Saturday, November 30, 2019

Undiagnosed Schizophrenia and Out of Body Experiences free essay sample

Eyes seemed to stair straight into the girls head. Drilling into her very skull as if there was more to discover beneath that mess of ebony hair. As though there was a hidden secret that she held from the rest of the world, that everyone tried to pry from her only using their eyes. She seemed completely oblivious to the intense assessment that my fellow classmates gave her. Either she really didnt notice it, she thought she was too Hugh above us all, or she honestly didnt care. And right from that moment I knew she was different. I knew she was somebody that I would want to get know. A girl unlike the others attending the academy. It was strange that you could tell so much about this one individual, without speaking a single word to her. Her clothes were old and frumpy, yet she pulled it off. We will write a custom essay sample on Undiagnosed Schizophrenia and Out of Body Experiences or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most of the girls at the school wouldnt be caught dead in old chucks. Her black hair fell in small dreads, surrounding her face. Some of them pulled behind her head. And beneath all that hair a bruised eye was evident. That was enough to set my curiosity aflame like a match to a tissue.Throughout the boring lecture discussing the unimportant history of the almost ancient Gaelic language, my eyes couldnt help but glance over at the new girl. Not once does she look up and take note of the lecture. Not even an acknowledgment of the boring and useless things the professor decided to talk about. Her hand moved furiously at the piece of paper before her, her fingers gripping the pen so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. She seemed to get lost in whatever she was doing. From what I could tell two desk spaces away from her, It was a drawing. Of what, I couldnt tell.But the skill put Into the piece wasnt what had be Intrigued. It was the way she seemed to get lost back in the maze of her mind, her imagination spinning out of control and almost every thought going down on the paper. Spilling out onto a canvas like a dam that had burst open. I almost thought I would get lost in her losing herself when her work was disturbed by the teacher walking by. Just as I thought I would gain the courage to stand, and push myself over to her the peaceful yet powerful image that played out before me ended. Her hands almost instinctively covered her paper, and her cool blue eyes stared up at the teacher.He proceeded to sky her about what he spoke of, make sure she was paying attention to his ramblings. Although his voice was loud, and they were so close to me, I couldnt hear it. I couldnt make out words, only sound buzzing around my ears. My mind stayed captivated with her every move. The way her eyes stayed focused yet she was off somewhere else. Perhaps the far depths of her mind. Could she escape those depths? Was the glassy eyed look something that was a part of her or was I lucky enough to witness such an amazing mind in action. The guys in the class would snicker at her, because of her being different.The way she would talk as though she had lived a thousand years. Shes a genius. I would think to myself. But not to the point where shes crazy. Or is she crazy. Maybe thats why I am so Intrigued. Thoughts circled my mind throughout the rest of our class. I was once so easily distracted, so caught up in whatever else happened in the class because of my short OFF figure her out. Understand her. There is a difference. I wanted to understand how her mind worked, and why she thought the way she did. I wanted to know how she ignored the glares so easily. How she blocked out the rest of the world, even when peaking.She spoke with a loud voice. A strong voice. A voice that tells you she knows what shes doing. She knows how to assert herself, and she knows the right things to say to make people second guess her. Like me. Another thought was blurred into the rest, but it stood out. Where did that bruise on her upper cheek come from. What was the story behind that. Everything had a story, and if it wasnt obvious I would try to find one. Find some hidden meaning or truth behind the simplest things. Laura? The teacher would call my name, calling on me to answer a question. Unlike my usual suck-up self, I reply with a simple ham? . It takes a good shove from my best mate beside me to shake me from the daze. From the curious thoughts, that wrapped around this girl. This girl that I so longed to be friends with, while at the same time she terrified me. The next day I almost expected the girl to walk by me. I still didnt know her name. Or know anything about her. Other than the fact that she was different. Throughout the day I looked for her. Any sign that she was around. That I hadnt Just imagined this brilliant human being. I wanted proof that this girl that only the day before I was o intrigued with existed.But she was nowhere to be found. The day passed, and although I focused again. I listened again. I didnt want to. I didnt want to forget about her and move on. I had it set in my mind subconsciously that I would learn about her, she couldnt be gone. It wasnt supposed to work out that way. Day after day she didnt show up to class. Despite the fact that she seemed to go unnoticed, rumors began to spread about her. Where had she gone? Why had she disappeared? Some said she was on the run from something or someone. Some said her father was abusive, and he finally pushed it too far. Some said she was depressed, and decided to off herself. I didnt want these to be true. I wanted her to be sick maybe. Or visiting a relative. Something that would tell me she would return the next day. So that I would have the courage to choke out a mere hello. But somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that wasnt true. Whatever the circumstances, she wasnt coming back. As days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, not a day went by without me hoping to see her cool blue eyes one morning. Not a day went by without me entering if she would ever return to me.I even practiced what I would say upon her return. But as time went on, rumors began to settle down. Everyone else seemed to loose sight of this intriguing young woman, someone who everybody ignored. Yet wanted to be around so much at the same time. Someone so intriguing that people were far to intimidated to actually approach her. Now, every once in a while as I glance in the mirror I get a glance of her. A flicker of the cool blue eyes in my reflection. Because all along this intriguing young woman, this intellectually brilliant and mysterious girl was me.For almost a month I seemed to float outside my own body, my brain watched myself without being attached to myself. I became a new person. Someone different, good or bad. But that side of me has vanished, and no one ever asks about the new girl. This story is about a girl who has undiagnosed schizophrenia. Because it is undiagnosed, and because it has gone unnoticed, in her mind she really believes that there is another girl who comes to school. And then disappears. When in reality, the girl that she observes is herself. Its like she has an out of body experience and sees herself how she wishes she really was.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Is wind power considered green

Is wind power considered green Apparently, power has always been considered to be benign to environment irrespective of few reservations (Kammen 85). In this regard, there is a huge and growing controversy over how certain power generation modes have resulted to global warming, green house effects and other forms of environmental pollution.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Is wind power considered green? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Currently, there emerged green technologies that are perceived to feasible in terms of environmental sustainability (Kammen 85). In this case, Wind power energy has emerged as one of the best options in which clean energy can be derived. It is imperative that most of the developed countries such as USA and European countries have adopted and established wind energy with the perception that it is clean and cost effective. Therefore, wind energy has increasingly being adopted by large communities to cater for their varying interests. However, there is a huge controversy over whether wind power is green or not (Kammen 86). This paper aims to analyze whether wind energy is green and the impacts of contemporary issues of environment to the sustainable world. There is a predictable expansion of demand on wind energy both at the marketing and consumer level (Elliott 46). For several decades now, wind energy has been used to run machines and mills in rural areas in places such as United States of America and Denmark (Elliott 47). Currently, wind technology has been advanced making it more effective to reinforce electric power. Additionally, problems associated with wind energy have been minimized thus increasing the efficiency of wind machines that have been made larger and stronger (Elliott 52). Earlier on, wind energy was perceived to be environmentally unfriendly. However, there are some limitations that have intensified complaints that wind energy is not green at all. According to researc h study conducted by environmentalists and energy regulators on wind energy, it has been asserted that wind turbines are likely to threaten birds and other animals (Elliott 52). A recent case study conducted on wind revealed that wind turbines have increased mortality rate of birds and as well as individuals who inhabit such sites. Consequently, the whirling of wind turbines and tower blades often kills birds that fly around them. Notably, larger percentage of avian deaths is usually associated with increased installation of wind turbines. Such include bats and other migratory birds as it was discovered in some parts of California in 1994 (Foley 53).Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Collisions of migratory birds with turbines have direct impact on their breeding success rate. Moreover, visual and noise disturbance interferes with the breeding of foraging and staging birds. However, several measures have been established to decimate cases of avian deaths. Additionally, great concern has been shown on the impact of wind energy on wildlife that inhabits near wind firms. In this case, the rotor blades on wind turbines produce a lot of noise that disturbs the animal species around wind power sites. Another challenge associated with wind power is that it occupies large space for the infrastructure than the energy produced. Study reveals that one turbine can occupies about 1.8 hectares of land in order to generate maximum energy (Elliott 42). From this figure, one can deduce that wind firms use about 235 hectares of land to produce maximum energy required (Elliott 43). In this case, agricultural lands have been reclaimed for power generation and this can lead to food shortage. According to further investigation on the impacts of wind energy on environment other hazards have been identified. It is apparent that insects’ species that strike turbine blades are likely to develop adverse effects. In this case, insect population inhabiting near wind mills become endangered and to some extent they become extinct. In recent studies conducted on wind power generating sites, noise generated from turbines reduces the anesthetic nature of the environment around the firms (Elliott 45). Moreover, wind power generation poses danger to fragile ecosystem since noise and vibrations generated form the turbines has adverse effect on health. Empirical evidence obtained from surveys indicates that people residing near wind firms have symptoms of sleep disturbances, dizziness, and head aches (Elliott 46). Such a case is also experienced by both terrestrial and aquatic animals. It is evident that vibrations that occur from turbines causes soil erosion on near ground. Preferably, bare grounds are exposed to higher risks that those that are forested. Beside this, excavations done during installation of the mills and turbines normally t rigger disturbances on the ground. Moreover, according to majority view it is evident that wind power has negative economic impacts on investors who construct rental houses in sites near the wind firms (Elliott 48). An empirical research conducted along such sites revealed that people who rent houses tend to avoid those that are near the wind mills and turbines. This is triggered by the notion that they will be disturbed by noise.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Is wind power considered green? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the identified reasons, wind energy can not be considered to be green. Furthermore, the energy is unreliable and thus it can not fulfill the needs of users in a harmonious manner (Kammen 89). According to environmentalist view, green sources of energy should be reliable even in future and should cater fully for the need of users. Evidently in the past decades, wind energy has be en reinforced by other sources of power that are harmful to the environment. At some times, wind has limited strength to turn the turbines thus requires use of alternative sources of power such as fossil fuel, bioethanol and geothermal energy (Kammen 89). Nevertheless, a large number of people have consistently shown interest in using wind energy in homes. Considerably, this form of energy growth has increased by 30% in the previous decade. Rapid expansion and use of wind power have been noted in developed countries such as Texas and USA (Elliott 45). Substantial growth and expansion of wind power energy have been fostered by several environmental factors. Such factors include the need to decimate carbon emissions and reduce global warming. In this case, wind energy can be considered to be green as compared to other sources of energy such as fossil fuels. According to opinion surveys, a large population supports the establishment of wind power plant in their immediate neighborhood. Approximately, 70-8-% of residents in Denmark and UK highly regards use of wind power energy (Elliott 46). Recent surveys have shown that there is an increased large scale acceptance in using the energy in India and china. The fact that wind power energy is green lies on the basis that its environmental merits are experienced both at the national and global level. A typical example can be drawn from the use of photovoltaic cells in the form of solar energy. Although the latter is increasingly being used, it is import ant to bearing in mind that the development of photovoltaic is still under revolution and that there are some societal resources which have been redistributed. This technology, however, requires intense labor. In some cases, the use of automatic machines to construct this device has resulted into higher production costs to the manufacturers as well as expensive purchase and installation of the component to consumers.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another impediment in the development of photovoltaic is the high demand for basic raw substances used in the manufacturing process. This has inevitably led to escalation o prices of some items which are commonly used in its manufacture. Besides, specific quantities of materials required are not constant. They keep on changing with time making the process of production even more hectic. For example, photovoltaic cells may consume up to one hundred thousand tones of steel in a given production year. Another likely constraint in the development of this technology is the significant quantity of energy required. Studies reveal that the production of photovoltaic cells requires an extra energy input compared to other traditional forms o f energy. This implies that photovoltaic technology is rather expensive. Nevertheless, the payback energy is presumably higher than input energy. It is apparent that wind is a renewable source of energy and thus can be conventionally be generated without depleting the environment in any way (Elliott 43). Wind energy is a clean source of power thus it does not result to air pollution. Governments from developed states have high preference on wind power due to the increased cost of fossil fuels. Wind power is naturally available and can be regenerated without being influenced by market forces in the international market. According to international surveys conducted on countries using wind power, it is apparent that the energy incurs low external costs as opposed to other means such as electricity and fossil fuel (Elliott 53). As a natural resource, wind is abundant and largely distributed in local areas though there exist challenges resulting from the forces of nature. In line with this, there is no perceived evidence that wind energy results to global warming thus offering it an added advantage over other sources such as fossil fuels. Despite the fact that the demerits are experienced at the local level, overall impacts of wind power are worth of apprehension. Therefore, we can not deny the fact that wind energy is green (Kammen 90). On the same note, environmental issues have affected the sustainability of the world in various ways. Examples of contemporary issues in the environment include global warming, green house emissions, climate change and demographic issues (www.bp.com). To begin with, climate disasters have emerged as a heavy toll on human beings when it comes to management (Kammen 92). Unprecedentedly, large number of people has suffered from damages afflicted by climate change such as flooding, storms and drought. There is lot of tenfold in terms of cost used to rescue people from disasters. Predictably, unless effective measures are taken to decimate climate change, there is expected that irreversible damage might occur on the earth surface thus reducing sustainability of life in the world. In line with this, global warming has increasingly impacted negatively on environment and world sustainabili ty (www.bp.com). As a global catastrophe, it has posed danger to the fragile ecosystem. For instance, global warming has highly contributed to the extinction certain bio-species. Irrespective of the conservation measures conducted, successes has not been fully registered at the global level. Currently, there exist scientific evidences that indicate that global temperatures have risen by 0.8% in the beginning of 20th century (Elliott 63). For this reason, the effects are very adverse particularly in agriculture industry. Rise of global temperatures has resulted to El Nino, severe bushfires and drought. In some places, native forests, rangelands and wetlands have shrunk posing danger to the marine and alpine ecosystems. In addition to this, sea levels have risen posing danger to the coastal inhabitants (Elliott 62). The rate of emission of green house gasses is above the potential threshold of the earth (www.bp.com). Potentially, this has caused significance imbalances and changes in the world climate. According to scientific studies conducted, it is evident that excessive emission of carbon from fossils has sharply risen since the year 2000. In fact, there was registered a 3.5% increase of carbon emissions in the same year (Kammen 85). Considerably the world is at risk as such gases are likely to adversely model climate in future. Besides this, it is vivid that the global population rate is growing at an alarming rate posing danger to the available resources. Natural resources such as forests, rangelands and wet lands are at risk of extinction since human beings have reclaimed them for settlement purposes (www.bp.com). Nevertheless, effective measures have been taken to control the rate of population expansion in both developed and developing nations. Globally, efforts are being put in place to decimate the impacts of such issues in the environment (www.bp.com). Recently an earth summit was established to focus on achieving sustainable world prospect. Nations h ave worked in partnership in order to facilitate sustainable use of natural resources and preferably the non-renewable one. On the same note, nations have made significant use of renewable resources such as wind, hydro and geothermal power. Such sources of power are emission free and naturally available (Kammen 86). The fact that they does not get exhausted is an added advantage of eliminating factors that trigger the emergence of contemporary issues in the environment. Emergence of scientific disciplines such as environmental sciences have facilitated in creating awareness over issues surfacing on the global environment (www.bp.com). By so doing, appropriate measures have been taken to decimate environmental degradation thus creating a sustainable world. In a broader perspective, almost every state has established regulations that will sustainably address environmental issues through agencies, corporations and use of policies (www.bp.com). To ensure a sustainable world in present a nd future, there are numerous sources of regulations. Such include use of common laws, international treaties and legislations in industries to ensure that they meet the expected code of ethics. An example of international treaties includes the Kyoto Protocol that covers a wider global movement on protecting the environment (Kammen 92). It is imperative to note that the treaty targets the developed countries in order to pressure them to decimate the rate in which they emit green house gases. To recap it all, irrespective of the demerits associated with wind power, it can be considered to be one of the benign sources of energy for use. In an attempt to minimize damages caused on both human and animal life, such states like USA and Canada have adopted rules and regulations in order to protect the remaining natural resources by use of sustainable sources of power. In the process, this has made it possible to monitor the routine emission of gases into the atmosphere. Besides, significan t efforts put in place have ensured that energy sustainability is not affected by the emerging issues of the environment. BP. Statistical review of world energy, 12 May 2011. Web. https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html Elliott, David. â€Å"Public Reactions to Wind farms: the Dynamics of Opinion Formation†. Energy Environment, 5.4(1994): 40-65. Print. Foley, John. â€Å"Boundaries for a healthy planet†. Scientific American. 2.6(2010): 53– 54.Print. Kammen, David. â€Å"The rise of renewable energy†. Scientific American, 295.4(2006): 84- 93. Print.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Case Study of Uber

CASE STUDY ON DEMAND ANALYSIS OF UBER CABS How Uber works ? The process is simple from the consumer’s point of view: You request a car by texting your address or by using Uber’s iPhone or Android app. Because Uber sends the nearest driver to your location to pick you up, your ride arrives within 5 to 10 minutes. Then you just hop into your car and get out at your destination, with no need of fumbling with money because Uber automatically charges your credit card. (You punch in your credit card information into the app before requesting a car. The Algo: †¢ From the computer scientist’s point of view, the process is a noble attempt at solving the complicated traveling-salesman problem, in which you’re trying to determine the shortest path visiting each location only once. â€Å"Each car has its own traveling-salesman problem,† Kalanick told Wired. †¢ Uber has created algorithms that try to connect car-hailers with the nearest car. And it tweaks this algorithm every day, when they analyze car demand and routes. Ensuring that everything works smoothly are a bunch of operation managers looking at a â€Å"God View† (pictured above) that shows where each Uber car is. Demand: The way the company ensures there are enough cabs for demand is also complicated: They analyze weather forecasts, knowing that there will be more demand for rides when it rains, and also take sporting and other events into consideration, and increase fares depending on how high that demand is. So more cabs will be on the road when demand is high because the drivers will be getting paid more. And from the other perspective, only people who are willing to pay the higher price will be riding, which also moderates demand. ) Microsoft on Demand Analysis: http://blogs. discovermagazine. com/discoblog/2010/11/05/the-secret-knowledge-of-taxi-drivers-could-be-added-to-online-maps/ MERU CABS:: Driver Audit of Meru Cabs: This academy is for the chauffeurs. The professionals at the academy focus on personal key attribute of them . The academy runs a few comprehensive programs on personal grooming and hygiene and social hehaviour. To start with, the subscriber is given a one-week extensive training program on customer handling, safe driving skills, company processes, city road knowledge and operation of the vehicle hardware including the electronic meter and the devices in the vehicle. A refresher course is also conducted every quarter to ensure that the subscribers remain courteous to passengers and provide the best quality of service possible. How big is the fleet at present? What are the expansions plans, given the increasing demand? Currently we have 5000 cabs across four cities. ,800 in Mumbai, 800 in Hyderabad, 1,200 in Delhi, and 1,200 drivers in Bangalore. We plan on adding an additional 500 drivers in each city by March 2011. Meru cabs ply in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad. We are evaluating the cities of Chennai, Pune and Kolkata. What are the various technology best practices adopted by the company? We have installed various automated systems like a digital tamper proof meter on board, high- end GPS and GPRS to ensure real-time cab location and dispatch, a mobile data terminal (MDT). Currently, consumers also have the option to pay for their fare by a credit/debit card. Further, an automated speed control alarm in the cab warns the chauffeur if he crosses the speed limit. We get around 2. 5-3 lakh calls per week across the four cities that we operate in. The call center uses advanced interactive voice response (IVR) system. Also to increase productivity and improve service levels we have implemented ERP System from Oracle, Siebel. Our data center hosts a set of communication servers, application servers, and database servers which are connected with each taxi through GPRS. We are the only Indian company which has built such a world-class IT infrastructure. Does Meru have a segmented category of corporate and individual customers? What would be the figures like? Meru has incorporated additional facilities like a card payment option that has been launched in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad, and will soon be launched in Mumbai. More than 1 million passengers travel per month across four cities. Meru Cabs are used for business travel, entertainment occasions, airport and railway drops. Today there is an increasing usage for shopping trips and sometimes even school trips due to parking issues.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Mitigating Climate Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mitigating Climate Change - Assignment Example ssion research is underway and it is believed that the goal of generating electricity by the help of fission power with much lesser carbon emission will be achieved in future. Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency is considered to be the goal of producing products and services with minimum usage of energy. For example, insulated houses require much lesser cooling and heating energy and help in maintaining a comfortable temperature. No-till Farming: It is considered to be the way of growing crops each year without disturbing the characteristics of soil through tillage. No-till also have carbon sequestration potential, as they stores the organic matter in the soil of the crop field. Forest and Carbon Sequestration: It is considered to be the way of removing the carbon present in the environment and depositing it in some sort of reservoir. Forest sequestration takes into account restoration of the area by planting new trees, etc. Carbon Capture and Storage: It is considered to be the process of capturing excess or waste CO2 from some large point sources such as from fossil fuel power plants and depositing it somewhere, where it will not enter the environment again. In my opinion fuel switching, energy conservation and nuclear fission are the three most effective activities that would help in mitigating climate change. It is certain that CO2 emission can be reduced by using natural gases instead of coal for producing energy. By using natural gas as fuel in vehicles will help in reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and methane to a great extent, imposing minimum negative effect on the environment. Energy conservation takes into account the change in human behavior in order to save energy (Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, 2014). For example some people prefer walking instead of using vehicles for covering short distance which saves energy, and switching off lights and air conditions when not in use also saves an enormous amount of energy each

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Sexual Assault of a Child Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sexual Assault of a Child - Essay Example Also, of the estimated 766,686 missing juveniles in the United States last year, including abductees, runaways and abandoned "throwaways," 16 percent likely were victims of sexual exploitation (Spun, 2002). Â  The clinical explanations of sexual abuse are linked to decrees, the directing the belief is whether the encounter has a shocking impact on the child. Not all sexual encounters suffered by children do. The distressing impact is usually influenced by the significance of the act to the child, which may alter as the child progresses through developmental phases. Â  Sexual abuse comprises of but is not restricted to, viewing a child pornographic resources, placing the child's hand on another person's genitals, touching a child's genitals, or penetration of any orifice of a child's body with a penis, finger, or an article of any kind. Penetration does not have to take place for it to be sexual abuse. Â  Sexual abuse can take place anywhere, at any occasion, including in front of other people who do not, or prefer to not see. Sexual abuse has horrifying consequences on children. Children who have been sexually abused undergo overwhelming mental breakdown and at times death. The children build up distrust and will have troubles in their future relationships. In addition, sexual abuse makes sexual abusers. Â  The impact of sexual abuse accomplishes all levels of a child's sentiments. Confusion is frequently the early response of the child. Once the abuse starts the victim undergoes an incredible disagreement with their emotions. They feel pleasing due to the awareness they are getting from the parent, as well as the bodily satisfaction. Conversely, they undergo pain, guiltiness, and annoyance for what is being done. Â  Child victims of sexual abuse suffer far worse trauma if they think images of their ordeals are distributed on the internet, a Welsh conference will hear today. The shame of being seen in pictures of abuse passed among pedophiles leaves children with a heavier psychological burden (Internet Images Make Child Abuse Trauma Burden Worse, 2004). Â  The abused will feel remarkable guiltiness for various reasons. They think they did nothing to prevent the abuse, as a result, they are accountable and it should carry on. They felt painful but the abuse was sometimes pleasing. They one way or another deserved or caused the abuse. Â  A victim will generally feel this manner when their confidence has reduced and they have no more responses to what is happening. Â  Another most important foundation of guiltiness comes from the mother. Frequently when the mother is told regarding the mistreatment she will not want to think the charges and will hold responsible the child. Â  

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Gender and sexuality Essay Example for Free

Gender and sexuality Essay Gender and sexuality has permeated the character of Latin American nations throughout history. Latin America has demonstrated examples of the manipulation of gender as a means of a nations government asserting its political and social control, and the history of the Cuban Revolution shows that Cuba is among such nations. Since its infancy in 1959 and through the 1990s, the Cuban revolutionary government has managed to achieve a well-documented history of oppressive practices that has made the Cuban government the subject of much worldwide criticism and scrutiny over the years. Among the root of this oppression is a commitment to political and social control along gender lines for a greater nationalistic cause. Not unlike other Latin American nations, gender roles as they are recognized in Cuba have been constructed and forcefully prescribed by the government. The citizens of the nation have been socialized to discern between masculine and feminine traits, as well understand why certain traits are desirable while others are not. These determinations have had far-reaching consequences in the cultural realm of Cuban society. Social circles are designed partly upon a person’s recognition of and adherence to specific gender roles. A part of the Cuban revolutionary government’s use of gender for political and social control is its attitude toward and relationship with male homosexuality. The systematic persecution of homosexuals in Cuba has been used by the state in an insular fashion against its citizens for the purpose of controlling them, but also as an outward political maneuver of serves to uphold national dignity and honor as part of a Cuban national identity that is to be recognized and respected throughout the rest of the world. In addition to this paper’s thesis being based on the Cuban revolutionary government’s use of gender and sexuality as a tool of political and social control, the notion of patriarchy is a theory that is central to this thesis. Part of Cuba’s national identity is the patriarchal nature of its government, which not only applies to the relationship between the state and its citizens, but also applies to the relationship between Cuba and other nations. Dominance and strength, two factors upon which patriarchy is based, are what Cuba stands to project to larger, more powerful nations as a symbol of an exalted position in the world. As discussed in the paper, Cuba’s patriarchal government uses its rejection of homosexuality outwardly as a tactic of resisting and rejecting the systems and ideals of nations that the Cuban Revolution finds itself to be fundamentally at odds with. Evidence of this can be found in works such as Ian Lumsden’s Machos, Maricones, and Gays: Cuba and Homosexuality. The arguments made in this paper are written around various primary documents that not only support the central thesis, but also serve as a base for extended discussion of certain elements that have contributed to a greater part of a nation’s history. One such element is the notion of gender roles and norms being defined and prescribed by the state, which in turn affects its society’s views. This includes the legal and penal mechanisms through which the prescriptions are upheld. Legal enforcement leads to a second element, which is nationalism as the motive for the state’s manipulation of gender and sexuality. This control of the Cuban people is part of a greater political agenda: ensuring the success of the Cuban Revolution. A part of this political maneuver is maintaining the honor of the nation and defending its worldwide image. A third and final element is the concept of cultures and governments undergoing change over a period of time. Such changes include the state’s gender-based ideas and prescriptions, as well as the catalysts for such change. These changes are ultimtately reflected in the attitudes of a nation’s people. The film â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate† is one of the primary sources that this paper is written around. Set in Cuba circa 1979, â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate† reflects the attitudes toward homosexuality that were the norm in Cuba during the first couple of decades of the Cuban revolution, and also depicts the government’s use of gender and sexuality to advance its own political agenda. What qualities make or do not make the revolutionary? What place does a homosexual have in the Cuban revolution? What is homosexuality supposed to mean to the communist youth? These are questions that â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate† raises and helps answer. The other primary documents that this paper is written around are the writings of controversial gay Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas. This paper discusses some examples of the persecution that Arenas endured as a homosexual coming up during the Cuban Revolution. From physical attacks and censorship to arrests and imprisonment, Arenas symbolized to the Cuban revolutionary government the classic threat to the patriarchal state that the government feared and aimed to neutralize. Although writings from a persecuted homosexual in Cuba stand to possibly reflect certain biases, it is important to look at alternate points of view with the purpose of still supporting the basic arguments conveyed herein. For that reason, this paper will also discuss the works of writers such as Rafael L. Ramirez and Rafael Ocasio, who did not emerge from a situation similar to that of Arenas’s. Ocasio explains that Reinaldo Arenas initially expressed interest in the Cuban Revolution, having left home at the age of fifteen to become a guerilla fighter for Fidel Castro. (14) Arenas was rejected due to his young age and the fact that he had no firearms. His enthusiasm for supporting Castro eventually waned, however, and it was the sexual repression that Arenas encountered at his boarding school that began his discontent with the Castro regime. (17) Ocasio cites the reprisal that students faced if caught committing homosexual acts. In addition to expulsion, school officials also went as far as detailing the nature of student’s transgression in school records, thereby barring these homosexual students from other state-run schools. According to Ocasio, Arenas stated that arrest and incarceration could also result from certain instances of such activity. (17) This made Arenas aware of politically-related persecution of homosexuals as an adolescent. Systematic, state-sanctioned persecution of homosexuals is further exemplified by the nighttime roundups of homosexuals organized by Cuban police, a practice that traces back to 1961. The earliest documented case of this is known as the Night of the Three Ps (prostitutes, pimps, y pederasts). Gay playwright Virgilio Pinera was among those who were arrested. (Ocasio 24) These raids were purely politically-motivated, for as Salas explains, police targeted anything they found in these raids that appeared to be antisocial or non-conformist, including clothing or hairstyles deemed inappropriate. In support of this, Salas cites an instance in which a Young Communist League leader was arrested in one of the raids despite not being involved in any homosexual activity. Police targeted him because of his long hair, which was cut by authorities. The man was released once he confirmed his identity. (155) Homosexuals targeted in these raids were considered part of a greater antisocial element that the government sought to eliminate. Ocasio explains that while officials assigned prostitutes to schools where they could supposedly be rehabilitated, Castro stated that homosexuals would be barred from the possibility of having any influence in cultural life, schools, or the arts. (24) The aforementioned roundups of homosexuals organized by Cuban police had an affect on Cuba’s intellectual community, and was only one example of the Castro regime’s politically-inspired oppression. Various official statements were made by the Cuban government against homosexuals as part of a nationwide campaign promoting proper ethical policies that fostered acceptable revolutionary behavior. It was clear that writers such as Arenas and artists such as Pinera were not seen by the new regime as conducive to the political achievement to which the Cuban revolutionary government aspired. This is supported by Castro’s famous â€Å"Words to Intellectuals† speech, which Ocasio cites as the first official statement made by the Cuban revolutionary government that determined the boundaries within which revolutionary writers and artists were to operate: â€Å"What are the rights of writers and artists, revolutionary or not? In support of the Revolution, every right; against the Revolution, no rights. Homosexual persecution rooted in the Cuban revolutionary cause is indicative of the revolutionary government’s concept of what it referred to as the New Man. In Social Control and Deviance in Cuba, author Luis Salas discusses the state’s concept of the New Man as Cuba’s ideal revolutionary, which allows no place for a homosexual in the revolution. (166) According to Salas, such a question was clearly answered by Fidel Castro with the following statement: â€Å"Nothing prevents a homosexual from professing revolutionary ideology and consequently, exhibiting a correct political position. In this case he should not be considered politically negative. And yet we would never come to believe that a homosexual could embody the conditions and requirements of conduct that would enable us to consider him a true revolutionary, a true Communist militant. A deviation of that nature clashes with the concept we have of what a militant Communist must be. † Salas contends that to the Cuban revolutionary, the New Man represents strength, honor, and â€Å"connotes maleness and virility. †(166) Conversely, homosexuality is considered to represent weakness, a classically feminine trait. The strength needed to be a true revolutionary is something that the Cuban revolutionary government saw in the uncorrupted youth of Cuba. The youth of the nation was regarded by the state as â€Å"one of the most treasured possessions of the nation† that was expected contribute to the success of the revolution, and as such, was to be protected from â€Å"a group viewed as seducers of small children. †(167) This aforementioned political attitude with regards to homosexuals in relation to the communist youth of Cuba was reflected in the film â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate. † In the film, David is a young communist university student who initially views an older homosexual artist named Diego as someone who is to be avoided and not to be trusted. David’s roommate Miguel is even more militant in his revolutionary, homophobic stance, and resorts to using David to spy on Diego due to his belief that Diego is a danger to the revolutionary cause and thus cannot be trusted. Although Diego eventually befriends David, there is a mutual understanding between both characters of the dangers that such a friendship can pose to a young communist like David, and David makes it clear to Diego that they are not to be seen together in public. This depiction is indicative of the state’s effort to socialize its youth towards anti-homosexual sentiment by portraying homosexuals as political obstacles and enemies of the state in order to influence public opinion and sway political action in the government’s favor. As Leiner explains, homosexuality played a role in Cubas prerevolutionary tourism economy, for the widespread solicitation of male prostitutes by gay tourists contributed to the economy. Furthermore, the stratification of prerevolutionary Cuba also lured many heterosexual working-class men into the underworld of homosexual prostitution in order to earn a living. According to Leiner, the homosexual bourgeoisie largely controlled this underworld as did American organized crime, which managed the lucrative, but seedy occupational sector based on prostitution, drugs, and gambling. Such an aspect of prerevolutionary Cuban history is indicative of fears present among state officials in revolutionary Cuba, who perceived homosexuality as fertile ground for the re-emergence of American imperialism, the bourgeoisie, and classism in Cuban society. This is consistent with Lumsdens contention of revolutionary Cubas regulation of gender and sexuality in Cuba being a part of the state’s willingness to overcome underdevelopment and resist American efforts to prevent the revolution from succeeding. (xxi) According to Salas, gays were a remnant of capitalism in the eyes of the militant Cuban revolutionary. According to the Cuban government, the New Man was not motivated by the decadence and wanton lusts that characterize homosexuality, which the government believe was associated with the selfishness that marked capitalist societies. In a speech given on July 26, 1968, Fidel Castro characterized the revolution’s ideal New Man as possessing an altruistic and humanistic nature: â€Å"In a communist society, man will have succeeded in achieving just as much understanding, closeness, and brotherhood as he has on occasion achieved within the narrow circle of his own family. To live in a communist society is to live without selfishness, to live among the people, as if every one of our fellow citizens were really our dearest brother. † In addition to the idealism of Castro’s statement, there is also the character of the language behind his statement that is undoubtedly male as well as overwhelmingly exclusionary. The ideals promoted by Castro in the above excerpt can just as easily be prescribed to women for them to live by such ideals, but the â€Å"macho/socialist amalgam questioned whether male homosexuals could. †(Leiner 27) Leiner explains a study conducted by esteemed commentator Lourdes Casal, who analyzed the influence that the Cuban revolution had on Cuban literature. According to Leiner, Casal discovered a general disdain for homosexuals reflected in over 100 novels. Casal contended that the rejection of homosexuality was the rejection of femininity. Accusing a man of being a homosexual was to be considered an assault on that mans masculinity, and was considered synonymous with deeming that man a female who is devoid of strength and unworthy of holding power. (23) Such a meaning prescribed to the title â€Å"homosexual† underscores the nature of the Cuban governments patriarchal structure, in which power is directly associated with being a man both physically and sexually. Leiner also explains that in revolutionary Cuban society, the perception of homosexuality – and therefore, femininity – went beyond mere sexual preference. Physical weakness and lack of muscularity, a lack of interest in physical competition, the display of a quiet demeanor, or a gentle, nurturing or sensitive nature were enough to raise suspicion of homosexuality. According to Leiner, such qualities were perceived as weak and inferior, and therefore effeminate. The strong, abrasive, and competitive male was above suspicion of homosexuality. (22) The question of why homosexuals were perceived by the state as counter to the revolution remains partly unanswered. In addition to the Cuban government’s belief that homosexuals possessed undesirable qualities such as weakness, cowardice, and perversion, the state’s view of homosexuals as a danger to the institution that is the traditional family further compelled the state and the society it influenced to write homosexuals off as â€Å"antithetical to a socialist society. †(Leiner 25) Lesbian playwright Ana Maria Simo was jailed for four-and-a-half months in 1965 and also suffered shock treatment to correct her simply due to her associating with people who were suspected of being homosexual. She was not a lesbian at the time. She states that she and her friends were political individualists and anarchistic, and that is what bothered the government, not their being gay. (Ocasio 30) According to Leiner, lesbians were no cause of concern for the revolutionary government. Leiner states that Lourdes Casal found no mention, or even the vaguest hint of evidence of concern over lesbianism in either the pre- or post-revolutionary literary works that she analyzed. This is a manifestation of the Cuban government’s patriarchal structure in that the government’s complete absence of concern over the lesbianism in Cuba is indicative of the government’s â€Å"relegation of women as secondary, lesser others. (Leiner 23) Unlike homosexuals, lesbians posed no threat to the Cuban revolutionary cause, for the revolution never looked to women for signs of strength or power upon which the government could rely in order to ensure the success of the revolution. However, lesbians, even those who displayed overly masculine qualities, were still considered women just as homosexual males were, and both were deemed unqualified for revolutionary status by the state. Standards of gender and sexuality were prescribed and legitimized by the revolutionary state, thus criminalizing homosexuality. The government’s enforcement of its prescriptions has been carried out via formal as well as informal means. A prime example of a formal method of this enforcement is penal legislation. Such legislation involving homosexuality can be found in two sections of the Cuban statutes. In one section of the statutes, legislation involves the relation between homosexuality and the state’s concept of social dangerousness. Article 73 of the Cuban Penal Code regulates social dangerousness, and cites behavior deemed antisocial as its target. In Cuba, homosexuality has been legally deemed antisocial. (Salas 151) Lumsden cites the use of the word antisocial as a code to describe displays of homosexuality deemed ostentatious. (83) According to Salas, anti-homosexual legislation was considered a preventive measure, for the display of so much as even an attitude that authorities perceived as antisocial justified police intervention. (Salas 153) These laws stem from government fears, such as the fear of the threat that homosexuality poses to the traditional family structure. There is also the government’s fear of homosexuality hindering the success of the revolution, of which the fear of homosexuals corrupting the nation’s youth is a part. (Salas 154) The latter fear can explain homosexual males receiving much harsher punishments for having sex with underage boys compared to the punishments that males faced for having sex with underage females. (Lumsden 82) The fact that laws pertaining to homosexuality are in a section of the Penal Code that pertains to violations against sexual development and sexual relations that are considered normal is indicative of the state’s perception of homosexuality as a condition that is contagious and leads to pedophilia. For this reason, Article 317 also includes the act of propositioning an adult for homosexual sex in its permanent barring of convicted sex offenders from the teaching profession and any other field in which such an adult stands to have authority or potential influence over children. (Lumsden 84) Aside from the Cuban revolutionary government’s fears related to the issue of homosexuality, the eagerness of some government officials to enforce anti-homosexual law is also indicative of their determination to remain above suspicion of being homosexual for their own fear of legal and social reprisal at the hands of the government. Examples of this are provided by Reinaldo Arenas in his highly acclaimed autobiography Before Night Falls, in which he discusses various sexual encounters he had with homosexual government officials in Cuba. Arenas cited an incident in which a police officer with whom he had just had sexual intercourse actually arrested Arenas â€Å"for being queer. † â€Å"Perhaps he thought that by being the active partner he had not done anything wrong,† Arenas stated. This statement by Arenas is a clear reference to the commonly held perception of the active, penetrating partner in a sexual act between two men not being a homosexual because his dominant position is considered a product of masculinity and power. This perception is diametrically opposed to the perception of the penetrated partner, for this partner assumes a role that is subordinate to the dominant penetrator, thus representing the role of a woman. In Arenas’s aforementioned discussion of his arrest, he stated that at the police station, the arresting officer attempted to explain his arresting Arenas by falsely accusing Arenas of groping him. However, Arenas managed to prove the officer’s involvement in the homosexual act by quickly admitting to the other officers that he still had the officer’s semen on his body, thus making the officer the subject of much surprise and scorn from his colleagues and work superiors. As part of his account of this incident, Arenas alluded to the revolutionary government’s belief that it is not possible for a homosexual male to possess the qualities that makes a true revolutionary. At the same time, Arenas also made a reference to the belief of a homosexual male being equivalent to a woman: â€Å"They ended up saying it was a shame that a member of the police force would engage in such acts, because I, after all, had my weakness, but for him, being a man, there was no excuse for getting involved with a queer. † Because he managed to achieve a position as a police officer in the Cuban revolutionary government, which included a convincing display of the masculine traits that the Cuban government believed were instrumental to the composition of a true revolutionary, the police officer was undoubtedly a â€Å"man† in the eyes of the state, whereas Arenas was not. The engendering of the passive and active partner in homosexual intercourse is not exclusive to Cuban revolutionary society, however. In What It Means to Be a Man, Casper and Ramirez cite the bugarron, a term used in Puerto Rican society to describe a male who is always the one to penetrate the male partner, yet always considers himself heterosexual. The bugarron blatantly dismisses the notion of his partner’s masculinity, and confirms his partner as the â€Å"woman† of the situation by calling his partner names such as mujer, mami, mamita, or loca. (96) Furthermore, the bugarron’s â€Å"usage of sexuality is highly ritualized to conserve his manhood and avoid being questioned about it. †(Casper, Ramirez 97) The desire to only be a penetrator and never a recipient of penetration serves as a political metaphor. The perception of a penetrator as heterosexual and undeniably male is underscored by masculine traits such as strength and dominance. Pingueros, a name given to male prostitutes in Cuba who only penetrate and refuse to be penetrated, represent the conquering of foreign bodies when solicited by gay tourists. (Chant, Kraske 139) This representation mirrors the notion of Cuba not just fending off but successfully invading and â€Å"screwing back† the imperialist, capitalist nation that has – or might wish to – exploit Cuba for its own self-interests. Just like the concept of prescribing gender to an active and passive partner in sexual intercourse between two men was reached over time by way of changing attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions, attitudes and behaviors toward homosexuality in general changing over time is also to be considered. Cultures are not static; they change over time, as do the notions of gender and sexuality in a culture. (Casper, Ramirez 27) Over the past decades, Cuba has witnessed a certain degree of change in attitudes and actions toward homosexuality on behalf of Cuban society at large as well as on behalf of the state.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Alienation in All Quiet on the Western Front :: All Quiet on the Western Front Essays

Alienation in All Quiet on the Western Front      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Webster's New World College Dictionary, alienation is 1. Separation, aversion, aberration.   2.   Estrangement or detachment.   3.   Mental derangement; insanity.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The theme of All Quiet on the Western Front is about how World War I destroyed a generation of young men. It has taken from them the last of their childhood years, it has destroyed their faith in their elders, it has taught them an individual life is meaningless--and all it has given in return is the ability to appreciate basic physical pleasures. According to Paul, though, the men haven't entirely lost human sensitivity: they're not as callous as they appeared in Chapter 1, wolfing down their dead companions' rations. It's just that they must pretend to forget the dead; otherwise they would go mad.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Remarque includes discussions among Paul's group, and Paul's own thoughts while he observes Russian prisoners of war (Chapters 3, 8, 9) to show that no ordinary people benefit from a war. No matter what side a man is on, he is killing other men just like himself, people with whom he might even be friends at another time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But Remarque doesn't just tell us war is horrible. He also shows us that war is terrible beyond anything we could imagine. All our senses are assaulted: we see newly dead soldiers and long-dead corpses tossed up together in a cemetery (Chapter 4); we hear the unearthly screaming of the wounded horses (Chapter 4); we see and smell three layers of bodies, swelling up and belching gases, dumped into a huge shell hole (Chapter 6); and we can almost touch the naked bodies hanging in trees and the limbs lying around the battlefield (Chapter 9).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The crying of the horses is especially terrible. Horses have nothing to do with making war. Their bodies gleam beautifully as they parade along--until the shells strike them. To Paul, their dying cries represent all of nature accusing Man, the great destroyer.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In later chapters Paul no longer mentions nature as an accuser but seems to suggest that nature is simply there--rolling steadily on through the seasons, paying no attention to the desperate cruelties of men to each other. This, too, shows the horror of war, that it is completely unnatural

Monday, November 11, 2019

South-North Division in Korea

South-North Division in Korea Korea is an East Asian country, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides, but unfortunately divided into two parts-South Korea and North Korea. Korea is bordered by China on the north and by the navigable Yalu and Tumen Rivers, both of which flow from Paektusan, the highest point in Korea at 9,000 feet (Weightman 360). Korea has four seasons and a monsoon climate with warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Continuous rains from June to July are a phenomenon. South and North Korea has many differences by geological patterns.North Korea is influenced by continental extremes, the south is warmed by the Japan Current. Moreover, South Korea’s terrain is mostly mountainous. Lowlands is located in the west and southeast, so agriculture is intensive with rice, vegetables, fruit, and other types of market gardening. However, North Korea has only about a sixth of mountains for cropping and few coastal lowlands for rice, corn, wheat, and soybeans. T herefore, they have a food sufficient problem. In Korea, the most important event in history is Korean War. The Korean War between South and North Korea broke out on June 25, 1950, in which at least 2. million persons lost their lives. The North Korean Army invaded across the 38th parallel in the morning. The Korean citizens did not realize that the war broke out because by that time, there were a lot of skirmishes between the South and North Army. Before the Korean War erupted, Korea was split into political, ideologically entities due to the influence of the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This research paper shows how the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics affected the Korean War and why the Korean War erupted.Moreover, it will be how South Korea has developed an economy and what is likely to happen in the future. The origins of the Korean War are not as simple as people might think. It is strongly connected by not only causes and effects but also nations’ understandings. The Yalta Conference of 1945 was the second of three conference held between the three Allied superpowers during the Second World War era (Perekop). The Yalta Conference was about how to reform the world after winning the Second World War. One of the issues in this conference was about the Korean Peninsula’s trusteeship.Many countries were involved in Korea. Especially, when Soviet planned the war against Japan. The U. S also dropped an a-bomb on Hiroshima where the headquarters of the Japanese Army was in. Later, the Soviet declared the war against Japan and the army was planning to invade Japan through the Korean Peninsula, so they encamped at the northern part of Korea. Finally, Japan surrendered on August 15th. The U. S Army was placed in the southern part of Korea to discuss the trusteeship. So the northern part of Korea was occupied by the Soviets and the southern part of Korea was occupied by the U. S.At a conference in Moscow in December, the foreign ministers of the Soviet Union and Britain, and the U. S. Secretary of State met and discussed a five-year trusteeship for Korea (The Korean War). During those years, North Korea had absorbed the Communist ideology. Kim Il-Sung wanted to unite Korea, so he chose to invade South Korea. It wouldn’t take long for the conflict to come to a head between North and South Korea. Indeed, the Korean War erupted in 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea. The war had been broken out in Ong-Jin Peninsula and started to spread out as time passed. The U. S almost immediately entered the battle.Truman told his daughter, Margaret, that â€Å"We are going to fight. † (The Korean War) The countryside quickly transformed into a practical wasteland. During the Korean War, Northern troops conquered Seoul, which is the capital city, for three days. South Korea’s defense line receded to the Nakdong River. The U. N decided to cooperate with South Korea and the war started to have the effect of becoming a world war. Douglas MacArthur, the commanding general of the United Nations forces in Korea, launched his ambitious attack and landed at Inch’on on September 15, and the course of the war changed abruptly.Many parts in North Korea were taken by South Korea. After that, two high-ranking representatives from North Korea asked China to send troops into Korea. Then, China intervened in the Korean War to help North Korea, so the Soviet Union and China supported North Korea with arms, tanks, military supplies, fuel, foodstuffs, and medicine. In the case of South Korea, according to South Korea- a Country Study, with fifteen member-nations of the United Nations, had contributed armed forces and medical units to South Korea. On July 27th 1953, after the true treaty, North and South Korea are in a truce on paper along the hostile parallel line.As a result of the war, lots of massacres were made and the left-right wing’s confl ict has become worse. In South Korea, the Korean-American Mutual Defensive Treaty was made. The enmity between South and North Korea got worse, as well as the inequality in social status. Then the U. S started to compete with the Soviets, which became known as the Cold War and focus was on preventing communization. After the Korean War, the Korean economy was very poor, and nobody thought that Korea could develop the economy as now. However, the Korean government made some plans to develop the economy.They started five-Year plans. Park Chung Hee utilized a unique method of series of five economic plans to rapidly develop an economy. The first Five-Year Economic Development Plan began in 1962. This plan consisted of initial steps toward the building of a self-sufficient industrial structure that was neither consumption oriented nor over-dependent on oil (South Korea-Economic Plans). The second Five-Year Economic Development Plan (1967- 71) started with rapidly building import-substit ution industries, including steel, machinery, and chemical industries.The third Five-Year Economic Development Plan (1972-76) developed the chemical industry and the economy stable. Before starting the fourth Five Economic Development Plan, The Korean President said, â€Å"The fourth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (1977-81) will foster the development of industries designed to compete effectively in the world's industrial export markets† (Cho-Sun 20). These major strategic industries consisted of technology-intensive and skilled labor-intensive industries such as machinery, electronics, and shipbuilding (South Korea-Economic Plans).The fifth Five-Year Economic and Social Development Plan (1982-86) concentrate on devote to building high-technology products on the world market. The sixth Five-Year Economic and Social Development Plan (1987-91) to a large extent continued to emphasize the goals of the previous plan. The goal of the seventh Five-Year Economic and Social Deve lopment Plan (1992-96), formulated in 1989, was to develop high-technology fields, such as microelectronics, new materials, fine chemicals, bioengineering, optics, and aerospace.Government and industry would work together to build high-technology facilities in seven provincial cities to better balance the geographic distribution of industry throughout South Korea (South Korea-Economic Plans). These Five Year plans had increased wealth and strengthen political stability. Moreover, these plans lead South Korea to become Asia’s fourth largest economy and the world’s 12th largest economy. Also, South Korea is a member of the United Nations, WTO, and OECD. I found that geographic patterns by researching Five Year Economic plans.The effect of Five year Economic plans is to preserve geographical inequities. Korea has been developed rapidly. Especially there are many rapid developments from metropolitan areas which are centered in Seoul to Kyoung-nam. Because of this developme nt, inconsistent development has been occurred and financial development was inevitably centered in port towns. This phenomenon led young people in the rural areas move to metropolitan areas. Now a days, the rural areas contains a disproportionate number of young middle-class families.Therefore, income inequality by geographical areas is getting worse. According to Korea University economics professor Kim Seong-hui, â€Å"This is the result of both the wage differences between large and small-medium businesses, and between regular and irregular workers. † So, a lot of young people in the rural areas want to move to metropolitan areas, where the majority of big companies located in, to be rich. Although the worst chapters of the Korean war now over, the bitterness between North and South Korea has continued to rage until this day.This is true despite the issue of cease-fire resolutions by the UN and even despite continued negotiations to reunite the countries. The United State s has been closely involved with South Korea. However, North Korea has become a progressively greater world problem. Fortunately, North Korea’s most recent disregard for world concern did not turn out to be as disastrous as it could have been. However, Such disregard for world concerns has been characteristic of North Korea since the Korean War.North Korea has planed the nuclear program and spent a lot of money for the military equipment. Unfortunately, it might be predicted that this recent action was just North Korea’s means of testing the U. S president and his administration to see just what they would do in such a situation. There will undoubtedly be many more tests to come. Even though, South Korea wants to reunify in stages and has tried to talk, these actions of North Korea will threat reunification considerations. Bibliography Cumings, Bruce. The Korean War- A History. † A Modern Library Chronicles Book. 2010. Hickey, Michael. â€Å"The Korean War: The West Confronts Communism, 1950-1953†. The Overlook Press. 1999. Kim, Y. M. â€Å"The Fourth Economic Development Plan. † Cho-Sun. 20 Aug. 1977: 10-11. Shaw, William. â€Å"South Korea: A Country Study. † Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. Web. 1990. â€Å"South Korea-Economic Plans†. Mongabay. Web. June. 1990. Weightman, Barbara A. â€Å"Dragons and Tigers : A Geography of South, East and Southeast Asia. † Wiley. 2010.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Market survey in construction industry

Identify top three areas for improvement and provide suggestions Answer: 1 All the firms need to exhibit a touch with their markets and customers. Such a step will provide best reputation. But majority of the firm lose touch due to several reasons. Such reasons are indicated in the following table no. L Reasons leading to no touch[table no:l] 1. Non professionalism lack of expertise. 2. Adamant / improper culture higher Judgments. 3. Less information about the market unfair nature of the company. 4. Less information what customer wants InnocenceRemarks: The above table is indicating the reasons for lack of touch and also the factors behind each factor. Implication of the above reasons: 1. Loss of reputation. 2. Decline in the market share. 3. Rapid drops in the profitability. Remedial measures to overcome above: 1 . Training the department and professionals. 2. Conducting a market research to assess aspirations of clients and customers. 3. Design/develop/organizequestionnairesfor dat a collection/ analysis. Answer:AAA I am associated with Shapiro Apollonian & co Ltd. My company is lost the projects for so many reasons,In this case, my company lost touch with the market segment due to this, company is exhibiting learning competency to show improvements. This is shown in the following table. Learning competency: [table no: 2] Factor Learning competency Customer satisfaction. Management requirement/product design/development. High quality. TTS Low cost. Cost reduction/cost control. Post sale service. Commitment/special team development/necessary. Lower guaranty/warranty Product life cycle appearance. The above table indicates the learning competency adoption measuring.Product Life Cycle Initial Occidentalizing Development mm [Fig no: 1] mm mm Tabooed figure indicating the learning competency adoption measures The above product life cycle approach indicates three important areas for improvement. 1 . Product technology in an innovative fashion so as to deliver high q uality products at the lowest price. 2. Very high productivity oriented labor to deliver products in time with very low rejection rates. 3. Well established infrastructure [non automatic] where the machinery are contributing to successful production.The above areas contribute to a healthy working to the company. Suggestions for improvement: A long sustenance in the market demands very high customer satisfaction. Hence, the company should work for improved quality at lowest cost to attract customer satisfaction 2. Company should consider product obsolescence. It means the company to be vigilant always to modern developments. 3. Automation to be avoided. This is because the question on learning competency. Learning is on the part of individuals but not on machines. Machines do not learn but individuals learn.Hence major proportion of labor and a miner proportion of machines is recommended. Other improvements 1 . Marketing's with high profit orientation. 2. Setting product strategy wit h higher contributions. 3. E -commerce marketing practices attracting key customers. 4. Designing and managing integrated marketing communications interactive marketing for effective market share enhancements rapidly. 5. Managing development process to release products as per schedules. 6. Building customer value satisfaction and loyalty. All these improvements are oriented towards a very rapid growth.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Background of the Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921

Background of the Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921 The Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921, informally called the Maternity Act, was the first federal law to provide significant funding to help people in need. The purpose of the Act was to reduce maternal and infant mortality. The legislation was supported by progressives, social reformers, and feminists including Grace Abbott and Julia Lathrop.  It was part of a larger movement called scientific mothering- applying scientific principles and to the care of infants and children, and educating mothers, especially those who were poor or less educated. Historical Context At the time the legislation was introduced, childbirth remained the second leading cause of death for women. About 20% of children in the United States died in their first year and about 33% in their first five years. Family income was an important factor in these mortality rates, and the Sheppard-Towner Act was designed to encourage states to develop programs to serve women at lower income levels. The Sheppard-Towner Act provided for federal matching funds for such programs as: Health clinics for women and children, hiring physicians and nurses to educate and care for pregnant women and mothers and their childrenVisiting nurses to educate and care for pregnant and new mothersMidwife trainingDistribution of nutrition and hygiene information Support and Opposition Julia Lathrop.of the U.S. Childrens Bureau drafted the language of the act, and Jeannette Rankin introduced it into Congress in 1919. Rankin was no longer in the Congress when the Sheppard-Towner Act passed in 1921. Two similar Senate bills were introduced by Morris Sheppard and Horace Mann Towner. President Warren G. Harding supported the Sheppard-Towner Act, as did many in the progressive movement. The bill first passed in the Senate, then passed the House on November 19, 1921, by a vote of 279 to 39.  It became law after it was signed by President Harding. Rankin attended the House debate on the bill, watching from the gallery.  The only woman in Congress at the time, Oklahomas Representative Alice Mary Robertson, opposed the bill. Groups including the American Medical Association (AMA) and its Section on Pediatrics labeled the program socialistic and opposed its passage and opposed its funding in subsequent years.  Critics also opposed the law based on states rights and community autonomy, and as a violation of the privacy of the parent-child relationship. Not only did political reformers, mainly women, and allied male physicians, have to fight for the passage of the bill at the federal level, they also then had to take the fight to the states to get matching funds passed.   Supreme Court Challenge The Sheppard-Towner bill was unsuccessfully challenged in the Supreme Court in  Frothingham V. Mellon And Massachusetts V. Mellon  (1923), The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the cases, because no state was required to accept the matching funds and no injury could be demonstrated. End of Sheppard-Towner By 1929, the political climate had changed sufficiently that the funding for the Sheppard-Towner Act was ended, with pressure from opposition groups including the AMA likely the major reason for the defunding. The Pediatric Section of the American Medical Association actually supported a renewal of the Sheppard-Towner Act in 1929, while the AMA House of Delegates overrode their support to oppose the bill.  This led to the walkout from the AMA of many of the pediatricians, mostly male, and the forming of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Social and Historical Significance The Sheppard-Towner Act was significant in American legal history because it was the first federally-funded social welfare program, and because the challenge to the Supreme Court failed. The Sheppard-Towner Act is significant in womens history because it addressed the needs of women and children directly at a federal level. It is also significant for the role of women activists including Jeannette Rankin, Julia Lathrop, and Grace Abbott, who considered it part of the womens rights agenda beyond winning the vote for women. The League of Women Voters and the General Federation of Womens Clubs worked for its passage. It shows one of the ways that the womens rights movement continued to work after the right of suffrage was won in 1920. The significance of the Sheppard-Towner Act in progressive and public health history is in demonstrating that education and preventive care provided through state and local agencies could have a significant effect on maternal and child mortality rates.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Strategy management case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategy management - Case Study Example Hikma Pharmaceuticals Company has experienced expansive growth and success over the years (Gillespie & Hennessey, 2011). To match the world’s current competition status in the pharmaceuticals industry, the company needs to implement the following recommendations. Hikma has defiled odds of political turbulence to become one of the world’s top drug producing companies in the world. However, there is a challenge of political risks especially from MENA community. Hikma should therefore carry out thorough international relations to win the politically unfriendly countries. The move will see the company enjoy good customer relations in all its marketing environments. Hikma should have continued investment in the research and development (R&D). The R&D investment will be crucial in maintaining pharmaceutical company’s efficiency through development of innovative and new drugs that current world market demands (Chrysostome & Molz, 2014). The company should also take part in genericization process in which it develops and modifies the already existing drugs. Hikma should put more efforts to acquire FDA approval as quality drug manufacturers to penetrate US market effectively and efficiently (Johnson & Scholes, 2006). Successful acquisition of FDA means Hikma shall have acquired quality-manufacturing standards to assure it of a wide market base. In addition, Hikma will also overcome the restrictions and regulatory measures that bar it from manufacturing certain products as well as accessing some markets. To fulfill and reach its global market ambitions, Hikma should create more opportunities for a profitable future by increasing the demand for its shares and improving its liquidity (OBG, 2010). Consequently, employee commitment and profits will increase significantly. Finally, Hikma should focus on advocating patent expiries and increase in demand for medicines that are cost-effective. Such strategies will help in easing the current pricing pressures

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Basic Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Basic Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example The document is also one that makes the instructions that it gives very clear. One of the greatest advantages of this document is the fact that it provides instructions in simple language that can be understood and accessed by a large number of people. This is a testimony to the intent of the California Environmental Protection Agency. Another of the advantages of the document is the fact that it organizes the information that it gives in a cogent and coherent manner. This can be seen in the framework that the booklet follows when making the content clear. Apart from this, the booklet also provides telephone numbers that can help solve the doubts that anybody may have regarding the use and disposal of the substance in question. This framework is used for very substance and is easy to read. It also provides all the information that a person would require for the purpose of dealing with the substance in question. There is however, a glitch in this booklet and the way in which it is written. The most easily accessible version (the one that is found online), is one that does not have any color to it, in the metaphoric sense. This is to say that while the elements are arranged cogently, the rest of the visual elements are not arranged in an exciting manner and is thus not eye-catching. However, in defense of the document, one may say that the process of prevention of accidents due to hazardous materials that are a part of people’s everyday lives may not require the most glamorous packaging that one is able to find. The booklet makes situations clear to the reader and makes it a very handy guide for the disasters that are likely to strike a person in her or his daily life. The document is a very usable one. This owes a lot to the handy introduction and the table of contents. Both these features enable an understanding of the uses that the document can be put