Assessment of Vital SIgns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assessment of Vital SIgns - Essay Example After a brief interview, the patient reveals the cause of her short breath and explains she deliberately avoided the escalator on her way to the examination room and took a walk up the stairs (following the doctors’ advice to exercise some more). I allow her approximately 15 minutes to calm down then provide her with a gown and leave the room for her to change after instructing her to remove all her dressing except the briefs and put on the gown so that the opening is on the rear. The examination room is quiet, warm and well lit. All the measurements are taken with the patient seated down (McPhee & Papadakis, 2011). Since the patient has been allowed over 10 minutes to calm down and has not eaten or drank anything hot or cold, smoked, chewed gum in the last 10 minutes, I proceed to assess her temperature. I place a digital thermometer under her tongue to take an oral temperature and wait for it to beep before withdrawing it. I then note the patient’s temperature as indicated by the thermometer, part of the body from where it is taken and the time it was taken (McPhee, Papadakis, & Rabow, 2012). To find the patient’s pulse, I use my fingers (without the thumb) to press against the bony part of the patient’s wrist. Pressing the artery between the fingers and the wrist bone assists me to feel the pulse. Care is taken not to press too hard. Upon finding a pulse, I use a timer to count the number of beats that occur in a minute (since the pulse appears irregular). I then write down the heart rate, the irregularities observed and the time the pulse is taken (Crouch & Meurier, 2011). I then go on to assess the respiration without informing my patient since her knowledge of an on-going respiration assessment may inevitably cause her to alter her respiration and hence lead to erroneous conclusions. I count the

Are patents good or bad for Economics Term Paper

Are patents good or bad for Economics - Term Paper Example ‘Patent’ is the rights approved by the government that is bestowed to the inventor or patentee for special use of the invention for a restricted time period in the country or region, subjected to the prevailing law of that country or region. The duration for protection is generally 14 to 20 years including possible extension of 7 years (Bardowell, â€Å"Patent System†). The policy of patenting is an important part of the economy as it helps in the process of innovation and invention to the country. The paper aims to substantiate the importance of patents for an economy. For the society, the benefits are achieved when the invention moves into the public realm after a certain period of time after the invention. Also the invention is revealed to the society with the expectation that there will be improvement in the invention. The patentee holds no such intention of keeping it as a trade secret. The granting of patent may sometimes become risky for the government. The term for which duration of patents are restricted (20 years) is very elongated. For such approach, innovation or improvement on the invention might get hold for a long period of time. But granting patents always keep the government on the safe side with because they can control the innovation and invention, be it good or bad. The historical data shows that patents have always produced good results for the economy. In this section of the paper, an article from the magazine â€Å"The Economist† has been cited and analyzed. The article named ‘The good, the bad and the ugly’ has explained the traits of urge towards innovation in Britain. The objective of the article was to rate Britain as a knowledge based powerhouse among the world countries. The article establishes that for upgrading the economic growth, governments provide good reason to promote innovation. As patent is the heart of invention through innovation in the field of R&D, governments take initiatives in

American TV comedy Essay Example for Free

American TV comedy Essay Sit-coms in television history have been one of the most important genres for expressing the values of the middle and lower classes in our society, not in order to make fun of them but to express the best of them in a softer way. For the general public today, the sit-com is like the pantomime was for the Victorians. British comedy still has a Victorian taste, but it is one that is only recognized and truly appreciated by the British, which makes the British sitcoms less universal, and it does also express a more localised British culture. In reality, the appeal of American sit-coms in relation to the British is clear. In the UK, the use of social class stereotypes is more intense; they rely on a more complex social background than the US. Although it is generally felt that UK culture is gradually becoming less defined by the stereotypes of social class, it is notable that in the last five years of television, many sit-coms in UK television continue to approach mainly social class issues, which have more to do with the working class than ever before. For example, in the last year there were two productions that clearly illustrate this point: Shameless and Little Britain, recent productions by Channel 4 and the BBC, used the stereotype of the English working class. In one way it is not a universal appeal, the cultural facts make these productions localised for the UK audience. Shameless was about a family living on benefits in a council flat in Manchester. The main theme was their struggle to survive every day life. The central characters are seven children who where abandoned by their mother and are now looked after largely by their older sister because the father is an irresponsible, but arguably charming, alcoholic living on benefits. Little Britain centred around two actors who created a series of sketches; different situations which portrayed many peculiar stereotypes in English society, from a shoplifting seventeen year old girl living in east London, to a disabled man in Birmingham on benefits who shamelessly uses his generous best friend to help him with the basic daily tasks, despite the fact that he is perfectly capable of doing these tasks himself. These cultural issues make British sit-coms funny to those who recognise the social types, but if it is to be shown to an American audience the essential part of the funny elements are lost, principally because it is not related to Americans in the same way it relates to the English. In American sit-coms the appeal is more universal; there are more general jokes and the use of class is less than in the UK. Sit-coms like Friends and Will and Grace have a more general approach and the dramatisation of social issues is almost nonexistent. The jokes are directly related to the actors. When Will from Will and Grace wants to make a joke he makes one, it is not his background and his social status which is the joke but what he says. In Friends, the audience can observe the same phenomenon. Joes jokes have more to do with himself, or other members of the cast, than about his new girlfriend or the fact that she is from a working class family. Situation comedy in Britain evolved from radio comedy which in turn had its roots in music hall and variety. American sit-com developed from radio soap opera, weekly drama series which were devised to attract audiences in order to sell products. The domestic setting predominated in both variations of the form. Many early American sit-coms were transferred from radio to television. 1 Radio comedy assumed a sit-com format to attract a broader audience and to encourage listeners to listen to the shows on a regular basis. Stopping to listen to a sit-com radio show at a certain time of the week became a habitual form of entertainment for many families. For the television industry, the formula was already developed by the radio and, like everything else which is successful, copying this form was inevitable. Most sit-coms fit into our reality principally because they try to use real people in realistic situations. The programmes only last half an hour and for a fixed number of episodes. In the basic sit-com, the location is the same and every episode is self-contained; it has an end (most of the time happy) in the thirty minute slot, which allows the narrative to flow at a different pace in different weeks. The stereotypical fashion of the characters and their social types provide the humour and the ideology of the sit-com. Sit-com cannot function without stereotypes. In a space as brief as a thirty-minute sit-com, immediacy is imperative, and for a character to be immediately funny that character must be a recognisable type; a representation or embodiment of a set of ideas or a manifestation of a clichi. 2 For the American sit-com, the stereotype has to have a more universal appeal, where in Britain these stereotypes are more easily recognized in our local society, and the male and female stereotype interacts with the surroundings, making it part of the actors character. However, audiences can notice a change in American sit-coms in the last five years. They are using a more straight-forward form in sit-coms like Will and Grace. In this show, there is a new use of gay stereotypes being very open but with a universal appeal. Will is a camp butch gay guy whereas his best friend is camp and feminine, perhaps the funniest of the two of them. In Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, there is the camp gay guy who interacts with an ugly and fat flatmate. But the jokes and situations in which they are involved do not have a universal appeal because their jokes exploit additional stereotypes in English society that make the programme incomprehensible for anyone other than the British. The use of such stereotypes promotes the illusion of community which can be recognized by an audience. Making fun of any strange behaviour which is not acceptable in society, one way or another, is part of the sit-com format. Situation comedy is seen as light entertainment. According to TV producers, its function is to attract funding and to catch the audience early in the evening, offering a laugh which temporarily gives them an escape from reality. In the early days of television they were seen more as a kind of family programme. Nowadays, this light form of entertainment appeals more to a middle class part of society where after a hard day of work individuals want to watch TV without stress. It is more a form of general entertainment than anything else. Such entertainments were deliberately escapist, in that they allowed audiences to briefly recapture the sense of community destroyed by industrialisation and urban expansion. 3 There are three possible locations in which a situation comedy takes place. The first is the home and it is generally based around a family situation. The second is the workplace and the situation that occurs as a result of interaction between characters in the work environment. The third area is less clearly defined but involves a group somehow connected in a situation outside that of the workplace. 4 Shameless uses the characters neighbourhood to plot the situations, where Friends uses a flat and a local cafi , in which the characters usually meet. The use of similar locations guarantees a more realistic experience for the viewer. For Shameless viewers, the association is automatically recognised by an English audience. However, for the American audience the association would not be clear. The English audience is used to the number of council areas around many of its cities where Americans are not. In Friends, the locations appeal to both nationalities; friends meeting in a coffee shop and living together can be recognized in either country in the same way. The connection with reality engages the public more and makes Friends a more universal and commercial program than Shameless, where the scenery can only be recognized by an English audience. Despite the fact that most English sit-coms use local stereotypes, some English sit-coms have been successfully translated to American television. The show Absolutely Fabulous was originally a successful show in the UK and became one of the rare examples of a show which was screened in America and achieved the same success as it did in Britain. The only problem was that before the series could go on view, the producers decided to change many of the jokes which, for the American audience, were considered to be too rude. Plans to show the series in the USA met with problems because it was regarded as too vulgar and too pro-drug, as were the scripts for an American remake submitted to ABC TV after Roseanne Barr acquired the rights. In the end, the first British series was screened in the USA in 1994 and met with success, winning two Emmys (televisions equivalent of the Oscar). It achieved a cult status in the USA, as it did in Australia. 5 What the American producer judged as too vulgar was only a representation of British society during the Thatcher era. Absolutely Fabulous is no more than a production which explores the 70s and 80s in the present context. In one way or another, it is a portrait of English feminism and a society where post-industrial Britain had strong capitalist roots. The past and the Thatcherite present are, at times, played off against each other to produce comedy and social comment while at other points they meld together in hilarious confusion. 6 The main characters spend most of their time shopping and drinking, where Edinas daughter is more linked to nature and late twentieth century values (the post-feminism era). She only drinks natural drinks and dresses with a feminist attitude. It is the clash of both present and past which makes the comedy. The exchange of values in the way that the mothers role, which is to look after her daughter, is inverted, and the confusion with the past by Edina and Patsy which transforms Absolutely Fabulous into an international sit-com. In conclusion, there is one answer for the question Why is the English sit-com not that universal? British TV productions have had some success exporting their productions. However, the answer rests with the cultural aspects of the programmes themselves. The English audience is more open to American productions due to the fact that they are more universal; the jokes, the plots, and the sceneries can be incorporated into any culture with no need of any adjustment. The British sit-coms usually explore a more local stereotype and surroundings which make the export of these productions almost impossible. The amount of cultural ideology, which makes them funny, cannot be translated in many cases. Productions like Friends and Will and Grace explore more the actors personalities and lives than their surroundings. The cultural aspects in many cases are nonexistent. When the shoplifter from Little Britain appears, the joke is often not what she says but her accent and the way she dresses. It is a clear association with somebody who lives in the east end of London the stereotype which makes it funny, the association of the audience with reality. For a Londoner, this association comes automatically because each viewer probably knows someone like that, or would have seen somebody or even heard such an accent before. This kind of aspect cannot be translated, and in the British sit-com these references play an integral part. American productions are more appealing to an international audience because they do not focus excessively on local cultural aspects. Bibliography: Coner, J.; Harvey. S. (1996) Television Times: A Reader. Arnold Geraghty, C.; Lusted, D. (1998) Television Studies Book. Arnold Goodwin, A.; Whannel, G. (1990) Understanding Television. Routledge Marris, P.; Thornham S. (1996) Media Studies A reader. Edinburgh University Press. Neale, S; Krutnik, F. (1990) Popular film and Television Comedy. Routledge Palmer, J. (1987) The Logic of the Absurd: On film and Television. BFI Books. Strinati, D.; Wagg, S. (1992) Come on Down? Popular Media Culture in Post -War Britain. Routledge 1 Goodwin, A.; Whannel, G. (1990) Understanding Television. Routledge P130 2 Corner, J.; Harvey, S. (1996) Television Times: A Reader. Arnold P111 3 Corner, J.; Harvey, S. (1996) Television Times: A Reader. Arnold P112 4 Goodwin, A.; Whannel, G. (1990) Understanding Television. Routledge P132 5 Geraghty, C.; Lusted, D. (1998) Television Studies Book. Arnold. P289 6 Geraghty, C.; Lusted, D. (1998) Television Studies Book. Arnold. P289

Effects of Air Flow and Heating on Temperature: Experiment

Effects of Air Flow and Heating on Temperature: Experiment OBJECTIVE: To study the Air Flow effect on Temperature changes. To study the Heating Effect on Temperature changes. To study the Effect of Air Flow and Heating on Temperature changes. INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the effects of air flow or heating on temperature. An enclosed duct (Model LS17024) is used as assistance to complete our task. The reason of setting the entire component in enclosures is to prevent unnecessary problems during control design, air flow and effect of heating process. The enclosed duct is made up by several components which include fan, control panel, cooler section, observation door, condensing unit, and dry bulb thermocouple. Fan functions to provide air flow rate and there will be a controller installed on it in order to adjusting the spinning speed. Control panel was connected to that controller on fan as well as heater to control both variables air flow rate and the heating rate. Next, temperature is defining as one of the most important parameter because it represents the motion of particles. The air molecules gain more energy on average (move faster and bounce around more energetically) when the temperature increases as the result of high heating rate. In this experiment, the air flow and heating rate alter the temperature changes. Furthermore, heat transfer in three main ways: through radiation, conduction, and natural or forced convention. Heat transfer via radiation occurs through electromagnetic waves, an example being the sun’s energy reaching the earth with including emissivity and energy absorption. Besides that, heat can also be transferred through conduction between the inner surface and outer surface of an object. As long as it is conducted by heat energy, the heat will flow from hotter region to lower region. For example, there is only one end of iron rod being heated by candle, and sooner or later the other end of the rod will become warmer. This phenomenon is a common heat conduction example which explained the heat energy can transfer through particles in one object. Doesn’t like heat conduction, heat convection happened between particles in fluid and non-fluid. Just like we can feel the heat of the hot iron plate once we get near to it even no contact at all. It is because the parti cles in iron plate pass the heat energy to air molecules in surrounding and the air molecules carry out heat convection again from air molecules onto our sensor cells on our body. MATERIAL/APPARATUS: 1. An enclosed duct (Model LS17024) 2. Fan 3. Control panel 4. Cooler section 5. Observation door 6. Condensing unit 7. Dry bulb thermocouple EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: Control State of the Duct The apparatus main power supply was switched on. The system was allowed to reach steady state whereby all readings on the instrument panel show no more changes. All the readings displayed on the digital meters were recorded in Table 1. Part A: Air Flow Effect on Temperature The axial fan was switched on. The frequency was set to 5.0Hz by adjusting the frequency inverter. The system was allowed to reach steady state whereby there were no more changes in duct temperature. All the readings displayed on the digital meters were recorded in Table 1. All the above steps were repeated with frequency of 30.0Hz. The readings were recorded down in the Table 1 for different air flow rates 5.0Hz and 30.0Hz by adjusting fan frequency. Part B: Heating Effect on Temperature The heater was switched on and the heating rate was set to 40.0Â °C. The system was allowed to reach steady state whereby no observable changes in heater and duct temperature. All the readings displayed on the digital meters were recorded in Table 1. All the above steps were repeated with heating rate of 60.0Â °C. The readings were recorded down in the Table 1 for different rates 40.0Â °C and 60.0Â °C. Part C: Effect of Air Flow and Heating on Temperature Heating rate of 31.0Â °C and a fan rate of 5.0Hz, and another set with heating rate of 31.0Â °C and fan rate of 30.0Hz were selected to study their combined effect. The system was allowed to reach steady state whereby no observable changes in the duct temperature. All the readings displayed on the digital meters were recorded in Table 1. RESULTS: DISCUSSION: The purpose of this experiment is to study the effects of heating and air flow on temperature. The more kinetic energy inside an object particles cause vigorous collision which indicates that more heat been transferred from it. For sure it gives rise in temperature. Temperature is a parameter to measure the amount of thermal energy in one object based on the kinetic action between the particles. Air is made up of molecules that are constantly in motion. Once air is being warmed up, the molecules will gain energy to increase its mobility. The molecules will then collide to each other to cause effective collision. A higher temperature indicates more thermal motion between particles. So as return, a decrease in temperature will slow the movement of particles down. Fan frequency and heating rate are two factors that will alter the temperature changes. The faster the air flow rate, the more readily the surface cools as air forming a boundary layer is replaced and the temperature measured in the area is maintained low. Heat transfer in three main ways: through radiation, conduction, and natural or forced convention. Heat transfer via radiation occurs through electromagnetic waves, an example being the sun’s energy reaching the earth with including emissivity and energy absorption. Besides that, heat can also be transferred through conduction between the inner surface and outer surface of an object. As long as it is conducted by heat energy, the heat will flow from hotter region to lower region. For example, there is only one end of iron rod being heated by candle, and sooner or later the other end of the rod will become warmer. This phenomenon is a common heat conduction example which explained the heat energy can transfer through particles in one object. Doesn’t like heat conduction, heat convection happened between particles in fluid and non-fluid. Just like we can feel the heat of the hot iron plate once we get near to it even no contact at all. It is because the particles in iron plate pass the heat energy to air molecules in surrounding and the air molecules carry out heat convection again from air molecules onto our sensor cells on our body. One of the criteria for heat transfer to occur is temperature difference. As we all know, the heat will only transfer from hotter region to cooler region. According to First Law of Thermodynamic, the heat energy transferred from cooler place to hotter place is impossible. For convection, the rate of heat loss depends on the speed of ambient air flow above the surface. There will be an insulating boundary layer of warm air forming against the surface as the object surface heats the air around it. Moving air will destroy the boundary layer, letting the new cold air in and replace the original hot air. That is why the duct temperature is getting lower as the fan frequency goes higher. There are two types of convective heat transfer which are forced convection and natural convection. Forced convection was happened when there is external force existed for example Fan is considered as external force since it provides air flow. Forced convection can transfer faster heat rate compared to nat ural convection due to the stronger air flow rate which speed up the moving air that carries the heat energy. Furthermore, the temperature increases slowly for natural convection because heat energy is transferred in natural condition. At the early state of experiment, heater and fan were switched off so that we can observe the initial reading of all temperature gauges. The duct, heater and surrounding / ambient temperature were noted as 30.0 ËÅ ¡C, 30.0 ËÅ ¡C and 30.0ËÅ ¡C respectively. This set of data is the controlled set in this experiment. In part B experiment, the fan frequency was initially set to 5Hz. The results came out for duct, ambient and heater temperature were 29.9 ËÅ ¡C, 29.9ËÅ ¡C, 30.0 ËÅ ¡C respectively. After this, we need to wait for the whole component to stabilize (cool down) before carry out next set of part A experiment. Next, the fan frequency was reset to 30Hz. The duct, ambient and heater temperature were recorded 29.8 ËÅ ¡C, 29.9 ËÅ ¡C and 30.0 ËÅ ¡C respectively. From the result, we can conclude that the duct temperature is getting low as we increase the fan frequency. This is fan has create a force convection with disrupt all the insulating boundary layer and allow the new and cooler air to come into enclosing duct. For part B experiment, the heating rate was initially set to 40 ËÅ ¡C. The duct and ambient temperature came out as 31.1 ËÅ ¡C and 30.1 ËÅ ¡C. After that we repeat the cooling down process as what we did in part B experiment for system stabilization, the heating rate was then reset to 60 ËÅ ¡C. The duct and ambient temperature were recorded as 35.5 ËÅ ¡C and 30.9 ËÅ ¡C .The readings prove that the duct temperature had rose compared to last set experiment. This is because the particles in air gained greater kinetic energy and collides with each other faster, causing an increase in temperature. In part C experiment, both fan and heater were involved. In first trial (first condition), we had the combination of 5Hz fan frequency and 31.0 ËÅ ¡C of heater temperature. The duct and ambient temperature came out as 31.0 ËÅ ¡C and 30.6 ËÅ ¡C. Again the system needed to be stabilized in order to get more accurate reading for next part. For second trial (second condition) we made the condition as 30Hz fan frequency and 31.0 ËÅ ¡C of heater temperature together. The duct and ambient temperature were recorded as 30.9 ËÅ ¡C and 30.6 ËÅ ¡C. The data proves that the duct temperature in second trial is higher than that in first trial. This is because the air flow has again destroyed the insulating boundary layer and the heating rate can’t counter with intruding of new cold air. In conclusion, there is few precaution steps need to be taken throughout the whole experiment. Firstly, the temperature should be adjusted from low temperature reading to high temperature reading so that the remained heat won’t affect the next coming set. Next, this experiment should be conducted in a closed room and located far away from heating or cooling system so that the temperature won’t be easily affected. CONCLUSION: The objective of the experiment which is to study the effects of heating and air flow on temperature was successfully determined. Air flow rate and heating rate are the main factors that affect the temperature. In this experiment, heat transferred by using convection. Fan was acting as forced convection which alters the velocity of moving air to disrupt the insulating boundary layer to allow the cool air to replace the original warm air. When heater was switched on, air is heated and expands. The molecules in warm gained greater kinetic energy and collide with each other faster, causing an increase in temperature. REFERENCES: Convection. (n.d). Retrieved March 20, 2014 from http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/heatra.html Effects of Heat and Airflow inside an Enclosure. (n.d). Retrieved March 20, 2014 from http://www2.emersonprocess.com/siteadmincenter/PM%20DeltaV%20Documents/Whitepapers/WP_Heat_Airflow_Encl.pdf Jain,R. (n.d). Heat Transfer. Retrieved March 20, 2014 from http://www.budind.com/pdf/BasicsofEnclosureCoolingWhitePaper2.pdf

Portfolio Assessment Essay -- essays papers

Portfolio Assessment Perhaps the most prominent form of alternative assessment in use today is the student portfolio. A portfolio can be described as a â€Å"purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student’s efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas of the curriculum.† Key elements of the portfolio include evidence of students’ choosing the contents of their own portfolio, specific criteria for the selection and assessment of student work, and clear evidence that the student has reflected on his or her work (Chriest & Maher, n.d.). Portfolios have been proven an effective means of student assessment in many areas of schooling, from preschool all the way through post-graduate work. Portfolio assessment has also been rendered effective in many business settings to determine the value of an employee. The advantages of portfolio assessment are many. Foremost, portfolios, when compared to written testing, provide teachers with a more complete picture of a student’s progress. Portfolios exhibit a student’s ability to problem solve and to reflect on the work that he has done. They also give students the opportunity to tangibly track their progress in a class. When implemented, portfolios can also encourage a school system to work towards a more â€Å"collaborative evaluation environment† (Curry, 2000). This indicates that the portfolios are not only tools for teachers to assess a student’s progress, but also for administrators to monitor a teacher’s classroom management. Disadvantages of portfolio assessment also exist: in many studies, â€Å"students found that keeping a portfolio contributed little to their self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses and, in some cases, that it even reinforced weakn... ...sment/alt_assessment.html This webpage lists other websites useful in alternative assessment. Resources are grouped by online location and subject. UniServe Science. (2004). Alternative strategies for science teaching and assessment. Retrieved March 7, 2004 from http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/support/strategy.html This is an excellent resource that lists and explains not only creative alternatives to written testing but also ways to reach every student with every style of learning. Strategies outlined include virtual field trips, collaborative work, and debates. Worcester, T. (n.d.). Electronic portfolios. Retrieved April 14, 2004 from http://www.essdack.org/port/index.html This site contains information on electronic portfolios. Specifically, it includes reasons for considering, how to create, and assessment of electronic portfolios.

Elton’s interpretation of the roles of Somerset and Northumberland Essay

Geoffrey Elton presented a view of Somerset as an incompetent leader, who failed to fill the political vacuum the ascension of an infant monarch had created; nonetheless, he was noble minded and had visionary aims. On the other hand, Elton saw Northumberland as ambitious and power greedy; however, he did recognise that Northumberland had introduced welcome reforms to the finances and administration, which certainly marked an improvement upon Somerset’s rule. In this essay, I will argue that Elton’s assessment of their reforms and actions was correct, although his judgement of their characters, although true to a certain extent, has been exaggerated. Somerset demonstrated very little concern for humanitarian reform, as has been said by historians such as Elton, and his rule merely exacerbated problems at the end of Henry’s reign. However, Northumberland showed more political ability in tackling the equally bad situation he faced and was not as power hungry as Elto n suggested. There were significant problems at the end of Henry’s reign. His foreign policy had led to a poor financial situation; wars with France and Scotland, although a matter of national pride, actually achieved very little and led to huge debts. Over 2 million had already been spent on the war with Scotland, however victory would have far outweighed these huge financial repercussions. Somerset, therefore, inherited huge financial problems with huge debts and a debased coinage; in addition, the war with Scotland continued and hostilities with France were high. However, it would be a mistake to say that the situation was at a point of no return, Somerset’s political inability is demonstrated in his failure to deal with the situation inherited from Henry. Indeed, his actions worsened the financial status of the Crown and served only to escalate discontent in his reign. Somerset’s political inability is shown in his failure to discontinue the damaging Scottish war; he didn’t realise, as his successor did, that the Scottish war was unsustainable. Rather, Somerset’s decision to continue the war was the worst possible start for his rule and indicative of his inability, it lead to a poor economic situation throughout his protectorate and also to his neglect of the more important issues facing his subjects. The Chantries Act (1547) that continued the dissolution of the monasteries in Henry’s reign created inflation; as a result, prices, especially grain, rose rapidly fuelling discontent among the poor. Had Somerset been more politically astute, he would have ended the Scottish war and undertaken financial reform. Instead, he made little or no effort to resolve the economic problems and left Northumberland with a worse situation than he had inherited. In this respect, I agree with Elton, who said that Somerset was â€Å"without any sign of administrative or political sense,† 1 this was not, however, limited to his economic policy. Somerset also inherited a nation divided on religion. Henry, although he had split from papal authority, never made the full transition from Catholicism to Protestantism as Northumberland did later in the Edwardian period. Rather, the doctrinal modifications, which followed the split from Rome, resulted in a confused nation. The ten articles of 1536 had seemed to establish England as Protestant; however, the six articles 3 years later represented the return of some Catholic doctrine. As a result, there was a certain confusion and ambiguity as regards the state religion to some extent to do with the competition of the conservative and reform factions of the court, but also the fact the Henry had never been totally converted to Protestantism. Nevertheless, since he followed a monarch who had implemented perhaps the largest religious reform in the history of the church, Somerset had to deal with a situation of religious insecurity. Arguably, the effects of religious reform are harder to forecast than the effects of economic policy; therefore, it is easier to condemn Somerset as inept on the basis of his economic policies than it is on the basis of his religious reforms. Somerset’s religious reforms moved towards Protestantism with the introduction of a new Prayer Book and the Act of Uniformity as well as the Chantries Act, which abolished the remnants of Catholicism. However, in an attempt to appease both sides of the spectrum, a certain ambiguity still remained and Catholicism had not been categorically denied. However, the reforms were met only with discontent, for some it was too extreme and for others too moderate. The Treason Act, which ended restrictions on the discussion of religious doctrine, served only to make matters worse and led to disorder. In terms of religious reform, the outcome would have been more stable had Somerset done nothing. We have seen that religious turmoil was the result of a lack of continuity in the short Edwardian and Marian eras. This suggests that a period of stability following the fast paced religious reform of the Henrician rule would have been beneficial in Somerset’s protectorate. However, as we have noted, the outcome of religious reform would have been much harder to gauge at the time. While Somerset’s religious policy is not the sign of an expert politician, it cannot be used to condemn him to the same extent as his economic record. His religious reform, therefore, supports Elton’s view that â€Å"Somerset had talked much about liberty but had produced disorder.† 2 His aim to appease the extremes can at least be seen as well meaning, while his actions were not those of an experienced politician; furthermore, his belief that appeasing the extremes was possible at th is point is arguably naive. Somerset was poor at dealing with the growing feeling of discontent in England. Not only was he largely responsible for the growth of discontent due to his economic and religious policies, but more importantly, instead of dealing with the roots of discontent he attempted to control the disorder that resulted. The Vagrancy Act (1547) was a heavy-handed attempt to control the public, it meant that anyone out or work for 3 days would be branded with a V and sold into slavery for two years. He put out the message that dissent was not to be tolerated, though his action was strong it showed few signs of effective leadership. As his reign progressed it was clear that he showed no signs of dealing with the root of the issue, rather to avoid rebellion. A reform programme was supposedly being put together by John Hales, who later turned out not to exist. Furthermore, having blamed the problems on enclosure, reforms to remedy the problem were merely piecemeal and demonstrated indecisiveness. Somerset was inept; the paranoid measures preceding his fall such as bans on football and on the spreading of rumours simply confirm the hypothesis that Somerset had no real understanding of the political situation. In a similar vein to his belief that he could appease the religious extremes, attempting to pacify a discontented populace with piecemeal anti-enclosure measures and a fake reform programme was equally naive. Somerset fell from grace because of his own inability to rule; Elton’s assessment was clearly correct: â€Å"Somerset was †¦ disastrous as a leader.† 3 However, Elton’s view of Somerset as a humanitarian reformer with the best intentions exceeds the reasonable bounds of optimism. Most people, who have a most basic sense of human rights, would see the Vagrancy Act as simply morally corrupt. His poor management of the economy and heavy-handed measures of control hit those most in need the hardest. This demonstrates almost a total disregard for the needs of the poor; furthermore, anyone regarded as a humanitarian reformer, or at least a man with good intentions, would be incapable of passing the Vagrancy Act. It has been conceded that some good will may have lay behind his religious reform, also anti-enclosure legislation may show faint concern for the poor. However, such evidence is far outweighed by his record of controlling legislation. Somerset was not a humanitarian reformer; Elton seems to have avoided the conclusion that a rudimentary presentation of the facts would suggest. Rather, the failure of anti-enclosure legislation is evidence of Somerset appeasing the elite as well attempting to pacify the poor, an end from which he could gain a lot more politic al capital. Indeed, far from concurring with Elton’s thesis on this issue, I suggest that Somerset was motivated by a desire to secure his own position of power. His continued use of proclamations as well as his neglect of the Privy Council demonstrates this theme. The Treason Act had done more than permit religious discussions; it repealed a previous act, which said that royal proclamations had the same force as acts of Parliament. Consequently, Somerset was now able to issue proclamations without the consent of his council and he frequently availed himself of this opportunity. Indeed, on average Somerset issued 13 more proclamations per year that usual. Furthermore, his attempts to hold onto power by control rather than tackling the root issues point to a man who was motivated by a need to secure his own position. Elton did recognise his neglect of the council: â€Å"He alienated his fellow councillors whose feelings and ideas he persistently ignored.† 4 However, Elton did not recognise the power seeking nature of Somerset’s character. I would agree with Heard who presented Somerset, not as a man with noble aims as Elton suggests, but as an â€Å"arrogant self-seeker.† 5 Therefore, It seems that Elton was correct in his judgement of Somerset as an inept leader as demonstrated in his economic and to some extent his religious policies as well as his abysmal handling of a situation of unrest, which he himself had created. However, Somerset was power seeking, not a man of noble aims; his record of legislation was clearly not motivated by a concern for the poor. Elton said: â€Å"It is difficult to say who did more harm to the country they were supposed to govern.† 6 It can certainly be said that Somerset exacerbated the poor situation after Henry’s reign, the economic situation worsened through continuation of the wars and the Chantries Act. Religious confusion was not eased and arguably fuelled dissent and he left a country in unrest after the rebellions that led to his fall. Therefore, I agree with Elton’s view that he was inept and cause harm to the country, although I disagree with Elton’s view of Somerset’s aims. Northumberland, on the other hand, introduced welcome reforms. Elton argues as much, however I believe Elton exaggerated his assessment of Northumberland as power hungry; furthermore, Northumberland’s effective reforms did not harm the country and it is unjust to tar Northumberland and Somerset with the same brush. Northumberland inherited a worse situation than Somerset and demonstrated political astuteness in his action, which dealt with the root of the problem. In addition, his dealings with the Privy Council and use of proclamation were far removed from the power hungry tactics of Somerset. Though his religious policy was arguably harsh and his attempts to alter the succession seem power seeking, Elton exaggerated this element of Northumberland’s character. Arguably, Northumberland’s best move was to end the Scottish and French wars. Indeed, the way in which the two leaders dealt with the wars can be seen as key in defining their rule and also how we interpret their ability. The treaty of Boulogue, although bad for England in the short-term, allowed the finances to improve and Northumberland to focus on the serious social unrest, Somerset’s mess that Northumberland was forced to deal with. The treaty is a clear indication of Northumberland’s superior ability to Somerset; indeed, this theme is shown throughout the governance. Far from harming the country, Northumberland had shown realism and taken the first step towards recovery. Furthermore, re-evaluation of the coinage and prohibition of usury in 1552 helped to improve the economy. Northumberland, in contrast with Somerset, made some positive achievements; his economic policies helped to reverse the terrible situation left by Somerset. Moreover, his governance seem s to have shown a commitment to reform, which had a current and lasting positive effect. The reformation of the revenue courts was indicative of this commitment to reform. In 1549, five ministries were responsible for collecting money and the situation was worsened by corruption in some courts. Although reform was not carried out under his rule, the recommendations of the Royal Commission were carried out in the Marian era. Therefore, the Boulogue treaty coupled with other economic policies and a clear commitment to financial reform demonstrates that Northumberland was an able politician. Northumberland’s economic policies were sound and he should be praised for steering a course out of the economic disaster created by Henry and worsened by Somerset. Indeed, it is arguable that Northumberland set the foundations for stable finances through into the Marian and Elizabethan eras. Elton notes that in Mary’s reign â€Å"financial and administrative recovery †¦ owed nothing to the queen or her policy.† 7 This adds strength to the argument that Northumberland deserves particular credit for his economic policy. Certainly, Elton was unreasonable to ask which of the two did more harm to the country. In doing so Elton comes dangerously close to equating the achievements of the two; however, Northumberland could not be accused of harming the country, particularly in reference to the finances. However, on this issue, it seems that this quote should be taken with a pinch of salt, for, within the same paragraph Elton praised Northumberland’s economic policies. Ignoring that rather peculiar quote, I would concur with Elton’s high acclaim of Northumberland’s financial reforms, which Elton says â€Å"provided the basis for sound finance in the reign of Elizabeth I.† 8 His religious policy resulted in a largely more favourable result than that of Somerset. Northumberland’s policy was clear; the Church of England was to become Protestant. The 1552 Prayer Books changed the services to meet Protestant doctrine and all ‘glamour’ was removed in favour of simplicity. Somerset’s mistake had been to introduce half-hearted, indecisive reform that attempted to appease as many people as possible. By contrast, Northumberland was decisive; arguably, this was a risky strategy as it may have incited catholic rebellion. However, rebellions were small and Northumberland was successful in crushing them. It is clear that his religious policy was, once again, a sign of his political ability. Northumberland had recognised that decisive action would create the stability required after the fast paced and confusing reform of his predecessors. His religious policy has been accused of being harsh; though this may be the case, it was a successful policy. Furthermore, it is arguable that had Mary not usurped the Protestant reformation, Northumberland’s religious policy would have enjoyed the same long-term success as his financial policies. Northumberland’s successful consolidation of the reformation supports Elton’s argument that he showed skill in public affairs 9. Further support for Elton’s assessment of Northumberland’s role comes from his handling of the social unrest. He deserves credit for his handling of the serious law and order problem during his rule. The aftermath of the 1549 rebellions and bad economic situation following Somerset’s fall coupled with three bad harvests and a collapse of the cloth trade meant that Northumberland had serious social unrest and disaffection to deal with. Rather than attempting to control and crush the unrest like Somerset, Northumberland attempted to solve the root problems and therein Northumberland’s greater understanding of the situation is demonstrated. Sheep tax was abolished, enclosure commissions were abandoned, an Act in 1552 protected arable farming and a new poor law meant that Northumberland had a more successful social policy. Furthermore, his success with financial recovery enhanced his efforts at calming dissent largely through reducing inflation. In this regard, though not a humanitarian reformer, Northumberland â€Å"demonstrated a concern for social justice† 10, which was clearly greater than that of Somerset. Again I would support the view of Elton that Northumberland showed political skill demonstrated here by his social policy, which solved the root problems rather than attempting to control the dissent. Therefore, Elton was correct in pointing out the very positive achievements of Northumberland’s reign. He played an important role in halting the financial and religious problems, which were created by Henry and exacerbated by Somerset. This was not a point that Elton expressly put forward, however I think this was a significant part of Northumberland’s role, which should be emphasised. I would also agree with Elton that his financial reforms were influential far past his fall although I would venture to suggest that his religious reform also had an influence in the future, though to a lesser extent, in shaping Elizabeth’s policy 11. There may be an argument, however, to suggest that the assessment of Northumberland’s role in the preceding paragraphs has gone too far to presenting Northumberland as a political genius. It must not be forgotten that Northumberland always had the benefit of hindsight, having seen the failures of Somerset’s reign. His financial, religious and social policies can all be seen as informed by the failures of Somerset’s reign. Whether, for example, Northumberland would have followed the same decisive religious policy had he been the direct successor of Henry is an interesting question. Therefore we must conclude that Northumberland was an apt politician, though certainly not anywhere near a political genius as we must recognise that he was able to learn from Somerset’s reign. It is possible to argue on the exact political abilities of Northumberland and how much advantage hindsight afforded him; however, the fact remains that his achievements were positive. While I may give more credit to Northumberland in some areas of his role, I would concur with Elton’s view that Northumberland was an apt politician. Moreover, his view that â€Å"Northumberland’s rule marked an improvement on Somerset’s† 12 is clearly correct and is supported by other historians, such as Alan Smith: â€Å"Northumberland was a much more realistic and effective ruler than the traditionally overpraised Somerset.† 13 Elton was correct in his assessment of Northumberland as greedy, however he has exaggerated the claim that Northumberland was power hungry. It is clear that this desire for power was present in his character as revealed in the desperate attempt to alter the succession at the end of his rule; nevertheless, it did not dominate his governance as Somerset’s desire for power motivated much of his policy. It is undeniable that during his rule his power and wealth increased significantly. Initially he gave himself the Earldom of Warwick and later became the Duke of Northumberland. He proceeded to make financial gains through land; many of his followers took the liberty to do the same. Clearly, he exploited his position to satisfy his greed and many argued this was at the expense of the King. Therefore, I would not argue with Elton’s view that Northumberland was greedy. His desperate attempt to alter the succession is certainly a sign of a serious desire for power. He attempted in vain to abandon the previous succession acts of Henry’s reign to bypass Mary and Elizabeth and install Lady Jane Grey, through whom Northumberland could retain a high level of power. It was a failure from the outset, he was unable to secure Mary’s arrest and upon the death of Edward the people of England opted unsurprisingly for the rightful heir. It was a dismal end to his governance and certainly evidence of a serious desire for power. However, as evidence of his desire for power, it should be viewed in the context of his whole governance. This was an act of desperation at the end of a rule in which his policies could not be seen as indicative of a thirst for power. Many of Somerset’s policies were methods of control to secure his position; moreover, he had demonstrated his desire for power through continued use of proclamation and a neglect of his council. Northumberland, despite the end of his rule, displayed a far more restrained policy and attitude to government, which leads me to the conclusion that Elton has exaggerated his claims of Northumberland as power hungry. Northumberland restored the Privy Council to its proper position under his guidance and control. Although he did not limit his power to use proclamations, he was much more cautious with their use making sure they were always based on parliamentary statute; furthermore, he made sure he consulted the council. This restrained attitude to government is evidence of him limiting his power and therefore is not demonstrative of desire for power. Of course, one could argue that he had learnt from Somerset’s mistakes and realised that the approach he took was the best way to keep in his council’s favour and thus maintain power. This argument leads to the opposite conclusion that this attitude to government demonstrates his desire for power. However, the fallacy of the latter argument is that his attitude to government led to the retention of his position, not to power. His motivation for this relationship with his council was to remain in his position; the fact remains that throu gh these means his power was limited and therefore it seems that it is more reasonable to accept the former argument. His policy and governance was not indicative of power hunger. Therefore, his desperate attempt to alter the succession coupled with his moderate policy and governance as discussed above lead to the conclusion that he did have a desire for power, but not to the extent that Elton suggested. It is worthy of note that the very nature of Somerset and Northumberland’s rules implies a certain extent of power hunger. Their positions relied upon taking advantage of the political vacuum opened up by the infant monarch. Therefore, I would agree with Elton that Northumberland was greedy, however to say that â€Å"Northumberland was exceedingly ambitious of power† 14 is an exaggeration and is not supported by his record in power. Lastly, it must be noted that though Northumberland may have displayed some unpleasant character traits, this does not infringe upon the success of his reform programmes. In brief conclusion, I agree with Elton’s interpretation of the roles of Somerset and Northumberland to a certain extent. I agree with Elton that Somerset was incompetent and his role did indeed harm the country exacerbating the problems he inherited from Henry. However, Elton’s view of Somerset as a humanitarian reformer is an error. Largely, I concur with Elton’s view of Northumberland although I would give him more credit for dealing with serious problems he faced and leaving a lasting political influence. Furthermore, he was undoubtedly greedy, yet Elton has exaggerated his desire for power. If we ignore the characters of the two rulers, Elton’s general view seems to be that Somerset was damaging whereas Northumberland brought forward marked improvements. In this general sense, I would agree with Elton’s thesis. 1 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 208 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. p. 210 4 Ibid. p. 208 5 Heard, N. quoted from Webb, C. â€Å"Was it the policies pursued by Henry VIII that caused ‘the mid-Tudor crisis’?† 6 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 210 7 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 214 8 Ibid. p. 209 9 Ibid. p. 210 10 Smith, A.G.R. The Emergence of a Nation State. p. 71 11 Anderson, A. and Imperato, T. An Introduction to Tudor England 1485-1603. p. 154 12 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 209 13 Smith, A.G.R. The Emergence of a Nation State. p. 73 14 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 209

Video Games Are Not a Bad Influence on Children

Majority of people think that video games are a bad influence on children and teens. Children need to know what is right from worng and the people that can teach them is their parents. Children need to realize reality from fiction. School teacher can also help the children with the reality. I believe that videos games do not have a bad influence on children.Parents need to teach their children that video games are only games and the thing that are done in the games are things that can not be done in the real world. Video games have more violence now than usual, but the parents should teach their children that violence is not the way to solve anything. Majority of the young parents accept the violence video games because they themselves grew up with those games and they want their children to go up with them as well.The old generations didn't grow up with video games and the new generation is. The factuly and staff of the school can also prevent violence, because just as much as child ren are with their parents they are with the factuly and staff at the school. When a child does or even makes a gesture its up to the factuly or staff to put a stop to it. If the factuly or staff does not put a stop to the bad gesture then the child is going to think its ok and he is going to keep doing it.