Strategic Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategic Leadership - Coursework Example e the resources of the company are correctly and effectively being used and activities are being correctly and accurately being reported (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2012). Some of the examples of these controls include budgets, bank reconciliations, cross segregation of duties e.g. for book-keeper posting cash and the receiver of mails, etc. Therefore, from the definitions and examples above, it is evident one major difference between the two is that, strategic controls affect the whole company activities (internal and external) while financial control focus on the internal environment more specifically, the financial resources of the company (Bert, n.d.). It is important to note that a leader’s influence can only be felt within the organization if such a leader behaves ethically. Therefore, given that the human capital play a significant role in determining the company’s success, then there is need for me as a manager responsible for developing and training employees to behave ethically in order to cultivate a better culture in the subordinates. Moreover, I believe that my position is in tandem with many strategic leaders because of the changing workplace environment due diversity in culture, attitude and work ethics. Therefore, to be able to retain better and efficient talent within the organization, many strategic leaders have started investing huge resources in developing and nurturing the talent of subordinates by ensuring that they behave ethically to be able to exercise maximum influence on the

Online gaming Essay Example for Free

Online gaming Essay Is trying to attain the needs of the student with the new scheme of education. The K-12 entails the addition of Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH) subject in grades 1, 2 and 3. Music is a colorful sound that we hear after birth. Playing music for infants in their first year provides for enhancement and benefit in future education. Music has different meaning to every individual. It works as a means of learning, relaxation, and fun. Everyday, young people spend more than four hours watching television, one hour using a computer and one hour of playing video games. No wonder why this era has become the â€Å"digital age†. We can also refer to the current era as a visual age. The demand for new abilities also transformed the workplace. â€Å"The secret sauce comes from our ability to integrate are, music and literature with the hard sciences, that’s what produces an iPod Revolution or a Google.† Friedman says. Today arts are needed by our young people as a means of expression, communication, exploration, and imagination. Arts help us strengthen the critical thinking skills. It also develops cognitive and creative skills. Physical Education plays a critical role in educating the whole student. Like other academic courses of study, physical education is based upon rigorous national standards that define what students should know and be able to do as a result of participation. It is unique to the school curriculum as it is the only program that provides students with opportunities to learn motor skills, develop fitness, and gain understanding about the importance of physical activity. Students will be provided an individualized, developmentally appropriate, and personally challenging instructional program that will advance the knowledge, confidence, skills, and motivation needed to engage in a lifelong, healthy, active lifestyle. In the propose study of the proponents, the students are going to apply and use the application not just for the entertainment but for them to learn on  something like any other word games. But with this study the students are expected to learn words from the subject itself. Statement of the Problem This study find answers to the following questions: 1. Can the new game be an effective tool for learning while keeping players entertained? 2. Can the new game be an effective way of teaching MAPEH and can it be equally effective for enhancing the critical thinking skills of the players? General Objectives The general objective of this study is to implement a word game that enables the learning of the MAPEH subject more exciting. By providing a learning environment that is exciting and entertaining, the hope is to increase learning effectiveness. This game will act as a future learning tool that will assist in the problems that teachers face in expanding a child’s vocabulary. The same can be said for a teacher trying to teach students where Cebuano is not their first language. This application can make players more determined to learn and to advance in the language by forming as many words as they can. It will let the players build and expand their vocabulary and strengthens the advantages of learning and playing this game. Specific Objectives To create an application that is effective in teaching MAPEH subject with fun ï‚ · To create an application that enhances the players’ critical thinking skills Conceptual Framework The concept of the game is that the player inputs the user name after the submission, the player has two options in selecting the type of game, whether a timed game or a non-timed game. If the player selects timed game, the player can select among the four categories; Music, Arts Physical Education, or Health. If the player selects random category, there will be two (2) minutes allotted time for the player to search for possible word/s and if the player find the word/s there will be an additional ten (10)  seconds added to the player’s remaining time. In non-timed game, there will be a leveling stage of difficulty and the player will construct for possible answer in every random category questions. There is a rule in giving hint, in non-timed game, there is a help button for words that were not yet found. The player can hit the hint button every twenty (20) seconds only to have discipline in using hint. The timed game scoring is based on the number of words find while the non-timed game ranking score is based the length of words found. To make the game more interesting and exciting, the proponents added a hall of fame list , wherein it has a ranking of the top 10 players displaying their statistics like longest word found and their achievements that they gain from timed and non-timed game. However, if the player wanted to quit the non-timed game, he can hit the menu button and quit. If the player losses in timed game, there will be a notification box that will pop-up in which the player could choose and decide whether to try again or quit the game and return to main menu. Figure 1.0 The process of the Gameplay Simulation Scope and Delimitation of the Study Scope The study focuses on developing a PC game application of a book worm style game where it contains many categories that are related to MAPEH subject such as Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health. This game, players can choose whether it is timed game or non-timed game. Players can play with different category such as Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health or player can choose a random category. This game has a time limit wherein the player needs to complete the word/s before the time ends. If they can answer questions then points will be given and will be placed in a ranking or players can quit the game and return to main menu. In timed game, players can choose different category or a random category. Players will get a score for every word and if they have the biggest scores they will be put first in a ranking. Delimitation The game will only delimit the following: o It will only focus on related MAPEH subject. o It will only cater 2D Graphics and does not project 3D graphics. o It will only use materials that are educational. All inappropriate topics will be excluded. Significance of the Study Students – This research is significant to the students that find MAPEH as a difficult subject. Teachers – This research is significant to the teachers for they will also learn new learning tools or other way on how to teach MAPEH subject. Players – This research is significant to anybody that plays games since this game can enhance the players critical thinking skills of the subject MAPEH . Future Researchers – Anybody that wished to create the same study can use this as a reference. They will find this helpful. Definition of Terms 2D computer graphics 2D computer graphics are digital images that are computer-based. They include 2Dgeometric models, such as image compositions, pixel art, digital art, photographs and text. 2D graphics are used every day on traditional printing and drawing. Computer Gaming Computer gaming is a type of video game playing that is played on a personal computer, rather than a dedicated video game console. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES This chapter contains the review of related literature and related studies that contains relevant and useful information in conducting the research. Related Literatures Study examines potential positive effects of video games Video games have become part of our life. All age groups have a varying degree of experience with video games. Most games have been made for entertainment purposes. Nowadays, there is increasing controversy over the effects of video games. Parents worry about the negative effects of computer gaming on children, they’ve emphasized on the violent behavior and addiction of computer games. However, there are some positive effects which could benefit a person from playing video games. According to Snodgrass (2011), an associate professor of anthropology at Colorado State, video games can have potential positive effects on people. This was researched by examining the  different types of video gaming experiences and the effects they can have on players’ lives, including their self-reported levels of stress, life satisfaction and happiness. In video games, players could develop avatars and complete tasks in cooperation with other players. The complex and highly interactive nature of the game can lead players to feel as though they have become part of a vividly compelling alternate universe. The American Psychological Association (APA) researchers assessed their problem-solving ability by examining the types of cognitive, goal-oriented, game-oriented, emotional and contextual statements they made. Younger children seem more interested in setting short-term goals for their learning in the game compared to older children who are more interested in simply playing and the actions of playing. (Ostrovsky, 2008) Bookworm Deluxe Bookworm deluxe has similar concepts to Mother Tongue Bookworm. The game utilizes 2D graphic visualization, from a grid of available letters; players connect letters to form words. As words are formed, they are removed from the grid and the remaining letters collapse to fill the available space. The players are given a board filled with lettered tiles, and they have to string them together to form words. The player get points for each word and longer words are worth more points. A major benefit of the game is that it increases a player’s vocabulary. (Mueller, 2005) Scrabble Scrabble has been around for more than half a century now. Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. There are three ways in which the player could benefit from playing this game. One of which is that it builds vocabulary, second is it helps one improve spelling and lastly in developing the skill of anagramming. The game application made by the proponents used this game as inspiration for the board game concept. (Rooni, 2010) Boggle game Boggle game or most commonly known as word factory is a word game designed by Allan Turoff. The game is played using a plastic grid of lettered dice, in which players attempt to find words in sequences of adjacent letters. The game is intended to help children learn to recognize letters and words, to practice hand-eye coordination, and to learn the correct spellings of basic words. (Nickerson, 2007) Synthesis The above mentioned related literature and studies, the proponents viewed that the proposed game application would be feasible and would significantly help those students most specially Kindergarten to Grade 3 students who are under the K to 12 program of the Department of Education. Children nowadays have access to technology that was not available in previous generations and therefore they have a unique opportunity to use this technology to aid in how they learn. By reversing the negative effects of video games, there are benefits that could be gained by players while having fun at the same time. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY In this chapter, the proponents discussed the method used in this study and the different procedures in the development of the research. Moreover, it also included the research locale, design procedure, design instrument and the timeline of the study and how the gathered data collected and analyzed. http://www.sourcecodester.com/visual-basic/educational-computer-game-thesis.html

Analysis of Michael Walzers View on Terrorism Essay -- Terrorism Essa

Michael Walzer is an esteemed retired professor from the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Walzer has written many books, essays, and articles. His essay, Excusing Terror, is one that best relates to the current events happening around the world. In this essay, Walzer talks about different reasons that people would want to resort to terrorism. In this essay I will argue Walzers view on Terrorism is correct in that terrorism is wrong because it is akin to murder, it is random in who it targets, and no one has immunity. I will also offer an objection to Walzer’s theory and explain why it is not a valid one. First to determine if terrorism is in fact right or wrong we must understand what it is. Although there is not a universal definition to describe terrorism I relate closely to Walzers definition which is: â€Å"a random murder of innocent people, intended to frighten a population into demanding that their governments negotiate for their safety.† In Walzer’s article â€Å"Terrorism† (Cahn, 239) he lists the purpose and methods of terrorism as to â€Å"destroy the moral of a nation or a class, to undercut its solidarity; its method is the random murder of innocent people.† Innocent people or noncombatants, as people call them, are described as normal working civilians who do not play a role in the government or have any control of what is happening politically. These innocent people are the ones who are targeted with no regards to political affiliation, the only thing that makes them the target is simply belonging to a certain group. To offer an example in 911 innocent people were killed and were chosen only because they worked in the World Trade Center, they were not chosen for anything they had done politically. Wal... ...agree with. The hardest aspect of determining whether or not terrorism is morally right or wrong is the various definitions that it can have. As mentioned earlier I relate to Walzer’s definition of terrorism and understand it as he does. As discussed I feel that terrorism is wrong because it is akin to murder, it is random in who it targets and when, and no one has immunity. There are objections to this argument which is that conventional war is worse than terrorism therefore if war is justifiable then terrorism can be as well. As argued the difference between war and terrorist is the way of choosing your victims, which in my mind refutes this objection. Terrorism exists and whether it is right or wrong can be argued respectfully. Works Cited Cahn, S.M. (2011). Exploring Ethics: An Introductory Anthology, 2Nd Edition. (pp. 239-253) Oxford University Press

HMS Bounty Essay -- essays research papers

HMS Bounty The HMS Bounty set sail in 1789. Captain William Bligh and his many crewmembers ran the ship. There was an upset between the crew and the Captain. Even though the men violated the â€Å"Articles of War† it was justifiable that they should not be punished.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Crew of Captain Bligh, under penalty of law and the Captain, had no right to commit mutiny and remove the Captain from the ship. The â€Å"Articles of War† clearly state that if any crewmember conceals any traitorous practice or design shall suffer death or any other punishment as a court martial shall think fit. That is exactly what Captain Bligh’s crew took upon themselves. The crew had no reason to blame him for the rations of water because he was doing it to keep the breadfruit alive which was the whole reason for the mission. Indubitably the crews actions were unlawful. The Captain of the HMS Bounty was William Bligh. He was very strict in his actions and in his punishment. He followed the â€Å"Articles of War† like the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church followed the Bible. When they were in port the Captain was very courteous and polite to everyone on the ship. He treated everyone equally and didn’t abuse his rank. That soon changed as the ship set out for the open seas and Tahiti.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The crew started to challenge the Captain and he punished each person that defied him. Many of his actions were unjustifiable and should in turn be pu...

Recombinant dna technology Essay

Recombinant DNA technology refers to the ability to isolate specific DNA sequences and alter or manipulate them to produce desired effects. More often, recombinant DNA technology is referred to as biotechnology. Recombinant DNA technology is fascinating in that it has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry, and completely revolutionized agriculture and pharmaceutical industries, all within the past 50 years. According to one account, biotechnology was born during a meeting in Hawaii in 1972 between Stanford medical professor Stanley Cohen, and biochemist Herbert Boyer from the University of California (Russo, 2003). The men were attending a conference on plasmids, and discussed the ability to introduce plasmid DNA into the bacterium E Coli that would allow researchers to actually clone the plasmids in the bacteria. Boyer and Cohen eventually chose different paths, both affected by the growing concerns about the safety of recombinant DNA technology, but this meeting is marked as the beginning of the biotechnology revolution. Cohen stayed in academia and defended recombinant DNA technology in US congressional hearings. During the same time, in 1976 Herbert Boyer partnered with venture capitalist and MIT graduate Robert Swanson to set up and develop the worlds first biotechnology company, Genentech (Russo, 2003). Since its introduction in the 1970’s the biotechnology industry has exploded, revolutionizing science and agricultural as well as pharmaceutical production. In 2011, Ernst &Young stated in the US alone there were 1,870 public and private biotechnology companies, their revenues worth over 60 billion US dollars (www.ey.com, 2012). To better understand how biotechnology has impacted the world we live in, it is good to have a broad understanding of the underlying principles of recombinant DNA technology. Firstly, two types of DNA are isolated. The first is bacterial plasmids that will act as the â€Å"gene carriers† and the second is DNA from another organism with a gene of interest (Campbell essential biology, 1967). The plasmid is cut in one place, and the DNA is cut in the area of interest for a specific gene. Restriction enzymes cut double-stranded DNA molecules at highly specific locations, called restriction sites, into fragments that can be manipulated (Harrison, Sampson, 1992). The specificity of the different enzymes depends on the base sequence of the DNA. Some enzymes cut both strands at the same point to produce â€Å"blunt ends†, others cut strands at different points producing staggered ends â€Å"sticky ends† (Harrison, Sampson, 1992). The DNA fragments are then mixed with the cut plasmids, joining together at their base pairs, or â€Å"sticky ends† (G with C and T with A in a sequence). The union is made permanent by a â€Å"pasting enzyme† called DNA ligase, thus creating recombinant DNA. (Campbell essential biology, 1967). The bacterium containing the recombinant plasmid is then mass-produced creating clones of the recombinant DNA to be grown in large quantities. The success of biotechnology companies reflects the high demand and numerous applications of recombinant DNA technology. Animal farming and breeding has been altered, giving animals more meat, as well as giving cows growth hormones to produce more milk (Donnelley & McCarthy, 1994). Biotechnology is responsible for the synthesis of useful proteins to create vaccines and drugs that fight acute or chronic diseases and illnesses. Due to recombinant DNA technology, insulin is readily available to diabetics. Alternatively, genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) have been responsible for advancements in agri-business. In agriculture, biotechnology has allowed for genetically modified crops to produce more yield, and thus more revenue for farmers, by creating pest-resistant, weather- resistant crops (Federici, 2010). Genetically modified food products can be given a longer shelf life through altering the genetics of an organism. To farmers, and a world with a growing population, genetically modified crops are looking more and more attractive. Weather resistant GMO’s that can grow in otherwise detrimental climates have even been suggested as a solution to world hunger. There is concern about the safety and ethics of genetically modified and engineered organisms. In many European countries, GM foods are clearly labeled, in the US and Canada, there is no mandatory labeling laws for genetically engineered foods or products (Federici, 2010). Scientific data has indicated in some circumstances that animals fed by GM crops have been harmed or died. In some instances animals exposed to GM crops developed abnormally and displayed detrimental reproductive issues (Maghari & Ardekani, 2011). Increasing prevalence of food allergies has also lead to blaming untested genetically modified crops as the source of the allergies (Maghari & Ardekani, 2011). Environmentalists are also enraged at the introduction of genetic ally modified organisms. GM seeds, once planted, and harvested, yield seeds of their own and often mix with wild, organic seeds, thus producing offspring that are hybrids of the genetically modified organism. Loss of biodiversity due to the GM resistant strains overtaking natural plant breeds in nature is a serious concern for environmentalists and biologists (Burke, 2012). They claim that the effects of GMO’s have not been researched or experimented long enough to determine if there are any long-term side effects to humans (Maghari & Ardekani, 2011). Although the biological advancements in medicine and science have greatly improved the quality of life of humans, the effects of genetically modified foods and GM animals is concerning. By providing vaccines otherwise unavailable to humans through biotechnology, many people experience longer then expected life spans. Usefulness of recombinant DNA technology in the worlds healthcare system can not be denied. However, the dependence on GM food in sustaining the world’s population should be examined more in depth. Has enough research been conducted on the effects of GMO’s on humans, animals, biodiversity, and the environment? I would disagree that sufficient data exists to be exploiting the science of biotechnology as vastly as humans have. Bibliography Burke, D. C. (2012). There’s a long, long trail a-winding: The complexities of GM foods regulation, a cautionary tale from the UK. GM Crops & Food, 3(1), 30-39. doi:10.4161/gmcr.18041 Donnelley, S., & McCarthy, C. R. (1994). The brave new world of animal biotechnology. Hastings Center Report, 24(1), S1. Ernst &Young. (2012). Global Biotechnology Report. Ernst & Young website. Federici, V. (2010). GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND INFORMED CONSUMER CHOICE: COMPARING U.S. AND E.U. LABELING LAWS. Brooklyn Journal Of International Law, 35(2), 515-561. Harrison, J., & Sampson, J. (1992). Enhancing understanding of recombinant DNA technology. Journal Of Biological Education (Society Of Biology), 26(4), 300. Maghari, B., & Ardekani, A. M. (2011). Genetically Modified Foods and Social Concerns. Avicenna Journal Of Medical Biotechnology, 3(3), 109-117. Russo, E. (2003). Special Report: The birth of biotechnology. Nature, 421(6921), 456. Simon, J., Dickey, J., Reece, J. (1967). Campbell essential biology with physiology. (4th ed.). London: Dorling Kindersley Limited. Quaye, W. W., Yawson, R. M., Ayeh, E. S., & Yawson, I. I. (2012). CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SECURITY: THE ROLE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY. African Journal Of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition & Development, 12(5), 6354-6364

Free Essays on Racism Today

Racism has been a major problem in society from the 1950’s until this day. Being racist means believing that there is only one superior race. These beliefs are a main cause in riots, boycotts and other such outrages. Even though there have been laws passed in order to help control racist acts; it has not changed the thoughts of many people today who still remain racist. Race plays a very large role when it comes down to the way the public is treated. In some cases for example, some businesses will refuse to hire another person that differs from their own race. Another example of this is the use of racial jokes, comments and names. Some hypocrites will claim to be anti-racist while they use racial nicknames in their daily vocabulary. After the civil war, most of the race crimes and racial conflicts took place in the southern states, but now these problems have worked their way up North. Now these racial problems are found mostly in New Jersey and New York, two of the most populated states on the east coast. Everyday there are acts of racism evolving from different areas all over the USA. On June 13, 1998, James Byrd Jr., a 49 year old man from Texas, was beaten unconscious and chained to the back of a pick up truck, where 3 white men dragged him along for miles. This is only one example of recent racial violence in America. Although some racism is still involving African Americans, it is becoming more pointed towards the large amount of Eastern Asians now living in the United States. Many individuals don’t like the fact that these individuals are running most of the gas stations and 7 11’s, and so this is where the racial comments and nicknames are started. This jumping off point is where most racial crimes are rooted and grown from. In comparing racism now to 50 years ago, a lot has changed, but also a lot has remained the same. The changes that have been made to prevent most acts of racial violence ar... Free Essays on Racism Today Free Essays on Racism Today Racism has been a major problem in society from the 1950’s until this day. Being racist means believing that there is only one superior race. These beliefs are a main cause in riots, boycotts and other such outrages. Even though there have been laws passed in order to help control racist acts; it has not changed the thoughts of many people today who still remain racist. Race plays a very large role when it comes down to the way the public is treated. In some cases for example, some businesses will refuse to hire another person that differs from their own race. Another example of this is the use of racial jokes, comments and names. Some hypocrites will claim to be anti-racist while they use racial nicknames in their daily vocabulary. After the civil war, most of the race crimes and racial conflicts took place in the southern states, but now these problems have worked their way up North. Now these racial problems are found mostly in New Jersey and New York, two of the most populated states on the east coast. Everyday there are acts of racism evolving from different areas all over the USA. On June 13, 1998, James Byrd Jr., a 49 year old man from Texas, was beaten unconscious and chained to the back of a pick up truck, where 3 white men dragged him along for miles. This is only one example of recent racial violence in America. Although some racism is still involving African Americans, it is becoming more pointed towards the large amount of Eastern Asians now living in the United States. Many individuals don’t like the fact that these individuals are running most of the gas stations and 7 11’s, and so this is where the racial comments and nicknames are started. This jumping off point is where most racial crimes are rooted and grown from. In comparing racism now to 50 years ago, a lot has changed, but also a lot has remained the same. The changes that have been made to prevent most acts of racial violence ar...

Benefits of Having a Dog Essay Sample

Benefits of Having a Dog Essay Sample Benefits of Having a Dog Analysis Essay Benefits of Having a Dog Analysis Essay Dogs are considered a man’s best friend. Owning a dog is beneficial as it provides balance, emotional well-being, and unconditional love. It is also a great pleasure to spend time in the company of these furry creatures. Dogs provide people with meaningful social support, improve physical and psychological state, increase the level of happiness and decrease stress. The Benefits of Having a Dog are Numerous Firstly, dogs promote health. They help people cope with anxiety and improve an overall mental health, not to mention a number of other health benefits. In addition, dogs are widely used to help people recover from very serious illnesses including cerebral palsy and insult. Secondly, dogs provide social benefits as they influence their owner’s well-being. The pets make people happier, provide greater self-esteem and prevent depression. Dog owners are better socialized and are closer to important people in their lives than those who have no dogs. Thirdly, dogs prevent stress and decrease it. These animals are considered masters at helping people feel calm and relieve stress. Dogs are the best listeners and they do not care about human actions and thoughts. When a person is upset or sad, a dog can give a stress outlet helping to cheer up. Fourthly, dogs improve mood. Stroking a dog may reduce blood pressure and bring balance to our emotional state. The eyes of a favorite dog help people who are in a bad mood. Fifthly, dogs ensure home security and safety. Dogs are extremely protective when a stranger comes to the door. In addition, a barking dog may put off many potential burglars and intruders. Sixthly, dogs have a favorable influence on children. Children who own dogs perform better at school and are more successful. Moreover, bringing up, feeding and regular walks create a sense of responsibility. Dogs have a positive influence on human health, emotional state.  They add to the development of communication skills and the sense of responsibility as well as play an important role in child fostering and family relationships. In addition, dogs increase feelings of well being and devotion, ensure safety and even save people’s lives. Dogs are among the most popular pets. These animals are usually called a man’s best friends and there is a reason for it. Dogs’ intelligence, loyalty, affection and devotion are incredibly rewarding. Owning a dog may raise spirits. In addition, having a walk together, relaxing at home together or being greeted by a happily wagging tail engenders a sense of well-being. These are the main reasons why so many people own dogs. What is more important is the fact that pets can play an important social role in people’s lives. Lonely people can get a dog in order to overcome social isolation. In addition, dogs improve people’s health, help to communicate and break the ice. Hence, having a dog is beneficial as dogs provide people with emotional well-being, balance and unconditional acceptance of who we are. Despite the fact that dogs provide meaningful social support, serving to improve owners’ happiness, well-being, and even their physical health there are not many studies on whether all people benefit from owning pets to the same degree or not and whether pets provide social support for people in general (McConnel et al., 2011). It has long been known that dogs bring a lot of pleasure to people who own them. However, there is little awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of having a dog, but it is worth knowing about. Our research is focused on investigation of the advantages of having a dog as a pet. Health Promotion To start with, it should be underlined that these furry friends help to cope with anxiety and dealing with them improves an overall mental health, not to mention a number of other health benefits. A research carried out for over 25 years has shown that a close contact with dogs can lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety. A dog, of course, is not the only way to solve problems, but it can help to monitor blood pressure. The study of 240 married couples showed that the owners of dogs had lower blood pressure and heart rate than people who did not own them. The similar study of children showed that there was a significant reduction of blood pressure in children suffering from high blood pressure when they stroked a dog (or any other pet) or played with it. Moreover, the children showed improvement in the general mental state, they became more obedient and easier to adapt socially. In addition, people who own a pet, spend more time outdoors, and have a stronger immune system. Dogs can even help in social life helping people stay active and energetic. It has been investigated that keeping a dog may also reduce the levels of bold triglyceride and cholesterol. Dog ownership is considered to be one of the best predictors of survival from a heart attack. It is also believed that pet ownership, dog ownership in particular, reduces national health expenditures (Headey, 1999). Dogs are widely used to help people recover from very serious illnesses. For example, doctors all over the world are amazed how pet dogs help children come out of a comma. There is a belief that animal assisted therapy is a great breakthrough in medicine. However, the practice of using dogs as a part of therapy dates back to the late 18th century, when these animals were introduced into mental institutions to help in communication with patients with mental disorders, people in a state of anxiety and those suffering from cardio-vascular dystopia. Such patients improved behavioral and psychological indicators of anxiety in the presence of dogs. In addition, people in wheelchairs have more positive emotions and easily communicate with strangers when they are accompanied by a dog. Another benefit of communication with animals is immune stimulatory effects of microorganisms, which, in accordance with the hygiene hypothesis, may protect against allergies and autoimmune diseases. Studies have shown that when a dog lived permanently in the house children were less prone to develop an allergy to pets: only 19% of children with a dog in the house compared to 33% of the total statistics of children whose parents did not keep pets. This is not the only surprising fact. Much lower risk of eczema and other skin diseases and higher levels of certain chemicals in the immune system were observed among children who were in close contact with animals, dogs in particular. That allows health professionals to conclude that a stronger activation of the immune system is a result of communication with our pet friends (Headey, 1999). It was also revealed that dogs helped people with cerebral palsy and after insult. Dogs positively influence the recovering of motor functions and mood. Children with Down syndrome are also treated with the help of dogs. For example, in a medical center in Panama, which is under the leadership of Mario Chang, doctors use specially trained dogs in a therapeutic practice that helps to cope with mental and physical disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism (Dog Helps Boy Recover from Coma, 1992). Companion animals may provide unconditional love and comfort to families with children suffering from autism. Most families reported that their children have very close bonds with dogs and felt comfortable and relaxed with their pets. The admirers of dogs state that dogs make people move more and in that way improve their health. According to the study of 351 people aged 20 to 80 published a few years ago in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on average dog owners spend a far greater amount of time performing moderate physical activity than those who do not have a dog (Your Pet and Your Health, 2011). A study, which was attended by new owners of a Yorkshire terrier, showed a highly significant reduction in minor health problems during the first month after the purchase of the puppy, and this effect was maintained until the end of the study. Many Americans have even calculated the percentage of survival of patients with the coronary heart disease, and concluded that the owners of Yorkies were significantly less likely to die within a year of acute myocardial infarction as compared to those who did not have a pet. In addition, older people started to spend considerably more time in physical activity, and Yorkshire terriers were thus a necessary stimulus. These results suggest that the acquisition of an animal can have a positive impact on human health and behavior, and have a prolonged effect on the overall condition. It is a proven fact that cat and dog owners exhibit noteworthy improvements in their self-reported physical and psychological health, compared with those who donâ€⠄¢t own a pet (Prokop Tunnicliffe, 2010). Social Benefits McConnel et al. (2011) worked out and held three experiments during which they examined how people benefit from communication with dogs every day. It turned out that the advantages of having a god are stronger when pets fulfill ones social needs. As a result, scientists concluded that â€Å"pet owners often experience greater well-being (e.g., greater self-esteem), exhibit healthier personality characteristics (e.g., more conscientiousness), and show attachment styles that are less negative towards the self (i.e., less fearful, less preoccupied)† (McConnel et al., 2011). One more argument for keeping a dog as a pet is the fact that pets also influence their owner’s well-being. People, who have dogs, seldom suffer from depression, are less lonely, have greater self-esteem, and are happier. Dog owners are better socialized and are closer to other important people in their lives as well as receive more support from them. Scientists found that people and their animals have a strong connection and those who have â€Å"healthier personalities seem to extend their general social competencies to relationships with their pets, and that pets with healthier personalities fulfill their owners’ social needs better† (McConnel et al., 2011). Dogs also provide their owners with social support. Dogs are good assistants for people with disabilities. In many countries, the degree of acceptance of dog guides at public facilities is rather high. Researchers find a number of benefits from this co-work. Not all people know that dogs have been used to assist people with a variety of physical and mental diagnoses since the 9th century. The first documented example of the therapeutic use of animals â€Å"occurred in the 9th century in Gheel, Belgium, where animals were part of the ‘therapie naturelle’ provided for the handicapped by members of the community† (Bustad Hines, 1984, p.20). Owners and pets’ well-beings are closely related. It was studied that there is â€Å"a link between care for sick pets and owner health† (Your Pet and Your Health, 2011). When a person provides veterinary care for a pet he/she can improve his/her own health. It can be explained by the fact that when â€Å"patients like these report being more vigilant about their own condition because they think of their pet’s condition frequently† (Your Pet and Your Health, 2011). They become more interested in knowledge of the disease, focus more on treatment provided to their pets and to themselves and do the right things. A pet’s disease, that in most cases may be the same as their owners` disease, makes them think not just about their own health; as a result they become more concentrated and disciplined (Your Pet and Your Health, 2011). From a social point of view, a walk with a dog allows not only enjoying fresh air, but also, for example, it is easier to start a conversation or strike up an acquaintance with someone. Walking with dogs or just pet care can provide moderate exercises and fellowship for those who are already at an advanced age. Lower Stress One of the benefits of owning a dog is that it is a master at helping people relieve stress and feel calm. It is well know that talking to a friend about a problem improve a person`s emotional state. A friend should be a good listener, so a dog is a good party. When a person is upset or sad, a dog can give a stress outlet helping to improve mood. It has been proven that people experience less stress caring out stressful tasks when their dogs are with them (Raina et al. 1999). In addition, people, who are with dogs while working, have lower levels of stress during their workday. It was found that having dogs in the workplace improved morale among all staff members. Dogs are tactile creatures. When people are stressed, it is a good remedy to stroke a pet. A dog may lick you and it is emotional exchange. This is the interaction when people do not have to think about what someone else is thinking. When dog owners come home, they are sure that their favorite pet will wait for them. Feeding a dog and playing with it relieves routine stress and improves mood. Thus, having a furry friend can reduce stress and bring support when times get tough. Improved Mood For people who love animals, it is almost impossible to stay in a bad mood when they look into the eyes of their favorite dog. Researchers support the idea that animals, dogs in particular, provide their owners with mood-enhancing benefits (Allen et al., 1991; Raina et al., 1999). Animals are much easier to cope with as compared to people, as they will definitely love people without judging their words and actions. A research has shown that a person needs to spend with a dog only approximately 30 minutes to feel more relaxed (Raina et al., 1999). In addition, playing with a dog raises the brain’s levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters associated with tranquility and pleasure. Thus, simply stoking a dog it is possible to reduce blood pressure and bring balance to a person`s physical and emotional state (Charnetsky, Riggers Brennan, 2004). Home Security and Safety Many dog owners believe that their houses will not be robbed because of a vicious dog. Dogs are usually loving and sweet. However, they are extremely protective when a stranger comes to the door. Studies show that vicious and barking dogs put off many potential burglars. Using a dog as a home security system saves a lot of money, as security systems are expensive. Even a small dog may make a person safe at home, as it may be a reliable alarm. Barking is able to deter potential burglars and intruders. A loud barking makes neighbors look out a window and if necessary call police. Moreover, dogs do not need to learn how to use a weapon or learn safety rules. Their main weapon is jaws and claws. Dogs and Children Psychologists believe that children who have dogs perform better at school. Reinhold Bergler, a German psychologist, found that children whose families had dogs at home were of an exemplary behavior at school and were more successful. The professor and his colleagues interviewed 400 mothers about the behavior and learning abilities of their children aged 13-15 years. Half of the respondents had dogs. It was found that children with dogs, especially boys, usually got better grades at school than their peers without four-legged friends. It is believed that regular walks, feeding and bringing up create a sense of responsibility in children (Shubert, 2012). Animals help children become more concentrated; they capture children’s attention and teach lessons about life, devotion, love, and affection. Many children see dogs as their peers and they learn a lot from animals’ body language. In addition, it is easier to teach children become sympathetic, as animals are straightforward in their behavior and when expressing their feelings. Children-animal bonds contribute to mood improvements, higher confidence and greater empathy (Serpell, 2008). live CHAT Child psychologists unanimously recommend getting a dog for a child who suffers from a lack of communication, is reserved, suspicious etc. The appearance of a puppy is an important part of parenting; it can change the nature of a reserved child for the better. He/she will take care of someone, talk to someone he/she trusts and with who he/she can share his/her secrets without a fear that a friend will spill the beans to someone. In addition, experts are confident that having a puppy brings feelings of responsibility, compassion and concern in a child; it teaches him/her to have the routine of the day as the dog usually gets used to walking at certain hours. In addition, the child receives daily charge of joy while communicating with a shaggy friend. Adopting a dog brings fun and friendship into one’s home and improves a person`s health and mental state. There is no doubt that owning a dog requires hard work especially at the beginning. However, if difficulties are put aside it becomes evident that good things prevail. Dogs can reduce stress, improve health, ease loneliness, promote social interaction and exercises as well as provide a person with affection, the sense of well-being and unconditional love. It should be emphasized that having a pet dog is very beneficial to those who are ready to take care of a pet. The benefits of owning a dog are the following: a positive effect on human health; development of communication skills; an important role in family relationships; child fostering; and positive influence on behavior. Dogs are also able to decrease the level of despair and anxiety, increase feelings of well being and devotion, increase mental capabilities and increase social functioning. In other words, owning a dog really makes a difference in people’ daily life. In addition, there are many real stories glorifying dogs, which have saved people’s lives in different situations. It is known that dogs have a special sense of prediction and are able to quickly respond in case of emergency.

Definitions and Interpretations of Rhetorical Irony

Definitions and Interpretations of Rhetorical Irony To say one thing but to mean something else - that may be the simplest definition of irony. But in truth, theres nothing at all simple about the rhetorical concept of irony. As J.A. Cuddon says in A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory (Basil Blackwell, 1979), irony eludes definition, and this elusiveness is one of the main reasons why it is a source of so much fascinated inquiry and speculation. To encourage further inquiry (rather than reduce this complex trope to simplistic explanations), weve gathered a variety of definitions and interpretations of irony, both ancient and modern. Here youll find some recurrent themes as well as some points of disagreement. Does any one of these writers provide the single right answer to our question? No. But all provide food for thought. We begin on this page with some broad observations about the nature of irony - a few standard definitions along with attempts to classify the different types of irony. On page two, we offer a brief survey of the ways that the concept of irony has evolved over the past 2,500 years. Finally, on pages three and four, a number of contemporary writers discuss what irony means (or seems to mean) in our own time. Definitions and Types of Irony The Three Basic Features of IronyThe principal obstacle in the way of a simple definition of irony is the fact that irony is not a simple phenomenon. . . . We have now presented, as basic features for all irony,(i) a contrast of appearance and reality,(ii) a confident unawareness (pretended in the ironist, real in the victim of the irony) that the appearance is only an appearance, and(iii) the comic effect of this unawareness of a contrasting appearance and reality.(Douglas Colin Muecke, Irony, Methuen Publishing, 1970)Five Kinds of IronyThree kinds of irony have been recognized since antiquity: (1) Socratic irony. a mask of innocence and ignorance adopted to win an argument. . . . (2) Dramatic or tragic irony, a double vision of what is happening in a play or real-life situation. . . . (3) Linguistic irony, a duality of meaning, now the classic form of irony. Building on the idea of dramatic irony, the Romans concluded that language often carries a double message, a second often moc king or sardonic meaning running contrary to the first. . . .In modern times, two further conceptions have been added: (1) Structural irony, a quality that is built into texts, in which the observations of a naive narrator point up deeper implications of a situation. . . . (2) Romantic irony, in which writers conspire with readers to share the double vision of what is happening in the plot of a novel, film, etc.(Tom McArthur, The Oxford Companion to the English Language, Oxford University Press, 1992) Applying IronyIronys general characteristic is to make something understood by expressing its opposite. We can therefore isolate three separate ways of applying this rhetorical form. Irony can refer to (1) individual figures of speech (ironia verbi); (2) particular ways of interpreting life (ironia vitae); and (3) existence in its entirety (ironia entis). The three dimensions of ironytrope, figure, and universal paradigmcan be understood as rhetorical, existential, and ontological.(Peter L. Oesterreich, Irony, in Encyclopedia of Rhetoric, edited by Thomas O. Sloane, Oxford University Press, 2001)Metaphors for IronyIrony is an insult conveyed in the form of a compliment, insinuating the most galling satire under the phraseology of panegyric; placing its victim naked on a bed of briars and thistles, thinly covered with rose leaves; adorning his brow with a crown of gold, which burns into his brain; teasing, and fretting, and riddling him through and through with incessant discharges of hot shot from a masked battery; laying bare the most sensitive and shrinking nerves of his mind, and then blandly touching them with ice, or smilingly pricking them with needles.(James Hogg, Wit and Humour, in Hoggs Instructor, 1850) Irony SarcasmIrony must not be confused with sarcasm, which is direct: Sarcasm means precisely what it says, but in a sharp, bitter, cutting, caustic, or acerb manner; it is the instrument of indignation, a weapon of offense, whereas irony is one of the vehicles of wit.(Eric Partridge and Janet Whitcut, Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English, W.W. Norton Company, 1997)Irony, Sarcasm, WitGeorge Puttenhams Arte of English Poesie shows appreciation for subtle rhetorical irony by translating ironia as Drie Mock. I tried to find out what irony really is, and discovered that some ancient writer on poetry had spoken of ironia, which we call the drye mock, and I cannot think of a better term for it: the drye mock. Not sarcasm, which is like vinegar, or cynicism, which is often the voice of disappointed idealism, but a delicate casting of a cool and illuminating light on life, and thus an enlargement. The ironist is not bitter, he does not seek to undercut everything that seems worthy or serious, he scorns the cheap scoring-off of the wisecracker. He stands, so to speak, somewhat at one side, observes and speaks with a moderation which is occasionally embellished with a flash of controlled exaggeration. He speaks from a certain depth, and thus he is not of the same nature as the wit, who so often speaks from the tongue and no deeper. The wits desire is to be funny, the ironist is only funny as a secondary achievement.(Roberston Davies, The Cunning Man, Viking, 1995) Cosmic IronyThere are two broad uses in everyday parlance. The first relates to cosmic irony and has little to do with the play of language or figural speech. . . . This is an irony of situation, or an irony of existence; it is as though human life and its understanding of the world is undercut by some other meaning or design beyond our powers. . . . The word irony refers to the limits of human meaning; we do not see the effects of what we do, the outcomes of our actions, or the forces that exceed our choices. Such irony is cosmic irony, or the irony of fate.(Claire Colebrook, Irony: The New Critical Idiom, Routledge, 2004) A Survey of Irony Socrates, That Old FoxThe most influential model in the history of irony has been the Platonic Socrates. Neither Socrates nor his contemporaries, however, would have associated the word  eironeia  with modern conceptions of Socratic irony. As Cicero put it, Socrates was always pretending to need information and professing admiration for the wisdom of his companion; when Socrates interlocutors were annoyed with him for behaving in this way they called him  eiron, a vulgar term of reproach referring generally to any kind of sly deception with overtones of mockery. The fox was the symbol of the  eiron.All serious discussions of  eironeia  followed upon the association of the word with Socrates.(Norman D. Knox, Irony,  The Dictionary of the History of Ideas, 2003)The Western SensibilitySome go so far as to say that Socrates ironic personality inaugurated a peculiarly Western sensibility. His irony, or his capacity  not  to accept everyday values and concepts but live in a state of  perpetual  question, is the birth of philosophy, ethics, and consciousness.(Claire Colebrook,  Irony: The New Critical Idiom, Routledge, 2004) Skeptics and AcademicsIt is not without cause that so many excellent philosophers became Skeptics and Academics, and denied any certainty of knowledge or comprehension, and held opinions that the knowledge of man extended only to appearances and probabilities. It is true that in Socrates it was supposed to be but a form of irony,  Scientiam  dissimulando  simulavit, for he used to dissemble his knowledge, to the end to enhance his knowledge.(Francis Bacon,  The Advancement of Learning, 1605)From Socrates to CiceroSocratic irony, as it is constructed in Platos dialogues,  is therefore  a method of mocking and unmasking the presumed knowledge of his interlocutors, consequently leading them to  truth  (Socratic  maieutics). Cicero establishes irony as a rhetoric figure which blames by praise and praises by blame. Apart from this, there is the sense of tragic (or dramatic) irony, which focuses on the contrast between the protagonists ignorance and the spectators, who ar e aware of his fatal destiny (as for example in  Oedipus Rex).(Irony, in  Imagology: The Cultural Construction and Literary Representation of National Characters, edited by Manfred Beller and Joep Leerssen, Rodopi, 2007) Quintilian OnwardsSome of the rhetoricians recognize, though almost as if in passing, that irony was much more than an ordinary rhetorical figure. Quintilian says [in  Institutio Oratoria, translated by H.E. Butler] that in the  figurative  form of irony the speaker disguises his entire meaning, the disguise being apparent rather than confessed. . . .But having touched on this borderline where irony ceases to be instrumental and is sought as an end in itself, Quintilian draws back, quite properly for his purposes, to his functional view, and in effect carries nearly two millennia worth of rhetoricians along with him. It was not until well into the eighteenth century that theorists were forced, by explosive developments in the use of irony itself, to begin thinking about ironic effects as somehow self-sufficient literary ends. And then of course irony burst its bounds so effectively that men finally dismissed merely functional ironies as not even ironic, or as self-evidently les s artistic.(Wayne C. Booth,  A Rhetoric of Irony, University of Chicago Press, 1974) Cosmic Irony RevisitedIn  The Concept of Irony  (1841), Kierkegaard elaborated the idea that irony is a mode of seeing things, a way of viewing existence. Later, Amiel in his  Journal Intime  (1883-87) expressed the view that irony springs from a perception of the absurdity of life. . . .Many writers have distanced themselves to a vantage point, a quasi-godlike eminence, the better to be able to view things. The artist becomes a kind of god viewing creation (and viewing his own creation) with a smile. From this it is a short step to the idea that God himself is the supreme  ironist, watching the antics of human beings (Flaubert referred to a blague supà ©rieure) with a detached, ironical smile. The spectator in the  theatre  is in a similar position. Thus the everlasting human condition is regarded as potentially absurd.(J.A. Cuddon, Irony,  A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, Basil Blackwell, 1979)Irony in Our TimeI am saying that there seems to be o ne dominating form of modern understanding; that it is essentially ironic; and that it originates largely in the application of mind and memory to the events of the Great War [World War I].(Paul Fussell,  The Great War and Modern Memory, Oxford University Press, 1975) Supreme IronyWith supreme irony, the war to make the world safe for democracy [World War I] ended by leaving democracy more unsafe in the world than at any time since the collapse of the revolutions of 1848.(James Harvey Robinson,  The Human Comedy, 1937) Contemporary Observations on Irony The New IronyThe one truth the new irony has to tell us is that the man who uses it has no place to stand except in momentary community with those who seek to express a comparable alienation from other groups. The one conviction it expresses is that there are really no sides left: No virtue to oppose to corruption, no wisdom to oppose to  cant. The one standard it accepts is that on which the simple manthe untutored non-ironist who fancies (in his dolt-hood) that he knows what good and bad should meanis registered as the zero of our world, a cipher worth nothing but uninterrupted contempt.(Benjamin DeMott, The New Irony:  Sidesnicks  and Others,  The American Scholar, 31, 1961-1962)Swift, Simpson, Seinfeld . . . and Quotation Marks[T]echnically,  irony  is a rhetorical device used to convey a meaning sharply different from or even opposite of the  literal  text. It’s not just saying one thing while meaning anotherthat’s what Bill Clinton does. No, itâ₠¬â„¢s more like a wink or running joke among people in the know.Jonathan Swift’s  A Modest Proposal  is a classic text in the history of irony. Swift argued that English lords should eat the children of the poor to alleviate hunger. There is nothing in the text which says, hey, this is sarcasm. Swift lays out a pretty good argument and it’s up to the reader to figure it out that he’s not really serious. When Homer Simpson says to Marge, Now who’s being naà ¯ve? the writers are winking at all those people who love  The Godfather  (these people are commonly referred to as men). When George Costanza and Jerry Seinfeld keep saying Not that there’s anything wrong with that! every time they mention homosexuality, they are making an ironic joke about the culture’s insistence that we affirm our non-judgmentalism.Anyway,  irony  is one of those words that most people understand intuitively but have a hard time defining. One good test is if you like to put quotation marks around words that shouldn’t have them. The quotation marks are necessary because the words have lost most of their literal meaning to the  new  politicized interpretations.(Jonah Goldberg, The Irony of Irony.  National Review Online, April 28, 1999) Irony and EthosSpecifically rhetorical irony presents few problems. Puttenhams drie  mock pretty well describes the phenomenon. One kind of rhetorical irony, however, may need further attention. There can be relatively few rhetorical situations where the target of persuasion is utterly ignorant of the designs someone has on himthe relationship of  persuader  and persuaded is almost always self-conscious to some degree. If the persuader wants to overcome any implicit sales resistance (especially from a sophisticated audience), one of the ways he will do it is to acknowledge that he  is  trying to talk his audience into something. By this, he hopes to gain their trust for as long as the soft sell takes. When he does this, he really acknowledges that his rhetorical maneuvering is ironical, that it says one thing while it tries to do another. At the same time, a second irony is present, since the pitchman is still far from laying all his cards on the table. The point to be made is that every rhetorical posture except the most naive involves an ironical coloration, of some kind or another, of the speakers  ethos.(Richard Lanham,  A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms, 2nd edition, University of California Press, 1991) The End of the Age of Irony?One good thing could come from this horror: it could spell the end of the age of irony. For some 30 yearsroughly as long as the Twin Towers were uprightthe good folks in charge of Americas intellectual life have insisted that nothing was to be believed in or taken seriously. Nothing was real. With a giggle and a smirk, our chattering classesour columnists and pop culture makersdeclared that detachment and personal whimsy were the necessary tools for an oh-so-cool life. Who but a slobbering bumpkin would think, I feel your pain? The ironists, seeing through everything, made it difficult for anyone to see anything. The consequence of thinking that nothing is realapart from prancing around in an air of vain stupidityis that one will not know the difference between a joke and a menace.No more. The planes that plowed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were real. The flames, smoke, sirensreal. The chalky landscape, the silence of the streetsall real. I feel your painreally.(Roger Rosenblatt,  The Age Of Irony Comes to an End,  Time  magazine, September 16, 2001) Eight Misconceptions About IronyWe have a grave problem with this word (well, in fact, its not really gravebut Im not being ironic when I call it that, Im being  hyperbolic. Though often the two amount to the same thing. But not always). Just looking at the definitions, the confusion is understandablein the first instance, rhetorical irony expands to cover any disjunction at all between language and meaning, with a couple of key exceptions (allegory  also entails a disconnection between sign and meaning, but obviously isnt synonymous with irony; and lying, clearly, leaves that gap, but relies for its efficacy on an ignorant audience, where irony relies on a knowing one). Still, even with the riders, its quite an umbrella, no?In the second instance,  situational irony  (also known as cosmic irony) occurs when it seems that God or fate is manipulating events so as to inspire false hopes, which are inevitably dashed (1). While this looks like the more straightforward usage, it o pens the door to confusion between irony, bad  luck  and inconvenience.Most pressingly, though, there are a number of misconceptions about  irony  that are peculiar to recent times. The first is that September 11 spelled the end of irony. The second is that the end of irony would be the one good thing to come out of September 11. The third is that irony characterizes our age to a greater degree than it has done any other. The fourth is that Americans cant do irony, and we [the British] can. The fifth is that the Germans cant do irony, either (and we still can). The sixth is that irony and cynicism are interchangeable. The seventh is that its a mistake to attempt irony in emails and text messages, even while irony characterizes our age, and so do emails. And the eighth is that post-ironic is an acceptable termit is very modish to use this, as if to suggest one of three things: i) that irony has ended; ii) that postmodernism and irony are interchangeable, and can be conflated into one handy word; or iii) that we are more ironic than we used to be, and therefore need to add a prefix suggesting even greater ironic distance than irony on its own can supply. None of these things is true.1. Jack Lynch, Literary Terms. I would strongly urge you not to read any more footnotes, they are only here to make sure I dont get in trouble for plagiarizing.(Zoe Williams,  The Final Irony,  The Guardian, June 28, 2003) Postmodern IronyPostmodern  irony is allusive, multilayered, preemptive, cynical, and above all, nihilistic. It assumes that everything is subjective and nothing means what it says. Its a sneering, world-weary,  bad  irony, a mentality that condemns before it can be condemned, preferring cleverness to sincerity and quotation to originality. Postmodern irony rejects  tradition,  but offers nothing in its place.(Jon Winokur,  The Big Book of Irony, St. Martins Press, 2007)Were All in This Togetherby OurselvesImportantly, the Romantic of today finds a real connection, a sense of groundedness, with others  through  irony. with those who understand what is meant without having to say it, with those who also question the saccharine quality of contemporary American culture, who are certain that all diatribes of virtue-lament will turn out to have been made by some gambling, lying, hypocritical talk-show host/senator overly fond of interns/pages. This they see as doing an inj ustice to the depth of human possibility and the complexity and goodness of human feeling, to the power of the imagination over all forms of potential constraint, to a basic ethics that they themselves are proud to uphold. But ironists, above all else, are certain that we must live in this world as best we can, whether or not it suits our own moral outlook, writes Charles Taylor [The Ethics of Authenticity, Harvard University Press, 1991]. The only alternative seems to be a kind of inner exile. Ironic detachment is exactly this sort of inner exilean  inner emigrationmaintained with humor, chic bitterness, and a sometimes embarrassing but abidingly persistent hope.(R. Jay Magill Jr.,  Chic Ironic Bitterness, The University of Michigan Press, 2007) Whats Ironic?Woman: I started riding these trains in the forties. Those days a man would give up their seat for a woman. Now were liberated and we have to stand.Elaine: Its ironic.Woman: Whats ironic?Elaine: This, that weve come all this way, we have made all this progress, but you know, weve lost the little things, the niceties.Woman: No, I mean what does ironic mean?(Seinfeld)

Consider the problem of global warming in todays society, and suggest Essay

Consider the problem of global warming in todays society, and suggest solutions for the prevention of continued global warming - Essay Example throughout its history and most of the changes have been due to the changing orbital pattern of the earth and changes in the amount of solar energy received by the earth. However the present increase in global warming occurring within the earth is also a result of increased population growth, urbanization and other human activities. All these have caused a net increase in the amount of greenhouse gases which is believed to the major causative factor for the increased warming in the earth (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, n.d). While these changes have necessitated the implementation of suitable policy changes, the global economic crisis and other special interests have nearly halted the progress towards framing such a policy. Devising such a plan, would involve the combined efforts of both governmental and non-governmental organizations for their inputs about possible calamities and in specifying the resources required in the wake of such a crisis. Urbanization and population growth: A principle contributing factor for the rise in greenhouse gases is man-made activities through urbanization and the rapid rise in population growth. Urbanization has had a profound effect on the environment worldwide as it has caused changes to the land, water and atmosphere. The number of people living in urban areas has tripled over the years and studies estimate that more than half the world’s population will reside in urban areas in the next few years (Torrey, 2004). One of the major contributing factors for the rise in urbanization is the population growth which has shown an exponential increase over the past 50 years (Little Flower, 2006; World Population Growth, 2004). This increase as well as migration of the world population will have an effect on the natural environmental resources owing to the increased consumption of food, energy, water and land. It has increased the air, water and noise pollution levels and other phenomena suc h as global warming which is

A better a Life by Chris Weitz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A better a Life by Chris Weitz - Essay Example Carlos is in such a situation and he reveals his fears to his employer, Blasco who wants to return to Mexico after making enough money. Undocumented workers have no guarantee that they will be hired to work without licensing and insurance as Carlos is unsure if he will get any employment after Blasco leaves for Mexico and has to take the risk of purchasing Blasco’s truck to be his own employer and take on Blasco’s business. The only choice that is available for undocumented workers in the United States is to work as a hired hand and ensure they are invisible if they are to survive the debilitating conditions as undocumented workers.  There is no certainty in the lives of undocumented workers as to the presence of work compared to documented workers who have access to monthly jobs and pension schemes, as well as health insurance. This is well illustrated when Blasco drops Carlos after a day’s work and informs him that there will be no work the next day. The othe r episode that exposes this sad reality in the lives of undocumented workers is where workers congregate to be picked up for work and some immigrate may not have the chance of getting work as depicted by Santiago an Carlos at the end of the day. The other portrayal of undocumented workers is that they have to play certain roles in the community that are despised including lawn mowing as done by Carlos, park cars, washing dishes, and man tables in hotels.     Undocumented workers are faced with financial challenges and have to work even on Sundays to make ends meet.

Why executive compensation is out of control Essay

Why executive compensation is out of control - Essay Example Many investors in the stock market all over the world believe that executive pay is running out of control. There is worrying trend especially in the United States where the annual salary of an average worker is the amount of money an executive receives in a day. Critics believe that executive bosses are not worth the amount of compensation they receive. Despite falling stock shares in the market, executives still receive large amounts of compensation. Stock market investors believe this should not be happening since their performance does not correspond to earnings. At a moment where recession and unemployment is high in many countries, it does not make economic sense to have executive bosses receive such a large amount of compensation. The excess pay awarded to them should instead be invested in the public sector and this consequently shows how executive bosses have little concern about their countries and the citizens. Economists believe that in order to clear the economic instability being experienced in the world currently, it is important that the pay of executives be tied to performance (Bebchuck, 2010). Most executive bosses control their board of directors hence they still manage to earn exaggerated compensation. The board of directors should however be able to control the compensation got by this executives and their compensation should be tied to performance instead of the power an executive has in the board. This shows how corporate governance is continuously being under rated with a show of little economic sense when just a few people are left to joke around with investor’s interests. The fact that executive compensation is determined by market demand, most executives are continuously receiving an exaggerated compensation in comparison to an average worker. Critics believe that the market forces such as demand and supply should not entirely determine their compensation and it should however

ARGUMENTITIVE PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ARGUMENTITIVE PAPER - Essay Example The continued cloning of animals is essential because this method will provide a more substantial and beneficial food source for a growing world population as does the cloning of plants. However, the cloning of humans is not in societies or an individual’s best interest, at least not yet. On February 23, 1997 Ian Wilmut, a Scottish scientist, with his colleagues at the Roslin Institute announced the successful cloning of a sheep by a new method. The technique concerned transplanting the genetic material of an adult sheep into an egg from which the nucleus had been removed. The resulting birth of the sheep, Dolly, was another landmark in mankind’s ability to rule over nature. The birth of Dolly and â€Å"the fact that humans might someday be cloned, created from a single somatic cell without sexual reproduction, moved further away from science fiction and closer to a genuine scientific possibility† (Wilmut, 1997). The sheep experiment was different from prior endeavors in that it produced an animal that was a genetic twin of one adult sheep instead of being the identical offspring from a pair of adults. Dolly was the first successful clone of a mammal as the sheep contained the genetic material of just one parent. For more than 40 years, the practice of transferring a nucleus from a somatic cell into an egg using nuclei derivative from non-human embryonic and fetal cells continued. Evidence suggested genetic material contained in differentiated somatic cells may retain the potential to direct the development of healthy fertile adult animals. Biologists had examined whether, once cellular differentiation transpires, this process is reversible. However, until Dolly was born, the capacity to do so remained unproved. â€Å"The demonstration that nuclei from cells derived from an adult animal could be reprogrammed, or that the full genetic complement of such a cell could be

Chinese Communist Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinese Communist Party - Essay Example This country has several more amazing features. The land contains nearly 9.57 million square kilometers of which mountains occupy about one-third, numerous liquid flowing paths where one measures nearly three thousand miles called the Yangtze, and steppe as well as deserts. Not to forget a dazzling 1.3 billion inhabitants (Farah 124-129). The country went through horrible times during which Chinese citizens were suffering of starvation, anguish, and the outcome was death upon innocent beings. The main cause of this ordeal was a man who contributed to the change of the Republic of China. This intelligent but mad communist brought the concept of Communism to the third largest country of the world and that is no other than Mao Zedong (a great fan of Marx theory of communism) or rather say:" scientific socialism".(Wikipedia: free encyclopedia) Although under a totally different concept of living, China is a well respected and a highly productive industrial nation. Forty-eight million representatives make up the* CCP 1today. The CCP functions in a completely different way because authority does not only control politics, but also it reaches deep into the lives of the Chinese (Farah 220). Many reside in agricultural sections where food and crops are produced. Work-strength depends on human and animal force, but nowadays farmers are able to purchase efficient tools (Farah 221). Since its founding in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party gradually expanded its guiding principles to incorporate the philosophical musings of Russia's Vladimir Lenin as well as homegrown revolutionaries Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. The party has traveled a long ideological path from its Marxist roots to its present struggle to maintain its relevance in China's modern and increasingly capitalistic society. Now the whole world looks at it as a country whose scale dwarfs the United States-1.3 billion people, four times America's population. For more than a hundred years it was dreams of this magnitude that fascinated small groups of American missionaries and businessmen-1 billion souls to save; 2 billion armpits to deodorize-but it never amounted to anything. China was very big, but very poor, all that has changed totally. But now the very size and scale that seemed so alluring is beginning to look ominous. And Americans are wondering whether the "China threat" is nightmarishly real. China is now the world's largest producer of coal, steel and cement, the second largest consumer of energy and the third largest importer of oil, which is why gas prices are soaring. China's exports to the United States have grown by 1,600 percent over the past 15 years, and U.S. exports to China have grown by 415 percent. All these figures are so thrilling to here. At the height of the Industrial Revolution, Britain was called "the workshop of the world." That title surely belongs to China today. It manufactures two thirds of the world's copiers, microwave ovens, DVD players and shoes. China's rise is no longer a prediction. It is a fact. It is already the world's fastest-growing

ARGUMENTITIVE PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ARGUMENTITIVE PAPER - Essay Example The continued cloning of animals is essential because this method will provide a more substantial and beneficial food source for a growing world population as does the cloning of plants. However, the cloning of humans is not in societies or an individual’s best interest, at least not yet. On February 23, 1997 Ian Wilmut, a Scottish scientist, with his colleagues at the Roslin Institute announced the successful cloning of a sheep by a new method. The technique concerned transplanting the genetic material of an adult sheep into an egg from which the nucleus had been removed. The resulting birth of the sheep, Dolly, was another landmark in mankind’s ability to rule over nature. The birth of Dolly and â€Å"the fact that humans might someday be cloned, created from a single somatic cell without sexual reproduction, moved further away from science fiction and closer to a genuine scientific possibility† (Wilmut, 1997). The sheep experiment was different from prior endeavors in that it produced an animal that was a genetic twin of one adult sheep instead of being the identical offspring from a pair of adults. Dolly was the first successful clone of a mammal as the sheep contained the genetic material of just one parent. For more than 40 years, the practice of transferring a nucleus from a somatic cell into an egg using nuclei derivative from non-human embryonic and fetal cells continued. Evidence suggested genetic material contained in differentiated somatic cells may retain the potential to direct the development of healthy fertile adult animals. Biologists had examined whether, once cellular differentiation transpires, this process is reversible. However, until Dolly was born, the capacity to do so remained unproved. â€Å"The demonstration that nuclei from cells derived from an adult animal could be reprogrammed, or that the full genetic complement of such a cell could be

Self-Sacrifice in O.Henry's Gift of the magi and Rabindranath Tagore's Essay

Self-Sacrifice in O.Henry's Gift of the magi and Rabindranath Tagore's The Cabuliwallah - Essay Example O’Henry was praised as a valued US Southern writer who recorded the reality of the south of his time in his stories. His personal history is almost as interesting as those of his characters, and nearly as ironic, While many know his real name, few know his real history, since fact and fiction have become totally entwined, and the "legendary O. Henry †¦ is very different from the real William Sydney Porter. In his bit of autobiographica, which he published in the New York Times, April 4, 1909, Porter himself contributed to this legend." (Paine 351) Writing was probably a very good career for OHenry at that time, because he spent more than three years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and he was reclusive type in any case. It is not that he never went out, but he seldom revealed anything terribly personal about himself("Federico and the Magis Gift." 70-70). He is known for the interesting twists in his stories, the most famous of which is probably The Gift of the Magi. In the story a young couple were very poor each sacrifices their most precious possession in order to buy a beautiful gift for the other. The poignant irony is that each gift it is bought to accompany the precious thing that the other sacrificed. In the wifes case she had her long hair cut in order to buy a beautiful platinum watch fob for her husbands gold watch. The husband, in his turn, sold his gold watch to buy her some very expensive combs for her hair. I was found it rather sad that he actually sold the watch. I wouldve preferred that he pointed, since it was a family heirloom. Her hair will grow back, and they pawned watch could be redeemed. Rabindranath Tagore was born into a privileged family in 1871 and died in 1941 before the final split up of India. He was a fierce nationalilst, but was known to criticize Gandhi for being a bit too extreme. He did not

Rural Lives Versus Urban Lives Essay Example for Free

Rural Lives Versus Urban Lives Essay Urban and rural living each have their own benefits and drawbacks. A person’s personality, work status, financial situation and his or her age may influence the choice of environment where he or she likes living. In my opinion, the rural life is somehow suitable for the elderly people’s lifestyle while the urban life always inspirit the way young people live. It‘s easier and more comfortable for old people to keep up with the rural style in daily life. Firstly, cities are more crowned and faster-paced while rural living is often more relaxed and less congested. The slower pace of rural areas provides a sense of community and the openness makes people seem accessible to each other. Secondly, cities have fewer homes with yards, but those living in rural areas have more access to open space and nature. A close link to the nature is considered as the most important part of old people’s lives. In contrast, cities have state-of-the art skyscrapers and office that serve to create walls. Finally, cities are a hub for industrialization. There are more factories and businesses, making the areas more polluted. Additionally, the increased population in cities makes the ground more likely to be marred by litter and heavy use. These would have a bad influence on elderly resident’s health. Read more:Â  Rural Area vs Urban Area Living in a lively city is always a sparking desire of young people. City life gives inhabitants the ability to be exposed to more culture. Museums, theatre, and monuments are often easily accessible in cities. Additionally, most cities have a broad range of multicultural restaurants accessible by public transportation or walking. In contrast, entertainment in rural areas may be more limited or require travel. These conveniences are main attractiveness to young people and let them try to become a complete urban resident. City life, like rural life, has its share of advantages and disadvantages. People’s lifestyle choices which are different in separate stages of people’s lives dictate where they choose to live.

Competition Law And Monopsony Economics Essay

Competition Law And Monopsony Economics Essay Can a buyer be the biggest bully? The classical theory of monopsony answers this question. It envisions a market scenario with only one buyer, who can use his leverage to reduce the quantity of product purchased, thereby driving down the price that he has to pay. Seldom does a monopsonistic situation arise in the market, so much so that little has been thought till date about the potential adverse impact of such a scenario on market competition. Another reason for the antitrust analysts apparent neglect of the power on the buyers side of the market may be that such power tends to reduce the selling price of a commodity, thereby causing a prima facie increase in consumer welfare  [1]  , which has always been one of the traditional goals of competition law. The said lack of emphasis, unfortunately, remains blind to the symmetry of markets: for every seller there is a buyer. Therefore, just like sellers, buyers too may have market power. In course of this research project, the researcher intends to drive home the point that price fixing and other forms of collusion are just as unlawful when the victims are sellers rather than buyers. Also referred to as the flip-side version of monopoly  [2]  , monopsony can thus have valid antitrust concerns. The primary aim of this project is to analyze the theory of monopsony from an antitrust law approach. In the first chapter initial part of the project, the researcher has provided a brief description of the standard monopsony theory and the economic implications thereof. In the next chapter, the concerns of monopsony under antitrust law will be addressed with significant emphasis on the concept of abuse of dominant position. Finally, the researcher will give examples of judicial interpretation of monopsonies. All other forms of legislative remedies dealing with monopsony fall outside the scope of this paper. B. Classical Monopsony -What does It Entail? Pure monopsony can be looked upon as the demand-side analogue of the monopolist who is a single seller. It thus follows that just as the monopolist has market power in selling its products; the monopsonist has buying power in purchasing its necessities too.  [3]  The economic grievance towards both is therefore similar too -both cause social welfare losses. From a slightly different perspective, the social welfare effects of monopsony are analogous to those of monopoly -too few resources will be employed in the production.  [4]  At the point where supply intersects with demand, the value of the good, as measured by the demand price, equals the cost to society of providing that quantity as measured by the supply price. At this point, the employment level is optimal in a social sense because all of the gains from trade have been realized, and total welfare is maximized. However, the monopsonist will not hire this number of units because it is not privately optimal to do so; it will employ a smaller quantity. As a result, too few resources will be employed, as has been stated above and the monopsonist will finally forgo potential gains from trade opportunities.  [5]  Since the monopsonist forces a lower price upon suppliers, one may infer that its costs for conversion of the intermediate good into a final one will fall as a result and consumers (of that final good) will benefit through lower prices on the monopsonists output. However, the researcher would like to differ from such inference and point out that the monopsonist does not pass on said lower costs simply because the relevant costs for pricing decisions are marginal costs.  [6]  What the researcher intends to portray is that monopsony power is to the demand side of a market what monopoly power is to the supply side. Monopoly power is indicated by the ability of sellers to raise price above competitive levels, which requires the ability to limit output. Monopsony power, on the other hand, involves the ability of buyers to lower input prices below competitive levels, which requires the ability to restrict the quantity demanded of the input.  [7]  In either case, the quantity that would be exchanged is less than the quantity exchanged under competitive conditions, and the result bespeaks allocative inefficiency.  [8]  Furthermore, the fact that the reduced input prices enjoyed by the monopsonist do not lead to reduced output prices, is, frankly, ironical. On the contrary, when the monopsonist has market power in its output market, the reduced input prices cause higher output prices. C. Monopsonist Concerns- Abuse of dominant position The Indian Competition Act, 2002  [9]  aims at preventing practices which have adverse effect on competition, to protect the interest of consumers and to ensure freedom of trade carried on by other participants, in markets, in India.  [10]  It is important to note here that the Indian Competition Act, like most other legislations introduces the concept of abuse of dominant position. This means that it prohibits only abuse of power not the mere use of it.  [11]   There are primarily three stages in determining whether an enterprise has abused its dominant position. The first stage is defining the relevant market. The second is determining whether the concerned undertaking is in a dominant position in that relevant market. The third stage is the determination of whether the undertaking in a dominant position has engaged in conducts specifically prohibited by the statute or amounting to abuse of dominant position or attempt to monopolize under the applicable law.  [12]   The competition laws of the European Union, United Kingdom, Germany and India contain a general prohibition on the abuse of dominance by undertakings/enterprises. Article 82  [13]  of the Treaty of the EC, Section 18(1)  [14]  of the Competition Act, 1988, U.K., Section 4(1)  [15]  of the Indian Competition Act, 2002, Section 19(1)  [16]  of the German Act Against Restraints on Competition and Section 2  [17]  of the Sherman Act contain provisions on abuse of dominant position. 1. Defining Relevant Market The first step in determining whether an undertaking or firm has abused its dominant position is defining the relevant market which has two broad dimensions namely, the relevant product market and the relevant geographical market.  [18]   The Indian Competition Act, 2002, defines a relevant product market and relevant geographic market. Section 2 (t) defines the relevant product market as a market comprising all those products or services which are regarded as interchangeable or substitutable by the customer, by reason of the characteristics of the product or service, the prices and the intended use. Section 2 (s) defines the relevant geographic market as a market comprising the area in which the conditions of competition for supply of goods or provision of services are sufficiently homogeneous and can be distinguished from the conditions prevailing in neighbourhood areas. There is however, no such case either in India or in other countries, where such a definition has been challenged on the grounds that it takes into account supplier side abuse as only the views of the customers attitude towards substitutability of the goods is taken. Keeping this question aside and assuming that this problem is resolved by judicial interpretation, the other elements of abuse of dominance also need to be assessed. 2. Definition of a Dominant Position While the laws of numerous countries prohibit or declare illegal the abuse of dominant position or monopoly or attempt to monopolizen of certain conduct by undertakings in a dominant position, the manner in which dominant position, monopoly or substantial degree of market power is defined is different in different countries. The concept of dominance is broader than economic power over price. It is not the same as economic monopoly, although a monopoly would clearly be dominant.  [19]  This is a clear indication of the fact that dominance is recognised as cases even apart from monopoly and thus the possibility of characterising monopsony as down-stream dominance strengthens here. Explanation (a) to Section 4 of the Indian Act defines dominant position as dominant position means a position of strength, enjoyed by an enterprise, in the relevant market in India, which enables it to- (i) operate independently of competitive forces prevailing in the relevant market or (ii) affect its competitors or consumers or the relevant market in its favour. Unlike the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act  [20]  where a dominant undertaking had to satisfy a quantitative requirement of control over at least 1/4th of the total goods or services produced or rendered in India, dominant position under the Indian Act  [21]  is a position of strength enjoyed by an enterprise in the relevant market, in India which enables it to operate independently of competitive forces; or affects its competitors or consumers or the relevant market in its favour.  [22]   A number of factors are taken into account to determine whether a particular undertaking or group of undertakings is in a dominant position in the relevant market. The factors to be taken into account are inter alia market share of the undertaking or enterprise, barriers to entry, size of competitors and financial power of the enterprise.  [23]   However, the market share that a particular undertaking has in the relevant market is one of the most important factors to be taken into account to determine whether it is in a dominant position and under the laws of some jurisdictions, the existence of a market share of or above a specified level gives rise to a presumption of existence of a dominant position (although rebuttable).  [24]   In Hoffmann-La Roche Co. AG v Commission of the European Communities  [25]  , it was observed that the existence of very large market shares though a very important factor, is not constant and its importance varies from market to market according to the structure of these markets. The Court observed, Furthermore although the importance of the market shares may vary from one market to another, the view may legitimately be taken that very large shares are in themselves, and save in exceptional circumstances, evidence of the existence of a dominant position.  [26]   Competition authorities can utilise measures like buyer concentration and elasticity of supply, as well as performance measures such as profitability and relative bargaining power compared to the sellers, in order to assist them in the assessment of buyer power. The structure of the buyer and the seller markets must also be taken into account.  [27]  The number of firms is also essential in judging whether buyer concentration can provide a representative measure of buyer power. A small number of firms that account for a high share of purchases indicate that the buyer market is concentrated.  [28]   3. Abuse of Dominant Position The Indian Act does not prohibit dominance or the presence of market power per se, and sheer market power alone, or even market dominance, does not constitute abuse of dominance. Abuse of dominance occurs when a dominant firm, or group of firms, substantially prevents or lessens competition, by engaging in acts that aim to eliminate or discipline competitors, or simply to stop potential competitors from entering the market in question. The treaty of the EC does not contain an express definition of abuse of dominance but merely lists certain conducts which, if engaged in by a dominant undertaking will amount to abuse of dominance. In Hoffmann-La Roche it was observed that, The concept of abuse is an objective concept relating to the behaviour of an undertaking in a dominant position which is such as to influence the structure of a market where , as a result of the very presence of the undertaking in question , the degree of competition is weakened and which , through recourse to methods different from those which condition normal competition in products or services on the basis of the transactions of commercial operators , has the effect of hindering the maintenance of the degree of competition still existing in the market or the growth of that competition.  [29]   In Europemballage Corporation and Continental Can Company Inc. v Commission of the European Communities  [30]  it was observed that, Abuse may therefore occur if an undertaking in a dominant position strengthens such position in such a way that the degree of dominance reached substantially fetters competition, i.e. that, only those undertakings remain in the market whose behaviour depends on the dominant one. In the light of the fact that the existing antitrust legislation prohibits only abuses of power, the question assumes significance as to whether in cases of either monopoly or monopsony, it would entail an abuse of market power to use that power merely to influence price. Rationality suggests that the legislative prohibition should extend only to price-only effects. However, later cases will reveal how only price-effects are not enough and that a closer look must be taken to strike down abusive case of monopsony by the judiciary. D. Judicial Trends under Monopsony- A Concern for society? Recent surveys conducted in U.K.  [31]  have revealed that the current judicial trend is towards substantive analysis, instead of the bright line tests  [32]  that were in vogue before. As a result, judges are required to appreciate in entirety economic consequences of an action, lest they commit mistakes. For example, if judiciary uses initial impact on price as the test for prohibited conduct, monopsonistic behaviour may be excused, even when it ought not to be. Such a conclusion, although erroneous, may be reached at in the following cases: first, strictly from substantive perspective, judiciary may perceive lower prices as an indicator of the harmlessness of a practice. Moreover, procedurally speaking, injury suffered by sellers who have been compelled to sell their outputs at lower prices may not qualify as antitrust injury in the traditional sense. The researcher would in this context draw attention towards a recent controversy surrounding the matter of Balmoral Cinema v. Allied Artists Pictures,  [33]  which highlights the significance of proper economic analysis of monopsony scenario. In this case, the exhibitors (buyers) colluded to refrain from competitive bidding for films offered by distributors. While such an action might have fallen foul of standard bright-line antitrust analysis as a per se unlawful horizontal agreement to fix price, the judiciary held instead that the practice of the colluding buyers was simply causing lowering of prices paid by exhibitors to distributors, which might lower prices to movie-goers at the box office, thereby facilitating rather than undermining consumer welfare. Without delving into propriety of the judgement, the researcher would like to posit that it had come perilously close to equating lower prices with overall economic benefit. It is for this very reason that in the case of mono psony, the presence of lower prices should not end the analysis because there is no correlation between an initial decrease in prices and any overall long-run benefits to consumers. E. Conclusion The aforementioned analysis clearly indicates that there is a buyer for every seller and anticompetitive conduct by buyers can cause adverse economic consequences similar to those caused by sellers anticompetitive behaviour. However, the competition policymakers are yet to fully incorporate the symmetry of markets into their analyses, instead restricting their focus solely on seller-behaviour. Especially in a country like India, monopolistic tendencies are in essence sought to be curbed. It is highly doubtful if the courts would really read monopsony into the statute and declare it bad in law as well. The Indian judiciary must strengthen the economic foundations for dealing with anticompetitive conduct by buyers too. The requirement assumes all the more significance owing to the simple statement of fact that concentration of power on the buying side of a market almost inevitably causes a decrease in price, which may tempt a judge in turn to erroneously stop substantive analysis at th at stage, or declare that the plaintiffs have not suffered antitrust injury.  [34]   In course of this project, the researcher has sought to emphasize a few matters. First, lower input prices resulting from the exercise of monopsony power do not ultimately translate into lower prices to the monopsonists customers and increased overall consumer welfare. Thus, neither the substantive nor the procedural analysis should stop with the initial impact on input price. Second, the monopsony model typically employed in many economic texts and antitrust casebooks seriously understates the variety of consequences of the exertion of monopsony power. Finally, the long-run consequences of monopsony must not be ignored. Lower input prices in the short run may mean decreases in both future supply and in ultimate, overall consumer well-being. This conclusion has implications on the debate about whether the antitrust laws should be applied usingconsumer welfare or total welfare standard. Those espousing the consumer welfare standard believe that antitrust analysis should focus on the interests of consumers who purchase a final end product or output in the chain of distribution. In contrast, proponents of the total welfare standard argue that the antitrust laws should seek to maximize societys wealth as a whole rather than focusing on any one type of market participant. The fact that many courts and enforcers outside India have not been reluctant to condemn anticompetitive buy-side conduct, which potentially poses little or no direct threat to consumer welfare, suggests a willingness on their part to take into account the interests of all market participants. Perhaps this indicates some recognition by courts and enforcers that in the long run, monopsony can ultimately be just as harmful to consumers as anticompetitive conduct occurring in the output market. While the judicial decisions may not completely resolve the debate about the consumer welfare and total welfare standards, perhaps it helps to solidify to some degree what courts and enforcers have been suggesting all along-that conduct on the buy side of the market should be treated just as strictly as conduct on the sell side of the market. Thus, the researcher hopes that the Indian law and judiciary will develop, in light of these rulings abroad to set aside the traditional perception of sellers being largely immune to antitrust violations. F. Bibliography Statutes Competition Act, 1988, United Kingdom 6 Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschrà ¤nkungen, GWB (German Act Against Restraints on Competition,1956 6 Sherman Act, United States, 1890 6 The Competition Act, 2002, No. 12 of 2003 5 The Monopolistic and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 8 Treaty of the European Communities, 2003 6 Cases Balmoral Cinema v. Allied Artists Pictures, 885 F. 2d 313 (6th Cir. 1989). 8 Europemballage Corporation and Continental Can Company Inc. v Commission of the European Communities, [1973] EUECJ C-6/72. 10 Hoffmann-La Roche Co. AG v Commission of the European Communities, ECJ, Case 85/76, Dated 13 February 1979. 9 Ilan Golan v. Pingel Enterprises Inc, 310 F.3d 1360, 1370 (Fed. Cir. 2002) 6 Image Technical Services Inc v. Eastman Kodak Co, (90-1029), 504 U.S. 451 (1992) 6 Queensland Wire Industries Proprietary Limited v. 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