Why Some Nations Experienced Rapid?

It is evident form the different region and countries that are active and operating all over the world that economic growth is not equally distributed amongst all nations. Some countries depict an increasing rate of economic growth like in China, India and Singapore, while others are facing recession like Europe and America. Moreover the nature of the economic growth is also different ranging from short term economic growth to sustainable long term economic growth. The following paper provides information on the matter of economic growth and why it is different for different countries in the world. The major sources of growth which can result in a successful macroeconomic environment in a country pertain to growth in the productivity and the operations taking place in the country. Private ownership of industries and businesses motivates people to be more successful at them and perform better resulting in exponential economic growth in the region. Aside from this the policies favoring freedom to exchange enable the business to interact and trade freely resulting in more economic activity. Competitive markets reduce inefficiencies and provide continuous improvement for the industry and the economy. An efficient capital market enables the region to convert its capital mechanism into a wealth generating projects. Moreover the present of monetary stability in the region contains and stabilizes the pricing in the market as well. This is as opposed to inflationary monetary policies which distort optics in the regional market. The low tax rates in the region also enable the country to achieve economic growth as the people are able and permitted to keep more of what they earn off their productivity, resulting in more drive to increase their productivity. Lastly establishment of free trade zones enable the region to increase its economic activity as well as the country can export products it is efficient at producing and can import those which it dopes not have at very low costs. The above highlighted main elements which lead to economic growth of regions and countries can be lacking in some countries, and this is the main reason as to why some countries experience economic growth while other don’t in the same period of time. Countries having a high level of poverty, unemployment and the lack of basic infrastructure and standardized way of life often experience stagnant economic growth. However if capital investment is made in these countries to make use of the unemployment levels and increase productivity and employ people in the industries, then its possible to create a long term positive economic growth for the country. Countries riddled with bureaucracy are often having high level of inefficiencies in its markets resulting in stunted growth. Similarly the lack of establishment of relations with other countries and the lack of trade zones and agreements can also result in low productivity ad trade for the country depicting low or no level of economic growth. As highlighted above capital investment in the country is very important, specific to the development of the infrastructure and establishment of new profit generating industries. One sector of immense growth is the technology and the telecommunications sector. Investment in the field of information technology can increase the communication network in the region. â€Å"There are three main channels through which ICT can affect growth rates of GDP per capita: i) an acceleration of productivity in the ICT-producing sectors themselves and, despite what was said above about the limited role for shifts between broad economic sectors, a growing size of ICT-producing sectors in the economy; ii) capital deepening across the economy, driven by rapid investment in ICT equipment, and resulting in a boost to labor productivity; and iii) widespread spillover effects on productivity arising from the use of ICT technology.† (Elmeskov & Scarpetta, 2000) In order to induce growth in a region, in the long term, some sacrifices have to be made in the short term for a sustainable level of growth which is not temporary or non incremental and developmental in nature. The most evident sacrifice that needs to be made is by the consumers and the people in the country who have to save money and reduce their spending on consumer goods specifically those imported form international sources. Instead buying locally produced goods and services increases the demand and therefore the productivity in the local market resulting in economic growth which is developmental in nature. Aside form this the decisions need to be made where the industries and the companies operating in the region have to invest in projects which provide long term sustainable growth instead of short term profit generating projects. It is also possible for the political, social and the legal environment in certain countries to pose as barriers for sustained economic growth. The political scenario in the country determines the focus the developmental and economic policies being made in the region. An unstable political environment provides uncertainty in the industry resulting in lack of economic growth while a development oriented political climate increases economic growth in the region. Similarly the legislature pertaining to how trade is conducted with countries and the nature of investment in the region also determine economic growth for the region. If the legislature is very conservative hinting bureaucracy then it poses as a barrier for economic growth. Moreover the social constructs and the cultural values of the people in a country can also result in reduced economic growth. One main example of this is the lack of women participation in the contribution towards the economy in the South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. References Elmeskov, J., Scarpetta, S., ‘New Sources Of Economic Growth In Europe?’, The New Millennium – Time For A New Economic Paradigm, 2000, accessed March 9, 2008 from      

Barriers to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Essay

Health promotion has been defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and to improve it. This process requires personal participation and supportive environments. For people with disabilities, however, personal participation is often limited by non-supportive environments. Lack of knowledge on how to modify programs to meet specific needs, poor attitudes, and unfriendly environments often creates insurmountable barriers to participation for many people with disabilities. While innovative medical technology has increased the life span of individuals with disabilities, little attention has focused on improving their health span. The reportedly high incidence of chronic secondary conditions seen in persons with disabilities, including pain, fatigue, low functional capacity, obesity, and depression, is often related to environmental conditions that include poor health promotion practices. Smith wrote: â€Å"People with disabilities therefore represent significant health needs and investment in health care resources, both in terms of the primary disability and secondary complications. Although the prevention of these conditions is important, of equal importance is to make living with them as healthy as possible, as many disabilities are life-long. Although health promotion may be significant in leading to lower levels of premature mortality, higher quality of life and lower health care costs for the general population, it has the potential to be even more significant for those already with a disability, whose quality of life and independence rely critically on their ability to maintain their narrow margin of health.† With the emerging concept that individuals with disabilities can improve their health in the same manner as anyone else, there is growing momentum for providing quality health promotion programs for people with disabilities. Maintaining health and wellness is especially important for people with disabilities because functional limitations that often accommodate a primary impairment (neurological dysfunction) may reduce a person’s capacity to engage in health promoting behaviors and result in a higher frequency of secondary conditions. These secondary conditions are defined as â€Å"†¦physical, medical, cognitive, emotional, or psychosocial consequences to which persons with disabilities are more susceptible by virtue of an underlying impairment, including adverse outcomes in health, wellness, participation and quality of life†. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of health promotion for people with disabilities in the areas of exercise, nutrition and health education, and to describe a health promotion service delivery model that addresses the gap in services between rehabilitation and community-based health promotion. The vast majority of people with disabilities are not obtaining the recommended amount of physical activity needed to confer health benefits and prevent secondary conditions (e.g., heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis). In a study by Rimmer, it was found that less than 10 percent of adults with physical disabilities engaged in structured physical activity programs. A possible reason for this high level of inactivity may be linked to the number of actual and perceived barriers to exercise reported by people with disabilities. Transportation, cost of the exercise program, and not knowing where to exercise were listed as the three most common barriers. In a related study, Messent reported that the barriers to physical activity participation in adults with developmental disabilities were unclear policy guidelines in residential and day service programs; transportation and staffing constraints; limited financial resources; and limited availability of physical activity programs in the person’s community. While these external barriers may impose major limitations on exercise participation, internal barriers may also create obstacles to participation. Kinne reported that exercise self-efficacy and motivational factors were significant predictors of exercise maintenance in a group of adults with disabilities. Health disparities refer to differences between groups of people. These differences can affect how frequently a disease affects a group, how many people get sick, or how often the disease causes death. Many different populations are affected by disparities. These include †¢Racial and ethnic minorities †¢Residents of rural areas †¢Women, children, the elderly †¢Persons with disabilities While better nutritional habits are a major concern for most people with and without disabilities, there may be some specific differences in diet and nutrition guidelines pertaining to people with specific types of disabilities. Issues related to accessing healthy foods, determining food interactions with commonly used medications to control various secondary conditions ( pain, seizures, depression), and establishing specific requirements for food supplements ( vitamins, minerals, fluid intake) are all major concerns among people with certain disabilities. For example, people with spinal cord injury have a higher rate of bone loss after their injury, which increases their risk of osteoporosis. A few studies on persons with cerebral palsy and Down syndrome have also reported a higher incidence of osteoporosis. While it is the recommended daily allowance for calcium intake and vitamin D may need to be increased for certain types of disabilities to offset the rate of bone loss, recommen ded guidelines are not available. There are little data available to support this theory. There is a pressing need to conduct more research on various types of disabilities that have a reportedly higher incidence of bone loss, to determine the effects of exercise and nutritional supplements (calcium, vitamin D) in reducing or slowing the progression of this condition. Health education can have a measurable impact on empowering people with disabilities to improve their own health. For example, people with depression, manic depression, schizophrenia etc. should practice medication management with the assistance of a physician or nurse practitioner. Many states offer education classes dealing with communication with family members and the public along with skills on how to cope with mental illness. There are also cooking, cleaning, and hygienic classes and job training skills. In my experience job coaches are available to help ease the transition from unemployment to gainful employment practices. Many disabled individuals still experience discrimination from others who do not understand what mental illness is and don’t take the time to find out how to cope daily with a friend, family member or co-worker who may suffer from mental illness. In Belize Central America poverty is a big problem. In an article I read had this to say, â€Å"The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) said Tuesday that it had approved a US$15 million loan to help Belize provide better basic health care, improve secondary education and strengthen its capacity to target, coordinate and evaluate social protection programs.†These measures will help the government achieve the goals of its National Poverty Elimination Strategy,† the IDB said in a statement. It said that one-third of the country’s population lives under the poverty line and the poorest sector of society lacks adequate basic health and secondary education services. â€Å"In some southern rural areas, like the Toledo district, 79 per cent of the population is poor and 56 per cent is classified as indigent. â€Å"The IDB said that in order to strengthen primary health care for the most vulnerable sectors, the funds will support government plans to increase enrolment in the National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot program.†It will also protect the 2009-2010 budget lines needed to at least maintain NHI coverage at 95 per cent of the population in south-side Belize City and 84 percent in the Southern Region. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is also addressing the significant barriers to mental health care experienced by African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Latino/Hispanic populations. NAMI is developing national partnerships and strategies to overcome the crisis. There is also increasing emphasis on improving quality of health care within the existing services in the United States. To achieve quality, there must be: 1. Improved access to care for all people. 2. Appropriate and acceptable treatment plans that incorporate multidisciplinary knowledge. 3. A workforce of sufficient numbers and qualifications. 4. Agreement on indicators for health care quality. 5. Responsible practices and follow-through on the part of patients. One study of infants revealed the cost of hospitalizing premature infants, the need to improve prenatal care to women at high risk for delivering preterm or low-birth-weight infants, and the need to improve outcomes for those infant. There is still so much to be done to increase health and the quality of life in persons with disabilities and those with chronic health issues. Health promotion has been defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and to improve it. This process requires personal participation and supportive environments. Reference Rimmer JH, (1999). Health promotion for people with disabilities: the emerging paradigm shift from disability prevention to prevention of secondary conditions Physical Therapy. 79(5), 495-502. Ravesloot C, Seekins T, Young Q, (1998). Health Promotion for People with Chronic Illness and Physical Disabilities: The Connection between Health Psychology and Disability Prevention Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. 5, 76-85. Thierry JM, (1998). Promoting the health and wellness of women with disabilities. Journal of Women’s Health. 7(5), 505-507. Stuifbergen, Alexa K., PhD, RN, Heather Becker, PhD, and Dolores Sands, PhD, RN, (1990). Barriers to health promotion for individuals with disabilities Family & Community Health. Smith RD, (2000). Promoting the health of people with physical disabilities: a discussion of the financing and organization of public health services in Australia Health Prom Int. 15, 79-86. 13(1), 11-22. Belize to receive IDB funds for health, education. (2009, Oct 07). BBC Monitoring Americas. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/460151112?accountid=32521

Famous and Wise Quotes About Friendship

What more can you ask God for, if you have already been gifted a good friend? True friends are difficult to find. Friendship is a flower that needs to be nurtured. Over a period of time, friendship blossoms and makes your life fragrant with love and energy. And should you need a shoulder to lean on, friendship provides you with a strong one. Read these famous quotes about friendship and gain from the experience of the experienced. Euripedes Real friendship is shown in times of trouble; prosperity is full of friends. Marlene Dietrich It is the friends that you can call at 4 a.m. that matter. George Jean Nathan Love demands infinitely less than friendship. Mahatma GandhiIt is easy enough to be friendly to ones friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business. Pam Brown Odd how much it hurts when a friend moves away -- and leaves behind only silence. Aristotle Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. Proverb God save me from my friends -- I can protect myself from my enemies. Mark Twain The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right. Elbert Hubbard Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. Nigerian Proverb Hold a true friend with both your hands. Anais NinEach friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. Emily DickinsonMy friends are my estate. Leo BuscagliaA single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world. Anne Morrow LindberghMen kick friendship around like a football but it doesnt seem to break. Women treat it like glass and it goes to pieces. David Tyson GentryTrue friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable. Aristotle My best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake. C. S. LewisFriendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, What! You too? I thought I was the only one. Albert Camus How can sincerity be a condition of friendship? A taste for truth at any cost is a passion which spares nothing.

An Open Entry Distance Learning Institution With Over...

1 CONTEXT The Open University UK (OU), is an open entry distance learning institution with over 173,000 students [1]. There are no entry requirements for students wishing to study with the OU leading to a high level of diversity amongst the student cohort in terms of prior experience and qualifications. The majority of students have taken a break from formal education before joining the OU and it is frequently their first experience of distance education. Approximately 21,000 OU students have declared a disability and many of those receive additional support to help them with their studies. The OU model of distance learning is to provide student with pre-prepared module materials which may be in print or electronic format, supplemented†¦show more content†¦That work informed much of the academic development around assessment feedback within the OU, particularly in the Maths, Computing and Technology faculty, where she was based. In interviews with students, Walker found the top two mo st common responses students had to comments were; they didn’t understand the comment or needed further explanation or more positively that the comment was useful for future work. This was in line with the findings of other studies around the student experience of feedback which reported students find it lacking specificity [?Higgins], difficult to understand [?Chanock] and confidence reducing [?James]. This suggests that whilst there is much feedback being offered to students by their tutors, frequently the comments provided are not being understood or do not comply with the Ramaprasad definition that feedback should bridge the gap. In the intervening years since Walker’s research, the OU have encouraged Associate Lecturers to develop their feedback style to include more explanations and examples, pointing out that their efforts in providing feedback are wasted if the student does not understand them or is unable to act upon them. If the purpose of feedback is to bridge the gap between attainment and target achievement then it might be expected that more feedback would be given where there is a bigger gap to bridge. Thus, it might be expected that the volume and or type of comments provided to students might differ

William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet - 1632 Words

Through the ages, women have always had a powerful role, whether or not it was recognized by society. They cook, clean, give birth, and nurture which all are more than necessary jobs. However, also throughout the ages, women have been separated from society and seen as a lesser being and not being granted the same rights and equality as men. Specifically this can be seen in the Elizabethan age. Queen Elizabeth fought for women to be seen as equals to men through her reign. But in loving the theatre, she never allowed women to be on the stage; forcing men to play the role of men and women makes her ideals and society s hypocritical. William Shakespeare writes using strong women characters, such as Katherine Minola and Juliet Capulet, to show the society he inhabits just how important women are. Through his writing he shows that he views women as strong and independent. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet becomes independent from her family and stands up for the enemy, who is also her true love, putting herself in complete danger and becoming a traitor to her family and their beliefs, Tis but thy name that is my enemy, (Shakespeare 2.2). By Shakespeare, including Juliet s freedom in the way she chooses to live her life, he portrays the view that women should be allowed to voice their opinions and make their own decisions instead of being tied down to the restrictions of societal expectations. Eventually Juliet sacrifices her life to be with the one she loves showing howShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1287 Words   |  6 PagesLizzy Baginski English Composition 2 Mr. Spera March 10, 2015 Romeo and Juliet Research Paper The movie Romeo and Juliet is a modern classic film that took place in 1996. Overall this is a timeless story that everyone should go and watch. This movie has an intriguing plot line that tells the story of two feuding families, The Montagues and The Capulets, and how the children of these two different families fall in love. The two children overcome various obstacles such as hiding their chemistry fromRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet 966 Words   |  4 Pages Beauty Over Gold â€Å"Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.--William Shakespeare, 1623. In his book As You Like It, William Shakespeare pointed out the supremacy of love rather than the want of gold and wealth. Truly, beauty is more important to thieves than wealth. Many of the thieves in this world would rather have an elegant woman than to obtain precious rubies. After all, what good is a prosperous man if he doesn’t have a charming woman? Two famous men grab my attention who didn’t fear forRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. The plot is based on an ItalianRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe play Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. Its plot is based onRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet861 Words   |  4 Pagesgreatly shown in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was love at first sight with Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Meeting at a party and falling in love to get married without even spending quality time with each other. Romeo and Juliet couldn t tell there parents because the Capulets and Montagues are long term rivals. Both Romeo and Juliet had to find different ways and excuses to make this marriage work. A big problem was developed. Romeo kills Juliet s cousin and is banishedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1770 Words   |  8 Pagesof Romeo and Juliet. The story of two destined lovers who were killed by their own doing. But what if they weren t two destined lovers who got unlucky, but doomed partners that were never going to have a good-life to begin with.William Sha kespeare gives us a view of early signs of gang conflict in the early age of Verona, Italy. He gives us a perspective of the norms and customs of Italy during the Setting of William Shakespeare s most famous story. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, givesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1264 Words   |  6 Pagestheater-going public the most important dramatist in English literature, Shakespeare occupies a well-known position in the world of talented authors. His canon contains thirty-seven plays, written in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Additionally, throughout the years, they continue to sustain critical attention, with the majority of his works circling tragedies, one being Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet speaks to the timeless appeal of star-crossed lovers. Their loveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet924 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that follows t he so-called love of two teenagers. The two fall in love at a masked ball and have a secret marriage. Throughout the play, their actions show how ridiculous love is, and how it is a danger to anyone who become twisted in its choking grasp. However, in the death of the youth and survival of the elders, an alternative explanation for the tragic events may be found. Although Shakespeare seems to be mocking love throughout the play, itRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1616 Words   |  7 Pageslove can also cause some of life s most controversial battles. These battles could stem from lack of patience, disagreement of moral values, and in some cases, an absence of attraction overall. In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the issues that drive Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet s to each of their dreadful misfortunes are inevitable. When it comes to many of Shakespeare s plays, Aristotle s theory is used to describe them as tragedies. Romeo and Juliet is known by many as a tragedyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet967 Words   |  4 Pagesof ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written by William Shakespeare. Shakespearean time was between the middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution and it was branded by religious changes. William Shakespeare is widely known as the greatest dramatist of all time. Born April 1564, Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is no doubt one of his most famous pieces. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was first published in 1597 and its tragic story of banned love still captures the creativity of its audience today. ‘Romeo and Juliet’, although

Sustainable Business Strengths and Weaknesses †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Sustainable Business Strengths and Weaknesses. Answer: Strengths High mineral resources Skilled resource Sustainability Global policy Efficient operation Cost saving Essential for economy Large quantity Rich source of economy Growing industry Weaknesses Lack of advanced technology Old equipments Poor infrastructure High risk Unsafe Non-environment friendly Dependent on other countries Labour issue Low pay Business interruption Opportunities Innovation Technological development Joint ventures Merger and acquisition New opportunities Mining in shallow depth Government interventions Export opportunities Setting up new units New mining sites Threats Energy usage Water usage Commodity volatility Logistic issues Local politics New companies Unstable economy Natural disaster Limited resources Import of minerals Sustainability strategy The sustainable strategies include the incorporation of the modern technologies, in the mining industry. This will ensure that the mining industry is sustainable. Moreover, the incorporation of the modern technology will be useful in the mining industry. Efficient operation and cost saving strategies needs to be taken up, such that the mining industry is retrieved and ensures sustainability. Innovation and innovative techniques in mining has to be incorporated, such that the mining industry of Australia is sustainable. Since labour is a major problem, hence manual labour needs to be reduced and replaced by automation. However, the water usage and the energy usage have to be reduced, such that the environmental sustainability is ensured.

Sonnet 23 Essays (526 words) - Sonnet 23, Sonnet, Sonnet 65

Sonnet 23 This sonnet demonstrates Shakespeare's great ability of playing with words. According to him a person is tongue-tied when he has either too much or too little to say. He illustrates his idea by giving an example of an unperfect actor who forgets his lines on stage and more curiously, some fierce thing whose heart is weakened by the weight of his own strength. This use of paradox adds intensity to the sonnet and lays the foundation for the following quatrain. The first quatrain is like the silence before a storm; the way it is presented suggests that there is more to come. The actor and the beast are summoned to serve only as analogues to Shakespeare's double-edged analytical presentation in quatrain 2 of love's agonized lack of words: So I, for fear of trust, forget to say The perfect ceremony of love's rite, And in mine own love's strength seem to decay, O'ercharged with burden of mine own love's might. The persona here compares him to the characters beckoned in Q1. In a passage such as this, the distance between the composing author and the fictive speaker almost vanishes, as it is very easy to imagine that Shakespeare, a master of expression, would tell himself that a perfect ceremony of love could be invented. Another aspect worthy of note is the way the phrase mine own love's has been used repeatedly; in line 7 the persona speaks of the decay of his love and in the very next line he speaks of its strength. This double stranglehold is an extremely interesting case, and is beautifully expressed here. The first and second quatrains can be coupled together as they basically portray the same idea. The sonnet therefore can be divided into two parts instead of four. An octet followed by a sestet. While the octet speaks of the persona's tongue-tiedness, the sestet is a plea to his beloved to understand the depth of his love. 'O, let my books be then the eloquence / And dumb presagers of my speaking breast?' the persona here wishes that his writing be the silent and truthful foreteller of all the love in his heart. Q3, in hinting at the beloved's preference for a rival poet, tongue that more hath more expressed, ascribes the tongue-tiedness of the speaker to his new perception of the debased judgment exercised by the beloved. At first, for fear of trust (line 5) might seem to mean, fearing my own powers, but when the unnamed rival enters the scene (line 12), we see the tongue-tiedness rather as a fear of trusting the potentially faithless beloved. Furthermore, the verbal parallelism of the octet is replaced by an irregular line-motion as the persona's agitation achieves full force. The sestet ends with the frustrating speechlessness of the lover finding a way of talking, by deviating into the third person in the final line: To hear with eyes belongs to loves fine wit. It is a proverb coined by the persona and it somewhat negates his inadequacy. It has a sense of pride and provides a perfect end to the poem. Shakespeare Essays