The use of beauty in Disney movies Essay Example for Free

The use of beauty in Disney movies Essay Growing up nowadays most children in the US are brought up watching mostly Walt Disney movies. The Millennial generation was raised with the Disney renaissance film era, and the newer Generation Z is also being raised with the classic Disney films and the newer films like Tangled and The Princess and the Frog. As kids grow up, they begin to relate many of the stories and characters that they were so fond of to everyday things, whether it is their toys or Halloween costumes. Along with this is a clear placed biased view on behalf of the Disney corporation that most of the characters that are physically attractive or appealing to look at are going to be the â€Å"good guys†, while the less attractive characters are typically the â€Å"bad guys†. With this influence over children, it has led to greater stereotyping, body image problems, an ageism debate, and created greed to want to have Disney related memorabilia. These animated children/family based films have caused more controversy than ever expected. In the majority of the Disney films with the main exceptions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Beauty and the Beast, there is a clear and definite difference between good and evil within the characters simply by their appearances. In 2010, the University of North Carolina and Appalachian State University carried out a study analyzing twenty-one Disney films made since 1938, and asked the participants to rate 163 characters on a scale of one to ten in terms of â€Å"goodness†. They were asked to also score them on their attractiveness, intelligence, aggressiveness, romantic involvement, and their life outcome aka their â€Å"happily ever after† (Leach). In almost every movie, the â€Å"good† characters were the more attractive, more intelligent and less aggressive. Some of the characters that exemplified these ideals were Cinderella, Prince Charming, Princess Aurora, and the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. This study appeared in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology concluded that, â€Å"as ratings of beauty increased, so did ratings of friendliness, goodness, intelligence, favorability of the character’s outcome, and romantic involvement†. (Leach) Using this study as reference, researchers then set out to determine how much the idea of beauty is good and ugly is bad, is based off of a specific film. Forty-two children between the ages of six to twelve were put in a different study and had them watch either Cinderella or The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Those two films have both characters that are beautiful and good natured, and also an unconventional hero that is less attractive to the eye. From that researchers then showed the children photographer of other children and were asked what they thought of that person from their looks, and whether they would want to ever to friends with them (Jacobs). Doris Bazzini, Lisa Curtin, Serena Joslin, Shilpa Regan and Denise Martz were the people behind this extensive project. Bazzini and her colleagues were able to conclude that it didn’t matter which film the child watched, their answers were all pretty consistent to each other. The researchers were able to pull that the children all had a greater desire to befriend or talk to an attractive peer, rated them as being more desirable to be friends with, less likely to get into any form of trouble, and were seen as being the better person compared to an unattractive peer. These thoughts were not just applied on human characters but also animal ones as well. (Jacobs) Bazzini stated in response to this project, â€Å"It may seem heartening to many parents that a single movie viewing did not induce greater use of the beauty is good stereotype. However, this may be due to the fact that the stereotype [has] inconsistent depictions of the low-beauty bias film are simply not potent enough to unravel a steadily developing propensity to judge attractiveness positively, especially when such stereotypes involve females†. The researchers then decided to suggest to parents that these movies should be used in aiding the parents as they teach them valuable life lessons in their young age rather than just letting them watch those movies with no dialogue about what they just watched. (Bazzini) Even though these films are animation and not live action, they have created these images of the human body which have led to people striving to look like people who do not exist in real life. The Disney characters are drawn to look and coincide with their roles within the movie; this has led to the Disney Princess Effect. The Walt Disney film corporation has rendered the female leads of their animated motion pictures as archetypes of the perfect female figure. (Travali) This gender/image construction in Disney films is so important because of the messages to sends to the main audience: children. The messages that these characters give to children are how to act, look, and interact with others. While this can be good, the looks part can lead to high expectations and lower realities. (May) The Disney animators have created the heroines to be perfect in their physique. Almost every Disney heroine has a perfect waistline, a perfectly proportioned face, skin tight or even revealing clothing, and those ever so desirable curves that make them wanted by the male characters, or their Prince Charming. These images have become a prime factor in teenage eating disorders and depression because just like Barbie dolls, these unrealistic perfect bodies cannot be actually attained in real life. (Travali) Young girls feel such pressure from the media to look like perfect Barbie dolls, and with the media Disney is a large part since the female heroines all have these perfect bodies. According to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among girls between the ages of 12 to 25. And even sadder is that the mortality rate associated with anorexia is twelve times higher than the average death rate for young girls for all causes of death. (Growing) Young girls buy outfits to look like their favorite Disney characters, whether it is for Halloween or to wear for fun, and they strive to look just like them. Even young boys feel the need to look like the heroes or Prince Charming, being physically fit and handsome. (Travali) These body image problems start at a young age thanks to the Disney franchise. A vast majority of children with body image problems start young with their exposure to Disney princesses and their perfect bodies, then over time as they see more media and media begins to mold their ideals for the perfect body. (B. P) This has negatively impacted the self-confidence of today’s youth. Growing up on Disney films has created a stereotype of attractive ideals that most youth have come to expect from society and it often lowers their own confidence when they cannot look like the animated characters or cannot find their â€Å"Prince Charming’s†. (B. P) The Disney Princess franchise has molded many youth throughout the years and never received criticism about ethnic diversity until recently. And even since The Princess and the Frog was released in 2009, there is still criticism about the lack of diversity or from the other end of the spectrum, the bias that an African American princess is not a true Disney Princess. (May) Tiana is much different from the other princesses as she is more independent and has future job orientated goals, but of course has the Disney wish for a prince charming. Tiana was the first new princess since the Disney renaissance of the 90s and the first since Mulan was released in 1998. Disney has tried to create Disney princesses that would reach out to a greater racial audience. Creating princesses like Mulan, Pocahontas, and Tiana, has shown how the Disney Corporation has branched out to fill ethnic diversity. (May) But the Disney franchise is never safe from criticism, they have called out for making the ethnic diverse characters carry too many of the stereotypical features that are associated with their races. From Dumbo’s crows to the ear cutting barbarians in Aladdin to the savages in Pocahontas, Disney combined racial stereotyping into their characters. (Bartyzel) Another cause of controversy within the Disney Princess franchise has been transforming old characters into newer, sexier ones. Figure’s One and Two show the changes that the corporation has implemented. Figure One shows the changes made to characters Mulan and Pocahontas, and Figure Two shows the most controversial change with Merida from the movie Brave. Merida from the movie Brave was a character specifically designed to challenge the Disney princess stereotype, but instead of sticking with this endured hero and her making the movie the eighth top grossing film of 2012, Disney decided to give her the â€Å"princess makeover† and officially coronate her into a Disney Princess. The fiery, rebellious Scottish girl that audiences fell in love with was turned from her wild hair and conservative dress into a hardly recognizable character. Her hair was tamed, her breasts enlarged, a smaller waist, and a more form fitting and revealing dress was part of her becoming a certified Disney princess (Bartyzel). And from this transformation, Disney then decided to give all the princesses a new sexier makeover. In Figure One there is the original Mulan in the center top frame, and on either side of her is the new version. She has gone from a young Chinese woman to a girl with regular features, the only Asian aspects are that her skin is pale and the animators gave her Asian eyes. Pocahontas received lighter skin, an elongated face, larger eyes, and more makeup. But these changes did not go unnoticed by the public. In fact especially over Merida, there was a massive public outrage to the point that Disney released a statement that Merida’s makeover was not an official redesign but more of a one-time thing to go with her coronation. Disney was not expecting such a public outcry to these changes and has even lightened Mulan’s transformation having her wearing less makeup and the corporation has made no other references to doing any like that again (Bartyzel). Disney princesses can positively affect children in terms of mentality. Minus the body image problems, the more attractive characters are most of the time the bravest characters and great role models for children. While there are the negative aspects of these super attractive, unrealistic characters, they usually are the good guys and were actually transformed role models for the youth. (Klein) Princesses like Mulan, Merida, and Pocahontas are the heroes in their stories. Mulan showed young girls that they could have strength and protect their families and not be seen as the weaker sex. Merida showed girls that they did not have to conform to the princess ideals and instead be a fierce warrior. And Pocahontas showed there should be peace between people of other cultures and to take time to understand other customs that may be unfamiliar. (Bartyzel) The appearance of the characters affects children more so than adults. Studies about the attractiveness/unattractiveness of animated cartoon characters have shown that with a broad audience including children and adults, that the younger audience is more affected by the physical appearance of said characters in relation to their actions. (Klein) Beautiful people are more superior to those who are not. Psychologists in the early 1970s first thought that, â€Å"highly attractive people were smarter, more socially adept and generally superior to the rest of us, and they tend to live happier lives† (Jacobs). This harsh stereotype based on looks learned at an early age, impacts peer interaction. Kids begin to associate good looking people as being the good guys, and less attractive people as being the bad guys. The concept of judging a book by its cover. (Bazzini) Disney movies and the media go hand in hand with the ideals of beauty are good. While the media does not constantly showcase â€Å"beauty is good†, â€Å"ugly is bad†, in most advertisements, the idea is that sex sells. (Bazzini) The more attractive characters are happier and more apt to live ‘happily ever after’. This creates an ideal for youth that the more attractive they are, the more likely they are to find romance and have their own fairy tale endings. The more attractive a character is, the more likely they are to be loving. While there is a clear exception with this with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, this is an accurate portrayal of most characters. (Klein) Research with kids has shown that they will lean more towards an attractive person. Consistent outcomes have shown that kids have â€Å"an overall greater desire to befriend an attractive peer, rate the child as more likely to be desired as a friend by other children, less likely to get into trouble and as nicer relative to an unattractive peer† (Jacobs). The beauty is good, ugly is bad stereotype is not only limited to the human animations. Studies show that kids even will view the cute, good animal like Flounder in Little Mermaid as the good guy rather than the big, bulky, mean Gantu in Lilo Stich. (Bazzini) The good is beauty and evil is ugly debate also brings ageism into light. In many Disney movies the older characters are portrayed as being more dependent on others or they are not present whatsoever in some films. (Jamieson) The media does not always support the less attractive characters, even if they are the good guys. Disney’s Pixar’s film Up, was turned down by investors and toy manufacturers because the main character was a grumpy 78 year old man, who by media standards was not commercially attractive. (Jamieson) Disney portrays characters in a one dimensional manner, and leaving out older characters affects children. In a 2007 study at Brigham Young University at Provo, found that animations could be a leading cause to ageism. The persistent portrayal of elders could lead to children forming the wrong impression of their seniors. (Leach) From the study at Brigham Young University, it looked at 93 characters that appeared to be by definition elderly in 43 Disney films going from Snow White to The Lion King. While the majority of these characters were actually good guys in the movies, the more memorable characters were the bad guys. Characters like the Wicked Queen and Cruella de Vil have been accused of creating a negative image for older people as in numerous films they are the villains. Cruella de Vil is seen as one of Disney’s most evil character. She is ominous with an unhealthy and frightening interest in the puppies, and has an obsession with their fur in 101 Dalmatians. (Womack) While the movies have good stories of triumph and moral battles, it creates greed. Part of the Disney franchise is to make sure their merchandise sells, and mostly their film merchandise, the need for movie novelties creates greed with young kids. To need to have more and more. (Wynne-Jones) A clear example of this is Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at the Disneyland resorts, where girls can be transformed into princesses and boys into princes/knights. This shows the need to look like the film characters and the extremes that the parents will allow their children to go through by paying vast amounts of money to become â€Å"pretty†. Parents anywhere up to almost two hundred dollars for their daughter to be turned a Disney princess. These princess packages include anything from simple makeup to an elaborate, fully detailed princess outfit and getting to meet a Disney princess. (Disneyland) The need for Disney related propaganda has sparked discussion of whether Disney is â€Å"exploiting spirituality† to sell its products according to Christopher Jamison, the Abbot of Worth in West Sussex. He brings the point that while the stories in the movies do have a moral message to take away from; it has in turn created an even more materialistic culture. Fr Jamison believes that stories have messages showing good triumphing over evil; he reasons that it is a ruse to convince people that they should buy Disney related products to be like those stories and characters in the films. Films like Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians have strong moral struggles, and they are also popular in terms of merchandise (Wynne-Jones). Fr Jamison strongly criticizes the Walt Disney Company for their selling tactics of their movie and character products to the public, â€Å"The message behind every movie and book, behind every theme park and T-shirt is that our children’s work needs Disney†. The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923 and has grown into one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies. To date it owns eleven theme parks around the world, and several television networks. They own networks like ABC, ABC Family, ESPN, ESPN2, and the numerous Disney channels. In addition they have their Hollywood studios that have produced more than two hundred feature films, and have recently purchased Lucasfilm. (Wynne-Jones) While they are entertainment powerhouses, they are now seen as faces of many everyday household items. Disney related items include children foodstuffs like cereal or fruit snacks, to the ever popular Disney related clothing. Almost anything related to infant merchandise has some sort of Disney character on it whether it is clothing to diapers to pacifiers. The public is completely surrounded by the Disney franchise without even realizing it and it has become an engrained part of culture. People will say that these films are a major part of culture and that people are simply reading too far into these films. While this makes sense that it is just people simply overanalyzing these family oriented family films, but these films have truly affected the public in many different ways. The Disney films offer an escape from reality and open the door for imagination for the viewers. But even then the films carry such strong messages that can be taken too literally like to be a princess, one must have their Prince Charming otherwise they won’t be happy in life. This has led to children having these unrealistic expectations of how their life is going to play out like a fairytale. The Walt Disney Company started out so small in 1923 and has since turned into a multi-billion dollar global franchise. Who would have ever thought that a man making simple animation would turn into a global faucet? The Disney movies and franchise need to be careful and start taking into consideration the criticism about their role in media, society and the lives of the growing generations. They are the future, and they are filled with racial stereotyping, unrealistic body images, ageism, and the firm grip on society of a powerful, global corporation.

Women in India Essay Example for Free

Women in India Essay The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful. In modern India, women have held high offices in India including that of the President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Leader of the Opposition. As of 2011, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the parliament) were women. However, women in India continue to face atrocities such as rape, acid throwing, dowry killings while young girls are forced into prostitution; as of late rape has seen a sharp increase following several high profile cases of young girls brutally raped in public areas. According to a global poll conducted by Thomson Reuters, India is the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women, and the worst country for women among the G20 countries. Historical practices Traditions such as sati, jauhar, and devadasi among some communities have been banned and are largely defunct in modern India. However, some instances of these practices are still found in remote parts of India. The purdah is still practised by Indian women in some communities, and child marriage remains prevalent despite it being illegal under current Indian law. Sati Sati is an old, almost completely defunct custom among some communities, in which the widow was immolated alive on her husbands funeral pyre. Although the act was supposed to be voluntary on the widows part, it is believed to have sometimes been forced on the widow. It was abolished by the British in 1829. There have been around forty reported cases of sati since independence. In 1987, the Roop Kanwar case in Rajasthan led to The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act. Jauhar Jauhar refers to the practice of voluntary immolation by wives and daughters of defeated warriors, in order to avoid capture and consequent molestation by the enemy. The practice was followed by the wives of defeated Rajput rulers, who are known to place a high premium on honour. Purdah Purdah is the practice among some communities of requiring women to cover their bodies so as to conceal their skin and form. It imposes restrictions on the mobility of women, curtails their right to interact freely, and is a symbol of the subordination of women. It does not reflect the religious teachings of either Hinduism or Islam, contrary to common belief. Devadasis Devadasi is a religious practice in some parts of southern India, in which women are married to a deity or temple. The ritual was well-established by the 10th century A. D. In later periods, illegitimate sexual exploitation of devadasis became the norm in some parts of India. Women in independent India Women in India now participate fully in areas such as education, sports, politics, media, art and culture, service sectors, science and technology, etc. Indira Gandhi, who served as Prime Minister of India for an aggregate period of fifteen years, is the worlds longest serving woman Prime Minister. The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), and equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief. (Article 42). Feminist activism in India gained momentum in the late 1970s. One of the first national-level issues that brought womens groups together was the Mathura rape case. The acquittal of policemen accused of raping a young girl Mathura in a police station led to country-wide protests in 1979-1980. The protests, widely covered by the national media, forced the Government to amend the Evidence Act, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Indian Penal Code; and created a new offence, custodial rape. Female activists also united over issues such as female infanticide, gender bias, womens health, and womens literacy. Since alcoholism is often associated with violence against women in India many women groups launched anti-liquor campaigns in Andhra Pradesh, Himachal  Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and other states. Many Indian Muslim women have questioned the fundamental leaders interpretation of womens rights under the Shariat law and have criticized the triple talaq system. In 1990s, grants from foreign donor agencies enabled the formation of new women-oriented NGOs. Self-help groups and NGOs such as Self Employed Womens Association (SEWA) have played a major role in the advancement of womens rights in India. Many women have emerged as leaders of local movements; for example, Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan. The Government of India declared 2001 as the Year of Womens Empowerment (Swashakti). The National Policy For The Empowerment Of Women came was passed in 2001. In 2006, the case of Imrana, a Muslim rape victim, was highlighted by the media. Imrana was raped by her father-in-law. The pronouncement of some Muslim clerics that Imrana should marry her father-in-law led to widespread protests, and finally Imranas father-in-law was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The verdict was welcomed by many womens groups and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. In 2010 March 9, one day after International Womens day, Rajya Sabha passed the Womens Reservation Bill requiring that 33% of seats in Indias Parliament and state legislative bodies be reserved for women. Crimes against women Police records in India show a high incidence of crimes against women. The National Crime Records Bureau reported in 1998 that by 2010 growth in the rate of crimes against women would exceed the population growth rate. Earlier, many crimes against women were not reported to police due to the social stigma attached to rape and molestation. Official statistics show a dramatic increase in the number of reported crimes against women. Acid Throwing A Thomas Reuters Foundation survey says that India is the fourth most dangerous place in the world for women to live in. Women belonging to any class, caste, creed or religion can be victims of this cruel form of violence and disfigurement, a premeditated crime intended to kill or maim permanently and act as a lesson to put a woman in her place. In India, acid attacks on women who dared to refuse a mans proposal of marriage or asked for a divorce are a form of revenge. Acid is cheap, easily available, and the quickest way to destroy a womans life. The number of acid attacks have been rising. Child marriage Child marriage has been traditionally prevalent in India and continues to this day. Historically, child brides would live with their parents until they reached puberty. In the past, child widows were condemned to a life of great agony, shaved heads, living in isolation, and being shunned by society. Although child marriage was outlawed in 1860, it is still a common practice. According to UNICEF’s â€Å"State of the World’s Children-2009† report, 47% of Indias women aged 20–24 were married before the legal age of 18, rising to 56% in rural areas. The report also showed that 40% of the worlds child marriages occur in India. Domestic violence The number of incidents of domestic violence is higher among the lower Socio-Economic Classes (SECs). [citation needed] The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 came into force on 26 October 2006. Dowry In 1961, the Government of India passed the Dowry Prohibition Act, making dowry demands in wedding arrangements illegal. However, many cases of dowry-related domestic violence, suicides and murders have been reported. In the 1980s, numerous such cases were reported. In 1985, the Dowry Prohibition (maintenance of lists of presents to the bride and bridegroom) Rules were framed. According to these rules, a signed list should be maintained of presents given at the time of the marriage to the bride and the bridegroom. The list should contain a brief description of each present, its approximate value, the name of who has given the present, and relationship to the recipient. However, such rules are rarely enforced. A 1997 report claimed that each year at least 5,000 women in India die dowry-related deaths, and at least a dozen die each day in kitchen fires thought to be intentional. The term for this is bride burning and is criticized within India itself. Amongst the urban educated, such dowry abuse has reduced considerably. Female infanticide and sex-selective abortion In India, the male-female sex ratio is skewed dramatically in favour of males, the chief reason being the high number of females who die before reaching adulthood. Tribal societies in India have a less skewed sex ratio than other caste groups. This is in spite of the fact that tribal communities have far lower income levels, lower literacy rates, and less adequate health facilities. Many experts suggest the higher number of males in India can be attributed to female infanticides and sex-selective abortions. Ultrasound scanning constitutes a major leap forward in providing for the care of mother and baby, and with scanners becoming portable, these advantages have spread to rural populations. However, ultrasound scans often reveal the sex of the baby, allowing pregnant women to decide to abort female foetuses and try again later for a male child. This practice is usually considered the main reason for the change in the ratio of male to female children being born. In 1994 the Indian government passed a law forbidding women or their families from asking about the sex of the baby after an ultrasound scan (or any other test which would yield that information) and also expressly forbade doctors or any other persons from providing that information. However, in practice this law (like the law forbidding dowries) is widely ignored, and levels of abortion on female foetuses remain high and the sex ratio at birth keeps getting more skewed. Female infanticide (killing of girl infants) is still prevalent in some rural areas. Sometimes this is infanticide by neglect, for example families may not spend money on critical medicines or withhold care from a sick girl. Continuing abuse of the dowry tradition has been one of the main reasons for sex-selective abortions and female infanticides in India. Rape Rape in India has been described by Radha Kumar as one of Indias most common crimes against women and by the UN’s human-rights chief as a â€Å"national problem†. In the 1980s, womens rights groups lobbied for marital rape to be declared unlawful, as until 1983, the criminal law (amendment) act stated that sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age is not rape. Marital rape is now illegal in India but is still widespread. While per-capita reported incidents are quite low compared to other countries, even developed countries, a new case is reported every 20 minutes. New Delhi has the highest rate of rape-reports among Indian cities. Sources show that rape cases in India have doubled between 1990 and 2008. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 24,206 rape cases were registered in India in 2011, although experts agree that the number of unreported cases is much higher. Sexual harassment Eve teasing is a euphemism used for sexual harassment or molestation of women by men. Many activists blame the rising incidents of sexual harassment against women on the influence of Western culture. In 1987, The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act was passed to prohibit indecent representation of women through advertisements or in publications, writings, paintings or in any other manner. Of the total number of crimes against women reported in 1990, half related to molestation and harassment in the workplace. In 1997, in a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court of India took a strong stand against sexual harassment of women in the workplace. The Court also laid down detailed guidelines for prevention and redressal of grievances. The National Commission for Women subsequently elaborated these guidelines into a Code of Conduct for employers.

Meningitis Vaccine Policy in Saudi Arabia

Meningitis Vaccine Policy in Saudi Arabia Meningitis Vaccine Policy During Hajj Overview of the Essay This essay looks at the meningitis vaccine policy during Hajj in Saudi Arabia, first looking at the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia, in terms of how the health care system is structured and what the policies towards vaccination against meningitis are. The essay then moves on to discuss more general policies towards meningitis vaccination, from the World Health Organisation (WHO), for example, and how the Saudi model of vaccination fits in to this more general framework. The essay then moves on to looking at social theories that have been suggested to explain how organisations work, in terms of understanding how meningitis can be spread through the hajjis attending the Hajj pilgrimage. The essay then moves on to look at what evidence has been gained from research in to meningitis outbreaks during Hajj, and meningitis control through vaccination. This is presented in the form of a literature review of the current, relevant, literature regarding meningitis outbreaks during Hajj, and meningitis control through vaccination. Literature that is specific to Saudi Arabia is focused on, although vaccination programmes that have been successfully attempted further afield will also be discussed. The essay then moves on to looking at how and when the current Saudi Arabian vaccination policy and how this policy differs from previous policies, in terms of why the new policy was introduced and what the positive and negative effects of this policy have been. This section incorporates research reviewed in the previous section, through the literature review of the relevant research, and also looks at how historical trends and international trends in healthcare have contributed to this policy. The impact of globalisation on health care is also discussed. The essay then moves on to discuss any gaps that are present between the stated policy and the implementation of this policy, in terms of the organisational constraints that are present that directly affect policy implementation. The next section of the essay looks at the implications of the policy for nursing practice, in terms of the direct involvement of nurses, the need for counselling and educating parents, in terms of the historical development of nursing and the international trends in nursing. Introduction The Saudi Healthcare System This section looks at how the health care system is structured in Saudi Arabia, and what the policies towards vaccination against meningitis are within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The essay then moves on to discuss more general policies towards meningitis vaccination, from the World Health Organisation (WHO), for example, and how the Saudi model of vaccination fits in to this more general framework. The essay then moves on to looking at social theories that have been suggested to explain how organisations work, in terms of understanding how meningitis can be spread through the hajjis attending the Hajj pilgrimage. The healthcare system in Saudi Arabia is essentially a national health care system, provided by the Government, which is overseen by the Ministry of Health (MOH), which provides primary healthcare services through a series of health care centres scattered throughout the Kingdom. These primary care centres refer applicable cases to advanced specialist curative services based in hospitals. In addition, secondary and tertiary care is provided by a variety of Ministries, and through a variety of private and public organisations: for example, Saudi Arabian universities provide specialist care, through their research hospitals and Saudi Arabian airlines provide health care to it’s employees. Emergency care is provided by the Saudi Red Crescent Society, and is also responsible for providing medical care during the Hajj and Umra pilgrimages. Health care is free, at the point of delivery, to all Saudi citizens and expatriates working in Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi Government spends an estimated ten per cent of its annual budget on health care: this seems to be a good investment as the Saudi’s have one of the highest life expectancy in the region, although obesity is becoming a concern in Saudi Arabia, due to the introduction of the ‘Western’ diet to the region. Whilst a more than adequate health care system is provided by the Saudi Government, as has been seen, there is also a thriving private healthcare system which provides all levels of care, from primary to tertiary and including emergency medical services. The Saudi Government is also interested in reforming the health care system, with a desire to achieve coordination amongst the various sectors and to increase the number of Saudi medical and nursing graduates so that Saudi employees can work in this sector, rather than employing many hundreds of thousands of expatriate nursing and medical staff, as is currently the case. The Saudi Government is also attempting to introduce a cooperative health insurance scheme, which would cover all non-Saudi residents living and working in the country. Infection Control for the Hajj In order to attend the Hajj, vaccination against the A and C meningitis strains was made mandatory, following on from the worldwide outbreak of meningitis A which occurred following the 1987 Hajj (Fonkoua et al., 2002) and a 1992 outbreak of meningitis A which occurred amongst Umra pilgrims (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003). In addition to this requirement for travellers entering Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, all hajjis coming from countries belonging to the African meningitis belt, and those arriving from areas that had recently experienced a meningitis outbreak, were required to take a single dose of ciprofloxacin upon arrival to Saudi Arabia (WHO, 2001). This policy was in place in Saudi Arabia until the recent outbreak of the W-135 serogroup. The current concern of health professionals and health organisations is, however, the W-135 serogroup, due to the recorded outbreak of meningitis amongst Singaporean pilgrims returning from the Hajj in 2001, many of whom had been vaccinated with the quadrivalent vaccine (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003). As stated in Wilder-Smith et al. (2003), there was a massive outbreak of serogroup W-135 meningitis in the 2000 and 2001 pilgrimages, through pharyngeal carriage of the serotype in pilgrims returning from the Hajj. Wilder-Smith et al. (2003) looked at meningitis carriage during the minor pilgrimage (Umra) and found that, whilst the W-135 serotype was carried, it was at a much lower rate of incidence, at 1.3% versus the 17% found in Hajj pilgrims, leading to their conclusion that in order to reduce the potential introduction of N.meningiditis W-135 in to the countries of origin of the pilgrims, then a ttentions would be better focused on those pilgrims attending the Hajj rather than the Umra. Following on from the Hajj-associated outbreak of W-135 serogroup, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health changed their policy with regards to meningitis and made it mandatory for hajjis to receive the quadrivalent vaccine (against A, C, Y and W-135) as a visa requirement from 2002 for people entering Saudi Arabia for the purposes of the Hajj (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003). In addition, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health administers antibiotics to all local Saudi hajjis in order to eradicate the carriage of the W-135 serogroup and to reduce transmission to local contacts and to the larger community (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003). In terms of more general policies with regards to vaccination programmes against meningitis, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended control practices for meningitis involve vaccination with the A/C vaccine in response to epidemics, which requires that epidemics are detected early and that stocks of vaccines be set up in at-risk regions, so that vaccination can be rapid (Fonkoua et al., 2002). Whilst other outbreaks of the W-135 strain of meningitis are becoming increasingly common, such as the outbreaks in Yaounde in Cameroon (Fonkoua et al., 2002) and in Burkina Faso (which killed 1500 people of the 13000 known to have been infected), the WHO is recommends preventative vaccination to protect those individuals at risk (for example, travellers, people in the military and pilgrims) (WHO, 2003) and vaccination for those who have been in close contact with known meningitis cases. In terms of vaccination for epidemic control, the WHO recommends that in the African meningitis belt , the known hotspot for meningitis, stretching from Senegal to Ethopia, epidemics be controlled with enhanced surveillance and the use of oily chloramphenicol, with mass vaccinations for those areas in the epidemic phase and those contiguous areas that are in alert phase: such mass vaccination, promptly administered is estimated to prevent seventy per cent of cases (WHO, 2003). As shown in a 2001 WHO report (WHO, 2001) on the emergence of the W-135 strain of meningitis, infection with this strain can lead to outbreaks of considerable size and because the epidemiology of this strain is not well understood, there is a serious need for travellers to the Hajj to be protected. The 2001 outbreak of W-135 strain of meningitis at the Hajj spread worldwide with a total of 304 cases reported and this outbreak raised serious questions as to whether the W-135 strain of meningitis will become a major public health problem at national and international levels (WHO, 2001). As shown in the NHS leaflet specially designed for UK citizens and residents planning on attending the Hajj, the W-135 strain of meningitis is deadly and vaccination against the A and C strains of meningitis does not protect an individual against this more deadly strain: only the quadrivalent vaccine will protect individuals against the W-135 strain of meningitis (NHS, 2007). In terms of the WHO policy on the W-135 strain of meningitis, the WHO has stated that the currently available vaccine is too expensive to be applicable for mass vaccination programmes that are known to be effective in the prevention of the epidemic outbreak of other meningitis strains, and so the WHO is pressing for an affordable vaccine against the W-135 strain, i.e., a vaccine at a price that would be affordable in an African situation, given that the majority of outbreaks of meningitis occurring worldwide occur in the African meningitis belt (WHO, 2003). Thus, there is no widespread vaccination programme with the quadrivalent vaccine, which protects against the W-135 strain of meningitis, unlike the routine vaccination programmes with the vaccines that are effective against the A and C strains. As the WHO, the Saudi government and various Governments who deal with their citizens who attend the Hajj (for example, the UK) are recommending, it is, at the moment, sufficient that the quadrivalent vaccine is given only to those who are at risk, i.e., those who are planning on entering a region that is known to have the W-135 strain. Widespread vaccination against the W-135 strain of meningitis is not being practiced anywhere in the world, mainly, it seems, due to the high cost of the vaccine but also due to the fact that there is no scientific evidence as to the global direction of the W-135 strain of meningitis i.e., the fact that there is no evidence, as yet, to suggest that the W-135 strain of meningitis will become a global scourge (WH O, 2001) and, as such, that it is not certain, as yet, as to whether a mass vaccination against this strain is necessary. Due to this information, the Saudi Arabian government implemented a mass vaccination with the tetravalent vaccine, active against the A, C and W strains of meningitis (WHO, 2001) and put in place the controls for hajjis as previously outlined: i) making it mandatory for hajjis to receive the quadrivalent vaccine (against A, C, Y and W-135) as a visa requirement from 2002 for people entering Saudi Arabia for the purposes of the Hajj (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003); ii) administering antibiotics to all local Saudi hajjis in order to eradicate the carriage of the W-135 serogroup and to reduce transmission to local contacts and to the larger community (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003); and iii) requiring all hajjis coming from countries belonging to the African meningitis belt, and those arriving from areas that had recently experienced a meningitis outbreak, to take a single dose of ciprofloxacin upon arrival to Saudi Arabia (WHO, 2001). Social theories to explain how organisations work This section looks at some of the social theories that have been suggested to explain how organisations work, in terms of understanding how meningitis can be spread through the hajjis attending the Hajj pilgrimage. In terms of the social theories that have been suggested to explain how organisations work, in terms of understanding how meningitis can be spread through the hajjis attending the Hajj pilgrimage Bourdieu, writing in Hillier and Rooksby (2005) talks about the concept of ‘habitus’ in terms of describing both geographical and social spaces or dispositions, which Bourdieu (2005) describes as permanent manners of being, seeing, acting and thinking, a permanent structure of perception, conception and action. Bourdieu’s (2005) thinking on habitus and dispositions can be applied to participation in the Hajj, as Bourdieu (2005) widens his definition of habitus to include unity of human behaviour, or what he terms lifestyle: that is, a set of acquired characteristics which are the product of prevailing social conditions. Bourdieu (2005) argues that this habitus, this disposition, can lead to entrenched behaviours and responses, especially in religious beliefs, for example, which leads, for example, to people wishing to attend the Hajj pilgrimage as part of their religious beliefs. Other social theories that have been put forward to explain organisational behaviour include social network theory (Barnes, 1954) which explains how social networks are formed, through the formation of nodes (i.e,, individuals) which are bound together through interdependency such as values or visions or disease transmission. The use of this theory can help epidemiologists explain how, for example, meningitis is spread amongst and beyond hajjis, leading to the development of plans and policies to contain the spread of meningitis. This will be looked at in more detail later in the essay. The Evidence from the Research This section looks at what evidence has been gained from research in to meningitis outbreaks during Hajj, and meningitis control through vaccination. This is presented in the form of a literature review of the current, relevant, literature regarding meningitis outbreaks during Hajj, and meningitis control through vaccination. Literature that is specific to Saudi Arabia is focused on, although outbreaks and vaccination programmes that have been successfully attempted further afield will also be discussed. There was a massive outbreak of serogroup W-135 meningitis in the 2000 and 2001 Hajj pilgrimages, through pharyngeal carriage of the serotype in pilgrims returning from the Hajj (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003). Wilder-Smith et al. (2003) looked at meningitis carriage during the minor pilgrimage (Umra) and found that, whilst the W-135 serotype was carried, it was at a much lower rate of incidence, at 1.3% versus the 17% found in Hajj pilgrims, leading to their conclusion that in order to reduce the potential introduction of N.meningiditis W-135 in to the countries of origin of the pilgrims, then attentions would be better focused on those pilgrims attending the Hajj rather than the Umra. Outbreaks of the W-135 strain of meningitis are becoming increasingly common further afield, such as the outbreaks in Yaounde in Cameroon (reported in Fonkoua et al., 2002) and in Burkina Faso (which killed 1500 people of the 13000 known to have been infected) (reported in WHO, 2001). To this end, as will be seen, whilst there is a vaccine against the W-135 strain of meningitis, this vaccine is extremely expensive and, as such, is not suitable for mass vaccination programmes. The vaccine is currently only in usage for travellers who are expecting to travel in to high risk regions, i.e., hajjis travelling to the Hajj which happens in a known outbreak area. It is hoped, however, that the WHO lobbying of the pharmaceutical companies will produce a more affordable version of the vaccine that would then be utilised in mass vaccination programmes, particularly across the African meningitis region, in order to minimise the spread of the deadly W-135 strain of meningitis. The Saudi Arabian Vaccination Policy This section looks at the current Saudi Arabian vaccination policy and how this policy differs from previous policies, in terms of why the new policy was introduced and what the positive and negative effects of this policy have been. This section incorporates research reviewed in the previous section, through the literature review of the relevant research, and also looks at how historical trends and international trends in healthcare have contributed to this policy. The impact of globalisation on health care is also discussed. Prior to the W-135 meningitis outbreak amongst those who had attended the 2001 Hajj, and following on from the worldwide outbreak of meningitis A which occurred following the 1987 Hajj (Fonkoua et al., 2002) and a 1992 outbreak of meningitis A which occurred amongst Umra pilgrims (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003), the Saudi Arabia vaccine policy was for mandatory vaccination against the A and C meningitis strains for all hajjis, with the necessity to present a certificate of vaccination upon application for a visa to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. In 2003, similarly to many other countries, such as the UK, who also undertake such a mass vaccination scheme, the Saudi Arabian government implemented a mass vaccination with the tetravalent vaccine, which is active against the A, C and W strains of meningitis (WHO, 2001). Following the 2001 W-135 outbreak, the Saudi Arabian Government put in place several controls for hajjis: i) it became mandatory for hajjis to receive the quadrivalent vaccine (against A, C, Y and W-135) as a visa requirement from 2002 for people entering Saudi Arabia for the purposes of the Hajj (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003); ii) the Saudi Arabian Government administered antibiotics to all local Saudi hajjis in order to eradicate the carriage of the W-135 serogroup and to reduce transmission to local contacts and to the larger community (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003); and iii) it became a requirement for entry to the country that all hajjis coming from countries belonging to the African meningitis belt, and those arriving from areas that had recently experienced a meningitis outbreak, were to take a single dose of ciprofloxacin upon arrival to Saudi Arabia (WHO, 2001). In terms of how international trends in healthcare and globalisation have contributed to these changes in the policy of the Saudi Arabian Government towards controlling meningitis, whilst the Hajj has always attracted pilgrims from all over the world, only recently has the deadly W-135 strain of meningitis reared its head, presenting a potentially disastrous scenario if this disease became epidemic as a consequence of the ideal conditions for disease replication that the Hajj presents. Thus, the Saudi Arabian Government has had to work fast to draw up a policy that minimises, as far as possible, the chances of a W-135 epidemic. The Saudi Arabian response to this threat has been impressive, in terms of drawing up practical, preventative measures so quickly and putting these in to practice so quickly. Globalisation has speeded up international travel and, through globalisation, the world has become, in a very real sense, smaller. One can literally travel wherever one desires, faster than ever before. The fact that there was an outbreak of W-135 in Singapore, amongst Singaporean hajjis, shows that what could once, historically, have been an isolated outbreak of such a deadly disease now has the potential to affect many thousands of individuals, as those infected could, potentially, travel on many different modes of transport, across many thousands of miles, coming in to contact with many different individuals, who could then become carriers of the disease, spreading the disease far afield and leading to different outbreaks of the same disease in places where the disease has never been reported previously. Problems Facing the Policies in Place to Prevent Meningitis Outbreaks During the Hajj This section discusses the gaps that are present between the stated policy and the implementation of this policy, in terms of the organisational constraints that are present that directly affect policy implementation. The actual situation of meningitis control amongst hajjis requires attention, as it is known that many hajjis enter Saudi Arabia illegally and thus are not reached by formal checks or health services whilst entering Saudi Arabia (WHO, 2001). This leads to the situation where diseases could be spread through an individual slipping through the many and varied controls that have been put in place by the Saudi Arabian Government, as it is known that many of these illegal immigrants come from countries that do not have vaccination programmes in place and who, therefore, are highly unlikely to have been vaccined prior to travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. For this reason, aside from the formal border controls on entry of hajjis, vaccination posts have been established in the last few years around the Holy Mosque (WHO, 2001). In addition, risks are presented by the arrival, at Saudi Arabian border entry ports, of individuals bearing false vaccination certificates. This presents a particular problem as these individuals put at risk the Saudi Arabian control policies that are in place, through the fact that these individuals may be carriers of disease, and may pass disease to the hajjis, but also because the need to vaccinate these individuals, often numbering in to the thousands, costs the Saudi Arabian Government time and money, paying for and administering the vaccine, a vaccine that is in short global supply and which is expensive (WHO, 2001). In terms of minimising the chances of such problems occurring, the Saudi Arabian Government has been in close talks with the Governments of countries of the African meningitis belt to offer direct, on the spot, help with vaccination programmes, donating vaccines to those countries who cannot afford them and opening temporary health centres in those countries that do not have the necessary infrastructure for the administration of said vaccines (WHO, 2001). The Saudi Arabian Government is also involved in research looking at, for example, carriage prevelance of meningitis strains in Mecca and the impact of mass chemoprophylaxis with ciprofloxacin (Who, 2001). Thus, whilst there are gaps that are present between the stated policy and the implementation of this policy, in terms of the organisational constraints that are present that directly affect policy implementation, the Saudi Arabian Government seems, really, as shown through this in-depth study, to be doing literally all it can to attempt to control, as far as possible, the outbreak of various strains of meningitis amongst hajjis during Hajj. Implications of the Saudi Arabian Policy for Nursing Practice The next section of the essay looks at the implications of the policy for nursing practice, in terms of the direct involvement of nurses, the need for counselling and educating parents, in terms of the historical development of nursing and the international trends in nursing. There are many and varied problems presented to UK nurses by the Saudi Arabian policy on vaccination against meningitis, in terms of the fact that UK nursing staff need training to understand the cultural significance of the Hajj to their muslim patients, in order to understand any potential requests for vaccination and to diagnose any potential diseases on their return from the Hajj. Nurses dealing directly with hajjis also require further training in the current vaccination requirements for hajjis, as determined by the Saudi Arabian Government’s vaccination policy, as shown through their visa requirements, in order to administer the correct, required, vaccines. The nursing staff in contact with hajjis should also be fully versed in the symptoms of all types of meningitis (including the deadly W-135) and other diseases that could be contracted whilst undertaking the Hajj, in order for timely diagnoses to be made, and timely treatment to be delivered to the patient. The fact that there was an outbreak of W-135 in Singapore, amongst Singaporean hajjis, shows that what could once, historically, have been an isolated outbreak of such a deadly disease now has the potential to affect many thousands of individuals, as those infected could, potentially, travel on many different modes of transport, across many thousands of miles, coming in to contact with many different individuals, who could then become carriers of the disease, spreading the disease far afield and leading to different outbreaks of the same disease in places where the disease has never been reported previously. Thus, globalisation has led to the situation where nursing staff need to be attuned to the possibility of ‘local’ patients presenting with ‘tropical’ or ‘foreign’ diseases. Whilst there is a system of reporting set up for such diseases, the early diagnosis of such diseases is often mistaken for common ailments, such as flu, for example, and diagnosis and treatment delayed, often leading to the spreading of the disease whilst the patient is ‘at large’ and not contained. This was the case in the 2001 outbreak of W-135 meningitis in the UK, with only 8 of the 51 total cases being actual pilgrims and 22 cases being contacts of the pilgrims, with 21 cases not having any apparent contact with the pilgrims: transmission was maintained for several months prior to diagnosis which is suspected to have led to many of the additional cases (WHO, 2001). Thus, nursing staff in countries that host Hajj attendees, such as the UK, need to be aware not only of current policies which affect the vaccination requirements of hajjis, but also of diseases that could be contracted whilst at the Hajj, in terms of knowing what symptoms to look for in patients returning from the Hajj. Saudi Arabian policies that are aimed at controlling the spread of meningitis during the Hajj thus not only have an effect on Saudi Arabian nursing staff, in terms of requiring them to administer any necessary vaccines and/or other medication, but also have a direct impact on nursing staff in those countries that host hajjis, for example, the UK, requiring special training for nursing staff. Conclusion This essay has looked at the meningitis vaccine policy during Hajj in Saudi Arabia, first looking at the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia, in terms of how the health care system is structured and what the policies towards vaccination against meningitis are. It was seen that the Saudi Arabian policies to vaccination against meningitis have changed somewhat in light of the 2001 outbreak of the W-135 strain of meningitis, which led to a tightening of requirements for entry to the country for the purposes of the Hajj and to a widespread vaccination programme across Saudi Arabia, and a local vaccination and medication programme in the immediate vicinity of the Hajj sites. The essay then moved on to discuss more general policies towards meningitis vaccination, from the World Health Organisation (WHO), for example, and how the Saudi model of vaccination fits in to this more general framework. As seen, the WHO is concerned that a major outbreak of the W-135 strain of meningitis could not be controlled, due to the high cost of the vaccine; the Saudi mondel fits in to this general framework in terms of aiming to prevent an outbreak not through mass vaccination with the quadrivalent vaccine but through the careful control of individuals entering the Hajj zone. The essay then moved on to looking at social theories that have been suggested to explain how organisations work, in terms of understanding how meningitis can be spread through the hajjis attending the Hajj pilgrimage, showing that many social theories are applicable to explain how diseases are transmitted across the Hajj period. The evidence that has been gained from research in to meningitis outbreaks during Hajj was then discussed, as was the historical treatment of meningitis control through vaccination. This was presented in the form of a literature review of the current, relevant, literature regarding meningitis outbreaks during Hajj, and meningitis control through vaccination. Literature that is specific to Saudi Arabia was focused on, although vaccination programmes that have been successfully attempted further afield were also discussed. The essay then moved on to look at how and when the current Saudi Arabian vaccination policy has changed, and how this policy differs from previous policies, in terms of why the new policy was introduced and what the positive and negative effects of this policy have been. It was shown that, prior to the W-135 meningitis outbreak amongst those who had attended the 2001 Hajj, and following on from the worldwide outbreak of meningitis A which occurred following the 1987 Hajj (Fonkoua et al., 2002) and a 1992 outbreak of meningitis A which occurred amongst Umra pilgrims (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003), the Saudi Arabia vaccine policy was for mandatory vaccination against the A and C meningitis strains for all hajjis, with the necessity to present a certificate of vaccination upon application for a visa to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. In 2003, similarly to many other countries, such as the UK, who also undertake such a mass vaccination scheme, the Saudi Arabian government implemented a mass vaccination with the tetravalent vaccine, which is active against the A, C and W strains of meningitis (WHO, 2001). Following the 2001 W-135 outbreak, the Saudi Arabian Government put in place several controls for hajjis: i) it became mandatory for hajjis to receive the quadrivalent vaccine (against A, C, Y and W-135) as a visa requirement from 2002 for people entering Saudi Arabia for the purposes of the Hajj (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003); ii) the Saudi Arabian Government administered antibiotics to all local Saudi hajjis in order to eradicate the carriage of the W-135 serogroup and to reduce transmission to local contacts and to the larger community (Wilder-Smith et al., 2003); and iii) it became a requirement for entry to the country that all hajjis coming from countries belonging to the African meningitis belt, and those arriving from areas that had recently experienced a meningitis outbreak, were to take a single dose of ciprofloxacin upon arrival to Saudi Arabia (WHO, 2001). In terms of how historical trends and international trends in healthcare have contributed to this policy, and the impact of globalisation on health care, it was shown that globalisation has meant that diseases can spread far more rapidly and widely than ever before, and that this has grave consequences in terms of deadly diseases such as the W-135 strain of meningitis. Various problems for the Saudi Arabian vaccination policy were then discussed, and the relevant solutions were given, and then the essay moved on to discussing the role of nurses involved in the care potential hajjis and of returning, infected, hajjis, in terms of the implications of the Saudi Arabian vaccination policy for nursing practice, in terms of the direct involvement of nurses, the need for counselling and educating parents, and in terms of the historical development of nursing and the international trends in n

henry clays american system Essays -- essays research papers

Henry Clay’s American System 1832 Background: Following the War of 1812, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and John Quincy Adams helped form a new political agenda, which promised to meet the needs of America. It was a new nationalist United States. Henry Clay's "American System" was a neofederalist program of a national bank, a tariff to promote and protect industry’s, and financial improvements. Parties Involved: Henry Clays started as lawyer In Richmond, Virginia. In 1797 he quickly acquired a reputation and a lucrative income from his law practice. At the age of twenty-two, he was elected to a constitutional convention in Kentucky; at twenty-nine, while yet under the age limit of the United States Constitution, he was appointed to an unexpired term during 1806 and 1807 in the ... henry clays american system Essays -- essays research papers Henry Clay’s American System 1832 Background: Following the War of 1812, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and John Quincy Adams helped form a new political agenda, which promised to meet the needs of America. It was a new nationalist United States. Henry Clay's "American System" was a neofederalist program of a national bank, a tariff to promote and protect industry’s, and financial improvements. Parties Involved: Henry Clays started as lawyer In Richmond, Virginia. In 1797 he quickly acquired a reputation and a lucrative income from his law practice. At the age of twenty-two, he was elected to a constitutional convention in Kentucky; at twenty-nine, while yet under the age limit of the United States Constitution, he was appointed to an unexpired term during 1806 and 1807 in the ...

Movie Review :: essays research papers

Michelle hears some noises in the house, after a while see finds out that its a missing girl, the girl is trying to get revenge for her death. First off, I would like to say that Michelle Phieffer is great in this movie; she carries her character strongly from start to finish. And unfortunately The movie opens with Pfeiffer and Ford taking their daughter to college, thus leaving them alone in their house for the first time since they were married. The daughter is actually the product of Pfeiffer's first marriage to a musician who now dead (by what means I can't remember, nor does it matter). Ford is a successful research scientist at a university in New England as was his even more famous father. He is on the verge of finishing a major paper, which requires him to spend endless hours at the office, leaving Pfeiffer alone in their vast home. It is a mystery, as a bored Pfeiffer spies on her new neighbors, a troubled couple who fight a lot. Around the same time that the next-door wife seemingly disappears, Pfeiffer starts experiencing poltergeist-like activity in her house. Doors won't stay shut, photos fall from ledges, and finally she starts seeing the image of a pretty blonde woman in reflections in fogged-up mirror and in the water of a full bathtub. Pfeiffer and Ford have a good and believable chemistry, and there are some genuine thrills generated when Pfeiffer is alone in the house. Anyway, eventually Pfeiffer discovers that in fact the next-door neighbor’s wife is alive and well. Except for one small thing, the blonde ghost is still causing trouble in the house. Pfeiffer begins to see a psychiatrist (the always reliable Joe Morton), believing that maybe she's suffering from some kind of empty-nest syndrome, but she soon realizes that the ghost is real and she sets out to find out who she is and why she's bugging her. Conclusion As Hatchet Harry said the story starts out with Pfeiffer's daughter from a previous marriage going off to college. She's dealing with the whole empty-nest syndrome, when the new neighbors next door start fighting, and the wife disappears. Pfeiffer is convinced that he's murdered her and starts spying on the husband who is now living alone in the house. Shortly after strange things start happening around the Pfeiffer-Ford house. You know, your usual haunting type activities like doors opening on their own, pictures falling off tables, radios switching on at full blast, bathtubs filling by themselves, yadda, yadda, yadda. Movie Review :: essays research papers Michelle hears some noises in the house, after a while see finds out that its a missing girl, the girl is trying to get revenge for her death. First off, I would like to say that Michelle Phieffer is great in this movie; she carries her character strongly from start to finish. And unfortunately The movie opens with Pfeiffer and Ford taking their daughter to college, thus leaving them alone in their house for the first time since they were married. The daughter is actually the product of Pfeiffer's first marriage to a musician who now dead (by what means I can't remember, nor does it matter). Ford is a successful research scientist at a university in New England as was his even more famous father. He is on the verge of finishing a major paper, which requires him to spend endless hours at the office, leaving Pfeiffer alone in their vast home. It is a mystery, as a bored Pfeiffer spies on her new neighbors, a troubled couple who fight a lot. Around the same time that the next-door wife seemingly disappears, Pfeiffer starts experiencing poltergeist-like activity in her house. Doors won't stay shut, photos fall from ledges, and finally she starts seeing the image of a pretty blonde woman in reflections in fogged-up mirror and in the water of a full bathtub. Pfeiffer and Ford have a good and believable chemistry, and there are some genuine thrills generated when Pfeiffer is alone in the house. Anyway, eventually Pfeiffer discovers that in fact the next-door neighbor’s wife is alive and well. Except for one small thing, the blonde ghost is still causing trouble in the house. Pfeiffer begins to see a psychiatrist (the always reliable Joe Morton), believing that maybe she's suffering from some kind of empty-nest syndrome, but she soon realizes that the ghost is real and she sets out to find out who she is and why she's bugging her. Conclusion As Hatchet Harry said the story starts out with Pfeiffer's daughter from a previous marriage going off to college. She's dealing with the whole empty-nest syndrome, when the new neighbors next door start fighting, and the wife disappears. Pfeiffer is convinced that he's murdered her and starts spying on the husband who is now living alone in the house. Shortly after strange things start happening around the Pfeiffer-Ford house. You know, your usual haunting type activities like doors opening on their own, pictures falling off tables, radios switching on at full blast, bathtubs filling by themselves, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Conflict Between Barbarism and Reason in Lord of the Flies Essay exampl

Conflict Between Barbarism and Reason in Lord of the Flies      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Golding's Lord of the Flies is a carefully constructed fable that was, in Golding's words, "an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature." (Grigson 189). The novel shows a group of English boys reverting to savagery on a Pacific island. The book deals with the conflict between humanity's inner barbarism on one side, and the civilizing influence of reason on the other.    Each of the two characters I have chosen to contrast and compare is presented in the novel as the most influential representative of each of the two sides. Jack, the chief of the hunters, representing the hidden human passion and almost animal cruelty, and Ralph, with Piggy and a few other children, who is representing human common sense. When the reader enters the book, they find the whole group of the boys on a small island after they had been evacuated from their hometown and after their plain had crashed leaving them on the island with no grown-ups.    At the beginning of the book the position of Jack and Ralph is more or less equal. They are both well-conditioned boys of school age, who find themselves on a lonely island with some other boys of various age, but not older than themselves. They share similar opinions about their situation and its solution. They both want to be rescued and taken home. They both realise that there are a lot of things they must do to survive on the island until all of them get rescued. And lastly, they both are dominant types, but yet at the beginning of the novel they both acknowledge each other's authority and behave to each other in a friendly way.    At the return Ralph found himself alone... ... Epstein, E.L. "Notes on Lord of the Flies." Lord of the Flies. U.S.A.: Puntnum Publishing Group, 1954. 185-90. Fitzgerald, John F. and John R. Kayser. "Golding's Lord of the Flies: Pride as Original Sin." Studies in the Novel 24 (1992): 78-88. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. U.S.A.: Puntnum Publishing Group, 1954. Golding, William. "Lord of the Flies as Fable." Readings on Lord of the Flies. Ed. Bruno Leone. Sand Diego: Green Haven Press, 1997. 88-97. Houston, Daryl L. 1995 "Golding's themes" taken from http://www.lookup.com/Homepages/95416/golding.html The Concise Encyclopedia Of Modern World Literature (1963) ,edited by Geoffrey Grigson, New York, Hawthorn Books Inc., pg. 189-190 Woodward, Kathleen. "The Case for Strict Law and Order." Readings on Lord of the Flies. Ed. Bruno Leone. Sand Diego: Green Haven Press, 1997. 88-97.   

Research Project on Financial Crisis

Research Process on Financial Crisis Louis Cappelli 2/18/2012 From the research I have performed so far, I have been able to isolate the main issues that caused the financial crisis in the 2000’s. It seems to be that this whole crisis revolves around the major banks in America. I have been through a good amount of articles based upon the financial crisis so far, with each of them stating at least once something about the crisis relating to the banks.As I was finding this material, I noticed some other similarities in these resources involving the Crisis. For instance I noticed major names like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who both seem to have a major involvement in loans in mortgages in America. From these sources I found the articles specifying what were the main causes of the financial crisis to be most helpful. Since I am not familiar with this subject and economic crisis at all, the articles that were more simplified for the general public were the ones I could better unde rstand.From one article on About. com, I was given some of the major causes that of the recession involving the banks and what they did wrong. For instance I learned that in the beginning the banks didn’t worry about their credit and were giving out loans to people who weren’t qualified for them. Another thing that I took note upon over my research was the constant mentioning of a subprime mortgage. Apparently one of the first initiators of the financial crisis was the â€Å"subprime mortgage crisis†.These mortgages were granted to those with poor credit, but unfortunately the rate of these mortgages skyrocketed, leaving many lenders with financial difficulties resulting in bankruptcy. From the research performed and sources I thought were most reliable and factual, I fell as if the crisis we are dealing with is mainly in fault of the banks and loan mortgage cooperation’s in this country. I seems as if they messed up big time, and in result we all have to pay for their actions.

Organized Crime Exam 2 Study Guide

Exam Review 3/28/13 10:32 AM Rockefeller and Standard Oil (2) Proliferation of organized crime caused by: †¢ Collapse of Soviet Union †¢ Explosion of global markets Primary businesses †¢ Drugs †¢ Arms †¢ Human Trafficking – 3rd largest growing criminal industry o Article Handed out – On Test o 2 Components ? Labor ? Sex Trafficking o 1/3 of human trafficking resources come from craigslist Globalization and nexus of terrorism, differences from org crime †¢ Terrorism is inherently an organization that destroys politics, organized crime nurtures and infiltrates politics.Terr subvert government, org crime wants to maintain and run a parallel organiztion Where organized crime groups thrive †¢ Tri-border coiuntries – ability to cross, human trafficking, etc. Al Queda †¢ Using La Comorra to forge documents 3 different types of traditional organized crime †¢ Sicilian †¢ La Comorra from Sp prisons †¢ L’Ndranga? Popular in Australia and Canada, origin in slums of Collabria, Italy 4 types †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ of terrorism Criminal – profit, psychological gain EcoterroristsIdeological terrorism – effort to change political power. Mubarak in Egypt Nationalistic terrorism – terr activity that supports the interest of an ethnic or ____ group EX Afghanistan †¢ State sponsored terrorism – state threaten to use violence internationally, N KOREA Theories behind org crime †¢ Anomie – normlessness by Angle Durkheim. Robert Murton picked up on that theory. Break down his concept into GOALS and MEANS. 5 Categories of ppl o Conformity o Innovation o Ritualism o Retreatism o RebellionEdwin Sutherland Theory of_____ †¢ Close, intimate personal groups teach you mechanics and justification for criminal behavior Shawn McCay †¢ Concentric circles, Zone 2 the Zone of transition, where most crim activity is identified Theory of Olin – theo ry of relative deprivation and differential opportunity †¢ 3 categories o Retreat o Conflict o Criminal Ethnic succession concept Motorcycle Gangs †¢ 1%ers †¢ Probate, Citizen, Run, Colors, Significance of Harley Davidson repair manual †¢ 4 most notorious gangs †¢ Who Sonny Barger isLatino Organized Crime †¢ Columbia – world’s primary cocaine industry. o Political strife, civil war between wealthy landowners la Valencia o Castro overthrows Batista, how many narcotraffickers settle in N America o How Columbians began to export cocaine to Cuba, but eventually Cuba becomes their own organization o Medallin – first significant Columbian Cartel (Criminal Network resembling a holding company or corporation). Ocha family, primary family in the medallin cartel. ? Pablo Escobar – 1970s nothing but a drug dealer.By 1980s, emerged to such power that he attempted to engotaiot with Columbian govt to forego xtradition. They refused, he con tinues to promote drug organizeiton until he was assassinated o Followed by Cali Cartel ? Elmhurst Jackson Heights in Queens NY – little Columbia ? The Rejula brothers founded it. Incarcerated †¢ Mexico o PRI rule mexico for 70 years. Taken over by opposition party under Vicente fox †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ o Drug trafficking – initially working with Columbians, ****For every 2kilos brought in, Columbians gave 1 free**** Eventually Mexicans establish their own contacts – grow a majority of cocaine in Bolivia and peru, operate independently of Columbia o Amazucas Cartel – distinct notoriety in Methamohetamine o Sonola Cotel – Gusman/El Chapo / Shorty – mentioned in an ARTICLE ? How most powerful drug traffickers run their business o Tijuana Cartel – borders San Diego. ? Operated by 7 brothers, 4 sisters. o Sonora Cartel – borders Arizona Dominican Republic o Notorious transshipment point o Uptown manhattan pa rt of Washington Heights Known for moving large amts of heroin and crack cocaine v powder coke MS13 o El Salvador formed o Notoriously violent in el Salvador and N America La M o Prison based gang o Rely on wholesale violence o Now rivals a second Mexican-American Gang LA NUESTRA FAMILIA o Mexican Mafia still fueds with them o Primary business since it was formed in prisons is providing heroin in the Mexican prison system ARTICLE A JOURNEY INTO HELL – Not on test ***** 3/28/13 10:32 AM 3/28/13 10:32 AM Organized Crime Exam 2 Study Guide Exam Review 3/28/13 10:32 AM Rockefeller and Standard Oil (2) Proliferation of organized crime caused by: †¢ Collapse of Soviet Union †¢ Explosion of global markets Primary businesses †¢ Drugs †¢ Arms †¢ Human Trafficking – 3rd largest growing criminal industry o Article Handed out – On Test o 2 Components ? Labor ? Sex Trafficking o 1/3 of human trafficking resources come from craigslist Globalization and nexus of terrorism, differences from org crime †¢ Terrorism is inherently an organization that destroys politics, organized crime nurtures and infiltrates politics.Terr subvert government, org crime wants to maintain and run a parallel organiztion Where organized crime groups thrive †¢ Tri-border coiuntries – ability to cross, human trafficking, etc. Al Queda †¢ Using La Comorra to forge documents 3 different types of traditional organized crime †¢ Sicilian †¢ La Comorra from Sp prisons †¢ L’Ndranga? Popular in Australia and Canada, origin in slums of Collabria, Italy 4 types †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ of terrorism Criminal – profit, psychological gain EcoterroristsIdeological terrorism – effort to change political power. Mubarak in Egypt Nationalistic terrorism – terr activity that supports the interest of an ethnic or ____ group EX Afghanistan †¢ State sponsored terrorism – state threaten to use violence internationally, N KOREA Theories behind org crime †¢ Anomie – normlessness by Angle Durkheim. Robert Murton picked up on that theory. Break down his concept into GOALS and MEANS. 5 Categories of ppl o Conformity o Innovation o Ritualism o Retreatism o RebellionEdwin Sutherland Theory of_____ †¢ Close, intimate personal groups teach you mechanics and justification for criminal behavior Shawn McCay †¢ Concentric circles, Zone 2 the Zone of transition, where most crim activity is identified Theory of Olin – theo ry of relative deprivation and differential opportunity †¢ 3 categories o Retreat o Conflict o Criminal Ethnic succession concept Motorcycle Gangs †¢ 1%ers †¢ Probate, Citizen, Run, Colors, Significance of Harley Davidson repair manual †¢ 4 most notorious gangs †¢ Who Sonny Barger isLatino Organized Crime †¢ Columbia – world’s primary cocaine industry. o Political strife, civil war between wealthy landowners la Valencia o Castro overthrows Batista, how many narcotraffickers settle in N America o How Columbians began to export cocaine to Cuba, but eventually Cuba becomes their own organization o Medallin – first significant Columbian Cartel (Criminal Network resembling a holding company or corporation). Ocha family, primary family in the medallin cartel. ? Pablo Escobar – 1970s nothing but a drug dealer.By 1980s, emerged to such power that he attempted to engotaiot with Columbian govt to forego xtradition. They refused, he con tinues to promote drug organizeiton until he was assassinated o Followed by Cali Cartel ? Elmhurst Jackson Heights in Queens NY – little Columbia ? The Rejula brothers founded it. Incarcerated †¢ Mexico o PRI rule mexico for 70 years. Taken over by opposition party under Vicente fox †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ o Drug trafficking – initially working with Columbians, ****For every 2kilos brought in, Columbians gave 1 free**** Eventually Mexicans establish their own contacts – grow a majority of cocaine in Bolivia and peru, operate independently of Columbia o Amazucas Cartel – distinct notoriety in Methamohetamine o Sonola Cotel – Gusman/El Chapo / Shorty – mentioned in an ARTICLE ? How most powerful drug traffickers run their business o Tijuana Cartel – borders San Diego. ? Operated by 7 brothers, 4 sisters. o Sonora Cartel – borders Arizona Dominican Republic o Notorious transshipment point o Uptown manhattan pa rt of Washington Heights Known for moving large amts of heroin and crack cocaine v powder coke MS13 o El Salvador formed o Notoriously violent in el Salvador and N America La M o Prison based gang o Rely on wholesale violence o Now rivals a second Mexican-American Gang LA NUESTRA FAMILIA o Mexican Mafia still fueds with them o Primary business since it was formed in prisons is providing heroin in the Mexican prison system ARTICLE A JOURNEY INTO HELL – Not on test ***** 3/28/13 10:32 AM 3/28/13 10:32 AM

Let your life speak Essay

Questions for Reflection During which moments/activities do you feel most alive? What are your feelings about someone doing the right thing for the wrong reason? In what ways do you hear from God? What kinds of things most drain you? Stress you? What activities give you the space to reflect on what is going on inside you? How often do you do them? Consider the aphorism â€Å"Your greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness.† What is the connection between your strengths and your limits? Suggested Activity Pray through St. Ignatius’ Prayer of Examen. See www.marshill.org/groups/hc/ Select the link titled Prayer of Examen in the Practices section. Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 2-Now I Become Myself Quotes to think about â€Å"What a long time it can take to become the person one has always been. How often in the process we mask ourselves in faces that are not our own† [p. 9]. â€Å"We ourselves, driven by fear, too often betray true self to gain the approval of others† [p. 12]. â€Å"But inspected through the lens of paradox, my desire to become an aviator and an advertiser contain clues to the core of true self†¦clues, by definition, are coded and must be deciphered† [p. 13]. â€Å"If you seek vocation without understanding the material you are working with, what you build with your life will be ungainly and may well put lives in peril, your own and some of those around you† [p. 16]. â€Å"In the tradition of pilgrimage†¦hardships are seen not as accidental but as integral to the journey itself† [p. 18]. â€Å"I saw that as an organizer I had never stopped being a teacher-I was simply teaching in a classroom without walls. Make me a cleric or a CEO, a poet or a politico, and teaching is what I will do† [p. 21]. â€Å"People like me are raised to live autonomously, not interdependently. I had been trained to compete and win, and I had developed a taste for the prizes† [p. 22]. â€Å"Because I could not acknowledge my fear, I had to disguise it as the white horse of judgment and self-righteousness† [p. 28]. â€Å"Self care is never a selfish act-it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on the earth to offer to others† [p. 30]. â€Å"They decide no longer to act on the outside in a way that contradicts some truth about themselves that they hold deeply on the inside† [p. 32]. â€Å"Some journeys are direct, and some are circuitous; some are heroic, and some are fearful and muddled. But every journey, honestly undertaken, stands a chance of taking us toward the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need† [p. 36]. Questions for reflection What role does gaining the approval of others play in how you live your life? As Palmer recalls his childhood, he is able to uncover clues to his true self. Parents, siblings, and even spouses are great sources of information to find out what you were like when you were younger. What were your childhood fascinations? Were you an artist? Were you building forts in the woods? What sorts of things held your attention? Are there connections between the things that fascinated you then and the life that you want to live now? Half-truths go hand in hand with fear. In our fear, it is much easier to look at another person, institution, or situation and point out shortcomings than it is to look at our own. Fear may motivate us to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. What are some of the fears that â€Å"trigger† you to lash out at others? Palmer says that â€Å"self care is good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift that I was placed on earth to offer others.† He goes on to say that a lack of self care hurts not only the individual but others as well. What does â€Å"self care† look like for you? What restores you? What are the things in your life that make your soul tired? Who are the Martin Luther King Jr.’s, the Rosa Parks’, and Gandhis: of your life? Who are the people that you admire so much that you seek to model aspects of your life after them? Why these people? Learning who you are doesn’t simply mean learning your strengths but also your limitations. â€Å"Who are you?† is a very broad and difficult question to answer. I may not be able to tell you â€Å"who I am,† but I’ve got a list of stories to tell you who I am not! Finish the sentence â€Å"I could never_____ it’s just not me.† Suggested Activity Palmer says that â€Å"clues are coded and must be deciphered.† Turn a blank sheet of paper on its side and draw a straight line from the left side to the right side. The line will serve as a chronological timeline of your life from birth until now. Place significant experiences and events that have shaped who you are today on the timeline. Examples: family of origin, deaths, births, school and work experiences, relationships, spiritual journey, great moments of joy, or great moments of sadness. Take time to share with one another about what is on your timeline and why it is significant. Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 3-When Way Closes Quotes to think about â€Å"There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does-maybe more† [p. 39]. â€Å"If you are like me and don’t readily admit your limits, embarrassment may be the only way to get your attention† [p. 42]. â€Å"As Americans†¦we resist the very idea of limits, regarding limits of all sorts as temporary and regrettable impositions on our lives†¦We refuse to take no for an answer† [p. 42]. â€Å"When I consistently refuse to take no for an answer, I miss the vital clues to my identity that arise when way closes-and I am more likely both to exceed my limits and to do harm to others in the process† [p. 43]. â€Å"There are some roles and relationships in which we thrive and others in which we wither and die† [p. 44]. â€Å"It took me a long time to understand that although everyone needs to be loved, I cannot be the source of that gift to everyone who asks me for it† [p. 48]. â€Å"When I give something I do not possess, I give a false and dangerous gift, a gift that looks like love but is, in reality, loveless-a gift given more from my need to prove myself than from the other’s need to be cared for† [p. 48]. â€Å"Our strongest gifts are usually those we are barely aware of possessing. They are a part of our God given nature, with us from the moment we drew first breath, and we are no more conscious of having them than we are of breathing† [p. 52]. â€Å"Limitations and liabilities are the flip side of our gifts†¦a particular weakness is the inevitable trade-off for a particular strength. We will become better teachers not by trying to fill the potholes in our souls but by knowing them so well that we can avoid falling into them† [p. 52]. â€Å"If we are to live our lives fully and well, we must learn to embrace the opposites, to live in a creative tension between our limits and our potentials. We must honor our limitations in ways that do not distort our nature, and we must trust and use our gifts in ways that fulfill the potentials God gave us† [p. 55]. Questions for reflection Can you identify a moment in your life when God used a â€Å"closed door† instead of an â€Å"open door† to guide your life in the direction it needed to go? Discuss your experience.  Palmer says that embarrassment is sometimes the only way we become aware of our limitations. Identify and discuss an embarrassing moment that helped you become aware of your limitations. How does humor get used to avoid dealing with our shortcomings? In American culture, weaknesses and limitations are often viewed as things that need to be turned into strengths. Palmer seems to argue that in trying to turn our weaknesses into strengths we become something that we are not and end up living outside of ourselves. How does the idea that weaknesses should be identified and honored rather than turned into strengths strike you? If our strongest gifts are usually the ones that we are most unaware of, what types  of things do people tell you are your strengths that you feel unaware of? Suggested Activity Identify and write down two recent moments in your life. 1. A moment when things went so well that you felt confident that you were born to do whatever you were doing at the time. 2. A moment when something went so poorly that you never wanted to repeat the experience again. Break into groups of two or three people and share these moments. In the groups, begin by helping one another see the strengths that made the great moment possible. After doing that, reflect with one another about the moment that went poorly. Instead of offering critiques, think about the strengths discussed in the first moment. Knowing that our strengths and weaknesses are often opposites, help each other identify if there is a connection between the strength of the first moment and the weakness of the second moment. How are they two sides of the same coin? When everyone has finished gather back together as one group and discuss what you discovered. Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 4: All the Way Down *Before your discussion of chapter 4, it is very important to lay a framework for your discussion. Anytime people are discussing their brokenness, it must be done in a place of safety and confidentiality. Ask the group to be attentive to not try to â€Å"fix† one another as you interact. If you sense this beginning to happen, remind everyone that you are not trying to fix one another but to help one another hear. Also, be sure to communicate how important it is that what is discussed remains confidential. Quotes to think about â€Å"I had no choice but to write about my own deepest wound†¦I rarely spoke to him about my own darkness; even in his gracious presence, I felt too ashamed† [p. 57]. â€Å"Second, depression demands that we reject simplistic answers, both  Ã¢â‚¬Å"religious† and â€Å"scientific,† and learn to embrace mystery, something our culture resists† [p. 60]. â€Å"I do not like to speak ungratefully of my visitors. They all meant well, and they were among the few who did not avoid me altogether† [p. 61]. â€Å"Depression is the ultimate state of disconnection, not just between people but between one’s mind and one’s feelings. To be reminded of that disconnection only deepened my despair† [p. 62]. â€Å"I heard nothing beyond their opening words, because I knew they were peddling a falsehood: no one can fully experience another person’s mystery† [p. 62]. â€Å"One of the hardest things we must do sometimes is to be present to another person’s pain without trying to â€Å"fix† it, to simply stand respectfully at the edge of that person’s mystery and misery† [p. 63]. â€Å"Functional atheism-saying pious words about God’s presence in our lives but believing, on the contrary, that nothing good is going to happen unless we make it happen† [p. 64].  Ã¢â‚¬Å"First, I had been trained as an intellectual not only to think-an activity I greatly value-but also to live largely in my head†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [p. 67]. â€Å"I had to be forced underground before I could understand that the way to God is not up but down† [p. 69].  Ã¢â‚¬Å"One of the most painful discoveries I made in the midst of the dark woods of depression was that a part of me wanted to stay depressed. As long as I clung to this living death, life became easier; little was expected of me, certainly not serving others† [p. 71]. Questions for reflection Identifying our wounds is a critical part of the inward journey. Think back to the timeline you drew in the Chapter 2 activity. What are the wounds you have suffered? In what ways does shame cause you to hide who you are from others? Discuss the following statement: Sometimes not having answers to some of life’s questions can be comforting. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you feel it is important to â€Å"show up† when others experience hardship or tragedy? Why or why not? Discuss Palmer’s suggestion that no one can fully experience another person’s mystery and misery. How is the phrase â€Å"I know exactly how you feel† a positive statement between two people? How is it a negative statement? How do you see â€Å"functional atheism† in the world around you? In your life? What does â€Å"the way to God is down† mean to you? Palmer says â€Å"part of me wanted to stay depressed.† Why do you think we hold onto our pain despite the fact that we want it to stop? Suggested Activity Have someone read Job 2:9-13. What can we learn about how Job’s friends respond in these few verses? Read Job 4:8 and then Job 13:5. What is Eliphaz suggesting about Job in 4:8? What can be learned from Job’s response in 13:5? Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 5-Leading from Within Quotes to think about â€Å"I lead by word and deed simply because I am here doing what I do. If you are also here, doing what you do, then you also exercise leadership of some sort† [p. 74]. â€Å"Why must we go in and down? Because as we do so, we will meet the darkness that we carry within ourselves-the ultimate shadows that we project onto other people. If we do not understand that the enemy is within, we will find a thousand ways of making someone â€Å"out there† into the enemy, becoming leaders who oppress rather than liberate others† [p. 80]. â€Å"But why would anybody want to take a journey of that sort, with its multiple difficulties and dangers? Everything in us cries out against it-which is why we externalize everything. It is so much easier to deal with the external world, to spend our lives manipulating materials and institutions and other people instead of dealing with our own souls† [p. 82]. â€Å"Why would anyone want to embark on the daunting inner journey about which Annie Dillard writes? Because there is no way out of one’s inner life, so one had better get into it. On the inward and downward spiritual journey, the only way out is in and through† [p. 85]. â€Å"But extroversion sometimes develops as a way to cope with self-doubt: we plunge into external activity to prove that we are worthy-or simply to evade the question† [p. 86]. â€Å"the knowledge that identity does not depend on the role w e play or the power it gives us over others. It depends only on the simple fact that we are children of God, valued in and for ourselves† [p. 87]. â€Å"A few people found ways to be present to me without violating my soul’s integrity. Because they were not driven by their own fears, the fears that lead us either to â€Å"fix† or abandon each other†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [p. 93]. Questions for reflection Palmer suggests that anyone who is alive is a leader. He broadens the typical definition of leadership to include things like family dynamics and relationships. Discuss your thoughts on this.  What monsters do you need to â€Å"ride all the way down?† What might that look like?  What activities have you been part of in order to prove your worth or value? Palmer finishes the chapter by saying that it is possible for communities to be with one another in a way that is safe and honoring. What do you think makes communities feel unsafe? We are meant to support and journey with one another. What alternatives are there for journeying together beyond â€Å"fixing or abandoning?† Suggested Activity  Read Matthew 15:2,10, and 11.  Have someone wrap an empty box as you would a birthday or Christmas gift. Decorate the exterior with ribbons, bows, and other gift decorations. Set the gift in the middle of the room and ask people to make observations about the wrapping: What can we tell about the person who wrapped the box based on the wrapping? After several minutes of observation, have someone open the  gift to reveal the empty box. Jesus observes that the Pharisees are so concerned with the exterior that they neglect what is inside. How is this true in our lives? Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak Chapter 6-There Is a Season Quotes to think about â€Å"Animated by the imagination, one of the most vital powers we possess, our metaphors often become reality, transmuting themselves from language into the living of our lives† [p. 96]. â€Å"We do not believe that we â€Å"grow† our lives-we believe that we â€Å"make† them† [p. 97]. â€Å"We are here not only to transform the world but also to be transformed† [p. 97]. â€Å"In my own experience of autumn, I am rarely aware that seeds are being planted† [p. 98]. â€Å"In retrospect, I can see in my own life what I could not see at the time-how the job I lost helped me find work I needed to do, how the â€Å"road closed† sign turned me toward terrain I needed to travel, how losses that felt irredeemable forced me to discern meanings I needed to know† [p. 99]. â€Å"There is in all visible things†¦a hidden wholeness† [p. 99]. â€Å"Until we enter boldly into the fears we most want to avoid, those fears will dominate our lives† [p. 103]. â€Å"If you receive a gift, you keep it alive not by clinging to it but by passing it along†¦If we want to save our lives, we cannot cling to them but must spend them with abandon† [p. 105]. â€Å"Authentic abundance does not lie in secured stockpiles of food or cash or influence or affection but in belonging to a community where we can give those goods to others who need them-and receive them from others when we are in need† [p. 108]. â€Å"Community doesn’t just create abundance-community is abundance. If we could learn that equation from the world of nature, the human world might be transformed† [p. 108]. Questions for reflection  What season do you feel that you are currently in? Why? In your mind, what is the weirdest most obscure animal in all of God’s good creation? Why do you suppose God is so detailed and extravagant with his creation? What things contribute to the loss of imagination? In what ways do you â€Å"make your life† rather than listen for what God desires to make of your life? God asks that his people join him in redeeming and restoring the world. How are you joining God to redeem and restore the world? Remember that God is about details and extravagance. We can sometimes feel that the way we join God is small and insignificant compared to the way others do. But it isn’t. God created you to be a gift to Him and to the world and you have something to offer. What is it? How is this process transforming you? The way of Jesus, which is the way of the cross, compels us to use our freedom and abundance for the benefit of others. What does it look like for you to live for the benefit of others? What does it look like for your community? Suggested Activity After discussing what it might look like for your community to live for the benefit of others, finish by holding hands in a circle and reciting the Lord’s Prayer. [Matthew 6:9-13].

Introduction to China Essay

IntroduMing emperor Yung-lo and commander in chief of the Chinese expeditionary fleet to the South Seas in the early years of the 15th century. Born into a family named Ma, presumably of Mongol- Arab origin, In central Yunnan Province, Cheng Ho was selected to be castrated by the general In charge of recruiting eunuchs for the court In 1381, when he was about 10. Assigned to the retinue of Chu Tl, who later became emperor, Cheng accompanied him on military campaigns, culminating in the usurpation of the throne by Chu Ti in 402. Ma Ho proved himself to be an exceptional servant to Prince Zhu Di. He became skilled in the arts of war and diplomacy and served as an officer of the prince. Zhu Di renamed Ma Ho as Cheng Ho because the eunuch’s horse was killed in battle outside of a place called Zhenglunba. (Cheng Ho is also Zheng He in the newer Pinyin transliteration of Chinese but he’s still most commonly called Cheng Ho). Cheng Ho was also known as San Bao which means â€Å"three Jewels. † Cheng Ho, who was said to have been seven feet tall, was given greater power when Zhu Di became emperor in 402. One year later, Zhu Di appointed Cheng Ho admiral and ordered him to oversee the construction of a Treasure Fleet to explore the seas surrounding China. Admiral Cheng Ho was the first eunuch appointed to such a high military position In China. Because of a report that the former emperor Hul-tl had fled overseas, but probably with other good reasons, such as promoting Chinese influence or trade opportunities, Yunglo sent out expealtlons overseas unaer cneng’s command. In a perloa 0T 2 years, from 1405 to 1433, Cheng directed seven expeditions and visited no fewer than 7 countries, stretching from Champa in the east to the African coast in the west. In preparation for these expeditions, some 1,180 ships of various types and measurements were constructed. The size of the fleet varied from voyage to voyage. The first expedition consisted of a 27,800-man crew and 62 large vessels and 255 smaller ones carrying cargoes of silk, embroideries, and other valuable products. Cheng took personal command of each voyage, but he often entrusted his lieutenants to undertake side trips away from the main itinerary. The countries visited ranged rom the nearby states, such as Champa, Sumatra, and Java, to the faraway lands to the East, including Arabia and places on the east African coast, such as Mogadishu and Brawa. The purpose of these trips was to assure foreigners of China’s friendliness, extend imperial gifts and greetings to the chiefs of the foreign kingdoms, and report the conditions of these distant lands to the court. But at the same time, Cheng’s fleet also managed to annihilate a powerful Chinese pirate, interfere in a Javanese war, and reinstate a legitimate ruler in Ceylon. Yielding loads f exotic native products, the expeditions were often followed by tribute-bearing envoys from across the sea. Nonetheless, these voyages were criticized by Chinese officials as useless and wasteful of resources. After Yunglo’s death in 1424, the expeditions were suspended, and Cheng was made a garrison commander of Nanking. The last voyage (1432-1433) took place under the auspices of Emperor Hs?an-te. Cheng is customarily said to have died in 1435/1436, at the age of 65, but one source holds that he died early in 1433. Cheng’s expeditions, undertaken almost century before those of Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama, not only strengthened China’s influence over its neighbors but also marked a unique achievement in the history of maritime enterprise. A navigational chart attributable to the expeditions has been preserved and translated into English. First voyage (1405-1407) The first Treasure Fleet consisted of 62 ships; four were huge wood boats, some of the largest ever built in history. They were approximately 400 feet (122 meters) long and 160 feet (50 meters) wide. The four were the flagships of the fleet of 62 ships assembled at Nanjing along the Yangtze (Chang) River. Included in the fleet were 339-foot (103-meter) long horse ships that carried nothing but horses, water ships that carried fresh water for the crew, troop transports, supply ships, and war ships for offensive and defensive needs. The ships were filled with thousands of tons of Chinese goods to trade with others during the voyage. In the fall of 1405 the fleet was ready to embark with 27,800 men. The fleet utilized the compass, invented in China in the 1 lth century, for navigation. Graduated sticks of incense were burned to measure time. One day was equal to 10 â€Å"watches† of 2. 4 hours each. Chinese navigators determine latitude through monitoring the North Star (Polaris) in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere. The ships of the Treasure Fleet communicated with one another through the use of flags, lanterns, bells, carrier pigeons, gongs, and banners. The destination of the first voyage of the Treasure Fleet was Calicut, known as a major trading center on the southwestern coast of India. India was initially â€Å"discovered† by Chinese overland explorer Hsuan- ‘sang In tne seventn century. I ne meet stopped In Vietnam, Java, ana Malacca, ana hen headed west across the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka and Calicut and Cochin (cities on the southwest coast of India). They remained in India to barter and trade from late 1406 to the spring of 1407 when they utilized the monsoon shift to sail toward home. On the return voyage, the Treasure Fleet was forced to battle pirates near Sumatra for several months. Eventually Cheng Ho’s men managed to capture the pirate leader and take him to the Chinese capital Nanjing, arriving in 1407. second voyage (1407-1409) A second voyage of the Treasure Fleet departed on a return trip to India in 1407 but Cheng Ho did not command this voyage. He remained in China to oversee the repair of a temple at the birthplace of a favorite goddess.

Human Resource Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resource Systems - Assignment Example Empowering employees and organizing around teams are aimed by BMW for facilitating communication and making it easier for decisions to be made. It helps the company to respond quickly to customer's needs and it's competitor's challenges. It helps them learn to prioritize tasks and reduce job stress. A workforce that is knowledgeable and skilled at doing complex things keeps a company competitive and attracts investments. Improved productivity means fewer people, less money, less time, less space and fewer resources. Bonuses are given to workers on giving superb ideas related to cutting cost savings, as they are directly involved in production. BMW prefers increased participation from the worker's side. They must give at least three ideas with eight hundred pound for each idea and to qualify for full annual bonus up to two hundred and sixty six pounds. This is done to save 3.6 M annually. The company has also increased workers pay from 2,500 pounds to 4,500 pounds. Many of the workers are hired on temporary basis and working days are fixed to seven-day operation. Working time account was introduced in the company and workers were paid even when the plant remained shut for retooling. The hours missed were made up later. The company provided ease to the workers by giving them the opportunity to take off over time later as holidays. The company saved more than six ... The main goal of the company is to cut cost and improve productivity. BMW consider people as a source of competitive advantage. There is quality of work life at the company that is; employee participation, career development, conflict resolution, communication, wellness, job security, safe environment and pride. Staffing, retention, development, adjustment and change management are the activities, which are successfully implemented at BMW. It maximizes the corporate profits through the better management and use of people as a result of which the company has achieved high profits. As workers are directly involved in production and they have more knowledge about the technical aspects so they are involved in decision making by telling them to give ideas related to cutting costs. Incentives are provided on each idea and the implementation of these ideas gives pride and satisfaction to the workers. BMW believes that happy and satisfied workers are more productive. The workers enjoy social security as fair compensation plans are used by the company to reward workers. The company facilitates and encourages performance by providing sufficient rewards that employees really value. Employees are not over burdened by making them to work for long hours. The environment facilitates their work. Thus competency-based pay is provided to them based upon their skills, depth of knowledge and the work accomplished by them. Performance incentives are provided to them and they get reasonable chance to gain high salary. The link between performance and rewards is high. Workload standards have been set in the company and the work is assigned equitably. There is a philosophy of co-operation and involvement. By successful implementation of HR Systems and practices BMW has achieved enhanced

Criminal defence of provocation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminal defence of provocation - Essay Example A proposed bill however is pending in Parliament which seeks to remedy the ills of the law. Called the Coroner and Justice Bill, the proposed law is set to abolish provocation as a partial defence and introduce the ‘loss of control’ law in its lieu, using more stringent and specific language that will hopefully narrow down the application of the law and remove the hindrance to a more just application of the partial defence. The doctrine of provocation is a common law doctrine, which has been altered by the statutory law. As embodied in the Homicide Act of 1957, the doctrine works to serve as a mitigating factor in the crime of murder. Section 3 of the said Act specifically delegates the task of determining its existence to the jury in murder cases. Thus: There are, therefore, two things that a jury must do relative to the above provision: determine whether the defendant acted out of loss of self-control, and; whether a reasonable man would have similarly acted as the offender. The case of R v Camplin [1978] 2 All ER defined a reasonable man as â€Å"a person having the power of self-control, to be expected of an ordinary person of the same age and sex as the accused, but in other aspects sharing such of the accused’s characteristics as they think would affect the gravity of the provocation to him† (qtd Slapper & Kelly pp 108-109). The doctrine of provocation acts as a partial defence, which if successful results in partial responsibility or in simple terms, reduces murder to manslaughter. The doctrine is not applicable to any other kind of offense (Ashworth & Mitchell pp 72-73). Provocation is raised by the defence and the judge himself directs the jury to consider the element. The judge has to determine first the acts done or words uttered that directly affected the defendant’s self-control and provoked him/ her to kill (Stone 68). In the case of R v Cocker [1989] Crim LR 740, for