International Oil Security: Problems and Policies Essay

Energy security was a priority of the Bush Administration in 2001. In a larger context, global oil security is a major concern of the world, the United States in particular. Oil security is not about depleting reserves and having continuous supply to cover demand, but the real issue is the oil costs. International Oil Security involves two things: (1) oil producers control the supply and price of the commodity, and (2) volatile oil price creates have disruptive effects on macroeconomic situations. In the 1970s the downtrend and the inflation of industrialized economies were the results of oil price shocks. These price shocks were mostly caused by unanticipated and drastic changes in supply, demand, and inventory which were all destabilizing. Since the late 1990s OPEC controls the global oil market because it owns 45% of oil reserves and its global output share could double in the next decade. The oil market is a volatile one. When supplies are low, prices go up to meet the demand. A shock comes when there is big shift in the supply that send prices soaring. Such big swings may bring disastrous effects on the macroeconomic equation. The oil businessmen may cushion their financial risks without considering the oil-intensive component of the economy. The case of the US shows that: (1) effects on the US depends on its consumption of oil and not on its importation of oil, (2) it would be more expensive to increase its own supply and reduce its consumption, and (3) its military presence in the Middle East has nothing to do with oil imports. The Bush Administration’s thrust is to increase domestic oil production and lessen its reliance on oil imports, develop more efficient energy utilization and seek alternative and renewable energy resources. Legislations providing tax breaks and converting ANWR for oil exploration and production were passed. Still, increasing output will reduce the magnitude of oil shocks slightly by keeping the prices down and decreasing the intense effects of oil on the economy. ANWR appears to be a bad idea, primarily because of the social and environmental impact it carries. From a macroeconomic view, decreasing the oil intensity of its economy is paramount to ensuring its energy security. Cost-effective conservation measures and regulated minimal adjustments have insignificant effect on petroleum prices. It would take stronger policies to complement conservation and efficient utilization to boost its oil security efforts: (1) better management of oil reserves, (2) protection for the low-income sector who is most sensitive to price swings, (3) exploring other alternative fuel sources, (4) providing for energy use that ride the tide of price changes, and (5) developing non-fossil based fuels. In the final count, energy security can be had depending on the high costs of oil and the critical research and development needed.

Impact of State Aid on Aer Lingus Essay

Aer Lingus is an airline in the republic of Ireland with a rich history that spans for a period exceeding 66 years. It’s an airline that is thought to hold a very special place in the hearts of most Irish people. In recent times, the airline has experienced difficulties. For example, there were agricultural problems both in England and in Ireland due to the emergence of BSE and Foot and Mouth disease. These are problems that caused the numbers of passengers traveling to various countries to go down. In 2001, workers were in strike due to salary issues and this adversely affected the operations of the Aer Lingus. Global economic crisis emanating from the most powerful economy in the world, the United States together with the September 11 terrorist attacks made many holidaymakers and seasoned passengers to panic and they thus feared traveling. Moreover, lack of funds has been another major problem and this is something that made Sabena and Swissair to close down because of insufficient funds. In fact, this is a problem that was so dangerous to many organizations that even Sabena had gone bankrupt. Due to such events, the major debate has been whether to provide state aid to Aer Lingus or not. The EU has been in the frontline to state that there is no need for the airline to be provided with state aid. On the other hand, some believe that since the government is a shareholder in Aer Lingus it should then use some of the tax payers’ money to inject more cash into the company to save it (Mulcahy, 2002). Since this is a state owned airline, its dependence on aid to raise capital has creates several problems for it. The financial performance of the airline has been undermined for quite a long period of time due to this dependence. However, in comparison to the private sector, state aid in most cases involves writing off the debts to financial institutions like banks. If it were the private sector on this issue, they would not have taken the consideration that such debts may be written off. The idea to use state aid for Aer Lingus may be seen as a bad option. This is so because if it was a private investor at Aer Lingus and they encountered huge debts, such an investor would have considered liquidating the airline and starting all over again using the available assets. But this has not been possible for Aer Lingus since its dependence is on the state to provide it with aid (Doganis, 2001). In 1994, the European Commission sought to approve the guidelines on evaluation proposals relating to state aid for airlines. Approving of the aforementioned proposals would see several conditions being imposed. For example, by relying on state aid, Aer Lingus is going to face the condition that it mustn’t expect additional aid in the coming future. Moreover, state aid according to the commission is not supposed to be used in any way to increase Aer Lingus capacity that may be to the detriment of EU competitors. Moreover, if Aer Lingus obtains this aid, the offer it has in the EU market is not supposed to increase faster compared to overall traffic growth. Aer Lingus is also not supposed to use the state aid to increase its direct competition against other airlines (Doganis, 2006). The impacts of state aid on Aer Lingus did not come with negative effects alone as aforementioned. There has been a success story to tell after state aid that was approved by the EU in mid 1990s. Even though reconstruction success at Aer Lingus took longer compared to Iberia and Air France, cost-cutting was achieved in years 2002 and 2004. State aid that Aer Lingus had received a decade ago had enabled it to survive most crises of that time. Up to early 2005, Aer Lingus still had not been privatized despite the crisis. Early 90s posed problems for Aer Lingus that are still similar to the current problems. The company lost profits amounting to 7% and talks embarked to seek a merger with Ryainar but this did not bear fruits. The management team came up with a recovery plan but the profits realized were still down. This is a problem that continued in 1992 but the appointment of Bernie Cahill as the board chairman saw the government provide more investment in the airline. After the proposal was accepted by the EU, some assets like the computer company and hotels were sold. By 1995, the company realized some profits. These shows the impacts of the state aid on Aer Lingus have been both positive and negative. But for Aer Lingus to survive in the market state aid is required since today, it estimated that the company is losing $2m in a single day. Moreover, the bookings have gone down by a staggering 80% (Barrington and Sweeny, 2001).

Us and Them Essay

The story of â€Å"Us and Them† consists of three types of irony: situational, dramatic, and verbal. These types make the story more interesting as a reader. Irony can be used in the sense of tricking the reader into one thing happening, but a completely other event takes place. This keeps the reader intrigued and is excited to see what happens next due to the fact that nothing is predictable.In the story, the child uses a variety of irony, an example of dramatic irony is when Sedaris is spying on the Tomkeys and they are not aware of this. This is an example of dramatic irony because the author of the story knows something that the characters don't. This can entertain the readers by going into the Tomkeys lives without them knowing it.The second type of irony is situational, an example in the story is when the Tomkeys show up at the Sedaris's house a day after Halloween, the author's mom makes him and his sisters go get their candy wanting not to be rude, the author starts ra ting the candy, rating from best to least. After a couple minutes of stalling, his mother barges into his room and starts gathering the candy herself, he starts to stuff his face with the chocolate where he has mentioned before that he gets bad headaches from this candy.This is a type of situational irony because you would not have expected Sedaris to eat the candy that would make him have a terrible headache just so that the Tomkeys couldn't have it. The third type of irony is verbal, an example in the story is when the author's mother tells him to look at himself, the reader would probably expect something else as in a mirror, but the author actually takes a moment to reflect on his behavior and look at how he has acted toward the Tomkeys all because they don't watch TV.This is a good example of verbal irony because this keeps the reader entertained by seeing a new side of the author thats not completely indulged in the Tomkeys's lives. All of these different types of irony can ma ke almost any story interesting and hard to put down, the reader may find it intriguing to expect one thing and completely have another event take place. In this story you will get three different types of irony all at different points in the story, so never will the story be a boring read.

Online Course Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Online Course Development - Research Paper Example ive and apply other corresponding tools and processes in curriculum development when developing projects consistent with their professional aspirations and expectations. 1. There are different types of theorizing as presented by different authors and scholars. Define the term â€Å"Theorizing† as discussed by different scholars. What are the implications for the different definitions for practice? 2. Read chapter 4 of Marsh and Willis and other online readings recommended for this course. Develop a virtual mental picture of the teachers; prescriptive theorizer (TED), Descriptive Theorizer (TAMMY) and Critical-Exploratory Theorizer (TODD). Remember to include in your mental picture of these teachers, their common beliefs, goals, beliefs, practices, and habits 2. Students must reflect the different priorities, backgrounds, experience and skill brought by different stakeholders during curriculum planning. Remember to develop detailed discussions on the role played by teachers, principals, parents and student during curriculum development 1. Write a critical response on the basic concepts that underlie curriculum research and some of the approaches schools are using to support the process of curriculum development. The reflection should thorough and present a clear thesis. 2. Discuss the problems faced during curriculum planning and implementations. Include approaches that can be used to solve the problems you stated and possible recommendation for future implementation process 1. In Chapter 6 of the course textbook, Marsh and Willis (2007) elaborate and present the different players during the curriculum process and the hats they wear. In the hats presented in the chapter, identify the hats that you may wear. Visit and open the course website and click on that hat. Read the role associated with that hat during the curriculum planning and implementation process. 2. You are a crucial member of the curriculum planning group. Two facilitators have agreed to work

Evaluate economic, legal and ethical impacts on the quality of Research Paper

Evaluate economic, legal and ethical impacts on the quality of healthcare provided to patients - Research Paper Example It also depends on the level of literacy of the patients that determines their knowledge of their fundamental legal rights. Quality service can be defined as the health service that provides favourable treatments to patients and enables them to recover from their poor health challenges. In essence, the aim of patients who approach medical centers for treatment is to recover from ill health conditions and to receive mature treatment full of respect. This assessment is investigating a major hypothesis and claim by patients from various health centers that: The mistreatments and the violation of the fundamental freedoms of patients to access medical services is influenced by the prevailing Economic, ethical and legal factors. Medical services as the patients claim expose them to mistreatments and violation of their freedom of access to treatments. Whether the problem statement is true or false will be determined by the critical analysis of case scenarios in practical environments. 3. Li terature Review Economic factors In the United States of America, health care is almost exclusively restricted to the working class. This is because majority of the health care system and centers charge high fees and implement their services through medical insurance policies. The low level economy class definitely can not afford to access medical insurance. The indicator to the massive exorbitant medical costs reflects in the contribution of the medical sector to the GDP of the U.S. economy. Practically, the medical sector contributes 18 percent of the US GDP; approximately $2.5 trillion annually. This is obviously higher that the contribution of other sectors to the economy. Even though the quality of... This paper presents a modern comprehensive analysis of the existing problems in the public health system of the US, that directly affects the healthcare service quality with the ultimate aim of addressing these ethical, economic and legal issues and improving the conditions under which patients receive treatments. The study is based on various outcries about breaches of legal and ethical terms of services The definition of quality health services is based on the satisfaction that the patients receive from the health units and whether they recover from their conditions or not. It also depends on the level of literacy of the patients that determines their knowledge of their legal rights. In the United States of America, health care is almost exclusively restricted to the working class. This is because majority of the health care system and centers charge high fees and implement their services through medical insurance policies. The low level economy class definitely can not afford to access medical insurance. Majority of the of the challenges that face healthcare service centers will in the future depend on the ultimate challenge of integrating between the efficiency of services and the care system to the quality and safety. There should be a strategy to access affordable healthcare among all the citizens of a country. It remains to be a real issue to worry about, whether it is possible for all citizens to access the services or not. The unavailability of these services is the main ethical issue of concern.

Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC-256 BC) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC-256 BC) - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that the Zhou were the first of a series of ruling dynasties of nomadic origins that came from China’s borderlands† to the west of the country. The Zhou kings established their rule after conquering the Shang. The great victory took place in 1122 B.C., with only 50,000 Zhou troops defeating an army of Shang troops over ten times that size, because the Shang ruler was corrupt and depraved. The Zhou Dynasty ruled for around eight hundred years and extended China’s borders significantly. The Zhou worshipped sun gods, especially Tian. The first Zhou kings were powerful monarchs who relied on their swords. However, with the passage of centuries, power slipped from the ruler’s hands and increasing military and administrative duties were delegated to local aristocrats who acquired new territory. Consequently, China expanded, but at the same time, the control of the government weakened. The long period of the Zhou Dynasty in Chinese history is usually divided into the Western Zhou 1045-771 B.C., with its capital in the Wei River Valley, and the Eastern Zhou 771-256 B.C. which shifted eastwards, after defeating in battle.The idea of the Mandate of Heaven and moral accountability that rulers are sanctioned by Heaven as long as they rule virtuously for the benefit of the people was used originally to justify Zhou conquest of the Shang. However, it increased in strength as a potent idea of moral thought and continues to be used in the present time.  

Teach for America to Increase the Workforce and Adopt New Technology Term Paper

Teach for America to Increase the Workforce and Adopt New Technology - Term Paper Example It has recorded steady growth since it was founded. Currently, it has more than 5000 employees. Teach for America is looking to reach out to the low income community and promote education relentlessly. The organization has been expanding over the years and its operations are extending all over the United States. The organization is looking to increase its workforce in order to expand its operations all over the nation. This paper will focus on the systemic nature of the organization and how the increase in the workforce will improve the effectiveness of the organization, its processes and the productivity of the employees. Effects of the increase in the number of employees Teach for America is a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide education opportunities to children in America, both in urban and rural areas regardless of the size of their parents and guardian’s income. The organization has formed partnerships with several charity organizations and depends on donations from companies and well wishers. The organizations appeals to alumni graduates and leaders to join and become mentors to young students pursuing academic greatness. The key stakeholders in the organization are the human asset business partners that ensure that the organizational goals are met. It ensures that teamwork is upheld in the organization (Strachan, 1996). ... The management will have to come up with ways to fund the change since more funds are required to compensate the new employees. The deficit from the annual budget increase will also call for the injection of more funds in order to cater for the new projects. The organization aims at reaching out to more children from the rural areas. An increase in the number of poor students that the organization supports will have a divine funds straining effect on the organization. Increase in responsibility as funds remain constant leads to financial strains (Strachan, 1996). In order to cater for the financial requirements, the organization might be forced to lower on the employees’ compensation amount. This will ensure that whatever amount is available is equally distributed among the entire workforce. However, this will have a negative effect on the employees since it might kill their moral as they are going to be doing more work than they are being rewarded for. If the organization is to increase its workforce therefore, they will have to come up with better ways to raise funds (Hanson, 1999). An increase in the workforce will enhance the overall performance of the organization. It will enable the organization to reach out to a greater number of children in the rural areas and to motivate those already in schools. There are wide regions that need to be covered. The organization strives to ensure that education opportunities are provided to children and therefore the move to increase the workforce is parallel to the organization’s mission statement (Hanson, 1999). An increase in the workforce will also translate to a transformation in the way roles in the

Try to defend dualism as a viable philosophical position. Entertain Essay

Try to defend dualism as a viable philosophical position. Entertain objections to your arguments and reply showing how dualism c - Essay Example Dualism is the concept that declares that the brain is not everything and that there is a mind that exists apart from it. In fact, the idea of dualism has extended from metaphysics to religion, psychology and phenomenology. Dualism is not only about the physical and the nonphysical; it is also about good and evil, mental states and outward behavior, as well as neural connections and physical action. One of the arguments for dualism is the Knowledge Argument, or the idea that the physical and mental substances seem to have properties which are irreconcilable, or that the mental substances have properties that can never be reduced to physical forms. Thus, as the goal of the Knowledge Argument is to argue for the existence of the â€Å"irreducible [and] immaterial nature of the mind† (Robinson), then it is an argument for dualism. In a thought experiment that demonstrates the validity of the Knowledge Argument, a scientist who is deaf from birth has learned all the perfect scient ific understanding of the mechanism of hearing, but when this scientist undergoes an operation to restore his hearing, â€Å"it is suggested that he will then learn ‘something’ he did not known before† (Robinson). ... It is true that the knowledge one has of hearing, such as its anatomical and physiological aspects – or â€Å"how to hear,† can be reduced to the physical and can be proven by physical experiments. Nevertheless, â€Å"what it is like to hear† can only remain mental and the existence of such somehow prove the validity of the Knowledge Argument and of Dualism as well. However, one objection to this argument is the idea that â€Å"physical concepts [such as â€Å"how to hear†] and phenomenal concepts [such as â€Å"what it is like to hear†] are cognitively independent† (Nida-Rumelin). Based on the previously discussed thought experiment, it is possible for the scientist to know phenomenal hearing or â€Å"what it is like to hear† simply from knowing the physical concept of â€Å"how to hear.† This therefore means that â€Å"what it is like to hear† is actually an entirely different piece of information from â€Å"how to hea r† and thus the former cannot be regarded as the irreducible mental property of the latter. My reply to this objection is that although the physical may be considered different from or unrelated to the phenomenal, the mere fact that the phenomenal is distinct from the physical is a proof that there are indeed two aspects of something: the physical and the nonphysical. The objection presented against dualism is weak as it simply evades the issue by criticizing the connection between the physical and the phenomenal. Aside from the Knowledge Argument, dualism is also argued for by the validity of predicate dualism. Predicate dualism is the concept which states that â€Å"psychological predicates are not reducible to physical

Information Communication Technology in the developing countries Essay

Information Communication Technology in the developing countries - Essay Example This paper will discuss countries labeled "developing countries" in selected areas of the world, such as Ghana in Africa, Vietnam in Asia, Afghanistan in the Middle East, and Ecuador in Latin America and the way in which these countries are trying to develop their technology, economy, and society to meet the demands of a fast-growing global population. In trying to determine how to define a "developing" as opposed to a "developed" country, it is necessary to look at a country's economy and to research how that economy works. Most developing countries have always been dependent on agriculture, but the boundaries between developed and developing countries are apt to blur at present as a growing middle class in some developing countries have a life-style similar to the more wealthy countries. In the 21st century, information technology and the Internet have created a global economy that has spread throughout the world. In countries dependent on a local economy with exporting of goods their main source of income, it is evident that they are becoming more dependent on imports as the population moves away from agriculture. With more education and implementation of electronics and computers offering increased communication for the poorer countries, their economy is improving. However, the bottom line is rising prices in an improved econo my. and poverty remains for a percentage of the population who cannot afford the rising prices. This paper will study four different areas of the world in which a changing culture is very much affecting their economy-Ghana in Africa, Vietnam in Asia, Afghanistan in the Middle East, and Ecuador in Latin America. In addition, countries moving into a "developed" category, such as China and Mexico, will be evaluated, with a further discussion of previously labeled developing countries such as India, Philippines, Czech Republic, and Ireland, and finally the present economic difficulties being faced in developed or wealthy nations, such as the United States. By researching the technological, economical and social development of developing countries in terms of the improvements that are being brought about through ICT, the effectiveness of the electronic age for these areas can be determined. In addition, the effort to alleviate poverty, as the line between the wealthy and the poor widens, must be addressed. VIETNAM The latest "buzz word" to describe the goal of developing countries is "knowledge society." According to Nguyen & Johanson (2007, pp. 1-2): A knowledge society is assumed to have at least two important features: information and communications technologies (ICTs) and a critical mass of knowledge which forms the basis of a significant portion of a national society. Vietnam, presently labeled a developing country, could in time become a knowledge society, but changing traditional values have brought about tension and adjustment problems in this ancient culture. In a knowledge society, economic, social and cultural activities combine with government to foster learning. As noted by Nguyen and Johanson,

Program Improvement Status and Standardized Math Scores Essay - 1

Program Improvement Status and Standardized Math Scores - Essay Example The question of how and in what ways program improvement status schools are meeting their obligation of raising math achievement scores, as demonstrated by their students, will form the basis for this study. Â  It is important to first determine whether or not program status schools, as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act, are effectively servicing the academic needs of elementary aged children in the Los Angeles area. Â  Exemplary schools which effectively accomplish the goals of being removed from program improvement status serve as a model for sound recommendations to others in terms of their efforts to provide quality educational alternatives to the population that they serve.Specifically, the study will focus on such schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District and examine the impact that being on program improvement status has on standardized math scores. Â  The question of how and in what ways program improvement status schools are meeting their obligation of rais ing math achievement scores, as demonstrated by their students, will form the basis for this study. Â  It is important to first determine whether or not program status schools are effectively servicing the academic needs of elementary aged children in the Los Angeles area. Â  Exemplary schools which effectively accomplish the goals of being removed from program improvement status serve as a model for sound recommendations to others in terms of their efforts to provide quality educational alternatives to the population that they serve.

Bad Grammar On the Web Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bad Grammar On the Web - Essay Example This sign makes the mistake of replacing â€Å"Lose† with â€Å"Loose.† There is a major difference between the two of these words. My edited version would be: â€Å"Lock Your Car or Lose it.† Coming from the Nottingham City Council, this obvious mistake should have been corrected. It is likely that most people won’t be fooled by it though because it is only a small mistake and they can figure out what it is trying to say. The problem with this sign is that the canine regulations are written from the point of view of the dog rather than the owner. The most obvious mistake is â€Å"Must Pick Up Defecation By Owners,† which implies that dogs must pick up the excretion of their owners. My edited version would be â€Å"Dogs must be on leashes at all times. All dogs must be licensed. Owners must pick up defecation of their dogs.† Since this sign is only in a park, it is not going to make to much difference, but it could cause some confusion for people who read it

Film Theory Outline Essay Example for Free

Film Theory Outline Essay From the very beginning of film, theorists have tried to dissect or understand the nature of the new medium of art. As a result various theories of film have emerged, such as feminist, auteur, psychoanalytical, Marxist, Editing and Structuralist. This essay attempts to give an outline of these various theories. One of the first theories to emerge is Editing theory, coming from the context of early Russian cinema. A key event in this regard is the experiment carried out by the film-maker Lev Kuleshov in 1918, in which he demonstrated that what the viewer perceives depends on how images are juxtaposed with each other through inter-cutting. See more: essay apa format Thus, when a human close-up is juxtaposed with a bowl of soup, the perception is of hunger, but when juxtaposed with a shot of a coffin the same close-up is perceived to express grief. Kuleshov concluded that juxtaposition was crucial towards the effect, and thus advocated the use montage in film-making. Other film-makers like Sergei Eisenstein played close attention to these findings, and made use of them in his masterpieces of montage, such as Battleship Potemkin and October. He also spelled out a comprehensive film theory based on editing in a highly influential essay from the late twenties. In it he outlined he various categories of editing, such as metric, rhythmic, tonal, overtonal, and intellectual. For example, with intellectual montage a scene may be inter-cut with something immediately unrelated, but which nevertheless works as metaphor is a more profound sense. The above came to constitute soviet montage theory, which was in contrast to the Hollywood system of continuity editing. Montage is a very visible component of film, whereas continuity editing aims to make inter-cutting invisible, so that the viewer may concentrate on the flow of the narrative in an easy way. Since the fifties a parallel theory of editing has emerged in the West which embodies the Hollywood ethos. In the same essay Eisenstein proposed a Hegelian interpretation of film montage, and which came to form the basis of Marxist film theory. He suggested that montage worked by the principle of the Hegelian dialectic, where thesis is said to beget antithesis, and are resolved in the end through synthesis. For example, when human close up is inter-cut with a glass of water, the viewer interprets this as thirst. If the face is the subject, then its antithesis is the object of vision, i. e. the glass of water. ‘Thirst’ is merely the synthesis of the two. It is present in neither of the two shots in consideration, yet emerges form the inter-cutting of the two. Of course, it was through the Hegelian dialectic that Marx had derived his famous concept of the proletariat revolution, and Marxism was the avowed principle of the Bolshevists. Therefore, it is not surprising that Eisenstein’s theories found a favorable audience in the Soviet Union. Indeed, it was instrumental in forming of Socialist realism, which became the state sponsored ideology in art. Marxist film theory soon found itself as defined in opposition to capitalistic and bourgeoisie art, in which the narrative of the protagonist finds prominence. Eisenstein’s films attempt to obliterate the presence of the protagonist, concentrating instead on the clash of images towards creating a larger ideological narrative. Even then he was accused by the authorities for not championing the workers, and for indulging in the internal mechanics of film, which was deemed to be a kind of formalism. Marxist theory held that the purpose of art is to overcome all ‘forms’ towards dialectical purification. Formalism was felt to be a bourgeoisie component. Marxist theory, as it has flourished both in the East and the West, concerns itself with dissecting films in order discredit bourgeoisie forms, usually those emerging from the Hollywood system. A native western theory of film was late in developing, and a crucial starting point was the theories developed by Andre Bazin, as editor of the French film magazine Cahiers du cinema. Up to that point films were seen as merely commercial vehicles, and Hollywood had evolved into a mighty and well groomed machine that churned films for the pleasure of the masses. Analyzing these films Bazin came to the conclusion that it was the director who left the most characteristic stamp, and as illustration he held up the work of directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks. He advocated that directors infuse their personal vision into the films under their charge, in order that they become the complete authors, which is the ideal state. This came to be known as the Auteur theory of film, which was given a more formal presentation by Francois Truffaut. Directors were described as using the camera as a pen towards composing their films. Another significant idea of Bazin’s was that film should aim for â€Å"objective reality†. This was in opposition to prevalent theory based on montage, which said that object of film is to manipulate reality. This instrumental approach led to the formulation of Structuralist film theory, which examines the structure of the components of film as they come together meaningfully. Instead of the dialectical approach of Eisenstein, the analysis takes into account conventional devices that have come to acquire meaning. The components that come into play are camera angle, lighting, juxtaposition, shot duration, cultural context etc. Meaning is usually accounted for by convention, and conventions change according to social and economic circumstances. For example, the highly commercial nature of Hollywood films has created the Institutional Mode of Representation, in which cinematic devices are used that make film viewing easy and exciting. For this reason it incorporates the established ideology with little departure from the norm. Other interpretations overlook the mechanics of production and instead considered the viewer as the focus of study. Psychoanalytic film theory offers such an interpretation. It is largely influenced by the views of the French philosopher Jacques Lacan regarding the child’s ‘mirror stage of development’. According to this theory the developing child endeavors to see a reflection of itself in all the objects it encounters. Psychoanalytic film theory replicates this situation with the viewer of film. The viewer is always looking for self-identification in the process of watching a film, and in this sense uses the medium as a mirror. It is usually the male protagonist who provides the focus of this identification, and functions as a conduit by which the desires of the viewer are played out. The film is said to have constructed a ‘gaze’ for the benefit of the viewer. Sometimes the gaze is simply the viewpoint of the protagonist; at other times, in the more graphic sequences, the viewer is allowed to gaze directly. Psychoanalytic theory is careful to point out that such identification is merely illusion, and therefore it differs from the identification of the child growing up, whose identifications come to form tangible character. Feminist film theory takes psychoanalytical theory a step further, in that it interprets the gaze as scopophilia, or ‘the desire to observe in secret’, which is also known as voyeurism. Such desire is sexual in origin, and feminist theory is framed in the context of the man wanted to gaze at the woman. Such a theory provides a ready explanation of the objectification of woman in film, a phenomena that has been noticed from the very beginnings of the medium. As in psychoanalytical theory, the male protagonist provides the focus of identification, but his specific desire is to objectify the women in the film, a desire which is vicariously shared by the viewer. There are three levels of objectification. First there is the camera’s point of view, then that of the protagonist, and finally that of the viewer himself, who is allowed to gaze at the women directly. Critics of this theory point out that the female viewer is not taken into account, for women also go to see the same films, and they enjoy them too. However Laura Mulvey has given convincing arguments to explain female enjoyment. She says that it is either through a masochistic identification, or a transsexual one. In the first the female takes secret pleasure in male domination. In the second, the female identifies with the male protagonist, and thus shares in the pleasure that men take. However, she is also continuously slipping back into her female identity, which is said to be a mask that she wears. Identification with the male pushes her uncomfortably close to the image of the subjected women, and the masquerade allows her to maintain a distance from it. Feminist film theory is a harsh criticism of the norms of cinema, which is also blamed on the patriarchal norms of society. The advocacy is to make films that overcome the norms, and therefore to make films that are free from female objectification.

The Synopsis Of Work Life Balance

The Synopsis Of Work Life Balance A literature review is a critical and in depth evaluation of previous research in a particular area. It allows anyone reading the paper to establish why you are pursuing this particular research program. The role of a literature review is to discover answers to a research problem. Machi Mc Evoy (2008 pp.3) explain an advance literature review as the foundation for identifying a problem that demands original research, and is the basis for the study of a research problem. Both authors even explain further that a literature review critically proposes further research which guides the problem into identifying research objective which then leads to findings and conclusion from the whole research. Therefore the literature review covers areas such as the synopsis of work life balance, the benefits, the approach of gender towards work and life, policies implemented and the best practice approach to balancing work and non-work demands. 2.1 The Synopsis of Work Life Balance Work-life balance is defined as the equilibrium between the amount of time and effort somebody devotes to work and that given to other aspects of life. http://www.healthatwork.org.uk/pdf.pl?file=haw/files/Work-lifeBalance.pdf. However Kaila (2005 pp.223) relates work life balance as creating supportive, healthy work environments for employees who are striving to better integrate their work and personal responsibilities. In the early nineteen century society had categorised working as dominant over life and personal commitments. However, in this new millennium of the twenty century, the changing patterns of individuals interest, gender, social roles and particularly the workforce have shifted where individuals are seeking personal values and managing the complexities of life expectations. 2.2 The Benefits of Work-Life Integration: The key business drivers for work-life balance in the workplace tends to foster positive outcome such as increase productivity, reduced turnover, raised morale attract and retain employees. Thompson et al. (1999 pp.14) indicated if an organization fosters individual work-life integration a central expectation is a positive impact on individual work performance. Professionals experiencing time stress or psychological stress because of their high workload and maybe because of the demands of private life that they cannot fulfill satisfactorily, will be likely to suffer from low concentration and in the end lower productivity. Conversely, Hudson (2005) analysis underlined that employees in organizations who dont have a balance of work and non work matters tends to experience and generate negative outcomes. In fact Hudson (2005) expressed further by implying that employees are more likely to be less productive, less committed and highly decisive of leaving the organisation once they are experiencing increased stress due to work/life conflicting issues and are perceived of having no control over balancing work and non-work demands. However Kaiser et al. (2010) believed that if one viewed balancing work and life concept as a means of lowering absenteeism, reducing stress and health issues, then one can safely relate that work-life integration can have a positive impact on employees performance and productivity. So based on what was stated above, it may appear that the organisations are the ones benefiting from work-life balance. However Kossek Lambert (2005) implied that employees also benefit from work-life balance outcomes where workers experience lower level of stress, reduce work and non-work conflicts and constrains and have greater autonomy and flexibility in achieving work-life balance. In light of what was stated above by relevant authors, it is prudent to point out that work-life integration can have a positive outcome which benefits the employees and enhance the organisation. 2.3 Organizational Behaviour towards Work-Life Balance: The present magnitude of viewing work life balance is to promote a healthy balance between work and non work commitments which should be the main idea for organisations to consider. However not all managers view work life balance as positive outcomes for the organization. In fact Rodbourne (1996) argued that the work/life culture can be perceived as a factor correlated to less job security and negative career progression due to the utilization of work/life policies. Conversely, Druker (2000) implied that it is corporation social responsibilities to encourage work-life balance within their organization. However more and more organizations are promoting and even offering work life balance programs in the workplace. Herlihy Maiden (2005) imply that successful organizations are where they are today because they invest in their employees since they recognised that people are capital assets of the organizations rather than a cost to be administered. Both authors also believed that in order for employees to be effective at work, they themselves need to be able to make unique contributions to the organisation that lies within the contexts of their own personal condition. In relation to Herlihy Maiden (2005), Powell (2010 pp 199) explained that individuals success in managing the work-family interface is influenced by the environments that their employers provide and the strategies they adopt. Powell (2010) continued further stating that employees who have family-supportive managers and work in organization that offers family-friendly initiatives tends to stay with the organization. 2.4 Gender and Work Life Balance The early version of working in society was composed that men were the dominant ones towards work while women were distinguished as housewives, however the structure of that conception has dramatically change where women are just as equal to men in aspect of professionals. Maron (2009) reported on Equal Stress signified that studies have found that women are contributing 44% of the household family income compared in the past and that childcare by men have increased in recent times. Friedman Greenhaus (2000) pointed out that long ago it was known that men was the breadwinner and women was the stay-at-wives, however changes has shifted in the composition of the workplace tremendously. Friedman Greenhaus (2000) noted that women make up half the workforce and is increasing in higher levels whereas there is fewer pressure on men categorized has the sole breadwinner. Korabik et al., (2008 pp.223) stated that the gender role ideology conceptualized the tradition that women should give priority to family responsibilities and men to work responsibilities. However Korabik et al. (2008) advocated the fact that the gender role ideology emphasizes a more stereotype role where it often produce a negative impact on both mothers and women and have developed a one-sided judgmental analysis. Instead the detriment effect of this should impact on men also so that women should not be expected to conform to the stereotype gender role. Despite the many variations of work and life roles for women, Cleveland et al. (2000) stated that the underlying assumption focuses that the model life-role for women was homemaker and that working women careers and work commitments would be interrupted by pregnancy and childcare. Cleveland et al. (2000) imply that yes women do stop working briefly due to pregnancy however majority of them do return to work after that short interruption. Reeves (2010) emphasizing that whether women are taking care of children, cleaning, cooking and dealing with errands, women of today has been and are working harder than before to meet the demands of work at home and on the job. Reece Brandt (2006) pointed out that most working men, just as women, need to balance work and personal life and now have choices which relate to marriage and family life concerns. According to Strober (2010) reported on US Banker News proclaimed that 40% of men wants to be employed by organizations that allows them to employ there managerial skills and at the same time still have time to be successful fathers and husbands. 2.5 Policies behind work-life balance: In many organizations there are a range of policy choices that have been put in place to accommodate employees in the field of work life issues. Polices implemented in organisations are intended to assist employees, especially caregivers and females, to manage work and personal conflicts. Supporters of policies argue that the policies in HR practices help people achieve balance of work and life issues. Sparrow Cooper (2003 pp.220) applied the situational theory framework quoting work-life balance policies are introduces where the organizations sees a direct link between them and a solution to problems of absenteeism, and staff turnover. He indicated that employers are implementing policies as part of a strategy in attempt to illustrate caring responsibilities for coping parents. However, according to Hudson (2005 pp.14), the mere availability of extensive and generous work/life policies does not necessary result in widespread utilisation by employees or subsequently improvements in work/life balance reductions in work/life conflicts. He explains that the complex nature of work-life balance policies is not being utilized because employees are afraid to use the programs as a result of fear of negative consequences. Coussey (2000) mirrored Hudson (2005) statement by implying that employers may believe that it is insignificant benefits of having these polices and that employees may be unable to afford to make use of these policies because of concerns that it may affect their career progression. However, according to Torun (2007 pp.5) the potential benefits of work-life programmes, can lead to real qualitative and quantitative benefits for the employer in terms of productivity gains, lower turnover rate, a stronger team spirit and loyalty to employer. His analysis of work life balance is associated with employees performance which provides evidences that a well structure programme can assist with time management benefits for both the employees and the employers in terms to increase productivity and at the same time personal life satisfaction. Conversely, to compliment to Torun (2007) analysis, Crouter Booth (2009) implied that organisation that has a supportive work-family culture is associated to positive outcomes that organisations benefit from such as increase commitment, higher job satisfaction, lower absenteeism, decreased work family conflict, decreased psychological distress, fewer somatic complaints and decreased role strain. Edwards, Scott Raju (2003) said that work life program have been created to assist with the managing of working individuals responsibilities of both work and personal matters. Galinsky Johnson (1998) argued that these very said policies are suppose to be seen as essential way of attracting and retaining best talent for organisations. Burke Cooper (2006 pp.149) have similar opinion to Galinsky Johnson (1998) statement by quoting that the provision of work-life benefits more clearly distinguishes an employer from its competitors and might have substantial effects on an organisations image as good place to work. Conversely to state, in this particular area all authors that have given their analysis about policies and work-life balance are simply emphasizing that organisations that implement work -life policies tend to attract committed employees to work for them. 2.5.1 The Characteristics of Work-Life Balance: The transition of work-life balance challenges the cognition that the demographic workforce has changed drastically in recent years. The fact of the matter is that the workforce includes dual-earner partners who are married and have the responsibilities to care for children and presently some are also burden with adult-care responsibility too. Because of these encounter, several legislation policies was introduced in the UK to accommodate the European workforce commitment, just to name few from the set are: Parental Leave Maternity Leave Flexible Time Time off for dependants 2.5.2 Flexible Working: The concept of flexible working has been commonly utilized by many organizations to assist employees with balancing work and life. Many employers understand the need for flexible working because of the growing diversity of women in the workplace, ageing population and young adults pursuing an education and wishing to work at the same time. In fact reporter Coughlan (2009) studies have found that every two person in an organisation there are now more than one person in education. According to Peper et al. (2005) employees need flexibility in the workplace that would assist them to balance the demands of work and family. Peper et al., (2005) implied further that employees no longer anticipate their jobs as long life, but do except to build self-opportunities from working. Specifically the ability to keep this in mind is very essential for managers. Robertson (2007) critically send a very important message stating that organizations that offer flexible working arrangements to employees offers employees to promote good balance between work and home life will evolve to healthy employees and healthy employees are good for business. To coincide with Robertson (2007), Konrad (2006) argued that studies have found that employees who have access to work-life flexibility demonstrate stronger organizational commitments and decreases employees intention to leave the organisation. 2.6 Best Practices promoting Work-Life Balance: The complexity of a best practice approach would be appealed by employees once offered by organisations. By exhibiting this context it would assist in develop strategic responses and positive concepts for employees and employers. Burke Cooper (2008 pp.229) best practices in the workplace are generally understood as a set of practices or actions which results in optimum outcomes, ideally benefiting both employees and the employing organisation. Burke Cooper (2008) further explains that the imperative of work practices increases the morale of meeting the dual agenda of employees well-being and workplace effectiveness. To mirrored Burke Cooper (2008), according to Taylor (2002) he indicated that organizational practices often assists companies to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace. They argued that these practices usually enhance business performance in organizations that implement practices. However, another theorist Cooper (2005) disagreed with the statement above, she indicated that what is consider good practice in one organizations may not be appropriate in one another. According to Lewis Cooper (2005 pp.5) good practice in a specific context may be inadequate tomorrow, which is why an understanding of the process is more useful than just practices for sustaining long-term positive outcomes. The nature of best practice approach predominantly utilized in organisations is initially defined to support employees work-life responsibilities and commitments. Brown (2005) found that the utilization of best practice approach of work life integration does not only benefit employees, but also organisations and employers with an open mind to this approach somehow succeed in attracting valued employees and maintain a motivated staff whereby delivering positive outcome. In the interim to promote work life balance organisations should adopt best practice approach that would encourage flexibility and positive results in both employees and employers. So perhaps incorporating family-friendly policies and practices in the workplace could make a difference for employees with a lot of responsibilities, commitments and work life situations. However Hein (2005) argued that family-friendly policies and practices can assist employees with the complexity of work life issues. Hein (2005) explain further that even though policies and practices exist, however employees tend to be hesitant to proceed to use them because of career concerns or the fact that line managers discourage them from using it. All the authors here are simply emphasizing that employers should create a family-friendly organisational culture approach where employees and senior managers must be in favour of such practices and should be seen using the same practices. Summary Reviewing the literature studied indicated by various authors, foster the linked with job satisfaction and commitment to work life balance. The concept of this seems that the authors all have a one-sided view to work life balance and the effects to employees performances, commitments and at the same time organization effectiveness. The evidence illustrates supports that the propensity for negative outcome of performance to arise is expected to hinder productivity, especially when there are conflicts between managing time for non-work and work related issues. To present a link with the literature review, an evaluation of the methods of research carried out to conclude to findings of employees would be employed in the next chapter.

Critical Issues in Law Enforcement

Critical Issues in Law Enforcement There are three critical issues in law enforcement Citizens today look to law enforcement for service and protection. In order for officers to serve and protect, some issues have to be resolved. Remaining stress-free, enforcing the code of ethics and lastly, the presence of female police officers. These three critical issues can quickly weaken a department if left to manifest without any intervention. Being stress-free in law enforcement is very important. An officers performance is diminished greatly if he or she has trouble concentrating at work. Law enforcement officers are perceived to be tough, rough, and always ready to protect and serve. Citizens feel safe when police officers are seen regularly patrolling the streets. When it comes to dealing with personal issues, officers tend to keep to themselves. Sometimes living up to those expectations can be challenging because the general public has a superhero image of law enforcement. Officers regularly deal with the worst of what society has to offer, and make special sacrifices to maintain the peace. In the process, performing daily tasks can be increasingly difficult. Unlike firefighters and paramedics, police officers are not trained to work as a group. Officers are left to work alone or with a partner. As a result, police coverage is often sparse throughout a jurisdiction. Officers today are in desperate need of a better support system. With the rising crime rate in todays society, officers can only handle so much before reaching a breaking point. As the stress of police duty builds up, an officer may soon experience anger, depression, or disillusion. Over time, these feelings may cause strained relationships with family and co-workers and in the end lead to suicide (Franklin, 2007). Running head: THREE CRITICAL ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 4 Officers need to be in constant emotional control. Law enforcement officers have a job that requires extreme restraint under highly emotional circumstances. Officers are trained to stay calm when excited, to take charge when nervous, and to be stable when emotional. Constantly altering emotions takes a tremendous toll on an officers mentality. When an officer is emotionally drained, it may make the officer more prone to fatigue, such as not wanting to participate in social or family life. Energy drain can also create job and social burnout (Goldfarb, Smith n.d.). Another cause of stress is shift work. No matter how many years an officer has been working, a persons body never gets used to fluctuating schedules. The human body is naturally programmed to eat, sleep, and wake at a certain time. An officer performing shift work never gets a chance to stay on a schedule and in turn upsets the physical and mental balances. Police have several options when it comes to dealing with stress. One option is psychological therapy. Police officers may be ordered to undergo sessions with a therapist. The sessions can persuade the police officer to identify any problems officer might have with their career and ultimately arrive at valuable solutions. The focus of the therapy session is to teach the police officer in finding out how and why he/she reacts to certain situations. This in turn can help the officer react correctly to stress factors. Stress management in law enforcement also includes anger management. In anger management, police officers can be taught to identify the triggers that cause aggression within an officer. Anger management also teaches police officers how to detect and prevent hostile situations from ever taking place, which in turn can be applied in Running head: THREE CRITICAL ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 5 settling disputes between citizens. Anger management can allow the officer to prevent and manage their stress by themselves, either on the job or at home with their families. The second critical issue within departments is code of ethics for criminal justice personnel. In order for the criminal justice system to work efficiently a code of ethics is needed. Due to the amount of power criminal justice professionals possess and because of the nature of problems officers encounter every day, employees often face serious conflicts and needs guidance, which is exactly what a code of ethics provides. One of the main purposes of a code of ethics is to guide a person in making a decision. These guidelines have to be in place in order for law enforcement agencies to operate smoothly and correctly. Superiors have to lead the rest of the department by being an example. If the leaders are corrupt, more than likely the subordinates are also (Peak, 2010). There are some behaviors which are completely unacceptable in law enforcement: bribery, excessive force, extortion and forgery. At no time should these behaviors be exercised by officers or any member of law enforcement. Citizens entrust law enforcement to protect and to serve communities. The lifeline of law and order for any society is law enforcement. It is therefore very important for the police personnel to command the respect citizens, to function effectively. The public-police relationship is vital, for maintaining law and order, and this relationship can be strengthened only when police conduct themselves in appropriate manner. Every police officer Running head: THREE CRITICAL ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 6 must realize that they need to be law-abiding citizens also, and be committed to serve society proudly and with morals. All officers and members of law enforcement should be made to attend a seminar on ethics. And after the seminar is complete, all employees will be tested and trained on all material presented. Testing will help to ensure all employees are on one ethical accord. A code of ethics can help an officer decide how to act on a daily basis. Ethics is very important for people of power because this type of person has great influence on the public daily. Law enforcement personnel make important decisions every day and the decisions an officer makes impacts the lives of others. Therefore, it is necessary that all members of law enforcement are bias free. The last issue that needs to address is female officers in criminal justice. There has been tremendous growth of female officers within the last thirty years. Law requires law enforcement agencies to hire regardless of gender or race. Traditionally, the only job a female had in law enforcement was a social worker. In the past, men have strongly resisted the integration of female officers into police departments because being a police officer was thought to be a mans job. Women have slowly transformed the social worker role because of their determination to overcome the stereotypical barriers and in more recent years, the law. However, a females acceptance by males has grown in the past thirty years. Running head: THREE CRITICAL ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 7 The first female police officer was Alice Stebbin Wells, born on June 13, 1873. Alice served in the Los Angeles police department. Joining the police department was no easy task in those days. Alice had to send petitions to the mayor, city council and police commissioner. Wells felt women and children needed someone to be their voice and Wells wanted to be the one who stood up for them. In 1985, Penny Harrington accomplished being the first female police chief in a large agency. And in 1990, Elizabeth Watson became the first female police chief of a city with a population of more than 1 million in Houston. Another reason why police departments have been hesitant in hiring female officers is because women officers are thought of as not being unable to balance their personal and professional lives. Trying to balance child care and work, especially for single female officers, can be a very demanding task. The pressure is on to be a good wife and mother regardless of the job. Every day a police officer encounters risks and dangers, including dealing with irate people and criminals. And also, maintaining workplace relationship in a male dominated field is not easy. Discrimination against female officers can also come from the community. Some citizens believe that policewomen are only able to settle domestic disputes or to deal with rape victims. Some may also think policewomen are incapable of diffusing physical altercations, mostly due to the fact that most crimes are committed by males. There are some female officers try to fit in and go along with the male police culture by acting subservient are quickly written off as not performing to police standards. Running head: THREE CRITICAL ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 8 Hiring and retaining female officers offers great advantages. First, women are great communicators. Listening to a womans voice can sometimes calm an intense situation. Second, male officers are more likely to use excessive force than females, it is only natural. Males are naturally more authoritarian. Third, the presence more female officers will reduce the amount of claims of sexual discrimination within the department. Women officers tend to use a style of policing that relies more on communication than physical force, and are far more likely to avoid the use of excessive force. Female officers are more likely to have a community-oriented style of policing and females excel in responding to domestic violence situations which constitute a majority of crime calls. Also, female officers trend to have more empathy than male officers in certain situations and the trait could be useful in delicate situation such as domestic calls. Inappropriate response also adds to the risk of litigation, as departments are increasingly being held accountable for failing to properly handle domestic violence (Anderson, 1985). In the past, fitting in a police force has been a challenge for women. Some of the requirements were seen as discriminatory against females. For example, scaling a 6 foot wall and being able to bench press ones own weight was almost impossible for a female to do (Peak, 2010 pg. 132 para. 8). One way to make sure women are not discriminated against is to make departments re-examine physical fitness tests and figure out ways to include females in the tests. And also, agencies should permit all candidates to practice for the pre-employment physical exam (Peak, 2010 pg. 132 para. 8). Running head: THREE CRITICAL ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT 9 There are several issues which need to be addressed in order to help female avoid discrimination in the department. Police departments can hold job fairs at different colleges and pass out flyers, brochures, newspapers, or television advertising (Peak, 2010). Hiring in this manner is instead of randomly hiring brings a more diversified police force. Training males and females together will make female officers feel more equal to males. Female instructors are important also because female officers can look to the instructors as role models. Sexual harassment is another hurdle for female officers. If an officer is being harassed, the officer may not feel that reporting the perpetrator. The officer may not want to go through the scrutiny and embarrassment. All department need to have written policies informing employees of the consequences of harassment in the department. In the written policies, the information should include illustrations and examples of what not to do and a description of the proper protocol of handling complaints. The department will need to promptly file and investigate all complaints and most important of all, keep all information about the case and individual confidential.

The Other Fort Knox :: Personal Narrative Papers

The Other Fort Knox The first Wednesday in July found me crammed into a fourteen-passenger van with enough adolescents to fill it to capacity. Actually, it was only four girls and three boys, plus the three other leaders, but stuffed in the very back with three smelly boys – Jonathan, Andrew, and Aaron – it seemed like the van was about to burst. They could have had more room if they had chosen to spread out, but then they would have been forced to occupy seats adjacent to girls, a horrible situation for any ten year old boy. We were headed to Bucksport, Maine, a two-hour trip from my house, to tour and explore Fort Knox. It is probably not the Fort Knox that one immediately thinks of; there are actually two Fort Knox’s in the United States. James Bond was never at this Fort Knox, nor was any gold. Just in case, though, I told the boys that I would give my car to anyone who found gold. This would have been a threat to person over the age of eighteen, but their eyes got quite large at the prospect of winning something that had four tires. This Fort Knox was built for protecting the independence newly won from the British in the mid nineteenth century. Located at the mouth of the Penobscot River, Fort Knox is a heavily fortified defensive point. The fort boasts of remarkable engineering and a fascinating labyrinth of passageways. With thirty foot high walls of huge granite blocks, and cannons that could fire a four hundred and fifty pound ball a distance of three miles, Fort Knox would have been a brutal foe for the British navy. When we arrived, two of the group leaders, Sarah and Josh, went to go set up lunch, while my wife, Mary Ella, and I took the kids on a brief pre-tour. Since it was only half an hour before lunch, we decided to go down to explore one of the batteries. A battery is a small point outside the fort for artillery. Fort Knox is on a large hill overlooking the mouth of the river. At Fort Knox, there are two batteries located a little way down the hill from the fort. This allows the fort to fire on an enemy from multiple locations, and it allows for more artillery than the fort alone could hold.

A Mothers dream Essay -- essays research papers

A Mother's Dream For a lot children growing up, our mothers have been an complete part of what made us who we are. Mostly all good mothers want the best for their child and they are determine to do whatever it takes for them to get it. The central struggle in Amy Tan's story ‘‘Two Kinds'' is a battle of wills between the narrator, a young Chinese-American girl, and her mother, a Chinese immigrant. "Two Kinds'' is a coming-of-age story, in which the narrator, Jing-mei, struggles to forge her own sense of identity in the face of her strong-willed mother's dream that she become a "prodigy.'' Suyuan, Jing-mei's mother, believes in the American Dream. With hard work, she feels that Jing-Mei can be anything she wants to be in this great country. After all, Suyuan does not want her daughter to ever suffer the kind of deprivation and tragedies that she had to endure in China. But Jing-Mei has no desire to prove herself or excel in any field. She wants to take life as it comes. In her words, â€Å"I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could only be me† Tan (679). Since Suyuan believes that anything can be accomplished and she uses her daughter as her outlet to prove it. She continuously gives Jing-mei numerous test and eventually forces her to take piano lessons, which becomes Suyuan's prime focus of her 'perfect dau...

Ngocdung

1) Globalization has been enabled by: A) innovation. B) technological progress. C) increased population. D) all of the above. E) A and B are correct. 2) Which of the following events interrupted Globalization 2. 0? A) The Great Depression B) World War I C) World War II D) All of the above. 3) During Globalization 1. 0, ________ were the primary entities globalizing. A) individuals and small groups B) families C) countries D) companies 4) During Globalization 3. 0, ________ were the primary entities globalizing. A) individuals and small groups B) families C) countries D) companies 5) The fall of the Berlin Wall:A) marked the end of the Cold War. B) opened up new markets for products. C) gave companies access to a talented labor pool. D) All of the above. 6) The first mainstream web browser was called: A) Netscape B) Opera. C) Firefox. D) Internet Explorer. 7) De facto standards contributing to Globalization 3. 0 include all of the following EXCEPT:   A) Microsoft Word. B) Adobe Acro bat. C) PayPal. D) eBay. 8) Web sites allowing users to add, remove, or edit content are called:   A) wikis. B) blogs. C) browsers. D) online diaries. 9) Wal-Mart has recently introduced ________ tags into their supply chain.A) price B) anti-theft C) RFID D) CSID 10) Companies setting up entire factories in China is an example of: A) offshoring. B) outsourcing. C) in-sourcing. D) on-shoring. 11) ________ refers to the delegation of a company's core operations to a subcontractor that specializes in that operation. A) Offshoring B) Outsourcing C) In-sourcing D) On-shoring 12) Assembly plants located on the Mexican side of the U. S. -Mexican border are called:   A) Mexinanitas. B) Maquiladoras. C) Manufactorias. D) Fabricados. 13) Which of the following is not a service that is being outsourced? A) Preparation of tax returnsB) Telephone support C) Reading of X-rays D) All of the activities above can be outsourced. 14) Which of the Asian outsourcing destination countries has the hig hest relative geopolitical risk? A) China B) Malaysia C) Philippines D) Thailand 15) Which of the following American outsourcing destination countries has the highest English proficiency? A) Argentina B) Brazil C) Costa Rica D) Mexico 16) Which of the following is a reason for companies to outsource business activities? A) To reduce time to market B) To increase process efficiencies C) To outsource noncore activities D) All of the above. 7) ________, the reversal of outsourcing to overseas locations, encompasses the use of locations closer to the home country in terms of geographical, political, linguistic, economic, or cultural distance. A) Inshoring. B) Nearshoring. C) Offshoring. D) Backshoring. 18) Which of the following is NOT considered a geoeconomic challenge of operating in a digital world? A) Demographic B) Expertise C) Time zone differences D) Internet access 19) The EU data protection directive is an example of which type of challenge? A) Political system B) Regulatory C) Data sharing D) Individual freedom 0) Differences in network infrastructures throughout the world are an example of which type of challenge? A) Internet access and individual freedom B) Infrastructure related reliability C) Regulatory D) Political system 21) ________ are government-imposed fees to regulate the flow of goods and services in and out of a country   A) Export regulations B) Embargoes C) Tariffs D) Quotas 22) A(n) ________ is a type of export regulation concerning the flow of goods and services, typically limiting (or prohibiting) trade with one particular country. A) export regulation B) embargo C) tariff D) quota 23) The U. S. overnment attempts to isolate the Cuban government economically using: A) export regulations. B) embargoes. C) tariffs. D) quotas. 24) ________ are directed at limiting the export of certain goods to other countries. A) Export regulations B) Embargoes C) Tariffs D) Quotas 25) Products such as missile or encryption technology underlie: A) expor t regulations. B) embargoes. C) tariffs. D) quotas. 26) ________ are regulations permitting foreign businesses to export only a certain number of products to a specific country. A) Export regulations B) Embargoes C) Tariffs D) Quotas 27) Foreign companies such as Toyota are producing goods in the U.S. to minimize the effect of:   A) export regulations. B) embargoes. C) tariffs. D) quotas. 28) The EU data protection directive limits: A) Internet freedom. B) personal rights to access data. C) transborder data flows. D) electronic commerce. 29) Which of the flowing countries is NOT considered â€Å"enemy of the Internet† by the â€Å"Reporters without Borders†? A) Belarus B) Thailand C) Vietnam D) North Korea 30) Which of the following outsourcing destinations has the lowest average annual salary for experienced programmers? A) India B) Philippines C) Malaysia D) China 31) Dimensions on which cultures differ include:A) uncertainty avoidance. B) concept of time. C) life focus. D) all of the above. 32) ________ is a cultural characteristic emphasizing the importance of the collective/group over the individual in society. A) Collectivism B) Power distance C) Uncertainty avoidance D) Group think 33) ________ is a cultural characteristic that reflects the extent to which a culture has a longer- or shorter-term orientation. A) Life focus B) Concept of time C) Time focus D) Punctuality 34) ________ is a cultural characteristic emphasizing the importance of the individual over the collective/group in society. A) Life focus B) IndividualismC) Selfishness D) Egocentrism 35) ________ is a cultural characteristic related to how different societies view authority and hierarchical structures. A) Power distance B) Obedience C) Obesity D) Authoritarianism 36) ________ reflects degree to which a society is characterized by masculine qualities, such as assertiveness, or by feminine characteristics, such as nurturance. A) Masculinity/femininity B) Assertiveness C) N urturance D) Life focus 37) ________ is a cultural characteristic related to the risk-taking nature of a culture. A) Risk aversion B) Uncertainty avoidance C) Fear of future consequences D) Risk seeking 8) ________ reflects the extent to which a culture focuses on the quantity versus the quality of life. A) Life focus B) Life center C) Quantity of life orientation D) Quality of life orientation 39) Which of the following countries ranks highest in individualism? A) Australia B) Austria C) Mexico D) Peru 40) Which of the following is most likely to be considered a domestic company? A) Insurance company B) Car manufacturer C) Consumer goods company D) Barber shop 41) A ________ business strategy is best suited for operation in markets differing widely. A) multidomestic B) global C) transnational D) All strategies are equally well suited. 2) Which of the following is a weakness of the multidomestic business strategy? A) Differing product offerings limit economies of scale B) Inability to react to local market conditions C) Difficult to manage D) Personnel overhead 43) Which of the following is a weakness of the global business strategy? A) Differing product offerings limit economies of scale B) Inability to react to local market conditions C) Difficult to manage D) Personnel overhead 44) Which of the following is a weakness of the transnational business strategy? A) Differing product offerings limit economies of scale B) Inability to react to local market conditionsC) Difficult to manage D) Personnel overhead 45) A multidomestic information systems strategy is characterized by ________ systems   A) centralized B) decentralized C) distributed D) homogeneous 46) A global information systems strategy is characterized by ________ systems   A) centralized B) decentralized C) distributed D) homogeneous 47) A transnational information systems strategy is characterized by ________ systems   A) centralized B) decentralized C) distributed D) homogeneous 48) A _______ _ information systems strategy is characterized by multiple networks between the home office and the subsidiaries.A) global B) transnational C) multinational D) hybrid 49) A ________ information systems strategy is characterized by local databases. A) global B) transnational C) multidomestic D) hybrid 50) A ________ information systems strategy is characterized by data sharing between the home office and the subsidiaries. A) global B) transnational C) multinational D) hybrid Chap 2: 1E 2D 3C 4A 5D 6A 7D 8A 9C 10A 11C 12B 13D 14C 15C 16D 17B 18D 19C 20B 21C 22B 23B 24A 25A 26D 27D 28C 29B 30A 31D 32A 33B 34B 35A 36A 37B 38A 39A 40D 41A 42A 43B 44C 45B 46A 47C 48A 49C 50A

Knowledge is Everlasting Essay Essay

One may ask, â€Å"What is knowledge?† I understand Knowledge to be the intellectual ability of being able to understand the events in the world based on principles learn from one’s experiences. Once Knowledge is truly gained, can it be lost? I believe that if one is truly knowledgeable about something it is rather impossible that such knowledge can merely vaporize into thin air. Many people claim that they have indeed â€Å"lost knowledge†but sadly all they lost was information they memorized. Conversely, knowledge involves the careful observation of events, reasoning as to how and why these observations occur, and also learning through experiencing. Furthermore, I have come to recognize the eternal quality of knowledge based on biological facts, and also during my own daily experiences. From a biological point of view, the permanency of knowledge has been proven to be true, through the realization of the brain’s vast characteristics such as memory cells. When an individual learns something for the first time, this information gets stored by memory cells in the brain. Then the next time the individual is encountered with a situation involving or requiring such knowledge, for its interpretation, the brain accesses the stored datafrom the memory cells. This data it had gained from prior experiences. For example, the scenario of the first time one peels an orange. Individuals were not created with the instructions of how to peel an orange imprinted in their DNA. Rather, it must be learned from experience. Therefore,the first step in peeling an orange is gathering information from a source about the necessary method of success.After which, one acquires the apparatus (the knife and orange) and sinks the blade into the peel slightly, so the blade goes just beneath the surface. Then gently glides the blade through the peel to reveal the white layer underneath. After removing all the peel, the orange is sliced into two halves revealing the pulp. Of course, on the first try one might make mistakes and not peel the orange so perfectly. However, upon each ot her trial of peeling an orange one’s technique become more  mastered.Soon,a point is reached where it is possible to peel an orange without thinking how to do it. Clearly, knowledge is always permanently stored in the brain’s memory cells for future use. Additionally, knowledge also becomes magnified each time it is applied and verified in different situations. Often time, true knowledge gets confused with its close relative, memorizing. The fact stands that memorizing and being knowledgeable about something are two completely different concepts. Speaking from my own experiences, studying for an exam is a typical example where memorizing and obtaining knowledge interact closely and may become intertwined. For instance, during the course of studying for an exam there are some definitions of theories that I merely memorized. The result was that I forgot them after the exam since all I did was replicate the definitions on the exam paper. Still, there were some cases in which I had gained knowledge of things I still remember. This was because, I read about the concepts in greater detail beyond their definition and actually understood the concepts and applied them to real life situations. The misperception of memorizations for knowledge is very common among people and so they tend to misinterpret the principle of knowledgeable, thereby failing to see the permanent nature of knowledge relative to the temporary and limited character of memorizing. I believe rather than dying, knowledge grows with experience and constantly metamorphosis into an even higher level of knowledge. It is intensely evident that knowledge is perpetual. Moreover, knowledge is limitless as it goes beyond mere memorizing of data and events, towards developing an understanding of the observations made during life’s experiences. My belief is reflected in the common rhyme I was taught in school, â€Å"silver and gold may vanish away, but a good education will never decay†. Thus, the lifetime of knowledge is so vast and unlimited that it is given higher value above even the most precious minerals on Earth, such as silver and gold.Wouldn’t you agree that the truly most valuable trea sure known to mankind is knowledge? Works Cited Quindel, Emilie. â€Å"our local history.† 02 December 2012. WordPress. 10 September 2013 .

Gogol’s Namesake Essay

Immigrants moving to the United States are faced with the pressing question of whether or not to assimilate into American culture. Many of those involved in diasporic situations feel that adapting to the social norms of their new surroundings is an act of betraying their roots in which their heritage and all preexisting traditions will be lost. Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake highlights this struggle through the eyes of the Ganguli family. The novel ultimately shows us that one can simultaneously belong to two cultures, in this case Indian and American culture. Many scholars are hung up on the fact that protagonist Gogol must belong to one culture or the other. Heinze’s â€Å"Diasporic Overcoat?† suggests that Gogol puts on an â€Å"overcoat† through the switching of his name to represent the switching of his identity across various relationships and social situations. In doing so, he says â€Å"by implication one is never totally free of an overcoat, there is no such thing as a pristine and authentic identity†¦ (Heinze 197-198)† This quote demonstrates Heinze taking a stand and stating that there is no fixed identity. I suggest that Gogol does indeed obtain a national and cultural identity. The characterization of Gogol’s identity can be viewed as a spectrum that is continuously changing. At one end of the spectrum is his Indian cultural identity and the other is his American. At different points in his life Gogol has different degrees of American and Indian cultures present within him. So rather than arguing Gogol has no set identity, instead his identity is classified by his movement along his hybrid cultural spectrum. Other scholars that write on the issues of cultural hybridity focus on the idea that the person involved in diasporic situations are caught some where between their two given cultures. The author of an article applying concepts of cultural hybridity in music, particularly Arabian Jazz states that those with hybrid identities create a new â€Å"imagined community’ in which cultures may interact and influence each other in a state of co-existence and a â€Å"third space† is created. He defines this third space as â€Å"the inter- the cutting edge of translation and negotiation, the in between space that carries the burden of the meaning of culture† (Al-Joulan 640). Rather than being part of one culture or the other he is saying that identity of ones culture is defined as being in this third space. For the sake of my argument Gogol’s third space is the area on between his Indian culture and American culture. Gogol’s position in his third space changes at  different points in the novel. Gogol’s birth not only marks the start of his life but it also marks the start of his movement away from the Indian side of his hybrid cultural spectrum. Although it is clear the presented naming process for the Ganguli baby is one that typically appeals to Bengali tradition, American pressures results in the vanishing of those traditions. â€Å"Ashima’s grandmother has mailed the letter herself, walking with her cane to the post office, her first trip out of the house in a decade. The letter contains one name for a girl, one for a boy. Ashima’s grandmother has revealed them to no one.† (25) This quote indicates the importance of naming in Bengali tradition, particularly done by an elder in the family. The fact that the grandmother is leaving the house for the first time in ten years to personally see the letter off shows it is of great importance. However, when the letter does not arrive in time, his parents fail to name him according to Bengali tradition. â€Å"For they learn that in America, a baby cannot be released from the hospital without a birth certificate. And that a birth certificate needs a name.† (27) The Ganguli’s must abide to American laws even if it means abandoning essential Bengali traditions and we see young Gogol’s position on the spectrum of two cultures sway away from his â€Å"Indian-ness.† Perhaps this is Lahiri’s way of communicating to her audience that sacrifices must be made in order to establish a hybrid cultural identity. During the infancy stage of Gogol’s life another series of events instills his divergence from the Indian side of his identity spectrum. The Ganguli’s invite their Bengali friends over in celebration of Gogol’s first consumption of solid food. Gogol is also offered a number of items to represent what profession he will grow to attain. â€Å"Gogol frowns, and his lower lip trembles. Only then, forced at six months to confront his destiny, does he begin to cry.† (40) This quote demonstrates how Gogol’s refusal to participate in traditional Indian rituals, begins at an early age. He does not reach for any of the items symbolizing his rejection of Indian culture ultimately pushing him further towards American assimilation. Throughout adolescence and early adulthood Gogol’s movement along the spectrum continues away from the Indian side. During this stage in his life the movement is represented through the rejection of his name to mimic his rejection of his Bengali heritage. Despite the fact that the pet name given  to him at birth is in fact a Russian name, the concept of having a pet name and good name all together is the â€Å"Bengali way† and not typical for Americans. We see this in Gogol’s petition to his parents to change his name when he asks â€Å"Why do I have a pet name in the first place? I don’t get it†(Lahiri 99). His mother responds simply with â€Å"It’s our way, Gogol. It’s what Bengali’s do†(Lahiri 99). When Gogol is asked by his new college suitemate whether Gogol is his first name or last name, he gives a new answer that is of great significance. â€Å"Normally that question agitates him. But today he has a new answer. ‘Actually, that’s my middle name,’ Gogol says by way of explanation, sitting with them in the common room to their suite. ‘Nikhil is my first name. It got left out for some reason’†(Lahiri 103). We know this statement is false due to the fact that in a previous passage of the novel Gogol’s mother explains to his principle that he does not have a middle name at all, he has a good name and a pet name. In Judith Caesar’s article about Gogol’s namesake she says, â€Å"Although Nikhil is an Indian name, it enables him to try on a sophisticated identity he thinks he wants, sexy, cool, ‘normal’†(Caesar 110). I believe what Caesar is referring to as â€Å"normal† is in fact â€Å"more American†. Making the claim that Gogol is his middle name marks his attempt at appearing like a typical American kid with a first, middle, and last name. In essence he is rejecting his pet name to represent the rejection of his Indian heritage. Conversely the acceptance of this so-called â€Å"middle name† represents his acceptance of American culture continuing his movement away from the Indian side of the spectrum. It is not until the adulthood stage in Gogol’s life that he comes full circle and begins his movement in the other direction, back towards the Indian side of his hybrid cultural identity spectrum. The first way in which he does this is through the development of his relationship with Moushumi. Moushumi, being a childhood family friend also of Bengali heritage, first met Gogol as Gogol rather than Nikhil. It is â€Å"the first time he’s been out with a women who’s once known him by that other name†(Lahiri 193). The fact that Gogol goes through with meeting a girl who already knew his pet name, a Bengali custom, represents a step towards accepting his name and a willingness to begin his movement in the other direction towards his â€Å"Indian-ness.† Ironically the very thing they bond over is their identical  hybrid identity situation. â€Å"They talk about how they are both routinely assumed to be Greek, Egyptian, Mexican – even in this misrendering they are joined† (Lahiri 212). Neither Gogol nor Moushumi ever thought they would date another Bengali due to the fact that it is what their parents had continuously drilled into their heads as their wishes. They know that their blossoming relationship will please both their parents, and they each find some comfort in this surprising thought. The reason the two met up after not seeing each other since childhood was a result of a request by Gogol’s mother. She is the one who suggest he call Moushumi. Gogol proceeding with the call and arranging to meet Moushumi marks the start to his movement and reconnection to his Indian culture. The second way Gogol begins his journey of moving back towards the Indian side, is through his exploration and acceptance of what his pet name meant to his father. In the final chapter of the novel we see adult Gogol returning to his family home in which he goes into his old bedroom, discovering the book by author Nikolai Gogol that his father had given to him years ago. He opens the book to find what his father had written in it â€Å"For Gogol Ganguli†¦ the man who gave you his name, from the man who gave you your name†(Lahiri 288). It is only out of respect for his father that he takes the time to explore what the name meant to him. Had Gogol’s father not have passed away, he may have again snubbed the book and its significance to his father as he did when he first gifted it to him. This may be Lahiri’s way of conveying to readers that although it is too little to late in the aspect of reestablishing a relationship with his father, it is not yet too late to reconnect with his Bengali heritage. The moment Gogol begins to read â€Å"The Overcoat† marks just the beginning of his exploration and acceptance of his Bengali heritage and finding its role in the grand scheme of his double-sided identity spectrum. In conclusion we see different degrees of Indian and American culture present within Gogol representing his continuous changing position across his hybrid culture identity or â€Å"third space†. In the early stages of his life we see his divergence from â€Å"Indian-ness† through his parents failure to name him according to Bengali tradition, his own rejection of important  Bengali ceremonial traditions and the rejection of his pet name. Finally in adulthood he begins his journey in the other direction, his journey at exploring at reconnecting with this Indian roots marking the start of his movement back towards â€Å"Indian-ness.† This movement is achieved through his developing relationship with Moushumi, another Bengali-American character, as well as his acceptance to explore the meaning of his name given to him by his father. Works Cited Al-joulan, Nayef. â€Å"Diana Abu-Jaber’s Arabian Jazz: An Orphic Vision of Hybrid Cultural Identity.† Neophilologus 94.4 (2010): 637-52. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. Heinze, Ruediger. â€Å"A Diasporic Overcoat? Naming and Affection in Jhumpa Lahiri’s the Namesake.† Journal of Postcolonial Writing 43.2 (2007): 191-202. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. Caesar, Judith. â€Å"Gogol’s Namesake: Identity and Relationships in Jhumpa Lahiri’s the Namesake.† Atenea 27.1 (2007): 103-19. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

Superstition in Huckleberry Finn

Superstition If you step on a crack, you will break your mamma back, keep cats away from babies because they suck the breath of the child, and cross my heart and hope to die, cut my throat if I tell a lie are examples of some superstitions that people believe in. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim and Huck use and believe in many superstitions. There are many examples from the book that show this in the characters. Most of the superstitions are ridiculous, but some actually make a little sense. In the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, one of the main themes he uses in this book is superstition and two main characters that have attitudes that are different and similar towards superstition is Huck and Jim. Huck at the beginning of the story wasn’t superstitious at all. He thought Jim was crazy for being superstition. Huck weakly believes in superstition but later in the story his views changes. Huck killed a rattlesnake and placed it on the foot of Jim blanket, Jim see the dead rattlesnake with his mater and told Huck that this was bad luck. Huck later says â€Å"I made up mmind I wouldn't ever take a-holt of a snake-skin again with my hands, now that I see what had come of it†(pg53); this mean that he do not really know all the superstitious things because he placed the dead rattlesnake at the foot of Jim’s blanket, just joking around, and he found out what happens as the effect of the joke. During this time Huck become a firm believer in superstition. Huck helps his friend Tom use superstition to help Jim escape by telling Jim’s keeper, Nat, who believes witches are haunting him, that the only cure is to bake a witch pie and give it to Jim. In the witch pie there were things that were going to help Jim escape. Next Jim views about superstition are different than Huck. Unlike Huck, he is a very superstitious man and used it for almost everything in life. He also does not joke around with superstition, unlike Huck. Jim uses superstition to fill the things he didn’t learn or understood in life. Jim uses superstition for a sign for all things that happen in nature. One example of this is, â€Å"Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time and lighting. Jim said it was a sign that it was going to rain†(pg45). Jim looks at the birds and can tell that it is going to rain. Since there were no weather devices in the eighteen hundreds, signs like these were used to predict the weather. Jim view superstition by his faith by thinking the hairball is a magic spirit. Superstition kind of motivates him to escape to freedom because he found out that he was going to be sold for a high price because he believes if your chest is hairy you are worth a lot of money; which encourages him to escape his owner, Ms. Watson. Although Huck and Jim have different views on superstition, they also have views that are the same. They both do things that would stop the superstition from bringing bad luck. For example during the rattlesnake episode, Jim tells Huck to chop off the snake's head, then skin the body of the snake and put it around his wrist, so he would not be cursed. They become irrational when anything remotely superstitious happens to them. They also think when something bad happens to them it is the effect of the superstitious act that they did. In conclusion, in Mark Twain's novel, â€Å"The Adventures Huckleberry Finn†, he uses superstition to show many points. Mark Twain uses superstition to show contrast between an organized, Christian religion and believing in and superstitions and one's own beliefs. As Huckleberry Finn and Jim are hurled back and forth between these two different faiths, the reader gets a keen idea of the beliefs and lifestyles people followed living in this story. He uses it to serves foreshadow the plot at several key junctions. For example, spilling salt leads to Pa returning for Huck. Overall, superstition is used in â€Å"The Adventures Huckleberry Finn† as a way to share Mark Twain's own opinion on religion and refined living with his readers and help them to understand the good and bad of both ways of living.