Rising Fuel Costs and US Transport Industry Essay

Rising Fuel Costs and US Transport Industry - Essay Example Consequently, comfort is often sacrificed in an attempt to cut back on the fuel budget. Often, Americans have had to make do with fewer cars, or shift to fuel efficient ones. In addition, car pooling has become a common practice among friends and families while air travel is not only restricted, but also limited to either official travels, or longer journeys that would otherwise be uneconomical with the use of a car (Coyle et al, 2006). By and large, the use of public modes of transport has increased. In fact, ridership by public transport in the United States rose by 15 percent in 2007. For those in the taxi business, these have especially been hardest hit , and this has forced some of the operators to increase fares, only to have their customers walk away from them (ACTE, 2008). The airlines too, have not bee spared either, with a coupe of them such as Delta and American airlines recording massive annual losses in the range of $ 1 billion (KLEIN, 2008). With such a gloomy picture having been slapped on the American transport industry, is there any respite for the Americans in the near future For the last six years, the price of gasoline, crude oil and natural gas has significantly risen. In 2000, a barrel of crude oil ranged from $ 25 and $ 30 per barrel. This was later to rise to a high of $ 75 per barrel six years later. Due to this, such petroleum products as jet fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel, and which are primarily dependent upon by the transportation industry in the United States, have risen sharply. In addition, the price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline almost doubled to $ 2.36 in 2006, up from $ 1.46 in 2000. The rate at which both India and China are developing, has led to a sharp demand for oil, and this has had a massive impact on the petroleum-based products such as gasoline (Hiare & Machemehl, 2007). The reliance of the transport industry on fuel is in no doubt, and its usage keeps on increasing by the day. In 1973, the consumption of petroleum was pegged at 9.05mb/day, and this was later to rise to 13.9mb/day by the year 2005. In addition, there was a strong growth in petroleum consumption to 28.2 percent in 2005, up from 24.6 percent in 1973. Furthermore, the annual average vehicle per capita mileage has also immensely improved from 5,440 miles in 1970, to 10, 087 miles in 2005 (ACTE 2008). Automobiles For the automobile makers, they too have not been spared by the rise in fuel cost, as customers are no longer shopping for cars. Both Ford and General Motors have witnessed a slump in sales in recent years, leading to a recording of major losses. As a result, the auto makers have had to institute changes (VOA news, 2008). According to Rich Wagoner, the chairman of General Motors, the company has no choice but to close down some of its factories, following in the footsteps of Ford motors, who proceeded by closing shop on the manufacturing factories for non-fuel efficient vehicles. The General Motors boss views this as a proactive move, in a bid to ensure the survival and success of the company. This will mean that thousands of jobs will have to be cut down. There is also a shifting trend in the auto industry towards the manufacturing of

social Science Fiction In Asimovs Work :: essays research papers fc

PART I"Social science fiction?"Science fiction is a term familiar to many people. This is especially true due to the tremendous influence of television. But the term "social science fiction," although not heard too often, is a term is descriptive of most of today's science fiction literature."But what does it mean?"Social science fiction is the term given to literature "which is concerned with the impact of scientific advance upon human beings."(1) It is to be set apart from the adventure or "gadget" science fiction which is characterized by simplistic plots and flat characters. Social science fiction is concerned with the problems presented to humanity by technology and science.This theme can be seen readily throughout many of Isaac Asimov's science fiction works. But, Mr. Asimov was not too concerned with the problems of atomic power or overpopulation when he was three years old.Asimov was born in Russia in the year 1920. He and his parents emigrated to the United States when Isaac was three years old. Upon arriving, young Asimov wasted little time in beginning his writing career. He had taught himself to read and by the age of seven, he had his own library card.(2) But, of the two books he was allowed to take out, only one of them could be fiction. Thus, Isaac took a liking to many science and history books, and his amazingly retentive memory allowed him to recall many of the things he read.Because of his excellent reading habits and his superb memory, Asimov was considered brilliant when he entered school. A grade of 95 from a person capable of 100 was considered a poor grade by Isaac's father. Although he was an excellent student, Asimov was frequently bored by school. In order to escape boredom, he would create stories in class for himself and others. Although he did this verbally at first, he began writing down his stories at the age of eleven. Yet these in-class activities did not distract him from his schoolwork. He graduated the Boys' High School in Brooklyn when he was fifteen. From there, he went on to receive a B.S. from Colombia University in 1939, a Masters in 1941, and then a Ph.D. in 1948.(3) Asimov says he would have continued his studies had it not been for World War II.Asimov's first exposure to science fiction occurred one day while he was working in his father's candy store.

Early Civilizations

Early Civilizations HUMA215-1205A-32 Topics in Cultural Studies Unit 1 Discussion Board Shannon Sullivan There were many different forces that have contributed to the cultural makeup of early civilization. The beginning of human culture predates back to thousands of years which can be seen through evidence that has been discovered. This evidence that was left behind by the earliest of humans is found by cave paintings that helped to understand how these prehistoric individuals lived and survived in their everyday life.One aspect that contributed to the cultural makeup is from geographical areas from where these early humans lived. The geographical region determined what their main focus was when it came to agriculture, hunting, trade and religion. The availability of these natural resources would affect the kinds of houses they lived in, the types of weapons and tools they used, the food they ate and the type of containers they used to store food and supplies (Trigger, 2003). A numbe r of social issues occurred because of this cultural makeup. These issues were the cause of war and conflicts between many of these early humans.One of the factors that caused social problems was a result of different spiritual and religious beliefs. Others factors were political, economic and the development of one’s social class. Since early civilization started, humans lived successfully in small hunting and gathering tribes. This was the dominant way of life until agriculture began to gradually replace hunting and gathering of necessities such as food, clothing and homes which was some of the main cultural influences on early civilizations (All World History for Us, n. d. ). Revisionist history can be bad.The problem with revisionist history is that it usually is written by someone who has a curriculum that they want to publicize. Most of this comes from inaccurate information from an unbiased viewpoint. Their minds tend to be made up prior to looking at the facts. This r esults in choosing facts that support their viewpoint and ignoring facts that disprove their predetermined ideas. Another problem with revisionist history is that it tends to judge people, cultures and experiences in the past by the values, ethics and morals of today's society.People in the past lived with the knowledge, superstitions, values and ethics of their day and should be studied to find the correct information. The only good thing about revisionist history is when the correct information has been given. All World History for Us. (n. d. ). Farming and the Emergence of Complex Societies. Retrieved from http://worldhistoryforusall. sdsu. edu/eras/era3. php Trigger, B. G. (2003). Understanding Early Cilivizations. Retrieved from http://catdir. loc. gov/catdir/samples/cam034/2002074052. pdf

The Effects Of Optimal Arousal And Performance - 1686 Words

Introduction The effects of optimal arousal and performance has been studied extensively in psychology. Throughout sports psychology it is known that there is an optimal arousal level at which athletes perform their best. In previous studies surrounding the relationship between emotional states and performance, have been examined using the individual zone of optimal functioning (IZOF). IZOF is a sport-specific framework that describes the relationship between emotional experiences and success on the basis of individual patterns (Ruiz, Raglin, Hanin, 2015). In a review done by Ruiz et al. (2015), it was found over 183 IZOF based studies making it one of the most popular models for an analyzing subjective experience and athletic performance. From past research the IZOF model has found that anxiety heavily influences performance of athletes and each athlete has an individually optimal level of anxiety, which with probability will lead to a successful performance (Hanin. 1978, 1986, 1989). Even though IZOF is one of most widely used models when examining arousal and performance, research using the model has its limitations. As a model, it focuses on individual patterns, therefore most research with the model has been used on individual athletes and not team sports. By applying the IZOF model to a team sport, there may be differences in the individual zones of functioning between those who take part in team versus individual sports. It could be that people in team sports onShow MoreRelatedPsychological Factor That Affect Sports Performance997 Words   |  4 PagesArousal is a psychological factor that can affect sports performance and is defined as the level of activation or readiness that an individual will experience when faced with a task (Malpeli 2010, pg. 369). Effective performance requires an athlete to achieve optimal arousal which can be recognised in certain arousal theories (Malpeli 2010, pg. 369). The level of arousal that is considered to be optimal varies among every individual (Abernethy 2013, pg. 304). High arousal can affect performance asRead MoreQuestions and Answers on Physiological and Psychological Needs995 Words   |  4 Pagesneed i.e. self-actualization, allows a individual to take a more proactive approach in making himself/herself better and enable him/her to resolve any dilemmas (Poston, 2009). What is the relationship between arousal and behavior? Does this relationship impact performance and affect? Arousal can be described as the energy that is produced as a result of the contact between stimuli (internal and external). On the other hand, this energy can also be produced with the interaction of physiological andRead MoreCompetitive Anxiety Theory Analysis1724 Words   |  7 PagesCompetition can cause athletes to react both physically and mentally in a manner that may negatively affect their performance abilities. Stress, arousal, and anxiety are terms used to describe this condition. Competitive state-anxiety usually follows a pattern of subjective feelings such as tension and inadequacy, combined with heightened arousal of the autonomic nervous system. This anxiety type includes state and trait dimensions both of which can show themselves as cognitive and somatic symptomsRead MoreTheories of Motivation1011 Words   |  5 Pagesof Motivation Arousal: * A person’s state of alertness and mental and physical activation. Arousal Theory: * People are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal. * The optimal level is different for all of us. Stimulus Motives: * Motives that cause us to increase stimulation. * Appear to be unlearned, * Curiosity, exploration, and play that occur when your arousal is too low. Yerkes-Dodson Law Yerkes-Dodson Law: * Principle that performance on a task is bestRead MoreArousal, Behavior, Stress, and Effect Worksheet Psy 3551162 Words   |  5 PagesArousal, Behavior, Stress, and Effect Worksheet Larry Eckel PSY 355 April 23, 2012 Denise Wiseman-Bean Arousal, Behavior, Stress, and Effect Worksheet University of Phoenix Material Arousal, Behavior, Stress, and Affect Worksheet Using the text for this course, the University Library, the Internet, or other resources answer the following questions. Your response to each question must be at least 250 words in length. 1. What are the differences between physiological and psychologicalRead MoreEvaluating The Theories Of Learning Essay1704 Words   |  7 Pagesput into her work had paid off. Thorndike versus Skinner Comprehend: The Law of Effect by Thorndike, written before 1930, refers to the strengthening or weakening of a connection between stimulus and a response as a result of the consequences of the response. If a response is followed by a satisfying state of affairs, the strength of the connection is increased (Olson Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 58). Apply: The Law of effect can be applied to Jessica at the moment that she received the news of her promotionRead MoreEmotions Paper1692 Words   |  7 PagesEmotions There are several functioned emotions that will be analyzed in this paper. Psychological emotional arousal and cognitive activity can be very important. At least two historical theories of emotion and arousal as they relate to human motivation such as; American psychologist Stanley Schatcher as well Jerome Singer’s theory will be examined. There will be at least two research methods used for uncovering basic emotions analyze such as; Johnson-Laird and Oatley. Facial feedback hypothesisRead MoreMood, Emotion, And Sports Performance Essay2408 Words   |  10 Pages Mood, Emotion, and Sport Performance Karen Chandler Nova Southeastern University â€Æ' Mood, Emotion, and Sport Performance It seems to be common knowledge that a person’s current state of mind can greatly affect his or her performance in a sport competition, but these moods go further than just confident and happy, as it is now realized that the relationship between mood, emotion, and sport performance is a highly individualized and affect each athlete differently. Because of this, it is importantRead MoreThe Effects Of Physical And Psychological Stress On The Human Body946 Words   |  4 Pagesa purpose. Physical, mental, and emotional responses assist our human psyche to thrive and flourish. Physical response to stress is often overlooked but can have profound effects. These are not always negative but sometimes positive. They were meant to serve a purpose. However, studies show a correlation of the effects of physical and psychological stress can alter hormones. International Journal of General Medicine states â€Å"It is known that stressors of various types (psychological/physical)Read MoreStereotype Threat And Arousal : Effects On Women s Math Performance1224 Words   |  5 PagesCrandall, C.S. (2003) Stereotype threat and arousal: effects on women’s math performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 782-789. i. EXPERIMENTAL ii. The study was experimental because: 1) the researchers did manipulate the independent variables, and 2) Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. iii. The purpose of the study was to determine if increased stimulation due to perceived stereotype biases affected performance in critical thinking. More specifically, the

How Stress Affects The Body Health - 1838 Words

Ever wonder why people get stressed out either if it’s School, Marriage, work, and family? Or some good stress for example is a job promotion, buying a new house, and getting married. Stress can also affect the body health for example it can lead to cancer and cardiovascular disorders. All the stress the person can’t let go will hold on to the person in some form of guilt or regret and they will think about it over and over again and make scenarios in their head. When people are mostly stressed they usually drink alcohol or smoke tobacco to release stress and forget things for a while and enjoy it. That’s when people start getting addicted to alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. There is treatment for that for example to have a strong personal motivation and stop what they’re doing and try new things. One big stress is called PTSD which is called posttraumatic Stress Disorder, it means it’s an anxiety and traumatic experience, an example would be if a per son went to war, and after they came back from the war they can get flash backs and remember the event what happened and can’t stop thinking about it, another example would be a near-death experience where probably someone got in a car accident and almost died and survived the accident and they get flashbacks and have regret of what they should have done. When dealing with stress some symptoms can be being tired, muscle ache, gain or lose weights, and thinking about the problem a lot in the head and can’t concentrate at all. SomeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Coping with Stress at Work1593 Words   |  7 PagesStress at Work There are many jobs in the world and many professionals carrying them out. Every worker has a task to complete and it isn’t always easy. Jobs can demand a lot and specific deadlines of when things need to be done. Some jobs require workers to have more than just one responsibility. Meeting deadlines and being responsible of other tasks can be a bit stressing at times. Stress is not only at home but it is also suffered in jobs, some more than others. Many workers experience job stressRead MoreStress And Health : Can Stress Affect A Person s Health? Essay1567 Words   |  7 Pages Stress and Health Can stress affect a person’s health? It’s a very good question. There have been a lot of studies done on the effects of stress on health. Stress comes in so many forms and can affect people differently. Some short-term types of stresses can actually benefit the immune system while other long-term types of stresses can be detrimental to it. The long-term types of stresses are what will be focused on. Learning how to deal with stress in better ways can help prevent the damageRead MoreStress : How Is It Affecting You739 Words   |  3 PagesMarysa Knudsen Mr. Hisner English 111 8 September 2016 Stress: How is it Affecting You Many of us are familiar with the word stress. And for most of the billions of people who live on earth there is a time or a place that we associate with stress. For you it could be school or a job or a death in the family or certain responsibilities. No matter the cause stress can affect you in two different ways: positively or negatively. Stress begins with the brain releasing the hormone CRH. The CRH tellsRead MoreHow Stress Affects Our Health937 Words   |  4 PagesStress, it is one of the most common topics discussed between friends, family and co-workers. Most of us understand that stress can affect our health. But do you really understand how stress, if left unchecked, but cause issues with your mind and even your body? When you are finished reading this paper, my goal is for you, the reader, to have a better, more clear understanding of how stress affects the body and mind, and how to manage your stress so your can reduce these affects. Read MoreHow Stress Affects Physical Health1288 Words   |  6 PagesHow to relieve stress physically amp; How Stress Affects Physical Health People are increasingly facing more stress since the Human-Being society became developed and complicated, by ignoring the physical influence to our body, Human’s health suffered considerably from stress. Many people was suggested to solve the stress problem by using psychological approaches, however, the research in recent decades has identified a significant awareness gap between the benefits of physical activities and stressRead MoreStress And Its Effect On The Body1322 Words   |  6 PagesStress and its Role in the Body People have very different ideas with respect to their definition of stress. Probably the most common is, â€Å"physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension†. Another popular definition of stress is, â€Å"a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.† (stress.org). Most use stress as a negative condition that causes people to breakdown and become frustrated. This isRead MoreStress And Stress1465 Words   |  6 PagesStress has a major influence upon one’s health, thinking, behavior, and mood. Stress is commonly mistaken for generally evoking negative associations; however, it is actually part of the human experience that places pressure on people so that they may be able to perform at a higher level achievement. Nonetheless, when stress becomes too much to handle, or becomes chronic, it can affect an individual physically, mentally, behaviorally, and emoti onally. Stress plays a prominent role in one’s dailyRead MoreTheoretical Relationship Between The Mind Body1193 Words   |  5 Pagesthe human mind and body may or may not have a correlation. In other words, there are explanations that concur that the mind and the body have a relationship of some kind. Yet there are other explanations that may disagreed and appose the fact that there is such an idea of the mind and body correlation. In this paper I will discuss the history of theories regarding the relationship between mind and body, as well as my understanding of this relationship. I will also discuss how psychological factorsRead MoreBody and Mind Connection: How All Aspects of Health Affect Learning807 Words   |  3 PagesThe connection between the mind and body is more than muscle, connective tissue, and nerves. Each system of the body affects each other, contributing to the total health of an individual. Every aspect of health affects the way a person learns, feels , and performs. It is important have a healthy body, sound emotional state, and solid psychological state to learn and perform at the highest level of capability. The psychological aspect builds upon the emotional, and emotional upon the physical.Read MoreStress And Its Effect On The Body, Mind, And Spirit853 Words   |  4 PagesStress affects everyone at some point. Generally, stress affects an individual in numerous ways including physical manifestations of stress such as pain or illness. The way in which a person responds to stress depends on varying factors, but no two people experience stress in the same way. Treat stress holistically due to its impact on the body, mind, and spirit. A wellness coach is a great asset in learning to cope with stress through modifications in lifestyle and behavior as well as different

The Importance of Exercise and Nutrition During Pregnancy ...

Everyone knows that a healthy pregnancy requires special care. A healthy diet accompanied by moderate exercise is very important as it will cause the fetus has a great development and thus a pregnancy will be much better, but staying healthy during pregnancy depends on you, so its crucial to arm yourself with information about the many ways to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible. A healthy diet is very important because the deficiency of some nutrients can cause various adverse effects for both, mother and the fetus. It is know that the mother and the baby compete for the same nutrients and calories, and for this reason it is necessary that mothers have a balanced diet of nutrients for you and your baby. Most nutritional and†¦show more content†¦This diet will then be related to different factors like, with the womens weight before I got pregnant, the gestation period, with the frequency at which the pregnant women practiced activity and weight gain during pregnancy. As for the foods listed, the best guarantee for good nutrition during pregnancy is a varied diet rich in meat and fruit. For according to the opinion of several experts is the food that the baby finds the important source of vitamins, minerals and as many other nutrients considered essential to the developing fetus and these foods are concentrated large amounts of vitamins and minerals. In the other hand when it comes to breastfeeding, the diet should also have some care, the ideal is to drink plenty of fluids, but not coffee, tea, food dye, light food, sweeteners and chocolate, do not eat too much garlic and seasonings strong, not taking any medication without a prescription, no smoking, no drinking alcohol and eating fish two to three times a week to help in your diet. Among the components found in food most important to the healthy development of the fetus during pregnancy are, the vitamin A, C, D and E, folic acid, carbohydrates, iron, niacin thiamine, pyridoxine, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Vitamin A helps cell development, bone growth and formation of the tooth bud of the fetus, and interferes in the development of eye tissue and the immune system ofShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Exercise During Pregnancy Exercise913 Words   |  4 Pagesof primary importance to allow expectant mothers to understand that movements of the body are not a danger to an unborn child; many women continue pre-pregnancy exercise such as jogging, dance, and similar actions previously thought to be dangerous to continued gestation. In addition, a supportive family and social environment allows the mother-to-be to take the time away from family activities to devote to personal exercise without feelings of guilt. The population of pregnant women is not theRead MorePrenatal and Postpartum Scenario Essay714 Words   |  3 Pagesof your growing baby. The importance of a healthy diet and exercise cannot be more critical during the pregnancy and postpartum stages of a womans life. There are few changes that alter a womans life hormonally, physically, and mentally. So that you can better be prepared for these experiences, I have prepared a healthy activity list below that I believe will positively affect the infants future development and your well being. †¢ Nutrition during and after pregnancy is important. Make sureRead MoreNutrition And Pregnancy : Nutrition1501 Words   |  7 Pages Chapter - 5 Maternal Nutrition in Pregnancy Nutrition and pregnancy refers to the nutrient intake, and dietary planning that is undertaken before, during and after pregnancy. The conception and the subsequent weeks afterwards is the time when it is at its most vulnerable, as it is the time when the organs and systems develop within. The enegy used to create these systems comes from the energy and nutrients in the mother’s circulation, and around the lining of the womb, such is the reason whyRead MoreThe Mother s Nutrition And Its Effect On The Development Of The Fetus793 Words   |  4 Pagestrimester. Her first pregnancy was with her son Kamden Jefferis, he is learning how to adapt to a baby by hearing a baby cry and understanding that he will soon have a sister. The second trimester is the middle three months of pregnancy, or sixteen to twenty-four weeks within the pregnancy. During these weeks, the heartbeat continues to become stronger and the fetus begins to make sudden movements. There are numerous health concerns when carrying a fetus. Diet and exercise are crucial when pregnant;Read MoreExercise And Nutrition During Pregnancy1876 Words   |  8 PagesTeaching Project Exercise and Nutrition during pregnancy By: Logan Machin Description of family and patient and their learning needs: Patient is Katy Press. Katy is a 32 year old female with a history of being obese and is currently 26 weeks pregnant with her first child. Katy came into hospital with concerns regarding the health of her developing child in regards to her personal health and lifestyle choices. She has a medical history of mild hypertension, poor diet, and slight osteopeniaRead MoreOutline Of The Priorities : Jordan s Mother1009 Words   |  5 Pagesdeep breathing, guided imagery, meditation, religious rituals, rest periods, quiet environment, exercise, reduce caffeine, plan ahead, get adequate sleep). c. Interventions: i. Listen actively and encourage the family to discuss specific stressors. ii. Discuss with each family member their daily routine and how they can plan ahead to prevent stress. (Schedule rest periods, schedule 30 mins of exercise, etc). iii. Educate the family on how increased stress can cause worsening heart disease and otherRead MoreThe Importance Of Nutrition On Health, Health And Well Being Of Our Population Essay1093 Words   |  5 Pages The Importance of Nutrition in Health Madison Aynes University of Arkansas Fort Smith NUTR 25230E1  According to the World Health Organization nutrition is defined as â€Å"the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs.† This topic is often overlooked by many Americans and its relationship with a healthy life is often never understood. From before life begins in the embryonic stages to the final stages of life nutrition plays a vital role in the life a person. PoorRead MoreNutrition And The Body s Dietary Needs Essay1075 Words   |  5 Pages According to the World Health Organization nutrition is defined as â€Å"the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs.† This topic is often overlooked by many Americans and its relationship with a healthy life is often never understood. From before life begins in the embryonic stages to the final stages of life nutrition plays a vital role in the life a person. Poor nutrition can be caused by over indulgence or deprivation of essential nutrients and can lead to a d ecreased immuneRead MoreThe Beginning Stages Of Life Start With Prenatal Development855 Words   |  4 Pagesto prenatal development, there are many concerns in care. Some of the main areas of concern are the actually care that woman received while being in this stage. Most writing and viewpoints that are shined on this topic are for the advancement and importance in prenatal care. The general population has desire to know more about what can be done to assure a health child at birth. What I will be sharing is different reading on the topic of adequate prenatal care and its success and results. I have gatherRead MoreCultural Competency With The Palauan People1558 Words   |  7 PagesThese areas are in communications, high-risk health behaviors, nutrition, pregnancy and the childbearing practices, and death rituals (Purnell, 2014). Furthermore, I will present a reassessment of my culture competency to evaluate my learning that can positively affect the nursing care of individuals from diverse cultures represented by the Palauans. COMMUNICATIONS: S.S. does not maintain eye-contact well and often looks away during conversation. Direct eye contact may be considered offensive or

Discuss the contention that the House of Lords is irrelevant Free Essays

The House of Lords was, until the early 20th century the senior of the two houses in the British political system. Its members enjoyed greater powers than the members of the House of Commons, but as the 1911 and 1949 acts were introduced the powers of the Lords were greatly reduced. The abilities of the upper house became an issue as society became more democratic and concerned about the unrepresentative nature of the House; after all it was at one point hereditary peers only. We will write a custom essay sample on Discuss the contention that the House of Lords is irrelevant or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is now argued the House of Lords have become irrelevant because of its great reduction in powers and abilities to hold the lower house to account; it’s still unrepresentative nature and lack of legitimacy. Beginning at the start of the reforms, under the Liberal government Lloyd George purpose the introduction of a land tax which would affect rich wealthy land owners. This bill was challenged by the conservatives, as many of them where wealthy land owners and wanted to raise import taxes instead. The bill went ahead and passed through the House of Commons, however when the Bill reached the upper house it was struck down by the Conservative lords. The Prime Minister Henry Asquith requested the king make sufficient Liberal Lords to pass the bill if the conservative lords reject it again. Edward VII refused which led to the reduction of power in the House of Lords being a priority issue in the 1910 General election. Once the Liberals were in government a mandate was used to make the necessary constitutional changes. The Parliament Act removed the House of Lords right to veto legislation and restricted the amount of time it could prevent a bill passing through the house to 2 years. This first act did much to cripple the upper house and restrict its powers over the government; however it cannot be seen as irrelevant because the house still had substantial powers that could hold up legislation. The House of Lords were particularly effective of this shortly after the act had been introduced to the house. In 1912 a bill was passed through the house of commons regarding Irish home rule, however the House of Lords were able to hold off passing the bill until world war one. At this point the bill was dropped because the threat of Germany was seen as a more important issue. After the Second World War the Labour government, under Clement Attlee, decided to amend the 1911 parliament act further. This was because they thought the House of Lords would interfere in their rapid nationalisation program and stop them from achieving their party goals before the next general election. The new proposals meant the House of Lords could only hold up new bills for up to a year. It was argued that the time the House of Lords had become irrelevant for a times they held very little powers to hold the government to account or stop legislation. The act was used as a threat; however in 1991 the House of Lords used their remaining powers to slow the War crimes act that would extend the jurisdiction of UK courts to acts committed on behalf of Nazi Germany. The parliament act was used (for the first time since 1914), but it showed the Lords were becoming more involved. Before the House of Lords would be forced to accept legislation through the parliament act once more, Labour in 1997, with the support of the Lib-Dems purposed to end the ‘right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords’ and committed it to their manifesto. This meant at all but 92 of the Hereditary peers would be removed from the House and replaced by appointed life peers; a right given to the Prime Minister through the Life Peerages act 1958. This new act meant as a consequence the lords obtained greater authority through the fact the government wanted them there and are seen as less undemocratic because of this reform. This in turn had a great affect on the activities and use of power by the Lords, which made less irrelevant that they were previously. In the next 7 years the House of Lords opposed 3 acts; the European Parliamentary Elections Act in 1999; the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act in 2000 and the Hunting act in 2004, showing greater use of their authority and fulfilling some of the necessary tasks the Lords need to carry out in order to retain some relevancy. One role of the House of Lords performs is acting as a second opposition for the Governing executive, which has been especially effective during times when the Government has a large majority in the commons because of the first past the post (FPTP) voting system. A good illustration of this role was when the Thatcher government enjoyed majorities of over 100 following the elections of 1983. This meant the House of Lords were improving parliamentary opposition, effectively holding government to account and making up for the opposition’s weakness. This scrutiny of the executive is made clear through the huge amount of time (around 80%) the Lords spend scrutinising and revising legislation. Their regular attendance and increasing numbers means the House is adopting this role very seriously ensuring their relevancy in the British political system. Arguably the House of Lords have become even more effective at performing this role after The House of Lords Act in 1998 because party leaderships have been selecting more professional politicians to become Lords, who are, arguably, better at scrutinising the executive. As we have seen before, the House of Lords is heavily involved in the Legislative process and although they can no longer stop bills that can (and commonly do) make amendments. A recent example of this was on the 3rd of November 2011, when the House of Lords made 6 amendments to the Armed Forces Bill. This is an important function of the House because it oversees the work of the executive and ensures the elected Government is remaining representative, ensuing accountability. Some criticize this oversight of the executive as irrelevant because the house is not elected, and is a very unrepresentative elitist group. However there is defence for keeping an unelected second chamber as it is came when Labour was in power under the Blair government there were plans to change the House into a wholly elected House, Bob Marshall-Andrews importantly pointed out that â€Å"replacing a second chamber that was rotten because of inherited patronage with a second chamber which is rotten with contemporary patronage. Suggesting that having an elected chamber would not be an improvement, or any chamber in his opinion, however there are some strong arguments against having a wholly elected chamber. A key point is an appointed second chamber means there are specialists from a broad range of subjects present in the house meaning the quality of debate in the House of Lords is generally better than the quality of debate in the House of Commons, which is dominated by the execut ive. The Lords are free to vote as they wish because they have no party whip and can generally be more opinionated and do not have to tow the party line. There is also the argument that if both chambers were elected then there wouldn’t be much difference between the chambers and there may be a demand for power off the commons as they are the higher house, Lord Wakeham, a Tory peer who used to head the Royal commission said the house of commons â€Å"would not give the upper chamber the authority to play an effective role† even if both houses were elected. The House of Lords could be seen as been as relevant and as effective as they possibly can be in the situation they are in, besides the House has managed to effectively defy the will of the government on key issues such as the Anti-terrorism legislation purposed by Blair’s government. The House defeated the government on this issue and managed to make several key amendments on this bill. Although there are some strong arguments for keeping the House of Lords, many believe it is out dated and out of place in a modern democratic society; therefore it should not be in a position to judge or pass legislation. Thomas Bingham, a writer for the Guardian suggested the House should ‘not exist’ because it ‘obstruct the will of the commons’, he like many other critics of the house believe it is unnecessary and is open to abuse. In 2007 the House came under attack from the press and the Daily Telegraph published the article ‘Cash for Peerage’ which suggested that Tony Blair had been accepting money in return for appointing members to the House of Lords. Although this was never proved to be true, there was still substantial evidence that suggested it had gone on. This completely destroys the argument that the House of Lords is appointed because of their experience and could make it completely irrelevant. Some believe having a fully elected house would mean the House of Lords would not be open to critic’s claiming it was elitist and undemocratic. Many are in support of giving the House democratic legitimacy, such as the Electoral Reform Society, who support an 100% elected House using STV, with election tied into the European Parliament cycle; Preventing the house from holding up the Government; Members of second chamber banned from standing for commons for 4 years; No reserved religious seats and thresholds to ensure candidate diversity. This clearly shows that many political elites see the House as irrelevant in its current state, and would be become more relevant, up to date and perhaps even more effective if these reforms were to go ahead. The Electoral Reform Society see it as ‘removing the burden from parliament’. The House of Lords is seen by some as a irrelevant institute that is out of touch with modern society. However I think the second chamber is crucial as it acts as a political safeguard that effectively holds the government to account in the event of poor opposition in the House of Commons. Although the House faces criticism for its undemocratic nature, it is this that allows it to remain a relevant part of society that does no unnecessarily damage the House of Commons. If the House were to be elected by a proportional representation system, such as STV suggested by the Electoral Reform Society, it would become a danger as it would be more representative of the people than the commons and could cause for a demand of power off the lower House. Overall I do not think the House of Lords is irrelevant in modern politics as it performs many important roles effectively, and although at first glance it seems out of place in a democratic society, it would be an executive dictatorship without it. How to cite Discuss the contention that the House of Lords is irrelevant, Papers