Lecithin Supplements Effectiveness In Weight Loss :: Lecithin Health Weight Loss Essays

Lecithin Supplement's Effectiveness In Weight Loss WHAT IS LECITHIN? Lecithin, a lipid material composed of choline and inositol, is found in all living cells as a major component of cell membranes, which regulate the nutrients entering and exiting the cell. The term "lecithin" has two definitions depending on what group is using the term. Scientists define lecithin as synonymous with phosphatidylcholine, the name for one of the principle phospholipids. On the other hand, producers of lecithin for commercial use use the term lecithin to refer to a complex mix of phosphatides and other substances that contain phosphatidylcholine. HOW IS LECITHIN SOLD TO THE PUBLIC? Lecithin can be naturally consumed through a diet including lecithin rich foods such as egg yolk, soybeans, grains, wheat germ, fish, legumes, yeast, and peanuts, to name a few. Lecithin supplements are sold to the public in capsule, powder or granular form. Lecithin is usually taken in a pill form or mixed into health shakes. Many companies advertise their supplies of lecithin as a dietary supplement on the web. Examples of supplement producers whom sell lecithin are The Herb Shop, All-Natural, Solgar, Health Revolution, Earth Legacy. Lecithin is also sold in many health food stores. These commercial forms are highly filtered. The commercial, dietary supplement form of lecithin contains less that 35% of phosphatidylcholine. (Szuhaj, 325) The various substances included and the different amounts of phosphatidylcholine ("scientific" lecithin) depend on the method of its preparation and the source from which the lecithin was taken. (Hanin, 444) most of the commercially used lecithin is derived from soybeans. (Central Soy). Lecithin is also retailed as an emulsifying agent, allowing fats to be dispersed when mixed with water. This is a great aid in the production of foods such as margarine, mayonnaise, chocolate and baked goods because it keeps foods from sticking to themselves and other surfaces. Lecithin is even used for industrial purposes. WHAT CLAIMS DO LECITHIN SUPPLEMENT SUPPLIERS MAKE ABOUT LECITHIN'S FUNCTIONS? Lecithin is promoted as a quick fix for weight loss, as well as many other diseases and ailments. Lecithin supplement producers claim that lecithin has a beneficial role in: Cardiovascular health Liver and cell function fat transport and fat metabolism reproduction and child development physical performance and muscle endurance cell communication improvement in memory, learning and reaction time relief of arthritis healthy hair and skin treatment for gallstones

Master’s Degree and Medical Science Essay

I am writing to you because I want you to know that I admire your school and your teachings. I am seeking admission to your Master Degree Program in Medical Science, which is provided by the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. My passion and dedication for helping others in our community has strongly influenced my decision to gain admission to your university. Another reason why I want to attend your university is my grandpa. He is the one person who inspired me the most to apply to your school because he wants me to achieve the highest education possible at one of the top schools in North Carolina. My main goals are to help and provide care for our community in North Carolina. I feel that your program in Medical Science at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill is an excellent institution for the career skills I seek. The major I want to complete is Masters in Science (medical) in becoming a Physician Assistant. I looked into your program deeper and the university has six programs that can assist me in becoming a Physician Assistant. I truly feel that my calling in life is to help people in the medical field. I understand that in order to achieve my goal of a Master’s Degree requires hard work and being focused. That is why I choose to take the transfer program before applying to a university such as yours. I wanted to make sure that this is the course I wanted to pursue before diving into the fast pace life of a big university. If I had to describe myself in word it would be focused; because I want to achieve my Master’s in Medical science. I am a moldable person and my quest of learning all that can be taught would aid any professor’s in teaching and  helping me achieve my major. I am a student that wants to learn the lecture. Hard working is another good skill of mine because I have to work hard if I want to excel in my classes and in my career. Professors would want to teach me because they are helping me further my education and helping me in following my dreams. Plus I am excited to learn about new subjects and knowledge that will help out in the real world. Student life on campus would be new to me. I currently stay at home and attend Sandhills Community College transfer program. I am eager to spread my wings and soak in the â€Å"campus life.† I am not a disruptive individual in the classroom or outside of class. I would enjoy the atmosphere of the classes and the diverse group that attend these classes with me. I am very respectful of other people and would not treat anyone how I would not want to be treated. My mom installed in me years earlier the saying â€Å"Don’t start nothing and there won’t be nothing.† I understand that in some courses that you just have a need for study groups. These groups are beneficial to everyone that attends them. A different prospective on subjects are important to realizing all there is to that particular subject. I understand that when you attend this level of school the hand holding by teachers is over. It is your job to attend classes, pay attention and do the material that is required by that professor. If accepted into the master’s program at UNC I fully intend to participate in school functions that are asked of me. Also, attend those that have special meaning to me. I am fully prepared to give a 100% effort in making UNC better in any way possible. Being able to say that I achieved my master’s degree from UNC is a source of great pride and I wouldn’t do anything to tarnish that or the school. I am looking forward to the day when I look out over the crowd, while being handed my degree, and seeing the smiles of my family. That would be a proud moment for me, my family and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The fact that you help prepare another student by teaching and securing the most up to date knowledge provided in that field of study; then in turn that student working, studying and passing the curriculum. The reward being a Master’s Degree in Medical Science, I can’t wait!

Code of Sexual Ethics Essay

The value of a code of sexual ethics is one that is extremely important to hold close to ones mind and soul. Human sexuality is a broad topic in society and everyone has different views on what is important to them as individuals. My view of human sexuality has been shaped with many influences. Growing up, my Mother always taught me to be comfortable with my sexuality, and I watched my older siblings show the same confidence that my Mother was teaching me. She taught me to respect others and myself equally, no matter what label of sexuality that they hold. Basically; â€Å"Treat others how you want to be treated†. I hope to teach my children in the same effective way that my Mother taught my siblings and I. I feel as though having this code of sexual ethics will act as a backbone to the teachings of human sexuality for my children and the next generation. I plan for them to follow this code faithfully, as I will continue to do so throughout the remaining course of my life. CODE To my Children; I have put together a code of sexual ethics that will help instruct and guide you in the right direction throughout the course of your lives. â€Å"Part of discovering yourself sexually usually involves developing your personal set of morals and values as they relate to sexual issues†(Hock, 6). This code of sexual ethics should not be viewed soley as disciplinary, the purpose is to provide guidance throughout the course of your lives. The first principle that is essential to your sexual health and well-being is to always use protection. This is important because Be faithful to your partner Wait until you are ready, do not let anyone pressure you/don’t take advantage Make sure it’s the right person to share the experience with â€Å"Most people agree that parents are the most appropriate source of [sexual] knowledge† (Hock, 15). THE PAST My parents have taught me to always be respectful to women. I would never force myself on any woman. They taught me to practice respect with all people, and not to judge others based on their sexuality, even if they may be different from me. I was also taught to never hold back my feelings, and to follow my heart. Yes, in some situations throughout my life, this has lead to heart break. However, in others, it has brought me to experiencing the most amazing feeling in the world; love. I have been known to wear my heart on my sleeve, however, this put forth both benefits and harms on my feelings throughout my life. Sex on the other hand, has always been a bit more personal. My parents did not exclusively teach me about sex. They taught me about love and relationships in general. Although, the topic of sex did arise, it was never the main focus of their teachings. My mother and I have a very comfortable relationship, we are usually able to talk about anything. She has taught me almost everything I need to know about how to make relationships work; along with the respectful ways to treat the woman I love. We did not start having these discussions until I was in high school. I wish that we would have talked about sexual values and behaviors while I was in middle school because that is when I started seriously liking girls. It all started at a pretty young age. I was always able to speak through my heart, even though I tend to be extremely shy. When it comes to feelings of my heart, I need to let it out. My mom and my peers have always been helpful to me in developing my awareness and understanding about my sexuality. I have never struggled with my sexuality personally, however, I have always cared greatly about the way I look. Some people call me â€Å"metro sexual†. This all started when I was very young. Because I wore nice clothes, and did my hair everyday, some people would mistake me for homosexual. This did not bother me though because I have always been comfortable with my sexuality because I know that I am not homosexual. I just like to look good, which in turn helps me feel good about myself. On the other hand, I think that the media may have played an unhelpful part in raising awareness and understanding about sexuality. Although some programs out there do a great job of explaining these concepts, most of the ones that I was exposed to, did not. Communication about sexuality is definitely welcomed when talking with my mother. However, it is almost fully unwelcomed when talking with my father. We just never talked about that sort of stuff. With my Dad and I, it has always been all about sports. Although, I am comfortable talking about my sexuality in general with all of my family members, I am not be comfortable going into detail on my sexual experiences. I think this is the case because my sexual experiences are a private, intimate matter. My family has no business in knowing about it unless something negative comes out of it, which it never has. THE PRESENT AND CONCLUSION The process of writing my code of sexual ethics was interesting. It allowed me to really look back on my past actions and reflect upon what I did wrong and what I did right. It is also interesting to think that I may be sharing this code with my children in the future. That fact in itself shaped the way I wrote my code of ethics because I really had to think about what I would approve of as a parent and how I would want my child to behave sexually. It was a hard process, but I learned a lot about myself along the way. I think that writing a code of sexual ethics was definitely useful and helpful in clarifying my sexual philosophy. This is because of the major thought process that was required to put into the creation of the code. I had to dig deep into my families, and my own beliefs and values when addressing sexual behavior, which in turn clarified some hazy thoughts in my mind as well. I currently live by most of the principles I wrote in my code of ethics. My parents raised me well and taught me to respect myself and others, and to also take responsibility for your actions. If there are any of the guidelines of my code that I did not live by in the past, than I will change my ways to live by them now. I can comfortably communicate with friends and intimate partners depending on the content of the subject. I have learned a great amount of information throughout this course. This information has shaped the way I formed my code of sexual ethics. We learned how to respect ourselves and love ourselves before anyone else and that was the basis of my code of sexual ethics. I think my code is pretty solid. I do not think it will need much revision in the future. However, it may need some additions. It may need additions because over the course of time my idea of ethics may change, as I grow older. When I am married the code may be a bit different for me, however I would want to teach my children this exact code of sexual ethics.

Effects of Values on Economics Essay

Values can be described as beliefs that people deeply hold to. They guide the decisions and behaviors of these people. They are â€Å"located† deeply within the subconscious and are integrated into every area of everyday living. People use values to choose their behaviors, employments, friends, entertainment and sports among others. Values are assimilated to people especially when they are still young. They range from teachers, parents, coaches and clergy to even peers. Values assimilated during the early years of a person’s life operate subconsciously as a basis for making decisions, choices and behaviors (Lopper, 2007). On the other hand, economics can be defined as a social science that deals with production, distribution and the consumption of services and goods and their management (Princeton, 2006). This research paper is aimed at examining the role of values on economics. Religion and Economics Many have for a long time regarded religion and economics as separate as cheese and chalk despite the fact that Adam Smith in his 1776 book The Wealth of Nations touched on religion (Weber, 2004). Many economics regard religion as a dark world which is unreachable through their analytical tools. It should be noted that religion is such a wide field that economics cannot ignore and as years erupts the gap between the two fields have gradually been reduced. This was initiated by an economist from the University of Chicago, Gary Becker who has already won a Nobel price for his efforts to applying economics in studying drugs, family interactions and crime (Weber, 2004). Though economics treat some theological questions such as the nature of God as if they were lepers, they have of late studied the earthly subjects of how people â€Å"sell† and â€Å"buy† services and goods, whether spiritual or material, that is provided by the religion. More study and research on religion have been undertaken after the attack of the United States on September eleven by the militant Islamic groups. Economics professor, Laurent Lannaccone from George Mason University in his statement agreed that for a long time the economists had ignored religion because of the belief that it would be overtaken by the ever-growing secularization; later however, many have realized that religion is also a powerful force in the modern society (Weber, 2004). Of late, another concept â€Å"the economics of religion† has been framed that is founded on the belief that human beings are rational in choices about their religion in the same way they are in economics, for example buying a good. â€Å"Producers† of mosques, temples, synagogues and churches compete for members (who are in this case their customers) and this they do by drawing those who are secular or members of other congregations (Weber, 2004). Effects of religion on the economy Religious rituals and beliefs have distinct effects on the performance of an economy. Preliminary results from researches conducted have shown that that there are negative effects resulting from participating in religious rituals but those on religious beliefs have shown positive effects (Bowman, 2004). It has been argued that religion has both positive and negative effects on the economy. Some have argued that religion can bring material advantages with Max Weber arguing that the work ethics by the Protestants was the cause of the prosperity in Europe. Recently, a professor at Harvard, Robert Barro is working towards examining the links between economic growth and religion (Bowman, 2004). In his studies, he concludes that at the microeconomic level, religious participation has been associated with lowered rates of drug abuse, crime and other vices. Another economist from Harvard, Richard Freeman concluded in his studies that those black youths who go to church were likely to abstain from committing crimes and using drugs as well as having a higher tendency of attending schools (Bowman, 2004). However, in economic terms and richness, no quantitative research has proved that religion has any direct effect on the income and if any by what level. This has been hindered by the difficulty present in dividing the cause and the effect. Even if the church goers may be reported as richer, there may not be any tangible proof that it is the religion that made them richer because it is possible that it is the richer people who may be likely to go to church or become generally religious. Unrelated traits for example personal discipline or greater ambition may be the reason of one succeeding in his or her job and at the same time attend to their religious duties (Bowman, 2004). Mr. Gluber, states that one possible cause of religious people being rich is that as they attend either mosque, church or synagogue gatherings, this can yield â€Å"social capital† which is just web of relations that fosters trust. These relations are important as they allow business dealings and transactions between such people to become smoother and cheaper respectively. The other possible reason that is given is that those who are religious have better emotional and financial insurance. This is important because when they fall into an economic setback, they are able to recover more quickly because of the support from their fellow worshippers (Bowman, 2004). Mr. Gruber’s results also claim that religious people especially the church goers may become richer as attendance to places of worship may also lead to lesser chances of dropping from schools. Also religious groups have been known to support the education of their members by offering bursaries either directly to the students or to the schools that they manage (Bowman, 2004). Also, many religious groups have been known to motivate their members to work hard towards their success and this may be a contributing factor to their wealth increase. Religion also teaches on supernatural intervention in the members’ endeavors and this allows them to be focused on success than failure (Bowman, 2004). Negative relationship between religiosity and economics growth There are general negative effects in the relationship between religiosity and economic growth. One such is the fact that religious groups, especially Christianity, preach giving which is regarded as a factor that undermines investment which is a setback to economic growth. Another setback of religiosity to the economic growth is that it is accused of undermining the work ethics using its own teachings as a cover up. Many members of religious groups have been known to remain idle or being lazy and instead substitute work with their religious duties. It is also reported that many religious groups teach doctrines that oppose modern attitudes such as contraception technologies and market’s egalitarian repression (Bowman, 2004). On the other hand, economic development has got negative effects on religion with the studies showing that overall development (represented by per capita GDP reduces religiosity. The secularization thesis has shown that people tend to become less religious when income increases. They loose interest of attending religious meeting places and portraying their religious beliefs. Economic growth makes religion to be less considered in policy making, political process, and legal process and also in social programs such as friendships, marriages and colleagues (McClearly, 2008). Though Max Weber’s thesis â€Å"The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism† indicate that religion raise productivity for they mold individual characters such as work ethic, thrift and honesty, it also shows that it religious beliefs have a negative effects on economic development as increased attendance to their places of worship take more of their resources and time . The religious sector is also known to place restrictions on markets for insurance and credit (McCleary, 2008). The other negative effect of religion on economics is that it produces religious terrorism that has been as a result of income inequality and poverty. In contrast, research conducted by Alan Krueger shows that religious terrorists in most cases are well educated and not from poor background. Many religious terrorists view violence not a means but as an end to economic and political ends. They feel that they are destroying a system that they are not identified with (McCleary, 2008). Marx idea on religion According to Karl Max, religion is an expression of economic justice and material realities, meaning that problems in any given religion are also the problems in the society. Max referred to religion as a symptom and not a disease (Cline, 2009). He also claimed that religion has been used by the oppressors to encourage those who are exploited and poor. He stated that religion speaks contrary to what â€Å"is dignified in a human being by rendering them servile and more amenable to accepting the status quo†(Cline, 2009). He argued that religion is dependent on economics meaning that the actual doctrines of religion are irrelevant. Also religion is an illusion giving excuses and reasons so that it can keep the society to function as it is. â€Å"Much as capitalism takes our productive labor and alienates us from its value, religion takes our highest ideals and aspirations and alienates us from them, projecting them onto an alien and unknowable being called a god†(Cline, 2009). India- Caste system due to Hinduism Caste system is a religious ranking system in India of human groups that is based on occupation and hereditary factors. This system is very complex and has been known to have several setbacks. The members of these groups are restricted to their hereditary occupations. The Indian society is divided into four groups; Brahmas are from priestly families, the warrior and ruling class, Vaishyas are businessmen, farmers and traders. The laborers and peasants are the shudras while panchamas were the untouchable. The negative effects of the caste system are that some members of the community are discriminated based on their groups. However, due to higher education, globalization, economic growths and mingling with people from other communities, the India’s population is slowly deviating from the caste system. Even the government of India has decided to reserve some jobs for the members of the lower castes (FactsaboutIndia, 2008). Islamic Countries and Shariah Laws In the Islamic nations governed by the sharia laws, no interest is allowed to be charged on any loan that is given as it goes against the Koranic law against usury. In some countries such as Afghanistan, women are never allowed to wear high heel shoes as well as white socks, as the sharia considers them sexually luring. In the same nation, music is never allowed that includes cassettes in vehicles. Many forms of entertainments such as watching movies or plays are never allowed with women being prevented from occupying some professionals and occupations which, causes some to flee the country or commit suicide (Aluko, 1999). Men who do not have beard up to certain lengths are never allowed to have some jobs or allocated some contracts; this means that women do not benefit from any government contracts in Afghanistan. In such countries, Shariah views Islam as a philosophy of life, social order, a system of economic principle and a ruling order which all the Muslims must adhere to (Aluko, 1999). The ethics of Islamic economics rejects excessive concern for the accumulation of profits but more with acquisition of goods fulfilling social obligations to the society. The other characteristics of Shariah laws include tax discrimination on non Muslims so that they can be encouraged to become Muslims. On inheritance, the Koran states that brothers must get double of what their daughters get (Aluko, 1999). United States- Effects of Christian values In US, it has been noted that people have more consumer choice in exercising their religions than any other part of the economy. Churches function independently as contractors in the religious free market of the United States. In USA, Evangelical Protestantism is known for entrepreneurial development in the church structure in contrast to the Roman Catholic Church that follows the ecclesiastic polity (Sparks, 2007). The evangelical churches have their congregations or appointed boards have the final say on any matter such as the church budget. In some mega churches however, the pastor is seen as the Chief executive officer exercising high level authority. The churches in the United States are known to offer not only spiritual nourishment to their members, but also other products such as music and video tapes as well as books (Sparks, 2007). Sale of alcoholic products on Sundays has not been allowed in many cities of the United States as Sunday has been regarded as the day of worship for the Christians (Andre, 2009). Abortion Effects of Rights on Economics Freedom has been termed as the engine that pushes economic growth that is sustainable and allows all people to have increased prosperity. Economic freedom is basically ensuring that human rights are respected (Kim, 2007). Equality- Women Rights Promoting gender equality has been understood as an important part in an effective economic and human development strategy. Gender equality in education has positively been associated with economic development. Research previously done has shown that any nation that does not work towards the closing of gender gap in education will experience a fall in per capita income (Chen, 2004). In addition the report by the Arab human development team showed that lack of women empowerment has contributed to less human development in the Arabic regions. If women are enabled to acquire education for example through distant learning, it will allow them to participate in labour market while at their homes and this would in turn result in improving gender equality. It has been shown that nations in the sub Saharan Africa, South Asia, North Africa and Middle East has a greater gender disparity especially in education and if they could only close this gap, their per capita GDP can grow significantly per year (Chen, 2004). The reasons that are raised to prove these arguments are that educated women are often added to the labour market and this improves the economy of the country. The other reason is that educated women will improve the intellectual environment at home that in turn leads to a productive workforce thus economic growth (Chen, 2004). The proponents of slavery stated that they relied on servitude so that they can facilitate their need for labour. The labor population was decreasing and thus they believed that African slaves were efficient to fulfill their needs for laborers. When tobacco was discovered in 1600’s and became the main source of income for the colonialists, it called for more land and thus more laborers. Slave trade brought a great fortune to the colonialists; unfortunately, the profits obtained were used to get more slaves (Dodson, 2003) Spanish colonies- encomienda and repartamiento The encomienda was a labour system employed by the crown of Spain during its colonization in America. Some trustees and soldiers were allocated a specific number of natives whom they were supposed to teach Spanish and Catholic faith and in return receive tribute from the natives in form of labour or gold. This allowed the encomendero to take even the land that belonged to the natives (Answers Corporation, 2009). On the other hand, repartimiento was a system applied by Spanish colonialists on native population of America where the later was forced to perform some tasks for the former for a period of time in the year without any pay or for a low pay. This system led many natives to flee from their communities while other accepted to work and even signed contracts for the period that they were to work (Answers Corporation, 2009). A property right is the authority that allows one to determine how a resource should be used. All economic goods are protected by the property rights. Property rights have been confirmed to play a major role in the promotion of both political and economic development. Intellectual rights are mechanisms that facilitate innovation by giving the inventors monopoly of their discovery (Robin). CONCLUSION From the discussing, it is clear that different values have different effects on the economics. These values include the religious values which have been discussed with examples of the Shariah law, the caste system of India and Christianity in the United States of America. Other values discussed include those related to human rights such as women rights, slavery and property rights.It is vivid that different values have either positive or negative effects on economics or even both. REFERENCES Andre. (2009). Sunday alcohol sales; Fear versus the facts. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. peachpundit. com/2009/02/25/sunday-alcohol-sales-fear-versus-the-facts/ Aluko, S. A. (1999). The social and economic implications of Shariah law. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. dawodu. com/aluko1. htm Answers Corporation. (2009). Encomienda system. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. answers. com/topic/encomienda-system

The Printmaker and Painter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Printmaker and Painter - Essay Example Studying printmaking enabled him to communicate his artistic notions. He is particularly fond of printmaking as it can be extremely spontaneous and complex; in addition, the combinations and methodologies offered in printmaking lead to endless opportunities. His work stands out as it appears as contemporary as graffiti, although the roots of printmaking can be traced back to the Middle Ages. For him, content is the determinant of the materials and printmaking methodologies that he employs, in the endeavor to push the simple art of printmaking to its limits. He has a deep-seated desire to explore various components of printmaking and draws inspiration from the work of Sean Hillen, Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Rene Magritte. Printmaking is an unpredictable art technique as printmakers themselves are not sure of the image until the paper is revealed. More specifically, he utilizes etching to communicate his thoughts and notions. His prints are intricate and fu ll of technical details, perhaps as a response to the evolving and chaotic world around us. These prints are a reflection of his sentimental reaction to the passing of time and experiences. The artist uses biomorphic and geometric images to explore the limitations imposed by time and space and their impact on humans. These portray notions, emotions and various points in time. He follows no sequential order but instead manipulates materials and etching techniques to reproduce feelings. He is of the opinion that humans should not only view themselves as people but also need to consider themselves at various points of time and events. ‘A story of/for M’ has been inspired from the childhood tales narrated by his Russian grandmother, Marina.  Ã‚  

Critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of an exemplar Essay

Critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of an exemplar Eco-City - Essay Example The intention of this study is the concept of eco-city as a global strategy that needs s to be embraced across all borders. With population increase and climatic changes due to the industrialization resulting to global warming, the only solution left is to go green. The eco-city of Freiburg in Germany is an excellent example of how a place can be transformed to become environmental, friendly, and at the same time utilize its resources towards the realization of the vision of globalization. With proper implementation and sustainable measures, there is significant hope that the world will be a better place to live. There is therefore, great need for the relevant authorities to push for proper implementation of sustainable development measures. Amid the weaknesses observed in the paper, there is clear evidence that the strong points surpass the weaknesses. It only calls for cooperation among all the stake holders towards the sustenance of the strategies. The growth and development of ec o-cities is one of the recent responses made by the world towards climate change. As a result, of industrialization and over-urbanization of the existing cities, among many other activities induced by human beings; they have resulted to degradation of the environment in the past years. The recent initiatives have been in response to solving climatic change menace, and the environmental degradation, as well as, scarcity in energy. This has been realized with the idea of setting up eco-cities. Developed countries like the United States of America, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as, developing countries such as Brazil, UAE, India and China have launched projects aimed at the development of eco-cities. Every aspect of life involving complex planning and strategising is bound to experience challenges in the course of its implementation. Not forgetting the global population increase and projected outcome that more than half of world’s population reside in urban areas, it i s imperative that proper planning, development and regeneration are truly essential. The vision of an eco-city involves the planning of model settlements, incorporates appealing and highly fundamental concepts like improving the quality of people’s life and enhancing harmony with the cherished environment. On the same note, the vision and plans considering their attachment to nature contain some elements that to some might appear utopian. This brings about difficulties in predicting to what degree the strategies will be implemented, although implementation that is oriented perceptively in an explicit eco-city requirement. Crewe and Forsyth (2011) argue that planners are bound to aim at creating cities that are more ecologically sensitive. These two writers say that the authorities, planners and designers in every of the world claim to be just coming up with eco friendly urban areas. The legal and policy issues in the development of eco-cities have led to challenges as well as achievements in the realization of eco-cities. With sustainable development being an issue of the present globalization, this paper will substantially dwell on analyzing the strengths, as well as,

Gender In The Media Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gender In The Media - Movie Review Example The main focus of the paper rests on presentation of female characters relative to male characters. The analysis demonstrates how the female characters adapt the lead roles within Television series, as well as male characters. Television shows adopts several perceptions on society and can be employed as a reflection of reality, depicting the world as external to the text meaning. Introduction Sociologists assert that gender is more of a social performance rather than a biological fact. The sitcom Big Bang Theory relies on individual choice as the possible explanation of the shortage of women within science rather than highlighting institutionalized sexism among scientists. The show largely draws from general stereotypes found in the Sci-fi/fantasy genre in which men are perceived as heroes and women depicted as skimpily dressed and depicted as helpless (Gauntlett, 2008). The show projects the assumption that women do not subscribe to nerd culture and that the cultural stereotypes of the desperate, antisocial, Sci-Fi obsessed video game addicted hacker is unappealing to women’s feminine sensitivities. Role of the Media in Socially Constructing Gender The media mirror and construct the social world. The media that people consume including movies, news stories, music, videogames, and TV shows deliver subtle (and no-so-subtle) messages that largely shape and inform people’s attitudes on race, gender, and class. Comprehension on the impact of the messages on the audience is essential to developing supportive media and industry practices (Gauntlett, 2008). Past studies have demonstrated that representation of women within media tends to reinforce the patriarchal hegemony with the portrayal of women as subordinate to men. Being born a man or a woman within any society is bigger than a simple biological fact bearing social implications. Women can be considered as a creation of the masculine gaze, whereby masculine conception of woman gave rise to idealiza tions and norms, which strongly impacted on the behaviors of women lacking power to challenge the male views of their sex. The social construction framework highlights that there is no essential, universally distinct character which is feminine or masculine behaviors impacted by a broad range of factors such as ability, religion, class, body shape, and sexual preference (Ross, 2012). Gender theory argues that both men and women actively engage in constructing their gendered identities. The construction of gender identities can be perceived as dynamic, changeable, and ongoing rather than fixed or static (Campbell & Carilli, 2005. How Television Shows Construct Gender The concept of gender identity is diverse from gender stereotypes influencing perceptions of personality traits frequently tied to one’s gender, such as expressiveness in women and instrumentality, in men. In most cases, the products of narration of popular culture emanate from the collective and inscribed in it, whereby their deconstruction and analysis uncover the ideological background of gender and social hierarchies overriding the period of creation. Gender norms have been undergoing changes within the last three decades with an unprecedented reach and speed. The boundaries of gender as a social structure may be shaped by taboos that define social power relationships via prohibition on transgressions and violations of the binary gender code, or heterosexist gender discourse. Patriarchal gaze is at the