Reaction Paper in the Movie Jose Rizal

The movie tells the life story of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. A three-hour epic on the life and struggles of his poet and patriotisms. It covers his life fromhis childhood to his execution at the hands of the Spanish forces occupying thePhilippines in the late 19th century. We are also thrown into the world of Rizal's novels (filmed in black and white), so we get a glimpse of how he viewed Filipino society under the Spanish heal. The film also through a series of flashback showing Rizal as a genius, a writer, a doctor, an artist, a lover, a friend, a brother and a son, thus giving a rich texture of Rizal’s character.The movie introduces us to the life of subjugation of the Filipino people under the rule of the Spanish friars. From the execution of three Filipino priests in 1872 for alleged subversion to the harsh and unequal treatment of Filipino students in the schools, this film is a stinging indictment of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. I als o commend the film for its bravery in showing the evil tyranny of the Catholic Church during that time. Considering that the Philippines is a Catholic nation that is like butchering a sacred cow but alas, Abaya works her magic in depicting the suffering of the Filipinos because of the friars.This is by far the best Filipino movie that I have seen so far. I would urge anyone reading this who likes movies, to either rent it or buy it. I particularly love the last scene of the film when Rizal fell in the ground facing the sky, having his last breath looking at a beautiful sunrise- a metaphor depicting that Rizal did not die in vain. He did not die for nothing. He did not die defeated. Rather he died victorious because his death is the torch that lights Philippine independence, that ignites Philippine RevolutionOne of the strengths of Jose Rizal is the incorporation of the characters of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in the life of Rizal and of the Filipinos in general. This only shows that the two books are reflections of the lives of the Filipinos during the Spanish regime. But the thought and noble ideas of the book do not only live in the past but also in the present manifesting the universality and immortality of Rizal's ideas. The beautiful transition of Rizal's time and the setting of the two novels is really impressive.

Outline and Evaluate Cross-Cultural Studies of Gender Role Essay

There have been various studies that have observed elements of gender roles in other countries, one such study was conducted by Williams and Best, the study explored gender stereotypes in 30 different nations involving 2800 university students as participants. They were given a 300 item adjective checklist and asked to decide whether an item was most associated with men or women. What they found out was that there was a broad consensus across countries with men being seen as more dominant and aggressive and women being seen as nurturing and defendant. This supports the common stereotype of both genders, that males are â€Å"dominant and aggressive† and that females are â€Å"nurturing and defendant†. The findings from this study do have strengths, due to the sample used. The studies sample firstly was large and also very diverse in terms of culture, religion and ethnicity (expected of universities) and because of this the population validity of the findings increases and makes the results more generalizable and representative of the wider population, this means the conclusion of gender roles being consistent throughout cultures is applicable to the general population. However there is a flaw within the study, you could say that although the sample was drawn from a large geographical pool, which should indicate representativeness, they were all students who share common attributes and viewpoints and so they may not being necessarily representative of the population of their country and all social groups within. Also the construction of the checklist did not include an equal category alongside the male and female category, so this means that the division between the male and female categories may be exaggerated, thus prompting the students to believe that there is a gap between men and women and thus making them draw upon their inner stereotypical views. Also there are methodological flaws, the checklist comes into account again as it is developed by Western psychologists, because of this the westernised perspective behaviours considered in one culture to be feminine may not be considered feminine in another, so therefore the findings may be of little use to those in other cultures. This study suggests that there are universal stereotypes about male-female characteristics therefore indicating that gender roles are influenced more y our biology and evolution rather than socially constructed. However its arguable that the findings lack validity and that empirical evidence of cross-cultural studies on gender roles is less useful than initially believed. Another study is one conducted by Margaret Mead, she studied social groups in Papua New Guinea. Initially, she argued that the â€Å"Arapesh† men and women were gentle, the â€Å"Mundugumor† men and women were violent and the â€Å"Tchambuli†exhibited gender role differences with women being more dominant and men dependable. She concluded that this date demonstrated cultural determinism and that gender differences are determined by social factors. However Mead later changed her view to one of culture relativism. When she re-analysed her data she realised that although both sexes of the Arapesh were non-aggressive and both sexes of the Mundugamor were aggressive, in all three societies the men were more aggressive than the women. This suggests that some behaviours are innate and universal, but the degree to which these behaviours are expressed is relative to the particular culture. The study was a natural experiment, so Mead was observing the groups in their usual enviroment, it could be argued that she was noting their true behaviour, however it could be argued that the natives were simply providing Mead with the information she wanted to hear and therefore the study may not be as valid as it seems. Also there are methodological issues with the research conducted by Mead, as she used ethnographic field research and the data would have been gathered through participant observation, interviews and questionnaires, all methods whereby the results are easily subject to observer bias. Mead would have had to speculate on what the data potentially meant and acknowledge that her own cultural biases will have affected the interpretation. Due to the fact results may not be objective and the fact that non-scientific methods were used to collect data (both key features of psychology as a science), the validity of the findings seems to decrease and due to this reduced validity we cannot accurately conclude that gender roles do vary depending on culture to the studies methodological flaws. However, there is further evidence to support the assumption that gender roles are not consistent worldwide, Antonia Young carried out a study on the unusual gender roles in Albania. She found a group called the Albania virgins who were born into families which lacked a male presence and thus adopted the male role, committed to being a virgin and dressed and acted as men. The society accepted them as male and they were admitted to all male clubs and social groups. This suggests that societies create gender roles based on the needs of their society/culture and therefore shows that genders do vary across cultures. In conclusion, cross cultural studies help us to establish whether nature or nurture has the greater influence over gender roles. Both Mead and Young’s studies imply that nurture and social influences have a greater influence on gender roles, however evidence from William and Best lies on the nature side of the debate by indicating that our biology is more dominant.

Erik Erikson Psychosocial Stages Essay

To summarize this article is basically showing the identity development from a lifespan perspective. This article discusses the different developmental stages from childhood stages until the adulthood stages. In order to better investigate or research these stages they make use of Erik Erikson’s psychological theory to do so. After researchers did the studies they found different patterns of psychosocial balance which were found for each identity style with largely consistent findings. Included in this article are the research findings from empirical studies. It seemed for many individuals identity development is a lifelong process that ranges well past the years of adolescence. Summary of the Theory The person identified with this theory is Erik Erikson. Erikson’s psychosocial theory is composed of eight developmental stages which span throughout the course of life. Each stage presents the individual with a natural task or conflict that they must successfully resolve to proceed with development. He placed a great emphasis on sociocultural factors because he believed these strongly influenced developments. Erikson believed that childhood identification is the foundation for identity formation in adolescence. One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity, (ego identity develop through social interaction). The concept of this theory emphasizes that humans continue to change and develop throughout their lives and that personality is not exclusively formed during the early childhood years. This idea is helpful and optimistic and many believe it is too realistic. According to Erikson our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experiences and our daily interactions with others. This concept was very powerful for self-awareness and improvement, and for teaching and helping others. Erikson’s model of psychosocial development is a very significant, highly regarded and meaningful concept. Life is a series of lessons and challenges which helps us to grow. Erikson’s wonderful theory helps to tell us why. This theory is very helpful for child development and adults too. Erikson believed that his psychosocial principle is genetically inevitable in shaping (mind) and social (relationships). HE also referred to his theory as â€Å"epigenesist† and the â€Å"epigenetic principle,† which signified the concepts relevance to  evolution (past and future) and genetics. Erikson explained his use of the word â€Å"epigenesist† thus â€Å"epi† can mean above in space as before in time, and in connection with genesis can well represent the space- time nature of all development. Like other seminal concepts, Erikson’s model is simple yet very sophisticated. The theory is a basis for broad or complex discussion and the analysis of personality and behavior, and also for understanding and for facilitating personal development- of self and others. Although Erikson’s theory provides useful information, there is some limitations with his theory. For instance his theory does not suit when explaining different types of personality differences that exist among individuals. Such personality differences are listed in the 5 factor model of personality: extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. Personality differences can affect the outcome solving psychosocial crisis. Critical Analysis of the Articles Use of the Theory The theory was used to explain the life span of human beings life over the course of childhood to adulthood. The theory was very suitable for this article because it helps to explain human behavior. Those eight stages of the psychosocial theory explain how identity is formed. The theory also clarify that the ego as well as internal and external motives determine individual’s behavior. The theory also helps to explain that role confusion can lead to a very different human experience and it causes the individual to question one’s personality. In the article the theory was used to help individuals understand that identity is a major part of one’s self. However, if an individual does not master in these psychosocial phases, then there is a conflict with one’s identity and interferes with the development of the person. Research shows that identity development continues to be an ongoing process throughout adulthood. The process of forming an identity involves creating a logical sense of self. The theory also helps to understand that childhood experiences are the most intellectual, articulate, and prominent times of a person’s life. I think there’s a relationship between our theory and article because the theory we were assigned focuses on Cycle social. This theory argues that events and stages of society and history are generally repeating themselves in cycles. In our article it discussed Erikson’s Developmental stages and how they were effective from childhood to  adulthood. After reading our article and better understanding Erikson’s theory it all makes sense. Each developmental stage is used in order to allow one to grow with each age. Erikson was keen on improving the way children and young people are taught and nurtured, and it would be appropriate for his ideas to be more widely known and used in day-to-day life, beyond the clinical and counseling professions. I evaluated that this theory ties into my article perfectly because the cycle social theory is basically about the cycle we go through in order to change and grow as humans. The article discussed each psychosocial stage that Erikson came up with while doing his research.

Evidence of Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evidence of Evolution - Essay Example As a result led an arboreal way of life characterized good eye precision, a hand grip and padded feet with claws to enable climbing. The first primates were Prosimians whose niche was during the Paleocene Epoch. Prosimians faced global extinction of plants and animals that lacked adaptions to survive in the changing environment and had to adapt to complete the versatile ecological niche (Butzer, 1977). The early Prosimians were relatively small in size, they had a grasping hand and feet that were adapted to climbing trees and efficiently manipulated objects. At this stage they were developing stereoscopic vision. However, the Prosimians became extinct by the end of the Eocene Epoch and gave way to the anthropoids that existed during the Oligocene. The Oligocene was characterized by regional climate shifts that definitely influenced the direction of evolution (O’Neil, 2003). The climate at the time created a favorable environment for growth of fruits and seed plants that the anthropoids feed on. However, they still lived on trees. Due their environment and feeding habits, they had fewer teeth, larger brain capacity and a more defined stereoscopic vision as compared to the Prosimians. The Miocene Epoch was the next Epoch after the Oligocene. It was characterized by the movement of tectonic plates that created mountain chains. This changed the weather patterns, whereas the progressive global cooling and drying was still in force. Eventually, polar ice caps reduced the amount of water in the oceans lowering the sea levels. A land reconnection occurred between Africa and Asia, providing a migration route for primates and other animals (Williams, 2001). Tropical forests in South Asia and East Africa replaced the dry grasslands and woodlands providing a strategic environment for the survival of primates. The hominoids evolved during this period as primate

Own topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Own topic - Essay Example How the temperature of the solution influences the enzyme activity. It is expected that the enzyme will be destroyed at high temperatures and will work slowly at low temperatures because the enzyme is found in a plant that lives approximately at 10C-30C. The influence of the pH on enzyme activity. Because the plant tissue that the enzyme is found in is not extremely acidic or basic, it is expected that extremes of pH will have a negative effect on enzyme activity. Previously prepared enzyme extract at volumes of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 ml was added to tubes containing 1.0 ml guaicol dye (or 0 ml for control), 2.0 ml H2O2 (or 0 ml for control), and buffer (pH 5) at volumes of 3-5 ml to produce a total volume of 8.0 ml. Spectrophotometer readings at 500 nm were performed at 20 second intervals immediately after mixing the tubes for two minutes and the results were recorded. Mixtures of 4 ml buffer (pH 5) (or 0 ml for control), 2.0 ml H2O2 (or 0 ml for control), 1.0 ml of extract (or 0 ml for control) and 1.0 ml guaicol dye (or 0 ml for control) were combined at a total volume of 8 ml, incubated at 4C, 22C, 32C and 48C and 100C All the solutions were pre-incubated at the appropriate temperatures for 15 minutes to allow them to equilibrate before mixing. Spectrophotometer readings at 500 nm were performed at 20 second intervals immediately after mixing the tubes for two minutes and the results were recorded. To determine the effects of pH mixtures of 4 ml buffer at pH 3, 5, 7 or 9 (or 5 or 0 ml for control), 2.0 ml H2O2 (or 0 ml for control), 1.0 ml of extract (or 0 ml for control) and 1.0 ml guaicol dye (or 0 ml for control) were combined at a total volume of 8 ml. Spectrophotometer readings at 500 nm were performed at 20 second intervals immediately after mixing the tubes for two minutes and the results were recorded To see how inhibitors effect enzyme activity mixtures of 4 ml buffer (pH 5) (or 0 ml

Justification of vendor ROI for a major equipment used in radiology Assignment

Justification of vendor ROI for a major equipment used in radiology - Assignment Example The report also highlights the relationship between cost justification and return on investment in detail from the manager’s point of view providing justification for the feasibility of the capital purchase or investment decision to be made to the Vice president of the company. Variance report is a method of communicating the performance of the company between the executives. A comparative analysis is conducted by comparing the available set of figures to reach an effective outcome. The sole purpose of the variance analysis is to review the budgetary goals and targets which the company plans to achieve. The management required to review the monthly budget because the expenses of the salaries were higher and the supplies and equipment which were available in the particular department were comparatively lower than the budget breakup. A properly formed variance reports includes the overspending or under-spending trends. In this case the hospital is spending more on the salaries of the employees and less on the equipment although the prescribed budget is sufficient to do so. A variance analysis must include proper graphs and figures and it must define the favorable and unfavorable position of a particular decision (Microsoft, n.d.). A variance analysis must include the comparison of the actual and the budgeted figures. The difference in the variation of the actual and the budgeted figures of the hospital will be clearly predicted to reach to a conclusion. A variance report identifies the areas which will improve the installation of the Linear Accelerator. The equipment and the vendor from which the equipment will be purchased are discussed in this report. During the analysis the calculation of the cash budget will be analyzed. A detailed structure of the estimated rise in the number of patients for the economic period will be projected with the figures of the receivables and the cash

Stops, Frisks, and Terry Stops Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Stops, Frisks, and Terry Stops - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze the Terry stop legal issue and its impact in the society. The paper will also look at constitutional issues that touch on the matter and the impact that they have had. Introduction The issue of stop, frisk and Terry stop is very controversial and has been debated for a long period of time. A Terry stop involves stopping of an individual by a law enforcement officer for frisking and in some cases a short detention. An individual may be stopped for frisking if they are suspected of having committed or being likely to commit a crime by a law enforcement officer. As one undergoes a Terry stop, the police officer frisks and individual (the suspect) to ensure that the officer is not in danger or other members of the public (Acker & Brody, 2012). A Terry stop is different from an arrest since it takes less time and is accompanied by less legal procedures. During a Terry Stop, a police officer usually confirm the details of the suspect and finds out whether they have a criminal record or outstanding fines or arrest warrants that have been issued against them. Groups that represent both sides of the argument present their debates which sound justified. Records of crime statistics show that there has been an increase in crimes that are committed all over the country. People all over the world feel that is up to the government to introduce measures that lead to a reduction of crime levels. Stop, frisks and Terry stops is one of the ways that was introduced by the government to try and curb crime levels all over the country. Law enforcers feel that prevention of crimes consumes fewer resources and saves more lives for minimal inconvenience if any to those that undergo the Terry stops. Discussions Stops, Frisks, and Terry Stops affect many individuals in the United States and perceptions on the government and law enforcement officers. This constitutional issue also affects the constitutional rights of individuals. Terry stop and frisk involves detent ion by police if they are suspicious that an individual has been involved in committing a crime. The Terry stop and frisk law was introduced in 1968 after the Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S 1 (1968) court decision that was made by the Supreme court in the United States. The decision also authorized the police to conduct searches on the outer garments of the suspect if they have articulable suspicion that the suspect is armed and dangerous. The court authorized law enforcers to being able to detain an individual who they suspect is involved in committing a crime. Law enforcement officers also have the legal right to search the individual that they have detained. In some cases, the law enforcers might feel that the suspect might be in possession of a weapon, and may be planning to use in order to commit a crime. The rationale that causes the law enforcers to feel that the individual is likely to commit a crime should be reasonable. For example, a suspect might look overly nervous yet there is no evident reason why they should appear so. Such behavior might be an indication that such an individual is about to commit a crime. The law authorizes police officers to seize any form of contraband that they would find on a suspect while conducting the frisking. However there are some conditions in the frisking of the suspect (Acker & Brody, 2012). The frisking should be limited to the outer clothing of the

Putting the person with diabetes first the team approach in holistic Essay

Putting the person with diabetes first the team approach in holistic assessment and management of diabetes mellitus. The module - Essay Example His cholesterol is high, as is his blood pressure. He is on Lipitor 80mg at night, has no foot ulcers or skin sores. He is also on metformin and sulfonylureas for his blood glucose maintenance. He does his best to comply with his regular medication, mostly his oral anti-diabetic medicines. His HbA1C is however persistently rising and he may need to be put on insulin for the next few months if his blood sugar would not be managed better. He has a strong support system through his wife and children. He is also intelligent and has a good understanding of his disease, however he is in denial about the long-term complications which may relate to his disease. This paper will discuss the appropriate and effective nursing management of this patient, considering mostly the importance of holistic assessment, self-management, and team approach in securing improved patient outcomes. Body The regulation of blood sugar levels are based on negative feedback which seeks to secure homeostasis for the body (Matthews, et.al. 2008). Blood glucose levels are monitored by the pancreas, mostly through cells called the Islets of Langerhans. In instances where the blood glucose would decrease near or below threshold levels, especially during exercise or prolonged lack of food, the Alpha cells of the pancreas discharge the hormone glucagon (Matthews, et.al. 2008). ... f glycogen or through the normal process of food ingestion, another hormone – insulin – is released from the beta cells of the pancreas (Brill 2011). Insulin allows the liver to convert the glucose into glycogen through the process of glycogenesis, thereby prompting majority of the body’s cells to use glucose found in the blood transported through the GLUT4 transporter (Powell 2007). This process would then lead to decreased blood sugar levels. As insulin attaches to the receptors found on the surface of the cells, the GLUT4 transporters bind to the plasma membrane through exocytosis. This would assist in the diffusion of glucose within the cell (Powell 2007). Glucose enters the cell and through phosphorylation, it is transformed into Glucose-6 Phosphate. This process helps maintain the concentration gradients, allowing glucose continued entry into the cell (Woodruff and Saudek 2005). The insulin gives the signal to the different systems, allowing metabolic contr ols to be maintained. In the case of Diabetes Mellitus type 1, non-production or insufficient production of insulin causes high blood glucose levels; and type 2 is often caused by a reduced responsiveness to insulin by the body tissues (Dubois and Bankauskaite 2005). There is insulin resistance, in other words. If unmanaged, diabetes, would persistently cause blood sugar levels to rise, with the glucose remaining within blood circulation, not absorbed or delivered by the cells (Dubois and Bankauskaite 2005). It can then lead to a variety of complications. The deficiency of insulin or the insensitivity of the receptors to insulin has a major role to play in the manifestation of diabetes. Individuals ingest and digest carbohydrates and through the actions of the enzymes within the digestive tract are

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss - Essay Example The History of Love is a novel that revolves around the lives of three people. One of them is Leo Gursky, an ageing man living in perpetual fear of losing his life and feeling that this will happen unnoticed. He prepares for death in a shabby apartment in downtown Manhattan. The second is Leo, a Jew who made his way out of Poland as the Nazi advanced during the 2nd World War. When the author introduces Gursky, he seems to be weary of life after all that he has lost. While he lived in Poland, he was in love with a girl named Alma, to whom he had written a book and named all the female characters in the book after, a book also called â€Å"The History of Love†. However, Leo lost Alma when she moved to America and married someone else after she thought him dead in the Nazi Holocaust. Later on, when Leo moves to America, he leaves this novel to a friend who later tells him that he lost it. Although, Leo is able to survive the Nazi and their war and finally gets to the United State s, he does not have anything left. This is because he has lost the woman he loved and the book in which he chronicled all the memorable incidences that happened in his life. The novel arouses a feeling of sympathy for the losses that this kind man has experienced (Kuster 33). Alone in his house, in Manhattan, having lost the son that he loved so much, he is representative of what happens during old age, and what old people go through regarding their memories of loss. Leo finds it impossible to get over his love and loss of Alma and cannot move on with his life. The loss he felt when Alma left was a lot, however, he still loves her as much when she becomes an old woman, losing her life in a hospital as he did when she was eleven years of age. As she dies, Leo is again confronted by loss and he goes to sit by her side every day during after-hours while telling her jokes: â€Å"She was tiny and wrinkled and deaf as a door knob. There was so much I should have said†¦. yet I told h er jokes† (Krauss 65). When considering the theme of loss in The History of Love, it is impossible not to notice the way that the author uses language to chronicle the feelings of loss. "She was gone, and all that was left was the space you'd grown around her, like a tree that grows around a fence. For a long time, it remained hollow. Years, maybe, and when at last it was filled again, you knew that the new love you felt for a woman would have been impossible without Alma. If it weren't for her, there would never have been an empty space or the need to fill it" (Krauss 189). The passage in the novel is a stark description of the feeling of loss, as well as the feeling of void after as a distraught Leo Gursky experienced it. After Leo Gursky had settled, in America, he got himself a job as a locksmith at a shop owned and run by his cousin. As the years pass by, Leo Gursky grows old and begins to lose his health in terms of his heart becomes weaker. He becomes lonely and frighte ned in regards to his unfulfilled life and losses, which he suffers (Kuster 43). He watches on as the son he lost grows up and becomes a renowned writer before he loses him when he grows old and passes away. He has had to do all this from a distance since he lost his son’s love. He earlier stated that he had a son named Isaac who is not aware of his existence. As an old man, Leo attempts to do anything with the aim of making sure that when he dies; he is not forgotten, the memories others have of him are not lost and he does not die as an invisible man. He poses nude for various arts classes, hassles the deliverymen and spills milk at a Starbucks store. He does these to ensure that people remember him and his life does not get lost. He continues with his life, but does not know

The Michelin Man Essay Example for Free

The Michelin Man Essay The Michelin Man goes to show that Michelin tires are either longer lasting than other brands or it can mean that you as a consumer get to grow old literally because all this time, you were able to avoid accidents using the said brand of tires. The Michelin man can also mean that given the demographics of America’s population, wherein the dominant age bracket belongs to the ages between 18 years old and over, constituting 227,719,000 as of 2007. Looking at Michelin USA’s present website, Â  one can get an exact answer with regards to the evolution of the Michelin Man, the website states that the Michelin Man was evolving given the period and current tire innovations so as to always remain in phase with his time. The slogan on the other hand, is pretty much timeless, so there seems to be no need, in the part of the company, to change it. The 2009 BMW M3 has been issued a recall last November 14, 2008 specifically the ones with an optional double clutch transmission. The problem occurs when the vehicle enters a situation of rapid vehicle deceleration; the transmission software has a chance of performing a multistage downshift, causing the engine to stall and increases the risk of a crash. The proposed solution will be the reprogramming of the engine and transmission electronic control unit with updates on the software, free of charge. I am not aware of this recall, due to the fact that it was not pretty much made as public as other problems, but if given the resources, and the fix can be done in a short amount of time, I will still get myself a 2009 M3 because I myself know for a fact that BMW is fast in fixing vehicles that suffer recalls, plus the BMW brand seldom suffers long lasting problems due to their dedication in giving the best to their customers. Bibliography Michelin USA. The Michelin Man: the living tire. Michelin. Retrieved March 23, 2009, from http://www.michelin.com/corporate/front/templates/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=99lang=EN United States Census. Resident population by age and sex: 1980 to 2007. Census. Retrieved March 23, 2009, from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/09s0007.pdf Motor Trend. 2009 BMW M3 recalls. Motor Trend. Retrieved March 23, 2009, from http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2009/bmw/m3/recalls/index.html

The Importance Of Memory Continuity Philosophy Essay

The Importance Of Memory Continuity Philosophy Essay In this chapter I will demonstrate that memories are very important to our conception of ourselves and the identities of others, but are unreliable and not alone sufficient for ensuring the continuity of ones identity. I believe that more psychological elements are required in instances where memories are erroneous or have been forgotten. Consciousness is a difficult term to define though. Thomas Reid points out that we cannot be conscious of the past, as you can only ever be conscious of the present (Reid, p. 222). So perhaps Locke means it is our memories which make us the same person as we were yesterday. The problem with this is that I can remember what my flatmates were doing yesterday, but this does not make me identical with my flatmates. So it must only be first-person memory, from my own perspective, which demonstrates that I am identical with myself from yesterday. Joseph Butler objects that this results in a circular position, as having first-person memories implies my remembering that I performed those actions (Butler, p. 324). However, we can see that it would be possible for someone to wake up with amnesia, knowing what actions they had performed recently but with no idea who they are. Therefore, it is possible to separate first-person memory from identity. This is the position popularly attributed to Lo cke. But does this mean that I cease to be myself when I sleep, or that when I temporarily forget that I went cycling yesterday I am no longer the person who went cycling yesterday? Locke would not believe this to be the case. As long as I remembered when I was prompted or woken up then I would still be the same person. But what if I could not remember, even with prompting? For example, someone with Alzheimers disease may suffer loss of memory of recent events. There was also the case of David Fitzpatrick, who suffered a dissociative fugue at age 25, causing him to forget everything about his life before the fugue (Channel Fives The Man With No Past). As Lockes theory of identity related to the responsibility of the agent, Locke would have to say that David Fitzpatrick could not be held responsible for any of the actions, good or bad, he had carried out prior to his fugue. We are reluctant to accept that people are not responsible for actions they cannot recall committing. A distinction which needs to be drawn in Lockes position on accountability is the difference between being conscious of an action now and being conscious of it when it was being committed. For example, (sleepwalker?) was not convicted of the murder of his father because he committed the crime while asleep. Since he was clearly not conscious of the actions he was performing, he was not held responsible for them. However, someone who intentionally hurts many people and later forgets what he has done should not be deemed innocent. As this pertains to identity, we can see that there may be parts of our lives we can no longer recall. For example, most of us recall very little of our early childhood. Thomas Reid objects to this element of Lockes theory of identity with a famous example. A young boy is flogged for stealing apples, grows up to become an officer and later becomes a general. The officer remembered being flogged, and the general remembers being an officer, but the general does not remember being flogged. According to Locke this means the general is not the same person as he was as a child. Reid argues, however, that identity is transitive (Reid, p.249). This means that since the general remembers being an officer, and the officer remembers being flogged, the general is identical with the boy who was flogged, which means Lockes response is nonsensical. But identity is not necessarily transitive. For example, the cup by my bed was full last night but this morning it is empty. This does not mean that the cup I see this morning is different to the one that was there last night. Not all qualities must remain the same in order for people and objects to be the same over time. The only aspect which Locke says must be consistent is our consciousness. ( A huge problem with Lockes theory is the possibility that one may have memories which have become distorted over time, or altogether false. Memories are extremely fragile, and easily led by suggestions from others. For example, Locke explains that, in the case of one who falsely suffers guilt for someone elses crime, when we get to Heaven, God will ensure that the only memories we have and can be held responsible for are our own (Locke, p. 473). But in order for God to determine which memories are ours, he must be able to determine who we are. Locke is unable to explain how God determines this, and why we cannot use Gods criteria instead of Lockes flawed system. A similar problem for Locke is cases of amnesia, whereby a person forgets everything of their past. A new person may seem to emerge after the episode. But what if they later recovered their memory? Similarly, what happens to their old self during times of identity loss. Should we consider the old person to have died? But then when they return we could only consider them to have come back to life. So body needed to act as a kind of enclosure for the memories, allowing for some kind of continuity during times of memory or psychological loss. Tan Tai Wei states that the unreliability of memories means that we need more in order to assure ones identity. He claims that our bodies are necessary for the authentication of our memories. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/jm4072410n14l705/]. As demonstrated in previous chapters, the only important aspects of our body are the brain and our genetic make-up. Yet these do not seem to offer any reliable authentication of our memories. Instead, I believe that what we ourselves would deem important for the continuation of our identity is our psychology: our beliefs, opinions, attitudes and passions. J. Butler, Analogy of Religion, Harper and Brothers, New York, 1860. J. Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, (ed.) T. J. Cobden-Sanderson and J. F. Dove, Oxford University, Oxford, 1828. T. Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, in: The Works of Thomas Reid, Vol. 1, (ed.) MacLaughlan and Stewart, Edinburgh, 1872. The Man With No Past 2006, television programme, Extraordinary People, Channel Five, UK, 15th November.

Teenage Dramas And Pop Culture Media Essay

Teenage Dramas And Pop Culture Media Essay American teenage drama series such as Glee, Gossip Girl, 90210, One Tree Hill, the O.C. and etcetera have won over the hearts of adolescents in this era. These teen drama series have become pop culture phenomenon such that they have expanded their fan base in Asian countries like Malaysia. The teen series craze is rather palpable among the students of Mara College Banting. However, to what extent are we aware of the effects of watching these teenage drama series? Are these trend-setting drama shows a good or bad influence on the students of Mara College Banting in terms of language and cultural interaction? These questions have inspired me to investigate my research question, How Does Watching American Teenage Drama Series Affect Mara College Banting Students Written Vocabulary? The main focus of my paper will be investigating how the dialogues of the characters and the visual stimulations of the teenage drama series affect Mara College Banting students own vocabulary. I specifically chose teenage drama series from the United States due to the intriguing colloquial language and the massive influence they have on the viewers. My area of study encompasses written vocabulary, particularly in terms of informal writing. It is worthy to realize just how much we have learned from watching these teen series and incorporating them in our daily language. Hence, observations on daily written texts in social networks, online conversations and diary entries will provide solid evidence relevant to this research. The focal aim will be colloquialism, abbreviations, idiomatic expressions and expansion of vocabulary. This research question is worthy of investigation because it scrutinizes the effects of watching American teenage drama series towards Mara College Banting students. From this research, I can determine whether or not the students incorporate what they learned unconsciously from watching these series into their daily written production. Language is so vital to human culture and social interaction.  [1]  After all, the Western media have greatly influenced the youths of Malaysia. With the growing popularity of teenage drama series, it is best to consider the implications it might have on the students English, specifically vocabulary. Background Mara College Banting students are truly huge fans of American teenage drama series. To conduct my research, I randomly selected 30 students from different types of courses (Medicine, Engineering and Biotechnology). The age group of my respondents ranges from 18 to 20 years old. To prove how much these teenage drama series have affected Mara College Banting students, I have extracted two Facebook  [2]  entries. Azzeem Shahren : Im out of GG, out of GLEE and out of Vampire Diariesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and theres just no waiting for the next episode/season when you only got 2 weeks leftà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ can someone supply me with other things to watch?  [3]  May 28, 10:51 pm Azmir Seed Fakkri: been watching Gossip Girls, Glee and next up is the Vampire Diaries.  [4]  May 26, 2:26 pm Evidently, the students of Mara College Banting are loyal fans of these teenage drama series. In fact, 93.3% of my respondents have admitted that what appealed to them the most about these series is the interesting storyline. The central characters are mainly adolescents, so the dilemmas that they face are relatable to the students. All the drama that drives the plot of the series is what keeps audiences glued to their television sets or computer screens. Mara College Banting students look up to the characters of the series because they envy the characters attractive appearances, talents and fabulous lifestyle. Diagram 1: Factors that appeal to the students most from watching teen series The bar chart illustrates the main factors that make teen series appeal to the students of Mara College Banting. Each respondent selects two main factors. With such a strong fan base, how much impact has these characters made on Mara College Banting students vocabulary? We should consider whether the dialogues performed by the actors are appropriate for us to apply in our own Eastern society. Most importantly, do watching these teenage drama series improve the students vocabulary or worsen it? If it indeed affects their language, what aspect of vocabulary does it influence? These questions will be answered once we probe the vocabulary used by Mara College Banting students in their informal written production. Colloquialism Colloquialism may be defined as a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, and is typically used in ordinary or familiar conversations.  [5]  Sometimes, it may come of as mildly pejorative, due to its intended use for informal settings.  [6]  There are many branches or types of colloquialism found in American teenage drama series, many of which are quickly learned by the students of Mara College Banting. Slang or contemporary youth language Slang is usually considered to be a low form of language and consistently associated with younger speakers.  [7]  Consequently, slang is more commonly adopted in informal conversations among friends. The characters in teen series use these slangs to avoid from being perceived as out-of-date.  [8]  Many students in Mara College Banting have confessed that they prefer using slang when communicating among friends because the phrase is much more catchy. Spread by television, music and now the Internet, American youths have generated a lexicon of their own.  [9]   As previously stated, characters in teenage drama series are trendsetters. The students of Mara College Banting have adopted the slang that they use as well. The following table shows a list of slang or contemporary youth language that they have learned from watching American teenage drama series. Table 1: Slang/ contemporary youth language  [10]   SLANG DEFINITION SERIES Bro Friend; commonly used for greetings Glee Pot Marijuana 90210 Freak out To panic/lose control Glee Dude A name for everyone, stereotypically surfers and skateboarders Expressing awe or emphasis 90210 Crack head One who partakes in smoking crack cocaine Gossip Girl Whacked Demented Glee Babe Endearing term used for girls, and sometimes describe boys Glee Booze An alcoholic beverage 90210 Noob Lacks intelligence or experience in a specific field The 0.C. Hot Attractive 90210 Mara College Banting students commonly use slang during informal conversations. This is a branch of functional linguistics- a theory of language that adopts a view of language as social interaction. According to Tom McArthur, slang is the equivalent of fashion and serves the same purpose. Like chic clothes and modes of entertainment, effective slang must be new, appealing and able to gain acceptance in a group quickly.  [11]  For instance, the students greet by referring to each other as dude, bro or babe in social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. Fizree Azreen Azhar : safe journey, bro Aizat Finggly : okay dude, I will consider Naqjwa Naq : Happy Birthday Ezzy babe! These slang terms act as social tools that enable teens to communicate and express themselves freely. They act as substitutes to certain words or phrases that may sound too formal. For example, if one wants to express his or her panicked emotions, that person would not say, I am in a state of panic! as this would be considered out-dated or just plain silly. Instead, the students of Mara College Banting would express their emotions as such: Arlina Arshad : I freak out knowing everyone has started or finished their homework.  [12]  June 8, 1:39 am Nadd Khar : haha, omg omg  [13]  hes hot. * drool * June 11, 1:30 am Social network is defined as a style of organization of social relationships characterized by highly mobile, interconnected links between individuals or groups.  [14]  After all, the main purpose of social networks and online chat rooms is to reconnect with old friends and perhaps make new ones. Therefore the tone or register of the written text should be informal. The students are free to use slang as they wish because their audience is just fellow teenagers. However, the use of slang is not limited to just social networks alone. The students also use contemporary youth language in their blogs  [15]  because these sites allow the freedom of writing and self-expression. This area of study is known as ethno methodology or conversational analysis. The student wishes to express his or her feelings towards her peers, and hence would apply slang to make the blog more accessible and conversational. The following extracts are a few examples of blog entries and text messages from the students of Mara College Banting: Im not dead yall. I just havent been writing for 4 months.  [16]   Whaddup homie Slang is sensitive to current styles so it changes rapidly in time. Most slang terms used in these teenage drama series are cool now, but would ultimately disappear from use within our generation or become standardized after frequent usage. Swear words /Vulgar terms Swear words, or bad words, on the other hand, are an extreme form of colloquialism. Consequently, some or all members of the society frequently consider these words taboo.  [17]  These words are mostly intended for offensive remarks and at extreme conditions; they affect racial and cultural issues. Cursing is not an unusual problem among the teenagers of America. Unfortunately, the students of Mara College Banting are slowly picking up this colloquial language themselves. Many, if not all American teenage drama series include vulgar terms in the dialogues. The curse words are underlined: Table 2: Curse words used in American teenage drama series SERIES DIALOGUE MEANING OF WORD Glee Season 1 : Preggers Puck: Sup, MILF? Acronym for Mother Id Like to Fornicate 90210 Season 1: Pilot Naomi: Well, you sound like a little bitch. And just to be clear, you are so disinvited from my birthday party. Annoying and whining female. Navid: Why didnt you kick his ass? To describe the buttocks Gossip Girl Voice-over: As much as a BFF can make you go WTF Acronym for what the fuck Twitter entry by a student: I think I see a double chin. FML (fuck my life)  [18]   Facebook comment by a student: Hey ass hole listen up!  [19]   The swear words used by the characters are quickly picked up by the students. In fact, 80% of my respondents agree that the language used in American teenage drama series include vulgar terms. Visual stimulation from these teenage drama series is also to be blamed for injecting the students with vulgar vocabulary. The most recent and prominent example would have to be the advertisement campaign for Gossip Girl in April 2008: gossip-girl-omfg.0.0.00.432325.jpeg The term OMFG stands for Oh My Fucking God- a rather abrasive and extremely colloquial phrase. The commercial for this campaign itself explains exactly what this word means to the public. No doubt, the show used this term to attract viewers and boost their ratings. Every respondent who watched Gossip Girl learned what OMFG meant just by watching the advertisement for this series. Due to the controversial nature of this term, Gossip Girl has succeeded in gaining popularity. However, the students of Mara College Banting do not resort to such profanity. They often use euphemisms to replace the F word with words like screw or shit. The students are rather cautious on what they write in the Internet because it is public domain. According to Kimberly Cunningham, ones positioning in social networks has a large implication on the span of an individuals power in a contemporary informational society.  [20]  Considering that the students want to fit in and make new friends, they would surely be careful in choosing their words. Making a good impression in order to make new friends online is really important to teenagers. Hence, the students of my college rarely write swear words in their profiles. After all, these students would only use curse words with friends that they are truly familiar with. When dealing with new friends or acquaintances, Mara College Banting students make use of slang in order to break the ice. As the friendship develops even further and the students become closer together, then the circumstances would permit the students to use these swear words. Abbreviations With the growing use of the Internet, written texts have evolved tremendously. The Internet is primarily a reading medium that encourages brevity, but often of the wrong sort.  [21]  Real-time text-based communications such as Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and Short Message Service (SMS) have caused the emergence of a new language suited to the compactness of this new media.  [22]   Teenagers like the students of Mara College Banting use acronyms instead of typing full sentences because it is more convenient. They utilize acronyms as much as they can to save time and money. The following table shows the acronyms that my respondents have learned from watching American teenage drama series. Table 3: Acronyms learned from watching teenage drama series ACRONYM TRANSLATION SERIES OMG Oh My God Gossip Girl MILF Mother Id Like to Fornicate Glee XOXO Hugs and kisses Gossip Girl LOL Laugh Out Loud 90210 XOXO actually symbolizes hugs and kisses. The X symbolizes a kiss and O is the shape of a hug. It is popularized through Gossip Girl because XOXO is the narrators catchphrase. In most episodes, the narrator would always include it as such: And who am I? Thats one secret you know Ill never tellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ You know you love meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ XOXO Gossip Girl.  [23]   This abbreviation has become popular among the students of Mara College Banting. A lot of them use XOXO to express their fondness among friends while others simply write XOXO to quote Gossip Girl. This clearly shows how much impact watching teenage drama series had on the students vocabulary. In fact, 83.3% of my randomly selected questionnaire respondents use acronyms in their text messages and written productions online. The following phrases are comments written by the students in social networks: Dhania Haron : Hey Farah! Well have to wait for Fred for the venue and date. XOXO, Dhania   [24]  June 1, 10:03 am Azmir Seed Fakkri : à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦careful Mr S, the internet might bring more benefits than you think it isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ XOXOà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ gossip girl Azmir Seed Fakkri : à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ can you give me your blog link? XOXO blogger boyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [25]   May 26, 8:01 pm Azhari Rosli : Im awesome-er hahahaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I know you love meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ XOXO haha  [26]   June 11, 3:33 pm However, the most frequently used acronyms are OMG which stands for Oh My God and LOL which is an abbreviation for laugh out loud. The OMG acronym is picked up from many teenage drama series, mostly from the characters dialogue and text messages. It is usually to portray disbelief or awe. LOL, on the other hand is usually intended for written texts to express laughter. A lot of Mara College Banting students apply the acronyms they learned from teenage drama series in their text messages and social networks. Nadiah Bajunid : OMG I wanna go if theres a hot guy too! Is this the one in OU? Rofi Dang : LOL. Totally. Haha Azzeem Shahren : Btw (by the way)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ upload the vids (videos)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ whoever has it! Farah Farhana : babeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ sorry I was awayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Will do the comment *ASAP (as soon as possible). Expanding vocabulary New Terminology A lot of teenage drama series tend to create new terms to keep audiences wondering what those terms really mean. As preciously stated, Gossip Girl had popularized the acronym OMFG and used XOXO as its trademark. However, it is not the only teen series that have introduced new terms. My questionnaire respondents interestingly pointed out some terms that they have learned from watching other teenage drama series; most of which are not even in the dictionary. For instance, Chrismukkah is a term that was popularized in the O.C. whereby it is a celebration of both Christmas and Hanukkah. The character, Seth Cohen had parents who had separate beliefs. His father was Jewish whereas his mother was Protestant. Hence, to combine both beliefs, Seth claimed to have created this holiday.  [27]  The term had already existed prior to the series, but it was the O.C. that had made the term popular among viewers, which include the students of Mara College Banting. Another example would be the pop cultural phenomenon- Glee. This teenage drama series had literally invented a term of its own. Episode 11 of Season 1 was entitled Hairography. The definition of this term was explained in the dialogue of Rachel Berry with the Glee Club advisor, Mr. William Schuester. The following excerpt is Rachels description of the term: What they were doing were all just smokes and mirrors- its called hairography. All of the whizzing of their hair around just to distract from the fact that theyre not really good dancers and their vocals were just so-so.  [28]   Besides that, Glee also coined the term Lima loser. A Lima loser is a person that will not amount to anything and would always be a loser for the rest of his or her life. Lima is actually an abbreviation for lost in the middle of America (L.I.M.A.) where the characters in the series live.  [29]  This term was introduced through Quinn Fabrays dialogue when Puck confronted her: Youre a Lima loser and you will always be a Lima loser.  [30]  Season 1 Episode 4 From the dialogue performed by the characters, the students of Mara College Banting now understand the definition of the word Hairography and Lima Loser even if they did not exist previously. Considering that Glee is a musical series, the terms introduced by this teen series will most certainly be related to music. The perfect examples would be Mash-Up and Theatricality. Once again, the character explains the definition of the term verbally. The following is the script that describes the terms: Mr Schuester : A mash-up is when you take two songs and mash them together to make an even richer explosion of musical expression Season 1 Episode 6 Shelby Corcoran: But being theatrical doesnt mean you have to be a nuclear explosion. It can be like, like a quiet storm. You just have to radiate emotion, express whats deep inside you. Thats what theatricality is truly about.  [31]  S1 Episode 20 The musical jargons are also introduced from the dance routines. In the episode Throw down, Sue Sylvesters character wanted Mike Chang to show his pop and lock moves. Mike Chang started to dance to the pop and lock style, thus demonstrating what the term really meant without saying a word. 14.1.jpgimages.jpeg Pop and lock is a style of break dancing which involves short, rapid movements of the arms and the legs (popping), combined with brief pauses in between movements (locking).  [32]  Mike Changs character had perfectly demonstrated these dance moves in many episodes. Rather than explaining it in lines, Mike shows it to the audience. This is an example whereby visual stimulation from teenage drama series can expand the students vocabulary. Therefore, teenage drama series had clearly been educational to some extent. The students who are not musically inclined are now more knowledgeable in music by watching teenage drama series like Glee. The new words that they have learned, regardless whether or not they were invented by the series or established in the English dictionary have greatly expanded their vocabulary. Even Fox Entertainment Boss, Pete Rice quoted, In just one year, Glee has transcended the television landscape and emerged as a global pop culture phenomenon. Glee has gained so much popularity worldwide that the fans of Glee have been given the nickname Gleek. The word is actually a combination of Glee and geek. Therefore, all the students of Mara College Banting that are obsessed with Glee would refer to each other as a Gleek. Adjectives In relation to learning new words, a minor group of Mara College Banting acknowledged that these American teenage drama series had taught them new adjectives. Since adjectives are important to describe the characters emotions or actions, a lot of these adjectives are added into the students ever expanding vocabulary. Table 4: New adjectives learned through watching teen series: ADJECTIVE SERIES DEFINITION Abrasive Glee A person who is rude and unkind Fugly Gossip Girl Fucking ugly Slampy One Tree Hill Very small; not covering much Most adjectives used in American teenage drama series are in a sense, invented. Only one or two new terms learned from watching these series are actually real English words. Words like fugly and slampy are terms that the series have introduced on their own. Fugly uses the F word (euphemism for fuck) to give a much stronger impact or emphasis on the adjective ugly. Slampy is also another negative term created by teenage drama series. (c) Idiomatic Expressions Despite the negative terms that have been injected into the vocabulary of the students of Mara College Banting, there are also pros to watching these teenage drama series. Some teenage drama series include idiomatic expressions in the script. My respondents have learned many idioms while watching these shows. Table 5: Idiomatic expressions learned from Glee (extracted from questionnaires): IDIOM DEFINITION Cock o the walk Used to describe a person who is too cool for school On the down low A man, who for all intents is straight, however once in a while likes to engage in gay sex Over the shoulder boulder holder Large bra One in the oven Pregnant woman Washed up Someone that has once led its peak of greatness far too long ago Judging from the list of idioms used in the script of teenage drama series, there is no denying that watching these series can also be educational. It is difficult to learn idiomatic expressions through memorization. Hence, the visual stimulation from teenage drama series would make it easier for the students to remember the idioms. When the terms are applied in daily situations like the teenage drama shows, the students would know the proper way of applying those idioms. They would be able to widen their vocabulary with ease. CONCLUSION The main objective of this Extended Essay is to investigate on how watching American teenage drama series can affect the vocabulary of Mara College Banting students. The dialogue and visual stimulations of the teenage series have indeed affected their written vocabulary, particularly in informal written texts. Applications such as social networks, blogs and text messaging provide the students the freedom of language and self-expression. Therefore, the students incorporate the vocabulary they have learned from watching those series into these applications. Collectively, these teenage drama series have added slang or contemporary youth language into the students vocabulary. Considering that the register in social networks and text messaging is informal, the students feel free to use slang. Besides contemporary youth language, the students have also applied abbreviations in their vocabulary. Acronyms are used, as they are more convenient compared to writing out complete sentences. This technique is picked up from watching the characters text using their phones or any other visual stimulations of the sort. However, these American teenage drama series often introduce terms that are rather offensive. Swear words are often written in the script to portray teenage angst and the degrading language in our society today. If used carelessly, these swear words might offend other teenagers and damage their self-esteem. The tone of conversation among youngsters may be informal, but care must be taken not to use colloquial language irresponsibly. Though there are some negative implications of watching teenage drama series, there is no denying that these shows are also beneficial to the students of Mara College Banting. More often than not, new terms are being introduced to these students. A lot of the students have learned new words by simply watching these shows. The visual stimulus also helped them memorize the words better. Hence, watching these teenage drama series have indeed affected Mara College Banting students written vocabulary. The new terms are learned and applied in informal written production such as social networks, text messaging and blogs.

James Baldwin’s Visions Of America and Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Me

James Baldwin’s Visions Of America and Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Many immigrant and minority narratives concentrate their efforts on the positive side of the American dream. These particular stories narrate a person's struggle and rise through the ranks of the Am6rican hierarchy focusing on the opportunities that seem to abound in this country. While these stories are well and good. they do seem to soft peddle the flip side of this country's attitude toward the immigrant and minority. America is a land of milk and honey and opportunity, but unfortunately most new officiates or unwilling participants in the American culture face an American nightmare that leaves its effects on the individuals, families and cultures for generations to come. America has its own deeply seated prejudices and stereotypes of people from outside its walI5 and these prejudices force some immigrants and minorities either to abandon former cultural ties in order to assimilate or to strap on the baldric of equality that changes their lives forever. Two authors, in particular, will help explore this idea that an immigrant or minority experiencing the trauma of bigotry must in some way attempt to reconcile their own cultural heritage with the demands of a new society that objects to their very cultural difference. James Baldwin and Richard Rodriguez experienced this type of immigrant and minority angst regarding their own ties to their cultural and racial backgrounds. Baldwin struggled with the desire to be a writer, not just a black writer, amidst the chaos and protests of the 1960's political movement and Richard Rodriguez battled between the pull of assimilation and the success it promised and his own feelings of familial betrayal... ...d, for their very words echo the sounds of their communities' cries for equal and peaceful co-existence. However, as both Baldwin and Rodriguez recognize and proclaim there will always be a need for their type of experiences because it is only through the loss of their cultural identity that they realized the precious gift it is. Works Cited Baldwin, James. "No Name In The Street". Visions Of America. Ed. Wesley Brown and Amy Ling. Persea 116oks: New York, 1993. 284-290. Harris, Trudier. New Essays On Go Tell It On The Mountain. Ed. Trudier Harris. Cambridge UP: New York, 1996. 1-28. Leeming, David. James Baldwin: A Biography . Alfred A. Knopf. New York, 1994. Porter, Horace. Stealing The Fire. Weslayan UP: Middletown, 1989. Rodriguez, Richard. Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez: An Autobiographv. Bantam: New York, 1983.   

Plath’s Daddy Essay: Father and Husband as Vampires -- Plath Daddy Ess

Father and Husband as Vampires in Plath’s Daddy   Ã‚   The poem "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath concludes with the symbolic scene of the speaker killing her vampire father.   On an obvious level this represents Plath's struggle to deal with the haunting influence of her own father who died when she was a little girl.   However, as Mary G. DeJong points out, "Now that Plath's work is better known, ‘Daddy' is generally recognized as more than a confession of her personal feelings towards her father" (34-35).   In the context of the poem the scene's symbolism becomes ambiguous because mixed in with descriptions of the poet's father are clear references to her husband, who left her for another woman as "Daddy" was being written.   The problem for the reader is to figure out what Plath is saying about the connection between the figures of father and husband by tying them together in her poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A clue lies in the final image she uses, the vampire.   In today's movies and books vampires are portrayed as humans who have gained immortality and power in exchange for the need for blood and avoidance of sunlight and crosses.   However, Plath wrote her poem in 1962, and since then our culture's image of the vampire has changed drastically.   Historically, people who were transformed into vampires were no longer the same human beings.   Instead, they became monsters who retained only the physical appearance of their former selves.   Our interpretation of the poem is affected if we assume that when Plath wrote about a vampire she had in mind the older conception of a monster which took over the body of a now dead human.   With this image in mind we will tend to look for ways the duality of father and husband in the poem correspond to the vampire's dual i... ...the memory of her father's equally painful though unintentional abandonment.   Despite the mixing of father and husband in the antagonist of "Daddy" it is obvious which man Sylvia Plath is addressing with the poem's last line, written during the breakup of her marriage and three months before her suicide: "Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I'm through" (80). Works Cited Cam, Heather.   " ‘Daddy': Sylvia Plath's Debt to Anne Sexton."   American Literature 59   (1987): 429-32. DeJong, Mary G.   "Sylvia Plath and Sheila Ballantyne's Imaginary Crimes."   Studies in   American Fiction 16 (1988): 27-38. Ramazani, Jahan. " ‘Daddy I Have Had to Kill You': Plath, Rage, and the Modern Elegy."  Ã‚   Publications of the Modern Language Association of America 108 (1993): 1142-56. Srivastava, K.G.   "Plath's Daddy."   The Explicator 50 (1992): 126-28.               

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the largest and fastest fish in the world. Atlantic tuna are built for speed; they can reach speeds up to 50 mph. Atlantic tuna have very large appetite, the average size of an Atlantic tuna is 6. 5 feet and they usually weigh around 550 pounds. The largest Atlantic bluefin tuna ever caught was caught in Nova Scotia and weighed 1,496 pounds. Atlantic tuna are a gray and silver colour on their underside and then a dark blueish colour on the topside, this helps them with camouflage because from under them it looks like they are part of the sky and the dark blue from a top view makes them look like part of the dark water. Atlantic bluefin tuna is also very delicious, so tuna have been affected by over-fishing and that has lowered the population to drop critically low. Tuna positively affects humans because we use them for food and sport, tuna are huge and you don’t need a lot of them to have a large amount of meat and that’s one of the main reasons humans like to eat tuna. Atlantic tuna have been eaten by humans for along time, but in the 1970s the demand for tuna went up so commercial fishing operations found a new way to catch them. The way fishing industries caught fish was with fleets of giant ships with huge nets to catch large amounts of fish; this act of over-fishing almost caused this species of fish to go extinct. Atlantic tuna are also affected by many other problems, such as acidification and ocean debris. Tuna are affected by acidification because smaller animals that tuna rely on as food die because of acidification. If there is not enough food for tuna to eat then bigger predators that rely on tuna as food will starve, ways we can stop this from happening include; banning offshore drilling and conserving energy. Atlantic tuna are affected by ocean debris because when commercial fishing boats drop their nets in the ocean sometimes when they are done with the net they will just leave it in the ocean, this results in many ocean animals (such as tuna) to be caught in the net and die. It is now more important than ever for people to do what the politicians failed to do – stop consuming bluefin tuna,† Dr. Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean Atlantic bluefin tuna are mainly found in the western Atlantic, but they are also found around Newfoundland and the Gulf of Mexico. Tuna usually live in the open ocean, but they can be seen jumping out of the water catching small fish. Tuna mostly live in groups; schools of tuna can be found feeding, just hanging out or migrating thousands of miles across the Atlantic. Atlantic tuna faces many problems such as the ones I previously wrote about, but if we want to put a stop to those problems we need to find a solution. One of the things we can do is make fishing seasons, if the government was to make a certain time when it was okay to fish for tuna and then once the season was over fishermen couldn’t fish for tuna anymore. I think that that is a pretty good plan but we would have to do more than that, for example they could ban tuna fishing for a year or a designated time duration and then check to see if the tuna population increases. Ocean debris and Acidification is also a problem, the way to stop that is not very hard, people just need to take the initiative to stop dumping harmful chemicals, non-organic waste material, ect. â€Å"After overwhelming scientific justification and growing political support in past months – with backing from the majority of catch quota holders on both sides of the Atlantic – it is scandalous that governments did not even get the chance to engage in meaningful debate about the international trade ban proposal for Atlantic bluefin tuna,† –Dr. Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean

How to Stop Drug Trafficking in Our Country

The paper is to open people eyes about drug trafficking in our country. Where do you think the drugs are coming in from? Some say from Cuba. Others say from Mexico. I believe that the majority of drugs come from Mexico. It is okay to say that we cannot track down where all of the drugs are coming from but we can try to prevent our children, the next generation, from having access to these drugs. I would like to talk about legal drugs that are in our children’s schools. Even if we can stop illegal drugs from entering into our schools, legal drugs can also be use to get high (American Psychological Association (http://www. apa. org/) In the past, there were organizations, mostly in Mexico, that were involved in cultivating marijuana and opium. Over the past decade, however, Mexican drug organizations secured a particular position in drugs like cocaine market that was formerly dominated by Colombian drug lords, and opened the doors for Mexican groups to dominate the drug trafficking market. Not only Mexican, but African Americans, Cubans and other cultures who want to make some extra cash in the drug selling business. In the late 1980s, Mexican traffickers were middlemen for the Colombian cartels. Traffickers would receive shipments of cocaine in northern Mexico, smuggle the drugs across the border, and leave stashes in specified locations where Colombian distributers would retrieve the cocaine and transport it to destinations across the U. S. In 1989, traffickers who were annoyed at delinquent service payments from Colombian suppliers retained shipments of cocaine in extortion until payments were made. During the same year, in a stroke of good fortune for U. S. law enforcement, a massive stockpile of these shipments amounting to over forty thousand pounds of cocaine was discovered in an industrial warehouse in the vicinity of Los Angeles, California. This pivotal event forced the hand of the Colombian drug barons and led to a business arrangement that presently gives the Mexican traffickers as much as half of all the cocaine that they ransport (United Nations activities). In Texas the Mexican traffickers kidnapped people who live on the border line that mean between Mexican and U. S. The drug traffickers look for people who were or are on spring break or vacations in Mexican. They use young foreigners to get the drugs here. According to Sonia Perez, the flood of drugs and money have intensified, first with security crackd owns in the U. S. after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and later with Mexico's assault on organized crime beginning in 2006. (2009). Also according to Ms Perez, authorities mark the worst crime waves with the arrival of the Zetas cartel in Central America in 2008, about the same time Mexican cartels started to pay their collaborators on the ground in drugs instead of cash – creating a boom in local drug sales and violent street crime. (2009) As you can see, this paper is beginning to sound like it is pointing at foreign people smuggling drugs. Although foreigners are trying to survive financially illegally, they do not know where these drugs go to. Some will probably go to the schools to sell to children and teenagers all around the US. In conclusion, it is important to prevent drugs, illegally and legal, from our children to use illegally. Our children are our future and we need to find ways to help our children succeed in life without the use and selling of legal and illegal drugs. In the U. S. children are exposed to illegal drugs by family and a good friend or hanging out with a lot of friends. Some kids start to smoking by age 14 years old they think it cool but not. Kids and teens continue to smoke and some are trying chewing tobacco. Many young people pick up these bad habits in one year. Right now you see a man or woman smoking they started when they were kids. So it's important to make sure kids understand the dangers of tobacco use. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, and can cause cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. Chewing tobacco (smokeless or spit tobacco) can lead to nicotine addiction, oral cancer, gum disease, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks. (Kids Health 2011) Teenagers trying drugs in order to fit in. hey are trying real bad to be accepted by their peers. The teen sees drugs being used at a party or among a common group of friend. Teens between the ages of 13 and 17 have tried alcohol. Some teens and young people tried use of cocaine for the first time. Some kids may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible physical social and psychological harm both strongly depending on local jurisdiction. In conclusion, Unite d States is working with Canada, Mexico and Colombia in the border protection to stop drug from coming in the United States. References Retrieved on April 2, 2011 at www.apa.org Sonia Perez, Associated Press (2009) Retrieved on April 2, 2011 at www.ksat.com/news/27378488/detail.html Parquets search J. Blum retrieved on April 2, 2011 at www.mctinfoservices.com Kids Health Retrieved (1995-2011) at www.kids health.org /parent/positive/positive/talk/smoking.html

A Comparison and Contrast of Herman Melville’s

Herman Melville’s â€Å"Bartleby, Scrivener† (1853) and Franz Kafka’s â€Å"A Hunger Artist† (1924) are short stories that deal with the complexities of man in the social setting. Melville is most well known for his novel Moby Dick while Kafka was virtually unknown during his lifetime and has no published novels but has since gained recognition for his short stories, including â€Å"Metamorphoses† (1915).It would be interesting to note how a comparison of these two similar stories will reveal the personality of the writer. This paper will provide a brief synopsis of the stories and will then be analyzed for points of comparison and contrast.Synopsesâ€Å"Bartleby, Scrivener†Melville’s tale deals primarily with a particular scrivener, also know as a law-copier or in modern usage a petition writer as set in this story. The scrivener, Bartleby is an unaccountable man as described by the narrator whom at the time of the events that took pl ace a Master in Chancery.Bartleby is at first industrious in scrivener work, although he steadfastly refused to do any other activity and appeared not to eat or do anything but his work, and even seemed to live in the office. The narrator describes his feelings of astonishment, sympathy and subsequent acceptance of this eccentricity because his other employees also had their vagaries.As the story progresses, however, Bartleby’s behavior becomes stranger; he stops working but refuses to leave and eventually drives his employer from his office. Bartleby remains in the building even after being booted out of the room and is eventually arrested for vagrancy. The narrator is conscience-stricken and strives to do all he can for Bartleby, who soon after dies in prison. (Melville, 1994)â€Å"The Hunger Artist†The story begins with a statement of decline in interest in hunger artists. It is told from a third person point of view and sketches a history of the popularity of hunge r artists and the process of the art. It muses upon the intentions of those who subscribe to the spectacle, and the personal views and feelings of one particular artist, dwelling upon his frustration of having his work ended prematurely, a maximum of 40 days per each fasting period, in the interest of profit.The hunger artist knew he could last longer and yearned to find out to what extent, but was not allowed.The story describes how interest in the activity seemed suddenly to cease and rather than pursuing his previous modus operandi, the hunger artist preferred to break away from his manager and hire himself out to the circus, where he was placed in a cage near the menagerie, and was all but forgotten. At last he was able to indulge in his wish. Just before he died, he revealed that he fasted not to make himself famous but because there was no food he enjoyed. (Kafka, 1924)AnalysisThe two stories considered have distinct parallels, most notable the title characters. Both Bartleby and the hunger artist are distinguished by a sense of hopelessness and searching. The characters, the former silently, the other in self-revelation, express their need to find a place to belong.They clearly do not fit in accepted society. Bartleby because of his very ascetism, lack of interpersonal relations and history is almost a ghost, an enigma that even the most kindly of intentions could not draw out. He repulsed any kind of contact, perhaps because he was speculated to have been engaged in activity, that of a dead letter clerk, that dealt with the rejected and discarded. He clearly considered himself beyond salvation.The hunger artist, because of his search for the unattainable, is unable to enjoy the material pleasures of life and live a normal life. He deprived himself of life because he saw no point in continuing with it, reserving the pleasure of knowledge of how far he could take his artistry as his last stand against life.The stories are clearly macabre, elucidating the grimness of life of no purpose and no connection. They deal with the reality that man is essentially a creature of society, and failure of interaction results in strange and appalling consequences.The style of the writing is the most notable contrast of the two stories. Melville deals with the subject in a humorous fashion, drawing a smile, even a laugh with his description of his characters and the circumstances until the very end, which makes the horror of what has become of Bartleby all the more stark.Kafka adopted a gloomy tone from the start, indicating a grim end in the very first sentence of the story. The reader knows the hunger artist is doomed to a life of obscurity at the very least. The twist at the end, when the artist reveals the cause of his compunction for self-destruction, illustrates the writer’s own dissatisfaction with life.

Cause and Effect of Bullying Essay

Bullying is when one individual enforces their dominance over another individual repeatedly. Bullying is a serious matter that millions of hours of research and prevention programs have been put into. Researchers try and figure out what motivates someone to be so cruel to fellow person. When a bully presents their dominance over the victim it is not always because they are arrogant or naturally evil. Sometime when someone is being a bully it is a cry for help, a self esteem boost, jealousy or a way to cope with them being a victim to bullying. When someone bullies another person they are trying to be funny or cool and impress the other people around them. As well the bully could be a victim themselves and the way they deal with their own problem is doing the same thing to someone inferior. In some cases the bully is unaware of the seriousness of their actions. The causes of bullying cause traumatic effects on the victims. Being a victim to bullying is a traumatizing event that will stay with the victim for the rest of their lives. Bullying creates insecurities to the victims and makes the victims hate certain traits about themselves that they get picked on or teased about. In reality it makes them unique. In younger ages a victims schooling can be harmed because the child would not want to go to school because that is the place where they get bullied. Bullying does not just create emotional pain to the victims but it can create psychological pain as well. Bullying can cause mental illness such as depression and give you a very low self confidence. In very serious cases of bullying the victim may encounter suicidal thoughts, attempt or suicide itself. These are all short term and during the bullying stage. This mortifying event can come back and haunt the victim and create post trauma disorder or self destructive behavior and substance abuse. Bullying is a very serious matter that affects the victims d ramatically.

Mangerial Accounting Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mangerial Accounting Assignment - Essay Example Amount of any write-down value of inventories that can be recognized as expense for the period A further disclosure of the reversal or write down made to Net Realizable Value. The firm should also disclose the circumstance that led to such reversal Carrying Amount of inventories pledged as security for liabilities Cost of inventories recognized as expenses: This includes operating costs recognized by the nature of cost like raw materials and consumables, labour costs and other operating costs. These operating costs are classified on the basis of nature of the costs and the amount of net change in inventories for the period. (b) Sylvester Sales Limited: Gross Profit under Marginal Costing: Details Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Production Units 240,000 300,000 180,000 Sales Units 200,000 200,000 200,000 Price per Unit 26 26 26 Sales Value 5,200,000 5,200,000 5,200,000 Variable Costs: Direct Material and Labour costs 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 Variable Overheads 800,000 800,000 800,000 Total Variable Costs 2,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 Contribution 3,200,000 3,200,000 3,200,000 Fixed Manufacturing Costs 800,000 800,000 800,000 Gross Profit 2,400,000 2,400,000 2,400,000 Gross Profit under Absorption Costing: Details Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Production Units 240,000 300,000 180,000 Sales Units 200,000 200,000 200,000 Price per Unit 26 26 26 Sales Value 5,200,000 5,200,000 5,200,000 Direct Material and Labr Costs...Inventories include assets representing fixed assets held for sale in the ordinary course of business, assets in the production process for sale in the ordinary course of business representing the work in process and materials and supplies that are consumed in production which covers the raw materials. In the valuation of stock, the standard cost and retail methods can be adopted. The only condition prescribed under the regulation is that the method of measuring the cost should result in approximate actual cost of the inventory measured. For items that are interchangeable the regulations allows the First in First out (FIFO) method or Weighted Average Cost methods. However the regulation discontinued the measurement of inventory under Last in First out (LIFO) method. Cost of inventories recognized as expenses: This includes operating costs recognized by the nature of cost like raw materials and consumables, labour costs and other operating costs. These operating costs are classified on the basis of nature of the costs and the amount of net change in inventories for the period. The year-wise gross profit figures as indicated in the marginal costing system shows identical profits irrespective of the different production levels.

Business Plan- Sports Center Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Plan- Sports Center - Essay Example SWOT Analysis of the business Strengths The first advantage of the center is its ability to cater the health needs of all people under one roof. Firstly, it offers a large number of health and recreation activities that suit all age groups. For example, it has arrangements to offer swimming classes for various age groups. In addition, it has the capability to cater for all the health needs of all people. For example, a person who comes to gym can also go to the diet center and talk to the expert regarding food habits. It can also act as a place for healthy eating. As the entire program is set up in a single building with adequate parking space, it will be the only sport center in the city where one can have some recreation, food and shopping that attracts the entire family. The second major advantage over other sport centers in the area will be presence of experienced and qualified trainers and health and food specialists. The management has decided to have only experienced and well qualified trainers and volunteers. The next strength is the strong financial base the business has got. Also, the initiative has secured strong support from local politicians and other local service organizations. The last point is its connection with various voluntary organizations and governmental agencies who will conduct regular programs which are health oriented. This will improve the image of the center among the public and it will help the center gain public trust. Weaknesses The first weakness of the project is the absence of a strong market research committee that is required to identify the changes and trends in the market from time to time. The second weakness is the inability of the center to immediately introduce newer recreational activities if necessary. As different floors are designed for various sport activities, they cannot be altered for other sport activities. In addition is the huge expenditure involved in making any changes if required. The last weakness is th e limited space availability that makes it impossible to admit more people if necessary. For example, it will only be able to admit a limited number of people into the swimming pool at a time, and this may make many potential customers go to other centers. Opportunities The first opportunity in front of the center is the increasing number of health-conscious people. As there is an increasing consciousness among people regarding diet and health, there is a likely increase in the number of people who visit health centers on a regular basis. The second opportunity for the center is the new governmental legislations and initiatives that encourage people to live healthy. Another point of opportunity is seen in the interest shown by various governmental and private agencies to sponsor health activities. Lastly, there is the continuing seasonal interest in various sports like football and swimming. Threats The first threat is the coming up of competitors with better facilities. Admittedly, there is the possibility of other centers adding better facilities, thus taking away a considerable proportion of customers. The second threat is people losing interest in the recreation activities and looking for other interest areas. The third major threat is the possibility of various organizations and governmental agencies giving up the sports and concentrating other forms of health and recreation. The last threat is people’s lack of time to visit the center due to work and study. Niche

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Leadership - Research Paper Example The approach did not go well as his boss discouraged the idea claiming that the company dealt with the production of UV lamps. The boss claimed that the 3D printers were replicators of â€Å"Star Trek† which the company could not spend on. Chuck hull however did not give up and kept on insisting to the boss that he be given the permission to make the machine. Eventually, they both reached a compromise, which stated that Chuck would concentrate in the making of the company’s lamps during daytime while at night concentrate on making his 3D printer(Lipson, et al 49). The UV lights manufactured at the company mainly influenced the idea of the 3D machine. Factories would use the lamps to harden plastic veneers onto rubber tiles or tabletops. With this in mind, Hull discovered that the UV light could be used to engrave plastic layers. The plastic layer’s etching would be into whatever shape he deemed attractive. The layers would be stalked forming a 3D object. At the initial stages however, he wrote codes that guided the machines on cutting the layers (Lipson, et al 65). Chuck Hull’s success was not mainly because of his invention but also due to the leadership styles and qualities he possessed and practiced. Both internal and external drivers influenced his leadership qualities and styles. One external driver is the situational interaction that came about while talking to his boss. The two were close as they worked in the same company and this gave him the opportunity of telling and convincing his boss about the idea. Had he not been in a situation where he would convince the boss about the 3D printer, he would never have gotten the chance to use the company’s resources to come up with the printer. Another external driver is the function role (Sadler & Philip 76). He used to work in a UV lamps manufacturing company and this made him to realize that the UV

The impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth of less Essay

The impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth of less developed countries - Essay Example However, in open economy investment is funded both through household savings and foreign capital flows, incorporating FDI. FDI facilitates investment-receiving (host) nations to attain investment levels ahead of their capability to save (Atique, Ahmad and Azhar, 2004, p. 1). The study aims to discuss about the underlying effect of foreign direct investment on economic growth of the less developed or the developing nations. The study seeks to analyze whether the inflow of foreign direct investment is really leading to economic growth and capital formation within the less developed countries. The topic â€Å"The impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth of less developed countries† seems to be interesting and relevant. Through this topic, the study seeks to find whether these inflows of foreign capital can be sustained within the less developed economies. Whether the transnational players in the international economy could contribute to the modernization of the economies of developing countries is also the point of concern in this study. Development Economics is a topic that studies the economics of the developing nations. It has made exceptional use of economic hypothesis, econometric methods, sociology, anthropology, political science, ecology and demography and has mushroomed into one of the liveliest parts of study in all the social sciences. It is reasonable to say that the model of economic growth initiated by Robert Solow in 1956 has had an elementary impact on development economics. An addition to the capital stock will have a larger effect on per-capita income. It implies that by means of controlling parameters (for example, savings rates and population growth rates), poorer nations will tend to develop faster and hence will come up to reach the levels of comfort enjoyed by their affluent counterparts (Ray, 2007, pp.

Bronze Mirrors of Ancient Chinese Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bronze Mirrors of Ancient Chinese Art - Essay Example In the beginning, bronze mirrors had a very low and rough quality. However, during the Warring States, Western and Eastern Han dynasties, these mirrors qualities had improved considerably. Like its glass counterpart, the bronze mirror is smoothly polished on one side to reflect the image of its user. The other side is decorated with inscriptions and adorned with carvings, thus turning it into a valuable art object. During the time of the Warring States, the mirror had a ring of decorations such as animal masks, dragons or flowers. When the Western Han phase begun the mirror became thicker with supernatural beings and geometric patterns. Apart from pictures, the mirrors were also beginning to contain inscribed words which stated emotions like "keep me in mind, forget me not." By the 10th century this mirror's shape began to change. It could be round or oblong and also be with or without handles. Bronze mirrors were found in the tombs of individuals living in Ancient China. These mirrors were said to represent love for the Chinese living in those times. As a love token, these mirrors were buried in tombs to ensure that the love was carried on in the afterworld. The belief held by the people of Ancient China meant that there a life in the hereafter. The soul was believed to live on after death. However, the trip to the afterlife meant that the dead would have to drink a potion. This potion was responsible for making them forget the memories of their lifetime. Couples who wished to remain together were buried with a half of the mirror. When they entered the afterworld, they would meet and match their mirrors. This allowed them to live their lives together. Thus, the bronze mirror was a symbol of love which allowed devoted couples to remain together during their lifetime and the love to prevail in the hereafter. The bronze mirror has been found in tombs and graves of many of those belonging to the Ancient Chinese civilization. This is because the mirror did not symbolize love alone. Some mirrors have been placed on top of burial chambers or at the four corners of a coffin. With placing like this it is evident that the mirror is sought to provide protection to those under it. The mirror was viewed as a spiritual entity. It was thought to assume a power that could ward of danger. Thus, by placing it on gravesites and tombs, those living in Ancient China hoped to discard and remove evil spirits that might threaten or endanger their paths. Another feature of the mirror was its ability to differentiate the corrupt from the honest. This was especially so because of the number of officials who worked in the Imperial courts in Ancient China. These individuals would be dishonest and create a deterrent for the ruling King to be successful. An Ancient Chinese myth claimed that the mirror could show the true divinity of the soul. While it was not helpful in removing the fraudulent officials of court, it was still held with the greatest regard by the people of the time. Thus, the mirror was also viewed as an object that did not merely reflect the physical image of its looker but also the spiritual essence of his soul. It was responsible for showing not only the faults of the gazer but also the knowledge he possessed. The mirror was felt to see the individual in their entirety. Bronze mirrors are found in various museums today and are a valued item

Experience MIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Experience MIS - Assignment Example Besides what Woolworth offers there are also other companies that offer substitute products, this can affecting its operations if consumers prefer the substitute products. Customers and suppliers can also put some pressure on the firm. Woolworth can take steps to reduce buyer power by implementing a loyalty program. Suppliers can also exert pressure if they are the firm’s only suppliers. The government can also influence the operations of Woolworth by either imposing higher taxes on them or giving them tax incentives. The government can also give them monopoly power thus shying away new entrants (Kroenke, Bunker & Wilson, 2013). b). Woolworths is growing faster compared to its rival, Coles Myers. The company emphasized on diversification by offering low prices on its brands; this strategy gave it a competitive advantage over its rival. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Roger Corbett, who had the management experience of a supply chain in the United States also, had an impact. He implemented the project refresh in 1999 so as to restructure the supply chain of the company (Kroenke, Bunker & Wilson, 2013).He also introduced the everyday low price to Woolworths supermarkets and new technology. The success of the company is also featuring into the petrol- retailing sector, which resulted in its ability to take the best market share six years before Coles Myers could enter the segment. The company was able to present itself as the best fresh food company, which provided triumph marketing over its rival Coles Myers. Woolworth has been able to maintain a competitive edge by forcing Coles Myers to reduc e its prices after implementing the everyday low price as necessity for competition (Kroenke, Bunker & Wilson, 2013). c). The primary value chain activities of Woolworth can be below. There is the Inbound Logistics that deal with; inventory control, materials handling, Call-off to suppliers and warehousing. Secondly, there