Children Of Divorced Parents Essay

The idea that children of divorced parents would be the ones who would suffer, was seen as conservative thinking and many scoffed at this notion in the 1970?s. What child would want to be part of a family that constantly fought? With the accepted idea of couples counselling a few years away many saw divorce as their only option. Because of this attitude, today there are fewer and fewer people under the age of 30 who are getting married than at any other time in history. The mistakes of the past generation are well documented and most people have a rudimentary knowledge of what divorce does to people. If not from first hand experiences than from witnessing aunt’s, uncles or cousins endure though a divorce. This has made an impact on many young people and has made them a bit wary about the institution. Their apprehension can be attributed to the rising number of people that divorced in the 1970?s and the effect it had on the attitude of their children towards marriage in the 199 0?s. The Divorce Act of 1968 [a law that allowed couples to divorce because of cruelty, adultery or if they have been living apart for three years] was seen by many people living in the 1970?s as a second chance for happiness, consequently the divorce rate nearly tripled. By 1970 the divorce rate stood at nearly 150 divorces per 100,000 persons, up from 55 divorces per 100,000 persons in 1965 (Canadian Dept of Justice). In 1985 when the Divorce Act was amended there was a spike of 25% in the divorce rate [see appendix 1]. Many people were waiting to for the changes the Canadian government was going to make to the Divorce Act. After the changes became law many people who had been waiting to officially divorce now could after only one year (Cameron 1). This spike can then be directly attributed to the amendments. By comparison the divorce rate today stands at 240 divorces per 100,000 persons and although this is a much higher number than in 1970 the divorce rate has been dropping steadily for the past 5 years, [with the exception of 1998 when it rose slightly (2.5%) over the previous year] (Canadian Dept of Justice). The wide spread belief of the early 1970?s was that children in an unhappy home would suffer and that staying in a marriage where the parental unit was always arguing and fighting a lot was not fair to the children. This led some people to walk away from their marriages at the first sign of trouble because they believed it was in the best interest for their  children. A happy mother and father, even if they were not living under the same roof was suppose to be better than a parental unit that was fighting, and there was a lot of heated debates going on in the 1970?s. Not only was the no fault Divorce Act of 1968 a new idea, but a couple of revolutions were also going on at this time as well. The sexual revolution, (with the invention of the birth control pill) and the gender revolution, (which was a struggle for equal rights for women as well as gays and lesbians) both these revolutions helped educate women and helped bond women together to issues that concerned women. But many of these ideas were far from the so-called accepted social norm of the time. Many couples could not deal with all the new changes that were going on and so a lot of couples divorced. â€Å"If divorce could make one or both parents happier, then it was likely to improve the well-being of children as well† explains American social historian Barbara Dafoe Whitehead in her book, The Divorce Culture (Driedger 1). If anyone needed a place to go to see just how fulfilling life could be outside of wedlock all they had to do was to turn on their television sets. The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Mary and Rhoda were full of single female role models, all having careers. The infamous line in the theme song of The Mary Tyler Moore Show â€Å"You?re going to make it after all†, seemed to sum up the mood of women in the 1970?s (Cameron 2). Now, the children of this generation are grown up and a very significant percentage of them are not thinking about marriage. The 1996 Census report shows just how wary young people today are about this formal institution; 67 percent of men age 25-29 have never been married compared to 35 percent in 1951 (Cameron 13). And it is not just men who are steering clear of marriage, 51 percent of women age 25-29 have not walked down the isle, where as only 21 percent of women in 1951 did not. It would seem that there are more important matters in the lives of today?s youth that are taking them away from marriage. An article written in MacLean?s magazine in May of 2000 entitled I am Single, asked a number of Canadians about being single and what their attitude is towards marriage. Christine Ryan, 22, is a first year human relations  student at Montreal?s Concordia University and has worked as a counsellor for low-income adults. She admits that she would love to, â€Å"have kids, live in a two-income household and raise [her] children with the love and affection of a mother and a father, [but] she really doubts that scenario is possible because she has seen too much infidelity, unhappiness and divorce among friends, family and through her previous job as a counsellor? (Cameron 14). Right now she is focusing on acquiring a career and then raising children by herself. † I think marriage is a fantasy, I think being able to live with someone for 50 years and not want to be with someone else along the way is a big myth† states Ryan. Another article that was published in the Toronto Star in October of 2000 it also explored this issue. In this article Marco Moniz, age 23, a musician and forklift operator was interviewed. † He says he has no desire to get married, especially since he doesn?t yet trust his intuition to choose the right women; I?m not sure being in love always measures up to a good marriage, because sometimes being in love might not be understood truly†. He also states; † Before I get married in any traditional fashion, I?d have to already be married in my heart.† (Royce-Roll) Marco and Christine are not alone with this attitude; the percentage of one-person households in Canada in 1996 was at 24.2 percent. This number has nearly doubled since 1971 when it was 13.4 percent. (Canadian Dept of Justice) Young women have learned from watching their mothers who went through a divorce and suffered financial hardships and are now making sure that they have a good job before even considering marriage. Some additional evidence for this argument is in the amount of women who are registering for university today. [See appendix 2] Compared to 1976 the amount of women enrolled in a Canadian university in 1998 has nearly doubled, up from 19,000 to 35,000 (E-STAT). York University professor Harold Minden predicts that the divorce rate for Generation X will climb to 60 or 70 per cent because, â€Å"Children havent  learned anything positive†. (Royce-Roll) Research done by Ed Spruijt and Martijn Goede, two sociology researchers in the Netherlands seem to support Harold Minden?s prediction. Ed Spruijt and Martijn Goede followed a total of 3,525 different households and analyzed data they collected from 2,517 youths aged 15 to 24. These households had a variety of family structures, single parent, step families and the traditional family unit. The results concerning single parent families were a bit shocking. â€Å"Youngsters from single-parent families and step families have more experience in the breaking up of relationships (or love pangs) than do others; in particular, they have more experience than do youngsters from stable families. With regards to relational problems, there is a significant difference in the indicators of relational well being only between the youngsters from single parent families and all the other youngsters. Youngsters from single-parent families report more conflicts with their partners (thinking of splitting up) and have more divorce experience of their own, as compared with youngsters from the other family types. Many children have grown up with out adults to model a happy marriage for them or even a marriage for them so they don?t have the skills they need to form a healthy and happy long-term relationship.’ (Goede 9) What is said here is simple, children need to witness their parents in a loving long term relationship if the children are to have a chance at developing a long term relationship of there own. ?In terms of having their own relationships, children of divorced parents, do not have a template with which to gauge their choices† (Kinsella 2). Today the mainstream opinion is that love and marriage do not necessarily go hand in hand. With the invention of the birth control pill ideas about premarital sex were altered and with the inception of Canada?s Divorce Act the phrase,† till death us do part†, has little if any meaning to a lot of people. Divorced parents have shown their children that if things get too tough they could just walk away! But young people today are looking at their parents’ relationships and at the relationships they see portrayed on television. They are wondering, what works? They are looking to their parents for advice and they have little to offer to help their children  build a long lasting bond with another human being. It seems that every couple of months there is an article in a magazine or newspaper, or a television expose’ on the effects that divorce has had on children and no one today wants to be responsible for causing any children harm. The actions of the past generation has portrayed a negative view on how a lot of people behave towards marriage, but it seems that the positive side to this situation is that this generation is better informed and wiser. The lessons of the past seem to have been learned, and not everyone is in a hurry to make the same mistakes. Symbolic interactionalist would look at the labels people are ascribed with and look at the change in attitude and relationship changes that are due to these ascribed labels. Divorce was once a very taboo subject even to talk about. People who had the misfortune of being divorced were label as an â€Å"divorce'†. With the Divorce Act of 1968 and the subsequent rise in divorces, attitudes changed and so to did the label. Divorce became a symbol of freedom, and of a second chance at happiness. Now it seems to me that divorce means financial and emotional instability. The emotional damage that children suffer when their parents divorce is well documented, and many labels have been created to describe these children. From the broken home children to the hero children and everything in between. The focus of couples who are divorcing has shifted from the couples to the children of that union. The culture that divorce created has shown children who grew up immersed in this environment [particularly women who’s parents divorced] that financial independence is very important. It is a safe guard against poverty in the case that a women finds herself separated or divorced and in need of housing, clothing, food etc. Witnessing what their mother’s went through or friends mother endured after a divorce has taught many women to seek out careers that will enable hem to have security rather than relying on a man to provide for them. Financial independence today means post-secondary education and that means a lot of time spent in school. This time spent in school pushes back the age in which young women choose to get married as is seen in the statistics provided in paragraph five. Although not all history lessons have been learned yet. Relationships require listening skills, time management, mutual respect and a commitment not only to one another but to a future together. The relationships children of divorced parents develop often fail because the skills necessary to achieved and maintain relationships were never modeled for them. The skills needed to nurture a relationship to maturity aren?t learned. The children repeat the same mistakes and divorce more often than children who grow up in a two parent family because the children only know the model of divorce. Although this model is dysfunctional, to the children of divorce it can become their accepted method of dealing with marital problems. What everyone failed to see in the 1970’s is that for children, divorce is an accumulative process. It is not just a shot to the psyche that will get better in time; there are skills that children learn from a parental unit that cannot be learned by just having one parent around. Twenty-five years later, countless surveys, opinion polls, research and a lot of public money later it has been shown that the attitude of the 1970?s was misguided. The stress on children in a family break-up was longer lasting than first anticipated and has had repercussions on the generation now at an age to start lives of their own. BIBLIOGRAPHY Canadian Dept of Justice. Statistics Canada. â€Å"Selected statistics on Canadian families and law.† Ottawa. 1997. Cameron, Chan, Demont and McClelland,. â€Å"I am single.† Maclean’s. May 8, 2000. Driedger, Sharon Doyle. â€Å"Canada: Children of divorced parents.† Maclean’s. Apr, 20, 1998. Vol. 111, Issue 16, p38. Kinsella, Bridget. â€Å"Parents Split; Kids Can?t Commit† Publisher Weekly. Aug 14, 2000. Vol. 247, Issue 33, p201-202. O’Neil, Terry. â€Å"Unhappily ever after: a new 25 year study destroys the myth that children really bounce back from divorce.† Report Magazine. Oct 9, 2000. Vol. 27, p52-52. Royce-Roll, Heather. â€Å"The negative spin-off of split-ups.† The Toronto Star. Oct 28, 2000. Goede, Ed and Martijn de Goede. â€Å"Transitions in family structure and adolescent well-being†. eLibrary PLUS. 1997. Witchel, Riobert I. Dealing with Students from Dysfunctional Families. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass INC, 1991.

An Analysis of Oroonoko by Aphra Behn Essay

Oroonoko is a short work of prose fiction by Aphra Behn (1640–1689), published in 1688, concerning the love of its hero, an enslaved African inSurinam in the 1660s, and the author’s own experiences in the new South American colony. Behn worked for Charles II as a spy during the outset of the Second Dutch War, ending up destitute when she returned to England, and even spending time in a debtors’ prison, because Charles failed to pay her properly, or at all. She turned her hand to writing in order to survive, with remarkable success. She wrote poetry that sold well, and had a number of plays staged, which established her fame in her own lifetime. In the 1670s, only John Dryden had plays staged more often than Behn. She began to write extended narrative prose toward the end of her career. Published less than a year before she died, Oroonoko is one of the earliest English novels. Interest in it has increased since the 1970s, critics arguing that Behn is the foremothe r of British women writers, and that Oroonoko is a crucial text in the history of the novel. Plot summary and analysis Oroonoko: or, the Royal Slave is a relatively short novel concerning the Coromantin grandson of an African king, Prince Oroonoko, who falls in love with Imoinda, the daughter of that king’s top general. â€Å"Coromantee people† were Akan slaves brought from present-day Ghana, a polyglot band known for their rebellious nature. the sacred veil, thus commanding her to become one of his wives, even though she was already married to Oroonoko. After unwillingly spending time in the king’s harem (the Otan), Imoinda and Oroonoko plan a tryst with the help of the sympathetic Onahal and Aboan. They are eventually discovered, and because she has lost her virginity, Imoinda is sold as a slave. The king’s guilt, however, leads him to falsely inform Oroonoko that she has been executed, since death was thought to be better than slavery. Later, after winning another tribal war, Oroonoko is betrayed and captured by an English captain, who planned to sell him and his men as slaves. Both Imoinda and Oroonoko were carried to Surinam, at that time an English colony based on sugarcane plantation in the West Indies. The two lovers are reunited there, under the new Christian names of Caesar and Clemene, even though Imoinda’s beauty has attracted the unwanted desires of other slaves and of the Cornish gentleman, Trefry. Upon Imoinda’s pregnancy, Oroonoko petitions for their return to the homeland. But after being continuously ignored, he organizes a slave revolt. The slaves are hunted down by the military forces and compelled to surrender on deputy governor Byam’s promise of amnesty. Yet, when the slaves surrender, Oroonoko and the others are punished and whipped. To avenge his honor, and to express his natural worth, Oroonoko decides to kill Byam. But to protect Imoinda from violation and subjugation after his death, he decides to kill her. The two lovers discuss the plan, and with a smile on her face, Imoinda willingly dies by his hand. A few days later, Oroonoko is found mourning by her decapitated body and is kept from killing himself, only to be publicly executed. During his death by dismemberment, Oroonoko calmly smokes a pipe and stoically withstands all the pain without crying out. The novel is written in a mixture of first and third person, as the narrator relates actions in Africa and portrays herself as a witness of the actions that take place in Surinam. In the novel, the narrator presents herself as a lady who has come to Surinam with her unnamed father, a man intended to be a new lieutenant-general of the colony. He, however, dies on the voyage from England. The narrator and her family are put up in the finest house in the settlement, in accord with their station, and the narrator’s experiences of meeting the indigenous peoples and slaves are intermixed with the main plot of the love of Oroonoko and Imoinda. At the conclusion of the love story, the narrator leaves Surinam for London. Structurally, there are three significant pieces to the narrative, which does not flow in a strictly biographical manner. The novel opens with a statement of veracity, where the author claims to be writing no fiction and no pedantic history. She claims to be an eyewitness and to be writing without any embellishment or theme, relying solely upon reality. What follows is a description of Surinam itself and the South American Indians there. She regards the locals as simple and living in a golden age (the presence of gold in the land being indicative of the epoch of the people themselves). It is only afterwards that the narrator provides the history of Oroonoko himself and the intrigues of both his grandfather and the slave captain, the captivity of Imoinda, and his own betrayal. The next section is in the narrator’s present; Oroonoko and Imoinda are reunited, and Oroonoko and Imoinda meet the narrator and Trefry. The third section contains Oroonoko’s rebellion and its aftermath. Biographical and historical background Oroonoko is now the most studied of Aphra Behn’s novels, but it was not immediately successful in her own lifetime. It sold well, but the adaptation for the stage by Thomas Southerne (see below) made the story as popular as it became. Soon after her death, the novel began to be read again, and from that time onward the factual claims made by the novel’s narrator, and the factuality of the whole plot of the novel, have been accepted and questioned with greater and lesser credulity. Because Mrs. Behn was not available to correct or confirm any information, early biographers assumed the first-person narrator was Aphra Behn speaking for herself and incorporated the novel’s claims into their accounts of her life. It is important, however, to recognize thatOroonoko is a work of fiction and that its first-person narrator—the protagonist—need be no more factual than Jonathan Swift’s first-person narrator, ostensibly Gulliver, in Gulliver’s Tra vels, Daniel Defoe’s shipwrecked narrator in Robinson Crusoe, or the first-person narrator of A Tale of a Tub. Fact and fiction in the narrator Researchers today cannot say whether or not the narrator of Oroonoko represents Aphra Behn and, if so, tells the truth. Scholars have argued for over a century about whether or not Behn even visited Surinam and, if so, when. On the one hand, the narrator reports that she â€Å"saw† sheep in the colony, when the settlement had to import meat from Virginia, as sheep, in particular, could not survive there. Also, as Ernest Bernbaum argues in â€Å"Mrs. Behn’s ‘Oroonoko'†, everything substantive in Oroonoko could have come from accounts by William Byam and George Warren that were circulating in London in the 1660s. However, as J.A. Ramsaran and Bernard Dhuiq catalog, Behn provides a great deal of precise local color and physical description of the colony. Topographical and culturalverisimilitude were not a criterion for readers of novels and plays in Behn’s day any more than in Thomas Kyd’s, and Behn generally did not bother with attempting to be accurate in her locations in other stories. Her plays have quite indistinct settings, and she rarely spends time with topographical description in her stories.[2] Secondly, all the Europeans mentioned in Oroonoko were really present in Surinam in the 1660s. It is interesting, if the entire account is fictional and based on reportage, that Behn takes no liberties of invention to create European settlers she might need. Finally, the characterization of the real-life people in the novel does follow Behn’s own politics. Behn was a lifelong and militant royalist, and her fictions are quite consistent in portraying virtuous royalists and put-upon nobles who are opposed by petty and evil republicans/Parliamentarians. Had Behn not known the individuals she fictionalizes in Oroonoko, it is extremely unlikely that any of the real royalists would have become fictional villains or any of the real republicans fictional heroes, and yet Byam and James Bannister, both actual royalists in the Interregnum, are malicious, licentious, and sadistic, while George Marten, a Cromwellian republican, is reasonable, open-minded, and fair.[2] On balance, it appear s that Behn truly did travel to Surinam. The fictional narrator, however, cannot be the real Aphra Behn. For one thing, the narrator says that her father was set to become the deputy governor of the colony and died at sea en route. This did not happen to Bartholomew Johnson (Behn’s father), although he did die between 1660 and 1664.[3] There is no indication at all of anyone except William Byam being Deputy Governor of the settlement, and the only major figure to die en route at sea was Francis, Lord Willoughby, the colonial patent holder for Barbados and â€Å"Suriname.† Further, the narrator’s father’s death explains her antipathy toward Byam, for he is her father’s usurper as Deputy Governor of Surinam. This fictionalized father thereby gives the narrator a motive for her unflattering portrait of Byam, a motive that might cover for the real Aphra Behn’s motive in going to Surinam and for the real Behn’s antipathy toward the real Byam. It is also unlikely that Behn went to Surinam with her husband, although she may have met and married in Surinam or on the journey back to England. A socially creditable single woman in good standing would not have gone unaccompanied to Surinam. Therefore, it is most likely that Behn and her family went to the colony in the company of alady. As for her purpose in going, Janet Todd presents a strong case for its being spying. At the time of the events of the novel, the deputy governor Byam had taken absolute control of the settlement and was being opposed not only by the formerly republican Colonel George Marten, but also by royalists within the settlement. Byam’s abilities were suspect, and it is possible that either Lord Willoughby or Charles II would be interested in an investigation of the administration there. Beyond these facts, there is little known. The earliest biographers of Aphra Behn not only accepted the novel’s narrator’s claims as true, but Charles Gildon even invented a romantic liaison between the author and the title character, while the anonymous Memoirs of Aphra Behn, Written by One of the Fair Sex (both 1698) insisted that the author was too young to be romantically available at the time of the novel’s events. Later biographers have contended with these claims, either to prove or deny them. However, it is profitable to look at the novel’s events as part of the observations of an investigator, as illustrations of government, rather than autobiography. Models for Oroonoko There were numerous slave revolts in English colonies led by Coromantin slaves. Oroonoko was described as being from â€Å"Coromantien† and was likely modeled after Coromantin slaves who were known for causing several rebellions in the Caribbean. One figure who matches aspects of Oroonoko is the white John Allin, a settler in Surinam. Allin was disillusioned and miserable in Surinam, and he was taken to alcoholism and wild, lavish blasphemies so shocking that Governor Byam believed that the repetition of them at Allin’s trial cracked the foundation of the courthouse.[4] In the novel, Oroonoko plans to kill Byam and then himself, and this matches a plot that Allin had to kill Lord Willoughby and then commit suicide, for, he said, it was impossible to â€Å"possess my own life, when I cannot enjoy it with freedom and honour†.[5] He wounded Willoughby and was taken to prison, where he killed himself with an overdose. His body was taken to a pillory, â€Å"where a B arbicue was erected; his Members cut off, and flung in his face, they had his Bowels burnt under the Barbicue†¦ his Head to be cut off, and his Body to be quartered, and when dry-barbicued or dry roasted†¦ his Head to be stuck on a pole at Parham (Willoughby’s residence in Surinam), and his Quarters to be put up at the most eminent places of the Colony.†[5] Allin, it must be stressed, was a planter, and neither an indentured nor enslaved worker, and the â€Å"freedom and honour† he sought was independence rather than manumission. Neither was Allin of noble blood, nor was his cause against Willoughby based on love. Therefore, the extent to which he provides a model for Oroonoko is limited more to his crime and punishment than to his plight. However, if Behn left Surinam in 1663, then she could have kept up with matters in the colony by reading the Exact Relation that Willoughby had printed in London in 1666, and seen in the extraordinary execution a barbarity to graft onto her villain, Byam, from the man who might have been her real employer, Willoughby. While Behn was in Surinam (1663), she would have seen a slave ship arrive with 130 â€Å"freight,† 54 having been â€Å"lost† in transit. Although the African slaves were not treated differently from the indentured servants coming from England (and were, in fact, more highly valued), their cases were hopeless, and both slaves, indentured servants, and local inhabitants attacked the settlement. There was no single rebellion, however, that matched what is related in Oroonoko. Further, the character of Oroonoko is physically different from the other slaves by being blacker skinned, having a Roman nose, and having straight hair. The lack of historical record of a mass rebellion, the unlikeliness of the physical description of the character (when Europeans at the time had no clear idea of race or an inheritable set of â€Å"racial† characteristics), and the European courtliness of the character suggests that he is most likely invented wholesale. Additionally, the character’s name is artificial. There are names in the Yoruba language that are similar, but the African slaves of Surinam were from Ghana. Instead of from life, the character seems to come from literature, for his name is reminiscent of Oroondates, a character in La Calprenà ¨de’s Cassandra,which Behn had read.[6] Oroondates is a prince of Scythia whose desired bride is snatched away by an elder king. Previous to this, there is an Oroondates who is the satrap of Memphis in theÆthiopica, a novel from late antiquity by Heliodorus of Emesa. Many of the plot elements in Behn’s novel are reminiscent of those in the Æthiopica and other Greek romances of the period. There is a particular similarity to the story of Juba in La Calprenà ¨de’s romance Clà ©opà ¢tre, who becomes a slave in Rome and is given a Roman name—Coriolanus—by his captors, as Oroonoko is given the Roman name of Caesar.[7] Alternatively, it could be argued that â€Å"Oroonoko† is a homophone for the Orinoco River, along which the English settled, and it is possible to see the character as an allegorical fi gure for the mismanaged territory itself. Oroonoko, and the crisis of values of aristocracy, slavery, and worth he represents to the colonists, is emblematic of the new world and colonization itself: a person like Oroonoko is symptomatic of a place like the Orinoco.

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Muscular System - Research Paper Example There are some manifestations in the body systems of multi-system disorders when MD occurred such as in the heart, brain, eyes, skin, endocrine glands, are nervous systems. It also affects psychological component of a person, resulting with obscurity in learning and even mood swings. Muscular dystrophy is commonly occurred in males of all ages. The disease had become prominent during 1860s with numerous records of case in medical journals. Guillaume Duchenne, a French neurologist, had conducted a study among 13 boys with similar diseases in various degrees. Later on, his discovery of the disease had named after him, which is called Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In his study as well, experts had discovered that there are many forms of muscular dystrophy. The earliest notable symptoms of Muscular dystrophy are difficulty in climbing the stairs; younger age prefers to walk on the toes, loss of function, wobble and trip, difficulty to get up from a sitting position and find it complicated to do things that require pushing. The worse case of the MD patients is difficulty in walking, recurrent falls, calf pain, Scoliosis, drooping eyelids, and inability to walk. Pathophysiology Process. To be able to explain further the relationship of pathophysiology process of Muscular dystrophy, understanding the dystrophin-deficient muscle is needed.

Genealogy Project Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Genealogy Project - Coursework Example Chronic illness significantly affects the wider section of the population around the world. Moreover, according to the report of Centers for Disease Control, chronic illnesses are referred as one of the leading reasons of death and disability in the context of the US nation. Allergy, Asthma, Breast Cancer, Epilepsy, Heart Disease and Obesity among others are the prominent types of chronic illnesses that most of the inhabitants suffer during their lifespan. In this regard, proper healthcare is most effective in assisting individual to acquire clinical reasoning and effective management for healthcare issues. The aforesaid chart highlighted the family’s health history of three generation, which summaries the reason of their deaths. Moreover, the chart also evaluates the various chronic illnesses along with the issues that lead to the deaths among three generation of same family. In the context, it can be stated that proper clinical judgement plays an important role for the welfa re of a family in the process of taking effective measures to lessen and manage illness based on the needs of family members (University of Michigan, â€Å"What is Chronic Disease?†). The chart helped to explore the most of the significant reasons of death in the family throughout the generation. Additionally, the chart explores that my paternal grandfather had two children and paternal grandmother had four children. On the other hand, my maternal grandfather and mother had eight children of which five are females and three are males. Besides, it can be affirmed from the finding that every family member were suffering from chronic illnesses and required treatment. Moreover, the chart concluded that chronic illnesses that parental and maternal grandfather, half uncle and aunt, uncle 2 and uncle 3 was unknown. Besides, through the finding it can

Is it better for student to take a loan or to save money Case Study

Is it better for student to take a loan or to save money - Case Study Example Tuition fee takes the greater share of the loan before other expenses such as books, housing and this is a huge burned to the student. In some cases, the loan increases when the student has to repay with interest. This tends to be cumbersome for any student since it accumulates to the extent that it becomes difficult repaying. Economists argue that student’s loans should be interest free and subsidized to facilitate recovery (Christie 2015). Secondly, repayment of student loans can last for many decades, and it becomes a burden to the student (Shen 2010). It ties a student in a debt for a longer period hence can miss many opportunities that come to those who do not have debts. Economists argue that it makes it hard for students to build up an emergency savings account, and they cannot save money for retirement (Christie 2015). This is mostly in cases when a student has to pay the loan for a longer period of 15-25 years. Students who save do not have such burdens and are relieved. Thirdly, taking a loan can run a student’s credit history (Shen 2010). Students who default to pay their loans stand higher chances of blacklisting hence unable to get employment or borrow money from the financial institutions. Similarly, inability to pay the loan within the stipulated time harms the students because it affects the credit history making it prolongs the expected duration of clearance. Thoma (2015), an economist argues that student should not take loan they are unable to pay because it puts them into unintended debt. Additionally, student loans must be repaid with or without graduating (Shen 2010). This is very dangerous to students who do not graduate and lacks job opportunities. It forces them to look for the money elsewhere, hence putting pressure on them. Thoma (2015) notes that it becomes hard for people who do not have a stable income or earning less to repay such

Land Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Land Law - Case Study Example In this case study, the facts to be observed is with regard to provisions of Land Registration 2002 which was operationalised from 2003. Section 29 (1) of the Land Registration Act 2002 states, interalia, "if a registrable disposition of a registered charge is made for valuable consideration, completion of the disposition by registration has the effect of postponing to the interest under the disposition any interest affecting the charge immediately before the disposition whose priority is not protected at the time of registration." (Disposition of Registered Land. 2002). The aspects of restrictions, as is evident in this case study are found under Sections 40 and 41 of Land Registration Act 2002. Section 40 circumscribes the circumstances under which certain restrictions could be imposed with regard to mortgage and they seek to place restrictions on the making of any entries, either for a specified or unspecified period of time or depending upon the happening of any event. The law under Section 40 (2) states that "A restriction may, in particular (3) Without prejudice to generality of subsection (2)(b)(iii), the events which may be specified include- (a) the giving of notice,(b) the obtaining of consent, and (c) the making of an order by the court or registrar. (Notices and restrictions. 2002). In this case of Nicole and Silky Smooth Limited, it is seen that the following restrictions were placed by the mortgagee (lender) Silky Smooth Limited while negotiating a Registered 1st Charge on the property of Nicole, the mortgagor as pre-conditions for giving of the loans: 1. She would be the sole supplier for the Nicole's beauty product Company until year 2034. 2. There would be no repayment of the loan amount of 100,000 from the loanee, or demands from loaner for a period of 25 years. 3. The interest rate would be at 3% more than the prevailing bank rate. The effect of these registered charges now binds both the mortgagee and the mortgagor as per Section 40 of the Registration of Property Act. The aspect of "restrictive covenant "that was seen in the case of Tulk v. Moxhay 1848 and it is said that this established that the burden of a covenant which was restrictive in nature could run with the land', despite privity of contract. (Tulk v Moxhay (1848). 2006). The aspect of higher interest rate that is seen in this case study cannot be termed as unconscionable since as per the legal framework, there are no restrictions on the rate of interest that may be charged on mortgages, and in the absence of disagreement or protest on the party of the mortgagor regarding higher interest rates, there is a valid agreement. (Are there limits on the interest rate that can be charged: (How to know your rights and obligations as mortgagee (lender) 2006). Thus it could be seen that as per Section 40 of the Registration of Property Act, once the restrictions have been registered as charge, as is evident in this case, it should be enforceable on the parties and except,

Aggregate Demand and Supply Models Essay Example for Free

Aggregate Demand and Supply Models Essay As it stands currently the existing effect of the economic factors on aggregate demand and supply are: unemployment, consumer income, and interest rates. In this paper we identify the existing effect of the economic factors on aggregate demand and supply. The American people have little to no income when unemployed, this in turn causes a decrease in demand for the economy. This type of event causes the aggregate demand to curve to the left. One of the main reasons unemployment remains high to this day is the lack of demand. A shortfall in aggregate demand is precisely the type of issue that can be addressed by monetary policy, however, to do so we need continuous monetary stimulus to progress toward maximum employment stability. The crash of the housing market has set tremendous limitation on consumer and their spending. Sternness on behalf of the government to a certain extent has decreased aggregate demand during this recovery period. These actions have directly impacted growth. What this means to us is that lower government spending and higher taxes call for disposable income for consumers, work for government contractors diminishing, and a decrease in government payroll. Another factor that has had great effect and impact are the levels of uncertainty. The events leading to this state have yet to be resolved which in turn have caused a lack of willingness and confidence within consumers. In the beginning the levels of uncertainty reflected the force of influence the recession had on us as consumers . This is something that had not been experienced in several years which made it difficult for us to handle or even find a way to get by in a more successful demeanor. After extensive research and analysis it is safe to say the supply-side considerations explain some of the rise in unemployment, which once again confirm the lack of demand as well as the fact that the economy is suffering first and foremost of a weak demand rather than a shortage of supply. References Williams, J. C. (2013, February 25). The Economy and Fed Policy: Follow the Demand. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Retrieved from http://www.frbsf.org/economic-research/publications/economic-letter/2013/february/economy-fed-policy-follow-demand/ Thoma, M. (2012, March 28). Demand, not supply, is restraining the economy. CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57405230/demand-not-supply-is-restraining-the-economy/

Indian Festivals Essay Example for Free

Indian Festivals Essay India is a country of colours and festivals. It is said that there are seven days in a week but nine festivals. They mark the grand, gay and happy occasions in the life of Indian people. These are celebrated with gay abandon. Great preparations are made well in advance to observe festivals. These are the occasions of family gatherings, exchange of greetings and sweets, joy, praying, fasting and feasting. People visit temples, holy places, worship gods and invoke their favors. Festivals come round the year and add colour, joy, happiness, variety and spice to life. Man is a celebrating being. He celebrates birth, marriage and even death. In India there are a number of festivals, fairs, and days of celebration. Celebration and festivity is in Indian blood and psyche. These have close links with our religion, myths, changes of season, harvesting and anal events. Most of the Indian festivals follow lunar religious calendar. Festivals in India are of great social, cultural and national value. They help people to forge greater and stronger national and cultural ties with one another. Festivals are a great factor to unite such a large population into one country and nation. Their mass recreational appeal is irresistible. The people are in their best clothes on this occasion. Even the poor get new clothes sewn for festivals. Their enthusiasm and preparations are seen to be believed on festive occasions. There are various communities in India. They have their respective festivals but they all participate in one another’s festivities with much delight and jest. Holy, Deepavali, Janmashtami, Dessert, Christmas, Id, Muharram, Mew Year are the main festivals celebrated on a vast scale. Besides, there are scores of other local and regional festivals. 15th August and 26th January are the national days of celebration and festivity. Holy, the most colorful festival marks the advent of spring and ripening of crops. It is also the most boisterous occasion. During the night bonfires are there, and then the next day there are a lot of singing, dancing and throwing of colours on one another. Sometimes the reveling is too much which turns into hooliganism, mud throwing and singing of obscene songs. However, it is an occasion when people of all classes mix-up with one another freely and enjoy singing and exchange of greetings and sweets. It is a special occasion in Gould, Matura and Barman, the places closely associated with the life of Lord Krishna and his consort Radar. Dessert is another great festival of India. It is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil. It was on the Vijayadashmi that Rama defeated the ten-headed demon King Ravenna. During these days of festivity, the epic Ramayana is presented in dance-drama form on the stages all over the country. It is popularly called Camilla. On the final day of the festivities, the huge effigies of Ravenna, and his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghan are burnt and there are fire-works. It is followed by Bharat Mila, an occasion of family reunion. In Mysore, a great royal and colorful procession is taken out on this occasion. In Kula also a special festival is celebrated on this day. In West Bengal it is observed as Durga Puja festival. Next comes the Deepavali, the festival of lights and fireworks. At night, earthen lamps and candles are lit to illumine the dark night of Amanas, the night before the new moon. Greetings and sweets are exchanged and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is worshipped. The businessmen close their old accounts and open the new ones. It is believed that Rama was crowned on this day after his triumphant return to Aloha from Lanka, foemen people also indulge in gambling on this occasion. Houses are cleaned, repaired and white-washed, and people wear new and colorful clothes on this day. 26th January is a major national Day when spectacular parade is held in Delhi along the Rajah. In state capitals also the day is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy. Folk-dances are performed, processions taken out, parades held, and the National Flag is hoisted on this day. Then in the night there are fire-works and illumination of government buildings. It was on this day that our constitution came into being and India became a Republic. It is the most celebrated occasion for the Muslims in India. It comes after the month long fasting and praying of Raman. The Muslims visit mosques and Ideas to offer their prayers in their new and {east clothes. They embrace one another, exchange greetings and sweets, give alms to the poor and enjoy feasts. On Christmas, the Christians celebrate the event with much joy, jest and festivity, and exchange greetings and sweets. Special prayers and Teases are held in the churches on the occasion. New Year is celebrated with much jest, joy and enthusiasm by the people of all communities. Batsakis, Rachis, Roth Yare, Panama, Oman, Ganesha festival are some of the other important festivals of India.

Polyisobutylene Applications

Polyisobutylene Applications Fuel and lubricant additive. Polyisobutylene (in the form of polyisobutylene succinimide) has interesting properties when used as an additive in lubricating oils and motor fuels. Polyisobutylene added in small amounts to the lubricating oils used in machining results in a significant reduction in the generation of oil mist and thus reduces the operators inhalation of oil mist.[2] It is also used to clean up waterborne oil spills as part of the commercial product Elastol. When added to crude oil it increases the oils viscoelasticity when pulled, causing the oil to resist breakup when it is vacuumed from the surface of the water. As a fuel additive, polyisobutylene has detergent properties. When added to diesel fuel, it resists fouling of fuel injectors, leading to reduced hydrocarbon and particulate emissions.[3] It is blended with other detergents and additives to make a detergent package that is added to gasoline and diesel fuel to resist buildup of deposits and engine knock.[4] Polyisobutylene is used in some formulations as a thickening agent. [edit]Sporting equipment Butyl rubber is used for the bladders in basketballs, footballs, soccer balls and other inflatable balls to provide a tough, airtight inner compartment. [edit]Roof Repair Butyl rubber sealant is used for rubber roof repair and for maintenance of roof membranes (especially around the edges). It is important to have the roof membrane fixed, as a lot of fixtures (i.e., air conditioner vents, plumbing and other pipes, etc.) can considerably loosen it. Rubber roofing typically refers to a specific type of roofing materials that are made of ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDM). It is crucial to the integrity of such roofs to avoid using harsh abrasive materials and petroleum-based solvents for their maintenance. Polyester fabric laminated to butyl rubber binder provides a single-sided waterproof tape that can be used on metal, PVC, and cement joints. It is ideal for repairing and waterproofing metal roofs. [edit]Gas masks and chemical agent protection Butyl rubber is one of the most robust elastomers when subjected to chemical warfare agents and decontamination materials. It is a harder and less porous material than other elastomers, such as natural rubber or silicone, but still has enough elasticity to form an airtight seal. While butyl rubber will break down when exposed to agents such as NH3 (ammonia) or certain solvents, it breaks down more slowly than comparable elastomers. It is therefore used to create seals in gas masks and other protective clothing. [edit]Chewing gum Molecular structure: Rubber Chemical Structure Introduction to rubber chemical structure: In the organic chemistry section of chemistry ,we learn about the various polymers , monomers,elastomers etc.Monomer is a single unit and when huge number of monomers are combined or say polymerised then polymers are formed.The process of conversion of monomer to polymer is known as p-olymerisation.Elastomer is an another category of polymers having a specific properties of regaining of its structure even if it is stretched.Rubber comes under the category of elastomer.In general life rubber has variety of uses.the important property of rubber is that it regains its structure even if it is stretched.Stretching can be done up to a certain limit.If it is stretched beyond limit then it can break. Rubber can be found in two forms 1)Natural rubber 2)Synthetic Rubber Natural rubber is a kind of rubber which which is found directly from the nature.And when the natural rubber is processed under some chemical processes then a new kind of rubber is formed ,this rubber is known as synthetic rubber.We can also say that natural rubber are synthesised from the natural rubber.Both this rubber are of great use because of its specific features. Structure of rubber: Main composition of crude rubber is hydrocarbons.It also contains some proteins and materials which are soluble in acetone.The hydrocarbons which possess the properties of rubber are usually high in molecular weight and it ranges from 45000 to 3000000.Isoprene is a monomer of natural rubber.When huge number of isoprene units are polymerised then a polymer is formed . Cis and Trans Configuration of Rubber The cis configuration of the natural rubber is the reason for the rubber properties in it. Cis configuration means that extension of the chain is on the same side of the ethylene bond.If the configuration is trans, it means that the extension of chain is on the both sides of ethylene bond,then it is a hard plastic.In case of trans it does not show the properties of rubber. Synthetic rubber is of great use in the industry.Some of the widely used synthetic rubber are butyl rubber which is formed by the copolymerisation of isobutylene and a little amount isoprene.Another synthetic rubber is Styrene Butadiene Rubber also known as SBR.Buna N and buna S is also a kind of synthetic rubber often use in the industry. Vulcanisation of Rubber In the rubber molecules the cross linking between the chains are very less.This leads to the softness in the rubber .To make the rubber hard some chemicals are added to it.The process is known as vulcanisation.In this process the natural rubber is treated with some chemicals ,more often chemical used is sulphur.When sulphur reacts with the natural rubber then it increases the cross linking between the molecules in the rubber.It also forms many sulphide bonds.Due to formation of many new crosslinkings and many sulphide bonds the natural rubber becomes hard.Natural rubber is a kind of thermoplastic,it means that it becomes soft when it is subjected to heat and it becomes hard when it is subjected to cold. butyl rubber (IIR), also called isobutylene-isoprene rubber, a synthetic rubber produced by copolymerizing isobutylene with small amounts of isoprene. Valued for its chemical inertness, impermeability to gases, and weatherability, butyl rubber is employed in the inner linings of automobile tires and in other specialty applications. Both isobutylene (C[CH3]2=CH2) and isoprene (CH2=C[CH3]-CH=CH2) are usually obtained by the thermal cracking of natural gas or of the lighter fractions of crude oil. At normal temperature and pressure isobutylene is a gas and isoprene is a volatile liquid. For processing into IIR, isobutylene, refrigerated to very low temperatures (approximately à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢100  °C [à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢150  °F]), is diluted with methyl chloride. Low concentrations (1.5 to 4.5 percent) of isoprene are added in the presence of aluminum chloride, which initiates the reaction in which the two compounds copolymerize (i.e., their single-unit molecules link together to form giant, multiple-unit molecules). The polymer repeating units have the following structures: Because the base polymer, polyisobutylene, is stereoregular (i.e., its pendant groups are arranged in a regular order along the polymer chains) and because the chains crystallize rapidly on stretching, IIR containing only a small amount of isoprene is as strong as natural rubber. In addition, because the copolymer contains few unsaturated groups (represented by the carbon-carbon double bond located in each isoprene repeating unit), IIR is relatively resistant to oxidation-a process by which oxygen in the atmosphere reacts with the double bonds and breaks the polymer chains, thereby degrading the material. Butyl rubber also shows an unusually low rate of molecular motion well above the glass transition temperature (the temperature above which the molecules are no longer frozen in a rigid,glassy state). This lack of motion is reflected in the copolymers unusually low permeability to gases as well as in its outstanding resistance to attack by ozone. The copolymer is recovered from the solvent as a crumb, which can be compounded with fillers and other modifiers and then vulcanized into practical rubber products. Owing to its excellent air retention, butyl rubber is the preferred material for inner tubes in all but the largest sizes. It also plays an important part in the inner liners of tubeless tires. (Because of poor tread durability, all-butyl tires have not proved successful.) IIR is also used for many other automobile components, including window strips, because of its resistance to oxidation. Its resistance to heat has made it indispensable in tire manufacture, where it forms the bladders that retain the steam or hot water used to vulcanize tires. Bromine or chlorine can be added to the small isoprene fraction of IIR to make BIIR or CIIR (known as halobutyls). The properties of these polymers are similar to those of IIR, but they can be cured more rapidly and with different and smaller amounts of curative agents. As a result, BIIR and CIIR can be cocured more readily in contact with other elastomers making up a rubber product. Butyl rubber was first produced by American chemists William Sparks and Robert Thomas at the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (nowExxon Corporation) in 1937. Earlier attempts to produce synthetic rubbers had involved the polymerization of dienes (hydrocarbon molecules containing two carbon-carbon double bonds) such as isoprene and butadiene. Sparks and Thomas defied convention by copolymerizing isobutylene, an olefin (hydrocarbon molecules containing only one carbon-carbon double bond) with small amounts-e.g., less than 2 percent-of isoprene. As a diene, isoprene provided the extra double bond required to cross-link the otherwise inert polymer chains, which were essentially polyisobutylene. Before experimental difficulties were resolved, butyl rubber was called futile butyl, but with improvements it enjoyed wide acceptance for its low permeability to gases and its excellent resistance to oxygen and ozone at normal temperatures. During World War IIthe copolymer was called GR-I, for Government Rubber-Isobutylene. LINKS Related Articles Top of Form Polymers 1. Introduction Prior to the early 1920s, chemists doubted the existence of molecules having molecular weights greater than a few thousand. This limiting view was challenged by Hermann Staudinger, a German chemist with experience in studying natural compounds such as rubber and cellulose. In contrast to the prevailing rationalization of these substances as aggregates of small molecules, Staudinger proposed they were made up of macromolecules composed of 10,000 or more atoms. He formulated a polymeric structure for rubber, based on a repeating isoprene unit (referred to as a monomer). For his contributions to chemistry, Staudinger received the 1953 Nobel Prize. The terms polymer and monomer were derived from the Greek roots poly (many), mono (one) and meros (part). Recognition that polymeric macromolecules make up many important natural materials was followed by the creation of synthetic analogs having a variety of properties. Indeed, applications of these materials as fibers, flexible films, adhesives, resistant paints and tough but light solids have transformed modern society. Some important examples of these substances are discussed in the following sections. art 2. Writing Formulas for Polymeric Macromolecules The repeating structural unit of most simple polymers not only reflects the monomer(s) from which the polymers are constructed, but also provides a concise means for drawing structures to represent these macromolecules. For polyethylene, arguably the simplest polymer, this is demonstrated by the following equation. Here ethylene (ethene) is the monomer, and the corresponding linear polymer is called high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is composed of macromolecules in which n ranges from 10,000 to 100,000 (molecular weight 2*105 to 3 *106 ). If Y and Z represent moles of monomer and polymer respectively, Z is approximately 10-5 Y. This polymer is called polyethylene rather than polymethylene, (-CH2-)n, because ethylene is a stable compound (methylene is not), and it also serves as the synthetic precursor of the polymer. The two open bonds remaining at the ends of the long chain of carbons (colored magenta) are normally not specified, because the atoms or groups found there depend on the chemical process used for polymerization. The synthetic methods used to prepare this and other polymers will be described later in this chapter. Unlike simpler pure compounds, most polymers are not composed of identical molecules. The HDPE molecules, for example, are all long carbon chains, but the lengths may vary by thousands of monomer units. Because of this, polymer molecular weights are usually given as averages. Two experimentally determined values are common: Mn , the number average molecular weight, is calculated from the mole fraction distribution of different sized molecules in a sample, and Mw , the weight average molecular weight, is calculated from the weight fraction distribution of different sized molecules. These are defined below. Since larger molecules in a sample weigh more than smaller molecules, the weight average Mw is necessarily skewed to higher values, and is always greater than Mn. As the weight dispersion of molecules in a sample narrows, Mw approaches Mn, and in the unlikely case that all the polymer molecules have identical weights (a pure mono-disperse sample), the ratio Mw / Mn becomes unity. The influence of different mass distributions on Mn and Mw may be examined with the aid of a simple mass calculator. To use this device Click Here. Many polymeric materials having chain-like structures similar to polyethylene are known. Polymers formed by a straightforward linking together of monomer units, with no loss or gain of material, are called addition polymers or chain-growth polymers. A listing of some important addition polymers and their monomer precursors is presented in the following table. Some Common Addition Polymers Name(s) Formula Monomer Properties Uses Polyethylene low density (LDPE) -(CH2-CH2)n- ethylene CH2=CH2 soft, waxy solid film wrap, plastic bags Polyethylene high density (HDPE) -(CH2-CH2)n- ethylene CH2=CH2 rigid, translucent solid electrical insulation bottles, toys Polypropylene (PP) different grades -[CH2-CH(CH3)]n- propylene CH2=CHCH3 atactic: soft, elastic solid isotactic: hard, strong solid similar to LDPE carpet, upholstery Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) -(CH2-CHCl)n- vinyl chloride CH2=CHCl strong rigid solid pipes, siding, flooring Poly(vinylidene chloride) (Saran A) -(CH2-CCl2)n- vinylidene chloride CH2=CCl2 dense, high-melting solid seat covers, films Polystyrene (PS) -[CH2-CH(C6H5)]n- styrene CH2=CHC6H5 hard, rigid, clear solid soluble in organic solvents toys, cabinets packaging (foamed) Polyacrylonitrile (PAN, Orlon, Acrilan) -(CH2-CHCN)n- acrylonitrile CH2=CHCN high-melting solid soluble in organic solvents rugs, blankets clothing Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon) -(CF2-CF2)n- tetrafluoroethylene CF2=CF2 resistant, smooth solid non-stick surfaces electrical insulation Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA, Lucite, Plexiglas) -[CH2-C(CH3)CO2CH3]n- methyl methacrylate CH2=C(CH3)CO2CH3 hard, transparent solid lighting covers, signs skylights Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) -(CH2-CHOCOCH3)n- vinyl acetate CH2=CHOCOCH3 soft, sticky solid latex paints, adhesives cis-Polyisoprene natural rubber -[CH2-CH=C(CH3)-CH2]n- isoprene CH2=CH-C(CH3)=CH2 soft, sticky solid requires vulcanization for practical use Polychloroprene (cis + trans) (Neoprene) -[CH2-CH=CCl-CH2]n- chloroprene CH2=CH-CCl=CH2 tough, rubbery solid synthetic rubber oil resistant 3. Properties of Macromolecules A comparison of the properties of polyethylene (both LDPE HDPE) with the natural polymers rubber and cellulose is instructive. As noted above, synthetic HDPE macromolecules have masses ranging from 105 to 106 amu (LDPE molecules are more than a hundred times smaller). Rubber and cellulose molecules have similar mass ranges, but fewer monomer units because of the monomers larger size. The physical properties of these three polymeric substances differ from each other, and of course from their monomers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ HDPE is a rigid translucent solid which softens on heating above 100 ° C, and can be fashioned into various forms including films. It is not as easily stretched and deformed as is LDPE. HDPE is insoluble in water and most organic solvents, although some swelling may occur on immersion in the latter. HDPE is an excellent electrical insulator. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ LDPE is a soft translucent solid which deforms badly above 75 ° C. Films made from LDPE stretch easily and are commonly used for wrapping. LDPE is insoluble in water, but softens and swells on exposure to hydrocarbon solvents. Both LDPE and HDPE become brittle at very low temperatures (below -80 ° C). Ethylene, the common monomer for these polymers, is a low boiling (-104 ° C) gas. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Natural (latex) rubber is an opaque, soft, easily deformable solid that becomes sticky when heated (above. 60 ° C), and brittle when cooled below -50 ° C. It swells to more than double its size in nonpolar organic solvents like toluene, eventually dissolving, but is impermeable to water. The C5H8 monomer isoprene is a volatile liquid (b.p. 34 ° C). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Pure cellulose, in the form of cotton, is a soft flexible fiber, essentially unchanged by variations in temperature ranging from -70 to 80 ° C. Cotton absorbs water readily, but is unaffected by immersion in toluene or most other organic solvents. Cellulose fibers may be bent and twisted, but do not stretch much before breaking. The monomer of cellulose is the C6H12O6aldohexose D-glucose. Glucose is a water soluble solid melting below 150 ° C. To account for the differences noted here we need to consider the nature of the aggregate macromolecular structure, or morphology, of each substance. Because polymer molecules are so large, they generally pack together in a non-uniform fashion, with ordered or crystalline-like regions mixed together with disordered or amorphous domains. In some cases the entire solid may be amorphous, composed entirely of coiled and tangled macromolecular chains. Crystallinity occurs when linear polymer chains are structurally oriented in a uniform three-dimensional matrix. In the diagram on the right, crystalline domains are colored blue. Increased crystallinity is associated with an increase in rigidity, tensile strength and opacity (due to light scattering). Amorphous polymers are usually less rigid, weaker and more easily deformed. They are often transparent. Three factors that influence the degree of crystallinity are: i) Chain length ii) Chain branching iii) Interchain bonding The importance of the first two factors is nicely illustrated by the differences between LDPE and HDPE. As noted earlier, HDPE is composed of very long unbranched hydrocarbon chains. These pack together easily in crystalline domains that alternate with amorphous segments, and the resulting material, while relatively strong and stiff, retains a degree of flexibility. In contrast, LDPE is composed of smaller and more highly branched chains which do not easily adopt crystalline structures. This material is therefore softer, weaker, less dense and more easily deformed than HDPE. As a rule, mechanical properties such as ductility, tensile strength, and hardness rise and eventually level off with increasing chain length. The nature of cellulose supports the above analysis and demonstrates the importance of the third factor (iii). To begin with, cellulose chains easily adopt a stable rod-like conformation. These molecules align themselves side by side into fibers that are stabilized by inter-chain hydrogen bonding between the three hydroxyl groups on each monomer unit. Consequently, crystallinity is high and the cellulose molecules do not move or slip relative to each other. The high concentration of hydroxyl groups also accounts for the facile absorption of water that is characteristic of cotton. Natural rubber is a completely amorphous polymer. Unfortunately, the potentially useful properties of raw latex rubber are limited by temperature dependence; however, these properties can be modified by chemical change. The cis-double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain provide planar segments that stiffen, but do not straighten the chain. If these rigid segments are completely removed by hydrogenation (H2 Pt catalyst), the chains lose all constrainment, and the product is a low melting paraffin-like semisolid of little value. If instead, the chains of rubber molecules are slightly cross-linked by sulfur atoms, a process called vulcanization which was discovered by Charles Goodyear in 1839, the desirable elastomeric properties of rubber are substantially improved. At 2 to 3% crosslinking a useful soft rubber, that no longer suffers stickiness and brittleness problems on heating and cooling, is obtained. At 25 to 35% crosslinking a rigid hard rubber product is formed. The following illust ration shows a cross-linked section of amorphous rubber. By clicking on the diagram it will change to a display of the corresponding stretched section. The more highly-ordered chains in the stretched conformation are entropically unstable and return to their original coiled state when allowed to relax (click a second time). On heating or cooling most polymers undergo thermal transitions that provide insight into their morphology. These are defined as the melt transition, Tm , and the glass transition, Tg . Tm is the temperature at which crystalline domains lose their structure, or melt. As crystallinity increases, so does Tm. Tg is the temperature below which amorphous domains lose the structural mobility of the polymer chains and become rigid glasses. Tg often depends on the history of the sample, particularly previous heat treatment, mechanical manipulation and annealing. It is sometimes interpreted as the temperature above which significant portions of polymer chains are able to slide past each other in response to an applied force. The introduction of relatively large and stiff substituents (such as benzene rings) will interfere with this chain movement, thus increasing Tg (note polystyrene below). The introduction of small molecular compounds called plasticizers into the polymer matrix increases the interchain spacing, allowing chain movement at lower temperatures. with a resulting decrease in Tg. The outgassing of plasticizers used to modify interior plastic components of automobiles produces the new-car smell to which we are accustomed. Tm and Tg values for some common addition polymers are listed below. Note that cellulose has neither a Tm nor a Tg. Polymer LDPE HDPE PP PVC PS PAN PTFE PMMA Rubber Tm ( °C) 110 130 175 180 175 >200 330 180 30 Tg ( °C) _110 _100 _10 80 90 95 _110 105 _70 Rubber is a member of an important group of polymers called elastomers. Elastomers are amorphous polymers that have the ability to stretch and then return to their original shape at temperatures above Tg. This property is important in applications such as gaskets and O-rings, so the development of synthetic elastomers that can function under harsh or demanding conditions remains a practical goal. At temperatures below Tg elastomers become rigid glassy solids and lose all elasticity. A tragic example of this caused the space shuttle Challenger disaster. The heat and chemical resistant O-rings used to seal sections of the solid booster rockets had an unfortunately high Tg near 0  °C. The unexpectedly low temperatures on the morning of the launch were below this Tg, allowing hot rocket gases to escape the seals. Copolymers The synthesis of macromolecules composed of more than one monomeric repeating unit has been explored as a means of controlling the properties of the resulting material. In this respect, it is useful to distinguish several ways in which different monomeric units might be incorporated in a polymeric molecule. The following examples refer to a two component system, in which one monomer is designated A and the other B. Statistical Copolymers Also called random copolymers. Here the monomeric units are distributed randomly, and sometimes unevenly, in the polymer chain: ~ABBAAABAABBBABAABA~. Alternating Copolymers Here the monomeric units are distributed in a regular alternating fashion, with nearly equimolar amounts of each in the chain: ~ABABABABABABABAB~. Block Copolymers Instead of a mixed distribution of monomeric units, a long sequence or block of one monomer is joined to a block of the second monomer: ~AAAAA-BBBBBBB~AAAAAAA~BBB~. Graft Copolymers As the name suggests, side chains of a given monomer are attached to the main chain of the second monomer: ~AAAAAAA(BBBBBBB~)AAAAAAA(BBBB~)AAA~. 1. Addition Copolymerization Most direct copolymerizations of equimolar mixtures of different monomers give statistical copolymers, or if one monomer is much more reactive a nearly homopolymer of that monomer. The copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate, for example, proceeds differently depending on the mechanism. Radical polymerization gives a statistical copolymer. However, the product of cationic polymerization is largely polystyrene, and anionic polymerization favors formation of poly(methyl methacrylate). In cases where the relative reactivities are different, the copolymer composition can sometimes be controlled by continuous introduction of a biased mixture of monomers into the reaction. Formation of alternating copolymers is favored when the monomers have different polar substituents (e.g. one electron withdrawing and the other electron donating), and both have similar reactivities toward radicals. For example, styrene and acrylonitrile copolymerize in a largely alternating fashion. Some Useful Copolymers Monomer A Monomer B Copolymer Uses H2C=CHCl H2C=CCl2 Saran films fibers H2C=CHC6H5 H2C=C-CH=CH2 SBR styrene butadiene rubber tires H2C=CHCN H2C=C-CH=CH2 Nitrile Rubber adhesives hoses H2C=C(CH3)2 H2C=C-CH=CH2 Butyl Rubber inner tubes F2C=CF(CF3) H2C=CHF Viton gaskets A terpolymer of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene, called ABS rubber, is used for high-impact containers, pipes and gaskets. For polyisobutylene at a glance, click here! Polyisobutylene is a synthetic rubber, or elastomer. Its special because its the only rubber thats gas impermeable, that is, its the only rubber that can hold air for long periods of time. You may have noticed that balloons will go flat after a few days. This is because they are made of polyisoprene, which is not gas impermeable. Because polyisobutylene will hold air, it is used to make things like the inner liner of tires, and the inner liners of basketballs. Polyisobutylene, sometimes called butyl rubber, and other times PIB, is a vinyl polymer. Its very similar to polyethylene and polypropylene in structure, except that every other carbon is substituted with two methyl groups. It is made from the monomer isobutylene, by cationic vinyl polymerization. And this is that monomer isobutylene: Usually, a small amount of isoprene is added to the isobutylene. The polymerization is carried out at a right frosty -100 oC, or -148 oF for you Americans out there. This is because the reaction is so fast we cant control it unless we freeze it colder than a brass toilet seat in the Yukon. Polyisobutylene was first developed during the early 1940s. At that time, the most widely used rubber was natural rubber, polyisoprene. Polyisoprene was an excellent elastomer, and easy to isolate from the sap of the hevea tree. Huge plantations thrived in Malaysia and grew hevea trees to supply the worlds rubber needs. There was only one slight problem, and that was that Malaysia had just been conquered by the Imperial Japanese Army, and wouldnt you know we just so happened to be fighting the Second World War against them right at that moment. Before the war was over more than sixty million people would be dead. Deprived of natural rubber, the Allied nations did some quick thinking and came up with PIB. It obviously worked, because the Allies won the war. Ok, we didnt actually invent polyisobutylene during the war. It had been invented long before the war by chemists in Germany. Theres irony! But it wasnt very useful until American chemists came up with a way to crosslink it. What they did was to copolymerize isobutylene with a little bit, say, around one percent, isoprene. This is isoprene: When isoprene is polymerized with the isobutylene we get a polymer that looks like this: About one or two out of every hundred repeat units is an isoprene unit, shown in blue. These have double bonds, which means the polymer can be crosslinked byvulcanization just like natural rubber. What is this vulcanization? To find out, click here. Stealing Vulcans Fire There was a time long past when the only rubber we had was natural rubber latex, polyisoprene. Straight out of the tree, natural rubber latex isnt good for much. It gets runny and sticky when it gets warm, and it gets hard and brittle when its cold. Tires made out of it wouldnt be much good unless one lived in some happy land where the temperature was seventy degrees year round. A long time agohow long, you ask? It was about a hundred and sixty years ago, 1839 to be exact. This was before there were any cars to need tires, but the idea of a useable rubber was still attractive. One person trying to make rubber more useful was named Charles Goodyear, a tinkerer and inventor, and by no means a successful one at this point. While goofing around in his kitchen with a piece of fabric coated with a m

Rational Emotional Behavior Therapy Case Study Conceptualization and Tr

Rational Emotional Behavior Therapy Case Study of Sarah: A Conceptualization and Treatment Plan Rational emotive behavior therapy, REBT, was developed by Albert Ellis and holds the central belief that the events in our lives do not cause our disturbances but that they are instead caused by our view of the events (Murdock, 2009). Murdock (2009) states that â€Å"people are seen as responsible for their behavior† (p. 279) but, because they are constantly changing and processing, their value or worth is not measured by their behavior. According to REBT, healthy individuals function with rational beliefs (Murdock, 2009). Sarah’s needs can best be met through the use of REBT as the therapist incorporates the interventions of role-playing and disputing, stop and monitor, and recognizing and changing irrational thought patterns, while striving for the goal of eliminating irrational thinking, dysfunctional emotions, and behaviors and teaching Sarah the philosophy of REBT. REBT will allow Sarah to overcome and replace her irrational beliefs and in turn experience healthy consequences and emotions. Presenting Concerns Sarah James, a 26-year-old Caucasian female, is seeking counsel in response to the unveiling of a family secret. Upon learning of the existence of an older brother and the, in her mind, poorly handled events surrounding the secret, Sarah is questioning her relationships and views of her family members. Sarah is unsure of what to do with the information she has been presented and is reevaluating her childhood, which she once thought had been near perfect. She is feeling confused, frustrated, angry, and isolated and these feelings and emotions have brought her to seek counsel over the situation. Case Conceptualization Ba... ... and religion. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 31 (1), 29-33. Jones, S.L., & Butman, R.E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Lega, L.I., & Ellis, A. (2001). Rational emotional behavior therapy (REBT) in the new millennium: A cross cultural approach. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 19 (4). 201-222. Minor, J. (2007). Some reasons why I use REBT in my private practice and personal life. Et Cetera, 64 (4), 320-323. Murdock, N.L. (2009). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: A case approach (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill-Pearson. Ziegler, D.J. (2000). Basic assumptions concerning human nature underlying rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) personality theory. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 18 (2), 67-85.

Use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in the Workplace :: Workplace Privacy Essays

Use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in the Workplace Introduction The next generation approaching adulthood has a new challenge; growing up during the technological revolution and believing being monitored is way of life. Generation Y, as they are termed, will grow up thinking it is normal for video cameras to be on every street corner, at work, automatic teller machines, and one day in every home as a security device. They may grow up having â€Å"Big Brother† in the workplace applying constant pressure on them to prove they are productive. A 1998 survey of 1,085 corporations conducted by the American Management Association shows more than 40 percent engaged in some kind of intrusive employee monitoring. Such monitoring includes checking of e-mail, voice mail and telephone conversations; recording of computer keystrokes; and video recording of job performance (Doyle p. 1). My goal is to inform the working population about electronic monitoring. The question I strive to answer, â€Å"Will employees be monitored on closed circuit tele vision (CCTV) to determine their productivity or worth to the company and does this violate their privacy?† Information needed to understand the problem â€Å"Big Brother in the Workplace† â€Å"Big Brother† is the term used to describe the intent to monitor individuals for any potential wrongdoing. See Philip in Figure 1, who voluntarily installed a web cam in his office. What will it be like to live in a future where this is the norm? It is important to understand what closed circuit television is, what video surveillance is, and who is using the technology. What is closed circuit television (CCTV)? â€Å"Closed circuit television is defined as a television system that transmits images on a ‘closed loop’ basis, where images are only available to those directly connected to the transmission system. The transmission of CCTV images may involve the use of coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, telephone lines, infrared, and radio transmission systems† (CCTV – Definitions). What is video surveillance? â€Å"Video surveillance is defined as surveillance by CCTV for direct visual monitoring and/or recording of activities on premises or in a place† (CCTV – Definitions). Why is video surveillance used in the workplace? Most companies implement video cameras to prevent theft or corporate espionage; avoid legal problems due to employee actions, or to raise employee productivity. However, the potential for misuse is huge if the security staff does not implement guidelines. We rarely notice video cameras mounted near the entrances or exits of our offices, above coffee machines, or near copiers until we enter the security office and see the CCTV’s monitoring the places we frequent during a regular business day.

The Principle of Charity in Critical Thinking

The Principle of Charity is an important critical thinking method wherein a person is expected to become â€Å"charitable† toward the position and arguments that he or she opposes, which means that a person must give opposing views and arguments fair and honest interpretation. This principle does not imply that one should agree with an opposing view but rather a person should apply a wide discretion in interpreting contradicting or opposing statements. Contradicting statements may, by all means, be subject to all forms of scrutiny and criticism. In comparison, one can say that the purest of gold shines only through the fire (Waller, 2008). A person must fully understand the principle of charity when coming to terms with other people’s views. Several principles may be applied as guides to understanding the principle of charity. When the pieces of evidence allow a person to attribute him to a stronger argument, one should not point him to a weaker argument. One also must not interpret a statement as a bad argument when an ordinary prudent may reasonably interpret is as not an argument at all (McGraw Hill, 2006, p. 38-43). The importance of this principle can be greatly appreciated in conjunction with the Strawman fallacy which happens when a person twists an idea or distorts a statement to make it more vulnerable to attack. The application of the principle of charity is the best way to avoid this policy because it always represents arguments and views in their strongest and most credible form (Waller, 2008). This principle is important because it enables a person to inspect fully and consider all the aspects of an argument before making another statement or conclusion. There is great challenge in the application of this principle because in doing so, the mind opens itself to a world of creative thinking thereby allowing a free-falling and continuous cycle of arguments.

What Is Accounting Ethics

What is Accounting Ethics? The term accounting ethics are formed by the combination of two different words, namely accounting and ethics. Fortes, (2011) believes that ‘accounting is the collection, measurement, analysis and reporting of events in financial terms. ’ While Karthik, (2010) believes that ‘ethics in its broader sense, deals with human conduct in relation to what is morally good and bad, right and wrong. It is the application of values to decision-making. These values include honesty, fairness, responsibility, respect and compassion. Therefore, merging the two together will definitely assist in arriving at a proper definition of the term. Hence, accounting ethics can simply be defined as the general rules governing the accounting profession and setting a standard for the practitioners in making the right professional decisions at all times in order to abide by the rules. Dyson, (2010) believes that â€Å"accounting ethics relate to the moral code or pri nciples expected to be adopted in the preparation of accounts†.It should be noted that the importance of accounting ethics cannot be underestimated as it plays a vital role in the daily professional activities of an accountant. It is obvious that in the process of carrying out duties as a professional accountant, their will be various challenges as to whose interest is to be protected. In such a situation, if there are no ethics in place, it is possible for the accountant to act unprofessional. Origin and background of accounting ethics The history of accounting ethics can be traced to the 15th century when the first known accounting book was published.Luca Pacioli, an Italian mathematician who is also regarded as the â€Å"Father of Accounting† wrote on accounting ethics in his first book. The book titled Summa de Arithmetica, Geometria, Proportioni, et Proportionalita, which included two chapters – de Computis et Scripturis – describing double-entry book keeping was published in 1494. Dyson, (2010) states that ‘the first known book on the subject accounting was published in 1494 by an Italian mathematician called Pacioli’. It should be noted however that the publication of this book only brought about the beginning and introduction of accounting ethics and not of accounting itself.Belkaoui, (2004) stated that ‘Luca Pacioli did not invent double-entry book keeping, but described what was being at the time’. He further stated that ‘were we to trace this important science (accounting) back to its origin, we would be naturally led to ascribe the first invention to the first considerable merchants ’. The theories and principles of Pacioli on accounting ethics have been in used from the fifteenth century and the modern book-keeping systems are still based on the principles, although they have had to be adapted to suit modern conditions.Importance of accounting ethics in 2012 The only way by which th e importance of accounting ethics can be visible is by the proper enforcement of the ethics on the accounting profession. Several bodies in different countries have been setup to maintain such enforcement. An example is the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in America. This body in the course of its oversight function this year has discovered so many frauds that had gone undetected for many years.Norris, (2012) stated that ‘in 13 of the 23 audits carried out, the board reported that the auditors did not perform sufficient procedures to identify, assess and respond to the risks of material misstatement of the financial statement due to fraud’. This literally means that this year more than fifty percent of firms will have one form of fraud or the other going on in their firms and the only way by which such fraud can be tackled and revealed is by proper enforcement of accounting ethics. References Belkaoui, R. A. , (2004). Account theory. 5th ed. Hampshire: South-W estern Cengage LearningDyson, J. R. , (2010). Accounting for non-accounting students. 8th ed. Essex: FT Prentice Hall. Fortes, H. , (2011). Accounting simplified. Essex: FT Prentice Hall Karthik, N. , (2010). Accounting ethics. Buzzle, (online). Available at: http://www. buzzle. com/articles/accounting-ethics. html. (Accessed 29 October 2012). Norris, F. , (2012). Business day. The New York Times, (online). Available at: http://www. nytimes. com/2012/08/21/business/accounting-board-faults-audits-of-brokerage-firms. html? ref=accountingandaccountants&_r=0. (Accessed 26 Oct. 2012)

Online Shopping vs Traditional Shopping Essay

Shopping always has been associated with long, dragging lines, parking issues, and the hassle of driving around from store to store until we finally find what we need; but not anymore. Online shopping has given people the freedom to shop at home wearing only their pajamas and still get what they want. Although this might seem like the answer to prayers of many people, online shopping has its flaws as does traditional shopping. To facilitate this decision we have to see if online shopping can measure up to the purchasing power of traditional shopping. To do this we need to weigh both methods to see how they compare to one another. Online and traditional shopping offer choices to shoppers; knowing the risks and benefits of both alternatives is necessary for them to make a smart decision. Online Shopping: When it comes to online shopping the idea of shopping in the comfort of your own home is very appealing to most people. You also have the choice of browsing different sites to find what you need instead of wasting gas and time driving around different stores. Also, many people dread standing in long lines especially during the holiday season. Online shopping offers a retreat from these situations. Another good thing about online shopping is that things are easy to find online. You just type whatever it is your looking for on a search engine and you will get many suggestions of sites on the item. And perhaps the best feature of all is the price reduction offered by the online option. The reason for this is because taxes seem to be lower or nonexistent on some products in some states when shopping online. Online shopping also prevents consumers from walking around with a big wad of money that can be easily lost or stolen. The flaws of online shopping usually come between the reliability of the websites, the risk of identity theft, and the risk of credit card fraud committed by computer hackers. There is also a risk of running into a website that can infect your computer with various kinds of viruses. Reading online reviews about certain websites can sometimes help in this matter. Quality is sometimes an issue with online shopping because you don’t physically see or try out the product before you make the purchase. That is  a huge turn off for most people because research has shown that motor skills are very important when it comes to activities such as shopping and people just plain and simple want to see and test out what they are purchasing. For example, ladies want to test out the new perfumes but cannot do that through the computer. Sometimes there are certain items people like to try out and physically see what it looks like on them, but obviously they can’t do that online. Another disadvantage to online shopping is the fact that you have to wait to receive your item. So, if you are in a rush then you are out of luck. This probably means that grocery shopping online is not a good idea. Method of payment is another risk by itself. Usually credit cards are the preferred method but sometime you can use PayPal. But, it is risky to use credit cards online because you don’t know who is looking at your information. With that being said, it is probably a good idea to make sure you are using a good anti-virus program before going on a shopping spree online. Traditional Shopping: In traditional shopping you simply get in your car, drive to your favorite store (possibly with a friend with you) and buy what you want. It is an opportunity to socialize as well as having the excitement of being in a store with millions of products which you can see and try before you purchase. This method allows you to get the item right now without having to worry about the product being lost in the mail. Also, if you don’t like something or if something doesn’t fit you can just simply take it back to the store and get a refund or your money back instantly rather than waiting for the postal service. Conventional shopping has a certain vibe or electricity to it which is hard to experience from a computer. Traditional shopping sounds great; however it does have its issues. Some of the problems with traditional shopping include gas money spent driving around to different stores looking for what you want. Sometimes what we are looking for might be available in a store in a different state. And that makes it pretty impractical to obtain that item which leaves us to basically wait until it comes to our favorite store. Also, trying to find parking at big department stores and malls can be very troublesome. Some  people simply forget where they parked. Some people accidently lock the car keys in the car, or sometimes we have to deal with traffic jams that cause unnecessary stress. It is just the overall consumption of time and energy that most people find difficult. You will also experience a phenomenon known as shopping rage which is more common during the holidays. People get tired and frustrated during the holidays and let their frustration out on other people when shopping. It is very uncomfortable in those situations especially if you have your kids w ith you at the store while shopping. This is something you won’t have to deal with when you are safe at home on your computer. The online shopping industry is growing more and more and there is good reason to believe that this growth will continue. One major factor to this prediction is that people are in fact saving money online because of the vast availability of items and because of the competition this creates among online stores. Despite its advantages, online shopping is still a relatively new concept for most people and because of this online shopping will fall behind the traditional shopping market, at least for now. It is a personal preference when it comes to choosing the two different shopping methods. Just like anything else they have their pros and they have their cons. Just remember to shop the way you feel comfortable and you will automatically become a smart and knowledgeable shopper. Happy shopping!!!

How I Learned to Drive Analysis Essay

In Paula Vogel’s â€Å"How I Learned to Drive†, we follow our protagonist nicknamed â€Å"Lil Bit† on a gut wrenching, and downright disturbing journey through her adolescence, told as a series of narrations, monologues, and flashbacks with the occasional interjection of a PSA like voice over. The play recounts the physical and emotional abuse Lil Bit encountered from the ages of eleven to eighteen at the hands of her uncle Peck, while he teaches her to drive. The main flaw I saw in Lil Bit was that she is too smart for her own good. You see this characteristic throughout the play as she manipulates Peck. For example, it was most obvious for me when their roles of adult and child are reversed, and Peck is explaining to Lil Bit what a good boy he has been for not drinking. Knowing how much Peck lusts after her she offers him a reward for his good behavior in the form of undoing her bra. Another great example is when prior to her and peck going on a road trip and Lil Bit’s mother indicates that she has a sense of what Peck has on his mind, she responds by saying â€Å"I can take care of myself. And I can certainly handle uncle Peck.† At this point in the story she is only eleven. It’s hard to imagine a child of that age so grown up emotionally. Overall, most of the characters had likeable qualities, with the exception of the grandmother. I didn’t really like the way she meddled in the Parenting of Lil Bit. I liked â€Å"Big Papa† the best. He’s a crabby old timer who speaks anything that comes into his head with reckless abandon. It brought me some levity in an otherwise melancholy play. The climax of the play occurs on Lil Bit’s eighteenth birthday. She and Peck are in a hotel room, and she’s been ignoring peck for some time leading up to this meeting as he’s been sending her cards counting down to her birthday. Lil Bit is obviously conflicted about their relationship now that she has gotten older, but Peck is looking forward to a time when it’s not illegal for them to be together. This is creepy enough on its own, but when Peck drops the marriage bomb, the creep factor skyrockets. I was honestly disgusted at the idea of a man leaving his wife to be with his niece whom he  has known since birth, blood related or not. Prior to the climax, one major event occurs and that is in the monologue that Aunt Mary delivers indicating that she knows what’s going on between Peck and Lil bit. The words used during this monologue, indicate to me a couple of key points about this character. First of all she is very intelligent. Her thoughts are well put together and the words she uses indicates to me that she has some sort of education. She is also very intuitive, she picks up on the subtle, non-verbal signals that peck gives off when he’s got something on his mind and presumably when he’s around Lil Bit. Also, the words used by Lil Bit in her different flashbacks have a direct correlation to her age. It’s obvious as you read them, that during the later ones she is forming more complex thoughts and emotions, which is indicative of growth. For the music in this play, Paula Vogel suggested period correct music spanning two generations. She mentions Motown several times, as well as Roy Orbison and the Beach Boys. Most of this music is romantic and happy with little hints of sexuality and sometimes-pedophilic references. For some weird reason the voice of the announcer in my head was played by the Moviephone guy. The car in the play was described as a Buick Riviera, but in my mind it was more like a Camaro or GTO. The main reason for this is the obvious relationship between Peck and his car. The way he describes the way the aggressive way men are taught to drive and the feeling of a cars’ response to your touch, just makes me think of those fast nimble sports cars. Taking place in the 1960’s, the costumes in my mind were bell-bottoms and flowered shirts, polyester leisure suits, and fringes all over the place. This was your typical 1960’s attire. I believe the overall theme of this play is about the effect of time on relationships. The relationship between Peck and Lil Bit starts out strong, for her and fragile for him. She has a strong male figure giving her attention while he is nurturing a relationship that he knows is illegal and  immoral. As time progresses, the roles ultimately reverse leaving Peck with much confidence in the relationship while Lil Bit comes to realize the truth about it which leads to its demise. It just goes to show that time will always change relationships, jus not always in the way you imagined.