Diamond Water Paradox Essay

Marginalism was very important in the historical development of economics. Up through the 1870s, the marginal idea had not been grasped, which led to â€Å"paradoxes† such as the diamond-water paradox. This paradox was resolved by the introduction of marginal thinking. A modern equivalent of the diamond-water paradox: Why do basketball players get paid so much more than teachers, when teachers are so much more important? Because we have plenty of people who are capable of doing what a teacher has to do (at least at the elementary/middle/high school level), whereas we have very few people who can do what a pro basketball player does. Not all decisions are marginal, however. Some decisions really are all-or-nothing: deciding whether to shut down your business or stay open; deciding whether to offer a new product line; deciding whether to get married; deciding whether to move to New York. For decisions like these, you need to compare the total expected benefit to the total expected cost. 2: As in the diamond water paradox, water is less expensive than diamonds because they are readily available and an additional unit of water adds little value to the individual. On the other hand, diamonds are scarce and every additional unit adds substantial value and this is the reason it costs more than water. The same is the reason for the disparity in salaries between teachers and athletes. While teachers are available in abundance like water, athletes are rare and so they are considered to be a precious commodity like diamonds and this scarcity is the reason they are paid such enormous amounts of money each year.

Psychology †Aggression Notes Essay

Evaluate explanations of institutional aggression (16 marks) Strengths In Irwin and Cressey (1962) study they don’t look at inmates having one value. They look at the subcultures within prison. This shows the nature of the inmates as well as how they were brought up and accept other values. This is also supported by Blomberg & Lucken (2000) study on inmates. However you could counter this point by saying its reductionist because it reduces down behaviour to measurable units. Weaknesses Clemmer (1940) or McKorkle and Korn (1954) tend to suggest than inmates imported â€Å"one holistic† criminal subculture into the institution. By taking this holistic approach they are ignoring the biological approach. The importation model fails to provide suggestions for how to manage aggressive prisoners. Suggesting that you can manage prisoners and go against their freewill. Though they may be aggressive it might be because of how they were nurtured. Delisi (2004), it is unethical to give away possible private records. This could be seen as a breach of data protection. This can be linked to Issue and Debates. Especially the ethics and the confidentiality. AO3 – 4 marks – how science works: Methodological issues (internal validity, ecological validity, population validity, reliability) Bias (cultural bias, gender bias) Debates (nature/nurture, free will/determinism, reductionism/holism) Approaches (psychodynamic, cognitive, evolutionary, biological, behavioural) ethics A good psychology essay†¦ Be Selective In the exam you will only have 30 minutes per essay so you won’t be able to write the same amount you do at home, therefore it is important to make a few points and evaluate them well (possibly by using opposing points) rather than make loads of points and rush the evaluation. You do not have to mention everything in the book in order to get a good mark, it’s all about quality, so just make sure that if you say something, and it is relevant and well said. Use Evidence If you make a point, it is useful to have evidence from studies/experiments to back it up. You don’t have to go crazy with the methodology of these studies (but a little won’t hurt) but the most important thing is to state how the research supports/ does not support the theory in question. It may feel like you’re stating the obvious, but this is what gains marks. Use Issues and Debates Determinism, Reductionism, Gender Bias (Alpha and Beta), Culture Bias, Socially Sensitive Research/Theory, Reliability and Validity, just to name a few! They aren’t too difficult to work into your essay, but it is important you explain what each one means and how it relates to the theory in question. You won’t gain many marks if you list them without explaining them thoroughly. Be Synoptic This is really important. Could an idea be better explained by another approach? Has research in this area lead to any practical applications? (Such as treatments for psychological disorders) This will show your understanding of psychology in greater detail, and how it is important in real life. Look at the Bigger Picture Does this theory/research raise or lower the reputation of psychology as a science? E.g.: does it rely on scientific testing or is it speculative? Have other studies produced similar findings or do other studies tend to contradict its findings? Don’t be completely negative! Make some positive evaluations too, and when you criticise studies, you can always suggest ways in which they could be improved. You are expected to show a holistic view of psychology, and that means appreciating that there are both strengths and weaknesses to studies and theories. Look at your watch Remember; you don’t have much time to write your essays in the real exam, so try to stick to 30 minutes per essay. You’ll lose more marks by spending too long on one essay and not enough on another, than by writing all essays, but leaving a few points out. When Revising†¦ I find writing detailed essay plans helps, including notes on how I would evaluate. These would be far easier to memorise than whole essays, although writing practice essays may be beneficial too as it gets you used to time conditions. If you feel yourself getting stressed, or you are having a mental block, take a break- it is a sign you’re working too hard! The best thing for this is to get a drink (definitely keep fluid levels up!) get a little bit of fresh air, and take some time to clear your mind. Even if it feels like your revision isn’t getting you anywhere, it will be, so don’t panic too much! Reality is a painful thing It’s more than likely that you won’t be able to remember every minute detail, or remember everything you want to say in the exam, but don’t let this worry you too much- just make sure the points you do make are really well explained.

Fieldwork papaer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fieldwork papaer - Assignment Example This topic was chosen because, personally speaking, a discovery of something interesting, especially when unexpected, is always welcome and appreciated. Also, a review of the notes done during the fieldwork shows several insights on the interplay of the social, economic, and human capitals that made the Solano Canyon Community Garden a possibility. Community gardens create a sense of camaraderie among the people in a community while providing a new method of growing food. It is possible that the sustainability of the positive results of the community garden can be ensured if its causes are maintained and looked after. The fieldwork approach for this research can be described as under contemporary anthropology, where the research method involves an extensive fieldwork featuring participant observation coupled with interpersonal interviews. This approach can also be called ethnography. Fieldwork is a good method for this research because it: a) helps get the â€Å"feel† of a place, b) helps to get to understand a society from the inside, and; c) provides the observational, factual basis for generalizations (OToole, Paddy, and Prisca 619). Observation was the initial method used to explore the possible topics and issues. Also, field notes were used to so that even the smallest details were jotted down. For interviews, casual conversations were the starting-point. Interview notes were used and interviewees were addressed on a first-name basis, with the permission of the interviewee. The whole set-up was very jovial, warm, and casual that no one seemed to want to be addressed too formally. A few asked â€Å"not to be quoted† on certain issues that they personally deem as sensitive, and to exercise balance on the overall research, it is decided that everyone would just be under a pseudonym, except for the Master Gardener Al Renner. It is

Social Change Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Change - Case Study Example Chase Bank Miami Beach Branch is faced with a problem of credit management. This is the problem of collecting and controlling of payments from firms customers. Many of the loans and credit facilities advanced by the bank to its clients were defaulted. This is due to weak policies that govern the provisions of credit and loan facilities to clients. Customers take advantage of these weak structures within the credit and risk management department to default their payments. The function of credit management within a bank institution or company is very crucial. If control credit policies are well adhered to by the firm, strong revenues improve and reduce the financial risks. A credit manager is tasked to oversee credit management. He is the personnel employed by a banking institution to manage the department of credit and make decisions on issues such as acceptable risks to be considered and credit limits to be given to particular clients. The scope of credit management in a financial institution includes the following. In carrying out the above functions, a credit management department in Chase bank has come across come several challenges that need to be addressed. In regards to control of doubtful debt, the bank has had a problem in preventing the customers from defaulting their payments. This has the amounts of doubtful and bad debts significantly. This has had an adverse effect on the bank financial stability. In setting the credit floors and ceiling for the different clients, the bank has encountered several challenges. Most customers have been observed only to have active accounts just before and during the period they are advancing a loan facility. Once a loan has been advanced to them; their accounts become dormant. This has caused difficulties in setting the credit limits as most customers are not deemed to be reliable. Adherence to bank policies with regards to credit management has also posed a challenge to credit and risk management

Somalia Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Somalia - Outline Example The World Bank and USAID have been involved in the water supply sectors of the given countries to a large extent; hence they provide credible and reliable data on the water supply situations in these countries and thus justify the use of these sources. Water provision is a serious problem in most developing countries, and it is even a worse scenario in Somalia. This is a country that has been war-ravaged for the last two decades. To generate effective recommendations for water provision in Somalia, it is first necessary to establish the water supply situation, and then compare water provision systems that are considerably effective in countries with a similar situation like Somalia’s. This study explores the water provision solutions that have been implemented in Mozambique and Ghana and use them to generate recommendations for the water supply crisis in Somalia. According to the Advanced Blue Revolution Initiative, Somalia lacks an official water supply and sanitation system (ABRI 2009, p. 1). A large population obtains water from boreholes and shallow wells. The shallow wells are usually located near settlements, and the condition of this water is alarming due to nearly latrines seeping health hazards to ground water; cholera and diarrhoea outbreaks are common, and ABRI statistics indicate that less than 29% of the population has access to clean and sustainable water sources. It might be necessary to point out that the urban water supply system that existed in Somalia before degeneration into conflict was already constrained, poorly funded and mismanaged, and became inoperable after the civil crisis. This is the basis that informs the choice of comparison countries; Mozambique has an experience of nearly 20 years in war, and Ghana is muted as a model for other developing countries in efforts to curb most of their challenging problems. A brief background on Mozambique’s water provision system indicates that it was rendered useless

Assignment 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

1 - Assignment Example proach that is used by a management team in an organization to find means of improving the quality of the organization’s products and services based on constant refinements in reaction to customer feedback (Sakthivel et al, 2007). The requirements of TQM may be different depending on the type of organization or International Organization Standardization (ISO) series. TQM is applicable to all types of organizations. TQM originated from the manufacturing sector and is currently applied in any form of imaginable organization such as hospital, schools, churches, hotel industry, and highway maintenance. TQM, which is a current focus in e-commerce, it is part of quality management depending on the views of customers (Choisne, de Grosbois, & Kumar, 2009). Question 3: Quality management refers to a function used by companies to make sure that the quality of their operations and goods meets a certain level of standards. Organizational managers and owners are the individuals who typically play the role of setting quality standards for their organizations (Ōno, 2013). The two major parts of quality standards in an organization are design and process quality. Design quality standards define the requirements that goods and services must reach in order to be sold. Therefore, if the goods and services, lack some of these requirements, the company must make corrections to the goods before selling them. On the other hand, the purpose of process quality standards is to design the owner of a business from unnecessary costs that may result from manufacturing rejects or repairs. Process quality standards ensure that the production department follows set procedures in order to achieve the design quality standards. Question 4: In general, quality refers to a definite level or degree of excellence. Therefore, the cost of quality in the workplace refers to the costs incurred while preventing defects’ occurrence and the costs that a firm incurs due to evaluation of its progress

Points To Consider Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Points To Consider - Article Example 3. Achilles and Agamemnon only fell into conflict with each other after the war had already been going ten years. Their disagreements did not totally prevent the Greeks from achieving their ultimate goals, but it did hinder them somewhat. The conflict could not have really been avoided because they were two characters typical of Greek culture at that time: strong-willed alpha males who wanted personal glory for themselves more so than the aims of their nation. 1. The reason why Chimate Chumbolo tried to persuade the Dita people to use their own customs first is due to the fact that the culture was one based on mutual understanding where people were given the authority to solve their own differences. Also, it cost a lot to take disputes to Ethiopian courts, so convenience did play a large part in the decision. 2. It was important for Chimate Chumbolo to educate her people through a mediatory role because she understood Ethiopian law as well as Dita customs. She acted like a go-between for the Dita people and the Ethiopian government. 3. If a mediation meeting goes badly, Chimate Chumbolo first threatens each party by quoting a fake Ethiopian law that would punish each party severely, thus giving them incentive to work out their dispute by themselves. 1. Madison says that a democracy is where a government is made up of only a small amount of people, even though it is elected by a majority. A republic is where the government must answer to a greater number of citizens and thus has more power over them. 2. Madison saw a danger in allowing a majority faction to run a political structure that would divide the country. If one group had complete control of the government, it would be free to impose any laws it liked on the people. 3. Madison concedes that factions are a necessary evil in a political system, but he says that we must limit the damage they can have on society. Factions can be

Tourism marketimg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tourism marketimg - Essay Example These breaks supplement the main holiday. Athens too has become a city break destination because of the numerous attractions it offers. There are various reasons why city break tourism has been growing. There is increased holiday and leave entitlements apart from rising prosperity from double income families leading to higher disposable income (Dunne et al). The perception of travel has changed and besides low cost airlines has played a major role in promoting short city breaks. Motivations to travel is governed by the push and pull factors where the push factors refer to the desire to travel and the pull factors depend upon the choice of destination. The seven push motives were, escape from a perceived mundane environment, exploration and evaluation of self, relaxation, prestige, regression, enhancement of kinship relationships, and facilitation of social interaction while the two pull factors include education and novelty. As far as the push factors are concerned, the perceptions and preferences of people have changed. There is move away from mass consumption of standardized holidays and towards weekend and short break holidays. As far as the pull factors are concerned, Athens has many attractions to offer. Athens, the capital and the largest city in Greece is one of the world’s oldest cities. Athens can take the tourist back to the dawn of civilization. Known as the cradle of civilization and the seat of western philosophy, Athens brings together wisdom, art and culture in its attempt to meet the demands of the modern tourists. It is a city where democracy was born and most of the wise men of ancient times. The most important civilization of ancient world flourished in Athens. The city epitomizes epic beauty and is a magnificent classical testament to ancient grandeur (OT Beach, 2007). About half of Greece’s population lives in

Personal Fictional Writing Essay Example for Free

Personal Fictional Writing Essay Imagine you are Ralph on the island; write a series of at least three diary entries, which record important episodes during your stay there. Include in the entries your changing thoughts and feelings about what occurs and about yourself and the other boys with you. Diary Entry 1: Chapter 5: Beast from water I just do not understand. It is not meant to be like this. I mean, everything requires improvisation. I call a meeting and all of them, Jacks group of boys, think that they are there to make jokes. There is no time for fun, but business. I tell them about the huts and how they are unstable, but they remain pessimistic as if they have something better to do. What can that something be? Hunting. Well, Jack seems to think so. He said that he would hunt down the beast. Really, we do not even know if the beastie truly exists. Jack is so aggressive, marching on an army of anarchy among the boys to hunt down an imaginary beast. Mass hysteria erupted when one of the diffident littluns, Percival was his name, said that the beast came from the sea, like a giant squid. I really do not know what has gone into their poor, innocent souls, torturing them like that. The fear of the boys is mounting, day after day. Well, perhaps there could be a beastie. I know that even I am not immune to fear. Nevertheless, Piggy says there is no beast, so there isnt. Piggy knows. I mean, he is intelligent unlike me. He can think and make decisions without being unsuccessful with his natural, intellectual ability. He would be so much better at being chief than I am. It is just inequitable that Jack bullies him. But what can I do? Do I really want Jack on my back too? Its enough I cannot stand having him within a one-metre radius of me. Moreover, Jacks focus on hunting will prevent all of us on this island from leaving it and seal our fate as no more than animals. I just cannot help realising this. However, Jack and his hunters do not. It is simple to them: fear ferments and spreads in the group, so they result to violence and hunting as a solution to the obstacle. They do not care about where they use the lavatory, about keeping the fire going, or most importantly, getting rescued. Even the rules they do not care about. I am very frustrated. I just cannot stand this any more. Without my rules, there will be disastrous consequences to everything Jack and his hunters do. My rules keep the boys tethered to some semblance of society, but they seem oblivious to it and are willing to drop the rules like a hot pan. Life on this island just seems to get harder by every passing day. With Simon wandering off at night, no wonder the littluns are frightened. However, I should not let that bother me. On this island, there are by far more important things to do, like being rescued. How much boys on this island do believe in ghosts? What are the children on this island? Humans, animals, or savages? Piggy was head-on right by yelling at them. Surely, there are not any ghosts or beasties on this island, because Piggy told me so. He tells me everything, and everything he says is true. It has to be true. I feel as if I should step down as chief, for once and for all, but Piggys already warned me that if I do, Jack will become leader and the only thing he will lead us to do is hunt. But being rescued is better than hunting and I, for that matter, want to be rescued and back to my old life: with my mother and father. It is dreadful here. I try to shut my eyes of the surroundings that envelope me, and force the image of my life before this tragedy. Nothing. There is nothing to see. This life is like a virus, invading and sweeping the happy memories of my life before until there is nothing. I thought life here would be different, better somehow, but it seems that I got the contrary. Now, everything on this island makes me feel depressed. Even my own physical appearance, especially my hair; it has grown shabby and uncomfortably long. I have all grown shabby with neglect. With all the oppressive responsibility weighing down on my shoulders, I wish that the ground now would open up and swallow me down into its depth, to close me off the problems on this island, which I face. Diary Entry 2: Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall Trees This is it. A change from this place will do us all a whole lot of good. I have become so dirty and unclean over the past few months, that the conditions that I take myself for now is normal. The rest of the boys seem to take these conditions as normal too. The longing that I have for a deep, hot bath to purify my body and wrap me up in its enclosing warmth is unbearable. Every thing seemed to have been going well, but every step I take on this island to please Jack, just defines the how hard it will be, when you try to break the boys away from Jacks spell-binding habit: Hunting. Not that I am complaining. I followed the hunters today and the view that is to be seen on the opposite side of the island is utterly different to the view that is observed from the side of which we have settled in. However, although there are spectacular sceneries that can be viewed from this island, there is no place like home. The ocean is like a thick wall, an impermeable barrier, preventing my and the other boys escape. Simon seems to think that we will leave the island eventually. But I doubt that will ever happen. Simon is so batty. Now, with Jack thinking himself chief, everything is impossible. But I have to say, I did enjoy myself at the hunt. It was breathtaking. Originally, we were meant to be hunting down the beast, but Jack suggested that we could also hunt a pig in addition to continuing our search for the beast. It was smashing! I was excited so much that I was caught up in the adventure; I threw my spear at the boar, and hit it. But I suppose it was not much of a hit; it only nicked his snout. That was the first time I took aim and I cannot believe my luck. It has to be good marksmanship. I felt so exhilarated during the hunt, as the primal appeal of killing pigs dawned upon me. At least I have something to be proud of, other than some cut by a boars tusks. Jack thought that it was necessary to point the wound on his left arm out to the crowd of boys. I cannot understand Jack. He has such an eccentric personality; predictable though, he would not actually change much from his self-centred self. I hit the boar but he still pays the same attention as if I were thin air. The boys are impervious too, when they are around Jack that is. It is like he has the glamour that allows the other boys to be absorbed in him. No matter how much attention you persist or demand to acquire, the power that is bound inside Jack will not give in. I tried to show the boys that I was a good aimer, even though it was my first time hunting, but it was useless, like I said. Jack and the boys were truculent when they closed on towards Robert. They started chanting, Kill the Pig and I guess they were caught up in their momentum of chanting, that they actually started jabbing Robert with their spears, at first in jest, then with a more dangerous intent. He was yelping so much that I though my ears would give out. Instantly, all the excitement that I had in me from the hunt vanished. I was so glad that Robert escaped their grasp. I did join them with this too. I didnt know what was happening to me. The urge to kill was too overpowering. For all I know, we would have killed him. Jack was so self-absorbed, taking himself seriously, that he said that they could use a littlun next time to dress up as a pig, so that they can actually kill it. That was such a sick idea. They are taking a life away. The matter of life is not a game. However, the boys enamoured by Jacks statement began to laugh. This was not funny. They had to be reminded that this is only a game. I am starting to get concerned about the increasingly violent and impulsive behaviour of the hunters. Killing the littluns is trivial compared to what these hunters are capable of. We started climbing the mountain, as evening fell, and I realized that we would not be able to get back to the beach until morning. I did not want to leave Piggy with the littluns all night. I thought it was too much responsibility for one to handle, but I suppose Piggy would not mind; he will work things out easily. But Jack did not address this concern for Piggy kindly; he mocked me about it. What good chief would he make if he does not treat the boys with respect? But luckily Simon offered to go and inform Piggy of our whereabouts. Jack was still on his frenzy of hunting a pig, in the dark. Surely he could see that it was not a suitable time to hunt, but he is so impulsive that even he will not be blinded by the darkness that encloses the island. I thought that if we hunt in the morning it would be more apposite. He does not even think twice when I speak to him. I am chief, he should listen to me as any other boy on the island does. Giving the new understanding that Piggy provided me with, and sensing the hostility from Jack, I knew that he loathed me. I asked him why but he had no answer. What would he answer if he had one anyway? I never showed him any hatred but if he wants me to play his game, I will play. He was so pressing to climb up the mountain, even though most of the hunters were tired and, of course, afraid. It was unveiled in their eyes. At that moment I thought of going back myself too, but what Jack said obliged me to remain. He said that I was afraid. I am not afraid more than he is and he knows that, but he just doesnt want to admit it. I was surprised that my voice actually balanced itself proportionally, so that none of my reluctance or weakness showed. I was almost motivated by it. Just moments before this, Jack was accusing me of being afraid and now he was. He claimed that he saw something bulge on the mountain. Of course, due to my newfound bravery, I agreed to search for it immediately. But while I had a mask of bravery composed on my outside, inside I was not sure of what to do. Not sure about whether I should take a step forward or backward. What to do if the beast attacks me. It was so frustrating that it felt like the anxiety was scratching my brain away bit by bit. It seemed at the top of the mountain that I was paralysed. But I realised, eventually, what I was doing this for. To show Jack that I am not scared like he claims. So I fused my hatred for him, with my will and took two steps forward. That is when I saw it. My legs gave out under me, like an involuntary reflex reaction, but a button inside triggered me to get upon my feet as quick as I can and escape. It seemed like hours had passed in those few seconds for me to get over the shock of what I had just observed. It was like a huge rock thing and it bowed, and when the wind blew, it lifted its head to reveal a ruined face. It was unapproachable. Terrifying. I realised that the horror witnessed by the littluns in words, is inconsequential, in comparison to when you view the beast yourself. I am glad it is over for now, but I have a deep feeling that this thing, beastie, will not take long to return its visit. We must get prepared. Diary Entry 3: Chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness No one believes me. Even piggy. He was sceptical of the whole idea of me witnessing a beast on the top of the mountain. What angered me more is Jacks assurance to the group of boys that the hunters can defeat the beast. But are his hunters any good when faced with a beast that even the bravery of me, Roger and Jack could not defeat? His hunters are merely boys with sticks. I was right to point this out to him; he cannot be so ignorant of the beastie. Piggy said that I should not have called his boys that, but honestly, what choice did I have! And he never left it there either. Oh no. He called me a coward and accused me of calling the rest of his hunters cowards too. What right does he have to call me that? He even said that I am not a proper chief. As if he would be better than me as chief. All he cares about is hunting, hunting, hunting, and nothing else. If this is how he wants to live his life, then I doubt he will ever have a life, since he will be spending the rest of it on this doomed island. Adding more to this, the punch from the whole of this meeting came when he put my position of being chief in a vote, between him, and me to the boys. It is so hurtful when I think about it; I cannot believe that he holds such a grudge against me, that much to challenge my position of being chief. I have not did anything wrong to him. But, I guess I should not be so surprised. Its so Jack. Whenever he comes across something that he cannot stand, he feels compelled to sweep it out of his way. In this case, it is me. Oddly, I do feel sad and uneasy due to him leaving. I, certainly, was not expecting him to leave so quickly. Especially crying. The thought of him crying has never crossed my mind at all, even though I have been living with him for several months. It is not like him. He was always that kind of person like a rock, with his weaker feelings and emotions imperceptible, no one would have thought that he would be exposed so easily like that. Relieved that he left, Piggy and Simon seemed untouched, as if a burden has been lifted away from their shoulders. I guess they are calm now, since all Jack would do is pick on them, as they are the weaker vessels of the boys. Piggy tried to make me realise that there are potential benefits from Jack leaving, but I have this strong feeling inside me, telling me that something ominous is about to happen, resulting from this predicament. I just cannot put my finger on what is going to happen. He said that now we can start focusing on the fire more. Now that the fire has been built on the beach it may be difficult to see from far away, but at least somebody will keep it going. At least there is a trace of hope of being rescued. However, I really doubt that most of us will actually be rescued, as just after the building of the fire was done on the beach, I noticed several of the biguns missing. I did not know what to do. I felt as though Jack had taken part of me as an equipment to equip himself for evil and savagery on this island. The more I come to think about it, the clearer it becomes to me that Jack is the disruptive element and the root of destruction on this island. My authority is slipping away faster than I could imagine. Just a few months ago, I had it all, but now there is nothing left. I cannot understand the appeal of hunting if you do not attempt to be rescued at the same time. There is a battlefield of emotions warring in me. I tried to show the boys that I am a good chief, that I will get them rescued, but they were all oblivious to me and so left for Jack. It hurt so much that even speaking was like climbing a cliff for me. I suppose now everything is too late; everything is set in motion, I cannot do anything to change it. Maybe it would be better. We could be happier. Piggy says so. Piggy is so confident that everything will turn out to be okay, it almost scares me. We still have Samneric to help us keep the fire going, some littluns and I suppose Simon. Although Piggy and I never knew where he was, we thought that he might be climbing up the mountain. He would still stay unfazed by anything. He has cracked. With Simon, he is that kind of person that his feelings are buried deep inside him and you would have to dig a lot before reaching them. I am surprised that I never thought of Simon, in a way like this, before. You just have to listen to him to get to know him, but of course, Jack never listens to anybody or anything, so what would he know? At this point, I really dont care who I have got in my group as long as they are with me; I need all the support I can get. I was startled by the sudden uproar in the forest. Jack, wearing just dazzle paint and a belt, was even more startling. He told us that he and his group were living across the beach, by a flat rock, where they have fun. It was kind of him to invite us to join his tribe, but I know that if I were to join his tribe, there would be no going back and certainly no hope of rescue. I thought he was about to take the conch at first, when I saw him. I mean the conch to me is still a symbol of ritual and order, and without order on this island, there would be nothing. I still do not know why that thought passed through my head at that moment. But I saw that some of his hunters did take some branches of fire. Perhaps they took it to keep warm, or even cook their latest hunting victim on. But even by how much I would like to go to eat the meat and have fun, keeping the fire going was and is still the most important task at hand. It is going to be hard to keep the fire going, and the amount of wood that we need is even harder to get. I suppose Samneric could take two shifts. But Bill appeared sceptical to the whole idea that we will be capable of keeping the fire going. He suggested that we go to Jack and his hunters feast and tell them that the fire is hard among us. Moreover, the fact that there was meat there, hot and satisfying, was enough to make us sprint to cross our enemys border. Even Piggy could not resist. He was ravenous. I saw it in his eyes. Every face that my gaze landed upon was burning with the overwhelming hunger for meat. No one would ever let a chance like this pass by and we werent going to either. The thought of food and meat was too appealing, so we gave in to our desire.

Texas State Tort Claims Act Essay Example for Free

Texas State Tort Claims Act Essay This paper seeks to analyze and discuss State of Texas tort claim act and how it applies to local justice and security agencies. Local justice may be deemed to include any case that may be brought against the State of Texas, its agencies and its officials in their official capacities that could make them liable in the performance of their functions. On the other hand the security agencies may be treated as any other ordinary claimant for damages under the Tort Act since the law does specifically provide special exemption as to their treatment.    The waiver in the law talks about the State of Texas its agencies and its officials in their official capacities and providing for how the state could be liable to any claimant there are no special consideration as far as security agencies are concerned.  Ã‚   The rest of the paper will discuss more in detail about the scope and limitations of the Act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a general rule, a state is immune from suit hence the so called sovereign immunity, unless there is waiver. The Texas Tort Claims Act is therefore basically a passed legislative act as a waiver of the State of Texas, its agencies and its officials in their official capacities from lawsuits for damages. They can now be sued in court and these entities mentioned may now be made liable provided the conditions before they could be liable as provided in the act are complied with. There are also exceptions to the waiver as provided in court decisions (Driskill v. State, 787 S.W.2d 369, 370 (Tex. 1990)).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is the Texas Tort Claims Act in greater detail?     Ã‚  Ã‚  The Texas Tort Claims Act comprises a set of statutes for determining the liability of   governmental entity for   tortious conduct under law of the State of Texas. It may be noted that sovereign immunity is about non-suability of as a state under all conditions since the state may not be burdened with defending itself every time and then. However for consideration of either justice or equity, the state can make a waiver through legislation. It is therefore logical to agree that prior to the adoption of the Texas Tort Claims Act, individuals and entities in Texas including security agencies could are banned or prohibited from recovering damages from state or local governmental units for injuries as a result of negligent actions of a government employee or officer in the performance of a governmental function.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The state is justified in giving governmental units the sovereign immunity it deserves for the protection of the state from governmental time and resources which could be subjected to unnecessary diminishment from private litigation and persuade people and entities to bring many actions against public officials to the detriment of their functioning effectively. The rule is also believed to be a protection of the government from sham or false suits that otherwise may possibly go to the pockets of corrupts public officials or it could further drain government resources that are better used to promote public service.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Texas Legislature however in the exercise of its plenary law-making function evaluated the situation and ended up enacting the Texas Tort Claims Act in 1969.   The Tort Act specifically waived only sovereign immunity for a governmental entity while engaged in a governmental function.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Under the new law, a governmental unit in the state of Texas is now made liable for:   (1) property damage, personal injury, and death proximately caused by the wrongful act or omission or the negligence of an employee acting within his scope of employment.   This provision is however subject to further conditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One condition is that the State of Texas in only liable if the property damage, personal injury, or death arises from the operation or use of a motor-driven vehicle or motor-driven equipment.   As for the personal liability to the person killed it would be the negligent employee who would be personally liable to the claimant according to Texas law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The said part of the Tort Act should be further qualified by   Tex. Civ. Prac. Rem. Code  § 101.021 which provided that personal injury and death so caused by a condition or use of tangible personal or real property if the governmental unit would, were it a private person, be liable to the claimant according to Texas law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Are there liability limits for governmental units under the   Tort Act?  Ã‚   The answer to the question is in the affirmative since it is provided that that liability of a municipality under the Act is limited to maximum amount of $250,000 for each person in the form money damages in case the victim is more than one but the amount should not exceed $500,000 for each single occurrence in the case of bodily injury or death. As for single occurrence for injury to or destruction of property, the amount of damage that State of Texas could be liable is $100,000 for each (Texas Tort Claims Act, 1969).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Does the Act amend liabilities for the performance of proprietary functions? The answer to the question is in the negative as the Tort Act does not limit the liability of a city or agency of Texas for damages that result from the city or agency’s performance of proprietary functions. Since the new law in made to address performance of official governmental functions, it may be safe to state that prior to the passage of the Act, a city or agency in Texas could already be held liable for the negligent performance of these proprietary functions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As distinguished from governmental functions, Tex. Civ. Prac. Rem. Code  § 101.0215 (b) provides that proprietary functions are those functions that a municipality involve the exercise of discretion which is performed in the interest of the inhabitants of the municipality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Under Texas law, 36 thirty six activities that are considered governmental functions, hence activities not mentioned in the law under Tex. Civ. Prac. Rem. Code  § 101.0215   should be considered proprietary functions and therefore not covered by the Tort Act of 1969. In other words, there is no need for waiver for liability under proprietary acts since with or without the tort law the State of Texas could made liable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To understand these proprietary acts, there is need to enumerate some and these include the operation of amusements that are owned and operated by the municipality and the operation and maintenance of a public utility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For purposes of classifying whether an act is proprietary or not, the same may be considered propriety absent any evidence that it is part of the 36 enumerated governmental functions which are presumed exclusive. This carries a necessary implication for the purposes of implementing the Tort Act, any activity that the state or its agencies engages in ,when not part of the listed of governmental function, must be deemed proprietary in nature and the state, its agencies cannot invoke the immunity and this could mean unlimited amount of damages that the court may award.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the Act is a waiver of state immunity, hence implying immunity for those not waived. Hence it could be asked whether it grants implied immunity for individual public officials.   As illustrated earlier the employees was made liable for the personal injury not the property damage, hence the answer to the question is in the negative.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Act is clear that it applies only to immunity for the governmental entity itself or the state of Texas and its agencies. Issues of exemption public official from liability are not necessarily part of the state immunity but should be treated as issues under the concept of official immunity. To know the same there is need to   note how Texas courts   applied and adopted a doctrine of limited official immunity, where the courts may declare a public officer or employee not liable from personal liability for acts within the scope of the officer’s or employee’s governmental authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It must be made clear however that under present Texas case law, there is   either absolute immunity or qualified immunity (Olowofoyeku,1993; Rosenwein, 1999) to a public servant. This will depend upon the type of authority enjoyed by that individual. To illustrate, there is no question that judges are generally entitled to the defense of absolute or complete immunity in the exercise of judicial functions (Turner v. Pruitt, 342 S.W.2d 422, Tex. 1961). This is however limited as far as negligent acts are concerned. Moreover it must be made clear the judicial function of judges is always governmental and never proprietary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Having said this, it would mean that a great number of Texas public servants may only enjoy   defense of qualified immunity from liability, where the liability for discretionary actions could be appreciated if the officials acted in good faith within the scope of the officer’s or employee’s authority.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As to what constitutes an action to be in good faith is a question of fact while a discretionary action requires latitude of exercising judgment. Necessarily therefore, qualified immunity for ministerial or   mandatory actions should not be available since the public official is just complying with an order and therefore there is absence of choice (Worsham v. Votgsberger, 129 S.W. 157, Civ.App. 1919, no writ).The duties of jailers and sheriffs in their receipt and care for prisoners are typically considered or held to be ministerial, hence the same people could not just invoke qualified immunity as defense when they are charged in court to be negligent in their function.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It may be concluded that the State of Texas Tort Claim Act applies to local justice and security agencies the same with any other legal claimants in so far as the Tort Act allows the   State of Texas, its agencies and its officials in their official capacities to be liable since the law takes the nature of waiver from the general rule that the sovereign state is immune from suit.   A principle in law nicely puts it Where the law does not expressly exclude, the same must have been included. References: Driskill v. State, 787 S.W.2d 369, 370 (Tex. 1990) Olowofoyeku A. (1993) Suing Judges: A Study of Judicial Immunity; Clarendon Press, Rosenwein, B. (1999) Negotiating Space: Power, Restraint, and Privileges of Immunity in Early Medieval Europe   ; Cornell University Press Worsham v. Votgsberger, 129 S.W. 157 (Civ.App. 1919, no writ) Tex. Civ. Prac. Rem. Code  § 101.021. Tex. Civ. Prac. Rem. Code  § 101.0215 (b) The Texas Tort Claims Act of 1969 Turner v. Pruitt, 342 S.W.2d 422 (Tex. 1961).

Ofdm Techniques In Satellite Communications

Ofdm Techniques In Satellite Communications The concept of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing was first proposed in 1960 and developed in the 70s .All bandpass modulation schemes use single carrier by adjusting frequency, phase or amplitude .As Digital transmission uses high Bandwidth (data rates), the duration of bit information becomes smaller. The system becomes more vulnerable to loss of information from impulse noise,signal reflections and other impairments. As the bandwidth used by a single carrier system, the vulnerability to interference from other continuous signal sources become greater. ORTHOGONAL FREQUENCY DIVISION MULTIPLEXING Modulation:-A mapping of the information on changes in the carrier phase, frequency or amplitude or combination. Multiplexing:-Method of sharing a bandwidth with other independent data channels. OFDM is a combination of both multiplexing and modulation. OFDM is a special case of FDM . In OFDM the signal is first split into independent carriers, modulated by data and then re-multiplexed to create a OFDM carrier. This can be done by using different modulation/demodulation techniques. The FDM systems requires a guard band between modulated subcarriers to prevent the spectrum of one subcarrier from interfering with another and not using bandwidth efficiently as in fig(i). If the FDM system uses a set of subcarriers that are orthogonal to each other. The use of orthogonal subcarriers would allow the subcarriers spectra to overlap,thus increasing spectral efficiency. As long as orthogonality is maintained, it is possible to recover the individual subcarriers signals despite their overlapping spectrums. . Fig(1): General representation of an FDM scheme with guard bands. Fig(2): Orthogonal FDM, eliminating the guard bands. OFDM can be implemented using the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). The sinusoids of the DFT form an orthogonal basis set, and a signal in the vector space of the DFT can be represented as a linear combination of the orthogonal sinusoids. One view of the DFT is that the transform essentially correlates its input signal with each of the sinusoidal basis functions. The OFDM signal can be a baseband signal or a band pass signal. For wired systems, due to the limited bandwidth of the wires, baseband OFDM signals are transmitted. For wireless communications, such as wireless local area network (WLAN) specified by IEEE 802.11a standard OFDM signal frequency bands are allocated in the RF frequency band. In this case, OFDM signals are generated in baseband first and up-converted to the RF band for transmission. Mathematically, the OFDM signal using the DFT/IDFT pair would be as shown [4]: DFT: X(k)=ÃŽ £n=0to(N-1) x(n) exp(-j2Ï€nk/N) IDFT: x(k)=(1/N) ÃŽ £n=0to(N-1) X(n) exp(j2Ï€nk/N) Figure (3): General block diagram of OFDM MULTIPATH CARRIERS As OFDM uses Multipath carriers they cause two problems Intersymbol Interference:-This occurs when the received OFDM is distorted by the previously transmitted OFDM symbol.Where as in single carrier the interfere is due to several other symbols instead of just the previous symbol. Intersymbol Interference can be removed by using guard interval. Intrasymbol Interference:-This occurs due to the interference amongst a given OFDM symbols own subcarriers. Fig(4): Performance evaluation of various modulation techniques with OFDM OFDM ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OFDM offers many advantages over single-carrier modulations [1]: The maximum signaling rate (Nyquist rate) for a given channel can be approached without the use of sharp cutoff filters. It elongates the symbol period so that the signal is more robust against inter symbol interference caused by channel dispersions and multipath interference. It divides the entire frequency band into narrow bands so that it is less sensitive to wide-band impulse noise and fast channel fades. The effect of a slow frequency-selective fade is a separate complex gain on each sub-band signal and it can be removed by simply multiplying the signal by the conjugate of the complex gain-that is, equalization can be easily done by a one-tap equalizer. Different modulation formats and data rates can be used on different subcarriers depending on the noise level of individual sub-bands (the symbol periods are kept the same). In serial transmission, certain types of noise (such as time varying tone interference) may cause an entire system to fail; the parallel OFDM system can avoid this problem by adaptively reducing the data rate of the affected sub-bands or dropping them. OFDM can be implemented digitally using an inverse discrete Fourier transform and discrete Fourier transform (IDFT/DFT) pair (via the efficient fast algorithm IFFT/FFT pair), which greatly reduces the system complexity. OFDM is based on a parallel data transmission scheme that reduces the effect of multipath fading and makes the use of complex equalizers unnecessary. OFDM achieves high spectral efficiency by allowing the sub-carriers to overlap in the frequency domain. The sub-carriers are made orthogonal to each other therefore there is no Inter-Carrier Interference. If the number of sub-carriers in N, the total bandwidth required is BWtotal=(N+1)/Ts. For large values of N, the total bandwidth required can be approximated as BWtotal=(N)/Ts. On the other hand, the bandwidth required for single carrier transmission of the same data is BWtotal=(2N)/Ts. Thus we achieve a spectral gain of nearly 100% in OFDM compared to the single carrier transmission case. OFDM also have DISADVANTAGES over single carrier modulation systems The OFDM signal has a noise like amplitude with a very large dynamic range, therefore it requires RF power amplifiers with a high peak to average power ratio. It is more sensitive to carrier frequency offset and drift than single carrier systems are due to leakage of the DFT. High sensitivity to synchronization errors. Nonlinear effects generated by the power amplifier may introduce inter carrier interference and thus destroy the orthogonality. Larger sidelobes may result in sensitivity to frequency. APPLICATIONS OF OFDM Wireless LAN Applications HIPERLAN/2 HIPERLAN/2 is a Wireless LAN application defined by the ETSI. HIPERLAN/2 handles data rates between 6-54 Mbit/s. HIPERLAN/2 provides a DLC layer on top of which an IP based broadband network can be implemented. The Physical layer of HIPERLAN/2 is based on the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation scheme. The Numerical Values of OFDM parameters in HIPERLAN are given below: Parameter Value Sampling rate fs=1/T 20 MHz Symbol part duration TU 64*T 3,2  µs Cyclic prefix duration TCP 16*T, 0,8  µs (mandatory); 8*T, 0,4  µs (optional) Symbol interval TS 80*T, 4,0  µs (TU+TCP) ; 72*T, 3,6  µs (TU+TCP) Number of data sub-carriers NSD 48 Number of pilot sub-carriers NSP 4 Sub-carrier spacing à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾f 0.3125 MHz (1/TU) Spacing between the two outmost sub-carriers 16.25 MHz (NST*à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾f) IEEE 802.11 The IEEE 802.11 committee has a standard similar to the HIPERLAN. Its OFDM parameters are as shown below: Data Rate 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps Modulation BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM, 64 QAM Coding Rate 1/2, 2/3,3/4 No of Sub-Carriers 52 No of pilots 4 OFDM Symbol Duration 4 us Guard Interval 800 ns Sub-Carrier Spacing 312.5 kHz 3 dB bandwidth 16.56 MHz Channel Spacing 20 MHz Satellite Communication applications Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) Digital Audio Broadcasting is a new multimedia technology, with a good sound quality and better spectrum efficiency. The DAB system samples audio at a sample rate of 48 kHz and a resolution of 22 bits. Then the data is compressed to between 32 and 384 kbps. A rate  ¼ convolution code is used with constraint length 7. The total data rate is about 2.2 Mbps. The frame time is 24ms. QPSK modulation is performed at the transmitter. The advantage of using OFDM for DAB is that the OFDM suffers very little delay spread and has high spectral efficiency. Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T) Digital Video Broadcasting is an ETSI standard for broadcasting Digital Television over satellites, cables and through terrestrial (wireless) transmission. Terrestrial DVB operates in either of 2 modes called 2k and 8k modes with 1705 carriers and 6817 carriers respectively. It uses QPSK, 16-QAM or 64-QAM subcarrier modulations. It also uses pilot subcarrier for recovering amplitude and phase for coherent demodulation The major use of OFDM can be observed when multiple techniques can be transmitted and received at the same time. This can be done with the help of MIMO OFDM. The transmitted signal will be received by various VSAT networks based on the corresponding frequencies. Further, processing of this signal and error corrections, the original signal is retrieved. For example, consider that a DAB, DVB and other geological information is received by various antennas as shown in the figure. NEWEST RESEARCH AND FUTURE TRENDS OF OFDM One of the methods developed in the recent years is that the convolutional coding (CC) and trellis coded modulation (TCM) are combined with OFDM for a Rician fading channel according to the specifications given by the Iridium system. Here, the bit error rate (BER) performance of OFDM with 8-PSK and 16-QAM modulation techniques along with two different coding schemes are considered for a LEO satellite channel. Trellis coded OFDM gives the best performance compared to convolutional coded OFDM. The peak to average power ratio (PAPR) can be reduced approximately by 1.5 dB with the help of the partial transmit sequence technique (PTS). Later, some more research and simulation results proved that the Turbo Coded (TC) OFDM performed better than CC or TCM with OFDM [6]. Satellite mobile systems are developed to provide connectivity between remote terrestrial networks, direct network access, Internet services using fixed or mobile terminals, interactive multimedia applications, and high data-rate transmissions. Most of these research and development scenarios have considered the Non-Geo Stationary Satellite (NGSO) network for providing satellite-based mobile multimedia services because of its low propagation delay and low path loss. As a result, new generations of broadband satellite communication systems are currently being developed to support multimedia and Internet-based applications. For example, the Spaceway system provides downlink transmission rates of up to 100 Mbps, and a total capacity of up to 4.4 Gbps. In order to significantly increase the capacity of 4G broadband satellite systems, current research aims at developing new advanced technologies [5]. In the wireless system, OFDM is the main basis for several television and radio broadcast applications, including the European digital audio broadcasting (DAB) and high-definition TV (HDTV) terrestrial broadcasting as well as North American digital radio broadcasting. By the beginning of the 21st century, OFDM has been adopted as standard for new high-rate wireless local area network (WLAN), such as IEEE 802.11, HIPERLAN II, as well as the Japanese Multimedia Mobile Access Communications (MMAC). Currently, many researches are underway to devolve an OFDM-based system to deliver mobile broadband data service at data rates comparable to those of wired services, such as DSL and cable modems. Moreover, OFDM technology is a very attractive candidate when targeting high quality and high flexibility in mobile multimedia communications over satellite systems [6]. When the research interest is in the integration process of 3G terrestrial systems with the satellite domain, the conventional frequency division MAS (FDMA) system looses its flavor in competing with the code division MAS (CDMA) and time division MAS (TDMA)-based systems for its very high bandwidth (BW) requirement. Moreover, in satellite systems, it is shown that CDMA system outperforms the FDMA system when diversity is taken in to account. In this case, OFDM replaces FDMA with manifold advantages. Currently wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) and OFDM/TDMA techniques are successfully in use in terrestrial mobile multimedia systems. Therefore, these two Multiple Access schemes (MASs) are getting considerable attention [7] in mobile multimedia communications for Non-Geo Stationary Satellite interface.

Springsteens The Ghost of Tom Joad relationship with Steinbecks Grape

In 1995, Bruce Springsteen produced an album titled â€Å"The Ghost of Tom Joad†. Its title track brings out a lot of ideas from John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath. Migrant workers, as explained in chapter twenty three of The Grapes of Wrath, used music as a main source of entertainment. They would play the harmonica, the guitar, and the fiddle, while the other workers would dance and be jolly, despite how bad the work was that day. The instrumentals of the song are harmonica and acoustic guitar. This helps to bring out both the theme of the song and the ideas from the book. The seventh line of the song is â€Å"Families sleepin' in their cars in the southwest† (The Ghost of Tom Joad 1995). In the book, while the families were driving through the southwest to find better jobs in California, some families were only able to sleep in their cars. Most families could barely afford the cars they were traveling in, let alone a nice place to stay along their journey. The eighth line is, â€Å"No home no job no peace no rest† (The Ghost of Tom Joad 1995). These eight word phrase says a lot. The migrant workers had no home, at least not a stable one. This was because they had no steady job. They were never really at peace with themselves, for they could not forgive themselves for leaving their land in Oklahoma. They had trouble getting rest because they were always so hungry. This one line almost completely sums up the lives of the migrant workers characterized in this novel. The next two lines, â€Å"The highway is alive tonight, But nobody's kiddin' nobody about where it goes† (The Ghost of Tom Joad 1995), are talking about Route 66. This highway is the one that all of the Okies traveled on to get to Califo... ...e." (The Ghost of Tom Joad 1995) This final verse explains what Tom says when he is leaving the family so that they don’t have an extra mouth to feed. When he leaves, after killing a second man, he tells his mom that he plans to carry on Casy’s plans of unionization. He says that he will be everywhere that the migrant farm workers, his people, are starving and being treated unfairly. I believe it is obvious that Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath greatly influenced Bruce Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad. There is much evidence to prove it. Even the title of the song proves it. There is no way that u can say there is no connection between the two wonderful works of art. Works Consulted Springsteen, Bruce. "The Ghost of Tom Joad." By Bruce Springsteen. Rec. 1995. The Ghost of Tom Joad. Steinbeck, John. New York, New York: Penguin Classics, 1939.

The Debate :: Personal Narrative Essays

The Debate      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Memory can be so fickle.   Like some great book that is slowly loosing its pages, you begin with an entire novel full of details and descriptions and, if you're not careful, you end up with nothing more than the cover and the brief synopsis on the back page.   My novel on the subject of the end of summer school debate has lost its share of pages but the back-cover synopsis, the essence of the entire experience, is still with me.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"We are about to begin our annual debating tournament,† the instructor beamed with an enthusiasm that let each of us know how happy he was that we had made it this far.   â€Å"It will be the culmination of your six weeks of learning and will count as a considerable part of your grade for the course.   We will begin at eight tomorrow morning.   Get some practice, get some sleep, see you there.†      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I don't know what drew me to the course but I can remember my parents telling me they felt I should go to summer school.   I was opposed to the concept of summer school right up to the moment I was issued the dictum â€Å"go to school or get a job†, at which point I became the world's greatest advocate of off-season learning.   Besides, I was only fifteen and the workplace just wasn't ready for me.   So I thumbed through the course book, singing a chorus of no's until I arrived on the Debate and Public Speaking page.   There resided a large photograph of a boy confidently standing behind an ornate podium, clearly frozen in the middle of some captivating and influential argument.   I read the passage describing the course and was immediately sold.   How could a stuffy math class or a trivial course in art compare to â€Å"a course that teaches students the skills and techniques of competitive debate, culminating in a week long tournament?† So I filled out the forms and mailed them and before I knew It I was sitting in a lecture hall, learning the skills and techniques of competitive debate.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I have said, I was only fifteen and perhaps this debating course was not yet ready for me either.   I was both the youngest and least experienced of the lot.   Little could be done to gain ground on the former adversity, but I set about rectifying th latter by filling a notebook with all the wisdom that the teacher could impart to us during the hour long periods.   When it was time for The Debate :: Personal Narrative Essays The Debate      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Memory can be so fickle.   Like some great book that is slowly loosing its pages, you begin with an entire novel full of details and descriptions and, if you're not careful, you end up with nothing more than the cover and the brief synopsis on the back page.   My novel on the subject of the end of summer school debate has lost its share of pages but the back-cover synopsis, the essence of the entire experience, is still with me.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"We are about to begin our annual debating tournament,† the instructor beamed with an enthusiasm that let each of us know how happy he was that we had made it this far.   â€Å"It will be the culmination of your six weeks of learning and will count as a considerable part of your grade for the course.   We will begin at eight tomorrow morning.   Get some practice, get some sleep, see you there.†      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I don't know what drew me to the course but I can remember my parents telling me they felt I should go to summer school.   I was opposed to the concept of summer school right up to the moment I was issued the dictum â€Å"go to school or get a job†, at which point I became the world's greatest advocate of off-season learning.   Besides, I was only fifteen and the workplace just wasn't ready for me.   So I thumbed through the course book, singing a chorus of no's until I arrived on the Debate and Public Speaking page.   There resided a large photograph of a boy confidently standing behind an ornate podium, clearly frozen in the middle of some captivating and influential argument.   I read the passage describing the course and was immediately sold.   How could a stuffy math class or a trivial course in art compare to â€Å"a course that teaches students the skills and techniques of competitive debate, culminating in a week long tournament?† So I filled out the forms and mailed them and before I knew It I was sitting in a lecture hall, learning the skills and techniques of competitive debate.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I have said, I was only fifteen and perhaps this debating course was not yet ready for me either.   I was both the youngest and least experienced of the lot.   Little could be done to gain ground on the former adversity, but I set about rectifying th latter by filling a notebook with all the wisdom that the teacher could impart to us during the hour long periods.   When it was time for

Economic and Social Factors that Affected the Slavery of the South Essay

Slavery had been one of the most controversial and important issues in the history of the United States. The distinction between the whites and the African American slaves could be rooted way back in the past events of the country even when the United States was still under the British rule. Because of this, the turn of events in the country is also related with slavery. The changes in the social and economic factors of the country greatly influenced the situation of slavery in the south. The desire for independence by the Americans has been the primary motivating factor that droved the social changes in the country. However, slavery was regarded as the biggest irony in America’s battle for freedom because their existence is a clear proof that the idea of liberty is more of a privilege rather than an inherent and equal right for all. This is proven by the fact that during the revolution, slavery was already considered as part of the old institution in America. Slavery was present in every colony and became the basis for the economy and social structure from Maryland southward. At the very least, 40 percent of Virginia’s population and at even higher numbers in Georgia and South Carolina had been slaves (Foner 230). Being the case, slavery created a huge impact in the south because their source of living and there very lifestyle have been dependent upon the work that slaves give. This is also the reason that the initiatives to abolish slavery greatly threatened the south. In 1840s, the expansion to the west played an important role as it moved slavery in the center of American politics. The depression that started in 1837 paved the way for the large migration of settlers in further west. The years between 1840 and 1845, about 5,000 emigrants traveled the 2,000 mile journey by wagon train to Oregon. The settlement of some Americans in Oregon perpetuated the southern attitude of patronizing slaves since some of them brought their slaves with them. Nevertheless, the settlement in Oregon is not the main reason for the emergence of the issue of slavery; rather the nation’s acquisition of Mexico caused it. The primary part of Mexico that was settled by a substantial number of Americans was Texas. This could be attributed from the fact that the Mexican government allowed Moses Austin, a farmer born in Connecticut, to permit the Americans to colonize it. In 1820, Austin received a large land grant, which he sells in small portions to Americans settlers. The issue of slavery arises because Mexico already abolished slavery. In April 1836, Sam Houston and his forces defeated the army of Santa Anna, which brought about the independence of Texas. The interest of the South was triggered by this event because they believed that including Texas in the Union and even dividing it to several states could increase their power in the Congress (Foner 465-466). The Compromise of 1850 was created in order to maintain peace within the Union. This helped the south in the sense that the compromise still allows the slavery and only abolished slave trade. The Compromise also left the white inhabitants in the territories of Mexico to decide whether they will continue with slavery or not. In the same manner, the Fugitive Slave Act also aided the south in capturing run-away slaves without the interference of local authorities. Southern leaders support measures that sent federal agents to states in the north in order to capture fugitives. It is also regarded that the Fugitive Slave Act is an example of how the government abided by the interests of the south (Foner 477-479). However, the Fugitive Slave Act also made many people especially from the North realize that this kind of law infringes upon the rights of the citizens as well as of the state. Being the case, this started the changes in the concept of state’s right. The leadership of Stephen A. Douglas helped the states to resolve its dispute regarding the issue of slavery. He hoped to solve the dispute among the northerners and southerners in Congress by applying the principle of popular sovereignty. Sovereignty would allow the local settlers of every state to vote whether they are in favor of slavery or not instead of the Congress. Douglas deemed that popular sovereignty symbolizes the idea of local self-government and it also created a middle ground between the North and South (Foner 479-480). The discussions above show that the underlying concern of the southern sector is to protect their interests. They were very keen in acquiring the necessary power in Congress in order for them to prevent the abolition of slavery, wherein they are greatly dependent upon in terms of their means of income and the overall development of their agricultural sector. Because of this, they are very vigilant of the social and economic changes that are happening in the country in order to make sure that their stakes and interests are safeguarded. Work Cited Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty: An American History. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2007.

Finding Scripture: Knowledge, Purpose and Suffering Essay

For Part 1 of this assignment, you will complete this worksheet by finding the Scriptures listed below. Watch the â€Å"Suffering and Death† video located at http://lc.gcumedia.com/zwebassets/courseMaterialPages/cwv101_vpv01GUI.php Please keep your answers brief. Solid academic writing is expected. Refer to the GCU Academic Writing Guidelines in the Student Success Center. Give a brief summary after each passage listed below. Knowledge: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 – writings that those who followed Christ would be accepted by God 2 Peter 1:21 – those that believed, followed what God said Hebrews 1:1 – God taught his people everything  Psalm 19 – Even though God can’t talk back to us, he can hear everything that we speak of. Write 2-3 sentences explaining how the four passages above might shape the Christian worldview: Through all of life’s lessons we have one person to thank and that’s God. He is always there when we need him, even though he may not be able to give us the answers we are looking for he will lead us in the right path. Give a brief summary after each passage listed below. Purpose: Genesis 37-50 – Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 – God has created a place and time for all of us. No matter what situation we are in, he will always be there for us Romans 8:28-39 – No matter what happens to us God has a purpose for us, and will always show our love towards him Write 2-3 sentences explaining how the three passages immediately above might shape the Christian worldview: Explains to us that no matter what happens in life, God is always there. He will never give us something we can’t handle. He has a purpose for everyone, even though we may not understand it at the time we will make it through. See Part 2 of this assignment on the next page. Part 2 – Journal on Suffering Use the space below to compose a journal of 250-500 words on suffering by answering the following: Describe a time when you entered a prolonged period of suffering and how you responded in body, soul, and spirit. In other words, how did you deal with that time mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually? What did you run to in order to find comfort and to ease the stress and pain of that trial? In what ways did that time challenge, refine, or confirm your worldview? APA is not required for this assignment but solid academic writing is expected. A time where I entered a prolonged period time of suffering was when my grandpa passed away September 8, 2009. I was only 21 years old, and I spent the last week of his life by his side in a nursing home. Grandpa and I were very close, and I cherished every moment we spent together. During his last week my aunt and cousin (whom are witnesses) went over a bunch of different scriptures each night and they would explain the meanings behind them and why they were so important for us to read at that time. The day of his funeral I cried and felt so empty inside until I walked into the church. Even though I cried throughout the whole funeral service, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. It was one of the hardest times I have ever had to deal with. Weeks, even years have passed, we have lost seven more family members since then, and I still can’t overcome the fact that my grandpa is no longer with us. My heart still feels like it has a part missing and it won’t ever be full. I eventually turned to my cousin and aunt down in Tennessee to talk about everything that I was feeling. It helps a little bit but it’s still very hard. One thing that I found myself turning to for the first year after grandpas passing was alcohol. At the time I thought it was going to help me stop feeling the way that I was. Soon I found out that it was just making things worse. So to keep myself busy, and to keep me away from turning to alcohol I started working more, hanging out with friends at home instead of the bars, and I also got back into school. I don’t feel like grandpas passing changed/refined/ or confirmed my worldviews at all. With my aunt and cousin being witnesses, they would talk about the differences with how they read the bible and the Christians read the bible which made me do a lot of thinking on things, but it never changed my worldviews.

Analysis of the Allegory of the Cave Essay

Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† presents a visualization of people who are slaves that have been chained in front of a fire their whole lives. These people observe the shadows of different things shown on the cave wall that is in front of them. The shadows are the only â€Å"reality† the slaves know. This is because they have never seen anything else to compare them to. Plato argues that there is a critical flaw in how people mistake their limited perceptions as reality, as truth, and as what they believe to be what is good. The allegory reveals how the flaw affects our education, our spirituality, and our politics. The flaw that Plato speaks about is how people trust what they see and think it is real. In The Allegory of the Cave, the slaves in the caves know that the shadows, shown on the wall by the fire behind them, are real. If they were to talk to the shadows echoes would make the shadows appear to talk back. To the slaves, as Plato puts it, â€Å"the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images†¦. † The allegory also talks about how a slave is later brought out of the cave, in what Plato refers to as â€Å"the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world. † Once out of the cave, the slaves discover that what they thought was real is not. They learn to understand all of these new images as what is real and what is true. Since the slaves have been in the dark for all their lives, both literally and metaphorically, the light blinds them. Representing knowledge, the light is too brilliant for them to see and comprehend. The slaves must be re-educated. They have to learn that the reflections are truer than shadows and the objects truer than reflections. They must deal with a new reality that does not exist within the cave. Plato says that these people who are brought out of the cave must go back into the cave to educate the other slaves. But the only people who should be allowed back into the cave are the ones who are willing to go back. The people must teach the other slaves about the reality outside of the cave, and what is outside of the slaves’ reality. These are representing the philosophers in the allegory. The capacity to learn exists in the soul. Humans need to use their whole soul to learn, not just use their eyes. The allegory states that, â€Å"†¦the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already; and that just as the eye was unable to turn from the darkness to light without the whole body, so too the instrument of knowledge can only y the movement of the whole soul be turned from the world of becoming into that of being†¦. † According to Plato, human beings’ misperception about â€Å"reality† also affects the spiritual growth of that person. When the slave makes the ascent out of the cave that they have been in their entire life and sees the sun, they will be reminded of God. Plato wrote about how the slaves may even mistake the sun for God because the slaves would have no real perception of what the sun or what God looks like. Having moved from darkness into light, the slaves come to the conclusion that this bright light must be God. Plato argues that one’s soul holds knowledge of what is true. When one learns, one simply remembers. People originate from Heaven where they knew the truth. In the Bible it even talks about how on the outside people are wasting away every day but on the inside they are being renewed every day. One is renewed day by day by remembering things that their soul knows, but that they have forgotten. Also, Plato discredits a government run by the people in the cave who are uneducated and yet still fight for power. He also argues that the people who have made the ascent from the cave must govern, for they know what is real and what is not real because they understand that the shadows are only dreams, or something that is unreal. Plato says it is difficult to go back down into the darkness after somebody has seen the light, but they must. They must educate the slaves about the world above, so the slaves understand that power is not the greater good. Even though it will be about ten times harder to readjust to the darkness after descending into the cave again they will see about ten times better, because now they know the shadows are not real. They will govern with knowledge of good and truth. I believe that the Allegory of the Cave simply states that we must question reality and we must not trust just what our eyes tell us. We must know more than just what the eyes see. The slave in the allegory that makes the ascent and eventually rejects the truth of the shadows comes to know a truer truth. But then they believe what their eyes show them that is on this world. They have forgotten that they must question reality, because how are they to know that this reality is realer than that of the caves’? Somebody may wonder what if we are the shadows in the cave. And who knows. It corresponds to having an imaginary friend when a person is younger. The imaginary friend is very real to whoever the befriended person is, but as the person gets older or makes the ascent to the world of knowledge, they will mostly likely reject their childhood imaginary friends. Everybody is faced with a different reality where they start to believe that what their eyes show them is the only truth. They forget to question things and don’t realize that maybe there is yet another ascent, out of this bigger â€Å"cave† of the light. It may be something that nobody will know about until they reach the point of ascent. Human beings’ knowledge of goodness, reality, and truth will forever be limited by their fear of new ideas and new perspectives. As long as people are afraid of questioning what they cannot see, they will be stuck, chained up as slaves who are trapped in the darkness of the unknown in their very own cave.

Being Human

As we all know that we are all human beings with uniqueness. Each one of us has different and unique traits, personalities, features and is in total different from an animal or any creatures on the earth. This means to say that we as a human being cannot be like another animal or machine on earth. We have our own set of feelings, habits, likes and dislikes, etc. In fact it can be said that we are probably the only creatures on earth that give priority and importance to relationship and love. However, since these aspects are basically the study of mind we cannot claim that love does not exist among other creatures.Many of us who are used to having pets at home understand the extent to which an animal can express love. However, we cannot judge of the concepts of sin, reasoning, self-awareness, critical thinking, individuality, emotions, empathy, etc. in case of animals. Individuals with psychological problems, sadistic personality disorder, transgressive behavior, cannibals and murdere rs can therefore be considered as being inhuman. There are also instances when human beings under the effect of drugs, neuroscience, introspection, and experiences cause irreversible changes in their traits and characteristics.There are several literatures that talks about the stories of people who were inhuman. There are people who are more â€Å"humane† than the humans around them. This, perhaps, is what really the meaning of being human. There are many people today who are arguing that the present trends in science and technology has kept man and god together. For instance, technologies such as cloning and stem cells have brought in the capability to create a whole new organism. Human beings or for that matter any organism is a result of natures cloning.However, today manmade cloning is a subject of controversy and has raised several ethical questions. There are several arguments made for and against cloning. Some have put forth valid arguments stating the immorality of cl oning. Others use the religion argument saying it goes against God's intention (McCoy n. pag). For any technology to progress and produce beneficial results it is essential that we look at the positive impacts that these technologies may have on the society. There are several researchers who have tries to divine the word being human. For instance, â€Å"Rev. Mitsuo Aoki, Ph.D has said that â€Å"The greatness of aging is to enable you to realize for the first time the deeper meaning of that it means to be human. Not the religious, not that, but more human and it's only in this process of aging that this quality of being human is realizable. You begin to understand the nature of faith, the meaning of hope. And so hope is not about something you achieved, but the life that is always shining in front of you†¦ Is beckoning you. And you only understand that in the process of aging. It's amazing what has been manifested in this process. That beyond all these things is something we call love†¦love. † (KGMB9) Different group of people define this term differently. For instance, â€Å"the constructivists state that Human Nature is a simple cultural artifact†. Sociobiologists, however, are determinists. They consider that human nature – being the inevitable and inexorable outcome of the inhuman ancestry – cannot be the subject of moral judgment†. Human dignity is indeed used to indicate that all human beings have intrinsic worthiness. Every human deserves unconditional respect and is not related to any difference in age, sex, anthropological origin, health, political boundaries, religion, or personal history.In other words it can be said that these are exclusively human. According to the Catholic thought â€Å"human dignity† is linked to an array of human life issues. For instance, it includes health care ethics. In other words catholic moral thoughts are the basic tradition’s understanding of common justice, th e common good, and the right to life and the right to health care in all aspects (Ascension Health). We as human beings have the right to choice and can select what we want in our life. This is not true in the case of animals.Self organizing is another aspect of human beings that is rare in other animals. We live as a social being and participate in the political system. The term being human can be easily understood if we know the meaning of being inhuman. Inhuman means lacking kindness, pity, or compassion or being cruel to other human beings, nature, or any organism. These acts are easily recognizable and are to a greater extent disliked by the majority of us. Besides, the ability to communicate to each other using different languages, the educational background, the society and the impact of religion makes us more human.Morality and immorality is the term that is used to define if a human being can be considered being human or inhuman. Additionally, the concepts of mortality/immo rtality mirror on the promises of life and the predictability of death. It is throughout human development, even for early man called the Neanderthals, this concept has been dominant and in some cultures it is believed that life after death is a reality. The present state of knowledge of the human being is one which has been developed using the special skills and intelligence of human beings.However, it is more by the materialistic thinking of modern technological science. We as human beings need to be more compassionate towards other creatures, nature and think of the development in a sustainable manner. It is also important to realize that we are human beings and not machines. Often times, in today’s run for success and fame, people are not realizing the basic needs of self, family as well as other related organisms. Cooperate world is more like using humans as machines to make profit, to achieve targets and generally think of the human body as being merely an elaborate mac hine which is a real problem.It is essential to realize that we as human beings need to be human to ourselves and other fellow human being with all the non-material aspects of the human being- thinking, feeling, attitudes, emotions, mores, imagination, etc. Work cited Ascension Health. Principle of Human Dignity (2007) KGMB9. The Deeper Meaning of Being Human†¦ Love (2008) McCoy, L. Lloyd's pro cloning essay. (1998).

Bio Of Jonathan Swift Essay Research Paper

Bio Of Jonathan Swift Essay, Research Paper Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin on November 30, 1667. His male parent had died before his birth, and shortly after he was born, his female parent returned to Leicestershire. He was left in the attention of his three uncles, peculiarly his Uncle Godwin. It is believed that this state of affairs, along with his unstable homelife, led to a sense of insecurity and forsaking that he carried with him for the remainder of his life. At age 6, he was sent to the best school in Ireland, the Kilkenny School. Then at age 15 he entered Trinity College, located in Dublin. He did non pay much attending to his surveies, and in 1686 he received his degree speciali grata ( by particular favour ) . He continued surveies at Trinity in hopes of deriving an advanced grade, but because of political agitation he was forced to travel to England in 1689. In England, he worked as a secretary to Sir William Temple at Moor Park, Surrey. Swift worked with Temple, a diplomat and author who was fixing his memoirs, for the following 10 old ages. It was here that he met Esther Johnson, the love of his life, whom he nicknamed Stella. Simultaneously, he attended Oxford where he have his M.A. in 1692. He wished to come in political relations but settled alternatively for the church, in which he was ordained in 1694. In January of 1695 he was ordained priest, Prebend of Kilroot. In 1697 he wrote The Battle of the Books, which was subsequently published in 1704. In the ulterior 1690? s he wrote The Tale of the Tub, his first published work. When Temple died in 1699, Swift went back to England every bit chaplain to the Earl of Berkely. In 1700, he became one of the canons of St. Patrick? s Cathedral and wrote articles and letters for the English Whigs. In 1702 he moved back to England in hope of political assignment, and it was here that he published A Tale of the Tub. It was a sarcasm on corruptness in faith and acquisition. Battle of the Books was a mock heroic sarcasm. The eye-popping sarcasm of these plants earned him ill fame but no assignment. The Bickerstaff Papers ( 1707-09 ) , some of which foremost appeared in Richard Steele? s Tatler, a newspaper to which Swift frequently contributed, demolished the pretenses of John Partridge, a popular astrologist. In 1709 he was sent to London to beg financess for his church in Ireland. The Whig leaders refused to allow his petition because they were sympathetic to the Puritans and dissidents. Although Swift had been a member of the Whig party since birth, he was uncomfortable with many of the party? s beliefs. Swift? s fright of the Puritans caused him to exchange si des to the Tory party in 1710. The Tories recognized that Swift was a valuable plus to their cause, and made him editor of their diary, the Examiner. This made him an unofficial power in English political relations, every bit good as a prima author. Later that twelvemonth, he learned of his female parent? s decease, but he was non really affected since she played a minimum function in his life and upbringing. During this clip period, his friends included, Steele, Alexander Pope and John Gay. His life at this clip is recorded in the Journal to Stella, which were his letters to Esther Johnson. In 1713, the Scriblerus Club was founded by Swift, Pope, Parnell, Gay, and Arbuthnot. When the Tories fell in 1714, his political power ended. Swift was so appointed Dean of St. Patrick? s. This station carried great prestigiousness, but it made it impossible for him to go forth Ireland. Ireland in the eighteenth century was a settlement of England, exploited by absentee English landlords and denied self-determination. The spectacle of Irish servitude in general and in peculiar a strategy by one William Wood, who had received a royal patent to publish a new Irish mintage and planned to gain from corrupting it, provoked Swift in 1724 to compose the Drapier? s Letters, cheering the Irish to decline Wood? s mintage and develop their ain economic system. The development of the Irish economic system was besides the subject of his last and most superb sarcasm, A Modest Proposal, ( 1729 ) in which he ironically counseled his c ountrymen to turn their kids into a hard currency harvest. These attempts made Swift a national hero, but even so did non accommodate him to populating in Ireland. In 1726 Jonathan Swift visits England with a manuscript for Gulliver? s Travels, which was published anonymously. This was his last visit to England, that same twelvemonth Gulliver? s Travels was translated into French, German, and Dutch. In 1728, Esther # 8220 ; Stella # 8221 ; Johnson died. In 1731, Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, was written. In 1732, Swift? s beloved friend John Gay died. In 1735, Faulkner publishes Swift? s plants and the corrected version of Gulliver? s Travels. Swift? s concluding old ages are the topic of some contention. Some have suggested that Swift went insane, but that theory has non been confirmed. It is known that Swift suffered from dizziness, due to an interior ear disease. However he remained inactive throughout the 1730? s, before enduring a shot in 1742. He declined mentally and in 1742 he was declared unfit to pull off himself. For the following three old ages, Swift was cared for by defenders. On October 19, 1745 Jonathan Swift died. He was buried in St. Patrick? s Cathedral, following to Stella. On the wall following to his casket is an epitaph written himself. It reads: # 8220 ; The organic structure of Jonathan Swift, Doctor of Sacred Theology, dean of this cathedral church, is buried here, where ferocious outrage can no more lacerate his bosom. Go, traveller, and imitate, if you can, one who strove with all his strength to title-holder autonomy # 8221 ; . As a ironist Swift? s technique was to make fictional talkers, such as Lemuel Gulliver and the Modest Proposel, who arrant sentiments that the intelligent reader will acknowledge as sinfully self-satisfied, narcissistic, stupid, or mad. Swift is therefore the maestro of unostentatious sarcasm, and his name has become practically synonymous with the type of sarcasm in which the most hideous statements are offered in a straight-faced mode. He has frequently been accused of a morbid preoccupation with physical decay. It should be remembered, nevertheless, that this preoccupation belongs technically to his talkers, of whom Swift did non anticipate the reader to O.K. .

Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diplomacy - Essay Example The evolving elements of world politics can be identified as the accelerators of the transformation to the modern day diplomacy. There exist a direct impact of politics on diplomacy and diplomatic relations between nations. Numerous changes have been realized in the evolution of diplomacy. The old elements of diplomacy did not become extinct; they only evolved and changed with the times. Characteristics of diplomacy The old diplomacy The old diplomatic system can be characterized by the use of bilateral negotiations. This negotiation takes place between two nations or two representatives (Rourke, 263). In the context of this system, the negotiating parties were only presenting the views they had been sent to present. The process usually took long because of the limited power bestowed on the diplomats. Rarely did the heads of states meet face-to-face to negotiate anything. The use of emissaries was an extremely popular characteristic of the old diplomacy. Modern era diplomacy The mode rn diplomacy can be characterized by multilateral negotiations (Rourke, 263). These involve numerous countries negotiating towards a common goal. The rising number of global issues of concern can be attributed to the adoption of this system. The changes have been necessitated by one issue, like global warming, affecting many countries. Bilateral negotiations take place through conferences and meetings of several parties with a common goal. The comparisons Though diplomacy can be said to have evolved, the goal it aims at achieving remains the same. Reaching an agreement or coming up with a solution to a problem remains the core goal of diplomacy. This conclusion does not regard any of the diplomatic systems. However, numerous evolvements have created a change in diplomacy, and hence the transition from the old diplomacy to the modern era diplomacy. Numerous aspects on how diplomacy was conducted have changed to accommodate the modern are diplomatic system. Within the context of tradi tional diplomacy, it was rare to see a diplomatic congregation of more that two nations. This has, however, become the trend in the modern diplomacy (Rourke, 264). Negotiations between two parties have become rare. This can be attributed to the increasing level of global issues. Traditionally, there were few issues affecting more than one nation. While it was rare to see heads of state meeting personally with one another at a negotiation table in the old diplomacy, this happens severally in the modern case. Emissaries represent governments at the initial stage of diplomacy in the modern system. When the negotiations reach advance stages, the heads of states come into the negotiations. The role of heads of states in the old system was to send emissaries. Negotiations were carried out purely by the emissaries. Negotiations by heads of states have been termed as having dangerous repercussions should they fail to reach an agreement. Since it comes as the final solution, failure at this stage becomes catastrophic. In the modern era diplomacy, Presidents have been discouraged from taking part in negotiations. Secrecy of diplomatic proceedings was a top priority in the old diplomacy. The emissaries were required to deliver the message only to the specified person. In the modern era diplomacy, the proceedings go on in public. Reports are published about the proceedings of conferences and made public. The element of secrecy has been dealt away within the

Investment in emerging market or the effects of foreign direct Dissertation

Investment in emerging market or the effects of foreign direct investment(FDI) in emerging market - Dissertation Example Hence, the impact of FDI can be ascertained through reports and academic articles. FDI alone does not mean success and it depends on various other factors. With a view to evaluate the impact that the MNCs make by entering developing economies, this study was conducted. This study is based purely on secondary data through reliable sources. After reviewing literature on the theories and perspectives on FDI and on emerging economies, two MNCs that have invested in two different economies – China and India - were studied. Yamaha of Japan invested in India as a market expansion strategy and achieved initial success. Their investment and control was limited and as competition increased, they could not sustain. They still have two plants in India but they are yet to achieve success. Cultural distance seems to be the dominant factor in the outcome. In the case of China, General Motors of the US adopted a unique strategy by entering through investments in research and development at th e behest of the local government. Gradually they could enter into manufacturing and today they sell more trucks in China than they do in the US. GM adopted a vertical approach to FDI in China because of the huge difference in the factor endowments. Thus, the success or failure of the MNCs in developing economies requires taking into account the risk factors and knowing how to mitigate these risks. Prior experience is not enough. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Problem statement 2 1.3 Organization of the study 3 2. Literature Review 4 2.1 Definition and concept of FDI 4 2.2 Drivers of FDI 5 2.3 Emerging economies 7 2.4 FDI in emerging economies 9 3. Research Methodology 10 3.1 Research Philosophy 10 3.2 Research phenomenon 10 3.3 Research design 10 3.4 Research strategy 11 3.5 Justification for literature review 12 4. Findings and Discussion 14 4.1 India 14 4.2 China 17 5. Conclusion & recommendations 22 5.1 Conclusion 22 5.2 Recommendations 23 References 25 Ap pendices 27 1. Introduction 1.1 Background The developing economies comprising of low-income economies (with an annual gross national income per capita of $905 or less) and lower-middle income economies (income per capita between $906 and $3,595) jointly produce 41% of the world’s output, according to the World Bank Development Indicators 2008 report (Lenartowicz & Balasubramanian, 2009). Moreover, 5 of the 12 largest economies are now in the developing world. China and India’s economies are not expected to grow 22 times their current size by 2050 whereas the US is expected to grow only 2.5 times approximately. The developing countries constitute more than 80% of the world’s population. The geographical focus of growth has shifted towards the developing economies, which is the reason that the multinationals have been trying to develop economies in Asia, Africa and South America as profit sources. While the MNCs from the developed nations were seeking suitable ci rcumstances for foreign market access, the developing nations also strived to draw the attention of the foreign investors by offering incentives (Michi, Cagatay & Koska, 2004). This led to a serious competition to access the developing nations’ markets and the evaluation was based on costs, internal market and ownership/location advantages. The developing nati