The Politics of Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Politics of Research - Essay Example Sheila Dow has gathered several economists to review Card and Krueger's important work Myth and Measurement: The New Economics of the Minimum Wage, and what is more important than what any of these individual reviewers has to say is the collective impression left by the reviewers: the politics of research play a far larger role than do the numbers themselves. Finis Welch is left calling for an entirely new set of standards to govern the process of economic research and interpretation (Dow 2002). Several of the reviewers in this article refer to the design of what Card and Krueger call their "natural experiments" designed to see how an increased minimum wage would affect employment. One of the primary arguments against an increase in minimum wage has been that employers would be forced to reduce their workforce numbers to accommodate the higher wage - or to raise prices to such a degree as to render the increased wage negligible. Card and Krueger find as their conclusion that this argument is not true - they conclude that the effect on employment of a higher minimum wage is almost nonexistent. Charles Brown (who, coincidentally, believes that a 10% increase in the minimum wage would decrease employment by 1%) criticizes Card and Krueger's methods, saying that their time window for measuring effects of an increased minimum wage is too short, and does not consider other factors, such as sunk and capital costs (Dow 2002). By contrast, Richard Freeman, who views the minimum wage as one palliative for this "era with rising inequality," agrees with the use of a short time window, because "[e]mpirical analysis of quantitative responses to price incentives is most convincing over periods during which the structure of the economy, technology, and so on can safely be viewed as fixed"(Dow 2002). And so even one's opinion of statistical methodology, it seems, is related to one's prevailing opinion about the topic at hand. If one wants to write a paper that has a certain result, the temptation will soon arise to allow the statistical analysis to provide only a particular answer. Paul Osterman makes note of an analysis that Card and Krueger conducted using past research. According to their study, not only have past economists decided not to publish papers about the minimum wage that would contradict the prevailing argument about the danger to employment numbers, but even within papers that were published, they have "simply [ignored] findings that were inconsistent with the point the authors wanted to make" (Dow 2002). Of course, this manipulation and misuse of data is exactly what Finis Welch accuses Card and Krueger of doing in their own book: after dissecting Card and Krueger's studies and finding them too statistically insignificant to support a hypothesis, he asks, "Are these the kind of data that you would recommend as the basis for national policy"(Dow 2002). In addition to flaws in the design and implementation of particular research methods, this selection of reviews also provides insight to the inherent biases that the reviewers themselves bring to

Case Study Portfolio Grangewood Paper Limited Essay

Case Study Portfolio Grangewood Paper Limited - Essay Example In each instance both criminal and civil liability can be founded. In addition, Grangewood is accountable to the Environment Agency. This paper will critically evaluate each of these duties and their respective consequences. In order to understand how poor waste management constitutes a breach of both statutory and common law duties it is necessary to define waste and the health risks associated with waste. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs divides waste into commercial, industrial and municipal waste.1 Municipal waste is typically waste disposed of by households, schools and small businesses. Commercial and industrial waste is collected from the business and manufacturing sectors respectively. Otherwise, there are no residual differences between municipal, industrial and commercial waste. To this end waste is â€Å"an inevitable by-product of our use of natural resources.†2 Waste is any waste materials generated and collected by local authorities or their agents.3 Council Directive 75/442/EEC also known as the Waste Framework Directive refers to waste as any material that is intended to be discarded or ought to be discarded.5 For all intents and purposes, was is construed within the parameters of the Council Directive.6 In general poor waste management practices can lead to loose debris and pollutants which poses a health risk on site and in the general vicinity.7 These pollutants attract insects and become breeding grounds for germs.8 Solid waste degrades and generally pollutes the area. Similarly liquid wastes becomes stagnant and likewise emits offensive odors and attracts insects such as mosquitoes and other germ and disease carrying insects9. Liquid waste is particularly problematic for Grangewood since its dye is left out so that it is exposed to rain and liquidizes into an unnatural state. Simply put, the Waste Management/The Duty of Care/A

Dying Hopes The American Dream English Literature Essay

Dying Hopes The American Dream English Literature Essay Prosperity and freedom are the values in which America was founded on. America symbolizes hopes and dreams in which people claim that anyone in America can achieve with hard work. The foundation of America is based on equality and the American Dream. The American Dream is the idea that people can achieve their goals through hard work and live happy lives. This is also expanded to being able to be treated with equality no matter what your ethnicity is. The idea of an American Dream is older than the United States, dating back to the 1600s when people began to come up with all sorts of hopes and aspirations for the new and largely unexplored continent. During the 1920s many immigrants came to America aspiring to achieve this dream. They wanted a place to call their own, and successful jobs where they would have enough money to feed their families. This is much like George and Lennies dream of owning the little ranch with the rabbits. However, the reality of the American Dream was not w hat it was all thought out to be. People coming America during the 1920s where ignorant and taken advantage of; much like the ranch hands in Of Mice and Men. People were also discriminated against even though America was founded on the ideas of equality. Women and African Americans were seen as inferior; much like Curlys wife and Crooks. During this time in history, the glorified ideas of the American Dream were not true. The reality of the American Dream was largely dependent on social standing and economic background. American culture is made of a great diversity of people. Under the Constitution it says that all men our created equal, but that is simply not the case with the way discrimination was in the 1920s. During this time there was a great migration of of non-protestant Europeans to America; Jews and Catholics. Many hate groups committed crimes against these people, like the Klu Klux Klan. Not only was religion discriminated against, but race was as well. Hispanics and blacks did not have the same rights as white males. They were treated as inferior for being different. Jim Crow laws in the South made it legal to segregate black people from whites. Not only were minority races separated and not treated with equality, but were also given hurtful racial names. Women were another minority group during this time. They were not given the same rights as men. Women suffragists fought for their rights during this time period. John Steinbeck portrays discrimination in the 1920s in Of Mice and Men. I n this novel all of the ranch hands live in poor conditions; they live in rundown bunk houses. However, the conditions Crooks lives in are far more worse. He lives in the barn around the horse manure. The only activities Crooks is allowed to be involved in is working and playing horse shoes. It is even unheard of for him to enter the white ranchers bunk house. Crooks response to segregation is intended to show the results of discrimination. Crooks becomes a separatist, if he is not allowed in the bunkhouse, then the men are not allowed in his room. -Stella Mcintyre. Also, this novel shows how women were seen in the 1920s. Curlys wife is not even given a name in this book. She is only seen as a sex symbol and jail bait. The men on the ranch refer to her as a tart. The character she is given is not even true to her personality, she really aspires to make something of herself and be an actress. However, she is suck there because she married Curly and it is seen as if he owns her. This shows how little of their lives women has control of in the 1920s. This also show that the American Dreams aspect of equality was not as true as it seemed. In Of Mice and Men, the ranch is a microcosm for the capitalist society of the 1920s. Immigrants in the 1920s expected to come to America and own their own land and make a good living. However, the reality of this was that the people they worked for only used them for their own gain. The employers paid their workers as little as possible so their business could prosper while the workers suffered. The workers never got anywhere in capitalist businesses because they were seen as part of the cycle of keeping Americas economy running. The wealthy ranch owners in Of Mice and Men are seen as the Capitalist employers who use their workers purely for their own gain. The ranch workers are seen as the people trying to support themselves unsuccessfully. When they became to weak to work, they ranchers were simply canned. This represents the ideas of Social Darwinism in the 1920s, only the fittest members of society will survive. The American Dream says with hard work people will prosper, but dur ing the 1920s hard work did not gain success. It got people stuck in dead end jobs where they could be easily replaced when they worked to death. Machine Bosses took advantage of peoples stupidity in the 1920s. They helped immigrants get a place to work and a place to stay. This all was seemly good, however, they asked in return for political support for their candidates who did not support hard working people. These new immigrants did not care though, as long as they had a job and money. In the end, immigrants ended up losing everything because the jobs they were given were not secure and the people they voted for did not support them. This is parallel to how the ranch workers were manipulated on the ranch. The ranch hands were caught up in the racial drama with Crooks to see the real problem which was the wealthy owners. With this preoccupation, they could not see that they were going nowhere staying at the ranch working because the only purpose they served for the ranch owners was to make them money. This shows how during the 1920s in America, the jobs were not for the hard working people to gain any thing. It was for big b usiness to prosper. This conflicts with the ideas of the American Dream. In Todays society, the American Dream has become obscured. It means many things to many different people. However, it is still based on social class. It is believed, in America, that anybody can achieve anything. That any person can go from rags to riches. People today are not satisfied with having property to call their own and getting by successfully. Most people want millions of dollars and all the newest things. The American Dream today is very materialistic. For some people who are impoverished, the American Dream is still the same for them, they want to easily have basic necessities available. The American Dream today is much more attainable today than the 1920s, however. Since Americas government has created laws to prevent the unfair advantages of capitalism, people are able to achieve things through hard work. There are benefit programs for the lower-class so they do not have to live like the poor people of the 1920s. Also, it is true today that people can go from rags to ri ches many of Americas most famous and richest citizens today were once poor. But, today the American Dream is about living comfortably, it is based on the greed that has come over America through the years. During the 1920s, immigrants who believed in the American Dream and came to the United States got a raw deal. The dream of most Americans at this time period surrounding the book Of Mice and Men was only a large cesspool of dying hopes. They were treated with hate and tricked by their employers. These people never made any real money because they were stuck in dead end jobs. The reality of the American Dream is that it is based on race and social class. Today, much has changed about the American Dream but it is not free of corruption; now it is based on greed and consumerism. The American Dream is never what it appears to be.

Stem Cell Research: Scientific Advancement vs. Human Rights Essay

Introduction to Stem Cells As improvements in scientific technology and techniques allow for better observations and insights into the natural world, so to do advancements in medical research occur on a seemingly daily basis. On such research topic that has found itself the center of a global debate is the issue of stem cell research. Hailed by some as one of the most dynamic areas of research ever to exist, it is thought to be the next big â€Å"revolution† in medicine, surpassing even the advent of anesthesia and antibiotics (Towns, 2004). Though the reputation does not come without controversy, stem cell research can be found in the headlines of news publications for changes in policy or position on the topic equally as much as breakthroughs in research. With the recent death of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy’s pledge to find a cure for the debilitating Alzheimer’s disease from which he suffered, stem cell research became a leading domestic issue in the President race of 2004. Defined as â€Å"unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods through cell division† and â€Å"under certain physiological or experimental conditions. . . can be induced to become cells with special functions,† stem cells hold the key to many developmental mysteries for biologist (National, 2002). Originally described by Owen in 1945 when studying chimerism in a pair of twin cows (Cogle, 2003), stems cell research has gained momentum since the mid 1970’s culminating with the first successful culturing of human embryonic stem cells in November 1998 at the University of Wisconsin. Scientists currently working with both animal and human stem cells are currently working at identifying the factors behind stem cells’ ability to remain u... ...Reproductive BioMedicine Online. Jun2003, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p438. Theodosius. â€Å"Embryonic stem cell research in the perspective of Orthodox Christianity.† Orthodox Church in America. (Website). Last Updated 10/17/2001. http://www.oca.org/pages/ocaadmin/documents/Pastoral-Letters/2001-Stem-Cell-Research.html Towns, C. R.; Jones, D. G. â€Å"Stem cells, embryos, and the environment: a context for both science and ethics.† Journal of Medical Ethics. Aug2004, Vol. 30 Issue 4, p410-13. University of Wisconson. â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cells: Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.† (Website). http://www.news.wisc.edu/packages/stemcells/. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Can Adult Stem Cells Suffice?† Science. 06/08/2001 , Vol. 292 Issue 5523, p1820-22. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Regulations Constrain Stem Cell Research Across the Globe.† Science. 8/9/2002 , Vol. 297 Issue 5583, p924 Stem Cell Research: Scientific Advancement vs. Human Rights Essay Introduction to Stem Cells As improvements in scientific technology and techniques allow for better observations and insights into the natural world, so to do advancements in medical research occur on a seemingly daily basis. On such research topic that has found itself the center of a global debate is the issue of stem cell research. Hailed by some as one of the most dynamic areas of research ever to exist, it is thought to be the next big â€Å"revolution† in medicine, surpassing even the advent of anesthesia and antibiotics (Towns, 2004). Though the reputation does not come without controversy, stem cell research can be found in the headlines of news publications for changes in policy or position on the topic equally as much as breakthroughs in research. With the recent death of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy’s pledge to find a cure for the debilitating Alzheimer’s disease from which he suffered, stem cell research became a leading domestic issue in the President race of 2004. Defined as â€Å"unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods through cell division† and â€Å"under certain physiological or experimental conditions. . . can be induced to become cells with special functions,† stem cells hold the key to many developmental mysteries for biologist (National, 2002). Originally described by Owen in 1945 when studying chimerism in a pair of twin cows (Cogle, 2003), stems cell research has gained momentum since the mid 1970’s culminating with the first successful culturing of human embryonic stem cells in November 1998 at the University of Wisconsin. Scientists currently working with both animal and human stem cells are currently working at identifying the factors behind stem cells’ ability to remain u... ...Reproductive BioMedicine Online. Jun2003, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p438. Theodosius. â€Å"Embryonic stem cell research in the perspective of Orthodox Christianity.† Orthodox Church in America. (Website). Last Updated 10/17/2001. http://www.oca.org/pages/ocaadmin/documents/Pastoral-Letters/2001-Stem-Cell-Research.html Towns, C. R.; Jones, D. G. â€Å"Stem cells, embryos, and the environment: a context for both science and ethics.† Journal of Medical Ethics. Aug2004, Vol. 30 Issue 4, p410-13. University of Wisconson. â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cells: Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.† (Website). http://www.news.wisc.edu/packages/stemcells/. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Can Adult Stem Cells Suffice?† Science. 06/08/2001 , Vol. 292 Issue 5523, p1820-22. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Regulations Constrain Stem Cell Research Across the Globe.† Science. 8/9/2002 , Vol. 297 Issue 5583, p924

Two Famous Indian Monuments

The most outstanding monument built by Emperor Shahjahan is the Taj Mahal at Agra. It is on the bank of River Yamuna. This grand mausoleum was built in the memory of his beloved Queen Mumtaj Mahal. It has been described as â€Å"a dream in marble designed by fairies and completed by jewelers. † It is made of pure white marble. As a monument of love â€Å"it is unsurpassed in the world. † It stands on a platform of 8. 5 meters height. The mausoleum rises to a height of 32. 4 meters. It is surmounted by cupolas at each corner. The bulbous dome in the centre of the cupolas has the appearance of an inverted lotus. There are four smaller domes at the four corners of the building. Four minarets stand at each corner of the terrace. The outer walls and the interior walls are richly decorated with exquisite inlay work and calligraphy. The mausoleum is surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains. It is an spectacular example of Mughal Architecture and one of the seven wonders of the world. QUTB MINAR The tall and ever attractive monument of Delhi which can be seen from most parts of the city is called the Qutab Minar. Every body has the same question when one sees the structure for the first time. The question that is often being put up is â€Å"Why the monument is that big? † or â€Å"Was there any specific reason to build such a tall building or it was just a wish of the person who built it? † Well, the exact reason is assumed to have something related to commemorating the victory. Mughals used to build victory towers to proclaim and celebrate victories. Some say the minaret was used to offer prayer but it is so tall that you can hear the person standing on the top. Also, the minaret is not joined on to Qutuddin's mosque and the Iltutmish's mosque. Qutab Minar is among the tallest and famous towers in the world. The minaret is 234 feet high and the highest individual tower in the world. Other towers in the world are the Great Pagoda in Pekin, China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy but these towers are not as high as the Qutab Minar in Delhi. According to history books, the minar was started by Prithviraj or his uncle Vigraharaja who won Delhi from the Tomar Rajputs. However, it is assumed and historians believe that Qutubuddib and Iltutmish finished it though the minar may have been commenced by Prithviraj or Vigraharaja. The minar was completed in 1200 A. D and since then the tall structure has been there upright and ever beautiful keeping an eye to Delhi just like a sentry. When Alauddin returned from the wars in the Deccan, he had this thought in mind that he would build a victory tower somewhat similar to the Qutab Minar. The ruins of this very initiative can be seen adjacent to the Qutbuddin's mosque because Alauddin died at the very start of the construction work and no one carried on to finish the initiative taken by Alauddin. Qutab Minar is another great masterpiece of Mughal architecture. It has a number of floors or storeys which has beautiful carvings like the one on the tomb of Iltutmish. There are inscriptions all round the tower and these inscriptions reveal that Iltutmish finised the tower. The structure of the wall is made as such that it widens from top to bottom, just to make the minar stronger. Moving upstairs inside the minar will give you a wonderful experience and counting the stairs is always a fun for visitors. It has 378 steps which takes good amount of energy to reach at the top. The top of the tower gives aninsight to Delhi because you get to see the bird's eye view of the city. To point a few sight seeing from the top, you will find views of the Hauz Khaz on the left and the walls of the Jahanpanah and Siri on the right. It was this very top of Qutab Minar that was used by Khilji and Tughlaq kings to watch the wild Mongol hordes when they threatened Delhi. The top also served as the watch top for Tughlaq who watched Timur's army camp on the Wellingdon Airport. Other important monuments that is visible from the top are the walls of Tughlaqabad,Humayun's Tomb, Purana Qila, Firoz Shah Kotla and Jama Masjid. The minar did receive some damage because of earthquakes on more than a couple of occasions but was reinstated and renovated by the respective rulers. During the rule of Firoz Shah, the minar's two top floors got damaged due to earthquake but were repaired by Firoz Shah. In the year 1505, earthquake again struck and it was repaired by Sikandar Lodi. Later on in the year 1794, the minar faced another earthquake and it was Major Smith, an engineer who repaired the affected parts of the minar. He replaced Firoz Shah's pavilion with his own pavilion at the top. The pavilion was removed in the year 1848 by Lord Hardinge and now it can be seen between the Dak Bungalow and the Minar in the garden. The floors built by Firaz Shah can be distinguished easily as the pavilions was built of white marbles and are quite smooth as compared to other ones. The minar is not that erect as it used to be because of wears and tears over the past several years. Closely looking at the mina rives you an idea that it is somewhat tilled towards one side. The minar is very sincerely looked after by the authorities much like the same as other historic monuments in the country.

Beauty: Wish and Carla

This funny witty story â€Å"Beauty† by Jane Martin is about two girls who argue about the facets each one has. Carla is the definition of beauty, and Bethany who is the opposite carries something Carla wishes she had: brains, personality, and a college degree. The play relies mostly on wit and wordplay with only two characters and a genie lamp. Both Carla and Bethany envy one another; wishing they had each other’s looks or persona.When Bethany has the power to change what she has and get what she has always wanted; the writer uses Carla to show that Bethany will be disappointed with the set of dialogue they use back and forth. Carla is clearly not happy with herself and her insecurities; meanwhile so is Bethany, discovering that everyone has different problems no matter what they look like. Everyone is envious of someone for something not realizing they have problems they won’t understand.Because â€Å"Beauty† is a play, Martin introduces the characters t hrough dialogue. The first character, Carla, is first seen talking on the phone with a random suitor that she met at a bar and she cannot seem to remember. This is evidence that Carla has some type of beauty that attracts male attention, even without any actual interaction. Later in the play, Carla references the fact that she has a modeling meeting with Ralph Lauren, reiterating the fact that she is physically beautiful.The second character, Bethany, is Carla’s friend, and obviously a good friend because she does not mind interrupting Carla on the phone regardless of how many times Carla asks her to be quiet. Bethany has a demanding job as a public accountant, and decides to take a break to go to the beach. While there, she finds a lamp with a magic genie inside. The magic genie grants Bethany three wishes, three chances to have something she would not normally get in her life. Martin uses the genie to unmask Bethany’s hidden desires and discontent in her life.