Learning And Assessing Pupils Progress Education Essay

The appraisal of students ‘ advancement has been modified slightly since it was introduced by Black ‘s ( 1987 ) study with the National Curriculum Task Group on Assessment and Testing ; which was set up as portion of the readyings of what became the 1988 Education Reform Act. The act brought in the appraisal agreements for the terminal of the 4 cardinal phases, at the ages of 7, 11, 14 and 16 severally. It was decided that merely the nucleus topics of the national course of study should be assessed at the first cardinal phase and ‘at subsequent key phases it should be in all the foundation topics ( the nucleus subjects plus art, geographics, history, music, physical instruction, engineering, a modern foreign linguistic communication at the last two phases, and Welsh in non-Welsh speech production schools in Wales ) p.40. Kyriacou ( 2007 ) provinces, the debut of the National Curriculum in 1989 were coupled with associated processs for supervising students ‘ ad vancement affecting the usage of centrally produced trials. These trials so gave an indicant of both students ‘ public presentation and that of the schools nationally. The course of study was so looked at once more in 1993 by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority ‘s president Sir Ron Dearing, who was asked to ‘†¦review the course of study with a position to ‘slimming down ‘ the course of study, simplifying its appraisal arrangements†¦ ‘ p.45 The 1997 Education Act saw the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority replaced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority ( QCA ) which is still in topographic point today. The appraisal of larning at the terminal of KS 1,2 and 3 is now a combination of instructor appraisals and terminal of cardinal phase standardized national trials, SATs, although in 2009 the terminal of KS3 trials were abolished ; and scientific discipline at KS2 is merely to being used in some pilot schools for 2010. In 2005 the Labour Government ‘s Schools White Paper committed support for every kid in giving them personalised instruction and acquisition ; by seting kids and their demands foremost, giving support to do good advancement and go forthing no kid left behind in their instruction. This study will look at the modern-day issues of Assessment for Learning ( AfL ) and its new spouse ; Assessing Pupils ‘ Progress ( APP ) and their usage within the constitution ( primary school ) and how or whether it has impacted on the manner appraisal is carried out across the board.Why Assess?Appraisal is highly of import as it shows how students are come oning and carried out with thorough processs can be of important value to instructors and the students they teach. It checks that larning has taken topographic point. There are many different methods of appraisals these include ; treatments, questionnaires, tests, presentations, function drama, observations, written work, practical work and inquiring. Using appraisals can assist instructors and scholars reflect on their pattern and how their scholars are larning. Assessment helps instructors make up one's mind how they teach, utilizing different learning methods to guarantee that all scholars are proactive. Cowley ( 2004 ) stated that good appraisal would assist the instructor proctor the scholars ‘ advancement and program for future instruction and acquisition. Assessment encourages scholars ‘ motive and they can have feedback ( both instructor and equal ) on their advancement. Teachers ‘ can utilize a scope of assessment methods to look into students ‘ advancement. Obviously appraisal does non come easy, instructors ‘ work load can be increased greatly ; both when transporting out the appraisals and so holding to tag them. There can be unneeded force per unit area put on to the scholars ‘ , and sometimes when measuring a scholar it depends how they are experiencing at the point of appraisal on how good they do. In 2006 the new Primary National Strategy for literacy and mathematics gave two chief intents of appraisal, summational appraisal of acquisition and formative appraisal for acquisition ; which the new model aimed to cover. This scheme gave instructors counsel on facets of appraisal for larning which was linked straight with counsel on planning and gave a broader and stronger pedagogic attack.Appraisal for Learning ( AfL ) SchemeHarmonizing to the Assessment Reform Group ( 2002 ) , ‘Assessment for acquisition is the procedure of seeking and construing grounds for usage by scholars and their instructors to make up one's mind where the scholars are in their acquisition, where they need to travel and how best to acquire at that place ‘ . AfL has been used for a figure of old ages and has given instructors ‘ ways in which themselves and students can utilize assessment activities to derive a clearer apprehension of the acquisition that has taken topographic point to day o f the month and how students ‘ hereafter acquisition can outdo advancement ( Gardner, 2006 ) . AfL is closely linked to the authorities ‘s Every Child Matters ( 2004 ) where every kid should be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, do a positive part and accomplish societal and economical wellbeing ; and personalised acquisition, both ethos ‘ have featured to a great extent within a scope of DCSF policies throughout the last decennary. The purposes of the AfL scheme are clear ; they should embrace every kid, instructor, school and parent/carer so that every kid knows how they are making. Every instructor is able to do judgements on students ‘ attainment, advancement and how to send on program when students are non carry throughing their possible. Every school should hold good placed structured and regular appraisals and tracking schemes in topographic point and every parent and carer should cognize how their kid is come oning and when they need to better ; they can assist back up their kid and the instructor. The benefits of AfL is its powerful manner of raising students ‘ accomplishment, if students ‘ understand how they learn, where they have spreads in their acquisition and how they can shut these spreads so it will hold a positive consequence on every kid. Harmonizing to the authorities, good appraisal for larning makes: accurate, carnival, dependable, utile, and focused continuity enabling schools to guarantee acquisition is taking topographic point. Therefore instructors, schools and parents and carers all need to cognize where their kids are now, where they need to be and what they are required to make to acquire at that place. The four elements for AfL so are aims, oppugning, unwritten and written feedback and ego and peer appraisal. The aims are met by utilizing oppugning in order to look into scholars ‘ have achieved aims, equal and self appraisal helps scholars to recognize what successful work looks like and the instructor shows good unwritten feedback so that scholars ‘ develop their ain accomplishments in this country, giving them clip to reflect on their acquisition and taking ownership of their work.Measuring Pupils Progress – What is APP?Measuring Pupils Progress, otherwise known as APP was originally piloted by 104 schools in 12 local governments utilizing, ab initio, Key Stage 2, as a new structured attack to teacher appraisal for doing judgements on students reading, composing and mathematics. Developed by the QCA in concurrence with the National Strategies, get downing in fall 2006 with recommendations reported in 2008/09. It has since been adopted as the manner to officially measure students within schools throughout the state, to assist instructors measure their students as more of a forensic attack, to run aboard Assessment for larning ( AfL ) . Harmonizing to the QCA it helps instructors to polish their apprehension of scholars ‘ demands and to orient their planning and learning consequently. The QCA has provided APP stuffs for instructors to implement the attack and with these guidelines instructors are able to set up where students are within the National Curriculum degrees. Hence one Year 5 instructor stated, ‘APP has helped me to go more cognizant of the appraisal opportunities that exist and more secure in measuring students ‘ degrees of attainment ‘ . When APP was introduced there were steps given to schools to assist implement the system and possible early theoretical accounts were advised demoing the benefits and more significantly their restrictions of usage. For illustration, one option was to place a whole school sample, for case all pupils antecedently assessed at a peculiar degree, the benefits of this would be a clear focal point, ab initio little graduated table and hence manageable, nevertheless this would non be implemented with a whole category and other degrees may non be covered. The affectional usage of APP was besides shown to supply information for tracking students ‘ advancement in item, placing barriers to achievement and to guarantee outlooks were linked to the national schemes. The APP stuffs for instructors to utilize include a enchiridion to assist implement the attack, give guidelines for measuring students ‘ work, supplying a simple format for entering the appraisal standards and focal points for appraisal within the specific topic. There are besides standard files which hold students ‘ work, which have been annotated, so that instructors become consistent in their judgements sing national course of study degrees, these files show different degrees of attainment. Assessment Focus ( AF ) grids are provided to demo how focal points are used, for illustration in reading appraisal AF3 shows that the student should be able to ‘deduce, deduce or construe information, events or thoughts from texts ‘ . In utilizing APP it was hoped that instructors ‘ would go more informed on how their scholars ‘ are come oning and that they would hold a aggregation of appraisal accomplishments in order to do good judgements in the schoolroom. Harmonizing to the AfL and APP clip line instructors in KS2 should be get downing to utilize the APP procedure so they can do periodic appraisals of all kids by fall 2009. The clip line for the execution of APP started in summer 2008 when school and capable leading were expected to make a ego – rating of AfL and APP in preparedness of its execution and to see what degree of support was required. This so moved to them having preparation in the usage of APP by fall 2008 and to hold developed the procedure of standardization in school with a average term go oning professional development ( CPD ) program to guarantee that whole school development of AfL and APP where in topographic point and that instructors would get down to utilize the APP stuffs. By spring 2009, instructors in KS2 should get down utilizing the APP procedure and others were doing effectual usage of the Primary Framework and assessment information to better their planning for patterned advance ; in fall 2009 it was expected that KS2 instructors were utilizing the APP procedure to do periodic appraisals for all kids. APP appraisals were more likely to hold truth when a scope of grounds is collected by instructors from each kid that has been chosen, both written and unwritten grounds would profit the procedure and periodic reappraisal of their work should be collected and merely those with important grounds demand be used.The usage and impact of AfL and APP within the sceneAfL has been used since it was foremost introduced and the school has now taken the APP attack on board since the fall term 2009 as a new attack to measuring. The schools appraisal policy is undergoing alteration at the present clip so as to integrate the new appraisal schemes. Derbyshire County Council provided of import support preparation for caput instructors in 2008 demoing a power point presentation which included doing links within AfL and APP, demoing APP in action within numeracy and literacy and stoping with a reappraisal and appropriate action planning. This session provided counsel and advice about implementing APP and to back up an apprehension of APP. At this point the APP scheme was extremely recommended but non statutory. The preparation included the advancement docket of APP, demoing the patterned advance marks as 2 degrees advancement, the doing good advancement pilot strategy, AfL utilizing APP standards, patterned advance tutoring and individual degree proving. It besides applied the beef uping for formative appraisal, concentrating on each scholar ‘s acquisition, accelerated rates of accomplishment ( concentrating particularly on those at hazard of underperforming ) and assisting to clear up the acquisition journey. The National Strategies model informations where shown to assist with thoughts of how to bring forth a criterions file. An first-class illustration for Ma2 Number at degrees 3 and 4 showed how the usage of different coloring material highlighters for each term were used demoing when a specific degree was low, secure or high and annotated in the countries where it was felt there was either more work to be done or how far they were away achieving the degree. In the school it has enhanced instructors ‘ apprehension of inquiring whether the larning aims they ask of the kids are relevant to them, do they understand what they are supposed to accomplish by the terminal of the lesson and is it in kid friendly linguistic communication? There has to be meaningful duologue between the instructor and scholar with respect to the larning nonsubjective otherwise the scholar will withdraw and non be able to come on with what they are supposed to larn, this has been monitored throughout the scene. The appraisal focuses that were discussed were reading, composing, utilizing and using, figure, form, infinite and steps ; and managing informations. The National Strategies AF grid was introduced and this lead to the school bring forthing accessible degrees for reading, composing and numeracy from degree 1to degree 5, so instructors could mention to each with a position to associating the degrees and appraisal demands as applicable. The APP procedure started in earnest in fall 2009 ; when samples of scholars ( 6 ) were chosen from each twelvemonth group. Each term instructors review the full scope of grounds ( written, spoken and observed ) for each appraisal focal point. They select the appropriate degree boundary and arrive at judgements utilizing the assessment guidelines sheet ; they annotate illustrations of scholars work as mention points and benchmarks. After making this in-school standardization and moderateness is carried out with co-workers. The deductions of APP within the school have helped with the professional development of instructors ; it has had an impact on capable cognition, the course of study and teaching method, it has given instructors the ability to feedback to scholars and their parents/carers so that they can see where they have progressed or how they need to come on farther. It has helped instructors to do good judgements sing their scholars and how to guarantee that they progress wit hin the course of study overall, it has helped them to distinguish scholars ‘ advancement so they can orient lessons suitably. APP has enabled better monitoring of schoolroom activities and prep in twelvemonth 6 ; as the scholars are asked to measure whether they have understood the lesson at the terminal by doing a remark in their exercising books, the instructor can so measure whether the scholar feels they have made advancement, if non the work is gone through once more, if necessary with a one to one or in little groups. With prep the scholar is asked to work unaided and if they have trouble with any oppugning so they should go forth it clean and it will be covered once more when the whole category grade their prep together. This enables equal to peer appraisal and encourages positive feedback whether jobs arise or non. The usage of an rating trigon helps scholars ‘ ego evaluate and is besides used as a equal rating tool every bit good, this is used in composing where there are 5 ratings: is it easy to read and put out in paragraphs, is the script joined and legible, is at that place good usage of vocabulary and conjunctions, is it easy to understand and does it flux, eventually is it finished. The scholar so decides whether they need one side of the trigon ( no ) , two sides ( largely ) or three sides ( everything done ) , this is both a ocular and kinesthetic attack to measuring their work. Most of the instructors have been utilizing the APP attack for measuring scholars since fall 2009 ; but they all have different positions, some find it easier to integrate within their instruction manners ; others have found that they have had to accommodate the manner in which they teach in order to suit the APP scheme in. However, most instructors feel they have become more expert at judging where their scholars are and how they can assist them better their advancement in line with the Primary National Strategy ; particularly as they are larning to make this together instead than on their ain, collaborative moderateness helps tremendously. As portion of the execution of APP, Derbyshire County Council have asked the school for information on reexamining the leading and direction of alteration ( APP focal point ) and reexamining acquisition and instruction in lessons ( AfL focal point ) for both students and instructors. This information is set out in four columns with the undermentioned headers ; concentrating, developing, set uping and heightening, the caput instructor and the helper caput established the statements that the school, students and instructors were secure in and highlighted them suitably and punctually returned them. Some of these included: Most teaching staff ( including learning helpers ) understand the APP procedure, i.e. how it fits in with planning and mundane instruction and its possible to track kids ‘s advancement identify specific countries of underachievement and inform targeted intercession. Parents and carers are informed as to students ‘ advancement. Students are confident to take hazards by sharing partly formed thought or constructively ambitious others Pupils value talk for acquisition and consciously utilize it to progress their thought Lessons are planned to larning aims with some relevant undertakings and success standards as appropriate There are chances for structured whole-class, and supported group/paired treatment One of the KS1 instructors ‘ had already been utilizing APP in their old school and has been able to utilize APP without vacillation and has incorporated this for all of their category. This shows that as Sue Hackman ( 2009 ) , Chief Adviser on School Standards, points out APP is a straightforward attack to doing unafraid judgements about the criterion of students ‘ work and what they need to make next. Hackman ( 2009 ) besides states in the Making Good Progress, a Teachers Television programme that the authorities is acquiring what they want if all the schools kids are doing good advancement. By utilizing APP she besides thinks that it is the trademark of schools that make good advancement. The school has been able to give parent and carers priceless advice sing their kids ‘s advancement and parents and carers, in return have been able to give their kids support with any topics they possibly falling behind with. Termly information cusps are sent out to each kid by their instructors saying what their category will be larning in that peculiar term, this enables the parents and carers to hold an informed penetration into the specific undertakings that their kids are prosecuting with at any specific clip within the school twelvemonth. In the twelvemonth six category APP is an effectual support for the passage and transportation to secondary school and this is shared with parents and carers at their kid ‘s parents flushing, giving the marks set by the students themselves to assist them travel frontward to their chosen secondary schools, with which there is a close affair to guarantee they are good informed about what recent advancement they have made and the following stairss they are expected to do to travel frontward in their acquisition. This helps the continuity of the scholars ‘ patterned advance and to go on the high degrees of outlook both from the scholar and their parents and carers. Care needs to be taken when utilizing APP with kids from underachieving groups such as English as an extra linguistic communication ( EAL ) as the profiles of these scholars are more likely to be uneven and hence the scope of grounds should be much wider in order to do a periodic appraisal.Evaluation and DecisionAPP is in its babyhood within the school ; nevertheless those instructors who have been utilizing it as a method of appraisal have done so with an unfastened head. Most of the appraisal methods were in topographic point within AfL and the individualized acquisition ethos of the school was in topographic point already, so therefore it should non be excessively hard for the remainder of the staff to set about the APP attack. Equally long as all staff including instruction helpers are included in the preparation for this inspiring manner of measuring students ‘ advancement so there should be a smooth passage for the following measure when external moderateness takes topographic point. The biggest advantage of APP is it uses the national schemes which are already in topographic point, the pilot schools have trialled the attacks with success and found that APP is all that is required to do good appraisal judgements, as one KS 2 instructor provinces ; ‘Do n't give up – one time you are used to the procedure the benefits for teaching method and pattern are clear ‘ . AfL and APP are inextricably linked to personalised larning whereby a instructor has a secure cognition of each scholars ‘ advancement and therefore can accurately orient their instruction methods to each scholar and their single demands, this is go oning in the school where the acquisition procedure is being monitored by the APP appraisals of the twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours learning. Therefore it has to be said that it is beef uping the periodic facet of appraisal and so the scholars ‘ receive formal acknowledgment of their accomplishments within the category and as a whole school when certifications and virtues are given out in assemblies. The effects of appraisal in general have to be ; that appraisal is an highly of import portion of instruction and acquisition. It can be carried out informally and officially utilizing a assortment of methods but depends on the type of scholar. The informations it produces is used for rating of instruction and acquisition and all members of staff should hold the appropriate preparation and apprehension of how the information is used and their functions and duties in instruction and measuring their scholars. Students so should be able to cognize their learning aims and what their success standards looks like, they are able to take ownership of their acquisition and can besides assist their equals to win. Parents and carers must be kept informed by appraising studies and parents eventides which provide them with the information about their kid ‘s advancement and the following stairss they need to take whether into the following category or even the following school. The kernel of appraisal so is that it is an built-in portion of readying, planning and learning with a good measured measure of enthusiasm, so everyone knows where they are, where they need to be and how they are traveling to acquire at that place.

Developmental Psychology Essay

Cognitive development involves developing concepts of thought, problem solving and memory (Green. 2002). Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) were both psychologists, which focused on cognitive development and the way in which children’s thought and reasoning developed as they matured. This assignment shall begin by describing and evaluating the theories put forward by Piaget and Vygotsky referring to research evidence and providing a conclusion. Piaget (1896-1980) was one of the most influential researchers in the area of developmental psychology during the 20th century and a as biologist was interested in the way in which organisms adapt to their environment this was described by Piaget as intelligence. He viewed behaviour or the adaptation to the environment as being controlled through mental organisations known as schemes that the individual uses in order to represent the world. Piaget suggested that adaptation is driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment, which is known as equilibrium (Huitt. 2003). Within Piaget’s research and writing’s on cognitive development he suggested that children’s thoughts are not only less sophisticated than adults but they are also qualitatively different and this is due to less knowledge (Jarvis. 2000).   It was considered by Piaget that the interaction between the child and their environment was the main factor of influence on their cognitive development. Piaget’s view of children is that they are scientists and that they should be left to explore their surroundings giving them the opportunity to interpret the world in their own way. The active involvement in their own learning is described as a series of schemas and that these schemas would change and develop through each stage through the process of assimilation or accommodation (Green. 2002). Piaget’s theory is based on stages of development in which he believed that all children develop at the same age. There are four stages to his development theory, which are sensorimotor (0-2 years) and the view that infants are developing their first schemas (Meggitt. 2000). Object permanence is the main focus within this stage and the assumption by Piaget that children aged five or six months old could not understand that an object, which was covered, still exists.  An experiment showed that a child of five or six months showed no interest once the toy was covered whereas a ten month old would reach out for the toy and seem to become agitated. Piaget’s interpretation of this was that the child of ten months had reached object permanence and now has a schema for the object. In contrast to this Tom Bower and Jennifer Wishart (1972) argued that objects do still exist in baby’s minds although they have been covered. To support their theory an experiment was undertaken using an infrared camera. An object was offered to the baby and as they reached out to grab it the lights were switched off. The results showed that the baby was still attempting to reach for the toy although they were unable to see it and so an explanation for Piaget’s theory was that by covering the object the baby was distracted and not necessarily that they had forgotten about it. The second stage is pre-operational stage (2-7 years). Egocentric thinking predominates the child (Huitt. 2003) within this stage and they do not have the ability to understand things from another person’s viewpoint according to Piaget. In order for this to be confirmed he set up an experiment. Three mountains were set in front of the child and a doll was placed in different seats around the table. Photographs, which had been taken, were then shown to the child and they were asked to point to the picture that the doll would see. As Piaget’s findings showed that most four or five year olds pointed to photographs which represented their view of the mountains he concluded that they were egocentric. Most children aged seven that was asked to do the same task correctly identified the photograph strengthening Piaget’s theory. Although it was then argued by Martin Hughes (1975) that the task was much too complicated for the child and therefore devised his own experiment, which would contradict Piaget’s findings. His experiment involved a model with two intersecting walls, two policeman figures and a figure of a boy. After having a trial using one police figure and the boy to ensure the child understood the task Hughes began his experiment. It was found that most children could successfully take account of two different viewpoints. Therefore it could be said that Piaget’s experiment may have been too difficult for the child to understand rather than the child being egocentric.

History of Rock and Roll

The History Of Rock And Roll By Seth Spence 1/22/2012 Rock and Roll music is a genre that has been around our lives since the early 1940’s and has evolved every decade since. From the beginning with the rise of Elvis Pressley, to The Beatles in the 1960’s, to artists of today like U2 and Metallic, rock and roll has had important aspects in every generation it has been involved in. Rock and roll was for and about adolescents. Its lyrics articulated teenage problems: school, cars, summer vacation, parents, and, most important, young love. Though rock and roll has had plenty of ups and downs with how it has adapted over the years, the influence it has had in our country and worldwide, and the controversy it has had to fight through at times. Rock music is a genre of music that came about in the late 1940s and early 1950s in the southern region of the United States. Rock music evolved from the combination of many other genres. Rock music includes elements of several black and white American music styles: black guitar-accompanied blues; black rhythm and blues, noted for saxophone solos; black and white gospel music; white country and western music; and the songs of white popular crooners and harmony groups With the migration of many African American’s to the United States in the early 1900’s meant the clash and transformation of each other’s music into a new style of music called Rock and Roll. As Rock and Roll came up in popularity the piano and saxophone was found to be the lead instrument, but as a few years past it was replaced by the guitar and use of the snare drum. From the beginning Rock and roll was destine to branch off into many types of rock. The first version was called â€Å"Rockability. † â€Å"The term ‘rockability’ is a portmanteau of rock and ‘hillbilly,’ the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the styles development. †(Kumar, Wikipedia) After that came a style called â€Å"Doo Wop,† this was popular in the 1950s. In 1955 Rock and Roll got its first national recognized album by Bill Haley and the Comets titled â€Å"Rock around the clock†. In the 1960s came the British invasion of rock with bands like The Beatles, as well as pop rock and blues rock. The 70’s brought along for the first time Christian rock and the start of the heavy metal rock like punk and metal. â€Å"Turning point in rock music occurred in the mid-1970s in the form of punk rock, which was a response to the stagnation of the genre and a nihilistic political statement. The music was filled with contempt for previous styles; its fast-tempoed songs, usually propelled by electric guitar, featured irreverant lyrics often obscured by the clangerous music†. ( Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, University library) As the 90s and 2000s approached these genres of punk and metal brought new evolution of each with the introduction of post hardcore-emo to indie rock. â€Å"Also in the 90s the continuing popularity of older bands, such as the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones, bore witness to the enduring appeal of this form among both the young and the increasingly middle-aged. The appeal of older and past rock bands was also evident in the fanfare surrounding the opening (1995) of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. †(Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, University Library) Rock is always evolving into a new style of music so more and more styles of rock will emerge. With the rise of rock in the United States has brought the influence of rock into political views. Political expression in music has been seen all over the world though it has never been fully proven if audience relates their music to a political level. Music has had a big influence in protests, like anti’ war songs, and in pro-establishment ideas like national anthems, patriotic songs, and political campaigns. Many bands have been known to use some of their music to express political views such as U2s â€Å"Sunday Bloody Sunday,† which is a major anti-terrorism song, or the song â€Å"Pride,† which has become an international anthem for peace. â€Å"Rock has been credited with changing attitudes towards race by opening up African American culture to white audience the global spread of rock music has been interpreted as a form of cultural imperialism. (Kumar, Wikipedia) Rock and Roll came about when racial tensions were changing with the beginning of civil rights movements for desegregation. There are many people who say that rock and roll had a huge had in segregation by creating a new form of music that encourages racial cooperation and shared experiences. Not only has rock and roll had an influence in the Un ited States but has also had an influence on countries around the world. Rock and roll in the early 1960s had finally spread over seas and Great Britain was the first to jump into the rock scene with the quick uprising of The Beatles. It soon spread to Liverpool with The Searchers, and The Hollies from Manchester and of course The Rolling Stones from London. All these groups began combining US forms of music and infusing it with a high energy beat of their own. â€Å"An important transformation of rock occurred in 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival when Bob Dylan, noted as a composer and writer of poetic folk songs and songs of social protest like â€Å"Blowin' in the Wind,† appeared, playing electric guitar and backed by an electrified rock band. A synthesis of the folk revival and rock subsequently took place, with folk groups using rock arrangements and rock singers composing poetic lyrics for their songs†( Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia,university library). At the same time The Beatles were hitting the scene, rock and roll had migrated all the way to Japan. Many Japanese bands imitated The Beatles and other bands which in Japan were known as â€Å"Group Sound,† which was very popular in the 1960s. After the boom of Group Sounds there were several influential singer-song writers like Nobuyasu Okabayash and Wotaru Takada†(Kumar, Wikipedia) The 80s brought the inspiration to try alternative rock music which lead to many bands in the 1990s to achieve a great amount of commercial success. As with bands in the United States many of these bands especially in Europe like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles used songs to express their political views and encourage change in the world. As with many other genres, rock and roll was no different when it came to its musicians being controversial whether it be with drugs or subliminal messaging. Many rock musicians were known as hard living characters with their heavy use of drugs and alcohol. With rocks popularity and open promotion of recreational drug use made its youth believe it was acceptable to do. These hard core drug user claimed many talented musicians such as Elvis Pressley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. Along with drug use a sense of rebellion spread across the countries youth with its fast past beats and crazy lyrics, making our youth rebel against anything lawful. Rock and roll has also had to deal with the accusation of using subliminal messaging which is also known as â€Å"back masking. â€Å"During the 1970s, media reports raised a series of concerns of its impact on listeners, stating that satanic messages were calling its listeners to commit suicide, murder, abuse drugs, and engage in sex. † (Kumar, Wikipedia) The biggest known trial of subliminal messaging as against Judas Priest, as two young men in December of 1985 committed sui cide while drinking, smoking marijuana, and listening to Judas Priest all day. The song â€Å"Better by you, better than me,† was the plaintiff’s main focus for subliminal messaging. Unfortunately they could never fully prove that is sent a message to commit suicide and kept it where rock and roll artist could continue to be creative in writing their music. From the birth to rock and roll in the United States to its spread to other countries around the world rock and roll will forever be a part of our lives and have some kind of influence on us. Rock and roll also got to feel the other side of the hill with all the negative vibes that come with its type of music and something that makes people more connected to a genre when it goes through a period of adversity. Rock and roll music is only getting stronger and ever evolving and will always have a place in our hearts. References 1) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rock_music#Social_impact 2) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rock_music#Social_impact 3) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Social_effects_of_rock_music 4) http://engridwhisenant. suite101. com/judas-priest-and-metal-on-trial-a49944 5) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rockabilly 6) Rock music. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 11/1/2011 7) Cloonan, Martin, The production of English rock and roll stardom in the 1950s.

Two of years studying a foreign language should be required in high Essay - 1

Two of years studying a foreign language should be required in high school - Essay Example Thirdly, studying English improves learning skills. Students should practice and do their homework in English. This is important considering that reading is the most important learning skill. Students should read a lot stories and journals to improve their English. Students can begin by reading short stories in order to build up their vocabulary. With good vocabulary, students can then be able to write professionally. Listening becomes interesting and informative when one understands English. I often listen to the news cast every 10:PM on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). Speaking gives the students a chance to practice their grammar as well as how to pronounce the words. In conclusion, this paper has shown the pros of studying foreign Language. The government should require that students learn any Language other than their native language. Learning different languages is one of the most fulfilling things in the world. The government has a duty to make it easy for students to learn other languages. Dealing with other people using English language is such a good thing. In my own experience in Saudi Arabia, students use English for studying. Improved Studying skills are the most notable benefits of taking studying English. I therefore encourage everyone to learn other languages especially English for communication purposes as well as other

Should the House of Lords be Abolished Assignment

Should the House of Lords be Abolished - Assignment Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that modern democracy asserts the popular representation of values in government through elected officials as a structural characteristic. Most British people, on this basis, oppose the House of Lords as a political institution because of the power is given to royalty and hereditary legacy within the body itself. As an Angus Reid poll in 2010 showed: â€Å"In the online survey of a representative sample of 2,004 adults, three-in-ten respondents (30%) believe the UK does not need a House of Lords and want all legislation to be reviewed and authorized by the House of Commons. Two-in-five Britons (40%) think the UK needs a House of Lords, but want the people to be allowed to take part in the process to choose lords. Only nine percent of respondents think the current guidelines that call for appointed lords should not be modified. Two-thirds of respondents (66%) support holding a nationwide referendum to decide the future of the House of Lords. A clear majority of Britons (58%) supports the notion of allowing the people to directly elect their lords. Conversely, only three-in-ten (30%) are in favor of abolishing the House of Lords altogether.† Thus, the British people are calling for reforms in which politicians and not royals would be elected to the House of Lords in a manner similar to the way the U.S. Senate functions in American democracy, including elections, term limits, and â€Å"checks & balances† between the upper & lower Houses of Parliament, rather than the total abolishment of the House of Lords. The House of Lords in fundamentally undemocratic, having been instituted as a means to limit the expression of the people’s will politically when it comes into conflict with the interests of the royals in society.  

The Importance Of The BRIC Countries To The United States Economy Term Paper

The Importance Of The BRIC Countries To The United States Economy - Term Paper Example As the level of integration amongst the financial markets increases, it is critical for policy makers and global investors to understand the synergy between certain economies. This is important to adjust their portfolios and achieve proper diversification. In many ways, these are unprecedented times. The study and analysis of the relationship between the fastest emerging economies and the United States economy is gaining a lot of attention. The US economy dominates the global economic environment influencing industry trends and market behavior. However, the evolving economies of the BRIC countries have challenged the US economy and it is envisaged that the future holds immense potentials for growth and development in these countries. US trade relations and economic ties with these countries will play an important role in defining future prospects and economic potentials for both US and BRIC countries. The study evaluates the growing significance of the BRIC countries to the US econom y and analyses the factors driving these economic indicators. â€Å"BRIC countries are expected to contribute one-third of the world's GDP increment in 2015, by which time their total economy will surpass America, according to a leading Chinese think tank† (Economic Times). The countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China are the key emerging markets in the world economy. China and India represent for approximately 33% of the world’s total population. Both these countries have a high concentration of their population in the middle class who possess high purchasing power. The gross domestic product (GDP) rates in the BRIC countries are higher than those of developed countries (Desai, Acharya & DeKeizer). By 2025, it is estimated that BRICs will account for 50% of G6 countries. By 2045, the BRIC economies will take over that of G6 countries. By 2025, annual increase in dollar spending from BRICs would be twice G6 and four times by 2050 (Wilson). By 2033, it is estimated that India will have the third largest economy in the world after China and the United States. Among the BRICs, India will have the fastest growing economy. As a percentage of population, India will have highest working age population i.e. 15 to 60 years. In 2050, three of the large st four economies will be in Asia (Desai, Acharya & DeKeizer). The emerging markets provide a number of opportunities. They have the potential to have high growth rates. They have the capability to attract greater volume of foreign direct investments (FDIs). They make a huge amount of investment in infrastructure. The presence of a large middle class gives a boost to demand. There is an enormous supply of skilled and cheap labor. There is great opportunity for outsourcing work particularly in India. Emerging markets present even more opportunities in the form of disinvestment of public sector units (PSUs). There is large scale of mergers and acquisitions both domestically and globally. They are also fast in catching up with technological changes. These BRICs have a vast supply of agricultural and mineral resources. Their commodities markets are also growing rapidly (Desai, Acharya & DeKeizer). In demographic terms, BRIC consists of world’s two most populated countries and ano ther two with sizeable populations. China has the world’s largest population accounting got one-fight of the total world population. India accounts for 17.5% of the world’

Finance principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Finance principles - Essay Example The company held a meeting to discuss the launch of its new product and the top management discussed in detail about the cash flow analysis and projections of the liquid detergent. The Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Mc Donald presented a report in a meeting which included the cash flow projections for the new project. He was planning to purchase specialized equipment and production facilities from Donnalley limited. Mr. Gasper, the production manager, inquired the CFO that why wasn’t he purchasing the equipment from Danforth limited. Being the financial analyst, I will analyze the purchase of equipment and facilities from Donnalley as well as Danforth limited if the company was planning to go with the project. If the company will buy specialized equipment from Donnalley limited, then it is expected to have increased net cash flows for the project. For the first four years, company will be able to get increased cash flows of $580000. While for the next three years, company is hopeful to receive higher cash flows of $650000. However, the company will get net cash flows of $550000 for the remaining four years of the project. There will be reducing depreciation on the specialized equipments of the company which are shown in table 1. The Radiant limited will experience loss in sales revenue from the existing product lines during the term of the project. The EBIT and NOPAT are calculated for each year in the table 1. Following are the formulae for the calculations of EBIT, NOPAT and free cash flows. In the fifth year, there was a need to purchase additional production facilities to meet up the growing demand of the detergents. The company will invest $5000000 to continue operations and production of detergents. The terminal cash flows are also calculated to come up with the free cash flows of the last year of the project. Let us suppose that the company can also purchase the plant, equipment and facilities from Danforth limited for launching a new

Argument for emergency relief of disaster survivors Essay

Argument for emergency relief of disaster survivors - Essay Example However, the primary mindset that has traditionally governed the relief efforts made by the relief agencies is to extend medical assistance and supply basic necessities like food, medicines, clothing, drinking water and shelter to the disaster survivors. It would not be wrong to say that hitherto the relief efforts made by the relief agencies tended to focus on the external needs of the disaster survivors. The relief agencies till very recent times totally ignored the mental distress and the resultant mental health issues faced by the disaster survivors. For example it was only in 1989 that the Red Cross recognized the need for extending mental health services to the survivors in the disaster hit areas. Many government agencies and the policy makers deployed in important relief agencies believe that the visible and material needs and requirements of the people in the disaster hit areas should take precedence over the less obvious aspects such as the mental trauma and distress faced b y them. However, this approach towards disaster relief is utterly narrow and short sighted. Ignoring the mental health needs of the survivors in the disaster hit areas is indeed callous and in a way cruel. Disasters by their very nature happen to be instances that not only jeopardize the set way of life of the people in an area, but that also lead to the loss of the loved one’s and personal homes and possessions, acute physical injuries and physical trauma, and a total shattering of the social moral (McFarlane & Williams 1). Hence, a disaster is bound to cause much psychological and emotional distress to a significant proportion of the survivors in any impacted area. Hence, mental health services need to be an integral aspect of the relief extended to the survivors in the disaster hit areas so as to help the survivors cope up with the trauma and distress experienced by them, to

Ethics and Nude Child Photography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics and Nude Child Photography - Assignment Example However, the principal argument, in this case, is that modern art, such as nude child images, is supposed to evoke strong emotions, including discomfort so that it can realize its objective of showcasing the admirable innocence of childhood prior to mental and moral corruption. I, therefore, believe that Mann and Demaree did not act unethically by taking and exhibiting nude photographs of their children. Sally Mann published and exhibited a series of photographs aptly named â€Å"Immediate Family† in the early 1990s. The series sparked controversy and even brought about accusations that Mann was exploitative. This debate stemmed from the fact that the images featured Mann’s three kids, mostly naked, frolicking in streams and in the yard in their Virginia home (Woodward, 1992). More than a decade and a half later, an American family found itself in the middle of a similar debate. This was in the year 2008 when Lisa and Anthony Demaree traveled to San Diego with their three daughters. In the course of their vacation, they took innocuous nude photos of the daughters during bath time and as they lay beside each other holding hands. After going home, they took the photos to a Wal-Mart store for developing. Employees at the store reported the couple to the Police, citing child pornography and after failing to inform them about Wal-Mart’s policy on unsuitable content. The situation escalated as the coupled lost custody of their kids for a year and accrued significant legal fees (Ellin, 2013). The image series in both cases created and continue to fuel debate regarding the morality of the art, and its distinction from child pornography. In both the Demarees’ and Mann cases, the photographers intended to take innocent images of their children as they did ordinary activities.

What was the short-term contribution of William Wilberforce to the Coursework

What was the short-term contribution of William Wilberforce to the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 - Coursework Example William Wilberforce was instrumental in abolishing slavery in 1807. Astute group William Wilberforce joined an astute group of United Kingdom politicians who focused all their time, energy, and money to abolishing the United Kingdom slave trade (Wilberface & Wilberface, 1838). The group includes historical greats in the anti-slave trade movement during the 1800s. Charles Fox is one of the active members of the same group. Henry Thornton is another member of the anti-slave trade. The group agreed to sponsor the 1807 anti-slavery trade. The group is one of the active coalition sectors of the United Kingdom House of Commons. The final product of the group’s many years combined anti-slavery efforts had precipitated to the historic passing of the United Kingdom 1807 anti-slavery act. 1807 Anti-Slavery Act Prior to the passing of the 1807 anti-slavery act, the United Kingdom Parliament had passed into law the slavery quota benchmarks. The law sets the maximum number of slaves that c an be transported in a ship. A research conducted by the 1789 Privy Council explained the atrocities suffered by the slaves from the time of their kidnapping or sale to the time of their transfer or sale to the new slave owners. During 1791, a group of anti-slavery politicians tried their best to stop the slave trade. However, the United Kingdom Parliament voted to disapprove the proposed anti-slavery laws. Unfortunately, the voting showed that 163 law makers in the House of Commons voted disapprove the proposed anti-slavery law. Only 88 law makers preferred the approval of the proposed anti-slavery laws (Rodriguez, 1997). As a law maker, William Wilberforce contributed his law making prowess to the abolition of slavery (Wilberface & Wilberface, 1838). William Wilberforce is a member of the United Kingdom Parliament. As member, William Wilberforce votes on certain law proposals. When the majority vote wins, the wish or petition of the majority voters will be implemented. William Wil berforce spent many years generating support for the abolition of slavery in the United Kingdom. After William Wilberforce succeeded in passing the 1807 that abolished slavery, William Wilberforce went farther. William Wilberforce supported group moves to abolish the slave trade outside the United Kingdom. After many years of persuasive convincing, countries like Sweden, Portugal and Holland, other European Union countries adhered to William Wilberforce’s insistence that slavery should be stopped within the soonest possible time (Rodriguez, 1997). Further, William Wilberforce was able to unite several individuals to focus on one main goal, abolishing the slave trade. Wilberforce worked for more than 15 years to see his dream of a free African British environment a reality. Wilberforce successfully convinced his fellow United Kingdom lawmakers to approve his desire to stop the inhuman slave trade. During those more than 15 years, William Wilberforce’s loyal followers co ntinued to grow in force. With the needed numbers in place, William Wilberforce finally saw the lives of the kidnapped African British slaves’ iron chained unlocked. Furthermore, William Wilberforce was very honest and sincere in explaining the religious consequences of continuing the slave trade. William Wilberforce uses his religious concepts to convince the religious members of the United Kingdom parliament to cancel the prevailing slave trade. William Wilberforce was able to connect with the religious members of the United Kingdom Parliament (Rodriguez, 1997). Voting In 1792, 230 law makers voted to gradually end United Kingdom slavery practices (Rodriguez, 1997). Only a meager 85 law makers disapproved the anti-slavery

Intellectual Property Essay Example for Free

Intellectual Property Essay Overview of Paper Whether we believe it is right or not, many of us have become accustomed to the fact that a large number people download copyrighted material regularly using Peer-to-Peer file-sharing software. As a result, the entertainment industry is losing billions of dollars in revenue, and is suffering from the infringements of many copyrights. Who should be held responsible for this? Is it the fault of the people who misuse the software or the fault of the software distributors for allowing this to occur? With the recent case of MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., these issues came to an even bigger showdown than the predecessor case of AM Records Inc. V. Napster in which the violations that its users were directly infringing the plaintiffs copyrights, that Napster was liable for contributory infringement of the plaintiffs copyrights and that Napster was liable for vicarious infringement of the plaintiffs copyrights, particularly after it was discovered that multi-platinum artists were finding their songs leaked to the internet long before an album had ever been released. (Vaver) Thusly, the basis of this paper will be to examine the relationship of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing services and how they violate copyrights, patents and generally, intellectual property. Further, I will discuss the impact on software developers, artists and the individual user who participates in utilizing P2P software on their individual and public access computer systems. The primary case that will be featured in this discussion is Metro Gold wyn Mayer (MGM) versus Grokster which took place in 2005. †¢History of participants (MGM) Theater magnate Marcus Lowe, who orchestrated the merger of Metro Pictures Corp., Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions, formed MGM in April 1924. With visionary Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg at the helm, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was a powerhouse of prolific artistry and filmmaking expertise that the studio famously said attracted more stars than are in the heavens. During a golden three decades from 1924 to 1954, the Culver City-based studio dominated the movie business, creating a Best Picture nominee every year for two straight decades. One of the more memorable years at the Academy Awards ® was in 1939 when MGMs Gone With the Wind and MGMs The Wizard of Oz were both nominated for Best Picture. Gone With the Wind took home Best Picture that year, along with 8 other Oscars. The Wizard of Oz secured two Oscars. United Artists was established on July 15, 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith and was best known as the company built by the stars. The budding company quickly left an indelible mark on Hollywood, revolutionizing the motion-picture business by promising creative freedom to actors and filmmakers, while offering the filmmakers a share of the films profits. UAs Midnight Cowboy, released in 1969 starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, was the first X-Rated film to be nominated and win an Academy Award ®. It won 3 Oscars ®, including Best Picture. It was changed to an R-rating in 1971. United Artists later joined the MGM family in 1981, and thrived as member of the lions pride.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨MGM boasts a total of 205 Academy Awards ® in its vast library. Among those are 15 Best Pictures. These films include; Rebecca (1940), Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Hamlet (1948), Marty (1955), The Apartment (1960), West Side Story (1961), Tom Jones (1963), In the Heat of the Night (1967), Midnight Cowboy (1969), Rocky (1976), Annie Hall (1977), Platoon (1986), Rain Man (1988), Dances With Wolves (1990), The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Today MGM boasts an impressive library comprised of titles from the United Artists, Orion Pictures, and Goldwyn Entertainment and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment libraries. With approximately 4,100 films and over 10,400 hours of television programming, the library also includes the Rocky and Pink Panther franchises and the celebrated James Bond franchise, the longest running and most profitable series in film history. (MGM) MGM and other entertainment companies (24 in total): A collection of song-writers, music publishers and motion picture studios who â€Å"own or control the vast majority of copyrighted motion pictures and sound recordings in the United States.† Damages were sought as well as an injunction against Grokster for copyright infringement. MGM accused Grokster of distributing software which enabled users to breach copyright restrictions. They insisted that around 90% of data transferred using P2P software was copyrighted, costing them millions of dollars in lost revenues. They also argued that this type of copyright infringement would not occur if Grokster and similar software distributors did not make it possible. †¢History of participants (Grokster) Grokster Ltd. was a privately owned software company based in Nevis, West Indies that created the Grokster Peer-to-Peer file-sharing client in 2001. Grokster Ltd. was rendered extinct in late 2005 by the United States Supreme Courts decision in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd. (Duke) Grokster became popular after the collapse of Napster due partly because of its decentralized architecture. Grokster’s client application licensed the FastTrack network technology. Grokster was in a new client software application that was used to connect to the FastTrack and Gnutella’s decentralized P2P networks to enable its users to share files. This network was quite different from Napster in two primary ways: 1) users could search for any file type (they were not restricted to MP3s like in Napster) 2) the network was decentralized. The decentralized architecture prevented any single broken link, such as Napster’s index servers, from bringing down the network. Grokster removed the need for centralized index servers through its use of super nodes. Whenever a powerful computer with a high-speed connection running Grokster connected to the FastTrack network, it automatically became a super node and acted as a temporary indexing server for other clients on the network. It was believed that the decentralized nature of the network would insulate it from legal threats, however, this can also intimate a certain level of culpability in the act of sharing the files. (Giblin) So what is Intellectual Property? According to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. Intellectual property is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (or as we commonly know them: patents), trademarks, industrial designs, geographic indications of source (definition of geographic indications: a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin {e.g. a town, region, or country}. The use of a geographic indication may act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin†¦ example: Vidalia Onions or Florida Oranges†¦) and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works like drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs. The innovations and creative expressions of indigenous and local communities are also Intellectual property, but because they are â€Å"traditional† they may not be fully protected by existing Intellectual property systems. Thusly, when industrial works and/or literary and artistic works are shared without proper compensation, any business, contract holder, artist or individual related to the copyright or patent has the right to seek damages in what is owed to them in relationship to the work in question. MGM V. Grokster – Facts and Decision MGM and several music and motion picture studios brought this suit against Grokster alleging vicarious and contributory copyright infringement for distributing peer-to-peer file-sharing software. According to MGM, over 90% of the material exchanged using Grokster’s file-sharing software is copyrighted material and therefore, copyright infringement occurs every time users exchange the information. MGM contends that Grokster contributes to this infringement by making the file-sharing software available to the public. The district court disagreed with MGM, granting partial summary judgment in favor of Grokster as to the liability that occurred from its present distribution activities. MGM appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit held that Grokster was not liable for contributory infringement because it lacked sufficient knowledge of the infringement and it did not materially contribute to the copyright infringement. According to the court, th e peer-to-peer file-sharing software distributed by Grokster was capable of substantial non-infringing uses. Based on this finding, the court held that Grokster could not be found liable for mere constructive knowledge, but must have had reasonable knowledge of specific infringement at the time it contributed to the infringement. Such knowledge was impossible in this case due to the structure of the network created by the Grokster software. Unlike previous file-sharing networks, Grokster did not maintain a searchable index on a centralized server. Instead, indexes were maintained on the computers of individual users, which prevented Grokster from learning of any infringement until after it had occurred. The network design also prevented Grokster from materially contributing to any copyright infringement because Grokster did not provide the site or facilities for infringement. (Duke) The Ninth Circuit also held that Grokster was not liable for vicarious copyright infringement. According to the court, Grokster lacked the right and ability to supervise the direct infringers. The peer-to-peer file-sharing software did not allow Grokster to block access to infringing users and did not provide Grokster with any opportunity to filter content. While MGM argued that Grokster could alter the file-sharing software to control user access, the court noted this was not a viable option because the software resided on the computers of the users and not on a centralized server. The court ruled against Groksters peer-to-peer file sharing program for computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, effectively forcing the company to cease operations. The product was too similar in look and feel to Kazaa, which is marketed by Sharman Networks and Morpheus, which was distributed by StreamCast. Grokster along with Morpheus and Kazaa are considered second-generation peer-to-peer file sharing programs because unlike their predecessor Napster these file sharing programs allowed users to trade files directly between one another without these transactions passing through a centralized server. Because Napster maintained this fraction of control over the transaction of files through its server it was ruled illegal because it should have exercised its power over the server to stop the sharing of copyright infringing files. Grokster and this second generation of peer-to-peer file sharing programs sought to avoid this legal obstacle. (Duke) Issues at Stake In a peer-to-peer network each computer is both a server and client. Members need to download only the relevant software file sharing software, free of charge, and they may participate in the network to exchange files, which are more often than not, copyrighted. The owners of copyrights, in this case MGM believed that the software distributors are liable for copyright infringement of the software users: By providing P2P file-sharing software, MGM believe Grokster should be liable for the actions of the individuals who misuse it. A major debate rages over the issue that copyrights, no matter how numerous, do not give the holders a veto over certain advancements in technology. The copyright owners (MGM) relied on the two recognized theories of secondary copyright liability: contributory copyright infringement and explicit copyright infringement. In order for Grokster to be held liable for contributory copyright infringement, it had to be proven that direct infringement of copyrights took place by a primary person, party or group and that Grokster had full knowledge of the infringements. It also had to be determined that they also provided a material contribution to this infringement. For Grokster to be held liable for explicit copyright infringement there had to have been direct copyright infringement by a primary party, a direct financial benefit to the Grokster and an ability on the part of Grokster to supervise those responsible for the infringements. Precedent: The Betamax Case (Universal City Studios, Inc. et al. v. Sony Corporation of America Inc. et al. 1979) In this case it was held that video-recorders should not be banned, even though there is a chance they might be misused by the owner. This technology has substantial non-infringing uses, and so an outright ban could not be justified. Betamax technology was developed with the aim of allowing users to record television that they would have otherwise missed: thus, it’s intended and advertised use was not as an infringer of copyrights. (Vaver) Billions of files are shared across P2P networks each month a large proportion of which are illegal. If Grokster was made responsible for their actions, the amount of files transferred would be expected to reduce significantly as tighter regulations are enforced. If MGM won their case in its entirety, the owners of file-sharing software would be held responsible for copyright infringements of the software users. Even though MGM was attacking a certain type of software, many other technologies could be affected if MGM had been successful. MP3 players, CD burners, external hard-disks, and so on would have been drastically changed to the leisure (and working) time of many individuals due to the basic operating software included with each of those devices and the nature of their portability from machine to machine and platform to platform. (Vaver) A precedent would be set against which similar cases in the future could be examined. This is not a new problem, it has been going on for years between the Entertainment Industry and technology, which allows copyrighted material to be duplicated. The ultimate and unresolvable issue here is a trade-off between intellectual property rights and technological innovations, which will become more and more cloudy as social media and technological innovations churn ever forward and change at such a consuming and rapid pace. Repercussions In the wake of the case filing, Grokster began warning many users on the main page of their website that their IP (internet protocol: A unique string of numbers separated by periods that identifies each computer attached to the Internet) addresses were being stored. Prosecution of the file-sharing individual relies upon what has commonly been referred to as a process of a doe subpoena. If a doe subpoena is utilized, prosecutors are required to gain a series of subpoenas in order to find out the identity of the user behind the IP address in question. Following the shut down of Grokster blogs became inundated with concerned users fearful of the warning however there were and are no reports of the use of doe subpoenas in this case. Research into the effects of warnings such as the one left on Grokster’s website has shown that while these warnings can result in a substantial reduction in online file sharing of individuals, the overall availability of downloadable content did not diminish. Furthermore, researchers cannot account for how much of this reduction in individual file sharing is simply shifted to other file sharing programs. In cases where the RIAA has issued threats the users who conduct the most file sharing usually reduced their daily transactions to levels below the level of prosecution. In effect these warnings have only caused only a brief reduction in overall online file sharing. (Duke) Future Fallout The fear raised by some is that the Grokster findings would impose far too heavy of a burden on technological development, or discourage the dispersment of community information. The Grokster Court attempted to remain mindful of the need to keep from trenching on regular commerce or discouraging the development of technology with lawful and unlawful potential. The Court did not focus on the legality of the P2P networks but rather on the intent and conduct of the defendants. Finding the defendants intent unmistakable, the Court reasoned that such wrongful intent combined with defendants unlawful conduct could make defend- ants liable. Thus, the Court appropriately placed the blame on the malicious con- duct of technology developers rather than on the technology itself. (Grigorian) Under Grokster, businesses [can] continue to develop new technologies provided they do not encourage their users to violate the copyright law. Therefore, it is reasonable to infer from Grokster that P2P file-sharing software and similar technologies remain perfectly legal. This is a legitimate finding because, as the Court pointed out, file-sharing technologies can and have been used for legitimate, non- infringing purposes. For example, universities, business, and government entities use P2P file-sharing software for added efficiency and a more stable platform on which information can be shared [without being susceptible] to the types of attacks that a centralized server faces. (PC Review) Since the Supreme Courts pronouncement of Grokster, many legal scholars are eager to know the role the decision will play in future indirect copyright infringement cases, especially those involving file-sharing technology. Given the questions that remain unresolved after the Grokster decision, like those regarding the proper interpretation and application of Sony, future plaintiffs are likely to first proceed under the active inducement theory and, alternatively, plead contributory copyright infringement. To establish liability under the active inducement theory, plaintiffs must prove that: 1. The defendant took active steps with intent to cause infringement 2. The users of defendants technology did in fact engage in infringing activity. In cases involving P2P technology, proving intent is the trickiest of the two elements. However, copyright holders with legitimate claims will most likely be able to meet this requirement by showing that the conduct and activities of the alleged infringers in developing and marketing their technology would rise to the level of actively promoting the illegal sharing of said works. Courts will then need to examine the alleged infringers business models, marketing and promotional strategy and capability of installing filtering and monitoring systems in order to determine whether sufficient evidence of intent exists. Although it’s unclear as to how many of these factors must be present for a court to find wrongful intent, it is reasonable to determine that the more closely a persons behavior resembles that of a Grokster type entity, the more likely a court is to find liability under the active inducement standard. (Grigorian) This does not indicate that Grokster prefers copyright holders or offers them an automatic win. Some would argue that Grokster makes it more laborious for copyright holders to obtain damages because it forces them to conduct more extensive discovery and incur greater legal expenses in order to successfully prove intent. So while Grokster may appear unreasonably burdensome at first, it actually benefits all parties involved. By setting the burden of proof higher and requiring copyright holders to prove intent, Grokster will likely deter wasteful claims. The newly adopted standard also favors copyright holders because it offers clearer guidelines for those with legitimate claims to seek a legal remedy when their rights are violated. Therefore, in contrast to what some scholars may argue, Grokster successfully maintains a delicate balance between innovation and copyright protection. Conclusion The District Court of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Grokster, much to MGM’s disappointment. It was held in both courts that Grokster escaped liability for a number of reasons: 1.Grokster did not have constructive, adequate knowledge of the infringements. 2.The software distributed by Grokster was capable of substantial non-infringing uses. 3.There was no central server, thus Grokster could only obtain information of the infringement after it had already happened (i.e. they could not block or prevent copyright infringement because they were not able to directly supervise file transfers). 4.Grokster could not be found responsible for materially contributing to any copyright infringement. 5.Grokster did not directly earn money from this software, as it is free for people to download. Instead, they earned money through advertisements on their website. 6.Grokster was unable to change the software to control user access due to the fact that the software resided on the users’ computers and not on a centralized server. In the United States Supreme Court, the ruling of the appeal favored MGM. The unanimous ruling was that â€Å"one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties.† Under these conditions, P2P file-sharing companies could now be sued for copyright infringements. Many as the most important intellectual property case have dubbed this case in decades (PC Review) Due to the extent of disagreement, which arose as to whether Grokster is protected under the Sony Betamax case, a new test has been developed to determine whether the ruling in the Betamax case protects the software in question. The test assesses whether or not the distributors of the software have promoted it as a means of copyright infringement. If such intentions were found, then the ruling of the Betamax case could not be used as precedent. As long as new innovations do not affect existing copyrights, then this ruling should not affect them. It is seen by the Supreme Court as a fair balance between the benefits gained by allowing and promoting technological innovation and the need to respect the intellectual property rights of artists. However, critics do not quite view it in the same light: they are skeptical that the test will work in their favor due to its inherent ambiguity. (PC Review) There are major concerns, however, that despite the good intentions of the court to strike a fair balance between innovation and copyrights, many investors may be put off. If there is a slight chance that a potential project is at risk from this ruling, then ideas are likely to go no further than the drawing board. This could have huge significance, especially regarding the creation of new digital technologies: Any threat of liability, and the idea dies Many argue that file sharing is not the problem, which needs to be addressed here; it is the issue of the individuals that abuse it. On the other hand, trying to hold millions of downloaders responsible for their (numerous) actions would be logistically impossible, and so a more preventative approach has instead been used. (PC Review) Therefore, Groksters message could not be any louder or clearer: innovators should continue to develop new technologies but they must do so with a lawful intent. In devising a new standard for liability, the Court in Grokster provided an alternative mechanism under which copyright holders could seek redress against technology developers and distributors that infringed on their intellectual property rights by proving un-lawful intent. The new standard appropriately focuses on the infringers conduct and intent rather than the technology itself. Works Cited 1. Giblin, Rebecca. Code wars†¯: 10 years of P2P software litigation. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011. Print. 2. Duke University School of Law, â€Å"MGM V. Grokster.† Web. 2004 2005. http://publiclaw.law.duke.edu/publiclaw/supremecourtonline/certgrants/2004/mgmvgro.html 3. â€Å"The Legality of File Sharing MGM Vs Grokster.† Web. 14 July 2012. http://www.pcreview.co.uk/articles/Consumer-Advice/The_Legality_of_File_Sharing_-_MGM_vs_Grokster/ 4. â€Å"The Official Website for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios: Learn More About the History of MGM.† Web. 14 July 2012. http://www.mgm.com/corporate/index.html 5. Vaver, David. Intellectual property rights†¯: critical concepts in law. London: Routledge, 2006. Print. 6. â€Å"WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization.† Web. 14 July 2012. http://www.wipo.int/portal/index.html.en 7. Grigorian, Kristine. MGM vs Grokster: Adopting Patent Law’s Active Inducement Do ctrine and shifting focus to actual infringers. Maryland, Northampton, Journal of Business and Technology, Maryland School of Law, 2005. Print.

Things Fall Apart Essay Example for Free

Things Fall Apart Essay Chinua Achebe’s novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† tells the story of Okonkwo, an ambitious man from the Igbo village of Umuofia, in modern day Nigeria at the onset of the Colonial era. Okonkwo is a rising member of the society until he inadvertently kills a kinsman and must flee for seven years to his mother’s clan so as not to offend the earth goddess of the village. During this time, British Colonialism reaches the Igbo people and quickly alters their traditional way of life. Through this tale of the Igbo Achebe seeks to illustrate the complexities of African societies and how deeply these African societies were affected by Colonialism. Many Europeans entering Africa during the colonial period viewed African society as â€Å"primitive† and lacking the depth of western society. Achebe’s novel seeks to illustrate that far from being unstructured and chaotic, African society was very complex. Umuofian society was not parceled into different spheres of practice but instead maintained a delicate balance in which all aspects of society, from religion to gender roles, are intertwined in order to keep the society running smoothly. The village was lead by elders or men â€Å"of title† who earned their status mostly through personal achievements rather than inheritance (Achebe, 7). Achievements, wisdom, and age all merited respect. Essentially, this respect was a type of social capital that the man could exchange for political capital in a informal power structure. At times this leadership structure was stronger than others. Sometimes the elders of the village were distinguished in their position of authority, such as the times they perform religious tasks for the community. However, even when the role of the village leaders if defined they feel a responsibility to the community, as the only members of the society qualified to fill such prescribed roles. These social responsibilities did not officially come with their titles. Umuofia seemed to function on a consent basis, meaning that each person had to choose to keep society running smoothly. It was not uncommon for all the men to be called together to make a collective decision. For example, all the men of Umuofia were called to one large corporate meeting to decide a course of action when a neighboring village murdered a woman from their village. At this meeting, the elders of the community had no official political distinction, however, the respect accorded them by their social position helped their voices to be heard. Consent and collectivity were major facets of the Umuofian society that allowed for informal leadership. For example it is said that the â€Å"the village [collectively] imposes† a fine on anyone who lets his cow loose (Achebe, 68). The reason that Igbo society could function with such informal structure was the importance and knowledge of traditions. These traditions were taught to the children and young adults so that they would be able to participate in the script of village life. It is almost as if these formal traditions allowed for the informal leadership structure by tacking the role as the backbone of society. Nearly all aspects of life in the village were run by such formal traditions. For example, upon receiving a visitor, the owner of the house always presented a Kola nut, which they ate together as a sign of hospitality. The meeting of all the men is an additional example of this tradition because it was organized by a system of drums and â€Å"callers† under the expectation that the people would be able to interpret the call (Achebe, 8). There is social power in knowledge of these traditions. Kinship was an additional level of social control in the village of Umuofia and had two social consequences. Kinship was traced through patrilineage, with great respect given to the eldest male members of the family. This familial hierarchy reproduced the traditions that dictated social interactions by instilling these customs in the younger generations. The second consequence was the ties of kinship that connected the nine Igbo villages. While descent and clanship was traced through the father’s line, intermarriage among the villages created ties to the mother’s village and connected multiple clans. In this way, the Igbo society maintained nine autonomous, though interlinked, villages without a direct formal hierarchy of social or political power such, as a head chief or king between them. The greatest of all elders were the ancient ancestors and founders of Umuofia. These ancestors essentially filled the highest political roles in the village. They resided as judges over disputes and gave advice in troubled times. In this way it was not necessary, and would in fact have been an insult to the ancestors, for a man to fill the highest political role in the village because the ancestors had the final power anyway (Achebe, 55-57). It was said that â€Å"the land of the living was not far removed from the domain of the ancestor† and that â€Å"a man’s life from birth to death†¦brought him nearer and nearer to the ancestors† (Achebe, 73). The deep complexity of Umuofian society meant that colonialism’s effects were devastating to the village’s way of life. The British administration which colonized the area did not understand the Umuofian traditions and instead decided to treat them like children who needed to be taught the proper ways of society (Achebe, 109). The beliefs and practices of the Christian missionaries were especially in contradiction to the traditions and beliefs that structured Umuofian society because the missionaries considered the ancestors to be false gods. They preached against them and effectively left the society without leaders. The colonial administration always saw situations from their perspective. As Achebe says â€Å"they had built a court where the district commissioner judged cases in ignorance† (99). For example, the British punished the elders of the clan for destroying the missionaries’ church because they thought they had the responsibility to keep order in the colony, while the clan leaders had thought they too were keeping order in the community by avenging the death of an ancestor and had the right to do so because it was their community. To compare the political structures of these two cultural groups, in Britain one person had ultimate political power, and society enforced this power, while Umuofian society required cooperation of all members and thus, I believe, showed a greater level of social integration than Britain, which relied heavily on its chain of command in order to function. Because of the intricacies of Umuofian society Britain was able to destabilize the whole of Umuofian society simply by affecting certain aspects of the society. Inversely the Umuofians would have had to dispose of the Queen of England to bring down the colonialists.

Hyperbole in the Importance of Being Earnest

Hyperbole in the Importance of Being Earnest Satire is a genre used and widely known for its comedic purposes. It involves the mocking of an individual for humorous means; however, it is commonly used by authors and playwrights to display criticism of the society that the character is in. In the first act of the play, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff have an exchange at Algernons flat in Half-Moon Street about Jacks alter-ego; Earnest, who he creates to be able to escape from the obligations and responsibilities that he is faced with because of societal expectations. During the exchange, there are a few glimpses of the use of ironic techniques portrayed by Wilde through Jacks character with reference to social and cultural norms when Jack states: I dont propose to discuss modern culture. It isnt the sort of thing one should talk of in private. (Wilde, 11) This is ironic as modern culture is something to talk about and discuss, however, in the aristocratic society, it is frowned upon to question or disagree with the cultural norms and values in a negative manner. Further into the exchange between Jack and Algernon, Wilde also portrays irony in terms of marriage when Jack tells Algernon: my dear fellow, the truth isnt quite the sort of thing one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl. What extraordinary ideas you have about the way to behave to a woman (Wilde, 33). Jacks views on how to treat women represent the upper-class societys views as he believes that honesty is not considered an important factor in relationships. Additionally, later on in the play, when Lady Bracknell is introduced as a typical upper-class aristocrat who has strong and set cultural views on marriage as well as everyones obligations in the privileged society. The playwright uses hyperbole as a literary device to show the cultural norms through her exchange with Algernon about how there should be an even number of people present at the dinner table when Algernon tries to decline the offer of feasting with her, I hope not Algernon, it will put my table completely out. Your uncle would have to dine upstairs. Fortunately, hes accustomed to that. (Wilde, 19) This statement mocks the upper-class and their over-exaggerated mannerisms in a comedic manner by portraying how they turn something that is very insignificant into unacceptable, without any reason simply because they are privileged and have more power and control over others who are beneath them. Wilde further uses hyperbole when Algernon tells Lady Bracknell that he will be unable to attend dinner because of his invalid friend Mr. Bunbury. Lady Bracknell replies with Algernon, I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or die. This shilly-shallying with the question is absurdà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I should be much obligated if you would ask Mr. Bunbury, from me, to be kind enough not to have a relapse on Saturday, for I rely on you to arrange my music for me (Wilde, 20) The use of the term shilly-shallying shows how even the matter of life and death is insignificant to her. As she represents the upper-class society, it shows that it does not matter what the situation is as long as they get what they desire, which is control. When Lady Bracknell states ask Mr. Bunbury, from me, to be kind enough not to have a relapse on Saturday, (Wilde, 20), it mocks the upper-class in a way that shows how they ask for more than one is able to do and have high expectations from everyone to act according to how they want them to, which also enhances the genre of satire in the play as is brings a new comedic perspective towards the upper-class society. Wilde uses more of the previously explored literary technique of irony to enhance satire further along the play through Acts 2 and 3. When Algernon pretends to be Jacks brother (Earnest) in the Manor House at the countryside, Algernon states I certainly wont leave you so long as you are in mourning. It would be most unfriendly. If I were in mourning you would stay with me, I suppose. I should think it very unkind if you didnt. (Wilde, 59), showing how it is ironic as at the end of the play, it is revealed that Algernon is, in fact, Jacks biological brother. This happens towards the end of the play leading onto Act 3 when Gwendolen and Cecily come to realize the truth about how both, Jack and Algernon have been lying to them about how their names were Earnest. Wilde uses hyperbole as a technique to show two extreme sides of their love and emotions towards who they thought was Earnest. Cecily and Gwendolen also represent the aristocrat society, as when they find out that both of them had been wronged, they both go against Algernon and Jack which shows superficiality: My poor wounded Cecily! (Wilde, 78) and My poor wounded Gwendolen! (Wilde 78) which portrays how marriage was highly based on the name one carried in the upper-class society, rather than it being a genuine relationship between two individuals. Continuously throughout the play and towards the end, Oscar Wilde shows and reveals how he cleverly used the name Earnest as one with a pun on it as it suggested more than just one meaning. Firstly, the actual meaning of the name which stands for honestly, truthfulness and integrity ironically does not describe Jack Worthing or Algernon Moncrieff. This is because, firstly, both of the characters have an alter-ego to obtain their desires and to escape from the upper-class societys obligations and responsibilities. Additionally, they lie to Gwendolen and Cecily about being Earnest so that they are able to marry them. Therefore, the word Earnest ironically expresses the notion of false truth and false morality as neither, Jack nor Algernon, portray themselves to be Earnest, as neither of them express moral values, and only towards the end of the play does Jack realize, for the first time in his life, the vital Importance of Being Earnest (Wilde, 106), as it shows that he has finally lea rnt the value of being honest. Both, irony and hyperbole are two clever literary techniques used by Oscar Wilde in the Importance of Being Earnest to portray his criticism towards the upper-class Victorian society in a comedic manner. The play is exposed to the audience humorously, while at the same time, it expresses the contradictory and hypocritical actions of those who conform to the aristocrat society of the late 1800s which ties the play together in a satiric manner.

MBA Admissions Essays - The Value of Dynamic Creativity :: MBA College Admissions Essays

MBA Admissions Essays - The Value of Dynamic Creativity    In my junior year of high school I attended an assembly where potential class presidents outlined their positions and ideas for the future. I remember dozing off during the first two speeches, which covered topics such as soda machines and trips to Six Flags Great Adventure. The final individual that spoke did something different. He talked about students in our class. The thing he found special about everyone was that they each possessed character. Having had about seven years to reflect on that speech, I now understand what he meant by character . A person's character can mean different things to different people, but for me, it is qualities that make an individual unique.  Ã‚  Ã‚        The first trait that gives someone character is dynamic creativity. In order to solve complex problems or to complete a difficult task, I feel the ability to come up with fresh ideas is essential. A student who studies for exams and memorizes formulas might not be as well equipped to handle real world problems as someone who is able to put his or her book knowledge to practical use. I believe that the importance of creativity also extends to life choices that people make. In my eyes, someone who spends their summer volunteering at an archeological dig or in a homeless shelter, even though they could have been working for a salary, is making a creative choice. In that sense, I value people who are risk-takers, people who are willing to do something without the guarantee of success. What is also important to me are people who approach situations with an honest and positive attitude. Often, I talk to people who are applying to schools or jobs, and they sincerely want to get accepted or hired, but reservations about their qualifications or ability cloud their thinking. My experience has shown me that successful people do not only want success, but also expect it.      Another piece to the character puzzle is awareness, understanding, and open-mindedness of others. Sometimes, it is difficult to understand why another person believes that way he or she believes, or does what he or she does. When someone does something another might deem illogical, taking into account the individual's circumstances and experiences might lead you to understand why the action occurred. I therefore place a premium on people who take the time and effort to comprehend their fellow man.

The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Essay

The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Introduction According to the American Medical Association (1996), physician-assisted suicide (PAS) occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing either the means or the information necessary to aid in the patient performing the life-ending act. PAS has had a long and controversial history dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They believed that there was no reason to prolong life if continued pain and suffering was the only prognosis. The term euthanasia, in fact, stems from the Greek meaning "a good death". It was not until Hippocrates and his Hippocratic Oath, cautioning against deadly medicine towards patients, that a different view was seen. Early Christians held the opinion that suicide or martyrdom was an honorable or noble end to one's life, a way to make the ultimate sacrifice for God. Countering that view, Augustine of Hippo condemned suicide as being a mortal sin, going against God's law of "Thou shall not kill". As medicine has evolved and progress ed exponentially since those ancient times, lives may very well benefit from an increase in length but may not always equate to an increase in the quality of life. PAS is one possible solution to this dilemma, albeit one with many ethical and legal debates concerning it. Literary review Presently, PAS is legal in the United States in three states - Oregon, which was the first in 1997, and then Washington and Montana both following in 2009. The Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) was proposed in 1994 in Oregon as a way for physicians to legally assist terminally ill individuals who wished to end their suffering and choose their own time of death. It was initially stalled in the Fed... ...doption of such measures as the DWDA are a real possibility. When that time comes, nurses will surely find themselves dealing with this issue more frequently. Even though it may be legal at that point, the nurse will be the one who has to decide as an individual their personal interpretation of the basic nursing concept of "to do no harm". Works Cited Code of ethics for nurses. (2001). Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.pdf Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder?. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(2), 121-125. Rose, T. (2007). Physician-assisted suicide: Development, status, and nursing perspectives. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 141-151. Volker, D. (2007). The Oregon experience with assisted suicide. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 152-162. The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Essay The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Introduction According to the American Medical Association (1996), physician-assisted suicide (PAS) occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing either the means or the information necessary to aid in the patient performing the life-ending act. PAS has had a long and controversial history dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They believed that there was no reason to prolong life if continued pain and suffering was the only prognosis. The term euthanasia, in fact, stems from the Greek meaning "a good death". It was not until Hippocrates and his Hippocratic Oath, cautioning against deadly medicine towards patients, that a different view was seen. Early Christians held the opinion that suicide or martyrdom was an honorable or noble end to one's life, a way to make the ultimate sacrifice for God. Countering that view, Augustine of Hippo condemned suicide as being a mortal sin, going against God's law of "Thou shall not kill". As medicine has evolved and progress ed exponentially since those ancient times, lives may very well benefit from an increase in length but may not always equate to an increase in the quality of life. PAS is one possible solution to this dilemma, albeit one with many ethical and legal debates concerning it. Literary review Presently, PAS is legal in the United States in three states - Oregon, which was the first in 1997, and then Washington and Montana both following in 2009. The Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) was proposed in 1994 in Oregon as a way for physicians to legally assist terminally ill individuals who wished to end their suffering and choose their own time of death. It was initially stalled in the Fed... ...doption of such measures as the DWDA are a real possibility. When that time comes, nurses will surely find themselves dealing with this issue more frequently. Even though it may be legal at that point, the nurse will be the one who has to decide as an individual their personal interpretation of the basic nursing concept of "to do no harm". Works Cited Code of ethics for nurses. (2001). Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.pdf Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder?. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(2), 121-125. Rose, T. (2007). Physician-assisted suicide: Development, status, and nursing perspectives. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 141-151. Volker, D. (2007). The Oregon experience with assisted suicide. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 152-162.