Good Fall

A Good Fall The word Freedom has a different connotation in every part of the world, to have freedom means to have certain characteristics. These characteristics would be having the Third Eye, self-control, humility, and the ability to be able to overcome problems with a strategized plan. In the short story collection A Good Fall by Ha Jin, each story puts characters in dissimilar positions where they show whether or not they have the characteristics that define freedom. A Composer and His Parakeet†, â€Å" In The Crossfire†, â€Å"The Beauty†, and â€Å"Temporary Love† all involve characters that seem to be trapped in a current relationship, but for different reasons. Learned Helplessness is a disease, in which you close your heart and mind to your strong self and settle for your weak self-resulting in shame, several characters are diagnosed with this disease. The Third Eye can be defined as self-awareness, it allows us to interpret the current situation w e are in, and analyze the good from the bad.It emphasizes the bigger, long-term picture over the short-term and helps make decisions out of reason rather emotion. A person with the third eyes exercises discipline over desire. Humility is simply learning from our mistakes to make us stronger and wiser. Fanlin from the story â€Å"A Composer and his Parakeets† shows traits of having freedom. His girlfriend Supriya owns a mute parakeet Bori; she leaves Bori with Fanlin as she goes off to Thailand for her job as an actress. At the beginning Fanlin disliked the bird because he believed one of Supriya’s ex-boyfriends gave her the bird.Over time he grows a heart and starts bonding with the bird, he lets him into his music studio in which the bird was not allowed in at first. Fanlin was preparing to write for an Opera event that was coming up. Weeks went on and the bird went everywhere Fanlin did, until one day by the beach the bird flies away and almost drowns and Fanlin thro ws himself into the water to save it. Bori would later die the following day and his girlfriend did not seem to care about the bird anymore. This made Fanlin’s third eye kick in as he wondered whether she would not care about him like she did with the bird over time.When the bird died so did his relationship with Supriya. Fanlin’s students that he thought music lessons seemed concerned about him and so they bring him another parakeet. This parakeet had a dirty mouth and Fanlin paid him no mind, he even left his window open so he would fly away. After the death of the first bird and the death of his relationship, Fanlin goes on to write a beautiful second half of music in his opera which was full of emotion and is told to go back to rewrite the first half. His second bird would fly away shortly after, symbolizing he being set free from his past relationship that was just a waste of time.Self-control is the ability to improve our position rather than surrender to self-de struction and compulsion. In the story â€Å"Temporary Love†, Lina a married woman who’s husband was in China, lived in the United States with a married man. Although she tells her husband that she lives by herself, she has sexual relations with this married man who’s spouse as well lived in China. They had a mutual agreement to end this temporary relationship until their spouses arrived in the United States. Unfortunately Panbin, the man Lina stayed with grew feelings for her and told her repeatedly he was in love with her.Lina told him a plethora of times that she was married and that they agreed to end this arrangement whenever one wanted. Her husband was coming to the United States so Lina prepares to move out and find her own apartment. She thought that her husband did not know about the affair but he did. He had his ways of having someone follow her and relay him the information he needed. This put Lina in an uncomfortable position, her husband told her he did not want to find a job and was going to go to business school to get his MBA. Not only that, but Lina was going to pay for it with all her money she had saved in her bank account.She had no other choice but to pay for his schooling, she feared that once she paid he would soon leave her. Secretly she would visit Panbin for advice but he paid her no mind for leaving him. Now she was trapped in a relationship she could not escape. Lina could either pay and face the consequences of her husband maybe leaving or not pay and face the humility, disappointment, and shame in her by her family back home for her actions. Lina is a victim of learned helplessness. Freedom was a major contributor in Fanlin actions as he could freely relieve himself from Supriya.As for Lina, she was strapped in for a long ride with the devil. Fanlin is able to figure out that Supriya was no good for him and that she would soon leave him. He made up his mind and left her, and was free without her. Lina in this case was stuck, she had no self-control, she was ashamed of herself and her actions, the only thing she could do was pay her husbands tuition for taking of her ailing father back home. Some people are born with the third eye such as Fanlin, while others lack it and suffer and live a life without any freedom.

Kinesiology

The movement that the paper shall discuss is the ‘hammer throw’ â€Å"The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object to be thrown is a heavy steel ball attached with wire (maximum 4 ft (1.22 m) to a handle.† (Farlex Inc., 2007, p.1) The objective of the feat is throwing the steel ball at the farthest distance. â€Å"The two most important factors for a far throw are the angle of release and the speed of the ball.† (Farlex Inc., 2007, p.1)For an athlete, it is important for them to be aware of every muscle movement that happens during the process of hammer throw. These phases are important for a smooth transition of muscles from one stage to another to execute a correct and efficient movement. The next part will highlight the five phases involved in hammer throw. In particular, the following phases will determine the relevant muscles involved in the process.The first phase involves the stance phase. There is minimal amount of movement in this phase that is why muscles remain at status quo. â€Å"Due to the minimal amount of movement in this phase, the majority muscle position maintenance throughout the body should be accomplished through isometric contraction.† (www.mhhe.com/floyd16e, p.196)The next phase involves the preparatory phase. In hammer throw, â€Å"concentric contractions occur in their anatagonist muscles in this phase.† (www.mhhe.com/floyd16e, p.196) The joints involved are the shoulder and elbow in which their actions represent a horizontal hyperextension and extension respectively. In addition, the agonists muscles involve in the process are posterior deltoids and latissiumus dorsi and triceps brachii (shoulder and elbow)The third phase talks about the movement phase. â€Å"It is the phase in which the summation of force is generated directly to the ball, sport, object, or opponent, and is usually characterized by near-maximal concentric activity in the involved muscles.à ¢â‚¬  (www.mhhe.com/floyd16e, p.197) With hammer throw, this is the process wherein the person starts rotating the body which is called ‘turns’.â€Å"You must try to utilize inertial forces of the hammer in the single by riding the ball and being passive with the ascending hammer, while avoiding activity with the pelvis and legs.† (Larry, 2000, p. 1) In addition, â€Å"After running through the high point of the hammer, you must complete the turn on the ball of the left foot by actively driving back to double support as soon as possible.† (Larry, 2000, p.1)The next phase involves the follow-through phase. â€Å"In this phase, often referred to as the deceleration phase, the velocity of the body segment progressively decreases, usually over a wide range of motion.† In the process of hammer throw, the joints involved are the shoulder and elbow. The actions involved are a horizontal flexion and flexion for the shoulder and elbow respectively. The agon ist muscles involved in the process are (1) anterior deltoids and Pectoralis major for the shoulder and (2) biceps brachii for the elbow.The last phase is the recovery phase. â€Å"The recovery phase is used after follow through to regain balance and positioning to be ready for the next sport demand.† (www.mhhe†¦, p.197) For hammer throw, the individual after the follow through stage slowly goes back to status quo as both muscles in the elbow, shoulder, hips, and legs relax to prepare for the next throw.In the process of hammer throw, an individual might sustain an injury due to lack of stretching or failure to follow the proper process in hammer throw. Injuries related to hammer throwing include (1) strains, (2) cramps, (3) calf muscle injuries, (4) sprains and (5) elbow and shoulder muscle related injuries. Thus, it is very important for a hammer thrower to constantly warm up for the sport and at the same time follows effectively every step mentioned by the coach for i njuries to be prevented.ReferencesBrainmac. Movement Analysis in Sports Coach. Retrieved October 21, 2007 fromhttp://www.brianmac.co.uk/moveanal.htmFarlex Inc. (2007) Hammer Throw in The Free Dictionary. Retrieved October 21, 2007 fromhttp://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Hammer+throwingJudge, L. (2000) A Technique Analysis of the Hammer Throw for Men & Women. RetrievedKinesiology. Retrieved October 21, 2007 from http://www.mhhe.com/floyd16e Kinesiology Al Reyes married and has a step child and I child of his own has done a lot in his lifetime. His jobs vary from working in a cubicle in his early year to coaching high school sports teams to now teaching and coaching the water polo team at Santa Ana College. His life stories have had a vastly large impact on me, he made me realize that life is not always about money, although with it life would be a lot easier, but all you really need is people and things you love and your set.What I really enjoyed bout having him in the class was that he made you listen but not in the way an average teacher would he made you intrigued in whatever it was he was talking about. Although I don't want to become a teacher later in life he made me rethink this. Response to Brian: I agree with Brian I have put a lot of thought into becoming a teacher/coach but never knew what to teach/coach and who for.Mr. Reyes has shed some light and has really been making me think hard, asking myself if teaching is actua lly what I want to do with my life. Have little money but be content with what I'm doing, impacting kids lives in such a way that they don't even know, it sounds just about equally awarding to me.My high School basketball coach/Spanish teacher has changed my life in so many ways, from being captain of her basketball teaching me the importance of teamwork, dedication and hard work can take you a long way to my teacher making me work hard. She was also very close to me I considered her more as a friend in ways she was always looking out for me, driving me to go to college, finding me a place to live. If I change someones life the way she has changed mine I know life will be amazing.

Recruitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recruitment - Essay Example The labor market conditions determine a number a factors that will affect our recruitment plan. The demand and supply of labor will determine the market mechanism. The equilibrium of the demand and supply of labor will determine the wages or salaries. Besides this, other factors that could affect our recruitment plan include government regulations in the market. These regulations could be a minimum wage set by the government or could also be other regulations regarding the number of employees that can be employed etc. According to research carried out by the Human resource department of Eatwell, the skilled labor present in the region we plan on opening our next branch does not belong to any sort of trade unions. This is an advantage for us because no trade union means that the labor will not be strong enough to influence our decisions. However, a throughout England, there is a minimum wage law set by the government and we will have to consider this before deciding on wages for our u nskilled labor. Secondly, since there are not many superstores in the area where the new branch is being opened, we have many opportunities that we can make use of. The labor over there does not have much choice, giving us an advantage of excess labor supply. This will allow us to choose the best possible employees for Eatwell from a wide range of labor supply. In order to calculate the number of vacant jobs in our new superstore, we will need to consider a number of aspects. First of all, we will consider the number of employees in the other branches and compare it with the branch's size. This will give us an estimate of the amount of vacancies available for our new branch. Then we will consult various departments and ask them their requirements of employees. These requirements will also be considered and formal job descriptions will be developed for each job identified. These job descriptions will be useful later on in the recruitment process when the jobs will be advertised. Another aspect that needs to be considered is hiring the number of recruits which will most profitable for the firm. Too many employees hired could result in diseconomies of scales while fewer employees than required mean lower output. This is how the exact number of available jobs will be identified and employees will be recruited accordingly. In order to be efficient, a firm needs to be flexible. Atkinson gave a flexible firm model in 1984 according to which flexibility in an organization depends on workers of two kinds, the core workforce and peripheral workforce. The core workforce consists of those employees that are regular and permanent. The organization has a standard contract with them. On the other hand, the peripheral workforce consists of those workers which are semi-permanent. They are hired when they are required and fired when the work is done. They are also called just-in-time workforce and disposable workforce. The peripheral workforce is actually what makes a firm flexible. The firm can hire a worker whenever the need arises and dismiss him as soon as there is no more need. This model will give Eatwell a competitive advantage over rest of the supermarkets in the market. This practice allows a firm's average cost to decrease and the efficiency to increase. This model can be applied to our recruitment plan a s well. All the low paid and low skills jobs will be included in the peripheral wo

The Involvement in the Manufacturing Industry and High Rates of Research Paper - 4

The Involvement in the Manufacturing Industry and High Rates of Joblessness - Research Paper Example Trade between two economies is very sensitive to the slightest changes in understanding. It is factual that the cost of tyre production in China is lower than that in America. This enables the sales of Chinese tires at affordable prices while still making profits. Furthermore, some American firms have established their tyre manufacturing industries in China to benefit from the least cost of production (Mankiw et al. 165). This implies that the imposition of the trade tariffs cannot be effective without an equal disruption of the American investors in China. On the other hand, the imposition of specific tariffs for partner countries arouses diplomatic questions on the legitimacy of the protective approach to trading. During the accession of China to the World Trade Organization, it ratified the agreement that gave a loophole for such unprecedented tariffs. This ratification gave room for The protectionist measures undertaken by the American government translates into mere political posturing without any substantial positive effects on trade (Sutter 214). This scenario may escalate into a trade war and inflict a serious economic slump on both the American and Chinese economies. The spill of the trade row may necessitate equal invocation of key agreements such as the anti-dumping policy for the American goods by the Chinese government. Setting the tariffs on Chinese rubber tires at 35% may have appeared plausible for the American government since the world trade organization had preferred a 55% tariff. However, as it turns out, this form of protectionism in the end only incurs expenses to the American economy overly.

Casestudy of westpac Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Casestudy of westpac - Case Study Example The approach is vital in the new age development of business. Shared values are different from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) because it focuses on innovation and support and not on financial support (Drucker, 2002, p. 78). Over the years, corporate social responsibility has been viewed as a financial burden for the company because it involves the use of money in the process. However, the current development of the shared value approach will not only solve the social problem but also help the companies overcome the various challenges existing in corporate responsibilities. Westpac bank is a powerful bank in Australia with the perfect approach in both the dealing with the social issue and also handling the problem of cost. Westpac has developed several approaches in the creation of shared values that have facilitated the success of the bank. The bank engages in other sectors that were initially viewed as not related to the banking industries. The bank has been involved on s everal fronts including carbon trading with the main goal of the approach to create a shared value with the society. The bank has managed to create an impact in the society using the new model of handling social issue. Issues addressed by Westpac In developing shared values by Westpac, three areas are identified by the bank to be the focus areas. The Bank’s approach depends on the ability, to handle the issues as well as develop partnerships that facilitate the development of the community, thereby reducing the cost of the corporate action, while encouraging participation. The three main areas of focus are community partnerships, employee involvement and capacity building (Crane and Matten, 2007, p. 98). The approaches involve the creation of strategies that ensure sustainability and society improvement. One sustainable product developed by the Bank is the creation of innovative products such as everyday banking through the creation of new Accounts focusing on several issues. The development of Sense Account, which received the 2010 Australian Banking and Finance Award for innovative Banking product of the year. The product targets helping the customer to budget and save. The development of the budget process is facilitated by the use of charts for expenditure and savings. The account offers assistance during financial difficulty such assistance when unemployed to customers who are financially committed. Additionally the products cover other banks such as the St George, BankSA and the Bank of Melbourne. The focus of the products is to deliver improvement on customer experience. The argument of Porter is true because the approach used in delivery of the Sense account has led to success for both the product as both a social product and companies focus product. The success of the Sense account is based on the ability to handle the problems of the society especially planning, budgeting, and financial assistance thus facilitates the development of the societ y (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, and Wright, 2012, p. 104). The society requires support and, if a company can borrow forms the nonprofit approach to develop success the better. Apart from the sense account, the bank is engaging in other sectors of the society such carbon trading. The engagement in carbon trading does not only help in conservation of the environment but provides an opportunity to support the community. The involvement in socially responsible investment strategies has helped in the creation of shared values in the

Network Security and Its Business Impact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Network Security and Its Business Impact - Essay Example Securing and stabilizing the network ensures the confidentiality of data and effects positively towards the productivity and functionality of a business. Providing secure information technology (IT) services to colleges and universities is a special and unique challenge. Unfettered and timely access to all enormous quanti ­ties of information is higher education’s life ­blood and is a key to its success in educating its students and generating new ideas and know-how. The situation becomes more challenging when a new technology is added and integrated into the existing setup and same or advanced level of accessibility and protection is expected. Thus, the need of the hour is to identify the security loopholes and develop security policies especially for environments where the wired and wireless networks co-exist. 3 Situation Overview: The research is set in MajanCollege in the context of improvising the security of the college network after adding the wireless network (Wire less LAN) with the existing wired network (Local LAN). 4 Presenting the Problem Definition: The problem for the Network administrators is focused on understanding that the security needs to be strengthened when a wireless network is added to the wired network. 5 Real World Target: The major benefit in the real world if the problem is resolved or partially resolved is that the network administrators would confidently revise the security policies every time a wireless network is added to their network rather than continuing with the existing policies for the wired network and not being susceptible to security breaches saving the confidentiality of the data which is an asset to business. 6 What is Security? Computer security is a complex of actions and activities aimed at creating... This study declares that providing secure information technology (IT) services to colleges and universities is a special and unique challenge. Unfettered and timely access to all enormous quanti ­ties of information is higher education’s life ­blood and is a key to its success in educating its students and generating new ideas and know-how. The situation becomes more challenging when a new technology is added and integrated into the existing setup and same or advanced level of accessibility and protection is expected.   Thus, the need of the hour is to identify the security loopholes and develop security policies especially for environments where the wired and wireless networks co-exist.  As the discussion stresses the major benefit in the real world if the problem is resolved or partially resolved is that the network administrators would confidently revise the security policies every time a wireless network is added to their network rather than continuing with the exi sting policies for the wired network and not being susceptible to security breaches saving the confidentiality of the data which is an asset to business.  The importance strategically of this work is that the integrated network security for wired and wireless network will help the college in securing valuable data, improving network systems performance, protecting networks from internal and external threats, to enable higher availability and accessibility to the network.

Writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Writing - Assignment Example I strongly believe that the warm moist space underneath the foreskin is a prime breeding zone for bacteria. Thus, it can harbor organisms that can transmit sexually transmitted diseases. Once a man gets rid of his foreskin, this would be avoided. As well, circumcision is hygienic since once the foreskin is removed, the cheese-like, foul smelling substance will never accumulate. However, this could contribute to infections between partners, and can even cause cancer. Circumcised men find it easy to keep their bodies hygienic contrary to uncircumcised men. It is worth noting that the fact that circumcised men keep off bacteria and other disease causing microorganisms, it is true to say that circumcision reduces transmission of HIV/AIDS. Uncircumcised men are at a higher risk of contracting STIs, than circumcised ones. My view on circumcision has been influenced by medical studies. The basis of these views is primarily medical, and has been proved to be true. After reading a lot of studies regarding circumcision, I came to realize that it promotes healthy living. For this reason, circumcision should be practiced by all men if at all they mind about their

Insurance Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Insurance Law - Essay Example In evaluating the extent of the risk, the insurer analyzes the breakdown of claims into different subsection; in many insurance firms, sex is a factor in the calculation of the premium. Legal bodies argue that insurance companies should not base their calculations in reference to the statistics. It is true and evident that the world’s statistics show that, male drivers, specifically young drivers experience more accidents per capita than female drivers. This means that female risk equivalent is less than that of male drivers; that is, in reference to the same area, same car, similar driving experience, and some knowledge of the environment. Below are statistical records in reference to males and accidents: In evaluating the extent of the risk, the insurer analyzes the breakdown of claims into different subsection; in many insurance firms, sex is a factor in the calculation of the premium. Legal bodies argue that insurance companies should not base their calculations in referen ce to the statistics. It is true and evident that the world’s statistics show that, male drivers, specifically young drivers experience more accidents per capita than female drivers. This means that female risk equivalent is less than that of male drivers; that is, in reference to the same area, same car, similar driving experience, and some knowledge of the environment. Below are statistical records in reference to males and accidents:1. Men are likely to perpetrators of fatal accidents 3 times higher than women.

How Homeostasis affects the Interaction of Physiological Processes Essay

How Homeostasis affects the Interaction of Physiological Processes - Essay Example Due to its distinguishing features and the crucial role that it plays in performing different processes, it has acquired a significant position in physiology. The internal mechanisms of human body are controlled by the constancy of the overall environment called homeostasis. In broader terms it can be said that the different mechanisms of human body perform their functions with the help of constant PH, concentrations of electrolyte and internal body temperature. Homeostasis is basically a controlling system of all the mechanisms which facilitates their smooth activity while maintaining a suitable environment for different functions of brain. Human brain is the most sensitive area of human body which is easily and frequently affected by the fluctuations in the external environment. However, due to the unique characteristics of homeostasis it remains protected from the external adverse impacts. Recent researchers have identified astonishing factors about homeostasis which further stren gthens its position as a key system supporting the brain activities. The internal functions of brain, for instance, transfer of messages through neurons and performance of various other tasks are subject to hypo or hyperactivity if not protected by a supporting and regulating system. This function of regulating the internal environment and protecting neural circuits from stepping in to a hypo or hyperactive state is actually performed by homeostasis. This substantiates that homeostasis is crucially required for the normal and performance of physiological processes in addition to maintaining an internal body environment which is significantly suitable for all other brain functions (GINA G. TURRIGIANO et al., 2004). Physiological Processes It refer to all the physical processes which supports and guards various activities of living organisms including all the unicellular and multi cellular organisms from their birth to the end of their life. There are different physiological processes going on simultaneously in the human body including growth and development, bacterial shedding, nutrition processes, movement etc. (PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES, 2009). Homeostasis is yet another type of physiological process which actually maintains a suitable working environment for other physiological processes. The working pattern of homeostasis is further divided into different procedures. For instance, it maintains the acid-base equilibrium and regulates the body temperature through a process called thermogenesis. Furthermore, it gets the feedback on different body movements through the active involvement of sensory nerves while maintaining a sound water-electrolyte balance through the kallikrein-kinin system (HOMEOSTASIS, 2013). There are various physiological changes which are directly affiliated with homeostasis. For instance, consider an example of aging which is experienced by every individual. It is a physiological change accompanied by other changes as well including increa sed blood pressure, decreased cardiac activity, etc. Physiological changes which are particularly related to the mechanism of nervous system include temporary stress and tension, excitement etc. In addition to this other physiological changes which show up as human age increases includes low transference of messages, poor memory, loss of neurons, etc. Homeostasis plays a

GS1140 Assignment 1 Essay Example for Free

GS1140 Assignment 1 Essay The problem that I have chosen to write about is very personal to me. The problem I had was that I was not making enough money to survive on a monthly basis. I had a choice to either look for a job that paid better or go back to school. I began looking for another job but with my lack of a degree, I still wouldn’t be making enough to really have the life I want. I began thinking about school, but I needed to decide what I wanted to do with my life. I had spent my entire adult life as a wife and a mother and didn’t worry or think about a career or furthering my education. With my children all grown and on their own, and recently becoming single it was time to make a decision about furthering my education. I decided if I was going to pursue a degree there were four very important items that I needed to look consider: What to get the degree in; Where to go to get the degree; How much it would cost me; And how long it would take. I began considering the things I enjoyed doing and whether or not I could make a career out of any of them. I have been an Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper for about 12 years and it seemed the logical choice to get my degree in Accounting or Business but it wasn’t of very much interest to me. I began talking to people who really enjoyed their jobs how they knew what it was they wanted to do in their chosen career. â€Å"Do what makes you happy.† Was the first thing my mother told me and my dad said, â€Å"If you have a job you enjoy, you will never have to work a day in your life.† I have always enjoyed working on computers, trying to figure out how to do different things. When my computer would act up, I would try to fix it myself before I would have someone else try to fix it. It interested me and so I began looking at different degrees available in the computer or IT field. I decided that this is where I want to pursue my degree. I started looking into different schools in my area and what was available for a degree in Information Technology. There were several classes available at several local community colleges. I began to look into the different classes I would need to take but was extremely confused about all the different  pre-requisites and classes open. I had decided I was going to go and talk to a counselor at one of the community colleges when someone mentioned ITT Technical Institute to me. After looking online at the website, I concluded that this would be my first stop of my journey to a higher education. I called and made an appointment to talk to someone and go over my different options. Since my finances were such that I was barely making it now, the cost of school was a very big factor to me. I couldn’t afford to pay up front for school. I wasn’t sure about any programs available to me to assist with the financial aspect of my pursuit to further my education. The lady in the finance department at ITT Tech was very helpful in answering my questions about financial aid and the different scholarships and grants available. I found that I can receive a scholarship through the school that will cut down my tuition cost and with financial aid the balance will not be due until after I finish my schooling. This was a huge relief for me to not have to come up with the money upfront. School was really looking like a definite possibility to me at this point. The last question I needed answered was how long would it take for me to finish my education. The program at ITT Tech was set up in a way that I would be able to obtain my Associates of Science degree in as little as 21 months. Unlike a regular community college, I would not have to worry about the different pre-requisites and whether or not I would be able to find an open class. They addressed all my questions and concerns, set up the classes as I needed them, and provided the necessary books and reference material. Working full time, I didn’t want to have to worry about which class I needed to take first and in which order to take them. I really liked this approach and it was one of the deciding factors for me to enroll. In conclusion, I saw a problem that needed to be fixed in my life and am on my way to remedying that challenge. I researched all my options on how to fix the problem. I asked necessary questions and set my game plan in motion and am taking the necessary steps to further my education, better myself, as well as set an example for my children and others that it’s never too late to go back to school and learn something you love.

Evaluating The Theory Of Socialist Economy Politics Essay

Evaluating The Theory Of Socialist Economy Politics Essay If one wants to examine the experience of socialist economies of the twentieth century, one need must examine the socio-economic meaning of the term socialism. This ought to be subject to a scientific analysis, primarily with respect to increasing problems in the socialist countries and to discussions and reform efforts that have been underway at various points in time over the last century in those countries. In this context, the analysis in the essay must restrict the notion of socialism to that of a social system whose characteristics have been molded both by specific theoretical works and by practical political, legal and economic institutions and measures in socialist countries. This has to be limited a little further and the essay will therefore primarily focus on the socialist economic system and its crucial connection with the political system. Proceeding from this framework, this essay shall first deal with the theoretical and practical evolution of the general basic charact eristics that are typical of the socialist economic system. Subsequently, it will examine the economic results or rather the recurring deficiencies caused by the socialist system. This will then lead to a detailed analysis of how these deficiencies may have had their earliest roots in errors contained in the very theory that was the starting point of communist practice. The genesis of the socio-economic meaning of the term socialism has its roots in theoretical works of Marx, Engels and Lenin. How this concept has satisfied the fundamental criteria of the development of socialism in the course of its practical realization in Soviet Union, China, Yugoslavia, Cuba and other socialist countries must be examined, and whether it has resulted in the socio-economic development expected by the above-mentioned theorists. After the shock and disillusionment from the collapse of the Eastern bloc, the disasters of neoliberal economic policies, East and West, have given new urgency to rethinking the socialist alternative to capitalism. Whatever one says about the feasibility of socialism, however, at some point the collapse of `actually existing socialism has to be explained. The centrally planned economy was certainly successful for a period, based on extensive growth with ample supplies of labour power and raw materials. The system collapsed when it attempted to shift toward a more intensive mode of growth. Permanent consumer goods shortages and the alienation of workers sealed its fate. In attempting to broaden the debate on the feasibility of socialism, the essay shall embark with the origin of the concept in Marx. To begin with, it must be made amply clear that the term socialism refers to the social system which Marx referred to as the first and last phase of communism  [i]  . Marx inferred the characterization of this lower form from the historical necessity of the development of communism, and from the fact that communism would directly emerge from capitalism and would be therefore characterized by capitalism for a relatively long time- the first phase. Marx and Engels substantiated the historical necessity of the development of communist society by saying that capitalism would increasingly impede the further development of productive forces and only new economic and social conditions, that is, socialist conditions, would cause productive forces to evolve at a substantially faster rate than they could under capitalism. This historical materialist perspective gave rise to the fundamental criterion for the development of the socialist economy also held by Lenin. He was convinced that the expropriation of capitalists would result in an immense extension of social productive forces and in a higher degree of labour productivity. Following the nationalization and redistribution of land consequent upon the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, a brief period of workers control was realized in the Soviet Union. However, state ownership and control of industry and financial institutions were rapidly extended, along with a ban on private trade, and the whole economy moved towards an economy in kind, a moneyless economy. These eventualities could again be traced back to Marxs conceptualization of socialism as an associated set of producers. In modern capitalist society, according to Marxs analysis, the social relations of production, which establish the framework of a distinct mode of life, are constituted by the capitalist ownership of means of production and by wage labour; and the essence of the socialist alternative had always been the transformation of private ownership into so cial ownership which Marx expressed by referring to a future society of associated producers. This associated mode of production  [ii]  was not treated in the socialist literature of the nineteenth century as having only an economic significance, but as a vital element in the constitution of a new form of society in which individuals would no longer be dependent upon the dominant minorities, but would be able to develop freely in a social environment which they took a full and equal part in creating. Socialism, therefore, was meant to obviate its fundamental opposite, capitalism, by substituting social ownership of the means of production for their private ownership. Market relations would have to be eliminated, and production as a whole would have to be oriented towards future developments of demand with the help of economic planning. Direct social labour on the part of the working population would result in a faster growth of labour productivity than under capitalism. This preoccupation with rapid increase in economic growth had its genesis in several factors. The advent of socialism in countries which were for the most part economically backward, agrarian and peasant societies, and the perceived need for extensive and rapid industrialization was the first of these. Next, the rapid post-war expansion of organized capitalism, characterized by large-scale state intervention, partial planning and very high rates of growth and the need for socialist countries to compete effectively with capitalism in the provision of high material levels of living ensured that an extraordinary stress was laid on rapid economic growth through industrialization. Lenin also pointed out that the economy is something like a giant enterprise owned by the people, who are represented by the socialist state. The activity of all the parts, the overall production by all enterprises, as well as the distribution of the means of production and the labour force among them would have to be determined with the help of one single overall plan. Although Lenins shift towards the New Economic Policy (NEP) resulted in the reintroduction of market relations in the economy, it did not change the idea of substituting systematic planning for market relations in socialism. Lenin justified the reintroduction of market relations on the strength of the existence of private producers, chiefly farmers, during the transition to socialism.  [iii]  The old bourgeois producers had to be transformed in the new socialist economy. This could be done by socializing the populace, an act which needed active state-intervention. Stalin, however, understood economic retention of market relations only in terms of formal commodity- money relations, and eliminated market mechanisms. During Stalins rule, some characteristic features of the socialist economic system developed, whose theoretical reflections bordered on being dogmas. According to him, the means of production must not be in private ownership. Rather they must be in state ownership to a decisive extent. The development of production must not be determined by market mechanisms. Rather, it must be fixed with the help of central plans. Prices must only be retained for the exclusive purposes of formal planning and calculation. They must, however, be fixed by a central state authority and must not be changed by enterprises in accordance with market conditions. Such and further fundamental dogmas were meant to preclude the reappearance of capitalist ownership and the re-emergence of economic anarchy, while ensuring the fast, effective and proportionate development of socialist production determined by pla nning. The communist parties began to label such a system organized along such economic lines as real socialist. However, not one of the objectives ever aimed at by a socialist development process was reached. This was not chiefly a consequence of subjective mistakes made by party and state leadership with regard to economic policies, rather, it was the result of defects inherent in the conceptualization of the system, which had already been embodied in Marxist-Leninist theory. In comparison with capitalist production, socialist production in Soviet Union and Yugoslavia suffered from several deficiencies which caused them to lag behind. The production showed a lower degree of efficiency than a free-market system. The production grows in a predominantly extensive manner while its intensive growth (through technological progress and the qualitative development of the production factors) is absolutely inadequate. Here, there is an assumption at work which is evidently a capitalist construct- that of measuring productivity by taking recourse to such accepted yardsticks as GDP (Gross Domestic Produc t) rates. The GDP rates are a criteria adopted by intensively capitalist countries to measure productive economic growth, not the ideal parameter to judge the growth in a country with accepted socialist status. Nevertheless, if the material levels of living in the socialist and capitalist countries be taken as a uniform criterion, the socialist nations do demonstrate the relative inefficiency of the state to meet these needs on parity with capitalist countries. Another set of deficiencies in the socialist economies of the twentieth century concerns the nature of production. Production was not sufficiently geared to demand; on the one hand it produced quantities of non-required goods, while on the other, it did not satisfy concrete demand to any large extent. Moreover, production supplied few high quality and fashionable consumer goods, and the technological standards of capital goods were far behind those of capitalist countries. The proportion of consumer goods in production was substantially smaller than Western free-market economies. The official economic theory or more accurately, the ideological propaganda of the USSR and Yugoslavia, as well as of other socialist countries, ignored or concealed these economic defects for years. They only worked with the fast growth rates of production volumes in the initial years, overlooking the losses in efficiency which were increasing from the beginning. Ever since its inception, the planning system prevented a highly efficient investment development, not only because of slow technological progress, but also because it rendered impossible a selection of the most profitable investment projects which are numerous in a free-market economy. Central investment planning and the allocation of investment funds is affected by means of a primitive accounting of input and output without, crucially, an optimal profitability selection.  [iv]  Most important, however, is the fact that the planning system from the start prevented consumers from influencing the development of productio n through the market and from assessing the performance of individual enterprises with the help of market selection. Both in the free-market and in the planned economy systems, lack of balance between supply and demand is inevitable with regard to certain commodities. In a free-market system, however, producers are compelled to overcome these imbalances as soon as possible if they are to achieve profits rather than sustaining losses. In a planned economy system, the extent of the imbalance is substantially greater, and is overcome considerably slowly- if at all. It is at this crucial juncture that one needs to realize that there is a great difference between those societies in which the greater part of productive resources are publicly owned and central planning has a major role, and on the other hand, the societies in which there is only limited public ownership and planning and the construction of a socialist economy involves some extension of planning in diverse forms, along with restrictions on market mechanisms.  [v]  It is the former group of countries that includes the Soviet and Yugoslavian experience that this paper posits as a contrast to the latter Chinese experience with socialism. Even within the group of socialist countries in Eastern Europe (Soviet Union and Yugoslavia) there are important differences arising from distinctive economic, social and cultural conditions, which are revealed in a very different course of post-war development. Two socialist countries in the last century undertook a fundamental and complete restru cturing of the economy- Yugoslavia (where the phase of centralized management was very brief, and hence provides a contrast of sorts to the Soviet experience) and Hungary. The economic system that Yugoslavia adopted provided the model for several economies. The theoretical framework which the Yugoslav is based on is clearly formulated by Horvat who, after rejecting the eclecticism of a mixed economy, continues: We wish to preserve essential consumer sovereignty because socialism is based on the preferences of individuals who control the society. We also wish to preserve the autonomy of producers, since this is the pre-condition for self-management. When these are taken together, we need a market. But not a laissez-faire market. We need a market that will perform the two functions just stated, neither less or more. In other words, we need the market as a planning device in a strictly defined sphere of priorities and planning as a precondition for an efficient market in order to increase the economic welfare of the community.  [vi]   Yugoslav society, thus, unlike Soviet socialism, was constantly caught in a dilemma between the plan and the market, which not only reflects the unclearly defined principles and aims of economic policy, but also is a manifestation of the actual balance of forces in society; that is to say of the clash between advocates of centralized planning and those who uphold the absolute validity of market laws. The dilemma is irreconcilable and the question which remains to be explored is whether the Yugoslav experience demonstrates that there are formidable difficulties in achieving the integration of planning and markets in any regime of public ownership, or more broadly, in a socialist society. In considering this crucial question, one should remember that for two decades the Yugoslav system functioned quite effectively, producing high rates of economic growth and an impressive development of social and cultural life. The turning point, as it were, came, theorists believe, with the rise in o il prices and the Western recession of the early 70s. It may also be argued that the subsequent economic decline was due in large measure to the failure of planning to deal effectively with the consequences of these events, and in particular with the massive growth of external indebtedness. It is certain, therefore, that the economic development of Yugoslavia and other socialist societies had been adversely affected by the their close links with the capitalist world, and by the failure of policy-makers to take a due account of the cycle of growth and recession in capitalist societies which is, after all, at the heart of Marxist economic analysis. As Golubovic claims, Socialism with markets is here to stay  [vii]  . The countries in Western Europe, which could be labeled Socialistic or tending towards being socialist, faced problems which were very different from those faced by socialist ones. Nevertheless, some issues were of common concern, highlighting certain universal facets of a socialist economy as it took shape in the twentieth century. The common concerns were centered on the particular forms which public ownership of productive resources, and economic planning should take in the future. In these countries the movement towards socialism got retarded by the advent of conservative governments. And, going by the experience of Yugoslavia one would imagine that treading a middle path between plan and market was indeed the only way to go for countries claiming to be socialist. The Chinese experience with socialism, however, not only contrasts with the Yugoslav experience, but it seems to be hinged on lessons learnt from the experience of the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalins rules. The Chinese and the Cuban methods alert us to Marxs central issue: the proletariat must not only change the relations of society but in the process change itself. Here, the present analysis calls for a contrast between the Soviet and Chinese experiences. The Cuban experience shall be scrutinized later. The October Revolution proved the validity, under conditions existing in Russia in 1917, of the first half of the Marxist-Leninist theory of transition to socialism. The industrial proletariat was able, under resolute revolutionary leadership, to overthrow the bourgeois regime which had come to power in the erstwhile February revolution. However, with regard to the second half of the theory- the capacity of the proletariat to lead the way in the construction of socialism- the Russian experience is at best inconclusive. One must remember that small to begin with; the Russian proletariat was decimated and dispersed by the four years of bloody civil war, hunger and chaos which followed th e revolution. The Bolshevik government was forced to rely on the erstwhile antisocialist bureaucratic administration, overrun as it was with problem of survival and economic recovery. Under the circumstances, revolutionizing practice tending to produce socialist human nature almost totally disappeared. Instead the reconstituted and expanded proletariat which came with forced industrialization was repressed and atomized, deprived of all means of self-expression, and terrorized by an omnipresent secret police. The notion that abolition of exploitative private property in the means of production ushers in an essentially classless society which, given a sufficient development of the forces of production, will evolve in a harmonious way towards communism is exploded once and for all through the Soviet experience. As Nicholas Poulantzas points out, in a society divided into classes, the relations of production consist of a double relation which encompasses mens relations to nature in material production- economic ownership and possession. The first of these relations, that of economic ownership, is the real economic control of the means of production. In the socialist countries, formal, juridical ownership of the means of production belong to the state, which is held to be the peoples state, but real economic control rests in the hands of the directors of enterprises and the members of the party apparatus.  [viii]  Socialist ownership by the whole people has degenerated into ownership by a privileged stratum. It is a privileged stratum- what Charles Bettelheim has called a new state bourgeoisie  [ix]   which controls the means of production and thereby decides how the fruits of production are to be utilized. This unholy collusion at the highest levels of governance killed the revolutionary urge of the proletarians who had effected the revolution a decade back (1917). While the Russian experience thus throws light on the positive side of constructing revolution (a real revolution of the proletariat), it does provide devastating proof of the impossibility of infusing seemingly socialist forms with genuine socialist content unless the process, as Marx delineated, goes hand-in-hand with the formation of socialist human beings.  [x]  It also alerts us to the undesirable effects of bureaucratization that took the wind out of the sails of the socialist regime. A different choice of means could have yielded drastically contradictory and possibly, favorable, results f or the Soviet Union under Stalinist rule. More equality and fewer privileges to the bureaucracy, lesser incentives for the erstwhile bourgeois class, more trust and confidence in the masses, greater inner party democracy are some factors which could have been the steering principles of a course which could have ensured the survival of socialist Soviet Union. It wasnt just these negative lessons from the Soviet experience that impelled the Chinese to pioneer a different path to the construction of socialism. The situation and the proletarian background in China formed the basis of these differences. For one thing, the Chinese proletariat, though smaller than the Russian counterpart, was never plagued by economism. This is explained by Mao who wrote, Since there is no economic basis for economic reformism in colonial and semi-colonial China as there is in Europe, the whole proletariat, with the exception of a few scabs, is most revolutionary.  [xi]  Moreover, the prolonged civil war in China, combined with the war against Japanese invaders fostered a vast growth in both size and the maturity of the revolutionary forces, while a much shorter period of civil war and resistance to foreign invaders in the Soviet Union seriously weakened the revolutionary forces there. The result was China was much more socialised, in as much as the people were more imbued with the ideals of socialist revolutionary fervor than in Russia. When one has to evaluate the Chinese experience, it may well be stated at the outset that its most important contribution to the advance of Marxist thought was to suggest an alternative to the Soviet and east European experience with socialism. In the first years after they came to power, the Chinese Communists set out to follow the Soviet model of collectivization of farms but soon discovered that it put demands on the agricultural sector which could not be met. In the 1920s the Russians decided to squeeze the needed surplus out of the peasants, with the fearful consequences of a decimated and atomized proletariat. This option did not even exist for the Chinese. With a reordering of priorities under Maos regime, industry was to be geared to the needs of agriculture and developed not only in the cities but especially in the countryside, beginning the process of introducing the peasantry to modern technology. This meant the capital needed to develop the Chinese economy was to come from a general increase in the productivity of the Chinese labour force. This in turn, required a vast and historically unprecedented innovation in the form of the agricultural communes and the introduction of a Chinese version of the Green Revolut ion. The economy thereafter worked really well by world standards: China became essentially self-sufficient in agricultural production; and industry developed, in terms of both rapidity and geographical distribution. In recent decades China has opened its economy to foreign investment and to market-based trade, and has experienced strong economic growth. It has carefully managed the transition from a planned socialist economy to a market economy, officially referred to as the socialist market economy, which has been likened to capitalism by some outside observers. As a result, centralized economic planning has little relevance in China today. The current Chinese economic system is characterized by state ownership combined with a strong private sector of privately owned enterprises that generate about 70% of GDP.  [xii]   The Cuban experience with socialism was also illuminating as it highlighted the role of national integrity, nationalization of the populace and the cultivation of the spirit of patriotism in the masses as prime factors leading to a socialist revolution along the lines Marx postulated (1986). The revolutionary government under Fidel Castro found socialism to be the most viable means for freeing Cuba from domination by capitalist countries, guaranteeing in a way Cubas sovereignty. The mission also involved mobilizing and educating the populace even as anti-capitalist changes were vibrant in the party apparatus (again, as in Marx, the ideal ground for a socialist revolution and consolidation of the means of production after the revolution was the party apparatus). Socialism, through the Cuban alternative, has been demonstrably shown to be a process that is premised on unleashing the power of the people, who learn how to change themselves under circumstances and able leadership.  [xiii ]  This consensus and subsequent legitimization of the Cuban state has been shaped by the revolutionary, patriotic and political behavior of the masses. The power of the state is, in the Cuban experience with socialism, shown to be the one with appropriate means to produce change. The way there are deficiencies as with any other socialist regime but these are being tackled in Cuba are paradigmatically different. The debates with respect to deficiencies in Cuba do not reflect the need to replace the regime, but the need to improve it by deepening its ideals and the socialist project. This desire to stand by the ideology of socialism is what sets the Cuban experience apart from all others. It was thereby shown, through the Chinese experience, and the ideologically successful (not equally economically successful, however) Cuban experience that the Soviet and East European experience with socialism, far from being an embodiment of the laws of socialism, was merely one possible path to economic development and as history has demonstrated, one which is in irreconcilable contradiction with the requirements of a socialist transition to communism. Nevertheless, it was only after the creation of the first socialist society in 1917 consequent upon the Bolshevik revolution that central planning (with the concomitant, unintended consequence of bureaucratisation) came to occupy a central place in the definition of the socialist economy. The importance of the Bolshevik revolution is thus paramount. The optimum mix of planning and markets, however, has not been demonstrated neatly by any socialist economy till date. Yugoslavia came close but the dilemma whether to opt for a centralized plan or market mode was irreconcilable to say the least, as demonstrated in the essay. This general sense of disillusionment with the origin and evolution of socialist economies in East Europe has given rise in the countries burdened with it to search for new models of a socialist economy. The chief factors contributing to the disillusionment were probably three: the increasing recognition that a socialist organization of production would be not more but much less productive than private enterprise; an even clearer recognition that, instead of leading to what had been conceived as greater social justice, it would mean a new arbitrary and more inescapable order of rank than ever before; and the realization that, instead of the promised greater freedom, it would mean the appearance of a new despotism. A significant development, hence, was the presentation of the decentralized model whereby the decisions regarding current economic operations would be largely decentralized while the government would retain control over new investment.  [xiv]  This model constituted a p artial departure from Marxian socialism (For in Marxs terms, market socialism is a contradiction in terms), since it allowed some elements of the market to slip into the regulation of current production. Nevertheless, the problems involved in restructuring the socialist economies are multiform and complex. What assumes pre-eminence in such a remedy is not the question of ownership or the excessive promotion of competition, but the decentralization of economic decision-making by giving enterprises greater independence in a controlled environment of market relations. Developing new, indirect modes of planning the economy as a whole have to be devised simultaneously. Economic changes in a socialist economy are thus closely bound up with political manouevres. Political reforms are necessary which require for their success the holistic socialization of the populace, a new spirit of individual enterprise, responsibility to production and administration. Public ownership of the major productive resources is essential for the construction of a socialist economy and then a socialist society. This is so because on one hand is the need to eliminate domination by a capitalist class or a privileg ed bureaucracy as a necessary precondition of classlessness; and on the other hand is the need to extend democratic participation as widely as possible, which is simply another aspect of classlessness or egalitarianism. The postulation of participation in decision-making, however, is accompanied by a controversy concerning the conflict between goals of participation and efficiency. This is primarily with regard to publicly owned enterprises concerning their efficiency and ability to innovate, which is related in most discussions to the question of incentives for both management and workers. This criticism is not totally fair for two reasons. Firstly, it should be amply clear that what is being dealt with is a relative inefficiency  [xv]  and that too not in all cases, as this essay has demonstrated. Moreover it is a fact universally acknowledged that socialist countries as a whole (with a few exceptions) were very successful in the earlier periods in achieving rapid industrializ ation and major technological innovation in some spheres. The central message of the paper is that there is no single ideal model of socialism. Once capitalism is overturned and there is public ownership of the means of production, people will be free to choose democratically among a variety of models of socialist organisation of the economy- as has demonstrably happened in the countries chosen for analysis. Options could range from the completely centralised state rationing of all products (Stalinist Russia) to market socialism (Yugoslavia and later China) with an integral role for money. But a socialist society could also opt to let the full product of peoples labour accrue back to them (Early China after the revolution and Cuba), taxing workers appropriately in order to effect redistribution and investment. Or it could allow only part of the total product to accrue directly to workers, at th

Artificial Heart Devices Essay -- essays research papers

Artificial Heart Devices In its never ending pursuit of advancement, science has reached a crucial biotechnological plateau, the creation of artificial organs. Such a concept may seem easy to comprehend until one considers the vast knowledge required to provide a functional substitute for one of nature's creations. One then realizes the true immensity of this breakthrough. Since ancient times, humans have viewed the heart as more than just a physical part of the body. It has been thought the seat of the soul, the source of emotion, and the center of each individual's existence. For many years, doctors and researchers left the heart untouched because they thought it was too delicate, too crucial to withstand the rigors of surgery. However, the innate human desire to achieve brought about the invention of the artificial heart. The potential for such inventions are enormous. According to the American Heart Association, there are between 16,000 and 40,000 possible recipients of artificial heart devices under the age of sixty-five. If perfected, it would enable us to save thousands of human lives. In considering the full impact of artificial heart devices on society, we must not narrow our thinking to include only the beneficial possibilities. There exist moral, ethical, and economic factors that accompany these new innovations to humanity. Who will receive these brilliant inventions? Obviously not all of the patients will get transplants, so selection criteria must be established. The high price of artificial heart devices and their implantation will eliminate some candidates. Unfortunately, this is not fair. The rich, in essence, can buy life, whereas the poor are abandoned to die in a diseased state. A thorough analysis of the implications of the implantation of such devices reveals not only selection and economic consideration, but mortality and ethics as well. Many contest that it is simply wrong to tamper with the ways and creations of nature. By prolonging life through unnatural means were are defeating natures foremost tenet of the "survival of the fittest." We are preserving the weaker gene pools and contributing to the deterioration of the human species. These and other considerations play a vital role in determining the artificial transplants actual benefit to the contemporary world and the world of tomorrow. A... ...evices for the heart will definitely have a great impact on society. This can be classified in two major ways: financial problems and population problems. Of course, increased use of artificial heart devices in medicine is going to increase the financial burden on society. The potential gains will be substantial when the lives of many productive individuals can be saved. The extent of the financial burden depends largely upon the number of patients who benefit from the artificial valve, the availability of the device, and improvements in its efficiency and dependability. In the long run, worldwide utility of the artificial valve technology would increase the world population. Overpopulation is already the root of many of the world's crises. The many debates concerning artificial heart implantation as a medical technique each have their own significance, and each deserves thorough consideration. Before we rush headlong into complete employment of the devices in medicine, we must evaluate the moral, social, ethical, arguments. Hopefully we can reach a decision that blends all of the aforementioned considerations into a harmonious existence, working to the maximum benefit of society.

History of christmas :: essays research papers

History of the Celebration of Christmas People have celebrated a mid-winter festival since pre-historic times. They marked the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual offerings. The Roman festival of Saturnalia -- a time for feasting and gambling -- lasted for weeks in December. Germanic tribes of Northern Europe also celebrated mid-winter with feasting, drinking and religious rituals. It's thought that Jesus of Nazareth was born in springtime. A Pope, Julius I, chose December 25th for the celebration of his birth in the 4th century -- to include a Christian element in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Also in the 4th century, a bishop in Turkey who came to be called St. Nicholas was known for good deeds involving children. St. Nicholas is illustrated in medieval and renaissance paintings as a tall, dignified and severe man. His feast day on December 6 was celebrated throughout Europe until about the 16th century. Afterwards, he continued to be known in Protestant Holland. Dutch children would put shoes by the fireplace for St. Nicholas or "Sinter Klaas" and leave food out for his horse. He'd gallop on his horse between the rooftops and drop candy down the chimneys into the children's shoes. Meanwhile, his assistant, Black Peter, was the one who popped down the chimneys to leave gifts behind. Dutch settlers brought the legend of Sinter Klaas to North America -- where we came to know him as Santa Claus. Clement Clarke Moore first described the â€Å"jolly old elf† with his sleigh drawn by reindeer, in the poem "The Night Before Christmas. Although it was never celebrated in biblical times, Christmas is celebrated in local churches here in Visalia, California in praise of the fact that God loved us so much; he sent his one and only son to earth. He was wholey god and wholey man. Whereas we have succumbed to the temptations of this earth, Jesus was able to overcome all temptations and live a sinless life. He was then crucified as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. One cannot understand why we celebrate the birth of Christ without seeing the other end of his life. He was crucified for our sins and resurrected. Christmas was declared a Federal Holiday in America on June 26, 1870 under the government headed by President Ulysses S.

Greek And Roman Arches :: History, Art, Architecture

Greek and Roman Arches and Architecture Architectural designs changed greatly since the ancient times. Most famous architectures and sculptures today originated from the Greek and Roman civilizations. Moreover, some of the inventions from those civilizations are also being used today, such as the arch, which originated from Roman architecture, and the columns, which originated from the Greek architecture. Throughout history, these architectures and inventions have become the foundations for our buildings, churches, and much more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Greek architecture used mainly columns in most of their temples. The shape of the column was the most significant architectural factor. There were three types of columns, which were Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. On these columns would lay a magnificent centerpiece, which displayed Greek gods or any sort of decorations. On the other hand, the Romans’ architecture used mainly arches, which could hold much more pressure than a column. Romans also used columns in their buildings, but only in a decorative form. Arches were made of stones or bricks and placed on top of each other in a way that it can form an arch and hold weight upon itself. In most Roman architectures, such as the Colosseum, there would be a dome over the top to protect from rain, sun, or any other weather. The dome has a massive weight, so there has to be something to support it up, and this is where the job of the arch takes place. In these Greek and Roman buildings or temples, there would be sculptures of famous gods and warriors. The Greek sculptures were also different than the Romans’.

The Role of Literature in Cultural and Society Development

Jibran Khalil Jibran once said, â€Å"All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind. † It is in everyone, it’s locked away, hidden and for the gifted, it comes out to give us the very languages we are using today. Literature, like music and film and theatre, is an art. As a matter of fact the purest form of art. Life, for many if not all, in scales that vary is pretty much the same journey measured by experiences, fortune, luck and love. We cannot all express them in a poetic or artistic manner but we all experience them nonetheless. Most of us go through this wicked and unmerciful thing called life without ever being able to express those fortunate moments and hardships to others and more importantly to ourselves. We have reached an age where generations no longer pay mind to literature in a direct and hands on way. The new generation, including myself, doesn’t explore the poet within, as cliche as this may sound. Speeches from our presidents and world leaders don’t sound like they were fabricated from something real. They were written by politicians and campaign specialists whose aim is to shock and awe, but sadly with facts and numbers, not with the humane and sentimental approach for which speeches and words were meant. The role of literature in society is to help enhance our way of thinking and perceiving our surroundings. It heightens our level of expression and speaking. You simply become that much more articulate and creative! Almost every book or novel that we read results in a push to our perception of life. In Milton Albrecht's â€Å"The Relationship of Literature and Society†, he adequately states that literature â€Å"reflects† society; its supposed converse is that literature influences or â€Å"shapes† society. On a daily basis we come across some kind of literary event. Something you could write a poem about, maybe even a book. More often than not they are overlooked, but it’s the creative minds that will always seize these moments and grant us the literature that will always help us relate. We live in a world where we desperately need a lifeline or a beacon that will always remind us that we are not robots or corporate machines. We live in a world where people want to escape their daily responsibilities and commitments to something more heartfelt. We live in a world where we absolutely and undeniably need literature! While it is physically written in words, these words come alive in the imagination of the mind, and its ability to comprehend the complexity or simplicity of the text. Literature enables people to see through the lenses of others, and sometimes even inanimate objects; therefore, it becomes a looking glass into the world as others view it. Like Thomas Edison came up with electricity, like Alexander Graham Bell gave us the telephone and like Mark Zuckerberg invented FACEBOOK, literature perhaps started with man discovering his ability to create. When this happened he realized that he could not only express his emotions in writing but in the process deliver messages of import to society carefully hidden in beautiful and crafted words. He decided that he could play with words to entertain and captivate people who would read them. In the olden days distance was of course a problem and so maintaining a history of world literature was impossible. People in different parts of the world, using different languages and writing in different periods of time tackled literature differently. This has left us with books and creations that enrich our society and our heritage as a race. Even the most voracious reader can never hope to read all the books out there. There must be a reason for that, shouldn’t there? I mean many customs and cultures have withered over the centuries, many habits and arts have withdrawn into the abyss. But not literature! Literature inspires whole nations to rebel and change. This is the power of literature. It shapes, it moulds and in the process entertains. It helps us learn about human nature in all its foibles and greatness; it lets us learn about the human past and our own pasts, and about other cultures. When we discover literature we can travel to any place at any time, even to the future, and see how others view the same world. It helps people get an in-depth view of life in someone else’s shoes, whether it’s the writer’s or someone else’s, may it be fiction or based on real life experiences. Whatever the case may be, reading a book, for instance, can put you in a totally different world, so foreign to you that you are bound to learn something from. Reading, in my opinion, affects you on a much more personal level than watching a movie, therefore, after reading a book or any other piece of literature, the reader gains something which in turn he or she will inevitably bring into society whether it is a point-of-view, a new outlook or simply added knowledge or information. That person will carry what he/she learned on with them for years to come or probably forever and will most likely pass it on to other people and they in time will also pass n that newly acquired â€Å"crumb† of knowledge, causing a chain reaction of knowledge, if you will. After all, knowledge is one of the very few things that can never be taken away from you, and once anything is learned it inexorably triggers a change in that person, small or big, good or bad, that change will unavoidably occur and be brought with that person into society affecting how he or she would choose to converse with and/or treat others, how they would react to and handle cert ain situations and possibly the basis of their decision-making. All of these things, in one way or another will most definitely have an impact on society as a whole and on its individual units. Literature and writing, though obviously connected, are not synonymous. Several pieces of literature that left a mark on our culture and society were passed down through oral tradition before they were ever fixed in written form. Take Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey that was dated all the way back to the late Bronze Age and handed down through different cultures by oral tradition before ever taking a written form. Regardless of the form that literature may take, whether it’s in form of a novel or poem, movie or music, or just a simple oral form, it is undeniable that it bares several advantages for the person that actually takes the time to understand and appreciate it and eventually share it with others. You know? I may not be the most suitable person to be giving this speech or preaching about the importance of literature. I may not have experienced the true hardships and joys of life. But one thing I believe is that no matter when I express this importance, be it today or in 50 years after life has taken its toll on me, it will always be true. Novels, books, words and literature are here to forever and always shake the very foundation of our world. To shake us, rattle us in hopes that those crumbs that Jibran spoke of would fall into a page and form future cultures and societies to come. People nowadays, including myself sometimes, can be so apathetic and indifferent to our society and its people and oblivious to the fact that literature and education in general is a tool that can change that apathy and help shape us to become more well-rounded individuals that are somewhat free of the ignorance that can so easily destroy us without us even knowing it. The sad but apparent truth is that people these days don’t give reading and literature their just significance, most people probably never will, maybe it’s because of all the available distractions such as social networking and he like. The only solution for this problem is for previous generations to enlighten this generation on the importance of literature and how it can affect our society instead of constantly criticizing it. In the end, the people that criticize our generation forget who raised it, but that’s a different issue for a different time. I cannot be emphatic enough when stressing the importance of literature and reading and the rewards they so inconspicuously possess. After all, the famous author Mark Twain once said, â€Å"The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man that cannot read them. †

Importance of Mother Nature

More and more people are becoming aware of the importance of saving mother earth. Indeed, the sense of urgency behind the drive to save the environment is stronger than ever before. After all, we only have one planet; if this one becomes totally ruined, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will not have a home. If we all do our part to save mother earth, it is definitely possible. Therefore, people should learn as much as they can about ways that they can help save the environment; by working together, our planet can remain habitable for centuries to come.Save Mother Earth Tip #1: RecyclingThe popularity of recycling has increased a great deal in recent years, as people search for ways of saving mother earth. Recycling can have a dramatic impact on helping to save the environment. Many different things can be recycled and reused, reducing waste and garbage in landfills and around the planet. In terms of helping to save the environment, recycling is an excellent strateg y. It makes sense, in saving mother earth, to reuse her resources as much as possible. Increasing recycling efforts can help us save the environment.Save Mother Earth Tip #2: EducationTeaching our children about the importance of saving mother earth is a great way of instilling lifelong habits that can help save the environment. Schools are increasing the teaching of subjects that pertain to helping to save the environment. Young children are encouraged to help save mother earth by engaging in various habits that promote eco-friendly techniques. Parents can also increase the green-education of their children by demonstrating every day strategies for helping in the fight to save the environment.If everyone does their part, today’s children will be tomorrow’s environmentalists, helping to save our planet from ruin.One major problem of the environment is lack of knowledge. If that little girl knew that she killed trees when she crumples the paper if she draws an oval inst ead of a circle, I think she wouldn’t continue doing that. And if she still did, it will be lesser compared to before. If only she knew. If only we knew. If only we knew earlier.

Explore the impact of social, cultural and historical on your play

The historical, social and cultural influenced our play immensely because in order to create an understanding of our stimulus gender we needed to explore different sides to gender. We decided that in order for the audience to work out the meaning behind our play they needed to fully understand the idea of gender both past and present. During the creation of our play we thought it was important to bring up certain topical issues, we decided the main issues would be how women were treated in the past and present, domestic violence, love and relationships, stereotypes and social roles. We chose the idea of ‘lion tamers' because it was based on a circus however we twisted it so the scene was ‘lady tamers' to show how women were treated in the past. We started off with the ladies as wild animals with the men in the middle shouting out the orders such as ‘wash the floor'. Then we went onto more advanced techniques were we stood in a ‘Stepford wife pose' and spoke lines such as ‘have dinner ready, plan even the night before so he can have a warm meal on time. In order to create a realistic impression of what women's roles were in the past we looked at The Good housewife's guide this was a booklet of instruction from the 50s telling young women how to be a good housewife and because some of the instruction were incredibly †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and unrealistic which we thought the audience would find humorous. We then decided to do go the other extreme with the scene where the ladies take over, we wanted the women to be powerful both mentally and physical this was to show how times have changed and in particular how women in society have changed. A very important issue we wanted to concentrate on was domestic violence because this was a hard hitting issue involving gender. We researched different aspects of domestic violence and found that it is equally common nowadays as it was in the past and although it isn't necessarily true for every case men seem to be the†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ of the problem. We had a real problem incorporating this issue into the initial idea of the circus because we didn't know how to make a serious topic humorous. Eventually we came up with a Punch and Judy sketch and this was Perfect because it showed the issue of domestic violence and stuck to the idea of the circus. As a group we decided that it would be nice to look at the positive side of gender because up till then it had all been negative. We used the idea of a tight rope act to show the ups n downs of relationships and love, we had a boy at one end of the tight rope and a girl at the other and they would walk along and take turns saying what they didn't like about each other and the other person would begin to wobble on the tight rope however after each little speech they would end it with ‘but I love him/her. ‘ We wanted to embrace the opposite sexes differences and make the audience view gender in a positive light.

King Lear †Existentialism Essay

The term existentiality was used in the work of philosophers in the 1800s and the 1900s. The concept holds that people should focus on dealing with the present conditions of individual persons while taking into account the individuals’ emotions, responsibilities, actions, and thoughts. This concept is reflected in Shakespeare’s King Lear play. For, example, King Lear knows that it is his responsibility to equally share his kingdom among his three daughters. He however decides to divide his kingdom to his daughters according to how the daughters supposedly love him. He thus disinherits Cordelia because of her genuineness which does not please him. Instead, he shares his realm to his other two daughters since Cordelia speaks to him bluntly. Even though Cordelia’s statement is temperate and honest, it makes King Lear annoyed. By making this decision, King Lear demonstrates that he is not rational but is just thinking of himself. King Lear shows absurdism in sharing his kingdom because he should share his wealth equally to his three daughters. He instead decides not to share it to Cordelia even though she is one of his daughters but he thought was not pleasing to him. He should not have ranked as one of his daughter. By being either good bad, King Lear’s daughters remain his. He should also understand that what happens to a bad person can as well happen to a good person. This concept is evident later when we see his 2 daughters, who he formerly thought as special, seeing their father as foolish and old. On the other hand, Cordelia has a reason to decide to stay alone without cooperating with her fellow sisters because of what her father did to her. Her sisters could have reasoned and told their father that it was unfair not to give Cordelia a share of his kingdom since she was their sister. Their actions however show that they are also selfish. Cordelia is in perpetual despair after her father refuses to bequeath to her a portion of his kingdom even though she is married by the king of France later. Moreover, King Lear denies Kent facticity by sending him away from the country for being against the decision of the king to refuse to give a share to his wealth to Cordelia – his daughter. This is despite the fact that Kent returns into the country baring a new name – Caius. King Lear’s authenticity makes him not to change his decision regarding how he has divided his wealth. In addition, King Lear facticity makes him employ Caius without knowing that Caius is indeed Kent whom King Lear previously sent from his country. While experiencing his own freedom as angst, King Lear discovers that his two daughters do not respect him any more for they are now powerful. Moreover, and their father at this time now does not have any power to control them. King Lear experiences anxiety and anguish after having seen that his daughters are ungrateful. This issue makes him to be enraged. He thus recalls the facticity that he gave to his daughters and feels very infuriated. He thus summarily denounces the daughters. At the end, King Lear is very embarrassed due to his two daughters who now do not respect him until he becomes mad. Cordelia and Kent, whom he thought as useless, are taking care of him.

Online game Parents should control their children's online time Research Paper

Online game Parents should control their children's online time - Research Paper Example The games are currently more entertaining due to advanced features added in them. This contributes to addiction which makes the game industry to grow very fast. Apart from addiction, online games have negative economic impacts because parents and teenagers spend their savings playing the games. It is difficult for some gamers, especially children to differentiate reality and cyber world. Study outcomes show that online games violence does not help in reducing real world problems as some people claim. People are spending most of their time playing online games. Currently, studies show that a large percentage of children in the US play online games (Prot, McDonald, Anderson 2). They also show that young people play online games for about 2 hours a day. 25 percent of the young males spend about 4 hours playing online games (Prot, McDonald & Anderson 2). Children are the most affected because they make 79.9 percent of all the gamers globally (Fullerton, Taylor, Grande 1). As people spend their time playing online games, they start focusing more on the game and forget the real world. Most people play games in order to escape reality. Games are currently more advanced and interesting. Consequently, people use them as way of relaxing. Others also use them to pursue their passions. For instance, those who like football and have never had a chance to play it in real world gain satisfaction by playing virtual games. In addition, people can play games that require opponents in real world such as chess. They do not need their friends in the virtual world. This has reduced people’s level of interaction in the society. People do not have much interaction with their families because the online games have become their first priority. The situation destroys relationships between family members. The virtual game world affects people’s real lives because gamers bring problems from the gaming world to real life. In the virtual game world, people do

Describe the major differences existing between private wrongs and Essay

Describe the major differences existing between private wrongs and public crimes as they affect the business community - Essay Example The major difference between private wrong and public wrong is that private wrong is an infringement of civil rights of individuals, regarded solely as individuals (ibid). The torts and contracts are concerned with private wrongs. As part of civil law, torts primarily deal with individuals or complainants who are victimized or wronged. In private wrongs, individuals incur some sort of loss due to the faults of others which needs to be compensated. Trespassing is one of the most common private wrong. The complainants are invariably individuals but the defendants could be individuals, group or even the state, which have, directly or indirectly, been responsible for inflicting injury on the innocent party (Fletcher, 1996). Another important feature is that here the victim or plaintiff is principally in charge of the legal process. A civil process or legal action puts the victim in charge who initiates proceedings against the person or people who have allegedly wronged him/her. There is no compulsion on the plaintiff to either pursue the case or to drop it. Public wrong or crime, on the other hand, is exemplified as crime which necessitates criminal proceedings where state is mainly in charge of legal process. The police and other state authorities are involved in the process to investigate the veracity of the crime. The state is responsible for the status of the criminal proceedings and main decision maker for deciding whether it should continue or not. The public wrongs have wide ramifications on the public and are not merely confined to individuals (Miller, 2011). Corporate scams like Enron and WorldCom are prime examples of public wrongs that have significantly impacted the public at large. Rape is another critical public wrong that requires criminal proceedings against the culprit and the punishment serves as deterrent for other offenders. The response or outcome of the

Use cost effectiveness techniques to analyze programs Essay

Use cost effectiveness techniques to analyze programs - Essay Example It is the case that a single metric should be developed to analyze equally all the competing programs. For example it can’t be the case that one formula is used to analyze program ‘A’ and a separate and unrelated formula is used to analyze program ‘B’. If or example a city is determining hot to allocate funds for an after school program the factor inputs should be overall cost (V), amount of students that are willing and able to participate (W), east of implementation (X), facilities available (Y), desired outcome (Z) etc. in which a numeric value must be attached to the specific factor input. If for example a two competing sports programs are being analyzed such as soccer and Water Polo then the feasibility of Soccer=SV+SW+SX+SY+SZ and Water Polo= WV+WW+WX+WY+WZ. If for example one would like to give special weighting to the help programs that might be underrepresented than this should affect the value of a factor input. For example it may be the case that soccer is cheaper, more popular, easier to implement (Owing to existing facilities) however the desired outcome is the improvement of children’s swimming abilities than it is probably not the most desired action. For these reasons it may be that a special weighting would be given to desired outcome. There are a number of ethical implications that must be taken into consideration before moving forward with a special weighting being assigned to a factor input. Firstly one has to take into consideration whom is making the final decision and is it likely that this person or persons have any kind of bias on the matter. In the case of our aforementioned example it could be the case that the some of the decision makers assigning values to this metric also sit on the amateur league soccer board. With this in mind very strict guidelines on the ethical codes of conduct should be implemented before any sort of project of this nature should move forward. With

Long day's journey into night Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Long day's journey into night - Research Paper Example O’Neill brings out the role of men and women in the society at that time and the difference between the father and his sons. The issue of gender and especially feminism is focused in the play through the life of Mary, who also happens to be the structural center of the play. A deeper analysis reveals that Eugene portrays Mary in a manner that she has many troubles and has many weaknesses evidenced by the use of morphine. She is being seen as irresponsible mother who cannot quite the addition. In addition, it is evident at times when James and Jamie talk alone and on the arrival of Mary, they shut up. The evidence concerning the fact that they are to be the only persons is from the fact that she is the one who can handle issues since they believe as seen in the statement, â€Å"Ive always believed Jamie did it on purpose. He was jealous of the baby. He hated him.† (2.2.103) (Eugen and Neill 103). James showed man character when he told Mary to forget the past. This is demonstrated by how strong he is and could forget the past. In addition, James Tyrone characters confirm feminism through his appearance and personality. It is evident that the story evolves around him as the head of the family but later we see the role of the woman becomes necessary when it comes to reliance and love. On the other hand, O’Neill uses Mary to show the â€Å"struggles that women go through in their daily lives† (Porter 80). Mary is described as a beautiful woman who takes up her role as a mother despite the addiction and other challenges that she has to overcome. For that reason, Mary started using morphine and got addicted to it after she had difficulty and was not treated well at the birth of her youngest son Edmond. Mary is also depicted as a tragic woman who is different from what she used to be in the past. She was innocent, beautiful and used to have dreams of becoming a Catholic nun a pianist. She also had strong religious faith in God.

Able Tool Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Able Tool Corporation - Case Study Example Since its incorporation the company’s mission statement is that of a genuine commitment to on-time delivery, quality pricing, excellent service and reliability. The company is dedicated to give its customers the best price and timely delivery. In 1987, the company relocated to Ohio. In 1990, Able Tool Company bought the Gilman Company of Ohio in order to broaden its capabilities. The ability of the firm to serve a wide variety of customers is what has seen this company through this volatile industry and a un- predictable market. The PEPT (Portable Electric Power Tools) Industry that able corporation operates is collectively affected by economic variables like general taxation interest rates as well as inflationary variables. General economic indicators such as interest, foreign exchange and inflation rates have always affected the power tool market since these variables greatly affect disposable income that is a very crucial determining factor for the construction and or renov ation of houses or residential estates. Due to high interest rates in the United States, the housing market has continued to decline since 2004, this has greatly affected the power tool market as well as the general cost of houses rising by about 2.8% annually. Apart from the interest rates, foreign exchange rates also affect the operations of the companies in this industry including companies like Milwaukee Electricity Company. Exchange rates affect the sales of the industry since a substantial proportion of these companies sales are in overseas markets. The explicit and underlying costs of housing starts are very crucial to the advancement of this industry. Currently due to high interest rates compounded by high costs of mortgages for the last four years, the demand for portable electric power tools has been on the decline. To compound this situation due to increasing inflation the industry has had to increase moderately the price of their products. According to market analysts, this has led to the increased cost of setting up residential and commercial properties. This in turn has shied of prospective investors in the industry. This in turn has caused some of the industry players to relocate their firms especially in Asia where the cost of production is cheap. By doing this these firms have been able to import back the same products into the American market at a more cheap price. The increased cost of environmental protection, especially through the sale of pollution rights, has led to increased operational costs within the industry that have further caused them to increase their commodity prices. Concerns of air pollution, water pollution and land contamination have been highly emphasized by western countries to a point that many industry players have been forced to relocate to India and china, where environmental protection policies have not been highly emphasized. Incases where the parent company does not relocate, most commonly the firms have relocated production plants either to Asia or Latin America. CONCLUSION: The portable electric power tools industry has been faced with many challenges. However, due to a booming world economy buoyed by among others a more than 5% economic growth rate in many newly industrialized countries, the industry has been able to source new markets especially in china. REFERENCES: www.abletool.com www.free-press-release.com/news/200704/1177416298.html www.ibisworld.com.au/industry/default.aspx www.strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inimr-ri3.nsf/en/gr-92637e.html