Phase 4 Individual Project 4 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Phase 4 Individual Project 4 - Coursework Example The first step would be to develop or at least design various initiatives that might help the local community. This way the company will show the acknowledgment of its role in the setting where it operates and will act accordingly (Mullerat, 2005). Furthermore, it will make connections with other companies in the local scene and this way becomes an integral part of the setting. The next step should focus on the environmental problems that the community experiences. There are several reasons for that. First of all, it is rather difficult to find a community that does not have environmental problems; that is why it often becomes one of the major concerns on the local level. Secondly, by paying its attention to the environmental problems of a community, a company will show its commitment to stay in it for quite a long period of time. The next step that a company should perform to improve its image is to become a role model for other, smaller companies. By doing so, the former will show that it is willing to cooperate and become a valuable contribution to the local scene. Of course, this step requires existence of successful programs that will inspire others. This might be regarded as a motivation for successful completion of the projects. Indeed, it is rather difficult to improve ones image without playing an active role as a leader. The last step should focus on explaining that the environment interest of the local community prevails over corporate interests of the company. This is a sure way to show commitment to sustainable development which is highly praised by the contemporary companies (Pearce & Barbier, 1990). This will be a statement which says that a company does not employ the old ideology of maximizing the return on investment at any cost, but acknowledges its potential impact on the local level, including the environment. Having examined all the points which were mentioned in

English Castle Essay Example for Free

English Castle Essay Castles are fortifications made to protect resources and lives as well. It is also the main structure of defense. Walls made of large well-defined heavy stones that are stacked to perfection. The castle has a stable, storehouse, bakeries, kitchens, cottages and quarters for soldiers. Usually a city a situated in a castle where a city is surrounded by walls and the only entrance is a single huge gate. This gate is where the merchants and entrepreneurs trade goods for the city market. It was the Norman conquerors who made the castle building an art. They built castles primarily as a defense outpost. They situate a castle in a high ground wherein it will be surrounded by water or a deep ditch. It was supposed to be high because it will delay intruders from attacking also it will be very susceptible for archers to snipe down intruders. Castle acts as keeps or strongholds that no one can penetrate. A castle is governed by a king, the highest rule. In the English setting, castles were built in Medieval era, wherein castles were made out of stone. This is a linear representation of what has transpired back then. In the Stone age, Causewayed Camps and Stonehenge was discovered. The Bronze age produced the Hillforts of England and the Maiden Castle, which is considered to be the biggest castle. In the Iron Age and the Romans Hillforts of England was reinforced since the English were under siege. The English people put up Hadrian’s Wall and the Roman Forts as a line of defense. After the Romans have fallen, the English people were restless with war and were attacked by Scotts, the Welch and the Anglo-Saxons. These invaders were also accompanied by the sudden attacks of the Vikings. By that time Alfred the great thought of defense mechanism to make England less susceptible for attacks. Alfred the great made the not a formation of walls instead made a strategic positioning of fortified towns that was called â€Å"Burhs†. Logically, if there are many fortified towns reinforcing each other then there will less attacks made because the chances of survival will be small. This happened in the reign of the Anglo-Saxon which is also known as the Dark Ages. But the root of all the prestigious castles made were from the Medieval Period spearheaded by the Norman Invasion in which they introduced the Motte and Bailey castle which is made from stone and wood. At this time, the Medieval Kings have devised a plan to erect Windsor and Warwick Castle. Then King Edward I conquered the Wales. He established the massive fortifications called Concentric Castles. Examples of these Concentric Castles are the Cowny, Harlech and the Caernarvon Castle. Concentric Castles were also called Edwardian Castles. They have no basic points of concentration. Their defense is the wall rings built around them and the entrance is a single gate that serves as bridge and also served as the gate. They lower the gates in the morning and closes at night. Castles in general are mainly for protection and also for economic purposes. There are estimated to be seventy-two English Castles and here are some of them: Alnwick, Lindisfarne, Warwick, Carisbrooke, Pevensey, Tintagel, Stafford, Pendennis, Lancaster, Herstmonceux, Saint Mawes, Grimsthorpe, Calshot, Rochester, Ludlow, Kenilworth, Richmond, Carlisle, Yarmouth, Bodiam and Scotney Castle. Among those numbers of Castle, a few stand-out such as Pontefract, Bodiam, Caister, Allington, Hever, Tower of London, Windsor, Warwick and Leeds Castle. Pontefract Castle was King Charles last fortress in the Civil War. Bodiam Castle was erected by a soldier in the time of King Edward III named Sir John Dalyngrudge. He believed that fortifying the castle would make it hard for intruders to penetrate. Caister Castle was built by Sir John Fastolfe, who fought in the French Wars. In the Allington Castle, Sir Thomas Wyatt was born. This castle was his sanctuary for writing the prose and verse of his poems. Hever Castle has a beautiful garden always been associated with Queen Anne Boleyn which is the concubine of King Henry VIII. The Tower of London is considered to be the royal residence of the King. It also means that it was the center of power. Tower of London is not a single tower but it consists of other different tower as defense structures. It thwarted the attacks of the Vikings. Beheading and tortures are also done here to show disillusion the people from the strength the government has and also to promote fear to their enemies. Windsor Castle is longest standing castle with its nine hundred years of its glorious existence. The Windsor Castle is comprised of three wards namely: Saint George’s Chapel as the lower ward, royal apartments and grad state rooms as the upper ward and middle ward is an amphitheater. The Warwick Castle follows a Motte and Bailey style that is made of wood but since the William the conqueror was in-charge the he changed the wooden part of the castle into stone by exploiting the Anglo-Saxon labor force. Lastly, the Leeds Castle, which lies on the River of Len and is strategically engineered between to adjacent islands. The name Leeds came from King Ethelbert IV called Ledian. Whatever the advantages of Motte and Bailey and Concetric designs, for being cheap and crude or tough and expensive, it sure made the history of England very meaningful. Acquisitions of land here and there entailed that there was a decentralized rule of power and due to it colonizers took advantage of it and waged war. The Norman conquerors should be proud on what they have achieved. Today, castles are just remnants of what has transpired back then. All of which is written in history, engraved in our memory. The hardships and sufferings of those who are tortured are screaming in the air where the castle stood. Ghosts of the dead haunt these sacred places, a place rich with tradition and full of honor and dignity. Castles are not just fortifications for protection but a shelter for the weak and oppressed, a symbol of bravery and diplomacy and above all a symbol of life in its borrowed existence. The English Castles are rich with memories of the executed and the times of triumph. For what of it remains is what is ours to preserve. Its existence can never be replaced, its value, its worth, and its beauty. Lastly, castles are not built by stone, wood or clay, it is made of the people’s blood, sweat and tears. People visit English castles because of awe and amazement that it brings to them. Its structure reminds them of how people have lived and it also depicts the events that have transpired back then. Since wars are the predominantly remembered association with castles, rumors and stories about the existence of ghosts emerged. The existence of ghosts is attributed to the executions done inside a castle and also to the prisoners kept in the dungeon. Though there is no material evidence to show that there are ghosts within these castles, people still insists its existence. The intricate designs and ornamentation around the castle adds up to the mysticism it brings to the visitors. The main attraction in visiting castles is the place where the throne is situated since in represents royalty and dominance over a large scale of people. But there is also an equal attracting part of the castle in contrast to the throne is the dungeon or lair. This is where prisoners of war are kept. In this place, it is believed that prisoners are being tortured to death to extract information from their army. Since, loyalty is valued, these prisoners are executed and their screams fill the air like a resonating sound of a ghost. Death is considered to be the ending of their torment. In sum, castles are visited based on their history and to what historical events have happened there. Castles best explain how the pre-existing people have lived their lives and also it show how technology have transcended to what it is right now. The scientific engineering and planning of creating a good castle is logically thought of. Every detail of a castle has a rational purpose. It was distinctively modified upon the needs of the people living in it. Lastly, the long-lasting castles are the evidences of the great historical events for the English people.

Lord Of The Flies- Literary Analysis :: essays research papers

The Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Creation Myth- Cosmogenesis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After investigating many creation myths, I have narrowed it down to two myths which I believe relate closest to the creation myth of Lord of the Flies by William Golding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first myth I explored was an Alaskan creation myth. This myth states that in early times there was only darkness and no light at all. Lord of the Flies begins with a similar situation. There is light literally, of course, but otherwise there is no light because no one knows what is going on or where they are or why they are there. The first characters we meet are in the dark about many things. This is how many civilizations start out. As the Alaskan myth goes on it says that one day a girl goes out, swallows a feather and becomes pregnant. She then gives birth to a baby with a ravens bill. She can not find a toy for the baby to play with so she allows it to play with a toy from her fathers house that he strictly prohibits. The toy is then broken and it sheds light on all of Alaska creating light forever. The next day the baby disappeared. This reminds me of how Piggy is the intelligent one who always insists that there should be a fire burning in order for the m to be rescued. No one listens to him much just as the lady in the Alaskan myth does not listen to her father. Piggy then gets killed and not long after that, the rest of the boys are rescued because of Piggy’s intelligence about the fire. Piggy was then gone just as the baby shed light on Alaska and then disappeared. I found this myth similar to the story in those ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another creation myth that helped me relate to The Lord of the Flies was the Japanese creation myth of Izangi. This myth says that Izangi and his wife were given the task of creating a world. I really believe that the boys in Lord of the Flies were placed on the island with the task of creating a world together. Whether it would work was the question. Izangi’s wife then died giving birth. Izangi went to the underworld to retrieve her but she refused and they then parted forever. When Izangi came back he washed his left and right eyes creating the sun and moon goddesses. Lord Of The Flies- Literary Analysis :: essays research papers The Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Creation Myth- Cosmogenesis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After investigating many creation myths, I have narrowed it down to two myths which I believe relate closest to the creation myth of Lord of the Flies by William Golding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first myth I explored was an Alaskan creation myth. This myth states that in early times there was only darkness and no light at all. Lord of the Flies begins with a similar situation. There is light literally, of course, but otherwise there is no light because no one knows what is going on or where they are or why they are there. The first characters we meet are in the dark about many things. This is how many civilizations start out. As the Alaskan myth goes on it says that one day a girl goes out, swallows a feather and becomes pregnant. She then gives birth to a baby with a ravens bill. She can not find a toy for the baby to play with so she allows it to play with a toy from her fathers house that he strictly prohibits. The toy is then broken and it sheds light on all of Alaska creating light forever. The next day the baby disappeared. This reminds me of how Piggy is the intelligent one who always insists that there should be a fire burning in order for the m to be rescued. No one listens to him much just as the lady in the Alaskan myth does not listen to her father. Piggy then gets killed and not long after that, the rest of the boys are rescued because of Piggy’s intelligence about the fire. Piggy was then gone just as the baby shed light on Alaska and then disappeared. I found this myth similar to the story in those ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another creation myth that helped me relate to The Lord of the Flies was the Japanese creation myth of Izangi. This myth says that Izangi and his wife were given the task of creating a world. I really believe that the boys in Lord of the Flies were placed on the island with the task of creating a world together. Whether it would work was the question. Izangi’s wife then died giving birth. Izangi went to the underworld to retrieve her but she refused and they then parted forever. When Izangi came back he washed his left and right eyes creating the sun and moon goddesses.

Lawmakers who Skipped Trip to Manhattan Insulted Constituents :: Letter to the Editor Essays

Lawmakers who Skipped Trip to Manhattan Insulted Constituents The visit to K-State by the Kansas Legislature last Thursday quite uplifting in a way, knowing that even though legislators face perhaps the toughest year of their careers, they still take time to get out of the chambers and listen to the people of Kansas. And then I read the article in Friday’s paper. Hopefully our elected officials have read the article I am referring to, and may they also take notice of this response. For readers who are unfamiliar with the story, although many of the leaders actually traveled to Manhattan to hear presentations about proposed research facilities, approximately 60 legislators chose not to attend. Some of them skipped simply out of protest, claiming the trip catered to lobbyists. To those few who made such a misguided choice, listen up. We’re going to review some basic concepts of government you may have forgotten. Your paycheck comes from the State of Kansas, which receives funds from Kansas taxpayers, who put you into office. Essentially, Kansans who pay taxes, myself included, are collectively your bosses. I’d love to be able to stand in front of the person who hired me and declare that I will not do my job today. Unfortunately, there is a high probability that I would not have a job the following morning. To those legislators who chose simply out of spite not to join your fellow leaders in the trip to K-State, you sent the wrong message to your approximately 22,000 constituents, telling them that you refuse to live up to the obligations placed upon you when you took office. It should be noted that some legislators had legitimate reasons for skipping the trip. But for those who did not have prior commitments or pressing matters, the blunt refusal of a request to be heard by the people of Kansas is utterly unacceptable. Public leaders should not be allowed to â€Å"protest† Kansans, even if they do consider it a â€Å"snow day.† Was the presentation in Manhattan a lobbying pitch? Perhaps, but what does it matter? Lobbyists or not, they’re still Kansas taxpayers who contribute toward your salaries, and you have an obligation to listen to them. The mindset, â€Å"we make them take off work and come see us,† is not how government should work. To our legislators who like to hide behind their desks rather than face their bosses, allow me to make a suggestion: The next time you receive an offer to visit with the public about public issues, take it.

MacBeth versions comparison essay Essay

There are many differences between interpretations of William Shakespeare’s MacBeth. This essay wall contrast Shakespeare’s original version and a movie version by Roman Polanski produced in 1970. Three major differences will be discussed. One difference between Shakespeare’s and Polanski’s version is the absence of the scene in England in Polanski’s version. In the Original MacBeth, MacDuff goes to England to convince Malcolm to return and fight MacBeth. The scene of the longest of the play; it is very drawn out and lengthy. Polanski simply eliminates this scene and shows Malcolm back in Scotland. The reason I feel that Polanski did this is that the scene detracts from the continuity and action of the play. The play is equally effective without the scene, and more streamlined. Another difference between the original and Polanski’s version is the scene where MacBeth kills the king, Duncan. In the original, Shakespeare was not allowed to show the death of a divine right ruler, so he showed MacBeth coming out of the king’s bedchamber after he had committed the murder. For Polanski’s version, however, he had no such limitation, and could show anything that he chose, so he showed the actual murder of Duncan, where Duncan wakes up, and MacBeth cuts his throat after stabbing him. The reason that Polanski inserted this scene was to show how cold-blooded MacBeth was, and that he would do anything to achieve his goal of becoming king. A third difference is the use of the letter that MacBeth writes to his wife describing how he has become Thane of Cawdor and the witches’ three predictions. In the original, the letter was read by Lady MacBeth, and then not mentioned again. In Polanski’s version, Lady MacBeth takes out the letter after everything with her and her husband’s plan has gone wrong, reads it, and then kills herself. The reason that Polanski did this is that the letter is a useful device to cause Lady MacBeth to kill herself. She reads the letter, and it’s all this happy news, but she and MacBeth are miserable, and all the good things in the letter have gone awry. There are scenes also in Polanski’s version which are not even included in the original. One of these such scenes would be the scene where the traitors from the war are being executed. They are brutally hung with cast iron brackets on their neck. This scene is very successful in showing the brutal treatment of traitors, the treatment that MacBeth would get if he was caught in his plan. The original did not do such a good job on this. Another of these such scenes would be the dreams that MacBeth has about Fleance killing him and Banquo helping him. Due to the extreme lack of technology in Shakespeare’s time, this was not possible. The dreams sequence serves to show how haunted MacBeth’s dreams are, and how worried he is about losing the throne to Fleance because of the witches’ predictions. There are many differences between these two version of MacBeth, and each of them, I believe, serves it’s own purpose to enhance and better the play.

Glossary of Holocaust Terms to Know

Glossary of Holocaust Terms to Know A tragic and important part of world history, it is important to understand what the  Holocaust  entailed, how it came to be and who were the major actors. When studying the Holocaust, one can come across numerous terms in many different languages as the Holocaust affected people from all sorts of backgrounds, be it German, Jewish, Roma and so on. This glossary lists slogans, code names, names of important people, dates, slang words and more to help you understand these terms in alphabetical order. A Words Aktion is a term used for any non-military campaign to further Nazi ideals of race, but most often referred to the assembly and deportation of Jews to concentration or death camps. Aktion Reinhard was the code name for the annihilation of European Jewry. It was named after Reinhard Heydrich. Aktion T-4 was the code name for the Nazis Euthanasia Program. The name was taken from the Reich Chancellery buildings address, Tiergarten Strasse 4. Aliya means  immigration in Hebrew. It refers to the Jewish immigration into Palestine and, later, Israel through official channels. Aliya Bet means  illegal immigration in Hebrew. This was the Jewish immigration into Palestine and Israel without official immigration certificates nor with British approval. During the Third Reich, Zionist movements set up organizations to plan and implement these flights from Europe, such as  Exodus 1947. Anschluss means  linkage in German. In the context of World War II, the word refers to the German annexation of Austria on March 13, 1938. Anti-semitism is a prejudice against Jews. Appell means  roll call in German. Within the camps, inmates were forced to stand at attention for hours at least twice a day while they were counted. This was always carried out no matter what the weather and often lasted for hours. It was also often accompanied by beatings and punishments. Appellplatz translates to  place for roll call in German. It was the location within the camps where the Appell was carried out. Arbeit Macht Frei is a phrase in German that means  work makes one free. A sign with this phrase on it was placed by Rudolf Hà ¶ss over the gates of Auschwitz. Asocial was one of the several categories of people targeted by the Nazi regime. People in this category included homosexuals, prostitutes, Gypsies (Roma)  and thieves. Auschwitz  was the largest and most infamous of the Nazis concentration camps. Located near Oswiecim, Poland, Auschwitz was divided into 3 main camps, at which an estimated 1.1 million people were murdered. B Words Babi Yar  is the event in which  the Germans killed all the Jews in Kiev on September 29 and 30, 1941. This was done in retaliation for the bombing of German administration buildings in occupied Kiev between September 24 and 28, 1941. During these tragic days, Kiev Jews, Gypsies (Roma) and Soviet prisoners of war were taken to the Babi Yar ravine and shot. An estimated 100,000 people were killed at this location. Blut und Boden is a German phrase that translates to  blood and soil. This was a phrase used by Hitler to mean that all people of German blood have the right and duty to live on German soil. Bormann, Martin  (June 17, 1900 - ?) was Adolf Hitlers personal secretary. Since he controlled access to Hitler, he was considered one of the most powerful men in the Third Reich. He liked to work behind the scenes and to stay out of the public spotlight, earning him the nicknames the Brown Eminence and the man in the shadows. Hitler viewed him as an absolute devotee, but Bormann had high ambitions and kept his rivals from having access to Hitler. While he was in the bunker during Hitlers last days, he left the bunker on May 1, 1945. His future fate has become one of the unsolved mysteries of this century. Hermann Gà ¶ring was his sworn enemy. Bunker is a  slang word for Jews hiding places within the ghettos. C Words Comite de Defense des Juifs is French for  Jewish Defense Committee. It was an underground movement in Belgium established in 1942. D Words Death March refers to the long, forced marches of concentration camp prisoners from one camp to another closer to Germany as the Red Army approached from the east in the last few months of World War II. Dolchstoss means  a stab in the back in German. A popular myth at the time claimed that the German military had not been defeated in World War I, but that the Germans had been stabbed in the back by Jews, socialists, and liberals who forced them to surrender. E Words Endlà ¶sung means Final Solution in German. This was the name of the Nazis program to kill every Jew in Europe. Ermchtigungsgesetz means  The Enabling Law in German. The Enabling Law was passed March 24, 1933, and allowed Hitler and his government to create new laws that did not have to agree with the German constitution. In essence, this law gave Hitler dictatorial powers. Eugenics is the social Darwinist principle of strengthening the qualities of a race by controlling inherited characteristics. The term was coined by Francis Galton in 1883. Eugenics experiments were done during the Nazi regime on people who were deemed life unworthy of life. Euthanasia Program was a Nazi-created program in 193 that was to secretly but systematically kill mentally and physically disabled people, including Germans, who were housed in institutions. The code name for this program was Aktion T-4. It is estimated that over 200,000 people were killed in the Nazi Euthanasia Program. G Words Genocide is the deliberate and systematic killing an entire people. Gentile is a  term referring to someone who is not Jewish. Gleichschaltung means  coordination in German and refers to the act of reorganizing all social, political and cultural organizations to be controlled and run according to Nazi ideology and policy. H Words Haavara was the transfer agreement between Jewish leaders from Palestine and the Nazis. Hftlingspersonalbogen refers to prisoner registration forms at the camps. Hess, Rudolf  (April 26, 1894 - August 17, 1987) was deputy to the Fà ¼hrer and successor-designate after Hermann Gà ¶ring. He played an important role in using geopolitics to gain land. He was also involved in the Anschluss of Austria and the administration of the Sudetenland. A devoted worshipper of Hitler, Hess flew to Scotland on May 10, 1940 (without the Fà ¼hrers approval) to a plea for Hitlers favor in an effort to make a peace agreement with Britain. Britain and Germany denounced him as crazy and sentenced to life imprisonment. The sole prisoner at Spandau after 1966, he was found in his cell, hung with an electric cord at age 93 in 1987. Himmler, Heinrich  (October 7, 1900 - May 21, 1945) was head of the SS, the Gestapo, and the German police. Under his direction, the SS grew into a massive so-called racially pure Nazi elite. He was in charge of the concentration camps and believed that the liquidation of the unhealthy and bad genes from society would help better and purify the Aryan race. In April 1945, he tried to negotiate a peace with the Allies, bypassing Hitler. For this, Hitler expelled him from the Nazi Party and from all offices he held. On May 21, 1945, he attempted to escape but was stopped and held by the British. After his identity was discovered, he swallowed a hidden cyanide pill that was noticed by an examining doctor. He died 12 minutes later. J Words Jude means  Jew in German, and this word often appeared on the Yellow Stars that Jews were forced to wear. Judenfrei means  free of Jews in German. It was a popular phrase under the Nazi regime. Judengelb means  Jewish yellow in German. It was a term for the yellow Star of David badge that Jews were ordered to wear. Judenrat, or  Judenrte in plural, means Jewish council in German. This term referred to a group of Jews who enacted the German laws in the ghettos. Juden raus! means  Jews out! in German. A dreaded phrase, it was shouted by the Nazis throughout the ghettos when they were trying to force Jews from their hiding places. Die Juden sind unser Unglà ¼ck! translates to  The Jews Are Our Misfortune in German. This phrase was often found in the Nazi-propaganda newspaper,  Der Stuermer. Judenrein means  cleansed of Jews in German. K Words Kapo  is a  position of leadership for a prisoner in one of the Nazi concentration camps, which entailed collaborating with the Nazis to help run the camp. Kommando were labor squads made up of camp prisoners. Kristallnacht, or  Night of Broken Glass, occurred on November 9 and 10, 1938. The Nazis initiated a pogrom against Jews in retaliation for the assassination of Ernst vom Rath. L Words Lagersystem was the system of camps that supported the death camps. Lebensraum means  living space in German. The Nazis believed that there should be areas attributed to only one race and that the Aryans needed more living space. This became one of the Nazis chief objectives and shaped their foreign policy; the Nazis believed they could gain more space by conquering and colonizing the East. Lebensunwertes Lebens means  life unworthy of life in German. This term derived from the work The Permission to Destroy Life Unworthy of Life (Die Freigabe der Vernichtung lebensunwerten Lebens) by Karl Binding and Alfred Hoche, published in 1920. This work was referring to the mentally and physically handicapped and regarded the killing of these segments of society as a healing treatment. This term and this work became a base for the right of the state to kill unwanted segments of the population. Lodz Ghetto  was  a ghetto established in Lodz, Poland   on February 8,  1940. The 230,000 Jews of Lodz were ordered into the ghetto. On May 1, 1940, the ghetto was sealed. Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, who had been appointed the Elder of the Jews, attempted to save the ghetto by making it a cheap and valuable industrial center to the Nazis. Deportations began in January 1942 and the ghetto was liquidated by August 1944. M Words Machtergreifung means  seizure of power in German. The term was used when referring to the Nazis seizure of power in 1933. Mein Kampf  is the two-volume book written by Adolf Hitler. The first volume was  written during his time in Landsberg Prison and published in July 1925. The book became a staple of Nazi culture during the Third Reich. Mengele, Josef  (March 16, 1911 - February 7, 1979?) was a Nazi doctor at Auschwitz who was notorious for his medical experiments on twins and dwarves. Muselmann  was a  slang term used in the Nazi concentration camps for a prisoner who had lost the will to live and was thus just one step from being dead. O Words Operation Barbarossa was the code name for the surprise German attack on the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, which broke the Soviet-Nazi Non-Aggression Pact and plunged the Soviet Union into World War II. Operation Harvest Festival was the code name for the liquidation and mass killings of the remaining Jews in the Lublin area that occurred on November 3, 1943. An estimated 42,000 people were shot while loud music was played to drown out the shootings. It was the last Aktion of Aktion Reinhard. Ordnungsdienst means  order service in German and refers to the ghetto police, which was made up of Jewish ghetto residents. To organize was camp slang for prisoners acquiring materials illicitly from the Nazis. Ostara was a  series of anti-Semitic pamphlets published by Lanz von Liebenfels between 1907 and 1910. Hitler bought these regularly and in 1909, Hitler sought out Lanz and asked for back copies. Oswiecim, Poland was the town where the Nazi death camp Auschwitz was built. P Words Porajmos  means  the Devouring in Romani. It was a term used by the Roma (Gypsies) for the Holocaust. Roma was among the victims of the Holocaust. S Words Sonderbehandlung, or  SB for short, means special treatment in German. It was a code word used for the methodical killing of Jews. T Words Thanatology is the science of producing death. This was the description given during the Nuremberg trials to the medical experiments performed during the Holocaust. V Words Vernichtungslager means  extermination camp or death camp in German. W Words White Paper was issued by Great Britain on May 17, 1939, to limit the immigration to Palestine to 15,000 persons a year. After 5 years, no Jewish immigration was permitted unless with Arab consent. Z Words Zentralstelle fà ¼r Jà ¼dische Auswanderung means  Central Office for Jewish Emigration in German. It was set up in Vienna on August 26, 1938 under Adolf Eichmann. Zyklon B  was the poison gas used to kill millions of people in the gas chambers.

How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Writing

How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Writing How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Writing How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Writing By Ali Hale Will robots eventually have writers out of a job? Are we going to see computers writing the next Great American Novel? Probably not at least, not any time soon. Over the last decade or so, though, AI (Artificial Intelligence) has become increasingly sophisticated †¦ and it’s influencing the world of writing in a number of interesting ways. What is AI, Anyway? AI is all about machines learning and adapting. Instead of simply being programmed in minute detail with everything they need to know to accomplish a particular task, they’re programmed with instructions that allow them to learn from their experience (just as people do). There’s no one standard definition of AI, but ZDnet suggests some common features: AI systems will typically demonstrate at least some of the following behaviors associated with human intelligence: planning, learning, reasoning, problem solving, knowledge representation, perception, motion, and manipulation and, to a lesser extent, social intelligence and creativity. Here are six key ways in which AI is changing the face of writing †¦ and reading. #1: Translation from One Language to Another In the past, if you wanted to translate a passage of text from one language to another – say from English to Spanish – you needed to find someone who spoke both languages. Ten years ago, you could use a service like Google Translate, which essentially ran all the words through an English-Spanish (etc.) dictionary with questionable and sometimes hilarious results. In 2016 Google Translate had a major upgrade. Instead of translating word by word, it now translates more accurately by phrase or sentence – through an AI system. It even invented its own language to help. Writers could potentially use Google Translate to translate their whole book into another language for free. (Note: I’m not recommending you do this, unless you have a native translator lined up to do some extensive editing!) As the technology develops further over the years to come, this could be great news for publishers and self-publishing authors †¦ but worrying for professional translators. #2: Automatic Editing and Proofreading You’re probably very familiar with the red squiggly line in Microsoft Word (and other word processing programs) that marks spelling mistakes. There are lots of tools out there, though, that can go far beyond helping you spot typos. Software like Grammarly, for instance, uses AI to spot overly wordy phrases, vague language, instances of the passive voice, stylistic issues, and much more. This is great news for writers, particularly non-native speakers, who may need an extra helping hand with what they’re working on – whether it’s an essay, a blog post, or simply an important email. It’s potentially less great news for professional editors – but so far, no tool is able to provide the big-picture substantive editing that a good editor can offer. #3: Checking for Plagiarism One problem that universities and publishers deal with is the possibility of plagiarism. While a quick Google search for a couple of lines from a document can be enough to spot egregious forms of plagiarism, if a student or writer has changed, say, one in every five words, it’s a lot tougher to spot. When it comes to students’ essays, they might be plagiarising from another student’s (unpublished) work, rather than a published source. This could be easy to spot within one institution – but not if the student has borrowed, or even bought, an essay from a friend at another university. There are solutions out there, like Turnitin, that check submitted work against their vast database, flagging up cases where there’s a match between the submitted work and existing sources. But AI is also increasingly being used in this area, with an AI bot called Emma Identity (reported on here by LifeHacker) being used to figure out the authorship of a piece of text. While this is essentially just a fun tool for now, it could eventually be used to combat plagiarism. More worryingly, though, this type of technology could potentially be used to unmask authors writing under a pen name, if they’ve also written under their own name – or to uncover the authorship of anonymous posts on internet forums. #4: Searching Through Audio Files Although more and more content has been produced in video and audio format over the past decade, YouTube channels and podcasts haven’t diminished the amount of text online. One huge advantage to text has always been that it’s searchable – and video and audio aren’t. If you want to find out a specific fact or dig into on a particular point of interest, text is definitely the easiest medium to work with. However, audio search is becoming a reality – through the power of AI. Computers can increasingly decode sound – think of Siri, for instance, or Alexa – and audio search takes this further. Apps are already available: Castbox.fm, for instance, bills itself as â€Å"the search engine for spoken audio†. What does this mean for writers? It’s not necessarily bad news. Newer types of text, like scripts for videos or outlines for podcasts, might become increasingly important. But as well as helping with audio search, AI could lead to even better dictation apps – potentially making it much faster to create written content, too. #5: Crafting Breaking News Stories You might be wondering by this point if AI can be used to actually write. Yes †¦ but it’s not going to be producing works of literary wonder just yet. Over the past couple of years, some breaking news stories have been written by AI, and there’s a great account of that in Wired here, explaining that a particular story was created by AI: The dispatch came with the clarity and verve for which Post reporters are known, with one key difference: It was generated by Heliograf, a bot that made its debut on the Post’s website last year and marked the most sophisticated use of artificial intelligence in journalism to date. The advantages for newspapers and websites are obvious: if AI can report on breaking stories, it makes it possible to get an article published almost instantly. No human needs to type a single word. There’s a darker side to this use of AI, though: it could not only put journalists out of work, but it could also lead to a lot of low quality, derivative content – similar to content produced by low-paid â€Å"content spinners†. #6: Influencing Readers’ Book Buying Major online book retailers, like Amazon, rely on complicated algorithms to predict what books someone might be interested in, based on what they’ve already bought. If you’ve ever bought a book on Amazon, I’m sure you’ll have seen this in action! This is generally seen as a positive use of AI: it helps readers to discover books that they’ll hopefully enjoy, and it helps authors to be discovered by readers who might not otherwise have come across their work. Even so, it could be a drawback for, say, independent book stores and librarians: why consult an expert about what to read if an algorithm can recommend books to you automatically? Whatever you write, there’s a good chance that AI will become more and more a part of your writing experience as time goes by – even if you barely notice it. Perhaps you’re already using a tool like Grammarly, for instance, or maybe you rely on dictation software to produce content quickly. How do you think AI is changing writing? Do you think it’s a net positive or negative for working writers, editors, publishers and journalists? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and Toes36 Poetry Terms48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids

Definition and Examples of Prescriptive Grammar

Definition and Examples of Prescriptive Grammar The term prescriptive grammar refers to a set of norms or rules governing how a language should or should not be used rather than describing the ways in which a language is actually used. Contrast with descriptive grammar. Also called  normative grammar and prescriptivism. A person who dictates how people should write or speak is called a prescriptivist or a prescriptive grammarian. According to linguists Ilse Depraetere and Chad Langford, A prescriptive grammar is  one that gives hard and fast rules about what is right (or grammatical) and what is wrong (or ungrammatical), often with advice about what not to say but with little explanation (Advanced English Grammar: A Linguistic Approach, 2012). Observations There has always been a tension between the descriptive and prescriptive functions of grammar. Currently, descriptive grammar is dominant among theorists, but prescriptive grammar is taught in the schools and exercises a range of social effects.(Ann Bodine, Androcentrism in Prescriptive Grammar. The Feminist Critique of Language, ed. D. Cameron. Routledge, 1998)Prescriptive grammarians are judgmental and attempt to change linguistic behavior of a particular sort and in a particular direction. Linguistsor mental grammarians, on the other hand, seek to explain the knowledge of language that guides peoples everyday use of language regardless of their schooling.(Maya Honda and Wayne ONeil, Thinking Linguistically. Blackwell, 2008)The Difference Between Descriptive Grammar and Prescriptive Grammar:The difference between descriptive grammar and  prescriptive grammar is  comparable to the difference between constitutive rules, which determine how something works (such as the rules for t he game of chess), and regulatory rules, which control behavior (such as the rules of etiquette). If the former are violated, the thing cannot work, but if the latter are violated, the thing works, but crudely, awkwardly, or rudely.(Laurel J. Brinton and Donna Brinton,  The Linguistic Structure of Modern English. John Benjamins, 2010) The Rise of Prescriptive Grammar in the 18th Century:To many people in the middle decades of the eighteenth century, the language was indeed seriously unwell. It was suffering from a raging disease of uncontrolled usage. . . .There was an urgency surrounding the notion of a standard language, in the eighteenth century. People needed to know who they were talking to. Snap judgments were everything, when it came to social position. And things are not much different today. We make immediate judgments based on how people dress, how they do their hair, decorate their bodiesand how they speak and write. It is the first bit of discourse that counts.The prescriptive grammarians went out of their way to invent as many rules as possible which might distinguish polite from impolite speech. They didnt find very manyjust a few dozen, a tiny number compared with all the thousands of rules of grammar that operate in English. But these rules were propounded with maximum authority and severity, and g iven plausibility by the claim that they were going to help people to be clear and precise. As a result, generations of schoolchildren would be taught them, and confused by them.(David Crystal, The Fight for English. Oxford University Press, 2006)

Making Connections Between Three Authors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Making Connections Between Three Authors - Essay Example of new players, on a new playing field, developing new processes for horizontal collaboration—that I believe is the most important force shaping global politics and economics in the early 21st century (Friedman, 7).† Friedman also warns that Americans need to keep up, or get out of the game. â€Å"There is no sugar coating on this: in a flat world, every individual is going to have to run a little faster if he or she wants to advance his or her standard of living (Friedman, 10).† Still, some low-income groups of Americans are at a disadvantage and succumb to the â€Å"roundness† of the bygone American world. Though countries like China and India are exploding ahead politically and technologically, African Americans and people of color in the United States have little opportunity to do the same. According to Barbara Ehrenreich’s article â€Å"Maid to Order† and William Julius Wilson’s book When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor, the world is definitively not flat, but limited to the socio-economic imprisonment of the lower urban class. Both Barbara Ehrenreich’s article â€Å"Maid to Order† and William Julius Wilson’s book When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor show a rethinking of the mostly-optimistic approach Friedman has towards the â€Å"flat,† expansionist and technologically forward view of the world. â€Å"Maid to Order† discusses the trials and tribulations of being a maid, and the sorry, anti-feminist history behind the booming industry of domestic work. â€Å"In a society in which 40 percent of the wealth is owned by 1 percent of the households while the bottom 20 percent reports negative assets, the degradation of others is readily purchased (Ehrenreich, 1).† This degradation comes in the form of racism, sexism and classism that has been an American mainstay since the turn of the century. â€Å"So the insight that distinguished the more radical, post-Friedan cohort of feminist was that when we talk about

Banking Management in terms of Economic concepts Research Paper

Banking Management in terms of Economic concepts - Research Paper Example The important products are securities (bond) and mortgage services. About the bond, ADCB transacts the bond to get revenue. The bank buys and sells the bond in both primary markets (debt securities are issued and sold to borrowers to lenders) and in a secondary market (ADCB firm buys and sells previously issued debt securities-bond). The ADBC launched the 600 million five-year bond on September priced at 87.5 basis point. Over 1.5 billion investors placed their order just in one day after its launch as compared to initial basis points of 95 bps. On the hand, the ADBC offers mortgage services which have attractive interest rates. Their mortgage packages are attractive as local experts assist people to avoid common pitfalls. Their experts also offer professional consultants to guide people through the whole process. In addition, ADCB offers options between Islamic and Conventional Home Finance. Quite interestingly is the repayment period, (up to 25 years) which is rank as the best in U AE. The people pay less based on their ability. The mortgage amount is up to 80 percent of the property value. The bank also offers options between competitive interest rates and relaxing re-payment. The monthly installments are as low as AED 5,275 with 0% early settlement fees. EMI is based on 3.99% (per AED Million for 25 years tenure). Emi is fixed for the first year only followed by campaign rates. One of the opportunity cost ADCB faces is either to sale locally or expand its branches overseas.

The 9th grade girls at Apopka High School are not comfortable with Research Proposal

The 9th grade girls at Apopka High School are not comfortable with their changing bodies. They feel unattractive and insecure an - Research Proposal Example Most importantly, some studies have shown that girls’ tend to develop positive character, including improved self-esteem and confidence, as a result of participating in sports (Scottish Executive, 2003; Strong et al., 2005). Brief overview of the plan The study will start with identification of the problem, then a review of the literature. Thereafter, a field study will be conducted in 10 schools, specifically involving 100 Fifth-Grade female Students. The researcher will ask both open-ended and closed-ended questions, which will help identify different factors that are associated with girl’s participation and lack of participation in sports. As such, the data that will be collected will be both qualitative and quantitative. The analysis of the quantitative data will rely on SPSS for analysis, with regression analysis and descriptive statistics being performed. Nvivo software will be used to categorize qualitative data, especially by identifying common themes. The resea rcher will use purposive sampling to identify the 10 schools and simple sampling in choosing the students that will participate. A purposeful sampling (also called judgmental sampling) is based on the fact the researcher is capable of selecting the schools that are effectively suited to meet the purpose of the study (Ritchie, Lewis, & Elam, 2003). The sample, though seemingly small, is a reasonable for the research purpose because most of the girls in different schools have many commonalities and hence no need to choose a very large sample. The program evaluation will take them form of check list filling, whereby the success of different goals will be identified. The achievement of the goals will be gauged by a rank art scale, which will be assigned 1-5 points for the purpose of quantification. Validity is important in assessing the accuracy and credibility of the data used in this study, which is also critical in ensuring that the results of a research are not biased. In other word s, validity will ensure that the study’s assessment and measurement process achieves the intended goal, or rather what is intended to be measured. To improve validity in this study, the researcher will uphold accuracy and credibility of information by selecting well-designed instruments. There are two types of validity, which according to Garson (2008) includes internal and external validity. The biases that are likely to affect the results of this study are the major threats to internal validity. Examples of such biases include subjectivity, researcher's biases, inflexible knowledge related to the theoretical framework and blind spots (Creswell, 2005). The research will be charged with the responsibility of reducing these biases in order to ensure validity of the study. According to Trochim (2006), external validity is related to the extent to which the results of the study can be generalized in other conditions. Since this study is faced with threats to external validity, i t cannot be generalized outside Atlanta area. Some of the reasons for lack of generalization to other areas include the fact that the demography of Atlanta area is different from other areas in the country. The research will use a triangulation technique to validate the results of the interviews. This will involve application of a number of data validation techniques such as backing up of the evidence from different individuals, using overlapping perspective and pieces of evidence, and authenticating information using several forms of

New York City Zoning Regulations Vs The Death and Life of American Assignment

New York City Zoning Regulations Vs The Death and Life of American Great Cities - Assignment Example The New York City Zoning Regulations provides rules and guidelines for shaping the city. If compared to architecture and planning, zoning has a short history in it being a means of organizing how land is used. Zoning puts into place the use and size of buildings, the location of the buildings and to a greater extent the diverse neighborhoods’ density of the city. In line with the city’s tax, ability to budget and property condemnation, zoning is an important tool for undertaking planning policy. New York City is known to be a pioneer regarding zoning from the time the first nation’s comprehensive zoning was enacted in 1916. Considering the New York City zoning regulations, we can gauge that, some of these regulations reflect what Jane Jacobs is talking about in her book while some regulations do not reflect her ideas as we are going to discuss them. In her book, Jacobs praised density and concentration as opposed to dispersal and decentralization. Jacobs announces that housing activist Catherine Bauer has derived a perfect term meant for attacking regional planners for example Lewis Mumford. Decentrists proposed decentralizing big cities like New York. They wanted to squeeze them, disorient their enterprises, and dislocate their populations into smaller and separated cities. Decentrists felt that urban streets are bad environment for humans; hence, they recommended building houses away from the street. However, they suggested building houses inward in the direction of sheltered greens. These ideas took over mainstream thinking until Jacobs shoved them away in her book. Jacobs understood the meaning that density gives critical mass. Density means good services, good stores, restaurants and cafes. It also means safety in thatthere is life in the street and round the clock activity. NYC zoning regulations reflect this idea by allowing centralization in its policy. This has greatly improved safety in the city nowadays not only because of security by the police department in fighting crime strategically but because there are always people in the streets whether its day time or night time. This idea is one of Jacob’s brilliant contributions. As she writes, â€Å"There must be sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whateve4r purposes they may be there. This includes dense concentration in the case of people who are there because of residence†. Within this concept that is critic lays several others as we continue. Greenwich Villag e was another of Jacob’s important urban lab, the denser but mainly low-rise, working-class neighborhood. As a small-town girl, she took her lessons with respect to proper urban behavior as shown by her neighbors. Like Bernie Jaffe, who owned the candy store and who guides small children traversing the street; Joe Cornacchia, who owned corner deli and kept her keys in case of visitors and emergencies; the locksmith Mr. Lacey, the one who bawled the son of Jacob for running into traffic then he reported him to his dad. Jacobs respected and celebrated working class households plus their conservative, old-world although socially attentive morals. Ethnic neighborhoods emptied out into the suburbs, either voluntarily or coercively under urban renewal. However, Jacobs for saw tragedy in their departure, she admired their territoriality and their commerce enterprises which were frequently held in contempt to be too parochial and insignificant by intellectuals and the government offi cials. Divisively

Strategic Audit for the Body Shop Research Paper - 1

Strategic Audit for the Body Shop - Research Paper Example The company, from the very beginning, tried to present itself as the leader in corporate social responsibility. Throughout its history, the company fought against human right abuses and abuse of animals and plants. Environment protection was an important part of the agenda of the company. As a result, the company gained a large number of environmental friendly customers in America and Europe, and this helped develop a standard image in Asia and the Middle East too. The company always promoted five core values which are as follows. Against animal testing: The company claims that it will not purchase any ingredient that is tested on animals for cosmetics purposes. In addition, the company campaigns against cosmetics tests on animals. Instead of testing on animals, the company depends on human volunteer trials like skin patch tests. In 1986, the company joined the ‘Save the Whale Campaign’ along with Greenpeace. In the 1990s, the company conducted a number of campaigns agai nst animal testing. Protecting the environment:Â  The company, throughout its history, has supported all activities aimed at environmental protection. In 2001, the Body Shop joined Greenpeace in the effort to raise awareness of the global warming. In addition, in its environmental policy, the company promoted the idea, ‘reduce, recycle, and reuse’. The company’s policy of recycling, and encouraging customers to refill their products by reusing bottles won the heart of many environment-friendly customers around the world.... 3. Human rights Throughout its history, the company fought for human rights. To illustrate, in 2000, the company started ‘Make your Mark’ campaign with their 3,000,000 customers signed up. The program intends to address human rights issues, especially in neglected areas. Undoubtedly, the Body Shop gets a lot of publicity in the effort to promote human rights. An example of this company’s human rights efforts is the fight for the rights of Ogoni people in Nigeria that won the wrath of Nigerian government. 4. Support Community Trade Through this program, the company collects ingredients and accessories from small producers around the world, especially from underprivileged societies. The company ensures fair prices, and this money goes back to the society to improve their lives’ basic needs like water and education. Presently, the company has trades with more than 42 community trade suppliers in more than 26 nations around the globe. To illustrate, as stated i n The Body Shop International values Report (Living our values, 2009), its palm oil comes from Columbia, coconut oil from Samoa, timber from Russia, Peppermint oil from Norfolk, cocoa butter from Ghana, Soya oil from Brazil, beeswax from Africa, and Footsie Roller from India. However, one has to doubt if the step will help such communities become independent as they tend to be totally dependent on the company for survival. 5. Self-esteem Te Body Shop always advocated the promotion of self-esteem especially in women. According to the company, it is about respecting oneself, looking after body and soul, and being proud of what one is. In 1998, there came a publication named ‘The Body and Self Esteem’ that was meant to raise awareness on the issues of

New York City Zoning Regulations Vs The Death and Life of American Assignment

New York City Zoning Regulations Vs The Death and Life of American Great Cities - Assignment Example The New York City Zoning Regulations provides rules and guidelines for shaping the city. If compared to architecture and planning, zoning has a short history in it being a means of organizing how land is used. Zoning puts into place the use and size of buildings, the location of the buildings and to a greater extent the diverse neighborhoods’ density of the city. In line with the city’s tax, ability to budget and property condemnation, zoning is an important tool for undertaking planning policy. New York City is known to be a pioneer regarding zoning from the time the first nation’s comprehensive zoning was enacted in 1916. Considering the New York City zoning regulations, we can gauge that, some of these regulations reflect what Jane Jacobs is talking about in her book while some regulations do not reflect her ideas as we are going to discuss them. In her book, Jacobs praised density and concentration as opposed to dispersal and decentralization. Jacobs announces that housing activist Catherine Bauer has derived a perfect term meant for attacking regional planners for example Lewis Mumford. Decentrists proposed decentralizing big cities like New York. They wanted to squeeze them, disorient their enterprises, and dislocate their populations into smaller and separated cities. Decentrists felt that urban streets are bad environment for humans; hence, they recommended building houses away from the street. However, they suggested building houses inward in the direction of sheltered greens. These ideas took over mainstream thinking until Jacobs shoved them away in her book. Jacobs understood the meaning that density gives critical mass. Density means good services, good stores, restaurants and cafes. It also means safety in thatthere is life in the street and round the clock activity. NYC zoning regulations reflect this idea by allowing centralization in its policy. This has greatly improved safety in the city nowadays not only because of security by the police department in fighting crime strategically but because there are always people in the streets whether its day time or night time. This idea is one of Jacob’s brilliant contributions. As she writes, â€Å"There must be sufficiently dense concentration of people, for whateve4r purposes they may be there. This includes dense concentration in the case of people who are there because of residence†. Within this concept that is critic lays several others as we continue. Greenwich Villag e was another of Jacob’s important urban lab, the denser but mainly low-rise, working-class neighborhood. As a small-town girl, she took her lessons with respect to proper urban behavior as shown by her neighbors. Like Bernie Jaffe, who owned the candy store and who guides small children traversing the street; Joe Cornacchia, who owned corner deli and kept her keys in case of visitors and emergencies; the locksmith Mr. Lacey, the one who bawled the son of Jacob for running into traffic then he reported him to his dad. Jacobs respected and celebrated working class households plus their conservative, old-world although socially attentive morals. Ethnic neighborhoods emptied out into the suburbs, either voluntarily or coercively under urban renewal. However, Jacobs for saw tragedy in their departure, she admired their territoriality and their commerce enterprises which were frequently held in contempt to be too parochial and insignificant by intellectuals and the government offi cials. Divisively

Social research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Social research methods - Essay Example Different types of statistics can be used to serve different purposes of the research. While descriptive statistics can be used to describe the data, statistical model can be used to forecast data. Researches that are aimed at finding relationship between variables can make use of statistical techniques such as correlation and regression. Difference between Descriptive and Inferential statistics, purpose of each and applications Descriptive statistics: Descriptive statistics can be defined as the set of tools and techniques that can be used to describe the quantitative features of a collection of data (Mann, 1995). The main purpose of using descriptive statistics is to summarize a data set. Statistics such as measures of central tendency, measures of variation, graphs, and bar charts etc are examples of descriptive statistics. The three most important types of descriptive statistics are: measures of central tendency, dispersion and distribution. While distribution is an indication of the frequency of specific values of a range of data variables, measures of central tendency such as mean and median are aimed at finding the center of the entire data set (Levin and Rubin, 2007). Measures of dispersions such as range or standard deviation are an indication of the spread of data set. Inferential statistics: Inferential statistics are the set of tools and techniques that can be used to draw inferences about a population from a small sample of data (Lane, 2011). The various examples of inferential statistics techniques include t-test, Analysis of Variance, Correlation analysis, regression analysis, factor and cluster analysis and discriminant function analysis etc. There are two types of inferential statistics: estimation testing and hypothesis testing. While in estimation testing, the confidence interval of a particular parameter is calculated using the sample, hypothesis testing is generally used to compare certain parameters in two or more samples or comparing a sa mple parameter to a specific value. A hypothesis can be defined as an assumption about a population parameter (Stattrek, 2011). The null hypothesis can be defined as the hypothesis of no difference or the hypothesis of status quo (Bajpai, 2009). The alternate possibility is called the alternate hypothesis. Hypothesis testing can be used by researchers to test certain theories that they want to prove. Frequency table and bar chart a. Ethnic origin Ethnic origin (5 groups) Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid White 3746 91.1 91.5 91.5 Mixed race 35 .9 .9 92.3 Asian 179 4.4 4.4 96.7 Black 87 2.1 2.1 98.8 Other 48 1.2 1.2 100.0 Total 4095 99.6 100.0 Missing -8 16 .4 Total 4111 100.0 Table 1: Frequency table for ethnic origin As can be seen from the frequency table, the most common ethnic group is White. The next highest frequency of ethnic group is Asian with 4.4% of the data items. Another way of representing the data is using a bar chart. The graph below shows the bar chart for the data set: Figure 1: Bar chart for ethnic origin b. Education level The frequency table for the variable education level is shown below: Education Level - 2000 Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Higher Degree 147 3.6 4.6 4.6 First Degree 450 10.9 14.0 18.6 Teaching qualification 47 1.1 1.5 20.0 Other higher qualification

The Junk Box by Edgar Guest Essay Example for Free

The Junk Box by Edgar Guest Essay The message that I understood after reading the poem â€Å"The Junk Box† by Edgar Guest was that all men are good for something.   I felt that the poet was trying to relay the caring message that just because we might not need someone at a certain time, we shouldn’t just dispose of them.   There are instances when we need a shoulder to cry on and there may be that one person that you feel will be there for you and you could call on them to say I need you.    If we had previously tossed that special person out of our lives, it would be next to impossible to have them come that close in order for you to cry on their shoulder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edgar Guest communicated his poem through rhyme.   Every last word of his sentences sounded like the other in rhyme form, earth, birth and worth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"A human junk box is this earth,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and into it we’re tossed at birth,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to wait the day we’ll be of worth.†Ã‚   (The Junk Box; Edgar Guest)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I felt that the poet was extremely effective in delivering his message.   He was very clear in his writing and I got the message, immediately.   It seemed like a simple poem, but one that had so much information and meaning that even a child could understand the message he conveyed.   I will probably never forget this sweet poem because of its simplicity and because I sincerely did agree with the poet, Edgar Guest that people are always worth keeping and not tossing away, even if we don’t realize that we need them   at a certain the time! Reference (The Junk Box by Edgar Guest)

Application of Communication Theories | Reflection

Application of Communication Theories | Reflection Applying Communication Theories to the Career of a Graduate Student Alayna Naro Organizational Culture Theory Members of an organization create their own culture within that organization. The culture can come from ways members communicate with each other, rituals of the organization, and shared symbols within the organization. Each organization has a culture that is distinctly theirs and differs from the cultures of other organizations. Furthermore, organizational culture is not created overnight. An organization’s culture is something that forms over a period of time and is specific to the way of â€Å"living† within an organization. Since the fall of 2010, I have been a student of Mississippi State University. I began my academic career as an undergraduate student. The organizational culture I was a part of at that point in my life is a lot different than the organizational culture I am a part of now. As an undergraduate, I was familiar with a majority of my professors, but I did not necessarily extensively communicate with them. Now, as a graduate student, the organizational culture that I am most familiar is within the School of Human Sciences, where I am a graduate assistant as well as a full time student. The make-up of the organization is important when discussing its organizational culture. In the School of Human Sciences, the organizational make-up consists of a director, faculty members, staff members, and graduate assistants. All of these members, though they have different roles, are who establish the values and morals for the organization. By being active participants within the organization, the members help to create meaningful symbols within the organization. Symbols include verbal and nonverbal communication that is unique to a specific organization. The first type of symbol that can be seen within an organizational culture are physical symbols. Physical symbols consists of designs, logos, dà ©cor, and material objects. Within the School of Human Sciences, we have certain symbols that express the culture house in our organization. The School of Human Sciences has a specific logo that we place on key chains, shirts, pens, and other items to market our department. Even our building, Lloyd Ricks-Watson, is a physical symbol that houses us all under one roof. The second type of symbol that can be seen within an organizational culture are behavioral symbols. Behavioral symbols are things such as ceremonies, rituals, or traditions that are specific to that organization. In the School of Human Sciences we have plenty of behavioral symbols that we continuously participate in. Every fall semester, there is a welcome back tailgate for students, faculty, and staff. In the spring, there is a chili supper welcoming students back for a new semester. And one Friday, every month, we have a faculty meeting where we discuss upcoming news within the School of Human Sciences. These reoccurring behaviors help to establish and identify the culture within the organization. Finally, the third type of symbol is verbal symbols. Verbal symbols include jokes, jargon, or stories that revolve around the organization. Within any type of organization, jokes and stories are going to be expressed through verbal communication. Furthermore, faculty calling each other by their first names when students are not around can be seen as a verbal symbol. As a graduate student, I catch my instructors calling other faculty members by their first names and then correcting themselves when they realize they are speaking to a student. By listening to stories, joke, or understanding the jargon, one can better understand the culture of the organization. Everyone within an organization is connected. A variety of members make up an organization, and each member contributes something unique to the culture of the organization. We find connections to the organization through shared ideas, rituals, and symbols. Through physical, behavioral, and verbal symbols, one can feel connection with the organization they are a part of. One way this particular theory does not coincide with my career, is that not everyone participates or actively uses all of the things that make up an organizational culture. In any organization or work environment, there are going to be those employees who choose not to participate. Even when they are required to immerse themselves within the organizational culture, resistance can still be seen. However, overall the theory was very applicable to my situation, and will be applicable to any organizational situation I encounter in the future. Structuration Theory Groups and organizations engage in certain behaviors in order to achieve their goals. Within an organization, structure is a necessity. Structure can include the rules and resources used to sustain the organization. Through structuration, organizations transform socially because of the rules and resources that dictate relationships. Rules and resources guide behaviors and decisions within an organization. Rules consists of guidelines for how a goal can be accomplished. Resources refer to the power that all individuals within the organization bring to the group. Therefore, structuration allows for members of an organization to better understand the social structure of their organization. Power structures are evident in any organizational setting and aid in guiding the decision making process. Power enables members of an organization to achieve goals. Every member within an organization has some form of power; superiors, subordinates, etc. Power allows for members of an organization to get what they want within the system. For an individual, power is an authoritative resource that helps the organization to function properly. In regards to this theory, there are five different types of power that an individual can exemplify; reward, coercive, referent, legitimate, and expert. Reward power refers the perception that another person within the organization has the ability to provide positive reinforcement. With reward power, the rewards can consist of praise or material rewards. As a student, I deal with reward power on a pretty frequent basis. My instructors are able to reward me for exceptional work by providing words of praise or encouragement. Additionally, as a student, there are ample opportunities for honors, awards and distinguishments. So at the same time, the university itself holds reward power too. Not to mention the greatest material reward a student can receive, a college degree. Because I know that my professors hold a majority of the reward power, I try my hardest to produce exceptional work. By producing that exceptional and receiving verbal rewards from professors, it provides a sense of incentive to seek out higher rewards, such as the material rewards previously mentioned. Coercive power refers to the perception that someone within the organization has the ability to provide punishment. Coercive power makes others feel as though they must comply with the requests of their superiors in order to avoid negative consequences. As a student, the same people who provide me with reward power can also provide me with coercive power, my professors. However, I do not do my work solely to avoid ridicule or punishment, I complete my work in order to maintain my credibility. If I were to not give all of my effort on assignments, did not respect my professors, and did not produce quality work, my credibility with my professors would decrease. Referent power refers to establishing a relationship between a superior in an organization and a member who has less power than them. A person who holds referent power is typically a friendly, well liked, well respected individual who may even serve as a role model for others within the organization. Again, I believe my professors have often exposed me to referent power. Sometimes it is very easy for me to form a meaningful relationship not only with my advisor, but also instructors within the department that I respect. I respect them so much mostly due to their personality and the way they choose to interact with me as a student. Though I know my professors are above me academically and within the work environment, they still treat me as an individual and pursue general interest in my goals and aspirations. Legitimate power refers to exerting power due to a particular position or title. In the academic community, there are many individuals who exert influence on others based on their titles. For example, I comply with the wishes of my major professor. Her position as my advisor allows her to influence and help structure the direction of my goals by providing her input and expertise when needed. Furthermore, my major professor has someone who exerts legitimate power on her as well. The director of our department within the School of Human Sciences holds legitimate power over all instructors within the department. By holding the power as being the director of the department, he has the right and the ability to exert influence over the department as a whole. Expert power refers to a person having a specific set of knowledge or expertise. Those with expert power are very valuable for any type of group or organization. Expert power allows those individuals to assist in decisions making processes and as a source knowledge when consulted. Yet again, my professors hold a sincere amount of expert power. All of my professors have completed a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and most have completed their PhD. Therefore, my professors are experts in their fields. It is such a benefit for an organization, more specifically outside of academia, to have employees that exhibit expert power. As a graduate assistant, I even experience possessing all five of these powers at some point. As an instructor in classes, I use reward and coercive power by being the person who is in charge of my students’ grades. Hopefully, through the reward and coercive power used, my students respect me and my assignments, knowing that I hold the power within the classroom. Additionally, I hope I possess some form of referent power with my students and my colleagues. I hope to establish a working relationship with those that I work with and encounter an on everyday basis. I possess legitimate power because of my title as a graduate assistant. That title provides me with the opportunities to serve as an instructor for certain classes, conduct research for myself and for others, and deciphers me from undergraduate students. Finally, I exert expert power because of my degree titles. I have already completed a bachelor’s degree in which gives me an extensive amount of knowledge in the field of agriculture. Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree which will further enhance my expertise within the field. Social Penetration Theory Social penetration refers to a process of relationship bonding where individuals move from superficial communication to more intimate communication. Social penetration relates to more than just physical intimacy, it also incorporates intellectual and emotional intimacy. Social penetration suggests that relationships progress in a systematic way, are predictable, and dependent on our verbal, nonverbal, and environmentally oriented behaviors. All relationships form and follow a particular trajectory in which there are four stages. The four stages of the social penetration process include orientation, exploratory affective exchange, affective exchange, and stable exchange. The orientation stage begins by revealing small, ordinary facts about ourselves to others. This past January I moved from an office across campus where I was by myself, into an office which I would share with two other students. For my situation as a graduate assistant sharing an office with two other graduate assistants, the orientation stage was very important. At this stage, we divulged enough information for others to begin to find common ground with us, but not enough to be able to judge us. Though the information we tend to express in this stage is simple, and sometimes superficial, it is a necessity for any type of relationship to form. The exploratory affective exchange stage occurs when we begin to share aspects of our individual personality with others. Self-disclosure becomes a crucial part of this stage because it helps to transform superficial relationships into more intimate ones by revealing information about yourself. After a few weeks in the new office situation, I began to realize that I was learning more and more about my office mates. Without even realizing it, we would end up in short conversations about things unrelated to classes or work, which helped to better grasp each other’s personalities. The affective exchange stage is where the closeness of the friendship begins to blossom. At this stage, nonverbal communication can sometimes substitute for verbal communication. For instance, I can come into the office not say anything, but smile, and my office mates can substitute that as a â€Å"good morning†. Also, during this stage we begin to form our own jargon and inside jokes. For example, after about three months of sharing an office, we had inside jokes, we shared funny videos and pictures, and we also listened to music together. We share information about our families, significant others, and ask for advice on any problems we may be having. Through this stage we were not only able to form a more intimate friendship with one another, we were also able to create an office environment that was comfortable for everyone. The final stage is the stable exchange stage. At this stage, the relationship is more spontaneous than before. Communication and behavior are a lot more predictable, and those involved know a lot more about each other and how they react. After reaching this stage, I can say my office mates are more than just people I share a room with Monday through Friday, they are my friends. We know when to talk, when to not talk. We can tell when someone might need a pick me up. And we are not afraid to be ourselves. By working through the stages of the social penetration process, we were able to divulge information about ourselves at a progressive speed and form relationships with one another. The only way to understand other people is to engage in personal conversations with them and by sharing personal bits of information about yourself. Each personality will influence the direction a relationship will take. Though initial conversations may seem unimportant, they allow individuals to understand each other and provide early relational development. Through the social penetration process individuals achieve a way to balance their needs while also forming a relationship with another person. Overall, this theory was very applicable to my current situation. I have seen first-hand how relationships develop, and I agree that they are a linear process. I also agree that there a certain steps, or stages, one must go through when developing a relationship with another person. There is give and take with all individuals associated with a relationship, and relationships take time to develop. I will forever keep this theory in the back of my mind as I embark on my professional career where creating, developing, and maintaining relationships is so important. Groupthink Groups are sets of individuals whose goal is to work toward completing a task or solving a problem. Groups need a solid foundation and need to be able to remain unaffected by all other influences. In order for the members of a group to work together effectively, the group needs a certain level of cohesiveness, or culture, within the group. Group cohesion encourages greater satisfaction within the group, the group members are more enthusiastic, and the group experience is overall positive. As a student, I am required to work in groups on a pretty regular basis. For example, I am an ambassador for the Graduate Student Association on campus. As an ambassador I am required to attend planning meetings, assist when we host events, and serve as a liaison between the GSA and certain departments on campus. As a task oriented group, every group member has a specific job assigned to them, and when everyone does their job, our overall goal is more easily accomplished. Groupthink is a way of group negotiation that reduces conflict and emphasizes the need for unison. When working within a group, sometimes it is easy to have tunnel vision on the end result. We can succumb to pressures of needing to keep the group harmonious and not really address the problem that we need to solve. The need to form a homogeneous group often distracts away from the true purpose of the group. Furthermore, rather than face rejection, some members will even withhold their input if it differs from others’ within the group. The initial group meeting for any group is where groupthink is going to be most visible. Certain people choose not to speak up if their opinion slightly differs, some people do not want to offer up new ideas, and everyone looks to the group leader for direction. As meetings become more frequent and the group members get to know each other, I believe those barriers break down and people feel more open to express their opinions. On the other hand, there will always be group members who are never afraid to voice their opinions. It is easy for those people to have influence over the less vocal members in the group, so it is important to keep a happy balance. The only problem with this theory, as it relates to the group I am a part of, is that the theory seems to focus more on decision making groups. Though the GSA committee makes decisions that affect the graduate student body as a whole, it is not our primary role. This particular group, as originally stated, is more task oriented. Regardless, overcoming groupthink is a reoccurring challenge when working within a group. One of the ways we have actively addressed groupthink within the GSA committee is by allowing members to voice their doubts. We have created a very neutral environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts, even if they differ from the majority of the group. When we cannot make a unanimous decision on an issue or task, we completely discuss both sides. Without interruption, without judgement, and without ridicule, we as group work together to find the solution that will be best for the group as a whole. References West, R., Turner, L. (2010). Groupthink. In Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application (5th Ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. West, R., Turner, L. (2010). Organizational Culture. In Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. West, R., Turner, L. (2010). Social Penetration Theory. In Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. West, R., Turner, L. (2010). Structuration Theory. In Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Essay --

The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, is well written and a must read for teenagers across America. This novel mainly focuses on the treatment of women and the friendship of women in Afghanistan, and is relatable to many women, mainly in the Middle East. The book takes the reader through the tough lives of two women, Mariam and Laila. These two women have grown up in different environments and were treated very differently from each other. This book shows the unity and strength of two women who stand against their abusive husband and every obstacle they come face to face with. The book starts off in a poor village where Mariam lives with her mother, Nana. Her father, Jalil, is a very wealthy man from Herat who visits her once a week. Since Mariam was born, her mother has always called her names. Nana constantly told her she was a worthless bastard because her father had an affair with his servant, who was Nana at the time. After Nana found out she was pregnant, Jalil and his three wives kicked her out, as it would hurt their reputation. Since Mariam is a girl, no one saw any value in her. Mariam soon learns the truth after she sneaks off to her father’s house to meet him despite her mother’s wishes. At her father’s house she is told to go home as her father is away on a business trip. Mariam refuses to leave and is forced to sleep outside, poorly treated. In the morning, she goes to the yard and sees Jalil’s face in the window, shocked to understand her mother was right all along. When Mariam returns home to apologize to Nana, she finds her dead body hanging. After her mother’s death, Jalil and his three wives force fifteen year old Mariam to marry forty-five year old shoemaker, Rasheed. Years passed in their ma... ... much as its men. He was a teacher before the war so he taught Laila at home as well. Although Laila was educated and Mariam was not, the respect they both had for each other was equal. This novel has a very powerful message for men and women. One gender should not dominate over the other. Equality is important for stability in every relationship and every country. The importance of women should be recognized and this novel briefly shows the power of unity and strength. Men and woman both have different roles, and both should equally have their share in society. The novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a must read for everyone across the country and share the message. Many women in different countries do not have value and are living life in misery. Women’s rights are worth fighting for and Khaled Hosseini did a marvelous job with displaying this story to the readers.

1. How, Specifically Is the Process of Attribution Illustrated in This Case?

Case Module 5 1. How, specifically is the process of attribution illustrated in this case? Ans. The process of attribution regarding the case referred, flags relatively regarding the behavior of the customer’s eye contact wrong implication. The case study stated that a in certain supermarket dozen females claimed the issue of drawing the unwanted attention for maintaining eye contact. There was no clear information as how many female employees were employed there. This may raise several questions of the internal causes and external causes of behavior.The nature of the twelve women was unknown regarding other issues outside their work place. The case study does not apparently satisfy the â€Å"consistency† of the attribution. This implies the behavior of the female employees and the customers they face behave in the same manner in other situations for knowing the distinctiveness of their claims. If the case study had satisfied the arguments then this would have helped in better understanding of the concept of attribution. 2. What do you suppose is being done to help train people to be friendlier toward customers?In other words, what would you imagine goes on in Safeway’s †smile school†? Ans. There is an underlying concept of positive reinforcement that satisfies the organizations in treating people for the desired returns in the form of sales or goodwill. In the Safeway supermarket they send their employees for the friendliness school called â€Å"Smile school†. They make their employees to follow certain trivial manners that greatly affect the positivity in people like smiling face towards customers, maintaining eye contact for three seconds, calling the people by their name when they pay by check or credit card.Respective to the case study the smile school seems enforcing its policies irrespective of the employees’ consignment. 3. Describe what you believe might be the progressive discipline steps outlined in the warning letter sent to unfriendly Safeway clerks? Ans. The concept of the progressive discipline elevates the steps form letting know the curtness of the respective unfriendly employee individually, and then increasingly enforce the degree of the punishment like officially state the undesirable behavior of the employee, then warning the employee in form of a letter with all negative evaluations.Considering the case study the letter must state all the previous warnings to the unfriendly employee, and then warn the employee that continual curtness leads to suspension without pay and may lead to dismissal for unchanged unfriendliness. 4. What perceptual errors did the customers make? Ans. In accordance to the case study the questions gives ideas regarding the issue of the false judgment. As stated in the case the male customers anticipated the positive reinforcements from the supermarket employees as acts of flirtation.This relates the concept of the Halo effect where the appearance of the employees and their positive behavior triggered the false judgment. The basic idea formation of the first impression is totally based on the internal causes of individual behavior. In another instance stated in that case, one shopper followed a female employee to the car in a false disposition. This may lead to the negative reinforcements form the employees and can effect the other customers. 5. What forms of operant conditioning did Safeway use? Ans.The case study relating to the operant conditions inclines to the policies of the supermarket, one such is â€Å"superior service† policy. The concept states that the reaction provided initially, gets back. It is also called Law of effect. The principle of any customer service is providing best customer service. In the case study the Safeway supermarket also provides it employees a positive reinforcements strategies like maintaining the eye contact for three seconds, smile at customers, anticipating the customers needs. It a lso maintains undercover shoppers to ensure the employees are working properly.There is a â€Å"Smiling school† that helps the employees in understanding the operant conditioning and outcome from it. This can be drawn from its spokesperson that their concentration is not on discipline but on treating customers the best way. 6. What characteristics would a Safeway clerk need in order to be successful in complying with Safeway's policy? Ans. Abiding to the policies of the Safeway supermarket, that employees should maintain smiling face and should have at least three seconds of eye contact. There should be certain point in the causalities of the individual behavior where one can personally realize awkwardness beyond that.Maintaining three seconds of eye contact may be offensive for some of the customers and smiling for that long may trigger false impulses in some of them. These external issues of the behaviors of the shoppers are not in the hands of the employee. As stated first in the case study, smiling and eye contact are basic manners in any customer care services. It is individual realization that smiling and maintaining eye should be at a level that does not cause any false perceptions on the shoppers. In that way an employee may successfully sustain in customer services field with out encountering a surly experiences.

The bad things about Obama’s economic plan in foreign policy

To say the economic state of America is the most pressing need on the minds of most Americans today, would certainly not be too far from the truth. This is perhaps why both candidates realize that they have to say something at least on this subject. It is sad however to note that Obama’s plans depict a gross lack of understanding of our economic travails. Indeed, a group of respected economists noted recently that â€Å"Barack Obama’s economic proposals are wrong for the American economy†. Firstly, Obama proposes an overall increase in tax rates just as he admits that this proposal would not serve a weak economy. One wonders therefore how he thinks this would work in present day America. Or is this the strong economy Obama imagines for Americans? Increased tax rates would raise federal spending, bring about a slow in economic growth and of course result in massive job losses which of course heads us for another depression which we sure do not pray for. Again, Obama intends to end America’s trade ties the world over. Now, to decide against international trade is certainly not in our best interest, at least not in these times for the economists said â€Å"international trade is also a powerful source of strength in a weak economy†. Also, more jobs are created when we export our goods abroad and cheap products are also imported for the middle class and low income earners to especially to consume. It is this set of people that Obama’s plans would deprive of this veritable source of livelihood. As part of his plans, he also wishes to withdraw American forces from Iraq so as to free funds for the local economy. But we know that can not be true when an holistic view of the costs and benefits of the war would become after such rash withdrawal. In conclusion, Obama’s plans lack depth and appear destined to fail beyond redemption if allowed to run.

The Mexican-American War, Were We Justified

The Mexican-American War was a war between the United States and Mexico which lasted from April 1846 to February 1848. It stemmed from the United States' annexation of Texas in 1845 and from a dispute over whether Texas ended at the Nueces River (Mexican claim) or the Rio Grande (U. S. claim). The war was the most devastating event in Mexican history, where Mexico lost the modern day areas of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Montana. The Mexican-American spawned out of land lust. The idea of Manifest Destiny and the promising lands of California, which were coveted by many European nations, led to a war of greed.Even Abraham Lincoln, then a young Congressman, and Ulysses S. Grant, the future Civil War victorious commander and U. S. President, believed that the invasion of Mexico was not justified. Mexico had rejected a $15 million cash-for-land deal offered by the US. The area included what now covers the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Col orado and Utah. This territory was Mexican, but only nominally; control over the area was slight, and open to intrusion. Irritated at the rebuff, the US struck back in1845 by annexing Texas, a territory long disputed and fought over by both countries.Mexico responded by severing diplomatic relations. U. S. President Polk further provoked Mexico by moving troops south to the Rio Grande, a river that historically was considered well within Mexico. U. S. and Mexican troops skirmished across the river, leading Polk to declare to Congress on May 11, 1846, that â€Å"†¦the cup of forbearance has been exhausted,† and that â€Å"American blood has been spilled on American soil. † (Source: Eisenhower’s So Far From God, pages 49-55) The U. S. -Mexican War is the pivotal chapter in the history of North America.It is the war that sealed the fates of it's two participants. For the United States, the War garnered huge amounts of territory and wealth, bootstrapping the fl edgling democracy onto the world stage. For Mexico, the War sent the emerging nation into a tailspin that it is still reckoning with today, one hundred fifty years later. In the United States the US-Mexican War is virtually forgotten, and for good reason, as it is the clearest example of American greed and undiplomatic actions. The Mexican-American War was waged upon Mexico out of pure greed and disregard for international liberty.In conclusion, the United States was unjust in its declaration of war on Mexico in 1846. The U. S. was clouded with dreams of Manifest Destiny. It had a president that was obsessed with fulfilling campaign promises and greed for new land. Polk was looking for revenge for the denial of the proposal for buying California as was evident in his original reasons for declaring war on Mexico. Also the U. S. provoked this border dispute into the two-year war that it became by purposely inciting the Mexicans into a fight. All these reasons are the evidence that the US was not justified in declaring war on Mexico.