The history and evolution of La Cosa Nostra Essay

The history and evolution of La Cosa Nostra - Essay Example La Cosa Nostra, over several years, founded its reputation for the cold-blooded use of violence. This aggression has taken place generally in the form of thrashings and assassinations. Personal aggression, and to a lesser extent it was brutality against property, such as, intimidations, fire-raising, blasts, is the distinctive pattern of the methodical use of aggression as an instrument of doing business. Violence and the threat of aggression were the ways by which the LCN gained monopoly control over a variety of illegal enterprises. It disheartened and abolished competitors, and it strengthened the reputation and trustworthiness of the LCN. Aggression is also used for in-house discipline. By the mid 1950s, Cosa Nostra thought of shifting their business to the cities from the rural areas. They understood that they could achieve financial gains only in cities. The industrial boom took place in the cities of Sicily. Here, the gains in terms of real estate, construction, and transporta tion were more hopeful. Thus, they turned out to be industrialists and became an element of the urban enterprise.

Validity Of The Concept Of Codependency Sociology Essay

Validity Of The Concept Of Codependency Sociology Essay Early discourse regarding chemical dependency gave rise to the enigmatic concept of codependency. Codependency quickly became diagnosed in the form of a personality disorder, a disease and a family addiction. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting the concept of codependency as an official diagnosis. Feminist criticism has further contributed to the reduction in popularity of the disease model. The following literature review will provide an overview of the concept of codependency. It will outline various definitions of codependency found within the literature. These will then be compared with feminist alternatives to the concept of codependency such as connectedness and overresponsibility. Traditional codependency treatment is heavily influenced by proponents of the concept that alcoholism is a disease and this literature review aims to investigate those treatments. Central to the codependency debate is the lack of empirical evidence to support any one definition for the condition. This allows sceptics to question the validity of the concept of codependency. This review of codependency literature thoroughly explores the studies conducted in combination with any scholarly critiques of those studies. As the majority of studies were conducted during the 1990s, the inclusion criteria for this review are not constrained to contemporary literature. There is a remarkable lack of research into the link between same-sex relationships and codependency. For the purposes of this literature review, and in keeping with the studies conducted on heterosexual married relationships, the codependent will be referred to as she and the addicted partner will be referred to as he. Definitions of Codependency The codependency model construes characteristics associated most commonly with women, e.g. caring, nurturing, sustaining relationships, in an entirely pathological way and urges women to self-define on this basis. The search for an agreed definition of codependency is the subject of much disagreement, despite many definitions being proposed within the literature. According to a study by Dear, no one definition has been empirically derived (2002: 47). The definition of codependency depends on what situation is being described and on the motivation of the person using the term. In treatment terms, codependency is considered one of the most frequently diagnosed concepts despite inadequate research into the model. In 1991, a review of codependency literature for a core meaning of codependency found six different definitions (in Harkness and Cotrell, 1997: 473-474). An emotional, psychological, and behavioural condition; An obsession with interpersonal control; Learned self-defeating behaviours; Suffering connected with attending to others; An addictive disease; A preoccupation with others characterised by extreme dependency. According to Lyon and Greenberg, 96% of the general population in the United States has met the loose conditions for codependency at one time or another (1991: 436). It could be argued that everyone who is around an addicted person is considered a codependent. Below are a few definitions and symptoms derived from codependency literature. Codependency as a Relational and Behavioural Concept: This is an example of dependence on addictive behaviours and a need for approval from others to find safety, self-worth, and identity (Anderson, 1994: 678). The term represents any individual involved in a dysfunctional or abusive relationship (Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 436). This definition applies when a person displays an excessive dependence on other people for approval and identity. Dear outlined other relational or behavioural codependent traits (2002: 47). These included the impulse to accommodate the needs of others ahead of ones individual needs; participation in self-destructive interpersonal behaviours such as care-taking (taking responsibility for controlling another persons conduct); and rescuing (taking responsibility for the consequences of another persons irresponsible actions). Codependency as a Diagnostic Entity: This perspective diagnoses codependency as a primary disease which manifests itself in every member of an addictive family. Codependency has been defined by scholars as pathological behaviour, and it is considered to be worse than the addicted persons disease of addiction (George et al: 1999: 39; Schaef, 1986). Within this perspective, codependency is a curable diagnostic entity comprised of a predictable beginning, course, and outcome. Proponents of the diagnostic entity concept claim that a learned predisposition to enter into addictive relationships develops in childhood. Cermak in Anderson (1994: 677) contends that codependency is eligible for addition as a personality disorder to the Axis II Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R). He further states that a dependent personality disorder illustrates many features of codependency. Codependency from a Family Systems Perspective: This is a pattern of coping which advances because of prolonged exposure to a dysfunctional family. Dysfunctional family rules cause difficulties in expressing thoughts and feelings openly (Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 436). This perspective contends that enhanced family functioning needs the resolution of the addicts problem as well as treatment for the family members codependency (Dear, 2002: 47). The family systems approach reflects a pattern of chronic and pathological behaviour allegedly caused by having a parent or partner who suffers from addiction (George et al, 1999: 39). The term codependent originated in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program. It was then extended to groups such as Al-Anon, CoDA and Al-Ateen. The word codependent interchanged with the terms co-alcoholic and co-addict to label a family member or anyone who is negatively entangled with an addicted person (Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 435). The Adult Children of Alcoholics movement adopted the concept of codependency in the 1980s. They extended the application of codependency to anyone who grew up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family. Codependency from a Psychodynamic Perspective: From a psychodynamic perspective, codependency is construed to be a maladaptive way of relating to others. It is characterised by an intense certainty in individual powerlessness and the dominance of others, and a shortage of open expression of feelings. Other indications are extreme efforts to obtain a sense of purpose, identity and appreciation of self. Cullen and Carr expand this further by including a desire for fulfilment through engaging in personally destructive care-taking relationships (1999: 506) which involve high levels of denial, inflexibility, and numerous attempts to control the relationship (Zelvin, 1999: 14). Codependency from a Feminist Perspective: When the codependency concept first emerged, it described psychological, emotional, and behavioural problems displayed by the partners, and consequently the children, of alcoholics who unintentionally enabled continuance of the drinking problem rather than facilitating recovery. It replaced the less comprehensive terms co-alcoholic and enabler (Cullen and Carr: 1999: 505). On a socio-political level, feminist scholars regard codependency as yet another instrument in the oppression of women which fosters a denial of male responsibility (Anderson, 1994: 679). This position asserts that when men are noticeably impaired, their female partners must also be labelled sick or pathological to retain the balance of power in the relationship. Lyon and Greenberg highlight some of the symptoms located in codependency literature (1991: 436) which include: extreme and unbalanced interpersonal relationships; inability to endure being alone, combined with frantic efforts to avoid this; constant and chronic feelings of boredom and worthlessness; treating ones individual needs as subordinate to the needs of another; overpowering desire for approval and affection; external referencing; dishonesty and denial; low self-worth. Irrespective of whether one truly possesses the qualities of alleged codependency, self-labelling promotes that one take on the characteristics of the label. It encourages examination of ones own behaviour and experiences as suggestive of these traits, and to engage in conduct which is consistent with the label. George et al. proposed that legitimate psychological trauma or pathology may progress because of social stigmatisation and the negative stereotypes connected with the label of codependency (1999: 40-46). The codependency label tends to oversimplify multifaceted scenarios; it prevents change and growth; and it denies the uniqueness of a person. As individuals identify themselves with a label, they can assume that treatment centres know everything about their family, know about everything that is wrong with them, and know how to bring effective treatment. The codependent label is demoralising for the individual because it implants a fixed and negative understanding of the self and treatment. Krestan and Bepko claim that codependency should be renamed overresponsibility and recognised as a positive impulse gone awry (quoted in Anderson, 1994: 682). Overresponsibility for others combined with underresponsibility for the self characterises codependent behaviour. Zelvin contends that codependency must be reassessed as a sequence of problematic efforts to connect instead of a failure to separate (1999: 9). The feminist perspective thus offers alternatives to the traditional concept of codependency, and this literature review will discuss overresponsibility and connectedness with reference to the definitions of codependency outlined above. Extension of the Disease Concept of Alcoholism to Codependency The disease model concept has been intensely and cyclically debated for several hundred years. In the 1940s, the disease concept staged a comeback suggesting that alcohol itself was not responsible for any problematic drinking issues. The concept was rapidly adopted by the medical profession, popularised and then spread from America around the world. (Edwards, 2000: 96-98). Codependency was popularised in the same way with no scientific validation. Edwards summarised the effects of the alcoholic disease concept (2000: 101-102). If alcoholism is considered to be a disease, alcohol itself is not the problem. Instead, the unfortunate few were predisposed to contracting the disease. This concept initiated the two population theory which viewed alcoholism as an isolated disease which divided drinkers into two categories; alcoholics and social drinkers (Butler: 2002: 37). The disease concept legitimised medical and clinical treatment. Insurance companies would now pay claims if alcoholism was diagnosed as a disease. Once a funding system was put in place which ensured a constant flow of alcoholic patients, it can hardly be coincidence that hospitals became advocates of the disease concept. AA had become a common treatment method since its inception in the 1930s. This style of treatment then extended to codependency with groups such as Al-Anon being formed in the wake of the disease concept. The founder of AA, Bill Wilson, stated we did not wish to get in wrong with the medical profession by pronouncing alcoholism a disease entity. Therefore we always called it an illness or a malady (quoted in Kurtz, unpublished). The Oxford English Dictionary describes the term malady as a disease. Whether Wilsons comment aimed to intentionally mislead or not, it shows that AAs stance on the disease concept is as contentious as the disease concept itself. The disease concept ensured that alcoholics now became the good guys and could be welcomed back into society. Alcoholism was no longer considered a moral problem and alcoholics were no longer considered weak or deviant; it was not their fault an uncontrollable disease had engulfed them. In other words, the disease model excuses men from their alcoholism and their corresponding underresponsibility in a relationship. The disease concept of codependency reinforces this belief by claiming that women are sicker than men inflicted with the disease of alcoholism. Women are deemed pathological for reacting with the culturally conditioned feminine response of becoming the over-functioning person in a relationship with an under-functioning person. All of Jellineks data (the main proponent of the disease concept of alcoholism) was based on information obtained from a small group of AA members, of which he eliminated all questionnaires filled out by women because their responses differed immensely from the mens (Fingarette: 1988: 18-19). From a critical standpoint, Jellineks research was inadequate in proving the disease concept of alcoholism. In the 1970s, Edwards and Gross proposed the concept of an Alcohol Dependence Syndrome which resulted in a new worldwide Public Health Approach (1976: 1058). This has dismantled the disease concept of alcoholism. It is not a disease; rather, it is a development of severe dependence. Once the concept was dismantled, treatment for alcoholism changed from a predominantly clinical response to a social, community-based response. By disproving the disease concept of alcoholism, this casts doubt on the context in which the disease concept of codependency developed. Application of the Disease Concept to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder The codependency model is frequently used with families having one or more chemically dependent or otherwise addicted individuals (Cooper, 1995: 272). Cooper broadened the population and applied this model to families having one or more members with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and emphasised how families become enablers through no fault of their own. Cooper observed the detrimental impact codependency has on their lives, calling relational codependency a dysfunctional behaviour (1995: 272). Cooper notes that OCD, like chemical addictions, is all encompassing. Family members become inextricably bound to the suffering individuals illness; this manifests in divorce, separation, chemical abuse, and academic problems for younger family members. Family members demonstrate codependency of those with OCD in a myriad of ways, most often succumbing to the affected individuals requests for rituals. The rituals are often lengthy and time-consuming and significantly disrupt family life (Cooper, 1995: 272). For the purposes of her study, Cooper acknowledged that codependency was multidimensional, pathological, stress-induced, and, most significantly, a disease. The family dynamics of codependency are the neglect of personal needs, being out of touch with ones own experience, and having a high tolerance for extremely inappropriate behaviour (Cooper, 1995: 272). Additional elements of Coopers disease model are feelings of helplessness, shame, depression, and anger. Disease Model Versus Feminist Perspective of Overresponsibility Asserting that codependency is a disease removes the likelihood that the codependent woman will pursue other, potentially more empowering methods of remedying her situation (Peled and Sacks, 2008: 390). According to Anderson, the casual diagnosis of codependency as a disease is harmful to those with other, valid disorders, as they are likely to place all or most of their issues under the umbrella of codependency (1994: 678). The disease model articulated by Schaef asserts that codependency has a predictable onset, course, and outcome (1986: 7), but she offers insignificant empirical evidence to support this contention. The evidence that supports the disease model focuses on wives or partners of chemically dependent men. The social mechanisms of medicalisation, however, are inordinately harmful, effectively controlling women by framing the forms of female resilience as illness (Peled and Sacks, 2008: 391). More importantly, the disease model of codependency ignores the so-called codependent person as an individual, failing to acknowledge his or her personal and subjective experiences. There is a complex web of experiences, interpersonal processes, and psychological dynamics that inform womens self-perceptions as being partners of addicted men. In their qualitative study of women living with alcoholic partners, Peled and Sacks discovered certain dominant themes from the results. These were the strength shown by the women; the acknowledgement that their husbands issues were deviant and problematic; and their reluctance to display a victim mentality, even when they are consistently abused by their husbands (2008: 391). This suggests that women who are widely perceived as codependent have much more pressing issues than their codependency. They do not admit being victims of domestic violence. A common theme in the womens experiences was a normative upbringing, courtship, and marriage that evolved into a relationship with a problematic partner. Though the study did outwardly confirm the tendency for codependent women to feel overly responsible for others whilst taking comparatively less responsibility for their own health and wellness, the feminist critique of the overresponsible and underresponsible paradigm is largely confirmed by this study (Peled and Sacks, 2008: 392). The women were clearly socialised to value the needs of others over their own needs, feeling excessive guilt when investing time or energy in self-care. Given these social norms, women who are in a relationship with an ill or needy partner will inevitably fall into a codependent diagnosis. The disease model of codependency frames ignorance of self-care as automatic and unrecognised yet the results of this study were glaringly inconsistent with that assertion. The participants universally demonstrated awareness of their neglect of personal needs. The researchers recommended that the codependent diagnosis be dismantled. Noting that the participants too often believed they were merely an instrument in their husbands addiction, a belief facilitated by codependency theories, Peled and Sacks called for greater emphasis on personal experience and empowerment when counselling women living with alcoholic partners (2008: 395). The goal of treatment, the authors assert, should be geared toward helping women find other paths toward self-fulfilment, beyond the provision of service to others. Sharpe and Taylor conducted a study of how identity variables such as self-esteem and peer relations relate to intimacy issues such as love and codependency in college women who are or have been victims of domestic violence (1999: 165). The researchers acknowledge how socially constructed ideas of romance (and the feminine role within that romance) promote selfless devotion to the partner that can be considered codependent. The conditions fostered by a disparity between ones self-identity and the achievement of intimacy are also labelled codependent. Aligning closely with the Peled and Sacks study, these results demonstrate that strength and personal identity are dominant themes in socially embedded female personalities that could easily receive a codependent diagnosis. This counters the disease model of codependency that highlights the affected person as being unable to define themselves in the absence of their partner. Relational Concept of Codependency and the Feminist Application of Connectedness Gender roles are significantly influential in the relational model of codependency, though they are only modestly recognised in the empirical literature supporting the relational theories. Aside from feminist criticism of the relational model, studies have asserted that the relational model largely ignores the human need for connections (Townsend and McWhirter, 2005: 191). In short, when individuals do not meet their needs for lasting, functional, social connections, there is a negative impact on the health and wellness of these people, with their entire worldviews being shaped by an absence of interpersonal connection. The resulting separation results in a partial or total lack of social supports. This lack of social support produces numerous negative consequences for the disconnected individual. The relational model construes interpersonal connections as facilitators of codependency (Anderson, 1994: 677). Townsend and McWhirter conducted a thorough review of over five hundred studies dating after 1984 containing the word connections in an effort to discredit the notion that human beings aim ultimately to be independent, self-sufficient, and, by extension, socially disconnected (2005: 191). Thus, interdependence and communality are positive notions within human developmental literature but become less so during the young adult and later life stages. Townsend and McWhirter identified that crucial components of psychological health are the sense of well-being and safety that stems from interpersonal connections, motivation to operate within the boundaries of a relationship, an increased awareness of self-worth stemming from connections, and the desire for additional connections (2005: 192). From a cultural perspective, Western discourse places considerably more emphasis on individual autonomy, countering the notion that connectedness is integral to development after childhood. Townsend and McWhirter contend that by definition, codependency has been characterised as a risk factor for individuals and their network of relationships because it suggests that too much connection, or association, with others is psychologically damaging (2005: 192). The disease model and Cermaks attempt to include codependency in the DSM-III-R essentially links interpersonal connections to addictions (quoted in Anderson, 1994: 677). Codependency literature closely links connectedness with dysfunction. The loss of connectedness, however, is detrimental to psychological health, rendering relational constructs of codependency not only potentially invalid but also harmful. Significant research by Townsend and McWhirter (2005) indicates that those experiencing bereavement benefit from relational networks. Ironically, the codependent interpersonal connections facilitate healing. Connectedness is defined by a number of interlinked variables, including embeddedness, engagement, companionship, and attachment, all of which emerge to varying degrees in codependency literature. The most empirically valid definition of connectedness reflects active involvement with another person, group, or environment (Ibid: 195). This involvement, used positively, should promote comfort, well-being, and the reduction of anxiety. While codependency is rarely framed as positive, it remains that the active connection is the same in connectedness and codependency discourse. Gender Roles and the Feminist Application of Connectedness The manner in which the relational literature highlights codependent behaviours as addictions and disease is particularly problematic as these are the same behaviours that are assets in developing interpersonal connections (Townsend and McWhirter 2005: 193). Codependent behaviours are just that; they are behaviours more indicative of gender-related subordination roles in relationships than they are indicative of a disease. The ignorance of gender roles as a significant informant of codependent behaviours is one of the deepest flaws in the relational codependent literature, as most of the empirical evidence relates to male-female relationships, with the man being chemically dependent and the woman enabling his behaviour through codependent behaviours. The role played by power differentials in the relational literature is a significant one, with far too little credence afforded to the lack of power had by women in heterosexual relationships. Discussion of gender equality, patriarchy, and a long history of oppression are notably absent from the literature supporting codependency as relational and disease-related (Anderson, 1994: 681). The notion of the separate self is dominated by a Western male perspective, challenging the validity of connection-cultivating behaviours. There are fundamental differences in the way women and men engage in their interpersonal relationships. Townsend and McWhirter assert that the central principle in female socialisation is relational connections (2005: 195). This principle is comparatively minimal in influencing male socialisation. Conceivably, women tend to both be more connected to others and value that connection more so than men. Overresponsibility and Too Many Definitions of Codependency The overresponsibility and underresponsibility paradigm is significant with respect to connectedness as it frames flawed attempts at connection as the prime culprit in birthing codependency; this is in contrast to the literature that condemns over-connectedness as the foremost catalyst for codependency (Zelvin, 1999: 9). Using a sample of seventy-six male and female undergraduates, Cretser and Lombardo investigated the level of codependency between students having an alcoholic parent and those who did not (1999: 629). They hypothesised that children of alcoholics would have a notably higher level of codependency. This hypothesis was glaringly unconfirmed by the study. The participants who had alcoholic parents received lower codependency scores than those with non-alcoholic parents (Cretser and Lombardo 1999: 629). These findings are significant in that much of the codependency literature centres on the dysfunction of the relationships marked by the condition. Cretser and Lombardo acknowledged that codependency is thought to originate in dysfunctional families in which children overcompensate for parental inadequacies. They become overresponsible for others and underresponsible for themselves, and consequently develop an excessive sensitivity toward the needs of others (1999: 629). Their research findings parallel the previously reviewed literature that cites how a large percentage of the population meets the criteria for codependency (Cretser and Lombardo 1999: 629; Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 436). In contrast to the feminist debate regarding codependency, the researchers found that there was no significant variation in codependency according to gender and age. While they use their findings to accuse college counsellors of recognising symptoms of codependency in all students, their findings could also warn of the over-diagnosis of codependency. Anderson, in her 1994 article entitled A Critical Analysis of the Concept of Codependency, contends that the sheer number of diagnoses of codependency precludes the integrity of the codependency diagnosis. The entire Irish nation could be accused of exhibiting codependent traits for being overresponsible in bailing out the underresponsible banks and thus eligible for codependency treatment. It is alarming that an entire nation should qualify for treatment on the basis of such contentious and over-inclusive symptoms. The Cretser and Lombardo study supports Andersons assertion that codependency is over-diagnosed to the point of invalidity, as even the children of alcoholics the population who comes only a close second to women in abusive relationships in terms of meeting codependency criteria do not demonstrate a significantly higher incidence of the condition. An alternative study focusing on the children of alcoholics highlighted how the codependency model, specifically the disease model, emphasises how children are developmentally impeded from achieving appropriate and normative social functioning due to their parents addiction (Sher, 1997: 247). Theoretically, the need to take care of parents during childhood fosters codependency later in life, manifesting most frequently as denial, depression, hyper vigilance, and other seemingly fragmented characteristics. Sher questions the validity of the concept of codependency and states that studies tend to have serious methodological limitations, examine only a narrow aspect of purported codependent characteristics, and fail to demonstrate whether the concept of codependency has additional explanatory value (1997: 247). Shers conclusions align closely with Andersons assertion that women who are deemed codependent are merely applying normative coping behaviours to their situation (1994: 680). Fischer and Wampler stress that children of alcoholics consistently emerge as strong individuals who are labelled resilient (1994: 469). This is merely a reflection of the limited knowledge regarding the range of forces influencing a childs socialisation and informing his or her experience. For instance, Ferrari and Olivette (1993: 963) studied the hypothesis of a link between authoritarian parenting styles and the onset of codependency during adulthood. They concluded that no such link existed. Asher and Brissett wrote the first research-based article on codependency in 1988. The researchers claimed to have proven a link between two common dimensions of codependency from the responses of women in their study namely notions of care-taking and pleasing others, and affliction by association with a chemically dependent person. Arguably, the behaviours of care-taking and pleasing others should be attributed to external causes, such as the patriarchal hierarchy that places women in the position of subordination. From this feminist perspective, their study does not prove conclusively that care-taking and pleasing others are symptoms of the codependency concept. The second common feature of codependency, namely the affliction by association with a chemically dependent person is simply a reflection of the sample used in the study. Contrary to how the researchers interpreted these results, this does not prove a link between codependency and partners of alcoholics. The women had to be married to an alcoholic for inclusion in this study, and meeting that criterion does not conclusively link the two. Undoubtedly, family systems are comprised of intertwined individuals through which one persons behaviour affects all other family members to a certain degree. The literature suggests, however, that countless factors influence the system. Simple predictions of codependency are insufficient in addressing all issues in families dealing with disorders, addictions, or any other source of obstacles to which the codependency definition is so quickly applied. By extension, the recovery process for codependent families presents a range of problems. Feminist Critique of Codependency as a Psychodynamic Concept The feminist perspective of codependency has become the most popular framework for highlighting the flaws in the codependency movement. Behaviours that are widely perceived as codependent are indicative of a subordinate role in a relationship (Herndon, 2001: 13). Women play the subordinate role most often in patriarchal cultures. Socially encouraged female conduct is then deemed codependent. Passivity, compliance, lack of initiative, and a fear of asserting oneself are all integral to the codependent disease model and characterise the individual playing the subordinate role in a relationship. The traditional, psy

Diabetes Essay -- Health Disease Disorder Diabetes Essays Papers

Diabetes Diabetes is a lifelong disease that can affect both children and adults. This disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It claims about 178,000 lives each year. Type one diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, usually occurs in people less than thirty years of age, but it also may appear at any age. Diabetes is a very serious disease with many life threatening consequences, but if it is taken care of properly, diabetics can live a normal life. Diabetes is a disease that causes an abnormally high level of sugar, or glucose, to build up in the blood. Glucose comes from food we consume and also from our liver and muscles. Blood delivers glucose to all the cells in the body. In people without diabetes, the pancreas makes a chemical called insulin which is released into the blood stream. Insulin helps the glucose from the food get into cells. When the pancreas doesn’t make insulin, it can’t get into the cells and the insulin stays in the blood stream. The blood glucose level gets very high, causing the person to have type one diabetes. There are many symptoms of type one diabetes. They include drinking irritability, excessive urination, extreme weight loss, feeling very hungry or tired, sores that don’t heal and blurry eyesight. The cause of type one diabetes is unknown, although genetic tendency and childhood infections are two possibilities. The pancreas undergoes a change and cells that normally produce insulin are destroyed. This may be a result of the body’s own immune system believing the pancreas is a foreign organ. Also, type one diabetes often appears at times of physical stress and during illness when the body produces extra ... ... is a technique that monitors the glucose level without the use of needles. Another type of therapy is the artificial pancreas. It combines glucose sensing and insulin delivery through a closed loop system. Mimicking the human pancreas, this therapy would register the blood glucose levels and in response deliver the right amount of insulin. Diabetes is a very serious disease that takes many lives each year. It is a lifelong disease that can be fatal to both adults and children if it is uncontrolled. Diabetes does not have to be fatal if certain precautions are taken. If diabetics maintain a healthy diet and watch their carbohydrate intake they can keep their diabetes under control. Monitoring blood sugar is also necessary to live a healthy life. If diabetics know the right way of maintaining their diabetes, they can live a very normal and active life. Diabetes Essay -- Health Disease Disorder Diabetes Essays Papers Diabetes Diabetes is a lifelong disease that can affect both children and adults. This disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It claims about 178,000 lives each year. Type one diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, usually occurs in people less than thirty years of age, but it also may appear at any age. Diabetes is a very serious disease with many life threatening consequences, but if it is taken care of properly, diabetics can live a normal life. Diabetes is a disease that causes an abnormally high level of sugar, or glucose, to build up in the blood. Glucose comes from food we consume and also from our liver and muscles. Blood delivers glucose to all the cells in the body. In people without diabetes, the pancreas makes a chemical called insulin which is released into the blood stream. Insulin helps the glucose from the food get into cells. When the pancreas doesn’t make insulin, it can’t get into the cells and the insulin stays in the blood stream. The blood glucose level gets very high, causing the person to have type one diabetes. There are many symptoms of type one diabetes. They include drinking irritability, excessive urination, extreme weight loss, feeling very hungry or tired, sores that don’t heal and blurry eyesight. The cause of type one diabetes is unknown, although genetic tendency and childhood infections are two possibilities. The pancreas undergoes a change and cells that normally produce insulin are destroyed. This may be a result of the body’s own immune system believing the pancreas is a foreign organ. Also, type one diabetes often appears at times of physical stress and during illness when the body produces extra ... ... is a technique that monitors the glucose level without the use of needles. Another type of therapy is the artificial pancreas. It combines glucose sensing and insulin delivery through a closed loop system. Mimicking the human pancreas, this therapy would register the blood glucose levels and in response deliver the right amount of insulin. Diabetes is a very serious disease that takes many lives each year. It is a lifelong disease that can be fatal to both adults and children if it is uncontrolled. Diabetes does not have to be fatal if certain precautions are taken. If diabetics maintain a healthy diet and watch their carbohydrate intake they can keep their diabetes under control. Monitoring blood sugar is also necessary to live a healthy life. If diabetics know the right way of maintaining their diabetes, they can live a very normal and active life.

Noah and Utnapishtim’s Wild Ride Essay

Almost every religion in the world has a story about the â€Å"Great Flood† which destroys the earth, and each teaches its followers a different story about this disaster. While the Babylonians have the story of Utnapishtim from the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Judeo Christians have Noah from the Bible. Both men save a few people and many animals. In these stories, Noah and Utnapishtim seem to have similar situations, but a further analysis shows how truly different the two stories are. The boats in each story are exceptionally different. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim’s boat was six stories high, had nine apartments in each story, had a flat bottom, and was one hundred and twenty cubits high as well as wide (par 5-6). Utnapishtim covered the inside of his boat with bitumen, and covered the outside of it with pitch (par 6). Noah’s ark was made of cypress wood, and was coated in pitch on the inside and out (6:14). It was three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high (6:15). It had three decks, a door, and a roof (6:16). The Lord shut Noah in the ark with his family and the animals, and Utnapishtim shut himself in when the flood waters came (7:16; par 9). Each story tells of a storm, but there are conflicting differences in each one. The storm in Utnapishtim’s story lasted for six days and six nights (par 14). On the seventh day, the rain stopped and the waters receded (par 14). They stayed in the boat for at least another week before they decided the land had dried enough (par 16). The storm in Noah’s story lasted for forty days and forty nights (7:17). The floods were on the earth for a hundred and fifty days (7:24). Noah, his family, and the animals stayed on the ark for three hundred and ninety two days (7:6, 8:14). Utnapishtim stayed on the boat until the raven did not come back, and Noah stayed on the ark until God told him to come out (par 16; 8:15-16). Noah and Utnapishtim each sent out birds to let them know when they could leave the boat, but sent out different ones in different parts of their stories. When the waters started to recede, Utnapishtim sent out a dove first, and she came back finding no place to rest (par 16). He then sent out a swallow, which also returned (par 16). The third bird he sent out was a raven, and she did not return, for she had found a place to rest (par 16). The first bird Noah sent out was a raven (8:7). He sent out the dove next, but she returned with no place to rest (8:8-9). He waited for a week and sent the dove out again, and she brought back an olive branch (8:10-11). He waited yet another week and sent her out again, but this time, she did not return (8:12). In each story, the birds that let them know the water is gone are different. Noah and Utnapishtim seem to survive similar situations in each story, but they are a far cry from each other. Each of their boats is built in different dimensions, are made from varied kinds of materials, and structured differently. The storms in each story lasted for assorted periods of time, and they were inside the boats for different lengths of time as well. They both sent out different birds for various reasons in their stories. Each story clashes with the other in numerous distinctive ways.

A Natural and Privatized life Essay

Haruki Murakami, a Japanese writer of short story, The Year of Spaghetti. The depiction of Murakami’s stories with point-of-view narratives provides certain distinctiveness to the characters, depending on how the dialogue is conveyed. The abstract things the narrator says and does provide the idea of human isolation with little feelings of fear. Although the story has no definitive plot, it grabs hold of conflicting emotions between fear and loneliness. The unnamed protagonist in The Year of Spaghetti, illustrates the meaning of loneliness through naturalization and privatization. According to the Article, Murakami Haruki and the Naturalization of Modernity, â€Å"Privatization is the process that makes naturalization possible.† (Cassegard 87) The first paragraph of Haruki’s story, The Year of Spaghetti, already shows how alone and private his life it. He says, â€Å"I cooked spaghetti to live, and lived to cook spaghetti.† (pg. 178) It already seems as if his mind is made up for the rest of his life. That he has found his life’s calling to cook spaghetti every day and every night. That is what is natural to him. Naturalization means, â€Å"that one has grown used to an environment that was once shocking.† (Cassegard 83) Nothing really phases him, however, he could not have reached naturalization without having privatization occur first. Privatization is: The process whereby individuals â€Å"become used† to solitude, or—to be more precise—their instinctual needs and fundamental impulses become channeled in such a way that their gratification is made less dependent on relations to other people. The term does not imply that human interaction decreases, but stands for the subjective process whereby such interactions become less important as sources of gratification for individuals. (Cassegard 87) This explains how the protagonist in this story can be conveyed as someone who is lonely, hurt, and avoiding the rest of the world, but could actually just be content with life. Privatization explains that the interactions with other people are not necessarily something he is bad at or is avoiding, but  just has less interest in it. The story then goes on to how the protagonist’s phone rang and how he could barely even recognize the fact that someone was calling him. This was due to the fact that he does not call nor get calls regularly. This is a shock to the protagonist because he was not expecting anyone to call or talk to him. As he answered the phone it was his friend’s ex girlfriend and by the sound of her voice he already knew she needed some kind of help. He then says to himself, â€Å"whatever trouble was brewing I knew I didn’t want to get involved.† (Murakami 180) Before even knowing what the girl’s problem was he already knew he did not want any part of it. This is part of his privatized life. According to Cassegard, â€Å"Their peace of mind is paid for by loneliness.† (pg. 87) Cassegard is trying to say that Murakami’s protagonist likes being alone and therefore, knows, getting involved in any type of way with this girl or anyone else for that matter will interfere with him being alone. He is so use to his everyday life of buying different types of spaghetti every week, cooking it in his, â€Å"huge aluminum cooking pot, big enough to bathe a German shepard in.† (Murakami 178), then eating it all by himself. Perhaps the German shepard is also a symbol of loneliness because this is all he did in 1971. He did it everyday and that is what he sees as normal. He kept his life privatized like this and that is why nothing is a shock to him, because it is natural to him. The protagonist’s tone in the story sounds content with subtle undertones of fear. It is like the spaghetti has some type of deeper meaning in accordance to his loneliness. When explaining how spaghetti is cooked a specific type of way he also mentions more than once how he must eat it alone. He even says he expects to be alone, and him subconsciously thinking people are at his door proves how lonely he really is. The protagonist says: Every time I sat down to a plate of spaghetti- especially on a rainy afternoon- I had the distinct feeling that somebody was about to knock on my door. The person who I imagined was about to visit me was different each time. Sometimes it was a stranger, sometimes someone I knew. Once, it was a girl with slim legs whom I’d dated in high school, and once it was myself, from a few years back, come to pay a visit. Another time, it was none other than William Holden,  with Jennifer Jones on his arm. (Murakami 179) Although he may be content and satisfied with being alone, you can still tell how lonely he really is by his actions. Whenever, he eats spaghetti alone he imagines people coming to visit. He especially imagines people up when it is a rainy day. The rain symbolizes the mood of sadness and loneliness, therefore, especially on rainy days he would doze off. The protagonist in the story shows his loneliness because he has to daydream of random people that are visiting him but do not actually come inside. According to Cassegard, â€Å"Few things are as striking in the protagonists of Murakami as their loneliness, even when they are with other people.† (p. 83) Cassegard is saying that Murakami’s protagonists are always perceived to be lonely even when interacting with others. For example, when the protagonist in The Year of Spaghetti is talking to the girl on the phone, he makes up a lie so that he can hang up with her because he does not want to speak or help her with her problem of needing to contact her ex boyfriend, the protagonist’s friend because he owes her a sum of money. He is not happy to have a phone call because he likes to be alone, so therefore, he lies about cooking spaghetti just to cut the conversation off. After he lies he thinks to himself, â€Å" I lied. I had no idea why I said that. But that lie was already a part of me- so much so that, at that moment at least, it didn’t feel like a lie at all. (Murakami 181) That line can make us idealize the fact that he has been cooking spaghetti for the purpose of a lie that has turned true. Him cooking spaghetti symbolizes his way of privatization. Eating spaghetti provides allusion to the idea of a tangled relationship that he is avoiding with anyone, especially the girl he was speaking on the phone to. His constant rejection to the world has lead him imagining a pot with water, on his stove, and an imaginary match. (Murakami) This collectively provides the constant isolated relationship between him and his world. Murakami is a different kind of Japanese writer. He adapted his writing style from the Western side. DiConsiglo says, â€Å"Growing up, he dreamed of America. He read American detective novels, and listened to American music  on the radio. Even the defining moment in his life was distinctly American. At age 29, while watching a baseball game, he suddenly realized he wanted to be a writer.† (pg. 1) Murakami then says, â€Å"Writing in Japan for Japanese people is in a particular style, very stiff. If you are a Japanese novelist you have to write that way,† Murakami has said. â€Å"But I am different in my style. I guess I’m seeking a new style for Japanese readership, and I think I have gained ground. Things are changing now.† (DiConsiglio) Murakami was always teased for the way he writes. He was a disgrace to the older Japanese people because of the way he wrote. Japanese people would tease Americans and call them names like batakusai, which literally means, â€Å"stinking of butter.† (DiConsiglio 1) Murakami has been different from everyone else as he group up because of his interests and that is possibly why his characters in the stories he writes are so lonely, privatized, but also natural. His characters in the stories never seem to be shocked by anything because they accept everything as they are. They do not have any desire to figure out or question why certain things are the way they are. The characters just exist neither happy nor sad. And that is how the protagonist in Murakami’s story The Year of Spaghetti is like. His character shows not much emotion to anything else except his love for spaghetti and his few day dreams of random imaginary people. That is really lonely but does not seem to shock the protagonist nor phase him, because as said, t hat is what is natural to him. (DiConsiglio) In conclusion, the point of view narration has emphasized the point that gives his stories uniqueness and relatable aesthetic. It’s tone helps a reader to understand the author and protagonist’s ideas of privatization from the world that became natural to him. It is only then the symbolism of spaghetti provides a greater and deeper meaning to why the protagonist acts in the certain way that he does- a privatized and natural life. Works Cited Cassegard, Carl. â€Å"Murakami Haruki And The Naturalization Of Modernity.† International Journal Of Japanese Sociology 10.1 (2001): 80-92. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. DiConsiglio, John. â€Å"Haruki Murakami Stinks.† Literary Cavalcade 51.4 (1999): 15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. Murakami, Haruki. â€Å"The Year of Spaghetti.† (2005): 178-83. Web.

Free Essays on Discussion Guide

Discussion Guide on Researching a Low-Carb Beer I. Warm-up Explanation of Focus Group (10-12 minutes) A. Explanation of focus group. B. There are no wrong or right answers. C. It is necessary everyone contributes. D. There will be people watching. E. Audiotapes and Video recorders will be on so I can interact with the group. F. Only one person can talk at once. G. Do not feel bad if you do not know something, we are looking to hear your opinions and how you feel about it. H. I will move the discussion on throughout the focus group in order to cover all topics. I. Any Questions? J. Ice breaker to get going. II. Beer Consumption (15 minutes) I am interested in seeing if you drink beer, the types you like, and why. A. How many of you have drink/drank beer? What type did you consume? Where did you consume/buy it? B. Why did you get that specific beer? C. Which do you drink most often? Why do you drink that most often? Was there a reason for your consumption of that beer? D. What amount did you purchase it in? Is price an issue? Do you see a difference in light beers compared to a non-light beer? E. How do you feel about light beers? Do you drink light beers because you do not want all the calories and carbohydrate that are in the other beers? III. Diet Fads (15 minutes) I will now talk about the concept of a low-carb beer that can be beneficial to your health and add in the diet process. This beer will have fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates. A. Is anyone currently on a diet or know someone on a diet? What kind of diet? Is it hard to consume alcoholic beverages when on this diet due to calories/carbs? What do you think of these diets? B. Would you purchase a product with less carbs/calories? Do you think there is a need for a product like this? C. Does anyone currently purchase dietary products? How much money to you think you spend a week/month on them? ... Free Essays on Discussion Guide Free Essays on Discussion Guide Discussion Guide on Researching a Low-Carb Beer I. Warm-up Explanation of Focus Group (10-12 minutes) A. Explanation of focus group. B. There are no wrong or right answers. C. It is necessary everyone contributes. D. There will be people watching. E. Audiotapes and Video recorders will be on so I can interact with the group. F. Only one person can talk at once. G. Do not feel bad if you do not know something, we are looking to hear your opinions and how you feel about it. H. I will move the discussion on throughout the focus group in order to cover all topics. I. Any Questions? J. Ice breaker to get going. II. Beer Consumption (15 minutes) I am interested in seeing if you drink beer, the types you like, and why. A. How many of you have drink/drank beer? What type did you consume? Where did you consume/buy it? B. Why did you get that specific beer? C. Which do you drink most often? Why do you drink that most often? Was there a reason for your consumption of that beer? D. What amount did you purchase it in? Is price an issue? Do you see a difference in light beers compared to a non-light beer? E. How do you feel about light beers? Do you drink light beers because you do not want all the calories and carbohydrate that are in the other beers? III. Diet Fads (15 minutes) I will now talk about the concept of a low-carb beer that can be beneficial to your health and add in the diet process. This beer will have fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates. A. Is anyone currently on a diet or know someone on a diet? What kind of diet? Is it hard to consume alcoholic beverages when on this diet due to calories/carbs? What do you think of these diets? B. Would you purchase a product with less carbs/calories? Do you think there is a need for a product like this? C. Does anyone currently purchase dietary products? How much money to you think you spend a week/month on them? ...

Study of Basel II and Financial institution strategic management The WritePass Journal

Study of Basel II and Financial institution strategic management INTRODUCTION Study of Basel II and Financial institution strategic management INTRODUCTIONThe Swedish financial market and other factorsDeposits and lending Interest ratesSafe and efficient payment mechanismMortgage marketInternet banking  Monetary policy updateEnvironmental factors in Sweden bankingCash Management FeaturesPayment infrastructure in Sweden  Ã‚  Future Aspects of SwedenNew international regulatory frame workIncreased cross-border workA coherent regulatory framework and cleaner division of roles between authorities in SwedenReferences:Related INTRODUCTION Banks play an important role in central importance for economic growth, credit allocation, financial stability, and the competitiveness and development manufacturing and service firms. The features of Sweden banking systems have changed significantly around the past 20 years. The increased availability of credit has been the corollary of the dismantling of barriers of trade in Sweden financial services. Sweden banking and finance sector went through many considerable changes in recent years which results in competition, not only between old big banks but also among new Swedish and foreign financial institutes. The main characteristics are that banking and finance has been liberalized and deregulated in Sweden. In Sweden banks have long experience in international business and International banks are now highly active. Before entering into the details of the above given reasons, we will be looking at the main structure of the Sweden’s banking system. In Sweden there are three d ifferent types of banks: commercial banks, i.e., limited liability banking companies, savings banks and a few cooperative banks. All these types of banks are entitled to participate in all types of banking activity. Because of mergers the number of banks has declined sharply, a tendency that has been most marked among the savings banks. From some 450 savings banks of the 1950s, the number had decreased to 85 by the late 1990s. Since the middle of the 1980s, however, numerous new banks have been established in Sweden. The two tired market structure can be described as with five large banks (Handelsbanken, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, Nordbanken and Fà ¶renings Sparbanken as well as the Swedish subsidiary of a major Danish bank) having a combined market share of about 75–85 percent; the rest market is shared among around 100 smaller banks. The home market for Swedish banks has to a greater extent been seen to cover not only the traditional Nordic area but also the whole regi on surrounding the Baltic Sea. The four major Swedish banks are very broadly held. The largest owners are the Swedish government (less than 20 percent in Nordea), the Wallenberg-led investment company Investor (some 10 percent in SEB), the employees’ pension fund (some 10 percent in Svenska Handelsbanken), and the former savings banks foundations (some 20 percent in Swedbank, which was earlier a savings bank, which merged with a cooperative bank and became a commercial bank). Approximately one third of bank shares are held by non-Swedes. The medium and small-sized banks are generally held by one dominating owner, which in turn may have a widely spread ownership, such as Skandia. All savings banks are non-profit organizations and they are held by foundations. The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority is a government authority responsible to the MoF. It exercises supervision over banks, credit market companies, and additionally e.g., insurance companies, insurance brokers and securities companies. The Central Bank Act assigns to the Riksbank the responsibility to ensure a stable and efficient payment system. It also assigns to the Riksbank the responsibility for monetary and exchange rate policy (including the management of the gold and currency reserves), as well as managing the issue of notes and coins, providing a clearing function for banks as well as accepting deposits from banks and granting them loans. The Central Bank also functions as lender of last resort providing financial aid to banks experiencing liquidity problems. Early 1990s, Sweden was in the middle of the most serious economic crisis. During that crisis unemployment has increased dramatically in the course of a few years and as a result the central government finances dropped. The reason behind this was assigned to deregulatory measures taken in 1985 which added to overly repaid credit expansion which contributed to a banking crisis followed by a currency crisis in 1990. The deregulation result was obvious. In just five years, the credit to GDP ratio for private sector moved up from 85 to 135 per cent (Governor Backstrom, 1997). Credit market deregulation in 1985 was important in it, meant that the monetary conditions became more expansionary. This co-occurred, moreover, with rising activity, comparatively high inflation expectations and tax system that favoured borrowing, and remaining exchange controls that held investment in foreign assets. In the absence of a restrictive economic policy to block all this, the free credit market headed t o a quickly growing stock of debt. The credit boom coincided with rising share and real estate prices. In the second half of the 1980s, real aggregate asset prices increased by over 125 per cent. A speculative bubble had been yielded. As time goes on the Swedish economy became increasingly insecure to shocks. In the late 1980s, competitiveness had been eroded by the relatively high inflation which results in an overvalued currency. This made exports to weaken and intended that the fixed exchange rate policy began to be questioned, heading to periods with relatively high interest rates. On the other hand, the tax system was rectified in order to decrease its harmful economic effects but this also added to higher post-tax interest rates. Economic activity turned downwards and asset prices started to fall. From 1990 to 1993 GDP dropped by 6 per cent. Unemployment hit up from 3 to 12 per cent of the labour force and the public sector; grow worse to 12 per cent of GDP. A wave of bankrupt cies was a great blow to the banking sector, which in this period had to plan for loan losses equivalent of 12 per cent of annual GDP. After this crisis when Basel II came into practice than Sweden banking sector’s golden period began, as common International regulation and model for the banking industry, the reliability and development of financial systems and also important for   countries’ economy. One such framework is Basel II which was introduced in 2004. It is grounded on Basel I which comprised of a credit risk measurement guideline and minimum capital requirement. Basel II dwells of three pillars in that minimum capital requirement, the supervision process, and market discipline are regulated (Finansinspektionen 2002). The main purpose of Basel II is to lessen banks capital requirement, by offering them the ability to choose the methods that reflect their calculating risk (BCBS, 2004). A study called the fifth quantitative impact study (QIS 5) presented in 2006 by the Basel committee on banking supervision(BCBS) that was based on data from the fall of 2005 (Finansinspektionen 2006 )and the purpose was to analyse how Basel II affect bank with regard to their capital requirements. The study showed that if we compare Basel I and Basel II, minimum capital requirement could be reduced in Basel II. After QIS 5 BCBS had not presented any other study showing how Basel II had affected the banking industry and mainly study aspires to fulfil part of that gap by analysing how capital ratio, the net credit loss level and the degree of disclosure have progressed for the four largest banks in Sweden during the implementation of Basel II as this has not previously been looked at. Hypothetically the impact Basel II has had on these variables will be presented based on these observation. The Swedish financial market and other factors Efficient and reliable systems for saving, financing, mediating payments, and controlling risk are vital for the well-being of the Swedish economy. These systems are managed by banks, insurance companies, securities companie; other types of enterprise and other credit institutions in the financial sector. The financial industry account for just over four per cent of the country’s total output, defined as its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). More than 90,000 people, about two per cent of the country’s total working population, work in the Swedish financial industry. The financial sector has expanded dramatically during the past decade. Established companies have extended scope of their business, and many new companies have started entering the markets. One crucial change is that banks and insurance companies interfering into each other’s areas, and as a consequence, all of Sweden’s major banks are now in the life insurance business and some insurance companies own their own banks. On the other hand customers are banking more and more via the internet or the phone. These new facilities have changed the development of new services and compounded competition on the banking market through the establishment of new banks. Moreover, Swedes are investing mostly in funds and insurance policies as they turn away from traditional bank saving. Approximately more than 85 per cent of the population in Sweden have some of their savings in funds or equities, which is a very high proportion by international standards. Deposits and lending The core activity of a bank is to accept deposits and provide credit. At the end of 2002, bank deposits from the public (i.e. mainly households and non-financial enterprises) amounted to 1,242 billion kronor. The bulk of these deposits – approximately 42 per cent come from Swedish households. Swedish companies account for around 32 per cent of total deposits and foreign depositors for some 22 per cent. Bank lending has increased in recent years, to reach 1,360 billion kronor by the end of 2002. 47 per cent of this lending to the public goes to the Swedish business sector, while households and foreign borrowers account for 21 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. Interest rates The interest rates banks set for their deposits and credit are largely dependent on the rates prevailing on the money market. Other factors that influence interest rates include the creditworthiness of the borrower, competition among credit institutions, and competition for different types of saving. The average rate of interest paid and charged by the banks has been declining steadily since the beginning of the 1990s. The interest spread – the gap between the average interest rate received on credits and that paid on deposits – has also tended to narrow during the same period. Safe and efficient payment mechanism Another important function of a bank is to provide a means of payment. The Swedish payment system, which includes the bank giro service and the postal giro, is technically rather advanced, and has a reputation for efficiency. This means that payments are transacted quickly, securely and at low cost. Mortgage market In Sweden, mortgage loans are usually provided by specialist credit market companies known as mortgage credit institutions. The total volume of outstanding loans of these institutions amounted to SEK 1,200 billion at the end of 2002. For many years now, lending by mortgage credit institutions has exceeded the volume of bank lending in Sweden. The mortgage credit institutions provide credit primarily for residential property, but also for commercial and office buildings and municipalities. Mortgage loans are secured by collateral, normally in the form of a mortgage on the property. The lending consists of a first mortgage, which involves pledging the property for up to 70-80 percent of its value. Additional credit is then often provided in the form of a second mortgage by the bank that owns the mortgage institution or by another bank with which the institution co-operates. Mortgage institutions offer a wide range of credit facilities at variable or fixed interest rates. Internet banking   Swedish banks are among the most advanced in internet banking services. All major banks in Sweden offer online status on accounts and other assets, online payments, and the possibility to buy and sell units in funds and shares. Corporate customers have been able to bank via the internet for many years. At the end of 2009, there were a total of around 50, 00000 internet banking users and approximately 15million internet payments. Internet surveys show that customers are very pleased with the Bank’s online service. This was confirmed by IBM and Interbred, which ranked FSB as number one in Europe and number two in the World (Swedbank Annual Report, 2009). Monetary policy update The Swedish economy is performing well, and GDP grew by almost 7 per cent in the third quarter of this year, compared with the same quarter last year as the fig shown below. The strength of the Swedish economy is also reflected in the labour market statistics. The labour market has been recovering throughout 2010 and indicators point to a continuing rapid improvement. The world economy is expected to grow by a good 4 per cent a year in the coming years. Economic activity remains good in the emerging economies in Asia and Latin America. In both the United States and the Euro zone, economic prospects look slightly better in the short run than was forecast in the October Monetary Policy Report. At the same time, the global imbalances remain and concern over public finance in several countries has increased. Despite the relatively divided international outlook, the indicators for the Swedish economy point to continued strong growth in the coming period. GDP growth is expected to amount t o 5.5 per cent in 2010 and to over 4 per cent in 2011, and then to decline. The recovery has been relatively rapid and Sweden is also expected to experience higher growth than many other countries in 2011. As the graph below shows that resource utilisation is currently lower than normal, but is expected to be normal or slightly above normal towards the end of the forecast period. Underlying Inflation measured as the CPIF was 1.9 per cent in November. It is expected to fall at the end of 2011 and then rise again towards 2 per cent. Higher mortgage rates will lead to the CPI rising slightly faster than the CPIF and it is expected to exceed 2.5 per cent in 2013. In the longer run, when the repo rate stabilises, the two measures of Inflation will coincide. To stabilise Inflation close to the target of 2 per cent and avoid resource utilisation becoming too high, there is a need to gradually raise the repo rate towards more normal levels. The repo rate is therefore being raised to 1.25 per cent. The forecast for the repo rate remains largely unchanged in relation to the forecast in the October Monetary Policy Report. Environmental factors in Sweden banking Sweden is a democratic monarchy. It is the largest Scandinavia country with over 9 million inhabitants. Sweden has been known for its neutrality and policy of non-alignment with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. It is a member of most international organizations (UN, UNESCO, WHO etc).  Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1995 but decided not to join EMU. A referendum in 2003 rejected the euro by a decisive margin – against the advice of the government and the wishes of business. The Prime Minister stated it was unlikely there would be a new referendum before 2010. Key economic indicators for 2008 estimates (Source: Central Intelligence Agency Country Profiles) 69.6% of the economy is in the services sector, 28.9% industrial and 1.5% agriculture. Population: 9,045,389 GDP: USD 358.4 billion Per capita GDP: USD 39,600 Real GDP growth: 0.9% Unemployment: 6.2% Public debt/GDP: 36.5%    Cash Management Features Activity is highly automated with major activity inside the Bankgirot and Plusgirot systems. Rather than hold accounts in both and maintain liquidity in both, it is possible to hold accounts just at the Nordea group, into which the Plusgirot has been subsumed. The EUR has emerged as a parallel domestic currency for business, notwithstanding Sweden’s rejection in 2003 of EUR membership. The old E-RIX system that was connected to TARGET and used to settle domestic EUR trade has been abolished. EBA is now used to settle EUR transactions.  Group account (Balance netting) is the preferred Liquidity Management technique domestically, and can be used for both single and multi-currency. Zero balancing is also available domestically and is getting more common than earlier due to multinational corporate customer Payment infrastructure in Sweden   Most Swedish companies have a business account in a Swedish bank. The majority of domestic non-cash payments are affected through the two giro systems, PlusGirot and Bankgirot. PlusGirot  -: The PlusGiro system is a part of Nordea. Thus, Nordea is the only bank in Sweden that can provide a connection to both PlusGirot and Bankgirot in SEK or EUR, meaning an all-in-one account for all the payments regardless if they are routed through the PlusGiro or the Bankgiro system. Bankgiro  -: The Bankgiro system is operated by Bankgirocentralen AB (BGC), a bank-owned subcontractor of payment processing services. All banks in Sweden participate in the Bankgiro system. It functions as an automated clearing house (ACH). Payments can be made in SEK or EUR.   Payment Instruments The vast majority of activity clears electronically: there is a high degree of automation. This is supported by very high usage of internet for payment initiation. There is still a form of paper-based credit transfer but the clear growth is in electronic initiation.  This extends to electronic bill presentment, where the debtor can initiate a credit transfer in their electronic banking by clicking through form the bill itself.  In terms of volume, credit transfers and debit cards are the most used, whilst in terms of value it is credit transfers.  Sweden has a high density of ATMs and EFTPOS, and this is the part of the payments market that is growing most dynamically. 1) Cheques 2) Electronic payment ( The RTGS system in Sweden is operated by the Riksbank) 3)   Cards 4)   Internet banking These all are the factors in the Sweden banking environment which make the Sweden banking system much stronger than any other banking system. Sweden is capable of providing all the facilities to its consumers and its partners domestically and internationally and Sweden is having the biggest usage of internet banking amongst all other countries and more advance at this moment.   Future Aspects of Sweden The Riksbank’s financial stability works in 2011 was largely characterised by the financial crisis and its aftermath. After having stabilised in the winter of 2010/11, unease again increased in the financial market in springs 2010 as consequence of the state of the public finances of several countries in the southern Europe. The unease became acute in May in connection with the downgrading of the Greek government’s credit rating. The aftermath of the financial crisis is the extensive work continued of reforming national and international regulatory codes and improving supervision of the financial crisis. An important part of this work in Sweden is to clarify the Riksbank’s responsibility for financial stability. New international regulatory frame work A large part of the Riksbank’s stability work was focused during the year , as in 2010, on studying and influencing   the framing of the future financial regulatory framework of future financial regulatory framework and supervision .since Swedish banks and financial institution are governed by law framed at EU level, which in turn to a great extent are based on guideline drawn up by other international bodies, the Riksbank participated in continued discussions both at EU level and within the bank of international settlement (BIS). During the year a new regulatory framework for financial institution called Basel III was established. Increased cross-border work The financial crisis has shown that there are great differences in the legislation at national level. Because of these differences, during the crisis it was difficult to handle problem in banks that operates in several different countries. Consequently several international projects are in progress that, address how banks with cross border operations are to be dealt with (For Example, First Deputy Governor of the Riksbank Svantà © Oberg).   In 2010 the Riksbank also took part in the preparatory work ahead of the start-up of the new European system risk board (ESRB) in 2011. A coherent regulatory framework and cleaner division of roles between authorities in Sweden In view of the lessons learned from the financial crisis and the extensive regulatory work that is in progress in the international arena, the Riksbank believes that it is important to carry out a thorough overhaul of the financial regulatory framework in Sweden as well. The general Council of the riksbank and the executive board of the riksbank and the executive board of the Riksbank accordingly proposed in a joint submission to the Riksdag that one or several inquiries should be set up to review the regulatory framework in the financial sector. The Swedish banks’ resilience continued to improve in the second half of the year as a result of the economic recovery the situation of the Swedish bank continued to improve. The economic recovery had become stronger than previously expected. Consequently, the Swedish banks loans loss continue to fall and according to Riksbank forecast in the financial stability report in December they were lower than the Riksbank had expected in June.    References: Anonymous, (May 2010). Sweden: financial sector assessment program –detailed assessment of observer of standard and codes, international monetary fund Washington DC. Dec 2010, Monetary policy updates, SVERIGES RIKSBANK. Ekstrom , F., Johansson, E. (2011). The development of the Swedish banking industry during the implementation of Basel II Rai , S. (2007). Central Banking System. A bench marking study of India and Sweden. Sweden Banking Environment www.ibosassociation.com/en/countries/western/europe/sweden (Accessed on 07 April 2011).

Imperfect Subjunctive Verbs in Spanish

Imperfect Subjunctive Verbs in Spanish The imperfect subjunctive of Spanish is the simple past form of the subjunctive mood, the one used to refer to events or hypothesized events relating to the past (although it sometimes refers to the present). Although the equivalent verb form is rare in English, the imperfect subjunctive is an essential part of Spanish grammar. Key Takeaways: Imperfect Subjunctive in Spanish The imperfect subjunctive is the simple form of the past subjunctive.The imperfect subjunctive is used most often in a dependent clause that begins with  que.It can also follow  si  (the word for if) when referring to a condition that is unlikely. Spanish has two forms of the imperfect subjunctive, the -ra form and the -se form. The -ra form will be used for examples throughout this lesson because it is by far more common in speech. How To Use the Imperfect Subjunctive Like the present subjunctive, the imperfect subjunctive is used most often in sentences of the following form: Subject (may be implied) indicative verb que subject (may be implied) subjunctive verb The subject and indicative verb form what is known as an independent clause; que and what follows form a dependent clause. The imperfect subjunctive is most common when the independent clause is in the preterite, imperfect or conditional tense. The imperfect subjunctive also is used sometimes following si (the word for if). This lesson assumes that you know when to use the subjunctive and how it is conjugated. Here are the major uses of the imperfect subjunctive: Following a Past-Tense Independent Clause This use of the imperfect is the most straightforward, because all verbs clearly refer to the past. Note, however, that English may use a would in translation because of the sometimes hypothetical nature of the Spanish subjunctive: El gobierno ordenà ³ que se hablaran con los terroristas. (The government ordered them to speak to the terrorists.)Me asombrà ³ que nadie me diera apoyo. (It amazed me that nobody gave me support.)Todos esperbamos que dijera algo ms, pero eso fue todo. (We all hoped he would say something more, but that was all.)No querà ­a que mis hijos me vieran. (I didnt want my children to see me.) ¿Tenà ­as miedo que te matara? (Were you afraid he would kill you?) Following a Conditional Independent Clause The imperfect subjunctive can refer to a present possibility when it follows a main clause in a conditional tense. Such sentences cannot be translated word for word into English and may require the use of if or would: Nos gustarà ­a que hubiera ms participacià ³n. (We would like it if there were more participation. Note the use of the English subjunctive were in the translation.)Me temerà ­a que mi amigo tomara la misma actitud. (Id be afraid my friend would take on the same attitude.)Estarà ­a feliz que me dieras su opinion. (I would be happy if you gave me your opinion.) After Expressions of Possibility The main verb of a sentence following a word or phrase meaning maybe can be either in the indicative or the subjunctive. Use of the subjunctive may indicate considerable doubt on the speakers behalf that the statement is true. Quiz quisieran conocer los detalles. (Perhaps they wanted to know the details.)Tal vez pensaran que mis padres eran ricos. (Maybe they thought my parents were rich.)Posiblemente no tuvieran otras alternativas. (Possibly they didnt have other alternatives.) To Indicate an Unlikely Condition As with the English past subjunctive following if, the Spanish imperfect subjunctive can be used following si to indicate something that the speaker believes is false or highly unlikely. An example would be a sentence starting out si yo fuera rico (if I were rich). When used this way, the subjunctive verb is typically followed by verb in the conditional tense, such as si yo fuera rico, comprarà ­a un coche (if I were rich, I would buy a car). Note that the condition expressed by the subjunctive verb refers to the present. Si yo comprara la otra consola, podrà ­a ahorrar la diferencia para comprar juegos. (If I bought the other console, I could save the difference for buying games. See how comprara and bought refer to the present even though they take the form of past tenses.)Si estuvieras aquà ­, te estrecharà ­a entre mis brazos. (If you were here, Id hold you tightly in my arms.)Si viviera en Aragà ³n, me gustarà ­a esquiar. If I lived in Aragà ³n, Id like to ski. If you need to refer to a past condition, you can use the imperfect subjunctive of haber with a past participle to form the pluperfect subjunctive: Si yo hubiera comprado la otra consola, habrà ­a ahorrado la diferencia para comprar juegos. If I had bought the other console, I would have saved the difference to buy games.

The ethic of equal opportunity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The ethic of equal opportunity - Essay Example The concessions came into vogue in the 1960s and 1970s. Preferential treatment programs to the above categories of the American population is not a concession, they are entitled for it. It is a petty societal gesture for the centuries of subjugation, physical violence and mental torture, destruction of the native culture and all sorts of negativities practiced against them especially on the African Americans. Other racial minorities and women also have been at the receiving end. Thus the initiatives of some firms and institutions to recruit a fixed number of minority and women candidates was a welcome relief and that enabled them to change and improve their lifestyles and provide better education to children. The above arrangements have decidedly worked to the advantage of minorities and women. At the middle class level perceptible changes are seen but several inequalities continue to plague the American corporate world. About 97% of corporate senior executives are white. When the to p decision makers are white it is futile to expect of them not to work and frame policies that are beneficial to the white community. Reservation is one of the options to remove inequalities but it is certainly not the panacea to remove all inequalities. Criticism springs forth from two quarters. From whites and a section of the blacks which has resulted in friction amongst the working class. The grievance of the whites is that the policy affects their employment opportunities. The black scholars oppose it and claim that the programs victimize and stigmatize the minorities and this has led to friction amongst the blacks and whites on the one hand and also amongst the different groups of blacks. Reservations may not be a perfect and rational remedy, but the wise saying goes that desperate situations need desperate remedies. The gross injustice done to the African Americans for over three centuries was the desperate situation in their history. They were totally helpless from all ends and the white community enjoyed at their cost. The mansions they built were through the sweat and blood of the slave labor. The atrocities committed by the whites can be forgiven but the historical facts can never be forgotten. So, quotas and reservations are the just alternatives to overcome the racial and sex barriers in the American society. As such, preferential treatment programs are morally justified. If there is one post and there are two applicants for the same, when one of them is selected, the other one is bound to feel discriminated. This is the natural human reaction. But preferential treatment programs have a broader perspective as they are based on the grounds of distributive justice. Society is like the scale of justice and both arms of the scale are equally important. Turn the pages of American history, one arm of the scale had to bear the heavy burden for centuries. As a result of past discrimination, minorities and women were denied the share of opportunities that were due to them. Though discrimination has now ended from the legal perspective, subtle discriminatory policies and practices continue to pervade business organizations and educational establishments. As such, preferential treatment programs seek to lessen inequalities and justice demands this should happen. â€Å"The first premise put forth by Wasserstrom was that race is still a significant factor in our

The Rise of Eco-Art and Its Effects on Political and Social Issues Essay

The Rise of Eco-Art and Its Effects on Political and Social Issues - Essay Example It will not be incorrect to mention that environment art has allowed people of contemporary societies to go back in time and understand the ways in which civilizations have been able to make use of the ecosystem. The trend of environment art has evolved during the late 1960s. This was the era when ecosystem and the consequences of pollution were being noted by people at best (Kastner, 2010). People were more concerned about their environment which they were contributing to ever since. Better and newer understanding was being undertaken by different institutions of the societies allowing the ecological theory to evolve by large. Since the theoretical grounds of the environmental study were being made vast, it included field work as well challenging spaces. It was this era that created environment studies as a very vibrant set of theories. As a result, a movement also evolved which took every aspect of society in its fold. Understanding the role of environment art on the social and pol itical world is a two-way process. Let alone environment art has evolved through the transitions noted in political and social ways of people. The environment has been greatly incorporated by the discipline of art allowing people to understand the ways in which man has been contributing to the environment. In particular, the different forms of eco-art include land art, art in nature etc. With the transition in the field of eco-art, it has been noted that acoustics, ecology, and bio-art has taken a greater stance in developing the theoretical implication of environment (Eco, 2012). The trend of eco-art has evolved to the extent where different universities have been involved in giving out finding for undertaking environment related projects. Students enrolled in this discipline have turned out to be effective artists and theorists. Great artists have come up with eco-art which has not just affected the lifestyle of people by the ways in which different natural objects have been consu med over the years. To count some, artists from southwest America has shown great potential over the years (Kastner, 2010). Desert landscapes have been used as one of the mediums by eco-art artists to understand sun and astronomical as tools of disseminating nature. Nancy Holt has been the vibrant among many American eco-art designers of all time (Carson, 2002). The trend of eco-art has not just included a newer section in the library with provocative theories but allowed civic forums where different people have come up with different concerns shown or expressed through modern way of eco-art. The artists involved in eco-art have enabled internet platform to diverge greater sense of awareness regarding eco-art among common people. This has made people to follow the movement of environment which was enhanced by the consumption and contribution made by eco-art (Barlow, et al., 1983). Impact on Social and Political World: It is of great significance to note that eco-art has enabled chan ge in lifestyle for everyone. At one point where eco-art has contributed in

Legal Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Perspectives - Essay Example Under the doctrine, original owners retain ownership interest, although the salvage is entitled to a very liberal salvage award. However, when property is abandoned, the way the plane was in this situation, the owner gives up the reasonable expectation of privacy concerning it. The finder of abandoned property is entitled to keep it, and a police officer may take possession of abandoned property as evidence without violating the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As deciding factor Federal law may have been given the monopoly on a subject preempting the state laws, when the federal court must try the case, it will apply the laws of the state where the controversy happened. Do you think that Mr. Champlin should have consulted with the Navy before spending his time and money on this project Should he (or the general public for that matter) have known about this special rule regarding federal property Consider whether there should be a time limit or statute of limitations regarding the forfeiture or non-forfeiture of title. Also, consider whether property should be considered lost or abandoned by the failure to protect or attempt recovery of the property. Mr. Champlin should have consulted with the Navy first. If he had taken the proper steps in notifying the Navy of what he was doing, he might have had more rights to fight the Navy. If the Government would ensure the public knew about the rules of federal property, perhaps this might not have even been a case. A time statute should be in effect. If you look at the Estray Statues it says many states have enacted estray statues that give a finder of mislaid of lost property clear title to the property if certain requirements are met. The requirements are 1. Reporting the find to an appropriate government agency 2. Advertising the lost property 3. The owner not claiming the property within a stated time (e.g., one year). The finder acquires title to the property and is thereafter not required to return the property if the rightful owner appears to claim it (Cheeseman, 2003 pg 918). Since there are special rules that apply to federal property maybe this statues wouldn't have helped him. However, if he and the public were aware of the special rules he might have reconsidered doing the project in the first place. I think there should be a time limit regarding forfeiture or non-forfeiture of title. If the owner doesn't claim the property in a certain amount of time th

Ethylene Oxide is a Carcinogen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Ethylene Oxide is a Carcinogen - Essay Example 4.2 Technical Adequacy Analysis 15-16 4.3 Data Collection Process 16 4.4 Research Design 16-17 5. Conclusion 17 7. References 18-20 Introduction: Ethylene oxide is a sterilant gas, an important industrial chemical.(14) It is used as an intermediate in the production of ethylene oxide and is toxic, when inhaled. There are reports of large health implications including respiratory disorders, dizziness, headache, and increase in exposure may also lead to convulsions, seizure and coma. It is rapidly taken up via lungs and can also be absorbed through the skin from the gas phase or from the aqueous solutions and is uniformly distributed in to the body as it is soluble in blood. Based on studies in occupationally exposed populations, ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic via inhalation route of exposure. Ethylene oxide causes leukemia, lymphoma, brain, hematopoietic and breast cancer. It is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.(14) Extensive research have been done to determine the toxicity of ethylene oxide through epidemiological studies, by exposing a cohort group of animals to ethylene oxide or on group of workers who have been...Ethylene oxide causes leukemia, lymphoma, brain, hematopoietic and breast cancer. It is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.(14) Extensive research have been done to determine the toxicity of ethylene oxide through epidemiological studies, by exposing a cohort group of animals to ethylene oxide or on group of workers who have been working in environment containing ethylene oxide.(REF) This gas releases in to the atmosphere while handing, storage and transportation. The present contribution discusses the health hazards of EtO in humans and environment. The physical and the chemical properties are also discussed. The potential exposures of this toxic gas in the environment (air, earth and water) and the occupational exposure and the routes of exposure (inhalation, skin and eye exposure and ingestion) are also discussed. The research methodologies pertaining to the occurrence of EtO is also described. Ethylene Oxide (C2H4O, EtO) is used as a sterilant in the pharmaceuticals and food industry(4). It is used as a sterilant since its biocidal, both bactericidal and fungicidal.

Imagery, Creativity, and Emergent Structure Lab Report

Imagery, Creativity, and Emergent Structure - Lab Report Example It therefore, discusses three main areas which directly impact creative cognition; creative imagery based on the methods of creative cognition, differentiate between creative imagery under conscious and deliberate controlled environment and imagery that reflects absence of control and the third being the two aspects of creative imagery; intentional and structured and spontaneous and unstructured. According to the author, mental imagery has developed into a distinct subject of research in psychology and cognitive science. The ‘studies have helped to establish that imagery is functionally distinct from other internal processes and that mental images can be distinguished from other forms of mental representation’(Finke, 1989; Kosslyn, 1994). It is a fact that the mind is capable of retrieving images from recess even if no conscious effort was made to commit them to memory. Hence, it can be safely stated that even during the process of intentional recall of an image in some specific format, the mind can generate and explore various other properties of the same image. It is equally true that given a set of perceptual items or forms as preinventive objects, the mind can conjure a host of imaginative inventions that can be interpreted in as many ways as possible. If the object category is not defined, the spontaneity of creative imagery is more inventive. The geneplore model proposed by Finke, Ward, and Smith (1992) describes many aspects of creative thinking and imagination, including the discovery of emergent structures and their possible functions. It is characterized by a unique creative imagery of preinventive forms which is a result of generative processes and explorative process that have been used in conceptualization of the final object. The structured imagery is unconsciously bound by the prior knowledge and thus the emergent structures may

Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Observation - Essay Example From the past, working together as a community has been made to go through some definite orientation bestowed by a struggle, tension with a definite concern to all the necessary aspects, which depends on socio-economical and political impacts of working together as a community. That is why it was considered by Greetz that anybody who has ever been to Bali, the length of time used is while doing little job together as a community is much significant in enabling identification of a person as relevant to the community as compared go instances where there is no sense of coordination and togetherness (Dundes 94). Communal work practice is basically concerned with how to improve satisfaction of the societal members based on economics Cultural and social contexts, which make the community, feel as a single society. The possibility for this to be moderated is of high existence because it is based on working together as members of one community in order to satisfy the desire for each other and to ensure that each and every person is committed for the well being of another person (Dundes 94). Greetz stated that, men who are considered to be working towards each other are probably considered to more pompous than a tailless cork. more or less this much similar to a spectacular desperate man who only makes last irrational effort or extricate himself away from hard situations and even similar to a dying cork who makes last movement when subjected to a common situation. Group of persons who share common ideas of professionalism has the capability of evolving under natural situations as basically because they peruse some common goal and are bounded by some specific norms. Such groups or members of the society would stop at nothing but simply work very hard to achieving facts which are only important to the development of all members of the society. Through sharing of knowledge and norms, which govern such

Imagery, Creativity, and Emergent Structure Lab Report

Imagery, Creativity, and Emergent Structure - Lab Report Example It therefore, discusses three main areas which directly impact creative cognition; creative imagery based on the methods of creative cognition, differentiate between creative imagery under conscious and deliberate controlled environment and imagery that reflects absence of control and the third being the two aspects of creative imagery; intentional and structured and spontaneous and unstructured. According to the author, mental imagery has developed into a distinct subject of research in psychology and cognitive science. The ‘studies have helped to establish that imagery is functionally distinct from other internal processes and that mental images can be distinguished from other forms of mental representation’(Finke, 1989; Kosslyn, 1994). It is a fact that the mind is capable of retrieving images from recess even if no conscious effort was made to commit them to memory. Hence, it can be safely stated that even during the process of intentional recall of an image in some specific format, the mind can generate and explore various other properties of the same image. It is equally true that given a set of perceptual items or forms as preinventive objects, the mind can conjure a host of imaginative inventions that can be interpreted in as many ways as possible. If the object category is not defined, the spontaneity of creative imagery is more inventive. The geneplore model proposed by Finke, Ward, and Smith (1992) describes many aspects of creative thinking and imagination, including the discovery of emergent structures and their possible functions. It is characterized by a unique creative imagery of preinventive forms which is a result of generative processes and explorative process that have been used in conceptualization of the final object. The structured imagery is unconsciously bound by the prior knowledge and thus the emergent structures may