African creation myths Essay

1. Perhaps the answer that would best suit the question why life is so hard and then you die is how death is portrayed in these stories. There is suffering and hardship in one’s life because of disobedience of the hardships and commands of his gods. Death ultimately becomes the only â€Å"salvation† after so much hardship.   Had the living things and man obeyed the orders of their god, death would not have overcome these lives. In the story of the Plant of Life, the second wife, in her jealousy of not being considered by her husband despite the death of the first wife decided that in order to end her suffering must kill the plant that has taken the time and affection that would have been hers. Hence, ultimately, it is no wonder that in the end, the wife bears the consequent death of all living things. 2.  Ã‚   Basically these African myths hold women in the same way that women are being viewed today. Women are seen as being responsible for the ills that happened to society and life in general.   For example, in the story of the Plant of Life, the second wife was blamed for being the source of death when â€Å"she saw the plant and was jealous and cut it down with a hoe.† (Plant of Life). Such story shows how of little value women are because if the god did not play favourites among his wives, the story would not have ended that way. As a whole, women are viewed as being the cause of tragedies. 3. This myth basically starts out as a story of creation of the world and its five elements.   However, as the story intertwined itself it became a story not of creation but of destruction as each element became defeated by the other until at last Doondari, the god who created these things came down to earth and became the eternal one.   A very good point of interest here is how the story incorporated the attributes of men like sleep, blindness, worry and death and how these attributes became defeated when all of them became proud. It would seem that the writer wanted to emphasize that pride became the reason for the fall of its attributes and in the end, it was the god who has to put everything in its place. 4. One interesting thing about this myth is how Shida Matunda got afraid when the jealous wife killed the plant which what became of his favorite wife when she died. He is a god and yet he had no hold over life when in fact, he created the world and its living things. It would seem that as a god, he too depended on â€Å"higher beings† than himself and that he attributes life on these beings such as the plant which became the plant of life. 5. Between the myth of the Disobedience of Man and the story of creation in Genesis, one common factor emerges as to why one man disobeyed his Creator.   In this African myth, the root of the disobedience is the woman who failed to follow the orders of her god not to till the soil for food while in Genesis, Eve did not take heed in God’s warning not to eat the Forbidden fruit lest they will be punished. Hence, when they disobeyed the order of their gods, they were punished: the first beings in this African myth were sent with Death while Adam and Eve were banished out of the paradise that God created for them. 6. Indeed there is a great similarity between the myth Revolt Against God and the great Flood in Genesis although the manner of wiping out the face of the earth vastly differs with the version in Genesis.   In the myth of the Revolt against God, the gods wiped out the earth through fire whereas in the version of Genesis, the world was wiped out by the Great Flood.   Perhaps the reason why there is a similarity between the two stories is because we all came from the same roots.   Just like in the religions of   Christianity and Islam that traces its roots to Abraham, these stories of cleansing the earth may have also come from one original source and just branched out after generations of passing it. 7.   Ã‚  The gods in these African myths are not at all like gods but rather seemed like counterparts of men.   Although they have created the world, the living things and men, they never ceased to be like human beings who still feel the emotions of human beings or maybe they are simply reflections of the image and likeness of the beings they have created.   However, these African gods tend to be fickle-minded sometimes and would do whatever they feel like doing at the heat of the moment and that analyzing these myths, one can surmise that they are just exercising their power over their creations.

Explain the reasons for the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s Essay

In this essay I will be showing the reasons for why the Soviet-Split happened in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1959 a treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance was established and was signed by soviet Russia and Peoples Republic of China. Whilst Russia had the Technology the Chinese could offer the man power to support this which seemed like a perfect partnership. This treaty was about Russia and China sharing ideas and technologies together but Russia often refused to share there knowledge of such things such as the A-bomb and the fact that the soviets didn’t offer assistance when China had their confrontation with Taiwan in 1958 and India in 1959, the Chinese were again disappointed with the Soviet response. From the Chinese perspective, the U.S.S.R. seemed to be promoting its own national agenda and losing sight of the shared ideals and goals of Communism. The Sino-Soviet relationship was strained as tension between the two countries began to grow. Because of these reasons the split was obvious by the end of 1950s. The leaders of the union were alarmed at Mao’s hatred of America and they refused to help China develop there own atom bomb. China did manage to blow her first A-Bomb in 1964 followed by an H-bomb in 1969. This was all accomplished without soviet Aid. Mao seemed to advocate a nuclear war on the enemies of the communists. During the 1950s the Chinese leader Mao thought that China was being used as a Soviet satellite and rather than an equal partners which was stated in the treaty. It was clear that Mao and Khrushchev had different ideas on Communism and Capitalism because in one of Mao statements he noted that â€Å"I talked about the danger of nuclear war with a foreign leader. He believed that if a nuclear war was fought the whole of mankind would be killed. I said that if the worst came to the worst and half of mankind died the other half would remain while capitalism would have been smashed and the whole world would become communists.† This statement shows that Mao was confident in the fact that Communism would flourish if the world was drawn into a nuclear war. Khrushchev said that: â€Å"Anyone who thinks that communism can be advanced by war belongs in the lunatic asylum.† Khrushchev statement tells us that Communism could never be achieved no matter what happened in the world. These Statements by both leaders tells us that when they signed the treaty they were going to complete there own goals no matter want so overall the treaty was nothing more than a sham. The suspicions that China had against the soviets was supported greatly in the year of 1959 when Khrushchev went to the United States to have meeting with President Eisenhower. China viewed this as a betrayal of the Communist plan and that it was an attempt for worldwide revolution. This had a very important part in the crumble of the Sino-Soviet split because China wanted to be communist and not be part of the worldwide revolution which the United States of America wanted. Overall this was part of a long term effect on the Sino soviet split. Short effects that made a small contribution to the Sino-Soviet split were that the soviets made fun of the fact that China was not able to handle the technologies that Russia had. For example: â€Å"How can the Chinese be qualified to manufacture nuclear weapons when they eat watery soup out of a common bowl and do not even have trousers to wear.† These statement made by the soviets is clearly mocking the Chinese because it states that they are not advanced enough to handle the technologies. Because of this the Chinese did not receive the bomb and of course broke the treaty yet again adding more conflict between Russia and China. On 16 July 1960, the U.S.S.R. withdrew all its specialists and technical advisors from China. Though the quality of the relationship between the two countries had been slowly declining for years, this recall of personnel is often considered the definitive moment for dissolution of Sino-Soviet cooperation. This was seen as a big turning point in the cold because the threat to the United States was diminished. During the year of 1969 the governments accused each other of provoking incidents along the border that separated China and Russia from each other. This disputed territory was surrendered to Russia in 1858 and 1860; When China was to weak to fight back and had to surrender it. The tension has been building up since and each side has armed forces on it. This clash had been threatened to brake out in 1969. Between March and August, in a series of incidents, Shots had been fired between the border guards and some guards got shot as a result of this. Each of the countries accused each other of being the aggressor and for a time there seemed to be a danger of a full scale war. Because of this incident war seemed imminent but war was averted and became a close call between the tensions that the countries shared against each other. In conclusion I thought that the Sino-Soviet split was predictable. There was too many differences in there believes and ways of life’s for the treaty to stay together through the years. This could have been different if there were different leaders in charge of the countries and the communist and capitalist parties.

Positivism Theory Essay

Positivism, (also referred to as ‘empiricism’) is often used to indicate that this approach to understanding criminality is scientific. The term ‘positivism ‘ (or in its more sophisticated form â€Å"Logical Positivism†) is often used to refer to an approach that asserts it utilizes science or the scientific method (their version of science) to understand the causes of criminality and thus the solutions to solving it. Positivism is an epistemological position or a theory of knowledge which assets that science is based upon theories that have been induced from and only from empirical evidence or the evidence of the senses (hence the term ‘empirical’ or that which can be experienced by the senses). Positivists reject any evidence that cannot be objectively experienced or observed such as that derived from tradition, faith, magic, religion, philosophy or any other form of knowledge or belief that does not have an empirical basis. Thus they want to explain criminal behaviour by reference to causes that can be observed or measured. Causes have to be material and observable – biological positivists look at biological observables such as anatomical abnormalities, identifiable genetic or gene patterns, bodily movements etc. Psychological positivists will also look at biological observables but will add behavioural factors, child rearing practices and brain abnormalities that cause identifiable behaviour outcomes. Many modern scientists have virtually discredited positivism in favour of what we call the hypothetico-deductionist approach or a falsficationist approach. This approach begins with theoretical conjectures (or hypotheses) and then seeks to prove or disprove them by means of empirical evidence. However, whatever the differences in method both positivism and hypothetico-deductionism seek empirical evidence for their theoretical positions. Implicit in these approaches is the idea that the scientist is an objective disinterested observer of natural events with no preconceptions about them. In the case of physics these natural events or laws are said to be found in nature itself as, for example, in the study of such phenomena as the movement of the planets around the Sun, the effect of gravity on the tides and the phenomenon of the seasons created by the movement of the Earth around the Sun. In these cases the object of study is seen as governed by universal natural laws which the scientist has to discover. When this approach is applied in the human or social sciences we have to understand our object of study (i. e. human beings or societies) as also governed or regulated by rules that the scientist has to discover. Thus Biological Criminologists will use data from such sources as twin studies, family studies, genetic patterns, biochemical aspects and so on – anything that can be studied by means of ‘objective’, methods and which may throw up some biological explanation of that behaviour or a principle or a law that explains that behaviour. It follows that in positivist criminality, ‘criminals’ are identified as certain kinds Of human beings who are governed by events or natural phenomena that have been set in place by something external to them and, in a sense, beyond their control. Thus ‘criminals’ do not make decisions about their criminal behaviour they are, as it were, caused to behave in this way by factors that operate in a sense, ‘behind their backs’. Thus, so-called abstract views of human nature such as that they are rational and use reason in making choices about their actions have to be discarded as a cause of behaviour in favour of non-rational causes such as determination by such things as biological inheritance or forms of social conditioning or, in many cases, a combination of both (as in Eysenck). Positivists aim is to identify those with criminal tendencies – or those already classified as criminals and use them as their data base. Their goal is to ascertain what has caused their criminality and then to look for ways of ‘correcting’ such criminality or, even better, to ascertain those with tendencies for criminality (before hopefully they commit a crime) and to put some preventative measures in place. Biological positivists generally look for biological causes generally in genetic inheritance. A well know example is that of ‘Klinenfelter’s Syndrome’ where a study of known criminals identified was said to be an extra ‘y’ chromosome.

Case study analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Case study analysis - Essay Example But if one can get an established unit in its chosen field the combined entity can take off within a couple of years after due integration. Adding a new dimension to the issue Paul Tiffany, adjunct professor of management at Wharton and senior lecturer at the University of California's Haas School of Business in Berkeley, says that the global steel consolidation has an unfamiliar ring, he notes "It's interesting that the consolidation in the steel industry is driven not by market opportunity but by the threat of the The most dramatic change in Indian business in the past decade has been the surge in ambition. Take Ratan Tata, the Mumbai-based tycoon who won the race to buy Britain's Corus Group, beating his Brazilian rival Benjamin Steinbruch in a fiercely contested auction. British Steel and the Dutch group Hoogovens merged in 1999 to become the largest steel makers in Europe because they felt the necessity to out-grow their national geography. With the passage of time the same company felt that they need a global presence. As stated by Corus chief executive Jim Leng that Corus now felt it was "no longer sufficient to be European. This is a global industry," he said. "We have got to respond with passion, but with commercial passion. It's not about big companies and small companies, it's a matter of being globally commercial." (Knowledge@Wharton). "We want to expand into geographies where, as a group, we can have a meaningful presence. First, we have chosen countries where we felt we could make an impact and, secondly, where we are able to participate, as we have in India, in the development of that country. When you visit a country or examine Gopi 3 a particular company, I think you intuitively know if there's an opportunity, and then you flesh out that opportunity in one form or other. If we get to the stage of justifying assembly or manufacturing operations, we will seek either to contract them or to invest in facilities in that country." (Interview with Ratan Tata in India Today Magazine issue dated November 6, 2006). In takeover parlance big sharks swallow up the small sharks. But in this case a small shark has swallowed a shark almost five times its size. It is the biggest international acquisition so far by an Indian company, and it coincided with Tata Steel's 100th anniversary. It will also be the Tata Group's 22nd foreign acquisition in two years. The Corus takeover catapults Tata Steel from its 65th place among global steel producers to the No 5 spot in the hierarchy of steel makers with a combined capacity of 23.5 million tons. Others ahead of it are Arcelor-Mittal (110 million tons), Japan's Nippon Steel (32 million tons), South Korea's Posco (30.5 million tons) and JFE of Japan (29.9 million tons). Excluding Corus, Tata Steel has plans to raise its Indian capacity to 30 million tons by 2015 through Greenfield projects. Tata Steel managing director B. Muthuraman said in a statement after the January 31 deal

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 4

Operations Management - Essay Example 1. Introduction This report elaborates the operations management process at Green Life, a firm that is into production of vegetables and raising turkeys. This report highlights the significance main critical functions of operations and aims to reinforce the fact that operations management is critical to success of any business. This is accomplished on the basis of three main competitive dimensions, operations effectiveness, customer management and product innovation. The concept integrates 8 Ms of operations management, which are the determinants of business performance. 1.1 About the business Green Life Inc. deals with growing vegetables and raising turkeys. The business peaks during Christmas. These products are sold on retail basis as well as supplied to other shops on wholesale basis. For this, an operations strategy that would integrate appropriate production based on previous sales and demand would help in optimizing the production, which would maximize profits and minimize los s from wastage through wasteful activities as well as wastage of products resulting from storage, delivery or overproduction. Setting up these operations is a highly challenging task and involves a myriad of interdependent activities and issues for the operations manager, all of which need to be addressed at the same time in order to ensure a successful business as well as maximum customer satisfaction. 1.2. Operations management: Operations management comprises of all activities that are required for production of specific goods or services. These activities include planning, designing, and the production process; integration of marketing, finance, human resources and strategy (Brown, 2000). The production/operations processes involve inputs, which include the 8 Ms such as money, material, machines, manpower, management, markets, methods and messages (Nel, 2007). The inputs are processed in someway through series of preplanned activities in order to produce desired outputs, which c an be in the form of completed parts, products, chemicals, service to customers, completed paperwork etc. Operations management also involves provisions and processes for storage of inputs as well as outputs (Shim & Siegel, 1999). An illustration of this transformation process is shown in appendix 1. 2. Competitive elements in OM: Adopting competitive dimensions will reinforce the organization’s value by choosing distinct activities or initiatives that can deliver unique mix of outputs. These outputs may include value for money to the customer, customer service, quality products etc other than the main products. These can be achieved by designing the right strategy that cad deliver operational efficiency and high-quality products. Chase (2006) identifies three major components for strategy namely, operations effectiveness, customer management and product innovation. Operations effectiveness refers to the core business processes needed to run the business. Business processes i nclude all business functions from taking customer orders, handling returns, manufacturing, marketing, delivery of finished products etc. Customer management refers to understanding and maintaining customer relationships by meeting customer demands and expectations. Product innovation refers to development of

FILMSCORES INELIGIBLE FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS Essay

FILMSCORES INELIGIBLE FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS - Essay Example e composers who have worked extra hard to develop original scores with other music producers who have just edited other people’s work to come up with film soundtracks. If I may use the example of Crash, the 2005 winner of Best Picture at the Academy Awards, the soundtrack of the film was an original composition by Mark Isham that was later released the music labels Gut and Colosseum (Bridges 25). The soundtrack contributed significantly to the success of the film. Placing such an original score together with un-original pieces is obviously unfair. Another reason why that this be adopted is because doing so will provide clear boundaries of what is original and what is not. Establishment of the two categories will pressure the Academy to properly redefine the terms that a particular composition should reach for it to be considered original or not. This will consequently eliminate cases like the one experienced recently where the music scores for the films, The Black Swan, The Fighter and True Grit were disqualified on the basis of being unoriginal. Establishment of the two distinct categories will also encourage composers who feel that they can add something fresh to previously produced pieces and come up with outstanding film scores. As I have indicated earlier, the score of a film plays an important role in its success level and therefore, let me compare and contrast the scores of two films that have been hugely successful this year. One is the Ben Affleck directed thriller â€Å"Argo’’ and the latest installation of the James Bond series â€Å"Sky fall’’. Both films are predominantly characterized and accompanied by original film scores. In the case of Argo, the renowned Alexandre Desplat has scored the film (Bridges 17). The score features many orchestral elements and easy concessions that are easily listenable to common people. Its opening cue comprises a rich sound filled with Persian Instrumentation that is very flavorful and therefore resonates with

VIsiting Los Angeles County Museum of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

VIsiting Los Angeles County Museum of Art - Essay Example There were lots of permanent art collections, art galleries and dress exhibitions which I got an opportunity to see Matisse in one. In one building, the Ahmanson, the modern art collections displayed works that went all the way from back in 1900. I loved most David Hackneys’ works which ranged from paintings which spoke a thousand words about people and all the more to nature. I also was intrigued by the truth in art being everywhere. I discovered this as I moved from one piece of art to another and nature, people, common objects, Paintings, music and films revealed art. This is something I had learnt in class though I had really doubted. This visit ascertained this without a doubt. I did not however enjoy this one aspect where every piece of art had a placard giving its name though it did not give sufficient information concerning the art and the artist behind it. And can you imagine I had to pay $11 for iced tea and a bun! This was not funny at all. A serious stereotype I had before I visited this place was that it is a cultural wasteland and it made me not even think about visiting it for such a very long time. Through this project, I discovered that this is just but a lie and that contrary to it; this place is so beautiful and is so rich in culture. Am actually planning to visit it again now that I can’t say I explored it to my

TECHNOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

TECHNOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY - Essay Example As people use cell phone regularly and as it causes radiation it can cause cancer. The cell phone causing cancer is a controversial issue because some do not accept that this statement true. The scientific world has not gathered enough evidence to prove that cell phone can cause cancer. The assumption is based on the fact that the cell phone causes radiation. And radiation is a main reason for cancer. A continuous exposure to radiation is a fact that can convince the connection of cancer with cell phone use (NCI) .In theory, children have the potential to be at greater risk than adults for developing brain cancer from cell phones. Their nervous systems are still developing and therefore more vulnerable to factors that may cause cancer. So an examination of cell phone use and its effect on human body need to be studied. Scientists have been alerting people about the adverse effect of cell phone on humans. The fact is that the cell phone emits 1000 times higher than the base stations, and it has greater likelihood of causing problems to brain and upper part of human body. The epidemiological evidence suggests that there is an association between radio frequency emitted by wireless phones and head cancer. The radio frequency is classified by International Agency for Research on cancer as possibly carcinogens to humans. According to (Burrell 23-34 ) â€Å"A Swedish study on the use of wireless phones, including cell phones and cordless phones, has uncovered a link between electromagnetic radiation exposures and the risk of malignant and non-malignant brain tumors†. The studies reveal that the people who used cell phones for more than a year is at 70% risk of cancer and those who used cell phone for more than 1640 or more has 180% risk. The risk of cancer is greater in the part of the brain where cell phone was exposed. Many scientists have claimed that

Speech Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Speech Class - Essay Example We got a really a good package and it includes: Car, ticket and the hotel. In this day , we did not sleep we were staying all the day until the day after and at 8 we were on the Denver airport. we went to the rental car office and we gave him the conifrmation number for us and my friend for his licence to get a copy of it. When he just took it and went thru the copy machine he just came back and said: sorry we can not give you the car because you are under 21 and I was under 21 too...!!! The problem is we were planning to go and visit many places, I was sleepy a littile , but when I heard that I got dissapinted ( lol ) and my friend too , and then we told him we already rented an online so we already have a conifrmation number and we tried with him like for half an hour and then he said ok but you will be charging more double more .. The car which we already chose it in the site was : Musting Shelby GT 500 comfortable 2008, but he said because you are under 21 it should be much much much expesive arround 2600$. Then we rented the regular Musting which was much lesser than the Shelby GT. Then , we were looking to the restaurant we were hungury and we didnt eat anything for 4 hours in the plane because we were sleeping, we found a nice little Mexican restaurant right on the beach. Two guys were playing live music with an acoustic guitar. It was a pretty pleasant experience, except for the fact that we were exhausted after flying for over four hours. We bought passes to the Disney World complex that gave us a lot of freedom. The passes that we bought was a regular one but then we discovered that they have two kinds of passes for the 4 parks: the express one and the regular one. For the express pass you dont have to wait on the line unless too many people have the same pass card as you have. But after two or three days, everything started to look the same. That’s when I began to notice how some of the people acted

Corruption in India Essay Example for Free

Corruption in India Essay We all know that Corruption has always been a longstanding social evil un the day to day life of every Indian citizen. The Indian government has always made anti-corruption measures available for the benefit of the citizen, but corruption has always defeated those measures and flourished. We are sure that each one of you or your family has directly or indirectly been a victim of corruption. Even after 62 years of indias independence , the plight of commonman has worsened. Corrupt public servants , corrupt judges , corrupt police , etc are proving to be parasites leading 5-star lifestyles at taxpayers expense. They in their greed for money , bribe are aiding abetting terrorists , separatists , naxalites, underworld mafia , etc covertly overtly , backstabbing our motherland. These corrupt public servants are more cruel than Jalianwallah Bagh butcher General Dyer of british army. If Mahatma Gandhi was alive today , he would have been disgusted with the present way of democratic government , functioning of public servants would have died heart broken. If our freedom martyrs like sri. Bhagath Singh or Sri. Madan Lal Dingra or Sri. Subhash Chandra Bose would have been alive , they would have given a befitting reply to this corrupt police , corrupt udges , public servants. Whenever , a commonman raises his voice for justice , he is silenced in various ways by the criminal nexus. The said criminal nexus has previously tried to silence me in many ways including attempts to murder , closure of newspaper etc. A single person cannot change the world it is a saying we take for granted. but why not try to change we can be true in our dealings and the duties which we deliver i believe corruption can be minimized upto some extent if the people who criticize and complain about its ill effects, try to be honest to themselves many rops make the ocean. likewise each individual make the society. so let each of us join hands and pledge that we ll not be corrupt and gradually you will be able to see how it works No. Same over all the world as far as humanity was there and is going to be there. Aham ie. self is the spice of life. When in situations of demand exceeds supply self become aggressive and turn to selfishness that is always natural phenomenon and need not be harm full until selfish attitudes become greed. Jumping various forms of queue we face in life everywhere at the discomfort of the other fellow humans is orm of corruption. How many of us think it that way. Inequality that is either by way of the environment one is born into or created by society push people to adopt corrupt practices to get even in the environment. In an environment where demand increases supply to a very high magnitude, certain amount of corruption acts like grease to cogs in the wheels. How many of has have not used that path to have a smoother existence at the expense of that of others. It takes us back to reminiscence the old saying One not sinned only should throw stone at the sinners  However, Situation in India is a bit different from what I have been trying to say above. In a country the professionals become professional by spending huge money would definitely want to make it back and never find the means adopted that wrong, not withstanding the truth that they became professionals only because there is scope of getting even. Same goes with the political leaders. Most get elected have to spend huge money whether, black or white, is immaterial and the main object of becoming a politician turns from the ideology of doing public service to humanity to money making anyhow, like every other professionals of this age. It is alright up to a point as otherwise who be interested in this thankless dirty job. But then our political masters irrespective of which flags they flaunt, have reversed the essence of Democracy. Instead people owning the government and elected representatives as middlemen between people and the government, comprising well defined hierarchical setup of trained and experienced Executive and Bureaucracy, only through that governance can only be done properly, Political class have made the governance machinery subservient to them putting the cart before the horse. If we analyze closely this is the main reason for most of the ills we see around in various forms killing the this wonderful nation that is made of beautiful beads of hundreds different color and texture. Over and above the inborn nature of humanitys anxiety to find some scapegoat for all their ills, be it real or mostly imaginary, in the shape of God, fate, astrology, and their Country and those who govern it. It will go on until the environment change and Supply nearing or become equal to demand and the stake holders become an even generation, unlike we are growing in enormous proportion, beating supply.

Spanish and Chinese Civil Wars

Spanish and Chinese Civil Wars Both China and Spain are salient examples of the turbulence that afflicted nations in the twentieth century who swooped from imperial to democratic regimes amidst a tide of protracted ideological struggles. Many of the causes of both civil wars stemmed from economically backward markets, pendulums of power and widespread social discontent, problems that were exacerbated by external influences and involvement. The collapse of Chinas Manchu dynasty and the abolition of Spains Monarchy lead to political vacuums filled by revolutionaries and reformers with little sense of a unified China or Spain. What ensued were two vicous civil wars. Despite these similarities, subtle differences in culture expound the very different outcomes of these civil wars The deep Nationalism displayed by the Chinese at the turn of the 20th Century that lead to the extensive xenophobia and formation of two conflicting revolutionary movements can be seen as a major cause in the Chinese Civil War. For centuries, the somewhat egocentric Chinese nature based in Confucian values created a precious, self-sufficient and culturally rich nation. However, this immemorial concept of superiority was brutally damaged following the Opium Wars with Britain in 1839 and 1842, questioning the unchallenged notion of Chinese supremacy. By 1890, Britains military foothold resulted in the diplomatic creation of over fifty foreign enclaves and the establishment of concession areas within major cities. Chinas ancient imperial political system was feeble in the face of Western governments and failed to generate valuable resistance, humiliating and degrading the Chinese people thus forming the foundations of the revolutionary movements that would lead China into Civil War. An early example of this can be seen in the anti-foreign devil movement of 1900, known as the Boxer Rebellion. Although proving unsuccessful, the rising revealed the incompetence of the imperial authorities and contributed to the Manchu governments failures to recognise the discontent amongst its people. In October 1911 the insurrection came to a head, and the Manchu dynasty abdicated, the last Emperor, Pu-Yi, was banished to the Forbidden City and a new Republic was formed. Similarly, in Spain, the push for democracy was at the centre of political instability and is consequently a cause of the Spanish Civil War. As a constitutional monarchy, Spain at the turn of the century was facing a catastrophic decline in national pride due to colonial losses in Central and South America and a dwindling economic situation. The brutal theory of Hispanidad proclaimed Spain the centre of World history and the Army saw its role move away from defending against external enemies and move towards redeeming Spain from the increasingly popular Bolsheviks, liberals and atheists that threatened the popular fascist values of Accion Espanola. This heightened political dissatisfaction resulted in the bloodless coup of 1923, in which King Alfonso XIII appointed Primo de Riviera the leader of the First Republic. Rivieras rule was for the most part unsuccessful and reliant on heavy borrowing; he ignored the dire need for social reforms in order to combat Spains unemployment issues. A similar situation ensued within China where the new republican leader Sun Yatsen struggled to hold power over the reactionary and corrupting General Yuan Shikai who, despite having promise stability to China, solved few basic economic or political problems. Although these long term causes alone were insufficient to cause civil war, it can be seen that in both Spain and China the overthrow of the Manchu dynasty and the abdication of King Alfonso XII created not solely ineffective and undemocratic republics but power vacuums amidst rampant, deep-rooted nationalism and pride. Economically and socially backward, Spain was an agric nation. Compared to neighbouring European countries, there had been little industrial development in Spain during the 19th Century. The semi-feudal land system that dominated the South created a divisive wealth gap between affluent Landowners and deprived landless peasants. In other Northern regions the few industrially developed areas like Asturias and Catalonia had successfully developed textile and coal factories. The exploitation in rural and industrial areas led to the growth of radical political persuasions. Anarchism and socialism prospered as demands for worker control of factories flourished. Furthermore, the Republics failures to adequately tackle the damage inflicted on Spain as a result of the 1929 Wall Street Crash created a reputation that democracy and economic hardship where synonymous. Hence the result of Spains extensive poverty was a loss of faith in the Republic and a turn by the masses towards radical politic s and extremist groups. Likewise, Chinas economic and social grievances were largely based in rural poverty. Despite its abundant natural resources; coal, oil and ore, ninety percent of the population were peasants. A lack of modern manufacturing resulted in a constant need for imports, high inflation and dwindling food supplies. The fragmented, de facto government that followed the death of Yuan Shikai in 1916, comprised of regional military leaders or warlords. It was these locally powerful individuals who exploited and terrorised the country, a step away from any sense of national cohesion. To exacerbate their unpopularity the Bejiing government and warlords frequently negotiated with foreign powers over land and exports. It could be argued that the 4th May movement in 1919 as much a reaction against foreign exploitation an the unfavourable Versailles agreements as a reaction against the powerful and betraying warlords. This disunity and poverty intensified the resentment of Chinese nationalists, providi ng further direction and focus to revolutionary movements like the GMD and CCP, who were primarily inspired by a hatred of warlordism. It was the affronts to national pride committed by warlords and foreign devils that presented the Chinese people with a collective sense of injustice. So, it can be noted that in both China and Spain the economic turbulence was a key factor in the formation of reactionary political groups. Slow industrialisation in both countries created inequality and a lack of trust in their respective political systems. Author and historian Jung Chang recounts her fathers reasons for joining the communist party in Wild Swans as a result of, widespread fighting amongst warlords, who all levied heavy taxes combined with the effects of the Great depression and Maos policy of Chinese must not fight Chinese appealed to his sense of nationalism as well as offering equality and change. In China, political instability largely sprouted from 19th Century disaffection with the imperial rule. Challenges to this authoritarian ruling can be noted in the Boxer Rebellion and then in the 1911 revolution. However, such an ancient and customary hierarchy was an intrinsic Chinese value, devotion and reverence towards authority dominated culture. This strict social discipline and veneration of conformity might suggest that the Chinese never really sought democracy, the totalitarian regimes that followed their revolution illustrate the continuation of hereditary traditions. This forced and manufactured form of revolution then underpinned the succession of weak governments that lead China into civil war. The rules of Yuan Shikai and Sun Yatsen, never adequately filled the power vacuum left following the removal of Emperor Pu-Yi. Their weak ideologies and failed reforms lead to the violent and destructive warlord era that lasted from 1916 until 1927. It was the brutality of this regime that fuelled future leaders like Mao into the belief that, Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. For this reason, the warlord era advanced the Chinese Revolution through the disunity and fragmentation it created but also through the vicious extremist ideologies it ignited. Despite the formation of the United Front between the GMD and CCP in order to combat the warlords retarding the approach of civil war, this alliance broke down by 1927 when the GMD purged the CCP. Chiang Kai-sheks White Terror in 1927 demonstrated the temporary nature of the United Front and stresses the deep resentment between opposing ideologies. Furthermore, Chiangs resistance to defend Manchuria against Japan and vario us foreign encroachments instead focusing on the annihilation of the Communists disillusioned many, Jung Changs father included, she writes, the communist slogan Chinese must not fight Chineseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and the Communist stance about fighting the Japanese and about creating a just society fired [my fathers] imagination and he joined the party in 1938. Consequently, Chiang was deeply unpopular, increased political polarisation ensued, feuds and purges accelerated the existing factors that stemmed from imperialism. Spain too endured unstable political leadership as well as deep internal divisions, however, without the Chinese threat of invasion and foreign infringement a swinging pendulum of governments developed. Radical reforms were introduced, removed and then reintroduced with each election. Chaos erupted. The first, Left Republic of 1931 introduced a series of highly contentious laws; Catalonia was granted a degree of autonomy following secession campaigns, there was nationalisation of the land and most controversially, the Church was entirely separated from the state. Church bell ringing was banned, Catholic Schools closed and Church land redistributed. The traditional and conservative core of Spain were enraged, the Church became a martyr with which the landowners and Right united to form CEDA. Even the Left was aggravated by the reforms that they felt lacked depth and passion, as a result, the Socialists withdrew support and the Left suffered electoral defeat in 1933. The triumphant Rig ht Wing Republic then instigated what became known by the Left as the bienos negros, two years where all reforms were reversed, socialism and anarchism repressed. Declarations of Communism in the Asturias region in 1934 were brutally suppressed by General Francos forces, three-thousand were killed. The Left, fearing a Right wing dictatorship then formed the Popular Front. In 1936, there was a pendulum swing back to a Popular Front led government. Peasants began seizing land they felt was now theirs, the Falange and Church launched uprisings and revolts against the left. From February to July of 1936 there were three-hundred political killings. The revenge killing of Sotello was manipulated by the Right to justify a brutal and extreme coup, the start of Civil War. The result of such a turbulent and ever-changing political landscape was division, division within the already divided factions. The Left Bloc governments angered their support because of the diverse ideologies between grou ps, the Right too comprised of various groups with wildly differing objectives. Thus every government failed to appease each individual assemblage. Elwood suggests it was this lack of consensus over anything that caused disillusionment with democratic politics and brutal caciquismo political polarisation of which only violence could conquer. Infamously, Carr branded the Spanish Civil War a European civil war fought on Spanish territory. A proxy war for the amplified political tensions of Europe post-WWI, the first major battle between Fascism and Communism. Equally, the Chinese Civil War was caused by ideological conflicts between incompatible parties. The GMD a nationalist yet democratic party following the three principles of the people deeply contested the CPP philosophy, based in the signification of Marxism, Mao Zedong believed Chinas revolution should be peasant-led. These conflicting values produced a series of conflicts culminating in two civil wars that straddled WWII. Chiangs abhorrence of the CCP resulted in his White Terror Campaign in 1927 where the GMD turned savagely on the allied CCP, purging 5000 known communists and sympathisers in Shaghai alone. GMD troops pursued the CCP into Jiangxsi where, for seven years, and through five encirclements campaigns the remnants of the CCP fought against persistent Nat ionalist assaults. These intractable problems forced the CCP into a march of martyrdom know as the Long March, engraining an impassioned need for justice into their plight. In Spain, however divisions spread further and more intricately. In George Orwells Homage to Catalonia, he describes the internecine that blighted both the Left and Right as, hatred between those nominally on the same side, especially Stalinists and Trotskyists. Significantly on the Left, divisions between Anarchist, Socialist, Marxist and Trade Unionist factions led to disunity and disagreement. The entrenchment of these differences meant that no democratic process could focus the varying priorities. Moreover, the colossal polarisation and radicalisation of politics between Left and Right directly opposed the Republic, the basis for a vicious and unrelenting war. Whereas, in China the extremity of fascism was not present, and although equally as divided as Spain, internal division was minimal and insignificant. In China, there was a common aim; a strong independent nation and so, although the ideological differences provided basis for civil war, the tensions were not significant the mselves to cause war.

Moral and Ethical Implications of Gun Ownership

Moral and Ethical Implications of Gun Ownership Have Gun, Will Travel . . . to Work Do you have a moral, not only a legal, right to own a gun? Assume that either the Second Amendment or state law gives you a legal right to keep a gun in your car when you drive. Do you also have a moral right to do this? Do you have either a moral or a legal right to park a car with a loaded gun in a privately owned public parking lot regard-less of what the lot’s owner wants? I as a citizen am of the opinion that I do have a moral right to own a gun. I earn a right to protect myself from any danger or threat, legally. Therefore It is morally acceptable too if somebody wants to own a gun without hurting the innocent. When the state law allows a person legally to keep the gun, it is morally correct to have the gun in the car or anywhere else until and unless the owner of the place does not have any problem with it. But in conditions where the owner of the parking-lot doesn’t support the decision, it is legally and morally incorrect to practice your own will in somebody else’s property. . In your view, do employees have either a moral or a legal right to park cars with guns in them in the company parking lot? If so, what about the property rights and safety concerns of employers? If employees don’t have this right, would it be good policy for companies to allow them to stow guns in their cars anyway? Do companies have good grounds for being concerned about weapons in their parking lots? In my opinion, employees have the moral and legal right to park cars with guns in the company parking lot if the company allows. If the company I concerned about the property rights and safety issues of the employers and stops the employees to stow the guns in the cars, it is legally incorrect and the employees would be charged of practicing illegal acts without the consent of the owner. Companies have grounds for being concerned about the issues as any kind of mishap can take place in the parking area if the place would be loaded with guns and therefore the company would be held responsible for the issue. In order to avoid that, companies have all the right to stop the employees from stowing guns without their permission. 3. Do you agree with the NRA that if companies ban guns from their parking lots, this restriction would take â€Å"a wrecking ball to the Second Amendment† or nullify the right of people to have weapons for self- defense? Explain why or why not. In your view, have gun advocates been guilty of politicizing this issue? Do you think state legislatures are right to get involved, or should the matter be left to companies and employees to settle? I agree with NRA that if the companies ban guns from their parking lots, this would nullify the right of the people to have weapons for self-defense, because even though the second Amendment allows the use of guns foe the self-defense, it does not allow to practice something without permission of the owner on a private property. Therefore In my view, the gun advocates should have been guilty because there is no second thought about it. If the owner does not allow the guns, they cannot be forced. Rules are defined by the owner of the property. State legislatures should not get involved in the matter as the legislature allows the keeping of guns and also to abide the rules of the owner. Therefore it is a matter of the employee and the companies to handle the issue. Because the workplace is the company’s private property, the company could choose, if it wished, to allow employ-ees to bring guns not only into the parking lot but also into the workplace itself. Are there ever circumstances in which doing so might be reasonable? Or would the presence of guns automatically violate the rights of other employees to be guaranteed a safe working environment? If the company does not allow the employees to bring guns into the parking lot, there is no condition that it might be reasonable to bring in the guns until and unless the company allows the particular employee or all the employees to stow in their guns on a given day. Otherwise it will be against the law and would be illegal. It would violate the laws and the rights of the other employees. Rule defined by the companies is that do not put guns in the cars, then keeping them would be considered a violation of the rule. What would a libertarian say about this issue? What considerations would a utilitarian have to take into account? What conclusion might he or she draw? The libertarian would be against the ban on having guns in the cars of the parking lots of the companies as their basic concern would be the employee’s right to keep whatever the state has allowed him to. He will be of the opinion that the employees can keep anything they want to keep themselves safe from any sort of danger on their way from home and office. They have a right to protect themselves on their own. He would conclude that the companies are irrational in putting such demands and they are being self-centered by not giving a thought to the employee’s security. The state should be involved in the matter as if the state allows the legal right to keep the guns, the companies should not prohibit it. If you were on a company’s board of directors, what policy would you recommend regarding handguns, rifles, or other weapons in employees’ cars? In making your recommendation, what factors would you take into account? Would it make a difference how large the company was, the nature of its workforce, or where it was located? If you support banning firearms from the parking lot, what steps, if any, do you think the company should take to enforce that policy? If I were on the company’s board of directors, I would make a policy to partially ban the stowing of guns and rifles in the cars. I would suggest to make a safe place where every day my employees who wish to keep their guns with them can deposit them and can claim those on their way back to home. Keeping the guns in the parking lot is not safe, therefore they can be kept in a well-guarded place. This would please the employees that their issues are taken care of and thus wont effect the company’s policies as well. The nature of workforce and the location would not make a difference as the policies are same everywhere. Explain whether (and why) you agree or disagree with the following argument: â€Å" If employees have a right to keep guns in the parking lot, then they also have a right to bring them into workplace. After all, we’re only talking about licensed, responsible owners, and the same rationale applies: An employee might need a weapon for self- protection. What if a lunatic starts shooting up the company?† No I do not agree with the argument mentioned above as that is totally based on the owners will that what does he/she permits its employee’s and to what extent. If the company allows the employee’s to bring in the guns in the parking lot and does not allow the guns in the company, the employees cannot practice that. No body earns a right to practice something on other’s property without the permission of the owner. The safety concerns of the company are justified and I support the decision of the company. It is the responsibility of the company to take care of its employees. Union Discrimination: Assuming the Foundation’s description of the case is accurate, was Paul Robertson treated unfairly? Was this a case of discrimination? If Robertson was an â€Å"at- will† employee, does he have any legitimate grounds for complaint? Considering the given issue and assuming that the description is accurate, I am of the opinion that yes Paul Robertson was treated unfairly. No state rules that if the employee does not join a union or pay union dues, he or she cannot work. It is the basic human right that he can work without any external policies. It is up to the employee if he/she wants to get associated with a union or not. Companies cannot force or make a deal with the union that they will hire only employees that will deal with union. It was a strong case of discrimination as Paul Robertson was deprived of his basic rights without any legal reason. If Robertson was an â€Å"at-will† employees he might not have any legitimate grounds for the complaint as he won’t be treated differently and unjustly and would to be able to complain. Does it make a difference to your assessment of the case whether someone like Robertson knows, when he accepts a job, that he must join the union or that non- union employees will be the first to be laid off? No, this might not make any difference to my assessment as any company cannot put such allegations on the employees. It is on the free will of the employees that they could join or do not join the union. The employees are hired on the basis of their skills and aptitude regardless of the fact that they will join the union or not. This an extreme case of discrimination as the future employees are judged on the basis of their willingness to join the union or not despite of their skills and hard work. My assessment that this is a case of discrimination would remain intact even in the given scenario. If union employees negotiate a contract with management, part of which specifies that management will not hire non- union employees, does this violate anyone’s rights? Would a libertarian agree that the resulting union shop was perfectly acceptable? Libertarian would never agree on this company and union setup. Every person should be hired for a job he is eligible of and fills in the criteria. Keeping such restrictions would be a biased decision and the violation of human rights. Every person has the freedom to choose what they want. This is not an acceptable scenario. A person should be rejected from a job if he doesn’t have the skills to fulfill the job not on the basis of tagging them as union or non-union employees. Presumably Paul Robertson could have joined the union, but he chose not to. What principle, if any, do you think he was fighting for? Assess the union charge that people like Paul Robertson are â€Å"free riders† who want the benefits and wages that unionization has brought but try to avoid paying the dues that make those benefits and wages possible. Paul Robertson could have joined the union but he did not because he was fighting against the discrimination policy that the company had utilized. His basic fight was for the rights that he possess even if he does not join the union. The Union’s charge of Paul Robertson as a â€Å"free rider† is inacceptable ad vague. The wages and the benefits that employees like Paul Robertson enjoy are the benefits they get because of their hard work and their job. They do not need to be associated with any union to get tat. Those are the benefits they earn it through hard work. What do you see as the likely motivations of Bechtel Power and the union? How would they justify their conduct? The Bechtel Power and the union wished to hire the employees that would join the union and pay the union in order to earn money and increase the union employees. They would justify their conduct that they offered Paul Robertson to join the union if the employee cannot meet the demands of the organization, the company bears the right to fire him/her. The company would justify by implying that meeting the criteria of the company is the basic need of the company and Paul or employees who do not join the union are not meeting the criteria so it is not a discrimination case if they do not hire such individuals. Why did the Foundation run this ad? Is the ad anti- union propaganda? Do you think the Foundation is sincerely interested in the rights of individual workers? Or is it simply interested in weakening unions vis- à  - vis management? In my opinion, the foundation run this ad to help the people and to aware those individuals that actions are taken against the discrimination. It is not an anti- union propaganda but an effort to help the individual workers who are deprived of their basic rights. The foundation is boosting the people to speak up for their rights and building a trust that they are there to help them in such circumstances and they should fight for their basic rights. The aim of the ad is not to target the union or to propagate against the union. It was to highlight the issues of the individuals. Assess union shops from the moral point of view. What  ­conflicting rights, interests, and ideals are at stake? What are the positive and negative consequences of permitting union shops? Morally, the union shops are incorrect. The rights of individuals are at stake. The right to work without any restriction is sacrifices. Even form the company’s point of view it might lose hardworking individuals because they might not be willing to join the unions. The company could be at stake too with such restrictions. The positives of permitting union shops is that the company could bloom with the employees paying the union charges but keeping in account the negatives, it might lose skilled employees and only those will be hired that would be willing to accept the union and pay charges.

The Holy Bible is Fact, Not Fiction :: Holy Bible Essays

The Holy Bible is Fact, Not Fiction The Hebrew word used for "day" is the word yom. Every other time the word is used in the Old Testament in conjunction with a number, a literal, 24-hour period of time is being described; what we know as a day. The word is never used metaphorically in the Bible. The verses most commonly used to say that the word day in Genesis could mean more than a 24 hour period are Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3, which quotes Psalm 90:4. Psalm 90:4 - For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night. 2 Peter 3:8 - But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. Notice the phrases "are like" and "is like." The Greek word used in 2 Peter is 3:8 for that phrase is like is the word hos, a word used in a figurative comparison - the word as. We must always keep things in the proper perspective: Science is of men; the Bible is of God (2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness"). The almighty, all-powerful, omniscient, omnipresent God we worship obviously has the ability to create the world in an even shorter time; He could speak one word and it ALL would come into existence. He says in His Word that He created it in six days, why can't we let Him speak for Himself and take it at face value. God's Word is infallible, people ARE NOT. Exodus 20:11 - For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 31:16-17 - 'So the sons of Israel shall observe the Sabbath, to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.' "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed." If we were to assume that Creation lasted more than 6 24 hour days, the "sign" the second passage speaks of would be a pretty poor sign - a comparison between a 6000 year creation and our 7 day week wouldn't be very meaningful.

Discuss the pessimism that Golding and Garland present in the novels :: English Literature

Discuss the pessimism that Golding and Garland present in the novels Lord of the Flies and The Beach. Show how both writers have a pessimistic attitude to human nature. Discuss the pessimism that Golding and Garland present in the novels Lord of the Flies and The Beach. Show how both writers have a pessimistic attitude to human nature. Lord of the Flies was written in 1954, a time when commercialisation was not an issue and media hype only had subtle effects on society. The Beach was written in 1996, American globalisation had begun and the media played a massive part in society. The different times affect the novels in different ways. For example the technological jargon language used in The Beach is very different to the Standard English used in Lord of the Flies. Both novels are similar in some ways yet different in others, although either way they always have hints of pessimism. One of the ways the novels are different is genre. The Beach at first seems to be travel writing, so the reader expects to learn about the journey and culture of the back-packing land of Bangkok, yet the main character Richard travels to an isolated island, where there is a lot of different cultures and races and no one shares the same value systems, traditions, customs or beliefs so the genre seems shift slightly. With Lord of the Flies it’s apparent at first that Golding may have been influenced by the novels Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and R. M. Ballantyne’s Coral Island. All are castaway’s novels. There is a reference to Coral Island the officer who finds the boys nods â€Å"Jolly good show. Like the Coral Island.† Golding wrote Lord of the Flies in 1954 after the war as a realist answer to The Coral Island. In the 20th century book we find the same two characters, Jack and Ralph both stranded on an uninhabited island without adult supervision. Their reaction to freedom and the unknown is absolutely different from Ballantyne's two young adventurers. Instead of bringing civilization, they create chaos, terror and death. The different reaction Golding’s characters illustrate a novel for the more mature reader as an adventure novel, which confounds the reader’s first expectations. The most obvious resemblance between the novels is the setting and isolation. Although at first glance the islands seem idyllic, both writers plant seeds of evil, within the description of the paradise so cracks can be seen. In Lord of the Flies personification is used to describe the ideal setting â€Å"palm fronds would whisper,† this creates a sense of calm. Again the image of beauty is shown through the use of a metaphor to

The impact of family and neighbourhood on the academic achievement among African American teenagers

1.0 Introduction Performance in school has for many years been closely attributed to an individual’s life chances. As the need for an individual to undergo advanced level of training to be able to sustain basic living become a necessity, the consequence of difficulty in schooling have become imperative (Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). However, individuals do not attend schools in a vacuum as they come from families, neighbourhoods, and various life events that generally impact on their performance in one way, or another. Currently, almost half of the school going teenagers are coloured. Over 70 percent of residents in large cities in the United States are also coloured (Williams et al., 2002). Based on this statistics it is important to understand the specific aspects of academic development of coloured people in the United States.According to ecological theory, the environment has a great influence on the development of adolescents (Steinberg, 2001; Ingoldsby & Shaw, 2002). As much as the adolescents make their own behavioural choices, societal structures and interpersonal relationships are viewed as imperative aspects that shape the adolescent choices (Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Adolescents growing up in the 21st century look beyond their parents and siblings for developmental support. Therefore, the concept of neighbourhood comes in when analysing the development of adolescents. The neighbourhood concept in this context refers to both home and school neighbourhood and how it interacts with th e teenager. 2.0 Problem Definition The issue of educational achievement gap has been documented by various studies (Gutman et al., 2002; Rankin & Quane, 2002). Unfortunately, most of these studies indicate that African American learners have the lowest educational standards in the United States (Moore & Chase?Lansdale, 2001). Empirical evidences indicate that in comparison to their white counterparts, the performance of African American children is below the normal standards (Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Many African American learners come from families that are not only economically unstable but also socially underserved. Several reasons have been linked to the poor academic performance of African American teenagers which eventually results to high rates of school dropout. Common issues that these teenagers face include racism, poverty, and violence (Brody et al., 2001). These issues affect their emotional and academic performance. Due to their poverty ridden home settings and surrounding, African American teenage rs fail to establish a link between academic excellence and better adult life (Moore & Chase?Lansdale, 2001). The teenagers are also aware of the stereotypic approach linked to their race which affects their self-concept and ultimately educational performance (Gutman et al., 2002). Consequently, it is important to establish family and neighbourhood factors and how they impact on the academic performance of African American teenagers. This position is vital in the context that the current understanding on the issue is limited and does not consider the modern-day neighbourhood concept, where the United States has embraced mixed racial neighbourhood settings in most places where African Americans reside. More so, most African Americans live in big cities, which expose them to multiracial settings that may affect academic performance of the teenagers. Specifically, it is important to analyse how parents, peers, close friends, classmates, and teachers influence the performance of the African American teenagers. 3.0 Research Aim and Objectives To fully explore this research issue, the following objectives will guide this study: To investigate the links between family settings and academic achievement of the African American teenagers To examine how school and home neighbourhoods influences academic achievement among African American adolescents To devise a way forward regarding family and neighbourhood in managing the poor academic performance among African American teenagers 4.0 Literature Review Various factors have been linked to poor academic performance among students. A study by Leventhal and Brooks-Gunn, (2000) identified variables within a culture, a family, and the environment to greatly influence the academic achievement of learners as compared to the type of an educational program. The roles of social and individual support in education are influential in the academic achievement outcomes. The school environment communicates to the learners on how the school perceives them (Brody et al., 2001). A school that is known to promote collegiality, respect and values has students that are positively inclined to better performance (Gutman et al., 2002). African American learners record high levels of school drop-outs due to the possibility that the school environment does not support their needs. Consequently, the school setting as a learner’s neighbourhood influences the academic achievement of the learners (Rankin & Quane, 2002). Studies have also suggested the existence of other various factors that influence the academic achievement of the learners other than the school curriculum (Ingoldsby & Shaw, 2002). It is essential to understand how these other factors affect the African American adolescent especially those that are facing academic hurdles. Peers have been identified to determine the teenagers’ deposition towards their learning institutions (Brody et al., 2001). The fact that African Americans generally have a problem with academic performance the role of peers may in most cases be negative as far as academic performance is concerned. For instance, studies have shown that the mere lack of approval from peers is substantive enough to negatively influence the academic achievement of the adolescents (Williams et al., 2002). Furthermore, numerous studies identify parenting as a central player in academic performance of teenagers (Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2000; Gutman et al., 2002). Parents that have supportive association with their teenagers tend to promote a sense of autonomy among the teenagers which allows the teenagers to not only explore their environment but also seek parental emotional support (Steinberg, 2001). Studies have also shown that the role of parent in defining the emotional and academic performance of the teenagers is greater among the minorities in the United States (Moore & Chase?Lansdale, 2001). Another issue that was identified in the literature review as an influential factor for academic permanence among teenagers was the social support. Specifically, social support was closely linked to school retention levels for adolescents (Brody et al., 2001). Specifically four social factors are known to influence the academic performance of African American teenagers, namely neighbourhood, peers, parents, and the school (Williams et al., 2002). This clearly indicates that there is a link between the research issues and the academic performance of African American teenagers. This study will try to provide an in-depth analysis of existing information on the research issue in an attempt to establish a gap of knowledge that the study will attempt to seek. Specifically current literature links family and neighbourhood to performance, but it does not provide the exact family and neighbourhood factors that have resulted to poor academic achievement among African American this will be the area of interest for this study. To be able to establish a comprehensive investigation into the research issue, it will be important to provide an overview of the general research plan that will be adopted 5.0 Research Plan 6.0 General methodology To conduct the research successfully, it is vital to develop and abide by a working methodology to ensure the outcomes are worthwhile (Creswell, 2003). This research is an analytic in nature as it will involve the analysis of the existing situation of academic performance of African American teenagers relative to their homes as well as neighbourhoods. This will ultimately allow the investigator to draw conclusions based on these analyses pertaining to how much homes and neighbourhoods influence the academic performance of teenage African Americans. The research methodology that will be used will blend quantitative and qualitative research methods as summarized below:Literature ReviewThe literature review will offer an overview of the research topic at hand using data collected from articles, journals and books. A literature review will be important in the comprehension of the background of the topic (Creswell, 2003). It will also serve as a base in aiding the methods employed in the research. Specifically, this will involve examining articles, books and any other literature that has already been published on the research issueSurveysSince the research issue involves analysing the public opinions, which is vast, survey is an appropriate method for collecting quantitative data (Creswell, 2003). This will be done through creating questionnaires. The questionnaires will then be used for collecting numerical data from the participants. The questionnaire will also contain a section that will be used for the collection of demographic data from the participants.InterviewsTo further enhance the effectiveness of the analysis, interviews of a selected few people will be conducted in order to provide qualitative data for analysis. Interviews, unlike surveys require a lot of time but provide more in depth data founded on opinions and hence assist in uncovering specific information relevant to the research issue (Creswell, 2003). Semi structured interviews will be conducted to collective subjective views of the study participants on the research issue. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods will be necessary to provide enough data needed for the analysis to ensure the study arrives at a well informed conclusion. Consequently, combining all the data uncovered through the above methods, a data analysis will follow. This will be implemented through vigilant assessment of qualitative and quantitative data in order to reach an acceptable conclusion. Specifically, the findings from the qualitative part of the study will be used to enrich the quantitative findings (Creswell, 2003)6.1 Research QuestionsThe above research methodology will be used in providing responses to the following research questions: What are the links between family settings and academic achievement of the African American teenagers How does school and home neighbourhoods influences academic achievement among African American adolescents What is the way forward regarding family and neighbourhood in managing the poor academic performance among African American teenagers 7.0 Research Study Stages and Time Lines References Brody, G. H., Conger, R., Gibbons, F. X., Ge, X., McBride Murry, V., Gerrard, M., & Simons, R. L. (2001). The influence of neighbourhood disadvantage, collective socialization, and parenting on African American children’s affiliation with deviant peers. Child development, 72(4), 1231-1246. Creswell, J. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed method approaches (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Gutman, L. M., Sameroff, A. J., & Eccles, J. S. (2002). The academic achievement of African American students during early adolescence: An examination of multiple risk, promotive, and protective factors. American journal of community psychology, 30(3), 367-399. Ingoldsby, E. M., & Shaw, D. S. (2002). Neighborhood contextual factors and early-starting antisocial pathways. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 5(1), 21-55. Leventhal, T., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). The neighbourhoods they live in: the effects of neighbourhood residence on child and adolescent outcomes. Psychological bulletin, 126(2), 309. Moore, M. R., & Chase?Lansdale, P. L. (2001). Sexual intercourse and pregnancy among African American girls in high?poverty neighbourhoods: The role of family and perceived community environment. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(4), 1146-1157. Rankin, B. H., & Quane, J. M. (2002). Social contexts and urban adolescent outcomes: The interrelated effects of neighbourhoods, families, and peers on African-American youth. Social Problems, 49(1), 79-100. Steinberg, L. (2001). We know some things: Parent–adolescent relationships in retrospect and prospect. Journal of research on adolescence, 11(1), 1-19. Williams, T. R., Davis, L. E., Saunders, J., & Williams, J. H. (2002). Friends, family, and neighbourhood understanding academic outcomes of African American youth. Urban Education, 37(3), 408-431.

Instrumental Conditioning

When one hears the term instrumental (operant) conditioning they tend to immediately think of the â€Å"Skinner-Box†. Skinner conducted classic experiments where he trained rats and pigeons to press a lever in order to obtain a food reward. The experimenter would choose a suited output to pair it with a consequence. After a training period, the animals would show the behavior (BH, e.g. pressing the lever) even in absence of any reward, if the BH-US association had been memorized. Instrumental conditioning differs from classical conditioning in that it operates on the environment and refers to the modification of voluntary behavior. For the purposes of this paper I will evaluate the application of instrumental conditioning to learning how to use the toilet (potty-training). I will describe the process of potty-training, and compare and contrast the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to potty-training. I will explain the role of reward and punishment in potty-training as well as explain which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in potty-training. What is Instrumental Conditioning? â€Å"Instrumental conditioning is a process by which humans and animals learn to behave in such a way as to obtain rewards and avoid punishments. It is also the name for the paradigm in experimental psychology by which such learning and action selection processes are studied† (Staddon & Cerutti, 2003). All behavior is guided by consequences. Dogs beg/perform tricks for treats; politicians study poll results in order to steer the directions of their campaigns. Instrumental conditioning similarly is goal-oriented behavior. The selecting consequences that guide operant conditioning are of two kinds: behavior-enhancing (reinforcers) and behavior-suppressing (punishers). The most important factor in instrumental conditioning is the consequence of the response. â€Å"Responding often seems to be under exquisite control of the reinforcement conditions: Larger and tastier rewards provoke more vigorous response, delayed rewards weaken responding, and satiation of drive leads to a reduction in responding† (Terry, 2009). This consequence takes place because of an arranged contingency (relationship) between the occurrence of the response and the delivery of the reinforcer. The response is â€Å"instrumental† in acquiring the reinforcer, which is the reason this type of conditioning is referred to as instrumental conditioning. The response in turn â€Å"operates† on the environment causing a kind of change which is why it is also known as operant conditioning. Instrumental Conditioning and Potty-Training The Process of Potty-Training. Potty-training—the process of training a young child to use the toilet. Children typically begin to exhibit signs of readiness between the ages of 12 to 18 months and the process is usually fully completed by the time the child reaches 4 years old. Generally it takes longer to learn to stay dry during the night, however most children have mastered this by age 4. Cultural factors also play a role in determining the appropriate age of readiness for potty-training, with Americans usually beginning training later than other cultures (Paul, 2008). Potty-training is a mutual activity requiring cooperation, understanding and agreement between the child and the caregiver. The best methods emphasize consistency and positive reinforcement (over punishment) in order to make it a pleasant experience for the child. Research suggests that around 18 months old is the ideal time to start training due to the child's eagerness to please his/her parents. Positive and Negative Reinforcement. Positive reinforcement refers to the presence of a response-to-reinforcer relationship. â€Å"In positive reinforcement, the reinforcer is contingent on performance of the instrumental response† (Terry, 2009). Each action is followed by an outcome or consequence. Negative reinforcement involves particular behaviors being strengthened (increased) by the consequence of stopping or avoiding a negative condition. It is often confused with punishment, but they are very different. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior whereas punishment weakens (decreases) behavior because a negative condition is introduced as a consequence of the behavior. For example, driving in rush hour traffic is a negative condition for most people. One day they decide to leave home a little earlier, and avoid running into the heavy traffic. They leave home at the same time the next day and again avoid heavy traffic. Their behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy traffic. Positive and Negative Reinforcement as they Relate to Potty-Training. According to Terry (2009) when teaching our children we most often tell them the rules between behaviors and consequences. In some instances the contingencies are simply left for the subject (child) to discover on his/her own. In potty-training, the child must discover what response is necessary to stay dry and receive a reward. Positive reinforcement is the basic practice of rewarding a child for displaying a desired behavior, such as using the potty. The most successful method is to find what your particular child likes most of all, which for the majority of children is either a treat or a toy. When your child acts as desired you use positive reinforcement by rewarding him or her with this highly preferred item as close to the behavior as possible. Add in praise and positive reinforcement has been achieved. The main reason positive reinforcement works so well for potty-training is the way in which a child learns– through association. In contrast, children are not in a rush to move from diapers to using the potty on their own. New behaviors are seldom if ever, accomplished perfectly the first few times. During this time there will be mistakes. That is what learning is all about. When negative reinforcement is used for mistakes then the child learns that new growth experiences should be avoided at all costs, no matter what the new growth opportunity is. Negative reinforcement will likely cause negative outcomes not only in potty training, but in the way the child grasps future experiences. The Role of Reward and Punishment in Potty-Training Rewards. There are many different types of rewards that can be used to motivate toddlers to potty-train. What is most important is that the reward be given immediately following any successful attempt to use a potty. The best rewards are verbal praise, however some may wish to use a small treat as a reward. Positively responding to the child's achievement shows the child that you approve and support them. Positive attention increases the chance of the child repeating the behavior. Rewards and verbal praise should be easy, quick, and inexpensive. Rewards should be given immediately, are not used in place of praise (social reinforcement), used specially for potty-training and not made available any other time, given for the tasks the child can already manage. As the child is managing new skills, praise should be continued and other types of rewards gradually reduced. Punishments. Punishment should not be used if a child has an accident. Some children become upset and frustrated while potty-training so it may help to use clever phrases like â€Å"That silly pee pee just wouldn't wait for the potty, let's see if we can catch it the next time†. Caregivers should remain calm and relaxed rather than punitive when potty-training because it is supposed to be a fun and educational experience. In my own quest to potty-train my children, I have found positive reinforcement to be the most effective training method. The times I got upset and showed anger in response to accidents only served to frighten them and discourage them from trying again. The Most Effective Form of Instrumental Conditioning in Potty-Training In my opinion, the most effective form of instrumental conditioning in potty-training is the use of positive reinforcement so that the child learns to generalize his/her behavior across situations. Positive reinforcement gives the child the courage and confidence s/he needs to be able to use the potty not only in the home/caregiver setting, but in other places as well, thus generalizing his/her behavior. â€Å"The potential strengthening effects of a reinforcer are usually confounded with its reward or incentive effects, both of which lead to improved performance† (Terry, 2009). In other words, the more positive and frequent the praise (and other rewards), the more likely the child is to repeat the desired behavior. Conclusion Instrumental conditioning is dependent on people to act upon their environment and their behavior is subsequently shaped by the response their behavior solicits. Those responses that evoke an increased state of satisfaction are generally repeated as opposed to responses that render a person dissatisfied are likely to decrease. A vital factor in instrumental conditioning is the concept of positive and negative reinforcement. In potty-training a child, the use of positive reinforcement is the most highly effective form of motivation as it increases the likelihood of them repeating desired behavior. In closing, I have evaluated the application of instrumental conditioning to learning how to use the toilet (potty-training). I have described the process of potty-training, and compared and contrasted the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to potty-training. I have explained the role of reward and punishment in potty-training as well as explained which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in potty-training.

New Surgical Technology: Adoption or Diffusion? Essay

This article raised an interesting subject: surgeons and patients seeking improved treatment often forget that a new technique is not necessarily a better one. Human body with its health problems remains the same but the surgical technology is always moving towards progress. People develop new surgical tools and new surgical procedures constantly. However, do we carefully test all these new tools and procedures before using them on people? And how? On humans? On animals first perhaps? Is it ethical? How do we know that new tools and procedures are better than the existing ones? Too many questions†¦ New surgical technology promises improved patient care and, therefore, surgeons may hurry to adopt it despite little evidence or their advantage over existing procedures. Surgical procedures that are later found to be ineffective waste resources and endanger lives. Anything new must be carefully tested and proved in fact to be better. Therefore, the key to this problem is a cautious and total understanding from the surgeons and the patients of why such new procedures come to be offered as treatment. Let’s look in detail how this new medical technology gets adopted in the US. It may come in the form of: * a drug * a device * a procedure * a technique * a process of care For the surgical technology in particular, new things come in the form of a new procedure that uses existing devices or drugs, or an existing procedure that uses new devices. Before adopting any new technology, people should seriously consider the following factors: * Will this new technology improve the quality of clinical care? * If found successful, will the inventor promote its rapid adoption? * How widely this new technology will be distributed? * Will it pass all known and potential barriers for adoption, (financing, marketing, etc.)? * Is it compatible with the existing technologies and operating rooms? From all of these questions the main factor is always the same: the new technology MUST improve the quality of clinical care for patients. If this precondition is not satisfied, the technology should be abandoned: even a logical and scientifically positive attitude is no substitute for proof in practice. There were cases where surgical technology that was quickly adopted without evidence of its relative benefit, was abandoned after careful examination. For example: In 1964, Dr. Smith reported that injecting the enzyme chymopapain into an intervertebral disc relieved pain caused by herniation of the lumbar disc. In 1989, the American Medical Association’s diagnostic and therapeutic technology assessment group questioned the effectiveness of the procedure and raised concerns about its safety. Their evaluation showed that, compared with placebo or no treatment, chymopapain was effective in only selected patients. In addition, when it was used by less experienced surgeons some patients had serious complications, including allergic reaction and even damage to the spinal cord. I feel positive about innovation in all fields especially when people can improve the quality of life by repairing and healing the human body. However, before adopting any new technology in the operating room, it should be offered to patients for a trial period. Also surgeons shall carefully watch and study this procedure being done numerous times, and if it can be supported by the already existing equipment and the existing operating rooms. Do we ask the patient about the convenience or improvement by the new procedure or equipment? Of course! He is the one on the operating table putting his life in the hands of the surgeon. Surgeons always like the new technology if it can be easily and quickly understood, and added to their existing practice without waste of time. If the input to their practice is great, surgeons will invest more time and effort and disregard disruption of their routine day to expand the competitive advantage that a new technology offers. What I learned from this article is the use of new surgical technology has the potential to provide patients with the best possible care. On the other hand, if the new procedure or instrument were not carefully tested and approved, it ruined surgeon’s reputation, wasted resources, and caused harm to patients. Surgeons and institutions must not adopt a new technology without solid evidence of its efficiency and superiority over existing ones. In reality, quite a few innovations in medical technology were often adopted without enough evidence and testing and this was wrong. No matter how good the surgeon’s skill and ability to perform a procedure, it is wrong, if the procedure should not be done in the first place and may potentially harm the patient. Source: Article from BMJ : British Medical Journal 2006 January 14; 332(7533): 112-114. Editorial by Gabbay and Walley and pp 107, 109. Contributors and sources: CBW is senior adviser for the Health Technology Center and senior fellow at the Institute for the Future in California. ————————————————- References: McCulloch P, Taylor I, Sasako M, Lovett B Griffin D. Randomised trials in surgery: problems and possible solutions. BMJ 2002; 324: 1448-51. [PMC free article] [PubMed].

Desdemona’s death Essay

Iago does not immediately suggest Desdemona’s death. He first ensures that Othello is convinced of her guilt. At the beginning of the scene, Iago tells Othello that it is not a crime for a woman to be naked with a man if nothing happens. He also states that if he were to give his wife a handkerchief, she would be able to do with it as she wished. These reminders of Desdemona’s supposed unfaithfulness arouse Othello’s anger. After Iago finally admits that Cassio has told him he has lain with Desdemona, Othello is already blind with rage and jealousy. In order to further goad Othello, Iago convinces Othello to hide explaining that he will ask Cassio to describe his relationship with Desdemona. Iago instructs Othello to observe Cassio’s face during the conversation. In reality Iago recounts his experience with a prostitute named Bianca. Cassio is so amused by his story that he laughs hysterically. Othello, who is already irrational at this point, imagines that he is hearing more than he actually is. When Cassio talks about about Bianca hanging on his neck and pulling at him, Othello says, â€Å"Now he tells how she plucked him to y chamber† (4. 1. 141). Later on in the scene, Bianca appears, and argues with Cassio. Iago uses this in his favor by convincing Othello that Cassio has given Desdemona’s handkerchief to Bianca, a prositute. Othello asks, â€Å"How shall I murder him, Iago? † (4. 1. 170). When Iago attempts to equate both Cassio and Desdemona to trash, Othello can think only of killing Cassio, but not his beautiful and loving wife. Sarcastically, Iago says to Othello, â€Å"If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend; for, if it touch not you, it comes near nobody† (4. 1. 197-199). Threatened with emotional isolation, Othello responds as Iago wants him to and says, â€Å"I will chop her into messes. Cuckold me! † (4. 1. 200). Iago first discredits Desdemona by supposedly offering proof of her infidelities to Othello. Iago then angers Othello by framing Cassio, making it appear as though Cassio is laughing about his trysts with Desdemona. Othello is so enraged that he decides Cassio must die, but he cannot bring himself to kill Desdemona. Finally, Iago threatens Othello with emotional isolation. Othello finally concedes and states that Desdemona must die.

Leadership Analysis of Bill Gates Research Paper

Leadership Analysis of Bill Gates - Research Paper Example   Bill Gates original name is William Gates III. Since he belonged to a very well educated family, education was embedded in his genes. He did not want to confine himself to just reading or getting a degree. He wanted to educate himself and to learn (Bellis). In his quest to educate himself, he started finding opportunities and interests in various fields. In 7th Grade, he was given exposure to digital computers which sparked the love of technology within him. He had the opportunity to work on various computer-based product thus his interest was triggered by experience. Thus along with Paul Allen and other such friends, Bill Gates created various programs. It is important to note that this computer-based work was affecting the groups’ home works and other learning assignments assigned by the school (Microsoft). The â€Å"Drive† to fulfil the need of pursuing the interest in computers made Gates put in extra effort to learn about it. The rebellious side of Gates was fi rst discovered in 1968 when CCC (Computer Centre Corporation) opened up in Washington, Seattle. The corporation was perceived by Gates and his friends as an opportunity to explore more around the area and enhance their skills. However, their extra interest caused trouble to the corporation. While their exploration of the new machine they managed to crash it several times regardless of the rules provided by CCC. However, later CCC realized the talent in the group and in exchange for giving them unlimited access to computers CCC demanded a continuous bug and security check of the machines to ensure effective functionality. Hence his career started then onwards (Microsoft). Almost all of us know about Bill Gates career so we are going to focus on his qualities first. Bill Gates possesses talent and love for technology. He believes in the power of hard work and the miracles intelligence can do. He believes in having a passion for whatever you do, for that is the ultimate key to success. He believes in the power of innovation and last but not the least, he believes in taking risks.

Reading Response 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading Response 3 - Essay Example As a matter of fact, it is hard in America to imagine and portray a school jock without a cheerleader girlfriend. This kind of stereotyping takes the focus away from the fact that cheerleading could be considered a rigorous sport in itself. This is further supported by the fact that, today, there are already competitions that validate it as a sport. More importantly, however, it fosters the same benefits that sports like basketball and soccer such as teamwork and fair play. Yabroff was able to underscore the need to evaluate our perspective cheerleading, including how cheerleaders view what they do. Also, she was able to explain how the activity was emerging as legitimate sport. This is important because it will help to correct mistakes and develop cheerleading further as a sport in the future. The article is successful in contributing in this respect. Yabroff’s evidences leave her readers thoughtful and amenable to new insights about the issue she focused

Implementation of Information System at Oman Company LLC Essay

Implementation of Information System at Oman Company LLC - Essay Example The essay "Implementation of Information System at Oman Company LLC" talks about the implementation of the information system at Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company LLC. It is a limited liability Company established vide the Royal Decree dated 23 September 2007 which stipulated the merger of Sohar Refinery Company LLC into Oman Refinery Company LLC. Twenty four years after the commissioning of the first Refinery in Oman, Sohar Refinery was commissioned in 2006 with a capacity of 116,000 bpd. Sohar Refinery was built with state-of-the-art technology to process the feedstock of long residue that is produced at MAF Refinery and blended with crude oil.The Government of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Finance, owns 75% of the Company’s shares, while the Oman Oil Company owns 25%. ORPC will continue to provide quality services and products, and with the two locations, it will take full advantage of the synergies and combined experiences in the business to benefit its cus tomers and all stakeholders.The Oman Oil Company has decided to update the traditional processing of the business operation. Here the business of the Oman Oil Company wants to establish better and effective technology regarding the management of the overall processing of the business information. Oman Oil Company has decided to establish and initiate the project of the Information system at the corporate processing plants. The main objective is to plan and manage the project in a way that the overall project turned out to be a success.