Jacob Banks Essays - United States, Freemen Of The City Of London

Jacob Banks Jackson U.S 2 2/7/17 The New Deal may have been one of, if not the greatest solutions in American history. Roosevelt's plan made it clear to people that their government would and will protect them from drastic market crashes. Many believed the government's role in American society helped the country's long term structure. Some believe we should allow the free market decide, if it crashes and you're put down because of it you deserve to starve. To this day many people still disagree on what Roosevelt did and it remains a political controversy, however there can be no denying the vast amount of change brought by Roosevelt's presidency. When it came to rebuilding the country the New Deal's efficiency stalled. It was definitely successful in both short and long term structural repair. However, not every political figure agreed with Roosevelt's plan, many of Roosevelt's political blockades fought him tooth and nail, because of this the New Deal failed to end the Great Depression. Through the 1930s unemployment was extensively high, while economic growth remained slow. In Roosevelt's third term, when the demands of a work force for World War II finally restored the country to full employment, the New Deal had finally achieved its goal of hoisting America back up onto its feet, and ready to fight. Meaning, ironically, Hitler technically was the man to save America. Still, the New Deal changed the country forever. Roosevelt built his government up with strong democratic representatives, representatives that lasted for roughly half a century. The stability and social security provided by the New Deal allowed a postwar economic boom that some consider to be the Golden Age of the United States. Roosevelt permanently stayed in the hearts of his people and raised the expectation of presidents to follow for years to come.

Psychotherapy Vs Crisis Intervention Essays - Clinical Psychology

Psychotherapy Vs Crisis Intervention Essays - Clinical Psychology Psychotherapy Vs Crisis Intervention Psychotherapy, also known as crisis counseling, is an organized conceptual framework, which uses multiple psychological theories to assist an individual towards problem resolution. This type of therapy / counseling may be appropriate after crisis intervention since the goal of psychotherapy is problem resolution and the goal of crisis intervention is problem management. The two should always be treated separate. Both in terms of function and application. Psychotherapy is usually a longer-term type of counseling. It relies mainly on establishing communication between the therapist and individual as a means of understanding and modifying the individual behavior. The formulation of a plan of attack on the problem might be weeks or months in the making while the the rapist and individual explore for the underlying cause of the problem that precipitated the crisis that made the individual seek help to begin with. In psychotherapy, the therapist leads the individual to self-discovery and attempts to remediate more or less ongoing emotional problems in order that new ways of coping with stress and new patterns of behavior may develop. Crisis intervention however, deals with the here and now. The goal of crisis intervention is to help the individual regain a pre-crisis stability. This can be accomplished by interrupting the maladaptive behavior of the individual as skillfully and quickly as possible. This will often require providing for the individual that which the individual can not provide for themselves. This could be emotional or physical support or even direction at a time in the individuals life when self - direction may be impossible. Therefore, every momement is crucial to the intervener, especially if the individual is to maximize their involvement in psychotherapy after the crisis. Unlike psychotherapy, crisis intervention calls for instigating plans of action immediately by the intervener to help the individual discover an adaptive means of coping with a particular crisis. Since the term crisis usually refers to a persons perception of feelings of fear, shock and / or distress about a disruption rather than the disruption itself, crisis intervention requires careful assessment of the individual, family and environmental factors. Because of this, the intervener is encouraged to select, integrate and apply useful concepts and strategies from all available approaches to help the individual. Unlike the long, expensive, psychotherapy, crisis intervention is typically short term, six to twelve weeks. The focus of intervention must continue to pertain to the immediate crisis and stay away from the unresolved issues or past issues unless these issues pertain directly to the handling of the current traumatic event. Both crisis intervention and psychotherapy strive to maintain equilibrium in the individual. However, crisis intervention, an intervener takes positive control providing immediate stability to the individual. Psychotherapy focuses on the therapist leading the individual into discovery of self and teaching coping mechanisms for the true underlying causes of the individuals personal crisis. Crisis intervention is met to be short term process mitigating immediate dangers, where as, psychotherapy is a long term process leading an individual through underlying traumas to learn to cope successfully with daily life.

PODCAST Build a Marketing Strategy For 9,360% Bigger Results

PODCAST Build a Marketing Strategy For 9,360% Bigger Results Are you getting more out of your marketing than you’re putting into it? Nathan Ellering is the head of demand generation at , and he wants you to be able to say that you’re getting the results you want from your marketing, your content, and your social media. Nathan is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy, so he’s a bit of an expert on the topic! We’re going to be talking to him today about how you can generate quality leads, get the traffic and traction that you want, and make your marketing strategy a success. What Nathan does at as the head of demand generation. The story behind the launch of the Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy: what it includes, why it was necessary to write it, how it’s different, and why you should check it out. Nathan also shares why he created it as a microsite as opposed to a blog. The importance of following the acronym SMART when you’re setting your goals. An explanation of what 10x content is and how Nathan makes it work for him. How Nathan recommends tracking marketing ROI to be sure that your content is doing what it’s supposed to do. How to prioritize within your marketing strategy. The concept of goals-driven budgeting. Nathan’s best advice for someone just starting a marketing strategy. Links: The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy Google Analytics If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Nathan: â€Å"Marketers who document their strategy are 538 percent more likely to report success than those who don’t.† â€Å"The goals-driven budgeting methodology requires you to set your goals first, then plan your budget to make the goals a reality.† â€Å"As a marketer, your first blog post won’t be good and your first ad is probably going to suck, but you need to do it. You need to ship something and you need to continuously improve.†

Incidence of alcohol consumption Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Incidence of alcohol consumption - Research Paper Example Phase one. Before analyzing the general incident of alcohol consumption, it is of importance to analyze or define the community in the subject matter first. The community in question here is the New Jersey community. The specific population being assessed involves males from the teen age to adults. That is the most vulnerable population all over the world. Teens also have engaged in drinking habits even though the federal government for instance the America, prohibits this act. According to America, the legal drinking age should be persons who have attained 21 years and above, although the life dynamics have altered this criterion. Now, the above-mentioned population has pertinent role in the community. First, they are male, and so the notion of responsibility should be thought of whenever males are mentioned. In short, this population has the responsibility of protecting the community as a whole, either directly or indirectly. The boundaries of this group are the Pennslylvania, New York and Delaware. The community also borders the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, the geographical boundary that separates this group from others is the administrative boundaries, which separates if from Delaware, New York and Pennclyvania as well as the Pacific Ocean. The group is located in America, and it is one of those communities that alcohol is an alarming factor, and that is why it is being assessed. It is pertinent also to note that non-governmental group will do the assessment in conjunction with the governmental officials. Phase two. This phase involves the data collection method described for the data generation and gathering. First, some of the data methods used to collect information ranges from the non-governmental organization all the way to manual and just individual data collection. Some of the bodies that will assist in the data collection are the American FactFinder, Epodunk, county, and state quick facts to mention but a few. At the same time, governmental agencies ga ve in their efforts just to ensure all the alcohol assessment procedure has gone through perfectly. They are the, national center for statistics, healthy people as well as centers for prevention and control of the disease. Data gathering The first method of data collection involved internet search. This was to investigate general information about the population. Through internet research, the following information were gathered: Ethnic population: Race Population Total population 6135 white 5623 Latino or Hispanic 302 Others 210 Median age Population groups; Under 15 years 17 % 15 to 24 years, = 20 % 25 to 44 years, = 21% 45 to 65 years, =28 % Over 65 years, = 14 % Income and alcoholics in New Jersey: Household=$ 31,550, and the percentage of the community below poverty level=10 %. Now having illustrated the above it is worth to note that the statistical data in percentage on those who are alcohol addict is as follows. Under 20 years 18.4 % 20 to 35 years, = 43 % 35 to 45 years, = 31% 45 years and above, =7.6 % (Moderation Management, 2008) Graphical representation; Almosty the same informartion has been obtained through manual intervew, and newspaper. That me ans that the internet is updated as oper the data iobtained in several fields by the researchers. After updating it in the newspaper, the same is taken and tabulated on the internet for educational purpose. With

Case Study (Human-Resource-Development) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(Human-Resource-Development) - Case Study Example The employees must be sent for the training in batches of forty persons per batch. Each batch will last one week. On the first day, the training will begin with the trainer explaining what Kaizen is all about. Then the group will spend some time introducing each other. There will not be more than three sessions per day. In the beginning, the sessions must be used to impart information about the present status of the company. Gradually, the trainees will be told about what the company intends to do to bring about a turnaround and what is expected from each employee to bring about the progress. The sessions must be interspersed with lively but lesson producing games to highlight the importance of performing as a team and the role of each member in the team. Under improving efficiency, all the functions including company goals, means of achieving these goals, delegation of responsibilities, and rewards/penalties for outstanding performance/below average performance will be covered. Customer satisfaction is achieved by understanding the customer's problems and difficulties and solving them promptly. Sometimes there will be the need to coordinate with different people and departments in order to address customer's concerns. All these must be wrapped up within the working day. The learning objectives for achievement of target rest with each indi... The learning objectives for achievement of target rest with each individual employee doing his job qualitatively and quantitatively. There must be special focus on improving as an individual employee and also as a team. This is achieved by encouraging innovations and open communication. For each group of employees that will need training, what are the organizational constraints that need to be addressed in the design of the training What design features should be used to address these constraints Be sure to address both the learning and transfer of training issues. The organizational constraints are issues that come in the way of achieving targets. These are issues like loss of man-days, absenteeism, communication problems, and ego problems. They can also be constraining issues the company is forced to follow due to its own policies or policies/statutory requirements enforced by law. These can be explained to the employees in one of the training sessions. To begin, each trainee must diligently attend each session. The trainees must actively participate in the discussions and games. Case 2 - Strategic Planning at Multistate Health Corporation (MHC) In the implementation of the HRPS, what groups of employees are likely to need training Think of this from a training design perspective and from a training content perspective. The senior level management and everyone else below need training. MHC's present management status is a disaster. The rot begins at the top. The training to stem the rot and bring about transformation must also begin at the topmost level. The training for the middle level management and the management and staff below the middle level can be addressed as a matter of course. For the type of training you envision for each group, what are the

Bolivia’s Indigenous Political Voice Essay Example for Free

Bolivia’s Indigenous Political Voice Essay The full empowerment of the political voice of the indigenous people of Bolivia is symbolized by the election of Evo Morales, the country’s first Indigenous President. How did an Aymaran Indian coca farmer, the most marginalized, discriminated, and impoverished people in Latin America; finally won control of the political power to change the lives of all the peoples of Bolivia? How did the Indigenous people overpower the 500 year old political, economic and social institutions that exploited and degraded their country? The significance of this victory has implications not only for the Indigenous people and citizens of Bolivia but also to the other indigenous people around the world, other Latin American and developing countries, black African Americans and even to the U. S. and EU ‘majority’ citizens whose tax dollars pay for the implementation of imperialist policies but are ignorant or apathetic on how the ‘corporatocracy of America’ impoverish and kill other citizens around the world (Perkins, 2005). Petras (2004) has described the mass movement in Bolivia as one of the most important mass anti-imperialist movement in modern history, second only to Cuba. This is a big departure from the anti-globalization movements in North America by human rights activists, environmentalists and NGOs which only increases educational awareness but have no political or economic impact at all to the Imperialists. Due to the transformational impact and significance of the Political Voice of the Indigenous people, the paper aims to discuss the proactive actions of Indigenous people and the confluence of events which shifted the real power from the ‘white’ minority in Bolivia to the ‘Indigenous’ majority. Furthermore, it is significant to note that Petras’ (2004) insight to the sustainability of the mass movement in Bolivia can also be related to the sustainability of Bolivia’s New Indigenous government. Petras stated that the anti-imperialist movement in Bolivia is sustainable because inherent class struggles of peasants and urban workers are ‘embedded in the movement’. The mass-based leadership and its direct connection to the struggles of the people prevent the betrayal of the movement from ‘bourgeoise nationalists’ who are vulnerable to the seduction of the elite and foreign imperialist governments. Therefore, for the Bolivian Indigenous government to survive, it must stay anti-imperialist and create institutions, political instruments and polices that would make it secure against the attacks and at the same time strengthen its linkage to the struggles and daily lives of its people (Petras, 2004). This truth is affirmed by the current Indigenous president in his inaugural speech in 2006, â€Å"You have to control me. You have to control me. I may make a mistake but I will not betray you. † Most importantly, the paper highlights how the Indigenous knowledge and cultural values have provided Bolivia, an alternative framework for economic development, industrialization and management of natural resources. In addition, the solutions to promote solidarity and nationalism to Bolivia’s multi-ethnic and geographically divided population (which is also being attacked by the right-wing elite backed by the U. S. government) is found in the Indigenous Catholic Church. In the past, the church served as the catalyst for Bolivia’s mass movement. Today, the Indigenous Church continues to play a vital role in unifying Bolivian citizens. Lord Acton has noted â€Å"Christianitys capacity to transcend national differences, at least among believers. Its universalism, he noted, enabled nations â€Å"to live together under the same authority, without necessarily losing their cherished habits, their customs, or their laws. † (Jusdanis, 2001, p. 198) Another important source for the forging of ‘Bolivian Nationalism’ is the strong social democratic state led by Evo Morales which will assert its legitimacy and sovereignty, through equitable distribution of wealth and education and health reforms. As Lord Acton explained, â€Å"A nation is a moral and political being; not the creation of geographical or physiological unity but developed in the course of history by the action of the State. It is derived from the State, not supreme over it†. That the state should precede nationality was in his opinion essential for the maintenance of liberty and prosperity—the opposite of Herders belief that the state should grow out of the nation. (Jusdanis, 2001, p. 198) Furthermore, solidarity built through common experience of colonialism and imperialism has motivated Bolivia, South America, and Third World countries to create political instruments and institutions such as ALBA, Mercosur, Telesur, G22 to protect their respective countries’ sovereignty which is ‘necessary for the attainment of an equitable and balanced economic growth’(Morales, 1992). I. Background on Bolivia Bolivia is known for its extraordinary geography, the ‘Tibet of South America’; extreme poverty despite rich natural resources, ‘Beggar sitting on a throne of riches’; extreme racism and exploitation of the majority by few wealthy elites and by multinational corporations backed by an imperialist government, ‘Economic slavery and Apartheid lives in Bolivia! ’. However, these facts alone do not convey what is most significant about Bolivia, the extraordinary spirit of its Indigenous people. They never gave up and mounted 150 to 200 coups against oppression in its 160 years of independent history (Morales, 1992, p. 200). Furthermore, the Bolivian mass movement has been described by Petras (2004) as the most important anti-imperialist movement and second only to that of Cuba. The collective spirit or culture of the Indigenous people has proven its strength to endure 500 years of invasion and ‘dictatorship of individualism’ (Blanco, 2007). â€Å"Despite centuries of neglect, destruction of all cultural context or support, ethnic discrimination, starvation, cultural domination, religious conversion, racial bigotry, lack of education and health care, economic exploitation and destruction of their environment, the Andean Indian culture survives, smoldering in hearts and minds, towns and villages, streets and plazas† ( Dowbrigade. com, 2005). After more than 500 years, Highland and Amazon indigenous people still compose about two-thirds of Bolivias population. This is the highest proportion of Indians in the hemisphere. If this were true in the United States, it would be equivalent to ‘160 million Apaches, Hopis and Iroquois’ still living and embracing their culture despite being in a ‘white’ American society (Powers, 2005). Since the 16th century Spanish conquest, Bolivia’s Indigenous people and natural resources have been exploited first by colonizers and then by the elite minority in collusion with multinational corporations backed by the US Imperialist government. Silver was looted by the Spaniards, then the latter’s descendants, the wealthy urban elites or ‘whites’ looted the country’s tin and rubber. Bolivia is one of the most corrupt societies in the world according to a World Bank study. â€Å"Although Bolivia was long a major source of the worlds tin, the wealth from this irreplaceable resource went into the hands of a few absentee oligarchic families who lived mostly in Paris and New York† (Morales, 1992, p. xi). Moreover, the Spanish descendants or ‘whites’ which are only 5-15% of the population dominated and controlled political and economic life for centuries and was only halted by the election of Evo Morales in December 2005. The ‘white’ elites made a living as professionals, wealthy merchants, or high-ranking government officials. The racial term ‘white’ is chiefly associated with socioeconomic status in Bolivia (Morales, 1992, p. 14). On the other hand Indians comprise 60% of the population and they make a living as low-income subsistence farmers, miners, small traders or artisans (Country Profile: Bolivia, BBC News. com). The rest or 30% of the population are Mestizos who closely identify with the ‘whites’. The wealthy mestizos are also encouraged to marry daughters of impoverished ‘white’ families so they can have educated ‘white’ children and improve their status (Hudson and Hanratty, 1989. Powers (2005) aptly declares that, ‘Bolivian apartheid’ or ‘pigmentocracy of power’ continues to exist. In 1985, Father Gregorio Iriarte, published the following statistics: Bolivia has the highest infant mortality rate in all of Latin America (213 per 1,000) and the lowest life expectancy (47 years); half the nation is undernourished, with 70 percent of the children dying before the age of 15 of treatable diseases of poverty; more than 50 percent of the population is illiterate; and the country has one of the worst distributions of wealth in the Americas (the wealthiest 5 percent control 39 percent of the national income and the poorest 20 percent, only 2 percent)(cited in Morales, 1992, p. 204). In 2005, after twenty years of U. S. Aid and humanitarian programs, IMF and World Bank structural and neo-liberal economic policies, the Bolivia majority population still live on less than $2 a day (Powers, 2005). II. What are the factors that gave rise to the ‘Empowerment of the Political Voice of the Indigenous People of Bolivia? Support of the Catholic Church for the Indigenous People, Revitalization of the Indian Culture Waltraud Q. Morales in ‘Bolivia: Land of Struggle’ (1992) attributed Bolivia’s underdevelopment to the structure of powerlessness and lack of economic and political independence. She strongly advocated that the renewal of the nation and formation of a socio-economic model that would lift Bolivia from poverty lies in the Indian Culture (p. 202-204). Neither the defeated and decadent heritage of Spanish colonialism nor the declining, materialist imprint of North American imperialism can serve as the basis of moral renewal. The heritage that survives undefeated, whole, and vibrant is the Indian one. Unlike the Western system of wealth accumulation to the detriment of others, economic equality is integral to the indigenous vision of justice [italics mine]. The Aymara believe in Kuskachana or Pampachana, meaning the leveling or reestablishment of a balance. In the Aymara world view, uncontrolled growth as development is suicide, not progress; and development without respect for the earth negates the sense of themselves, their personal and cultural identity. The message from ancient voices is one not of greed or private property but of community and peoplehood† [italics mine] (Morales, 1992, p. 204). The revitalization of the ethnic Indian culture was initiated by the Catholic Church to stimulate indigenous political activism (Cleary, 2004). In 1968, Theology of Liberation was introduced in the Latin American Bishop Medellin Conference. The Church recognized that each culture has its own integrity and must be respected and given the freedom to develop their full potential. In addition, the Church advocated against the use of traditional church practices that foster the continuation of the domination of the ‘whites’ and ‘mestizos’ over the Indian peasants through paternalistic and accommodative practices (e. g. sponsoring of the fiestas and indebtedness of the peasants to the patron). The church recognized that the revitalization of the Indian Culture is central to transforming Bolivian politics and society. They trained native leaders as catechists and promoted the use of native language, ‘recovery of cultural memory’ and integration of the Indian cosmological view with Christian doctrines in the Bible which supported political self-determination (Cleary, 2004). Educational Centers were built and this helped raise the political consciousness of the Indigenous people; encouraged them to turn outward and ‘occupy their political space’, rather than show their resistance by isolating themselves in their communities. The Indian catechists also built their sense of citizenship; and recognition of their right and capacity to interact with the state instead of feeling inferior and staying outside of the political arena. They were also motivated to self-organize for their emancipation. This resulted in the flourishing of Grassroots organizations in Bolivia (Cleary, 2004). In the 1960s, Xavier Albo, formed CIPCA (Centro de Investigacion y Promocion del Campesinado) or Center for Investigation and Promotion of Peasants. He later helped young Aymara people establish the Tupac Katarista Center which helped develop young Aymaran leaders. Within a short span of time, these Aymarans occupied positions in several government peasant unions and also organized their own unions. Later on, these leaders were able to unite urban, mine, and rural workers to fight against unequal treatment and demand credit, education, and health services from the government (Cleary, 2004, p. 54). The Katarist movement and experience of other lowland grassroots organizations also influenced the Indigenous Center of Eastern Bolivia (CIDOB). CIDOB gained national prominence in 1990, when they organized the march of Indigenous people demanding â€Å"territory and dignity† over hundreds of kilometers across the country’s main highways to La Paz (Cleary, 2004, p. 54). Most importantly, the centers and the native church leaders through liberation theology aimed to develop ‘community solidarity’ among the Indians divided by plural ethnicities, cultures, geography and economic status (Cleary, 2004). Geo-political Reality in Bolivia Geography has been the more potent force, splitting the country in half, into a land divided. Communications and transportation systems have overcome neither the barrier of the high Andes Mountains cutting through the heart of the country nor the northeastern pull of the vast lowland rivers away from the highland and toward the undeveloped Amazon and Brazil. Nature itself seems in league with regionalist forces as this intricate system of waterways leads from nowhere to nowhere. Extreme topographical diversity encourages intense racial and cultural division between the Andean highlands and the eastern, tropical lowlands. Highlanders and lowlanders are aliens in each others world (Morales, 1992, p. 4). As further explained by Morales (1992), the Bolivian highlander identifies more with the other highlanders from Peru and Chile while the Bolivian lowlander identifies more with their fellow lowlander from Brazil or Argentina (p. 4). However, this affinity of Bolivians with people from neighboring countries can also be positive in the establishment of regional integration for the South American region to counter Imperialism. ‘Even within related Indian communities, wide differences in custom and dress persist. Within the Quechua nation, for instance, one can distinguish a variety of local groups: the Tarabucos, the Chayantas, the Laimes, the Ucumaris, the Calchas, the Chaquies, the Yuras Lipes, and the Tirinas. A highlander can readily identify the region of the country and the community of an Indian by differences in dress, custom, and music’ (Morales, 1992). Moreover, Bolivia is subdivided into nine regional departments or provinces administratively. These departments are La Paz, Oruro, Potosi, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Tarija, Santa Cruz, Beni, and Pando. Competition for political power and economic influence have historically characterized the relationships between these departments (Morales, 1992, p. 5. ). Furthermore, Chavez (2007) added that the division between the western highlands, and eastern lowlands is also racial, and socio-economic. The Western highlands is home to the impoverished indigenous majority while the Eastern provinces is home to wealthier people of mainly Spanish descent. The Eastern provinces also hold most of the countrys natural gas production and industry. Indian Culture and Values Central to the transformation of Bolivian Society Hugo Blanco, leader of the peasant uprising in the Cuzco region of Peru in the early 1960s explains how the Indigenous â€Å"cosmic vision is different from the Western outlook that views the creator as a superior immaterial spirit who created man in his image and likeness and created nature to serve him. For the indigenous cosmic vision, humanity is a daughter of and part of Mother Earth. We must live in her bosom in harmony with her â€Å"(Blanco, 2007). Blanco is proud of the Andean-Amazon culture and states that, â€Å"This culture is marked by deep knowledge of nature and is highly agricultural. Ours is one of the seven zones of the world to have originated agriculture†¦ For more than 10,000 years our culture domesticated 182 plant species, including around 3,500 potato varieties. Our people know 4,500 medicinal plants. Tawantinsuyos planned agriculture based on a system of watersheds and micro watersheds or basins. They built long aqueducts, taking care to avoid land erosion. Terracing was practiced on the slopes and â€Å"waru-waru† in the altiplano (highlands)]. Special technologies were used from zone to zone. Across the entire Tawantinsuyo territory they created storage buildings (qolqa) to supply food to the population whenever some climatic shift undermined agriculture †¦It’s true that the new forms of collectivism gave rise to privileged castes and wars of conquest. But in no part of the continent was production based on slave labor or the feudal system. Although there were privileged castes, hunger and misery did not exist. Orphans, persons with disabilities, and the elderly were cared for by the community† (Blanco, 2007). Cochabamba Water War 2000 Alturalde (2006) imparted that the indigenous people view ‘water as life and gift from Mother Earth’. When the World Bank and IMF in Bolivia imposed the privatization of water on the Bolivian government, Aguas del Tunari (ADT), the subsidiary the US-based Bechtel was awarded the contract which included sources of water that belonged to the Indigenous people since ancient times. When ADT announced an increase in water rates, which the Indigenous people could not afford, the latter in massive numbers went to Cochabamba to protest. Anger was already simmering due to the structural policies of the IMF which deprived them of much needed government services. The additional privatization of water which made it unaffordable to the poor indigenous people and the directive not even to save rainwater provoked violent reactions. Hundreds of people were injured in the ‘water war’. This disaster also made the people aware of the lack of recognition of the legal rights of the Indigenous people and their lack of strong political representation in Congress to defend their interests (Alurralde, 2006). Indigenous Alternative to Privatization In 2002, Bolivias Consejo Interinstitucional del Agua (interinstitutional water council) asked organizations for research on how to resolve the water conflict. The Comision para la Gestion Integral del Agua en Bolivia (commission for integrated water management in Bolivia) proposed a highly inclusive participatory process which would involve the use of the best possible science in determining the solution that would be in the best interest of the nation. (Alurralde , 2006). Numerous workshops for Indigenous communities in different parts of the country were held. To ensure that the new law would reflect the agreement on these meetings, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Planning, and Parliaments Environment Commission were also included. The workshop organizers used Mike Basin, a computer simulation program to analyze the impact of the proposals. They used the data proposed by the government which is ‘assigning individual rights based on a fixed discharge’. The also used the data of the ‘daily water allocation by Indigenous communities under the traditional communal system. The results of the computer model showed that the traditional system allocated water much more efficiently and equitably, although it was not completely free of waste. The findings provided the foundation for key sections of Bolivias new irrigation law which was passed by Parliament in 2004 (Alurralde, 2006). ‘Many Indigenous peoples have a long history of using water wisely. By incorporating their views into the policy-making process, existing policies are strengthened’ (Alurralde, 2006). Nationalization of Natural Gas The ‘Gas War’ erupted from September to October 2003. These popular protests for the equitable distribution of the benefits of the country’s vast natural gas compelled the resignation of two presidents and the election of Evo Morales. The protests originated from the privatization of President Sanchez de Lozada of the gas and oil companies in 1996 under the orders of the IMF and World Bank. The proposal to sell liquid natural gas to the international markets through Chile, to whom their coastline was lost in the 18th century, further stoked the anger of the population. These people were already protesting the lack of transparency in the contracts and their impoverished condition compared to the visible wealth of the foreign companies and elites who controlled their country’s natural resources. In the National referendum on the gas issue on 2004, majority voted for greater state control and increased revenue for the state. In 2006, by Supreme Decree 28701, President Morales nationalized the country’s gas and oil industry (Hodges, 2007). This form of nationalization involved higher tax payments by petroleum companies and the renegotiation of contracts rather than expropriation. Due to these changes, income increased nine times from 2002 to 2007. In 2003 petrol companies paid an estimated $173 million US dollars in tax to the Bolivian government compared to 2007 payment of $1. 57 billion dollars (Hodges, 2007). These protests against specific issues of water, and gas and the visibility of the IMF and World Bank in imposing privatization and structural adjustment policies increased the growing awareness of the population of the direct linkage of their class struggles (urban workers and peasants) to macro-economic imperialist policies of the U. S. and the ‘white’ local elites (Petras, 2004). These united the multi-ethnic and diverse urban workers, miners, and rural peasants to a common struggle to oust the ‘puppet regimes’ of imperialist governments and install an indigenous President. Opening of Opportunities to Participate in the Political Process Aside from the Catholic Church’s role in encouraging political activism, other events and people contributed to the civic education of the Indians which built their political capacity to be able to install their own Indigenous President in Bolivia. The 1952 Bolivian National Revolution led by the MNR party, which was headed by the nationalist elite depended on the strength of the indigenous people to storm the Presidential palace. The Indigenous people began to recognize the strength of the alliance between urban workers and peasants (Cleary, 2003). Victor Paz Estonssoro, returned from exile as President and introduced reforms including universal suffrage, nationalization of tin mines and land distribution, and educational reforms, and improvement of status of indigenous peoples (Country Profiles, Bolivia, BBC News). These opened up opportunities to the indigenous people to participate in the national life (Cleary, 2004, p. 53). However, these reforms were interrupted by the intervention of the U. S. and the reversal of the nationalization program. In exchange for foreign aid, policies were instituted to promote foreign participation over the extraction of the natural resources (Lernoux, 1980). Under the Vice-Presidency of Victor Cardenas, an Aymaran Indian; laws were also passed to increase the political participation of the indigenous people in national life. In 1994, a Constitutional Amendment was passed to define Bolivia as a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural The law of Popular Participation also recognized the indigenous form of governments of ‘ayllu’ and ‘’imburvicha’. Public funds were channeled for the use of these government units. Furthermore, the 1995 Law of Decentralization, created stronger municipalities and generated synergy among the grassroots organizations of the indigenous people (Cleary, 2004, p. 55). The indigenous people proactively seized and enthusiastically embraced the opportunities for self-determination. They competed against entrenched politicians who even trucked voters during elections. After decentralization, 464 indigenous leaders were elected to local councils. More than 25% of those elected served as mayors and 9 out of 130 deputies were elected to Congress (Cleary, 2004, p. 57). Cleary (2004) attributed to the above elected Indigenous leaders the ‘widespread multicultural and bilingual educational system, establishment of new government agencies to serve the indigenous sector, acceptance of indigenous culture as part of the national patrimony, and the coming from shadows to prominence [of Indigenous peoples] in national politics’ (p. 57). National Unity against US Imperialism and Intervention. Waltraud Morales (1992) claims that foreign intervention undermines a country’s development because the ‘fragmentation of nationhood due to foreign control and intervention leads to extensive social, cultural, and moral disintegration (p. 202-204). Since culture and values plays an important role in the development of Nationalism in Bolivia, it is imperative that the state be anti-imperialist. This fragmentation takes place at the administrative levels, in the press, and in cultural activities; it is visible at the highest levels of population where little groups dispute the privilege of being friends of the foreigner; it descends to the people when the desperation of poverty causes one to consent to achieving an advantage by the sacrifice of dignity. †¦Extreme poverty facilitates colonization; men in Bolivia have a lower price. There is a certain level at which poverty destroys dignity; the North Americans have discovered this level and work on it: in their eyes and for their pocketbook, a Bolivian costs less than an Argentine or a Chilean. (Morales, 1992, p. 202).

American Technology :: Computers

American Technology In 1957 the USSR launches Sputnik, the first artificial earth satellite. In response, the United States forms the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) within the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish US lead in science and technology applicable to the military. In 1962 RAND Paul Baran, of the RAND Corporation, was commissioned by the U.S. Air Force to do a study on how it could maintain its command and control over its missiles and bombers, after a nuclear attack. This was to be a military research network that could survive a nuclear strike, decentralized so that if any locations (cities) in the U.S. were attacked, the military could still have control of nuclear arms for a counter-attack. In 1968 ARPA awarded the ARPANET contract to BBN. BBN had selected a Honeywell minicomputer as the base on which they would build the switch. The physical network was constructed in 1969, linking four nodes: University of California at Los Angeles, SRI (in Stanford), University of California at Santa Barbara, and University of Utah. The network was wired together via 50 Kbps circuits. In today’s society the Internet has greatly reduced the number of sent letters through the US postal service. This is true because if you can send the same information to somebody without wasting paper it is much better on the environment. Another reason why so many people have switched to using e-mail is that it is just simply faster than waiting for a letter in the mail. One more reason people use e-mail more is that the rate of postage to send a letter is steadily going up. It is currently at 37 cents per letter where sending e-mail is free. Some of the negative effects of this shift of people using e-mail over actually mailing their letters is the postage per letter is increasing more often than ever because more people use the internet to send letters now because it is just faster than mailing a letter which could take up to a week to get to your house where e-mail is instantaneous. The Internet’s impact on me personally is good overall. This is true because I surf the Internet when I’m bored, the Internet has online games that I can play with other people on the other side of the world if I wanted to. The Internet has all kinds of databases, which helps me on research papers like this one.

“Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx Essay

â€Å"Brokeback Mountain†Annie Proulx was born on August 22, 1935, in Norwich, Connecticut, into a family of farmers, mill workers, inventors, and artists whose ancestors had lived there for three centuries. Because of her father’s career in textiles, Proulx’s family constantly moved, so she lived in several states, including North Carolina, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Vermont in 1969 and then went on to graduate from Concordia University with a Master’s degree in Art in 1973 (Info Please). Starting as a Journalist, her first published work of fiction was â€Å"The Costums Lounge† and she subsequently published stories in Gray’s Sporting Journal in the late 1970s, eventually publishing her first collection in 1988 and her first novel in 1992. Proulx has twice won the O. Henry Prize for the year’s best short story (Info Please). In 1998, she won for â€Å"Brokeback Mountain,† which had appeared in The New Yorker on October 13, 1997. Proulx won again the following year for â€Å"The Mud Below,† which appeared in The New Yorker June 22 and 29, 1999. Both appear in her 1999 collection of short stories, Close Range: Wyoming Stories. Proulx emphasizes a heartbreaking tale of two homosexual individuals who struggle to be together, bound by the norms and rules of society. I found â€Å"Brokeback Mountain† to be a very real and compassionate tale of two cowboys who unexpectedly found love in each other. In a most peaceful setting, away from the world, two cowboys embody one of the most disquieting issues affecting our entire culture. The pain experienced by every character is believable as is the anger. Proulx does a great job of letting Ennis’s confusion and his accompanying anger percolate beneath the cloak of social conformity. It is a garment that doesn’t fit, yet he is terrified to remove it. Proulx helps depict the depth of pain experienced when the object of love is socially unacceptable, and the anger one experiences when forced to live dishonestly. Proulx is the narrator of â€Å"Brokeback Mountain†. She tells the story of Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist’s summer on Brokeback Mountain, and the many years after that, and the deep love they develop for one another in an intolerant world. The point of view of the story is third person omniscient. The narration is real in tone and employs description and dialogue to examine the actions, emotions and thoughts of the characters. Proulx describes a sequence of events from a beginning point in time, when the characters are introduced in the year 1963 in Wyoming, to the end of the story nearly 20 years later. Throughout the story, Ennis and Jack reunite for brief liaisons on camping trips in remote settings over the course of 20 years. Proulx uses setting details to heighten the thematic significance of the story. The most effective use of setting as symbol occurs when she juxtaposes harsh and beautiful images of the landscape’s cruel beauty to suggest the difficult nature of Ennis’s and Jack’s relationship. The story starts out with Ennis Del Mar getting a job on the mountain as a sheep herder with Jack Twist. Day after day, Ennis tends the camp while Jack herds the sheep and sleeps out on the mountain with them. One day, when Jack complains about his â€Å"commutin four hours a day,† he accepts Ennis’s offer to switch jobs. Every evening, they share supper by the campfire, â€Å"talking horses and rodeo, rough stock events, wrecks and injuries sustained,† (Proulx 75) and other details of their hard lives in the West. Toward the end of the summer when they shift the camp, the distance Ennis has to ride out to the sheep grows longer and he begins to stay later at the camp at night. One evening, after the two sing drunken songs by the campfire, Ennis decides it is too late to go out to the sheep and so beds down at the campsite. After his shivering wakes Jack, he insists that Ennis share his bedroll. Soon after, the two have sex, something Ennis had never done before. Their sexual activity becomes more frequent in the following days while they both insist that neither of them is â€Å"queer.† One day the foreman, Joe Aguirre, watches them together through his binoculars. At the end of the summer, When Jack asks Ennis if he is coming back to the mountain the next summer, Ennis tells him that he will be getting married in December and then will try to find work on a ranch. Jack determines to go back home and then maybe to Texas, and the two say an awkward goodbye. As Ennis drives away, his gut wrenches and he feels â€Å"as bad as he ever had†. Ennis marries Alma  and their first child, Alma Jr., is born a year later and after their second child is born, Alma convinces Ennis to get a place in town, so she doesn’t have to deal with anymore â€Å"lonesome ranches.† Four summers after their first on Brokeback Mountain, Jack visits Ennis. When Jack first arrives, he and Ennis share a passionate embrace, watched by Alma. When Jack meets Alma, he announces that he too is married and has a baby boy. After a few awkward moments, Ennis and Jack leave, pick up a bottle of whiskey and head for a motel where they spend the night together. They talk of how they missed each other and Jack suggests that he married his wife, Lureen, because she came from a wealthy family. Ennis admits that he has been thinking about whether he is gay, but insists that he is not because though he does not enjoy sex with women, he has not been with any other man. Jack declares the same. After the two express their passion for each other, Ennis determines that nothing can be done since they both have families and warns Jack that if they are seen together, they may be killed. The only future Ennis can see for the two of them is to get together once in a while, explaining â€Å"if you can’t fix it you got to stand it.† After a while, Ennis and Alma begin to grow apart and she starts to resent him for not finding a stea dy job, and always going with Jack on fishing trips. Eventually, they divorce and Alma remarries but stays in touch with Ennis and lets him visit their children. During the following years, Ennis and Jack occasionally meet on different ranges throughout the West. One night, they catch each other up on their lives, both admitting affairs with women and problems with their own children. After complaining about the infrequency of their time together, Jack suggests that they move to Mexico, but Ennis declines, insisting that he has to stay and work. Months later, when Ennis receives back a postcard he had sent to Jack marked â€Å"DECEASED,† he calls Lureen, who informs him that Jack was killed when a tire blew up in his face. Ennis suspects, however, that he was murdered after he was caught with another man. He makes a trip to see Jack’s parents and offers to take Jack’s ashes up to Brokeback Mountain, where Jack had told Lureen that he wanted to be buried. During the visit, Ennis goes up to Jack’s room where he finds Jack’s shirt, which is covered in Ennis’s blood. Inside the shirt, he finds one of his own. Ennis then buries his face in Jack’s shirt, hoping to be able to smell his scent, but there is nothing there. Before Ennis leaves, Mr. Twist informs him that  Jack’s ashes will be buried in the family plot. Ennis would have dreams of Jack and visions of their time in Brokeback Mountain, which fills him with both sorrow and joy. The protagonist of the story are Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. Proulx gives a good description of both stating â€Å"They were raised on small, poor ranches in opposite corners of the state, Jack Twist in Lightning Flat, up on the Montana border, Ennis del Mar from around Sage, near the Utah line, both high school drop out country boys with no prospects, brought up to hard work and privation, both rough mannered, rough spoken, inured to the stoic life†(Proulx 74.) The antagonist of the story would be the locals and society for killing Jack because they didn’t find it acceptable for a man to be living with another man. I think both Ennis and Jack changed because they were both very masculine, rough, cowboys who had never been with a man before until they had a sexual encounter with each other and realized they were in love. This change is very believable because there are many people in our society today who are homosexual, marry their partners, and even take pride in be ing gay. The story’s use of language is informal. Informal language is characterized by spontaneous speech and situations that describe natural or â€Å"real life†. It’s used by family and friends, which proves the story has informal dialogue with casual conversation. The external conflict of the story is Man versus Society. Jack and Ennis must hide their relationship because of its immoral content. Thus, they live a life hiding from their true feelings. At times they even tried to deny their nature. Because of the threat of being ostracized and possible killed, these men led a life separate from their love for one another. In the end, their prejudice, along with everyone else’s, killed Jack. The internal conflict of the story is Man versus Himself. Proulx sketches a picture of two men who live in a constant struggle with their ideas of morality and presents a devastating study of Jack and Ennis’ subsequent struggle with both their families and their work as they try to come to terms with their sexual relationship. In exploring the intimacies and sexual pleasures emerging from  this masculine world, Proulx captures the destruction and isolation, which comes from both men’s disapproval of their homosexual tendencies. Proulx identifies this conflict when she writes, â€Å"There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to believe, but nothing could be done about it, and if you can’t fix it you’ve got to stand it† (Proulx 79). Throughout the story the reader sees Jack and Ennis deal with the fact that they do not approve of their own feelings. The moral norm in the American West was that homosexuals are perverts. Ennis lives his adult life plagued by the remembrance of a man who was brutally killed because people thought him to be a homosexual. In essence these two live a life that could have been a lot happier if there weren’t prejudices that prevented them from being together. What I find most interesting is that it wasn’t other people’s prejudices that kept them apart; these men are kept apart by their own morals. They truly believed that their homosexuality was immoral. The climax of the story is when Ennis sends Jack a postcard about getting together in November and it got sent back to him stamped â€Å"DECEASED†. After Ennis visits Jack’s parents and they tell him of Jack trying to fix up a ranch for him and another man, Ennis realizes that it wasn’t the tire that blew out that killed him. The locals murdered him for being homosexual and there was no resolution. As Ennis said, â€Å"If you can’t fix it you’ve got to stand it†. I found that Proulx used the descriptive settings as a symbol. The most effective use of setting as symbol occurs when she describes harsh and beautiful images of the landscape’s cruel beauty to suggest the difficult nature of Ennis’s and Jack’s relationship. For example, she describes the â€Å"sweetened† cold air of the mountain on their first morning with the phallic â€Å"rearing lodge pole pines massed in slabs of somber malachite†(Proulx 74). When Ennis and Jack begin their sexual relationship, Proulx captures its harsh and exhilarating duality when she describes Jack and Ennis as â€Å"flying in the euphoric, bitter air† (Proulx 76) on the mountain. The title of the story is â€Å"Brokeback Mountain†. The title is the name of the mountain where Ennis and Jack worked together when they first met.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Brokeback Mountain† represents all the memories the two cowboys had together and where their intimacy and love for each other deepened. I believe the story only had one significant meaning which was that although love is prescriptively understood by people as a feeling between a man and a woman, as the evolution of human beings continues, love should be looked in another way. Any two people, no matter what gender or race, can find love. Shame is a major theme in the story. Ennis’s internalization of the belief that homosexuality is indecent and punishable by death, causes him to be ashamed about the intensity of his feelings for Jack. At the beginning of their relationship on the mountain, he insists that he is not â€Å"queer,† that their feelings for each other are not indicative of his sexual orientation. His shame, coupled with his need to maintain his marriage in the face of public scrutiny, causes him to lie continually to Alma about his feelings for Jack, insisting that when she catches the two in a heated embrace, their actions are a result of their not having seen each other for years. His internalized homophobia makes him unable to accept himself or act congruently. Ennis needs to maintain the illusion of a conventional life, even if that life denies him the one person he desires most. The plot of this short story mirrors many experiences that gays have had to deal with in today’s society, such as banding gay marriages or homosexual hate crimes. There have been many incidents where homosexuals have been threatened, abused, and even killed because people don’t agree with their lifestyles. Although I was very skeptical about reading this story at first, I found it to be very eye opening and real. Proulx does a wonderful job of telling a tale of two men who develop a deep love for each other but who are forced to live separate lives in an intolerant world. I think the story will help people empathize diversity in each other and become more tolerant. Works Cited â€Å"Annie Proulx Biography.† Info Please. 2007. Information Please Database. 13 Oct. 2008 . Proulx, Annie. â€Å"Brokeback Mountain.† The New Yorker 13 Oct. 1997: 74-85.

African American Theatre Essay

Harlem Renaissance was the name of the African American cultural movement that gained its popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s. It got its name because it took its roots in Harlem of New York, an area which had been always associated with the African American inhabitants. It emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918, blossomed in the mid- to late 1920s, and then faded in the mid-1930s (Encarta, 2006). Harlem Renaissance as a movement attracted serious attention of the publishers to the African American cultural phenomena. It was the starting point to consider the African American art and literature to be a substantial part of the entire American culture. It attracted serious attention of the American nation to the culture of the huge part of American citizens, African Americans. It was initially a literature movement but it was also related to the African American music, theatre, art and politics. Harlem Renaissance emerged in the early 20’s of the 20th century, during a period of serious political, social and economic upheavals in the African American community. There were several social and political factors which gave the basis for the raise of the African American culture. The end of the Civil War (1861-1865) created specific attitude towards African Americans. They gained new opportunities for development of their culture; they got access to the proper education, they got qualitatively new self esteem and self respect. They got equal rights guaranteed by the Declaration of the Independence which stated the basis of the American society, â€Å"all men are created equal†. The Great Migration gave hundreds of thousands black Americans an opportunity to move from the from an economically depressed rural South to industrial cities of the North to take advantages of the employment opportunities created by World War I. Harlem became the place of settlement for educated and socially conscious blacks. It developed into the political and cultural centre of the black Americans. â€Å"Equally important, during the 1910s a new political agenda advocating racial equality arose in the African American community, particularly in its growing middle class. Championing the agenda were black historian and sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which was founded in 1909 to advance the rights of blacks. This agenda was also reflected in the efforts of Jamaican-born black nationalist Marcus Garvey, whose â€Å"Back to Africa† movement inspired racial pride among blacks in the United States. † (Encarta, 2006). Harlem Renaissance was the most creative period in African-American cultural life which influenced greatly the entire American culture. It impacted the American culture, American social life and race relations in the United States. It was a period of flourishing of artistic expression and cultural activity. The interracial relations in the United States found their new manifestation during the Harlem Renaissance. The rise of the black culture would be impossible without the recognition of it by the representatives of the white American community. â€Å"White authors writing about African-Americans; white patrons and supporters of the Harlem Renaissance; white publishers, producers, and booking agents; white critics and promoters-these all influenced African-American culture for better or worse. A closely related subject is the interaction between blacks and whites: most often black artists reacting with white publishers, promoters, and critics; but also the more complex interaction between the black intelligentsia and black writers and white publishers and intellectuals. Both W. E. B. Du Bois and James Weldon Johnson were black civil rights leaders, novelists, and poets in their own right, and both published, promoted, and critiqued the work of black artists and writers. Carl Van Vechten, a white novelist, wrote a major Harlem novel of the period and also served as a patron and promoter of black literature, art, and music, and as a documenter of the Harlem Renaissance. † (Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman, 2004). During the 20’s Harlem became the center of the black culture rise. The unprecedented attention was attracted to Harlem due to its uniqueness as a world center of the black culture, culture being developed on the principles of freedom. The period of Harlem Renaissance came between the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. â€Å"The term â€Å"Renaissance† might be considered a misnomer for the Harlem Renaissance because it was more of a birth than a rebirth. Its artistic production was based upon a powerful sense of intense race consciousness and pride in black heritage and community. † (Patricia Flynn, 2006). It was impossible to promote the black culture before the period known as Harlem Renaissance. The American society had not got rid of the racial prejudices, segregation etc. Jim Crow laws created the obstacles for the full scale integration of the American blacks into the society and consequently stopped the cultural development of the African Americans. The Ku Klux Klan in the South promoted the racial segregation. The violent nature of the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups tried to renew the gloomy traditions of slavery. The legislation of the South differed greatly from that of North and Harlem of New York symbolized the freedom, an American dream for African Americans. Harlem of New York City became the area of accommodation for the African Americans moving from the South. â€Å"As Southern blacks moved into the area, a power struggle developed between white and black capital. Whites deserted Harlem and prices of property fell. Blacks bought up the properties. By the 1920’s, the two square mile area between Eighth Avenue (West) and Fifth Avenue(East), and 125th Street North to 145th Street held 200,000 blacks. † (Patricia Flynn, 2006). During the World War I black soldiers in Europe recognized the interest to the traditional black music jazz. They started realizing their African American cultural heritage. The war had created a demand for workers. The image of proud and independent â€Å"New Negro† in black community replaced the comic image of the plantation slave created by the white culture. One of the leading black philosophers who called African Americans to recognize the pride for their African heritage was Alain Locke. â€Å"Alain Locke was probably the foremost spokesman for artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance. He was highly educated as a philosopher at Harvard University, and the first black American Rhodes Scholar (1907-1910). He chaired the Philosophy Department at Howard University. His theories of black art encouraged black artists to recognize and incorporate their African heritage within their work. He powerfully wrote and lectured that African artistic heritage was at the center of the black experience. African art had made a contribution to modern art in Europe, and it should have an even deeper and more historical meaning to black artists in America. Locke felt that black artists needed to be liberated, free to express their heritage. † (Patricia Flynn, 2006). Alain Locke organized the financial support of the African American artists. This financial support was one of the most controversial issues of Harlem Renaissance. On one hand the philosophic ideas of the black self identity as opposed to the white one was the core of the philosophy of Harlem Renaissance and on the other hand the financial aid came from the white philanthropists, who were the representatives of the white culture.

Aging and Marriage essays

Aging and Marriage essays A big aspect in keeping a marriage successful is how much communication occurs between the two people involved. For a healthy relationship there is a need for quite a bit of communication. Communication, as stated in class, is one of the key elements to a successful marriage. There has to be some open discussions and trust in the relationship to make it anywhere. If you can not talk to your partner you will not be able to solve problems in a healthy manner. You have to be able to tell your partner things to help you learn and mature with them. You have to learn how to compromise and help each other out. Communication has to be part of your relationship in some way. You cannot go through your life not talking to your partner about important issues that you should be able to talk to them about. Another important issue discussed in class was homosexuals and marriage. Homosexual marriage is an important issue because it deals with a relatively large minority of the United States. This issue is important today with respect to many different ideas. There are so many ideas of morals, family values, and those of equality, constitutionality, and right to privacy. The aspect with the most relevance is constantly left up to debate. Homosexuals are 'gay' due to a combination of factors. These factors are environment and society-the outside influences- and genetics. Hence, homosexuals do not decide their own sexuality, nor do heterosexuals. Therefore, homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals, one of these rights being marriage. This is why it is of great importance to public policy whether or not homosexuality is predetermined. I am not homosexual and I am not writing this to defend homosexuals. I just believe that the whole issue is unfair towards homosexuals. Marriage goes beyond the benefits, however. The institution of marriage is a very respected one, and holds much senti ...

Appraising the International Market Environment Sample for Students

The business environment is one of the most important success factors. The PESTLE analysis model emphasizes on the importance of the external business environment. According to the PESTLE model, there are a variety of sectors in which the external environment can be divided into. These include political; economic, social technological, legal and environmental  (Murray-Webster, 2010). Though these sectors are crucial for any business, they are of even more importance to organizations working within the international arena. Consequently, organizations operating in foreign territory have to conduct appraisals on their host countries’ environment. Despite the vast nature of the international business environment, the economic environment is highly important to business success. Essentially, this is the case because the business environment is largely influenced by the various aspects of the economic environment  (Fernando, 2011). Therefore, notwithstanding the importance of ot her sectors of the business environment, this report seeks to show that the economic environment is the most crucial in appraisal of the international market environment. Firstly, Appraisal of the international business environment is necessary because of the increased level of complexity involved. Complexity, resulting from interaction between factors of the external environment, makes it difficult for organizations to evaluate and respond to the changing environmental factors  (Hamilton & Webster, 2015). The importance of the economic environment comes to mind based on one of the most famous business theories. The shareholder theory defines the role of the business as the duty to maximize its shareholder investments into profits (Karata?-Ãâ€"zkan, Nicolopoulou, & Ãâ€"zbilgin, 2014; Stout, 2012). Essentially, this ties the very existence of organizations to economics. In consideration of the international environment, the basic attraction that drives businesses across borders is the potential economic returns to be achieved from the investment. Therefore, without the economic considerations, international trading would be pointless. According to Jain, Trehan & Trehan (2014), the economic environment is the most important of all sectors of the environment. The authors attribute its superior importance to its dynamic nature. International businesses are not only governed by the economic environment of the host country; but also that of any other nation from which they source factors of production  (Jain, Trehan, & Trehan, 2014). The economic environment involves economic conditions; economic policies, economic systems, phases of business cycle, foreign investment, and international organizations among others. In support, Fernando (2011) stipulates that the economic environment is a multi-faceted factor of business that taps into all sectors of the environment. Therefore, it encompasses most of the other specific types of external environments. For instance, economic policies go hand in hand with the legal environment. Similarly, economic planning based on degree of competition is part of the economic environment but also includes social environment factors such as consumer behavior and market structures. Therefore, the economic environment is the most important factor for international businesses to consider. Its influence affects all other environmental sectors. Undeniably, despite the progress of theoretical perspectives about the role of business in society, the primary concern and reason for business’ existence is the development of economic success. Thus, without discrediting the importance of other business environments in the international arena, the economic environment is the most important of concerns to investors. The legal environment is just as important as the rest of the categories. Indeed, without the proper social structure, it would be impossible for organizations to sell their products to local populations; it is also impossible for companies to work in areas that have political unrest. However, the initial thought is the economic viability of the investment then followed by consideration of the other factors. Consequently, it is safe to maintain that the economic environment is still the most important of all factors of the external environment.    Secondly, perhaps it would also be prudent to consider Trichet, President of the ECB, whose speech emphasizes the standardization associated with the economic environment. Economic performance is the standard metrics form used to tally regional, international and global development. For instance, in a bid to demonstrate the importance of emerging markets, Trichet quotes their contribution of over 40% of the world’s GDP. He observes that emerging markets contribute that much having only developed 20% of their potential  (European Central Bank, 2007). Thus, the every determination of a country’s development is pegged on its economic performance and potential. In shocking recent developments, some companies such as Patagonia have come to resist the profit-oriented business model. In response to the rising concerns of environmental degradation, the organization has developed new heights of sustainability. Their product life cycle is not characterized by the maximization o f repeat sales; rather, the company’s campaigns and leading adverts discourage consumers on impulse buying. That’s, they should only buy what they need. The company’s competitive edge in the market is pegged on its sustainability initiatives. Thus, it appeals to the social sector by manipulating the environmental concerns of its consumersConsequently, the main visible sectors in the strategy include the social and environmental fragments of the business environment. However, the bottom line is that the implementation of the unique strategy is aimed at gaining economic advantage over other players in the market. Green friendly consumers are bound to purchase the company’s high-end products because of its standing on sustainability. Therefore, despite the sustainability metrics of success, Patagonia still relies on financial performance to gauge the strategy’s progress and success. From the comprehensive discussion above, the crucial nature of the economic environment in international markets is evident. However, this is not meant to render other sectors irrelevant but merely point out that appraisal of the international markets is highly reliant on the accuracy of the analysis of the economic environment of a host country. Essentially, economies are the sole attractions to foreign markets; they should be effectively appraised for investors to identify opportunities and effectively strategize towards organizational success. In conclusion, international investment requires a comprehensive analysis of the host country’s environment. Contrary to common belief, environmental sectors such as legal and social do not take precedence over the economic environment. As discussed, this is because the economic environment is the sole attraction to which organizations respond. Thus, it is only prudent that companies take note of the host country’s economics. Further, the dynamics of the economic environment make it influential on all other sectors. It is also important to consider that the most common metric of performance and rank is economic performance. Therefore, the importance of the economic sector in environment appraisal is undeniable. Some scholars have taken to emphasizing the importance of the other environmental sectors. However, the influence of the economic environment over them is undeniable. For instance, fragments of the legal environment interlock with the economic environment. Theref ore, most of the other sectors are connected to business by their contribution to the economic value. Consequently, it is safe to conclude that the economic environment takes precedence over other environment sectors. European Central Bank. (2007, November 26). The growing importance of emerging economies in the globalised world and its implications for the international financial architecture. Retrieved from European Central Bank : https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2007/html/sp071126_1.en.html Fernando, A. (2011). Business Environment. New-Delhi: Pearson Education India. Hamilton, L., & Webster, P. (2015). The International Business Environment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Jain, T. R., Trehan, M., & Trehan, R. (2014). Business Environment: for B.Com-III Semester-V and VI. New-Delhi: VK Global Publications. Karata?-Ãâ€"zkan, M., Nicolopoulou, K., & Ãâ€"zbilgin, M. F. (2014). Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Resource Management: A Diversity Perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing. Klapper, L., Laeven, L., & Rajan, R. (2004). Business Environment and Firm Entry: Evidence from International Data. National Bureau of Economic Research, 10.3386/w10380. Murray-Webster, R. (2010). Management of risk: guidance for practitioners. Norwich; NR: The Stationery Office. Stout, L. A. (2012). The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Sustain-Live. (2015). Patagonia-Sustainable Business Model. Retrieved from Sustain-Live: https://www.sustainlive.org/corporate-social-responsibility-case-studies/sustainable-business-model/

Criminal law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Criminal law - Essay Example (Lord Diplock in R v Miller)2 The actus reus and mens rea need to coincide, however the requirement is interpreted broadly. (Fagan v. Commissioner of Police3) In certain circumstances omissions can count as sufficient actus reus. One of the situation is where the conduct of the defendant created a situation of danger. (R v. Miller)4 The acts of Dot attract s.1(1) the actus reus of which requires a person destroying or damaging any property which belongs to another. The actus reus must be voluntary. (Woolmington v. DPP)5 The destruction or damage of the property must impair the value or usefulness of the property. (A v R)6. Such destruction or damaged must be without lawful excuse that is there is no honest belief on the part of the defendant that the owner consented to such destruction or damage. (Denton)7 In the current situation the actus reus of Dot was by way of an omission as he was the one who created the situation of danger. The next element in actus reus is that he of destruction or damage, clearly the fire had led to damage being caused to the shed. Clearly Dot did not have any lawful excuse to cause such destruction as he merely wanted such destruction so as to further the value of his property. Dot acquired the intention of such destruction when he refrained to constrain the damage by letting the fire to grow and destruct the shed and therefore the mens rea of the offence would be proved. (Cunliffe v Goodman)9 Since the elements of actus reus and mens rea are proved it is pertinent to point to s.1(3) which states that destruction by fire would be charged as arson which, if proved, carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Furthermore such an offence is to be treated separately from criminal damage.(R v. Booth)10. It is clear that the destruction caused was by fire and therefore Dot would be charged under arson. He clearly does not have any defence to