Political Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political Terrorism - Essay Example To answer this question let us look at the definition of terrorism. Political terrorism is a mode of warfare and has a different meaning for different people and in this is the conundrum in defining political terrorism. For the developed world the Libyan-supported attacks on the airports at Rome and Vienna in 1985 were acts of political terrorism by Libya and the revolutionary elements using armed struggle to promote their aims at securing freedom. From the perspective of Libya, however it was the retaliatory attack by the powerful United States of America in 1986 that was an act of political terrorism, for it was purely with the objective of putting fear into Libya and the insurgent groups that violence would be met with violence. Thus searching for a universally accepted definition of political terrorism is futile exercise and there would be better reward in trying to understand what political terrorism means (Merari, 2007). There are three basic elements that go into providing an understanding of political terrorism. The first is that the destructive violence seen in mode of warfare of political violent is unlike the conventional open combat and is essentially in used by stealth. The second basic element is the principal targets of this violence is political and even when the targets are not political, the message attempted to be communicated through the violence is political. The final basic element in political terrorism is that it is used by insurgent groups against the state or as recourse by the state. Thus the main players in political terrorism are insurgent groups acting against the state or the state by itself (Ronczkowski, 2004). Terror as a weapon has a long history and is not a development of the twentieth century. However, the nature of terrorism that society faces today is far different from the earlier experiences and as a coherent philosophy is rooted in

Old Testement Summaries Essay Example for Free

Old Testement Summaries Essay Isaiah The book of Isaiah is of the Prophetic genre. The basic theme of this book is found in Isaiah’s name: â€Å"Salvation Is of the Lord,† Isaiah was one of the greatest prophets of the Bible. Isaiah Prophesized that the messiah would be born in Bethlehem by a virgin. Isaiah was called the â€Å"evangelical prophet† because of his clear and detailed messianic prophecies. Isaiah spoke condemnation on the men in Judah because of their sins. In Isaiah God granted Hezekiah a fifteen-year extension of his life. Isaiah prophesized that Babylon would be judged and destroyed and God’s people would be released from captivity. The last chapters of Isaiah speak on peace, prosperity, and how justice would prevail. It also speaks on how God will make all things new. Proverbs The genre of Proverbs is wisdom. Proverbs describes the importance of living wisely and in the fear of the lord as opposed to following the seduction path of evil. Proverbs basically is a book of knowledge and understanding of life. The purpose of Proverbs is for gaining wisdom and directions, for receiving instructions on doing what’s right and just and fair. Proverbs tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. It also tells us to trust in the lord with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding; in all our ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct our path. Exodus The genre of Exodus is law. The theme of this book is that God reveals himself to his people and delivers them from slavery in Egypt to establish a covenant with them in the desert. This was done through Moses by the power of God through plagues. In Exodus reveals his name, his attributes, is redemption, his law and how he is to be worshiped. God departed the red sea allowing Israel to cross. The Egyptians followed and was destroyed in the red sea after God closed the sea. Judges The book of Judges is a narrative genre. The theme is in danger of losing the Promised Land; the Israelites are delivered again and again by God through leaders known as â€Å"judges.† The Israelites failed due to a lack of faith in God and a lack of obedience to him. In Judges God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, and promised to deliver the Israelites from enslavement. Sampson was destroyed due to his disobedience and due to his revealing his secret to Delilah. Daniel The genre of this book is Prophecy. The theme of Daniel is that God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth. Daniel was one of the Prophets that found favor with God because of his faith, obedience and is belief in God. Daniel being a man of God was able to interpret the King’s dreams and visions. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to serve Nebuchadnezzar’s Gods and were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. but because of their faith in the Most High God was protected from the burning fiery furnish. Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s Den because he was worshipping God three times a day but because of his Faith in God, God closed the Lion’s mouth and Daniel used them as pillows.

The Yellow Wallpaper -- essays research papers

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story that deals with many different issues that woman in the 19th century had to deal with on a daily basis. Some of these issues were within their control, but many of them were outside of the realm of control for women. The main point that I will focus on is how restricted societal roles can cause insanity. I will do this by deciphering the meaning of the "yellow wallpaper" and its symbolism. In my opinion, I believe that once we get a better understanding of the author's interest in this subject area and get a feel for life in the 19th century, then we will have a better understanding of the story. First, let's take a look at the background of Gilman before and after she wrote The Yellow Wallpaper. Gilman lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and she definitely had her fair share of troubles. Her biggest struggle in life was living within the constraints of a society that put women in a class apart from everyone else; when in her heart she felt that she was an equal counterpart to men. She suffered depression from this problem for many years, until finally she was seem by a world-famous neurologist, Dr. Weir Mitchell, who simply prescribed her with rest. This "rest period" sent her into an even deeper state of depression, which she didn't come out of until she tried to resume her normal life, along with joining the American Woman Suffrage Association as a writer and active participant. Unfortunately, Gilman's life got so bad that her condition got worse and she fell to the insanity level, eventually causing her to commit suicide with chloroform. Now that we have a little background on the author, we can take a closer look at the actual work and its characters. The two main characters of the story a narrator and her husband, John, and the story takes place in the 19th century. Life for the two is like most other marriages in this time frame, only the narrator is not like most other wives. She has this inner desire to be free from the societal roles that confine her and to focus on her writing, while John in content with his life and thinks that his wife overreacts to everything. Traditionally, in this era, the man was responsible for taking care of the woman both financially and emotionally, while the woman was solely responsible for remaining at home. This w... ...John comes home and finds the door locked. He begs her to open it and she tells him "The key is down by the front door under a plantain leaf!" (Gilman 669) When he comes back and opens the door, he sees her ripping the rest of the paper off the wall, with the rope tied around her and he faints. This is when John realizes that his wife has reached the point of hysteria and is insane. But, the narrator sees it differently. She declares that she is now free by saying: "I've got out at last,..in spite of you and Jane! And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!" (Gilman 669) The one theme that I pulled out of The Yellow Wallpaper only cracks the surface of understanding this story. The wallpaper was used by Gilman as a medium to expose the constraints that were placed upon women in the 19th century. The same constraints that she utterly despised and tried so hard to get rid of them. The narrator's overexposure to the wallpaper was just like Gilman's overexposure to societal roles. They both needed to get out in order to keep their minds intact. Eventually they both did, but it took a long time and a big toll on their mental health and psyche. The Yellow Wallpaper -- essays research papers Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story that deals with many different issues that woman in the 19th century had to deal with on a daily basis. Some of these issues were within their control, but many of them were outside of the realm of control for women. The main point that I will focus on is how restricted societal roles can cause insanity. I will do this by deciphering the meaning of the "yellow wallpaper" and its symbolism. In my opinion, I believe that once we get a better understanding of the author's interest in this subject area and get a feel for life in the 19th century, then we will have a better understanding of the story. First, let's take a look at the background of Gilman before and after she wrote The Yellow Wallpaper. Gilman lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and she definitely had her fair share of troubles. Her biggest struggle in life was living within the constraints of a society that put women in a class apart from everyone else; when in her heart she felt that she was an equal counterpart to men. She suffered depression from this problem for many years, until finally she was seem by a world-famous neurologist, Dr. Weir Mitchell, who simply prescribed her with rest. This "rest period" sent her into an even deeper state of depression, which she didn't come out of until she tried to resume her normal life, along with joining the American Woman Suffrage Association as a writer and active participant. Unfortunately, Gilman's life got so bad that her condition got worse and she fell to the insanity level, eventually causing her to commit suicide with chloroform. Now that we have a little background on the author, we can take a closer look at the actual work and its characters. The two main characters of the story a narrator and her husband, John, and the story takes place in the 19th century. Life for the two is like most other marriages in this time frame, only the narrator is not like most other wives. She has this inner desire to be free from the societal roles that confine her and to focus on her writing, while John in content with his life and thinks that his wife overreacts to everything. Traditionally, in this era, the man was responsible for taking care of the woman both financially and emotionally, while the woman was solely responsible for remaining at home. This w... ...John comes home and finds the door locked. He begs her to open it and she tells him "The key is down by the front door under a plantain leaf!" (Gilman 669) When he comes back and opens the door, he sees her ripping the rest of the paper off the wall, with the rope tied around her and he faints. This is when John realizes that his wife has reached the point of hysteria and is insane. But, the narrator sees it differently. She declares that she is now free by saying: "I've got out at last,..in spite of you and Jane! And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!" (Gilman 669) The one theme that I pulled out of The Yellow Wallpaper only cracks the surface of understanding this story. The wallpaper was used by Gilman as a medium to expose the constraints that were placed upon women in the 19th century. The same constraints that she utterly despised and tried so hard to get rid of them. The narrator's overexposure to the wallpaper was just like Gilman's overexposure to societal roles. They both needed to get out in order to keep their minds intact. Eventually they both did, but it took a long time and a big toll on their mental health and psyche.

United States and Foreign Policy Statement

De Loom letter 5. Filipino revolutionary leader 6. Roosevelt received a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the peace treaty for this war 7. Act that established Puerco Rice as an incorporated territory of the LISA 8. Amendment to the USA war declaration against Spain that asserted Cuban independence after the war 9. Rebel insurgents who hoped to expel foreigners from China 13. Name of the voluntary Calvary unit credited with capturing San Juan Hill 16. City in which the Spanish-American War peace treaty was signed 18. U. S. Battleship that sank dramatically in Havana harbor in 1898 19. Renegade Mexican revolutionary hunted by the U. S. For 11 months 20. Nation that denied the U. S. Bid to constructs canal through the isthmus of Panama 22. Territory the William Seward arranged for the USA to purchase in 1867United States and Foreign Policy Statement By Rolls-Trace after Queen Ill surrendered her throne 1 1 . Policy initiated by Secretary Hay that called for free trade in China 12. Harb or in the Philippines that was captured by Commodore Dewey 14. Tabloid reporting that sensationalists the news in order to investments 17. Belief that it was America's divine right to control all the territory legitimated U. S. Intervention in Mexico 7. Act that established Puerco Rice as an incorporated territory of the USA 8. Hunted by the U. S. For 11 months 20. Nation that denied the U. S. Bid to construct a

Ethics in Food Labeling and Packaging

Ethical Food Labeling and Packaging After seeing the ad on television or in the weekly grocer flyer, seeing the actual labeling on a product is what consumers have to make informed choices. What started out to be another form of advertising and last attempt to sell a product, food packaging and labeling has been regulated through the FDA and FD&C to require certain information. It was declared to be the policy of the Congress to assist consumers and manufacturers in reaching these goals in the marketing of consumer goods (Regulatory).Beyond giving the name of the food, net quantity of contents, name and address of manufacturer, statement of ingredients and nutrition information, a product can still be misleading beyond the principal display panels. Accurate and legally complete labels make sense from the standpoints of both ethics and good business (Scott par. 1). Consumers depend on product labels every day to make informed decisions when buying products and those misleading and dec eptive labels make it much more difficult to make good purchasing decisions.Proper labeling to provide the consumer with useful, factual information was the rationale for the original FDCA misbranding provisions, and that motivation has not changed in more than half a century (Committee). Label information can be used to mislead the consumer by providing untrue information or to exaggerate their products’ features. As an example, nutrient information claiming â€Å"low fat†, â€Å"100% natural† or â€Å"organic† have been used on products that left out pertinent information in supporting those claims.Unlike 100% Organic, Organic and Made with Organic Processes, which have tight regulations, the FDA has almost no regulations about the use of the word â€Å"natural†. The FDA has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives, however the agency had not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color , artificial flavors or synthetic substances (Committee).A product may contain a claim regarding company processes are green or environmentally friendly, however without the claim being associated to the actual business; consumers are left to think that the product itself lines up with the claim due to mislabeling. There are many cases that the packaging does not represent the actual product. For instance, the packaging of a certain product looks nice and attractive. However, when a consumer opens the package, the product does not look as good as it appears on the packaging.Common deceptive packaging tricks include encasing small products in large containers or decreasing the amount of the product in a box (Margaret). Manufacturers have downsized their product, yet kept the same price and closely the same package with a new net weight listed, looking very similar to the previously larger size on the shelves not too long ago (Sullivan). As long as the products didn’t falsely d o all the above and keep the net weight at the same amount, the manufacturer is abiding by the packaging and labeling act.Slack-filled packaging reveals packaging that looks empty or having less of the product than it could actually contain. Yet again, there are legitimate reasons as to why the consumer pays for air. Companies using same sized containers to sell different-sized products to save on packaging costs, added space helps air circulate, preserving freshness and other statements regarding why food items are not packed full can and have been justified (Sullivan).Sullivan maintains that ultimately the reason is to mislead consumers due to the perception that the larger the box, the better the deal. Concerns about environmental and ethical values are closely related. Customers are increasingly seeking to purchase products from companies that are taking care of our environment (Carbonfree). The Federal Trade Commission regulates environmental marketing claims so consumers can b e reasonably confident that any promises apply to most of the packaging or contents of the product and not to â€Å"minor, incidental components†(Margaret).Excessive paper or wrapping and the harms caused by non-biodegradable materials have become a hot topic and companies have realized the public is equally concerned about the ethics of packaging. Not only having safe and effective packaging equipment qualifies companies as being ethical, but the processes and working conditions of employees are under the microscope as well. As an example, a company that produces sugar can have the claim of being â€Å"Carbon Free†.For many consumers, this sounds good and well intentioned, however the claim is not directly for the product but instead meant for how the product was manufactured. Without statements tying the two together the general public will continue to be misled or misinformed. The claim of packaging made out of recycled material when only a small percentage of the c ontainer was indeed recycled is a continuation of product misrepresentation and manufacturers point to shoplifting as an explanation for packing items in difficult-to-open containers (Margaret).Margaret points out that even this issue leads to the environmental issues of how much energy is being expended to produce, ship and properly store the deceptively large packages. Certain food processes have been tolerated that go against what the product represented and are not mentioned on the food label itself. Within the food industry there isn’t a right to know what is in the food as well as the manufacturing processes. Andrews reported that processing aids are substances used to aid food production, which are not found at significant levels in the final product and have no â€Å"functional or technical effects† on the food. Lean finely textured beef† (LFTB) otherwise known as â€Å"Pink Slime† is produced by mashing and sterilizing beef scraps with ammonia. Ev en though a large portion of the burger patties produced, including McDonald’s up until recently, undergo the ammonia cleanse, there is no need to label it due to the FDA and USDA not requiring food makers to list processing aids on labels (Andrews). The Food Safety and Inspection Service have thirteen categories of processing aids used in the production of meat, poultry and eggs.Processing aids are defined as a material used to process the food, but having no intentional technical effect on the food itself and having the potential of trace levels to remain in the food after the manufacturing process (Magazine). Based on new government legislations, enhanced media coverage and sensationalism, increased company and personal responsibility and heightened consumer vigilance and demands, the growing global food industry is undergoing a new level of increased controls through new certifications, standards and moving towards global harmonization (Magazine).Consumers ought to break out their grocery calculators and see what gets the best bang for the buck instead of flashy packaging and wording that captures the â€Å"wants† instead of the â€Å"needs† of its consumer base. As Sullivan noted, compare unit prices provided on store shelves as this is the only way to compare a type of product with another. The best thing a consumer can do is vote with their food dollars and to vote smart. As regulations within food packaging and labeling get a closer look it is still up to the consumer to make the decisions best for them and their families.

Alice Walkers Everyday Use essays

Alice Walkers Everyday Use essays Siblings, although sharing the common bond of blood, are most often extremely different from one other. In Alice Walkers Everyday Use, the two main characters, Maggie and Dee, are sisters who are as opposite as night and day. Throughout the story, the girls differences become evident through their personalities, physical traits, and the way they feel about their heritage. Maggie and Dee have many discrepancies that cause them to view each other as an opponent. Maggie is always nervous until after her sister goes away. Maggie [eyes] her sister with...envy and awe, and when Dee comes home to visit, Maggie attempts to make a dash for the house to escape having to face Dee again. She gives in to letting Dee have the quilts like someone who [is] used to never winning anything. When Maggie makes a comment about the dash that Dee wants, Dee cuts her down and [laughingly] refers to Maggies brain as that of an elephants. Dees attitude toward Maggie is so harsh that Momma [thinks] she [hates] Maggie. Maggie and Dees competitive spirits lead them both to be judgmental of each other. Maggie and Dee have different physical traits. Maggie is ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs which the house fire ten years ago leaves her with. Maggies self confidence is so low that she walks with her chin on chest, like a lame animal that has been run over by a crazy driver. Dee, on the other hand, has nicer hair and a fuller figure. Even a glimpse of Dee lets Momma know shes coming because her feet are always neat looking as if God himself had shaped them. Maggie and Dees physical qualities prove to be more than skin deep. Although both girls are raised in the same environment, Maggie and Dee ...

The Hunter is a book marked by loss. Discuss. Essays

The Hunter is a book marked by loss. Discuss. Essays The Hunter is a book marked by loss. Discuss. Essay The Hunter is a book marked by loss. Discuss. Essay The Armstrong family is marked by loss. When Jarrah died Bike and Sass became orphans. As a mother Lucy no longer exists in Sass and Bikes lives, she is just a Sleeping Beauty (P 18). Sass was abandoned in hospital, lying down in bed alone, unable to move. Bike is in foster care in some strange place among strangers, schoolyard taunts your mothers in a looney bin. (P 152) Lucy has lost her mind and her life. The great loss that surrounds Jarrahs death has engulfed the entire Armstrong family. Sass and Bike have essentially lost both parents.As for M, he who is anchored by neither wife nor home, nor by a lover nor even a single friend (P 15) M is alone in the world; he has no one. He lost his first and only girlfriend and their unborn baby. It has been a long time since hes seen hes old man and it occurs to M that his parents might be dead (P 16) M is at a loss when it comes to relationships. He lost his chance at being normal when he made the decision to live for the job, to live a s a hunter. M, only when seeing and feeling for the Armstrong family, does he realise just what it is he has missed in life. Once it has a grip on you, absence, it cannot be defeated how can you fight against nothing? (P 133)M has no hope left in the world. Only a child could nurture such hope, such conviction. (P 22) He is skilfully able to focus on the here and now: the hunters greatest weapon: a sense of immediacy, a complete understanding of why space is time. I am here, he thinks, I am right here, right now. (P 117) Despite achieving this level of awareness up on the plateau, back at the house he refuses emotional contact and distrusts women and children. He wishes he was up there now, up where it is calm and pure, space enough for a man to think. (P 139) In his lone M is goes by unaffected by his human condition as other men do. He sees the weakness among man and attempts to eliminate them in order to perfect his mind frame for his mission, to bring him closer to godliness. N ot like others he once knew, soldiers who refused to leave for a job because at the last minute theyd misplaced their lucky spoon, or a memento from a past lover or, worse, a dear departed colleague. (P 25) He did not allow himself to place such feeble hope in hopeless matters. He did not rely on a memento to get him through but instead on his will to do so by perfecting his mind frame. M lost a great part of the human condition by loosing the hope that tomorrow may be the better day.M is a man devoid of ethics and human emotion thus allowing him to bring the thylacine to extinction. M is ruthless he will complete his mission at any cost, virus or antidote, M does not know, cannot know and does not want to know (P 40) He remains unaffected by the potentially devastating effect his mission may have on humanity. The loss of the thylacine not only signifies the loss of the species but the loss of many lives and potential lives. The thylacines extinction is in accord with the fear of th e future extinction of humankind. His buried cache of coffee to celebrate the end of his job is one of his barren attempts to give his life meaning.If a mans life were an island it would be uninhabitable. (P 139) To survive in this wasteland he has learned to slough off unnecessary detritus and so he concludes that his brief period of affection for the family was a monumental lapse of judgement. (P 47) M comforts himself when he loses his tenuous grip on some sort of emotional attachment by believing that it will make him stronger. What he sees now is that he has been tested, steeled, and seduced, and that is his true purpose is to be a hunter, to harvest the tiger. (P 148) Ms protestations are flimsy, though, for he constantly resorts to universal mythical metaphors to explain the uncertainties; to translate the aching emptiness in his heart. His great tragedy in his incapacity to find within himself the necessary words to describe the beautiful terribleness of the deed (P 164), wh en he finally achieves it. This is a dark tale about the need for vigilance; to constantly strive for connectedness in our lives. Maybe M is not the lost soul he appears to be. Maybe there is hope for him yet.

Composing Topic Sentences Practice Exercises

Composing Topic Sentences Practice Exercises Commonly appearing at (or near) the beginning of a paragraph, a topic sentence expresses the main idea of a paragraph. What usually follows a topic sentence are a number of supporting sentences that develop the main idea with specific details. This exercise offers practice in creating topic sentences that will attract the interest of your readers. Each passage below is lacking a topic sentence but contains a series of sentences with specific examples of a single character trait: patiencea frightful imaginationa love of reading Your job is to complete each paragraph by creating an imaginative topic sentence that both identifies the particular character trait and creates enough interest to keep us reading. The possibilities, of course, are limitless. Nonetheless, when youre done, you may want to compare the topic sentences you have created with the ones originally composed by the student authors. 1. Patience For example, recently I began taking my two-year-old dog to obedience school. After four weeks of lessons and practice, she has learned to follow only three commandssit, stand, and lie downand even those she often gets confused. Frustrating (and costly) as this is, I continue to work with her every day. After dog school, my grandmother and I sometimes go grocery shopping. Inching along those aisles, elbowed by hundreds of fellow customers, backtracking to pick up forgotten items, and standing in the endless line at the checkout, I could easily grow frustrated and cranky. But through years of trying times, I have learned to keep my temper in check. Finally, after putting away the groceries, I might go out to a movie with my fiance, to whom I have been engaged for three years. Layoffs, extra jobs, and problems at home have forced us to postpone our wedding date several times. Still, my patience has enabled me to cancel and reschedule our wedding plans again and again without fuss, figh ts, or tears. 2. A Frightful Imagination For instance, when I was in kindergarten, I dreamed that my sister killed people with a television antenna and disposed of their bodies in the woods across the street from my house. For three weeks after that dream, I stayed with my grandparents until they finally convinced me that my sister was harmless. Not long afterward, my grandfather died, and that sparked new fears. I was so terrified that his ghost would visit me that I put two brooms across the doorway of my bedroom at night. Fortunately, my little trick worked. He never came back. More recently, I was terribly frightened after staying up late one night to watch The Ring. I lay awake until dawn clutching my cell phone, ready to ring 911 the moment that spooky little girl stepped out of my TV. Just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps. 3. Love of Reading When I was a young girl, I would make a tent out of my blankets and read Nancy Drew mysteries late into the night. I still read cereal boxes at the breakfast table, newspapers while I am stopped at red lights, and gossip magazines while waiting in line at the supermarket. In fact, Im a very talented reader. For example, Ive mastered the art of talking on the phone while simultaneously reading Dean Koontz or Stephen King. But what I read doesnt matter all that much. In a pinch, Ill read junk mail, an old warranty, a furniture tag (DO NOT REMOVE UNDER PENALTY OF LAW), or even, if Im extremely desperate, a chapter or two in a textbook. Example Topic Sentences My life may be a box full of frustrations, but learning how to overcome them has given me the gift of patience.My family is convinced that I inherited my imagination from Edgar Allan Poe.I envy you terribly because at this very moment youre doing what I have always loved doing more than anything else: youre  reading.

Promot Sleep in ICU Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Promot Sleep in ICU - Research Paper Example When the patients were admitted at the CCU, their nocturnal sleep time was 6.6. ± 1.1 hours. However, after the use of eye masks, the quality of sleep in terms of effectiveness and disturbance significantly increased (p This study was conducted to examine the effects of eye masks on the quality of sleep of patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome. The study was fronted as a result of the reduction in sleep quality in patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome. The study was conducted on sixty patients admitted in two separate coronary care units in Baqiyatallah Hospital based in Tehran (Daneshmandi, Neiseh, SadeghiShermeh, & Ebadi, 2012). The patients were selected by sampling method and randomly assigned to either the case or the control group. The case group was provided with eye masks and their sleep quality was measured using the Petersburg sleep quality index. The obtained data was later analyzed by independent T-test, paired T-test, SPSS software version 19 and Spearman and Pearson’s correlation co-efficient (Daneshmandi et al., 2012). The results revealed that the quality of sleep of the case group decreased significantly, whereas the quality of sleep in the control gr oup increased. This led to the conclusion that using eye masks at night is an uncomplicated and cheap method for improving sleep quality in patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome. This study was conducted to examine the effects of eye masks and ear plugs in helping patients exposed to light and noise when in critical care environment. Sixty four patients undergoing treatment in cardiothoracic critical care unit agreed to take part in the study

OPERATION MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

OPERATION MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Conclusively, it can be stated that operations management or management of operations is dependent on not just the production process but also the internal process that take place within an organization, thereby, including the various processes and their structures (Heizer and Render, 2004). In order to define the term Operations Management at Intel, we can consider the two words separately; Operation, at the most basic level at Intel, is all about the transformation or conversion of inputs into different kinds of outputs. Inputs can be the traditional resources such as equipment, labor, various facilities, the raw materials, all the processed components, time, and also the non-traditional resources in the form of skills, knowledge and customer relationships and also the Intels reputation. Where as the outputs can be the services, products, information and also the experiences. Where as the term management means that how the work is done. Intel is a leading company which produces goods and services in order to make their customers happy. If their managing style is good, then only they can produce better outcomes. Management means how to manage things, how to manage production and also how to manage development. Intels managing power is much strong, because the aim is to generate better results. Various strategies are being implemented in this company in order to conduct or to take implementing, drafting and also the evaluating cross-functional decisions which really help this company in order to achieve their long-term objectives. With the help of various strategies Intels mission, objectives, vision, various developing policies and different plans which are either in terms of programs or projects can be very easily specified. (Heizer and Render, 2004) Intels strategic management is basically a level of managing various activities under setting different tactics and goals. It also provides an overall direction to the company and it is

Key Elements of HR Strategy of Disney and How it is Linked With Its Co Case Study

Key Elements of HR Strategy of Disney and How it is Linked With Its Corporate Strategy - Case Study Example Training and development of the employees are tailored in a manner which allows the company to train and develop the employees in a manner which delivers consistent value to the customers. However, this has been only possible after the involvement of top management of the company at all levels of management. Â  (Perkins, Shortland and Perkins, 2006) However, it is clear that reward and recognition system may not have been clearly defined. The overall recognition criteria were not well-defined and it is also evident that the employees were allowed to communicate with each other at designated places and during particular times. Â  (Miner, 2007) The overall communication and relationship between the employees and the managers were excellent as managers clearly outlined the expectations from the crew members and what was exactly required of them. Learning and development was the key point which was integrated into the overall HR strategy of Disney as employees were specifically trained in various areas of operations while at the same time allowing them to build on their multi-dimensional expertise. The overall general HR policies regarding hiring, training and developing employees were well-defined and most of the tasks were performed by in-house employees hired and developed over the period of time. (Kreitner, 2009) More focus on developing employees and their personalities so that they can deliver superior value to customers. A supported environment for employees has been created which fosters responsibility and creativity. Leadership and communication skills, which are vital for working in an environment which is client facing. Employees are trained in a manner which improves therefore skills. HR Strategy is further focused towards empowering employees to face the clients in real time. HR Strategy is aligned with the overall corporate strategy as it supports the overall vision of the company. Overall, HR Strategy of Disney was focused on hiring, training and developing employees who can deliver more value to the customers.

CHRISTINA GOLD LEADING CHANGE AT WESTERN UNION Research Paper

CHRISTINA GOLD LEADING CHANGE AT WESTERN UNION - Research Paper Example Western Union implemented an organizational change that was targeted to raise the participation of all its employees as well as increase its productivity by enhancing adaptability to the environment. Kotter and Cohen suggest an eight-step model of change that can explain how an organization can change in response to different situations in the market so that it can achieve the intended goal. Christiana Gold, the Chief Executive Officer of Western Union implemented an organizational structure change in the company so that it could enhance the productivity of the company in the market. Through her effort, Gold wanted to ensure that the company can achieve high quality performance in the midst of the different things that happened in the market. While Gold’s plan of implementation of change could be related to Kotter and Cohen’s 8-step model, the plan could have had some differences that could be a different approach that can improve the success of implementation of the ch ange. In the first step where Gold wanted to implement change, she identified the things that needed a change and helped the employees of the company to see the need of the organizational change. ... As in Kotter and Cohen’s 8-step model step three (Daft & Lane, 2008), Gold created a vision of what Western Union would be if the changes in the organizational structure were implemented in the company. She had a vision of the company having a global outlook and she focused on the ways through which different people could enhance the change of mindsets of all employees from a small company kind of company to one which would have a world focus. Through different people with whom she interacted, she communicated the vision, and this received the approval of some leaders at the regional level of organization accepting the new structure and showing positivity. This was regardless of reluctance to change that was witnessed in some leaders in America who could not see the essence of the new structure of organization and perceived it as a threat to their positions (Rowe & Guerrero, 2011). The resistance to change that the different people faced in the implementation of the organizati onal structure change would have been easy to address if Gold had encouraged a broad-based action in which the employees and the leaders in different regions would be able to influence the employees (Daft & Lane, 2008). In this respect, the leaders would make it easy to communicate the changes that she wanted the employees to implement, and this would take a shorter time to achieve goals, as opposed to the style she used when implementing change in America, where regional leaders were reluctant to change. In order to achieve this plan of the company to implement change in the organizational structure, Gold advocated for establishment of offices and leaders in the offices that could steer the new plan of the company.

Is the Latest Technology Crane ALII Worth Buying Essay

Is the Latest Technology Crane ALII Worth Buying - Essay Example The second option looks more feasible given the current situation. Although both projects are yielding a negative NPV, but the second option is giving a smaller negative number, hence we can safely conclude that the company should wait for 5 more years before buying the latest technology crane ALII. NPV shows us that the project would yield more cash inflow than outflow, but the negative number shows us that the outflows would be greater than the inflow. The best option for the company is trying to increase its revenue base in order to improve the situation. Just having two or three projects supporting such a large purchase is not feasible and hence the company should market more often to attract more customers. In case these are two exhaustive options, the company should clearly select the option b because it is yielding a lower negative number and hence if the company wants to save its position it should try to adopt the option b. Money rates of returns do not reflect the time value of money. All economies face the phenomenon that the purchasing power of money constantly falls with the passage of time. Hence, inflation is needed to be taken into account in order to arrive at the real rate of return or rate of returns that are adjusted against inflation. The discounting factor of 23 percent has been adjust by multiplying it by 104 in order to arrive at the inflation adjusted discount rate to give better idea regarding the position of the company and how much it should earn in order to safeguard its position against falling value of a dollar due to inflation and alternative projects that are available to a company. This way the money return has been adjusted to real return and provides a better picture of how much return the company needs to earn on its projects to safeguard the value of its wealth in real terms and to make sure that it is not losing money. If a company does not pay heed to the time value of mo ney it cannot tell whether it has made or lost money and hence it is considered one of the fundamental concepts of finance and needs to be taken into account every time the company needs to make an important decision.  

Breast Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Breast Cancer - Essay Example According to Weaver (2007), there are two types of breast cancers. One is the ductal breast cancer that takes place in ducts connecting the lobes and the nipple. Weaver (2007) said that this is about 80% of the breast cancers. In contrast, lobular breast cancer that takes place in the lobes where milk production occurs accounts from 10 to 15% of cancer patients (Weaver, 2007). Diagnosis. Diagnosis is â€Å"the process of finding the nature of the disorder† (British Medical Association, 2008, p. 170). In executing diagnosis, a medical professional â€Å"listens to a patient’s account of his or her illness and a physical examination is usually involved† and â€Å"tests may be ordered after the formation of a provisional diagnosis† (British Medical Association, 2008, p. 170). Breast cancer is suspected when a lump is discovered in breast self-examination or mammography (British Medical Association, 2008). However, doctors usually make the diagnosis of a breast cancer based on the results of a biopsy ordered on the patient (British Medical Association, 2008). Pathophysiology. Pathophysiology is â€Å"the study of the disease on body functions† (British Medical Association, 2008, p. 436). The current knowledge on the pathophysiology of breast cancers is that the condition emerges after a series of molecular changes at the cellular level that result in the â€Å"outgrowth and spread of breast ephithelial cells with immortal features and uncontrolled growth† (Swart, 2011, second paragraph).... Etiology. Etiology or aetiology means the â€Å"group of conditions which form the cause of any disease† (Marcovitch, 2005, p. 252). It also means â€Å"that part of medical science dealing with the causes of the disease† (Marcovitch, 2005, p. 16). Based on the work of Swart (2011), it seems that the most important etiological knowledge on breast cancer at present is that the etiology for breast cancer is not random but separable based on â€Å"distinct molecular and cellular origins† (Swart, 2011, 3rd paragraph). Further, according to Swart (2011, 3rd paragraph), based on the current etiology on breast cancer, thinking on the risks factors, prevention, and treatment strategies are now changing. Clinical manifestations. Clinical manifestation or signs refer to â€Å"the physical manifestations of an illness elicited by a doctor when examining a patient—for example, a rash, lump, swelling, fever or altered physical functions such as a reflex† (Marcov itch, 2005, p. 143). In the case of breast cancer, one the clinical manifestations can be a â€Å"painless lump† (British Medical Association, 2008, p. 94). Other symptoms â€Å"may include a dark discharge from the nipple, retraction (indentation) of the nipple, and an area of dimpled, creased skin over the lump† (British Medical Association, 2008, p. 94). Defining the Role of a Breast Cancer Nurse One concept on the role or intervention of the nursing profession among breast cancer patients is the one articulated by St. Vincent Medical Center (2008) pertaining to a â€Å"Breast Cancer Nurse Navigator.† According to the Vincent Medical Center (2008, 1st paragraph), a Breast Cancer Nurse Navigator â€Å"assist breast cancer patients and their families find

Is the Latest Technology Crane ALII Worth Buying Essay

Is the Latest Technology Crane ALII Worth Buying - Essay Example The second option looks more feasible given the current situation. Although both projects are yielding a negative NPV, but the second option is giving a smaller negative number, hence we can safely conclude that the company should wait for 5 more years before buying the latest technology crane ALII. NPV shows us that the project would yield more cash inflow than outflow, but the negative number shows us that the outflows would be greater than the inflow. The best option for the company is trying to increase its revenue base in order to improve the situation. Just having two or three projects supporting such a large purchase is not feasible and hence the company should market more often to attract more customers. In case these are two exhaustive options, the company should clearly select the option b because it is yielding a lower negative number and hence if the company wants to save its position it should try to adopt the option b. Money rates of returns do not reflect the time value of money. All economies face the phenomenon that the purchasing power of money constantly falls with the passage of time. Hence, inflation is needed to be taken into account in order to arrive at the real rate of return or rate of returns that are adjusted against inflation. The discounting factor of 23 percent has been adjust by multiplying it by 104 in order to arrive at the inflation adjusted discount rate to give better idea regarding the position of the company and how much it should earn in order to safeguard its position against falling value of a dollar due to inflation and alternative projects that are available to a company. This way the money return has been adjusted to real return and provides a better picture of how much return the company needs to earn on its projects to safeguard the value of its wealth in real terms and to make sure that it is not losing money. If a company does not pay heed to the time value of mo ney it cannot tell whether it has made or lost money and hence it is considered one of the fundamental concepts of finance and needs to be taken into account every time the company needs to make an important decision.  

The Public Needs to Know Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Public Needs to Know - Essay Example Adams and Brantner (2006) reveal that cancer is the number one killer disease in the United States today. The research showed that over one million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the cancer every year. This is a worrying statistics considering the fact that no drug has been developed that can cure the disease today. The only hope currently is for one to obtain regular screening to aid early detection, which research shows to increase survival chances if treated immediately with the available drugs. Despite this being the case, cancer treatment is very expensive and many American citizens lack the health insurance. Therefore, to arrest the situation, there is urgent need to develop drugs capable of treating this killer disease. The aim of this discourse is to explore the major issues that might arise due to the development of a cancer treatment drug. The issues to be discussed include economic issues and the special needs of the population being served. In addition, the paper w ill describe the processes that will be involved in the development of the program and its benefits to the population. Economic issues Cancer treatments are the most expensive medical treatment in the United States today. ... Analysts argue that this cost is not only worrying, but is also unrealistic in this day and age when the American economy is struggling to recover from recession. Furthermore, everyone involved in this problem is left wondering how we will be able to afford the cost of cancer in the next decade. It is believed that doctors will only recommend treatments depending on the out-of-pocket spending by patients. Currently almost everyone in the country is worried of how the cost of cancer treatment will be met in the future. As a result, the company’s intention to develop a new cancer treatment drug will be of immense benefit to economically. It will result in a reduction in the cost of healthcare, which would lead to a reduction in the government spending on cancer-related treatments (Jonsson and Wilking 2011). Special needs Currently physicians depend use mainly chemotherapy and radiography to treat cancer. However, patients are concerned that these treatment methods are not only e xpensive and not affordable to many, but are also painful. As a result, patients need a new treatment method that is not only cheap and affordable, but also safe and does not involve a painful experience. This special need can only be addressed through the development of a new treatment drug for cancer. Developing the drug will make the treatment of cancer easier and safer than the methods used today. Furthermore, it will enable the treatment of cancer possible even if cancer is diagnosed very late (Adams and Brantner, 2006). The image shows a patient diagnosed of cancer of the skin. Process involved in the development of the program The process involved in the development of a cancer treatment drug is normally cumbersome and takes from 7 to

Influence of the global crisis on Russia in 2008 Essay Example for Free

Influence of the global crisis on Russia in 2008 Essay The recent global crisis has been a turning point in the economies of many countries. Its origin can be traced back to the economic meltdown that hit the USA starting the year 2007. The crisis was mainly felt across the world thereafter due to the economic influence of the countries that it later hit. The main cause of this crisis was cited as the lending of money to the different sectors with less pragmatic actions. These had been pegged on the expectations by economists that the money from sectors such as real estate and stocks would go up or remain steady. The ripple effect was thus reflected on countries whose economies were dependent on the countries from which the crisis started. The prices of crude oil had just fallen drastically after an increase in production from countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This, consequentially, reduced the demand for oil and other petroleum products. Sestanovich and Kennan (2008) opine that the situation in Russia had been made more complex by the fact that its economy largely depends on the sale of oil and gas. These are the primary exports that mainly run the economy of Russia. The prices dropped drastically from $147- $38 due to the fall in demand and prices after an intervention by the oil producing countries. This meant tat the economy of Russia had to slow down due to a slower inflow of cash into the economy. Economists therefore pointed out that the reliance on oil and gas that has characterised the Russian economy was the major cause of the drastic effect of the global crisis. The other cause of the crisis was the intervention of Russia in the war between Georgia and Ossetia. This is due to the fact that many countries that did not approve of the manner in which the intervention was carried out protested by withdrawing their investments in Russia. Consequently, the outflow of cash caused a crisis in the banking sector of Russia. The direct effect of the crisis is that the country was forced to scale down on its expenditure. This was due to the fact that the economy of Russia is not industry-based as much as to enable it to survive the crisis. Therefore, the government went out of its way to support the sectors that it felt would be most vulnerable. The priority fell on the financial sector. A consequence is that the deviation of resources from important projects caused an increase in poverty. This came as a result of lay-offs and a severe decrease in incomes. The purchasing power of citizens thus shot down significantly. The attempt by the government to address the crisis by bailing out the financial sector slowed down the rate of growth and thus the GDP went down. The growth of near 12% that had been projected before fell to 5. 6%. There was an increase in interest rates on loans that locked out the middle and mostly lower class citizens. The activity in the stock market was seriously affected. Stocks dropped by nearly 70% causing uncertainty in the markets. This was another big cause of outflow of foreign investments. The use of reserves was imminent as the withdrawal of foreign investments decreased foreign currencies that were available. Consequently, the government had to start using its reserves, critically reducing it to dangerous levels. The credit that the government owed its trading partners came into focus. Moscow had failed to come up with concrete means of paying back its credits. In as much as it finally paid back all it owed to other economies, its capital base had been reduced to a bare minimum. The crisis had wrecked havoc on the Russian economy and it was a matter of time before the country went into a some form of dependence on foreign aid – an issue the political class had not imagined in a very long while and had done all it could to stop it. None the less, the economy survived the crisis somehow. To address the crisis, the government took several steps to make sure that it did not harm the economy further. The first step was to start production of goods that the foreign investors had been producing in Russia. This was aimed at reducing reliance on foreign countries. The political class, which had been praised for its former policies that ensured the country conserved more than it spent, decided to hold briefs where they would address different issues. First in line was the influence of the US on the global economy. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s President, urged the US to ease its chokehold on the global economy as this would mean that other economies that depended on it largely suffer any time its economy does. The political class also reached an agreement that countries that are of interest should be trading partners with Moscow as it also increases economic influence and strategic positioning politically. In dealing with the rising cases of poverty, the government came up with policies that would go a long way in ensuring that housing and education would effectively be subsidised so as to relieve the citizens of heavy expenses on the two areas. This had been necessitated by the decrease in the people’s ability to purchase basic goods and services. A stimulus package was also organised to augment other interventions that had been organised for in the labour market. An example of how this was to be implemented was the unemployment benefits, coming up with ways through which the unemployed could be given temporary jobs and even organising workshops to enhance employee skills while at work. With the keen and pragmatic moves planned by the government, Russia was able to lift itself out of the global economic crisis. This would in the subsequent year prove to be a boost to its economy as dependency had been cut down to necessary levels while increasing production of goods from within. The dependence Russia has on petroleum products like oil and gas is thus slowly going down. Sestanocich Kennan (2008) claim that the government of Russia should not back down on courting international interests as it had started before the crisis. This is due to the fact that international relations increase chances of obtaining favourable trade partners. However, the relations that Russia had with most powerful nations had been drastic on their capacities to gain many partners to trade with. This had reflected on the how fast the countries that had invested in Russia wanted out once Russia started sinking in the crisis and when it decided to intervene in the conflict between Georgia and Ossetia. After grappling with the effects, Russia came out stronger and more economically independent. A reliance on oil and gas had also started going down as other industries had been forced to provide home-grown solutions to lack of critical goods. In conclusion, the global crisis had so many economies shattered. This stemmed from the influence the economy of the US had on the global economy. Russia, as a country, experienced it in the worst form as it came at a time when the petroleum industry was not performing well. In as much as the crisis ravaged its economy, the immediate and near-comprehensive action taken by the government reduced the results faster than thought. Apart from the crisis that Russia experienced in the year 1998, the 2008 one proved to be very costly. This is as a result on the expectations its citizens had after a good run in the global crude oil prices. The leadership of Russia has in effect been forced to look at a wider range of industries that the economy can rely on so as to spread risks. Finally, the global crisis, according to economists, did not reduce the economic influence that Russia had gained in the period before the crisis.

The American Dream: A Can of Coke and a Lexus :: Argumentative Argument Media Papers

The American Dream: A Can of Coke and a Lexus Following the crowd in 2001 is the American way. Our lives have been infected with directions on who, how, and what we should be and do. Every day our televisions blare out talk shows, sitcoms, and soap operas to stagnate our minds. Our radios scream obscenities and false hopes with a beat that permeates our thoughts. Magazines, newspapers, billboards, televisions, and radios continually tell us what we need and want. Fashion dictates the way we dress, what styles we wear, and even the food we eat. We must follow rigid exercise routines in expensive gymnasiums, drive only the best automobiles, and buy only certain brands of products for our families to consume. The media constantly inundates our subconscious with messages that instruct us how to behave, what to say, and gives directions on what is necessary to be accepted in the elite privileged society that we perceive to be the American dream. This is the education we get from the world around us. Where has this propaganda come from? Why are we not able to see the forest for the trees? Why do we accept all that is handed to us without questioning the motives? We have been led to believe that â€Å"they† are always right. We have been taught to fear our own judgment, to accept life without question. Such programming begins at birth, is exemplified by our elementary education, and snowballs as we continue to learn. We are a society of sheep, waiting for slaughter. Paulo Freire describes this kind of education in his essay â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† as: Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories, and the teacher is the depositor. Instead of communicating, the teacher issues communiquà ©s and makes deposits which the students patiently receive, memorize, and repeat. This is the â€Å"banking† concept of education, in which the scope of action allowed to the students extends only as far as receiving, filing, and storing the deposits. (349) Schooling in American society has become a process of transferring a pre-arranged amount of information to our children. It begins around age five and continues through the late teens, or until the students have successfully completed the courses required of them. Teachers force-feed a curriculum determined by the state, the county school board, and the school itself.

Analysis of Trifles by Susan Glaspell Essay -- Susan Glaspell

"Trifles" is a play with a unified plot. Although there are verbal flashbacks to the events of the day of the murder of John Wright, the play's entire plot begins and ends in a span of one day. The author also extends the unified plot to create a single setting (the farmhouse kitchen). The plot centers on John Wright's murder. Mrs. Wright is the main suspect; an investigation is taking place as to the motive or reason for the crime. The Sheriff, Mr. Hale and the County Attorney are introduced first to the audience. They are investigating the crime scene. The women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, accompany the men to gather whatever of Mrs. Wright's belongings that she needs in jail. This exposition turns ironic when the women end up "investigating" and actually come up with evidence, while the professional men leave without an answer to their quest to find a motive for the murder of Mrs. Wright's husband. Mr. Hale gives an account of what he came upon the day of the murder. He found Mrs. Wright in a state of shock and nervousness. Mr. Hale states that Mr. Wright didn't care much for talking to people; all he wanted was peace and quiet. This foreshadowing will be used by the women, mainly Mrs. Hale, to connect the motive to the dead bird that they find later on in the play. Additional foreshadowing facts are the broken jelly jar and the "very cold" kitchen atmosphere. Again, the women feel that this coldness was what drove Mrs.' Wright to murder. Mrs. Hale informs the County Attorney that Mr. Wright was not a very cheerful man, which may be why the farmhouse does not look or feel cheery. The audience learns that Mr. Wright was a cold, uncommunicative, selfish man. The theme of men versus women come into view... ...ver, Mrs. Peters undergoes character development from believing that it should be up to the law to decide what should happen to Mrs. Wright to being convinced that women ought to stand together against the stereotypical views of women that the men have. This change occurs when Mrs. Peters recalls a childhood event that involved her cat and a mean, dreadful little boy. The play's rising action occurs at the point when the men could not connect the why and the how of John Wright's murder. The women, as they meddle with their "trifles", uncovers the knowledge and objects that the masculine detectives were seeking. In the end, the men come up empty and the women leave the farmhouse with concealed evidence in hand - the dead bird. The audience is left thinking that Mrs. Wright will be a free woman. As to what the actual verdict will be, no one knows.

Chinese Lion Dance

Chinese Lion Dance The lion dance is a traditional dance performed in the Chinese culture. The performers mimic the moves of the lion inside a costume that looks in a way like a lion. Many people who are not very familiar with the Lion Dance often gets it confused with the Dragon Dance, since both are performed, for the most part, for the same occasions. It is simple to tell the two dances apart. The Lion Dance is performed most of the time with only two people. The Dragon Dance is performed with many people.In the Dragon Dance multiple people are inside the dragon costume holding up poles, whereas in the Lion Dance, there is someone holding the head of the lion and another person in the back of the lion costume acting as a rear of the lion. Lions were not originally from China. They came there through what was called the Silk Road. The rulers in what is today known as Iran and Afghanistan sent the lions over to the Chinese emperors as a gift in exchange to get the right to trade wit h the Silk Road merchants. This form of Lion Dance dates all the way back to the Han Dynasty, which was from 205 B.C. E. to 220 C. E. in China. The peak of the Lion Dance was during the Tang Dynasty, which was from 716 to 907 C. E. It was mainly danced during religious festivals to celebrate. The dance eventually became so famous that it was exported to Japan as a formal court entertainment. The Lion Dance soon made its way to Korea and Taiwan. The Lion Dance is not exactly the same in all the countries, but the meaning and symbol of the dance are similar. There are many different stories of how the Lion Dance got its origins. One famous story is called â€Å"The Emperor’s Dream. This story states how the emperor of the Tang Dynasty had a dream about how a strange creature came to his rescue. When he described his dream to some advisors, they told him that the creature he described resembled that of a lion, a creature from the Western Hemisphere. The emperor then created the lion dance to honor the creature which saved his life inside of his dream. Another story of how the Lion Dance got its origins is called â€Å"The Story of the ‘Nian’. † Legends say that there was a fierce monster by the name of â€Å"Nian† that liked to kidnap children.He attacked villages every year until one year, a lion defeated the â€Å"Nian† and chased it away. The monster promised that it will be back to seek revenge. This time the villagers did not have a lion to protect themselves. As a result, they solved the problem by creating a costume like that of a lion and two villagers wore the costume to scare â€Å"Nian† away. This is the reason the lion dance is performed every Chinese New Year, so that â€Å"Nian† would not come back. The legend also says that loud noises from the drum, other instruments, and firecrackers helped scare the â€Å"Nian† away.The color red is worn during the New Year’s celebration becau se it was also believed that the â€Å"Nianâ€Å", was afraid of the color red. The word â€Å"Nian,† thought the yearly ceremony, has become the Chinese word for year. There are two different styles of the Chinese Lion Dance, the Southern Style and the Northern Style. The older and traditional form of Chinese Lion Dance is the Southern Style. The Chinese Southern Lion Dance originated from Guangdong, a providence of China. The costumes of Lion Dance vary widely, but the lion head designs shows much differences.The traditional Fo Shan Lion, has bristles instead of fur and weighs more than the current costumes. The tails are extremely long and are perpendicular to the head for three fourths of the tail's length. The eyes also move left and right. On the back of the costume, there are gold foiled rims and traditional characters saying the group’s name. Older Liu Bei lions also have black in the tail, while the new ones do not. The Gwan Gung has a red and black tail wit h white trim. The Huang Joon has a full yellow tail with white trim. The Zhang Fei has a black and white tail with white trim and a white underside.The Zhao Zi Long lion is a green lion with a green tail with black trim and also a white underside. All the traditional style Fo Shan have pop-up teeth, tongue, swivelling eyes, and a gold gilded area on the back for the school's name and also the underside of the tail is white. The designs of the tail are also squarer and contain a diamond pattern going down the back; it is also common to see and hear bells attached to the tail. Although most lion dance costumes comes with a set of matching pants, some practitioners use black Kung-Fu pants to look more traditional. The Wong people perform the lion dance using this type of lion.The newer styles of lions for Fo Shan replace all the bristles with fur and the tails are shorter than the traditional ones. They eyes are fixed in place, and the tongue and teeth do not pop up. The tail is curvie r in design. The tail does not have a diamond pattern, and lacks bells. In addition, the dancers wear flashier pants which lack the ease of movement allowed when wearing Kung-Fu pants. The Chinese Northern Style of Chinese Lion Dance is performed usually with two lions. The lions of the North have shaggy orange and yellow hair. The way to tell these lions apart by gender is to see the bow on the head.The females don a green bow while the male lions wear a red bow. Acrobatics are very common with the Northern Style, with stunts like lifts or balancing on a giant ball. Northern lions sometimes appear as a family, with two large â€Å"adult† lions and a pair of small â€Å"young lions†. Different colors on the costumes of the lions represent the different elements of life. The yellow represents earth, black represents water, green represents wood, red represents fire, and white represents metal. The nose of the lions is usually a green color. Green symbolizes good luck, p rosperity, and the â€Å"influence of heaven. Attached to the forehead of the lion is a mirror. The mirror is said to scare away evil spirits by reflecting their own image against them, and also the ability to travel between heaven and earth. The costumes of the lions used for Chinese Lion Dance can only be custom made in specialty craft shops in rural parts of China and have to be imported at considerable expense for foreign countries outside Asia. For groups in Western countries, such as the United States, is made possible through funds raised through subscriptions and pledges made by members of local cultural and business societies.Special hand-made costumes with different add-ons can run up to 2000 dollars on some websites. Some countries, like Malaysia for example, has a really big Chinese population. As a result, local expertise may be available in making the lion costumes and musical instruments without having to get them imported from China. The head of the lion contains a symbol of many different animals itself. The horn is shaped like a bird for the phoenix, symbol for life and regeneration, also associated with representing the female element.The ears and the tail are shaped like a mystical creature, the Chinese unicorn, representing wisdom and good luck. The spine represents the snake, charm and wealth. The back hump of the head represents the tortoise which is the symbol for living a long life. The forehead and the beard are from the dragon, strength, leadership and the male element. The music associated to the Lion Dance is with instruments used live, right next to the performers. The music of drums, cymbals, and gongs are heard and the dance is synchronized with the beat of the song.There are also firecrackers, which is used to add on to the sounds as well. During Chinese New Year, different groups from different Chinese martial art schools visit the house and businesses of the Chinese community to perform what is called â€Å"cai ching. † The word â€Å"cai ching† translates to â€Å"plucking the greens. † What this is, is when a lion goes on a quest or journey to pluck the green, normally vegetables, like lettuce which in Chinese called â€Å"cai† and fruits like oranges tied to a â€Å"Red Envelope† containing money; either hang highly or just put on a table in front of the premises.The lion will dance to approach the â€Å"cai† and red envelope in a manner of that of a curious cat. It will then get the vegetable and red envelope. After, the cat will â€Å"eat the vegetable† (rip it up and throw it back out), and keep the red envelope containing money for their group. The lion dance is said to bring good luck and fortune to the businesses. Not only is the dance only done during Chinese New Year, but also in other religious festivals, business openings, birthday celebrations, and wedding celebrations.In the old days, the lettuce was hung 15 to 20 feet above ground and onl y a well-trained martial artist could reach the money while dancing with a heavy lion head. These events became challenging so a very large sum of money was rewarded, and the audience expected a good show. Sometimes, if lions from multiple martial arts schools approached the lettuce at the same time, the lions are supposed to â€Å"fight† to decide a winner. The lions had to fight with lion moves instead of chaotic street fighting styles. The audience would judge the quality of the martial art schools according to how the lions fought.Since the schools' reputation was at stake, the fights were usually fierce but civilized. The winner lion would then use creative methods and martial art skills to reach the high-hanging reward. Some lions may dance on bamboo stilts and some may step on human pyramids formed by students of the school to reach the â€Å"cai ching. † The performers and the schools would gain praise and respect on top of the large money reward when they did well. During the 1950’s to 1960’s, areas with many Chinese communities, such as Chinatown, had people who resembled that of a gangster who joined these Chinese Lion Dance groups.There were lots of fights between these Lion Dance groups and kung fu schools. This worried many parents, which caused the parents to avoid letting their children join these schools. During festivals and performances, when Lion Dance groups met up, there would be fights between the groups. Some lifts and acrobatic tricks are designed for the lion to â€Å"fight† and knock over other rival lions. Performers even hid daggers in their shoes and clothes, which could be used to injure other lion dancers’ legs.Some even attached a metal horn on their lion’s forehead, which could be used to slash other lion heads. The violence got so extreme that at one point that the Hong Kong government had to put a stop to lion dance completely. Now Lion Dance groups must attain a permit from t he government in order to perform the Lion Dance. Although there is still a certain degree of competitiveness, the groups are a lot less violent and aggressive than they were in the 1950’s to 1960’s. In modern day, the Chinese Lion Dance is seen as a sport and is more of something to do during free time.

In relation to mertons strain theory, consider whether crime is the product of blocked opportunities

The basis of Merton's Strain Theory lies with Emile Durkheim and his theory of anomie in so far as ‘anomie' is translated as ‘deregulation' or ‘normlessness'. Durkheim developed the concept of anomie in his book, Suicide, published in 1897 to refer to the lack of social regulation in modern society as one condition that promotes higher rates of suicide. He believed that individuals possessed an unlimited appetite of aspirations and it was up to society to regulate such an appetite. According to Durkheim, the appetites were regulated by the ‘collective conscience' of society; meaning people were bound together by their common morals and beliefs. However, if this mechanism failed or was significantly weakened, anomie would occur. An anomic state would unleash in people limitless appetites that could result in a variety of deviant behaviours. It was after reading Durkheim's work that â€Å"Merton assigned himself the task of discovering what produces anomie† (Hunt, 1961:58) Robert Merton was a criminologist who applied Durkheim's definition of anomie to modern industrial societies, with specific emphasis on the United States of America, and redefined the term. According to Merton, anomie is the form that social incoherence takes when there is a significant detachment â€Å"between valued cultural ends and a legitimate societal means to those ends† (Akers, 2000:143). Anomie can be separated into two distinct separate categories: macroside and microside. Macroside is caused when society fails to establish clear goal limits and is unable to regulate society members conduct. It is the microsided category that is more commonly referred to as strain, which focuses its attention on the breakdown of society and the increased levels in deviance, which is associated with this declining change that produces a stronger pressure among society members to commit crime. (Calhoun, 2003). Strain is the pressure that is placed on disadvantaged minority groups, where the lower societal population take any effective means to income and success that they can find even if those means are illegal (Akers, 2000:144), and Durkheim classified two strains of strain: individual and structural. Individual strain is described as the personally created stress that is attained by the person while they search for a means of meeting the needs they define through their personal expectations. Structural strain applies to members of the society who determine what their needs are based on societal ideas and are constantly battling to achieve these ideals (O'Connor, 2003). Following on from this, when Merton introduced his general strain theory, as aspirations increase and expectations decline, delinquency and the amount of deviant behaviour that occurs increases in effect to these changes. Merton recognised that certain expectations created by these two general types of strain and went on to identify five specific â€Å"modes of adaptation† to tackle these strains (Akers, 2000:144). Merton began his expansion on anomie by stating there are two elements of social and cultural structure. The first structure is culturally assigned goals and aspirations (Merton, 1938:672). These are the things that all individuals should want and expect out of life, including success, money, material possessions etc. The second aspect of the social structure defines the acceptable mode for achieving the goals and aspirations set out by society (Merton, 1938:673). This is outlined as the acceptable and appropriate way that people get both what they want and what they expect out of life, fro example obeying laws and societal norms, getting an education and working hard through life. It is expected that in order for society to maintain a normative function there must be a balance between aspirations and means in which to fulfil these aspirations (Merton, 1938:673-674). Balance would then occur as long as the individual felt that he was achieving this culturally desired goal by conforming to the â€Å"institutionally accepted mode of doing so† (Merton, 1938:674). Put in other words, there must be an intrinsic payoff, an internal satisfaction in playing by the rules as well as an extrinsic payoff of achieving their goals. It is also an important factor for all social classes to achieve these culturally desired goals through legitimate means, as if they are not, then illegitimate means might be employed to achieve the same goal. There is however, sometimes a disparity between goals and means with too much emphasis being placed on the goal itself and not the legitimate means by which it is achievable. For some members of the society, there is a lack of opportunity, which leads the individuals to a possible illegitimate way of achieving the goal. This, according to Merton is how crime is bred: – overemphasis on material success and lack of opportunity for such material success leads to crime. As mentioned previously, to supplement his theory, Merton developed a list of five possible reactions to such a disparity between goals and means. The first of these is the most common – Conformity. An individual facing this reaction accepts the goal alongside the institutionalised means. A second possible reaction would be Innovation. In this case, the individual accepts the goals facing him, but rejects the institutionalised means of attaining them. Then we have Ritualism, where the goal is rejected because the individual does not believe that it can be achieved but legitimate means are employed. Retreatism is where both the goal and the means are rejected. Merton used the example of the drug addict or alcoholic to demonstrate – people who are in society, but do not take part in the function of that society. The fifth and final reaction is Rebellion. Merton reserved rebellion for the individuals who, when frustrated, would elect to simply adopt a new social order and dispose of the old one.

Midterm Learning Reflection Essay

Introduction. You should print this out, although you may also use it as a template to type over. You will be writing two reflections this term: a midterm reflection and a final reflection. The final reflection is the one you want to have ultimately on your portfolio. Both your midterm and final learning reflections must be 700 to 1000 words, which is approximately two to three MLA-formatted pages. You can check your word count by going to Tools/Word Count on the menu bar. Style and Format. The writing style of the learning reflection is primarily expressive, but will also contain narrative elements. You do not need a Works Cited page unless you cite something. So, if, for example, you cite song lyrics, one of our texts, a poem, or even a work of art, then you need a Works Cited page. I’ve included one here to serve you for formatting purposes. File formats. We are going to be learning how to convert Word documents to pdf format so that they load more easily in a browser window. If you can, please practice with one or both of the following two methods, which are what I use (they are free). 1. Install a free pdf converter. These are not truly â€Å"free† in that they either force you to look at some advertising or they add a line on each page advertising the manufacturer of the software. I don’t have a problem with either of these and gladly suffer through the free advertising every time I convert a file to pdf, which I do all the time. The one I use to create all the pdf files for my classes is at http://www.pdf995.com/download.html. Download both the Pdf995 Printer Driver and the Free Converter (they are both free; they are required to work together, but for some reason, they are two separate downloads). After you go through the download and installation process, every time you want to create a pdf file from Word, all you need to do is select File/Print and then chose PDF995, which will show up as a â€Å"printer.† When you initiate this process of creating a pdf file, you will be prompted for a place to save the file, as well as a file name. Be careful to save the file to your H: drive or, if to your C: drive, to ftp (transfer) it over to your H: drive later. You will notice that some advertisements come up as the conversion process occurs. That’s the â€Å"price† you pay for the free conversion software. 2. The other pdf-conversion method I like is to use the free OpenOffice word processing software. This software should be in our labs. You can also download it for free on your own computer, from http://www.openoffice.org/. This is basically an open-source version of Microsoft Office. Once you’ve installed it (it’s large and takes a while to install), you can open any Word document with the OpenOffice word processing program (Open Document). Some of the original Word formatting may be lost – especially the header information with your last name and page number. You will need to add that back in; be sure you do it correctly. When you’re satisfied with the format, there is a little pdf icon on the toolbar that you can click, and that will automatically convert the document to pdf format. Learning Reflection Content. What should you discuss in your reflection? In general, you discuss what you’ve learned, what you’ve done especially well, what you’ve enjoyed – and the challenges you’ve encountered and how you might make changes in the future. Here are some suggestions for what to write about: †¢ Your experience transitioning from high school (or wherever you were previously) to a freshman in college, focusing on how you have grown as an individual and an independent student. †¢ Your experience in this particular course – your year-long freshman inquiry. In this regard, you should probably focus on the University Studies goals and the ways in which you have grown and developed with respect to those goals. I would expect that other courses have also contributed to the goal areas, so you might want to highlight any that have been particularly useful in that regard. †¢ Other experiences as a student here at Portland State. Portland State University’s mission is â€Å"Let Knowledge Serve the City,† which reflects the fact that we are an urban university. What have you learned with respect to community, diversity, and the connection between a learning community (the university) and the city in which it is located? Keep in mind that you may have acquired valuable experiences outside of the classroom, but still connected to your identity as a student. o Perhaps you have learned important lessons about discipline and time management as a student athlete, which may serve you well when you enter the workforce. o Maybe your involvement in activities with other students – such as taking dance classes or playing in the band or spending hours in an art studio or toughing out chemistry and physics labs – has improved your personal skills and brought to light new areas of interest, which you’ve pursued in your free time. o Or perhaps you’ve found out that you are a loner, that you haven’t connected very well with a lot of the people in your classes. As you reflect on this (or any other conclusions that some – maybe you – might consider, well, depressing), think of this is an opportunity to think of ways to make some changes in the future. †¢ A reflection, in other words, should include a self-assessment element as well as thinking along the lines of â€Å"What could I do better or differently in the future?† Consider the challenges you’ve faced, how you’ve overcome them, or how you’d like to overcome them in the fu ture. Conclusion. Your reflection should end in a way that gives the reader the sense that you are closing up a chapter in your life and ready to move on, with some ideas in mind of what you might do differently. My suggestion is that you do not spend a lot of time critiquing the world around you; after all, you can’t change that very much. Confine your reflection to you and what you have learned and experienced. Dwelling on what you don’t like about a given course or program is not a reflection about you, but about something else. Works Cited Eakin, Paul John. How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves. Ithaca and London: Cornell UP, 1999. Fiske, John. â€Å"Popular Culture.† Critical Terms for Literary Study. Ed. Frank Lentricchia and Thomas McLaughlin. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995. 321 – 335. Harrison, Claire. â€Å"Hypertext Links: Whither Thou Goest, and Why.† First Monday. 7 Oct. 2002. 10 Feb. 2004 .

Language Development Hypotheses Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Language Development Hypotheses - Term Paper Example r bilingualism affects intellectual development since as early as the 1920 when Saer (1923) and Smith (1923) executed numerous studies on the topic since then have attempted to determine whether monolingual and bilingual children differ in intelligence as measured by standard tests. Many of these investigators found out that bilingualism has a considerable effect on intellectual functioning. Nowadays bilingualism is tightly attached to intelligence. However, until the year 1962 due to many factors of which we can highlight racism, Bilingualism was considered as a problem see a handicap that prevents the child from adapting with his school mates and gives him an introverted character. Early studies showing bilingual children to be â€Å"handicapped† in speech development and academic achievement happened when they analyzed children’s intelligence without taking in consideration their socio-economical status. In fact most of the studies that proved that multilingualism hampered the child’s development were made on children coming from very low class environments and therefore suffering from dissatisfaction of their physical needs. These children are logically not scholarly advanced due to the preceding circumstances that out shadow the advantages offered by being bilingual. One of the most important researchers in that matter, O Doherty, (1958) suggests that it is necessary in any consideration of the influence of bilingualism on intelligence to distinguish between two types of bilinguals, genuine bilinguals and pseudo bilinguals. The pseudo bilingual knows one language more than the other and doesn’t use the second language in communic ation, the genuine bilingual masters both at an early age and feels comfortable communicating with both languages. When researchers distinguished between fluent bilinguals, they found out that fluent bilingual children develop more flexible mental capacities and frequently out-perform limited bilinguals of the same national

Service Learning Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Service Learning Journal - Essay Example I hoped learn how the elderly folk felt about the situation, how they managed to cope with different people and form new relationships so late in their lives. When I arrived on the first day, I had to go to the administration offices, and they had a vet check out my dog. The dog was healthy, I strolled over to the park/park where many of the senior citizens were resting under shady trees and some playing chess. I had not been in the park for more than 3 minutes when three elderly women beckoned me with charming smiles. One of them was on a wheelchair, and I helped her put the dog on her lap, she seemed immensely pleased and brushed it coat contentedly with a wistful look. She told me that she liked pets because they never judge, besides, her pets did look down on her because of her disability like people used to do before she came here. From this, I surmised that, at some point people had discriminated because of her condition. The fact that she was sitting with her friends now groom ing dog and seemingly enjoying herself brought to mind the ideas of Ruth Benedict on ethical relativism. While her disability made her looked down upon among â€Å"normal† people, here among many elderly and some with worse conditions she was accepted, and no one discriminated her (Benedict 49). I spent most of the afternoon with the woman and her friends she was quite talkative and told me a great deal about her past, I observed that, despite the fact that she was by far the frailest and of the trio, she seemed to have authority, and they seemed to take every word she said very seriously. This juxtaposed her story about being neglected and ignored by her family, she said that her life was much easier here than at home, and nurses and orderlies were exceptionally kind and ensured she took her medication. In my opinion, it embodied action oriented ethics since the nurses were ensuring they give her and the rest of the patients in need of drugs get them since not doing the same would result to absconding their moral and official duty hence(Taylor). The next day I did not go to the park, but walked to the cafeteria with my dog, I sat with two elderly men, but unlike my friends of the previous day, they preferred to talk to me and did not pay the dog much attention. I asked them if they would not rather stay at home and be looked after by their families, one of them told said that he asked his son to take him home because he felt he was being a burden since the young man was starting a family and had his hands full. The other was very happy about the situation and told he would rather have stayed at home, but his children had convinced him to go home and they would visit him frequently, which they rarely did. He realized it was just a ploy to get rid of him, but though it hurts him, he would rather remain with his new friends. I realized that the residents felt differently about being away from their families, and when some felt they were burdening their fa milies, others felt they had been betrayed. However, all who I met well happy living with their peers though some were nostalgic about their homes. I talked for a while with the men, and they bought me a cup of tea and taught me a few clever chess moves. I took Sally who was busy chewing at the buttons in Lewis’s shoes, I had tried to stop her, but the old man said it was quite all right and seemed to enjoy the

Role of BBC in Broadcasting Britishness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Role of BBC in Broadcasting Britishness - Essay Example BBC has been in the forefront in covering stories on Britishness which is aimed at fostering unity since it is the work of media to educate, inform and bring the people together. Britishness entails that which explains the lives of the British people with an aim of uniting them. Britishness is associated with national symbols, people, culture and beliefs, geographical features, language, values and attitudes, national identity or citizenship and their achievements1. The Union Jack and the Royal family symbolized Britishness. Its geography is related with the Scottish highlands, Welsh valleys and the British Isles. The British people maintain their cultural values which include the kind of food and drinks they consume for instance the English breakfast, fish and chips, cucumber sandwiches and Yorkshire pudding, sporting activities by promoting2. Holding a United Kingdom passport was a perception that the minority ethnic groups associated with Britishness. British people were united by the fact that they spoke English with varied intonations due to geographical regions and the social classes. Advancement in several sectors for example industrialization, discovery of sporting activities and medicinal products is associated with Britishness3. ... or representing UK and its countries, initiate and promote innovativeness and cultural success by providing financial support for creativity, uphold citizenship and the general society and to expose United Kingdom to the world as well as to introduce the world to the United Kingdom4. BBC mission is to ensure that every activity they take part in meets at least one of its intended purposes. BBC took upon its mandate to unite the people of Britain by exposing the diverse cultures and identity of Britishness. BBC has been seen to represent Britishness through its programs; it has aired harmonized and mixed information that portray the image and identity of British people. BBC covered information about the empire and the monarchy highlighted shared practices among the people living in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales5. BBC brought to light family and societal living among the British people by addressing that the empire was one family led by royals who instilled discipline, tradition s and peaceful coexistence. BBC did this by airing information on cultural ceremonies and overseas visits and by requesting kings to take part in Christmas broadcasts as they believed it would strengthen household Britishness values, practices and attitudes anywhere6. BBC initiated regional programs in Scotland and Wales. For example, a program on folk culture was aired with a focus on exposing the identity and the cultural practices of Scottish people although it was interrupted by the World War II7. BBC regional services contributed towards identity of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland by strengthening Britishness and establishing Ulster identity. BBC being the largest media broadcasting in the world has promoted Britishness by educating the Britons8. BBC has developed several learning

Business managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Business managment - Essay Example objectives tend to differ in a way that the VAA is a business organization trying to raise profits from the services offered while the British Red Cross is an organization trying to help people to survive hard situation. The target groups are different and the overall aims are also different. The airline has a responsibility of providing education and training to the young unemployed people. They can start aviation colleges, aeronautic engineering collages and such colleges to help the community and the government at large to grow. They can also benefit by employing qualified and skilled personnel who have been trained there. VAA has a responsibility of providing quality services to its customers. They can improve the services by increasing the comfort, the capacity of the air buses and the hospitality. They also have a responsibility of creating a good reputation to the shareholders and investors. This can be done through ensuring that the economic state of the company is maintained. This can also be done through making good use of the capital so as to obtain solid profitability to meet shareholder and investor expectations with stable dividends. (â€Å"Responsibility to stakeholders†. 2004) The airline has a responsibility of taking good care of the employees and staff. They should be provided with a good working environment, treated with fairness and rewarded for their performance since their hard work leads to the prosperity of the firm. It also have a responsibility of ensuring that they help to protect the environment by reducing pollution e.g. by the air buses. It has a responsibility of taking care of the business partners like the suppliers e.g through striving for mutual growth and prosperity. They should also pay taxes to the government and operate under the governing laws. VAA improved the services to the customers by expanding the airlines and enabling travel to many countries. Initially, the airline was intended to fly between London and Falkland

Case summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Case summary - Assignment Example Furthermore the locality of the airline provides it with a competitive advantage as it is located in the region of Dubai which is the hub to several important cities throughout the world. Other than the locality the company does not face any issues from the unions and is owned by a single shareholder. The company is indulged in carefully attending to the customer’s needs and wants. The airline has quite strong relationships with its suppliers such as Airbus and Boeing and the airline even enjoys the benefits of government help as well as subsidized fuel. These advantages may prove to be a disadvantage if it wants to make a mark in other localities. It even experiences immense competition from domestic competitors such as Etihad Airlines as they are even performing quite well and are satisfying customer needs and wants in a successful manner. A major problem that the airline is experiencing is that its customers who are basically businesses and their employees are trying to cut down on their travelling