Monday, September 30, 2019

My Life, My Favorites

My Life, My Favorites I have a few different interests that entertain me while I live this crazy life of mine. I’d like to think I spend most of my time wisely, but I’ve been known to get carried away with stress-free activities such as shopping, socializing and watching my kids’ sporting events. Okay, maybe the sporting events bring a little stress upon me, but it all goes away after the game is over. Shopping is my top favorite interest. I asked a girlfriend to give me her opinion on what she thought my greatest interest was and she said it’s definitely shopping. Her tone made it sound like I shouldn’t even ask such a silly question! Well, I had no idea it was so noticeable to others, but since I am known to give her my hand-me-downs every time I indulge, it’s probably more prevalent to her than to anyone else who knows me well. I spend many lunch breaks and Saturday afternoons on the hunt for a cash-savings, clearance rack purchase. I will dig at any Ross, TJ Maxx or Marshall’s for the best, brand name deals. Of course, I’m not just thinking of myself when I actively take over the shoe or clothing department. I keep my kids, friends and friend’s kids in mind if the size and price are right! My daughter, son and career are always my first priority, but this full-time working mom likes to let loose every now and then. An occasional happy hour, social drinking only, sometimes will strike my interest after a long day at the office. Working for a baseball club, we see our highs and lows. Either mood can instigate such an event. So, if I’m not answering the cell phone after normal business hours, it’s probably best for all parties involved. I am most likely partaking in a social activity that is for the betterment of my sanity. Any disruption could cause an eruption! I have come to the realization that I enjoy sports more than I thought. In my childhood years, I despised the idea of watching any games because my father ruled the only television in our home. He most always had it tuned to baseball, football or boxing. Once my daughter started playing basketball though, I thought â€Å"this isn’t so bad. Now that she’s playing on a select team, I’m thinking â€Å"this is awesome! † To watch the progression in her skill-set development on the court is amazing. It’s such a blessing to have a coach she respects and trusts. Her interest in basketball has become my interest as the rewards of her becoming a self-disciplined, young lady makes raising her much easier. I honestly don’t mind spending four days a week in the gym to support her. My 5 year old son is coming along well behind her. His t-ball efforts make me giggle. He’s so little, so serious about the game and doesn’t sit still long enough to understand much, but he’s suited up and ready to play! At this age, all you can do is laugh and take pictures for memories sake. I can say I am blessed to have a life that offers time for enjoyment. I never thought I would be such a busy lady, but as long as I am able to free my mind by spending a little cash to make myself feel pretty, visit with friends over a cocktail, and watch my kids learn and grow, I am a happy camper.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

I, Icarus

I, Icarus by Alden Nowlan Dreams are the perfect worlds for all of us for dreams give us the chances to possess the goals we are craving for that we might not be able to have in reality. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a famous German writer, artist, and politician, expresses his perspective about dreams: â€Å"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move hearts of men†. Through â€Å"I, Icarus†- one of the poems in the collection Bread, Wine and Salt by Alden Nowlan, we readers will get to know his childhood’s vivid dream.Alden Nowlan produces a striking effect that leaves deep impressions in readers’ minds right at the beginning of the poem with its title â€Å"I, Icarus†. As to my understanding, the title refers to Greek myth which is about Icarus- the son of the master craftsman. Icarus’s father constructed two pairs of wings from feathers and wax for the purpose of escaping Crete, and also warned him not to fly too close to the sun. Ignoring his father’s caution, Icarus attempted to reach the sun, which resulted the wax to melt and cost him his own life.Through the title’s allusion and Nowlan’s act of putting â€Å"I† in front of the name â€Å"Icarus†, readers get some hints that this poem might be another story of catastrophic fall caused by over-ambition. After a few first times reading â€Å"I, Icarus†, readers might superficially interpret the meaning to be about a flying dream, yet if we dig deeper, we will be able to comprehend the yearning to reach a superior dimension of Nowland. As a matter of fact, Alden Nowland was born in a small village in Nova Scotia; the constrictions had influenced him to foster the dream of breaking free to seek his own prospects.Nowland reflects back to his childhood and imagines he was flying beyond all the restrictions that had been confining him. Even though fictional elements play the main role in the whole poem, Nowland’s detailed description and firm assertion â€Å"There was a time when I could fly. I swear it. â€Å"(1), â€Å"I rose slowly†¦toward the window† (9-12) have thoroughly convinced readers that he could really fly. The metaphorical and imagery has been utilized intriguingly as an analogy to represent the country life of Nowland’s childhood.Like a gentle sheep, Nowland is penned inside the boundary of the â€Å"pasture fence† (13); â€Å"the music of flutes† (16) is played by the shepherd to lure and tell him to be satisfied with this confinement. On the other hand, the sheep himself is eager to go on an adventure to explore the mysterious space behind â€Å"the dark, the haunted trees† (14), thus wishes it could fly to float â€Å"beyond the pasture† (15). To another extent, the imagery of the countryside does not only indicate feelings of confinement, but also evokes senses of peace and secure.Even though Nowland – the â€Å"shee p† – has the feelings of being restricted by the constrictions of this small town, it still brings back to him safety that protects him from the perils behind â€Å"the dark, the haunted trees† (14). Standing outside Nature, enjoying the harmonious melodies of an Aeolian harp – â€Å"the music of the flutes† that â€Å"the wind made† (16- 17) falling in line together with â€Å"voices singing†, Nowland becomes intimate with Nature and his beloved hometown.In brief, â€Å"I, Icarus† has reflected successfully Nowland’s complex emotions and currents of thoughts; he cherishes his great ambitions to escape from restrictions and explore a whole new world outside, yet still be attached to his familiar homeland which provides him extreme protections and harmony. Relating the context of the whole poem to its own title â€Å"I, Icarus†, readers now realize that it’s not a story about Nowland’s catastrophic fal l as Icarus, but his wonders whether he should be a risk-taker to pursue his dream of reaching the sun or live a peaceful and ordinary life.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Archibald Prize Art Gallery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Archibald Prize Art Gallery - Essay Example Archibald Prize Art Gallery Australia has an evident record that it treasures its art heritage because of the established national gallery. The Archibald art gallery has existed for some time in Australia and has qualified to become one of the influential events in the art history. Archibald was one of the Australian journalists who found pleasure in art. He exhibited immense interest in journalism, initiating the publication of an influential bulletin. Although the bulletin tackled diverse topics, he reserved space for upcoming artists to use it as an avenue for displaying their inherent talent. Due to his undying interest for young artists, he received the privilege of becoming a trustee of the New South Wales art gallery. As he served in this position, his interest for art became more apparent, a factor that motivated him to designate a certain amount in his will that would afford an annual prize for an artist exhibiting exemplary talent. He intended the prize to motivate artists to use art as an avenue of presenting honor to any Australian exhibiting exemplary contribution to the society either through art, science or politics. The Archibald prize is one of the significant events both to the art world and in the public domain. The prize was the idea of the journalist Archibald who exhibited a lot of interest in art. In his efforts to support artists, and foster the celebration of people of exemplary contribution to the society, he allocated some funds for the Archibald prize.... The prize has also served as a motivation for upcoming artists. After his death, the trustees of the gallery sought to grant him the honor and publicity that he had so often turned down during his life. Through his demonstrated interest in art, he made sure that the great men and women who existed before to receive honor in form of portraits. A portrait made in his honor and the regard of the gallery with his name after death served as evidence of the art culture that he had begun and has progressed until now2. His portrait was a commission from the board of trustees in honor of hi support towards art. The Archibald Prize The New South Wales art gallery has had trustees who have demonstrated ardent interest in fostering the art culture of the Archibald Prize began by Archibald in 1921. The trustees have adhered to a culture of awarding the prize annually to any artist who represents an influential person, with a reputation of contributing positively to the Australian society. Since t he award seeks to honor Australian men and women who exhibit an exemplary contribution to the society through different fields, the competition only includes works from Australian artists3. The competition remains an open affair for any interested artists who exhibit interest in doing portraits of the reputable people in society. The board of trustees of the New South Wales art gallery takes up the responsibility of judging the presented art pieces from artists all over Australia. In the recent years, there are several prize won contrary to the earlier years when only the Archibald prize was up for grabbing for the many artists. Usually, the board of trustees would judge the portraits presented by different artist who make portraits of celebrated men and women. In the

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Hurt Locker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Hurt Locker - Essay Example Nonetheless, the three created a brotherlike connection along their tour in Iraq. Respect, trust, and courage were their core values in succeeding with their work. In the course of their tour, the three had already detonated a bomb, which was implanted within a public area. They had also succeeded with their encounter against snipers in an open desert. Also, along the way, James had been familiar with an Iraqi boy named Beckham, who sells pirated DVDs. In an encounter, James thought that the boy was killed and was implanted with bombs. However, he was wrong, and in the next morning, he sees Beckham selling him DVDs. In the last days of their tour, the team encounters an Iraqi man who is locked with bombs around his body. However, their will to help the man was not enough to remove all the locks, and the man dies with the explosion. After their tour, James went home to his family and attended sessions to relieve him from the stress he had from work. However, James realized that he may love his family, but he cannot function well around them. This leads him to decide to go back in Iraq and have another year of tour of duty (Berra 9). The Characters There are three main characters in the movie with differing degree of nature; nonetheless, when put together they create an exciting combat film such as The Hurt Locker. Staff Sergeant William James is played by Jeremy Renner, who is an adrenaline junkie in terms of facing his job facing and detonating bombs in the streets of Iraq. Aside from this, he also has a keen understanding on the bombers. The character of James is considered as a hero in a sense that he compulsively does his job; nonetheless, he does it with precision and artistry that he engulfs himself with the life-threatening situation. The next character is Sergeant J. T. Sanborn, who is portrayed by Anthony Mackie. Sanborn is considered as James’ eyes around while he tries to detonate the bombs. He always follows the rules and has a realistic view on situations. Lastly, their team is completed by Specialist Owen Eldridge, portrayed by Brian Geraghty, who portrays the weak link, yet he always tries to find the good side of danger (Ebert 253-255; Scott). Screenplay Writer: Mark Boal The screenplay of the movie was written by Mark Boal. He is a journalist who had been a correspondent for the Playboy, The Village Voice, and the Rolling Stone. Due to his passion for his work, he decided to record the lives of the U.S. Army unit, which is the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team, whom he considers as the people who has one of the most dangerous jobs. In 2004, the EOD in Iraq were to detonate bombs on the streets. Boal decided to take part and record the lives of these people, along with putting his life on the line, which allowed him to realize his realistic themes on death, war, courage, and life. During this time, Boal was able to survive his flight in Iraq against the Improvised Explosive Devices and the ambushes together wit h the EOD. As Boal returned from his flight, he wrote about his experience in Iraq in 2004 in an article published in Playboy with a title of â€Å"Death and Dishonor.† This article was his basis for the screenplay of the movie The Hurt Locker, which was released in 2009 (â€Å"Mark Boal - Biography†; Bigelow). The Director: Kathryn Bigelow The director of The Hurt Locker is Kathryn Bigelow, who is a critically acclaimed Hollywood

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Local Revision Worksheet Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Local Revision Worksheet - Coursework Example The first and third paragraphs of the essay are long. Consider revising them to the right length. Practice perfecting paragraph lengths throughout the essay. Consider reorganizing the entire essay to achieve uniformity in the paragraphs. Every paragraph should address a single concept (Driscoll and Brizee 1). Concept analysis in the paper is excellent as well as the provided supporting evidence. Limit the length of each quotation because lengthy quotations completely demean the main idea. The third and sixth paragraphs of the essay have lengthy quotations that require revision. Paraphrase some of the quotes to enhance the good flow of ideas within a paragraph. Moreover, distribution of the ideas should be uniform, to avoid chances of having multiple ideas in one paragraph. A range of one to two ideas is sufficient for each paragraph. Paragraph Transitions Although a paragraph addresses a single concept, it is fundamental to attain transition from one idea to another (Driscoll and Brizee 1). There are a few paragraph transition words and phrases used throughout the paper. Paragraph transition enhances flow in any scholarly academic writing. Apply specific words and phrases develop transitions using proper word choice. Transitional words are mostly conjunctive adverbs and include different words: accordingly, meanwhile, also and finally that are fundamental to enhance proper transition. Other examples of transitional phrases: in addition, of course, and for instance, are applicable to achieve paragraph transition.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Hobsons choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hobsons choice - Essay Example Such interaction will help to uncover more evidence that can help with the eventual prosecution of Peter. Jim has joined the FBI of his own volition. He would have had an opportunity to request some other task, if he had any reservations about working undercover with a stockbroker suspected of illegal trading. Stockbrokers who plan to cheat their customers would choose gullible lay people such as elderly women as potential victims. Jim could not expect that Peter would select highly qualified accountants or experienced bankers or successful investors as possible targets. The situation in which Jim finds himself is entirely within the limits of what a person in his position could anticipate in advance (Pollock, 2003, p 150). Each vocation has certain conditions within which professionals are expected to act. An FBI agent is trained to deal with people of questionable morals and with situations in which members of the public are in danger of some commercial loss. Jim would have been trained by the FBI to work under cover. The latter has the fundamental aim of witnessing and recording a criminal transaction with the objective of collecting conclusive evidence. The task assigned to Jim must have the principle objective of collecting evidence that can be produced before a jury in a court of law. Jim's action in the situation under review is to act on behalf of his employers the FBI, and to do everything that can reasonably be expected of him, to further the aims of his employers. Jim is obligated to fulfill the task given to him by his superior officers in the FBI. Jim would have a binding contract of employment that enjoins him to discharge his given responsibilities and tasks. The principle for any person working under cover for a law enforcement agency of the government is that he or she must strive to collect incriminating evidence against the person under surveillance-Peter in this specific example. Supporting arguments The FBI has adequate resources and contacts with stock market authorities and financial institutions to ensure that people cheated by stockbrokers under suspicion are protected from permanent and major harm. The situation that Jim finds himself in with respect to Peter and the women would not be without precedent with respect to the FBI's operating procedures. Agents such as Jim would have systems of both periodic and emergency contacts with support staff and with people to who they are responsible within the organization. Jim would probably have real-time audio contact with the FBI, given the conventional state of electronic surveillance technology. It is therefore unlikely that the woman chosen by Jim to appease Peter as far as selecting a victim is concerned, would come to any permanent material harm (Pollock, 2003, p 197). The choice before Jim to ask Peter to cheat all the women is more likely to arouse the criminal stock broker's doubts that Jim perhaps represents a law enforcement agency, and make Peter take guard. The damage to the victims would also be greater in this alternative, albeit it might only be transient, based on the arguments presented earlier. Therefore, it is better to select one victim, than to ask Peter to cheat all the women. Since Peter has given substance to the FBI's suspicions of his intentions, and since Jim is only a new friend, the alternative of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Forecasting the Future of the US Economy Over the Next Year Research Paper

Forecasting the Future of the US Economy Over the Next Year - Research Paper Example However, the recovery of the U.S. has been expected to carry on, albeit at the sluggish pace (Elwell, 21). This paper is aimed at providing forecasts on the future of the US economic variables. Effects on economic variables: The level of inflation has been very high since 2007. This high level of inflation is now considered as the biggest problem in the country by the Fed. Due to this high level of inflation, consumers are not getting capable of purchasing costliest goods and services and hence business organisations which are engaged in production of these goods and services are leaving the industry. Again this is reducing the level of income in the country and hence the level of demand for necessary goods and service. The Fed is expecting to have a subdued in the next few years because of weaker level of real economic activities prevailing in the country. But the Fed is expecting to have a lower level of inflation rate in 2013 which is expected to increase the volume of economic ac tivities in the country. The Fed is expecting that the current rate of change in overall prices is expected to fall to 1% to 2% from its current level of 3% within five years. But the Fed is expecting that the rate of inflation will remain unresponsive in newt few years due to the fact the American economy is still under the curse of financial and economic crises situations (Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, 1). The Federal Reserve or Fed, in short, holds a very positive view regarding the current economic activities and the current condition of the financial market of the country. The chairman of the Fed, Dr. Ben S. Bernanke, has argued that after the global financial crisis of 2007-08, the American economy is experiencing greater volume of economic activities (Bernanke, 1). The IMF predicts the value of real GDP in the US to rise at 1.5% in 2011 (which is lower by1.0 percentage points than that of in June 2011 prediction) and at 1.8% in 2012 (which is lower by 1.1% tha n the June 2011 prediction) (Elwell, 21). The Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve predicts the real GDP in the year 2012 to exist in the range of between 2.3% and 3.5% (the growth prediction for the year 2012 almost about 0.5 percentage points lower than that has been made in the June 2011). Also according to the Fed predictions the rate of unemployment is estimated to be in the range between 8.1% and 8.9% in the year 2013 (Fiscal Year 2013: Analytical Perspective: Budget of the U.S. Government, 19). Global Insight, which is a renowned economic forecasting private company, has recently predicted that the real GDP in the US will advance 1.4% by the end of 2012 (lower by 1.3 percentage points compared to its June 2011 estimation). The rate of unemployment in the country has been estimated to be around 9.3% in the year 2012 and 2013 (Elwell, 21). The level of FDI in the country is not expected to grow at much rapid speed compared to the past. In the global increasing in the am ount of FDI inflow to $1.4–$1.6 trillion in the year 2013, the US inflow of FDI is predicted to move in the range of $245 to $255 billion in 2013 (GLOBAL INVESTMENT TRENDS, 17). Again, it is expected by the researchers that the rate of interest will remain comparatively low as well as stable in the next year following the rapid growth of developing countries. This increasing growth of countries such as India and China will increase the volume of trade in favor of USA. Also the corporate bonds and

Monday, September 23, 2019

Law problem scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law problem scenario - Essay Example As a result, Brian has sought a conveyance and with an alleged approval of Derek, sells off the property to Eric without the knowledge of Chloe, who also owns the property. Albert is no more, and therefore, he cannot be called up to elaborate on any unclear issues in relation with the will, such as the sharing mechanisms of the house. The acquisition and or the act of ceding ownership of the property by any of the three new owners of Acacia Garden, on condition of its being commingled with each others claim on the same attracts ‘confusion.’ Notably, in confusion, any of the three new owners of the property are commingled, and as such it cannot be split and reverted back to its original condition, before Albert had written the will. In light of this, the property is expected to retain its features as envisaged in the will, and as such the will binds the three regarding the management and use of the property. Through the will, the three of Albert’s grandchildren hav e legal and equitable ownership of the house (Proffatt, 1989, p.31). Legal concept and equitable ownership Chloe like her co-owners of the property have the legal and equitable ownership rights on Acacia Garden, subject to the will. Therefore, she should be entitled to any returns that may arise from the sale or use of the property. The idea of beneficial ownership, as a deviation from the precise legal ownership forms an imperative part of the English legal tradition. In Medieval times, an aggrieved party could only gain legal redress if they supported their petition with an existing legal document. Such documents were usually few and rigid and rarely served justice. In such scenarios, plaintiffs served the Chancellor with their petitions, complaining that the prevailing conditions fell beyond the scope of the general systems. In response, the Chancellor then opted to issue or retain remedy to the plaintiff depending on his judicious evaluation of the case. These verdicts eventuall y evolved into a structure of law referred to as equity (Ayotte, & Bolton, 2011, p. 3401). Equity is a distinct body of laws that is different from the prevailing common law. From this legal concept, the current English law separates equity from legal ownership, in which case, equity permits the exploitation and gain from the property to be looked at in a different way from the legal possession of the same. Whereas Chloe and Derek retain ownership of the property, Brian would manage it and share whatever returns it yields with his concurrent owners. But despite the fact that Acacia Garden is a concurrent estate, he has refused to honour the interests of the others. According to Craig, and de Burca, (2011, p.120), the property is possessed by three persons simultaneously and as such the parties have equitable rights to it including its sale. Chloe should emphasize her role by citing the joint tenancy rule, which refers to a concurrent relationship whereby a property is owned by two o r more parties simultaneously and under the same legal document. In this case the will written by decedent Albert serves as the binding legal document that should serve its purpose of ensuring the fiduciary duty plays out in the management and or sale of the property. Regardless of the sanctity of the will, Brian opts to violate and sell the property without following the due process of the law. Brian’s blatant disregard for common law presents legal challenges which may not be easily solved, especially now that he cannot be traced. Derek also claims ignorance of the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Human Rights Essay Example for Free

Human Rights Essay The Internet appears to be the ideal technology for democracy. When the Internet began, people thought they could communicate and even engage in commerce without the need for a big police force. As people from different cultures begin connecting to the Internet, it appears that the Internet is only as democratic as people make it. Government’s next move online has been significantly less comfortable. China has recently forced Google to rewrite their search software so that it supports the values of state security over individual freedom by blocking certain sites. In order to continue doing business in China, the Chinese government forced Google to disable certain functionalities of their products so that Chinese citizens cannot connect to Web pages on topics such as human rights and democracy. The Chinese government and Google derived the so-called Great Firewall of China in order to conceal from the public the potential contents that may pose threat to Chinese ideologies and politics. References Baase, S. (2007).Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues for Computing and the Internet. Pearson Prentice Hall. Garland, E. (2007). Future, Inc. : How Businesses Can Anticipate and Profit from Whats Next. AMACOM Div American Management. Giddens, A. (2006). Sociology. Polity. Hassan, R. (2004). Media, Politics and the Network Society. McGraw-Hill International. Human Rights Watch, . (2007). Human Rights Watch World Report 2007. Seven Stories Press. Landow, G. P. (2006). Hypertext 3. 0: Critical Theory and New Media in an Era of Globalization. JHU Press. Marling, W. H. (2006). How American Is Globalization?. JHU Press. Meza, E. P. (2007). Coming Attractions? : Hollywood, High Tech, and the Future of Entertainment. Stanford University Press. Reuvid, J. , Li, Y. (2005). Doing Business With China. GMB Publishing Ltd. Wood, A. F. , Smith, M. J. (2005). Online Communication: Linking Technology, Identity, and Culture. Routledge.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Say No to Columbus Day Essay Example for Free

Say No to Columbus Day Essay It is my belief that although many people celebrate the holiday of Columbus Day, that it should be celebrated because Christopher Columbus was not who he had seemed to be. I have learned that not only did he not know where he was, but he wasn’t even the first to discover the New World. He also committed a mass genocide against the Arawak’s. Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. Columbus Day was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century but did not become a federal holiday until the 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. Throughout its history, Columbus Day and the man who inspired it have generated controversy, and many alternatives to the holiday have appeared in recent years When Columbus first arrived at the Bahamas, he was greeted by the Arawak Indians who showered him and his crew with gifts and food. After being around them for some time, he decided to take the search for valuable items to a new level. He took some of the people by force and demanded to know where the materials like gold and such were located and then he forced them to show him and start to find them, sort of like slaves. He also learned that the Arawak people were so generous that they would give him anything he asked them for; he then proceeded to ask them for nearly all of their belongings which had any monetary value. The fact of him doing this is easily enough to prove that he was just out for money and did not care about any of the Arawak Indians or his crew for that matter. He is said to have been greedy enough to take credit for finding land even though a crew member, Rodrigo, had found it first and it is also said that he is to have taken the $10,000 yearly pension for life (Source B). The second treachery Columbus was a part of was the taking of the Arawak Indians as slaves and servants, here is a quote from his journal: â€Å"They would make fine servants†¦With fifty men we could subjugate them and make them do whatever we want† (Source B). This just shows that he is a man who doesn’t care about other people’s feelings and is perfectly fine with killing and enslavement, two things America is against. In total, the records show that originally, Columbus rounded up 1,500 Indians, he chose 500 as the best, killed the other 1,000, and 200 died on the ship due to poor living conditions and starvation. The 300 who were left were auctioned off as slaves in Spain. Nearly all of the rest of the Arawak people were killed by foreign disease. A third and final reason why we should not celebrate Columbus Day is because Christopher Columbus did not find North America on purpose and he was also not the first to find the continent. Leif Ericsson of the Vikings found North America and had already established a settlement in Nova Scotia by the time Christopher Columbus found his way here which just proves that his skills as a navigator and a sailor were not even very great, if he kept sailing to Asia and had not found North America, he would have done a circle around the world, missed Asia and ran into Africa. Many Americans view Columbus as a heroic figure whom is celebrated every year. Children look up to him, as an amazing person for being able to â€Å"discover† America and citizens are able to spend a whole day off from work/school to reflect on his greatness. However, this greatness should in no way be glorified, because it is absurd to call Columbus a hero. Columbus had taken credit for things that he didn’t accomplish, brutally abused Native Americans and caused slave trade, which led to mistreatment of Native Americans for years to come. I strongly believe that Columbus day should not be celebrated because of the torture, slavery, and lying that was caused by him. Columbus had taken credit for things that he didn’t accomplish. He wasn’t the first to discover America since there were already people living there  and others had known about this land. Also, there was a myth being taught at schools that had said Columbus was the one to prove the earth was round. Many educated Europeans had already believed in the world not being flat during the time of Columbus. However, those who didn’t agree with this statement mocked the ones who did. Lastly, Columbus was not the first non-American to discover the new world. â€Å"There is, indeed, considerable evidence that people from all around the world, including Europe, had visited the Americas for trade, fishing, refuge, and even settlement.† (Source: Why We Should Abolish Columbus Day by G Rebecca Dobbs) Therefore, Columbus had not truly succeeded in the things we know about him and did more negative things than positive. Columbus Day, a holiday dedicated to the famous explorer for his achievement of arriving in the New World. We construct plays, arrange parades, and have erected monuments of Columbus to praise him for his discovery; for he had triggered the wave of European interest in the Americas. When it comes to the roots of Columbus’s arrival in Hispaniola, most people think that he arrived on an island with primitive natives who gladly gave up their land to him†¦without so much as a complaint. Only recently have the true accounts of his expedition come to light. Nowadays, the innocent and naive tale of Columbus’s discovery has turned into a story about a horrifying and unjust conquering of a land, and the domination of its inhabitants. When Christopher Columbus arrived in Hispaniola in 1492, he had thought that he arrived in India, and he expected for the land to be inhabited by the Indians. Instead he landed in present day Hispaniola, which was home to the friendly, and defe nseless, Arawak people (also known as the Taino people). They had never seen Europeans before with their giant ships, extravagant clothing, and strange language; so they were excited and interested in meeting Columbus and his crew. The Arawak brought the Europeans gifts, food, and water. They wanted to open their home to the newcomers, and hoped to be able to become acquaintances with them and that they would trade with each other. Instead of returning the natives’ generosity and kindness, Columbus treated them cruelly, by making them slaves and forcing them to work to exhaustion and death, slaughtering thousands of men, women, and children till there was only five hundred Arawaks left by 1550, and not giving them  enough food, so they died from famish. Christopher Columbus has been viewed as a hero for several centuries. Children in elementary schools all over the nation are taught that he discovered America. However, there were many other people who were indigenous to the land already and the Vikings arrived in America almost 500 years before Columbus. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. It doesn’t make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with a national holiday, so America should stop celebrating Columbus Day. The initial recorded Columbus Day celebration in the United States was on October 12, 1792. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. New York followed suit in 1909. In 1971, Columbus Day was designated as a federal holiday on the second Monday of October (Library of Congress).

Friday, September 20, 2019

Causes And Effects Of Deforestation In Myanmar Environmental Sciences Essay

Causes And Effects Of Deforestation In Myanmar Environmental Sciences Essay According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations U.N.FAO, there are about 31,773,000 ha hectares or 48.3 of forests in Myanmar. An average of 372,250 ha or 0.95% of forest have been lost annually between 1990 and 2010. The organization states that within the period of 20 years (1990-2010), around 7,445,000 ha or 19.0% of the total forest has been cleared in Myanmar. Myanmar is one of the top ten countries that are happening highest deforestation rate in the world, and its rank is seven. The Rangoon-based Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) alerts that Myanmar is meeting a deforestation crisis because of natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, drought and fires), human activities (logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, cutting trees for fuel, mining operations, dam building, clearing land for livestock grazing and oil extraction) and overpopulation. If deforestation cannot be controlled by government, the result could be very disastrous. It has negative impacts on environmental degradation and direct biodiversity loss. Exporting timber and human population are the main causes of deforestation in Myanmar. The Global Witness Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) manipulated that Myanmar shipped at least one million cubic meters of timber into China in 2002. Between 2010 and 2011, government exported 864,000 metric tons of timber and got US$600 million from it. Moreover, according to the UN FAO report that Burmas rural populations of around 70% or at least 30 million rely on forests for their basic needs in 2009. Government and people do not aware if they cut a lot of trees for their profits; it will affect on ecosystem and happen a lot of natural disaster in Myanmar. The purpose of this paper is to show causes and effects of deforestation in Myanmar. In particular, the impact of climate changes is very serious problem in Myanmar due to deforestation. This paper will discuss the plans of government to solve these problems ,and it will also provide some possible suggestions to protect the forests. 1.0 Causes The meaning of deforestation is cutting, clearing and removing of trees for various reasons such as logging, slashing-and-burning agriculture, clearing land for livestock, building dam. Sometimes, natural disasters can extremely destruct forests. For instance, Cyclone Nargis destroyed a lot of trees in Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008. Myanmar is developing country, so the government and people are extremely depend on forests. They cut down a lot of trees for various reasons, but the main point is for short-term economic benefits (Putatunda, 2011). Deforestation can be caused not only human activities, but also natural disasters. In Myanmar, government exports a lot of natural resources to other countries, but they got more money by exporting timber. According to the parliamentary Natural Resources and Environment Conservation Committee, Myanmar exports a lot of teaks by legal or illegal. The London-based Environment Investigation Agency claims that Myanmar exported 1.6 million tones of teak per annually to neighboring countries such as India, China, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. http://www.itto.int/files/user/mis/mis%20charts%20homepage/snap20111201.gif The agency states Myanmar got $5.7 billion by exporting 18 million cubic meters of wood log between 2000 and 2010. According to statistics, Myanmar has more than 16.32 million hectares of forest, and the area of teak is 24,300 hectares while the area of hardwood is 324,000 hectares. In Myanmar almost 1.98 million cubic meters of hardwood and 283,000 cubic meters of teak are used in Myanmar per annual. As a result, cutting a lot of trees for exporting is threatening Myanmar forests. Overpopulation affect on forests because they destroy a lot of trees for their profit. In Myanmar, the population is increased approximately one million annually. The population Myanmar is 54,584,650 in 2012 .According to UNFAO, 70 percent of the Myanmar people live in rural area, and they rely on forests for their basic needs and sustenance and income. Similar to Indonesia, people who get less than US$ 1 cut trees to get a few income for short-term (Stolle, 2008). Deforestation can be caused by not only man-made, but also natural disasters. In Myanmar, forest fire is one of the main problems to destroy forests. Myanmar lost up to 10 tons of forest fuel because of forest fire. As a result, every 30 to 70 tons of top forest soil are destroyed in Myanmar. Myanmar is facing natural disasters such as cyclones, landslides, earthquakes, tsunami, fire and drought. They are also real threats to Myanmars environment. Effects Burning trees and clearing forest extremely affect on environment. A lot of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide are emitted from deforestation. Hence, the temperature of global is rising, so climate changes and soil erosion happen in Myanmar. 2.1 Climate Changes A lot of natural disasters are threatening Myanmars forest such as cyclones, earthquakes and floods (Moe, 2009). Cyclone Nargis destroyed trees and livelihood of people more than earthquake and floods. Cyclone Nargis was the top deadliest and most caustic tropical cyclones to ever strike Myanmar (The New York Time, 2012). The cyclone notably affected a total of 37 townships. The UN predicts more than 2.4 million people were affected by Cyclone. According to official figures, 53,800 were missing, and 84,500 people were killed. It also destroyed a million acres of rice paddies, trees and killed three-fourths of the livestock with its seawater surges. 2.2 Soil erosion and soil fertility loss In Myanmar, soil erosion is one of the most serious problems, and government cannot be controlled until now, so the agricultural products of Myanmar are falling. The fertility of the soil will reduce if the surface soil is eroded, and it can turn agricultural land into desert land. To prevent soil erosion, Myanmar should preserve forests and grasslands. If soil erosion cannot be preserved, it will lead to flooding. Weather and agricultural experts argue that they get 4 inches of rain from the flood areas, but flooding problems never happen with this amount of rainfall in the past. Not only nutrient depletion but also ecological, social and economic problem can be happened because of soil erosion. Solutions A lot of natural disasters are threatening people in Myanmar. Most disasters are caused by deforestation. So, the government are trying to reduce deforestation. They have three plans for that. First of all, they will completely ban exporting timber to other countries in 2014 (William Boot, 2012). However, it is difficult to stop illegal logging and exporting to China. The reason is Chinas border is very close with northern part of Myanmar. Most poor indigenous people are relying on forest for their basic need. Although the government does not allow to cut trees, they may do continue, but their strategic is a few positive effects on stopping illegal logging and exporting to not only China but also other countries. The second is reforestation. Every June or July, the government order to plant trees in the whole country. Moreover, the government has dictated its citizen between the ages of 11 and 60 must plant five trees per annually in China. The government mentions that the result of their program is they have been planted at least one billion trees since 1982. Although the government of Chinas plan succeed, in Myanmar, their programme failed since after planting trees, nobody care about them. In the peoples mind, their responsibility is just planting trees. The last strategy is collaboration with UN organization . It established The National Commission for Environment Affairs(NCEA) which purpose is to support the environmental protection and reduce the environmental degradation. The government expects this collaboration can prevent deforestation in Myanmar. The best solution is giving job to poor people. If they have enough money for their basic need, they will not destroy the forests. They will not care how many disasters happen and the government announces the rules because money is more important than retaining the environment for them. Furthermore, recycling and reusing items are also the best solution. For example, industries are using a lot of bamboo to produce paper. If people and students reuse the recycling paper, they may reduce using bamboo. These solutions may decline deforestation in Myanmar. Conclusion In conclusion, Myanmar was covered a lot of forests in the past, but nowadays, the coverage of forests decreased significanly in Myanmar. Exporting teaks and overpopulation are the main causes to be facing deforestation in Myanmar. Myanmar is poor country, so government budget depend on exporting teaks to other countries. Nearly 283,000 cubic meters of teak and 1,98 0,000 cubic meters of hardwood are used for exporting in Myanmar per year. Increasing population is also the main problem. Approximately one million people are incresing per annually. Most of them are poor, so they rely on forests for their basic needs. The result of destroying forests is emitting a lot of greenhouse gases. As a result the temperature is rising, and it affects on climate and soil of Myanmar. By changing climate, a lot of natural disasters are happening in Myanmar such as Cyclone Nargis, earthquakes, floods and drought. Cyclone Nargis destroyed a lot of trees and affected more than 2.4 million people, and it was nightmare for people. Myanmar has no many good place for agriculture due to deforestation. Government tried to solve deforestation , but it did not affect on the problem. Reducing unemployments and recycling items may prevent destroying the forests. If the government cannot control deforestaionthe, a lot of extreme natural disasters will occur in Myanmar. If there is no enough trees, the temperature will be higher and higher, and the death rate of people will sharply increase in hot season. Health problems and economy problems will also happen. It is believe that if there is no trees, animals can not survive. If there is no animals, all people cannot also survive. By maintaining the environment, the world will be beautiful.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

100 years of change :: essays research papers

100 Years of Changes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This century has been one of many changes and incredible inventions. If a person was to think about it, this century has taken us from horseback to fuel-injected horsepower, from gaslights to sodium-vapor streetlights, from crystal radios to digital television, from compasses to GPS navigation systems, from wood burning stoves to microwave ovens, from Victrolas to DVD players and of course from hot air balloons to jet propulsion aircraft.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past 100 years, we have made much advancement in all areas of society. The way people live has changed drastically just in the past century. Technology in particular has advanced more in these last 100 years then all previous time combined. For example, because of the research done by many innovative and dedicated individuals such as the Wright Brothers who were the first to sustain flight in a powered airplane, we are able to fly all over the world in a matter of hours in jet propelled pressurized aircraft. One hundred years ago, the thought of man flying in a machine was insane. The Wright Brothers helped to realize the dream of manned flight. Many years later, after the idea of manned flight becoming a reality, space exploration was the next step. In 1969, many people did not believe what happened. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon. They posted an American flag, explored, collected space rocks and came back home. Many Americans did not be lieve that the technology existed to go that far. Today, several missions a year are launched using manned space shuttles that can be flown back to earth like gliders and reused on future space missions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another example of the change in our technology over the last century is the change in the computer. In 1946, the first electronic computer called the ENIAC took up the space of a large room. Instead of using transistors and IC chips, the ENIAC used vacuum tubes. Compared to many computers now, the ENIAC is about as powerful as a small calculator. That may not be much, but it is a milestone because there would not be computers today if it were not for the ENIAC. As the years passed, the computer became smaller and more powerful. Today, more than half of the American population has a computer in their home. The personal computers today are thousands of times more powerful than the most powerful computers fifty years ago.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Renal System 1 Kidneys have important roles in maintaining health and making our lives easier everyday. It is located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. Functions of the kidneys include extracting wastes from the blood and balancing body fluids from the urine. Most of kidney diseases attack the nephrons, which is the functional units of the kidney. This damages causes kidney malfunctions for example, medicines, genetic problems and injuries. One of the major kidney problems that we face every day is Acute Renal Failure also called the Acute Kidney Injury which basically is that kidneys have suddenly stopped working and as I said earlier, our kidneys excrete waste products and balances fluids in our blood, so imagine not having a perfectly working kidney, it could cause serious problems in our body that could also be fatal. Acute renal failure causes can be classified as pre-renal, intra-renal or post renal. Intrarenal Acute renal failure are those that directly attack the kidney such as an infection, glumerulonephritis, and diabetes. A common intrarenal condition is the acute tubular necrosis, where epithelial layers of the nephrons become damaged leading to changes in urine concentration, waste filtration, electrolytes and acid base balance. There are three phases of acute tubular necrosis they are initiation, maintenance usually last one to two weeks, and recovery phase where patients will be put on diuretics and will have a slow return of renal function. Patients that are at risk of developing ATN are patients that have azot... ...lp us be free of acute renal failure. To be an effective nurse to these patients, always put ourselves in their position and think, what if I have this? Or what if my one your family members has this. It will make us want to care for our patients more. Always give them the care and importance that they need. Renal system 6 Given the life that I have right now makes me realize how fortunate I am that I am healthy and able to function normally everyday, we should always be thankful and give importance to our body because it does a lot for us. Love and respect our body, and remembering that everything we do, because in the end we are not just harming ourselves but we are also hurting the people that care for us.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Marx, Weber and Durkheim have significantly advanced our understanding of industrial capitalist societies

For hundreds of years people have tried to find ways to understand the changes in our society. How have we evolved from a hunting and gathering society about 12,000 years ago, when humans lived totally without technology, searching continuously for food, to today's fast-moving society, where we have modern technology at out fingertips? This paper will argue that three of sociology's founders, Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emilie Durkheim help us understand how and why society changes. These three social thinkers, who all lived in the 19th Century and thus were witness to the greatest change in society, the industrial revolution, have all studied societies in different ways and have come up with their own theories for social change. This paper will help us answer questions, which are puzzling us in today's modern world. Why is there such a large and ever-increasing divide between the rich and the poor? Why, when globalisation has enabled access to modern technology and information worldwide, are some countries still not embracing modern technology, e. g. omputers, fax, e-mail, at the same level that Europe and USA are? Is material wealth a guarantee to happiness in today's society and why are traditional family values declining in modern society? With the help of Marx, Weber and Durkheim's theories we will try to answer these questions and understand today's society. Karl Marx (1818-1883) interpreted modern society as a largely capitalist society, where profit is made for capitalists or bourgeoisie, who have means of production (factories, land, money), by exploitation of manual labour from the working class or proletariat. Marx maintained that economic production underlies and shapes the entire society. He called technological and social process of economic production the infrastructure on which all additional social elements like religion, education, family, ideas and values are built to form the superstructure. In other words, he would explain that people's values, ambitions and ideas are related directly to their economic position, i. e. their function in capitalist society. Marx found that â€Å"conflict between economic groups is the major engine of change† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 9). â€Å"Marx's analysis centers on destructive aspects of industrial capitalism, especially the ways in which it promotes class conflict and alienation† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 79). â€Å"Alienation is the experience of isolation resulting from powerlessness† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 80). Marx's theories are relevant in today's world when we consider the problem of class division. There is an increa sing gap between unskilled working class people (e. g. factory workers, labourers) and middle/upper class people (company directors, land/property owners). Marx's â€Å"struggle between classes† is very evident today, where working class people who want to better themselves and move out of their lower social class, find it difficult to do so. They may not be given the same opportunities as people who, for example, live in richer, more developed areas, with better facilities, i. e. education, training, employment etc. Marx's theory on class division is also evident when we consider crime. There seem to be different social rules applied to class. We are familiar with the term â€Å"white collar crime† and the fact that this often carries lesser punishment than crime carried out by lower classes. Marx's theory on alienation can help us understand why people who are ambitious and strive to be successful and therefore work long hours are feeling alienated from society. Workers are told what work they should do, have often no real input on the outcome of the product, often work alone and by doing repetitive work, are alienated from their own human potential. This problem is being addressed by establishing company unions and work societies who represent workers interests and combat alienation, but the industrial capitalist societies as Marx saw them are still evident in many parts of the world today. Where Marx studied social change from a capitalist angle, Max Weber (1864-1920) considered human ideas, beliefs and values to be the cause of social change. For him, people's ideas have transforming power. He found that modern society is a product of people's way of thinking as opposed to Marx's views that modern technology and capitalism brought about change. Weber argued that pre-industrial societies' views are mainly traditional, i. e. â€Å"sentiments and beliefs passed from generation to generation† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 1), whereas people in modern societies act rationally, â€Å"deliberate matter-of-fact calculation of the most efficient means to accomplish a particular goal† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 82). He viewed the industrial revolution as a rationalisation of society. â€Å"People tried to replace tradition with reason and law as the basis for societal organisation† (Tovey & Share, p. 14). Weber argued that the main form of rationalisation was bureaucracy as a way to control larger organisations. He also found that industrial capitalism was based on Calvinism, where it is pre-destined, God's will, that some people will do well in this world and that they are given the opportunity to enjoy the materialist, monetary wealth this brings. Like Marx, Weber believed that a problem of industrial capitalism is widespread alienation. But in his view, this was due to disenchantment with the world rather than oppression and false consciousness, i. e. that â€Å"social problems are grounded in the shortcomings of individuals rather than the flaws of society† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 78). We can see Weber's theory that rationality wears away traditional ties of kinship when we look at today's modern societies. There is evidence that family values are decreasing with long working hours and with, in a lot of modern families, both parents being career-orientated. Modern technology has also affected traditional family values. The introduction of TV, stereos, computers, telephones, have all decreased the time we spend in direct personal contact with family members and friends. It can be argued that modern technology has enabled us to carry out tasks quicker and save time, but that extra time is seldom ever spent with family. Rationalising society has given rise to alienation. We are classed as numbers and cases, rather than individuals. Loss of identity is often the result when we consider large-scale organisations, which, as Weber found, may work very well and efficient in their bureaucratic way, but at the cost of our own individuality. This may be the reason why so many countries do not see modern societies, e. g. Europe and USA as advanced and are therefore not willing to embrace modern technology with all its' problems like alienation. Emilie Durkheim (1858-1917) viewed society as a structure of social facts. Society has a life of its' own and can shape our thoughts, ideas and actions. Durkheim argued that society makes us who we are. He saw social change due to division of labour. Like Weber, Durkheim argued that in pre-industrial societies, strong tradition was the main societal influence. He added that this tradition bound people together and termed this â€Å"collective conscience†. From this he concluded that people of the same social beliefs are part of â€Å"mechanical solidarity† i. e. social bonds, based on shared morality, that unite members of pre-industrial societies† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 89). He saw that with the advancement of modernity, this mechanical solidarity was increasingly replaced by â€Å"organic solidarity† i. e. â€Å"social bonds, based on specialisation, that unite members of industrial societies† (Macionis & Plummer, p. 89). Therefore, this solidarity is based on differences as opposed to likeness. As jobs became more specialised to promote efficiency, we have to rely on others, mainly strangers, to ensure the successful completion of tasks. This may create a lack of morality, due to the increased freedom people of modern society have. They are no longer held together by strict traditional moral social regulations. Another term which Durkheim coined is â€Å"anomie†, which is â€Å"a condition in which society provides little moral guidance to individuals† (Macionis & Plummer). Fewer restrictions are imposed on people in modern societies and whereas Durkheim acknowledges the advantages of modern freedom, he warned of the negative effect of anomie. Anomie can be seen in modern society when we look at why some famous, successful, rich people are unhappy, have mental breakdowns and sometimes even commit suicide. Durkheim's study of suicide is very relevant today, as he found that people with little attachment to society (anomie) or over attachment to society are more likely to commit suicide than others. Durkheim saw the decreasing importance on morality as a result of modernisation and we can see its' effect in today's world, e. g. increase in crime and deviance. This paper has now considered three different theories, which can explain and help us understand industrial capitalist societies and have looked at how these theories are relevant in today's world. We have argued that the advancement of technology, which is at the heart of our modern world, is not necessarily good for our society. It has brought its' own problems, like do we enjoy our high standards of living at the expense of others? Inequality will remain a huge problem. Marx has seen class division to be a major negative result of modernisation. Weber's view that modern society is wearing away traditional ties and the loss of individualism is evident in today's contemporary world, when we consider social problems like crime, decreasing family values, family structure breakdown etc. Durkheim's theory is that modernity has decreased close moral ties and has led to increased isolation and anomie. There is no question that modern technology has benefited societies in many ways, but the price we have to pay for this technological advancement may be the loss of human community, moral values and beliefs.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Revolutionary War vs. 9/11 Essay

The Revolutionary War and 9/11 were both events that are still very talked about today.. They impacted America so much, and shook our history forever. Despite the differences in era, cause, and effects, they were also were alike in many ways. The Revolutionary War and 9/11 differ in many ways. First, the obvious fact that they took place in very different time periods. The Revolutionary War, which took place from 1775-1783 was an era before modern technology. Therefore, it took days, maybe even weeks before the media could inform the people of the events of the war. In the events on 9/11, which took place on September 11, 2001, people all across the globe knew what was going on by the second. News channels were buzzing, and the world was able to mourn along with the ones in the event. Technology also caused a major rift in between the two events due to the differences in weaponry. The Revolutionary War’s best weapons were early versions of muskets, rifles, cannons, pistols, and bayonets. In 9/11, they used box cutters, bombs, cellular communication, and airplanes. Finally, the Revolutionary War was a collection of multiple events and battles which took over a long period of time. Years, in fact. 9/11 simply took on e day. Despite their many differences, the two events are quite similar. Both the Revolutionary War and 9/11 caused fear and sadness in America. After 9/11, people were afraid of flying airplanes, leaving their homes, and some even grew paranoid of all Muslims. During the Revolutionary War, there was fear of both British and Native American terrorism. Another similarity is that both resulted in thousands of people dead or wounded. There were approximately 25,000 wounded, and another 25,000 people found dead during the Revolutionary War. In 9/11, 6,291 people were wounded, while 2,998 died. One similarity that is still very strong today is that both drastically divided the nation. During the Revolutionary War, the people were turned into either Loyalists or Patriots. Patriots were those who supported independence, whilst the Loyalists were those who remained loyal to the British king. After the devastation of 9/11, Americans who had probably referred to themselves as somewhat neutral, were all suddenly either Liberal or Conservative. The two categories had been dominant before, the the turn events caused people to be more outspoken about their beliefs. Conservatives believed in patriotism, and that we needed to punish those who had damaged our country, while liberals believed in more peaceful ways to solve the dilemma. However, regardless of any similarities, everyone can agree that both were events that shocked people, created a stronger government, and greatly impacted American history. Both events shook up our country drastically. People were left feeling unsafe and vulnerable, and thousands were left without lives. Although up until today people still debate on topics regarding both events, the truth is, no matter how much it damaged the survivors, it all resulted in a stronger America, and proved that we are a force to be reckoned with.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Contemporary Online Remix Culture Essay

Contemporary online remix culture continues the political and aesthetic practices associated with hip-hop. Discuss. For centuries artists have copied the masterworks of the past, they have borrowed from their contemporaries and from popular culture. Appropriation and remix methods can be found within the entertainment, music and fashion industries, texts and ideas, and extend to virtually every part of our culture. In today’s digital world remix has become a widespread phenomenon with extensive incorporation of borrowed imagery and sound into artistic practice. This activity of taking samples from pre-existing works and combining them into new product plays a vital role in society and raises questions around copyright laws which run counter to this notion that we build on the work of others (Navas 2009). Hip-hop techniques of sampling and manipulating pre-existing works to create new material and its own message can be seen to mirror contemporary online remix practices. This essay will focus on how contemporary online remix culture continues the political and aesthetic practices associated with hip-hop. Apart from looking at the actual practice of sampling this essay will examine how hip-hop was a way for the unheard and underrepresented people to make their voices heard and express hopes and frustrations of a community. Furthermore, this essay will look at how hip-hop continues to produce political discourse and how this also has been taken up by online remix culture. Finally, it will examine issues surrounding copyright issues of music and imagery in today’s digital world.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

How Relevant is Reith’s Idea of Public Service Broadcasting in Relation to Contemporary Television? Essay

The beginning of the 20th century saw the dawn of a new form of power. A means to communicate with thousands, and eventually millions of people simultaneously, to convey your ideas across a whole nation in a matter of seconds. This power was broadcasting. Broadcasting at the time was seen as a public utility, and as the wave spectrum was limited, the government got involved in its distribution. It decided the best way to fund broadcasting was a license fee. A British Broadcasting Company (which in 1927 would become the British Broadcasting Corporation) was formed, and on November 14th 1922, after over a million ten-shilling licenses were sold, it started transmissions. The first managing director of this company was John Reith, a Scotsman with a background in engineering. When he signed up for the job he did not even know what broadcasting meant, and yet he would very soon shape the future of broadcasting in Britain for the next 80 years. In 1925, for the Crawford report, Reith was asked for his opinion on broadcasting. He came up with several ideas about it, ideas that are still in use to this very day. He also came up with this phrase: Public Service Broadcasting. Reith believed that broadcasting should be a public service. It was overseen by the government, controlled by the General Post Office, and paid for by the people who used it. As a public service, public service broadcasting (PSB) should have an ethos, and Reith put forth some ideas that would stay in the PSB charter (and in the BBC’s mission statement) for years to come. One of the utmost concerns of Reith was that PSB had to educate as well as inform. Not only did the BBC have to relate events as they happened but also to educate the masses with science, nature or history programming. We must not forget that in the 1920’s most of the BBC’s listeners would not have had any real education past the age of 14. Another of Reith’s priorities was that all that possessed a wireless anywhere in Great Britain, be it in the center of London or the far end of the Hebrides, could access the BBC’s services. This universality of access would ensure that wherever you lived, you would have the same opportunities to be informed and educated by the BBC, thus putting the whole population on equal terms. Important to Reith as well was the public sector status that the BBC should have. That way it was not run for some anonymous shareholders who would only be interested in higher dividends, but in fact financed by the people who actually listened to it and later watched it. This would ensure that the quality of the programs was rewarded, rather than fulfilling the agenda of a handful of bankers. The BBC also had to lead popular taste rather than follow it. As Richard Hooper, chair of the radio authority said, the BBC had to offer â€Å"the Reithian ‘what audiences need’ not just ‘what audiences want'†. The corporation’s task was to innovate and give the public new areas of thought to explore. However in doing so, the BBC had to remain popular, as it was still the people paying for the programmes productions. The BBC also had to promote social and national unity, making programmes that catered for minority groups, and as the same time, sending out an image of national identity that all these groups could relate to together, thus creating national unity, a difficult task in the United Kingdom which has an â€Å"immensely varied national identity† (John Birt, director general of the BBC 1998) The promotion of democracy was also a major issue, and this was put to the test during the 1926 general strikes. The result was seen as inconclusive by some as Reith only allowed the prime minister to have his say and not the opposing parties. His arguments were that the BBC is the people’s service and the government was the people’s choice, so the BBC backed the government. But above all, Reith wanted the BBC programming to be of exceptionally high standards, and this at every level. The engineering had to be of very high quality, as did the programs. The information contained in them had to be accurate and up to date. â€Å"Our responsibility is to carry into the greatest number of homes everything that is best in every department of human knowledge, endeavour and achievement.†(Lord Reith). Reith also wanted a high moral tone to be respected at all times. Dress codes had to be respected when broadcasting, even if the BBC only produced radio programs at the time. Reith stopped a divorcee violinist playing on the BBC, as divorce was not in accordance with the moral tone of the BBC. Reith had very precise ideas about how he thought public service broadcasting should be run. These ideas were turned into the mission statement of the BBC. However this ethos was thought up nearly 80 years ago. Those 80 years have seen a lot of changes; changes in society that makes our contemporary lifestyle very different from life in the 1920’s. Are Reith’s ideas of public service broadcasting relevant to contemporary television? Can we apply the same ideas we did 80 years ago to media today, or are we forced to modify them? Or even change them completely? Some of Reith’s ideas are actually still applicable to contemporary public service broadcasting, and are still a part of PSB’s ethos. However with the arrival of satellite TV, speciality channels, otherwise known as narrowcasting, some of his ideas seem more difficult to apply to contemporary television. We know have in England four analogue public service broadcasting channels: BBC1, BBC2, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Even though the two latter ones do carry advertising, they are still public service broadcasting channels, in comparison to ITV, which is privately owned. There are some PSB digital channels being rolled out by the BBC, like BBC choice (soon to be replaced by BBC3), Cbeebies, a children’s channel, BBC4 and a learning zone channel). However these are not yet widely available, as not many households possess digital receivers yet. Let us look at the â€Å"terrestrial† channels, and how they measure up to Reith’s ideas. Firstly Reith wanted to inform and educate. BBC1 carries the BBC’s news bulletins as well as documentaries and educational programs. BBC2 carries a lot of educational programs for children in the mornings, many factual programs during peak time in the evening, and learning zone at night. Channel4 also has educational and factual programs but only one news program albeit of high quality. Channel 5 has short news bulletins on the hour every hour and â€Å"super serves for the pre-school age group† (C5 corporate web site).However, these do not make up the most of these channels’ programming grid. The majority of it is filled with dramas, soaps, gameshows and films. The BBC, as do channel 4 and channel 5 now set out to educate, inform and entertain and not necessarily in that order. However a technique known as hammocking which consists of putting a â€Å"low rating† show in between two â€Å"high rating† ones does try and educate us: having finished wa tching one show and waiting for the other, we can learn about the life of wild flies in Africa for instance. Unfortunately, in the days of cable and satellite, when people have scores of channels to chose from, research shows that viewers tend to change over to other channels rather than watching these shows. The competition between the PSB channels and cable or satellite TV is forcing PSB to include more entertainment. Reith wanted PSB to be accessible all over Great Britain. The BBC and C4 have met these requirements. However C5 has not. The reception of this channel is very irregular: good in some areas (depending on the weather), bad in some others, and non-existent in a few areas. Channel 5 is trying to remedy this by being carried by many different technologies: cable, satellite and digital, but not everyone has this diversity of receivers. Public sector status was also one of Reith’s priorities, as it meant independence. The BBC has the same status as it did when it was launched, however it has been forced to start selling its shows abroad to make profits. Channel 4 and channel 5 have both public sector status. Even though they carry advertising, they do not have to report to a board of shareholders. Public service broadcasting had to lead popular taste. The BBC, true to its nature still does, with a wider variety of innovating shows. Channel 4 prides itself as being an innovative and experimental channel, and it does offer us some shows that make us think, even at the cost of risking heavy criticism. This happened in 2001 when a spoof news show â€Å"Brass eye† offended many viewers while trying to make a serious point. Channel 5’s programming however resembles more the private commercial channels’, using lowest common denominator programming. Reith wanted PSB to promote national and social unity, to cater for minority groups, and also to establish a sense of identity. The BBC still caters for many minority groups, showing a wide variety of different genres, from opera ( a typically low rating program) to The Simpsons. Channel 4 carries a very wide spectrum of shows catering for many different minorities: a few years ago it shocked the nation by showing the first totally gay drama â€Å"queer as folk†, but it shows more the different communities in Britain rather than establishing a national unity. The promotion of democracy was also among Reith’s ideas. This is done by the BBC with party political broadcasts, or news shows and satirical takes on the British politics. However occasionally the BBC, especially in times coming up to it’s licence renewal, has been said to favour the government in place at the time, to be sure it’s licence would be renewed as it would like it to be. Channel 4 promotes democracy in the form of documentaries and current affairs programs. One of the most important aspect of Reith’s vision of public service broadcasting was high standards and a high moral tone throughout. High standards for the BBC and channel 4 are usually met. The quality not only of programming but also of the production is one of the highest in Europe. Channel 5’s programming however could not be called high standard. Reith demanded high moral tone. The director general of the BBC John Birt told this anecdote about the BBC under Reith in a speech he made in 1998 to celebrate the 75 years of the corporation: When the most popular comedians of their day, Clapham and Dwyer, had cracked a seaside-postcard joke (which does not quite – I warn you – stand the test of time) ‘What’s the difference between a baby and a champagne cork? One’s got the maker’s name on its bottom’ – they were banned from radio and an apology was broadcast on the Nine O’clock News for their grave lapse of taste. This shows that moral tone has changed in 80 years, and that if PSB were to observe the same moral code as in the 1930’s, TV would not be credible. This kind of tone can only be found in comedy shows like â€Å"Harry Enfield and chums† where we see two characters observing this code. Nowadays, if PSB is to cater for all minorities, the moral code has to change: if any of the public service channels banned a violinist as Reith did because she was a divorcee, they would be fined by regulations authorities. Our society has become much more tolerant, and public service broadcasting reflects this on all channels. Most of Reith’s ideas about PSB are relevant to contemporary PSB channels. However commercial channels do not abide by these ethics. Graham Murdock said that â€Å"audiences are addressed by PSB as citizens, not consumers† as they are by commercial channels. The aim of these channels it to make as much money as they can through advertising, and to achieve this they need ratings. This compromises on quality and does not allow them to do things that PSB can and must: address audiences that advertisers are not interested in, thus catering for everyone. The future is bringing a new challenge: digital channels. These will be able to target much more precise audiences: catering for minorities or better aimed advertising? Only time will tell, but if PSB has managed to survive 80 years, with changes as radical as the introduction of TV, there is no reason to think it will not survive in the digital age. Auntie is here to stay. BIBLIOGRAPHY Articles: A.C. Grayling The man who made the BBC (Financial times 8.10.93) Paul Valley Lost in a moral maze (Independent 26.03.96) Great Scots: lord Reith (Sunday herald 19.12.99) Books: Branston and Stafford (2001) Media student’s book second edition Internet: BBCi http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/743171.stm http://www.bbc.co.uk/thenandnow/history/1920s-1.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/news/news245.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/news/ieelecture.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/thenandnow/educate_home.shtml Channel 4 http://www.channel4.com/about_c4/promises_2001/promises_intro2.html Cultsock http://www.cultsock.ndirect.co.uk/MUHome/cshtml/media/peacock.html Radio authority http://www.radioauthority.org.uk/newsroom/speeches/archive/A%20Sound%20View%20of%20Public%20Service%20Broadcasting%20-%2029.1.htm

Friday, September 13, 2019

Analysis of Different Types of Partnership

Analysis of Different Types of Partnership Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . Analysis of Different Types of Partnership Introduction In this assignment I am expected to analyse different types of Partnership. During this I would be explaining and evaluating those types of partnership and be able to advise my clients which one is the best one for someone starting a business for the first time and also be able to states all the benefits of each type of business structure. According to the classic definition of partnership provided by s.1 of the Partnership Act 1890 is: â€Å"Partnership is the relation which subsists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view to profit.† Partnership is an incorporated body which means that the partnership does not have a separate legal personality from the partners. In the eyes of the law the partners is the business. If one partner make a decisions regarding the partnership and it goes wrong all partners are liable, they all can end up personally bankrupt because their personal assets can and will b e used to pay the partnership debts. In another hand if one partners become personally bankrupt the creditors can be entitled to his or her share of the partnership. This is why it is important to have a partnership agreement where the partners can ensure themselves against bankruptcy of individual partners. In the deed they can specify the outcome of any undesirable eventuality. It is the partnership agreement that rule the partnership. In case of no partnership agreement there is the Partnership Act 1890. The Act does not state any formal decision making structure of the partnership. According to the act a partnership does not requires one. The partners can set out the partnership agreement according to their needs. Usually the partnership deed is used to stipulate the dos and don’ts of the partnership and to delegate or retain the power and responsibility of the partners. It has to cover all eventualities, such as who owns the partnership premises; how new partners are to be taken in, and how they are to be paid; retirement of partners; circumstances in which a partner may be removed from the partnership Partners’ relationship must always be of the business’s best interest. It is very different from the relationship between employer and employee. Partners are business owners depend on their shares is the partnership which give them a number of co-existent rights. They have the right to take parts on decisions that affects the business; they have the rights to share profits and losses according to their shares on partnership; the rights to examine the accounts, to veto in the entrance of new partner and all partner are at liberty to the good faith of the other partners unless specified otherwise in the partnership deeds. There are three types of partnership: The general partnership, Limited Partnership and limited liability partnership. In general partnership all partners are liable for all debts of the business at the same proportions t hat they have in profits. The income and expense is reported on a separate return for tax purposes, but each partner then reports his or her pro-rata share of the profit or loss from the business as one line on his personal tax return. The most common form of partnership are group of people of the same family working together like a family plumbing firm and in another hand there are often group of professional people who work individually but have the benefit of shared support services like a firm of solicitors, doctors and accountants.

Blog post for Public Relation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blog post for Public Relation - Research Paper Example rs are rarely looking for that complex and detailed analysis of a product that would leave them in a position to develop the same product on their own. Contrary, they are interested in simply knowing how the product will suit their needs, and better even, how the product will meet their needs better than all the similar or substitute products on the market (The Richest, 2012). Therefore, it is through seeding the internet with great content, not in form of a narrative that will help to keep the customer engaged with the article or digital post, but rather through ensuring that any content developed in respect to a brand or promotion of a commercial entity tells the customers exactly what they want to know about it; how it suits their interests better than the rest (Morgan, 2014). This being the basic step, if an individual or business manages to establish internet content that will tell the customer exactly what they seek to know when they get online to seek for a commodity, the other steps involving optimizing and releasing such news will be easy to go by, since the fundamental need of the customers, which is that knowledge of the existence of a product that suits their interests better, will have been met. According to Carrie Morgan, â€Å"the Internet is a digital haystack; your brand is the needle† (Morgan, 2014). In this respect, it is the business of the brand owner to dig into the haystack, get hold of the needle, and place it on the top layer of the haystack, so that it would be easier for the interested parties to find it easily. Through applying this analogy, the only way through which a brand can thrive in the market full of competing products that are seeking to fulfill the same need, is through developing a great promotional message that will stand out amongst the rest (The Richest, 2012). For example, let us pose for a moment to look at the success of the giant search engine globally, Google, which is an internet-based firm that came along in the

Thursday, September 12, 2019

The Black Arts Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Black Arts Movement - Essay Example Rising of the Moon, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ice Age and Jazz are examples of modern protest literature, which vehemently protest against social injustices, ethnic biased ness and gender discrimination. Thus, protest literature aims to shield and proclaim the human rights bestowed upon man from Almighty God without discrimination. The violation of human rights on biased grounds is emphatically condemned by the protest writers, dramatists and poets. The literature, protecting the rights of African Americans and highlighting their miseries, while living with the White majority in USA, is also considered as a form of protest literature. A piece of art or literature, claiming the additional rights and favors for any group of society, cannot be claimed as the protest form of expression, because it does not fulfill the prescribed criteria. It is therefore, one school of thought does not consider the writings of the African Americans as the true form of protest literature. Larry Neal, America n writer and editor, does not believe such substance as conforming to the criteria of protest literature in a comprehensive way and in its true spirit as well. Neals definition in the Notron Anthology states that Black Arts Aesthetic in not equal to protest literature because protest literature appeals to the white culture elite. As such, it envisions an art that speaks directly to the needs and aspirations of Black America. Protest literature cannot be judged on the basis or disliking of one single community. On the contrary.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Cause and Effect Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Cause and Effect Assignment - Essay Example This paper intends to discuss trust as the cause of development of self-esteem in children; and, the development of self-esteem, confidence and emotional competence as effects. The thesis statement of the paper is: When parents rely on trust as a major disciplinary measure, it results in the development of self-esteem and emotional competence in children. Parents who trust their children use many strategies that spare their need for using secret surveillance tools. Communication is the biggest technique. Keeping the channels of communication open awakens the sense of self-confidence and emotional competence in children. Nelson (qtd. in Rutherford 410) states that â€Å"elite parents today rely on constant communication and a set of shifting possibilities rather than either confinement or pre-established rules when dealing with their children.† Clear-set rules and no communication about flexibility in rules leads to mistrust. In an article, Parenting: The Case for Keeping Out, Nancy Gibbs talks about her relationship with her daughters. She discusses that she belongs to the generation of parents who are extra worrisome about their kids’ hygiene, food, and security, when the kids are exposing themselves over the internet without parents ever knowing it. This extra worry leads to lack of trust between the two generations. Although it is a very good thing to be concerned with kids’ activities, however it is of no use securing them under helmets, and making them stay wrapped up in hypoallergenic sheets all the while. The need for securing the children brings with it different gadgets that help parents make sure that they are protecting their children from danger. Nelson (qtd. in Rutherford 410) mentions that parents use automobile tracking devices, key stroke recorders and drug-testing kits to maintain surveillance upon their children. They use these techniques until their trust is broken. Moreover, There is a tool that â€Å"lets you sneak a few strands of hair

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Buying gold during a rescission its a good idea Research Paper

Buying gold during a rescission its a good idea - Research Paper Example At the same time gold prices are raising sharply and many of the current investors believe that investments on gold may bring better returns to them in future. This paper argues in favor of buying gold as the safe investment option during a recession period â€Å"When you see the Fed start buying their own treasuries from China and Japan, hyperinflation and default will be just around the corner. Gold and Silver provide the peace of mind one will need whenever that day arrives† (Eberhardt, p.26). Even though the prices of gold and silver experienced certain ups and downs in the past, no major collapse of gold prices has been reported yet. Most of the emerging countries like China and India are purchasing more gold and keeping a good gold stock. When we compare the current stock market conditions and the conditions of the banking industry against the current gold industry trends, investments in gold seems to be the right option. â€Å"When it came to the extreme stock market c onditions, people ran to the safe haven of gold† (Eberhardt, p.146). In order to learn more about the potentials of gold as a safe investment option, it is necessary to identify the differences between money and currency. Many people are of the view that both money and currency are the same things. This is an illusion. â€Å"A currency does not store value in and of itself.

Monday, September 9, 2019

U01d1 The American Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U01d1 The American Legal System - Essay Example The main basis of the common laws is based on the decisions that have been made in previous cases. During a hearing the judges make the decision on a case based on previous cases and previous decisions. It is also essential to understand that if a particular case has not been found in the common law, then the decision made by the judge on a case will become the law. Statutory laws on the other hand are the laws that are made by the government of the specific country. Here the governments play a major role in the law determination and they are also responsible for the development of punishments as well. These laws are made to basically meet the needs of the citizens, or to help in the formalization of the existing laws or even to resolve cases that are outstanding and need the government interference (Hillestad, 2004). Considering the health care systems, it is essential to note that the government has taken over the ‘driver’s seat’ for several organization and the hospitals that are run by the government now hold a monopoly in the markets. Here the local hospitals are given the rights to allow or not the starting up of other newer hospitals in the area (Schneller, Smeltzer, & Burns, 2006). Hospitals are given the right to prohibit any new competition in the markets and this in simpler words means that the local hospital tend to gain a monopolistic power in the industry. This is very similar to providing a company the legal rights to create higher levels of barriers to entry in the markets so that the new competition is completely eliminated. The laws those are present in the market at present are to a great extent the root cause for the several liabilities that have cropped up in the past. To ensure that the health care is improved and the issue of the health care is reduced, the governments needs to allow the health care organizations to be privatized instead of taking on the entire markets and also the level of laws and regulations need to be

Sunday, September 8, 2019

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Research Paper

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - Research Paper Example INTRODUCTION This paper shall discuss the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA), which is a United States federal law passed mainly to ensure accounting transparency as mandated by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It also includes provisions meant to address the bribery of foreign officials. This paper shall discuss the act, including its pertinent details and essential provisions, as well as its reasons for passage and application. II. BODY The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is a law which includes specific provisions on accounting and prohibitions on bribery (Cook and Connor, p. 2). The accounting provisions of the law are meant to prohibit illegal accounting practices which are often carried out to conceal corrupt practices. The provisions are also meant to guarantee that company shareholders, including the Securities and Exchange Commission are given an accurate picture of corporate status and finances (Cook and Connor, 2010). This law covers two groups of corporate per sonalities, first are â€Å"those with formal ties to the United States and those who take action in furtherance of a violation while in the United States† (Cook and Connor, 2010, P. 2). The US issuers and domestic concerns are required to heed the provisions of the FCPA, regardless of their actions being within or outside the US territories. Issuers are companies with securities in the US or those which are legally called for to regularly report with the US SEC (Cook and Connor, 2010). On the other hand, those under domestic concerns have a wider coverage, and include individuals or residents of the US. Corporations, partnerships, business trusts, sole proprietorships, and like entities are also covered under domestic concerns, for as long as their main place of business is in the US or their governing provisions are under the US laws (Cook and Connor, 2010). This act holds corporations and other entities legally liable for bribing foreign officials even if such act was carr ied out beyond American shores and throughout the years, various violators have been prosecuted under these provisions. The basic provisions of this law hold the following practices as illegal: â€Å"1) a payment, offer, authorization, or promise to pay money or anything of value; 2) to a foreign government official (including a party official of manager of a state owned concern), or to any other person knowing that the payment of promise will be passed on to a foreign official; 3) with a corrupt motive; 4) for the purpose of (a) influencing any act or decision of that person, (b) inducing such person to do or omit any action in violation of his lawful duty, (c) securing an improper advantage, or (d) inducing such person to use his influence to affect an official act or decision; 5) in order to assist in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing any business to, any person† (FCPA, in Cook and Connor, 2010, p. 2). Individuals and corporate entities violating th e provisions of this law can be held criminally liable and may be imprisoned and/or fined for their actions (Biegelman and Biegelman, 2010). The law also provides a generalized definition for what is to be qualified as ‘payment’ punishable under the FCPA. The FCPA defines these payments to cover any benefits (monetary or otherwise) given or gifted to a foreign official in order to curry favorable treatment in business activities with the involved foreign official (Cook and Connor,

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Characteristics and Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characteristics and Skills - Essay Example The most critical cycle for effective counseling is the 4Es cycle – On introspection as to why I have people turning to me for sharing their problems and going back with a sense of relief in my personal life, I have realized that I can build trust based relationships quickly that could actually help the aggrieved person. Some of the essential characteristics that I possess as an individual are strong yet effective communication, make an objective assessment of situations, the ability to call a spade a spade and communicating this reality to the person opposite in a way to empower them in their current situation and give feedback effectively has made me choose this particular professional career. The values that I bring to the table are the following Empathy is one of the soft skills that any person would need to be an effective counselor. Empathy actually means affection clubbed with passion touched by the quality of suffering. This particular characteristic is viewed by many professionals as the most important one in a helping relationship. â€Å"Empathy is often viewed as conveying sensitivity to the client and trying to understand what â€Å"walking in the other guy’s shoes† may feel like. The helper need not necessarily have undergone the experiences of a client to understand the client’s feelings (Brooks/cole - A division of Thomson learning, 2004).† Genuineness is another important aspect that any person who intends to take up a human service profession needs. Genuineness is the expression of true feelings. â€Å"To be a genuine helper, one must avoid role playing or feeling one way and acting another. Genuine helpers do not take refuge in any specific role, such as counselor or therapist. Genuineness involves self-disclosure. It implies a willingness to be known to others (Brooks/cole - A division of Thomson learning, 2004).† If the human service helper is genuine then

Friday, September 6, 2019

Columbia Gs Admission Essay Essay Example for Free

Columbia Gs Admission Essay Essay My name is Edgar Martinez. I was born in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) 34 years ago. My childhood was pretty normal. My parents had enough to provide for my little brother and I. My father was a local councilman at the time my mom a homemaker. I always wanted to be a politician like my father I admired him as a matter of fact I still do. I graduated from High School in 1995 and soon after and got drafted to go the Colombian Army. I was sent to Santa Marta a small town located a 200 miles north from my hometown. There I encounter my first experience with the real word and left for good my childhood. In the middle of deployment my father a secretary of Energy for the national government was kidnaped . After that life was never going to be the same. We waited and waited and waited †¦.. and waited. And after a few weeks a platton of navy seals of some sort rescue my father and he was brought back to us alive and almost well. The trauma of being in captivity was devastating for him and the family . My parents desided to send me to the US to be in a safer place. Little did I know I would never return to live in the place I was born. I came to the US in 1997 directly from Cartagena to Salt Lake City.