An Indroduction Of The Philippines Economics Essay

An Indroduction Of The Philippines Economics Essay The Philippines is an island nation located in the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia. It has 7107 islands. And has a total area of 300000 square kilometers. At the north side of Philippine the Taiwan is located. At the east side the Pacific Ocean, Indonesia and Malaysia at the south and South China Sea at the west. The capital city of Philippines is manila which is located in the island of Luzon at the northern part. The total population of Philippines is 98 million. The climate of Philippines is tropical. The culture of Philippines is influenced by Spanish and Chinese. Most of the people having also Spanish surnames. It has generally west European culture, people of Philippines are Christian. Islam is more popular in island of Mindanao. The Philippines has developing economy with agricultural and service sector base. The poverty line is 40% it means 40% of the population remain be poor. The large trading partners of the Philippines are the US and Japan. Philippines is a presidential unitary republic with the president at the apex, as the head of state, the head of government and the commander in chief of the armed forces. He is elected by popular vote, every 6 years. Government policies are design to promote industrial development. 1.1 ECONOMICAL ENVIRONMENT : Economic environment of business has reference for economic systems to operate the business. The business sectors also continue economic relations with govt, capital market, worldwide and households sector. It would affect the trends and formation of the economy. The outer factors that influence with the following points. Economic Conditions :- The economic circumstances are safe in the country. Per capita income, national income, allocation of income and assets, Economic resources, economic growth etc are also affected to prepared the business strategies. Economic growth and business cycle are easily defined the economic environment. System :- The economic system also impact on business endeavor. Economic system of a Philippines also considered socialist, capitalists, mixed or communist. Economic Policies :- The government also decided budgets, economic planning, economic industrial regulation, law of business. Industrial guidelines to control on price and wages, trade and transportation polices the size of national income, demand and supply of different merchandise. Economic Growth :- The economic growth impacts the strategies of business. It helps in rising the economic growth and expenses in consumption. It provides opportunities to the industries for the expansion. v. Currency Exchange :- Current exchanges have direct impact on the environment of business. The rupee was devalued in1991. The Indian products cheaper in the world market and boost exports of India. ECONOMIC CONDITION 2.1 GDP of Philippines : The GDP growth rate provides an aggregated measure of changes in value of goods and services produced by an economy. The GDP growth rate of Country from 1998 to 2012 is average 1.08%. The domestic economy accelerated in the second quarter of 2012 to 5.9% from 3.6%. The earlier year boosting the first semester growth to 6.1% from 4.2%.   The resilient Services sector remained the main driver of growth supported by the sustained growth of manufacturing and the return of construction. Philippines is a recently industrialized country in the Southeastern Asia. The most important industries of Philippines are food processing, textiles and garments, automobile parts and electronics. Philippines have also treasury of chromites, nickel, copper, coal and newly discovered oil. Philippines GDP Growth Rate This chart is all about the past data for Philippines growth rate. [Source: http://www.nscb.gov.ph/sna/2012/2nd2012/2012qpr2.asp] 2.2 Per Capital Growth in Philippines : In 2011, it was at 1.98% in Country and it was published by World Bank report in 2012. The Growth rate of GDP per capital depends on continuous local currency. The GDP Divided by Mid Year Population. The GDP of Purchasing Price is total of all resident products in economy (+) product taxes (-) any subsidies which is not included in value of the product. This is calculated without making deduction for depreciation of fictional assets. It includes a chronological chart, news and estimate for GDP. In Southeastern area of Philippines is newly industrialized country. Philippines Predicting food processing Textiles and Garment, Electronic and automobile parts and also significant reserve of Chromate, Nickel, Copper, Coal and Recently Discovered Oil. [Source: http://www.kedingeconomics.com/philippines/GDP.Per.Capitagrowth.Annual.Percentwb.data.html] 2.3 PPP Philippines : Philippine has long familiarity with public-private partnership, initiatives and serves as future investment with aggressive PPP promotion. The Government is to attract private partners to invest only in traditional infrastructure Projects like Power, Transportation and Water Sectors and in Non-Traditional Infrastructure similar to information and communications technology, health and property development. The Partnership addressed in 1990s and it help out to improve road network quality, transport linkages and social Services. [Source: http://www.ppp/gove.ph/] 2.4 International Reserve : Countys beginning gross global reserve is significantly increased up to US $79.3 Billion in July.BSP Governor Amando Letangco said that foreign reserve were US $3.2 Billion higher than GIR of US $76.1 Billion, The Level of GIR Increased in end of July, Due to Foreign exchange operations. The funds of the Country are deposited in foreign currency. The Philippines acquire income from investment in a foreign country of the BSP and gain revolution on BSP gold holdings arising from increase in price of Gold in global Market. The Import of goods and payment of services and income adequately cover in 11.7 months and also corresponding 10.7 times. Philippines short term outer debt based on original maturity. [Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breadkingnews/201208/] ECONOMY OF PHILIPPINES Population : 95.9 Million GDP (PPP) : $351.4Billion : 6.1% growth in 2012 : 5.5% 5-year compound annual growth : $4,700 per capita Unemployment : 7.3% Inflation (CPI) : 3.60% FDI Inflow : $1.7 billion for 1st Half Quarter 1 Peso : 1.3134 Rupee and 0.0243 Dollar The Philippines ranks 19thout of 41countries in the Asia Pacific region. And 44th the biggest economy on the earth. According to HSBC estimates. The stock market is one of the best performers in the region. The peso reached a 4 year high against the dollar about the same time. Economy has been on a solid path of economic expansion. The govt. has pursued a series of governmental reforms to increase the industrial environment and build up private sector for reduce unemployment. But regulatory efficiency has been not improved. And over last 5 year the economy has been develop at average annual rate of 5%. Rule of Law : The rule of law is not on level and authorized structure is poor in independence and efficiency. The judiciary is independent but there is political interference. There is some progress due to government anti corruption efforts to eliminate corruption and fix efficiently. Limited Government : Government spending Spurs on 6.4% growth in 1st Quarter. Taxable Income Tax Rate More than But less than 0 P10,000 5% P10,000 P30,000 P500 + 10% of the Excess over P10,000 P30,000 P70,000 P2,500 + 15% of the Excess over P30,000 P70,000 P140,000 P8,500 + 20% of the Excess over P70,000 P140,000 P250,000 P22,500 + 25% of the Excess over P140,000 P250,000 P500,000 P50,000 + 30% of the Excess over P250,000 P500,000 P125,000 + 32% of the Excess over P500,000 in 2000 and onward Corporate tax rate is 30% and Regional are taxed at 10% on taxable income. The VAT an environmental tax with overall tax is 12.8% of total domestic income. If any taxpayer fail to pay VAT component in the sales invoice or official receipts shall be penalized as : Fine of not less then P1,000 but not more than P50,000 and Suffer custody of not less than 2 but not more than 10 years. Regulatory Efficiency : The business regulatory environment has improved considerably. Although launching a business still takes more than the world averages of seven procedures and 30 days, the overall process has become less costly. The time and cost involved in dealing with licensing requirements have been notably reduced. The labor market remains structurally rigid, but existing regulations are not particularly burdensome. Inflation is modest. Open Market : The trade weighted average tariff rate is 4.8 percent, and layers of non-tariff barriers further inhibit more dynamic gains in trade. Despite a strong desire to attract longer-term foreign investment, systemic inefficiency exacerbated by heavy bureaucracy discourages dynamic growth in investment. The financial sector, which is gradually modernizing, remains relatively stable and sound. [http://www.heritage.org/index/pdf/2012/countries/philippines.pdf] ECONOMIC POLICIES 4.1 Monetary Policy The international Monetary Fund will look into the countrys progress on the monetary and fiscal policy and assess the 2 year old Aquino administration by short staff visit which is commence. The most accurate forecasters agree on that Monetary authorities are trying to control foreign investment in the Peso arguing that Asias best performing currency has strengthened too much. The economic momentum has built up from decreasing of monetary policy may boost the country is growth in2012 is 5.8% and up to 7 % is 2013. And the govt.s success in containing the budget deficit has been given monetary authorities considered liberty. In 2011 the govt. incurred a budget deficit of 197.8 billion which was less than two third of 2010. The size of economy in overspending in 2011 comprised only 2% less than 3.5% recorded in2010. The debt stock of 2011 settled at P4.95% trillion or 50.9% of gross domestic. [http://business inquirer-net/49369/bsp-monetary-policy-expected-to-push-up-ph-economy] 4.2 Fiscal Policy : The Philippines long term foreign currency credit rating raised from BB to BB+. It kept rating outlook at stable. According to Presidential spokesman Ricky Carandang the Philippines can still afford to undertake public spending without put in to danger its overall financial position. And the govt. doesnt want a strong peso to delay competitiveness of exports. The Philippines economy grew by 6.4% in 1st quarter, it is one of the highest in Asia and upgrade is a vote of confidence for the country. According to finance secretary Cesar V Purisima, that this gives more confidence to continue with the work towards macroeconomic stability, fiscal sustainability and inclusive economic growth. [http://www.philstar.com/Artical.aspx?article Id=824407 publication Sub Category Id=] 4.3 Deficit Policy : The Financial Secretary Cesar Purisima said that the govt. spent P19.90 billion and the deficit was manageable, expressing, confidence the full year fund shortfall would staying within 2.6% of GDP or P279 billion. The govt. continued rise in revenue collections so that the fiscal position remains under control. So this wide fiscal space will gives the advantage to finance infrastructure projects and social programs that curb poverty and promote equality. Jan-May deficit P22.79 billion. The govt.s self imposed 1st half ceiling of P109.34 billion and it spent P668.43 billion in 1st five month of year up 13.1% compared to last year. And revenues reached P645.64 billion. For May revenue grew 9.4% to 131.4 billion while spending reached P151.3 billion. Purisima said that the govt. is committed to reach its 5.6% growth in 2012 and recorded 6.4% expansion in 1st three month. The Philippines suffered a P 197.8 billion budget deficit last year which is equivalent to 2% of GDP. [http://business-inquirer-net /67459/Philippine-budget-deficit-shoots-up] 4.4 Foreign Trade Policy : According to the Global Enabling Trade Report 2012, the rank of Philippines is 72nd out of 132 countries. It measured the factors, policies, services, areas of market access, border administration transport and communication infrastructure and business environment. In the area of market access the Philippines jumped 14 from 64 and in terms of efficiency of import-export procedure it looks 48 spot from 55. And access to imported inputs at competitive prices identifying potential market and buyers corruption at the border and other concerns it places 62 out of 132 countries. The trade chief attributed the countrys improvement in ranking to the debt of Trade and Industrys effort to facilitate trade across borders like the Doing business in Free Trade Areas an awareness campaign has aimed to help stakeholders into understand new markets and instruments like free trade agreement. It reforms to improve the ease of doing business in country through the Philippines. Business Registry (PBR) and Business permits and license streamlining (BPLS) programs for local govt. [http://businessinquirer-net/63369/Philippines-climbs-20-nitches-up-in-business-destination-ranking] 4.5 Balance of Payment : The inflow of foreign currency exceeded than the outflow in Feb and Philippines balance of payments hitting a surplus of $588 million. BOP is recorded of the countrys commercial transaction with the rest of world. It helps beef up the countrys total reserves of foreign exchange or gross international reserves (GIR).It stands at a record high of $78 billion. According to economist the unfavorable global economy that investors have tendency to pull out funds from emerging markets like Philippines. So it create depreciation pressures on local currencies. But with enough reserves of foreign exchange the Bangko Sentral ng philipines can buy pesos and reduce its depreciation and it will hit a surplus of at last $2.8 billion by end of 2011. Due to increase in employment in US an economist said that it would lead to increase in demand for imported goods from Philippines. [http://bus.inquirer.net/50127/bsp-balance-of-payment-stood-at-surplus-in-feb] GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICAL GOVERNMENT 5.1 Import : Philippines import were worth 5101 million USD in June of 2002 until 2012,Philippines averaged imports 4155.20 million USD reaching an all time high of 5848.00 million USD in July of 2008 and low record of 2226.00 million USD in January of2002. Philippines imports mostly considered electronic products, mineral fuel, industrial machinery and equipment, transport equipment, lubricants, steel and iron. Mostly import partners are Japan, china, Singapore, South Korea, United States. Here we include the chart with historical data for Philippines import. Philippines Imports [http://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/imports] Export : Philippines exports were worth 4314 million USD in June of 2012. From 2002 until 2012, average export of Philippines 3681.10 million USD reaching an all time high of 5325.00 million USD in September of 2010 and record low of 2506.00 million USD in February of 2009. Major exporter of electronic products like processors, chips, and hard drives (more than 50% of total exports revenue) and other major exports include apparel and clothing accessories, wood crafts, coconut oil and furniture. Philippines major export partners are United States, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, china. This page includes a chart with Philippines historical data of Philippines exports. Philippines Exports [http://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/exports] 5.2 Corporate Income Tax : The domestic and foreign resident corporations income tax rate in Philippines is 30%, based on net taxable income. Domestic company payable company tax on all income derived from sources outside and within the Philippines. Foreign corporations, whether resident or non-resident are taxable on income derived from sources within the Philippines. Non resident foreign corporations are ,in certain circumstances, subject to a final withholding tax on passive (investment) incomes at rates higher than the applicable tax rates applying to domestic and foreign resident corporations. Resident companies are created or organized under the law of Philippines or foreign companies licensed to engage in business or trade in the Philippines. The corporate income tax rate for domestic and foreign resident corporations is 30%, income tax excluded from are dividend received from domestic corporations, interest on Philippines currency bank deposits and other monetary benefit from deposits substitutes and trust funds and arrangements and final taxes, interest income derived from the foreign currency deposits is include final tax of 7.5% ,other interest earned by domestic and foreign resident corporations is included 20% final withholding tax. Special economic tones enterprises registered with economic tone authority are taxed at the rate of 5% on gross income in lieu of national and local taxes and real property tax. Gross sales or gross revenue derived from the business activity within the Ecozens, sales returns, net of sales discount and allowances less the cost of sales or direct costs but before deduction made for expenses of administrative and losses during the taxable period. [http://www.quezoncity.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=226Itemid=347] India 2005-36.59 2006-33.66 2007-33.99 2008-33.99 2009-33.99 2010-33.99 2011-32.44 2012-32.44 The corporate tax rate is 32.445% .Domestic companies tax rate is 30%, profits from life insurance business in India are taxed at the rat of 12.5%.foreign companies are taxed at the rate of 40%. A minimum alternate tax (MAT) is levied at 18.5% of adjusted profit of companies. The tax payable is less than 18.5% of book profits. Dividend distributed from domestic company. Surcharge and education cess is above taxes is applicable.5% surcharge in case of foreign companies is applicable. The total income is in excess of INR 10 million. Education cess of 3% is applicable on income tax plus surcharge wealth tax is imposed at a rate of 1% on the value of specified assets held by the tax payer in excess of basic exemption of INR13million.transaction tax of securities transactions in equity shares and units of equity oriented funds. [http://www.kpmg.com/global/en/whatwedo/tax/tax-tools-and-resources/pages/corporate-tax-rates-table.aspx] HOW ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF PHILIPPINE AFFECTS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS? The Philippines has certainly had a steady flow of positive economic news recently. On July 4, Standard Poors raised the countrys debt rating to just below investment grade, the highest rating for the country since 2003 and equivalent to that of Indonesia. The Philippines is the 44th-largest economy in the world today, according to HSBC estimates. But if current trends hold, it can leap to the No. 16 spot by 2050. The Philippine stock market, one of the best performers in the region, closed at a record high after the recent S. P. rating upgrade, and the countrys currency, the peso, reached a four-year high against the dollar at about the same time. With $70 billion in reserves and lower interest payments on its debt after recent credit rating upgrades, the Philippines pledged $1 billion to the International Monetary Fund to help shore up the struggling economies of Europe. The gross domestic product of the Philippines grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter, according to the countrys central bank, outperforming all other growth rates in the region except Chinas. Economists expect similarly strong growth in the second quarter. We have made a very bold forecast for the Philippines, but I think justifiably so, said Frederic Neumann, a senior economist at HSBC in Hong Kong. A high population growth rate, long considered a hindrance to prosperity, is now often seen as a driving force for economic growth. About 61 percent of the population in the Philippines is of working age, between 15 and 64. That figure is expected to continue increasing, which is not the case for many of its Asian neighbors, whose populations are aging. 6.1 Trade Economy : The GDP per capita growth (annual %) in Philippines was last reported at 1.98 in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Annual percentage growth rate of GDP per capita based on constant local currency. GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP at purchasers prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. This page includes a historical data chart, news and forecats for GDP per capita growth (annual %) in Philippines. Philippines is a newly industrialized country in the Southeastern Asia. The nations most important industries are food processing, textiles and garments, electronics and automobile parts. Philippines also has significant reserves of chromite, nickel, copper, coal an d recently discovered oil. In addition, the Philippians economy relies on remittances as a source of foreign currency. philippines gdp per capita growth annual percent wb data 6.2 Domestic Price : The Philippine domestic economy shrunk to 3.7 percent in 2011, after a stellar growth of 7.6 percent in 2010. Growth was mainly undermined by the severe state under spending as well as the frail external environment. Outlook for 2012 is relatively sanguine with the government hinging its optimism on robust consumer demand and a more vigorous public spending. However, downside risks to growth persist with the global recovery poised to remain slow and uncertain. 2011 domestic economy tepid at 3.7%. The Philippine domestic economy grew by 3.7 percent in 2011, almost half of its 7.6 percent growth in 2010. The growth is within the latest forecasts of the National Economic and Development Authority (3.6-4.0 %) and the International Monetary Fund (3.7%). However, the growth figure is well below that assumed by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (4.5-5.5%), Asian Development Bank (4.7%), and the World Bank (4.2%); and is significantly off the growth target of the Philippine Development Plan (7.0%). Notable is the countrys poor economic performance relative to its neighbors. Except for Thailand, most Asian economies registered higher gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates than the Philippines in 2011. Gross national income (GNI)1 likewise slumped to 2.6 percent from 8.2 percent in 2010. This resulted from the significant contraction of net primary income (NPI),2 which slowed to a negative 0.9 percent, a turnaround from the 10.0 percent growth in 2010 6.3 Labor Force : Unemployment down to 7%. The countrys labor force numbered at 61.9 million in 2011. Of this number, 2.8 million were unemployed registering an unemployment rate of 7.0 percent. Moreover, the service sectors share of total employment increased from 51.8 percent in 2010 to 52.1 percent. Agriculture accounted for 33.0 percent of the employed while industrys share was 14.9 percent. Although the economy managed to generate more than one million jobs in 2011, the quality of employment is still a concern given the substantial increase in the underemployment rate as well as in the number of unpaid family workers. Latest data showed that the underemployed numbered at 7.2 million 6.4 Inflation : Headline inflation is within target. Headline inflation averaged 4.8 percent in 2011, well within the 3.0-5.0 percent inflation target for 2011 but higher than the 3.8 average recorded in 2010. A rise in the prices of food items had been recorded mainly due to the adverse effect of typhoons on agricultural food supplies. Core inflation,3 on the other hand, averaged 3.6 percent The government is particularly bullish on having higher investments in 2012 as investment pledges registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority surged by 47 percent in the first two months of the year. The PSEis breaching of the 5,000 mark for the first time in March 2012 is also said to bode well for the equities market. Likewise, private construction, particularly in the property subsector, is anticipated to remain robust given the upward momentum in office demand and investments in low-cost housing. Demand for commercial spaces will continue to be buoyed by the BPO sector, the revenues of which are slated to grow even further this year by 20 percent. The residential sector is also expected to receive continued support by the robust demand from families of overseas Filipinos. Consumer spending will similarly be sustained by the favorable inflation outlook and the continuous inflow. 6.5 Unemployment Rate : Unemployment means the number of people actively looking for a job divided by the labor force. Unemployment depends on the number of non-employed people who found the job and the people who lost their current job. Unemployment related to labour force, participation rate and employment rate. The unemployment rate of Philippines is 7.2 % which we can show that in the graph. 6.6 Private Sector Development : The stimulus package presented by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is known as the economic resiliency plan. The package included personal income-tax relief for low- and middle-income earners, reduction in corporate income tax, higher social spending on cash transfers and job-creation schemes, as well as a series of infrastructure projects. Although the reforms were not entirely new, the package led the Philippines to being acknowledged as Asias more socially responsible stimulus plans thanks to its focus on agriculture and social services that directly benefit the poor population. The fall in agricultural commodity prices helped support personal disposable income. As a result personal household budgets were minimally effected. The social component in their reforms may be credited with the largest impact due to the focus on poverty. The Philippines must sustain the reform movement in order to spur investments, increase growth, generate higher employment, and alleviate poverty for the fast growing population. Their reforms have already generated 34 consecutive growth quarters, created 8 million jobs, and maintained the lowest inflation in a generation. Most importantly poverty has decreased while revenue increased and has allowed the nation to invest in human and physical infrastructure. With sustained reform and their economic resiliency the Philippines may soon be a prime investment opportunity in uncertain world economic and financial conditions.

Interview with the Luddite :: Lunsford Interveiw Luditte Essays

Interview with the Luddite In Andrea Lunsford's introduction she gives a brief background on both Kelly and his interviewee, Kirkpatrick Sale. From her descriptions it is very clear on how different the beliefs of these two men are from each other. Lunsford seems to be fascinated by how the interviews in Wired magazine, which she sort of reluctantly subscribes to, have all ended up in a debate or argument. And the one "which you are about to read,["Interview with the Luddite"] is no exception," she says(243). In this paper I will discuss the different claims of each of the two men and weigh them against each other for validity and persuasiveness. While reading "Interview with the Luddite" by Kevin Kelly I immediately sensed a feeling of sarcasm on Kelly's part. From the title alone I could tell that Kelly was either not looking forward to the interview, or he just could not wait until he could sit down with this guy and pick him apart. He uses the term "the Luddite" in such a generalized sense that it almost makes the interviewee sound so unimportant as a person. Since there is more than one Luddite on the planet he could have used the word "a" instead of "the" when referring to this person he was about to interview. The very first question Kelly asks Sale is an accusation and comes across very harshly to the reader. He asks, "Other than arson and a lot of vandalism, what did the Luddites accomplish in the long run?"(243). After reading this first question, I felt a little sorry for Sale, and I was mad at Kelly for asking such an abrupt question. But my sympathy soon ended when Kelly continued on in the interview. Sale proudly explains and defends the beliefs of his group, the Luddites. But it is clear that Kelly has a strong opposing opinion. He immediately wants to weaken the character of Sale so that the reader is liable to side more with Kelly, himself. This is a very effective strategy on Kelly's part because I found myself agreeing with him more than I did with Sale. When Kelly asked if Sale considered himself a modern-day Luddite, Sale said yes. Sale argues that this is so in the sense that the Luddites of today had not resorted to destroying property, but used books and voices to help raise the consciousness that technology is bad.

The Use Of Vulgarity in the Works of Allen Ginsberg Essay -- Biograph

The Use Of Vulgarity in the Works of   Allen Ginsberg  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The beat poets were the voice of a generation. Unadulterated honesty and truth is a primary objective of the beat poets, and to them this honesty and truth is best achieved with a raw, oftentimes vulgar language that can make some readers uncomfortable. In this excerpt from his book, Allen Ginsberg, Thomas Merrill comments on the truth exhibited by the poet: ...such a commitment to internal truth not only permits but demands the uninhibited confessions that tend to make conventional readers squirm. Many beat writers, especially Ginsberg, flaunt their most intimate acts and feelings...in an aggressive street language (2). In Ginsberg's collection of poems, Reality Sandwiches, 1953-1960 , "The reader gets a good taste of Ginsberg's mouth... which, as usual is uninhibitedly and often flamboyantly honest (Merrill 88). The unabashed honesty in this collection often concerns sex and drugs, those subjects being important for this generation of rebellion. In "The Green Automobile," a poem about a fantasy road-trip enjoyed by Ginsberg and Neal Cassady, his one time lover, Ginsberg presents images of a sexual nature. Two of the images follow: I'd honk my horn at his manly gate,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   inside his wife and three   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   children sprawl naked   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on the living room floor.   Ã‚  Ã‚   (Ginsberg, Reality Sandwiches 11) Neal, we'll be real heroes now   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   in a war between our cocks and time:   Ã‚  Ã‚   (15) Even if some readers pay little attention to the allusions to homosexuality, one of the images, the one concerning Cassady's children, could make some readers uncomfortable. The imagery here is strong, it is this strength of imagery that ... ...s "Howl" and "On Neal's Ashes" the vulgarities are used not merely for effect, but to truly convey the feeling he wishes to express. Although some are made to feel uncomfortable, the true nature of the poet is to convey feeling, and this is done in an extremely proficient manner. Works Cited Ginsberg, Allen.  Ã‚   Reality Sandwiches 1953-1960.  Ã‚   San Francisco:  Ã‚   City Lights Books,  Ã‚   1963. - - - .  Ã‚   "Howl".  Ã‚   Contemporary American Poetry-5th Edition.  Ã‚   Ed. A.Poulin Jr..  Ã‚   Boston:  Ã‚   Houghton Mifflin,  Ã‚   1991.  Ã‚   175-182. - - - .  Ã‚   "America".  Ã‚   Contemporary American Poetry-5th Edition.  Ã‚   Ed. A.Poulin Jr..  Ã‚   Boston:  Ã‚   Houghton Mifflin,  Ã‚   1991.  Ã‚   182-184. - - - .  Ã‚   "On Neal's Ashes".  Ã‚   Contemporary American Poetry-5th Edition.  Ã‚   Ed. A.Poulin Jr..  Ã‚   Boston:  Ã‚   Houghton Mifflin,  Ã‚   1991.  Ã‚   188. Merrill, Thomas.  Ã‚   Allen Ginsberg.  Ã‚   Boston:  Ã‚   Twayne,  Ã‚   1988.

Setting My Sights Essay -- essays research papers

Running head: SETTING MY SIGHTS Setting My Sights Only three short weeks ago, I was presented with the opportunity to attend school at the University of Phoenix in order to complete my degree. While I was certain that continuing school was one of my goals, I was not sure if now was the best time. Despite my wavering feelings, I made the choice to proceed. Still, while making the decision to begin attending college, I never really considered my lifetime goals as they pertained to education. While I was set on the most obvious goal of finishing college and graduating with a degree, it still felt unsettling to begin college in general. To my surprise, we were presented with the task of writing a paper on our personal goals as one of the first assignments for this class. I was suddenly given the opportunity to analyze my personal goals with respect to education, work, and other aspects of my life. I came to realize that my primary personal goal was to expand my knowledge to gain a better understanding of myself and to determine my ultimate path in life. For me, these goals could only be realized by attending college. During my time at University of Phoenix, I will be investing my time and energy into the specific objectives of graduating and improving myself as a person. The most obvious goal as a student is to graduate, yet it is not always the easiest to achieve. While this may seem rudimentary to some people, I am having a hard time grasping the idea o...

Vico, Giovanni Battista :: essays research papers fc

Vico, Giovanni Battista See also: Philosophy Biographies (jovà ¤n ´ne bà ¤t-te ´stà ¤ ve ´ko), 1668-1744, Italian philosopher and historian, also known as Giambattista Vico, b. Naples. In 1699, Vico became professor of rhetoric at the Univ. of Naples, and in 1734 he was appointed historiographer to the king of Naples. Vico is regarded by many as the first modern historian; he was the first to formulate a systematic method of historical research, and he developed a theory of history that was far in advance of his times. For Vico, history is the account of the birth and development of human societies and their institutions. He thus departed from previous systems of writing historyeither as the biographies of great men, or as the development of God's will. Opposing the antihistorical elements of the prevailing Cartesianism (see Descartes, Renà © ), he asserted that history is a valid object of human knowledge because man himself created history. Vico urged the study of language, mythology, and tradition as techniques for the investi gation of history. As a philosopher, Vico believed that every period in history had a distinct character, and that similar periods recur throughout history in the same order. He departed from the old cyclical theories of history, however, in asserting that these periods do not recur in exactly the same form, but are subject to the modifications that new circumstances and developments impose. Thus the historian can never be a prophet. Vico also wrote on law, affirming an innate human sense of justice and natural law. Vico's major theories were developed in his New Science(1725), which he revised completely (1730; 1744). Vico's work was little known in his own time, and his importance was not recognized until the 19th cent. Bibliography: See his autobiography (tr. by M. H. Finch and T. G. Bergin, 1944); G.

Bright Light Therapy

Bright Light Therapy, also known as light therapy or phototherapy, is a relatively new treatment method that is still being researched to define its usage and effectiveness. Light therapy is the treatment of certain psychological disorders via exposure to bright fluorescent lights for up to four hours a day or as little as fifteen minutes a day. Light exposure is thought to regulate melatonin levels in the blood and, as such, has been most effective in treating seasonally affective disorder or SAD (Columbia 2).However, the method has been researched to treat other common disorders as well. Sleep insomnia, dementia and some forms of skin cancer are a few of the examples. Just like with any other alternative medical treatment to pharmacological methods, light therapy has come under strong critical review and its implementation has been low compared to drug therapies. History Historically, humans were not thought to be affected by seasonal changes in day length (Rohan et al 491).Because of this, currently accepted seasonal disorders such as SAD were not known in the medical field. It was not until doctors researched specific causes of depression that were known to become onset in late fall and remitted in the spring, was a connection made between time of sun exposure and depression (SLBTR. org). A new disorder, SAD had been defined and continues to be hotly debated today. Although light treatment can be dated all the way back to Aristotle, who suggested treatment for certain diseases by lying in the sun, modern methods began in the 1950’s (slbtr.org) Originally, light was used as a device for the removal of skin acne until research on the subject of light therapy was conducted by Dr Lewy in the 1980’s, the founder of the Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms (slbtr. org). The first documented treatment of a person with SAD was an engineer complaining of depression that came at the same times each year. Two hours of artificial sunlight in both the morning and in the evening were administered at the first onset of depression.The treatment was deemed successful, and since then over 2,500 people have been treated for SAD as well as numerous other conditions with light therapy. Implementation and Use Light therapy is mostly thought to affect the levels of the light-sensitive hormone melatonin in the blood (Columbia. edu). It is this hormone that is responsible for day-night cycles of the body. When subjected to high levels of light the body is stimulated negatively to produce less melatonin or to â€Å"skip ahead† in its cycle. Thus, the effects of depression caused by SAD are avoided.Some of the long term effects of increased melatonin levels have also been studied with mixed results coming from treatment with light therapy. The exact implementation of the treatment varies greatly for different people. Some research has shown the most effective time of treatment to be in the waking hours or just before waking wh ile still others believe the best time to be in the evening hours just before bed. The length of time patients are exposed to the light also changes depending on how much the patient is affected or the severity of the issue.Still again, the intensity of the light can be changed according to personal comfort or need (Skjerve et al 518). The number of variables in the method of light therapy has prevented the successful study of the treatment in many instances. It is difficult to determine the correct level of treatment for conditions that in themselves have not yet been thoroughly documented. While potentially negative side effects in the use of light therapy are minimal they do still exist. Some patients experience nausea, headaches, or eyestrain/irritation. These are generally mild, though, and dissipate after just a few days (Columbia).Another, much more infrequent, effect of light therapy is a state of hyperactivity, called mania. This is typically observed in the late spring or summer months (Cancer. org). It is most easily prevented through constant supervision from the physician and proper light therapy usage. Retinal discomfort has also been reported among some patients. This can be solved through the use of special glare-reducing glasses made exclusively for the purpose of light therapy, but often times those with retinal pathologies, such as glaucoma or cataracts are excluded from studies and are therefore usually excluded from treatment as well (Columbia).Otherwise, with proper medically accepted light therapy devices the side effects are minimal. The acceptance of light therapy has been met with strong opposition. Several factors have affected the widespread use of light therapy as a method for controlling any number of disorders. The cultural stigma attached with any alternative to Western medicine has prevented many people from accepting the treatment as opposed to conventional medicine.Evidence directly linking the method to treating certain cond itions has also been spotty due to the difficulty of finding patients to research and building an experiment that would irrefutably confirm light therapy as a treatment for whatever illness was tested. Finally, the actual treatment itself has kept many people from following through with the recommended dosages. Numerous patients have been reported as quitting treatment because of the length of time commitment necessary or discomfort reported by sitting in front of a bright box for hours on end (Rohan et al, 492).Newer light therapy technologies have been developed that reduce the time required to approximately 15 minutes a day and that have various light spectra that don’t produce glare for the user, but until proper research has been conducted on all of these new methods acceptance of the treatment will remain relatively when compared to modern pharmacological medicines. Applications Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of light therapy in treating different disorders. Dementia is a condition that has received the attention of many researchers attempting to discover its root cause and resulting treatment.The irregular sleep patterns observed among patients with dementia has been hypothesized to be corrected with bright light therapy. As explained before, the exact dosage and type of light are yet to be determined but a study by Ancoli-Israel et al measured continuous sleep activity in elderly patients in nursing homes before and after treatments of morning, evening and both morning and evening bright light therapies. A significant change in sleep patterns was exhibited by the morning/evening treatments with no statistically significant changes shown by the singular morning or evening treatments.It was suggested by the authors to increase the ambient levels of light in common areas of the nursing home in order to easily treat the symptoms of sleep disturbance exhibited in patients with mild to severe dementia. Insomnia has also been shown to be treatable with light therapy. It has been documented in treating several types of sleep disorders in patients not afflicted with dementia including delayed sleep phase type patients, advanced sleep phase syndrome and nonentrained sleep and wake disorders (Atwood 53-55).Trials have been more effective in studying the effectiveness of light therapy in patients not suffering from other psychological disorders but the same problems that exist in other studies also exist when studying general sleep disorders. The evidence presented by Ancoli-Israel et al is promising, however a meta-analysis conducted by Skjerve et al has pointed out many of the flaws in the light therapy treated dementia studies and by association many of the other studies conducted by researchers concerning light therapy. First, few of the trials were controlled, inasmuch they can be controlled according to generally accepted standards.All of the studies suffered from a small number of patients in whi ch to research and because of that experienced problems with numerous external variables affecting the results. Practicability of the treatment was not studied in any of the trials. The implementation of light therapy depends largely on the ease of use of the product and a solid body of knowledge associated with it. Proper research, with the exception of the Arconi-Israel et al trial has yet to be conducted on a large scale. Thusly, no conclusive treatment methods can be developed.Before treating for seasonal affective depression and other psychological conditions, light therapy was thought to be effective in treating skin conditions such as psoriasis or skin acne. The treatment is still used to treat patients with psoriasis with limited success but is not as widely used for patients with skin acne. The feasibility of asking people to sit in front of a light box for several hours at a time for a relatively benign issue as skin acne is pointed to as the biggest cause of the ineffecti veness of the treatment. Light therapy is, however, an accepted from of treatment for psoriasis (Psoriasis. org).The type of light in this case involves the use of ultraviolet B rays which can cause skin irritation. Treatment has to be more closely monitored than during light therapy used for SAD. Despite this, UVB rays have been shown to penetrate the skin and affect underlying skin cells, thereby slowing their growth and slowing the process of psoriasis. Light therapy is used more often for the treatment of seasonal affective depression, by far. Research for this type of use far exceeds any other method of treatment. The Society for Light Treatment and Biological Systems advocates the use of light therapy as an effective treatment for the disorder.People suffering from SAD report greatly increased amounts of daily sleep, general state of chronic depression and avoidance of social situations. While many people experience â€Å"the winter blues†, reported to be as much as thr ee times as many people as those with clinical SAD, actual SAD is an extreme level of depression that affects the daily life of those suffering from it (slbtr. org). With the first use of light therapy to treat an engineer suffering from chronic depression on an annual basis to today, light therapy has been used as a significant treatment of the psychological disorder.Unfortunately, despite the use of light therapy for the widespread treatment of SAD, concrete evidence linking it to the effective treatment of the disorder is rare. The same problems afflicting the dementia studies exist in the SAD studies. Development of an acceptable experiment, acquiring suitable patients and the relative difficulty of recording immediate results have all held back the proliferation of the treatment for treating SAD. Conclusion Light therapy, just like most other alternative medical treatments, has had difficulty in developing a solid body of evidence in support of the hypotheses that have been att ached to it.Effective treatment of SAD, some skin disorders and several types of sleep disorders have been shown to be treatable by light therapy. Dementia, other forms of depression and even cancer have been shown to be inconclusively treatable by light therapy. That does not mean, however, that light therapy is not effective in solving issues with anything other than seasonal affective disorder or sleep disorders. Problems of proper experimental method, small amounts of people tested and efficacy of the treatment have impeded light therapy clinical trials.Unfortunately, cultural roadblocks lie in the way of the widespread use of light therapy. Further research of light therapy is necessary in several fields of the subject. First, conclusive evidence of the link between light therapy and its leading treatable syndrome, SAD, is necessary. A proper, supervised and controlled clinical trial must be developed that can be accepted by the peers of those experimenting. Once that is create d, a large number of subjects must be tested in order to prevent external variables from affecting the statistical outcomes of the experiment.Once conclusive evidence is determined on the efficacy of treating SAD with light therapy, further research can be conducted in other treatments such as certain types of skin cancers. As difficult as this may seem by itself, funding is limited for most alternative medical treatments. Funding of the treatment must be acquired in order for light therapy to be proven as a compelling method of treatment. In the meantime, light therapy will continue to be used as a method of treating seasonal affective depression and several types of sleep disorders. References â€Å"ACS :: Light Therapy.† American Cancer Society :: Information and Resources for Cancer: Breast, Colon, Prostate, Lung and Other Forms. N. p. , n. d. Web. 17 May 2010. . Ancoli-Israel S, Gehrman P, Martin JL, et al. 2003a. Increased light exposure consolidated sleep and strengthe ns circadian rhythms in sever Alzheimer’s disease patients. Behav. Sleep Med 1. 22-36. â€Å"Light therapy – MayoClinic. com. † Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for healthy living – MayoClinic. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 17 May 2010. .â€Å"National Psoriasis Foundation – Phototherapy. † National Psoriasis Foundation – National Psoriasis Foundation: Dedicated to finding a cure. N. p. , n. d. Web. 17 May 2010. . Physicians, American College of Chest. ACCP Sleep Medicine Board Review 2008:Course Syllabus. 1 ed. Basel: S. Karger Publishing, 2008. Print. â€Å"Q&A on Bright Light Therapy. † Columbia University in the City of New York. N. p. , n. d. Web. 17 May 2010. . Rohan, Kelly J. , Kathryn A. Roecklein, Kathryn Tierney Lindsey, Leigh G. Johnson, Robert D.Lippy, Timothy J. Lacy, and Franca B. Barton. â€Å"A Randomized Control Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Light Therapy and Their Combination for Seasonal Affectiv e Disorder. † Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 75. 3 (2007): 489-500. Print. Skjerve , Arvid , Bjorn Bjorvatn, and Fred Holsten. â€Å"Light Therapy for Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of of Dementia. † International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 19 (2004): 516-522. Print. â€Å"Society for Light Treatment & Biological Rhythms. † Society for Light Treatment & Biological Rhythms. N. p. , n. d. Web. 17 May 2010. .

Response to Shakespeare Essay

The key character within the mechanicals is Bottom. In the Hoffman version he presents Bottom as a useless dreamer and even gives Bottom wife who actually says ‘he is a useless dreamer’. He is also portrayed as a bit of a town clown as he begins to perform in front of the town people a couple of kids pour red wine all over his white suit. The crowd that has gathered then begins to laugh and no one goes to comfort him or try and catch the kids that poured the wine, they just stand and laugh at him. In the noble version he is portrayed as a larger than life character that everyone appears to love. The actor that has been cast to play this part, who is larger than any other actor in the film, reinforces this larger than life character. The nest group of characters that Shakespeare throws upon the audience are the fairies, which I mentioned earlier. He takes the audience straight to the heart of the fairy world by showing the King and Queen of fairies, Oberon and Titania. They appear to be having a fight, or a lover tiff and this appears to have a direct affect on the mortal world as when they are arguing the weather is wet and stormy. Also because of this argument between the King and Queen the rest of the fairy world is seen to be in disorder. This is shown in the Hoffman version by their being a party and fairies getting drunk and causing general chaos within the fairy world. In Shakespearean times there were only a limited amount of props that Shakespeare could use during his play therefore he had to transport the audience to the fairy world using their imagination. Shakespeare only had a fraction of what is available to use today in his plays and therefore heavily relied on the audience power of imagination and his ability to create a place by using mere words. Shakespeare uses his words very effectively by emphasising the beauty and richness of the fairy world by using world like, orbs, gold coats and rubies. Another technique Shakespeare uses to try and place the audience inside the fairy world is alliteration. Alliteration helps outline the key words in the sentence and reinforces the beauty of the words that Shakespeare uses. An example of alliteration is in Act 2 Scene 1 when Puck says’ ‘And now they never meet in grove of green, By fountain clear or spangled starlight sheen. ‘ Alliteration is used at the end of both of these lines and imprints a picture of beauty into the audience’s mind. Each director confronts the problem of giving the audience the idea that they are changing realms relative to their respective budget. The Hoffman version uses rich props and obscure settings, such as big colourful trees, to resemble the fairy world. Where as in the Noble version where there is a much smaller budget the fairy realm is represented by different colours and lighting effects and a minimal amount of obscure props, such as big umbrellas that the fairies float in on. Through out the play the theme of dreaming becomes very important and is in fact so important it is in the title of the play. Six characters falling asleep and dreaming during the play, which also reinforce the idea of dreaming. When characters fall asleep and dream it causes confusion with the character that has been dreaming and sometimes the dream even stretches to characters around the sleeper. This is when reality and dreams become so closely entwined it becomes impossible for the characters, and the audience to some extent, to tell between the two. An example of this is Bottom, from the mechanicals, when he has a short relationship with Titania and an ass’s head on his shoulders. When he arises he doesn’t know whether his escapade with Titania was reality or just a dream. The fairies playing tricks with the lovers’ emotion’s and feelings as the put fairy dust in their eyes that reinforce this general feel of confusion. This is done while they sleep so when they wake up and are unsure of what they feel about the people closest to them. Examples of this are with Demetrius and Lysander, both of whom where fixated upon Hermia but when they feel asleep they arose madly in love with Helena and couldn’t care less about Hermia because of what the fairies had done while they were sleeping. Dreaming is also reinforced throughout this play as most of it is set in the dark at night time where dreaming traditionally takes place. Also when in the dark, objects are seen in different light and can be construed in the imagination to look like anything as their shadows mangle the shape of the actual object. In the Noble version the power of the subconscious mind is focused on much more than in the Hoffman version, as Noble uses weird sets and strange costumes throughout the play but especially in the woods where so much confusion and mystification occurs. Not only the actual things the viewers see on the screen are used to create this image of a very powerful subliminal world that this play is set in but also the way in which Noble lays out the play. Noble adds a boy to the play and makes it appear as if the play is the boy’s dream and therefore Noble is able to make the play run like a dream which gives him more freedom to make the play more surreal. This idea of the play being the boy’s dream comes from the opening seen when the audience is taken inside a house to the boy that is sleeping with a copy of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ under his arm. The boy is then suddenly awake exploring a house that is larger than and very unrealistic as doors are enlarged and the boy is made to be very small amongst these huge objects. The reason for the boy dreaming these sequences of events could be because he has read the play as a sort of bedtime story and literal events that could have happened around him or within his family. The boy could have jumbled up the two; reality and fiction, in his subconscious mind and when he fell asleep these idea could have come through. The Noble version could also be thought to take the play to the next level if you like thinking the play to be a more deeper philosophical type of play, rather than a light hearted romantic comedy which Shakespeare original wrote it to be. This philosophical reasoning could be construed as that there is no reality and we all live in one huge dream. In conclusion when comparing the two plays yet they consist of exactly the same characters that say exactly the same words they are quite different. The Noble version appears to be a much funnier play than the Hoffman play becomes of the way certain characters, especially the mechanicals, are presented to the audience. Along with the idea that the Noble version is funnier I believe because Noble has tried to make the play funnier he has also added more fantasy that the Hoffman version mainly because of the sets, back drops and costumes that Noble had decided to use. I think that the Noble version appeals to a younger audience than the Hoffman version does because of its funnier side than the Hoffman version but not a wide spread basis, the film will never be nominated for a BAFTA award or anything of that sort because of its low budget. Where as the Hoffman version has a much higher budget and will therefore appeal to filmgoers rather than people who like to watch Shakespeare on stage. Because of its glamour, lush background and expensive actors I feel that the Hoffman is more magical because Hoffman is able to use whatever set he pleases or go out on location and ‘doll’ up a place to his satisfaction, Noble I don’t think never had that luxury. I think it is more magical because the of setting that Hoffman presents with the film, for example when the audience is taken into the woods and the fairy land I think that the tree in which they are partying appears quite magical. I also feel that the Hoffman version is more romantic because the actors and actresses are always quite close to each and the opening scene illustrates this in the Hoffman version where Hermia, Lysnander and Helena are all pressed closed together. Overall I think that the Noble version is better because I like the way in which Noble has presented the mechanicals and feel that it is more light hearted than the Hoffman version. I also think that the Hoffman version has tried too hard to create the sets that Shakespeare writes about throughout the play and at times is a bit over the top with the backgrounds.