Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economics - Essay Example It can also be the number of households which are unable to afford basic goods and services. Relative poverty is another dimension used to define poverty. It measures the extent to which the financial resources of households fall below an average income threshold (Measuring poverty. 2010). In other words absolute poverty can be defined as poverty where people cannot afford basic things that is necessary for living due to fall in income below the prescribed level. Whereas when income falls below the standard limit or average level by a certain amount, the situation is called as relative poverty (Relative and Absolute poverty. 2010). The living standards as well as real incomes of individuals and households have grown substantially due to increased employment chances and sustained economic growth in recent years. However the income that is distributed among the population is totally uneven. This is the reason for both absolute and relative poverty. Even though the British society has b ecome a developed one, recently studies have forecast that Britain has become a more unequal society since the last twenty five years. Inequality started its development from the rule of the labour government in 2001. There are many reasons for absolute and relative poverty in Britain. ... It depends on how you can confront them. This is not the case for absolute poverty where the main cause is purely economical. In western society, absolute poverty is not prevailing but there is relative poverty especially among the working class (Measuring poverty. 2010). Answer:2 Introduction: Reduction in inequality and poverty as well as promoting equity is considered as important macro economic objectives. In UK the widening gap between the rich and the poor has highlighted the importance of understanding the causes of relative and absolute poverty. It has also prompted to construct adequate policies for reducing the poverty and narrowing the income gap (Numbers in low income. 2009). One of the best ways to reduce the gap between the rich and poor thereby reducing the effect off poverty is to redistribute the wealth to the needy. For this purpose the government can use the tax and benefits system whereby they can intervene to promote equity as well as reduce inequality and relati ve poverty. This can be done through the tax and benefits system in which a progressive tax and benefits system is implemented that takes more tax on higher levels of income and redistributes it as welfare benefits to those who are in lower income groups. The original income can be adjusted in different ways so that it increases or decreases the post tax income. One among the benefits that can be provided to the poor is the cash benefits system. This is designed to help those who have zero income. This includes contributory as well as non contributory benefits. Contributory benefits include pensions, job seekers allowance, contributions of employers to national insurance fund and non contributory benefits include housing benefit, income supports, carers’ benefits as

Sampling and Data Collection Plan Essay Example for Free

Sampling and Data Collection Plan Essay Simple random sampling would be used. The senior, middle, and young customers of the organization would be selected randomly to conduct the survey. Validity and Reliability Validity and reliability is very much important for a research. If the data would not be reliable or valid then the research would be of no use. To maximize the validity and reliability, a pilot testing would be conducted. Moreover, survey would contain questions that support the research question and help to the expected results (Validity and Reliability, n. d). Protection of human subjects The respondents would fill the questionnaire anonymously. Their names would not be leaked out. The questionnaire would also contain the statement that â€Å"All the responses will be treated confidential and used for the purpose of research only†. No one would get a clue that who participated in the study. Data collection The data would be collected with the help of the questionnaire. The questionnaire would be send to the respondents through email. Some of the questionnaire would also be given in person by giving to customers at the same time that they want to try something in the store. Physical collection of the data The questionnaire then would be collected from the respondent after two or three days. Protection and storage of data Hardcopy of the questionnaire would be stored in one box and it would be labeled with key information so that it could be accessed easily. Moreover, the records would be stored in a locked room so that it does not get in wrong hands. The responses that would be obtained through email would also be protected in an effective manner. The computer would have password and it would not be accessed by anyone. Moreover, there would also be the backup copies of all data to prevent any kind of loss (HEI Records Management, 2007). References HEI Records Management. (2007). Retrieved August 10, 2014 fromhttp://tools.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/downloads/bcs-rrs/managing-research-records.pdf Validity and Reliability. (n.d). Retrieved August 10, 2014 fromhttp://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/products/at-research-matters/validity/

Anglo Saxon Scops :: English Literature Writing

Anglo Saxon Scops The written word has existed for thousands of years, with the style and subject matter of literature changing to fit the times. English literature is no different, with three distinct periods of writing (Old English, Middle English and modern English). As the earliest period of documented literature, the Old English period is marked by the primitive styles and language of the Anglo Saxon people. Though they were sea-faring warriors, the Anglo Saxons were capable of strong emotions, best captured in poetry. However, these works were not written down. Rather, they were recited or sung. Some men even devoted their lives to this purpose. These skilled minstrels were known as scops. The scop was an Anglo-Saxon poet who was commissioned by the early Germanic kings or soldiers to entertain them by reciting the poetry to the accompaniment of a harp or a similarly stringed instrument. From the Old English word â€Å"scieppan†, scop means to create, form or shape. The scop was also referred to as a gleeman, from the Old English word â€Å"gleoman†, who was a musician or performer. Though the scop was a performer, like the gleeman, the work of the scop was more artistic, as the name denotes. Unlike the gleeman, scops also wrote and performed their own poetry. Also, they had to be able to insert fitting verse where necessary, depending upon the occasion or celebration . Scops were known to travel from village to village; however, many had permanent posts in the king’s court or mead halls. Usually, they performed for great feasts, celebrations, or the homecoming of soldiers from war. Their performances were usually short, but there were usually many lines of verse. Beowulf itself is over 3000 lines long. Any given song could deal with events from the present, such as battles won or recent adventures had. In Beowulf, the scop announced Beowulf’s triumph over Grendel the morning after the deed. Some songs might deal with figures from the past like the ancestors of the Anglo Saxons. Other subjects reflected in the poetry include the sea, brave deeds, glory of warriors, and the love of home. Scops were also commissioned to write elegies or songs for the dead. It was considered an honor to have a scop sing one's praise or mourn one’s death. But, regardless of the subject matter, the theme was lofty and its tone was earnest.

Abstract – Analysis

After Jobs' death (201 1), the video of his speech turned on the internet, gaining millions of views. On Twitter and Backbone, people quoted pieces of the speech, and one of the cost highly circulated quotes was his last line: â€Å"Stay hungry, stay foolish. â€Å". Steve Jobs' powerful speech consisted of three stories from his life. The first story, which he calls â€Å"connecting the dots†, touches upon his early life and how it all affected the inception and development of his company and career.The second story, about â€Å"love and loss†, reveals how he pursued what he loved, and the twists and turns in that pursuit, and his eventual success and attainment of happiness (American dream). The third story he speaks about relates his feelings of being at the end of the road, and how facing death every day inspired him to work and live as if it were his last day (Carper diem theme).This speech is more Interesting because It is full of rhetorical, philosophical messa ges and figures, there are the recurring themes of birth, death, rebirth, love, and determination. Indubitably, Jobs has struck a core with the American Dream: â€Å"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. † and â€Å"Don't settle. † , a few of his aphorisms for the young students are determined to Join the workforce, pursue their livelihoods, start their families, and achieve their â€Å"Dream†.While It may seem plausible and appealing to â€Å"stay hungry, stay foolish† for one person, It may seem unreasonable and Inauspicious to another. The reference about the â€Å"Instinct† that for Jobs prevails over the â€Å"reason† creates divergent opinions as also the history has shown through the thinking of some philosophers Like B. Pascal, S. Segregated, F. Nietzsche or rationalist philosophers Like D. Home or R. Descartes. Finally, there are many other Ideas and Items that come out of this discourse, where the path os always wins the audience.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Phrenology Essay

After fMRI was first introduced, it has been under criticism that it is not hard science. The most common technique, the BOLD (blood oxygen level-dependent) fMRI, measures the increase in regional cerebral blood flow in response to increased metabolism, which is to be caused from heightened activity of neuron firing (Menon & Kim, 1999). Some neurologists believe that this is an indirect way of measuring brain activity, and is not sufficient to support any idea. By many scientists fMRI is often compared to phrenology, a study that once gained popularity in the 19th century. Phrenology is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules (Fodor, 1983). This is similar to fMRI practitioners’ attempts to localize brain structure, matching the divided parts of the brain with certain functions. Judging whether fMRI is a new form of phrenology concerns two points: fMRI’s similarities to phrenology, and fMRI’s significance to be admitted as the ‘new form’. This will also lead to the question of whether fMRI scan is meaningful to be presented as evidence in court. The logic of fMRI is straight-forward. Brain parts that light up to a certain stimulus, is related to the function provoked by the stimulus. The fMRI machine measures increase in blood flow in brain regions. The regions with increased blood flow appear in brighter colors, in red or yellow (Dobbs, 2005). fMRI’s logic of relating higher blood flow and function is similar to that of phrenology, which relates size of lump to function. From this analogy we can say that fMRI can be considered some form of ‘phrenology. ’ Another reason that fMRI is compared to phrenology is for its limitations (Menon & Kim, 1999). MRI’s problem rise from the fact that it does not show interactions between parts. It takes a univariate approach to the brain, implying that only one factor is considered as variable. The current fMRI shows voxels’ activity as one sum, meaning that it cannot collect relational or sequential information of brain parts (Dobbs, 2005). Many neurologists believe that brain parts’ interaction is an important aspect, and fMRI’s lack of capacity to do so results in criticism. Compared with the old phrenology, fMRI shares the same view that brains have localized functions. However, fMRI takes a more scientific approach than the old phrenology. Although it has its limitation in presenting spatial information, it does contribute in relating brains structure and the mind’s function. Although the ‘old’ phrenology is labeled ‘pseudoscience’ and no longer acknowledged in the field of science anymore, it has had its contributions. It sparked the idea that mind can be localized, such as language and memory. In the same context fMRI can contribute, only much more than the ‘old’ phrenology. Although fMRI’s blood flow measurement and the actual neural activity do not perfectly correspond with each other (Dobbs, 2005), significant correlation can be drawn from the fMRI scanning. As for the usage as court evidence, I see fMRI scan valuable as evidence, for fMRI does show some level of correlation of parts of brains and certain activity. fMRI should not be criticized and banned from court just because of its possibility of erroneous conclusion (Hughes, 2010). Even witnesses’ testimonies are bound to be wrong, but their testimonies are accepted as evidence. Thus fMRI should be allowed to be presented as evidence in court. However, the juries should be made aware that fMRI scan is an arbitrarily interpreted output, and contain risks of erroneous conclusions. I believe fMRI will gain stronger grounds in the court later in the future though, with the advance of technology as mentioned above. Some compare neurologists with fMRI to molecular biologists with light microscopes (Jaffe, 2004), for the reason that the capacity of fMRI is not sufficient for neurological study. It must be taken into account that later light microscopes evolved to electron microscopes, meaning that also fMRI will offer improved spatial and temporal information in the future. Its potential must be acknowledged, and in the meantime there should be efforts to find complementary analysis methods (Hubbard, 2003).