Liberalism and Realism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Liberalism and Realism - Essay Example Realists are more of pessimists in international politics. They agree that it is desirable to have a peaceful world. They view no possibilities of escaping the harsh world that is dominated by insecurity, war, and competition. The need to create a peaceful world is a good but not a practical idea. They also have three beliefs that form their basis. They regard states as the main actors in the world of politics. Great powers shape and dominate international politics as well as being the cause of wars. Realists also believe that the external environment influences the behavior of the great powers. In principles, great powers resemble billiard balls whose only variation is in size. Third, realists consider that power calculations dominate the thoughts of states. States always engage in competitions for power. The competition at times demands the need for war and it is at times considered as a good weapon of statecraft. Zero-sum quality brands the competition that makes it intense and un forgiving. States occasionally cooperate, but they have conflicting interests at their roots. The two theories have various common aspects from which they base their arguments. First is the distribution of Power. It refers to the state’s ability to manage outcomes. It is the ability of state B to get state A do something with state A having no options about it. The second one is war. War is a state-directed violence or violence across state borders. The third aspect is the national interest that makes states do what they prefer.

Indian & European Relations in the 1600s Essay Example for Free

Indian European Relations in the 1600s Essay Spain in North America 1560s: Spanish give up search for Indian gold. Focus on defending their empire from English (who were plundering treasure ships and Caribbean ports) and French Protestants (who began to settle in Florida though the Spanish had already claimed the land). Spanish establish fort at St. Augustine, Florida (1565) to protect route of the treasure fleet. They also massacre French Protestants. Raids by Native Americans wipe out military outposts and religious missions. 1573: The Comprehensive Order for New Discoveries says that missionaries, not conquistadors, have to pacify the land. Franciscan friars set up missions in Nuevo Mà ©xico (New Mexico) and attack Native Americans. Native Americans do forced labor. 1680: Popà © leads revolt, kills 400 Spaniards and forces remaining 1500 to flee to El Paso, and destroys Spanish missions (Pueblo Revolt of 1680). Spaniards return, Native Americans make a deal that lets them practice their own religion and end forced labor, but they have to help the Spaniards. Outcome: Spanish fail to convert Native Americans, Santa Fe left vulnerable. In Florida, raids by English leave St. Augustine vulnerable. French in North America 1608: First permanent settlement, Quebec, is founded 1662: King Louis XIV turns New France into a royal colony, tries to get people to move there. Cannot get enough people. New France becomes an area for trading furs. Rise of the Iroquois: French introduce diseases that kill many Indians. Indians get guns from fur trade, which leads to war. The Five Iroquois Nations come out on top, have control of the fur trade in Quebec (with the French) and New Amsterdam (with the Dutch). French Jesuits try to win Indian converts. They do not exploit the Indians, and they come to understand their culture. They eventually win converts by adapting Christianity to the needs of the Indians. Outcome: Despite efforts of the Jesuits, French fur trade causes devastation through disease and loss of Indian culture. Iroquois warriors kill many, though they too are harmed: French burned their villages and killed many warriors in 1666 and again in 1690. Dutch in North America Dutch set up a fur-trading post (Fort Orange) along the Hudson River. West India Company has monopoly on the fur. Later, Dutch founded New Amsterdam and made it the capital of New Netherland. Colony didn’t thrive: small population made it vulnerable. Fort Orange succeeds as a peaceful and successful fur-trading post. Dutch near New Amsterdam are more aggressive towards Indians. 1640: war. After the war, West India Company ignores New Netherland, focuses on slave trade. 1664: Dutch fall under control of the English under the Duke of York 1673: Dutch assault momentarily recaptures the colony Edmund Andros takes control, in retaliation imposes English law and demands allegiance. Outcome: Dutch, who had once been dominant, are now a subject people. Chapter 6: Making War and Republican Governments (1776-1789) Patriots demand that colonists join Loyalist or Patriot side – cannot stay neutral. Patriots have advantage to get supporters b/c they control local governments. Patriots make army, and Patriots encouraged people to support the army by taking a more active role in govt. Character of politics changes when common people exert influence: democratic army launches age of republican revolution. Americans forced to retreat, Britain pushed back Americans into PA. When winter comes, Britain halts their campaign and Patriots catch them off guard, winning small victories. Armies and Strategies Howe doesn’t want to destroy Americans, just wants them to surrender and compromise. Howe cannot win decisive victory, Washington avoids defeat. Washington’s handicaps: Fights only defensively, has unfit recruits, Radical Whig Patriots believe army is threat to liberty. American Victory at Saratoga Britain’s goal: isolate New England North’s colonial secretary Germain’s plan: attack Albany from 3 sides. Burgoyne, St. Leger, and Howe will attack. Howe’s different plan: attack Philadelphia (home of Continental Congress), end rebellion w/ single victory. Howe uses his plan slowly. Continental Congress flees to PA’s interior. Howe’s slow attack directly leads to defeat of Burgoyne’s army. Burgoyne’s actions: fights, then stalls. Americans led by General Gates slows Burgoyne’s progress. Burgoyne’s army stuck in Saratoga, NY. Beaten back while trying to raid VT. Has troops w/drawn to help Howe. Meanwhile, Gates’ forces grow. October 1777: Burgoyne forced to surrender. Turning point of the war. Social and Financial Perils British naval blockade causes disruption in New England fishing industry, and British occupation causes decrease in domestic trade and manufacturing. People move out, decrease in population. Chesapeake colonies: blockade cuts tobacco exports. Short supply of goods = army starts getting supplies from the people. Women and Household Production Women: 1 Increase output of homespuns 2 Participate in farmwork Despite this, goods remain scarce and prices rise. War also created deprivation, displacement, and death. War divides communities b/c of Patriots’ violence. Financial Crisis State govts are weak, don’t create new taxes. Creation of fiat money, Continental Congress and colonies’ economies crumble. Valley Forge Starvation and sickness for Americans during the winter in Valley Forge, but Baron von Steuben raises morale. Continental army becomes tougher and better disciplined. The Path to Victory, 1778-1783 1778: Continental Congress allies w/ France. Alliance gives Continental Congress money, supplies, and later troops. Also confronts Britain w/ international war that challenges domination of Atlantic. The French Alliance Alliance starts w/ secret loan to colonies to avenge France’s loss of Canada to Britain. Later turns into a formal alliance. Negotiating the Treaty American diplomats ensure treaty specifies that French support cannot end until the United States is independent. Alliance revives colonies and Continental Congress. The British Response War is becoming unpopular in Britain. Some British support Americans and campaign for domestic reforms. George III initially committed to crushing rebellion, but after British defeat at Saratoga changes his mind. Tries to prevent American and French alliance (Parliament repeals Tea Act, Prohibitory acts, and renounces right to tax colonies). War in the South French and Spanish (who joined the war against Britain in 1779) agendas cause British to shift focus of the war to the South. Britain’s Southern Strategy British plan: 1 Focus on winning tobacco and rice colonies (VA, Carolinas, GA) then rely on local Loyalists to hold them 2 Exploit racial divisions between slaves and Patriot owners – get slaves to flee At first, British are winning. But tide turns. Dutch join fight against British. France dispatches troops to America Partisan Warfare in the Carolinas General Green fights in Carolinas. Fighting goes back and forth. Britain is weakened by this war of attrition, and British decide to give up Carolinas to Greene and focus on VA instead. Benedict Arnold and Conflicting Loyalties Benedict Arnold switched from American side to British side. Fights for George III in VA. Britain Defeated Washington and the French fleet surround Cornwallis and his troops on land. Cornwallis is outnumbered, cannot escape by sea. October 1781: Cornwallis surrenders in Yorktown The Patriot Advantage Why the Americans won the war: 1 Some British mistakes 2 Widespread Patriots in America 3 Many Americans support war through taxes and joining the militia 4 Patriots led by experienced politicians 5 George Washington Americans refuse to support British army, refuse to accept occupation by Loyalist forces, and endure the inflation caused by the war. Diplomatic Triumph Peace talks begin in 1782, but French and Spanish stall b/c they still hope for major naval victory or territorial conquest. Ignoring Treaty of Alliance, Americans sign a separate peace w/ the British. September 1783: Treaty of Paris. Great Britain recognizes independence of the colonies. Britain gets: 1 Canada 2 Rights for merchants to pursue legal claims for prewar debts 3 Americans will encourage state legislatures to return confiscated property to Loyalists and grant them citizenship America gets: 1 Great Lakes and land east of the Mississippi River 2 Fishing rights 3 Freedom of navigation on the Mississippi 4 British cannot seize property like slaves 1783: Treaty of Versailles – Britain makes peace w/ France and Spain Chapter 10: Creating Republican Institutions, 1776 – 1787 The State Constitutions: How Much Democracy? Many states had written state constitutions when the Continental Congress urged them to in 1776. The Rise of Popular Politics, 1820-1829 Expansion of the franchise = most democratic symbol of the Democratic Revolution. Gives ordinary men more power than anywhere else in the world. The Decline of the Notables and the Rise of Parties American Revolution weakened the deferential society, but didn’t overthrow it. Wealthy notables still dominated the political system at first. 1810: Struggle to expand suffrage began. State legislatures grant broader voting rights to diffuse criticism and deter migration to the west. The new voters refused to support politicians that flaunted their high social status. Democratic politics is corrupt. Martin Van Buren: 1 Created political machine, the Albany Regency. 2 Patronage: gives government jobs to party members in return for their loyalty. (Spoils system) 3 Insists on party discipline, requires elected officials to follow dictates of the party caucus. The Election of 1824 Five candidates, all Republicans, campaigned for presidency. Jackson received most popular votes, but Adams won because Clay made a â€Å"corrupt bargain† with Adams, where Clay would vote Adams into presidency if he would become secretary of state. Presidency of John Quincy Adams: the last notable president Supports American System (protective tariffs, national bank, subsidized internal improvements) Resistance to the American System: southerners oppose protective tariffs because they raised the price of manufactures, and smallholders feared powerful banks that could force them into bankruptcy. Politicians oppose American System on constitutional grounds (for example, saying that the national government’s income couldn’t fund state improvement projects because those projects were the responsibility of the states). Southerners were also angry about the Tariff of 1828, which raised duties on raw materials and textiles. Southerners also dislike Adams’s pro-Indian policy. Jacksonian Impact 1 Expanded potential authority of President by identifying it with the voice of the people. 2 Upheld national authority by threatening use of military force, laying foundation for Lincoln’s later defense of the Union. 3 Reinvigorated Jeffersonian tradition of limited central government by undermining American System of national banking, protective tariffs, and internal improvements. 4 Undermined constitutional jurisprudence of Marshall by appointing Taney as Marshall’s successor. Taney partially reversed nationalist and property-rights decisions of Marshall. Example: In the case Charles River Bridge Co. v. Warren Bridge Co. (1837), Taney says that a charter doesn’t necessarily bestow a monopoly, and a legislature could charter competition (in this case, a competing bridge co.) to help the public. This decision directly challenges what Marshall said in the Dartmouth College v. Woodward case, where Marshall stresses the binding nature of a contract by saying that a state cannot invalidate a contract. Other cases that place limits on Marshall’s nationalistic interpretations by enhancing role of state governments: Mayor of New York v. Miln (1837): New York state can use â€Å"police power† to inspect health of immigrants. Briscoe v. Bank of Kentucky (1837): When it issues currency, a bank owned by the Kentucky doesn’t violate the provision of the Constitution that prohibits states from issuing â€Å"bills of credit.† As a result of the Taney Court’s decisions, the role of state governments in commerce was greatly enhanced. 5 States write new constitutions that extend democracy, many of which introduce classical liberalism (laissez-faire). Laissez-faire says the government role in the economy should be limited.

Hazard And Hazard Management Construction Essay

Hazard And Hazard Management Construction Essay The construction industry is characterized by a relatively high injury and illness rate compared to other industries. In the past two decades more than 26,000 U.S. construction workers have died at work. That equates to approximately five construction worker deaths every working day. Safe practices can help eliminate the hazards present in the construction industry, and reduce the number of on-the-job injuries and deaths. The techniques in the construction industry have been improved due to the rapid development of science and technology. However, the constructional hazards are not decreased as expected. To reduce or prevent occupational hazards in the construction industry, some methods were proposed to provide a prevention and improvement technique against occupational hazards. A method was developed to identify important hazard types and hazard causes. Additionally, especial analyses were performed to assess the risk value of the hazard. 2. Hazard and Hazard Management: Hazards identification is the act of identifying the failure conditions or threats which could lead to undesirable events. It may be outlined as a condition, object, activity or event with the potential of inflicting injuries or sick health to personnel, injury to property, loss of fabric, or reduction of the ability to perform a prescribed operate or combination of those (DOSH, 2006). Paul Everitt and Anthony Price (2004) define hazard as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢any source or situation with the potential to cause harm to the safety and health of people or damage the environment or to plant / equipment. Because the existence of a hazard is not always obvious, and increases with human interaction a structured and systematic approach is essential in compiling a comprehensive list of hazards. The hazard management means, the method of implementing counter measures to decrease the chance of hazard. 3. The project features and their relation to the construction hazard To determine that how the project features contribute to construction hazard, it needs to categorize the project to the specific project features and breaking that down into a sequence of stages, and then, identifying all possible loss-of-control incident that may occur during the construction work. 3.1. The project features and the sequence of stages: Foundations: Excavation Pilling Structural activities Concrete Slabs Cast-in-place concrete columns and walls Erecting pre-cast slabs Erecting pre-cast walls Forming walls with stone cladding Finishing activities: Brick masonry Stone cladding Exterior plastering Gypsum boards Floor tiling Roof insulation Roof sealing Glazing Other activities Electrical installation Plumbing HVAC installation 3.2. Some sub-activities of the above stages are: According to the above category there are some sub-activities that would be hazardous in construction sites such as: Activity Sub-activity Hazard Event Foundation Excavation Cave- in Collapse the excavation wall Piling Sequencing of piling work Conflict with other parts of the project construction, creating unsafe working conditions Piles located in positions in restricted working space Personal injury from falling debris, crushing. Unsafe removal of guards or auger cleaners. Risk to third parties Piling near to the top of slopes Slope failure, rig overturning Working in excavations Access ramps and wall props can hold up working space Structural activities Concrete Slabs Slips, trips Fall Cast-in-place concrete walls with stone cladding Pouring concrete using a crane bucket Filling bucket Concrete spatter Exterior working Preparing the wall area Filling holes Dropping an object Casting lightweight concrete for drainage Casting concrete Pouring the concrete Dropping an object Concrete columns and walls Fix steel rebar cage Final ties Collision with steel bars Drywall construction Erecting the framing Attaching studs to exterior masonry or concrete walls Spatter of debris from drilling or nailing Exterior stucco Manually applying an insulating layer Curing and cutting protrusions Struck by a tool Cast-in-place concrete columns and walls Installing forms Cleaning and greasing forms in height Fall from a ladder Concrete columns and walls Casting concrete with a crane Lifting a bucket full of concrete Crane collapse A researcher argued that, according to the fatalities statistic, 40% of that involved incidents related to falls from height. Inadequate, removed, or inappropriate use of fall protection equipment contributed to more than 30% of the falls. As these statistics indicate, safety in construction remains a big problem. As good safety practices and records create a positive, hazard free, and productive work environment, planning for safety at the front-end of a project is not only the first but also a fundamental step for managing safety. There are some hazard identification tools, such as: Text Brainstorming Checklist Structured What-if (SWIFT) 4. Some Common Construction Hazard Issues: 4.1. Construction Hazards: Construction hazards may include falls, extreme heights, falling from rooftops, machinery failure, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, electrocutions, silica dust, asbestos, lead, welding emissions, accidents, structure collapse, roofing and pavement tar, engine exhaust fumes, and other hazards. Construction sites include residential construction, bridge erection, roadway paving, excavations, demolitions, and big painting jobs. 4.2. Construction Hazard Statistics According to OSHA : Figure 1 shows that falls from elevation generally represent the leading cause of a death due to construction related activity, representing about 33% of all construction fatalities. Getting struck by some object, caught in-between two objects, and electrical shock is also leading factors of construction fatalities. Together, these make up about 90% of all construction fatalities. It is important to note that over the last few years, these numbers have statistically declined or increased in a linear, proportion fashion. The occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Statistics show that about 90% of the fatalities occur from four types of injuries. These injuries may be from falls from height such as scaffolding or ladders, being struck by objects, being caught between objects, and electrocution. There are other common hazards in construction sites that may include power tools and equipment, Heavy machinery, excavations, and confined. 4.3. Is the Engineers and Safety Staff are blame? Failures in hazard identification are often due to the limited expertise or oversight of engineers or safety staff when planning or executing safety practices, or poor training of construction staff. Examples are tasks in design for safety, safety inspection, and monitoring safety. Failure in any of these can result in increased risk of exposing workers to hazards in the construction environment. Safety planning in construction is generally done separately from project execution planning and involves different actors. This separation and the resulting lack of communication create difficulties for safety engineers to analyze what, when, why, and where the hazards located for preventing accidents. 5. Fall Hazards Identification and Preventive Measures: As mentioned above, 40% of involved incidents are related to falls from height, due to that here will focus on Identifying and assessing the hazards and risks as an essential step in safety management. The potential fall hazards regarding to construction features are, holes in slabs, leading or unbounded edges of the floor slab, and openings in walls. According to OSHA a slab hole means a gap or void of 2 in. (5.1 cm) or more in its least dimension. A hole can exist at several heights, for example, on a floor (e.g., concrete slab), a roof (e.g., skylight), or any other walking/working surface. Similar rules exist for openings in walls, for example, unprotected windows. Regardless of the size of the hole or opening, if the location of the object is elevated more than 1.8 m (6 ft), it would be hazardous. The preventive measure for falls include, always using appropriate fall protection, installing and maintaining perimeter protection when working from heights, covering and securing all floor openings, and following safe practices when using ladders and scaffolds. 6. Conclusion: The construction industry has been considered an accident prone industry. Alarming statistics indicate that the construction industry accounts for 55,000 fatal injuries each year. That is because construction sites are often filled with potential hazards that can lead to serious injury or death. Safety planning can be considered in the scheduling stage for early detection, including identification of a hazardous location, and schedule for implementation of protective safety equipment. Construction sites, unlike other production facilities, undergo changes in topography, topology and work conditions throughout the duration of the projects. These features make managing construction site-safety more difficult than managing safety in manufacturing plants. Mostly in construction, a different approach is needed to identify hazards and risks, increase safety and prevent accidents. The employee is responsible for reporting any defects in the workplace or on any of the equipment that is being used. A workplace inspection is a critical part of a comprehensive safety and health program in which the workplace is examined closely on a regular basis for the purpose of: Identifying and recording potential and actual hazards associated with buildings, equipment, environment, and processes. Identifying hazards which require immediate attention. Ensuring that existing hazard controls are functioning and recommending corrective action.

Lion Dancing :: Dance Culture Cultural China Chinese Essays

Lion Dancing When you’re in Chinatown on Chinese New Year, you can hear the firecrackers popping followed by the loud music of banging drums and cymbals clashing in beat with each other. Then as the smoke clears, a huge beast emerges from the smoke. Kids hide behind their parents as the beast shakes its head from side to side and begins to dance around. It is a frightening beast, but it scares the evil spirits and brings good luck to all the stores around Chinatown. As some people know from this description, this is Lion Dancing – a mixture of dance and martial arts. The legendary story of how Lion Dancing began takes place in a cave where the lions were sleeping. A monk enters and prepares a shrine around the cave. When he is finished, the monk wakes the sleepy lions by playing on the drum and gong. He wants the sleepy lions to bow to the shrine he has created, but the lions only want to dance around and have fun. So the monk takes some lettuce greens to poke fun at the lio ns and get their attention. This makes the lions so mad that they eat the greens. Nowadays, Lion Dancers throw lettuce at the audience in order to spread good luck around because the greens represent wealth. There are different styles to Lion Dancing and they are each represented in various ways. For example, the Buddhists believe this dance spreads courage, energy, and wisdom to people. This is because Lion Dancers use fighting tiger and crane poses to make themselves look powerful. In other lion dance troupes, their stances can represent specific animals just from the movements of their feet. The head of the lion also represents different animal forms by the symbols and decorations on it. For instance, the curved horn on top of the head represents a phoenix and the ears and tail represent a unicorn. Some may assumed lion dancing is only done on Chinese New Year and Harvest Moon, but this kind of dance is also used to bless people on special days such as birthdays, weddings, and grand openings for stores. Lion Dancing has inspired me to get in touch with my Asian American side. At first, all I knew about Lion Dancing was that it’s entertaining and brings good luck to everyone during Chinese New Year. Lion Dancing :: Dance Culture Cultural China Chinese Essays Lion Dancing When you’re in Chinatown on Chinese New Year, you can hear the firecrackers popping followed by the loud music of banging drums and cymbals clashing in beat with each other. Then as the smoke clears, a huge beast emerges from the smoke. Kids hide behind their parents as the beast shakes its head from side to side and begins to dance around. It is a frightening beast, but it scares the evil spirits and brings good luck to all the stores around Chinatown. As some people know from this description, this is Lion Dancing – a mixture of dance and martial arts. The legendary story of how Lion Dancing began takes place in a cave where the lions were sleeping. A monk enters and prepares a shrine around the cave. When he is finished, the monk wakes the sleepy lions by playing on the drum and gong. He wants the sleepy lions to bow to the shrine he has created, but the lions only want to dance around and have fun. So the monk takes some lettuce greens to poke fun at the lio ns and get their attention. This makes the lions so mad that they eat the greens. Nowadays, Lion Dancers throw lettuce at the audience in order to spread good luck around because the greens represent wealth. There are different styles to Lion Dancing and they are each represented in various ways. For example, the Buddhists believe this dance spreads courage, energy, and wisdom to people. This is because Lion Dancers use fighting tiger and crane poses to make themselves look powerful. In other lion dance troupes, their stances can represent specific animals just from the movements of their feet. The head of the lion also represents different animal forms by the symbols and decorations on it. For instance, the curved horn on top of the head represents a phoenix and the ears and tail represent a unicorn. Some may assumed lion dancing is only done on Chinese New Year and Harvest Moon, but this kind of dance is also used to bless people on special days such as birthdays, weddings, and grand openings for stores. Lion Dancing has inspired me to get in touch with my Asian American side. At first, all I knew about Lion Dancing was that it’s entertaining and brings good luck to everyone during Chinese New Year.

Islamic Fundamentalism Essay

20 March 2007 Introduction On September 11, 2001, the United States of America experienced the worst act of terrorism ever perpetrated on American soil, as major targets in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania were the scenes of the massive slaughter of innocent civilians. From the moment that the first act commenced, the rumor mill flew into overdrive, conveniently blaming the terrorism on â€Å"militant Islamic† people, and implying that this movement had suddenly sprung up out of obscurity to strike at the heart of America like a thief in the night. The reality is much more complex, for fundamentalist Islam has a much longer history, and the threat it continues to pose to Western Democracy, even today, had been growing and mutating for generations prior to 9/11. In this paper, the very definition of fundamentalism at its beginning will be presented, as well as the perversion of it that has led to the challenges and threats the West now has come to bear. Roots of Fundamentalism. To begin, one needs to understand two very different and specific terms: followers of Islam and Islamic Fundamentalists, as the two groups are vastly different, yet both claim legitimacy under the same doctrine. In its purest form, Islam is based upon the ancient teachings of the prophet Muhammad, who was said to have been given the Quran, or holy book of Islam, by God himself, with Muhammad as the messenger and deliverer of the Quran and its teachings to the masses (Davidson). If one were to follow the teachings of Islam in a more traditional sense, as Muhammad is said to have received the word from God, they would be peaceful, obedient servants of God, and Muhammad, thereby enriching their lives, raising solid families and leaving the world a better place than what is was when they were born into it. Eventually, however, political turmoil distorted this message and gave rise to a strain of Islam that is known as Fundamentalism or Extremism, depending upon the source of the material. This interpretation of Islam and the Quran takes the inflexible view that those who do not believe in Islam, and follow the Quran, are characterized as â€Å"Infidels†, and the price of their infidelity to Islam is death. Of course, the Christian ideals of the West make America a convenient target of this sort of massive hatred, but this hatred has also been fueled over the years by America’s defense of other enemies of the fundamentalists/extremists such as the people of Turkey and Israel (Mustikhan). Eventually, the rage of these Islamics would erupt against the US on a large scale, beginning in the 1970s. The Islamic Terrorist is Born It is generally agreed that those who are today termed â€Å"Islamic Terrorists† were first given that moniker by the West in 1979, when the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran was seized by terrorists, taking hundreds of American diplomats and their support staffs hostage in a siege that ultimately lasted 444 days, and brought the United States to the brink of war with Iran. The group of Iranians and assorted others who were in essence the foot soldiers who undertook the plot, led by the extremist leader Ayatollah Khomeini, came to be called Islamic Terrorists (Hoveyda). From there, the stereotype of what a terrorist is, and their potential to wreak havoc on innocent people, began to grow in the minds of the world community. Threats to Western Democracy Due to the widespread presence of Islamic Extremists/Militants, the threat to Western Democracy has become very real, and of course has manifested itself in such tragedies as the Iran Hostage Crisis and 9/11. Given the humble beginnings and admirable teachings that are found in the Quran, and were exhibited by Muhammad and carried down by his disciples, it is a wonderment as to exactly how/why Islam eventually spawned a militant faction which goes against the foundations of the faith itself. In a word, the violent offshoot is the byproduct of fanaticism. Fanatics are those members of the Islamic community who have taken the position that any government, or religion (in their mind, they should be one in the same) that does not practice the teachings of the Quran are the equivalent of parasites that must be eradicated for the good of the human race. The defense of this attitude, and the resultant violence which comes out of the attitude, is due to misinterpretation of the Quran, hence making these individuals worthy of the extremist label. Because the Islamic Extremists have convinced themselves that they are doing the will of God, as laid out in their creative interpretation of the Quran, there quite literally is nothing stopping them from continuing to launch attacks against the Western Democracies, as well as other â€Å"infidels† who hold views and practice lifestyles which are contrary to theirs. One particularly chilling reality of the threat against Western Democracy is the fact that Islamic Extremists, while found in large numbers in some nations more commonly than others, really do not have a nation with borders, do not fly an identifiable flag, or wear a uniform that indicates that they are Islamic Extremists, despite what the leadership of the United States may choose to claim in the present day. Rather, the Extremists have the ability to move freely about the globe and do not have a set territory where organized armies can pursue and battle them. This sort of an invisible threat, not centered in a geographic location but highly organized and well financed as well as armed to the hilt, holds the potential to destroy their enemies, such as the Western Democracies, which are somewhat restrained by physical borders and the need to engage in conventional warfare. Because of this, the paradox is clear- how can an enemy be fought if it cannot be readily seen or tracked? Also, the inability to negotiate with Islamic Extremists closes another avenue of resolving differences and stopping the bloodshed. Conclusion- What is the Future Threat? This paper has shown that Fundamental Islam has the means, mindset, and determination to bring Western Democracy to its knees, as well as the point of annihilation. What this will mean for the future is anyone’s guess but one thing is for sure- without some sort of decisive action against Islamic Fundamentalists, many more innocent lives may be lost, and hard lessons may be learned too late and at too high of a price. Works Cited Davidson, Lawrence. Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Hoveyda, Fereydoun. The Broken Crescent: The â€Å"Threat† of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998. Marin-Guzman, Roberto. â€Å"Fanaticism: A Major Obstacle in the Muslim Christian Dialogue. the Case of Twentieth Century Islamic Fundamentalism. † Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ) 25. 3 (2003): 63+. Mustikhan, Ahmar. â€Å"The Roots of Islamic Extremism. † World and I July 1999: 74.

Savage Inequalities Essay Example

Savage Inequalities Essay Example Savage Inequalities Essay Savage Inequalities Essay Savage Inequalities How is it possible for one of the wealthiest countries in the world to have such poverty stricken areas with the living conditions of a third-world country? After reading the words of Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kola, I was given countless explanations on how deprivation of funds, opportunity and education affect a community in a negative light. The author ventured into the city of East SST. Louis, examined the environment and gave readers a first-hand observation of the people who live there. As a reader, one will get an in depth illustration on how negligent politics affect the overall condition of a city that was initially one of the most economically sound cities in America. Many years ago, E. SST. Louis was an industrialized city of great opportunity Now lays the abandoned structures that once gave the city financial stability. Kola informed the audience of how E. SST. Louis inhabitants have to succumb to the endless problems that come with living in one of the poorest cities in America, and how it affects their everyday lives. Although corrupt ileitis affect the economy and education systems of this city, adequate leadership would be of great Justice to the rehabilitation of E. SST. Louis. For many years, the corrupt politics in E. SST. Louis has heavily affected its physical appearance. From streets in need of major repair to a sewage system that is backed- up throughout the city, there seems to never be enough money to fix the infinite list of problems. After being $40 million in debt, former Governor James Thompson proposed an emergency state loan to keep city staff in the workplace. In order for the loan to go in affect, Governor Thompson requested that the current mayor resign from office. The lack of good leadership affects many of the critical responsibilities that need taken care of within the city. For some reason the funds that are designated to help maintain E. SST. Louis, somehow fall into the pockets of city officials. This is why I think that adequate leadership would serve as a solution to fix the overall problem within the city. The second leading cause for hardships and poverty in E. SST. Louis is the failing economic structure that is one of the many factors affected due to the political system. Labeled as the most distressed city in America, nearly one third of E. SST. Louis population lives on an average income of $7,500 a year. Drastic lay-offs due to financial shortages left over a thousand city workers unemployed. Consequently, due to the lay-offs many tasks in the city were left undone because of the shortages in city workers. Although E. SST. Louis appears to be a city with no opportunity for employment this has not always been the case. For many years E. SST. Louis was a very industrialized city with many opportunities for black families migrating from the southern states. Now that industrialized times have passed, and most of the plants simply disappeared, the open Jobs that once held up the economy went along with them. Education is one of the most neglected factors that affect the productivity and chances for E. SST. Louis citizens to have an equal chance of living The American but also one of the most inadequate. Some of the E. SST. Louis school districts flaws that Kola touched on included the inadequate plumbing system, out of date books, ND the under-representation of staff and administration. In other words, there is a deficit among the number of resources that is given to the school district and the physical appearance of the schools that inhabit this particular school district. Other issues were oriented toward the districts extra-curricular activities, such as worn-out football Jerseys or poor equipment. Because school is a childs training ground for life, attaining an education in E. SST. Louis school district could predict an either or future for a student. Either a student will allow a presumably unsatisfactory school district fail them, or they will rise above the inadequacies and strive for something more. Although many underlying factors affect the citizens of East SST. Louis, based off Kohls information, I think that it is the political, economic and education systems that affect them the most. Furthermore, I think that the political system is the starting domino that perpetuates problems unto the citys economic and education systems. Because the citys political power is corrupted and ran by individuals with ulterior datives, the economy is directly affected by debt. I imagine that the debt that the city collects affect the education system because of the inability to keep up with current books or refurbish the schools infrastructure. With that being said the lack in leadership plays a major part in managing the funds that should be transferred to its respective places, which obviously is not being done. From reading Kohls work the city of E. SST. Louis is in desperate need of strong leadership to dig its community out of a hole that has lasted for over 50 years.

Glorious Revolution essays

Glorious Revolution essays The different ways which people translate or view varies important documents; for example, the Constitution, can usually change the lives of many or even cause clashes between the states. Both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas has their own strong opinion when it comes to the issue of slavery. At the time of Lincolns presidency, the sole purpose of him was to keep the country intact, therefore, he has to deal with slavery in a much more less extreme way when compared to Frederick Douglas, because he has to please everyone. From Douglas Independence Day Speech, anyone can see that he held much grudge toward the US constitution, nevertheless, he still believes if correctly interpreted, the Constitution may help with the abolishing of slavery. According to Douglas, the very people who drew up the Constitution believe in the fact that all men were created equal. Hence, there should be no differences between African-American and the White-Americans. Therefore, the practice of slavery is not only against morality, its also unconstitutional. Due to the fact slavery is made unconstitional by the Constitution, it makes the document itself the most glorious document ever. Ultimately, what Douglas want is the total abolishment of slavery, and hes not afraid to be blunt about it. In the case of Lincoln, he has to approach slavery in a much more subtle manner because he knew if he express his views un-clearly or cast the slightest impression of support or against slavery, he may very well lead the country into a civil war, therefore, making himself the person to blame. And from Lincolns statement, anyone can clearly see that he believes the Constitution is there to keep the nation in order and united. Thus, the interpretation of Constitition regarding slavery can be flexible as long as its for the best of the country. Nevertheless, despit...

Free Essays on The Things They Carried

In the short story â€Å"The Things They Carried† Tim O’Brien faces Jimmy Cross with the problem of surviving while fighting in Vietnam. While trying to maintain his sanity, Jimmy struggles between his old self and the person he has to become. Jimmy has to make some difficult decisions while in his tour, and most of them come to his attention after his friend Ted Lavender is killed. Jimmy’s main struggle in dealing with his friends death is to figure out a way he can become a better leader. He wants to lead his troop with confidence and preciseness. Before his friend’s death, Jimmy had constructed a bulwark to separate him from the rest of the troop. Jimmy was in his own world, mainly back in New Jersey with Martha, but sometimes in a fantasy world where nothing felt real and he would do amazing things like fly over Vietnam waving the whole madness goodbye. His misconception of fantasy and reality is one of the first things that he changes about himself in order to become a better leader. Making this decision was near impossible, the pictures that he had become inured to seeing everyday were put to flame and Martha was no longer in his thoughts. By burning those pictures he not only breaks free from the fantasy world, but also of Martha. She was a girl back home who he had loved dearly, and had remained in contact with throughout the war. His infatuation with Martha was not a sexual one, but one that had something much greater weight towards his survival. He did not think about Martha day in and day out because she was his only true love of the world; he merely needed something to occupy his mind with. He needed something to keep his thoughts away from the horrible tragedies going on around him. He was trying to maintain his hope. Martha gave him a goal, something to shoot for, a reason not to give up. â€Å"So easy, really. Go limp and tumble to the ground and let the muscles unwind and no... Free Essays on The Things They Carried Free Essays on The Things They Carried In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, numerous themes are illustrated by the author. Through the portrayal of a number of characters, Tim O’Brien suggests that to adapt to Vietnam is not always more difficult than to revert back to the lives they once knew. Correspondingly the theme of change is omnipresent throughout the novel, specifically in the depiction of numerous characters. Tim O’Brien is drafted one month after graduating from Macalester College to fight a war he hated. Tim O’Brien believed he was above the war, and as a result pursued the alternative of escaping across the border to Canada. This understandable act is what Tim O’Brien considers an embarrassment to himself, and to others. When Tim O’Brien finds accommodation on the border to Canada, he meets Elroy Berdahl who eventually influences Tim O’Brien, to change. Elroy Berdahl acts as a mentor to Tim, a figure that remains detached in the sense that he must provide enough support and understanding without being attached to the results. At the rear of the boat Elroy Berdahl pretended not to notice...I realized that Canada had become a pitiful fantasy. Silly and hopeless. It was no longer a possibility. Right then, with the shore so close, I understood That I would not do what I should do. I would not swim away from my hometown and my country and my life. I would not be brave. That old image of myself as a hero, as a man of conscience and courage, all that was just a threadbare pipe dream. (O’Brien 59,60) Tim O’Brien’s epiphany so close to the Canadian shore, represents the change he went through in the 6 days he was with Elroy Berdahl. Tim O’Brien’s whole life appeared before him and out of cowardice, he went to war. Rat Kiley is the platoon medic who eventually loses his mind in the field. Rat Kiley’s metamorphosis occurs when the platoon switches to a routine of night movement Kalil 2 for 2 weeks. Rat is una... Free Essays on The Things They Carried All too often, literature is misunderstood by a reader due to the simple fact that he or she has no idea what happened in the author’s life to cause him or her to write a particular literary piece and what the author is trying to pass on to the reader. There are many factors that affect the way an author writes his or her literature including experiences that took place in his or her life, occurrences around the world, and values and beliefs he or she has. In order to understand a text, the reader must first have an understanding of the author. By this, I mean that the reader must seek to identify with the author and try to read the text as the author intended. This involves the reader learning some things about the author and determining what assumptions the author made about the reader’s knowledge, beliefs, and previous literary experiences. Peter Rabinowitz, a literary strategist, referred to this sort of perspective as â€Å"authorial† reading and encour aged this view vehemently. As we read a piece of literature, we will try our best to read as â€Å"authorial readers† and relate the author and his world to what he or she wants me to attain. An author named Tim O’Brien wrote about some of the events that took place in the Vietnam War. In his short story, â€Å"The Things They Carried,† O’Brien wrote a sort of autofiction about some of his accounts in the war. This is referred to as an autofiction because it is a story about true occurrences in his life with some fictional incidents intertwined into the story, hence an autobiographical fiction. In order to understand his story, we are going to learn some things about his background and his experiences in the war that influenced his literary style and also try to figure out how we, the readers, are supposed to read this particular text. In other words, we will attempt to become the â€Å"authorial readers† that we talked about earlier in order to better understand his ... Free Essays on The Things They Carried Spilling Your Heart Through a Pen Tim O’Brien utilizes the autobiographical fallacy to vent a guilty war clogged conscience. Since the author is linked to the narrator, the reader must question the factual truths of The Things The Carried. The book is dedicated to Cross, Norman Bowker, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Henry Dobbins, and Kiowa. However, O’Brien states that all the accounts, besides the narrator being a 43-year-old veteran, are fictional. So, the speaker is the author, but his stories cannot be believed as truth. Even though the stories of the narrator’s friends are fiction, the narrator stresses that the realism of these characters is not important. Tim O’Brien is linking himself to the narrator not for the purpose of making the stories more believable. According to the writer, â€Å"Story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth.† (179) When a person reads the truer fictional stories, while believing the author is the narrator, it makes one â€Å"†¦fe el what [the narrator] felt.† (179) Tim O’Brien is using the autobiographical fallacy to vent his negative memories in the hope that the reader can relate or sympathize. The narrator strongly opposes the Vietnam War. Internal conflict arises when the draft picks the Tim to fight in the war. He travels toward Canada to avoid Vietnam, but feels â€Å"†¦ashamed of my conscience, ashamed to be doing the right thing.† (52) The reader knows that this particular story is not factual, because the narrator is tormented by images of people from the past and future (i.e. Abe Lincoln and Huck Finn). Many details of the narrator’s trip to Canada are bogus. The narrator goes to the war, survives, and states that, â€Å"†¦it’s not a happy ending. I was a coward. I went to the war.† (61) These words, coupled with Tim O’Brien’s linkage to the narrator, force the reader to understand the author’s guilty conscience. The narrator relays many stories in w... Free Essays on The Things They Carried In the short story â€Å"The Things They Carried† Tim O’Brien faces Jimmy Cross with the problem of surviving while fighting in Vietnam. While trying to maintain his sanity, Jimmy struggles between his old self and the person he has to become. Jimmy has to make some difficult decisions while in his tour, and most of them come to his attention after his friend Ted Lavender is killed. Jimmy’s main struggle in dealing with his friends death is to figure out a way he can become a better leader. He wants to lead his troop with confidence and preciseness. Before his friend’s death, Jimmy had constructed a bulwark to separate him from the rest of the troop. Jimmy was in his own world, mainly back in New Jersey with Martha, but sometimes in a fantasy world where nothing felt real and he would do amazing things like fly over Vietnam waving the whole madness goodbye. His misconception of fantasy and reality is one of the first things that he changes about himself in order to become a better leader. Making this decision was near impossible, the pictures that he had become inured to seeing everyday were put to flame and Martha was no longer in his thoughts. By burning those pictures he not only breaks free from the fantasy world, but also of Martha. She was a girl back home who he had loved dearly, and had remained in contact with throughout the war. His infatuation with Martha was not a sexual one, but one that had something much greater weight towards his survival. He did not think about Martha day in and day out because she was his only true love of the world; he merely needed something to occupy his mind with. He needed something to keep his thoughts away from the horrible tragedies going on around him. He was trying to maintain his hope. Martha gave him a goal, something to shoot for, a reason not to give up. â€Å"So easy, really. Go limp and tumble to the ground and let the muscles unwind and no... Free Essays on The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien Throughout history, every war has great stories that need to be heard. For the Vietnam War those great stories are captured in Tim O’Brien’s story â€Å"The things they carried†. Tim O’Brien was one of the most influential and talented writers of his time, and in his stories he unveils the truth and the facts of war and tells the readers that war is not fun and games it is serious business. Tim O’Brien was born in a small town in Austin Minnesota on October 1,1946.He went to Macalester College and graduated in 1968 with a BA in political science. Though O’Brien was against the war in Vietnam he as forced to enter the armed forces soon after he graduated. After O’Brien got out of Vietnam he went to Harvard University. He eventually left Harvard to become a newspaper reporter which led the way to his brilliantly wrote novels. Besides â€Å"The Things They Carried,† O’Brien wrote many other dazzling novels. Some of those novels are â€Å"If I Die In Combat Zone†, â€Å" Going After Cacciato,† and his most recent novel â€Å"In the Lake of the Woods†(Tim O’Brien’s Biography). In these novels, O’Brien discusses one issue that leads to a discussion of seemingly opposite issues. His novel â€Å"If I Die In Combat Zone† was a memoir of his Vietnam Tour and he describes his trip Vietnam back to Minnesota. In this novel, he emphasizes how casually death can come by describing the period of relative relief after a successful ambush. He says how the soldier may feel relaxed but that fear that death can come is still imbedded in their brain. In his novel â€Å" Going After Cacciato† he begins the story with a list of the dead soldiers in the platoon and has the protagonist of the story working on the order of the list throughout the novel. His intent in this novel was to let the reader make judgments about the morality of the war. He did this by showing the reactions of the soldiers and the innocent victims of the wa... Free Essays on The Things They Carried How does death affect the behavior of people? Although death affects everyone’s behavior differently, knowledge of one’s imminent death is a main force behind behavioral changes. This knowledge causes emotions that motivate people to look for changes, that make them have to adjust. It makes them find different ways to cope with war. This is the reason that causes the characters in a book called, The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien to have to change due to their situation. They are in the Vietnam war and the horror of death is always hanging over their heads. They have to find ways to cope with that incomparable fright. Their knowledge of death and its closeness causes the men in the story to alter their behavior by modifying emotions to relieve guilt, by exhibiting different actions to ease anxiety, and for some by just losing humanity thoroughly to excuse their actions. Guilt is a very strong emotion, and it demands adjustment very rapidly. Guilt makes a person regret how they ignored their values, and ideas, and the demand for adjustment comes from wanting to not repeat the misjudgment of their actions. Some try to substitute the guilt with other emotions, for example, some make jokes. Azar, for instance made fun of a little girl whose whole family had just died, â€Å"..., Azar mocked the girl’s dancing. He did funny jumps and spins. He put his palms of his hands against his ears, and danced sideways for a while, and then backwards, and then did an erotic thing with his hips†(pg.136). For him, the situation grows lighter with laughter. Even though he knows nothing is funny about the situation, he trys to replace the guilt with humor. He even went as far as to make fun of someone’s death, â€Å" â€Å" A classic case,† Azar was saying. â€Å" Biting the dirt, so to speak, that tells the story.† † ( pg.168). He makes jokes, he knows its not funny, but he makes jokes. He makes jokes not for others, b... Free Essays on The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien does not actually come out and write about guilt, death, or love; he describes in vivid detail how he feels. This is how he lets the reader know his feelings, either it be love, guilt, or death. Through his details the reader differentiates Tim O’Brien’s thoughts. As the reader understands O’Brien’s writing in the finial chapter, â€Å"The Lives of the Dead,† he or she finds that guilt, death, and love are all brought together by this one nine year old girl, Linda. In many ways, he describes her as, the love of his life. This was no â€Å"crush or childhood infatuation,†(228,4) as he put it, but â€Å"as deep and rich as love could ever get,†(228,4) like the complexities of mature adult love, and maybe more. In the same way he depicts his love for Linda, he portrays his guilt in the same situation. O’Brien feels helpless as that of a little fourth grader. The little boy who just stood there as the bully picked on the girl he felt something for, but had no real way of showing it. As he describes it â€Å"I stood off to the side, just a spectator, wishing I could do things I couldn’t do†(223,2) O’Brien does not come out and say he felt guilty for doing nothing, but expresses it in so many words, that of his feelings. Now love and guilt are a easier topic to understand, but when it come to death, one may find it hard to understand because fighting in a war is not something everyone has the privilege to participate in, and in war, death is a common aspect. With O’Brien’s detail, the reader can see how, in his situation it would be hard to let a person, one feels so much for go. Too feel that one loves someone so much, but can’t tell him or her. In ways he describes it as â€Å"sitting there, wanting to find some way to let her know how I felt, but instead of doing so, I sat there with my mouth shut†(229,2,4) Feeling guilty for not speaking and standing up for that same person, then to find you will never... Free Essays on The Things They Carried THE THINGS THEY CARRIED I don’t believe that O'Brien is a coward for going to war, but the opposite, that he would be a coward for not going to war. I think the reason why he was going to go to Canada was because he doesn't believe in the cause and he thinks he is too talented a student to be forced into battle. Ultimately, he makes the decision to join the army because of what others will think of him, which is not the best reason why someone should go to war, but this shows he’s not a coward and he wouldn’t run away from his country. In "On the Rainy River," O'Brien thinks of his family, what will they think of him (past, present, future) if he doesn't join the war and he doesn't fight to defend his country. Also if he abandons the country, he will never be able to see them again. When O'Brien is fishing with the old man and he "sees" everyone he has ever known or will ever know "judging" him on his decision, he thinks that he is too much of a coward to go against tradition and go to Canada, but that is the opposite, he would be coward if he went to Canada. He is afraid of his family being ashamed or embarrassed by his flight, despite the fact that he truly seems to believe in his flight. O’Brien would not only let down his family and friends but the whole country. The U.S. needed help from the citizens they chose in the draft to go to Vietnam and help defend there fellow man and country, it doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in the war, you would make more of a difference in the world going to war then skipping out and going to another country. Also in this novel, we can notice that O’Brien does care what people think of him, he would be far more respected if he went to war, then if he didn’t. Also if he died in war, he would have died for our country which he has lived in his whole life. O’Brien believes he is a coward because he is going against his moral convictions (going to war). But that does no... Free Essays on The Things They Carried â€Å"The Things They Carried† is a short story by author Tim O’Brien. It is a fictional account of an American officer, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, and his soldiers serving in Vietnam. The story begins with a description of the equipment the men are required or chose to carry with them as they patrol Vietnam. Interwoven in the story amidst the descriptions of the men’s possessions, fears, attitudes, is the story of how Ted Lavender, one of the men, dies. Jimmy is constantly daydreaming about a girl he loves, who does not love him. The platoon is ordered to go destroy a tunnel system near a village in Than Khe. After the tunnel was cleared, Tom Lavender is shot in the head while returning to the platoon after relieving himself. The central idea of the story is people who neglect their responsibilities often need to experience the results of their failure in order to change. The main character in this story is Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, who is a 22-year-old Army officer from New Jersey. He believes that he should not be leading his men. â€Å"†¦He could not bring himself to worry about matters of security. He was beyond that. He was just a kid at war, in love.† Jimmy is in love with Martha, a girl back home. He carries her letters and a stone she sent him for good luck and he often daydreams to escape the reality of war. â€Å"He carried the pebble in his mouth, turning it with his tongue, tasting the sea salts and moisture.† and â€Å"†¦but then he would slip away into daydreams, just pretending, walking barefoot along the Jersey shore, with Martha carrying nothing.† Jimmy also carries the weight of command and the responsibility for his men’s lives. After one of his men dies the author writes this. â€Å"Lieutenant Cross felt the pain. He blamed himself.† There are two main supporting characters, Martha and Te d Lavender. Martha is a junior a Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. The lieutenant dated her a few times before he left for V... Free Essays on The Things They Carried The Things They Carried In, The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien drifts away from the trendy war novel in which the author describes actions in an attempt to place the reader in the war. Instead, he focuses on the thoughts of the soldiers, the inner feelings, and small personal nuances in an attempt to place the reader in the men. In addition, he employs the stylistic technique of specific, conscious detail selection and utilizes connotative diction, allowing him to create a new literary art form. The splendor of the novel is in O’Brien’s ability to convey a multitude of ideas in so few pages, which he displays through and ensemble of motifs. One such motif, the â€Å"heart of darkness,† shows how the smoke from the war, both figuratively and literally, blackens the soldiers, burning their hearts to atramentous ash. O’Brien makes apparent the â€Å"heart of darkness† motif in Norman Bowker as he becomes hardened during his sojourn in Vietnam. Norman Bowker, describe d as â€Å"a very gentle person† (13), is inherently very good-natured. However, he â€Å"carried a thumb†¦dark brown, rubbery to the touch†¦cut from a VC corpse† (13). This image evokes a picture of a hard-mannered, emotionally devoid soldier, carrying a severed finger as a trophy, proud of his kill. The ardent imagery describing Bowker’s darkening indicates a psychological and emotional change. The vision of the callow corpse â€Å"badly burned, flies in its mouth† (13) sputters through Bowker, smoldering his soul. O’Brien states that the VC from Delaney 2 whom Bowker takes the thumb is â€Å"just a boy† (13), giving the image of an unfledged person who should not be subjected to the horrors of war. The connotation associated with â€Å"boy† enhances the pathos one feels for the dead soldier, which in turn enunciates Bowker’s ebony heart. Just before Bowker takes his own life, he tells O’Brien in a letter, â €Å"It’s almost like I got killed over in Nam†¦Hard... Free Essays on The Things They Carried It is difficult for the young adults of our generation to grasp the intensity of the mental anguish endured while engaged in militant combat, especially when we refer to the Wars of Korea and Vietnam. Several students rarely even cover the wars in History class. To that end, it is no surprise that cinema is the primary educator on the subject. However, movies are often dramatized or overly fictional and therefore undependable. Literature is the next source, and while it is an accurate depiction, it is simply too boring for the common student. Contradictory, Tim O’brien’s portrayal through metafiction, in the story The Things They Carried offers cinematic appeal and literary precision. The combination presents an illustration of the real human emotions of soldiers in the Vietnam War. In the stories’ beginning, we met Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, a romantic, who longed for his distant love, Martha. He carried (or â€Å"humped† as O’Brien respectively put it) with him letters from her; and while they weren’t love letters he obsessed over them as if they were. In one instance, she had sent him a pebble for good luck. His mind wandered into a dream of Martha walking along a shoreline with her beautiful bare feet exposed in the purest form. He went as far as to put the pebble in his mouth to enhance the dream with the taste of sea salt. â€Å"On occasion he would yell at his men†¦to keep their eyes open, but then he would slip away into daydreams†¦walking barefoot along the Jersey shore, with Martha†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (O’Brien 75) While mentally paralyzed by one of his fits, one of his men, Ted Lavender, was shot in the head. Following the gruesome death of Ted, Lt. Cross realized his negligence as a commander. He decided to extingu ish his foolish love for Martha by burning the letters and thus alleviated his mental malfunction; he was a soldier again. This fictional microcosm of the Vietnam War claims that while the soldiers faced apprehensive dan... Free Essays on The Things They Carried The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien This story by Tim O’Brien takes you along with the soldiers of First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’ platoon as they â€Å"hump [†¦] up the hills and through the swamps† (388) of the jungles in Vietnam. Each man carries the weapons of his trade and the equipment to do a soldier’s deed in war. â€Å"They carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing-these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specific gravity, they had tangible weight† (O’Brien 396). Their plight, common to most soldiers who have experienced combat, was to endure the daily stresses of combat and all its associated physical and mental fatigues culminating in a flight home on â€Å"[†¦] that big silver freedom bird [†¦];† (O’Brien 397) if you happened to be one of the fortunate ones to make it through your tour without being killed. Not so fortunate was Ted Lavender who is killed while the platoon was on a mission to â€Å"[†¦] search out and destroy the elaborate tunnel complexes in the Than Khe area south of Chu Lai† (O’Brien 391). Among the many things that the typical platoon leader carries: â€Å"[†¦] a compass, maps, code books, binoculars, and a .45-caliber pistol [†¦]† (O’Brien 388), Lieutenant Cross carried the responsibility for Lavender’s death – an intangible and immeasurable weight. This would ultimately be the greatest burden that Lieutenant Cross would carry. Lieutenant Cross felt totally responsible for Lavender’s death and vowed â€Å"[†¦] to perform his duties firmly and without negligence† (O’Brien 398). By discarding the tangible items from his beloved Martha, including her letters and the two photographs, and finally, he would dispose of his good-luck pebble; this would remove some of the emotional burden s, as if to make room for the burden of Lavender’s death. The Things They Carried captures the physical and emotion...

Institution Affiliation Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Institution Affiliation - Speech or Presentation Example Of FIFO and LIFO, which method would result in the higher pretax income? Which would result in the higher EPS? FIFO would result in higher pre-tax income because it has higher gross profit. EPS is net income divided by average outstanding shares of common stock and hence higher pre-tax income results in higher net income given taxes is fixed percentage of income. This implies that FIFO would also result in higher EPS. 3. Of FIFO and LIFO, which method would result in the lower income tax expense? Explain, assuming a 35 percent average tax rate. LIFO method would result in lower income tax expense because it has lower pretax income. Comparison Assuming that other expenses are $2000 †¢ FIFO: $9600 - $2000 = $7600 à   35% of $7600 = $2660 †¢ LIFO: $9080 - $2000 = $7080 à   35% of $7080 = $2478 4. Of FIFO and LIFO, which method would produce the more favorable cash flow? Explain. FIFO method would produce the more favourable cash flow because it has higher total ending balanc e. Problem 2: Reading Publically Available Financial Statements

Role of Supreme Court under the direction of John Marshall Essay

Role of Supreme Court under the direction of John Marshall - Essay Example Role of Supreme Court under the direction of John Marshall In the case Maryland vs. McCulloh, the Supreme Court through Marshall’s verdict asserted that the federal government retains the power to tax the new national bank since its powers are constitutionally right. This ruling brought the balance between the state and the federal government. Federalism caused differences in the way the US government operated. According to his judgments, the federal law was more superior to the State. Most of his rulings aimed at reducing the monopolies that overtook the business realm in the 1800’s. Marshal was able to prevent the state government from using too much beyond their jurisdiction to control business activities. In 1810, Marshall made a ruling between Fletcher v Peck insisting that businesses should avoid breach of contracts if they are to succeed. Marshal also ensured that corporation and organization transact business as individuals and own properties like humans (Henry). Impacts of transport revolution in America 1816-1860 The government played a crucial role in promoting the transport sector during this period. The government built roads, canals, and railways to promote the business industry that was rapidly growing. During this time, sea transport provided the cheapest transport. This encouraged the government to build many canals in the country. Journeys became shorter; business transactions and operations moved faster. Transport also helped in improving the communication.

Source Analysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Source Analysis paper - Essay Example The Declaration of Independence changed the ideas about natural rights. As John Locke says that, â€Å"The natural Liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on Earth and not to be under the will of Legislative authority of man but to have only the law of nature for his rule† (Fiege 84). The Declaration pointed towards the fact that all men are born with certain rights and it is the responsibility of the state that it must protect these rights in order to harvest harmony within the society. If the government ever tries to violate the natural rights of people by taking their property then they have all the right to fight back against such government and form a new one. The American Revolution was considered to be an anti-tax movement as the citizens had the right to control their own property. The American Revolution was a source of reinforcement of slavery in several ways. The declaration of independence talked about the liberty and independence and therefore it chal lenged the long traditions of slavery and declared it as human inequality. The revolutionary era marked important changes in this institution of slavery and declared it a violation of the human rights. ... In the state of North of Delaware the decline trend of slavery was most prominent, where the anti-slavery laws were passed soon after the world war. However these laws were not being implemented on fast track. Many of these laws gave the order of releasing the children of slaves at the age of 25. In Southern America several movements took place that demanded to free the slaves. In the American areas where the production of Tobacco has ceased, the population of free black people began to grow. In the early 18th century, one third of the black population in Maryland was freed. In the powerful American states such as Virginia the black population also started growing in number. This black population then created several institutions for themselves for the purposes of protecting the rights of their own community. They called themselves Africans for showing their pride and practicing their human rights. The growing distance of the Colonies from their homeland was another challenge after t he American Revolution. However these colonies later on started accepting the American laws and owned land that made them feel like home. The more land the colonist occupied the more economical liberty they gained and this weakened their dependencies on other colonies for help. The nature of the Colonist was exactly explained by James Otis when he said, â€Å"The Colonists are by the law of nature free born, as indeed all men are, white or black† (Fiege 85). It was in 17th century that the colonial identity first moderated and then sharpened. In the middle of 17th century the colonists’ population began to grow and their wealth started multiplying

Qatar Electricity and Water Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Qatar Electricity and Water Company - Essay Example Almost half (43%) of these shares are owned by the Qatar government itself and the rest (57%) by the private individuals (Water report for Qatar). This renowned company has many credits and achievements to its name. It runs power plants and desalination station to meet the consumption needs of the country. It has also signed up an agreement with the Qatar General Electricity and water corporation and sells its products to them as well. Given below is a statistical chart (Welcome to Qatar Electricity & Water Co) that shows the requirements of the Qatar electricity and Water Company for the graduates and trainees. As per the chart, the company opens its offers for the mechanical, electrical, chemical and instrumentation engineering branches and also has opportunities for semi technical and non technical employees. People from these backgrounds are trained in their respective fields as per the company's requirement. These trained people are finally recruited in technical fields of need. It also has some staff in the field of management, accounting and administration as well. This selection is done based on the requirement of the company for then and near future in mind. Qatari Graduates Work and Training Opportunities in the Company   qualifications field of work Grade Specialization university, graduates & diploma Technical bachelor degree or diploma in engineering mechanical electrical instrumentation chemical semi-technical bachelor in science computer - physics - chemistry – math non-technical bachelor of commerce / arts administration- accounting - management administration high school graduates technical-non technical high school science - non science The company has its own training programs and does concentrate on the program very well. The training program takes the employees through Qatar petroleum. A separate team is appointed to supervise the training program as this is considered to be an important phase in the employee assessment and evaluat ion. This generally involves graduates from Qatar and abroad as well. These graduates are trained to fill various technical supervisory jobs. The company also deals with other international companies that manufacture the sophisticated equipment that the Qatar electricity and water company uses and trains its employees in using this equipment. However there are certain requirements to be fulfilled by the graduates with tests and personal interviews as well. The company has been keeping itself abreast of the other companies, by adopting latest technologies and making sure it has its share in the international market. Qatar electricity and Water Company has also made sure that it stands in the international market by making sure the employees cope with the international standards and hence it lets the employees to go through English language tests asses their speaking skills to ensure they would be able communicate anywhere within and outside the country. Hence English has also been an other criterion in the selection of the candidates The company stands second to none when it comes to compensations of the employees. Qatar electricity and Water Company ensures the best compensation in the class. It rewards the employees with many benefits and huge salaries. It also has retirement system, making sure the employees lead a decent life even after their retirement. Apart from these it also offers its

Analysis report of Bernini's Angel with Crown of Thorns Research Paper

Analysis report of Bernini's Angel with Crown of Thorns - Research Paper Example Through its huge size and magnificent form, it became a grand architectural element together with the rest of the ten Angels of Passion in Ponte Sant’Angelo. A grand sentry looking over the people as they traverse the bridge to and from the Castle. The sculpture depicts an angel represented as a young man with a crown of curly hair. His wings are quite huge and are partially spread out as if about to take flight. He is wearing a somewhat diaphanous material draped over his body exposing a good portion of his shoulders and his right leg. He is holding a crown of thorns and his arms are placed sideways towards the left side of his body at the level of his chest. The angel’s right leg is exposed up to mid thigh and is bent on the knee as if in a walking motion. His left foot, on the hand, is also exposed. His feet are parted slightly apart with an indistinguishable object of swirls in between his feet and beside his left feet. The Ponte Sant’Angelo, also known as the Bridge of Angels, in Rome was decorated with ten marble sculptures of angels, or the Angels of Passion, as proposed by Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini.1 He was commissioned by Pope Clement IX to create two out of the ten angel sculptures and the rest of the angel sculptures are believed to be made by Bernini’s students. The ten marble sculptures are to replace the 14 stucco sculptures of angels set up by Rafaella da Montelupo under Pope Paul III.2 The ten marble sculptures of angels each hold a symbol of the Passion of the Christ. The ten angel sculptures are the â€Å"Angel with the Column† by Antonio Raggi, â€Å"Angel with the Whips† by Lazzaro Morelli, â€Å"Angel with the Crown of Thorns†Ã‚  by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, â€Å"Angel with the Sudarium or Veronica’s Veil† by  Cosimo Fancelli,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Angel with the Garment and Dice† by Paolo Naldini, â€Å"Angel with

Identifying a Problem and Developing a question Assignment

Identifying a Problem and Developing a question - Assignment Example Once a patient has a catheter placed in his or her system, the level of risk rises significantly to a daily incidence of 3-10% of bacteriuria. As such, nearly 10% to 30% of the patients that undergo short-term catheterization, between two to four days, develop bacteriuria, and similarly become asymptomatic. According to Friedman and Rhinehart (1999), nearly 90% to 100% of the patients who undergo long-term catheterization equally develop bacteriuria. Nearly 80% of nosocomial urinary tract infections relate to catheterization. Currently there is little knowledge about CA-UTIs judging with its vast prevalence, especially among the women. Urinary tract infection comes up through a number of complications, such as sexual intercourse, poor personal care, diabetes, bowel incontinence, pregnancy, problems emptying the bladder completely, and the blocked flow of urine, having a urinary catheter, as well as kidney stones. This problem is diverse across numerous places because of the lack of knowledge of the disease (Gould, 2014). Most health practitioners are usually unaware of the risks that may arise due to the patient’s long-term or short-term catheter usage. Consequently, this lack of information may promote the development and prevalence of the disease within the community. This possibility of an education deficit brings about more challenges to the treatment and management of the problem. The scope and impact of the problem is far worse than it projected because most of the cases are not always recorded. Elphern (2009) argues that the urinary tract infections (UTIs) are some of the most common nosocomial infections. In fact, CA-UTI accounts for nearly forty percent of the reported infections especially for patients under acute care hospitals (Elphern, 2009). In addition, nearly 80 percent of the UTIs are more associated with the presence of an indwelling urinary catheter. In most cases, a catheter associated UTI increases the

Qatar Electricity and Water Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Qatar Electricity and Water Company - Essay Example Almost half (43%) of these shares are owned by the Qatar government itself and the rest (57%) by the private individuals (Water report for Qatar). This renowned company has many credits and achievements to its name. It runs power plants and desalination station to meet the consumption needs of the country. It has also signed up an agreement with the Qatar General Electricity and water corporation and sells its products to them as well. Given below is a statistical chart (Welcome to Qatar Electricity & Water Co) that shows the requirements of the Qatar electricity and Water Company for the graduates and trainees. As per the chart, the company opens its offers for the mechanical, electrical, chemical and instrumentation engineering branches and also has opportunities for semi technical and non technical employees. People from these backgrounds are trained in their respective fields as per the company's requirement. These trained people are finally recruited in technical fields of need. It also has some staff in the field of management, accounting and administration as well. This selection is done based on the requirement of the company for then and near future in mind. Qatari Graduates Work and Training Opportunities in the Company   qualifications field of work Grade Specialization university, graduates & diploma Technical bachelor degree or diploma in engineering mechanical electrical instrumentation chemical semi-technical bachelor in science computer - physics - chemistry – math non-technical bachelor of commerce / arts administration- accounting - management administration high school graduates technical-non technical high school science - non science The company has its own training programs and does concentrate on the program very well. The training program takes the employees through Qatar petroleum. A separate team is appointed to supervise the training program as this is considered to be an important phase in the employee assessment and evaluat ion. This generally involves graduates from Qatar and abroad as well. These graduates are trained to fill various technical supervisory jobs. The company also deals with other international companies that manufacture the sophisticated equipment that the Qatar electricity and water company uses and trains its employees in using this equipment. However there are certain requirements to be fulfilled by the graduates with tests and personal interviews as well. The company has been keeping itself abreast of the other companies, by adopting latest technologies and making sure it has its share in the international market. Qatar electricity and Water Company has also made sure that it stands in the international market by making sure the employees cope with the international standards and hence it lets the employees to go through English language tests asses their speaking skills to ensure they would be able communicate anywhere within and outside the country. Hence English has also been an other criterion in the selection of the candidates The company stands second to none when it comes to compensations of the employees. Qatar electricity and Water Company ensures the best compensation in the class. It rewards the employees with many benefits and huge salaries. It also has retirement system, making sure the employees lead a decent life even after their retirement. Apart from these it also offers its

Identifying a Problem and Developing a question Assignment

Identifying a Problem and Developing a question - Assignment Example Once a patient has a catheter placed in his or her system, the level of risk rises significantly to a daily incidence of 3-10% of bacteriuria. As such, nearly 10% to 30% of the patients that undergo short-term catheterization, between two to four days, develop bacteriuria, and similarly become asymptomatic. According to Friedman and Rhinehart (1999), nearly 90% to 100% of the patients who undergo long-term catheterization equally develop bacteriuria. Nearly 80% of nosocomial urinary tract infections relate to catheterization. Currently there is little knowledge about CA-UTIs judging with its vast prevalence, especially among the women. Urinary tract infection comes up through a number of complications, such as sexual intercourse, poor personal care, diabetes, bowel incontinence, pregnancy, problems emptying the bladder completely, and the blocked flow of urine, having a urinary catheter, as well as kidney stones. This problem is diverse across numerous places because of the lack of knowledge of the disease (Gould, 2014). Most health practitioners are usually unaware of the risks that may arise due to the patient’s long-term or short-term catheter usage. Consequently, this lack of information may promote the development and prevalence of the disease within the community. This possibility of an education deficit brings about more challenges to the treatment and management of the problem. The scope and impact of the problem is far worse than it projected because most of the cases are not always recorded. Elphern (2009) argues that the urinary tract infections (UTIs) are some of the most common nosocomial infections. In fact, CA-UTI accounts for nearly forty percent of the reported infections especially for patients under acute care hospitals (Elphern, 2009). In addition, nearly 80 percent of the UTIs are more associated with the presence of an indwelling urinary catheter. In most cases, a catheter associated UTI increases the

How to Be Professional Engineer Essay Example for Free

How to Be Professional Engineer Essay Hong Kong is many large-scale infrastructures in future. There are many job chances. Chances are often but my lower educational background may not be able to secure. If I want to fight for more chances, I must continue to enhance me. Become a professional engineer, experience and education are same important. When I success join the HKIE member, it can certificate I have professional qualifications because become corporate membership need definite experience and education and after different assessment. That is a long way, cannot short time to complete. In route to membership, there are two way, it is Corporate Member and Associate Member. Corporate Member there is two types. It is Fellow and Member Fellow is a senior Corporate Member who is usually at least 35 years of age and has achieved positions of responsibility to which he/she has brought superior knowledge and practice in an engineering discipline. Member is a qualified professional engineer who has attained the age of 25, obtained an accredited/recognised degree or the equivalent in an acceptable engineering discipline, received adequate training, had sufficient responsible experience, and successfully completed the Institutions Professional Assessment or the equivalent. Associate Member is an engineering technologist who has attained the age of 23, obtained a Higher Diploma or Higher Certificate accredited/recognised by the Institution, or an acceptable equivalent in a recognised engineering or technological discipline, received adequate practical training, had appropriate responsible experience, and successfully completed the Institutions Assessment Interview In my own choice, I will think out join Associate Member, after Promotion to Member because I will have Recognised Higher Certificates, it is one of the main factors while I have Minimum of 3 to4 years experience. I can take the last step to Assessment Interview.

Flax Seed Crop: Requirements for Growth

Flax Seed Crop: Requirements for Growth Garrett Sawatzky Devin Pouteau Flax has been produced in Manitoba for many years and once held a large portion of cropped acres throughout the province. Flax is still grown in some areas of Manitoba and there are many uses for the seed and straw. Flax is a sensitive crop and must be planted at the correct depth, seeding rate, and date to get the best production from it. Flax is typically sown later in the spring into warm soil at a depth of ÂÂ ¾ to 1 1/4 inches. A high seeding rate of 40 to 45 pounds is recommended to achieve 40 plants a square foot with the emergence rate of 50-60%. This high density is required to compete with weeds. Flax may be affected from seedling blight on rare occasions, the seeds waxy coating makes it hard to treat, meaning it often isnt treated. Flax has Specific nutrient needs and will not respond to higher rates of fertilizer. Excess nitrogen will cause prolonged maturation and lodging issues. Farmers should have a soil test done but a general fertilizer analysis following a grain crop is 40-60 lbs of nitrogen, 30 to 40 lbs of phosphorous, 30 to 60 lbs of potassium on sandy soils, and 15 lbs of sulfur. Chlorosis may be an issue due to a deficiency in zinc, ensure the soil has adequate zinc to avoid it. Flax is not a competitive crop meaning crop protection is important. Weed competition is the largest issue and can be controlled using high plant density and chemical herbicides. Herbicides that work well for flax are Curtail M which kills broadleaves such as thistles and volunteer canola. Centurian is also tank mixed which kills grasses such as wild oats. Typically, spraying herbicides twice is required as late weeds can still compete with established flax. Disease is not a huge issue in flax but rust, fusarium wilt, and powdery mildew are sometimes an issue. Some fungicides that help are Folicur, Headline, or Quadris which are sprayed at early flower. Flax reaches maturity in 90 to 125 days depending on the variety, once ripe the plant forms bolls that contain shiny flax seeds inside. The plant is mature when the bolls are brown, the seeds rattle inside when shook and the top opens slightly. Desiccation is often used to dry down the plant and the seeds to 10% moisture which is required for storage. Once dry, flax can be straight cut or swathed and rolled then harvested shortly after. Flax plants are very light and can easily be blown if swathed and left in the wind. The straw fibres are dropped and baled for the fibre if weed content is low or burned if it cannot be used. Typical yields for flax in Manitoba is 32 bu/ac on average, 45 on the high end and 17 on the low end. Flax seed is used for oil, nutritional supplement, and used in many wood finishes. The straw fibre is used for insulation, paper, linen, and livestock bedding. Although there are many uses for both the seed and plant the market is beginning to drop. Many of these products are now made with synthetic products rather than with flax seed or straw. Flax prices are currently at $12.25 a bushel and has been around that price for the past two months. Historical prices have been variable, being as high as $18.00 per bushel and as low as $10.00. The price is variable but typically averages between $12.50 and $13.00 a bushel yearly. Both globally and nationally supply will be similar or lower in the coming year as some people are removing flax from their rotation and adding more profitable crops such as soybeans. Demand will be similar as consumers continue to use flax for every day uses. Products manufactured from flax straw will be lower as less straws produced, and synthetic products replace it. Overall Flax can be a profitable crop, but may be challenging as it is not a competitive plant. Flax needs protection in all areas from planting, spraying and even during harvest. Market prices have been high, meaning with average yields flax Is very profitable. Its believe that consumers wont stop using flax as a healthy alternative in their diets, meaning the market will be here for the foreseeable future. Works Cited Manitoba Flax Growers Association, mfga.ca. Accessed 1 Feb. 2017. Flax Production and Management. Government of Manitoba, https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/production/flax-and-solin/index.html. Accessed 1 Feb. 2017. Flax Council of Canada, flaxcouncil.ca. Accessed 1 Feb. 2017.

Nature versus Nurture :: Genes vs Environment

Abstract The paper covers the debate of nature versus nurture. Within the paper there is an introduction in which the hypothesis is given and a literature review that provides the reader with previous studies done with nature versus nurture. The methods, results, discussion and recommendations from the research study are also provided within the paper. Introduction and literature review The research question is: When comparing Nature verses Nurture in children which one is stronger than the other? The hypothesis is: Nature has a stronger correlation than nurture when it comes to individual differences between males and females. There is a big controversy between whether inherited genes or the environment influences and affect our personality, development, behavior, intelligence and ability. This controversy is most often recognized as the nature verses nurture conflict. Some people believe that it is strictly genes that affect our ways of life, others believe that it is the environment that affects us, and some believe that both of these influence us. A wide variety of characteristics have been considered in such debates, including personality, sexual orientation, gender identity, political orientation, intelligence, and propensity for violence or criminality (Wright, 1998). Human nature is the range of human behaviors that is believed to be innate rather than learned. There is much debate over which behaviors are innate and which are learned, and whether or not this division applies equally to all individuals. Although "nurture" may have historically referred mainly to the care given to children by their parents, any environmental (not genetic) factor also would count as "nurture" in a contemporary nature versus nurture debate, including one's childhood friends, one's early experiences with television, and one's experience in the womb(Wright,1998). Indeed, a substantial source of environmental input to human nature may arise from external variations in prenatal development (Wright, 1998). Either way, social scientists have been struggling for centuries deciding whether our personalities are born or made. Tests are done often on identical twins that were separated to see how they are influenced. In the past twenty years, it has been discovered that there is a genetic component to about every human trait and behavior (Pinker, 2002). However, genetic influence on traits and behavior is partial because genetics account on average for half of the variation of most traits (Pinker, 2002). Researchers are finding that the balance between genetic and environmental influences for certain traits change as people get older (Pinker, 2002).

How Biographical Traits of Individuals Affect Organizational Performanc

How Biographical Traits of Individuals Affect Organizational Performance To study the organization behavior, that is to study the people who form the organization. The success of an organization rests on the characteristics of its people. Successful managers can observe the employees’ behavior to understand their individual characteristics, which helps to improve the employees’ performance. Therefore, the performance of employees is directly related to their biographical characteristics and abilities. These factors affect employees’ interaction with others and reaction to various situations in the workplace. Then how these characteristics affect organizational performance? To learn about this, we should first know what biographical characteristics are. Biographical characteristics are personal characteristics—such as age, gender, and marital status—that are objective and easily obtained from personnel records. Let’s take a look at the first characteristic—age. The issue about age and performance is quite controversial. When we consider this aspect, the thought that aged-old workers have lower level of performance may easily and firstly come into mind. Is that true? In some work field, the answer is to some extend yes. People’s physical condition is inevitably degenerating when they are aging old. They do no have as much energy as the young have in everyday time. For example, does a tourist company manager would like to recruit a tourist guide wh... How Biographical Traits of Individuals Affect Organizational Performanc How Biographical Traits of Individuals Affect Organizational Performance To study the organization behavior, that is to study the people who form the organization. The success of an organization rests on the characteristics of its people. Successful managers can observe the employees’ behavior to understand their individual characteristics, which helps to improve the employees’ performance. Therefore, the performance of employees is directly related to their biographical characteristics and abilities. These factors affect employees’ interaction with others and reaction to various situations in the workplace. Then how these characteristics affect organizational performance? To learn about this, we should first know what biographical characteristics are. Biographical characteristics are personal characteristics—such as age, gender, and marital status—that are objective and easily obtained from personnel records. Let’s take a look at the first characteristic—age. The issue about age and performance is quite controversial. When we consider this aspect, the thought that aged-old workers have lower level of performance may easily and firstly come into mind. Is that true? In some work field, the answer is to some extend yes. People’s physical condition is inevitably degenerating when they are aging old. They do no have as much energy as the young have in everyday time. For example, does a tourist company manager would like to recruit a tourist guide wh...