What Are the Key Ideas Behind the Risk Thesis

Undoubtedly, insecurity, fear and risk have come to dominate more mundane aspects of our everyday life. Social policy theorists, such as Paul Johnson defines social risk as ‘The probability weighted uncertainty that derives from the changing and dynamic world in which people lives. ’(quoted in Alcock et al. 2008:21). In the following essay the concept of ‘risk society’ will be explored even further in order to examine the key ideas of the risk thesis and how those relate to social policy and the welfare state. After some light has been shed on historical notions of risk, the focus of the essay will move to a contemporary society. Here it can be clearly seen to what extent risks have evolved in relation to the times we live in and this will be especially explored in the terms of individualization, unemployment, health, terrorism and environmental concerns. Risks theorists have outlined three main discourses in European thought upon risk. According to Giddens (1999), all previous cultures were characterized by Pre-Renaissance thoughts. It can be argued that risks were seen as the products of fate, destiny and will of the gods. However, nowadays the idea of risk is strongly linked to modernity, defined by authors such as Beck and Giddens as ‘the process and institutions of industrialization. (quoted in Kemshall 2002:4). As a result of modernization, there are not only ‘external risks’, coming from the impact of nature upon us, but also ‘manufactures risks’ which are products of human activity, for instance environmental risks or even social ones because our personal futures are increasingly open and therefore, it is possible for individuals to assess the calculability of risk taken. On the other hand, it can be suggested that post- modernity has challenge the ‘myth of calculability’, because as Giddens states: ‘post- modernity offers little help as to which options should be selected. (quoted in Kemshall 2002: 5). Sociologists such as Beck and Giddens clearly examine the fact that the movement form pre-modern societies to modernity and late modernity have lead to greater uncertainties in our contemporary society such as poverty, unemployment and ecological disasters. Undoubtedly we live in a ‘risk society’. Beck (1992) argues that the successful development of technology helps us to produce enough to meet people’s essential needs, however it creates a ‘boomerang affect’ because as Beck points out technology and science create more problems than simply solving them. It can be argued that those who benefits form production and consumption suffer its consequences. To support his theory, Beck provides us with many emperical evidences which illustrate the problem of risk society. It is true that thanks to development in agriculture, the rich countries no longer have problems with shortage food, but the plentiful supply of processed food has created consequences of health problems such as obesity. Similarly, atomic energy helps to produce energy supplies but it creates serious health risk because of nuclear waste and accidents such as those more recently (oil spill in America) and those in the past (Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster). Particularly, Beck outlines the fact that those disasters are global concerns, rather than local and affect all people, regardless of age or class, because you cannot protect yourself against them by having a high income. In the term of unemployment, Beck also argues that it affects all classes. For example the financial crisis of United Kingdom in 2007-2010 affected not only working class but also middle class people. Therefore social inequality is individualized because people experience risk as individuals rather than a members of a particular class. Drawing upon ideas of Beck and Giddens, Nettleton and Burrows (1998) argues that increased risks in our contemporary societies made individuals to be more ‘encouraged to make life-style choices and life-planning decisions. ’(cited in Kemshall 2002:43. For example, education become increasing important is shaping our future as we know that by having high qualification there is more opportunity to have better- paid job. The increasing of consumerism in our societies made people to pay more attention to money as it provided higher standards of living. The fact that there are more uncertainties in employment and even higher educated people struggle to find jobs, it is necessary for people to move out and thus, geographical mobility allows individuals to move form jobs to jobs on global scale. Therefore, people experience this as individuals rather than members of class. Nettleton and Burrows also argue that those uncertainties in employment which create fear f losing a job and consequences of living in bad conditions, led people to be more aware of the future and secure themselves in the fulfilment of their basic needs by investing money, creating saving accounts and paying private insurances. However is it true that all classes are able to afford it? Nevertheless, people experience the environmental risk to the same extent but it doesn’t mean that the notion of class is less unimportant in the risk society thesis. Beck wrongly assumes that there is the decline of class, because class differences still continue to affect life expectancy and people experiences unemployment in different ways. For example, it is obvious that people who have higher status within society can afford better life and even of they are about to lose a job, their better qualification give them an opportunity to find a job much more quicker than lower status person. It can also be argued that the development of the technology has a result in declining of manufacturing industry which was the basis of working class identities and it has left them struggling to find new job in the face of high unemployment. Moreover, working class people are more at disadvantage because as a result of cultural and material deprivation, they do not have an opportunity to do better at education and thus gain better qualification and pursuit themselves in the job career perspectives. Colin Gill (1985) argues that technological and scientific change and deindustrialization ‘threatens to reduce in the workforce in numerous occupations’ such as warehouse workers, postal staff or mineworkers. Karl Marx (1978) also argues that working class are more likely to be unemployment as a result of capitalists system. Sociologists argue that the risk of unemployment and the effect of unemployment affect both society and personal feelings. Sinfield (1981) argues that unemployment ‘devalues or debates the standard or quality of life in society’. (gouted in Haralambos 2004: 670). He (1981) argues that high unemployment reduced the chance of equality of opportunity being achieved and people feel less secure and may have their standards of living threatened. The other social effects relate to lack of sense of identity of people who lose their jobs, sense of obligatory activates that works provides, lack of a sense of purpose and freedom and control outside work creates the possibility of engaging time leisure activities that are costly. On the other hand, the personal effects of unemployment affect health and financial income. Some argues people’s health is more affected by unemployment because the statistics show that unemployment men have higher death rates compared to employment ones. People also experience greater risk of depression and stress, which has a result in many health problems such as high blood pressure, heart attacks or cancer caused by smoking. Loss of financial income means that people live in bad conditions. Council’s houses are often small and located in marginalized districts. People are more likely to be at risk of poverty which affects both material and cultural deprivation. For example, recent Government figures show that children form low income families are more likely to eat less fruits than their counterparts. Overall, unemployment restricts people’s possibilities to secure the basic needs such as food, good housing or health treatments. However the successful use of National Health Service over the last 50 years, adapt the needs of health care to demographic changes. NHS provide people with free access to health care, but people with better income status are able to afford private medical insurance and use the private sectors which provide more effective health services. As Clark et al points out, ‘this has been paralleled by a ‘result culture†¦. Consumer choice and right have also contributed to public expectations, in the terms not only of access of treatment, but also of its timeliness and excellence. ’ (quoted in Kemshall 2002:55). Thos all evidences prove the fact that Beck’s theory based on the idea of decline of class in the contemporary society, is invalid. As we see people experience the risk in different ways as some of them are affected most than others. Particularly, lower income people are at greater risk of poverty due to unemployment. Now the purpose of the essay needs to move one to the idea of social policy as social risk management. Looking at the historical notion of social policy as risk management the 18th and 19th century Britain have introduced many policies to cope with risk, for example, the introduction of compulsory elementary schools for children of all classes in 1880, self-help organizations (saving banks) and Charity Organization Society or the Poor Law. Jordan (1998) argues that the new politics of welfare: ‘Third Way’, ‘emphasizes equality of opportunity rather than outcome and rights to education and training rather than benefits†¦. It provides for ‘genuine’ needs to be met, with far stricter testing for the authenticity if the claims from unemployment and disability. ’ (quoted in Kemshall 2002:32) According to Jordan (1998), this new politics of welfare state is increasingly associated with ‘New Labour ‘and Blair. The new programme of Third Way is based on key factors such as social justice, social responsibility and obligations, the labour market as a mechanism for achieving social justice and based on reward for merit and an emphasis upon meritocracy. Thus, as Kemshall (2002 :37) argues ‘social policy reform and programmes are now pursued through the labour market and the social engineering of ‘opportunities’ to contribute [through] education and workplace. Social investment in human capital is viewed as more economically productive and efficient that retrospective alleviation of individuals need through a state benefits system. ’ The Labour government introduced a number of new designed policies which are based on the idea of encouraging unemployment back into works. It was done through the introduction of New Deal scheme which was based ‘Gateway’ advice, where young unemployment people have been offered four options (for example, full time education or employment in voluntary sectors). If people refused them, they lost the right to benefits. The introduction of minimum wage and Job Seeker Allowance was also to encourage people to back to work. As Kemshall (2002: 37) states ‘a social policy of ‘Third Way’ actively [promoted] risk taking and a positive attitude to risk has gained currency, and is advocated as the most effective response to the dilemmas of ‘risk society’. However Keefe and Hordley (2002) pointed out that ‘whether Labour policies will succeed in continuing to keep unemployment low remain to be seen. Levels of unemployment were beginning to creep up again by 2003. (quoted in Haralambos 2004:669). Similarly Giddnes argues that the welfare state is ill equipped to meet the risks set by economic globalization and a needs centred welfare state is based upon the pooling risk, rather than the pooling of resources. According to Giddens there is still much focus on benefits and the dependency of ‘need culture’ is seen as a barrier to economic flexibility. The purpose of the essay was to identify the key idea of the risk thesis and how those relate to social policy. Considering both historical and contemporary perspectives on ‘risk society’ we can clearly see the patter of changes of the notion of risk over the time. The work of the sociologists such as Beck and Giddens helps us to understand the difference between ‘external’ and ‘manufactures’ risk as well as they outline the argument that risk is more associated with modernity and late modernity. The essay is based of the idea of risk which is due to individualization and unemployment. Undoubtedly, our contemporary societies are less stable so the fear of unemployment dominates our lives as it affects our standards of living. However risk society thesis are criticised on several ground, such as those of Beck as his theory fails to recognize the fact that people are differently exposed to modernization risk. Beck fails to recognize the relationships between risk distribution, conflict and inequality, by wrongly assuming that individuals as equally concerned by risk. As Taylor Gooby states ‘Membership of the working class is associated with a much higher risk of fall in living standards and also ‘The risk society is class ideology masquerading as social theory: It serves the interests of those already privileged in a more flexible society by obscuring the needs and aspirations of the more vulnerable who already bear most of the burdens of social change’. Taylor-Gooby, 1999). Form my point of view; the concept of risk is relevant to social policy, because policies are regarded as risk management. It can be clearly seen in the historical outline and new politics of ‘Third Way’ programme as it demonstrated us how social policies try to tackle the unemployment. However the description of contemporary society by Beck and Giddens left us to critically question some certain aspect and the theory should reflect the ‘idealistic’ rather than ‘materialistic’ nature of the concept of risk.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray Free Online Research Papers There are many scenes which may be considered essential for the understanding of a novel, and after the reading of which we have a full view of the author’s intentions in relation to the plot. In The Picture of Dorian Gray ,the fragment which I’m going to analyse it is, in my opinion, fundamental for the novel, for it representes the first encouter of the main characters. I consider that this is one of the most important parts of the book, for it reveals the personalities of the characters ,it shows what effect words can have on a person, and is the key for the whole novel. The action is set in the urban surroundings of London , around 1890’s, on a day of June, in Basil Hallward’s studio, a well-known artist, who is preparing to paint the portrait of a most beautiful young man, Dorian Gray. Basil is the one who introduces Lord Henry Wotton, an old gentleman, to Dorian Gray. The moment of their encounter announces a turbulance not only in Dorian Gray’s behaviour in that precise instant, but also the change Lord Henry will produce in his life: †When he caught sight of Lord Henry, a faint blush coloured his cheeks for a moment, and he started up.† Lord Henry is immediately interested in the young boy, he is impressed by his purity, his candour of youth: †There was something in his face that made one trust him at once.All the candour of youth was there, as well as all youth’s passionate purity. One felt that he had kept himself unspotted from the world.† From this moment Lord Henry felt an attraction towar ds him, but his feelings for Dorian were entirely different from what Basil felt . Whereas Basil wanted to keep Dorian away from all cruelties of this world, Henry became interested in his naivite, purity, innocence, only to satisfy his own curiosity. Dorian is presented as a very beautiful person, he has blue eyes – symbol of idealism; red lips – shows a touch of sensuality; golden hair – all these give him the appearance of an angel, a romantic character. The author used colored words to describe the human body, he is constantly observing the character’s expressions: the curves and expressions which are formed with the lips †parted lips†, †a faint smile passed across his lips†, †he bite his lip.† The face and he cheeks are under Wilde’s close observation: white, flushed cheeks. Lord Henry is the one who steps forward and extends his hand, he is the one to make the first step, he has the initiative, and not only does he manipulate the conversation in the direction he chooses, but also Dorian Gray’s thoughts. Being a great man of words, he began talking to Dorian at once, on a serious tone, with clarity, expressing an opinion that would arouse the young boy’s interest in him: †You are too charming to go in for philanthropy, Mr. Gray – far too charming.† At this remark, Basil glanced at him, hesitated, and asked him to leave, because he knew Lord Henry’s temper better than anyone. But this attempt, came too late, for Dorian was already charmed by the new comer, because he was so unlike Basil, and took his side. When Henry asked, smiling, †Am I to go, Mr. Gray?†, he was confident that the boy’s answer would be in his favour. This explains Lord’s Henry’s strategy. He tells Dorian many life theories but Dorian has the impression that those ideas came from himself, so he wouldn’t blame Lord Henry, but instead would be thankful.When Dorian got on the platform for Basilto draw his picture, he looked like a Greek martyr. It is known that in the tragedies, the main characters suffered and usually died at the end of a play. Mostly because they commited hybris ;in this case, we might consider Dorian’s desire to live his life fully and also his beauty as a hybris for which he is to be punished. For Dorian, Basil and Lord Henry made a delightful contrast because they were so different. Basil warned him not to listen, or to pay attention to what Henry says, because he had a bad influence over all Basil’s friends. Basil’s words had another effect upon him, and he begun to inquire Henry about his influence being bad. In his defense Lord Henry responded that there was no such thing as a good influence, †all influence is immoral immoral from the s cientific point of view.† Only one question came from the lips of the young boy †Why?†, and Lord Henry had the perfect occasion to pour his †wise† ideeas into the boy’s mind. While Basil coordinates him in the physical way ( he tells him how to turn his head, how to stand), Lord Henry indoctrinates him with his radical theories. He induces the hedonistic idea that if a man was to live his life fully and completly, every dream would come true, he would give form to every expression, feeling to every thought, so the world would gain a fresh impulse of joy – the return to the Hellenic ideal (to see things as they really are, in their beauty). †But the bravest man amongst us is afraid of himself†¦Courage has gone out of the race† – saying this he challenged Dorian Gray. Henry proposes a return to the Hellenic ideal, to the sensibilities of ancient Greek where the appreciation of beauty reigned. He thinks that the present mode of living is marked by a morality that demands self – denial. He also says that if we denie ourselves something, this brings only a stronger desire for what has been denied. Another theory is that t he body is free from sin. He says that the greatest sins take place only in the brain so the body is not expose to them. †You have had passions, that had made you afraid, thoughts that had fined you with terror, day – dreams and sleeping dreams whose mere memory might stain your cheek with shame.† Hearing these, Dorian feels that he can stand it no more and shouts „Stop. Let me think, or rather let me try not to think† – from now on he can think of nothing else but Lord Henry’s words. Motionless, with parted lips and eyes, he stood there. In all this time Basil was creating his portrait, and he realized that it was the best expression Dorian could have, he even thinks that it was going to be his life’s masterpiece. But he was not aware of what mecanism had brought it to surface. Basil admits that Dorian had had †some subtle influence over him†, and it is this influence that Basil is certain that his painting reveals. Despite all his attempts to get distance from what he was hearing, Dorian Gray is bewildered by what Henry says, for a moment he trys to resist, to oppose, he struggles within himself. He had never thought of such things before, and all of a sudden those words, ideas made sense for him, and such an intensity had Henry’s words, that he even had the impression that they have come really from himself. His words troubled him, they seemed to him to aquire a form of themselves. From this moment life became to him fiery – coloured, †it seemed to him that he had been walking in fire. Why had he not know it? Why had it been left for a stranger to reveal him to himself?†He had a revelation, and felt that he had been blind , that he lived in darkness and now a whole new world opened to him. Voice and silence are two words which are outstanding. Characteristic to Lord Henry is voice: with his beautiful, low, musical voice he has captured Dorian’s atention. Characteristic to Dorian is silence, he seems to be particularly sensitive to the effect of the human voice. Silence is suggestive , Wilde watches his characters while they are speaking, and describes their behaviour. Lord Henry’s words awake wild passions and mad desires in Dorian, and he cannot resist them. All this time Lord Henry was watching with a subtle smile his every move, every change that took place within himself; he knew what storm he had created within him and knew the precise psychological moment when to say nothing. He was amazed at the sudden impression that his words produced, †how fascinated the lad was.† Henry’s words meant to him everything, even if they were said at chance, †and with wilful paradox in them.† He had only made an experiment. To Wilde, words were material and real:†Words! Mere words! How terrible they were! How clear,and vivid, and cruel!One could not escape of them.And yet what a subtle magic there was in them! Mere words! Was there anything so real as words?† In a letter, Wilde stated that the main characters of The Picture of Dorian Gray are in different ways reflections of himself: Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry what the world thinks me; Dorian what I would like to be- in other ages, perhaps. In this scene, Lord Henry seems to play the role of Mephistophel, he is an evil counsel, and the moment when he is attentive to Dorian, that smile on his face showed that he too was delighted by what was happening, by the force he had on the boy. We are given the impression that we have two artists: Lord Henry,the artist, who modeled his living material: †to a large extent the lad was his own creation.†On the other hand , we have Basil,who pictures Dorian’s portrait. Basil, however, did not work with his mind, but with his body, he modeled him not directly, and at any rate, Lord Henry’s modelation had brought his inner change, the picture was only a way of seeing the state of degradation of his soul. While Lord Henry exercises influence over other characters primarily through his skillful use of language, it is Dorian’s beauty that seduces the characters with whom he associates. The principal exponents of the dialogue and the plot are Lord Henry and Dorian Gray.The mental things are much in the foreground. From this scene we can observe that the relation between Henry and Dorian dominates, and the one between him and Basil is put on a second step.This is the way in which the action continues throughout the book, Dorian Gray remains haunted by Lord Henry’s words, surrounded by an atmosphere of moral corruption. All in all, this scene is representative for the novel, and it stands as one of the most relevant for the relations between characters. It presents the inner world of soul and mind, and the impact words have on an influencible person, how they can change one’s life completly. Bibliography: 1. Oscar Wilde. The Picture of Dorian Gray. London: Penguin Popular Classics, 1994 2. Andrew Sanders. The Short History of English Literature.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993 3. Aatos Ojala. Aestheticism and Oscar Wilde( Part II: Literary Style).Helsinki, 1995 Research Papers on The Picture of Dorian GrayMind TravelThe Spring and AutumnHip-Hop is ArtHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Fifth HorsemanWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Masque of the Red Death Room meanings The Picture of Dorian Gray Free Online Research Papers In The Picture of Dorian Gray, the character, Dorian Gray goes through a major transformation. His major concern throughout the book is himself, which makes the internal conflict in the novel is man vs. himself. When the novel begins, Dorian is an intellectual young man who is greatly influenced by Henry. Lord Henry and Dorian Gray are almost inseparable. He fills his head with ideas of pleasure and vanity. When Dorian, known to Sibyl as â€Å"Prince Charming†, is engaged, he is immediately transformed. He barely knows Sibyl, and yet, he defends her on many occasions and speaks of marriage as if he has been married for years. â€Å"’This is,’ interrupted Dorian, ‘You must admit, Harry, that women give to men the very gold of their lives’† (86) This shows that Dorian seems to feel emotionally attached to a woman that he has known for only a short while. While Lord Henry and Dorian discuss the marriage arrangement, Basil observes that Dorian is not the same man. Dorian becomes a cold-hearted man when he watches Sibyl play Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet. Her performance was terrible and Dorian is very angry with her. At the end of the play, Sibyl explains to Dorian that she cannot act when she knows how true love really is. Dorian then tells her that she has killed his love and that he no longer wishes to marry her. Clearly, this is a different mindset than when he discusses her with Lord Henry. When he goes home, he sees the painting that Basil had painted of him and it has â€Å"lines of cruelty round the mouth† (98) He believes that the painting is his conscience and he is determined to make everything right again. He claims that he will apologize to Sybil and ask marry her. When Dorian receives the news that Sybil has killed herself because of him, his callous nature returns. At fist, he feels remorse, and yet, a few moments later, he blames Sybil’s death on Sybil and even has the nerve to call her â€Å"selfish†. He checks the portrait to see if it has changed, but it has not. Dorian relies on the portrait because of his selfish nature of good looks and sins. The portrait corrupts Dorian. It even causes his him to commit the murder of his once good friend, Basil after he tells Dorian to confess. The portrait also caused Dorian to blackmail Campbell. He wrote something on a piece of paper to get him to help with the corpse of Basil. Dorian becomes so wrapped up in hiding his portrait and the fact that he murdered Basil, that he forgets to enjoy the pleasures that he gave his soul for. When he turns to opium to solve his problems, he meets Sybil’s brother, who begins choking him. Dorian’s corrupt and selfish nature continues throughout the book. He is glad when he finds that Sybil’s brother is dead. This selfish and corrupt nature eventually leads to his own death. The style of the author is very different from the style of the other three novels. The style is less laid-back. It is more intellectual. The characters talk as if they were scholars. I did not like this style as much as I liked the writing style of Ken Kesey. Oscar Wilde also was not as straight forward as everyone else. He used a lot of imagery and personification. I really enjoyed reading this book. I think that I can relate to Dorian’s longing for youth and beauty. I am very much concerned about my appearance, as is Dorian, and it is good to think that I would not do something as drastic as sell my soul to preserve my youth. Research Papers on The Picture of Dorian GrayHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayMind TravelHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionCapital PunishmentThe Spring and AutumnThe Fifth HorsemanEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductWhere Wild and West MeetThe Masque of the Red Death Room meanings

A Perspective on Why Abortion Isnt Murder

A Perspective on Why Abortion Isn't Murder The question of whether or not abortion is murder is one of the most contentious social and political issues of the day. Although the United States Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, the morality of terminating a pregnancy has been debated in the U.S. since at least the mid-1800s. A Brief History of Abortion Although abortions were performed in colonial America, they were not considered illegal or immoral. Premarital sex, however, was outlawed, which may have contributed to abortion being considered taboo by some. As in Great Britain, a fetus was not considered to be a living being until quickening, usually 18 to 20 weeks, when the mother could feel her unborn child move. Attempts to criminalize abortion began in Britain in 1803, when the procedure was outlawed if the quickening had already occurred. Further restrictions were passed in 1837.  In the U.S., attitudes toward abortion began to shift after the Civil War. Led by physicians who saw the practice as a threat to their profession and people opposed to the emerging womens rights movement, anti-abortion laws were passed in a majority of states by the 1880s. The outlawing of abortion in the U.S. did not make the practice disappear, however. Far from it. By the middle of the 20th century, it is estimated that as many as 1.2 million abortions were performed annually in the U.S. Because the procedure remained illegal, however, many women were forced to seek out abortionists who worked in unsanitary conditions or had no medical training, leading to the unnecessary deaths of countless patients due to infection or hemorrhaging. As the feminist movement gained steam in the 1960s, the push to legalize abortion gained momentum. By 1972, four states had repealed their abortion restrictions and another 13 had loosened them. The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7 to 2 that women had a right to an abortion, although states could impose restrictions on the practice. Is Abortion Murder? Despite or perhaps because of the Supreme Court ruling, abortion continues to be a hotly debated issue today. Many states have imposed severe restrictions on the practice, and religious and conservative politicians often frame the issue as one of morality and preserving the sanctity of life. Murder, as it is typically defined, involves the intentional death of another human person. Even if one were to assume that every embryo or fetus is as sentient as a grown human being, the lack of intent would still be enough to classify abortion as something other than murder. A Hypothetical Argument Lets imagine a scenario in which two men go deer hunting. One man mistakes his friend for a deer, shoots him, and accidentally kills him. Its hard to imagine that any reasonable person would describe this as murder, even though we would all know for certain that a real, sentient human person was killed. Why? Because the shooter thought he was killing a deer, something other than a real, sentient human person. Now consider the example of abortion. If a woman and her physician think theyre killing a non-sentient organism, then they would not be committing murder. At most, they would be guilty of involuntary manslaughter. But even involuntary manslaughter involves criminal negligence, and it would be very hard to judge someone criminally negligent for not personally believing that a pre-viable embryo or fetus is a sentient human person when we dont actually know this to be the case. From the point of view of someone who believes that every fertilized egg is a sentient human person, abortion would be horrific, tragic, and lethal. But it would be no more murderous than any other kind of accidental death. Sources Ravitz, Jessica. The Surprising History of Abortion in the United States. CNN.com. 27 June 2016.  BBC staff. Historial Attitudes to Abortion. BBC.co.uk. 2014.Carmon, Irin. A Brief History of Abortion Law in America. BillMoyers.com. 14 November 2017.Gold, Rachel Benson. Lessons from before Roe: Will Past be Prologue? Guttmacher.org. 1 March 2003.

Choose any prodect and put it as a topic of the paper Essay

Choose any prodect and put it as a topic of the paper - Essay Example We mainly use the social media for BambooHR’s brand marketing and validation. The company uses video marketing in the social media, which also offers a platform for customer education. Pronto Marketing Company has been the major marketer of BambooHR products. The company partners with cloud store. Currently, we have four client companies using BambooHR’s services. Time-off management involves overseeing of enhancement of all the policies surrounding off-duty time(BambooHR LLC, p. 7). Time management involves such as waiting periods, carryovers, and accrual levels. The program allows this to ensure maintenance of uniqueness between various companies. Despite the customized reports, the program provides for the generation of reports using standard reports. The standard reports are in the report library, include age profile, birthdays, additions and terminations, and benefit eligibility. This functionality involves control of information sharing by ensuring that only authorized individuals have access. BambooHR software enables customization of access depending on the role of employee. The program also allows for the control of the type of information obtained by various job description. The program also supports a notification system, software development kit and standard appraisal forms (Fetaji & Majlinda, p. 234). †¢ TribeHR program. This program allows human resource administrators to focus on aspects that are of more value addition to the business. The program has tools essential for recruiting and managing time, attendance and talent of employees. Fetaji, Bekim, and Majlinda,Fetaji. "Designing and Developing Performance Measurement Software Solution." International Journal of Computer Science and Electronics Engineering (IJCSEE) 1 (2013): 234-238. Web. 1 March 2015. BambooHR LLC. â€Å"Why and When to Get out of Spreadsheets and into HR Software: And what to look for when you’re

Michigan's Responce to the PBB Crisis in the 1970s Essay

Michigan's Responce to the PBB Crisis in the 1970s - Essay Example The Michigan Chemical Corporation in St. Louis, Michigan was the main producer of the FireMaster brand of these PBB flame retardants. The brand FireMaster BP-6 was made out of a mixture of various PBB congeners with 2,2’,4,4’,5,5’-hexabromobiphenyl and 2,2’3,4,4’,5,5’-heptabromobiphenyl as major components based on mass2. Other components of FireMaster products include bromochlorobiphenyls and polybrominated naphthalenes3. These components combined created the unfortunate animal and human health consequences seen in the Michigan chemical disaster. The FireMaster BP-6, in 1973, was accidentally added to livestock feed which was then distributed to various farms in Michigan4. Shortly thereafter, various livestock started dying. About 1.5 million chickens, 30,000 cattle, 5900 pigs, and about 1400 sheep died immediately after being contaminated and their carcasses were managed in landfills in different parts of the state5. About a year would pass before the animals would be culled6. This incident was caused by poor labeling procedures of the company with thousands of pounds of FireMaster being mistakenly labeled as magnesium oxide and delivered to companies manufacturing animal feed. After contamination, most of the animals exhibited mild symptoms like disorientation; others however became very much sick, manifesting internal bleeding and skin lesions. Others died immediately after contamination7. ... hey did not know the actual cause of these deaths and most of them did not perceive that the tainted meat from these livestock would imply a major health threat9. As a result, meat from some of the sick animals was added into the animal feed. This caused further contamination of other animals. Meat from the healthy cows was also sold in the markets for human consumption10. Moreover, chickens which were fed the contaminated feeds lay eggs which were also tainted with PBBs. All in all, thousands of people in Michigan were actually ingesting PBB-contaminated foods and did not even know about it11. Symptoms of PBB poisoning among humans is often based on the amount or level of contamination; mostly it includes stomach problems, abnormal bleeding, loss of balance, skin lesions, and a decreased resistance to diseases12. Many farmers and their families developed health issues attributed to PBB contamination and in general, the long-term impact of PBB among Michigan residents is still persis tent because of the long-term impact of the PBBs13. In fact, it would take more years to pass before the full impact of the contamination would ever be known. The disaster also gained much attention for their continued impact on livestock, with nearly all of the large dairy farms in Michigan reporting cattle and other animal deaths14. Many of their cows also started aborting and most of them soon started to look sick, with their coats becoming mangy and hooves overgrowing. Consultants from the Michigan Department of Agriculture launched their investigation of these incidents; however, they too could not establish the cause of these incidents15. Eventually however, investigators uncovered that chemical workers at the Michigan Chemical Corporation mistakenly mixed chemical polybrominated

Non-Destructive Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Non-Destructive Testing - Essay Example NDT is popular because of its harmless and unfaltering association with the final product to check its quality. As we acknowledge, all materials are imperfect, but this is only of concern if the imperfections adversely affect intermediate processing or use of the finished product. In order to detect imperfections, some form of testing is necessary that will not have a detrimental effect on the materials/components.NDT encompasses all the test methods that, when applied to a component, do not impair its subsequent utilization (Colangelo, p 44) If the testing does not destroy or damage the material in any way it is known as Non - Destructive Testing (NDT). NDT is crucial in characterizing final products into "zero defect" and "potentially flawed" parts, this characterization is fast and easy. Hence, the quality control is easy itself. For instance, let us take an example of a steel plant which makes "railroads". There is a specific dimensional requirement of every piece and also there is some maximum tolerance level for cracks and porosity holes in those pieces. Using NDT (laser and X-Ray techniques, we can determine the dimensions and flaws inside the rails in a very short period of time). A number of techniques are used in NDT; each is generally dependent on a different energy system. Techniques range from ordinary macroscopic examination with white light to the complex procedure of neutron radiography, each method having an area in which it yields optimum performance (Colangelo, p44) though it can often be used successfully on marginal situations when the need arises. In present case we will discuss TWO vastly used NDT methods: 1. Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) 2. Ultrasonic Testing MPI Magnetic Particle Inspection offers a means for the detection of surface and slightly subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials (Colangelo, p 48). MPI is not applicable to non-ferromagnetic materials thus many structural metals like austenitic stainless steel, aluminum magnesium, copper and titanium are excluded from this inspection. Only ferromagnetic materials are inspected through this method. Magnetic particle inspection (MPI) is a widely used nondestructive inspection method for aerospace applications essentially limited to experiment-based approaches (Betz 1997). The analysis of MPI properties that affect sensitivity and reliability contributes not only reductions in inspection design cost and time but also improvement of analysis of experimental data. Choosing a particle medium, consider the application. For convenience, select dry particles when inspecting large components such as forgings. Wet-particle inspection, often requiring a tank complete with stirring and pumping machinery, works well for production-line Magnetic Testing inspection. This approach is especially useful when the operator must examine large numbers of small, similarly sized components. When portability is important, particularly for field

Application of LCD

Application of LCD A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a thin, flat electronic visual display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals (LCs). LCs do not emit light directly. Photo showing subpixels in detail They are used in a wide range of applications including: computer monitors, television, instrument panels, aircraft cockpit displays, signage, etc. They are common in consumer devices such as video players, gaming devices, clocks, watches, calculators, and telephones. LCDs have displaced cathode ray tube(CRT) displays in most applications. They are usually more compact, lightweight, portable, less expensive, more reliable, and easier on the eyes. They are available in a wider range of screen sizes than CRT and plasma displays, and since they do not use phosphors, they cannot suffer image burn-in. LCDs are more energy efficient and offer safer disposal than CRTs. Its low electrical power consumption enables it to be used in battery-powered electronic equipment. It is an electronically-modulated optical device made up of any number of pixels filled with liquid crystals and arrayed in front of a light source (backlight) or reflector to produce images in colour or monochrome. The earliest discovery leading to the development of LCD technology, the discovery of liquid crystals, dates from 1888. By 2008, worldwide sales of televisions with LCD screens had surpassed the sale of CRT units. Each pixel of an LCD typically consists of a layer of molecules aligned between two transparent electrodes, and two polarizing filters, the axes of transmission of which are (in most of the cases) perpendicular to each other. With no actual liquid crystal between the polarizing filters, light passing through the first filter would be blocked by the second (crossed) polarizer. In most of the cases the liquid crystal has double refraction.[citation needed] The surface of the electrodes that are in contact with the liquid crystal material are treated so as to align the liquid crystal molecules in a particular direction. This treatment typically consists of a thin polymer layer that is unidirectionally rubbed using, for example, a cloth. The direction of the liquid crystal alignment is then defined by the direction of rubbing. Electrodes are made of a transparent conductor called Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). Types of LEDs present in markets Let us take a look at the different varieties of liquid crystals that are available for industrial purposes. The most usable liquid crystal among all the others is the nematic phase liquid crystals. Nematic Phase LCD The greatest advantage of a nematic phase liquid crystal substance is that it can bring about predictable controlled changes according to the electric current passed through them. All the liquid crystals are according to their reaction on temperature difference and also the nature of the substance. Twisted Nematics, a particular nematic substance is twisted naturally. When a known voltage is applied to the substance, it gets untwisted in varying degrees according to our requirement. This in turn is useful in controlling the passage of light. A nematic phase liquid crystal can be again classified on the basis in which the molecules orient themselves in respect to each other. This change in orientation mainly depends on the director, which can be anything ranging from a magnetic field to a surface with microscopic grooves. Classification includes Smectic and also cholesteric. Smectic can be again classified as smectic C, in which the molecules in each layer tilt at an angle from the previous layer. Cholesteric, on the other hand has molecules that twist slightly from one layer to the next, causing a spiral like design. There are also combinations of these two called Ferro-electric liquid crystals (FLC), which include cholesteric molecules in a smectic C type molecule so that the spiral nature of these molecules allows the microsecond switching response time. This makes FLCs to be of good use in advanced displays. Liquid crystal molecules are further classified into thermotropic and lyotropic crystals. The ufurther divided into nematic and isotropic. Nematic liquid crystals have a fixed order of pattern while isotropic liquid crystals are distributed randomly. The lyotropic crystal depends on the type of solvent they are mixed with. They are therefore useful in making detergents and soaps. Making of LCD Though the making of LCD is rather simple there are certain facts that should be noted while making it. The basic structure of an LCD should be controllably changed with respect to the applied electric current. The light that is used on the LCD can be polarized. Liquid crystals should be able to both transmit and change polarized light. There are transparent substances that can conduct electricity. To make an LCD, you need to take two polarized glass pieces. The glass which does not have a polarized film on it must be rubbed with a special polymer which creates microscopic grooves in the surface. It must also be noted that the grooves are on the same direction as the polarizing film. Then, all you need to do is to add a coating of nematic liquid crystals to one of the filters. The grooves will cause the first layer of molecules to align with the filters orientation. At right angle to the first piece, you must then add a second piece of glass along with the polarizing film. Till the uppermost layer is at a 90-degree angle to the bottom, each successive layer of TN molecules will keep on twisting. The first filter will naturally be polarized as the light strikes it at the beginning. Thus the light passes through each layer and is guided on to the next with the help of molecules. When this happens, the molecules tend to change the plane of vibration of the light to match their own angle. When the light reaches the far side of the liquid crystal substance, it vibrates at the same angle as the final layer of molecules. The light is only allowed an entrance if the second polarized glass filter is same as the final layer. The main principle behind liquid crystal molecules is that when an electric current is applied to them, they tend to untwist. This causes a change in the light angle passing through them. This causes a change in the angle of the top polarizing filter with respect to it. So little light is allowed to pass through that particular area of LCD. Thus that area becomes darker comparing to others. For making an LCD screen, a reflective mirror has to be setup in the back. An electrode plane made of indium-tin oxide is kept on top and a glass with a polarizing film is also added on the bottom side. The entire area of the LCD has to be covered by a common electrode and above it should be the liquid crystal substance. Next comes another piece of glass with an electrode in the shape of the rectangle on the bottom and, on top, another polarizing film. It must be noted that both of them are kept at right angles. When there is no current, the light passes through the front of the LCD it will be reflected by the mirror and bounced back. As the electrode is connected to a temporary battery the current from it will cause the liquid crystals between the common-plane electrode and the electrode shaped like a rectangle to untwist. Thus the light is blocked from passing through. Thus that particular rectangular area appears blank. Colour Liquid Crystal Display Colour LCDs are those that can display pictures in colours. For this to be possible there must be three sub-pixels with red, green and blue colour filters to create each colour pixel. For combining these sub-pixels these LCDs should be connected to a large number of transistors. If any problem occurs to these transistors, it will cause a bad pixel. One of the main disadvantages of these types of LCDs is the size. Most manufacturers try to reduce the height than gain it. This is because more transistors and greater pixels will be needed to increase the length. This will increase the probability of bad pixels.   It is very difficult or also impossible to repair a LCD with bad pixels. This will highly affect the sale of LCDs. Color displays In colour LCDs each individual pixel is divided into three cells, or subpixels, which are coloured red, green, and blue, respectively, by additional filters (pigment filters, dye filters and metal oxide filters). Each subpixel can be controlled independently to yield thousands or millions of possible colours for each pixel. CRT monitors employ a similar subpixel structures via phosphors, although the electron beam employed in CRTs do not hit exact subpixels. Zero-power (bistable) displays The zenithal bistable device (ZBD), developed by QinetiQ (formerly DERA), can retain an image without power. The crystals may exist in one of two stable orientations (Black and White) and power is only required to change the image. ZBD Displays is a spin-off company from QinetiQ who manufacture both grayscale and colour ZBD devices. A French company, Nemoptic, has developed the BiNem zero-power, paper-like LCD technology which has been mass-produced in partnership with Seiko since 2007.This technology is intended for use in applications such as Electronic Shelf Labels, E-books, E-documents, E-newspapers, E-dictionaries, Industrial sensors, Ultra-Mobile PCs, etc. Kent Displays has also developed a no power display that uses Polymer Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystals (ChLCD). A major drawback of ChLCD screens are their slow refresh rate, especially at low temperatures[citation needed]. Kent has recently demonstrated the use of a ChLCD to cover the entire surface of a mobile phone, allowing it to change colours, and keep that colour even when power is cut off. In 2004 researchers at the University of Oxford demonstrated two new types of zero-power bistable LCDs based on Zenithal bistable techniques. Several bistable technologies, like the 360 ° BTN and the bistable cholesteric, depend mainly on the bulk properties of the liquid crystal (LC) and use standard strong anchoring, with alignment films and LC mixtures similar to the traditional monostable materials. Other bistable technologies (i.e. Binem Technology) are based mainly on the surface properties and need specific weak anchoring materials. Brief history 1888: Friedrich Reinitzer (1858-1927) discovers the liquid crystalline nature of cholesterol extracted from carrots (that is, two melting points and generation of colours) and published his findings at a meeting of the Vienna Chemical Society on May 3, 1888 (F. Reinitzer: Beitrà ¤ge zur Kenntniss des Cholesterins, Monatshefte fà ¼r Chemie (Wien) 9, 421-441 (1888)). 1904: Otto Lehmann publishes his work Flà ¼ssige Kristalle (Liquid Crystals). 1911: Charles Mauguin first experiments of liquids crystals confined between plates in thin layers. 1922: Georges Friedel describes the structure and properties of liquid crystals and classified them in 3 types (nematics, smectics and cholesterics). 1936: The Marconi Wireless Telegraph company patents the first practical application of the technology, The Liquid Crystal Light Valve. 1962: The first major English language publication on the subject Molecular Structure and Properties of Liquid Crystals, by Dr. George W. Gray. 1962: Richard Williams of RCA found that liquid crystals had some interesting electro-optic characteristics and he realized an electro-optical effect by generating stripe-patterns in a thin layer of liquid crystal material by the application of a voltage. This effect is based on an electro-hydrodynamic instability forming what is now called Williams domains inside the liquid crystal. 1964: George H. Heilmeier, then working in the RCA laboratories on the effect discovered by Williams achieved the switching of colours by field-induced realignment of dichroic dyes in a homeotropically oriented liquid crystal. Practical problems with this new electro-optical effect made Heilmeier continue to work on scattering effects in liquid crystals and finally the achievement of the first operational liquid crystal display based on what he called the dynamic scattering mode (DSM). Application of a voltage to a DSM display switches the initially clear transparent liquid crystal layer into a milky turbid state. DSM displays could be operated in transmissive and in reflective mode but they required a considerable current to flow for their operation. George H. Heilmeier was inducted in the National Inventors Hall of Fame and credited with the invention of LCD. 1960: Pioneering work on liquid crystals was undertaken in the late 1960s by the UKs Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern, England. The team at RRE supported ongoing work by George Gray and his team at the University of Hull who ultimately discovered the cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals (which had correct stability and temperature properties for application in LCDs). 1970: On December 4, 1970, the twisted nematic field effect in liquid crystals was filed for patent by Hoffmann-LaRoche in Switzerland, (Swiss patent No. 532 261) with Wolfgang Helfrich and Martin Schadt (then working for the Central Research Laboratories) listed as inventors. Hoffmann-La Roche then licensed the invention to the Swiss manufacturer Brown, Boveri Cie who produced displays for wrist watches during the 1970s and also to Japanese electronics industry which soon produced the first digital quartz wrist watches with TN-LCDs and numerous other products. James Fergason while working with Sardari Arora and Alfred Saupe at Kent State University Liquid Crystal Institute filed an identical patent in the USA on April 22, 1971. In 1971 the company of Fergason ILIXCO (now LXD Incorporated) produced the first LCDs based on the TN-effect, which soon superseded the poor-quality DSM types due to improvements of lower operating voltages and lower power consumption. 1972: The first active-matrix liquid crystal display panel was produced in the United States by Westinghouse, in Pittsburgh, PA. 1996 Samsung develops the optical patterning technique that enables multi-domain LCD. Multi-domain and IPS subsequently remain the dominant LCD designs through 2010. 1997 Hitachi resurrects the In Plane Switching (IPS) technology producing the first LCD to have the visual quality acceptable for TV application. 2007: In the 4Q of 2007 for the first time LCD televisions surpassed CRT units in worldwide sales. 2008: LCD TVs become the majority with a 50% market share of the 200 million TVs forecast to ship globally in 2008 according to Display Bank. L.C.D vs Plasma Both Plasma and LCD high-definition TV screens produce excellent quality pictures. Most experts believe that Plasma screens produce a slightly better picture than their LCD counterpart. Plasma screens have the ability to show deeper blacks to help their picture quality but they do generally cost more than LCDs. LCDs have only recently been able to compete with Plasmas in the very large screen market and are more than competitive in the products they offer. LCDs use far less power than Plasma screens and have a greater life expectancy. The consensus amongst most experts is that if you are in the market for a small screen then an LCD screen is your best bet. If you are in the market for a large screen flat panel TV then you should be buying a Plasma screen. The Plasma flat panel screen is heavier than a LCD flat panel screen so if you are going to have your large flat screen TV on a cabinet so you can move it around the room as you change the furniture then you are probably going to want to buy an LCD flat panel screen for convenience. Previously the main difference between the two different forms of high-definition television was the price and size of the two products. The price of LCD TV screens compares favourably with that of the Plasmas while the size of LCDs now also increasing with each new product release to catch up to the Plasmas who have traditionally been the larger of the two flat panel screens. Applications In TV and MONITORS Technological improvements to liquid crystal display (LCD) screens have seen them become more popular in the high definition television market. With the improvement of broadcasting pictures moving quickly from analogue to digital television so too is the television market moving from regular Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to large flat panel LCD or Plasma screens. While liquid crystal display television (LCD TV) is new technology, we have been using liquid crystal display for many years in other household items such as digital clocks, oven timers and home computers. LCD technology is not restricted to just large flat screen TVs with LCD projectors available for corporations to display video, images or data in much the same way that the old overhead projector once did. LCD technology provides a cheaper alternative to large Plasma screens. Historically the LCD screens have been smaller but new technology is increasing the size of these large flat screen TVs to be more competitive than ever before. While the size of LCDs has increased the advantage one has in price comparison with a Plasma screen has seen the LCD screens enjoy their fair share of high definition large flat screen sales in the home entertainment market. LCD screens also need less power to function giving the consumers considerable savings on their electricity bills. LCD technology is not restricted to just large flat screen TVs with LCD projectors available for corporations to display video, images or data in much the same way that the old overhead projector once did. An LCD projector works by sending light from a halogen lamp through three LCD panels (one for red, blue and green). The individual pixels then open to allow light to pass or close to block the light producing our image. We also use LCD technology in the world of computers with a LCD computer monitor the most popular display device for computers. An LCD monitor is the popular choice amongst consumers because of the flat panel screen taking up very little space. Having replaced the bulky computer monitors the LCD monitor is here to stay with all new computer purchases going hand in hand with a LCD computer monitor. The advantages in buying an LCD monitor is not only restricted to the size but also the savings with LCD monitors using very little of your power supply to work. Liquid crystal display television (LCD TV) provides the viewer with a far greater experience watching television. With the LCD TV set you dont have to close the curtains because the screen is too bright to see the picture properly like you do with a normal CRT television. One major advantage an LCD screen has is that it is not only a capable of displaying high-definition TV, video, dvd or normal television but it can also be used as a computer monitor. Just like your everyday PC monitor you can play games on your LCD screen, your just going to have a bigger, better view of your screen playing on your large screen TV mounted on the wall. In MOBILES Screens The new LCD modules combine technology characteristics of the Sharp AQUOS Liquid Crystal TV, referred to as the ASV LCD with Sharps proprietary small format display technology, referred to as the Advanced-TFT. With this breakthrough, Sharp has attained a new mobile display that is ideally suited for mobile devices, such as camera phones, PDAs, and personal media players, which display streaming video content or color images. The displays achieve excellent visibility in any lighting situation, while offering a wide viewing angle, high contrast ratio, and superior color reproduction. The displays are slated for sampling in December of 2003, with volume production to begin next spring. The explosive growth in the use of multi-functional mobile devices has rapidly accelerated the demand for high-resolution color displays that allow users to view a wider range of content, said Joel Pollack, vice president of the Display Business Unit at Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas. Sharps new mobile ASV LCD technology offers design engineers high quality display technology similar to that which is used in our AQUOS LCD TVs. The result is a clear, bright display visible from virtually any angle and under any ambient lighting condition. The continued growth in the mobile market is expected to stimulate new demand for the capability to view video and graphic content, including photographic images, scenes from television shows, movies, sports events and news.