Blue Velvet

Over history, literature has impacted the approach and understanding of multimedia, pop entertainment. Furthermore, it has shaped our social ideologies, contesting current norms, and furthering our own examination of societal approaches and schools of thought. Much of the narrative and film techniques have incorporated a psychological and psychoanalytic examination of human nature and how it impacts everyday life. David Lynch's film, Blue Velvet is one of the most influential films, pushing the world of entertainment into new perspectives, reshaping much of the technique producers undertake. Blue Velvet served as a major catalyst for independent filmmaking, which largely reshaped multimedia entertainment. Throughout this film, Lynch heavily relies on Freudian theories, specifically revolving about the Oedipal complex/conflict, sadism, masochism, and fetishism as a connecting point between the characters. Throughout this paper, I apply these Freudian techniques on the psychoanalytic level by examining and analyzing various characters. This will further illustrate how Blue Velvet as well as other works that are heavily based on psychology, impact our society. Lynch's film was particularly influential because of his incorporation of darker topics, as well as the connection between his film and Franz Kafka's work in terms of grotesque themes. Lynch helped to shape literature as well, during the tone of this period of darker themes in creative works, because authors began to incorporate darker themes in their own work. The Gothic is a particular genre that Blue Velvet helped to shape. Not only did the film address psychological levels and theories that had yet to be fully represented in pop-media film, but it also utilized a popular Freudian theory called the uncanny. Lynch achieves this because, throughout the film, people are often unable to describe what they've seen. Lynch focuses on the opening setting of Blue Velvet in a small town, encapsulating an idealistic All-American image. The audience is given a picture-perfect neighborhood where children cross the street with the help of a crossing guard in uniform, surrounded by a scene of blue skies, white picket fences, and colorful tulips in blossom. These images force viewers to think about how we collectively define the American Dream, as well as what the â€Å"perfect life† is. By doing so, Lynch is able to tap into our psyche; this storybook beginning allows him to go deeper, behind the fences and smiling children, into a world of anything but perfection. Lynch's influence on society's perception of the â€Å"American Dream,† adds to the importance of his film. Irena Makarushka's article, â€Å"Subverting Eden: Ambiguity of Evil and the American Dream in Blue Velvet.† Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation, enhanced the reshaping of our psychological perception of the American Dream, through her examination of life and society. She utilized Blue Velvet to further her notions through varying ideas and contexts. Furthermore, she examined Lynch's film, because it encapsulated the concept that life is not as it always seems; the â€Å"American Dream† often serves as a faà §ade, blinding society to the darker, perhaps more realistic, side of life. When the film begins to shift into scenes of hungry black insects, the tone and ideas within viewers' minds begin to shift. The contrast between the insects and the happy children at play reveals a struggle between what Freud referred to as the Id and the Superego: â€Å"Professor Freud came to the very significant conclusion that the neurosis represents a conflict between the ego and the id (the instinctive needs); the psychosis between the ego and the outer world; and the narcissistic neurosis a struggle between the ego and super-ego. The differentiation of the mental apparatus into an id, ego, and super-ego thus resulted in a clearer understanding of the dynamic relations within the mind† (Alexander 176). This quote allows us to understand that the children at play are representative of the Id because of our instinctive needs, such as protection, which in this case was provided by the crossing guard; the black insects are representative of our Superego because they focus on â€Å"the part of a person's mind that acts as a self-critical conscience, reflecting social standards learned from parents and teachers,† which correlates to the darker side of society. Lynch's psychologically metaphorical tactic essentially forces viewers to understand that life is not as perfect as it may appear to be, and evil often occurs behind the closed doors of the â€Å"cookie cutter† house. His use of aesthetically pleasing scenery in the beginning, however, is important to remember:It is only rarely that a psychoanalyst feels impelled to in-vestigate the subject of aesthetics even when aesthetics is understood to mean not merely the theory of beauty, but the theory of the qualities of feeling. He works in other planes of mental life and has little to do with those sub-dued emotional activities which, inhibited in their aims and dependent upon a multitude of concurrent factors, usually furnish the material for the study of aesthetics. But it does occasionally happen that he has to interest himself in some particular province of that subject, and then it usu-ally proves to be a rather remote region of it and one that has been neglected in standard works. (Freud 1) Freud is essentially saying that aesthetics often impact the feelings one feels. This being said, Lynch needed to provoke a feeling of peace and happiness at the beginning of Blue Velvet in order to emphasize the shift of these emotions, into those of fear, terror, and confusion. This tactic allowed Lynch to augment the correlation between emotions towards perceived cultural images, and feelings when people recognize that life is not always as perfect as it seems in the â€Å"American Dream.† This point will be examined at length throughout this paper. Blue Velvet serves as a pivotal film because of the psychoanalytic components, particularly in terms of the characters. Each character is symbolic of varying psychological theories. Furthermore, the way Lynch introduces characters contains several Freudian theories. The first character viewers were introduced to was Jeffrey Beaumont. Beaumont came upon an ear while walking near his home. Psychologically speaking, the Freudian theory has noted that when someone dreams about dethatched body parts, it is symbolizing male castration. This is important to note when analyzing Blue Velvet. Before applying this theory to Blue Velvet, the concept of dreams is important to understand in terms of its applicability to the film. Dreams are heavily influenced by the image of our culture, and how we construct it. Lynch undertook this influence, applying it to Blue Velvet, by reconstructing our understanding of the American Dream through tropes of mystery revealed when viewers are introduced to the darker truth behind the beginning of the film's portrayal of the American Dream. The dreamlike imagery he used, relating back to the uncanny, begins with the main character, Jeffrey's discovery of the severed ear. The uncanny focuses on the human mind and mindperecpeiotion in correlation to creative works such as Blue Velvet. Just as Freud noted that detached body parts were subconscious thoughts of male castration, Jeffrey's finding was representative of the general unconscious of society. When Beaumont brought the severed ear to the police department, the detective, Detective Williams, urged Jeff to let the incident go, because there were darker problems occurring in town. As expected, Jeff ignored Williams' comment, deciding to pursue the matter himself, receiving help from his girlfriend, Detective Williams' daughter. Relating back to the detached ear, it largely foreshadowed the upcoming events. As noted above, a severed body part often resembles male castration on the psychoanalytic level. When Jeff began to investigate the case, he soon found himself encountering a nightclub singer and her sadistic male abuser. This singer, Dorothy, and her abuser, Frank encapsulate the Freudian definition of sadism and masochism. Due to the looming issue of male castration, one could assume that Frank was possibly interested in sexual dominance, power, and pain in order to compensate his own sexual insecurities. Freud heavily believed that sadism and masochism, which is a form of sexual pleasure derived from inflicting pain upon others or receiving sexual pleasure from receiving pain, was associated with innate male sexuality (Freud 1). Viewers watch as Frank belittles, insults, and beats Dorothy, but soon discover that she gains pleasure and arousal from the abuse. Here, Lynch is exposing society to the darker side of sexuality, utilizing psychological theories, and forcing viewers to think about their own sexuality. Furthermore, he is allowing several people to act on their own fantasies as an outsider in a fantastical world. This greatly relates to the purpose of the Gothic genre, which is to expose and allow people to process and cope with difficult issues without actually having to endure the pain in reality. When examining Dorothy and Frank on the psychoanalytic level, the Oedipal complex is also seen. Freud believed that the Oedipal complex was a child's internal desire to have sexual relations with their parent of the opposite sex (Klein 12). Applying this theory to the characters, Frank largely represents the child, while Dorothy represents the mother, in a dysfunctional mother-son relationship. Interestingly, despite Frank's aggression, he referred to himself as a baby, illustrating his oedipal fantasy. It Is heavily illustrated, here that Lynch wanted to confront the less than comfortable theories and fantasies that many people truly have. Essentially, Lynch is supporting the notion of â€Å"forbidden emotions in powerful but carefully distinguished forms† (Johnson 522). By this, he means that often times repressed, and or, unconscious emotions that are ignored due to stigma, are expressed in other ways. Lynch was able to depict this through the characters throughout Blue Velvet and their sexual tendencies and personas. Jeffrey represents the Oedipal complex even more. When Jeffrey's father was stung by a bee in his garden, he is brought to the hospital. During this time, Jeffrey stayed home, tending to domestic duties and obligations. His father's incapacity and helplessness forces Jeffrey to go to his father's home and hardware store. Fittingly, it was around this time that Jeffrey found the ear. This discovery could be representative and symbolic of his own feelings of castration because of the domestic duties he began to take on. Generally speaking, the ear is representative of male's anxiety and shame towards their Oedipal fantasies. Lynch was able to depict this anxiety-provoking journey through Jeffrey's own investigation of the severed ear. Jeffrey's anxiety and tension were, not surprisingly, further exasperated by Dorothy. His sexual attraction and longing for a desirable, yet perverse female, relates back to the Oedipal complex. It is more important to focus on Dorothy, because of her perverse sexual nature, and how it impacts the men around her. Moreover, the psychological reasoning behind these fetishes and tendencies forces readers and viewers to think about themselves, and possible pervasions, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and society. It particularly addresses inner conflict and tensions. Some of these inner tensions can be seen in Dorothy though her fetishes. In terms of fetishism, Freud also heavily studied this psychological phenomenon. Fetishism relates to sexuality, especially in terms of children's sexual fantasies towards their parents. The author's claim that we must question of our own perception of reality, as well as the issue of good versus evil, was precisely what Lynch forced his viewers to do throughout Blue Velvet. Makarushka tended to use the term â€Å"illusion† quite often, which was interesting, because Lynch's film had a strong illusionary tone to it, tracing back to the uncanny, and the dreamlike imagery and emotions throughout his film. Her article was complementary to Blue Velvet because she was able to pose the mysterious and often unsettling aspect of reality versus illusionary life in the supernatural sense throughout the film. Furthermore, it did force readers to question how realistic the perfect, â€Å"cookie cutter,† image of the American Dream is, ultimately redefining its meaning. When thinking about the â€Å"American Dream,† society has always seen it as the ultimate standard of successful, happy living. This very point was denounced by Lynch through Blue Velvet. Just as Makarushka brings into play the idea that this concept is too good to be true, â€Å"However, closer scrutiny reveals that things are not what they seem. The slick, picture-perfect surface of the American Dream lacks substance and depth,† Lynch applies this idea to Blue Velvet (Makarushka 33). The idea that things are not as always as they seem pushes readers of Makarushka's article, and viewers of Lynch's film, to think about their lives and purpose beyond materialistic, professional, and superficial levels. This essential argument, encapsulating her entire article, reiterating that there is more than meets the eye, is emphasized through Lynch's character depictions throughout the movie. Jeffrey and his girlfriend seem to have the looks, charisma, and typical life that anyone would strive for, but as the movie progresses, characters such as Dorothy illustrate the darker side of life, involving heavy issues such as drugs, which subsequently make viewers think about life on a deeper level. Difficult topics such as drugs and abuse are not often talked about, or even thought about, in families living the American Dream, which says a lot. Psychologically speaking, the avoidance and ignorance of realizations and discourses about topics such as these can heavily influence people's psychological state. By forcing viewers to reflect on our own lives, past the jobs, kids, home, etcetera, Blue Velvet makes us begin to think about ourselves and identity on authentic levels. This makes Lynch's work particularly influential on the psychoanalytic level, because by Makrushka arguing that we as individuals, must view life through multilateral lenses, as opposed to the unilateral lens we lean towards, in this case, the unilateral lens being the American Dream, people can begin to address their unconscious and subconscious mind, resulting in a fuller understanding of themselves and others. Essentially, both Makarushka and Lynch show us that we must look past the American Dream, into the painful reality of life occurring outside of the protected bubble we place ourselves in. As a result, we become more aware and self-understanding, making us more organic and insightful individuals of society. Another philosopher that attests to Lynch's psychological notions within Blue Velvet is Louis Althusser. His observations of ideology, throughout Ideological State Apparatuses, are particularly seen in terms of his repressive and ideological state. Lynch's depiction of the crossing guards, fireman, and detectives relates back to the repressive state because it is one in which cooperation from the public is achieved through physical coercion by means such as the police. Blue Velvet illustrates what happens when these authoritative figures dissipate, â€Å"The loss of an authoritative interpretative frame of reference results in a cultural disequilibrium. For Lynch, this decenteredness is affirmed in the experience of the ambiguity of evil which ultimately subverts the unambiguous claim of the American Dream† (Makarushka 32). Althusser's ideological state resembles more of a soft power that is sustained by cultural institutions such as church, family, and culture. It also values a sense of choice of what reality is imposed. This state specifically correlates to the reshaping of the American Dream throughout Blue Velvet because it questions what life is like beyond the perfect image, and what reality really is. By seeing what happens when the repressive state fails, we can see how softer figures can reshape people's understanding of life, reality, and deeper meaning. The American Dream must be redefined, and the psychological impact of the human mind must be addressed, according to Lynch. His film, Blue Velvet essentially allows us to understand that the true American Dream is one in which we are self-understanding, multilateral, and questioning of who we are beyond the image we portray, through its psychologically dynamic characters. Through his focus on Freudian theory, human understanding is better emphasized, increasing our own understanding of the self and others.

Epidemiology: Psychiatry and Mental Health Professionals Essay

According to â€Å"World Health Organization† (2012), † Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease), and the application of this study to the control of diseases and other health problems.† (para.1). There are many approaches for collecting this beneficial data, and there are three basic standard methods. These three methods include routinely collected data, data collected for other purposes, and epidemiologic data (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Routinely collected data is secondary data that is collected routinely from the general population, which may include births, deaths, fertility or infectious disease notifications (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). The quality of this data may vary depending on time and region (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Data collected for other purposes are also secondary data, collected within a region or area of interest, and may be used for research and investigative purposes (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Epidemiologic data is primary data that uses sample populations to answer specific questions of interest or concern, surveys and new cutting edge GIS technology are often used (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Epidemiology uses these methods of data to study health related states and events. There are three factors that must be present in order to create or maintain these health related events. These three factors include an agent to carry and disperse the disease, a host to carry and maintain the disease, and the environment that facilitates the interactions between the host and the agent (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Together these three factors are called the epidemiological triangle, and without these three factors there is no health related state or event to study. When all three of these factors are present, data can then be collected, and an investigation of this data may take place. The two basic types of methods for these investigations are descriptive epidemiology and analytica l epidemiology. These two methods rely on each other. As descriptive epidemiology focuses on the concrete, such as who is affected, where they are affected, and when they are affected; analytical epidemiology focuses on how and why the population is affected. The purpose of this paper is to provide both analytical and descriptive views on the prevalence of obesity in people who suffer from mental health disabilities. Obesity is widely referred to as an epidemic not only in the United States but in other countries as well. As the study of mental health disabilities and its treatments continues to evolve and progress, research shows a significant link between mental health and obesity. According to Gasper and Tsai (2006) â€Å"Weight gain is a prominent side effect of atypical antipsychotics† (p. 9). When medications used to treat mental illness are combined with lifestyle factors and a low-income, it can be very difficult for people with mental illnesses to overcome the battle to maintain optimal physical health, as well as mental health. Although this link has surfaced and brought light to an important issue, there is still very much progress needed to attack this problem and provide a better quality of life for people with mental health disabilities around the world. In 2012 a research article published by The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, pointed out that in 2007 funding for a mental health commission was launched in Canada, while an epidemic of obesity, affecting one in four adult Canadians failed to receive similar consideration (Sharma, 2012). This statistic was used in this article to illustrate how the two disorders are actually co-epidemics. A worldwide study published by the International Journal of Obesity further illustrates this correlation by clearly finding a stronger relationship between people with severe obesity and mental disorder (Scott, Bruffaerts, Simon, Alonso, Angermeyer, Girolamo, Demyttenaere, Gasquet, Haro, Karam, Kessler, Levinson, Medina, Oakley, Browne, Ormel, Villa, Uda, and Von Korff, 2008). The actual cause of this link in the general population is not yet fully understood (Scott, 2008). However there are a few factors that shed light upon this correlation. The relationship between atypical antipsychotics and weight gain, contributing to hyperlipidemia, and type-two diabetes is common knowledge amongst most mental health professionals. According to an article published by the Australian Journal of Primary Health, a well-known three year clinical antipsychotic trial from 2004 also illustrates a 27-36% increase in hypertension, and a 1% increase in cardiac disease in patients that were on atypical antipsychotics for fourteen years prior to the study (Stanley, Laugharne, Jonathan, 2012). The article also sheds light on how people that are taking anti-depressants and mood stabilizers are also experiencing there a higher rate of chronic physical health problems (Stanley, Laugharne, Jonathan, 2012). In addition this article touches on a study using 160,000 patients with a diagnosis of depressive disorder using antidepressants for at least two years that exhibited an 84% increased risk for diabetes. This article not only exemplifies the obvious association between psychiatric medications and weight gain, it also demonstrates how lifestyle further amplifies the risk of obesity, and chronic disease in these patients. A survey of 200,000 people in the United States was used to support this association; the population reported that the higher their depression, the higher their likelihood of physical inactivity, obesity, and cigarette smoking (Stanley, Laugharne, Jonathan, 2012). All of these factors in combination with a poor diet suggest the need for lifestyle interventions for these patients. The implementation of these interventions may be tricky as the symptom profile of mental health patients comes in to play. In addition to unhealthy lifestyles, mental illness is also known to impact ones motivation, energy, and appetite (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). The Canadian Journal of psychiatry emphasizes three basic methods, psychological counseling for weight management, psychotherapies for managing obesity, and pharmacology for obesity management (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Psychological counseling consists of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is a widely supported therapy that focuses on guiding the individual towards self-help (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Psychological counseling includes mindfulness therapy, interpersonal therapy, and motivational interviewing; these are all client centered approaches that use a combination of patient awareness, recognition, education, mindfulness, and motivation to assist the patient in overcoming an unhealthy lifestyle (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Pharmacological treatment is used with caution due an associated risk with cardiovascular complications, potential for interaction with psychiatric medications, and addiction. Bariatric surgery is known to be an effective treatment for obese patients (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Taylor, Stonehocker, and Steele (2012) use a study from 2009 to reveal that people seeking this procedure are often overrepresented by patients with mental illness, and most morbidly obese patients who have a controlled diagnosis are candidates for this surgery. It appears that these significant interventions should be available to all mental health patients. In combinations with the tools needed to actually make these changes, mentally ill patients may increase their chance to lead a healthy lifestyle both mentally and physically. It was with this thought that a nurse-led intervention to meet this need was put into place. An overview of this method was published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing; its efficacy is still being studied, but the work appears to be promising. Passport 4 Life incorporates the six stages of change into a twelve week program, to develop the skills and knowledge needed for a healthy lifestyle (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). The weekly sessions led by a nurse include thirty minutes of discussion and thirty minutes of activity (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). Patients are provided with diet and exercise booklets, pedometers, and participate in easy, low-cost exercise activity such as walking in the park, or sports (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). The sessions use menu planning, goal setting, and motivational interviewing as tools to teach clients how to track progress and maintain a healthy lifestyle (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). Good health, long life, and longevity, are important aspects desired by cultures and sub-cultures all over the world. People afflicted with mental illness are not exempt from possessing this human desire. Unfortunately for them regardless of this desire they may not be equipped with the knowledge base, motivation, or resources needed to maintain the lifestyle associated with these worldwide aspirations. Mental health providers possess the ability to make significant changes in quality of life for people that cannot make these changes on their own. Utilizing significant research information, survey results, randomized studies, and interventions allows mental health professionals to implement changes in a person’s life with the confidence that the potential impact is based on scientific evidence. In addition, building off of previous work of self or others allows a chance to progress in the advancement in the knowledge of diseases that affect the human body, pinpoint the exact cause of the disease or combination of causes, and treatments that can eradicate or hinder diseases and their progression. A famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi encourages people to â€Å"Be the change you wish to see in the world.† With the proper resources and accurate information that change can be greater, and its impact more valuable. References Gasper, J., & Tsai, C. (2006, October). Guidelines for Atypical Antipsychotic Use in Adults in Adults. City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health, 1-18. Park, T., Usher, K., & Foster, K. (2011, December). Description of a healthy lifestyle intervention for people with serious mental illness taking second-generation antipsychotics. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing , 20(6), 428-437. Scott, K., Bruffaerts, R., Simon, GE., Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M., Girolamo, G., Demyttenaere, K., Gasquet, I., Haro, JM., Karam, E., Kessler., RC, Levinson, D., Medina ME., Oakley, MA., Browne, Ormel, J., Villa, JP, Uda, HP., and Von Korff, M., (2008, January). Obesity and mental disorders in the general population: results from the world mental health surveys. International Journal Of Obesity , 32(1), 192-200. Sharma, A. (2012, January). Obesity and mental health–a complicated and complex relation. Canadian Journal Of Psychiatry, 57(1), 3-4. Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public Health Nursing (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, Missouri: Mosby. Stanley, S, Laugharne, H., Jonathan D. E., (2012, September). Obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in people with a mental illness: a need for primary health care. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 18(3), 258-264. Taylor, V. H., Stonehocker, B., & Steele, M. (2012, January). An Overview of Treatments for Obesity in a Population With Mental Illness. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 57(1), 13-20. World Health Organization. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/topics/epidemiology/en/

Organizing an Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Organizing an - Essay Example Development, in this case, means the presentation of ideas. Grammar, word choice, vocabulary, and tone of voice dictate how an idea is presented. The effects of a poorly presented idea are irreparable. The development of writing skills can be broken down into four elements. The most important element that dictates a successful piece of writing is the composition of ideas. In the first essay, ideas were mixed up. There was neither flow nor fluency, though the idea was visible. I learned that the reader has to understand the idea through the writing. In addition, it was made clear to me by my instructor that whatever is in the mind during writing is only visible to the writer. Therefore, the writer has to bring out whatever is in the mind in a succinct manner for it to be visible to the reader. Sufficient progress was visible after I learned how to organize ideas in a way that the reader could understand whatever was in my mind. Firstly, I learned how to understand the context of the issue at hand. After understanding the context, the second step was to brainstorm the relevant ideas to come-up with a comprehensive arrangement of ideas. Information ought to be arranged in an order that makes the reader interested in reading the entire piece. Much progress was made in this section. I learned how to arrange an essay beginning with the thesis statement to notify the reader on the context of the piece. Good grades were sufficient evidence that the instructor was content with the essays from how well I presented the thesis statement. In addition, it was evident that a well-structured conclusion gave the instructor an idea of my opinion about the issue at hand. Therefore, significant progress was made on how to organize writing to represent my mind successfully. Paraphrasing was the main element of writing achieved.

Countervailing power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Countervailing power - Essay Example Organizations were telling farmers and manufacturing companies what they could or could not do and set strict regulations. While the goal was to provide equal opportunities for many of these people, many of these parts of the New Deal were instead seen as corrupt and impotent. Much of the countervailing powers changed after realizing that many of Franklin Delano Roosevelts ideas were also unconstitutional. It made the government in power of many things that it really did not have the control over regulating. The programs of the New Deal were deemed useless. Instead, there became a second New Deal that allowed for better equality. The Congress of Industrial Organizations was created, there was a national closed shop and the Social Security pension program began. There was also an increase on taxes on wealthier citizens and a Fair Labor Standards Act. This change in countervailing power worked and Americans slowly gained confidence and began to bounce

Jet Blue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jet Blue - Essay Example Entertainment options were introduced and more travel destinations were opened to add convenience to travelers. It operates 75 flights to 7 cities in 22 states in U.S, and Puerto Rico, Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America. Their fleets consist of 127 units of Airbus and 190 units of 53 Embraer Aircrafts and the number of aircrafts is ever increasing. At present, JetBlue Airways employs 12,080 employees and is able to achieve sales growth of USD $4.1b in 2011 to USD$4.6B in 2012(Bloomberg Businessweek. 2013). It has displayed operational efficiency as it was also able to drive down administrative expenses and cost of sales from 4.88% to 4.48% that attributed for its bottom-line growth, report stated. Market data showed USD $5.98 per share whereas competitors are priced higher, for example, $49.52 for Alaska Air, its closest rival. Inasmuch as the company hires a big number of multi-levels of employees which are expected to come from different races and ideologies, cultural differences always subsist. Due to this, problems exist when cultural views are not understood. It is assumed that due to the technicality of airlines operation, there is a high context culture. This means the communicators assume a great commonality of knowledge and views so that less is spelled out explicitly and much more is communicated in indirect ways.† (â€Å"Cultural differences† n.d.) For instance, management maintains a â€Å"cohesive culture and visible leadership†. At JetBlue corporate responsibility are more than just donations to charitable institutions, but by creating programs to develop the environment, the youth, and the community (JetBlue Corporate Responsibility .2013). The expertise of JetBlue’s manager contributed largely to the success of the airline company. Being a second mover, the strategy of low cost airline has been a tried and tested formula for

A Case study report on Welcome Break Group Ltd Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A report on Welcome Break Group Ltd - Case Study Example The company is looking out to implement strategic initiatives that will boost the company and bring out the internal talents (Peene, 2013). This will be effective through training employees so that they can be in a position to handle all its business units. This will make their operations effective since customers will enjoy services provided to them by experienced individuals. The HR department is very important to the growth of the company (Nichols, 2013). In the case study, it is evident that this department is on the move to automate its services. This is good to both the company and employees. Since none of the employees is losing out their job positions, it good to use the SuccessFactor system. I have learnt that a company has to start small before it can realize its full potential. While we see Welcome Break as a huge company in the motorway industry, it has a very humble background. Efforts, determination, strong leadership and a good working environment are essential to growth. David Willock gives a great conceptualization of ideas behind the company’s prosperity. Through it, we are in a position to identify the successes and future strategies that are good for company growth. Nichols Will, 2013. Green Energy Company and Nissan have now fitted 16 fast-charging units at Welcome Break motorway service stations across the UK. [Online]. 5 August. Retrieved from: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2286661/more-rapid-chargers-speed-up- ecotricitys-electric-highway. [Accessed on 17 March, 2014] Saran Cliff, 2012, Case Study: Welcome Break Group Revamps HR with SuccessFactors. [Online]. 10 August. Retrieved from: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240161289/Case-Study-Welcome-Break- Group-revamps-HR-with-SuccessFactors. [Accessed on 17 March,

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

International Marketing - Essay Example l have to make decisions based on the interests of its customers, governments, employees and other key partners in the different markets it will operate in. There are various operational actions that will vary with particular business environments that need to be taken into consideration. Differentiation of products or services offered by the company will therefore have to follow highly integrative guidelines for the success of its operations. For instance, Ooredoo is a communication company and therefore it will have to take into account the various communication habits of the different countries it intends to establish itself. The company will also have to be aware of legal provisions that are aligned to ethics which may be varying. Recognition of the mentioned and many more will enable the organization effectively strategize on its expansion plans. Secondly, the belief system of various countries may have an impact on the business strategy. The company will have to incorporate the various moral values and principles into its business culture according to the needs of the customers and society it will operate in. For instance, honesty, integrity and trust may be some of the varied values that may be differently preferred to by various customers according to their country of origin’s belief system. As a result of the beliefs, there might be consequences the company will have to face in the different regions of operations. The cultures of communities have a potential of pushing businesses to align to their demands. Same is the social components that have a connection with ethical concerns. Different countries, for instance, have consumer lobby groups that may demand for certain ethical standards to be met by companies. An organization like Ooredoo will therefore have... This paper stresses that factors in international trade are also important to the expansion planning process. The company will, for instance, have to take note of the various restrictions or economic barriers that exist in the target markets. For business to operate effectively, it will be important for the company’s management to examine the socio-cultural influences on product consumption and the values that are attached to service in the respective regions. Lastly, given the challenges of globalization noted above, the strategic positioning of the company with regards to different market issues will be important. The company will have to engage in product differentiation and market segmentation strategies, for example, so as to penetrate different markets. This paper makes a conclusion that ethical and globalization concerns raised above are therefore significant for the success of Ooredoo’s internationalization plans. The company will have to involve its research and design department to ensure that all the issues are well understood before management arrives at viable projects. With the opportunities presented by globalization and market liberalization, it is evident that so long as the company will be able to understand and act on different ethical and global perspective concerns, success will be more than guaranteed. As a leader in the provision of communication products, it is important that it maintains this position even in the identified international markets.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Lavandula angustifolia Essay

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Lavandula angustifolia - Essay Example The reason for which this research was carried out was the ancient belief that the herb Lavender angustifolia possessed the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. There have been mixed conclusions in the scientific history that support the hypothesis. Experiments have been carried out both in vitro and in vivo. Majority of them support the findings of the article, which confirms the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of the plant. In vitro data suggests that Eugenol, which is a small constituent in the lavender oils, has topical anesthetic effects (Catherine and Kathi, 2001). Tests conducted on animals suggest that linalyl acetate and linalool constituents in angustifolia showed significant local anesthetic effect. It also increased the number of stimuli needed to provoke palpebral closure in a dose dependant manner (Catherine and Kathi, 2001). Experiments conducted on human beings, however, have shown mixed results in relieving pain. In an experiment hospitalized children infected with HIV were given a massage of Lavender angustifolia. It was noted that the massage decreased the need for analgesic medication and relieved the continuous pain of some of the children completely (Styles, 1997). In a randomized control clinical trial conducted on 100 patients in a Critical Care Unit, the massage of lavender oil reduced the pain of the patients by 50%. 90% reduction in the heart rate was also reported by the participating patients (Woolfson and Hewitt, 1992).

Describe the functions of managers Essay Example for Free

Describe the functions of managers Essay Good management and leadership are critical for organisations to function and also for the organisations to thrive. When organisations are well managed just like Barclay, they can operate effectively and they can operate efficiently. Managers have very good and clear plans, mangers have organised structures, systems, and they also evaluate results. When organisations are well led, they adapt to changes in the environment and develop cultures that inspire commitment and innovation. Both good management and good leadership are necessary to sustain organisational performance. Mangers are responsible for getting work done usually through other people; the term manger may also refer to a number of different people within a business. Some job titles include the word manager, such as a personal manger or managing director. Other jobholders may also be mangers even through there titles do not say it. * Mangers act on behalf of the owners in a company, senior management are accountable shareholders * Mangers set objectives for the organisation, for example, they may decide that a long-term objective is to have a greater market share than all of the companys competitors. * Managers make sure that a business achieves its objectives, by managing others. * Managers ensure that cooperate values which means the value of the organisation are maintained in dealings with other business, customers, employees and general public. When an organisation is managed well mangers effectively perform four essential management functions Henry Fayol the French management theorist listed a number of functions or elements of management these are: * Planning * Organising * Commanding * Coordinating * Controlling Planning This involves mangers setting objectives and also the strategies, policies, programmes and procedures for achieving them. Planning might be done by line mangers who will be responsible for performance. However advice on planning may also come from staff management who might have expertise in that are even if they have no line authority. For example, a production may carry out human recourse planning in the production department, but use the skills of the personal manager in planning recruitment for vacancies that may arise. In general, planning involves defining organisational goals and proposing ways to reach them. Managers plan for 3 reasons: * To establish an overall direction for the organisations future, such as a target say for example to increase profit, expand market share,, etc, etc. * To identify and commit the organisations resources to achieving its goals. * To decide which tasks must be done to reach those goals. * Barclays mangers set up objectives * Barclays bank makes up smart plans to achieve set objectives. * Manpower planning * Production budgets * Cash budgets * Sales targets Organising Mangers set task, which need to be performed if the business is to achieve its objectives. Jobs need to be organised within sections or departments and authority and authority needs to be delegated so that jobs are carried out. For example: the goal of a manufacturing company may be to produce quality goods that will be delivered to customer on time. The tasks such as manufacturing, packaging, administration, etc. that are part of producing and distributing the goods, need to be organised to achieve this goal. For example in Barclays within Barclays managers, supervisors must lead the employees with the delegated job. After mangers have prepared plans, they must translate those relatively abstract ideas into practice reality. Organising is the processes of creating a structure of relationships that will enable employees to carry out managements plans and meet organisational goals. By organising effectively. Mangers can better coordinate human, material, and information resources. An organisations success depends largely on managements ability to utilise those resources effectively and efficiently. * Organise working procedures * Organisational structure, chain of command needs to be established. * Organising which member of staff in Barclays does what. * Distribution channels. * Quality systems Commanding This involves giving instructions to subordinates to carry out tasks. The manger has the authority to make decisions and responsibilities to see tasks carried out. For example in Barclays plc the management team must put plans into action by allocating the best use of resources to achieve the plan. To make sure the plans are achieved mangers use their delegation skills. Coordinating This is the bringing together of the activities of people with the business. Individuals and groups will have there own goals, which may be different to those of the business and each other. Management must make sure that there is a common approach, so that the companys goals are achieved. * Mangers coordinate the work force * Mangers in Barclays bank direct employees what they are doing. * Delegating tasks * Mangers resolve conflicts of interests in the different functional areas of the business. * This helps mangers to motivate their staff. Controlling Mangers measure and correct the activities of individuals and groups to make sure that their performance fits in with plans. Control is the monitoring of evens and progress within each department. For example within Barclays the organisation a range of departments for example the finance department they will monitor there budget and performance. The process by which person group or organisation consciously monitors performance and takes corrective action this is called controlling, another example would be that Barclays finance department will be controlling and monitoring customers transactions, etc, etc and they will keep a history and they will keep a record file of that customer. Management control system sends signal to managers that things are not working out as planned and that corrective action is needed. * Barclays bank monitor and measure what is being archived in each of their department. * Barclays control, monitor there sales performance. * Barclays control and monitor their cash flow against their budget. Leading After management has made plans, created a structure of work practice, and hired the right personal, someone must lead the organisation, leading involves communicating with and motivating others to perform the tasks necessary to achieve the organisations goals. Leading is not done only after planning and organising end, it is a crucial element of these functions.

Academic term Essay Example for Free

Academic term Essay Please check with me to make sure that I will be in my office before you make a trip to the campus. My office hours are variable, so an appointment is advisable. We will be using ELearning this semester as our main form of class communication. Please check ELearning weekly for updates, presentation materials, handouts and assignments. Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions ACCT 6330-Intermediate Financial Accounting I Course Description This course introduces the basic concepts, philosophy, standards, procedures, and practices of auditing. Topics include generally accepted auditing standards, the changing role of the independent auditor, professional conduct and ethics, auditor’s reporting responsibilities, risk assessment, internal control, evidential matter and management fraud. *VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDING DURING CLASS IS NOT PERMITTED WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL. Course Syllabus Page 1 Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes This course has four primary learning objectives: Learning Goals/Objectives Learning Outcome/Assessment Develop an understanding of auditing Selected Readings, assignment questions, and assurance services: exam questions, case analysis. See more: Satirical essay about drugs Develop an understanding of the professional Case Analysis, assignment questions, and ethical responsibilities in auditing. exam questions. Develop an understanding of an auditor’s Case Analysis, assignment questions, reporting obligations and responsibilities. exam questions. Develop an understanding of the process Case Analysis, Readings, and completion used by independent external auditors in of a research project. performing a financial audit. Required Textbooks and Materials Textbook: Auditing and Assurance Services, 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, by Louwers, Ramsay, Sinason, Strawser and Thibodeau. Course Syllabus Page 2 Assignments Academic Calendar: ACCT 6334 COURSE OUTLINE WK DAY DATE TOPIC CHAPTER / MODULE CASE 1 M 08/25 Course Introduction W 08/27 Auditing and Assurance Services 1 2 M W 09/01 09/03 Holiday – NO CLASS UTD CLOSED Auditing and Assurance Services 1 3 M W 09/08 09/10 Professional Standards Engagement Planning 2 3 Company selection due 4 M W 09/15 09/17 Management Fraud Management Fraud 4 4 2. 52 p. 68 5 M W 09/22 09/24 Enron Video EXAMINATION I 6 M 09/29 Internal Control 5 W 10/01 Internal Control 5 7 M W 10/06 10/08 Assurance and Other Services Overview of Sampling A E. 8 M W 10/13 10/15 Employee Fraud and the Audit of Cash Employee Fraud and the Audit of Cash 6 64. 62 p. 164 9 M W 10/20 10/22 WorldCom Video EXAMINATION II 10 M 10/27 NO CLASS – LIBRARY DAY W 10/29 Revenue and Collection Cycle 7 11 M W 11/03 11/05 Revenue and Collection Cycle Acquisition and Expenditure Cycle 7 85. 61 p. 215 12 M W 11/10 11/12 Completing the Audit Video ZZZZ Best Carpet Cleaning 11 13 M W 11/17 11/19 Reports on Audited Financial Stmts. Review – Paper Due 12 *Paper Due* 14 M W 11/24 11/26 Winter Break – No Classes Winter Break – No Classes 16 M 12/01 Presentations 17 W M W 12/03. 12/08 12/10 Presentations Presentations EXAMINATION III *Research projects are due and presentation materials must be uploaded. Course Syllabus Page 3 Grading Policy, Exams and Assignments Exams: There will be three examinations in this course. These examinations are not cumulative, and the format of each exam will be multiple choice. You will need an 882 Scantron for each exam. Case Assignments: You will be assigned three cases from selected chapters. Each case is valued at 25 points. The case assignments will be graded on clarity of thought process, grammar, spelling and technical content. All  assignments must be typed and must use Standard English with correct grammar and punctuation. The case assignments are due at the beginning of class. NO EXCEPTIONS. If for any reason, you are unable to attend class on the day a case assignment is due, assignments will be accepted by email (preferably attached as a MS Word or Excel File) as long as the case arrives before 8:30 a. m. on the due date. Do not email case assignments unless you are unable to attend class. Cases are always due on Wednesday. Research Project: Each student team will select an SEC reporting company and complete a research project on that  company. The project will include a written paper along with a presentation at the end of the semester. The purpose of the project is to familiarize you with the overall process of auditing a public company. The specific requirements for the project along with the grading standards will be outlined in class. ALL STUDENTS MUST ATTEND ALL PRESENTATIONS OR YOU WILL RECEIVE A 50% REDUCTION IN YOUR RESEARCH PAPER GRADE. YOU MUST BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR ALL PRESENTATIONS EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT PRESENTING. Your final score on the research project will be based upon how much work you  contributed to the overall project as determined by your teammates and the instructor. RESEARCH PAPER SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: TURNITIN ELEARNING RESEARCH PAPER SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS THE RESEARCH PAPER WILL BE SUBMITTED AND EXAMINED THROUGH THE INTEGRATED PLAGIARISM DETECTION TOOL CALLED TURNITIN. PLEASE FIND THE TURNITIN ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION ICON ON THE DESIGNATED COURSE PAGE AND CLICK TO OPEN IT. YOU CAN CLICK THE ASSIGNMENT TITLE TO VIEW THE ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION. TO SUBMIT YOUR FILE, PLEASE CLICK THE SUBMIT ICON, ON THE NEXT PAGE, SELECT THE OPTION OF â€Å"FILE UPLOAD† (OR â€Å"CUT AND PASTE†), ENTER THE SUBMISSION TITLE, CLICK BROWSE TO  LOCATE YOUR FILE AND CLICK SUBMIT BUTTON. YOU CAN THEN REVIEW (CLICK â€Å"CANCEL, GO BACK† IF NEEDED) AND CONFIRM YOUR SUBMISSION. (NOTE: ONLY ONE SINGLE FILE MAY BE SUBMITTED. SOME COMMON FILE TYPES ACCEPTED ARE: WORD, HTML, PDF, TXT AND RTF. ) YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE ASSIGNMENT PAGE TO CHECK THE ORIGINALITY REPORT (SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF SIMILARITY MATCH AND THE SOURCES DETECTED) WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. PLEASE NOTE IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME FOR TURNITIN TO GENERATE THE ORIGINALITY REPORT ESPECIALLY DURING THE SEMESTER END BUSY TIME. FOR OVERWRITTEN OR RESUBMITTED PAPER, IT TAKES 24 HOURS. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE ON USING TURNITIN, PLEASE GO TO: HTTP://WWW. TURNITIN. COM/STATIC/TRAINING. HTML. Course Syllabus Page 4 Grades: Your final grade in this course will be determined as follows: Examination 1†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 100 points Examination 2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 100 points Examination 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 100 points Assigned Cases†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 75 points Research Project†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 100 points TOTAL 475 points Translation of the total score into a letter grade will be based on the instructor’s judgment. The letter grade will reflect each student’s performance relative to the class and standards expected of  graduate students. Each exam is equally weighted and the course grade is determined based on a straight scale. The straight scale is follows: 100-90% A 89-80% B 79-70% C 69%-0 F The grade of D is not available for Graduate level courses. Course Instructor Policies Regarding Attendance, Homework and Make Up Exams Attendance: Attendance for every class is expected. It is critical to your success that you attend each class and take notes during the lectures. You should come to class prepared, which means that you should have read the assigned material. Office hours are not a substitute for coming to class;  accordingly, I will not go over material covered in class with you if you have missed class. As a courtesy to others, please turn off your cellular phones while in the classroom. ALL STUDENTS MUST ATTEND ALL RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTATIONS OR YOU WILL RECEIVE A 50% REDUCTION IN YOUR RESEARCH PAPER GRADE. YOU MUST BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR ALL PRESENTATIONS EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT PRESENTING. Homework: I suggest that you work all of the â€Å"Multiple-Choice Questions† for each chapter. While there will be no points allocated to homework other than the case assignments, there is a direct correlation  between working problems and performing successfully on examinations. I will periodically post selected solutions to Chapter problems in ELearning. Makeup Exams: Makeup exams are given only for excused absences, which must be determined prior to the exam. Excused absences may be given for verifiable medical or family emergencies. Written documentation must be provided to qualify for an â€Å"excused absence†. The medical Course Syllabus Page 5 documentation must specifically state that you could not attend the exam on the day of the exam due to your illness and must be signed by a licensed physician.  Students who do not show up for an exam without making arrangements with me prior to the exam will receive a zero. All documentation evidencing your absence from an exam is due within 5 business days of the missed exam and you must make up the missed exam within 7 business days of the absence. For example if the missed class were on Wednesday night the 10th, you would have until Friday the 19th to complete the makeup. If the documentation is not received within the 5 days and the exam is not completed within the 7 day window, a zero is awarded to the student. The determination of  an â€Å"acceptable† excuse is solely up to the instructors discretion. Also, it is solely the students responsibility to communicate with the instructor regarding these issues and it is solely the students responsibility to ensure that the instructor is receiving the communication and any documentation. You should use email as the main form of communication, either within eLearning or using my UTD email address: chris. [emailprotected] edu . Also, the student must verify that the instructor has received the appropriate documentation within the 5 day window and must have verification that they (the student) have made arrangements with the 7 day window to reschedule the exam. I do not guarantee that the level of difficulty of the makeup exam will be comparable to the exam given at the scheduled time. I will determine the date and time of the makeup exam, and you must make arrangements to take it at that time. Field Trip Policies Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information  regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address http://www. utdallas. edu/BusinessAffairs/ Travel_Risk_Activities. htm. Additional information is available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any travel and/or risk-related activity associated with this course. Student Conduct Discipline The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern  student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year. The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1. 602, 972/883-6391). A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or  off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct. Academic Integrity The faculty and administration of the School of Management expect from our students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work. We want to Course Syllabus Page 6 establish a reputation for the honorable behavior of our graduates, which extends throughout their  careers. Both your individual reputation and the school’s reputation matter to your success. The Judicial Affairs website lists examples of academic dishonesty. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, facilitating academic dishonesty, fabrication, failure to contribute to a collaborative project and sabotage. Some of the ways students may engage in academic dishonesty are: †¢Signing in for or answering on behalf of a student that is not present. †¢Collaboration on Quizzes and Testlets that are intended to be individual work  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Coughing and/or using visual or auditory signals in a test; †¢Concealing notes on hands, caps, shoes, in pockets or the back of beverage bottle †¢labels; †¢Writing in blue books prior to an examination; †¢Writing information on blackboards, desks, or keeping notes on the floor; †¢Obtaining copies of an exam in advance; †¢Passing information from an earlier class to a later class; †¢Leaving information in the bathroom; †¢Exchanging exams so that neighbors have identical test forms; †¢Having a substitute take a test and providing falsified identification for the substitute; †¢Fabricating data for lab assignments; †¢Changing a graded paper and requesting that it be regraded; †¢Failing to turn in a test or assignment and later suggesting the faculty member lost the †¢item; †¢Stealing another student’s graded test and affixing one’s own name on it; †¢Recording two answers, one on the test form, one on the answer sheet; †¢Marking an answer sheet to enable another to see the answer; †¢Encircling two adjacent answers and claiming to have had the correct answer; †¢Stealing an exam for someone in another section or for placement in a test file; †¢Using an electronic device to store test information, or to send or receive answers for atest; †¢Destroying or removing library materials to gain an academic advantage; †¢Consulting assignment solutions posted on websites of previous course offerings; †¢Transferring a computer file from one person’s account to another; †¢Transmitting posted answers for an exam to a student in a testing area via electronic device; †¢Downloading text from the Internet or other sources without proper attribution; †¢Citing to false references or findings in research or other academic exercises; †¢Unauthorized collaborating with another person in preparing academic exercises. †¢Submitting a substantial portion of the same academic work more than once without written authorization from the instructor. Email Use The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U. T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a  UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U. T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U. T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts. Course Syllabus Page 7 Withdrawal from Class The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semesters course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the students responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of F in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled. Student Grievance Procedures Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called â€Å"the respondent†). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of  Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations. Incomplete Grade Policy As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F. Disability Services. The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1. 610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a. m. to 6:30 p. m. ; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a. m. to 7:30 p. m. ; and Friday, 8:30 a. m. to 5:30 p. m. The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is: The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22 PO Box 830688 Richardson, Texas 75083-0688 (972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY) Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments  necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. Course Syllabus Page 8 The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or  mobility assistance. It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours. Religious Holy Days The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are  exempt from property tax under Section 11. 20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated. The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A  student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment. If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i. e. , for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative  intent of TEC 51. 911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee. These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor. Your final grade in the class is also subject to the discretion of the Professor based upon your earned grades and your conduct during the semester which could include; attendance, conduct during the semester, failure to communicate with the professor or your teammates and the work product expected of a Graduate student as compared to others in the class.

Eastern Orthodox Christianity And Roman Catholic Christianity Religion Essay

Eastern Orthodox Christianity And Roman Catholic Christianity Religion Essay Until 1054 AD Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism were branches of the same body the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. This date marks an important moment in the history of all Christian denominations. It designates the very first major division in Christianity and the beginning of denominations. Disagreement between these two branches of Christendom had long existed, but the gap between the Roman and Eastern churches increased throughout the first millennium. In 1054 AD, a formal split occurred when Pope Leo IX, leader of the Roman branch, excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius. He was the leader of the Eastern branch. Michael Cerularius, in return, condemned the Pope in mutual excommunication. Two primary disputes at the time were Romes claim to a universal papal supremacy and the adding of the filioque to the Nicene Creed. To the present date, the Eastern and Western churches remain divided and separate. However, in 1965, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras agreed to formally remove the mutual excommunication of 1054. Religious Differences 3 The Difference between Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholic Christianity The Pope The main difference between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christianity has to do with the recognition of the Pope. Roman Catholics recognize the Pope as infallible. The Pope has supreme authority over all churches, and he can usurp the power of a lower ranking church leader, such as a priest, bishop, or cardinal (OConner, 1997). The Eastern Orthodox also has various bishops with one being the highest bishop, called the first among equals, but the Eastern Orthodox Church does not believe the highest ranking bishop, or archbishop, to be infallible, nor do they grant him with supreme authority over all churches (Collins Price, 1999). Purgatory Another main difference is in the teaching of Purgatory. According to Roman Catholic theology, those souls destined for heaven must endure a state of purification. They must be cleansed of sins committed on earth. The rest go to hell for eternal punishment. Also from a form of merits or extra grace accumulated by the virtue of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints, indulgencies may be granted. The grace is applied to those in purgatory in order to shorten their time there (OConner, 1997). Eastern Orthodoxy teaches that after the soul leaves the body, it journeys to the abode of the dead (Hades). The soul will remain in this condition of waiting. Because some have a prevision of the glory to come and others a foretaste of their suffering, the state of waiting is called Particular Judgment. When Christ returns, the soul rejoins its risen body to be judged by Him, and the good and faithful servant will inherit life. The unfaithful will spend eternity in hell. Their sins and their unbelief will torture them as fire (Chadwick, 1995). Religious Differences 4 Doctrinal Development In reference to Doctrine, in order to justify new doctrine, Roman Catholicism developed the theory of Doctrinal Development. Roman Catholicism presents this theology as growing in stages to higher and more clearly defined levels of knowledge. It teaches the idea that Christ gave us an original deposit of faith, and a seed which grows and matures over the centuries. They believe that tradition is just as important as the Bible (OConner, 1997). Eastern Orthodoxy does not endorse the view that the teachings of Christ have changed from time to time. They believe that Christianity has remained unaltered from the moment that the Lord delivered the Faith to the Apostles (Mat.28:18-20). Eastern Orthodox of the twenty first century believes precisely what was believed in the first century. Nicene Creed A major disagreement between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism centers around the adding of the filioque to the Nicene Creed. This particular conflict is also known as the Filioque Controversy. In Latin, this word means and from the Son. It had been inserted into the Nicene Creed, changing the phrase pertaining to the origin of the Holy Spirit from who proceeds from the Father to who proceeds from the Father and the Son (Collins Price, 1997, p. 27). Roman Catholicism made this change on the authority of the Pope. Eastern Orthodoxy believed this spurned the Apostolic Tradition which always taught that God the Father is the single Source of the Son and the Spirit (Collins Price, 1997). Conclusion There are many other differences between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. There are differences in how faith is taught, the essence of God, the work of Christ, the Holy Canons, the mysteries, the nature of man, and the Virgin Mary. One more would be the icons of Orthodox worship, and the statues of Catholic worship. It should also be noted that while there are many differences between Eastern Orthodoxy Religious Differences 5 and Roman Catholicism, there are also many similarities between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism that should be studied as well. Religious Differences 6

Economics of Marriage :: essays research papers

Economics of Marriage Nowadays, marriage is hardly a new subject of discussion and is found in every human society. Any marriage involves two individuals each of whom has their own experience of that marriage. Nowadays, the roles and expectations that the families have to fulfill are distributed evenly among the members of the family. What this means is that mothers, who were identified in the past as household wives (since they were responsible with cleaning, cooking and raising children) are granted with more rights such as the right to participate in a voting process or the right to get a job. As oppose to mothers, fathers have always been mainly responsible with working hard to support their families because in most of the situations, they were the main financial providers. As a result, they had to bring money to their families by any means even if that meant getting more than one job. This situation became much more problematic when children appeared in the families. As we all know, children had and will always play an extremely important role and raising them is a big responsibility for thei r parents. Having children and only one member of the family (for instance the father) working is a familiar situation for most families. In this case, the father has to be more realistic than ever that his family relies on his financial support. He has to make sure that his family has the necessary supplies to survive. If this situation is not being resolved due to various reasons such as the husband does not earn enough money or just simply refuses to contribute financially, conflicts and issues may arise which often lead to family separations, and thus, poor living conditions and even death from malnutrition. This is exactly the situation that parents have to avoid. They have to be more responsible and realistic of their own actions, and take the decisions that are in the best interest of the family, the right decisions. These types of marriages are called emotional and financial support marriages. Another type of marriages that are very common nowadays and very numerous on a wide scale are the economic marriages. Economic marriages are essentially those kind of marriages in which money play a tremendous role in the lives of one or more couples. This is often a situation in which one or even both individuals involved in marriage have an unconditional desire and hunger for money.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Oates Essay -- Literary An

For centuries, society has placed a remarkably large emphasis on protecting the young from the many perceived errors of growing up. Effective sex education is resisted in many locations across the country in favor of somewhat comical biblical suggestions for abstinence until marriage even while the majority of those targeted teens are viewing the world as a more and more sexual place. So many views are weaving in and out of teenagers' newly formed adolescent minds that any effective argument for responsible attitudes or analysis of sexual behavior in teens should be expressed with a certain minimal degree of clarity. Unfortunately, this essential lucidity of advice is missing in the short story â€Å"Where are You Going, Where Have You Been,† in which the misguided Joyce Carol Oates creates the character of Arthur Friend as a clichà © personification of the inner demon of uncontrollably budding sexuality. Instead, the murky characterization of the antagonist presents nothing more than a confused and ambiguous view of the meaning of the story. According to popular belief, the character in question, Arthur Friend, is essentially the devil, or if not the fiend himself, a reasonable symbolic facsimile that serves to represent a similarly sinister aspect of society. There’s such a plethora of textual evidence to support this analysis that it’s often skipped over in discussions in favor of more â€Å"thought provoking† conversation. However, the demonic illustration of A. Friend is so present in the story that to skip it would be to unforgivably neglect an integral part of the story. In nearly every detail of description resides a sometimes insidious demonic allusion. The physical appearance being the most present, it describes Arthur as a man beh... ...ert explanation of the character, the audience would be able to see that Arnold meant exactly what she intended him to mean, and then could move onto the next aspect of the story. This would have cleared up the audience disconnect that currently remains present in her painfully dense story. Her choice to veil her main antagonist with so much symbolism hindered the reader’s ability to understand her story, thereby hurting any intended effect the story was to have. Works Cited Nmachiavelli, et al. â€Å"Question: What do the numbers 33, 19, 17 signify in the story? They are written along the side of Arnold Friend’s car.† Enotes.com. Enotes.com, Inc., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. . Oates, Joyce Carol. Where are You Going, Where Have You Been? N.p.: Epoch, 1966. N. pag. Print.

How Europeans Affected the Indians Essay

The arrival of the Europeans affected the Indians in several different ways. The Indians were exposed to new experiences such as diseases, religion, racism, land ownership, and trade to name a few. The Indians way of life changed forever with the arrival of the European colonists. Diseases were introduced to them as early as 1550 by European fisherman who stayed on the New England shores during the winter. The fisherman brought devastating illnesses which the Indians had little resistance to such as diphtheria, cholera, typhus, measles, and small pox. The coastal Indians were the first infected by these aliments and in turn, they spread them to the inland Indians. These diseases were ruinous and cost many Indians their lives. The Indians had their own customs and religions. They were introduced to the colonist’s religion, Protestant Christianity. They did not immediately take to the Puritan religion as the Indians took to Catholicism brought in by the Spaniards. They found it difficult to embrace a religion that taught that all but a few of them were damned to hellfire. Also, the Puritan or Anglican religion was complicated with English ways of eating, dressing, working, and looking at the world. The Indians that did embrace the Protestant religion were forced to adhere to the Protestant ways and abandoned their own. The Indian men were to farm and the women to weave, they lived in English houses and not wigwams, they were to barber their hair as the Puritans, and they were to stop using bear grease toward off mosquitoes. Racism was introduced to the Indians by the English colonists. Before the colonist’s arrival, they knew nothing of prejudice. Captives were adopted into the tribe, white prisoners as well as Indians born into another tribe. They were fully accepted as their brothers and sisters. Tribes would even raid other tribes and white settlements in order to increase their numbers. Extramarital miscegenation produced â€Å"half-breeds† which were consigned to the Indians. This was done in part because they were illegitimate, but mostly because of the consciousness of race that steadily grew in intensity in the colonial societies. The English referred to the Indians as savages because they were racially inferior. They abhorred their culture, morals, manners, and religion. They thought of all Indians as enemies. The Indians  were exposed to this narrow mindedness and bigotry which had been made by the colonist and so they learned of racism. The colonists assumed possession of lands that were vacated, like the site of Plymouth, on the justification of ancient legal principle that unoccupied land is anybody’s picking. The colonists did acknowledge the legal and moral rights of the tribes to own land they occupied and purchased what they could of it. The problem was that when the Indians sold land to the colonists, their understanding was that they were then willing to share their hunting grounds with them, just as they would with other tribes. They did not understand the concept of ownership. This was not a practice in which they had ever been exposed. This misunderstanding between the Indians and colonists caused wars between them which were inevitably won by the colonists. The Indians way of life was not suitable to live where the English lived due to the colonist’s agricultural ways. The Indians farmed by borrowing fields from the forest. They cultivated the soil for a few years and then moved elsewhere. The fields then reverted to hunting grounds. But the colonists did not allow this to happen. They destroyed the forests for hundreds of acres. They farmed these fields until the soil was depleted. Then they would turn the fields into pastures for their livestock. The livestock would renew the soil after several years. But during this time, the colonists would clear more hundreds of acres for their farming. This caused the flight of wildlife and game, which was vital to the Indians way of life. The Indians were anxious to trade with the colonists. They would trade furs for such things as beef, baubles, vessels, tools, iron tomahawks, woven wool blankets, liquor, and muskets. In order to trade with the Europeans, the Indians hunted and trapped for the hides of deer and the furs of other animals which the colonists wanted. Competition for furs between the tribes introduced a vicious kind of war between the Indians. The fur trade also resulted in the destruction of the ecological system of the area. Before fur trading with the Europeans, the tribes killed only moose, deer, beaver, and the other animals which were necessary and they had an immediate need. But with the need for more hides and furs, the Indians hunted until they had extinguished all the animals in their hunting grounds. The Indians then went into other tribes’ territories to hunt which in turn caused warfare between them. Another problem with trading with the colonists arose out of the Indians want of the liquor which the colonists provided. They took to the intoxicating effects of the liquor which in turn caused new problems within the tribes and with the people of the tribes. The colonist’s actions also caused another first for the Indians. The hanging of three Wampanoag’s at Plymouth for murdering Sassamon, a â€Å"praying Indian† caused the first pan-Indian attempt to preserve traditional culture. Metacomet, called King Phillip by the New Englanders, was the one to convince the other tribes to work together as he saw that the colonists with their ever increasing numbers were destroying the Indians way of life. Slavery was the involuntary capture of human beings who were sold and then owned by their masters. They were forced to work for their entire lives. Slaves had no personal rights and no hope of freedom. Slavery was first notable in the southern colonies. At first, colonists saw the indentured servants as better investments than spending money on the slaves. Later, they realized that the slaves seem to have a built up immunity to certain diseases such as malaria, which often killed the indentured servants in their care. The colonists came to see the slaves as an investment, worth the money for the outcome of a lifelong worker who could do manual labor, did not have to be replaced after a specific number of years of service, and also could assist in bearing children born into slavery which only would increase the master’s workforce. Eventually, all of the colonies became involved in owning slaves. Indentured servitude was an adaptation of the well established English means of training boys to be artisans and caring for orphans. Fathers would sign an indenture with a master of a craft. This bound the boy to the master for a period of years, usually seven years. In return for his labor, the master agreed to shelter, clothe, and feed his apprentice and teach him the craft. This institution of indentured servitude was also used to provide for orphans. Indentured servants were well suited for farmers who needed  laborers. People were recruited in England to sign indentures to work in the colonies as servants for an agreed number of years. In return for signing the indentures, the servant’s passage across the Atlantic was paid. Some servant’s were forced by English courts which sentenced convicts to transportation to the colonies. There they served out their sentences as bound servants. Unlike slaves, the indentured servants had personal rights. The term of the servitude was written down which varied from three to seven years. At the end of the agreed time, they were freed. They were given clothing, tools, a little money, and sometimes land.

The Comedy in Chivalry

Jordynn Barnes April 16, 2013 The comedy in Chivalry The historical adulteration of chivalry in Don Quixote by Cervantes ties in to its literary parody. Don Quixote parodies the anticipation of chivalric affection: lone knights had lost their military essence. The dominant classes still served the ideology of chivalry. The loss chivalry can be tied into the War of the Alpujarras. The knights, the caballeros de cuantia, were obligated to keep their horse and armor ready for serving the king, but slowly and shamefully they were unprepared.The knight’s individual language of knightly service represents the parody realism of chivalry as foolish as Don Quixote could fantasize about. Also, The knight’s materialistic behavior and desire of self-interest represented the character Sancho Panza. Don Quixote has read about chivalric romance and he tried to imitate the knights-errant. This is comical, because he had such a since of mission. These knights that he was trying to imita te were so far from being chivalric, yet he thought otherwise.The armor that the knights used to wear was for military purposes, but while going on his missions through La Mancha, he made sure to have his armor on. This was strange to the La Mancha town’s people, because wearing armor did not necessarily mean that knight was chivalric. Chivalry was long dead, and people only knew of it through books; it was not a practice they were used to. Don Quixote attempted to bring back this practice, and this draws attention to the interlude between social hierarchy and the principles that it sustained. This story of Don Quixote is a burlesque epic of the chivalry romance.Cervantes tried to teach the readers the sincerity by creating a ridiculous comedy my mocking and ridiculing the time period. Cervantes first shows how the protagonist’s noble knightly manner is old fashioned. The comedy is easy to understand, because the dynamics of the story are simple. Don Quixote tries to a ct out what he has read in the stories, for example, he lets prostitutes pamper him, because he says that they are princesses. In chapter three, he lets the innkeeper properly knight him, because he has not yet been knighted yet.Don Quixote thought that it was a knight’s duty to protect the citizens, so another comical scene in the novel is when Don Quixote tries to save a boy from being beaten from his master. Don Quixote tried to revolve the conflict, and he felt satisfied when he rode off on his horse; but little did he know is that the master beat the worker boy even worse after Don Quixote had left. â€Å"We can define comedy as something that entertains the reader and that makes us want to laugh out loud and Cervantes succeeds in doing this through his use of parody and satire and burlesque, slapstick and simple self-reflexive comedy. Along with the comedy, Cervantes uses adventures and shock through Don Quixote’s character to further entertain. Don Quixote had intervals of lucidity and moments of insanity. A moment of insanity is when he used the galley slaves to help fight off the guards so that he could reach his princess. Don Quixote freed the galley slaves, and in return the galley slaves beat Don Quixote, and left him. â€Å"Cervantes places particular emphasis on the comedy of appearance, comedy of situation and the comedy of action during Don Quixote’s adventures and it is the use of these devices that makes the story so humorous from beginning to end. The theme of appearance is used to show the burlesque role of chivalry in the story. The material appearance of Don Quixote and his horse Rocinante, as well as Don Quixote’s vision on the banal places he stumbles upon proceeded to generate the foundation for laughter. The fact that Don Quixote had used cardboard as a visor showed in itself the humor from the description of his appearance. Not only did he use cardboard, he held his helmet together by green ribbons, and when the innkeeper had asked him to take his helmet off he said no, because taking it off would make the helmet fall apart.

Birth Control Controversy

Contraception is a critical issue for women of all ages and social class because the decision to have a baby impacts a woman’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Contraception is also very costly and is an expense that a woman primarily shoulders. Not every employer’s health insurance plan provides benefits for prescription contraceptives and devices. A personal survey of 50 adults with varying types of insurance plans, asked if their health insurance plans provided coverage for birth control, Viagra, or abortion.Everyone surveyed maintain that his plan provides coverage for Viagra, a sexual enhancement drug, and abortion. The same survey showed that 26% of the insurance plans do not provide benefits for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prescription contraceptives or devices for the solitary purpose of preventing pregnancy (personal communication, 2010). Not providing coverage for birth control, yet providing coverage for other types of prescription drug s, services, and devices, is discriminatory against women and has a negative impact on an employer’s and the government’s economics.The federal government should mandate that all health care plans provide coverage for FDA approved contraceptives because not providing them is discriminatory against women. Preventive Health Care and Finance Women that plan their pregnancies usually obtain pre-natal care and take better care of themselves and unborn child. Moreover, women who have planned their families put enough distance between each pregnancy so not to put a strain on their physical, mental, and emotional welfare. This is better for both mother and child.Furthermore, to obtain FDA approved prescription birth control, women must first be seen be a licensed physician and have an examination. That examination includes a Pap smear, breast exam, and screening for sexually transmitted diseases. Without the motivation of obtaining contraception, women may not schedule an exam that could detect, and treat, potentially life-threatening diseases. Early detection of disease, such as cervical and breast cancer, is vital to making a full recovery.Family planning devices and prescriptions should be a benefit that all health insurance plans provide because more than half of the pregnancies that occur within this country are not planned. The United States has the highest rate of accidental pregnancies of the entire industrialized world. Of those pregnancies, only half come to term. The other pregnancies end because of spontaneous abortion, also known as miscarriage, or the woman elects to have an abortion (Roan, 2009).With insurance provided birth control these statistics can decrease considerably. Lack of coverage, and the out-of –pocket expense for birth control, is a factor in the high rate of unintended pregnancies because women are going without birth control, or opt for less effective methods for family planning. Women spend approximately two-thirds of their lives in an attempt to avoid pregnancy, but still a majority of women experience an unplanned pregnancy by the time they reach age 45 (Vargas, 2002).Women are primarily responsible for preventing pregnancy and rely on prescribed contraceptives and devices because there is no effective form of over-the-counter birth control available for women’s use. The most effective form of birth control, other than abstinence, is oral contraceptives, which is better known as â€Å"the pill. † With insurance, co-payments for the pill range from $10 to $50 per month (Andrews, 2010). Without insurance coverage, the expense of the pill can range from $20 to $75 per month. Over a 25-year period this could amass from $6,000 to well over $20,000 (Guttmacher, 2010).Therefore, women are paying upwards of 68% higher health care expenditures than their male counterparts (Zolman, 2002). In comparison, the only form of birth control used by men is a condom, and they are available witho ut prescription and not costly. Pictured above are different types of birth control available. All, except condoms, require a prescription and are used by women. Photo courtesy of Dawn Stacey Sexual Discrimination Some health insurance plans exclude contraceptives because it views them as quality of life drug and not medically necessary.If a doctor deems a woman to have a clinical need for contraception, such as recurring headaches, endometriosis, acne, or irregular menstruation, an insurance company may choose to authorize benefits. However, Viagra is one quality of life drug that insurance plans cover without question (Vargas, 2002). Viagra is an oral treatment that a doctor prescribes exclusively to men who suffer from erectile dysfunction. Covering expenses for one quality of life drug, aimed for the improvement of men’s sex lives, and denying benefit of another quality of life drug, intended to prevent pregnancy for women, is undoubtedly discriminatory.The Equal Employme nt Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sustain employers are legally bound to provide a full range of family planning options if other forms of preventive health prescriptions and devices are part of their benefits package. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 says it is unlawful when employers â€Å"fail or refuse to hire or discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (Zolman, 2002, p. 8). Health and prescription coverage is part of the compensation and terms of employment as mentioned in Title VII. To provide further clarification, the United States government added an amendment in 1978 called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), and it reads â€Å"†¦women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment related p urposes, including of receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs† (Vargas, 2002, p. 9).The current regulations for health insurance governance vary and are subject to different protocol. The Employment Retirement Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that oversees self-funded insurance plans. A self-funded insurance plan, also known as self-insured, is a plan that an employer provides and pays for from a self-established fund. ERISA oversees the compliance of procedure, such as providing insurance information and instructions on how to file grievances, however; it does not require employers to provide specific benefits (Zolman, 2002).Within ERISA is a loophole that self-funded insurance plans have used to avoid following mandates that may be in effect through state legislation. Fully insured health plans contract through insurance brokers, are subject to state insurance mandates, and are not governed by ERISA (Zolman, 2002). The Equity in Prescription Insurance and Cont raceptive Coverage Act (EPICC) is a federal contraceptive prescription and device mandate that has gone before Congress on several occasions but has not been successful in passing into law.Nevertheless, there have been 27 states that have passed there on version of EPICC since 1998 (Andrews, 2010). However, requirements for coverage vary from state to state and self-funded insurance plans are exempt from complying. Throughout the last decade there have been several lawsuits filed against employers unwilling to include prescription contraception benefits. The first such case was Erickson versus Bartell. In 2001, Jennifer Erickson brought a lawsuit of sexual discrimination against Bartell Drug Company for failing to provide birth control in a prescription drug benefit package.Federal Judge Lasnik determined that Bartell Drug Company was in violation of Title VII and the PDA (HRMagazine, 2005). Sadly, the majority of employers who exclude prescription contraceptives choose to wait for legal action before changing policy. In those cases, society loses as precious taxpayer dollars are spent. Employer Expenses Many people have the misconception that it is expensive for an employer to provided prescription contraceptive benefits and that the employer should be able to limit available benefits to help keep health insurance premiums to a minimum.A study conducted by the Washington Business Group on Health concluded that employers experience greater direct and indirect financial losses when an employee becomes pregnant. The indirect expenses include the employee’s absence for doctor’s appointments, fatigue, or illness. Indirect costs can also include reduced productivity, and the need to train another person to fulfill the pregnant employee’s position when absent. Direct costs can reach well above $10,000 for expenses related to pre-natal care, delivery, and one-year of infant pediatrics (HRMagazine, 2005).