Havaianas Advertisement Essay

This article is stating that these sandals fit all personalities and characters; no one is too cool for these sandals. In order to persuade the audience they obviously use attractive models to gain the reader’s attention. They then go on to dress the models in the clothing the words are describing. All in all they made a pretty cool looking ad that will definitely grab the attention of their audience, Cosmopolitan readers. The ad keeps one looking around the page so that the reader will see at the bottom where the name of the company and what they are selling is located. Havaianas is not necessarily implying that one benefits in any particular way by wearing their sandals, they are just trying to iterate that these sandals are or can be worn be anyone. Superhero’s, movie stars, and even tango enthusiasts would wear these at times, so they must have the style and comfort for all occasions. Havaianas might not make u better person, but it appears from the models that they are in a good mood and comfortable in there surrounding even though the house is getting destroyed. At first glance I thought the article was trying to make it seem one would be more popular for wearing Havaians, but then I realized they are trying to sell people on the products versatility, how it is a sandal for all occasions. After studying and trying to find the different meanings of the article I conclude that the implied claims are supported efficiently by the content of the ad. The words â€Å"and/or† are placed in the article twice; this helps the reader distinguish the proper meaning of the article and not assume that these are the people you can become by wearing them.

Paper B1-Privacy-Related Matrix Essay

This assignment gives you an opportunity to analyze a key IT-related organizational ethical privacy issue subject to relevant laws, regulations, and policies. Both of the following sites provide sources and an excellent backdrop for issues relating to privacy protection and the law. See EPIC Report – at: http://epic.org/reports/ See List on left: HOT POLICY ISSUES and/or: https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy [see list at right on this page] This includes sub-topics discussing information privacy, privacy laws, applications and court rulings (case law is usually an extension of the basic law based on the facts from specific cases and real-world court decisions), and key privacy and anonymity issues. While the sites provide many interesting topics, be sure to focus on our class IT topics. 1. Use the template below and the list of suggested workforce privacy topics from one of the sites above to produce a matrix to map a key organizational ethical issue and how this issue is affected by laws, regulations, and policies. Use the list of normative ethics below to help you complete the matrix. Choose any three (only three) of the following list of twelve (12) principles of normative ethics described below. 2. Prepare the Ethical Dilemma matrix and include the following explanation—double-space your narrative—below the matrix: a. Why I chose the dilemma; b. Why I chose the three principles; and c. An analysis of the research used to identify the actions in the matrix. The completed matrix allows you to weigh the different issues involved and assign a rank as to the importance of the actions based on the effect on the stakeholders. 3. Submit the matrix for grading in your Assignments Folder. 4. Indicate appropriate APA reference citations for all sources. In addition to critical thinking and analysis skills, your assignment should reflect appropriate grammar and spelling, good organization, and proper business-writing style. This assignment is directly related to Paper-B2 below. The issue identified in this assignment will be used in B 2 Assignment. Make sure you read the B2 assignment below so that you understand the relationship prior to starting B1. Normative Ethics List Autonomy: the duty to maximize the individual’s right to make his or her own decisions. Beneficence: the duty to do good both individually and for all. Confidentiality: the duty to respect privacy of information and action. Equality: the duty to view all people as moral equals. Finality: the duty to take action that may override the demands of law, religion, and social customs. Justice: the duty to treat all fairly, distributing the risks and benefits equally. Non-maleficence: the duty to cause no harm, both individually and for all. Understanding/Tolerance: the duty to understand and to accept other view points if reason dictates doing so is warranted. Publicity: the duty to take actions based on ethical standards that must be known and recognized by all who are involved. Respect for persons: the duty to honor others, their rights, and their responsibilities. Showing respect others implies that we do not treat them as a mere means to our end. Universality: the duty to take actions that hold for everyone, regardless of time, place, or people involved. This concept is similar to the Categorical Imperative. Veracity: the duty to tell the truth. Ethical Dilemma Matrix: Ethical dilemma: Stakeholders 1 2 3 4 Step 1: Identify the ethical dilemma based on one of the broad categories  identified. An example (following here) might be to falsify your personal profile in a social networking site. Step 2: Identify the stakeholders involved. You, someone who reads your personal profile in a social network site, potential employers, etc. Be sure that each stakeholder category is unique and not similar to another category you use. Step 3: Choose any three of the principles that might apply such as autonomy, publicity, and veracity. Step 4: identify how the dilemma affect each stakeholder based on the principles you identified. Put this statement in the matrix next to the stakeholder. See example, next page- For example: Ethical dilemma: falsifying your profile on a social networking site Stakeholders Autonomy Publicity Veracity 1: You You have the duty to maximize the right to make your own decisions. You have the duty to take actions based on ethical standards that must be known and recognized by all who are involved. You have the duty to tell the truth 2:Other users of the networking site They have the duty to make their own decisions They make these decisions based on ethical standards that should be recognized by the person falsifying their profile They assume that the person falsifying the profile has the duty to tell the truth. 3: The social networking site The autonomy of the site is limited by law (Goldman, 2007)  Users of social networking sites are content publishers, as such the site must take actions based on legal and ethical standards and must notify users of these standards so they are known by all. As providers of content the site must conform to the laws regarding truth or be held responsible for  legal issues as defamation (making harmful false statements about someone else) or copyright infringement. (Goldman, 2007) 4 Goldman, E. (May, 2007). Social Networking Sites and the Law. Retrieved from http://www.ericgoldman.org/Resources/socialnetworkingsitesandthelaw.pdf

Winter’s Bone

Essay Assignment 2 October 7th, 2012 Draft 2 (Final) Winter's Bone I would like to start off saying I really enjoyed this book so far. I really like the text, and description it shows. There is a lot of realistic experience in the book that helps me create my visual of the book. â€Å"They didn’t do nothin’! They didn’t do a goddamned thing! What the hell’re you tryin’ to pull? † Most books are cheesy written, and worded. This book was different, and really fit into my interest. I usually find it hard to get into a book, an reading a lot of the time makes me sleepy.I was able to adapt to this book quickly to gain a lot of questions an wondering what was going to happen next. The Ozarks is a interesting place that helps shape the lives of anyone who lives there. Ree finds herself, her family, all on the bad side of the law since illegal activities are done to support themselves in such a harsh environment. These illegal activities of her fathe r start Ree on a journey. She has to find her father with only the help of family to save her family’s house and land. Jessup, Ree’s father, is the most important cause of her journey.He comes home and leaves â€Å"promising he’d be back soon as he could with a paper sack of cash and a trunkload of delights. † Ree is left with the tasks of chopping wood and making sure there is food on the table for everyone, which is usually the man of the house’s job. He had told her to not even look for him until â€Å"you see my face. † (Chpt 1) Then, when the kids get home from school riding in Sheriff Baskins’ patrol car, the sheriff asks her if she has seen Jessup and informs her that he put the land and house up for the bail.If Jessup didn’t show up for court, they would be poor and homeless. Ree also has to be a mother to the kids, because her mom is pretty much useless. Something happened, whether it was drug or her lifestyle while Je ssup had been imprisoned before, and the medicine that she is on is not helping. Ree had to get Sonny and Harold ready for school even if the clothes were dirty and there was no butter to go with the grits. The kids show up home having hitched a ride from the deputy up to the Dolly’s house for which they were reprimanded by Ree to not ven associate with â€Å"the law. † Ree later makes sure to put them under her wing so that they could learn to hunt and cook if there was ever a need for them to take care of themselves. She starts showing them how to make deer stew and how to shoot and clean squirrels. The next day, when they got home. Teardrop came over. When he realizes he needed to help his brother’s family. He lets Ree know that the police found Jessup’s car burnt, but he wasn’t in it. He also gave them more money to help out.He then also gave her the advice of selling of the timber on their land before the bail bondsman came to throw them out o f the house, but Ree still thinks that it won’t happen. Teardrop starts talking about times before when things were good and family all got along. Ree goes to town to get some groceries and is getting to the point of believing her father is dead but trying to figure out why. â€Å"Either he stole or he told. Those are the things they kill you for. † Gail told her. Chpt 15) Bringing back to my thoughts, where I had a dead beat father who ran off, and never came back home. Which made my mom have to do everything for us alone. It's always weird how the books you read can sometimes relate back to you in ways you never thought they could. I then know I'm not the only one who had that experience. Which then as well helps me cope with my issues an understand better. I really like that about a book when I can relate to some of the things going on in the story.

Fiscal And Monetary Policy And Their Importance For The Country Essay

Fiscal And Monetary Policy And Their Importance For The Country - Essay Example Monetary policy is the stabilization of macroeconomic fundamentals, such as those relating to stable prices, stable growth rates for the economy, and the levels of employment and unemployment, with the ideal being full employment. In the United States, moreover, the existing mandate to the Federal Reserve Board emanating from Congress is for the former to promulgate fiscal policy decisions that will push employment numbers to the maximum as well as achieve stability in prices of goods and services (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2014; Investopedia LLC, 2014l SparkNotes LLC, 2014). Separate from this general two-component mandate, however, the US Central Bank has autonomy with regard to the operational aspects of achieving those mandates, and that means that the US Federal Reserve Board has the independence to chart monetary policy without intervention from the US Congress. In contrast, when one talks about fiscal policy, one talks about things that relate to the wa y government raises revenues through taxation, in order to finance its activities in terms of government expenditures (Hipple, 2014); Investopedia LLC, 2014 (b); Powers, 2014). In contrast, too, the Federal Reserve Board plays no role in the way fiscal policies are crafted and enabled. Those latter aspects of fiscal policy are entirely within the power of Congress and the White House and exclude the central bank (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2014; Krugman, 2012). In other countries as well, these distinctions between fiscal and monetary policies hold (Leigh and Stehn, 2009; Traclet, 2004). As the name implies monetary policy refers to the policy, as the controlled bank, pertaining to the amount of money in circulation in the economy. The mechanisms of control of the money supply or the effecting of monetary policy include tweaking interest rates for loans, as well as tweaking monetary reserve requirements for banks.

Early Challenges to the System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Early Challenges to the System - Essay Example The inception of humiliation was especially during after the utter defeat of the six-day war that completely disoriented Arab region including even the Egypt1. This even yielded to serious divisions in the region despite generally professing one creed though having other smaller sects among them. Besides the untimely passing on of the region’s informal leader Nasser, the region had serious divisions especially in Lebanon most of them fuelled by divergence in creed and small religious sects. These included Christians and Islamic sects like Shi’ites, and Sunnis, which gave foreign forces continue to divide them further2. Additionally, there were also aspect of conflicting interests characterizing the region’s leaders who due to were they originated emerged with differing voices. This is despite the entire Islamic religion seeing possibility of uniting itself as one religious bloc. However, this could not do manage for individual states prefer local autonomous

Globalization of Trade and Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Globalization of Trade and Commerce - Essay Example This is the Globalization of trades and manufacturing. Companies are now expanding their operations by either opening branches or setting up manufacturing units in other countries. As this is happening across all countries it is now common to see almost all known brands available in every region of the world. The marketplace is getting bigger and both the consumer and the companies profit out of this proliferation of goods and services across the globe. These expansions have brought in better profits and higher performances. MNC’s have also diversified and added to their product and service portfolios. There are several reasons why diversification has resulted in better performance. But markets are not entirely integrated, therefore there are regional imbalances. These are the results of some protection that the local governments exercise in the name of protection of their local industries. By operating in more than one international market the MNC’s are able to balance out the regional imbalances caused by local macroeconomic factors. As a result, MNC’s experience greater market performance since investors recognizes and reward stable performance (Shaked 1986). The shareholders are favorable to those companies that are able to reap the profits by expanding their operations to more market. As a result, a greater spread across international markets reduces their overall risk and in turn, this has a beneficial effect on corporate performance (Caves 1982). Moreover, international diversification offers cost advantages as well as added production competence in its own field with an increase in economies of scale (Buhner 1987) Expansion of business is both natural progression as well as the desire of corporates to reach larger audiences. But expansion means starting new ventures afresh or building new factories and attending to various initial hazards. In order to expand, an easy and quick route now adopted is Consolidations.  

Data Sharing between Airlines and International Airlines for Case Study

Data Sharing between Airlines and International Airlines for Scheduling Purposes - Case Study Example s like distance, choice of aircraft, operating speed, night curfews, taxi-times and prevailing winds are considered during allocation of schedule times. From the above explanations, it can be concluded that data sharing is of high significance in the planning for delays. Since factors that affect arrival time are taken into consideration, it results in the development of a realistic schedule and the final effect of this is on-time performance. The main limitation to achieving effectives from data sharing is that in many cases, flights leaving at their designated times arrive after the scheduled arrival time and this has the potential of creating reactionary delays. A limitation imposed on data sharing is on the period of time that airlines can store this data (Strauss, 2010). Passenger name record (PNR) and the codeshare agreement Apart from sharing data for purposes of scheduling, airlines can also share passenger informationlikepassenger name record (PNR). In the past, terrorists h ave used airplanes as weapons against target places or nations. It has also threatened the prosperity of this important business. The main importance of sharing PNRis the deterrence of terrorist travel because it keeps known terrorists of airplanes. However, this can intrude into the privacy of the passengers due to the exchange sensitive information and could also result in the discriminate use of the data. The limitation of this is the inability to deter unpopular or unknown terrorists. The data can only be held for 30 days (The House Committee on Homeland Security, 2011). Codeshare agreement is another important element of cooperation between airlines. Under codeshare, two airlines share the same flight. For example, a seat can be purchased on one airline but a cooperating airline... This essay stresses that the strengths of American Airlines include the size of the fleet, the number of routes, partnerships, the IT infrastructure, and government relations. These strengths can be harnessed and data sharing between the airline and the other airlines made efficient and effective. An important strength in this case is the IT infrastructure. The company can venture into strengthening and innovation of an IT infrastructure that can assist effective and efficient data sharing between the airline and international airline for the scheduling purposes. Partnership can also assist the airline and international airlines to share data effectively. Partnerships will make it easy for the airline companies to share data effectively and make the scheduling of flights easier. This paper makes a conclusion that American Airlines should engage in data sharing for the purposes of scheduling flights. The company has many unprofitable routes and data sharing will assist the company is reducing these unprofitable routes. Partnership with the Asian Airlines is a great opportunity for the company to schedule its flights internationally and in particular within the Asian region. The partnership will offer a great chance for data sharing. From the SWOT analysis of American Airlines, it is evident there are many chances for data sharing between the airline and international airlines; data sharing will assist American Airlines to schedule flights and avoid any inconveniences that may arise due to partial or full absence of data sharing.

The Republican Party Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Republican Party - Research Paper Example The party dominated in almost every Northern state (Root & Hay 23). In the elections of 1860, the Republican Party emerged victoriously and dominated the course of politics until 1932, when the leader of the party was not capable of reversing the Great Depression. Republicans won the elections back from the Democrats in the 1960’s. From 1968-2004, the Republican Party emerged victorious in seven out of ten presidential elections. The Republicans supported the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which provided that; all individuals in the U.S. should be treated as citizens without creating discrimination on the basis of color, race or any condition existing before. The Old Republican Party Since its formation, in 1854, the Republican Party has supported and opposed various issues affecting the citizens and the economy of the United States. Traditionally, the party emerged to support issues such as laissez-faire capitalism, conservative social policies, and low tax policies. It was under the old Republican Party that the Civil Right Act of 1866 was passed. During the formation of the Republican Party in 1854, the chief agenda was to abolish the extension of slavery, which had increased during the time. The Republicans were against the Nebraska Act, which promoted slavery. ... The old Republicans supported the establishment and development of educational institutions; this is depicted by the support of the Land-Grant College Act, which led to the foundation of education centers throughout the country (Schwengel 90). This can also be seen with the establishment of Howard University, in 1867, by the Republicans. In addition, the old Republicans cared about the security of the citizens and established Buffalo soldiers. In addition, the Republicans opposed the legalization of the Ku Klux Klan, which was an outlawed group. The Modern Republican Party The Modern Republican Party, just like the old Republican Party, has faced several issues, some of which it has opposed and supported. The signing of the New Deal faced the Republicans’ opposition. The Republicans likened the New Deal to the promotion of socialism by the Democrats (Johnson & Smith 76). Later, the Republican Party split into two portions; with one division opposing the New Deal from its start to the end, and the other division partly supporting the New and promising to operate it efficiently. Although the modern Republicans split into two classes, which brought in a class of moderate Republicans, the Republican Party has continued to offer support for the establishment and development of tertiary education centers. They also advocate for the improvement of infrastructure and promote human security. During the Civil Rights Act of 1964, segregation was outlawed through a court order and Democrats took the opportunity to bring in a less educated electorate, which supported segregation (Westwood 38). This favored the Democratic Party at the expense of the Republican Party. The moderate Republicans supported the move while the liberal did not.  Ã‚  

NEGOTIATION STYLES AND COMMUNICATION Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

NEGOTIATION STYLES AND COMMUNICATION - Assignment Example Globalization has brought about the need for cultural understanding for traders in various countries to enable them to trade globally. The Vietnamese and the Americans have different personality styles and preference in negotiation. To start with, the Americans and Vietnam have different approaches to negotiation with the Americans being convenience customers while the Vietnamese are valued customers. This is from the buyers’ point of view so that the negotiating party is the buyer. A convenient customer is the once who is less sensitive to brand and try to minimize effort on evaluation. The convenience customers are time sensitive, thus prefer saving on time. The Americans fit the convenience customer definition through its individualistic nature. Americans are more interested in satisfying personal needs rather than focusing on societal beliefs and culture, therefore the American consumers are known to make decisions free of societal influence. On the other hand, the value customers are conscious of both value and prices of products. They, the value customers, would want to get the best quality at the lowest possible cost thus maximizing on value. For the Vietnamese, they believe in collective communal responsibility for individuals. The people in Vietnam are aware of the general prices of products and qualities, thus are more brands sensitive. The Easterners prefer having to negotiate for lower prices but at the same time maintaining good quality of the product. The individual behavior has affected the way trader price their goods. Traders in the east are aware of the bargaining nature of most of the customers thus have priced their products to allow for bargaining. The Far East is characterized with high power distance (Van 2009). This means that the gap between those having powers, and those not in powers is big and visible. The inequality in power is reflected in the high income disparity

Community in American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Community in American History - Essay Example The popularity of slave trade was not only limited to North American colony, but also extended to Southern colonies as well as states (Daniels 54). Daniels asserts that slave trade was a fundamental mechanism through which immigrants were brought into the NEW World, especially The United States (Daniels 54). As they were transported from Africa into the New World, particularly the United States, African slaves carried with them their African culture. The African culture fused with others, both European immigrants and immigrants who were never considered part of immigration such as Asians and Indians. Despite not having been acknowledged as part of immigration, African slaves formed crucial part of the community, where they worked in sugar plantations. As time elapsed, African slaves multiplied through birth. â€Å"At the end of the colonial period, roughly every fifth American was either an African immigrant of the descendant of one† (Daniels 55). This swelling number significantly contributed to the diverse community that has become inherent in the history of the United States. Over 10 percent of American people can accurately trace their ancestry to immigrants of African origin. Unfortunately, most historians have simply ignored the or explicitly covered black history. Historical evidence that can reveal adequate information about the history of immigrants of African origin is not in existence. African immigrants basically had no literature that could be used to document their past. However, there are modern literatures about African slaves, written by the slave merchants together with other white participants in the slave trade as well as observers. These literatures are often exaggerations and largely miss the point ab out the background African slaves. For example, Alex Haley developed a falsified literature about African past, mainly founded on a novel

Closing scene of Act One Essay Example for Free

Closing scene of Act One Essay It is clear to the audience that Catherine wants to disagree with Eddie but feels she is not allowed too think different for herself. Beatrice will not let Catherine put up with Eddie treating her like a child anymore. She sits Catherine down to tell her that she needs to grow up and move away she before she becomes trapped by Eddie. An angered Beatrice says to Catherine in : you still think youre a little girl, honey.. he cant give you orders no more This quote shows Beatrices frustration with Catherine, and therefore Miller is succeeding in creating more dramatic tension because Beatrice shows her feelings to the other characters and the audience. Beatrice feels that Catherines naivety towards Eddie is destroying their marriage and ruining her own future. Eddie turns to Alfieri, he hints to him about his love for Catherine and his hatred towards Rodolfo. Alfieri understands how Eddie is feeling but cannot help him with his troubles, he tells Eddie that there is nothing illegal with Catherine falling in love with Rodolfo. Dramatic tension is caused again on the stage when Alfieri reinforces what Beatrice had previously told Eddie and he says: the child has to grow up and go away and the man has to learn to forget. I think that the climax of dramatic tension happens in the closing scene of Act One . Eddie returns home to an extremely tense and claustrophobic apartment, he supposedly taught Rodolfo how to box but in Eddies mind he was challenging Rodolfo to a fight. Rodolfo escapes the mock boxing match with a slight graze, however I think that Catherine is so overwhelmed with Eddies attempt to include Rodolfo that she doesnt see through to his real thoughts. Miller has used this in the plot and it is significant to the storyline as it shows Eddies controlling behavior and how he likes to keep an iron fist over the apartment. Beatrice and Catherine are now worried over the safety of Rodolfo. Rodolfo is nervous and unsure about the angry Eddie who is full of passionate hate for him. After the fight, Rodolfo and Eddies characters act together to add more dramatic tension to the last scene of the first act. There is evidence of this occurring when: he takes her hand. Rodolfo takes her in his arms. In my opinion, this aggravates Eddies situation and it stirs up his emotions. The self-destructible Eddie is trapped in the claustrophobic apartment with no place to go and is forced to sit and watch them dance together. The climax of dramatic tension during Act One then happens in the last scenes when a silent Marco, who has been sitting quietly in the background, steps out and retaliates to Eddies behaviour towards his younger brother. Marco next challenges Eddie to a chair lifting contest. Marco shows Eddie how he can lift a chair over his head using only one hand, Eddie attempts to prove himself worthy of the same thing but fails. Miller adds this part of the scene to the play because it shows the two strong dominant men battling it out to show who is the prevailing male of the household. I think that this is Marcos silent warning to Eddie that says lay off my brother. There is now pressure on Eddie who was previously the strongest character and this causes the dramatic tension to carry on increasing. One aspect of the play, that in writing that can be noticed is that Miller is very specific in his stage directions. A quote I have taken from Millers stage directions reads: Marco is face to face with Eddie a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw his neck stiff the chair raised like a weapon over eddies head. The way he uses stage directions allows the audience to see the emotions and feelings that the characters are undergoing. I think that this assists in maintaining the dramatic tension throughout the play as it is giving the audience a clear image of what each of the characters truly feels and also their state of mind. Eddie has now been driven to pressing his self destruct button when he makes the call to the immigration office that he cannot undo. After this we have reached the peak point in the story. I think this because Eddie has now betrayed his family and there is now a vendetta between Marco and Eddie. Because of the mafia code that Marco follows he believes that there is only one way to resolve the situation: Eddie must die. Now that the audience are aware of this the dramatic tension has reached its climax, the audience are sitting waiting for the tragic death of Eddie Carbone- the plays tragic hero. The last quote that Alfieri uses in the play is that : most of the time no we settle for half and I like it better In my opinion I think that this is Alfieris way of telling the moral of the story. If Eddie had only settled for half he would still be alive and the family would be happy, but most importantly of all , Catherine who he has always been so eager to please. From my essay I have shown how Miller cleverly creates dramatic tension and maintains it throughout his play. The dramatic techniques Miller uses to create this are: his precise stage directions; dramatic irony at the start of the play; and the use of his climatic points. The dramatic irony is important because it means the audience are aware of something that the characters are not. Also, Millers use of climatic points rite through the play generate tension between the characters, he uses this dramatic device wisely by accumulating lots of intense moments. However, I think the most important technique that Miller use to create his dramatic tension is specific stage directions. I think this because it creates an intimate and claustrophobic atmosphere on the set on which the characters live. He creates zones on the stage were the action takes place, this changes the entire atmosphere of the play. These zones that Miller has created make it more intimate and therefore adds dramatic tension.

Mechanical Reproduction Essay Example for Free

Mechanical Reproduction Essay Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin can be summed up into two important subjects—reproducibility and the concept of the aura. One of the main ideas of Benjamin Walter’s work is technological advancement in the field of the arts which has changed art itself. Mass reproduction of works of art has made even the replicas works of art by themselves. Consequently, the original has lost its authenticity. The concept of the aura is the next major idea that Benjamin Walter discusses—the aura is the very essence of a work of art, which is lost because of mass reproduction, particularly art that uses film as a medium. As the times change, so to do the perceptions of humans—and thus, contributing to the demise of the aura in art. Art and tradition go hand in hand, but with the advent of modern mediums today, art as business (mass production) has become the main concern. Art has two functions, either as â€Å"cult† magical in function, hidden from view, or as a public spectacle. The difference between film and portraits is that film does not have that aura. The succeeding sections mostly talk about film. One section delves into some theories on film, while another section talks about the actor, citing differences between acting in front of a live audience and acting in front of the camera and how the camera destroys the aura of the acting. Section nine is about how anyone can, or rather, play as works of art because of film. The camera hides real talent and shows only that which the filmmakers want to project. The rest of the discussion is still about film and the differences this new technology has made into our modern perception of art. Work Cited Benjamin, Walter. â€Å"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. † Core Concepts for Communication and Web Development. English Department, Bentley College. 02 March 2009 http://web. bentley. edu/empl/c/rcrooks/toolbox/common_knowledge/general_communication/benjamin. html.

Ideologies of Islam | Peace and brotherhood

Ideologies of Islam | Peace and brotherhood Introduction All religion preaches peace and brotherhood and Islam is no different. However, how do you justify the killing of thousands of innocents by the Islamic terrorists. Islamic terrorism is the common term for violence,[1] rooted on Islamic fundamentalism, and aimed at defending, or even promoting, Islamic culture, society, and values in opposition to the political, allegedly imperialistic, and cultural influences of non-Muslims, and the Western world in particular.  [1]   Today, it is global terrorism has come to fore of the world politics after terror attacks on World Trade Centre on 09 September 2001. While looking at the globosity of the phenomenon of terrorism, it has to be appreciated that before terrorist groups attain their national, regional or global stature the first begin the same at local levels. A consideration of the origins of various terrorist groups would indicate that the growth of the small groups into the national or supra national movements could have been attributed to, if not large measure, to the frustration of the people, with the inability of their governments to provide with the elementary justice, security and welfare. It is difficult to say at which point local terror groups joins hands with the other groups operating in the region to form supra national entities that can operate trans national boundaries. If concrete steps are not taken immediately with due foresight, terror menace can well become the the biggest threat t o mankind.  [2]   Varieties of Terrorism Radical conservative religious movements have become linked to terrorism in places as diverse as the Middle East, Ireland, Japan, and the U.S. It is necessary to examine terrorism before further exploring the link between radical religion and the embrace of violence. It is difficult to define terrorism. One persons terrorist is anothers freedom fighter. There are various types of egregious political violence that are sometimes conflated. Official documents on terrorism rarely define the term or differentiate it from other forms of violent political action, e.g., guerilla movements, ethno-nationalist conflicts or progressive movements that take direct action. Nations often brand opposition/resistance/demonstrations as terrorist to demonize and discredit those who might dissent Ahmad (1998) offered a typology of five varieties of terrorism:- State terrorism. Religious terrorism. Criminal terrorism. Pathological terrorism. Secular oppositional, or political, terrorism. There are different motives for these. Some highly visible expressions of terrorism can be thought of as spectacles of violence, media events staged to dramatize an issue by gaining the attention of the world. Terrorism acts as both a symbolic message and supposed means of social change aiming at political transformation. The terrorist act dramatically advertises the grievance to a larger community that may support their goals. Further, the pain and suffering inflicted is believed, at least by the terrorists, to avenge a prior injustice and/or attain the organizations goal.  [3]   Jehad The word Jihad links its origin to the Arabic word JHD, which means strive. Jihad in essence means the measures taken to practice religion even during the times of adversity in the face of oppression and persecution. In Arabic, the terms Mujahid/Mujahideen and jihad, are Islamic-derived terms indicating righteous struggle, and are commonly used to refer to what the Western world calls Islamic terrorists and Islamic terrorism. In the non-Muslim world, this usage is often considered to be inaccurate and giving religious glorification to murder, and Islamic terms like hirabis and Muharib have been promoted as alternatives when referring to terrorists. Islamic terrorism is itself a controversial phrase, although its usage is widespread throughout the English-speaking world. Ordinary Muslims who have nothing to do with terrorism find it reprehensible because it forces upon them a label simply because they, too, are believers of Islam. In fact, the common Muslim believes that you are making him a racial hate target by using the word Islam with terrorism. Bernard Lewis believes that the phrase Islamic terrorism is apt, because although Islam, as a religion is not particularly conducive to terrorism or even tolerant of terrorism  [4]  . In his own words:- Islam has had an essentially political character from its very foundation to the present day. An intimate association between religion and politics, between power and cult, marks a principal distinction between Islam and other religions. In traditional Islam and therefore also in resurgent fundamentalist Islam, God is the sole source of sovereignty. God is the head of the state. The state is Gods state. The army is Gods army. The treasury is Gods treasury, and the enemy, of course, is Gods enemy. This argument is countered by Jamal Nassar and Karim H. Karim, who contend that because there are over a billion adherents of the religion, the phenomenon is more precisely regarded as Islamist terrorism or, because describes political ideologies rooted in interpretations of Islam. In this vein, describing terrorism as Islamic may confirm a prejudicial perspective of all things Islamic.  [5]   Radicalisation of Islam As has been noted, modern Islamic political fundamentalism is the product of a desire by some Muslims to return to a pure faith in order to counter and overcome growing pressure from an increasingly westernized world. Identifying and analyzing these pressure points is essential to understanding the rationale behind the often violent expressions of Islamic political fundamentalism whose ultimate purpose is to bring individual, country and world under the sovereign reign of Allah. As has been noted, Islamic political fundamentalist movements are a twentieth-century development. Not surprisingly, the majority of these movements are of the Sunni variety. Of the 175 Islamic fundamentalist groups (mainly of the political variety) in the Arab world as identified by Dekmejian from 1970-1995, only 32 were Shiite fundamentalists (with an additional four having both Sunni and Shiite followers). The modern era radical clerics have interpreted the Koran to their advantage and have used it effecti vely to strengthen the military wing of Islamic fundamentalists and use terrorism as a tool against the non practitioners of Islam. Some clerics supporting the hard stand against non Islamic societies and nations are reflected in the subsequent paragraphs. Radical as part of his sermon one Friday in August 2004, the Palestinian Sheikh Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi told his followers, Cutting off heads is part of our religion. Indeed, by God, slaughtering Allahs enemies is part of our religion. It should be done in accordance with the interest of Islamic nations. In another article titled The Infidels will be Obliterated, the cleric Seif al-Din al-Ansari writes Allah made annihilating the infidels one of his steadfast decrees. According to (divine) natural law of alternating fortunes, Allah said (Allah will) obliterate the infidelsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.It inevitably follows that this wisdomà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.has become the way the life is to be livedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The (Koran) mentions his decree frequently, to the point that it makes you feel that it is truth of supreme importance. In another context, Shiekh Nasser ibn Hameed, an al Quaeda affiliated Saudi cleric, considers the permissibility of using the weapons of mass destruction to bring about the will of Allah. The sheikh concludes that, considering what Americans have done:- If a bomb was dropped on themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that would annihilate 10 million and burn their lands to the same extent that they burned the Muslim lands this is permissible with no need to mention any other proof. Yet if we want to annihilate a greater number, we need further proof  [6]   Creating an Ideology A century ago, Islam had the same Koran, the same Prophet Muhammad, the same stories about founding of the faith, and the same religious and the legal traditions. Yet there were no suicides bombers like Salah Ghandour, no incendiary leaders like Hassan Nasrallah, no militant sheikhs like Yousaf al-Qaradawi and no murderous conglomerates like Hamas and al Qaeda. And that there was not should give pause to all those who claim that Islam is, necessarily, a violent and destructive faith. To attribute todays problems to the essence of the religion is to commit a grave error of oversimplification. Islam is a grand tradition that has proven itself capable of sustaining many different cultures, philosophies, approaches to life and political arrangements. Since September 11, and to a lesser extent before, many authors have probed the history of Islam and the Arabs in search of the roots of extremism. One good place to start is the story from the recent past, the story of Sayyid Qutb, an Egypt ian writer who is described as the intellectual hero of every one of the groups that eventually went to Al Qaeda, their Karl Marxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ their guide.  [7]   Sayyid Qutb was born in Egypt in 1906. His early education was in the western system of education. After completing his studies, he took up the job of a teacher. He later became a novelist and a functionary in Ministry of Education, Egypt. In late 1940s he did his masters from Colorado. However, during 1930 to 1950, Qutb lost faith in the secular system and became a radical Islamist. On return from America, Qutb supported the Nassers secular revolution. Difference arose between Nasser and Qutb and later was imprisoned. It was during this time Qutb wrote some of his best known and influential work Milestone (a thirty volume commentary on Koran) and In shade of Koran. Qutb was latter executed by Nasser in 1966, giving Islam its earliest and most revered martyr. Qutb was influenced by Mawdudis writings but constructed a khariji-like revolutionary ideology. He stressed both Gods sovereignty and governance (hakimiyya) and the unity of God (tawhid) with the resulting unity in nature, rel igion, society, and state as the foundation of the integrated and comprehensive Islamic system. Qutb transformed the meaning of the Islamic term hijrah (emigration) from a simple description of the Prophets historic migration from Mecca to Medinah to signifying a definite stage in the development of all true Muslim societies hijrah is the response of true Muslims to the state of jahiliyya prevalent in their society. They must withdraw from society in order to create a vanguard of committed activists able to take over society when the right time comes.  [8]  Some of Qutbs interpretation of Jahiliyyah in his own words are as follows:- Islam cannot accept any mixing with Jahiliyyah, either in its concept or in the modes of living which which are derived from this concept. Either Islam will remain or Jahiliyyah: Islam cannot accept or agree to a situation which is half Islamic and half Jahiliyyah. The foremost duty of Islam in this world is to depose Jahiliyyah from the leadership of man, and to take the leadership into its own hand and enforce the particular (Islamic ) way of life. Indeed, people are not Muslims, as they proclaim to b, as long as they live the lier of Jahiliyyahà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Today th task f the call is to return these ignorant people of Islam and make them into the Muslim all over again. A person who feels the need of defence, justification and apology is not capable of presenting Islam to people. Indeed, he is a person who lives the life of Jahiliyyah, hollow and full of contradictions, defects and evils, and intends to provide justification for the Jahiliyyah he is in. These are offender against Islam.  [9]   Qutbs central mobilizing concept was a reinterpretation of Jahiliyya, and provided an ideology to military faction of Islamic leaders. Most terrorist Islamic groups today, derive their ideology from his writings. Interpretations of the Quran The role played by the Quran, Islams sacred text, in opposing or in encouraging attacks on civilians is disputed. Certain scholars such as Zakir Naik have said all Muslims should be terrorists in the context of war and fighting evils of society. When he was asked about the verse. Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies. [Quran 8:60] He replied. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. A Muslim should be a terrorist for the Robber and all other anti-social elements. The Princeton University Middle Eastern scholar Bernard Lewis, states that Islamic jurisprudence does not allow terrorism. Professor Lewis notes At no time did the (Muslim) jurist approve of terrorism. Nor indeed is there any evidence of the use of terrorism (in Islamic tradition). Muslims are commanded not to kill women, children, or the aged, not to torture or otherwise ill-treat prisoners, to give fair warning of the opening of hostilities, and to honor agreements. Similarly, the laws of Jihad categorically preclude wanton and indiscriminate slaughter. The warriors in the holy war are urged not to harm non-combatants, women and children, unless they attack you first. A point on which they insist is the need for a clear declaration of war before beginning hostilities, and for proper warning before resuming hostilities after a truce. What the classical jurists of Islam never remotely considered is the kind of unprovoked, unannounced mass slaughter of uninvolved civil populations that we saw in New York two weeks ago. For this there is no precedent and no authority in Islam. Indeed it is difficult to find precedents even in the rich annals of human wickedness. In 2007, Osama bin Laden, best known for the September 11 attacks, used quotes from the Quran-and a militant Taliban clerics interpretation of those verses-to justify his declaration of war on Pervez Musharraf and the Pakistani army, such as: O prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them. Their abode is hell, and an evil destination it is. [Quran 9:73] O you who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust. [Quran 5:51] And fight them until theres no fitnah (polytheism) and religion is wholly for Allah. [Quran 8:39] However, the interpretation of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban has been condemned by influential group of Pakistani scholars and religious leaders, who declared that suicide attacks and beheadings as un-Islamic in a unanimous resolution. Marmaduke Pickthall, a Western convert to Islam and an Islamic scholar notes that Nowhere does the Quran approve a spirit of revenge and situates verse 2:194 in the context of a defensive war. Ibn Kathir stated that the Quran clearly commands believers to prefer forgiveness over retaliation wherever possible. Michael Sells and Jane I. Smith (a Professor of Islamic Studies) write that barring some extremists like Al-Qaeda, most Muslims do not interpret Quranic verses as promoting warfare; and that the phenomenon of radical interpretation of scripture by extremist groups is not unique to Islam. According to Sells, Most Muslims no more expect to apply the verses at issue to their contemporary non-Muslim friends and neighbors than most Christians and Jews consider themselves commanded by God, like the Biblical Joshua, to exterminate the infidels.  [10]   Root Cause of Terrorism The Worldview of the Fundamentalist. It is obvious to mention that Islamic fundamentalism is caused by the actions of the fundamentalist. What we can ask ourselves is what drives these individuals to advocate fundamentalism? Several scholars have proposed that fundamentalists adopt a literal reading of the Quran. Consider the following verses:- And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah is worst than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the sanctuary at Makkah) unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the unbelievers (Surah Al-Baqarah). If one takes a literal reading of the above passage, then it is quite obvious that Muslims should kill non-Muslims where and whenever the former thinks that they are in a position to do so. Take for example Palestinians. Palestinians have been resettled to accommodate for the state of Israel, consequently displacing the former from their own homeland in the process. When seen within the light of the above verses, the perceived injustice suffered by the Palestinians would mean that Palestinians have every right to oppose the Israelis as well as their American benefactors. This is if a literal reading of the above verses is taken devoid of the context and historical circumstances that gave rise to such verses in the first place.  [11]   Islams Identity Crisis in Confronting Modernity. The historical inevitability and pain of transition to modernization/capitalism has been met with resistance and conservative religious leaders sees such forms as imperialism, colonialism, and the spread of neoliberal ideology. As conservative religious leaders struggled to deal with the advent of modernity, Islamic modernizers were more open. Indeed, these Islamic modernizers worked with secular nationalists and were better able to cope with modernity, using European models of socialism and capitalism for nation building and national development (Hossein-Zadeh, 2005). However, when socialism and capitalism failed to deliver for example, instances of poverty were rife; people were alienated from the system they were in; materialism and decadence prevailed in the capitalist system the disappointed masses of the Muslim world turned to the more radical message of Islam as Muslims especially those alienated and disaffected by socialist and capitalists models looked for an Islamic Alternative. This yearning signalled a desire to return to the state of Islam during its Golden Age. Conservative religious leaders thereby became the sources of mobilization and self-respect as the disappointed masses sought to return to the Golden Age (Hossein-Zadeh, 2005).  [12]   Socio-Economic-Political Factors. Islam is not a monolithic entity how Muslim states/Muslims relate to the non-Muslim other depends a lot on their socio-economic-political factors. For example, poverty and undemocratic regimes are significant factors that can contribute to Islamic militancy. In Aceh (Indonesia) and Mindanao (Philippines), marginalized Muslim communities suffer acute deprivation and alienation vis-vis the post-colonial state dominated by the ethnic and religious minority (Rahim, 2003). Additionally, given the lack of democratic mechanisms in these regions, there are no means for legitimate and sufficient political representation thereby making Islamists act subversively. Undemocratic and draconian measures adopted by oppressive regimes to contain the radical Islamists will also exacerbate the threat rather than effectively reducing it. Instances of poverty as well as undemocratic regimes and draconian legislation among many other factors can contribute to the conditio ns fuelling Islamic Militancy.  [13]   American Foreign Policy. American foreign policy is also a significant variable in the surge of Islamic Militancy. Many argue that Islam is a religion of peace Islamic terrorism, however, is a product and response to American foreign policy. This sentiment is reflected upon Americas unconditional support for Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the ubiquity of American troops in the Gulf; historical legacy of European colonialism; and terrorist attacks are a cumulative process of humiliating Arabs (for example, displacing Palestinians in their homelands; the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal; torture techniques used by the Bush administration). The rise of non-state actors such as Osama Bin Laden represents the Muslim and Arab worlds rage against American hegemony or simply arrogance/hubris (the so called Liberation Theology). Moreover, the double standards as exercised by the Americans in regards to supporting oppressive regimes so as to secure regional cooperation in the war against terrorism is seen as having veiled intent that the war against terrorism could be a war against Islam. American, it has been argued, should look into the causes and conditions that fuel Islamic rage that is, by reflecting upon its own foreign policies rather than blaming the other for the calamities that had happened thus far.  [14]   Drug Trafficking. Drug trade entered the murky scene of terrorism, in a big way, in Afghanistan during the Taliban operations using Afghanistan Pak axis. Initially, they justified the use of drug business as it was for a sacred cause and even convinced the clergy. However, gradually it became a part and parcel of their activities and drug mafias became big players in the venture and terrorist became synonymous of drug trafficker. Equally, the wide network created by the drug mafia was exploited by the terrorist outfits for their operations. As big money was involved politicians in Afghanistan and Pakistan were easily drawn into vicious circle. Drug trafficking provided the illegitimate money to fuel the Holy War Jihad across the globe. Conclusion Perhaps more important than ideological debates over the nature of Islamic history is the future of reform in Islam. Kepel (2002) suggested that Islamist terrorism does not, nor can it produce its intended goals and has become consumed with a fantasy of a world-wide triumph of radical Islam. Understanding the reasons for rise in fundamentalism in Islam and factors contributing to global terrorism, it is neigh important to take concrete measures against terrorism, else, we are likely to inherit aworld without peace to the coming generations. Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. 33.29. Quran

Boxing with My Father Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

Boxing with My Father My father was 30 years old when I was born. The fact meant nothing to me for most of my young life, but took on a special meaning one day when I was fourteen. It was the day he decided to teach me to box. You might think that transmitting this skill was evidence my father and I had a close relationship, but our bond was distant, ephemeral, and bound together by a single if resilient thread. My parents had divorced when I was a kid, and my father had â€Å"visitation rights.† He’d show up at our front door every other Sunday and take me out with him. Our destination might be the zoo, a park, a baseball game or, more usually, his house in Far Rockaway, a half-hour drive from my mother’s place in Brooklyn. But it wasn’t where we ended up that elated me. It was getting there that made it a thrill. He wasn’t like the resident fathers of my neighborhood friends. Some seemed accepting and resigned that they had lost their youthful vigor. They worked in banks or delivered the mail. Others tried to maintain a certain urban toughness, but their deportment brought the image of discomfiting coarseness to my mind. I wasn’t too fond of either variety. On weekdays, around six, I’d see all of them amble home toward my apartment building, shoulders hung low, a folded copy of the Daily News pinched between thumb and forefinger. My father’s energy was of an entirely different nature. He was quick, strong, and lean, with sloping shoulders and a narrow waist. He had a certain grace of movement that made me feel secure, even pleasurable. Sometimes he’d visit after coming off work at the Brillo Soap Pad factory where he was employed as a machinist, and he seemed to be revved up enough to do a second shift. The way he talke... ...aying a Puerto Rican father trying to raise a son. Seeing the famous actor in person—without the intermediary of the camera—gave him a different demeanor. He moved about the stage in quick yet graceful strides. Suddenly I had a eureka moment. DeNiro on stage was just like my father: same movement, same stature, same speech. I turned to my mother whose eyes were focused on the performance. â€Å"Mother,† I said. â€Å"Doesn’t he remind you of my father?† My mother looked at me, then to the stage to render her opinion. â€Å"Yes,† she said. â€Å"He does. Like your father.† It felt good to feel my father’s presence once again, even if it was second-hand. Of course, it would have been much more fulfilling to have had that conversation with him, the one where he’d tell me what it was like in the old days. But, like so many people both today and back then, I take what I can get.

black holocaust :: essays research papers

â€Å"Black Holocaust for Beginners ‘Death Ships’† By Anderson S. Black Holocaust for Beginners â€Å"Death Ships†, is a realistic, and trapping article about the slave trade. Instead of the former stories on slavery and giving it a general description telling reader how slavery is bad and slavery is immoral, this article goes in and describes what it was like in a slave ship. It made the reader feel the pain of the middle passage in every page. There are three things in the article that is very compelling to me as a reader, the living conditions of the slaves in the ships, the rape the women faced, and the punishment styles the rebellious slaves had to endure. What they endured was almost like hell on earth, it was almost genocide, but without the intention of genocide. The living conditions were horrible, according to the article Black Holocaust for Beginngers â€Å"Death Ships†, â€Å"You see the vomit above you and alongside you and you come close to passing out. You can barely breathe. You are trapped. You can’t move a leg or arm without increasing someone else’s misery. The chains rattle as we try to shift out bodies to get away from the running yellow brown stream and odor from next to us, from above us. The flies and mosquitoes begin to swarm around you. But you can’t swipe at them without yanking your chained brethren or sisteren.† Such condition sound like how a pig lives, only the slaves did not want to live like that. The writer wrote it as if the reader was in it, I thought I was a slave. The rape of the female slaves, was described by the writer as an almost normal occurrence in the ship as the article Black Holocaust For Beginners â€Å"Death Ships† states â€Å"†¦we hear African screams and white men’s laughter. To the women, to the girl, we KNOW. Many of us have been in the Enemy’s presence now for four to six months and we know that rape is always a grab away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Later in the article it put the reader in as the rape victim who, get raped by the first mate. The rape described in the article was more violent than the rape we now know.

Gender Roles in Society Essay -- Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes

â€Å"Boys will be boys, and girls will be girls†: few of our cultural mythologies seem as natural as this one. But in this exploration of the gender signals that traditionally tell what a â€Å"boy† or â€Å"girl† is supposed to look and act like, Aaron Devor shows how these signals are not â€Å"natural† at all but instead are cultural constructs. While the classic cues of masculinity—aggressive posture, self-confidence, a tough appearance—and the traditional signs of femininity—gentleness, passivity, strong nurturing instincts—are often considered â€Å"normal,† Devor explains that they are by no means biological or psychological necessities. Indeed, he suggests, they can be richly mixed and varied, or to paraphrase the old Kinks song â€Å"Lola,† â€Å"Boys can be girls and girls can be boys.† Devor is dean of social sciences at the University of Victoria and author of Gender Blending: Confronting the Li mits of Duality (1989), from which this selection is excerpted, and FTM: Female-to-Male Transsexuals in Society (1997). The clusters of social definitions used to identify persons by gender are collectively known as â€Å"femininity† and â€Å"masculinity.† Masculine characteristics are used to identify persons as males, while feminine ones are used as signifiers for femaleness. People use femininity or masculinity to claim and communicate their membership in their assigned, or chosen, sex or gender. Others recognize our sex or gender more on the basis of these characteristics than on the basis of sex characteristics, which are usually largely covered by clothing in daily life. These two clusters of attributes are most commonly seen as mirror images of one another with masculinity usually characterized by dominance and aggression, and femininity by passivity and s... ...socially directed hormonal instructions which specify that females will want to have children and will therefore find themselves relatively helpless and dependent on males for support and protection. The schema claims that males are innately aggressive and competitive and therefore will dominate over females. The social hegemony of this ideology ensures that we are all raised to practice gender roles which will confirm this vision of the nature of the sexes. Fortunately, our training to gender roles is neither complete nor uniform. As a result, it is possible to point to multitudinous exceptions to, and variations on, these themes. Biological evidence is equivocal about the source of gender roles; psychological androgyny is a widely accepted concept. It seems most likely that gender roles are the result of systematic power imbalances based on gender discrimination.9

Microeconomics and faber-castell

The perfect definition of a purely competitive market in microeconomics states that there should be specific factors which must be followed in order to guarantee that firms who are participating in the business for companies which are moving in the markets do not have control of prices.   Such factors are easy transportation, perfect communication, and a host of many other variables. However, practicing the most important factor in determining a perfectly competitive states in the economy and a perfectly competitive product is the homogeneity of a certain good. And this is where our definition of commodity comes in.   In microeconomics, a commodity is usually defined as an object or a good in which there is a certain demand, but however which is supplied by firms without differentiation between the other products.   And although we are all to used associate the word commodity with absolutely anything that has to do with a good or service that we should be purchasing,   in its purest sense and definition, a commodity is characterized by something in where it is the market which defines their prices, and not any other factor of control. Note that our keyword for this point of discussion is that a quantity should not be differentiated from other goods because if it is so, then it would theoretically be able to define the market price in its own, and not because as an effect of other factors imperfect competition (Mankiw, 2006). We then come to the discussion of an article by the economist.com website where in it discusses the history of the pencil company Faber-Castell. Our discussion of Faber-Castell as a commodity now becomes sacrificed, for he can now say, after being given a definition of what a commodity is that Faber-Castell cannot possibly be a commodity.   The reason for this is that as the article discusses, unlike the many other pencils available to our global markets, both in the local and international sense, today are more or less homogeneous in nature (Economist, 2007).   Meaning that although of course they can have many other brands which define their names, we do not necessarily care among the brands because each pencil is basically the same as the other.   The case of Faber-Castell, however, is that its pencils are produced in such a way and distributed in such a way that it may be further identified as a pencil with true quality and a much higher value therefore than the other pencils available in the market. Again of course one may argue that a pencil is still a pencil.   However, as we have discovered in the reading of the article, because of the nature of how the pencil is created specifically the lead content, the wood used in creating its frame, even its eraser and design has specifically put the user into mine even up to the point of already creating a steady following for its use. The article stated extremely popular names as the handful of the people who are loyal to the use of such a pencil. The shifting of the brands classification from commodity may even be thought of as a move where in is the owner of the company, Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell .net actually classify it as not a commodity, that it would eventually do so because the quality of the pencils themselves creates its own definition (Mulligan, 2007). as we have perhaps learned in many of our economics and management courses, as well as to the floor of the many here ethical marketing books out in the market today, product integrity plays an important role in the popularity and eventually the profit maximizing value of outputs of products.   Not only would there be higher revenues and therefore higher profits in London was to say able to maintain the integrity of the company’s products, it will also serve as a self advertising method for the companies. Perhaps the closest thing that we could compare to our model of Faber-Castell is the company of General Electronics headed by Jack Welch, where it is also product integrity as low as quality of the outputs being produced that displays at the highest importance and role in the company. If we were to use a theoretical model for microeconomics in understanding the issue of product integrity, perhaps you could relate it most closely to the demand equation of the supply and demand model. although the movement in the demand curve and eventually the demand schedule is determined specifically by price, the shifting of the said curve is affected by many other variable such as the income of consumers, the tastes and preferences of consumers, the price is up for latent or substitute goods, and the other factors except for price.   It is here that we see that if we were to factor in integrity into such economic variables, ceteris paribus, we arrive at the conclusion that product integrity may also be able to shift the demand curve further upward if product integrity is maintained or increased. The opposite may also be true, however, and that is essentially the danger in economics, where in unlike the labor supply of macroeconomics by John Keynes which is sticky upwards, micro economic models such as the demand function and to demand equation are effected both ways and both sides.   Increasing the integrity of a product may be able to increase its demand and therefore increase revenues and profit, but a decrease in the integrity of the product may also be able to perform the opposite effect, which is to decrease revenues and profits as well as increased costs, therefore moving the company closer to shut down point or already above the equilibrium price. Also, if we take in Faber-Castell to our situation, we also realize that the firm’s economic model is at actually a perfectly competitive model or not even close.   What it does close to, however, is a monopoly model for the economy where in the demand curve for certain firm is downward sloping and its marginal revenue curve is also below the demand curve where in decreasing quantity produced results in an increase in price. Because of the impacts on welfare of a monopoly model of a firm in an economy, it is more or less cited as negative by economists.   However, in the real world situation where it is money that rules, we could not ignore the fact that Faber-Castell has achieved a monopoly setting again because it has shifted its commodity into a monopoly good. We therefore arrive at the final question of efficiency.   Economic efficiency highlights that there is no welfare loss, which is explained by the Pareto Optimality condition of the production possibilities frontier.   However, real world definition of efficiency states clearly higher profits (Sutton, 2007).   And in the case of our Faber-Castell model, we can perhaps say that it has achieved efficiency within itself because of how it has been able to market its good so effectively that demand is higher. Works Cited â€Å"At the sharp end; Face value.(Faber-Castell Corp.).† Economist (US), The, March   3, 2007. Mankiw, N. Gregory.   Principles of Microeconomics. Mason, OH:   South-Western College Pub, 2006. Mulligan, Mark. â€Å"Pencil me in: the CEO of Faber-Castell, the world's top pencil maker, sets his sights on Latin America. Why not? Most of his production is already in Brazil.† Latin CEO: Executive Strategies for the Americas , June   1, 2001. Sutton, John.   Sunk Costs and Market Structure: Price Competition, Advertising, and the Evolution of Concentration. Cambridge, Massachusetts:   The Mit Press, 2007.   

Factors thata effect health and well-being Essay

Elizabeth is providing her body with the energy her body needs to perform well and succeed in her work through exercising. Exercise provides stimulation for the brain. Stimulation improves brain function, which will improve many things like learning new skills and concentration. Also, people who remain physically active as they age have a reduced risk of dementia. Elizabeth goes swimming every Saturday with her children. This is an example of the social benefits of exercise. This could help Elizabeth have a positive self- image and have positive self-esteem. Exercise also has many psychological and emotional benefits. When you exercise endorphins are released in the brain Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and when they are released through exercise, your mood is boosted naturally. As well endorphins, exercise also releases adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine. All of these chemicals improve mood. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. The endorphins released during exercise could help Elizabeth with the pain she gets from her Ulcerative colitis. Altogether exercise will improve Elizabeth’s health, mental state and provide stimulation for her brain, which will help her with many different aspects of life. Regular exercise is benefiting Elizabeth’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social health and well-being. It is vital that she maintains this positive factor in her life. Supportive Relationships Elizabeth has many supportive relationships in her life. She has a loving family, a good relationship with her partner and a stable group of friends. Research shows that healthy and supportive relationships can reduce stress and improve your overall health and sense of well-being. The main advantages of having supportive relationships are the psychological benefits. On average, people who have supportive relationships are less likely to have mental health problems. Elizabeth does not, and never has, suffered from any mental health problems. This may be because she has people she can talk over any worries or problems with. This will help Elizabeth cope with things like stress and feeling of depression. If Elizabeth feels she has people she can trust and confide in she will be less likely to let these sort of feeling get out of control, she will be able to confront things before they become problems. If Elizabeth did not have such supportive relationships she would be at risk of suffering form stress, which would affect her physical health in many ways. Elizabeth sufferers from Ulcerative Colitis, and although the cause of it is unknown, it is suspected that stress can increase symptoms. So Elizabeth’s physical well being will be benefiting from supportive relationships because it will help prevent stress causing any flare up’s of her Ulcerative Colitis. Elizabeth’s intellectual development will benefit because she will be less likely to take time off work, and she will be more likely to take part in things that will stimulate her brain such as exercise. Conversation may also provide stimulation. Elizabeth will benefit in ever aspect of her health and well-being because she has good supportive relationships in her life.

Current Events in Business Research

Current Events in Business Research Lisa Andrews RES/351 September 10, 2012 Julie Bonner Current Events in Business Research The business research process is about learning everything there is to know about an organization, the consumers, competitors and the trade. The main points are trying to figure what products or services to offer, what consumers are likely to buy them, the region as to where to sell or buy them, and lastly the pricing. By following the important steps of business research a company is able to achieve these objectives. Business research was used in the military but in different ways. Is this a header?Or the Introduction to the paragraph? In any event, avoid having one sentence paragraphs Identifying Competitors – The mission of the military when it comes to new soldiers is to attract and retain quality soldiers. For instance the Army (the branch I was enlisted in) is facing tough competition when trying to maintain or attracting recruits and enlisted pers onal of all components and ranks. This is due to the low momentum of the recruiting efforts and potential recruits and that is why they are offering enlist or re-enlistment bonuses which is a financial incentive that is not given in the civilian hiring world.Since, the real world is their true competitors. Good problem to dissect! Studying Customers – The needs and wants of the new recruits and re- enlistment are very essential. So before initiating these incentive programs, I believe that the military would have to establish what the needs and wants are of enlist and re-enlistments. An essential point, just like a product is to make sure that when taking on this challenge that the solders needs are met in this process. That is why primary research is essential before making a decision on what works and what don’t work.The other Business Research Process includes: SWOT analysis, Studying the main audience, and lastly the application. Briefly what these state is that on ce the detailed information is collected then an analysis is used to study the opportunities, weakness and strengths of the incentive, and the possible threats that might arise. The threat to the military is number, the retention of soldiers. Then, once this process is done, and then time devoted to studying the research should fall into place.The recruiters then will need to seek out of the recruits and re-reenlistment that will respond positive to the incentives. This research can entail male versus female or ages (age) groups. This takes time and a lot of research. Finally, if the steps are taking properly, they can be very effective if the military uses them properly. This is a process that is a constant hard work. WAR, time, people, lifestyles, finances, etc†¦change constantly that is why it is imperative that the military conduct business research throughout the year. Nice work! Just a few grammatical items to watch out for next time! Grade = 95% Current Events in Business Research Current Events in Business Research Lisa Andrews RES/351 September 10, 2012 Julie Bonner Current Events in Business Research The business research process is about learning everything there is to know about an organization, the consumers, competitors and the trade. The main points are trying to figure what products or services to offer, what consumers are likely to buy them, the region as to where to sell or buy them, and lastly the pricing. By following the important steps of business research a company is able to achieve these objectives. Business research was used in the military but in different ways. Is this a header?Or the Introduction to the paragraph? In any event, avoid having one sentence paragraphs Identifying Competitors – The mission of the military when it comes to new soldiers is to attract and retain quality soldiers. For instance the Army (the branch I was enlisted in) is facing tough competition when trying to maintain or attracting recruits and enlisted pers onal of all components and ranks. This is due to the low momentum of the recruiting efforts and potential recruits and that is why they are offering enlist or re-enlistment bonuses which is a financial incentive that is not given in the civilian hiring world.Since, the real world is their true competitors. Good problem to dissect! Studying Customers – The needs and wants of the new recruits and re- enlistment are very essential. So before initiating these incentive programs, I believe that the military would have to establish what the needs and wants are of enlist and re-enlistments. An essential point, just like a product is to make sure that when taking on this challenge that the solders needs are met in this process. That is why primary research is essential before making a decision on what works and what don’t work.The other Business Research Process includes: SWOT analysis, Studying the main audience, and lastly the application. Briefly what these state is that on ce the detailed information is collected then an analysis is used to study the opportunities, weakness and strengths of the incentive, and the possible threats that might arise. The threat to the military is number, the retention of soldiers. Then, once this process is done, and then time devoted to studying the research should fall into place.The recruiters then will need to seek out of the recruits and re-reenlistment that will respond positive to the incentives. This research can entail male versus female or ages (age) groups. This takes time and a lot of research. Finally, if the steps are taking properly, they can be very effective if the military uses them properly. This is a process that is a constant hard work. WAR, time, people, lifestyles, finances, etc†¦change constantly that is why it is imperative that the military conduct business research throughout the year. Nice work! Just a few grammatical items to watch out for next time! Grade = 95%

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is a 1987 American film, based on the 1973 novel of the same name written by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman also the book’s author. The story is presented in the movie as a book being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson, this technique effectively keeping intact this novel's narrative style. This movie is number 88 on The American Film Institute's (AFI) â€Å"AFI's 100 Years†¦ 100 Passions† listing the 100 greatest film love stories of all time. As said the movie’s novel like feels it done by a grandfather reading a book to his grandson, who would rather be playing his video game, then to listen to a story about love. The story takes place in a fictional world of Florin is about a beautiful woman named Buttercup who orders around a farm boy until the day when she realizes, that she loves him. She wants to live happily ever after with him, but then evil forces intervene. Buttercup learns that her one true love Westley her farm boy was killed. Five years later we find Buttercup ready to marry the Evil prince Humperdinck. She is kidnapped by a trio of bandits, who want to start war between Gilda and Florin. The trio is tallied by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Who is there to save the princess, who is this heroic man in black? This movie is witty and sassy without going too far over the top. Reiner manages a task of creating a movie that at the same time parodies a genre while also celebrating and participating in it. Despite the irony and the fantastic setting we come to care about the individuals even the trio of bandits. The instant the princess is kidnapped by agents of the evil Prince Humperdinck reveals itself as a spoof of sword and sorcery movies, yet the film somehow manages to appeal to all viewers. While the younger viewers will sit fascinated by the thrilling action scenes like the sword fight, and the adults, will be laughing with movie at one scene after another. This film is funny not only because they contain comedy, but because Reiner does justice to the underlying form of his story. And those who search films that can be enjoyed by all members of their family this movie is it. All of them will enjoy it family members ranging from grammar school kid, to teenagers, ,mom and dad, and even grandma and grandpa will have a few laughs. There may be nothing better than this motion picture, which celebrates fairy tales and true love. , The Princess Bride can still be enjoyed on the simple level of the story of a princess being rescued by her one true love. The average family film is targeted mainly at children, with a few elements thrown in to go over the young children’s heads that appeal to their parents. The crafting of The Princess Bride, however, is far finer. Nearly every aspect of the film delights all possible viewers. For example the sword fight between Inigo and Westly, offers equal thrills to the viewers of all ages even though the verbal banter that accompanies the struggle will resonate more with the older viewers. The choice of actors is only another plus for this movie for this already great movie , Robin Wright and Cary Elwes were selected as much for their good looks as for their acting ability, and they prove that. They have great chemistry that just beams off the screen. Wright, despite being California bred, delivers a perfect British accent. Elwes is equally at home with this comedic, action, and drama role. Mandy Patankin, playing Inigo, matches Elwes' athleticism and develops a character that is instantly sympathetic regardless of originally being a â€Å"bad guy†. Andre the Giant represents the mighty Fezzik as a lovable giant, and Wallace Shawn is hilarious as the narcissistic Vizzini, whose end is inconceivable. Chris Sarandon takes Humperdinck's arrogance to amazing levels. Since the release from over 20 years ago, The Princess Bride has often been copied, but never equaled. Perhaps the most successful movie to capture its spirit was the animated Shrek. The Princess Bride is an unparalleled achievement – a modern classic that will be enjoyed for generations to come. All in all the movie is a brilliant with the acting and comic wit is what makes the movie great. All though the movie is over twenty years old with makes the special effects nothing special. This movie has heart that is scene between Westly and his one true love Buttercup. All of the aspects add up to make one hreafelt comedy that will have you repeating lines in no time. This movie gets an inconceivable 4. 5 out of five stars.

Public Education System

In the past few decades school has shifted its focus from education to fashion. Students are judged upon their shoes or jeans rather than their knowledge. Uniforms in the public education system is a great idea, not only is it cost effective, but also it gives the students a chance to concentrate on their studies and not have to worry about what to wear tomorrow. Plus the crime or violence rate drops in schools that have a uniform policy, and those that do not belong on campus are spotted quicker and easier. Private schools ave already adopted this idea as well as some schools in England and Australia. Early morning or late evening fights over what is allowed to be worn to school could come to an end if uniforms are issued in the public The kids that come from lower class level backgrounds are the kids out there selling drugs and committing the crimes, but the money made goes to buy the latest designer jeans, just so that they are â€Å"cool† at school. A difference in the violence on school grounds has decreased in areas were school uniforms are mandatory. Gang activity is not as high because the students can not show their colors or signs at school. Sgt. Joe Battle, a Long Beach, California juvenilia officer states that, â€Å"uniforms take away the No. 1 reason that kids treat each other differently; how they look† (Ritter, 1A). Long Beach was the first public school in the nation to have mandatory school uniform policy. The crime rate there is down 76 percent, and assaults on school property is also down by 85 percent (Starr,1). One of the reasons behind the sudden change in school policy has to do with the recent school hootings. The most famous and talked about one was the Columbine High School. The two teens were able to bring in weapons to the school under trench coats. With uniforms this could have been prevented, because long coats are not to be worn in the school. Even the President of the United States is moving to the uniform policy. President Clinton has given speeches during his State of the Union address including that uniforms keep kids, † from killing each other over designer jackets† (Ritter, 1A). The way that the kids are dressed is more important than the grades they make. The students are able to focus on the education rather than someone else's new clothes. Parents that were not too sure of the idea agree that there are more positives than negatives to wearing uniforms. The students are less distracted and can concentrate on the teacher. Students admit that having everyone wear the same thing is easier on them. No one worries about whether or not they wore something last week or that they don't have the name brand labels to flash around. Kids that can't afford the name brands are the ones with the lower test scores and poorer attendance. The cost of uniforms in comparison to the latest fashion is ridiculous. For what it would cost to buy a major household appliance, two or three of the latest designer outfits can be bought. The students who don't have the money to buy all the newest clothes tend not to go to class as much because they feel they don't fit in. It used to be that the kids that wore the K-Mart or Wal-Mart brand of clothes were thought of as uncool. Uniforms don't only bring down the cost of clothes for the parents, but the school spirit is higher and the students feel a sense of unity. The line between the poor and rich kids is brought down, the students can no longer tease on another because of their clothes as they are all dressed the same. Administrators can spot a person who does not belong on campus faster and easier if they a don't have a school uniform on. Uniforms can be bought at almost any clothing store. Prices range from $5-$7 for shirts, $10 for shorts and pants and $7 for a jumper. Now compare that to $30-$80 for jeans and$15-$30 for a shirt. Majority of parents only buy two or three uniforms a school year Students all dressed the same that is the whole idea. But there some negative aspects of this area. Psychologist Ruth Rubinstein at the Fashion Institute of New York argues that having students dress alike decreases their sense of expression or creativity. Although students can express themselves in the classroom or even wear different socks. Some days are specified for the optional dress down, where the children can wear what ever they would like. If the students have to wear uniforms then so should the teachers and staff. How can the students be expected t follow the teachers lead if they are not in uniforms as well? This makes the whole school equal and the principles' job easier for enforcing the dress code. Some schools do have strict dress codes if a not a uniform policy. Students must wear clothing that is appropriate for a learning environment. No sleeveless shirts or offense slang or short, shorts are not allowed. Students that do not follow the rules could be suspended. Schools could go as far as to not allow skirts to be worn. Some schools have an optional uniform policy. Most parents and students choose to wear uniforms because of At the moment many public schools are only using uniforms under a voluntary basis. With this system they hope to increase awareness of the benefits that these uniforms hold. These uniforms will help to lower budgets, school violence and help students become more accepted among their peers. Fatal accidents could be avoided with the use of uniforms in the public school system. It is not just a fast growing trend to make the school look better, but also a way to increase the chances of a more secure learning environment.

Writing for Professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Writing for Professional Practice - Essay Example This has resulted in the development of media and scientific literacies. While in the globalized world technologies spread at rapid pace, there are still over 860 million adults that are illiterate. Additionally, nearly 100 million lack access to school. The importance of literacy within contemporary society has not gone unnoticed. The United Nations has declared 2003-2012 the decade of Literacy as Freedom. The notion of literacy is witnessed in a variety of ways. This essay considers the various freedoms literacy offers in a globalized society. Analysis Considered from an overarching perspective literacy has been recognized as contributing to freedom in a variety of ways. An examination of literature on the subject of literacy freedom demonstrates thematic nodes. Many theorists have focused on literacy in terms of empowerment, including women’s right freedoms or emerging nations (Freire 2000; Freire 2005; Dighe 1994). Still, it’s clear that literacy extends to freedoms that relate to all elements of society. One freedom literacy affords individuals and populations is security. Indeed, insecurity has been prominently linked to illiteracy. This term is extended to insecurity in a variety of avenues. Not being able to read and write is a tremendously anxiety producing experience, as individuals fear social stigmatization, ridicule, or a variety of other conditions. While there is the potential that something awful may happen to an individual that is illiterate, Knobel (1999, p. 20) indicates that the very state of being illiterate is indicative of something terrible having happened. In many ways this perspective on literacy as granting the individual the freedom of mental and emotional help is not restricted to populations in Western societies, but can be extended globally, particularly in the emerging world. Bhasin (1984, p. 37) examined literacy in India. Specifically, she examined the construction and development of an educational institute named the Pratichi Trust. The study revealed that over time the girl’s that were admitted to the institute quickly gained the literacy skills of their male counterparts; in this way literacy afforded the freedom of gender equality. Gender equality, however, wasn’t the only freedom gained through this literacy. The study notes that soon the parents became involved and it encouraged a greater degree of community involvement and harmony. In Development As Freedom, Amartya Sen advances a framework that considers the relation between literacy and freedom (Sen 2000). The consideration of this framework reveals a number of prominent ways that literacy offers freedom in a globalized society. One of the central thorough-puts of Sen’s framework is the recognition that literacy often contributes to opportunities and options. The consideration in this way is that literacy must be considered in terms of development. This development extends to personal and professional modes and comprehensively influences the individual’s existence. Rather than specifically considering the way that literacy contributes to freedoms or the avoidance of unfreedoms, there is an emphasis on the social structures that the individual must navigate. The argument then is that development in literacy allows the individual the skills necessary for this navigation. Sen (2000, p. 284) writesn, â€Å"A child who is denied the opportunity of elementary schooling is not only deprived as a youngster, but also handicapped all through life (as a person unable to do certain basic things that rely on reading, writ- ing and arithmetic).† While Sen recognizes there are considerable freedoms that are achieved through literacy, perhaps even more important is the recognitio

Outline and assess Foucault's critique of modernity Essay - 1

Outline and assess Foucault's critique of modernity - Essay Example Finally, the third section will be devoted to Foucaultian critique of institutional basis of modernity and the disciplinary character of its rationality. It will be argued that, while Foucault denounced various aspects of modernity, he did not attempt to idealise pre-modern thought/institutions, and remained unsure about social project alternative to modernity, thus contributing to similar indecisiveness among the following post-modernist thinkers. 1. Foucault’s Archaeology of Knowledge: A Critique of Rationalist Objectivity The modern account of knowledge was premised upon the representationalist epistemology founded by Descartes. Rejecting previous assumptions on the nature and purposes of human knowledge, Descartes posited that knowledge is derived from accurate determination of correspondence of certain representations with the actual objects of external world, a correspondence that can in principle be verified by constructing certain methodological arguments (Gutting, 199 9, p. 116). Later modern thinkers basically followed this Cartesian epistemology, assuming that representations under consideration are derived from some innate properties of human mind and reality. Foucault based his epistemological critique of modern philosophy on the thorough deconstruction of Cartesian notions of knowledge. He affirms the historically specific character of knowledge, as opposed to ahistorical Cartesian account of epistemological procedures, assuming that development of structures of human knowledge is governed by alterations in episteme, i.e. ‘total set of relations that unite... the discursive practices that give rise to epistemological figures, sciences, and possibly formalised systems’ (Foucault, 2002a, p. 211). Foucault believes that the development of distinctively modern episteme was caused by shift from the Renaissance view of knowledge as system of resemblances that was predicated upon the clarification of interrelation between various objec ts of surrounding world and men’s place in it, to analytical and interpretational forms of cognition (Carrette, 2000, pp. 15-16). The latter were based not on ‘the sudden and illuminating discovery that all thought is thought’ but on ‘constantly renewed interrogation’ of ‘the forms of non-thinking’ that leads to the reduction of empirical world to some universal and transcendental dialectics (Foucault, 2002b, p. 353). Foucault surmises that universalistic assumptions of modernity’s epistemology are invalidated by the discursive and ultimately relative nature of knowledge as such, for, in his view, the structures of knowledge depend on the character of discourse as practice that brings about the very object that are spoken of (Mahon, 1992, p. 11). Here, one may find that Foucault maintains that the discursive nature of language and knowledge practices does not allow for some objective, universal discourse, and therefore that modern ity’s pretences for formulating a transparent methodology of knowledge are unfounded. 2. Foucault on Subject: The Rejection of A Priori Subjectivity The modernity’s view on subject is generally predicated upon the idea of its universality and humanist character, which means that ‘

George H.W. Bush Presidency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

George H.W. Bush Presidency - Essay Example ("Like") On the other hand, President Bush had his own shares of defeat. In the 1980 Republican presidential nominations, he was unsuccessful in winning the bid. But in 1981, he served as the country's vice president for eight years under the Reagan administration. And it was only in 1988 when he had finally won the Republican nomination for President, for which he took Dan Quayle as his running mate during the election. ("Bush") Unlike his predecessor, Bush arrived at the presidency with considerable knowledge about the ways of Washington and experience with leading a staff closely similar to the president's own. (Relyea, 1997) On the other hand, there have been several criticisms regarding his governance when people had thought he learned from his predecessors. The book written by Hess clearly shows the abilities of the presidents who assumes the office and their unique personalities towards their responsibilities. Presidents are assumed to have very little knowledge and understanding, as well as very limited skills in running a government. The actual responsibilities of the office are but unclear to them on the onset of the term. However, these abilities, skills and understanding of the responsibilities are often learned in the long run yet they could not escape the part where they will have to undergo a transition of imitation of the previous presidents. Their transition stage is crucial such that this is where the presidents will have to develop their own skills according to their traits and priorities which are vital in the development, performance, and course of the administration. (Borrelli, 2003) In congruence to this statement, Farrar-Myers at the same time notes that "Presidents often are tied to the legacy of the office holders who came before them. Sometimes a president assumes the office upon the death of his predecessor and, therefore, is expected at the start of his presidency to follow the predecessor's agenda until he is able to establish his own course." (Farrar-Myers, 2001) History could not deny this fact such that there had been several vice-presidents who had continued the agenda of their predecessors when they died or take their turns as president. Some of these are John Tyler; Chester Arthur; Harry Truman; and Lyndon Johnson, for example. (Farrar-Myers, 2001) There are also times though wherein presidents purposefully follow the agenda of their predecessors. They come to base their presidency according to an assumption that they will have to continue the same policy since the president before them at the same time followed the policies that the previous president has had before them. It is a choice that some of the presidents like James Madison following Jefferson; Martin Van Buren and James Polk as Jacksonian Democrats; William Taft's campaign (if not actual presidency) to follow in Theodore Roosevelt's progressivism; and, most recently, George Bush's election to carry on the Reagan Revolution. (Farrar-Myers, 2001) Based from Hess's suggestion, it could be derived that President Bush could have at one point imitated the administrative styles of his predecessors before he had gained his own unique style in running his