The concept of 'home' in Henry James' The Ambassadors and Theodore Essay

The concept of 'home' in Henry James' The Ambassadors and Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie - Essay Example Being an effective ambassador also means retaining one's loyalty to the homeland, although occupying a difference space. In Henry James' "Ambassadors" (1903), the protagonist, Lewis Strether is an American chosen to act as Mrs. Newsome's proxy in some family business. For some reason, Chadwick loses the will to return to America and to his mother, Mrs. Newsome. He has to use his powers of persuasion to urge the American-born Chadwick Newsome vacationing in Europe to return home. The concept of home is key in The Ambassadors and Sister Carrie since each character espouses a different view on home. Home can either be one's place of nativity, a fixed abode, or a place of rest and comfort. Because of the process of maturity, love of travel, and the desire to settle with one's own family, people chose to migrate and eventually live in a new place than formerly. Home is a place in which one's feels at ease and happy. This view of home becomes more and more popular among characters who migr ate and settle in a new area. Strether himself, the appointed American ambassador to Europe affirms that he "feels more and more at home" (James 34). Happiness shared is also an integral component of what makes a home atmosphere. Chadwick was unhappy at his original home in America. As Strather observes Chadwick, he sees a man transformed by personal fulfillment and happiness, even happier than he. Soon, The Ambassador is desirous of partaking in the happiness of the American emigre. The American Dream is also a promised land of toil and hardship, yet hold out the hope of an improved lifestyle. The United States is the land of freedom and opportunity where all are in the pursuit of happiness. All Americans are the predecessors of immigrants, boasting a proud nation of ancestors which built a nation through their daring to explore another land. As an American, Chadwick exports the heritage of Americanness to Europe-the quest for happiness and love of adventure. Strether discovers soo n that America is not the only land founded on the pursuit of happiness since in Europe, Chadwick pursues and finds happiness in culture and in the woman, Madame Marie de Vionnet. The irony is that Americans rediscover happiness in another land, even The Ambassador, Strether. While in Paris, Strather and Ms. Gosfrey who are Americans, feel at home. James describes vividly that "the circle in which they stood together was warm with life, and every question between them would live as nowhere else (James 81). Home evokes images of a world of domestic bliss and even a utopia. Furbished with many comforts and amenities, homes can either be fashionably luxurious or spare - nevertheless the true essence of a home lies not with the fixtures or appearance but in the people who live with one another. Equally, Theodore Dreiser in his book, Sister Carrie, attests that "a lovely home atmosphere is one of the flowers of the world, than which there is nothing more tender, nothing more delicate" (D reiser 81). Carrie, the protagonist is in quest of a home since she cannot fine true happiness in the rural area where she was born. Here, Carries begins the realize the treasure of that place called home. Home is a place for family. The eternal difference between a house and a home is family. What gives a home identity is the people who li

Hydrogen Summary Essay Example for Free

Hydrogen Summary Essay * This is how hydrogen fuel cells work: 1. Gas stored in tanks 2. Atoms reach anode 3. Become hydrogen ion and a free electron 4. Ion goes through electrolyte layer 5. Hydrogen ion passes, but free electron does not 6. Free electron runs through external circuit from anode (-) to cathode (+) 7. Current of electrons creates electricity 8. Hydrogen ion enters cathode and combines with oxygen to become water which is better for the ecosystem because water vapor is not dangerous. * Why hydrogen as fuel? Efficient: not expensive to fill and it gives you more range. Emission Conscious: Hydrogen fuel cell cars release water vapor back in the atmosphere and don’t damage it by releasing C02 just like the other fuels. Fueling Up/Range: Since hydrogen is stored and highly compressed tanks it can hold more than any other fuel and has a bigger range. Global Economic Competitive Edge: Hydrogen is not as expensive as gasoline and it would cost you about  ½ of the money that you used to fill your car with gasoline to fill your car with hydrogen. * Better than other fuels: Hydrogen VS Ethanol: * Ethanol releases CO2 while hydrogen releases water vapor * Ethanol competes with the food producers(corn in the US, sugar cane in Brazil)and hydrogen doesn’t compete with anyone. * Ethanol is inefficient to produce while hydrogen is efficient. Hydrogen VS biodiesel: * Biodiesel solidifies in cold temperatures and it is harder to travel through the tubes(high viscosity) while hydrogen doesn’t solidify. * Biodiesel releases the most C02 out of all the fuels. Hydrogen releases water vapor * The range for biodiesel cars is 10% less than propanol cars . Hydrogen cars have 25% more range than biodiesel cars and 15% more than propanol cars. Hydrogen VS propanol: * Propanol has problems in high climates due to viscosity and the fuel solidifying while hydrogen cars don’t have problems with this. * Propanol releases C02 in the atmosphere, hydrogen releases water vapor. * The range for a propanol car is 15% less than a hydrogen car.

reading between the lines :: essays research papers

Reading Between the Lines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many times people take books for granted. They’ll sometimes prefer to watch a show on television or a movie than to pick up a book and read it. Simply, all because it is easier and faster to get trough with a movie than with a television show. Then there are also those few that do read, but when reading one mustn’t just read text on books to get trough with it. They must be able to comprehend what it is that is said in the book, what point it is trying to get across. A couple of days ago I read and article written by Mortimer J. Adler. It was called â€Å"How to Mark a Book†. The article mentioned and talked about how people must learn to read a book. Not by simply just reading the text, but by understanding what is mentioned, consider the point of view of the author, and the degree of significance the author gives to the text. This is where reading between the lines comes in. A person must be able to acknowledge what he or she is reading. If the individual reads the text and does not understand its’ meaning, then the time has been wasted as Adler mentions in his article. One must learn ways of understanding a book and what it is trying to get across, because text carries emotion to a great extend and people just don’t seem to know. This is why reading is essential not only to one’s education but to one’s life as well. I completely agree with what Adler mentions in the article. If a person does not make notes of what he or she is reading, then he or she is only processing text trough their mind and not receiving the message that is the subject at hand. If one is able to understand the significance of the writing then not only can a person develop better writing and communication skills but also gain an experience. Understand that when reading a book the reader has to take time making notes and figuring out what certain material means in order to perceive well what is being mentioned. Therefore one must read books more than one time so that one can appreciate the book and put it to good use one way or the other in their lives.

What changes are needed to the present Ethiopian, Eritrean and international economic

The current policies in place designed to reduce the effects of famine in the African countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea are a long way from achieving their goals. Famine has been a regular occurrence for hundreds of years. Ethiopia and Eritrea depend on two rainy seasons a year to ample crop growth. Sweeping changes must be made at local, national and international level if the severe problem of famine is to be brought under control and eventually eradicated. 85% of the rural population relies on rain, as farming is the main source of income (Jonathon Steele in Addis Ababa reports on efforts to contain disaster). In Africa annual rainfall varies dramatically and this plays a vital role in the success or failure of crops each year. There are also regional differences in the level of rainfall throughout Africa which means that drought cannot be assessed as a nationwide issue but as a regional issue. Current policies to regulate management of land are largely ineffective. The over-cultivation and mismanagement of land is leading to shortfalls in food production. Food growth is increasing annually by 0.6%, in contrast population in Africa is growing at 2.9%. (www.ethioembassy.org.uk) Also read this  Cheating in a Bottom Line Economy The ground surface of an area can be dramatically altered by processes such as overgrazing or over cultivation. This has a dramatic effect on the formation of clouds and subsequently levels of precipitation. (Draught and famine workbook) Steps need to be taken to change the way land is cultivated to prevent over intensive cultivation, before any steps can be taken towards eradication of famine, if the African people cannot become self sufficient then they stand little chance of escaping the cycle of drought leading to famine. Schemes and Policies designed to ease famine and drought The African government has introduced a range of schemes designed to reduce the risks posed by drought. Huge investment in agriculture has been made since 1991. This includes rural credit schemes and the creation of dams to catch rainfall. On an international level the World Bank has offered a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 million loan for rural road building. The World Bank and International Monetary fund have given their support for the reduction of subsidies on fertiliser prices; which has forced farmers to cut back on their use. (Jonathan Steele) Resulting in a fall in crop yields, leading to a fall in food supplies. A worrying trend is the increasing use of inorganic fertilisers by African farmers. They cause untold damage to the environment, releasing chemicals into the water, harming both people and vegetation. These inorganic fertilisers are purchased from the more affluent economies which mean's that African farmers must pay in cash for fertilisers which increase crop yields but which are ultimately destroying their own ecosystem in the process. This is indicative of the lack of sustainable food production policies in Ethiopia and Eritrea. (www.ethioembassy.org.uk) A nationwide scheme introduced by the African government gives farmers who own more than 0.5 hectares of land, improved seed varieties, fertilisers and pesticides, on loan. This has seen results in many areas which have led to higher incomes for some farmers. Schemes such as this yield benefits today but the future cost and effect on the environment in the long term is as yet unknown. (Information from Oxfam, leaflet no OX450 May 1997) Schemes to counteract the problems of soil erosion have been introduced. Oxfam in partnership with thousands of volunteers in community programmes are attempting to rebuild the land. Millions of trees have been planted to help curb soil erosion and to put back nutrients into the soil. (Information from Oxfam).Reforestation projects are of paramount importance in regenerating the land and preventing soil erosion and leaching of vital nutrients. Types of farming Many of the crops grown by African farmers are cash crops. These crops are often unsuitable for the environment in which they are grown and leach vital nutrients from the soil. As agriculture is the main source of income for 85% of the population cash crops are vital to the survival of many African farmers. Nomadic pastoralism is the most efficient form of land use in arid and semi arid lands where crop production is very risky due to high annual variances in climate. (Kilby 1993, Scoones 1995) â€Å"Development policies introduced over the Last fifty years have undermined the traditional management of pastoralists†. (Kilby 1993) Kilby states that they have focused on the extension of crop production into marginal areas, on sedentary ranching, and on an expansion of national parks. Such policies deny pastoralists resources and the ability to roam freely which they require to feed their herds, especially during periods of drought. Many of the policies introduced with the intent of reducing the impact of draught on the peoples of Africa actually hinder them. Conclusion Policy changes within agriculture are urgently needed. Technological change which will stabilise production at higher levels is also needed. Money needs to be invested in researching drought resistant crops, and a higher level of irrigation is also required if droughts are going to cease to be a catalyst for famine. Agricultural productivity needs to be dramatically increased in order for individuals to become self-sufficient. It is only through better management of agriculture that famine can be eradicated in the long term rather than simply on a short term basis. Policies need to be changed and action taken, short term, and more importantly long term, so as to reduce the severity and frequency of the occurrence of famines in Africa. The issue of famine and drought is highly complex and is very difficult to resolve. â€Å"Famine is a direct result of drought; however it is the vulnerability of people when faced with reduced food availability that turns the situation into a disaster†. (Information from Oxfam) Long term policies need to focus on food security, ensuring that food supplies are large enough to sustain the population and that excess food supplies are managed to ensure the populations survival during drought years. In the past excess food supplies have been sold to foreign countries for profit rather than being kept to feed the African population during times of famine. Government policies need in the short term to focus on making people self sufficient before they can tackle issues of producing surplus crops to sell. Existing policies have made little difference to the situation. Much still needs to be done for the long term prevention of famine in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Compare Essay Vietnam an Australia Essay

In recent years, there are many Vietnamese students who want to study in other countries as Australia, Singapore, or USA. Because they think that the education system in these countries is better than the system in Vietnam. They will have plenty opportunities after graduating in international college or university. Nevertheless, others have the opinion that the quality of education in both countries is similar. Australian and Vietnamese education systems are very similar in school ages. We can easy to see that both of their education system have kindergarten level and twelve grades which for children from the ages of 3 to 18. After finishing general education, most of students in Australia move on their studying at TAFE or colleges or universities, and so do Vietnamese students. Moreover, both of them have public schools which boys and girls can join equally in class. In spite of the similarities, these two educations have several differences in system division, timetable and the way students can apply to university. The first difference between two education systems is the system division. In Vietnam, public kindergartens frequently admit children from the age of 18 months to 5 years old. They usually study in primary school at 6 years old for 5 years (grades 1 – 5), secondary school at 12 years old for 4 years (grades 6 – 9) and high school for 3 years (grades 10 -12). In contrast, there are preschool and preparatory (also called kindergarten), which started when you are five. Then, primary school goes from grade 1 to 6 and secondary school from grade 7 to 12. Furthermore, they still are difference in timetable. Australian students have to go to school Monday to Friday, from 8:45 am to 3 pm, with breaks for lunch and snacks. Also they have extra activities after school hours such as piano classes, dance classes, etc. Even though, students in Vietnam just have 5 minutes break between two lessons (45 minutes for a lesson), every day from Monday to Friday. The Vietnamese classes usually started at 6:45 am and finished at 11:45 am for morning session or 12:45 pm to 5:15 pm for afternoon session. Another striking difference between education system in Australia and the system in Vietnam is the way students can apply to university. All of grade 12 students in Vietnam who must to pass the High school Graduation Examination to graduate and take the University Examination to study in university. On the other hand, you need to show: Evidence of English knowledge, Evidence of  study as High school Certificate if you want to apply to any universities in Australia. All things considered, while the two education systems offer similar the ages to go to school, they differ widely in the system division, timetable and the way students can apply to university. Study in Australia is the best choice for students who not only want to be more active, more confident but also improve themselves-study and English skill, enlarge their knowledge and create a great working chance.

Domestic Violence and Early Adulthood Essays

Domestic Violence and Early Adulthood Essays Domestic Violence and Early Adulthood Essay Domestic Violence and Early Adulthood Essay Domestic violence leads to robbing a particular victim the fundamental right to live in harmony or to have a control on their lives. This is because one does not feel safe in their environment and also at home. The victims also feel hard to offer protection to themselves and their children. Domestic violence is said to be the cause of child abuse. According to Barnett, O. W. 350, 50% to 70% of people involved in violence are likely to also abuse their children. Also according to the same reports, children who come from home that have abusive parents are 1500 likely to be frequently abused. According to research, juvenile delinquency is closely related to physical injury as a result of domestic violence. Children who come from violent homes are said to be at six times higher chances of suicide attempts and 50% chances of engaging in drug abuse. The violence has caused the children and their parent to turn to alcoholics. According to Wisner, C. , et al 1999, the most tragic effect of domestic violence is death and it is estimated that men between 11 and 22 years old who are jailed have committed homicide in that they have killed those who have battered their mothers. There are signs of abuse that one should look out for. One is injuries; they have all sorts of injuries on their bodies, from scratches to broken bones and bruises. The affected also have stress and this leads to depression over time. The victims are also said to loose their jobs as they spend most of their time absent from work in order to attend to hospital. They also spend more time in courts and they also move from one place to another to avoid cases of violence. In conclusion all the domestic violence cases should be reported to the authorities to avoid more harm than good. There are centers that have been formed and this act to provide counseling to the affected people. This helps those parents and children, who are victims to adjust to the situation and also for the prevention of long term effects. Barnett, O. W. Why battered women do not leave, part 1: External inhibiting factors within society. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 1, (2000). 343-372. Harway, M. Hansen, M. Spouse Abuse: Assessing and Treating Battered Women, Batterers, and Their Children. Sarasota, Florida: Professional Resource Press. (1994). Perrone, J. Red Flags Offer Clues in Spotting Domestic Abuse. Violence, A Compendium from JAMA. Chicago: The American Medical Association. (1992). Straus, M. A. Injury and Frequency of Assault and the Representative Sample Fallacy in Measuring Wife Beating and Child Abuse. In M. A. Straus R. J. Gelles (Eds. ), Physical violence in American Families: Risk Factors and Adaptations to Violence in 8,145 F amilies New Brunswick, NJ; Transaction. (1990). pp. 75-91 Vitanza, S. , Vogel, L. C. , Marshall, L. LDistress and Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Abused Women. Violence and Victims, 10, (1995). 23-34. Wisner, C. , Gilmer, T. , Saltzman, L. , Zink, T. Intimate Partner Violence Against Women Do Victims Cost Health Plans More? Journal of Family Practice, June. (1999).

buy custom Demonstrate Awareness of Societal Issues Appropriate for an Individual essay

buy custom Demonstrate Awareness of Societal Issues Appropriate for an Individual essay Health care is a wide institution, which provides curative, preventive rehabilitative and promotional health care services to individuals and societies. Great strides have been made in the past to improve the health care professions image on the society. Modern and effective technical capabilities which ensure more precise diagnosis are adopted to enhance social trust. Health care issues are concerned with threats to health. The health care professional encompasses knowledge on the physicians mental, physical and mental well being. The professional is also expected to have multidisciplinary knowledge on community health, environmental health, occupational health and health services. Interdisciplinary approaches in biostatistics and epidemiology is also vital. The public health professional should be able to accommodate different types of people and help them in the best way possible. They should advice people accordingly to enable them achieve holistic health. They should be able to address issues of abortion, race, gay relationships and embarrassing illnesses with decorum and professionalism. Most professionals have established guidelines for good practice. Contravening on these guidelines may constitute neglect or abuse. As a result, health care professionals have established principles of good conduct. Some tenets of god practice have been made into law while others are set by the professional associations. Social and Health care professions have the concept of care and duty towards their users. The quality and well being of service delivered should therefore be highly prioritized as all treatment is anticipated to have therapeutic or life saving benefits to the patient. The patients should be allowed access to vital information relating to their health and well being. The health professional should communicate and network with colleagues in an attempt to enrich the medical field. They should address upcoming issues, challenges and interests. Health care services are regulated by the government by a national regulatory agency. It also licenses care givers who might wish to practice private health care. The agency acts as a disciplinary arm. Buy custom Demonstrate Awareness of Societal Issues Appropriate for an Individual essay

Languages of Spain Other Than Spanish

Languages of Spain Other Than Spanish If you think that Spanish or Castilian is the language of Spain, youre only partly right. True, Spanish is the national language and the only language you can use if you want to be understood almost everywhere. But Spain also has three other officially recognized languages, and language use continues to be a hot political issue in parts of the country. In fact, about a fourth of the countrys residents use a tongue other than Spanish as their first language. Here is a brief look at them: Euskara (Basque) Euskara is easily the most unusual language of Spain - and an unusual language for Europe as well, since it doesnt fit in the Indo-European family of languages that includes Spanish as well as French, English and the other Romance and Germanic languages. Euskara is the language spoken by the Basque people, an ethnic group in Spain and France that has its own identity as well as separatist sentiments on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border. (Euskara has no legal recognition in France, where far fewer people speak it.) About 600,000 speak Euskara, sometimes known as Basque, as a first language. What makes Euskara linguistically interesting is that it has not been shown conclusively to be related to any other language. Some of its characteristics include three classes of quantity (single, plural and indefinite), numerous declinations, positional nouns, regular spelling, a relative lack of irregular verbs, no gender, and pluri-personal verbs (verbs that vary according to the sex of the person being spoken to). The fact that Euskara is an ergative language (a linguistic term involving cases of nouns and their relations to verbs) has caused some linguists to think that Euskara may have come from the Caucasus region, although the relationship with languages of that area hasnt been demonstrated. In any case, it is likely that Euskara, or least the language it developed from, has been in the area for thousands of years, and at one time it was spoken in a much larger region. The most common English word that comes from Euskara is silhouette, the French spelling of a Basque surname. The rare English word bilbo, a type of sword, is the Euskara word for Bilbao, a city on the western edge of Basque Country. And chaparral came to English by way of Spanish, which modified the Euskara word txapar, a thicket. The most common Spanish word that came from Euskara is izquierda, left. Euskara uses the Roman alphabet, including most letters that other European languages use, and the à ±. Most of the letters are pronounced roughly like they would be in Spanish. Catalan Catalan is spoken not only in Spain, but also in parts of Andorra (where it is the national language), France, and Sardinia in Italy. Barcelona is the largest city where Catalan is spoken. In written form, Catalan looks something like a cross between Spanish and French, although it is a major language in its own right and  may be more similar to Italian than it is to Spanish. Its alphabet is similar to that of English, although it also includes a Ç. Vowels can take both grave and acute accents (as in and , respectively). Conjugation is similar to Spanishs. About 4 million people use Catalan as a first language, with about that many also speaking it as a second language. The role of the the Catalan language has been a key issue in the Catalonian independence movement. In a series of plebiscites, Catalonians have generally supported independence from Spain, although in many cases opponents of independence boycotted the elections and the Spanish government has contested the legality of the votes. Galician Galician has strong similarities to Portuguese, especially in vocabulary and syntax. It developed along with Portuguese until the 14th century, when a split developed, largely for political reasons. For the native Galician speaker, Portuguese is about 85 percent intelligible. About 4 million people speak Galician, 3 million of them in Spain, the rest in Portugal with a few communities in Latin America. Miscellaneous Languages Scattered throughout Spain are a variety of smaller ethnic groups with their own languages, most of them Latin derivatives. Among them are Aragonese, Asturian, Calà ³, Valencian (usually considered a dialect of Catalan), Extremaduran, Gascon, and Occitan. Sample Vocabularies Euskara: kaixo (hello), eskerrik asko (thank you), bai (yes), ez (no), etxe (house), esnea (milk), bat (one), jatetxea (restaurant). Catalan: sà ­ (yes), si us plau (please), quà ¨ tal? (how are you?), cantar (to sing), cotxe (car), lhome (the man), llengua or llengo (language), mitjanit (midnight). Galician: polo (chicken), dà ­a (day), ovo (egg), amar (love), si (yes), nom (no), ola (hello), amigo/amiga (friend), cuarto de baà ±o or baà ±o (bathroom), comida (food).

Information Technology Ethics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Technology Ethics - Term Paper Example Cyber crimes are here to stay. As Price stated, â€Å"As the number of computer owners connected to the internet increases, so too does the opportunity for cyber crime† (Price, 2010). Chantler in his review of the book, â€Å"The Reality of the Threat† by Nigel Phair (2007) cited Phair’s description of the different cyber crimes (Chantler, 2007). Phair noted (as cited by Chantler 2007) that cyber crimes can be broadly divided into seven groups namely: 1) unwanted software; 2) identity crime; 3) phishing; 4) critical infrastructure protection; 5) intellectual property; 6) communications; and 7) terrorism (Chantler, 2007). Hacking activities, spyware, adware, cookies, Trojans, spams and viruses fall under unwanted software. Unwanted software may be found either outside or within the organization. The second and third types of cyber crime, identity crime and phishing, deal with proof of identity, authentication of internet users and the tools used to get information . Chantler goes on further to cite Phair’s description of the other divisions of cyber crimes (2007). Critical infrastructure protection crimes are the crimes which involve the destruction of the information structures such as telecommunications and computer networks. On the other hand, crimes on intellectual property are concerned with software piracy. Cyber crime on communications is another form of cyber crime which gets much attention from organizations. These type of crimes include risks and threats on â€Å"wireless devices, VoIP (voice-over-internet protocol) - such as Skype and Google-talk, third generation phone systems, issues with caller ID, clipping, v-bombing, sim boxing, internet dumping, PABX hacking, phoneline scanning, voicemail, cloning, Bluetooth, RFID† and issues on privacy (Chantler, 2007). Like any other group of society, terrorists have also resorted to digital technology in carrying out their activities. They use cyber space to commit crimes suc h as information warfare and distributed denial of service attacks (ddos) (Chantler, 2007). One of the most common crimes which Chantler failed to mention is cyber bullying. Over the years, there has been a proliferation of cyber bullying crimes worldwide. Cyber bullying is â€Å"bullying through email, instant messaging (IMing), chat room exchanges, Web site posts, or digital messages or images send to a cellular phone or personal digital assistant (PDA)† (Hazelden Foundation, n.d.). Cyber bullying involves online harassment which has become more severe through the years sometimes even the cause of some suicides among teenagers. Electronic Monitoring of Employees One of the offshoots of the advancement in information technology is the growth in the extent of workplace monitoring in several companies. Software such as Websense, SurfControl, SmartFilter and Xora have sprung up as corporations saw the need to monitor employees in the workplace. These software make it easy for m anagement to monitor the computer, internet or email use of the employees. A software like Xora can even go as far as monitoring an employee’s whereabouts through GPS technology on their company’s mobile phones (Dell & Cullen, 2006). According to sellers of Web and email monitoring software, employee productivity, corporate liability and bandwidth limitations are the major reasons why workplace monitoring is implemented by corporations (Lemos, 2001). In a study by the American Management Association and the ePolicy Institute, it was revealed that 76% of employers

Prompt. Bridging the gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prompt. Bridging the gap - Essay Example fluenced significant transformations in ways of life and in validating that this unifying force confirms universality of responsibility with one another. In the United States, a country known to have espoused diversity in culture, a quick research on the predominant religion in the country revealed that Christianity still prevails with 78.4% of the respondents acknowledging their religious affiliations (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life). More interesting, the religious affiliations of members of the United States congress have been disclosed that more than half are Protestants with the rest being diversely affiliated to other religions and only 5 out of 435 members not specifying any religious membership (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life). In this regard, one strongly believes that religion plays a crucial factor in influencing diplomatic policies and in facilitating resolution of political conflicts within the local and international sphere. When government leaders have signified and acknowledged affiliations to religious groups, as verified and attested within the chambers of the 111th congress, decisions regarding foreign policies, resolution of conflicts, and guiding principles towards governance are most likely to be defined and influenced by the religious teachings and traditions that are imbibed. For example, as cited by Albright, during her 1981 visit in Poland, significant changes were observed regarding the form of government until such time that Pope John Paul’s visit influenced the people to boldly profess their Catholic faith and openly express their intent to be liberated from the bonds of communism. Despite the government’s declaration that Pope John Paul was to be regarded an enemy of the state due to the convictions and threats posed by his teachings, the firm belief and adherence to faith exemplified by the greater majority, remarkably led to the liberate Poland, â€Å"brought down the Be rlin Wall, reunited Europe, and transformed

Three questions about the different type of editing Essay

Three questions about the different type of editing - Essay Example The film is without a proper plot and only contains a series of images. The author puts to use abstract imagery in an effort to make the viewer less nervous. This kills the role of plot and dialogue (Charmaz, 2000). To improve the relevance of his film, the producer applies dreamlike logic. The concept was popular with the duo’s previous films. Producers use unlimited imagination to direct images in the film. Un Chien Andalou images are crude with little professionalism, but audiences still find them fascinating. People continue to immortalize the eye-slicing image of Un Chien Andalou. The flow of images and use of space interferes with the aspect of sight in the film; watching the images becomes more dreadful for the audience. The production entailed disturbing and strange imagery. It is easy to see the audience shocked and disgusted as they view images landing on their minds with a thud. The daring nature applied in this film continues to remain one of the strongest even whe n compared to modern films from Hollywood and other production companies. The film deviates from the usual production shots that give characters symbols and impulses. The use of space invokes the power to provoke which makes it unique when it comes to cinematography. In my opinion, the use of space in this film gave room for the producers to present events that occurred between 1967 and 1977. Positives from the image include presenting an idea forethought and applicable in the subsequent generations within the industry.

Currency exchange futures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Currency exchange futures - Research Paper Example F) may be traded in any of the three ways: 1) At an Exchange regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) 2) At an exchange regulated by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). 3) Off-Exchange, also known as Over the Counter (OTC) Market. A buyer interacts directly with a seller and there is no exchange or clearing house to support the transaction. CEF being part of Foreign Exchange trading begins Monday morning in Sydney, Australia (Sunday afternoon in the United States) and moves around the globe as business days begin in financial centers from Tokyo to London to New York, ending with the close of trading Friday afternoon in New York. Anything that happens anywhere in the world at any time of the day or night affects the Forex market immediately without waiting for an exchange to open before the effects can be seen. The Forex market is always open for trading. CEF can be traded electronically and hence positions can be opened and closed in realtime. CEF has the advantage of High leverage, the margins are low and hence small amount of investment can give control of sizeable position. With a minor positive movement would result in higher returns on investment. The disadvantage being that a minor negative movement would result in erosion of your funds. The most popular currency futures market is the EUR futures market, which is based upon the Euro to US Dollar exchange rate. The most popular currency futures are provided by the CME Group (formerly the Chicago Mercantile Exchange), and include the following futures markets: Currency futures trade Futures Contracts that are worth a specific amount of the underlying currency. For example, the EUR futures contract is worth $125,000. Date of delivery is also pre-determined like third Wednesday of jan, march, June,etc. The specifications of each contract in the currency futures market states the contract value, minimum price change (tick size) and the price change value (tick value). For Individual

Statement of Purpose for George Washington University Essay

Statement of Purpose for George Washington University - Essay Example I have also volunteered in many activities as a student volunteer. Since I am passionate about computer technology, I have acquired proficiency in many computer softwares like Microsoft office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint), Windows, Mac OSX, IMovie, Prezi. I plan to learn more about information systems via libraries and internet after I complete my graduation degree. I also plan to attend seminars and training sessions regarding information systems. I feel that I have extreme craze to go ahead in the computer industry, and that is why I wish to apply for the said course from George Washington University. I want to contribute valuable expertise to the computer industry. Having stated my desire to learn about information systems, I hope that the university officials will consider my application, and will grant me admission in their reputed university so that I may be able to accomplish my dreams and become a talented IT professional in future. Thank

Currency exchange futures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Currency exchange futures - Research Paper Example F) may be traded in any of the three ways: 1) At an Exchange regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) 2) At an exchange regulated by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). 3) Off-Exchange, also known as Over the Counter (OTC) Market. A buyer interacts directly with a seller and there is no exchange or clearing house to support the transaction. CEF being part of Foreign Exchange trading begins Monday morning in Sydney, Australia (Sunday afternoon in the United States) and moves around the globe as business days begin in financial centers from Tokyo to London to New York, ending with the close of trading Friday afternoon in New York. Anything that happens anywhere in the world at any time of the day or night affects the Forex market immediately without waiting for an exchange to open before the effects can be seen. The Forex market is always open for trading. CEF can be traded electronically and hence positions can be opened and closed in realtime. CEF has the advantage of High leverage, the margins are low and hence small amount of investment can give control of sizeable position. With a minor positive movement would result in higher returns on investment. The disadvantage being that a minor negative movement would result in erosion of your funds. The most popular currency futures market is the EUR futures market, which is based upon the Euro to US Dollar exchange rate. The most popular currency futures are provided by the CME Group (formerly the Chicago Mercantile Exchange), and include the following futures markets: Currency futures trade Futures Contracts that are worth a specific amount of the underlying currency. For example, the EUR futures contract is worth $125,000. Date of delivery is also pre-determined like third Wednesday of jan, march, June,etc. The specifications of each contract in the currency futures market states the contract value, minimum price change (tick size) and the price change value (tick value). For Individual

Theology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Theology - Case Study Example In case someone wishes to push this disease issue aside as an ancillary point, Paul suggest that his disease was remarkable and obvious enough that the disease drew the attention of everyone Paul is speaking to in Galatians (Chap.4, v. 14). Again, Paul draws specific attention in Philemon to his eye disease (Phl., verse 19) and his need for assistance to write. What follows in Philemon vs. 19-25 is of supreme importance since Paul says he’s writing it in his own handwriting (leading readers to believe the writing before verse 19 was transcribed by an assistant [Timothy] ). Paul cunningly ‘sells’ his idea by inferring a business arrangement with Philemon (verse 19) then reminding Philemon of what Paul has done for him (end of verse 19). Paul smartly suggest that as soon as he (Paul) is released he is coming to stay with Philemon (vs. 21-22) probably to make sure that Philemon does what Paul is implicating in this letter. One can easily see the ‘old’ Pa ul with his dynamic stubbornness and overbearing personality (the Paul who stood by as Stephen was stoned in Acts chapter 8) combined with a loving spirit given to Paul through Paul’s conversion. It is interesting to witness Paul suggesting to Philemon that his ‘slave’ Onesimus is actually considered by Paul to be Paul’s own son. Paul also uses his own imprisonment to show the unfairness of Onesimus’s continued imprisonment as Philemon’s slave. In effect, Paul is telling Philemon that by treating Onesimus differently than a just a Christian ‘Brother’ (and Paul’s own son) is to be acting like the ‘Keeper’ of Paul’s prison keeping Paul unfairly under chains. The implication of Paul’s argument is that Christians are all prisoners under Christ if we are Christians and to continue enslavement of Christian Brothers is almost like trying to subvert Christ Jesus’ position as leader. Specifically, Paul is suggesting to Philemon that by

Lower middle class Essay Example for Free

Lower middle class Essay This passage is an extract from M.T. Anderson’s dystopian novel of consumerism and corporate America. The passage is a dialogue between two key characters, Titus and Violet, who each represent contrasting views of the cyber mentality and advertising control. Unlike the passage the novel depicts humanities descent into a decaying society which has no redemption. This passage opens with a short, sharp dialogue between two characters, no names are mentioned and we really don’t know who they are. Yet we sense there must be a bond between them because of the acquiescence of the second character (eg. â€Å"I did†, â€Å"I listened†). We realise that the â€Å"chat† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) is between the two key characters, Titus and Violet, on their visit to a mall. Clearly the narrator is also the protagonist, Titus, teenager from an upper middle class family, who for the most part is content with his consumer lifestyle. In this conversation Violet is forcing him to question and â€Å"resist the feed† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) but he is clearly too entrenched within the program to resist. Although he helps her create wild consumer profiles while at the mall, his background helps him resist her strong push to break away from â€Å"those† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) people. Titus is brainwashed to accept the trademark marketing of the feed because he was â€Å"chipped† as an infant. Although he appears compliant in this passage, it is obvious that he is only doing it to please Violet, â€Å"alright†¦ok† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97). Just like in the rest of the novel Titus is blind to Violet’s urgency in escaping the feed. It is clear he is unaware of the environmental disasters that are happening around him globally and as the passage suggests he is prepared to accept the status quo and conform because in his words â€Å"that’s the feed so what† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97). He is so oblivious of the dangers around him, he doesn’t even realise that her resistance is causing her slow death. The â€Å"she† in the passage, is obviously Violet. She is the one directing and controlling the dialog between the two teenagers. It is clear that she has a sense of desperation and perhaps paranoia, because she recognizes that they are watching us â€Å"right now† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97). Her ramblings sound ridiculous to Titus despite the fact that he does exactly as she says. Violet’s plan in this passage is to resist the feed by tricking them into thinking that she has a wide and random assortment of interests in advertising. The reader is reminded that Violet is not a mainstream teenager, she has been raised by an eccentric parent and was home schooled. Making her different to Titus and his friends, who got their implant at infancy she received hers at the age of seven. Violet views the feed negatively, different from Titus and his friends, perhaps because she comes from a lower middle class background. Anderson creates her to challenge the system she is living under, as she says in the passage â€Å"they tried to figure out who you are†¦make you conform†¦it’s like a spiral† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97). Her disgust and her rebellion against this social norm that everybody else accepts will eventually shut down her body parts and because her father cannot afford repairs, her body will go into malfunction and she will eventually die. In fact the book ends with Violet dying and the feed saying â€Å"everything must go† (Anderson, 2002). This death creates a voice from Anderson suggesting a society of apathy and hopelessness. The narrative of this passage positions the reader to take sides. It is unclear just how contrasting the belief of the two characters is. The narrator is clearly submissive and the reader is eager to find out why. Why does he do as she asks? Why does he listen as she asks? One is keen to find out the reason behind her pushiness. The passage opens with â€Å"she said† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) and in the first two lines, he â€Å"looks around† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) as she tells him to, he â€Å"listens† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) as she instructs him, but it is clear at the end of the passage that he does not necessarily agree, as he says â€Å"so what?† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97). The mall is used symbolically and metaphorically to represent the social demographic of these two teenager’s lives and it is here that Violet is trying to convince Titus to distance himself from the tentacles of the cyber octopus that is the feed. In fact, the telepathic closeness that this feednet creates between people is obvious in the first couple of lines of this passage, where one character agrees with the suggestions of the other. The passage is structured with a combination of sentence lengths, it opens and closes with very short sharp phrases, almost building up into a vortex of explanation. In the middle of the passage sentences are longer because there is so much more to explain, making meaning difficult to understand. There is a distinct pattern of alliteration used as a force of reinforcement, â€Å"she said† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97) and â€Å"wanting, watching, waiting† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97). The tone of the passage begins with a casual conversation between two teenagers and develops almost into a political rhetoric. The conversation is almost childlike, simple, about â€Å"toys† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97), about â€Å"things† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97), about â€Å"games† (Anderson, 2002, pp. 96-97), hiding a more sinister and psychological message. The passage replicates Anderson’s overall view of society. He uses the language of youth culture, presenting the novel/passage in the first person narrative through Titus who is often unlikeable and unpredictable. In the passage the reader is positioned to accept Violet’s (her) view of the world because we cannot trust Titus’ biased point of view. Nevertheless, Anderson has created authentic adolescent voices, sometimes humorous but always honest. Titus represents the apathetic accepting team and Violet of course incites the reader’s admiration for her challenge to a society, which is overlooking the dangers of overpowering consumerism. We cannot fail but see Anderson’s satire through Violet’s voice and his criticism of wealth, status, consumerism, corporate America, messaged advertising, conglomerates, and a society falling into a universal disaster of its own making. The passage is short but captures the essence of Anderson’s meaning and criticism of societies obsessed with consumerism.

Culture and Public Relations: Links and Implications

Culture and Public Relations: Links and Implications Public relations can be described as an industry which builds bridges and maintain relationships with an organization and its intended public. At its very core, public relations it about connecting people, making it a very human oriented industry. Because it is so human oriented, it results in a PR person having to interact with many people, who may come from several different cultures. Culture, as explained by Thwaites, is the ensemble of social processes by which meanings are produced, circulated, exchanged (Thwaites, Davis, Mules, 1994). In short, it is simply the production of meanings by people. It is especially important for PR activity in terms of its role in the meaning-making process. Culture is multi-discursive and can be contested. It is also dynamic and historical. This means that culture is not stagnant and can evolve over time. This essay seeks to explore the relationship between culture and public relations in depth, especially the importance of intercultural competence in relation to a PR practitioner’s work. In order for a PR practitioner to properly carry out their work, cultural research is essential. To do so, they can adopt the use of anthropology and ethnography. According to the American Anthropological Association (n.d.), anthropology is the study of humans, whether past or present. Sociocultural anthropology explores the social patterns and practices across different cultures, especially how people live, organize, govern and create meaning. Traditionally, the anthropology approach treats culture as predictive, static and a casual variable (Bardhan Weaver, 2010). However, it is still useful to examine cultures in different contexts as they offer alternative ways of thinking about public relations. On the other hand, ethnography can help PR practitioners understand public relations and its effects in different ways. As one come across research from the 1990s and 2000s, they will realize that many of these researches drew on Hofstede’s extensive studies, mapping four dimensions of national culture. These four dimensions of national cultures are: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity versus feminity and individualist versus collective. Although extensive, Hofstede’s studies show only a static understand of culture, and is focused on understanding the culture of others in order to perform business functions more effectively. In spite of that, public relations should focus more on building and maintaining multicultural relationships and communities. In this increasingly globalized world, PR practitioners are crossing borders more, whether online or offline. Effectively, PR practitioners can be said as culture workers. Because of this, PR practitioners need to have more understanding of different cultures and the cultural differences. By developing an understanding for cultural differences, they may come to realize that one approach may not work across all cultures. As such, intercultural competence is very important for a PR practitioner. Developing intercultural competence will allow for a PR practitioner to come up with better approaches when working with different cultures. One example will be the difference between PR in America and China. Using Hofstede’s dimensions, one will find that the Chinese culture is very different from the American culture. The Chinese society in China firmly believes that a wide power distance is acceptable and that inequalities are acceptable; whereas the Americans are more open and there is a very narrow power distance between the higher and lower ranking members of an organization. PR in Singapore is also vastly different to practices in China. To the Chinese, because China is such a relationship-rooted society, networking and PR activities are expected to include gifting, as well as having to â€Å"wine and dine† a client before discussing official business. In Singapore, this is not widely-practiced, and doing so may seem like one is accepting favours or bribes. Such are examples of how difference in culture may affect a PR practitioner’s approach. Cultures may also be split into three areas, namely: occupational, organizational and education and research. In occupational cultures, research has to be done as cultural concepts are key to understanding public relations â€Å"as an occupational culture as well as a form of culture-worker† (Edwards Hodges, 2011). The various roles of public relations in culture highlights many different practices, which can be applied to many aspects of client handling. PR in occupational cultures can also be said to comprise of more than one culture such as â€Å"consultancy culture† and â€Å"in-house culture†. These cultural constraints, if understood, can help explain the relationship between PR and society. On top of that, it can also shine light on how cultural and societal conventions influence the industry in different contexts, and shape expectations and generate stereotypes or caricatures (Edwards Hodges, 2011). On the other hand, PR in organizational culture approaches research very differently and for different purposes. Anthropological concepts can be used to decipher the role of public relations in order to establish dichotomy of a manager-technician (Edwards Hodges, 2011). Because the nature of a PR practitioner’s work is necessarily cultural, research is instrumental to show that they are doing more outside of what is commonly perceived of them. In educational and research cultures, PR research can be useful to provide insights into â€Å"the existence and origin of resistances and negotiation over the curriculum† (Edwards Hodges, 2011). Ethnographical research can also be used to look into the cultures of professionals and those who are involved in the education industry. Because of the diversity of cultures, a PR practitioner has to develop a set of intercultural skills which are crucial to their work. Some examples of such skills will include knowledge of the different cultures, having an open mind as well as having empathy. Intercultural skills are important to a PR practitioner simply because of the number of different cultures that they will interact with in the span of their career. More often than not, a PR practitioner will find that a single approach will not work across all cultures, that â€Å"one shoe does not fit all†. As such, honing their intercultural skills is a must in order for them to come up with cultural-appropriate approaches. Intercultural competence involves both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. Intrapersonal competencies mostly involve cognitive skills, which is altering one’s perspective to see from another person’s perspective. It also involves self-reflection, problem solving, as well as culture-detection (Stier, 2006). In addition, it also deals with understanding why people feel certain ways as well as the implications of these feelings and how people cope with them, which may be triggered by unknown cultural settings (Stier, 2006). Interpersonal competencies, however, involves interactive skills. Skills such as being able to â€Å"detect and interpret non-verbal cues, subtle signals and emotional responses† (Steir, 2006), as well as how to respond to them fittingly. The most important aspect of intercultural competence that a PR person has to possess is arguably empathy. Empathy, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the act of understanding and being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts and experiences of another. Being a â€Å"culture worker†, a PR person’s work spans many cultures. One have to understand that imposing their own thoughts and culture on another will not go down well, and that the right approach is to instead take the time to first understand how the culture functions and produce meaning. Culture plays a very big part in a PR person’s work. It is closely related to the way a PR practitioner is able to carry out their work, and PR practitioners have to do adequate research in order to prep themselves for the different cultures they will come across. Common research methods include the anthropological and ethnographical methods. Other than research, intercultural competence is also very important to a PR person. Because we live in an increasingly globalized community, it is inevitable that we will interact with many different cultures. Understanding of these cultures and one’s own will help one to understand the differences in each other’s cultures, so as to come up with better approaches when working with them. In conclusion, PR work requires cultural competence as it negotiates cultures, crossing boundaries online and off. Practitioners have to be flexible and understand the cultural values which are the foundations of the industry, as well as understand their cultural heritage. PR work also requires global and local knowledge, so as to facilitate to different cultures. Most of all, PR people should focus on building positive multicultural relationships and communities, as well as maintaining them. References What is Anthropology? (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://www.aaanet.org/about/whatisanthropology.cfm Bardhan, N., Weaver, C. (2010). Public relations in global cultural contexts (p. 298). London, Abingdon, Ox: Routledge. Definition of â€Å"Empathy†. (n.d.). Retrieved May 27, 2015, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy Edwards, L., Hodges, C. (2011). Public relations, society culture: Theoretical and empirical explorations (1st ed.). New York, New York: Routledge. Stier, J. (2006). Internationalisation, intercultural communication and intercultural competence. Journal of Intercultural Communication, (11). Retrieved May 27, 2015, from http://www.immi.se/intercultural/nr11/stier.pdf Thwaites, T., Davis, L., Mules, W. (1994). Tools for cultural studies: An introduction (1st ed.). South Melbourne, Melbourne: Macmillan Education Australia.

Inherit The Wind Essay -- English Literature Essays

Inherit The Wind Rachel’s Quest for independence I think Rachel was looking for the ways for her independence and willing to protect Bert during the trial. Rachel believed that Bert was innocent. Rachel was in love with Bert, she knew that Bert was not a criminal and she wanted him to confess the court and the town’s people that he had done wrong, and it was all a joke and he was sorry for that. Rachel said to Bert, â€Å"Bert, why don’t you tell `em it was all a joke? Tell `em you didn’t mean to break a law, and you won’t do it again.† This clearly shows that she was worried about him and wanted to help him. But she knew that what he had done was bad. And she was also quite sure that he would not win the trial against the mayor. Her father was a powerful man. The townspeople liked him and appreciated what he had done and was doing for them. Rachel soon found that she could not convince him to confess because he did not believe that he had done something wrong. As all he had told the pupils were the quotations from the book Hunter’s Civic Biology and from Chapter 17, Darwin’s origin of species. He learned from the books, â€Å"That man was not stuck here like a geranium in a flower pot; that living comes from a long miracle, it didn’t just happen in seven days.† All this shows that his thoughts and ideas were based on scientific facts, but her father only trusted the Bible. Rachel has been always scared of her father. When she was little she used to have bad dreams. She ...

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology By: September 24th, 2012 Psy. 410 Times have changed from what our grandparents knew and evolution is part of it. However, when looking at all the changes that we have seen in this world, how many of them were normal and how many were abnormal? Were they abnormal to some and normal to others? Or is there a particular age group that its normal or abnormal to? We are going to take a look and see if we can dig deeper in understanding normalcy and abnormalities. Abnormal Psychology To understand the origins of abnormal psychology you must first understand what it is.There are six main core concepts to understanding abnormal psychology. Abnormal psychology is so complex in that we wonder what causes a mental illness or abnormal psychology while we wonder about feelings of being down and where they come from as well. Because there is so many questions in this particular field it is what makes it fascinating. With abnormal psychology there are six major concepts in classifying and defining it as abnormal. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) Concepts The first concept in defining abnormal psychology is to define and understand abnormality.You must first understand circumstances that cause or surround any behavior to allow you to understand whether the behavior is normal or abnormal. The next concept examines the continuum between normal and abnormal behavior. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) This means understanding the context that the actual abnormal behavior occurs to allow us to understand it as well as explain it. Cultural and historical relativism is the third concept in defining and classify abnormality. Demographic context influence abnormal behavior and include things such as class, age, culture and gender. Hansell & Demour, 2008) Advantages and limitations of diagnosis is the fourth concept is the limitations and advantage of diagnosis. The fifth examines the principle of multiple causality. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) and finally the connection between the body and the mind is the sixth concept of abnormal psychology. Lets take a step back now and examine some of these a little farther. Lets begin with examining the continuum between abnormal and normal psychology. Continuum Without looking at the continuum we can not define whether or not the behavior is known as normal or abnormal. Read also Memory – ForgettingThe continuum examines the highlights of attitude of empathy toward those struggling with abnormal behavior. The continuum shows humanity among people. It also shows that people show and display concern with unfairness against them. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) This makes it difficult for clinicians to find the fine line that exists between normal and abnormal behavior. The allows the scientific research to be more challenging as well as the treatment as well. Cultural and Relativism Things change through out time that can affect what is seen as abnormal.For example, seeing someone naked on public television 50 years ago was not normal but abnormal. Today, in 2012, seeing someone naked on public television is thought to be relatively normal. Along with social changes there is also cultural change. This is just one of the many changes that has happened even in the last 30 years. The changes are very apparent to older generations making this abnormal fo r them while the younger generation that is experiencing these changes but its all they know, this is considered normal to them. Yet its definition is all in interpretation.Biological Perspectives Toward abnormal psychology biological perspectives plays a huge role in mental disorders. Many illnesses, injuries, as well as defects may cause emotional symptoms. (Hansell & Demour, 2008) Physical structures and biochemical functions in the body are a huge contributor to abnormal psychology. Functions and structure of the brain is looked at by researchers in abnormal psychology. Some of the many things that have been shown to be a factor in mental disorders include the central nervous system, the endocrine system, the peripheral nervous system, as well as genetics. Hansell & Demour, 2008) Sociocultural Perspectives The Cultural and historical relativism is part of the sociocultural prespective. Because every society has different ideas of normalcy and abnormalities it is hard to define o r begin to define abnormality. Learning is what sociocultural theorists believed to be part of the contributor to mental disorders. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) the stresses in social and cultural roles include things such as culture, gender, social class, and ethnicity.Socioeconomic status (SES), gender and ethnicity is what many theorists focus mainly on. Many times in life we evaluate what is normal and what is abnormal. Something in my life that may be normal to me might be completely abnormal to someone else. Interpretation plays a huge role and while definitions behind normal and abnormal are not clear or found interpretation is always part of understanding. References: Hansell, J. & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology (2nd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Critical Thinking Essay

Today is the era of information culture and most facts come from critical thinking. More and more people are faced regularly with information they have to make proper decisions about. Critical thinking is the vital component of decision-making process and business world. Critical thinking is defined as the process of determining the accuracy, authenticity and worth of data and information, arguments, knowledge and claims. Critical thinking is generating, analyzing and examining ideas, learning to be cautious and sympathetic, learning to manipulate. The key point of critical thinking is to find and marshal good arguments and information, to avoid distortion and manipulation, to define truth and fallacies before product advertising. Actually, it helps expert to develop new approaches, to attract new customers and to retain the power on the old ones. Decision-making should be critical in its thinking and deliver properly selected and analyzed promotional plans, find technical solutions to existing problems, design new production lines, etc. (Feldman 2002) The purpose of critical thinking is rather three-fold: it has to be relevant to the segment of target market; it has to be memorable and recognizable beyond the moment of its exposure; it has to attract attention of indented viewer. In decision-making process critical thinking is a generative and lateral force, because it allows: to examine all ideas and arguments, to separate the ideas from their vehicles, to define false from true, and to separate accurate from distorted, incomplete from complete, etc. (Harris 1998) Example from Personal Experience I really appreciate the role of critical thinking in decision-making process. Sometimes, decision may seem less effective, though in perspective it will appear a winning one. Such situation happened to me. Once I had been working at confectionery. The idea was to put cake mixes on the market and manufacturers decided to put the highest quality into mixes. Women were required simply to add water, but, unfortunately, mixes fail to be sold good. I had to refer to my critical thinking to realize the women might feel guilty for not being good wives as they had to take shortcut to make a cake. I thought it would be better to take off milk and eggs as it would allow women to do something. Despite the fact that solution appeared to less efficient in theoretical terms, it was more practical. It was the first time I admitted the importance of critical thinking in decision-making. (Harris 1998) Benefits and Importance of Critical Thinking Critical thinking gives business experts and employees an opportunity to develop new fresh solutions to problems. Critical thinking gives the possibility to enjoy analyzing data and information and then to develop opinions and conclusions. In many cases employees analyze what is wrong with the idea or on-going process and then try to point out how to make this process right. Critical thinking in decision-making is used when it is necessary: to increase brand loyalty, to increase visibility and awareness of the goods and services that are being delivered, to stimulate increase in sales, to create opportunities to display products, to be socially responsible, and to entertain customers and prospects. (Harris 1998) Critical thinking is used when it is required to develop the habit of analyzing and to think about problematic issues instead of reacting to them. Thus, critical thinking sets them apart and then sees what is going on with them. One more benefit of critical thinking is developing attention. Critical thinking is necessary when paying attention to the opportunities opened ahead. It is a matter of fact that many original ideas are lost because of lack of attention and lazy attitude towards information. Critical thinking helps employees to find the best words and phrases to create a strong impression and impact on customers. Further, critical thinking develops awareness in decision-making process. It means that employees are able to look a round and to encompass the universe of thought. Employees possessing developed critical thinking won’t be fixed within the narrow confines of own perspective. They will be aware of different approaches available to problem solving. Critical thinking together with strong imagination is the best combination for a strong leader, because they allow him/her to play with data and to sort it in many different ways. Simply saying, critical thinking is optimistic curiosity, because really critically thinking employees want to know things. (Feldman 2002) Critical leaders are able to view opposing arguments with interest and sympathy. They prefer to listen thoughtfully and patiently to other workers and consider them carefully. Therefore, critical thinking provides them with knowledge what is going on in information society and with possible ways of verbal and non-verbal manipulations. They will create different meanings and impressions. It is a matter of fact that critical thinking gives the opportunity to form independent judgments that are based good evidence. Critically thinking people are able to not only to collect necessary data, but also to put them together into something new and meaningful. (Feldman 2002) Critical thinking is necessary for decision-making process, because it gives excellent possibilities to expand their own boundaries of thoughts and to broaden their ideas and perspectives in many ways by talking to people whose point of view is completely different, by listening to customers with respect to their needs and desires, by reading books and articles with deeper understanding of changes in society, by understanding different lifestyle and different cultures. (Harris 1998) Critical thinking is useful for driving growth in corporate and social marketing strategies, for building and maintaining markets and to make positive social contribution. What is more important is that critical thinking is the showcase of social responsibility. Employees with critical thinking can find ways how to increase influence and impact on customers’ behavior and how to contribute ethical reputation of the company or organization. (Feldman 2002) References Feldman, Daniel. (2002). Critical Thinking: Strategies for Decision Making. Boston, MA: Thomson Place. Harris, Robert. (1998, July 1). Introduction to Critical Thinking. Retrieved January 30, 2007, from http://www. virtualsalt. com/crebook1. htm

Professional Values and Ethics

Professional Values and Ethics Professional ethics and values are important in the business environment to promote satisfaction to employees and clients, effectiveness with business strategies, and good for professional moral. Since business began, there have been unfair business practices promoted by â€Å"successful† professional business people. This conundrum brings into question what professional business values and ethics are, how one attains and maintain these practices or qualities, and what the impact of these factors on career success may be. Ethics are considered the moral standards by which people judge behavior; the system or code of morals of a particular person, religion, group, or profession (Yourdictionary, 2009). Values are beliefs of a person or social group in which that person or people have an emotional investment either for or against something (Wordnetweb, 2009). Both ethics and values could be combined to form a mission statement or core guidelines for an entity to promote in a professional manner among clients, employees, and customer satisfaction. Core guidelines also can be called â€Å"core values†. These values can strengthen and enhance any professional setting based on general principles such as integrity and honesty. Professional ethics and values can be developed by any single person or group of individuals that have goals and potentials to gain success. Companies and individuals should have a strong understanding of the definition of what consists of a good moral character, re-review the definition regularly and make a gut check before making decisions that affect others. Companies need to set a good ethical tone to their employees, stockholders and the public by executing a strong mission statement with a commitment to ethical practices and cascade the message throughout their companies by setting up and thoroughly communicating ethical best practices. Professional values and ethics are formed many ways. According to Moosmayer (2009), personal beliefs and values of a person influence the professional values and ethics a person follows, which in turn, influences the person’s place of work. It is important that people aim for positive outcomes, trust their instincts, and prepare for future crisis. According to Jacobson (2009), a company’s ethics should be based upon the values of the stockholders in to ensure they are satisfied with the ethics and values of the company. Another important key to professional ethics and values is to be prepared with proper knowledge of laws and regulations, which should also influence professional values and ethics (Jacobson, 2009). Knowing the laws and regulations pertaining to a business is important, to ensure the business is run accordingly, and legally. According to Lesher and Murray (2009), it is important for professionals to honor commitments and do what he or she has agreed to do to uphold the professional values and ethics. It is also important to remember that time is precious and should be this way in order to maintain and improve efficiency (Lesher, Murray, 2009). Lesher and Murray (2009), also mention that it is important to pay attention to values in general and how they are created. A clearly defined set of value-based criteria is important to make tactical and strategic decisions in a way that is consistent with ethical, moral, and legal principles (Lesher, Murray, 2009). Knowing how and why values and ethics originate is important in the professional world, as they are key to any business running properly and in order, to avoid preventable conflicts for the business. Values and ethics are the fabric of society. People live in a push-pull continuum where ethical ideologies differ. Some professionals diligently follow a strict code of ethics, others acknowledge the code but slightly skirt the ethical barrier, with the remainder of society staying somewhat oblivious to their unethical wrong-doings. This is apparent by the myriad of businesses that appear in the media with ethical issues. The concept of personal conduct inside of the business world has been brought to the attention of the public recently by the media, via numerous scandals. Several heinous examples perpetuate media propaganda. For example, KB Home chief executive Bruce Karatz was indicted for the backdating of stock options, UnitedHealth chief executive William McGuire settled an SEC lawsuit for 468 million dollars and Communications Systems chief Gregory L. Reyes was convicted for fraud charges and sentence to two years in jail (Kravitz, 2009). One cannot help but to question the values and ethics of the offenders! Professional success can be measured in many ways. Success can be rated by the amount of money earned and the material belongings in life. Another sense of professional accomplishment may be as simple as working overtime on a business project, doing the best work possible or receiving praise. Many people often wonder what professional values and ethics does one need to become successful. Bill Gates is said to be one of the most successful businessmen of modern times (Time, 2005). Gates became known when he developed a soft-ware company, Microsoft (Time, 2005). He attended Harvard University, but had dropped out to pursue his dreams of creating Microsoft. Gates' professional success comes from remaining determined and eager to be the best in the soft-ware and future technology market, while maintaining ethical practices. His success, smart business decisions, intellect, and ethics have enabled to achieve the level of experience and success he now enjoys. Bill Gates strategies for success and wise career decisions have formed him into the businessman he is today. His success does not come from something that was taught to him; his success comes from his personality, values, and the eagerness to succeed. Another incredibly successful businessman is Donald Trump. Trump has his hand in the business industry like no other real estate mogul; from owning Trump Towers, to Trump University, and of course, his show, The Apprentice. Trump continues to experience success. The following are several personal success strategies that reflect virtues of Trumps values and ethical business practices: be focused, put everything one has into what one does every day, believe in oneself, be tenacious, trust in one's instincts, maintain momentum and keep everyone moving forward, see oneselfas victorious and leading a winning team, be passionate about what one does, live on the edge and do not become complacent, leadership is not a group effort and if one is in charge; be in charge, and never give up (Trump University, 2009). No one claims argument with Trumps success professionally, it should hold true for anyone else to believe in oneself and continue working hard toward their dreams and goals, relying on ethical practices and values to act as a guide to success. In the remains of the day, the achievement of ethical and value oriented goals is a litmus indicator of professional success. It takes hard work, dedication, and critical thinking to make the most out of any career. Nothing happens over night, and true success does not come from unethical business practices. Having strong professional values and ethics are the beginning steps to becoming successful in any arena in life, especially business. References Carter, C. , Bishop, J. , Kravits, S. (2007). Keys to college studying: Becoming an active thinker (2nd ed. ). [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Retrieved November 23, 2009 from Gen200- Foundations for General Education and Professional Success. Jacobson, L. (2009) Understanding Organizational Ethics_: How PR professionals can steer a safe course. _ Retrieved November 24, 2009 from Business Source Complete Database. Kravitz. D. (March, 2009). The Washington Post: The Business Scandal Before the Bust. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://voices. washingtonpost. com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2009/03/stock_backdati_ scandal_nabs. html Lesher, J. , Murray, A. (2009) Core Values Steady the course in a volatile world. Retrieved November 24, 2009 from Business Source Complete Database. Moosmayer, D. (2009) Beyond The Ethics Course—A Communicative Framework of Value-oriented Academic Business Teaching. Retrieved November 24, 2009 from Business Source Complete Database. Princeton University. (2009). Values. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from website http://wordnetweb. princeton. edu/perl/webwn? s=values Time Magazine. (October, 2005). In Search Of The Real Bill Gates. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article. htm Top Ten Tips For Success. (2009). Donald Trump. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from http://www. trumpuniversity. com/blog/post/2009/09 Your Dictionary. (2009). Ethics. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from website http://www. yourdictionary. com/dictionary-articles/Define-Ethics. html

Strategic Management Case Study of Disney Paris Essay

Strategic Management Case Study of Disney Paris - Essay Example On the contrary, when the Euro Disney went on line, it was welcomed with both fanfare and protests by the French. France wanted to have Disneyland in their country competing with Spain. After satisfactory negotiations with French Government, Disneyland decided on setting up the theme park near Paris. In 1989 when the contract was formalised, the mood was upbeat and the country was contemplating on making large tourist money by drawing crowds to Paris. But once the construction work started and the employees of nearly 10,000 were called for interviews, it was found that the Euro Disney will continue to be more American than Europe or even French. The company started making record losses for the next five years before turning green. This case study is about the circumstances that led to this failure and the steps that were taken at that time. We will also discuss the steps that need to be taken in the future to ensure smoother and substantial progress in the working of the Paris Disney . Companies work as large distinct social systems adapting to the cultural background they develop in and thrive. National cultures are the major sources from which the corporate cultures evolve and develop (Frost et al, 1991). 1. Euro Disney's Plan and Actual The company had the following plans and targets in place with respect to the flow of funds and patronage for the company: 1. Tapping the large 16 million populations who lived with in a radius of 160 kms from the site was a major attraction for the management of Euro Disney. The Europeans received longer vacations and summer vacations compared to the Americans which should be resulting in better results. 2. The company targeted to get 11 million visitors in the first year of operation. 3. The company had an ambitious plan for capital investment. During the first phase of the construction the Magic Kingdom Theme park was done. Following this, Disneyland was to have its second theme park adjacent to the first one, the Disney-MGM studios. 4. The company targeted to have an average spending of USD 33 would be done by every guest. 5. Labour costs were expected to be maintained at around 13% of the sales figures. During the roll out of Euro Disney, the average daily inflow of visitors to the park was at around 30,000 visitors in the summer months of the inauguration. However, over the entire year the flow of people dipped down during the winter months and the company had only about 9.8 million visitors for the entire full year in contrast to their planned target of 11 million visitors. In most of the other Disneyland in Florida or in Tokyo there were a number of people who stayed back in Disneyland hotels. These were not the day visitors but 'period-visitors'; whereas in the case of Euro Disney there were more number of day-visitors than period visitors. This meant in addition to the number of people who are visiting Disney land being less, the amount of money each one of the visitors will be spending is also going to be less. It was found that it was almost 10% less than what was expected out of them. In addition, the labour costs that were estimated to be around 13% rose to over 24% of the sales figures. This also meant that the company was facing an acute financial crisis in less than one year of its operations. Most of the companies are expected

Pollution Control Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pollution Control Policy - Essay Example Proponents and opponents of air pollution control policy now accept the protection of the public health as a political reality. The need for clean air is considered to be "a uniformly agreed-upon problem" or a "valence issue" (Baumgartner and Jones, 150). Nobody can be against the public good of clean air. Despite general agreement of the public, legislators, regulators and the regulated that clean air is important, many urban areas in the United States struggle to meet national air quality standards as the EPA continues to set stricter emission thresholds. The EPA has tracked emission levels of six criteria pollutants deemed harmful to human health - nitrogen dioxide, ground level ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and lead - since 1970. However, the persistence of the ground level ozone pollutant (commonly called either smog or ozone) troubles those who wish to protect the public health. The adverse health effects of acute and chronic exposure to ozone are more fully documented each year. While levels of some criteria pollutants (i.e. lead and carbon monoxide) have declined significantly, levels of ozone and particulate matter have not (Smith, 29). The EPA determined in 1997 that 122 million Americans, or 46% of the population, lived in smog-plagued areas (D oyle, 348). The EPA reported in 2004 that 112 million people across the nation still lived in 68 metropolitan areas classified in nonattainment of the national air quality standard for ozone. Regulators describe long-term exposure to ozone levels above the threshold set by law as extremely hazardous to human health (Smith, 34). From the critical perspective, there is a pressing need to establish radically new air pollution control policy. Contemporary business practice provides some important patterns in understanding policy new direction. It is evident that due to growing compliance costs, environmental expenditures have begun to play a major role in the policymaking decisions of companies. As a result, the environment is increasingly being used as a strategic tool to reduce cost and increase competitive advantage. Adequate and effective air pollution public policy should be largely based on firms' strategic needs to economize and being competitive. BACKGROUND: CURRENT POLICY FAILURE The continuing political controversy surrounding compliance with the provisions of the Clean Air Act suggests that the problem of national air pollution control is not going away either quickly or easily. Solutions to this challenging policy problem often appear partial and ineffectual. Four reasons for impaired policy effectiveness are suggested. First, the way in which federal regulators define and measure compliance with the law may not achieve consensus among the disparate participants in the implementation process. Even when participants do work together, gamesmanship among players who do not see themselves as equals on a level playing field may interfere with moving toward the same goal. The lack of consensus may continue until all the key players hold to some expectation of a common outcome (Bardach, 85). A second reason policy effectiveness may be impaired is due to the many participants in the fragmented federal hierarchy who represent multiple decision or veto points in the

Japanese manga censorship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese manga censorship - Research Paper Example Sometimes the word â€Å"air† is used to describe manga in Japanese which implies its possibility to penetrate everywhere: people buy manga on trains, in local supermarkets and small shops, in cinemas and read it in parks, luxurious apartments and shopping malls (Kinsella 4). Why has manga become so widespread and demanded in Japan? In post-war period it became linked to political events of the country and was perceived as counter-cultural experimentation. Most manga nevertheless concentrated on depiction of daily life events. Beginning from the 1970s manga adapted to the tastes of the population and concentrated on the topics popular among men: science fiction, robots, heroic events, however he group of women who appeared in the end of the 1970s adapted manga to female auditory making manga about love and romantic relationships (Gravet 24) The beginning of the 1980s coincided with the growth of the initial manga auditory and the economic rise of the country that is why publishers decided to widen the scope of genres and started looking for explicitly sexual and violent images in manga that were supposed to provide popularity. But the success on the territory of Japan was only a first step because manga has even won its special place in hearts of American readers with the help of exotic heroes, unique style of depiction, and unpredictable plot twists. Manga offered a fresh look on heroic epos: wide-eyed superheroes, latex-booted heroines and wild-haired supervillains have become extremely popular in a faraway America (Wood 14). For a long time manga and anime managed to avoid the attention of censors until an unfortunate case in 1989 when in a house of a serial killer a number of explicitly sexual content was found and he himself turned out to be a member in Comiket, the biggest convention for manga fans in the country. Since then the debates regarding the necessity of censorship for manga do not cease. Though some

Goodbye Mother by Reinaldo Arenas Research Paper - 1

Goodbye Mother by Reinaldo Arenas - Research Paper Example The short story opens with the death of the personas mother. The mother is portrayed as a powerful figure that has overall authority over her children. He recalls how the mother was strict and looked after them with an iron fist. The mother is symbolic of the country, Cuba. They loved their country, but with the revolution, it is constantly changing from the beautiful place they once knew to an ugly, terrible state â€Å"haven’t you notice the smell, the flies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦?† The country is now ruled by dictators, and all the good things are slowly dying (Arenas, pg.316). They have been replaced by beetles, flies, rats and maggots, which have been used metaphorically to refer to the oppressors. Since the coming of the Cuban revolution to power, the people have been oppressed. After the collapse of their motherland, the citizens display their loyalty to their country by choosing to die for it. He is gives a detailed description of the disgraceful behavior of the oppressors by using the flies and maggots to give a vivid a picture. After days of decomposition, the bodies have a started to rot and maggots have invaded it. It displays the rot in the revolution and how the oppressors are devouring the countries resources and mistreating the citizens. After the death of the mother, the sisters stab themselves to death as a sign of solidarity. This signifies the collapse of the pillars of the country. The social and economic aspects of the community are all eroded â€Å"watch how we gracefully glide over the field and garden doomed†¦.† During the revolution era, the country experiences so many calamities (Arenas, pg.316). Cuba suffered massive abuse of power and mistreatment by the dictators. In the Short story, flies have been used metaphorically to compare them to the behaviors and style of leadership employed by the dictators. The dictators have executed and massacred the martyrs, and the young adolescent boys shot in the firing squad. They are

Stem-Cell Research Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stem-Cell Research - Term Paper Example The practical use of blood stem use has been in existence for over 40 years with many clinical trials using tissue derived stem cells (Hug, 2010 104)Today stem cell research has developed into one of the most promising and influential fields of medical science. The nature of its experiments and methods, as well as the results, has also made it easily the most controversial. Its connection with cloning has opened it up to attacks from religious groups and with many believing that the science aims at enabling humans to play god. Stem cells are cells with the ability to divide indefinitely and result in a variety of specialized cells in a process known as developmental plasticity. This ability is common in embryonic cells, and they give the cells the highest potential for growth. Moreover, stem cells can be categorized into three different groups based on their differential abilities. Namely, embryonic, adult, and foetal stem cells, it is worth noting that adult stem cells have only rec ently come to be discovered since the presupposition was they rarely contain stem cells, this has been proved wrong by recent research . Tominipotent cells are to be found in exclusively in early embryos from an individual cell in this category, a complete organism can be formed. On the other hand, pluripotent cells exist as undifferentiated in blastocyst (Popular issues 2012). ... Embryonic Stem Cells One of the distinguishing characteristics of the embryonic stem cell is that it can transform into any other cell ranging from brain to liver cells. The chief source of these cells is the fertilized eggs from couples who are going through the In Vitro Fertilization. The 5 to 6 days old pluripotent embryos can differentiate into any one of the three germ layers (Appasani, 2010 pg 182) After the separation of the stem cells, replication of stem cell into stem cell lines follow that is a tedious process which does not guarantee results. Replication of stem cell lines may go on in culture dishes countless times and through a period of many years. Adult Stem Cells These can be found in both children and adults with the name setting them apart from the other kinds of stem cells. Adult stem cells are evident in human beings, but the process of their isolation and identification is what tasks specialists in this field. Consequently, the there is no clear cut information on whether they have restrictions to a variety of cells in relation to single tissue type or if they can exist as any tissue type (University of Edinburg Para 6). Foetal Stem Cells Unlike the other cell types, the foetal stem is easier to collect and have a lower likelihood of rejection (University of Edinburg Para 9). They are collected from aborted fetuses, the umbilical cord, or the placenta, however, Albeit considerably differentiated; they still have the potential to morph into other cell types making them excellent for transplant. However, the downside of these is that they can transmit condition such as leukemia that may not have been detected in the fetus. Besides, there is a plethora of moral and ethical issues, bearing in mind

Chinese Revolution Essay Example for Free

Chinese Revolution Essay The Chinese Civil War was one of the most turbulent, chaotic, and effective series of events during the Cold War Era. It is difficult to conceive of any fashion in which the under-equipped CPC forces would be able to match and eventually overcome a powerful political regime with support vast support from the United States. However, even with limited aid from their Soviet allies, Mao was able to pull the marginalized, the poor, and the oppressed together to strengthen the communist cause. Although many of the issues from which the war stemmed were presented well before any real violence took place between Chinese Nationalists and Mao’s Communist Party the strategies employed by the communists and the emotional vigor with which they clung to their hopes of progress remain the center points Mao’s eventual victory. When carefully assessed; it is evident the CCP victory in the Chinese Civil War was due to the ability of Mao to mobilize the peasantry and institute land reform, the mismanagement of the Guomindang by Chiang Kai-Shek during the Japanese invasion of China and the Chinese Civil War, and the proclivity to violence (inspired by intense hatred of the enemy) that was deemed necessary in order to bring power to the CCP. It is arguable that the KMD should have been at its strongest during the decade preceding the Chinese Civil War. Chiang Kai-Shek had been quite successful in his campaign against the independent warlords and had recaptured many key areas of Chinese territory. However, June Grasso argues that Chiang made a key mistake in his treatment of his defeated opponents. She details this folly, writing â€Å"†¦Chiang absorbed, rather than eliminated, many warlords and their armies, in effect swallowing but not digesting them,† (Grasso, 90). Chiang’s army was growing at a rapid pace and the KMD was claiming large territorial victories. To an outsider, the party may have seemed at its strongest. However, the KMD â€Å"†¦remained faction-ridden into the 1930’s,† (Grasso, 91) and party unity began a major concern. Grasso continues to explain that the eventual oppression of the communist base in China would be a monumental mistake from which the party would never fully recover. At first glance, the expulsion of radical communists to the fringes of China seemed almost necessary in order to secure political control for the KMD. In reality the communist purge concentrated most of the Nationalist power in major urban areas and disallowed the spread of KMD support. Eventually Mao would make the most of his wide-spread supporters which allowed for a larger base of communism in the country. Considering his small numbers and the rural beginnings of his revolution, Mao worked incredibly well with what he had. Mao evidently knew that he had little choice in the matter of battle strategy. As Maurice Meisner reports in Mao’s China and After, â€Å"†¦the Maoist forces learned to employ the tactics of guerilla warfare upon which their survival was dependent.† (Meisner, 31) Mao also presented the peasantry of Jiangxi with a reform to the oppressive feudal system which granted redistribution of land to tenants. Through the implementation of revolutionary agrarian policies, Mao was able to secure the beginnings of a unified opposition to the Nanjing regime. Policies that were deemed too radical by the middle peasantry were thought to be â€Å"†¦politically and economically counterproductive in a situation that demanded a broad base of popular support in a rural society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Meisner, 32) Although Mao seemed to have many of the necessary ingredients to effect change among his countrymen, the Guomindang armies were too strong to be defeated this early in the development communist response to Chinese nationalism. Mao would lead the First Front Army, out of necessity, from their now obsolete home of Jiangxi to mountainous Northwest regions of China. The Long March devastated the numbers of Chinese Communism and left the party disbanded and broken. Amazingly, the march also birthed profound changes in party leadership and revolutionary spirit. First and foremost the disbandment of other party leaders in the early 1930’s and during the 6,000 mile march allowed Mao to pursue his own ideas for communist overhaul, particula rly in opposition to Stalin’s form of communism. His ideas would eventually be accepted by the CCP. Meisner also contends that the Long March had enduring psychological effects on the communist contingent that were undoubtedly the most important feature of this new communism. He writes, â€Å"For Mao, at least, the experience served to reinforce his voluntaristic faith that the people with the proper will, spirit, and revolutionary consciousness could conquer all material obstacles and mold historical reality in accordance with their ideas and ideals.† (Meisner, 34) This so-called revolutionary consciousness combined with the passionate will to overcome great adversity, as displayed by Mao’s marchers, served as the greatest engine of communist success during the Chinese Civil War. However, a preceding war with the Japanese would create a rare opportunity for Mao and the Red Army to seize power in China. One of the most important pieces of the intricate puzzle of Chinese political struggle was the invasion of the neighboring Japanese which continued through World War II. Although the Guomigdang harbored superior weapons and were concentrated in some of the most important strategic positions, their leadership and numbers would be forever weakened by their invading neighbors. Although the Japanese were unable to hold large territories in China due to its enormous mass, they captured major cities and ports formerly under Chiang’s rule. The Guomindang could do little to stop the advances of the Japanese Imperial Army. Chiang was aware that he needed Western military aid in order to reclaim the cities he had lost in the East. However, his retreat to the center left Chiang with a single option for military success: implementing a strategy of guerilla warfare. In reality this was not a viable option for the Guomindang. In his article Origins of the Chinese Revolution, Lucien Bianco contends â€Å"Mobilizing the rural masses would have required transforming the Chinese countryside and limiting the power of large landowners; hence Chiang’s aversion to the idea,† (Bianco, 149) displaying Chiang’s lack of attractive options. If he were to unite and mobilize the peasantry he would risk the overthrow of large landowners—a consequence that played directly into the communist strategy. In other words Chiang would have to sacrifice his dominance over the Red Army in order to pacify the invaders from Japan. This turn of events seems almost too perfect for a Red Army that was poised to attack behind Japanese lines using guerilla warfare. The Red Army continued to chip away at the Imperial Army and eventually amassed a force over 3 million (two-thirds of which were militia) and the communists eventually ruled over 90 million peasants. The peasantry, as well as women and other previously excluded groups, would now be able to partake in the newly forming democracy. However, the majority of peasants joined the Red Army cause because it was necessary for survival. (Bianco, 150) Japanese soldiers were terrorizing the Chinese countryside and committing large scale atrocities that forced the peasantry into action. As Bianco puts it, â€Å"The thing to remember is that the peasant was often safer if he joined a guerilla detachment: since his life was in constant danger anyway, he was better off if he at least had a weapon.† (Bianco, 152) Their antipathy towards their enemies, both present and future, gave them strength of spirit that could not be matched by the Japanese or the Guomindang. Further atrocities committed by the Guomindang against the peasantry, including theft of food and murder, only furthered the peasantry’s love of the communist movement. As one patriotic war ended, another was looming over t he Chinese country. Among the most important factors in the Chinese Civil War were the failures in Chiang’s leadership and military strategy as well as the advancement of the people’s revolution. Chiang did not have the numbers to defend his holdings while attacking the Red Army. With his numbers greatly spread throughout the massive country, Chiang had great difficulty stopping the communist advance. The Red Army eradicated the Guomindag presence in the North and moved swiftly into Chiang’s territory. As hyperinflation due to poor economic policies afflicted Chiang’s regime, Mao was eventually able to finish off his opponent and reclaim Beijing by 1949. (Grasso, 124-129) The aforementioned people’s revolution was a way of uniting the peasants against the common enemy. Everyone was expected to contribute to the war effort, not simply to preach its necessity. Grasso contends â€Å"Alone, the peasantry lacked the insights, what Marxists call ‘consciousness,’ to make a genuinely socialist revolution,† (Grasso, 121) highlighting the mutual necessity that the people and the party shared in each other. In his speech entitled How to Be a Good Communist, Liu Shao-Ch’I reiterates the necessity of party unity and revolutionary consciousness stating, â€Å"†¦we must modestly listen to the opinions and criticisms of our comrades and of the masses, carefully study the practical problems in our lives and in our work and carefully sum up our experiences and the lessons we have learned so as to find an orientation for our work.† (Liu Shao-Ch’I, How To Be A Good Communist, 251) In other words, the partnership of the peasantry and the party were one of the strongest tools in the successful victory of the CCP. The peasant ry’s hatred of their oppressors became a major motivation for the overthrow of the Guomindang. Gold Flower’s Story, a chapter of Jack Belden’s book China Shakes the World, presents an insightful and useful microcosm of the agrarian communist viewpoint in Northern China. The specific instances presented in her story are quite particular to women, evident in Belden’s assessment â€Å"And there was a Gold Flower, more or less, beaten and bruised, saddened and soured, in every farm of North China.† (Belden, 288) However, the emotional hardships and overall struggle of Gold Flower and the countless other members of the abused female gender share common themes with the whole of the revolution and the Communist and Maoist supporters. The mistreated women of China also provided an effective and powerful outlet from which Party leaders could find support. As Belden continues, â€Å"The Communist Party saw her and schemed to serve her and themselves through her. She was that spirit that forgets nothing and forgives nothing. There she stood at the gate, slow burning revenge incarnate, waiting a better time, waiting an opportunity,† (Belden, 288) one is immediately taken by the spirit of revenge personified in Gold Flower. This need for revenge in the form of vigorous and frequently violent action acts as fuel to the flame that was the revolution. Here, one can see an obvious divide between the two parties. The violence perpetrated by Mao’s supporters heeds immediate results in the form of social change and freedom from oppression. Of course, there was a plethora of mistreatment in all forms perpetrated against the marginalized masses of rural China. Gold Flower’s struggle represents a shift in economic and social precepts that provide the basis for revolution. Under the regime of Chiang Kai-Shek and his Kuomintang predecessors, these marginalized groups stood little chance of peacefully and diplomatically obtaining equality of social standing and political prowess. Gold Flower echoes this sentiment of hopelessness. Early in Belden’s account he writes, â€Å"She felt as if a great weight were pressing down on her. Not able to marry the man she loved, not able even to kill herself so that she could remain loyal to her lover, completely done in and drained of all strength, she at last fell into a deep stupor,† (Belden, 284) highlighting the depressing nature of Golden Flower’s life. If the young girls inability to freely choose her destiny stands as a metaphor for the frustrations of t he people of her region, her husband’s cruelty and overall attitude is most certainly akin to the landowners’ perspective. Blind to the injustices that those in power had maintained, Chang aggressively remarks â€Å"As for the poor, if they have not enough to eat, let them go. As for the rich, do you think their property was stolen from others?† (Belden, 305). Unwilling to sacrifice personal standing for the greater good of all, men such as Chang soon became an easy target for the coming backlash. Simply because it was the most accessible and immediately effective tool afforded to communist revolutionaries, violence became the most important means by which the marginalized would repel their oppressors. Violence seems to satiate (at least temporarily) the anger and helplessness felt by the poor of China. The roles of victim and perpetrator could be instantly reversed. The power of action was now in the hands of the oppressed. As Dark Jade put it, â€Å"This is our day. This means the end of our suffering. The beginning of our hope.† (Belden, 289) Although the fact of the matter is that war inherently brings a multitude of violent acts, it is evident that the motives behind communist violence among the peasantry were significantly more powerful than those of their opponents. It was their only chance of evading the â€Å"black society† (Belden, 284) into which they had been thrust. The feats that the CCP accomplished are astounding considering their humble beginnings. Though much of their success is owed to events preceding the civil war, Mao’s management of his party as well as the fervor with which the communists united and mobilized cannot be discounted. Again, it is my contention that the success of the CCP was due to multiple factors. The first of which was the ability of Mao to strategize the mobilization and unification of the countryside. Secondly, Chiang was unable to effectively manage his political and economic as well as military policies during the Japanese invasion. Finally, the emotional and violent response to Nationalist and feudal repression was of overt importance to the war efforts of the Red Army as well as the advancement of the CCP. When put in perspective the accomplishments of Mao; whether social, political, or military; are nearly unfathomable.