The Rise and Fall of ABC Learning

Q1: The aspects of the business strategy of ABC Learning resulted in increased business risk for the company including: the rapid expansion of market share, over-indebt, and blinding overseas investment. Rapid expansion of market share: ABC, which at its peak had almost 2200 centres in four countries, also had a flawed strategy to handle significant and rapid growth. When A. B. C. Learning Centers listed on the stock exchange in March 2001, it was a tiny operation with a market capitalization of just $25m. But five years later that number is approaching $2. bn as the company has quickly become Australia's leading operator of childcare centers. ABC pursued acquisition after acquisition – buying up as many existing centers as they could, and expanding their appetite by establishing more and more sites off the back of increasing debt. The company's acquisitions are getting larger so there is always a risk with this strategy that they will pay too much for a business or be unable to integrate it effectively. This meant that every new ABC sign that appeared on the horizon – equated to more and more debt. Ultimately ABC could no longer sustain their rapid expansion. With a falling share price and closer examination of their books it became clear ABC’s true value was significantly lower than previously thought. Over-indebted: In 2005, in order to satisfy the expansion plan, raising capital for domestically and globally expansion was done through issuing shares to public. ABC borrowed an enormous amount of money from Australian big four banks: CBA, NAB, Westpac and ANZ). In the wake of the global financial crisis, it couldn’t refinance its huge debts, so the administrators were called in. In the end, ABC got too big for its own good, also made itself to the end. Blinding oversea investment: After becoming the dominant player in the domestic market, ABC Learning has pursued an aggressive overseas expansion. The high levels of debt and dilutive capital raisings that have been required to fund its international ambitions have not pleased investors, and doubts about the company’s ability to repeat its local achievements in the US market have weighed on the share price. As the case told, artificially create apparent shareholder value may be misleading to potential investors in the company. Q2: Intangible assets are defined as identifiable non-monetary assets that cannot be seen, touched or physically measured, which are created through time and/or effort and that are identifiable as a separate asset. There are two primary forms of intangibles – legal intangibles (such as trade secrets, copyrights, patents, trademarks, and goodwill) and competitive intangibles (such as knowledge activities, collaboration activities, leverage activities, and structural activities). Legal intangibles are known under the generic term intellectual property and generate legal property rights defensible in a court of law. Competitive intangibles, whilst legally non-ownable, directly impact effectiveness, productivity, wastage, and opportunity costs within an organization – and therefore costs, revenues, customer service, satisfaction, market value, and share price. ABC Learning valuated billions of dollars worth of now discredited intangible assets that made up most of ABC’s balance sheet. It increased profits rapidly through acquisitions, and cause the underlying problem when valuated the assets it acquired. Especially given that 70 per cent of its assets were intangibles. The inherent risk associated with the valuation of the assets was enormous and should haven been a red flag,’ said Dr Ross. In other words, it means that ABC did not have a particularly strong balance sheet. The company lists total assets of $4. 5 billion – of which, more than $3 billion relate to intangible assets (which are predominantly child-care licences and a small amount of goodwill). As a result, ABC has negative net tangible assets. Q3: Principle-based: Accounting standards may take the form of general principles, relying on interpretation and judgment by the financial statement preparers before they can be implemented. Historical cost depreciation provides a better example of a principles-only standard. Whereas, Rule-based: Alternatively, standards may take the form of a series of rules, limiting the flexibility and use of judgment allowed in their implementation. Rules-based standards often provide â€Å"bright-lines† tests which can easily be avoided. As a result, representational faithfulness may be avoided and a low degree of comparability will often result. Numerous exceptions may also result. The advantage of principle-based accounting standard is potentially very flexible with those new and changing products and environments. As such, they should also require less maintenance. For this case, applying principle-based accounting standard would be more flexible with changing conditions, and the trade-off for this flexibility is that strong enforcement is needed to keep the auditors honest; the accountants should be more latitude to address unique situations, and it may reduce manipulation of the rules as it provides financial statements which reflect much closer to the firm’s actual performance. While the rule-based accounting standard may include a lack of flexibility, hence require almost continual maintenance at times. Therefore, the fundamentally change from â€Å"bright-line† rules-based accounting standards to principles-based accounting standards help prevent another ABC-like fiasco. The dangers in removing â€Å"bright-line rules† describes as follows: it is more difficult to audit relative to compliance, and concern over consistent and reliable interpretations across entities. In this case, the system may be less regulated, and to the extent that they rely on individual judgment to interpret and implement the standards, there is a danger that they can be used to manipulate financial results. Q4 Agency cost of debt refers to an increase in cost of debt when the interests of shareholders and management diverge. In this case, the relevant agency cost that lenders face may include large dividend payments that result in less money in the bank for loan repayment and new debt competes with old debt for repayment. Because the lack of symmetry information desires between the management of ABC learning and lenders, managers intended to maximize their personal wealth which may mean lenders’ welfare is not maximized. Based on the hypotheses that the higher the debt equity ratio the more likely managers are to use accounting methods that increase income, managers of ABC Learning may violate debt arrangements by manipulating equity. Moreover, the lenders are likely to face risk shifting in this case. Therefore, agency cost happens when ABC Learning engages in behaviors that benefit more than lenders. For lenders, they could minimize the agency cost in shortening debt maturity, it can reduces the agency cost of borrowing in two ways. First, the increase in equity value from increasing the risk of he firm's assets is a decreasing function of debt maturity (Barnea, Haugen, and Senbet, 1980). Second, shortening the maturity of debt reduces the likelihood that a firm will have to exercise an option to invest before outstanding debt matures (Myers, 1977). They also can set up a debt covenant to mitigate the risk, and from a lender’s perspective, not only does a covenant reduce default risk but is also mitigates the debt-equity agency cost. Often, individual stockholders as owners of a corporation do not have direct control over the agency contract, but as stockholders they do have certain rights granted to them. Q5: It seems that previous and current auditors had divergent opinions about the company. The new audit team from Ernst ; Young took a very different view from ABC’s previous auditors from Pitcher Partners in several aspects such as the treatment of revenues and earnings, the valuation of intangible assets, for example, after taking over the Pitcher Partners’ place, Ernst ; Young did not allow ABC to place the same high value on the licenses to run childcare centers as Pitcher Partners had done. Ernst ; Young disputed the Pitcher Partners work and the situation escalated to the extent that the ABC board was forced to call in another accounting firm, KPMG, for its opinion. One of the reasons for divergent opinions of auditors is the accounting policy choice, The accounting policy choice research area investigates the inter-relations among the contracts existing between various stakeholders of the firm, the associated economic incentives of the contracting parties, and the consequent accounting choices made by managers to influence the payoffs to the various contracting parties. The other reason is the degrees of concern of the company are different, in other words, the extent of knowledge for the auditors are different, Pitcher Partners did not have a deep knowledge of the Full Operational Status of the company, so they can not valuate the objective value on the childcare licenses. The recommendations of CLERP 9 to promote auditor independence as follows: Non-audit consultancy income for auditors has been limited and must be clearly disclosed. Auditors must provide their firms with a declaration that they are free from any relationship that may interfere with their independence. And the audit partner must rotate off a company’s audit after 5 years( or 7 years in the case of small or rural firms). Reference list: Accounting Policy Choice, viewed at 10/05/2010. http://www.business.uq.edu.au/display/research/Accounting+Policy+Choice Adam Schwab, ABC learning the hard way as profits  slump, 26 February 2008, viewed at 10/05/2010. http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/02/26/abc-learning-the-hard-way-as-profits-slump/ Ken L, John H, John S, Jennie R, 2009, Company accounting, 8th edition, John Wiley; Sons, Australian,p149. Jeremy Sammut ; Gaurav Sodhi, The ABC of child care policy failure, viewed at 9/05/2010. http://www.cis.org.au/executive_highlights/EH2008/eh71308.html John C. Easterwood , Palani-Rajan Kadapakkam, Agency conflicts, issue costs, and debt maturity, viewed at 10/05/2010. http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LnzP1BQzKTGJxN2BX6hnvcHzdJcSYW2TGPQNtZLgNtR20dwgMfgc!783601474!-129296667?docId=5000275458 Natasha Bita ; Andre Fraser, Imploding as easy as ABC, November 15, 2008, viewed at 10/05/2010. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/imploding-as-easy-as-abc/story-e6frgaio-1111118041306 Tim Searles, Not so easy at ABC, 3 Mar 08, viewed at 9/05/2010. http://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/articles/A-B-C-Learning-Centres-Limited-ABS/Not-so-easy-at-ABC.cfm?articleID=391596 Understand The Difference Between Principle-based Versus Rule-based Accounting Standards, November 10th, 2006, viewed at 10/05/2010.

Comparitive Essay on Japanese and Western European Feudalism Essay

?Amir continues to try to enlarge his ego. Teasing Hassan makes him feel better about himself. Amir does not feel like he is getting the one thing he wants in his life. He wants acceptance from Baba. Baba seems to favor Hassan, so Amir must establish that he is better than Hassan constantly. Baba says that he feels like he connects with Hassan better when he was talking to Rahim Khan. This is where most of Amir’s jealousy is derived from. Baba expresses his disapproval for Amir when he says, â€Å"If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my son† (Kite Runner 23). Baba also says, â€Å"There is something missing in that boy† (Kite Runner 22). The other source of tension in Amir’s life is his relationship with Baba, his hard-driving and demanding father. Desperate to win his father’s affection and respect, Amir turns to the sport of kite flying, and at the age of 12, with the assistance of Hassan, he wins the annual tournament in Kabul. Amir’s victory soon is tarnished when he witnesses a vicious assault against his friend, who raced through the streets of Kabul to retrieve the last kite, Amir had sliced from the sky, and fails to come to his aid. Amir’s cowardness is compounded by a later act of betrayal that causes Ali and Hassan to leave their home, and he now faces the nightmare, bearing the burden of his poor choices for the rest of his life. Amir was haunted with demons from his childhood for his whole life. The one demon that stuck with him the most was the fact that he stood by and watched as his best friend and servant, Hassan, was raped by a boy named Assef. Hassan and Amir had known each other since birth and, â€Å"A kinship exists between people who’ve fed from the same breast† (pg.320). Even the major fact of Russia invading Afghanistan could not get his mind off the horror that he stood by and watched happen. Even him living in America for the remainder of his life did not distract him from knowing that he was the reason his best friend was sexually abused. He is haunted until the very end of the book when he goes back to Afghanistan to face †¦ Amir is clearly an emotionally unstable person, but his resentment towards Hassan is increased because of his own haunting guilt. This guilt that seems to be terrorizing Amir is caused by his experience of watching the rape of Hassan in the alley. Amir is so guilty that he can no longer be close to Hassan. Amir says, â€Å"I’d hear Hassan shuffling around the kitchen in the morning, hear the clinking of silverware, the whistle of the teapot. I’d wait to hear the door shut and only then I would walk down to eat† (Kite Runner 87). Amir has trouble facing his guilt. Amir’s guilt shows that he knows what he did was wrong. Amir refuses to renew his friendship with Hassan. Amir knows that he has done wrong because he says, â€Å"There was a monster in the lake. It had grabbed Hassan by the ankles, dragged him to the murky bottom. I was that monster† (Kite Runner 86). Amir eventually proceeds to the point where he can no longer deal with his everlasting guilt. Hassan is a clear representation of his guilt. Amir attempts to free himself from the guilt by getting the main representation out of his house. This is why he frames Hassan of stealing his watch; although this plan ultimately backfires and causes Amir even more personal anguish, it proves that he is an unstable and resentful person. Hassan was loyal to Amir through everything because that is the personality he was born with, because he grew up with Amir and looked up to him as a brother and a friend, not because he was born a Hazara and not simply because he was Amir’s servant. Amir never asked Hassan to do anything like that for him. This accentuated Hassan’s love and loyalty for Amir out of his own free will. When discovering that Hassan was Baba’s son, everything became clear to Amir: Baba’s affections for Hassan, Hassan’s undying love for his half-brother, Amir’s sibling rivalry and jealousy of Hassan, Amir’s betrayal of Hassan his own flesh and blood. It all just hit at once. The choices made by Amir and Hassan defined who they were and who they would become; Amir allows his original thoughts about Hassan to be tainted because he is a weak person. Although Amir and Hassan carved their names into a tree, Amir’s character complicates their ability to be best friends and their bond consists of a lopsided friendship. Both people associated in a friendship must act equally towards each other and they must hold love, loyalty, and trust for each other. Hassan was the beholder of all of these strong qualities that are necessary for the â€Å"best friend† relationship. Unfortunately Amir did not possess any of these qualities, and he did not realize all of his issues until he was informed that he was Hassan’s brother Rahim Khan called Amir back to Pakistan and told him that there was indeed â€Å"a way to be good again†(192). He gives Amir the opportunity to redeem himself by asking him to save Hassan’s son, Sohrab. Amir refuses at first and attempts to come up with excuses for himself to be able to turn Rahim down with out adding to his guilt. To convince himself that he wasn’t obligated to save Sohrab, he told himself that he had to be back home with his family and his job, but again the line that Rahim said played through Amir’s head. â€Å"There’s a way to be good again. † Amir knew that this was his last chance to earn his redemption and end his guilt (226). Amir had taken his guilt out on the very people that he had betrayed and then tried to run away from it all. To forget it. He realizes this and asks himself â€Å"what had I ever done to right things† (303). As Rahim says â€Å"Redemption comes when guilt leads to good. † You can may never fully get rid of the guilt or make right what has been wronged, but it is this guilt that motivates you to try. We see in his thought process just how motivated he is by guilt. As much as he doesn’t want to help Sohrab, he is drawn by the need for redemption, and the need to remove his guilt. This line running through his head over and over again shows just how much that guilt has driven him to yearn for things to be right and for himself to be good again. We don’t get to see Amir reach his point of redemption and we don’t get to watch him be completely relieved of his heavy laden of guilt. However the ending does leave us hopeful. Although nothing has been made right it was the beginning and leaves us with hope and the assurance that Amir is on his way to finding his redemption. Amir describes Sohrab’s lopsided smile at him being like the first snowflake melting in the spring, the first bit of good that had come out of his quest (371). Just the start of his slow process to redemption. What is the worst thing you have done to a friend or family member? Have you lied to them? Stolen from them? After the dreadful deed, did they forgive you? More importantly, did you forgive yourself? Regret and redemption are very important themes in the book The Kite Runner. Having regret for something can affect your whole life, as seen with the character, Amir. Through the development of Amir and his childhood friend, Hassan, Amir has to live with his regret and hope for redemption for the rest of his life.

Mediquip Case

1) The major strength that Thaldorf possesses is that the model of the CT scanner is the latest one. It is two years in advance, so that, there would be no risk of obsolescence for a long time. Moreover, they enjoy the word-of-mouth from their current consumers, i. e. other hospitals in the similar size of LUH. However, unlike their competitors, they do not understand the market situation and decision-makers well. There are more than one person involving in the decision making process but they do not know which one possesses the most of the power. Also, their price is not competitive enough.The price range of a CT scanner is wide and Mediquip charges at the upper end which could not meet expectation of price-sensitive buyers. 2) There are altogether 3 people in the decision making process. Professor Steinborn: a nationally-known radiologist. He is the one who use the scanner so he cares the quality and functions the most. Though he shows his favor to Mediquip, Mediquip still lost the order, so it seems he does not own a great power. Dr. Rufer: a physicist. His primary concern is the patients’ safety if the scanner could meet the technical specifications that he raised. Mr.Hartman: the general director of LUH. He put price as the top priority and also the durability of machines and delivery. It seems like he possesses the greatest power in the whole decision making process since price is the very major reason of the loss of order. 3) Generally speaking, Thaldorf could have effective and positive interaction with the above-mentioned persons. Though Professor Steinborn was once shocked that the price could not be discussed, he was soon pacified and even talked about his vacation. And he even told the Sigma’s price to Thaldorf, it shows his favor to Mediquip. ) September 3 Firstly, it was told by the secretary that there were a lot of heated discussions. It implies that there might be even arguments between Hartman who concerns price and Steinborn who favors Mediquip. And obviously, Steinborn lost from the discussions. And so, Hartman just like put-off Thaldorff asking him to give a final offer but the decision was made actually unless Mediquipp could really offer a competitive low price. 5) From this case, we should understand that, sometimes, possessing the newest model may mean nothing and we have to understand our customers better.You may encounter a lot of people during the process, but the important thing is to get the most powerful decision-maker pleased and favor to your product. Only that could bring you the order. Cause sometimes even your product is the best among the competitors, your customer may not know it. Therefore, the best practice is to formulate different strategies according to different customers, like if he is price-sensitive and do not know much about the product, different models with different prices could be introduced. And the customer could just choose whatever within his budget.

Toyota Motor Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Toyota Motor Corporation - Essay Example Toyota started announcing recalls of 8 – 9 millions after reports of 2000 fatal accidents and 19 deaths from its defective vehicles with accelerator and brake pedal issues. By February 2010 (just before ending of fiscal year on March 31), Toyota had recalled nearly 2 million vehicles from its main markets that also reflected in Income Statement, Cash Flows and Balance Sheet. In fact, the assets and liabilities / debts section were greatly affected from that recall because sales declined and products recalled simultaneously. Toyota Corporation estimated that recall would cost, at least, $2 billion in 2010 – 2011, which may increase in near future if suppliers would increase raw-material / inputs prices followed by high labour expenditures. It is worth mentioning that Toyota's sales in North America reduced by 16% alone in February 2010 in comparison to February 2009 just after the recall. On the other hand, the competitors operational in American markets were among the a ctual beneficiaries, since ‘General Motors recorded sales increase of 15%, Ford observed a growth of 24%, Nissan recorded the growth of 15%, and   Hyundai observed a phenomenal 24% growth in USA. Indeed, the recall enabled Ford Corporation to become second largest automobile seller across North America after General Motors. The recall sabotaged Toyota’s strategic and financial position because customers started switching to other brands, which later resulted in decline in market share. This just happened when Toyota had certain plans / aspirations to benefit from improvements in global economic outlook. Without any doubt, the company in the short - run has been unable to win trust of potential customers and maximise its monetary gains because of additional repair and delivery costs to be incurred from this recall. In addition, the loss of goodwill and reputation alone could prove quite devastating for company in near future when it will launch newly developed products. For instance, potential customers and industry analysts may raise questions about safety, security and reliability of Toyota’s vehicles. In a nut shell, it is justified to argue that Toyota’s balance sheet figures (assets and liabilities) position will deteriorate in fiscal year of 2011 because of mixed consumer confi dence on Toyota’s market offerings.  

Keurig System in the Office Coffee Market Case Study

Keurig System in the Office Coffee Market - Case Study Example This type of system is attractive in the office coffee market because it allows employees to choose the flavour they want. The chosen flavour is then ready in just 30 seconds. The cups are made to fit just the Keurig system. This would allow employees to only experience the different types at the office. This also eliminated maintenance associated with traditional brewers. Employees were also no longer tempted to take supplies home. Nick Lazaris has a huge predicament involving Keurig and MTS machine manufacturing. MTS is demanding more money than originally estimated. After finishing the project, MTS has asked for an additional $180,000 in payments. This was asked for because the machine took additional funds to get finished. There are many things Nick can do in this type of situation. Nick Lazaris should hold a meeting with MTS and discuss either continuing business or take up business with another manufacturer. If MTS required additional funds, they should have contacted Nick and explained that they would not be able to release the first packaging line until additional money was received. Instead of using unethical business decisions, MTS waited until the last minute and demanded additional funds. It would be in Keurigs favour in the long run to seek out business with a different manufacturer. The business ethics presented by Keurig at the beginning of production stages can only get worse as time goes on. MTS may start to demand more money and cause additional problems in the future. Nicks strategy needs to focus on letting MTS know that there are other manufacturers out there and MTS needs Keurig, not the other way around. The focused goal for production should achieve all the objectives of allowing all companies to succeed. Fair business is important. The amount should be the original $700,000 plus any additional cost that MTS had to pay out of pocket. The vendor selection for the brewing machines must be fair.     

Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Identification - Essay Example Politically, socialist parties in the United States began fairing very poorly in the run up to the general elections. For instance, in the year 2008, socialist candidates and their parties received less than two of the three socialist candidates. This is way below what other socialist candidates in other nations receive. In Germany for example, socialist parties gathered close to 50% of the total votes cast in each successive election since the 1970’s. There are several theories, however, that explain this phenomena in United States politics or governance. The United States has never had a feudal system. Other nations had hierarchical systems which was lead from the top by a supreme deity while at the bottom of the system lay the commoner. Such systems were discriminatory in nature since it gave too much power to the person at the top at the expense of the common man at the bottom. A good example of such a system is the United Kingdom which has always been headed by the Royal family members. Since there is no known history of such a system in the history of the United States, it would be difficult to establish one presently. Most United States citizen prefer or think that they live a modest lifestyle therefore can be categorized as living in the middle class. Even the filthy rich would like to believe this fallacy. This means that majority of United States citizens fear class systems since it would make them look different from others. They do not appreciate the fact that some of them may be superior or wealthier than others but would rather be seen as equal to one another. For instance, the head of state from one regime to another have all been seen or reported to be engaging in activities that are considered to be done by the regular person such as collecting firewood or swimming by the sea shores. Unlike other socialist nations, the United States workers were not mandated to from parties so as to be heard in the national elections. Instead, workers we re granted freedom to vote or run for office without necessarily forming a labor party. Additionally, many political parties were ready and willing to welcome any worker who had interest in running for a particular political office. This can be seen in the way presidential candidates woo workers during campaigns by visiting them at their work stations and extending a welcoming arm to anyone who would like to join the campaign as well as searching for potential votes. Absence of socialism in the United States has played greatly to its advantage. It has encouraged equality among its citizens whereby everyone is given a chance to be heard or participate in whichever economic, social or political activity he or she wishes to engage in. This means that everyone has an equal opportunity to battle on a level ground without outside interference or having unfair advantage. It has also brought the government closer to the people and therefore can easily address issues affecting the general po pulation since the government has hands on experience and is accessible to the people. 2. Die Welle It is a German film released in the year 2008 by movie director Denis Gansel. The term ‘Die Welle’ is a German word that translates to ‘The Wave’. Based on a real life story, aims to address the issue of Nazism and potential outbreaks of this group in future. The plot of the story is set in Germany in local German School which is attended by rich and very intelligent students as well as the teaching staff. It all starts when a

Woody Allen as a film Autuer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Woody Allen as a film Autuer - Essay Example The term â€Å"auteur† has French origins, and it refers to the theoretical approach to filmmaking, where the director is the central creative force in motion pictures (Menne 36); this concept has persisted over the years, and the term film auteur describing film directors that write and direct films through which they express their personal artistic vision. In as much as there is no clear evidence between â€Å"regular directors† and â€Å"film auteurs†, the distinction between the two does become codified, elucidated, and isolated with time with regards to the art, artist, and the particular categories to which they belong. The film auteur does not only express a cinematic vision, they are prolific in what they do by taking direct roles in relation to the medium and craft of filmmaking; the creative influence of a director on a film must be so profound for them to be considered the film auteur. According to the auteur theory in film criticism, a film reflects i ts director’s personal, creative vision, and the directors stand out as the original auteur; the list of strong distinctive film directors who qualify the title â€Å"film auteur† is very short. This paper will explore the world of Woody Allen, as a distinguished and highly talented film auteur, as seen in the movies Midnight in Paris 1978, Annie Hall 2005, and Manhattan 1979, in which he creates a unique world that no one else could bring to life except himself. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1935, and raised in a Jewish family that had a strong comedy culture, Woody Allen found his niche in comedy, and later in filmmaking when he first directed What’s Up, Tiger Lily in 1996. Since then, Woody Allen has a library of films to his name including his most acclaimed Annie Hall 1977, Manhattan 1978, and Midnight in Paris, where his one of a kind neurotic, unconfident, and flamboyant cinematic vision emerges. An auteur approach to filmmaking is evident in all his film s particularly because Allen uses themes and styles that make him distinguishable and unique from the pack as a film maverick (Quicke 95); for instance, a dominant theme in most of his films is the struggling artist as in the films Manhattan 1978 and Annie Hall 1977. In all these films, the backgrounds to the protagonists, the cinematography, and lighting elucidates auteur style in filmmaking, distinct and unique, unlike other regular directors. In Manhattan 1978, Allen explores the woes of a struggling television writer who is dating a high school girl but still develops feelings for his best friend’s mistress; Isaac, the main protagonist, is uncomfortable in his job and on top of it all, he cannot establish a solid intimate relationship with a woman his age. Isaac is a very frustrated artist, who feels confined in his current position yet his possibility for success seems obscured by his present situations, thereby further heightening his anxiety and unhappiness; his intern al and external struggles are captured vividly to present a picture of the struggling artist, as is often the case in Allen’s masterpieces. In the film Annie Hall 1977, Allen still explores the theme of the struggling artist through the protagonist Alvy Singer, a Neurotic comedian from New York, who falls in love with a woman named Annie Hall and becomes embattled with relationship issues in Manhattan (Knight 214). Allen brings a part of his own persona into the film by reveling a suffering in Alvy and himself by connection, in finding someone who truly understands him and appreciates his presence. This masterpiece reveals many struggles in Alvy, the whining comic persona; through Alvy’s decision to do an unconventional film that entails him talking straight to the camera concerning his problems, Alvy reenacts his life as a

CASE-CONTROL RESEARCH STUDY Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CASE-CONTROL RESEARCH STUDY - Article Example of Interest: The subjects recruited for the case study were exposed to trihalomethane, a by-product produced during the chlorination of water, which is done for the purpose of disinfection. Patients who were histologically confirmed to have primary bladder cancer were recruited as the case population for the study and they were identified with the help of urologic services. The other inclusion criteria’s for the recruitment of the case population were: age group between 20 and 80 years and they must reside within the geographical area surrounding the hospital. The study was a multi-center case-control study conducted in Spain and the subjects were recruited from 18 participating hospitals located at five different geographic regions in and around Spain. The cases were recruited through regular reviews of the discharge and pathology records in hospitals at by the research staffs who were involved in the study. The number of cases who participated in the study was 338 out of the 1,457 eligible cases who were interviewed. However the article does not provide any information about the eligible subjects who were not part of the subjects. The reason for their non-participation has not been mentioned. The control population was chosen from the same hospitals where the case subjects were recruited. The control group included patients who suffered from problems like hernias, orthopedic problems, circulatory disorders, and who were admitted to the hospital. Those who had problems that were related to the study were not chosen as controls. About 582 controls from 1,465 eligible controls were selected. Signed informed consents were obtained from both the case and control participants before onset of the study. During the initial interview demographic information and familial, medical, including smoking history, and occupational history of all the eligible participants were collected using computer assisted software. The short listed case and control population were

3 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE and deviance Coursework - 1

3 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE and deviance - Coursework Example Ermann and Lundman (1982) also offer some suggestions on how to reduce occurrences of corporate deviance, such as â€Å"changes in corporate chartering, the protection of whistleblowers, and the punishment of executives involved in corporate criminality.† All these propositions must be taken together and combined with greater vigilance from the public. This includes ensuring that corporate wrongdoers know that their actions will not go unpunished. Yes, I think there are common threads apparent in the four articles in the book by Thio, Calhoun and Conyers (2008.) One clear apparent commonality is that it demonstrates that human beings who are victims of violence do not always react to violence in the way that other people might think to be commonsensical. Instead of automatic resisting or abhorrence of the abuser, we see a complex mix of pity, self-blame, guilt, feelings of helplessness, and this is true for mothers who are victims of their children’s violence (Jackson, 98), stalkers from previous relationships (Dunn, 94) and battered wives (Bates, 89). This is also true for victims of exclusion who then found themselves as sexual molesters (Lawson, 108.) Also, these articles demonstrate that motivations for committing crimes are more complicated that we think and have psychological motivations. Akers and Sellers (2004) described psychological theory as one wherein the understanding of crime can be traced back to an und erlying personality or psychological disorder. 3. Are there identifiers visible that would indicate potential self-destructive deviance? If so, what are they and what can be done once observed? If not, what can be done to attempt to identify indicators of future self-destructive behaviour? Yes, the research in the field of self-destructive deviance have shown some possible indicators of suicidal tendencies, although the research is also quick to point out that

Case study - knowledge management strategy Essay - 1

Case study - knowledge management strategy - Essay Example MOTO is a large car manufacturer and has underscored to streamline its operations to be environmentally user friendly. Thus, the objective of this proposal is to put forward the strategies pertaining to the knowledge management at MOTO. The strategies proposed would help the company and its employees to have a participatory approach in ensuring proper generation, processing, storage and disposal of knowledge. The strategy has been carefully formulated in relation to the objectives and the vision of the company. The key role of the proposed plan is to utilize and integrate the raw information from different spheres of the organization to aid its vision and key emphasis is on sustainable environmental management by MOTO. The raw information on environmental strategies from the staff comprising of different nationalities would be collected and scientifically analyzed using the proposed knowledge management system. The proposal also covers the peculiar measures to be taken so that the knowledge is stored and retrieved as per the requirements of the policy to be formulated. The market performance of the company, staff participation, their consensus, cost factor, time factor and the conceptual adherence with the key policies of the company are other key factors which have to be taken into consideration during the implementation process. The company’s responsibility towards the environment and the society is well documented and its mission would help shape the formulation process of the environmental policy. The technologies recommended for knowledge management within the environment of MOTO is thus environmental friendly and community oriented. Latest innovations in the knowledge management systems which uphold these values have been carefully selected. To formulate the strategy for the change process, it is important

Use of Acupuncture for Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis Essay Example for Free

Use of Acupuncture for Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis Essay Lateral epiconylitis is a commonly encountered condition resulting from minor injury to the extensor muscles of the forearm, which originate from lateral epicondyle of humerus. This condition is characterized by pain and tenderness over the lateral epicondyle of humerus. Pain is typically present upon the resisted dorsiflexion of the wrist, middle finger or both (Buchbinder, Green Struijs, 2007). Lateral epiconylitis is known by many analogous terms like tennis elbow (TE), rowing elbow, tendonitis of the common extensor origin, peritendonitis of the elbow etc. In the United Kingdom, the incidence of tennis elbow in general practice has been estimated to be about four to seven per 1,000 persons a year (Buchbinder et al). Though TE is a self-resolving condition its symptoms can persist for as long as 18-24 months. Pain of tennis elbow can interfere with normal day to day functioning like carrying objects, lifting and gripping things etc. Though pain of TE can be initially cured with various conservative treatment modalities and rest, it can frequently recur after resumption of activity. Thus TE can cause significant amount of chronic pain and disability, which can lead to considerable morbidity and financial cost (Buchinder et al, 2007). Thus there is a need for an efficient treatment modality for TE. Till date, physicians and physiotherapists are uncertain about the exact etiology and best management option for patients with TE. There are several conventional therapies which are being used for treatment of TE. These therapies are believed to relieve pain, promote tissue healing and improve joint mechanics. These conventional therapies include anti-inflammatory medicines [NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and corticosteroids], physiotherapy interventions (such as stretching and strengthening exercises), cast immobilization, ultrasound therapy, using ice packs, neural stretches, deep friction massages, surgery etc (Trinh, Philips, Ho Damsma, 2004). Various non conventional therapeutic modalities like acupuncture, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation etc have also been used for treatment of TE. In 1992, Labelle et al attempted to perform a quantitative meta-analysis in order to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of above mentioned treatment modalities (both conventional and non-conventional) for patients suffering from TE. They considered the results of 18 clinical trials conducted in the period from 1966 to 1990. From their analysis they concluded that the various randomized and controlled trials, which they had analyzed, were of poor quality and did not provide sufficient scientific evidence to support or oppose the therapeutic benefit of any of these conventional or non-conventional treatment modalities. Labelle et al (1992) did find some weak evidence supporting the beneficial effect of ultrasound therapy in comparison to that of placebo therapy in treatment of patients with TE. More recently, a systematic review of the literature, comprising of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of various treatment options for TE was carried out by Assendelft, Green, Buchbinder, Struijs, Smidt, (2003). They have suggested significant beneficial effect of NSAIDS (both topical and oral) in comparison to placebo in the providing short term relief from pain in patients with TE. However they found little evidence regarding the beneficial effect of NSAIDS (both topical and oral) in providing long term pain relief. While the use of topical NSAIDS was not found to be associated with significant side effects, use of oral NSAIDS, typically aspirin was associated with significant side effects like gastro-intestinal bleeding etc. This review found limited evidence regarding the beneficial effects of steroid injections in comparison to placebo, local anaesthetic agents, elbow strapping or physiotherapy. Assendelft et al also found insufficient evidence to support long term or short term beneficial effect of treatment modalities like acupuncture, physiotherapy exercises, orthoses (elbow strapping), extra corporeal shock wave therapy and surgery. They have recommended long term use of oral and topical NSAIDS and physical therapies (elbow strapping, physiotherapy, etc and avoidance of provoking activities as the first line of treatment, especially in the early stages of the disease.   They have also suggested the use of corticosteroid injections as second line therapy for providing relief from pain. However the pain relief provided by corticosteroids is usually temporary in nature with the pain recurring again after a few months. Thus they have suggested that the patients receiving such therapy should be counselled about not subjecting the extensor muscles to increased activity during the pain-free period resulting from use of corticosteroid injections. On the other hand, Bisset, Paungmali, Vicenzino, Beller,   Herbert, (2005) from their systematic review of literature, comprising of studies evaluating   the effectiveness of   various physical interventions (non pharmaceutical or   non-surgical therapeutic modalities) for treatment of TE have shown short term benefit   with the use of physical interventions like ultrasound therapy, ionisation, and acupuncture. However no evidence of long term benefit due to these therapeutic modalities was observed in this review; benefit due to these interventions was usually seen to last between two to eight weeks. Bisset et al observed insufficient evidence regarding the beneficial effect of manual therapy (involving manipulation of elbow or cervical spine), use of elbow strapping and physiotherapy exercises in the management of TE. They also observed the presence of sufficient evidence that disapproved the beneficial effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and laser therapy in the treatment of TE (both in short term and long term). However they have indicated the requirement of larger studies in future in order to confirm this finding. Since no clinical study till date has been able to demonstrate definite clinical efficacy of any conventional therapeutic modality in treatment of TE, there has been increasing trend towards the use of non-pharmacological treatment modalities, especially acupuncture, since last two decades, for alleviation of chronic pain due to TE. One major advantage of using acupuncture for treating   pain of TE over the conventional anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDS (oral or topical), corticosteroids etc is that it is free from the numerous deleterious   side effects commonly associated with the use of these drugs. Also the evidence supporting the use of these conventional pharmacological interventions is no better than that supporting acupuncture [National Institute of Health (NIH), 1998]. Despite the growing popularity of acupuncture in treatment of pain related to lateral epicondylitis, presently, there is little evidence which confirms the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of tennis elbow. The studies conducted until now have produced conflicting results. Bisset et al (2005), in their systematic review of literature considered four studies evaluating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in treatment of TE. Three studies out of these four compared acupuncture with placebo whereas one study compared acupuncture with ultrasound. The overall evidence considered in this review supports short term beneficial therapeutic effect of acupuncture over placebo in patients with TE. Two studies, (Fink, Wolkenstein, Karst, Gehrke, 2002; Molsberger Hille, 1994) which compared acupuncture with placebo are described below in details. Fink et al (2002) conducted a study to evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in   treatment of TE. They also tried to compare the therapeutic effects produced by stimulating selected acupuncture points (as defined by traditional Chinese acupuncture) in contrast to those achieved through stimulation at non-specific points (these puncture points were at least 5 cm away from the traditional Chinese acupuncture points). The results of this study indicated that use of acupuncture with correct location and stimulation, in accordance to the recommendations of tradition Chinese acupuncture helped in significantly alleviating the pain, reducing disability of arms, shoulders and hands (measured through DASH questionnaire) and improving the strength of the extensor muscles in the patients suffering from TE. However these therapeutic effects (pain relief and muscle strength) of acupuncture were less evident in long term. In this study, at the time of follow-up after two months, though the overall functioning of the arm was observed to be better in the treatment group as compared to the control group, the differences in pain intensity and muscle strength were no longer found to be significant. The main aim of the study by Molsberger Hille (1994) was to find out whether acupuncture showed an intrinsic analgesic effect even after only one treatment session in comparison to that of placebo treatment for TE pain. In one single session of acupuncture treatment, patients in the treatment group were treated at a non-segmental distal point on the fibulo-tibial joint of the homolateral leg. The painful area of the elbow itself was not needled. The depth of insertion was 2 cm and during the procedure of needling, the patient was asked to move the painful arm. Patients were treated for a total of 5 min. Overall reduction in the pain score was 55.8% in the treatment group and 15% in the placebo group. After one treatment session, 79.2% (19 patients out of 24) patients in the treatment group reported pain relief of at least 50%, whereas in the placebo group only 25% patients (6 patients out of 24) reported pain relief. The average duration of analgesia after one treatment was 20.2 h in the treatment group whereas that after placebo was 1.4 h. All these results show that acupuncture has a statistically significant intrinsic analgesic effect in the clinical treatment of TE pain, which exceeds that of placebo treatment.   Since this study dealt with short term analgesic effects of acupuncture, further studies need to be carried out in future in order to evaluate the long-term therapeutic value of acupuncture for treatment chronic tennis elbow. Davidson et al (2001, cited in Bisset et al, 2005) conducted a study to compare the   therapeutic effect of acupuncture with that of ultrasound treatment in patients suffering from TE. Though significant improvement in two outcome measures i.e. pain reduction and disability prevention were observed in both the groups, no statistically significant differences in terms of these outcome measures were observed between the two groups. Thus this study indicates that there is no difference in therapeutic benefit between ultrasound and acupuncture in patients with TE. However it is difficult to reach to any definite conclusion from the results of a single study. More studies are required in future in order to arrive at a definite conclusion. In a publication by the NIH in 1998, it was determined that the results of various studies conducted till date has been promising enough to support the use of acupuncture as an adjunct treatment or an alternative to classical conventional therapeutic modalities for patients with TE. Trinh, et al (2004) conducted a systematic review of literature regarding use of acupuncture in treatment of TE, using the best evidence synthesis approach (BESA), which aimed at qualitative analysis of clinically homogeneous studies. The results of this review strongly suggested that acupuncture was an effective therapeutic modality for attaining short-term pain relief in patients with TE. Though there was a great deal of clinical heterogeneity between various studies considered in this review, five studies out of six studies considered in this review indicated that acupuncture treatment was more effective compared to placebo treatment. The studies conducted till date have failed to provide us with definite results. This can   be attributed to a variety of factors like: flaws in study design, heterogeneous treatment protocols, small sample size, inherent difficulty in the use of appropriate controls etc (NIH publication, 1998). Selection of method for performing the procedure in control group for these studies poses to be a difficult problem. Method of performing the   procedure in control group is important because the insertion of placebo needles itself results in inherent analgesic effect due to release of local ?-endorphins (opioid like substances), which can influence the outcome of the study too (NIH publication, 1998). Future research is recommended to resolve the issues discussed above. Thus there is a need for large scale, well-designed, multicentric, randomized control trials in future that will use standardized treatment protocol and appropriate methods for performing the procedure in controls. It is evident from the above discussion that various studies which aimed at assessing the   efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of TE had employed different processes for performing acupuncture, in terms of location of puncture points, depth of insertion of needles, the number of needles used, duration of treatment etc. In order to arrive at a definite conclusion regarding the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of patients with TE and in order to maximize the chances for a successful treatment with acupuncture, there is a need for a uniform, accurate and complete description of the most effective method to be used for performing acupuncture in patients with TE. With this in mind, Webster-Harrison, White Rae (2002) conducted a study in order to develop a standardized treatment protocol for acupuncture therapy in patients with TE. They adopted a modified Delphi’s consensus technique to combine the opinions of fourteen British acupuncture experts into a standardized treatment protocol. This protocol contained eight items pertaining to the treatment of TE using acupuncture and has been described in table 1. The various items considered in this protocol were: selection of acupuncture points; length and diameter of needles used; depth of insertion; duration of treatment; interval between successive treatments; whether the needle should be stimulated or not; the type of response to be achieved upon stimulation and number of treatment cycles needed. Use of this protocol in randomized multicentric trials conducted in future is likely to give accurate results (Webster-Harrison et al). Conclusion From the discussion in this paper it becomes apparent that till date no study in published   literature has been able to demonstrate long term beneficial effects of any pharmacological, surgical or physical therapy in comparison to that of a placebo therapy for treatment of patients with TE. Among various non-pharmacological therapeutic options, acupuncture presents an effective and safe adjunct treatment or an alternative to classical conventional therapeutic modalities, especially in cases where these conventional therapeutic modalities had previously failed (NIH, 1998). Presently, the optimal treatment option for patients with tennis elbow in clinical care largely remains unclear. Acupuncture appears to be a lucrative treatment option for both clinicians and patients. However, the therapeutic benefits provided by use of acupuncture are not supported by sufficient evidence, at present. There is a need for well designed, high quality research studies, especially randomized control trials in future, in order to help in establishing the appropriate place for acupuncture in treatment of patients with TE in modern medical practice. References Assendelft, W., Green, S., Buchbinder, R., Struijs, P., Smidt, N. (2003). Extracts from concise   clinical evidence: Tennis elbow. British Medical Journal, 327, 329-340. Bisset, L., Paungmali, A., Vicenzino, B., Belle, E., Herbert, R.D. (2005). A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials on physical interventions for lateral epicondylalgia. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 39(7), 411 422. Buchinder, R., Green, S., Struijs, P. (2007). Tennis elbow. American Family Physician, 75 (5),   701-702. Retrieved on 30 June 2007 from http://www.aafp.org/afp/20070301/bmj.html Fink, M., Wolkenstein, E., Karst, M., Gehrke, A. (2002). Acupuncture in chronic   epicondylitis: A randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology, 41(2), 205 209. Labelle, H., Guibert, R, Joncas, J., Newman, N., Fallaha, M., Rivard, C. (1992). Lack of scientific evidence for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis of the elbow: An attempted meta-analysis. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 74, 646–51. Molsberger, A., Hille, E. (1994). The analgesic effect of acupuncture in chronic tennis elbow   pain.   British Journal of Rheumatology, 33(12), 1162-1165 National Institute of Health (1998). NIH consensus conference: Acupuncture. Journal of   American Medical Association, 280, 1518–24. Trinh, K.V., Philips, S.D., Ho, E., Damsma, K. (2004). Acupuncture for alleviation of lateral   epicondyle pain: A systematic review.   Rheumatology, 43, 1085–1090. Webster-Harrison, P., White, A., Rae, J. (2002).Acupuncture for tennis elbow: An e-mail   consensus study to define a standardised treatment in a GP’s surgery. Acupuncture in Medicine, 20(4), 181-5.

Juliet And Her Romeo Essay Example for Free

Juliet And Her Romeo Essay â€Å"For never was there a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo†. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story. Whose tragedy is it? Through the metrical composition of the closing lines of the play, Shakespeare informs the audience on whose tragedy Romeo and Juliet is about. By addressing the last verse of the play to us in pyrrhic pentameter, he is suggesting a victory which has come about at too great a cost. The pace of time amplifies the tragic quality of the play. Time is used to set things in a motion that they spiral out of control. Instead of logical decisions, everything is controlled by emotions, which ultimately leads Romeo and Juliet to their path of death. However, Shakespeare’s deliberate use of pyrrhic pentameter reinforces the sound of a pyrrhic victory. Besides the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, there is something more pervasive suggested, as many characters thereafter also suffer as a consequence of this tragedy, such as the parents and Paris. Essentially, the story is Romeo and Juliet’s tragedy because they are young and pay the ultimate price for their passionate ‘true love’. The chorus tells us that the lovers are necessary sacrifices. Nothing but their death can â€Å"bury their parents’ strife†. Through the words â€Å"here’s much to do with hate, but more with love†, Shakespeare suggests how the world of the play is initially sprouted by hate between two families. So the paradox with Romeo and Juliet is how the one thing that defines them is ultimately the one thing which separates them. Not only are they victims of their families hatred, they are also victim to piteous overthrows and misguided plans which were supposed to unite them. By disregarding patriarchal imperatives and escaping to a world without parents, they place their trust in orders, such as Friar Lawrence and the Nurse. In doing that, they subject themselves to piteous overthrows. Their tragedy is that they have nowhere to turn. In an attempt to come together, the true lovers die; their love was â€Å"death-marked†. They are inexperienced and have the idealistic ardour of first love. Hence, their love is pure. The poetry of the play is written as beautifully and pure as the love it speaks of as this purity enhances the tragedy presented in the play for Romeo and Juliet. It is the parents’ tragedy in this play because of their disobedient children. Romeo and Juliet’s rebellion ultimately leads to them to their own deaths and consequently, the only succession to the Capulet and Montague’s family name is lost. Upon Juliet’s death, Capulet expresses lamentation to this loss of  succession through his words â€Å"death is my heir†. The children’s fatal flaws ultimately pave their parents’ tragedy. The children took little honour in their names and treated it as if it were a piece of clothing which they could just throw away. Juliet questions â€Å"what’s in a name?† and expresses dishonour to the significance of her family name. Juliet’s lack of pride leads her to Romeo, which ultimately leads her to death. Hence, her lack of pride is her fatal flaw. If she had pride in her name, she would not have allowed herself to love Romeo and hence, would not have died. If they did not die, the story would not have been their parent’s tragedy, as they would not have lost their children, or their successor to their family name. Of all the young men who die in the play, Paris is the greatest victim of all, because he dies from being a victim of both love and death. Essentially, Paris was not even part of the two families’ battle. Rather, he was dragged into the whole mess as a result of associations. For the other young men in the story, their tragedy had come about as a result of the ancient grudge however for Paris, he was a victim of love. He dies as a consequence of love in both ways; Romeo’s love for Juliet as well as his own love for Juliet. Paris was a nice guy who happened to get caught in someone else’s love story. As Juliet’s love for Romeo deepens, Paris is increasingly ignored by her. Hence, not only is it a tragic end for Paris in that he dies by the end of the play, but his beloved Juliet also dies and the fact that he never received Juliet’s love or attention since the start adds further depth to his tragedy. Through the use of pyrrhic pentameter, Shakespeare allows us to ‘hear’ as well as understand the pyrrhic victory taken place in the play. The constant battle between family Montague and the family Capulet is the spark which sets off the train for future misfortunes. Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden pure love is definitely a major factor which contributes to the tragedy of both these young lovers. For the parents, their children’s grave death, tragic in itself, also marks the death of their own succession to the family names. For Paris, his tragedy is bought about as a consequence of love. Ultimately, the catastrophic end to Romeo and Juliet is a t ragedy which affects everyone in the play.

Improving Tissue Support- Altered Cast Technique

Improving Tissue Support- Altered Cast Technique ABSTRACT Aim: Cast partial denture made using altered cast technique creates an environment in which the teeth and the edentulous tissues support the denture bases as compatible as possible, resulting in a more stable cast partial denture. Background: The tissues of the edentulous ridge in distal extension removable partial denture are liable to be displaced under occlusal pressure. This is a result of the displaceability of the mucosa. The difference between the resiliency of the residual ridge tissues and the teeth causes disparity of support, that causes the denture to rotate about its distal abutment, inducing heavy tortional stresses on the teeth and possible traumatisation of alveolar ridge. Studies have proved that better support and stability can be achieved in distal extension cases using functional impression along with altered cast technique. Case description: The following article is a case report of a distal extension cast partial denture using altered cast technique for better tissue adaptability and stress distribution. Conclusion: For recording Kennedy’s class I and II edentulous areas, optimum residual ridge coverage with a well fitting denture base is required. This reduces stresses, preserving the remaining supporting structures which can be achieved with the use of altered cast technique. Clinical significance: The altered cast technique allows the residual alveolar ridge to be recorded in functional form and relates to the teeth so that when the prosthesis is seated, it derives support simultaneously from the teeth and the soft tissues. Keywords: distal extension, stress distribution, functional impression, altered cast technique. BACKGROUND: The most important consideration in replacement of missing teeth for a distal extension removable partial denture as per DeVan’s statement must be â€Å"the perpetual preservation of that which remains, and not the meticulous replacement of that which has been lost.†1-4. When occlusal forces are applied to distal extension removable partial dentures, the forces must be distributed equally to the abutments and the tissues of the residual ridge.2 This cannot be accomplished on a master cast made from a single impression. A dual impression technique is used in which a â€Å"corrected cast† can be generated which can record and relate the tissues under uniform loading, distribute the load over as large an area as possible and accurately delineate the peripheral extent of the denture base.2 Functional impressions are defined as â€Å"The impression which records the form of the residual alveolar ridge under some loading whether by occlusal loading, finger loading, specially designed individual tray or consistency of recording medium.†5 Several methods may be used for registering the alveolar mucosa in its supporting form. The dual impression techniques are categorised as 1). Physiologic impression techniques. a). McLean-Hindel method, b). The functional reline method, c). The fluid wax method. 2). Selective pressure techniques.2 According to Leupold6 , the functional reline method is accomplished after the denture base has been processed onto the framework. The disadvantage being it requires a greater degree of occlusal adjustment after processing of acrylic resin and so it is necessary to modify the new denture before delivering it to the patient.6 So to overcome this the master cast is altered to accommodate the secondary impression and thus altered /corrected cast is generated.2,6. Cast partial denture made using the altered cast technique helps create an environment in which the teeth and the edentulous tissues support the base as compatibly as possible resulting in a more stable denture that improves the support for the occlusal relationship of the opposing dentition and the removable partial denture restoration.2,3. For preservation of the residual ridge, Becker and his colleagues, critically reviewed the evolution of removable partial denture and outlined six principles for its design which include a rigid major connector, multiple positive rest seats, mesial rests, parallel guide planes, the I-bar clasp design and the altered cast technique.7 This technique has the potential benefits of reducing the number of postoperative visits, preserving the residual ridges, improving stress distribution, decreasing food impaction and decreasing the torquing of abutment teeth leading to increased patient satisfaction.8-11. The following case report will explain the use of altered cast technique used in the fabrication of a distal extension cast partial denture. CASE DISCRIPTION: A 60 year old male patient reported to the Department of Prosthodontics Dr. D.Y.Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai with the chief complaint of missing teeth and difficulty in eating. Extra-oral examination revealed that the patient had an ovoid tapered face, with mild prognathism, competent and thick lips. Patient had a habit of cigarette smoking since 20 years and so was advised to stop the habit. Intraoral examination revealed that there was only one tooth 23 remaining in the maxillary arch and 31,32,33,41,42,43 in the mandibular arch. The teeth were lost due to caries and periodontitis. (fig.1,2) Radiographs were evaluated and the treatment was planned. Tooth supported overdenture for maxillary arch and cast partial denture for mandibular arch was planned. Diagnostic impressions were made in irreversible hydrocolloid (Imprint, DPI). The impressions were poured using dental stone (type III, kalrock) and casts were procured. For the maxillary arch, the canine was endodontically treated. Pattern resin (DPI) was then used to make a Thimble-shaped coping for the canine which will help in additional retention of the maxillary denture. Primary impression was made using irreversible hydrocolloid (Imprint, DPI) and custom tray was made. The coping was then cemented with zinc phosphate cement (Dentsply). Border moulding was done with low fusing compound (greenstick, DPI) and wash impression was made using polyether impression material (3M ESPE). Master cast was poured in dental stone (type III, kalrock). For the mandibular arch, Diagnostic cast were surveyed and cast partial framework design was planned. The design included Lingual Plate as the Major Connector, Modified Ladder shapped minor connector. RPI system was planned for the rests and guide planes on 33 and 43. Mouth preparation was done which included the preparations of rest seats on 33 and 43, guide planes on distal of canines. Composite build up on the mandibular anterior teeth was done for better anterior giudance. Impression was made in a custom tray using medium bodied polyether impression material (3M ESPE) and master cast was poured using dental stone (type III, kalrock). Cast partial denture framework was fabricated on the master cast. The cast partial denture framework was checked on the master cast and in the patient’s mouth for the fit. (fig.3,4). The cast partial framework was used as a part of the custom tray for recording the functional impression. Spacer wax (DPI) was adapted on the saddle area of the framework and acrylic custom tray was made using Self cure acrylic resin material (DPI). The custom tray was checked in the patient’s mouth for correct extension. Border moulding was done using low fusing impression compound (green stick, DPI). Spacer wax was removed to provide space for the wash impression material. Tray was coated with a layer of adhesives so that the elastomeric impression material adheres to it. Wash impression made using polyether impression material (3M, ESPE). The master cast was sectioned into 3 pieces with the help of a hand saw and the distal edentulous area was removed. (fig.5). The wash impression made on the framework was placed on the sectioned master cast making sure that it seats completely in the rest seat areas. (fig 6). The entire assembly was sealed using utility wax to prevent its dislogement or movement during pouring of the cast. Beading and boxing was done around the framework and sectioned master cast and the impression was poured using a different coloured dental stone (type IV, kalrock) to distinguish with distal extension areas. The cast thus obtained was the altered cast. (fig.7). Jaw relation was recorded and teeth arrangement was done. Try in of the maxillary and mandibular trial dentures was done and dentures were fabricated using Heat cure acrylic resin (Leucitone,Dentsply). At the denture insertion stage dentures were checked in the mouth for retention and stability. (fig. 9,10). Post insertion instructions were given and follow up at the interval of 1month and 3 months was done. DISCUSSION: The fabrication of distal extension partial denture is a difficult task since it involves taking support from both the tissues and the teeth. Both of them have different amount of movements when forces of mastication are applied to them. Thus, the use of special impression techniques becomes necessary. However, in some cases, soft tissue displacement is slight. As a result, the functional and anatomic contours of the ridge may be virtually identical. However, that was not in this case. The decision to use dual impression technique along with altered cast technique was determined in the beginning using a test. Here, first the acrylic denture base was made on the diagnostic cast and placed in the mouth and finger pressure was applied to the base. There was some amount of lift seen in the framework suggesting that there was some soft tissue displacement. So by using the dual impression technique we can get a precise and functionally formed denture border and seal.2,3,7,8. The dual impre ssion used is indicated for mandibular distal extension cases because of a limited ridge area, the mobility of the floor of the mouth, to record the stress bearing area and proper peripheral extension.2 There are two categories of dual impression techniques mainly the physiologic impression techniques and selective pressure techniques. Physiologic impression techniques record the tissues of the residual ridge in its functional form by placing an occlusal load on the impression tray during impression procedures. The methods are the McLean-Hindels method; the functional reline method; and the fluid wax method.2 The need for physiologic impressions was first proposed by McLean and others. He recorded the tissues of the residual ridge in a functional form and the remaining teeth in anatomic form. However the disadvantage of this technique being that the dentists could not produce the same functional displacement generated by occlusal forces because of design of tray being used.2,12 In response to this shortcoming, Hindel developed his impression procedure by modifying the tray as a result of which the finished impression was a reproduction of the anatomic surface of the ridge and the surfaces of the teeth. Disadvantage being that the tissues recorded in this technique continue to be in a functional form all the time. This results in compromised blood flow with adverse soft tissue reaction and resorption of the underlying bone. Also sometimes because of this there is presence of premature contacts of the teeth replaced which will not be acceptable to the patients.2,13,14 The Functional Reline technique and the Fluid wax method where fabrication of the distal extension denture is done before and the new surface is added to the intaglio of the denture base afterwards. It can be done in cases where the denture becomes loose. However, as in the earlier methods this method too, has some difficulties mainly, the problems caused by failure to maintain the correct relationship between the framework and the abutment teeth during impression making procedure and also failure in achieving accurate occlusal contact following the reline procedure.1,2,3,15. To overcome this, along with this method corrected cast procedure was used yielding a better result.1,2,3,9,10,15 In the mentioned case report we have made use of the altered cast technique along with selective pressure impression procedure. The main advantage of this procedure is that the framework was ready before we make the final impression and alter the master cast. So the adaptation of the framework to the teeth and the soft tissues doesn’t change after the final impression. Also the other advantages are, 1. Remarkable stability of the denture base in distal extension removable partial dentures. 2. A positive occlusion which will be maintained for long periods of time. 3. Reduced stress on abutment teeth from unfavorable forces. 4. Reduced numbers of post-insertion adjustments.2,7,10 CONLCUSION: Fabrication of a cast partial denture for mandibular distal extension class I cases is a challenge for the prosthodontist. Several functional methods have been proposed for recording the edentulous area and the abutment teeth. An altered cast technique for fabricating cast partial denture was used in the above article. This impression technique helps in registering and co-relating tissues of different resiliency. This improves the stability and support of the denture, resulting in optimal load distribution. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: An altered cast technique is a way better and faster as compared to other techniques. In this technique the cast partial framework is kept ready before the recording of functional impression. Because of the correct fit of the cast partial framework this technique helps in recording the hard and soft tissues in a better way. Thus, it can be routinely utilized for the recording of distal extension area. 1

The Tempest as Shakespeares Resignation Speech -- Tempest essays

The Tempest as Shakespeare's Resignation Speech      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare's, The Tempest, the character Prospero is in many ways similar to Shakespeare himself at the time he wrote the play.   Prospero, having entertained himself with his magic for most of his life, now gives up his powers as he seems to understand that his magic is no more and no less than life itself :   it is just as transitory and hollow.   This seems to reflect on Shakespeare's attitude toward play writing.   Having spent his life writing plays and being entertained by his own employment, Shakespeare finds that his plays, while they explore the themes of life and relationship, are finally no more meaningful than life itself seems to a man who must have been feeling his mortality.   The Tempest is Shakespeare's resignation speech.   Having found that his 'magic' has failed him, Shakespeare is retiring to the real world, for if nothing of meaning is to be gained in play writing, then all that is left is to be human.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First, look at Prospero's final decision in the play.   He is capable of returning to Milan and ruling it while keeping his magical power - he does not have to choose between the two - and he abandons his power.   Just as Shakespeare was not forced to quit writing, Prospero is not forced to abandon his magic.   In addition, Shakespeare specifically has Prospero tell us : "My charms crack not, my spirits obey, ..." ( V.i 2 ).   Shakespeare means to tell the audience he is not quitting because his ability as a writer is lessening at all, but specifically tells us through Prospero that he is at his peak and is completely in command of his art.   There is no other obvious thematic or plot-development reason why Prospero should specifically ... ...total lack of morality, or Hotspur's view of absolute honor, had some doubt to it, or could be thought of differently.   Prospero's argument here is irrefutable.   Nothing he presents is in any way 'iffy' or doubtable.   This is Shakespeare's final conclusion : plays, like life, fade into nothing, and nothing is left worth doing but to be what we are: human, and mortal.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations: William Shakespeare's The Tempest. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1997.    Davidson, Frank. "The Tempest: An Interpretation." In The Tempest: A Casebook. Ed. D.J. Palmer. London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., 1968. 225.    Shakespeare, William, 1998.   The Tempest.   Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1998    Webster, Margaret. Shakespeare Without Tears. Greenwich: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1996.

Fantasy and Reality in D.H. Hwang’s, M. Butterfly Essay example -- D.H

Fantasy and Reality in D.H. Hwang’s, M. Butterfly A person may search their whole life for love. Some are lucky enough to find the perfect someone, and some are not. The one’s who are not as lucky can sometimes create their own idea of their ideal partner, but never actually find them. In D.H. Hwang’s play M. Butterfly, a man by the name of Gallimard creates his own idea of the perfect partner. He falls in love with a woman by the name of Song, who turns out to be not what he expected. Song is actuality a Chinese spy disguised as a woman. Hwang illustrates in the play M. Butterfly, people are not always who they perceive to be. Through Gallimards love for song, his portrayal for the East and West, and Gallimards obsession with power, M. Butterfly, demonstrates the different views of power and weakness that symbolized masculinity and femininity. Gallimard does not find out that Song is indeed a man until the end of the play. By this time, Gallimard is already completely in love with Song, yet he knows that his love is too good to be true. In Gallimards mind, he creates this image of what he believes to be his â€Å"perfect woman.† Song portrays this image in Gallimards’ mind. He declares that he was â€Å"once loved, and was loved by very simply, the Perfect Woman† (77). In spite of knowing that Song is actually a man, Gallimard continues to fantasize about his once â€Å"perfect woman.† After learning that Song is a man, â€Å"Song covers Gallimard’s eyes with one hand. With th...

Abraham Lincoln Essay -- essays research papers

Abraham Lincoln, from the backwoods of Hodgenville Kentucky, rose to become one of the greatest presidents of the United States. During his attempt to keep the Union in the Civil War, he gained more power and authority than any president before him. A excellent politician, Lincoln was always looked upon for leadership for he put reason and thoughtful decisions behind his word.Abraham Lincoln, born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hawks on February 12, 1809, was conceived in a log cabin built by his father. Abe had one older sister, and a younger brother that died as an infant. The Lincoln family moved a lot, from Kentucky to Indiana, and back to Kentucky. Abe read a book titled Mason Locke Weems's Life and Memorable Actions of George Washington, this book mad a lasting impression on him that persuaded him throughout his life. By the time he was nineteen Abe reached his full grown height of six feet four inches. He held small jobs such as a clerk, postmaster and a few others through his early twenties. Then in 1832 he ran for county candidate against 13 others. Only four were to be elected and Lincoln finished eighth. In '834 he ran for a representative to the Illinois legislature, by this time Lincoln was well known and he got the election.Abe began to study law, and in 1836 became a licensed attorney. In 1837 he made his first public stand against slavery, Lincoln avoided extreme abolitionist groups though he was greatly against slavery.On November 4, 1842 Lincoln married Ma...

Ethics Essay Essay

Ethics is a study that deals with whether behavior is morally right or wrong in human life. Ethics further relates to human obligations in society, measurements of fairness and individual virtues. Ethical development is an important societal tool that is based on the basis of understanding and defining cultural morality. There is more than one type of ethics. In this paper, I will briefly describe the differences between three types of ethics: utilitarianism, virtue theory, and deontological ethics. By comparing the similarities and differences among the three types one can begin to develop an overall understanding of the role ethics plays on social responsibility. Also, I will give one of my personal experiences and attempt to explain the relationship between virtue, values, and moral concepts and how they relate to the deontology theory. Utilitarianism ethics are ethics of consequences. They are based on the principle that any action is good as long as it results in providing the greatest good for a majority. This means that the consequences of an action must benefit the greatest number of people involved. â€Å"The best consequences are those in which happiness is maximized†, (Brown, C., 2001). Virtue theory is also known as an ethics of duty or obligation and is sometimes referred to as ethics based on character. By definition, virtues are â€Å"character traits that make up a moral life†, (Manias, Monroe, & Till, 2013). This theory stands on the belief that one should strive to be excellent in everything they do while cultivating desirable moral qualities. Deontology is slightly different from virtue theory. It places an emphasis on duties that follow a set of rules. For this theory, â€Å"an action is right if it is in accordance with a moral rule or principle†, (Brown, C., 2001). Like virtue theory, deontology focuses on what is best for everyone involved. However, deontology leans more upon the reason or principles behind the  course of right action taken. The deontological ethical theory was founded by philosopher Immanuel Kant. Deontology often refers to Kantian ethics. According to Immanual Kant, â€Å"an action is right if it is in accordance with a moral rule of principle†, Brown, C., 2001). There are tangible similarities among all of these three ethical theories. The first similarity would be consequence of action. Consequence is usually not the main focus of an action, yet all three theories expect the outcome of the action to result beneficially. Although the basis of the action varies by principles or virtu es, the action should be condoned by the outcome. Perhaps the best way to explain the differences between deontology, virtue ethics, and utilitarianism is to imagine the following scenario from the perspective of all three theories. Suppose you notice a female driver having car trouble and she is stranded on the side of the freeway. As you get closer you notice she is standing in front of her car with the hood open. She is in tears as she waves the smoke coming from her engine away from her eyes. The woman is obviously in need of assistance. By pulling over to assist her, you would be acting on your moral duty. In virtue theory, this act of kindness would be described as a charitable act of admirable character. In utilitarianism the act of kindness would be beneficial to both parties. The example that I provided was actually from my own experience. I was the driver in need of assistance. Thankfully, what I would call a virtuous man happened to stop and assist me that day. The alternator in my car had gone out and my battery was nearly drained by the time the other driver pulled over to help me. I referred to him as a virtuous man because he did not plan on receiving anything in return and did not particularly benefit from helping me. In summary, virtue theory concentrates on one’s moral ethics without the expectation of a specific consequence or rule. Utilitarianism focuses on beneficial results for all persons involved while emphasizing the greater good. Lastly, deontology focuses on moral duty in adherence to a specific set of rules or moral code. In conclusion, the quality of life in our culture and society depend greatly on ethical development. There are slight differences and similarities between virtue ethics, deontology and utilitarianism. Through life experiences, one can develop their own personal ethical style which will likely fall in line with one of these theories. For one to develop morally ethical behavior they need to have a basic  understanding of right and wrong. References Brown, C. (2001). Trinity.Edu. Retrieved from http://www.trinity.edu/cbrown/intro/ethical_theories.html Manias, N., Monroe, D., & Till, J. E. (2013). Ethics Applied (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Odysseus Is a Strong Leader

Odysseus is a strong leader. Odysseus is a strong leader shown by many characteristics. To prove he is a strong leader I will be using determined, intelligent and loyal characteristics. In the myth Scylla and Charybdis it proves Odysseus is determined. It shows he is determined because all though it was difficult to get through he still had faith that they could make it passed Scylla and Charybdis and get home. â€Å"Odysseus knew that they would all be dragged down if they got too close to Charybdis.So he sipped around her, always keeping her in view† gives evidence how determined he was to get passed them while knowing he could be risking not only his life but his men life. Determination makes him a strong leader because if he would’ve given up he would be a weak leader, and to be a strong leader you have to have faith and keep trying. The Sirens shows how Odysseus is an intelligent. This myth proves he is intelligent because he thinks of a plan for himself and his me n to get passed The Sirens without dying. Odysseus told his men about them and that the only way to pass them safely was for each man to stop his ears with wax† shows the plan Odysseus thought about before passing through. Intelligent makes him a strong leader because if he didn’t have plans he wouldn’t be able to come up with the plan to survive or to get home. In the myth Aiolos and the Bag of Wind proves how Odysseus is loyal to his men. It shows how though his men didn’t trust him he still stood with them and wanted to get home.The myth says â€Å"Aiolos helps by putting all the stormy winds into a bag so they will not harm Odysseus and his men or blow them off course. During the voyage, suspicious and curious sailors open the bag thinking it is treasure† clarifies the men did not trust Odysseus. Loyalty makes him a strong leader because people follow him and leaders don’t give up on their men when they know they don’t trust him. T hese three myths prove how Odysseus is a Strong leader throughout his adventures with his men. .

Presentation of Sex and Sexuality in Brave New World

presentation of sex and sexuality in Brave New World brave new world is a dystopian novel about an authoritarian regime and how they control people, in it there are characters that resist the leadership. Huxley’s Brave New World is a darkly satirical novel that uncovers and shows the weaknesses of society (mainly American) in 1932 with ‘pneumatic flappers’ and jazz clubs which, in Huxley’s mind, lack meaning and are too casual. The society uses sex and sexuality as a force to control the masses by removing all ‘love' in the act, by making it commonplace losing all meaning so they ‘can’t see the forest for the trees’.Science In Huxley’s novel plays a key role in how the sex and sexuality is portrayed in the book, it seems that science removes all emotions in everything. In Brave New World children are put through an extensive conditioning process where they are subject to ‘erotic play’ and hypnopaedia. In the 189 0’s the psychologist Sigmund Freud said that if you repress your sexual desires it builds up inside of you and can divert itself into damaging channels.I think that in this novel Huxley is satirising him saying that if everyone had sex like he is saying then this is what it would be like:- On page 26 a little boy and girl of seven and eight respectively, ‘were playing gravely and with all the focussed attention of scientists’ Huxley describes the children as playing ‘gravely’ or without emotion, I think that this is him trying to show us what this society has become: one where children are forced to have erotic play, as seen when the little boy is crying because he doesn’t want to play; and secondly that these constant sexual encounters have dimmed the excitement, passion and love in the act of sex to a point where it has become mundane and un-magical.Another thing that Huxley satirises Freud about is his theory about how the family is the pri me source of this inner conflict. In Brave New World there are no families and loose living is encouraged, men and women are made in factories. I think ‘the week’s supply of ova’ and ‘standard men and women in uniform batches’ describes perfectly how Huxley thinks the world would be without families. Without them it would dehumanise so much so that we lose our identities and become ‘standard men and women’ Men and women have a complicated relationship in brave new world. Men are usually Alpha plus’s and women are usually beta minus’s, I think that that in itself shows Huxley’s entirely chauvinistic attitude. Her smile flashed readily at him’ (pg13) ‘flashed readily’ portrays an image of automation, she does it without thinking showing an instant submission to him and that with that submission she is readily available. Again, ‘and giving her two or three little pats, received in exchange a ra ther deferential smile for himself’ the director pats her on the bottom because in this society ‘everyone belongs to everyone’ and he fancies her. This is another example of Huxley’s inbuilt and unconscious chauvinism, he has made it so the female characters all respectfully submit to the men. In 1932 when Huxley wrote this hitting a girl on the bottom was shunned and offensive but in Brave New World it is accepted by everyone including Lenina because they are conditioned to have sex with everyone.When Huxley went to America he encountered what he described as ‘the city of dreadful joy’ in Los Angeles where everyone had a hedonistic lifestyle and went to jazz clubs and there were ‘pneumatic flappers’ I think that Huxley is satirising them and giving a warning to us because that is what might happen in the future and Huxley believe that promiscuity like this is morally wrong and take all meaning out of sex. The Act of Sex in Brave New World is encouraged as much as possible because it is a particular, ‘for particulars, as everyone knows, make for virtue and happiness’ On page 58 some girls invite Helmholtz to a ‘picnic’. The ‘picnic’ replaces the word ‘sex’ which shows how amalgamated sex has become in society. Sex has been integrated into everything: thought, religious ceremonies, music, cinema, picnics etc. the society is very much so recreational and the people have become hedonistic.Huxley points this out because this kind of society – American society – has very loose morals too and is perhaps no the best way to go about progressing. The girls invite only him and not anyone else; it’s quite a suggestive thing to say, even desperate and they only invite him because he is ‘hot’. The society in this sense is very shallow and childlike. Sex is also practiced in mass orgies. Huxley uses metaphors to represent sex a lot like on page 66. The orgy is described using music which rises and climaxes with their climax. Huxley also employs a clever use of sibilance, in which the ‘du’ sound is repeated to give a sense of heartbeats and increasing rhythm to show excitement. I think that Huxley writes about it in this way rather than being explicit is ecause when this book was published the content would have been shunned, but also to show again how sex has been integrated into everything It may seem odd that the government in Brave New World encourages sex, I think that the reason that they do is because the world motto, ‘COMMUNITY, IDENTIY, STABILITY’ with its main point being stability believes that happiness = stability and then sex = happiness. It is used as a measure to keep the people in line because whilst having sex and being happy they ‘can’t see the wood for the trees’ which is more subtly put with the slogan, ‘for particulars, as everyone knows, make s for happiness and virtue’ which basically means that they shouldn’t be able to see the bigger picture and stop being happy.To ensure that they only really focus on sex they have installed it into every aspect of their life. On page 66-67 Bernard goes to Westminster Abby in London where they sit around in circles of twelve and then start dancing and then having sex. I think that it is quite a disturbing scene, and is definitely something that most people back in 1932 and now would find disgusting. Huxley seems to be satirising everything now including religion with the twelve disciples and it being in Westminster. The whole book I think is satirising the Roman Catholic Church with the ‘conditioning’ of people to believe something without question and how it leads to false happiness or happiness that is fabricated by someone else and not of your own making.

An Education and History Boys Comparative Film Essay Essay

Through the analysis of where an education originates, The History Boys and An Education have two vastly contradictory viewpoints. The History Boys demonstrates both academic education and an education on life gained within school grounds. An Education, however, illustrates a young Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan) as she gains her education far from her school environment – despite much attempted intervention. In both The History Boys and An Education the teachers play an integral role in shaping the educational path for our protagonists. Hector (Richard Griffiths) bases his teachings on the principle of educating the boys in regard to life and not purely academic learning. When the viewers are first introduced to Hector, they are made aware of the high regard with which the boys view him. During the scene when the boys celebrate their final marks, they bow down to Hector as if they are not worthy. If the manner in which Hector teaches the boys is considered, it becomes evident that he understands the idea of literature perhaps having an impact on his students later in life – â€Å"all knowledge is precious whether or not it serves the slightest human purpose†. He seems to be concerned with how the boys utilise their learning within everyday life; how they apply ideas and philosophies concealed in knowledge at a standard worthy of Oxford and Cambridge. Within Hector’s classroom, there are many literary references present on the walls – more than once the viewer’s eyes are drawn to a photograph of W H Auden – who can be considered similar to Hector in that both had homosexual inclinations. During the boys’ outing to an old monastery, Hector advises the boys on knowledge, and the transfer thereof, with the words, â€Å"pass it on†. In this, he is able to teach the boys a lesson more important than any taught in the classroom. In An Education, Miss Stubbs as well as the Headmistress (Emma Thompson) allude to an education coming from within a school and being purely academically centred. The Headmistress reminds Jenny that neither herself nor Miss Stubbs would be where they are if it were not for their decent school and university education. Miss Stubbs admits to Jenny that she attended Cambridge – only to be offended by Jenny, who could no longer see the benefit of an academic education. Within Miss Stubbs’s classroom, we are  able to see that the walls are fairly empty and her desk uncluttered. This stands in contrast with the Hector’s vibrant classroom. In the opening scene of An Education the camera tracks the movement of the overlays into Miss Stubbs’s classroom and to a group of girls who look stricken with boredom and later on read with that same unenthusiastic demeanour. Continually throughout the movie, we are reminded of the popular 1960s belief that education meant almost everything if one was to attend a prestigious university and find a job that provided a salary, but that was not necessarily fulfilling. The History Boys proves to the viewers that life lessons can be and are taught within school parameters. Although much of the focus is centred on the Ox-Bridge examinations, Hector and Irwin, specifically, are able to teach the boys life lessons over and above the syllabus. Hector teaches the boys the importance of knowledge, even if it has no obvious use. To Hector, language, literature and music are to be considered in high regard with the intent of creating a cultured being rather than one only able to regurgitate useless ‘gobbets’, as referred to by Irwin. The question, â€Å"how does History happen?† is asked more than once throughout the film’s duration. As the film progresses, the answer emerges – history is merely one thing after another. When the boys are confronted with Hector’s death, they are able to realise how fleeting life is. Death calls for introspection and a deeper consideration of what it is in life that is truly important. Hector is able to teach the boys that education is indispensable in whichever form and from whichever source it comes, which, as well as the idea that one must pass knowledge along, is a most crucial aspect to the film. In An Education, it is clear that Jenny receives her education outside of school parameters – despite the objections posed by Miss Stubbs and the Headmistress. Although Jenny is a dedicated student, who in the beginning tries to gain her education within school and from her teachers, she inevitably gains it from her relationship with David (Peter Sarsgaard). During the opening scene, the students dancing with books on their head appeals to the formal environment they attended school in. David was able to show Jenny the other side of this spectrum – he introduced her to art,  music, wine and lavish restaurants. David travelled to Oxford and Paris with Jenny, where everything was tinted with a blue haze and made to seem flawless. He provided her with a life where she could speak French and surround herself with art and culture; the life she had so longed for. However, when Jenny discovered that David was a married man, she was also able to learn that a lifestyle such as the one David and his friends led often hid many secrets. He was a dishonest man – and it taught Jenny that trust should not just be given, but rather earned. When she visits Miss Stubbs, her words, â€Å"I feel old, but not so wise† prove that when one is young, they can so easily be deceived by materialism and the idea of love – a lesson no school would be able to teach. Both The History Boys and An Education demonstrate how education has no set definition. It can be defined as learning fact, or as learning about life. Both also prove to us that education does not have to come from an educational institute and its employees. Life can sometimes prove more educational than the classroom.