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ESSAY: Sam Houston: Character Traits and Personality Essay Without any doubts, character plays a significant role in the life of any person. Character is something that is closely connected to reputation and conscience. When a person carefully listens to his/her conscience, he/she can form own character, taking into consideration personal preferences. In this case, reputation serves as the significant outcome of character and comprehension of personal conscience. There are so many characters in the world history, who may prove that character is crucially important in this life, and any person should be ready to use his/her potential to achieve the desired goals. Lots of presidents, politicians, and diplomats were eager to demonstrate their characters and admit that fact that their presence in our history is justified. Sam Houston was one of such personalities, whose characters meant a lot for their future career and determined the place in our history. This controversial character was balancing somewhere between good and evil: some people still believe that Houston was one of the most terrible figures in American history, and lots of people cannot but admire his power and courage to provide the country with the necessary growth and be ready to cope with numerous difficulties, created by this life. Samuel Houston was an American politician and statesman, who lived at the beginning of the 19 th century. He was known due to his belligerent and egocentric character. However, he was the only person who had positive results in conversations with Cherokee Nation; although he expended much energy to argue these people and change their mind as for Tawakoni Indians in Texas. (Campbell, 25). It is also necessary to admit that this person is the only one who was the governor of two different states, and the ambassador of the Cherokee Nation. Such achievements in the political career cannot be inherent to a person, who does not have character; this is why we can certainly admit that Samuel Houston, a statesman, who even gave his name to a city, was a person of character, that very character, which was obligatory to political figures. It is necessary to admit that Sam Houston was not characterized by good actions only. His not fair deals with his conscience, immoral acts, and anti-ethical preferences – all these were Houston’s bad characteristics, which have to be mentioned as well. These very points do not allow to admit that Houston’s character was brilliant and had positive consequences only. However, a Democratic society, Houston lived in, was not that easy to comprehend. People had to take into account certain limitations in leadership, comprehend and analyze their possibilities. Houston was a man, who was not afraid to use other people to achieve his goals: “professional duelist from Missouri” (Campbell 14) served as an excellent example of Houston’s abilities to count and clear up whether it was possible to achieve the positive results using fewer powers and efforts. Of course, such use of people may add several bad traits to Houston’s character, but, we should remember that we deal with the sphere of politics and government, and it was crucially important to be a strong personality to use but not to be used. It is a matter of great satisfaction to me to hope that my children will be in the circumstances to receive a good education. Mine was defective, and I feel the inconvenience, if not the misfortune of not receiving a classical education. Knowledge is the food of genius, and my son let no opportunity to escape you to treasure up experience. (Houston). These words by Houston proved once again that he was careful to any detail in his life. Knowledge opens the doors to many secrets of this life, and Houston made an emphasis on this fact to provide his generation with proper education and abilities to improve their knowledge about the world and lead it. Without any doubts, the strong character was one of the brightest features of Sam Houston. But still, lots of historians and people, who fond of the activities of this politician believe that he could become a much better leader if he had better character and concentrated on positive sides of his character: the power of his will, self-respect, passion to current events and their analysis. It is not that easy to formulate what characteristics any political leader should possess. However, Houston was the only person, who was a governor of two different states and had some foreign lands. Was he a person of character? Of course, he was. Even if he had to break some rules from time to time and forget about moral norms, all this is nothing in comparison to the achievements, which characterized this figure. The world, and America, in particular, grew considerably under the rule of Sam Houston. And the fact that know we are discussing this personality proves once again that he was a strong person of character, who was ready to fight and demonstrate his intentions to improve this world. Works Cited Campbell, Randolph, B. Sam Houston, and the American Southwest. Logman, 2001. Sam Houston “The Raven.” (2004, Feb.) Lone Star Internet . Retrieved from http://www.lone-star.net/mall/texasinfo/shouston.htm

ESSAY: San Manuel Bueno, Mártir Report Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo was one of the first Spanish writers of the 20 th century, who concentrated on the perspective of a man with his passion, desires, and hope and the world itself. This writer tried to analyze the idea of faith in the society. One of his last works was San Manuel Bueno, Mártir, a novel that represented Unamuno’s thoughts and beliefs. This story is about a parish priest, Don Manuel Bueno, who suddenly loses his faith because of immoral modern world, and the Carballinos, a Spanish family. Angela and Lázaro Carballino, and their mother are attracted by Manuel’s ideas about faith, Christianity, and the life after death. San Manuel Bueno, Mártir may be considered as a kind of tool used by Unamuno to reproduce his own philosophical ideas. The narrator of this story is Angela Carballino. She gets her education outside the village, where her mother lives. The mother is a catholic woman, who tries to teach her daughter about the faith and love to people. In this small village with its lake and magnificent mountains, there is one priest, Don Manuel, who aims at helping people and making them happier and free. By some reasons, Angela is attracted by the village, the priest, and his ideas. One day, her brother, Lázaro, returns to the village. Lázaro is characterized by strong unbelieving in God, faith, and any religion in general. The only purpose of his arrival to the village is to take his mother and sister to the larger, progressive city. However, all his dreams are broke down after his mother’s death. There is one promise that she asks her son to do – to pray for her. Lázaro cannot but keep his promise, that makes him contact with Don Manuel. In a short period of time, Lázaro realizes that Don Manuel does not resemble any other priest he have met before. The idea that there is no life after death is not inherent to priests, this is what makes Don Manuel interesting to Lázaro. The main idea that Don Manuel wants to explain to Lázaro is the following: there is no life after death. However, people should not know this terrible truth, and priest’s purpose is to hide this terrible truth in order to make all people happier during their lives. Such idea attracts Lázaro a lot. He makes a decision to covert to Christianity and visit all Don Manuel’s masses in order to become his best disciple. Angela cannot comprehend how people who do not believe in the life after death may teach and help other people, and provide them with the necessary support. One of the most interesting aspects of this story is that Don Manuel does believe in God. He tells that when a person dies, he sees the God’s face, however, this person will not be admitted to the heaven, as it is promised. Another not less interesting thing about this novel is that Unamuno decides to take the role of God in this story. He is the creator of all characters, he rules all of them and decides when and how each person should die. One of the characters, Augusto Perez, decides to commit suicide and rebel against the creator who rules everybody’s destiny. Before his death, he sees the creator, the author of this story, and gets to know that he is just a fiction character. Now, it is his time to disappear in the mist and be forgotten by the others, and nothing can be changed. Augusto’s attempt to rebel against the writer is his gross mistake, and he needs to be punished. The story ends tragically. Don Manuel has some problems with his health, which suddenly lead him to death. Lázaro, his devoted student, dies soon after him. The idea that Don Manuel scarifies his own life for other people’s happiness makes Lázaro respect and follow each step taken by his teacher. Angela is the only character, who is left. Now, her faith and all moral principles, she has known before, was broken. She cannot understand how such a blind faith may lead to such a tragic end. She is at loss and no one can help to find the way. This Spanish philosopher and great writer, Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo, influenced considerably the development of the literature of the 20 th century. His bright ideas about non-existence of the life after death and that our lives are controlled by someone else were unique for literature of those times. Not every person wants to comprehend that his/her destiny is in the hands of someone. Everyone wants to control his/her own life independently. After I read this book, I cannot but think whether all my actions have been already written by someone, and I can do nothing to change my life. Of course, such ideas are just my impressions from the book. It is really great that there are such masterpieces, like San Manuel Bueno, Mártir, that make the reader think about his/her own destiny and the role in this world.

ESSAY: Where Rampages Begin: The Issue with the School Shootings Essay The word ‘school shooting’ implies acts carried out by either intruders or students within a school. These incidences are usually confused with other forms of school violence like Bath School tragedy where a homemade bomb exploded leaving behind several causalities. Is there a certain ‘type’ of students most likely to carry out these atrocious acts? Well, a profiling carried out in the United States of America showed that, there are no certain groups or individuals, who are more likely to commit these school-shooting incidences (Egan para. 9). However, the perpetrators seem to share one thing; they plan for the shootings. These individuals do not wake up and decide to carry a gun into a class and open fire to fellow students or teachers. No, they plan how to do it in advance. Theirs is a well-developed path towards violence. Apart from being ‘loners’, these individuals are ‘joiners’ and it appears that after failing to gain social acceptance, they come up with a way of letting their thinking and actions known by shooting fellow students or even teachers (Egan para. 6). Though not proved, these shooting incidences may be an attempt by the perpetrators to uplift their social image from a ‘loser’ to a ‘master’. What else can explain such incidences? Interestingly, young males have been exclusively associated with these shootings save for only two documented incidences carried out by female students. Barry Loukaitis in Frontier Middle School perpetrated one of the most outstanding school shooting instances on 2 February 1996. On the material day, Loukaitis, wielding two handguns and a hunting riffle with over 78 rounds of ammunition; shot dead his algebra teacher; Leona Caires and two fellow students; Arnold Fritz, Jr. and Manuel Vela; injured Natalie Hintz, and held the entire class hostage for ten minutes. After hearing the gunshots, Jon Lane, a gym coach, walked in and volunteered to be taken hostage instead of the students before grabbing the weapons and disarming Loukaitis (Egan, para. 5). It later emerged that these weapons belonged to his father. Interestingly, on that day, Loukaitis was apparelled like Gunslinger, a prominent character in cinema. What could lead someone to making such flagitious move? According to Egan, Barry said, ”This sure beats algebra doesn’t it” (para. 4). After thorough searching, it emerged that violent videos littered Loukaitis’ house. He learnt shooting from his father. Additionally, Barry Loukaitis reportedly confessed to a friend that it would be cool to embark on a shooting fling, to emulate some lead characters in Natural Born Killers. To be precise the character, Oliver Stone in this film was Barry’s paragon. From this incidence, it is clear that this was a pre-planned venture through watching of deadly movie series and close learning about shooting from a father. Barry’s comments that ‘this sure beats algebra doesn’t it’, is a clear indication that he had deep seated problems and this experience made him feel superior making his thoughts known to the world. The whole story brings into spotlight the issue of carelessness on part of parents. Guns and other weapons should be kept out of children’s reach. There is a dire need to bring up children in a way that will discourage these behaviours. Barring children from watching these violent films would solve this problem in part. The contemporary generation of young people is exposed to many destructive things. Consequently, out of curiosity, coupled with issues like negligence and social misfit, may engage in more school shootings. We need drastic actions to avert this emerging behaviour. We cannot afford to lose yet another soul in such circumstances. Works Cited Egan, Timothy. “ Where Rampages Begin: A Special Report; From Adolescent Angst To Shooting Up Schools .” The New York Times. 1998. Web.

ESSAY: Looking at Women. Scott Russell Sanders Essay Men have always had a notable way in which they respond to the presence of a woman. The most universal is to stop what they were doing to stare at the woman and more-so if she happens to have above average looks. Some psychological scholars would rather blame these responses on genetics while those following the feminist school of thoughts would take to the streets and protest this objectification of women. This essay seeks to analyze a piece by one of the most prolific writers especially on the issue of men’s perception of women. An analysis of the reasons given by the author for such shall be provided and then a summary of whether he succeeded in his goal shall follow. Scott Russell Sanders’ essay Looking at women is modeled around his childhood experiences. This essay generally illustrates how men perceive women and the role which women play in society. In developing the plot of his article, Sanders explains incidences from his childhood particularly his first encounter with the opposite gender. Sanders’ essay is targeted mostly at men, and it serves as a guide to how men should treat women. Also, he also seeks to find out why women do certain things which are provocative to men and then start complaining when men react to the stimulus on impulse. He is generally against the treatment of women as objects by men. What emerges from our different cultural upbringing and experiences subconsciously form our opinions and dictate the view we make of people at a moment’s glance. He claims that men will not change their characters even if they wanted to since it is in their nature to appreciate a beautiful woman. “As long as men have eyes, they will gaze with yearning and confusion at women” (Pg 257). These are the exact words that Sanders uses to describe the reaction that men always have towards beautiful women. As the essay progresses, he repeatedly draws examples to justify why men should not be judged on their impulsive reactions towards women. At one point Sanders describes men as swains and goes ahead to claim that they (men) are more often than not ignorant by refusing to acknowledge their true feelings towards women. By ignorance, Sanders implies the notion of the men appearing helpless when faced with the challenge of directly approaching a woman who has appealed to their interests. Gawking may or may not be genetic, and most individuals would rather assume it is a psychological reflex. It is also debatable whether the upbringing of an individual has any influence on the reaction that he would have whenever a woman passes in front of him. These subconscious thoughts can appear due to culture, ethics, or temptation. In some sense, it can be argued that women have this basic instinct to act when they are in the presence of men differently. For instance, when a woman walks past a group of men, she will almost impulsively change her walking style to make it more strutty and refined. Men on their part will in most instances gaze at a woman if she gives them a reason. Sanders says that he had never seen ogling taking the place of sports until he visited Rome. He cites examples from the theory of Darwinism and samples the importance of DNA in illustrating that culture alongside genetics has a distinct role in shaping the opinions of men on women. He goes ahead to call for a “revolution,” targeted towards a shift in the line of thought, especially for men. Quoting Simone de Beauvoir in his essay The Second Sex , Saunders suggests that it is an inherent characteristic for women to spend their lives trying to get the attention of men. He sees this is as a mystery which is nowhere near being solved. He explains that men are naturally distracted by the sight of a woman’s body because of their innate “need” to pass their genetic material to the next generation. Sanders to a considerable extent succeeds in explaining the reasons as to why men respond in particular ways whenever they are in the presence of a woman. The only part where he fails is when he gets off trying to justify some of the responses that man have and trying to conclude that these are characteristics that men are born with. It is pretty evident that men with a proper upbringing will know how to treat a woman properly. Gawking and whistling at the sight of all beautiful women is unacceptable and this is one area that Sanders fails to address effectively. He seems to suggest that it is in the nature of women to impress all men irrespective of their (the men’s) social standings. In a way, he suggests that when a lady passes by a group of construction men and they all resort to staring at her and whistling as she passes by, the blame should fall squarely on the woman for “just being a woman.”

ESSAY: Self-Reliance: The Communal Past as a Model for the Future Essay (Article) “Self-Reliance: The Communal Past as a Model for the Future” is the eighth chapter in the book by Gilbert Rist The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith . This chapter is a collection of captivating thoughts about the theory of self-reliance, its peculiar features, and paradox that attracts that attention of many people in the sphere of business and market relations. The author chooses a powerful way to introduce and disclose the essence of self-reliance by means of a clear evaluation of experiences and the analysis of the achievements that are characterized by self-reliance. The main idea of the chapter is to prove that “the history of development merges with the history of the progressive destruction of self-reliance” (Rist 125). In order to comprehend the essence of this phrase it is not only necessary to comprehend how development happened and to evaluate self-reliance as a theory but also unite these concepts together and find out their strengths and weaknesses. Summary of the Chapter and Ideas To improve the general situation in many countries of the South, the discourses concerning obligatory modernization and independence were used during the 1960s. People had a hope to change the situation and achieve the necessary improvement, but those times created many difficulties for people. In the chapter under consideration, the example of the Tanzanian President, Julius Nyerere, is used to demonstrate how the theory of self-reliance was applied into practice and what outcomes of this attempt were. From the very beginning, certain points deserve reader’s attention because the application of this theory “tries to formalize, coherently and exhaustively, the mode of life that has prevailed on earth since the dawn of humanity, but at the same time presents this as a discovery bringing an indubitably new element to debate on ‘development’” (Rist 125). In 1961, Tanganyika gained its independence, and, as a new country on the world arena, faced considerable challenges on internal and external levels. Export and important of good underwent certain changes, and the government needed to takes the steps to re-evaluate the situation and be able to cope with challenges. However, what the country did not want to accept is different kinds of foreign aid because “independence means self-reliance” (Rist 128), and an independent country should find another ways to achieve prosperity but not accept the gifts of the others. With the help of this example, the author of the chapter represents a perfect list of ideas, which describe what self-reliance should never be and what main bases of self-reliance theory are. Writer’s points of view about the subject In this chapter, the writer’s views are perfectly identified. He does not want to accept the idea of self-reliance as something purely bad or purely good. This is why the analysis of the ideas and experience take place at first. Gilbert Rist admits that self-reliance is one of the theories that is able to stimulate creativity and value confidence, to promote people to accept the existing factors and environment, and finally, to involve different forms of development that is so obligatory to society. However, the idea that someone may practice self-reliance and someone fails to practice it put this theory under a doubt. This is why the future of this theory is not clear, and the author underlines that much still depends on the way of how society can accept the idea of self-reliance and the conditions, under which it may develop to its full extent. Works Cited Rist, Gilbert. “Self-Reliance: The Communal Past as a Model for the Future.” In The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith . New York: Zed Books, 2002.

ESSAY: Sense of Humor: How Does It Help? Essay Humor is descried as the mental ability or tendency to make someone laugh or be amused. It is universal and all people regardless of age, ability or race respond to it. People who easily respond to provocation of laughter are considered to have a good sense of humor. A sense of humor is described as a measure of one’s tendency to experience humor. The extent of an individual’s amusement depends on a number of variables such as culture, age, intelligence, education, maturity or even geographical location. Adults and children may for example derive amusement from very different things; children may find cartoons and clowns more amusing than ‘stand up’ comedy for example while educated adults may find comedy highly entertaining. Satire is more particular because it is based upon a proper understanding of the target of the humor and may only be interesting and entertaining to a mature and probably educated audience. As expected, humor varies widely in terms of acceptance depending on the above mentioned demographics. Comedy and humor have been used since time immemorial as a form of entertainment in both casual and official settings including courts and tribunals. Intelligence and wit are sometimes displayed using means that bring out humor in satire and comedy. Often, the sense of humor is looked as beauty and it’s therefore safe to say that ‘how much sense of humor one has lies in the eyes of the beholder’; one person may find another to have a great sense of humor while another could find the same personal overly obnoxious. Based on this, some people argue that you only find someone to have a great sense of humor if your senses of humor are similar or agree. Humor can be used in many disciplines including education, medicine and even political science. Young children are taught new things and ideas using humor and repetition. A good example is Teletabies; a children’s show where cartoon characters are used to teach children while entertaining them with some humor. This has proved a successful means of teaching as they children are actively involved in the learning while having fun at the same time. Humor can also be a means of stress relieve and relaxation. Scientists say that a simple happy gesture like a smile goes a long way in ensuring sound mental and even physical health. A good afternoon of laughter while watching a family sitcom is said to be enough to rejuvenate the body and improve mental health (Mikisi, 2005). Politicians with a good sense of humors have historically been successful in pulling large crowds and using their wit to woo the many present voters. A simple political statement put in a humorous way is more likely to be spread further, by word of mouth or otherwise, while a flat statement will likely leave no memories at all. The same tactic is used by preachers and priests to pull crowds and make activates that are otherwise considered boring lively and fun. The sense of humor is therefore very important in everyone’s day to day life even if just for happiness, joy and mental well being. References Mikisi, K. (2005). The art of laughte r. Nairobi: Macmillan Publishers.

ESSAY: Sex Marriage: Personal Opinion Argumentative Essay The problems of sex and marriage, sex before and after marriage, and the role of sex in marriage are considered to be one of the most burning ones in different spheres of life. Lots of people prefer to talk about it just in order to solve own problems and share own experience. Some people like to investigate these issues and find out the ways to make their marriages better and stronger. If sex is something that turns out to be crucially important, it is necessary to talk about it and present various ideas to choose the best one. Can it be that sex is obsolete? What causes these conditions? Why people like to have sex and why they try to find out a reason not to have it sometimes? To these very questions, there are so many answers. Each person has his/her own point of view, and right now, I want to share my ideas as for the role of sex in marriage and the reasons of why sex may be obsolete. Firs of all, it is a bit wrong to apprehend sex as a kind of barometer of relationships between a husband and a wife. To my mind, sex will be always something that unites a woman and a man, helps to develop their relations, provides them with a chance to learn each other better, and comprehend each other’s desires with time. This is why the role of sex in marriage is significant indeed. When two people feel something that is hard to control, want to be as close as possible, and cannot wait a minute without kissing each other, this condition is called passion. Passion and sex are the things, which cannot be apart. Only when passion appears, sex turns out to be true and interesting for both people. Marriage should not be a kind of barrier that decreases the role of sex; it is better to accept marriage as another opportunity to experiment and use all imagination to satisfy a partner and get the desired satisfaction. When people are married, they may forget about possible uneasiness and allow themselves doing various things. Of course, some people spend too much energy to create strong and long-time relations: they spend much time at work in order to earn more money for a family, they bring up children and forget about the ways of how these children have been made; and they think a lot about how to create good reputation among other families. Without any doubts, these issues are really important for any family; however, it is better to achieve positive outcomes not at expense of sex. Both men and women confess that they have obsolete sex; they consider sex as one more necessity for their fleshly bodies, but nothing more. To my mind, such attitude to sex kills all romance and desire to live together. People should not forget about sex as a wonderful means to find out the desired satisfaction, at least, for a couple of years. However, when I remember a couple of old man and woman, who observe a sunset, holding each other hands, I cannot but admire their devotion to each other, their attraction to each other, and their desire to spend one more minute, enjoying this sunset. I do believe that obsolete sex and certain duties are not about them, as they have already found a good way to unite all the necessary issues to create a strong family and not to forget about sex. This is why they enjoy this life as no one else. The role of sex in marriage is very important: without proper sex, a couple cannot comprehend each other and enjoy each change in this life. In order to have a good family and live a happy life, it is better to think for several times about how to achieve positive results, and then take certain steps, considering sex as a significant means to make relations stronger.

ESSAY: Sikhism: Religion and Theology Essay Introduction Sikhism is a practical religion which does have merely words or any certain set of beliefs. This religion does not involve visiting shrines and tombs or following Yogis. This religion believesthat a life should be lived in some patterns.it’s main asset is its simplicity. It does not have any kind of supernaturalism or mythology where it keeps its feet up. It does not have any concepts of devils, angels or heavenly spirits (Sikhism, n.d., Para 1). Sikhism is a universal religion and it objects all ritualism and formalism. It does not nourish any blind faith. It discourages blind follow to any external authority. Sikhism believes in Karma and it identifies the modification of one’s karma with the grace of God (Sikhism, n.d., Para 2-5). Historians in Eastern religions normally believe that Sikhism is a syncretistic religion that can be related to Bhakti movement within Hinduism. They associate Sikhism with Hindu religion. But many Sikhs disagree on this point; they believe that Sikhism is direct revelation from God and does not originate from any religion like Hinduism or Islam (Robinson, 2006, Para 2). Marriage and Family: Marriage is sacred and it’s a bond not only between the man and woman but also in the whole families. Normally Sikhs have arranges marriages where the partners are chosen by the parents for their children which is based on mutual interests and similarities in culture. Divorce is against the lessons of the guru (Sikh family life, 2007, Para 7). During the wedding ceremony, the couple sits before the Guru ranth sahib where the Granthi reads certain wedding hyms from the holy book. The couple takes round of the it slowly and friends and family shower their blessings by throwing flowers on them. The bride wears red wedding costume that represents health and wealth and after ceremony prashad, sweets are distributed (Sikh family life, 2007, Para 8 & 9). Childhood and the naming ceremony: Just after the birth of the baby, parents go to the gurudwara with the baby where Guru Granth Sahib is opened and a random reading is done. The first letter of reading becomes the first letter of the baby’s name (Sikh family life, 2007, Para 1-3). A Sikh child starts learning the language of Guru Granth Sahib when he is just seven years old. The Children are supported by the family. There is no discrimination between sexes.The girls are expected to achieve same as boys (Sikh family life, 2007, Para 1-3). Getting old and death: Older people of this community get lots of respect. When athere is a death in a Sikh family, they are cremated wearing the five Ks. They believe in incarnation and union with God (Sikh family life, 2007, Para 10). Foundation of Sikhism: Sikhism is the youngest religion which is just five hundred years old (Introduction to Sikhism, 2009, Para 1). Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji was the person who satrted this religion. He got the vision to preach the way to God (Robinson, 2006, Para 3). At this time India was being segrated on the basis of castes, religious factions and sectarianism. He respected all religions (Introduction to Sikhism, 2009, Para 1). He preached, “There is no Hindu and Muslim” which became one of the pillars of Sikhism (Robinson, 2006, Para 3). Guru Nank and his followers who were called Panth built a temple at Kartarpur (Robinson, 2006, Para 3). He showed a real path to God by saing that God is Truth, “Sat Nam” (Introduction to Sikhism, 2009, Para 1). A succession of nine Gurus who were considered as reincarnations of Guru Nanak guided the movement during the period from Guru Nanak’s dealth until 1708. During that course, the activities of the Guru were passed on to the Panth and to the holy text (Robinson, 2006, Para 4). Philosophy and Teachings: The word Sikh means a diciple. A true Sikh is not attached to wordly things but he must do his duty towards his family and community. They believe in Bhagti which is possible after fullfing following conditions (Sikhism, Main Principles, n.d., Para 1): * Faith in God * Following Truth * Conrol over world and deed * Unattachment and desirelessness * Association with holy men which is Satsang * Humanity and submission to Hukam Salvation: it is also called Mukti. According to Guru, “The man of God rejects salvation. He just wants love. The happiness lies only in merging in Divine Spirit. A man can have Mukti only when he medidates on God (Sikhism, Main Principles, n.d., Para 3). Khalsa: The Khalsa is about worshiping one God and meditating daily on his name. A Sikh has to keep the symbols (Panj Kakar) whole life. He should not believe in one caste instead he should believe in brotherhood. He should not be involved in any of the four offenses (Kurahat) as cutting of hair, eating Halal meat, adultery and the use of any intoxicant. He should not commit any of the social offences (Tankhah) like, giving dowry, using liqours, raising monuments over graves and associating with traitors (Sikhism, Duties of the Khalsa, n.d., Para 3). He must donate one-tenth (daswand) of his income for religious purposes. He must practice arms and should be ready o protect the weak (Sikhism, Duties of the Khalsa, n.d., Para 3). Renunciation of the world: Sikhism does not favour that one leaves his family and live away from it. The Gurus conveyed that married life is the best mode of life. Escaping from the realities of life is a saintly act (Sikhism, Main Principles, n.d., Para 12). The 5K’s of Sikh: Sikh’s who have done Amrit Cermony or public commitment to the faith, are called Khalsa. They have accepted 5 symbols. These symbols are called 5 K’s. They not only prove the Sikh identity, but also have spiritual meanings (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 1). They are powerful symbols of faith. Most Sikhs follow the traditions of Khalsa (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 1). Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, gathered together the first members of Khalsa on Baisakhi in 1699 and gave them the five items of dress, which had uniformity (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 2). These items of dress or appearance are (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 2):- Kesh – uncut hair & beard, as given by God, to sustain him/her in higher consciousness and a turban, the crown of spirituality. Kangha – a wooden comb to properly groom the hair as a symbol of cleanliness (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 2). Kachera –specially made cotton underwear as a reminder of the commitment to purity (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 2). Kara – a steel Band, worn on the wrist, signifying bondage to Truth & freedom from every other entanglement (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 2). Kirpan – the sword, with which the Khalsa is committed to righteously defend the fine line of the Truth (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 2). Meaning of these 5 K’s: Kara It is a bangle, which is generally made of iron or steel and it is worn on the right wrist. The steel represents strength and the circular shape represents unity and eternity (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 4). It shows Sikhs’ belief that God is eternal (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 4). Kangha A Kangha is a wooden item to keep the hair clean and tidy. Guru Gobind Singh stressed on cleanliness while performing Khalsa (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 5). After washing and then combing their hair, Sikhs tie a topknot and then they keep Kangha in the topknot which is covered with a turban (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 5). Kangha represents discipline in all facets of life (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 5). Kachera Guru Gobind Singh told Sikhs to wear short trousers which was to depict Khalsa uniform (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 6).There are many explanations to the use of this Kachera. One of them is that it made Sikhs move easier to move in battle. Many Sikhs believe that it represents modesty (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 6). Kirpan It is a sword that is worn by the Khalsa (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 7). The Kripan is worn as a memento of the bravery of the first five Sikhs, who were keen to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their religion. The Kripan is therefore a symbol of bravery and of faith in God. For many, the most important meaning is that the kripan stands for the commitment to fight ‘one’s own internal enemy’ that is weakness in one’s own character & behaviour (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 7). Kesh By tradition, Sikhs both men or women do not cut their hair and male Sikhs should not cut their beards The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 8).This natural condition shows devotion in god. Guru Gobind Singh encouraged that Sikhs grow their hair, which is to follow ‘as God intended’ (The 5 K’s, n.d., Para 8). Scriptures: There are two main sources for the Sikhs: The Guru Grinth Sahib and the Dasam Granth (Sikhism, n.d., Para 9). The Adi Granth means ‘The First Volume’. It is referred to the version the sripture which was created by Arjan Dev in 1604. The Guru Granth Sahib is the final version of the scripture which was developed by Guru Gobind Singh (Sikhism, n.d., Para 9). Adi Granth: The compilation of Adi Granth was done by Bhai Gurus under the guidance of Arjan Dev in 1963 and 1964. Its script is Gurmukhi, which was standardised by Arjan Dev for using it in Sikh scriptures.It was created to protect the hymns and teachings of the Sikh gurus (Sikhism, n.d., Para 10-11). The original version of Adi Granth is expected to bemantained by the Sodhi family of Kartarpur. Actually, the history says that original version of this scripture was burned by Ahmad Shah Durrani’s army in 1757 when they burned Kartarpur (Sikhism, n.d., Para 10-11). Guru Granth Sahib: It has the original version of Adi Granth with some addition of Teg Bahadur’s hymns. Guru Gobind Singh’s verdict was that Guru Granth Sahib will be the eternal guru for all the Sikhs (Sikhism, n.d., Para 12). It consists of the composition of the first five gurus, Teg Bahadur and just one ‘Salok’ from Guru Gobind Singh (Sikhism, n.d., Para 13). Dasam Granth: The Dasam Granth is also called The Book of the Tenth Master. It is an eithteenth-century collection of poems, which are written by Gobind Singh (Overview of Sikh Scriptures, n.d., Para 9). It was given a shape of book by Bhai Mani Singh (Overview of Sikh Scriptures, n.d., Para 9). Janamsakhis: They are the biographies of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak. It is the proof of amazing acts and mystic conversations. The composition of new Janamsakhis was the result of three great schisms of the Sikh religion: the Minas, the Handalis and the Udasis (Overview of Sikh Scriptures, n.d., Para 11, 12 & 14). The Ten Gurus and their teachings: The word “GURU” in Sanskrit means person having great knowledge, wisdom and authority, a teacher, a soul who can dispel darkness. In Sikhism, Guru, means the divine guidance provided through their ten Enlightened Masters (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2). Starting with Guru Nanak in1469 & ending with Guru Gobind Singh in 1708, their wisdom, preaching’s have been compiled in the Holy Scripture “The Guru Granth Sahib” (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2). First Guru – Guru Nanak Sahib Guru Nanak was born to Tripta, a simple religious woman and wife of Mehta Kalyan Das, on April15, 1469 in Shekhpura (Pakistan), now Nanakana Sahib (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 1). From the earlier child hood Nanak was an extraordinary child. He learnt Hindi & Sanskrit at the age of seven and by thirteen learned Persian too. He got married to Mata Sulakhni, who gave him two sons: Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. (Ten Guru, n.d., Para2) In August 1507, while bathing in ‘Vain Nadi’, at the age of 38, Guru Nanak dedicated himself to the service of humanity.” There is no Hindu, no Musalman” were his first divine words (Ten Guru, n.d., Para3). He started long travels and preached his unique and divine doctrine that is Sikhism (Ten Guru, n.d., Para3). The preaching’s during these tours are compiled as Char Udasis of Guru Nanak Sahib (Ten Guru, n.d., Para3). In the year 1522 Guru Nanak Sahib founded the city of Kartarpur (now in Pakistan) and spent the rest of his life there (Ten Guru, n.d., Para5). There he pioneered the Langar or free kitchen. In 1539 he established Bhai Lehna ji (Guru Angad Sahib) as the second Nanak. On Sept 22, 1539 he left for the heavenly aboad. He was a good poet and musician. He wrote approximately 947 hyms comprising Japji Sahib, Asa-di-Var, Bara-Mah, Sidh-Gosht and, Onkar. Guru Arjan Sahib compiled all these in Guru Granth Sahib (Ten Guru, n.d., Para5). Second Guru – Guru Angad Sahib Guru Angad Sahib (Bhai Lahna ji) was born on March 31, 1504 to Mata Ramo ji wife of a petty trader Pheru ji in a village named Sarai Naga (Matte di Sarai) in district Muktsar (Punjab). (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1) Bhai Lahna was a worshipper of Goddess Durga and use to go to pilgrimage to Jwalamuki Temple. During one such pilgrimage he heard the hymn of Guru Nanak Sahib and decided to meet him. He got fully changed after this meeting. He became a follower of Guru Nanak Sahib and became his Sikh (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2 & 3). Guru Angad Sahib introduced Gurumukhi Script, a new alphabet modified from old Punjabi Script (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 5). He started Mall Akhara were physical as well as spiritual was given to the youth. He also wrote the first biography of Guru Nanak Sahib (Bhai Bale Wali Janamsakhi) (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 5). At the age of Forty eight on March 29, 1552 Guru Angad Sahib breathed his last but before that he nominated Amar Das Sahib as his successor. (Ten Guru, n.d., Para7) Third Guru – Guru Amardas Sahib Guru Amardas Sahib was born on May 5, 1479 in the village Basarke Gillan in Amritsar, to mother Bakht Kaur and father Tej Bhan Bhalla, who later became the Third Nanak (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1). Influenced by Guru Angad Sahib and preachings of Guru Nanak Sahib he converted to Sikhism and adopted Guru Angad Sahib as his spiritual Guru. In 1552 he was made the Third Nanak by Guru Angad Sahib (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2). Establishing his headquarter in Goindwal, he propagated the faith in a planned manner (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2).He added 869 self composed verses to Guru Granth Sahib (Ten Guru, n.d., Para6). He transferred the Guru ship to his son-in-law, Guru Ramdas Sahib, making him the Fourth Nanak. On September 1, 1574 at a ripe age of 95 Guru Amardas Sahib passed away for heaven (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 7) Fourth Guru – Guru Ramdas Sahib Guru Ramdas Sahib was born on September 24, 1534 at Chuna Mandi, Lahore (Pakistan).His father Baba Hari Das ji Sodhi Khatri and mother Mata Daya Kaur were too poor and he use to sell boiled grams to earn his bread (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1). Guru Amardas Sahib married his daughter Bibi Bhani ji to Guru Ramdas Sahib. Due to his dedication, energy, saintliness and eloquence Guru Amardas Sahib found him apt for the Guruship and made him the Fourth Nanak on September 1, 1574. Foundation of Ramdas Pur or Chak Ramdas (now Amritsar) was laid by Guru Ramdas (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 3).On September 1, 1581 he passed away to heaven but before that he nominated his youngest son Guru Arjan Sahib as the fifth Guru (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2). Fifth Guru – Guru Arjan Sahib Guru Ramdas Sahib and Mata Bhani ji’s youngest son Guru Arjan Sahib was born on April 15, 1563. He learnt Gurmukhi script and was also taught Persian, Hindi and Sanskrit languages. He became Guru at the young age of 18 years. (Para1) Guru Arjan Sahib commissioned two sacred Tanks Amritsar and Santokhsar. He also laid the foundation of a town (Taran Sahib) near Goindwal Sahib and created a large tank and Gurdwara (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2 & 3). He contributed 2000 verses for the same. He also institutionalized the tradition of Daswandh and Masand system that helped in attracting large number of followers to Sikhism from far distant places from Punjab (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 4 & 5). Guru Arjan Sahib was also called as “Sacha Patshah”. The fast paced spread of Sikhism during his period made the orthodox Hindus and princely Muslims very jealous. He was tortured for 3 days, he was made to sit on the hot iron plates and burning sand was poured on his naked body (Ten Guru, n.d., Para6).Later he was thrown into river Ravi. May 30, 1606 is celebrated as the day of Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Sahib (Ten Guru, n.d., Para6). Sixth Guru – Guru Hargobind Sahib With the sudden demise of Guru Arjan Sahib, his father and fifth Nanak, Guru Hargobind Sahib succeeded and became Sixth Nanak at the age of eleven years in 1606. He was the only child of Guru Arjan Sahib and Mata Ganga ji, born on June19, 1595 at village Guru Ke Wadali. He had one daughter Bibi Viro ji, he had five sons. His fifth son Tegh Bahadur became the Ninth Nanak in 1664 (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1). Guru Hargobind Sahib popularised the idea of “Saint – Soldier” which was the need of that hour. He used to keep with him two swords Piri – Miri. The first one was supposed to have the Spiritual Power and the second one was supposed to have Military Power. He also encouraged Sikhs for participating in Martial Arts and military Trainings (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 3). During his life time he fought many wars with the Mughal Emperor and always stood victorious (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 3). He breathed last on February 28, 1644. Before his demise, he nominated his grandson Har Rai Sahib as the Seventh Nanak (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 23). Seventh Guru – Guru Har Rai Sahib At the tender age of 14 Guru Har Rai Sahib was nominated as successor and Seventh Nanak by his Grand Father Guru Hargobind Sahib. He was son of Baba Gurdita Ji and Mata Nihal Kaur (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 1). Guru Har Rai Sahib was a believer of non –violence or “Ahimsa Parmo Dharma” but he never disbanded the Saint Soldiers. In Kiratpur Sahib, he founded an Aurvedic Herbal Hospital & Research Centre. Ha also established 360 Manjis (missionary seats) (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 2 & 3). Guru Har Rai Sahib left for heavenly abode on October 6, 1661, but before that installed his younger son Har Krishan as the Eighth Nanak (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 10). Eighth Guru – Guru Har Krishan Sahib He was born on July 7, 1656 at Kiratpur Sahib, and was the second son of Guru Har Rai Sahib and Mata Krishan Kaur (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1). Before the death of Guru Har Rai Sahib in 1661, at an earlier age of about five, Guru Har Krishan Sahib was made Eighth Nanak by his father (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1). In his short span of three years as Eight Nanak, Guru Har Krishan Sahib took over the masses with his simplicity and humanitarian deeds. He was nicknamed Bala Pir (Child Prophet) by the local Muslim population (Ten Guru, n.d., Para5). During his last days when he was seriously ill, he was asked to name his successor, t which he said Baba Bakala, which referred to Guru Teg Bahadur. Finally, Guru Har Krishan Sahib passed away on March 30, 1664 (Ten Guru, n.d., Para6). Ninth Guru – Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib was born on April 1, 1621. He was the youngest son of Guru Hargobind Sahib (Seventh Nanak) He was a great swordsman, horseman and shooter (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1 & 3). With the untimely demise of Eight Nanak, Guru Har Krishan Sahib without declaring his successor there was a situation of uncertainty for some time. Then in August 1664, some prominent Sikhs from Delhi, acknowledged Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib as the Ninth Nanak (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 5). During 1674-75 the Muslim state forcefully converted people to Islam. To fight this nefarious act with peaceful means Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib sacrificed himself. On November 11, 1675 he was executed, his head was severed from his body at Gurudwara Sis Ganj in Chandi Chowk, Delhi. Before his execution in July 1675 he installed, his son Guru Gobind Sahib as the Tenth Nanak (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 27). Tenth Guru – Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the tenth and the last Guru of Sikh faith, was born on December 22, 1666 (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1 & 2).His name was Gobind Rai Sodhi. After the execution of his father and ninth Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh was formally made Guru on November 11, 1675 (Ten Guru, n.d., Para1 & 2). Guru Gobind Singh fought many wars during his period. On October 7, 1708, he passed away in Nanded. With this Guru Gobind Singh ended the line of personal Gurus and passed on th succession to the Holy Book “The Guru Granth Sahib” (Ten Guru, n.d., Para 13). Sikhism in History: The time period of all the ten gurus lasted for more than 239 long years. The Sikh religion prospered very well during this period, which could be possible under the guidance of the Gurus (Sikh History, Gurus Period, n.d., Para 1). Banda Singh Bahadur whose real name was Madho Das possessed spriritul powers. He was the follwoer of Guru Gobind Singh. Under Guriji’s direction, he collected an army from Punjab and started fighting against tyrants. After winnig Surhind he established the first Sikh kingdom and a new fort near Nahan which was called Lohgarh. Later Bandha Singh was prisoned by the emperor of Delhi and he was killed in 1716 (Sikh History, Gurus Period, n.d., Para 1-4). After martyr of Banda Singh, the religious persecution of the Sikhs started soon after that (Sikh History, Religious Persecution Era, n.d., Para 1-3).They were attacked and robbed. They stayed alive on vegetables and fruits but they were not discouraged. Having faith in Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s prediction that the Sikh would rule the country one day, they continued their mission of religious persecution which went for 50 years. Then Sikhs regrouped got ready to fight tyrants and after gathering strength they were ready to defeat the tyrants and then they started ruling around 1760s (Sikh History, Religious Persecution Era, n.d., Para 1-3). Maharaja Ranjit Singh became their leader and conquered Lahore in 1799. He ruled Punjab for 40 years. His Kingdom was so big that he had to divide it in 4 different states. He died at the age of 59 in 1839 (Sikh History, Sikh Kingdom Era, n.d., Para 1 & 2). The British bought then the generals of the army and attacked the Sikh kingdom (Sikh History, Colonial Era, n.d., Para 1 & 2). In 1849 they finished the Sikh kingdom era and controlled Punjab with other parts of India. As the British knew that the Sikhs are brave warriors, they appointed them with jobs in their army (Sikh History, Colonial Era, n.d., Para 1 & 2). The Sikhs proved themselves very useful for the British in many wars wherever they fought for them (Sikh History, Colonial Era, n.d., Para 1 & 2).The British awarded the Sikhs with portions of lands after their retirement from the army. This action of British encouraged lots of sikhs to join the British army. The Sikhs had covered about 80 percent of the army population by the time the British left India after Indian independence (Sikh History, Colonial Era, n.d., Para 1 & 2). The Indians’ struggle for freedom began in 1920s and it lasted in 1947. The Sikhs played a major role during that struggle by participating in this mission enthusiastically (Sikh History, Colonial Era, n.d., Para 5). The Gurudwara movement of the sikhs was the starting of the national struggle for freedom (Duggal, 2008, Para 4). The Battle of Saragarhi was fought between the fourth Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of British India and approximately 10,000 Afghan and Orakzais tribesman on 12 September 1897 (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 1).This battle has been noted as the exampe of exceptional bravery. UNESCO has portrayed the battle of Saragarhi as one of the legends of joint bravery (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 1). The British rulers of india had built many forts in the North West Frontier Province to strengthen their position and to control the hostile activities of the local tribal groups who were living in the north western frontiers of undivided India (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 2 & 3). Fort Gulistan and Fort Lockhart are the examples of such forts (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 2 & 3). They were built on the ranges of Hindukush and Sulaiman ranges (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 2 & 3). As the two forts were situated a little bit far from each other, a signal post called Saragarhi was created to have interations between the two forts. In 1897 Afridi tribes attacked Fort Gulistan and later the troops of Orakazai and Afridi made fresh attacks and seiged Fort Lockhart and Saragarhi (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 2 & 3). The strength of Afghani force was about 12000 to 14000 who were fully armed tribesman. They tried to make the Sikhs surrender but the Sikhs were determined to fight against them and they continued fighting. For this reason it became the famous battle of Saragarhi. Sepoy Gurumkh Singh was the person who continued giving every detail of the battle through heliographic signal until the enemy set the place near Saragarhi on fire. When the enemay were close Sepoy Gurumukh Singh took out his rifle after closing heliograph and he killed 20 people of them before dying (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 2 & 3). Every soldier who defended Saragarhi died in this outstanding action of bravery. When this courgeous deed was narrated in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the memebers gave standing applause to it. Even Queen Victoria also came to know about this incident. It was annouced in the Parliament that the army having the brave Sikhs cannot loose any war (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 2 & 3). All the Sikh officers and soldiers who died in this battle were honoured as the Indian Order of Merit, which was the highest bravery award of that time (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 4 & 5). The current Sikh Regiment now celebrates the day of the Battle of Saragarhi on every 12 th September as the Regimental Battle Honours Day (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 4 & 5). The British also built tow Saragarhi Gurudwaras one in Amritsar and another in Ferozepur to respect those soldiers (Battle of Saragarhi, Sikh Regiment, 2009, Para 4 & 5). Observances: Sikh Culture: Sikh culture is the mixture of many asects, including many festivals and ceremonies. There are songs which are many religious as they are sung in praise of God. For that reason they are different from other songs (Sikh Culture, n.d., Para 1). Sikh festivals are time for these people to rededicate themselves to the faith (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 1). Even they take death anniversaries of their Gurus as festival since it reminds them the value of sacrifice for a good cause(Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 1). Some of the main Sikh festivals are (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 1): Baisakhi: it is a New Year festival in the Sikh calendar. The Sikh new years starts with Chet 1 (Sikh Calendar, 1998, Para 2). On this day in 1699 Khalsa was created by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It generally falls on 13 April. Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag is replaced with a new one (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 3 & 4). The flag post is cleaned. The flag cloth which is Chola is rehoisted. This ceremony is completed by Ardas. A Bhog, which is completion of ceremony, takes place on the morning of Baisakhi and the singing of divine hyms takes place. Also all the Sikh men, women and children participate in Sewa that is Langar which remains open for the worshipers for three days (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 3 & 4). Diwali: Sikhs celebrate Diwali since Guru Hargobind reached Amritsar on this particular day after he got released from Gwalior jail (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 5). It is the festival of lights. On this day the Golden Temple complex is decorated with lights and magnificient displays of fireworks occur. The historic weapons of the Gurus are displayed (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 5). In 1577 the Golden Temple’s foundation was kept on Diwali itself (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 6).Sikhs have continuedthis yearly celebration with lighting up lamps and distributing sweets. The largest gathering takes place at the Golden Temple on this day (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 6). Hola Mohalla: This is an annual festival which takes place at Anandpur Sahib (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 7). Guru Gobind Singh started this festival to exercise millitary practices. Mock battles are also fought on this day which is just after Holi festival. Music and poetry competitions follow mock battles (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 7). On this day kirtan and religious lectures are performed in number of durbars where Sri Guru Granth Sahib is present (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 7).This festival generally falls on March 17 (Sikh Festivals, n.d. Para 7). Ceremonies: There are many events like birth, marriage and death in any family but in a Sikh family there are special ceremonies for such events, which are done to receive blessings from God (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 1). All Sikh ceremonies are done in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji that involves singing of hymns, Ardas, Hukamnana and distribution of Karah Prashad. Langar is provided for all the guests (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 1). Following are some of the main Sikh ceremonies: Nam Karan: After the birth of child the mother and the child go to the Gurudwara with relatives and friends for the naming ceremony (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 2 & 3). The Granthi stirs water and sugar crystals in a bowl that is kept in front of Guru Granth Sahib and read the ‘Mool Mantra’ and first few lines of the ‘Japji Sahib’ (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 2 & 3). First few drops are put into child’s mouth and the rest is given to the mother to drink (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 2 & 3).Hymns are spoken publicly to bless the child. The child name is chosen from the first letter of the ‘Hukam’ (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 2 & 3).The title of Singh (Lion) is given to male and Kaur (Princess) to the girl (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 2 & 3). Prashad is distributded afer that (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 2 & 3). Dasar Bandi: This is a very important and exciting moment in the life of a Sikh hen he starts tying the turban. Sometimes family celebrates this occasion which is called Dastar Bandi (Sikh Ceremonies, n.d., Para 4). Marriage Ceremony: The wedding takes place in the morning in a Gurudwara.After the both family of the boy and family of the girl greet each other then they enter the Gurudwara congregation hall where bride sits alonside with the bridegroom facing the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The ragees sing the hymn of ‘palla’ that is bridegroom’s scarf. Then the couple walk gracefully around the Guru Granth Sahib where the bride folow the bridegroom. Later prashad is distributed and lunch is provided by the bride’s family (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 5). Amrit Sanchar: This ceremony is done for the initiation into the Khalsa brotherhood (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). The initiate can be done by a man or a woman of any caste or religion (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). Before seeking baptism, they start behaving, acting or looking like a Sikh (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). It is done at a quiter place where Guru Granth Sahib is installed. The initiate will wash his hair, cover his head, wear clean clothes and the 5K’s (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). Hymns are recited. If a person does not have a Sikh name, they keep a new name at this time (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). Funeral Ceremony: At the ime of death loud wailing is discouraged (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). Cremation is preferred for the dead body but if it is not possible then burial or submergence at sea are also acceptable (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). The body is usually washed and clothed by the family members and then hymns are recited. A continuous reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is done till ten days. It concludes the end of mourning period (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 6). Gurupurbs: Following are the major Gurupurbs celebrations (Sikh Ceremony, n.d., Para 8): * Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji * First installation of Sri Guru Grath Sahib Ji * Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji * Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Ji * Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji * Martyrdom of the Sahibzadas Sikh Art and Culture: Maharaja Ranjit was an ardent lover of art. For that reason he bacem the first patron of Sikh paintings. He made the painters decorate the walls and the panels of the Golden Temple (Sikh Paintings, n.d., Para 1, 2& 9). Sikh paintings show the historical events and characters. They give us complete understand ing of the political struggle of Sikhs and the roles of some unforgettble heros of that struggle. There are three different schools of Sikh paintings: Guler School, Kangra School and Lahore School (Sikh Paintings, n.d., Para 1, 2& 9). Some famous paiters are Gian Singh, S.G. Thakur Singh, Sobha Singh and S. Kripal Singh (Sikh Paintings, n.d., Para 1, 2& 9). Sikh Music and Musical Instruments: Sikhs developed their own instruments like Rabab, Dilruba, Taus, Jori and the Sarinda (Sikh Music and Musical Instruments. n.d., Para 1). The Sarangi was also promoted by Guru Har Gobind (Sikh Music and Musical Instruments. n.d., Para 1).Rabab was first used by Bhai Mardana and Jori and Sarinda were designed by Guru arjan Dev (Sikh Music and Musical Instruments. n.d., Para 1). The Taus was made by Guru Har Gobind. The Dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh (Sikh Music and Musical Instruments. n.d., Para 1). Sikhs in the Western World: Sikhs arrived in the United States and Canada in the late 1800s (Sikh Community, 2006, Para 1). Sikhs who have migrated to this region are generally tensed of maintaining their identity when adapting to the Western culture. Those educated in the United Kingdom or Other British Commonwealth countries, this change to life in North America is easy (Being Sikh in a Western world, 2006, Para 1). In recent years, the conflict between the values of Sikh beliefs and Western culture has created difference at the work place. The employers are demanding that they cut tehir hair and remove their turbans. Sikhs performing in sports have shown their capabilities of doing well with their turbans on the fields (Being Sikh in a Western world, 2006, Para 2). Regardless of these stresses, Sikhs have maintained their religious beliefs. They have demonstrated excellence in the football, basketball and boxing etc (Being Sikh in a Western world, 2006, Para 3). Notable Sikhs in the modern era: Sikhs are very well represented in Indian Politics like recent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and the former President, Giani Zail Singh (Sikh, 2009, Para 5 & 6). Indian millitary services include Sikhs like General Joginder Jaswant Singh, who is the General of the Indian Arrmy. The highest ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force has been Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh (Sikh, 2009, Para 5 & 6). Sikhs can be seen in various kinds of professions like scientists, engineers and doctors. Some of these are Professor Piara Singh Gill, a famous Nuclear Scientist who has ben associated with American Manhattan Project; Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany who is a famous Scientist and gets the credit of the father of fiber optics; Simon Singh, physicist and Science writer and Professor Baldev Singh Dhillon, a famous Agricultural Scientist (Sikh, 2009, Para 6). Sikhs can be found in industrial ventures as UK based New Look, which is women’s clothing fashions and Thai based JASPAL. Both are started by Sikhs only. India’s biggest pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy Laboratories is leaded by the Sikhs only (Sikh, 2009, Para 7). Writer Khushwant Singh, Singer Daler Mahendi, Jaspal Bhatti, Milkha Singh former world record holder, Bishen singh Bedi, cricketer and Parminder Nagra, English actress all are distingushed sikhs (Sikh, 2009, Para 8). Conclusion: Sikhism is a beautiful religion. It offers meaning, peace and divine bliss. It shows the path to realisation of Akaal, a timeless god (Why I choose Sikhism, n.d., Para 1). Due to unawareness many youth are being unused to this rich and amazing heritage (Why I choose Sikhism, n.d., Para 1). Why join Sikhism: As it is a beauiful religion, which shows the path to truth and believes in one God, I have become passionate about this religion. It has selfless love in it. It has bravery and treats everyone similarly. It has its unique scriptural canon, ceremonies and traditions (Sikhs: A distinct religion, panth and nation that welcome all, n.d., Para 1). For that reason I join Sikhism. Reference List “ Battle of Saragarhi. Sikh Regiment ”. 2009. Web. “Being Sikh in a Western World”. 2006. Web. Duggal, K. S. 2008. “ Sikhs in the Freedom struggle ”. Vol XLVI No 35. Web. “ Overview of Sikh Scripture ”. Web. Robinson, B. A. “ Introduction to Sikhism ”. 2009. Web. “Sikh”. Web. “Sikhism”. Web. “Sikhs a Distinct Religion, Panth and Nation that Welcome All”. Web. “ Sikh Calendar ”. 1998. Web. “Sikh Family Life”. Web. “Sikh History”. Web. “ Sikh Paintings ”. Web. “Ten Gurus”. Web. “ The 5 Ks ”. Web. “ Why I choose Sikhism ”. Web.

ESSAY: The Concept of Simple Stimulus Learning Analytical Essay Learning is one of the most crucial processes for human beings particularly when it comes to co-existence in the environment (Aslin, 2008). There are a number of ways through which learning can occur and result in the transformation of behavior. Psychologists define learning as a life long mental process endured by human beings through the acquisition of various forms of knowledge. The ultimate outcome of any meaningful learning is the acquisition of new knowledge, skills, abilities, value systems, and the development of new personal ways of relating with the environment (Aslin, 2008). Habituation and conditioning are some of the simplest forms of learning. In situations where a given stimulus is incorporated in learning, it is known as stimulus learning. Meaningful stimulus learning occurs when behavior is transformed through the use of stimuli. This essay discusses the simple stimulus learning. It explains the concept of habituation, analyzes the various factors which affect perceptual learning, and examines the effects of stimulus exposure. The essay also highlights the application of simple stimulus learning to real life situations. According to prominent psychologists, stimulus learning is defined as the permanent transformation in behavior due to first hand experience by an individual (Postman, 2007). The change in behavior is the physical manifestation of the knowledge and skills acquired through learning. This presents a more objective way of finding out if meaningful learning has occurred. Behavior as a result of learning should be relatively permanent as opposed to behavior dynamics arising from emotional variations. There are several forms of learning which have been identified by psychological theorists. Habituation is one of the simplest forms of knowledge acquisition. It results from continued exposure to a specified stimulus. Habituation follows a general pattern which involves the familiarization of a stimulus by an individual. This process is achieved through rapid motivation or noise which in turn controls the individual’s thought process (Postman, 2007). Frequent exposure to a given stimulus will force an individual to become used to it to such an extent that it draws no attention. For instance, if someone shifts to a home on a noisy road, the experience of automobiles passing by will be a major issue. However, being in the environment for some time will eventually lead to the noise being part of the day. The individual, therefore, becomes habituated to the surrounding such that attention to the busy road fades away. This form of learning helps individuals exist in an environment which is filled by vision and noises (Aslin, 2008). Perception presents one of the most dominant means through which humans learn. Perceptual learning occurs as a result of constant practice as well as first hand experience. It causes a change in the collection of important information from the environment which in turn affects an individual’s actions (Adolph, 2007). It has also been noted that people learn through their actions as they interact with the environment. An individual’s desire to explore the environment facilitates perceptual learning to a great extent. As one looks, listens, touches, walks as well as employ other forms of direct observation, he or she acquires knowledge, values, and skills through perceptual learning. Since perception involves fist hand encounter, it is useful in the acquisition of information that help in dealing with immediate objectives (Adolph, 2007). A number of factors have been known to affect perceptual learning. Experience has been picked out as one of the major factosr that affect perceptual learning and development (Adolph, 2007). The length of time to which one is exposed to a given stimulus determines the extent or degree to which learning may occur. Experience has been linked with age and the timing of when an individual is exposed to it affects the effectiveness of the learning process. Another factor that plays a central role in perceptual learning is the ‘constancy’ of perception. Variations in lighting intensity of the object and the relative positioning of the perceiver greatly affects the energy that facilitates the perception of a given object. Perceptual learning and development enables individuals understand that objects and situations remain unchanged despite the variations in some sensory inputs (Adolph, 2007). A number of psychological researchers have explored the factors that affect the different forms of learning. Prior exposure to particular stimulus has been found to affect the rate of learning in individuals (Postman, 2007). This is because an individual can be able to associate the different stimuli. Exposure, according to research findings, has been known to enhance predictability of given actions or stimuli and hence shapes behavior. Individuals interact with the environment through the various forms of learning and hence can influence as much as they are influenced by their surroundings. Simple stimulus learning has several real life applications. Living in a noisy neighborhood will eventually lead to co-existence when the response to the stimulus fades away through habituation. The essay has elaborated the concept of simple stimulus learning and habituation as one of the simplest form of learning. The various factors affecting perceptual learning have been analyzed. The ways in which exposure to stimulus influences the learning process have also been discussed. Moreover, the paper has highlighted the applications of simple stimulus learning to real life situations. Stimulus learning, therefore, is one of the most critical means of acquiring knowledge and skills which facilitate meaningful living. References Adolph, M. R. (2007). Perceptual learning and development in infants . McGraw Hill Plc. Aslin, R. P. (2008). Learning and stimulus response: an analysis. Berkeley Press Postman, G. L. (2007). “Understanding stimulus learning.” Psychological Review Journal, 64 (3):426-437

ESSAY: Juvenile Justice System in “Sleepers” Film by Barry Levinson Essay Sleepers directed by Barry Levinson is a dramatic film addressing juvenile justice system at length. It also gives insight of how New York City was in 1960s. Levinson bases Sleepers on a 1995 novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra going by the same title. According to this film, the juvenile justice system is inconsequential in the realms of justice. Justice systems are meant to correct individuals to make them better citizens who can abide to the law, not to harden them making them hardcore criminals. However, Sleepers paint the juvenile justice system as a faulty system. This is evidenced by the bestial events that occur to Lorenzo, Thomas, Michael, and John. After these juveniles kill King Benny, they are taken to Wilkinson Home, a correctional center for reformation. However, once these four boys check in Wilkinson Home, they meet unheard brutality in the hands of Nokes, Addison, Styler, and Ferguson, guards at this centre. They are raped, abused, and beaten, an experience that dents these juveniles’ personalities to become hardcore criminals. It is at this point, where Sleepers paints a faulty picture of the juvenile justice system. If the juvenile justice system were efficient, it would have reformed these juveniles. According to what happens in this movie, one experience can change a child so much that he or she becomes a delinquent or an adult criminal. After Thomas and John go through the beastly treatment in the hands of Nokes and the rest, they harden to become adult criminals. Ten years after they have been released from Wilkinson, they spot Sean Nokes taking some beer in a pub down street in Hell’s Kitchen. They confront him and tell him of what he had done to them ten years ago before shooting him six times. Nokes dies in front of everyone in the pub. Therefore, it is possible that one incidence, could change a child into an adult criminal just the way Thomas and Mike changed after the torture they went through in the hands of Nokes and his co-workers. These juveniles lived in Hell’s Kitchen in New York. The community that these juveniles are living in is very unfounded and criminal-minded. The community is unfounded because the only person who seems concerned about these boys is Father Bobby, who makes some efforts to look after the boys. The moment Father Bobby loses touch with these boys; they join a gang in the town. The community is also criminal-minded because the only thing that these four juveniles find to do is joining a gang. If this community were founded on morals and principles, a responsible person correct these juveniles before they join a gang. This gang was at the disposal of these boys and they would join anytime they wanted hence the community pushed these juveniles to join the gang. The friendship of these four boys contributed largely in their behavior. Before they join the gang, Mike, John, Thomas, and Lorenzo spend a lot of time together. Consequently, they find it easy to join a gang as a group. If these boys were to join the gang individually, chances are that, they would not join it. This is because when alone, a person lacks the moral support to do something. This resonates well with the old adage that, ‘together we stand, divided we fall.’ Therefore, friends can lead or prevent delinquent behavior. If three of these boys were not involved in delinquency, chances are that the fourth one would never become delinquent. The film Sleepers is a masterpiece that marries juvenile justice system with subsequent adult criminals. It also sheds light on how bad company can lead to delinquency and touches on the impact of community on the lives of juveniles. Works Cited Levinson, Barry . “ Sleepers .” Baltimore Pictures, 1996.

ESSAY: Social Security System In The United States Essay Table of Contents 1. Important issues relating to Social Security 2. Idea of privatizing the Social Security 3. Reforms required for the social security 4. Conclusion 5. Which would be the most successful savings system today? 6. Works Cited Important issues relating to Social Security United States Social security is arguably the largest employees’ retirement benefit fund as well as the largest government expenditure and investment program in the entire world. The retirement benefits expenditures for the year 2005 was statistically estimated at $822 billion with $299 billion being cover for the medical expenses for the elderly and Medicare. (Board of Trustees of Social Security and Medicare) One of the burning issues regarding U.S. Social Security system is the government policy, which remains jargon to most contributors. It is critical for people to understand policy governing one of the most important schemes in their lives. It represents how well the people live but with terminologies such as, “unfunded liabilities, infinite and seventy-five-year time horizons, average indexed monthly earnings and primary insurance amounts,” then it would be almost impossible to appreciate the system. Other used terms include, “trust funds and lockboxes, wage indexing versus price indexing of benefits, bend points in the benefit formula, carve-outs and add-ons, replacement rates, covered and uncovered earnings, and so on”, (Siegel, 13) One unique aspect of the fund is the benefits for the elderly and the Medicare, which funded by taxes derived form workers’ salaries and wages. According to the Advisory Council on Social Security, the U. S Social funds transferred yearly from the current working class to fund the already retired or retiring workers thus referred to as the “Income transfer Program”. A retiree does not benefit from the amount deducted during their contribution tenure. Unlike various trust funds which accumulate the taxed amount for later refunds, the U.S social security fund is an on-going program with as little as 16% per contribution remaining as running cost for the fund all the other potion funds the retiree. (Advisory Council on Social Security) The fund scheme does not invest the collected taxes but disbands them immediately. The question people would ask is on the stability of the fund comparing it to other illegal pyramid schemes that collapse every now and then yet it utilizes similar operating concept. It is notable that the government is in a position to force current employees to invest through collection of taxes. This means the retirees remain constantly assured of benefits due to funds supplied by younger workers. These fund referrers to as a system that enables citizens to share resources economically. These system workouts in a much better way for the early retirees since they get higher returns compared to later retirees. The outstanding issue relating to the U.S Social security is on its ability to base their benefits calculations on the egalitarian concept, where the families with greater needs receive higher benefits that the high-earning house holds. Evidently, the scheme has seen reduced rates of returns over the years. This might not be a major blow to the scheme because the small differences on the rates of return make huge pension over the years, hence the current improvement on living standards of many retirees in the U.S. The goodness of the deal offered by social security fund drive depends on the type of family whether it is middle class or made of high earners. Idea of privatizing the Social Security Today people prefer to accumulate their assets and other resources in form or stocks and bonds, which have more stable and better rates of return than social security rates. They use the returns to co-sponsor the pension income since the amounts from social funds seem to be lowering day-in-day-out. According to Siegel (2002), on the study of stock over the long run, the rate of stock had been stable at an average of 6.9% for almost two hundred years (1802-2001). Since the World War II, the rates have had a stable 7.1 percent rate of return and although they considered risky and easily fluctuate over short periods, this has not been the case. People invest in bond because of their guarantee over rates of returns. The above phenomenon indicates that there is urgent need to consider the idea of privatizing the social security scheme because of its low returns. Most people are opting to risk their savings on various other investment schemes because they are giving back huge percentages above the social security funds over a short period. The current rate of returns for the fund approximates it at an almost constant 1.5%. Why should an investor consider the scheme while they are able to have 7% or more returns on stocks and 4% or more on bonds, which are more safer just as security funds? The burning issue is competition. By privatising and legalizing other competitive safe schemes, would this be achievable. How many people would wish to have a choice over investing their taxes? If this were possible then they would invest it in the most suitable and best returns giver. This would definitely force the retirement fund scheme to up its dealing to upbeat the competition. The private investment yields more and therefore people which they would be able to invest their taxes in stock. Reforms required for the social security The stability of U.S social security fund does not indicate it is the most desirable it needs many reforms to make it more effective and desirable. The retirees are able to get benefits that are higher than what they contributed only when the salaries and wages of current contributors remain high. This means that the government should have a mechanism of ensuring the salaries keep rising as per the economical growth. The return directly depends on the growth of current earnings. As Siegel (19) puts it, in the long term, the Social Security is capable of providing an “annual rate of return on taxes which is equals to the annual rate of growth in taxable earnings and this means that all generations of workers can get back more than they paid in as long as earnings raise over time.” The rates of return depend on the rate of economic growth, with the current trends of depreciating economies or low growing economies; the expected rates to continue the depreciation trend too. The early retirees benefited more because the rates were much better in comparison to those paying high taxes now, only to receive pensions at a lower rate. There might be some government trends of trying to increase taxes to cover such holes instead of finding ways of maintaining better pension pays through an improved economy. Internationally, people feel and wish that their pension would be three or more times better than it is today. The social security scheme make workers to save less or nothing on their own for retirement because they feel reduced to nothing by the contributions rather than not because they are satisfied with their contributions. The second reason why the social security contribution discourages more savings is psychologically connected. Once a person knows they will have a pension when they retire, then they seem not to worry over maintaining their current living standards or making it better during the retirement years. Absence of security catalyzes accumulation of current assets efficiently to provide the required retirement package or even a much better one than anticipated. This is the main reason why people in the private sector retire to a better lifestyle than majority of their government employed counterparts. They know the personal efforts and choices determines the future, and therefore start getting ready for it well in advance while the counterparts relax waiting for support from the government. The social security fund scheme does not intend to reduce the personal retirement cutbacks to zero but it does not have any mechanism of promoting personal saving either, which probably would exist if privatized. In any existing economical sense, the government saves no taxes but are directly transfers funds. The scheme is highly influencing the saving trends of individuals, than the economy degrades. Direct savings are in form of purchased bonds or shares. The money that individuals invest in used shares for acquiring resources such as assets, probably buildings, equipments or vehicles. These are real productive benefits commonly referred to as “real capital” economically. Productivity of real capital increases the economic output of a country. Greater production brought about by better facilities in a company with the same labour force as before. The personal savings finances capital accumulation of a company, which leads to over-time economic growth and this growth of a country in turn, causes the growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that translates to personal income growth. Economic output generates the societal income and therefore, when the social security discourages or reduces personal savings it causes negative outcome to the general economy. It might not be possible to note the connection easily, because the wages are never lower than they were before and probably they keep on rising. The vision is that the rise in wages supported by the marginal economic growth due to the limited savings present. The rates of increase are very low than they would probably be. There is ample need to control or reduce the rate of taxation for retirement funds. In recent years, people lack proper decision-making procedures. They do not know whether to work overtime to cover the over 15% deductions on their wages or even do not know how to make the decision over time for retirement. They force bad feeling on people who feel the need for working more years over the retirement level to ensure better living standards. This is a big negative effect over effectiveness of labour. Conclusion Less saving means less investment that translates to low output afterwards hence low stock or real capital and subsequently less personal capital and for this reason, poor productivity and wages is experienced. According to Siegel (2002), the social security and other government managed security funding are the current causes of lowered quantity of produce thus affecting real capital and lowering amount of industry input employed in search for a better economy. Lowered output means lowered income for the Americans. Which would be the most successful savings system today? Today the blame seems to be more than appreciation for the social security. Most people will argue that political forces have all along managed the program. As much as people continue to squabble over political gimmicks, in some cases the truth remains to be that politically instigated policies can as well have deleterious consequences. The social security system of the U.S. has a combination of features that make it an apparent examination that accounts for the political appeals. The splitting of payroll rates on tax for the employer and the employees is one such factor. Most employees would not be aware of the split, which in real sense falls on the employee. Economically the employee is supposed to bear all the cost for the levy. This means that people pay taxes twice as much without much of their consent may be due to ignorance or lack of proper transparency measures by the government. Secondly, there seem to be more severing of taxes imposed on the private sector’s returns and savings. This forces many to understate the gains. Thirdly, the returns for the early retirees were much better as opposed to now. They would state the security fund is excellent but there is ample need to understand the system’s policies well before basing this argument on temporary basis. Lastly, the issue of the hidden costs on savings and supply of labour makes the system more mischievous. The GDP decreases because of depreciation of savings, assets accumulation and labour. Economists are mostly able to note these costs but majority do not. It is easy to believe in non-existence of the costs. It is extremely difficult for the common citizen to note these loopholes. The misconceptions make many politicians to find a perfect basis for politicking other than enlighten and guide people and thus the difficulties experienced in trying to reform the sector. Probably people need a government-funded system other than the transfer system. Works Cited Advisory Council on Social Security. Report of the 1994–1996 Advisory Council on Social Security. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. “Are We There Yet?” 2002. Wall Street Journal , 1997 Board of Trustees of Social Security and Medicare. A Summary of the 2007 Annual. Reports . 2007. Web. Siegel, Jeremy J. Stocks for the Long Run. 3rd Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2002.

ESSAY: Socialism & Democracy: Fundamental Believes and Concepts Compare & Contrast Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Differences in socialism and democracy 3. Basic believes and concepts of socialism and democracy 4. Karl max and Aristotle 5. Conclusion 6. Reference List Introduction The clear understanding of the various forms of both political and the economic systems is of paramount importance in effective governance of countries and their most critical institutions and industries. The understanding of these political and economic systems will help significantly in making good use of the philosophical issues in formulating the guiding policies to run these organization for the common good of all citizens of given countries. Different countries of the world usually practice different approaches in providing various services to their people and this in most cases depends on the nature and the cultural practices of given parts of the world. It should be noted that some systems of governance may work so well in a given country, but this does not guarantee the effective operation in other countries if it is adopted. In the recent time, the various countries are trying to adopt partially some aspects of governance and incorporating them in their systems to see if they can work productively and thus this has led to mixed systems of governance. For example, a governance system, which advocates for the market which is controlled by forces of demand, and can also implement some price controls on goods and services, which are so critical to its citizens. Thus, it can protect its people from exploitation from business people, who want to maximize their profits at the expense of their fellow citizens. In this case, we are going to look at some differences between socialism and democracy and compare and contrast the fundamental believes and concepts (Morris, 2008, p. 1). We will also look at the key people who helped with the ideas which led to both socialism and democracy and also look at the countries where they are practiced. Finally, we will address the philosophical issues and how they support policy development in various countries and, also, in organizations. Differences in socialism and democracy The most distinct difference between the socialism and democracy is that in socialism we are mostly focusing our energies on the governance of the economic activities and the economic systems of a given country while in the democracy we are concentrating on the political governance of people and the various organizations in given counties of the world. In socialism, we have the economic and the political activities concentrating on the ownership of the ways of production and sharing of the resources which are based on the collective property by the community as a whole. In these cases, the economic systems emphasize the running of corporative societies at the public level. Here the production is done by people as a community at large in organized public associations and the benefits which accrue from these civic associations are shared on individual merits and also depending on the number of efforts a given member has rendered in such organization. In this case, democracy will only be focusing its efforts to ensure that these public associations involved in the production of essential goods and services are managed by under democratic terms. This implies that the leadership which is governing these public corporations will have to be chosen by the majority and also the decisions be considered on majority basis since in democracy the guiding principle is the common presumption that majority is always right and their decisions rule those of minority (Viklund, 2006, p. 1). This is clear evidence that the power to govern is derived by seeking a mandate from the people either directly from the people themselves or indirectly from their trusted representatives who have been given such mandate to choose on their behalf by the people themselves. In the socialism there is excellent emphasizes on the adoption of the most recent and effective technological advancement to ensure that the different organizations are run by applications of scientific principles to make sure that economic activities are doing well. This will effectively counter check the adverse effects of capitalism from finding the entrance in a socialism community or nation in which a few business people take advantage over the others to enrich themselves. It is also well known that the emergence of socialism was a result of efforts of people trying to curb the effects of industrialization and continued ownership of crucial sectors of the economy by private sectors. Some socialist advocates for the ways of production of goods and services and also their distribution to be put under state control and ownership while the others concentrate on putting the modes of production under the hands of the cooperative workers. In the other side, democrats advocate or approve nationalization of the organizations, which offer some essential services and goods selectively. This means that it is only the organizations which are involved in providing the most necessary and critical products and services are supposed to be owned and controlled by the state or other wards the public as a whole (Sarup, 2006, p. 1). It is also obvious that in socialism we have what can be described as a command economy. This is because the prices are pre-determined by use of try and error method by the responsible board which is in charge of fixing the prices of consumer goods and because the political system controls most of the production of essential products and services and also their distribution. This is quite different from democratic systems because of their political organizations which advocate for individual ownership of assets and, also, the private acquisition of business organizations (DuRand, 1997, p. 1). Basic believes and concepts of socialism and democracy The socialists believe in collective ownership of goods and services, and thus they are always ready and willing to sacrifice to higher magnitudes for the sake of betterment of the communities at large and not their well being alone. Their economic and political organizations are usually structured in a way in which they can promote the common good of all people. Here community and public efforts are highly appreciated other than the individual efforts. Here the concept of planned economy is of great concern in the economic systems and also the political organizations in the sense that the number of goods and services to be produced and also to be distributed together with the recommended prices are usually pre-determined by the responsible departments in both the political organizations and, also, in the economic systems. In one way or the other democrats may tend to agree with socialist by trying to incorporate some of the socialism practices in their political organizations and the economic systems (Morris, 2008, p. 1). For the democrats may decide to put measures to control the production and prices of some essential good to respond to the wishes of the majority who may not be in a position to afford some of the most basic and crucial goods and services. This will comply with the common belief of democracy that the wishes and decisions of the majority will always dominate under all situations. Even though democrats can sometimes change their systems of governance to reflect on the wishes of the majority they firmly believe in the free market whereby the forces of demand and supply determine the prices of various goods and services. Karl max and Aristotle Karl max came up with what is recently called Marxism in which he tried to explain how socialism came about. He argued that conscious of the people who work very hard to earn a living in terms of salaries and wages made fell like slaves and creating the desire for them to seek freedom from such slavery and drop the passion for being capitalists and go for collective ownership (Crespo, 2003, p. 1). He also reasoned that it is the social well being which influences the consciousness which is very vital for the existence of humanity and thus promotion of socialism. Socialism is practiced in countries like the Republic of China whereby the socialist and centrally planned economies are practiced, and it is worth to note that here the cooperative workers are highly regarded. On the other hand, the Aristotle has worked very hard to explain the democratic forms of organizations. In this case, Aristotle contrasted the governance by many people, governance by a few people and governance by a single person. Here he suggested that the most essential principle of democracy is freedom and liberty. He also said that the decision made by the majority of the people should be taken to form justice (Baron, 2008, p. 1). Democracy is mostly practiced in most parts of the world because it is widely acceptable by people even though it is not friendly with some parts of the world and especially in African, even though it is highly embraced in the United States of America. Conclusion It is evident that the philosophical issues and how they support the formation of the various policies in both socialism and democracy are of paramount importance in multiple governments. This is because it will help in evaluating the various political and economic organizations in a given country. It will be for well good of all governments to adopt forms of governance which will promote the continued existence of humankind. Here we have looked at differences between socialism and democracy, their most common believes and concepts and also the people who led to the ideas of socialism and democracy and the countries where are practiced. We have also incorporated the philosophical issues and how they support the policies mentioned. Reference List Baron, D. (2008). The Difference Between Socialism and Communism. Web. Crespo, P. (2003). Democracy & free markets vs. socialism. Web. Durand. C. (1997). The Idea of Democracy and the Idea of Socialism . Web. Morris, D. (2008). Socialism VS Democracy Obama VS McCain. Web. Sarup, K. (2006). Democracy vs. Communism: Lessons from history . Web. Viklund, A. (2006). Democracy and Socialism . Web.

ESSAY: Differences in Wages and Benefits at the Workplace Analytical Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Conflict theory 3. Geography 4. Occupational segregations 5. Discussion 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography Introduction Wages and benefits are quite imperative in the operations of an organisation. This is considering the fact that they affect the profits, staff motivation and employee turnover rate among other aspects. Various theorists throughout history have analysed factors that influence wages and benefits in organizations. Davis and Moore argue that staffs always desire rewards and they try to acquire knowledge and skills to achieve this desire. It is based on social stratification focuses on training and talent of staffs in relation to rewards given at the workplace. The two argue that functional importance is not a big contributor to rewards as compared to training and talent of employees. In this case, the two tend to link differences in wages to classical economics. Other scholars however find this theory to be quite controversial in nature. This paper shows clearly that the economic system, occupational segregation, unionization and geography play a great role on wages and benefits in an organisation. (Maddison, 1995) Conflict theory Karl Marx’s conflict theory is based on capitalism, exploitation and surplus value. He asserts that the society consists of diverse social classes and individuals whose wealth or materials differ. This results in poor and rich people in the society. This results in wealthy having more power over the poor. The wealthy then tend to exploit the poor who are powerless. The high social class in the society therefore use economics and force to exploit the low class people. (Marx, 1971) According to Marx, a society that is capitalist in nature is run by capital therein. That is materials, factories, money, tools and machines. These are usually owned by the wealthy that form a small percentage of the population. This results in two social classes that oppose each other. These are proletariat or workers and bourgeoisie or people who own capital. The workers’ only asset is their labor time that the capitalists buy. This results in bourgeoisie exploiting workers by paying them less wages and making massive profits. (Marx, 1971) Unionisation mediates wages through having collective bargaining of workers’ grievances to employers. Collective bargaining power is normally achieved through using trade unions. The elasticity of demand for labor leads to the decline in bargaining power relating to overall distribution of rent. This is more so in organisations that have supernormal profits. (Marx, 1971) The use of trade unions is known to play a great role in helping workers have their salaries and wages improved. Unionisation is known to give workers bargaining power over issues such as wages with employers. In a capitalist system, workers are highly exploited by being given small wages while owners of capital make huge profits. Unionisation therefore gives workers the voice and platform to be heard by the capitalists who are the employers. (Marx, 1971) Geography Income is a factor that has been known to influence working conditions across the globe. In this case, majority of employers tend to shun away from employing low income people. This was more so related to blacks who were highly disadvantaged even when hired. In places like Chicago, only white men would be given managerial positions claiming that they are skilled compared to their low class black counterparts. In this case, the working conditions for the low income people tend to be quite difficult up to date. They are given cleaning jobs and made to work for many hours compared to the top management. This is despite the fact that they are paid far much less than managerial team. This is considering the fact that they have less capital (money) and therefore less bargaining power. This is evident in western nations such as United States. (Goesling, 2001) Research shows that Data in global arena shows disparities in working hours between nations. Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and France are known to have few working hours. This is compared to countries like Korea, Mexico, Czech Republic and Japan. These disparities still exist between nations pertaining to working hours and income of staffs. It is however evident that in some nations, the managerial team works longer hours and earns more. This is compared to other staffs that work for few hours and earn less. (Goesling, 2001) Occupational segregations According to Wilson, occupational segregations have been noted throughout history in diverse nations. Initially the people with color were highly segregated from management jobs. Employers claimed that they were not skilled, had poor grammar and spoken language. This segregation broadened further to gender aspects. This is with women being denied some positions within organisations even in cases where they are well qualified. (Wilson, 1987) Managerial positions in organisations could not be given to women but to the men. In the hotel industry, occupations such as waitresses are given t women and that is why they are highly dominated by female gender. This includes cleaning and cooking jobs in the hotel industry. The top parts of organisational structure are dominated by men and lower by women. Occupations such as air hostess and nursing are dominated by women. In this case, they ted to receive less pay and benefits when compared to male dominated occupations such as doctors, engineers and pilots. (Wilson, 1987) Discussion Analysis of the above information shows a real picture of social issues at the working environment. Karl Marx’s conflict theory is still applicable to date. There are still rifts between workers and employers with the former trying to oppress the later through small wages. This goes further with workers working for long hours and getting peanuts for the job dome. The concept of capitalism and exploitation are quite relevant even in the twenty first century. Initially, trade unions tried to help through collective bargaining power. With time, employers have learnt strategies of facing out unionisation within their organisation. The terms of employment have continued to shift from permanent to temporary or contract basis. There continues to be disparities in working hours in different nations. This also relates to wages related to working hours. This has resulted in a situation where staffs have more than one job in order to make ends meet. It is common to find people having three to four jobs so as to earn more. Occupational segregation has gone through a paradigm shift. This is with female gender gaining skills equal to male counterparts. This has resulted in women slowly taking up occupations totally thought to be masculine in nature. These include engineers, pilots, doctors and even mechanics. Although Davis and Moore’s theory was highly deemed to be controversial, it is quite relevant in the twenty first century. Future occupation is highly affected by the aspects of training and talent. This is considering the fact that current market bases wages and benefits on one’s training, acquired skills and talent. This calls for more search for knowledge and skills so as to produce quality services and products in the future occupation. This will therefore narrow down to better salaries and wages and even more bargaining power. The theories on occupational segregations may not matter more in future occupations as one’s skills play a greater role in securing employment. This is with initiation of organisations that fight for women’s rights, government policies and organisational policies on equal employment opportunities for all despite gender, age, race or color. It is therefore quite imperative for one to acquire relevant skills, training and knowledge if he or she desires to have better wages and benefits at work. Conclusion In conclusion, there are various theories that try to explain differences in payment of wages and benefits at the workplace. Theorists such as Davis and Moore argue that training and talent are key players in earnings. Karl Marx’s conflict theory shows two social classes of rich and poor. This is with rich having power and exploiting the poor through small wages. Unionisation played a key role in increasing workers’ bargaining power but is slowly being faced out. It is therefore quite essential that all people strive to acquire training and talent so as to have better wages as this is what counts in the current job market. Bibliography Goesling, B. (2001): Changing income inequalities within and between nations; New evidence; American sociological review 66; 745-761 Maddison, A. (1995): Monitoring the World Economy; 1820-1992; Paris; OECD Marx, K. (1971): Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy; States and Social Revolutions; A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia and China; New York; Cambridge University Press Wilson W. (1987): The truly disadvantaged; The inner city, the underclass and public policy; Chicago; University of Chicago Press

ESSAY: “Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway Analytical Essay One of the tragic consequences of any war is that it demolishes the traditional values and drastically changes the perceptions of the world by those who have gone through its horrors. Coming back to normal life appears a torture to such people since their vision of future existence runs counter to the standards of the peace time. While civilian population seeks shelter from the harshness of the angry world in the safe harbor of family life, soldiers who come back from the war find themselves incompatible with the traditional pattern of life. Such dramatic situation is described in Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home”, where the character of Harold Krebs reveals itself as a tragic hero who is opposed to the traditional world represented in the characters of the average citizens. To unfold the characterization of Harold Krebs in “Soldier’s Home”, Hemingway employs a whole range of means. For one thing, Krebs’ character opens up through his actions, thoughts and reactions to the surrounding world. From the very beginning of the story the reader faces a series of monotonous repetitions that reflect an objective, dull, almost mechanical state of Harold’s mind: multiple reiterations of phrases like “There is a picture…”, “He liked…”, “He did not want…”, “It was simply not worth it” reflect Harold’s emotional deadness and indifference caused by the terrors of the war (Hemingway 165–167). War was not the only cause for Harold’s apathy: he was met with estrangement by his own community who wanted not the truth but the embellished tales that were far from the war reality. Revolted by the necessity to tell those lies, Harold rejects the reality which is false for him and creates his own existence opposite to the conventional routine: instead of finding a job and settling down with a girl, he sleeps, reads books, plays pool and the clarinet. Thus he explicitly opposes himself to the society by means of his words and deeds. For another thing, Harold’s surname is significant: Hemingway borrowed it from his friend married to a woman old enough to be his mother (Lynn 258). This fact signifies the importance placed on the dramatic conflict between Harold’s world-view and that of his mother’s. Hemingway launches this conflict to provide a deeper understanding of Harold’s incompatibility with his environment. Setting off Harold’s lack of determination and definite life objectives, the foil character of his mother embodies all the traditional values: in trying to convince her son of the necessity for settling down and finding a job, Harold’s mother acts as a herald of conventional lifestyle that rather repulses than inspires Harold. Harold’s relaxed existence appears meaningless to his mother, who represents the traditional Protestant values of work and family, of everyone’s life subordinated to the eternal laws of the Kingdom of God. The more painful and uncomfortable for Harold is his mother’s attempt to place him into that Kingdom, where he has actually never belonged (Hemingway 168). His repulsive reaction to his mother’s reproach, his disinterest and blunt confession of no love for anybody discloses the abyss between him and the conventional society. To survive in it, Harold unwillingly gives up to its demands and says farewell to his dream of a smooth life uncomplicated by social conventions. The tragedy of Harold’s character is that once he loses everything in the frightful experience of war, coming back home becomes senseless to him. He does not feel the wish to do it; yet, due to the apathy and weakness of his nature, he returns one year later — too late to be accepted as a hero. Wrong time, wrong place — those are the adverse circumstances that ruin Harold’s vision of uncomplicated life. He becomes a piece of driftwood that floats according to the ways imposed by the traditional society which is too blind to see and accept his uniqueness. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. “Soldier’s Home.” Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing (8th ed.). Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 165–170. Print. Lynn, Kenneth Schuyler. Hemingway . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995. Print.

ESSAY: Solving the Raised Issues: Gateway Resort Ltd Essay First, I would want to thank you for being a committed and loyal member of Gateway Resort Ltd. Your continued support and presence at Gateway Resort is highly recognized and appreciated. The entire family group at the Resort want to express its sincere appreciation to all our members and assure them that the Resort is committed to its mission and vision that enhance giving the best services to our members at all times. What we believe in at the Gateway Resort is that members are the foremost key stakeholders of the company and their satisfaction is our joy and that has for a long time dictated our programs and action at the Resort whereby in everything we have undertaken, broad consideration of all our members is done irrespective of their age, gender, status or race. Any form of dissatisfaction by any member gives us an impression that something has not been done to the expectation and now it becomes the role of the company to investigate, and improve on the concern. Issues the cherished members of the Resort have raised carries weight that cannot be ignored. First we salute the members for forwarding their concerns about the Resort in the right way since at Gateway Resort we are all a family and open to each other. Concerns of our esteemed members constitute the blocks we can build on a treasured Resort for all people. Gateway in dealing with every member has always strived to promote trust and respect (Cant and Heerden, 2005) since it is these core values the company believes a beneficial interdependent relationship will be formed. More so, the company has worked towards creating real and perceived benefits in terms of services that have the capacity to fill the customers needs (Cant and Heerden, 2005) and these always is done at the Resort by identifying the unsatisfied needs and designing products and services that fit and satisfy those needs. Establishing close relationships that are beneficial tour members is our desire since at Gateway Resort we believe that long-term relationship that satisfies customers is the key to success of the company (Lamb, Hair and MacDaniel, 2008). With this in view our strategy has been to develop solutions that enhance customers’ bottom line since a positive customer-salesperson relationship largely contribute to trust, increased customer loyalty and the intent to continue in that relationship (Lamb, Hair and MacDaniel, 2008) and in long-run such a relationships what contributes to the growth and continuity of a company. Gateway Resort Ltd want to assure our customers that our sales team is a highly trained group that at all time yearn to work with customers in the best way possible, in fact they are the servants of our esteemed members. Always we strive to know the needs of our customers, we will take time to listen to you and also we will want to engage you in our decision making process (Schiavo, 2007) at the end the most important person is our customer and his or her needs are our concern. We want to re-assure all our customers that as a company and specifically the sales team we acknowledge their views and concerns (Schiavo, 2007) and that no problem or particular issue can lack a sustainable solution if not a common ground. Gateway Resort’s ways of finding solution to pertinent issues is through consultative meetings and forums with key stakeholders. Since our clients are part of our big family of the company, we sincerely and kindly invite all of them to a meeting that will address the issues raised and hope that a common ground will be reached to the satisfaction of everyone. Again, we want to thank you for being a true friend, partner and client to this great company. We shall continue to provide the best services at all times which as a member you will continue to enjoy and appreciate. References Cant, M. C. and Heerden, C. H. (2005). Personal Selling . South Africa, Juta and Company Ltd. Web. Lamb, C. W., Hair, J.F. and McDaniel, C. (2008). Essentials of Marketing . OH, Cengage Learning. Web. Schiavo, R. (2007). Health communication: from theory to practice . CA, John Wiley and Sons. Web.

ESSAY: Some Thoughts on what is to be Done Essay Many books have been written within the concept of development. It is evident from a historical perspective that there have been different perspectives as far as the term ‘development’ is concerned. Gilbert Rist, one of the greatest authors of his time has written very a comprehensive book on development. In his book, ‘The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith’ , Rist attempts to vividly make evident that which has not been seen. He offers a fierce critique of western models of development, especially those recommended to ‘developing countries’. While he provides a bare account of development, he is not to be considered pessimistic but instead aims to make people aware of the facts of development motives, especially by the western countries. This essay seeks to offer a summary of Chapter 13 of Rist’s book as well as to provide a conclusion from a personal perspective. A number of authors have recommended this book to an overwhelmingly large number of people who would like to understand the forces that have shaped North-South relations for over half a century now. The book has a total of 14 chapters, each with identifiably unique yet related content. In chapter 13, Rist attempts to provide an overview of the preceding chapters with an aim of highlighting important themes brought out in the book. The chapter is entitled, ‘Some Thoughts on what is to be Done’ and widely focuses on ‘development’ as a misrepresented concept. First of all, it points out the Western countries’ misconception of ‘development’ since they provide a misleading definition. From Western understanding, growth or progress should be an ever continuing process (238). The same idea is still perpetrated even to the present and has resulted in a greater division between nations. The West’s aim is to justify its ostensible superiority in all conceivable human achievements. These include; the military activities, technological and economic domination. In order to ensure the penetration of their idea, they constructed and disseminated the concept of ‘underdevelopment’. This hegemony of ‘development’ created a ‘false opposite’ so that countries perceived to be underdeveloped would struggle to catch up (238). However, in order to sound ‘optimistic’, the West introduced the term ‘developing countries’ that only served to reinforce the illusion of attaining material prosperity for all humanity. At the moment, according to Rist, virtually all leaders of states have embraced the ‘development’ paradigm. Everyone is talking about ‘development’ yet in most instances, they all doubt this possibility, individually. However, Rist notes that since every belief gets used to periodic uncertainties, they do not alter the mutual consensus attained during socially binding rites (239). This tendency takes captive of individual doubts on the precept that everyone else believes what has been collectively agreed upon. As a way of getting nations to demonstrate commitment to the belief, there are several forms of obligatory practices (239). The use of conventional ways of defining and solving problems are used. According to Rist, ‘development’ serves to bring forth inequality and exclusion apart from the need to meet the needs of consumers. He also observes that the gap between North and South is always widening. Similarly, the gap between the rich and the poor in each of the nations is also widening. The continued feeding of the well-off group only serves to fuel the hopes of attaining the same status by the poor. This dream bars the realization that they are actually being exploited (239). The developing nations have been blinded by the numerous forms of ‘development assistance’ from the well-off nations, albeit the fact the aid barely reaches the target group but instead land on destitute authorities. The essay has offered a summary of Rist’s work from chapter 13 of his book. It has brought out his ideas on how ‘development’ as a concept has been misrepresented by the West at the expense of other countries. We can conclude that Rist’s arguments about development, to a significant extent, have the ability to enlighten people of all categories. It offers a new perspective of looking beneath the surface of every claim and engagements among nations as well as within independent countries. Work Cited Rist, G. The history of development: from western origins to global faith (2 nd ed.). Zed Books, 238- 239

ESSAY: Analysis of the Performance of Domestic & Multinational US Restaurants Analytical Essay Introduction Background of the study The restaurant industry, both domestic and multinationals, were faced with extremely tough challenges through the end of 2009 due to the economic hardship that lead to weak labor and tight credit markets. The result was a decline in discretionary spending by consumers. With the US economy slowly reviving, the industry posted improved results during the first half of 2010. As a result, the restaurants are expanding and management teams are increasingly considering the most effective strategy to integrate in order to exploit opportunities presented in the market. The resultant effect is that these firms will be able to remain competitive (Cummings et al, 2010, pp.5). Multinational firms refer to those firms in the industry which operate both locally and internationally. Domestic firms only operate within the US. Research indicates that restaurants are opening up branches worldwide and are hence facing numerous challenges. Firm seeking to venture into the international market must assess various factors. Some of these factors include inflation rates, interest rates, politics, cultural differences, government regulations among other factors. The study entails a report comparing the differences between multinational firms’ and domestic firms in the restaurant industry. Aim The aim of the report is to analyze the performance of domestic and multinational restaurants in the US. Scope Scope of this report focuses on comparison of performance of domestic and multinational restaurant in US. Discussions Percentage change in sales, operating Income and growth of assets will be discussed in this section. Change in sales Restaurant firms grew larger in size and generated higher sales during the first period (1981-1990) and the second period (1991-2000). Sales from food service grew by at least 49 percent from $228 billion in 1990 to $339 billion in 1999. The huge growth was in sales by commercial food service establishments that prepare, serve and sell food to the consumers. Their sales more than doubled from $178 billion in 1990 to $275 billion in 1999 (Price, 2000, pp.23).As for the multinational restaurants such as Burger King, Pizza hut, KFC and McDonalds, saturated US food market forced them to go abroad. Operating income Operating income of the domestic restaurants is lower than the operating income of the multinationals. This is results from the fact that multinational firms have an effective diversification opportunity thus reducing the degree of risk they face. Reasons for diversification include benefiting the firm’s owners through increasing the efficiency of operation in the firm. Diversification decisions may reflect the preferences of the restaurant managers. The motivation for diversification is to minimize risk of relying on only one or few income source, avoid cyclical or seasonal fluctuation by producing foods with different demand and achieving a higher growth rate in the hotel business. Bankruptcy costs are lower when firms incorporate the concept of internationalization. Multinationals may attain competitive advantage by venturing into the foreign markets since they have sophisticated skills and new technologies (Porter, 1991, pp.538) .This enables them to outperform local corporations in foreign markets. The advantage is reflected by rapid expansion and value of future growth opportunities of the multinationals. It is important to also note that domestic firms have relatively lower growth in operating income and higher pre-tax earnings loss compared to multinational firms (Markle & Shackelford, 2009, pp.5). Causes of profitability for some multinationals cannot be determined. However, one of the factors which result into this is existence of different tax policies (Clausing, 2009, pp.1) and tax avoidance. Growth in domestic earnings Economic growth of multinationals is associated with higher levels of foreign activity by American firms since economic growth increases the value of the foreign output of U.S. companies. Alternatively this arises from the fact that foreign economic improvement coincides with reduced real costs due to productivity gains. Collaborations with other local firms promoted growth in earnings of some domestic firms. Burger King, for example, had a successful long-term deal with Disney Corporation for motion picture tie-ins signed in 1992. This increased their revenues to over 12, 000,000 dollars during that year. Conclusion It can be concluded that performance of multinational restaurants outshine that of domestic firms in the same industry growth in profits, earnings and sales. It can also be concluded that multinationals have many assets as compared to local firms. Recommendation It is highly recommended that domestic restaurants should incorporate the concept of internationalization. This will enable firms to expand to other countries so as to tap the unexploited market opportunities. The resultant effect is that the firms will be able to improve their revenues and profits. Venturing into other countries outside America can result into the firm attaining a high competitive advantage. Reference List Clausing, K. (2009). Multinational firm tax avoidance and tax policy . Retrieved from https://www.allbusiness.com/ Cummings, J., Manyaka, J., Mendonca, L., Greenberg, E., Aronowitz, S., Chopra, R. etal. (2010). Growth and competitiveness in the United States: The role of its multinational companies . Washington DC: McKinsey Global Institute. Markle, K. & Shackelford, D.(2009). Do Multinationals or domestic firms face higher Effective tax rates? Cambridge, Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economics. Porter, M. (1991). The competitive advantage of nations . Massachusetts: John Wiley And Sons. Price, C. (2000). Food service sales reflect the prosperous time-pressed 1990s. Food Review. Volume 23, Issue 3.pp.23-26.Economic research service: Washington DC.

ESSAY: Staff Development and Managing Technology Essay Staff development is a continuous plan in school that focuses on developing teachers’ knowledge, skills and strategies. The development programs aim at influencing teachers’ self understanding and their behaviors so as to influence the students. This happens because teachers have a direct contact with the students in their daily operations through the process of learning and teaching. The training is reinforced through continuous, classified, formal or informal plans. Personal development addresses specific teaching career issues (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-7). This paper seeks to explore the essence of staff development and technology change management in schools and also analyze the effectiveness of these components. Introduction It is important for an institution or organization to capitalize on the staff’s abilities and potentials that arises from the shared responsibilities and the use of technology. This is because employees have the ability to improve their skills through self directed programs for development and trainings. However, whether or not it is an initiative of the school or company to have employees train, the staff has to be committed to learn and explore the learning opportunities. This is the only way in which the goals of the development plan can be achieved. Discussion The initial ability and comfort in using information technology to enhance staff skills and knowledge of content delivery in a learning environment may be a challenge. This is because of the various attitudes that are likely to emerge due to the different attitudes, beliefs and thoughts about the technology in use among individuals. The beliefs highly influence future intentions in the use of technology in the elementary education. Teachers can be given a chance to evaluate their skills against the parameters of the training program. A staff development practice in a school will foster personal development hence improve the overall performance in the institution. The proof for this can only be measured on improved results and achievements of students. The National Staff Development Council, NDSC advocates the improvement of professional efficiency in the teaching and learning process in order for all students to achieve their optimum results (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p. 312-314). Staff development not only aims at enhancing performances in school but also on enhancing workers’ attitudes towards work, positive motivation, creating strong relationships among the teachers and sharpening them on the acquire new skills and knowledge. Staff development practices The fact that the training team has common values and long term goals; every member has to tolerate multiplicity and disagreements in order to learn as a group. There is also the need to cultivate essential and quality practices that will help achieve a successful implementation of the staff development strategy. Study group is one of these quality practices that reinforce the achievement personal development among employees. Teacher trainees can be assigned to look into a particular area where most of them have a problem in teaching discipline. The group carries an extensive analysis on the area through sharing of opinions and seeking clarifications from the instructor and consulting among themselves. It is one way of strengthening staff-staff relationship. The study group also facilitates sharing of experiences, skills and knowledge hence learning new techniques that will further be used in classrooms to teach the students (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p.312-314). In staff development programs trainees coach one other. Peer coaching is another major program that teachers and instructors can undertake in efforts to enhance collaboration among them and overcome their differences. Collaborative practices encourage trust and openness among the teachers. Peer coaching also help the members to value each other and accommodate their diverse experiences, attitudes and behaviors. More so is because teachers have divergent attitudes and thoughts about change and improvement needful in meeting professional development. Peer coaching promotes teamwork other than working as an individual. It creates a forum for sharing successful experiences that facilitates career growth and support for colleagues in teaching profession (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-7). The idea of utilizing the teachers’ ability to use technology is not always an easy and one day event. Most learners are often concerned about the professional risks and changes that technology brings to education. This is because the learners must adapt to pressure while using the computer aided instructions and also ensure maximum participation as an individual. This to some adults may mean avoidance or even fear while using technology hence failure in meeting the expected results (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p. 312-314). Some techniques may involve the use of net to carry out research and electronic projections to learn. Self direct learning can also be done though attending seminars in order to enhance an individual’s knowledge and skills. Staff development approaches for adults Professional Staff development strategies organize adults into learning communities with the goals of improving learning among the trainees of the program. Teachers, students and the administrators need this form of professional training that is far different from the traditional workshop- driven approach. It may involve an ongoing team that meets regularly on certain days and at a given time with the goal of conducting joint lesson planning and also methods of problem solving. The commitment in the learning process among these learning communities is to adhere to the norm of a continuous enhancement and experimentation in order to enhance their daily work and also achieve the school goals (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-7). My understanding of development approaches for adults have been reinforces due to various factors as argued below. Adults commit themselves to learning only when the objectives and goals are realistic and meet their needs. Therefore when designing such a professional program, it is important to conduct needs assessment program so as to achieve an effective professional development program. The belief that learning activities is challenge to adults’ competencies may contravene the professional development approach. This is because they are their own origin of education and will therefore reject learning activities on the belief of attacking their qualifications. The other reason is that these learners have differences in levels of learning experiences, interests, self-direction, and competencies. Professional development learning must relate to the individual’s day- day activities. If the approach is technical and hard to understand, then the probability of its unsuccessful application is high. The learners must also be given direct experiences and relevant examples so that they can apply the skills in real work (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p. 312-314). Strategies to implement this in classrooms should then be implemented to see to it that teachers accept the use of technology with their own abilities. They may design video formulated programs to use in classrooms while teaching. They also need a hand- on trial in order to utilize the acquired skill, develop units, and implement the program by themselves. To sustain this skill, follow up is need. They get opportunities to participate in an ongoing discussion. They can also reflect on the necessary processes and procedures that bring in the expected change (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-7). The understanding for staff development and technology development has also been reinforced because of the knowledge that there exists a direct connection between the curriculum and technology in use. If the teachers his students excelling and having improvements, then there is a link. Professional development on technology use needs to illustrate projects on particular areas of the curriculum in use, the skills and assessment competencies. The use of Specific content helps the instructors to analyze, reflect on the ideas and the structure of the project. Good integrated training programs do not necessarily see the need to use technology in classrooms but also checks on the outcome of its application. There is a relation between staff development in school and educational change. These changes may be in the form of new plans, strategies and or even cross- curriculum initiatives that enhance the school curriculum (Clerk & Mayer, 2007. p.7-28). Staff development approaches and the use of technology Learning approach in staff development of adults must be guided by the adult learning theory. The theory asserts that adults require viable and distinct experiences with enough content support, frequent response to the practices done, continuous and sustained follow ups. Staff development and the use of technology are totally different from the traditional mode of training and education which only carry out workshops. Research shows that teachers comprehend well the content provided to them when reinforced for a long time as compared to workshops which conduct a single session. The devised staff development strategy undertaken should be a long term based implementation plan. This is because the teachers require an on going support while they develop their skills to obtain the objected skills and knowledge. Single trainings and workshops often results in ineffectiveness, waste of time, money and energy. Lecture-base trainings must be avoided by all means while developing the skills of an organization’s employees. It is important to note that this paper doe not aim at stating that traditional approaches of professional development did not succeed at but other improved ways of effectively training employees. An instructor must by all means avoid delivering the content of the program by just verbal words alone. However, a combination of both word and practice must be incorporated for optimum results. Professional development in adult education requires well formulated approaches. Workshops and presentations enhance attainment of new ideas and skills concerning a particular topic by giving direct instructions and also enabled participatory practices. This may be undertaken as the initial step towards attainment of professional development in adults. This is because the organized workshop acts a vehicle in introducing the participants to the strategies of gaining professional development. It may also helps in introducing the practitioners to the relevant knowledge or skills that they further put hands-on (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-7). The instructor must design a comprehensive and practical development plan to reinforce the learning abilities of the staff. Such a plan requires investment. Regardless of the difficulties at the starting time, the participants must show commitment to the learning process and later move from move from teacher trainees to competent professional with time. Benefits of staff development and use of technology use in schools Job rotation in teaching is an out dated and ineffective approach of staff development and should be replace with Computer Aided Instructions (CAI). Computers display instructions when one needs such assistance, play audio on demand. CAI is one of the most effective approaches of staff development among adult trainees. Unlike CAI job rotation involves rotation of staff through various levels/classes in order to acquaint them with the technicalities at each level. Its efficiency is insignificant (Clerk & Mayer, 2007. p.37). The effects of CAI are significantly noticeable because it allows teachers to put their practice the areas that concern them. A school’s technology plan should be designed to incorporate professional development and technology use. The reason for this is that the inclusion of technology in the school’s overall improvement plan helps improve learning and teaching processes in school. The integrated technology in the school curriculum must be sufficiently sustained so as to allow the instructors and administrators continue using technology in learning processes (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p.312-314). With technology, individuals get personalized instructions that enable the staff to actively participate in the learning process of their professional development as compared to the traditional job rotations. Technology grants educators diverse opportunities to improve their teaching skills which in turn increase the students’ ability and achievements in education. Learning and working together produces improved and better results than learning and working individually. This is because technology does not allow interactions rather it permits software socialization and collaboration via real time like discussion boards and emails (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-5). Technology in staff development allows the learners to try out the newly skill acquired during the workshop session, the trainees follow up by applying what they observe in workshop and give a feedback. This comes after the learner has rehearsed the details provided to have the data integrated in long term memory. Feedback approach provides the learners with information and response that relates to their performance. Incase the learner wants to try out another skill acquired at the first stage then the research or inquiry approach may be applied. This approach ensures that the learners think about their daily operations in relation to the acquired skill. They reflect on their practices over time. On the same line, workshops and seminars can be arranged to discuss needs analysis and then collaboratively come up with curriculum development program reinforcement (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p. 312-314). With CAI, the process of learning takes place smoothly without boredom, fatique and impatience that is a common behavior in most ‘traditional classrooms. With Computer Aided Instructions, students receive immediate feedback. It also gives the students the ability to decide on the speed at which to receive instructions and content. Additionally, after the teachers have gone through staff development trainings using technology, the teachers is saved the energy of moving from one station to another while giving same instructions to different students (Clerk & Mayer, 2007. p.37). Technological staff development plans provide instructions that are tailored to the learners’ requirements. The learners send their responds to the instructor’s questions, if there is an error on the learners practice problem, the system will sends increased instructions to help the learner solve the problem. This system allows the learners to practice inputting data into the computer hence feedback practice. The practice continuous until they get the right answers as per the instructions. Contrary to as many may think, there is no one perfect professional development approach. From the discussion, multiple approaches may be integrated to solve dynamic issues related to particular program content and also as per the needs of the learner. The effectiveness of particular staff development program comes as a result of utilizing integration of different approaches to be use for different situations. Professional development for the staff comes with a variety of factors and not just adoption of one approach. It is important to connect program to the students learning in order to facilitate high –order thinking. The development plan should be designed to incorporate technology use. The reason for this is that the inclusion of technology in the school’s overall improvement plan helps improve learning and teaching processes in school. The integrated technology in the school curriculum must be sufficiently sustained so as to allow the instructors and administrators continue using technology in learning processes (Rodriguez, 2000, para. 3-7). During the learning process, there is need to divide the participants into small groups so that they can share, reflect together and finally generalize their learning experiences to achieve the desired results. This is different from the idea of having one individual analyzing, reflecting and evaluating about an idea and then practice the same alone. Training strategies must aim at passing skills and knowledge to an individual and the knowledge retained, then applied at work place creating for more opportunities to acquire skills. On certain programs, learner may have to keenly observe and master the graphs and words provided in order to use the data for the practice session. Culture and staff development Every successful staff training program faces several challenges from the existing cultural differences among the members of the school. The cultural components relate to the relationship between research and teaching and also in the nature of teaching. The context in which Personal and professional development takes place also influences its success. To begin with school timetable and schedule plans may limit the teachers in securing time for the joint planning. This is because the teachers have class responsibilities that they must fulfill to meet the administration’s requirements. For the set staff development plan to effectively progress and be a successful project the school has to have a flexible program to accommodate teachers’ development that fosters for the success of learning on students (Clerk & Mayer, 2007. p.37). The other cultural limitation is the leadership system in the school. Principals and heads must support the initiatives for teachers’ development by allocating enough time for a continual learning process. The administration and management must also provide the required resources for the learning programs. If this is not the case, then it can be said that the leaders are not committed to the staff training session s and implementing the development plan. Successful implementation of an education change plan calls for good practices among all participants in professional development in order to achieve positive students’ progress (Thomson & Holloway 1997, pg.312). Individual teachers’ development also encounters the culture of individualism. This is a common isolation practice among teachers that protects teachers from criticism and blame. Some teachers tend to concentrate on short time plans in their classrooms and avoiding discussing and committing time for the necessary changes that affect their daily practices. Individualism results into failure collaboration with fellow teachers through fear of criticism and judgments. This affects the process of meaningful feedback, their value and competencies. Individual attitudes towards the use of technology in education play a major role in determining the results of using technology to improve the staffs’ skills. It becomes a concern to the learners about their ability to grasp the skills of using technology itself while on the learning process. These attitudes vary among different individuals ranging from generic ‘motherhood beliefs’ to the apprehensiveness of technology. ‘Motherhood’ beliefs question about the positive values that technology brings (Thomson & Holloway 1997, pg.312). Culture dominantly influences the learner’s choices for the training program. For instance, certain beliefs limit one’s selection of some subjects. To resolve this, training has to be reflective of the educator’s ability to influence the choices of learner’s positively. Furthermore, culture determines who will take part in what training program. Oppressive cultures that are oppressive to women, limit a woman’s choice of a training program. Thus, the use of peer coaching or study groups of different gender in cultures where women should only learn limits the learning that that the participants of such programs acquire. These are some culture which can negatively affect any staff development in a school because there is generally lack of commitment for the training program. There are major benefits that accrue to staff training and development that can not be ignored. These benefits surpass the above discussed thoughts, beliefs an attitudes associated with technology in adults learning. It is therefore imperative to ensure that beyond these cultural challenges, the main objective of the professional development program is successfully implemented. The other idea that emerges in addition to the above discussion is the confidence of teachers of practicing the new skills like computer use knowledge. To all the teachers who use internet to research and later write research reports, the probability is that they struggle with lack of self confidence. The learners may never be confident about how well they were prepared to practically use technology while teaching. This is a major set back of using while implementing a development strategy to improve the staffs’ pre- service programming skills. This program may also increase anxiety among the group of how they will be using technology in classrooms upon their students (Thomson & Holloway, 1997, p. 312-314). Conclusion An effective professional development program is an ongoing process and not a single instance application. Teachers need to continually practice the technology in use comfortably and in a professional manner. Significant changes in the school may take place after several years. This allows for the teachers enough time to comprehend integrated and master the new information and approaches into their daily practices. It is clear that, an instructor must be able to evaluate the approach he chooses for professional development. This is an intentional reflective practice that any instructor who aims at succeeding must do in order to refine the approach. This is more often done at the presentation stage so as to encourage the educators to reflect on the situation and then formulate other viable solution to the learner’s problem. Hand in hand with this kind of reflective approach is observing the educator through video or class attendance. Reference List Clerk, R. & Mayer, R. (2007). E-learning and the science of instruction: proven guidelines of consumers and designers of multimedia learning : U.S, John Wiley and sons. Web. Rodriguez, G. (2000). Critical issue: providing professional development for effective technology use. Web. Thomson, J. & Holloway, D. (1997). Staff development and a culture of collection in a primary school. Teacher developmen t. Vol. 1, No. 2, Routledge: Routledge.

ESSAY: State and local public policies Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Public policy 2. Principles of public policy 3. Conflicting policies in the recent past 4. Controversies 5. Case study 6. Responses to the legislation No child Left Behind Act 7. Conclusion 8. Works Cited Public policy Public policy is defined as a body of principles underlining the states legal operations. It covers the social, economic and the moral values of a given society. In the general context values vary from one culture to the other making it prone to change over time. Laws on the other hand regulate the behavior of individuals living in the state as well as reinforcing the existing social prospects; thereby encouraging positive change in the state, (Henekom 183). Their effectiveness depend on the general acceptability of the social norms by the society where the laws are applied thus reflect the general morality of the state. Policies are open for analysis by any individual in the state including non-governmental organizations and other authorities in the private sector. The policy analyst teams constitute cultural institutions, state council and even religious leaders. Public policy making takes place through several stages. The stages include problem recognition, policy formulation, policy execution and appraisal according to the desired objectives. The first step, involves identification of the existing problem and its history. In addition, it involves identification of the affected personalities and their degree of awareness to the short and long term effects of the proposed policy, (Peter 199). Similarly, the initial stage assesses the impending effects of changing the existing policies to the society. Policy makers therefore gauge the appropriate policies to solve the identified problems. The second stage involves policy formulation and adoption. This stage involves public policy discussion and debate between the government officials, individual citizens and the interest groups .It aims at setting goals and the steps to achieving them. It also involves discussing alternative solutions to the problems and possible obstacles during the policy making process besides their effects towards establishing change. In the United States, the formulation and adoption of a policy is done by the legislature. The third stage involves implementation of the new policy changes. It includes determination of the organizations involved and assigning every stakeholder a role to play in the process. It requires proper communication and cooperation between the stakeholders, sufficient funds to execute the policy activities and overall compliance of the stakeholders to the new approach, (Benard & Frans126). The final phase in policy making process involves of evaluation and maintenance of the new policy and incorporation of the statistical tools to asses the usefulness of the proposed policy. It encompasses determining the effectiveness of a policy change in addressing the societal problems and habitually calls for public policy manipulation. This stage is typically carried out through cooperate efforts of the policy makers and the private evaluators. Principles of public policy Public policy formulation is based on the principle of “ignorantia juris non excusat” (ignorance of the law is no excuse, (Benard & Frans (93).This principle undermines the enactment of any law whenever the accused is able to defend herself against violation. The state therefore adopts policies to maintain sovereignty and reflect the importance of territorial borders. This makes the public policies be valid only within a given territorial boundary agreed according to the process of de jure recognized by the international community. Similarly, public policies are based on the principle of social contracts which defines the relationships between the citizens and the state by requiring the citizens to pay allegiance to the state. Conflicting policies in the recent past This paper considers a controversial piece of legislation that has been viewed as the most important milestone in educational policy reforms in the United States. In the year 2002, the congress passed an educational policy to provide for attainment of fair and equal access to Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The policy was dubbed No Child Left Behind (NCLB). It received the backing of all political parties in the congress despite being proposed by former president Bush’s Republican Party. The act required that learners are examined in varying learning outcome such as acquisition of special skills at certain learning grades as opposed to classical paper-based evaluation. The policy (NCLB) was founded on prior legislation; Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that made it compulsory for schools to perform favorably in state academic tests. Controversies The two pieces of legislations when read discretely, they show contradictions between intent of providing special education and the act of law. Law requires schools to excel in proficiency tests by including the scores of disabled learners and yet the evaluation of learning process by disable children do not necessarily include their scores in standardized tests i.e. a different psychomotor parameters may be assessed. Also, the NCLB aimed at widening the spectra of disabilities among learners beyond the traditional 13 disabilities spelled out in previous legislation, IDEA, which provided for a narrow range of disabilities thus locked out many deserving disabled children to federal funding despite having special learning needs. The widened spectra of disabilities outlined in NCLB led to an increase in gross enrolment rates of students. It eliminated previous discriminatory federal legislations such as Education for All Handicapped children Act (EHA). Conflicts arose in that, the new policy (NCLB) aimed at providing improved learners performance in standardized tests by concentrating in core subjects and demanded that learners be placed in least restrictive learning atmosphere. This made schools to adopt mainstreaming strategy. This has been particularly difficult for teachers since the individual district schools have been compelled by the Act to teach learners using the general curriculum in order to achieve the uphill task of attaining the grade-entry-level standards, (Dunklee & Robert 324). The general curriculum is more demanding and at the same time the Act requires individualized attention to learners in order for them to acquire life skills and employable competencies that can make the self reliant. In addition, the IDEA demands that district schools perform favorably within a competitive standardized test and compile an Annual Yearly Progress report (AYP). Computation of AYP requires that all the learners’ scores are used, unless in special cases of severe cognitive impairments when 3% of such learners’ scores may be omitted, (Ysseldyke & Richard 153). Since provision for individualized attention requires use of tiresome strategies such as evaluation of special skills acquired by learners, teachers often use integrated curriculum delivery approaches and alternative simplified tests and instructional medium alongside the general curriculum. However, computation of AYP, which the school must excel in, must encompass scores from learners with specialized needs. This means that schools with higher population of disabled learners; who are examined through the alternative method called Independent Educational Plan (IEP), perform relatively poorly in AYP compared to those schools with fewer special need learners, (Theodoulou & Mathew 108). Some district schools fail to meet the stringent AYP requirements as a result of failure by learners with disabilities to achieve the desired educational objectives. This may be real or used as a scapegoat, making the process prone to abuse and causes pressure. Some schools deliberately ignore the provisional 3% of Independent Educational Plan (IEP) scores from some special learners when computing AYP. Other schools inflate the results to score favorably in AYP and in some cases oversimplify the alternative special evaluation tests for disabled learners, (Russo & George 591). Consequently, it has been very difficult for schools to effectively determine which categories of learners qualify for such simplified tests. This manipulative practice gives incorrect statistical data in educational evaluation process to the federal government. This is due to lack of uniformity in test results; thus, dents the integrity, reproducibility and hence reliability of results obtained as basis of educational progress. NCLB Act provides for funding of learners enrolled in public schools. However, it also give room for parents dissatisfied with provision for FAPE in a public institutions to transfer their children to private institutions, through unilateral decisions by parents alone or in collaboration with Local Education Authorities (LEA) which must bear any costs incurred in the transfer process including provision of other support services. However, there are cases when Local Education Authorities (LEA) fails to finance students in private institutions eliciting public outcry from the stakeholders. The Act does not guarantee funding of learners enrolled in private institutions making public schools turn go-for-the-child drive to gather more children as a sole discretion by law. Moreover, the implementation of the act has been a great challenge to educators. The Act requires that discipline must be varied when administered to learners. Thus, pursuant to its requirements, discipline must vary depending on the nature and/or acuity of disability. On the other hand, administration of punishments is subjective to the teacher’s ability to formulate sensitive accommodations since not all the conventional forms of punishments may be applicable, (Benard & Frans 173). This has made it difficult for Local Educational Authorities to transfer learners who have undergone ten subsequent suspensions to new facilities as provided for by the Act which stipulates that despite having been suspended or expelled, such learners are still entitled to FAPE. Such learners must be put in interim services while awaiting transfer if their actions are deemed to endanger the lives of other learners in their present institution. Such decision must be reached within ten days, a time faulted to be too short since a procedural comprehensive functional evaluation of past behavior has to be made, reviewed and strategy set to tackle the deviant behavior. Such remedies can only succeed when a consensus is struck between the authorities and the guardians of the leaner in question. Case study IDEA from which NCLB is founded provides parents to contest the computation of Independent Educational Plan (IEP) results for their children. The major contention has been the constitution of FAPE. In a court case in the Supreme Court, the conflict was resolved in Rowley. In Rowley , the Court ruled that key to achieving the objectives set by Education for All Handicapped children Act (EHA), the individual schools must provide, “educational instructions specifically designed to meet the unique needs of the handicapped child, support such services that are necessary to permit the child to ‘benefit’ from the instruction”, ( Elliot & Michael 263). Supreme Court in this case terminated the holdings of the Act by determining the target of the congress while passing the law was that congress intended to ensure that learners with special needs had fair access to education and not just merely demanding the schools to be what the Supreme Court termed as “superficial basis in provision of essential level in educational opportunity”, (James & Joseph 258). This case formed the basis for expectations of the members of the public on the roles of individual school in providing FAPE to individual with disabilities. Responses to the legislation No child Left Behind Act Since the American educational policy affects many students, several groups from the society came out to either criticize or suggest improvements to the Act. These groups included political ideologists, interest groups, courts, educationists and the executive, (Murin & John 283). To start with, political parties have been shaped by competing forces on the politics of education aiming at creating a compromise of the act to accommodate the interests of the minority groups. In 2001, the reauthorization and renaming of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to No Child Left behind Act encouraged the then president George Bush to seek support from moderate party loyalists to avoid resistance from liberal and conservatives from blocking the bill at its initial stages. The late Senator Ted Kennedy (Democratic Party) was appointed the new leader of education committee to garner support. The president conferred with the Republican Party members over the acceptance of the new reforms .On the other hand, Senator Kennedy negotiated with Democrats on behalf of the president. On reaching comprehensive agreements, proper budget on education was passed to ensure accomplishment of the passed legislation. Secondly, the United States courts played major responsibilities on ensuring the success of the policy. In New York, a federal court revived a law suit against the state. In response, the judge confirmed the district schools complaint and recommended that the federal government disburse money for accomplishment of several programs in public schools such as paying for examination and other school activities, (Kengor 325). Later, in 2005, the school districts in New York, Texas, Michigan and Vermont came together with the National Education Association and filed a lawsuit. In their suit, they stated that no school or state be forced to incur expenses before disbursement of federal funding. On the other hand, special interest groups such as the church and business fraternity in New York impacted positively on the new legislation. They emphasized on deregulation of education in New York and called for abolishment of United States Department of Education and advocated for a more inclusive organization that cater for all schools in the state. However, religious conservatives remained rooted on their belief of giving parents the mandate to carry out education policies without government interference. The act authorized the state to provide the students with standardized tests as well as reflecting the improvements in students’ performance. The executive therefore mandated the “National Assessment of Educational Progress”, to administer and compare tests administered by different states, (Kengor 346). Conclusion Policy formulation and implementation is a long term process involving different stakeholders thus must be consultative to seek consensus and opinions of all the policy implementers. This stage is vital in ensuring that the implementation process is successful due to harmonious participation of all the stakeholders. It makes the implementers feel a sense of ownership of the whole process, (Robert & Frans 237). NCLB should be lauded for holding individual schools responsible for the performances of their learners in standardized tests. However, this could be undermined by the fact that it may surpass the need for the schools to provide for individual differences in learning. Involving all stakeholders such as educators, parents and the legislators would help in developing a comprehensive framework that is useful in determining the feasibility of standardized testing as an appropriaiate criterion for measuring leaning outcomes for learners with disabilities. Works Cited Bernard, Steunenberg. & Frans, Vught. “Political institutions and public policy: perspectives on European decision making”. London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997. Dunklee, Duncan. & Robert, Shoop. “The principal’s quick-reference guide to school law: reducing liability, litigation, and other potential legal tangles”. New Jersey: Corwin Press, 2006. Elliott, James & Michael, Thurlow. “Improving test performance of students with disabilities in district and state assessments ”. New Jersey: Corwin Press, 2005. Hanekom, Xing. Public policy: framework and instrument for action . Johannesburg: MacMillan, 2003. James, Lester & Joseph, Stewart. “Public policy: an evolutionary approach”. New York: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2000. Murin, Greenfield, & John Buenker. “Public policy: a guide to information sources”. Michigan: Gale, 2005. Peter, Woll. Public policy. Washington, DC: University Press of America, 2004. Russo, James & George, Osborne. “Essential Concepts and School-Based Cases in Special Education Law”. London: Corwin Press, 2007. Theodoulou, Cahn. & Matthew Alan. “Public policy: the essential readings”. Ney York: Prentice Hall, 1995. Ysseldyke, James. & Richard, Algozzine. “Public policy, school reform, and special education: a practical guide for every teacher”. Los Angeles: Corwin Press, 2006. Kengor, Paul. Wreath layer or policy player: the vice president’s role in foreign policy. Luxemburg: Lexington Books, 2000.

ESSAY: Status, role, primary groups, and secondary groups in social interactions between different racial and ethnic groups Report Status is the ranking of groups or individual persons within a certain and specific perspective based on a given criteria. This perspective refers to the hierarchy of esteem and reputation that exists between certain groups. It therefore establishes which group or individual shall interact with which other group and how that shall be done in accordance to the respect disserved from by given group. Therefore, roles in a given status group can be stratified according to the given expectation of the group, for example, cooks and caregivers or can be got from experience. As a result, functions include the manner a certain group is patterned in order to perform its function for the sake of the other groups as a whole. The society is made up of various types of groups which have different racial and ethnic backgrounds and have a certain degree of cohesion due to common interests and values in life like race, religion and ethnicity. In the society there are various types of groups which are very different from each other. First we have the primary groups. This group is usually small in number and the group has members who are very personal and affectionate to each other. Members of this group have a relationship that is usually kinship- oriented for example families. The relation between this group lasts for so many years with a face-to-face communication. Secondly, we have the secondary groups; they are much larger than the primary groups and include formal and institution type of relations. This group can last as long as the members do not disband it, therefore they are not permanent as the primary group. Roles in this group can be interchanged between members and it is more tenuous and lacks the affection displayed in primary groups. There are times when the primary group may be represented in a secondary group setting for example attending college represents association to the secondary group while there are relationships that were developed in the primary groups that a person belonged to. On the other hand, there are other organizations in the secondary setting that care affectionately about the welfare of another while a family in a primary setting, individuals may be hostile towards another thus there can be variances in the groups. Hence from the above groupings of the society, different racial and ethnic groups have shown to see their own social status in a different way from the other. For example in a primary group, some ethnic groups like the Latinos and African Americans have shown to hold in high esteem the role that grandparents perform in the society and therefore they subscribe to that ideology than any other ethnic groupings like the white Americans. On the other hand the status in a secondary setting, classmates in college have placed less emphasis on the role of ethnicity or race. In this group, the role of the members in the classroom can be interchanged to suit one’s own liking by merit and not based on the ethnicity of the individual. In addition, the members of this group display different characters that they acquired from their own ethnic and racial primary groups and they tend to believe and act according to the norms of that group. However, they are tolerant to each other which make it possible for secondary group members to in interchange their roles without conflicts. In a primary setting, an ethnic group like African Americans subscribe to the role that a father has to a family more than white Americans who though believe in the importance of a man to a family, do not subscribe to that norm as depicted by African American families. In conclusion, it can be held that the status role and groups that an individual or society belongs to influences the type of social interaction that will occur between them and the way they view each other’s culture and way of life.

ESSAY: Strategic Planning and Management Argumentative Essay It is true that a company’s realized strategy is the product of whatever planned strategies that are actually put into action (the company’s deliberate strategies) and of any unplanned or emergent strategies (Haines, 2004, p. 22). This is because planned strategies will play an important role in coming up with the right cross functional decisions that will enable the company achieve its long term objectives. Planned strategies will ultimately lead to a good strategic approach in the market. There are cases where a company can come up with these strategies in advance with a well laid out plan, but in other occasions there might be need to involve unplanned or emergent strategies (Kotler, 1986, p. 17). Unplanned or emergent strategies are necessitated by circumstances. The situation in the market might demand that the company comes up with new strategies to succeed. One of these unforeseen circumstances might be increased competition in the market. Although competition can be seen coming, its intensity always shifts in different times and this can force the company to come up with new strategies. These strategies will enable the company to come up with the right avenues to survive in the market. So, a good strategy will be a product of whatever strategies that the management has put in place to advance its goals (Drucker, 1954, p. 13). In cases where the market (competitors included) changes its strategies, the company will be forced to come up with new emergent strategies to succeed in its operations. A normal planned strategy should be initiated by the management. The long term effect will be a strategic management process that will enhance the company’s ability to achieve the set strategies. A good strategic management process should also cater for unplanned or emergent strategies as this is the only way that the company can be guaranteed flexibility (Senge, 1990, p.13). A good strategy needs a strategic plan which is done by a strategic management process. Strategic planning is the process by which an organization defines its strategy thereby coming up with the right direction to pursue their goals (Ansoff, 1965, p.5). In the process, they will be able to make the right decisions on how resources will be allocated to achieve these strategies (Naisbitt, 1982, p. 7). Resource allocation involves the necessary capital that will be used in implementation together with the human resource that will enforce the strategy and make it practical. There are various business techniques that need to be used to ensure that a strategic plan is effective as this will ultimately lead to an appropriate business strategic position (Drucker, 1954, p. 5). In a broad perspective, strategic planning seems to be the consideration of an organizations future course of direction (Christensen, 1997, p. 27). This gives the organization a framework that they will use to achieve their long term objectives. It should be concerned on how the whole process will be done (Chandler, 1962, p. 12). A strategic plan should be having a major concern on why the company is coming up with it (Kotler, 1986, p. 11). This means that there should be a viable intention of coming up with a strategic plan. With this in place, the company will have a good framework of withstanding competition (Tracy, 2000, p. 9). In the long run, the company will be able to survive in harsh business environments with an intention of ensuring that customers, employees and shareholders are well catered for. Before a company comes up with a strategic plan it must know where it is by reviewing its performance in relation to what it had projected to achieve (Moore, 1995, p. 10). This is important as the company will tell if indeed what it had projected to achieve was really achieved (Allison & Kaye, 2005, p. 6). In coming up with a strategy(for a company), it can be quite difficult to tell how the market will evolve in the next coming days or years and this will call for a review of the planned strategies. For a company to achieve its strategic projections there is need for strategic innovation and tinkering (Burkhart & Reuss, 1993, p. 9). Strategic innovation and tinkering is the ultimate strategy that a company needs to be able to survive in the ever changing market and business environment. This means that the company must have a good combination of goals that it seeks to achieve (Senge, 1990, p.16). The means of achieving these goals is what forms the necessity of a strategic plan. Strategic planning should seek to analyze the company’s current situation. This should also take care of the market in general. In doing this, it is necessary to look at the business trends and market analysis (Haines,2004, p. 14). Later on, the company can look at the marketing mix, segmentation and competitive analysis. The company’s current situation should evaluate its positioning in the market with a SWOT analysis (Haines, 2004, p. 18). After doing this analysis, the company should now shift its attention to the expected or desired situation that it wishes to see itself in the coming years as a result of these strategies (Kotler, 1982, p. 3). This should critically look at the position and perceptual gaps as it plans to execute its strategy. In addition, it needs to look at its desired marketing mix and segmentation. In developing a strategy that will help the company to achieve results, a proper environmental analysis needs to done. This analysis should be executed at an internal and external level to know the threats and opportunities that a company faces in the market (Naisbitt, 1982, p. 26). On the other hand, this will identify the company’s strengths and weaknesses which are important in a bid to achieve unrivalled growth in the market. Analysis of the external environment should take some important factors into consideration (Allison & Kaye, 2005, p. 8). This includes customers and supplier markets as they have a direct bearing on the strategies that the company will ultimately decide to embrace. Competition is an external environment that can make a company adopt its intended strategy or review it to be strategic (Christensen, 1997, p. 43). Sometimes, competitors in the market can be very innovative in coming up with their strategies. They can do this by looking at what the company has put in place (Castells, 1996, p. 25). This therefore implies that the company needs to be highly flexible in relation to its strategies. Other factors that need to be looked at include; the economy at that given time, technology and the regulatory environment (Mintzberg, 1987, p. 21). The company must always look at the regulatory environment because some of its strategies can be in contravention of the legal frameworks put in place and this will be an impediment to the success of the strategy (Drucker, 1954, p. 24). Some strategies might need a good technological framework for efficiency and the company needs to put this in mind before it comes up with a strategy that will positively advance its goals (in both the long run and short run). In a broad view, the set strategy should be able to translate into an action plan (Slywotzky, 1996, p. 32). This means that a strategic plan should be articulated into the day to day activities of an organization. Specific tasks will be and should be put in place to achieve the objectives of a strategic plan (Castells, 1996, p.17). This means that they should not be filled with conceptual terms that may end up not being tied to the day to day realities that the staff expects. In a more objective way, this will help to achieve the company’s strategic moves and expectations. A company should employ Unplanned or emergent strategies for it to succeed with its strategy. Although the management can be visionary in formulating its strategies, this should be critically and carefully done while looking at the market environment shifts (Kotter, 1986, p.27). In cases where a company is faced with unexpected market environment shifts, it has to come up with unplanned or emergent strategies that will help it to achieve its goals (Castells, 1996, p. 35). Unplanned and emergent strategies will be necessitated by threats and opportunities that a company is exposed to. A strategic plan can either be planned partially or unplanned (Moore, 1995, p. 67). These strategies need to be developed because of the relative influence that business and industry factors have on the overall performance of a company. If they are not reviewed in relation to changing market and business dynamics, the company will perform poorly because it will be behind as far as competition in the market is concerned (Ansoff, 1965, p.27). Emergent strategies will in most occasions come about as the company interacts with its environment (Senge, 1990, p. 45). This is because ideas and actions will come from different and multiple sources thereby integrating into an efficient pattern. Wholesomely, these unplanned and emergent strategies will lead to the achievement of the company’s realized strategy. Strategic management will assist in decision making that will enhance the achievement of long term objectives (Haines, 2004, p. 29). In other words, strategic management is the only way that organizations goals, missions and visions are specified mostly in programs and projects so that the set objectives are fully achieved (Mintzberg, 1987, p. 43). In the course of embarking on strategic management, resources are supposed to be well allocated to help in achieving the set programs and projects. After programs and projects have been set, there should be a scoreboard that will be used in evaluating if the anticipated targets have been achieved (Slywotzky, 1996, p. 21). Strategic management more so provides the overall direction that an organization should take in a bid to ensure that there is unrivaled success (Naisbitt, 1982, p. 22). Those in the management level are supposed to come up with good tactics that will enhance the achievement of the company’s set goals as per the strategy. For strategic management to be effective and achieve what it was set to, it must follow a process that will enhance this. This is because it is an ongoing process that has a long term effect on the company’s performance (Tracy, 2000, p. 29). A strategic management process should first of all have a vision that will lead to the formulation of a mission statement. The mission should then be converted into performance objectives. For these objectives to be achieved, the company should then develop strategies for proper enforcement. This should be followed by proper strategy implementation (Drucker, 1954, p. 18). After a strategy has been implemented there should be an evaluation on how the strategy has helped the company’s to achieve its expectations and goals. Companies need to have a strategic management process; this is because strategic planning lies in the value of planning ahead of time so that they can perform well (Castells, 1996, p. 54). It is necessary for unity, direction and a sense of identity in achieving business goals. It is undeniable that a company’s planned and unplanned strategies will help it to achieve its business goals as it had anticipated. The situation in the market might demand that the company comes up with new strategies to succeed (Haines, 2004, p. 20). One of these unforeseen circumstances might be increased competition and changing business dynamics in the market. There are various business techniques that need to be used to ensure that a strategic plan in effective as this will ultimately lead to an appropriate business strategic position (Slywotzky, 1996, p. 18). In general, strategic planning should be taken as the key course of direction of an organization. This gives the organization a framework that they will use to achieve their long term objectives. It should be concerned on how the whole process will be done. Before a company comes up with a strategic plan it must know where it is by reviewing its performance in relation to what it had projected to achieve. This is important as the company will tell if what it had projected to achieve was really achieved (Tracy, 2000, p. 23). In coming up with a strategy (for the company), it can be quite difficult to tell how the market will evolve in the next coming days or years and this will call for a review of the planned strategies. For strategic management to be effective and achieve what it was set to, it must follow a process that will enhance this. This is because it is an ongoing process that has a long term effect on the company’s performance (Naisbitt, 1982, p. 20). A strategic management process should first of all have a vision that will lead to the formulation of a mission statement. The mission should then be converted into performance objectives. Reference List Allison, M. & Kaye, J. (2005). Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations . New York: John Wiley and Sons. Ansoff , I. (1965). Corporate Strategy. New York: McGraw Hill. Burkhart, P. & Reuss, S. (1993). Successful Strategic Planning: A Guide for Nonprofit Agencies and Organizations . Newbury Park: Sage Publications. Castells , M. (1996). The Rise of the Networked Society: The information age. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishers. Chandler, A. (1962). Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the history of industrial enterprise. New York: Doubleday. Christensen, C. (1997). The Innovator’s Dilemma . Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Drucker , P. (1954). The Practice of Management. New York: Harper and Row, 1954. Haines , S. (2004). ABCs of strategic management: an executive briefing and plan-to-plan day on strategic management in the 21st century . New York: Free Press. Kotler , P. (1986). Megamarketing . Harvard: Harvard Business Review. Kotter , J. (1982). The general manager. New York: Free Press. Mintzberg , H. (1987). Crafting Strategy . Harvard: Harvard Business Review. Moore, M. (1995). Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in Government. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Naisbitt , J. (1982). Megatrends: Ten New Directions Transforming our Lives . USA: Macdonald. Senge , P. (1990). The Fifth Discipline. New York: Doubleday. Slywotzky , A. (1996). Value Migration . Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Tracy, B. (2000). The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success . San Francisco: Berrett, Koehler Publishers.

ESSAY: Stylistic Analysis of Film Script Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Language use 3. Sound techniques 4. Conclusion 5. Reference List Introduction The film “Stand by me” by Rob Reiner is an adventurous drama. Since the target audience of the film includes youth and teenagers, its script is written in a light-hearted manner. The story is told in the first person singular, which points to the narrative mode of discourse. In addition, there are implications of descriptive writing in the script. Concerning the structure of the plot, the author uses a flashback, returning to the events in the past. The syntactic structure of the script suggests using mostly short simple sentences, exclamations, addressing, etc. Language use The most impressive feature of the script to the film is its specific word choice. The words of author (who is an older person) are expressed with normative language, which is done with the purpose of creating a respective image for the author. On the contrary, the diction of characters’ language is informal; it expresses different emotions, which in this case are mostly negative. The informal style tools include numerous contractions, such as: I’ve, what’ve, gonna, gimme, drinkin’, won’t, ya. The unofficial style is also realized through the constant use of informal language, e.g.: bucks, shut up, kid, tits, ass, okay. In addition, the author uses a lot of swear words, namely: shit, fuckin’, asshole, bung-wipe, goddamn, pussy, bullshit, etc. There are also various exclamations, such as oh gee, yeah, oh, aw, nah, aha, hmmm heyyyy, umm, uh-uh, etc. All these devices make the script informal and comprehensive for young people. While talking about the language use of the script, it is worth mentioning that there is not much figurative language used. This can be explained by the realistic and partially naturalistic approach to the narration, which implies the description of events and settings in details, and avoids lyrical tone. However, there are some examples of use of metaphor, specifically: before my mom puts me on the Ten Most Wanted list; fall back man; pile of shit (regarding a person). Among the other devices of the script there is ironic stance. The author uses deadpan humor, for example: Brocker, or Brower, or Flowers, whatever his name is; there are also numerous cases of sarcasm use: you only outweigh him by 500 pounds, Fatass!; go get the provisions, you morphodite, etc. Sound techniques Concerning the sound techniques, the author pays great attention to onomatopoeic words and phrases, which are used throughout the whole script. The examples of onomatopoeia are: pkoooo!, KA-BLAM!!, tfffffffffft, sheesh, etc. What is more, there are cases of repetition use. For instance, the word “shit” is often repeated in one of the scenes in order to intensify the feeling of fear and panic. One more important thing about the script is its use of different intonation patterns. For instance, when a certain word should be emphasized in a sentence, this word is written in italics: Oh, we will. We’re not gonna forget this, if that’s what you’re thinkin’; This is big-time , baby; Does the word retarded mean anything to you?; Yeah, that is weird. Another point about intonation of the script is that the words that need to be told loudly or screamed are written in capital letters: STOP, GO, BOSS, JE-SUS, etc. Moreover, when some words need to be pronounced in a slow manner, they have some sounds repeated through dashes, for example: wa-ay, sor-ry, iiiiiiiiit’s, etc. Conclusion The script to the film “Stand by me” is written in a predominantly informal manner, which explains the use of certain language devices, such as slanted language, jargons, satire, etc. Reference List Bloomer, A 2005 Introducing Language in Use: A Course Book Routledge. Cook, G, Widdowson, H 2003 Applied Linguistics (Oxford Introduction to Language Study ELT) OUP Oxford, London. Reiner, R 1986 Stand by me script Trudgill, P 2000 Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society Penguin.

ESSAY: Supply Chain Management as an Indispensable Business Component Report Table of Contents 1. Product and Service Differentiation 2. Increasing the Product Range 3. Training Staff to Be Helpful and Knowledgeable 4. Working with Manufactures 5. Value Addition Services 6. Advertising 7. Automated Dispensing System 8. Works Cited Product and Service Differentiation Supply chain management is an indispensable component for organizations in managing the supply of their products into the market, starting from the industry to the final consumer. This is the case with pharmaceutical firms. A firm needs to competitively stay in the market ahead of others by creating competitive strategies and aligning them with organizational goals, objectives, and vision. This is particularly the case with pharmaceutical firms where prices of medicines are tightly controlled by the government. For a firm to create competitive advantage over its rivals, strategic approaches incorporated in the pursuit of its goals include product and service differentiation. Clever company executives realize that there are no controls over these areas and endeavor to strategically exploit them to the competitive advantage of a firm. To aggressively and innovatively pursue a firm’s strategic goal and remain competitive, a firm incorporates several approaches discussed below. Increasing the Product Range Sustainable profits, a wide market, strong market position, and a strong image are core elements company executives innovatively factor into a firm’s pursuit of its strategic goals to competitively remain in the market. A firm may differentiate its core activities by diversifying them to gain sustainable profits. These are achieved by increasing the product range offered by a firm in addition to the sale of medicine, a core business activity. Firm managers realize that diversifying a firm’s product range increases its market base and profit generation. This has the additional effect of improving a company’s image, increasing the customer base, and advertising the name of the company. Training Staff to Be Helpful and Knowledgeable Customers determine the profitability of a company. A satisfied customer will always tell another customer about a service or a product. In addition to that, a satisfied customer will always go back for more. To achieve this, company executives train staff to better equip them for better service provisions and product delivery. Staff training equips staff with appropriate work related technical skills leading to personal development. This is a motivational factor for employees and their managers. Companies however, should adopt the most cost effective training methods appropriate for employee working conditions. Specific job procedures and technical knowledge span areas companies should concentrate on in the training process. According to the Staff Training document, training strategies in the technical field can be external, internal, or online (2). Thorough investigations about one’s job should be done by company executives before training commences. Technical trainings are at times short as the knowledge gained is exact (Staff Training, 2). On the other hand, on-the-job procedures require an accumulation of knowledge and focuses on knowledge and skills transfer. This involves old employees taking new employees through work related procedures and activities. Thus, employees become effectively equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide better services and improve company image. The contents and skills needed for the training should be clearly identified and defined in the process. In the process, training procedures should be identified and documented, and training approaches determined also. A staff training program should incorporate methods of delivery. These may be formal, informal, or on-line as mentioned above. Working with Manufactures Details such as the condition of the goods on arrival, deviations or consistency with the agreed upon price, quantity of products delivered, reliability and integrity of documentation, the delivery time, and the ability to sustain a product’s packaging are critical elements when working with manufacturers and suppliers. The performance of a supplier can be rated on the technical skills of its employees, management competency, management approaches to enforcing controls, ability to consistently supply the required products, its financial stability, and its strategic abilities in terms of its capital needs. Supplier reliability is influenced by the attention performance appraisal staff gets from the supplier firms, individual attitudes, maintenance levels of manufacturing equipments, quality control enforcement mechanisms, effective housekeeping, and the level of technical expertise of the supplying firm. This ensures inventory control and reliable and sustainable stock levels. This leads to customer satisfaction and places a firm at a competitive advantage over its rivals. Value Addition Services Any firm on the fringes of success must factor value addition services to its products and service delivery. This is not the core business of a firm, but is a promoting strategy for increased consumer spending on a product or service. A firm may strategize on a cost effective approach in offering value addition to its customers. These services can be outsourced or developed in-house. Value added services may add additional costs to a company but the benefits out weigh incurred costs. Some of the benefits include customer satisfaction, better ratings, increased consumption of its products and services, better responses to customer concerns, better analysis of customer behavior, more information on product innovation in line with customer needs and wants, and better customer involvement in product innovations. Advertising To persuade the market and gain a bigger share and maintain a strong position, pharmaceutical firms have to continuously advertise the range of their products to the consumer. Consumers well equipped with appropriate knowledge about current company products are likely to develop positive minds in their buying process. Besides advertising their products, firms include their names in adverts to create a good image about them and their products. Advertising targets various groups of consumers. These include individuals, various governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other groups of interest. Advertising should target each group’s needs and the best products and strategy to satisfy their needs and wants. In addition to that, advertising should be environmentally friendly and should generate feelings about environmental conservation and preservation. This generates increased product consumption, increased confidence, and better branding. Different media can be used to reach various audiences. These include the internet and radio among others. Sales promotions, marketing mix, and other advertising strategies competitively place a firm ahead of its rivals. The marketing concept of product, place, price, and promotion should be vital in the marketing strategy. The product element spans packaging, product warranties, product quality, and safety. Price spans discounts, skimming and other strategies, flexibility in pricing, and seasonal discounts. Place spans market size, distribution channels, warehousing, and inventory controls. Promotion includes public relations, the communication budget, and the push and pulls approaches in marketing among other elements (Marketing 1). Automated Dispensing System One strategic advantage of a firm is to incorporate an automatic dispensing system in its products and services delivery. This technology facilitates service and product delivery. Employees incorporate their skills in the use of this facility in enhancing and improving productivity in the workplace. The resulting benefits span employee, customer, and management satisfaction and work level productivity. Works Cited Marketing. Internet Center for Management and Business Administration, Inc. 2002-2010. 14 Aug. 2010. http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ 2002-2010. website NetMBA.com Staff Training. Preliminary Strategies. 14 Aug.2010. Web.

ESSAY: T Roosevelt as a Rough Rider Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Formation of the Rough Riders 3. Departure for war 4. Battle of Las Guasimas 5. Battle of San Juan Heights and Kettle Hill 6. Conclusion 7. References Introduction Born in 1858, Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the US but before his ascension to power, he served as a soldier in Cuba. He led a small regiment known as the Rough Riders during the Spanish American war in 1898. The Rough Riders was the first and only volunteer in United States Cavalry to fight during the Spanish American war and it was made up of volunteer soldiers who eventually fought on foot as infantry despite being a cavalry unit. The civil war had weakened United States army and with the emergence of the Spanish American war, the then President William McKinley called upon 1,250 volunteers to lend a hand in Americas effort to dislodge Spain from the Caribbean and the Pacific. Formation of the Rough Riders Volunteers were mostly gathered from the South and South Western parts of the United States because the climate was hot and the four main collection zones were Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Indian Territory (Miller, 1992). The reason for the selection of Southern men was due to the fact that the Southern climate was more similar to that of Cuba, the battle ground of the Spanish American war. Due to the nature and circumstances that revolved around the amalgamation of the Rough Riders, the men in the Calvary were varied in terms of age and experience. Leonard Wood was appointed in the position of Colonel of The Rough Riders with Roosevelt serving as Lieutenant-Colonel and the unit was known as Wood’s Weary Walkers (Mathingham, 1998). The men who volunteered to serve under these two men included gold and coal miners, civil war military veterans, hunters, police men, gamblers, cowboys, Buffalo soldiers, Native Americans Indians and college boys (Cannon, 2003). All the men were trained on how to use a gun and ride on horseback consequently fortifying the unit’s competence. Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt was responsible for ensuring that the volunteer cavalry was adequately prepared and equipped similar to any other American military regiment. The volunteers were required to source for weapons before they went off to camp in San Antonio, Texas in May (Roosevelt, 1917). The remainder of the equipment such as bullets, rifles, horse gear, canvas, uniform, tents among others was all procured by Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt. Roosevelt had an intention to turn the volunteer Calvary into a real military regiment and he made sure everything present within the U.S military was availed to the volunteers (Mathingham, 1998). The Calvary’s uniform consisted of a droop hat, a blue beguile shirt, a pair of brown trousers, leggings, boots, and the soldiers also had a handkerchief which was supposed to be knotted around their necks. The uniform in particular is what earned them the name Rough Riders because they had the appearance of rough and worn out men who collectively looked like a cowboy cavalry. Departure for war After intense training which involved basic military drills, code of behavior, and habits involving conduct, compliance and etiquette, the men were finally ready for war. The training they had received was one of the best any Calvary could receive. Training was done on a daily basis and when the men had spatial constraints, they read books on tactic and used boards to perfect their skill (Miller, 1992). Theodore Roosevelt as a high ranking official was at most times immersed in the tactical study of war (Cannon, 2003). He was a brilliant historian who knew how to identify the opponent’s behavior based on historical chronicles. On June 14, 1898, the regiment was brought together, addressed, motivated and shipped out to Cuba from Tampa, Florida (Roosevelt, 1917). Eight days later, the Rough Riders arrived in Daiquiri, Cuba on June 22, and two days later, they fought for the first time in Battle of Las Guasimas on June 24(Roosevelt, 1917). Battle of Las Guasimas Las Guasimas was a point of significance for the American troops because it was an advancement point for further military encroachment. The Americans had decided to attack in the early morning of June 24 when the Spaniards were still on their mark (Roosevelt, 1917). General Young led the offensive by the regulars through the jungle while Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt led the Rough Riders took a longer route that was supposed to lead to the open side of the Spaniards’ enclaves (Roosevelt, 1917). Since many of his men had not received enough rest considering the rough riders had only arrived a day before, some of them fell out of formation or simply got left behind (Walker, 2008). The jungle they were fighting in was thick and foggy making it difficult to spot an enemy or a friendly regiment from more than twenty meters (Cannon, 2003). Roosevelt managed to successfully navigate the less than five hundred Rough Riders that were still with him through the jungle and round the outpost. They effectively eliminated the opposition hiding in the entrenchments and brush consequently simplifying the advancement of the regulars. It was through the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt that the battle of Las Guasimas was won after the Rough Riders eliminated the concealed opponent (Mathingham, 1998). At the end of the two hour battle, the United States soon after took control of Las Guasimas, the Spanish outpost which stood along the road to Santiago. The American troops held position for six days allowing the Rough Riders time to eat, sleep, treat their wounds and bury the dead(Roosevelt, 1917). There was also a high occurrence of fever cases and many of the men became victim to the illness including General Joseph Wheeler. Command of the Calvary was therefore left to Brigadier General Samuel Sumner and on the night of June 30 Colonel Leonard Wood was promoted in the field to Brigadier General, leaving Theodore Roosevelt as the bona fide Colonel of the Rough Riders and hence their name changed from Wood’s Weary Walkers to Roosevelt’s Rough Riders (Cannon, 2003). Battle of San Juan Heights and Kettle Hill On July 1, 1898 the Rough Riders now under Colonel Roosevelt were ordered to march along the road to Santiago to San Juan Heights where they were to reconnoiter and hold position. The role of the cavalry was basically to provide cover fire and distraction while artillery and battery were fired towards the Spaniards from afar (Miller, 1992). The Rough Riders were therefore not seen as important role players in this battle hence were given minor roles. After American artillery fire was returned by the Spaniards, the Rough Riders found themselves in the midst of both friendly and enemy fire eventually taking cover along the riverbank and a nearby thicket to avoid shell fire (Roosevelt, 1917). Frustrated of waiting and afraid of being compromised, Colonel Roosevelt sent messengers to look for one of the generals and request for further orders to advance forward from their vulnerable position. The Rough Riders were eventually ordered to help out the regulars in their assault on the hill’s façade and this time Roosevelt fought on horseback because he was now a Colonel and he needed the elevated height from the horse to help him recognized and supervise his men in battle (Walker, 2008). Colonel Roosevelt observed that the American troops could not take the Kettle Hill because the loading and firing speed of the American rifles was slower. He suggested to one of the captains that the best option was to charge up the hill but his suggestion was declined (Mathingham, 1998). Roosevelt later noticed the absence of the other Colonel and taking advantage, he stated he was in full control as the ranking officer and ordered a charge up Kettle Hill (Walker, 2008). Colonel Roosevelt rode off on his horse as the Rough Riders followed him with zeal and compliance up the hill (Roosevelt, 1917). The other soldiers from different units joined the uphill race and within twenty minutes Kettle Hill was captured (Roosevelt, 1917). San Juan Heights which overlooked Santiago was captured an hour later leading to the surrender of the city of Santiago. The Spanish American war was finally over but the Rough Riders and the other troops were falling sick in large numbers. The Rough Riders were finally shipped home and taken to Montauk where they were quarantined till their release on September 16, 1898. Conclusion Theodore Roosevelt showed exceptional courage when he took over the leadership of the Rough Riders. The unit was essentially not a military unit rather a volunteer unit that devoted themselves to fight the Spanish American war. Rough Riders became widely celebrated after the war for their outstanding accomplishment and their 137 days service to the army. The capture of Las Guasimas outpost was largely because of the tactical brilliance of Theodore Roosevelt. The capture of Kettle Hill can also be accredited to the bravery of Colonel Roosevelt who led the troops on an uphill frenzy to the top leading top the capture of San Juan Heights too. References Cannon, C. (2003). The Pursuit of Happiness in Times of War . Texas: Rowman & Littlefield. Mathingham, P., H. (1998). T.R. takes charge: American History . New York: McMillan. Miller, N. (1992). Theodore Roosevelt – A Life. New York: Quill/William Morrow. Roosevelt, T. (1917). The Foes of Our Own Household . New York: George H. Doran Company. Walker, D. (2008 ). From the San Juan Heights: Military History . New York: Campbell press.

ESSAY: The Importance of the Logical – Mathematical Intelligence in Mathematics Teaching Report Howard Gardner provides a number of intelligence which can be exploited by a teacher in a teaching – learning environment. Gardner’s approach simply advocates for the adjustment of instructional techniques in order to cater for individual needs (Brualdi, 2001). While teaching mathematics, teachers should pay attention to logical – mathematical intelligence. This kind of intelligence expresses the ability of a learner to identify a blueprint, form a reason to a specific mathematical answer, and ultimately employ logical thoughts in any kind of response (Brualdi, 2001). Mathematical- logical intelligence is evident in young kids when they involve themselves in organizing and re-organizing things (Brualdi, 2001). As time goes by, children are able to do simple calculations without the aid objects. With progression of this kind of intelligence, some learners gain access to abstract world consequently recording a success in mathematics field. This category of learners is systematic in reasoning complex and integrated mathematical procedures. They therefore form the backbone of a classroom where other learners can rely on for guidance. Moreover, students with abstract reasoning are fast in calculating mathematical questions. These features are evident early in a child’s life. Math and science are co-related but also diverse in nature. While mathematics exploits the abstract world, science operates with realism. Scientist applies scientific tools and procedures in a bid to proof actuality. On the other hand, mathematicians are more concerned with patterns. A teacher is under strict obligation to discover students with ability to form patterns and subsequently integrate them into groups with other kinds of students in order to achieve higher performance. This forms a reason for the development of mathematical – logical intelligence. Curriculum design Integrated curriculum design is applicable to disciplines like mathematics because of the existence of its sub – units comprising of geometry, algebra, statistics, arithmetic, calculus, probability, and ordinary deferential equations. Other social sciences including sociology, geography and political science can also be integrated to form social studies. The benefit attached to integrated curriculum is that knowledge and skill gained is more beneficial to a learner. Subsequently, a teacher can expand the choice of subject matter i.e. geometry or algebra (Webb, 2009). On a higher note, integrated curriculum allows integration of different areas of study like science and mathematics to form futuristic which is more beneficial to a learner. Since a teacher prepares a student for future life’s challenges, there is need for a more diversified knowledge and skills. Integrated curriculum design is widely employed at a lower level of learning where a combination of subjects like art and music can be taught concurrently for a short period of time. To further develop mathematical – logical intelligence at a higher learning level, subject – centered design is most appropriate since it distinguishes the importance of the subject in development of intellect. This also forms a reason for going through the education system. Webb (2009) states clearly that ‘Notwithstanding the fact that subject – centered curriculum has been in existence for centuries, it is supported by essentialist and perennialist educational theories’. In this case, essentialist maintains that the curriculum must represent the knowledge and skills imperative in a society. This is why mathematics is presented from a subject – area curriculum design where a subject is taught so as to propagate the norms and values of a society. The design is employed at an advanced study level i.e. a university or any other institution of higher learning. Reference List Brualdi, A. (2001, April 16). ‘‘Multiple Intelligences: Gardner’s Theory.’’ Eric Digest . V33 (4), P48-53. Webb, D., Metha, A., & Jordan. F. (2009). Foundations of America Education . Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

ESSAY: Team Building Issues Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The need of team building 3. The process of team building 4. Team building Issues 5. Team building solutions 6. Recommendation 7. Conclusion 8. Works Cited Introduction One of the most challenging obligations of any enterprise is the ability to manage change and globalization. Globalization and rapid change in the business world lead to competition hence each enterprise works hard to overcome the two since customers will now emphasize on quality and honesty (Bacal 1). Since this has been a difficult task to be handled by an individual most organizations have resulted to team work that coordinate to make sure that the organizational objectives are achieved at the same time overcoming the rapidly changing environment. Teams work by improving on quality, productivity and organizational performance, hence team building is the process of arranging people with related or common skills together so that they can work together to achieve the set goals of the enterprise. The need of team building Teams in organizations are developed because of different reasons of which the most important reason is that of improving output and achieving goals of the organization. Teams may be built to resolve issues and challenges that may have risen up in the organization and cannot be resolved by an individual alone. Other reasons that may need team work may be in cases where there are constant conflicts, complaints, grievances and hostility between members. This creates the need for team building so as to teach the employees how to relate with each other in the work environment. The process of team building In most organizations the work of developing teams is accorded to the Human Resource manager since this the person who works closely with the personnel in the company. It is only in very few instances that the top management comes in to form teams and in most cases this happens if the issue at hand to be solved is very delicate and important to the survival of the organization (Heathfield 1). The process of team building is not as easy as it may seem since there are factors to be considered if the goals of developing the team are to be achieved. One should consider if the team members are able to prioritize the tasks allocated to them. Factors like if the skills required to complete a certain task are available within the members of the team is also important since this determines the final outcome of the teamwork. Therefore the stages involved in team building will include first elucidating the goals and objectives then identification of any obstructers before putting in place assistants to enable them work and lastly monitoring and measuring the progress to make sure the objectives are met. Team building Issues Any problems or indifferences that may arise among members of a team may have negative impacts on the specific individuals and hence the whole team. It is therefore advised that any problems are solved as early as possible before the impact is felt. Some of the team building issues that must be considered include; unity, communication, interdependence, goal specification and the role of each member of the team (Heathfield 1). Unity is as a result of the cohesiveness between members in the way they interact and share their skills and abilities to better the performance. The members must have the same goal specification hence some sessions during the team building consist of clarification of the goals and objectives to be achieved. Team building solutions The solutions to be made so as to achieve goals of a team are to majorly avoid the common blunders people make during team building. Most organizations may decide to form teams without having a model. Lack of a model for the team leads to ineffective functioning since the team members will lack vision and goals to achieve. In this case every organization must have a model which will be geared towards achieving its objectives. Lack of leadership is another problem that should be put into consideration since some organizations form teams and forget to assign the responsibility to the leader. The team’s leader is known to be the most influential person in the whole team since this the person who has been delegated the duty of organizing the team. Recommendation Team building is recommended for most organizational duties and functions because of the many benefits it has to the organization. This is because increase in the input will eventually lead to fast making of quality decisions and ideas hence the output generated will be of high quality(Bacal 1). There will be very high chances of creation of new ideas as information will be freely shared among the members of the team. The organization will also have a chance to compensate weaknesses of an individual within a team. Team work provides security to the organization as well assisting the individuals to develop interpersonal relationships hence team building is recommended for its mutual benefits. Conclusion Effective teams lead to the success of the organization as the goals and objectives will be achieved. Hence the right leader for the team should be appointed who will guide the team through the whole process. The leader makes sure that as much output is obtained from every member of the team. The management of any organization should be in a position to monitor the team’s activities and progress through the team leader. This is important as it ensures only the right things are done and any deviation is noticed early before critical damage occurs. Works Cited Bacal, Robert. “The Six Deadly Sins of Team Building.” 1999- July 27, 2010, http://work911.com/articles/teambuildingsins.htm Heathfield, Susan. “How to Build Successful Work Teams.” 2010- July 27, 2010, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-team-building-1918512

ESSAY: Security Threats in Social Sites Report There are quite a couple of benefits for a firm that invests in information security. The ability to cope effectively with today’s security threats in social sites such as web hacking to steal consumer identity, and other internet disruptions is at the verge. Insecurity has caused complexity and slow progression in delivery of products and services in the virtual market since people want to countercheck viability before any engagements. Risks involved in virtual transactions or commitments are huge threats especially sites such as Facebook, MySpace or emails servers, since they necessitate submission of personal information. Today, information requires proper security for an effective collaboration. The service providers are able to invest heavily on the security due to possible negative effect, for instance the recent attacks on giant search engines, Google and Yahoo in China. Major risks may include stolen patent laws, compromise of data integrity and worse cases such as total loss and manipulation of information to gain profits. Various government regulations and business policies or requirements quantify the sites’ information security as a competitive advantage. Regulations make the customer to feel comfortable transacting in such firms and provide a legal platform in case of violations. The group sites and other social accounts must engage security measures to ensure privacy of information. Contrasting speculations that the sites lack security or privacy, the involved firms recognize benefits of investing in Information Security, thus the need to understanding methodologies behind risks experienced by the clients (Schneier, 2009). Security is quantifiable through evaluation of performance or comparison between the prospective or potential competitors. The quantitative risk analysis shows how the control adds value in a reputable and comparable manner. Lack of major cases involving private data violations is a good sign of enhanced privacy. Companies are able to control the data losses by investing in proper security control measures such as server configurations. Today, ability to prove availability of system security such as assuring privacy of data or information in social sites falls upon business proceedings. None of the companies that manage social sites has experienced critical performance hitches such as bleach of data or highly impacts on reputation due to compromised clients’ data. Although it is difficult to predict the value and amount of Information Security that protect privacy, it is helpful and important to determine availability. Data privacy depends on information security, which also ensures full protection of the information and systems from attacks such as unauthorized access, malicious attacks, theft, unauthorized disclosure or use, disruptions and illegal modifications. As a standard in support of privacy, information security has to involve safe usage and transfers. Security enhances easy and quick data and information exchange for the end-users during communication in both private and public networks. Information security is more beneficial in the public domain because of the advanced setup and high possibilities of attacks. Today the security of data links that are more susceptible to exploration occurs through data encryption or public key cryptography, which is a very common practice by the companies owning the collaborative sites (Schneier, 2009). When using the sites, a consumer can note protection of profiles as an assurance over application. Enhanced government policies and regulations ensure protection of privacy, intellectual property rights and enhance management of information by defending against challenges of unauthorized system access. Another protective mechanism involves isolation of untrusted form of malicious or unsecure users through authentication and enhancement procedures. The information security protocol also prevents systems’ attacks by locking down the server systems or ensuring only authorized access. The operational procedures during the security enhancement process involves checking eavesdropping and, enhancing use of strong passwords to stop gathering of information by the system users or visitors through authentication of access. The security procedures also enhance encryption of information during transfers between servers or other workstations (Easttom, 2006). References Easttom, C. (2006). Network Defense and counter measures principles and practices: Security Series . Pearson Prentice Hall Schneier, B. (2009). Security ROI Fact and Fiction . Retrieved from https://www.schneier.com/

ESSAY: Teenage Alcoholism: Parental Influence and How to Get Rid of Vice Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Thesis Statement 3. Objective/significance of the study 4. Insinuations for understanding behaviour 5. The developing brain of a teenager 6. Vulnerability of teenagers to alcoholism 7. Teenagers’ growth and development 8. Conclusion 9. References Introduction Acceptance is a feeling that emerges from individual’s need for approval and acceptance. This behavioural pattern begins at an early age and continues although life to adulthood but it is at peak during teenage stage. The teenagers are in the process of emulating or declining the parental guidance since they need their freedom and at the same time are trying to win the parental support and acceptance. Their strong struggle to exist as part of a family thus increases the urgency for independent need for finding an identity. The quest for parental approval motivates the teenager behaviours. Although parental pressure ought to be a positive influence over personality, it can negatively affect decision-making procedures and cause a teenager to settle for immoral activities including alcoholism in fight against an abusive or tough situation. When one accepts to put up with negative parental pressure such as alcoholism, they end up giving up the personal trusts and values, thus the pressure becomes a form of a negative force. Thesis Statement “Does alcoholism affect parental guidance?” This paper is an analysis of the effect of parental pressure regarding usage of alcohol and its effects as well as implication to the future life of a teenager. It is an analysis of the parental behavioural patterns and lastly it analyzes the available perspectives into controlling the vice. Objective/significance of the study The main objective of the paper focuses on causes of alcohol abuse among parents and evaluates the developmental problems associated with this type of vice. Another significance of the study focuses on the global approach towards curbing the vice and creating public awareness over alcoholism. The paper also forms an analysis over issue of other probable cause in the subject matter. Are parents considering the appropriate measures to avoid the vice? The analysis of what determines alcoholisms. Lastly, it addresses the issue of utilizing the new professional suggested measures to getting rid of this common phenomenon. Insinuations for understanding behaviour In most cases, it would be invariable to have a linkage between development of the brain and the behaviours emulated by teenagers. Scientifically the argument over the link indicates that under high emotional or intense parental pressure, there are some conditions during maturity, that necessitate devastating inexplicable performance leading to poor decision making such as use of alcohol. (Marina and Fergal, 2006) The teenagers have the ability and rationale to differentiate between the right and wrong. This is an indication that the brain has the capacity to demonstrate some mental ability to decision making, but the teenager acts in opposition to this expectations. According to Nestler and Malenka, (2004) the brains of a teenager is under some less optimal control mechanisms and thus under higher probability to act from guts or instincts when confronted with stressful or emotional strains. Compared to adults, on average, the teenagers are more impetuous, insistent, volatile emotionally, high risk takers, proactive and reactive to strain or stress and are susceptible to parental pressure or guidance (Kane, 2009). Most parents focus on the short time thus underrating any long-term consequences that may be involved in alcoholism. They overlook the alternative course of actions. The developing brain of a teenager Young people are often curious about alcohol and thus the common definition of the teenage years being a time of experimenting and seeking novelty. Conducted survey indicates that abuse of alcohol and tobacco is a common phenomenon among most parents today (Marina and Fergal, 2006). As a result, at least half or more of the teenagers try out the alcohol during the teenager stage and nearly all have tried before reaching the legal age. These days the youth show higher rates of or percentage of alcohol problems as opposed to the older age groups. (Kane, 2009) Vulnerability of teenagers to alcoholism The teenager brain may be more vulnerable to social pressure or discomforts due to sensitivity. These social effects can bring about pleasurable social experiences such as alcohol engagement as they seek expectations. The effects of alcohol are enormous on teenagers compared to adults. In the studies of teenagers indicated by Partrick (2008), characteristically, teenagers are able to get through two or three times more alcohol than the adults because their intoxication effects are much higher. They have a diminished sensitivity to intoxication due to the high metabolic rates. The hormones also play a vital role in the alcohol abuse. The teenagers have novelty to seek and promote competitiveness socially. The production of hormones promotes abuse because of the original occurrence of parental pressure for the individual to seek social approval from the parent. (Partrick, 2008) Teenagers’ growth and development Expectations for growth and social, emotional, behavioural, physical and cognitive change is very important. Through analysis of some developmental life-span stages, there is a possibility of determining disorders or crisis brought about by alcoholic parents. There are unique kind of behavioural pattern to expect from teenagers thus the need to suggest developmental concerns and appropriate actions. Human beings have to make decisions based on challenges at hand. The teenagers face many challenges such as inevitable physical changes and parental pressure especially over making decisions on impulsive activities. (Marina and Fergal, 2006) These transitional issues are of critical concerns regarding identity choices, self-esteem and emotional development. Their appearance to others is an important issue because they believe to own unique problems and all the public attention focuses particularly upon them. They face the challenges of discovering their identity in terms of vocation, relationship, sexuality, gender, life interests, personality, culture and most importantly parental background (Marina and Fergal, 2006). Abusive parents cause conflicts, because of the need to find self-belonging and the desire for freedom especially during the emotionally stressing times. This is the main effect of alcohol abusive parents/guardians. Parental pressure should serve the role of determining the right character in a person. This is arguably the reason why teenagers mimic parental lifestyles. Parental pressure is more often hard to resist because it is equally very hard to notice. Teenagers ought to know that personal choices are very important even when the parental pressure is irresistible. The strongest predictor of alcohol usage during teenage years is the parental influence. The parent initiate the use, provides the alcohol and models the use and abuse behaviors and attitudes during growth. Studies have indicated that teens are more likely to give in to alcoholism usage if they were from alcoholic parents. (Marina and Fergal 2006) The parental pressure relates to modeling personality. Conclusion Social settings can give the impression that drug usage is under control but a closer look at the phenomenon indicates that everyday a teenager is starting to use and becomes addicted to the vice. Possibly the parental pressure involved in the family setup is greater for most of them to resist (Partrick, 2004). Today most of the parents are full-time employees probably looking for the overtime and better remuneration in support of the family. They may be trying to workout one area while the other collapses. The answer to the problems associated with teenagers lies within the family setting. They are emulating their parents who are their first role models; they embrace the social settings of alcoholism and the solitary usage. Stressing parental abuse may also impact negatively on them. Whichever the case, parents are the most effective cure to the vice. It is a parental responsibility to solve alcoholic problem and talk out with the teenage children on the dangers involved before things are out of hand. Their temporary rebellion against the parents can easily lead to the repercussions thus leading to the catastrophic impacts. The early interventions by the parents are thus the best procedures to cubing the vice. The strength of character that assists the child to resists the negative influences directly connects to the parental roles of guidance. References Partrick, B. J. (2008). Adolescents and Risk: Making Sense of Adolescents Psychology . Praeger Publishers Marina, B. & Fergal, K. (2006). Drug Addiction and Families: Monitoring the Future National Survey results on drug use. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Nestler, E. J., and Malenka, R. C. (2004). The addicted brain . Scientific American Journal, 290 (3), 78-85. Kane, R. (2009). Pleasure consuming medicine: The queer politics of drugs . Journal of Alcohol Health and Research World, Duke University Press. Vol 26(4), Pp. 287-291.

ESSAY: Terrorists and the Left and Right: Definitions & Examples Essay Terrorism is one of the burning problems in the United States. After the events of September 11, 2001, many writers try to analyze, investigate, and classify the sources, reasons, and consequences of terrorism. “Defining terrorism is a difficult but not impossible task.” (Simonsen and Spindlove, 2006) Scientists offer lots of captivating ideas, which define terrorism mostly like one of the styles of violence aiming to change people’s attitude and behavior to a certain problem. Usually, terrorism is not collective but small groups’ activities. There is no clear explanation why people are engaged into terrorism. Like in politics, the idea to use terrorism is usually caused by some psychological considerations. The major point about terrorism is that it is not a spontaneous act of violence. It is always deliberate and systematic. It is also necessary to distinguish two types of terrorism: from the left and from the right. If left-wing terrorism is characterized by perfectly planned attacks, right-wing terrorism is considered to be more indiscriminating. With time, it becomes more difficult to present a clear definition of terrorism from the left and terrorism from the right. “Terrorist groups of the extreme “left” have often become aggressively nationalistic, whereas those of the far right are second to none with their ardent anticapitalism and anti-Americanism.” (Laqueur, 2003) However, the number of deaths caused by both terroristic attacks from the left and from the right is almost the same. Right-wing terrorism is also called neo-fascist terrorism has nothing in common with liberal democracy. The major purpose of this type of terrorism is to create a kind of fascist state. The reasons of their attacks may be quite different: religious, political, or even social issues. One of the examples of terrorism from the right was killing abortion doctors and the destruction of numerous abortion clinics. Even if all these attacks were spontaneous, the consequences are rather terrifying. Left-wing terrorism aims at destroying all the signs of capitalistic society and creating a communist state. Terrorism from the left may be also called eco-terrorism grounded on some moral principles. As it has been already mentioned above, left-wing terrorism is more planned and purposeful. The representatives of such type of terrorism create separate groups, set concrete objectives, develop reliable plans, and try to achieve the purposes using all possible methods. The problem is that time goes by, and it is not that easy to find devoted and faithful member in order to trust them such a serious business. In comparison to right-wing terrorism, where the base of operations is concentrated on rural areas in different camps, left-wing terroristic representatives prefer urban areas and organize all work within safehouses. (Smith 1994) While terrorism from the left struggle for some political principles, the representatives of terrorism from the right fight for their religious beliefs. These are the main differences between terrorism from the left and terrorism from the right. Analyzing both left- and right-wing terroristic groups, it is necessary to admit that the major differences lie in their ideologies and ways of planning and arranging attacks. It is impossible to say the activities of which group are more severe and which can be justified. The tactics of any terroristic groups have their own grounds. The question is not about the preferences, the point is to analyze why both right- and left-wing groups appear and what may prevent the destructions caused by their activities. Reference List Simonsen, C. E. and Spindlove, J. R. (2006). Terrorism Today: The Past, the Players, the Future . New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Laqueur, W. (2003). No End to War: Terrorism in the Twenty-first Century. Continuum International Publishing Group. Smith, B. L. (1994). Terrorism in America: Pipe Bombs and Pipe Dreams. SUNY Press.

ESSAY: The Art of Failure Essay The current society has become so much of accomplishment oriented thus the inability to overcome challenges is regarded as failure. Failure takes different forms, which are by all standards, not of the same magnitude as most people assume. Performance that is not up to the expected standards does not necessarily allude to failure. This calls for the exploration of the reasons for such a trend. Most people have a tendency to collapse when pressure is exerted on them. Whereas pressure is intended to help in optimum production, it sometimes culminates in crumbling. The 1993 Wimbledon final pitting Jana Novotna against Steffini Graf poses a clear scenario of this. The less experienced Novotna was leading in the final set and requiring just one game to win her first, major career, title. Novotna went ahead to produce numerous unforced errors that cost the game and a chance to bag game’s most prestigious title. The thought of winning her first career major against the most decorated player of the time took a toll on her. The errors that she made could not reflect the professional know how of tennis that had propelled her all the way to the conclusion of the championship. Pressures makes one panic or choke as it is prominently referred to in sports circles. However, there is an indistinguishable line drawn between choking and panicking as they are different forms of failure. Panic causes a significant contraction of one’s mind making the resultant actions more instinctive than thoughtful. This makes one act conventionally in regard to the situation at hand. John F Kennedy Junior lost his life due to panic. While trying to land while flying his plane, he crushed into an ocean after he lost track of the guiding lights on the island. In this case, he should have employed the knowledge he had acquired from his flying classes to avert the disaster. On the contrary, John might have become desperate and just lay back or acted instinctively as crash reports indicated. Within a couple of seconds, the plane went down, and Kennedy junior and his wife perished. Choking as a form of failure is more concerned with the surrounding conditions, as opposed to the athlete involved. A sports champion should not only be able to conquer the opponent but also the pressure of the spectators. In the 1993 finals, questions still abound to, what if the spectators who included the royalty were to be removed at that point in the game; could Novotna still have lost the match? However, that is not possible because the spectators form an integral part of the game. Investigations by psychologists at Stanford University have established that varied groups yield results differently under pressure. While administering a test to diverse students on the basis of rational capacity, the whites were found to perform better. However, when the same test was administered but not as a measure of ability, the disparity in results did not occur. This is a typical case of choking under pressure among the blacks to prove their scholarly capacity. They tend to over think during the test leading to failure. Working hard in such an instance can’t solution as it is an environmental cause triggering the failure and not lack of knowledge. Choking and panicking are, in fact, found to be totally contrasting. Whereas panicking entails little thought, chocking involves a lot of thinking because it is influenced by external factors. In panicking, a lot of instinctive actions are executed while chocking does not apply any instincts. Failure should, therefore, be distinctive in accordance with the circumstances.

ESSAY: The Art of Self-Portrait: Rembrandt by Rembrandt Research Paper Introduction Since times immemorial, art has been a way of reflecting and interpreting the reality surrounding people in their daily life. In order to comprehend the reality in all its variety, artists have striven to depict as many objects and phenomena as they could only find. One of the most intriguing subjects for reflecting upon via art is human being, and this fact is confirmed by the vast amount of works of art depicting people. In painting, portrait as a way of contemplation on the human nature has enjoyed enormous popularity for centuries on end. Artists of various époques, styles, and nationalities have depicted people of all possible ages, social backgrounds, and occupations. Among portraits, the genre of self-portrait appears most attractive due to the specific quality of the artist’s self-reflection present in the paintings. The present paper focuses on the works of one of the most famous portraitists in Baroque period, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669), whose oeuvre cannot be imagined without a multitude of his self-portraits. Against the background of the general popularity of portraits in the seventeenth century, the gallery of Rembrandt’s self-portraits stands out as an exciting encyclopedia of the evolution in the artist’s personality. This artistic transformation can be observed through tracing the changes in the elements of the techniques, the style, and the tone in Rembrandt’s paintings. The art of portrait in Baroque After the rejection of any individualism and the resulting oblivion of the portrait genre in the art of the Dark Ages, the era between the late Middle Ages and the seventeenth century celebrated the renascence of portraiture. The commonly known anthropocentrism that dominated the Renaissance art resulted in a dramatic increase in the artists’ interest to human personality, which in its turn found reflection in the genre of portrait. Creatively responding to the growing popularity of portrait, artists elaborated on the genre; as a result, a whole range of sub-genres emerged, featuring “full-length portrait”, “three-quarter-length portrait”, and various kinds of “head-and-shoulder portrait”. [1] Within those sub-genres, different poses and positions of the sitters were practised, with the most widespread being the “profile view”, the “three-quarters view”, the “half-length” and the frontal, or “full-face view” (Schneider 6). In addition to developing variations within the genre of portrait, by the seventeenth century artists had sufficiently expanded the range of their subjects, depicting not only the aristocracy and the clergy, but also members of many other social groups. “Merchants, craftsmen, bankers, humanist scholars and artists” themselves sat for portraits and thus appeared in the public eye (Schneider 6). The latter addition to the subject range appears especially revealing for our discussion, since it means that artists started to openly depict themselves and thus emphasize their own social significance. The tendency to individualism and personal identification in painting reflects the general interest to personality in the art that continued the anthropocentric ideas of the Renaissance and developed throughout the Baroque époque. In the literature of the period, one can observe a definite interest to various kinds of autobiographic narrative, and more and more self-portraits appear among the paintings as a kind of autobiographic sketches made by the artists (Schneider 113). It is noteworthy, however, that the notion of self-portrait as such did not exist at the time, and what we now call a ‘self-portrait’ would then be described as the artist’s “own picture & done by himself” (van de Vall 98). Rembrandt’s vast heritage in self-portraits Although the genre of self-portrait was popular and widely practised by most artists in the Baroque period, Rembrandt remains unsurpassed in terms of the quantity of autobiographic images: apart from multiple etches, over forty paintings of himself have survived up to the present time (van de Vall 98). A popular cartoon depicts Rembrandt as “a rather plump, jowly artist, palette and brush in hand, turning from his easel and calling [to his girlfriend]: “Hendrickje, I feel another self-portrait coming on. Bring in the funny hats” (qtd. in Wheelock 13). However, there is probably much more behind the multitude of Rembrandt’s self-portraits than a mere wish to try on another fancy headwear. The reasons for emergence of this many Rembrandt’s self-portraits can be searched for in two directions. On the one hand, the artist could have used his own body as a material for exploring the complexity of human nature on the whole. On the other hand, Rembrandt’s self-portraits can be viewed as an opportunity for self-investigation and revelation of the artistic inner self. In addition, there might emerge still another interpretation: since Rembrandt’s self-portraits were meant for the market and sold, they could serve as a way “to gain honour and immortality and thus fame, and to appeal to a public of buyers and connoisseurs” (de Winkel 135). Such commercial intent can also be interpreted more deeply, since through looking at the artist’s self-portrait the connoisseurs of his work could admire both the artist’s personality and his excellent technique (van de Vall 99). In each separate case, the intent behind Rembrandt’s self-portraits can be deduced individually, since in various periods of his life the artist produced astonishingly different samples of autobiographic paintings. Conventionally, Rembrandt’s self-portraits can be grouped according to the three chronological periods: the early years in 1620s, the middle years spanning the next two decades, and the late years starting from the late 1640s. Each of those periods can be characterized by a certain purpose that inspired Rembrandt to paint his self-portraits, as well as features stylistic peculiarities indicative of deep internal motives underlying each painting. The evolution of style and meaning in Rembrandt’s self-portraits The early years The époque of Baroque brought about an obvious progress in exploration of the emotional side of personality. While the masters of the Renaissance observed the ways to render the inner emotion through pose and gesture, the art of Baroque expanded the artistic techniques by adding facial expression to the wealth of expressive means. Thus the interpretation of feelings in painting could be dramatically intensified and varied. In his early self-portraits, Rembrandt definitely explores the multiple effects of facial expressions. Face becomes the focal point of his compositions, performing the key function of feeling representation. “Alarm, worry, torment, fear” — those are but a few of emotions depicted in etchings and paintings of the 1920s (Schneider 113). Experimenting with his own face in front of the mirror, Rembrandt worked out a whole list of facial features, the interplay of which could render a widest possible range of emotions: “a forehead, two eyes, above them two eyebrows, and two cheeks beneath; further, between nose and chin, a mouth with two lips and all that is contained within it” (qtd. in Bruyn, van Rijn, & van de Wetering 165). A brilliant expert in facial anatomy, Rembrandt apparently taught his pupils to closely observe one’s own face: “thus must one transform oneself entirely into an actor (…) in front of the mirror, being both performer and beholder” (qtd. in Bruyn, van Rijn, & van de Wetering 165). One of the most significant facial features possessing an extreme expressive power was viewed by the seventeenth-century artists — and Rembrandt himself — in the mouth and the musculature surrounding it (Bruyn, van Rijn, & van de Wetering 165). This being a difficult facial element to depict, Rembrandt spent years perfecting his skill in constructing various facial expressions with the help of different mouth positions. Experimenting with the shades of colors and the play of light and shadow, Rembrandt seeks for the most successful rendition of most varied emotions. Self-portraits with open mouth let him place in the teeth as an additional expressive touch. A mouth open in a cry of astonishment, surprise, despair, joy, or without any obvious reason — all this diversity can be seen in Rembrandt’s early autobiographic sketches. As a result of his multiple experiences with facial expressions, by 1630s Rembrandt had worked out an encyclopedia of human emotions that he could apply in his later works. Such, for example, is the famous laughing face which occurs not only in the early self-portraits, but also in those of the late years (Bruyn, van Rijn, & van de Wetering 165). A remarkable feature of Rembrandt’s early self-portraits is that — however renown the artist is for his ingenious depiction of clothes — there is hardly any attire in his early sketches. The reason for this can be found in the fact that during the initial period of his artistic work, Rembrandt appears to work in the tradition of a so-called tronie. By this word is meant a picture that focuses on a certain detail of face, without emphasizing the unique personality of the sitter (de Winkel 137). Therefore, familiar and recognizable stereotypes were depicted, such as a wrinkled old man, a soldier, or a pretty young girl. Since the image stopped at the level of the sitter’s shoulders, not much of clothing could be fitted in the picture. Rembrandt’s depicting himself as a tronie can be seen as a way of de-individualizing the image in terms of clothes. However, this lack of outward information was compensated by a splendid rendition of facial expression. The middle years As Rembrandt gradually gained social recognition and enjoyed considerable success as a commercial artist, his self-portraits demonstrate a tendency to a multitude of experiments. It appears quite laborious to investigate all the range of techniques he employed in his paintings of 1630s, since it is extremely wide. The reasons for this can be found in the fact that Rembrandt ran a series of workshops at the time, and due to time pressure he often had to resort to assistants’ help in finishing the paintings. Such can be the case with some of the self-portraits as well: while Rembrandt outlined the composition in general, especially talented apprentices were allowed to work on details of body and clothes in order to speed up the process (Wheelock 19). While the result of such collective work demonstrates excellent painting technique, it is difficult to assert whether some of Rembrandt’s self-portraits are his own works or workshop productions. Against the background of social success, Rembrandt gained the opportunity to experiment with a large number of altering roles and social positions in his self-portraits. Making use of the general understanding of clothes as a way of creating the desired image of self, Rembrandt juggled an endless number of costumes and attributes creating a new character in every painting. The question of which image reflects ‘the real’ Rembrandt of the time still remains unsolved: was it a prosperous burgher, a learned gentleman, or an insightful artist that he really was? In terms of costume in Rembrandt’s self-portraits, one can single out three main tendencies: self-portraits in contemporary clothing, in antiquated costume, and in working dress. It is quite rare that Rembrandt depicts himself in a formal pose and a fashionable dress. The reason for such preferences in attire can be viewed in the fact that Rembrandt wanted to show his difference from the average customers that ordered their portraits from him. Unlike other artists who depicted themselves in the same sumptuous robes as their customers, Rembrandt positions himself independently from the general crowd. Taking into consideration that the artist was wealthy enough at the time to allow rich garments, such reluctance to mix with the general style can be viewed from the perspective of social inappropriateness of exuberant clothing for lower estate. Despite the exception provided to talented painters for breaking social stratification, Rembrandt apparently prefers to preserve the distinction of his class (de Winkel 147). Perhaps one of the details that immediately springs to one’s mind when thinking about Rembrandt’s self-portraits is the beret. Indeed, in the self-portraits of the middle period, the painter used this kind of headwear most frequently. The more surprising is the fact that in the seventeenth century beret was an outdated type of clothing, either worn by servants or used as a part of official scholar costumes (de Winkel 164). It can be therefore suggested that by widely using the outdated beret in his self-portraits, Rembrandt demonstrated a connection with the famous engravers of the previous century, Lucas and Dürer, highly appraised by him (de Winkel 188). Thus Rembrandt’s historicism and reverence for the art of the past can be deciphered through one small detail of costume. Depicting himself in a working dress, Rembrandt demonstrates yet another peculiar way of distinguishing himself from the generally accepted standards. As of the seventeenth century, there existed no specific occupational dress for the artists of the time, and yet Rembrandt appears in a working dress now and again in his self-portraits (de Winkel 151). Not only can working clothing be noticed on the paintings of the middle years, but it is also the dominant attire in Rembrandt’s late self-portraits. Taking into account the peculiarities of Rembrandt’s late style (to be discussed below), this deviation from the rules and appearance in everyday clothes can be interpreted as the artist’s statement of individual freedom and non-conformance to the generally accepted standards. The late years As compared to the flamboyant images of the middle years, Rembrandt’s self-portraits of the late period demonstrate a dramatic change in tone and style. An “increased sense of gravity and serenity” dominate the portraits of the impoverished artist who enters “a brutally honest phase in his life” (Stein & Rosen 116). Critics remark on the especial “fuzziness” and “lack of sharpness” in the images (van de Vall 93). Although this quality can be ascribed to the artist’s worsening eye-sight, there can be yet another explanation. By alternating the areas of sharpness and blurredness in his self-portraits, Rembrandt creates a lifelike effect of really looking at a person. This effect corresponds to what happens in normal communication, when people tend to alternate direct look and side glances at the interlocutor. Therefore, the “moments of blindness or unfocused seeing are just as essential as moments of sharp sight” for perceiving the image (van de Vall 105). Another peculiar quality that strikes the viewer in the late Rembrandt’s self-portraits is the authenticity with which the painter renders the eyes in his face. Having gathered the experience of his whole life, Rembrandt reveals himself as “a virtuoso of vision, both with regard to what he saw and also with regard to the way in which he represented seeing” (Durham 14). “Believable eyes, living eyes, seeing eyes, even eyes looking at something we cannot see” are impeccably rendered by Rembrandt with a highest professionalism ever reached in the history of painting (Durham 14). His look pierces the viewer of his late self-portraits, as if extending the frame of the picture and letting the image step out of it. Through this mastery of the eyes, Rembrandt renders the message of an extremely deepened spirituality he achieved in the last period of his paintings. Conclusion During the Baroque period, the genre of self-portrait enjoyed its golden age in the studio of Rembrandt van Rijn. Through his many autobiographic works, one can trace Rembrandt’s astonishing evolution from an artist experimenting with the expressive potential of mimics, through an artist playing with his social positions, to an artist deeply submerged in the spirituality of painting. Thus, self-portrait for Rembrandt becomes a way to reflect not only the outward changes but also the crucial inner transformations in the artist’s world. Works Cited Bruyn, J., van Rijn, Rembrandt Harmenszoon, & van de Wetering, Ernst. A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings: The Self-Portraits . Dordrecht: Springer, 2005. Print. Durham, John I. The Biblical Rembrandt: Human Painter in a Landscape of Faith . Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2004. Print. Schneider, Norbert. The Art of the Portrait: Masterpieces of European Portrait-Painting, 1420-1670 . Trans. Iain Galbraith. Köln: Taschen, 2002. Print. Stein, Murray, & Rosen, David H. Transformation: Emergence of the Self . Texas A&M University Press, 2005. Print. van de Vall, Renée. “Touching the Face: The Ethics of Visuality between Levinas and a Rembrandt Self-Portrait.” Compelling Visuality: The Work of Art in and out of History . Eds. Claire J. Farago and Robert Zwijnenberg. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2003. 93–111. Print. Wheelock, Arthur K., Jr. “Rembrandt Self-Portraits: The Creation of a Myth.” Rembrandt, Rubens, and the Art of Their Time: Recent Perspectives . Eds. Roland E. Fleischer and Susan C. Scott. University Park, Center County, PA: The Pennsylvania State University, 1997. 12–35. Print. de Winkel, Marieke. Fashion and Fancy: Dress and Meaning in Rembrandt’s Paintings . Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2006. Print. Footnotes 1. Schneider, Norbert. The Art of the Portrait: Masterpieces of European Portrait-Painting, 1420-1670 . Trans. Iain Galbraith. Köln: Taschen, 2002. 6. Print.

ESSAY: The artwork Cosa by Judi Werthein Essay 1. Description and Analysis 2. Work’s use of the systems of global capitalism 3. Relationship to the global system of exhibiting art in biennials and institutions 4. The symbolism of the elephant and of air Cosa is an artwork that can be compared to air of any given city. This is usually demonstrated in form of an artificial elephant made in China. Cosa can also be described as a piece that has the ability to reach out to any part of the world and has the ability to fill an unoccupied space and has the ability to change its shape. Due to its nature and design it does not have the ability to fit in aoony room. According to Katrib, the current society is dominated by the media and the internet (Werthein and Erlich 34). Therefore a question arises as to why art is made even at times when what is seen is not exactly what it actually is. The artists therefore apply different interpretations of images all of which are correct depending on the circumstances. They aim at perceiving things that are not seen by the through both candid and sarcastic ways. A single artwork carries more than one message or interpretation concerning the contemporary issues affecting the society. It only depends from which angle it is visualized. Judi Werthein, in her work, ‘compresses’ the sculpture of the elephant to fit in a very small room. However, when removed and inflated, it achieves its original size and shape. Within the enclosed space (most probably by walls), bubbling of the confined animal can be heard. The sculpture inflates and deflates at regular intervals hence providing a hissing sound that is cadenced in nature. Much as an observer may hear this, it quite unlikely that he or she can figure out its ultimate potential in terms of size. It can in other words be compared to a sleeping giant. In this way, she is able to depict an artwork that is not necessarily visible but one that is portrayed in the mind of the spectator. It is therefore up to the spectator to try and visualize it out in his or her mind (Tellez and Werthein 259). In her work, Judi makes symbolism an integral aspect of her designs. Taking the case of Cosa (thing), much as it is made in China, air from different parts of the world can be used to inflate it. This therefore means that the sculpture is not only relevant to China, but to all the countries of the world. It is a perfect fit in the description of it as moving freely all over the world (Tellez and Werthein 8). Her best symbolism may be attributed to her documentary on Colonia Dignidad, which is a German territory in Aracuaria in Chile that is highly protected. In this region, we have a smaller society within a larger one where the most prevalent customs are German ones. Archaic lifestyles are still maintained in this place, for instance children have to attain an age close to adulthood before they can learn Spanish. Since the society has boundaries that separate from the rest of the world, it acted as a refuge for people including Walter Rauss, a Gestapo officer that was at one time a criminal of war. The normal activities of the society go on inside yet those outside may not have an understanding of what takes place. All they can do is speculate. This can be compared to Judi’s elephant sculpture enclosed by the walls in that though inside it is only a matter of inflation and deflation, spectators can have a varied set of speculation of what happens in there. It is also worth noting that they may not clearly make out how the sculpture will look when it is let out. This can be compared to the fact that contrary to the town being small, it is capable of big things, for instance, provision of refuge for Walter Rauss (Skar 1). Most of Judi’s works reflect critical issues of different dimensions of life such as love, politics, war, and oppression among others. She uses her creativity in art to vividly excavate what is hidden in the general view of the society. In my opinion she has distinguished herself as a dynamic artist whose art endures both the test of time and space. Works Cited Skar, Brian. “Strange Manifestations.” Artnet Online Magazine . Web. Tellez, Javier and Judi Werthein. “Migratory Zoology.” Número Cero_04 . San Juan: 2da Trienal Poli/Gráfica de San Juan: América Latina y el Caribe, 2009. Tellez, Javier and Judi Werthein. “Migratory Zoology.” Review 77: Literature and Arts of The Americas 41. 2 (2008): 259-264. Werthein, Judi and Leandro Erlich. Turismo: La Habana, Cuba . New York: Kent Gallery, 2001.

ESSAY: The Balkan Crisis: A Brief History Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Balkan Crisis 3. Conclusion 4. Works Cited Introduction The Balkan crisis that began in 1989 was a revolution that put to an end the Soviet-mode Communism in socialist states of East European nations beginning from the Baltic to Balkans; these proved to be both spectacular and largely unanticipated. The Balkan crisis that that began outgrew from collapse due to economic failures, the arms race and the availability of options to Communism. The crisis started at the time when Slobodan Milosevic ascended to the presidency of Serbia, in 1989 when the country held its first democratic elections since the aftermath of the First World War. He turned out to be the president of Yugoslavia in the year 1997 (Gallagher 201). The Balkan Crisis After president Slobodan took over the presidency of Yugoslavia in started making vicious attacks on the Albanian ethnic group inhabiting the province of Kosovo. This led him into military contest with the NATO forces in 1999. The government of Slobodan Milosevic continuously engaged in violence and would only bow to threats of severe military intervention. It is important to note that the Balkan crisis led to the ultimate disintegration of the republic of Yugoslavia. The disintegration led to realignment of forces which consequently resulted into tensions that were premised on ethnic, religious and political origins. This became intense as Slobodan Milosevic became president and swiftly began consolidating power and coming up with strategies to preserve that power. He initiated the oppression of the Albanian ethnic people who inhabited Kosovo. It is recorded that the ethnic cleansing began in the summer of 1992 throughout Bosnia. The Serbian nationalists were in involved in ethnic cleansing with a clear objective to create a purely Serbian republic by killing and driving away non-Serbians (Gallagher pp. 202-210). During the periods of ethnic cleansing, the non-Serbs were attacked by snipers and their villages were destroyed. Thousands of these non-Serb nationalists were tortured, expelled from their residences, executed, detained in camps and some raped, especially women and young females. It is posited that rape and executions were tactically utilized to destroy the ties that existed in families and also communities. In July, 1995 the civilian women were separated from civilian men by the Serbian forces that then started the campaigns of killing non-Serbian men and even hunting those who were trying to escape through various forests (Gallagher pp. 202-210). Bratunac killings (1992) that claimed more or less 350 (Muslim) men remain the largest known (mass) killing. Several confrontations ensued between Bosnian Muslims and Serbs of Bosnia in which the town of Srebrenica was interchangeably controlled by the two conflicting group. During the conflict period, the residents of Bosnia converged in the town which had been declared by the United Nations as safe. Unfortunately, the Serbian forces continued to attack the town despite the United Nation’s claim. The Dutch military personnel tried to protect the Muslim men from the Serbian soldiers but were overwhelmed and could not stop the massacre that took place (Government Printing Office 20206). In 1993, there was an attempt to resolve the crisis through what was known as Vance- Owen plan. This plan was drawn by a collaboration of various governments which included the United States of America and the Britain with support of other nations; the plan proposed that The situation that has been experienced with regards to the Balkan crisis requires serious humanitarian interventions due to the fact that gravious violation of human rights has been going on within the state. Even though the issue was resolved by the United Nations in conjunction with other nations, the effects have not yet completely subsided. The many decades of tension led to economic crises and destruction of property that left millions of people poor. This calls for serious humanitarian interventions even though many states and individuals are against the interventions. The fact is that humanitarian intervention is one of the most important remedy to a situation where citizens have suffered in the hands of repressive government officials. As the separated countries attempt to recover economically, so many citizens still go without the basic needs recognized by the United Nations as amongst the fundamental human rights; these are the rights to better healthcare, food, education and shelter. Besides, it is crucial to note that many citizens who were victims of Serbian military campaign of mass murder have not yet psychologically recovered from the trauma of the mass massacre; they still need lots of counseling that can most probably be provided by humanitarian agencies. Conclusion The government of president Slobodan presided over the mass killing of many non-Serbian people in what is described as the first declared genocide in the world. The government created a lot of human crises in which many Muslim and non-Serbs were tortured and killed, women and young girls were raped and killed and lots of property was destroyed. The impact of the Balkan crisis created a situation in which the region necessarily needs the intervention of humanitarian agencies to help the people of the region rebuild their lives and be able to take care of their fundamental basic needs. There were countries like the United States of American and the Britain amongst others that were involved in resolving the crisis (Gallagher pp. 201-2002). Works Cited Gallagher, Tom. The Balkans in the new millennium: in the shadow of war and peace . New York: Rutledge, 2005. Government Printing Office. Political Science / Government / Legislative Branch . New York: Government Printing Office, 1998.

ESSAY: Studying and Practicing – The Best Ways to Learn? Argumentative Essay Without any doubts, education plays a very important role in the life of every person. Knowledge helps us comprehend the world, we live in, better and deeper; knowledge provides us with the opportunities to analyze and solve every day problems; and, of course, knowledge is something that makes this life more interesting and really worthwhile. Each person should comprehend that education is one of the best means to get more and more knowledge in order to enjoy this life. It turns out to be crucially important to decide when it is better to start own education and define which spheres of life are better to concentrate on. Of course, each person has his/her own attitude to education: lots of children find education is not that significant and think that it is possible to get it later. It is one of the possible options, but still, this option is no the best. This is why it is better to clear up why education is important for you and start getting it as soon as possible. Now, the question is all about the ways of how to learn everything better. So, the works by such writers like Daniel Pink and Peter Singer should help me to comprehend how education is important and prove once again that one of the best ways to learn is to study and then to do it. Education is all about human growth and personal development. For many people, learning turns out to be rather a continuous process. People have lots of methods of learning to choose from; so, it is better to weigh all pros and cons of learning processes, evaluate personal skills and preferences, and then make a decision concerning the way of learning. I truly believe that one of the best ways to learn is to study. Going to schools and other educational institutions is one of the possible ways to learn, so, it is just the time to remember how wonderful and important the time at schools was, is, and will be. Daniel Pink is one of the authors, who concentrate on schools’ significance and admit how schools may or may not differ during different periods of time. “Whenever I walk into a public school, I’m nearly toppled by a wave of nostalgia… Such déjà vu warmed my soul…” (Pink, 2005) Is it really so great and pleasant that schools of the 21 st century have no differences with the ones of the 20 th century? Hardly! I cannot agree that the information that was significant and had power at the beginning of the 1990s should be the same at the year of 2010. This is why I want to admit that our education and learning processes should be developed with time, and the vast majority of innovations should be taken into consideration. At schools, people get education in different spheres of life in order to get a clear picture of this world and be aware about the opportunities, this world presents. However, in order to learn and be able to do studying is not the only means. This is why theory, taken into account alone, is of poor use. Practice and personal experience turn out to be crucially important as well. It is quite possible that a person has studied certain theoretical issues concerning carrying out some surgical operation. However, when it is high time to conduct an operation, it is impossible to be sure that this person conducts it perfectly, because lack of experience is always noticeable. This is why I cannot but agree that another significant way to learn is to do. Practice is really important, because this life and its development is caused by human practical achievements but not on knowledge, taken from text books only. It is much better to use hands and brain simultaneously in order to be a really sophisticated person. Peter Singer is a really great utilitarian philosopher, who provides his readers with a chance to comprehend what is necessary to live. We learn in order to buy, have, and use things in our life. However, lots of people still cannot comprehend how to use what you already have, and it is another consequence of lack of practice, we are talking about. He calls a retired woman, who does change one child’s life into some sum of money and a television, immoral. (Singer, 2008) This woman was a teacher during a long period of time, but still, she did not have enough time to comprehend that lives of human beings are much more important and should be appreciated first of all. So, the description of this women’s analysis of the situation, her thoughts and doubts – all this serve as a good example to prove the fact that practice is really important in learning. With the help of a couple of illustrative examples, we can clear up why studying and practicing turn out to be the best ways to learn. For example, studying at classrooms helps to clear up personal intentions as for education: students have certain objectives to achieve, teachers have a concrete plan to follow, and material that is presented is perfectly planned and chosen. Environment should be also considered as a powerful means to learn: even the shape and the size of the room may influence the educational process. A person, and a child in particular, will hardly be able to learn and comprehend new material being in a noisy room, where the vast majority of people want to entertain. This is why those people, who want to achieve good results, should take into consideration such issues like environment, personal intention and desire to work and learn. In conclusion, I want to admit once again that the best way to learn is, first of all, to study and comprehend the material, and, secondly, to do and use gathered material on practice. People face numerous difficulties during their whole lives. To my mind, well-educated person will always find enough time and powers to analyze the situation, weigh all cons and pros, and find out the best solution. So, learning process may seem rather boring at first, and even unnecessary, however, with time, this education and the information got turn out to be vitally important for lots of people. Numerous philosophers and ordinary writers, who are eager to share captivating information concerning this life and its possible improvement, admit the fact that learning is nothing without practice. So, the ideas of Pink and Singer become more and more interesting and help to realize that our life should not be grounded on books only. And a smart person should find out the ways to use the information from different sources into practice and enjoy this life. Reference List Pink, D. (2005). School’s Out. The Blair Reader . Eds. Kirszner, L. G. & Mandell, S. R. Pearson Prentice Hall. Singer, P. (2008). The Singer Solution to World Poverty. The Best American Essays. Ed. Atwan, R. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

ESSAY: The Bible: Eve and Female Place in the World Report The role of women in society is considered to be one of the most burning and captivating issues of all the times. People face numerous problems during the discussions whether it is correct to make men and women equal to each other or not. This is why lots of people try to use as reliable sources as possible to prove the chosen idea. And of the first sources, used in discussions concerning women place and role, is the Bible. The fact that Eve was created not first but second and the idea, came from Hebrew religion, that Jacob is considered to be the favorite implied for a long period of time that women were inferior to men; however, nowadays, lots of contradictions take place on these arguments and the discussions about woman’s role in society become more and more urgent. The questions of gender inequality are inherent to many cultures and nations; some nations prefer to rely on religion in order to satisfy society; the other nations take into consideration modern points of views and moral values. However, during a long period of time, The Holy Bible was considered to be the major religious text that helped to clear up the different between women and men, their roles, and duties. The point is that even The Holy Bible represents several approaches to the discussion of this concept. The New Testament and The Old Testaments tell that women have to inferior to men as the authority of God is really great, and God is the only one, who has the right to judge, divide, or make equal. In these testaments, women take the second place and may be regarded as men’s properties. However, The Gospels of Jesus , which appeared between The Old and New Testaments , underline how powerful women could be and that the equality between men and women was obligatory. However, the power of God was really huge, this is why the point that God created Eve second provided many people with a chance to underline women’s inferiority to men. The Hebrew Yisrael presents other evidence that males have a kind of privilege in comparison to females. Jacob got inspiration from God, so, God perfects his favor and admiration on Jacob more than on any other person, and any woman in particular. He is the only one, who can communicate to God and introduce God’s messages to other people. Due to such God’s preference, Hebrew boys have more rights, choices, and freedoms. Is it relates to The Holy Bible and Eve’s creation? Maybe; however, each religion has its own values, and the Islamic people made their choice in favor to male priority. Of course, women have certain rights, but still, their rights are dependent on many other factors, connected to male activities. The Holy Bible is the first source that divided people in accordance with their genders. From the Old Testament , the roles of women were not that significant. The fact that Eve was created second allows many people to believe that women are inferior to men. However, times have been changed, and values are different now. It is hard to prove that women are inferior to men, and those people, who still believe the ideas, offered in The Holy Bible , just do not have enough imagination to prove women’s inferiority within own words.

ESSAY: Socrates: His Life, Philosophy, & Death Essay (Biography) The Philosopher, Socrates was a Greek and he was born in the proximities of 470 B.C in Athens. His father was a sculptor named Sophroniskus. Socrates, therefore, grew up with carving skills learnt from his father. In addition to the carving skills, Socrates studied astronomy and geometry formally. At first, he was enthusiastic to learn sciences due to his thirst for knowledge but he later despised sciences. His argument was that scientific knowledge could not be proved and thus he made a decision to seek real knowledge. His mother, Phaenarete, was a midwife and thus Socrates, claimed to have taken after his mother by helping boys bear thoughts (Taylor 19) through philosophy. Apart from the philosophical career that Socrates followed, not much is known about his life. This is primarily because Socrates did not leave behind any written materials. Much of the philosophy and life of Socrates is explained by Plato in his dialogues. Plato lived during Socrates generation, but he was younger than Socrates. He used to attend Socrates’ gatherings and thus his writings about the life of Socrates are highly credited. Evident among his dialogues is the fact that Socrates married a woman named Xanthippe and bore three sons, Menexenus, Sophroniscus and Lamprocles. Plato also describes the physical appearance of Socrates as unimpressive. He also mentions that Socrates showed a lot of bravery and courage as he served in Deliurn and Ampipolis wars as a soldier (Tredennick 22). Socrates’ inseparable attachment to philosophy started when a friend of his approached the Oracle at Delphi and asked if there was any person wiser than Socrates. When the Oracle replied that no man was wiser, Socrates got encouraged to advance his philosophical knowledge by comparing his knowledge to the knowledge of other wise people. This led to his invention of the Socratic Method which involves asking a person simple questions followed by implicative questions that makes the person realize that they do not know the subject well (Cline 1). The shaming of prominent people using the Socratic Method and the communism (anti-democratic) ideas held and taught by Socrates eventually landed him in problems. He was accused of impiety due to his introduction of new philosophical ideas. He was also accused of corrupting the young. After trial, he was found guilty of these charges and executed by poison. As stated earlier, these accusations were politically engineered due to his disparagement of famous wise men and his firm stand on the necessity of communism in Athens. Although he had chances to escape the execution, he accepted to drink Hemlock and die in front of his friends. This can be seen as a portrayal of the bravery and determination he had learnt as a soldier. He thus chose to die in order for the principles he believed in to hold true. For instance, he held the belief that being under the jurisdiction of the law; he was obliged to conform to what the law said even if it was unfair. He thus drank hemlock, poison, and died in front of his friends. He died while reminding Crito of a small debt to a certain god. This was in 399 BCE. The debt is an indication that Socrates was extremely poor due to his devotion to philosophy (Taylor 13). He had also neglected his children due to his passion for philosophy. He got substantial criticism form Crito for making the decision to die and leave his children behind. Works Cited Cline, Austin. “ Biographical Profile of Socrates ”. 2010- April 23, 2010, https://www.learnreligions.com/socrates-biography-biographical-profile-250522 Taylor, Anne. Socrates . U.K. McMillan Publishing. Tredennick, Hugh. The last days of Socrates . New York. Barnes & Noble.

ESSAY: The Book of Genesis: Towards Understanding Creation Theology Report Through the years, a large body of knowledge has been attained on what the Bible and other naturalistic and scientific disciplines teach about creation. Although many people, especially Christians, do not want to engage in the often heated debate about creation, it is imperative that such a topic is discussed since it not only enlighten the faithful about the purpose of God in creation, but it also serves to separate the true theological doctrine from science and other dogmas. It is imperative to note at this early stage that creation theology is undoubtedly evident in the Holy Bible, but the doctrine of creation was nurtured in the early centuries of the church (Russell para. 1). It is the purpose of this paper to evaluate creation theology as expounded in the book of Genesis, with a view of understanding what God meant for us. The theology of creation as reflected in Genesis presents the Church’s thinking and views about the relationship between the almighty God and the physical world as it is informed by our own comprehension of the Holy Bible coupled with the observations of nature (Lienhard 23). According to the author, Genesis 1 teaches that one omnipresent God summoned the world into existence, and that all of creation, created by the all-powerful God, responds to His call. Of fundamental importance is the fact that God’s creation as seen in the Book of Genesis has order and structure, and is inarguably transfigured to reveal God’s presence. However, the creation is natural, not divine, and Adam and Eve’s sinful nature at the Garden of Eden reveals just that. According to House, it is in Genesis “…that the fact that God is the only creator, indeed the only deity, begins its key role in biblical theology” (6). In more than one way, other successive doctrines flow from the truths in this Book, and all are founded on the principle and understanding that God is the creator. Christians must therefore receive and process the knowledge through the art of human reason, but ultimately, they must accept the knowledge as true by faith. The fact that the church of Christ has long confessed creation as a key ingredient of faith is undeniable. Indeed, Genesis 1-2 bears one of the guiding principle of all Biblical Theology – that the true “living God of the Bible is the maker of heaven and earth, of all things whether seen or unseen” (House 6). It therefore follows that the creation, according to Genesis 1, is inarguably dependent upon the Creator for all of the authority and capacities under its possession, and for its continuous existence in the universe (Lienhard 27). The creation must honour and pay tribute to the Sabbath, the almighty God’s chosen day of celebration and rest since this very special and holy day is anchored in the act of creation, that is, after God created all creations in this universe, He chose to rest on this particular day. The said days of creation are well documented in Genesis 1:3-5. During these days, God is depicted as intelligent, powerful, authoritative, and orderly as He just orders creations into existence (House 8). The creation phenomenon further implies that God is entirely capable, responsible, and copiously knowledgeable about every single creature in the universe since “all that occurs God does” (House 8). Creation theology as accounted for in the Book of Genesis can never be exhausted. However, Genesis 2:1-3 shows God’s satisfaction with His own creation since all what He needed to accomplish in creation has already been accomplished perfectly (House 8). In Genesis 2:4-25, God ceases to create and turns his focus on developing a rapport with human creation at the Garden of Eden. The book of Genesis therefore enlightens us of the fact that God alone is the Creator; He is the uncaused cause of all creatures in the universe. The Book also teaches that the omnipresent Creator is divine, but also has a personal nature, and as such, He entrusts man with the care of all living creatures in the universe. Lastly, the book illuminates God’s principles of intelligence, power, goodness, and kindness (House 15). Works Cited House, P.R. Creation in Old Testament Theology. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ntslibrary.com/PDF%20Books/Creation%20in%20OT%20Theology.pdf Lienhard, J.T. The Bible, the Church, and Authority. Minnesota: The Liturgical Press. 1995. ISBN: 0814655364 Russell, R. The Theology of Creation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://counterbalance.org/physics/creat-body.html

ESSAY: The Burial of a Navy White Hat Essay There are so many naval traditions, which amaze ordinary people with its simplicity and unbelievable significance at the same period of time. One of the most captivating traditions is the burial of a White Hat at sea. This tradition makes an E-7 Chief Petty Officer, who is in transition from an E-6 First Class Petty Officer, burn his/her white hat at sea. In order to demonstrate how a person is grateful to wear the uniform that serves for a certain period of time, and how he/she appreciate the chance to say the words of honor to this uniform. It is not just one more White Hat in this life; it is something more important, like an amulet that has accompanied a person during the years of service as a seaman or a Petty Officer of different classes. This is why a eulogy for the E-6 White Hat is the smallest thing that has to be made. My personal eulogy for E-6 First Class Petty Officer White Hat demonstrates how significant the years of my service with that White Hat were to me. Making an E-7 Chief Petty Officer is one of the biggest milestones in my life and my career, a significant step into better future, a goal that is almost achieved. It is not that easy to say “Good Bye” for my White Hat in a short period of time. There are so many things have been uniting us: first meeting with new friends, attempts to follow the time in order to perform the necessary duties, first exams, and first disappointments. One day, a person realizes how cruel and unfair this world is, and it is necessary to have some kind of support to rely on any time. People are not honest all the time; this is why it is better to choose another object to be sure about possible help. My uniform served as such kind of support each time. When I wore it, I felt a bit more courageous, a bit more confident, and even a bit happier. This uniform always reminds me why I am here and why I should be strong and ready for any challenge. If people still believe that they certainly have their own guardian angels, I can say that my White Hat was my guarding angel all the time. When I saw the White Hat for the first time in my life, I had already known that it is a symbol of a Navy that I had to wear with honor. I could not lose it, I had to care about it, and I had no right to change my hat with someone else. Wearing and caring about my White Hat was my first duty, and I had to be as responsible as possible. I agree it was a bit hard, but I also comprehend that my life in a Navy without the White Hat could be much more difficult. This is why I was happy each time I wore this White Hat. However, the time when I have to say “Good bye” to my White Hat has come. I cannot postpone or omit it. The only thing I have to do right now is to look at it once again, remember all those challenges, we have passed together, and demonstrate my proud and enough powers to change my E-6 White Hat for something more important, more serious, and more prospective, and be ready to become an E-7 Chief Petty Officer.

ESSAY: The Candy Bombers by Andrei Cherny Report The book critically acclaims the role of American bombers in post WWII time when the allied forces were getting apart because of the political differences that were beginning to showcase. Americans were following democracy with every intention to spread the same political approach to the occupied countries in Europe whereas Soviets, because of their logistic and geographic location, had very good chance of being there on top for communism. The book looks at the events that originated in 1948-9 when Soviets took control over Berlin and with differences arising in West, blockading the transport routes in and out of Berlin. Berlin after war was still unable to get back on track after WWII in both social and economic terms. The food was provided mostly by the allied forces which were occupant until 1948, especially Americans. The book is written by Andrei Chemy who worked in White House as a speech writer. His research included visiting two continents and sixteen countries which were devastated during the WWII. The conflict started in June, 1948 when Soviets started to emphasize on communism over democracy in Germany (Cherny, 42). With Berlin in hand, they just had to cut off the resources in order to stay out, which they did. The problem was the food supply to the people of Berlin. As Soviets were not reluctant to play any part in the provision of the needs, American and British army restructured their strategy. As opposition mounted in America against the Soviets, armed forces looked to supply food to the Berlin people. Soviet Union had restricted any plane to enter Berlin air space, but some pilots regardless of this fact showed bravery and transported food. It is believed that during a year they transported around 4.6 billion pounds of food by dropping and attaching with the parachutes, when the blockades finally lifted in 1949 (Cherny, 25). This was the start of Cold War. Germany was less reluctant to become a democracy but rather made alluring to communism. The use of power from Soviets was another reason that free opinion never reached the outside world. However, Germans, after this gesture of America, became fond of the American style of caring and use of power for the betterment of society. In hearts they wanted to look beyond borders and observe the cultural aspects of American society but they were never allowed. The role of Adolf Hitler against any kind of criticism revealed that they are not free yet even after the World War, though the use of power to soothe the Germans after WWII by Americans is still regarded by Germans as one of the biggest occasions in their history. The political scene is America was changing all the time. Truman was the only one in the political arena who didn’t want to leave Germans alone. The population was definitely with him as he was re-elected as President again. The American army, though, had no answer to the Soviet Blockade. In the meantime, Liutenant General William Tunner was made the in-charge of the air force. He had the task to transport food and coal to Berlin in winter. The first pilot to drop the food was Lt. Gail Halvorson and he soon became a celebrity both in Germany and America. Halvorson was able to fly over the Berlin and used handkerchief parachutes to drop candies. Candies became scarce in post war era and children found them very amusing (Cherny, 128). With his bomber plane flying over the Berlin, children used to gather in grounds where Halvorson was supposed to drop the candies, when he signaled from his plane. With immediate success, Halvorson was sent letter by many families in Berlin who wanted to thank him for what he did for their children by dropping candies apart from transporting the food as well (Cherny, 267). The book also emphasizes on the political aspects of this Berlin airlift. Though, this candy airlifting is unknown to most of the people, it be easily stated that this event played a major role in the determining the future of Berlin and Germany. The book also encloses the close thrift of war between the Soviets and allied forces in 1948, however, it didn’t happen. The candy airlifting was the event that formed the Berlin wall that separated West Germany to the East Germany by the Soviets to keep democracy at hand. The Berlin was separated into two portions which then considered as the border between the East communist Germany and West democratic Germany. The book is very well written and portrays the events with utmost important. The factual information is mostly based on various journals and news that were published in that time. Interviews with the WWII veterans were also accounted in order to get precise information. The main breakthrough for Andrei was the discovery of Halvorson’s books and autobiography that outlined each and every aspect of the candy bombings and the influence it had made on the Germans with whom he met afterwards. The book provides some emotional touches as well where it tries to determine the American disrupt at its political level. Andrei stated that Harry Truman was an accidental president because he was also derided by his own party. Regardless of the opposition, he was there to help find a way that could somehow help Germans. Lucius Clay, Lt. Gen, was also very frustrated of the events that were taking place as whole country was against the army for not taking appropriate actions. Lucius Clay was not in a position to order some offensive orders as he knew that a new war could mean clear confrontation with Soviets which was the superpower. Bill Turner, who was a logistic expert working in Pentagon, was limited to the desk because he had nothing to do in the war front now as the blockades intact restricted him to make any logistic orders. James Forrestal, who was a defense secretary, was also in the moments of shock as the frightening of losing war had impacted his soul and his ability to work and then there was Halvorson, who was always ready for something. The book revolve around these people who somehow became proactive in their approach and tried to look for opportunities and then started a whole new aspect of the post WWII era which has been unknown to many until now. The combination of the military and other experts from various fields was this time not against any enemy but was for the well being of the people who had limited food and shelter and had no one to help. The book tries to depict this event as the proudest moment where America was involved in something good, not because of war but, morally and something that truly happened for the people for some other country, and the one with whom they had fought mere four years ago. The historical analysis of the event dictate that this step of Soviets was regards to the submission of the Berlin by the Americans. Soviets wanted that America to abandon Berlin or otherwise they were very much reluctant to starvation death of the Berlin people. The Americans did what they could at that time and today, as we look upon history, we come to know that this event was the cornerstone in making of Germany as a strong upheld democracy. West Germany under the influence of America became its strongest ally afterwards where they assisted West Germany with full moral, logistic and military support and halted the spreading of communism in other parts of the Europe. The book states the event with full authority. Andrei has been successful in undermining the real facts and by stating these facts he has made world remember the finest hour America has ever seen his history where it has been found assisting not because of any materialist benefit like what things have been happening after 9/11 rather more because of the morals which are now lacking at every extent. Work Cited Cherny, Andrei. The Candy Bombers: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift and America’s Finest Hour. New York: Putnam Adult, 2008.

ESSAY: The Case in Huntingdon as One More Cause to Talk about Inequality Opinion Essay Huntingdon is a small town in Quebec that does not actually differ from other towns; its citizens use their abilities and ideas in order to improve their lives and provide their generations with safe and sound future. However, August of 2004 was not an ordinary year in the life of this town. The current mayor of Huntingdon, Mr. Stephane Gendron, offered to accept the law that will ban children’s presence on streets after 10.30 p.m. and till 6.00 a.m. He even presented several rather strong evidences that were able to support his suggestion and prove that his idea was good and effective enough. Children younger 16 are not actually able to response for each of their actions and cannot comprehend how serious the consequences of their actions can be; the cases of teen vandalism become more and more frequent, this is why it is crucially important to start doing something to stop vandalism and help children find out the right way. Many people rejected this idea and underlined the idea of ageism, inequality, under which teenagers suffer. On my opinion, such kinds of laws are really helpful and have to be offered oftener; it is not very easy to control children nowadays, this is why it is possible to control them, using some legal concepts. I truly believe that modern youth makes numerous attempts to demonstrate own maturity and life experience by means of power and some abilities, which may be inherent to adults only. For example, some teenagers like to leave some marks on local sights in order to make their words noticeable. Passing by the monument, where some words or slogans are presented, young people underline the fact that it was they, who put these words on the monument and demonstrate their devotion to the chosen affair. As a rule, such activities are inherent for night times. When it is light, children can hardly break a branch or demonstrate their painting abilities or excellent spelling. Teenagers should accept this idea as something that may underline their inequality in comparison to elderly people. Of course, youth wants to feel freedom as soon as possible and become involve into the affairs of grown up life. However, it is also necessary to underline that many children all over the world are deprived of the opportunity to enjoy their childhood and be as naive and irresponsible as possible. Youth does not want to think about the consequences of their actions, does not want to believe that their interests and hobbies are not that safe, and does not want to accept the truth that their parents are usually right. From numerous psychological and sociological perspectives, the driving forces, which promote young people take risky steps and suffer from injures, are born somewhere inside of human mind and grounded on the relations within a family. If a family provides a child with the necessary care and support, tries to comprehend teenager’s demands, and wants to help him/her, the child will never consider the idea of being at home at 10.30 as a threat or challenges concerning age inequality. Adults usually care about children and teenagers, and in their turn, teenagers should be smart and mature enough to comprehend it and support those adults, who help them to take the best from this life. Online sources The article by Stephen Fine is a good source about Canadian youth culture and the ideas of how to control teenagers. https://hollowscamp.ca/ The article from the Canadian Press shows how effective the ideas of the current mayor can be. https://www.breitbart.com/

ESSAY: The Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan Research Paper A Brief Introduction of the regions Armenia The mountainous landlocked republic of Armenia was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1922. Before that, Armenia had gone through a series of wars and divisions, during and after the World War I. In the 14th century, Armenia was divided amid the Persian and Ottoman Empires and it was under these empires that Armenians would suffer the greatest. The Ottoman Empire was governed under a Muslim socialist rule, and Christian Armenians found themselves being discriminated by other Islamic groups. This made the Armenians under the Ottoman Empire push for equality, demanding justice and more rights. Under Sultan ‘Abdu’l-Hamid II, who later came to be known as the Red Sultan or Bloody Sultan, massacres against the Armenians were organized and within a span of two years between 1892 and 1894, more than 280,000 Armenians were killed. This came to be known as the Hamid massacre, (Hellen 66). During World War I, the Russian empire and the Ottoman Empire had an altercation, in their Caucasus and Persian Campaigns. There were sharp differences among them and since the Armenians were weary and had formed a resistance against the Ottoman Empire, most of them drifted towards the Russian army. The new ottoman administration in Constantinople was despondent with the turn of events and begun treating the Armenians with open suspicion and on the April 24 1915, the Ottoman government arrested a group of Armenian intellectuals. According (Sullivan 2001) “ The Tehcir Law was later to be passed on the 25 th of May that same year which led to the state supported killings of a large number of Armenians living in Anatolia. This came to be known as the Armenian genocide”. Under the soviet rule of Vladimir Lenin, Armenians began enjoying more freedom from oppression, which had been the norm under the Ottoman Empire. They received security, food and medicine from the state and enjoyed a period of relative peace and stability. This was however not long lived. After Vladimir Lenin’s death, Joseph Stalin ascended to power and unlike Lenin, Stalin was not benevolent to the Armenian people. He executed a large number of Armenians during the Great Purge. In 1923, Stalin had also separated Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia and had now become a district under Azerbaijan. This self-governing district has now become one of the region’s most contested areas that have led to clashes and fatalities between the Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers, (Chorbaijan 42). Azerbaijan Azerbaijan was greatly contested by the Muslim and Christian faiths in the Middle Ages. Unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan went through numerous headship regimes in form of dynasties. Many dynasties during this period ruled including among others the Sajids , the Sassanids, the Shaddadids, the Sallarids, and the Byzantines . Turkic tribes from Central Asia like the Ghaznavids dynasty later took on the role of leadership. In subsequent years, the Azerbaijan area was again briefly ruled by Zand, Qajars and Afshar that happened to be Iranian dynasties, (Chorbaijan 85). These dynasties paved way for the Persian khanates emergence. The khanates exercised power over their colonies through the international trade route between Europe and central Asia. They were often warring with other dynasties over territory and this led to an increasingly weak khanate army. According (Cheratin 96) “The Khanate army was later on absorbed in the Russian Army due to its small size”. In a sense, Russia was responsible for the expansion of Azerbaijan. It extended its dominance towards the north across the Arax River, taking over territories that were occupied by Iran. This region also came to be part of the modern Azerbaijan republic. Nogornij Karabach This is a land locked enclave and it was and still is by location, part of Azerbaijan but has been a source contention between Armenia and Azerbaijan from as far back as 1917. This enclave shares no border with Armenia and this territory was part of the Soviet Union captured in 1805. The Russian tsar created an Armenian province but did not include Nogornij Karabach as part of the province. The first conflict over the region was witnessed in 1917 where the Bolshevik Revolution provoked ethnic violence. In 1921, there was a push by the Armenians living in Nogornij Karabach to make the region be part of Armenia (Hellen 155). The then ruler, Stalin disagreed by saying that there was a need to unite Muslims and Christians of the soviet region and supported the ties that Nogornij Karabach had with Azerbaijan. Stalin declared the region autonomous to please turkey in 1923, but stated it was still part of Azerbaijan and the soviet constitution of 1936 supported this view. In 1987, Armenians living in the Nogornij Karabach region handed a petition to the Russian government to be allowed to be joined by Armenia, (Vicken 83). This led to the Azeri living in the region to demonstrate in 1988 and it happened that some of the protester died in the demonstration. Nogornij Karabach region annexed it- self from Azerbaijan in July 12 1988. Azerbaijan referring to Soviet Union’s constitution which stated that borders of a country could not be changed without its consent, called the move by the Nogornij Karabach parliament illegal, (Potier 102). The conflict threatened to escalate therefore Moscow was forced to deploy interior troops in some of the most volatile regions and imposed martial law on them. Later on in November 1989, Russia deployed army troops to guard the region. Soviet officially declared that Nogornij Karabach was part of Armenia on December 1 1989 and this caused retaliation by the Azerbaijan popular front. They began a rail blockade of Armenia and Nogornij Karabach, cutting of their food supply and fuel deliveries. This was followed by the January 1990 anti- Armenian violence in Baku and Sumgait, which was later followed by the occupation of Baku by the soviet army killing and wounding a good number of the Azeri. Lter on in September 1991 Moscow withdrew its support for the Azerbaijan military activities in Nogornij Karabach, (Hellen 201). Soon after, on 26th November that same year, Azerbaijan nullified Nogornij Karabach’s autonomous status and declared that the region was part and subject of the Azerbaijan government. In December that same year, Nogornij Karabach had a referendum that showed that a majority of the enclave’s citizens wanted independence. The Azeri in Nogornij Karabach however boycotted the referendum. The Nogornij Karabach republic was officially declared as an independent state on January 6 1992, but so far, it has never been recognized. Beginning of the conflict War between Armenia and Azerbaijan for the control over Nagorno Karabakh first surfaced in February 1988. Popularly known as the “Nagorno-Karabakh war” this armed conflict took place in Nogornij Karabach between the Azerbaijan republic and the majority Armenian occupants of the region baked by the Armenian government. Though Nogornij Karabach had an already formed government in place, it had inclined to be associated to and unified with the republic of Armenia. Both these republics were under the soviet rule, but as the disintegration of the Soviet Union drew near, both of these nations wanted to unify themselves and occupy a larger territory, (Vicken 91). What begun as a peaceful resistance by the Armenians living in Nogornij Karabach culminated in the ethnic cleansing of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis living in the region as conflict erupted between the ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijanis. The recursor for the ethnic cleansing was the referendum vote by Armenians in Nogornij Karabach to be independent but more impotently was the February 20 th 1988 autonomous Nogornij Karabach’s parliament vote to be unified to Armenia. The dissolution of the Soviet Union also played as a catalyst as the region declared succession from Azerbaijan chorbijan, (Knot 98). This happened when Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union and attempted to remove the powers held by the government of Nogornij Karabach thus creating ground for a separatist movement by the Armenian majority. By late 1992, it was a full-scale war with more than one million displaced persons from both the Armenian and Azerbaijan tribes. By the time the war ended, only because Russia intervened and brokered a peace deal in May 1994, the Armenian republic had captured most of Nogornij Karabach and a small part of Azerbaijan’s territory as well. Causes of the Nogornij Karabach war The major cause of the war was the fall of the Soviet Union. Even though the conflict about the Nogornij Karabach was present prior to the early nineties, the disbandment of the Soviet Union played a crucial role. As both Armenia and Azerbaijan republics sought to be independent after the fall of the USSR, the question of which nation the Nogornij Karabach region belonged to surfaced once again. Azerbaijan republic had previously ruled that it was under them but the Armenia republic and more importantly, the autonomous government of the Nogornij Karabach region declared that it was part of Armenia, (Vicken 163). Attempts by the Azerbaijan in November 1991 to remove the powers that were held by the autonomous government of Nogornij Karabach were also a stimulus for the war. In removing the enclave government’s power, a variety of movements against the Azerbaijan rule begun to form. Autonomists, secessionists and separatists movements begun to resist the move by the Azerbaijan government to interfere with the running of the Nogornij Karabach region. The Armenian occupants of the region complained of ‘’forced Azerification,’’ and abolishing the autonomous status of the region was an attempt to stop this complaining. The referendum held by Nogornij Karabach Armenians on December 10 1991 played a vital role that led to the conflict. After the Azerbaijan parliament had abolished the enclave’s autonomous status, in November, the referendum was taken a month later by the enclave’s Armenians to counter the abolishment of their autonomous status, The parliament of the enclave at about the same time also had a vote and was unanimous about wanting to be associated with Armenia. (Kaufman 201). Another cause for the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nogornij Karabach was due to the influx of the number of the Azerbaijanis living in the region. The Azerbaijan government was accused of trying to manipulate the region by systematically adding their fellow Azerbaijani to the enclave so as to influence it. Azerbaijan’s Communist Party General Secretary Heyward Aliyev was accused of trying to influence the region by also reducing the Armenian population while cleverly adding the Azerbaijan population, (Potier 74). As the disagreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nogornij Karabach region, Turkey closed its borders with Armenia. Their reason was that the disagreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan would become a threat to regional security. This acted as a catalyst that brought Russia to side with Armenia and the US government denied aid to the Azerbaijan government. The involvement of Afghanistan guerillas by the Azerbaijani in the attack of the Armenian counterparts also caused the conflict to escalate. The Azerbaijan troops called on Afghanistan guerrillas and mercenaries who were used in the advancing of the Azerbaijan interests. They attacked the Armenian soldiers situated in Nogornij Karabach and also the Armenian civilians in the enclave. The ethnic cleansing by both Armenia and Azerbaijan was another step taken towards the war that was coming. After the referendum where the Armenian majority living in Nogornij Karabach voted for independence from Azerbaijan, there were violent actions against Armenians living in Azerbaijan and the worst hit were the Sumgait and Baku. In retaliation, Azerbaijanis living in Armenia were all chased away except from Nogornij Karabach. What resulted was a large number of displaced people both of Armenian and Azerbaijan roots, (Potier 33). The conflict was further deepened when Russia provided political and military support for Armenia. It was suspected that Russia was taking advantage of the conflict to divide and rule the strained region, (Croissant 79). It has been recently discovered that since the beginning of the war, Russia has provided more than one billion dollars worth of weapons that include missiles, ammunition, armored vehicles, and battle tanks. These weapons are transported through Armenia to the battle lines in Azerbaijan. It is also good to remember and state as a factor that the policy introduced by soviet president Gorbachev also heightened the conflict between the Armenia and Azerbaijan republics. Critical screening of the glasnost policy of openness seems to suggest that this was actually the portal by which the Armenian and Azerbaijan conflict emerged. In 1985, president Gorbachev introduced this policy and within a short time, the suppressed animosity amongst the Armenian and Azerbaijan people came to the surface. The Armenian argument Armenia up to date still argues that Nogornij Karabach belongs to the republic of Armenia. They still have an official declaration for war on Azerbaijan even though Russia and the international committee brokered a peace treaty. Nogornij Karabach appointed a committee that was responsible for coming up with a process by which the enclave will be incorporated into Armenia. The said committee has also been the driving force of the Armenia’s nationalist movement which is opposed to the domination of a socialist republic like Azerbaijan. To solidify their stand, the Armenian parliament passed a resolution on 1 st December 1989 declaring that the former resolution that declared Armenia as the rightful principal over Nogornij Karabach had not been annulled. This was followed by another decree on July 8 th 1991 by the Armenian parliament which declared that it did not recognize any document by Azerbaijan or the international community that stipulated that Nogornij Karabach was an independent republic or part of Azerbaijan. The reason for this was that if Nogornij Karabach was in fact an independent entity, then invading Azerbaijan would lead to a declaration of war that would involve Turkey and Russia, both of which are allied to either country. It further affirms that Azerbaijan will never rule the Nogornij Karabach territory again. During the war, Armenia claimed that it never at any one time provoked Azerbaijan, (Potier 74). It was only engaging in defending its Armenian brothers and sisters in Nogornij Karabach in what was a blatant attack of its people. To add on, it should be noted that Armenia still funds most of the Nogornij Karabach’s budget. The overall view is however that of a battle of faiths i.e. Azerbaijan is an Islamic republic and Armenians were basically fighting for preservation of their Christian culture which could have been dissolved had the Azerbaijanis been allowed to rule over and live with their Armenian counterparts living in Nogornij Karabach. The Azerbaijan argument Azerbaijan has always maintained that Nogornij Karabach is located inside Azerbaijan, and shares no common border with Armenia. Azerbaijan further argue that prior to the conflict, Armenia deported some 240,000 Azerbaijanis. Armenia then went ahead and took over the whole region of Nogornij Karabach adding on the surrounding states belonging to Azerbaijan, there by capturing the whole of that area. All Azerbaijanis that were living in these regions which belong to Azerbaijan were forced to seek refuge further into Azerbaijan. The Azeri see themselves as the original inhabitants of Nogornij Karabach and the Armenians are claimed to have come much later during the Russian campaign. They consider the declaration of the Nogornij Karabach enclave as an independent state an insult to Azerbaijan territorial integrity because the enclave is located within the borders of Azerbaijan, (Stuart 115). They accuse Armenia of ethnicity and separatist ideology, which seems to support the notion that all tribes live independent of one another. They further accuse Armenia of expansionism claiming that their underlying reason for the war is actually to gain control over more land and give an example of Zangezur that was taken over by Armenia in the early 1900s. Further more, Azerbaijan accuses Russia of aiding Armenia which by fact was interfering with the affairs of an independent state by taking over the Nogornij Karabach territory. The ties between Russia and Azerbaijan have further been strained after it was discovered that Russia did indeed provide arms and ammunition to the Armenians. Conclusion The war for the control of the Nogornij Karabach enclave by Armenia and Azerbaijan has been one of the longest conflicts witnessed in the new era. Its roots stretch back to 1917 when the first conflict for the landlocked piece of land fist surfaced. Various arguments were and are still put forward by both sides of the divide. Most of the arguments have solid support and make sense. A cease-fire came into effect on May 4 th 1994 that saw the end to the violence. Up to date, there are still powerful emotional and ethnical undercurrents that run deep in the region. The UN, Russia, United States of America, Turkey and the European Union are all among the group of countries and institutions that have been vocal in the avocation of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Regional stability has been slowly restored but the scars of the war are evident in Armenia, Nogornij Karabach and Azerbaijan. The war left all the three regions with serious economic tribulations and that is evident in the infrastructures of all the three regions, (Stuart 123). It easy to see that Armenia was in a sense the victim of this atrocious and trying time. It all begun in 1923 when Stalin annexed the Nogornij Karabach region from the rest of Armenia in a move that was allegedly supposed to please Turkey. These actions were what led to the Nogornij Karabach war that led to more than a million displaced people. It is also worthy to note that if the Nogornij Karabach region was truly within the Azerbaijan jurisdiction and totally subject to it, who could explain the presence of a Armenian majority in this region an the greater funding of its budget? Looking at the bigger picture, this war in a sense was fought by two religions, Christianity and Islam. The Azerbaijan Muslims looked at Nogornij Karabach region as one of its own. Christian Armenians looked at the enclave as part of their republic, and rightly so, because the number of Armenians living in Nogornij Karabach far exceeded the number of Azerbaijanis. In fact one of the grievances that Armenia gave during the war is that they were fighting for the preservation of their Christian culture which they feared would be tainted. Work Cited Hellen S. Russian and Eastern Europe. London, libraries unlimited. 2001. Chorbaijan L. The Caucasus knot , Chicago, Bios . 1994. Stuart J. Kaufman. Modern Hatreds, Michigan, Croos-books . 1989. Vicken C. War and peace in Caucasus. Chicago, Kniff press 2009. Corrisant P. The Armenian Azerbaijan conflict, New York, Conrad . 1998. Potier T. Conflict in Negorno Karabakh. Ohio, Sniff . 2001.

ESSAY: The Development of Twentieth-century Music: Schoenberg Vs. Stravinsky Essay Walter notes: “In the twentieth century, the music industry underwent a revolution and it brought with it new freedom and wide experimentation. Although there was an emergence of new musical styles and forms which challenged the normal and accepted rules that applied during the earlier periods.” [1] However, there are many composers who continued to work in forms and in a musical language that originated from the nineteenth century. Nonetheless, modernism became increasingly outstanding and important with composers experimenting with form, tonality and orchestration. These composers are such as Rachmaninoff, Edward Elgar, Claude Debussy and post-Wagnerian composers such as Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler. A few of the other composers such as Busoni, Schreker, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg had already been recognized as modernists even before 1914. All of these composers offered major contributions in the development of music during the 20 th century in their own exceptional ways. This paper deals with two of the most significant and vital figures in this development and the roles they played. Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinsky were two of the most noteworthy composers during the twentieth century, both with different but equally notable roles to the progress of the music industry. Arnold Schoenberg, an Austrian but later became an American composer, was born on 13 th September 1874 in the Leopoldstadt district, Vienna in a lower middle class Jewish family. Walter notes “Schoenberg was linked to the expressionist movement in German poetry and art and he was also a leader of the Second Viennese School.” [2] Schoenberg’s major milestone in the musical scene of the 20th century was his approach in terms of harmony and development. His approach and thoughts on music have been consciously extended by at least three generations both in the American and European traditions. In some instances, it has also been passionately reacted against such as during the rise of the Nazi party in Austria when his music was labeled as degenerate art. Schoenberg’s name was used as a personification of what turned out to be most polemical aspect of the 20 th century art music, advancement in atonality. During the 1920’s, Schoenberg came up with the twelve-tone technique. This is a method of manipulating an ordered series of the twelve notes that are found in the chromatic scale which is has proved to be significant to a great extent. In addition to coming up with the term “developing variation”, he was also the first modern composer to acknowledge an approach of developing motifs without considering the idea of the supremacy of a centralized melodic idea. [3] Heinz notes “apart from him being a painter, a prominent teacher of composition as well as a significant music theorist, Schoenberg taught a number of well-known musicians such as Alban Berg, Anton Webern, Hanns Eisler, John Cage, Lou Harrison, Earl Kim and many others.” [4] Many of his practices such as openly engaging audiences to think critically and crafting the compositional method in a formal way are replicated in advanced musical structures throughout the 20 th century. Schoenberg’s past life, visualizations and his views on music which was regularly polemical were crucial to a lot of the major musicologists and opponents of the 20 th century era. However, at the age of 42, he found himself enlisted into the army with the instigation of World War 1. His involvement in Military service brought a crisis in his development as it disrupted his life. As a result, Schoenberg was never able to do his work without interruptions or for a long period of time, therefore leaving a lot of unfinished work and some in their initial stages but were yet to be developed. In spite of Arnold Schoenberg being a significant composer of the 20 th century, I consider Igor Stravinsky to be more prominent of the two. Stravinsky is renowned as one of the pioneering, ingenious and high-profiled composers of the twentieth century music. He is originally from Russia and was born in 1882 in Lomonosov (originally named Oranienbaum) into a musical family. However he later became a citizen of France and eventually The United States. Despite Stravinsky’s father being an operatic bass player, his parents did not support him and wanted him to practice law. His personal interest however was more concentrated on the musical element and by the time his father passed away in 1902, he was already focusing lesser on his law classes and spending more of his time on his musical studies. During his university years, he made the acquaintance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov who was a leading Russian composer at that time. He decided to become a composer at age 20 and therefore Rimsky-Korsakov who also became like a second father to him, took him under his private tutelage from 1902 – 1908. In 1909, his piece Feu d’artifice (Fireworks) was heard by Sergei Diaghilev, the director of the Ballets Russes in Paris during a performance in Saint Petersburg. Diaghilev was satisfactorily impressed and he therefore hired Stravinsky to carry out some orchestrations and as a result he wrote the first ballet for the theater which he named The Firebird . Afterward this was rapidly followed by Petrushka and the Rite of Spring . [5] During his career, which spanned through six decades he composed an impressive succession of works of astounding diversity. There were the vibrantly colorful Russian ballets of the early stages, the sharp wit and purity depicted in his neo-classical compositions and the prevailing spirituality seen in works such as the Symphony of Psalms . In his later works, one could also recognize the highly individual application of serialism. “Stravinsky’s career-life can be categorized into 3 stylistic periods: The first period is the Russian Period, which began with Feu d’artifice and attained reputation with the three ballets that were composed for Diaghilev.” These ballets are L’oiseau de feu, Petrushka and Le Sacre du Printemps , which was among the most legendary classical music revolution. The works of this period were largely influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov’s imaginative scoring and use of instruments and mainly employed Russian folk themes and motifs. The second period which is known as the Neo-classical period began from around 1920 when he implemented a musical idiom that was comparable to that of the classical period up till 1954 when he adjusted to twelve-tone serialism. Stravinsky’s earlier masterpieces, which highlighted his re-evaluation of Mozart’s and Bach’s conventional songs, were “Pulcinella” and “The Octet” . For this style, he took up wind instruments and disposed of the large orchestras that were frequently required for ballet. The last neo-classical work was the opera, The Rake’s Progress in 1951 that was based on the designs of Hogarth. From 1954 to 1968, there was the third period which was also known as the serial period. This is when Stravinsky started using successive compositional techniques that included the twelve-tone technique that was initially invented by Arnold Schoenberg along with dodecaphony. He used the twelve-tone technique in compositions such as Memoriam Dylan Thomas, Agon and Canticum Sacrum . He also expanded his use of dodecaphony in Threni, A Sermon, a narrative and a prayer and in The Flood all founded on biblical content. Stravinsky is considered an authority in 20 th century music and has had considerable influence on composers of all times in all divisions of music. “In his use of motivic development, which refers to the use of musical figures used in a composition, Stravinsky used additive motivic development where he added and subtracted notes without regard to the consequent change in meters.” [6] He was also famous for using a distinct rhythm especially in The Rite of Spring, which later influenced composer Aaron Copland to a great extent. According to Andrew J. Browne, “Stravinsky is perhaps the only composer who has raised rhythm in itself to the dignity of art.” Stravinsky’s use of neo-classicism led to a widespread use of this style by composers in the late 1920’s and 1930’s. In addition, he used folk material and often exposed folk themes to their most melodic summaries using techniques such inversion and diminution to contort them. In orchestration, Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’ has been discerned as the leading orchestral achievement in the 20 th century. He also wrote for unique blends of instruments set up in smaller groups. Besides, he is well known for periodically utilizing extreme arrays of instruments. [7] As evidently observed, apart from his technical innovations in harmony and rhythm, one can detect the varying faces of his compositional technique but with a preservation of a distinct individuality, which was also very significant. Stravinsky got his inspiration from different cultures, languages and literatures and therefore the influence he had on composers during his lifetime and even after his death is still remarkable. Bibliography 1. Copland, A Music and Imagination . Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1952. 2. Stuckenschmidt, H Schoenberg: his life, world, and work . Schirmer Books, New York, 1978. 3. White, E Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works (Second Ed.). University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1979. 4. E W White. Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works (Second Ed.). Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1979, p. 141 5. E W White, Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works (Second Ed.), Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1979, p. 155 6. E W White, Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works (Second Ed.), Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1979, p. 256 7. H stuckenschmindt, Schoenberg: his life, world, and work , New York, Schirmer Books, 1978, p. 15 8. A Copland, Music and Imagination , Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1952, p. 531. 9. W E Walter, Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works (Second Ed.), Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1979, p. 54. 10. H Stuckenschmindt, Schoenberg: his life, world, and work, New York, Schirmer Books, 1978, p. 124

ESSAY: The Economics of Globalization In South Korea Report Introduction Globalization is a phenomenon that has had a variety of effects on different countries in the world and to which all countries have reacted to just as differently. South Korea is one of the countries that has greatly benefitted from free trade and open markets. Within the span of three decades, South Korea transformed itself from a developing country suffering the after-effects of war to a country that can compete with the developed nations of the West. At the end of the Second World War, there was great turbulence in Korea which was as yet officially undivided. Korea gained independence from Japan who had ceded to the United States in 1945. There was a struggle between the North and the South; it was a pit against communist Russia against anti-communist America and the end result was a torn Korea with the South going to the Americans and the North in the hands of the Russians. This would greatly influence the two states’ economic growth because of their responses to international trade. South Korea between 1980 and 1990 Business cycles General Park had an ambitious plan for South Korea, to transform it from a mediocre third world country into a competitive economy on the international platform. His vision was achieved through sheer grit and careful planning that was implemented in three and five year phases. This saw the country survive the post Korean war crisis into a stabilizing economy at the beginning of the eighties decade. At the beginning of the eighties decade, Park implemented another phase of his plans; the focus was moved from labor intensive industries toward the heavy and chemical industries (HCI). President Park used the ‘Chaebols’ to achieve his industrialization aspirations. The Chaebol system constituted the building up of export oriented industries focusing on six major sectors namely steel, petrochemicals, shipbuilding industry, electronics, machinery and non-ferrous metals. This was coupled with discouraging labor unions that fought for the workers’ rights. It demonstrated how heavy handed and authoritative Chung Park was as a ruler. His approach to tackling dissent was quelling it instead of trying to work out the underlying issues (Kim, pg 455). In the earlier part of the eighties, South Korea’s growth hit a snag due to a confluence of factors. The most pressing of this was the international oil shock that resulted in oil prices rising to six times their original value. Because of the high cost of production, there was a corresponding decrease in demand for South Korea’s exports. The factors that contributed to the economic downturn of the late eighties could be pinned down primarily to the decline of the Chaebols which had grown extensively and had become too big to run and manage effectively. There was also stiff competition from other industries that were unrelated to the HCIs such as agriculture. With South Korea’s wealth came higher costs of living which resulted in the rise cost of human labor. Chaebols also faced competition from other Asian countries on the international market that had cheaper labor with their major competition being China who still had access to cheap human labor (Guillen, pg 213). At the same time, there was the rapid growth of the building industry in the Middle East which saw South Korea’s casual laborer’s flocking to these countries and creating a deficit in the former. The wages paid to laborers became higher, crippling the industry further. There were more than three hundred thousand casual laborers who left the country in search of greener pastures abroad. Trade For the Chaebols, their growth was promoted by giving tax subsidies, being granted to subsidized public services as well as being given priority when it came to financing their projects. This approach was detrimental to small to medium sized industries which did not flourish as much as the Chaebols did. It resulted in a skewered distribution of assets, as compared to the earlier years since the wealthy Chaebols owners ended up with higher incomes. The Chaebols with widest sphere of influence were: Hyundai, a force in automobiles, engineering, construction, shipbuilding and industrial activity as well as the finance sector. Samsung specialized in electronics, petrochemicals, and construction. LG’s focus was on home appliances, electronics, petrochemicals and chemicals (Lewis & Amadu, pg 58). Another step that Mr. Park took was protecting the domestic market from the invasion of cheap foreign goods so as to foster growth. This was done by levying heavy import taxes on goods that were being produced market so that homemade products could be more affordable to the consumer (Lewis & Amadu, pg 62). The negative impact of the Chaebols was that they increased the discrepancies between the already existing social classes and exacerbated an already tense situation. Though the GNP went up to almost six times what it had been in the seventies, literacy was on the rise with university enrollments three times what they had been in the previous decade, the gap between those in the lower income brackets and the rich had widened considerably. The angst that authoritarian Park had managed to quench in past came to the fore. There were further demonstrations from students and those in lower income brackets (Lewis & Amadu, pg 215). Exchange rates and monetary policy The result of all these things happening at the same time was an occurrence of high inflation rates which in turn led to the South Korean currency, the won, being re-evaluated. Because of the easy credit availability, the country borrowed heavily worsening the inflation trends and for a while, it appeared as though the country would sink into a very deep financial hole (Adelman & Robinson, pg 97). Because of the upheavals in the economy towards the end of the seventies, Korea embarked the eighties with heavy foreign debt as well as high inflation. To counter this, she embarked on a stabilization program. This involved cutting down on the incentives that had initially been offered to the Chaebols while at the same time introducing an incomes policy. This was the right step to take because it laid down the foundations for South Korea’s lasting economic prowess (Ihm, pg 168). With the liberalization of financial markets, there was a corresponding rise in interest rates which in turn led to greater domestic savings (Ihm, pg 168). All along South Korea had been an authoritarian state with resounding economic success but limited democracy. The slow economic growth experienced in the mid eighties resulted in political unrest because there was no democratic foundation. The political atmosphere was heavily dependent on economic performance. Change came in 1987 when rebellions and revolutions led to the tearing down of authoritarian rule that had oppressed the country for so long (Guillen, pg 88). The problem that had started emerging in the seventies concerning the distribution of wealth became more apparent. While on the whole things looked rosy, with a GNP that could be compared to Western developed nations, extremely low mortality rates and life expectancy that matched that of New Zealand, there was the underlying problem of an emergent super-wealthy class and a dissatisfaction of those in the lower income brackets (Lewis & Amadu, pg 174). South Korea: 2005 to 2009 Business cycles South Korea has had her fair share of ups and downs in the economic sector and in her quest for economic superiority on the international platform. In this quest, there have been mistakes made that have cost the country greatly. The most recent and most severe economic crisis that the country has had to face so far has been the collapse of the Asian economy in 1997. This revealed the fault lines resulting from poor financial practices such as having a high debt to equity ratio, borrowing heavily from other countries and lack of control over the financial institutions- the banks- which backed poor unserviceable loans. The result was a 6.9% plunge in GDP by 1998. Other than the Asian financial crisis, this was also blamed on South Korea’s autocracy (James & Amadu, pg 188). But South Korea is still a force to reckon with on the international scene. A member of the Organization of Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD), it is the country with the eighth highest volume of export in the World surpassing Canada, Russia and the United Kingdo, as well as being the fourth largest economy in Asia (Heritage Foundation, n.p). Trade and labor markets The Chaebols that were instituted by General Park and which contribute towards South Korea’s rapid economic growth in the seventies and eighties are still growing strong, contributing to the bulk of the country’s industry oriented export business. The ten largest Chaebols by 2009 were Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Korea Electric Power, POSCO, Samsung Life Insurance, KB financial Group, Hyundai Mobis, LG electronics and LG chemicals (Heritage Foundation, n.p). The country, as of 2009, was the number one shipbuilder globally and had the largest volume of oil exports in all of Asia. Her major trading partners are the United States, European Union, China and Japan. This has been aided by the fact that in recent years, the country has been more open to the idea of free trade and lowered restrictions that had previously guarded her domestic market. The tariffs that were placed on imports have been revised to create a more amicable trading atmosphere with her trade partners (CIA, n.p). South Korea has readily embraced the digital age, being ranked at number one as having the highest Digital Opportunity Index (DOI). An indication of the country’s heavy digital leaning is the fact that globally, it is the country with the highest internet access per capita (CIA, n.p). In the transportation and energy sector, the country has an advanced and comprehensive infrastructure made up of air routes, road, railway and waterways. The country is linked by the high speed railway that runs between major cities and and an underground railway system that links other cities in the country (CIA, n.p). Exchange rates and monetary policy In the more recent years, reforms in both the banking and industrial sectors have seen to safer and better financial practices. By 2006, the country had a labor force of 23.77 million, with a low unemployment rate of only 3.3%. The country had had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $US 24, 200 (CIA, n.p). Economic freedom in South Korea according to the World Bank, is relatively high. The country is ranked at position 31 globally, with a percentage score of 69.9. this has been manage through constant revision of tax laws and tariffs to make them more competitive as well as transacting businesses in an open manner to alleviate distrust and suspicion. The country’s President, Lee Myung-bak, who came into office in 2008 promised to work towards freeing the economy even further to allow the country to be more competitive. The challenges that the country faces towards its strive for economic freedom are corruption as well as inflexibility in the labor market (Heritage Foundation, n.p). Long term economic growth One of the issues that South Korea is still grappling with is the equitable distribution of resources because though the country has a high GDP, 15% of the total population live in poverty. There are the superrich who while making up only 10% of the population, carry 25% of the national wealth and at the other extreme end, are those in the lowest income brackets making up 10% but only carrying 3% of the national wealth (Global Education, n.p). South Korea still works with the tariff system with an average weighted tariff that stood at 7.1% by 2007. Hindrance to trade results in extra expenses that are brought about by unreasonable tariffs, restrictions put on imports and exports, barriers to accessing the service market and regulations that are not very transparent (Heritage Foundation, n.p). The economic downturn that has seen most world economies in a shamble has not greatly affected the country. The inflation rate of the won has been kept under control, staying at an average of 3.9% for the period 2006 to 2008. This has been partly because there was quick response on the part of South Korea to the changes in the international market and inflation pressures (Heritage Foundation, n.p). The literacy levels in the country are very high, standing at 97.9%. education is greatly valued in the country and is provided free until one attains the age of fourteen or fifteen. South Korea is the country with the highest percentage of teenagers who go through with their secondary school education. As a result of this, there is greater gender equity as more and more women get opportunities in the job market. The percentage of women who make up the workforce stands at forty one (Global Education, n.p). Recommendations Though South Korea’s economic growth has been commendable, there are factors that work against this. These are such as the country’s very rigid labor regulations, the necessity of a buffing up their financial institutions and financial markets as well as greater straightforwardness in transactions. What should be done is to go lax on the confounding labor regulations, open up the country to Foreign Direct Investment by moving away from protecting the domestic market-an action that served its part in the past, as well as reforming the taxation system. All these actions would go a long way in keeping up with the growth that has been witnessed by Korea in all these years (Lipsky, n.p). Conclusion South Korea has witnessed its share of ups and downs in the economic sector but remains a stellar example of how positively globalization can affect a nation; there are high standards of living with the per capita income standing at US $20,000, high levels of literacy and high life expectancy. South Korea can further increase her economic productiveness on the international scene by reforming its taxation and labor regulations as well as participating more actively in free market trade and encouraging foreign direct investment. Works Cited Adelman, Irma and Susan, Robinson. Income Distribution Policies in Developing Countries: The Case of Korea . Stanford University Press, 1978. Print. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). “South Korea.” The World Factbook Undated . Web.. Guillen, Mauro. The limits of Convergence: Globalization and Organizational Change in Argentina, South Korea, and Spain . Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001. Print. Global Education. “South Korea.” Global Education Undated . Web. Ihm, Chon-Sun. “South Korea’s Economic Development.” Social Studies 79.4 (1988): 165-169. Print. James, Lewis, and Sesay Amadu. Korea and Globalization: Politics, Economics and Culture . New York: Routledge, 2002. Print. Kim, Jung. “The Political Logic of Economics Crisis in South Korea.” Asian Survey (2005): 453-474. Print. Lipsky John. “Reconstructing the World Economy.” International Monetary Fund 25 Feb. 2010. Web. The Heritage Foundation. “South Korea: information on economic freedom.” heritage.org undated . Web.

ESSAY: The Effects of Quality Management on the Local and Global Competition Research Paper Quality management has greatly developed from a basic business and statistical model that is centered on numerical quality control into a concept that includes a wide variety of subjects and concerns within an organization. This kind of quality management is known as Total Quality Management (TQM) and it dominates the existing generation of quality concepts. The core concepts that lie behind TQM and are considered to be crucial in its successful implementation are clearly instituted and include client value satisfaction, constant improvement and complete organizational involvement. Despite this paradigm being very appealing and being used in many organizations with significant positive effects, the practicability of this idea remains questionable especially with the modern actuality of global markets and manufacturing entities. Industrialization brought with much opening up of the economic and trade sectors of most countries in the world. The constant progressing in the industrial sector has also lead to merging of neighboring countries to form trade blocks that simplify the trading process. Due to this, the global market has largely opened up in recent years and most companies and organizations have aim to advance their products to a global level. As a result of the large consumer base that the global organizations are expected to serve, their quality management slightly differs with that of the local organizations which have a much smaller consumer base. In this paper, I will use a local electronic company, Sollatek Electronics Ltd to compare the total quality management against a global electronics company, Ametek, Inc. These two companies both deal with the manufacturing of electronic devices and electromechanical instruments such as voltage switchers, voltage stabilizers and uninterruptible power supplies. Since every company’s goal is to have continuous growth as well as reduce its costs, it is essential to use total quality management so as to produce high quality products at a low cost and at the same time ensure that the customers are satisfied (Janakiraman & Gopal 2006). The first point of comparison is the modes of production orientation which are seen to be similar in both companies. However a global company such as Ametek might end up extending their orientation to a point where dysfunctions begin to emerge. This is because it involves all operations and units in all the countries and thus automatically involves an apparently seem less set of potential designs. In addition, if Ametek came to UK and found that the local market is not competitive enough or is incompatible, it will be forced to link with other companies from overseas. Market orientation is also be similar between global company Ametek and the local company Sollatek, but the diversity of customer necessities across various consumer markets means that customer satisfaction may be more difficult to achieve in the case of Ametek. This is especially so if the resources from the company are inadequate. This is because the perceptions clients in regard to value are likely to differ more widely than in the case of Sollatek whose consumer base is within one country. Cultural sensitivity is predominantly a great contributor to the opinion of customer value. The objective of a global company such as Ametek is to produce goods and services that are developed, manufactured and distributed under a global organization and yet they should be locally acceptable in every country that they have established a branch. Sollatek is rarely faced with such a challenging situation being in its home base and with a clear idea of what its clients expect from them. The strategic concepts behind TQM are easily upheld in a local organization such as Sollatek, but in the case of a global organization such as Ametek there is need to enlarge the range to include the concerns of various purposes across numerous countries such as state power, cultural divisions, geography, and tax and currency concerns (Young & Ryun, 1995). A successful quality management system in an organization brings the management together in a commitment of producing goods that ensure customer satisfaction. This is very important both in the local and global market as the ranking and dependability of an organization rely on the perceptions of its consumers. Sollatek for example is ranked highly in the local market because of its steadfastness in producing reliable products. Managerial improvement ensures that protocols are being properly followed and the company targets are met on time. This leads to constant company improvement and hence attracts more clients and improves the position of the company in the perspective of its target consumers. In conclusion, for the success of any company, total quality management is required as it acts as sufficient proof of the commitment the company has towards providing quality goods and services to its client base. Reference List Janakiraman, B.J, & Gopal, G. (2006). Total Quality Management Text and Cases . New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Young, K. & Ryun, C. (1995). Global quality management: A research focus. Decision Sciences, 15 , 37-52.

ESSAY: The Gain of Consciousness in the “Epic of Gilgamesh” Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Significance 3. Conclusion 4. Works Cited Introduction After killing Humbaba in the forbidden forest of cedars, Gilgamesh and Enkidu returns home to find Ishtar, the goddess of love full of lust for Gilgamesh. She says to Gilgamesh, “Come to me Gilgamesh and be my bridegroom, grant me seed of your body, let me be your bride and you shall be my husband” (Sandars 86). However, Gilgamesh rejects her love offer. This rejection marked the genesis of Gilgamesh’s gain of consciousness as analyzed next in this paper. Significance The events preceding the appearance of Ishtar in the epic portray Gilgamesh as a cruel despot who cared less about his subjects. He lived an “unconscious” life subjecting people to brutality. Probably this came from the fact that he was partly a god and partly a man; therefore, to some extent, he was immortal; so he thought. This aspect of immortality made him lose consciousness about needs of people. However, the events that followed his rejection of Ishtar’s love makes him gain consciousness because he realizes that immortality of men is just but a dream. After Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar’s love, she becomes infuriated. She requests Anu, who doubles as her father and the god of the sky, to release the Bull of heaven to deal with Gilgamesh. Anu grants her daughter’s wishes and sends the Bull, which brings calamity upon the land in form of seven-year long famine upon the land. Due to their heroism, Enkidu and Gilgamesh manage to wrestle and kill the Bull. This fables the gods who meet in a meeting and decides that one of the two heroes has to die as a punishment for the sin they had committed. Enkidu becomes the sacrificial lamb and he dies after a short illness. Gilgamesh enters in deep mourning to an extent of exchanging his robes for animal skins. The death of Enkidu devastates him such that he will do anything to gain immortality. This immortality can only come from Utnapishtim, who supposedly escaped Noah’s deluge. However, to get to Utnapishtim is not easy but Gilgamesh is determined to reach there. After harrowing experiences of traveling in darkness, determination and courage brings Gilgamesh to a clear sea. Here he meets Siduri, who explains to him that searching immortality is vanity for death is inevitable for the living. Nevertheless, this negative advice does not deter Gilgamesh and after series of events, he finally crosses the Waters of Death to meet Utnapishtim. Here he learns historical events; what led to the deluge and how Utnapishtim escaped. Gilgamesh insists that he want this immortality; however, he has to undergo a test and after succeeding, he would gain immortality. The test involves staying awake for a week, a task that proves too hard for Gilgamesh and he fails terribly. After this failure, he has to go back to Uruk and face the reality of mortality. Gilgamesh returns home empty-handed but totally convinced that he is mortal just like anyone. This fact brings him back to senses, thus awakening is consciousness. Conclusion By rejecting Ishtar’s love, Gilgamesh knew very little about what was to happen. However, the death of Enkidu sets him on a journey, which reveals to him that mortality is absolute and immortality of men exists only in the mind not in reality. As this reality dawns on him, he regains his consciousness and realizes that the only thing that could signify immortality in him was the things that he had done because the legacy lives on from generation to generation. Works Cited Sandars, Nancy. “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” London: Penguin Group, 1960.

ESSAY: The Evolution of the iPhone from Inception to Today’s iPhone 4 Term Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. First generation iPhone (2G) 3. Second generation iPhone (3G) 4. Third generation iPhone-3Gs 5. iPhone 4 6. Conclusion 7. Works Cited Introduction iPhone has revolutionized the cell phone technology elevating it to a whole new level. It has set the standards so high that other mobile phone companies have no choice but to upgrade their products in order to survive in the dynamic and ever changing technological age. It utilizes internet protocol to perform its tasks most of which are time and space consuming in their operations (Krugler 19). iPhone success has been proven by its popularity and performance in the mobile phone market. Apple has made a remarkable gain from the sale of the iPhone since its first release. Since its introduction into the market, iPhone has dominated over the cell phone market and maintained its demand by continuously upgrading its models. It is also designed such that it is possible to run the operating systems of the new models into the older models. This enables its users to enjoy upgraded systems on their phones without having to purchase a new model phone. Apple offers a free utility referred to as the iPhone configuration utility which lets you create and install configuration profiles and provisioning profiles (Landau 139). This utility has general trouble shooting related features that are important even to the non-enterprise population. Its unique software and hardware also allows you to create an application that enables the users to perform tasks that may not be possible with a laptop computer (Goldstein 12). However, this is not to mean that it can entirely replace the personal computer. The iPhone applications generally allow for internet access. Its operating system and hardware allows you to determine the device location through GPS and also has tracking and motion detectors that can register its movement. The iPhone also supports audio and video application (Goldstein 14). Over the years, questions have been raised as to who is the real manufacturer of the iPhone. Although there are various companies that have attempted to imitate the iPhone, the original iPhone is made by a collection of more than 30 companies in 3 continents each of which provides a certain contribution to come up with the finished product. However, Apple remains the most credited company for this remarkable innovation of the 21st century since it is the original designer of iPhone and creator of the software that gives it the unique feature. “Apple’s iPhone first made headlines at the Macworld conference & expo in San Francisco in the early 2007” (Plunkett 22). The product hit the market in 2007 and did so well that by the late 2008, the firm had made a sale of more than thirteen million and was confirmed as being the best seller in the Phone industry in the third quarter of 2008. First generation iPhone (2G) Apple first introduced the 2G iPhone in the market. This first generation iPhone first hit the market in 2007. With just one physical button, the iPhone provided a new advanced way through which users interacted with their phones with almost everything being done via touch screen. First generation iPhones came with either 8GB or 16GB storage capacity and its retail price varied accordingly. These iPhones were programmed via sim card. In general, iPhones originally worked only with (service provider) AT&T. However, through program jailbreak, it can be reconfigured to accommodate any GSM network (Kubasiak and Varsalor 46). The first generation iPhone facets include a 3.5 inch (screen) which that gives an ultra-clear (480*320 resolution). Its rear has an even (metal finish) with a black ribbon placed underneath while its face consists of a (shiny) metal piece surrounding the sides. It also features a two megapixel camera and weighs 4.8 ounces. The first generation phone is designed to support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the frequencies of GSM and Quad-Band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). This limits its internet surfing speed relative to the subsequent iPhone models. Its software features the version of apple mail with HTML email, web browser safari with Google and yahoo search engines. Its operating system is Mac OS X which enables the user to upload other applications into the system (Merrett par 11). The phone also features sensors that redirects what is displayed on the screen during rotation between portrait and landscape orientation as well as a proximity sensor that detects when the phone is on ear range consequently adjusting the screen and touch pad accordingly. The first iPhone could connect to iTunes and You tube. Its software also supports the ‘app store’ which is an e commerce centre where users can access free and paid for software that can be supported by the iPhone. It also has personal data assistant applications such as calendar, address book and notes (Kubasiak and Varsalor 396).The first generation iPhone is the slowest of all the iPhone models in terms of internet connectivity and data uploading hence there was need for its improvement. Although the 2G iPhone is still being used, the company has stopped releasing the 2G iPhones to the market since they are relatively lacking in line with the prevailing technology. This led to Apple’s innovation of the iPhone 3G (Mark and laMarche 26). Second generation iPhone (3G) The second generation iPhone was released in 2008. It had more features compared to the first generation iPhone such as GPS services which when working together with Google maps can detect the gadget’s exact location. Just like the first generation iPhone its software supports the ’App store’ where users can free and paid applications that can be supported by iPhone (Kubasiak and Varsalor 396). The third generation model offers 3G networking that is twice as first as the first generation iPhone. It contains a built-in GPS and iPhone 2.0 software that include a support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and operates hundreds of third party applications (Plunkett 23). iPhone touch identifies location by combining data from the available methods. However, tall buildings can block GPS signals but you can still have 3G OR Wi-Fi network availability. On such cases the iPhone is determining the location without the assistance from GPS. This gives the explanation why the accuracy of location depends on the user’s exact location and the network services available (Landau 179). The 3G model has boosted the surfing speed as compared to the 2G model and one can easily watch videos online. This is primarily due to its 3G speed which is more advanced compared to the 2G. It has a 2 megapixel camera like the original iPhone and weighs 4.7 ounces. Its alert types include vibration, downloadable polyphonic and MP3 ring tones. It has practically unlimited entries on its phone book, supports photo call and has an internal memory of 4/8/16 GB. The 3G meets the worldwide standards of cellular communications and is twice as first as the first generation iPhone in data downloading since it utilizes HSDPA other than UMTS (Phan 241). Third generation iPhone-3Gs This model was released in the market in June 2009. It is an 8GB phone hat benefits from all the great benefits that come with iOS 4.The iPhone 3GS features common cell phone features e.g. multimedia messaging and video recording as well as voice dialing. It also has a proven elongated battery life. It has a TFT capacitive touch screen and a scratch resistant surface. It has increased speed relative to the previous models and also features a number of other hardware upgrades from the preceding models. It has a higher resolution camera (3 mega pixel) which is capable of autofocus (Biersdorfer 10). This is an improvement from the earlier models whose camera resolutions were 2 mega pixel. It also has the abilities to shoot videos and take pictures even better under low-light situations. Its navigation features also goes beyond the GPS into a built in electronic compass which enables it to determine the direction in which the device is pointed. It also has an improved battery life in comparison with the earlier models (Faas 4). The third generation is also available 16 and 32 GB which provides a more built in memory than either of the earlier models. The model provides a unique security feature that allows it to fully encrypt all its data. This ensures that saved data is secure since retrieving such data is virtually impossible without pass code access (Faas 4). The phone also features a built in voice control and voice over which enables phone –user voice interaction. 3G capable iPhone is capable of switching between Wi-Fi, 3G and edge as you roam depending on the network that is currently available in the user’s location. The third generation iPhone is faster and has new features that lacked in the previous models. However, the iPhone 3GS call quality has not advanced and it experiences uneven reception. It further lacks flash light and USB storage and multitasking hence the need that led to the development of the fourth generation iPhone (German par 3, 4). iPhone 4 The fourth generation is supported by technologies structured and modified to resemble those of the internet. The gadget operates on IP-powered networks with the ability to share spectrum capacities in ways not currently popular in the commercial networks (Krugler 19). The new generation model was introduced in August 2010. It is a modern and technologically advanced phone. It is claimed to consist of more than 100 new features. It is far much thinner and elegant than the iPhone 3GS and has an all glass front and a stainless steel casing. The new iPhone differs from the previous models in that its volume controls are located its sides together with an accessible microSIM tray. Some of its other features include a microphone, speaker, a front facing camera among others. iPhone 4 supports the popular iTunes and provides a means through which you can organize your iPhone 4 content (Trautschold and Mazo 709). The iPhone 4 is a classy and elegant cell phone designed such that it supports more application than any other smart phone in the market. With iPhone 4 you can view photos, check emails, surf the web through an interactive touch screen gesture. They also anticipate the introduction of an application that allows you to organize and manage your content as well as streaming high quality movies and TV shows on your iPhone 4(Kelby 3). Hulu + is also featured in this new model. It is an application that allows you to watch complete seasons of your favorite TV reality shows and movies right on your phone. You can also update your face book status and receive push alerts right on your iPhone 4 (Trautschold and Mazo 3). The new phone also supports high speed protocols for web connectivity as well as a built in Wi-Fi or 3G- network connectivity which are among the fastest in the modern world. The iPhone 4 has an amazing retina display which is four time more effective than older models. It also provides a first ever video chat right on the front facing camera. One of the greatest new features contained in the fourth generation iPhone 4 is its ability to multitask. This is made possible through simply double clicking the home button in order to jump between applications (Trautschold and Mazo 5). This allows users to access multiple applications at the same time. You can also locate your iPhone using any web browser using Find my browser feature in mobile me. With iPhone 4 you can also lock your iPhone with a 4 digit code and you can also remotely delete information on your iPhone. This enhances its security settings since you can manage privacy on your phone. The iPhone 4 like the third generation iPhone also comes with voice over option that reads your applied commands from the phone screen. When you turn the voice over feature on it speaks anything on the screen. This has helped in enabling the use of mobile phones among the visually impaired since they can have a verbal interaction with their phones and can feed it with commands. It also contains a feature (voice control) that enables the user to send commands through merely speaking (into the screen). The iPhone 4 also has a 5X zoom camera, iBooks which is an electronic book reader, a spelling checker among other features that makes it even more desirable (Lowe 1). Conclusion The iPhone is currently perceived as a new computing platform since it aims to serve most of the internet related functions. Since in the modern world the mobile devices are becoming more and more popular, most internet accessing is being done through the mobile devices making the iPhone an even more desirable cell phone to acquire since it is compatible to the current technological needs. The eventual market for these devices as anticipated by Steve Jobs and Apple will be bigger than any other product and will even surpass the massive PC and desktop computing market (Dvorak, par 5). Due To its efficiency, the iPhone continues to be one of the most preferred mobile phone models of our time. It is therefore important for its manufacturer to make sure that the iPhone is at per with the dynamic technology. They should also lay some strict measures to curb imitations by other companies which have resulted to low quality cheap iPhones flooding in the market thereby reducing its demand. Works Cited Biersdorfer, J. D. Best iPhone apps . Sebastopol: O’ Reilley media Inc, 2010. Print. Dvorak, John. Understanding the impact of the iPhone . New York: Market watch Inc, 2010. Print. Faas, Ryan. iPhone for work: Increasing productivity for busy professionals . California, Apress, 2009.Print. German, Kent. Apple iPhone 3GS-32GB-Black (AT&T) CBS interactive. California: Apress, 2010. Print. Goldstein, Neil. iPhone application development for dummies . Hoboken: Wiley Publishing Inc, 2009. Print. Kelby, Scott. The iPhone book: How to do the most important, useful and fun stuff with your iPhone. New York: Peachpit press, 2009. Kruglar, G. Lennard. National Broadband plan . Pennsylvania: Diane publishing, 2010. Print. Kubasiak R. Ryan and Varsalor, Jesse. Macintosh OS X, iPod, and iPhone Forensic Analysis DVD toolkit. Burlington: Syngress (2008). Print. Landau, Ted. Take control of iPhone OS 3. New York: Tidbits publishing Inc, 2009. Print. Lowe, Doug. Networking for dummies, for dummies . New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print. Mark, Dave and laMarche, Jeff . Beginning iPhone development: Exploring the iPhone SDK . New York: Apress, 2009. Print. Merrett, Andy. Apple iPhone: The full specifications . Memphis: Sky mobile world Inc, 2010. Print. Phan, Thomas. Mobile computing, applications, and services: first international ICST. New York: Springer, 2010. Print. Plunkett W. Jack. Plunkett’s entertainment and media industry almanac: Entertainment and media industry market research, statistics, trends and leading companies . Houston: Plunkett research, Ltd, 2009. Print. Trautschold Martin and Mazo, Gary. iPhone 4 made simple . California: Apress, 2010. Print.

ESSAY: The Government is invading People’s privacy Analytical Essay Privacy is a term used in circumstances to refer to the right one has to carry out his or her personal matters and receiving little or no intrusion in the process. This provision is not expressly incorporated in the constitutions of some countries America included; the right to privacy finds its backing from the bill of rights and the fourth amendment thereof. This does provide government peeping into personal issues like contraception. The privacy of people has been disdained severally by governments all in the name of attempting to achieve security goals. Even though security is pertinent, the government has in several occasions gone to the extremes of totally compromising the privacy of the citizens which it is charged with the responsibility of protecting. Recently President Barak Obama was involved in a row that also culminates in a way to be a privacy concern. A black scholar named Henry Louis Jr. of Harvard University, came back to his house and tried to access it only to realize that the door had developed some problems and could not open. In an attempt to access his house, Henry broke into his own house only to be arrested for that! Think about it, it was his property but the right that one has to ownership of property was being infringed. Obama went ahead to accuse the cop of being an “idiot.” A couple of years ago James Turner of New Haven Conn found himself in trouble with the police as relates to speed with which he was driving. After being flagged down y the traffic police, they indicated to him the speed with which he was driving at. He later realized that the rental car he was using had been tracked by the Global positioning System. The police (government) had colluded with the car hire company to infringe into his right to privacy in a way. The security goals that the United States of America endeavors to achieve have played a major role in bringing privacy issues to a compromise. After the September 11th 2001 bombing of the Pentagon and the World Trade centre, the number of inspections outrageously grew. People walking home in the evening would be ransacked to ensure they did not have any missiles on them woe unto those who were of Arabic descent; harassment soared. In homes, the government has found itself accused of infringing privacy in trying to intervene in cases of battery. In the case of State vs. Hassey , the state was accused of having crossed the line and got into marital issues it should not have. The ruling by the North Carolina judge was that a slap on the cheek should be so slight that it should not warrant police intervention. According to Keenan (35) in the case, if a slap is not light, then assault shall have been committed and therefore warranting police intervention. The government of United States has repeatedly operated on premise that security does trump on freedom. Most international payments are processed by the Belgian based company SWIFT. This however has led to a lot of inspections lately. At one point George Washington was of the opinion that it was vital to give up privacy for the sake of security. He further added that worry should not be an issue if one doesn’t have anything to hide. Lately the government has been following through emails and text messages of persons and the people they are sent to in a bid to alleviate insecurity. Lately, fears are growing that the privacy of people in America and the world at large would be infringed further. There are suggestions that soon injectible tracking chips are going to be placed on humans and even (you wont believe this) animals so that their positions at various times can be monitored. This it is said that is meant to alleviate issues to do with insecurity. The chip to be used possesses a transponder which can easily be detected by Global Positioning Satellite Systems while being unendingly powered by the muscular action of the persons wearing them. In conclusion, the security of a country is very important and should not be compromised at all under any circumstances. It is vital that people live in a place that is very secure. This could be the reason that leads the government to believe that privacy could be too costly (Keenan 33). This is true especially when national security is the issue at hand. However, diligence in the operations of the government is important just as reasonableness is. Situations warranting infringement of privacy should well be justifiable. It is not just enough to get into the way of people all the time on the premise that security is at stake even if it cannot be clearly justified. Work Cited Keenan, Kevin. Invasion of privacy: a reference handbook . California: ABC-CLIO Inc., 2005. Print.

ESSAY: Michel Foucault on the Sexuality Concept Essay The term sexuality had been a puzzle for many people for a long time. A lot of research has been done on the topic by many philosophers as well as historians. Among them was a French philosopher known as Michel Foucault who researched on the history of sexuality. Sexuality basically means the identification of difference in gender. It is the main feature for the identities of people. Philosophers have before claimed that sexuality operates in an unstable manner and it is developed through social interactions. Therefore the history of sexuality can be said to have started long ago as people tried to find out more about the creation of God. Research shows that not every person understands all about sexuality. Different people and cultures have their own different perception of the term. In countries like Japan, China and India the word sexuality is seen as something that is normal and no one is ashamed of talking about it. Though they keep it as a secret they find no harm in discussing the topic of sexuality. On the other hand, the western society has a different perspective about the term. They find it to be a secretive term and not to be publicly discussed. It can therefore be said that one’s understanding depends on an individual’s egotism. During the course of my study in high school I got to see how people may be confused by the term sexuality. There was one of our school mates who had male characteristics yet she had been born a female. The reason behind this was that she had been born a hermaphrodite; that is having both sexual organs. The doctors who first examined her after birth decided that it was easy chopping off the male sexual organ other than surgical procedures on the female sexual organ. With this, they did not consider anything to do with the hormones, internal organs or the reproductive cells. Since all babies are identical despite the sexuality no one was able to notice any difference. The problem arose during her high school life when her body was undergoing hormonal changes. The body started developing visible male features and characteristics such as beards, hoarse voice, no breasts and many others. Since we were in an only girl’s school, she could be easily distinguished. The issue about her sexuality greatly affected her social life and eventually academically. It was after much consultation with her parents that she realized the mystic about her sexuality and underwent another surgery to convert her to the male sexual being she was supposed to be. The problem can be dated back to the doctors who first examined her. They did not understand that sexuality is more than just the sexual organs. Sexuality has a lot to do with personality and many other factors which may not be visible. This was a serious mistake costing the teenage life of a person. It can therefore be concluded that sexuality is a very important issue to human beings. Ignoring and taking sexuality for granted is wrong just as described by Foucault. He says that people of the Western society suppressed the word sexuality. Considering the effects that are bound to arise because of negligence of sexuality, it calls for immediate change of state of the situation. That is, people should critically look at sexuality and begin to put more recognition on it. Doing this will create a freely interactive and sociable community.

ESSAY: Gambling Projects: Impact on the Cultural Transformations in America Essay Any development project usually brings along economic advantages and helps in poverty alleviation. The project would contribute to social development, which will foster interactions between locals and outsiders. This would undoubtedly affect the neighborhood in both harmful and constructive ways, depending on how they utilize the opportunity. Gambling projects have transformed the landscapes of individual countries from poverty to near-economic dependence (Gallagher, 2006). Gallagher also explains that per capita income in Mexico was among the lowest in American states, as the country experienced exceptionally high unemployment levels. Tribal casinos generate enormous sums of money, which are being invested in school and water systems and the local residents are getting new homes. The popularity of gambling has increased due to its benefits to other sectors, tourism for example, in spite of flak from holy and common groups. The advancement of legal betting centers, instead of the traditional methods which are usually outlawed, would reduce the need of policing. This saves distribution revenue needed for outlawing illegal activities. The continuation of such a plan would lead to other developments like hotels, and other leisure facilities. Attracting customers from around the planet would eventually lead to increased foreign earnings and thus stimulate economic growth. The advance of this social establishment is a valuable means of enhancing public investments in the course of the engrossing tourists. There are projects which have changed the practices of community economies, with both positive and adverse effects depending on their reaction. Increasing service levels and personal income for the locals impacts the economy. The infrastructure of Native American communities is usually poor, characterized by lands which are not particularly economically useful and lengthy distances from other prosperous members of the society. A casino would attract more visitors, who will bring in revenue necessary to realize true fiscal impacts. Unfortunately, any negative effects experienced would be exclusively felt in the communities. Local administrators who pass verdicts are held liable for the local needs and conditions, and the cultural influences that accompany such projects. Building a casino may attract undesirable activities, increase crime and generally bring immorality to the community. Increase in criminal activity will increase the burden of tax payers as more officers would be deployed to reduce its detrimental effect (Corcoran, 2007). These stereotypes have hindered the construction of several casinos Bankruptcy and legal problems are common with such activities (Barron, Staten & Wilshusen, 2000). Consumer spending on the available forms of gambling opportunities is bound to increase, as experienced in other sections of the states. Allocating tribal property to such a scheme would stimulate growth in circulation due to the potential employment opportunities and constructive societal interactions. In other countries, gambling is among the largest revenue generating activity. The government may not be particularly pleased to spend more on interactions and haulage networks, but the availability of additional revenue would induce a response from officials. Progress in tribes engaging in gambling is usually higher than in those counties which impede such developments (The New London Day, 2003). For example in India, the per capita and household income rose by a great percentage for such communities compared to tribes without casinos. There are marked differences between changes in deficiency rates among the two tribes. The income generated from gambling would do well to developing local infrastructure like schools, health facilities and roads. The economies thus become diversified, job opportunities increase, and the ability of the government to grant residents with limited expansion infrastructure advances. It is necessary to support this infrastructural site in order to bring in more job prospects (Gallagher, 2006). Lack of fitting water systems in a country would undeniably provide negative responses from tourists, who would not be willing to be accommodated in such areas. Gambling rakes in billions in currency to the neighborhood financial system. Regrettably, it has been stigmatized in diverse societies. There are people who are so engrossed in it, that they abandon their regular job and other decisive portions of life to engage in gambling activities. Legal and interpersonal problems are also associated problems. It has also been traditionally seen as a proscribed activity associated with backrooms. Alcohol related endeavors and smoking characterize the gambling environment in the minds of many conservationists. Stigma is mostly influenced by the distinctiveness of participants in terms of gender and background. Women are not commonly perceived as gamblers, while some cultures are not experienced in such activities. However, the project is feasible, as it will generally improve interactions within the society, foster social interactions, and significantly promote gender equality. Following the inveterate benefits of the activity, and how it has aided the economy of some states, the project is justified. It is categorized as a recreational activity in which members can engage in to unwind, but its social implications must be considered. The high rates of unemployment and low earning levels may coerce residents to engage in gambling, hoping that they would enrich themselves. This makes them more vulnerable to the associated stigmas (Hsu, 2000). The extended families of such individuals are bound to suffer disassociation, especially when they believe there is a high probability of winning. References Barron, J., Staten, M. & Wilshusen, S. (2000). The impact of casino gambling on personal bankruptcy filing rates. Web. Gallagher, M. (2006). Gaming tribes cash in: profits to improve education, improve quality of life . Buffalo news. Web. Hsu, C. (2000). Riverboat casinos’ impact on host communities: Comments from business owners and residents. Web. The New London Day, (2003). Study shows impact of gaming in Indian county . Web.

ESSAY: The Impact of Globalization in Malaysia Essay Many regions of the world have felt the impact of globalization in one way or another especially in the twenty first century. Globalization can be defined as the process of or a set of global forces which encompasses a significant organization and reorganization of the various social relationships and engagements, and can be assessed in terms of their intensity, extents, rate of spread, and the resultant impact, which in turn lead to intercontinental or interregional connectivity, interrelationships, and the general power dispensation (Held 16). Globalization has been associated to a greater extent with western culture, especially that of the United States of America. It is one of the most significant forces that have played a central role in modeling the socio-economic orientation of several countries during the late 1970s and the past earlier years of the 21st century. It is acknowledged that despite the fact that the globalization process has hastened the rate of economic growth in third world countries, its forces have also contributed to a number of challenges. These include; non-uniform rate of economic growth, lack of taking into consideration the aspect of equality, as well as the likelihood of creating socio-political turmoil in these countries. Most states in the larger Asian continent like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Thailand have not been an exception when it comes to the influence of globalization. This essay, therefore, seeks to discuss the effects of globalization in Malaysia. It will focus on the impact of globalization on its economy, education, culture, and politics. Malaysia, a Muslim country, is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and the world at large. It is an island country found in the South-East Asia and is composed of thirteen different states, including three Federal Territories. The country occupies a surface area of about 329,845 square kilometers making it the 66th largest country and the 43rd world’s most populated country with the population standing at 28 million according to the 2008 National Population and Housing Census (Held 18). Malaysia got independence from the British in 1957 through negotiation rather than bloodshed like is common for most states which were under different colonials like the French, British, Germany, and Portuguese. However, during the earlier years of post-colonialism era, Malaysia witnessed armed conflicts with the neighboring Indonesia in 1964-65. It was after this period that Malaysia, with Singapore having been expelled from the then Malaysian Union, started to redefine its course. Towards the end of the twentieth century, Malaysia witnessed a significant economic boom and soon it recorded a rapid rate of development during the last two decades of the 20th century. There is the Strait of Malacca which forms a very significant international shipping bay and hence facilitating international trade which is central to Malaysia’s economic growth. Moreover, manufacturing and industry sector constitute major pillars for the national economy (Rasiah 13). The country has diverse plant and animal distribution over its vast geographical orientation making it one of the world’s greatest tourist destinations. The effects of globalization, just like in other parts of the world, have been felt significantly in Malaysia. As mentioned earlier, the late 1990s saw Malaysia’s economy shift from over-reliance on agricultural production to a more industry and manufacturing-based economy especially in fields such as the use of computer technology and other consumer electronics all through the wake of the twenty first century (Hoogvelt 3). The concept of globalization has received different interpretations in Malaysia ranging from scholars, contemporary writers, to political leaders (Hoogvelt 5). Most writers have resorted to offering critical analyses of the seemingly unstoppable forces of globalization, especially the authors engaged in post-structuralism period. These accounts try to offer alternative ways of looking at globalization in general and how the states of the world can benefit from this phenomenon. Malaysia, like other countries of the world, has not resisted the globalization process in its totality (Stiglitz 3). Instead, it has derived a way of engaging the looming forces of globalization from the west. In most instances, this country has been very selective when it comes to embracing the ideas brought about by the globalization process (Nesadurai 71). The emerging concept of modernity has been assimilated into the Malaysian state in a highly sophisticated way. This approach has helped in significantly redefining Malaysia’s autonomy in relation to the globalization process. Malaysia has positioned itself as a fierce critic of some western ideologies, specifically those of the United States of America. It has not been hesitant in making outright proclamations as well as political opinions and these characteristics have helped position Malaysia as a formidable force in the Asian continent (Nesadurai 73). Malaysia has modeled itself as a good case of how states can withstand the otherwise unstoppable impact of the globalization process. It is a role model of how countries can selectively maneuver the concept of global capitalism in the name of globalization. With an attempt to understand the effect of globalization on Malaysian economy, many Malay scholars have tried to explore the opportunities as well as the challenges that this global process can bring about. The perception of these scholars concerning globalization is significantly optimistic. They believe that there are practices that are being propagated by the western countries, especially the United States, which are worth emulating rather than looking down upon them (Stiglitz 4). The spirit of equality in America has inculcated the same sense in the Malaysians and they champion the need for mutual respect, specifically between the Malays and the non-Malays. They argue that people should feel for one another in the sense that if something is good, then it should be good for everyone else just the same way as something bad will affect everyone. The negative attitude that the Malaysians have towards the colonialists is strongly reprimanded by the scholars. They say that nursing the colonialism memories will only serve to worsen the relationship with the outside world instead of promoting mutual cooperation (Stiglitz 7). The scholars urge the people of Malaysia to look at the western communities as development partners instead of perceiving them as potential enemies. One scholar emphasizes the fact that globalization is a force that is shaping the entire world in modern times (Stiglitz 17). As a rapidly developing country, Malaysians are encouraged to play a central role in the global arena if they are to attain sustainable development status. The globalization process, the scholar notes, received a major blow in 2001 during the September 11 terrorists’ attacks on America coupled with the global financial crisis of 2007. But the most defining moment in Malaysian international relationship came during the wake of the 1997 Asian financial crisis (Stiglitz 26). It took stringent measures in reaction to this unprecedented economic downward trend. Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the longest serving Prime Minister, was in charge during the crisis and he played a major role in criticizing the west for what was perceived as negative impacts of the globalization process (Mahathir, 2000, 4). The precautionary measures recommended by Muhathir won him a number of admirers as well as opponents. The opponents argued that the proposed market approaches were crude and also, they criticized Malaysia’s ‘lack of concern’ for human rights (Mauzy 210). His admirers, on the other hand, singled out Mahathir’s independent-mindedness, anti-colonialist pronouncements, and the proposal of alternative approaches of dealing with economic upheavals as a sure way of dealing with such global economic and political realities (Rahman 23). It was the successful management of the crisis by Mahathir using the autonomy of national policy that was seen as the greatest challenge to the conventional economic dictatorship of liberalization brought about by the perceived forces of globalization (Nesadurai 87). Mahathir’s approaches did not only win him national support but also regional backing. As opposed to popular beliefs that Malaysia under the reign of Mahathir condemned globalization in its totality, it is crucial to note that over the last two decades of the 20th century, Malaysia welcomed, developed and promoted what it perceived as good aspects globalization (Rahman 28). The negative impact of the globalization process in 1997 was vocally criticized by Malaysia and marked it as a ‘betrayal’ by the western economies through the forces of the global market. The analysts of the global economic phenomena regard globalization as a new force to be reckoned as far as world market relationship is concerned. This process has a historical account and the analysts have concluded that there is a notable qualitative improvement in the successive instances (Held 23). With time, there has been increased influence by the American hegemony, division of labor on the international scale, and the introduction of stringent systems of economic policies. Initially, these regulatory influences were through the Bretton Woods system and in modern times via the World Trade Organization (WTO), coupled with the upcoming neo-liberal world market (Hoogvelt 37). Neo-liberal system is characterized by the continued growth and critical import of financial capital facilitated by technological forces as well as political influence (Helleiner 12). The ever increasing transfer of financial capital, especially the speed of its mobility and the volume transacted, has resulted in grave consequences to the various national economies including that of Malaysia. In particular, most national economies have been rendered redundant and taken hostage to this new capital mobility and general world order marked by the dramatic globalization process. From a comparative perspective, the neo-liberal experience has been felt in smaller economies like Singapore and Malaysia as well as for developed economies, United States of America and France alike (Helleiner 17). This is due to the fact that the stock trading determines the recovery rate after a drastic fall in financial markets. It can be universally accepted that globalization is not a universal concept; instead, it is multi-dimensional especially in the Malaysian context. Different people in Malaysia have varying perceptions of this concept. Some Malaysians associate it with the infiltration of foreign multinationals, new brands and ways of life, while others belief that it is development of technological applications like the internet, the ever increasing number of non-governmental organizations and the great influence of global market trends on Malaysia (Held 29). These forces are believed to have shaped the capital and labor order in the country and hence influencing the daily lives of the people. The initial engagement of Malaysia with global economy can be traced to the time when it ventured in the export-led strategy of growth in 1969. It was followed by heated debates concerning the stand of the Malays in the midst of the looming ‘socio-cultural mindset revolution’ (Rahman 34). This era witnessed the introduction of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Group and the increasing Malaysian involvement with the United Nations. In 1981, the year when Dr. Mahathir took over as the Prime Minister, Malaysia’s internationalization became more pronounced through the introduction of new policies. Mahathir brought with him new policies and other reform measures which were geared towards the adoption of neo-liberalized market trend (Mahathir, 1991, 2. Most state-owned utilities were privatized; drastic cuts in both the direct and corporate taxes were witnessed, as well as reduced expenditure by the Malaysian government (Mahathir, 1991, 7). This enthusiastic process was seen as a new dawn for Malaysian development. The need for economic stability was reinforced by the declaration of clear economic development objectives which were aimed at revolutionizing the industrial, agriculture, and services sectors. The challenge was to ensure that Malaysia’s economy became competitive as to be able to take on the forces of the world market. As a result of these efforts, a rapidly growing economy was witnessed, with annual growth rates ranging between 8% and 9%. Furthermore, Malaysia experienced a growing foreign investment over a period of five years from 1985. During the early years of 1990s, the economy continued to expand significantly, resulting in increased rate of globalization and the regulations controlling capital and labor were subsequently liberalized (Mahathir, 1991, 13). Within five years, the major factor that engineered Malaysian economic growth was the foreign capital from investors (Mahathir, 1996, 4). This upward economic trend, as mentioned earlier, was to receive a major blow in the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The unique leadership style adopted by Dr. Mahathir was not without disapproval from western allies. This was due to Malaysia’s government decision to ‘Look East’ in its effort to keep control of the country’s economic stability. However, the Malaysian persistent search for economic autonomy did not diminish the strong ties with the west especially the United States of America whose investments in the county’s semiconductor industry remained strong (Helleiner 32). Despite the globalization process influencing the Malaysian economic sector significantly, it also affected the socio-cultural dimension as well. There was a social and cultural shake up when globalization was taking root as Malaysia sought alternative approaches of attaining sustainable development (Rosenberger 222). A number of writers in the larger Asia identified this period as the ‘Asian renaissance’ (Ibrahim 2). Another important area which has been influenced by the globalization process is education. With Malaysia expecting to be an industrialized state by 2020, vocational education and training has received increased attention especially from the government and private sector (Mahathir, 1996, 8). This is driven by the motive of having a well educated, skilled and efficient human resource especially in this highly technological economy which is based on a country’s know-how. The broadband interconnectivity has enable Malaysia to connect with the developed countries, thanks to the Multimedia Super Corridor. This urgent need for education reform in technical-vocational systems has been triggered by the globalization process (Held 31). On the political dimension, globalization was not without some degree of influence on the politics of Malaysia and other Asian states. In 1987, there was a serious global attack of Malaysian and Singaporean treatment of social and political agitators. The outside world questioned their way of regarding human rights (Mauzy 223). These criticisms, however, received criticism of equal magnitude from the Malaysian Prime Minister who referred to them as interfering with sovereign states’ affairs in the name of human rights. He termed this approach as neo-colonialism (Mahathir, 1991, 15). Dr. Mahathir was especially angered by the double standards approach employed by the Americans as far as human rights was concerned (Mahathir, 1991, 18). The heated criticisms and counter-criticisms, however, seemed not to affect the ever increasing Malaysian relationship with the west, especially on foreign policy development. This can be attributed to the mutual benefit that each party enjoyed from the engagement (Rasiah 16). Moreover, the Malaysian political dimension was seriously shaken by the 1997 Asian financial crisis which, according to Mahathir, was a product of the globalization process (Mahathir, 2000, 2). It was unfortunate that during this year, there ensued a political crisis which resultant in the sacking of the then deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who was arrested and later imprisoned. Besides some Malays’ need for a generational change, the crisis was triggered by ideological clash concerning the globalization process and how to effectively respond to it. The Prime Minister saw his deputy as an agent of the western economies who were determined to force their misleading policies and regulations in the name of globalization (Mahathir, 2000, 5). He noted that Anwar’s and his supporters’ call for eradication of corruption in the country were very similar to the neo-liberal objectives of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and those of the World Bank in the name of advocating for good governance. These experiences positioned Mahathir as an architect of the globalization process in Malaysia who new what was good or bad for the country. The Prime Minister warned his fellow countrymen of the dangers of blindly embracing globalization. He said that the ‘new’ process was a scheme by the west to rule and dominate the developing and poor countries through their neo-liberal policies. Mahathir noted that the objective this time round would not be to exploit local labor; instead, it is to continually exploit the resources in the poor countries and render them stagnant in the underdeveloped state. The end result of such exploitation, according to him, would be the presence of multi-billion banks and corporations which would curtail the growth of local ones. Dr. Mahathir defined globalization as the process of westernization and the unchecked, unmonitored absorption of western business ideologies and standards, as well as political arrangements all over the world (Mahathir, 2000, 4) The essay has attempted to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of globalization on Malaysia. It has offered a working definition for the controversial concept of globalization within the Malaysian context. Furthermore, the essay has elaborated the impact of the process on Malaysian economy, education system, culture, and the political dimension. We can conclude that, besides the scholars and writers, the longest serving Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr, Mahathir played a great role in shaping and determining the magnitude of the impact of globalization on Malaysia. This was through his seemingly unconventional approaches of handling economic crises which in most cases were criticized by the western economies. In fact, his alternative approaches of engaging globalization received approval from most states of the Asian continent (Machado 638). The forces of globalization, especially through technological advancement, are still being felt worldwide even as we start the second decade of the twenty first century. Works Cited Ibrahim, A. The Dawn of Asian Renaissance . Times Book International. 1996, 2-23. Held, D. Globalization and Transformations (4th ed.). Stanford: Stanford University Press. 2008, 12-32. Helleiner, E. Countries and the Reintroduction of Global Finance . Ithaca: Cornell University Press. 1994, 4-37. Hoogvelt, A. Globalization: A Post-colonial Perspective . Basingstoke: Macmillan. 1997, 3-67. Machado, K. ‘Malaysia and its Cultural Relationships in the 1980s: Look East’. Asian Survey . 1992, 27(6): 637-62. Mahathir, M. The Hidden Agenda . Kuala Lumpur: Lim Kokwing Integrated. 2000, 1-27. Mahathir, M. The Meaning of Globalization . Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Business Council. 1996, 1-14. Mahathir, M. Defining Malaysia’s Destiny . Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Business Council. 1991, 1-19. Mauzy, D. ‘The Human Rights: Malaysian Perspective’. Pacific Review . 1997, 10(3): 209-35. Nesadurai, H. ‘Understanding National Economic Autonomy? Malaysia’s Adjustment During the Financial Crisis’, The Pacific Review . 2000, 14(2): 71-110. Rahman, S. A. The Malaysian Mental Revolution . Kuala Lumpur: Penerbitan Utusan Melayu. 1971, 23-45. Rasiah, R. Industrialization in Malaysia: A Focus on Foreign Capital . London: Macmillan Plc. 1995, 13-48. Rosenberger, L. R. ‘Malaysia’s Currency Crisis: An Analysis’, Contemporary Southeast Asia . 1997, 19(2): 221-52. Stiglitz, J. The Globalization Process and Its Disgruntlements . London: Allen Lane. 2002, 3-34.

ESSAY: What Makes Airplanes Fly? The Industrial Revolution Essay (Article) Table of Contents 1. Invention of Airplanes 2. The transportation industry 3. Thomas Alva Edison 4. Work Cited Invention of Airplanes The first aircraft was invented by the Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville. Their fascination to fly started in their childhood. Their father, Milton Wright, who at the time was working in the army, gave them a toy flying machine, which they made replicas and played with. As they grew up they were interested in studying the flying machines and experimented on glides. The brothers spent a lot of time studying how birds fly and started designing gliders which they tested severally. Around 1902, the brothers flew many test glides and successfully on 17 th December 1903, they flew the first manned flight off Kill Devil Hills and from then on, the airplane industry was born. Their invention of the aircraft bowled over everybody. Although initially flying was considered a sport or hobby, like other inventions at that time, because of its risks, but by 1920’s the airplane industry was springing up. Initially, it led to the revolutionalisation of the Air-Mail and then air freights. Eventually, it changed the way people travel today. Although it took so long to gain popularity among inventors, I think it is still the best invention of the 20 th century. The aircraft is a remarkable invention in the world’s history. Airplanes have really altered the way of life significantly as people save a great amount of time in travelling. They are used to help in emergency situations or on urgent calls, and transport bulky goods. It were not for airplanes, globalization would still be a dream, we would still be stuck up on the road for days moving from one state to another, and worst of all, flow of information could almost be impossible. Although airplanes have evolved over the years, but the Wright brothers’ invention still remains a genius idea (Wegener 58). The transportation industry The transportation industry greatly influences our lives both positively and negatively. Positively, transportation has improved the global economy and social dynamics. It has eased the way we travel, flow of ideas and information, and conducting business transactions. However, the industry has attributed the increasing sound and air pollution from vehicles, airplanes and ships. Vehicles have really congested our cities. It was the Industrial Revolution that saw the invention of the steam engine, which was used to power ships, trains and motor vehicles. The industrial Revolution led to the invention of power-driven engines used in vehicles, trains and ships, and it also greatly impacted the world’s transportation infrastructure with construction of canals, tarmac roads, railway lines and turn-pike road networks. The Industrial Revolution increased the population, and there were limited education opportunities and children were required to labor. Child labor was used since it was cheaper than adult labor, and with the invention of new machines there was no need for strong and experienced adult workers. Children used to work under hazardous, congested and deplorable conditions. It is the bad working conditions that led to the rise of Labor Unions, formed by the workers, which took action to protect the laborers. Labor Unions led to adoption of legislations, which set minimum age limits for child laborers, creation of protection standards and establishment of schools for children (Wegener 156). Thomas Alva Edison Thomas Edison was a prolific American inventor, scientist and an entrepreneur. He was born in Milan, Ohio in 1847. Edison holds 1,094 United States patents in his name and is credited for many inventions. His main inventions include the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, which led to mass communication. Even up to date, these devices are still used although they have evolved but Edison still was the genius behind the idea. Edison came up with the model and execution of electric power generation and distribution to homes, companies and industries, an idea that greatly impacted the industrialized world. I think that Edison has done a lot in bring the world to where we are and he deserves this awards. Work Cited Wegener, Peter. What makes airplanes fly?: history, science, and applications of aerodynamics. New York: Springer, 1997. Print.

ESSAY: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair: An Allegory of the 19th-Century America Essay Table of Contents 1. Connection of The Jungle to US History since 1877 2. Summary of the plot 3. Messages in The Jungle 4. Conclusion 5. Reference List Connection of The Jungle to US History since 1877 Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle complements the history of the U.S since 1877 by further accentuating the impact of the industrial revolution that commenced in mid nineteenth century. This was a period of intense development which saw the U.S ascend to greater echelons of capitalism. The industrial revolution facilitated America with massive provisions like mass production of goods through manufacture, rapid growth of cities, and a greater demand for human resource. The nineteenth century was a period of brilliant technological inventions and practical science that provided a foundation for the expansion of industry. Inventions such as the steam engine, the telegram, photography, the telephone and the Trans Atlantic cable, the airplane, electricity, gas lighting and the electric bulb provided industries with a basis as to how to model their operations. The iron and steel refinery mill established by Andrew Carnegie was largely responsible for the rapid expansion of the railroad and the emergence of multiple storied buildings. The vast railway network expanded the market for manufactured goods and the emerging buildings led to the growth and expansion of cities (Sinclair 1936, 21). The utilization of refined oil rather than steam to run engines created an extensive market for the oil products. Subsequent industrial machinery was designed to run on oil since its combustion provided more power increasing the output of the industries. Late nineteenth century engulfed a period of extreme unrest from workers who held strikes occasionally to protest or demand better wages, treatment or working conditions. Accidents in the work place occurred frequently and some were fatal. Workers were of the view that their efforts were not respected considering the poor pay they received (Sinclair 1936, 52). Hence, by going on strike there was a greater chance for their grievances to be addressed bearing in mind that no body including the Socialist Labor Party advocated for most of the workers since unions were of limited membership(Sinclair 1936, 38). Most of the strikes ended up in riots which bore casualties, for example the Haymarket Massacre where a confrontation between the workers and police left 7 fatalities and more than 60 casualties. Of similar detrimental consequences were the 1892 Pennsylvania Homestead Strike and the 1894 Pullman Strike in Chicago. The successive governments of late nineteenth century an early twentieth century were marred with controversy and massive corruption (Sinclair 1936, 64). Several paradigms support this fact for instance the 1884 controversial election rivalry between Grover Cleveland and James G. Blaine. Summary of the plot The novel begins on a high note with the presentation of a Lithuanian wedding party celebrating the union of the main character Jurgis Rudkus and Ona who is the bride. The mood is toned with joy and excitement as the newly weds’ family invites passers by to join them in the festivities and even provide food, drink and entertainment (Sinclair 1936, 81). The hosts are however apprehensive on whether the guests will be courteous enough to give a donation which is customary in Lithuanian tradition. Rudkus together with his family travel to America at the end of the 19th century hoping that Rudkus will soon acquire a job and support the family. When they arrive at their abode in Chicago, Illinois, the reality finally dawns on them that they will have to struggle and work hard in order to make ends meet (Sinclair 1936, 127). The fact that they will have to work hard just to get minimum wage instills within them a sense of desperation and urgency to acquire their own house in order to save on rent. The search for an ideal house that is within their budget leads them to a vicious lending scheme that takes away their savings under the pretence that the money is a down payment for a house in the slums. Consequently, Rudkus together with his family lose their new home as well as their money (Sinclair 1936, 144). All family members including the children are compelled to seek employment in order to sustain themselves. Working conditions in the Chicago Stockyards are harsh and the workers are required to submit to their employers regardless of the underpaid wages. “They will certainly be over two hundred dollars and maybe three hundred; and three hundred dollars is more than the year’s income of many a person in this room.” (Sinclair 1936, 6). Everyone they encounter in the chain of command is corrupt and the exposure to corruption gradually corrupts members of the family as well. Rudkus’s predicament is further compounded by the death of his wife during labor as well as the death of his son who mysteriously drowns in a mud puddle. Other family members also succumb to death due to malnutrition and treatable diseases associated with poverty. The prevailing circumstances become too overwhelming for Rudkus and he decides to leave the city (Sinclair 1936, 200). After all, he perceives that he can never accomplish his goals in such a capitalistic setting where people are hostile, deceptive and selfish. Rudkus decides to go to the countryside but soon runs out of work and returns to Chicago. He takes on odd jobs like digging tunnels and also becomes a con man. One evening, he involuntarily ventures into a lecture presided over by an eloquent socialist supporter and he immediately decides where he belongs (Sinclair 1936, 158). A fellow socialism supporter offers him a job as the socialist party goes on to gain immense popularity. Messages in The Jungle Sinclair has a number of issues he tries to reveal through his novel The Jungle. The first and most dominant message in the novel is the demerits associated with capitalism. Sinclair uses the suffering of Rudkus as well as his family as a mirror image of the poor living in a capitalistic society. The novel portrays the American society as ruthless and discriminative to the poor. Furthermore, the industrial revolution is viewed as counterproductive due to the fact that the introduction of machinery was largely responsible for the exploitation of workers both in the working environment and in remuneration. Most jobs did not require intensive training and therefore these posts were always on demand. With industry owners aware of that, they took advantage and underpaid the laborers who would be threatened with dismissal or blacklisting if they complained. Sinclair also reveals the intricate corrupt practices that are adopted and widely accepted by the rich and political classes (Sinclair 1936, 112). Such practices could also be used as veto points to deny the poor access to a good job, medical services or council. The exploitation of women and children to work in the industries was unethical because children were being exposed to the same harsh industry conditions similar to the adults yet the children were paid less (Sinclair 1936, 245). Women and children were also more likely to experience an accident in the industries especially if it was their job. The novel also shows the outcome of a lax or corrupt system of government to society. A government that encourages unethical practices is solely liable for the detriment of the society it governs. By only taking care of the rich the government does not fulfill its pledge to serve all its citizens and this can breed animosity between the rich and the poor. Conclusion The Jungle was set in the early 20 th century specifically to examine the struggle that the working class and laborers went through. From a historical perspective, the novel provides candid and insightful information regarding the social structure of America during the late nineteenth century. The novel differs from other historic material in that it analyses the life of a few individual relative to the prevalent circumstances allowing for more detailed results rather than a generalized perspective. This allows a reader to better understand how people thought and acted through the study of dialogue. The depiction of the types of architectural structures, houses and fashion provides additional information to historians regarding the American culture during the stipulated period. The novel is of similar importance to the literary field since it bears language that might have evolved with time. The examination of past English narratives from different timeframes provides literary scholars with a sequential pattern that may help them discern the exact period when the language progressed. This is important when categorizing the different classes of English to specific eras. Further, the reference to Jungle is indeed an allegory which refers to the state of America during the late nineteenth century. This is because people were self centered, dishonest and greedy thus those in power took advantage of the weak and poor to accomplish their own selfish interests allowing for their comparison with animals in the jungle. Reference List Sinclair, Upton. 1936. The Jungle . New York: Babylon Dreams.

ESSAY: Friendship of Amir and Hassan in The Kite Runner Essay The novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Husseini, presents the relationships between Amir and Hassan. Amir is the son of a well-known man in all of the Kabul, Afghanistan; he grows up in this town and develops a friendship with his servant’s son, named Hassan. Time creates numerous challenges, which affect the lives of these two characters. One day, Amir got a chance to save Hassan’s life, but the way he acted had significant consequences on the lives of both boys and led them to choose separate paths. The idea of friendship in The Kite Runner is considered to be one of the most important, particularly in terms of how friendship is appreciated by boys of different classes, how close the concepts of friendship and betrayal can be, and how the genuine idea of guilt may influence the consequences of friendship and future of other people’s lives. “But he’s not my friend!…He’s my servant!” (Hosseini 41) This phrase by young Amir reflects his attitude to his friendship with Hassan, his comprehension of the essence of friendship in general, and his fear to realize that a poor boy may signify something more in his life than just a servant. The idea that friendship may be experienced because of social inequalities helps to analyze the bond as it is. Even though boys spend their childhood in the same houses, their status inequality bothers Amir all the time and makes him jealous of Hassan. Rich people cannot allow themselves to make friends with poor people; such their attitude to the relations between humans shows that money, status, and recognition are somewhere above pure human feelings and interests. In my opinion, in this case, the attitude of poor people to friendship is purer and more humane: “for you a thousand times over!” (Hosseini 67) Poor Hassan never thinks about the consequences of his actions, which are directed to help his best friend, Amir, and always wonders if something may bother his friend (Hosseini 23). These attitudes to the friendship of people from different classes prove how considerable the financial position may be. This essay on The Kite Runner proves that the idea of friendship and betrayal becomes the central one in this novel as well. Although Amir comprehends that his actions are wrong and unfair in regards to Hassan, he is too weak to ask for forgiveness and is ready to find out many reasons to keep silence and to avoid answering (Hosseini 111). The characters of the novel comprehend that fear is everywhere “in the streets, in the stadium, in the markets, it is a part of our lives here” (Hosseini 216), however, they cannot comprehend that the fear of betrayal is more severe and more terrible. It is impossible to predict the results of betrayal, and this is why its fear may destroy the personality from the inside. Amir cannot even describe the “depth and blackness of the sorrow that came” (Hosseini 301) to find out the forgiveness. The friendship theme in The Kite Runner captivates and touches mind indeed, however, the concept of betrayal of friendship should affect not only the mind but also soul and teach its readers to accept friendship as it is, without paying attention to social status, original roots, and color of skin. It is challenging for many people to take into consideration the events of the present to improve their own and other people’s futures. The Kite Runner is the novel that helps to comprehend how attitudes to friendship and friendship itself may have an impact on the future of different people. Mistakes, made by Amir in the past, led to the tragic end of Hassan but saved Hassan’s son, Sohrab’s future, and allowed Amir to see the smile on Sohrab’s face “lopsided. Hardly there. But there” (Hosseini 370). Amir’s unforgivable sin (Hosseini106), his theft of Hassan’s safe future, cannot allow him to enjoy that smile, that happiness, that fairness. He comprehends that it is “better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie” (Hosseini 58), but it was too late to save Amir and Hassan’s friendship, but it was just in time to save another life, the life of Sohrab. One mistake in the past, one betrayal and abandonment of a friend, and one lie to a father have made Amir’s life beautiful and terrible at the same time. His inabilities to cope with his own fears made him weak and unfair to himself. However, his mistakes are educative indeed. The idea of friendship in The Kite Runner is correctly described by the author. It helps to comprehend the essence of truth and the necessity to ask for forgiveness and to be able to forgive. Each person is under a threat of making mistakes and suffering because of them, and this story and the friendship, described there, teach its readers to develop pure friendship and not to be prejudiced by social inequality or different origins. Only in case human fears disappear, people will get a chance to create good friendly relations and enjoy these relations day by day. Works Cited Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner . New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, 2003.

ESSAY: The Long Voyage by Jorge Semprun Explicatory Essay In his narrative, Jorge Semprun often switches from external to internal setting. Such tool plays an outstanding role in the plot presentation. For instance, it gives a chance for the author to compare and contrast general information and specific details, outlook and internal state of things, image and feelings, etc. In addition, Semprun tries to show the interdependence of the global things and some particular notions. Indeed, showing that a person is just a small detail in the enormous system of the world, the author later transfers to the inner world of one individual, showing that it can be as great as a separate Universe. While it may seem from the first sight that the rapid changes of setting from internal to external add needless complications in the narrative, each of them conveys a special message. In fact, the nature of human consciousness suggests that people think with images, and their order is never chronologically or logically organized. Thus, Semprun tried to express the stream of those images in his narrative, showing the importance of every thought, emotion, feeling, or vision. What is more, the readers tend to focus on some impressive moments of the plot; in contrast, reading Semprun’s book keeps a reader in constant tension, as the general switches to the very specific and back. By these means, the author teaches us to think globally. The mentioned tool also serves as a intensifier of author’s testimony. As an example, in one of the episodes Semprun first describes the setting outside the boxcar, then switches to the inside, describing how many people are there; next, the author tells how unbearably it is to be one of them, and finally describes the pain in his knee. Such development of descriptions from general to specific allows the author analyze every level of the reality, showing the inconveniences, pain and fear on each of them. This method is often applied in the book. The reflections of the inside and outside change the traditional positions of both the writer and the reader. In some cases, the writer seems to discover the development of plot together with the reader. Indeed, in some scenes the author builds the narration in a way that shows his uncertainty in the situation, and the change of external and internal seems to help the narrator to find the solution. In other cases, the author seems to be watching the situation on the neutral situation, just like the described events are not happening to him. He also uses statements, which were apparently made by him, but which are familiar to everyone who might read them: “What carries the most weight in your life are the people you’ve known” (Semprun, 29). This makes the reader and the writer much closer than in traditional setting. When the author tells about the experience of fifteen years, the reader gets the feeling of being of the same age with author. Apparently, such effect is due to proper use of the mentioned tools. The relationship between inside and outside in the narration reflect various important notions. For instance, the notion of survival is presented in the contrast: in the most strict conditions people can be filled with desire to live, and this helps them to survive; on the other hand, even when a human has freedom, their inner world not always survives. This can be supported by the example of the German woman who was released: her both children were dead, and her own survival therefore was of no value to her. Similarly, the author presents the notion of return. Having told about his will to return, he turns back to the global understanding of what is happening, and assumes that “perhaps one cant take this voyage back in the opposite direction” (Semprun, 23). All in all, switching of the inner and outer is an effective tool used in the narration. In addition, it can be viewed as the author’s personal philosophy of world perception.

ESSAY: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Its Production by Means of Detailed Planning, Storyboarding, and Collaboration Analytical Essay The works of Peter Jackson always amaze people by their richness, fascination, and beauty. His famous trilogy The Lord of the Rings made him recognizable all over the world by people of different age and race. The adventures of a young hobbit, the creation of the Fellowship of the Ring, and the land of Mordor – all this is a small part of the story, created by J. R. R. Tolkien and produced by Jackson. On my opinion, the production of the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was enhanced considerably by means collaboration between different departments, detailed planning, and moving storyboards; Peter Jackson’s faithful and painstaking job may serve as a good outcome of this collaboration, and fans’ obsession with Tolkien and the movie becomes one of the most powerful evidence of this work’s success. The movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is based on the Tolkien’s first volume of The Lord of the Rings . The peculiar feature of the book is Tolkien’s unique style of writing, desire to underline the darkest times and the problems that living beings may face with. However, Jackson’s approach to the production of the movie was a bit different to the Tolkien’s ideas. He wanted to introduce something lively, kind, and friendly. In spite of the fact that this very gesture was not inherent to Tolkien, his fans evaluated Jackson’s attempts and fell in love with this movie. There were three significant things, which influenced the production of the movie. One of them was a detailed plan created by Jackson to introduce each piece of work in accordance with certain order and sense. Jackson’s purpose was to re-invent this magnificent fantasy; his actions have been planned for a certain period of time to transport people to one more reality, to the world of hobbits, magic, and elves. The book itself was published about 60 years ago, and Jackson decided to represent or even to reborn this story on the screen. Considerable help of Christian Rivers promoted storyboarding of the trilogy. Jackson offered to accept this Middle-earth from a historical perspective as if it existed actually one day, influenced evolution, and promoted the war between good and evil. The use of storyboarding was another important means that improved the movie’s production and helped to discover potential problems in advance in order not to spoil the whole work. By means of storyboards, Jackson got an opportunity to evaluate the layouts of events and the ways of how these layouts could be observed through cameras. The development of this trilogy took much time, and storyboarding became a winning idea to save this time and prevent certain challenges. The idea to join different departments and to create a worthwhile piece of work made the final improvement of the work. Peter Jackson made a decision to represent a fantasy on the screen, and the work on different levels and of different directions became crucial for successful results. The work of design department, special effects’ department, costume designer department, and, of course, make-up department needed to be common and considered. The mistake of one department could influence the rest of the work. Jackson found enough powers and skills to organize this work and this collaboration in a proper way. The collaboration of departments, proper storyboarding, and detailed plan of the work were the three signs of success of Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring . This professional director comprehended that the failure of one point could lead to the failure of the rest of the work. This is why a proper evaluation of each step and attention to Tolkien’s intentions made this movie one of the most remarkable in the film industry.

ESSAY: The Magic Ring Creative Writing Essay Tales are told of how the city of Orleans came to be rescued from the ruthless Hans. However, the role that a humble shepherd boy named Jean and his Magic Ring played remain all but forgotten to the younger population of Orleans; but the older generation will never forget. It all began on a typical day with the sun shinning down on the besieged city of Orleans. “If only our great god Azula would have mercy on us and rescue our beloved city from these ruthless invaders as he did in the ancient times!” mourned Jean the shepherd as he tended to his fathers sheep on the highlands of the city. “ No sooner had the thoughts crossed his mind than a bright light beaconed to him from where one of his sheep had toppled the rocks. He ran to the spot and behold in front of him lay a ring that shone with the radiance of the stars. He stood in awe and after some few moments of contemplation, picked up the magnificent ring. To his surprise, the Ring glowed even more brightly. The ring felt warm and throbbed in his hands as if it had a heart of its own. “What a peculiar object this is!” he murmured to himself, “I wonder if it has magical powers and can grant me a new pair of cloths.” No sooner had the thoughts crossed Jean’s mind than an elegant looking pair of clothes appeared. In an instance, Jean knew what ring he held in his humble hands. Stories had been told for centuries amongst his people about a great magical ring which always appeared in Orleans’s hour of need. Now the shepherds used to tend their flocks outside the city gates and in wild excitement, Jean changed into the new clothes and ran on home to tell the good news to his people. He never made it that far though for he was soon stopped dead on his tracks by one of the dreadful Hun soldiers. “What business are you up to you wretched Orleans boy,” mused the soldier barely concealing his contempt, “don’t you know that soon we will trample over your unworthy city and turn all of you into dust and ashes!” “I am from tending my family’s flock sir.” Jean replied in a soft voice. “Well I don’t see the measly collection of animals that you call a flock!” the soldier, whose name was Madu retorted. “You must be one of the spies who are attempting to infiltrate our prestigious army! Come to think of it, your clothes are too expensive for a shepherd to afford”. With that, the solder grabbed the hapless Jean and marched him to the nearest Hun barracks. Jean realized that in his excitement, he had not remembered to conceal his magically obtained clothes. Before they arrived at the barracks, the two met up with another Hun soldier named Atila. “Hello my fellow Hun Madu!” Atila bellowed in Greetings. “I’m fine Atila, just escorting this lying Orleans spy to our barracks for a little interrogation!” Madu replied with glee. Suddenly, Jean had a great Idea. “Why don’t I make a bargain with you two kind gentlemen,” Jean proposed, “I have something of great value that would without doubt be beneficially to you.” Now the Huns were infamous for their greed and it is this very vice that Jean was planning on exploiting. “What could you possibly have of interest to us?” Madu exclaimed though it was clear that he was curious. “If you’re playing with us we will tie you up on that tree and leave you to the wolves over the night!” threatened an agitated Atila. “Well I have a magical ring that makes all of your wishes come true,” disclosed Jean. He proceeded to produce the ring and handed it to Madu. “I wish I had a knightly horse!” said a skeptical Madu and suddenly, a great black stallion appeared. Atila took a deep breath and in a menacing voice announced, “You fool! Now we shall have the ability to muster an army of great might and we shall destroy your city in a single night!” With that the two quickly shoved the shepherd boy away and ran off with the precious jewel. Jean smiled to himself and made his way back to the city. According to the city’s folklore, the magic ring’s powers were only benevolent when used for good. Anyone who tried to use the ring’s power in a quest for destruction faced plague and many other ills. “At last our city shall be rid of the treacherous Huns,” Jean thought to himself, “and once again our city shall prosper as it did in the past. So it came to pass that Atila and Madu went to their commander with the ring and on seeing what the ring could do, the commander created a big army magically. As legend had predicted, the Huns were befallen by terrible plagues and they all perished leaving the city of Orleans to independence. Thus the noble actions of the young boy Jean with the help of the magic ring restored the glory and prosperity of the great city of Orleans.

ESSAY: The Market Place: A Woman with a Child Essay The development of a tableau vivant is considered to be a challenging and rather captivating assignment. It “is a much more complex form of representation” (Voigts-Virshow 130), this is why it is very important to focus on details and evaluate each piece of the work that should be introduced by means of a tableau. The Scarlet Letter is one of the amazing works created by Nathaniel Hawthorne where the themes of love, betrayal, passion, devotion, and care are introduced in various educative ways. To create a tableau on this romance means to understand each character and to evaluate the emotions which are inherent to different people. In this paper, one of the first significant scenes, Hester’s appearance, will be evaluated as the first impressions are usually the most sincere and candid. “When the young mother stood fully revealed before the crowd, her first impulse was to clasp the infant closely to her bosom – not from motherly affection, but so she might conceal something that was fastened onto her dress” (Hawthorne and Josephson 34). The choice of this scene has a number of powerful grounds. On the one hand, it is a bit challenging to express the emotions and thoughts of the main characters in the chosen situation. On the other hand, it is possible to consider the feelings of several characters and define a true nature of a story and attitude of several characters at once. It was the first time when the main character, Hester Prynne, appears on the public and demonstrates her sin. There are no men close to her at this moment, but still, she has a child in her hands. Her eyes are full of fear and misunderstanding: why so many people, both men and women, cannot understand what has happened to her. She tries to hold her child as close to her chest as possible in order to hide the true reason of her shame. However, the evidence is clear: she has a scarlet letter on her chest, “A”. Now, it is her present and future. Her past is somewhere behind, and she can do nothing to change the situation. To make the tableau more vivid and true, it is possible to use the figure of a minister who is also involved into the story. At the beginning, the reader cannot guess that the minister is the father of the child; however, it is necessary to underline his presence in Hester’s life. Finally, it is possible to use the images of people who are very much alike because they introduce the crowd. Separately, the members of the crowd are weak because they cannot do anything in life; however, when they are together, they introduce a power that can rule other people’s lives like they have already predetermined the life of Hester. In general, the tableau offered should consist of several people: Hester with a child, the minister who wants to hide his face, and several people from the crowd who want to blame the woman. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel and Josephson, Wayne. The Scarlett Letter . Charlottesville, VA: Readable Classics, 2009. Print. Voigts-Virshow, Eckart. Janespotting and Beyond: British Heritage Retrovisions since the Mid-1990s. Tubingen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 2004. Print.

ESSAY: Advantages & Disadvatages of Biography or Memoir as a Source Introduction Historical recording of past events forms the basis of future and present day lives. History not only reveals the progress of a subject, but also the events, actions and influences of such past. Historians analyze events and use evidence and other justifiable reasons to explain the influences of the past. History plays an important role in the social, cultural, political and other societal developments. History is at the heart of any subject and acts as a symbol of posterity and justifications of values held and belief systems. The recording of historical events based on evidence however faces the issues of truth in terms of criticisms as to whether it represents an objective interpretation of the evidence provided. Records such as bibliographies are crucial for historians in their evaluation of characters, beliefs, values, interpretation of events and explanations for actions taken. Most historians agree that memoirs are at the heart of history recording and interpretation. However, some philosophers argue that the use of memoirs to record past events creates subjectivity and questions the fairness and truth of such historical recording. Therefore, the merits and pitfalls of using memoirs to record past events are worth evaluating to establish an objective stand. Memoir or biography as evidence for past events This essay shall entail evaluating the merits and pitfalls of using memoirs in recording past events. The essay shall include the role that such memoirs play in history recording as well as the factors that influence their reliance and use as evidence in history recording. The role of memoirs or biographies in history Memoirs are basically personal recordings of the individual events and happenings that act as a trace of the life of such an individual. While people write memoirs for different personal reasons under different motivations, they still record the events of their life and other issues influencing them. The role of memoirs in history recording is worth evaluating since it is from this role that their use can be justified or not based on personal interpretations. Memoirs have subsequently been used in recording of past accounts as Fowale points out. [1] Memoirs express the truth in history due to the fact that they are primary sources of evidence and as such the fairness expected of history. [2] The interpretation of historical events does not only rely on other recordings but memoirs play the role of such interpretation with the provision of a flow of events and the time coverage of such events. History recording requires the explaining of human actions taken. Such human actions however include the evaluation of the beliefs, desires, principles held, values and opinions. These human actions are best interpreted using memoirs as they record the feelings, events and actions taken which represent the individual values, beliefs, opinions and desires. Factors that influence the use of bibliographies in the recording of past events The use of memoirs in recording of past events by historians is based on their judgments that such records would reveal their intended interpretation. Evaluation of such factors is thus important in the essay since it lays the foundation of the importance and the reasons why such memoirs are used. The interpretation of historical events requires the reliance on such evidence as is linked to the events under discussion. Memoirs are classified as primary sources of historical evidence since they represent the actual event interpretation of the writer. Further, they are classified into different types which permeate history recording. [3] The use of memoirs in history also stems from the advantage they have of reliability since most other sources of evidence are faced with issues of actual event description and loss of memory in event account. [4] Memoirs are of use where there are limited sources of evidence to account for past events and provide the different perspectives of history events. [5] The factors of using memoirs also are represented in the posterity they offer to history recording. [6] Merits of using memoirs in recording of history The use of memoirs in history recording is based on justified reasons which form the merits of such memoirs. The merits of using memoirs in history recording of past events incorporate the value they play in different fields of use of such history. The fact that memoirs are primary sources of evidence increases the validity of history sources since such recordings are not based on any secondary interpretations of information. Memoirs also are necessary in history recording especially where there are limited sources of evidence hence can be used to record such events while they provide historical data from different perspectives and based on different events which increases the value and content of history. Further, memoirs provide interpretation of actions and events while they provide the necessary chronological of events as described with the records of the times and dates. [7] Additionally, memoirs increase the reality of events recorded with the use of feelings. They increase the fields of application of historical research such as political, philosophical, language, social, economic and cultural interpretations increasing the use of historical data. [8] Pitfalls of using memoirs in recording of past history The use of memoirs in recording of historical events has been criticized from different perspectives. Firstly, memoirs are individualized and as such reliance on them would provide a biased view point especially where varying perspectives of different memoirs are used. Memoirs also are just recordings of such events as the writer deems necessary. [9] This means that some aspects written are just a mere expression of opinions which cannot be effectively applied for a group context. While memoirs are not just used by historians, they elicit different interpretations from different users which are based on their own perceptions and other factors influencing their perceptions. This creates a conflict as to the interpretation to base on and contradicts the truth basis of history. [10] While memoirs are useful in the interpretation of past events, sometimes they do not represent rational explanations of actions which limit their application. Historians have been criticized of trying to establish the causes of actions which are limited by memoirs due to the individual differences. Further, history based on emotions is not stable enough to stand the test of time. This is because memoirs are based on expression of the feelings of an individual which are influenced by different factors. [11] Memoirs are also prone to modifications by the individual writer especially based on changes of opinions due to more knowledge on the subject which cannot be clearly identified from them thus limiting their use. Annotated Bibliography Fowale, Tongkeh. Biography and historical writing: understanding the link between biography and history. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Fowale in this article provides an account of his support of the fact that biographies play a very important role in history. While he acknowledges that biographies provide the basis of historical accounts, he points out that much historical writing derives its sense of richness from biographies. He examines the different characteristics and types of biographies as the individual, research based, critical and standard ones which influence the depth of their application and relevance to history writing. Fowale further identifies that most biographies serve as accounts of the legacy of an individual and are used for the purposes of posterity. He observes that biographies not only provide accounts of an individual life but also permeate to the events, actions and the happenings of historical importance to the person. In the overall account, Fowale reveals his opinion that biographies are at the heart of history and influence the nature and purposes played by such history. Gibney, Frank and Beth Cary. Senso: The Japanese remember the Pacific War: letters to the editor of Asahi Shimbun. New York: Sharpe, 1995. Gibney and Cary provide the letters written by various people on the war. The letters of reference to this essay are “When I made Balloon Bombs” (181-182) and “Doesn’t seem too bad” (206-207). The first letter is by Sachiko, who was a student at the time of the war. It represents the process through which the author was involved in making balloon bombs and their subsequential use in the war. The letter presents the anxiety of the war and provides records of dates and the events after the war. The second letter is by Naruo and presents the account of the war from the perspective of a sixth grade student. These letters provide the basis for discussion of the merits and pitfalls of memoirs in historical recording since both of them are forms of biographies. McCullagh, Behan. The Truth of History . New York: Routledge, 1998. McCullagh in this text explores the concept of truth in history. He acknowledges the various issues of truth that historians are faced with in their interpretation of historical evidence. These include the issues of post modern thoughts and modern relativism which limit the aspect of truth of history with the assertions that historians are subject to their personal interpretations, judgments, culture influences and other factors thus challenging history recording. This assertion provides the thoughts on the pitfalls of memoirs. McCullagh however studies historical interpretations and explanations with the opinion that subjectivity and the multiple interpretations of history form the basis of the support of memoirs in terms of their merits in recording past events. Nietzsche, Friedrich. On the advantages and disadvantages of history for life. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1980. Nietzsche in this text explores the effect that historical knowledge has on the present life. In this exploration, Nietzsche is of the opinion that although animals live by instincts with no basis of history, historical accounts are very crucial for humans. Nietzsche asserts that history is worth studying not for the sake of it, but for purposes of enhancing the present life. The historical accounts thus propel creativity and comparisons with the past. The text helps to achieve the analysis of the merits of memoirs and the role they play in history. The issue of appreciating history records is stipulated with the emphasis of the primary sources and the role they play in influencing other disciplines of study. Minear, Richard. Through Japanese eyes / Richard H. Minear; Leon E. Clark, general editor: Ichiko in 1944. New York: Centre for International Training and Education, 1994. This text presents a narration of the historical war account of Michio who was a dormitory manager and a faculty member in Ichiko which was then a prestigious high school in Japan. The events of the outbreak of the war are described with the students involved in labour and other military work. This account presents the feelings, anxiety and attitudes held towards the war. It further establishes the issues of relationships especially between the students, local Japanese and the military. The account provides the chronologic account of the war, perspectives of the war from Michio as well as the interpretations held. This account is very important in the essay as it is more of a biography of Muchio and also establishes the relevance of such to history. This analysis helps in the evaluation of the merits and pitfalls of the memoirs. Seaton, Philip. Japan’s contested war memories: the memory rifts in historical consciousness of the World War II. London: Routledge, 2007. Seaton examines the struggles and issues facing modern day Japanese society which are linked to the history of the Second World War. It also explores the historical accounts of the relations Japan has with other nations. While criticizing the manner in which the memories of war are treated in the English language, Seaton explores the narrations and interpretations of the past based on the recordings on the war and such related memories. The book thus forms the basis for analyzing the pitfalls of memoirs and the diversity in interpretation of historical records which are part of the essay under discussion. Seraphim, Franzika. War Memory and Social politics in Japan, 1945- 2005 (Harvard East Asian Monographs). Harvard: Harvard University Press Centre, 2008. The author provides a historical account of the Second World War. This account overrides the opinions held that the Japanese have no war memory account. He argues that the Japanese people have memory accounts of the war and is of the belief that such accounts have influenced the approach of democracy in the nation leading to the high economic prospects. The present conflicts have their origin on the memories together with the relations with other nations. The meaning of war is divergent while the issues of commemoration of war, teaching of history and other national symbols are still disputable. This text provides the background for the role of history in the society. It also explores the influences of the interpretations of historical records much of which relate to such historical sources as memoirs which are liable to multiple interpretations. These are some of the pitfalls of memoirs. Trefalt, Beatrice. Japanese Army stragglers and memories of the war in Japan, 1950- 1975 . London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003. Trefalt provides the discoveries that were made by the Japanese soldiers in the Pacific and the South East long after the end of the Second World War. These discoveries present the events about their return to Japan. The text also represents the impact and influence they had on the people of Japan while showing the attitudes that have been changing towards the veterans of war as well as the families that had casualties during the war. This book provides the memories the soldiers had during the war and this forms part of the historical literature showing the role of such writings in the present-day Japan. This text is relevant to the essay with the memories and discoveries made which form part of memoirs that are used in the historical accounts. Bibliography 1. Fowale, Tongkeh. Biography and historical writing: understanding the link between biography and history. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. 2. Gibney, Frank and Beth Cary. Senso: The Japanese remember the Pacific War: letters to the editor of Asahi Shimbun. New York: Sharpe, 1995. 3. McCullagh, Behan. The Truth of History. New York: Routledge, 1998. 4. Minear, Richard. Through Japanese eyes / Richard H. Minear; Leon E. Clark, general editor: Ichiko in 1944. New York: Centre for International Training and Education, 1994. 5. Nietzsche, Friedrich. On the advantages and disadvantages of history for life. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1980. 6. Seaton, Philip. Japan’s contested war memories: the memory rifts in historical consciousness of the World War II. London: Routledge, 2007. 7. Seraphim, Franzika. War Memory and Social politics in Japan, 1945- 2005 (Harvard East Asian Monographs). Harvard: Harvard University Press Centre, 2008. 8. Trefalt, Beatrice. Japanese Army stragglers and memories of the war in Japan, 1950- 1975. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003. 9. Tongkeh Fowale, Biography and historical writing: understanding the link between biography and history (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 4. 10. Behan McCullagh, The Truth of History (New York: Routledge, 1998), 13-14. 11. Tongkeh Fowale, Biography and historical writing: understanding the link between biography and history (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 6. 12. Philip Seaton, Japan’s contested war memories: the memory rifts in historical consciousness of the World War II (London: Routledge, 2007), 26. 13. Beatrice Trefalt, Japanese Army stragglers and memories of the war in Japan, 1950 1975 (London: Routledge, 2003), 17. 14. Friedrich Nietzsche, On the advantages and disadvantages of history for life (Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1980), 8-9. 15. Richard Minear, Through Japanese eyes / Richard H. Minear; Leon E. Clark, general editor: Ichiko in 1944 (New York: Center for International Training and Education, 1994), 119. 16. Franzika Seraphim, War Memory and Social politics in Japan, 1945- 2005 (Harvard East Asian Monographs) (Harvard: Harvard University Press Center, 2008), 59-60. 17. Frank Gibney and Beth Cary, Senso: The Japanese remember the Pacific War: letters to the editor of Asahi Shimbun (New York: Sharpe, 1995), 181. 18. Behan McCullagh, The Truth of History (New York: Routledge, 1998), 14. 19. Richard Minear, Through Japanese eyes / Richard H. Minear; Leon E. Clark, general editor: Ichiko in 1944 (New York: Center for International Training and Education, 1994), 121.

ESSAY: The Neo-Vygotskian approach to child development Research Paper The Neo-Vygotskian approach to child development is positive stratagems of education, which are resource-oriented and presents the society with the view of the child as an empowered individual with a will, apparent ability, and unique skills, as opposed to the traditional implication of weaknesses or deviations associable to early childhood development (Karpov, 2005). According to Karpov (2005), the theory emphasizes on the development of knowledge that occurs socially during communication. Knowledge is what people possess by working together because as people communicate, they are constructing a reality over claims, which is the required or anticipated acquaintance. The Neo-Vygotskian approach over development indicates that children are not in a position to build high mental functions independently; therefore, adults mediate the functions to them during interactive social activities. 1. What are the determinants of the development of toddlers’ ability to perform at the symbolic level? In the development of children, the adult needs to develop a learning environment with tasks, context, and identifiers. Symbolic level means that the child develops habits that relate to objects. A good example is a reaction by repeating an action to achieve pleasurable results (Flick, 2006). The key determinants of development at this developmental stage are the coordination between apprehension, vision, and coordination. The toddler can respond with amusement to the interaction with friends and family members. There is a distinction between means and ends. 2. What are the major accomplishments that accompany the successful formation of leading activity in toddlerhood? Neo-Vygotskian approach observes social situations over development. This has currently changed terms to “leading activity,” which plays a major role during toddlerhood as an essential aspect for successfully forming leading activity (Karpov, 2005). During this age, there are distinct but interconnected types of regular plays such as the social-dramatic plays by the leader, a play based on the social setting, play at the quantitative level of development as well as the rule-based play. All the types of plays provide a social transformation of the child for actual fundamental development. These social aspects of development mean a continual change over the toddlers’ activities. During the stages of development, the identification of the initial activity precedes other corresponding progress to establish the most important formations. Toddler’s development and learning involve mental development mediated by adults through interaction. Concrete operations associable to this stage include serialization or the ability to sort out things in terms of sizes or shape. Transitivity involves the ability to characterize elements in serial order. The classification of objects requires the ability to identify various objects depending on their shapes, appearance or size. Decentralizing entails the ability to pick up various aspects of a task to solve it. Lastly, reversibility is the ability to understand and practice some aspects of solving a problem. This means that successful formation of leading activity in toddlerhood requires consciousness, cognitive and conceptual intelligence. 3. What are the negative consequences of failure in leading activities formation in toddlerhood? Development does not progress smoothly due to various unpredicted gaps. Considering the general domain of knowledge acquisition, psychological ideas, as well as modularity of the mind, emphasizes leading activities in toddlers. The human mental development is not a behavioral development program with a basis on biological revolution. The behaviors depend on the chronological evolution or the progress of the historical events. Lack of leading activities in toddlerhood takes different forms at personal levels. There are various common psychological and social consequences, but they highly depend on the cultural setting. The consequences include shyness, incompetency, immaturity, lowered self-confidence, dependence, withdrawal, fear and isolation. References Flick, U. (2006) An introduction to qualitative research. Sage Publication. Karpov, J. (2005). The Neo-Vygotskian Approach to Child Development . Cambridge University Press.

ESSAY: Travelling Along the Oregon Trail Creative Writing Essay This letter to a friend is written by a farmer’s wife travelling with her husband and children along the Oregon Trail in mid-1840s. Dear Jane, Blessed be the hour when I can see you again, for the way seems endless and the barriers insurmountable. When we lost our farm [1] , I was looking to our trip as to a journey to the Promised Land, but now the everyday hardships are challenging this faith. However, John tells me to stay strong and so I do. During the three months on the road, I have seen more than ever before, so in case you and Paul decide to undertake this trip, the following advice may be of use to you. For your journey, it is vital to buy a good tent and a nice sturdy wagon to move all the belongings and supplies. I would rather recommend a prairie schooner, which is much lighter than a normal Conestoga wagon and driven by oxen. They move slower than mules, but are much cheaper (as they can easily find food for themselves) and not so likely to be stolen by the Indians [2] . As for provisions, make sure you have enough flour, salt, sugar, tea and coffee, dried beans and fruit, corn and rice. I would not advice to take anything perishable, as it is more a burden than a benefit on this trip; but if you have extra dried goods, you can always change them for travel clothes and moccasins in the mountains [3] . Meat is not a problem here, as wild fowl and game are abundant here, so rifles and ammunition will never be extra. Do not forget to reserve a good sheet-iron stove for your journey as well, since wood is scarce here and a stove is very convenient. As a setting-out point, I would rather advice St. Joseph, since you can avoid crossing several streams which can be very high (several of our fellow-travelers even drowned in them, which was a sad and dramatic occurrence for their families) [4] . The routine at our camp starts before sunrise, and we travel most part of the day. One of the biggest discomforts is caused by violent windstorms that scatter our tents and wagons and set the cattle stampeding wildly into the unknown. To protect us somehow from the devastation of the storms, our men have invented a simple yet ingenious trick: as soon as the first signs of storm appear, we group the wagons in small circles with oxen chained inside the circles [5] . One day we were confused by the thunder-like sounds and a heavy dark cloud approaching us, which we first took for a sand-storm. As the cloud drew nearer, we felt the ground trembling and recognized thousands of buffalos rushing past. Happily, they were left on the other side of the stream and did not ruin the camp; otherwise I doubt I would be writing these lines now. Another danger lurks inside the camp itself: I would have never expected it, but I witness many people, especially little children, getting trampled down by the wagons in the general confusion. That is why I always take care my little ones are in a plain view and never let them go too far away from our wagon. There is another reason for it: although the Indians we have met so far appear to be peaceful, I would not trust these daubed savages anyway, hearing the rumors of their cruelty. It is late now, and tomorrow is another early start, so I cease my writing for a while and hope that this letter brings composure to you. I hope for the best and send blessings to your family. Love, Mary. Bibliography Federal Writers’ Project. Oregon Trail: The Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean . Murietta, CA: US History Publishers, 1939. Print. Hill, William E. The Oregon Trail, Yesterday and Today . Caldwell, ID: Caxton Press, 1986. Print. Olson, Stephen P. The Oregon Trail: A Primary Source History of the Route to the American West . New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2003. Print. Footnotes 1. Olson, Stephen P. The Oregon Trail: A Primary Source History of the Route to the American West . New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2003. Print. P. 32. 2. Federal Writers’ Project. Oregon Trail: The Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean . Murietta, CA: US History Publishers, 1939. Print. P. 220. 3. Ibid., pp. 221–222. 4. Federal Writers’ Project. Oregon Trail: The Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean . Murietta, CA: US History Publishers, 1939. Print. P. 222. 5. Hill, William E. The Oregon Trail, Yesterday and Today . Caldwell, ID: Caxton Press, 1986. Print. P. 53

ESSAY: Democratic and Undemocratic Elements of the Constitution The original United States Constitution, often cited as the foundation of the US democracy, was created in 1787 by the country’s founding fathers. While its admirers holds a perception that the Constitution is a virtually perfect charter, its critics have over the years sounded an alarm that some of the provisions in the Constitution are undemocratic, and therefore end up enhancing unjust and ineffective governance structures (Levinson 13). However, the middle ground is that the original Constitution consisted of a hybrid of democratic and undemocratic principles that gave rise to functional and dysfunctional rules and procedures. Although the Constitution was not exclusively envisaged in a void, its creators had very few examples to refer from in attempting to institute a democratic form of government (Dahl 15). It is the purpose of this essay to critically evaluate the ways through which the US original Constitution was both democratic and undemocratic. Its functionality will also be evaluated. The Framers of the original Constitution of the US can be credited for creating a republic rather than a democracy. Although the two concepts are perceived as synonymous, “a republic is a political unit governed by a charter, while a democracy is a government whose prevailing force is that of the majority” (Dubroff para. 1). In a republic, the charter is supreme as the official source of power, while the rule of the majority controls official power in a democracy. Also, a democratic nation is more aligned with the fundamental standard of ‘one man one vote,’ while in a republic, power is vested in the representatives, who in turn are responsible to the people (Dahl 7). According to Dahl, the Framers of the original Constitution crafted a representative democracy for the reason that they dreaded direct democracy, seen as a threat to the property rights of influential land owners. It is therefore safe to assert that protective theories of democracy were used by the Framers during the creation of the original Constitution. In the protective model, the elected representatives are offered the mandate to speak for their constituents, condemning citizens to a rather passive role concerning how government affairs are run (Held 47). There are many instances of democratic elements in the original Constitution. However, their effectiveness is camouflaged by the many instances of undemocratic principles and practices in the same Constitution. On the democratic elements, the original Constitution made provisions for the separation of powers into three branches – executive, legislative, and judicial. Powers to make all laws governing the country, control budgetary allocations, declare war and ratify treaties were vested in the Legislative arm of government, also known as the Congress. The executive arm, also known as the presidency, was granted the powers to preserve, protect and safeguard the US Constitution; faithfully execute the laws governing the land; implement the instructions made by Congress, veto laws that may be deemed unconstitutional, and implement spending as endorsed by Congress. The judicial arm, also known as the Supreme Court, functioned to establish the jurisdiction of particular cases under the US judicial system; the disposition of convicted prisoners; and the production of evidence and testimonies as the law provides for in the Constitution. The judicial arm is specifically crafted and limited by the legislative arm (Dahl 42). However, the above arrangement of the separation of powers has proved dysfunctional, especially between the legislative and executive arms of government. In practice, the president and the Congress have rather dissimilar constituencies as revealed by the competitive struggle of votes from the electorate in elections (Hardin 11). The separation is also dysfunctional by the very fact that neither the executive nor the legislative arm exercise significant control or sway on the appointment of the other to office. Still, the American model of separation of powers does not “fix responsibility on a government to govern and on an opposition to debate the government by offering alternatives” (Hardin 113). Other democratic elements espoused in the original Constitution consist of the freedom from domestic violence, freedom from the extremists of religion, and the right to be protected against invasion (Held 36).Article 6 of the unadulterated US constitution made provisions that nobody was to be subjected to a religious test as a prequalification to gain entry into any public office. This provision offered more freedom to US citizens. Although not seen as entirely democratic, the original Constitution also promoted a representation form of government in which all constituents within the state had an opportunity to be represented in the Senate and House of Representatives. There exists a multiplicity of undemocratic elements in the original US Constitution. First, although the original Constitution guaranteed freedom from domestic violence, it neither prohibited slavery nor sanctioned Congress to do so. In essence, failure by the constitution to abolish slavery not only denied the legislative arm the power to forbid the importation of slaves prior to 1808, but it offered constitutional sanction to repressive laws such as the fugitive slave laws, which dictated that a fugitive slave had to be hunted down and taken back to the slave holder (Dahl 11). The slavery perspective reveals a dysfunctional Constitution in the sense that its preamble had sought to establish justice and blessings of liberty (Levinson 13). Second, the original Constitution was unsuccessful in assuring the right of suffrage, leaving the interpretations and qualifications of suffrage to individual states (Dahl 12). This inherently meant that half of the population, mostly women, African-Americans, and poor Native Americans could not vote in an election. By then, the Constitution had suppressed the civil liberties of these groups of Americans. However, the same civil liberties, under the auspices of civil rights groups, were instrumental in campaigning for the rights of the women to vote a century and half later. Voting privileges for African-Americans were attained some two centuries later, courtesy of the same civil rights groups led by astute rights activists such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King (Hardin 38). It is therefore safe to ascertain that the extent to which the civilians’ voices or inputs in the public field are subdued or are permitted to be heard have fundamental implications on whether the answerability and responsibility essential for government effectiveness will be created (Pritchet & Kaufman para. 1). Third, by coming up with a system of electing a president that was to be shielded from both the desires of popular majorities and the overbearing influence of congressional control, the Framers of the original Constitution probably never stopped to ponder the contour that politics would assume in a mature democratic republic. Consequently, the Framers hatched the Electoral College, a group of presidential electors comprising men of outstanding wisdom, character and value, charged with the responsibility of choosing the president (Dahl 15). Through this provision, the US is often led by unpopular and incompetent presidents, who have lost the popular vote but goes ahead to be chosen by the Electoral College. Indeed, the Electoral College was conceived to bring the small states on board in the process of forming a federal government. Federalism, which is defined as a structure of government in which authority and power is distributed between a national government and constituent regional governments, has obvious advantages of guaranteeing government services remain closer to the people, decentralizing resources, enhancing exclusive and innovative techniques for tackling issues bedeviling society at a regional level, and providing safeguards to the domination by the majority. However, it leads to duplication of government services, overlapping policies, inequality between regions and corruption (Johnson 13). This not withstanding, the Electoral College in the 21 st century has served to curtail participatory and pluralist democracy, with small states such as Wyoming and North Dakota having equal votes in the college with highly populated states such as California. This reveals the dysfunctional nature of the original constitution. Forth, the original Constitution failed to curtail the power enjoyed by the judiciary to proclaim as unconstitutional statutes that had been aptly approved by the Congress and duly signed by the sitting president (Dahl 18). Again, this reveals a dysfunctional aspect of the original Constitution in the fact that federal judges assumed the responsibility of formulating government laws and policy frameworks, a task that undoubtedly belonged to the Congress. The method used to select senators and the issues of equal representation in the senate are other sticky issues found in the original Constitution. Senators were to be chosen by the state legislatures rather than the constituents, effectively curtailing participatory democracy and a rule by the majority since the selected senators would be minimally receptive to popular majorities and conceivably be more receptive to the requirements of property holders (Dahl 16). This is both undemocratic and dysfunctional. In equal representation, the senate tied American voters to geographical attributes rather than population densities, effectively tilting political power in the direction of the alliances of smaller states. This is undemocratic. All in all, the original Constitution has had its fair share of democratic and undemocratic elements, as well as supporters and detractors. In 2000, Americans were ruled by an unpopular president in the name of George W. Bush as a direct result of the Constitution’s shortcomings. What alarms many experts and policy makers is the fact that it is extremely hard to change some offending provisions in the US constitution. The American people never took part in a referendum to ratify the Constitution. In the light of this, concerted efforts need to be initiated to ensure that the US constitution represents the true value of democracy – rule by the majority. Works Cited Cunningham, F. Theories of Democracy: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge. ISBN: 0415228794 Dahl, R.A. (2002). How Democratic is the American Constitution, 2 nd Ed. Yale University Press. 2002. ISBN: 0300092180 Dubroff, M.D. What is the difference between a Republican and a Democracy? 2009. Web. Hardin, C.M. The Separation of Power needs Major Revision. In: R.A. Goldwin & A. Kaufman, Separation of Powers — Does it Still Work? American Enterprise Institute. 1986. ISBN: 0844736066 Held, D. Models of Democracy, 2 nd Ed. Stanford University Press. 1997. ISBN: 0804728615 Johnson, K.S. Governing the American State: congress and New Federalism, 1877- 1929. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN: 0691119740 Levinson, S. Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution goes wrong and how we the People can correct it. New York NY: Oxford University Press. 2008. ISBN: 0195365577 Pritchet, L., & Kaufman, D. Civil Liberties, Democracy, and the Performance of Government Projects. 1998. Web.

ESSAY: The Problem with Mr. Gunes Creative Writing Essay Jake was a 14year old boy of average build and height with the most outstanding feature about him being his long curly brown hair. While he was not overly enthusiastic about school and education in general, he showed as much dedication to school as could be hoped for from a 14 year old. For this, his parents and teachers alike were grateful since the teenage years were the most chaotic as the students underwent phases of rebellion and identity crises. However, Jake’s relatively smooth sailing in school turned turbulent following the introduction of Mr. Gunes, the new math teacher. While Mr. Gunes was a capable math teacher, his communication skills were far from ideal. Mr. Gunes was from Turkey and having lived in the USA for relatively little time, his English still held a very heavy Turkish accent. This made it very difficult for most of the students in his math class to understand him. Mr. Gunes’ dark skin, coal black hair and rather bushy eyebrows made him physically different from the other members of the school community. This accentuated by his thick Turkish accent made it hard for most students to concentrate in his class. The incident with Jake occurred during one of Gunes’ evening math classes. Gunes was busy explaining the concept of volume to an audience of mostly distracted students. Jake in particular was busy fantasizing about how he would spend the coming weekends with a goofy smile on his face. “Do you care to explain what is funny?” Mr. Gunes who had noted Jake’s distraction asked in his thick accent. Jake did not get the significance of the question as a result of his absent mindedness. The teacher’s heavy accent did not help matters either and instead of funny, Jake had heard “furry”. He found the question amusing and immediately burst out laughing. “So you think I’m funny?” asked a now visibly irate Gunes. “You tell me if you think I’m very funny!” Jake decided to answer the question despite the absurdity of it. “A bear is furry, I do not think you are furry” answered the slightly confused Jakes. At this answer, the whole class burst out into laughter. Now this was not the first time that Jake had misinterpreted Mr. Gunes’ questions as a result of his accent therefore answering wrongly and causing the whole class to burst into laughter. Mr. Gunes decided that he had had enough of what he perceived to be Jake’s insolence. “Follow me to the principal’s office right now,” demanded an angry Gunes. Even though Jake did not catch every word that the teacher said, he got the message this time round since the teacher pointed out and stormed off in fury. At the office, the principal listened to the accusations that Gunes made against the student. He also listened intently as Jakes explained that it was all a misunderstanding since Mr. Gunes’ accent made it especially hard for him to follow what he was saying. While the principal sympathized with Jake, he was obligated to suspend Jake and ask him to come with his parents the following week. This was because Gunes was one of the best mathematics teachers in the district and siding with Jake would have caused Gunes to consider leaving the school since he had been bringing up the issue of Jakes making the students laugh at him many previous times. However, the principle made a point to assure Jake that he would not get into any trouble as a result of this suspension. Jake on his part was happy to get a few days off school and the fact that he was not going to be punished for it greatly appealed to him.

ESSAY: The Promotion of Justice Essay Justice is a broad concept that basically refers to acts of fairness as a way of creating order of philosophies within a society. “It is basically a concept of moral rightness that is based on ethics, natural law, fairness or equity, religion and rationality along with the provision of punishment for the breach of such said ethics” (Rawls & Kelly, 2001, p. 4). The perceptions of justice are vast and they explain the changing theological, philosophical and legal reflections and debates over time. The understandings of justice are influenced by factors such as culture which limit the unitary description of justice (Lane, 1993). This means that what appears just in one society may be perceived as unjust in another. Ideally, different authors and theorists have developed theories that seek to explain the concept of justice. The different variations and theories of justice include: utilitarian justice, retributive justice, distributive justice, restorative and societal justice. The actual question in justice is whether the consideration to be made is first of all for the overall justice of the society or the individual (Rawls & Kelly, 2001). It is therefore necessary for the government to be involved in the promotion of justice based on the need for objectivity, fairness and clear interpretation and implementation of law. The Role of the Government in Promoting Justice The promotion of justice needs to be based on objectivity and fairness (Rawls & Kelly, 2001). The government is elected by the people for their representation. This means that the people expect the government to represent their interests objectively. The functions of the government of promoting justice are instituted through various organs and bodies set by the government but through the appointment of independent individuals to run them. These bodies form the judicial system which has the mandate of interpreting the law as well as other systems that deal with matters of equity. This is so crucial especially due to the diverse theories of justice. The government ensures that these judicial systems are accorded independence to ensure justice while the bodies are set to handle different matters with the ability of appealing to such judgments and to file a suit against the state (Lane, 1993). The general presumption is that transparency is necessary with checks and balance in place. The justification for the role of the government in the promotion of justice is based on the objectivity and nature of society’s interactions for which law is set up. The fact that justice is about fairness would mean the application of the majority rule. The government is thus necessary because it is the only institution that can ensure the protection of the minority since it is bound by the law through the protection of the constitutional rights and freedoms of all individuals (Lane, 1993). The governmental function of governance and implementation of policies is just a part of promotion of justice. The other perspective in this matter is that the government is instituted for the service of all people and this includes the mandate of ensuring that justice is promoted. The maintenance of justice is very necessary despite the changes in the society. The fact that the government changes with time means that it is the best for the promotion of justice at the time. The other justification for the responsibility of the government in the promotion of justice is that people bestow confidence on the government through elections. Further, international bodies expect the governments to set goals of development which are necessary for governments to promote justice in the governance and the implementation of policies. The ability of the government to be scrutinized enables it to be objective and make the best decisions. Therefore, justice can be adequately promoted. It is worth noting that the government of any nation has a duty of funding the judicial institutions. Reference List Lane, Giles. 1993. Government, Justice and Contempt . New York: University Press of America. Rawls, John and Kelly, Erin. 2001. Justice as Fairness: a restatement . Harvard: Harvard University Press.

ESSAY: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis: A Book Report The Screwtape Letters is the book by Clive Staples Lewis, one of the greatest Christian writers of the 20 th century. This masterpiece was written in 1942 and published for the first time in book form by Geoffrey Bles in London. The chosen genre of The Screwtape Letters , Christian satire, helps to underline the significance of faith and people’s wrong interpretation of sins and religion in general. This fiction consists of 31 letters, which present appropriate pieces of advice of how to procure patients’ souls, given by Screwtape to Wormwood, his nephew. All these letters and the work as a whole are dedicated to J. R. R. Tolkien, another great English writer and poet. Screwtape performs his role of a mentor on a really brilliant level; and still inexperienced tempter, Wormwood, is eager to analyze the lessons and enlarge his level of knowledge in order to amaze his teacher and even surpass him. The reader of The Screwtape Letters gets a chance to look at the letters, written by Screwtape only. In spite of the fact that it should a two-way correspondence, the author of the book allows the reader to use own imagination and think about the manner of writing of Wormwood. Each letter begins with Screwtape’s discontent caused by numerous Wormwood’s failures. So, the protagonist of the story turns out to be Screwtape; he presents new information to the reader, this is why all facts and events are described from one point of view only. Screwtape focuses on different aspects of our life: how human soul makes decisions, what has more significant impact on human decisions, and how actually the devil may temp a human soul and turn it from something good to something evil. Screwtape letters help the reader comprehend that all Christian’s relationships are under a threat to be influenced by evil. Families and friends cannot even guess how tempting a sin may be. Even a prayer in a church has all chances to be tempted by evil and gets more chances to tempt other people, who come for help. In fact, there are two active characters in the story: Screwtape and Wormwood. However, the story is not complete without those patients, Screwtape tells about. If we look at this work from some general perspective, we may see a professional devil, Screwtape, as a major character, another devil-beginner, Wormwood, as another active character, and the Patient, a passive character, who still plays a significant role in the story. To my mind, the major purpose of all these letters, which are so brightly presented in The Screwtape Letters , is to warn people about the threat of being tempted even by the closest person. The point is that there will always be some Mr. Screwtape, who will be eager to teach his nephew to tempt people and prove that evil may be good and good is usually evil. This is why the idea that there is somebody, who sits of people’s shoulders and gives some hints to follow, comes to be true. Lewis presents enough persuasive ideas and stories, which make lots of readers believe and think over again why people take certain steps and who may control them. These lessons, which help to improve our life, turn out to be rather effective and interesting. This work is not just a certain topic and different characters; it is a lesson, each character should learn, comprehend, and use. The beauty of the work lies in its truthfulness. People will hardly realize how complicated this world is. It is not just simple streets with grass under our feet and sky over our heads. People are considered to be a little piece of something more huge and important. If it should happen that a person understands that he/she is a part of our universe, and someone may impact it somehow, the results may be rather unexpected. Some readers cannot still believe how complicated the world is, some readers still accept this story as one more fiction that presents unbelievable imagination of the writer, and some readers try to analyze the received information and use it in order to improve their lives. As any literary work, The Screwtape Letters has its own strengths and weaknesses. Quite simple and clear language makes this story interesting to read for many people with different levels of education. Short letters with clear topics do not bother the reader and provide him/her with a chance to get some information and have some time to think over it. To my mind, one of the most obvious negative aspects of this book is that the reader has a chance to evaluate the situation from one point of view only. This is why it turns out to be rather difficult to accept the same information from Wormwood or patients’ sides. Another negative point is cruel reality that is described so straight. Such terrible pieces of advice and understanding of evil and good, their connection and interaction – not each reader is ready for this. “Keep everything hazy in his [patient] mind now, and you will have all eternity wherein to amuse yourself by producing in him the peculiar kind of clarity which Hell affords” (Lewis 2001, 7). In general, C.S. Lewis creates just a wonderful masterpiece and calls it The Screwtape Letters . These letters are the lectures, which are always interesting to read and learn more and more. It is not enough to read this work one time and forget about it. This story stays in readers’ mind for a long period of time in order to give some hints and help people cope with possible difficulties. This is why this story should be certainly read by anyone, who wants to improve this life and comprehend its sense. Works Cited Lewis, Clive, S. The Screwtape Letters . HarperOne, 2001.

ESSAY: The second industrial revolution and its social consequence Essay As opposed to the first industrial revolution which had its focus on the use of energy and muscle, the second industrial revolution did focus more on the use of the brain and information technology (Korten 222). This revolution did have an almost immediate effect on the lives of people. The benefits did not only accrue to the producers but also the consumers and this helped to improve the quality of life. This phase of the industrial revolution is in most cases simply referred to as the (separate) technical revolution. During this period there were extensive innovations that came up in very many industries. The electrical, chemical, petroleum and steel industries formed the major leaders when it came to the second industrial revolution (Adler 431). The major specific advancements included the incorporation of steam turbines that were fired by oil and steel ships that were driven by internal combustion. The development of the aero-plane formed a major advancement in the second industrial revolution. Transport was therefore immensely improved as equally as the standards of living of the people. Other fields that drew a lot of attention was invention of the telephone, the automobile was commercialized, innovation of very varied food preservation techniques like refrigeration and others, perfection of processes involved in canning and mass production of consumer goods. The drift was from mass production and towards quality of what was produced. In essence the desire to have these quality levels did affect the inventions that were coming up. The automatic industry was the subsequent happening of use of machines tools and the computers in the production processes. It is to be noted though that the second industrial revolution happened in different parts of the world at different times. Singapore for example was experiencing it as late as the 1980s. One of the major effects of the second industrial revolution was caused by the societal struggles to obtain class. According to Mantoux (30), there was arise in various classes of people among them the producer royales and state factories who had immense power attributed to them in the social standing. In as much as there was a lot of changes in terms of the institutions that were present; together with the environmental conditions surrounding the changes, the economic play was so relevant and of great magnitude in affecting the social position of people. The extent to which the environment did affect the social lives cannot be compared to the magnitude with which the economics played in influencing the interrelationships in society. Families seemed to predominantly live on the fines they got and even the borrowings that they got. At this time, the feudal landlords got reduced in number for a while. The church and specifically the Catholic Church did have impact on the social lives of the people. According to Foster (24), peasant employers who had multiple problems with control of the social standing did try to take over the church. In the United Kingdom, these employers set up a parish within the Manchester. This was a way that did enhance social relationships in this period. Social routines also did take root at some time during this period. This was a case of the United Kingdom although other places did have their own identifiable social routines. Into the middle of the nineteenth century the growth of steam ships and more use of railways were pilot to this. The Bessemer which formed one of the remarkable steel inventions took place way before 1871. This together with the Siemens ventured in the production of steel that was not only cheap but also allowed for quicker steam transport. Social lives were not spared by these developments. In the lives the family unit, set up of society, security in society, standards of living, and wage levels among a host of other aspects were affected by the happenings during the second industrial revolution. There can not be a limited view of how the social lives were affected. At the same time, these lives were affected differently in different locations and so in these places a specific mention is of essence. Further it was difficult to separate the social lives from the economic effects. According to Spielvogel (702) the second industrial revolution has had an immense impact on how the economic systems are currently run. This includes the depressions that are experienced amongst other economic cycles. On a global scale the second industrial revolution did affect the social lives of the people through the economic and other impacts that this revolution was having on the social lives of people. A commonality noted between the first and second industrial revolutions is that they both led growth in population and were boosted by government facilitated barriers to trade. The second industrial revolution however did focus only on the development of electricity, improvement of steel and use of chemicals. The innovations led to great improvements in the production processes and notably in the United Kingdom, the textile industry was greatly boosted. Railroad was not left behind in this revolution. There was unprecedented advancement according to Duiker (550) in the transport systems which by extension affected the social lives of people. The work done by the laborers became less and therefore people had time to focus more on other aspects of their social lives. Unlike the first industrial revolution where the focus was on productivity and the workers in the industries were very much burdened with work, this type of revolution led to a decrease in the manual work since inventions like the flying shuttle done in 1733 took up much of the manual roles in the textile industry. Machines were later developed that could spin the yarn and comb the wool. Automation of the textile industry in the United Kingdom was achieved sometime in the 1780s where the use of manual labor was limited. Worker unions cropped up because of this revolution and would come together to push for the rights of the workers. In the UK textile industry for example, the Luddite movement was established some time in 1811. This movement was fighting for the employees in the textile industry whose lives were at risk. The workers were bound to lose their livelihoods since they were being replaced in the industries by the machines that had come up to improve efficiency in the operations. This struggle does remain a nightmare in Europe currently as there is much squabbling between the job securities of laborers mostly manual ones and innovations that are supposed to make work easier. Education in the age of the second industrial revolution became more technical. Since there was an advent in the area of machines, there was dire need to create the awareness on how the machines were to be operated. This required that the workers get training in the same with much emphasis being laid on the technical aspects. This led even to the advent of schools of the mature being attended by the workers who had to get more formal skills on the operation of the machine. Even though this did not affect much the time spent by the families, still the impact was there. More time was available for the workers to travel. This was best coupled by the development of trains that accorded the people the favour to travel form one place to another. Synott (201) insinuates that communications were immensely developed during this age. This conversely positively affected the relationships at the work place and the social standing as well. Telegraph and telephone technologies were the major head starts in these invention area. A loss in jobs was another social ramification of the second industrial revolution. This is because the people were to be replaced by machines which were not only faster but also cost less to the owners of the firms. In England in the early 1800s, the job losses in the textile industry were eminent and this led to the emergence of numerous bodies to fight for the rights of the workers. This they did by forming the Luddite that was meant to protect their members from being shoved off work because of the machines presence. Migrations were also eminent from the urban to urban centers with people searching for new jobs. Those persons that had been laid off from their positions on the advent of the technology age had to make a living somehow and so they traveled from one urban centre to another. This in a way did distort the social lives of people especially the family unit. There was need to settle in whole new locations and adapt to new lifestyles all together which was not easy as such. The working hours during this revolution dropped to a record low since the work was beginning to be automated. Initially during the first industrial revolution, pressure had mounted on the social lives of the workers since the emphasis was on production and more production. Later, automation led to improvement of lives of the people during this period. It was during this period that the telephone was developed. Although a reserve of the rich, the telephone led to improved communications between people. At some point there was a decline in the slaves that were being employed industries. This simply constituted the job losses that were happening at that time as a result of automation. These slaves mostly from Africa would end up in the streets without a living. Their lives were therefore dwindling by the day and some of them resorted to criminal activities. This in part explains the high levels of insecurity that were experienced during this period. There was a rise of the working class movements during this period. This in essence had a very pivotal role in the capitalism that was noted in the countries during that period. The workers got an opportunity to be freed from the obligations that had held them during the pre-capitalist periods yet they still had the privilege to present there labor on the capitalist labor market. However this working class development at that time also meant that the workers could not be allowed any independent production but have to strictly adhere to the instructions that they were receiving from their employers. In a way, these employees were being forced to supply their labor in the market. New management styles came up most of them having there focus on division of labor. There was anew style of administration that allowed there to be a span of control and managerial hierarchies did develop. There was the linear form of management so that each employee would report to that higher in authority. In Singapore for example, there was new patterns of authority that were coming up in the 1980s. Management took a whole new dimension where the lie of power had to be respected. There was a distribution in the wealth that had been accumulated. This took place as a result of the change in ownership and the production techniques employed. Initially in the first industrial revolution, the oligarchial system of ownership was dominant. However at the advent of the second industrial revolution, the capital of firms was divided into sticks that meant that several people would be allowed to own a single company. The income disparities in society were then put to check as those considered lower in society had an opportunity to have a share in the wealthy firms that were existent at that time. This was one of the factors that contributed to the general improvement in the living standards. There was a shift from the previously dominant laissez faire as the governments did focus on how to meet the ever dynamic needs of the complex yet industrial communities prevalent at that time. There was thus an effect of socialization on the basic sectors of the economy. There was need to reduce the stringency with which the work place was being treated. Explorations increased more because of the second industrial revolution. It is during this period that the scramble for Africa was rife. Many missionaries got an opportunity to traverse the seas to the ends of the earth preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was facilitated by the steam powered water vessels that were built as a result of the second industrial revolution. Some of the explorers like David Livingstone and others had to be socially alienated from their families and the backgrounds that they grew up in. they had to start up new lifestyles in the depths of East Africa. Many new jobs were created for the people and therefore their standards of living wee affected positively. This is because there were newer yet numerous applications for the innovations in the technical field like gas making. Jobs were also created for the masses in the areas of the chemical industry for the chemicals that were used in the production processes, gas making and railway transport. Urban growth as a consequence kept growing at unprecedented paces and therefore social ills were bound to increase. As more people grew up together in the same locality, problems of poor sanitation cropped up. Water was scarce with other social amenities lacking. Some of the diseases that spread during this period were attributed to the poor sanitation and the high growth of population growth. Housing problems were also prevalent as there was inadequacy of housing facilities. There was also strain on the resources that were available. There was a heightened level of criminal activities since not all the people were employed. There were many idlers coming up and this led to very unprecedented level of insecurity cropping up. Law and order enforcers therefore had to be deployed inmost of such places to be able to sustain acceptable interactions among the people The employment opportunities were also opened up to the manufacturing industry. There was a shift from the agricultural production life of the people and veered to adapt their lifestyles to accommodating the new jobs in the manufacturing industries. There was a drop from about seventy five percent of those employed in the agricultural industry to about sixty seven percent. Service sector was beginning to be established during this period and did compliment well with the new lifestyles that had been taken up by the peoples. Due to this second industrial revolution, there was a noticeable change in how the businesses were being run and owned. It is said that in 1800 almost all the people in America had their focus on units of production that were family based. The main persons working in these places were the long term or permanent slaves and or spouses. The family unit was therefore very vital as this would usually be composed of the father, the mother, children and the servants and at times slaves. Moral rules of behavior were the order of the day and they did guide the interactions of families and society as a whole. There were non quantitative characteristics that did govern the way the family businesses were run. Payment of wages to employees in these family units was ideally a function of the moral traditions that were established. This sometimes was referred to as the moral economy. There was a very wide gap in the relationship between the employers and their workers. In social terms there was a great disjoint between these two groups. Not much could be discussed between them unless it related to the work environment. Fair wages was not an issue. They were singlehandedly determined by the employers. The work that was done by the women was reevaluated time from time as segregation was so vivid. Before payment of their wages, the women had to be reconfirmed to be doing a great piece of work. In most cases, the women were not paid. Slaves too did not have a wage to their credit. There was a desire to create a racist form of the labor market by the southern white supremacists. The men were favored. The whites had more favour in this period as the blacks faced slavery and segregation. Later in 1914 an idea was introduced by one Henry Ford which impacted on the wages that were being paid out to the employees and thus influencing the social lives of the employees. This was done with the desire to improve the efficiency of the workers. This led to the introduction of the new deal in 1933 that had a social security system. Through this safety of the workers was improved and equally there social standing as well as the standards of life were awesomely improved. The industrial revolution led to an inauguration of various trends and the perpetration of the same led to a properly mixed matrix of the world that is currently viewed as contemporary. The rural workers who mainly had their focus in the agricultural sector were considered to be having more autonomy than the workers who were operating in the urban areas. The urban worker was more reliant on the employer’s will. The relations between the combination of capital and labor were very well aggravated. Marxism which did focus on capitalism was a resultant of this squabble. This would later affect the lives of the people socially since the people had their incomes dependant on this work. The standards of the living of the masses relied on the outcome of these squabbles. The second industrial revolution was unique in that companies were being run like family farms with the day to day operations carried out with minimum supervision (Fisher 4). Social lives of the people were also affected by the laissez faire doctrine that did come up after the writings of people like Ricardo and Adam smith. In their arguments; they actually ended up affecting the interventionary measures by the government in issues relating to the productive facilities. Population expansion was experienced by the presence of this new industrial revolution that was sweeping across the nations. The rise in professions also was a consequent of the second industrial revolution. In this revolution the service industry did accord the population an opportunity to grow in terms of their professional lives rather than manually. With better living standards, there was also a noted increase in the population. This is because the families could afford to take care of their members. In conclusion, the social lives of the people were affected both positively and negatively. There was an improvement in the living standards of the people and more of the working class culture cropping up. On the other hand, crowding and other negative attributes were eminent in this type of revolution. Only selected parts of the globe felt the positive consequences and especially those considered of higher class. The fact that the effects of this revolution still trickle down to the current social standing cannot be down played. There has been more inventions which have influenced people currently including the internet technologies and social networking among others. Work Cited Mantoux, Paul. The Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century: an Outline of the beginnings of modern factories in England . Oxon: Routledge, 2006. Print. Fisher, Kimball. Leading self-directed work teams: a guide to developing new team leadership skills. New York: McGraw hill, 2000. Print. Korten, David. When corporations rule the world. Connecticut: Kumarian press inc., 2001. Print. Spielvogel, Jackson. Western Civilization: Alternate Volume: Since 1300. Belmont: Thomson higher education, 2006. Print. Synott, John. Global and international studies: Transdisciplinary perspectives Boston: Thomson Learning Inc., 2000. Print. Adler, Philip & Pouwels, Randall. World Civilizations: Since 1500 . Boston: Thomson learning Inc., 2008. Print. Duiker, William & Spielvogel, Jackson. World History, Volumes 1-2. Boston: Clark Baxter & Suzanne Jeans, 2007. Print. Foster, John. Class struggle and the industrial revolution: early industrial capitalism in three English Towns. London: Methuen & Co. ltd, 2003. Print.

ESSAY: The Self Concept of Individuals Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Definition 4. Self-concept 5. Development of Self-concept 6. Self-concept and Self-esteem 7. Self-esteem, Behavior and Self Presentation 8. Conclusion 9. References Abstract Philosophers and psychologists have for a long time been engaged in efforts that seek to study and understand the self. The paper explains the complex concept of self from both the psychological and philosophical perspectives which are actually closely related. The development of self concept in individuals is discussed in detail. The relationship between self concept and self-esteem is clearly pointed out in the paper. Furthermore, the paper elaborates the role played by self esteem in shaping behavior and self presentation in the social context. The paper concludes that self concept/self-esteem plays a major role in determining how people perceive and behave individually and collectively. Introduction Human beings are endowed with the ability to have ideas, awareness, and attitudes about themselves. The understanding of the self in relation to a multitude of characteristics has been studied by researchers in various fields. Most researchers in psychology and philosophy have come up with their understanding of the “self” as a concept and how it influences an individual’s character in general (Huitt, 2009). This paper provides a definition of self concept and how it is developed. It discusses how an individual’s self-esteem and behavior is influenced by the perception of the self. The paper also explains how self concept greatly determines how a person presents himself or herself. Definition The self as a term has been defined by many psychological and philosophical researchers. A general perspective of the self refers to the reflective awareness by an individual as the object under consideration (Fiske, 2010). The philosophy of self is the understanding of salient characteristics that distinguish an individual from the rest. Philosophers regard the self as the ultimate source of an individual’s awareness as a unitary being. The self is believed to be responsible for a person’s ideas and resultant actions that are characteristic of the individual. Psychologists, on the other hand, understand self as a mental and affective perception of oneself (Huitt, 2009). Psychological researchers regard the self as having a great influence on a person’s motivation, affection, knowledge, as well as an individual’s identity in social contexts (Bandura, 1997). Self-concept The self plays a major role in the development of other distinct characteristics of an individual. Self-concept, for instance, refers to the general perception that a person has about himself or herself in relation to such defining characteristics as gender roles and sexuality, cultural identity, and so on (Fiske, 2010). Self concept, therefore, can be defined as the actual content of a person’s self, their unique character and being. A related term, self awareness, refers to the process where an individual deliberates or contemplates about oneself. Self concept and self awareness are central in the development of our individual identities through the thoughts, personal convictions, and understandings that we have about our self (Bandura, 1997). Development of Self-concept Researchers in psychology of self have come up with explanations of how self concept is developed. They have identified some mental structures which are responsible for the organization of information about our self awareness (Bandura, 1997). The structures are referred to as self-schemas. They dictate what an individual notices or commit to memory depending on how it is related to him or her. According to recent research, individuals are naturally inclined to commit to memory that which relates to their self (Huitt, 2009). This tendency is referred to as the self-reference effect. Experiments conducted by psychologists have indicated that self concept is developed as one interacts with the surrounding and doing frequent introspections (Fiske, 2010). Introspection refers to the process of examining and evaluating one’s self relative to some set standards with the aim of making amends where necessary. Self-concept and Self-esteem Research findings have revealed that there is a close relationship between self concept and self esteem. Self esteem has been defined by psychologists as the measure of how an individual gauges his or her overall value and is usually ascribed to the cumulative personal gifts and abilities in relation to one’s failures (Huitt, 2009). The understanding of oneself as a separate being from the environment is central in the determination of a person’s self-esteem. Psychologists have distinguished self esteem from self concept as being more of emotional or affective as far as self worth is concerned. However, some writers use these two terms alternately to mean the source of all human motivation. According to Fiske (2010), the attitudes and ideas that a person has about the world and how he or she relates to that perception sets out the boundaries and situations within which the individual frames out his or her vision as far as possibilities/capabilities are concerned. Self concept has been associated with the development of self esteem, where people with good self esteem can do their best since they are aware of their potentialities and limitations (Bandura, 1997). Self-esteem, Behavior and Self Presentation The strong relationship that exists between self concept and self esteem has raised questions of how one’s identity determines and shapes behavior. Individuals have been known to gauge their self with environmental indicators, the people’s opinions, and the existing culture. These signals significantly influence a person’s perception of one’s self (Bandura, 1997). Research findings by prominent psychologists have confirmed that individuals’ efficacy in the utilization of abilities and skills are largely influenced by self esteem versus gifts and innate potentials. This shows that the rating/value which an individual assigns their self regulates how he or she presents himself or herself in the social arena. Conclusion The paper has explained the complex concept of self from both the psychological and philosophical perspective. The development of self concept in individuals has been discussed. The relationship between self concept and self-esteem has been clearly pointed out. Furthermore, the paper has elaborated the role played by self esteem in shaping behavior and self presentation in general. It can be concluded that self concept plays a major role in determining how people behave individually and collectively. References Bandura, A. (1997). Self-esteem and Self-efficacy: the exercise of control . New York: Freeman Fiske, S. T. (2010). Social beings: comprehending motivations in social psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Sons Huitt, W. (2009). Understanding self-concept and self-esteem: an analysis (4 th ed). Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University Press

ESSAY: The Situation at Segal Electric and Deming’s 14 Points Essay (Article) Comment on the Case at Segal Electric The case that happened at Segal Electric deserves too much attention and examination. Of course, the events cannot be changed, and the losses turn out to be rather considerable for the company. But still, this situation may help to prevent possible troubles in future and improve the organization of work somehow. The situation was the following: Pete, the general manager of Segal Electric, had to visit a quality seminar and entrusted the control the work of the team to Gene Davis. However, in the result, the team faced certain troubles with 5051 fans, and a terrible “mix-up in the plant” took place. The general manager tried to clear up the situation, talk to George Mansfield, and find out who was guilty and what could be done in order not to repeat the same situation in the future. The point is that not only one person tried to solve the problem that happened to the fans and the absence of professional assemblers. There was another person, who decided to be involved into that process, Sharon Morse. It is necessary to admit that George Mansfield has always one and the same thought in his head “if operations were running as they should, the company wouldn’t have to worry about warranty costs because there wouldn’t be any.” (Leonard, 1998) Such confidence has to be proved by some actions or, at least, words, and, in this case, the actions cannot be noticed. First of all, it is always necessary to have a certain number of extra assemblers in order to be ready for some emergencies. When the general manager was absent, some specs were just forgotten, that lead to the already known problems. This is why poor readiness for work is one of the first mistakes, made by all the members of the work team. Another mistake that deserves attention is inability to solve problems, when they appear, and weight all pros and cons at the same time. Gene Davis had to analyze the situation and tried to predict the results, when lots of thrust washers were load up on the shaft. The last but not the least mistake that has to be mentioned is loyal behavior of the workers. In the story, it was mentioned that people at the plant tried to be rather loyal to Sharon. In order to help her somehow and make quotas, the workers could “patch up rejected products and rush them onto the shipping dock.” (Leonard, 1998) Such information is spread among the workers and may even badly influence the further position at this job. However, it is not the main point. George Mansfield, with all his respect and a bit of annoyance to Sharon, tried to clear up the details of the case. And one of the major reasons of that accident still remains the absence of professional assemblers. If I were hired as another management consultant to Segal Electric, the firth thing I would like to do is testing the workers and checking their abilities to cope with emergencies. It is quite possible that the skills of the workers need to be improved, and it is crucially important to find the time and make the necessary improvements. In order to achieve high results, it is necessary to start inside of the company. To my mind, this step should help to avoid the situation, described above. One more idea that comes to my mind is the necessity of strict division of the workers according to their duties. If one person should control the situation, he/she has the only right to make the final decisions and be responsible for them. Comment on Deming’s 14 Points William Edwards Deming was one of the most famous American statisticians and consultants, who emphasized that management is the only thing that may improve the quality. “In Dr. Deming’s 14 points, quality is the driving force at which all is focused.” (Blache, 1988) Deming presents 14 major principles in order to manage the effectiveness in transforming business. He articulates that the vast majority of problems appeared because of the mistakes in the system itself, but not in employees. To my mind, the idea to “institute training on the job” may be considered as one of the most significant points offered by Deming. (Manuele, 2003) With the help of training at working places, employees get a wonderful opportunity to improve their skills and their work in general. Driving out fear is another significant factor for effective work. Workers should not be afraid to go for their works day by day. Only in such case, the results of the company will hardly frustrate. Self-improvement is one more factor that, to my mind, plays a very important role. Training is good indeed, but if the workers want to learn something, they should have such an opportunity, and the system, where they work, should provide them with it. If all above-mentioned points could be applied at all companies, the accidents, like the one that happened at Segal Electric, would never disturb people. Works Cited Blache, Klaus, M. Success Factors for Implementing Change: A Manufacturing Viewpoint. SME, 1988. Leonard, Frank. The Case of the Quality Crusader. Harvard Business School Reprint, 1988. Manuele, Fred, A. On the Practice of Safety. Wiley-IEEE, 2003.

ESSAY: Simplicius Simplicissimus: The Thirty Years’ War Period Analytical Essay What can a primary historical document, like grimmelshausen’s text tell us about the period of the thirty years’ war? The thirty years period of war was provoked by varying religious interests. Its outbreak was caused by two competing religious groups and these were the militant Catholicism and the militant Calvinism. Besides the war having taken place in the Holy Roman Empire (The land of Germany), there were other European countries that also invaded the war either to support or attack either of the two groups that were in conflicts. Due to difference in interests, the two religious groups started conflicting over powers to rule various territories in Germany. They also competed against each other for superiority. The thirty years period of war in Germany seems to have been a disaster to the innocent ordinary citizens full of suffering, mass killings, torture and destruction of property. First, the leader belonging to Catholics was appointed as the king but those allied to Calvinism or Protestants did not agree with the appointment. Therefore, they formed a rebellious group with its own army to reject and fight back this move. They were not successful and this triggered them to seek support from other European countries. They went for Spain. But because France was an enemy of Spain, the Catholics went for France for intervention and assistance. The war took place in several phases out of which the Catholics won almost all the phases making the Germany land a catholic zone and chasing away the Protestants. Later on, the larger England community intervened and the war came to an end with attainment of freedom of worship. Each and every member in Germany was now free to choose his or her religion (Kittler 446-450). From Grimmelshausen’s text, we can draw conclusions that indeed the thirty years period of war in Germany was a total terror to the people Germany. According to his document entitled the face of war in the seventeenth century, he describes the events that really happened during the war as inhuman. Women and children are considered the most vulnerable group of people during the war period. They tend to suffer a lot. He says that people were tortured, butchered and killed brutally. Many girls were molested by the soldiers who were undertaking the civil war and almost each and every property belonging to the farm peasants was completely destroyed. He says that the ordinary people are the ones who suffered most from the war. He gave a very touching example of his own family members who he witnessed being tortured. He explains how his father was put under torture in his own eyes. He also describes how he heard his mother and sister scream in pain. This illustrates a high degree of inhumanity and torture that the ordinary farm peasants passed through during the civil war period (Grimmelshausen 397). From this, we can figure out how the situation was for the period of thirty years in Germany. Most probably the groups of people who suffered most were children and women. It is clear from this document that many people were killed during the war period and many others tortured. It is the ordinary people of Germany that experienced a lot of pain and suffering during the conflicts. It is also clear that assassinations took place following the orders from the religious leaders who opposed each other during the war. The situation generally was chaotic and there was a big hatred between Catholicism and Calvinism before the end of the war. Thus, the whole situation during the thirty years period of war in Germany can be described as full of suffering, mass killings, torture and destruction of property. The innocent ordinary people suffered most. Works Cited Grimmelshausen, Jacob. “Simplicius Simplicissimus.” The face of war in the seventeenth century 2.1 (2009): 397-398. Print. Kittler, William. History: The thirty years period of war in Germany . New York: McGraw- Hill, 2008. Print.

ESSAY: “The Visitor” by Thomas McCarthy Critical Essay The Visitor , directed by Thomas McCarthy, is a film with a thematic bias on immigration. The movie integrates humor, realism and social relations to make it very captivating and interesting. These features of the movie are developed as the protagonist, Walter, tries to mourn and recover from the death of his wife. The movie has several themes and perspectives integrated in a realistic and captivating plot. Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) is depressed after the death of his wife. He represents a colleague in a conference and finds a couple, Tarek and Zainab, subletting his apartment illegally. After chasing them, he becomes compassionate and offers them a room in his apartment. He soon discovers that Tarek drums with a jazz band. Tarek starts teaching him the drums and, thus, an odd relationship develops between them with Walter accompanying Tarek to the performances of his band. ne day Tarek is detained by the police. His friends and family are illegally in the country and thus Walter is the only help he has. After missing his weekly call, his mother, Mouna (Hiam Abbass) comes looking for him. Walter tries to help him but time is running out. Walter realizes that he is up against stubborn and blind bureaucracy. Tarek is eventually deported to Syria. The Visitor is characterized with a couple of themes. The thematic scope touches social-cultural awakening, racism, homelessness etc, and has a notable bias on immigration. Walter learns to be social-culturally flexible as he interacts with his housemate and learns from him. Homelessness and racism are addressed through Tarek and his girlfriend, Zainab. They are homeless in their stay in New York. This homelessness helps McCarthy build his main theme; U.S. immigration policies. Tarek and his girlfriend are in the U.S. illegally. When Tarek is detained, nobody can visit him because his friends are illegally in the U.S. With these incidences and facts, McCarthy expresses his lack of confidence in the immigration policy of the United States. Racism is depicted as Zainab sells her home-made jewellery to tourists. Despite the fact that the film addresses harsh subjects, it is humorous, perceptive, and joyful. It has an uninspiring synopsis but subverts the expectations of the viewer by its humor, captivation and touch of reality. As Walter attempts to play drums, the viewer is moved from pitying him to appreciating his role. His relationship with Tarek gives the film its humorous touch. Music, color and richness of life in the movie make it very interesting. The film combines authenticity, pathos, surprises, comedy etc. that make it a likeable piece of work. Viewers are given the chance to predict events in the movie but the film still surprises them. This makes the movie interesting and captivating. This can even be seen at the start of the film as Walter tries to reconnect with his wifeby playing the keyboard. The viewer is given the chance to analyze Walter’s situation. At this point, it is apparent that Walter will not live this kind of life forever. Viewers are given the chance to guess what would come to his rescue making his life more exciting. However, nobody expects his saviors to be a couple of homeless illegal immigrants. This kind of viewer involvement and surprises makes the movie very captivating and interesting. As discussed above, the captivating nature, realistic nature and the humor integrated in the movie, The Visitor, makes it a creative masterpiece. It belongs to the class of movies that make their viewers to go back to the stores hoping to get a similar movie.

ESSAY: The Way to Rainy Mountain: Analysis of the Text Essay In 1969, N. Scott Momaday created a story about the journey of Momaday’s Kiowa ancestors and called it The Way to Rainy Mountain. The author traces his roots, starting from the Kiowa Indians. In order to present a really informative and educative picture of his own past, Momaday chooses an unusual way for his story and tells about his grandmother’s death, his desire to visit her grave and add more information about grandmother’s life. From the very first sentences, it turns out to be rather clear that Kiowa tribes respect the land and nature they live in. He underlines that it is not enough to take the earth and its gifts for granted, because it is crucially important to care about it and conserve it. The work under consideration presents several Kiowa legends through the story about the narrator’s grandmother, her life and death, and introduces some Kiowa myths. This information cannot but captivate the reader and opens for everyone a new world, full of hope, belief, and trust. People have to believe in something in order to get a sense of life and enjoy it. “My grandmother had a reverence for the sun, a holy regard that now is all but gone out of mankind. There was a wariness in her, and an ancient awe. She was a Christian in her later years, but she had come a long way about, and she never forgot her birthright.” (Momaday) This very quote helps to recognize the major trends, which were inherent to the Kiowa Indians. The life of Momaday’s grandmother was not simple; she faced certain problems, and wanted to choose the best ways to live her life properly. However, she never forgot her roots and respected her history, her ancestry, and her past in general. The Kiowa tribes respected lots of things; and sun was one of them. With the help of this citation, the reader can learn that Kiowa people not only respected the sun, but also were afraid of its power and energy. The way to Rainy Mountain is not a simple description of how the Kiowa people developed, learnt, and protected their knowledge. This way is a description of their culture, their preferences, and beliefs. The author concentrates on three different visions: historical, personal, and cultural. In the above-mentioned citation, Momaday unites all these three visions and creates a clear picture of how people treated the nature and what was so special about it. People could change their faith, they could find some other places to live, they could meet new people and choose the other preferences; but still, their history, their memories, and their rights remained the same. They got one simple right to live and be the people of Kiowa. Nothing can change this truth and no one can forget it. The story created by Scott Momaday is unique indeed; it helps the reader to comprehend that our history should be respected and studied thoroughly. People of Kiowa demonstrated how powerful the belief could be and how it is easy to forget about it and even lose the faith. The chosen quote and the text in general open eyes to numerous details, which people should take into consideration in order to be free, have sense of living, and respect the world they live in.

ESSAY: Theory and Practice of Personal Selling Essay Table of Contents 1. Property Strengths 2. Competition 3. Interested Buyer 4. NEGOTIATION STEP 5. COMMITMENT FOR SALE 6. References When looking for luxury in Vegas, it does not get better than the Bellagio. With a check in time of 3.00 pm and a checkout time of 12.00 noon, clients are allowed to maximize on the time spent in their rooms. The city of Las Vegas is recognized worldwide for its beaches and casinos; hence there is guaranteed human traffic all year round. With most Americans practicing domestic tourism, over reliance on foreign tourists is minimized considerably. This guarantees steady cash flow throughout the year (Bellagio, 2010). Property Strengths The hotel guarantees clients a room regardless of check in time, as long evidence of initial booking is adduced. In case of room unavailability, the management incurs the costs of providing alternative accommodation and transport until a room is available. Delayed arrivals and departures can be resolved by booking an extra night. This allows unlimited access irrespective of the circumstance. The hotel allows for free cancellation reservations upon receipt of notification 48 to 72 hours in advance. Failure to notify early will see the hotel bill for a night only before the subscription is terminated. A variety of credit cards is accepted provided they are genuine and valid. Competition Other attractions within the premise include dancing fountains, organic gardens, conservatories, pools and many more. It should be noted that the hotel faces competition other similar enterprises, like the Four Seasons Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Panorama Tower North, Jet Luxury Resorts among many more. The Bellagio is a member of the Five Star Alliance of hotels (Expedia, 2010). Interested Buyer Recently, Trump International has shown interest in our property, asking Mr. Ross, one of their executive vice presidents to make enquiries. Below is an excerpt of the conversation (trump, 2010). Me: Good morning, this is the Bellagio, how may I help you? Mr. Ross: Good morning, I am Mr. Ross from Trump international, and I would lie to enquire about a property, you may have on the market. Me: Which one in particular, Sir? Mr. Ross: The Bellagio Me: It is a fine piece, excellent artwork, healthy financial position and positive prospects for the future. I must admit you have picked on the right one. Mr. Ross: Yes and I hope we will go through with the project for our mutual benefit. Me: Concerning that, I ask that you give us some time to finalize on the specifics of the deal before the management presents a final submission to the markets. Mr. Ross: can you let me in on some what we should expect? Me: I am sorry sir, but we maintain a strict confidence policy for all our transactions. Please be patient. Mr. Ross: Okay sir, but do not make it lengthy. I am grateful. Have a good day. Me: Good day too Mr. Ross. NEGOTIATION STEP Price Objection Me: Good morning Mr. Ross, how are you? Mr. Ross: I am fine thank you. How are you? Me: I am fine too, and happy that you could make time to attend this session in person, rather than take a phone call. Thank you. Mr. Ross: That shows how serious we are about this deal. Let us get down to business please. Me: The preliminary cost has been set at $ 8.7 billion. We say this because the company has an annual income of $ 1.6 after tax. This is a real catch, don’t you agree? Mr. Ross: How urgently do you need to wrap up the sale? Me: It should not extend beyond a month sir. Mr. Ross: Does that imply you need the money so urgently? Me: Yes Sir, our share holders, need their money back to pursue other investments. Mr. Ross: I bet you are willing to negotiate the price since you are in such a hurry. Me: No we are not. Mr. Ross: Please give me a call when you are ready to negotiate. Me: Okay sir please allow me to consult the board. Thank you. Product Objection Me: As I had said earlier, this is the only product placed on the market. Mr. Ross: The firm has objections about acquiring that property, especially due to the market worth. Me: I believe both parties can reach an agreement after appropriate negotiations over the same. Mr. Ross: That may not be necessary, because we need a similar product but one of a lesser magnitude. Me: Okay sir, it was nice talking to you. Lack of Interest Mr. Ross: Have you placed any other property in the market save for the Bellagio? Me: No sir, none at the moment. Mr. Ross: I apologize, but our hospitality portfolio is currently overstretched. Me: Thank you. COMMITMENT FOR SALE Trial Close Me: Are you fond of the property? Mr. Ross: Very much sir. Me: Do you agree that it would be good for your portfolio? Mr. Ross: Once again, I agree with you sir. Me: Can I count on you to recommend this deal to your superiors back in the office? Mr. Ross: Yes sir, I will try my best. THANK YOU LETTER 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 Toll Free: 888-987-6667 The Trump Organization (Company) 725 5th Avenue New York NY 10022 USA Phone: (212) 832-2000 Fax: (212) 935-0141 Dear Sir, RE: SALE OF THE BELLAGIO On behalf of the board of directors and share holders, I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to work with you. The sale was a success, and I believe both parties were satisfied at the end of the day. We desire prosperity in your endeavors and success in your new business venture. Yours sincerely, Jack Shepherd Sales Manager, Bellagio Hotel. References Bellagio. (2010). Bellagio Las Vegas . bellagio.com. Web. Expedia. (2010). 5 star hotels in Las Vegas Nevada . Web. Trump. (2010). Trump Organization . Web.

ESSAY: This Capstone Class: Practice of Ethical and Social Responsibility Essay (Critical Writing) After completing the University Studies program at Portland State University that aims at developing student’s inquiry, critical thinking, diversity, ethical and social responsibility, and communication, I have considerably deepen my understanding of responsibility, both ethical and social. This capstone class, the final class of my curriculum, gives me an opportunity to not only demonstrate the gained knowledge and skills, but also share the experience with the other students and, probably, help another person find the just right way. I have worked as a Volunteer Leader with Hands on Greater Portland. This model of volunteering has been created in 1996 as a circle of friends who tried to make this world better and be helpful to lots of people, sick and disable children in particular. With time, Hands on Greater Portland has become rather a successful model. Numerous projects, such as Civic Leaders, have been added during the last decade. Such programs provide people with the opportunities to change the world, make a difference, and gain understanding of numerous issues. From my own experience in Hands on Greater Portland, after numerous readings and class discussions, now, it is easy for me to give a clear explanation to ethical and social responsibility, and compare it with social justice and civic leadership. To start my writing, I would like to clear up two major notions: ethics and social responsibility. Ethics is a person’s belief about what is right and what is wrong. Unfortunately, not every person cares too much about ethical issues. People take one position taking into account own moral principles only. This is why the explanation of ethics may differ person to person. In its turn, social responsibility is a kind of ethical behavior. Social responsibility helps to enhance society in general. At the beginning of my practice, I was not sure that I knew everything about social and ethics responsibility. To my mind, the variety of teachers’ strategies prevents students from clear understanding of issues concerning ethics and social responsibility. With the help of my practice in Hands on Greater Portland, it becomes a bit easier to clear up the goals of ethical and social responsibility. The goals have a certain connection to the service projects taking by the members of Hands on Greater Portland. The purposes are to respect oneself, to respect the others, and to respect the place, you live in. The essence of ethics and social responsibility is the understanding of how your actions and your behavior affect the other people. It is necessary to realize that you are responsible for everything you do. This is what social justice is also about. This is what I have learnt during my practice. What do we know about just society? Is it a myth or it is something real? The answer to this question I also want to find during my classes and practice. Lots of people prefer to live in just society. However, numerous ideologies and standpoints prevent this very idea of social justice. This is why each personality should, first, think about own actions and their consequences and then pay attention to the actions of other people, and help them. Such ideas and understanding of the matter is the major issues that I have learnt during this class. When the class is over, I try to do everything possible in order to change my life and be useful for the others. It is also necessary to underline the influence of readings and other activities during the classes. Their influence is great indeed. It is not that easy to visit the first class and get a clear understanding of what, when, and how should be done. With the help of illustrative examples, described in the educative books and brochures, it was not that difficult for me to choose the right actions. Class discussions and activities with my fellows played a significant role to me. I come to the conclusion that it is better to get an understanding of ethics and social responsibility while talking and analyzing everything with some other people. The philosophy of every people is unique indeed. When a person makes decisions independently, it is impossible to consider the points of view of other people. During numerous conversations and after taking into consideration the material from the books, I was ready to present my own position concerning ethics and social responsibility and prove it, and, at the same time, pay attention to principles of other people and their standpoints. My work as a Volunteer Leader helped me give insight into civic leadership in many ways. For example, the program concerning reduce, recycle, and reuse the material is great indeed. Teens have a good opportunity to think over possible ways on how the already used building material can be reused. Interesting hands-on projects, after school mentors programs, and help for sick children – this is what rouse my interest a lot. From the very first days, I realized that such work was something that I could really like. Now, I also understand that ethics and social responsibility have lots in common with civic leadership. All of them support and facilitate work between students and children, encourage students to live enlightened lives full of interesting events, develop the sensitivity to human condition, deepen the understanding of social issues, their complexity, and importance, provide leadership opportunities, and promote understanding of global citizenship. Studied theory and practice also helped me distinguish certain ethical tradeoffs in the frames of social responsibility and justice. It is known that conflicts and misunderstandings between people may bring to unbelievable results: quarrels in families, divorces, loneliness, losses, and even wars. To my mind, one of the most important ethical tradeoff is the ability to listen to the ideas of other people, take them into consideration, compare them with the own ones, think over each details, and not make fast decisions. Such approach for deciding problems of society is good, however, not every person can boast with such self-control and abilities to help the other control the situation. This is why it can be really great if at classes, students get opportunities to not only demonstrate the abilities and knowledge, but also study how to solve conflicts and help other people do the same. All this is possible by means of communication, discussion, evaluation, and deep analysis. Such class activities also helped me clear up the purposes of my life and ideas for my future career. As it has been already mentioned, the purpose of ethics and social responsibility is the idea of respect. Its understanding has a great value to me. When a person grows up, his/her values, moral principles, and preferences can be changed. Such changes are usually caused by political, economical, and religious ideologies that considerably influence people’s life. To stay loyal to own principles and consider the ideas of people surround you is not easy. It is impossible to create one concrete system and make everyone follow it. This is why it is better to learn and be able to respect each other and be ready to help. There are lots of things, which I would like to take away with me after this capstone class. This practice, the abilities, and knowledge, I have gained, mean a lot to me. There are so many people who have lots of interesting ideas and really good intentions. Unfortunately, not every one knows about such a good program as Hands on Greater Portland. This service helps students develop personal abilities and critical thinking. As for me, this practice and the classes were great. I have learnt how to communicate with people about different issues and be involved in any conversation, how to help people and choose unique ways to achieve the desirable goal, how to plan and organize my actions in order to change the world somehow and make someone a bit happier. To my mind, students have to take such practices at this very age – it is not too late to learn something new and change own moral principles, and it is just the time when students can accept and analyze all the necessary information in a proper way. So, the activities and information I have learnt during the class will be rather helpful to me in future in order to become a person who will be respected by people.

ESSAY: Threat to Biodiversity is Just as Important as Climate Change Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Biodiversity 3. Sustainability 4. Governance 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction Climate change has been acknowledged to be a global problem calling for a global solution. The adverse effects to the environment that result from greenhouse gases especially CO2 being concentrated in the atmosphere have begun to become a reality to human beings thus prompting for action by governments all over the world. However, threats to biodiversity which are in fact intertwined with climate change issues have continued to be ignored despite them being of equal importance. ICLEI (2010) affirms that not only is global climate interconnected with biodiversity loss but that mitigation of climate change is directly dependent on biodiversity management. Owing to the significance of biodiversity to human existence, it makes sense for efforts to be made to ensure that biodiversity is protected. Prominent world leaders such as the German Chancellor and the British Foreign Secretary have advanced that “threats to biodiversity are just as important as climate change”. This paper shall articulate the truth of this statement by demonstrating that threats to biodiversity pose significant threat to the sustainability of human life on earth and are therefore the protection of biodiversity is as important as the mitigation of climate change. Biodiversity Biodiversity is defined as “the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms” (Convention on Biological Diversity 2010). The unique interaction of the millions of life forms that make up biodiversity results in a habitable Earth that can sustain the lives of human beings. Thompson (2009, p.9) notes that biodiversity is more than simply a list of species present at a location; rather, it is the variability among living organisms from the different sources. While biodiversity change and the extinction of some species is a natural occurrence that has been going on for millions of years, modern day human activities have resulted in a rate of biodiversity loss that far exceeds the natural one. The rapid growth and industrialization experienced by developing nations through the 20 th century has been blamed for most of the adverse effects on biodiversity (Anand 2004, p.28). These changes have had mostly negative effects for man and have resulted in unsustainable development. Gitay et al (2007, p.13) notes that changes in climatic variables in the course of the last half century have led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of outbreaks of pests and diseases. In addition to this, IPCC (2002) reveals that species which have limited climatic ranges or are restricted to specific habitat requirements will be at the risk of extinction owing to climate changes. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2010) points to the bleak reality that over half of the ecosystem services required for sustaining life are being degraded and this will invariably have harmful consequences with time. As such, it is of great importance that measure be undertaken to mitigate the loss of biodiversity or at best to encourage the recreation of the same. Sustainable development and governance are two means which if used effectively can have these desirable results. Sustainability Sustainability involves the exploitation of biodiversity in a controlled manner that does not threaten the future occurrence of the same. Naturally, biodiversity is able to ensure its own diversity. For example, Thompson (2009, p.13) reveals that while many forests are prone to fire, the species are well-adapted to this natural disturbance and forests together with the species that exist in them are capable of regenerating after a fire. Reid and Swiderska (2008, p.3) propose that only by using ecologically sound approaches to contain the effects of climate change can sustainability be guaranteed. To demonstrate this point, the authors point to the Vietnam coastal problem where the severity of tropical storms as a result of climate change threatened the livelihood of people living near the coast. Instead of using expensive concrete sea walls to adapt to this problem, Vietnam rehabilitated coastal mangroves which not only protected from storms but acted as carbon sink. The food crisis that was experienced in 2007 was an indication of what could happen if man continues to ignore biodiversity by engaging in unsustainable activities. While man has continued to convert land into cropland, only a minute percentage of food crops available to man cover this cropland (Hackett 2001). As such, agricultural practices have become one of the prime human activities which have resulted in and continue to cause loss of biodiversity. UNEP (2008) declares that only by decreasing dependency on limited biological diversity as is currently the case can the risk of future food supplies dwindling be averted. Governance It has been noted that if the rapid and irreversible change in biodiversity that is as a result of human action is to be avoided, conservation strategies must be adopted. Gitay et al (2007, p.375) proposes that governance systems can be considered as institutional filters that act as mediators between human activities and biophysical process. By use of this governance systems, policies can be come up with that ensure that only sustainable development is undertaken and paths that may lead to adverse environmental changes are avoided. Individual governments are seen to be important mechanisms in ensuring that biodiversity is protected and therefore guaranteeing the future of mankind. Nations all over the world have created institutes, authorities and laws that are aimed at conserving and safeguarding the environment. This move has led to positive results in the protection of biodiversity and by extension mitigation of climatic changes. However, Gitay (2007, p.378) note that most countries lack the capacity to adequately finance the implementation of policies and agreements reached at international levels therefore reducing the effectiveness of governance. While international environmental governance is mandatory for any long lasting solution to the biodiversity issue, The regional level is also important since it is the at the local level where the pressures of environmental changes are felt therefore leading to a realization that change is required to negate adverse effects. Conclusion This paper set out to demonstrate that threats to biodiversity are of great significance and man should take a keen interest on them. To reinforce this assertion, this paper has documented the various ills that have or may arise as a result of loss of biodiversity. The paper has also noted how these losses may be mitigated. It has been established that proper governance and sustainable development is required to ensure that ecological balance is maintained and hence the future of mankind guaranteed. Particularly, the cooperation among governments will be necessary to make biodiversity protection a reality. From the discussions presented in this paper, it is clear that protecting biodiversity is in the best interest of us as human beings since it will result in sustainability of human life on Earth for an indefinite period of time. Works Cited Anand, R 2004, International environmental justice: a north-south dimension, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Gitay, H et al 2007, Interlinkages: Governance for Sustainability. Web. Hackett, C S 2001, Environmental and natural resources economics: theory, policy, and the sustainable society, 2nd, M.E. Sharpe. ICLEI 2010, Biodiversity and Climate Change. Web. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2002, Climate Change and Biodiversity, IPCC Technical Paper V. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2010, Experts say that attention to ecosystem services is needed to achieve global development goals. Reid, H & Swiderska, K 2008, Biodiversity, climate change and poverty: exploring the links. International Institute for Environment and Development. Thompson, I 2009, Forest Resilience, Biodiversity, and Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity. UNEP 2010, Germany Hosts Global Conference on Biological Diversity – Promoting a Global Response for Addressing the Unprecedented Loss of Biodiversity. Web.

ESSAY: Total Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry Essay TQM is an intricate approach aimed at improving the value of processes by consistently checking for deficiencies in these products and services (Sashkin & Kiser, 1993). TQM is equally indispensable in the administration of hotels. It determines consumer contentment in terms of value of services provided. Nonetheless, measuring value still remains one of the concerns in the hospitality segment. It is crucial to apply TQM as a systematic approach; however, this is not enough to maintain it in an organization. TQM can be lucratively implemented in management of hotels by first recognizing customers as the most essential component of a transaction. This means paying attention to their responses. There should always be a balance between the initial expectations of clients and how they view the service received. A service can be considered of high quality if it meets or exceeds client expectations (Sanders & Graham, 1992). Quality of processes provided can be improved by evaluating competitor’s performance. An outstanding provider pays attention to concepts pertaining to timeliness. It is the responsibility of a manager to make certain employees provide services on demand within the agreed time. Integrity is also vital; it entails completeness of the service that an organization provides. Employees should always follow the right procedures during provision of services. TQM is also implemented by coming up with measurement steps, which gives it, coherence. Statistical analysis of the processes helps in highlighting possible shortcomings in products and associated services. The results derived from the measurement methods are quite vital in making sound decisions (Mukherjee, 2006). An executive in the hospitality industry can constantly progress the quality of processes offered in various ways. One can induce personnel to embrace teamwork directed towards quality culture. Employees should be assisted so that they can improve job performance by eliminating barriers. These may incorporate lack of quality materials that aid duties. Job performance can also be enhanced by providing sufficient and relevant training in TQM as well as other areas of work. TQM requires managers to distinguish achievement. Symbolic rewards such as certifications should be accompanied by material recompense (Sashkin & Kiser, 1993). The thriving realization of TQM in an organization by an executive can be evaluated in various ways. Employees should embrace and sustain a tradition of TQM. Successful achievement of TQM involves acknowledging consumers’ needs. It also entails establishing clients’ wants, which should be, written down and explored. Consumer desires eventually translate to the processes that distinguish an organization. The processes developed should be understood by those within the company. The administration of an organization should ensure that the processes developed satisfy the needs of customers. Finally, administration should derive a means of providing processes with exemplary standards (Sashkin & Kiser, 1993). TQM initiative is poorly implemented by organizations on numerous occasions. This is evident when a company does not demonstrate objectivity in improving their products and service through the provision of long-term plans for education and research. Such organizations focus on profits that are termed as short-term in nature. TQM cannot be productively implemented if an institute disregards the needs of the customers (Sashkin & Kiser, 1993). An organization that inadequately attends to client feedback, and lacks methods of evaluation is likely to fail. References Mukherjee, P.N. (2006). Total Quality Management. Mumbai: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd Sashkin, M. & Kiser, K. J. (1993). Putting total quality management to work: what TQM means, how to use it, & and how to sustain it over the long run : San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Sanders, I. & Graham, M. (1992). Total Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry. Vol 3, Issue 3: Oxfordshire: Carfax Publishing Company

ESSAY: Towards the Conceptualization of a Non–Linear ISD Model Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Why a Non-Linear ISD Model 3. Model Phases and Linkages 4. Model Outputs 5. Structure of Model 6. Conclusion 7. Appendix 1: An Illustration of Non-Linear ISD Model 8. References Introduction Over the years, a multiplicity of instructional design models have been suggested, and many of these models have been incorporated into mainstream educational institutions for purposes of aiding instruction and directing the learning process. In their study on developing a multimedia package for teaching qualitative research, Colon et al (2000), noted that over 200 instructional design models have been proposed and indeed published in some of the widely read educational literature. Many of the models, however, are oriented towards behaviorist and constructivist theories of learning, leading to accusations and counter-accusations by a number of leading scholars that the models impede the true nature and scope of learning not only due to their behaviorist point of reference, but also due to their signature top-down linear and sequential processes (Colon et al., 2000). In the light of the above and other accusations, this paper aims to demonstrate how a non-liner instructional systems design (ISD) model can be conceptualized for instruction. Why a Non-Linear ISD Model Existing literature demonstrates that employing an ISD model can be helpful to instructional designers in assisting them to systematically identify what is to be taught, establish the best teaching methodologies that can be used, and appraise the instruction to determine its effectiveness in fulfilling the tasks and objectives for which it is intended (Kanuka & Anderson, 1999). The Instructional Systems Design Model developed in 1996 by Dick and Carey has indeed proved to be popular among instructional designers in providing a framework through which instruction is provided to learners. This particular model is solidly “…based on one form of systems theory, as well as behavioral and information processing theories of learning” (Colon et al., 2000, para. 12). However, due to the convergence of technology, changes in the education system, and new and unique needs projected by learners, this and other linear models for instruction design continue to attract criticism from various quarters. According to Gayeski (1998), inadequacies and ineffectiveness exhibited by these models, especially in learning and performance improvement environments has called their practicability into question. Critics have also faulted the sequential, systematic, teacher-led, and top-down approach employed by linear ISD models largely due to the fact that they relegate learners to the role of passive participants, not mentioning the fact that most of these models do not provide room for innovation and active feedback (Colon et al, 2000). While it is critically important for educators to clearly identify the learning objectives and systematically sequence them from least complex to the most complex (Kanuka & Anderson, 1999), the linear approach employed locks out many students from applying the knowledge learnt to solve contemporary practical solutions by virtue of the fact that learning objectives exist irrespective of the contributions made by the learner. The models are further criticized for assuming an overly behaviorist and constructivist orientation in instruction and ignoring other methodologies that can effectively be used to transfer knowledge (Mergel, 1998). There is, therefore, a compelling need to devise non-linear ISD models to ensure optimal transfer of practical knowledge from the educator to the student. Model Phases and Linkages The conceptualized ISD model heavily relies on R2D2 model developed in 1995 by Willis and Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction developed by David Merrill (Colon et al., 2000; Merrill, 2002). The model has 6 phases, namely, problem identification, recursion, reflection, activation, participatory application, and integration. The problem-centered ISD model first identifies the problem and develops a set of objectives used to solve the problem. The set of objectives developed in this model are likely to change depending on the needs of individual learners, hence the need to create a link between the problem identification and the recursion and reflection phases (see appendix 1). According to Merrill (2002), “…learning is activated when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems” (p. 43). The recursion phase will aim to specifically allow instruction designers and learners to revisit any phase included in the model to make refinements, corrections, and revisions as deemed necessary. This will actively promote the learning process in addition to ensuring holistic integration of new knowledge by the learners. This phase is also linked to problem identification phase, reflection phase and integration phase. The next phase – reflection – is intended to emphasize the need for the instruction designers to considerately inquire about feedback and other arising notions from other sources, including the learners’ own perceptions, worldviews and level of understanding (Cohen et al., 2000). Further on, activation phase will take cognizance of the fact that “learning is promoted when relevant previous experience is activated” (Merrill, 2002, p. 46). Many learners have had many previous experiences that may relate to the task at hand and, as such, relevant information should be activated by going back to the reflection phase to ensure this information is elicited for use as groundwork for learning new knowledge. The participatory application phase is where real learning takes place. This phase takes note of the fact that it is the learners who will utilize the knowledge transferred by educators, and they must therefore be active participants in the learning process (Cohen et al., 2002). As such, this phase will also be linked with other phases such as problem identification and reflection to guarantee the involvement of learners. In this phase, educators must develop frameworks aimed at ensuring that learning process is consistent with the identified methodologies of solving the problem, and that learners have the capacity to utilize the new knowledge in solving practical problems. The integration phase will focus on ensuring that learners have the capacity to integrate the knowledge transferred by the educators to solve their everyday problems (Merrill, 2002). This phase will also be linked with reflection and recursion phases to ensure all arising queries from the learners are adequately attended to (see appendix 1). Model Outputs The outputs for problem identification phase include the objectives and the methodologies that will be used to solve the underlying problem. The recursion phase will generate problem refinements, corrections, and revisions as may be deemed necessary. The reflection phase will generate feedback from instructors and students, and learners’ perceptions and worldviews concerning the problem at hand. The activation phase will aim to come up with quantifiable measures that can be used to evaluate the capacity of learners to grasp and relate to the problem at hand, while the participatory application phase will generate the actual results of the learning process, including how the learner has understood the problem and if there is need to make clarifications. The outputs arising from the integration phase include the practical demonstration by learners on how they can use the knowledge learnt to solve real-life problems, and the capacity by learners to link the knowledge learnt to other life experiences. Structure of Model The model utilizes a non-linear structure to avoid the many problems associated with linear ISD models. This particular model realizes that different problems may call for diverse starting points, and new objectives may indeed emerge over the design process (Cohen et al., 2002). As such, it is important to create mechanisms for adequately address arising issues that are largely ignored in linear models. Conclusion The need to conceptualize and develop a non-linear ISD model is very much informed by the urge to come up with practical solutions to the many challenges facing instruction especially in contemporary times. Learners need to be assisted to solve practical solutions using an instruction strategy that is responsive to their needs, and that realizes their participation is important for effective learning to take place. In addition, the complex nature of modern problems and instruction have rendered most linear ISD models ineffective due to entrenched limitations in scope and practicability in offering an instruction methodology that can assist learners to relate what has been learned to real-life experiences (Merrill, 2002). The conceptualized non-linear ISD model will not only ensure that learners can use new knowledge to solve practical issues, but it will avail platforms for recursion and participatory application. Appendix 1: An Illustration of Non-Linear ISD Model References Colon, B., Taylor, K.N., & Willis, J. (2000). Constructivist instructional design: Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical research . The Qualitative Research, 5 (1-2). Web. Gayeski, D.M. (1998). Out-of-the box instructional design: Moving from assembly-line models to non-linear performance models . Web. Kanuka, H., & Anderson, T. (1999). Using constructivism in Technology-Mediated Learning: Constructing the Order out of the Chaos in the Literature . Web. Mergel, B. (1998). Instructional Design & Learning Theory . Web. Merrill, M.D. (2002). First principles of Instruction . ETR&D, 50 (3), 43-59. Web.

ESSAY: Towards Understanding Behaviorism School of Psychology Term Paper Table of Contents 1. Outline 2. Introduction 3. Early Origins of Behaviorism 4. Rise of Behaviorism: Prominent Figures & their Contributions 5. Conclusion 6. Personal Reflection 7. Reference List Outline Purpose To critically discuss the behaviorist school of psychology, including its origins, renowned psychologists associated with the school, underlying viewpoints, and its place in contemporary times Introduction Introduces the topic of behaviorism; defines behaviorism Early Origins of Behaviorism Discusses how behaviorism was introduced in 1912 and the reasons behind its introduction Discuss: Rise of Behaviorism: Prominent Figures & their Contributions * J.B. Watson – stimulus and response experiments implications & contributions to behaviorist school * Ivan Pavlov – classical conditioning, contributions, & implications to behaviorism school * B.F. Skinner – operant conditioning, radical psychology & contributions to behaviorism school Conclusion Concludes the topic by offering useful insights on behaviorism Personal reflection Offer my own thoughts, strong points of behaviorism and critique Introduction Since psychology first emerged as a distinct scientific field, diverse schools of thought with explicitly formulated theories and methodologies have emerged to dominate the field. To date, the most influential schools of psychology comprise of behaviorism, psychoanalytic, functionalism, constructivism, humanistic, and cognitivism, among others (Burgos, 2007). While each of these schools has been highly influential in determining the growth of psychology as a field, most psychologists embrace eclectic or diverse perspectives that coalesces unique aspects of each school. It is the purpose of this paper to critically discuss the behaviorist school of psychology, including its origins, renowned psychologists associated with the school, underlying viewpoints, and its place in contemporary times. It is imperative to note at this early juncture that behaviorism as a school of psychology confines itself to the objective evaluation of observable and quantifiable characteristics of behavior (Hawkins, 1990). Typical behaviorists, according to Burgos (2007), hold the view that all forms of behavior can be explained by environmental causative agents rather than by subjective internal phenomena such as consciousness, sensation, emotions or motives Early Origins of Behaviorism Behaviorism was introduced in 1912 after it became evidently clear that the existing school of psychology, known as introspective psychology, was only interested in espousing the view that consciousness is the core subject matter of psychology (Watson, 2008). The behaviorists’ main bone of contention during that time was that “consciousness” as advocated by psychologists such as James, Wundt and Judd was hard to define or use as an objective basis of psychological thought since it was eclipsed by a kind of understated religious philosophy (Watson, 2008). As such, the behaviorists formed the conclusion that the field of psychology could no longer be limited to subjective and prejudiced subject matter, intangibles, and concepts that could not be objectively comprehended or evaluated by ordinary mortals. In line with the above, scientists in the fields of medicine, chemistry, and physics were making steady progress in discovering new elements using objective methodologies that could be replicated in other laboratories. Consequently, the behaviorists had to come up with ways through which they could get uniformity in subject matter and in methodologies, and a good starting point was to do away with all medieval conceptions that could not be proved or quantified through observation (Watson, 2008). The general agreement was that psychologists should limit their work to the things that could be observed, hence necessitating the formulation of objective laws and guidelines concerning these things. Since behavior could be observed, the school of behaviorism was born with the basic premise that the core subject matter of human psychology is the observed behavior or the various activities of the human being. The concept of stimulus and response became of great importance to behaviorists in observing behavior. Rise of Behaviorism: Prominent Figures & their Contributions J.B. Watson The first phase of ‘behavioral revolution’ was initiated in 1913 by psychologist J.B. Watson (1878-1958), with the emphasis being on observable stimuli and responses. It is imperative to note that although Watson is largely perceived as one of the pioneers of the behaviorist school of thought, he was greatly influenced by the works of Ivan Pavlov, especially in conditioned reflexes (Powell, n.d.). The psychologist was largely concerned with counteracting the influences occasioned by structuralism and functionalism, but his form of classical behaviorism proved overly inadequate since it failed to “convincingly account for the variability and apparent spontaneity of some forms of behavior” (Moore, 2010, p. 143). To remedy this situation, organismic expressions were entrenched between the stimuli and response to mediate the association between the two, thereby accounting for the inconsistency. As such, external stimuli were perceived to trigger some intervening, internal processes that were casually associated in an intricate yet systematic manner to an eventual response. This new paradigm proposed by early behaviorists was meant to cater for certain influences that inarguably influence behavior but cannot be observed in physical sense (Maniacs, 2002), and operated under the basic premise that “…the response is functionally related to the mediator inside the organism, rather than to the environment, because the organism is in direct contact with the mediator, rather than the environment” (Moore, 2010, p. 143). This kind of thinking provided a platform to explain some intangible variables such as mood and attitude. For example, variable behavior observed in a human being could be explained using the variability of mood or attitude. However, Skinner continued to reject the investigation of mental processes as unscientific (Plaud & Montgomery, 1993). Ivan Pavlov Ivan Pavlov (1845-1936) is undoubtedly one of the most popular scientists in Russia and indeed the whole world. Although his conditioned-reflex experiments were fundamental to the development of behaviorism, Pavlov is on record for previously rejecting Psychology as a science (Powell, n.d.). In one of his experiments on digestive processes, Pavlov detected that non-food stimuli related to food was capable of educing salivary secretions even though no food was actually present in the mouth, thus the discovery of conditioned reflexes. The discovery led Pavlov to study in depth what is today known as classical conditioning. In one of his notable experiments, the sound of a bell rung immediately the dog was fed caused it to salivate in anticipation of feeding even when no food was present. Pavlov termed this neutral auditory response as the conditioned stimulus, while the food was termed the unconditioned stimulus. It was observed that the dog salivated in response to the food, thus the unconditioned stimulus always brought forward what Pavlov called the unconditioned response (Powell, n.d.). In other words, the dog salivated in anticipation of the food. Pavlov later observed that the unconditioned response (salivation in response to food) could actually be reinforced when the process of presenting the food was tied to the sound of a bell and repeated severally. This new learned response was therefore termed ‘conditioned response’ since it could be observed repeatedly after being reinforced by the conditioned stimulus. The implications of Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiments on behaviorism are tremendous, to say the least. Further synthesis of the above experiment reveals that an unconditioned response can be produced by the reinforcement of a conditioned stimulus, thus the unconditioned response becomes the conditioned response (Burgos, 2007). This implies that behaviorism takes into account learning by association, a concept that is widely used in teaching small children to learn ideas by associating them with a conditioned stimulus. Learning by association is indeed used to modify behavior in institutions of learning and even in our daily experiences within the immediate environment through the reinforcement of desired behaviors and disregarding the undesired ones. For example, praising a student for achieving good marks can be used to reinforce the desired behavior while punishing a student for making noise in the classroom can be used to curtail such undesired behavior. B.F. Skinner B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) contributions to the behaviorism school of thought undoubtedly place him as one of the distinguished psychologists of all times (Plaud & Montgomery, 1993). Skinner’s interest in behaviorism started in 1928 after enrolling in Harvard University for a graduate’s degree in psychology. His keen interest in studying behavior had been influenced by previous works of J.B. Watson. While at the university, Skinner created an operant chamber which enabled him to precisely observe the number of times a rat or pigeon could press a bar to obtain a food pellet (O’Donohue & Fergusson, 2001). Although Skinner’s orientation towards behaviorism became radical by the day, leading to what is today called radical behaviorism, his contributions continue to be used in a multiplicity of fields. Owing to Skinner’s contributions, the school of behaviorism moved further towards embracing the concept of operant conditioning to reinforce behavior (Plaud & Montgomery, 1993). Basically, ‘conditioning’ is a scientific term used to imply learning, while ‘operant’ was used by Skinner to imply that human beings and animals operate on their immediate environments. As such, operant psychology is based on the notion that an action or behavior exhibited by an organism often has ramifications that occur naturally in the immediate environment. Skinner’s works also demonstrated that reinforcement is an element that makes it more likely that a specific behavior or action will be repeated, while consequences of a specific action may either positively or negatively reinforce behavior (Hawkins, 1990). These concepts form some of the basic tenets of behaviorism to date. It was the opinion of Skinner that positive reinforcement was not only more effective than punishment, but such kind of reinforcement must be swiftly transferred to make an impact on behavior (Plaud & Montgomery, 1993). For example, if a child mocks a teacher in school, the amusement of the other kids (which may be immediate) may serve to reinforce the mocking behavior. However, if the teacher punishes the child not by caning but by making him to write, “I will not mock again” fifty or more times on the chalkboard, the child is more likely to drop this habit in the future. In this example, the child commences the behavior of mocking, but factors operating within the environment either reward or punish his action. This is one of the hallmarks of behaviorism, and is still widely used in institutions of learning to reinforce behavior. It was also the understanding of Skinner through his many experiments that behavior can be learned through a process known as ‘shaping,’ which relies on reinforcing a particular action. Skinner also introduced the concept of programmed instruction to provide immediate feedback (Moore, 2010). However, Skinner never bought the idea that man could control the environment, implying that behaviors will forever be shaped by the environment (Hawkins, 1990). Conclusion The above discussion clearly outlines the development of behaviorism and its basic tenets as a school of psychological thought. Watson’s stimuli and response experiments, Skinner’s operant conditioning and Pavlov’s classical conditioning are some of the fundamental hallmarks of behaviorism. Although other schools of thought such as cognitivism and constructivism are relatively new compared to behaviorism, the place of behaviorism in contemporary psychological thought cannot be overshadowed. Indeed, behaviorism continues to be used in many fields especially in education, therapy, and medicine to reinforce and modify behavior. Although it has its own weaknesses especially in explaining how subjective and unobservable phenomena influences behavior (Maniacs, 2002), it has remained instrumental in scientifically demonstrating how behaviors are learnt, reinforced and modified. Personal Reflection From the discussion, it is indeed true that behaviorism can be adapted in very many fields to teach people how to overcome disruptive and undesired behaviors. In addition, it has provided psychologists a platform through which they can objectively and scientifically explain behavior and personality development without fear of being accused of subjectivism as was the case with introspective psychology. This is a deserved milestone in a field that was generally accused of lacking scientific principles. The basic concept of behaviorism, as can be synthesized from the discussion, is that behaviors are acquired and maintained through conditioning – a process that is facilitated by continuous interaction with the environment. The behaviorists’ assertion that behavior can be studied in a methodical and observable way without making reference to internal mental states so far remains unconvincing. Also, the notion by Skinner that all animals can be trained to perform similar types of tasks still remains unclear and open to criticism. In equal measure, the convergence of technology in the 21 st century has enabled man to control the environment, therefore putting some of Skinner’s arguments into disarray (Hawkins, 1990). Lastly, while behaviorism has come up with extremely good theories of explaining behavior, I feel that it fails to account for other types of learning that takes place without necessarily relying on reinforcements and punishments. Reference List Burgos, J. E. (2007). The theory debate in psychology. Behavior & Philosophy, 35 (1), 149-183. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database. Hawkins, R. P. (1990). The life and contributions of Burrhus Frederick Skinner. Education & Treatment of Children, 13 (3), 258-265. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Maniacs, P. T. (2002). John Dewey and American psychology. Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior, 32 (3), 267-294. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database. Moore, J. (2010). Philosophy of science, with special consideration given to behaviorism as the philosophy of the science of behavior. Psychological Record, (60) 1, 137-150. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. O’Donohue, W.O., & Ferguson, K.E. (2009). The psychology of B.F. Skinner . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Plaud, J. J., & Montgomery, R.W. (1993). On the influence of Walter S. Hunter in the shaping of modern behaviorism. Psychological Record, 43 (3), 361-372. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Powell, D. A. (n.d.). Pavlov, Ivan Petrovich (1845-1936) . Web. Watson, J. B. (2008). Behaviorism . London: READ BOOKS.

ESSAY: Trading symbol from NYSE Term Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. NYSE symbol: SAM 3. Brief history of The Boston Beer Company, Inc 4. Performance of the Boston Beer Company, Inc 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the world in terms of market capitalization. In 2007, the NYSE merged with another company, Euronext so that the entire stock exchange became fully electronic. The signing of the Buttonwood Agreement in May 1792 was the precursor to the formation of the current NYSE which began with less than 50 stocks. There are over 2,500 securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange to date though the number is not constant since new securities as well as tradable securities are added or delisted regularly. It is currently located on 11 Wall Street in lower Manhattan, New York City and the listed companies at the NYSE have a collective capital base of over US$25 trillion. NYSE symbol: SAM The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) is a publicly owned company listed in the NYSE as a component of the brewery industry. The company was first listed on the NYSE on 21 November, 1995 after selling part of its capital to the public as common shares. Brief history of The Boston Beer Company, Inc The Boston Beer Company, Inc was established in 1984 in Boston, Massachusetts by three individuals and initially begun its operations by contracting the Pittsburgh Brewing Company for the brewing of its brands prior to the establishment of The Boston Beer Company’s own brewing plant in Cincinnati. Boston Beer Company is the current largest American-owned brewery after the merge of the previous largest company, Anheuser Busch with the Belgian-Brazilian Company InBev on November 18, 2008 to form Anheuser Busch InBev -AB-IB (Jackson, 10). Performance of the Boston Beer Company, Inc In 2005, The Boston Beer Company (NYSE: SAM) attained fourth quarter net revenue of $64.8 million, an increase of 16% over fourth quarter 2004. Net revenue rose up by 9.7% to $238.3 million in 2005 compared to the previous year (Roberto 7). There was also an increase in net revenue per barrel mainly because of price increases and a change in the package mix (BBIC 8). Advertising, promotional and selling expenses increased by $6.0 million, due to higher shipment fuel costs, selling costs and promotional investment supporting the brands (Fuhrmann 10). In general, the Better Beer category of the company grew by 8% while that of the Craft beer grew by 9%, and the end result was a 5% growth of the company for the full year 2005. The Company had net income of $15.6 million, or $1.07 per diluted share with a net revenue increase of $21.1 million or 9.7% because of the augmentation in shipment volume along with a 2.4% increase in net revenue per barrel and thus a rise in the share value (Jackson 7). In 2006, fourth quarter net revenue was at $73.3 million due to an increase in shipment volume and a net revenue per barrel. Net revenue rose by 20% to $285.4 million in 2006 relative to 2005 revenue (BBIC 7). Gross margin for the fourth quarter 2006 dropped to 56.0% from 57.7% in the fourth quarter of 2005 because of rising supply chain costs perpetuated by the increase in beer demand and increase in package material costs (Roberto 8). There was also an increase in net revenue per barrel is due to package change costs.Net income for 2006 was $18.2 million, or $1.27 per diluted share, which was a notable increase of $2.6 million, or $0.20 per diluted share compared to the previous year. Net revenue rose to $47.1 million while gross margin as a percent of net sales was 57.6% mainly due to net price increases induced by unfavorable packaging material and supply chain costs. In 2007, the fourth quarter net revenue was $92.2 million which was perpetuated by an increase in core shipment volume (BBIC 6). The 2008 fourth quarter net revenue grew by 13% with the net income being $3.6 million mostly motivated by the raise in costs of raw and packaging materials (Fuhrmann 11). Other expenses included the new Pennsylvania Brewery which brought about start-up costs and the Latrobe Brewery asset impairment charge. The net revenue for the fourth quarter of 2008 increased by13% to $103.8 million, because of volume and pricing gains (BBIC 4). Net income for that year fell by $14.4 million, or $0.97 per diluted share to $8.1 million, or $0.56 per diluted share relative to the to previous year mainly due to the increases in cost of goods sold, advertising as well as promotional and selling expenses(BBIC 4). In addition, the Boston Beer Company issued a recall in April 2008, after a third-party supplier responsible for a fourth of the bottles used the Boston Beer Company manufactured defective bottles which contained small pieces of glass (Jackson 7). Consequently, the share value of the company’s shares fell by over 3% after the recall leading to the drop in net income. 2009 saw the net revenue for the fourth quarter rise by $3.4 million to $107.2 million again mostly because of core volume gains. The net revenue of the year 2009 rose to $415.1 million a 4% increase (Fuhrmann 14). Net income for 2009 was $31.1 million or $2.17 per diluted share, which is an increase of $23.0 million, or $1.61 per diluted share when compared to 2008(BBIC 3). Product recall costs of 2008 were $22.8 million which led to improved gross margins of 5% in 2009. 2010 is a promising year for the Boston Beer Company especially with the launch of the new spring seasonal, Samuel Adams(R) Noble Pils that continues to enjoy a favorable reception by consumers, and traders (BBIC 2). There are still existing challenges such as increased competition from domestic forte brands as well as regional craft brands and competitive pricing though current approximation of for 2010 is in the range of $2.35 to $2.65 earnings per diluted share. Conclusion Since the listing of The Boston Beer Company in the NYSE, it has been able to make tremendous progress mainly due to the company’s consistency in effective performance and corporate finance. The value of NYSE:SAM is currently ranging between $30.70 and $56.40 with the theory and practice of corporate finance being a major contributor to the bullish activity of the shares. Long term Capital investment decisions such as the opening of the Pennsylvania Brewery in 2008 and the IPO in 1995 have all been profitable even with initial losses being experienced. The company has financed most investments with equity and shareholders are frequent recipients of dividend unless in occasions with reduced income such as 2008. Working capital management has led the company to reduce advertising, promotional and selling costs since 2008. Such action is being amplified by cutbacks in freight expenses to wholesalers, addition of sales staff as well as better advertising rates and more efficient spending by the company to equalize the increase in salaries. Consequently, advertising and promotional costs as well as cost of sales sustained in 2009 declined by $11.3 million relative to 2008 costs. Works Cited Fuhrmann, Ryan. Sam Adams Brewing Growth in the U.S. 2010. Web. Jackson, Sally. The Boston beer company to ask for federal regulations requiring full disclosure on beer labels . 1996. Web. Roberto, Michael. Anheuser Busch and Sam Adams , 2008. Web. The Boston Beer Company, Inc (BBCI). Investor relation center: Archives . Web.

ESSAY: Transformational and Transactional Leadership Compare & Contrast Essay For a long period of time now in the human history, the successes of most engagements, morality notwithstanding, have been due to proper leadership. With good leadership and the associated outcome both in the ancient and present age, man has increasingly sought to find ways of identifying the best style of leadership that suits the demands of the time (Northouse, 2009). Researchers have also been attracted towards the need to understand the concept of leadership by developing personality-based theories and other approaches. According to Northouse (2009), leadership can be defined as a complex process of aiding businesses or organizations achieve their goals. Ways of conceptualizing the idea of leadership include; viewing leadership as a trait/behavior or from an information-processing perspective or associative viewpoint. Many organizations are constantly searching for individuals with outstanding leadership qualities and abilities so as to transform their operations for the better. The essay seeks to discuss in detail two major approaches to leadership; transformational and transactional. Through the discussion, their clear differences will emerge. Moreover, the essay will offer a critique of the transactional leadership according to Northouse. Transformational leadership, just as the name suggests, is concerned with bringing change to the society or organization. It is a type of leadership characterized by stimulation and inspiration of the followers with an aim of helping them achieve extraordinary ends (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Transformational leaders also seek to empower the followers and to help them unleash their own leadership potential. They strive to address and align the individual goals with those they have in mind as well as the achievement of organizational goals. Research findings have revealed that transformational leadership can inspire the followers to over-perform their mandate as a result of commitment to the organization as well as self satisfaction (Bass & Riggio, 2006). There are four major components of transformational leadership. Idealized Influence (II) is the first component. This component allows the leader to behave in a manner that motivates the followers to imitate. Transformational leaders win approval from their followers and they like to be associated with their leaders. Persistence, determination and extraordinary potentials are some of the qualities that are admired by the followers. This implies that followers have their own ideal behaviors as well as attributes that they expect from their leaders. The followers would like leaders who have a collective sense of mission and the assurance that all obstacles will be overcome (Burns, 1978). Moreover, such leaders with II are consistently willing to take risks without compromising their ethical and moral integrity. Inspirational Motivation (IM) is the next component under the transformational leadership. This component enables leaders to act in ways that serve to motivate and inspire the followers through the provision of meaning and challenging the followers to achieve greater goals (Bass & Riggio, 2006). This attribute arouses a spirit of team work resulting in enthusiasm, optimism, and commitment in all tasks. The leaders set clear goals and ways of achieving them and demonstrate their own commitment to the course through action. Intellectual Stimulation (IS) is the third component of transformational leadership which is characterized by the stimulation of the followers’ innovativeness and creativity. This is achieved by criticizing assumptions, redefining problems, and proposing new ways of addressing the existing challenges (Northouse, 2009). The leaders take all opinions from their followers as far as alternatives of solving problems are concerned. The fourth and the last component is the Individualized Consideration (IC) where a leader takes the needs of each and every follower into consideration. The leader acts as the mentor for all and helps each one achieve the desired ultimate potentials. The leader acts differently towards each follower without raising any serious concerns. To one is given more encouragement, to another more autonomy, and still another is given harder tasks to accomplish. Moreover, the leader encourages a two way communication especially when the task is being performed (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Under this component, the followers enjoy handling delegated tasks and they do appreciate being checked on just in case they need any further guidance. These components are very crucial in ensuring the success of any transformational leadership. This implies that the leader should be actively involved in the entire course of action rather than being a spectator. There are some benefits of transformational leadership. The followers are inspired to think creatively and hence solutions to problems are enhanced. The type of leadership is useful in situations where facts alone may not suffice to bring change. It is also appropriate when employed by managers at the helm of an organization (Northouse, 2009). However, transformational leadership has some inherent limitations. It is lacking in conceptual clarity in that it involves a ray of many activities hence making it difficult to define. Also, this type of leadership is difficult to measure and the four I’s seem to overlap. Furthermore, the approach regards leadership as a trait instead of a behavior that anyone can acquire through learning. Finally, transformational leadership can easily be abused especially in propagating immoral behavior like by cults since it involves passionately changing the values and belief systems of the people (Northouse, 2009). Transactional leadership, on the other hand, is another major approach that has been advanced by researchers. Transactional leaders have been identified as those who lead by embracing social exchange where one thing is given as a result of another. According to Burns (1978), politicians are a good example of transactional leaders since they usually pledge to offer jobs and other opportunities in exchange for votes. Transactional business leaders, on the other hand, offer financial rewards and promotion for the employees who demonstrate high productivity. They may also punish or deny the rewards in case of decreased or lack of productivity (Bass & Riggio, 2006). There are two major components of this approach to leadership; Contingent Reward (CR) and Management-by-Exception (MBE). Contingent reward is characterized by agreement between the follower and the leader with actual rewards or the promise of a reward upon the successful completion of the assigned task (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Contingent reward can either be transactional if the reward takes a material form or transformational if it is psychological in nature. Management-by-Exception (MBE), on the other hand, is classified as either active or passive depending on the point of involvement of the leader. Active MBE is characterized by the leader being directly involved in the monitoring of digressions from set standards while the followers are in action. Passive MBE, on the other hand, is a situation where the leader waits passively until a deviation occurs before corrective measures are taken/proposed (Northouse, 2009). Followers of such leaders are more compliant since they take orders and act the way they are told. This is in contrast with transformational leadership where the followers are allowed to think and act the way they want to at some point. According to Northouse (2009), this approach has some clear inherent benefits as well as weaknesses as far as leadership is concerned. Most importantly, such leaders are more predictable since the procedure to be used is already laid out. The type of leadership is quite appropriate in middle level management since everything has to be performed according to the policies and procedures, especially in large organizations. The limitations, on the other hand, include the fact that the followers are neither motivated nor enthusiastic about what they do because they feel they are ordered (Northouse, 2009). Furthermore, leaders treat the followers as people who can be motivated by the promise of a reward. This exposes the worker to predictability, where the consequences can either be positive or negative. The theory, therefore, ignores the role of other factors like emotions, and ethical values in shaping the followers’ behavior. Another limitation is that it can be effective when used at the helm of organizational management which requires inspiration and clear vision dispensation. The essay has discussed the transformational and the transactional approaches to leadership. The discussion has brought out the clear differences between the two types of leadership and their respective goals. It has also offered the criticism of transactional leadership according to Northouse, a renowned author. We can therefore conclude that various situations call for the use of the appropriate approaches to leadership. References Bass, B. M. & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2 nd ed.). Routledge Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership . Harper & Raw, New York Northouse, P. G. (2009). Leadership: Theory and practice (5 th ed.). SAGE

ESSAY: UK Fire Brigade and Its International Operations Report (Assessment) As the authority of the fire brigade is giving considerations on forming alliances with the international search and rescue team of the United Kingdom, additional information is required before a commitment is fully made. For that reason, this paper is aimed at analyzing how this union will affect the service legally and ethically as well as globally. Therefore, in covering this issue the paper is going to focus on several subject matters. First and foremost, it is going to assess the law in England and Wales and how it operates internationally as it applies to the fire service. Secondly, the paper is going to analyze the role of globalization and how it affects the legislative and substantive work of those in the fire and rescue service. Thereafter, we will identify how ethical considerations are dealt with in the fire and rescue and services and finally, there will be a summary of what role the practitioners play in the changing world environment. Fire outbreaks are disasters and normally occur from time to time due to careless human behavior, unsafe electrical conditions such as overloaded sockets or as a result of natural disasters such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Prevention of such fire outbreaks is very crucial and is a responsibility should not be neglected. However, at the same time precaution in the case of an emergency is just as important. It is the need for these precautionary measures that has led to the formation of fire departments and brigades in all the countries of the world. Therefore, a fire brigade is defined as an organization that provides fire protection for the citizens in certain jurisdiction. These organizations can either be government-owned or privately-owned. Normally, a fire brigade or department is able to host several fire stations under its wing but only within its boundaries, which is are controlled by the government body that manages the fire and rescue department. The fire department usually launches various branches in the different municipals, counties, states or provinces and the organization of each specific branch is then setup. The distribution and placement of the fire stations within the areas of control is dealt with at the branch level, as well as distribution of the personnel and the firefighting equipment. However, the fire departments also survey the jurisdictions and how the coverage is being handled by the fire stations so as to make sure that the services being offered to the communities are done so equitably. In addition, fire departments are usually organized in four systems which are administration, services, training and operations. However, the service system is the one that normally deals with protecting, safety and education to the public. Furthermore, all fire departments have a form of code that is usually taken up by the state or by the jurisdiction and is implemented by the fire prevention officers who are within the branches of the fire department. This code is referred to as a fire safety code or a fire prevention code and is comprised of a set of rules which stipulate the prerequisites that are mainly intended at preventing fire outbreaks as well as making sure that well trained professionals and adequate equipment are available in case of a fire. Haslam, ( np) notes “Sections may establish the requirements for obtaining permits and specific precautions required to remain in compliance with a permit. For example, a fireworks exhibition may require an application to be filed by a licensed pyro-technician, providing the information necessary for the issuing authority to determine whether safety requirements can be met.” Although UNEP has tried its best to reduce the environmental threats generated by environmental causes to human beings as well as the consequences of conflicts and disasters, some of these calamities are inevitable due to a steady increase in global population hence human activities and changes in climate patterns. These disasters and conflicts usually end up sourcing a lot of negative effects on the natural and human environment. Most often than not, they destroy infrastructure, cause displacements of populations and undermine human security as they increase the levels of poverty and dismantle the structures of sustainable development. In response to a growing demand for services that address these crises, UNEP has come up with a faction of ‘disasters and conflict’ to be one of major global priorities. The services that are provided to member states by the program are post-crisis environmental assessments, post-crisis environmental recovery, environmental co-operation for peace building and reduction of disaster risks (Trotman, 65). To complement the services provided by UNEP, international search and rescue teams also supply supportive measures by providing their services particularly during the initial stages of disaster management when saving lives and salvaging property is the chief objective. The teams are comprised of well trained professionals who are supplied with state-of-the-art equipment. One of the natural disasters that UK’s international search and rescue team offered its services is during the Haiti earthquake in January, 2010 where an estimated number of 100,000 are thought to have died. In an effort to help the victims of Haiti’s earthquake, the international community sent out help to the country with the UK sending out an assessment team to the disaster area. With the levels of casualties and injuries being high, there was a critical need to find and save the survivors and therefore a great need for search and rescue teams as well as humanitarian requirements on the ground. As aid continued arriving into Haiti, firefighters from all over Britain were mobilized and sent out to help in saving the lives of citizens from the disaster areas. In fact, the first of the UK’s search and rescue team which was made up of 64 firefighters from Gatwick was already searching for survivors in the collapsed streets of Port-au-Prince within 48 hours after the Haiti earthquake (Smith 103). They were then followed by other firefighters, from across the UK’s fire and rescue service that had been grouped into six operating teams. They were equipped with technologically advanced equipments as well as two dogs that are specially trained to deal with such disasters. The dogs, Holly and Echo had been trained by doing a mock-up of a collapsed village and this had adequately prepared them to rescue survivors, which they did for eleven days. The UK rescue team was able to pull out several survivors from the rubble; among the rescued was Mia, a two year old girl. This survivor was rescued by the Greater Manchester and Mid-Wales brigades who exhibited their expertise in international rescue services. Due to their first success the team leader, Andy noted “finding Mia alive was unbelievable moment for us (UK team) on the first day in the streets.” However Andy was quick to note that “Part of our training was done on a mock-up of a collapsed village but that scale of that disaster could not be compared to the mock –up training”. Nevertheless, the UK disaster and rescue services were able to carry out a successful rescue and recovery operation despite the hurdles they faced due to the scale of damage all over the country, due to this Andy noted that “it was a massive honor to be part of the UK team in Haiti.” However this operation was carried out following certain rules and regulations that were set out by the UK fire and rescue Act 2004. This Act provides for guidelines on four core issues on which the UK fire department is charged with in their mandate. They include; fire safety, fire-fighting, road traffic accidents and emergencies. Though the Haiti earthquake disaster was an international one and did not fall within UKs jurisdiction, still this Act was put into action in the Haiti rescue operation by the UK team. Therefore this apart from serving the local jurisdiction it is also operational in international jurisdictions. The team in particular focused on Fire safety, Emergencies and other provisions as provided by the 2004 Act. Under the Fire safety provision of the Act, the UK team was supposed to provide information, and encourage the locals and administration to take steps in preventing fires or injury as a result of fire, which was likely due to gas pipes leaks and other flammables that were exposed after the earth quake, in order to do this, the team was supposed to give advice when requested by the locals or Haitian authorities on how to prevent fires from erupting in risky places for example the gas stations and other destroyed factories and in addition provide advice on how the people should escape in case a fire erupted in their buildings or in their make shift camps after the disaster struck. Nevertheless, the most applicable clause was the one under Emergencies. Under this clause, the secretary of State has the power to authorize the fire and rescue authority on what constitutes an emergency and by order, authorizes them to act on the situation, which is what happened in the Haiti case. The secretary noted that “We need to get search and rescue teams on the ground. Every hour matters. There will be humanitarian requirements for food, shelter and sanitation. It is critical to co-ordinate the international effort,” he further added “This is a terrible tragedy and we are determined to do what we can to help. We have 64 British fire-fighters going out from Gatwick.” In doing so the UK government was acting under the power given to it by the 2004 Act, which enabled the secretary to confer other function to the fire and rescue authority other than those which were defined in the Act. Therefore after the order has been given by the secretary, the authority is supposed, under the provisions of the clause, coordinate personnel, services and equipment to be used in the international mission. Since it was an international mission it was important to ensure that the operation was well coordinated between the various international rescues services that were heading out to Haiti. Therefore, to avoid a situation where all the rescue teams turned up with the same services and equipments, the UK fire and rescue team under the directions of the Secretary, made up a rescue plan whereby they got in touch with other countries, for instance the USA to make sure that they specialized in other different area of the operation as noted by Secretary Alexander “we have to work with others to make sure everyone does not turn up with the same equipment.”. Section 3(b) of the Act provides for training of fire and rescue personnel in dealing with a wide variety of disasters which as noted above, the UK team had undergone some mock-up training in a collapsed village which enabled them deal with the earthquake disaster which had similar circumstances. In addition under, section, 3 (c), (d) and (e) the authority was required to carry out their operations with due diligence to ensure their objectives were carried out successful and professionally while at the same time, ensuring that no or minimum damage is done onto property as they carry out their operations. But more importantly in the Haiti operation, section (c) and (d) was very applicable as it called for the team to be competent in answering distress calls to those trapped in the rubble and to the general public, avail information on the happenings and the situation on the ground as it was. Therefore as depicted, the UK team followed this Act accordingly as shown in the way the answered to distress calls from the people trapped underground resulting in saving a lot of lives. In addition, whenever a survivor was rescued or bodies discovered the team coordinated the information using the relevant channels. For instance when the little girl was rescued in the early hours of the teams arrival in Haiti, the team leader gave out the information to the public which was very encouraging to the rescue team and the public, nevertheless the team leader did not fall short in asking the public to remembering the 500 or so people who perished in the building. Therefore the team leader was informing the public on their achievements while providing the authorities with figures of victims who perished. In addition apart from the powers vested in the secretary to declare a particular situation an emergency, the fire and rescue authority is mandate to take any action it considers necessary in a particular situation. As indicated it is no doubt that the 2004 Act is applicable in international missions since the Act allows for the fire and rescue authority under the mandate of the Secretary of state to act outside UKs’ jurisdiction. The Emergencies clause has indicated how this mandate is to be carried out. However the Act also acknowledges the different dynamics and complexities in rescue missions internationally as indicated by the UK rescue team leader who noted that although they had undergone mock-up training of similar circumstances, the situation on the ground in Haiti was very much complex than anticipated though they were able to successfully carry out the mission. Therefore in recognition of this, the Act has provided for a clause that empowers the fire and rescue Authority to respond to other eventualities. Therefore while in Haiti the team was empowered to respond appropriately to circumstances that called for their immediate action. This is indicated under the “power to respond to other eventualities” section 1 and 2 while section 3 empowers the authority to proved for necessary equipments while section 4 confers them with the power to act outside a given authority’s area, in this case internationally. However, as the world becomes globalized there has been a lot of changes in how countries inter rely on one another in different situations. These inter-country relations have changed the way some issues are carried, for instance economically, technologically and in humanitarian services. Hence, globalization has influenced how legislative laws are drafted. In this situation legislative laws governing the fire and rescue Authority are drafted while taking into consideration the global village. For instance, the 2004 Act takes into consideration the different economies around the world whereby one country may not be in a position to have enough or capable equipments to carry out rescue and fire services, hence countries have drafted laws that allows their fire and rescue services be able to provide countries in need with this vital equipments and also for them be able to carry and use them during their operations abroad (Haslam 187). In addition, the Fire and Rescue Authority legislations have allowed them to undertake humanitarian activities around the world whenever need arises, hence apart from taking part in rescue and recovery operations, if the situation calls for humanitarian services for instance delivery of safe water, food or medicine, the Authority has the mandate to act as indicated under the “power to respond to other eventualities” clause section 1 and 2. Also the Fire and Rescue Authority is empowered to provide and use technologically-assisted rescue methods in their operations even though the country lacks the technology. Thus, they can transfer technology used in their home countries and used in other countries. Thus in response to this and globalization, countries around the world have drafted legislations that allow for fast, efficient and profession rescue services by their respective governments (The source for critical information and insight np . Practitioners of these valuable services are required to carry out their work with outmost diligence, respect and ethics as required by his/her professionalism. Therefore in instances where a practitioner fails to uphold ethics, the Authority has measures in place that serve to discipline the practitioner. Works Cited Haslam, Carl. Fire Service. UK Fire Service Resources Group . 2009. Web. Smith, David. Jamaica. Information on disaster risk management case study of five: Jamaica. Mexico City: United Nations and IDB, 2007. The source for critical information and insight. Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. Health & Safety News Brief Occupational Health & Safety Information Service (OHSIS) November 2004. 2004. Web. Trotman, John . Fire Service . Richmond, Surrey TW Crimson Publishing, 2001. Print.

ESSAY: Understand Buying Trends and the Psychology of Consumer Behavior Problem Solution Essay Table of Contents 1. Public Relations 2. Initial strategy 3. Second strategy 4. References Public Relations Down St Restaurant has been identified to aid in the analysis of the public relation concepts. It is noteworthy that the restaurant is located in New York City. Public relation ideologies revolve around exploring restaurant as illustrated by goods and processes. It is the creation of consciousness to convince potential clientele why the hotel is the finest. It uses various modes of announcement like media and Internet. The chief aim behind the public relations initiatives is to attain and keep hold of customers. The Down St Restaurant should apply the following public relation initiatives so as to maximize their profit. Initial strategy One of the finest public relation initiatives is the utilization of Relationship Marketing (RM). It strikes an association between acquisition and retention of customers. This concept was initiated in 1983 and became more accepted in the 1990s (Donald 2005). The process of correlation marketing aims at networking, associations and exchanges during market strategies. “Quality, customer care and promotion strategies must be put together, the initiative focuses on combining the trio into one, thus realizing their concerted effort” (Donald, 2005). RM involves allowing the customer to assess your services. This will enable an individual to identify the loopholes within the restaurant. This will enable one to take corrective measures on subsequent occasions. It also involves rewarding significant proportions of outstanding customers. The result will be gaining maximum knowledge in consumer desires and wants. This will see the restaurant offering the finest services to their customers. The customers will also experience enhancement in the services when they revisit the restaurant. The main challenge in implementing RM as a strategy is that it requires the attention of the whole organization. All players in the restaurant should gather enough information relating to the purchaser. The initiative requires a lot of time and may consume numerous resources before actual realization of the returns. Some customers may as well give flawed information during assessment. This is to please the hotel owners. Second strategy Another strategy that will see Down St Restaurant riding higher than its competitors is the use of advertisement (Malin, 2009 ). The aim of advertising is to make the restaurant as attractive and enticing as possible. This strategy allows the restaurant to communicate to the general public about their services and why they are the best place to be. The initiative involves both indoor and outdoor marketing channels of advertisement. They include print displays, broadcast advertisements, which are aimed at reaching out to masses. The trick here is the choice of the best media for various groups of clients. Choose the best place to position your billboards and other print displays. The restaurant should major more in outside advertisement, but indoor techniques should not be left out. The hotel should appear in the media when it offers discounted rates to draw in more people. Advertisements can also be put in magazines, directories and newspapers. Magazine is preferred because it read by many people. It can also contain specialized services to various segments of people. Any communication strategy should be straight to the point for it to have a positive impact on the business. The major drawback of this initiative is that, it may prove to be too expensive. Channels like television are exorbitant, yet the feature passes out very fast. It is always an enormous challenge when the advertisement displays more than what is in the offing. Customers will shy away when their expectations are not met. References Donald, D. (2005). Strategic planning for public relations (2 nd edition). New Jersey: Routledge Malin, H. (2009 ). Hotel a Case Study. University of Gavle Retrieved: www.scribd.com/doc/13981610/Hotel-a-Case-Study

ESSAY: Business Strategies at the Unilever Company Research Paper Abstract Unilever Company is operated by two parent companies which are Netherlands-based Unilever N.V. and UK-based Unilever PLC. It is one of the largest makers of consumer based goods. The product strategy, distribution strategy, communication strategy and pricing strategy that the company has applied over the years has been the main driving force towards its success. In addition, the company has majorly concentrated on the products preferred by consumers. Its entry in to developing markets has also fanned its growth and success. The reception in such markets was enormous thus any attempt to oust unilever from these markets has not been fruitful. It still dominates the developing markets and some of developed markets. Unilever Company profile Unilever Company is a top manufacturer of packaged consumer goods globally. Its products vend in more than 170 countries through out Western Europe, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, North America and Asia. The company offers several categories of products. The paramount sellers include mayonnaise, tea, soaps and antiperspirants. Unilever is the working arm of Unilever PLC and Unilever N.V. Mission statement ‘Meeting the everyday needs of people everywhere’ Product strategy Unilever is going by the inexpensive pricing strategy of Hindustan unilever limited in markets with recession such as the US. It offers products through dollar stores to consumers. This is a fraction of a recent Unilever strategy to increase its earnings from recession-hit emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil which have been growing more rapidly. Product strategy is considered a management process (McGrath, 2001). Distribution strategy Unilever has established plants in the 170 countries where their products are vended. The company distributes its products using the plant names in the market. For example in India, the distributor is Hindustan Unilever Limited. In UK, the distributor is Unilever PLC. Anonymity conceals the company’s significance. Unilever trades using brand names. Everyone knows its brand names. Distribution strategy must always be considered before marketing process (Rolnicki, 1998). Pricing strategy Unilever Thai Holdings Ltd, a large consumer products maker, have taken up a new pricing strategy, offering customers up to 20 per cent discount the usual prices of its products, and setting the phase for ferocious competition in this sector. The firm has reduced its marketing and advertising expenses to hold up the new strategy as more customers have less expenditure ability and confidence, as they are affected by the decrepit economy (Baker, 2010, et al.). Global business environment and the countries selected market Currently emerging and already existing companies that produce similar products as unilever are restrategizing and entering the market. These companies have majorly concentrated in developed countries. This includes the whole of Europe, parts of Asia, South America and Australia. Although unilever vends its products globally, it has mainly conquered the markets in developing countries. These include Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia. It has divided its products to meet market specification. In these developing countries, the competition is low thus unilever enjoys the market dominance. Competitive environment As a result, of the competition in most countries unilever vends products in appropriate markets. Unilever manufactures consumer packaged products used mainly at home. The stiff competition present in the 170 countries that unilever operates makes the company to perform selective vending. For example, the ice cream and dressings are not vended in developing countries like Africa, as there are low sales and are not considered basic requirements. Instead, they are retailed in Europe and some parts of Asia where there are more sales. The same applies to products like Omo, dove, Lux and Rexona which are majorly vended in developing countries. This is because they are considered basic requirements; as a result, there is a ready market. Target market Unilever has got a wide target market which includes both domestic and general utilities. These markets include drinks and domestic products. In each market, there are specific products that are retailed. The products include soaps, drinks, spreads (blue band) and ice cream (Kurtz, 2009, et al.). Communication strategy Unilever communicates with its customers by use of media and bill boards for advertisement. This is a strategy most companies employ. As a result, Unilever wants to use the Internet in order to perk up brand communication, advertising and on-line selling. It will also simplify business-to-business connections a long the distribution chain. Unilever has lately awarded an Indian firm an IT contract. Unilever has made contact with several software developers to facilitate this project. The use of visual and audio communication means is widely employed by many companies (Jones, 2008). Impact of culture Culture has played a big role in dragging and speeding the prosperity of Unilever Company. When the company first entered the markets in undeveloped countries, for example, Africa, it faced many challenges. The personal care and home care products that are vended in Africa took long to be accepted in the market. This is so because the communities were still conversant with their traditional modes of personal and home based care. Once these products were accepted, the presence of new products from other companies faced massive rejection. This resulted to their withdrawal. Thus, unilever products still dominated. Key management issues Changes were recently made in the company’s top administration. It has started selling off any subordinate companies that are earning less profit, and ‘decentralized’ control of subsidiaries. The Head Quarter in Europe just scrutinizes profit margins and making sure they are maximized. This resulted in cutting of expenditure like reducing workers pay. References McGrath, M. (2001 ). Product strategy for high technology companies: accelerating your business to web speed . New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Rolnicki, K. (1998). Managing channels of distribution . New York: AMACOM Division of American Management Association. Baker, W. Marn, M. & Zawada, C. (2010). The Price Advantage. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. Kurtz, D. Mackenzie, H & Snow, K. (2009). Contemporary Marketing . Toronto: Cengage Learning. Jones, P. (2008). Communicating Strategy . Gower Publishing limited.

ESSAY: Use of Performance Appraisals as a Reward System Essay Performance appraisal has been described as the process whereby the relative worth of an employee in a particular company is evaluated. It involves measurement of an employee’s work behaviors, comparing them to already established standards and communicating the results back to the employee. Performance appraisals were instituted as a means of income justification i.e. they were used to decide if an employee deserved to be paid a given wage amount (Lawrie, 1990). This application of performance appraisals has continued until now but many arguments have been raised on its usage particularly as a means to justify pay increases or cuts. Personally, I believe performance appraisals to be an integral part of an organization operation and that its advantages outweigh any disadvantages perceived. In the past, performance appraisals were only used as a remuneration tool whereby it was assumed that a rise or a cut in pay was the only motivation employees needed to improve their work. This view however changed after numerous researches proved that the traditional system often failed since salary levels was not the only element that determined employee performance (Locher & Teel, 1977). The modern performance appraisal system is aimed at identifying an employee’s strengths and weaknesses as well as determining ways of improvement and subsequent skills development. The performance appraisals are also used to determine reward outcomes whereby bonuses, promotions and pay increases are allocated to employees who are judged to have performed above a given level. The main purpose of a given company is to generate profits and thus employee management is a very important aspect. One of the most important features involved in employee management is the performance appraisal system. When correctly used, it serves as a tool for identifying and fixing problems facing the employees. Non-productive members in the organization can also be identified and appropriate measures taken either through training or dismissal. Performance appraisals should inherently be associated with reward outcomes. It is essential for organizations to distribute rewards in an open and fair manner whereby those most deserving in regards to merit and results are identified and justly rewarded. The performance appraisal system is the only process available that can be applied to achieve a rewarding system that is fair and consistent. Apart from this performance appraisal also offer other advantages when used as a pay-increase system. Employees generally expect to be rewarded when they perform better and tend to distrust the management if they feel someone who is less deserving has received a reward (Lawrie, 1990). This can be easily solved using a performance-based pay increase system. Secondly, this system allows for financial planning. Time and time again, companies face financial difficulties and thus it is very hard to distribute what little is available among the workers. With a performance appraisal system geared on pay increase, the company can isolate those individuals who really deserve an increase from the rest. However, many critics have pointed out that this system is flawed without any way to perfect it (Derven, 1990). Many have pointed out that this system damages trust between managers and employees in the workplace thus undermining harmony in the workplace. The performance appraisal system is usually done by the managers who are given the task of being the judge and the jury. The employee in this case becomes the defendant trying to defend their performance levels to a work mate. If negative feedback is provided an employee becomes disgruntled and the communication system between the employees and the management team begins to suffer (Heathfield, 2009). Another argument against the use of the system for pay increases or cuts is that it limits an employee from performing at his/her personal best. Once an employee receives a feedback that he does not believe to be fair, he becomes defensive and his work begins to suffer as he believes the manager is against him and that there is no need for him to apply himself (Derven, 1990). In conclusion, a performance appraisal system that is used to determine pay increase has its flaws but is indispensable to any particular organization. Since no alternative way to fairly judge who merits a pay increase and who does not, this system cannot be neglected. If a well structured appraisal system does not exist in a company, people will informally and arbitrary judge each other’s work performance creating more problems in the organization. Reference List Derven, M.G. (1990). The paradox of performance appraisals Personnel Journal, 69(4), 107-111. Heathfield, S.M. (2009). Performance Appraisals Don`t Work. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/performance-appraisals-dont-work-1918846 Lawrie, J. (1990). Prepare for a performance appraisal. Personnel Journal, 69(2) , 132-136. Locher, A.H., & Teel, K.S. (1977). Performance appraisal – a survey of current practices, Personnel Journal, 56(5), 245-257

ESSAY: Wall Street (1987): Ethics Analysis Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Scene Analysis 3. Conclusion 4. Works Cited Introduction Wall Street film is a well-crafted story giving insights to the kind of morality found in the Wall Street. Oliver Stone sheds light on greed and corruption that dominated the Wall Street. Coincidentally, this masterpiece hit the markets exactly 60 days after the famous stock market crash of 1987. The movie revolves around Bud, a young and ambitious stockbroker who is out to make it big in life. The other character of interest here is Gekko, a corporate raider who knows when to make a move and when to stay put. Gekko happens to be Bud’s hero probably due to his successful history in the stock market. This paper focuses on the moral side of the story not the financial dealings that surround the Wall Street. It focuses on the scene where Bud meets Gekko for business dealings until Bud reevaluates his decision to continue with the dealings that Gekko gets him in. Scene Analysis We meet Bud as the movie opens trying to squeeze his way past a crowded work place in Jackson & Steinham securities firm. Immediately we realize that of late, he has been tirelessly trying to meet Gekko; a smart broker who knows what happens where in the stock markets. It is important to note that Gekko will pursue his selfish ambitions regardless of what happens to other people even if they are his friends. Bud calls Gekko’s office relentlessly for thirty-nine days until he finally secures an appointment. To set things in motion, Bud looks for a gorgeous birthday gift, which he delivers personally to Gekko. Unfortunately, Bud makes the first mistake; he gives some inside information about Bluestar Airlines Company, run by his Carl, his father. This information makes Gekko have some interest in Bud and given the hero that Bud sees in Gekko, a long term strong alliance between the two is inevitable. As anticipated, Gekko takes Bud in and offers him a big opportunity to make good money; however, Bud has to play the game according to rules. Nevertheless, due to his hunger to make it big in life, Bud does not think much of what he has to lose to gain the good life he badly craves. The alliance takes off immediately and Bud spends a lot of time with Gekko; a feat that earns Bud large perks. Bud is now entitled to expensive meals, fat cheques, and even beautiful lass by the name Darien. Bud is so carried away in this flush life that he forgets hustles and bustles of this life. Within no time, Bud becomes a partaker of corporate avarice and corruption. Bud engages in slash-and-burn exploits courtesy of Gekko; this approach to business is more adventurous, thrilling and rewarding than the more principled prosaic business dealings championed by Lou Mannheim; a veteran trader. Life to Bud is at least now bearable for he can afford an up market apartment and take Darien to expensive outings. Nevertheless, there is a price to pay for everything in this life and good things in life are not free. Someone has to either work very hard or deal very hard. Bud chose the latter and soon he is to pay the price. Bud had introduced Gekko to Bluestar Airlines owned by his father Carl. However, due to his greed, Gekko suggest to Bud that they should sell Bluestar Airline assets, an incidence that will leave them immensely rich. Unfortunately, this move will leave Carl, Bud’s father and all workers in this company, who happens to be Bud’s friends, jobless. This is a decisive moment for Bud who has to choose between his father’s well being and his fortunes. Luckily, Bud chooses to protect his father and friends working in Bluestar Airlines. He sets out to scuttle Gekko’s plans to salvage his father’s business. After approaching Darien, she refuses to betray Gekko leading Bud to dispose her marking the end of their relationship. These events act as a revelation to Bud who painfully realizes that the price required to sustain his flush lifestyle is too expensive for him to pay. After breaking ties with Gekko and Darien, Bud strategies on how to save this company and he succeeds even though he ends up in prison. In relation to God’s call to worship him alone, Bud made a mistake. He went against this sanctimonious call and worshiped idols; that is, money. The fact that he knew what he was doing was wrong and did not stop it before it began, is a clear indication that he was not willing to own up to this call from God. However, Bud has some morals left in him as he chooses to spare his father and friends. However, this portrays partiality because all along, he has been hurting other people but it did not matter as long as it was not his father or friends. God calls us to act without partiality, letting his love dwell in our hearts, something that Bud went against. All this is because of money: the root of all evils. Conclusion Wall Street reflects the relationship between evil, coming from greed of money and upholding moral principles. People have the free will to choose between good and evil. Bud represents this clearly. As the movie starts, he uses his freewill to choose evil and engage in dirty business dealings. As the movie proceeds, he still uses freewill to choose good over evil as he breaks ranks with Gekko and Darien. Bud does not honor God’s call to get id of idols and worship him alone. Works Cited Stone, Oliver._The Wall Street_. IMDb, 1987.

ESSAY: Water Resources Management Essay Table of Contents 1. Impact of human activities on water resources 2. Effects of water resources managements on the community 3. Problems developed by fishing techniques 4. Reference Impact of human activities on water resources This has adverse effects on the population of fish that are set to dwindle due to the destruction of their food resources or by killing them through mercury poison. The mercury poison comes from industry effluents. Adverse temperatures that results from dumping of hot water from the industries near water resources also affect the number of fish by killing them. The presences of these pollutants always have the effect of destabilizing the ecological balance of the water (Feldman, 1995). The management of these water resources is a very precarious and complicated. This process requires a careful balance of both ecological and economical considerations. The management plan will include the introduction of laws to curb the water pollution and preservation of fish resources. The laws will have to outlaw uncontrolled dumping and release of industrial effluents in the water. The law should also set limits to the fishing practice the fishermen will have to use. This will include limiting of fishing licenses and setting limits to the size of fishing nets the fishermen will have to use and set limits the amount of fish the fishermen can be allowed to catch. The law should also carry stiff penalties to whoever found in violation of the environmental water laws. Another management policy can be the introduction of an economic policy where the person responsible for the pollution to be made to pay for the cost of cleanup. This will mean that fishermen and other stake holders will have to take out insurance covers to cover their practices. Even consumers who use paper bags will have to pay for them. Finally, the recycling of most materials that find their way to the water resources can go a long way in trying to manage the resources. Recycling of waste and purification of sewage waste should be encourages to avoid toxic wastes spilling up in the water. Effects of water resources managements on the community The effects of the management will be received in different ways by both environmentalists and fishermen. To fishermen the proposal to recycle and reduce the waste effluents will be take positively as it will mean the increase to the number of fish but the proposal to introduce laws to enable the efficient sustainable of resources will be received negatively by the fishermen. This is because the laws seek to limit the size of the nets and the amount of fish each fisherman can catch. In addition, by limiting on the number of fishermen it will result in the increase in the price of fishing licenses. On the other hand, the environmentalists will take the introduction of the laws and the other management process positively (Feldman, 1995). This is because all these measures will lead to the protecting the water resources as well as allowing the population of fish to flourish. This solution will have different effects to the community. In terms of jobs, the number of jobs might reduce in the community due to the limit of the number of fishermen allowed in the water resources. It will also mean that all the industries that depend on fish like fishmeal factories and filleting plants will have to suffer. On the other hand, due to the cleanup of the water resources, it will have a positive effect on the lifestyle on the community. The practicing of swimming and other sports safely done without the fear of catching water-borne diseases that might have affected the water resource users before the clean up. Problems developed by fishing techniques Fishing can lead to the extinction of species due to the overfishing of rare kinds of fish and other protected kinds .In addition it can lead to the killing and capturing of unwanted water species. This is because some fishing methods like trawling are indiscriminate on what they catch. Water animals like turtles and water snakes can be caught thus changing the balance of the ecosystem. Finally, fishing method likes trawling involves the dragging of nets at the bottom of the water bodies. The nets can cause the scrapping the floor leading to the destruction of polyps which is an important source of food to the fish. Reference Feldman, D. (1995). Water Resources Management: In Search of an Environmental Ethic. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University press.

ESSAY: We Don’t See Things As They Are; We See Them As We Are Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Ways of knowing 3. “How religion affects peoples’ understanding of things” 4. Conclusion 5. Works Cited Introduction People will seldom experience absolute truth. What is perceived and heard is the basis for a conclusion that is made. The act of seeing and hearing gives the experience required to make a final decision. For instance, the magician as an entertainer deliberately focuses the acts on the audience perception. The audience way of perceiving the acts suggest the occurrence as impossible and thus the ability to have the magic acts. (82) The act of perceiving things as we are instead of as they are is observable in our daily lives for instance if control over one issue is overtaken by another urgent one then the perception is from the mind or thoughts. Considering the scenario where a man fails to control his children in the public until they become annoyance to others may be acting so because of other thoughts that may be disturbing the mind such as illness or death of the wife, or job related issues. The people who the children annoy would chaotically confront this person because as per their thoughts, he must be ignorant to a point of not controlling the children. They are not in a position to see the issues as they are because their perception only focuses on the children. At the workplace, the same perception of things as we are other than as they are is noticeable. People make assumptions about state of affairs of fellow workmates basing them on past experiences which have no relationship or are not relevant to the present undertakings or situation. The expectations are always different when the assumptions were based on the past wrong premises are used. (Warren and Warren, 41) On the example of the workplace, majority of the employees would pick the salary, allowances, bonuses and benefits are more important factors for a job as opposed to interest, decision making, training, feedback or respect. In the same work setting, if managers are asked what the motivators to their work would be, most of them would choose to first rank the money items such as interest, decision making, benefits, perquisites and respect. This is a clear indication that they lack appreciation of the workforce. What they will be undertaking in the firms would be wrong because they have attitude created by the environment. This makes them not to understand the needs of the workforce but think as per believes that might be there. They ought to understand or be made to that the great divide between their thinking criteria and the workforce is output demand. The manager’s decision is erroneous based on demand from the workforce. If a manager is able to understand that this difference exists, then it is possible to have a manager continue the managerial tasks without contradicting the organizational needs. Based on decisions making, the decisions concerning the company ought to be supportive to the support staff thus the manager must inquire for their thoughts over the importance. These methods of inquiry criteria enables the managers to practically fan-out the workforce real needs and by asking them, the manager promote rapport and group participation over decision-making procedures and this means that they are able to take ownership of the organization. The simplest perceptions are a basis for some assumptions, which are out of sight. According to Warren and Warren (41), the questions one should ask are whether the mind natures the world in accordance with requests of knowledge, if culture limits insight or understanding and whether human beings experience comparable realities. In the world of scientist, they use knowledge to come-up with evidence for approval and disapproval of theories. It is the need to understand that drives the breakthroughs. The already acquired knowledge brings-out supportive objective truth. The scientist understanding is the basis for discoveries in the world today. They utilize it to bring out objective truth for the societal benefit. Existence of a basis for an argument is a stepping-stone for the scientist to claim correctness and thus the ability to support it as a scientific fact that is independent of human thought or feelings. This applies even when the emotions and perceptions dominate the argument. Knowledge is the control to reality. The mind can only comprehend what one exposes to it when viewing something that is explicable and this is an indication that human mind seeks experience to solve issues. Ways of knowing There are innumerable paradigms of perception, used in understanding reality. People often think that their chosen opinion is right but there are many shortcomings or contradictions even over the most treasured explanations. This raises the question over preference of choice. Arguably, the choice depends on the various methods of knowing. The philosophy is concern with the abstract mind, which helps in the way of thinking about and understanding the natural history of reality as opposed to jumping into conclusions. Rationalism calls for one to reject realities that lack immediate evidence. The emotion way of knowing is concern with psychophysical techniques and language calls for a level of wisdom and understanding. (Allan and Evans, 165) Some of the life assumptions that premise articulation and exploration of cultural, value and processes include the facts that personal values create identity and informs why or how things are the way they are, determines experiences of the world and influences the fundamental professional choices and practices. The world constructs the personal values and the culture in which people operate affects personal identity or these values. Sometimes the culture compromises cultural personal values. Tension, stress and conflict can arise when the dominant paradigm such as personal values are challenged. Other than considering it as a way of acquiring communicative means, acquisition of language entails use of senses, personal reasoning and feelings. “How religion affects peoples’ understanding of things” Considering a workgroup made of members who share common goals and personal values as the drive for attending to clients, some of the similarities ought to employ for catering of the differences. Such a team should have the client centred practice where the focus is the clients who are treated as experts or determinants for the future of the group. The belief on this setup is that people choose growth and the clients should have the freedom to understand their own situation and determine their future. This is enforcement of client independence where the service group only assists in decision-making. Some of the common personal values the team may have include equity. This calls for a common personal value that allows equitable treatment of clients accessing support. The value of equity is achievable through quality education. Education helps one to become informed, understand opportunities, choices or responsibilities. Secondly, there is need for provision of information. To promote equity for such a workgroup people ought to be well-up about participating in the decision-making procedures. Requirements for promoting culturally constructed service delivery unit include accountability or support. In line with Allan and Evans, (152) common values should not compromise relevance and legitimacy of members of the group. The values need to be explicitly understood when people from diverse cultural groups are interacting or working as a unit. Such team members would face great challenges concerning how to react in a culturally responsive manner and still maintain truthfulness over personal values. The field of human service is full of tension brought about by cultural differences and believes. Expectation is for members to maintain similarity of services but at the same time, there should be enough flexibility to cater for individual differences and needs. Conclusion The main issue of concern is that people tend to see similar things but perceive them in different ways due to the differences in unique aspects of life such as understanding or the way used to know and interpret the outcome. The personal unique ways of perception to life and different knowledge are the factors that bring about the differences in understanding. Some of the factors may also include the life experiences, cultural differences, gender, religion and personality. The experience is a huge contributor to decision making. Bad experience makes someone avoid repeating the act or task while good ones catalyze decision-making procedures. Different personally give different perceptions. The gender differences affect emotions thus making people to react and make decisions based on their emotions. Religious and cultural values effect the way people react by catalyzing believes or devout teachings. These aspects would make us conclude that seeing things the way we are other than the way they are depends on the way our practices are, how personal values shape them and the amount of pressure between the values and our efforts in enlightening response. Works Cited Allan, George and Evans, Malcolm D. A different three Rs for education: reason, Relationally. Amsterdam/New York, NY: Rodopi, 2006, VII, 192 pp. Danesi, Marcel. Of cigarettes, high heels, and other interesting things: an Introduction to semiotics Semaphores and signs . New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 1999 Warren, Rick and Warren, Richard. The purpose-driven life: what am I Here for? Issue 1 of Purpose Driven Life Series Volume 1 of Purpose Driven(r) Life the Purpose Driven(r) Life. Zondervan, 2002

ESSAY: The Phylosophical Question “What is life?” Essay (Critical Writing) People are curious about a lot of things, some of which are dangerous to understand. “What is life?” is the question that should not be asked, otherwise the harmony and balance with the surrounding world can be lost. Life is too complex to fully explain it from one point of view. A scientist or a philosopher, in fact anyone can provide their own view of life. Each of those views will be different and will describe only one aspect of the manifold life. If one sees life only as a chain of chemical reactions, there remains no place for dreams or miracles in it. And if life seems to be based only on existence of soul, then its physical aspects get no explanation. People and animals are not the only beings that possess life. Objects can also have life: for example, works of art and literature are sometimes seen as living beings. Theatrical plays are born anew interpreted by different casts. Portraits are seen differently by different viewers. Does this personal attitude to things mean that they have a life of their own? It is dangerous to question the essence of life because one becomes unsure of the established views on life. One starts doubting if one’s own understanding of life is correct, and as a result, one turns off the usual path. The search for another understanding of life may be destructive to previously harmonious being. One should choose questions to ask carefully. Trying to reveal the mystery of life may lead to losing one’s way in its breathtaking diversity.

ESSAY: What Makes a Real Hero: Ideas by Bolt, Douglas, and Albom Essay The theme of heroism is one of the most frequent issues, discussed in numerous literary works. Each author tries to present his/her own vision of hero, endow this hero with the best qualities, and make him/her useful to other people. A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave, and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom are the three works from different times, which help me create my own understanding of the word “hero” and realize that this hero can be found inside of any human being and may be significant to many other people around. Nowadays, people hear such word as “hero” very often. “You are my hero!” – a girl says to her boyfriend, who’s just saved her from a huge dog. “He is a real hero” – a wife thinks about his husband, who’s just repaired the roof. “This boy will be a real hero” – a grandmother demonstrates her admiration of the boy, who’s just helped her cross the road. To my mind, people just do not pay much attention to a real meaning of this word, fling and use it in accordance with their emotions and feelings. This is why, in order to remember and understand a true meaning of heroism, it is better to address to literature and find out how professional writers describe real heroes. On the one hand, it is impossible to believe that works by Robert Bolt, Frederick Douglas, and Mitch Albom have something in common. One of them lived in the middle of the 19 th century, another is from the 1900s, and the last one is still alive and work in Detroit. However, on the other hand, all these stories are based on real events, the authors introduce real heroes, who take really important and courageous steps in their lives, and these stories are not about some unbelievable human qualities or world disasters – each of these stories presents ordinary people within ordinary conditions, and explains how their attitudes to life and the desire to be better made them real heroes for many people around. The main hero from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas , an American Slave got a wonderful chance to comprehend “the pathway from slavery to freedom” at the time, he did not really expected it (Douglas, 39). A real hero should understand the sense of freedom, and it is possible only in case of being enslaved and then getting the cherished freedom. And in order to achieve this freedom, it is crucially important to control own desires and evaluate the situations from different perspectives, like another hero of selfhood from A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More. The main purpose of More was “do prepare myself for, higher things” (Bolt, 22). To my mind, these heroes are connected by one purpose – to be ready to do great things and help the others. As for helping other people, this very quality is also inherent Morrie Schwartz from Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie. The teacher demonstrates his unbelievable courage in spite of the fact that he is already aware of his death, and this painful and frustrating process reminds the hero about soon end. He cares about his students, tries to teach them the best qualities, in order to provide them with a chance to improve their own lives and their attitude to this world. “Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live” (Albom, 104). In this case, the meaning of the word dying may be interpreted in different ways and compared to the ideas of other heroes under consideration: if you were not enslaved, you could not appreciate freedom; if you could not comprehend own desires, you could not explain them to the others; if you did not die, you could not enjoy this life and live. In general, these three characters have one feature in common – they want to be ready to take great steps in order to help other people to achieve success, and, at the same time, not to forget about personal self-improvement even being bound by unfair realities of this world. Works Cited Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson. Broadway, 2002. Bolt, Robert. A Man for All Seasons: A Play of Sir Thomas More. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 1996. Douglas, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

ESSAY: “Who is a hero?” Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Definition of a hero 2. How others define a hero 3. How I define a hero 4. How a hero relate to his/her society 5. Works Cited Definition of a hero A hero can be thought as a person who has probably performed a number of actions that are beyond the ability of an average person, these deeds are regarded as extraordinary or amazing. Heroes perform superhuman deeds, some of the most known heroes in the past include Alexander the Great who conquered a vast territory, and he almost single-handedly penetrated more than 14,000 miles through Greece to the Far East. The actions of Alexander the Great are a vivid demonstration of superhuman actions that earned him a heroic status. In a nutshell, a hero is a person who has performed actions that are by far beyond the abilities of any person in his or her time and maybe in the future. A hero is also defined by his or her community; one cannot earn a heroic status without the immediate society granting them the status. How others define a hero Many people have proposed different definitions of what a hero means, some agree on the uniqueness of a hero in terms of the abilities to perform deeds that are extraordinary, some argue that heroes train to become heroes through years while others tend to agree that heroes are simply borne heroes (Barnet, 37). The age and the perception of an individual influence these definitions, a child regards his or her parents as heroes as they learn their environment, and they see their mentors or teachers as their heroes. With time, as the mind develops so does the scope and the definition of a hero. In the ancient times, a hero in the Greek was regarded as a person with overwhelming courage to face the challenges that affected the community, some of the common challenges of the ancient times included enemy attacks, drought and religious conflicts. In the past heroes were worshiped as they were regarded as superhuman. In some other communities like the Hindus, their heroes were idols that were worshiped and highly regarded. How I define a hero To me, a hero is anybody who has played a vital role in ensuring that humanity develops towards prosperity or safeguards humanity from danger. Since life its future is the most essential factor in the human history, it is worth protecting the survival of humanity by all means. There are a number of ways which ensures that human suffering is mitigated or eliminated completely through the contribution of science and human heroes. To me, people who have played a vital role in either whistle blowing the impeding danger or positively contributing towards a solution of a major crisis like the disarmament of nuclear weapons and mitigation of climate changes risks are my heroes. The reason why I define my heroes with regard to the personality that will enhance longevity of mankind is fundamentally because of the undisputed value of life. Some of the people that I regard as heroes include; revolutionary scientist who brought dipper understanding to what we could have otherwise ignored are Albert Einstein and Rutherford. The behaviour of micro-particles has been studied with the aid of Einstein world-shattering imaginative speculations that were later to shape our fundamental understanding of basic physics. The imaginative minds of these scientists is what fascinates more, the idea of relativity and the revelation that time was actually not constant, the way we perceived makes these people heroes in my own definition of a hero. How a hero relate to his/her society Heroes are normally regarded as heroes within a given community, region or even globally. The fundamental concept here is that these heroes are literally defined by the immediate community based on the deeds of that particular person or people. The relation that exists between the society and these heroes is thus the regard and the perception of the society towards these people (James, 237). In most cases, heroes of a particular region or community can only be regarded as heroes of that community or region and not outside that region because of difference in perception in other regions. An example of how a hero relates to society is when Jack John was named the first black person to win the converted heavyweight tournament in 1908. The entire black society hailed Jack as their hero; this was not the case in the white community as bitterness prevailed. The whites then named their hero Willard to return the white supremacy of the championship from Johnson; he was named the white hope simply as a sign of dissatisfaction as a result of Johnson prevalence in the heavyweight competition. The above example succinctly shows the difference of hero perception in different communities; it is thus obvious that heroes are defined by the society that they are in. A hero in one region may not be a hero in another. On the contrary, there are heroes that are highly regarded all over the world, such heroes include Mother Teresa and Mahatma Ghandi, these heroes were highly regarded because of their admirable characters and actions that contributed more to the welfare of humanity, not only in their a regions but globally. The society that defines these people is thus throughout the world. Works Cited Barnet Sylvan, Burto William, and Cain William. A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument . New York, NY: Pearson/Longman, 2007. PP. 34-57. James Missy, and Alan Merickel. Reading Literature and Writing Argument . 4th edition. Michigan, MA: Prentice Hall, 2010.PP. 234-254.

ESSAY: Who is a Leader? Essay (Critical Writing) Most of Mankind’s operations have been characterized by instances of leadership from the ancient times to the modern age. Leadership and management are some of the most sort-after and highly regarded commodities, especially in the 21 st century. For most people, leadership is one way of improving their social, personal, and professional life (Northouse, 2009). Corporations and organisations have been on the hunt for not only good managers but also leaders who can bring meaningful change to their organisations. Researchers worldwide have made numerous attempts to fully understand the complex concept of leadership (Koestenbaum, 2002). They have employed both qualitative and quantitative methods in various contexts. Small groups, large organisations, as well as therapeutic groups have been commonly used for research purposes. Leadership, according to the researchers, has emerged to be a concept with varying conceptualisations. Some view it as a trait or behavior while others perceive it from an information-processing perspective (Northouse, 2009). The essay seeks to discuss the different leadership approaches and evaluate their situational suitability. Some of the strengths and criticisms for each approach will also be highlighted. Despite the different conceptualisations and definitions of leadership, there is a common component for most of them. Leadership is a process of an individual influencing others that enable groups of people toward the attainment of a given goal (Northouse, 2009). Northouse also proposes that leadership is a process that can be learned by anyone. He has identified several approaches to leadership that have been found to be instrumental in specific situations in life. Trait approach to leadership suggests that some people are born leaders. That they have inherent qualities which naturally qualifies them to lead and be great (Koestenbaum, 2002).Some of the personality traits that have been identified by the proponents of this approach include; self-confidence, intelligence, integrity, determination, and sociability. The five-factor personality model has also been associated with the trait approach to leadership. Extraversion ranks high in relation to leadership, followed by conscientiousness, openness, low neuroticism, and agreeableness (Northouse, 2009). Emotional intelligence has also been identified to play a central role in the trait approach to leadership. There are a number of merits associated with viewing leadership from the trait perspective. First it fits very well with the popular belief that leaders are special and great people. Secondly, research can be used to validate this perspective. The third advantage is that it helps in understanding the leader component in the process of leading (Koestenbaum, 2002). Furthermore, it offers guidelines for personal evaluation of attributes. However, some criticisms for this approach exist. The trait approach has not provided a definitive list of the traits. It also disregards the impact of situations in leaders. The approach has also been identified as purely subjective. Lastly, this approach cannot be used to train and develop leaders (George, 2003). Despite the criticisms facing this approach, it has significant practical implications. Organisations may use personality assessment techniques to determine who to employ. It also allows mangers to evaluate themselves in order to develop and improve their leadership potential (Koestenbaum, 2002). The second is the skills approach to leadership which, like the trait approach, has a leader-centered perspective (Northouse, 2009). It focuses not on innate personality traits but on an individual’s knowledge and observable skills and capabilities which can be learned and developed. It has three pillars of major skills; technical, human, and conceptual skills whose importance depends on situation and the position of management. The strengths of this approach include the emphasize it puts on the development of particular leadership skills, its availability to everyone since it depends on skills and can be learned, it has a broader conception of leadership befitting a complex concept of leadership, and lastly, its ability to reflect the experience taught in the curricula (Koestenbaum, 2002). Some criticisms directed towards this approach exist as well. The conceptions of skills approach seem to be far beyond the scope of leadership hence making it unspecific. This approach cannot be used in predicting and explaining variations. This leadership approach seems to appeal mostly to theorists and academicians but is yet to be embraced in most practical leadership situations apart from military personnel who were subjects in the research to this approach. Style approach is the third type of leadership which emphasises on the behaviuor of the leader (Northouse, 2009). It focuses on task as well as relationship behaviours. Task behaviours are geared to achieve objectives while relationship behaviours help in enhancing mutual comfort. Leaders combine the two to cultivate a healthy relationship with the followers without compromising goal achievement. This approach is advantageous in that the leader develops a strong relationship with the followers which make it easier to achieve set goals. It is not the leader-know-it-all type of approach. However, sometimes it may turn out to be problematic if the leader becomes so acquainted with the followers until he has minimal influence on them (Koestenbaum, 2002). Path-goal theory is another major approach to leadership which concerns itself with how leaders motivate their subordinates in order to facilitate the achievement of set goals (Northouse, 2009). The approach places emphasize on the leader’s style and the characteristics of the subordinates as well as the work setting. This approach is motivated by the expectancy theory. The path-goal theory has several advantages that can be used to enhance leadership. Firstly, it helps the leader to understand how his or her behaviours influence the performance of the subordinates in general. Secondly, the approach attempts to employ the principles of expectancy theory into understanding the concept of leadership. Moreover, this model is very practical. It provides a clear model for leaders to help clarify goals to subordinates and thus help them overcome obstacles. However, there are some of the negative features associated with path-goal theory. It is so complex and includes various aspects that make the theory difficult to interpret as far as leadership is concerned. Research findings do not confirm the claims made in this theory (Koestenbaum, 2002). Furthermore, the theory is leader-centered that it ignores the transactional nature of leadership, hence leaving out the subordinates and regarding them as subjects to be influenced. Another significant approach to leadership is the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory which emphasises on the interactions between leaders and their followers (Northouse, 2009). It is more concerned with the relationship between a leader and individual follower rather than viewing followers as a group. This style is appropriate in situations where individual out put is expected hence ensuring the attainment of organisational goals. The advantage of this theory is that it helps leaders overcome challenges especially when the goal to be attained is too high. The major disadvantage of this theory is that it does not specify the leader behaviours that promote the relationship with the subordinate. This implies that it is too general (Koestenbaum, 2002). Transformational leadership is one of the most prominent approaches to leadership that has ever been known over a long period of time (Northouse, 2009). It emphasises on the inspiration and impacting enthusiasm on the followers. It involves the exchange of information and feelings between the leaders and the followers. The transformational leader offers moral rewards once the goals are attained. This approach is useful in situations where followers need a lot of inspiration and motivation to be driven into action (George, 2003). Transformational leadership has some identifiable advantages. It is in accordance with the society’s popular understanding of leadership hence admired. Also, it involves both the leader and the follower hence tapping the full potential of the followers in driving the transformation process. Furthermore, a transformational leader moves followers from one level of moral responsibility to a higher one (Koestenbaum, 2002). Just like other approaches to leaderships, transformational leadership has its peculiar weaknesses. First, it does not have a clear conception. This is because the leader is involved in myriad activities. Second, the four factors of transformational leadership have been challenged as being highly correlated. It also treats leadership as a trait rather than a behaviour that can be learned. Some view this style as being elitist and antidemocratic and can be misused. The paper has discussed the major approaches to leadership which have been researched and found to have special characteristics that distinguishes one style from another. It has identified the applicability of each approach as well as the associated strengths and criticisms. We can conclude that a lot of research needs to be done in order to come up with a list of well researched approaches to leadership which will in turn help simplify the otherwise complex concept of leadership. References George, W. W. (2003). Authentic leadership: rediscovering the secrets of leadership. Koestenbaum, P. (2002). Understanding leadership: an introduction. Jossey-Bass Northouse, P. G. (2009). Leadership: Theory and Practice (5 th ed.). SAGE Plc.

ESSAY: Why I am studying engineering Essay Engineering is an area of study that has transformed the lives of humans in this world since nearly all things that make life worth living, from leisure activities to medical treatment, require aspects of this field of study. Because it adds value by means of realization of the technological progress, it has a major impact in the day-to-day lives of the majority of us. In a limited period, it has transformed the way we have been looking at things in the past and it is inevitably going to shape our future for years to come as the world continues to advance in knowledge and science. Engineers belong to one of the respected professions in the world today and I want to part of this awesome team. Engineering has been my passion since the days I was a child. When I was on holiday, I used to pay a visit to my uncle, who is an electrical engineer. He could teach me advances in technology and I was usually enthusiastic to hear more from him. My parents introduced me to computers at the tender age of five. From then, my love for electronics has been blossoming year after year. My choice to enroll in this engineering class is not a shock to those who know me, as some of them have mockingly referred to me as “the engineer.” Studying engineering will also give me the flexibility and choice I need as I pursue my education. This field of study offers several choices that are all exciting and are in high demand in the job market; therefore, this is a great choice that I have made since it will open up many paths for the future. In addition, since engineering trends have greatly benefited the society, I want to part of these team who strive to make life comfortable for everybody. Enrolling in this class has several advantages to me. First, I will benefit from intellectual growth. Since studying this course will compel me to work on several transferable skills, it will enable me to grow and improve my ways of thinking. Moreover, I will learn different topics apart from engineering per se; therefore, having more useful skills will further develop my problem-solving and critical reasoning as a person. Second, every person likes a good challenge, to some degree, as life would lack meaning if there were no challenges to be tackled. Engineering is a challenge since I will encounter fascinating problems that need my creativity and logical reasoning in solving. In the real world, challenges do not have the correct answer, thus the engineering challenge will adequately equip me for this. Although I intend to learn more about engineering in this class, I know some things about the subject. Engineering, as the technical improvement of products by finding the solution to complicated technological problems, entails the knowledge of mathematical and natural sciences gained by study, experience and study, and this knowledge is what is being applied with judgment and creativity in the technical improvement of products. I also know that engineers work through the application of the concept of modularity, that is, splitting a big problem into a set of smaller problems, for developing engineering designs so as to minimize the chances of not achieving anything.

ESSAY: Why Indeed Did the WTC Buildings Completely Collapse? Research Paper In his report Dr Jones (1), raises concern over the controlled demolition hypothesis indicating the existence of scientific evidence, which have not been analysed by the government to date. His claim regards the presence of molten metal observed at the basement of the rubble of the collapsed towers. This is enough evidence over the amount of energy present at the site as well as the composition components of the metal considering its colour. (Jones, 1) He also considers the collapse of the third twin tower that collapsed without the effect of a plane crush. (Jones, 2) The WTC 7 collapsed symmetrically down to its footprints completely. According to the video footage linked by Jones (4), the speed of the collapse of the southwest corner of this building shows a steady straight freefall. The smoke and dust was also observed to emerge in a sequential fast timing (Jones, 5) The molten steel was evident at the site six months after the collapse and the colour of the steel was different. This is an indication of presence of low heat conduction metal, which can remain molten hot for a long period under large heat capacity. Although scientific research is required to determine the type the scientist, link their observation of the molten metal to iron over steel or aluminium. According to Jones (5), scientific tests have inclined the hotness to a probability of presence of other chemicals such as “thermite” which has a high reaction of initial temperatures and continues to react in a prolonged manner. Scientifically, thermite reaction results are molten iron and aluminium oxide. It generates the molten iron immediately and has the ability to melt and evaporate steel. The presence of sulphur cartelizes the reaction. (Jones, 7) The footage also indicates the presence of molten metal falling from the second tower probably from the chemical reactions of “Thermite”. The collapse WTC 7 probably occurred because of the reactions, which produced the yellow molten liquid metal, which was also the source of hydrocarbon fires and thick smoke evidenced at the site. (Jones, 12) Works Cited Jones, Steve. E. “Why Indeed Did the WTC Buildings Completely Collapse?”

ESSAY: Why the Government Should Review and Add Laws Governing Diet Pills Introduction Argumentative Essay Diet control, is one of the primary problem facing the world citizenry; more so women. This is because; majority of individuals always want to maintain body shapes or physiques they consider perfect. Hence due to this reason, majority of individuals will always use any means at their disposal to ensure they attain their ultimate weights, with little consideration of the nature of side effects, which may result due to adoption of some weight reduction strategies. The primary methods used by majority of individuals in their endeavors to reduce weight include reducing eating portions, use of dietary pills, and in extreme cases some individual may opt to starve themselves, with little contemplation of what such a practice may result in. The fact is even worse with the enticing adverts in most diet control pills, due to the fact that, most individuals consider them more effective and fast in achieving end results. Although such is the case, it is important to note that, majority of diet control pills have adverse effects on individual health, if such individuals never take precaution in their usage. This is because; due to the impatient nature of most individuals, most assume that, by consuming excess of them, they will achieve faster and better results. Therefore, this makes it necessary for governments to increase regulations on the sale and use of such dietary medicines primarily because; in most uncontrolled scenarios, likelihoods of misuse and abuse are high. Such regulations should target the sellers and buyers, and it is very important for governments to implement specific measures to ensure, users and sellers adhere strictly to the set laws and regulations. Why Increase Regulations on Diet Pills As Watson (p.1) argues, majority of diet control pills have “extraordinary” promises, as concerns loosing weight, something, which most individual take without investigating the truth behind such advertisements. Such investigations are crucial before buying any dietary pills primarily because; historically medical researchers have associated most of them with many health complications, more so heart ailments. In addition, although content-wise, majority of manufactures assure consumers that their products do not contain even trace amounts of products considered harmful for human consumption; caffeine and ephedra, in most cases, such assurances are mere lies meant to act as baits on consumers. This therefore makes it important, for governments to increase regulations as concerns there sale and use as an important remedy of avoiding instances of overuse and misuse by majority of individuals. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) governs the sale and use of some diet medication for example, Xenical and Meridia, majority of other drugs that are easily obtainable from chemists have no regulatory mechanisms. The fact is even worse, when it comes to the sale and use of herbal medications aimed at achieving the same end results. In addition to heart problems for example, stroke, majority of these drugs can lead to other health complications, which include electrolyte disorders, bloating, dehydration, and in extreme overuse cases, death. This is because; majority of these drugs disturb many bodily functions for example, the water retention process, which in turn affects the mineral balance system (Dahl p. 1 and Ziporyn, Eisenstat, and Carlson p. 334). On the other hand, some medication considered effective in weight loss contain a cancer associated causative agent namely epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Although many medical researchers associate this substance with activation and boosting of the body’s metabolic processes, it is important to note that, likelihoods of cancer occurrence are high in case consumers of these medication abuse drugs they are using, as a remedy to their weigh problems (Barnes, p.1). Another main reason why there should be increased regulation of these drugs is that, just like any other stimulating drug, these pills are very addictive; hence, majority of users will develop an over-using habit that is uncontrollable. Enactment of control laws will ensure there is greater control of their use more so to individual who suffer from many eating disorders for example, anorexia. Although primarily obesity results from excessive accumulation of fats in body tissues, it is important to note that, such fats are important when it comes to other metabolic process. This does not mean that, individuals should not control their body weights, but rather it means there is need for one to control the rate of using such pills. This is because in extreme abuse cases, the pills may hinder the fat absorption process and may cause many other digestive problems. This case is very prominent with individuals who use laxatives as a remedy to their weight problems whereby, majority of them do not know that, most laxatives do not treat what they claim to. For example, medical researches have proved that the most preferred weight control drug Ipecac has little significance, when it comes to weigh loss. The same is the case in other laxatives for example, Correctol and Ex-lax. Therefore, to ensure there is maximum protection of consumers of these drugs, in terms of control of their sale, it is important for the government to improve laws, which manage the distribution of such drugs (Eating Disorders Shared Awareness p.1). Conclusion In conclusion, considering the nature of many dangers associated with many dietary drugs; due to the fact that most of them have substances prohibited by FDA, it is important for the federal government to enact more laws on the sale of such drugs. On the other hand, because majority of individuals have a notion that, overdose will give them better results; and due to the addictive nature of most of the medication, there is need for review of laws, which will act as regulatory measures to tame their misuse. Works Cited Barnes, Karen. Disadvantages of weight loss supplements, 2007. Web. Dahl, Melissa. Diet pill’s icky side effects, keep users honest: threat of embarrassment Forces all users to eat healthy-or else. MSNBC. 2010. Web. Eating Disorders Shared Awareness. Dangerous methods of weight control . EDSA, 2009. Web. Watson, Stephanie. How diet pills work . HSW. 2010. Web. Ziporyn, Terra, Eisenstat, Stephanie, and Carlson, Karen. The new Harvard guide to Women’s health . Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2004. Web.

ESSAY: Why We Fight: Military Industrial Complex and Its Impact on the American Life Essay Why We Fight is the documentary movie by Eugene Jarecki that presents rather captivating and educative information about military-industrial complex, its advantages and disadvantages, about wars and their impacts on people, about pain and grief that people cannot overcome even with time. The major question the director wants to answer is why America still fights; and actually, his answer deserves much respect and recognition. This is why it is not surprisingly that, in 2005, this documentary won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. It is very hard to define whether military-industrial complex is a kind of a threat or a benefit for the Americans, as many historians have their own points of view concerning the American history; one of the possible ways to answer this question properly is to examine the historical event such as the Watergate scandal and Woodward and Bernstein’s participation in it, and clear up how the Government may affect people’s future and whether they do care about the safety of their people. Military-industrial complex is really vast and has unbelievable influence on our military and our policies, so that can easily determine who all Americans actually are. To my mind, this movie does not give a clear answer whether military-industrial may be considered as a dangerous threat for the Americans, even if it is based on some economical or political issues. Even more, some historians and politicians admit that this military-industrial complex provides certain maintenance and rising of the American spirit to develop, to win, and to conquer this world. Unfortunately, people, who do not lose relatives during wars or terroristic attacks cannot really comprehend how terrible and painful the outcomes really are. Of course, these people may support, condole, and even cry, but still, the real pain may be evaluated by those, who lose and suffer. The Watergate scandal and the participation of Woodward and Bernstein may serve as a good example of how a good work of journalists may change the minds of millions of people and open their eyes on the reality, people live in. These two great reporters, Carl Bernstein and Robert Woodward, were the firsts, who were able to crack the scandal and present enough information about Nixon’s resignation. They did care about people, they did want to clear up what was the reason of such duties’ neglecting, and they did help people to see how dangerous the political affairs could be. Political affairs and intrigues may create so many difficulties for ordinary people. Some misunderstandings between the representatives of different countries may lead to numerous deaths and loses. People have nothing to do but fight and protect own land because of some mistakes, made by the Government. It is necessary to admit that military-industrial complex has certain influence on the American life: sometimes, it may encourage taking really significant steps, sometimes, it may put under a threat democracy we live in and even our lives. So, why do people fight? For freedom? Eugene Jarecki hints us that it is not true. We fight because of certain business issues, which are so important for our Government. The development of the arms industry, the military-industrial complex, wars, and innocent deaths – all this will help America to develop, but whether it will be worthwhile? To get the best solution, each person should ask this question to him/herself and answer sincerely.