Short Answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short Answers - Essay Example Because of the vast territory, there emerged a more global culture within the city-states which integrates their artistic styles into a single art form which we now call Hellenistic art (Greek Art 1). The classical period has emphasized the shift from depicting gods and goddesses with their ideal forms into human beings in their natural state. This has been continued in the Hellenistic period yet "the artist of the Hellenistic era expanded his formal horizons with dramatic posing, sweeping lines, and high contrast of light, shadow and emotions" (Greek Art 2. From the simple depiction of Poseidon or Zeus in the classical era, the Hellenistic art comes up with more dramatic masterpieces such as the sculpture of Antinous which imparts deeper emotion. It should also be noted that the "subtle implications of greatness and humility of the classical era are replaced with bold expressions of energy and power" (Greek Art 3). The classical period's Charioteer of Dephi even though recognized for the severity of movements is relatively static when compared to the Hellenistic period's Boy Jockey which highlights tension. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are considered the three greatest thinkers in Greece.

Alcohol Abuse Among the Elderly Essay Example for Free

Alcohol Abuse Among the Elderly Essay Alcohol abuse among the elderly is a widespread problem through the United States. It is hard to discover by physicians and medical providers, because many of these people have been abusing alcohol secretly for years. The population is extremely unlikely to admit that they have problems with alcohol, especially during a routine health care visit. As many as 15% of the population over 65 may be heavy drinkers, although this number is hard to pin down. Elderly people usually drink due to depression, loneliness and lack of social support. Most alcohol abuse comes from a lifetime history; whereas others develop alcoholic drinking patterns later in life. Alcoholism accounts for more than 15% of health care costs in the elderly. It is associated with an estimated 100,000 deaths per year in the United States. Alcohol consumption can produce both benefits and risks. In terms of benefits, men who drink two to six alcoholic beverages per week have decreased mortality rates and lower cardiovascular disease when compared with abstainers. On the negative side, two studies of 300,000 men demonstrated increased mortality among those consuming more than 2 to 3 drinks daily. Women, are more affected by less alcohol than men, perhaps because they have a lower blood volume, and so its distribution and decreased activity for gastric alcohol dehydrogenase are increased. The primary care physician plays an important role in making the diagnosis and in helping the older alcoholic receive proper medical and psychological care. As patients grow older, and develop conditions that require prescription and over the counter medications, opportunities for dangerous alcohol/drug interactions increase. Elderly patients should be encouraged to monitor their alcohol intake so that it does not conflict with their medications. When a problem is identified, begin by counseling patients and the family. Increased social support may be all that is needed to stop excessive alcohol consumption by some older patients. Reference Butler, Robert (June, 1998) Alcoholism and the later years. Geriatrics pg. 1-2.

Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories of the competitive process

Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories of the competitive process The Austrian School is a heterodox school of economic thought that emphasizes the spontaneous organizing power of the price mechanism, which was influential in the late 19th and early 20th century (Boettke, 2008). After the 1870s, Marxism spread rapidly in the ranks of workers, and the economic theories that defended for the capitalists went bankrupt. The Austrian economics based on three core concepts: entrepreneurship, subjectivism and market process, which became popular after that. The Post-Keynesian school of thought was developed in the debate with the neoclassical synthesis. After The General Theory of Keynes was published, some different points of view on the practical problems arose in the followers of Keynes, and gradually formed two opposing schools of thought: neoclassical and the Post Keynesian School. The theoretical foundation of Post Keynesian economics is the principle of effective demand, that demand matters in the long as well as the short run, so that a competitiv e market economy has no natural or automatic tendency towards full employment (Arestis, 1996). The objective of this paper is comparing and contrasting Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories of the competitive process. The similarities and differences between these two theories will be stated orderly. Although Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories are two different schools of thought, they still have some degree of similarities. First, they both advocate uncertainty. Next, they both cannot be regarded as profit maximizers. Last, the competitive process is seen as a dynamic process by both theories. First of all, for the Austrian approach uncertainty is pervasive. One of the Austrians core concepts is entrepreneurship. Austrian school thinks that the community is a collection of individuals. Individuals economic activity is a microcosm of the national economy. Through the interpretation of individual economic activities, reasoning illustrates the complexities of real economic phenomena. Entrepreneur is the individual here in the real economy. They are all different in each other. Therefore entrepreneurs in particular always face fundamental uncertainty. Kirzner (1973) emphasized the uncertainty present in all human decision-making, has primarily focused on the entrepreneurial market process. For the Post-Keynesian approach firms pricing behaviour is determined by a mark-up rule. This behavioural approach to pricing is partly in response to the imprecision of price setting in conditions of uncertainty. Uncertainty is the fundamental element of Keynes theory, and Post-Keynesian fo llowed and developed it. In the Post-Keynesian theory of agency, agents are non-optimisers due to fundamental uncertainty. According to Fernando Ferarri Filho (2001), in a context in which time is historical, economic agents do not decide future actions on the basis of statistical series analyses or beliefs justified by experience. To the contrary, decision-making is classified as an environment of true uncertainty. They are not the rational calculators of standard theory. This suggests some overlap with Austrian theory. Second, in Austrians term, entrepreneurs display purposeful pursuit of profit in the competitive process, which provides market order. It cannot be regarded as profit maximizers due to fundamental uncertainty. However profit is still therefore important in motivating agents. Neoclassical theory assume that manufacturers pursuit profit maximization, but we all know there is another voice in society requiring manufacturers to take social responsibility. Social responsibility will increase the companys operating costs, which is not conducive to their competition in the market. So, non-profit-maximizing firms will be sustained by the loss of profits and investment capacity and continuous losses, and finally be forced out of the market. Austrian school advocates idealism and they do not believe that firms select the behaviour of pursuit profit maximization. In post-Keynesian economics, firms are not assumed to maximize profits as well, as is clear in Lavoie (1992, p.105), The standard cri tique of the neoclassical theory of the firm is that profit maximization is not possible because of the lack of pertinent knowledge due to an uncertain environment. Profit maximization is then replaced by profit satisfying. Firms are assumed to set themselves threshold levels of profits; that is, minimum levels of profits or of rates of return. Furthermore, the firms overall objective is the pursuit of power. This involves attempting to control its environment. To become powerful, firms must be big; to become big, firms must grow. Growth is the subjective and profits are the means to realize this objective. However, maximizing growth does not equal to maximizing profits. Firms maximize the rate of growth, subject to various finance and expansion constraints. Last, both school of thoughts believe that there is no absolute equilibrium in the competitive process. The Austrian school views competition as a dynamic process, and sees the market process is driven by entrepreneurial activity. Continual change comes from uncertainty gives rise to the process of market activity. This process provides a more fluid account of market activity, than is typical of standard or neoclassical theory. The equilibrium approach of standard theory, it is claimed, cannot capture the dynamics of the competitive process. The dynamic competitive process of entrepreneurial discovery is one which is seen as trending systematically toward, rather than away from, the path to equilibrium (Kirzner, 1997). In contrast to the equilibrium dynamics of standard theory Austrian economics advocates process dynamics. The process of competition is ever changing and open-ended, and cannot be represented by equilibrium. Furthermore, Hicks, who first introduced the term traverse in to economics, characterized it as the path which will be followed when the steady state is subjected to some kind of disturbance (Hicks, 1973, p.81). In other words, the traverse defines the movement of the economy outside equilibrium. It plays a particularly role in Post-Keynesian theory, as most Post-Keynesian economists have serious doubts about the relevance and usefulness of equilibrium analysis (King, 2003, p.355). Therefore, Post-Keynesian economists analysis the economic phenomenon based on a dynamic competitive process as well as Austrian school. On the other hand, there are also many differences between Austrian theory and Post-Keynesian theory of the competitive process. It is mainly reflected in three aspects, basic principles and methodology, views on competition, theories of agency. First, Austrians are concerned with how a whole economic system works. The individualism and subjectivism of theoretical assumptions is a major concern. They avoid tunnel vision and investigate how the specialized activities of millions of persons, who are making their decisions in a decentralized manner, can be coordinated. The relevant knowledge, such as resources, technology, human wants, and market conditions, is inevitably fragmented among millions, even billions, of separate human minds (Yeager, 2001). Therefore, in Austrian terms there would be no competition in perfect competition as there is no role for entrepreneurial activity. Because entrepreneur will not stay in a market which cannot make abnormal profits. However, Post-Keynesian economists are typically more concerned with explanation than prediction as well as distribution, particularly at an aggregate and systemic level, but not with standard welfare economics. The realism of theoretical assumptions is a major concern . They believe that oligopoly is the normal state of affairs in most markets and oligopolists will typically hold some degree of excess production capacity. The degree of monopoly will vary across different markets. These are different from Austrian economics. Next, the second difference is the views on competition. In the Austrian school, competition is redefined in terms of entrepreneurial rivalry. Entrepreneurs play a crucial role by noticing missed opportunities and discover an act upon new pieces of information. The Austrian school of economics argues that true competition is a process rather than a static condition. For competition to be improved and sustained there needs to be a genuine desire on behalf of entrepreneurs to engage in competitive behaviour, to innovate and to invent to drive markets forward (Riley, 2006). In an uncertain environment entrepreneurial activity is characterised by error and errors lead to change. In contrast, Post-Keynesian economics argues that competition is inherently about dominance. Dominance here indicates dominant firms set the price in the market. The Post-Keynesian economics believe that market cannot determine the prices. Prices are administered in accordance with firms objectives and are not ty pically market-clearing prices due to the pursuit of power. Therefore, firms use a mark-up pricing rule, which is price equals average cost plus mark up. The Post-Keynesian school of economics argues that market dominance is merely perfect and markets are prone to reinforcing dominance over time. Finally, theses two school of thoughts advocate different theories of agency. On the one hand, Austrian theory is strongly individualist. All theory is based on individuals, which are entrepreneurs instead of firms or industries or other higher-level agents. But some Post-Keynesian theories are concerned with the social and historical location of economic actors. On the other hand, because of fundamental uncertainty, agents in Austrian theory are broadly rational but they are not the rational calculators of neoclassical theory. But agents do behave with intent. They engage in purposeful action and can make qualitative judgements. This radical subjectivism leads to an interest in individual rights over welfare considerations. These diverse activities are interdependent; yet no particular agency takes charge of coordinating them, and none would be competent to do so (Yeager, 2001). However, agents in Post-Keynesian theory are central to understanding how markets work. King (2003, p.1) argued that since agents make choices, they must possess a capacity that enables them to accomplish this. The idea of making a choice involves more than just a random or capricious action. To make a choice is to engage in an intentional act based upon reasons and beliefs, which must be possessed by agents. Furthermore, agents cannot be optimisers because they have to deal with uncertainty in attempting to establish their dominance. The role of uncertainty is perhaps less positive than it is in Austrian theory. In conclusion, this paper compared and contrasted Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories of the competitive process. First, the three similarities between these two theories of the competitive process were stated. Both Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories advocate uncertainty in the competitive process. Both these two schools cannot be regarded as profit maximizers. And the competitive process is seen as a dynamic process by both theories. Then the differences between these two theories been shown. The differences are mainly reflected in three aspects, basic principles and methodology, views on competition, theories of agency. Austrians are concerned with how a whole economic system works. The individualism and subjectivism of theoretical assumptions is a major concern. Competition is redefined in terms of entrepreneurial rivalry. And Austrian theory is strongly individualist. All theory is based on individuals, which are entrepreneurs instead of firms or industries or other higher-lev el agents. However, Post-Keynesian economists are typically more concerned with an aggregate and systemic level, but not with standard welfare economics. The realism of theoretical assumptions is a major concern. Competition is inherently about dominance. And they are concerned with the social and historical location of economic actors.

The Night of the Scorpion and Vultures Poem Comparison Essay -- essay

Both poems manage to conjure up powerful pictures and emotions in the reader's mind. Many descriptions can be quite vivid and sinister, then suddenly the poet will lead the reader on an entirely different path changing their perception of the poem altogether. Leaving them wondering, ?How will the poems develop, thus rendering both poems rather impulsive and unpredictable. 'Night of the Scorpion' and 'Vultures', both have an abrupt change of scene, somewhere in the middle. For example, in `The Night of the Scorpion` you start off feeling strangely caring and sorry for the scorpion. Whereas, it turns out that the scorpion really isn?t that gentle when it fights back. Making you completely change your mind. The same feelings occur with the `Vultures` poem, at the start we feel that the vultures represent something dark and sinister and then they turn into two loving birds, and aswell with the commandant, who kills people for a living, yet clearly loves his children who he goes home to each night. It really shows how different people/animals can behave in different circumstances. In 'Vultures' the charnel house seems quite laid back, seeing as the poet doesn?t burst with emotion at the horrors of the place. In fact he altogether seems to give the impression he?s not all that bothered. It?s like he?s stepped back from his own views and opinions, so as to just put the relevant facts into the poem. What?s surprising, if a little weird, is the way two people seem to be in love actually in the charnel house itself. Even though, that place would usually cause images of death and violence to enter your mind. The stanza itself begins with the word 'strange' set alone on a line. Catching your attention from the very beginning making you t... ...ilderness. Finally, I think that the ending of 'Vultures' has two very twisted sides to it. The whole tone of the poem and the use of imagery are negative and depressing, yet the diabolical creatures can still have love between them. The same with the commandant, in stopping to buy sweets for his child, shows his care for his child no matter what atrocities he has had to accomplish throughout his day. In one way I think the poets believe there are some horrors that cannot be overcome in the world, but then again, these people making such acts of atrocity can share love and care amongst themselves. These contrive to make an overall impression, one that?s negative with an unexpected positive twist. The message of 'Night of the Scorpion' seems much simpler, it is one of love and loyalty. It also ends on a very positive note, which seems less thought provoking and vivid.

Reading Cap 3 Market Leader

READING CAP 3 A) What area of business do you think the company American International Group (AIG) is envolved in’ a) Tobacco b) Insurance c) Oil d) Packaging B) What dot he following people mentioned in the article: Maurice Greenberg: Chairman Corneluis Vander: founder Edmund Tse: Runs Asian operations C) What do the following numbers in the main fthe article refers to? 166. – capitalisation 1992- Graduate licence 1919- Year of foundation in shangai 80,000- # of employees 130. -# of countries D) According to the article what are the main factors responsible for AIG? s success in Asia?R= because relationships in government E) Read the article and answer these questions 1. -What objective does AIG have in china? Increase the share 2. -What does Mr Greenberg see as his role in the company? As a employee 3. – Why in Asia important to AIG? The respect and valuies F) Find three verbs in the article which combine with the noun relationships to mean develop. Build Turni ng Success G) Find phrases (adjective and noun) in the article which mean the following 1. -Unused possibilities -odds 2. -continuing in the same place for a great length of time- permanency 3. -unlimited entry- . -representative connected to a company– image 5. -developing sales areas – develop training 6. -important talks- discussion 7. -most important countries – main advantage H) Discuss these questions 1. -what can spoil relations between companies? -. – missunderstoods 2. -a foreign company is opening a branch in your country. What factors should it consider? .- share of market 3. – In your experience are certain nationalities better at building relationship than others? If so which ones? American and japannesse 4. -How can you build good business relationships?. Favours and respect

Function/S of Space in Sandra Cisneros’ the House on Mango Street

Function/s of Space in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street Space occupies a central role in Sandra Cisneros’ coming-of-age novel The House on Mango Street. Using the example of the house shows this very plainly. This can be seen at the very beginning of the book, namely the title. Although it is a female Bildungsroman, the novel is not named after its protagonist Esperanza Cordero, but her residence. It shows that Cisneros attached much importance to the house on Mango Street and the reader also learns that it is of central significance for the development of the young girl. On Mango Street, she develops not only physically, but also in terms of her character and her own identity. That is why I will concentrate on the function of the house rather than on other different settings in the novel. Usually, the house is a symbol for warmth and shelter. It represents the place of the family and where one belongs to. But the first sentence of the initial vignette shows, that this does not apply to the house on Mango Street. Esperanza’s family has been constantly on the move and they lived in several apartments in different cities. The feeling of being rooted therefore never existed, just as little as the feeling of comfort. For Esperanza, the house on Mango Street does not symbolize shelter, but shame. In the first vignette Esperanza depicts the family’s house in a very negative way, run down and with cramped confines. It is neither â€Å"[†¦] the house Papa talked about when he held a lottery ticket [†¦]†, nor â€Å"[†¦] the house Mama dreamed up in the stories she told us before we went to bed. † (Cisneros 4). The house on Mango Street is at last their own, but not the one Esperanza and her family have longed for. It symbolizes â€Å"[t]he conflict between the promised land and the harsh reality† (Valdes â€Å"Canadian Review† 57). Especially for Esperanza, who is in quest of her own identity, reality and hope (Spanish: esperanza) diverge here, which means that Esperanza has not found her personal reality yet. She wishes to have â€Å"[a] real house. One I could point to. † (Cisneros 5). This desire shows that the house also symbolizes the â€Å"American Dream† of having a comfortable home of one’s own, something the people of Esperanza’s community will probably never attain. Esperanza experiences that instead, they are often confronted with the fact that the house also functions as a symbol of female restriction. This proves the given traditional role of a Chicana, whose business concentrates on the household and on being wife and mother. In the novel, female restriction is also depicted in a more extreme way: Several women like Marin and Rafaela are restricted physically because they are locked indoors by their husbands. Esperanza clearly comes out against such a male-dominated home. Although she is not sure who she is and still searches for her own identity, she clearly knows what she wants: a house all on her own, â€Å"Not a man’s house. Not a daddy’s. A house all my own. † (Cisneros 108). According to that, having her own house stands for her longing for a self-determined space as an independent woman, in which she can be free to be herself, unconfined by either a husband or a father and without any social expectations. There is something, Esperanza didn’t realize yet: the fact â€Å"[†¦] that the house she seeks is, in reality, her person. (Valdes â€Å"Canadian Review† 58). Thus, the house functions as a metaphor for Esperanza’s identity formation. Apart from its importance for self-identification, the image of the house functions as a synecdoche: it is part of the community, a place of one’s own amidst the whole community and barrio. By interacting with the community, meaning communication and observat ion, Esperanza learns that she can only define herself through her relationship to the other people of her community. She orientates herself by some positive role models like Aunt Lupe or Minerva, but she also distances herself from Sally or the â€Å"women sitting by the window† like her great-grandmother or Mamacita. Nevertheless, Esperanza learns through their experience. This shows Esperanza’s ability to distinguish between the different role models. She recognizes that she does not want to be a copy of somebody and this is why she sees others just as partial role models. The social interaction with the community actually is of utter importance for Esperanza’s identity formation. The fact that she defines herself through people she lives with shows the close interaction between community and Individual. The house stands for the community because it is part of it and thus functions as a synecdoche: pars pro toto – the term â€Å"community† is replaced by a narrower one, thus the â€Å"house†. This also works vice versa, totum pro parte means here that the house is used to represent the community. For Esperanza, the relationship between individual and community is a mutual one. She recognizes that there is a lot she learned and experienced while living in the house on Mango Street and in the ommunity. At the end of the novel, both what the three sisters and Alicia say to her â€Å"[†¦] induce Esperanza to acknowledge her indebtedness to the community and her role as mediator and negotiator between worlds. † (Rukwied 63). So she decides to give something back, to help others with her experience. In the vignette â€Å"Bums in the Attic† she states: One day I’ll own my own house, but I won’t forget who I am or where I came from. Passing bums will ask, Can I come in? I’ll offer them the attic, ask them to stay, because I know how it is to be without a house. Cisneros 87) Esperanza shows great sympathy for other people who are, by some means or other, lost like she was when wondering who she is. She describes this state with the word â€Å"homeless† (Cisneros 87). Having no home means having no house or apartment. And as I argued before, the house is the central metaphor for self-identification. In the end, Esperanza finally finds her voice by beginning with writing. She now has a clear vision of how her promised house should be: â€Å"Only a house quiet as snow, a space for myself to go, clean as paper before the poem. (Cisneros 108). This is another way of contributing something to the community: she writes about it. As I argued, the house is of central importance in The Ho use on Mango Street. Esperenza first refuses to accept that she belongs to Mango Street and thus to the whole community. But in the end she recognizes that it was there her identity fully developed because our environment always shapes our identity. I focused on the function of the house, but there are further reasons for the importance of space in general. In my opinion, one of them is â€Å"highly visible† indeed: The fact that Sandra Cisneros left a lot of space on the pages of the novel. In chapter 7 for example, there is both recto and verso in a large part unprinted. Works Cited List: Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991. McCracken, Ellen. â€Å"The House on Mango Street: Community-oriented Introspection and the Demystification of Patriarchal Violence. † In: Horno-Delgado, Asuncion et al (eds). Breaking Boundaries: Latina Writing and Critical Readings. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1989. 7-71. Rukwied, Annette L. The search for identity in two Chicana novels : Sandra Cisneros' The house on Mango Street & Ana Castillo's the mixquiahuala letters. Stuttgart: Universitat, Magisterarbeit, 1998. Valdes, Maria Elena de: â€Å"In Search of Identity in Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street†, Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol. 23, No. 1, Fall 1992. 55-69. Valdes, Maria Elena de. â€Å"The Critical Reception of Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street. † Gender, Self, and Society. Ed. Renate von Bardeleben. Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 1993. 287-300. (7. 01. 2008) (7. 01. 2008)