The housing crisis in the U.S Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The housing crisis in the U.S - Coursework Example The current economic malaise in US constitutes an intertwined cobweb of factors hat have triggered a downturn in various economic dimensions and dynamics, on national and international scales. The crisis can be blamed on various factors characterizing the last 20 years period. The medium to short term triggers of the crisis can be traced back to 2005 when house prices surged and started dropping in late 2006.The crisis has burst the housing bubble which has even aggravated the current economic situation in the US which according to economists is already tantamount to a recession. The peak of the crisis heightened particularly remarkably in August 2008 with the U.S treasury declaring the collapsing housing financial system as the highly significant threat to the US economy.The raised foreclosure rates in the 2006-2007 period by US homeowners has resulted in a sub prime, mortgage, hedge and various fiscus dimensions even beyond the housing loaning systems. Many economic analyses have b een misguided in their attempt to break down and unravel the cobweb of factors leading to the build up of the economic and housing crisis held as most phenomenal after the great Depression in the 1970s in the US. Many analysts have attributed the collapse of the global financial system to the destabilisation of the mortgage and housing crisis. Salient provenances of the housing crisis which is inalienable from the economic crisis enlists in its core the lack of feasible and clairvoyant regulatory framework for the moderation and stabilisation as well as sustenance of the financial institutions in the US. The ramifications and ripples of the US economic crisis have swept across global landscapes owing to the long criticized financial system devised after the World wars in which the US economy is the heartbeat of global economic paradigm leaving the entire world susceptible to upheavals rocking the US economy. Root causes Steve Latter (2008) has listed the following as the top six causes of the financial crisis in their perceived order of significance. Although the first three are not directly related to the mortgage and housing paradigms the exploration of the housing or mortgage crisis in the US and in the state of Virginia particularly can not be intact without the streamlining of all variables of the multifaceted problem into perspective. 1. Indefinite and inaccurate regulatory edict which permitted financial firms to move to too high ratios of mortgage-backed securities to collateral debt. 2. The lack of substantial focuses on the banking and financial firms' ratio of assets to debt by banking and financial services company regulators. 3. New accounting regulations crafted Sarbanes Oxley (regulation passed after Enron) were too traditionalist resultantly leading to the undervaluation of assets like mortgage- securities. This in turn caused bank debtors to leverage on the bank. 4. Private companies and their leadership made lending decisions out of greed whilst also flouting money lending standards. This was done in the aims of pulling more interest returns by lending to clients who were in Latter's terms "very risky bets". 5. Consumers borrowed what was more that they could afford. The blame on this aspect can be applied on both the borrowers and the lenders although lenders are overly expected to be firm to principle and economic logic when making lending decisions. 6. Miscalculated financial law promulgations which for instance compelled financial institutions like Fannie Mae to avail more loans to lower income clients which amounted high risk money lending. The unraveling US housing financial system has seen the filing for bankruptcy by various mortgage firms like American Home Mortgage (AHM) which is ranked as the US 10th biggest home loan firm.

Contemporary Art from the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contemporary Art from the Middle East - Essay Example The essay "Contemporary Art from the Middle East" discovers the exhibition Illuminance: An Elevation of Mind. The exhibition will feature the work of 12 internationally acclaimed and emerging artists from Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, and Turkey. All of the artists create sculptures and installations that reach beyond traditionalism, appreciating the authentic beauty of the culture which is being depicted. The work that these Middle Eastern artists have done is an aesthetic and intellectual adventure that records a personal journey and cuts a unique cross-section through culture. The exhibition focuses on the method of tracing and mapping a complex history of identity often misunderstood or misrepresented in the West. The exhibition also provides a new perspective that situates their work in an engaging and active space. Each artwork presents itself through multiple viewpoints: a fusion of both past and present, as well as between East and West. Moreover, the exhibi tion will include works by local artists including Adel Abdessemed, Dian Al-Hadid, Afruz Amighi, Yael Kanarek, Naama Tsabar, and internationally recognized artists like Mounir Fatmi, Susan Hefuna, Younà ¨s Rahmoun, Marwan Rechmaoui, Gulay Semercioglu, Mehmet Ali Uysal and Penny Hes Yassour to name a few. Illuminance showcases a variety of exciting ways in which contemporary artists are expressing themselves in the nuances of sculpture and installation art, which also includes collaborative efforts and mixed-media pieces.

Distinction Between Realism and Naturalism

Distinction Between Realism and Naturalism 1. Is the distinction between realism and naturalism worth preserving in discussion of film and/or television drama? To argue that the distinction between naturalism and realism is worth preserving the intention in this case is to explore classic and contemporary texts and attempt to make clear that naturalism alone is insufficient when discussing key themes and elements. To first examine the work of la novelle vague at first glance this film and cultural movement does not seem to be in keeping with the theory and approaches to cinematic realism. Critics would perhaps argue that The French new wave is a stylistic movement born from a frustration to the mainstream â€Å"Hollywood† conventions or â€Å"cinema du papa†. Although on the surface this may indeed be true, but it can be argued, that many of the texts coming out of the French new wave movement were indeed the height of realism. To first examine jean luc Godards classic film a bout de suffle or â€Å"breathless† this to some epitomises the stylistic new wave movement that was happening in France, and soon after Britain. Layered with superfluous stylistic techniques and dislocated continuity, watching breathless is undeniably a challenge. But breathless certainly meets the criteria of being a film entrenched in social realism. Godard uses real interior and exterior locations here, naturalistic performances, improvised dialogue (although cinematographer raul cautard refutes this), natural lighting and action is not a constant motivator of the editing. Perhaps from a first viewing one would think that breathless is film with all the codes of naturalism at work. However, breathless deals with many societal and cultural issues which are generic conventions of a realist text Firstly breathless cinematic approach is certainly stylised but Godard fuses realistic camera techniques with stylistic flair, although the spectator is often jostled and at a loss at times with breathless as Godard subverts many traditional filmic conventions, but: â€Å"It is usually a â€Å"revolt† against previous conventions which characterises a break towards realism in the arts†. Raymond Williams. For example, Michel drives to Marseilles, the cinematography is a mix between the cars passenger seat as it jostles with the bumps of the road and right on top of the cars bonnet, bringing the spectator in the thick of the action, instead of at a distance from it, much like a naturalist approach. Michel sings and talks to himself in the car and shockingly looks directly into the camera and states â€Å"if you dont like the sea, if u dont like the mountains, if u dont like the big city, then get stuffed†. This acknowledgement by Michel is important as it alludes to him acting in a role, breaking the hermetic barrier between film and viewer, and reminds the viewer that this is actually a film, and this is one of many direct address shots within the film. This is a break of the â€Å"suspension of disbelief† and this is important because this is an act of defiance, normally associated with current affairs, fact based programming and Godard fuses this into a work of fiction . This fusion further makes claims of realism. Moreover, Godard here and elsewhere utilizes the theory of Bertolt Brecht, wherein this instant of direct address reminds the viewer that this is a â€Å"representation of reality† and not reality in itself, the viewer is not left passively complacent, but challenged to engage through the very nature if it being unfamiliar and startling. A further shock in this scene is Michels imitation of a pistol firing, and the noise is disturbingly loud compared to the soundtrack, and the spectator is given a visceral shock out of passivity. Although somewhat confusingly; on the whole the audience is never far from the characters, their world and their lives. to reinforce this claim Godard is a an exponent of continuous action and deep focus, for instance the scene in which Michel and Patricia walk along the champs Elsie Godard follows the couple in a continuous tracking shot, this level of deep focus and the way in which the audience stays with the couple allows the audience insight into the filmic world because of our proximity to the characters. Furthermore in a continuous sequence whereby Michel goes to retrieve a check from his friend tolmatchoff, they meet and are followed walking through the foyer, tolmatchoff is called out of the shot, leaving Michel on his own, yet still there is no cutaway until Michel leaves the agency and the police arrive, this may seem peculiar but it allows the audience choice on what or who to focus their attention on; either one of the men or the surroundings. This is in effect an unmedi ated, unbiased presentation, and a similar convention is again seen in Scorseses Goodfellas. A notorious scene within breathless is interesting in particular, as it continues for thirty minutes without a cutaway or change of scene, Patricia and Michel sit in Patricias bedroom, talking about very little, the dialogue provides no insight to further character development nor plot, but it could be deemed that this extraneous dialogue instead of being the usual enunciator of genre and / or narrative progress, that it is the enunciation of realism. By contrast within a naturalism text the cinematography would be dealt with subtly i.e, establishing and wide shot, eyeline matches, and sequences of shot / reverse shots, this is important as this is a classic continuity editing, with its purpose to be submissive to narrative action. To compare the grocery store scene in the very first episode of coronation street; to Michel meeting tolmatchoff in breathless. In each a character moves about the environment, in the first a cut is made when dialogue alludes to something important to plot, character or narration, in breathless, no cuts are made but fluid camera work keeps the spectator involved. In coronation street there is obvious care taken towards the mimicry of real life. â€Å"Kitchens sink† drama, and relatable content; on the surface should personify notions of naturalism. But the distinction between naturalism and realism in Coronation Street become too interweaved and blurred to maintain any distinction between the two. Cinematographically it is loaded with naturalist techniques, but thematically Coronation Street is infused with cultural and societal issues, the family, community, class frustrations and personal relationships. The transition of these would be none existent if naturalism is a sole a pproach. Both godard and the television soap: coronation street both employ realist conventions in different but interesting ways. Coronation Street is fuelled with notions of the â€Å"invisible observer†, this is indeed mediated but allows the communication of real themes: â€Å"The natural transference of attention of an imaginary observer.†.â€Å"an observer ideally mobile in space and time.†. p9 In stark contrast to the brechtian inspired Breathless, the invisible observer nevertheless a form that allows codes of realism to be transmitted. Instead of sneering at the passive spectator utilizes the concept to communicate themes entrenched in realism. In terms of cinematography breathless employs subversive techniques; from the very start of the film we begin in disequilibrium with the lack of a clear establishing shot, soon after the 180 rule is also broken, and throughout Godard uses constant close-ups, these halt narrative action. So these and other cinematographic techniques are not motivated by narration, but style. Godard on the whole is disinterested in the pursuit of the overall narrative, but the relationship between Michel and Patricia, this again is a defiance of classical forms of narration as traditionally cinematography are subservient to narrative. Editing is invisible and unobtrusive. But because the cinematography and editing are self conscious.. and editing which must by default further the layers of realism at work within breathless The characterisation at work within a bout de suffle is certainly not one dimensional, although both Michel could be defined as a sexist or misogynist but he is an outdated stereotype, although he succeeds with his active sexism, stealing from a woman he appears to know etc, he is inevitably punished by the end, although by far this is not activism in breathless, but it does blaze the trail for new thinking between the genders and more importantly these readings are available within the text which further solidify the need to maintain realism and Furthermore Patricias character could be deemed progressive in terms of realism rather than transgressive, she has a clear understanding of her own identity unlike the romanticism of Michel. she understands she must enrol in Sorbonne to study to maintain her life in France, and when she meets her business friend van doude, his lechery seems manipulated by her for her pursuit to further her journalism career, and critically she is indeed Michels demise in the end, this is one of the first representations of women that has not been submissive to patriarchy, Michel constantly lusts after Patricia but she constantly thwarts him but has no problem using her own sexuality to further her own cause, Patricia is in complete control of her fortune. Furthermore she does not take a supporting role like perhaps a young woman would in an Ealing Melodrama, nor does Michel conform to a traditional protagonist, for example his hero; bogart in Casablanca, appears in every single shot within the film, he drives the narrative, however, Michel appears in a small fraction, these further the pursuit of realism within breathless, cinematically and ideologically as godard again further subverts cinematic convention, with representation and sporadic use of his protagonist. Also the transgressive character types break the mould The causality seems bizarre in breathless, Michel is shown going about mundane tasks, irrelevant action is used by Godard instead of a classical mode of narration, i.e action motivates editing and narrative choices. Because Godard subverts this it again falls into a realism category, furthermore as Roland Barthes discusses: â€Å"The narrative process; providing neither narrative information nor character insight, it is, in effect, their function to signify â€Å"reality†, to furnish the â€Å"effect of the real†. Although fraught with ideologies, breathless is not an explicitly political text, the only political allusion is the presidential motorcade. For me this is realist convention not based in naturalism, it gives particularly Michel another dimension. It creates juxtaposition between the cultural youth enterprising psyche in France at the time, and disillusionment felt by many of the youth who didnt adapt to this dogma, but also conforms to the â€Å"new wave trope of the anti- hero. This leads to an issue of the individuals place within society, the audience learns very little about Michel and the information we do glean is questionable, he seems to have no real roots, but he and Patricia both seem socially alienated, and somewhat disenfranchised with society, others may read these characters as fairly simple, that they respond to and are influenced by just their surrounding etc, which would fit into a naturalist framework but i argue, they are both amoral but and disillusioned stemmin g from a larger societal problem: that of the cultural void left by world war two. Michel is metonymic for the French youth during the 1950s. For me this can only be qualified by Michels lust after Patricia, a young American woman, and the constant mimicry of his idol: Humphrey Bogart, also American. In other words, post WW2 France is a cultural vacuum and American consumerism / capitalism has replaced the â€Å"old† France. This reading into a bout de soufflà © is based on a realism school of thought, so the distinction between naturalism and realism is a pertinent one to maintain, otherwise the â€Å"real life† drama behind social realism texts cannot be found. In contrast to this, coronation street alludes to nothing global, political or religious, in this way it is the height of being secular, but because of this coronation street has â€Å"space† to concentrate on the universality of human emotion and dilemma. The lack of a traditional realism category in Coronation Street allows thematic space for â€Å"everyday† reality to be conveyed. To return to breathless and Michels emulation of Humphrey Bogart is evidence that godard is critically aware of Hollywood iconography and conventions, breathless is peppered with noir / gangster genre tropes, Michels trilby, and urban landscape, guns, the police investigation etc. Although this genre does not frame Godards text, however it is interweaved with the tradition of realism or rather the representation of the â€Å"real†, most importantly as Michel is punished and killed at the films climax. Furthermore, Godards use of the jump cut and other unsettling devices, these all disrupt the narrative and genre from doing their â€Å"conventional† roles. So the culmination of these must be that Godard is aware of these Hollywood tropes but either subverts them or denies them working at all for me this blazes a trail for social and socially extended realism to show through. But even this is morphed, as the spectator is not thrown into the film world much like the effect of Boyles Trainspotting, but rather the spectator oscillates between consuming narrative action and objectively engaging with it. It would be easy to mistake Coronation Street for sheer naturalism, or any television soap as a naturalist text, for many reasons. But as discussed below the surface there is a pool of depth that is in keeping with notions of realism. To contrast a assumed naturalist text in Coronation Street to a literal naturalist text in Shakespeares King Lear, the differences are stark, although a very old text, the contrast is still interesting, the subject matter is high class monarchy, the characters motivations are clear, money, power, love. And all characters are influenced by each other and their environment, there is little ambiguity nor psychological and philosophical depth. Contrasting Shakespeares classic work with Coronation Street where human emotion and interaction is explored this twinned with the ideological presentation of character in Breathless. It becomes clear that naturalism provides very little in terms of exposing any â€Å"truth† within an audio visual text. Continuing with naturalism, although with reference to theatre Jean Jullien (1854-1919) states: â€Å"A play is a slice of life put onstage with art.† This quote perhaps personifies Shakespeares work, in this case. It is a slice of life, a snapshot of the â€Å"real†, without the any of the characteristics of either being real i.e. Coronation Street; Or representing reality, I.e. Godards Breathless. To explore naturalism I wish to discuss the television drama: Coronation Street, specifically the very first episode as it is perhaps more suitable of the time period when considering Godards breathless, naturalism and its conventions are in stark contrast with regard to the issues previously discussed. Coronation Street is motivated by trying to recreate â€Å"real† life. Coronation street is not fraught with economic, political or ideological concepts, its main focus is on individual relationship and the interaction between them, and on there environment, and because of this there is a certain distance between viewer and there are obvious distinctions between these two texts on the exterior coronation street here makes use of indoor naturalist settings, furthermore the use of regionalised specifically northern characters, Coronation Street begins with an establishing shot of the street accompanied by extra digetic music, setting the particular setting and the regional place, i.e brass music, with its links to northern heritage. The audience enters a small shop, all camera movement and editing is submissive to dialogue and action, although most prominently shown within the dinner table scene with ken Barlow, rapid cuts are utilized to focus on whichever character speaks, this is classic continuity editing, this is an invisible unobtrusive technique and as the performances are naturalistic it forces the audience the focus of the â€Å"reality† at work. Although breathless deals with subversive character types, coronation street deals with existing stereotypes, for association in the audience, the working classes most prominently with â€Å"kitchen sink† subject matter. This is a form of socially extended realism. The material in Coronation Street is realistic: Poverty, economy and class are intimated within the drama but it always kept within the boundaries of how these issues effect the individual. For this reason it would be deemed Coronation Street is socially extended realism. For example Ken Barlows parents feel he is rejecting his roots, a class issue; dealt with within the confines of the dynamics of family relationships. So the primary focus of this television drama is the mimesis between screen and real life,

Small Treasure Box :: essays research papers

Small Treasure Box   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beneath the glowing sensation of the sun, lies water throughout the miles, but the question Pam would ask herself was what were the really wondered what would lie beneath the sea. Looking out of her balcony, into the ocean she remembered that there might have been human forms, with just no legs. For there where legend of years ago that they had to chooses between the sea and land. They had chosen the sea rather then the land for it was safer out in the water then in land. For what they chose they would give up the ability to walk but they received fins so they could swim. The myth her grandma had told her made her wonder about many things she saw. She became as curious as a cat, she would look in every corner of the house just to what she could find.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She became more and more curious as she got older. She would look in drawers and books to see what she could learn about each thing she found. On day she was roaming around her house like usual, she was walking so the hall when she spot a small treasure box made out of wood and strange symbols at the sides in a self. It had seemed strange to her that she had never seen it. She took it to her dad and asked if he could open it for her, for it had a slivery and goldish lock on it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Daddy, Daddy look what I found,† said Pam.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, hold on a minute honey,† respond her father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Look at this little wooden box that I found, Can you open the lock though† she exclaimed. Her father frozen and stared at the tiny object his daughter was holding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, dear where did you find this Pam?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Outside, in the hall way, the one that leads to the patio.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pam, promise me that whatever people say to you, you won’t open this box!† he explained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why, daddy. Why can’t I open it and see whats inside? I found it. So it belongs to,† She replied angrily.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pam, The only thing I am telling you is that you can’t and will not be opening this box until I have decided that you can, it that understood?† taking the wooden box out of her hands and dismissing her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While leaving her father’s library she stood outside the door to spy where her father was going to hide it. Small Treasure Box :: essays research papers Small Treasure Box   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beneath the glowing sensation of the sun, lies water throughout the miles, but the question Pam would ask herself was what were the really wondered what would lie beneath the sea. Looking out of her balcony, into the ocean she remembered that there might have been human forms, with just no legs. For there where legend of years ago that they had to chooses between the sea and land. They had chosen the sea rather then the land for it was safer out in the water then in land. For what they chose they would give up the ability to walk but they received fins so they could swim. The myth her grandma had told her made her wonder about many things she saw. She became as curious as a cat, she would look in every corner of the house just to what she could find.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She became more and more curious as she got older. She would look in drawers and books to see what she could learn about each thing she found. On day she was roaming around her house like usual, she was walking so the hall when she spot a small treasure box made out of wood and strange symbols at the sides in a self. It had seemed strange to her that she had never seen it. She took it to her dad and asked if he could open it for her, for it had a slivery and goldish lock on it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Daddy, Daddy look what I found,† said Pam.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, hold on a minute honey,† respond her father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Look at this little wooden box that I found, Can you open the lock though† she exclaimed. Her father frozen and stared at the tiny object his daughter was holding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, dear where did you find this Pam?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Outside, in the hall way, the one that leads to the patio.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pam, promise me that whatever people say to you, you won’t open this box!† he explained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why, daddy. Why can’t I open it and see whats inside? I found it. So it belongs to,† She replied angrily.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pam, The only thing I am telling you is that you can’t and will not be opening this box until I have decided that you can, it that understood?† taking the wooden box out of her hands and dismissing her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While leaving her father’s library she stood outside the door to spy where her father was going to hide it.

Old Age Home Essay

Abstract The elderly population is rising globally and similar trends are being observed not only in Asia but also in Pakistan. A developing country facing several challenges in the form of political instability, lack of economic growth, low savings of the elderly, weak pension system, makes life challenging for the elderly. Pakistan’s demographic trends show that between 1990 till 2010, the population aged 60+ years increased by 75.1 %. It is projected that the life expectancy will increase to 72 years by 2023. WHO report (1998) projected that 5.6 % of Pakistan’s population was over 60 years of age, with a probability of doubling to 11 % by the year 2025. Pakistan is a socially cohesive society and elders are valued and respected. It is normally considered to be the responsibility of the eldest son to take care of their parents. In spite of a socially cohesive society in Pakistan, in some segments, norms have been changing and recently, one can notice a clear turn down of the e xtended family system. Children leave their parents and there is no one who could look after their needs. Consequently, the abandoned parents land up in old homes. With meager resources and a poor understanding of aging; Pakistan faces many challenges in caring as well as provision of facilities for its elderly population. This present report highlights the comparison between the quality of facilities that are provided to older people in home and private or government institutes. Future possibilities for improvement of facilities for the good health and wellbeing of our elderly are also discussed. Read more:  Problems Faced by Old Age People Introduction of gerontology Gerontology is an introduction to the field of human aging. Gerontology is multidisciplinary in nature as all aspects of human aging are viewed in this subject. This means that the study of aging combines information from several separate areas of study. Biology, sociology, and psychology are the â€Å"core† or basic areas, along with content from many other areas of study such as public policy, humanities, and economics. Gerontology includes the study of physical, mental, and social changes in older people as they age, the investigation of the changes in society resulting from our aging population as well as the application of this knowledge to policies and programs for the assurance of better quality of life for older people in the  community, the state and the nation. Taking care of our elders is an Islamic obligation and also an integral cultural norm in Pakistan. Despite being a socially cohesive society; the decline of extended family systems is evident. This has affec ted the respected status of the elderly enjoyed in their later years. As nuclear family system is increasing in urban areas, they are unable to take charge of the elderly due to many socio-economic and cultural constraints. So they have begun to seek assistance from formal institutions engaged in elderly care. Importance of gerontology: Gerontology is very important as people working in aging report great satisfaction in addressing the challenges of those who are growing older, helping to maintain the quality of their lives, and enjoying the wit, wisdom, and creativity of the older persons with whom they come in contact. Even as a student you can make a difference; your community can benefit from volunteer work you do with older persons. Later, as a professional in the field, you can continue to serve the community as a volunteer, for example, by speaking about various aspects of aging to civic and community groups or teaching in pre-retirement programs. Working in the field of aging provides an opportunity to influence positively the agencies and organizations serving older persons and the legislation and policies that affect their lives. Studying aging also gives you a perspective on your own aging and insight into the aging of your family members. Review of literature The older population has been growing at an unprecedented rate. In 1980, just prior to the convening of the First World Assembly on Ageing, there were 378 million people in the world aged 60 years or above. In followed figure has risen to 759 million over the past three decades and is projected to jump to 2 billion by 2050. Actual and projected global population aged 60 years or over, 1980, 2010 and 2050 Our Religion stresses a lot on the rights of elderly people and we are asked to serve elderly relatives of our parents if parents are not alive. We make  fun of the West that they send their parents to â€Å"Old Houses† and do not bother to inquire about them. Now if we analyze that what is happening to elderly people especially in the poverty struck rural areas it gives us following haunting facts : – Elderly people die miserably due to lack of food and medical attention. They develop psychotic disorders due to depression and dejection. They develop certain diseases by not eating healthy food which is not providing the necessary multi-vitamins needed to survive in the old age. Employee’s Old age benefits pension money is used by their family members. They have very limited social life. Lack of religious and basic education deprived them from doing anything useful to pass the time. Children of even well settled families tend to ignore grandparents who just need to share love with them and focus. Sheltered housing provides social contact and a secure environment that appeal to many older people. Sheltered housing has proven to be popular for a minority of people as alternatives to residential care or high intensity old homes. They provide flexible care and 2 accommodation suited to those with mobility problems. Satisfaction levels are high, particularly in relation to access to care and the provision of meals. Housing expectations changed, issues with this form of provision started to emerge in the 1980s. The difficulties identified in the provision of sheltered housing are now well known. A review of the factors leading to difficulties with letting sheltered accommodation (in England and Wales, 1994-5) found that 92% of local authorities and 79% of large housing ass ociations had encountered some difficulty in letting their stock. Furthermore, 8% of local authorities and 14% of housing associations found over half of their traditional sheltered housing units difficult to let (Tinker et al, 1995). Now be somewhat dated, though the issues encountered have been reiterated since then. Following are the old age homes difficulties or issues have been identified: Size of properties was often identified as particularly problematic, with bedsits being the least popular, and single bedroom flats being increasingly seen as too small for older people, particularly couples and those being encouraged to down-size from larger social rented housing. Access difficulties, particularly where properties are on upper floor without lift access; wheelchair access can also be problematic. Guidance on the development of  new sheltered housing in Scotland in 1980 specified that sheltered units should be on ground or first floor, unless a lift was provided (Scottish Development Department, 1980), and this was not revised with more accessible specifications until Housing for Varying Needs was introduced in 1998 (Pickles, 1998). The neighborhoods in which sheltered schemes are located have changed significantly since their initial development, with the closing of local shops and services, and reductions in public transport. They may also now be in areas where other housing and social issues make them unpopular for all tenants, not just older people. The introduction of the European working time directive and other developments in human resources mean that the role of the scheme manager has had to change. This also reflects the changing cli ent group that is living in sheltered housing. The increasing age of residents in sheltered schemes meant that the level of support available from the scheme manager was insufficient, and prior to the developments in widespread community cares and support services, this was a significant issue. Some areas may have an over-provision of sheltered housing units. Richard and Gill Walker, looks into the social context of housing for aged ones. It covers the demographic material, facts about social framework of old homes for older people. This includes a review of demographic information, evidence relating to the needs, perspectives and choices of the aged people with respect to this housing, along the problems of segregation and marginalization and their impact on their livings. Philip O. Sijuwade did his study about Self-Image of Aged which looks into the different approaches , stereotypes, and age factors which regulates suitable behaviors for the older ones(social image). It states that, old ones have developed their self-image too, which depicts the way they think of themselves and the way ‘others’ think of them. This is based on primary research states that stereotypes have been built about the aged people of the society and they are not treated in the way they deserve to be. Residential satisfaction of the older adults in ag e-segregated facilities is described by Sandra G. Reynolds and Julia O. Beamish which looks into the housing satisfaction of old home people with liberated living services. Twenty one residents contributed as a focus group and results showed that these old people liked  safe and secure atmosphere and value good design, friendly neighborhood, privacy and residential characteristics. G. Clare Wenger and Richard Davis, indicates that main factors of social isolation includes marital status, social interaction, health conditions, behavior of ‘others’, type of networking and loss of mobility. They conclude nothing could be generalized about it but trends in society have old ones feeling marginalized on this earth. It can vary on according to personal background and situation. In some cases, older ones are forced to live in a residentially segregated area whereas in other cases, aged people are themselves willing to have such segregation. The reasons for which older ones preferred institutional living arrangement are for preservation of dignity and respect, peace of mind, avoidance of familial conflict along with the provision by fulfillment of all basic needs, unwillingness to depend on family members on economic and social basis. One of the famous sociologists Livson conducted a research ,‘The Transition into Retirement and Old Age’ in 1962 and found that survival of family, economic condition and health condition along with other factors plays important role as individuals adopts to grow old. She is of the view that changes in economic and health status are not only the issues which require our attention. Most important issue is the adjustment of that particular person into the current situation according to the increasing age. references Project funded by a generous grant from Andrus Foundation  © Copyright 2001 — Careers in Aging http://www.careersinaging.com/careersinaging/what.html http://www.academia.edu/1854670/Aging_and_Elderly_in_Pakistan http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/documents/publications/current-status-older-persons.pdf http://www.careersinaging.com/careersinaging/why.html http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/84/90/65819084/documents/Aging%20in%20Pakistan.pdf

Influence of Cartoon on Children Essay

Cartoons are the most frequent and easily accessible source of entertainment which we provide to children. With the vastness of media and extension of channels, it has become easier for children to watch their favourite cartoons on a single click and at the same time it has become more convenient for parents to provide children with this all-time favourite activity of theirs. Time which was previously spent by children in outdoor activities is now replaced, as now they can be found glued to the TV sets for long hours, peering at all sorts of cartoons, mostly without the supervision of elders who are completely unaware that this might have certain effects on their psychological development later on displayed in their behaviour patterns. There is a wide range of cartoons from fairy tales like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to action-based cartoons like ‘Ben Ten’ and ‘Pokemon’. Children between the ages of 6-8 have different preferences; girls are usually into fairy tales and animated ‘Barbie’ series whereas boys and some girls even usually have their favourite super hero cartoons like ‘Spiderman’ or ‘Batman’ or action flicks like ‘Bay Blade’ or ‘Dragon Ball-z’. Children are at a stage when their minds are developing and forms impressions easily so parents need to be careful what they expose them with. Children have become much more interested in cartoons over many years and it has become a primary action to some lives. Typically, children begin watching cartoons on television at an early age of six months, and by the age two or three children become enthusiastic viewers. This has become a problem because too many children are watching too much television and the shows that they are watching (even if they are cartoons) have become violent and addictive. The marketing of cartoons has become overpowering in the United States and so has the subliminal messaging. The marketing is targeted toward the children to cause them to want to view the cartoons on a regular basis, but the subliminal messaging is for the adults’ to target them into enjoying the â€Å"cartoons†. This is unfortunate because children watch the cartoons on the television and they see material that is not appropriate for their age group. The Children who watch too much cartoons on television are more likely to have mental and emotional problems, along with brain and eye injuries and unexpectedly the risk of a physical problem increases. Television’s Effect on the Brain and Eyes In December 1997, an episode of the Japanese cartoon â€Å"Pocket Monster† (later renamed â€Å"Pokemon† for international distribution) drew worldwide attention after multiple cases of children suffering seizures after watching the episode were reported (Warner, 2004). Parents began to wonder how the cartoons their children watched affected their mental development. While no former study specifically relating to cartoons has taken place, multiple studies over the years have charted the impact of television on the minds and eyes of developing children. Most eye specialists agree that watching television is not a danger to the eyes, as long as children watch in the right conditions. The room should not be pitch black, and children should not sit closer than five feet away from the screen. Sitting in a dark room or closer than five feet will not damage the eyes, but will result in eye fatigue. (Adams, 1992). As for the brain, there is scientific evidence that too much television can be detrimental to children. The April 2004 issue of the medical journal Pediatrics published a study done by Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center of Seattle, Washington. The study revealed that children who watched three to four hours of television daily had a 30 to 40 percent greater risk of developing attention deficit disorder than children who did not watch television. While no specific program is directly responsible, Dr. Dimitri Christakis, leader of the study, speculates that the speed of the images displayed could affect children’s brains (Today’s Chiropractic, 2004). But does watching television give young children seizures? Yes, and no. A study released by The New England Journal of Medicine in July 2004 found that most children who suffered seizures from that December 1997 episode of â€Å"Pocket Monsters† had epilepsy, or some other underlying condition that would have caused development of seizures, regardless of whether or not they saw that program (Warner, 2004). TV’s Effect on Children’s Behavior Television has long been criticized for influencing our children. People complain that certain TV shows are having negative effects on their children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) both feel that TV does influence the behavior of children as young as one year old. From their studies, the AACAP states, â€Å"Children who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see. This speaks to the impressionable mindsets of young children, who are still learning control of their minds and bodies, and are likely to mimic what they see, as it seems quite normal to them. The AACAP also stresses the need for parents to keep a close eye on what their children watch. They must be there, the AACAP says, to explain that the cartoon character or actor that was shot has not been harmed, but would actually be seriously injured, or die in real life. They should also work to tell their children that violent behavior is not the best course of action to resolve a conflict. The AAP states â€Å"Neuroscientists have shown that environmental experiences significantly shape the developing brain. † This again adds to the idea that young children are very impressionable. They paid more attention to the effect of TV on children in their daily lives. â€Å"Higher levels† the AAP states, â€Å"of television viewing correlate with lowered academic performance, especially reading scores. This may be because television substitutes for reading practice, partially because the compellingly visual nature of the stimulus blocks development of left-hemisphere language circuitry. A young brain manipulated by jazzy visual effects cannot divide attention to listen carefully to language. † TV is a very quick medium. Messages are shot at the viewer as if by an automatic rifle. Their minds must be equally as quick to interpret the messages, and with such a â€Å"two-minute mind†, many messages are misinterpreted, or confused. When the child becomes used to receiving information at so fast a rate, they lose interest in information that is more detailed and methodical, such as the information received in day-to-day schooling. Television certainly does affect the children, who find themselves mesmerized by the bright flashing objects, and rapid assault of messages. It is good to know that the leaders of our medical professions feel that parents and supervisors of children are able to help slow the information down, and explain what the messages really mean, so as to have a more positive effect on our children. Auditory Subliminal Messaging in Children’s Cartoons The lessons that the media conveys to those parts of the mind without conscious perception through the cartoons that people watch, are referred to as subliminal messages. If that’s the Democraitc way, I am voting Republican. † This was said by Meowth in an episode of â€Å"Pokemon† that aired on Monday, October 11th, 2004 at 4:00 p. m. When children watch cartoons, they always pay attention to what is being said. In a child’s subconscious mind, he or she is exposed to auditory subliminal messages that they may never discover, but they will eventually become a part of their lives. Not all auditory subliminal messaging is negative. However, most of these messages have a negative effect on children. The interesting thing about the situation is that these messages are most common in popular cartoons. SpongeBob Squarepants has been on the air since 1999 on Nickelodeon. Today, it still remains popular and new episodes are still being created. It is now 2004 and people are speaking out against the messages that they found hidden in a number of episodes. The main allegation against SpongeBob Squarepants is its use of metaphors in place of profanity. When he is disappointed, SpongeBob will often yell out â€Å"Tartar Sauce†. To an adult ear, that phrase may sound like it is intended to represent a curse word. Also belonging to the Nickelodeon station is â€Å"Rugrats†. It has been on the air since 1991. The show is often seen as prurient or â€Å"sex driven†. The last name of the main characters is â€Å"Pickles† which is a euphemism for the male genitalia. Lou Pickles usually calls his grandson, Tommy Pickles by the name â€Å"sprout†. It has been argued that this nickname is also a euphemism for the male genitalia as well. Angelica Pickles represents the S&M of â€Å"Rugrats† because constantly physically and verbally abuses the babies. Lesbianism is also portrayed in this cartoon. Phil and Lil’s mom, Betty Deville is what we would call a â€Å"Bull Dyke† because she wears a bandana, hangs out with feminine women, yells a lot, and loves sports. When parents choose what cartoons to let their children watch, they want to make sure that these cartoons are appropriate for general audiences. If a parent was to find profane or sexual language in the content of a cartoon, they wouldn’t allow their children to watch that cartoon anymore. People who create popular cartoons are careful to not allow any vulgar content to be incorporated into their cartoons. However, every cartoon can’t be made perfectly safe for viewing by children and some of the verbal content may be mistaken for auditory subliminal messages.