American literature realism Essay

In American literature realism, is an approach that attempts to describe life without idealization or romantic subjectivity. Realism has been mainly concerned with the commonplaces of everyday life among the middle and lower classes, where character is a product of social factors and environment is the important element in the dramatic complications. The realism sought to explain why ordinary people behave they way they do. What, for example, fuels the ambitions of a young man who has come from the country to the city to make his fortune? Why does an apparently happily married woman decide to have a love affair? What leads a woman to accept or reject a particular man? In trying to answer these questions, realistic novelists often relied on the emerging sciences of human and animal behavior–biology, psychology, and sociology–as well as on their own insights and observations. Realism from 1865 to the present has changed. As authors have moved into a global world, their writing has become less regional and therefore less realistic. Writers today do research instead of writing about what they already know about. As the world has become more global, authors have become more full. To a certain extent, realism is about presenting a limited view because is very much about regionalism. An author can only write realistically about what he/she knows. Authors like Mark Twain and F. Scott Fitzgerald gives a â€Å"tell it like it is† writing in the stories. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the setting has a large influence on Huck’s character. The period of time that Huck lived in was a distinct era. The country was changing rapidly. During this period steam engines enabled rivers to be used as mass transportation, an idea that had never been explored until now. There were many traits of this era that can be seen by looking at the components of Huck’s character, his language, actions and thoughts. Some of these traits are subtle and can be easily missed but others are very obvious and powerful. This period of change was the setting of Huck’s childhood. One trait that is indicative of the era is the social class of Huck and Huck’s  language. It is greatly affected by his social class and setting. The broken English is a sign of Huck’s low social class. In addition it also shows that he is from a southern river town. This can be seen from his expressions and accent. The rules of the time that Huck’s character is governed upon, Huck was never educated. During the early 1800s there was no law that required children to go to school, therefore his low intellect has a strong impact on Huck’s character. It gives him a â€Å"plain and simple† outlook on life, this trait can been seen throughout the book in Huck’s character. One specific area it affects is Huck’s plans for his future. Huck only thought about what he was going to do for present. Huck had an incapable father. He was thought of as the town drunk, and would often come home intoxicated and abuse Huck. At one point his father locked Huck up in a small room without food or water for days. The setting is important here because if Huck’s father were to treat his son in an abusive manner today, he would lose custody of his child. A good example of Huck’s unloving relationship was Huck’s reaction to his father’s death. When notified of his death he was relieved and felt safe. This detail can be used to illustrate the abuse that Huck went through in the beginning of the book, while living with his father. Since Huck’s father had irresponsible actions, Huck ran away at a young age in the hope that someday he would find freedom from his father and society. Huck’s separation from his father is also the reason for his freethinking, responsibility and innocence. These times of hardship formed him into a mature person and helped contribute to his independent personality. Without the influence of the setting Huck would have never been able to achieve the freedom that he had by being independent. When Huck ran away he joined up with Jim, who was also running away, but from something different. Jim was fleeing from slavery, a common practice of the time. Huck’s relationship with Jim contributed to Huck’s non-prejudice thinking. Another factor that gave Huck an understanding of how the slaves must have felt was the prejudice that he experienced himself, being part of the lower class. Huck  was infuriated when people looked down upon him for something that was no fault of his; he was born into the class because of his father’s social status. For these reasons Huck always treated Jim as an equal, making Huck ahead of his time. Jim knew that Huck respected him, as a result Jim risked his own life to save Huck. In the story you find humor with Huck’s character. In real life you have humor being part of life. For example, Huck’s account of his reasons for participating in what he knows to be the ridiculous schemes of Tom Sawyer’s gang. He recognizes that their â€Å"swords† are â€Å"only lath and broom-sticks† and he does not believe, in any case, that they â€Å"could lick such crowd of Spaniards and A-rabs†. At one point one finds that Huck seems to accept Tom’s values. Before boarding the Walter Scott he says â€Å"Do you reckon,† he asks Jim, rhetorically, â€Å"Tom Sawyer would ever go by this thing?† It is here at the Phelps farm, where he even takes Tom’s name. Huck’s independence and lack of education resulted in a mind that was never influenced by adult’s beliefs. This allowed Huck to have thoughts based on what he believed in, not traditions that are simply carried on by messengers of the past’s beliefs. Although traditions are often good they prevent new ideas from entering people’s minds. This made Huck original; this individuality could be seen with his relationship with Jim. During this period of American history slaves were looked down upon, but Huck, being an independent thinker, looked up to Jim for who he was, not for the color of his skin. This change in dialogue clearly illustrates how the relationship grew stronger during their adventures. By the end of the novel Huck risked his own life to free Jim in the final escape attempt. His dependence made him loyal to the Mississippi River. The personification of the river that Huck uses clearly shows his feelings and thankfulness to the river. It also helped show how important the river was too not only Huck but to all of the river towns and people. The Great Gatsby’s best qualities is Fitzgerald’s incredible use of realism. This realism is evident in the development of plot, setting, and characters throughout the novel. The novel is well known for its deeply entangled plots  and sub-plots. At first Fitzgerald used realism to develop these plots by choosing plots that would be believable to readers. For example, the main plot of â€Å"The American Dream† (Jay Gatsby’s dream of becoming rich and successful in order to impress Daisy) is easily believable and is still a quite common dream today. Smaller plots, such as Tom Buchanan’s affair with Myrtle, are also very realistic and are a common occurrence in every day life. From here Fitzgerald deepened the story by using realism to entangle these plots. Fitzgerald then grew upon these plots by making them all have realistic outcomes (such as Gatsby’s demise), rather than your typical story book endings. Fitzgerald uses realism to clearly depict the setting of the Great Gatsby. This use of realism could be mostly due to the fact that Fitzgerald lived during the time of the novel, and by using great detail, he was able to reproduce his interpretation of the 1920’s. The novel takes place during the summer in New York as Nick Carraway has just moved to pursue a career in the bond business. This is a very realistic setting because just after World War 1 the eastern United States were flourishing with people and business. Large, fancy homes and big parties (such as Gatsby’s) were also quite popular. Fitzgerald realistically demonstrates the inexistence of the middle class at that time. For example the contrast between Tom Buchanan and Mr. Wilson shows vast difference between the upper and lower classes. The exact geographical location of the novel does not exist, but Fitzgerald does a great job in using realism to convince the reader of the setting. No matter how significant realism is to the setting of the novel, perhaps the most important use of realism comes through Fitzgerald’s development of characters throughout the novel. The novel characters are the basis of the novel from which the plots revolve around. Fitzgerald uses realism to ensure that all the characters in the novel are believable in both their history and interactions with each other. A prime example of this would be Daisy. Her history of having a successful family, and being the center of attention deeply influences her character into being self-centered and dependent on wealth, making her character  believable to readers. From here Fitzgerald was able to manipulate the characters. This convinces the reader of genuinely of each individual and therefore makes the whole story seem more realistic. Throughout the novel, the plot was deepened through the entangling of many realistic sub-plots, the setting was clearly illustrated using plenty of detail, and the characters were developed to be as believable and genuine as possible. In the end it is the realistic recognition of life’s imperfections that give The Great Gatsby its continuing appeal. The things that happen are real and could really happen. The characters are products of their environments. In today’s society we have somewhat the same issues. It depends on ones culture and beliefs. If you are pretty much conservative one finds that acting a certain way, wanting freedom, lying or dishonesty won’t be acceptable. The two novels that I chose both show realism â€Å"tell it like it is† but in different ways. What happens to Huck Finn is a result of how and where he lives. Events happen to him because of the real life setting and place. The central figure in Huck Finn isn’t even really Huck†¦it’s the river. Gatsby is shaped by external factors such as love, money and other people’s ideals. Nothing that happens is glorified or exaggerated. In my opinion I think that Twain and Fitzgerald both conveyed in reality. Both authors wrote there stories based upon the social restrictions of time. Today we see the same kind of American dream and look down upon the lower class. I think that we moved closer to the truth by seeing what society be really about. This is somewhat the real world and it’s either your accepted by following the rules or not accepted by disobeying the rules.

Marketing Test Questions

1. The promotional mix is the combination of promotional tools used to reach the target market and fulfill the organization's overall goals. a. True b. False 2. When a marketer sends a message to the target market, the marketer must first decode the symbols used. c. True d. False 3. Even though a message is received, it will not necessarily be properly decoded; receivers interpret messages based on their own frames of reference. e. True f. False 4. All promotions are designed to either inform, persuade, or reinforce the target audience. g. True h. False 5.The promotional mix consists of: i. advertising, publicity, direct marketing, and personal selling j. public relations, direct marketing, personal selling, and publicity k. product, promotion, price, and place l. advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations m. advertising, telemarketing, public relations, and sales promotions 6. Which of the following statements about advertising is true? n. The total costs o f advertising are typically low. o. The signs on the outsides of buses and taxis are not a form of advertising. p.The cost per contact in advertising is low. q. Innovative media are not used in advertising. r. Advertising is any form of communication in which the sponsor is identified. 7. Public information (that the company did not pay for) about a company, good, or service appearing in the mass media as a news item is: s. personal selling t. advertising u. mass communications v. publicity w. sales promotion 8. _____ consists of all marketing activities that stimulate consumer purchasing such as coupons, contests, free samples, and trade shows. x. Sales promotion y. Publicity . Personal Selling {. Advertising |. Sponsorship 9. In 2006, GM unveiled a GM Fuel Price Protection Program that caps the per-gallon price consumers pay for gas at $1. 99 when they purchase select 2006 and 2007 GM full-size utility and mid-size cars. This is an example of _____ designed to stimulate consumer b uying. }. A sales promotion ~. A public relations activity . Advertising . An implicit communication . Personal selling 10. Communication to large audiences, usually through a medium such as television or a newspaper, is called _____ communication. . Feedback-proof Referential . Interpersonal . Mass . Public 11. The communication process consists of: . Message, media, and transmittal . Source, receiver, and channel . Sender, receiver, and message . Encoding, decoding, channel, sender, receiver, noise, and feedback . Comprehension, noise, and feedback 12. _____ is the conversion of the sender's ideas and thoughts into a message. . Decoding . Envelopment . Processing . Development . Encoding 13. _____ is anything that interferes with, distorts, or slows the transmission of information. . Media communication . Feedback Static . Nonpersonal communication . Noise 14. Advertising competes for two things. These two things are: . ________________b. _________________ 15. There are three typ es of Product Advertising. They are: . ________________b. _________________ c. ___________________ 16. _____ sales promotions are targeted toward the ultimate end-user market. . Facilitating . Intermediary . Pull . Consumer . Trade 17. _____ advertising is used to keep a familiar brand name in the public's mind and to refresh the consumers on the brand’s uses, characteristics, and benefits. Advocacy . Pioneer . Reinforcement . Reminder . Comparative 18. In class we briefly talked about an acronym used in discussions about promotions. The acronym, AIDA, stands for: . Attitude-Interest-Demand-Activity . Attention-Interest-Desire-Action . Awareness-Intent-Demand-Action . Avoidance-Interest-Desire-Acceptance . Attitudes-In-Developing-Acquisitions 19. A manufacturer using the _____ promotional strategy focuses its promotional efforts on the consumer. . Reinforcement . Personal selling . Push . Pull . Kinetic 20.Firms that adopt a push promotion strategy focus their message at inte rmediaries in order to get them to carry the product, rather than at the end consumer. . True . False 21. Comparative advertising is: . like a mirror because it compares all negative and positive features of both products . like a shotgun in that it compares multiple features of two products . like a rifle in that it only compares a single benefit or advantage . only used by companies at the highest level of the pyramid of corporate responsibility . sed to compare two or more competing brands on one or more specific attributes. 22. Aston Martin is a common brand of car driven by the British agent James Bond. Aston Martin paid to have its vehicle featured in these movies. This is an example of: . Advertising . A sales promotion . Paid-for public relations . Product placement . Lobbying 23. In a 2008 movie starring the hilarious Jim Carrey, Red Bull was reference multiple times. This is another example of _______________ and _________________ is the movie’s title. . Advertising and Dumb and Dumber . Puffery and How the Grinch Stole Christmas Customer deceit and The Cable Guy . Product placement and Yes Man . Product placement and Liar Liar 24. Which of the following is not an element of the marketing mix. . Product . Place . Primary Demand . Promotion . Price 25. One of the purposes of promotion is to stimulate demand. What are they? . __________________b. ____________________ 26. This type of demand focuses on making potential customers aware of the general product category. . __________________ 27. This type of demand focuses on making potential customers aware of specific benefits provided by a particular brand/product. ___________________ 28. Based on the results from a recent study, and posted in an article on cnet. com, advertising revenue from Google for the first 6 months of 2012 exceeded that of print media. According to this study, Google brought in how much revenue from ads for this period? . ___________________ 29. Both advertising and public relations (PR) are types of non-personal communication. However, the main difference is advertising is _____________ whereas PR is ________________. 30. According to the course syllabus, Exam #4 is scheduled for what day? . _____________________

Pros and cons of fast food Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pros and cons of fast food - Thesis Example Some of them think fast food is a new tobacco, almost a plague for it brings the decline of public health and has harmful effect on new generation. On the other hand, there are also points of view that fast food is in some way a cure-all for the economic problems, such as poverty and high level of unemployment. In other words, the society has not reached a compromise yet due to the fact that the parts consider the matter from the different angles, such as public health and economic well-being. One of the advantages of fast food is that it is rather cheap, especially ifto compare it with other facilities, which perform that sort of function. It is not a secret that fast food chains try to reach as bigger audience as possible and, consequently, increase the profits by means of competing in prices with their business rivals (Spurlock). As a result, all of the existing food chains set up prices that appear to be more accessible than the cost of healthy food at markets or prices at restaurants. For a great number of people, who sometimes live on the brink of survival (as it goes from the money they earn), fast food is a great way to have meals regularly. In other words, people do not choose between eating healthy food and junk food. They rather choose between the prices for these types of food. Overall, it is a question of money and being limited to products one can buy. In this regard, fast food is an alternative to far more expensive fresh meat, fish, vegetables and the way to save money. In addition to this, fast food industry has a positive influence on the employment trends and the state of economy as a whole. As the example of the father of fast food industry, J. R. Simplot, shows, fast food can actually invade the whole world. At the very first stages, Simplot’s company had about a hundred of workers and only in two years of operation the number of people increased to twelve hundred (Schlosser). The same works for McDonald’s. In

Marcus Mosiah Garveys Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marcus Mosiah Garveys Movement - Essay Example According to the report findings Garvey visited Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama, where he worked as an editor for some radical newspapers, during the early moments of service. Garvey’s keen interest in Africa and that of its history came about after his visit to England, where he mingled with several African nationalists. In a number of the countries that Garvey visited, he acknowledged that the black man was on inferior levels, subject to the continuous changing ideals of stronger races. The writings of Booker T. Washington on â€Å"Up from slavery† also contributed greatly to the interventions that Garvey sought to bring. His endeavors got a boost after meeting a Sudanese-Egyptian supporter of Africa self-rule, Duse Mohammed Ali, who employed him, thus ensuring his interaction with other black activists. As the the essay stresses the organization appealed to the black community to return to Africa for the development of a great nation. He knew that until this was attainable, Africans had to make themselves economically stable and independent in their respective areas of residence. He further encouraged black communities to start their own business in the various ghettos that they dominated. In accordance to his basic principle and the belief that each race had to see God through its own racial eyes, Garvey together with Archbishop George McGuire started the African Orthodox Church. Official announcement of the Black Madonna and the Black Christ then took place in the UNIA convention of 1924.

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

Journal - Essay Example Kennedy has several points he wants to drive home in his inaugural speech. First, he seeks to pass a message of accomplishment to his fans and a new era to Americans and beyond. His speech starts with diction to show his presidential accomplishment and to pass a message to Americans that he believes in the freedom gained through his election. Secondly, his speech seeks to get support from Americans to back his presidency. He achieves this through awakening Americans pre-existing sense of pride by reminding them of their heroic independent day. Kennedy seems to have a deeper understanding of his audience most of which happened to be Americans. He knows that independent day means so much to Americans and so his reference to it and to forbearers creates some support for Kennedy through association. His reference to history also helps him achieve the aspect of credibility needed by his audience. In addition, Kennedy portrays an understanding of the audience by constructing a message desi gned for the media. His message is rhetoric and full of imagery, which makes it appealing to the public in America and beyond and memorable. Kennedy is a man of good character. After being sworn in and acknowledging the purpose of the celebrations, Kennedy goes ahead to declare the solemnity of this act. Kennedy states, â€Å"For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago† (Kennedy web). Kennedy acknowledges the supreme power above him, which is God. In addition, he does not take the entire glory of the success but recognises that his forebears had prescribed it. In addition, Kennedy uses a polite tone it trying to get support for his presidency. For instance, Kennedy says, â€Å"Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts,

The Decameron Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Decameron - Essay Example The book shows that even the most noble or holy people in title are still prone to sin and vice. Living the best life possible, according to The Decameron, is a personal endeavor which can best be undertaken by fortifying one's mind with tales of the moral shortfalls of others. The story begins with a narrator discussing the various ways in which the people of Florence were coping with the overwhelming death toll and destruction of social order brought about by the bubonic plague. Some people chose to behave "as though each day was to be their last" (16). The narrator notes that "nowadays, laws relating to pleasure are somewhat restrictive, whereas at that timethey were exceptionally lax." In contrast, however, the seven ladies of our story are found "more or less in a circle, in one part of the church, reciting their paternosters" (17). The eldest of the women, Pampinea, determines it is in their best interests to leave town to protect their lives and virtue. She states that the townspeople, "prompted by their appetites, they will do whatever affords them the greatest pleasureIt is not only of lay people I speak, but also of those enclosed in monasteries[that have] given themselves over to carnal pleasures" (18-19) She asks the other six women, "If this b e so (and we plainly perceive that it is), what are we doing here" (19). In this manner, the seven women decided to leave town, asking "three young men of courage and intelligence" to accompany them as "guides and servants" (21). In this manner, the group sets itself apart from the others in Florence that are just interested in fulfilling sinful desires before their imminent demise. Upon arriving at a well-appointed and vacant country villa, the group and their accompanying servants set up camp. To provide entertainment, they decide they will appoint a group leader each day that will determine how they will pass their time (24). For each of the ten days they are in the villa, they end up telling stories - both lighthearted and tragic - that convey different moral shortcomings of men, women and clergy alike. They each usually preface each tale with a comment on how to avoid the same wretched and sinful natures of the people in the stories, thus making the collection of tales a type of instruction manual on the devious temptations one should avoid in life. For instance, the third story on the first day tells the tale of Saladen, a sultan from Egypt, and "a rich Jew, Melchizedek by name." Saladen asks Melchizedek to choose which religion is authentic, the "Jewish, the Saracen, or the Christian" (42). Because Melchizedek wisely sidesteps Saladen's wicked trap, he avoids giving an answer that would lose him money and possibly his life. He states that he could not choose among them, just like he could not choose among three children. Saladen only asked this question because he coveted Melchizedek's money. Because his wisdom and prudence inspired Saladen, the sultan borrowed money from the man instead of entrapping him as he had originally intended ( 43-44). Many stories in The Decameron point out the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church of plague-era Europe. In this manner, the stories show that even church leaders are not without sinful temptation. In the sixth story, a money-hungry friar comes after "people with bulging purseswhom he deemed to be lacking in faith" (50-51). At the end of the story, the money-hungry friar

Civil Rights Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Civil Rights Movements - Essay Example The United States is a diverse country racially and ethnically. It comprises of six distinct races namely; whites, Asians, African-Americans, American Indians, Native Americans and other races.As a result, there are constant cultural differences resulting in friction and warfare. Before political independence, the Americans depended on the Europeans for survival through provision of labour and other essential services. America was thus under the control of British until 1776 when it declared its independence. America was divided into North and South and differences existed between the two. The south was dependent on cotton plantations and depended solely on agriculture and therefore required cheap labour in the cotton plantations. This prompted slavery in the region as a source of cheap labour. On the other hand, the north depended on industries and turned cotton into finished goods. Urbanization was also rampant due to growth of cities and immigration and did not advocate for slaver y. This often brought about conflicts between the north and south prompting the civil war in 1861-1865 (Jones, 1996). The whites were considered a superior race compared to the others. Racial discrimination was therefore evident and continues to plague America in all aspects of life including social, political, economic and cultural areas. The American independence declared all humans as equal and has inalienable right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and the constitution defended these rights. On this basis, civil rights movements were formed to fight for the rights of the minorities especially segregation and racial discrimination. The movement was particularly powerful in the south where minorities were often mistreated especially due to their conservatism nature and existence of Ku Klux Klan who were resistant to change. This paper discusses and analyzes civil rights movements operations and the varying ideas about how social, political, economic and cultural change co uld be achieved in the United States. American Civil War In order to understand the civil rights movements, it is essential to understand the circumstances surrounding the civil war as it formed the basis for the movements. The war had the worst casualties than all the other wars that had been fought in America including the world wars. According to McPherson (1990), America was experiencing rapid growth in population, territory size and economy as a whole. The population explosion was due to immigration and high birth rates in the north due to industrialization and urbanization. America was also involved in acquisition of new territories through conquering and purchasing such as the Indian Territory hence territorial expansion. Economic growth was a result of industrialization and increased incomes and cheap labour from slavery. The growth led to inequalities in wealth distribution, cultural erosion and increased slavery for the blacks. This often led to class, ethnic and sectional conflicts between north and south. The civil war was prompted by economic and social differences between the north and the south, state versus federal rights, slavery, growth of abolitionist movement as well as the election of Abraham Lincoln among others (Jones, 1996).The south was an agrarian plantation economy and remained bound by traditional values. Family ties, kinship and hierarchy were still important and the south fought to preserve these values. Slavery was thus essential for the regions economy and culture. There was also slow population growth due to migration of people to the cities in the north. The north on the other hand was an industrial capitalist economy characterized by high population growth. Traditional values are of less importance as people from different races worked together in the industrial economy. These conflicting ideologies often led to sectional conflict between the north and south and consequently the civil war. Another factor that led to the civil war

The Financial Aspects of Health Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Financial Aspects of Health Care - Assignment Example h respect to financing health care services; due to the fact that it has a direct relation with regard to be productivity, efficiency, and happiness of the populace that resides within its borders. With respect to the way that the above question is answered, it should not be understood that the government must be responsible for each and every aspect of healthcare payment. Instead, issues relating to cosmetic surgery and medical issues that do not involve direct health and well-being of the patient must be supported by the private sector; ultimately the responsibility of either insurance companies and/or the individual patient themselves. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that the government was responsible for all types of healthcare services, the system would necessarily be abused. Health insurers affect the cost of healthcare with respect to the fact that they are able to set premiums that an individual will be required to pay as a function of having access to their services. Likewise, employers affect the cost of healthcare due to the fact that they seek to defray the overall cost that an individual employee must pay by paying a percentage of the salary that they would otherwise devote to the employee as a function of bringing down the cost of the premiums. Likewise, patients affect the overall cost of healthcare with respect to the issues of supply and demand. Similarly, healthcare workers also affect the cost of health care in terms of issues of supply and demand as well as the overall salary that these individuals are responsible for receiving. Similarly, federal and state governments affect the cost of healthcare due to the fact that they oftentimes provide standardized cost of healthcare for those individuals that are able to afford it and therefore cre ate an unnatural barrier that offsets the cost that other individuals are responsible for paying (Miller, 2012). Similarly, taxpayers offset the cost of healthcare due to the fact that

Public Privacy and Information Security Policy Research Paper

Public Privacy and Information Security Policy - Research Paper Example Home land security involves military intelligence and active field reporting to ensure that there is no offence within the country. Main forces of control include military, city police and special forces which work in tandem with regular regulatory bodies like the traffic and local police. The specificity of local populations makes it easy for the higher ups to ensure security and discipline in the sparsely populated states of America. The homeland security teams are also supported by medical, charitable and specially trained anti-bomb and homicide squads which rush to extend help on the spot in case of emergencies (Newmann, 2002, p.137). The technical decisions are taken by higher officials in the government and while the situation is mostly under control, the government uses extra care in ensuring that the right ammunition, vehicles, gadgets and technical requirements are available to the different squads to ensure that the nation is secure from terrorist attacks and threats to the aspirations and beliefs of the American system. The Homeland Security department is a cabinet that exercises heavy scrutiny on the different aspects of anti-terror mechanism in the states. It comprises of eminent military and senators and ministers of the state and came into existence after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center under the Bush administration which entrusted the Homeland security department of undertaking a multi-faceted approach in ensuring Homeland security (Bush, 2002, p.7). These include studies, innovations, research and applications in the field of emergency preparedness, domestic intelligence, international intelligence, critical infrastructure protection, perimeter protection, stopping child pornography, border security on land, country and maritime borders, transportation security, airtime security, maritime security, biodefense, radioactive element detection and research, radiological material usage, detection and research and

Ernie Davis Essay Example for Free

Ernie Davis Essay A three-time All-American halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, Ernie Davis would go on to win MVP title in both the Cotton Bowl and the Liberty Bowl, and was inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1979. He was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, and to be picked 1st overall in the NFL draft. His career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1962. Athlete. American Football player. Ernie Davis was born on December 14, 1939 in New Salem, Pennsylvania, USA. He is the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy and the first black athlete to be chosen 1st overall in the NFL Draft. A three-time All-American halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, Davis set yardage and scoring records at Syracuse University. He would go on to win MVP title in both the 1960 Cotton Bowl and the 1961 Liberty Bowl, and would be inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1979. His honors and accomplishments on the gridiron were matched only by his adversity off the field; As a black athlete playing many games in the south, he was the victim of racism on several occasions. The most publicized incident occurred when he was selected as the Cotton Bowl MVP in 1960. Davis was told by organizers that he would be allowed to accept his award at the post game banquet, and would immediately have to leave the segregated facility. Ernie refused to receive the award, and his entire team agreed to boycott the banquet. A man of firsts, Ernie Davis was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, the first to join the prestigious Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity (a nationally recognized Jewish fraternity) and, in 1962, became the first African American player to be picked 1st overall in the NFL draft. Tragic Death Although the details are somewhat disputed, Davis contract was considered to be the most lucrative ever offered to an NFL rookie. His teammates and supporters looked forward to seeing Ernie sharing the backfield with the great Jim Brown, breaking countless records and leading the Cleveland Browns to a decade of victorious seasons. Those seasons would never come, however, as Ernie was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia during preparations for the 1962 College All Star Game. Although treatment had begun immediately, the disease would prove incurable and Ernie died on May 18, 1963 Having never played a professional football game. Both the House and the Senate eulogized him, and his wake was in The Neighborhood House in Elmira, New York, where more than 10,000 mourners paid their respects. Accolades from JFK His character and his athletic accomplishments caught the eye of John F. Kennedy, who had followed Ernies college career and made several attempts to meet the star. In 1963, when he heard Ernie would be honored by his high school with a school holiday, the president sent a telegram reading: Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. Its a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you. Ernie Davis was the subject of the 2008 Universal Pictures film The Express, based on the non-fiction book Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express, by Robert C. Gallagher.

Triangle Love Intimacy

Triangle Love Intimacy Triangle of Love Robert J. Sternberg, psychologist and dean of the Tufts School of Arts and Sciences proposed a triangular theory of love that suggests that there are three components of love: intimacy, passion, and commitment. Different combinations of these three components result in different types of love. For example, a mixture of intimacy and commitment results in compassionate love, while a mixture of passion and intimacy leads to passionate love. Sternberg often said, â€Å"relationships built on two or more elements are more enduring that those based upon a single component† [Tufts p 19]. Sternberg uses the term consummate love to describe a combination of intimacy, passion, and commitment. While this type of love is the strongest and most enduring, Sternberg suggests that this type of love is rare. He wrote that even as a teenager he was intrigued by the mystery of why some relationships succeed while others fail. This is why early in his academic career he developed an explanation, which he calls the â€Å"triangular theory of love.† His theory is based on the observation â€Å"that love consists of three components . . . intimacy, passion, and commitment. Different combinations and strengths of those three ingredients,† Sternberg says, â€Å"produce different kinds of love.† [Tufts p. 20] Intimacy is the feelings in a relationship that promote closeness, bonding, and connecting with one another. Passion is what drives the romance, physical attraction, and sexual consummation in a loving relationship. Commitment consists of two parts.   The first is a short-term aspect in which you make the decision that you love another person and the second part is the long-term aspect in which you decide to commit to a long-term relationship and maintaining the love for that person over a long period of time [Everything2]. Sternberg also gives a detailed explanation of the types of love. â€Å"Infatuated love†, for example, is all passion, without intimacy or commitment. Romantic love has passion and intimacy but lacks commitment. â€Å"Companionate love,† he says, â€Å"results when we have only intimacy and commitment, as in a long-term deep friendship.† The kind of love that embodies all three components he calls â€Å"consummate love† [Tufts p.21]. Sternberg uses the triangle to describe different way we evolve to being in love. Each side of the triangle represents the proportion of each component with respect to the other two. The shape of the triangle that Sternberg uses is supposed to symbolize the balance between intimacy, passion and commitment, because it is equal on all sides. This is the kind of love we all hope for at one point and time. It is also the kind of love we tend to associate with living a life full of love and happiness. Sternberg acknowledges that few human relationships can maintain this perfect balance indefinitely, yet many relationships succeed in the face of enormous obstacles because both parties highly value consummate love, seek it out and work hard to maintain it. [Tufts p. 21] Sternberg wanted his theory of love to show us true love should develop, but it also meant to be used as to show us how we can develop loving and caring relationships with everyone that is apart of our life. In his study of human relationships, Sternberg discovered that â€Å"couples tended to be happier when they had more of the three components of love. And it helped if their love triangles matched in size and shape—that is, if the amount and kind of love each partner felt for the other was about the same.† [Tufts p. 21] I think that the love triangle is great. When the intensity of love shared by two people is great, so is the area of the love triangle and vice versa. However, the greater a specific component of love, like passion, the further the point from the center of the triangle will be to that component. This is why the shape of the love triangle is reliant on the strength of the different workings of love. The shape of the triangle will and should evolve over time. We may achieve such perfect forms of love as consummate love, but we all know that perfect of love is hard to maintain over time because to sustain it, we must nourish all of its components. The more a couple works on keeping the three components of consummate love in balance and nourished, the more likely such a love will be maintained for a long period of time. Love its self is so strong. I have been â€Å"in love† a few times. When I did this writing assignment I realize that I was not really in love until I met my husba nd. I took the triangle and compared the components to my past relationships and there is no comparison to what I have now. In society today, when someone mentions the word â€Å"Love† it is guaranteed that at least half the people surrounding you will shudder. Whether it is through observation or experience, people have come to learn that love is far from being the ideal state in which one should live in and, for that matter; many choose to stay away from it. It is known to break hearts, to hurt feelings and, believe it or not, it truly is not always happily ever after. Yes, Love does have its positive points. It is thrilling and exciting when youre in love, it is sometimes even euphoric but the argument here is not whether Love is good or bad for you. You and only you can make that decision. Works Cited Sternberg, Robert J. 2007. Happily ever after, Tufts Magazine 14: 3) 19-23. http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=emotion

Xenon :: essays research papers

Xenon Xenon is element number 54 on the periodic table of the elements. It has a mass of roughly 131 atomic mass units. There are 77 neutrons and 54 protons in the nucleus of the atom. The symbol for xenon is Xe and it belongs to the family of elements called the noble gases. It is called a noble gas because the valance shell of one atom contains a full shell. Xenon is one of the most stable elements on the table. The 54 electrons are arranged, so that there are 2 in the 1st shell, 8 in the 2nd, 18 in the 3rd, 18 in the 4th and lastly 8 in the 5th shell. The melting and boiling points of xenon are extremely low. They are -111 °C and -107 °C respectively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Xenon and most of the other noble gases were discovered by Sir William Ramsey and M.W. Travers from England in 1898. The two scientists discovered it mistakenly while experimenting with crude krypton, another noble gas. They were separating the elements in the crude krypton through a process called fractional distillation. In fractional distillation, the process separates two elements that have different boiling points. Basic-ally, when a sample is heated, the faster element leaves first, leaving the second element behind. Krypton was known to have a boiling point at a temperature that is lower than xenon. So the scientists could predict that heating the mixture would leave krypton in the container, while the faster boiling xenon leaving it. After the two scientists separated krypton and xenon, they identified it as a new element through the emission spectrum of the gas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Xenon is used heavily in light bulbs. Many of the bulbs in camera flashes have xenon in them, because they can be used over 10,000 times without burning out, as well as producing a good balance of all colors. Xenon is also used in medical purposes. Local anesthesia is made up of 20% oxygen and 80% xenon. Xenon also can be injected or breathed into the body to give clearer M.R.I.'s or X-rays. In addition to the uses above, xenon is also in movie projector lamps, advertising lights, and bubble chambers, Bubble chambers are devices used by physicists that are used to detect nuclear radiation. The element is very chemically stable and unradioactive and is generally not harmful to man. Xenon is also nonflammable. It is only when it combines with other elements that xenon becomes hazardous. Xenon compounds are highly radioactive. This element accounts for a very minimal amount of the earth's crust. Only 3x10-9% of the earth contains xenon.

The Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman Essay

Exploring the Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman   Ã‚  Ã‚   Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man confronting failure in a success-driven society. Willy Loman represents all American men that have striven for success but, instead, have reaped failure in its most bitter form. Arthur Miller's tragic drama is a probing portrait of the typical American male psyche portraying an extreme craving for success and superior status. Death of Salesman follows the decline of a man into lunacy and the subsequent effect this has on those around him, particularly his family. Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantly aspires to become 'great'. Nevertheless, Willy has a waning career as a salesman and is an aging man who considers himself to be a failure but is incapable of consciously admitting it. As a result, the drama of the play lies not so much in its events, but in Willy's deluded perception and recollection of them as the audience gradually witness the tragic demise of a helpless man. In creating Willy Loman, Miller presents the audience with a tragic figure of human proportions. Miller characterises the ordinary man (the 'low man') and ennobles his achievements. Willy's son, Biff, calls his father a 'prince', evoking a possible comparison with Shakespeare's Hamlet, prince of Denmark.. Thus, the play appeals greatly to the audience because it elevates an ordinary American to heroic status. Death of a Salesman seems to conform to the 'tragic' tradition that there is an anti-hero whose state of hamartia causes him to suffer. The audience is compelled to genuinely sympathise with Willy's ... ...ion of American Society and the nature of individuality. Death of a Salesman may be interpreted as being solely a play about the failing America and the jagged edges of a shattered dream but it does, nevertheless, engage Miller's belief that 'the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy as kings are'. Works Cited and Consulted Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Eisinger, Chester E. "Focus on Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman': The Wrong Dreams," in American Dreams, American Nightmares, (1970 rpt In clc. Detroit: Gale Research. 1976 vol. 6:331 Hayashi, Tetsumaro.   Arthur Miller Criticism.   Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1969. Miller, Arthur.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965. ---.   Eight Plays.   New York:   Nelson Doubleday, 1981. The Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman Essay Exploring the Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman   Ã‚  Ã‚   Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man confronting failure in a success-driven society. Willy Loman represents all American men that have striven for success but, instead, have reaped failure in its most bitter form. Arthur Miller's tragic drama is a probing portrait of the typical American male psyche portraying an extreme craving for success and superior status. Death of Salesman follows the decline of a man into lunacy and the subsequent effect this has on those around him, particularly his family. Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantly aspires to become 'great'. Nevertheless, Willy has a waning career as a salesman and is an aging man who considers himself to be a failure but is incapable of consciously admitting it. As a result, the drama of the play lies not so much in its events, but in Willy's deluded perception and recollection of them as the audience gradually witness the tragic demise of a helpless man. In creating Willy Loman, Miller presents the audience with a tragic figure of human proportions. Miller characterises the ordinary man (the 'low man') and ennobles his achievements. Willy's son, Biff, calls his father a 'prince', evoking a possible comparison with Shakespeare's Hamlet, prince of Denmark.. Thus, the play appeals greatly to the audience because it elevates an ordinary American to heroic status. Death of a Salesman seems to conform to the 'tragic' tradition that there is an anti-hero whose state of hamartia causes him to suffer. The audience is compelled to genuinely sympathise with Willy's ... ...ion of American Society and the nature of individuality. Death of a Salesman may be interpreted as being solely a play about the failing America and the jagged edges of a shattered dream but it does, nevertheless, engage Miller's belief that 'the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy as kings are'. Works Cited and Consulted Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Eisinger, Chester E. "Focus on Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman': The Wrong Dreams," in American Dreams, American Nightmares, (1970 rpt In clc. Detroit: Gale Research. 1976 vol. 6:331 Hayashi, Tetsumaro.   Arthur Miller Criticism.   Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1969. Miller, Arthur.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965. ---.   Eight Plays.   New York:   Nelson Doubleday, 1981.

Giuliani :: essays research papers

When Mayor Giuliani first began his campaign for mayor he placed a strong emphasis on quality of life, crime, business, and education. This strategy proved to be very successful and he was appointed as the 107th Mayor of New York. As Giuliani began his term began to follow through on his promises and made several changes in many of New York’s important bureaus ("Biography of Rudolph,† n.d.). The first task that Giuliani took was that of decreasing the amount of crime that was present in New York. He implemented new strategies that have since become models that many other large cities from around the world have followed. While Giuliani was mayor, overall crime was down 57%, and murder was decreased by 65%. With these statistics, New York was recognized by the FBI as the safest large city in the world for five continuous years ("Biography of Rudolph,† n.d.). Another area that Giuliani implemented change was in the area of welfare. At the beginning of his term as mayor, one out of seven New York residents was on welfare. Giuliani started a program which would bring work to these residents and help them to become able to support themselves financially. Through this program 640,000 people were able to get off welfare and stop relying on welfare money provided by the government ("Biography of Rudolph,† n.d.). The last area that Giuliani brought change to was the area of education. Giuliani felt that this was a very important and focused on increasing money for education and bringing up standards. He helped to bring the student-teacher ratio to the lowest it had been in many years and increased available money for education by four million dollars.

Mri Notes

Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital A Community Hospital White Paper 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 1 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital CONTENTS Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Making the Business Case †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 The Business Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Reasons for Bringing MRI to your Hospital†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Financial Considerations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Selecting the Equipment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Comparing Te chnologies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Equipment Features †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 Search Process †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Managing the MRI Program †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Operations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Staffing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Siting †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Marketing the Program †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 14 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 15 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 3 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 1 INTRODUCTION MRI is one of today’s fastest growing imaging modalities, spurred in part by rapid advances in technology and important new applications in patient care. Recent statistics also suggest that expanding Medicare reimbursements and the growing demands of an informed and aging population for healthcare services are elevating MRI utilization to new levels.Is your community hospital considering adding this exp anding and often lucrative modality? This paper will help you answer that question. It looks at the business and financial aspects of an MRI program, reviews MRI technologies and features, and discusses management of an MRI program. Overall, it shows how implementing an MRI program will enhance existing medical services and better meet community needs. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 1 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 5 ProfitabilityPerforming a number of standard financial analyses will help determine the potential profitability of your proposed MRI program. Generally, the financial analyses should cover the first five years of your program. The standard financial analyses are: Breakeven analysis. A breakeven analysis will show how many examinations must be performed to cover MRI program costs. The specific breakeven point is calculated by dividing the fixed costs (such as equipment, space, personnel, maintenance, and utilities) by the payment per exam minus the variable costs (such as supplies, fees, and billing costs) per exam.It may turn out that your breakeven point is 1,000 exams, but your market analysis indicates demand for only 700 exams. In this case, you may want to analyze growth trends to determine when or whether your MRI program could break even in the future. You may also want to look at restructuring your proposed program to make it financially feasible. Return on investment (ROI). ROI is one of the most common measures of profitability and can indicate whether spending money on an MRI program is a good use of your hospital’s resources. It is calculated by dividing net income by the cost of the investment.Net income can be approximated by looking at the demand, payer mix, and utilization rate for various MRI procedures in your market and estimating your revenues. The investment number includes not only the cost of the equipment under each financing option, but also the costs of running the program (includin g the costs of staffing, marketing, any needed construction, and administration). Given the number of variables contributing to the ROI calculation, changing the structure of your proposed MRI program can increase your return on your MRI investment.Internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV). IRR and NPV are commonly used to analyze whether a capital expenditure (such as the purchase of MRI equipment) will yield the revenue wanted in the future; they can also be used to choose among various investment proposals (such as different types of MRI equipment or different financing options). Net present value is calculated by a mathematical process involving the estimated revenues and expenses of an investment. The calculation can help determine whether the anticipated cash flows 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. xd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 5 6 A Community Hospital White Paper will cover the cost of capital and recover the costs of the investment. IRR (defined as the rate of interest at which the incremental NPV of a proposal is zero) is another way to look at the value of a capital expenditure – by looking at the rate of return on the investment. If a calculation shows that the IRR is above the cost of capital, the proposed investment should be profitable. These two calculations help determine whether the investment is economically feasible for the hospital.Again, the information needed for these analyses can be obtained from equipment vendors, commercial databases, and outside suppliers. Financing Options Hospitals can use a number of methods or creative hybrids from these methods to acquire both fixed and mobile MRI. Deciding how you will pay for your MRI system requires achieving the right balance between using available cash and accessing debt. Using available cash may make sense if there are few other capital projects on the horizon and cash flow from operations is strong.Using debt instruments, such as bonds, bank loans, or leases, however, may pr eserve available cash for other capital projects, provide a better financial return on the capital project, or simply make the project affordable by reducing the capital outlay to a monthly operating expense. Consider the following options: Cash Purchase. The main advantage of a cash purchase is that your hospital would own the equipment outright; the equipment becomes an asset on your balance sheet and no debt or liability is created.Making the purchase, however, would involve the use of a significant amount of available cash, which would then no longer be available to support other projects or for future financial needs. Leasing. Leasing moves much of the funding to your operational budget and minimizes credit requirements. In addition, it provides better matching of revenues and expenses on a monthly basis. Some types of leases allow you to build equity into the lease and purchase the MRI equipment for a small capital outlay at the end of your agreement. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR 5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 6 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital Bonds. Using bonds allows your hospital to raise significant capital to fund long-term and short-term projects through one debt issue. The bond offering can be made on a tax-exempt basis, so the interest due on the principal is typically calculated at a very attractive rate. A bond offering may take six to nine months to execute, however, and may involve significant costs. More importantly, including assets that have economic and useful lives shorter than the term of the bond in a bond issue produces debt without any continuing benefit to your hospital; there would be a mismatch between revenues and expenses.Bank Loans. If your hospital has an existing relationship with a bank, it may be quickest and easiest to fund your technology acquisitions through a bank line of credit. Given banks’ size and access to capital, they typically offer attractive finance rates for full payout loans. Your hospital may be r equired to keep a compensating balance at your bank, however, and one technology purchase may consume available credit lines that your hospital may need for other capital projects or working capital needs.Another drawback to using a bank loan is that banks will only finance the technology acquisition itself; they will not pay for the installation or the costs of professional services associated with the equipment. Your hospital may want to purchase MRI equipment independently to meet your own imaging needs. You could then lease access to the equipment part time to other facilities at fees that could help pay for the purchase. Your hospital may also consider a shared purchase of MRI equipment.Partnering with other local hospitals or independent imaging centers offers the advantages of sharing financial burdens and risks, while acquiring the ability to provide MRI services. Frequently, the participating facilities form a partnership or limited liability corporation to serve as the umb rella for the purchase, and the financial arrangements and responsibilities would be specified in the formal agreement. This arrangement reduces the costs and financial risk for each partner, while allowing each partner to provide MRI services. Co-funded MRI acquisitions may be either direct purchases or leases. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. xd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 7 8 A Community Hospital White Paper SELECTING THE EQUIPMENT Rapid developments in MRI technology mean that your hospital will be faced with an array of equipment and features. Your selection will depend on your business objectives and clinical requirements. Your goal is to select the equipment most appropriate and cost-effective for delivering the high-quality images you need today, while allowing for new applications and upgrades in the future. Equipment vendors can help you sort through your options to acquire the capabilities you need without paying for features you will not use.The sections below discuss some of the basic technologies and features available to you. Comparing Technologies Magnet Given the growth in the number of MRI applications and rapid advances in MRI technology, MRI may become your radiology department’s workhorse. Therefore, your hospital should start with a solid, proven platform. While some applications still use a sub-1T magnet, a 1. 5T magnet is now the standard, because it can both handle current applications and accommodate future applications and upgrades. A 3T magnet is available, but it represents truly innovative technology and might be more powerful than most hospitals need.Mobile vs. Fixed MRI As noted above, mobile MRI is housed in a specialized van and can readily be shared among hospitals and healthcare facilities. Mobile MRI is frequently acquired when a hospital expects a small volume of exams, when the hospital wants to test an MRI program before leasing or purchasing, or when the hospital does not have the financial resources to purchase fixed equi pment. Some hospitals use mobile MRI to supplement overburdened fixed MRI equipment, provide capacity while waiting to purchase additional fixed equipment, extend radiology services into other geographic areas, or maintain service during building projects.A main drawback of mobile MRI is its accessibility – the equipment may not be available when it is needed. Patients and referring physicians may have to wait for several days or even weeks for procedures. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 8 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 9 Fixed MRI may be located inside the hospital or in a nearby building. Because it is right at the hospital, it is very convenient to use. Patients may be able to get their exams within a day, emergency room doctors can get studies the same day, and diagnoses can be made or confirmed very quickly.Physicians can use in-house equipment to confirm results and to make sure that proper care is given and they can draw on the medical s ervices provided by other departments in the hospital, if needed. Fixed MRI facilitates patient care. It is easier to move seriously ill, elderly, or emergency room patients to an in-house MRI than to transport them to mobile or distant equipment. In-house and fixed facilities also tend to be more comfortable and attractive than mobile ones and patients can use other hospital services and facilities at the same time. Open vs. Closed MRIApproximately 28% of MRI installations are of open MRI (according to the IMV 2002/03 MRI Census Market Summary Report ). Open MRI is considered more comfortable for patients, particularly children, the elderly, the obese, and the claustrophobic, and may thus reduce the need for patient sedation and the number of incomplete exams. Until now, the strength of the magnet in most open MRI systems has been comparatively weak (no more than 0. 7T), which has limited the quality of the images and has not supported a full range of applications. A new class of M RI systems was introduced in the summer of 2004, called Open Bore MRI, with stronger 1. T magnets and the ability to offer 60% of exams with the patient’s head outside the magnet. These new systems have the same image quality as closed MRI systems and are able to support as many applications. Closed MRI has traditionally used a stronger magnet, which has led to clearer images and has allowed closed MRI systems to support a broader range of applications and many new technological advances and upgrades. Some newer closed MRI equipment has been designed to be more comfortable for patients and to reduce the acoustic noise level by up to 97%. The technological advances in open MRI may reduce the differences in technological capabilities between open and closed MRI systems. *Results may vary. Data on file. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 9 10 A Community Hospital White Paper Equipment Features Image Quality Image quality is one of the primary MRI consideratio ns. Factors affecting quality include strength of the magnet, high field computer performance, sequence selections, and 3D postprocessing. Differences in image quality can be seen by comparing sample images produced by all the equipment being considered.Workflow and Productivity MRI benefits from a broad range of new productivity-enhancing tools that may allow you to serve more patients and make the best use of your equipment and staff. Advanced scanners have the ability to do seamless whole-body imaging with a single coil, eliminating the need to reconfigure coils and reposition patients. These can cut scanning time by as much as 50% to 75%. * Others allow simultaneous scanning of more limited anatomical areas with up to four integrated coils, delivering similar benefits.Both allow the user to select exams, not coils, and provide the highest acquisition speed without image artifacts, while promoting patient comfort. This enhanced workflow enables more patients to be seen during a d ay and often paves the way for handling of a greater patient volume and increased profits. Additionally, recent advances in MRI technologies allow the processing of MRI images during, rather than following, the ex amination, which produces results faster. Others automatically position slices for reproducible, consistent results.New developments also promote clinical efficiency by improving workflow and eliminating duplicate tasks. This includes reducing examination set-up time through single-mouse-click coil positioning. Another new technology eliminates the need to reenter patient exam parameters by allowing existing images to be dragged and dropped onto the patient list and even to be transferred from images on email or CDs. Some manufacturers provide a common interface across all modalities and applications, including MRI, to reduce learning curves and facilitate practice management. *Results may vary. Data on file. 4-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 10 Bringin g MRI to Your Community Hospital 11 Patient Comfort Some new technologies make MRI procedures more comfortable for patients, which in turn makes clinical time more productive. These technologies may reduce noise level, eliminating the need for ear protection; reduce scan time, which makes the procedure less stressful for patients; allow for more comfortable horizontal loading; or allow patients to keep their heads outside the bore, minimizing claustrophobia. Open MRI technology accommodates anxious, obese, or claustrophobic patients, particularly children.Search Process A multifunctional search team, including radiologists, technologists, administrators, and IT professionals, should be appointed to analyze the equipment options and make recommendations. The search should be driven by the goals of your program in terms of improved patient care and financial feasibility, the technological features specified by radiologists, and the procedure needs of referring physicians. The search p rocess should include detailed comparisons of the features and image quality of the equipment made by different vendors.Members of the team should visit sites where the equipment is used, interview radiologists and technologists working with the equipment, and request and review a range of images made by the equipment. Some equipment vendors may allow a short-term trial of the equipment or special features before purchase. Many hospitals consider it important to purchase as much equipment as possible from the same vendor. For smaller hospitals, where technologists may perform many different types of procedures, having one vendor makes cross-training on different modalities easier.The relationship with a single vendor may also contribute to the efficient running of the radiology department and may expedite repairs and other needed services. At the end of the search process, the team should make recommendations on which specific equipment and features to purchase. The team may also se t out a schedule for making regular upgrades to the equipment or for purchasing additional features or applications. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 11 12 A Community Hospital White Paper MANAGING THE MRI PROGRAMWhen bringing MRI to your community hospital, you will have to make decisions about overall management of the program. Planning should cover four areas – operations, staffing, siting, and marketing. Operations Patients and physicians both want the MRI program to run smoothly, efficiently, and in a timely manner. When implementing the program, the hospital will have to keep an eye on the scheduling of patients for efficient utilization of equipment, patient throughput, patient comfort and education, efficient handling of paperwork and archiving of images, and timely communication.A Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) has become a necessity in managing an MRI program. The hospital should plan on monitoring the operations of the progr am and should expect to make changes to increase operating effectiveness. For example, the hospital may find that it wants to extend hours of service or hire additional personnel to handle paperwork and scheduling. Staffing For a community hospital, an MRI program requires one or more radiologists, technologists, administrators, and possibly also technologist aides.There is currently a shortfall in the number of available radiology professionals, so it may be necessary to develop a recruiting program that sets out how the hospital supports and meets the needs of its employees. Radiology professionals will look for a competitive salary and benefits, good working conditions, flexible and reasonable schedules and workloads, and opportunities for growth and development within the profession. They are particularly interested in keeping up with technological advances and in having opportunities to learn new modalities.During recruiting visits and interviews, most radiology professionals c heck whether a hospital has the latest technologies and equipment. Many radiologists look for the use of a nighthawk service at night or over weekends to make their workloads manageable. Nighthawks, who can be located anywhere in the world, are sent images digitally over the Internet for remote reading. A PACS system facilitates the sharing of images betw een the hospital and the nighthawks. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 12Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 13 The hospital may also need to consider whether it will be able to pursue a number of the standard options for making sure that it has sufficient staff: Using temporary or short-term workers, provided by a healthcare staffing company or recruited from locum tenens services Sharing radiology professionals among joint venture partners or local radiology practices Using creative scheduling, such as job-sharing or part-time arrangements Cross-training technologists on different modalitiesGiven the shor tfall in available radiology professionals, a hospital will want to pay attention to retaining its staff. An effective retention program must be built into the staffing plan for the MRI program. Retention strategies may include giving staff opportunities for career growth through learning new technologies and modalities, creating a supportive work environment, and following through on all the commitments made during the recruiting process. Siting Given the physical requirements of fixed MRI equipment, administrators will have to decide where they want to site the program.Existing vs. New Space An MRI’s powerful magnetic field limits the possible locations for the equipment. The magnet room must be built with specific construction materials and can contain only certain fixtures and additional equipment. An existing site within the hospital will need significant structural renovation to eliminate all ferrous metals to ensure patient safety and protect your equipment. It is nece ssary to compare the costs of renovating and of building new space to help contain expenses associated with the program.Equipment vendors are a good source of information on the requirements of a magnet room and the work needed to create a safe and comfortable site for your MRI program. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 13 14 A Community Hospital White Paper Inside-the-Hospital vs. Freestanding Outpatient Facility MRI exams are frequently outpatient procedures. Locating your MRI program in an outpatient facility has the obvious advantages of reducing hospital crowding, enhancing throughput, and reducing the complications of hospital visits for ambulatory patients.Other outpatient facility siting benefits include flexibility in financing, through joint ventures and shared equipment, and larger physical space with the possibility of expansion. However, if your primary goal is to meet in-patient imaging needs, an inside-the-hospital location is safer and easier, pa rticularly for critically ill patients. Other advantages are the availability of the full range of on-site medical services and the proximity to in-house physicians and referring physicians with offices near the hospital.Marketing the Program A community hospital can best market its new MRI program by involving the community during the development of the program and by using specific marketing techniques. Community Involvement Many community hospitals have found that creating strong community involvement in the program leads to high patient volume. It may be effective to: Draw local businesses and business associations, such as a Chamber of Commerce, into the planning process and any necessary fundraisingCreate a hospital website that keeps the community informed about progress, educates potential future patients about your new services and the benefits of MRI, shows pictures of the new equipment, and links to the equipment vendor’s website for additional information Speak ab out the program and MRI to local community groups and at school programs Hold an open house and give tours of your new facilities Media Relations Given the strong popular interest in healthcare issues, it may be possible to interest local newspapers, magazines, television, and radio stations into reporting on your new MRI program and its benefits.Distributing a press release describing your program, making hospital administrations and radiology professionals available for interviews, and hosting media events may be effective in publicizing your program. 04-201-XO-491_Bringing_MR5. qxd 12/10/04 10:05 AM Page 14 Bringing MRI to Your Community Hospital 15 Marketing Communications Some hospitals have found it effective to develop written materials that explain and publicize their program and the new MRI technology.These materials can include brochures that educate patients and answer questions about MRI technology and benefits, brochures for referring physicians that describe the new im aging services, handouts with contact and procedural information, and print advertisements for local media. Equipment manufacturers are a good source of cost-effective assistance in developing marketing communications. CONCLUSION MRI technology can provide numerous benefits to your hospital by enhancing the speed and accuracy of diagnoses, facilitating earlier and more accurate treatment of medical conditions, and generating additional revenue.Making the decision to implement an MRI program involves analyzing the marketplace and the financial aspects of the program and planning for managing and marketing the program. A critical decision is which MRI equipment and applications will meet the needs of the hospital and the community. Many of the newest technologies provide significant benefits in terms of quality, efficiency, and patient comfort. Given the cost of the equipment, the hospital should compare various financing options, including direct purchase, leasing, and joint ventures .

Breathing Rate

Breathing into a wrapping tube that’s quite long will most likely have the same effect as when breathing through a paper bag, a practice most commonly associated with trying to relieve hyperventilation. Although the wrapping tube is open at the other end and will not totally hamper breathing, it seems long enough to contain the carbon dioxide that the child exhales so that when the child inhales again he will probably breathe in a considerable portion of the carbon dioxide that he breathed out earlier. Naturally, this would lead to an increased amount of this gas in the lungs and in the blood.Although what our body utilizes in the production of energy is oxygen, it is the carbon dioxide levels which the brain monitors, so that when it falls below or rises above its normal level, the brain sends signals to the body to regulate breathing correspondingly. This is irregardless of the oxygen levels, i. e. the amount of oxygen in the blood might stay at normal levels but if the amou nt of carbon dioxide fluctuates, the body will alter the breathing or respiration rate accordingly (Science Museum of Minnesota).As the child breathes repeatedly into the wrapping tube, an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the blood will tell his brain that his body needs to take in more oxygen so that the normal carbon dioxide-oxygen balance is restored. This will therefore lead to an increase in the respiration rate so that more oxygen can be taken in. However, if the child goes on breathing through the tube, then he will continuously inhale air which has more carbon dioxide and he will be at risk for more serious physiological effects (e. g. headaches, dizziness) as the carbon dioxide levels in his blood continues to rise (Smith).This is the reason why there are arguments against the use of the â€Å"paper bag technique† to alleviate hyperventilation. For mild cases, breathing into a paper bag may help counter hyperventilation since doing so will increase the carbon dio xide levels just enough to induce the appropriate breathing rate that will restore the carbon dioxide-oxygen balance in the body. However, it is not advisable to breathe continuously into a paper bag (Youngerman-Cole) since, as with the case of prolonged breathing into a wrapping tube, the inhaled carbon dioxide levels may reach levels that are high enough to cause serious physiological effects.Works Cited: Science Museum of Minnesota. Habits of the Heart : Ins and Outs of Respiration. 2000. 5 Mar. 2008 . Smith, Garry K. Nucleo De Espeleologia De Condeixa: CARBON DIOXIDE, CAVES and YOU. 1997. 5 Mar. 2008 . Youngerman-Cole, Sydney . CIGNA : Hyperventilation. 21 Nov. 2006. 6 Mar. 2008 .

Politics of Volkswagen Essay

One can be forgiven for overlooking the categories of cars when asked about politics in one’s country – they seemed too commonplace and mundane to be considered anything political. In the mainstream thought, cars are a means of transportation, to travel from one point to another. Some conservationists may argue on the environmental agenda, while others may think of cars as one of the main industries driving the economy. Nothing more is thought of these mean machines that move the world. Yet, the history cars possess has political backgrounds, given that they were considered technological advancements in their early days. Using Volkswagen as the main case study, this paper will examine cars in a political-visual aspect and the impact they have on the people through the ages. It will also consider the consequences of the car – the economical impact by the car industry, environmental impact by the car and the different law and policies enacted for the car and the us ers. Last but not least, the iconic Volkswagen Beetle will be featured and explained on its influence on the lives of many. As this paper attempts to cover a lot of ground, the focus will be on the impact by Volkswagen on the world. The History of Volkswagen The Fà ¼hrer addressed the nation on the Volkswagen. It is understood that the term ‘Volkswagen’ was a brainchild of Adolf Hitler, the Fà ¼hrer of the Nazi Germany. However, what is less understood is how Volkswagen came about. The supposed ‘People’s Car’ was more than political rhetoric; it was a determination in Hitler’s political ambitions to provide the car to the masses in a time where the Car was out of reach and seemingly for the elite. Although there were cars from the rival companies, like the Mercedes 170H, the Volkswagen was a car company started off from scratch, fueled by the designs by the Chief Designer, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. Brought together by a car salesman, Jakob Werlin, both Hitler and Porsche discussed ideas of this new project that the Nazi government was willing to embark on. Though there were strong skepticism from the Society of German Automobile Manufacturers and the preparations were taking longer than usual, the interest for the Volkswagen never died down. Herr Wilhe lm von Opel, the owner of the Volkswagen’s rival Opel, produced a similar car for the mass public in 1936. Hitler quickly doused water on the Opel project by taking its key supplies of iron and steel under the control of Nazi government, thus making the 1,000 Marks Volkswagen Project a possibility. Along with the Nazi might, the Volkswagen project was rolling with estate, funds and supplies from the Nazi Government. The Fà ¼hrer and committee were led around on the inspection of the Volkswagen. The significance of Volkswagen as a car project is of huge importance here. The term ‘People’s Car’ was no longer a catchphrase for the politicians; it was not bait for the people, but something tangible for the people to admire and work towards. This worked well with the Germans – they were under hard times and the conceptualization of a People’s Car would be the best form of motivation to work hard to join the ranks of developed nations after the double fiasco of World War 1 reparations and the Great Depression. Towards the end of the decade, exhibitions of the car prototypes were present throughout every Nazi parade, giving the German people hope that they soon could afford the car. Never has an image of a car fuelled public hopes, this contributed to a fervent support for the Nazi rule. The Prototypes: The three ready-made prototypes for public viewing. The Volkswagen Project was almost dead at the end of the World War, but for a Major Ivan Hirst and Dr. Heinz Nordhoff, who later became the Managing Director of Volkswagen. The Nazi Government no longer existed; the political mantra behind the project was no longer applicable. The name was also no longer linked to the Nazi government, although its history was steeped in the Nazi programs. Yet, despite all these, the Volkswagen brand and group went to influence the world in different ways, sticking strictly to the philosophy behind its name – the People’s Car. Visuals of Volkswagen Throughout the decades of Volkswagen, the strong advertisements and pictorials of Volkswagen proved popular with people around the world, starting with Germany. The early days of Volkswagen was during the Hitler period and he managed to get 300,000 Germans to sign up for the â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† (Kraft Durch Freude) savings scheme for the Volkswagen. Although this did not result in any form of Volkswagen supplied, it was an indication on how strong the demand for the Volkswagen was. English translation: 5 Marks a week you need to save, if you want to own a car. The poster all around Nazi Germany was like the above, where the â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† movement was in place. The savings scheme was a motivation to achieve the desired People’s Car and for a lot of the working class Germans, this proved to be hugely popular. English Translation: â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† Calendar 1939. The Calendar was one of the many tools to get the Germans interested in the Volkswagen. After the revival of the company, the phenomenon spread to America, where the impression of Volkswagen was hugely popular with the middle-class folks. This set the impression that the Volkswagen was indeed a People’s Car. The association with diplomats increased the prestige of the Volkswagen. Volkswagen has brought prestige, once associated with the elites, down to the man on the street. Volkswagen was known to have such teasing ad designs in America, and was not afraid to include celebrities or bring in creative artwork with cheeky descriptions. This escalated the Volkswagen brand to a cult, with different subcultures following it, namely the â€Å"Hippies† movement with the Volkswagen Beetle. Volkswagen, with its range of iconic cars, managed to inspire liberalist thinking amongst the people while ensuring the capitalist ideal existed – hard-earned money for a well-deserved reward. The Symbol of Volkswagen The Volkswagen Logo over the years The symbol of Volkswagen has not visibly changed much over the years, as the recognizable â€Å"VW† has been the signature of the brand. The â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† logo had similarities to the Nazi swastika when it first came out, heavily associating it with the brand of Nazi programs. When the British took over, the car logo was kept along with the name, despite it being a Nazi relic as any form of car was not presented to the people under the Nazi rule and no other company wanted to take over the company, given the â€Å"ugly† design of the renamed Volkswagen Beetle. Since then, the Volkswagen brand has become the third largest automobile firm in the world. When people see the Volkswagen logo, they think of the superiority of the car made affordable to the people rather than its Nazi past. The Impact of Volkswagen Through clever marketing and a strong ethos, the Volkswagen philosophy managed to sell well to the people. Yet, there is an underlying political message to be derived from the sale of Volkswagen cars, the ideal People’s Car. Having a Volkswagen on the street would represent the reality of the common man achieving his dreams of finally owning one. This would represent a political message on two different grounds – the governmental and the individual. One of the definitions of the rich was to own a car. The car would represent the luxury of being affluent – the comfort, the convenience and the social status. The masses could only look on with envy as they proceeded on with their daily lives looking at the rich in shiny transportation while the rich looked down on them from high carriages. This impression struck a chord in the common man’s mind while he raged a revolution in different places – turning monarchies into anything but it. As such, governmen ts would like to ensure that the population would not throw a revolution – the symbol of a Volkswagen would provide a perfect crowd pleaser to the population then. For the government these days, the appeal of Volkswagen still exists: the existence of a Volkswagen in many countries still provides the same effect on the people – it’s their car. As long as the Volkswagen is on the street, the government has done their ‘supposed’ job to provide cheap transportation to the people. To the people, beyond the dreams of owning a car, the Volkswagen represents a capitalist dream. The Hitler years notwithstanding, the modern Volkswagen represents a new class of citizens, who will be rewarded with what they have earned thus far. From the above visuals, the brand Volkswagen brings about a new breed of ideal citizens – the ones that capitalism will reward. The individual is now laden with a hope of owning a car and that to own the â€Å"People’s Car†, one will have to abide by the laws of capitalism to achieve the ‘dream’. Working hard to earn the income to pay for the price for the car, it has bro ught about the capitalist dream to the people in the subtlest of ways. Economical Impact of Cars The impact of automobile industry has affected the entire world – whether it’s through the factories that the car firms set up in America, Germany, Japan or Thailand or through the different industries spawned or assisted by the automobile industry. The significance of the economical impact of cars cannot be discounted. With reference to Volkswagen, the understanding of economical impact of cars visually will be split amongst two different groups: the government and the different complementing industries. From the point of view of the government, the car industry presents itself as a huge economy boost. The once-thriving Detroit, the car town of America, was a major industry with huge employment rates, driven by the huge American consumer market, where over three quarters of the 200 million automobiles are cars. The view of fully filled car parks waiting for the export ships to port was a sight to behold – it represented a view of the bustling economy. For Volkswagen, an entire city was constructed for the birth of Volkswagen. Wolfsburg, once a countryside village, was transformed into the headquarters for Volkswagen. Workers came from all over and settled into Wolfsburg to work for Volkswagen, and before long, it was the heart of Volkswagen operations. To build a city from scratch needs planning and labor – this provides employment and opportunity for a lot of people. Thus the sight of a Volkswagen brand has generated economy for the government; in a political way, it has ensured one of the main employment sectors and economic boost. For the other industries, the car industry has provided a suitable complement to their business. The more obvious examples are the petrol industries, where the cars are dependent on them for energy sources. The less obvious examples – the music industry (where radios in the cars are necessary these days), the drive-through industry and the entertainment industry (to launch their new cars) are all part of the economic industry that depends on the car industry for some form of economic dependence. As such, the visual of cars on the streets give the economy a boost, especially with the other industries. Environmental Impact of Cars Cars have a disastrous impact on the environment – being largely responsible for smog and toxic air pollutants, not to mention the world’s increasing dependence on foreign oil makes it one of the top pollutants around the world today. The sight of cars emitting harmful smoke has led to the vocal political opposition in governments worldwide. Despite the best efforts of the car industry, there is no suitable alternative energy fuel to compensate the current form of fuel consumption – diesel and petrol. However, this has created an impetus to search for cheaper and more valuable engines, which will provide better â€Å"miles-per-gallon† formula. For Volkswagen, this has resulted in the TDI technology, where the fuel is consumed when needed. The TDI technology has won accolades for saving fuel – the most efficient cars on the road run on diesel are by Volkswagen TDI Diesel Engine. Volkswagen went one step further – they implemented Volkswagen Think Blueâ„ ¢, a drive to find the cleanest alternative energy consumption that would be sustainable for its engines. Pushing the limit for the fuel consumption while searching for the next alternative fuel for the car, they managed to achieve an understanding of sustainability and progress in environmental terms. This underlines Volkswagen’s environmental considerations while providing progress to the people. The People’s Car is seen under different light – it is environmentally friendly while pushing for progress. And while it may offend the petrol heads, the Volkswagen is trying to be an environmentally friendly car, which puts it in line with the beliefs of the Democrats. Das Auto: Respecting the law. The Volkswagen Beetle was made to travel the Autobahn, the fastest highway on the planet without any speed limit. Hitler’s vision of allowing cheap fast transport for the masses was to be realized with the Volkswagen and the Autobahn. Unfortunately, the rest of the world did not have such laws in place and to regulate the traffic, they installed rules and laws. The first of all traffic laws was the limitation of speed – this was to prevent unnecessary casualty. The introduction of non-horse carriages came to light – the first of all vehicles was a steam-powered carriage – the need for safety of those not driving was present. As such, over the years, the governments sought to reduce speed in all manners – on the highways, on the roads and on the dashboard. As promising as the technology from the car industry, there would be a speed limit for all vehicles. This was to prevent the race for speed and allow the progress of the automobile done safely. Other policies include the limitations of vehicles in densely populated place – the use of ERP and COE in Singapore and the taxes levied on vehicles. These were to prevent the rampant sale of vehicles while keeping the country free from the overcrowding. The Automobile Icon: Volkswagen Beetle The best is kept for last: the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, which has been the longest production vehicle (from 1938 – 2003 on one design) with sales of more than 21 million. This recognizable car has its own movie and spawned movements, along with generations to embrace the Volkswagen Beetle as part of their lives. In this section, the Volkswagen Beetle will be examined politically as a cultural icon with its impact on the political arena. The Volkswagen Beetle â€Å"ugly† design – one that was unconventional different and from the pre-WWII days – was a signature icon that lasted through the decades. Volkswagen’s refusal to change the design of the Beetle led to many modifications from the owners. As seen below, the popular culture took over with the designs in the 60’s. The customizable feature of the Beetle allowed the freedom of expression, in which the Hippie culture of the 60’s took full advantage of. The freedom of expression has always been a part of the American Constitution and it took a liberal turn with the Hippie Culture. Notwithstanding the sex, drugs of that period, the Hippie Culture was a liberalizing process for the population to air their views. These views were of a peace-making, pacifist nature and they were in support of non-violence, civil rights and anti-nuclear armament movements. The Volkswagen Beetles with their decorated colors were a symbol of that political statement. A television series, â€Å"Herbie†, featuring the Volkswagen Beetle as a racing car with human emotions, popularized the car. Although this was not the only car that was featured in films, the very nature of the Beetle shown to have human feelings was a personification of the car. From the television and film series, the character of Volkswagen Beetle was further defined: determined with a colorful personality. This created an impression on the younger generation then that the car was a cool factor – it made them want a car in their lives. The implications were that these children grew up needing cars and created a population who rather give up their voting rights than driving license. The specifications of the Volkswagen Beetle also came into focus. The numerous races and rallies that it went for and achieved results became a cult in its own right. Given that the Beetle was never made for racing, this has led to many thinking that the Beetle is multi-functional despite the ugly nature. The engine, simple yet effective, is also adjustable to modifications. This feature of the car has created a Volkswagen Beetle sub-culture, one where even as the old Volkswagen model is no longer in production, the owners of Volkswagen regularly meet up to showcase their re-tuned and refined Volkswagen Beetles. Translate this into an understanding of visual politics: the cult of Volkswagen Beetle is an example of a loyal following of unwavering belief and given in the previous paragraphs we have deduced that the followers are liberal in principle, the conclusion is that the Volkswagen Beetle is a symbol of liberal views. Conclusion: Having seen the impact of Volkswagen around the world, one would really wonder if Major Ivan Hirst were not to revive the company and let it pass, would the world be the same today? Throughout the years of Volkswagen existence, there have been many movements, many political undertones derived from the sheer existence of Volkswagen on the street. The Hippie Culture, the racing mentality, the liberal ideals and the capitalist principles – all of which points to a subliminal messaging by the presence of a Volkswagen on the street. No other car has invoked so many different views in the world today. There are other aspects of Volkswagen not touched in this paper – especially the impact of Volkswagen in the future. Given that the future of automobiles is very volatile, Volkswagen may have a different feel and visual understanding in the future. As of now, the brand of Volkswagen is still the People’s Car, one that all should have if they work hard enough for it. Thus, it is apt that the tagline of Volkswagen today is Das Auto – the Car. Bibliography: Books Cited: Anderson, Curtis D., and Judy Anderson. Electric and Hybrid Cars: a History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2010. Print. Ginsburg, Douglas H., and William J. Abernathy. Government, Technology, and the Future of the Automobile. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980. Print. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971. Print. Keller, Maryann. Collision GM, Toyota, Volkswagen and the Race to Own the 21st Century. New York: Currency Doubleday, 1993. Print. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000. Print. Packer, Jeremy. Mobility without Mayhem: Safety, Cars, and Citizenship. Durham: Duke UP, 2008. Print. Paterson, Matthew. Automobile Politics: Ecology and Cultural Political Economy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print. Redshaw, Sarah. In the Company of Cars: Driving as a Social and Cultural Practice. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008. Print. Pictures Used: Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from Websites: US Department of Energy, 2011 Best and Worst MPG Cars, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from Volkswagen, TDI Academy: Tackling TDI technology, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Incidentally, he was the man behind another great car company, Porsche, with a similar rear-engine car model. [ 2 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 62 – 67 [ 3 ]. Ibid, pp 96 – 97 [ 4 ]. Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 5 ]. Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 6 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 142 – 152 [ 7 ]. Ibid, pp 98. [ 8 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 9 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 10 ]. Hippie Culture [ 11 ]. http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/18/evolution-of-car-logos/ [ 12 ]. Case in point: the countries in Central and South America. [ 13 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 14 ]. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000, pp 9 [ 15 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 106 – 112 [ 16 ]. The higher the value for mpg – the better the fuel consumption of the vehicle. [ 17 ]. Volkswagen, TDI Academy: Tackling TDI technology, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 18 ]. US Department of Energy, 2011 Best and Worst MPG Cars, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 19 ]. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000, pp 12 [ 20 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from