Saturday, February 22, 2020

If Gold Prices Are The Same Everywhere, Then Why Arn't House Prices Essay

If Gold Prices Are The Same Everywhere, Then Why Arn't House Prices - Essay Example Using the basic economic supply and demand curve, it is easier for us to examine how prices and available supply affects the existing market behavior. To enable us to understand the major factor that make the prices of gold remains the same over time but not the housing prices, the history of the global trading system will first be tackled. Using the theories of microeconomics, significant changes within the domestic markets that contributes to the changes in the market value of houses will be thoroughly discussed. Between the years 1879 to 1934, trading of goods between two countries occurred using of the gold standard which enabled traders to pay goods and services in exchange with the quantity of gold (McConnell & Brue, 2004: p. 478). Since the value of gold remains the same in each country, there was officially a fixed exchange rate all over the world. Eventually, the use of fixed exchange rate resulted to a negative international demand shock since the prices goods from one country to another remains the same (Eichengreen, 1996). The global economic depression that happened back in 1930s changes the concept of having fixed exchange rate. (McConnell & Brue, 2004: p. 479) In order to promote free competition within the domestic and global trading markets, some nations have considered making the cost of exportation cheaper by devaluating their currency against the real value of gold. As part of strengthening the adjustable-peg system which was introduced under the Bretton Woods System1, each country agreed to accept gold and the US dollar as the benchmark for international reserves since the US was able to accumulate the biggest supply of gold as compared with other countries (McConnell & Brue, 2004: p. 480). As a result, the agreed equivalent of gold in terms of the US dollar is US$35 per ounce (Bougrine & Seccareccia, 2004). Aiming to avoid economic bias

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Speech article 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Speech article 2 - Essay Example In the speech, Taiwan’s president, Ma expresses his firm support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and the need for reforms to let Hong Kong go democratic. Nearly a month ago, Hong Kong residents led by Hong Kong Federation of Students went to the street to protest the National People’s Congress decision on proposed reforms, which denied civil nominations. The movement termed Occupy Central demand the liberty to elect the next local head of their government. The movement calls for a democratic and direct chance to elect the Chief Executive of Hong Kong without Beijing’s interference. Ma states that China should take the recent occurrences as an opportunity rather than a problem and facilitate a democratic transition in Hong Kong. Further, he also advised China that as a step towards achieving constitutional democracy, the country should start by letting Hong Kong go democratic. In addition, Ma suggests that with the rapidly developing economy, China is becoming a more prosperous society, and consequently, the number of wealthy people is increasing. As the wealth increases people tend to desire a more affluent lifestyle, as well as greater rule of law and more democracy. Therefore, for China, it seems there is no way out, but to give Hong Kong autonomy because eventually, the heat will be too much to bear and they will give in to the demands. Moreover, Ma clarifies that contrary to the popular belief, the need for democracy is not a strategy of the Western countries: he says, â€Å"Such a desire has never been a monopoly of the West, but it is the right of all humankind† (Ying-jeou 1). Such sentiments from the president of Taiwan in favor of freedom are very relevant to the current situation because the state is also ethically Chinese as Hong Kong. Though Taiwan has been under self-rule since 1940s, the mainland China still claims sovereignty over it and vows to take control over it one day even if it means by force. Moreover, Taiwan was

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Second Brandenburg Concerto Essay Example for Free

The Second Brandenburg Concerto Essay Composing for the inauguration of a harpsichord he had acquired in Berlin, Bach prepared the Brandenburg Concertos in 1720. [1] Drawing from a wide range of musical influences and styles, Bach pays tribute to and in many ways surpasses the works of his contemporaries, ultimately and undeniably furthering the concerto form. The concerto is a genre of instrumental works of three movements performed by one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra. In a musical context, the term â€Å"concerto† (from the Latin concertare; â€Å"to contend, to dispute, to debate† and â€Å"to work together†)[2] was initially used inconsistently to refer to a variety of forms and functions, including vocal ensembles, mixed vocal/instrumental groups, and the act of accompanying. As the form developed, the term gained its lasting definition. The instrumental concerto emerged in the late 17th century. In Italy, two distinct styles arose, reflecting different approaches to musical structure and scoring. The Roman concerto featured a small ensemble of instrumentalists (called the concertino) playing in unison, contrapuntally or in alternation, accompanied by the larger concerto grosso or ripieno. Northern Italian concertos were written for much smaller orchestras, with sometimes as little as five instrumental voices, and emphasized the role of a single soloist (usually a violinist) backed by relatively light accompaniment. The genre flourished in the early 18th century with the many innovations of Antonio Vivaldi. His earliest concertos made use of the ritornello form, in which tonalities are established and reestablished throughout a movement by orchestral refrains. The form was the first to regularly present a recurring musical motif in several contrasting tonalities. Vivaldi also incorporated techniques largely unused outside of opera, such as the orchestral unison and onomatopoeic effects. His compositions contain slow, lyrical passages that allow for and encourage improvisation and embellishment. Suited to a variety of settings and functions, from secular to recreational, Vivaldi’s concertos were highly accessible and diverse. 2 Bach was among the many influenced by Vivaldi’s style. An unofficial student of the Italian composer, Bach devotedly transcribed Vivaldi’s concertos by hand, often rescoring them. [3] Bach’s attention to detail and expertise in musical structure gave his own works a refreshing individuality. His compositions included new, virtuosic instrumental techniques and applications, particularly for the harpsichord. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos brim with dense compositional textures, complex instrumentations (combining strings, brass, woodwind and keyboard instruments) and unusual mixtures of conventions usually exclusive to their own specific form of concerto. Featuring an astonishing amount of instruments, the Brandenburg Concertos make for a tonally diverse listening experience. Taking every sound in his palette into consideration, Bach orchestrates passages both instrumentally homogenous (specifically, string ensemble) and unusually varied (combining recorder and trumpet). The instrumental parts are as unique and unusual as they are difficult: violas da gamba back atypically soloing violas, a recorder fights to sing above a trumpet, and a violin piccolo plays a fast melody customarily reserved for other members of its instrumental family. [4] Following the conventions of the concerto grosso form, the second Brandenburg concerto features two ensembles: the concertino, a small group of soloists, and the ripieno, the larger orchestra accompanying them. The concerto is scored for the violin, viola, flute, trumpet, oboe and continuo. The elaborate interplay between the soloists and the ripieno is most apparent in the manipulation of recurring musical themes. [pic] mm. 1-7 The first measures establish the ritornello, played in unison by both the soloist and larger orchestra, with contrapuntal voices in the accompaniment. The theme is grandiose; the repeating 16th-16th-8th note motif excitedly calls for the listener’s immediate attention, heralding a rising and falling stream of 16th notes that seems to relay some thrilling news. [pic] mm. 8-9, violin A second theme, a brief solo, follows the ritornello, marking the entrance of a solo instrument in its every occurrence. The solo instrument is supported only by the continuo and at most one other instrument in the concertino; the orchestra is at rest. The melody floats sweetly, lingering on a trill as a temporary reprieve from the uproar of the orchestra. The second theme is played by the violin in its first instance and in subsequent occurrences by the oboe, flute and trumpet, respectively. The two themes (the first truncated) alternate in rapid two-measure exchanges. Changes in pitch and direction in the solo passages bring about modulation in the restated ritornellos that follow, shifting the mood of the piece and establishing the soloists and the driving force behind its movement. As the solo guides, the opening of each ritornello serves as a point of arrival. [5] This pattern is characteristic of Vivaldi’s style: his concertos typically began with a full statement of the orchestral ritornello, which would re-emerge between alternating solo passages in a notably altered form. 3 [pic] mm. 9-11 (top), 13-15 (bottom) The first example of this occurs in the transition from the solo passage to the restatement of the ritornello in measures 14 to 15. Reflecting a single change in the solo (a high C replaces the F in the last note), the transposed ritornello moves the piece into the key of C, the dominant to the tonic key of F. To the listener, the key change instills a sense of triumphant accumulation and a desire for eventual resolution. [pic] mm. 31-37, trumpet (top) and oboe (bottom) The next modulation takes the piece to the key of D minor, the relative minor to the tonic key. Against a suddenly (and unexpectedly) downcast orchestra, the high-pitched trumpet introduces a new theme: a simple, prolonged four note sequence that contrasts with the complex and rapid movement of the accompaniment. The oboe answers this sequence between the trumpet’s restatements, gradually guiding it to a lower pitch range. As the trumpet’s sequence tapers off, the full orchestra returns to another restatement of the ritornello.

Monday, January 20, 2020

PSY 301, Introductory Psychology, 1999, Exam 3 :: UTEXAS Texas Psychology

Test 3 1. The process of getting information out of memory storage is called: A. priming. B. encoding. C. relearning. D. retrieval. E. rehearsal. 2. Chess masters can recall the exact positions of most pieces after a brief glance at the game board. This ability is best explained in terms of: [NOTE: This question turned out to be ambiguous. Everyone gets credit. The technical correct answer, however, is B.] A. flashbulb memory. B. chunking. C. iconic memory. D. the serial position effect. E. the method of loci. 3. After her last drinking spree, Karen hid a half-empty liquor bottle. She couldn't remember where she hid it until she started drinking again. Karen's pattern of recall best illustrates: A. the spacing effect. B. proactive interference. C. the serial position effect. D. motivated forgetting. E. state-dependent memory. 4. The disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information is called: A. state-dependent memory. B. retroactive interference. C. the serial position effect. D. the spacing effect. E. proactive interference. 5. Research on the misinformation effect indicates that: A. events from the distant past are especially vulnerable to memory distortion. B. people can easily distinguish between their own true and false memories. C. hypnotic suggestion is an effective technique for accurate memory retrieval. D. it is very difficult to lead people to construct memories of events that never happened. E. a leader, such as Clinton or Reagan, can forget bad information faster than good information. 6. With respect to the controversy regarding reports of repressed memories of sexual abuse, statements by major psychological and psychiatric associations suggest that: A. the accumulated experiences of our lives are all preserved somewhere in our minds. B. the more stressful an experience is, the more quickly it will be consciously forgotten. C. repression is the most common mechanism underlying the failure to recall early childhood abuse. D. professional therapists can reliably distinguish between their clients' true and false childhood memories. E. adult memories of experiences happening before age 3 are unreliable. 7. Prototype is to category as ________ is to ________. A. rose; "flower" B. rock; "mountain" C. man; "woman" D. rope; "weapon" E. mountain; "rope" 8. At some point during the babbling stage, infants begin to: A. imitate adult grammar. B. make speech sounds only if their hearing is unimpaired. C. speak in simple words that may be barely recognizable. D. lose their ability to discriminate sounds that they never hear. E. develop strong sexual urges oriented to the parent of the opposite sex. 9. Research on the language capabilities of apes clearly demonstrates that they have the capacity to: A. vocalize the most common vowel sounds. B. acquire language vocabulary as rapidly as most children.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Hanging Tongues

In the article â€Å"Hanging Tongues: A Sociological Encounter with the Assembly line† Thompson (1983) there are many connections between the Physical structure of the beef processing plant and the social structure of those working within it. The layout, design and decor of the beef plant both directly and metaphorically impact on the social structure within the plant, pertaining to (among other examples) a sense of isolation, hierarchies, formalisation and standardisation. The physical layout of the beef processing plant appears to be similar to many other assembly line factories, the ‘kill floor’ as Thompson refers to it, being a large open space with work stations located around the area. Thompson describes an â€Å"Overhead stainless steel rail†¦ curved its way around every work station in the plant. † We see that although physically all the different work stations on the ‘kill floor’ are connected, the connection is mechanical, part of the layout of the factory. Despite the open plan space in the factory there is much isolation among the workers, even though they are all working on the same production line. Although most workers know each other on sight, it is unlikely that they would know more than first names due to the nature of the work they are doing. Each worker on Thompson’s ‘offal’ station was expected to handle 187 tongues per hour, plus cleaning of racks and trays. This is quite a high work rate and there is little time for small-talk with co-workers. This rate required from workers creates a division between the workers who have little time to stop, besides designated breaks and management who seemingly ‘sit behind their desks all day’. Also concerned with the layout of the factory was the separation of the ‘kill floor’ with the executive offices. This layout in the factory underlines the hierarchy of the social structure within the plant. At the bottom of the ladder we have the workers. They work on the ‘kill floor’ which is the dirtiest, most dangerous and most monotonous job. The Management and executives of the company are at the top of the hierarchy, they are separated physically from the ‘kill floor’ as they cannot be seen to get dirty themselves. This would make them subordinates to their ‘equals’ in the business world. Little is noted of the management in â€Å"Hanging Tongues† except that they â€Å"Rarely ventured† to the ’kill floor’ where Thompson’s research took place. Their offices are separate, keeping them isolated from the dirty, dangerous work on the factory floor. The other physical separation in the beef plant was between the inspectors and the workers. There is understandable animosity between the two groups. As they start the inspectors are on a lower wage than the workers. This is presumably because the nature of the inspector’s job is a lot less dangerous, and less physically demanding than that of the ‘beefers’. The only interaction between inspectors and workers is of a negative nature, as the inspector will be telling the worker that the work is not of a high enough standard, this slows the progress of the workers and causes resentment towards the inspectors. Due to this negative interaction, inspectors are kept separate from workers eating â€Å"in a separate lunchroom† according to Thompson. The design and decor of the beef processing plant also contribute to the social structure of the workers. Almost everything on the ‘kill floor’ is made of stainless steel, the benches, knives, tubs etc. This sterile equipment makes a sterile working environment, which makes the workers feel that their workplace is even more impersonal. Some other aspects of decor and design also lead the workers to this isolated mindset. Sealed cement floors and Ceramic tile walls are cold and impersonal. Everything is cleaned down at every break and shift change, as if the workers had never been there. There is no sense of individualism for the workers, instead we see in action the â€Å"metaphor of the organisation as a machine† Morgan (1998). Whereby the workers are not considered as individuals, but as functioning parts of a machine, objects that do their part in order to create a finished product (in this case a butchered cow). Another example of the decor observed by Thompson was that of the safety posters plastered over the walls, reminding workers that they should be wearing safety equipment, and working carefully at all times. This decor around the workspace (where we can imagine that management have pictures of their families instead) creates another division between â€Å"us† (the workers) and â€Å"them† (management). The posters also serve to remind the workers that their jobs are undeniably dangerous, workers being forced to face the fact that every day they are working they are in physical danger from the jobs they do. One last observation about the decor in the factory is the lack of clocks. Management try to control certain aspects of the workers day, this is one way in which they do it. By not letting workers know that their break / end of shift is going to arrive management are trying to avoid the inevitable ‘slacking off’ before the end of a shift, or ducking out early. This control is one thing that workers have tried to regain, as the person at the start of the production line starts â€Å"clanging his knife against the metal† when the break in the line appears. The knife banging gets passed from station to station and Thompson said he knew that â€Å"it was exactly 35 minutes until the end of the line would reach me†. Even though it is really just a symbolic way of gaining some control back, it is an important form of communication between the normally isolated workers. Formalisation, pertaining to rules and procedures implemented at the beef processing plant are an important dimension of organisational social structure. Hatch (2006), states that â€Å"formalization tends to reduce the amount of discretion employees have in performing their work tasks†. The physical structures that the beef plant has that connect with this statement are numerous. The posters about wearing safety equipment are one example; the sterile, dangerous equipment they use is another. Formalisation, according to Hatch, also helps to determine pay levels. In Thompson’s â€Å"Hanging Tongues† we see a specific example of this in the reference note stating that the ‘shackler’ is paid 10cents per hour more than the workers because of the more dangerous nature of his job, dealing with flying hooves, and hooks and chains. Standardisation is a dimension of organisational social structure that is inherent in Thompson’s â€Å"Hanging Tongues†. Much mention is made of the monotony of the work. The workers do the same job, in the same way, day after day. Their surroundings and equipment are always the same. It is this ombination of standardised work and surroundings that connects the social and physical structures in this beef plant. The work may be efficient, but the monotony and the dangerous aspects of the job are crucial factors in the high turnover of staff in assembly line jobs. There are many connections between the physical and social structures of the beef processing plant that Thompson has stud ied. Hierarchies and divisions of labour are common practice in social structure, as in many organisations they are the easiest way to get work done effectively. The same is true of physical structures based upon keeping management away from the dirty work, or ‘kill floor’. What is important is that we can see how these structures impact upon each other making the business what it is. References Hatch, M. J. (with Cunliffe, A) (2006). Organisation Theory: modern, symbolic, postmodern perspectives. (2nd Ed. ). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Morgan, G. (1998). Images of organisation: The executive edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage pp 3-13. Thompson, W. E. (1983). Hanging Tongues: A sociological encounter with the assembly line. Qualitative Sociology 6 (3), 215-237.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Deprived on Sleep - 975 Words

It is important for everyone to get enough sleep, but many people often ignore it. If people do not get enough sleep they may experience sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can have negative effects. When people do not get enough sleep or less, they may feel crabby and unable to function as well as they usually do the next day. Balancing work and parenting as a single parent in today’s society is tough. Juggling children, work, taking care of home, and cart the children to extracurricular activities are a lot for one’s plate. As single parent I had my share of sleepless nights as well, mostly when either my children fall sick or when I work extra shift at work. The last time I remember when I had a sleepless night was when both of these factors together came to hunt me. I agreed to work extra hours at the hospital because the night shift secretary was unable to come into work. Although I had worked a 12 hour shift, I still had enough energy to work at less five more ho urs that I had agreed too. At the end of my shift I was ready for a hot shower and my warm bed to rest. My daughter came down with a fever that night. She was vomiting, and could not keep any fluids down. My daughter was restless and was only able to sleep an hour at a time. I wasn’t really able to sleep at all because I was constantly checking her temperature. Each time she vomited or even tossed and fussed in her sleep I was up with her. Of course when the sun had risen I immediately took my daughter to theShow MoreRelatedSleep Deprived Athletes : The Lack Of Sleep Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesSleep Deprived Athletes Do you feel sluggish while playing your favorite sport? The lack of sleep can negatively impact an athlete’s performance. Athletes that are fatigued can experience negative; mental, emotional and physical conditions. 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ЕmÐ ¾tÃ'â€"Ð ¾nÐ °l MÐ µmÐ ¾rÃ'â€"Ð µÃ'•: If Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u rÐ °n Ð ¾ut Ð ¾f the hÐ ¾uÃ'•Ð µ tÐ ¾ mÐ °Ã'â€"l Ã'Æ'Ð ¾ur Ã' hÃ'â€"ld Ã'• birthday Ã' Ã °rd Ð ¾nlÃ'Æ' tÐ ¾ rÐ µÃ °lÃ'â€"zÐ µ Ã'Æ'Ð ¾u -- Ð ¾nÃ' Ã µ Ð °gÐ °Ã'â€"n -- lÐ µft Ã'â€"t on thÐ µ kÃ'â€"tÃ' hÐ µn Ã' Ã ¾untÐ µr, Ð ¾r you Ã' Ã ¾mÃ'€lÐ µtÐ µlÃ'Æ' blanked Ð ¾n a nÐ µw coworker s nÐ °mÐ µ dÐ µÃ'•Ã'€Ã'â€"tÐ µ hÐ µÃ °rÃ'â€"ngRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Memory1605 Words   |  7 Pagesinvestigated the effects of sleep deprivation on memory. A sample of 17 Long-Evans rats was deprived of water except for a 15-minute exposure. Day one just water was administered, day two grape juice was administered followed by a LiCl injection and day three both water and grape juice were administered. Half of the rats were sleep deprived on day two and taste aversion was calculated on day three. The groups gave unexpected results but the results were significant . 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NREM sleep is when the bodys processesRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Prospective Memory Essay1353 Words   |  6 PagesEffects of Sleep Deprivation on Prospective Memory Sleep is one of the key essentials for cognitive performance, yet it is accounted that most people do not receive a sufficient amount. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2016 that on average, 50-70 million Americans do not receive the proper amount of sleep per night. This concept is more commonly referred to as sleep deprivation. By definition, sleep deprivation is simply not getting enough or the lack of sleep. As the number