Jacques-Louis David’s “Death of Marat” (1793) Essay

Jacques-Louis David studied painting in Rome where he was able to absorb the classical sprit of Ancient Rome (Fleming, 1995, p. 496). He was influenced by Enlightenment philosophers such as Diderot, and from them, he developed the idea that paintings should have a message that points to political and/or social action (Fleming, 1995, p. 496). A member of the bourgeoisie, David was personally involved in many Revolutionary events: he organized a festival of the people (July 14, 1790), designed propaganda materials for the Jacobins, voted in support of Louis XVI’s execution, and signed execution orders for over 300 people (Boston College, 2006). David, then, was uniquely positioned to combine ancient values, Enlightenment thought, and revolutionary principles in his paintings. The interest in classical values in the late 18th century arose from two sources: the discovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii and the rise in popularity of revolutionary ideals. In particular, the Roman Republic was seen to embody a spirit of courage, freedom, and opposition to autocracy that resonated with 18th century revolutionaries in France and the United States (Anonymous, n. d. ) For artists, these neo-classical ideas came in the guise of searching for new subject-matter. Previously, most artists painted religious, mythological, or allegorical scenes (Anonymous, n. d. ). In terms of subject matter, David’s â€Å"The Death of Marat† is neo-classical in the sense that scene is neither religious, nor mythological, nor allegorical in nature. In fact, the subject is a contemporaneous figure – Jean-Paul Marat. The choice of Marat confirms to the revolutionary ideals associated with neo-classicism in that Marat was a prominent leader of the French Revolution who was killed by Charlotte Corday, a member of the opposition (Anonymous, n. d. ). David’s sympathies clearly lie with the Revolution, as he portrayed Marat as a martyr (Anonymous, n. d. ). Marat’s position in the bath tub, surrounded by materials needed for work (paper, quill, ink) requires some explanation. As he suffered from a skin disease, Marat spent many hours working in his bath (Boston College, 2006). David painted the painting shortly after Marat’s murder on July 13, 1793. Originally asked by the Convention to paint Marat’s portrait at the time of his death, David chose to present an idealized portrait of the man, rather than an authentic depiction of the rapidly decomposing body (Boston College, 2006). David was overcome with emotion upon this request from the Convention, as Marat had been his close friend and ally (Annenberg, n. d. ). This painting functions almost like a detective novel: all of the clues needed to solve the case are present in the picture. Marat’s wounds figure prominently, there is a bloody knife on the floor, and the paper in Marat’s left hand is a letter his murderer gave to him just before she stabbed him (Annenberg, n. d. ). Though I did not know the background behind the portrait, I was immediately drawn to this painting because of the serene, yet pained, look on the subject’s face. I was intrigued by the fact that the subject appears at first glance to be taking a rest from his work. It is only when I noticed the red color that I realized that the subject was bleeding. The red blotches on the paper in the subject’s left hand seem to indicate that he placed this hand over his wounds before retaking his paper. This color sharply contrasts with the white bath cloths. The knife seems to be an afterthought, tossed aside by the murderer. Without knowing the particulars behind the painting, the viewer is left with many unanswered questions. Who is this Marat that is mentioned on the table by the bath and whose name appears on the sheet of paper in the subject’s left hand? In short, this painting sparked my curiosity to learn more about the incredible story behind the painting. Image: ? References Annenberg Media (n. d. ). Art of the Western World: An Age of Reason, An Age of Passion. Retrieved on May 11, 2010 from http://www. learner. org/vod/vod_window. html? pid=233. Anonymous (n. d. ). Lecture: Enlightenment and the Romantic Era. Retrieved on May 11, 2010 from http://www. stockton. edu/~fergusoc/romantic/romantic. htm Boston College (2006). Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Marat. Retrieved May 11, 2010 from http://www. bc. edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_marat. html Fleming, W. (1995). Arts & Ideas. Ninth edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.

The Enlightment and the Role of Women in Society

The Enlightenment and the Role of Women in Society The Age of Enlightenment was a large cultural movement of educated individuals around the 17th and 18th centuries. The purpose of the Enlightenment was to challenges ideas that were rooted in faith and tradition, mold society using reason, and advance knowledge through a new scientific method. Different societies rose during this time period and discussed a wide range of topics. One widely discussed topic was the role of women in society. Societies mainly debated over the role of women in the public sphere.Two documents, specifically, had a great impact on the Enlightenment era. The first of the two, being Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King, was written by a group of working women who addressed the King simply asking for a better education and to be enlightened in order to be better wives and mothers. The next document, from Condorcet, radically insisted that women should gain political rights like men. Although these two documents both had impact during the Enlightenment, they varied in principles and amount of effectiveness during the period of the French Revolution.The French Revolution culminated things such as the middle class and the grievances of women. On January 1, 1789, the King was shown the Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King. These rights demanded by the women included the right to a decent education, and the right to earn a respectable living, avoiding the road to prostitution. These demands were far from radical and the petition made it specifically clear that they were not asking for equality with men. The women explained, â€Å"We ask to be enlightened, to have work, not in order to usurp men’s authority, but in order to be better esteemed by them. The Petition of Women depicted a society that accepted social roles, understands the importance of education and had steadfast faith in their king. This group has accepted the French society’s pre-chosen po sition for women. Women in the Petition seem perfectly aware of France’s specific role for them. They speak quite frankly about their role in French society, almost to a point where it feels as if they are happy to be in their current position. They recognize they are â€Å"continual objects of the admiration and scorn of men† and they do not attempt to change the status quo.Instead, these women seem willing to comply with society’s expectations, as long as there is a form of profit directed toward them. Indeed, they explicitly state, â€Å"To prevent social ills, Sire, we ask that men not be allowed, under any pretext, to exercise trades that are the prerogative of women – whether as seamstress, embroiderer, millinery shopkeeper, etc. etc. ; if we are left at least the with the needle and spindle, we promise never to handle the compass or the square. They understand that society is treating them unequally and they believe that accepting society’s norms and receiving a form of gratification is better than fighting over something out of reach and receive nothing. The women’s argument ended up to be quite successful through their respectful tone to the King and the modest requests. They carefully insisted that they did not want to become equal with men and simply wanted education and enlightenment. They also use a large amount of flattery in order to lighten the King’s mood.The women express themselves to the King by saying things like â€Å"the love we have for your majesty† and how â€Å"we see in you only a tender father, for whom we would give our lives a thousand times. † With these small requests and the women’s adulation toward the King, the overall argument seems like it would be fairly strong during the period of the French Revolution. In the document On the Admission of Women to the Rights of Citizenship, Condorcet argued for the political rights of women, something no revolutionist had ever dared to do before.He acknowledged that woman were equal in humanity through reason and justice. Condorcet rejected the idea that women’s physical differences were a good enough reason to reject them of their civil and political rights. Although he did in fact recognize women’s limitations, not in gender, but in the lack of education and different circumstances. Many that are opposed of these statements also argue that giving women political rights would disrupt the social order, assuming that women would abandon their domestic affairs.He reassures those by saying, â€Å"It is natural for a woman to nurse her children, to care for them in their infancy; attached to her home by these cares, weaker than a man, it is also natural that she lead a more retiring, more domestic life. Women would therefore be in the same class with men who are obliged by their station or profession to work several hours a day. † Although the effectiveness of Condorcet’s document seems sound in today’s society, back during French Revolution period, this would be considered fairly weak.These types of statements were highly due to the beliefs that women possessed certain characteristics that perfectly matched them to their domestic duties. Women were deemed unqualified for a voice in the political realm because of their much great proneness to feelings, flawed rationality, and weaker sense of justice. Although this campaign ended unsuccessful, women did benefit from many of the changes that happened in matters of marriage, divorce, and inheritance.Women in the Enlightenment were extremely limited due to society’s preconceived notions. Documents like On the Admission of Women to the Rights of Citizenship and Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King gave society new ideas and philosophies that have never been revealed before. Although much of the document’s intentions failed, they opened the eyes of society and society too k its first step into gaining the ability to reason about sexual differences and one day grant women the full rights of citizenship.

Challenges which organisations and managers face

Challenges which organisations and managers face This report aims at understanding the challenges that managers and organisations face in going international, and will offer some recommendations and possible solutions that can be considered by the organisations. The number of corporations that are going international is on a steady increase, as the world is opening up for foreign firms and there is more opportunity to expand to new destinations across the globe. Most times, multinational companies operating abroad face much more difficult tasks than before, due to high competition. A lot of companies form partnerships with foreign distributors in order to expand internationally, but they might not have the necessary resources and international experience it takes to sustain an international presence as the whole process can be a very demanding task, especially on the part of the managers Countries of the world are now interacting more rapidly in the globalized business environment of today. Thus the problems involved in managing a cross diverse cultures affects not only the multinational corporations, but also domestic companies, as a large number of domestic corporations also face multi-cultural environments because they seem to be constantly selling their good or making purchases in the international markets. Some domestic corporations also employ a lot of staff and management who are from different cultures. Thus when managers fail to fully appreciate and deal with the resulting differences in behavior, attitudes and values of those with whom they work or interact, especially in international business transactions, then that would be a major source of difficulties. According to Charles Perrow â€Å"Interactive complexity is the measure of the degree to which we cannot foresee all the ways things can go wrong. This may be because there are just too many interactions to keep track of. More likely, it is because our various theories are simply not up to the task of modeling socio-technical interactions. Seco nd, coupling is a measure of the degree to which we cannot stop an impending disaster once it starts.† (Perrow, C 2000) This might be as a result of managers not having ample time, or maybe because it is not physically possible, or due to a lack of experience. The capacity of managers to prevent any surprises that may arise from doing business on an international scale diminishes as the interactive complexity increases. Therefore, as the level of interactive coupling and interactive complexity continues to increase in a corporation. Then the whole system can be seen as an accident waiting to occur. This is what Charles Perrow refers to as â€Å"normal accident† in the sense that errors of operation will merely serve to trigger the events. Therefore, the management techniques and strategies employed to resolve international business problems have to differ from the management techniques for resolving local and domestic problems. As such mangers are to improve upon their managerial capacity to prevent unanticipated interactions and components, the system has to be firstly simplified, then there has to be and effort to increase the capacity to handle international problems, building in longer response times, and decoupling of major components. Apart from convergent problems which are problems which show promise for solution, multicultural corporations also face divergent problems. Divergent problems don’t promise a solution and tend to lead to more differences. According to Tylor (1977)

Part A Self-evaluation (finance) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Part A Self-evaluation (finance) - Essay Example Furthermore, I have realized the importance of time value of money in the corporate world. Initially, I thought that inflation is the only key variable that alters the value of money but now I have apprehended that the time value of money encompasses of inflation, effort, risk and other variables. Finally, I have also found my self to be convenient with the tutorial questions of the above chapters. Although I have gained a lot from taking this course but yet there have been some stumbling blocks which were hindering in my course of learning. The third module which teaches risks and returns is quite figured out by me but I can not understand its practical application. The theory of that chapter was extremely intricate and types of risk were even unfathomable for me. The next module of Valuing bonds and shares was found to be even more complicated. I am baffled with the various valuation models used for valuing shares and bonds. I can not get which model is to be applied in which circumstance and the reasoning behind its application. The concept of Yield to Maturity was impenetrable as I could not comprehend the real significance of the concept. I can confirm this fact in the light of evidence that the questions of MyFinance Lab homework were looking as though beyond my capabilities. However, I have tried to break the barrier by going through different books and internet articles. I keep a simple schedule for learning the diverse set of subjects. Whenever I hear a lecture, I take my time and start revising to embed those concepts firmly in my mind. Moreover, I try to get acquainted with the current global scenario by digging up for information that is in the air. As far as the areas of the improvements are concerned, I am not flair with numbers therefore I need to improve my analytical skills and numerical solving capability. For

The Age of the Sage Kings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Age of the Sage Kings - Essay Example If one is to keenly observe, there were quite a number of things, which the Japanese civilization was able to adopt from the Chinese, like the writing system, which, according to tradition, was introduced through Korea, around 405 CE. It was said that Buddhism was also introduced to Japan through Korea around the sixth century. Historical accounts also showed that in both countries, the emperor held the highest position in the land. With a closer look, one will notice, however, the differences between the two civilizations; the Chinese being the more advanced of the two, as based on historical accounts, provided a pattern for Japan in shaping up its culture and its people's way of life. But though it was the case, the Japanese system of ruling those times greatly differed from that of the Chinese, since the Japanese emperor of the ancient days only played as a figure head, meaning he assumed the throne but he did not hold the power to rule, and some other high-ranking officials, in the person of court nobles, regents or even the retired seniors of the dynasty performed the task for him. The Chinese tradition has it that the predecessors of modern-day China were five mythical emperors who ruled the country in the ancient days. The first was known as Fu Xi who, according to tradition, reigned from 2852 - 2737 BC; then there was Shu, the emperor of the Northern Sea, Hu, the emperor of the Southern Sea, and Hun Dun (also known as Chaos), emperor of the Center. According to the legends, when Emperors Shu and Hu went to the land of Emperor Hun Dun, the ruler received them with great hospitality. And in return, as an expression of gratitude to their host, they put seven orifices in his body, one orifice a day for seven days, only to realize after their task was through that they had killed the emperor in the process. It was said that only after Hun Dun's death did the orderly universe came to existence. The last of the five emperors was Huang-Ti, or otherwise known as the Yellow Emperor. He was believed to have reigned from 2697 - 2597 BC, and was the one to have been suc ceeded by the first dynasty known as Xia, that was said to have reigned from 2205() - 1570(). But since there were no archeological proofs for the existence of the Xia Dynasty, it was considered as legendary like the five rulers who preceded it. The first Chinese dynasty that was archeologically proven to have existed during the ancient days was the Shang Dynasty (1570() - 1045() BC). Based on archeological discoveries and through depicting the Late Shang oracle-bone inscriptions, it was found out that the Shang was an aristocratic society that was ruled by a king who had control over military nobility. It was further discovered that he appointed territorial rulers to govern the different parts of his kingdom and required them to support him in all his military undertakings. Although there were no written accounts found relating to the final defeat of the Shang, later texts indicate that Zhou ruler King Wu defeated Shang ruler Di Xin over the Battle of Muye in the northern Henan Province around 1045 BC. Comparisons were made between the downfalls of the

Admission essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Admission - Essay Example My desires and success in special education did not just stop with my university education. Immediately after graduation, I accepted an opportunity for tutorial classes at Taibah University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Department of Curriculum and Instruction as a tutorial fellow for one year. Since 1996, I have accumulated a remarkable wealth of knowledge in working with students with disabilities thus impacting positively on already learnt skills while at the same time giving me an opportunity to learn new ways of understanding the complexities that surround educational attainment of learners with special needs. The desire to improve the welfare of learners with special needs has also earned me both personal and professional development enabling me to articulate the theoretical aspects of special education into the reality and an extension enabling me to redesign neoclassical educational achievement of special education that seemed non existent within the classical arena. Over time, my remarkable performance has been accompanied by outstanding progress and improvement wich attracted distinguished promotions leading up being the Director of Hope Institute in Jeddah and CV. Within the period of direct contact with an array of ideas, perspectives and philophies of work, I have built a wealth of knowledge in special education leading up to accepting to join the first group of scholars to pursue the first stage Masters Degree at King Saud University with a full eye focus on Special Education, achieving excellent results. Based on this unique and rich experience, I ask myself, why not advance to a Doctorate level which will not only give me an opportunity to polish my hard earned skills but also empower me to contribute to the evolving world of Special Education scholarship through publications, seminars and taking up a lead in the dissemination of knowledge at the University to impel a generation conscious of the needs of

Economists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Economists - Essay Example Fisher was born in 1876 and received his Business Administration degree and Ph. D in Yale University. As the professor of economics and mathematics at Yale University, Irving Fisher developed extensive concepts concerning money supply and price fluctuations using mathematical evidence (Allen, 1977). Fisher was among the most accurate and leading economists of the 20th century. He used his acquired knowledge and skills from Yale to observe and analyze dramatic and complex macroeconomic events during his era. Fisher also proposed appropriate solutions to the Great Depression that crippled the U.S economy and other aspects of life. The crash of the stock market in the U.S in 1929 and consequential falling of stocks and goods’ prices prompted Fisher to revise his economic theories on price fluctuations, debt and the depression caused by these factors (Mendoza, 2009). Fisher formulated a debt-deflation theory and named the financial crisis, the Great Depression, which is currently used to relate to the economic recession in the U.S.The debt-deflation theory indicates that consumers borrow money for investment on speculation and imagine profits, which leads to losses, debt, deflation and pessimism. Thesis Statement: Irving Fisher has a significance impact on the prevailing U.S economy through his debt-deflation theory, which examines the causes of debt, the deflation and the solutions of the subsequent financial crisis in relation to the current U.S economic instability. Significance of Irving Fisher’s Debt-deflation Theory Irving Fisher’s debt-deflation theory was essential in the Great Depression era and in current U.S economic crisis because it clearly explains the factors that cause the debt and the resultant ripple effect on the economy. The U.S economy is essential in the global market because it is the largest trading partner in the world, which means its financial crisis affects all other foreign economies. The following are causes of deb t, stages of the financial crisis and proposed solutions as described and examined by Irving Fisher. a. Factors Led to the Great Depression i. Immediate Causes of Debt During the Great Depression, the two chief causes of debt for U.S citizens were over-investment, over-speculation and over-confidence (Fisher, 1933). Citizens, private sectors and the government borrowed money from banks, the federal government and other private financial lending institutions to conduct investments that they believed would result to higher returns and revenues. Many organizations and citizens wanted to invest borrowed money on new business ideas and receive abundant profits within a short time as compared to the ordinary investments that have moderate profits and interests. New inventions included building industries, railway lines, develop new resources, open real estates and new markets (Fisher, 1933). Financial lenders provided easy money, which led to over-borrowing. Most investors believe through speculation and over-confidence that they can borrow money at 6% and make profits of over 100% (Fisher, 1933). New industrial inventions and technology innovations prompted over-borrowing with the confidence of making a huge profit within a short period. Lucrative investment opportunities allowed people and organizations to have big debts. Major wars that the U.S initiated and

Logistics and Operations Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Logistics and Operations Management - Assignment Example Operational input includes staff cost, material, equipment, no. of rooms in the hotel while operational output includes number of rooms rented by patrons, no. of service availed by customers, increase in brand awareness among tourists etc. Choy and Chu (2001) defined customer satisfaction as the intention of the customer to repurchase/recommend services of the hotel after availing it first time. Hotels can be classified as Budget, Mid-Scale, First Class and Luxury on the basis of their revenue and size of operation (. In this report, the discussion will only be concentrated on Budget and Luxury hotel (PKF Consulting, 2010). It is evident from the above theoretical argument that operation management plays vital role in hotel industry. Hence, this report will try to indicate the difference between Budget and Luxury hotel in terms of various facets of operation management. A real life case study will also be used in this report in order to validate the argument of the researcher. Budget Hotel versus Luxury Hotel From the consumer viewpoint, budget hotels are perceived as the low cost accommodation place for tourist while customers ready to spend extra money on luxury are attracted to luxury hotels which have more to offer rather than offering only accommodation facility to customers. However, the demarcation between luxury and budget hotel is decided on the basis of different factors such as total cost of the project, price of the rooms, availability of services, no. of rooms, additional amenities, augmented facilities etc. TRI Hospitality Consulting (2007) defined budget hotel as the conjunction of ‘limited-service hotel’ and ‘select-service hotel’. For example, City Hotel located in central London can be classified as the budget hotel with room rent in the range of ?30 to ?50 (Hostel Bookers, 2013). TRI Hospitality Consulting (2007) defined luxury hotels as the accommodation place which offers additional facilities such as sports, leisu re, travel etc along with accommodation service and charges high price in order to reflect its service quality. Luxury hotels emphasize heavily on creation of customer touch points such as infrastructure, design and aesthetics of the building etc which can reflect the premium service quality to customers. For example, Bellagio located in Las Vegas can be classified as luxury hotel which charges minimum hotel room rent of ?200 to ?250 per day. It is clear from the above discussion that there is significant amount of difference exist between operations of a budget hotel as against operation of a luxury hotel. Gronroos (2007) stated that service driven business organizations need to focus more on creating customer touch points and customer service in order to deliver quality service to tourists and patrons in hotel. Mongiello and Harris (2006) found that traditional management concepts known as Fayol’s five elements of management can be successfully implemented by hotel managers in order to achieve business success. These 5 elements are defined as Planning, Organizing, Commanding, Coordinating and Controlling. Each of these elements can be used in order to contrast and compare the differences and

Virtue Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtue Ethics - Essay Example (Maria 16) The people that have this kind of virtue based ethics tend to ask the major question on which action to choose when they are faced by a dilemma where a basically moral decision has to be taken. The theory also tends to train people on how to overcome the vices such as that of greed or even unnecessary anger that may stand in the way and stop someone from being a good person. The theory of virtue ethics has been in the background of all forms of discussions whereby they have been given a low profile when people meet to discuss issues of morality and the theories involved. In western philosophy, the ancient Greek thinkers had the thought that this kind of ethics was the oldest in terms of time. According to Aristotle, who dealt with the issue of virtue ethics in detail, when a person acquires forms of good habits, then such a person has the ability to regulate emotions and reason in instances that require rationality. Aristotle, therefore, points out to the idea that such un derstanding can help people make decisions that are morally correct when they are face with situations of difficulties. (Maggio 28) The major reason as to why virtue ethics can be said to remain popular and relevant is because it makes a major contribution that would enable us get to understand morality in depth. The discussion also talks majorly of the kind of role played by motives in the whole agenda of morality. Certain forms of virtues remain relevant as they are quite necessary for the actual accommodation of acceptable moral decisions thereby making it rather necessary for the moral decisions to engage correct motives so as to get more desirable end results of the ethical appreciation. Moral decisions are further scrutinized and it is discovered that moral theories do not rely heavily on motives so as to be able play a vital role in the evaluation of our moral decisions. (Maria 19) Correct motivations should be, therefore, encouraged so as to facilitate the evaluation of mora l education that the young people are taken through. The practitioners of this understanding point out the importance of selecting the desire of achieving a certain outcome then keep up with the need to accomplish the said goals by the kinds of actions that can make it acceptable when fully scrutinized. It is also important to note that the other reason why the theories under virtue ethics are prone to be more attractive as compared to the other theories is the idea that most of the other theories have the common way of facing difficulties and challenges that come as a result of calculations that are conducted under moral understanding as well as further problems that arise as a result of the lack of knowledge on the kinds of actions to accompany which kinds of moral duties that have to be emphasized. Theories under virtue ethics point out the understanding that once we are successful in selecting the type of person we want to be, it is possible that arriving at decisions that are m orally acceptable will most obviously come out naturally. Virtue ethics has the tendency of making individuals dig deep into their thoughts to establish the sort of people we want to be, the virtues that are expected of the persons we are trying so hard to be, the kinds of actions that will make us as individuals cultivate the kinds of actions that virtue ethics require us to have if we are to be successful in becoming the people we want to

Abortion All Sides of the Issue Essay Example for Free

Abortion All Sides of the Issue Essay When you think of abortion, the first thing that comes to mind is the death of an unborn child. Trying to identify all possible sides of the issue of abortion is a difficult task. Choosing a side is even harder. Although abortion issues are not recognized and discussed any longer, it is still a serious matter and continues today. The research that has been done on the sensitive subject of abortion has been going on for quite some time now. The Definition of Life In the dictionary, abortion regularly defined as removing a fetus or an embryo from the uterus to end a pregnancy. When completing research this past week, I found out that when abortions were first starting out, they were only performed on women who were not capable of carrying a child or the fetus was incapable of surviving. Now, women are given the choice to carry, give the child up for adoption or having an abortion no matter what the situation is. The Issues of Abortion There are plenty of health risks and issues that come along with abortion. â€Å"One woman from an unnamed clinic had a partial abortion performed in which half of the baby was never removed. (Rendon, 2002). See more: Social process essay Just like any other procedure, abortions come along with not only the physical effects, but also the mental stress of it all. After having my abortion in June of 2005, I was in complete distress. Being in that types of situation made me want to curl up in a small ball and cry all day. Being that I have chosen the topic of abortion, I was gradually trying to observe and view all different sides of abortion. Of course, we have all seen in the news when abortion first became an issue, â€Å"there were many people pro-life and many others, pro-choice. (Scheidler, 2002). I still feel that even though abortion is not talked about much today, it is still a serious issue and still continues as the days pass. Which Side Do You Choose? When reading the different articles from ProQuest and seeing how the supporting and differing viewpoints made me feel, I began to take the position as a pro-life supporter. One of the issues I have is with the abortion of fetus’ after the 24 week period. I feel that if you know in the beginning that you aren’t going to want to keep the child, then why wait so long for the abortion. Some babies are able to survive after only twenty-eight weeks of being in the womb. This is another reason I am pro-life. Another issue that I can identify with related to my hypothesis is the religious viewpoint of abortion. Like most people, in whom I have researched upon, feel that abortion is a form of death. We all know that one of the Ten Commandments in The Bible states that â€Å"thou shall not kill†. If death is a sin, then why is abortion legal? The third issue that I have related to abortion is the act of â€Å"partial abortion†. After reading further on this partial procedure, which I was not to familiar with, I found out that the abortion is only halfway done and the doctor performing finishes killing the fetus. Just thinking about this situation makes me angry because abortion, in my eyes, is already wrong and performing it partially is just as bad. Being a Pro-Life Supporter My position on the issue of abortion is someone who is pro-life all the way. On June 13, 2005, I had an abortion. It was one experience I swore to never have again. I have a ten month old son now and I am so grateful for him and I am glad that God allowed me to have another child. I was in just getting out of college at the time when I had my abortion. I was young and scared and was not stable enough to bring a child in the world, or so I thought. Women need to realize that they do have a choice in situations like these. Many married couples or women longing for, who are unable to conceive, want to have children. Why not choose to give the gift of an adoption over abortion? At least knowing that a child was not killed and made someone else happy would be a better option. Adoption can be a good thing for someone not wanting to have a baby that they knew they couldn’t raise and support. You Have a Choice Another choice that women have is the option to keep the child. Starting your family is great and what better joy than to bring a baby into the world. Deciding whether to abort or keep the child is a difficult decision when it comes down to it. I know that from past experience, I was not able to really care for a baby the way I am now. I was in college, as an on-campus resident; during my first year when I found out I was pregnant. Not wanting to put my future in jeopardy, I chose the option of abortion. Personal Experience from the Heart When I first found out that I was expecting, I did not tell anyone but a close friend of mine at North Carolina Central University. She was very excited and was encouraging to me. She gave great influential advice and was there to offer me a helping hand. But, after thinking it over, I decided and knew that this was something that I just could not do. After getting out of school in May of 2005, I began to think about it even more. Going through the all-day sickness and being tired was no joke. I was really going through and I thought I just could not take it anymore. I talked things over with my cousin and she assured me that everything would be okay. After setting up my scheduled appointment, I felt a sense of relief. I was sad at the same time because I knew that I was killing a life. A few people living around me had seen my pregnancy glow and knew that I was indeed pregnant. But when they did ask, I simply told them no and walked the other way. On the day of my appointment, I was nervous and scared all at the same time. I was having these mixed feelings go through my mind one after another. I didn’t know what to do. When we arrived, I thought about telling my boyfriend and cousin, who traveled with us for support, that I would rather take the three hundred and eighty dollars I was holding in my hand and go buy a crib. I wanted my baby and I didn’t want to go through with it. After the procedure was finished, I was escorted to a room where the nurses and staff were in such a good mood and being so nice to me. All I could think was, â€Å"What did I just do? † I could not believe that I had just gone through with the procedure. I stared in aw looking at these nice nurses who were just so happy when all I could do was cry. Now, looking back on that day, I still feel the hurt and pain of going through that entire day. I know that I felt relief in mind but sorrow in my heart. I am now a proud mother of an eleven month old son and I know that God made me a mother for a reason. Being a mother is the greatest thing that has happened to me and if it wasn’t for my son, I don’t know where I would be right now. Abortion is indeed a very controversial topic with issues that people do recognize sometimes, but not most of the time. Yes, there have been plenty accounts of where abortion issues were in papers, but it’s not as recognized as â€Å"Paris Hilton goes to jail†. This is the type of situation I am discussing. Today, indicating from my research, the number of abortions has increased from the past two decades. Sometimes I feel that women choose abortion because it is the easy way out. You may fail to realize that not only girls, but also boys are very advanced these days. All kids from the age of fourteen and up are sitting at home playing video games and playing with dolls. More and more pregnancies are happening to girls who haven’t even reached the age of eighteen. â€Å"Women never really realize the great joy they have until going through the clinic walls and giving their baby up for a small price. † (Rothstein, 1995). This statement is so true because you do not know the great joys of being a parent until you have your own. People everywhere should take a stand to get abortion laws passed so that they will only be performed if necessary. Taking a stand is important because we all stand somewhere in this world. There are many ways to support abortion foundations and groups.

Online Reservation For Car Service Information Technology Essay

Online Reservation For Car Service Information Technology Essay The Project of Online Reservation for Car Service is needed for the country as technology grows fast in the world. The purpose to develop this project is to provide better solution to the problems that the customers faces. This website will provide customers to reserve their car services from their home or from office. For moment, there is non- availability such reservation system in Malaysia. Customer feels hard to send their car for service, either they need to reserve using telephony system or walk in to send their car for service. At the end of these project, a prototype of justified system will develop which will provide a solution for the identify problem to improve the organizations revenue and performance. This system will be web based system where it is able to conduct an overall process of online registration and bookings too. The data will be stored in keep as privacy for each customer who has register. Finally, the proposed system will save time for the customers who have to wait the queue for those who walk in and telephone reservation. Project objective The main objective of this system is to provide customers with a much convenient and better way of booking their car services. It is an online system for car services reservation and users will have to sign up through the registration page so theyll be able to view the various car services provided by the car services centre. This way of reservation is unique in Malaysia as it has been already implemented in other countries. This system is created to manage the reservation processes through online where the previous older ways were done manually. This system would be a productive solution for users and the car services centre. It will also reduce the work process of the admin while the data will be kept securely. Project scope The scope of this online reservation for car services system covers various functions. Firstly, it covers the services information. This is when the users can view the services provided by the specified service centre. Secondly, it covers on identifying the location. Users can view on the location and images of the car services centre. This creates a better trust and understanding of the recognised service centre. Thirdly, the system covers the operating hours of the service centres. This helps the users to familiarise themselves on the operating hours of the particular centre. Fourthly, the system provides a log-in authority. This system provides access to members. This is where user who wants to send their car for services would have to register their details and car details online. Non-members can only view the basic interface of the online system. Fifthly, this system covers the frequently asked questions (FAQ). This will certainly help the users to clarify any doubts that they have regarding the car services. Sixthly, the system covers the report of the online processes. In this system, a report section where only specific authorized person are allowed to generate a report about the processes and data recorded. Seventhly, the system covers on online feedbacks. The registered user may send their feedback to the admin staff online. Finally, in order to achieve the scope of this project, various researches will be conducted through observation, questionnaire, books, journals, Internet and etc. A vast idea will be identified to complete this project to make its process go on swiftly throughout. Project deliverables The proposed system in the project will produce various plus points as being a web-based system. First is the security. This consist user/Admin login accounts, automated user ID for Admin and registered user, and a secured database. Second is a paperless work. This consists of an online record keeping which is web-based and registration can be made online at anytime and anywhere. Third is the reduction of human error. This is when the report will be generated in various forms such as PDF, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel which will provide a much accurate calculation. Fourth is test cases and actual testing and finally would be the documentation of this project with appropriate implementation of the system and can be made as a use manual too. Target Audience This system is targeted on car owners regardless of age, and occupation. Moreover, administrative staff in the services centre are targeted too because the proposed system will be more useful for them in the sense of reducing paper work and manual way of data keeping. Functionality of the system There are two types of functionality, which is internal functionality and External Functionality. The internal functionality are consists of administrator and the external functionality consists of user toft her system. Administration The proposed functionality of the system is to enhance a better reservation system to increase a better result in terms of accuracy of the cash flow and service management. The online reservation system will provide with Username and Password to enhance a better login security for the administrator. These is to manage the service authentication to check who has been reserved their service day by day. Therefore, the managers are able to get results to be summarized and to close the monthly transaction each every month. The accounts will be kept in a web based server to monitor and to keep track of daily operations to be determined in the future when it is necessary. User The user can register for free to use this reservation system. The login system enable user to update the current profile. Users are able to select their preferred time and date for their services. In conjunction, user able to select the pick-up and delivery service if there are interested and there are few monthly promotion can be selected. At the end of reservation, users are able to check out by selecting the payment methods. The web server will update at the back office and the management will get the updates of the particular reservation. Company Background Michelin BS Services Centre Sdn. Bhd. Source: Google Images On year 1998, Michelin has established its Representative Office while on the year 2002; Michelin Malaysia Sdn Bhd has established its headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Currently Michelin Malaysia has made its mark in the local tyre industry. Michelin has a professional and ever growing distribution network easily recognized with a standardized store-front signage, and force strategically positioned and located at key market centres. BS Service Centre Sdn Bhd is based on Michelin sponsorship to sponsor those car centre and service centre to develop their business entire Malaysia. These service centres have 2 branches in Kuala Lumpur and another in Petaling Jaya itself. These companies will emerge more sponsorship to give opportunity to those who wants to establish their own car centre. As dated on 17 August 2012, Michelin is globally ranked 1,473,231 and ranked 11,155 in Malaysia (alexa.com). Castrol Golden Tyre Car Centre Source: Google Images Charles Cheers Wakefield established an oil company in England on the 19th March 1899. He produced a new lubricant that reform transport in the first half of the 20th century after ten years later. He named the new oil as Castrol. To this day, the name Castrol is equal to premium quality, high performance and a leading edge technology in motor oils and automotive lubricants. The headquarters for Castrol Industrial Malaysia is located in Kuala Lumpur. This company played a leading role in product technology and provides value added services to improve customers manufacturing process. Today, Castrol sponsorship has grown rapidly due to more car service centre which enables the company to give work opportunity for those are needed. One of the sponsorship companies were known as Golden Tyre Car Centre which is located in Bukit Jalil and they also have another main centre in Kota Kemunig, Shah Alam. As dated on 17 August 2012, Castrol is globally ranked 23,989,089 (alexa.com). Appendix http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/michelin.com.my# Castrol

Creon as the Hero of Sophocles Antigone Essay examples -- Antigone es

Creon as the Hero of Antigone       The dilemma of identifying the true hero, or heroine, of Sophocles’ Antigone has tortured students for years. It is indeed a difficult decision to make. The basis for this decision is what the reader perceives to be Sophocles’ dramatic issue in this play. The dramatic issue of the play is twofold: Antigone is a fanatic who is driven by her religious fever to bury the body of her criminal brother, Polyneices, against the edict of Creon. In the second part, Sophocles shows how the new King Creon’s refusal to change his decision in the face of adversity is admirable, but at the same time his political morals end up destroying his family. His fall from grace is tragic, whereas Antigone's fall is welcome.   In this manner, Sophocles sympathizes with Creon, and thus he becomes the hero of the Antigone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contrary to the belief of Jebb, a critic of Antigone, Antigone cannot be the heroine of Antigone. There are several reasons for this: she is a one-dimensional character who does not go through any development during the course of the play, her behavior is illogical and does not evoke a sense of pity from the audience nor the chorus, and her personal vendetta outshines her religious goal.   These same reasons are also basis for the dismissal of the claims of Hogan, another critic of Antigone who has Antigone and Creon as dual heroes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone’s character does not evolve in the play. Jebb sees her as enthusiastic, "at once steadfast and passionate, for the right as she sees it- for the performance of her duty," and having an "intense tenderness, purity, and depth of domestic affection" (Jebb 1902 p.12); Calder and I disagree with this statement. Calder is a critic of the pla... ...is more likely the tragic hero of Antigone, rather than Antigone herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At first glance, Sophocles’ Antigone seems to have two protagonists, Antigone and Creon. The hero cannot be Antigone because of her one-dimensional character, illogical behavior and lack of pitifulness. And upon closer inspection, it is revealed that Creon is indeed the tragic hero, through the fact that his original edict concerning the burial of Polyneices contained the means of Creon’s downfall. Works Cited Calder, William M. III (1968). Sophokles' Political Tragedy, Antigone. GRBS 9, 389-407. Hogan, James C. (1972). The Protagonists of the Antigone. Arethusa 5, 93-100. Sophocles (1902). Antigone (Richard Jebb, Trans.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Sophocles (1991). Antigone (David Green, Trans.). Chicago: The Universiry of Chicago Press.   

Modernism vs Neo-Traditionalism Essay -- essays research papers

Modernism vs Neo-Traditionalism: A debate on the merits and failures of two major competing paradigms in architecture and urban planning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beyond the term modernism underlies one of the greatest ideas in architectural development. Modernism was meant to provide more green areas, cheaper housing and more efficient use of space. This was to be accomplished by creating vertically dense spaces with the use of the new inventions of the nineteenth century, such as steel, glass, electricity and elevators. By decreasing costs of building, modernists hoped to provide cheaper housing, affordable to almost anybody. The modernist movement was also promising to meet the growing demand for office spaces, hence the motto â€Å"form follows function† . Today, the inhabitants of every large city are able to see products of modernist influence. Its opposite, neo-traditionalism, is admired for its beauty and variety. â€Å"Small City U.S.A.† is an extremely popular concept among today’s citizens, looking to escape the ordinary, colorless office buildings. Boring and redundant, is modernism today wh at it was conceptualized to be? Its ideas shape today’s housing, from housing projects to single homes that have neo-traditional skin. Modernist concepts are of incredible importance and necessity; however, they were misunderstood in application.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Modernism was a response to the rise of industrial manufacturing as man’s chief economic activity.† Modernism fulfilled the growing demand for office space. It made use of such inventions as steel, glass, concrete and elevators. Steel and concrete allowed building to go to whole new heights. Glass and electricity provided lighting, thus making the workday longer. Elevators made the office buildings possible by carrying its inhabitants to any floor in the building. These materials also solved the problem of fireproofing and were definitely less costly than the materials used for traditional buildings. At the same time, modernist buildings became uniform: built from the same materials, modular, colorless with the same components, flat roofs and lack of ornamentation. Kunstler argued that such buildings have seized to have any meaning that they destroy social arrangements and do not consider natural resources. He blamed modernism for ruining the c ities with corporate gigantism, failing to creat... ... supposed to provide for both.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People who despise modernism, probably do not know what it is supposed to be. Post-modernism seems to be more or less of an answer. It finally lets modernist buildings nurture creativity. Post-modernist buildings vary in shape, size and color, thus making them more appealing to the eye and less redundant. It seems that the costs of such innovations would still be less than those of traditional buildings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that our society needs post-modernism. People long for trees and parks and waterfronts, as well as for buildings that one can look at and think, â€Å"Oh, G-d, that is beautiful.† We need this no less than we need office buildings. Modernism and post-modernism are deemed to be different, and they are in the sense that post-modernism is exactly what modernism was supposed to be, may be with a bit more variety. In many instances, post-modernist buildings are even more attractive than neo-traditional. So, maybe one day when all modernist ideals are realized, a person will come out of the new Federal Plaza and for a hundredth time think, â€Å"This is the most relaxing landscape I’ve ever seen.

Open Mine Eyes :: English Literature Essays

Open Mine Eyes 'Open my eyes and allow me to behold the wealth of each curtained acre. Allow me to stand amidst the true complexity of land and hold me hostage beyond the hand of illustrations. As any mind may have it, such beauty is held too deep, so far away no ordinary soul could see. I ask you to bring forth the beauty of such things. Describe to me, young man, the definition of America . . .' Close your eyes and open your mind. Feel that slightly chilled breeze upon your cheeks, barely rustling through your golden hair. Reach out now and grasp the unknown, hold within your hand the temperament of unrestricted air. Now breathe deeply, and allow yourself to inhale that refreshing sweetness. Only you know that its the cause of the shallow whispering of the world around you. Now, in your mind, open your eyes and look beyond that reach. As far as your eyes can see, lays an open field of amber grain. Acres and acres of an un-chartered beauty. Though, what makes such emptiness beautiful? Behold, the white and scattered clouds, now accented by the blue sky and illuminated by the rays of purple, yellow or pink brilliance from the rising sun beyond the horizon. I witness the world grow smaller. I see, in the distance, the annually alternating colors extending from green and yellow, to orange and brown. A painted portrait of freckled or dimpled ground lies towards the horizon. Look above, a great royalty in heavens plains extending his prided wings over the appreciated air. The eagle watches carefully over his kingdom. Though it may not seem much, he prides himself with the restless content of the waving grain. The mild whispering of the wheat battling each other for unity and for serenity, for direction and for time. Though through this complexity, he watches his kingdom dance. You, alone, stand in his shallow pond of grain. When the wind picks up it creates waves of confusion. The careful breeze pushes them one way, and in restraint they push back. Though when the wind s lets up they have strained so much, when they are released, they lurch into the other direction, creating an elegant swaying motion. The individual composition of form, and with the subtle motions they mold a dance of serenity. You must understand, in order to visualize such beauty, a person must be willing to look further than the word America.

Bondage and Escape in Sons & Lovers Essay

A major theme in â€Å"Sons & Lovers† is bondage and escape. Every major character is held hostage by another character or by their environment. Her husband, her family and her anger at the family’s social status hold Mrs. Morel hostage. She has no friends to be seen or money of her own to use. Her escape from her bondage is her death. She was unhappy her whole life and lived though another human as a source of happiness. She essentially lived her life through William and, after his death, through Paul, which in a twist of irony, by doing so she is essentially keeping them in bondage. She wants William to move to town to get a good job and a good wife to help up their social status. When he does move and bring home a woman, she thinks she has finally arrived, only to be pushed back down with his death. William, who found a good upper class woman with Lily, brings her back to his family’s home. He loves Lily, until he sees her behavior to his sister; Lily treats Annie like a servant. Although his mother likes Lily, he cannot stay with her and soon leaves her and then falls ill and dies. William’s death is his great escape from the bonds of his mother. When William dies Paul replaces him as Mrs. Morel’s dummy; Paul leads his life as his mother wants him to, she keeps him in check, approves who he dates and even goes with him and speaks for him on his first job interview. The only thing redeeming Paul in this is that he knows that he is being tied down by his mother and is fighting a silent fight against her for his whole life. Although Mrs. Morel doesn’t like Miriam, he keeps his relationship with her. Although Mrs. Morel doesn’t want Paul to stay out late, on most occasions he breaks this rule also. The only thing that ever releases Paul from Mrs. Morel’s grasp is her death. Mr. Morel’s captivity is the most literal. He is held captive by the mine; every day he must work in the mine and the harder and longer he works, the more money he makes. He is held captive by money and a blue-collar career. As a man, he ahs more options than Mrs. Morel, he can go to work, he can drink in the bar after work, he has his own money; but still the mine is always there, calling him back with the lore of making more money next week. Miriam is held captive by Paul and by her own lofty hopes and dreams. Paul strings her along in their relationship, with no future for them in the relationship. This lack of future for them may be based on Mrs. Morel’s dislike of Miriam and by Paul’s willingness to always please Mrs. Morel above him. Miriam is also held captive by her own dreams; she envisions herself as a princess, not as the wife of an office clerk. She has aspirations that are unattainable, and therefore is kept down by her own refusal to settle with Paul. Clara is held captive also, but for the opposite reason that Miriam is: Clara is levelheaded and stable and supporting herself with a job. She is too levelheaded though and will not allow herself to fall too much in love with Paul. She in the end seems to only head further into captivity, by going back with her abusive husband. In conclusion, everyone of the major character is held in bondage and not all are able to make an escape from their bonds.

My Passion in Singing

My Life Without music, my life would be a mistake because I exist in a world filled with songbirds. I live in a world filled with colorful hopes and dreams. I dream to climb the ladder of fame but I realize that living simply is my happiness while doing my very best to achieve my dreams no matter how high or low they are. I have many affiliations since elementary and most of these are into singing because it is one way of expressing myself. When I was a child, I already use my talent in singing because one of my dreams is to make my name shine in lights and make my faces known to everyone in the world.I started singing in front of a crowd when I was 6 years old. Each one in our class was required to sing, and I was amazed at how my classmates and teacher admired my voice. That was the day when I found out that there was something special in me. That was the day when I started to dream of singing in front of more people and not just in front of the mirror. Because of that event, teach ers and student leaders approach me whenever there is an event in our school and they ask me to render a song number. I always agree and prepare.At the end of each song number, I always feel glad. I know I made others happy by entertaining them, and I made myself happy because I just had another chance to sing in front of a huge crowd. Nothing makes me happier than getting that experience and making myself more prepared to chase my bigger dream which is to become a famous singer. I always sang Japanese songs when I was elementary and through this, I became a regular singer at Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku for three years. I am also a cantor and psalmist at San Pedro Cathedral Parish.I have been part of Star Magic Davao since 2011 because I believe that it could also pave my way to being known nationwide. I takes part in their workshop and treats these as my training. I also believe that these will equip me with the right skills I will need in order to reach my dream. I am doing everythin g I can to achieve my dreams but staying humble. My angelic voice is a God-given gift so I must share this gift to everyone and not to hide it. I believe that through singing, I please our Creator.My passion for singing, coupled with love for music comes from deep within my heart, mind, and soul. Singing is my cigarette, alcoholic drink, my escape from anger and pain. I really love singing because I think it is not just an art, it is a means of expressing one's emotion. Today, I am just a typical young girl but with all my efforts, I may be seen as a star in the future. There may be obstacles standing in my way but I hope I can go through these smoothly and succeed in reaching my dreams.

Community Colleges Essay

Does everyone that attends community colleges know the role of them? Most people don’t know the achievement gaps or knows the importance of them. Many teens today are so excited about attending college the last decision on their mind is commuting. This is because most are ready for the dorm life, freedom, and partying. Education does cross their mind, but other times it isn’t until the hard work kicks in. This also goes for charter schools. Charter schools and community colleges are very beneficial and helpful. The two are very similar when it comes to academic reasons. Today many people work hard to close achievements gaps for people coming from high and low income families who want a better education. Many people face obstacles due to family income. Whether it’s high or low income, children fight for available educational opportunities. Everyone deserves a chance at being successful and achieving goals. It is said to be that people living in poverty won’t have the same benefits as others living on the â€Å"brighter side†. People that live on the brighter side have easier chances at getting successful. This refers back to school system, and how education is involved. (1st link) The education law center stated that the Christie administration has been moving too slow. It is suggested that they build more schools for children in struggling cities. Recently, the state of Department of Education failed to move as quickly as they should, now there are many different ranges of requests for many school repairs and fix other things in some of the poorest cities. Charter schools are very different from schools such as private and public schools. In Newark, children are grouped by ages consisting children five and younger that live in poverty. Schools are trying to help these children. Charter schools are private schools that give everyone a chance. For example, in the book Outliers, KIPP was a middle school that Marita attended. KIPP was a middle school that has a high standard of academic conduct and achievement. The success of this school is continuous with its low-income students. These students end up going to college in overwhelming numbers. (2ndlink) Gladwell has questions children being given the opportunity of getting too much schooling. (book) Gladwell compares that theory to agriculture. Rice paddies are planted multiple times a year and they follow a steady schedule. In other countries, students attend school for countless numbers of days. KIPP is introduced to the same strategy for their students. They attend school from 7a. m until 7p. m. Even on Saturdays and in the Summer they are in school learning. Marita lived in poverty and decided to change her cultural legacy by attending KIPP to better herself. Most if not all of her time is spent going to school and doing homework. This allows Marita to get out of poverty. Her grade level increases tremendously. More than half of the students will graduate, including being the first to do so. (book) Charter schools focus their studies on the children. Compared to community colleges, time is spent on the people more. Universities and public schools do not receive the same attention. New Jersey’s high school students receive less standardized test based on their education system. This made charter schools easier to open. Christopher Cerf, an education commissioner, considers the state options on allowing students who take standardized testing to get into colleges to be substituted for high school proficiency test. Also, he feels that the community college entrance exam and high school test be the same. He believes in this so the test could be based on individual subjects. Cerf is trying a new system where a charter can be in Elizabeth, but children in Newark can attend. Community colleges try to close this gap by allowing the opportunity for anyone to attend. Professors interact with students more at community colleges. For community colleges do not have to have any special talents, income, or anything to attend a community college. People fail to realize they have many benefits attending these schools. These colleges aren’t for anyone of a specific age. Everyone is treated equally. The gaps are being closed because you are worked with unlike other school where you’re more independent. For example, in Outliers, the University of Michigan only enrolled 10% of minorities’ entrance chance, when their chance was just as good as the whites. Also, Christopher Logan dropped out of Montana State because the professor showed no interest in helping him. Charter schools close these gaps by allowing them to learn equally but based on a higher level than the same grades as public schools. Christie wants to replace many of the school contract performances and set specific standards. Focusing more on test results than regulatory compliance. (4th link). In the cities with the most poverty, children fail because they haven’t had anything new. The Urban Hope Act will allow private nonprofit to build new schools in Camden, Trenton, and Newark. This will only happen if they can prove experience in education. No state or other public bond dollars will be used on these schools. They will receive 5% less per student state funding than regular district schools. They do plan on promising to do much better with less. (link 5) In conclusion, enough work is being provided. It doesn’t have to always involve money. The financial issues are slowly but surely taken care of. Attention wise, these bridges are being close with enough time and patience to help children learn in charter schools and others in community colleges. Government needs to expand to allow everyone the same opportunity, instead of allowing high incomed people have certain opportunities and advantages rather than others. It is said that prodigies have a less creative mind than a student with a lower IQ. It is not true that certain people need to be smart enough to succeed in the real world. Hard work, dedication and the right education gives low incomed people the same advantage as everyone else. http://weblib. ucc. edu:2188/iw-search/we/InfoWeb? p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=1449450EEA63BEE0&p_docnum=4&p_queryname=2. http://weblib. ucc. edu:2188/iw-search/we/InfoWeb? p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=1445F9C7B95F9388&p_docnum=5&p_queryname=2 http://weblib. ucc. edu:2188/iw-search/we/InfoWeb? p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=139BE64F7B69B398&p_docnum=4&p_queryname=2 http://weblib. ucc. edu:2188/iw-search/we/InfoWeb? p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=134F1CD19D623F50&p_docnum=7&p_queryname=2 http://weblib. ucc. edu:2188/iw-search/we/InfoWeb? p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=13C7A18781A29440&.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter 7 Analysis

The communication of this invitation through Gatsby suggests initially to Nick that ‘something was up'. The air tension is increased by Fitzgerald's use of pathetic fallacy: the weather is â€Å"Hot!†¦Hot!†¦Hot!† so that it, like the atmosphere in the chapter ‘hovered on the edge of combustion'. It is almost the last day of summer, appropriately. There is a feeling that the last chance for Gatsby; that the darker days of autumn and winter are on their way; that things are drawing to a close with the demise of the summer. The telephone call received by Tom at luncheon (from Mrs.Wilson) adds to the air of expectancy and tension. It is also the first time the reader has seen all of the main characters of the play gathered together, adding to the idea that the climax is due soon. Daisy and Jordan's skin is powdered over, suggesting a papering over of cracks, and the falsity of the situation. Nick contemplates ‘the scalloped ocean and the abounding blessed isles', almost palpably desiring an escape. Daisy's public kissing of Gatsby, suggests that she is ready to make the relationship public, but her ‘clogging' on the fireplace suggests an almost hysterical desperation. Tom notes the change in the footing of their relationship, as Daisy exchanges apparently trivial comments that betray their intimacy : â€Å"you always look so cool†. His response to this is an attempt to shield Daisy from Gatsby, by trying to have her travel in his car to New York. He clearly recognises that ‘she had told him that she loved him'. Daisy's ‘presentation' of her child, Pammy, to Gatsby and the assembled company has striking effect upon Gatsby; she is concrete proof of the marriage between Tom and Daisy, inescapable evidence that Daisy has shared the last 5 years of her life with someone else. Tom agrees to Daisy's suggestion that they go to town as a welcome distraction from the almost surreal scene that appears to be brewing at the house. As the girls prepare for the outing, Nick notes ‘the moon hovered already in the Western sky', suggesting that time is again running out. As Tom gets whiskey, Fitzgerald has Gatsby explain the irresistible allure of Daisy's voice: â€Å"her voice is full of money†, This clarifies the whole moral stance of the characters in the text: drawn to the money in her siren's song. Nick thinks of her at this moment as † high in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl† in a vision that simultaneously draws together the multiple images of silver, gold and white that Fitzgerald has used throughout the text to suggest money and wealth. The drive to town provides another opportunity for Gatsby and Daisy to be alone together as Daisy evades Tom's suggestion that he drive her ‘in this circus wagon' – Gatsby's car. This description clearly demonstrates the contempt of the patrician for the vulgar display of wealth by Gatsby, the parvenu.

Answer some guiding questions and then write a short essay with given

Answer some guiding questions and then write a short with given sources - Essay Example For this reason, culture is ordinary because it largely depends on external forces. This implies that secondary influential forces such as cultural assimilation and other languages can easily make an individual adopt a new culture and language. The legacies Williams refer to, in his arguments relating to the central cultural problem of our society, are pretence, overdependence on modernization, globalization, and the institutionalization of a culture as a social process. Culture has been manipulated in the recent past, and the blame for this manipulation is on human hands. Cultural purity has, therefore, not been observed especially due to ever-looming modernity. Additionally, cultural serenity has been impossible because the world has become a global village. Through these legacies, Williams argues that acculturation and multi-cultures have globally emerged, and this undermines the centrality of societies (Williams 97). This is the period Williams describes as the time cultural manipulation outrageously outgrown beyond repair (Williams 98). In his first dimension, Harvey outlines three types of space and time, which include absolute space, relative space and rational space-time. According to Harvey (2009), an absolute space is immovable and fixed (134). Sir Isaac Newton and Descartes also amplify this space. Absolute space, just like absolute humidity, can be understood geographically as a pre-existing, lilaceous, continuous and an unchanging framework. Relative space, on the other hand, is differentiated from absolute space by the name it is associated with (Harvey 145). It is usually inclined towards one of the non-Euclidean geometries and Albert Einstein’s theories. Relative space pre-eminently and irrationally presents the space of process and motion. Three ways of understanding space laid out in Harvey’s second (Lefebvrian) dimension are Cassirer’s distinction among organic compounds, perpetual and symbolic space (Harvey 134). Symbolic

Reflective Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflective Reading - Essay Example According to one of the Chinese women, studying in the U.S. is good as it exposes a person to the rest of the world. In addition, staying in America enables one to live freely according her personality (Dongxiao, 2009). The young woman believes that her life is simple in U.S. since the country gives her room to do her things and explore life freely without many restrictions. However, she asserts that life can be very boring and lonely to someone who is not actively participating in social life. Thus, for students who are not very open or sociable, she advises that they should better not consider studying in the United States. According to the Chinese student, being socially active in the U.S. goes a great way in helping a person to know others. As there are many people from many countries of the world, remaining active helps someone to get a touch of different nationalities in the same land. Another Chinese woman asserts that although the educational system in the U.S. is enticing, prospective foreign students need to be Christians (Dongxiao, 2009). She says that without a strong Christian background, people tend to feel lost in the foreign country. A person may lose connections with her native country and end up becoming confused or engage in illicit behaviors. As earlier said, the U.S. learning institutions consist of people from many countries that come to seek quality education. Additionally, living away from home tends to give a student freedom to do what she pleases. Thus, the many cultures clustered together coupled with much freedom, can confuse a person who lacks a strong rooting in her beliefs. The Chinese student believes that Christianity enables a person to find peace in the land of confusion. A person will better handle any inevitable difficulties. According to (Dongxiao, 2009), the advice from the two girls gives a glimpse of their perceptions

Feasibility Report of Licensing Agreement between Alarmz Ltd Essay

Feasibility Report of Licensing Agreement between Alarmz Ltd. (Britain) and Rio Inc. (Brazil) - Essay Example Alarmz Ltd plans to enter into a licensing agreement with a Brazilian company Rio Inc. for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing a new tamper – proof vehicle alarm. This report aims to explore the possible issues related to this licensing agreement. Issues Related to Licensing Agreement with a Brazilian Company A licensing agreement involves a number of issues that a British company needs to consider before finalizing the deal with a Brazilian Company. Prominent issues are: 1) Government Permissions A licensing agreement with a foreign company for manufacturing and distribution of a product requires initial permissions from the relevant government (Stamicarbon 2011). These permissions will authorize the licensing agreement and allow Alarmz Ltd. to transfer its technology to Rio Inc. for a definite consideration. 2) Cultural Differences Both of the participants in this licensing agreement have different cultures. These culture poses great challenges to the effective exe cution of the licensing agreement in its true spirit. 3) Legal Support and Protection Legal protection acts as a corner stone for a business. In the instance where legal protection is weak or unavailable, the business survival can be at high stakes. Therefore it is important to ensure that the protections available to Alarmz Ltd in Britain are also available in Brazil. Intellectual property protection is of greatest importance. Therefore, it is important to understand the protection that is provided to the intellectual property, the types that are protected and time taken to register the rights. 4) Employment and Labor Laws Differences The economy of a country keeps on fluctuating. The employment laws are also affected considerably (StartupOverseas 2011). Therefore, there is a risk of strike by labor unions against any government measure or legal changes. As a result of which Alarmz Ltd will have to suffer in terms of the license royalties which will be considerably varied. 5) Custo ms and Tariffs, Excise Duties and other Taxes The customs, tariffs, excise duties and other taxes define the scope of government intervention in a particular industry. In case Brazilian government has imposed higher taxes to discourage certain practices, it might affect the license agreement execution significantly. 6) Competition and Economic Barriers The existing competition in the established market can pose great challenges to Rio Inc. to undertake the license agreement successfully and make a profit. The old market players have a marked share of the market based on their hard earned goodwill and reputation. The customers recognize, accept and value the products of the established brand names in the country. They doubt any new entrants with a zero-track record of activities in their own country. When Rio Inc. will start the business of manufacturing and distribution of vehicle alarm in Brazil under the trademark of Alarmz Ltd, it may have to face problems in

Communication assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Communication assignment - Essay Example Then finally the areas of improvement in the system are discussed. Finally the paper is concluded by developing a costing implementation plan. In recruitment process Communication is an inevitable element. The recruits are taking care of the company's organization structure, its policies and practices. To make people aware of company's supervisor, its rules and regulations Communication is necessary Communication helps to perform functions of employees effectively. Employees should be sincere in their job (i.e. Employees must show real affection to the organization in which they are working that will finally lead to its great success) If a Soldier really knows why is in his nation's army and why he have to follow certain rules/procedures with the citizens so it is easier to develop love towards nation as commitment to his nation. In order to make the subordinates know about their contribution to the enterprise activity Communication is unavoidable. By this the employees are motivated and will get some idea about what their supervisors and the organization are expecting from them. Communication is needed to teach employees about personal safety on the job. This is essential to reduce accidents, to lower compensation and legal costs and to decrease recruitment and training cost for replacement. Communication helps the manager in his decision process. ... his nation's army and why he have to follow certain rules/procedures with the citizens so it is easier to develop love towards nation as commitment to his nation. In order to make the subordinates know about their contribution to the enterprise activity Communication is unavoidable. By this the employees are motivated and will get some idea about what their supervisors and the organization are expecting from them. Communication is needed to teach employees about personal safety on the job. This is essential to reduce accidents, to lower compensation and legal costs and to decrease recruitment and training cost for replacement. Elite groups and the wider public have acquired about its goals, activities and accomplishments by the amount of support which an enterprise receives from its social environment. Communication helps the manager in his decision process. There is a spate of varied information produced in an enterprise. The manager must make a choice of useful and essential information which should reach him. Co-ordination is achieved through communication. Co-ordination is needed among its component parts on the basis of division of labors and specialization. Many interdependent activities are performed in different departments of an organization. This interdependence is not tolerated in the absence of communication. Communication promotes co-operation and industrial peace. Because of lack of communication most of the disputes in an enterprise takes place. CURRENT APPROACHES TO INTERNAL COMMUNICATION: Formal channels Intranets Intranet is the popular approach to internal communication. E-Mail Newsletter Periodic Presentations By The Boss Open House or Town Hall Sessions and even Good old Team Briefings or Staff Magazines, Notices and Posters. All can

Organ Systems & Evolution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organ Systems & Evolution - Assignment Example The circulatory and lymphatic systems are also connected, for lymph in the lymphatic system comes from blood. Lastly, secondary lymphedema, an obstruction of lymph flow, is discussed with its similarities to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and Heart Attack Normally, the heart supplies oxygen to all parts of the body to keep them alive, and at the same time, oxygen-rich blood must be supplied to the heart muscle to keep it alive. However, in the case of atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arterial walls, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a particular section of a heart muscle, or myocardium, can get blocked. If the blood supply to the heart muscle is greatly reduced or completely prevented, it will eventually cause the muscle to die. Although there could be other causes for a heart attack, the one caused by this buildup of plaque, or atherosclerosis, is known as coronary heart disease, or CHD (â€Å"What is a Heart Attack,† NIH, 2011). The reason behind the name is the fact that the coronary artery is responsible for the supply of oxygen to the heart. (Matthews, 2011) Coronary heart disease is caused by the buildup of plaque for many years, and will most likely lead to a heart attack. As plaque accumulates in the wall of the artery which supplies oxygen-rich blood to the heart, this plaque may cause a rupture inside the artery and thus cause a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If this plaque grows in size and becomes large enough, it may completely block all blood flow to the heart muscle (â€Å"What is a Heart Attack,† NIH, 2011). The complete obstruction of the blood will cause a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. However, partial blockage may only cause chest pain. (Matthews, 2011) Heart attacks may not kill the person and may simply cause heart failure. Heart failure can lead to other problems like dyspnea, or shortness of breath, and edema, or swelling of the body due to buildup of fluid the heart would normall y get rid of as waste if it were functioning efficiently. (Sourfer, 2002) Arteries, Veins and Capillaries Blood vessels are hollow tubes that do not only hold the blood within the body but also circulate them across organs in the body. There are three types or varieties of blood vessels. The arteries transport oxygenated blood away from the heart. The capillaries are the ones that connect the arteries and the veins, and finally the veins carry the deoxygenated blood back to the heart. (â€Å"Blood Vessels,† 2011) The main function of arteries is to carry blood from the heart to all the other organs, except for the pulmonary arteries that carry deoxygenated blood towards the lungs. Arteries are thick-walled blood vessels and thus may be able to withstand constant stretching every time blood rushes through them for every heartbeat. The thick walls of the artery protect it from the high pressure of blood flow coming from the ventricles of the heart. (â€Å"Blood Vessels,† 2000) Veins, on the other hand, may undergo less pressure coming from the blood flow from organs. It also follows that the wall of a vein is thinner than that of an artery. The function of veins is generally to carry deoxygenated blood from the organs towards the heart, except for pulmonary veins that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs towards the heart. Moreover, veins have a special purpose of carrying waste

Man was born free but is everywhere in chains. Discuss this phrase, Essay

Man was born free but is everywhere in chains. Discuss this phrase, with reference to key course concepts - Essay Example Human beings also enters into social bonds, develop civilization and this makes them lose liberty (Chaurasia 2001, p. 308) Fromm (2001, p. 18-29) observes that freedom is what characterizes human existence. It changes as man gains awareness as an independent and separate being. Mans’ social history has its beginning from the interaction with nature to awareness as a separate entity from the surrounding nature and other human beings. The individual continued to be closely tied to the social and the natural world. Man also felt the world surrounding him. The processes of the emergence of the individual from nature and social world reached its peak in the modern era in the centuries between the reformation and the present. Fromm likens this to the same process, which is found in the history of man. Before a child is born, it is one with the mother. The child becomes a separate entity from the biological mother after birth. This separation marks the beginning of individuation. The child remains with the mother for only a considerable period. Fromm states figuratively that a child lacks freedom before it is born. However, the tie with the mother provides security and a feeling of belonging to the child. This is what he refers to primary ties. These ties are organic and constitute part and parcel of human development. The ties imply lack of individuality, but they provide an individual with security and orientation. The primary ties connect the individual with the mother and society in general. Once an individual completes his first stage of individuation, he is faced with a new task. This task is to orient and establish himself in the world and look for security in other ways similar to those before the pre-individualistic existence. This makes freedom to assume a different meaning to the one he had before individuation (Fromm 2001, p. 18-29). Fromm explains this by the analysis of the development of an infant. He says the independence of the foetus from the infants ends at birth. However, the dependence does not end here. The mother takes care of the child. With time, the child begins to identify that the mother and other entities are separate. The child through its own initiatives experiences the world. This marks a crucial point in the development of individuation. The process of individuation is advanced by education. This process is marked by frustrations and prohibition, which change the role of the mother as a hostile and dangerous person. This antagonism between the mother and child helps in the development of the self. The different authorities the child interacts with constitute the child’s universe and submit to the child. This has a different quality from that which exists when an individual separate complete from these authorities (Fromm 2001, p. 18-29). The freedom of a child during childhood enables him to develop and express his identity. This gives him security and reassurance. The increasing separation from thes e authorities results into isolation, which creates intense anxiety and insecurity. The child may develop the inner strength or a new kind of solidarity and closeness with others. If the process of separation and individuation are matched with the growth of the

Athenian Proxeny Decree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Athenian Proxeny Decree - Essay Example Whatever the authorities and the Greek leaders have in mind in the granting and institution of proxenia is the concern of this paper. The researcher shall attempt to make a comprehensive discussion of what the word really means. It shall trace its origin and the significance of its institution in the history and the struggle of Athens as an imperialist empire. Specifically, this paper shall deal with the political implication of the word by answering the following questions: (1) How did proxenia help to articulate the relations between Athens and her allies (2) How do the extant proxeny decrees enhance our understanding of proxenia And (3) What specific problems of interpretation do the epigraphically attested proxeny decrees present This paper is a significant study as it shall provide the students better understanding of what proxenos means. It also provides understanding of the significance of proxeny decrees and the impact of such to the early societies of Athens and its allies. The rationale of the proxeny decrees shall be unraveled which provides the researcher rich understanding as regards to what Athens want to achieve from its allies for the good of its people and for the great elader of Athens. Most importantly this study is significant to the society as it shall be able to provide some theories that other researchers can use in conducting deeper studies not only of Athenian Proxeny decrees but on the political and cultural life of the Athenians. Proxenia in the Articulation of Athens Relations with her Allies As Athens rose to its imperialistic power it was necessary to hold on to many of its allies. It needed to make peace with different nations such that of Persia. It needed to make Sparta recognize the 30 years of peace. It needed to establish alliances to different countries in order to win several wars. Athens implemented policies that could not only reform its own cities but it also made changes on policies concerning their foreign activities however, these provoked war and affected many of its intimate allies as they were called to fight and play their roles in the battles. Athens at that point needed to have people who would be more concerned in establishing good relationship with other nations. Proxeny decrees were found out for instance to have entered into by several nations to be come allies of the Athenian empire. Athens created and imposed several proxeny decrees creating the proxenos and granting such individuals several privileges making sure that they would serve Athenian empire with utmost loyalty. Having served for the glory of the Athenian empire proxeny decrees were later established to honor and grant privileges to these foreign benefactors. Oaths of allegiance were also imposed on defeated allies. As regards to their enemies and allies that turned against the Athenian empire proxy decrees were also imposed depriving them of opportunities for better political and economic standing. Mattingly (1996) described explicitly in his book the plight of Chios that remained "autonomous" ally of the Athenian empire but when they begun to build a new wall that brought suspicions to the powerful Athenian empire, they were told to put down the wall to which they complied with

Foreign Policy Roles of The President and The Congress Essay Example for Free

Foreign Policy Roles of The President and The Congress Essay According to the United States Constitution, the making of foreign policy is shared by both the President and the Congress. They are said to be working at a cross-purposes in foreign policy. Each plays important roles that are different but often overlap. It is quite inevitable to have disagreements between these executive and legislative branches. But these foreign policy disputes are actually sometimes constructive or not necessarily bad. Every so often, this can contribute to useful improvements to foreign policies. Significantly, the two branches possess ongoing opportunities in making and altering foreign policies, and the interactions between them continue indefinitely throughout the life of a policy. However, when the foreign policy is poorly served, the relationship between the executive and legislative branches becomes hostile and unpleasant. Having the accountability for check and balance between these government branches, the Congress should critic the administration of the President in the light that it is seeking better partnership with the administration in view of better governance of the country and, in this specific case, progress in the formulation of America foreign policy. The President usually responds to current events in foreign countries and thus initiates U. S. policy. Sometimes, the executive branch wants to begin a foreign policy program that requires legislation, and accordingly proposes legislation to Congress, thereby needing approval from the latter in this situation. Also, the power of negotiation gives the executive branch a dominant role in making foreign policy through international agreements, but the President must take into account congressional opinion because these agreements often require the approval of the Senate or the Congress. The latter also influence agreements by placing in legislation instructions and views concerning international agreements, indicating what kind of agreement would be acceptable. The President also establishes US foreign policy through unilateral statements or joint statements with other governments. The executive branch also establishes foreign policy through legislation, continues to shape policy as it interprets and applies the various provisions of law. Occasionally, the President undertakes a sudden foreign policy action before Congress is fully informed about it. The Congress then usually supports the President, but sometimes it tries to halt or reverse the policy or pass legislation to restrain the President from similar actions in the future. The Congress introduces many resolutions stating the sense of the House on foreign policy, and many of these resolutions are adopted. It sometimes initiates a foreign policy by using legislation to establish a new program, set objectives and guidelines, authorize and direct the executive branch to undertake specified activities, and by earmarking appropriations used in a specified way. At times, the Congress pressures the executive branch into a new direction in foreign policy by threatening to pass legislation, even though the legislation is not enacted, or by continuing to exhort a policy through many means. Providing advice to the executive branch in informal contacts is also a means of the Congress to shape foreign policy. Regular oversight of executive branch implementation of foreign policy helps the Congress as well in shaping these policies (Grimmet). The international agreements regardless of their title, designation or form whose entry into force with respect to the United States takes place only after two thirds of the US Senate has given its advice and consent under Article II, section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution, are treaties. On the other hand, international agreements brought into force with respect to the United States on a constitutional basis other than with the advice and consent of the Senate are international agreements other than treaties, and are often referred to as executive agreements. Treaties require the consent of the Senate. The Senate, therefore, may approve, reject or revise a treaty. The Senate approves most of the treaties but some are also rejected. One significant example is the Treaty of Versailles. Executive agreements are far more common than treaties. They do not require the consent of the Senate, though Congress may be notified shortly after an agreement is reached. Unlike treaties, these agreements do not supersede existing statues. Examples are the Yalta and Potsdam agreements and the Vietnam Peace agreement. In summary, the President or the executive branch can make foreign policy through responses to foreign events, proposals for legislation, negotiation of international agreements, policy statements, policy implementation and independent action. Moreover, the Congress can make foreign policy through resolutions and policy statements, legislative directives, legislative pressure, legislative restrictions / funding denials, informal advice, and congressional oversight. The Congress maintains a decisive voice in either supporting the President’s approach or changing it. Changing policies may prove to be quite complex in the short term. In most cases though, Congress agrees with the President, but often makes significant modifications in the process of approving them. It is then important to note that the support or approval of both the legislative and executive branch is required for an effective and well-founded U. S. foreign policy. Works Cited Grimmett, Richard F. Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress. Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division. US Department of State. 1999, June 1. http://fpc.state.gov/fpc/6172.htm.

World Situation Scope Essay Example for Free

World Situation Scope Essay IA Review of the World Situation Scope This paper will focus its attention on the CIAs assessment of the world situation in regards to terrorism. The focus of the paper will be the September 11th attacks made on American soil as well as go into the history of Al Qaeda, their resources for planning terrorism and their history in recruitment. Since the release of the original document, which discussed the state of world security in May 0f 1949, there has been many changes to the political structure of the areas discussed. At the time of the original document, the major issues which concerned American security involved the recently defeated Germans, the USSR, the Far East, the Near East and Latin America. However, the security of the United States of America has been under constant stress since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Though programs have been altered or created in the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the Central Intelligence Agency, there remains a threat on Americans, and American holdings throughout the world. As Andrew Kydd and Barbara Walter explain, there is a distinct politic to the notion of terrorism. However, these tactics are not always effective. There are many events of terrorism in the world each year, yet only a handful are regarded with any merit. According to Kydd and Walter, through a well argued and insightful article, it is the trust between groups that must be destroyed for an extremist attack to be successful. This is the motivation behind the response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. On Begin Match to source 7 in source list: (11-30-05) http://www. adultbuzz. com/121201/page4. phtmlDecember 6, 2001,End Match then Begin Match to source 7 in source list: (11-30-05) http://www. adultbuzz. com/121201/page4. phtmlAttorney General John Ashcroft addressed the Senate Judiciary CommitteeEnd Match in praise of this act, and its restructuring of the NSA, CIA and FBI. (Ashcroft 524) His rhetoric was patriotic and concise, and his views of the USA PATRIOT act and its changes seemed sincere. This was supported with the passage of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which paved the road for the Patriot act itself. Eric Rosand wrote about the resolution in 2003. His response to its necessity was one of sympathy to the government, for having to face such a difficult challenge. However, not everyone who has commented on the alterations of the US governmental policy has done so with such reverence. David Cole compared the investigations into possible terrorist cells in the United States, to the Palmer Raids of 1919 where, following a series of bombings, J. Edgar Hoover led a series of round ups of immigrants across the country and held them without trial or charge in unconscionable conditions, interrogated incommunicado and in some cases tortured. (529) This attitude has spread throughout the country, as the appearance of impropriety has permeated the governments handling of the terrorists investigations. Mary Jacoby brings up the question of the legal definition of Detainee. This is in response to the holding of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. The prisoners of this facility have been acquired from around the world from the war in Afghanistan, and from arrests done in dozens of countries around the world. However, the problem arises when the soldiers fighting for the Afghan military are brought in as detainees, rather than prisoners of war. While the Guantanamo prison has its apologists, such as Charles Krauthammer who states that freeing of these men would be lunacy (537) the fact remains, that in strict terms, the United States is in break of the Geneva Convention by holding POWs. Fernando Reinares noted in his article, The Empire Rarely Strikes Back, that after more than 2400 acts of terrorism against American citizens and interests there have been only three occasions of overt military response. (Reinares 92) However, because of the incredible size and depth of impact of the September 11th attacks, war became unavoidable. There did arise a problem with the military action, however, as a growing public opinion seemed to point the target as Islam itself, rather than just Al-Qaeda. This prompted the United States to enlist the help of as many Islamic nations as possible to counter act this perception. (Aretxega 143) This coalition of Islamic nations does nothing to counteract the rise in racial profiling within the United States. Sherry Colb wrote about the foreseen changes in American law enforcement following the September 11th attacks. Her article articulated the problem of racial profiling and its consequences. Cold notes that real numbers do not support profiling. (539) However this does not stop the utilization of profiling in airports, or in traffic stops. However, this too has its supporters, from such sources as law professor Roger Clegg. His response to the topic of racial profiling is one of acceptance and justification. So what? (Clegg 542) Clegg asks of the act of profiling. However his racial make up lends itself easily to such opinions, as an educated white male is rarely accosted for being white, educated or male. Key Findings Research into this fact has revealed that there are several locations outside of the United States where Americans and American holdings are under the greatest threat. There are varied threat levels in these locations, which range from possible altercations, to threats to life and property. However, there are countries which pose a threat to the safety of the United States in ways other than travel advisories. Some nations and their governments have strong anger towards the United States. These nations have alluded to, or are actively pursuing policies which are intended to cause harm to the United States of America. Some of these nations, such as North Korea and Iran, have instituted programs which are designed to test the United States. Other countries have entered into, or have begun to create trade unions which are designed to damage the United States position on the world market. Regardless of the type of threat these nations pose, there remains the necessity to understand and counteract these programs. This is difficult, however, as the degree and sophistication of these programs varies as widely as the threats themselves. The addressing of these issues are of critical importance to the continued safety of the United States and its citizens at home and abroad. Analysis 1. North Korea: Nuclear weapons proliferation. This nation has been a location of turmoil since its liberation from Japanese control following World War II. [i] However, in recent years, the threat of North Korea upon the United States has increased as the power and stability of the North Korean government, under the leadership of Kim Jong- Il, has begun to wane. Over the course of the past few years, Kim Jong-Il has made public statements attesting to his desire to develop nuclear weaponry for possible use against the United States of America. This threat has been elevated as of October 9, 2006. On this date, the North Korean military conducted its first successful test of its nuclear weapon. Though the yield of the weapon was low, reportedly only 550 tons,[ii] it does justify concerns that the government of North Korea may indeed develop a combat ready nuclear devise in the near future. The small yield of the blast is not thought to be indicative of their capabilities, however. Large scale underground nuclear testing requires large areas, 50-60 square miles of desert, to accomplish. North Korea does not have significantly large areas of land that are undeveloped or do not contain ground water. [iii] Because of this, the damage that would have been caused by a larger yield test would have been too great to the infrastructure of the nation to allow. Managing the crisis The threat that North Korea poses to the United States is being managed, currently, through various levels of diplomatic means. There have been several calls for 6-party talks, meetings involving multiple nations Begin Match to source 9 in source list: http://www. spacewar.com/2003/031015003520. s1ia1dhk. htmlthe United States, China, Russia, South Korea, North Korea and JapanEnd Match however these meetings have yet to occur. Because of this, the threat that North Korea poses to the United States remains serious. 2. Iran: Terrorist support and instigation of hostilities. The government of Iran has been at ends with the administration of the United States for many years. The current leader of the Iranian government, President Mahmud Ahmdi-Nejad, has openly stated his contempt for the presence of the United States military in the Middle East. Travel to the country of Iran by Americans is not recommended as the United States holds no Begin Match to source 4 in source list: (7-27-06) http://www. mahablog. com/category/blogging/diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to American citizens in Iran. [End Matchiv] Iran Begin Match to source 4 in source list: (7-27-06) http://www. mahablog. com/category/blogging/is aEnd Match Muslim nation, and therefore has issues with the world view of the current war on terrorism, which is being headed by the United States of America. There is strong international sentiment that the Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (1-2-07) http://www. pwgd. com/blog/lb/6196-fbino-hard-evidence-connecting-bin-laden-connected-to-911-how-israeli-terrorist-became-a-victim-global-snapshots-capitalist-intersection-of-class-nationalrace-gender-oppression/war on terror is a war against theEnd Match religion of Islam and therefore a war against all Muslims. While this is not the case, few nations in the region have actively attempted to dispel this misconception. The relations between Iran and the United States is strained for another reason Irans support of the terrorist group, Hezbollah. While originating and operating outside of Irans borders, Hezbollah has been linked to various acts of violence throughout the Middle East. Most recently, during the short war between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah was involved in acts of violence, kidnapping and attacks on Israeli interests. Iran has been known to, and is suspected to still be funding this group. Following the hostilities of the war between Israel and Lebanon, a large influx of money was seen within Lebanon. Though the money was given out by cells of the Hezbollah group, to people whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the fighting, it is widely accepted that the money originated from the government of Iran. Because of these issues, Iran has been seen as one of the key threats to United States security. Their open support of anti-American factions within Iraq, as well as multiple allusions towards their seeking nuclear weapons, has kept Iran on the list of chief threats. 3. Afghanistan: Center of Al-Qaeda recruitment. The terrorist group, Al-Qaeda continues to be a Begin Match to source 12 in source list: http://www.parstimes. comthreat to theEnd Match safety and Begin Match to source 12 in source list: http://www. parstimes. comsecurity of the United States. End Match Since Begin Match to source 12 in source list: http://www. parstimes. comtheEnd Match attacks on September 11, 2006, Osama bin-Laden and his terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, have been linked to multiple acts of violence around the world. The nation of Afghanistan was, until the invasion by coalition forces in 2001, ruled by the Taliban a hard-lined government with strong ties the terrorist group. Bin-Laden and Al-Qaeda have been hunted since the September 11th attacks, and many key leaders have been captured or killed. However the presence of the group in Afghanistan is increasing again and Osama bin Laden remains at large. [v] The war within Afghanistan has continued since 2001, with no certainty for an end. This has caused dangerous instability within the region. Despite the institution of a democratically elected government within the nation, political stability has not been reached. 4. Mexico: Unprotected border crossings and illegal immigration. The number one priority of preventing terrorism is to prevent terrorist travel. This tactic however has not been serious employed with regards to border security and finding and preventing terrorism since the focus as previously stated is more about finding terrorists not finding the means by which they are mobile. One system that has not be utilized in border security is the means by which to detect whether documentation is authentic since terrorists have system by which they infiltrate a country their travel channels should be found and exploited but no real clause in the Patriot Act has been given or stated. Terrorists establish themselves in the United States through their travel channels by which there is a paper trail of documents; therefore, the Patriot Act, and NAFTA should not only be focusing their efforts at the borders where the terrorists may or may not be traversing but the government should also be wary of terrorist activity already transpiring inside the country, as The US 9/11 Commission on Border Control, Begin Match to source 2 in source list: http://elections.donyell. netEach of these checkpoints or portals is a screening-a chance to establish that people are who they say they are and are seeking access for their stated purpose, to intercept identifiable suspects, and to take effective action. [End Matchvi] Begin Match to source 2 in source list: http://elections. donyell.net TheEnd Match United States since September 11 has kept a more watchful eye on the Mexican border to ensure that large trucks are not passing the borders which could hold weapons, but this seems to be the only action officials and military are taking in regards to border control according to Zagorin in The Mexican Border Will Get a Closer Look. [vii] In this article Zagorin is hard pressed to find any true action the US is taking in regards to border control and Zagorin sites many examples of how Mexico is making its own efforts to decreased the chances Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. al-Qaeda terroristsEnd Match coming Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. into the countryEnd Match or leaving the country, Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. The Mexicans will also focus on flight schools and aviation facilities on their side of the frontier. another episode has some senior U. S. officials worried; the theft of a crop-duster aircraft south of San Diego, apparently by three men from southern Mexico who assaulted a watchman and then flew off in a southerly direction End Match Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. a senior U. S. law-enforcement official notes that crop dusters can beEnd Match sued Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. to disperse toxicEnd Match substance Begin Match to source 1 in source list: Zagorin, Adam. TheEnd Match Begin Match to source 3 in source list: (7-23-06) http://www. usatoday. com/printedition/news/20060413/a_felony13. art. htmpeople who enter the country legally and then overstay their visas-as many as 40% of the nations estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, are guilty of a civil violation. [End Matchviii] Thus Begin Match to source 3 in source list: (7-23-06) http://www. usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060413/a_felony13. art. htmitEnd Match becomes apparent that the United States is focusing more attention on illegal immigration than on terrorism since all of their efforts are geared toward this goal. Since these hijackers could have been apprehended but were not, and the government has only increased the number of patrols on the either border and not per se the system by which illegal immigrants are apprehended it stands to reason that the government is not altogether prepared or establishing a methodology in apprehending terrorists, they are merely cracking down by using brute force without strategy. Conclusion The safety of the United States is in constant turmoil. While much has been done over the course of the past five years, there are few authorities who would actually state that the country is safe. Though the year 2006 was free of any dramatic assaults against the United States, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have become increasingly costly. Both have served to empower our enemies, rather than defeat them. In the information presented in this paper it gave different avenues by which the United States could be making a better effort to fight terror by simply having a different strategy on terrorism inclusive of finding their travel channels and relying on identification and false passports. The United States approach to border control, since they are using the same system now as prior to September 11 have not changed how they approach terrorists and their apprehension thus leaving room terrorists to take advantage of this lax method and exploit it. This year has seen, however, a dramatic reversal in the power center of the nation following the November elections, the congressional majorities both switched to the Democrats. The result of this switch is unclear, as of yet, however, there are many who are hopeful that the new majority will take the steps necessary to permanently secure the safety of the nation. Notes on Sources 1. The CIA World Fact Book is a very useful tool in todays world of global thought. The information that is found there is an excellent starting point for gathering an understanding of any world nation. 2. The Global Security Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that is dedicated to keeping track of the proliferation of nuclear weaponry. 3. The United States Department of State is part of the US government, and posts its de-classified information on the internet. 4. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations is the central location for information on any criminal that is deemed to be of a threat to the nation as a whole. 5. Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. The 9/11 Commission wasEnd Match created Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. toEnd Match investigate Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. theEnd Match short comings Begin Match to source 13 in source list: Robinson, William H. Lake, Jennifer E. S. ofEnd Match the United States security, and find out how and why Al-Qaeda was able to attack from within the United States. 6. Time magazine has been a trusted name in world news for decades. The weekly journal offers insight to world events. 7. USA Today is another trusted source of news. This daily journal centers on the issues that directly involve the United States.   [i] North Korea. CIA World Fact Book. United States Government: Central Intelligence Agency. 2006. Date of access: December 1, 2006. Begin Match to source 11 in source list: (2-3-07) http://www. canadaol. com/search. php? opt=2keyword=+haitiURL: https://www. cia. gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/End MatchknBegin Match to source 11 in source list: (2-3-07) http://www.canadaol. com/search. php? opt=2keyword=+haiti. htmlEnd Match [ii] Nuclear Weapons Testing. Global Security Foundation. Date of access: December 1, 2006. URL: Begin Match to source 10 in source list: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_nuclear_weaponshttp://www. globalsecurity. org/wmd/world/dprk/nuke- test. htmEnd Match [iii] ibid. [iv] Begin Match to source 8 in source list: (5-6-03) http://www. itravelnow. com/nukebrowser. php? filnavn=http://travel. state. gov:80/iran_warning. htmlTravel Warning:End Match Iran. Begin Match to source 8 in source list: (5-6-03) http://www. itravelnow. com/nukebrowser. php? filnavn=http://travel. state. gov:80/iran_warning. htmlUnited States Department of State. Bureau of Consular Affairs. End Match 2006. Date of Access: December 1, 2006. URL: Begin Match to source 6 in source list: (9-24-06) http://iran. gerffa. org/index. htmlhttp://travel. state. gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_920. htmlEnd Match [v] Osama Bin Laden. Federal Bureau of Investigations. 2006. Date of access: December 1, 2006. URL: Begin Match to source 5 in source list: (1-2-07) http://www.pwgd. com/blog/lb/6196-fbino-hard-evidence-connecting-bin-laden-connected-to-911-how-israeli-terrorist-became-a-victim-global-snapshots-capitalist-intersection-of-class-nationalrace-gender-oppression/http://www. fbi. gov/wanted/terrorists/terbinladen. htmEnd Match [vi] The US 9/11 Commission on Border Control. (2004). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. P569-574. [vii] Zagorin, Adam. (22 November 2004). Bordering On Nukes? Time. Vol. 164 Issue 21, p19. [viii] Kiely, Kathy. (13 April 2006). GOP View: Illegal Immigration wont be Felony. USA Today.