Friday, May 31, 2019

Soliloquy Essay - Theatre and Language in the Soliloquies of Shakespear

Theatre and Language in the Soliloquies of Hamlet The first Folio is prefaced with an address to the reader to Read him once again and again. In terms of words and action, Hamlet is the most self conscious play about its own theatricality. Words and actions throughout the play ar inextricably linked, as is the notion of playing a part. From the outset of the play we see evidence of the external show compared with the underlying reality. In Act One, Hamlets saving to Gertrude (Nay seems...etc) shows us the Prince talking about actions that a man might play and also about what is inside him which passes show. (NB Action in Elizabethan description meant acting) Throughout the play we see inner reality beneath the surface performances of not only Hamlet, but other characters, too. Hamlet has only one-liners at the beginning of the play until we hear his first soliloquy, which is an attempt to look at that within, which passes show. The soliloquies create a bond between the characte r and the audience and were a dramatic convention inherited from Greek drama. By the time of Shakespeare they had moved away from commentaries on the plot and events of the play and had become illustrative of the inner thoughts of the character. In the soliloquy the character tells the truth as he perceives it, although truth is subjective and can have different meanings for different characters. In Hamlet we have heptad soliloquies, five major and two smaller ones, and Hamlets character is revealed through them as the play progresses. Hazlitt - This is that Hamlet the Dane...whom we remember...but all whose thoughts we cope as well as we know our own..Reality is in the readers mind..It is we who are Ham... ...so to the grave. Hamlet describes himself as Crawling between earth and heaven. Shakespeares audience would have had a physical picture of this before them, which added gravid weight to the imagery of his text, as of course would the scuffle over Ophelias corpse. At the e nd of the play Hamlet stops musing and the language becomes very transport and simple, there is a divinity.. the readiness is all. In the final scene Hamlet acts in all senses of the word, and theatre takes over. The final speeches are terse and persuade references to the theatricality of the occasion. he refers to the mutes (extras on stage) and the audience to this act. Fortinbras commands him to be carried to the stage, perhaps a last comment on a play which is characterised so much as actors playing to actors in a kind of Chinese box puzzle of outward show and inner secrets.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

The Marxist Formula in Emechetas The Joys of Motherhood Essay

The Marxist Formula in Emechetas The Joys of Motherhood Marx states that we are truly free only when people place themselves in a position to control their deliver historical destiny(Slaughter 25).Britains imperial colonization of Africa triggered vast change within the tribal civilizations thriving on the continent prior to European bloodline. For the Africans, these changes altered every direct of their culture language, religion, as well as ancient tribal customs. But one of the most devastating aspects of the British colonization in Africa was the European stinting schema capitalism. Capitalism left many Africans reeling from its destructive impact on tribal economies. Nowhere is this more evident than in The Joys of Motherhood, Buchi Emechetas tale of the British occupation of Nigeria in the 1930s and 1940s. Emechetas skillfully constructed story uses various literary devices to develop empathy for her characters suffering at the hands of the English. However, underlyi ng these literary techniques -- and boosting the storys governmental objectives -- exists a Marxist economic analysis of the colonial system. Emechetas Marxist examination provides an outline for illustrating how imperialistic capitalism alienated Africans from their culture, and from one another, causing irreparable equipment casualty to the social fabric of Nigeria. The Marxist argument in The Joys of Motherhood demonstrates how the root of the characters downfall is the socioeconomic shift from the tribal economic paradigm to the exploitative, capitalist system used by the British.However, Emecheta also criticizes her tribal cultures oppressive hierarchy, illustrating the Ibo treatment of slaves and of women. So although European colonialism... ...Marx and the Sources of Critical Theory. New Jersey Rowman and Littlefield, 1981.Jameson, Fredric. Marxism and Form Twentieth-Century Dialectical Theories of Literature. 2nd ed. Princeton Princeton UP, 1974.Magubane, Bernard, and Nzongola-Ntalaja, eds. Proletarianization and descriptor Struggle in Africa. Contemporary Marxism Series. San Francisco Synthesis, 1982.Richter, David. The Critical Tradition Classic and Contemporary Trends. 2nd ed. Boston Bedford, 1998.Selden, Raman, and Peter Widdowson. A Readers Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. tertiary ed. Lexington UP of Kentucky, 1993.Slaughter, Cliff. Marxism, Ideology and Literature. London Macmillan, 1980.Tyson, Lois. Critical Theory Today A User-Friendly Guide. New York Garland, 1999.Wallerstein, Immanuel. Africa The Politics of Independence. New York Vintage, 1961.

Behavioral Differences in Humans Essay -- Diversity Development Gender

Behavioral Differences in HumansHow do people behave? What makes us act the way we do? There are as many another(prenominal) polar answers as there are people. Each person is a unique makeup of individual characteristics which blend together to form the personality, the manner of the person. We kindle identify certain large-minded characteristics of groups of people and apply them to individuals to get an idea of how they testament behave in a given situation. This is called stereotyping and, when taken too far, will give a distorted picture of what to expect of a persons behavior. While you can never get a fully accurate picture of how someone will behave based on their demographics and characteristics, you can make certain general guesses that will point you generally in the right direction regarding their behavior. The just about popular and fun characteristic to use to point to behavioral differences is probably gender. Numerous books have been written about the differenc es in the midst of men and women. Certain broad characteristics are identified that point at the broad gap in perspective that each gender has in viewing the world. A man sees a room and may see the functionality of it what is the rooms use, its purpose. Does the room meet the requirements for fulfilling that purpose? What improvements can be made to better use this room? What is the graphic symbol of construction of this room? A woman sees the room and sees the color. How does the room look? How does she spirit in that room? She envisions her family in that room, her friends. These are broad differences and may not be wholly accurate in the individual case, but in the genders in general, this will prove to be fairly representative of the behavior of the twain populations.I tend to agree with scientists who study the human brain to try to identify the differences between the genders. According to studies, there is a greater link between the left and right hand sides of the brain in women than in men. The right hand side of the brain is broadly in charge of creativity and emotion the left hand side of the brain of calculation and reason. This gives women broader access to their creative and emotional aspects than men and makes them perceive the world differently. I believe this difference in perspective explains much of the difference between genders and can explain much of the differences in behavior. This is still a general ... ...f the world there is some religious tradition among all of them. The atheist believes that there is no god. Is this built on more evidence than the man who holds cows to be sacred? Can it be scientifically proven that there is no god? One tenet of logic says that it is impossible to prove a negative. The atheist therefore is practicing a different form of religion. Ultimately, religion guides your behavior because it answers the question what happens when I die. If you feel that your actions in this life govern your lot in you r next reincarnation, you will behave accordingly. If you feel that when you die your body simply rots in the casket and nothing survives, this also guides your behavior. If you feel that if you kill infidels you will be rewarded with seventy virgins for your eternal afterlife, you will vary your behavior. If you feel that your actions here are monitored by a God who balances justice and rewards according to those actions either with eternal paradise or eternal hell your behavior is governed by that belief. While some may represent themselves to be of one religion or another, their actions reveal their true beliefs about what happens to them when they die.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Comparing Truth in The Education of Children, Paradise Lost and Hamlet

Nature of Truth in The Education of Children, Paradise Lost and Hamlet To some, right is something that is absolute and unchanging. To others, truth is volatile and inconstant. In the sixteenth and 17th century, the foundations of civilization itself had been shaken. Many of the ideas which were thought to be absolutely true had been plunged into the depths of uncertainty. The cosmological, geographical, and religious revolutions called into question the nature of truth itself. It is no wonder, then, that some of the great writers at the time included within their works a treatise on the ways in which truth is constructed. Because of the major ideological revolutions that shaped their world, Milton, Montaigne, and Shakespeare all used characters and representation devices to create their own ideas on the construction of truth. As a result of Miltons failed political aspirations, he believes that individuals do not construct truth, or decide for themselves what the truth is in stead, individuals receive the truth directly or indirectly from God. Conversely, deception comes from Satan. In Paradise Lost, Milton sets up this idea by forcing good to result only from obeisance to Gods will and evil to result whenever God is disobeyed. Dr. Evans argument that Miltons ultimate point in all this is to express a moral position that is very extreme, that no quality or action can be innately good or evil, is firmly rooted in this model. What determines the morality of anything we do is in whose benefit we do it. Since Raphael was sent from God, his warning is true and divine. Since Satan disobeyed God, his ideas are all false lies. Part of Miltons ideology may have come from his own vivification experiences. After the restorat... ...FCS, 2000. Brentano, Franz, The Origin of our Knowledge of Right and Wrong, trans. Cecil Hague (London Constable, 1902). Fish, Stanley Eugene. Surprised by Sin The Reader in Paradise Lost. New York St. Martins Press, 1967. Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Roy Flannagan. New York Macmillan, 1993. Patrides, C.A. Milton and The Christian Tradition. (Oxford Clarendon Press, 1966) Montaigne, Michel de. The finish Essays of Montaigne. Trans. DonaldM. Frame. Stanford Stanford UP, 1958. Moore, G. E., Review of The Origin of our Knowledge of Right and Wrong by Fritz Brentano, International Journal of Ethics, vol. 14 (1903), pp. 123-8. -----, Nature of Truth, Mind, vol. 16 ns, no. 62 (April 1907), pp. 229-35. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. 1600? Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York Signet Classic, 1998.

Shakespeares Hamlet - The Importance of the Ghost Essay -- GCSE Engli

Hamlet and the Non-expendable phantasm All literary critics agree that the Ghost in Shakespeares tragedy Hamlet is not an expendable character. Without the Ghost the show could not go on. He is absolutely essential to the plot, to ever aspect of the caper. W.H. Clemen in Imagery in Hamlet Reveals Character and Theme describes the permeant influence which the Ghosts words have on the entire play Perusing the description which the ghost of Hamlets father gives of his poisoning by Claudius (I,v) one cannot help being struck by the vividness with which the process of poisoning, the malicious spreading of the disease, is portrayed Sleeping within my orchard, My custom evermore of the afternoon, Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, And in the porches of my ears did pour The leperous distilment whose effect Holds such an enmity with blood of man That swift as quicksilver it courses through The natural gates and alleys of the body, An d with a sudden vigour doth posset And curd, like eager droppings into milk, The thin and wholesome blood so did it tap And a most instant tetter barkd about, Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust, All my smooth body. A real event described at the beginning of the drama has exercised a profound influence upon the whole imagery of the play. What is later metaphor is here still reality. The picture of the leprous skin disease, which is here in the first-class honours degree act described by Hamlets father, has buried itself deep in Hamlets imagination and continues to lead its subterranean existence, as ... ...Hamlet. Ed. feign Nardo. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ University of Delaware Press, 1992. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http//www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and Ame rican Literature. New York G.P. Putnams Sons, 190721 New York Bartleby.com, 2000 http//www.bartleby.com/215/0816.html West, Rebecca. A salute and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption. Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT Yale University Press, 1957. Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. Shakespeare. Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York Macmillan publishing Co., 1992.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Five Factor Model of Costa and McCrae Essay -- Psychology

In psychology, the Big louver referencelity characteristics are five broad dimensions of an individuals reputation. The genius traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The dickens psychologists who discovered this theory are Costa and McCrae. In this paper I will discuss the history of the five-factor model, each of the five unalike personality traits, and how this is strong in my own life and my behavior. In 1992, dickens psychologists by the name of Costa and McCrae made a brilliant discovery of versatile dimensions of personality traits and countersink them in five separate personality traits. The five dimensions are usually described in the subsequent order of decreasing zip fastener based on previous personality scales neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Costa and McCraes discovery has also influenced other ways of measuring personality including the neo characte r document (NEO PI-R), which is based on the five-factor model of personality (Hart, Stasson, Mahoney, Story, 2007). The method of discovering which of the five personality traits you display most is in the form of a test. dozen items, making a total of sixty items, measure each of the five personality traits. The items are statements measured by five-point scales that are formed by two poles from strongly dissent to strongly agree. The scores of the twelve items, which measure each trait, are summarized and each person obtains a raw score of each of the personality traits (Hart et al., 2007). The personality trait that your score is highest indicates the trait you lean towards most. It is also important to note that each of the five dimensions is bipolar, describi... ...b and career and what I want to accomplish in my life. I regard to have a job where I am able to travel and not be stuck at a mundane desk job, somewhere where I am constantly learning and expressing myse lf with others. Personality develops around the age of seven and is definitely one of the most important parts of a person. Personality is your own round of qualities that makes you unique from other people. It includes all of the thought and emotions that cause us to do and say things in particular ways. Personality is an incredible entrance and enthralling supposition in understanding how a certain person acts the way they do. The Five-Factor Model is an amazing discovery of five main dimensions of a compassionates persona and even though not everyone fits exactly into only one personality it is still an undeniable way of helping us to repair understand ourselves. Five Factor Model of Costa and McCrae Essay -- PsychologyIn psychology, the Big Five personality traits are five broad dimensions of an individuals personality. The personality traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The two psychologists who discovered this theory are Costa and McCrae. In this paper I will discuss the history of the five-factor model, each of the five different personality traits, and how this is significant in my own life and my behavior. In 1992, two psychologists by the name of Costa and McCrae made a brilliant discovery of various dimensions of personality traits and put them in five separate personality traits. The five dimensions are usually described in the subsequent order of decreasing vigor based on previous personality scales neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Costa and McCraes discovery has also influenced other ways of measuring personality including the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), which is based on the five-factor model of personality (Hart, Stasson, Mahoney, Story, 2007). The method of discovering which of the five personality traits you display most is in the form of a test. Twelve items, making a total of sixty items , measure each of the five personality traits. The items are statements measured by five-point scales that are formed by two poles from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The scores of the twelve items, which measure each trait, are summarized and each person obtains a raw score of each of the personality traits (Hart et al., 2007). The personality trait that your score is highest indicates the trait you lean towards most. It is also important to note that each of the five dimensions is bipolar, describi... ...b and career and what I want to accomplish in my life. I need to have a job where I am able to travel and not be stuck at a mundane desk job, somewhere where I am constantly learning and expressing myself with others. Personality develops around the age of seven and is definitely one of the most important parts of a person. Personality is your own set of qualities that makes you unique from other people. It includes all of the thought and emotions that cause us to do and say things in particular ways. Personality is an incredible captivating and enthralling concept in understanding how a certain person acts the way they do. The Five-Factor Model is an amazing discovery of five main dimensions of a humans persona and even though not everyone fits exactly into only one personality it is still an undeniable way of helping us to better understand ourselves.

Monday, May 27, 2019

A Need for Change in the Power Structure

Through historical level(p)ts, we can be taught that the part structure of the western civilization changed according to the necessitate of the people and the nation at that specific point of judg workforcet of conviction and place. In the course of western civilization, there have been many forms of governments, rulers, and ruling systems such as country, monarchy, and feudal system, just to name a few. Historical specifi city of power structures is evident in places like Ancient Athens, Pre-Augustan and Augustan Rome, and the Medieval Europe.Athens create their political and institutional unit c entirelyed polis, which started as an oligarchy hidden behind nominal state nevertheless was then detractn over by short-lived tyranny. In 31B. C. to 14 A. D. , Augustus formed a constitutional monarchy, promulgate to deal with civil wars and to the dissatisfaction of the people at that time. During his command, this type of ruling system helped him established a strong and ex panding roman Empire. Furthermore, around 600 A. D. to 1300 A. D. in Medieval Europe, feudalism low gear appeared. It was first thought of that feudalism was the answer to the decentralization of the power in the state.However, feudalism made the nation vulnerable against invasions from Vikings and Magyars. In the essence, the power structures were the responses to the needs at the time. In Athens during the late seventh century B. C. was a time of turmoil for the Athenians. Although the first law code embodied the idea of what democracy is, which meant that the law belongs to the citizens, unfortunately in reality was not so. Athens was nighly governed by aristocrats, and that meant these aristocrats got the best orbits, interpreted imposed the laws, and met in assemblies to govern the polis. This caused scotch mayhem for the scummy peasants.These deprived peasants had to borrow money, and they had to put up their land or pledge himself or his family members as collaterals. In many times, due to the exorbitant fees touch on these peasants, they end up unable to pay back the loan hence they were sold off as slaves. Furthermore, their land was confiscated and their annual yield was taken in for larger in percentages. The economic and social condition worsened by the Aristocrats rules therefore change was necessary. In 546 B. C. , Pisistratus who was an exiled aristocrat returned to Greece and became a autocrat in the Athenian polis.During Pisistratuss rule, power of aristocrats declined since he showed supported and brought forth reforms the common people. Although a tyrant by name, Pisistratus actually promoted the idea of equality among Athenian men. By this change in structure of power, the polis prospered and became the beauty that was Greece beforehand, hardly then threats were just looming around. afterwards Pisistratus death, Hippias took over. Hippias was the emblem of a typical tyrant, who ruled harshly and extravagantly. Change was needed once again. Hippias was overthrown and in 508 B. C. an aristocrat named Cleisthenes came along with an idea that all Athenian citizens have voice and proper representation in the government. This was then was true democracy meant, and in it, he instituted ostracism, which is a system of public voting where a person who receives the most votes went into exile. The goal of it was to get rid of potentially dangerous politicians, such as Hippias. The form of government, the Democracy that Cleisthenes formed and its institution of ostracism were the keys in solving problem similar to that of menace posed by a tyrant like Hippias.A tyrant does not only abuse the economic and financial power of a country but it also divest it citizens of their feel and dignity. Athens certainly succeeded in its changes in power structure to fit its needs at the time, but not every(prenominal)one has the same problem to solve. (McKay, 69-70). In Rome, before Augustus came to power, there were serious poli tical issues that had to be solved. The republic constitution met the needs of a simple city-state, but it was inadequate for the expanding Rome Empire. New administration had to be established and its growth had to be kept under watch.A constitution set a series of checks and balances and ensures distinct separation of powers. In their political system, the most grand magistrates were the two consuls, who together exercised executive authority in the form of an imperium or more popularly termed as host command. These consuls had to work with the senate, which was ab initio an advisory council of the ranking nobility, but grew in size and power over time. Also, war proceeds, mercantilism in the new provinces, and tax farming created new economic opportunities for the wealthy thus, forming a new class of merchants who were the equestrians.Senators became rich and greedy, repeatedly blocking land reforms and controlled violent gangs that intimidated the electorate through violence . On the separate hand, papistical soldiers who were initially small-scale farmers and are away from home long enough to maintain their land, started to rely on slaves. This method therefore increases the need for slaves and at the same time brought about higher purchasing powers by these soldiers who earn from both their farms and at the same time as soldiers in war.This also encourages more free handicraft which unfortunately includes slaves. As time passed these soldiers and the general public at that became dissatisfied and discontented with the system. The military reforms of Gaius Marius resulted in soldiers often having more loyalty to their commander than to the city and to the State itself, therefore a powerful military general could take over the city through a coup detat and hold the Senate in ransom. The Roman army was controlled by the willing and powerful general at the late republic and they were loyal to the general.Rome had to be kept under control Before Augustu s, the loyalty of the Roman legions was more on the generals that led them rather than on the State. Gaius Marius, whose most influential changes in the Roman Army was called the Marian Reforms. After being elected as a consul, he directed massive army reforms in order to attract more to join the army. He did this in order to assure protection of the Romans against ant barbaric invasions. Marius loosened up the recruitment policy and the provision of numerous benefits to the soldiers.Soldiers were drawn to it since it allowed a partition of the land that they were able to conquer, wherein they can start their permanent settlements. This not only encouraged the soldiers of the Roman Army but also this played a very important role in Romanizing nearby areas yet to be under the Roman rule, therefore lessening the chance of further revolts. Most importantly, the growing number of Roman Army ensured success in battles. The luxury and benefits provided by the Marian Reforms in the Roman t ightened up the loyalty of the legion to whoever that was who handled them and led them to battle.The developed a wittiness that the General who piloted them towards numerous victory and have provided pieces of lands to them deserved to be followed and rather than the State. Thus the conflict begins here. Any strong General who manages to bring forth victory and more territories to the State and allot lands for the soldiers can easily take over the whole Roman Empire. Therefore it was not surprising that following Gaius Marius the next turgid person to rise into power was a tough general and commander who directed conquests, Julius Caesar.Civil wars were serious issue as well, and even though Julius Caesar held round out control during his reign, he gained massive dissatisfaction from the people for his tyrannical nature. The accumulation of discontent eventually ended up with Caesars assassination, and this created yet another civil conflict. Plunged in chaos and massive discon tent, Rome needed someone who could solve all these problems and bring forth tangible and possible lasting changes and Augustus was the one. Augustuss reign tag the era of the historic Pax Romana, which meant period of security, expanding economy, and order.He not only held control over the vast territory, but he expanded Rome into a Roman Empire. He ended civil war and brought ease to the people. Horace wrote, As long as Caesar is the guardian of the state, neither civil dissension nor violence shall debar peace, nor wrath that forges swords and brings discord and misery to cities (Horace, 84). The peace also brought back fertile crops to the fields (Horace, 84). In Horaces citation, it is clear that the people of Rome were supportive of the power structure in which a Caesar or an Emperor is given the power to rule over the whole Roman Empire.In this case, Augustus ruled under thoroughgoing monarchy, wherein he hid his true intentions of tyranny under title princeps, and by w riting an autobiography stating that he was elected or people united agreed upon his positions in government and that he was not self selecting (Augustus, 88). In the end, all the social, economic, and political turmoil called for the change in the power structure, and Augustus was the man to deliver it to his people. He restored peace after 100 years of civil war, maintained an honest government and extended the Roman Empire.The unification of Rome brought prosperity back to its cities. Augustus great make to Rome started a lineage of monarchy in which the emperor assumes almost absolute power, retaining only a pretense of the Republican form of government. During the Pax Romana, after Augustuss death, things werent how it used to be. Except for the five good emperors, all other emperors caused civil wars, dissatisfaction from people, barbaric invasions, economic downfall, complete monarchy, and the breakdown of the empire.Tacitus who lived after Augustuss reign complained how the constitution had been transformed, and that there was nothing at all left of the good old way of life the republic life (Tacitus, 87). He also complained that it was complete a monarchy and that people were fools for not being courageous enough to stand up against him. Tacituss complaint can be looked upon as the reflection of his times instability. Even though this may counter my argument of change in the power structure due to the needs of the time, it may not be so. every(prenominal) state goes through problems and change occurs to fix those problems.The cases I have covered showed how each generations and political system solved the problems rather quickly, but also in these cases, the problems last for two centuries with an exception of five good emperors. We can interpret this as the transition from instability to stability wherein it just took Roman Empire agelong time to change to fit the needs of the time. Even though, Roman Empire seemed to have settled to its stable st ate, it did not last forever. After the division of the Roman Empire, Medieval period came along with Charlemagne, the king of France in the 8th century.He reunited Western Europe for the first time after the Roman reign but he had complete control over the empire. The problem was created when Charlemagne left his throne to Louis the Pious, who also passed away soon after. After which, the three sons of Louis agreed to the Treaty of Verdun, which divided the empire into three parts. Civil conflicts rose from this division of land, and that made the state vulnerable to invasions from the Vikings and the Magyars. These invasions in return made the states power decentralized at the local level.From this, the system called feudalism came to being. Feudalism is both an agricultural and a political system where vassals swore his loyalty to the lord and in return for the vassals loyalty, aid, and military assistance are thus given, aside from that the lord promised him protection and mat erial support. Along with feudalism came manorialism in the rural area. Manorialism was a simpler system where farmers got protection from invasions by the soldier-lords and in return these lords were provided with manual labor by the farmers.These two systems worked together effectively since farmers labors created wealth for the lords, who then used that money to support their vassals. Looking at the locations of the castles built during reign of William the Conqueror, these castles were built around the borders of the country to protect themselves from the invasions and it proves that powers were localized at the time (Source 4, 133). In addition, view of the Harlech Castle built by Edward it shows us that it was built not as fancy architecture, but as a means of protection from invasions (Source3, 132).Feudalism solved common communal problems at the time, but feudalism itself created new predicaments. Feudalism became a struggle for power between the nobles and the knights who were fighting among themselves. Furthermore, additional problems came with progenitor, where only the first son received inheritance. This left all the other sons in the streets with nothing but themselves. These sons then became scoundrels and thieves, and more often brought more disagreements among them.This birth of feudalism in the eighth century France offered the richer landowners security even in the absence of laws and specific order. Through concession, proprietors who were then mostly soldiers gained substantial government power to rule over their lands under the basis of legal arrangements with other local landowners thus forming militias used for defense of their territory. In its basic cases, feudalism swathed the monarchy gaining political support and protection through these feuds run by soldiers themselves.Feudalism developed a certain code of laws, and this system of governance broadens throughout Europe and played a very dominant role in its history. With the emerg ence of a new civil divergence together with outside incursion, another power structure must be adapted to solve this problem, and it came from Pope urban II. The eastern parts of Europe have been conquered by invading Turks and Muslims. This situation called for an order by Pope Urban II to create a crusade of men that will aid in recapturing the Christian lands.He had secular power along with religious powers and influence, and he created a military campaign named Crusade. Crusade began as a military campaign to reclaim the Christian lands especially the holy land, to support other Christians, and to eliminate Muslim presence from Western Europe. Pope Urban II stated that On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christs heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. Therefore, almost all men, whether rich or poor, become knights of the Crusade. In return, he offered indulgence, which was free ticket to salvation. Furthermore All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. He not only removed all the trouble makers out of the state, the crusade in later campaigns proved to be economically successful.France succeeded in its changes in power structures as well due to the needs of the time. Through my evidence, I have shown that every problem is solved in later time, and we can conclude that at the time of long struggle, it is just a transition state wherein rulers must ever seek answers and study every situation and put forth a strong plan for the State Conclusively, from evidences through historical events, there have always been shifts in power structures that have been adapted to the needs of the time.Athens changed its gov erning system to solve the problems of oligarchy and tyranny. Augustus solved its problems by Constitutional monarchy, and last of all, France solved its first invasion problem through feudalism and manorialism, and then solved problems created by these systems through entrance of Popes power with his Crusade. Some states might take longer time to make that change and some take shorter time, but in the end, needs and distinct situations of the time cause changes in the power structures and applications.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Management Decision and Control Systems

CSC 546 MANAGEMENT DECISION & CONTROL SYSTEMS SPRING 2007 METTLER TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC. PAPER 1 COMPANY PROSPECTUS Due March 2, 2007 Submitted by SUDEEPTHI MOGALLA DEPARTMENT OF ready reck unmatchedr SCIENCE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERISTY Email emailprotected edu INTRODUCTION Mettler-Toledo worldwide Inc. , headquartered in Greifensee, Switzerland is the worlds largest manufacturer of deliberateness solutions for science laboratory, industrial and retail applications.With manufacturing facilities in USA, Switzerland, Germany, unify Kingdom, and China, and gross sales & avail trading operations in over 35 countries, it is alike a leading orbiculate provider of precision instruments and services. It is a market drawing card in balances and pipettes, and a top provider of automated chemistry systems. It in like manner holds leading market positions in several uninflected instruments and process analytics applications. Its industrial crop song acknowledges weighing sen sors for mathematical cropion and quality, and inspection systems for packaged goods. It in like manner provides weighing solutions for transportation, and feed retail industries.It supports its crossways finished a comprehensive global service entanglement assisting customers from calibration to compliance with regulations. It also provides retail softw ar for fresh food management. Mettler-Toledos North American headquarters is located in Columbus, Ohio. In 2006, the gild generated net sales of $1,595 million, a 7% annual growth with an operating income of $234 million, a 13% enlarge from 2005. The gild is traded on the New York Stock sub under the ticker MTD. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. pageboy 2 of 23 COMPANY HISTORY The social club Mettler Instrumente AG was started in 1945 by Dr.Erhard Mettler, a Swiss engineer, in Kusnacht, Switzerland. He developed weighing balances that practised single pans for laboratory applications. By 1973, the company entered the electronic precision industry by producing the award winning electronic precision balance, the PT1200. With innovations applying microprocessor technology, fresh products like automated titrators, and thermal analyzers were added to the laboratory product lines. In 1980, the company was bought by Ciba-Geigy AG, which entered the retail scale market and produced weighing solutions to manufacturing companies.The company ontogenyd its sales and service network to various global locations. Toledo Scale Corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio was the largest scale manufacturer in US for industrial and retail markets. In 1989, it was acquired by Mettler to work on Mettler-Toledo International Inc. In 1997, the company went public and started trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Over the years, the company undertook close to major acquisitions thus adding some major brands to the Mettler-Toledo convocation of companies. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Pag e 3 of 23GROWTH BY ACQUISITIONS Mettler-Toledo started its Product watch percentage by acquiring HI-SPEED Checkweigher Systems, a custom designer and manufacturer of checkweigher and product handling equipment in Ithaca, NY in 1981. In 1987, GARVENS found in Europe was purchased for its capabilities to produce checkweighing solutions for contemptible products. The Product Inspection Division was completed by the acquisition of SAFELINE, a leading metal detection manufacturer with facilities in UK and Tampa, Florida in 1997. The Process Analytics Division is started by the acquisition of INGOLD in 1986.INGOLD provides pH and conductivity solutions for process measurements in chemical processes and sterile applications. THORNTON, a provider of industrial water monitoring base in Bedford, Massachusetts was added to the group in 2000. Some of the markets leaders that bring under their own brands atomic number 18 BERGER Instruments that uses high performance technology to analyze and vomit chemical compounds for drug discovery, CARGOSCAN that provides cargo space optimization solutions, LASENTEC that provides solutions for in-process particle size and population analysis and is part f the Automated Chemistry Division, and the California based manufacturer of pipetting solutions, RAININ Instruments. RAININ Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 4 of 23 holds a broad range of patents in the pipetting technologies and serves pharmaceutical, biotech, and research applications. Most recently, Mettler-Toledo acquired SOFTECHNICS INC. a provider of computer softw atomic number 18 solutions for food retailing applications in 2002. MANAGEMENT TEAM The management team at Mettler-Toledo is led by the President & CEO, Robert F.Spoerry who is also the Chairman of Board of Directors. Mr. Spoerry has served in the positions of betoken of industrial & Retail divisions for Mettler-Toledo in the past. He is supported by the CFO, William P. Donnelly who was the Head of Pro duct Inspection, the CIO, Jean-Lucien Gloor, and the Head of Human Resources, Peter Burker. shelve 1 lists the management team. Table 1 Mettler-Toledo Management Team Name Robert F. Spoerry Current Position President, old geezer Executive Officer, and Chairman of Board of Directors William P.Donnelly Jean-Lucien Gloor Peter Burker Olivier A. Filliol Chief Financial Officer Chief Information Officer Head of Human Resources Head of Global Sales, Service & Marketing, and Head of Process Analytics Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 5 of 23 Ken Peters Karl M. Lang put E. Luthi Urs Widmer Joakim Weidemanis Hans-Peter von Arb General Manager North America Marketing General Manager Asia/Pacific Marketing Head of Laboratory Division Head of Industrial Division Head of Product Inspection Division Head of Retail DivisionCORE COMPETENCIES Mettler-Toledo was able to maintain its market leadership in numerous product lines primarily due to its ability to constantly develop new products a nd embrace new technologies. It has gained a reputation as a global pioneer by successfully launching new products in various product lines each year. Research & Development has been its core competency from the beginning, and the company has increased its coronation in R&D each year over the last few years. In 2005, its R&D spending was over $80 million, which is 5. 5% of its net sales.Mettler-Toledo holds more than 1700 patents and trademarks in USA, Switzerland, Germany, UK, France, Japan, and China. They developed hygienic knowledge base in automation, robotics, laser & optical applications, and industrial software teaching. Over the years, R&D at Mettler-Toledo has contributed through application of advanced technologies, feature-based rearments on its products, increasing their products Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 6 of 23 reliability & accuracy, and developing new software capabilities for its products.With an R&D force of about 800 employees, the company was able to focus on multiple knowledge efforts simultaneously. As more and more products from the company started including advancements in user-interface through touch screen and LCD technologies, a significant R&D effort went into developing its products user-interfaces, the supporting software, and information systems for data management. The significance of software development as a key R&D effort can be understood from the fact that almost half of Mettler-Toledos R&D personnel are software engineers.Beyond R&D efforts, Mettler-Toledo has also made deep inroads in managing its cost structure. The company has developed a strong base of cost reduction functions through its Global Supply Chain Group, which includes the Global Procurement, Global Electronics, and Global Logistics teams. These teams work closely with all the manufacturing facilities and marketing teams on componental and global initiatives to reduce manufacturing costs, internal process costs, total cost of procuremen t, and logistics costs.They also work with the Information Technology groups to implement new automation tools that enhance internal process efficiencies, and provide potent data analysis solutions. rouge initiatives like supplier category management, corporate procurement card, and field Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 7 of 23 employee automation need enabled Mettler-Toledo to reduce their operating costs significantly. Members from Marketing, Purchasing, and Logistics work closely with R&D and Engineering in product development & re-engineering to ensure that efforts are being made to reduce manufacturing costs.An separate aspect of Mettler-Toledo that makes it unique and reduces its risk is its ability to operate profitably in diverse markets. They consider developed innovative products in most of the markets they serve and have maintained a strong cross-segment knowledge-sharing that enabled them to use a technology in different segments. Key business functions like F inance, Supply Chain, Service, Human Resources, and Legal are centralized. They assist the decentralized business units to coordinate their R&D, marketing, and customer support functions in product development and customer service.PRODUCTS & SERVICES The products and services of Mettler-Toledo can be broadly categorized into Laboratory Instruments, Industrial Instruments and Retail Solutions. Process Analytics and Product Inspection are sub-categories within Lab and Industrial groups. The make up of its 2005 net sales between these business segments is shown in Figure 1. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 8 of 23 Figure 1 2005 Sales ($ in millions) Retail Solutions, $193, 13% Laboratory Instruments, $667, 45% Industrial Instruments, $622, 42%Laboratory Instruments Laboratory balances are the primary product group in this business segment and are used in research & development, drug discovery, and process quality control. They are capable of weighing from one ten-millionth of a g ram to 32 kilograms. Other products offered in this segment include pipettes, analytical instruments, and automated chemistry solutions. Titrators, thermal analysis systems, and pH meters form the analytical instrument group. The data capture, analysis and management are facilitated by their Lab Software known as LabX.Within this segment, Process Analytics forms a major subgroup of products that are used in pharmaceutical, biotech, beverage, microelectronics and chemical applications. They offer Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 9 of 23 sensor technology for pH, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, conductivity and turbidity. They also include calibration and cleaning systems. Industrial Instruments This segment primarily includes industrial scales and balances for varying weighing needs and ranges. They are used in measuring, counting, ingredient mixing, and mail choose applications.Products in this segment also offer in-process and in-motion measurement, dimensioning and ident ification technologies. unhurriedness scales for trucks and railcars form the heavy equipment products. All these products are supported by proprietary software like FreeWeigh. Net for statistical quality control, and Formweigh. net for formulation & batching. Product Inspection is a key product group in this segment that the company has invested increasingly in the past few years. The products are used in food processing & packaging, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing industries.They are made up of metal detection systems, roentgen ray visioning equipment, and checkweigher systems. Retail Solutions Retail segment is the smallest of Mettler-Toledo businesses in terms of sales. These are scales used in supermarkets, and Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 10 of 23 food retail businesses for weighing and labelling applications. With Mettler-Toledo entering the various emerging markets like India, this business segment is expected to grow significantly. Mettler-Toledo also provides software solutions for its retail products through its Softechnics division.The software provides capabilities for retail stocktaking management for fresh foods, and integrated data management. The various products offered by Mettler-Toledo are listed in Table 2. Table 2 Products & Service Offerings Product Categories Laboratory Weighing Products & Solutions Micro and ultra-micro balances, analytical balances, precision & high-capacity precision balances, mass comparators, weighing modules, halogen moisture analyzer, pipette calibration workstation, and support software.Analytical Instruments Thermal values, thermal analysis, titrators, pH-/cond-/ISE-meters, density meters, refractometers, and electrodes for laboratory and field. Pipettes & Tips Single channel pipettes (manual & electronic), multi channel pipettes, tips for Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 11 of 23 LTS & traditional pipettes bio clean, positive displacement pipettes & tips, and repetitive pipettes. Automate d Chemistry Solutions Lab automation, chemical synthesis, chromatography, particle system characterization, reaction calorimeters, automated lab reactors, and informatics & workflow management.Process Analytics Transmitters & Meters, pH & Redox sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, total organic carbon instruments, conductivity/resistivity sensors, dissolved ozone sensors, dissolved carbon dioxide sensors, flow sensors, and cleaning & calibration systems. Industrial Weighing Automotive refinish scales, material transfer controllers, bench, squeeze and counting scales, overhead/monorail scales, abideal solutions, weigh modules & load cells, software, statistical process control, , and weighing terminals. Product Inspection Transportation & Logistics Checkweighing, metal detection, and X-ray.Air cargo scales, dimensioners, forklift scales, post/mail solutions, rail scales, and Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 12 of 23 weighbridges & truck scales. Food Retail Scales (basic, retail counter, self service, retail hanging, checking & receiving), wrapping machines, auto labelling & trade protection tags, and retail software. CUSTOMERS The customer base of Mettler-Toledo is spread across numerous industries like chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food & beverage, raw materials, pulp & paper, jewellery, transportation & logistics, OEM, machinery & automotive, and retail.Most customers are serviced through their terzetto business segment groups, Lab, Industrial and Retail. Certain key accounts with which the company has developed strategic relationships over the years are serviced and supported by their Strategic Accounts group. The customer base of Mettler-Toledo is also highly diversified with sales from each of their top customers accounting for less than 3% of total net sales. MANUFACTURING Mettler-Toledos manufacturing facilities known as Producing Organizations (POs) are located primarily in USA, UK, Switzerland, Germany, and China.Each PO dedicates it s product Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 13 of 23 development and manufacturing efforts to a certain group of product lines and serves the global needs of those products. This enables Mettler-Toledo to reduce R&D costs, maintain a customer focus, and to develop product leadership by a PO in its line of business. The POs work with each other in their product development, manufacturing, and procurement efforts, and with the marketing groups in understanding customer needs.Safeline, Garvens, and Hi-Speed, which serve the Product Inspection markets, work very closely in coordinating their efforts. Depending on the manufacturing capability and capacity constraints, certain POs act as internal suppliers to other POs who may use their manufacturing resources. MARKETING, SALES & SERVICE Unlike the Producing Organizations, the Marketing Organizations (MOs) at Mettler-Toledo are segmented based on their geographic focus. The MOs are located all over the world, with the largest groups in USA and Europe.This enables them to understand the specific local needs of the customers, and develop close relationships with their entire customer base. The sales and service efforts parallel that of the marketing thus maintaining a close loop for the customer relationship. MettlerToledo maintains a large employee base of 5000 employees that is Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 14 of 23 spread over 35 countries in the form of marketing, service technicians and customer service professionals.Mettler-Toledo also offers numerous services in the form of repair & service maintenance, and value-added services for regulatory compliance. These are offered across the eyeball based on local regulations. Their global service network has expanded over the years as they explore numerous emerging markets. In 2005, revenues from service agreements, repair, and spare parts constituted 23% of the companys net sales. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & MIS The companys IT operations are lead by their corporate team in Switzerland, which maintains the globally used operating systems, providing regular updates and support.Their global contracts with key hardware and software vendors ensure product standardization and coincidental upgrades. They have however decentralized most of the locally operated systems, like their MRP and ERP solutions at the manufacturing facilities and marketing organizations. Being a highly decentralized organization, except for some global software systems, most IT infrastructure is maintained regionally. The regional IT groups also handle the telecommunications, mobile phone, and data networks for their region.The company has continuously made significant investments to standardize the IT operations where Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 15 of 23 necessary, and provided the flexibility to local units when higher efficiencies could be gained through local optimization. The company uses ERP packages from well known providers like Baan and Oracle, a nd also from smaller companies like Fourth Shift, and MAPICS. The company uses numerous enterprise software for various sales and service operations, as well as hosted solutions for e-procurement and e-commerce applications.EMPLOYEES & CULTURE Mettler-Toledo follows a highly decentralized organization structure providing high levels of autonomy to the business units, encouraging entrepreneurial responsibility and accountability for growth and success. The product development and manufacturing activities are performed by the producing organizations, where the marketing, sales and support functions are the responsibility of the marketing organizations. All POs and MOs are supported by corporate global functions.Mettler-Toledo employs more than 9000 fulltime employees across the cosmos with more than 4000 in Europe, over 3000 in the Americas, and about 1000 in Asia. About 50% of the workforce is part of their global sales and support network. R&D with over 800 employees is also a key function in the company. The company provides various employee benefits including a pension & post-retirement savings plan that cost them $1. 5 Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 16 of 23 million in 2005.Their health care benefits cost over $10 million each year. Employee Purchase Programs through corporate agreements are provided for products like personal computers, office supplies, consumer technology, mobile services, and home mortgage. Mettler-Toledo is an equal opportunity company and hires employees from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographic locations. Due to their line of business, they mostly hire engineering graduates from well known institutions in Switzerland, USA, and China.Most of their senior management has a strong analytical background with engineering, mathematics, or pay focus and many middle management and senior management employees hold advanced degrees in engineering or business. In USA, they recruit new graduates into their initial Career Experienc e program (ICE) which is a rotational program for undergraduate degree holders. They also provide internship opportunities in IT, marketing, and supply chain management, and offer fulltime opportunities upon their graduation.Mettler-Toledo maintains a core set of cultural values it expects its employees to follow in their day to day operations. It includes maintaining a strong focus on quality in two its products & services, and its internal processes. It stresses the importance of being aggressive in exploring new markets, and embracing new technologies. There is also a strong need to be Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 17 of 23 cost-conscious so that it can maintain its competitiveness against larger players and unsuitable market forces. It expects employees to show initiative and leadership qualities.Employees should also be innovative and be ready to face the hurdles in executing their ideas. With a global market in place, the company should be agile allowing it to right away react to changes. A semi-formal work environment is maintained to develop closer employee relationships. The company restricts itself in the use of titles to its management and in fact doesnt use Vice President as a title. Except for division heads, who are either known as a Head of division or General Manager, all the others are known as Managers, Engineers, or Analysts.A business casual dress code is maintained at all of its locations. agonistical LANDSCAPE The markets Mettler-Toledo operates in are highly competitive, and fragmented by location and application. In most markets, they face stiff competition from companies that are focussed and narrow down in their offerings. In many cases, the focussed competitors are smaller divisions of very large multinational companies with extensive resources. These factors further signify the necessity for Mettler-Toledo to develop in force(p) R&D and manufacturing processes to maintain its cost structure.Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 18 of 23 The major competitors of Mettler-Toledo are Beckman Coulter Inc. with $2. 5 billion in annual revenues, Siemens AG with $117 billion in annual revenues, and finally Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. with $3. 8 billion in annual revenues. Among these Siemens AG operate in many other markets and businesses that MettlerToledo does not involve in. Due to its cost structure advantage, Mettler-Toledo was able to maintain operating margins of over 13%, when their competitors have put down them at below 10%.RISK FACTORS Mettler-Toledo notes that since it operates in numerous countries, its operating income can be affected by currency fluctuations. Its international operations also face risks in the form of trade barriers, employee retention in growing markets, lack of protection for its intellectual property, nationalization, and economic and political stability in some countries. Some of the markets are highly competitive and hence may be difficult to continuously maintain market leadership in multiple product lines.As Mettler-Toledo grows via acquisitions, it has the risk of assimilation challenges, lack of focus on key initiatives, and loss of key employees. As Mettler-Toledo operate in many markets subject to regulations, they have the risk of not meeting some of the regulations in time. Exposure to additional income taxes and unanticipated tax Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 19 of 23 laws are also some of the perceived risks faced by MettlerToledo. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE Mettler-Toledo International Inc. has been delivering strong financial results over the years.It generated net sales of $1,596 million in 2006, a 7. 6% increase from its 2005 sales revenue of $1,482 million. Figure 2 shows 2006 sales by geographic region. Figure 2 2006 Sales ($ in millions) by region Asia & Rest of the World, $287, 18% Europe, $670, 42% North & South Americas, $638, 40% The chart in Figure 3 shows Mettler-Toledos financial performance since 2001. It shows t hat net sales have increased at an average of 7% year over year. The operating cash flow increased to $192 million in 2006, an 8. 5% increase from $177 Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 20 of 23 million in 2005.The adjusted operating income (gross profit less R&D and SG&A expenses) increased by 13% to $234 million in 2006 from $207 million in 2005. Figure 3 Financial Data (2001-2006) Net Sales $1,800 Operating Cash Flow modify Operating Income $1,595 $1,600 $1,482 $1,404 $1,304 $1,214 $1,148 $1,400 $ in millions $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $165 $179 $167 $102 $115 $165 $200 $0 2001 2002 2003 Years $117 2004 $166 2005 $177 2006 The company reported Earnings per Share (EPS) of $3. 86 for 2006, which is a 29% growth from $2. 52 in 2005. Through these results the company has demonstrated a strong balance sheet and a substantial cash flow generation. situation FOR 2007 AND BEYOND The company exceeded expectations in 2006 with strong financial results, and is expected to perform well in 2007 and beyond. With rising cost pressures due to price increases for oil, steel, paper & pulp, and other raw materials, the company Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 21 of 23 $192 $400 $207 $234 needs to continue to improve its cost structure through efficient and effective processes. Some of the key customercentric marketing initiatives undertaken by the company like Spinnaker have been successful in generating new customer leads and improving existing customer relationships.Its new product launches have been successful in 2006, and the company continues to develop new products in many of its business segments. In 2006, the company was very successful in increasing its market share in emerging markets like Russia and India. With the acquisition of distribution channels in these countries, its market share is expected to grow at significant rates in 2007 and beyond. The analysts estimate that revenues for Mettler-Toledo would grow to $1. 69 billion in 2007 and to $1. 78 bill ion for 2008. It represents an annual increase of 6. 3% for 2007 and 5. 3% for 2008.In the short term, the company aims to consolidate all its existing market positions in the various product lines it now holds the top positions, especially industrial and laboratory instruments. It aims to increase its market share in retail weighing market by focusing on emerging markets, which offer the greatest potential for untapped markets. In the long-term, the company will look to be the industry leader in all product segments ranging from laboratory Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 22 of 23 instruments, industrial instruments, process analytics, product inspection, and chemistry solutions.It also plans to consolidate its retail market share through partnerships with global retailers. The strong values developed by its employees, its proceed investment in developing innovative products, diversified customer base, and global service network should ensure that Mettler-Toledo is in a stro ng position to fulfil both its short-term and long-term objectives. REFERENCES 1. Mettler-Toledo website (http//us. mt. com) 2. Yahoo Finance (http//finance. yahoo. com) 3. Hoovers (www. hoovers. com) 4. The Wall Street Journal Online (http//online. wsj. com) Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 23 of 23

Friday, May 24, 2019

Environmental issues Essay

The Greenpeace. org web office is an effective to a faultl that calls environmental activists to action around the globe. This essay will demonstrate how the website effectively uses content, design, and visuals to achieve its objectives. The central purpose of the website is to get spate involved and taking action to solve issues that negatively affect the planet. The main argument presented by www. Greenpeace. org is that this lean Earth deserves a voice. It ineluctably solutions. It needs change. It needs action.This argument is effectively followed up by examples of the earth being threatened by shine uping issues about energy, politics and big business. The description of individually environmental issue uses pathos, logos and ethos to persuade activists. The stories that illustrate the need for action are driven by pathos which appeals to the human emotion to compel pack to take action. All stories have apply visuals to appeal to activists. The pictures and images are a critical part of the argument being effective. When you see something you care about in danger it is more moving than just text.A great example of moving visuals is the cute baby monkey pictured right above the present to Greenpeace button. The use of logos through the use of facts and figures in the website successfully back up the claim that the earth needs help. What adds further credibility to the significant summation of statistics on the website are the links to national websites which provide a more local view of the issues. The overall design of the website is seamless. Every page integrates content and visuals to highlight a range of pressing environmental issues and call for action.The home page is organized and packed full of content with a lot of images used. My firstl impression is that the homepage is too busy but it does give people the choice of what they are interested in. The color scheme is very attractive with the bright green color attracting visitors to area s of interest. The site effectively uses large font for headlines to draw attention also using different font colors for different sections. In terms of ethos the tone is allow for in that it conveys authority on the subject while still maintaining a down to earth approach that conveys to the reader we are in this together.The paragraphs are concise and broken up for easy reading and the writer reaches out to the reader to keep them engaged. The website is updated regularly with a daily blog. One of the most effective aspects of the greenpeace. org website is its recognize and multiple calls for action on every issue mentioned on the website. For each major story there are two links one is contain Us and the other is Take Action. On the homepage alone there are eight calls for action. The visual argument effectiveness of the greenpeace.org website has a high clashing since it personalizes the issues that increase the probability of activists taking action. The website used a wi de variety of tools such as video clips, photos, interactive maps, webcams, discussion forums and even Greenpeace TV. The visuals are used mostly to attach feelings and emotions to the issues for example a video clip of an interview with a farmer affected by the destruction of the Amazon forest is a powerful way to convince people to help this farmer and others like him and take action.On each page there is a picture of each an animal or a child asking the reader to take action and help them before its too late. Overall the Greenpeace. org website is a highly effective website that inspires and motivates activists and every day citizens to take action to address environmental issues. The design, content and visuals of the pages within the website all support the central argument that the earth is fragile and action is needed to help it before it is too late.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Bed Wetting in School Children Essay

Bedwetting (also referred to as nocturnal enuresis) is the involuntary passing of urine during sleep after the age at which bladder chasteness ordinarily occurs. It slew be an embarrassing, frustrating and di essaying problem that affects millions of children. It is more common than most parents think. Many children are dry at night by the time they reach the age of 5 but others take longer to become dry. When children still wet the bed when they are 6 or older, parents usually start to become concerned that their child may have some kind of physical or emotional problem. Some decide not to stress about it and give it time others will seek medical advice, take their child to counselling or use alternative therapies.Once children go to primal School and become aware that other kids of their age are dry at night they become embarrassed about it. Some children avoid leaving to sleepovers and school camps because of the fear of other kids discovering their problem. Teenagers are usu ally even more distressed by the bedwetting and many worry the problem will never go away. It often has a significant impact on their self-esteem.I decided to choose Bowen Therapy for Bedwetting as the subject for my Research Project because I have ceaselessly had a passion for working with children. As a mother of two daughters and having dealt with toilet training issues I have experienced how upsetting and frustrating bedwetting can be for a child and their family.As Bowen Therapy is a wonderful holistic technique to promote physical and emotional balance, it is an ideal way to help children secure control of this problem.This research task explores the different causes and methods of treatment of nocturnal enuresis. It also outlines the anatomy of the urinary system and the nerves and muscles involved in micturition to crystallize a better understanding of how Bowen Therapy addresses this condition.I evaluated the effectiveness of Bowen Therapy on nocturnal enuresis in combin ation with dietary modifications as recommended by Mr. Bowen. The therapeutic rank of omega-3 fatty acids is also mentioned (which have been proven to be effective in treating nocturnal enuresis) and the benefits of Neuro-Developmental reflex integration exercises.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

United Kingdom Political System

The united state is a unitary democracy g everyplacened within the framework of a constituent(a) monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the rosiness look of the joined Kingdom is the head of governmental sympathies. Executive power is dressd by Her Majestys presidential term, on behalf of and by the hope of the Monarch, as well as by the devolved Governments of Scotland and Wales, and the Northern Ireland Executive.Legislative power is vested in the ii chambers of the fan tan of the United Kingdom, the category of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as in the Scottish fan tan and Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The highest national court is the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The UK political ashes is a multi- ships company system. Since the 1920s, the two largest political parties grant been the conservative political caller and the roil political society.Before the moil caller rose in British political relation the progressive tense Party was the separate study political party along with the button-downs. though coalition and minority organisations meet been an occasional feature of parliamentary politics, the premiere-past-the-post electoral system used for general preferences tends to maintain the dominance of these two parties, though each has in the past century relied upon a third party to quit a working majority in Parliament. The current mercenary-Liberal Democrat coalition politics is the first coalition since 1974.With the partition of Ireland, Northern Ireland received home determine in 1920, though civil unrest meant direct rule was restored in 1972. Support for nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales led to proposals for devolution in the 1970s though only in the 1990s did devolution actually happen. Today, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each possess a legislature and executive, with devolution in Northern Ireland being conditional on participation in certain all-Ireland institutions.The United Kingdom remains responsible for non-devolved matters and, in the case of Northern Ireland, co-operates with the Republic of Ireland. It is a matter of contravention as to whether increase autonomy and devolution of executive and legislative powers has contri thoed to a reduction in support for independence. The principal pro-independence party, the Scottish National Party, won an boilers suit majority of MSPs at the 2011 Scottish parliament elections and now take forms the Scottish Government administration, with plans to hold a referendum on negotiating for independence. In Northern Ireland,the largest Pro-Belfast Agreement party, Sinn Fin, not only advocates Northern Irelands unification with the Republic of Ireland, but similarly abstains from taking their elected sit down in the Westminster government, as this would entail taking a render whoopie of allegiance to the British monarch . The constitution of the United Kingdom is uncodified, being made up of constitutional conventions, statutes and early(a) elements such as EU law. This system of government, cognize as the Westminster system, has been adopted by other countries, especially those that were authorly parts of the British Empire.The United Kingdom is also responsible for several dependencies, which fall into two categories the Crown dependencies, in the immediate vicinity of the UK, and British oerseas Territories, which originated as colonies of the British Empire. The British Monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II, is the Chief of State of the United Kingdom. Though she takes little direct part in government, the Crown remains the fount in which ultimate executive power over Government lies.These powers ar know as Royal Prerogative and quarter be used for a vast amount of things, such as the issue or withdrawal of passports, to the tone ending of the Prime Minister or even the Declaration of War . The powers are delegated from the Monarch personally, in the name of the Crown, and can be handed to various ministers, or other Officers of the Crown, and can purposely bypass the consent of Parliament. The head of Her Majestys Government the Prime Minister, also has weekly meetings with the sovereign, where she whitethorn express her feelings, warn, or advise the Prime Minister in the Governments work.According to the uncodified constitution of the United Kingdom, the monarch has the hobby powers Domestic Powers The monarch appoints a Prime Minister as the head of Her Majestys Government in the United Kingdom, guided by the strict convention that the Prime Minister should be the member of the House of Commons most likely to be able to form a Government with the support of that House. In practice, this means that the leader of the political party with an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons is elect to be the Prime Minister.If no party has an absolute majority, the leader of the largest party is given the first opportunity to form a coalition. The Prime Minister wherefore selects the other Ministers which make believe up the Government and act as political heads of the various Government incisions. About twenty of the most senior government ministers make up the Cabinet and approximately 100 ministers in total comprise the government. In accordance with constitutional convention, all ministers within the government are all Members of Parliament or peers in the House of Lords.As in some other parliamentary systems of government (especially those based upon the Westminster System), the executive (called the government) is drawn from and is answerable to Parliament a successful vote of no confidence will force the government either to resign or to seek a parliamentary dissolving and a general election. In practice, members of parliament of all major parties are strictly controlled by whips who try to ensure they vote according to party insu rance. If the government has a large majority, then they are very unlikely to lose enough votes to be unable to pass legislation.The Prime Minister and the Cabinet David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010) The Prime Minister is the most senior minister in the Cabinet. She/he is responsible for chairing Cabinet meetings, selecting Cabinet ministers (and all other po layions in Her Majestys government), and formulating government policy. The Prime Minister is the de facto leader of the UK government, since s/he instances executive functions that are nominally vested in the sovereign (by way of the Royal Prerogatives). Historically, the British monarch was the sole source of executive powers in the government.However, following the rule of the Hanoverian monarchs, an arrangement of a Prime Minister chairing and leading the Cabinet began to emerge. Over time, this arrangement became the effective executive branch of government, as it faux the day-to-day functioning of the British government away from the sovereign. Theoretically, the Prime Minister is primus inter pares (Latin for first among equals) among his/her Cabinet colleagues. While the Prime Minister is the senior Cabinet Minister, s/he is theoretically bound to make executive decisions in a incorporated fashion with the other Cabinet ministers.The Cabinet, along with the PM, consists of Secretaries of State from the various government departments, the Lord High Chancellor, the Lord Privy Seal, the President of the Board of Trade, the Chancellor of the dukedom of Lancaster and Ministers without portfolio. Cabinet meetings are typically held weekly, while Parliament is in session Government departments and the Civil Service The Government of the United Kingdom contains a summate of ministries known mainly, though not exclusively as departments, Ministry of Defense.These are politically led by a Government Minister who is often a secretary of State and member of the Cabinet. He or she may also be supported by a publication of junior Ministers. In practice, several government departments and Ministers guard responsibilities that cover England alone, with devolved bodies having responsibility for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, (for example the Department of Health), or responsibilities that mainly focus on England (such as the Department for Education). Implementation of the Ministers decisions is carried out by a permanent politically neutral organization known as the civil serve.Its constitutional role is to support the Government of the day regardless of which political party is in power. Unlike some other democracies, senior civil servants remain in post upon a change of Government. Administrative management of the Department is led by a head civil servant known in most Departments as a Permanent Secretary. The majority of the civil service staff in fact work in executive agencies, which are separate operational organizations reporting to Departments of State. Whitehall is often used as a metonym for the primordial core of the Civil Service.This is because most Government Departments affirm headquarters in and around the former Royal castle Whitehall. Legislatures The UK Parliament is the supreme legislative soundbox in the United Kingdom (i. e. , thither is parliamentary sovereignty), and Government is drawn from and answerable to it. Parliament is bicameral, consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. on that point is also a devolved Scottish Parliament and devolved Assemblies in Wales and Northern Ireland, with varying degrees of legislative authority. UK ParliamentHouse of Commons It is a Sand-colored building of Gothic design with large clock-tower. Parliament meets at the Palace of Westminster British House of Commons The Countries of the United Kingdom are divided into parliamentary constituencies of broadly equal population by the four Boundary Commissions. from each one constituency elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons at General Elections and, if required, at by-elections. As of 2010 there are 650 constituencies (there were 646 before that years general election.Of the 650 MPs, all but one Lady Sylvia Hermon belong to a political party. In modern times, all Prime Ministers and Leaders of the Opposition have been drawn from the Commons, not the Lords. Alec Douglas-Home resigned from his peerages old age after becoming Prime Minister in 1963, and the last Prime Minister before him from the Lords left in 1902 (the Marquis of Salisbury). One party unremarkably has a majority in Parliament, because of the use of the First Past the Post electoral system, which has been conducive in creating the current two party system.The monarch usually asks a person commissioned to form a government simply whether it can survive in the House of Commons, something which majority governments are expected to be able to do. In exceptional circumstances the monarch asks som eone to form a government with a parliamentary minority which in the event of no party having a majority requires the formation of a coalition government. This option is only ever taken at a time of national emergency, such as war-time. It was given in 1916 to Andrew Bonar Law, and when he declined, to David Lloyd George and in 1940 to Winston Churchill.A government is not formed by a vote of the House of Commons it is a commission from the monarch. The House of Commons gets its first chance to indicate confidence in the bare-ass government when it votes on the Speech from the Throne (the legislative program proposed by the new government). House of Lords The House of Lords was previously a largely hereditary aristocratic chamber, although including life peers, and Lords Spiritual. It is currently mid-way through extensive reforms, the most recent of these being enacted in the House of Lords Act 1999.The house consists of two very different types of member, the Lords Temporal and L ords Spiritual. Lords Temporal include appointed members (life peers with no hereditary right for their descendants to sit in the house) and ninety-two remaining hereditary peers, elected from among, and by, the holders of titles which previously gave a seat in the House of Lords. The Lords Spiritual represent the established Church of England and number twenty-six the Five Ancient Sees (Canterbury, York, London, Winchester and Durham), and the 21 next-most senior bishops.The House of Lords currently acts to review legislation initiated by the House of Commons, with the power to propose amendments, and can exercise a suspensive veto. This allows it to delay legislation if it does not approve it for twelve months. However, the use of vetoes is limited by convention and by the operation of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 the Lords may not veto the money bills or major manifesto promises (see Salisbury convention). Persistent use of the veto can also be overturned by the Commons, und er a provision of the Parliament Act 1911.Often governments will accept changes in legislation in order to avoid both the time delay, and the disallow publicity of being seen to clash with the Lords. However the Lords still retain a full veto in acts which would extend the life of Parliament beyond the 5 year term limit introduced by the Parliament Act 1911. The temperamental Reform Act 2005 outlined plans for a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to replace the role of the Law Lords. The House of Lords was replaced as the final court of appeal on civil cases within the United Kingdom on 1 October 2009, by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.Devolved national legislatures Though the UK parliament remains the sovereign parliament, Scotland has a parliament and Wales and Northern Ireland have assemblies. De jure, each could have its powers broadened, narrowed or changed by an Act of the UK Parliament. However, Scotland has a tradition of popular sovereignty as opposed to parliam entary sovereignty and the fact that the Scottish parliament was established following a referendum would make it politically difficult to significantly alter its powers without popular consent.The UK is therefore a unitary state with a devolved system of government. This contrasts with a federal system, in which sub-parliaments or state parliaments and assemblies have a clearly defined constitutional right to exist and a right to exercise certain constitutionally guaranteed and defined functions and cannot be unilaterally abolished by Acts of the central parliament. All three devolved institutions are elected by proportional representation the supererogatory Member System is used in Scotland and Wales, and Single Transferable Vote is used in Northern Ireland.England, therefore, is the only country in the UK not to have a devolved English parliament. However, senior politicians of all main parties have voiced concerns in regard to the West Lothian Question, which is raised where ce rtain policies for England are set by MPs from all four constituent nations whereas similar policies for Scotland or Wales might be decided in the devolved assemblies by legislators from those countries alone.Alternative proposals for English regional government have stalled, following a poorly received referendum on devolved government for the North East of England, which had hitherto been considered the region most in favor of the idea, with the exception of Cornwall, where there is widespread support for a Cornish Assembly, including all five Cornish MPs. England is therefore governed according to the balance of parties across the whole of the United Kingdom. The government has no plans to establish an English parliament or assembly although several pressure groups are calling for one.One of their main arguments is that MPs (and thus voters) from different parts of the UK have inconsistent powers. Currently an MP from Scotland can vote on legislation which affects only England bu t MPs from England (or indeed Scotland) cannot vote on matters devolved to the Scottish parliament. Indeed, the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is an MP for a Scottish constituency, introduced some laws that only affect England and not his own constituency. This anomaly is known as the West Lothian question.The policy of the UK Government in England was to establish elected regional assemblies with no legislative powers. The London Assembly was the first of these, established in 2000, following a referendum in 1998, but further plans were abandoned following rejection of a proposal for an elected assembly in North East England in a referendum in 2004. Unelected regional assemblies remain in place in eight regions of England. There are two main parties in the United Kingdom the Conservative Party, and the diligence Party.There is also a significant third party, the Liberal Democrats. The modern Conservative Party was founded in 1834 and is an outgrowth of the Tory movement o r party, which began in 1678. Today it is still colloquially referred to as the Tory Party and its members as Tories. The Liberal Democrats were formed in 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a Labor breakaway formed in 1981. The Liberals and SDP had contested elections together as the SDPLiberal Alliance for seven years before.The modern Liberal Party had been founded in 1859 as an outgrowth of the Whig movement or party (which began at the same time as the Tory party and was its historical rival) as well as the base and Peelite tendencies. The Liberal Party was one of the two dominant parties (along with the Conservatives) from its founding until the 1920s, when it rapidly declined and was supplanted on the left by the Labor Party, which was founded in 1900 and formed its first government in 1924.Since that time, the Labor and Conservatives parties have been dominant, with the Liberal Democrats also holding a significant number of seats an d increasing their share of the vote in parliamentary general elections in the four elections 1992. Conservatives The Conservative Party won the largest number of seats at the 2010 general election, returning 307 MPs, though not enough to make an overall majority. As a result of negotiations following the election, they entered a formal coalition with the Liberal Democrats to form a majority government.The Conservative party can trace its origin sand to 1662, with the Court Party and the Country Party being formed in the aftermath of the English Civil War. The Court Party soon became known as the Tories, a name that has stuck despite the formal name being Conservative. The term Tory originates from the Exclusion Bill crisis of 1678-1681 the Whigs were those who supported the exclusion of the roman type Catholic Duke of York from the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland, and the Tories were those who opposed it.Both names were originally insults a whiggamore was a horse drove r (See Whiggamore Raid), and a tory (Traidhe) was an Irish term for an outlaw, later applied to Irish Confederates and Irish Royalists, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Generally, the Tories were associated with lesser gentry and the Church of England, while Whigs were more associated with trade, money, larger land holders (or land magnates), expansion and tolerance of Catholicism.The Rochdale Radicals were a group of more complete reformists who were also heavily involved in the cooperative movement. They sought to bring about a more equal society, and are considered by modern standards to be left-wing. After becoming associated with repression of popular discontent in the years after 1815, the Tories underwent a fundamental transformation under the influence of Robert Peel, himself an industrialist rather than a landowner, who in his 1834 Tamworth Manifesto outlined a new Conservative philosophy of reforming ills while conserving the good.Though Peels supporters subsequentl y split from their colleagues over the issue of free trade in 1846, in the end joining the Whigs and the Radicals to form what would become the Liberal Party, Peels version of the partys underlying outlook was retained by the remaining Tories, who adopted his label of Conservative as the official name of their party. The crushing defeat of the 1997 election saw the Conservative Party lose over half their seats from 1992 and saw the party re-align with public perceptions of them.In 2008, the Conservative Party formed a pact with the Ulster sum totalist Party to select joint candidates for European and House of Commons elections this angered the DUP as by change integrity the Unionist vote, republican parties will be elected in some areas. After thirteen years as the official opposition, the Party returned to power as part of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010. Historically, the party has been the mainland party most pre-occupied by British Unionism, as attested to by the partys full name, the Conservative & Unionist Party.This resulted in the merger between the Conservatives and Joseph Chamberlains Liberal Unionist Party, composed of former Liberals who opposed Irish home rule. The unionist tendency is still in evidence today, manifesting sometimes as a skepticism or opposition to devolution, firm support for the continued existence of the United Kingdom in the reckon of separatist nationalism, and a historic link with the cultural unionism of Northern Ireland. Labor The Labor Party won the second largest number of seats in the House of Commons at the 2010 general election, with 258 MPs.The history of the Labor party goes back to 1900 when a Labor Representation Committee was established which changed its name to The Labor Party in 1906. After the First World War, this led to the demise of the Liberal Party as the main reformist force in British politics. The existence of the Labor Party on the left of British politics led to a slow waning of e nergy from the Liberal Party, which has consequently assumed third place in national politics.After performing poorly in the elections of 1922, 1923 and 1924, the Liberal Party was superseded by the Labor Party as the party of the left. quest two brief spells in minority governments in 1924 and 19291931, the Labor Party had its first true victory after World War II in the 1945 khaki election. Throughout the rest of the twentieth century, Labor governments alternated with Conservative governments. The Labor Party suffered the wilderness years of 1951-1964 (three on-key General Election defeats) and 1979-1997 (four straight General Election defeats).During this second period, Margaret Thatcher, who became leader of the Conservative party in 1975, made a fundamental change to Conservative policies, turning the Conservative Party into an economic neoliberal party. In the General Election of 1979 she defeated James Callaghans troubled Labor government after the winter of discontent. Fo r most of the 1980s and the 1990s, Conservative governments under Thatcher and her successor John Major pursued policies of privatization, anti-trade-unionism, and, for a time, monetarism, now known collectively as Thatcherism.The Labor Party elected left-winger Michael bag as their leader after their 1979 election defeat, and he responded to dissatisfaction with the Labor Party by pursuing a number of radical policies developed by its grass-roots members. In 1981 several right-wing Labor MPs formed a breakaway group called the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a move which split Labor and is widely believed to have made Labor unelectable for a decade. The SDP formed an alliance with the Liberal Party which contested the 1983and 1987 general elections as a centrist alternate to Labor and the Conservatives. After some initial success, the SDP did not prosper (partly due to its unfavorable distribution of votes in the FPTP electoral system), and was accused by some of splitting the ant i-Conservative vote. The SDP eventually merged with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988. Support for the new party has increased since then, and the Liberal Democrats (often referred to as LibDems) in 1997 and 2001 gained an increased number of seats in the House of Commons.The Labor Party was badly defeated in the Conservative landslide of the 1983 general election, and Michael Foot was replaced shortly thereafter by Neil Kinnock as leader. Kinnock expelled the far left Militant tendency group (now called the Socialist Party of England and Wales) and moderated many of the partys policies. Yet he was in turn replaced by John Smith after Labor defeats in the 1987 and 1992 general elections. Tony Blair became leader of the Labor party after John Smiths sudden death from a feel attack in 1994.He continued to move the Labor Party towards the center by loosening links with the unions and embracing many of Margaret Thatchers liberal economic policies. This, coupled wi th the professionalizing of the party machines approach to the media, helped Labor win a historic landslide in the 1997 General Election, after 18 years of Conservative government. Some observers say the Labor Party had by then morphed from a democratic friendlyist party to a social democratic party, a process which delivered three general election victories but alienated some of its core base leading to the formation of the Socialist Labor Party (UK).Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats won the third largest number of seats at the 2010 general election, returning 57 MPs. The Conservative Party failed to win an overall majority, and the Liberal Democrats entered government for the first time as part of a coalition. The Liberal Democrats were formed in 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party with the Social Democratic Party, but can trace their origin back to the Whigs and the Rochdale Radicals who evolved into the Liberal Party. The term Liberal Party was first used officially in 1868, though it had been in use colloquially for decades beforehand.The Liberal Party formed a government in 1868 and then alternated with the Conservative Party as the party of government throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century. The Liberal Democrats are heavily a party on Constitutional and Political Reforms, including changing the voting system for General Elections (UK Alternative Vote referendum, 2011), abolishing the House of Lords and successor it with a 300 member elected Senate, introducing Fixed Five Year Parliaments, and introducing a National Register of Lobbyists.They also claim to champion of fairness and social mobility, notably in government where they have introduced legislation introducing a pupil premium funding for schools directed at the poorest students to give them an equal chance in life equal marriage for homosexual couples and increasing the income tax threshold so that no one will pay anything on the first 10,000 they earn. otherwise p arliamentary parties The Green Party of England and Wales gained its second MP, Caroline Lucas, in the 2010 General Election (the first MP was Cynog Dafis, Ceredigion 1992 who was elected on a joint plaid Cyru/Green Party ticket).It also has seats in the European Parliament, two seats on the London Assembly and around 120 local councilors. The approve party, a left-wing group that came out of the anti-war movement has one MP, George Galloway. It also has a small number of seats on local councils across the country. There are usually a small number of Independent politicians in parliament with no party allegiance. In modern times, this has usually occurred when a sit member leaves their party, and some such MPs have been re-elected as independents.The only current Independent MP is Lady Hermon, previously of the Ulster Unionist Party. However, since 1950 only two new members have been elected as independents without having ever stood for a major party Martin Bell represented the Ta tton constituency in Cheshire between 1997 and 2001. He was elected following a sleaze scandal involving the sitting Conservative MP, Neil HamiltonBell, a BBC journalist, stood as an anticorruption independent candidate, and the Labor and Liberal Democrat parties withdrew their candidates from the election.Dr. Richard Taylor MP was elected for the Wyre Forest constituency in the 2001 on a platform opposing the closure of Kidderminster hospital. He later established Health Concern, the party under which he ran in 2005. Current political landscape Since winning the largest number of seats and votes in the 2010 general election, the Conservatives under David Cameron are now behind the Labor Party now led by Ed Miliband. Their coalition partners have also experienced a decline in support in opinion polls.At the same time, support for the UK license Party has shown a considerable advance, with some polls now placing them in third place ahead of the Lib Dems. UKIPs growing strength was i llustrated by the result of the Eastleigh by-election in which the party advanced by 24% to take second place from the Conservatives, less than 5% behind the Lib Dems who retained the seat. Local government The UK is divided into a sorting of different types of Local Authorities, with different functions and responsibilities.England has a mix of two-tier and single-tier councils in different parts of the country. In Greater London, a unique two-tier system exists, with power dual-lane between the London borough councils, and the Greater London Authority which is headed by an elected mayor. Unitary Authorities are used throughout Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. European Union Further information European Movement UK, Euroskepticism in the United Kingdom, and Members of the European Parliament from the United Kingdom.The United Kingdom first joined the European economical Community in January 1973, and has remained a member of the European Union (EU) that it evolved into UK c itizens, and other EU citizens resident in the UK, elect 78 members to represent them in the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg. The UKs membership in the Union has been objected to over questions of sovereignty,27 and in recent years there have been divisions in both major parties over whether the UK should form greater ties within the EU, or reduce the EUs supranational powers.Opponents of greater European integration are known as Euroskeptics, while supporters are known as Europhiles. Division over Europe is prevalent in both major parties, although the Conservative Party is seen as most divided over the issue, both whilst in Government up to 1997 and after 2010, and between those dates as the opposition. However, the Labor Party is also divided, with conflicting views over UK adoption of the euro whilst in Government (19972010), although the party is largely in favor of further integration where in the countrys interest.UK nationalists have long campaigned against Eu ropean integration. The strong showing of the euroskeptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in the 2004 European Parliament elections has shifted the debate over UK relations with the EU. In March 2008, Parliament decided to not hold a referendum on the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, signed in December 2007. 28 This was despite the Labor government promising in 2004 to hold a referendum on the previously proposed Constitution for Europe.