicare? Check whether he/she qualifies to receive, by verifying whether or not he/she qualify to receive government assistance through its Medicare program. They must be low-income, income is measured against the Federal Poverty Level, for FPL, which changes annually but is currently set $23,550, are pregnant, are elderly (65+) and younger (under 21), are blind or disabled, have no health insurance, guardians of a minor but have restricted sources of income, are SSI eligible. Go to your state of residence’s Medicare website to get more detailed information on state eligibility requirements. Individual state links are posted at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ website. This site also provides a detailed listing of what services are and are not covered under Medicaid. State eligibility sometimes differ. Federal law requires states to cover certain mandatory eligibility groups, but allows them to provide coverage to other population groups. Some states do, other states don’t. This means that state eligibility laws will differ from state to state. Check with your state and learn the eligibility requirements. Many states are expanding coverage, especially for children. Read over the application form in its entirety before inputting your information. Make sure answers are accurate as Medicare fraud is a serious offense that carries equally serious penalties. Schedule a time to meet with a Medicare officer or a social or human services representative if he/she has any questions or concerns about eligibility. Organize all the documents necessary to apply for Medicare. The state will need to verify information on the application by cross-referencing it with certain documents you may be in possession of. In order to do this, you should make  duplicate copies of: 1) birth certificate, social security number or guardianship papers 2) Driver’s license and vehicle registration 3) Proof of residency in the state in which you are applying for 4) Any pay stubs or other proof of income 5) Names of your financial institutions and any bank accounts numbers 6) Real estate deeds 7) Unpaid doctor or health care bills 8) Medicare Benefit Card Consult with an elder lawyer or one who specializes in family law before submitting your Medicare application. This is especially important if the person who is applying for Medicare will be entering a skilled nursing facility. Inquire as to the average turnaround time for reviewing an application. It generally takes 45 days for the state to process an application that does not involve a disability. It can take up to 90 days to process an application associated with a disability. Be sure to follow up on the status of your application if you don’t receive a response within a reasonable time after that. Know that you can combine Medicaid and Medicare coverage if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Renew your eligibility once a year What types of coverage does Medicare provide? What does it not provide? Medicare covers services (like lab tests, surgeries, and doctor visits) and supplies (like wheelchairs and walkers) considered medically necessary to treat a disease or condition. If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare plan, you may have different rules, but your plan must give you at least the same coverage as Original Medicare. Some services may only be covered in certain settings or for patients with certain conditions. Part A: Hospital care, Skilled nursing facility care, Nursing home care, Hospice, Home health services Part B covers 2 types of services Medically necessary services: Services or supplies that are needed to diagnose or treat your medical condition and that meet accepted standards of medical practice. Preventive services: Health care to prevent illness (like the flu) or detect it at an early stage, when treatment is most likely to work best. You pay nothing for most preventive services if you get the services from a health care provider who accepts assignment. Part B covers things like: 1) clinical research 2) ambulance services 3) durable medical  equipment (DME) 4) mental health 5) inpatient 6) outpatient 7) partial hospitalization 8) Getting a second opinion before surgery 9) Limited outpatient prescription drugs What are the â€Å"options† under Medicare (ie. can you pick your own doctor, can you pick your own drug plan? Etc.) In most cases, people can choose their own doctors, other health care provider, hospital, or other facility that’s enrolled in Medicare and is accepting new Medicare patients. However for drug, most prescriptions aren’t covered in Original Medicare but people are given the choice to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. Each Medicare Prescription Drug Plan has its own list of covered drugs, many medicare drug plans place drugs into different tiers on their formularies. Drugs in each tier have a different cost. A drug in a lower tier will generally cost less than a drug in a higher tier. Do you have to pay for Medicare benefits? Yes, generally people have to pay for Medicare benefits. Part A usually cost $441 each month if a person is not eligible for premium free. For part B, a person pays a premium each month for Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). Most people will pay the standard premium amount. However, their modified adjusted gross income as reported on your IRS tax return from 2 years ago is above a certain amount, they may an Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). IRMAA is an extra charge added to premium. Part B for $ 147 and Premium B for; If your yearly income in 2011 was You pay (in 2013) File individual tax return File joint tax return $85,000 or less $170,000 or less $104.90 above $85,000 up to $107,000 above $170,000 up to $214,000 $146.90 above $107,000 up to $160,000 above $214,000 up to $320,000 $209.80 above $160,000 up to $214,000 above $320,000 up to $428,000 $272.70 above $214,000 above $428,000 $335.70 Are there co-pays associated with Medicare? Yes. In traditional Medicare ( Part A and B) you pay 20% of the Medicare- approved amounts for most Part B services. In Part A, after meeting the deductible you pay nothing more for up to 60 days in the hospital in any one benefit period, but additional days may require daily copays. If you grandpa had severe dementia and needed 24 hour care, but your family wanted to keep him out of the nursing home, would his care be reimbursed through Medicare? Medicare has the choice to not reimburse the cost because it is not under the beneficiaries. Is Medicare working or is it just a broken socialized medicine program that needs to be redone? Why? I think that Medicare should be redone, it has too many processes to it, and it doesn’t make any sense if it’s for society who are poor and old, why do people still need to fork out so much of money per month to keep their Medicare benefits? Also, the paper work needed to apply for Medicare is tedious and not exactly friendly for somebody who is trying to apply for it. How easy was this information to find? How would a person with less education then you navigate this system? The Medicare website was rather easy to find, however the information was not the easiest thing to grasp especially when they have so many terms and conditions and different tiers to it. A person with less education will definitely have difficult time trying to navigate through the system and to get the right paper work done to apply.