The Concept of Status Consumption With Regard to How a Marketer Might Essay

The Concept of Status Consumption With Regard to How a Marketer Might be Able to Use Status to Market a Specific Brand or Product Type - Essay Example People with high degree of honour in society are simply referred to have status. Logically, people with high social status have much recognition than people with low social status. In this direction, there are people who believe that real success in life has to do with the attainment of status. Regrettably though, Waytz (2009) observes that the eagerness to acquire social status leads to aggressive and self-defeating behaviour. However, once achieved, becoming a person of status or class live its ‘benefactors’ with a conventional ways of life. One of these conventional ways of life has to do with what these people with social status consume: thus status consumption. As there become a pedigree of standard placed on the kind of purchases people with status consume, marketing as an industry also become a benefactor if well harnessed with status consumption (Haruna, 2003). What is Status consumption? Schertz et al (2007) argue that status consumption has to do with the †Å"intent of showing off wealth to others when the good is publicly consumed – ranging from applying an expensive lipstick in public to driving an expensive car† (p. 2). ... As Maiese (2004), notes in Harold (1983, 113), there could be several reasons accounting for why people would consume conspicuously but the most outstanding reason could be due to the fact that â€Å" most societies do have some form of social hierarchy with some people in stronger, more dominant positions, and other people in weaker, lower positions.† So in other for the one-time ‘ordinary’ person to be noticed and accorded necessary social respect, he or she would then resort to status consumption. Again, with the blame still going to society as the cause of status consumption, it would be in place to argue that society expects people occupying certain positions to live within a certain conventional class. To this effect society always want to see people such as politicians, music icons, movie stars and sports personalities own certain property, that are tagged as expensive or of class. These are the major reasons why status consumption continues to exist among both the one-time ‘ordinary’ person and the so-called people with status. There are people who presume that status consumption automatically leads to social status acquisition. This is of course another reason why people resort to status consumption. To such people, there is a level of benefit to them. Nobel Laureate economist, John Harsanyi, said that â€Å"apart from economic payoffs, social status seems to be the most important incentive and motivating force of social behavior† (Waytz, 2009). For this reason, people who succumb to status consumption with the hope of gaining social status get a level of psychological satisfaction of the presumed lens with which society sees them. Empirical Scenarios of Status Consumption One group of people

PSY 435 Full Course Material Essay Example for Free

PSY 435 Full Course Material Essay

Balancing Politics and Pedagogy :: Bilingual Education Classroom Language Essays

Balancing Politics and Pedagogy Thesis: Research over the past thirty years shows conflicting evidence for or against bilingual education leading to a heated debate between educators and politicians with bilingual education becoming a scapegoat for a number of educational issues, perhaps hiding the real causes of Hispanic difficulties from the critics. Proposition 227, the so-called "English for Children" law, abolished thirty years of bilingual education in California in June, 1998, forcing students who are not fluent in English into all-English classes in all subjects all the time. Bilingual education, according to Krashen, is the target of critics who list a number of objections (1). Newspapers and TV are often against bilingual education. They say that bilingual education is not functioning, while students learn English very well without it. They also say that the majority of parents and teachers are not in favor of it. Another argument is that bilingual education is only for Spanish speakers and not for those who have different writing systems. In addition, it is true that there are not enough teachers for bilingual education (1). Furthermore, the dropout rate of Hispanic children in the U.S. is still high even after thirty years of efforts. Research of the past thirty years shows no justification for bilingual education, clai ms Porter (28). However, it may be a fallacy to conclude that bilingual education is not working. Bilingual education has become a scapegoat for a number of educational issues, perhaps hiding the real causes of Hispanic difficulties from the critics. The issue of bilingual education is not new. In fact, its history in the U.S. has vacillated between acceptance and rejection. During the nineteenth century, instruction was given in a wide variety of foreign languages, such as German, Polish, Italian, Dutch or any other language that parents demanded. Between 1897 and 1915, thirteen states changed their policies to requiring English instruction in basic subjects such as math, science, and geography from fears of a so-called "babel of tongues" (Zimmerman 39). By the end of World War I, thirty-seven states had limited foreign language instruction including explicit prohibitions on German in favor of "100 percent Americanism" (39). After the war, public schools became open to a wide range of foreign language instruction; however, in fact, only 20 percent of high school students were taught in any non-English language class by 1949. Immigrant parents, says Zimmerman, wanted their children to learn English as a vehicle of social mobility in America instead of taking courses in their native languages (39).

Ppt of Indian Retailing

Indian online stores getting hooked to e-community culture   [pic]More often than not, it's being argued that online shopping is convenient but yet an isolated activity. This format of easy-to-order-easy-to-deliver has been catching up with the tech-savvy buyers but it has always been looked upon as option out of necessity and not pleasure. In order to break this monotony, the concept of e-socializing was introduced to the online buying experience. Apart from a few established online stores, most of new entrants and the upcoming e-retail ventures are banking heavily on the rising popularity of social networking within the online shopping domain. There are a number of major international e-stores who initiated the coupling of online shopping with social networking. Online giants like e-bay started their buyers' â€Å"Community† which was then followed by arch-rival Amazon's popular â€Å"Daily Blog† section. The e-community trend has now moved-in to the Indian shopping terrain as well. Most of the upcoming Indian online stores and the Indian counterparts of the already established inter-nation e-retail brands are reaping in the benefits of shoppers' community and the latest Web 2. 0 technology to create a loyal consumer base out of their readily generated user traffic on the sites. Some of the popular community-based Indian shopping portals for your reference include: – ebay India: The global retail giant's Indian venture has a shoppers' community dedicated to registered users willing to chat, discuss, ask questions, leave messages and even leave feedback for the portal. Retailsdirect: This site is arguable India's first interactive store ever. If you have anything to share, discuss, ask or answer on any issue/subject including shopping, this site has it. It also has video conferencing, (or Video-Voice Text-Chat facility, as they term it) and is based on Web 2. 0 technology. – Hindustanlink: A site where you can do a lot more than shopping, including activities like Forum discussions, Blogging and Questions-Answers section as well. All in all, Indian shopping portals need to take a leaf out of their international counterparts' online strategies. After the emergence and expansion of global shopping portals like eBay, Kaboodle, Zebo etc. , there many e-stores of Indian origin which need to incorporate the concept of social networking to add that ‘zing' lacking in them. Until then, the aforesaid e-stores are there to bring in your friends and favorite brands while you choose to laze around at home!!! (no offense intended) Why not to shop at the malls again!! Before I start off with this lens, I would like to ask you as to when was the last time you went shopping to your nearest shopping mall? A week ago, a month back, and some would probably say that they have these virtual stores to shop for them and deliver goods like a trained pet, right? Hence, the question arises that with so much that an online store has to offer, do we really need shopping malls at all? As the famous saying goes, â€Å"There is nothing permanent in this world except change†, it can be easily applied to the ever-changing trends in the retail industry. The whole ‘sale and purchase' idea got a new meaning with the advent of online version of shopping. Today, it would not be advisable for any educated online shopper to hop back to shopping at the malls. The big players in the online retail scene in India are trying every trick in their bags to convert online users into traffic and then converting it into visitors, then into buyers and finally, into a loyal consumer base. For this, the focus has shifted from merely providing products online to social communities and special offers which can only be availed at these virtual stores. With the prospects of becoming a long-term successful industry, major e-stores like Indiamart, Futurebazaar, Retailsdirect and Indiaplaza are relying heavily on the online retail boom. They are leaving no stone unturned in accelerating the conversion rate of its user traffic. The most bankable factor for drawing in consumers from the offline domain is the ‘convenience' factor of online shopping. The most effective strategies of the major Indian e-stores are as follows: – Indiamart: It is a common platform for the online buyers and sellers, i. e. , a B2B marketplace. Highlights – Upcoming trade shows, divergent industry updates, international trade leads, tender notice via emails etc. – Futurebazaar: The finest brands online, user-friendly and simple design. Highlights – Clearance sales, buying in bulk offers – Retailsdirect: India's first interactive store with a Video-Voice-Text-Chat facility. Highlights- Group Bargains (Savings of upto 33% on products by creating groups to bargain), Cafe Retail (Earn redeemable RD coins, upload videos and photos) – Indiaplaza: US based shopping portal meant for trading and shipping to India and worldwide. Highlights – Airtel gift certificates, Gifts to India. The above strategies are a clear indication that the trend of online shopping is not merely restricted to the selection and buying process. One can use the wide reach and accessibility of the internet and various social media tools to develop interest and loyalty among the customers. So the next time you feel like shopping, chuck out shopping at the over-crowded malls and rather catch up with friends online and relax while you shop for your favourite products. Why are Indians apprehensive to online shopping? [pic]The Internet provides a progressive dimension to most of the industries on global platform. The retail industry has also benefited from its online version which has resulted in the growth and expansion of the sector worldwide. In India, e-commerce has been on a slow track in comparison to other parts of the world. There has been a visible growth in the e-retail sector yet the industry is being seen in its incipient stage. Earlier, the reasons cited for the weak response towards online shopping was blamed on the lack of Internet facilities and inadequate online transaction facilities available in the market. Since then, there has been technological boom in India. Now, the Internet is easily accessible to urban India and even rural pockets are getting Internet accessibility at select places. Growth in the credit card industry and other online transaction methods has also been a boon for e-shopping. Despite the recent developments, response to online trading and transaction has been feeble in this part of the world. Some of the reasons which potentially work against the industry in India include: – Bargaining is not possible – Product trial is generally unavailable – Insecurity surrounding the credibility of a shopping portal – Delays in product delivery – Lack in the variety of products – Social networking is restricted – Preference to real-time shopping for get-togethers The above mentioned reasons clearly indicate that apart from online activities like travel ticket booking and online broking, e-commerce still has a long way to go before earning the faith of the consumers. More innovative and tangible options are still awaited before the shopaholic appetite of the quintessential Indian is satisfied by these virtual stores. What is Your Brand Personality? [pic]How would you differentiate Nike's ‘Just do it' from Reebok's ‘I am what I am'? Both sell the same products, at almost the same prices and hold the same target audience. Still Nike's ‘Sweat and Beauty' sells more than Reebok's ‘We know you suck'. Needless to say that in such markets people don't turn to these brands for their offerings but because of the attitude these brands represent. These brands no longer offer mere products now, they are living experiences and identities in the minds of the consumers. Consumers now view these brands as a ‘living entity' – an entity that speaks its mind, reflects its attitude and acts as an aide in acknowledging their eccentricities and whims. That is what we call- BRAND PERSONALITY! The catch for this new generation of consumers is ‘ Be their friend'. The clutter and pressures of today's lifestyle has left the consumer flustered and beclouded. Loneliness is another hazard. However, the good news is people cling on to where they find value and stay where they find comfort. Therefore without infusing a feeling of security, accountability and ‘liking' in the mind of the consumer, brand loyalties are difficult to achieve. How to render a personality to your online brand WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? If your goal is to generate sales through your venture then the first step will be to initiate an exhaustive research about your domestic as well the world market, determine SEO strategies, optimize shopping cart and navigation functionalities along with other e-paths. IS YOUR HOMEPAGE YOUR CONSUMER'S HOME? Your homepage is your first interface with the visitor. Ensure that it makes him to stick to it by giving him what he wants, there itself. Banners displaying your core product or benefits for your consumer will act as a bait to hook him into reading more about it. Colorful pictures, layouts, interactive templates follow suit. THE HUMAN TOUCH! The most important element in building a brand, online as well as offline is ‘trust'. The more real your conversations are with your consumers, the more accountable your business becomes in their mind. Internet is still in its nascence as far as this interactivity is concerned. If feasible, allow your consumers to raise requests and receive relevant suggestions based on those requests. HIT THE BULL'S EYE IN THE FIRST GO! Your site content should be presented to your customers almost immediately. Content segregation in the form of bullets points, captions and brief paragraphs work best. Most importantly, visual presentations of messages are very helpful in creating an impression in the mind of the consumers. CREATING HYPE – A BIG NO, NO! Internet provides you with a flood of information in a no-pressure environment, with reigns solely in the hands of the users. Therefore traditional monotones of creating hype lose their credibility in this medium, where consumer behavior is regulated by product/price comparisons, variety and features. As mentioned above, people associate a brand with the experience it gives to its customers. In e-commerce environment, there is no space or time for frustration. Information should be easily digested. Ordering should be quick and smooth and loading time almost instantaneous. The idea is to catch the whim of the consumer and make him feel ‘special' and ‘cared for'. That's when a brand attains its own personality and becomes the consumer's friend. The rise and rise of Online Retail! The globe is finally at your fingertips. Human numbers may be expanding by the second but distances have finally shrunk. Investing money is a tradition. Investing time is the newest wrinkle. People don't mind spending the almighty rupiyah for a pair of Levi's Red Loop jeans if buying the same from an online store takes just a few minutes. Else driving an hour to reach the high street to buy it seems nothing less than a sluggish idea. Time and time alone stands as the new age currency today. And taking this as an opportune pedestal to climb higher, entrepreneurs have finally entered the new arena of Online Retail. Say, you had already seen your favourite digital camera at a store in a mall. What say if you found the same product at a much better price in the comfort of your home- on the web, at half the time you spent shopping offline Well, the web is serving all this and more to its online customers. According to the NASSCOM Report, India expects a massive mass of internet users. Even the big brands have already found their space on web. Whether it is the Luxury Retail, Kids Retail, Mobile Telephony or other Consumer Electronics, the high street e-stores are on a roll. The challenge however is to engage that portion of the mob, which visit the sites but go away without spending any bucks. The reason? Their distrust. This section of online turf is not comfortable transacting on the net because of their fear of e-stores mishandling their precious information. This population is almost half of the total online populace. If online retail portals begin to instill a security factor in the minds of their consumer base, half their battles will be won! expresss your opinion [pic]Do click on the responses given below if you feel like. I would be regularly updating this section with quesitons relating to the retail industry. Feel free to join in. %3A3%3A%7Bs%3A7%3A%22options%22%3Bs%3A180%3A%22393dcaee6fc694e9b6e51f5bc54f3db2%2CVery+safe%2C809c2f553e8895d1e46574138b647172%2Csomewhat+safe%2C9fdcbf05e56c00880a7fb03198847036%2Care+you+kidding+me%3F+whoever+said+online+shopping+was+safe%22%3Bs%3A6%3A%22period%22%3Bs%3A2%3A%2260%22%3Bs%3A8%3A%22question%22%3Bs%3A69%3A%22How+secure+to+you+think+is+the+online+retail+industry+for+a+consumer%3F%22%3B%7D How secure to you think is the onli ne retail industry for a consumer? Very safe 38. 5% [pic] somewhat safe 61. 5% [pic] are you kidding me? whoever said online shopping was safe 0%

An Annotated Bibliography on Multi-cultural Education

Mary Stone Hanley, a teacher in the Teacher Certification Program of Antioch University in Seattle, explains and elaborates some of the issues concerning multicultural education and gives a brief history of the subject as well as a few suggestions for its improvement in â€Å"The Scope of Multicultural Education†. She explains the ideals and goals of a multicultural approach to education and the possible ways of achieving them through citations of works from other people and of course, from herself.   The main targets of her article are the teachers concerned in teaching multicultural groups of students. Her article can also be used to inform other people about the subject of multicultural education. She is still continuing further researches for the development of multicultural education. John Morefield. â€Å"Recreating Schools For All Children.† New Horizons for Learning. John Morefield conducted extensive researches for the availability of good education for â€Å"all† children. When he became the principal of Hawthorne Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, he promised the community that entering kindergartners would graduate with skills at or above expected grade level competency. Thus his researches on what works in diverse communities. His targets are all concerned audiences with emphasis to fellow teachers. His article specifies twelve characteristics that he thinks are needed to have a successful school. He explains that since it is widely accepted that American education has been biased and racist, it is now time to move on and prepare a better future of education for all the children of the world. Rey A. Gomez. â€Å"Teaching with a Multicultural Perspective.† ERIC digest. Gomez explains that to teach with a multicultural perspective will encourage understanding and appreciation of one’s own culture, as well as others. He suggests that the use of this perspective in teaching could promote a sense of uniqueness and specialty to his own culture to the child and therefore making the child create a same sense of perspective when viewing other’s cultures. He also suggests that multicultural programs should not utterly focus on only the other’s cultures to the extent that a stereotype is created within the class. In his article, Morefield also reminds the parents of the children attending multicultural schools of the `myths’ that usually lead to the stereotype behaviors of their children toward multiculturalism. Wilson, Keith. â€Å"Multicultural Education.† EdChange. Wilson is an associate professor at the Pennsylvania State University. In his article, he gives a definition of Multicultural Education, and gives examples of the pros and cons of Multicultural Education. He cites some views from other writers to complement their views. He also gives a few suggestions on as to how a multicultural education program may succeed. Burnett, Gary. Varieties of Multicultural Education: An Introduction. ERIC Digest 98. Burnnet compares and contrast some of the programs that represent the current multicultural education typologies. He explains in his article some of the current programs that are currently being used to aid in multicultural education for the benefit of those who would like to create their own policies and or programs for the advancement of multicultural education. He cites some articles concerning debates about the effectiveness of some of the programs to back up his explanations. Milk, Robert-Mercado, Carmen-Sapiens, Alexandria. Rethinking the Education of Teachers of Language Minority Children: Developing Reflective Teachers for Changing Schools. NCBE Focus. The article’s main idea is how to make the teachers more ‘language minority students’ friendly. They wish to clarify and explain the roles of the teachers on the educational lives of the students. They cited several works of other people to further explain the importance of the teacher’s role in the political, demographic, and programmatic statuses of the schools that teach language minority students. They give suggestive guidelines for the teachers to help them in teaching language minority students. Attinasi, John. â€Å"Academic Achievement, Culture, and Literacy: An Introduction.† NCREL. He relates his own ideas and experiences to the audience to explain his, and other’s views about multicultural education. In this article, he introduces multiculturalism by relating it to his views of â€Å"closure† and â€Å"processes† and then states a few brief history of the evolution of multiculture. He then gives a few guidelines and information on how multiculturalism can imply changes on the way of teaching in a school with diversely cultured students. Gollnick, Donna M. – Chinn, Philip C. Multicultural Education for Exceptional Children. ERIC Digest #E498. Gollmick and Chinn stress the importance of multicultural education on the growing population of the U.S. in their article. They also give importance to the purposes of multiculturalism in the education world. They also stress the importance of the teacher’s roles and their curriculums on the multicultural students. and then they give suggestion on as to how to create a non-biased and effective curriculum for teachers, or for schools, who handle multiculturally diverse classes. Their article is a good preview of how important is the need for improvement of multiculture education. Cohen, Cheryl. Teaching about Ethnic Diversity. ERIC Digest No. 32. Cohen explains the importance of Ethnic Diversity as part of the curriculum to be used for students. He also gives stress to the effective procedures to be used in teaching Ethnic Diversity. Basically, it is an informative article that emphasizes the importance of Ethnic Diversity in a curriculum for students. Its main audiences are teachers and the vast American children of different ethnical backgrounds. Covert, Bob and Gorski, Paul. Defining Multicultural Education. EdChange Gorski and Covert give hints as to what does Multicultural Education really mean. They show that there is almost no two classrooms that has the same definition for Multicultural Education. Then they give examples of aspects of multicultural education. They state the importance of the definition on the possible transformations it could cause to the society. They also stated a possible goal of multicultural education which is to affect social change of the world. References: Attinasi, J. (1994). Academic Achievement, Culture, and Literacy: An Introduction. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from the NCREL database. Website: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le0att.htm Burnnet, G. (1995). Varieties of Multicultural Education: An Introduction. ERIC Digest 98. ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education New York NY. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from the ERIC digest database. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED372146. Website: http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-1/multicultural.htm Chinn, P. and Gollnick, D. (1991). Multicultural Education for Exceptional Children. ERIC Digest #E498. ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education New York NY. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from the ERIC digest database. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED333620. Website: http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9220/exceptional.htm Cohen, C. (1986). Teaching about Ethnic Diversity. ERIC Digest No. 32. ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education New York NY. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from the ERIC digest database. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED273539. Website: http://www.thememoryhole.org/edu/eric/ed273539.html Covert, B. and Gorski, P. Defining Multicultural Education. EdChange. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from EdChange database. Website: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/initial.html Gomez, R. (1991). Teaching with a Multicultural Perspective. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education Urbana IL. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from the ERIC digest database. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED339548. Website: http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-5/perspective.htm Hanley, M. S. (n.d.). The Scope of Multicultural Education. New Horizons for Learning. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from New Horizons for Learning. Website: http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/multicultural/hanley.htm Milk, R.; Mercado, C.; Sapiens, A. (summer 1992). Number 6. NCBE FOCUS: Occasional Papers in Bilingual Education. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from NCBA database. Website: http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/focus/focus6.htm Morefield, J. (n.d.). Recreating Schools For All Children. New Horizons for Learning. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from New Horizons for Learning. Website: http://www.newhorizons.org/trans/morefield.htm Wilson,K. (n.d.). Multicultural Education. EdChange. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from EdChange database. Website: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/keith.html      

The History and Goals of the Chicano Movement

The History and Goals of the Chicano Movement The Chicano Movement emerged during the civil rights era with three goals: restoration of land, rights for farm workers and education reforms. Prior to the 1960s, however, Latinos lacked influence in the national political arena. That changed when the Mexican American Political Association worked to elect John F. Kennedy president in 1960, establishing Latinos as a significant voting bloc. After Kennedy was sworn into office, he showed his gratitude toward the Latino community by not only appointing Hispanics to posts in his administration but also by considering the concerns of the Hispanic community. As a viable political entity, Latinos, particularly Mexican Americans, began demanding that reforms be made in labor, education and other sectors to meet their needs. A Movement With Historic Ties When did the Hispanic community’s quest for justice begin? Their activism actually predates the 1960s. In the 1940s and ’50s, for example, Hispanics won two major legal victories. The first - Mendez v. Westminster Supreme Court - was a 1947 case that prohibited segregating Latino schoolchildren from white children. It proved to be an important predecessor to Brown v. Board of Education, in which the U.S. Supreme Court determined that a â€Å"separate but equal† policy in schools violated the Constitution. In 1954, the same year Brown appeared before the Supreme Court, Hispanics achieved another legal feat in Hernandez v. Texas. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment  guaranteed equal protection to all racial groups, not just blacks and whites. In the 1960s and 70s, Hispanics not only pressed for equal rights, they began to question the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This 1848 agreement ended the Mexican-American War and resulted in America acquiring territory from Mexico that currently comprises the Southwestern U.S. During the civil rights era, Chicano radicals began to demand that the land is given to Mexican Americans, as they believed it constituted their ancestral homeland, also known as Aztln. In 1966, Reies Là ³pez Tijerina led a three-day march from Albuquerque, N.M., to the state capital of Santa Fe, where he gave the governor a petition calling for the investigation of Mexican land grants. He argued that the U.S.’s annexing of Mexican land in the 1800s was illegal. Activist Rodolfo â€Å"Corky† Gonzales, known for the poem â€Å"Yo Soy Joaquà ­n,† or â€Å"I Am Joaquà ­n,† also backed a separate Mexican  American state. The epic poem about Chicano history and identity includes the following lines: â€Å"The Treaty of Hidalgo has been broken and is but another treacherous promise. / My land is lost and stolen. / My culture has been raped.† Farm Workers Make Headlines Arguably the most well-known fight Mexican Americans waged during the 1960s was that to secure unionization for farm workers. To sway grape growers to recognize United Farm Workers - the Delano, Calif., union launched by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta - a national boycott of grapes began in 1965. Grape pickers went on strike, and Chavez went on a 25-day hunger strike in 1968. 3/10/1968 - Delano, CA- Senator Robert Kennedy (L) breaks bread with Union Leader Cesar Chavez as Chavez ended a 23-day fast in support of non-violence in the strike against grape growers. Bettmann  / Getty Images At the height of their fight, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy visited the farm workers to show his support. It took until 1970 for the farm workers to triumph. That year, grape growers signed agreements acknowledging UFW as a union. Philosophy of a Movement Students played a central role in the Chicano fight for justice. Notable student groups include the  United Mexican American Students and the Mexican American Youth Association. Members of such groups staged walkouts from schools in Denver and Los Angeles in 1968 to protest Eurocentric curriculums, high dropout rates among Chicano students, a ban on speaking Spanish and related issues. By the next decade, both the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the U.S. Supreme Court declared it unlawful to keep students who couldn’t speak English from getting an education. Later, Congress passed the Equal Opportunity Act of 1974, which resulted in the implementation of more bilingual education programs in public schools. Not only did Chicano activism in 1968 lead to educational reforms, it also saw the birth of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, which formed with the goal of protecting the civil rights of Hispanics. It was the first organization dedicated to such a cause. The following year, hundreds of Chicano activists gathered for the First National Chicano Conference in Denver. The name of the conference is significant as it marks the term â€Å"Chicanos† replacement of Mexican. At the conference, activists developed a manifesto of sorts called â€Å"El Plan Espiritual de Aztln,† or â€Å"The Spiritual Plan of Aztln.† It states, â€Å"We†¦conclude that social, economic, cultural, and political independence is the only road to total liberation from oppression, exploitation, and racism. Our struggle then must be for the control of our barrios, campos, pueblos, lands, our economy, our culture, and our political life.† The idea of a unified Chicano people also played out when political party La Raza Unida, or the United Race, formed to bring issues of importance to Hispanics to the forefront of national politics. Two female Brown Berets, a Chicano activist group, stand together in matching uniforms. David Fenton / Getty Images Other activist groups of note include the Brown Berets and the Young Lords, which was made up of Puerto Ricans in Chicago and New York. Both groups mirrored the Black Panthers in militancy. Looking Forward Now the largest racial minority in the U.S., there’s no denying the influence that Latinos have as a voting bloc. While Hispanics have more political power than they did during the 1960s, they also have new challenges. Immigration and education reforms are of key importance to the community. Due to the urgency of such issues, this generation of Chicanos will likely produce some notable activists of its own.

Chemistry Class 12 Essays

Chemistry Class 12 Essays Chemistry Class 12 Essay Chemistry Class 12 Essay HIGHER SECONDARY MODEL EXAMINATION HSE II Max. marks: 60 CHEMISTRY Time: 2. 45 hrs General instructions All questions are compulsory Cool-off time is 15 minutes 1] Defects modify the properties of crystals [4 marks] A] Give differences between Schottky and Frenkel defects [2. 0] B] On heating zinc oxide becomes yellow in colour. Why? [1. 0 ] C] Alkali metal halides on heating in presence of alkali metal produce characteristic colours. Give reason [1. 0] 2] Colligative properties depend on the number of solute particles in solution [4 arks] A] Give the name of colligative property suitable for the measurement of molar mass of starch[l . ] B] Give reasons for abnormal colligative properties [1. 0] C] Represent elevation in boiling point graphically [ 2. 0] 3] Cells are used for different purposes [4 marks] A] Differentiate between primary and secondary cells [ 1. 0] B] The voltage given by mercury cell is contant . Why ? [1. 0] C] What are fuel cells ? Give thei r two advantages . [2. 0] 4] Chemical kinetics deals with rates of chemical reactions [4 marks] A] Give two differences between order and molecularity of a chemical reaction [1. B] Draw a graphical representation to show the effect of a positive catalyst on the activation energy[l . 0] C] How rate of reaction increases with increase in temperature ? [1. 0] D] What is the half life of a first order reaction whose rate constant is 200 s-l? [1. 0] 5]Colloids are neterogeneous systems 13 marks] 2 A] Differentiate between Tyndall effect and Brownian movement [2. 0] B] State Hardy- Schulze rule for the coagulation of colloids [1. 0] 6]Metallurgy deals with the extraction of a metal from a suitable ore[3 marks] A] Which method of purification is epresented by the given equation? 1. 0] B] Differentiate between roasting and calcination [1. 0] C] All ores are minerals but all minerals are not ores . Justify the statement [1. 0] 7] Elements belonging from group 13 to group 18 are known as p-bl ock elements [5 marks] A] Draw the structures of phosphorous and sulphur molecules [1. 0] B] What are interhalogen compounds . Give example[l . 0] C] a. Account for the high viscous nature and boiling point of sulphuric acid[l . 0] b. Why are all the halogens usually coloured? [l . 0] D] Why are all bonds in PC15 molecule not equivalent? 1. ] 8]Elements from group 3 to group 12 are known as d block elements [4 marks] A] Explain the following observations: (i) Transition elements generally form coloured compounds. [l . 0] (it) Mercury is a liquid at room temperature [1. 0] B] Give the preparation of potassium permanganate from pyrolusite [2. 0] 9] Co- ordination compounds are addition compounds [4 marks] A] A coordination compound has the formula PtC14 . 3NH3. It does not liberate ammonia, but precipitates chloride ion as silver chloride. [2. 0] i. Write the IUPAC name and the structural formula of the compound. . What is the secondary valency of the compound in part (i)? B] Write do wn the II-PAC nomenclature of the following compounds: [2. 0] 3 i. [C0C12 (erl)2] S04 cr OH cr (NH3)5] C15 10] Halogen compounds reactive compounds [4 marks] A] (i) Why is it that haloalkanes are more reactive than haloarenes towards nucleophiles? [l . 0] (ii) Which one of the following reacts faster in an SNI reaction and why? B] Chloroform is kept in amber coloured bottles. Why? [1. 0] C] Differentiate the action of moist and dry silver oxide on bromomethane [1. 0] 1 1] Alcohols are important industrial solvents [4 marks] A] Which of the following alcohols give ketone on oxidation? [l . 0] B] What happens when dehydration of ethanol is carried at a higher temperature of 443 O] C] a] complete tne reaction b. Write all the possible structural isomers of the compound X [1. 0] 12] Aldehydes and ketones are carbonyl compounds [ 5marks] A] Giving reasons, arrange the following carbonyl compounds in the decreasing order of their reactivity in nucleophilic addition reactions. [2. O] B] Give two chemical tests to distinguish between CH3CHO and CH3COCH 3. . 0] C] Give a commercial method to obtain benzaldehyde from toluene. [l . 0] 4 D] Write the IUPAC name of the following compound. [l . 0] 13] Amines are derivatives of ammonia [3 marks ] A] Between ethylamine and ethyl alcohol, which has a higher boiling point and why? [ 1. 0] B]Giving reasons, arrange the given amines in the decreasing order of their basicity in the follow[ 2. 0] 14] Biomolecules are compl ex organic molecules [ 3 marks ] Match the following Glucose Amylose Reducing sugar Sucrose Aldohexose Zwitterion Starch Invert sugar ketohexose Fructose Glycine Linear polymer Amlnoac10 Denaturation Peptide linkage Proteins Sweetest sugar Non-reducing sugar 15] Polymers are macromolecules formed from monomers [ 3 marks ] a. What was the need for developing biodegradable polymers? [l . 0] b. What does PHBV stand for? Give its uses. [l . 0] c. Write the monomer units of Nylon 2-Nylon- 16] Chemistry plays an important role in our day to day life [ 3 marks ] a) State the function along with one example each of: [2. 0] (i) Antihistamines (it) Antioxidants (b) Give two differences between soaps and synthetic detergents [1. 0]

What Is the Platt Amendment Definition and Significance

What Is the Platt Amendment Definition and Significance SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In 1898, the US was fighting the Spanish-American War and occupying Cuba as part of its involvement in maintaining the island’s newfound independence. Once the war was over, the US still wanted to maintain influence in Cuba. In order to achieve this, the Platt Amendment was passed. Read this guide to learn what the Platt Amendment includes, why it was created, what important dates are associated with it, and how its impacts live on today, including how it led to the creation of Guantanamo Bay. What Is the Platt Amendment? In simplest terms, the Platt Amendment was a treaty between the United States and Cuba that established guidelines for US-Cuban relations. The US wanted to maintain influence in Cuba to protect its interests there, but Cubans were wary of being under the control of another foreign power after recently gaining independence from Spain. The Platt Amendment was an attempt to appease both countries. The Platt Amendment set conditions under which the US would end its military occupation of Cuba but also granted the US the right to involve itself in Cuban affairs in order to protect Cuban independence. The Platt Amendment was drafted by Elihu Root, who was Secretary of State at the time, and in 1901 it was presented to the Senate by Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut as a rider attached to the Army Appropriations Bill. (Riders are sometimes also referred to as amendments, which is why it is called the Platt Amendment.) The Platt Amendment placed some pretty stringent restrictions on Cuba. It gave the United States pretty much unlimited ability to intervene in any Cuban affair for the purpose of preserving Cuban independence, prevented Cuba from transferring any of its land to any country other than the United States, limited Cuba’s right to negotiate treaties, gave the US rights to a naval base in Cuba (what is now Guantanamo Bay). It was reluctantly accepted by Cuba, who amended their Constitution to include it. There were seven articles in the Platt Amendment, and the Cuban government had to agree to all of them before the US withdrew its troops from the island and recognized Cuban sovereignty. Here are the articles of the Platt Amendment: Article I. The Government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power or powers to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes, or otherwise, lodgment in or control over any portion of said island. Article II. The Government of Cuba shall not assume or contract any public debt to pay the interest upon which, and to make reasonable sinking-fund provision for the ultimate discharge of which, the ordinary revenues of the Island of Cuba, after defraying the current expenses of the Government, shall be inadequate. Article III. The Government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the Treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the Government of Cuba. . . . Article V. The Government of Cuba will execute, and, as far as necessary, extend the plans already devised, or other plans to be mutually agreed upon, for the sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemic and infectious diseases may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the commerce of the Southern ports of the United States and the people residing therein.... Article VII. To enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the Government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations, at certain specified points, to be agreed upon with the president of the United States. What Led to the Creation of the Platt Amendment? The Platt Amendment came about as a result of the Spanish-American War, which occurred in 1898. During the roughly four months that the war lasted, the United States had a large military presence in Cuba, which it was ready to use to protect the US against Spanish attacks and protect US economic interests in Cuba. The day before the US entered the Spanish-American War, the Teller Amendment was passed by Congress. President William McKinley gave a speech asking Congress to allow the US to use its naval and military forces to help Cuba achieve independence, and Congress agreed but also passed the Teller Amendment, which placed limits on the US’s involvement. The Teller Amendment stated that the US couldn’t annex Cuba. Instead, the US had to help Cuba achieve stable independence, then withdraw its troops from the island once that had been achieved. This assuaged Congressional fears that President McKinley was hoping to annex Cuba. However, three years after the Spanish-American War was over and Cuba was independent, the US still had troops in Cuba. The US didn’t want to put its military and economic interests at risk by having Cuba descend into chaos during self-rule or be conquered by another foreign country. They decided to maintain a strong role in Cuban affairs until they believed their interests would be safe. Because of the Teller Amendment (which basically said the US had to help Cuba achieve independence and then leave), the Platt Amendment was drafted as a way to ensure the US could maintain a degree of control over Cuba until they were certain the country was stable and their interests would be protected. Key Dates for the Platt Amendment Below are all the key dates you need to know for events that happened before, during, and after the Platt Amendment was signed. February 24th, 1895- February 15th, 1898: The Cuban War of Independence is fought between Cuba and Spain. The final months escalate into the Spanish-American war. February 15th, 1898: The American battleship USS Maine, which was docked in Havana, explodes under mysterious circumstances, killing 258 people. The US blames Spain for the explosion which leads to the Spanish-American War. April 20th, 1898: The Teller Amendment is passed. April 21st - August 13th, 1898: The Spanish-American War is fought between Spain and the United States December 10th, 1898: The Treaty of Paris is signed. Spain agrees to grant independence to Cuba, and cedes the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico the United States. March 2nd, 1901: The Platt Amendment is passed. December 25th, 1901: Cuba amends its constitution to include the entire Platt Amendment May 22nd, 1903: Cuba and the US agree to the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1903. Among other things, this treaty allows the US to intervene in Cuban affairs and lease land for naval bases on the island. September 1906 - February 1909: Second Occupation of Cuba. The Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1903 is used to justify US military forces occupying Cuba in order to protect American economic interests and establish a new Cuban government. May 29th, 1934: As part of FDR’s Good Neighbor Policy, the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1934 is signed, repealing most of the Platt Amendment (everything except US right to a naval base in Cuba). 1940: The Platt Amendment is eliminated from the new Cuban constitution during the Cuban Constitutional Convention of 1940. What Are the Lasting Effects of the Platt Amendment? The Cuban government was very reluctant to add the Platt Amendment to their constitution, as they had just become independent and didn’t want to be controlled by another foreign power. Even though it was eventually ratified, it caused a lot of resentment among Cubans towards America. Many historians also believe that the Platt Amendment actually ended up causing more instability in Cuba, including contributing to the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s. The Platt Amendment remained in effect until 1934, when US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy repealed the majority of the amendment in response to a surge in Cuban resentment. However, one stipulation of the Platt Amendment remained: the US was allowed to continue operating its naval base Guantanamo Bay. The Good Neighbor Policy stated that the US had the right to operate its naval base "until the two contracting parties agree to the modification or abrogation of the stipulations of the agreement in regard to the lease to the United States of America for coaling and naval stations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Because the US hasn’t agreed to any modifications, , Guantanamo Bay remains open to this day and has been a major factor in shaping modern Cuban-American relations. Summary: Platt Amendment APUSH The Platt Amendment was one of the most important events in Cuba-US relations. A simple Platt Amendment definition is that it an amendment passed in 1901 that provided guidelines that allowed the US to maintain influence in Cuba after Cuba achieved independence. What did the Platt Amendment do? It gave the US the right to have a naval base in Cuba, intervene in Cuban affairs, and control Cuba’s agreements with other countries, among other things. Although the Platt amendment was created to protect US interests in Cuba, it was widely resented in Cuba and was nearly completed repealed in 1934, although the US naval base Guantanamo Bay is still in operation in Cuba. What's Next? Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. Did you know that water has a very special density? Check out our guide to learn what the density of water is and how the density can change. Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius?We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

Change management - elaboration on points highlighted with blue text Essay

Change management - elaboration on points highlighted with blue text - Essay Example This is because the strategy is short-term and assumes a simple link of cause and effect. On the other hand, systemic thinking attempts to structure a long-term solution. Using outside consultants, for example, may be a good reductionist response but in systemic thinking terms it limits the opportunities for that system to learn to solve its own problems. Another example is that of a departmental manager who focuses solely on his tackling issues by looking into the resources in his own department without ever considering external agents that could be responsible for any of the undesirable results. This limits the scope and efficiency with which the problems can be solved. Senge explains the different responses from reductionist and systemic views in chapter 4. Whether understanding a city or a living creature, he argues that a holistic approach is the only effective cure for problems. However, Senge does not mention that complex systems could benefit from short and long term solutions. In nature and in business, some things do develop in separate units and short-term changes are possible in some cases without unintended long-term effects. Manufacturing units, for instance, are complex units made up of many interacting units such as people, departments, technology, routines and structure (Fernandez, McCarthy & Rakotobe-Joel, 2001). The whole system or the whole organization is reduced to manageable individual parts. By studying the individual manageable parts, the leaders or the managers can formulate rules about the behaviour of the whole system. Thus, adopting a reductionst approach can at times be beneficial for organization such as Delap & Waller because it has several functional departments with dispersed locations. In simple terms, the tradeoff between the reductionist and systemic views can be described

PsyInfo Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PsyInfo - Research Paper Example I chose the topic of autism because children with behavioral problems in general and autistic children in particular, hold my interest. When I was in school, I had a class mate who did not mingle much with us and kept very much to himself. I remember that some of the children used to make fun of him, and I was surprised to discover that he did not really notice much of the sarcasm and the jokes cracked at his expense. That caused me to be interested in finding out just what was wrong with him, and that is how I discovered much about autism. Currently, I am oscillating between becoming a psychologist or a social worker – I have not decided yet, for certain, which path to choose. However, irrespective of the final plan, I have decided to work with children with behavioral problems. There has been quite a bit of work done in this regard, but I feel it is not enough and there need to be more professionals who are involved with children with behavioral problems. Studying this topic and getting more information on it will help me in my plans, as whether I become a psychologist or a social worker, I am planning on making children my focus in this regard. I would prefer working as a child psychologist or a social worker specializing in children’s welfare. In this regard, I have chosen to make autism and behavioral problems my specialization. Pandey, J., Verbalis, A., Robins, D. L., Boorstein, H., Klin, A., Babitz, T., Chawarska, K., Volkmar, F., Green, J., Barton, M., & Fein, D. (2008). Screening for autism in older and younger toddlers with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers. Autism, 12 (5),

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Leadership - Research Paper Example The approach did not go well as his boss discouraged the idea claiming that the company dealt with the production of UV lamps. The boss claimed that the 3D printers were replicators of â€Å"Star Trek† which the company could not spend on. Chuck hull however did not give up and kept on insisting to the boss that he be given the permission to make the machine. Eventually, they both reached a compromise, which stated that Chuck would concentrate in the making of the company’s lamps during daytime while at night concentrate on making his 3D printer(Lipson, et al 49). The UV lights manufactured at the company mainly influenced the idea of the 3D machine. Factories would use the lamps to harden plastic veneers onto rubber tiles or tabletops. With this in mind, Hull discovered that the UV light could be used to engrave plastic layers. The plastic layer’s etching would be into whatever shape he deemed attractive. The layers would be stalked forming a 3D object. At the initial stages however, he wrote codes that guided the machines on cutting the layers (Lipson, et al 65). Chuck Hull’s success was not mainly because of his invention but also due to the leadership styles and qualities he possessed and practiced. Both internal and external drivers influenced his leadership qualities and styles. One external driver is the situational interaction that came about while talking to his boss. The two were close as they worked in the same company and this gave him the opportunity of telling and convincing his boss about the idea. Had he not been in a situation where he would convince the boss about the 3D printer, he would never have gotten the chance to use the company’s resources to come up with the printer. Another external driver is the function role (Sadler & Philip 76). He used to work in a UV lamps manufacturing company and this made him to realize that the UV

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business - Essay Example Japan is experiencing an intensive change as a result of its aging population and decrease in labour force. The country has faced challenge from deflation from previous years, but due to the help of government and political factors, the country is gradually gaining economic advantages at present. In this paper, major business sectors of Japan will be discussed. Socio-economic and political issues have a serious impact on the business growth, GDP growth along with economic development of the country. The growth of business has an impact on population of the country, which has been discussed in this paper as well. 2.0 Principal Business Sector of Japan Japan is one of the highly developed nations in the world. Since resources are limited in the country, companies import raw materials and process them to finished products. Fishing industry in Japan is a growing business sector because a huge amount of marine resources are available in the country (Kids Web Japan, n.d.). Manufacturing in dustries is a key sector in business of Japan. The development of manufacturing industries has been in the first rank. The country is one of the world’s leading shipbuilders. Majority of ships are exported along with large oil tanker in the world (Country Studies, 2011). Automobile business sector is one of the core industrial sectors of Japan. The country is also considered as one of the top automobile producers. Advanced technology of Japan in the design of buses, motorcycles, bicycles and high-speed trains are the major factors in the business growth of transport industry. Chemical in addition to petrochemical industry are primary business sectors. Semi-conductor business of Japan developed in size and thereby stimulating profits. Automotive products comprise of 16.9% of the entire value of manufacturing shipment of Japan and manufacturing industry comprises of 36.3% of combined shipments (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2010). Figure 1: Major Manufacturing Sec tor in Value Terms Source: (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2010). Japanese computer manufacturers (JCMs) play a leading role in the technology as well as business sector of Japan. As a core competence, JCMs have absorbed and mastered expert system technology (Feigenbaum, 1993). 3.0 Socio-Economic Issue and Political Issue Relating to Future Business Growth, GDP Growth and Economic Development Socio-economic issues of Japan have tremendous impact on the economic development of the country. The economic development of the country is facing challenges due to decrease in birth rate as well as aging population. At domestic and global level, socio-economic development can only be achieved by dealing with global warming along with environmental issues. A variety of economic activities are conducted on the assumption that environmental issues need to be properly addressed. Japan produces about 90 percent of global warming gases that originate from sources of energy. Japan has i ncorporated an approach to the issues of energy as well as global warming and they are responding to waste management issues by means of â€Å"3 Rs† (reduce, reuse and recycle). On the supply side, a point of competitiveness suitable for an advanced industrial economy is essential to achieve economic development in Japan. The government is assisting the efforts of companies to

Emerging Issues in Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Emerging Issues in Criminal Justice - Essay Example The US Supreme Court has maintained that DNA testing and storage of records does not violate this right. The report further describes the value of DNA testing in the prevention of repeat offenders of violent crimes. Statistics are included on the scope of the program and reports on the number of cases that it has aided, as well as the number of potential cases that it could help in the future. In addition, it was found that the economic expense might become overwhelming to operate the program in a prudent manner. The rapid expansion of the program has called for increased lab space, storage facilities, and technicians as law enforcement begins to rely more heavily on DNA evidence. In addition, social pressure needs to be handled in a manner that does not give the public the perception that it has further eroded their constitutional guarantees. The report reaches the conclusion that meeting the financial and social challenges presented by NDIS will be an important step for the future of forensic investigations. Recent advances in DNA technology have been both a blessing and a curse for the United States' justice system and federal and local law enforcement agencies. It has offered law enforcement officials an important new tool to track, investigate, and prosecute dangerous criminals. DNA evidence has provided for the proof beyond a reasonable doubt in thousands of cases involving the most serious crimes of murder and rape. DNA evidence has also been useful in the exoneration of countless convicts that had been wrongly convicted, many of them on death row. To take advantage of this new technology, the US government has pursued a program of compiling a databank of DNA information taken from US citizens. This database can later be used to crosscheck for suspects that may be linked to crime scene DNA evidence at a later date. The US system is similar to the program that is operated in the United Kingdom. While there are significant benefits to be gained from maintaining a large DNA database, it has come at a substantial cost. The economic cost places a burden on law enforcement's already scarce resources. There are also significant social costs due to the perception of the invasion of privacy and the constitutional questions regarding the right to privacy. In addition, there are several logistical challenges to be overcome to assure the proper collection, analyzation, and long-term storage of the mounting quantities of DNA evidence. Determining the most appropriate policies regarding the US DNA databank requires an evaluation of the benefits and costs of the program, while examining the issue in light of the US constitution and global human rights standards. The federal government coordinates the DNA databank program as advocates have sought to expand the database. Individual states vary in their DNA reporting requirements but all states participate in the gathering of DNA information on the most serious violent crimes, which is passed to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a program managed by the FBI (Walsh, 2006). This DNA information is made available to law enforcement agencies through the National DNA Index (NDIS), which currently has over 6,384,379 offender profiles and 241,685 forensic profiles on file and has aided 77,700 investigations as of

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business - Essay Example Japan is experiencing an intensive change as a result of its aging population and decrease in labour force. The country has faced challenge from deflation from previous years, but due to the help of government and political factors, the country is gradually gaining economic advantages at present. In this paper, major business sectors of Japan will be discussed. Socio-economic and political issues have a serious impact on the business growth, GDP growth along with economic development of the country. The growth of business has an impact on population of the country, which has been discussed in this paper as well. 2.0 Principal Business Sector of Japan Japan is one of the highly developed nations in the world. Since resources are limited in the country, companies import raw materials and process them to finished products. Fishing industry in Japan is a growing business sector because a huge amount of marine resources are available in the country (Kids Web Japan, n.d.). Manufacturing in dustries is a key sector in business of Japan. The development of manufacturing industries has been in the first rank. The country is one of the world’s leading shipbuilders. Majority of ships are exported along with large oil tanker in the world (Country Studies, 2011). Automobile business sector is one of the core industrial sectors of Japan. The country is also considered as one of the top automobile producers. Advanced technology of Japan in the design of buses, motorcycles, bicycles and high-speed trains are the major factors in the business growth of transport industry. Chemical in addition to petrochemical industry are primary business sectors. Semi-conductor business of Japan developed in size and thereby stimulating profits. Automotive products comprise of 16.9% of the entire value of manufacturing shipment of Japan and manufacturing industry comprises of 36.3% of combined shipments (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2010). Figure 1: Major Manufacturing Sec tor in Value Terms Source: (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2010). Japanese computer manufacturers (JCMs) play a leading role in the technology as well as business sector of Japan. As a core competence, JCMs have absorbed and mastered expert system technology (Feigenbaum, 1993). 3.0 Socio-Economic Issue and Political Issue Relating to Future Business Growth, GDP Growth and Economic Development Socio-economic issues of Japan have tremendous impact on the economic development of the country. The economic development of the country is facing challenges due to decrease in birth rate as well as aging population. At domestic and global level, socio-economic development can only be achieved by dealing with global warming along with environmental issues. A variety of economic activities are conducted on the assumption that environmental issues need to be properly addressed. Japan produces about 90 percent of global warming gases that originate from sources of energy. Japan has i ncorporated an approach to the issues of energy as well as global warming and they are responding to waste management issues by means of â€Å"3 Rs† (reduce, reuse and recycle). On the supply side, a point of competitiveness suitable for an advanced industrial economy is essential to achieve economic development in Japan. The government is assisting the efforts of companies to

Critical analysis on the novel Of Mice and Men Essay

Critical analysis on the novel Of Mice and Men - Essay Example In the 18th and 19th centuries, the frontier of the United States of America was expanded westwards as European immigrants swarmed to the ports of the eastern seaboard. Many of these immigrants were members of persecuted minorities, such as Russian Jews escaping the 19th-century pogroms, or Irish Catholics fleeing the poverty and discrimination of British imperial rule. They were attracted by dreams of a better life, and regardless of whether or not they achieved this life in reality, Steinbeck’s characters still dream of a better life, even in the depths of the 1930s Great Depression. George and Lennie, as Stephen emphasises, dream of owning a small farm which they can work themselves – surely a dream shared by thousands of rootless young men during that era of mass unemployment and economic uncertainty. (Stephen 37). Their dream is introduced towards the beginning of the novel. It is recited by George to comfort Lennie, although it is clear that the recitation offers comfort to them both. George states that ‘we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs...’, and Lennie that they’ll ‘live off the fatta the lan’’ (Steinbeck 16). Their dream of independence strengthens them both, and even attracts Candy and Crooks for a time. For Attell, this dream ‘responds directly to the limitations placed on their lives’. As nomadic labourers, they lack independence and security. They are dependent on odd jobs on the ranches they come across, which are highly seasonal and temporary. Living from hand to mouth in this way, and in rough accommodation shared with other workers, their dream involves a permanent residence, where they must work for no one but themselves to earn their keep. The itinerant and uncertain nature of George and Lennie’s lifestyle is thus emphasised from the beginning, and Attell justifiably sees their portrayal as Steinbeck’s critique of

Do Not Learn as a Machine Essay Example for Free

Do Not Learn as a Machine Essay It’s twelve at night. Tons of papers and a cup of coffee on the desk prepared for pulling an all-nighter. Studying for the exam tomorrow, cramming tons of class-notes and materials. Students are fighting for an A. However, what do we expect them to learn from it? Is it even beneficial to them? After all, most students forget almost everything as soon as they finish the exam. Apparently, there are some fundamental problems in our current educational system. In the three essays, â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education† by Paulo Freire, â€Å"Against School† by John Taylor Gatto and â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Richard Rodriguez, the authors realize different problems of the educational system and have different opinions about it. In my point of view, the main problem in the current educational system is that it encourages students to receive information meekly, without doubting, questioning or even understanding the material. As a result, these students resemble machines which acquire many facts but can barely develop their own critical thinking. The three aforementioned authors have differing opinions on the current educational system, but they all describe it as a system where students merely receive information but do not undergo critical thinking. In â€Å"Against School,† Gatto states that the educational system is a scheme the government uses to make people more â€Å"manageable† by reducing their critical judgment. To achieve this, school provide answers of every question to the students. It works because â€Å"Easy answers have removed the need to ask questions† (Gatto 155). It is true. Since students were taught in their early life that teachers are absolutely right, and that they should obey the authorities, as a result, most of them do not judge the teachers’ explanations. As they grow up, students tend to find the answers from books or teachers instead of figuring the answer out by themselves. Thus, their critical and original thinking have been obliterated completely under this educational system. Moreover, the boredom of schooling successfully removes the students’ curiosity which drive them to ask questions. A similar idea appears in â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education. Freire uses the term â€Å"banking system† to describe the educational system where the teachers deposit a large amount of knowledge on the students. Students soon become receptacles which â€Å"extend only as far as receiving, filling, and storing the deposits† (Freire 1). These students do not understand how the information related to the real world, and can neither apply the knowledge to the real world problem nor develop their own critical thinking. In â€Å"The Achievement of Desire†, Rodriguez mainly describes his early life as a successful student. It gives a concrete example to support Gatto and Freire’s opinion. As he describes himself as a â€Å"great mimic; a collector of thoughts, not a thinker† (203), it fits Gatto and Freire’s description about the educational system, that even a considerably â€Å"successful† student could not perform critical and original thinking. Under this type of educational system, students try to find their way to achieve high scores. However, it turns out that the best way to be successful in this system isn’t the best way to learn. In the essays, the authors describe how the â€Å"successful† student is like. According to Freire, â€Å"The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are† (1). In order to be considered â€Å"good† under this system, students need to receive a large amount of facts on a superficial level. The best strategy is not to think, not to question, just believe and memorize it. Freire observes a phenomena in which teachers talk about contents â€Å"which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them† (1). In this way, students acquire tons of facts and maybe enhance their memorization ability, but fail to understand how these facts are connected to the daily life. In â€Å"The Achievement of Desire,† Rodriguez realizes that he was the â€Å"worst student,† even though he was considered â€Å"successful† in the system. â€Å"He becomes in every obvious way the worst student, a dummy mouthing the opinions of others. But he would not be so bad—nor would he become so successful, a scholarship boy—if he did not accurately perceive that the best synonym for primary ‘education’ is ‘imitation’† (203). The scholarship boy noticed that the best way to succeed in this system is to borrow and copy the ideas of others. Clearly we know that this is not the way to learn, as learning requires original processes. Therefore, it can be concluded that being successful in the educational system is not the same as being successful in learning. My experience supports this. Some teachers in my high school ask students to memorize all the model answers to every possible question that might be asked on the standardized test, but do not give explanations or have activities which could actually help students understand. The aim of teaching would then become merely the test scores. My physics teacher kept reminding us how many students got an A in a standardized test under his training, which emphasized becoming â€Å"machines for solving problems. † Being these machines could improve our performance on a test; however, we did not retain any substantial knowledge throughout the class, some even losing the motivation to learn afterwards. Solutions to a problem can be simple once we understand the cause of it. In the essays, the authors suggest their individual solutions. Freire suggests to oppose the â€Å"banking system,† by implementing a â€Å"problem-posing system. † In a problem-posing system, teachers pose some problems related to the world and ask the students to attempt to solve them without a straight forward answer (Freire 7). Students would then have the chance to explore the respective topic by themselves, think about every possible solution creatively. It takes time for all students to figure out the answer, and some of them may even fail to do it, but at least each student has tried to think about the problem. In this way, students are learning the material cognitively, and hence they will understand it more deeply and be able to apply the knowledge to the real world. Moreover, this system can motivate students to learn. According to Freire, â€Å"Students, as they are increasingly posed with problems relating to themselves in the world and with the world, will feel increasingly challenged and obliged to respond to that challenge† (8). When students try solving the problem, they are not being narrated by the boring materials and instead use their creative brainpower. They will find it fun to learn in this way and grow an enthusiasm to continue learning. In â€Å"Against School,† Gatto suggests to do the retrograde of the school’s mediocre influence on children. â€Å"School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively teach your own to think critically and independently† (155). To do this, we can educate children not only by books, but also encourage them to join different kinds of extra-curriculum activities such that they can grow interest in all areas. As an international student, I always compare the educational systems in America and Macau. I found that the educational system in America is relatively more â€Å"problem-posing† than my early education in Macau. Professors always give us chance to discuss and have more in-class activities. I fit in this problem-posing system and thus I can learn better and understand concepts more clearer. In conclusion, in order to learn cognitively and acquire the true knowledge, students should try to understand the materials before they decide to believe and cram it. Doxa means common beliefs and facts, while logos means the principle of knowledge. When students deeply understand it, they will attain the level of logos, not only doxa. It gives the students knowledge as well as the skill to derive other truths. To avoid being a machine, we should have our own thought and creativity. In the ideal problem-posing system, students can explore it in their way but not copying others’ ideas because they do not need to worry about their grades. They would then have their original opinion and thought, instead of meekly receiving information, being a mindless machine.

Skinhead Subculture History

Skinhead Subculture History Here is a definition of what is a skinhead: It is a young man of a subculture characterized by close-cropped hair and heavy boots, often perceived as aggressive, violent, and racist. Skinheads are not the evil fascist (Nazis) (as youve probably heard of many times on the news and so on). Indeed, one has to mention that theyre not all white or they dont even all have their heads shaved, although the majority do. Initially, the skinhead style emerged in 1966 from different elements which eventually gave one definite style by 1967. This continued, developed and matured until 1972, and then the real origins and reasons for the emergence of the cult get lost in outrage, acts of violence (and so far) to become for most people who grew up before the sixties and still nowadays, another unpleasant aspect of modern youth. This presentation is intended to try to understand the several issues in this subject, how the movement came about, how we could describe the archetypal skinhead of 1967-1972 period, how this subculture seemed to represent the multiculturalism and also to show the drifts towards extremism, focusing on the fact that it was only mainly excesses. The Skinheads, during this period, show such a pride and passion for their style that it seems as well very meaningful to tie this subculture to the notion Britishness. To what extent the skinhead subculture is linked to British values and traditions? ORIGINS To better apprehend where does it all comes from, it is impossible not to evoke the Mods movement. In Britain, in the late 1960s there existed a youth sub-culture known as Mods (cf. Swinging London). Mod (from modernist) is a subculture as well that originated in London, England in the 1950s and was at its height in the early-to-mid 1960s. The significant elements frequently associated to the subculture are fashion for example, music and motor scooters (Vespa). Youve probably all already seen their well-known symbol, which was originally The Royal Air Force roundel (cf. picture). After 1964, mods split up. (a lot of) hard mods or tough Mods (those who enjoyed most the fighting with Rockers in Brighton or Eastbourne) began to cut their hair close to the scalp (cuir chevelu), first as a fashion statement. But it was also due to the fact that it kept their hair out of their faces and on the other hand, made it impossible to grab during a fight. Moreover it was a way to be distinct from their enemies, the Rockers, who had long hairs and a quiff slicked back (=banane). So they soon evolved into Skinheads. Carnaby Street was no longer the symbolic place of the Swinging London it used to be, known nowadays for its awfully high number of touristsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and the fashion scene, and mods were simply swept away. Skinheads could be really identified as a separate group in 1968 because of their distinctive dress and appearance, the type of music which they liked and the tough, aggressive behaviour they displayed. The emergence of the skinhead style represented a counter-revolution. This revolution took place amongst the working class youth of London and other cities. The movement was non-political and gave off the impression of an aspiring white working class The skinhead style is smart, clean and tough. It is a precise uniform which proclaims identity. They rejected the finery and the slightly effeminate characteristics of the mods and the hippies for clothes that represented more their working class background. They needed clothes that would not get torn in a fight, which would stay neat. So, the famous skinhead itself is typically closely-shaved head for men and a Mod-style short feather cut for girls. The Ben Sherman trend prevailed from mod fashion with button-down, gingham (=vichy) shirts. The size of the check of the shirt (=carreaux) denoted your place in the gang the larger the check the more authority you had in the group. Sta-Prest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sta-Prest) slack (=pants, falzar) and (tough working jeans were the choice of trousers. As a matter of interest it is said that there are many skinheads who would sit in a bath of water with their shrink-to-fit Levi 501 jeans to get the extreme skinny-legged look. Jeans were inevitably tucked into a pair of Dr Martens boots or industrial boots. The look was completed with a pair of braces (=bretelles) a trilby or pork pie hat and even donkey jackets, army greens. To give you a fuller description of their style, it is to be said that if daytime clothes were loose and hard wearing, clothes worn in the evening were well tailored and expensive. That is a feature which is less known. The aim was to outflash/impress/not to get unnoticed (everyone) at the dance hall. Hard Mods as well as the skinheads often lived in the same economically depressed areas of South London as West Indian immigrants and began to emulate (=imitate, follow the example of) what is known as the rude boy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rude_boy) look of pork pie hats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork_pie_hat) and short Levi jeans; which is in fact a way to describe the black youths of the time. This leads us to emphasize some features (often forgotten/left out) that strongly prove the multiculturalism of the skinhead style. MULTICULTURALISM In establishing their own style, the younger brothers of the mods adopted certain elements of the mod style, combined them with items from traditional working clothes, borrowed some influences from the West Indian blacks and became skinheads. As weve just mentioned it, the other source of the skinhead style was the hip young West Indians of the inner city areas, such as Lambeth of Brixton (south of London). Their cool, disdainful attitude to strangers and their style and exuberance in the dance hall made them respected and admired by their white contemporaries. Indeed, the whites and the blacks mixed freely at dance halls and clubs, both indulging a common love of dancing and music. About their haircut for their example, one has to mention that again, this feature was copied from the West Indians who used it as part of their own hairstyles. Skinhead was not about colour, race, religion, national origin, or anything of the sort. It is a kind of brotherhood of individuals who share the same passions. Regarding the music now, and that is almost the most important feature of this subculture as any youth cult needs its own type of music. Music serves to identify and unify members of the group, as well as to entertain. The mods had soul, the Motown sound and beat music. It was necessary for the early skins to obtain a separate musical identity. They adopted the Jamaican music which the black communities in South East London had brought from their homeland and which was the popular music of the Rude Boys. The bouncy, jumpy beat in reggae was chosen by the skins and later, some specific skinhead records were even published. Because of the extrovert character of the West Indian blacks and of the music they played, there was no antagonism between skins and blacks. Indeed, many blacks were skinheads or formed their own crews, such as the Kilburn Blacks and the Kilburn Whites. Another import from Jamaica was Rastafarianism (To make a long story short, mystical cult based on and concerning the downfall of the white colonial races). As its popularity grew, the association of skins and blacks in a common form of music had come to an end. So, at the beginning, skinheads were not racist and more than this, the subculture was strongly rooted in the British values accepting and even taking part in the integration of different cultures such as the Jamaicans. VIOLENCE IN THE SKINHEAD SUBCULTURE AND DRIFTS TOWARDS EXTREMISM So how things turned bad? The escapism from the Skinheads gritty (=rough) industrial reality then took a darker turn (to the football terraces where) as these kids were also a major part of football hooliganism, which is an unfortunate tradition that still exists in Britain today. Once again, a deeply rooted tradition in British society. The aggressive football hooliganism against rival teams became their new entertainment. Each week fans donned (=revà ªtir) the colours of their team and rooted and cheered. (until their faces turned blue.) They also consumed a tremendous amount of alcohol. The highlight of every match was the brawl (=rixe, bagarre). The fights often would pour out into the streets and would involve chains, boots, fists, and anything else they could get their hands on (couteaux, tessons de bouteilles). What is weird is that they were these same thugs who we were talking about earlier. To relax after the fight (aprà ¨s la rencontre et les rixes), they would dress in the best threads (=fringues) that their blue-collar pay cheques could get them, and go and dance, party, and drink all night with the relatively large Jamaican immigrant population and the music they brought with them ska. Paradoxically, Ska and Reggae music often (influenced/associated by/to Rastafarian beliefs, support to the poor and unprivileged) was fashionable among this minor but violent subculture known as skinheads who were known for their racism and violence. Anyway, it is quite sad but football violence at the time was common and there was an increased policing of the fans. Also skins were extremely defensive of their own territory for example, and each gang, called a crew, had its own area which it defended. Contrary to black communities, Asian immigrants had a different, closed way of life and did not blend with traditional working class or East End ways of living. There was a threat of settlement by immigrants and a demolition or removal to overspill/overpopulated area. Skinhead violence may be seen as one response to such changes in society. They looked like an army and, went into action like one. That is one of the description of skinheads you could find. Also, generally, short hair is associated in the public mind with convicts, prison camp inmates and the military (that is to say violence). It was exactly this mean look which the skins wished to cultivate. This made them easy recruits for an ultra-right wing organisation, the National Front. They quickly earned a reputation for attacking blacks and Asians, as well as other minority groups such as hippies and gays. The sadly known Paki bashing appeared and was combined with queer bashing and even student bashing. This led to skinheads being both hated and feared. As the media caught on to this aspect of the cult, it caused some skins to leave the movement and in parallel more violent people to joint it. Eventually, this was one of the reasons which led to its decline in 1971/1972. There was no point in being a skin if you simply got caught by the police wherever you went. This also led to even more diversification among the skinhead ranks. An example in culture is the movie This Is England by the English director Shane Meadows. Not many directors are brave enough to out themselves as a teen racist, but for three weeks, at the age of 12, Shane Meadows fell in with the wrong crowd. He witnessed a horrific beating, which to this day fills him with shame. The event inspired this film, which documents the moment skinhead culture became ugly. It is a coming-of-age story set in a seaside town, in 1983, at the height of Thatcherism. Twelve-year-old Shaun Fields (the name is deliberately autobiographical) joins a gang of skinheads, but camaraderie gives way to tension as the National Front stir up (=remuer) racial hatred. Meadows says/testimonies/witnesses he understands how gangs fill a vacuum for youngsters with little hope. When youre 13 and youve got long, straggly hair and people are taking the piss out of your trousers, and you see this charismatic group of guys in smart Ben Shermans walking down the street, you want to be like them. CONCLUSION Skinheads created one of the most iconic youth movements ever to emerge in Britain. The sub genre known as Skinhead is of purely British origin, it is deeply rooted in a British tradition, for example through football and also connecting the British Isles to Jamaica and that what is interesting. But Skinheads crude political message of racism, hooliganism and street violence was much louder than its artistic one and, as a musical force, it quickly disappeared. It quickly became defined by terror, menace and racism. But beneath the shaved heads and steel-capped boots lay a more complex reality. In the early 1980s, skinheads of all types began to appear throughout the rest of Europe and the United States. Around this same time, many leftist skins began to organise in an effort to throw out the boneheads (cf.2). In 1986, a New York skinhead named Marcus, formed SHARP, which quickly spread throughout the rest of North America and Europe. The AFSA (cf.3) was formed specifically to expel boneheads from the scene. Example: In Toronto, a group of anti-fascist skins formed by a man named David Cheater consists almost completely of Jews. Skin Heads Against Racial Prejudice. Their term for the racist, fascist, Nazi, and other right-wing skinhead groups who were, in the eyes of the traditional skins, stealing their culture. Anti-Fascist Skinhead Alliance. I wanted to do them justice. Also what interested me were the differences between the prejudices and what is the reality behind this. A crew was predominantly a male group, like any other city gang, yet skinhead girls eventually became an accepted part of the scene. Moreover since only a policewoman can search a girl and there are fewer women police than men, girls became useful carriers of weapons or pills. The clothes of skinhead girls made them look superficially like the boys. Cant tell boys from girls from reporters.

Book Report on A Modern Utopia by H. G. Wells Essay -- Modern Utopia W

Book Report on A Modern Utopia by H. G. Wells H. G. Wells’ book, A Modern Utopia was published in 1905. This book seems to be unique for two reasons. As Wells tells us, it is told from the point of view of "a whitish plump man" that he calls the "Voice" (1). This allows the book to be what Wells calls, "a sort of shot-silk texture between philosophical discussion on the one hand and imaginative narrative on the other" because the Utopia that we visit in the story is the one inside the mind of the "Voice" or the narrator (ix). He (the Voice) is talking to a friend, a botanist that continues with him on his journeys, about utopian thought when suddenly these two men have been transported past Sirius to Utopia, the Voice’s ideal planet that is exactly the mirror of Earth, from geology to each individual person. Sometimes the narrator describes what is actually going on around them, what they are actually doing in Utopia, but more often he talks about what he thinks Utopia should be like, and the reader must interpret this as how this Utopia is, since this Utopia itself is in his imagination. The plot is this: the two men find themselves on this new planet by a feat of imagination. They find a coin on the ground, which pays for the inn at which they stay for a few nights. They speak to a man who dislikes the government and prefers Nature and simplicity. Because they are running out of money, the two men go to the Public Office to try and find work, where they are fingerprinted. The fingerprints surprisingly identify an existing citizen of Utopia, the record of the men’s duplicate. Because of the confusion, the men are shipped to a toy-carving factory in Lucerne, where, because the authorities figure out that they have doubles... ...es not appear in any utopian visions of the ancients, and thus marks this world different from those of antiquity. This brings up an interesting question; since this world is based on capitalism, is it attainable from our present capitalist society? Why or Why not? Is it possible to have a capitalist utopia? The Voice’s double argues that wealth is not power. Is this true? Could it be true under different circumstances? This Utopia is also a global, World State. Is this feasible? Is this necessary? This Utopia proclaims itself imperfect. Is this an oxymoron? Is a society that admits room for improvement a Utopia? The ruling class of this Utopia, the Samurai, is a voluntary ruling class. What problems would this involve? What problems would it solve? Works Cited Wells, H. G. A Modern Utopia. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1967.

Familiaris Consortio Essay

Familiaris Consortio means â€Å"On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World†. It is an Apostolic Exhortation given by Pope John-Paul II on the 22nd of November, 1981 and is mainly about the family, the married couple, the children, parenting. In today’s society it is easy to lose sight of what marriage is, it is often rushed and have been based on materialistic things and the social stature an individual such as wealth, appearance and job. One thing that it made me realizes is that it is important that we understand that marriage is not just a union of two people but it is a sacred bond that helps us achieve true happiness and fulfillment in life therefore it must not be rushed, we must choose our partners wisely and whole heartedly before commiting into marriage. This document also tells us that humans were created by God from love and that it is instilled in us and we have the responsibility to promote this through marriage and building a family. I realized that in order to achieve this kind of love, it is important that in marriage, both individuals are willing to give themselves completely to one another and at the same time have a strong faith in God because it is in God’s blessing that this bond will be strengthened. The document also points out the general tasks of the family which is to form a community of persons ready to serve life, participate in its development, and share amongst others the life and mission of the Church. I have realized that having a happy family must be based on love, understanding, communication and care. It is important that husband and wife respect one another no matter what. I also realized that children in the family have many rights some of these rights being the right to grow up properly in a home with a mother and a father that will guide them throughout their lives and the right to discover their true identity, dignity and potential in life. Every parent has a duty to promote and defend these rights for their children and be a good example that they can follow and look up to. The Familiaris Consortio for me is like a guide for all people about marriage. It tells us its importance and sacredness and helps us use this marriage to have a happy life. It guides and makes us understand all the responsibilities we are engaging and are expected to have in committing into marriage. Lastly, it strengthens our relationship with God and with our family by giving us certain realizations and ideas about taking care of one another treating one another equally.

Suggest reasons why the memberships of trade blocs, such as the EU, has changed over time

Memberships of trade blocs changed over time because countries realized that there are a huge amount of benefits to joining a trade bloc union. Benefits such as Free trade within the bloc which means that they have free access to each other’s markets, members of the trade bloc are encouraged to specialize. This means that at the regional level there is a wider application on ability to carry out a particular economic activity e. g. making a specific product more efficiently than another activity.In addition countries have Market access and trade creation which is when countries have easier access to each other's markets meaning that trade between members is likely to increase. Trade creation exists when free trade enables high cost domestic producers to be replaced by low cost and also allow more efficient imports. Because low cost imports lead to lower priced imports, there is a ‘consumption effect', with increased demand resulting from lower prices.Also Producers from the member country can benefit from the application of scale economies, which will lead to lower costs and lower prices for consumers. Jobs may be created as a consequence of increased trade between member economies. There is increased protection. Firms inside the bloc are protected from cheaper imports from outside, such as the protection of the EU shoe industry from cheap imports from China and Vietnam. There are other long-term political and social benefits to trade blocs.The countries’ economies become more intertwined also the political reasons for close cooperation within the bloc increases. Countries understand that they have a stake in each other and make greater efforts to get along. In that same way, increased business contacts usually mean that people must learn the culture of their trading partners. Many must learn new languages and different business practices. In short, more people will come into contact with each other and will need to learn more about each oth er. This breeds increased understanding amongst people.Another reason for the change is as for consumers are that there is often a greater variety of goods and services available in free trade blocs. Products like beer, detergent, clothing, and machine tools are often produced in all the countries after the free trade agreement they are often stocked in many stores. Products like satellite hook ups for televisions, computers and telephones are usually made more available to developing countries. Internet service providers are now able to sell to larger markets and more consumers have opportunities to purchase or use these services.

Macbeth as tragic hero Essay

The play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy about a Scottish lord, Macbeth, who becomes too ambitious. He starts off as a brave, loyal and noble man, but his ambition and thirst for power lead him onto a path of ruthlessness and self-destruction, and ultimately his own death. While Macbeth is manipulated by various people and occurrences, the main ones being the witches, Lady Macbeth and Fate, one theme that remains constant throughout the play is the power of choice. Macbeth does have the ability to choose, and it is this ability that makes him a tragic hero, not a victim. There are certain characteristics that someone must have in order to be considered a full tragic hero. One of the main ones is that the character must have a fatal flaw. In Macbeth’s case, it is his ‘vaulting ambition’ (1:VII:27). Ambition can be a good thing, but when in large doses as Macbeth’s was, it can be dangerous, and, as Macbeth proved, even fatal. Another important characteristic of a tragic hero is the conflict between good and evil, and the choice between these two things. Macbeth consciously chooses evil over good. A victim, on the other hand, has no power over what happens to them. Macbeth did have some control over the situation, which means that he was not a victim. However, Macbeth himself can’t be entirely to blame. He was influenced and manipulated, particularly by the witches. If the three ‘Weird Sisters’ (1:V:7) had not said anything to Macbeth in the first place then none of it would have happened. The ‘Weird Sisters’ put the idea of becoming ‘king hereafter’ (1:III:49) into Macbeth’s head, and, consequently, the idea of murdering King Duncan. The witches knew that this would happen, they wanted it to happen. They also manipulated Macbeth later on in the play, with the three apparitions. They gave him false confidence, and, once again, they knew and wanted this to happen. They created ‘toil and trouble’ (1:IV:10), and they created it on purpose, to lead Macbeth to his demise. However, Banquo was also present at the first meeting with the ‘Weird Sisters’, and they made a prophesy for him, too. But Banquo chooses to ignore what they say. Macbeth could have made th is choice as well, but he didn’t. Although the witches did manipulate Macbeth, he wanted to believe their prophesies, and he chose to believe them. Another person who was a big influence on Macbeth was his wife, Lady Macbeth. He was going to let ‘chance crown me king’ (1:III:43), but Lady Macbeth knew that this wouldn’t lead to anything. She also knew that Macbeth’s sense of loyalty and honour could stop him from killing Duncan and therefore becoming king and fulfilling his ambitions. She urges him to ‘look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’ (1:V:63-64). She also questions Macbeth’s manliness, another weak spot of his. She knows that he doesn’t like her doing this, and she knows that it’s a good way of persuading Macbeth to do what she wants him to do – that it’s a good way of manipulating him. But Macbeth wanted to be manipulated. He let his wife influence him. If he really didn’t want to murder Duncan then he wouldn’t have. Even before he spoke to Lady Macbeth he was having ‘horrible imaginings’ (1:II I:37). Even though Lady Macbeth helped turn these into realities, she did not physically force her husband to commit murder. Once again, Macbeth had the freedom, power and ability to choose. Another important role in the Macbeth is the role of Fate and destiny. Being a tragic hero, Macbeth was destined to die from the beginning. It could have even been Fate that Macbeth made the wrong choices. However Fate can’t manipulate, Fate just is. Macbeth says that he is going to leave everything up to chance, but he doesn’t. He chose not to. Perhaps this was also due to Fate, but what would have happened if Macbeth had chosen not to kill Duncan? This is another thing that makes Macbeth a tragic hero – the audience is left feeling sympathetic about what might have been. No matter how manipulated, everybody has the power of free will. The fact is that Macbeth chose his path himself, and although Fate may have played some part in his downfall, the power of choice played and even bigger part. The ability to choose overrides Fate and destiny. The entire play could just be put down to human nature. Greed, power, ambition; greed for power and ambition is a part of human nature. However human nature is a bit like Fate, in that it cannot manipulate, it just is. Nearly everyone would like to believe that they can be great, and if they are told so would want to believe it. Macbeth just takes it one step further  by making it happen. In a way Macbeth is taking Fate into his own hands. His ‘vaulting ambition’ drives him to do this. It is Macbeth’s ambition that leads him to murder people, as well as leading to his own death. His ambition ultimately becomes his nemesis, which makes him a full tragic hero. Macbeth’s ambition and his greed for power is like a fire. The witches, Lady Macbeth and Fate did manipulate him and add fuel to the fire, but the spark had to be there first in order for them to do this. Although Macbeth was influenced and manipulated a great deal, he still had the power and the freedom to choose. It is the choices he made that make Macbeth not a victim, but a full tragic hero.