Psychological Therapy: Family Therapy

Family Therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the relationship between family members or partners. While other type of therapy look at individual patients alone, family therapy brings family relationships into the picture. The goal of this therapy is to explore the relationships with other family members that may be the potential cause of the problem or problems of the identified patient (Exploring 503). There are multiple approaches that a family therapist may take. Some of the major techniques include Structural Therapy, Conjoint Therapy, and Strategic Therapy.Structural Therapy, developed by Salvador Minuchin, focuses on the structure of the family including the relationship with siblings and parents. What makes Structural Therapy different from other forms of Family Therapy is that the therapist involved attempts to become very close to the family in which the identified patient/patients is/are in. This helps the therapist to understand on a deeper level the problems existi ng amongst the family. Conjoint Therapy tends to look at the duties that each individual in the family takes on and how they communicate amongst each other.This approach is more common among therapist. The most influential type of therapy, Strategic Therapy, was influenced by the work of Jay Haley. The therapist in this approach leads the therapy sessions by asking questions and starting discussions. This forward approach triggers feelings and actions from the family involved. Which ever approach the therapist takes, all are effective forms of therapy. In some cases, Family Therapy can be risky for therapists if the relationship between family members or couples is tense.Safety is the number one concern for therapist especially in earlier sessions of counseling (Effectiveness of Couple 1). Family therapy can be a very effective form of therapy if the family involved participates fully. The family bond is the most powerful social connection that an individual can have. That is why pe ople with mental illness, substance abuse, or other disorders tend to have had relationship issues with their parents when they were younger. A close emotional tie with your family is key to living a healthy life free of substance abuse and/or risky behaviors.For this reason, Family Therapy can be very effective, especially for teenagers and younger children. One of the biggest issues amongst teenagers and their parents is lack of communication. Teens often live second lives that they tend to hide from their parents and siblings. If trying to solve family issues in individual therapy, the teen can say whatever he pleases about his family. However, when Family therapy is taking place, the teen’s actions and responses with the family can be seen firsthand and problems can then be solved.In Family Therapy, the therapist and induce communication among the family members which can lead to positive results. Communication is key. Once the family can learn to be honest with each othe r, whether it is the teenager and their parents, or the teenager and their sibling, problems caused by miscommunication can be eliminated. Family Therapy can also be useful for families who have children with mental disabilities. This type of therapy can help them understand what exactly their child is going through and how they need to adjust in order to make things better off.Dr. Josephson, a professor and chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, states that â€Å"family therapy can help parents adjust their behavior to best manage their child's condition while a physician or mental health professional treats the child individually with medications or behavioral methods†(Family). Family Therapy can be a very effective form of therapy is because of its lasting effects. Family therapy can last anywhere from three months to three years.However, no matter how long the therapy is, families tend to stay in a well -balanced healthy relationship with each other. When parents see how communication can easily solve family issues, they feel empowered to fix future problems using the same techniques they learned from their family therapy sessions. This allows families to have long lasting hearty relationship. A major sub category of Family Therapy is marriage counseling. According to Dr. Aliso Viejo, less than 5% of divorcing couples actually seek marriage counseling (The Benefits 1).The more common reasons that couples attend marriage counseling include poor communication, financial issues, sexual problems, parenting conflicts, infidelity, anger and substance abuse (Effectiveness 2). However, marriage-counseling uses the same techniques described earlier. Therapist attempt to improve communication and the relationship between partners, instead of attempting to fix individual problems. However, there are exceptions to this. If on of the partners is a heavy alcohol consumer, the therapist may sugge st that the person attend substance abuse meetings or counseling.According to AAMFT, or The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 98% of couples that go through marriage counseling report positive results (Effectiveness 1). With that said, some relationships are just not meant to be and counseling or therapy may be useless. This usually occurs when married couples are seeing other partners secretly and want to end a marriage as soon as they possibly can. Family therapy can be a very effective approach for seeking out problems due to miscommunication amongst a household.Not only does Family Therapy fix the identified patients problem, but the family, whether it is a husband and his spouse or a 5 member family, is better off. The family can also improve their relational skills with each other and even people outside of the family. Either way, when multiple people are working together to fix a problem among a family, positive results will be seen in a shorter amount of time. Works Cited Aliso, Viejo, Dr. â€Å"The Benefits of Marriage Counseling. † Healthy Exchange (2012): n. pag. Print. Carolla, Michael. Effectiveness of Couples Therapy. † Journal of Marraige and Family Therapy (2003): n. pag. Print. Graffenreid, Ellen. â€Å"Family Therapy Is Effective Treatment Tool for Children for Substance Abuse and Conduct Disorders. † Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 12 Aug. 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. . Myers, David G. Exploring Psychology. New York, NY: Worth, 2011. Print. Nerfer, Barb. â€Å"Effectiveness of Marriage Counseling. † Family Health (2012): 33-35. Print.

A Comparative Analysis of Semco Engineering and Grimsville Borough Counsil (GBC) company

The structure, culture, and teamwork of an organisation have significant effects in its performance and operations. The structure and design are chosen depending on a company’s objectives and functions. Culture and teamwork, on the other hand, are achieved based on the organisation’s design and structure.That is, coordination and cooperation among the stakeholders are dependent on the organisation’s structure. Therefore, organisational structure is a very critical issue in every organisation. This paper investigates on organisational structure and its importance by examining and analysing cases studies of two different organisations.Comparison of Organizational Structure and DesignSemco and Grimsville Borough Council (GBC) are very different in terms of their organisational structure and design. Defining organisational structure, â€Å"it involves issues as how the work of the organisation will be divided and assigned among positions, groups, departments or divi sions and how the coordination necessary to accomplish total organisational objectives will be achieved† (Dalton et al, 1970).In other words, an organisation should be designed based on a structure which can help an organisation achieve its objectives. Semco, has a very flat structure with only four organisational level, utilising a decentralised approach. Basically, a company is said to implement a decentralised structure when decision making is disaggregated into a number of divisions, each making its own decision (Siggelkow & Levithal, 2003).Semco has managed to have a democratic and non-bureaucratic type of organisation by reducing the level of management and allowing the employees to participate in decision making.   The primary purpose of flat organisations is to rapidly respond to customers’ needs or changes in the business environment (Allen, 1998). Semco utilised this type of organisational structure because as an engineering company, it is always subject to technological changes and other changes in its environment.Contrary to the flat structure of Semco, bureaucratic organisation like GBC is tall in structure, consisting of hierarchies with many levels of management (Allen, 1998). GBC has many levels of management and supervision; each department’s management reports to the councillors and to the chief executive while they handle member staff and employees which are at the bottom of the hierarchy.The organisational structure of GBC is considered to be centralized and bureaucratic. This type of structure is obviously the opposite of the decentralised; its decision-making is made only at the upper level of management.Additionally, bureaucracy is a form of organisation which is characterised by a rational, goal-oriented hierarchy, impersonal decision making, formal controls, and subdivision into managerial positions and specialisation of labour (Allen, 1998). Bureaucracy is common to government agencies in which there should be sp ecialisation in different types of public services such as education, social services and others, and formal controls must be practiced in order to ensure satisfactory public service.Comparison of Approaches to Teamwork and TeamworkingAccording to Allen (1998), flat organisations have strong emphasis on teams while Cohen & Bailey (1997) added that team-based organisations, with flat structures can respond quickly and effectively in the fast changing environments. Semco possesses such characteristics as it has become a profitable company with enhanced organisational performance.A team-based organisation also enables the organisation to learn more effectively and because of the combination of team members’ diverse perspectives, decision making is comprehensive (Anonymous, 2006). Diversity of ideas in a team leads to high quality decision making and innovation (West, 2002).Because Semco allows work teams to make decisions, employees and team members are empowered. Employees also undergo training programmes that help them develop and learn new skills within the team, making them an effective and productive part of the team. In other words, Semco gives high acknowledgement on teamwork that almost every decision such as pay rates and working times and pattern are decided by teams.On the other hand, teamwork is not highly regarded at GBC. Senior management are aloof and hard to be approached by their subordinates. Decision making are also performed only by council leader and the chief executive, thus processing of plans and completion of projects are slow. Moreover, GBC is departmentalised but each department is not working together but instead they compete among each other and undermine other department’s activities, resulting to diminished level of services and poor overall performance.The problems of GBC mentioned in the case such as unhappy employees, slow decision making and competition instead of coordination exist because GBC has no teamwork. Tea m-based working can lead to improvements in organisational performance in terms of efficiency and quality (Applebaum & Batt, 1994 on Anonymous) while employees working on teams were found out to have higher levels of involvement and commitment to the organisation (Anonymous, 2006).Comparison of CulturesGenerally, Semco is considered to have a better organisational culture compared to GBC as reflected by each organisation’s performance. Defining organisational culture, it is an organisation’s set of shared behaviours, artefacts, values, beliefs and assumptions that it develops as it learns to cope with the external and internal aspects of survival and success (Oden, 1997).Culture was said to be developed as an organisation interact with its environment thus organisational culture is unwritten. Because Semco and GBC has different organisational structure, its culture also differs; Semco’s culture can be classified as task culture or the type of culture in which or ganisations has strong and cleared implemented objectives and mission and in which teamwork is emphasized because it is the basis on which jobs are designed (Anonymous, 2006).On the other hand, GBC’s culture can be classified as role cultures which is highly formalised, bounded with authority and in which hierarchy dominates relations (Anoymous, 2006).Semco believes in employee empowerment and it is one of their motivations to make employees satisfied and happy with the company. Transparency is also part of Semco’s culture since the company practiced profit-sharing scheme. Employees can have access on financial and strategic data to be able for them to participate actively in decision making. Trust and discipline are the core values of the company, ensuring that each employee is well committed to the organisation.On the contrary, GBC’s value is centred on power; that is, the authority has the right to decide and the employee must only follow resulting to unhappy and unmotivated employees. Employee empowerment is not practice and management does not even acknowledge lower level employees’ concern. Corruption is also suspected to be practiced at GBC along with overused of power because transparency is not being practiced by GBC.

Comparative Business Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparative Business Systems - Essay Example German’s economic condition entails a service sector, which offers a contribution of 70% of GDP and industry sector that offers 29.1% contribution, while the agricultural sector offers 0.9% (Mundi, 2010, 3). Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product has grown from 7.5% in 2010 to 2.7% 2011, and despite to the global hold back, the domestic market in Brazil have become strong, hence reducing vulnerability to the external crisis (The World Bank Group, 2012, 1). Conversely, Germany attracts foreign investors by providing an open market without restrictions to operate any business (Pugh and Hickson, 2007, 20). Therefore, the citizens of Germany and Brazil are benefiting from the stability of their economic growth, with relatively low inflation rate and improved social well-being (Chandler, 1984, 473). This paper will focus on comparing the business systems in Brazil and Germany. On the other hand, in Brazil there are limits of potential growth and significant advances in the economy, which are attributed to institutional reforms, noninflationary growth that is derailed by barriers, regulation and insufficiency in infrastructure and poor business climate (Jimenez, Gomez Sabaini and Podesta, 2010, 38). However, the condition is better in Germany, since the government has established necessary reforms to improve their economic conditions (Hall and Soskice, 2001, 36). Quality of Brazilian government services concerning the expenditure is relatively lower than other middle-income countries, and country launched a growth acceleration plan in 2007, which focused on increasing investment in infrastructure, and offering tax incentives to facilitate economic growth (Whitley, 2007, 30). In Germany, people are taxed on their income, especially individual residents; in fact, income tax rate have a range of 15% to 45% during the year 2010. Furthermore, Germany presented an initial general tax-free amount of 8,004 Euros during the year 2010 and 16,008 Euros for people, who ar e not married; thus, Germany has subjected corporation to 15% corporate income tax and a solidarity surcharge of 5.5% and it results to an entire rate of 15.8% (Mundi, 2010, 5). In Brazil, the plan led to a 7.5 % growth in 2010, and resilience to the crisis experienced in 2009, and insignificant recession among developed and emerging economies in 2011 (OECD, 2011, 4). Role of the National State in the Economy German’s economic condition has contributed significantly to production based on engineering; for instance, there is production of automobiles, machinery, metals and chemical products. Moreover, Germany has been renowned manufactures of wind turbines and solar power technologies (Mundi, 2010, 7). In fact, this country offers the largest international trade fairs every year; in fact, this congress has been held severally in cities such as Hanover, Frankfurt, and Berlin. On the other hand, the growth in Brazil has facilitated challenges, whereby the country is anticipating hosting the World Cup in 2014 and Olympics Games, in 2016, hence this is requiring significant investment in urban and social development, and transport infrastructure. Moreover, Brazil has experienced substantial regional differences in the social indicators like health, infant mortality and nutrition (Morgan, Campbell, Crouch, Pedersen and

THE ROLE OF IMPLIED TERMS IN SALE OF GOODS CONTRACTS Essay

THE ROLE OF IMPLIED TERMS IN SALE OF GOODS CONTRACTS - Essay Example Section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 protects the interests of buyers if the seller does not have a clear title in the goods. Section 13 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 states that goods sold by description must conform to their original description, under which they had been sold. Section 14 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 requires that the goods sold must be of satisfactory quality (Sale of Goods Act 1979). As such, title in goods, in the context of the right to sell, is the province of section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979. Every sale of goods contract incorporates an implied term, namely that the right is vested with the seller, at the time when the property is to be transferred from the seller to the buyer. This right exists, only if the goods do not belong to some other person or the rights of some other person are not violated by such sale. Under the provisions of the SGA 1979, a breach of condition would be tantamount to a total failure of consideration. This condition applies even if the goods sold had been put to use (Stone 215). Section 13 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 includes an implied term in to the sale of goods contract, according to which a buyer can reject the goods supplied, if they had not been correctly described. This right exists only when the buyer relies on the description of the goods by the seller. (Sale of Goods Act 1979). Under this implied term, goods must correspond to their original description, in sale of goods by description, contracts. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 makes it mandatory for the goods supplied to be free from any defect. Moreover, the goods must be fit for the purpose of the buyer for which the latter had purchased them. However, it must be established that the seller had knowledge about the purpose for which the goods had been bought. It is sufficient, if the buyer can establish that seller believed or knew that he was making a deceptive

Is nature a synonym for natural resources (in social anthropology) Essay

Is nature a synonym for natural resources (in social anthropology) - Essay Example It is under Cultural anthropology that the issue of dualism falls. Dualism is the postulation that two opposing ideas mutually exist in nature. It epitomises the dichotomy of issues that characterise any analysis of culture. As stated, this dichotomy usually pits two issues that are diametrically opposed to each other. Such issues include reason versus passion; masculine versus feminine; and good versus evil (Layton, 1998, 11). This paper endeavours to delve into the issue of Cultural Anthropology with specific reference to the notion of dualism. It analyzes the divide between the natural and cultural as a dualist issue deeply rooted in the western thoughts on anthropology in society. Dualism in religion is also analyzed in addition to the universal feature of strained relations between males and females in society. The Natural and Cultural in Anthropology In anthropological terms, nature denotes physically occurring and existing phenomena that shape the environment in which man live s. Such physical things in many cases predate man and are used by him to shape his existence (Rosaldo, 1993, 150). However, nature is also viewed as the state in which man is born or created. The nature of man is therefore that which constitutes man in his entirety including behaviour and beliefs (Bridgeman, 1983, 11). On of the long enduring anthropological controversies involve the role of the male versus that of the female in human society. This is one of the human universals since females are discriminated against in all human societies (Ortner, 1974, 67). In most analyses, women are seen as closer to nature while males are seen in terms of culture. There are a number of reasons for this universal divide. Chief of these is the fact that females are regarded in terms of their role of child bearing and the bulk of the work of rearing (Ortner, 1974, 68). As a result of this perception women are seen as being there mainly to play this biological role regarded in many parts of the wo rld as inferior to that of males. The perception of females as inferior beings are further perpetuated in three main ways. These are cultural, symbolic and social-structural devaluation (Ortner, 1974, 69). Cultural devaluation is achieved in the form of equating natural biological processes that only females go through such as menstruation, pregnancy, child birth and lactation with nature. The woman is therefore seen as closer to nature simply because she undergoes these processes. The bond between woman and child is therefore seen as natural since in the early stages of life, the baby depends so much on the mother for its survival (Ortner, 1974, 74). This results in the degrading of the woman’s role into that of a domestic servant and home keeper who has to stay closer to the offspring while the man roams about. This liberal roaming of the man enables him to formulate the rules of culture which at times involve the prescription of do’s and don’t s for the women . For instance in some cultures women have to undergo exclusion after menstruation before they can be allowed back to play their normal social roles in the society. One example of such a culture is that of the Crow tribe in Montana (Ortner, 1974, 70). Among them, females played a fairly predominant role in social activities such as the Sun Dance, but their role automatically

Percentage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Percentage - Essay Example Percentages are very popular in the sports world, especially in baseball. A recent sports article is entitled, â€Å"Brewers Play Percentages by Moving Infield.† The article explains that what the Brewers have done better so far than any other team is take away hits from opposing hitters (Haudricourt, 2011). The manager accomplishes this by shifting his infielders to one side of the field when a pull hitter comes up to bat. This and other similar strategies managers use is known as â€Å"playing the percentages.† As mentioned, percentages are very important in business. An example of a very important business percentage is gross profit percentage. This number is a key indicator of the current health of a business. Gross profit percentage is total revenue minus total costs divided by total revenue. This number is very useful because â€Å"comparing the company’s GPP at regular time intervals can determine how well the company is performing over time† (ehow, 2010). Percentages interest me because they can be used in virtually every facet of life.

Why have some financial intermediaries retained a mutual structure Essay

Why have some financial intermediaries retained a mutual structure while others have converted to investorowned companies (500words) - Essay Example Knowledge and understanding of how others conduct business is an incredible advantage toward the understanding of global management accountancy situations. For example, where the deal is always the single most important consideration to Americans, the details and the way those details are ironed out would be more important for Europeans and Asians. This is where cultures clash in the board room. Something many who are experienced in global management accountancy would state unequivocally. (Brett, 2003) In the context of investor owned companies, it can be stated that in the eyes of many from the northern states in the US this is the preferred method for management accountancy and enforcing a series of set standards toward labor and economics in the world. A businessperson's largest asset would have to be the support gained by his or her employees or employers depending upon the infrastructure in the company. The south would have a different viewpoint, in that centralization tends to favor one body in place of more than that. Understanding global economics from a managerial perspective requires an understanding primarily of accountancy and economics. Secondly, we must understand how our accountancy and economics associates in a global landscape and finally, how cultures and accountancy coincide or clash depending upon the situation.

Prescriptive and Descriptive Arguments Coursework

Prescriptive and Descriptive Arguments - Coursework Example The aforementioned human activities including fuel energy consumption results into increased carbon emissions that reaches the atmosphere and depletes the ozone layer. In addition, industrial activities and production contributes to highest emission of greenhouse gases that directly affects the protective ozone layer. Moreover, deforestation activities practiced by human beings causes increased levels of carbon dioxide gases in the atmosphere due to deficiency of trees that would absorb such carbon emissions (Haldar, 2011). It is indispensable to note that depletion of protective ozone layer results into increased global temperatures. The aforementioned arguments describes how varied human activities directly contributes to reality of global warming. Based on the prescriptive argument, there exists need to urgently address global warming issues as it have negative impacts on the environment and lives of human activities. Global warming has resulted into increased temperatures that directly affects economically supportive human activities including agriculture due to experienced drought or flooding in some areas (Casper, 2010). Flooding results from increased melting of ice that causes a rise in sea levels (NASA, 2014). Therefore, there exists an urgent need to mitigate human activities that directly cause global warming to assist in preventing its destructive

Write a summary of No Place to Hide (only pg 170-209) by Glenn Essay

Write a summary of No Place to Hide (only pg 170-209) by Glenn Greenwald OR paraphrasing my friends summary (I will give the attachment) - Essay Example reenwald’s view that the government has violated the fourth amendment about â€Å"the right of people to be secure in their person, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (3). Greenwald tries to enlighten the people that power is currently being misused so as to fully control them. Through the use of the Internet, the government is relentlessly putting effort aimed at convincing its citizens to devalue their privacy. As stated in the book, the government has taken our â€Å"Internet freedom-the ability to use the network without institutional constraints, social or state control†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (6). Furthermore, privacy has been lost through spying our emails, hacking password, looking through online chat, and using the video cameras. According to the author, each and every individual is entitled to his or her own privacy. Unfortunately, the mass surveillance is oblivious of this fact and is ignorant. The government is really cautious to hide their action from the citizen (Greenwald 171). He also explains how people are self-cautious of their every move and are afraid of taking initiatives or acting in a way that deviates from their normal routine. Their quality of life is minimized due to the lack of privacy. In the end, the government is limiting the individuals and preventing them from utilizing their freedoms actively. In fact, the individuals also show the signs to â€Å"avoid shame and condemnation† (173). When people are being monitored, they usually â€Å"avoid action that might be seen as deviant or abnormal† (173). As a result, the citizens forget what it is like to live fully due to restricted actions. This also leads to lack of creativeness and innovations in a country because individuals are afraid of exploration â€Å"[they] can act, think, speak, write, experience, and choose how to be, away from judgmental eyes of others† (172). Greenwald explains that the use of mass technology surveillance by the NSA is not really aimed at

Pay Equity- Statistics, Legislations and Why Women Worn in Low - Paid Jobs Essay Example for Free

Pay Equity- Statistics, Legislations and Why Women Worn in Low Paid Jobs Essay Men and Women should not be called the opposite sexes, instead referred to as complimentary sexes. The sexes should be treated equally in every aspect, one of which is in the pay they receive. The sexes should receive equal wages for equal work. It should be more about ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his need’. Statistics show that men are paid more than women for the same work. One may think if women are really paid less, why would anyone hire a man? Put another way, would not a company full of men will soon be put out of job by a company which hired only women. The truth is that the pay gap can be attributed to large scale discrimination against women. Men who earn more most often do so because of their gender. To get higher pay, men are more likely to enter higher-paying fields, perform riskier tasks and take positions with less stability which explains the fact that only 26% of all miners are women. To tackle this problem of unequal pay, various movements have risen in the recent times ensuring pay equity. In Canada, the purpose of the Pay Equity Act is to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities. Though massive strides have been undertaken in the past for pay equity, the true scenario of pay equity has not been achieved as there is wage disparity in various jobs undertaken by women including unequal pay in the field of sports, and why women tend to work at low paid jobs. There is pay inequity almost in any profession undertaken by women. Men earn significantly more than women despite the existence of the Pay Equity Act. During the time when Baby Boomers were joining the workforce, women earned 59 cents to the dollar till the 1980s where the wage gap was narrowed by just 15 cents to just 74 cents to the dollar. Back then, the pay equity legislations never confirmed women equal pay as the men; they just gave the women the hope that women could raise their voice against unjust treatment by their employers. The Pay Equity Act of 1963 supported women who were employed in the public sector and thereby, offering no security to the ones employed in the private sector. In 2002, the median wages of women who worked full-time year-round were 76. 2 percent of men’s (Werschkul 13). In other words, women earned about 76 cents for every dollar earned by men. To reduce the wage disparities, pay equity legislation prohibits wage discrimination where employees are responsible for equal work. The goal of the legislation is to achieve the ideal balance between financial comfort, professional fulfillment and personal happiness for each women employee. Certain factors are a hindrance in the achievement of this dream. One reason why women earn less because women in the workforce are less likely to work a full-time schedule and are more likely to leave the labor force for longer periods of time than men. These differing work patterns lead to an even larger earnings gap between men and women suggesting that working women are penalized for their dual roles as wage earners and those who disproportionately care for home and family. Recent figures convey a better story. Working women today are paid an average of 80 cents for every dollar that men are paid, even when accounting for factors such as occupation, industry, race, marital status and job tenure. There are more than 80 fields in which women earn more than men, but some are too small to be statistically significant. Of which, there are only 40 fields in which women earn less than 5% more than their male counterparts. These positions include counter attendants in cafeterias, food preparation workers, waitresses and service station attendants to name a few. It has been argued that women earn less because they are not as qualified as their male counterparts. However women in the same positions as the men still earn less. For instance, women lawyers earn just 87% of their male counterparts (Farrell 8). In the medical field, physicians and surgeons earn just 59% of pay compared to male physicians and surgeons. Women and men employed in these fields are equally qualified as they would not be a certified physician without same qualifications. Despite similar qualifications, women still earn less. Pay inequity runs rampant in the sport world too. Professional sport continues to provide unequal pay to women. Paying men more for the same sport gives women in the sport less incentive to push themselves. As a result, it also discourages future female participation in the sport. Women athletes in the sport receive minuscule recognition and fewer rewards compared to their male counterparts. For example, for finishing in third place in the 2003 Women’s World Cup, each U. S. women’s national soccer team member was awarded $25,000. They would have received $58,000 if they had won the Cup. For reaching the quarterfinal of the World Cup in 2002, the U.  S. men’s national soccer team members received $200,000 each. To speak about Tennis, Wimbledon offered greater prize money to the male athletes till 2007. These discrepancies occur because of certain misconceptions. One misconception is that woman’s competitions are not as exciting compared to ‘masculine’ events for instance men perform riskier tricks, hit a tennis ball harder. Women should be compared to other women, not to men. There is a bias that women are not physically strong as the men but women perform to the best of their physical abilities. They would perform the same with a fluctuating pay. Athletes are driven by the passion for the sport, not for the money it offers. Another misapprehension is that women should not receive the same prize money as they are unable to bring the sponsorships and viewership compared to men. Women’s events are not publicized or advertised as much as compared to men’s events. Therefore it will be unfair to say they are unable to draw attention from the public. If the womens events are not included in the telecast, it is misleading to argue that mens events receive higher ratings. Another delusion is that men’s competitions go on for a longer time, include more games and thus men should receive more income. This assumption is flawed as length of the competition should not matter. Star athletes are the ones who draw the crowd. Women have the same capability like the men to draw crowds. The issue of pay inequity goes beyond the issue of money. This issue extends beyond the playing field. When girls grow up seeing celebrated women athletes receiving less than their male counterparts, they are forced to believe it is okay for them to compromise. This acceptable value is not an accepted one. Majority of women tend to be employed in low-paid jobs. In large corporate companies, there is a bias that women are better in the human resource field than in any other field. It is a stereotypical image of women being more cooperative, collaborative and intuitive than men. The CEOs of any company come from the manufacturing, marketing and operations department, not from the human resource department. The talented women are working in the human resources.

Moral Justifications for Archaeological Excavation Sites

Moral Justifications for Archaeological Excavation Sites Can archaeological excavation of sites not under immediate threat of development or erosion be justified morally? Explore the pros and cons of research (as opposed to rescue and salvage) excavation and non-destructive archaeological research methods using specific examples. Many people believe that archaeology and archaeologists are mainly concerned with excavation – with digging sites.   This may be the common public image of archaeology, as often portrayed on television, although Rahtz (1991, 65-86) has made clear that archaeologists in fact do many things besides excavate. Drewett (1999, 76) goes further, commenting that ‘it must never be assumed that excavation is an essential part of any archaeological fieldwork’.   Excavation itself is a costly and destructive research tool, destroying the object of its research forever (Renfrew and Bahn 1996, 100).   Of the present day it has been noted that rather than desiring to dig every site they know about, the majority of archaeologists work within a conservation ethic that has grown up in the past few decades (Carmichael et al. 2003, 41).   Given the shift to excavation taking place mostly in a rescue or salvage context where the archaeology would otherwise face destruction and the inherently destructive nature of excavation, it has become appropriate to ask whether research excavation can be morally justified.   This essay will seek to answer that question in the affirmative and also explore the pros and cons of research excavation and non-destructive archaeological research methods. If the moral justification of research excavation is questionable in comparison to the excavation of threatened sites, it would seem that what makes rescue excavation morally acceptable is the fact that the site would be lost to human knowledge if it was not investigated.   It seems clear from this, and seems widely accepted that excavation itself is a useful investigative technique.   Renfrew and Bahn (1996, 97) suggest that excavation ‘retains its central role in fieldwork because it yields the most reliable evidence archaeologists are interested in’.   Carmichael et al. (2003, 32) note that ‘excavation is the means by which we access the past’ and that it is the most basic, defining aspect of archaeology.   As mentioned above, excavation is a costly and destructive process that destroys the object of its study.   Bearing this in mind, it seems that it is perhaps the context in which excavation is used that has a bearing on whether or not it is m orally justifiable.   If the archaeology is bound to be destroyed through erosion or development then its destruction through excavation is vindicated since much data that would otherwise be lost will be created (Drewett 1999, 76).   If rescue excavation is justifiable on the grounds that it prevents total loss in terms of the potential data, does this mean that research excavation is not morally justifiable because it is not simply ‘making the best use of archaeological sites that must be consumed’ (Carmichael et al. 2003, 34)?   Many would disagree.   Critics of research excavation may point out that the archaeology itself is a finite resource that must be preserved wherever possible for the future.   The destruction of archaeological evidence through unnecessary (ie non-emergency) excavation denies the opportunity of research or enjoyment to future generations to whom we may owe a custodial duty of care (Rahtz 1991, 139).   Even during the most responsible excavations where detailed records are made, 100% recording of a site is not possible, making any non-essential excavation almost a wilful destruction of evidence.   These criticisms are not wholly valid though, and certainly the latte r holds true during any excavation, not only research excavations, and surely during a research project there is likely to be more time available for a full recording effort than during the statutory access period of a rescue project.   It is also debateable whether archaeology is a finite resource, since ‘new’ archaeology is created all the time.   It seems inescapable though, that individual sites are unique and can suffer destruction but although it is more difficult and perhaps undesirable to deny that we have some responsibility to preserve this archaeology for future generations, is it not also the case that the present generations are entitled to make responsible use of it, if not to destroy it?   Research excavation, best directed at answering potentially important research questions, can be done on a partial or selective basis, without disturbing or destroying a whole site, thus leaving areas for later researchers to investigate (Carmichael et al. 2003, 4 1). Furthermore, this can and should be done in conjunction with non-invasive techniques such as aerial photography, ground, geophysical and chemical survey (Drewett 1999, 76).   Continued research excavation also allows the practice and development of new techniques, without which such skills would be lost, preventing future excavation technique from being improved. An excellent example of the benefits of a combination of research excavation and non-destructive archaeological techniques is the work that has been done, despite objections, at the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Sutton Hoo, in eastern England (Rahtz 1991 136-47; Renfrew and Bahn 1996, 98-99).   Excavation originally took place on the site in 1938-39 revealing many treasures and the impression in sand of a wooden ship used for a burial, though the body was not found.   The focus of these campaigns and those of the 1960s were traditional in their approach, being concerned with the opening of burial mounds, their contents, dating and identifying historical connections such as the identity of the occupants.   In the 1980s a new campaign with different aims was undertaken, directed by Martin Carver.   Rather than beginning and ending with excavation, a regional survey was carried out over an area of some 14ha, helping to set the site in its local context. Electronic distance measuring w as used to create a topographical contour map prior to other work.   A grass expert examined the variety of grass species on-site and identified the positions of some 200 holes dug into the site.   Other environmental studies examined beetles, pollen and snails.   In addition, a phosphate survey, indicative of likely areas of human occupation, corresponded with results of the surface survey.   Other non-destructive tools were used such as metal detectors, used to map modern rubbish.   A proton magnetometer, fluxgate gradiometer and soil resistivity were all used on a small part of the site to the east, which was later excavated.   Of those techniques, resistivity proved the most informative, revealing a modern ditch and a double palisade, as well as some other features (see comparative illustrations in Renfrew and Bahn 1996, 99).   Excavation later revealed features that had not been remotely detected.   Resistivity has since been used on the area of the mounds while soil-sounding radar, which penetrates deeper than resistivity, is being used on the mounds themselves.   At Sutton Hoo, the techniques of geophysical survey are seen to operate as a complement to excavation, not merely a preliminary nor yet a replacement.   By trialling such techniques in conjunction with excavation, their effectiveness can be gauged and new and more effective techniques developed.   The results at Sutton Hoo suggest that research excavation and non-destructive methods of archaeological research remain morally justifiable. However, simply because such techniques can be applied efficiently does not mean that excavation should be the priority nor that all sites should be excavated, but such a scenario has never been a likely one due to the usual constraints such as funding.   Besides, it has been noted above that there is already a trend towards conservation.   Continued research excavation at famous sites such as Sutton Hoo, as Rahtz notes (1991, 140-41), is justified since it serves avowedly to develop archaeological practice itself; the physical remains, or shapes in the landscape can be and are restored to their former appearance with the bonus of being better understood, more educational and interesting; such exotic and special sites capture the imagination of the public and the media and raise the profile of archaeology as a whole.   There are other sites that could prove equally good examples of morally justifiable long term research archaeology, such as Wharram Percy (for which see Rahtz 19 91, 148-57).   Progressing from a straightforward excavation in 1950, with the aim of showing that the earthworks represented medieval buildings, the site grew to represent much more in time, space and complexity.   Techniques used expanded from excavation to include survey techniques and aerial photography to set the village into a local context. In conclusion, it can be seen that while excavation is destructive, there is a morally justifiable place for research archaeology and non-destructive archaeological techniques: excavation should not be reduced only to rescue circumstances.   Research excavation projects, such as Sutton Hoo, have provided many positive aspects to the development of archaeology and knowledge of the past.   While excavation should not be undertaken lightly, and non-destructive techniques should be employed in the first place, it is clear that as yet they cannot replace excavation in terms of the amount and types of data provided.   Non-destructive techniques such as environmental sampling and resistivity survey have, provided significant complementary data to that which excavation provides and both should be employed. Bibliography Carmichael, D.L., Lafferty III, R.H. and Molyneaux, B.L. 2003. Excavation. Walnut Creek and Oxford: Altamira Press. Drewett, P.L. 1999. Field Archaeology: An Introduction. London: UCL Press. Rahtz, P. 1991. Invitation to Archaeology. 2nd edition.   Oxford: Blackwell.Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P.1996. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. 2nd edition. London: Thames Hudson.

Immigration :: essays research papers

Should immigration into the United States be limited? Immigrants are a large and growing factor in the stubborn level of poverty seen in the United States over the past two decades because newcomers to the country are more likely to be poor and to remain so longer than in the past, according to a new study. The report, to be released today by the Center for Immigration Studies, says the number of impoverished people in the nation's immigrant-headed households nearly tripled from 2.7 million in 1979 to 7.7 million in 1997. During that same period, the number of poor households headed by immigrants increased by 123 percent while the number of immigrant households increased by 68 percent, according to the study. The share of immigrants living in poverty rose from 15.5 percent to 21.8 percent, the report notes, a change that some analysts say holds troubling implications for the nation's future. About 12 percent of the nation's native-born population lives in poverty, a figure that has hardly changed in 20 years. "Each successive wave of immigrants is doing worse and worse," said Steven A. Camarota, the report's author. "Each wave of immigrants has a higher poverty rate, and a much larger share of their children will grow up in poverty." The report by the center, a Washington-based research group that advocates reduced immigration, uses information compiled in the 1980 and 1990 censuses, as well as information contained in the March 1998 Current Population Survey, to make its case that poverty in the United States is increasingly being driven by the nation's immigration policy. The report says immigrants are more likely to be poor because they have higher levels of unemployment, have lower education levels and have larger families than native-born families. And much of their economic slide has come despite the fact that the nation's economy has been in good shape for much of the past 20 years, the report notes. The report is rekindling the sharp-edged debate over whether high levels of immigration benefit the nation. The number of immigrants living in the United States has almost tripled since 1970, dramatically altering the nation's demographic and social mix because the vast majority of current immigrants are either Hispanic or Asian. Overall, immigrants now account for nearly 10 percent of the nation's residents, the highest level since the 1920s. About one in four Californians and one in three residents of New York are foreign-born.

What are the Effects of Marriage and Religion on African Americans in U

What are the Effects of Marriage and Religion on African Americans in Urban America? The last three decades have witnessed a â€Å"retreat from marriage† in the United States, marked by high rates of nonmarital births, lower rates of marriage, and divorce. Although a growing body of research on the retreat from marriage has focused on its social and economic causes, little attention has been paid to the role that cultural institutions play in furthering or resisting the retreat from marriage. This paper focuses on the role that religious institutions—and the cultural norms and behaviors they promote—play in resisting this retreat among new parents in urban America. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we find that urban mothers who attend church regularly are significantly more likely to be married at the time of birth compared to urban mothers who do not attend church frequently, and that urban mothers who have a nonmarital birth are significantly more likely to marry within a year of that birth if they attend church f requently. These religious effects are mediated in part by the relationship-related beliefs and behaviors promoted by churches. Church-going urban mothers express higher levels of normative commitment to the institution of marriage. They also are more likely to benefit from higher levels of supportive behavior (e.g., affection) from the father of their children and lower levels of conflict with the father over sexual fidelity. Thus, by fostering beliefs and behaviors that support matrimony, religious institutions help urban mothers make the transition to marriage in communities where marriage has become increasingly infrequent. Recently, there has been a huge decline in marriage... ...ay also help explain distinctive class, racial, and ethnic patterns of marriage. Works Cited Furstenberg, Frank. 2001. â€Å"The Fading Dream: Prospects for Marriage in the Inner City.† In Problem of the Century, edited by E. Anderson and D. Massey. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation Allison, Paul D. 1995. Survival Analysis using the SAS System: A Practical Guide. Cary, NC: SAS Institute, Inc.. Anderson, Katherine, Don Browning, and Brian Boyer. 2002. Marriage: Just a Piece of Paper? Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Axinn, William G. and Arland Thornton. 2000. â€Å"The Transformation in the Meaning of Marriage.† In The Ties that Bind, edited by L. Waite. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter. Thornton, Arland, William G. Axinn, and Daniel H. Hill. 1992. â€Å"Reciprocal Effects of Religiosity, Cohabitation, and Marriage.† American Journal of Sociology 98:628-651.

The History of Art Essay example -- essays research papers

The History of Art   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When we think of history we don’t often think of art. We don’t realize how the history of art can help us learn more about the people, the cultures, and the belief systems of those who lived hundreds and thousands of years before us. Art has developed, influenced, and contributed starting from the great Stone Age to the present day. Art gives an insight into the changes and evolution that man and culture have gone through to become what is today. Art is culture, art is the essence of the people who make it and the best way to appreciate art is to look at the history of it and it’s evolvement through time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Ages consists of four distinct ages: The Old Stone Age, The New Stone Age, The Bronze Age, and The Iron Age. These four Great Ages is the complete history of art from the beginning to the present day. Each age is named characteristically for the type of material used for that time. Stone was used in the Old and New Stone age, bronze in the Bronze Age, and iron in the Iron Age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Ages began with The Old Stone Age starting at 100,000 BCE. The people lived in tribes and clans and often moved from place to place, hunting and gathering to live. They believed all life was sacred and all beings were divine, including animals. The tribal teachings taught that man and nature are one. Hunting and gathering was a sacred ritual because they would often believe they were at one with the animal being hunted. Shamens and shamenesses, spiritual healers and seers between the people and spirits of animals, would often lead hunts and call forth the spirit of the animal to which they would ask the animal to offer their life willingly for a successful hunt. An illustration in Art Through The Ages, 1-4, (Hall of the Bulls found in Lasacux, c 15,000-13,000 b.c. Largest bull approx. 11’6† long) a beautiful cave painting of Bulls. It shows how sacred these animals were to the people. The painter took the time not only to paint such a true to nature image but also purposely put it in a remote location hundreds of feet above the entrance. The location of the painting suggest that it was used as a spiritual image that perhaps shamans would use to communicate with the spirit of the animal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Shamans were necessary to the t... ...ng alongside the edifice and stained glass windows that were mystically illuminated with the sun’s rays. 13-29 (Interior of Ste.-Chapelle), 13-33 (St. Martin, St. Jerome, and St Gregory, c. 1220-1230, from the Porch of the Confessors, Chartres Cathedral France.). The beginning of the Renaissance around 1500 CE is considered the start of the Late Iron Age, which is still on going. The Renaissance was the age of enlightenment the rebirth of learning and culture where men were going beyond their ability, where artists were considered geniuses, and private pleasure became the subject of art. Great artists like Leonardo de Vinci, Raphael, and Titian emerged from the great period of the Renaissance; they were not only geniuses, but also great individual intellects, who defined the greatness of art. Individualism still prevails today and is the very core of modern society. Male-dominated societies still exist, but slowly the demand for equality is changing that. During the Four Great Ages, many things have changed, many things have been lost, but time has not taken a sudden halt, nor the art; people, cultures, and mentalities continue to grow and change, and from growth comes greatness.

Notions of class, status and caste and significant throughout Asia

Asia is synonymous to one word: exotic. With its temperate climate, architectural wonders, tropical greenery, thriving urban communities, rich history, and a melting pot of ethnic groups, it truly is a gem. There is also one thing that makes Asia stand out- its culture and tradition. The Far East, as Asia is sometimes called, had been colonized by Western powers, such as Americans, Portuguese, British, Spanish, Dutch, and French.   This gave rise to a diverse array of cultures, with influences brought by the outsiders interspersing with those of its local inhabitants. One interesting aspect of Asian culture is the caste system/society or social stratification. Caste is a social classification system bestowed hereditarily (Bogard, et al, 1997). The word traces its roots from the Portuguese word casta, a feminine form of casto, derived from the Latin castus, which means pure (The American Heritage, 2000). India, for instance, is known for its caste society (McNeill, 1990). Dowling (2005) noted that the Aryans, warriors from Central Asia, were responsible for bringing caste system into India. After defeating the Dravidians of Central India in 15000 BC, the Aryans created some from of social structure (2005). However, McNeill (1990) argued that caste system started â€Å"long ago† (p.126). He stated, â€Å"About 300 BC, a Greek ambassador to the court of Magadha, named Megasthenes, wrote a book about India in which he described seven hereditary classes into which, he said, Indian society was divided† (p. 126).   The caste system, he remarked, was probably created for members of any group to do things without any hindrance coming from other groups. Caste system allowed group members to â€Å"keep most off their own ways and inner values, and preserve private family customs, while still spending their lives in close daily contact with all sorts of people† (1990). Aryans divided the caste system into four- Brahmin, composed of priests, teachers and judges, Kshatriya or the warriors, Vaisya, consisted of merchants and farmers, and Sudras, or laborers (Dowling, 2005).   Below the Sudras were the untouchables or outcastes (2005).The untouchables had the lowest position in the caste system. They were not allowed to enter temples and schools. They were even not allowed to get water from wells were higher castes obtained theirs (2005).   Some untouchables converted to other religious denomination such as Islam and Christianity to avoid the plague of being outcastes (2005). The foundation of the caste system was based on two things- samsara or reincarnation and karma or quality of action (Bogard, et al., 1997). The Brahmins believed that an infant inhabits the soul of another human being or an animal (McNeill, 1990). He explained: Souls that in former lives had gathered a heavy load of karma, then were born into babies of the lowest castes. Those who in former lives had accumulated only a little karma earned the right to be born as Brahmans; and those in between caste status. Persons who lived well in whatever caste they had been born to could hope for rebirth higher on the scale. ( p.126) Compliance with the rules may result to reincarnation into higher caste (Bogard, et al., 1997). Women, however, may â€Å"have the privilege of coming back as an animal if they are good enough† (1997). Other details on the creation of the Indian caste system, however, were not clear. McNeill (1990) noted that the Indian caste system was not just made up of four classes. The Brahmanas did not provide details of establishment of the caste system. As McNeill noticed, â€Å"In other words, we have here a theory rather than a description of what really existed† (p. 126). However the case may be, India’s caste system has been deemed â€Å"illegal† (Dowling, 2005, para.5). It was officially abolished in 1947 (McNeill, 1990). But it is integral to Indian society and has molded India into what it is now (1990). McNeill added that the caste system â€Å"allowed very primitive ideas and magical practices to survive indefinitely† (p.128). But even with its abolition, caste system still exists in some Indian communities, especially in rural ones (1990). Several measures have been taken up to reduce its effect on people and communities. The Indian government has introduced government privileges to the untouchables, now known as Harijan (2005). However, the Harijan still receive less opportunities, educational and employment-wise. Another Asian country that has stratified society is Indonesia, specifically the Balinese (Frederick and Worden, 1993). The Balinese reside in the islands of Bali and Lombok and some parts of Sumbawa (1993). The caste system dates back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the time when Javanese princes flew to Bali to avoid the â€Å"advances of Islam† (1993).   The Balinese has had, since then, mingled with the locals and asserted an anti-Islamic political perspective (1993). The Balinese caste system was based on the Indian caste system (â€Å"Social System,†1998). The three classes were the Brahman, Ksatriya, and Wesya. The three made up the Triwangsa, which means â€Å"three peoples† (1998, para.9). The Triwangsa was the â€Å"highest three societal stratification† (1998, para.9). The classes comprised 10 % of the populace and lived in puri (1998, para.9) According to a Hindu myth (â€Å"Social System,† 1998), Brahman or god, was separated. His mouth developed into the Brahman, his arms became the Ksatriya, his thighs were the Wesya class, and out of his feet borne the Sudra class. The classes are akin to the human being, different parts have different purposes but all need to work together to survive. Brahman comprised priests, scholars and teachers (â€Å"Social System,†1998). They also had special privileges in burial rights and were entitled to a â€Å"high level of ritual communication† (1998, para.12). The Ksatriya was represented by warriors, rajas or princes whereas merchants fell into the Wesya caste (1998). The majority of Balinese, however, belonged to the Shudra class (Frederick and Worden, 1993). The Shudra or Sudra class consisted of the commoners (â€Å"Social System,†1998). Unlike their Indian counterpart, the Sudra caste was not considered untouchables (1998). The Sudra served as laborers for the three classes (1998).   Since they did not know how to read or write, they depended on the upper classes to â€Å"interpret religious texts and prayers† (1998, para.16). Caste was based on birth (â€Å"Social System,† 1998). Each caste followed certain rules. Caste rules were strictly observed. One rule involved addressing Triwangsa caste properly (1998). Another one was the responsibility of each caste member to offer assistance to other castes when needed (1998).Compared to the Indian caste system, the Balinese caste was not that rigid. Frederick and Worden (1993) pointed out that the Balinese caste system â€Å"involves no occupational specializations or ideas about ritual contaminations between ranks† (1993). Marriage between ranks was not forbidden. Today, the Balinese are caught between adhering to tradition and adapting to change (Frederick and Worden, 1993).They are starting to question the traditions and are caught in the middle of obeying years-old rules or completely junking them in favor of modernization. If the Balinese are torn between tradition and urbanization, the Philippines have managed to phase out its own version of caste system. The Spaniards’ colonization of the Philippines gave birth to the concept of barangay (Cunanan, 1986).   The barangay was considered the â€Å"basic political unit† (1986). It consisted of thirty to fifty families. A chief datu, who came from the aristocrat clan called maharlika, led a barangay (1986). The maharlika had servants called â€Å"aliping namamahay or aliping sagigilid† (1986). The aliping namamahay were responsible for building houses, tending the farms of the datus, among other things. On the other hand, the aliping sagigilid were house-bound (1986).   They were either taken into forced custody or served as payments for debts (1986). The barangays were soon integrated into a bigger unit called encomiendas (Cunanan, 1986). An encomienda was â€Å"awarded to the conguistadores and religious orders for their meritorious services in the conquest of the native people† (1986). By 17th century, the encomiendas were completely wiped out in favor of creating provinces (1986). At present, the Philippines have a modern version of the caste system: the superior-servant or household help type. In Western countries, it is interesting to note that only the rich and privileged have acquired household help. In the Philippines, household help is common, especially in urban communities. These people are employed in houses to fend for the inhabitants’ need such as cooking their meals, doing laundry and cleaning the house. Household help are usually those that did not finish school or came from poor families. Majority of them live with the families they tend to, with some slowly being recognized as family members. For a country known for its homogeneity, Japan, surprisingly, had a caste system (Reischauer, 1988). The outcast group was called burakumin or hamlet people (1988). The burakumin roots backs to the feudal era. They were known by different names but were popularly known as burakumin, an abbreviation from a form which means â€Å"people of special hamlets† (1988). They were no different from other Japanese but what set them apart was their occupation. Reischauer (1988) described them: This group, which accounts for less than 2 percent of the population, probably originated from various sources, such as the vanquished in wars or those whose work was considered particularly demeaning. Clearly they included people engaged in leather work or butchery, since the Buddhist prejudice against the taking of all animal life made others look down of such persons, thought, it should be noted, not on the butchers of human life in the feudal society dominated by a military elite. (p. 35). Since 1871, the burakumin received legal equality but prejudice is still felt. Some Japanese are said to be â€Å"reluctant to have contact with them and are careful to check family records to ensure that they avoid intermarriage† (p. 35).   Nowadays, the burakumin are becoming â€Å"less recognizable† (p. 35.) Asia is truly a mix of both worlds. The importance given to class, status or society stratification is a direct reflection of its history and people. While some may say that social classes cause inequality in society, it has defined rules on how a society or system would work. Bringing discipline and order into a society was important in a caste system. It has also fostered unity among class members. Positive and negative effects are embedded into any social stratification system. But the very same diverse ideas and counterculture are the ones that helped shape Asia into what it is now- a wonderful hodgepodge that is deeply textured. References Bogard, M., Gilbert, L., Jones, M., Nida, B., Swanson, A., & Young, S. (1997). History of the caste system. Cunanan, J.P. (1986). Evolution of labour legislation in Asia. Hong Kong: DAGA CCA-URM. Dowling, M (2005). The caste system of ancient India at mrdowling.com. Retrieved 30 April 2007 from http://www.mrdowling.com/612-caste.html Frederick, W.H. & Worden, R.L. (Eds.). (1993). Indonesia: a country study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. McNeill, W.H. (1990). A history of the human community (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Reischauer, E.O. (1988). The Japanese today. Massachusetts: Belnap Press of Harvard University Press. Social System. (1998). Retrieved 30 April 2007 from http://www.balivision.com/Article_Resources/SocialSystem.asp The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.) (2000). USA: Houghton Mifflin Company.         

Think Before You Act

Think Before You Act Everyday someone loses a person dear to them. You never know if it will be your last day here in this world. We all just live day to day and don’t realize tomorrow could be our last. It’s even worse when it could have been prevented. Choices we make can impact our lives and individuals around us. People say things happen for a reason, and that God has a plan for all of us. We won’t know the truth until something tragic happens each of us. June 24, 2011 was the day that I lost a close friend forever. I remember that day like it happened yesterday.You don’t forget days like that when your life changes forever. The night of the accident, a young man decided to leave a bar and drive with his blood alcohol content over three times the legal limit. He ended up driving the wrong way on the highway and collided head-on with another vehicle. Both drivers were pronounced dead on the scene. My friend was a victim of a drunk driver. He graduated f rom high school two weeks before his death. Not even eighteen years old and still had a life to live. Bryant Hernandez was an individual who left a mark on everyone he came in contact with.You wouldn’t think a seventeen year old would have a huge impact on people he came across, but he did. Bryant did everything he could to put a smile on your face. He seemed to always know what to say to cheer you up. I met Bryant when I was a senior in high school. Since I had to have an elective I ended up taking a child development class. Walking through the class I noticed that we were all girls except for one. He was sitting at a table alone and looking very uncomfortable. I would feel awkward to taking a child development class with a bunch of girls.Bryant looked in my direction when I started to approach him. â€Å"Do you mind if I sit with you? † I asked. â€Å"Well you are already sitting down so I guess I don’t have much of a choice. † Bryant said with a smirk on his face. I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew from that moment I was going to like having him in this class. Eventually it turned out to be one of my favorite classes. He was my go to guy for everything. Bryant knew how to make me feel better when things got tough. At the time small things like that weren’t that important.But now I would give anything to go back and cherish those moments with him. It’s been over a year since the accident and I’ve realized choices you make can have major consequences. When I was a teenager I made stupid decisions like the guy who killed my friend. I didn’t think about anyone else. All I cared about was having fun and living in the moment. I didn’t care when people told me not to drive home drunk. Well living in the moment doesn’t get you anywhere. You may get away with it a couple of times but eventually it will catch up to you.After his death I thought a lot about my actions. Watching his parents say there last words to him and how tired they looked, I couldn’t imagine what they went through and what they are still currently going through. I imagined how my parents would react. I can’t help but want to cry. It makes me sick to know how selfish I was when I was younger. Bryant’s death was a wakeup call for me and hopefully several others. Driving drunk will never cross my mind again. With everything I do now I take a moment to think about it and to make sure that it is the right decision to make.I know Bryant is looking down smiling and saying â€Å"About time you changed, you hard headed girl! † My friend may not be here anymore but him passing on made his family and friends realize things you love can easily be taken away from you in a flash. Selfishness is very common and realizing that our actions can affect our own lives and the people we love so dearly. If moments can be prevented then prevent them. Teaching others to think before they act can i mpact a lot of people from making the wrong decisions. In time everyone with have their own personal reality checks some faster than others.

Brazilian Literature Essay

For a long duration, Dom Casmurro, Machado de Assis’s novel has moved its readers to opening a debate on if Santiago’s wife, Capitolina, had been faithful to Santiago. The narrator was believed to have loved his wife since their childhood. His mother, who later passed on had wanted the narrator to become a priest thus avoid getting married to his girlfriend. They later got married but later starts to suspect the wife of an affair with Escobar, a close buddy of his. Escobar later on perishes in an accident and the narrator’s wife got a baby boy, Ezekiel. The conflict of the narrator reaches climax as the people around him indicates that the born child resembles Escobar. The narrator is left sad with this as he accuses his wife of infidelity and longs for revenge while on the other hand trying to prevent himself. The supposed infidelity of the narrators wife is not the main issue, but the most debated issue in this novel is the manner in which reader is positioned by the novel in asking or deciding the himself question or just his version of the issue. In order to respond to such questions, one is expected to view the events in the novel in order to take position. The whole narration comes out from the narrators view point as he converts the subjectivity into mere fiction. In the novel, the reader of the novel is enticed by the narrator, Casmurro into his confidence as well as being manipulated to condemn Capitu, his wife. This makes the reader perceive him as a person who took the responsibility of his wife’s death and the other reprehensible behaviors of the life he lived there after (Joaquim, Maria). There are several clues in the presumed eyewitness’s account of truthfulness. But closely looking at the clues given by the narrator leaves one to finalize that the narrator is living a lie and the way in which the desire he expresses in trying to fill in the central existence of his, fails since the fact of the life he is living is in a lacunae which he is not in a position to have it in the story of his life. Casmurro, right from start, portrays himself as the figure with authority in the story and starts to manipulate the audience. The insight into Casmurros personal traits is portrayed in the first chapter as in â€Å"DO titulo† (the title) he tries to link to audience with the way in which he got his nickname Dom Casmurro. He goes ahead to inform the reader not to find the meaning of the word Casmurro in the dictionary, however, he indicates that it implies tight-lipped person who is withdrawn within himself. On the other hand, the name is a old fashioned Portuguese word defined by the dictionary as obstinate, bull-headed or fearful, withdrawn, aloof, dour and gloomy(Scott). The narrator is believed to have gotten his nick name from a young gentleman within his neighborhood who was feeling being insulted by Casmurro. This name, Dom Casmurro was given to the narrator during one of his journeys by train to Engenho Novo. On the way, he met the young man who was reading some poems for him. Tired, Casmurro fell asleep even without getting what the young man was reading for him in his poems. The following day, the man whop felt ignored stated calling the narrator ‘Dom Casmurro’. Because of the narrator’s humble nature, Dom was used in a belittling manner. The entire neighborhood saw the name Casmurro as being fitting to him so much that it got stuck. Casmurro makes the nickname the title of his story after giving it definition for the audience as well as discrediting it with a lot of humor. He goes ahead to portray himself as a real gentleman and an honest man. Looking at the meaning of the name in the dictionary leaves on to start questioning the truthfulness of the narrator (Assis and Gledson 246). The narrator, who just refers to himself as Dom Casmurro, is reluctant in identifying his true identity. The audience only learns later on that Casmurro’s real name is Bento Santiago. The narrator does not want to assume this identity but prefers to remain just as Dom Casmurro. He later tries to recall all the happenings of his earlier life hoping to go on with reorganizing his life the way it used to be. As he gives introduction of his memoirs, he talks of some recollections which he refers to as charming and sweet. As the narrator promises to provide a faithful narration of his earlier life, he also posses the expectations of having the reader taking his story as true but not consider issue outside the meaning of his narration. The question the reader is left asking himself or herself is whether he or she can believe whatever the narrator is saying. With this said it is clear that Casmurro wants to relinquish the influence of the story as well as leaving the whole story in the reader’s hands. He does this by inviting the audience to have the gaps in the story filled. But the reader is left with little chance to do so since he is making sure that the reader adopts to his views and ignores the questions out side this. But the reader can condone the narrator’s behaviors if he decides to expose them. In trying to tell the story from his own point of view, the narrator wants to create a link of trust as well as establish confidence with the audience. But he has indicated to the reader a number of his fault as well as discounting the sternness with unwarranted explanations for behaving in that manner. Casmurro comes out to be unable to keep the needed control over the audience in the chapter. In order to fill in this gaps the reader, can do so by taking the case of the narrator has been in long defense of himself. By misleading the reader in the initial narration, Casmurro conflates Bento Santiago with Dom Casmurro. The narrator is sufficient distinct from bento Santiago and needs to be another character. As in the events which follow this, the narrator used the name Casmurro as the persona in the narrative to give picture of his life and allow him to relinquish the responsibilities that could be associated with Santiago wants life. The real truth of the story lies in the gaps left for the reader to fill which appears to be the responsibilities of the reader, thus the reader has to choose the role to play. The name Casmurro does not appear as the most suitable title for this story since it does not flow with the ideas of the story. The slum This is a novel which takes one back to the history of a naturalistic movement of Brazil, in which the major characters are slum residents in the Botafogo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro which contributed to a great part of the social problems experienced in the society. This kind of live has disordered the slums growth and development for many years. One of the main characters, Joao Romao arrives in a scene of the slum yarning for money and more power. This indicates how the powerful have concentrated resources to them selves forgetting the poor ones in the slum. The rich and powerful society of Brazilian as alienated from the Brazilian culture leaving the poor to struggle on their own. Many people, in the initial setting are exposed to the harsh slum live. The rich are depicted as being greedy merchants who like associating them selves with the Portuguese (Joaquim 254). The roles of the women in the slum include being submissive family heads, prostitutes, subjects to the rich and objects. There is a lot of racism exhibited considering the way the blacks are treated by the Portuguese and the Italians. Bertoleza, a slave grocer living in the ghetto, represents the many people fighting to make survival. She sells ox baits and fried fish. She is a symbol of the many slum dwellers who are in their situation because of being black which is seen as the cost of working all day long for the masters. She works hard despite the low wages she raises from her job. Development in the slum is indicated when she intents to use some of the money she earns to purchase an earth strip for expansion of her business and built a house for herself as she is tired of the informal house she lives in the centre of the Rio de Janeiro slum. The slum people have created a social macrocosm. Very early in the morning the slum live starts, the residents open not their eyes but their infinity of doors and allied windows. The characters exhibited to in the slum as fighting, working, copulating, singing or even singing. The slum comes out as a place where the blacks as well as the mulattos are ever engaged in scrambles with the Portuguese and Italian in order to move up from the bottom line of the social food chain. This indicates a live that lack social pathologies, violence, sordid betrayals, illicit sexual relationships, lesbians and homosexuals as well as cheap prostitution business, illicit liquor, increased drug abuse and small organized crimes associated with increasing juvenile delinquency. The Portuguese civilians in the slum represented by Jeronimo and his wife find a group of people represented by Rita Baiana and Firmino who are the poor residents of the slum in the normal slum social groups. The story of the slum is also concerned with the love affair of Romao, a land owner in the slum who gives out everything as well as his Brazilian wife in order to win a white lady and those of his land tenants ending up destroying several lives including those of spitfire Rita Bahiana and Jeronimo and his own too. He had risen from being a proprietor of a small business to a slum dog lord. This represents the urban discontent, is portrayed to have its people having some personal traits which exhibit rampant materialism as well as souls which are restlessly shaped and influenced by great ambition and desire to gain power and immediacy. The social vices exhibited in the slum are as a result of the poverty associated with the slum which has driven its people to desire for more than what the society they are living in can offer. These are exhibited as the characters of most slum dwellers who survive at any opportunity, given the chance to find their breakthrough. The people with money in this society have taken the advantage of the situation to get cheap sexual satisfaction from the Poor’s wives. The near by neighborhood of Portuguese is seen as being rich one. The interaction of the Portuguese with the slum dwellers starts is believed to bring some changes to the slum. It is due to this that the slum dwellers start to have closer relationships with the Portuguese who employ them in better jobs. Others get into personal relationships or even marriage with the Portuguese attracting better packs for their lives as the presence of the Portuguese increases in the slum. They start get interest of developing the slum into a better environment where they would invest. Some developments are portrayed when some of the rich slum people like Romao establishes a quarry and goes ahead to in invite Jeronimo to help in its management. With so much rivalry developing in the slum due to hatred and envy of some Brazilian getting associated with the Portuguese, the slum is burned down at some point. Later on, it is built up with some improvement in the building structure by the middle class society thus eliminating the initial state of poverty and disorganization experienced by the slum dwellers before. This changes the former kind of live style that the slum dwellers had adapted. As the intermingling of the Brazilians with the Portuguese increase, the level and standard of living went up. The former slum dwellers started to live in better houses. The number of marriages between the two societies increased and more investments were started in the former slum area which had developed into better residential area. After the slum is burnt and some new houses are developed by the middle class, most of the vices exhibited initial by the slum society are not any more. The cases of illicit sexual relationships, fights and poor housing are replaced by a society which has burning desire for development, as the middle class society starts to put their interest for investment which turns the once unhealthy society into a meaningful livelihood suitable for human settlement. Other characters exhibited by the Brazilian slum live include the people’s despair, the slum excitement, and the perfumes. The dwellers of the slum always have the ever burning desire to live the lives of the neighborhood which is full of luxury. The slum itself is perceived as an organic unit, with all sorts of live present there. After the development, the slum starts to fills with urban college students and artists who also contribute to its gentrification. The slum life was initially portrayed as full of sadness and tragedy as seen in its naturalism but with these developments some sense of lively hoods have started to be seen. Another major development of the slum is the manner of ownership that is shown before and after the burning and housing of the land. Initially, the bigger percentage of the slum land was owned by some few individuals such as the slum lord, Joao Pomao who is seen as one of the big hypocrites and who exhibited a lot of control over the slum many landless. After the recreation of new houses most of the land was owned by several middle class people. Work Cited Caldwell, Hellen. The Brazilian Othello of Machado de Assis. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1953. Joaquim, Maria. Machado de Assis. Dom Casmurro, Berkeley: University of California Press. 1953. Scott, Infanger. Living a Lie: the Silence of Truth in Dom Casmuro, Vanderbilt University, 2002, viewed on 13 July 2009 from < http://www. umassd. edu/cas/portuguese/lyinginportuguese-texts/scott-livingalie. doc > Assis, Machado and Gledson, Joao. Dom Casmurro. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 246.

Role Set Analysis

?Role Set Analysis is a method that helps people to think through what is expected of them and they could clash and cause other issues. This method helps managers to check whether or not they are using time effectively. It compares existing procedures with current priorities. By using this method it can help to show what the end objective of the job being analyzed should be. There are many advantages of using the Role Set Analysis. It is easy to apply or update, it assists managers to ask certain questions of themselves about their priorities and objectives. It can also work with a group or team to see if the activities that are being done need to be changed and lastly, it can be used for a entire department or organization to make sure they have the correct resources in the correct places. This process uses a market research approach to a particular job. The data that is collected consists of the expectations of the main individuals or groups that communicates with the person. The main question that needs to be asked is â€Å"What do others expect from me? † instead of â€Å"What should I be doing? † The first step is to accomplish is to identify what the main elements in the role set are. The next step is to combined the data and the pressures into a logical form. This is done by creating a flow chart to make it easier to review and understand. Once this is completed, the next step is to that the time and priorities that are allocated to each element in the role set is in line with what is actually needed. This can be done effectively by keeping a daily log of what their daily tasks are for a couple of days. This information can be compared with what is being reviewed for change. This information will help to ensure that the analysis that has been created is going to be effective.

CIA and Chiles Coup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CIA and Chiles Coup - Essay Example The CIA's covert actions during the two decades of 1970-1989 can be viewed as a coordinated assault on the socialist movement within Chile. The Cold War mentality had made Washington overly sensitive to socialist movements in this hemisphere as evidenced by their reaction to, and covert involvement in, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. In an attempt to thwart any influence of socialism in Chile the US embarked on a multi prong operation over a period of twenty years. The aims of this action were to influence the elections, disseminate propaganda, disrupt the economy, foment an overthrow of Allende in 1973, encourage Allende's assassination, and repress the socialist movement through covert cooperation with the Direccin de Inteligencia Naciona (DINA). Recently declassified documents verify that these actions were taken as a coordinated effort that was financed and sponsored by the US government. The unrealistic fear of the spread of socialism resulted in a series on actions taken by th e CIA in Chile that escalated from political intervention to a clear cut case of state sponsored terrorism. The acts of supplying weapons to the opposition, encouraging violence, and supporting the murder of political adversaries defines the US activity in Chile as an armed intervention and an act of war, which can not be ethically justified. Interference in the democratic process is highly unethical and unacceptable in any situation, though may not rise to the level of a strict definition of terrorism. However, any unilateral armed conflict into the affairs of another nation that is not supported by a regional or international governing body must meet certain moral guidelines, or be labeled as terrorism. The just war theory contends that armed intervention can be justified if certain criteria are met. Coady argues that the ethics of a just war, "insists not only on the justice of the cause for which the war is conducted, but also on certain other restrictive conditions" (p.19). For example, the cost in human suffering resulting from the action must not exceed the amount of suffering that already exists. In addition, alternatives need to be explored, exhausted, and deemed unworkable. If the US had only immorally interfered in the elections, it could be seen as merely as a transgression of international ethics or possibly law. If lying during a campaign, illegal contributions, and voter suppression were acts of terrorism, our own two major parties would be guilty. However, many of the initial unjustifiable actions of the US in Chile did meet the criteria for unilateral state sponsored terrorism. As has been noted, interference in the free elections of a democratic process is immoral and unacceptable, but does not induce the fear and random violence required to be defined as terrorism. However, the extent of the US involvement and the unreasonable intrusion into Chile's democracy need to be examined to put the rest of the US activities into historical context. During the 1964 election, the CIA mounted an extensive anti-Allende propaganda campaign and funneled as much as $20 million dollars to the campaign of his opponent Eduardo Frei (Kim 30). The financing, and some 15 covert action projects, assured Frei an easy victory with 56 percent of the vote (Kim 30). Though Frei may have

Justice in the United Arab Emirates (law enforcement ) Research Paper

Justice in the United Arab Emirates (law enforcement ) - Research Paper Example However, the norms related to compliance, accountability and justice are more or less uniform despite the differences. Factors such as independence, transparency of the regulating bodies, negligence and abuse by officials responsible for ensuring justice, etc., play a key role in determining the success or failure of the law enforcement systems. This paper on justice in the United Arab Emirates discusses the status and composition of law enforcement in the region and compares the same with the United States. â€Å"Our system of government does not derive its authority from man, but is enshrined in our religion, and is based on Gods book, the Holy Quran. ... its teachings are eternal and complete, while the systems conjured up by man are transitory and incomplete.† Islam is an official religion in the UAE and holds a position of key importance within its constitution. Religion in the U.A.E., holds significant jurisprudence in the middle eastern states and the Sharia Law is the key basis of legal legislations in the middle east. The criminal justice system in the U.A.E., is composed of a two-fold regime which includes the Sharia Law - governed by Islamic legal doctrines and is based on the Holy Quran; the sayings of Prophet Mohammed (known as the Hadith); the juristic consensus arrived at by prominent religious scholars i.e. the Ulema; and the method of reasoning by analogy i.e. the Qiyas. The civil justice system on the other hand, is governed by concepts and ideologies on criminal law derived from the western world (Mostyn, 1982). The Sharia law is mostly applied to matters of personal concern and only the citizens are covered under this law, i.e. the punishments under this law are applicable to the citizens of the U.A.E., while expats and foreigners are referred to and dealt with under the criminal justice system which applies concepts and ideologies derived from western legal laws. The legal system in the U.A.E. is based on its constitution

Poetry paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poetry paper - Essay Example It is also vivid that no single chapter is written without the use of a song or a poem (Tolkien 183). Chapter One, An Unexpected Party, shows the humor of the scenario when a baffled Bilbo Baggins is paid a visit by 12 unwelcome dwarves, who swiftly make themselves comfortable and begin to have a great feast. They compassionately propose to help in cleaning their mess. However, Bilbo becomes worried about the senseless handling of his favorite dishes. The Dwarves respond by singing the poem, Chip the glasses and crack the plates. In this poem, it is not easy to determine if the dwarves are ridiculing Bilbo or attempting to do as he requests. It can be said that they are doing both. Generally, the lyrics achieve various purposes which include providing humor, character development and bring about reader interaction. This is evident in line 3, first stanza of page 31. The formulation of the poem torments by providing contradictory instructions. This is where the reader realizes that th e dwarves are fanatical, teasing or both, and that Bilbo becomes worried by having his pleasant tiny silent home messed up. The reader is also provided with a chance to formulate their own tunes for the crazy song. The poetry in The Hobbit draws attention to the vast disparity flanked by varying races of Middle Earth and how they select to articulate their views. Dwarves make use of a simple eight syllable configuration in their poetry, with 4 lines to every stanza. There are no convoluted metaphors applied and the themes are real and concrete. Poetry of the Dwarves involves ancient history, customs, and ways of life, retrieving the lost inheritance and looking into the depths of the earth. This is evident in line 2, 4, stanza 1 of page 14-15. The Elves in chapter 19, however, have a free formation in their poems where they make use of vivid adjectives and metaphors. Their rhythm is more of a song as compared to the Dwarves’ march, which echoes the physical features of the El ves. Their poetry depicts attractiveness, tranquility, and happiness as compared to material objects. The Orcs, polar contrary to the Elves in attractiveness and goodness, can generate merely unpleasant sounding poetry. A race formulated via the deformation of Elves, Orcs are attracted only to ruin, authority and killing. Goblin poetry seems like the smacking of lips and the crashing of jaws and the subject matter are hunting, killing, mistreating creatures and intimidating foes. The sounds that Tolkien applies in these poems are by design insensitive, piercing, monosyllabic, and rushed to echo the nature of the loathsome creatures who sing them. This is evident in the following stanza. â€Å"†¦Clap! Snap! the black crack! Grip, grab! Pinch, nab! And down down to Goblin-town You go, my lad!...† The disparity flanked by the language selection of the Orcs and the Elves presents euphonic backing to the imagery of the manifestation and the actions of the characters. Where th e Elves are lilting, easy and alliterative, the Orcs words may not be formulated devoid of clashing teeth and opening and shutting the mouth suddenly. Language as part of a character appears instinctive, however a reader is less often provided with undeviating link flanked by the sound of speech and the personality of the speaker. A number of the poetry of The Hobbit is, effectively sung by a Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins is at the center of the story and his songs borrow heavily from

Integrated marketing communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Integrated marketing communication - Assignment Example She also needs to know whether the products and brand are too expensive or whether some are too cheap that they appear not to be of good quality. Such information can be used to increase stocking of the products and brands in various joints, improve pricing and the quality of the products and brands. The types of data the distributorship should collect about business customers include the information on how many business customers, for instance restaurants and drinking establishments, prominently display her products, whether the business customers give her products a good, fair or poor shelf space in off-sale outlets or whether they stock it at all. She can use this information to build a bond with the business customers to help increase the sales of Aheuser-Busch brands. This information can also be used to create a new link with business customers that do not stock Aheuser-Busch brands in their shelves to make them start selling the brand. It can also help her convince the business customers to give a good or fair shelf space in off-sale outlets by coming to an agreeable business terms with them (Clow & Baack, 2012). The distributorship can build frequency or loyalty program in the area. In this scenario, effective frequency will work rather than loyalty because there are many competitors and building loyalty would be difficult. A frequency will work in the sense that the distributorship will advertise the brand over a period of time in a platform of choice before a response is made. The distributorship can do this after collecting data on individual customers and business customers. The brand is not popular like other brands like Heineken and frequency will advertise the brand more. The sales approach that should be used for various businesses by the sales staff that sells Anheuser-Busch products is the networker approach. This approach is where the sales

Mitigation and risk reduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mitigation and risk reduction - Essay Example This paper deals with the disaster mitigations in the country of Japan which is considered as one of the most technologically-advanced and most-prepared nations in the world today. The world has seen the triple horrors of the strong earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis it currently faces. Discussion There are many ways to mitigate the adverse effects of a disaster if and when it strikes. A few of these measures include laws on zoning ordinances and strict building codes. We can see that in Japan, these were mostly followed because most tall buildings in Japan were built on solid ground and further, were designed and constructed to withstand strong earthquakes. A 9.0 strong earthquake that hit the country last March 11 showed its high level of preparations and a building code that was implemented properly because very few buildings toppled during the earthquake. It can be said that most of the casualties were the result of the subsequent tsunami that hit eastern parts of Japan facin g the Pacific Ocean. The local population is also very well informed.

Wars Without Congressional Declaration of War Essay

Wars Without Congressional Declaration of War - Essay Example Of those killed in the Korean War, 4,759 died while missing in action (MIA), 2,806 perished in prison camps (POW) and 2,484 died of wounds received (â€Å"All POW†, 2001). More than 8,000 soldiers are still listed as missing. Of the 1.7 million American troops deployed to Korea, the official number killed was more than 33,000 but when including those who died from illness, accidents and wounds received after they came home, the number rises to approximately 53,000. U.S. expenditures exceeded $64 billion dollars on the war (Yan, 2003). The most deadly battles all occurred during the first year of the war. Three thousand six hundred three American soldiers died in the initial battle, the Pusan perimeter that lasted from August 4 through September 16, 1950. Another 1,641 were killed at the Chosin Reservoir, November 27 – December 9 and 1,194 at Kunu-Ri, November 29 – December 9 (â€Å"The Forgotten War† 2007). The hard lesson learned, seemingly, from America’s involvement in Vietnam was that possessing an overwhelming military force does not guarantee victory. Though three million enemies were killed compared to 58,156 on the American side, the ‘big dog’ in the fight eventually had to run home with its tail between its legs, beaten and humiliated. More than 2,594,000 U.S. military personnel were sent to South Vietnam from 1965 through 1973 in addition to the 50,000 ‘advisors’ prior to that. Of those, 75,000 were classified as severely disabled with more than 23,000 soldiers classified as 100 percent disabled. The MIA total was 2,338 and 114 of the 744 POW’s were killed (Duffie, 2004). The U.S. entered the Vietnam War and the recent invasion of Iraq to spread democracy to oppressed peoples (the official representation) and with great optimism for victory. Both conflicts supplied a similar paradigm: the ability of America to use its military power as