From superstar athletes to self-help devotees, advocates of positive thinking?imagining yourself succeeding at something you want to happen?believe it is a surefire way to help you attain a goal. Past studies have backed that idea, too, but now researchers are refining the picture. Paint your fantasy in too rosy a hue, and you may be hurting your chances of success.
One possible explanation is that idealized thinking can sap motivation, as outlined in a study published earlier this year in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Researchers asked college student volunteers to think through a fantasy version of an experience (looking attractive in a pair of high-heeled shoes, winning an essay contest, or getting an A on a test) and then evaluated the fantasy?s effect on the subjects and on how things unfolded in reality. When participants envisioned the most positive outcome, their energy levels, as measured by blood pressure, dropped, and they reported having a worse experience with the actual event than those who had conjured more realistic or even negative visions. To assess subjects? real-life experiences, the researchers compared lists of goals that subjects had set for themselves against what they had actually accomplished and also relied on self-reports. ?When you fantasize about it?especially when you fantasize something very positive?it?s almost like you are actually living it,? says Heather Barry Kappes of New York University, one of the study?s co-authors. That tricks the mind into thinking the goal has been achieved, draining the incentive to ?get energized to go and get it,? she explains.? Subjects may be better off imagining how to surmount obstacles instead of ignoring them.
The approach may also apply to sports. A report published in the July issue of Perspectives on Psychological Findings suggests that talking oneself through the fine details of an athletic task may work better than picturing an optimal outcome. ?It?s positive thinking, plus instructions,? says lead author Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis of the University of Thessaly in Greece.
As Team Anna and tens of thousands celebrated Sunday after Anna Hazare broke his hunger strike for strong anti-corruption legislation, it was clear that more battles are around the corner. Hazare himself and his confidants said in speeches at the Ramlila ground that people should brace themselves for more such campaigns revolving around issues ranging from corruption to governance.
And with Team Anna proving the potency of "People Power", it will only be tempting to embrace the strategy again and again.
For the starter, the 74-year-old Hazare declared before sipping coconut water laced with honey that only half the battle had been won in the war for a corruption-free India. He told the tens of thousands at the sprawling ground that he was only suspending his fast, not ending it, and that he would fight on until an effective Lokpal bill became a reality.
He added that Indians needed the right to recall elected representatives -- MPs and legislators. He also called for sweeping electoral reforms.
Arvind Kejriwal, Team Anna's most astute strategist, also underlined that India did not have participatory democracy.
He said the Anna fast and the nationwide campaign for an effective Lokpal bill was the first instance when people at large became associated with the framing of legislation.
Yes, parliament is supreme, he agreed, but quickly added that people were more important than any legislature.
The message was not lost on the government.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid, one of the five ministers who held extensive talks with Hazare and his team both before and during the fast, said civil society would henceforth be involved in law making.
Team Anna is also likely to keep up the pressure on the government so that the principles of the Jan Lokpal Bill they have prepared do not get diluted over time. Their insistence on fighting it out until their three main demands were met virtually brought the Congress-led government to its knees.
In the process, a government which at one time seemed dismissive of Team Anna was forced to bow to Hazare amid fears that his dragging protest could lead to terrible consequences.
The political class is unlikely to give in each time. But it is equally true that it will not find it easy to brush aside civil society on any issue, irrespective of who it is led by.
Hazare's advantages are his credentials, his austere living and his previous battles with the corrupt of all hues, all of which have combined to give him a charismatic pan-India appeal.
His strategy of resorting to hunger strike -- a weapon Mahatma Gandhi used with devastating effect against the British -- only helped him draw massive crowds.
And Team Anna turned out to be politically more suave than some of the politicians who dealt with them.
All this means one thing: be ready for further faceoffs between the government and civil society. Anna and Hazare-ism are here to stay.
(M.R. Narayan Swamy can be contacted at narayan.swamy@ians.in)
A new study links high levels of vitamin D associated with an increased risk of skin cancer only underlines what doctors have to say all the time: Do not forget the sunscreen.
Summer is not over yet. Brush sun safety tips
Dr. Melody J. Eide, and researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit studied more than 3,200 white participants in a health maintenance organization at high risk of developing melanoma skin cancer.
These participants had osteoporosis, a disease in which bones weak and brittle, or are concerned about the possible diagnosis along.
After seeing the level of patients with vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health and medical history, the team found that people with higher vitamin is an increased risk for the development of the two found types of nonmelanoma skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, the most common and rarely fatal, and squamous cell carcinomas.
Dr. Jennifer Stein, a lecturer at the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center said the study is valuable because scientists studied a large group of people, as the medical records of patients seen and no longer rely on the memories of patients.
He said that although the study is not to discover why the amounts of the main actors of the vitamin, sunshine a "reasonable explanation" and the report is that further evidence that vitamin D in skin cancer therapy.
The study authors noted that "evidence of association of the vitamin D levels in skin cancer is inconsistent," and that more research. The results were published in the Archives of Dermatology.
Diagnosed non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common malignant tumor in the USA and prostate, lung, colon, ovarian and breast cancer together, says the study.
Check Consumer Reports ratings of the best sunscreens.
"Sunlight is a source of vitamin D," Stein said. "We know that sun exposure is clearly linked to skin cancer, especially in this type of skin cancer."
Almost 37 percent of Americans take vitamin D, and Stein said he did not know, because to stop the study.
"It's a healthy amount of vitamin D," he said. "The surest way to get vitamin D in the diet in place of the sun"
More than two million non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Dermatologists diagnose and treat more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer each year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. To almost 20 percent of Americans develop skin cancer in their lives.
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany takes the lead at the start of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany takes the lead at the start of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany, center, takes the lead at the start of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari of Spain gestures as he was hit by another car at the start of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari of Spain is hit by another car at the start of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Lotus driver Heikki Kovalainen of Finland drives through debris at the start of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
SPA, Belgium (AP) ? Defending Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel won the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday to strengthen his overall lead with seven races remaining.
Vettel started from the pole to win his seventh race of the season and 17th of his career. The German led Red Bull to a 1-2 finish with Mark Webber finishing close behind.
"I enjoyed every lap today. The car was fantastic to drive," Vettel said. "If the car does what you want it to do, this place is really fun. It was a very entertaining race, with the strategy to come in early."
Lewis Hamilton's slim title hopes took a further blow when his McLaren crashed early on. Hamilton slipped to fifth in the standings. He is 113 points behind Vettel, who leads second-placed Webber by 92 points.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is third ahead of Jenson Button despite the Briton overtaking the Spaniard late in the race to take third place.
Twenty years after making his F1 debut on the same track, seven-time champion Michael Schumacher started from last place after crashing during the first lap of Saturday's qualifying session. The 42-year-old German drove his Mercedes with style to finish in fifth place behind Alonso.
Button, coming off a victory in Hungary, started 13th on the grid.
"To come away with the third was disappointing," he said. "Who knows what would have happened if we had qualified well."
Vettel was on the pole for the ninth time in 12 races this season. But he had not won any of the previous three GPs (Britain, Germany, Hungary) and only one of the last five entering the Spa, prompting speculation he was losing his grip on the title.
Vettel won for the first time on this track and banished memories of last year's 15th-place finish. His jubilation was evident Sunday. He stood on top of his Red Bull after the race and pumped his fists.
"What a race!" he told his Red Bull team over the race radio.
He overcame significant tire wear early on and held off Alonso when the Spaniard was applying pressure to prevail on the 4.3-mile Spa circuit ? the longest and perhaps most difficult on the F1 calendar.
Hamilton pushed to overtake Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi on lap 13 and the two cars collided coming into the corner. The crash was more spectacular than harmful as debris from Hamilton's car flew into the air. Hamilton, who has won two races this season, climbed out of his McLaren as a safety car was deployed.
"I'm not really quite sure what happened, I hit the wall pretty hard," Hamilton said. "As far as I was concerned I was ahead of whoever I was racing and then I was hit by them."
Vettel seemed to get away quite slowly at the start and Nico Rosberg raced up from fifth place on the grid to overtake him at the Le Combe turn, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Alonso both passing Hamilton.
"I thought the engine nearly died for a moment, for a moment it was quite critical," Vettel said. "Then there was a bit of trouble into turn one."
On the next lap, Alonso made a brilliant move to overtake Massa on a corner, while Hamilton also sneaked past the Brazilian to get back into fourth.
Vettel took an early pit stop on the fifth lap to replace his blistered tires with soft tires. He came out of the pits in eighth place, but soon cut through the field and regained the lead when Hamilton went in for new tires on lap 11. Within minutes, Hamilton was out of the race despite his team telling him over the radio to "take it easy."
By the halfway stage, Vettel regained the lead but the German had already come in twice to get new soft tires, while Alonso ? about five seconds back after 27 laps ? was still on one change.
Alonso finally came in to the pits on lap 30, switching to medium tires, followed shortly after by Vettel and Webber, leaving Button to briefly take the lead until he came in for new soft tires.
Bruno Senna, driving in his first GP with Renault after replacing Nick Heidfeld, started from seventh place.
But as several cars bumped and jostled near the back of the grid at the start, the Brazilian slammed into the side of Jaime Alguersuari, who had to pit his Toro Rosso because of a broken track rod.
Senna also pitted for damage and got a drive-through penalty for causing an avoidable accident. He ended up 13th.
Alguersuari and his Torro Rosso teammate Sebastien Buemi retired, as did Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo's HRT and Mexican rookie Sergio Perez.
The consensus view of the political media holds that Rick Perry has taken the wind out of Michele Bachmann's sails. And there's definitely something to this.
The Texas governor has stormed into first place in the national GOP?horserace, gobbled up media attention, and demonstrated a powerful ability to connect with the party base's emotion-fueled resentments. In other words, he's playing the same basic role Bachmann has been trying to play, except he he a more credible background (three terms leading the country's second-largest state) and is seen by the party establishment as a safer option (even if there are doubts about his electability). Thus, Bachmann's national support has slipped and her media presence has dwindled since Perry became a candidate two weeks ago.
The temptation is to say that Bachmann has been exposed as just another Herman Cain -- a fad candidate who enjoyed 15 minutes of fame before there were any real, non-Mitt Romney options for the GOP?base. Cain was the early spring's Republican sensation, but since Bachmann's June debut, his numbers have plummeted and he's all but vanished, and no one expects a second coming.
It's possible that Bachmann is now destined for the same fate, but I?wouldn't bet on it yet, and the reason can be spelled with four letters: I-O-W-A.
While Perry has clearly dented Bachmann's support in the first-in-the-nation caucus state, he's hardly wiped her out. A new poll shows Perry leading the Minnesotan by just two points, 24 to 22 percent, while a survey conducted by a pro-Perry PAC?puts his advantage at three points. This is consistent with a PPP?poll from earlier this week that gave Perry a four-point edge on Bachmann.
And when it comes to her potential impact on the GOP race, Bachmann's Iowa numbers are far more significant right now than her national numbers (which are barely in double-digits), given how crucial the caucus results will be to shaping polls and expectation as the race moves on to other states. If she can beat Perry in Iowa this winter, Bachmann would see her support and visibility explode elsewhere, just as Perry's would ebb.
Here it's probably worth noting that "winning" is a relative term when it comes to Iowa and other early contests. It's impossible to say right now how, exactly, a first-, second-, or third-place showing for any of the candidates would be interpreted by the political world. Where the bar will be set for everyone all depends on how the race develops over the next few months.
(A good example of how this works can be found in Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. A month before that year's New Hampshire Democratic primary, he was the clear frontrunner. But then he was hit with two scandals -- Gennifer Flowers and the Vietnam draft -- and his numbers melted down. He ended up finishing second in?New Hampshire, eight points behind Paul Tsongas, but given how far he'd fallen, he was able to sell this as a triumph and the "comeback kid"?narrative was born.)
So it's unclear yet what it will take for Bachmann to "win" Iowa and for Perry to "lose" it. It may end up being a simple, literal question of which one does better than the other (like with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008), but we don't know yet. What the latest numbers do suggest is that Bachmann will stand a real chance of clearing the bar, wherever it's set, and dealing a potentially serious blow to Perry.
After all, there's a reason her numbers are so much stronger in Iowa than at the national level. It's partly because she's spent so much time there and because of her next-door neighbor status (and those Waterloo roots she keeps bringing up). But the main factor is demographic: The caucus electorate tends to be made up of highly engaged, deeply religious conservatives. In the same new poll that shows Bachmann within two points of Perry, nearly 40 percent of respondents identified themselves as Tea Party members, and around 60 percent of GOP?caucus-goers in 2008 said they were born-again Christians.
This suggests that there's room for both Perry and Bachmann in Iowa. Through the extensive work she's already done in the state, Bachmann has established? some real support. And while its value is limited because Perry and Romney ignored it, her recent victory in the Ames straw poll did show that she has the ability to mobilize those supporters. It's not hard to imagine her hunkering down in Iowa over the next few months and remaining a viable threat to win the caucuses -- or at least to fare well enough to beat whatever the expectations end up being.
This makes her a real threat to Perry. He doesn't need to win Iowa to grab the GOP?nomination, but it sure would help. As Nate Silver noted earlier this week, a "convincing" Perry victory in Iowa could make him an unstoppable force. But a loss to Bachmann could severely complicate things for him, lifting her support in subsequent states at his expense and calling his own strength into question.
So even if her national visibility declines, it would be a mistake to write off Bachmann, as long as she has a pulse in Iowa.
NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Wall Street posted its first weekly gain in more than a month as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke raised hopes for more stimulus for the economy at the U.S. central bank's September meeting.
Initially stocks fell after Bernanke stopped short of describing detailed plans to strengthen the ailing economy. But the market turned higher, led by technology shares, as investors concluded the Fed was leaving the door open for action even though many traders believe it has limited power to pull the economy out of a rut.
The CBOE Volatility Index or VIX (.VIX), Wall Street's "fear gauge," retreated after days of uncertainty on what Bernanke would say. The VIX slid 10.2 percent to 35.69, after earlier falling as much as 14 percent to a session low at 34.33.
"He didn't give the market the green light for QE3. He also didn't give the market the red light for QE3," said Kevin Caron, market strategist at Stifel, Nicolaus in Florham Park, New Jersey, referring to a possible third round of quantitative easing.
"By implying that inflation is viewed as not a concern, it leaves the possibility for something down the road," he said.
The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) ended up 134.72 points, or 1.21 percent, at 11,284.54. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) was up 17.53 points, or 1.51 percent, at 1,176.80. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 60.22 points, or 2.49 percent, at 2,479.85.
For the week, the Dow rose 4.3 percent, the S&P gained 4.7 percent and the Nasdaq rose 5.9 percent.
Bernanke, speaking in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, said the central bank's policy panel would meet for two days in September instead of the scheduled one-day meeting to discuss any more stimulus.
While expressing long-term optimism, Bernanke said the Fed found recent developments troubling and saw a low inflation as staying low.
Shares of property insurers were mixed after falling earlier in the week on worries that severe damage from Hurricane Irene would result in substantial claims.
Travelers Cos Inc (TRV.N) edged up 0.6 percent to $48.29 after earlier hitting a two-year low. Allstate (ALL.N) was up 0.1 percent at $24.45, having also hit a two-year low. Insurers typically fall before severe weather events and rally later.
Chubb Corp (CB.N) gained 1.2 percent to $59.38.
As Irene bore down on North Carolina, tens of thousands of people evacuated and East Coast cities, including New York, braced for a weekend hit from the powerful storm.
NYSE Euronext (NYX.N) said the New York Stock Exchange plans to open for trading as usual next week, but because of the possibility of flooding, a decision will not be made until Saturday or Sunday.
Technology stocks led the advance, with Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Intel Corp (INTC.O) among the Dow's top gainers.
Cisco shares rose 1.6 percent to $15.32, while Microsoft shares added 2.8 percent to $25.25, and Intel Corp advanced 1.8 percent to $19.77.
The S&P information technology index (.GSPT) shot up 2.3 percent, making it the S&P 500's best-performing sector.
"It's a pretty broad market rally right now, but tech has been really hammered in the selloff, so you see that leading the rally," said Gary Wedbush, head of trading at regional investment bank Wedbush Morgan in Los Angeles.
Tiffany and Co (TIF.N) rose 9.3 percent to $69.01 after it raised its full-year profit outlook.
About 7.9 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Amex and Nasdaq, matching the year-to-date average of 7.9 billion.
On the New York Stock Exchange, advancers beat decliners by a ratio of about 5 to 1. On Nasdaq, about 4 shares rose for every 1 that fell.
(Additional reporting by Ashley Lau, Editing by Kenneth Barry)
BEIJING (Reuters) ? China will invest about 1.27 trillion yuan ($199 billion) to build subways and light rail lines during the current five-year plan ending in 2015 to ease traffic congestion and spur urban development, the official China Securities Journal reported on Friday.
The newspaper, without identifying sources, said local governments would finance 35 percent of the bill and the rest would come from commercial banks, China Development Bank as well as other channels.
The National Development and Reform Commission, China's powerful economic planner, will also provide low interest loans via China Development Bank, one of the country's three policy lenders, it added.
That includes new investment of 170 billion yuan in the capital city of Beijing in the years up to 2015, adding six new lines to the crowded city's underground and light rail network. ($1 = 6.390 Chinese Yuan)
Right now there are several factors to consider when snowboarding. There is more to snowboarding than fun. The first factor is it demands less equipment compared to other winter sports. There?s less that you need to maintain as well as a smaller amount to carry around. Some influential people to refer to would be people like Peter Smith. Gear can be found in ski and snowboarding shops close to you which can help you find ones perfect for your body and perfect for your personality.
Snowboarding only demands boots as well as bindings. Typically the bindings secure the footwear into the boards. The board is actually protected inside a slippery plastic material. The 2nd factor would be the weight of the snowboard. A board weighs significantly less than a pair of skis. Which means that you will not end up being as exhausted if you need to carry around your snowboad to the many different slopes, concession stands, or parking lots.
The 3rd factor is it is easy to carry. The boards are way simpler to carry compared to skis because they weigh a smaller amount. Another motive that they are easier in order to hold is because the board is actually scaled-down as well as smaller compared to skis. And also this means that they?re easier if you need to store them.
The 4th factor is actually the capability to walk. It?s a lot simpler to walk with board footwear compared to walking in skis. The footwear tends to be lighter in weight and more versatile compared to skis. It is advisable to use the delicate sided footwear if you?re going to end up doing a great deal of walking.
The 5th factor is actually discomfort. You will not possess any discomfort if you are putting on board footwear, in contrast to skis that really harm your feet. All you have to do would be to make sure that the footwear fits you correctly.
The 6th factor would include the costs. The footwear are less expensive to buy compared to skis. This is because they come in a set.
Individuals really enjoy snowboarding. There are some explanations why these people like snowboarding. The first is because it is easier. Snowboarding is a lot easier to accomplish compared to other winter sports. The 2nd reason is actually that it?s relaxing. Individuals seem to ignore all of their difficulties while they?re snowboarding. The third reason is actually that it can prove to be difficult. Many people just like the challenge snowboarding provides. This is because it may provide individuals with a rush.
The fourth reason will be the atmosphere. When you are snowboarding, you will get some of the best sights of the town that you are snowboarding in. These types of sights typically include the most beautiful mountain tops.
The fifth reason is it is family friendly. Snow boarding is actually something which the whole family can perform together. The last reason is usually moves. You may make some of the best freestyle movements when you are snow?boarding.
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I am a Hospice Spiritual Counselor/Chaplain at the Casa de la Luz Hospice in Tucson, Arizona.? I?ve been in this very special ministry for about two years. Sometimes, when I tell people this, they say, ?How can you to that?? Isn?t it sad??
I tell them that for those who feel called to this ministry, it is a gift. In fact, as I walk with those who are dying, and their families, I find that I am learning how to live a more meaningful life, and also how to prepare for death in a more meaningful way.
Desert Sunset, Tucson, Arizona, ? 2010 Lisa Suttman, www.suttmandesign.com
As I minister at the In-Patient Unit, I spend time listening to the stories of patients and families and sometimes I am able to provide an opportunity for them to share their fears and uncertainties. Sometimes they talk about their faith and how that provides comfort on this end-of-life journey that all of us will one day take.
I also do On-Call ministry and can be called to the home when a patient is near death or has already died and the family wants a chaplain to be with them and pray with them.
Personally, I am blessed to be able to be conscious of all of the life we have received from our God?both the years of growing and the time of returning to the God who promises us eternal life.? This ministry is somewhat more difficult when the person or family does not have a spiritual background to support them at this time. But, even then, I can listen, offer a pastoral presence and support them in their journey.
I treasure the many different experiences I have had so far and choose to continue opening myself to the beauty and intensity of life and death!
Human is a social being and thus cannot thrive single. With this, several issues of relations and conduct show up that require special attention for smooth ride towards a dignified society. This led to the birth of an altogether new discipline termed as Sociology.
In a nutshell, Sociology basically studies human society as an interconnected whole. But here, it may be noted that an unauthentic study is not sociology, on the other hand, it is a science which demands certain rules in its observation and analysis. One of its tasks is to unravel the connection between a personal problem and a public issue.
It is not hard to notice how a poverty-stricken family as a whole contributes greatly to the assessment of the social structure. A homeless couple in a society has raised homelessness as a public issue which led to the operationalization of the Indira Awas Yojana from 1999-2000.
Thus, activities and troubles occurring within the character of the individual and within the range of his immediate relations with others may transcend the boundary of local environments and reach out to influence the society.
But it is interesting to note that how a society as well greatly determines the personal status of an individual. When a society is industrialized, a peasant becomes a worker; a feudal lord is liquidated or becomes a businessman. When economy goes down, people go broke and at times of war, common man is made to hold arms, a wife lives alone and a child grows up without a father.
Society is a simple yet complex network of human life. In the course of development of civilization, we have created an intricate pattern of societies which makes a person belong to more than one society. For instance, in foreign countries, an individual is regarded as an associate of the Indian Society whereas the same person, when in India, is recognized by either linguistic or ethnic community or a religious or caste or tribal society. This diversity makes it difficult to understand which ?society? we are referring to.
In a country, some are rich and most are not, likewise some are well educated and others are illiterate, some have great opportunities for advancement in life and others lack them altogether. So, the differences in a society are further accentuated by inequalities.
Common sense explanations are generally based on what may be called naturalistic and/or individualistic explanation. Common sense unlike sociology is indubitable. While common sense is basically an individualistic sense of perception, sociology has a far broader aspect. Sociology is both systematic and questionable.
Influenced by scientific theories of natural evolution and findings about pre-modern societies made by early travelers, colonial administrators, sociologists and anthropologists sought to categorize societies into types and to distinguish stages in social development.
Darwin?s observation of association of the living organisms reflected how sociology studies empirical reality. The Enlightenment, a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries, became another factor which pushed the need of sociology.
The French scholar Auguste Comte (1789-1857) considered to be founder of sociology and other sociologists like Karl Marx and Herbert Spencer played significant role in evolution of sociology.
Economic activities also contributed to the making of sociology and gave it an altogether new context. Capitalism, with markets as key instrument of productive life, totally changed the economic scenario of England. Hence, England was the centre of the Industrial Revolution. The after effects of this were change of occupations, migrations etc.
Undoubtedly, this economic revolution successfully brought about noticeable and constructive changes to the society as the living standards rose.
Situations took drastic turn between 17th and 19th century, when an estimated 24 million Africans were enslaved. In the 1800s, a large number of Indian labourers were transported to far-off places like Surinam in South America or in the West Indies or the Fiji Islands, for running commercial crop plantations.
Consequently, uneven transformations of societies were witnessed.
Colonialism was an essential part of modern capitalism and industrialization. The writings of western sociologists held a view, different from the exact truth but still helped a lot in understanding the social transition in India.
In western world, sociology and sociology anthropology were considered separate disciplines. According to a standard western textbook, sociology is regarded as ?the study of human groups and societies, giving particular emphasis to the analysis of the industrialized world?. On the other hand, social anthropology is interpreted as ?the study of simple societies of non-western and therefore ?other cultures?.
Clearly, this distinction would fail, when applied in India, as ours is a country with a vast diversity of religious, linguistic, regional, ethnic etc. and also rural and urban. So, sociology and social anthropology were merged for an easier and broader prospect.
The scope of sociological study is extremely wide ranging from downtrodden to the billionaires.
Sociology is a part of a group of social sciences, which also includes anthropology, economics, political science and history. These are inter-related to each other. For instance how would a political scientist or economist study gender roles and their implications for politics or the economy without sociology of the family or gender division of labour.
Economics is basically the study of production and distribution of goods and services. The conventional economics focuses strictly on the exact terms, whereas socio-economic approach analyses on their interdependence and as well as each entity, separately. This consists of observation of economic behavior in the context of social norms, values, practices and interests.
For example, the large investment in the advertisement industry is aimed at reshaping lifestyles and consumption patterns.
Despite the inter-relation, sociology does not provide technical solutions unlike economics. In short, the former is figurative while the latter is literal.
The classical political science concentrates on two elements: political theory and government administration. The theory part mainly deals with the ideas about of government from Plato to Marx whiles administration provides the formal structure of government rather than its actual operation.
Political science is based on concrete facts of functioning of the organizations whereas sociology researches the areas of impact of it. Sociology assesses the inter-relations of the institutions in the country.
Nevertheless, recent Indian elections have seen the active indulgence of both. Studies have also been conducted in membership of political organizations, process of decision-making in organizations, sociological reasons for support of political parties, the role of gender in politics etc.
History is a subject of facts occurred in the past. This is chiefly an anthology of the history of kings and war. Social history studies the evolution of society from very early times. It looks at social patterns, gender relations, and customs other than the acts of rulers, wars and monarchy.
Social is often defined as the science of behavior. Social psychology, which serves as a bridge between psychology and sociology, maintains a primary interest in the individual but concerns itself with the way in which the individual behaves in social groups, collectively with other individuals.
Sociology is deemed to be the study of modern, complex societies while social anthropology was deemed to be study of simple societies. The prominent differences have already been underscored in the previous paragraphs.
But it is being feared that with the decline of simple societies, social anthropology would lose its specificity and merge with sociology. However, there have been fruitful interchanges between the two disciplines and today often methods and techniques are drawn from both.
In today?s world, complex societies exist everywhere. To comprehend this, requires a systematic and analytical approach, there comes the role of sociology.
I am a 2nd year student of Electronics and communication Engineering in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. I am basically from Agartala, Tripura, which is situated in the North-eastern side of India.
The Humane Society says many Petland stores are selling puppies from so-called puppy mills, but telling customers that the dogs come from good breeders. (Nov. 20)
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Freddie Mac recently began reaching out to real estate associations and fielded more calls on a rising rate of fraudulent short sales.
With foreclosure delays and procedural problems still weighing on a housing recovery, servicers boosted short sales to 25% of all liquidations by the middle of 2011, up from 8% two years ago.
Freddie completed 21,515 short sales in the first half, up 31% from the same period last year, according to its second-quarter financial filing. These transactions accounted for 14% of all completed workouts in 2010, up from 4% in 2000.
Shelley Poland, a vice president at Freddie, and Robert Hagberg, the associate director of fraud investigations, said in a blog post Monday the mortgage giant sees short sale fraud on the rise as well ? especially when real estate agents fail to disclose other parties involved in the transaction, who will rig sales at a low price and hide better offers from Freddie and the distressed homeowner.
"Then, after the house is sold, the fraudster can flip it a few hours later for the better price and walk away with the profitable difference," the Freddie executives said. "By concealing the higher offer, short sale fraud worsens losses to home sellers, Freddie Mac, and taxpayers. It also throws another wrench into the housing recovery by undermining the trust and transparency at the core of any real estate transaction."
Short sales fraud is now the top priority for Hagberg's investigation unit. It began working with these real estate agents and law enforcement to detect suspicious activity before a deal closes. The unit also built an exclusionary list of companies and individuals who will can no longer do business with Freddie.
The unit soon began seeing trends. Some agents provide false offers on a property to discourage legitimate bids and ensure accomplices get the property for a planned low bid. Others manipulate the listing price to make the house seem more problematic than it is by inflating repair costs and obtaining an artificially low broker price opinion.
So-called "flopping" schemes are rising, allowing a fraudster to buy a short sale from Freddie or banks by using falsified title and loan documents, then selling the property to a legitimate buyer for a higher price sometimes in a matter of hours.
Others even skew the HUD-1 settlement statement, which itemizes fees, charges and other funds, to skim away proceeds from the short sale.
Freddie now requires all parties in a short sale to sign an affidavit, holding them liable if investigators find the transaction wasn't done at arms-length.
"There are many conscientious real estate professionals who want to do the right thing. We often receive calls in our servicing, quality control, fraud investigation, outreach, and HomeSteps divisions from real estate agents who know they've seen something inappropriate and won't look the other way," the executives said. "They understand that real estate fraud turns a shortsighted profit at the cost of the public's long-term confidence in homeownership and the housing industry."
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