How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essays

How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essays How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essay How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essay Essay Topic: Apocalypse Now Film Popular The world we live in is real. At least thats what we think, but its not. Our world is trickery, a detailed lie produced by supreme machines with artificial intelligence. We are all slaves, trapped in the Matrix Neo is a hacker who knows there is something wrong with our world. He feels it, but he cant explain it. For a couple of years hes searching for the answer to an innate question: what is the Matrix. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is, you have to see it for yourself The hugely popular film The Matrix impressed hundreds of critics with its addictive storyline and mind-blowing special effects. The story written by and directed by brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski, cost over $2million to produce but earned well over $171million from America alone. Starring Keanu Reeves (Speed, Bill Teds Excellent Adventure) as Neo, a computer hacker who is believed to be the One. Laurence Fishburne (Whats Love Got To Do With It? Apocalypse Now) plays Morpheus, the Captain of the ship, the Nebuchadnezzar. Also starring is Carrie-Anne Moss (Dark Justice, Due South) who plays Trinity, Neos feisty girl and Hugo Weaving (Lord of the Rings) stars as Agent Smith, the robotic agent desperate to prevent Neo from telling people of the hidden reality. Compared to other films The Matrix is a huge success. After appearing from nowhere The Matrix has made the Wachowski brothers into multi-millionaires. The Matrix turned out to be one of the biggest money making films of 1999, earning more money worldwide than other films including Star Wars, Indiana Jones and James Bond. In the film The Matrix, the world that we live is an elaborate deception created by all-powerful machines of artificial intelligence that control us. Everything we see, hear, touch, smell and eat is just a computer program sent to our brain to cover up the hideous reality. Morpheus believes that Neo is The One the only person who can hack into the Matrix and break it, freeing humankind inside the Matrix. However the Agents, superhuman beings that control the Matrix wish to destroy The One and locate Zion, the last and only planet that is not being controlled by the Matrix. Alongside this well put together storyline, The Matrix is full of mind-blowing stunts, amazing special effects and extraordinary fight scenes that will make you want to watch it over and over again. Although this an indeed successful structure it can be fairly complicated and confusing at first glance and would probably leave quite a puzzled audience in their cinema seats. Because this storyline is rather difficult to understand you are more distracted by the action sequences than the actual film so it is likely you would need to watch lots of times over and very carefully to get the plot. It is unsurprising that The Matrix series are so popular it covers large areas that critics and viewers will enjoy including the genres. Although the main genre is sci-fi, The Matrix is a well put together combination of Kung fu, philosophical and romantic as to cover as many areas as possible to please as many viewers as possible. Although The Matrix is set in present day (1999), the look of the film is still very computerized and modern. The Matrixs art direction has been filmed very well, mostly at an angle so that the actor can be seen in as best position as possible. In talking scenes the actors are usually filmed close up and at their faces, whilst in the action scenes the camera is placed faraway, to film as much as possible and to fit the actors whole body in the shot. The main colours in the film are blacks, greys, blues and mostly dull colours, which gives the atmosphere a modern yet dirty and dreary look. The set is also quite impressive, the earth as we see it is filled with towering offices and dark gloomy buildings. There are run down flats and graphitised apartments where they live in and busy streets. Inside Morpheuss ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, it is just as dark, but with wires, cables, computer screens and equipment everywhere. In the fight scenes in The Matrix, however it is brighter, not as dirty and slightly more colourful, probably so that the cast will not be hidden from view and will be able to stand out more. In The Matrix the casts costumes are foot-length jackets with shirt, trousers and boots. There clothing all tend to be one colour, either black, and made out of smooth and shiny materials like leather, with a pair of designer sunglasses to go with it. Agents costumes are brown suits with a white shirt and black tie and shoes. Nothing to interesting but they also have a nice pair of sunglasses. This film should appeal to a wide range of people; it has everything that a good film needs including action, good bad, romance and a slight humour. Another thing is that The Matrix covers many different film genres that will keep many fans of those more interested. But most importantly why anyone person would enjoy this film is just because it is so well done. Super action, mind-blowing stunts, amazing storyline makes this one of the best movies of the millennium. For my personal view I think that The Matrix, is a spectacular classic. I think this because not only is a great film but also it has been expertly directed and filmed with a great choice of actors. Not only is the storyline excellent, its also original and cool so its a thrill to watch as many times as you want until your eyes bleed.

Magical Realism - Definition and Examples

Magical Realism s Magical realism, or magic realism, is an approach to literature that weaves fantasy and myth into everyday life. What’s real? What’s imaginary? In the world of magical realism, the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the magical becomes commonplace. Also known as â€Å"marvelous realism,† or â€Å"fantastic realism,†Ã‚  magical realism is not a style or a genre so much as a way of questioning the nature of reality. In books, stories, poetry, plays, and film, factual narrative and far-flung fantasies combine to reveal insights about society and human nature. The term magic realism is also associated with realistic and figurative artworks  -   paintings, drawings, and sculpture  -   that suggest hidden meanings. Lifelike images, such as the Frida Kahlo portrait shown above, take on an air of mystery and enchantment. Strangeness Infused Into Stories There’s nothing new about infusing strangeness into stories about otherwise ordinary people. Scholars have identified elements of magical realism in Emily Brontà «s passionate, haunted Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) and Franz Kafka’s unfortunate Gregor, who turns into a giant insect (The Metamorphosis). However, the expression â€Å"magical realism† grew out of specific artistic and literary movements that emerged during the mid-20th century. Art From a Variety of Traditions In 1925, critic Franz Roh (1890-1965) coined the term Magischer Realismus (Magic Realism) to describe the work of German artists who depicted routine subjects with eerie detachment. By the 1940s and 1950s, critics and scholars were applying the label to art from a variety of traditions. The enormous floral paintings by Georgia OKeeffe (1887-1986), the psychological self-portraits of Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), and the brooding urban scenes by Edward Hopper (1882-1967) all fall within the realm of magic realism. A Separate Movement in Literature In literature, magical realism evolved as a separate movement, apart from the quietly mysterious magic realism of visual artists. Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier (1904-1980) introduced the concept of â€Å"lo real maravilloso (the marvelous real) when he published his 1949 essay â€Å"On the Marvelous Real in Spanish America.† Carpentier believed that Latin America, with its dramatic history and geography, took on an aura of the fantastic in the eyes of the world. In 1955, literary critic Angel Flores (1900-1992) adopted the term magical realism (as opposed to magic realism) to describe the writings of Latin American authors who transformed â€Å"the common and the every day into the awesome and the unreal.   Latin American Magic Realism According to Flores, magical realism began with a 1935 story by Argentine writer Jorge Luà ­s Borges (1899-1986). Other critics have credited different writers for launching the movement. However, Borges certainly helped lay the groundwork for Latin American magical realism, which was seen as unique and distinct from the work of European writers like Kafka. Other Hispanic authors from this tradition include Isabel Allende, Miguel ngel Asturias, Laura Esquivel, Elena Garro, Rà ³mulo Gallegos, Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez, and Juan Rulfo. Extraordinary Circumstances Were Expected Surrealism runs through the streets, Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez (1927-2014) said in an interview with The Atlantic. Garcà ­a Mrquez shunned the term â€Å"magical realism† because he believed that extraordinary circumstances were an expected part of South American life in his native Columbia. To sample his magical-but-real writing, begin with â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings and â€Å"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.† An International Trend Today, magical realism is viewed as an international trend, finding expression in many countries and cultures. Book reviewers, booksellers, literary agents, publicists, and authors themselves have embraced the label as a way to describe works that infuse realistic scenes with fantasy and legend. Elements of magical realism can be found in writings by Kate Atkinson, Italo Calvino, Angela Carter, Neil Gaiman, Gà ¼nter Grass, Mark Helprin, Alice Hoffman, Abe Kobo, Haruki Murakami, Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Derek Walcott, and countless other authors around the world. 6 Key Characteristics of Magical Realism It’s easy to confuse magical realism with similar forms of imaginative writing. However, fairy tales are not magical realism. Neither are horror stories, ghost stories, science fiction, dystopian fiction, paranormal fiction, absurdist literature, and sword and sorcery fantasy. To fall within the tradition of magical realism, the writing must have most, if not all, of these six characteristics: 1. Situations and Events That Defy Logic: In Laura Esquivel’s lighthearted novel Like Water for Chocolate, a woman forbidden to marry pours magic into food. In Beloved, American author Toni Morrison spins a darker tale: An escaped slave moves into a house haunted by the ghost of an infant who died long ago. These stories are very different, yet both are set in a world where truly anything can happen. 2. Myths and Legends: Much of the strangeness in magic realism derives from folklore, religious parables, allegories, and superstitions. An abiku  -   a West African spirit child  -   narrates The Famished Road by Ben Okri. Often, legends from divergent places and times are juxtaposed to create startling anachronisms and dense, complex stories. In A Man Was Going Down The Road, Georgian author Otar Chiladze merges an ancient Greek myth with the devastating events and tumultuous history of his Eurasian homeland near the Black Sea. 3. Historic Context and Societal Concerns: Real-world political events and social movements entwine with fantasy to explore issues such as racism, sexism, intolerance, and other human failings. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie is the saga of a man born at the moment of India’s independence. Rushdie’s character is telepathically linked with a thousand magical children born at the same hour and his life mirrors key events of his country. 4. Distorted Time and Sequence: In magical realism, characters may move backward, leap forward, or zigzag between the past and the future. Notice how Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez treats time in his 1967 novel, Cien Aà ±os de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude). Sudden shifts in narrative and the omnipresence of ghosts and premonitions leave the reader with the sense that events cycle through an endless loop. 5. Real-World Settings: Magic realism is not about space explorers or wizards; Star Wars and Harry Potter are not examples of the approach. Writing for The Telegraph, Salman Rushdie noted that â€Å"the magic in magic realism has deep roots in the real.† Despite the extraordinary events in their lives, the characters are ordinary people who live in recognizable places. 6. Matter-of-Fact Tone: The most characteristic feature of magical realism is the dispassionate narrative voice. Bizarre events are described in an offhand manner. Characters do not question the surreal situations they find themselves in. For example, in the short book Our Lives Became Unmanageable, a narrator plays down the drama of her husbands vanishing: â€Å"†¦the Gifford who stood before me, palms outstretched, was no more than a ripple in the atmosphere, a mirage in a gray suit and striped silk tie, and when I reached again, the suit evaporated, leaving only the purple sheen of his lungs and the pink, pulsing thing Id mistaken for a rose. It was, of course, only his heart.† Dont Put It in a Box Literature, like visual art, doesn’t always fit into a tidy box. When Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro published The Buried Giant, book reviewers scrambled to identify the genre. The story appears to be a fantasy because it unfolds in a world of dragons and ogres. However, the narration is dispassionate and the fairy tale elements are understated: â€Å"But such monsters were not cause for astonishment†¦there was so much else to worry about.† Is The Buried Giant pure fantasy, or has Ishiguro entered the realm of magical realism? Perhaps books like this belong in genres all their own. Sources Arana, Marie. Review: Kazuo Ishiguros The Buried Giant defies easy categorization. The Washington Post, February 24, 2015.   Craven, Jackie. Our Lives Became Unmanageable. The Omnidawn Fabulist Fiction Prize, Paperback, Omnidawn, October 4, 2016. Fetters. Ashley. The Origins of Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Magic Realism. The Atlantic, April 17, 2014. Flores, Angel. Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction. Hispania, Vol. 38, No. 2, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, JSTOR, May 1955. Ishiguro, Kazuo. The Buried Giant. Vintage International, Paperback, Reprint edition, Vintage, January 5, 2016. Leal, Luis. Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature. Lois Parkinson Zamora (Editor), Wendy B. Faris, Duke University Press, January 1995. McKinlay, Amanda Ellen. Block magic : categorization, creation, and influence of Francesca Lia Block’s Enchanted America. UBC Theses and Dissertations, The University of British Columbia, 2004. Morrison, Rusty. Paraspheres: Extending Beyond the Spheres of Literary and Genre Fiction: Fabulist and New Wave Fabulist Stories. Paperback, Omnidawn Publishing, June 1, 1967. Rà ­os, Alberto. Magical Realism: Definitions. Arizona State University, May 23, 2002, Tempe, AZ. Rushdie, Salman. Salman Rushdie on Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez: His world was mine. The Telegraph, April 25, 2014. Wechsler, Jeffrey. Magic Realism: Defining the Indefinite. Art Journal. Vol. 45, No. 4, The Visionary Impulse: An American Tendency, CAA, JSTOR, 1985.

Resistance against Hitler and his Nazi Regime Essay

Resistance against Hitler and his Nazi Regime - Essay Example For instance at one time, the Nazi regime issued 35, 200 death sentences, and out of this number, 20,000 victims were communist adherents. Also, in 1941, approximately 405 people were put in custody for being either followers of communism or Marxism. The enabling act of 1993 gave Hitler a lot of power, and Hitler misused this power by establishing a concentration camp at Dachau to deal firmly with the enemies of the Nazi regime (Sax & Kuntz, 1973). The rebels were arrested and brutally punished in the concentration camp. Hitler also used his enormous power to empower the Gestapo police unit more, so as to deal with the Nazi regime critics. Resistance Groups Doris Berger Understanding of Resistance Before we look at the various anti-Nazi forces in Germany, let us look at the meaning of the term resistance as understood by the historian Doris Bergen. Doris Bergen views resistance as any act that portrays disagreement and discontent with the status quo. For instance in pages 203- 204 of Berger’s book, War and Genocide: A concise History of the Holocaust, Berger details how the Nazi regime dealt with the perceived resistance movements, especially the Jews, whom the Nazi administration saw as the main threat of the Nazi administration. Berger’s conception of resistance therefore is any act that portrays opposition to the established system or to the status quo. This view of resistance is actually in agreement with the conventional understanding of the term resistance. German Youth Resistance against the Nazi Regime The main critics of the Nazi administration were the German youth. And to deal with this challenge, the Nazi regime established a system to make the youth remain loyal to the... Before we look at the various anti-Nazi forces in Germany, let us look at the meaning of the term resistance as understood by the historian Doris Bergen. Doris Bergen views resistance as any act that portrays disagreement and discontent with the status quo. For instance in pages 203- 204 of Berger’s book, War, and Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust, Berger details how the Nazi regime dealt with the perceived resistance movements, especially the Jews, whom the Nazi administration saw as the main threat of the Nazi administration. Berger’s conception of resistance, therefore, is any act that portrays opposition to the established system or to the status quo. This view of resistance is actually in agreement with the conventional understanding of the term resistance.The main critics of the Nazi administration were the German youth. And to deal with this challenge, the Nazi regime established a system to make the youth remain loyal to the Nazi regime. The young men in Germany were supposed to be members of the Hitler youth movement and the girls were supposed to be members of the German Girls league movement. The youth movements limited the leisure time for the youth in an attempt to make them loyal to the Nazi regime (Rich, 1973).Notwithstanding these youth movements, some young people refused to be members of these movements and they continued with resisting the Nazi regime, some of the resistance youth groups that were formed included Edelweiss Pirates and the Swing group.

BUS599 - Integrative Project, Mod 1 Case Assignment Essay

BUS599 - Integrative Project, Mod 1 Case Assignment - Essay Example They have a well stretched network covering almost places in North America and United Kingdom housed just there. The company faced great success during its tenure over the past couple of years which was result of great devotion and dedication of a hardworking staff and consistently managing high standards of quality at a fairly acceptable price. Organic food is eco friendly and plays its part to reduce pollution as well as save water and mineral soil. It also helps in maintaining your health and provides a safe and nutritional food intake leading to a healthy digestive tract therefore this approach has led to the consumption of organic and natural food thereby increasing the sales of whole foods which is a great competitor for all others organic and natural foods in the mainstream market (Staff, 2012). Whole foods market has maintained its standard and has influenced the mindsets of many by diverting them towards nutrition filled healthy food. They are well known for their freshness a good example of their maintaining quality is that even the flowers they are selling are fresh and their scent can be smelt as soon as one enters their store. Another example of how they have revolutionized the conventional style of growing banana's; they have converted it to a proper science by studying the change of colors to deal with it life cycle yet maintaining its freshness. They sell everything fresh without any delay in delivering the food from the farms to the markets. Even their packed ready to go meals are really fresh (Lindstrom, 2011). The mission of whole foods market is to provide their customers with a hustle free shopping experience, to play its part in helping and caring about the community and preservation of nature, they intend to develop good habits of eating and enlightens through education to all its stakeholders, provide healthy and good quality of organic foods and developing continuing win-win deals or partner based relation with their providers. The core values of whole foods market are primarily based on five main components: firstly standard quality and their ongoing efforts to carry on with them. Secondly, to produce only organic form of food without any harmful chemicals used. Thirdly, producing ecologically certified sea food, which has "Responsibly Farmed" label which clearly indicates that it’s the highest quality which restricts use of growth developing hormones, antibiotics etc. to ensure good standards. Fourth is that they couldn’t compromise on quality by using proper breeding techniques and not incorporating such harmful methods which tend to be inorganic. Lastly, they are firm believers in community service leading to prosperity and happiness by changing lives globally (Drell, 2012). The important information related to the shares of whole foods market is described here, industry capital is $k 16,923,590 whereas the arrears remaining on shares are $k 185,520, those internal stakeholders are 8.8% and insti tutes which are stakeholders are 79.98%. It was observed that the return and growth in percentage fluctuated the following ways (it should be kept in mind that it is the percent change) the return for the first year was 14.76% and the fifth year growth by the generated revenue was 77.48%. The third year return was 84.23% and the growth in the five year earning tenure became 96.15%. It is surprising that the fifth year for the return became 156.13%

‘Medicalization’ in Current Health Policy

‘Medicalization’ in Current Health Policy Changing Public Health Priorities From Medicalization to Improving Built Communities Laura Schultz, Brett Weed, Ashini Fernando, Carolyn Moore,  Andrea Andersen, David Garcia Medicalization has greatly increased the emphasis on the delivery of clinical services to individuals, often at the expense of population-based solutions. We examine this phenomenon and offer an alternative that promotes public health by improving social, environmental, and physical determinants of health[HS1]. ‘Medicalization’ in Current Health Policy ‘Medicalization’ is the tendency for the practice of medicine to view a greater proportion of human behavior through a clinical lens (Zola, 1986). Among the examples of medicalization is the direct-to-consumer solicitation of prescription drugs for an arguably ever-increasing repertoire of conditions and afflictions (Frosch, Krueger, Hornik, Cronbolm, Barg, 2007) and increasing access to medical care as is evident through the initiatives implemented by the ACA[HS2]. Ever increasing amounts of money are being invested in treatment of chronic diseases, while a comparatively much smaller proportion is invested in preventing the same conditions (HHS, 2003). The United States spends more than 17% of their GDP on healthcare[HS3]. This per capita health expenditure is more than twice the average of countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (Balding, 2014[HS4]), yet these numbers have translated not into better health but instead, a worsening trend in chronic diseases. US citizens also have significantly lower life expectancy in comparison (Woolf Aron, 2013). Despite these considerable investments in health care delivery, the costs associated with treating the manifestations of poor health continue to rise unabated. Over the last five years in North Carolina alone, approximately USD 80 million of the federal budget for public health was appropriated for primary care for the underserved populations (Trust for America’s Health, 2014[HS5]). Public Health Spending In contrast, public health only receives approximately 3% of the government budget and is underfunded (Balding, 2014). Nationally, 95% of health spending is for the apportionment of clinical services, while only 5% is invested in population-based solutions (Lantz, Licthenstein, Pollack, 2007). In North Carolina this division is even more extreme, with less than 1% of health spending dedicated to public health operations (Table 1[HS6]). Table 1. North Carolina Public Health Appropriations as a Percentage of Public Health Care Spending (Trust for America’s Health, 2014; Chantrill, n.d.) It is worth[CDL7] noting that the leading cause of mortality in the US, cardiovascular disease, accounts for annual healthcare costs that exceed USD $312.6 billion (HHS n.d.), yet when diagnosed early, disease progression can be addressed with non-pharmacological interventions[HS8]. In North Carolina, a mere 0.81% (~ USD 15 million, 2013) of the federal budget for public health was appropriated for prevention measures of all chronic diseases (Trust for America’s Health, 2014). These funding trends appear to support medicalization of health instead of prevention through public health efforts. Rather than continue to invest in a stopgap strategy of mitigating the impact of illness, we propose to instead invest in the prevention of illness[HS9]. Addressing Social Determinants Population health investments within corporate environments have shown considerable financial success and value beyond return on investment (ROI). One corporate wellness program saw a ROI of close to 300%; another company saved an estimated $224 per employee in 2003 dollars from promoting health rather than treating a lack of it (HHS, 2003[HS10]). Applying this same per capita savings rate to North Carolina, shifting funding to prevention and health promotion could yield savings of $2.2 billion annually[3], more than offsetting the annual increases in health services expenditures. Value beyond ROI includes physical and mental health, quality of life, perceived health status and functional capacity. Workplace well-being also promotes other intangibles such as increased social cohesion (Pronk, 2014). There is an established correlation between positive social relationships and health. As Robert Putnam wrote in 2000 in Bowling Alone, â€Å"social capital† conveys the essential health promoting value of communities[HS11]. It is defined as â€Å"the social networks and interactions that inspire trust and reciprocity among citizens† (as cited in Leyden, 2003). Social isolation, independent of other lifestyle factors, is linked to premature death and decreased resistance to disease (Cohen, 2001). Beyond individual health, social capital is associated with political engagement, volunteerism, decreased crime rates and economic development (Leyden, 2003). Research has shown that when we design our communities to encourage social engagement there is a positive effect on the psychological and physical health of the residents (Leyden, 2003[HS12]). Since the advent of the automobile, the design of our communities has included limited transportation choices. Most individuals choose to travel by car because urban design has made most options for pedestrians unsafe (Vandergrift, 2004). The US, compared to other high income European countries with better health measures, have at least 25% more automobiles per 1000 people (Woolf Aron, 2013). European Countries also have policies which limit sprawl and prioritize â€Å"urban centralization†. Though difficult to quantify, these environmental factors are likely to contribute to the health disparities and disadvantages in the US (Woolf Aron, 2013). Political and social conditions and constructs, racism for example, also results in poor urban design that compound health disparities including limited access to businesses and markets, exposure to environmental toxins, and lack of opportunities for social participation. Specifically, infrastructure investment decisions, such as libraries, parks, public safety and maintenance are likely to be allocated to geographic areas populated by citizens with greater socioeconomic status and political power, which further marginalize disadvantaged socioeconomic groups (Schulz Northridge, 2004). Alternatively, mixed use, pedestrian friendly communities are based on thoughtful design and include intact town centers, multiple income residences and well linked streets that are designed for people, not automobiles (Walkable Communities, n.d.). Prioritized determinants of health, which we expect to improve because of innovative planning include increased social engagement, improved economic status and increased physical activity (Walkable Communities, n.d.). As of 2012, approximately 50% of the US adult population has been shown to suffer from chronic diseases. However, adequate physical activity has been scientifically proven to prevent or improve these chronic disease conditions[HS13]. Yet, according to a 2011 statistic from the CDC, 76% of adults did not meet the recommendation for muscle-strengthening physical activity which is a known risk for heart disease (CDC, 2014). There are states where the built environment is viewed as worthy of significant investment to improve population health. Specifically, in Massachusetts there are two examples of lower than average socioeconomic status communities where health impact assessments indicate that built environmental improvements would improve social factors and likely decrease expenses in medical intervention. In Somerville, there is a community driven planned change to a bisecting interstate. This plan, made with consideration for social health determinants of the residents includes multi use bike and walking paths with increased access to all areas of the community[HS14]. Community-wide access will provide opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and increased choices for employment (MassDOT, 2013). A community with similar demographics, Fall River, has proposed common trails for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle travel that connect residents to businesses. This is predicted to improv e every health determinant the HIA evaluated (MAPC, 2013). Based on a review of state sponsored health impact assessments in other communities, there is a significant relationship between communities with walkable pathways and health (Rails to Trails Conservancy, 2013). We propose that thoughtful environmental structure enhancements such as multi-use walking and biking paths will connect neighborhoods and businesses. In turn, we believe these changes will positively affect social cohesion, economic viability and physical activity, which are all key determinants of health that can improve with innovative public policy implementation[HS15]. Conclusion and Recommendations Evidence from state sponsored health impact assessments in other communities, indicates that there is a positive correlation between communities with walkable pathways and health (Rails to Trails Conservancy, 2013). Environmental structure enhancements such as multi-use walking and biking paths that connect neighborhoods and businesses could positively influence population health in North Carolina. We believe these changes will positively affect social cohesion, economic viability and physical activity, which are all key determinants of health that can improve with innovative public policy implementation. In North Carolina there are 31 completed Rails to Trails programs (NC Rails-Trails, 2014). This national program improves the built environment by converting former railroad routes to pedestrian and bike friendly paths. However, only 2 of the 31 completed trails are located in counties with the poorest health scores (RWJF 2014; NC Rails to Trails, 2014). Eastern North Carolina, where 9 out of 10 of the most poorly rated counties for health outcomes are located, also have the fewest trail initiatives (NC Rails-Trails, 2014). This skewed distribution of environmental improvements further demonstrates the way in which populations within poor socioeconomic communities are financially neglected, and thus likely to continue to suffer from worse health outcomes. Using Massachusetts as an example, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services has initiated a program to identify communities with the lowest socioeconomic status and assist them to â€Å"build policies, systems and environments that promote wellness and healthy living† (MassDOT, 2013). In partnership with state and county planning officials, public health leaders, and state demographers, our plan is to target lower socioeconomic communities, initially focusing on a county with the poorest health indicators, to plan and build multi-use trails. We request priority funding allocated through the US Department of Transportation via the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century ACT (MAP-21), as well as private foundation grants that prioritize state population health improvements like the Annie E. Casey and Doris Duke foundations. Our plan for advocacy is to engage community members in the trail project as stakeholders. Specifically we will encourage our members to influence policy decisions through community informational meetings, including letter writing assistance intended to exert pressure on local politicians. We intend to host community or health center â€Å"coffees† with opportunities to meet county commissioners and planners. Media coverage in the lo cal newspaper is another part of our advocacy plan. Specifically, we will engage local media in an effort to â€Å"frame† the problem of poor environmental design and how it impacts health by profiling one citizen with health risks and limited transportation options who lives on a pedestrian unsafe street, visually depicting the social isolation inherent in this environment though a photo layout[HS16]. By engaging our most vulnerable North Carolina citizens to take part in improving their quality of life and ultimately their health and longevity, we will have the best chance at community environmental improvement as a long term effort. The time is now to refocus our priorities on health investment through prevention and promotion of public health efforts rather than treatment of diseases. References Blanding, M. (2012). Public Health and the U.S. Economy. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/public-health-economy-election/. Chantrill, C. (n.d.). North Carolina Government Spending Chart. Retrieved from http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/spending_chart_2003_2019NCb_16s1li111mcn_13l14t Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014, October). Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/index.htm. Cohen, S (2001). Social relationships and health: Berkman syme (1979). Advances in mind-body medicine. 17(1):5-7. Frosch, D. L., Krueger, P. M., Hornik, R. C., Cronbolm, P. F., Barg, F. K. (2007). Creating Demand for Prescription Drugs: A Content Analysis of Television Direct-to-Consumer Advertising. Annals of Family Medicine, 5(1), 6-13. Lantz, P. M., Licthenstein R. L., Pollack, H. A. (2007). Health policy approaches to population health: The Limits of medicalization. Health Affairs, 26(5), 1253-1257. Leyden, K. (2003). Social Capital and the Built Environment: The Importance of Walkable Neighborhoods. American Journal of Public Health, 93(9), 1546-1551. Massachusetts Department of Transportation. (2013). Health Impact Assessment of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) McGrath Grounding Study. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/groundingmcgrath/HealthImpactAssessment.aspx. Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (2013). Health Impact Assessment: Quequechan River Rail Trail Phase 2. Retrieved from http://www.mapc.org/quequechan-river-rail-trail-hia. NC Rails-Trails (2014, September). Resources. Retrieved from http://www.ncrailtrails.org/web/resources. Pronk, N. P. (2014). Placing Workplace Wellness in Proper Context: Value Beyond Money. Preventing Chronic Disease 11, 1-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.140128 Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone: The collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon Schuster. Rails to Trails Conservancy. Health and Wellness Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork/trailBasics/benefits.html. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2014). County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, Building a Culture of Health County by County; 2014 Rankings; North Carolina. Retrieved from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/sites/default/files/state/downloads/CHR2014_NC_v2.pdf Schulz, A., Northridge, M. E. (2004). Social determinants of health: Implications for Environmental Health Promotion. Health Education and Behavior, 31(4), 455-471. Trust for Americas Health (2014). Key Health Data about North Carolina. Retrieved from http://healthyamericans.org/states/?stateid=NC#section=3,year=2009,code=undefined US Census Bureau (2014, July 8). NC quick facts. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37000.html US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (2003, September). Prevention makes common â€Å"cents†. Retrieved from http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/prevention/. US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (n.d.). About Heart Disease Stroke. Retrieved from http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/abouthds/cost-consequences.html#cost. Vandergrift, D., Yoked, T. V. (2004). Obesity rates, income, and suburban sprawl: an analysis of US states. Health Place, 10, 221-229. Walkable Communities, Inc. (n.d.).Walkable Communities FAQ. Retrieved from http://walkable.org/faqs.html. Woolf, S. H., Aron, L. Y. (Eds.). (2013). U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. Washington DC: National Academies Press. Zola, I. K. (1986). Medicine as an institution of social control. In P. Conrad R. Kern (Eds.), The sociology of health and illness. New York: St. Martins Press. [1] Rounded to nearest million [2] Rounded to nearest ten million; represents NC state and locality public health care spending [3] Based on 2013 NC Population Estimate of 9,848,060 (US Census Bureau 2014). [HS1]Nice introduction to your paper [HS2]Good examples [HS3]Is this from your Balding reference? This statement needs to be referenced. [HS4]This is listed as Blanding on your reference list. [HS5]Very nice section, your reader will have a good understanding of medicalization after reading this section [HS6]Great reference and statistics that support your premise [CDL7]Do not use this construct in this class, â€Å"it is†, â€Å"there are†, etc. [HS8]Such as implementing lifestyle changes with diet exercise. [HS9]Very good! [HS10]Impressive! [HS11]Very interesting, I will be reading this. [HS12]Great examples and points being made, excellent references. [HS13]You need a reference here [HS14]This entire section isn’t referenced. Unless this information is considered to be â€Å"common knowledge† e.g. it came from your own brain or was information you were aware of prior to writing this paper, it needs to have a citation. Please review when to cite from UNC library http://www2.lib.unc.edu/instruct/citations/index.html?section=why_we_cite [HS15]Great ideas [HS16]Great ideas and plan of action

An Analysis of the Choice Essay

This study analyzes the difference of the operation model of HSBC and ICBC are operating in the UK at present, and examines the advantages and disadvantages of both separated and mixed operation for ICBC (London). Furthermore, it proposes the realistic choice of operation model for ICBC (London) under the existing Chinese financial system and the market condition of UK. This paper argues that the separated operation model of ICBC and investment banks in the short term will not change. The internally integrated operation model in terms of mixed operation which through restructuring to concurrently operate investment bank business within the ICBC (London), should be the realistic choice. The operating advantages in terms of low risk and high efficiency of the Group Banking form will be the development orientation for ICBC (London). Chapter 1 1. Introduction 1. 1 Background to the Research November 4, 1999 the U. S. Senate and House passed the â€Å"Financial Services modernization Act† to repeal the â€Å"Glass-Steagall Act† enacted in 1933(Wen, 2009). It ends the separated operation and separate supervision to the banking, securities and insurance, and opened a new era in the financial industry to mixed operation. Also it marks the mixed operation model occupied the dominant position in the international financial community. Under the role of market forces, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and other western countries have also given up the major sub-sector financial management system, and re-established the mixed financial system. The establishment of British Financial Services Authority (FSA) has been practiced for ten years. It has shown that the implementation of mixed operation and mixed supervision of the reform is successful for UK financial industry (Ojo, 2005). The integration of commercial banking and investment banking business became the global financial industry trends (Xu, 2002). ICBC is a market leader in the China in many business areas of commercial banking. It occupies the biggest market share among the big-four state-owned commercial banks in terms of capitalization, profitability and the volumes of deposit and loan. It operates through 16,232 outlets across China, 162 overseas subsidiaries and a global network of more than 1,504 correspondent banks as well as Internet Banking, Telephone Banking and self-service banking (www. icbc. com. cn). ICBC (London) was established in 2003, and grew dramatically on total capitalization and the scope of the business. However, under the Chinese Financial Law, it still uses the separated operation model in UK. 1. 2 Significance of the Problem The operation and supervision model of China’s financial banking are different from any of other countries’. Recalling the journey of China’s financial business operations, in 1993, the operation model of Chinese financial industry had changed from mixed operation to separated operation. Prior to 1993, China adopted a mixed operation, and commercial banks were one of the main participants at the beginning of China’s stock market established. Banks were playing a significant role in the securities market formation process which gave the support on capital, technology, personnel and organizational management. The main form of commercial banks to participate in the securities business was built on equity securities company wholly or securities department of trust and Investment Company. Their principal business was the issuance of corporate securities and agency trading. Because of the lack of capacity of self-regulatory and constraints, there was an accumulation of risks inherent in mixed operation. In the late 1992, as investment of real estate and securities were prevailing, numerous of credit funds through bank lending into the stock market result in leading to financial chaos. Therefore in July 1993, there was a great effort to rectify the financial order. Banking industry and securities industry had to adopt separate operation management model. Chinese government proposed separated operation and separated supervision model for financial industry. In 1995, â€Å"Commercial Bank Law† and â€Å"Insurance Law† followed the â€Å"separated operation, separated supervision† principle to regulate the financial industry. From that point, the separated operation model continues to today. However, due to the effects of the practice of mixed operation model by the U. S. , ICBC is trialing the mixed operation model progressively in China since 2008 (ICBC Annual Report 2009). Unfortunately, ICBC (London) is still operating as separated operation model. 1. 3 Statement of Purpose In recent years, the pace of world economic development slowed down and interest rates of countries continued generally low, result in facing a serious test of effectiveness for banks whose profitability based on the main source of loan interest rate differentials.

Soc/100 - Applying Sociological Perspectives - 1063 Words

Applying Sociological Perspectives Stephanie Ann Tombline SOC/100 May 30, 2016 Jennifer Hudgins Applying Sociological Perspectives Social networking sites - such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and, Pinterest, just to name a few - provide individuals with an online web of global networking that allows maintaining social ties with one another. Sociologists often ponder, How do these social websites impact society? Above all, this is the question that is the central focus shared by all three of the primary sociological perspectives (Structural Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and, Symbolic Interactionism) when studying and performing research on the topic. Otherwise, the three paradigms of sociological theories are†¦show more content†¦Symbolic Interactionism Whereas the conflict theory perspective focuses on who controls the media alongside, who governs that information within communities, symbolic interactionism concentrates on the influence social networking sites have on societies, instead. Further elaborating, interactionists gravitate towards one-to-one interactions of communications, rather than analyzing something from a macro to mid-level such as the functionalist, or, rather than at the conflict theorys micro-level analysis. By the same token, embodied in the belief system of the interactionists perspective, is the concept that relationships between individuals within a community are of the utmost importance. Additionally, this theorys outlook centers on the thought that the way people comprehend their social worlds, is the exchange of meaning through language and symbols. (OpenStax, 2015). Regarding social networking sites, the interactionist analyzes how social websites contribute to sculpting the behavior between members of society, alongside producing mutual interpretations of this precise demeanor. (Knight, 2012). Accordingly, from the perception of the symbolic interactionist thinker, social networking is seen as a significant, rapidly flourishing source of daily communication. The OpenStax (2015) website explains, Symbolic interactionists see the symbolic uses of technology as signs of everything from a sterile futuristic world to aShow MoreRelatedApplying the Sociological Perspective807 Words   |  4 PagesSOC 100 July 27, 2015 Bettie Ware Applying the Sociological Perspective An employer is an individual or organization who employs one or more person (employee) for wages or salary, while an employee works for an individual or organization (employer) for wage or salary. 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For new users, I hope the book will meet your full expectations and be an effective instructional tool. Although case books abound, you and your students may find this somewhat unique and very readable, a book that can help transform dry and