Social Constructionism Theory An Analysis

Social Constructionism Theory An Analysis This short study discusses the theory of social constructionism, with special regard to its implications for social workers and how its use can help them to understand human behaviour. Social constructionism represents a sociological theory of knowledge that studies the development of various sociological phenomena in social contexts. The theory, simply put, questions widely held assumptions about inherent qualities of items, concepts, or issues, and instead brings attention to the dependence of such qualities upon the contingent rationale of our social sense. It helps us in realising that human perceptions of reality and the world, of things, concepts and ideas, are shaped by deliberate human choices and linguistic reinforcement, rather than by natural laws or divine intention. A social construct, the anchor of this theory, represents the artefact of a specific group. To illustrate, intangible words like talent or brilliance, which in the overwhelming majority of cases represent little else than greater effort or the achievement of proficiency, are imbued with special significance and then tagged on to specific people separate them from the hoi polloi, resulting in the alteration of perceptions and behaviour of the masses towards such individuals. To be hard working is to be commonplace, to be brilliant is to be extraordinary. And to be called brilliant is even better. Language, as is obvious, plays a key role in the development of social constructs. The origins of present day social constructionist theories go back to the writings of Immanuel Kant. Kant argued for the existence of a world that was independent of human minds, thus implying that humans should not assert that they created the world. This world, he said, is without structure and is not divided into things and facts. Structure is imposed on the world by perceiving it and thinking of it in specific ways, as also by the adoption of particular, (rather than other), sets of beliefs about it. Vivine Burr (2003, p 2) and other advocates of social constructionist theory put forth the view that knowledge of constructionism enables individuals to adopt critical attitudes towards their conventional lenses for perceiving and understanding the world and their own selves. It provides humans with fresh ways of assessing ideas and things that are otherwise considered to be commonplace and accepted without demur. Numerous things like money, newspapers or citizenship are socially constructed and would not obviously have existed in the absence of society. Each of them furthermore could have well been differently constructed. This essay analyses and critiques the use of social constructionism by social workers in the understanding human behaviour. Specific emphasis has been given to the role of constructionism use in analysing commonly held perceptions and attitudes towards mental disorders. The study is segregated into three sections that sequentially take up the use of social constructionism for social workers in understanding human behaviour, its relevance in understanding mental disorders, and its areas of ambiguity and possible misuse. The Use of Social Constructionism to Understand Human Behaviour Social workers have two fundamental objectives, namely, (a) the strengthening of the ability of individuals and groups to cope with the many difficulties and challenges they confront in life and (b) the bringing about of improvements in various social and environmental circumstances in order to improve the satisfaction of human needs; especially of people from underprivileged and oppressed social segments. Social workers plan and attempt their various interventions through their understanding of environmental circumstances, the various reasons for development of such conditions, and the client system. Such knowledge and the consequent adoption of theoretic approaches significantly influence the point, the tool, and the nature of social work intervention. It becomes evident that understanding of the reality of the client environment is crucial, both to social work theory and to its practice. Theories of classical empiricism assert that the truth about the world is established and is independent of the individual. Social constructionism conversely puts forth the viewpoint that such truth, far from being independent of individuals, actually depends upon their thoughts, perceptions and beliefs. Whilst empiricists state that reality cannot be known separately from our elucidation of it, social constructionism messages that reality is constructed socially, with language being critical for the interpretation and construction of commonly accepted reality. It encourages people to question the widely held perception that conventional and accepted knowledge has sprung from objective and impartial examination of the world. It is in this sense opposed to the positivist epistemology of traditional science and spurs thinking individuals to constantly question their assumptions about the appearance of their environment and its various components. Objectivists assert that individuals make discoveries and find out about the reality of the world through the construction and testing of hypotheses via the actions of neutral observers, even as constructionists debunk such assumptions, arguing that the interests and values of observers can never be separated from their observations and are thus bound to influence the final construction of common perceptions about world realities. Gergen (1985, p 270), states that generation of ideas of reality is initiated by social, rather than individual, processes and that the touted objective reality of the positivist approach is actually the result of various social construction processes that are influenced by historical, political, cultural and economic conditions. Berger and Luckmann, (1966), state that individuals experience the world to be an objective reality, comprising of persons and events that exist separately of individual perceptions. Payne (1997), additionally states that reality, according to social constructionism, can be stated to be the guidance of behaviour by individual perceptions of knowledge and reality. Individuals arrive at shared perceptions of reality through the sharing of their knowledge via different social processes that first organise such knowledge and thereafter establish it by making it objective. Social and individual activity thus becomes habitual with individuals sharing their assumptions about their perceptions of reality. People behave in line with social conventions that are based on such shared knowledge. These conventions are furthermore institutionalised because of the agreement of many people on such understandings on different aspects of society. Such realisations and accords thereafter become legitimi sed by processes that integrate these ideas about reality into ordered and believable systems. Language provides the means through which individuals make sense of their environment, classify persons and events, and interpret new experiences. The shared reality of everyday life by different individuals distinguishes it from individual realities, (like dreams). Language helps individuals in sharing their experiences and making it available to others. Such sharing of reality leads to institutionalisation and thereafter to habitual ways of working. Habitualism in turn makes the behaviour of different individuals predictable, facilitates joint activity and perpetuates social control mechanisms. Knowledge is as such institutionalised within sub-groups, or at social levels, and significantly influences the behaviour of people. Shakespeare famously used his felicity with language to construct an illusionary reality about Jewish greed that persisted for centuries and shaped the perceptions and behaviours of millions of people towards the community. With such knowledge of reality being essentially constructed, it can change over time and diverge across cultural groups that embrace different perceptions and beliefs about human nature and development. Considering that the norms, beliefs, values, traditions, attitudes and practices of different cultural groups vary from each other, the social construction of their knowledge is also likely to differ significantly. An understanding of this fundamental principle can help social workers in their realisation of the different perceptions, attitudes and behaviours of different individuals towards similar social phenomena or stimuli. Social constructionism helps social workers in adopting critical stances towards established assumptions that reinforce the interests of powerful and dominant social groups and assists them in realising that the world has come about because of historical processes of communication and negotiation between groups and individuals. Gergen (1985, p 266), states that people see the world through the eyes of their particular communities and cultures and respond accordingly. Established assumptions, understandings and behaviours of people are sustained by social, political, economic and moral institutions. Social workers should, through its application, be better able to understand the various dimensions of reality within such individual thoughts, perceptions and beliefs. Social workers, the writer feels, need to realise that social understanding is finally the combined result of various human understandings through the operation of circular processes, wherein individuals contribute to the construction of social meaning within social structures of societies through processes of institutionalisation and legitimisation. Societies consequently create conventions through the participation of individuals in their structures, which, in turn influences the behaviours of people. Spirals of constantly moving influences build and rebuild the conventions that people adopt and by which they live. Social constructionism allows social workers to question dominant structures of knowledge and understand the impact of culture and history. Social workers understand the requirements of humans by and large through the application of specific ideological, ethical, political and economic approaches. An understanding of social constructionism can help them in understanding the responses behind the actions of both dominant and vulnerable groups of society and decide upon the adoption of the best suited routes for bringing about social change. Social Constructionism and Mental Illness Much of modern societys perceptions about mental ailments are influenced by the medical and psychological models. These state that medical illnesses are real; they concern disturbances in thoughts, experiences, and emotions that can be serious enough to cause functional impairment in individuals. Such ailments make it difficult for individuals to sustain interpersonal relationships and conduct their jobs. They can also sometimes result in self destructive actions, including suicides. The more serious of such illnesses, like extreme depression and schizophrenia, can often be chronic and lead to serious disability. Social constructionism argues that such perceptions about mental ailments are caused by specifically constructed vocabularies of medical and psychological models, which are replete with elaborate terminologies for mental disorders and focused on deficits. Walker, (2006), states that vocabularies of medical and psychological models, including the concept of mental illness itself, are essentially social constructions. They are made up of terms that describe deficits and diseases and perceive human beings as things that can be examined, diagnosed and treated, much in the manner of machines. Such perceptions (a) lead to obsessions with compliance, (b) distinguish between normal and pathological states, (c) position practitioners as experts, and (d) represent clients as passive and obedient objects of treatment. Recommended treatments focus on elimination of symptoms, support established paternalistic roles, and are not focused on actual client needs. Social constructionism, the writer fe els, can help social workers in understanding the destructive illusions that have been created by existing medical and psychological models and deficit based language. Examined from the perspective of linguistics, reified categories like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are defined by clusters termed as symptoms; schizophrenia for example is concerned with the occurrence of audio hallucinations. Such terms have come about due to the creation of consensus among doctors and psychologists and persist because of convention. Mental illnesses are often described by such specialists in terms akin to physical ailments like diabetes, where individuals manage their lives with specific medications; these comparisons are used to explain the working of medications and to make diagnosis and recommended treatment for mental ailments acceptable to clients. Analogies like these however do appear to the writer to be forced and even trifling considering that discussions about thoughts and feelings of individuals concern their identities and not their bodies. Social workers need to understand that the vocabularies of medical and psychological models essentially position clinicians as the most suitable interpreters of client experiences. Even superficially docile terms like clinical or treatment plans establish contexts where clients are perceived to be abnormal or having pathologies, even as clinicians are established as authorities with abilities to perform interventions for assisting clients in overcoming their pathologies. With the power of definition lying with clinicians, the labelling of people as mentally ill pushes them to the borders of society and takes away from them their intrinsic rights and privileges. Social constructionism helps social workers in understanding that whilst political and human pressure has helped in eliminating the incarceration of the mentally ill in mental hospitals, the distinction created by vocabulary on mental illness leads to the movement of foci of power to clinicians and undermines efforts for self determination and community integration. Such medical and psychological vocabularies constitute obstacles to more inclusive mental health programmes and undermine social understanding of people with mental disorders. Gray Areas Social workers need to however recognise the gray areas that surround social constructionist theory. Dominelli (97) states that social workers are ironically likely to regulate the social construction of the children of poor families, with whom they work extensively, by giving credibility to the dominant, white, heterosexual, nuclear family model. The writer feels that the casual application of the theory for the debunking of each and every thing, including important issues like culture and community, can lead to confusion and dilute the focus of social workers. Race and religion, for example, are essentially social constructs of dominant power groups but that does not take away from the fact that they exist and are not expected to disappear because of critical analysis by social constructists. Wanton overdoing of social construction has often resulted in methodologically substandard work, wherein scholars have spent time in libraries, worked on some novels and then put forth findings that the common images and metaphors in them were social constructions with wide relational powers in the reality, which such novels attempted to represent. Roche and Barnes Holmes (2003) state that the strength of social constructivism is also its weakness; its deconstructive methods dissolve the solutions as well as the problems from which they emerge. Social constructions surround us and include diverse aspects like racism, child abuse, crime, and disease. The writer feels that these things do not become unreal because of their social construction; even though the dominance of construction processes may differ between each of them.Spending a great deal of time in showing that most things are social constructs can well be little other than wasted effort. The large body of doctors and psychologists are again unlikely to give up their vocabulary because constructionists do not believe in them. Conclusions It is evident from the preceding discussion that the ongoing debate and dialogue on social constructionism has facilitated a whole new way of looking at established and accepted realities. With regard to the theory and practice of social work, the use of constructionism can help social workers in understanding how dominant groups have for long institutionalised constructs like race, age, gender, and physical and mental disability to perpetuate models of oppression and discrimination. Students and practitioners of social work, whilst making use of this theory, will however do well to consider that excessive stress on constructionist language and downplaying of materiality may well be counterproductive and result not only in idle discourse but in superimposition of their socialised views on vulnerable social segments. Social workers who participate in what they feel are social constructs could also end up questioning the relevance of their work. They may thus have to battle with their being engaged in phony actions and be adversely affected by the creation of manipulative sensibilities. Social workers must try to ensure that the theory is used practically for widening their knowledge and clarifying different aspects of human behaviour, yet refrain from making it irrelevant and trivial.

Experiment for Identification of Paracetamol

Experiment for Identification of Paracetamol PATRICK ANTWI MANU IDENTIFICATION OF PARACETAMOL THROUGH THE USE OF PHARMACOPIEA TEST ABSTRACT Paracetamol is widely used (NHS Choice, 2012) for the relief of minor pain, toothache, headaches, symptoms of cold and reduces of patient’s temperature (control fever symptoms). It is classified as a mild analgesic agent. The following procedures were used during the experiment of identification of paracetamol. TLC method is important for separation of mixture. This technique is commonly used to determine the presence of particular compound through comparison of Rf values of both unknown samples and the standard samples. Melting point analysis is also useful for identification of compound. The melting point range can be indicated and recorded with the help of a thermometer. For instance, the melting point of paracetamol ranges from168 to172 degree Celsius Infra-red spectroscopy is one of the most essentially useful methods for identification of compound. It is usually used to identify medicines that contain correct drug in most pharmaceutical industries. Structural information about the functional group of unknown compounds can be ascertained through the use of infra-red spectroscopy. Significantly, the results generated during this experiment attest the accuracy and importance of these methods for identification of compounds. For example, the Rf values of TLC method as well as infra-red spectroscopy analysis demonstrated the presence of paracetamol and cafeine in sample ‘B’ and ‘D’ respectively. INTRODUCTION Paracetamol is the best alternative choice for children and ulcer patients who have a minor pain such as headache and children. Consequently, too much it (NHS Choice 25/06/2012) can cause severe harm to the kidney and the liver. AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT Identify paracetamol from various unknown samples through pharmacopeia test. Hypothesis The range of melting point of the samples that contain paracetamol would be (168 to 172) degree Celsius. Again, the samples that contain paracetamol only would turn into violet without changing to red after the experiment D. The Rf values of unknown samples that contains paracetamol would be the same as the Rf value of the standard sample when compared. Apparatus used for the experiment Micro-spatula UV-light Indicator IR spectroscopy Melting apparatus Pencil Rule Chromatography tank TLC plate Thin capillary tube Conical flask Beaker Micro-pipette Materials used Ethyl acetate Four unknown samples Water Dichromate METHODS Melting point analysis Melting point analysis was conducted for all the four unknown samples labelled A, B, C, and D. Small amount of crystals of each unknown samples was fetched into the melting point capillary tube. The capillary tube contained the sample was placed into the melting point apparatus. The samples temperature was measured with digital thermometer. Hence, both initial and final melting point of the samples was observed and recorded. This experiment was repeated twice to obtain the ranges of the melting point. INFRA-RED TECHNIQUE During the experiment, the arm of IR spectroscopy was cleansed with (ethanol) alcohol. The background of IR spectroscopy was scanned. Hence, each sample was placed on the mouth of the IR spectroscopy and scanned. The wavelength detected the various bound in each compound. Copies of each compound scanned was printed out for observation and reading. EXPERIMENT D FOR IDENTIFICATION TEST ANALYSIS The experiment D was conducted for all the four unknown samples labelled A, B, C, and D. 0.1g of each unknown samples were measured with macro spatula and 1ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added to it. The solution was gently shake and heated to boil for about three minutes. 1ml of water was added to the boiling solution. After boiling, the solution was then placed in an ice bath to cool. Observation was made and there was no precipitation form. Therefore, 0.05m of 4.9/L solution of potassium dichromate was added to it and the colour developed for sample ‘B’ was violet without changing into red. However, the colour developed for sample ‘A’ was slightly red and changed to purpled whilst sample ‘C’ and ‘D’ developed yellow hint colour and diluted violet colour respectively. TLC METHOD A solvent system of about 20ml of ammonia: methanol: chloroform (1:19:80) was placed into the chromatography tank. A filter paper was placed against the wall inside the chromatography tank. The tank lid was placed on to prevent the evaporation of the solvent. The tank was left for about twenty minutes to allow saturated atmosphere to be formed. TLC method was conducted by using four unknown samples labelled A, B, C, D and ethyl acetate. During the experiment, a solution was made from each of the four unknown samples A, B, C, and D respectively. Thus, about 10mg of each sample was fetched with micro-spatula into the small beaker and dissolved with the small volume of ethyl acetate. Moreover, TLC plate was prepared by measuring 1.5cm distance from the edge of the plate with a rule. A horizontal line was drawn and marked the intervals with a pencil. The distance in between each interval was about 1.5cm apart. The line was demarcated into six intervals for the four unknown samples as well as the standard samples, which comprises of paracetamol and caffeine solution. Each solution was fetched with the help of a micro-pipette and spotted on the TLC plate at different intervals. In addition, the standard sample solutions of paracetamol and caffeine were spotted on the same plate at different position. Thus, spot A, B, C, D, Par and Caff in that order. The TLC plate was placed into the chromatography tank and covered with the lid. The solvent then moved up gradually through capillary action. Hence, the solute spotted on the TLC plate moved up along with the solvent (thus, mobile phase). TLC plate was removed from tank when the solvent reached about 2cm distance to the edge and marked with a pencil. Moreover, the plate was left to dry for about 20 minutes. After the evaporation of the solvent has taken place, TLC plate was then placed under the UV light for observation. A drawing was made with a pencil around the new spots formed on the plate. A measurement of the distance travelled by both solvent and substance were recorded. The Rf value was calculated for both unknown samples and the standard samples. Therefore, the Rf value was calculated base on the formula below. Rf value = distance travelled by substance divided by the distance travelled by solvent. Finally, the Rf values of unknown samples were compared with Rf values of the standard samples. The Rf value for paracetamol Rf = 3.90/6.1 Rf value = 0.639 = 0.64 RESULTS (b). Melting point analysis results SAMPLES A B C D MELTING POINT RANGE 171- 175 171 172 200 206 159 The sample ‘A’ is a bit higher than the normal range of the standard paracetamol sample. Equally, sample ‘B’ indicated the presence of paracetamol as the ranges 171-172 degree Celsius (c). (d). EXPERIMENT D FOR IDENTIFICATION ANALYSIS results SAMPLES A B C D Colour of solution Slightly red and turned to purple Violet Yellowish hint Dilute violet Sample ‘A’ developed purple colour which shows para-aminophenol The colour achieved for sample ‘B’ was violet which show positive result and it was therefore indicated the presence of paracetamol. The colour developed for sample ‘C’ was yellow hint which indicated the presence of caffeine. However, sample ‘D’ developed diluted violet colour which shows the presence of caffeine and paracetamol. Infra-red analysis results Sample AÂ   Sample B Bond Functional group Frequency / wave number absorption cm-1 Intensity v N-H amine 3319.12 stretch strong v C-H 2794.94 stretch strong/medium v O-H Hydrogen bond in alcohol, phenol 3109.51 stretch Strong v C=C 1650.71 Aromatic stretch s v C=O 1609.82 amide stretch N-H delta amide 1562.66 amide bend v C=C Aromatic stretch 1504.96 aromatic stretch The functional group obtained on sample ‘B’ indicated the presence of paracetamol. Sample C Sample D (g). Results for TLC analysis STANDARD SAMPLES Paracetamol Caffeine Rf values from TLC analysis 0.64 0.89 SAMPLES A B C D Rf values from TLC analysis 0.74 0.64 0.89 0.73 The Rf values calculated for TLC analysis indicated that sample B is paracetamol when compare with the standard samples. Thus, 0.64 Compound A, C, and D are less polar since they travelled faster and further in the mobile phase and they are more attracted to the mobile phase than compound B. However, compound B is more polar and travel slowly in the mobile phase. It is most attracted to the stationary phase. Discussion The experiment D of sample ‘B’ clearly showed positive outcome and indicated the presence of paracetamol as violet colour was achieved. In addition, TLC analysis also indicated that sample ‘B’ was paracetamol when Rf value of unknown samples ‘compared to the standard samples. Therefore, this shows the accuracy and precision of the positive outcomes of the experiment. Equally, the ranges obtained from melting analysis for sample ‘B’ also confirmed the presence of paracetamol. Experiment D of sample ‘A’ showed deep purple colour and the infra-red analysis confirmed that, it is para-aminophenol. Moreover, both experiment D, TLC method and infra-red analysis confirmed the presence of caffeine in sample ‘C’. However, sample ‘D’ developed dilute violet colour TLC analysis which shows a mixture of (two compounds) paracetamol and caffeine. The infra-red analysis also confirmed that, sample ‘D’ was a mixture of two compounds. Time SUMMARY REFERENCE Barber, J., Rostron, C.,(2013). Pharmaceutical Chemistry Hill, G., Holman, J,. (2011) Chemistry in Context. 6th edition NHS Choice, (25/06/2012). Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Painkillers-paracetamol/Pages/Introduction.aspx APPENDICES Mobile phase: Rf value: retention factor for thin layer chromatography. Stationary phase: TLC: thin layer chromatography UV light: ultraviolet light

A Good Man Is Hard To Find Essay -- essays research papers

You are sitting in your living room at home watching the nightly news. The lead story for the night is about a family of four that were murdered. After seeing and hearing about something like that we often ask ourselves, What could possess a person enough to kill another human being? What is it that drives a person to kill? Will we ever know? Many authors use this unique mentality in short stories. They write about what the killer thinks and how he/she acts on his/her thoughts. One of these stories is â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find†, by Flannery O’Connor. In this story O’Connor’s victim, The Misfit, is an escaped convict. He was in the Federal Penitentiary for killing his father. Throughout the story O’Connor builds up this killers mentality through his words and body language. Like many other murderers, The Misfit could not distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When The Misfit first comes in contact with the family he immediately becomes nervous. He looks at the grandmother and says, â€Å"Would you mind calling them children to sit down by you? Children make me nervous† (O’Connor 687). The Misfit shows that he is obviously not comfortable being with or around children. The Misfit continues to watch all of the family members, like a hawk eyeing up his prey. The reality of the situation is that the children are very scared of The Misfit, and in no physical way could they harm him. The Misfit’s fantasy or conscience tells him that the children will do something wrong if he doesn’t watch them carefully. His thoughts of fantasy take over and the children huddle around their grandmother, shaking with fear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Just moments after his first interaction with the family, the grandmother said something that The Misfit did not like. She recognized his face and said, â€Å"You’re The Misfit! I recognized you at once!† (O’Connor 687). The Misfit then replied, â€Å"Yes’m, †¦ but it would have been better for all of you lady, if you hadn’t of recognized me† (O’Connor 687). The grandmother had clearly identified him as a fugitive from the law. Since The Misfit recently escaped from jail, he didn’t want anyone to know his true identity. Since the grandmother and the rest of the family knew who this mystery man was, The Misfit immediately considered all of them to be a threat. He makes this assumption without conside... ...instantly. This was an innocent family murdered by a psychopath on the prowl, adding more to his death toll.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of the quotations provide evidence showing that The Misfit is a very confused and disturbed individual. The majority of his thoughts are based on a fantasy point of view. He overlooks the reality of situations and because of these thoughts he becomes a threat to society. This fantasy life makes The Misfit stressed, angry and very agitated. All of these violent emotions contribute to The Misfits killer mentality and his lack of mercy. He could not remember or understand why he was sent to the penitentiary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  O’Connor does a great job in developing The Misfit character. She adds interesting statements about The Misfit throughout the story, slowly revealing the killer’s personality. Picturing this killer can be stretched out by the human imagination. Does The Misfit look like a killer? Does he appear to be like a normal human being? These are a few questions we ask ourselves. We may never know why killers exist, or why they do what they do, but we do know that the mind of a killer is a mind we will never figure out.

Impressionist Paintings as Documents of Paris Capital of Modernity Ess

Impressionist Paintings as Documents of Paris Capital of Modernity Impressionist paintings can be considered documents of Paris capital of modernity to a great extent. This can be seen in their subjects, style of painting, and juxtaposition of the transitive and the eternal. The phrase Paris capital of modernity refers to the time in the second half of the nineteenth century when Paris was considered one of the most innovative cities in the world. This was largely a result of Haussmann’s renovation of the city between 1851 and 1869. A Prefect of Paris under Napoleon III, he transformed Paris into a city with wide streets, new shops and cafes, and a unified architecture. The visual appeal of the renovated city, along with other factors such as the high quality of the art schools, caused Impressionism to take off in Paris around this time (Thomson 2000: 19-20). Impressionist painters wanted to capture the present, not historical or idealistic scenes. For this reason, they painted boulevards, parks, train stations, and other places that were important to modern Paris life. Human figures were important subjects in their paintings, since one of the most effective ways to depict modern life is to show the people living in it. Beyond what they painted, Impressionists conveyed the modern city through their style of painting. They used techniques that emphasized that the scene was a moment in time. Many of their paintings were sketch-like, using thin but visible brushstrokes. They depicted light and shadows accurately, which often set the painting at a certain time of day. Also, they conveyed a sense of movement in their paintings, especially in human figures. These factors allow viewers to believe that the subjects of a painting w... ... considered documents of Paris capital of modernity to a great extent. Their subjects, style, and juxtaposition of the transitive and the eternal give effective depictions of life in Paris at the time. Impressionist paintings will stand alongside written documents as records of late nineteenth century Paris for years to come. Works Cited "Guide to Impressionism." National Gallery, London. Web. 12 Nov 2010. . "Kimbell Art Museum." Web. 12 Nov 2010. . "Luncheon of the Boating Party." The Phillips Collection. Web. 12 Nov 2010. . Belinda Thomson, Impressionism. Origins, Practice, Reception (Thames and Hudson, 2000). Impressionist Paintings as Documents of Paris Capital of Modernity Ess Impressionist Paintings as Documents of Paris Capital of Modernity Impressionist paintings can be considered documents of Paris capital of modernity to a great extent. This can be seen in their subjects, style of painting, and juxtaposition of the transitive and the eternal. The phrase Paris capital of modernity refers to the time in the second half of the nineteenth century when Paris was considered one of the most innovative cities in the world. This was largely a result of Haussmann’s renovation of the city between 1851 and 1869. A Prefect of Paris under Napoleon III, he transformed Paris into a city with wide streets, new shops and cafes, and a unified architecture. The visual appeal of the renovated city, along with other factors such as the high quality of the art schools, caused Impressionism to take off in Paris around this time (Thomson 2000: 19-20). Impressionist painters wanted to capture the present, not historical or idealistic scenes. For this reason, they painted boulevards, parks, train stations, and other places that were important to modern Paris life. Human figures were important subjects in their paintings, since one of the most effective ways to depict modern life is to show the people living in it. Beyond what they painted, Impressionists conveyed the modern city through their style of painting. They used techniques that emphasized that the scene was a moment in time. Many of their paintings were sketch-like, using thin but visible brushstrokes. They depicted light and shadows accurately, which often set the painting at a certain time of day. Also, they conveyed a sense of movement in their paintings, especially in human figures. These factors allow viewers to believe that the subjects of a painting w... ... considered documents of Paris capital of modernity to a great extent. Their subjects, style, and juxtaposition of the transitive and the eternal give effective depictions of life in Paris at the time. Impressionist paintings will stand alongside written documents as records of late nineteenth century Paris for years to come. Works Cited "Guide to Impressionism." National Gallery, London. Web. 12 Nov 2010. . "Kimbell Art Museum." Web. 12 Nov 2010. . "Luncheon of the Boating Party." The Phillips Collection. Web. 12 Nov 2010. . Belinda Thomson, Impressionism. Origins, Practice, Reception (Thames and Hudson, 2000).

health drinks Essay -- essays research papers

Importance and Effects of Health drinks and Soft drinks in 21st century Introduction: Here we are going to discuss about the relevance and effects of health drinks and soft drinks like coke. We have explained in our study the advantages and disadvantages of these drinks. What are the ingredients of these drinks? How are they affecting every age group in the 21st century? Should they be used or not and if used in what amounts. The importance of these drinks help us to peep into their world and the drinking habits developed by people. According to a study 33% of U.S. adults that are 20 years of age or older are estimated to be overweight. Furthermore, over 58 million Americans weigh at least 20% or more than their ideal body weight. With exhaustion and high stress levels due to hectic lifestyles, many people are relying on energy drinks to give them that second wind. Whether they help to stay awake through a test that day, or revive you for a party that night, energy drinks are much appreciated, and are becoming quite popular. With energy drinks increase in popularity, and high demand, many companies have decided to come out with one. Companies such as SoBe, have SoBe Adrenaline Rush, Starbucks DoubleShot espresso and cream, and Mountain Dews AMP energy drink. Other popular energy drinks include, Red Bull and Rockstar. SoBe Adrenaline Rush has the familiar tangy taste of a grapefruit with a light yellow color. It contains 1000 mg taurine, 500 mg d-Ribose, 250 mg L-Carnitine, 100 mg Inositol, 50 mg Guarana, and 25 mg Panex Ginseng. This drink including many others is not recommended for children, pregnant women, or persons sensitive to Caffeine. Starbucks DoubleShot espresso and cream in caramel in color, and tastes very similar to the coffee frappuccinos Starbucks has in the glass bottles. It is definitely a great drink to waken up with in the morning. AMP energy drink (from Mountain Dew) contains matodextrin, Ginseng, Taurine, B vitamins and Guarana. It is sour and tangy and tastes like fruit snacks. Like mountain dew, AMP is a lime green color. Red Bull is a yellow drink with a sour, tart taste. that includes, 1000 mg taurine, 600 mg glucuronolactone, and 80 g of caffeine. The benefits you get from drinking a Red Bull include, improving your performance, concentration, and reaction speed, vigilance, emotional status. It stimulates your metabolis... ...ng obesity and bone weakening has the potential to synergistically undermine future health. Adolescents and kids don't think long-term. But what happens when these soft-drinking people become young or middle-aged adults and they have osteoporosis, sedentary living and obesity? By that time, switching to water, milk or fruit juice may be too little, too late. To curb this problem the only solution is to provide access to healthier drinks and snacks and prohibits soft drinks contracts in schools and eliminates school advertising and promotional events that promote unhealthy snack and beverage choices. Alternative acceptable beverages include water, unsweetened flavored waters, 100% fruit juice, 100% vegetable juice and low fat plain and flavored milk. Conclusion: From this we can conclude that fizzy drinks and the health drinks both can be injuries to health if use in excess. Every thing that is used within its limits is useful rather then consuming it over and over. Health drinks or energy drinks have a better substitute like pure 100% juices etc... Health drinks can be used but to a proper extent. But a fizzy drink like coke has no better effects to the health rather worsens it.

Business Ethics Essay -- Business Ethics Morals

In today’s global society, a Code of Ethics policy is used to label established, acceptable behaviors among that industry’s business associates, potential investors, and the corporation’s executive officers and employees, and most important, the consumer (Ethics Resource Center, 2003). In an attempt to promote an increased efficiency and productivity potential level, among employees and prospective clients, a corporation’s standard Code of Ethics should guide its members toward a more in-depth examination of their personal moral activity, and how these actions affect the people or acquaintances they encounter. A company should utilize this strategy as a model for the professional behaviors and responsibilities of its constituents, and proves the occupational advancement of that business. Ethics are important in every level of a corporation, but specifically in the day-to-day actions of its members, and the image the company broadcasts to its associates is fundamental in building a stable business foundation. These pledges are a vital communication tool used to covey the firm’s standards for business operations, and predominantly, its relationships with the surrounding communities (Ethics Resource Center, 2003). The statement made in this example for discussion has credibility to a certain extent, but there are always reactions to any action, as stated in the basic laws of physics. This also holds true when scrutinizing the actions of a brain surgeon, a reporter, or an employee at a fast-food restaurant. The significance may not seem to be equal when determining the impact level of these jobs, but the individual attempts to perform at the highest possible intensity should always be the main goal (Horngr... ...s quite different after a new approach is applied to a specific situation, but a majority of the time, this strategy will provide the best possible action that should be applied to achieve a more balanced ethical code (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 2008). References: Ethics Resource Center (2003). Why Have a Code of Conduct? Retrieved September 6, 2008 from http://www.ethics.org/resources/wy-have-code.asp Horngren, C. & Harrison, W. (2007). Accounting: Chapters 1 - 17 (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (2008). A Framework for Thinking Ethically. Santa Clara University. Retrieved September 6, 2008 from http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework.html

Government Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch is made up of the two houses of Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives. The most important duty of The Legislative Branch is to make laws on a particular Bill, which are written, discussed, and voted on amongst Congress. In the Senate there are 100 senators, two from each state. Senators are elected by their states and serve six-year terms. The Vice President of the United States is considered the head of the Senate, but does not vote in the Senate unless there is a tie. The Senate approves nominations made by the President to the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, federal courts and other posts. The Senate must ratify all treaties by a two-thirds vote. The House of Representatives contains 435 representatives. The number of representatives each state gets is based on its population. According to Factmonster. com, â€Å"California has many more representatives than Rhode Island. When Census figures determine that the population of a state has changed significantly, the number of representatives in that state may shift proportionately. Representatives are elected by their states and serve two-year terms. The Speaker of the House, elected by the representatives, is considered the head of the House. The Senate and the House of Representatives share several functions. Both regulate interstate commerce, interstate communication, interstate transportation, the U. S. Mint, and the supply of money. Both also create courts and declare war on foreign countries. House members represent a certain district in each state. This means that members will stay in touch with their local state g overnment allowing them to connect citizens with what is going on in Washington. In doing so, House members will be more aware of their opinions and needs and be able to advocate for them. Also, one major job duties of The House will be to raise revenue through taxes. They will also participate in committees to study bills, hold public hearings, get expert testimony, and listen to votes so that legislation can be passed. The primary function of both the House of Representatives and the Senate is to make laws. First the bill is drafted, and then a senator introduces it. The bill is then referred to a committee for review. After the committee has reviewed the bill, it is debated in the Senate, and senators propose amendments in relation to the bill and determine whether it should be passed or not. If the bill passes, it is then sent to the House of Representatives and then returned to the Senate. If the House of Representatives do not change the bill, the Senate signs the bill and delivers it to the White House. The President either signs the bill to make it a law, or vetoes it. Another important part of a senator's job is representing his or her state in national issues. Most senators spend a good amount of time talking to the residents of their home state about issues of importance to them. â€Å"Part of being in The Senate it is their responsibility to hold all impeachment hearings for government officials. In impeachment hearings, the Senate Chamber is used as a courtroom, and a committee of representatives acts as the prosecutor. If two-thirds of the Senate votes to convict the official, he or she is removed from office,† states eHow. com. The Senate also approves the executive branch's treaties. To make Senate negotiations easier, some presidents have brought senators with them to treaty negotiations. The Constitution requires that U. S. senators must be at least 30 years of age, citizens of the United States for at least nine years, and residents of the states from which they are elected. Members of the House of Representatives must be at least 25, citizens for seven years, and residents of the states which send them to Congress. The states may set additional requirements for election to Congress, but the Constitution gives each house the power to determine the qualifications of its members. According to eHow. com, â€Å"As of January 2009, the annual salary of a Representative is $174,000. The Speaker of the House earns an annual salary of $223,500. Further, Majority and Minority leaders earning $193,000 annually. Representatives also receive lifetime benefits after they have served five years; which include a pension, health benefits and Social Security benefits. † Therichest. org states that, â€Å"As of 2010, yearly salaries for United States Senators were $174,000 for Basic Senators, $193,400 for Majority and Minority Leaders, $223,500 for President Pro Tempore, and $230,700 for the Vice President. † Boundless. com summarizes the constitution and states that, â€Å"Article I of the United States Constitution describes the powers of Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. To establish the powers of and limitations of the Congress, the Article addresses the creation of the House of Representatives, which is composed of Representatives from each state. The number of representatives for each state is dependent upon the size of the population. The Article also establishes that there will be two Senators from each state. † The House and Senate are equal partners in the legislative process—legislation cannot be enacted without the consent of both chambers. However, the Constitution grants each chamber some unique powers. The Senate ratifies treaties and approves presidential appointments, while the House of Representatives initiates revenue-raising bills. The House initiates impeachment cases, while the Senate decides impeachment cases. A two-thirds vote of the Senate is required before an impeached person can be forcibly removed from office. The Constitution also goes into detail and explains the jobs of the Senate by saying that each state is represented by two senators, regardless of population. Senators serve staggered six-year terms. The chamber of the United States Senate is located in the north wing of the Capitol, in Washington, D. C. , the national capital. The Senate has several exclusive powers not granted to the House, including consenting to treaties as a precondition to their ratification. The Senate also confirms appointments of Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, other federal executive officials, military officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, and other federal uniformed officers, as well as trial of federal officials impeached by the House. The Vice President of the United States is the ex officio President of the Senate, with authority to preside over the Senate's sessions, although he can vote only to break a tie. Senators are regarded as more prominent political figures than members of the House of Representatives because there are fewer of them, and because they serve for longer terms, usually represent larger constituencies. According to the Constitution the major power of the House is to pass federal legislation that affects the entire country, although its bills must also be passed by the Senate and further agreed to by the President before becoming a law. The House has several exclusive powers: the power to initiate revenue bills, to impeach officials, and to elect the U. S. President. Each state is represented in the House in proportion to its population, but is entitled to at least one representative. The most populous state, California, currently has 53 representatives. The total number of voting representatives is fixed by law at 435. Each representative serves for a two-year term. The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, who presides over the chamber, is elected by the members of the House, and is therefore traditionally the leader of the House Democratic Caucus or the House Republican Conference, whichever of the two Congressional Membership Organizations has more voting members. Elections for representatives are held in every even-numbered year, and on Election Day, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. By law, Representatives must be elected from single-member districts by plurality voting. Most do not see the importance of the Legislative Branch because most of its actions are done behind closed doors but that does not take away from the important jobs of the House and the Senate. The Legislative Branch keeps the other two branches in order with Checks and Balances as well as each other. Without The Legislative Branch the government would not be able to function properly and orderly.