Bend It Like Beckham and 10 things I Hate about You - comparison Essay

Bend It Like Beckham and 10 things I Hate about You - comparison - Essay Example That being said the themes of the two movies are a lot more similar despite their obvious differences. Both films include theme of stereotyping and labeling, a depiction of personal values, conformity, accepting differences, domesticity vs. freedom, parents vs. children, self definition and change (Lawson, 2003). These themes are highlighted and portrayed through the central characters of these films. The character of Jasminder Bhamra, the British-born daughter of orthodox Sikh parents, who is perceived by others to be very much like any other Indian girl; polite, family oriented and spiritual. It is presumed that she will fall into her parent’s plans of completing school, learn to prepare a full traditional Punjabi dinner, and then marry a proper Indian boy. However appearances can be deceptive as Jess has other plans for her life. She loves David Beckham. Her room was a partial shrine dedicated to the Manchester United star. Her love for Beckham was not due to his good looks but she herself happened to be a footballer, and she admired his athletic skills in particular. â€Å"Nobody can bend it like Beckham,† she often beamed, referring to his extraordinary ability to get the ball to the goal and wishing one day her dream of scoring for Manchester United alongside him could come true. She takes every opportunity she can to play, away from her parents scrutinizing gaze who highly disapproved of her soccer playing and her mother often described her idol as ‘this skinhead boy.’ This brings us around to the fact that the only thing keeping Jess from fulfilling her ambition was her heritage (Fuchs, 2003). Katerina Stratford from ’10 things I hate about you’ is the central character of the movie whose character is analogous with that of Jess. She also does not fall into the typical category of a high school girl. Based in the American city of Seattle, in Padua High School the society which Kat Stratford is a part of is create d in this high school and it â€Å"mimics and exaggerates aspects of a main stream, late 20th century, American high school† (Nebo literature, web). Conformity is an issue that is a lot more prevalent in ‘10 things I hate about you’ than in ‘Bend it like Beckham’. As a character Michael from ‘10 things I hate about you’ uses the terms ‘basic beautiful people, coffee kids, white Rastas, cowboys, future MBA’s, yuppie breed’ to class the various students at Padua (Nebo literature, web). Kat Stratford did not fall into any of these categories she was strong, independent, and feministic and rejects boys who did not have any relevance to her feministic style. She had a sense of style and was attractive but did not show it to the outside world simply because it did not fit in with her behavior and how she was perceived. Her dream was to get through high school and go to a university far away from her home, something her fath er disapproved of. Personal values are what both the main characters in these two movies have in common. Jess bound by her heritage and yet hopeful and struggling to fulfill her dream while at the same time striving to not incur her parent’s disapproval. Kat on the other hand dreamt at excelling at her education, standing up for what she believed in and was indifferent to high school norms. Both these women did not conform and stood out from everyone else. However

To Kill a Mockingbird Chapters 22-31 Questions Essay Example for Free

To Kill a Mockingbird Chapters 22-31 Questions Essay 1.Atticus is extremely disappointed and walks out of the courtroom after the verdict is announced. 2. When Miss Maudie is explaining that they had people like Atticus, she was telling Jem that there were people in this world who do not fall into mob mentality. She tries to explain that even though Atticus did not win, he had got the town thinking for themselves for a change, rather than act on prejudice alone. He has created respect for the individual. 3.Miss Maudie says they have at least made a baby step in the right direction because she knows that the jury actually contemplated weather or not they were going to convict Tom which means the towns were looking past prejudices for once. 4. Dill says he wants to be a clown that laughs at people instead of people laughing at him. This means that Dill wants to laugh at people (society) because they are being so dumb in the Tom Robinson court case. Chapter 23: 1. Atticus doesn’t take Bob Ewells threat seriously because he thinks that Mr. Ewells just taking his anger on Atticus. 2. a)In a courtroom, if a defendant is put on a stand with only circumstantial evidence, that person is entitled to reasonable doubt. Circumstantial evidence means the acquitted person was there at the time of the offense, but theres no actual proof like DNA and things like that. b)People always believe white men before black because of prejudices. c)People have already made up there minds before even hearing a word of the case because of racism and prejudices. d)Sooner of later people are going to realize how wrong they treated people of different race and they are going to pay for it. 3. a) Atticus believes the Cunninghams are honest hard working people. b)Alexandra believes the Cunninghams are lower class, trash. 4. Jem can’t accept Scout’s opinion because Jem knows its not because in the mostly to kinds of people, the good and the bad. Chapter 24: 1.The missionary ladies seem to be rather negative, self righteous and hypocritical. Yes it’s typical for these ladies to act like this because I think these characteristics are what brings them together. 2. The irony is that Mrs. Merriweather admires J Grimes Everett and the work he is doing for tribes in Africa while she pays little attention and thinks nothing of the African Americans in her own town. 3. Scout prefers men to women because so in her life the people closest to her are men and she doesn’t seem to like to many of the women. 4. When Ms. Maudie says, Were paying the highest tribute we can pay a man, that out of everyone in Maycomb Atticus was the only one who would try his hardest to give Tom Robinson a fair trial. To represent him the way he deserved, with all the rights. That no matter what he is faced with; the town trusts him to do right. 5. True ladies know how to but their lip and fake a smile for the sake of others. Chapter 25: 1. Most of the town believe’s that Tom’s death just shows how dumb black people are(from the perspective of a white person). 2. Although Mr. Underwood holds racist vies himself, his editorial can be likened to Atticuss prior words. In his editorial Underwood writes, it was a sin to kill cripples, be they sitting, standing, or escaping. He writes that Toms death was tantamount to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children. Atticus had also discussed that killing a Mockingbird is a sin. The bird tries to bring a little relief in a very harsh world. Toms actions were no different. Chapter 26: 1. a) Scout feels bad about all the things she had done just to see Boo. b)Scout still wants to see him but now respects his privacy. c)She’s is glad that Atticus never said anything about their previous activity. d)Scout doesnt seem to express any feelings about the â€Å"Current Events† she does pay attention to them, which shows that she is growing up. 2.The irony is that Miss Gate’s hates Hitler because of his racism toward Jews yet, she shows just as much racism towards african americans. 3. Jem reacts violently because he is still upset for what happened to Tom Robinson, the man who got accused for doing a crime he didnt do and who got killed for trying to escape. Since Miss Gates said that its horrible for Hitler to do horrible things to the Jews Jem agreed. But remember what she said about Tom and his trial.. Since he was black, he should have been guilty.. She is a hypocrite and is racist against black people. She says that Jews are people just like her, but Jews are white. Jem hates what happened to Tom; thats why he acted so violently towards Scout. Chapter 27: 1.Bob Ewell lost a job from the WPA and blamed Atticus for it. Judge Taylor thought his dog was making noises and opened the screen door and actually saw a shadow figure and kept a shotgun at his side; and Helen Robinson, Tom Robinsons widow got a job from Link Deas, who Tom used to work for, and was being harassed by Bob Ewell and his children. Bob Ewell is the type of man that holds a grudge. 2. Atticus had to work in Montgomery and was too tired to go. Alexandra feels tired and needs to go to sleep early because she helped with the stage for the play that Scout is in. Chapter 28: 1. Cecil Jacobs scares Jem and Scout by jumping out from behind a tree on there way to the school. 2. They think the noise might be Cecil Jacobs or the rustling of the leaves in the trees. 3. 4 people- Scout, Jem, Arthur Radley and Mr. Ewell Chapter 29: 1. Arthur Radley saved Jem and Scout from Mr. Radley. 2. I agree with Atticus, as I dont think Bob Ewell is worth anything because he tried to kill innocent mockingbirds (Jem and Scout). Additionally, he also holds grudges in the wrong ways for the wrong things , causing him to do crazy things. 3. It’s nothing like she’d imagined it would be and all she can say is â€Å"hey, Boo,† then she starts to cry. Chapter 30: 1.Scout is childish and has a curious nature, while Boo has somewhat of a childish curiosity about him. 2. I don’t think either of them believe either story. They both know who really killed Bob Ewell but they would never admit to it. 3. She said something like, well, it would be like shooting a mockingbird, wouldnt it? to Atticus. I dont know the actual quote. Chapter 31: 1. She understands how Boo feels. The entire part about her standing in Boos shoes and seeing all the things happening from his point of view. I guess Scout has matured a lot and realizes the rumors about Boo Radley were not true. 2. After reading the closing scene I was mostly wondering if Jem was going to be okay, if they would ever see Boo Radley again and what would happen to the Ewells.

The Revolution of 1905: The First Russian Revolution Essay -- Russian

The Revolution of 1905: The First Russian Revolution We are, however, slightly ahead of our story. The short period of 1900-1906 provides an essential piece of the puzzle to make the picture of the Russian Revolution complete. Russia's Asian policy under Nicholas II took a decidedly expansionist and aggressive tone, culminating in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. A primarily naval conflict on Russia's Far Eastern frontier, this war brought back the awful memories of the Crimean defeat when Japan's newly modernized army and navy routed the out-dated, ill-equipped Russian forces. Peace negotiations, organized by United States President Theodore Roosevelt in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, allowed Russia to save face on paper; however, no one could argue with the historical fact that this marked the first time a European power lost any conflict with an Asian power. For the Russian government, it was an utter humiliation; for the Russian radicals, it was an opportunity. Even moderates radicalized their opposition to the central government by this time. The liberal constitutionalists, later called Kadets, organized their own illegal publication, called Liberation, to voice their complaints and grievances. Dissatisfaction with the inept central government--highlighted by its defeat at the hands of Asian Japan (there certainly was a racist element here)--was high atop any such list. In mid-1904, a popular Russian Orthodox priest, Georgi Gapon, organized thousands of St. Petersburg workers into his Assembly of Russian Factory Workers, an association originally financed and approved by the government to minimize the influence of radicals among the workers and bolster the credibility of the autocracy by providing an outlet for worker grievances. However, despite the government's intention, this union took a decidedly Marxist and militant bent. When, in December 1904, numerous workers at the large Putilov factory in St. Petersburg were fired for no apparent reason, the Assembly, who counted these sacked workers as members, leaped into action. The result was a citywide general strike in January 1905. On January 9, 1905 the striking workers organized a mass march on the Winter Palace of the Tsar with representatives holding a petition for "our father" Tsar Nicholas II. The petition called for higher wages, an eight-hour workday, a constitution, free elec... ... Bolshevik government went on a total war footing, known as War Communism. Under the banner of War Communism, Lenin allowed the CHEKA to conduct a Red Terror against any opposition force, whether military or civilian. CHEKA oversaw mass murders in the cities and enormous peasant deaths, all aimed to intimidate White forces in the countryside--without question, it worked. In addition, Lenin quickly nationalized all industry so he could control all revenue and production elements, outlawed private trade so the government could gain all benefit from commerce, and ordered the forced seizure of grain from all peasants to feed his constituents and deny food to the opposition. Though this probably led to a devastating famine in 1922, Lenin took any means to reach his goal of victory. By early 1921, Lenin had galvanized his supporters, defeated the Whites, and secured the success of his seizure of power in October 1917. No longer was there a question of Communist rule in Russia, by now renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Lenin and his Bolshevik party, by virtue of their victory in the civil war, were entrenched in the seat of power. The Russian Revolution was over.

Urban Legend of Mount de Sales Academy :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories

Mount de Sales Academy When one usually thinks of a hearing a ghost story, the setting is dark with flickering light (such as around a campfire or in a basement with bad lighting) and, of course, it is nighttime. Needless to say, when I heard this story during the middle of the day on a Friday, I was a little taken aback. When prompted for any urban legends or ghost stories a white, female friend of mine immediately responded with, â€Å"Have you ever heard of de Sales Academy?† With my negative response, the nineteen year old student jumped into her story: Mount De Sales Academy is one of those Catholic, all girls’ schools that teaches their students to be good Catholics and all that. In the 1940s, however, there was one girl who didn’t listen to all the rules and became pregnant. For the time, this was a terrible situation and the girl didn’t know what to do. She lived at the school on the top floor and eventually committed suicide instead of facing the trouble she would have been in. Ever since then, there have been reports in the school of doors opening and closing with no possible explanation and silhouettes seen in the windows when there should be no one at the school. The storyteller had not witnessed the strange happenings at the school but claimed to know someone who had seen the disturbances. As a performance, the telling of this story was very matter a fact and my friend did not self-aggrandize; the performance was quick, to the point, but not particularly dramatic. The storyteller told the legend as fact and was not melodramatic about her role as storyteller. While researching the story I was only able to find one specific reference to Mount de Sales and any ghostly presence there. However, at this online repository of lore relating to the State of Maryland, Mount de Sales Academy is mentioned along with â€Å"reports of doors open[ing] and clos[ing] while locked and†¦a bright blue silhouette walk[ing] by the windows† (Juliano and Carlson). Further research found no other reference to de Sales in any stories and no reference to any suicide or murder at the school. The additional tale found relating to the Catonsville school does reflect the story told to me. Both mention doors opening and closing without cause along with a ghostly silhouette; but there is no reference in the Internet source of the suicide of a pregnant girl.

George Orwell and the Necessity of Honesty

Vladimir Lenin, the first leader of the Soviet Union, once stated â€Å"A lie told often enough becomes the truth. † In times of inclusive deception, it is only innate for humanity to be blinded by the truth in a vast sea of lies to the point in which the act of telling the truth becomes revolutionary. In George Orwell’s 1984, society is led by the fabrication of the truth in an attempt to create a perfect world. But this attempt merely creates a society built upon lies and corruption.Through this novel, George Orwell comments on the necessity for humans to tell the truth and confront lies, deceit, and prevarication because humanity will face detrimental consequences if they do not. Orwell stresses the importance of humanity to tell the truth by addressing the consequences of dishonesty inflicted on the human race. In the novel 1984, the Party’s slogan, â€Å"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past,† reveals th e government’s pursuit to control all aspects of peoples’ lives.By altering history, the Party has absolute power of the present, limiting the psychological independence of its subjects by controlling their interpretations of the past. Individuals are forbidden to keep any account of their past, such as photographs and documents, and all recordings, great or small fade â€Å"away into a shadow-world in which, finally, even the date of the year is uncertain. † Therefore, the members of the society are willing to believe in any â€Å"truth† the Party feeds them.Due to the reliance of authority, humanity would become highly infantile and foolish. Just as infants depend on their parents’ guidance, all of human kind would act as little children, relying on authority to direct them to the truth. People would virtually have no memory of the past, so they would have no experience of emotions and would not know what emotions truly are. As a result, Orwell s uggests that people would not grow as human beings because they would be willing to believe in anything authority tells them, without doubting the fallacy of it.In turn, humans would not be able to distinguish right from wrong. Orwell comments on the necessity for humans to confront lies, deceit, and prevarication because humans will face insanity if they do not. In the novel, when Winston is confined in the Ministry of Love, O’Brien holds up four fingers and commands Winston to say he is holding up five fingers, despite the falsehood of that statement. Yet, Winston continually says â€Å"four† and is physically tortured as a result. Until he can no longer endure the pain, Winston finally clamors, â€Å"Five. Five. Five. But O’Brien accuses Winston of lying and inflicts more excruciating pain on him. Once again, O’Brien asks, â€Å"How many fingers am I holding up, Winston? † Winston then cries, â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t know. I d on’t know†¦Four, five, six—in all honesty I don’t know! † This reveals that human confrontation with lies, deceit, and prevarication leads to absolute insanity. Orwell comments on the practice of doublethink as very immoral and psychologically damaging to the human mind. This in turn will affect the happiness of humans, leaving them without hope and a reason to live.Thus, the main point of humankind would be serve the government and please authority. The search for even the simplest truth among the greatest lies can be treacherous because it easy for humans to be blinded by the truth. Through the novel 1984, Orwell voices his abhorrence on the human attempt in creating a perfect world, and he greatly accentuates the human need for humans to tell the truth and confront lies, deceit, and prevarication. Eventually, if humankind does not do exactly this, the future of society will lead to an ultimate demise.

Bertrand Russell essays

Bertrand Russell essays Bertrand Russell is a very adamant philosopher and he feels strongly about how philosophy relates to people and everyday life. He is a strong believer in philosophical thinking and casting doubt upon everyday questions and actions. Russell believes that philosophy can enlarge our intellect by asking questions to various things which can be analyzed to a greater extent. Not to find exact answers to these questions, but to further our knowledge and to, Enlarge our conception of what is possible. In the reading on the value of philosophy, Russell makes a distinct difference between science and philosophy. He says that philosophy is separate from science because philosophy does not present any definite answers to its questions. Those questions that have definite answers are placed in the sciences. He states that as soon as definite knowledge concerning any subject becomes possible, that subject ceases to be called philosophy, and becomes a separate science. Russell believes that people should study philosophy to increase their knowledge and step out of what they know is real and true. He mentions the practical man in his writing as a person who is only concerned with what they need to survive physically. Russell thinks that people need to feed their minds with knowledge to better the person and all of mankind. He thinks society would be better off thinking in a philosophical sense, rather than sticking to what they already know and what they were raised to think. He thinks that the more people to do so, the better. He wants people to practice philosophical thinking, more so than studying the subject. He thinks all people should do so that are serious about philosophy, but not the people who are closed-minded individuals who stick to concrete beliefs and are not open to interpretation and questioning of issues. While taking this philosophy class this semester, I hope to further my knowledge in...

Phenomenal impact of mass media essays

Phenomenal impact of mass media essays Mass media is vaguely defined as a medium of communication via television, books, radios, newspapers, magazines, and recently the Internet, designed to reach the majority of people. Methods of communication have evolved. What started from the limited oral form has expanded into the written, printed, electronic and digital forms. However, the changes took place at an astonishing rate only during the second Industrial Revolution and generally after the end of the Great Depression. It then resumed after the Second World War, into the present age. During the start of the 20th century, the advert of mass media was driven by technology. People during those ages were enthusiastic about receiving information and were hungry for news. Standards of living were on the rise. Many men and women were also encouraged to immigrate, which fostered an even bigger need in reliable global news and communication exchange. In addition, the mass media industry had welcomed a boost in the demands for instant news during the First World War. When the Second World War ended, a big percentage of the people living in Europe and America possessed at least one medium of direct communication. The radio was especially popular. By the time the 21st century arrived, nearly 90 percent of all households in developed nations owned at least one television set. More than half also had a personal computer complete with Internet access. Many forms of the printed media were available free to the public. As the impact of mass media swept across the world, media companies multiplied massively. Everyone, from politicians, aspiring artists, to scientists wanted to be a part of the phenomenon. Eventually, the companies merged and have become corporate giants. The television industry itself is now a multi-billion-dollar business. Modern mass media forms, especially the television, have spread the political and entertainment messages with unprecedented pace. T...

Promethium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Promethium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Promethium is a radioactive rare earth metal. Heres a collection of interesting promethium element facts: Interesting Promethium Facts The original spelling of the name promethium was prometheum.The element is named for Prometheus, the Titan who stole fire from the Greek gods to give to mankind.Promethium was the last rare earth element of the lanthanide series to be discovered. It was discovered in 1945 by  Jacob A. Marinsky, Lawrence E. Glendenin, and Charles D. Coryell, although its existence had been predicted in 1902 by Czech chemist Bohuslav Brauner. Marinskys group found promethium in uranium fission products during Manhattan Project research in Oak Ridge, TN.All of the isotopes of promethium are radioactive. It is the only radioactive rare earth metal and it is one of only two radioactive elements followed by stable elements on the periodic table. The other element like this is technetium.Promethium isotopes generate x-rays via beta decay. 29 isotopes are known, with mass numbers from 130 to 158.Promethium is prepared in a lab. It is extremely rare on Earth, although it has been detected in pitchblende spe cimens from the radioactive decay of uranium. The only stable oxidation state of promethium is 3, although it can be made to display the 2 oxidation state. This is common with lanthanide elements.The pure metal has a silvery appearance. Salts of promethium glow pale blue or green, due to radioactive decay.Because of its radioactivity, promethium is considered toxic.Promethium compounds have several practical applications, all more to deal with its radioactivity than its chemical properties. The earliest pacemakers used nuclear batteries that relied on promethium. It is used in missile and spacecraft power sources, as a beta source for thickness gauges, and to make luminous paints. Promethium Chemical and Physical Properties Element Name: Promethium Atomic Number: 61 Symbol: Pm Atomic Weight: 144.9127 Element Classification: Rare Earth Element (Lanthanide Series) Discoverer: J.A. Marinsky, L.E. Glendenin, C.D. Coryell Discovery Date: 1945 (United States) Name Origin: Named for the Greek god, Prometheus Density (g/cc): 7.2 Melting Point (K): 1441 Boiling Point (K): 3000 Covalent Radius (pm): 163 Ionic Radius: 97.9 (3e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.185 Pauling Negativity Number: 0.0 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 536 Oxidation States: 3 Electronic Configuration: [Xe] 4f5 6s2 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001) Return to the Periodic Table

Critique and conclusion of context & rationale paper Essay

Critique and conclusion of context & rationale paper - Essay Example However, that alone is not the sole purpose of rainwater harvesting. Places which receive tremendous amount of rainfall every year have as much a reason for harvesting water as those living in the Sub-Saharan deserts. It is imperative to keep in mind that effective utilisation of water is the key to reduce droughts and floods at the same time. What comes to the rescue is effective design of methods that cater to the immediate requirement of a particular region. One of the best examples is the use of LifeStraw as a water purification method. â€Å"Lifestraw was created by Danish inventor Torben Vestergaard Feandsen. The product could be a lifesaver† (Fridell 58). It is nothing but a tube that one can use to suck water. The water gets purified when it passes through the levels of filtration. This kind of wonderful design is so portable and convenient to use that people do not actually have to set up any complex infrastructure for the same. Thomas Dickson in his book ‘Dansk Design’ has described the implications of LifeStraw on the formidable task of preventing water borne diseases. He says that this product helps in preventing diseases that include typhoid and cholera which result in the deaths of millions every year. Dickson has also presented an interesting point about the lifespan of the product. â€Å"The lifespan of one straw is about 700 litres of water, so with a consumption of two litres a day, the straw can last about a year† (Dickson 550). However, things change when there is a polar shift in the availability of water. In areas that receive very heavy rainfall throughout the year, a large amount of water is directly Rainwater 4 drained without even considering a reuse plan. Considering the damaging impact that a country can face due to a shortage of water, it becomes imperative to understand the importance of saving every drop of water that can be saved. And in doing so, it is an interesting fact to notice the diversities in d ifferent regions. If some places need to conserve water due to less rainfall, some have to do that to prevent water loss. Over the years, several designs have evolved which are tailor made for the particular environment. ‘Raincatch’ is one such example that serves as an easy water harvesting method. It resembles a raincoat with an enhanced collar that serves the purpose of catchment in a rainwater harvesting system. With the help of an inbuilt filtration system, water gets accumulated at the bottom part of the coat through which it can be sucked using attached tubes. This design is the result of an innovative thinking of two Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design students. What is wonderful about this design is the practical approach coupled with the intention of harvesting rainwater. ‘Green Trace’ is another such example that proves how water can be saved without so much of an effort. It is a design consisting of a rectangular mesh that houses a non-wo ven fabric inside it. This fabric has water absorbing capabilities and it holds the seeds in between its sewing patterns. This entire mesh acts as an umbrella stand which captures all the water from a wet umbrella to be passed onto the seeds. The ultimate result is a gradual growth of plants that form a beautiful design pattern. This design, though very simple, is pretty helpful in optimising the use of water that otherwise may be wasted. It

Reflect on the dicourses around the term 'terrorism within Australia Essay

Reflect on the dicourses around the term 'terrorism within Australia - Essay Example The word â€Å"us† identifies the Western society, which is believed to be under violent aggression from radical Islamic groups who are going against the ideals of liberty and democracy. In Australia, the bombing in Bali that happened nearly a year after the World Trade Center Bombing left Australian society with a picture and lay image of the word â€Å"terrorism†. When Australia passed its Anti-Terror Act of 2005, Australian Prime Minister John Howard (2002) ‘reaffirms Australia’s commitment to continue the war against terrorism in our region and in the rest of the world’. This of course went in line with the wishes and intent of the strong nations of the Western world led by the United States and the United Kingdom, in pursuit of freedom against terrorism. Therefore, this created a sort of world order wherein the Muslim world and supporters of radical Islamic terrorist elements are clearly distinguished as the opposite of the order. On the other s ide, the Western society reaffirms its stand for the democratic way of life and freedom. This is where the word â€Å"terrorism† plays as a catalyst. It should be first understood that terrorism denotes a sign of conflict or an act of war.

Dressy Clothes Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dressy Clothes - Personal Statement Example You too, also feel pleased with yourself because of all the positive reinforcement gained by the approval of others. Often, what we wear is a reflection of what we feel. At the very least, people think that our clothes reflect what we feel. For example, many folks who are mourning a death wear black for a period of time. When we see a person in mourning wear we are automatically sympathetic and treat them with more sensitivity. When we see someone who is nattily dressed in public, we tend to avoid any acquaintance. Sometimes our reactions are subconscious but nevertheless, the reactions do happen. For this assignment, I went out shopping and treated myself to some new items. I confidently wore my new outfits for four days in a row and must admit that I frankly, was rather pleased with myself. I found that people were more outgoing towards me and I found myself with more confidence. I found that I was more apt to initiate conversations rather than respond to them. I had a desire to expose myself more and be more social then before. I found that I smiled readily and there was a certain new confidence in my walk. It was almost a stride. Most notably, my friends and family were highly appreciative my new fashions and encouraged me to keep exploring my new look. All of this really made me good about myself. In some places I went, people commented on my outfit in a positive way and that made me feel even better and my ego increased. It made a difference not with me, but my husband joined me in this assignment. He too went out and bought a few new items for himself and wore them the same time that I was wearing mine. He too was also complimented by friends and family. Perhaps the most rewarding part was that my husband and myself also found ourselves looking at each other differently. We have always respected one another and admired each other but I found myself looking at him the way I did when we first met. I also found that I was so proud to be standing next to this impeccably dressed may and he felt the same way. Needless to say we have resolved to maintain our new looks! Since then I perceive him differently and I feel the same from him. I feel closer to him and my friends are complimenting me often. From now on I intend to be more

Project Feasibility Study 2014 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project Feasibility Study 2014 - Essay Example With regard to the current scenario, the company incorporates four major brands that include Kingsmill, Allinson, Burgen and Sunblest, altogether playing a pivotal role for Allied Bakeries to build its long-term sustainability in the global food processing and retailing industry (1Allied Bakeries, 2014). In relation to the recent observation, the company has been facing a significant level of difficulties regarding the operational functions and performance of its leading brand, Kingsmill. Kingsmill of Allied Bakeries has long been identified as one of its leading brands, principally because it is capable of providing a wide range of food items ranging from the Little BIG Loaf to 50/50. Its primitive aim has therefore been focused on sufficing the nutritional needs of the consumers in the national baking industry (2Allied Bakeries, 2014). In its recent performance, the company has introduced the Great White loaf with the brand name of Kingsmill and has collected the attention of the global consumers within a short-run (Ritson, 2014). However, the market research conducted by Allied Bakeries has demonstrated a different scenario regarding the newly launched White loaf in the UK markets. Although marketers may gain success by altering the preferences or demands of the customers, in various cases, the changes may convey severe risks for the organisations to maintain its long-term sustainability. In relation to the business strategy of Allied Bakeries regarding its innovative Great White, the intention of changing consumption habit or attitude of the customers may lead the company to cause a negative impact on its brand positioning. Therefore, major changes regarding the innovative concept of Great White has emerged as an essential practice for the company to preserve the brand position of Kingsmill and the reputation of Allied Bakeries as well (Askew, 2014). Change in the business strategies is a common and widely accepted

Case study. read through case study and answer all questions

. read through and answer all questions - Case Study Example This is in terms of making the help desk more efficient and able to portray a good image of the company. The second front is with Mick who believes that the position was meant to be his. This requires that she finds a way in which she is able to reach out to him so as to try and improve that relationship for better work coordination. The second issue that is raised is that of churnovers. In the simplest sense this is the rate at which employees leave the job forcing the hiring of new employees. In the help desk or call center sphere, there has been a high churnover (also known as turnover) rate (Sharp 2003, p. 114). Usually when this rate is high it ends up costing the company a great deal on two fronts. The first one is by the fact that the company has to spend more money on labor costs. This is through the retraining of new staff, who may not be well aware of the company’s culture or operational procedures. The second point at which this greatly costs the company is by the l agging of standards when new hires come on. This is through the fact that with every new hire they need some time to get used to performing the tasks required of them in the most efficient way. One other people issue that Sara had to contend with is the problem solving skills that her helpdesk staff had. This is an important skill that all help desk personnel need to have (HILES & GUNN 200, p. 91). The main reason for this is that they are mainly dealing with issues that other users of the company products or services are having. Most often than not, they will find themselves in situations where the solutions to these issues may not really be covered in their day to day dealings. On the other hand they may be unaware of the existence of the issue and hence need a way in which they can come up with solutions before they can seek further consultation on the problem. The other people issue that Sara has to contend is the ability of her work force to coordinate and work as a team. This is evident from the fact that each of those in the team had their own roles and they did not coordinating with one another before Sara’s intervention. In any helpdesk, there is need for teamwork and coordination of efforts to ensure that the client’s needs are met satisfactorily. This should also be in a manner that is customer friendly. Sustaining New Work Culture The first step in ensuring effective functioning of the helpdesk may be in the sustaining of the culture that she has already created. Sara has so far done a good job in ensuring that everyone at the helpdesk is working. Also that everybody is working with one another. That is, the effort is coordinated and not a single employee feels that they are overly burdened. This can be evident by the fact that at the moment the inquiries are first handled by Mick before they are then passed onto Tim and Jean for solving. This way the work is being done much faster and much more effectively. One of the ways in which S ara may ensure that this culture continues is by ensuring that she encourages the team work that she has now developed. This may be done by giving team assigned tasks, by scheduling team building activities and encouraging non-official office communication that will build the teams togetherness (Boller 2005, p. 3). The second thing may be by the encouragement of

Project Feasibility Study 2014 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project Feasibility Study 2014 - Essay Example With regard to the current scenario, the company incorporates four major brands that include Kingsmill, Allinson, Burgen and Sunblest, altogether playing a pivotal role for Allied Bakeries to build its long-term sustainability in the global food processing and retailing industry (1Allied Bakeries, 2014). In relation to the recent observation, the company has been facing a significant level of difficulties regarding the operational functions and performance of its leading brand, Kingsmill. Kingsmill of Allied Bakeries has long been identified as one of its leading brands, principally because it is capable of providing a wide range of food items ranging from the Little BIG Loaf to 50/50. Its primitive aim has therefore been focused on sufficing the nutritional needs of the consumers in the national baking industry (2Allied Bakeries, 2014). In its recent performance, the company has introduced the Great White loaf with the brand name of Kingsmill and has collected the attention of the global consumers within a short-run (Ritson, 2014). However, the market research conducted by Allied Bakeries has demonstrated a different scenario regarding the newly launched White loaf in the UK markets. Although marketers may gain success by altering the preferences or demands of the customers, in various cases, the changes may convey severe risks for the organisations to maintain its long-term sustainability. In relation to the business strategy of Allied Bakeries regarding its innovative Great White, the intention of changing consumption habit or attitude of the customers may lead the company to cause a negative impact on its brand positioning. Therefore, major changes regarding the innovative concept of Great White has emerged as an essential practice for the company to preserve the brand position of Kingsmill and the reputation of Allied Bakeries as well (Askew, 2014). Change in the business strategies is a common and widely accepted

Film review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Film review - Essay Example In 2012 the film won prize in the nomination for best director in Sundance and was nominated for â€Å"Oscar† as best feature-length documentary. The documentary film starts with acquaintance with the narrator Emad Burnat, who experienced many events in his life, which he could name a â€Å"hot flame†. His life once became a mix of hope and pain. He made this film to â€Å"hold onto the memories† (â€Å"Five Broken Cameras†). For these purpose he had five cameras of different size. Each camera was filming one episode of Emad`s life. He was born in Bil`in – a village surrounded by hills - and spent all his life there. In childhood he used to work the land with his strict father and, like all urchins, he was not in delight of such activity. He wanted to walk with friend in the open valleys. Once he saw the Israeli survivors, which came to build a protecting wall in the middle of his family land, and his life changed. The first days after bulldozers arrival seemed hard for him. However, Emad has happy memories from this time too – his fourth son was born. The narrator bought his first camera for this occasion. We see the episode, how Emad is filming his family, his elder sons. Emad says that each of his boys was â€Å"a phase† in his and his wife`s lives and â€Å"each boy experienced a different childhood† (â€Å"Five Broken Cameras†). He notices his first son was born in 1995 â€Å"in the time of hope after The Oslo Peace Accords†. The urbanization came closer and closer during the childhood of Emad and the birth of Gibreel, his fourth son. This process was taken more and more territory for the purpose of movement of Israeli settlers. The newest settlement rapidly doubled its population, it took only five years for this and the barrier was finished to separate the settlers. The following minute we hear the sound of gun. â€Å"Soldiers are in the village†, says Emad`s wife (â€Å"Five Broken

Social Media Essay Example for Free

Social Media Essay Humans were always known for their cultural trend of migrating to what is cool and new. The Internet became a sensation when it first came out in the 60s. However, now sites such as Facebook and YouTube have absorbed that popularity. There are about 250 million active Facebook users, 346 million blog readers, 184 million bloggers, 14 million â€Å"tweeters† (Zarrella, 1). These websites are now known as the world of social media. The term social media broken up consists of two words, social media. Social meaning one’s uncontrollable need for companionship and media is a communication instrument (Dictionary.   com). Therefore it basically means the search for companionship through a communication instruments. The recent rise in the usage and the popularity of the Social media has amended the higher education system, altered the psychological state of its users and redefined marketing and advertisement. Facebook, YouTube and BlogSpot are the more prominent sites in which Americans socially relate. â€Å"With over 500 million active users, Facebook provides a virtual reality in cyberspace where users can enact identities for their friends, acquaintances, and a larger passing public† (Noor Al-Deen, 5). Users create profiles and provide explicit information such birth date, location, and relationship status, forcing one to become deeply attached to one’s accounts. Of the many reasons why members of the society use social media are to accumulate friends and strengthen previous friendships. â€Å"According to Facebook, the average user has 130 friends† (Noor Al-Deen, 5). Facebook focuses on making friends and updating statuses and being aware of your virtual friend’s status. Another reason why members of the society use social media is it to engage in self-presentation, make one self-known to the larger world (Noor Al-Deen, 5). Many have become socially elevated just by posting a video of themselves on Facebook or YouTube. College students are of the top users of social media. â€Å"In a recent study college students ‘reported using Facebook 30 minutes throughout the day as apart of their daily routine’†( Noor Al-Deen, 3). College is an environment where one explores his options and decides his future. Therefore many college students refer to sites such as Facebook and Twitter to become truly apart their collegiate community and become socially integrated. â€Å"A study submitted by Heiberger and Harper in 2008 found that 78.  1% of students who spent more than an hour on Facebook participated in at least 1 student organization or more† (Wankel, 4). Therefore there is an evident relativity between social integration and participation in school organization. Social media sites have also enabled freshmen student to enact with their professors and classmates much efficiently instead of having to set appointments and wait for a long time for one to meet one’s professor (Noor al-Deen, 6). Therefore incoming freshmen students should be encouraged to get involve socially both online and offline to increase their chances of growth within the institution they attend. However, according to Charles Wankel, a professor at St John’s University, extensive usage of sites as such Facebook can cause deficits such as information overload and bypass academic responsibilities. It takes up to much time of the day that it distracts one from his tasks. Social media sites have also altered the psychology of our society. â€Å"‘†¦Television and other popular forms of social media shape our perception of reality’ Sheldon says. † (Newswise) we base our decisions and thinking on what we encounter during our experiences with those forms of social media. Children are the most vulnerable to this psychological shift due to the stage of life they are in. Childhood was always known as a stage where children absorb all information presented and merge it into their behavior. So when children are presented with social media sites they are forced to adopt. An article written by Chelsea Clinton and James Steyer says â€Å"By the time theyre 2 years old, more than 90% of all American children have an online history. At 5, more than 50% regularly interact with a computer or tablet device, and by 7 or 8, many kids regularly play video games.† Children are being familiarized with social media by parents and older siblings and cousins and that’s how to they ride this wave early on. As they grow up they are faced with calamities and adversities such as bullying or parental divorce. They then turn to social media sites to express their feelings and search for comfort and empathy. â€Å"Rosen says. His research shows people who engage in more Facebook activities more status updates, more photo uploads, more likes also display more virtual empathy† (The Huffington pos ). This virtual empathy then reflects on one’s face to face interactions. Children who are not socially active face to face become more socially confident after using social media. This is due to them sharing and communicating online behind doors, which builds their confidence. â€Å"If someone posts he had a difficult day, and you post a comment saying, Call me if you need anything, youve just displayed virtual empathy† (The Huffington post). However an article claims that† The immediacy of social media platforms, coupled with vulnerable youngsters who are socially inexperienced and not fully developed emotionally, can create a combustible mix. Kids often self-reveal before they reflect, and millions of kids say and do things they later regret† (Clinton Steyer, 1). Social media sites have transformed the minds of these children and made them think that these sites are always helpful. â€Å"Consumer Reports reported last year that more than 7. 5 million American kids under the age of 13 have joined Facebook, which technically requires users to be 13 years old to open an account† (Clinton Steyer, 1). This shows the addiction that one’s children could have if one doesn’t set restrictions and provisions. Lastly, the final aspect in which social media sites had an enormous impact on was marketing and advertising. Businesses recently began to market their products on social media because of the large online social population. So as they receive supporters, these supporters also began to influence others that they virtual met or will meet. It is like a chain reaction of supporters. In recent years many name brand companies have become a part of the social media community. â€Å"Brands such as IBM, Burger King, and have come to own a 100 blogs and claim over 100000 views on YouTube† (Zarrela, 2). Through these blogs and YouTube they communicate with consumers and make sure that the consumer full is convinced with the product. Advertisement is a great part of a business because it is what attracts consumers. â€Å"Advertisers don’t have to pay publishers or distributors huge sums of money to embed their messages; now they can make their own interesting content that viewers will flock to (Zarrela, 5). Therefore their spending decrease and profit increase. The social media is cheap means of marketing for businesses. It costs almost nothing, it’s easy to get started, and it can have an enormous financial impact on your business (Zarrela, 3). In conclusion, social media has become a source of advancement and growth in which one can attain effortlessly. However one must become knowledgeable of what one share and reads. Social media opens doors to who chooses to excel academically by offering different angles on a single topic and aiding him/her on researching about that topic. It also opens opportunities to become more socially rounded by building confidence behind closed doors and automatically reflecting that in your day to day interactions and relationships. And open doors for businesses to grow and become more popular and productive. Social media cost all most nothing therefore there is no reason why one should take advantage of the golden opportunity that lies ahead of one. However one must not be controlled by the social but one should be in control of it.

Presented With The Complaints Of Depression Psychology Essay

Presented With The Complaints Of Depression Psychology Essay The purpose of this case study is to describe the case of a patient known as Ellen Farber. Ms. Farber, an insurance company executive, arrived at a psychiatric emergency room at a university hospital with numerous complaints in regard to her overall well-being. It is apparent that Ms. Farber has been affected by her symptoms to a large degree. This case study will discuss the complaints provided by Ms. Farber and will provide a detailed discussion of how her symptoms fit the criteria provided in the DSM-IV-TR for several disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode; Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified; and Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. This paper will also discuss differential diagnoses as well as co-occurring disorders that may be present. The final portion of this paper will discuss a possible treatment plan as well as an indication of the patients prognosis based on known information about her diagnosis. Ellen Farber is a 35 year old woman who presented with complaints of depression, the thought of driving her car off of a cliff, and numerous other symptoms. Upon closer evaluation of Ms. Farbers symptoms it appears that she is suffering from a Major Depressive Episode. The symptoms that she has exhibited that allow for this conclusion are a lack of energy for the past six months; a lack of pleasure for the past six months; increasingly persistent depressed mood for the past six months; oversleeping in amounts of 15-20 hours per day; overeating to the extent that she has gained 20 pounds over the past few months; and thoughts of suicide with a specific plan (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 206). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000), the presence of a single manic depressive episode in the absence of another disorder, such as schizophrenia, indicates that Ms. Farber can be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. It is also clear that Ms. Farber has never experienced a prior Major Depressive Episode indicating even further that Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode is the proper diagnosis for her (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 375). It is essential to point out that Ms. Farber is also a candidate for other diagnoses because she has engaged in binge eating and impulsive spending. Ms. Farber has reported that she has engaged in eating binges since she was an adolescent. During these binges she reports that she eats anything that she can find. Although she has engaged in intermittent binge eating since adolescence she has done so without using compensatory methods to rid her body of the excess calories. According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), Ms. Farber should be diagnosed with Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder) because she does not engage in the compensatory behaviors that are typically characteristic of Bulimia Nervosa (p. 595). Fin ally, Ms. Farber has engaged in shopping sprees that she refers to as buying binges. This excessive and impulsive spending has resulted in a large amount of debt, about $250,000, that has arisen from illegal practices such as unauthorized use of her employers credit cards and over drafting bank accounts to open new accounts, a process she calls check kiting. Since the money was used on impulsive purchases and cannot be accounted for by another disorder, such as substance dependence or a paraphilia, it appears likely that Ms. Farber is also a candidate for a diagnosis of Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 677). According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), the following diagnoses are relevant for Ellen Farber: Axis I: Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder) Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified Axis II: Borderline Personality Disorder Axis III: Moderately Overweight Axis IV: Unemployed, financial difficulties Axis V: GAF = 35 (current) On Axis II, Ellen received a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder for several reasons. First, she has reported that she has experienced lifelong feelings of emptiness, chronic feelings of loneliness, chronic feelings of sadness, and chronic feelings of isolation. In order to satisfy her feelings of emptiness she has engaged in weekly buying binges which established her current level of debt. Ellen has also engaged in daily episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors. She has also experienced chronic uncertainty with whom she wants to be friends and about what she wants to do in life. We also know that she has been in numerous brief and intense relationships with both men and women. In these relationships, Ellen exhibits a quick temper that has frequently led to arguments and physical fights. Based on a comparison of Ellens symptoms and the diagnostic criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder provided in the DSM-IV-TR it is clear that Ellen suffers from Borderli ne Personality Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 710). Ellen has not presented with any other medical conditions other than the fact that she is moderately overweight. Since this is the only condition of concern it was listed on Axis III. Axis IV includes relevant information about psychosocial and environmental problems that may be affecting Ellen. Since Ellen is unemployed and is experiencing a large amount of debt as a result of her spending binges this information is listed under Axis IV (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 33). On Axis V I have included a GAF score of 35. After evaluating the information provided in the DSM-IV-TR it seemed apparent that Ellen fell within the 40-31 range on the GAF scale. She fell into this range as a result of her suicidal thoughts with a specific plan and because she is currently unemployed but unable to work as a result of her depression. Within the scale it appeared that Ellens level of functioning was not severe enough to receive a GAF score of 31 but her func tioning was not well enough to receive a GAF score of 40. Based on this scale, it seems that Ellen fits in the middle of the 40-31 scale so I assigned a GAF score of 35 (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 34). According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), there are several common differential diagnoses present for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. These disorders include Bipolar I Disorder; Bipolar II Disorder; Mood Disorder Due To a General Medical Condition; Substance-Induced Mood Disorder; Dysthymic Disorder; and Schizoaffective Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 373). In the process of diagnosing Ellen, I made a differential diagnosis between Dysthymic Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. The primary way that this differential diagnosis was made was comparing the length of time that Ellen reported experiencing her symptoms and comparing them to the length provided in the DSM-IV-TR. For Dysthymic Disorder, a period of at least two years must be met for depressed mood (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 209). Symptoms for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode are only required to be present for a period longer than two weeks (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 206). From the information that is known about Ellen, it only appears that Ellens symptoms have differed from her normal level of functioning for six months. Since Ellen did not meet the minimum two year requirement for depressed mood it seemed apparent that her symptoms only met the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified also presented with a differential diagnosis, Bulimia Nervosa. This was easily distinguished because Ellen did not engage in compensatory behaviors in order to control her caloric intake, and a diagnosis of Bulimia Nervosa requires that a person engage in inappropriate compensatory methods to prevent weight gain (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 589). It is not uncommon for other mental disorders to co-occur with Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. These common mental disorders include Substance-Related Disorders, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Axis II presents the personality disorders that Ellen has presented with and Borderline Personality Disorder is listed. Ellen has presented with chronic feelings of loneliness, emptiness, sadness, and isolation. She has also experienced chronic uncertainty about what she wants to do in life and with whom she wants to be friends. She has engaged in numerous intense relationships with both men and women that have often resulted in arguments and physical fights as a result of Ellens quick temper. In order to cope with her chronic symptoms she has engaged in weekly buying binges and daily episodes of binge-eating. Based on this information, as stated previously, Ellen meets the criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 710). There are no conditions listed in the DSM-IV-TR that co-occur with Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder) or Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. The treatment of Ms. Farber is complicated by her thought of driving her car off a cliff. This indicates that she possesses suicidal desire, capability, and intent. As a result, she should be asked to agree to, or sign, a no-suicide contract. This contract is essentially a promise that she will not attempt suicide without contacting the mental health professional overseeing her case first. If she declines to agree to the terms, or if there is doubt about her sincerity, hospitalization may be required (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 251). Considering that Ms. Farber has presented with several co-occurring conditions, treatment for her Major Depressive Disorder would be most effective if she undergoes combined treatment. The first aspect of her treatment should be a medication based treatment, particularly treatment with a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This medication functions by blocking the presynaptic reuptake of serotonin causing a temporary increase in the levels of se rotonin at the receptor site. All antidepressant therapies provide some form of benefit to about fifty percent of the patients who receive them (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 236). In combination with the prescription for SSRIs, I would also recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy. A cognitive-behavioral approach, such as Lynn Rehms self-control therapy, could assist Ellen in gaining control over her moods and daily activities while incorporating cognitive therapy to assist her in identifying and correcting errors of thought, shifting her thought pattern from a depressive thinking pattern to a more realistic thinking pattern (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 240). Ms. Farber should also undergo treatment for her diagnosis of Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Binge-Eating Disorder). The most appropriate treatment for Ms. Farber would be a technique that involves therapist led treatment. It seems appropriate that she should undergo guided self-help therapy in which she would meet with a ther apist periodically to review a self-help manual. This approach would be the most effective for her because she presented with several diagnoses (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 375). The prognosis for Ms. Farber appears to be relatively positive in regards to the alleviation of her Major Depressive Episode; however, there are some risks within the first two years following her diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode that may alter her prognosis level to fair. Approximately 67%, or two-thirds, of patients experiencing a Major Depressive Episode may experience complete remission of their symptoms. One-third, or 33% of individuals suffering from a Major Depressive Episode may only experience partial remission of their symptoms or may not experience any alleviation of their symptoms at all. At least 60% of individuals with Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode will experience a second episode and 5%-10% will subsequently develop a manic episode, meeting the criteria for Bipolar I Disorder (DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. 372). In the first year following an episode there is a 20% risk of reoccurrence. In the second year the risk of reoccurrence increases as hi gh as 40% which would qualify Ms. Farber for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 208). By undergoing combined treatment for her depression her chances for remission may increase slightly over receiving medicinal treatment alone (Barlow Durand, 2012, p. 243). At this point it is impossible to determine the exact course of Ms. Farbers symptoms. At best we can expect a more positive prognosis with treatment than without any treatment at all. Ellen Farber presented with several co-occurring conditions and psychosocial and environmental problems that have potentially affected the onset and severity of her symptoms. The purpose of this paper was to discuss Ms. Farbers symptoms, provide diagnoses based on the DSM-IV-TR, and discuss the appropriate means of treatment for her conditions. Ms. Farber has been affected immensely by her symptoms and requires appropriate treatment immediately in order to prevent her condition from worsening. In the end, her prognosis ranges between fair and relatively positive based on the available knowledge about her diagnosis. It appears that if Ms. Farber receives the appropriate treatment she is at a greater likelihood for remission of her symptoms and continuing treatment may reduce the risk of a reoccurrence of her symptoms. Only time can definitively show how Ms. Farber will be affected by the course of her co-occurring disorders.

Comparing Sexuality and Power in Dracula and Buffy the Vampire Slayer E

Comparing Sexuality and Power in Dracula and Buffy the Vampire Slayer    At first glance, Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the hour-long TV series which premiered in 1997 and is now in its third season, bears little resemblance to the book which started the vampire craze -- Bram Stoker's Dracula, published a century earlier. And yet, looks can be deceiving. Although the trendy -- and often skimpy -- clothing and bandied about pop-culture references of "Buffy" clearly mark the series as a product of a far different culture than that of the Victorian England of Dracula, the underlying tensions of the two texts are far similar than one might think. Beneath the surface differences in the treatment of their heroines, the two texts converge in similarly problematic anxieties about gender and sexuality. Unlike other latter-day adaptations of the vampire legend -- such as films like The Hunger and Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire novels -- which actively shatter accepted tenets of vampirism, such as the danger of sunlight or crosses to vampires, "Buffy" relies heavily on the guidelines for vampirism established by Stoker in his novel. In "Buffy," as in Dracula, vampires can be killed by direct sunlight and harmed by holy water and crucifixes (Golden 125). When, for instance, Buffy's crucifix necklace touches her vampire boyfriend Angel's chest, it leaves a burn-mark similar to that left on vampire-defiled Mina Harker's forehead by application of a Holy Wafer in Dracula ("Angel;" Stoker 302). And unlike the sympathetic portrayals of vampires advanced in Rice's novels and in the 1960s soap opera "Dark Shadows," the vampires shown are not good or even human. They are, in the words of Buffy's Watcher Giles "demon at the c... ...sitive depiction of their sexual relationship. For Mina, however, renunciation of Dracula's evil must include the renunciation of her own physical needs and desires. The roles played by social mores and conceptions of gender and sexuality are, in the end, more than incidental. Indeed, the difference between Victorian England and 1990s America causes the subtle -- but significant -- valuation of the connections between good and evil and women and sexuality in two in many ways similar texts. Works Cited Golden, Christopher and Nancy Holder. The Watcher's Guide. New York: Pocket Books, 1998. Leatherdale, Clive. Dracula: The Novel and the Legend. East Sussex, England: Desert Island Books, 1985. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Signet, 1992. Whedon, Joss, creator and executive producer. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Twentieth Century Fox Television, 1997.

Bloodless Revolution

â€Å"THE BLOODLESS REVOLUTION†. Talking about the first coverage, Economic Crisis’ causes and results are one of the main root cause of ‘Martial Law’ back then. Economy of many developing countries, including the Philippines, has reached its instability in its peak. When Ninoy Aquino was assassinated, many have now the courage to protest and do demonstrations against Marcos Regime whether or not in Manila which caused investors to back out since they are afraid of economical instability that had been continuously brought by these protests. Since there is already economic crisis that time, many are fired from their jobs thus, leaving the country to widespread unemployment and these unemployed Filipinos joined the rallies and marches leading to more popular grievances and discontent. Human rights violation were rampant and landlordism and poverty grew. Due to his criticisms not only in the country but from other nations as well, Marcos declared ‘Snap Elections’ with Cory Aquino as his main rival. He won evetually because of massive fraudility. This has enraged Filipinos with their leader C. Aquino and boycott Marcos’ allies’ companies. This has led to greater protests and marches and apparently, bloodless revolution took place with the help of Jaime Cardinal Sin, Agapito Aquino, Juan Ponce Enrile, Fidel Ramos, religious organizations, and most importantly, the Filipino people. Marcos has left the country with his family and went to Hawaii through the help of US Air Force. Cory Aquino has been declared by the mass as the President of the Philippines with her Vice President Laurel and implemented the 1987 Constitution which replaced the merciless ‘Martial Law’ of Marcos People Power Movement refers to the popular uprising that ousted Philippine president Ferdinand E. Marcos in February 1986. Also known as the EDSA Revolution, the uprising was in reaction to the massive fraud and violence unleashed by the government to ensure that Marcos and vicepresidential candidate Arturo Tolentino would win the so-called snap  elections  that Marcos had called earlier that month. The opposition ticket was headed by Corazon Aquino, wife of former Senator Benigno â€Å"Ninoy† Aquino, who was assassinated in 1983 by  elements  of the Philippine  military  as he debarked his plane at the  Manila  International Airport  (since renamed Ninoy Aquino  International  Airport). Many believed that Aquino and her running mate,  Salvador  Laurel, would have won had the  electionsbeen fair and honest. Massive demonstrations were held in front of Malacanang (the  presidential  palace) and two  military  camps located at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). The peaceful uprising became a model for other countries wishing to change their government without resort to a  military  coup or a bloody revolution. Having the evaluation, the question that the reporter wanted to ask is that—having now the clearer scenario and better knowledge about the EDSA Revolution I, which is more preferable: DICTATORSHIP or DEMOCRACY? As for my perspective, it would be STILL DEMOCRACY. People will tend to say that dictatorship is better since many Filipinos now are not abiding the law and usage of force in its implementation would be the best solution. But then, I think the main and very problem of out country is the misunderstanding and mis-usage of the word FREEDOM in which DEMOCRACY is quoted with. True Freedom and Democracy would always come with rights and responsibilities as citizens of our country. It is all about change—not for the worse but for the betterment.

Monetary Policy of Bernanke

Ben Bernanke is current Chairmen of US Federal Reserve and his task is to ensure appropriate monetary policy in order to improve country’s economic and financial performance. Bernanke argues he has to work closely with all members of the Committee because it is the only way to develop monetary policy in such a way that it would fit country’s needs and demands. Therefore, the paper discusses issues of monetary policy offered by Bernanke as well as examines influence of globalization on overall monetary policy of the country. Actually, Bernanke is interested whether ongoing economic globalization and integration affects US monetary policy. Monetary policy operates in financial and economic environment being strongly affected by integration. Bernanke notes that monetary policy instead of stabilizing economic and financial situation in the country does little to drive powerful economic forces and to cause structural changes necessary for policy. Bernanke claims that if Federal Reserve wants to develop effective monetary policy, it should, firstly, be fully aware of all factors which are able to affect and determine the overall economic growth, inflation and employments rates in the United States. Chairman asserts that country’s economy should be open to other countries because openness plays crucial role in monetary policy affecting price stability and sustainable employment within country. Furthermore, economic openness also assists Federal Reserve in meeting congressional mandate. Bernanke cites analysts who argue that globalization puts obstacles to US monetary policy because it aims at reducing US interest rates of Federal Reserve and asset price. Also globalization diminishes the role of domestic factors affecting inflation process. Nevertheless, Bernanke doesn’t support such idea claiming that he is sure globalization should be implicated to increase effectiveness of monetary policy. Globalization and Monetary Institute was established to study impact of globalization no economy and policy of the country. Bernanke argues that monetary policy affects above all country’s financial conditions and asset prices and interest rates are under attack. Consequently, changes taken place in financial conditions would affect many households and firms, as well as would affect production, consumption and investment opportunities. Thus, Bernanke states that â€Å"the financial environment in which U.S. monetary policy is made has been irrevocably changed by the remarkable increases in the magnitudes of financial flows into and out of the United States†. (Bernanke 2007) Therefore, he argues that he Federal Reserve should pay more attention to financial stability by controlling federal funds and interest rates. Banks loans should be carefully considered as well. He recommends using open-market operations because due to policy of openness the Federal Reserve would be able to manage constant supply of funds, inter-bank markets. Such policy will keep federal funds close to the targeted rates and international integration of financial markets will not be affected or prevented. Further, Bernanke admits that the Federal Reserve should take proper control over the federal funds rates because they strongly affect short-term dollar nominal interest rates. Bernanke promotes cooperation of the Federal Reserve with modern central banks because it gives excellent opportunity to conduct monetary policy, to examine economic and financial data obtained from variety of markets, and to apply those data when considering economy and inflation. Bernanke says it is necessary to seek for alternative courses of policy to improve effectiveness of monetary policy and macroeconomic performance of the country. He recommends developing economic models to guide policymakers and forecasting techniques to ensure sustainable progress. Bernanke assumes that â€Å"monetary policymakers must therefore strike a difficult balance –conducting rigorous analysis informed by sound economic theory and empirical methods while keeping an open mind about the many factors, including myriad global influences, at play in a dynamic modern economy like that of the United States†. (Bernanke 2006) References Bernanke, Ben. (2007, March 2). Globalization and Monetary Policy. Retrieved April 19, 2007, from http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/2007/20070302/ Bernanke, Ben. (2006, February 15). Testimony of Chairmen Ben S. Bernanke. Retrieved April 19, 2007, from http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/hh/2006/february/testimony.htm Bernanke: The Yield Curve and Monetary Policy. (2006, March 20). Retrieved April 19, 2007, from http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2006/03/bernanke_the_yi.html                     

A Prime Innovator of Intelligence

Alfred Binet is one of the most significant figures in psychology as he redefined the meaning of intelligence. He basically set a new standard in the study of the human mind through his creation of the IQ test, which basically revolutionized how to gauge a person’s intelligence. Even today, several of his major works and ideas are still being used by modern psychologists.Early Life & EducationAlthough Binet was highly successful in his field, he didn’t always thrive well, especially during the early stages of his life. He was born in July 8, 1857 in Nice, France (New World Encyclopedia, 2008). His father was a physician and from here it could be surmised that he was also meant to pursue a career in the medical field.However, his parents separated when he was still young and he and his mother relocated to Paris where he attended law school. Upon receiving his license as a lawyer in 1878, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father in the field of medicine but lat er decided that his interest psychology was more important (Sweet Briar College, 2007).Beginnings & FailuresDespite his contributions to psychology, Binet, ironically, was a not formally-schooled psychologist. He mainly educated himself by studying books of Charles Darwin and John Stuart Mill, among others, for several years (Indiana University, 2007).He became particularly interested in Mill’s belief that the processes of intelligence could be expounded by the laws and principles of associationism. However, he soon realized the restrictions of this particular theory, but he was still heavily influenced by Mill’s ideas (Indiana University, 2007).In 1880, Binet published his first paper on hypnosis, which was highly criticized for lack of scientific support (International Bureau of Education, 2000). Subsequently, he began working in Jean-Martin Charcot’s laboratory, where the main focus of research was hypnosis. Binet was heavily influenced by Charcot’s id eas and as a result, he published four papers on animal magnetism and hypnosis.Unfortunately, his Charcot’s ideas were refuted by various scientific studies and in effect, Binet was also discredited for supporting his teacher, which was considered his first major failure (New World Encyclopedia, 2008). Shortly after abandoning his research on hypnosis, he married Laure Balbiani in 1884 with whom he had two daughters, Madeleine and Alice.Important Contributions & WorksOne of the Binet’s first significant contributions was his incorporation of chess into one of his psychological studies that dealt with the cognition of chess masters. In his experiment, he found out that memory was only part of the processes of cognition in the game of chess and that only master chess players could play the game successfully while blindfolded (Internal Bureau of Education, 2000).He further surmised that imagination, memories of abstract, and experience were among the many factors that is required of a chess master. Furthermore, his most significant contribution is the intelligence test. In 1904, Binet and his colleague, Theodore Simon developed a test called â€Å"New Methods for Diagnosing Idiocy, Imbecility, and Moron Status† (Indiana University, 2007).Among the tasks included in the test were to repeat a sequence of numbers from memory and to follow an object with one’s eye (Indiana University, 2007). Binet and Simon conducted the test on 50 children who acted according to their age or level.They would then compared the results to other children of the same age and evaluate the results. Meaning to say, a 13-year old who could complete the tasks that all 13-years olds performed would have a mental age of 13. Similarly, a 13-year old who would complete all the tasks of a 15-year old would have a mental age of 15 (Indiana University, 2007).In 1908, Simon and Binet modified their intelligence test as they theorized that intelligence increased with age a nd included a comparison between the chronological age and the mental age in the new test (Indian University, 2007).However, Binet stressed that his intelligence test also had its limits and that human IQ was diverse and had to be assessed qualitatively and not only quantitatively.

To what extent does the work of Jaques Louis David change during the Essay

To what extent does the work of Jaques Louis David change during the French Revolution - Essay Example To know a few details from this artist’s life is to understand some of his choices. Jacques Louis David’s life was filled with underlying turmoil from the early years. Losing his father in a duel, and gaining two stern uncles to fulfil the vital paternal role while very young, made indelible marks. The uncles thought he should be an architect or building contractor, since it was the way they made their living. In spite of being perfectly capable of the required draftsmanship, David had other ideas2. He was obsessed with drawing. He wanted to paint. The family had expectations of the young David that did not include painting as a career, although his fixation with drawing showed everyone very soon that his talents should not go to waste. He filled sketchbook after sketchbook with drawings3, with the kind of dedication that was impossible to ignore. Both uncles finally accepted his ability to make choices and persuaded his mother, who had left him to be brought up by them, and a teacher was sought: but not too far afield. Boucher, a relative, taught art, but soon, when he saw the style David wanted to paint, and their difference in personalities, he decided his neighbour and artist friend Joseph-Marie Vien would be a better candidate as a tutor for the young David. This change is one that would mark the artist’s preferences for some time4. A facial disfigurement marred David’s dealings with people. Because it affected his speech, he tended to prefer solitary activities, but made an effort to resist isolation, reminded of his schooldays, when he often crouched behind the teacher’s dais at school5. Being a young man with personal issues when the ancien rà ©gime, or Old Order, was winding down, towards the end of the 18th century, meant that experiencing changes in the morals and society in general became personal. David happened to be

3. To what extent has the ability of governments to improve economic Essay

3. To what extent has the ability of governments to improve economic performance diminished over the last two decades Analyse the efforts of the state to impro - Essay Example overnments do not have control over their populations, as crime syndicates control the economy, making it impossible for the government to improve the conditions of the majority. These issues are significant because they prevent many governments from looking out for their own country’s interests and forcing them to go along with the ideologies of others, which prevents them from improving the country’s economic performance, as â€Å"recently, many have argued that competitiveness is strongly influenced by government policyâ€Å" (Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, 4). Michael Porter’s five forces of competitive analysis are the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitute products, and the intensity of competitive rivalry. This theory can be applied to how governments improve the economic conditions of their country in a variety of different manners, mostly due to their interactions with other countries, as â€Å"government actions can also dramatically increase or decrease the likelihood of international competition† (Porter, Competitive Strategy, 181). International trade is something that will always be debated because it is interesting to see who has the advantages and why. The most common manner by which to explain the advantages that certain countries have over others in trade in by using a comparative advantage model. There will always be different scales because of the various differences between countries’ finances, education levels, population, demographics, resources, and other factors. China, where â€Å"economic liberalization has registered great success without substantial political reforms,† (Feng 252) is a country that has traditionally been used for its labour, due to its extremely high population and its lack of good paying jobs. The variable in this situation is that Chinese companies are beginning develop their own products for distribution, which is a direct

Hans Morgenthau and Kenneth Waltz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hans Morgenthau and Kenneth Waltz - Essay Example According to the conventional view, realism is apprehensive with how the humankind is in contrast with the ideal situation, this is to mean that it is an empirical rather than normative paradigm. Realism views things from a pessimistic perspective since it emphasizes on the patterns of power politics that are dominant in the global political arena manifested through wars, recurring conflicts and rivalry among nations. Issues such as balance of power and security threats and measures are the main tools that the realism uses in the study of world politics; in addition, realists consider a state as the main player in international politics. Realism pays special attention to the most powerful states as they have a greater say in international politics compared to the less powerful states, the behaviour of these states usually dictates the patterns of international relations since they are considered rational egoists whose self interests come first. In the orthodox view, four differences are evident between classical realism and structural realism; the first difference is that while classical realism tries to locate the source of international conflict and wars to the imperfect nature of human beings, structural realism attributes these conflicts and wars to the anarchic nature of the international political system. The second difference is that while classical realism recognises the state as the most superior player in international relations, structural realism recognizes the role played by agents.... Realism pays special attention to the most powerful states as they have a greater say in international politics compared to the less powerful states, the behaviour of these states usually dictates the patterns of international relations since they are considered rational egoists whose self interests come first. In the orthodox view, four differences are evident between classical realism and structural realism; the first difference is that while classical realism tries to locate the source of international conflict and wars to the imperfect nature of human beings, structural realism attributes these conflicts and wars to the anarchic nature of the international political system. The second difference is that while classical realism recognises the state as the most superior player in international relations, structural realism recognizes the role played by agents. The third difference is that classical realism recognises the original super powers and the new powers in international rel ations while structural realism recognizes states as independent and unitary actors. The fourth difference is that while structural realism uses scientific methodology to study international relations which is influenced by the behaviourist revolution of the 1960’s, classical realism studies international relations based on based on an individual’s subjective valuations. Defining power Realism believes that the actions of a country are to a large extent determined by events that happen in the international arena. Hans Morgenthau defines power as the anything that gives a man control over another person; this includes both physical aggression and psychological manipulation of the subjects. According to Hans, the most important material

Identifying The Child Readiness for Independent School Essay

Identifying The Child Readiness for Independent School - Essay Example His brilliance in Mathematics has many times been highlighted by the praise that he has received from his teacher as well as his colleagues. He performs very well in the subject and is very active in the classroom in helping out his classmates as well. In the case of Humanities, Jazz tries to understand the subject with proper concepts. He shows great interest in the understanding of human history and the importance that history lays on our lives today. He always strives to learn more with regard to the early human developments as well as the important events that have taken place in the history of the world. Jazz is an active member of the school sports teams. He enjoys playing sports and has the potential to greatly contribute to the school sports community. He has been actively involved in playing sports which include basketball, soccer, badminton, swimming, and golf. Jazz has a very healthy lifestyle and he is actively engaged in extracurricular activities. He is also a very good observer and loves to appreciate the beauty of nature. Apart from playing sports, Jazz is very considerate and helping and it is for this reason that he became a member of the Boys Scouts. He always wishes to contribute to society and be of assistance to people who are in need of help. I do not have any concern with regard to the admission of Jazz in Independent School. I am a proud parent owing to the high achievements of my son in all fields of education. He is an all-rounder and will be able to cope up with the educational environment. I believe that my son will actively contribute to the school community and perform well in his academics as well.

HPV Pros and Cons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HPV Pros and Cons - Essay Example Persistent high-risk HPV can cause problems cervical cancer. While pap tests can be used to test women for this disease, men have no HPV tests available. While there is no treatment for HPV itself, the health problems caused by it: genital warts, cervical cell changes and cancer of the vulva, cervix or anus can be cured. The controversy with this virus occurred when a vaccine was available for it in 2006 (Immunization Action Coalition). One of the most vital aspects of this vaccine is its inability to serve the very people it has been created for. Cases of HPV occur in women belonging to a low social status (Elsevier 2009). These women are unable to access a quality or any kind of screening tests. If these women are unable to access proper tests, the probability of them getting these new vaccinations is even lower. The idea of this vaccine is to provide an equal and balanced health system for every individual but it will be unable to do so if the majority of them women who are infected with the disease unable to afford it. There is an alternative view that this medicine will help young girls from being affected by a virus that is responsible for causing 7000 cases of cervical cancer (Gardner 2007). Thus, while the procedure might cost $360 for the three required shots; the benefits it reaps will have far-reaching and helpful effects. Gardner also claims that if private insurers cover the cost of the drug it can be made more readily available to the drug. In other words, profit-making organizations are asked to forget their personal motives and contribute to the general good. To provide proof of these moves to lower the cost of the drug, groups involved in the immunization process are asking the states to adopt this vaccination and provide it to the same low social classes who are greatly afflicted by this disease and unable to seek any kind of relief. However, there is a lingering doubt in the minds of many that this drug will not prove to be as

Statue of Liberty Essay Example for Free

Statue of Liberty Essay I have always dreamt of a better life. Since the early childhood when my dad and I had been going to the city market to sell some fruit and to buy some rice for the money earned. I do not remember us eating meat, may some bones that contained thin skin. Meat was too expensive to afford. I was the only male child in the family so I had to work and bring some money into the family. My older sister was given to her husband’s family after she got married. We didn’t see her often. My mother didn’t love her much. Yet, my dad did a lot. So, every time he saw me, it seemed that he wanted to see her instead. And he became mad. I often felt his powerful feasts on my neck. But he was my parent, he gave me a birth and I respected him†¦ That was a sad-sad childhood. The thoughts of the past make me suffer much. Yet, it is those hardships that made me go on, to seek another better life, to seek this life overseas†¦. O, sweet America, sweet dream. I have always see it my dreams. I remember once waking up from the excitement that filled my soul and my heart when I saw the statue of Liberty. My dad was somehow educated a little. So, when me and my sister lived with us, he used to tell us about the country of dream – the US. He wanted very much my sister to be educated. He told that education was a way up. That’s what I remembered for the rest of my life. And I wanted my life to go up. That’s why I decided to go to the US†¦. The girls in China were not in respect. My family was considered misfortuned, since there were two of us, girls, in the family. My mom told me that my dad used to beat her after my sister was born. He dreamt of a son. It was understandable, since girls had to go after they got married. Thus, parents would have to be left by themselves, without any support. A boy in Chinese family meant a hope for a good old age. When the boy was born into a Chinese family, the latter was considered blessed. My family was considered misfortuned†¦ Yet, later on my dad got to love my older sister a lot. He tried to make her strong as a boy, despite old Chinese traditions of femininity and obedience. Thus, you can imagine how much my dad waited for a son when my mom got pregnant for a second time. And gain†¦failure. He was really mad. There was no hope he could love me sooner or later. That is how I became a real outcast in my family. My parents respected Confucian ideology a lot. Confucius professed that we, the children, had to respect and obey our parents. And we did. I do not remember any time I said something against my dad, even despite all that he made me do. I had to learn to earn money since my early childhood. I had to work as a boy. And I did†¦ However, despite harsh strict regime of traditional Chinese family, my dad was an educated person. He never stopped staying that Chinese civilization has very old roots and we had to be proud of that. And we, certainly, were. He told that it was Chinese who invented paper and many other useful things that the humanity used. His stories were exciting. And they were probably the only rare times when our family gathered together peacefully. Despite the fact that my dad was somewhat educated, we were a family of farmers. We grew rice and fruit and then sold them. We were never rich. We were like many other Chinese families. My dad always told that Chinese is the great nation. However, I couldn’t ever understand why such a great nation made girls, the ones who gave birth and contributed to the development of Chinese generation, suffer so much. I still cannot forget how my sister used to hide from my parents in order not to show them her great pain – she couldn’t really walk for some time. But my mom convinced that Chinese girls had to have very-very small feet. That was a sign of femininity. â€Å"Otherwise†, she used to say, » you will never get married†. But we really didn’t think about our future at that time. The only thing I personally thought of was how to ease that horrible pain†¦ But time passed and we grew. I have submitted with my fate that made me suffer both from my dad and from our old traditions. But I never complained. I knew that Chinese were a great nation. That is why everything that had to be done, even if it made me feel pain, was actually for my sake. I am very thankful my dad that he brought me up being strict and not always tolerant. He taught me to achieve everything myself. He taught me that I had to fight for myself and I did. Now I remember that horrible pain from my past and I think I can survive everything. Now I can walk easily and this is the real happiness. Moreover, I am happy because I am now in the country of my dreams – in the US. I am happy because my daughter will not have to suffer as I did. I am happy because millions of Chinese girls will be relieved from the humbleness and great pain that made them inferior to men, that made them die being alive. It is all over know. I still respect Confucius, but I am in another country now. I will learn the great wisdom of this ancient Chinese philosopher from the walls of American University. Oh, those Americans. They are so different. But that is so interesting to penetrate in the whole new culture that is so much not like yours. I was so surprised to know that here men and women are considered to be equal. That is such a great feeling. Yes, I will study Confucius from here and I will perceive all he said from the new perspective. I have so much ahead. I have so much to learn. This will be an exciting time I will never forget. We didn’t have centralized schools for a long time in China. Education was domestic. My parents couldn’t afford that. I did lack communication. But it’s over now. My daughter will not suffer. She would be happier than I was. But, I swear, she will not forget our Chinese culture, she will still respect Confucius’ teachings†¦.

Development As Freedom A Review Sociology Essay

Development As Freedom A Review Sociology Essay The author conceptualizes development as the gap between an exclusive concentration on economic wealth and a broader focus on the lives we can lead (p.14) emphasizing that the theory of development goes well beyond wealth accumulation and gross national product growth. The chapter examines the relationship between development and freedom, the way in which freedom is a component of development and an extensive view of freedom encompassing both opportunities that people have and processes that allow for freedom of decisions. The main arguments of the author is that development should be assessed by freedom of accessibility to factors such as social opportunities, health care, clean water, economic security, civil rights and political freedom. Lack of accessibility means unfreedom. Development therefore should mean that people can live the lives they want to live and precisely, how can a nation say in all entirety that it has freedom when its citizens cannot afford the very basic necessities of life or fulfill the rights they are entitled to? Sen goes on further to compare different views of poverty in both developing and developed nation by analyzing freedoms through values, poverty and inequality, income and mortality, markets and freedom, tradition and culture. The author sees the process of development beyond economic growth or physical and human capital and concludes by linking the understanding of a broad view of the development process to the substantive freedoms of people. Sens write up contains intriguing views but he hasnt mentioned what justifies his classification into these freedoms i.e. experience of developing countries, factual historical evidence or how far freedom has progressed within each context he identified. His definition is quite different from Rapleys in which Rapley describes development as more concerned with flexibility and adaptability (Rapley 2007 pp 5) and so raises a question. Can development be measured only by individual happiness without economic growth and stability? Happiness, in my opinion is geared more towards Rapleys definition and should be adapted into the process of economic growth. Willis, K. (2005) Theories and Practices of Development. London. Routledge. p. 32-42. Willis chapter 2 of theories and practices of development analyses development theories and practices and how these theories were attached to the economic, social and political theories that developed in Europe from the 18th century. Williss interpretation raises some interesting facts about historical development of theories and she divides her study into various theories. The classical economists such as David Ricardo, an advocate of free trade and Adam Smith, in his famous book, Wealth of Nations responded to the trade focus of economic policy at that time (p.32) when trade was a major factor of economic growth. Here, protectionist measures such as high tariffs were highly used by merchants. Willis goes on to say Adam Smith was not in favour of this form of regulation and that it was harmful to the countrys economic growth. Instead, greater focus on production and division of labour which will be regulated by the invisible hand of the market (p.33). The Great depression of the 1930s and other economic happenings gave rise to Keynes argument of the free market not necessarily a positive force but government intervention in the promotion of economic growth while postwar reconstruction period was a time to reflect on the economic crises that occurred at that time and provide solutions to their re-occurrence. This led to the creation of the Bretton woods institutions to assist in the promotion of stable economic growth within a capitalist system (p. 36) Willis describes the linear stages theory and makes emphasis on Rostow, the American economist and political theorists stages of Economic growth to development. Here, development was seen as a state where a large number of the population could afford to spend largely on consumer products and development was viewed as modern, moving from agricultural societies to an industrial economy. While she tries to decipher early theoretical ideas, Willis has not made clear linkages between some of these theories and how they have come to evolve in economic debates and discussions over time. Chang, H., and Ilene G. (2004) Reclaiming Development from the Washington Consensus, Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, 27(2), 274-291. The fundamental of this article is to correct the notion that there is no alternative to the Washington Consensus. The authors argue that neoliberal policies have failed to achieve their goals in developing world (p. 274) and so discuss the major development myths for justifying neoliberal policies that have been harmful to developing world and perhaps as a complacency to the reader, possible alternatives to these policies. These myths, evaluated individually, describe how these policies have lacked credibility. Myth 1; In contrast to the neoliberal policy success, the reality is that the policy has not promoted its main aim of economic growth. Myth 2; Developed countries gained success through free market policies whereas records claim they relied upon interventionist policies for development. Myth 3; Only neoliberal policies can succeed in todays global environment whereas in fact there is evidence of continuing institutional and policy divergence across national boundaries (p. 277) Myth 4; Discipline imposed by international institutions to keep them honest whereby placing policy making authority in the hands of these organizations. Myth 5; The East Asian model cannot be replicated when in fact most developed countries utilized this model. Myth 6; Developing countries should imitate the Anglo American model of capitalism which fared poorly in the economic boom of the 1990s. The authors went ahead to put forward alternative policies for faster economic development which includes the financial system providing adequate finance quantities for investment projects at appropriate prices, enforcing strict laws on new foreign loans incurred by domestic borrowers, defocusing on budget balance and maximizing FDI potentials to promote economic and industrial development in developing countries While arguing for these policies, it will be sensible to note that economies are different and there can be no best practice policy that everyone should use (Chang 2003). Policies for development should not be fixed but depend on stages of development of a developing nation and other factors such as resource capacity, economic, political and social conditions. Pender, J. (2001) From Structural Adjustment to Comprehensive Development Framework: Conditionality Transformed? Third World Quarterly, 22 (3), 397-411. Pender reviews how the World Banks approach to development has changed over decades and brought about important shifts to its conditionality approach. In the light of new changes between the 90s and today, the World Bank formulated a Comprehensive Development Framework, based on a relationship of partnership to replace its erstwhile structural adjustment lending (p. 397). The author examines why the World Banks perspectives of development changed through different periods; In the 1980s to early 90s, GDP was used as a measure of development as the Bank was mostly concerned with rapid economic growth and sustenance for least developed countries (LDC) and the adoption of policies such as restriction of state spending, controlling inflation, commodity exports and privatization as factors to achieve development. The 1990s drew lack of confidence in these policies and there were strong doubts about its competence judging from the success of the Asian Economies that developed rapidly without the World Banks policy prescriptions. This informed the Bank to change its 1980 view about minimal state role in development and that growth by itself is not enough (p 401). Thus in 1990, a formulation of an approach based on both labour intensive growth and widespread provision of basic social services (p.401). In spite of these alterations, there were criticisms that the Bank reforms were not aiding Africas growth but rather, increasing stagnant economies through the implementation of the Banks policies. According to Pender, the Bank lost confidence in its policy framework in early 1995, with the Asian miracle and LDCs failure and was forced to critique its own policies and re-orientate. This modification was experimented between 1995-1997 with improvements in the understanding of economic development and poverty reduction as the central focus. The author gives clear informed views of the process of policy change within the World Bank at different times but fails to analyze the impact of this new focus of poverty reduction and its success to the development of todays third world countries. Chang, H. (2003) Kicking away the ladder. Development Strategy in Historical Perspectives. London, Anthem Press. Chapter 1. Changs analysis centers around one question, How did the rich countries really become rich? He uncovers some myths about developed countries developmental experience and argues that developed countries did not develop through the same policies that they recommend to the developing world. This pressure from developed countries to the developing world to adopt a set of good policies that they adopted when they themselves were developing is faced with criticisms because historical evidence suggests otherwise and goes on to say that they are trying to hide the secret of their success (p. 2). Some of these policies include liberalization of trade, privatization, restrictive macroeconomic policies and deregulation but facts show that most of the developing countries used export subsidies and industry protection, industrial policies that the WTO disapproves in the present world. The USA and UK were examples of ardent users of these same policies frowned at in contrast to the free trade policies and free market they preach. Chang quotes List, the German economist that Britain was the first country to perfect the art of infant industry promotion which is the principle behind most countries journey to success (p. 3). He argues that developed countries, while alleging to recommend good policies to developing countries are actually trying to kick away the ladder of their own economic development. A conclusion is drawn on some methodological issues of David Ricardos neoliberal policies to Friedrich Lists infant industry argument that while developed countries preach Ricardo to developing nations, they actually pursued Lists policies in the past. Although Chang did not confront and compare works of economic historians e.g. L.E Birdzells How the West grew rich in relation to his How did the rich countries really become rich to identify similar or different conclusions, his examination of historical materials to reach important and interesting conclusions is a contribution that is immensely valuable to the current debates on development that will evidently challenge contemporary policies and enrich development theory.