Credit Crunch in Usa-Causes and Solutions Essay Example

Credit Crunch in Usa-Causes and Solutions Essay Contents Credit Crunch in USA2 Causes of the Credit Crunch2 Housing Bubble2 Financial Product Innovations5 Sub Prime and Alt-A Lending5 Shadow Banking System6 Other Factors7 Solutions for the Credit Crunch7 Nationalization7 Regulation of the Shadow Banking System8 Regulations on Mortgage Lending8 Capital Reserve Requirement9 Government Initiatives10 Conclusion11 References12 Appendix14 Glossary14 Table of Charts Federal Funds vs Mortgage Rates3 USA Home Price Indices4 USA Property Foreclosures 20075 USA subprime Market Share6 Mortgage Foreclosures Factors.. 9 Credit Crunch in USA â€Å"USA† is facing a shrinking supply of credit in the credit market which is often termed as a â€Å"Credit Crunch†. A credit crunch has made it difficult for companies to borrow because lenders are scared  of bankruptcies or defaults, which results in higher rates. The credit crunch has done a lot of damage to the US economy by stifling economic growth through decreased capital liquidity and the reduced ability to borrow (Keara, 2009). This crunch coupled with the  recession, has led to many corporate  bankruptcies. Causes of the Credit Crunch Housing Bubble The central element in the Credit Crunch was the â€Å"Housing Bubble†. The real estate prices in US were unchanged for almost a century until 1995(Baker, 2008). The period between 1995 till 2002 showed an increase of 30 % in the house prices which grew up to 124% by 2006 (The Economist, 2007). The house prices were being driven by a speculative bubble rather than the fundamentals of the housing market (Baker, 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on Credit Crunch in Usa-Causes and Solutions specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Credit Crunch in Usa-Causes and Solutions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Credit Crunch in Usa-Causes and Solutions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Adding fuel to the fire were the lower interest rates offered by the Federal Reserve System. The country was grappling back to normalcy after the 2001 recession. To ease out the pressures on the potential home buyers, the federal fund rates were slashed drastically to 1. 0 percent by the end of 2003, which was a 50 year low. The 30 year fixed rate was also reduced to 5. 25 %. Chart 1 gives us the trends for the 30 Year fixed rates and the mortgage rates across 2001-2008. Chart 1. Federal Funds vs Mortgage Rates(Freddie Mac,2008) These extra ordinarily low interest rates accelerated the house prices. Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve Board chairman encouraged people to buy adjustable rate mortgages instead of fixed rate mortgages (Baker, 2008). This  housing bubble also resulted in quite a few homeowners refinancing their homes at lower interest rates, or financing consumer spending by taking out  second mortgages  secured by the price appreciation. This bubble began to burst in 2007, as the construction boom led to so much over-supply that prices could no longer be supported. By the end of 2007, the housing prices had started to fall in most parts of USA. The prices had declined to almost 20 % of their peak value since mid 2006(Standard`s Poor`s, 2008). This dramatic fall in the house prices put the borrowers in a ‘negative equity’ where the appraised value of the mortgage was far lower than the actual amount owed to the financial institution. Chart 2 shows the Home Price trend in USA until 2008. Chart 2. USA Home Price Indices(Standard Poor`s,2008) The Federal fund rates were raised significantly between July 2004 and July 2006  . This contributed to an increase in 1-year and 5-year  adjustable-rate mortgage  (ARM) rates, making ARM interest rate resets more expensive for homeowners(Mastrobatista,2009). People were unable to cope with the higher interest rates offered by the adjustable rate mortgages in the latter periods. Refinancing became more difficult, once house prices began to decline. Borrowers who could not afford the higher monthly payments by refinancing began to default. During 2007, lenders started the foreclosure proceedings on nearly 1. million properties, a 79% increase over 2006 (RealtyTrac, 2008)  which further increased to 2. 3 million in 2008, an 81% increase vs. 2007 (RealtyTrac, 2009). A survey by MBA (2008) showed that 9. 2% of all mortgages outstanding were either delinquent or in foreclosure. The Economist (2009) predicts that up to 9 million homes may enter foreclosure over the 2009-2011 periods leading to a loss of more than $450 billion. Chart 3 shows the U. S. Household Prope rty Foreclosure in 2007. Chart 3. USA Property Foreclosures Chart 2007(Realty Trac,2009) Financial Product Innovations The housing bubble was supported by a variety of financial product innovations such as; 1. Adjustable Rate Mortgages in contrast to Fixed Rate Mortgages which were more common before. 2. Mortgage Backed Securities. 3. Collateral Debt Obligations. 4. Credit Default Swaps. The use of these products expanded dramatically in the years leading up to the crisis. Sub Prime and Alt-A Lending Sub Prime Lending refers to loans issued to people who have poor credit histories. Owing to government and competitive pressures, the sub-prime mortgage market exploded during the housing bubble. Most of the major investment banks and government sponsored agencies such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were involved with this high risk lending (Wallison Calomiris, 2008). Before 2004, the Sub Prime market accounted for less than 10 % but increased to 20 % by 2006 (Alexander et al, 2008). The relaxation of â€Å"Net Capital Rule† encouraged the investment companies to increase their financial leverage and aggressively promote the Mortgage Backed Securities (Labaton, 2008). In addition to this the issuance of Alt-A loans also aggravated the problems for the nations` economy (Baker, 2008). These loans were of a questionable quality and came up with incomplete documentations. Many of these loans were falsely purchased for the sake of investments. These loans had high loan to value ratio. In some cases, buyers got the full value of their purchase price. The subprime and Alt-A categories together comprised more than 40 percent of the loans issued at the peak of the bubble (Baker, 2008). Chart 4 shows the US Subprime Market share and the Home Ownership percentages. Chart 4. USA Sub Prime Market Share(US Census Bureau,2008) The delinquency rates for the Subprime loans had reached 25% by the end of 2008 (Bernanke, 2008). Shadow Banking System Lack of regulatory controls over the parallel or shadow banking system played a major role in the credit collapse. The parallel banking systems are nothing but the securitization markets. These entities were vulnerable because they borrowed short-term in liquid markets to purchase long-term, illiquid and risky assets (Geithner, 2008). This meant that disruptions in credit markets made them subject to rapid deleveraging, selling their long-term assets at depressed prices. Major USA conglomerates, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers are the examples of parallel banking systems whose collapse signalled the start of the financial crisis. These financial institutions benefited from the existing easy credit conditions . They borrowed and invested large sums of money through a practice called as leveraged lending (The New York Times, 2010). The high leverage ratios of these organizations put them under heavy debts. Blackburn (2008) in his research article â€Å"The Subprime Crisis† reveals that the debts for these Organizations were 113. 8% of the GDP in 2007. Such high financial leverages made these organizations highly susceptible to the market setbacks. Other Factors In addition to the above mentioned factors, the lenders were also involved in unscrupulous activities of advertising risky loans. Countrywide Financials was actively involved in unfair business practices and advertising low interest rates for home refinancing. Incorrect appraisals of the owners’ property, inaccurate credit ratings by agencies, extremely low down payments offered to the borrowers, NINJA mortgaging also contributed to the downslide of the economy. Solutions for the Credit Crunch The credit crunch could have been avoided if the regulatory bodies had taken the necessary precautionary measures. The early signs of a crunch were ignored and not paid attention to which led to a very aggravated condition. Leading financial advisors worldwide have recommended some key solutions to safeguard the economy in the future. Nationalization Nationalization has been a very rare occurrence in the economic history of USA. But it is one the best possible solutions for the Credit Crunch. The failing companies must be bailed out by the government and exercised control upon. All the insolvent financial institutions must be injected with fresh capital from private investors in an order to survive. Roubini(2009), a popular economist also advocates a temporary takeover of the financial organizations which are on the verge of bankruptcy by the government. Regulation of the Shadow Banking System The Shadow Banking Systems do not follow the rules and regulations which are applicable to banks. The financial regulations and the safety nets should also be extended to these organizations. Krugman (2010) suggests that the regulators must have the authority to take control of the falling shadow banks. The  FDIC  has the authority to takeover a struggling depository bank and liquidate it but it lacks this authority for non-bank financial institutions. Geithner (2009) testifies that the FDIC needs to expand its regulation to these non bank financial institutions also. Stiglitz (2008) advocates that there should be strict regulations with regards to the financial leverages that these intuitions undertake in order to get short term benefits. He suggests that companies must not be allowed to grow very big and must be broken into smaller entities. Financial institutions must not be allowed to go rampant in selling the riskier products such as the mortgage backed securities and CDOS`. Regulations on Mortgage Lending During the period preceding the credit crunch, there were minimal regulatory acts for mortgage lending. As a result there was an increase in subprime mortgages which were one of the major causes of the crisis. The following regulations should be put in place in order to avoid the recurrence of this situation, 1. Minimum down payment amount. Buffett (2008) suggests of doing the â€Å"Income Verifications† and maintaining minimum 2 down payments of 10 % for every loan which is issued. 2. A strong credit history check of the borrower. Only clients with a high FICO score should be granted loans. 3. Maintaining a strong documentation for all the loan cases. This will keep a check on the Alt-A category of loans. 4. Less performance pressure on the appraisers. This will enable them to assess the property correctly and come up with realistic value for the same. 5. Less pressure on the borrower for purchasing the ARM. Economist Stan Leibowitz (2009) states that the positive equity of a home owner determines foreclosures. His study reveals that 2008 saw 47% of homes which had negative equity to face foreclosures. He has advocated a relatively high minimum down payment. He is of the opinion that the intensity of the housing bubble could have been minimised if substantial down payments had been acquired. This would have also led to a very small negative equity existing amongst the home buyers. Chart 6 highlights the fact that negative equity was the major cause of all the mortgage foreclosures. Chart 6. Mortgage Foreclosures Factors (Wall Street Journal,2009) Capital Reserve Requirement The investment banks had limited capital reserves to deal with the declines in mortgage backed securities and other innovative financial products such as collateralised debt obligations. Limited financial cushion meant that these companies couldn’t support themselves in the credit default derivative insurance contracts which led to their downfall. Leading economist Stiglitz (2008) suggests a Minimum Capital Reserve Requirement Strategy to overcome the crisis. Raghuram (2009) suggests institutions to maintain a contingent capital. This will include paying insurance to the government when the economy is on an upswing. This same insurance amount can be used during the downslide. Greenspan (2009) advocates a stronger capital cushion for banks and a more regulatory capital requirement. Government Initiatives The Federal Reserve System has taken steps in association with  other central banks  around the world to increase the liquidity in the market. It has introduced various programs such as TALF which focuses on providing short-term funding to various institutional borrowers. The Fed can expand the money supply through open market operations  which provides cash to member banks for lending. The Fed can also provide loans against various types of collateral to enhance liquidity in markets. The Troubled Asset Relief Program  (TARP) proposal initiated by the government for purchasing the toxic assets of a company was a failure because of the long timeline involved in successfully valuing, purchasing, and administering such a program. The government is also focussing on bail outs of large organizations facing bankruptcy. The famous AIG bailout has been described by Bernanke (2009) as a necessary step in protecting the stability of the economy. Conclusion The solutions outlined above aim to establish a proper regulatory system for the global finances. We have to progressively transform the very nature and functioning of the financial organizations worldwide. There should be a global system of financial regulations. The shadow banking system must be controlled and regulated to put new rules and principles in place. The G-20 leaders worldwide should take the necessary steps in order to evade another financial crisis. The costs incurred and the time required for the changes in the system are high, but these have to be incorporated considering the potential future setbacks. The global economic meltdown has already hit the countries badly. The non-depository banking institutions have had a major hit to their market standings. At the end of the day it is the human psyche and the greed which needs to be controlled. Practicality needs to be prevailed and a more radical and transformative approach be taken to tackle the hurting consequences of the â€Å"CREDIT CRUNCH†. All Central Banks are responsible for internal stability and external stability of the currency. They have a variety of means at their disposal to achieve those aims, including interventions, changes in key interest rates or fixing reserve requirements for private banks (Lietaer, 2001). CDO CDOs, or Collateralized Debt Obligations, are sophisticated financial tools that repackage individual loans into a product that can be sold on the secondary market. These packages consist of auto loans, credit card debt, or corporate debt. They are called collateralized because they have some type of collateral behind them (Amadeo,2010). CDOs are called  asset-backed commercial paper  if the package consists of corporate debt and  mortgage-backed securities  if the loans are mortgages. If the mortgages are made to those with a less than prime credit history, they are called  subprime mortgages. CDS CDS are a financial instrument for swapping the risk of debt default. Credit default swaps may be used for emerging market bonds, mortgage backed securities, corporate bonds and local government bond The buyer of a credit default swap pays a premium for effectively insuring against a debt default. He receives a lump sum payment if the debt instrument is defaulted. The seller of a credit default swap receives monthly payments from the buyer. If the debt instrument defaults they have to pay the agreed amount to the buyer of the credit default swap (Economicshelp,2010). Credit Crunch Credit Crunch is defined as an economic condition  in which  investment capital is difficult to obtain. Banks and  investors become wary of lending funds to corporations, which drives up the price of debt products for borrowers(Investopedia,2010). A  credit crunch  occurs when there is a  lack of funds available  in the credit market, making it  difficult for  borrowers to obtain  financing. This happens when lenders have limited funds available to lend or are unwilling to lend additional funds, or have increased the cost of borrowing to a  rate  that is unaffordable to most  borrowers. Credit  crunches are usually considered to be an extension of recessions. A credit crunch makes it nearly impossible for companies to borrow because lenders are scared  of bankruptcies or defaults, which results in higher rates. The consequence is a prolonged recession (or slower recovery), which occurs as a result of the shrinking credit supply (Investopedia, 2010). Credit market Investopedia (2010) explains a credit market as the broad market for companies who are looking to raise funds through debt issuance. The  credit market encompasses investment-grade bonds and junk bonds, as well as short-term commercial paper. The credit market also involves the debt  offerings as seen by investors of bonds, notes and securitized obligations such as mortgage pools and collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). Fannie Mae The Federal National Mortgage Association or Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) chartered by Congress with a mission o provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the U. S. housing and mortgage markets which operates in the U. S. secondary mortgage market. (Fannieaae, 2010) FDIC The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) preserves and promotes public confidence in the U. S. financial system by insuring deposits in banks and thrift institutions for at least $250,000; by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to the deposit insurance funds; and by limiting the effect on the economy and the financial system when a bank or thrift institution fails. An independent agency of the federal government, the FDIC was created in 1933 in response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred in the 1920s and early 1930s. Since the start of FDIC insurance on January 1, 1934, no depositor has lost a single cent of insured funds as a result of a failure. The FDIC receives no Congressional appropriations – it is funded by premiums that banks and thrift institutions pay for deposit insurance coverage and from earnings on investments in U. S. Treasury securities. The FDIC insures more than $7 trillion of deposits in U. S. banks and thrifts – deposits in virtually every bank and thrift in the country. Federal Reserve System The â€Å"Federal reserve System† or â€Å"The Fed† is the central bank of the United States of America. It was originally conceived in the year 1910 and enacted in 1913 with the passing of the Federal Reserve act (Whitehouse, 1989). This was a result of the previous financial panics that the country had experienced. Its duties today, according to official Federal Reserve documentation, fall into four general areas(Federal Reserve , 2010): * Conducting the nations monetary policy by influencing monetary and credit conditions in the economy in pursuit of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates. Supervising and regulating banking institutions to ensure the safety and soundness of the nations banking and financial system, and protect the credit rights of consumers. * Maintaining stability of the financial system and containing systemic risk that may arise in financial markets. * Providing financial services to deposit ory institutions, the U. S. government, and foreign official institutions, including playing a major role in operating the nations payments system. Financial Leverage Financial leverage (FL) is a  loan  or other  borrowings  (debt), the proceeds of which are (re)invested with the intent to earn a greater rate of return than the cost of interest. It is the degree to which an  investor  or  business  is utilizing borrowed  money. Companies  that are highly leveraged may be  at risk  of  bankruptcy  if they are unable to make payments  on their  debt; they may also be unable to find new  lenders  in the future. Financial  leverage  is not always bad, however; it can increase the shareholders’ return  on their  investment  and often there are  tax advantages associated with  borrowing. Fixed Rate Mortgage A fixed Rate Mortgage has a fixed Interest Rate for the entire tenure of the loan. Freddie Mac The  Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation  (FHLMC), known as  Freddie Mac  is a  government sponsored enterprise (GSE) of the  United States federal government. Freddie Mac has its headquarters in Virginia (Freddiemac, 2010)   Freddie Mac buys mortgages on the secondary market, pools them, and sells them as a  mortgage-backed security  to investors on the open market. This secondary mortgage market  increases the supply of money available for mortgage lending and increases the money available for new home purchases. Net Capital Rule. GDP Gross Domestic Product or GDP refers to the value of all the goods and services consumed in a particular economy (Lietaer, 2001). Greenspan Alan Alan Greenspan was the former chairman of the federal reserve system of United States of America from 1987 to 2006. He is currently working as a consultant and private advisor for firms through his company Greenspan Associates LLC. Krugman Paul Paul Krugman is an American economist and author. He is currently working as a professor in Economics and international affairs at the Princeton university (krugmanonline, 2010) Liquidity Market liquidity refers to the assets ability to be sold without much depreciation in its value and without much price discounts. Liquidity refers to how quickly and cheaply an asset can be converted into cash. Money in the form of cash is the most liquid asset. Assets that generally can only be sold after a long exhaustive search for a buyer are known as illiquid (Investopedia, 2010). Loan to Value Ratio The Loan to value ratio refers to the amount of loan issued to the total appraised value of the mortgage. MBA The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the real estate finance industry, an industry that employs more than 280,000 people in virtually every community in the country. Headquartered in Washington, D. C. , MBA invests in communities across the nation by ensuring the continued strength of the nations residential and commercial real estate markets; expanding homeownership and extending access to affordable housing to all Americans and supporting financial literacy efforts (MBAA,2010). MBS Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) are debt obligations that represent claims to the cash flows from pools of mortgage loans, most commonly on residential property. Mortgage loans are purchased from banks, mortgage companies, and other originators and then assembled into pools by a governmental, quasi-governmental, or private entity. The entity then issues securities that represent claims on the principal and interest payments made by borrowers on the loans in the pool, a process known as securitization (US Securities and Exchange Commission, 2010). Most MBSs are issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), a U. S. government agency, or the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), U. S. government-sponsored enterprises. Nationalization Nationalization is a process when the government takes over the privately owned  corporations,  industries, and  resources  with or without compensation. Common  reasons for nationalization include (1)  prevention  of unfair exploitation and large-scale  labour  layoffs, (2) fair  distribution  of  income  from national resources, and (3) to keep  means  of generating  wealth  in  public  control. Nationalization may include the complete changeover of the management of the organization. Once the organization is back on the positive side of the fence, the business is completely handed over to the management (BusinessDictionary,2010) Negative Equity Negative Equity is a situation in which the value of the collateral falls below the outstanding balance of the loan. This usually occurs when loan payments are less than the interest. NINJA. Any type of mortgage loan requires the borrower to show sufficient income proofs and documentations. NINJA refers to â€Å"No income No job No assets†. Such a type of lending ignores the verification process and is considered a part of sub-prime lending. In NINJA mortgages the borrowers are often offered very low initial interest rates which are later adjusted to the market rates. Subprime lending Subprime lending refers to lending to borrowers having a poor credit history. The FICO score of these borrowers is usually very less which doesn’t qualify them for having loans. Subprime loans are issued with higher interest rates and are considered to be more risky than the subprime loans. Securitization Securitization is defined as the process of gathering a group of debt obligations such as mortgages into a pool, and then dividing that pool into portions that can be sold as securities in the secondary market. Shadow Banking System The Shadow banking system is also known as the parallel banking system. This system usually consists of the financial institutions and investment banks which run like a bank but are not subjected to the same regulatory acts like banks. They are more involved in dealing with riskier financial products

The Portrayal of the Body as a Medium of Culture in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange Essays

The Portrayal of the Body as a Medium of Culture in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange Essays The Portrayal of the Body as a Medium of Culture in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange Paper The Portrayal of the Body as a Medium of Culture in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange Paper The clockwork metaphor has long been used as a tradition of Western science as a means of portraying a condition in which human behavior is modified to the extent that it is plausible to predict as well as control human behavior. Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel A Clockwork Orange presents a scenario in which such a condition is enabled in society. A central message of Kubrick’s aforementioned film lies in its emphasis on the necessity to scrutinize the assumption that both science and the state may be considered as the guardians of human civilization. The movie’s story follows the escapades of Alex, a reasonably intelligent young criminal and his three gang members, Pete, Georgie, and Dim. As they drink milk with narcotics, the gang spends their evenings entertaining themselves with ‘ultra-violent’ acts. As the movie develops, one is presented with examples of these ‘ultra-violent’ acts which involve beating a homeless man, raping another gang, as well as beating and raping a woman. It is the later act which led to Alex’s imprisonment and later on involvement in a voluntary behavior modification experiment which conditioned him to associate pain with sex and violence thereby turning Alex into an individual devoid of free will and a model member of society, hence ‘a clockwork orange’. This modification of Alex’s behavior however turned him into a victim of social retribution, the experience of which led him into an attempt to commit suicide. After such an attempt, Alex was once again placed in the control of the state who decided to undo the effects of his earlier behavior modification. The movie ends with a portrayal of Alex who was once again in possession of his free will filled with thoughts of the various ways in which he may once again commit ‘ultra-violent’ acts. The movie ends with Alex menacingly stating, â€Å"I was cured all right† (Kubrick np). Stanley Kubrick’s A Clock Work Orange may thereby be seen as presenting a narrative of an individual who experiences four subject positions: Alex as a criminal, Alex as a convict, Alex as a patient, and Alex as a citizen. Through his shift from one subject position to another, Alex experiences different modes of power and at the same time different modes of subjectivity. It is interesting to note that by enabling the different shifts in power through Alex’s character, the movie was able to portray the different points in which subjectivity is shaped in an individual. In line with this, what makes Alex’s character interesting are not his physical traits but the different traits which have been ascribed upon him as a result of the constitution of his personality by the rules and norms of the different institutions that gained access and control over Alex’s body. Alex may thereby be seen as an entity who presents the film’s spectator with the different ways in which the body stands as a medium of culture as it derives its meanings from the social constructs of the body determined by its position within society. Susan Bordo, in â€Å"The Body and the Reproduction of Femininity†, emphasizes the manner in which the body becomes a ‘powerful symbolic force’. She states, â€Å"The body†¦is a powerful symbolic force, a surface on which the central rules, hierarchies, and even metaphysical commitments of culture are inscribed and thus reinforced through the concrete language of the body† (Bordo 162). Bordo’s claim regarding the body’s existence as a powerful symbolic force and a mirror of culture is based on the assumption that the body is defined by the social constructs of society. Such a definition however occurs not merely by placing emphasis on the physical property of the body but also by placing emphasis on the mental property of the body. In â€Å"Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body†, Bordo argues that the body is defined in terms of a dualistic conception of reality which perceives the body as an entity which is â€Å"something apart from the true self†¦and as undermining the best efforts of that self† (5). The body is thereby depicted as an entity composed of a physical component and a mental component. The physical component adheres to the scientific conception of the body as â€Å"a purely mechanical, biologically programmed system that can be fully quantified and (in theory) controlled† (Bordo 4). The mental component of the body, on the other hand, adheres to the conception of the body which refers to the self or an individual’s identity. According to Bordo, Western philosophy has traditionally perceived the physical component of the body as that which must necessarily be controlled by the mental component of the body (Bordo 2). The problem with such a view however is evident if one considers that the conception of the mental component of the body is based upon the physical component of the body. In the case of women, for example, this is evident in the identification of the physical component of the female body with sexuality and the mental component of the female body with irrationality. Bordo argues that this distinction between the mind and the body has pervaded the social construction of both the male and female figure and as such its â€Å"continuing historical power and pervasiveness†¦ (enables) certain cultural images and ideolog(ies) to†¦ (make) not just men but also women†¦vulnerable† (Bordo 7-8). The continuation of a dualistic conception of reality leads to the vulnerability of both men and women as it enables the proliferation of certain social constructs which identifies the male and female body with particular identities. Dualism enables the perpetuation of these identities as it emphasizes the impossibility of enabling the union between both the physical and mental components of an individual. In â€Å"We the Other Victorians†, Michel Foucault argues that this adherence to dualism is a discursive strategy of certain social groups that enables them to take control of the body. He states, The central issue, then†¦ is not to determine whether one says yes or no†¦, whether one formulates prohibitions or permissions, whether one asserts its importance or denies its effect, or whether one refines the words one uses to designate†¦; but to account for the fact that it is spoken about, to discover who does the speaking, the position and viewpoints from which they speak, the institutions which prompt people to speak about it and which store and distribute the things that are said. What is at issue†¦is the overall â€Å"discursive fact†. (Foucault 11) David Gauntlett (2002) in his discussion of Michel Foucault’s work in his book Media, Gender, and Identity, emphasizes that this characterizes the earlier phase of Foucault’s thought wherein he places emphasis on how institutions create and proliferate certain images of groups in order to enable the control of these groups. He states, â€Å"the discourses of institutions, and their formally recognized ‘experts’ work to constrain certain groups (by) limiting their opportunities by promoting certain views about them† (Gauntlett 116). In line with the importance Foucault places on the predominant discourse in society in determining the mode of power on the subject, one might state that Foucault understands the emphasis on dualism as a manifestation of society’s desire to limit the positive power of the subject by leading him to believe that his physical properties or condition determine his identity and since society perceives individual X to possess a Y identity as opposed to a Z identity, it follows that is impossible for the individual to possess a Z identity [e. g. females ought to be feminine and males ought to be masculine and hence females cannot be masculine]. In the case of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, this is evident in the character of Alex mentioned above as Alex’s identity was determined by the conditions of the physical component of his body. As was mentioned in the initial part of the paper, Alex was able to experience four subject positions: Alex as a criminal, Alex as a convict, Alex as a patient, and Alex as a citizen. It is important to note that all these subject positions are determined by the actions on or upon the physical component of his body. For example, Alex’s subject position as a criminal was determined by his freedom from the constraints of the law which enabled him to commit violent actions towards others. On the other hand, Alex’s subject position as a convict and as a patient was determined by the level of control that the system possessed upon Alex’s body. Finally, Alex’s subject position as a citizen was determined by the effects of his position as a transformed body. It is important that this transition from one subject position to another mirrors Bordo emphasis on the social construction of the subject. This is apparent if one considers that Alex’s subject position was determined by the institution which has control over his body and hence the manipulation of this institution upon Alex’s physical body has led to the manipulation of the conception of Alex’s self or Alex’s identity. These changes enabled by Alex’s shift from one subject position to another is also in line with Foucault’s emphasis on the way in which discourse manifests the modes of power prevalent within society as well as the individual’s access to these modes of power. Consider for example that Alex’s transition to a citizen stands as a result of his transformation from being a subject acting with and upon others to a slave or object for others to act upon. By being submerged within the different discourses and hence different modes of power that delimit the individual’s positive freedom, Alex was turned into a body that was stripped of his initial identity that was not controlled by society and hence he has turned into a subject defined by society itself as he has been manipulated and molded in order to gain his final subject position as a citizen. Within this context, one might note that the body becomes a medium of culture as the body stands as the means through which culture controls the subject. By advocating associations between the physical and mental component of the body, society enables the control of the individual as it delineates the individual to one particular identity hence as can be seen above Alex cannot occupy the subject position of a convict and citizen at the same time. The problem with this is evident if one considers the intersectionality of identity which refers to the possibility in which an individual may have one or more characteristics of another group [e. g Alex’s subject position as a patient still enables him to occupy the subject position of a citizen]. To assume that an individual is delimited to one identity as a result of his physical properties amounts to a form of hasty generalization which fails to account for the complexity of the human being and his ability to occupy different positions within society. Bordo, Susan. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. Eds. Susan Bordo and Leslie Heywood. California: U of California P. , 2004. Foucault, Michel. â€Å"We the Other Victorians. † The History of Sexuality. Volume One. New York: Penguin Books, 1988. Gauntlett, David. â€Å"Michel Foucault: Discourses and Lifestyles. † Media, Gender, and Identity: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 2002. Kubrick, Stanley. A Clockwork Orange. Perf. Malcolm McDowell. Np, 1971.

Compare abd contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare abd contrast - Essay Example ference in the way these people eat, drink, dress, hang out, meet with new and known people, and bury their known ones as well as their day-to-day activities which vary a great deal when one thinks of them in a broader context. Hence the comparison holds solid ground due to the fact that these people, both from the American nation and the Saudi Arabian territories known how distinct and different they are from each other and it is good to know one’s strengths and weaknesses beforehand. The similarities exist within their nationalism and the attitude with which both the societies echo their voices in favor of the patriotism myth. Religion is pretty intrinsic to a culture of a society and in broader sense to a country where its different people carry out their rituals and activities in accordance with the customs and traditions as dictated by their respective religions. Same is the case for the two countries under study here which are basically being compared. United States is a much more developed nation that Saudi Arabia while the latter is an oil-rich state and fundamentally more than 90% of its inhabitants are pre-dominantly Muslims. While the super power nation of the world is more or less comprised of nearly all ethnicities that are found elsewhere, where one can find blacks known as the Afro Americans, the Asians consisting of Indians and Pakistanis mainly and so on and so forth. On the whole, United States of America has a lot of diversity has far as its single basic culture identification is concerned and hence the people obviously practice different religions in accordance with their beliefs and con victions. This paper discusses the comparison between America and Saudi Arabia in terms of their cultural values and religious bases. If one looks at the American distribution of people who have religion apart from that of Christianity, one finds that around 2% of them are Jews, 0.5% are Muslims while similar is the ratio for Buddhists. This accounts for the

The Palestinian & Israeli conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Palestinian & Israeli conflict - Essay Example This paper delineates the root causes of Israel Palestine conflict, which includes the historical, political and socio-economic aspects of the dispute. It also delivers the reasons as to why this issue has not yet been resolved. Since 1948 this dispute between the Jews and the Arabs over Palestine has largely been transformed into a fight between the states. Palestine vanished from the map after Israel occupation and as a result the Arab nationalists begun to stress on reoccupation of the land of Palestine, making it the topmost priority of every Arab nation. The Palestinian refugees which were the last living remnants of Palestine had also become permanent citizens of their respective states and many of them also became the Jordanian citizens in 1967. This conflict has become more intense over the time with the emergence of new world order and reticulation of relationships among the regions as well as great powers. Soon after the Britain's withdrawal from the Middle East, especially from Palestine after the end of the Second World War, the United States, the Soviet Union and the neighboring Arab countries entered into this conflict. This dispute between Israel and Palestine, apparently of political nature, has now turned out to be religious and ideological. It has not just remained a bone of contention between Israel and Palestine, but also between the Jews and the Arabs. ... Jews and Arabs both have their historical, social and moral claims over the land of Palestine. Even today, they have their religious and holy places in this land therefore none is willing to withdraw its claim over Palestine. They both need to work for the improvement of land in terms of peace, security and socio-economic growth. No one can deprive the right of others to live. There is only one way out, which is to live and let the other do the same. Neumann says that " it really does not matter who inhabited Palestine in the distant past; it would never give as a basis for deciding who should live there in the present" (2005, p69). It is because Israelis and Palestinians are not in the position to prove as to whom this land belongs to. The historical background of Israeli and Palestinians has badly affected both sides and now they aggressively tend to blame each other for what happened in the past as well as what is going on in the present. The history shows that they have reasonabl e claims over each other. Most important thing that needs to be known to both sides is that they both have a right to live. Palestinians must accept the existence of Israel and the Israelis must give the right of self-determination to the Palestinians in order to move forward in the peace negotiation process (Artz, 1997). Political Conflict Political aspect of the Israel-Palestine conflict is rather evident to the whole world. Politics seems to be something that has been encompassing this conflict for the last several decades. Israel wants its supremacy in the region and does not want its neighboring countries to become powerful. Its policy is to keep others

Bar Coding in Administering Medication Case Study

Bar Coding in Administering Medication - Case Study Example Such a situation arises when all the intended information about the patient and the medication is not communicated to the doctors, nurses and other support staff with all clarity. Bar coding provides a reliable solution to such errors. With the help of bar code; Speed of identifying the patient, illness, prescription, past history, complications encountered etc. increases manifold. Instead of going through the lengthy papers, a bar code helps in comprehensively identifying the patient, thus helping in saving the precious time and the life of the patient. Label design, barcode and printing software: The label can be designed with information regarding the medication being given to the patient, his medical history, his identification, lab specimen collection, verification of blood products prior to transfusion, electronic charge capture of supplies at the point of use, automated medicine dispensing system, information about doctors' and other support staff etc. Pharmacy Management Software & Pharmacy Management Technology Providers: Such comprehensive systems are provided by QS/1, PanaceaRX, AmerisourceBergen Technology Group, Retail Management Solutions, Speed Script, SRS Systems, RXLink, RS Software, AdvanceNet Health Solutions, Etreby Computer Company, Inc., Per-Se Technologies (formerly NDCHealth), PharmTrak, OPUS-ISM, McKesson Pharmacy Systems, HBS Pharmacy Services, Soft Writers, Inc., THOT Corporation, CarePoint, Inc., HCC Pharmacy Solutions, JASCORP etc. Hardware Requirements: To handle the bar coding effectively in health care sector, all the above mentioned software require adequate hardware support. For the implementation of eMAR services we need; A dependable computer/s with good amount of hard disk space, DD RAM and a latest processor fitted with the bar code reading software and other peripherals. An LCD monitor works well with such systems as it occupies lesser space and the screen in more readable. Bar Code Scanner/ imager ID Bar code printer. This printer has to be a

Water Its Need And Importance Essay Example for Free

Water Its Need And Importance Essay Water is the most abundant substance in the human body ranging from 40 to 80 percent of the body weight. Body water is distributed in two major compartments: the intracellular and the extracellular fluid compartments . Water being a solvent dissolves all substances and acts as a carrier to transport nutrient and other crucial chemicals which are needed for effective functioning of organs. For instance water helps in digestion, by dissolving the nutrient substances and making them pass through gastrointestinal tracks ultimately into the blood stream. It assists in transportation of food through the intestines as well as removing waste products from the body. On a cellular level it acts a medium for transmission of electrical signals between cells. It enables biochemical processes, acts as a lubricant and also regulates the body temperature according to the environmental conditions. FLUID BALANCE: Under normal condition fluid intake equals fluid output and the body maintains constant volume. When the intake exceeds the output, a positive balance or hydration exceeds on the other hand when output exceeds intake a negative balance or dehydration is caused. The major water loss processes are perspiration and urination. The water balance is regulated by osmoreceptors located in the hypothalamus. These receptors sense the molality of the blood and decide whether more or less water is required to correct the osmolality. Thirst is stimulated and we drink water if the blood is too concentrated. Anti-diurectic hormone or ADH is released from the pituitary glands which causes conservation of body fluid by acting on the kidneys leading to decreased urine output. If blood is too dilute then thirst is suppressed and DH is inhibited causing volumes of urine to be excreted. When a person eliminates water through lungs and skin without being aware of it then its called insensible loss. Loss of water in extracellular compartment causes the fluid to become concentrated leading to hypertonicity and a gain in water leads to hypotonicity. In addition to regulating total volume, the osmolarity (the concentration of solute particles per unit volume) of bodily fluids is also tightly regulated. Extreme variation in osmolarity causes cells to shrink or swell, damaging or destroying cellular structure and disrupting normal cellular function. The human body maintains a proper fluid balance through the action of mineral compounds namely from sodium and potassium which are called electrolytes. Electrolytes are chemicals formed by ionic bonding that dissociate into electrically charged ions when they dissolve in the body fluids. Examples are acids, bases and salts. Their primary function is to control osmolarity, maintenance of acid-base balance, metabolism of essential minerals and participation in cellular activities. The sodium pump is a mechanism which ensures that a cell does not retain too much sodium (which attracts water via osmosis across the semi-permeable membrane of the cell wall) and thus stops too much water from entering the cell. As mentioned before ADH plays the key role in lowering osmolarity (reducing sodium concentration) by increasing water reabsorption in the kidneys, enabling to dilute bodily fluids. To prevent osmolarity from decreasing below normal, the kidneys also have a regulated mechanism for reabsorbing sodium in the distal nephron which is controlled by aldosterone, a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Several environmental factors control the loss of body fluids. Higher ambient temperatures result in a greater potential for sweat production. Higher humidity is also responsible for higher sweat production, but effectiveness of sweating to cool the body is reduced due to decreased rate of evaporation of perspiration from the skin. The same problem also exists with clothing that traps sweat against the skin which results in a reduced cooling efficiency that forces a greater sweat rate. CONCLUSION: A regular fluid intake from our daily diet is crucial to maintain good health. This is because the human body does not store water in the way as it stores calories so we need a constant supply every day. About 15 percent of our water needs comes from food metabolism, as our body converts part of our food into hydrogen and then mixes this with oxygen from our lungs to form water. The remaining 85 percent comes directly from water in our diet, either from water-rich foods or from water we drink. For women, the US Food and Nutrition Board recommend a total daily water intake of about 2. 7 liters (about 8 glasses) from all beverages and foods. For men they advise a total daily water intake of about 3. 7 liters (about 12 glasses). REFERENCES: ? http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/211236/fluid-balance ? http://www. annecollins. com/water-intake-fluid-balance. htm ? http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Body_water ? Schaums Outline of Human Anatomy and physiology

Toni Morrison and bell hooks Represent Blacks in American Literature :: Biography Biographies Essays

Toni Morrison and bell hooks Represent Blacks in American Literature Two widely known and influential authors, bell hooks and Toni Morrison, share similar beliefs and themes with regards to the black community. One theme in particular that the two writers emphasize is the representation of blacks in American literature today. hooks feels that African Americans are misrepresented, where Morrison believes that blacks are not represented at all. hooks' evidence of this theme is portrayed primarily in the sexist and racist representations the characters exhibit. Overall, both authors feel that the negative portrayal of the black community needs to stop in order for a better understanding of our national literature. Toni Morrison believes that the literature in America has taken as its concern the white man as its character base. Morrison states, "American literature is free of, uniformed by, and unshaped by the four-hundred-year-old presence of the first Africans" (205). She believes the entire history of the African culture has had no important place in the present state of our culture's literature. The American literature evident today tends to depict the white males' views, genius, and power leaving out all concerns for the black race. Morrison is convinced that, "the contemplation of the black presence is central to any understanding of our national literature and should not be relegated to the margins of the literary imagination" (205-06). Morrison's quote stresses the importance of the representation of black presence in today's literature for a better national comprehension of this writing. Two primary reasons Morrison believes that blacks are left out are the writers themselves, and the silence that has historically ruled literature. She believes, "National literatures, like writers, get along as best they can and with what they can. Yet they do seem to end up describing and inscribing what is really on the national mind" (208). This is the interest in the white man. Writers produce, and companies publish what the public wants to read about. According to Morrison, this is not the black presence, rather views and interests in the white man. The other reason she believes blacks are left out are, "that in matters of race, silence and evasion have historically ruled literary discourse" (207).

Revealing Trans Fat Summary

Revealing Trans Fats Informative Abstract Trans fats are fats resulting from the process a product undergoes in adding hydrogen to vegetable oil by turning liquid oils into solid fats and based on evidence supported, if consumed it would increase the risk of coronary heart disease and promote bad cholesterol at an high rate especially among Americans; it is therefore one of the leading causes of death in the United States.As a precautionary measure to counter this mass effect of trans fat the Food and Drug Administration required that saturated and dietary fat such as Trans fats facts be listed on food labels, which would provide information in choosing food that would help reduce coronary heart diseases. Fats are considered to be the major source of energy for the body and an aid in the absorption of vitamins in the body; fats also provide taste, consistency and stability and help you feel full.Unsaturated fats on the other hand are beneficial when consumed in moderation while on th e other hand saturated and trans fat are not. Saturated and trans fat raises bad cholesterol and may contribute to heart disease. Health experts advised that the intake of saturated fats, trans fat and cholesterol should be kept at a minimum while still maintaining a healthy diet but should not be removed from the diet completely. It was further reinforced that consumers should pay keen attention to nutritional facts on products to keep track of their intake of these fats.A general rule in choosing foods based on the facts on the label is that consumers should try to ensure that a low of 5% or less saturated fats and trans fats are in the products as to maintain an heart healthy diet while on the other hand, a high of 20% or more, would therefore be a risk to their healthy. To conclude depending on whether the consumer’s favorable food are high in saturated fat or cholesterol they can always compensate with foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol at different inte rvals. Descriptive AbstractThis article on revealing trans fats produced some interesting supporting facts where saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol are concerned. Based on the scientific evidence provided; saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which increases the chance of having coronary heart disease (CHD). According to the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute of National Institutes of Health, more than 12. 5 million Americans have CHD, and more than 500,000 die each year. Trans fats are generated as manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil, which is called hydrogenation.This increases the shelf life and flavor permanence of foods containing these fats, which can be food in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods etc. All fats however are not considered the same as fat is major source of energy for the body and aids in the adsorption of vitamins A, D, E and K and carotenoids, fat is t herefore important for the proper growth, development, and maintenance of good health. Unsaturated fats on the other hand are beneficial when consumed in moderation, while saturated and trans are not because they raise LDL levels in the blood.It is therefore recommended that consumers should choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol as part of a healthful diet. To proper monitor the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol intake, it’s postulated that looking at the nutrition facts panel would provide facts regarding the amount of fats present in products, where as choosing products with a low of 5% or less of saturated fats, trans fat and cholesterol would prove to be more healthy choice rather than other products with an higher rate of fats present.

Importance of Advance Directives Essay

The Importance of Advance Directives Tara J. DiDonato Axia College of University of Phoenix The Importance of Advance Directives While most people do not speak about end of life issues either because of their background or religion, it is not only for the elderly, we should all make our wishes known. According to the Pew Research Center, (January 2006), â€Å"42% of  Americans have had a friend or relative  suffer from a terminal illness or coma in the last five years and  for a majority of these people , the issue of withholding life sustaining treatment came up†. Although many people feel it is taboo, all adults over the age of 18 should think about what their healthcare wishes would be if they could not speak for themselves. These wishes should be documented in an advance directive, so that loved ones know what they are. Power of Communication According to the Mayo Clinic (2005), â€Å"The issues surrounding serious illness and death are not easy to discuss. Decisions are much easier on our loved ones if we have an advance directive in place before we are faced with a serious illness or accident†. Without communicating our wishes, we might find ourselves in a condition that we are unable to communicate the medical treatment we wish to receive, such as resuscitation or life support. Having a conversation with loved ones is important to clarify medical wishes. We should explain our wishes and explain how our values have shaped our decision. Types of Advance Directives According to the Mayo Clinic (2005), â€Å"Advance Directives are written instructions regarding your medical care preferences†. There are various types of advance directives, such as; a Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney, Healthcare Proxy and Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR). Durable power of attorney and living wills have limitations, they do not include instructions for every situation, which means that we need to trust that the person we have named will make the decisions which are in our best interest and are what we would have wanted. A DNR order is a form that is commonly discussed with a physician. A DNR order alerts physicians and emergency medical personnel that if a patient’s heart stops beating or if the patient stops breathing, there should be no attempts to revive them. Another advance directive is a Healthcare Proxy (HCP). This document allows patients to choose an agent to act on their behalf if they are temporarily or permanently unable to make healthcare decisions on their own. According to Fell, Kukula and Taylor (2005), as with other advance directives, â€Å"it is very important to discuss, in detail, all of your wishes with your surrogate and make sure they clearly understand and are willing to make these decisions on your behalf† (p. 4). Everyone should have a voice, not just the elderly Advance directives are not just for the elderly, anyone over the age of 18 should have one. Unexpected situations can arise at any age and there might be end of life decisions that needs to be made. In the event that a person does not have an advance directive in place, according to Fell, et al. (2005), â€Å"you will receive medical care to the fullest extent appropriate for your condition†. Without an advance directive the patient might receive more treatment than he or she would have wanted. The biggest misconception about an advance directive is that people think that having one means â€Å"do not treat†, this is incorrect. Frequently used medical terms

The Great War

The Great War The Great War (WW1)Question: "The system of alliances that existed before 1914 increased the likelihood of war"How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. (20).The Great War was fought during 1914-1918, mainly between countries in Europe and their respective colonies. Alliances were the union or association formed with another countries to defend and benefit both nations. The system of alliances increased likeliness of war alongside many other factors that ultimately led to the war.Firstly, inevitably the alliances that the European countries had with each other increased the likelihood of war. The concept of alliances was not to start wars, but to prevent them. Unfortunately, in this case the alliances backfired and actually created a large-scale war between many European nations. The smaller countries in the alliances declared war on each other abut matters that did not concern the bigger countries in the alliance.English: Deutsch:However, due to the alliance, th e other countries had to be dragged into the problem, and it ended up with many countries who did not technically need to go to war but were bound by the alliance. The countries were divided into 2 main groups: The triple entente (Britain, France and Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy). Then there was Belgium who was neutral in amidst countries declaring war on each other. Countries in Europe were insecure about their armies and navies, which ultimately led to the arms race or militarism.Many countries in Europe wanted the best armies or naval fleets. During that particular time Britain had the largest naval fleet and Germany had the largest land army. The German naval fleet was growing larger and Britain was feeling threatened. The other countries also began to hoard military equipment and enlarge their army and navy fleets.

Discuss William Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice as a Tragedy Essay

Discuss William Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice as a Tragedy - Essay Example A person of great stature can be a tragic hero not anyone else and these guidelines were followed by almost all the great writers, this goes to show a lot about Aristotle and his achievements. William Shakespeare also incorporated Aristotle’s guidelines in his tragedies. Hamlet is a classic example of the same, Hamlet suffers all along in the tragedy, he was the tragic hero because he was a person with great stature, the Prince of Denmark. Aristotle also wrote about tragic flaws and how the same affected the tragic hero. This paper will shed light upon Othello and how the tragic hero suffers excessively in the tragedy. Othello is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is a household name and he has become a household name because of his exquisite work in literature. Othello is a masterpiece written by Shakespeare and this paper will shed more light upon this tragedy. Othello- The Tragic Hero The role of jealousy is crucial in Othello, human beings have a ll been gifted with very powerful emotions and jealousy is one really strong emotion which can have a lasting impact in a relationship, it can completely destroy a beautiful relationship and the same happens in Othello. The seed of jealousy once planted can have serious ramifications on a relationship. The most important thing is that jealousy does not remain jealousy in Othello, it very soon turns into anger and the same has serious impact on the lives of the characters in the tragedy. Everything revolves around the tragic hero and in this game the tragic hero is none other than Othello, his jealous and extremely possessive nature causes trouble beyond imagination in the tragedy. How Jealousy takes a toll on the Characters Every tragic hero suffers from a tragic flaw and the very same tragic flaw leads to the downfall of the tragic hero, it causes excessive suffering and pain beyond imagination. The tragic hero or the protagonist in this tragedy Othello suffers from the tragic flaw of jealously in the tragedy. Other characters are well aware that he is a very jealous man and they exploit his weakness to the fullest. Iago is the mastermind in the tragedy who tries to dethrone Othello; he exploits the jealous nature of Othello to turn his people against him. He creates several misunderstandings to put Othello in a fix and he succeeds in doing so on numerous occasions. Othello is very extremely possessive of his wife Desdemona and he often says â€Å"My Desdemona† in the tragedy. These words clearly show his obsession for his wife and the same obsession causes a lot of trouble in the tragedy. He firmly believes that he has won her; she was more like a trophy to him than a wife. Possessiveness is also a very big sign of jealously. This again goes to show the jealous nature of Othello, a major reason for his downfall was his jealous nature and there are no two ways about it. He is also an extremist and his behavior is also violent in the tragedy at times. H e loses his head when the handkerchief goes missing; his impulsive nature leads to his destructions. He is of swaying nature; he thinks that his wife has been unfaithful to him which again goes to show how he can easily be influenced by other people who he considers his well-wishers. His jealous nature comes to the forefront after the intervention of Iago, before his intervention there are no

Amniocentesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Amniocentesis - Essay Example This sampling allows the doctors to look for any genetic abnormalities in the chromosomes, infections, or any other possible factors which could impact the fetal development. For example, defects in chromosome 21 such as trisomy-21, can be detected and can help later on should Down syndrome develop. One of the most common things that the process can pick up is the Rh factor. This is where the blood type of the baby does not match the blood type of the mother. In this case an immunosuppressant, Rh immunoglobin, has to be given to the mother in order to keep the mother’s immune system from attacking the fetus. This procedure is usually conducted between fourteen and twenty weeks; however it has been known to be performed as early as eleven weeks. The procedure itself takes around forty five minutes to complete and results can be handed back between a few days and a few weeks (American Pregnancy Association, 2006). There are, however, potential risks associated with the use of am niocentesis which should be taken into account for. The primary risk associated with amniocentesis is miscarriage. The most obvious, but rare complication, is that the needle actually hits the developing fetus and damages them. This is closely controlled through the use of sonogram technology.