Louisanna State Board of Nursing Practice Act Assignment

Louisanna State Board of Nursing Practice Act - Assignment Example In the guideline there is a clear illustration of the associated penalty with each violation of a particular rule. There are also some exceptions included in the act. Other important medical issues are also briefly discussed, and these include the use of certain medicaments such as anaesthetics and the way in which medications are distributed. The aim of the speech is to illustrate the main aspects of the act and show the importance of such protocols in the nursing field. The role of the board is to protect the integrity of nursing and ensure that the practice of public health is not harmful to the community. The individuals in the community are dependent on the healthcare system, hence all the necessary measures must be taken to ensure its efficiency. There are three main principles of the legislation which include ensuring that the staff is well qualified for provision of public health, the regulation of practice of advanced practice registered nurses and registered nurses and the protection, promotion and preservation of safety of the public. The act also defines the different professional roles in the nursing field. It recognizes any individual possessing a license from a nationally recognized licensing body and possessing the appropriate qualifications as an advanced practice registered nurse. Some positions that are occupied by advanced nurses include certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner. Other posts that are also defined in the act include advanced practice registered nurse students, and different factors associated with practice. The quality of the board is largely affected by the members, hence there is a strict selection process of the members. The board should consist of eight registered nurses, whose selection is suggested through a list compiled by the

Leadership and Organization Behavior Essay Example for Free

Leadership and Organization Behavior Essay There are many business organizations that are started on various occasions, but only a few turn out to be successful organizations. The success or failure of an organization can mostly be associated with leadership. Leaders make a very big impact in the organization. The importance of leadership is recognized when the organization is going through some moments like crisis or serious changes, depending on how the issue will be handled. We can not just assume that leadership in the organization is shown at the top management, but even to the lower levels in the organization. Despite the importance of leadership, there has been no agreement on the definition of leadership in the organization. However, leadership can be defined as a means used to coarse people in the organization, without applying force, to work towards the attainment of the organizational goals, by motivating them. Non coercive method implies the leaders should make the people to follow them on a voluntary basis (Glasser, 2008). A leader influences a particular group to work towards achieving particular goals. Leadership does not depend on a formal authority or the title, but rather they carry out their tasks by applying leadership attributes such as; values, believes, knowledge, character, ethic and skills. The position of a manager, supervisor, leader etc give them the authority to accomplish certain goals and tasks in the organization, the power of manager lead or supervisor to accomplish organization goals does not make them leaders but simply they make themselves bosses. Leadership makes the followers want to make higher goals. Selfless services and honorable characters to the organization form the basis of good leadership. Respected leaders concentrate on what they know (such as jobs tasks and human nature), what they are (such as character and believes) and what they do (such as motivating implementing and providing directions. ). The qualities of a leader influence the followers to follow him. Followers want to be guided by the people whom they respect and have clear sense of directions. Leaders must be ethical in order to gain respect from their followers. Sense of directions among the leaders is achieved through conveying a strong vision of future (Glasser, 2008). Employee satisfaction in an organization can be predicted by the level of confidence and trust in the top leadership and effective communication. Effective communication helps to win organization confidence and trust which occurs through making the employees to become aware and understand the overall strategies of the organization, assisting the employees understand their roles which can contribute to the achievement of organizational goals and objectives and the information sharing between the employees and the leaders on how the organization is performing and how their departments are doing relative to the strategic goals of the organization. Therefore a leader must be able to communicate the vision of the organization and must be trustworthy. Good leaders need to concentrate the three attributes of leadership i. e. what they are, what they know and what they do. These attributes can be achieved by following the leadership principles. According to principles of leadership a leader is supposed to know himself and seek room for self improvement. A leader can know himself if he understands the principles of leadership. Seeking room for self improvement means that the leaders have to continuously strengthen their attributes. This can be achieved through interaction with others, reflection, self study and formal classes. Secondly the leaders must be technically proficient. Leaders are required to have a solid familiarity with their follower’s tasks and know their job (Nelson Quick, 2007). Leaders must seek and take responsibilities of their action. They must such ways in which to guide their organization to achieve new heights. When things in the organization goes wrong leaders are not supposed to blame their followers or their fellow leaders but rather they should analyze the situation and come up with corrective response and be prepared to move into the next challenge. Leaders should make timely and sound decisions by use of good strategies of decision making solving problems and planning tools. Good leaders should set good role models by setting examples to others. They must see what they are expected to do not only hearing the changes they want to see. Leaders should know their people and care for their well being. They should know the human nature and take the responsibility for caring for their followers. Leaders are supposed to establish good communication with their followers. Communicating is a key responsibility in making sure that tasks are accomplished, supervised and understood. Team building and development of team spirit assist the leaders in employing their sections, organization, department etc to their fullest capabilities. Leaders should have an honest understanding of leadership attributes. They must also understand that determination of whether a leader is successful or not lies on the followers and not upon themselves. Followers are likely to get inspired if they lack confidence or trust in their leaders. Leaders are supposed to convince and set good example to their followers in order to become successful and be followed. Leaders lead through a two way communication between them and their followers sometimes communication between these two parties is non verbal. An example is when a leader sets a good example to the follower. The leader in this case does not necessarily require asking the follower on what to do about what himself is not willing to do. The way and how the leaders communicate with their followers improve or harm the relationship between them. Leaders are supposed to understand their followers in order to apply their leadership skills different followers would require different leadership styles. This means that a new employee may require more guidance and supervision than an experienced one. Also non motivated workers would require more motivation than motivated workers. Therefore the leader must understand the human nature through establishing the follower’s emotions, motivation and needs. Leader’s requiring to develop strategies on the possible cause of action for different situations (Nelson Quick, 2007). The success of any leadership is determined in the degree in which the leaders are able to motivate the others. Motivation among the employees leads to work satisfaction. An organization may incur big losses if it looses its employees and therefore the key function of the leaders and the managers should be motivating the right people to remain and join the organization. Motivation directly affects the out put of an organization and this concerns both the quality and the quantity. The leaders and managers therefore need to understand how to motivate the followers according to the roles they play (Miner, 2005). The survival of an organization is determined by the motivation of the employees. On the other hand reinforcement focuses on the maintenance of motivation. The basic assumption in motivation are that the positive behavior among the followers that resulted to rewarding will be repeated and therefore negative behavior that resulted to negative consequences are less likely to be repeated. Certain behavior can be intensified and strengthened through reinforcement. Rewards and punishment are applied depending on whether certain behaviors occurred or did not occur. The role of the leaders is to strengthen the positive behavior through reinforcement (Miner, 2005). The employees and the leaders working in an organization have different characteristics. Leaders must learn how to manage the employee in their organization. The leadership skills that are acquired in schools are not sufficient to lead and manage the employees. Therefore training is important in order to ensure that individual objectives are aligned with organization objectives. To achieve this skills and knowledge are imparted to individuals. Goal setting on the other hand helps in defining the organization, give the direction to be followed and avoid chaos. Setting of organizational goals can help the leaders to motivate the employees by communicating what the organization have planned to achieve and through providing basis for recognition, success and achievements (Nelson Quick, 2007). Goal setting helps in effectiveness of recruiting the followers. Team building results to many potential benefits which include; consensus building brain storming, looking at the problem from different perspective, trial and error, expert knowledge etc. employees are more encouraged to bring their work at the conference table and therefore they are likely to work harder. Leaders must ensure that there is an attitude of respect and tolerance for the ideas of the team member in the organization culture. The employees feel free in sharing their ideas with the team members when they help each other to succeed. Effective leadership helps in the success of the organizations. If there is no good leadership the organization may move too slow, become stagnant or even loose their direction. Timely decision making ensures that the running of organization is going on well. Leaders must ensure that decision making are correct, complete and involves all the stakeholders for the success of the organization (Nelson Quick, 2007).

Risk Factors of Sleep Disorder After Stroke:

Risk Factors of Sleep Disorder After Stroke: Risk factors of sleep disorder after stroke: A Meta analysis Running title: Risk factors of sleep disorder after stroke Highlights: Diabetes mellitus has a 41% increased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients Alcohol use has a 59% increased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients Habitual snoring has a 1377% increased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients Body-mass index has a 17% decreased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients Abstract Objectives: To explore the related risk factors of sleep disorder in stroke patients by conducting a meta-analysis Methods: PubMed, Medline, Springer, Elsevier Science Direct, Cochrane Library and Google scholar database were searched from inception up to May 2014. Studies investigating risk factors for sleep disorder after stroke were included. Characteristics including author’s name, year of publication, country, sample size, age of participants and gender were extracted independently by two reviewers. Results: A total of 8 studies, involving 1381 patients (578 experimental groups and 803 control groups) were eligible for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that there were significant association between risk of sleep disorder after stoke between diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.84, P OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.12, P OR = 14.77, 95% CI = 5.52 to 39.53, P WMD = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.63 to 1.03, P OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.72 to 2.1, P > 0.05), hypertension (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.80, P > 0.05), dyslipidemia (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.70 to 1.33, P > 0.05), smoking (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.73 to 2.20, P > 0.05), previous stroke (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.74 to 1.49, P > 0.05), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.40 to 1.57, P > 0.05) when compared with control groups. Furthermore, the results of Egger test showed no statistical publication bias. Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus, alcohol use, habitual snoring and body-mass index are associated with risk of sleep disorder in patients with stroke. Key words: Sleep disorder; Risk factors; Meta-analysis; Stroke Introduction Stroke is a serious global health problem, and considered as the fourth leading cause of death and the primary cause of adult disability in all around the world [1-3]. Sleep-related breathing disorders (SDB) is a frequent clinical phenomena, and characterized by repetitive apneas and hypopneas during sleep [4, 5]. The relationship of SDB with stroke has been investigated in the recent years. Many researches have reported increased incidence of SDB in stroke patients, which could lead to progression of the stroke [6, 7]. Furthermore, SDB following stroke may result in high mortality and morbidity [4]. Although SDB and stroke have common established risk factors including age, gender, elevated body-mass index (BMI), hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and habitual snoring [8-10], risk factors leading to SDB in stroke patients remains unclear. Thus, it is important to identify contributing risk factors or associated conditions that can impact on outcome of SDB following stroke. Previously existing literature and primary analyses on risk factors of sleep disorder after stroke only involved in research of certain factor, and statistical power was deficient and insufficient in these studies [4, 11]. In this study, to investigate the risk factors for SDB after stroke and obtain a quantitative estimate of the risk, we systematically review the literature that have studied patients with stroke for SDB risk factors, (namely gender, Hypertension, Diabetes mellitus, Dyslipidemia, Smoking, alcohol use, Previous stroke history, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Habitual snoring and Body-mass index)by conducting a meta-analysis. Methods Search strategy and study selection We retrieved the relevant studies up to May 2014 in several public databases, mainly including PubMed, Medline, Springer, Elsevier Science Direct, Cochrane Library and Google scholar. The main search words were â€Å"factor† or â€Å"influence†, â€Å"affect† or â€Å"element† or â€Å"determinant† or â€Å"cause† or â€Å"reason† and â€Å"sleep disorder†, â€Å"apnoea† or â€Å"obstacle† or â€Å"impediment† or â€Å"barrier† or â€Å"obstruction† or â€Å"balk† and â€Å"stroke† or â€Å"cerebral apoplexy† or â€Å"acute cerebral accident† and â€Å"research† or â€Å"survey† or â€Å"study† or â€Å"trial†. Meanwhile, references from retrieved papers were checked for more relevant studies not identified in database search. Eligibility of relevant studies For relevant abstracts, full publications were retrieved for evaluation on the basis of criteria that were established a priori. All selected research articles were considered except case reports. We sought to include studies of any design that reported risk factors in sleep disorders, and relationships between sleep-disordered breathing, sleep apnea or insomnia symptoms and stroke without the limitation of sample size and range of age. Studies were excluded from the systematic reviews and reports that only described sleep disorder after stroke. Studies with no control group were also excluded. Reviews, reduplicated studies and studies published in language other than English were excluded as well. Data extraction Information from each study was extracted independently by two reviewers using a data extraction form. Study general characteristics (e.g., author, year of publication, location of participants, design of studies, ethnicity and number of cases), and characteristics of participants (e.g., age, gender and sample size) were recorded (where available) and doubled-checked. Meanwhile, the effect size of risk factors of sleep disorder in stroke patients compared with stroke patients without sleep disorder with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted as reported by authors. The effect size of gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol use, previous stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and habitual snoring were measured by, and body-mass index (BMI) by weighted mean difference (WMD). In addition, we contacted authors of incorporated studies to obtain further information for data items that needed clarification. Discrepancies were resolved by discussing within our research team or contracting with the original investigators via e-mail. Statistical analysis The meta-analysis was focused on the risk factors of sleep disorder in stroke patients versus stroke patients without sleep disorder. The pooled estimates of effect size of risk factors were calculated by averaging OR or WMD based on a fixed or random effects model depending on the overall heterogeneity. Then, heterogeneity of effect size across studies was evaluated by applying Cochran’s Q-statistic and and the I2 statistic [12, 13]. P value I2 value > 50% was considered to heterogenous across the studies. When substantial heterogeneity was detected, we calculated the overall estimate of ORs or WMDs using Mantel–Haenszel method in the fixed effect model [14]. If not, the pooled estimates were presented based on the random effect model by using DerSimonian and Laid method [15]. In addition, the publication bias were evaluated using Egger’s linear regression test [16], which measures funnel plot asymmetry by the natural logarithm scale of the effect size. Meta-analysis was performed using the software of the STATA package v.11.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). P value Results Literature research and study characteristics The details of the literature search were shown in a flow diagram (Figure 1). We obtained 972 citations (131 from Medline, 341 from Pubmed, 164 from Springer, 103 from Elsevier Science Direct, 16 from Cochrane Library and 217 from Google Scholar) with our electronic literature search. We obtain 84 citations after removing duplicates or irrelevant studies. In addition, 47 citations were excluded after screening based on the abstracts. Then 37 remained citations were full-text reviewed for detailed assessment. Finally, 8 citations satisfied the inclusion criteria and were eligible for the meta-analysis. The characteristics and information of the included studies were presented in Table 1. The 8 selected studies contained 1381 patients with average age (ranging from 43.0 to 75.2 years old), including 578 experimental groups (stroke patients with sleep disorder) and 803 control groups(stroke patients without sleep disorder) [17-24]. Overall analysis of gender As shown in Table 2, a total of 7 separate studies [17-20, 22-24], involving 1321 stroke patients (539 experimental groups and 782 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed no association between gender and sleep disorder after stroke was found (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.72 to 2.1, P > 0.05), yet with significant heterogeneity between studies (Q2 = 22.73, I2 = 73.6%, P the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.91) Overall analysis of hypertension As presented in table 2, a total of 8 studies [17-24], including 1381 stroke patients (578 experimental groups and 803 control groups ), were finally eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed no association between hypertension and sleep disorder after stroke compared with control groups (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.80, P > 0.05), yet with significant between-study heterogeneity was found (Q2 = 14.13, I2 = 50.5%, P In addition, the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.43). Overall analysis of diabetes mellitus As shown in Table 2, a total of 7 studies [17, 19-24], involving 1326 stroke patients (549 experimental groups and 777 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed diabetes mellitus had a 41% increased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients compared with control groups (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.84, P Q2 = 1.59, I2 = 0%, P > 0.1). In addition, the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.72) Overall analysis of dyslipidemia As shown in Table 2, a total of 4 studies [17, 19, 22, 24], involving 832 stroke patients (373 experimental groups and 459 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed no association between dyslipidemia and sleep disorder after stroke compared with control groups (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.70 to 1.33, P > 0.05), yet with significant between-study heterogeneity (Q2 = 4.78, I2 = 37.3%, P > 0.1). In addition, the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.68) Overall analysis of smoking As presented in Table 2, a total of 5 studies [17, 19, 20, 22, 23], containing 1234 stroke patients (495 experimental groups and 739 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed no association between smoking and sleep disorder after stroke compared with control groups (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.80, P > 0.05), yet with significant between-study heterogeneity (Q2 = 13.82, I2 = 71.0%, P the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.43). Overall analysis of alcohol use As shown in Table 2, a total of 5 studies [17, 19, 20, 22, 23], involving consisting of 1234 stroke patients (495 experimental groups and 739 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed alcohol use had a 41% increased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients compared with control groups (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.12, P no significant between-study heterogeneity (Q2 = 4.49, I2 = 10.9%, P > 0.1). In addition, the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.65). Overall analysis of previous stroke As shown in Table 2, a total of 5 studies [17, 19, 21, 22, 24], involving 892 stroke patients (412 experimental groups and 480 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed no association between previous stroke and sleep disorder after stroke compared with control groups (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.74 to 1.49, P > 0.05), and with no significant between-study heterogeneity was found (Q2 =2.31, I2 =0%, P > 0.1). In addition, the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.24). Overall effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) As shown in Table 2, a total of 2 studies[19, 22], containing 623 stroke patients (280 experimental groups and 343 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed no association between COPD and sleep disorder after stroke compared with control groups (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.40 to 1.57, P > 0.05), yet with no significant between-study heterogeneity was found (Q2 = 0.24, I2 = 0%, P > 0.1). Overall effects of habitual snoring As shown in Table 2, a total of 2 studies [20, 21], involving 422 stroke patients (138 experimental groups and 284 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed habitual snoring had a 1377% increased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients compared with control groups (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.40 to 1.57, P > 0.05), yet with no significant between-study heterogeneity was found (Q2 = 1.29, I2 = 22.6%, P > 0.1). Overall effects of Body-mass index (BMI) As shown in Table 2, a total of 3 studies [20, 21, 23], involving 494 stroke patients (176 experimental groups and 318 control groups), were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed BMI had a 17% decreased risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients compared with control groups (WMD = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.63 to 1.03, P Q2 = 0.95, I2 = 0%, P > 0.1). In addition, the result of Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.998). Discussion In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis for investigating risk factors of sleep disorder in stroke patients. Based on the data from 8 studies including 1381 patients, the factors (Diabetes mellitus, alcohol use, habitual snoring and BMI) were associated with risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients when compared with control groups, yet with no significant between-study heterogeneity. The magnitude of this association was greatest for habitual snoring with stroke patients experiencing a 1377% increase in risk of sleep disorder compared with stroke patients without sleep disorder. However, there were no association between risk of sleep disorder after stroke and other factors (gender, Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, Smoking, Previous stroke history and COPD). In addition, there was no indication of publication bias from the result of Egger’s test. Researchers have shown increased incidence of SDB in stroke patients, which may lead to a poor outcome and recurrence [25, 26]. SDB progresses from habitual snoring to the increased upper airway resistance syndrome to sleep apnea [27], and it is biologically plausible that habitual snoring could increase the risk of sleep disorder in stroke patients. Habitual snoring is significantly associated with daytime sleepiness, restless sleep, and hyperactivity, which could lead to sleep disorder [28, 29]. In our literature search we did not identify results of any randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of risk factors on sleep disorder after stroke. However, it is reasonable to infer that habitual snoring may contribute to incidence and development of sleep disorder in stroke patients. The previous studies have shown significant gender-related differences in presenting symptoms of patients with SDB [30], and the risk for the development of sleep disorder was significantly lower in women [31]. However, in our study, we found no association between gender and risk of sleep disorder after stroke, yet with the most significant between-study heterogeneities. This might result from unavoidable difference in study sample sizes and distinct adjustments across studies. Thus, we suggest that the present analyses might have underestimated the true effects of gender on risk of sleep disorder after stroke, and further studies are needed to be demonstrated this. The present meta-analysis has a series of limitations, such as lack of uniformity (e.g. sleep disorder diagnostic criteria, the duration of patients with stroke) and exclusion of studies written in languages other than English. Furthermore, another limitation was the narrow coverage of information of the present analysis. After all, the results in this analysis were only obtained data from Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and the majority of the included studies did not state if there were any racial differences among participants. The differences in regions and races among studies might have an influence on pooled risk estimates of sleep disorder after stroke. In summary, the present meta-analysis suggest that the factors (Diabetes mellitus, alcohol use, habitual snoring and BMI) is associated with risk of metabolic syndrome. The conclusion has a great significance for public health, especially in countries of high incidence of stroke. In addition, further investigations, both epidemiological and mechanistic, are needed to investigate whether regulating these factors can prevent occurrence and development of metabolic syndrome. 3D Technology: Types and Uses 3D Technology: Types and Uses CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This report will focus on how different 3D technologies work, it will include the entire work flow, from recording the action, encoding the footage, playing back the media via a cinema projector or television and finally how the audience views the 3D film or video, whether it be through specially designed glasses or an auto-stereoscopic television. At present the most popular way to view 3D media is with the use of specialised glasses, the most popular being, active shutter glasses, passive polarised glasses and colour separationbased glasses. Wearing glasses to watch a movie is often mentioned as a negative aspect of 3D. There is a technology available that allows you to watch 3D on screens without wearing any additional glasses, it is called autostereoscopy, this will also be looked at. The health impacts that result from watching 3D will also be examined, along with factors that will prevent a person from being able to correctly view 3D images. There will be impacts on the entire industry from studios and cinemas to smaller production companies and independent producers if 3D films become the norm and these will be examined. A good place to start this report is to examine how two of the highest profile media companies around at present are currently viewing 3D technology. Phil McNally stereoscopic supervisor at Disney-3D and Dreamworks was quoted as saying, consider that all technical progress in the cinema industry brought us closer to the ultimate entertainment experience: the dream. We dream in colour, with sound, in an incoherent world with no time reference. The cinema offers us a chance to dream awake for an hour. And because we dream in 3D, we ultimately want the cinema to be a 3D experience not a flat one.'(Mendiburu, 2009) In the BBC Research White Paper: The Challenges of Three-Dimensional Television, 3D technology is referred to as a continuing long-term evolution of television standards towards a means of recording, transmitting and displaying images that are indistinguishable from reality'(Armstrong, Salmon, Jolly, 2009) It is clear from both of these high profile sources that the industry is taking the evolution of 3D very seriously, as a result this is a topic that is not only very interesting but will be at the cutting edge of technological advances for the next couple of years. This report will be covering the following things: What does the term 3D mean with reference to film and video A look at the history of 3D in film How does 3D technology work The implications of 3D on the film business and on cinemas The methods used to create the media and also the ways in which the 3D image is recreated for the viewer The reasons I have chosen to do my project on this topic is that I am very interested in the new media field. 3D video when accompanied with high definition film and video is a field that is growing rapidly. Earlier this year, on 02 April 2009, Sky broadcast the UKs first live event in the 3D TV format, it featured a live music concert by the pop group Keane, it was sent via the companys satellite network using polarisation technology. Traditionally we view films and television in two dimensions, this in essence means we view the media as a flat image. In real life we view everything in three dimensions, this is because we get a slightly different image received in each eye, the brain then combines these and we can work out depth of vision and create a 3D image. (this will be explained further in Chapter 3) There is a high level of industrial relevance with this topic, as 3D technology coupled with high definition digital signal is at the cutting edge of mainstream digital media consumption. Further evidence of this is that the sports company ESPN will be launching their new TV channel, ESPN-3D in North America in time for this years Summer Football World Cup. In January 2009 the BBC produced a Research White Paper entitled The Challenges of Three-Dimensional Television on this subject and over the next couple of years they predict that it will start to be introduced in the same way that HD (High Definition) digital television signal is currently being phased in, with pay-per-view movies and sports being the first take advantage of it. Sky have announced that their existing Sky+HD boxes will be able to broadcast the 3D signals so customers will not even need to update their equipment to be able to receive the 3D Channel that they are starting to broadcast later this year. On Sunday January 31st 2010, Sky broadcast a live Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United for the first time in 3D to selected pubs across the country, Sky equipped the selected pubs with LGs new 47-inch LD920 3D TVs. These televisions use the passive glasses, similar to the ones uses in cinemas as opposed to the more expensive Active glasses which are also an option. (The differences between Active and Passive technologies will be explained in Chapter 8) It is also worth noting that at the 2010 Golden Globe awards, on acceptance of his award for Best Picture for the 3D Box Office Hit Avatar, the Canadian director James Cameron pronounced 3D as the future. At the time of writing this report (27/01/2010) the 3D film Avatar has just taken over from Titanic (also a James Cameron film) to become the highest grossing movie of all time, with worldwide takings of $1.859 billion. This is being accredited to the films outstanding takings in the 3D version of its release, in America 80% of the films box office revenue has been received from the 3D version of its release. In an industry where money talks, these figures will surely lead to an dramatic increase in production of 3D films and as a result Avatar could potentially be one of the most influential films of all time. After completing this dissertation I hope to be able to have a wide knowledge base on the subject and hopefully this will appeal to companies that I approach about employment once I have graduated. In the summer of 2010 when I will be looking for jobs, I believe that a lot of production companies will have some knowledge of 3D technology and be aware of how in the near future it may be something that they will have to consider adopting in the way that many production companies are already or soon will be adopting HD into their workflow. In order to ensure that I complete this project to a high standard it is important that I gain a complete understanding of the topic and study a variety of different sources when compiling my research. 3D media itself is not a new concept so there are a wide range of books and articles on the theory of 3D and stereoscopy along with anaglyphs. However in recent years there has been a resurgence in 3D with relation to film and TV. This is due mainly to digital video and film production making it easier and cheaper to create and manage the two channels needed for three-dimensional video production. It has proved more difficult to study books and papers on this most recent resurgence of 3D because it is still happening and evolving all the time. I have read various research white papers on the subject, which have been cited in the Bibliography, I have also used websites and blogs along with some recently published books, one of the problems with such a fast moving technological field such as 3D though, is that these books quickly become outdated. CHAPTER 2: HUMAN VISION In the real world we see in three dimensions as opposed to the two dimensions that we have become accustomed to when watching TV or at the cinema. Human vision appears in three dimensions because it is normal for people to have two eyes that both focus on the object, in the brain these two images are then fused into one, from this we can work out depth of vision, this process is called stereopsis. All of these calculations happen in the brain without the person ever even noticing, as a result we see the world in three dimensions very naturally. The reason that we see in 3D is because of stereoscopic depth perception. There are various complex calculations going on in our brains, this coupled with real experience allows our brain to work out the depth of vision. If it wasnt for this it would be impossible to tell if something was very small or just very far away. As humans, we have learnt to judge depth even with only one view point. This is why, if a person has one eye they can still manage to do most things that a person with two eyes can do. This is also why when watching a 2-D film you can still get a good judge of depth. The term for depth cues based on only one viewpoint is monoscopic depth cues. One of the most important of these is our own experience, it relates to perspective and relative size of objects. In simple terms, we have become accustomed to object being certain sizes. An example of this is that we expect buildings to be very big, humans are smaller and insects are smaller still. So this means that if we can see all three of these objects next to each other and they appear to be the same size then the insect must be much closer than the person, and both the insect and the person must be much closer that the building (see figure 1). The perspective depth cue (shown in figure1) was backed up when an experiment was carried out by Ittelson in 1951. He got volunteers to look through a peep hole at some playing cards, the only thing they could see were the cards and so there were no other types of depth cue available. There were actually three different-sized playing cards (normal size, half-size, and double size), and they were presented one at a time at a distance of 2.3metres away. The half-sized playing card was judged to be 4.6 metres away from the observer, whereas the double-sized card was thought to be 1.3 metres away. Thus, familiar size had a large effect on distance judgement'(Eysenck, 2002). Another monoscopic depth cue that is very effective is referred to as occlusion or interposition. This is where an object overlaps another object. If a person is standing behind a tree then you will be able to see all of the tree but only part of the person. This tells us that the tree is nearer to us that the person. One of the most important single view depth cues in called motion parallax, it works on the basis that if a person moves their head, and therefore eyes, then objects nearer to them, whilst not physically moving, will appear to move more than the objects in the distance. This is the method that astronomers use to measure distances of stars and planets. It is in extremely important method of judging depth and is used extensively in 3D filmmaking. In filmmaking, lighting is often talked about as being one of the key elements to giving the picture depth, and this is because it is a monoscopic depth cue. In real life the main light source for millennia has been the sun. Humans have worked out how to judge depth based on the shadows that are portrayed from an object. In 2D films shadows are often used to display depth by casting them across actors faces it allows the viewers to see the recesses and expressions trying to be portrayed. So far all of the methods that have been described for determining depth have been monoscopic, these work independently within each eye. If these were the only methods for determining depth there would be no need for 3D films as it would not add anything because all of these methods could be recreated using a single camera lens. This is not the case however, a lot of the more advanced methods used in human vision for judging depth need the use of both eyes, these are called stereoscopic depth cues. A great deal of stereoscopic depth cues are based around the feedback that your brain gets when the muscles in the eye are manipulated to concentrate your vision on a particular point. One of the main stereoscopic depth cues is called convergence, this referrers to the way that the eyes rotate in order to focus on an object (see figure 2). If the focus is on a near object, the eyes rotate around the Y axis and converge on a tighter angle , similarly if the focus is on a distant object the rotation means the eyes have a wider angle of convergence. It is a lot less stressful on the muscles in the eye to have a wide angle of convergence and look at objects far away, in comparison looking at very close object for any amount of time causes the muscles in the eye to ache. This is a very important factor that should be considered when creating 3D films, as it doesnt matter how good the film is, if it is going to hurt the audience it will not go down well. A second stereoscopic depth cue that we use is called accommodation, this is the way that our eyes changes focus when we look at an object at different distances, it is very closely linked with convergence. Usually when we look at an object very close up, our eyes will change rotation and point towards the object (convergence) allowing us to look at the item, our eyes will at the same time change focus (accommodation). Using the ciliarybody muscles in the eye, the lens will change shape to let more or less light in the same way a camera does, thus changing focus. In everyday life convergence and accommodation usually happen in parallel. The fact that we can, if we wish choose to converge our eyes without changing the focus means that 3D films are possible. When you are sat in the cinema all of the action is projected onto the screen in front of you, so this is where your eyes need to focus. With 2D films the screen is also where your eyes need to converge, but with 3D films this is not the case. When watching a 3D film the focus never changes from the screen, else the whole picture would go out of focus, but objects appear to be in front and behind the screen, so your eyes need to change their convergence to look at these objects without altering their focus from the screen. It has been suggested that this independence of accommodation and convergence is the reason for eye strain when watching a 3D picture as your eyes are doing something that they are not in the habit of doing (see chapter 12: Is 3D bad for you). It is also worth noting that our monoscopic depth cues work at almost any range, this is not the case with stereoscopic depth cues. As objects become further away they no longer appear differently in each eye, so there is no way the brain can calculate a difference and work out depth. The limit occurs in the 100 to 200-yard range, as our discernment asymptomatically tends to zero. In a theatre, we will hit the same limitation, and this will define the depth resolution and the depth range of the screen.(Mendiburu, 2009) This means that when producing a 3D film you have to be aware that the range of 3D that you have to use is not infinite and is limited to 100-200 yards. CHAPTER 3: Early Stereoscopic History (1838 1920) Three dimensional films are not a new phenomenon, Charles Wheatstone discovered, in 1838, that the mechanism responsible for human depth perception is the distance separating the retinas of our eyes . (Autodesk, 2008) In a 12,000 word research paper that Wheatstone presented to the Royal Society of Great Britain he described the stereoscope and claimed as a new fact in his theory if vision the observation that two different pictures are projected on the retinas of the eyes when a single object is seen.(Zone, 2007) Included in the paper were a range of line drawings presented as stereoscopic pairs, these were designed to be viewed in 3D using Wheatstones invention, the stereoscope. Wheatstone was not the first person to look at the possibility of receiving separate views in each eye, In the third century B.C, Euclid in his treatise on Optics observed that the left and right eyes see slightly different views of a sphere'(Zone, 2007). However, Wheatstone was the first person to create a device to be able to re-create 3D images. Between 1835 and 1839 photography was starting to be developed thanks to work from William Fox Talbot, Nicephore Niepce and Louise Daguerre. Once Wheatstone became aware of the photographic pictures that were available he requested some stereoscopic photographs to be made for him. Wheatstone observed that it has been found advantageous to employ, simultaneously, two cameras fixed at the proper angular positions'(Zone, 2007). This was the start of stereoscopic photography. Between 1850 and 1860 work was starting to be done by various people to try and combine stereoscopic photography with machines that would display a series of images very quickly and therefore using persistence of vision to create a moving 3D image. These were the first glimpses of 3D motion. In 1891 a French scientist, Louis Ducos du Hauron patented the anaglyph, a method for separating an image into two separate colour channels and then by wearing glassing with the same colours but on opposite eyes thereby cancelling out the image, thus reproducing one image, but in 3D. Another method used at this time to create 3D was proposed by John Anderton, also in 1891. Andertons system was to use polarisation techniques to split the image into two separate light paths and then employ a similar polarisation technique to divert a separate image to each eye on viewing. One of the main advantages of polarisation over anaglyphs is that they do not lose any colour information, this is due to the fact that both images retain the original colour spectrums. They do however loose luminance. It is common for a silver screen to be necessary, it serves two purposes, firstly the specially designed screen maintains the separate polarisation required for each image. It also reflects more light than conventional screens, this compensates for the loss of luminance. During 1896 and 1897 2D motion pictures started to take off, and by 1910 after a lot of initial experimenting the creative formats of film that we recognise today such as cuts and framing had started to become evident. In 1920 Jenkins, an inventor that worked hard to try and create a method for recreating stereoscopic motion picture was quoted as saying Stereoscopic motion pictures have been the subject of considerable thought and have been attained in several waysbut never yet have they been accomplished in a practical way. By practical, I mean, for example without some device to wear over the eyes of the observer.'(Zone, 2007) It is worth noting that this problem of finding a practical method of viewing 3D has still to a large extent not been solved. Chapter 4: Early 3D Feature Films (1922 1950) 4.1 The first 3D feature film The first 3D feature film, The Power of Love was released in 1922, it was exhibited at the Ambassador Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. Popular Mechanics magazine described how the characters in the film did not appear flat on the screen, but seemed to be moving about in locations which had depth exactly like the real spots where the pictures were taken(Zone, 2007). The Power of Love was exhibited using red/green glasses using a dual strip anaglyph method of 3D projection. (Anaglyphs are explained in chapter 8.3) The film was shot on a custom made camera invented by Harry K.Fairall, he was also the director on the film. The camera incorporated two films in one camera body.(Symmes, 2006) Power of Love was the first film to be viewed using anaglyph glasses, also the first to use dual-strip projection. Also in 1922, William Van Doren Kelley designed his own camera rig, based on the Prizma colour system which he had invented in 1913. The Prizma 3D colour method worked by capturing two different colour channels by placing filters over the lenses. This way he made his own version of the red/blue anaglyphic print. Kelleys Movies of the Future was shown at Rivoli Theatre in New York City. 4.2 The first active-shutter 3D film A year later in 1923 the first alternate-frame 3D projection system was unveiled. It used a technology called Teleview. Which blocked the left and right eyes periodically in sync with the projector, thereby allowing you to see too separate images. Teleview was not an original idea, but up to this point no one had been able to get the theory to actually work in a practical way that would allow for films to be viewed in a cinema. This is where Laurens Hammond comes in. Hammons designed a system where two standard projectors would be hooked up to their own AC generators, running at 60Hz this meant that adjusting the AC frequency would increase or decrease the speed of the projectors. The left film was in the left projector and right film in the right. The projectors were in frame sync, but the shutters were out of phase sync.'(Symmes, 2006) This meant that the left image was shown, then the right image. The viewing device was attached to the seats in the theatre. It was mounted on a flexible neck, similar to some adjustable gooseneck desk lamps. You twisted it around and centred it in front of your face, kind of like a mask floating just in front of your face. (Symmes, 2006) The viewing device consisted of a circular mask with a view piece for each eye plus a small motor that moved a shutter across in front of either the left or right eye piece depending on the cycle of current running through it. All of the viewing devices were powered by the same AC generator as the projectors meaning that they were all exactly in sync. One of the major problems Hammond had to overcome was the fact that at the time film was displayed at 16 frames per second. With this method of viewing you are effectively halving the frame rate. 8 frames per second resulted in a very noticeable flicker. To overcome this Hammond cut each frame up in to three flashes so the new sequence was: 1L-1R-1L-1R-1L-1-R 2L-2R-2L-2R-2L-2R and so on. Three alternate flashes per eye on the screen. (Symmes, 2006) This method of separating and duplicating certain frames effectively resulted in increasing the overall frame rate thereby eradicating the flicker. There was only one film produced using this method, it was called M.A.R.S and displayed at the Selwyn Theatre in New York City in December 1922. The reason the technology didnt catch on was not due to the image, as the actual theory for producing the image has changed very little from the Teleview method to the current active-shutter methods which will be explained later. As with a lot of 3D methods the reason this one did not become mainstream was due the viewing apparatus that was needed. Although existing projectors could be modified by linking them up to separate AC generator, meaning no extra equipment was needed, the headsets that were required did need a lot of investment and time to install. All of the seats in the theatre needed to be fitted with headsets, these were adjusted in front of the audience members. These also had to be linked up to the AC generator so as they were perfectly in sync, this meant that they had to be wired in to the seats. These problems have since been overcome with wireless technologies such as Bluetooth as will be explained later. 4.3 The first polarised 3D film The next and arguably one of the most important advancements in 3D technology came in 1929 when Edwin H. Land worked out a way of using polarised lenses (Polaroid) together with images to create stereo vision. (Find more on polarisation in chapter 8.6) Lands polarizing material was first used for projection of still stereoscopic images at the behest of Clarence Kennedy, an art history instructor at Smith College who wanted to project photo images of sculptures in stereo to his students. (Zone, 2007) In 1936 Beggars Wedding was released in Italy, it was the first stereoscopic feature to include sound, it was exhibited using Polaroid filters. This was filmed using polarised technology. The first American film to use polarising filters was shot in 1939 and entitled In Tune With Tomorrow, it was a 15 minute short film which shows through stop motion, a car being built piece-by-piece in 3D with the added enhancement of music and sound effects. (Internet Movie Database, 2005) Between 1939 and 1952 3D films continued to me made but with the Great Depression and the onset of the Second World War, the cinema industry was restricted with its output because of finances and as 3D films were more expensive to make their output started to be reduced. Chapter 5: Golden Age of 3D (1952 1955) With cinema ticket sales plummeting from 90 million in 1948 to 40 million in 1951 (Sung, 2009) largely being put down to the television becoming coming in peoples front rooms the cinema industry needed to find a way to encourage the viewers back the big screen, 3D was seen as a way to offer something extra to make viewers return. In 1952 the first colour 3D film was released called Bwana Devil,it was the first of many stereoscopic films to follow in the next few years. The process of combining 3D and colour attracted a new audience to 3D films. Between 1950 and 1955 there were far more 3D films produced that at any other time before or since, apart from possibly in the next couple of years from 2009 onwards, as the cinema industry tries to fight back again against falling figures, this time though because of home entertainment systems, video-on-demand, and legal and illegal movie downloads. Towards the end of the Golden Age, around 1955, the fascination with 3D was starting to be lost. There were a number of reasons for this, one of the main factors was that in order for the film to be seen in 3D it had to be shown on two reels at the same time, which meant that the two reels had to be exactly in time else the effect would be lost and it would cause the audience headaches. Chapter 6: Occasional 3D films (1960 2000) Between 1960 and 2000 there were sporadic resurgences in 3D. These were down to new technologies becoming available. In the late 1960s the invention of a single strip 3D format initiated a revival as it meant that the dual projectors would no longer go out of sync and cause eye-strain. The first version of this single strip 3D format to be used was called Space-Vision 3D, it worked on an over and under basis. This meant that the frame was horizontally split into two, during playback it was then separate in two using a prism and polarised glasses. However, there were major drawbacks with Space-Vision 3D. Due to the design of the cameras required to film in this format, the only major lens that was compatible was the Bernier lens. The focal length of the Bernier optic is fixed at 35mm and the interaxial at 65mm. Neither may be varied, but convergence may be altered'(Lipton, 1982).This obviously restricted the creative filmmaking options and as a result was soon superseded by a new format called Stereovision. Stereovision was similar to Space-Vision 3D in that is split the frame in two, unlike Space-Vision though, the frame was split vertically, and they were placed side-by-side. During projection these frames were then put through an anamorphic lens, thereby stretching them back to their original size. These also made use of the polarising method introduced by Land in 1929. A film made using this process was called The Stewardess, released in 1969, it cost only $100,000 to make but at the cinema it grossed $26,000,000 (Lipton, 1982). Understandably the studios were very interested in the profit margin that arose from this film. As a result 3D once again became an interesting prospect for studios. Up until fairly recently films were still shot and edited using old film techniques (i.e. not digitally). This made manipulating 3D films quite difficult, this lack of control over the full process made 3D less appealing to film makers. The digitisation of post-processing and visual effects gave us another surge in the 1990s. But only full digitisation, from glass to glass from the cameras to projector lenses gives 3D the technological biotope it needs to thrive (Mendiburu, 2009). Chapter 7: The Second Golden Age of 3D (2004 present) In 2003 James Cameron released Ghost of the Abyss, it was the first full length 3D feature film that used the Reality Camera System, which was specially designed to use new high definition digital cameras. These digital cameras meant that the old techniques used with 3D film no longer restricted the work-flow, and the whole process can be done digitally, from start to finish. The next groundbreaking film was Robert Semeckis 2004 animated film Polar Express which was also shown in IMAX theatres. It was released at the same time in 2D and 3D, the 3D cinemas took on average 14 times more money that the 2D cinemas. The cinemas once again took note, and since Polar Express was released in 2004, 3D digital films have become more and more prominent. IMAX are no longer the only cinemas capable of displaying digital 3D films. A large proportion of conventional cinemas have made the switch to digital, this switch has enabled 3D films to be exhibited in a large range of cinemas. CHAPTER 8: 3D TECHNOLOGIES 8.1 3D capture and display methods Each different type of stereoscopic display projects the combined left and right images together onto a flat surface, usually a television or cinema screen. The viewer then must have a method of decoding this image and separating the combined image into left and right images and relaying these to the correct eye. The method that is used to split this image is, in the majority of cases, a pair of glasses. There are two brackets of encoding method, passive and active. Passive means that the images are combined into one and then the glasses split this image in to two separate images for left and right eye. In this method the glasses are cheaper to produce and the expense usually comes in the equipment used to project the image. The second method is active display. This method works by sending the alternative images in a very quick succession (L-R-L-R-L-R), the glasses then periodically block the appropriate eye piece, this is done at such a fast rate that it appears to be continuous in both eyes. There are various different types of encoding encapsulated within each of the two methods mentioned above. The encoding can use either colour separation (anaglyph, Dolby 3D), time separation (active glasses) or polarisation (RealD). A separate method, which does not require the use of glasses is done by using a virtual space in front of the screen and is called autosterescopic. In cinemas across the world at the moment there are several formats that are used to display 3D films. Three of the main distributors are Real-D, iMAX and Dolby-3D. Once a 3D film has been finished by the studios, it then needs to be prepared for exhibition in various different formats, this can include amongst other things colour grading and anti ghosting processes. At present there is not a universally agreed format for capturing or playing back 3D films, as a result there are several different versions, these are explained below. A large majority of the latest wave of 3D technology options send the image using one projector, so removing the old problem of out sync left and right images. The methods that do use dual projectors are much more sophisticated that the older versions used in anaglyphic films so have eradicated the old problems of out of sync projectors. 8.2 Gho

The American Revolution: A War for Independence Essay -- American War o

The American Revolution was a war for independence. It was a war which was fought for equal rights and the freedom of a would be nation. It showed the pure courage and heart of the American colonists by pitting them against a much more powerful opponent. The British had the best army in the world, and the colonists were often just poor farmers armed with their hunting muskets. It was truly a case of David versus Goliath. The reasons, course, and outcome of the American Revolution provided the perfect scenario for achieving independence. The ideas behind the revolution came much earlier than 1776. They came from deep within the Enlightenment. Although there was not much support behind these ideas, it is important to note that they existed. Stress had been building in the colonies since the end of the Seven Years’ War. For the first time ever there was a standing British army in the colonies. The British had nearly doubled their national debt defending their colonies, and they felt it was time for the colonies to start contributing some money. The colonists were expected to care for the British soldiers in the colonies. They would feed, clothe, and house these soldiers. The soldiers were there for the soul purpose of tightening England's grip on her colony. Needless to say, this did not please the colonists very much. They had enjoyed freedom under a neglectful Britain in the early 1700’s. Now they face the possibility of losing all they had gained. The American Revolution was directly set off by continuous arguments over increased taxes. The first tax to come was in the form of the Navigation Acts. The Navigation Acts "were acts passed by the British Parliament to regulate colonial tra... ...ship and cunning diplomacy the colonists surprised the world and won their independence. Works Cited - Buckler, John, Bennett D. Hill, and John P. McKay. A History of Western Society. Boston, PA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975. - Lecky, William E. H. The American Revolution 1763-1783. New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company, 1924. - Morgan, Edmund S. The Birth of the Republic, 1763-1789. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1956. - Morris, Richard B. The American Revolution ‘A Short History’. Huntington, NY: Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1955. - Stokesbury, James L. A Short History of the American Revolution. New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1991. - Ward, Harry M. The American Revolution: Nationhood Achieved 1763-1788. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, Inc., 1995.

Abortion Outline 3

Why choose Pro-Life over Pro-Choice Thesis: Although convenient, abortions are cruel, and inhumane alternatives to pregnancy. I. What is abortion? A. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy, either by choice, or for medical reasons. B. There are two possible ways to terminate a pregnancy (pill and in-clinic. ) C. There are also two kinds of abortion. Therapeutic abortion, which the baby is aborted for the safety of the mother, and elective abortion, in which the abortion is performed due to a choice that the mother has made for an unborn child. II. What is life? A.Most people who feel strongly of abortion and religion believe that life is created upon conception. (egg + sperm) B. Viability is when the fetus is 18 weeks old, and can live outside the womb. The fetus can still be aborted at 18 weeks, but if it were outside the womb, it would have the legal rights of a person. C. At three weeks old the fetus’ heart begins to pump blood to the body. III. Why is abortion chosen o ver adoption, or keeping the child? A. Some women feel its incontinent. B. Rape or incest only accounts for less than 2 percent of abortions. C. Since its not mandatory, some women don’t know the alternatives. IV.How is an abortion performed? A. There are 2 ways it can be performed. B. Aspiration abortion is the most common method of abortion. C. The average time for an abortion to be performed is 10-20 minutes. V. What are the legal attributions in an abortion? A. Abortions are 100% confidential (unless the patient is under 18. ) B. Obama’s executive order won’t protect the unborn. C. Since 1973 it has been the responsibility of 7 non-elected judges on the Supreme Court to make decisions on abortions for our nation. VI. Will the mother suffer any complications? A. Post traumatic stress disorder is very common among mothers. B.Many mothers suffer complications if they become pregnant after their abortion. C. 47% of women who have one abortion will have another. VII. Should abortion be illegal or just frowned upon? A. 53% of Americans believe that abortion should be legal in some circumstances. B. 22% believe that it should be illegal in all situations. C. Banning abortion, would make it a violation of human rights to some. VIII. Does ethnicity affect abortion statistics? A. African American women are almost 5 times as likely to have an abortion than a white woman is. B. The two main ethnicities that have abortions are Caucasian and African American.C. Most Mexican Americans are Catholic, and Catholics only contribute to 27% of abortions. IX. Abortions aren’t always performed in a safe environment. A. Unsafe abortions kill upwards of 70,000 women each year. B. Africa has the worlds highest maternal mortality (100x more than developed countries. ) C. In Latin America 21% of maternal deaths are associated with unsafe abortion. X. Unborn babies have characteristics of humans outside the womb. A. By 20 weeks fetuses have pain receptors. B. At 4 weeks fetuses can hear C. At 5 weeks the fetus is just a sac of DNA. XI. Abortion is not globally acceptedA. Abortion in Eastern Europe is higher than any other developed country. B. In Russia where abortion is legal 19/1,000 women have abortions. C. Whereas in Poland where abortion is illegal and highly frowned upon, not 1 % of the population has abortions. XII. Differences between pro-life and pro-choice. A. Pro-life tends to be more of a republican base and believe that everyone has a right to life. B. Pro-choice are more of a Democrat base and believe that a woman has the right to be in control over her body. C. Most people don’t know the extent of abortions, and their specific procedures.

Empowerment Through Education Essay

I feel empowerment through education can be one of the most amazing feelings. When reading a great book, it teaches me many things about myself and the classes I take in college. Learning something that I can apply to my everyday life is a useful tool. It teaches me things that can change my life forever or at least help me get through my day. Education not only benefits my life but my family, friends and people i see on a daily bases. The times when I feel most empowered through education are when i have achieved something that i never thought i could. After reading my first book, all i wanted to do was read the next book in the series. Right away I picked up another book and started reading it. I was so relieved at how easy it was once I started getting into what I was reading. It taught me something that i never knew about myself, that i actually like to read. From that point on, reading became an enjoyable activity. One of the first books i read was able to teach me something I c ould use in my everyday life. It was a car manual, which isn’t easy to understand at first. It has complex diagrams of what parts you are trying to fix and learn about. After carefully reading the manual I was able to fix my car myself. Before that replacing my window regulators, changing my oil, and installing sub woofers were things i never thought i could do. Because I was able to install and fix a few simple things in my car I avoided having to go to someone i didn’t trust. If i had someone else doing it for me, how am i sure they are doing honest work? Reflecting on it I now, I realize that reading can save me money, time and peace of mind. During my first semester in college i was forced to read many books I didn’t enjoy. After reading and applying the text to my classes I was amazed and shocked at how enjoyable it can be. It helped make the work i did more meaningful and less of a burden. It helped me understand that sometimes in life you have to read some crap just to say you did it. For the first time in my life i was able to over come my doubts about my reading and writing skills. I always felt like my education and book smarts were on an undergraduate level, but I was able to read and write at a college level and pass all my classes. This empowerment through education was something i never thought i would achieve. It is all thanks to the people that believed in me and pushed me to go back to school. Empowerment through education is one of the greatest feelings in the world. It is like the first time you are able to ride your bike by yourself. It is the inspiration that pushes you to wake up and start your day. After over coming many odds and doubts i was able to achieve what i came for, higher education/riding that bike over that high hill. Bettering my education was something i never thought i would do but here i am. The feeling of empowerment is what will drive me to excel this upcoming semester. Not only because applying myself will be easier but i now know i can do anything i put my mind to. I no longer feel unequipped to tackle the challenges that college and life present.

Major Shifts in the Politics of Republican and Democratic Parties

Major Shifts in the Politics of Republican and Democratic Parties The history of the Democratic Party has seen significant policy shifts since the end of the Civil War. Today, the party boasts as the sole supporter of the interests of middles class Americans, farmers, and workers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Major Shifts in the Politics of Republican and Democratic Parties specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Throughout its 19 and 20th century history, the party held socially conservative ideologies hence drawing substantial backing from working-class white males. The party’s New Deal programs of the 1930s, which immensely shaped the country’s economic direction, received widespread support from working-class Americans. From the 1930s onwards until 1960s, the politics of the Democratic Party was primarily shaped by working-class Americans, a tremendous shift in the history of the party. This was because conservative working-class citizens supported pro-working class e conomic reforms. This coincided with the time when the party sponsored the Labor Relations Act effectively controlling labor unions. Before then, unions worked independently from the government control. In the 1960s, Democratic politics rallied against global anti-Communism and safeguarded fundamental freedoms for all American citizens. The party’s policies supported effective governance system, and disproved big government and supported civil rights movements. The Democrats promoted state rights and endeavored to use federal taxes to redistribute wealth from industrialized North to the poor Southern states. During this time, the party adopted significant policies supporting progressive labor reforms, tariff revisions, and regulation of large corporations. After WWII, there was a major shift in the Democratic manifesto as the party developed a program to safeguard civil liberties. The program outlined stringent policies to curb anti-lynching and anti-poll tax, established a p ermanent Fair Employment Practices Commission and a Commission on Civil Rights, and outlawed segregation in armed forces essentially abandoning its conservative position on State Rights. Historically, the Republican Party represented Northern interests passionately supporting capitalists and America’s wealth elites and oversaw the Reconstruction in the South. Today, the Republicans strongly refute past social injustices hence forsaking several elements, which characterized America’s liberal past, thus propelling the country to its present liberal ideals such as securing independence for labor movements.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Republican platform espoused socio-economic changes promoting industrialization, liberalism, and capitalist systems. Since the Civil War, significant shifts in Republican politics have seen strengthened Federal government polici es, developed federalism and industrialization. Because of the party’s shift in political principles, it lost significant support in the Southern states after the Great Depression because of its persistent criticism of wealthy Southerners and big corporations. However, after World War II, the Republican Party abandoned its domestic policy and shifted its political ideals to focus on international diplomacy. In the 1990s and early 2000, the Republicans reduced the size of the government and balanced budgetary allocations thus abandoning its conservative philosophies that favored big government and favoritism in budgetary allocations. During the 19 and 20th centuries, Republicans supported economic policies, which favored investments in corporations and big businesses. Lately, the Republicans have taken up the â€Å"social agenda† historically adopted by Democrats. Interestingly, this shift in the party’s political ideals has put the party at odds with its conserv ative supporters in the South. Consequently, this shift in political philosophy has divided America’s working-class, some of whom have voted against their individual economic interests. Today, republican voters have embraced the free-market system and abandoned their traditional wealth redistribution system. Through taxations, corporations and big businesses have become the largest recipients of redistributed wealth and this has created unnecessary socio-economic and political imbalance making conservative Republicans to think that they are taxed to pay for liberal programs.

Dynamo Sportswear Case Essays

Dynamo Sportswear Case Essays Dynamo Sportswear Case Essay Dynamo Sportswear Case Essay Dynamo Sportswear Inc (Product Management) l. Time context Mr. Gerard Cruz, the owner and manager or Dynamo Sports Inc. Talked with his brand manager Joe Santos In getting a new product line Incorporated In their sportswear business. As for the present, all of their product line has been successful though they cater more in the mens division. The owner had the idea of adding a womens section and is willing to invest millions in the span of three years that he is projecting it but would want to be successful. The brand manager is given six months on planning this project. II. Problem Statement Becoming Success In Introducing a New Product Line The owner and general manager of Dynamo Sports Inc. , Mr. Gerard Cruz Is planning to add a new product In the company which Is the new female line. He Is not sure whether to alma at the upper bracket to downward or do It In reverse. What the Mr.. Cruz wants is to make sure they succeed and become dominant in this new market. The company does not have any difficulty and have nothing to worry with the seasonality of their new product since their manufacturing facilities could produce year round. They are also financially stable. Mr. Cruz gave Mr.. Santos six months to plan it and have it launch. Ill. Statement of the Objective Have the new product line launched In the time frame given, which Is six months. And make sure that It became successful. IV. Areas of Consideration 1. Make a plan of the project within the given time frame. 2. Look at key factors in the market that will help in making the new product line successful 3. Understand and know the perceptions of potential customers in the new product line that will be launch. V. And VI. Alternative Courses of Action (ACS) and Analysis of CA CA 1 . Mr.. Santos should know and test how the market Is, the pricing and telling of the launching of new female line. A. By having this new line, you will increase the market share. B. Developing to try a new market that presently does not exist. Disadvantages: a. Failure to understand the present market may end up in not having the line. B. New market may not become successful since people will not embrace it. CA 2. Understanding and knowing customers wants and attitudes. Advantages: a. Knowing what the new customers want in this new line. B. To determine and know the perception of customers. A. Failure to know what customers want. B. Was not able to determine the perception of customers and might not incorporate in plan VI. Conclusion: I conclude that using CA #2 can somehow help in making sure that the launching of the new product line will become successful. Since this involved the know of the market that the company will be entering and also taking in consideration what the customers wants. This means that the new product line will be able to meet up with the expectations of the customers it will cater with. VIII. Plan of Action. 1 . Make a reasonable and sound plan of action within time frame. 2. Have people work on knowing what the customers, in this case women, wants, their attitude towards female sportswear, what they needed and their perception on this products.

Arthur Anderson' Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arthur Anderson' Management - Case Study Example In Arthur Anderson, the main legal issue was compliance with accounting rules and regulations influenced the company. The company organized its activities taking into account accounting standards and norms of reporting accepted by the state and federal agencies. (Arthur Andersen 2007). To operate without major disruptions, Arthur Anderson was in compliance with legal requirements, international, federal, state, and local. It developed, established, implemented, and policed a code of ethical and moral conduct for all members of its organization. The ethical issue involved fair treatment of clients and employees. On the corporate level, Arthur Anderson accepted policies and regulations determining decent incomes and working conditions. In the legal area the objective were simply to obey the law. If the company considers the law unfair, then it should make efforts to get the law modified or repealed, or it should attempt to get relief from certain sections of the law (Friedman 1970). If none of these options is available and the law is too restrictive, then the company must evaluate the possibility of changing its way of doing business or of moving to a new location where the law does not exist. This need for continuous top management and other levels of management participation and support in such programs is reinforced by four separate studies on establishing and implementing social responsibility programs (Ringle, 2002). For Arthur Anderson, establishing and implementing a program was not a simple process and required cont inued top management involvement (Friedman, 1970). Arthur Anderson stated that the stockholders deserved a reasonable return on their investments; the business had to stay competitive; and the community expected some form of support from the business. This was a balancing act that each business must evaluate for itself as a part of its total social responsibility commitment. Because many people perceived right and wrong from different angles, the objective of the company in the area of ethical and moral standards were to establish what it would and would not tolerate. Since not detecting or overlooking violations weakened the fear of punishment, a system of inspection was implemented and strict levels of punishment enforced for violation of the code. Great care was exercised in all of these areas (Ringle, 2002). Expenses for implementation and control could not get out of hand, and policing and enforcement could not be done in a way that adversely affected the attitudes or the creativity of the employees. In the area of philanthropic activity, where there was considerably more latitude of operations in how, when, where, and even if the company or division wanted to contribute money or other resources to "worthy causes," the firm deliberated about and resolved many questions prior to establishing fair and workable guidelines. When the course of action was decided upon, then detailed plans for necessary management activities were developed, such as basic tactics, sequences, and timing; organization; allocation of resources; staffing; directing and controlling; evaluation; and, if appropriate, provisions for recycling the project. The planning process was used to accomplish accounting initiatives, and any other stand-alone action with its

Week4journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week4journal - Assignment Example The growth of industries in the North led to over-reliance to the southerners for the delivery of raw materials. There was an increasing raw material demand from the industries in the north. Cotton was among the main source of raw materials that produced in the south for industries at the north. Since the landowners in the south had a quest of more revenue, they demanded slaves to work for them. Slavery, therefore, became common in the south and deprived the lives of many people. They work in the cotton plantations for many hours without returns. Since the Northern depended so much to the south for the survival of their industries, they opted to control the southerners by making their colony. They moved in and grabbed the southerners’ land. They began to produce raw materials in large scale. Taking away their land meant that the southerners had to work hard to earn an income from the plantations. These aspect of the southerners working in the firms belonging to them but now controlled by the northerners led to colonialism and slavery within America. The demand for equality by the southerners began to grow in the nineteenth century. Slavery was facing hard times and the Africans who were taken to America as slaves were requesting for their rights (Gaston). Their demand for equal rights as the whites led to numerous strikes. Since the northerners and the owners of the plantations in the south wanted to proceed with their business, they allowed the freed slave in the south. Therefore, the development of the industries in the north improved the lively hood of the southerners by giving them a chance to live free and make their judgements. The end of the slave business resulted to states for the southerners. These states became homes to freed slaves (Ayers). They gained their independence and could live a life like their masters. They governed themselves and enjoyed some rights to own property from their

Legitimate authority Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legitimate authority - Essay Example The author talks about principles and students and so on â€Å"accepting† the rules of schools, and entering an â€Å"agreement† with schools and other institutions. The words â€Å"accept† and â€Å"agreement† both work under means the person, such as the student or the principle, has a choice whether they want to be part of the school or not, and that by choosing to do so they agree that all authority above them is legitimate. But students are often forced without their choice by law to attend schools until a certain age, and the school they attend is decided by the where they live or what their parents tell them to do rather than their own choice. So legitimate authority, as the author talks about it involving choice, cannot function for the students; if they need to â€Å"accept† and â€Å"agree† for authority to be legitimate, as the author says, they should be able to say that none of the authority above them is legitimate, because they did not accept or agree to it.This essay does not intend to say that the organization of teachers, administrators and so on are not legitimate forms of authority, but rather that choice to be part of an organization cannot be part of forming legitimate authority in school environments. This means that other structures have to stand to take their place, for instance, the ability to appeal decisions a student or parent questions because coercive forces work on subordinates in school relationships without them having a choice.

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 9

Philosophy - Essay Example Accordingly, in order to attain a happy life, people should avoid the primary sources of unhappiness which are the fear of death and the fear of gods. According to Epicurus, fear of death and fear of the gods are the chief sources of unhappiness in life. The definition of unhappiness seems to be simple though and that is the absence of happiness. But, for Epicurus, Happiness is the outcome pleasure. Basically pleasure is good and pain is bad. The absence of pain in the body and trouble in the soul can describe pleasure. Gods do not really castigate humans nor reward which makes sense in thinking that a happy life comprises of being free from the fear of gods and death (Boeree, 2000). A tranquil life, coined as ‘ataraxia’ and ‘aponia’, significantly means being free from fear and not experiencing pain. â€Å"Ataraxia† is like the real happiness of a person and surpassing the material world who embraces the principles of philosophy. And ‘aponia’ caters to the belief that happiness is the main goal of the human life. The two terms is apparent to a tranquil life where trouble in the soul c an be taken away as well as the inhibition of physical pain. Pleasure is good and this state can be maximized through the absence of pain in physical and mental senses. For Epicurus, fear of gods and fear of death are the primary sources of unhappiness that greatly affect the views of a person. Some people choose pain over pleasure because of thinking that this might lead to a greater pleasure. Epicurus insists that living a quiet and private life could be the best in order to live a happy life (Epicurus, 2000). This is because he rejects the popular perspective of the time. Pointless or the unnecessary desire can cause mental disquiet which should be avoided. Accordingly, human should look into the desires in different perspectives like the natural ones and the unjustified ones. Thus, specific grounds for happiness or achieving the necessary desires should be

Financial Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Accounting - Essay Example Turnover 21,134 Cost of sales 15,345 Gross profit 5,735 Distribution costs 2,520 Administrative expenses 1,417 Operating profit 1,798 Investment income 80 Finance costs 11 Profit before taxation 1,867 Taxation 581 Profit after taxation 1,286 Â   Â   Profit attributable to: Â   Parent 1,206 Non-controlling interest 80 Â   1,286 Â   Â   A consolidation schedule is provided Appendix 1. It shows how the figures for turnover, cost of sales and gross profit were arrived at. The Statement below represents the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position of Chambers and Subsidiary for the period ending 2012. The relevant calculations are shown. ... In fact, internally generated goodwill cannot be recognised as an asset while goodwill that has been acquired is recognised as an asset (IFRS.org 2012a). If a self constructed asset is constructed to be used in the business it is treated in the same manner as an acquired asset. However, self constructed assets which are produced for sale as part of the normal activities of a business are dealt with under IAS 2 Inventories. The two assets are not quite comparable as one set is something you can see and touch physically while the other is not. However, there is no reason why goodwill that is internally generated should not be recognised as an asset. Goodwill is something that a business generates internally, although it can only be recognised when someone acquires it. We are all aware that when a business is sold goodwill is the excess over the fair value of the separable assets that the buyer/acquirer is willing to pay. The fact that someone is willing to pay for it means that they ha ve placed a value on it. That value could be anything and the fact that someone places a value on it and is willing to pay means that it is measurable – whether objectively or subjectively. Casta et al (2011) indicates that some of the models that have been created to value internally generated goodwill cannot explain how goodwill was created. However, the fact that we know from the definition that goodwill arises from the reputation that has been built up a business over time means that the creation of goodwill can be explained. There are also other factors such as the area in which the business is located; the employees as it relates to their experience, competence, efficiency and reliability; and a host of other factors (Wood and Sangster

CWE Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CWE Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example This sets the wheel in motion for others to follow. I have no bias towards Robert F. Kennedy but the quote itself is a great one stressing on thinking differently and taking risks. It tells how once can achieve great feats by thinking out of the box. Most people tend to stick to the routine or bound by conventional thinking. They are afraid to take risks and believe in new possibilities. It is only when we move away from the laid out path that we can find new lands. So it only by thinking out of the traditional mould and embracing new thinking and possibilities that we can achieve great things. Again, you cant connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. – Steve Jobs This is one of the famous quotes from Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech. In this quote, Steve Jobs asks his audience to follow their heart and do what they enjoy the most. Most people fail to understand their true talents because they are too afraid to follow their instincts or guts. What you instincts say might not make much of logical sense at the moment but years down the line everything will seem to be perfect. It is only when you believe in your instincts that you will be able to live a life to your full

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 9

Philosophy - Essay Example Accordingly, in order to attain a happy life, people should avoid the primary sources of unhappiness which are the fear of death and the fear of gods. According to Epicurus, fear of death and fear of the gods are the chief sources of unhappiness in life. The definition of unhappiness seems to be simple though and that is the absence of happiness. But, for Epicurus, Happiness is the outcome pleasure. Basically pleasure is good and pain is bad. The absence of pain in the body and trouble in the soul can describe pleasure. Gods do not really castigate humans nor reward which makes sense in thinking that a happy life comprises of being free from the fear of gods and death (Boeree, 2000). A tranquil life, coined as ‘ataraxia’ and ‘aponia’, significantly means being free from fear and not experiencing pain. â€Å"Ataraxia† is like the real happiness of a person and surpassing the material world who embraces the principles of philosophy. And ‘aponia’ caters to the belief that happiness is the main goal of the human life. The two terms is apparent to a tranquil life where trouble in the soul c an be taken away as well as the inhibition of physical pain. Pleasure is good and this state can be maximized through the absence of pain in physical and mental senses. For Epicurus, fear of gods and fear of death are the primary sources of unhappiness that greatly affect the views of a person. Some people choose pain over pleasure because of thinking that this might lead to a greater pleasure. Epicurus insists that living a quiet and private life could be the best in order to live a happy life (Epicurus, 2000). This is because he rejects the popular perspective of the time. Pointless or the unnecessary desire can cause mental disquiet which should be avoided. Accordingly, human should look into the desires in different perspectives like the natural ones and the unjustified ones. Thus, specific grounds for happiness or achieving the necessary desires should be

CWE Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CWE Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example This sets the wheel in motion for others to follow. I have no bias towards Robert F. Kennedy but the quote itself is a great one stressing on thinking differently and taking risks. It tells how once can achieve great feats by thinking out of the box. Most people tend to stick to the routine or bound by conventional thinking. They are afraid to take risks and believe in new possibilities. It is only when we move away from the laid out path that we can find new lands. So it only by thinking out of the traditional mould and embracing new thinking and possibilities that we can achieve great things. Again, you cant connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. – Steve Jobs This is one of the famous quotes from Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech. In this quote, Steve Jobs asks his audience to follow their heart and do what they enjoy the most. Most people fail to understand their true talents because they are too afraid to follow their instincts or guts. What you instincts say might not make much of logical sense at the moment but years down the line everything will seem to be perfect. It is only when you believe in your instincts that you will be able to live a life to your full

America’s current policies Essay Example for Free

America’s current policies Essay Often, present generations, completely apathetic about their own sins, casts judgment upon the people who came before. This is not to say that, contrary to the prevailing wisdom currently choking our country, there are not absolute truths that were present during the inception of this country as well as in our present day. It is very unfortunate that some of our founding fathers held slaves; especially the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, who held nearly two hundred slaves at one time on his plantation at Monticello. We do not like that the father of freedom in America could not find it in himself to free his slaves. Jefferson’s own cousin, as well as a number of fellow Virginians freed their slaves. From 1780 until 1800, the population of free blacks in Virginia rose from just over 2,000 to more than 30,000. (Burns, 1997) Where is Thomas Jefferson? However, did those who contributed to the Constitution yet held slaves, serve to invalidate the Constitution or their own individual contributions? It would have to seem that it does. However, not to the same degree as some of America’s current policies invalidates our ability to even cast judgment on other generations in the first place. People in glass houses should not throw stones. This is a famous saying which can be applied to every person or generation who judges another while being less than perfect themselves. America is the 21st century is a far cry from America at its birth. The population, in 1776, was just under three million people. (McCullough, 2007 pg. 26) Last fall, America’s population exceeded three hundred million people. Technology has certainly made the world a much different place and America is not only the richest country in the world, it is also the most powerful. The founding fathers could scarily fathom what this country would become in a little more than two hundred years. However, would they be proud of what had been accomplished? In some ways, the founding fathers would be glowing with joy and pride. In other ways, they could not help but feel a great deal of shame and embarrassment at what America had become. In the past thirty years, revisionist historians have tried to tell Americans that this country was formed, not out of the pursuit of religious freedom as the Mayflower Compact reads but rather to make money and to expand their wealth and land holdings. Also, that the founding fathers were not deeply religious men but rather Deists who seemed apathetic towards absolute truths. These assertions are fallible to the core and scarily a student of history can accept such tripe. However, even the deists and atheists were still very moral men who were led by principles and not by what was convenient as they were men of the Enlightenment. Therefore, the question which should also be asked in conjunction with this theme is: Does America stand on any moral ground to even pass judgment in the first place on any past generation. Did our forefathers risk their lives so that more than thirty million babies could be aborted since 1973 and 40% of all children are now born without a father living in the home? Did our forefathers risk their lives so that more than 20,000 people could be murdered each year for the pursuit of money to buy drugs? When the forefathers secured freedom of speech, did that mean that pornographic movies could be shown on the television or curse words spewed at a dizzying rapidity? In a time when gay marriage is being pressed so heavily upon our members of Congress, would our forefathers; individuals who regarded the act as so impure, that they would go out of their way to describe such actions in an indirect way in their writings and all believed to be a sin? There can be added to this list, more than a dozen modern examples and whether or not one agrees that the aforementioned are problems in this country or not, our forefathers could not help but see them as grave mistakes and impediments on our history. It seems unlikely that those individuals, such as John Adams and George Washington, to name only a few; so fervent in their religious convictions, that they freely invoked the word of God in their writings and speeches, could have consented to such depravity. More than 35% of all of the quotes of America’s forefathers came from the Bible. Does America’s hunger for relativism and humanism disallow us from even being able to even ask the question: Were the actions of the forefathers pure enough to even form a country in the first place? For every person who would say no, there would be two of the aforementioned society which would say the same about us. Now, this is not to say that slavery was not extremely immoral which served as a cancer on our society at that time and created a legacy of racial hatred and inequality which is still present today. Anyone who believes that this country is one of the greatest in the world, if not the entire world as I do, such apathy towards our forefathers own words, has to invoke a degree of annoyance towards men who are revered for what the gave to future generations in the formation of a democratic, capitalist and free society. One wonders why a clear consciousness was not worth simply paying their workers a modest wage instead of forcing involuntary servitude. What was going through the minds when Thomas Jefferson introduced legislation to end slavery during the Constitutional Convention? Historians have argued that if Jefferson provided a hard line against slavery, then his other policies would have been pushed to the side and perhaps never passed. This is probably true. However, what stopped Jefferson from freeing his own slaves at Monticello? These questions may never be answered. So in the end, it would seem best for Americans to tread carefully when dismissing an entire generation and their works because of a sin which was all too apparent in 18th century America. Slavery was wrong? There is no doubt about that. However, has America lost most of its moral authority, as well as the rest of the West? This is to be sure. As more and more people turn away from the ideas of absolute truths and towards relativism and humanism, preferring instead what is convenient and not what is right, problems which America is now suffering, is its natural result. If the incompatibility of the actions and words of the slave holding forefathers invalidates their work, then it should be placed a top a very long list of this country’s ironic measures which have grown at an exponential rate in recent decades. WORKS CITED Burns, Ken Thomas Jefferson New York: Thirteen Productions PBS 1997 McCullough, David 1776. New York: Scribners 2007