History of Western Civilization Essay

Civilizations of societies started long before the times Jesus in the Middle East especially in the ancient Greek and Roman Empires. In the 18th century most European countries followed the suit and underwent changes from pre- industrialized to industrialized nations characterized by social and economic changes. There were a lot of technological innovations which led to increased energy production and thus large scale production of most products with ease. Industrialization has over the years been linked to some factors which enhance fast changes for instance cheap skilled labor, political stability, presence of raw materials and available markets of the products produced. Industrial revolution was experienced in England to the northwest and the midlands. People used to make their own furniture, clothes and equipments until industrialization took over whereby they could buy goods already made from the industries. History of Western Civilization England underwent several civilizations in which there was increased agricultural output (Agrarian revolution) which led to increased population density and eventually led to the industrial revolution. New techniques were initiated and allowed farmers to produce more yield than there before. As time passed machines and other equipments were produced by skilled personnel who sold them to those who were specialized in agriculture. The business to make machines and other related equipments boomed and led formation of a class of people who worked in the industries as they expanded. These machines were very advantageous because they substituted the human job since it did not involve a lot of work and therefore people did not get tired fast. Those who worked in the industries earned more than those who were specialized on agriculture. Most of these industries were located in the urban centers and they would obtain their raw materials from the farmers in the country side. Industrialization in England led to numerous increases in population leading to less arable land and therefore some of the people migrated to other countries where they introduced the new techniques for agriculture and industry (Landes, 1969). However, most of the skilled personnel were not allowed to immigrate to the England’s new colonies so that England would remain superior in technological advances. Industrialization in England was characterized by many factors which made this country to be first to be industrialized. Agrarian, commercial and cottage revolutions greatly enhanced the fast social and economic changes in this country leading to a lot of extra money which facilitated the improvement of infrastructure. The industries spread all over England and Europe and since the number of workers were reducing as a result of immigration to England colonies, they resulted in taking people from the countries that were still not in the process of social and economic change especially in Africa and made them to work in their farms and industries as slaves. As more and more industries were built the private sector was also changing as money for expansion and setting up of more industries was needed. This led to the emergence of banks and other financial institutions which financed all these industrialization activities. These institutions gave loans to people to expand and introduce more industries and then repay later with the profits obtained. At around this time of industrialization most people used wood as a source of energy for the industries. The number of industries increased enormously and therefore the number of trees reduced drastically and made the people to think of alternative source of energy. They came up with coal which was used in the industries as an alternative and could be even used in homes. The coal mines were usually flooded with water at times and a method of pumping water out of the mines was innovated but the coal would not generate power. This method was not embraced and therefore coal was not a lasting solution and more innovations needed to be initiated for instance in the textile industry. Textile industry in England was the first industry to be mechanized and utilized wool which obtained from large scale sheep farms in the country. Weaving was usually done in cottages by skilled people after which the yarn was taken to the industries where it would be made in to clothes. England by then conquered many colonies where they would grow cotton in addition to importing cotton and used to substitute the wool. At around 1773 John Kay introduced a machine he named the flying shuttle which made it possible for a person to easily weave. In the textile industry machines that utilized water for energy were introduced. This machinery could reduce the cost of production and at the same time increase the rate of production. These measures were taken when the cost of production started to sky rocket reducing the profits of the merchants and the merchants did not want to raise the goods prices in a quest to maintain their customers. Transportation in England was favored by the fact that it had many rivers and natural harbors which greatly reduced transportation costs because rivers covered most areas and therefore goods could be transported to most parts of the country. Canals were also built on rivers which were not naturally navigable and also facilitated easy transportation of raw materials from farms in England and from distant colonies and transportation of finished products from the industries to the consumers. Tram ways which were pulled by horses were also used especially when transporting goods inland until when trains were made and used instead because they relatively faster. Due to the limitation of the road transport some people decided to borrow loans from the financial institutions ton repair them and then use toll fees to repay the loans. This would also ensure easy transportation of goods in areas where the rivers and coastline was far away. Improvement of roads led to introduction of stage coaches which would transport even people from one area to another. Transport was boosted with the introduction and improvement of railway. The first type of railway was wooden and did not last long until when iron plates were put on top of the wood and the railway became more durable. Another factor that facilitated faster industrialization of England is its isolation from the European mainland. This helped this country to evade the wars that were occurring at this time for instance the Napoleon war. They concentrated more on development and industrialization of their country till the wars were over. After the war the British took advantage of selling their products to the other European countries and the Americas at relatively cheap prices thereby making a lot of profits. The private sector with the government support also helped a lot by offering loans to people for expansion and initiation of new industries and for the repair of roads which enhanced faster movement of goods between places. Conclusion Civilization of England in many ways has influenced the modern world with only improvement of the machineries that were made during the period of industrialization. The support from the government and relative stability of the country made it to develop even faster without any worries of attacks during the war of Napoleon in the mainland. Advancements in technology led to improvement and construction of new transport systems and infrastructure which also facilitated movement of raw materials and finished products to the several destinations within England and other countries. Civilization in England led to migration of people to the urban centers where they would be able to obtain jobs in the urban centers. This situation is the same even in the modern days where especially young people move to the towns and cities in search of better jobs in the industries. References Jackson, S. Western Civilization: A Brief History. 4th Edition. Cengage Learning, 2007. Jacob, F. The Development of Western Civilization : A study in Ethical, Economic and Political Kenneth, P. Steven, T. The world that trade created: society, culture, and the world economy, 1400- the present. 2nd Edition. M. E Sharpe, 1999. Richard, B. Society and Economy in Modern Britain 1700-1850. Routledge, 1991. Evolution. The University of Chicago Press, 1906. Roy, P. David, L. The Cambridge History of Science: Eighteenth-century science. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Trauma In 21st Century Health And Social Care Essay

Traumatic hurts are a really serious issue for society. These types of hurts are one of the chief causes of decease in people aged 5-44 old ages in the universe today. They account for 10 % of all deathsin this age group and hence represent a large load to society in footings of premature decease and disablement. Approximately 10 % of people who come into an accident and exigency section have a head hurt and that is what I am traveling to concentrate my essay on. I will discourse current direction every bit good as new therapies and developments. I will besides discourse the complication that can originate from a traumatic encephalon hurt old ages after the initial hurt. Injuries to the caput include scalp lacerations, skull breaks, concussion or a traumatic subdural, epidural or subarachnoid bleeding. If a patient has arrived to the A & A ; E section with multiple hurts, the precedence must be the air passage and guaranting the cervical spinal column is stable, so take a breathing and circulation before intervention can get down on a head hurt. Failure in resuscitation can take to hypoxia and hypotension.[ 3 ]It is of import to observe that intoxicant can impact the degree of consciousness in a patient so a blood intoxicant trial is ever a good thought.[ 4 ] Head hurts can be classed into two groups, closed caput hurts and perforating caput hurts. Closed caput hurts can be farther grouped into mild, moderate and terrible hurts. The Glasgow coma graduated table ( GCS ) is a graduated table used to measure the extent of the harm to the encephalon. Eye motor and verbal responses are tested for this graduated table. The scale scopes from 3-15 with 3-8 bespeaking terrible caput injury, 9-12 bespeaking moderate injury, and 15 indicating you know who and where you are, and that your motor and verbal control are unaffected.[ 5 ]After a traumatic caput hurt this trial is performed every half an hr until the patient reaches 15 on the graduated table. This trial classifies the type of head hurt but is non a replacement for a neurological test.[ 6 ] Most patients with a head hurt have mild hurts. Symptoms include sickness, a mild to chair concern and giddiness. Patients showing with a low hazard caput trauma merely necessitate a careful appraisal and some observation after. They normally do non necessitate a radiogram. However attention must be taken every bit much as 3 % of those who present with a mild caput injury can develop a more serious hurt.[ 6 ]Once the patient is discharged the following of family should be instructed to maintain supervising the patient and to wake the patient every two hours to see if the status has worsened.[ 6 ]Often patients with mild hurts to the caput have concussions. They are typically caused by a blow to the caput. The impact of the blow to the caput causes the encephalon to agitate inside the skull and this temporarily prevents the encephalon from working usually.[ 7 ]Not everyone who has a concussion will hold the same symptoms but a typical individual with a concussion presents with confusi on, non being able to retrieve what happened, sickness, light headedness and go throughing out. Most patients will do a complete recovery nevertheless in 30 % of instances post concussive syndrome can develop which normally lasts for 2-4 months. Symptoms include bleary vision, sleep perturbations, sickness, concern, giddiness or memory loss.[ 6 ]About 20 % of grownups who develop PCS will still non hold returned to work one twelvemonth after the initial hurt.[ 6 ] If the patient displays relentless emesis, memory loss, loss of consciousness, or if the practician suspects that poisoning of drugs and/or intoxicant has occurred so the hurt is a moderate hurt. A CT scan is deemed necessary is these instances. If the CT consequence is classified as normal, the poisoning is no longer present and the patient has been observer for a period of more than 8 hours, so the patient is deemed fit for discharge. If the patient is unfortunate plenty to hold a terrible caput hurt half of these patients will be dead or badly handicapped six months after hurt.[ 10 ]After a neurological test in a terrible caput trauma a CT scan is normally performed the consequences of which determine the following class of action. If a surgical lesion e.g an epidural haemmorage or an intradural haemmorage, is present the patient must undergo immediate surgery to repair the lesion. An epidural haemorrage occurs when shed blooding occurs between the dura affair and the skull.[ 8 ]Because of the little sum of infinite that exists between the encephalon and the skull any little addition in volume in the intracranial compartment causes force per unit area to lift dramatically. This addition can do farther encephalon harm. A hamorrage can do lasting encephalon harm or decease if left untreated.[ 8 ] If no lesion is present, the force per unit area volume position of the patient is checked. The force per unit area volume index is straight related to intracranial force per unit area. It is of import to maintain intracranial force per unit area under control because the extent of the harm is straight related to the extent of the addition in intracranial force per unit area.[ 9 ]If these consequences are non normal fluids must be given. This prevents a lessening in intravascular volume and hence cardiac end product. A lessening in cardiac end product leads to a lessening in intellectual perfusion and hence an addition in intracranial force per unit area. Elevation of the caput, in patients whose spinal column is stable, increases venous return and therefore reduces intracranial force per unit area. Intracranial force per unit area must be invariably monitored and this has been proven to better the result for the patient.[ 6 ]This can be invasive as a investigation is entered in the encephalon to supervise the intracranial force per unit area. If there is increased intracranial force per unit area, it is of import the patient is put on O. Diuretic drugs are the drug of pick to cut down the intracranial force per unit area. A acute hurt normally consequences with a big intracranial force per unit area addition. This must be dealt with and besides the penetrating object must be removed. The object likely is non clean and as a consequence pathogens are introduced to the encephalon. The object is normally removed to cut down the hazard of infection. Before this occurs an angiogram is performed cut down the hazard of hurt to the vascular supply. In a traumatic encephalon hurt the cranial nervousnesss are frequently affected. The nervousnesss most frequently injured include the olfactory, fourth cranial nerve, facial and vestibulocochlear nervousnesss so it is of import to prove the map of all the cranial nervousnesss to guarantee they are in working order. Head hurt can be difficult to handle and what works for one patient may or may non work for another patient with a similar status. There are many new techniques and progresss out at that place. One of these is hypothermia or chilling the organic structure below the normal physiologic organic structure temperature. This chilling is thought to protect the encephalon from farther harm. Injury to the encephalon can originate unwanted metabolic procedures in the organic structure. Hypothermia may or may non forestall these procedures from taking topographic point.[ 13 ]It is widely debated whether this method produces arguments. There is deficient grounds as of yet to do this process modus operandi in a traumatic caput hurt.[ 11 ]Clinical tests have non reached unaminous consequences as of yet.[ 12 ]A survey published in 1997 showed that patients with a Glasgow coma graduated table of 5-7 on admittance benefited significantly with hypothermia intervention. However patients with a Glasgow graduated table of 3-4 did non profit from the intervention.[ 13 ]Preliminary consequences from animate beings have produced positive consequences.[ 11 ]12However old research used engineering that was non able to chill the organic structure fast plenty. Now new more rapid engineering exists to chill the organic structure to 33 grades with 20 proceedingss.[ 12 ]However there is an on-going test being undertaken by the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre. The test is a randomised controlled test and is presently in stage 3.[ 11 ] Sometimes it can be difficult to find the true extent of the damage.Only really late a new engineering was unveiled at a neuroscience conference to cover with this issue. ( November 15th -17th 2010 ) â€Å" The beauty of this system is it that it captures elusive shortages caused by a encephalon hurt that are non measured by traditional trials, Traditional proving methods, such as touching a finger to the olfactory organ or resiling a ball, merely do n't capture the complexness of encephalon procedures. † ( Dr. Scott, a professor at The Centre for Neuroscience Studies at Queen ‘s. ) The kinesiological instrument for normal and altered making motions or KINARM appraisal station consists of a practical world system and a chair with robotic weaponries.[ 14 ]Patients are asked to execute a figure of practical trials like striking a ball with practical paddles.[ 14 ]On completion of the trials consequences are generated immediately by the computing machine, which show unnatur al behavior.[ 15 ]â€Å" This system has the potency to make for the diagnosing of encephalon hurt what X-rays did for naming muscular and skeletal hurts, † ( John Molloy, President and CEO of Queen ‘s University ‘s PARTEQ Innovations. ) Once the practician understands the true extent of the harm the intervention and rehabilitation can be more successful. Progesterone was one time thought merely to be a female reproductive endocrine[ 16 ]but recent research suggests that it can protect the nerve cells of the cardinal and peripheral nervous systems after a traumatic encephalon hurt has occurred. It was besides shown to cut down redness and besides the limitation of the blood supply to the[ 16 ]encephalon after the hurt.[ 16 ]Progesterone is already known to be safe to utilize and has a low cost in production and can be used on a assortment of spinal and encephalon hurts.[ 16 ]It is expected that Lipo-Lutin will be widely used in traumatic encephalon hurt within the following few old ages.[ 17 ] It ‘s non merely the traumatic encephalon hurt itself the patient has to worry approximately but the after effects besides. Traumatic encephalon hurt was one time seen as an â€Å" event, † treated with some rehabilitation, it had no permanent effects on other organ system of the organic structure or cardinal nervous system. However recent surveies have shown that traumatic encephalon hurt should be treated as a womb-to-tomb chronic status. The universe wellness organisation defines a chronic disease as â€Å" holding one or more of the undermentioned features: it is lasting, caused by non-reversible pathological changes, requires particular preparation of the patient for rehabilitation, and/or may necessitate a long period of observation, supervising, or attention. †[ 18 ]On mean those who suffered a traumatic encephalon hurt had a seven twelvemonth life anticipation decrease.[ 19 ] After a traumatic encephalon hurt the patient can be up to seventeen times more likely to develop epileptic ictuss than the general population.[ 20 ]In 2008 a survey following patients who had a moderate to severe traumatic encephalon hurt for up to 24 old ages found that 9 % were having intervention for epileptic ictuss.[ 21 ] Post traumatic encephalon hurt patients frequently complain of slumber upsets. A survey in 2001 found that on norm of 3 old ages on after the initial hurt, 45 % of patients were sing disturbed slumber.[ 22 ]There is besides an additions hazard of clogging slumber apnoea in station traumatic encephalon hurt patients.[ 23 ]Patients enduring from this get terrible cardiac arrhythmias while they are kiping. Traumatic encephalon hurt may besides be a hazard factor for Alzheimer ‘s disease every bit good as other signifiers of dementedness. A traumatic caput hurt more than doubles the hazard. The more terrible the hurt, the more your hazard of undertaking the disease additions.[ 24 ]Equally good as being a hazard for Alzheimer ‘s traumatic encephalon hurt may besides be a hazard for Parkinson ‘s disease and once more the more terrible the initial hurt the greater the hazard.[ 25 ]. Traumatic encephalon hurt is a hazard factor for developing legion neuroendocrine disfunctions. These include hypothyroidism which can happen in up to 30 % of patients who suffered a moderate to severe traumatic encephalon hurt.[ 26 ]Gonadotropin lack occurred in 10-15 % of patients after the initial hurt[ 27 ]and hypothyroidism occurred in 5 % of patients post hurt.[ 28 ] A traumatic encephalon hurt can take to the development of legion psychiatric upsets. These include anxiousness upsets, OCD, depression, temper upsets and psychotic upsets.[ 29 ]A survey in 2002 showed that 50 % of those who had a traumatic encephalon hurt developed a psychiatric upset.[ 30 ] Sexual disfunction is frequently a ailment of station Traumatic encephalon hurt. This can happen in 40-60 % of patients.[ 31 ]Patients can frequently see incontinency besides.[ 32 ] Patients with a moderate to severe traumatic encephalon hurt frequently have additions muscle tone which can consequences in unnatural motions.[ 33 ]This can step in with twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours life. A survey in Toronto analyzing 900 stateless people showed that 58 % of the males and 42 % of the female participants had had a old traumatic encephalon hurt.[ 34 ]This suggests that the initial hurt may hold set off a serious of events which lead to the individual going homeless. This statistic proves the earnestness that is traumatic encephalon hurt non merely to the patient but besides to society. Having done this assignment I have come to the decision that a encephalon hurt must be treated specifically for each patient. Besides I realise the earnestness of an hurt like this non merely in the hours and yearss after the hurt, but old ages after.

An Overview Of Sainsburys Plc

An Overview Of Sainsburys Plc Sainsburys PLC consists of Sainsburys a chain of 502 supermarkets and convenience stores-and sainsburys bank. Sainsbury’s Supermarkets is the UK’s longest standing major food retailing chain, having opened its first store in 1869. The Sainsbury’s brand is built upon a heritage of providing customers with healthy, safe, fresh and tasty food. Quality and fair prices go hand-in-hand with a responsible approach to business. Sainsbury’s stores have a particular emphasis on fresh food and strives to innovate continuously and improve products in line with customer needs. As per an article published on the BBC news website, Sainsbury was the market leader in the U.K until 1995 when Tesco took over the number one position. In July 2003 Asda took over sainsbury’s position to become UK’s second largest supermarket chain. As a marketing consultant appointed by Sainsbury PLC, through this document I shall lay down strategies which would enable Sainsbury PLC to secure its future, regain its momentum and emerge as a market leader in the times to come. It would be meaningful to begin our analysis through a current situations review. The purpose of analysis of our situations review is to primarily understand what may affect the enterprise in the future. In order to accomplish our objectives it would be worth assessing the external environment through: The super market retail industry in the UK is highly competitive. According to an article published by Research and Markets, under the heading â€Å"UK Food Retailing Market Forecast (2005-2010)†, large convenience stores dominate the retail markets in the UK. Seventy five percent of the total sales in the retail industry is attributed to the large supermarkets. Again seventy Five percent of the market share is held by four large players in the industry which include Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morissons. The industry is projected to still witness enormous potential of growth, unlik e other developed regions in the world. According to an article published by the Oxford University press, â€Å"Michael Porter made one of the most thorough attempts to analyse the economic forces within an industry. Porter’s work had an important place in the positioning school which sees the fundamental role of strategy as positioning the enterprise for the future† Threat of new entrants: Threat of new entrant would be high when the industry appears attractive and the barriers to entry are low. The UK supermarket industry is rewarding and as discussed earlier is projected to see further growth. This makes the industry eye-catching. However there is no doubt that entry into the UK markets would require a huge amount of capital. Considering this it would be appropriate to expect entrants from developed parts of the world. I see a threat of entry from American retail giants keeping in mind the slowdown in the retail industry in the American markets. One cannot undermine the possibility of new entrants from other European regions. A recent example would include the entry of German supermarket giant Lidl which has opened up retail stores in major British cities.

Gasoline consumption vs. SUV's popularity Research Paper

Gasoline consumption vs. SUV's popularity - Research Paper Example The numerous pros associated with SUVs however are accompanied by certain cons chief of which is their high fuel consumption and related high pollution levels. This paper will discuss the popularity of SUVs vis-a vis their fuel consumption. In some countries including the United States, the Sports Utility Vehicle is considered a light truck and therefore is subject to less strict regulation compared to passenger vehicles. In the US, the Clean Air Act that governs environmental pollution as well as the Energy Policy and Conservation Act that governs fuel economy have soft landings on SUVs (Yacobucci, 2003). The popularity of SUV vehicles started rising in the 90s and early 2000s with vehicle manufactures making a move to avoid what they considered over-regulation. . The vehicles which are commonly known as 4-wheel drive vehicles, 4x4s, 4WDs include vehicles such as the Land Rover, Jeep, Range Rover, Land Cruiser and the Chevrolet Blazer (Keith, 2002). The ports Utility Vehicle has gained a lot of popularity over the years especially in Australia, Canada and the United States of America. This trend has taken root in other parts of the world, Africa and Asia not being left behind. In some places where there is limited road coverage, the vehicles are preferred to conventional vehicles. For the last two and half decades, SUVs have become a common phenomenon in roads across the world, they being associated with luxury, class, and ambience. The vehicles have larger cabins compared to conventional cars and can be used to haul loads such as caravans, boats and trailers. A lot of the SUVs’ popularity has been credited to their funky images; the reason women also prefer them to other vehicles in the United States. The vehicles are also associated with strength, security, high storage capacity, all terrain handling, high range, and many other qualities that are associated with good performance. In spite of their

What Is Neoliberalism In The United States Research Paper

What Is Neoliberalism In The United States - Research Paper Example Unlike in other countries such as the Western Europe and Japan, the United States has been very successful in terms of the use of neoliberal policies in this country. This explains why the United States is considered the leader of imperialist countries (Dumenil and Levy 9). In general, the concept of neoliberalism is based on the classical liberal economic practice that was widely used in the United States for many years way before the Great Depression took place in 1930s (Dumenil and Levy 1, 12). However, between the mid-1930s up to mid-1970s, the US government decided to implement the use of the â€Å"interventionist† approach rather than the typical classical liberalism (Kotz). When Ronald Reagan was elected as the President of the United States back in 1980, the US government started supporting the use the classical liberalism in making public policies which aims to limit labor power, deregulate industries and agriculture within and outside the United States (Harvey). The main purpose of this study is to discuss the significance of neoliberalism in North Atlantic states particularly in the case of the United States. As part of analyzing the impact of neoliberalism in the U.S., this study will first discuss what neoliberalism is all about followed by discussing how neoliberalism in the United States has affected the developments in â€Å"deregulation† and â€Å"privatization† of public companies. What is Neoliberalism? According to Dumenil and Levy (5), neoliberalism is the â€Å"new phase in the evolution of capitalism†. Basically, the word â€Å"neoliberalism† is commonly used as a general term for economic liberalization of public policies and advocates (Fish; Boas and Gans-Morse). Since we are already in the era of globalization, a lot of academic institutions have considered neoliberalism as a â€Å"central guiding principle of economic thought and management† (Harvey). However, the question remains as to what n eoliberalization really mean and why the United States has been very supportive of neoliberalism? As defined by Mirowski and Plehwe (13-14), neoliberalism is â€Å"the priority of the price mechanism, the free enterprise, the system of competition and a strong and impartial state†. It means that neoliberalism strongly believe in the idea that a society should never be considered as a product of natural development. Instead, people should continuously promote the importance of having a free society that is subject to a â€Å"free market economy† or an â€Å"unregulated capitalist system† (Harvey ; Kotz). In general, the neoliberals strongly believe that a free market competition could challenge each business entity to improve not only their knowledge in managing a business but also maximize the use of technology. By giving each person the freedom to choose, neoliberals explained that business people can support the increase in the country’s overall economi c performance. It means that the business people are expected to become more focused in finding ways on how they can effectively increase their production efficiency and output, progress in the use of machineries and information technology, and promote distributional justice in order to increase the annual U.S. economic growth. As a free country that practices free trading, Kotz explained that the U.S. government has a limited role in its economic development. In general, the neoliberals consider the presence of state intervention as an external factor that can trigger more problems on the part of the business sectors. The public policy under neoliberalism

Evolution of Eating Project 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Evolution of Eating Project 3 - Assignment Example I will discuss a meal from the school cafeteria that consists of Chicken & noodles, peas, and mixed vegetables. I approached one of the cafeteria staff to get more information on the origin of the items used for the menu. The staff was kind but did not have much time, and the only thing he said is that a contracted supplier delivers all the items. The staff referred me to the manager who was a little bit hesitant. He disclosed some sources of the items and explained that the vegetables were sourced from local farms. In reference to noodles, he explained that they originate from temperate countries where wheat is the main crop. Noodles are manufactured from wheat but did not disclose the source of chicken. I appreciated the information he gave and left for class. The hominin foraging and eating behaviors were greatly influenced by the availability of the food they consumed. The choice of diet with high energy and palatable food was determined by the method of foraging game plan employed for maximum intake of energy (Ulijaszek para 1). There was a scarcity of the desired plants due to clearing in the course of gathering. The unavailability of food led to the initiation of farming as a way of producing food (Bulliet et al. 17). The introduction of agriculture has enabled human to use food in numerous ways that have led to different cultural and social structures. The practice of farming transformed human from activities of gathering and hunting into farming. The humans were also involved in animal domestication. They employed simple methods of cultivation and depended on other modes of food production. The other forms of producing food comprise of herding, hunting, foraging and pastoralism. A new dawn came when the human began cultivation of c rops on the flood plains of the river systems. The main reason this was favored is because such crops did not rely on rainfall and produced a dependable harvest. Another

Assignment scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Assignment scenario - Essay Example While the nurse has factual justification for the enforcement of her recommendation, is it possible that her apparent commitment to the health and welfare of the patient cannot be achieved by the disregard of her wishes? DEONTOLOGY One might argue that to care for the body in a way that yields emotional distress is self-defeating; What then, are the rules by which we can standardize the 'goodness' of an action or philosophy? Deontological ethics (deontology) is an obligation-centric ethical theory. Duty and rule-adherence are essential in that ethics, when anchored by rules and obligation connect the person with his or her duties. Deontologists may also follow a belief of moral absolutism, outcomes themselves become irrelevant; only duty, rule-adherence that can give us a basis for final moral arbitration. Combining these views, actions yielding positive outcomes but not resulting from strict adherence to a pre-existing code of conduct cannot be morally justifiable - regardless of ho w good it seems in retrospect. Ergo, if compelling the compression bandages is following a pre-ordained obligatory behavioral code, then the outcome of preventing swelling and sores is irrelevant, as is the outcome of the widow's displeasure. So long as the Nurse acts according to a protocol. The case of Ruth Symonds as pertaining to the implementation of Modern Medical Ethics. TELEOLOGY By contrast, Teleological beliefs and philosophies are outcome-based, or outcome justified. This principle can extend not only to philosophies as they inform decision making, but the natural sciences as well. Hanke, (2004) A tiger has stripes because stripes are needed for a tiger to live and hunt in the way that tigers live and hunt; therefore striped tigers are inevitable. But this does not inform the investigator as to the ultimate origins of behaviors or adaptations, and thus would not permit future investigators to extrapolate that observation into further predictions. It would then become nece ssary to devise an explanation whereby the root causes of the tigers' need for stripes and the consequences thereof are elucidated in terms of differential survival outcomes; before said stripes ever appeared. In the writings of Aristotle, the premise of teleology is expounded upon as a unifying meta-principle that he uses to apply holistic meaning to the forms seen within nature. All that exists must be whole and functional within the purvey of ultimate purpose; a purpose which he held to be human benefit. Schindler, (1986) But subsequent generations of scientific thinkers would be able to demonstrate the incompleteness of that presumption. While it is true that wheat may be very beneficial for human consumption, and that oxen may be advantageous as a source of cheap, brute force for human-guided industry, what of disease? The Smallpox virus is perfectly adapted to infect and proliferate amongst humans, and can only survive inside of a human being; does humankind exist solely for t he benefit of the Smallpox virus? Broader considerations like this must be kept in mind for anyone that adopts a presumptuous, just-so opportunistic teleology. It is difficult to entirely purge this kind of circularity from the field of biology, but attempts are being made by some biologists to remove assumptive references to a 'blind watchmaker', that presupposes final

Introduction to Financial Services Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Introduction to Financial Services - Case Study Example Fifty years ago, financial services has accounted for less than 3 percent of GDP in the US and developed Europe, which at present, is mounted to almost 10 percent (Stephenson 2005). Thus, the financial services industry is one of the many industries that produce rapid growth in the world economy (Stephenson 2005). The modern financial industry witnessed 1986 as the 'big bang' era that opened London up more widely to international competition through electronic trading (Harris 1998). The onset of computer technology and global telecommunications systems has undoubtedly brought rapid changes that likewise brought changes to financial services. A widening of shared ownership and investment opportunities from few to many has been heralded by this development (Harris 1998). This development has bid adieu to the usage of a stockbroker, as it has now been possible for one to buy and sell certain financial investments through a visit to the local bank or using the computer. Before the onset of advanced technology and computerization, there used to be a clear difference between a retail bank and a building society, or an insurance company, which all had a separate business from the retail bank. Today, financial institutions cannot be easily differentiated as the differences between them are disappearing while they continuously compete against each other to sell services that used to be sold by just one portion of the sector (Harris 1998). The past witnessed each firm with a narrow band of services, which it offered to a wide range of consumers and business clients. Even the payment system was controlled by commercial banks that have the authority to clear checks and drafts. Today, payments and money are facilitated electronically in volumes that are not easily handled in the physical form (Johnson 2000). Mortgage finance, which is now traded as securities, is likewise available from a wide range of sources while securities firm offer corporate and gover nment securities as investment avenues (Johnson 2000). Even insurance companies provide products that compete with investments, which can be obtained through securities firms. It may be inferred that the dynamics of the banking industry have been permanently changed by mutual funds, which is an outcome of recent technology advancement (Johnson 2000). The same advancement has blurred traditional roles, causing difficulty to distinguish the product of a commercial bank from that of another financial institution. Banks are now selling insurance, with some having taken over some insurance firms. Virgin Boots offers a range of insurance companies in much the same way as Marks &Spencer sells investment products and pensions (Harris 1998). Likewise, if one needs a mortgage, he can go to a building society, a bank, an insurance company, and even a local supermarket. Financial services also witnessed the rapid growth of telephone call centres and helplines with their increased staffing jobs. A process of significant change in a period of new alignments in domestic markets and increased global competition is currently faced by the financial services industry (Johnson 2000). For several years, bank deposits have served as the basis for the country's payment mechanism, until such time electronic banking occurred, replacing physical

New York Police Department Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New York Police Department - Assignment Example Particularly in policing and law enforcement, the effectiveness of the personnel involved in the law enforcing process is a major factor of concern. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is such a law enforcing organization that has a wonderful history of promoting social security and communal harmony among the New Yorkers. Since New York is the largest city in the world, the expectations and challenges in the daily life of the people are largely subject to legal implications from the social vulnerabilities. The following points can give a detailed picture of the origin, development and the prominence of the NYPD in the legal and community perspectives. 1. The History of the New York Police Department The New York Police Department (NYPD) is one of the world’s most efficient crime investigation and law enforcement bodies with a very large spectrum of operation in the US. A particularly British model of patrolling and law enforcement was prevalent during the first two centuries since the institution of Schout-fiscal as the law officers in the Dutch domains of America. From the evidences of literature, the inception of the organized form of the city police department took place in 1844. As the first large scale operation of the NYPD under the leadership of Matsell, the Chief of Police, a force of around eight hundred personnel started patrolling in the city in 1845. As Berry (2000, p. 4) points out, the NYPD was set up with the focus of peaceful social life in the five boroughs of the demography of the city, and under the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, the organization was liberated from the political influences to stand as an independent body of law enforcement. Now the NYPD is the largest policing agency in the US with the power and efficiency to use ultra modern weapons and sophisticated technology to trace criminals and in most cases, prevent crimes in advance. 1. A. Mission of the NYPD The NYPD is all fit to care for the public safety and the prosp erity of the community by adhering to its organizational missions and objectives. As the largest legal system in the country, the expectations of the department are very high and have to be maintained with high integrity among the personnel. The mission of the NYPD is a conglomeration of the missions of many departments interlinked in the organizational structure. The functional missions of these departments jointly work for the effect of reduced crimes and sustainable social and personal security for individuals, organizations and properties in the city of New York (mission statement, NYPD). The mission of the Property Clerk Division is to procure and produce the properties as evidence required by the judiciary and return or dispose them after due trial of the case. The support service bureau is the backbone for the monitoring of crimes and locations in a high-tech way with the access of internet and GIS and GPS systems. Another unit of the NYPD governs the counterterrorist operati ons in the city which the primary operational group against terrorist attacks and plots within or outside the city. The Crime Prevention Section has its motive to provide deterrent measures to reduce crimes in the city with the involvement of general public. The Crime Preven

Initial Assessment Essay Example for Free

Initial Assessment Essay The reasoning for using Initial Assessment in my curriculum area is because the majority of students have not completed a formal education or if having done so hold little or no qualifications. The majority of the courses start at entry level therefore no qualifications’ are require, but to offer students progression on to higher levels they need to be holding or be able to achieve a level 1 in communication and application of number. This is the minimum requirement to complete an apprenticeship programme and the vast majority wish to follow the vocational route to being a ‘qualified tradesman’. Procedures Before the day of enrolment students are fore warned at the interview stage what the awarding bodies’ requirement is to do a particular course. In the case of Construction Awards Alliance they have their own assessment criteria to try a match the suitability of the student to a particular trade. However because we deliver from entry to level 2 with three bodies to keep to the assessment process standard the college format is used( booklet produced by the learning centre, attached). Hillier. J (2005 p62) states â€Å"Great care must be used with such assessment activities. Many potential learners will feel highly by being threatened by being asked to undertake a diagnostic assessment. † In my opinion as long as students are made aware that this is not a formal test the majority do not mind taking the test, provided that the reasoning behind it is explained correctly. As a tutor it is important I remember the purpose of the test as Lambert. D and Lines. D (2000 p20) state â€Å"formative assessment is undertaken so that positive achievements of a pupil can be recognised and the appropriate next step planned†. Once all the information is collated this is entered into the course/ student profile booklet, this enables me or any other tutors to look at a particular student or group qualifications and progress as they are recorded for each achievement. Personally I think that the process works well when we complete the diagnostics on line as students can not see how others are doing. Most students feel more comfortable using this method as they do not feel as much pressure as they can wear head phones if required. The whole purpose works well because as a tutor working on entry level and to a certain degree on level 1, communication and application of number can be imbedded into the practical aspects of the course. The major weakness that I feel of the assessment process is that they are not curriculum specific; aspects of application of number are not relevant to the vocational subject. As I have experienced my self and some mature students the terminology of key words has changed until we have had them explained. When using the paper versions students that struggle to read or write often do not complete enough of the booklet, for the tutor to find the true level the students capable / working at. An important aspect that is often missed is the fact that to help students there is a requirement to have extra support in place if require for individuals. If there is no support is there a need for assessment? Yes but ensure all the support is provided and available as required in a timely manner.

The severe limitations of rogerians approach to therapy

The severe limitations of rogerians approach to therapy This essay reflects on the above statement, and begins by defining what we mean by supportive and reconstructive, when relating these to the subject of counselling and psychotherapy. In then identifying the key theories of the Rogerian approach, and exploring some of these theories in greater detail, this leads to a deeper discussion and consideration of the question. Feeling supported in the therapeutic environment is a key element to how successful and effective therapy can be. Having an open, equal, honest relationship between client and therapist is the ideal situation, and where this kind of relationship exists it can greatly enhance the healing process. When the therapist is able to offer a safe space, the client feels able to express himself freely, without fear of being judged. If supportiveness is lacking, this negatively impacts the client. Feeling judged, fearful of what the therapist might be thinking, creates barriers and an atmosphere that feels unsafe and not conducive to effective therapy. The term reconstructive can be used to describe the process where major changes occur for the client during therapy. For clients suffering from post-traumatic conditions, including complex grief reactions, reconstructive therapy focuses on facilitating the client to recognise, understand and accept their feelings and reactions. Deeper self understanding can enable clients to see they have choices, and to regain responsibility for themselves and their reactions. The concept of being supportive can be clearly identified within several Rogerian theories, namely: The Core Conditions, The Self Actualising Tendency, and the Organismic Valuing process. The connections to supportive, seen in Rogers theories are explored and discussed in more detail later. Other key Rogerian theories considered in more detail include the idea of Phenomenology, The Self-Concept (or self), and Conditions of Worth. I observe the supportive tendency towards growth as being strongly embedded within the Rogerian approach. I also identify Rogers approach as reconstructive in the sense that major positives shifts and changes often occur during therapy. Considering the question of limitations this is harder to answer. As is the case with all psychological theories there will always be limitations and exceptions to effectiveness. For a great many clients and therapists the Rogerian way of working offers both a gentle and powerful therapy, that has stood the test of time. The Rogerian approach is also known as Person Centred counselling or Client Centred therapy. It originated from the pioneering work beginning in the 1930s which continued through six decades, of American psychologist and writer, Dr Carl Ransom Rogers (1902 1987). ( Mearns and Thorne 1999). Rogers talked about client centred or person centred therapy as not just a therapeutic way of working, but more as a way of being. Being real, genuine and true to himself. (Rogers, 1980) Rogers belief was that the client knows best. His approach was a radical move away from the analytical approaches of the time, where the therapist was thought of as the expert. Rogers was convinced that we each have within us the knowledge and resources to move forward, and that the role of the therapist is to offer the conditions that facilitate clients to help themselves. (Mearns and Thorne 1999). A helpful description of the Person Centred approach is offered by J K Wood: .. it is neither a psychotherapy nor a psychology. It is not a school à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ itself, it is not a movement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is not a philosophy. Nor is it any number of other things frequently imagined. It is merely, as its name implies, an approach, nothing more, nothing less. It is a psychological posture, if you like, from which thought or action may arise and experience be organised. It is a way of being. (Wood 1996, cited in Embleton Tudor, Keemar, Tudor, Valentine, Worrall, 2004) Phenomenology comes from the work of Edmund Husseri (1859 1938), Martin Heidegger (1889 1976), and Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1907 1961). (cited in Embleton Tudor, Keemar, Tudor, Valentine, Worrall, 2004, pp 18 24). Phenomenology is based around the idea that reality is not fixed. We each perceive our own reality, which is informed by our life experiences, biases, prejudices, and perceptual filters. We all experience reality in our own unique way. (Embleton Tudor, Keemar, Tudor, Valentine, Worrall, 2004) Rogers said: I do not react to some absolute reality, but to my perception of this reality. It is this perception which for me is reality. (Rogers, 1951) Empathic understanding can be described as a process of attending phenomenologically to the phenomenological world of another. From phenomenological thinking comes the phenomenological method, which contains three steps enabling us to be as open as possible to each new experience. The first step is to bracket all our pre-conceptions that we have taken on board and tend to automatically believe. Our challenge is to set these beliefs to the side on the basis that they are limiting and unhelpful and likely to impede our experience of this moment now. The next step is for us to describe rather than judge our experience. Our tendency is to analyse, evaluate and judge. The challenge here is to describe what we observe, rather than put our pre-conceived interpretation and judgement onto the experience. By staying close to felt senses we can be more open to accurately describing what we experience. The last step is to avoid putting a hierarchy on what we notice and experience. To be open to valuing everything we have noticed equally. These three steps combined, encourage non judgemental openness to experiencing, which sits well within Rogers Person Centred approach. Rogers believed that all human beings have within them an inherent tendency towards growth and fulfilment. He called this directional process in life the actualising tendency. (Rogers, 1980). Rogers saw life as an active process, and that regardless of the environment living things can be counted on to move towards maintaining and enhancing themselves. He recognised that the actualising tendency can be frustrated by adverse circumstances and events, but saw that this striving for growth always remains even in the most difficult of conditions. An example he gives is of the potatoes kept in the cellar of his childhood home that still grew in the semi-darkness, desperate to live, growing sad spindly sprouts towards the distant light in little cellar window. (Rogers, 1980). According to Rogers, humans have the ability within themselves to know what is good for them. He termed this ability organismic valuing. Trusting in our inner knowledge and intuition supports our self actualising tendency. The self actualising tendency becomes suppressed when organismic valuing gets lost through negative introjects and limiting beliefs. This usually stems from childhood, as a result of taking on conditions of worth from significant close others (for example parents, siblings, teachers). When worth or love is only expressed if we conform to certain conditions imposed by others, we take on board negative and distorted beliefs, often carrying them throughout our lives. Our locus of evaluation becomes external, constantly seeking direction, approval and reassurance of others. The Rogerian ideal is to have an internal locus of evaluation. With an internal locus of evaluation we are able to trust our own judgement, rely on our gut feelings, and have confidence in our own ability to know what is right. (Rogers, 1951) The self-concept is a persons conceptual construction of themself. Self-concepts often are not in balance with the actualising tendency and the organisimic valuing process. Self-concepts begin in infancy and develop over time. They are shaped by our perception of the attitudes and behaviours towards us of significant others. The need for positive regard and to feel approved of by others is a fundamental and powerful want. Conflict occurs when this need isnt fulfilled, and negative self-concepts become embedded. (Dryden 2007, pp 149 151). Rogers believed that peoples personalities are made up of two components, the organismic self and the self concept. The organismic self is the self I was born with, the real me. The self concept is the person I have become during my life in order to receive positive self regard from others. Introjects from those close to me, like my parents and others, have forced values inside me that arent in harmony with my organismic self. These become conditions of worth, causing me to behave in certain ways in order to receive the positive self regard from those close to me that I need. Small children have an inbuilt need to be loved by their parents. The child will feel like it is going to die if this need is denied. The locus of evaluation for the organismic self is internal, inside me. The locus of evaluation for the self concept is external approval is sought from outside. An example of organsimic self verses self concept comes from my own life: When I was in my mid teens I came under the influence of a powerful older man. For many years I felt controlled by him. I sought his approval in all areas of my life and my own personality became more and more subdued. He influenced my work, my social life, my romantic / sexual relationships, my family life my opinions and values. I felt I didnt have any of my own opinions any more. When I attempted to break free from his influence, he would react very badly and wear down my self esteem even further, making me feel powerless, worthless and useless. I suffered a lot of anxiety and unhappiness during those years. He also had the power to make me feel very good, if he chose to. His approval was so important to me. It was only in my thirties I managed to fully break free from his influence. I was able to begin returning to the real me, to re-discover my organism self, and accept myself as a worthwhile person with my own views and values. The following two examples illustrate the power of interjects in creating conditions of worth: Jake talked about his experience as a small child where he didnt want to eat and would find any excuse to get out of eating. As a punishment for refusing to eat his parents would shut him out of the flat, leaving him on the landing outside the flat, locked out. Jake described how this made him feel I felt completely rejected, I was thrown out of my house. This example shows how in this case the behaviour of his parents had a very negative effect on the his sense of worth and self concept, as a small child. Jake felt that a minor misdemeanour could take away the love of his parents and the security of his home of which he was not worthy anymore. These events seriously negatively affected Jakes conditions of worth for many years. When I became pregnant in my late teens I felt very frightened and alone and not able to share this traumatic event with my parents. Shortly after having a termination my secret came out. The reaction from my mother was angry and judging, I remember her words how could you do such a thing. I took this to mean how could I have sex, and how could I have an abortion. I felt very ashamed and guilty and bad about myself. This affected my romantic and sexual relationships and my views on sex and pregnancy for many years. This example shows how one sentence from my mother (a negative introjection of her values) had a huge affect on my conditions of worth and had long lasting negative consequences. In contrast, my fathers reaction to the news of my unplanned pregnancy and that Id had a termination was completely different. He was sensitive and supportive, not judgemental and very understanding of my decision. This had a very positive effect on my view of my father, and my relationship with him. It also helped to balance the strong negative reaction I felt to my mothers response. I still look back on this memory as a time when I realised what a wonderful man my father is. My respect and affection for him has only grown since this experience. Looking back it is clear to me that he offered me empathy, congruence and UPR at a time when I really needed it. Rogerian therapy is built around the premise that if certain conditions are present then healing will occur. 1. Psychological contact between the counsellor and the client 2. The client is in a vulnerable or anxious state 3. The counsellor is congruent 4. The client experiences unconditional positive regard and feels accepted by the counsellor 5. Empathic understanding of client by counsellor The client receives the empathy and unconditional positive regard and congruence Rogers claimed that as long as these conditions were there, this was all that was needed. He described them as being necessary and sufficient. (Rogers, 1951) Of the six conditions, three are core, these are Empathy, Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR), and Congruence. These three conditions need only be minimally present, in order for therapeutic personality change to take place. Returning to empathy, I see this as being able to put myself by the side of the client, and to understand their feelings. Phenomenologically I will never be able to fully know how someone else feels, but believe that empathy takes me close enough. Rogerian counsellors demonstrate empathy by active listening in a sensitive way, and reflecting feeling words back to the client, and also by tone of voice, body language and mirroring facial expressions. Paraphrasing can be used to summarise what the client is saying, with clarification whenever there is any confusion about what the client is trying to communicate. (Mearns and Thorne, 1999) Unconditional Positive Regard can be defined as respecting the client as a human being and not judging. It may be that there is sometimes something to do with the clients actions or behaviours which the counsellor doesnt agree with, but this doesnt stop UPR being offered. It is about giving respect to a fellow human being without conditions. From the clients point of view, receiving UPR will improve their own feelings of self-worth. If they have been in a cycle of behaving badly because this has always been what has been expected by others, then the cycle can be broken by UPR being offered by the counsellor. In order to offer UPR, it is important that the counsellor has a high degree of self awareness and has worked through her own issues and is clear about any biases or prejudices, and able to put these to the side. (Mearns and Thorne, 1999) Congruence means being real and genuine, the counsellor being able to be herself and to be open and honest with the client. Being congruent means removing pretence or acting, and being fully present. Receiving congruence and seeing the counsellor isnt perfect and has vulnerabilities, reassures the client that it is ok to be imperfect and vulnerable. (Mearns and Thorne, 1999) Person centred counselling can be an extremely powerful therapy and can have an enormous impact in enabling damaged people to heal themselves. One of the basic criticisms of Person Centred Counselling is around its theory which is based around our built in motivation to self actualise, grow and achieve. The reality of todays world is that there are many people who dont demonstrate this self actualising tendency. What Rogers didnt explain was if everyone is basically good deep down inside, why arent societies better and better as a result? It is also argued by some that person centred counselling is limited. It can be seen as being a passive soft kind of therapy, with the balance of power with the client, and the counsellor not offering the client advice or solutions. Is this a weakness or a strength? My view is that it is a strength and one of the key reasons why person centred counselling is so effective. The counsellors role isnt that of an expert solving the clients problems, but as someone able to reflect back the clients thoughts and feelings, in a respectful and honest manner, enabling the client to begin to heal himself. Taking this further and coming back to the title question, I see that the fact that Rogerian counselling offers a safe and supportive space for the client, this is what then enables the reconstructive process to take place. Clients come to therapy for a variety of reasons, but they all have one thing in common, they are in emotional pain. The gentle yet powerful elements of Rogerian therapy allow the client to be safe enough with the counsellor to express their emotional pain. In order to get to this place of safety, there has to be a strong level of trust between the client and the counsellor. This trust grows, through the counsellor offering empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard. For major shifts to happen first the client needs to be open and honest and be able to express their distress. The next step is for the client to take the risk of moving out of their comfort zone and challenging themselves. This is when the greatest shifts can occur. In order for either of these steps it is absolutely key that the client trusts and feels secure with the counsellor. The person centred values promote and encourage this by offering an equal non judgemental honest real relationship. To return to the question, in my view and my experience, Rogerian therapy is both supportive and reconstructive. I feel its only limitations lie within individual clients. If a client is not ready to explore themselves honestly, to open up and challenge themselves, then change wont occur. The client has to be ready to engage in what can often be painful self exploration. When a client is ready and wants to do this, working in the Rogerian way can have powerful life changing results. The Rogerian approach is a way of being, and this way of being can be applied to all aspects of life. In terms of therapy, I see this approach being very valuable. Other tools and skills can be offered to clients, in a person centred way, which I see as greatly enhancing the therapeutic process.

Danger and NASCAR Essay examples -- Racing Death Essays

Danger and NASCAR â€Å"I had never even heard of Dale Earnhardt until he crashed into eternity, but now here I am writing a column about him† (King, 64). This reaction, recorded by Florence King in National Review, seems to be a common one since Earnhardt’s death in the Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt was a driver in the Winston Cup circuit for the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). Despite the fact that he is arguably the most popular NASCAR driver, many people did not know who he was until he died. It is sad to realize that sometimes it takes death to become recognized. However, Dale is not the only NASCAR driver who is becoming known from his death. In a span of nine months, Tony Roper, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, and Earnhardt himself all have died on three different racetracks (Hinton, 133). NASCAR is focusing on the pressing issue of how to make racing as safe as possible, while remaining competitive. Some of this deals with learning from thes e deaths. All sports have risks. Unfortunately, sometimes we learn most from our mistakes. NASCAR is learning, and changing. Despite the fact that NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) has a $1.7 billion, 8-year deal (Hinton, 135) with Fox, it actually had very humble beginnings. Many debate the very beginnings of racing itself. Richard Petty, a 200 race winner nicknamed â€Å"The King,† once joked, â€Å"It was the day they built the second automobile† (Menzer, 57). NASCAR actually began with a bunch of â€Å"Good Ol’ Boys† from down south. Many of the original drivers were moonshine runners, transporting illegal whiskey to lots of places in the southeast. NASCAR â€Å"was born on December 14, 1947, during a meeting of thirty-f... ... June, 2001. Hunter, Don & Pearce, Al. The Illustrated History of Stock Car Racing. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing Company, 1998. King, Florence. "The Misanthrope's Corner." National Review. 2 April, 2001: 64. McCormick, Steve: About.com. 27 Aug. 2001. 26 October 2001. http://nascar.about.com/library/weekly/aa082701a.htm Menzer, Joe. The Wildest Ride: A History of NASCAR. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. "NASCAR considers safety rules for super tracks." The Goshen News 24 Oct. 2001: B-2. "NASCAR Safety is the Issue." Advertising Age 72.9 (2/26/01): 28. Academic Search Elite. Palni Site Search. Goshen College Good Library. 25 October, 2001. Spencer, Lee. "NASCAR is Facing Pressure to Get up to Speed." Sporting News. 225.7 (2/12/01): 22. Academic Search Elite. Palni Site Search. Goshen College Good Library. 25 October, 2001.

The Door by E.B. White Essay -- E. B. White Literature Essays

The Door by E.B. White (1) As humans search for meaning and purpose in their lives, the constant changes of everyday life that they encounter can be overwhelming and frustrating. E. B. White gives us an example of this in his story "The Door." The theme of this story is that too much awareness and analysis of life’s frustrations can drive human kind insane and render them powerless. (2) The protagonist of this story is sucked in by his need to understand the frustrations of life. He is always seeking relief from his awareness of these frustrations; just when he thinks he has picked the correct path or door, ("the one with the circle on it"), the professor "changes that door on [him]." Consequently, the protagonist repeatedly encounters obstacles that block his ability to gain relief from his dissatisfaction. The insanity of never being satisfied with his lot in life, is prevalent in the protagonist's persistent refusal to give up his search for fulfillment ("jumping at the door"), much like the junkie's persistent refusal to give up that last fix. Finally, as his very life spins out of control, he finally succumbs to his frustrations the only way he can; through a lobotomy, he becomes willing to "meet the soft ground." (3) One way that White draws out his theme is through conflict. The main conflict in this story is powerlessness versus control. The protagonist continuously compares himself with the rats in a maze (like the Skinner box). The rats, which have no control over their environment, are being driven crazy by the Professor, who demands that they "deal with problems which are beyond the scope of rats." In an attempt to control their actions, the Professor first rewards the rats with food. Ho... ...m. White's fragmented wording here punctuates the protagonist's confusion and establishes a crazed or disturbed tone. The contradictions and retractions in sentences such as "...and the thing that you touched was rubber, only it wasn't quite rubber and you didn't quite touch it but almost" also suggest confusion and inner conflict, in addition to reinforcing the protagonist's obsession with analyzing. (8) From the start of the very first paragraph, by using words such as "duroid," "duro," and "flexsand," White forces the reader to join the protagonist in his insanity and his need to analyze. By immersing the reader into the story, White further brings out the theme by allowing the reader to identify with the protagonist's frustration, powerlessness, need to analyze. The reader then becomes enmeshed in the protagonist's journey on the road to insanity.

Essay on the Gods in Euripides Medea :: Euripides Medea Essays

Antigone Medea has just killed four people which are Creon the king of Corinth, the princess whom Jason is in love with, and her two little children. Jason then prays to gods, especially Zeus, father of all gods, to punish Medea for her crimes. From the context of the quote, the chorus is addressing the audience about the unexpected and unbelievable end of the play. Medea then gets away to Athens with a chariot lent to her by Helios, the sun god and her grandfather. Euripides always uses this kind of conclusion to end most of his works. Euripides suggests that the general theme of the quote is gods are not like what we think they are supposed to be. In other words, we can not expect much from the gods. Instead, we have to handle our matters on our own. The phrase, "Many are the Fates which Zeus in Olympus dispenses," tells us that gods do not favor mortal people. Even if gods do help mortals, that's only because those mortals have some kind of relationship with the gods. So, Euripides tells this story not in favor of the gods. The general thems is gods are not as good as they are supposed to be. Medea has been exiled for three times: from her home country near the Black Sea, from Jason's homeland Iolchos, and now from the city of Corinth. We would naturally think that a woman like Medea, being exiled for many times, is the most vulnerable and most powerless woman. She has got no friend and no citizenship. At the time of Euripides, being an exile is not an interesting position that a person wants to be in. It is like a suicide. Most people at that time in Greece view strangers as barbarians with no intelligence at all. In addition, Medea is going to be an exile with two children. She is supposed to be in lots of trouble. On the other hand, Jason has won the princess of Corinth's love. He is going to be Creon's son-in-law. Jason abandon's Medea after all she has done for him. Jason doesn't fear Medea at all because he has support from Creon, king of Corinth. Jason is supposed to be more powerful than Medea. Jason is the son-in-law of the king and Medea is an exile. But, as Eur ipides suggests, what the audience expects doesn't come true at all.

Vampire Academy Chapter 18

EIGHTEEN I WOKE UP STARING AT the boring white ceiling of the clinic. A filtered light – soothing to Moroi patients – shone down on me. I felt strange, kind of disoriented, but I didn't hurt. â€Å"Rose.† The voice was like silk on my skin. Gentle. Rich. Turning my head, I met Dimitri's dark eyes. He sat in a chair beside the bed I lay on, his shoulder-length brown hair hanging forward and framing his face. â€Å"Hey,† I said, my voice coming out as a croak. â€Å"How do you feel?† â€Å"Weird. Kind of groggy.† â€Å"Dr. Olendzki gave you something for the pain – you seemed pretty bad when we brought you in.† â€Å"I don't remember that†¦How long have I been out?† â€Å"A few hours.† â€Å"Must have been strong. Must still be strong.† Some of the details came back. The bench. My ankle getting caught. I couldn't remember much after that. Feeling hot and cold and then hot again. Tentatively, I tried moving the toes on my healthy foot. â€Å"I don't hurt at all.† He shook his head. â€Å"No. Because you weren't seriously injured.† The sound of my ankle cracking came back to me. â€Å"Are you sure? I remember†¦the way it bent. No. Something must be broken.† I manage to sit up, so I could look at my ankle. â€Å"Or at least sprained.† He moved forward to stop me. â€Å"Be careful. Your ankle might be fine, but you're probably still a little out of it.† I carefully shifted to the edge of the bed and looked down. My jeans were rolled up. The ankle looked a little red, but I had no bruises or serious marks. â€Å"God, I got lucky. If I'd hurt it, it would have put me out of practice for a while.† Smiling, he returned to his chair. â€Å"I know. You kept telling me that while I was carrying you. You were very upset.† â€Å"You†¦you carried me here?† â€Å"After we broke the bench apart and freed your foot.† Man. I'd missed out on a lot. The only thing better than imagining Dimitri carrying me in his arms was imagining him shirtless while carrying me in his arms. Then the reality of the situation hit me. â€Å"I was taken down by a bench,† I groaned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I survived the whole day guarding Lissa, and you guys said I did a good job. Then, I get back here and meet my downfall in the form of a bench.† Ugh. â€Å"Do you know how embarrassing it is? And all those guys saw, too.† â€Å"It wasn't your fault,† he said. â€Å"No one knew the bench was rotted. It looked fine.† â€Å"Still. I should have just stuck to the sidewalk like a normal person. The other novices are going to give me shit when I get back.† His lips held back a smile. â€Å"Maybe presents will cheer you up.† I sat up straighter. â€Å"Presents?† The smile escaped, and he handed me a small box with a piece of paper. â€Å"This is from Prince Victor.† Surprised that Victor would have given me anything, I read the note. It was just a few lines, hastily scrawled in pen. Rose – I'm very happy to see you didn't suffer any serious injuries from your fall. Truly, it is a miracle. You lead a charmed life, and Vasilisa is lucky to have you. â€Å"That's nice of him,† I said, opening the box. Then I saw what was inside. â€Å"Whoa. Very nice.† It was the rose necklace, the one Lissa had wanted to get me but couldn't afford. I held it up, looping its chain over my hand so the glittering, diamond-covered rose hung free. â€Å"This is pretty extreme for a get-well present,† I noted, recalling the price. â€Å"He actually bought it in honor of you doing so well on your first day as an official guardian. He saw you and Lissa looking at it.† â€Å"Wow.† It was all I could say. â€Å"I don't think I did that good of a job.† â€Å"I do.† Grinning, I placed the necklace back in the box and set it on a nearby table. â€Å"You did say ? ®presents,' right? Like more than one?† He laughed outright, and the sound wrapped around me like a caress. God, I loved the sound of his laugh. â€Å"This is from me.† He handed me a small, plain bag. Puzzled and excited, I opened it up. Lip gloss, the kind I liked. I'd complained to him a number of times how I was running out, but I'd never thought he was paying attention. â€Å"How'd you manage to buy this? I saw you the whole time at the mall.† â€Å"Guardian secrets.† â€Å"What's this for? For my first day?† â€Å"No,† he said simply. â€Å"Because I thought it would make you happy.† Without even thinking about it, I leaned forward and hugged him. â€Å"Thank you.† Judging from his stiff posture, I'd clearly caught him by surprise. And yeah†¦I'd actually caught myself by surprise, too. But he relaxed a few moments later, and when he reached around and rested his hands on my lower back, I thought I was going to die. â€Å"I'm glad you're better,† he said. His mouth sounded like it was almost in my hair, just above my ear. â€Å"When I saw you fall†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You thought, ? ®Wow, she's a loser.' â€Å" â€Å"That's not what I thought.† He pulled back slightly, so he could see me better, but we didn't say anything. His eyes were so dark and deep that I wanted to dive right in. Staring at them made me feel warm all over, like they had flames inside. Slowly, carefully, those long fingers of his reached out and traced the edge of my cheekbone, moving up the side of my face. At the first touch of his skin on mine, I shivered. He wound a lock of my hair around one finger, just like he had in the gym. Swallowing, I dragged my eyes up from his lips. I'd been contemplating what it'd be like to kiss him. The thought both excited and scared me, which was stupid. I'd kissed a lot of guys and never thought much about it. No reason another one – even an older one – should be that big of a deal. Yet the thought of him closing the distance and bringing his lips to mine made the world start spinning. A soft knock sounded at the door, and I hastily leaned back. Dr. Olendzki stuck her head in. â€Å"I thought I heard you talking. How do you feel?† She walked over and made me lie back down. Touching and bending my ankle, she assessed it for damage and finally shook her head when finished. â€Å"You're lucky. With all the noise you made coming in here, I thought your foot had been amputated. Must have just been shock.† She stepped back. â€Å"I'd feel better if you sat out from your normal trainings tomorrow, but otherwise, you're good to go.† I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't remember my hysteria – and was actually kind of embarrassed that I'd thrown such a fit – but I had been right about the problems this would have caused me if I'd broken or sprained it. I couldn't afford to lose any time here; I needed to take my trials and graduate in the spring. Dr. Olendzki gave me the okay to go and then left the room. Dimitri walked over to another chair and brought me my shoes and coat. Looking at him, I felt a warm flush sweep me as I recalled what had happened before the doctor had entered. He watched as I slipped one of the shoes on. â€Å"You have a guardian angel.† â€Å"I don't believe in angels,† I told him. â€Å"I believe in what I can do for myself.† â€Å"Well then, you have an amazing body.† I glanced up at him with a questioning look. â€Å"For healing, I mean. I heard about the accident†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't specify which accident it was, but it could be only one. Talking about it normally bothered me, but with him, I felt I could say anything. â€Å"Everyone said I shouldn't have survived,† I explained. â€Å"Because of where I sat and the way the car hit the tree. Lissa was really the only one in a secure spot. She and I walked away with only a few scratches.† â€Å"And you don't believe in angels or miracles.† â€Å"Nope. I – â€Å" Truly, it is a miracle. You lead a charmed life†¦. And just like that, a million thoughts came slamming into my head. Maybe†¦maybe I had a guardian angel after all†¦ Dimitri immediately noticed the shift in my feelings. â€Å"What's wrong?† Reaching out with my mind, I tried to expand the bond and shake off the lingering effects of the pain medication. Some more of Lissa's feelings came through to me. Anxious. Upset. â€Å"Where's Lissa? Was she here?† â€Å"I don't know where she is. She wouldn't leave your side while I brought you in. She stayed right next the bed, right up until the doctor came in. You calmed down when she sat next to you.† I closed my eyes and felt like I might faint. I had calmed down when Lissa sat next to me because she'd taken the pain away. She'd healed me†¦ Just as she had the night of the accident. It all made sense now. I shouldn't have survived. Everyone had said so. Who knew what kind of injuries I'd actually suffered? Internal bleeding. Broken bones. It didn't matter because Lissa had fixed it, just like she'd fixed everything else. That was why she'd been leaning over me when I woke up. It was also probably why she'd passed out when they took her to the hospital. She'd been exhausted for days afterward. And that was when her depression had begun. It had seemed like a normal reaction after losing her family, but now I wondered if there was more to it, if healing me had played a role. Opening my mind again, I reached out to her, needing to find her. If she'd healed me, there was no telling what shape she could be in now. Her moods and magic were linked, and this had been a pretty intense show of magic. The drug was almost gone from my system, and like that, I snapped into her. It was almost easy now. A tidal wave of emotions hit me, worse than when her nightmares engulfed me. I'd never felt such intensity from her before. She sat in the chapel's attic, crying. She didn't entirely know why she was crying either. She felt happy and relieved that I'd been unharmed, that she'd been able to heal me. At the same time, she felt weak in both body and mind. She burned inside, like she'd lost part of herself. She worried I'd be mad because she'd used her powers. She dreaded going through another school day tomorrow, pretending she liked being with a crowd who had no other interests aside from spending their families' money and making fun of those less beautiful and less popular. She didn't want to go to the dance with Aaron and see him watch her so adoringly – and feel him touching her – when she felt only friendship for him. Most of these were all normal concerns, but they hit her hard, harder than they would an ordinary person, I thought. She couldn't sort through them or figure out how to fix them. â€Å"You okay?† She looked up and brushed the hair away from where it stuck to her wet cheeks. Christian stood in the entrance to the attic. She hadn't even heard him come up the stairs. She'd been too lost in her own grief. A flicker of both longing and anger sparked within her. â€Å"I'm fine,† she snapped. Sniffling, she tried to stop her tears, not wanting him to see her weak. Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms and wore an unreadable expression. â€Å"Do†¦do you want to talk?† â€Å"Oh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She laughed harshly. â€Å"You want to talk now? After I tried so many times – â€Å" â€Å"I didn't want that! That was Rose – â€Å" He cut himself off and I flinched. I was totally busted. Lissa stood up and strode toward him. â€Å"What about Rose?† â€Å"Nothing.† His mask of indifference slipped back into place. â€Å"Forget it.† â€Å"What about Rose?† She stepped closer. Even through her anger, she still felt that inexplicable attraction to him. And then she understood. â€Å"She made you, didn't she? She told you to stop talking to me?† He stared stonily ahead. â€Å"It was probably for the best. I would have just messed things up for you. You wouldn't be where you are now.† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"What do you think it means? God. People live or die at your command now, Your Highness.† â€Å"You're being kind of melodramatic.† â€Å"Am I? All day, I hear people talking about what you're doing and what you're thinking and what you're wearing. Whether you'll approve. Who you like. Who you hate. They're your puppets.† â€Å"It's not like that. Besides, I had to do it. To get back at Mia†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Rolling his eyes, he looked away from her. â€Å"You don't even know what you're getting back at her for.† Lissa's anger flared. â€Å"She set up Jesse and Ralf to say those things about Rose! I couldn't let her get away with that.† â€Å"Rose is tough. She would have gotten over it.† â€Å"You didn't see her,† she replied obstinately. â€Å"She was crying.† â€Å"So? People cry. You're crying.† â€Å"Not Rose.† He turned back to her, a dark smile curling his lips. â€Å"I've never seen anything like you two. Always so worried about each other. I get her thing – some kind of weird guardian hang-up – but you're just the same.† â€Å"She's my friend.† â€Å"I guess it's that simple. I wouldn't know.† He sighed, momentarily thoughtful, then snapped back to sarcastic mode. â€Å"Anyway. Mia. So you got back at her over what she did to Rose. But you're missing the point. Why did she do it?† Lissa frowned. â€Å"Because she was jealous about me and Aaron – â€Å" â€Å"More to it than that, Princess. What did she have to be jealous about? She already had him. She didn't need to attack you to drive that home. She could have just made a big show of being all over him. Sort of like you are now,† he added wryly. â€Å"Okay. What else is there, then? Why did she want to ruin my life? I never did anything to her – before all this, I mean.† He leaned forward, crystal-blue eyes boring into hers. â€Å"You're right. You didn't – but your brother did.† Lissa pulled away from him. â€Å"You don't know anything about my brother.† â€Å"I know he screwed Mia over. Literally.† â€Å"Stop it, stop lying.† â€Å"I'm not. Swear to God or whoever else you want to believe in. I used to talk to Mia now and then, back when she was a freshman. She wasn't very popular, but she was smart. Still is. She used to work on a lot of committees with royals – dances and stuff. I don't know all of it. But she got to know your brother on one of those, and they sort of got together.† â€Å"They did not. I would have known. Andre would have told me.† â€Å"Nope. He didn't tell anyone. He told her not to either. He convinced her it should be some kind of romantic secret when really, he just didn't want any of his friends to find out he was getting naked with a non-royal freshman.† â€Å"If Mia told you that, she was making it up,† exclaimed Lissa. â€Å"Yeah, well, I don't think she was making it up when I saw her crying. He got tired of her after a few weeks and dumped her. Told her she was too young and that he couldn't really get serious with someone who wasn't from a good family. From what I understand, he wasn't even nice about it either – didn't even bother with the ? ®let's be friends' stuff.† Lissa pushed herself into Christian's face. â€Å"You didn't even know Andre! He would never have done that.† â€Å"You didn't know him. I'm sure he was nice to his baby sister; I'm sure he loved you. But in school, with his friends, he was just as much of a jerk as the rest of the royals. I saw him because I see everything. Easy when no one notices you.† She held back a sob, unsure whether to believe him or not. â€Å"So this is why Mia hates me?† â€Å"Yup. She hates you because of him. That, and because you're royal and she's insecure around all royals, which is why she worked so hard to claw up the ranks and be their friend. I think it's a coincidence that she ended up with your ex-boyfriend, but now that you're back, that probably made it worse. Between stealing him and spreading those stories about her parents, you guys really picked the best ways to make her suffer. Nice work.† The smallest pang of guilt lurched inside of her. â€Å"I still think you're lying.† â€Å"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a liar. That's your department. And Rose's.† â€Å"We don't – â€Å" â€Å"Exaggerate stories about people's families? Say that you hate me? Pretend to be friends with people you think are stupid? Date a guy you don't like?† â€Å"I like him.† â€Å"Like or like?† â€Å"Oh, there's a difference?† â€Å"Yes. Like is when you date a big, blond moron and laugh at his stupid jokes.† Then, out of nowhere, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was hot and fast and furious, an outpouring of the rage and passion and longing that Christian always kept locked inside of him. Lissa had never been kissed like that, and I felt her respond to it, respond to him – how he made her feel so much more alive than Aaron or anyone else could. Christian pulled back from the kiss but still kept his face next to hers. â€Å"That's what you do with someone you like.† Lissa's heart pounded with both anger and desire. â€Å"Well, I don't like or like you. And I think you and Mia are both lying about Andre. Aaron would never make up anything like that.† â€Å"That's because Aaron doesn't say anything that requires words of more than one syllable.† She pulled away. â€Å"Get out. Get away from me.† He looked around comically. â€Å"You can't throw me out. We both signed the lease.† â€Å"Get. Out!† she yelled. â€Å"I hate you!† He bowed. â€Å"Anything you want, Your Highness.† With a final dark look, he left the attic. Lissa sank to her knees, letting out the tears she'd held back from him. I could barely make sense out of all the things hurting her. God only knew things upset me – like the Jesse incident – but they didn't attack me in the same way. They swirled within her, beating at her brain. The stories about Andre. Mia's hate. Christian's kiss. Healing me. This, I realized, was what real depression felt like. What madness felt like. Overcome, drowning in her own pain, Lissa made the only decision she could. The only thing she could do to channel all of these emotions. She opened up her purse and found the tiny razor blade she always carried†¦ Sickened, yet unable to break away, I felt as she cut her left arm, making perfectly even marks, watching as the blood flowed across her white skin. As always, she avoided veins, but her cuts were deeper this time. The cutting stung horribly, yet in doing it, she was able to focus on the physical pain, distract herself from the mental anguish so that she could feel like she was in control. Drops of blood splattered onto the dusty floor, and her world began spinning. Seeing her own blood intrigued her. She had taken blood from others her entire life. Me. The feeders. Now, here it was, leaking out. With a nervous giggle, she decided it was funny. Maybe by letting it out, she was giving it back to those she'd stolen it from. Or maybe she was wasting it, wasting the sacred Dragomir blood that everyone obsessed over. I'd forced my way into her head, and now I couldn't get out. Her emotions had ensnared me now – they were too strong and too powerful. But I had to escape – I knew it with every ounce of my being. I had to stop her. She was too weak from the healing to lose this much blood. It was time to tell someone. Breaking out at last, I found myself back in the clinic. Dimitri's hands were on me, gently shaking me as he said my name over and over in an effort to get my attention. Dr. Olendzki stood beside him, face dark and concerned. I stared at Dimitri, truly seeing how much he worried and cared about me. Christian had told me to get help, to go to someone I trusted about Lissa. I'd ignored the advice because I didn't trust anyone except her. But looking at Dimitri now, feeling that sense of understanding we shared, I knew that I did trust someone else. I felt my voice crack as I spoke. â€Å"I know where she is. Lissa. We have to help her.†

Business Decision Making Project Essay

Based on the discussion with my learning team of the milk plant business problem, there is a variety of different products that are output from the plant. The amount of product that is produced everyday varies on what they are processing on that given day. The products that are produced are varieties of different milk, half and half, and manufacturing cream. In order to determine how to solve this business problem, I will need to create some random numbers with how many gallons of milk the silos hold on site, how many gallons of the varieties of milk that are processed and produced, how many pints of half and half, and also how many containers of manufacturing cream and how much the containers hold. There are some probability factors to determine as well, such as, how many employees there are and what if some don’t show up for work that day. There is also to consider that the silos are cleaned every 48 hours and what would need to happen to get the silos empty in that 48 hour period so that no milk is wasted, which is costing the company money. Milk Production Plant Data The random numbers I am going to choose is as follows: The silos hold 1,000 gallons of milk each and there are two silos on site There are 5 different types of milk produced and are processed in 1 gallon containers The half and half is produced in pint size containers The manufacturing cream is produced in 8 ounce containers There are 50 employees There are 10 different companies where the products are distributed all with different amounts purchased/products If nothing goes wrong, 1,500 gallons of milk are processed in a 48 hour period, 300 of each kind. 2,000 pints of  half and half are processed and 32,000 8 ounce containers of manufacturing cream are processed all equaling to the 2,000 gallons that need to be output Conclusion With this amount of information, I will be able to determine where the faults are in the business. The production plant may need to hire more employees, distribute the product to more companies, or even need to just have a better process with processing the product. From the discussion, it was determined that the amount of product that is output from the plant differs everyday depending on what product is being produced that day. This may be the only fault the company has, but in order to get a clearer picture of where the problem lies, I will need to run the numbers and figure out what the next steps for the company will be. Factoring in the probabilities is going to change the data, so I will need to make sure that the company has a solution for if certain things happen that will affect the processes in place.

Eng 157 Multicultural Analysis Paper

The Importance of Multicultural Literature ENG/157 David McCarthy The Importance of Multicultural Literature The introduction to multicultural literature into the broad world of differing walks of life, the reader may be surprised by the similarities between the cultures as well as the differences. Cultures are as eclectic as we are as individuals, each with their own quirks, intricacies, and uniqueness that inspires individuality regarding how the vast differences between cultures correlate to our own.Upon deeper examination of multicultural literature, however; we are also given the privilege to walk the path of the individual from whose perspective we are privy to through the written word. As many have wished at one point or another to know and understand what a particular individual is thinking, through reading multicultural literature, the opportunity to have such an experience and glean copious amounts of information. From the subtlest detail to major political agendas to perso nality quirks derived from current or past social standards of that culture.Although differences in points of view can prohibit understanding upon first contact greater exposure to literature from various cultures, one can find relation within themselves. One can empathize and humanize the characters that ultimately open the door to greater understanding of how a culture operates as well as attain the ability to relate those experiences to one’s own. To understand multicultural literature, one must first try to understand the cultural background of the author where he or she lives, what time, what their secular views are in a particular subject as well as their passions and influences.For instance, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o’, author of the short story ‘The Return’ is heavily influenced by his negativity toward British colonialism in Africa. The â€Å"The Complete Review† (2010-2012) website had a list of the pros and cons of the author’s writi ng stating that he has a â€Å"Powerful anti-colonial voice, a strong stylist, a significant novelist, playwright, and public intellectual. † It also went on to say that â€Å"Angry Marxist politics creep a bit far into some of his work and older works can feel somewhat dated. † Kamau, the main character in this particular ork of Thiong’o’s, depicts what the people ultimately have suffered because of the colonial regime within Africa. The character represents not only what the people of Africa forced to suffer but also hope that the effect of what transpired can be overcome through perseverance despite devastation endured. The author, Ken Saro-Wiwa, also politically motivated which is a characteristic prominent within his short story â€Å"Africa Kills Her Sun†. Having sided with the minority Ogoni within his homeland of Nigeria, his protests and resistance against the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha led to his imminent execution.Within this pa rticular short story, though, he wrote the character Bana as one who sees his acts of criminality no different from that of those in more prestigious standing. This ultimately leads the reader to question how criminal activity, such as robbery is any different from that of the sly, underhanded actions of a politician or any other individual in a position of power. Readers also develop an emotional attachment to a character, such as the main character in Chitra Divakaruni’s â€Å"Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter†.From the direct perspective of the character, the reader looks through the eyes of an elderly widow from India who struggles to find balance between her ingrained traditions and customs from her native homeland to the vastly different culture of America. Mrs. Dutta struggles with her understanding of technology, culinary preferences, distinctively different parenting styles, and proper decorum regarding personal space. She finds herself lost within a struggle between wanting the companionship of her son and grandchildren and her yearning to return to the familiarity of home.Upon closer examination of this piece, the reader can identify with the character and the feeling of misplacement in foreign surroundings. This story also illustrates the struggle with diversity within The United States. As Mrs. Dutta’s son and his family try to maintain assimilation-disregarding their heritage and customs to avoid stereotyping, Mrs. Dutta reminds them of where they originate. The integration of cultures within The United States is predominantly why the United States viewed as the â€Å"Land of Opportunity†. Despite the years of being classified as ‘The Melting Pot†, diversity remains a struggle for many immigrants.This story is a prime example of the internal conflict between heritage and assimilation as well as the strength of familial bonds. The history of a culture is of huge importance within multicultural literature. The attac k on 9/11 within the United States is an event that had both shattered the United States as well as assist in the formation of the future history of the United States. Pride and patriotism after that particular event blossomed along with a heavy rift regarding diversity, especially those of the Islamic faith.Remembering such a tragic event honors those who have lived through it as well as lights a mental candle for those who did not. History is as important in other cultures as well. Understanding and appreciating facts as well as religious mythology, such as the Native American mythology described within Margaret Lawrence’s â€Å"The Loons†. The loons within this story represent a mythological representation of an omen of death in some Native American cultures. The character, Piquette, after staggering through life with two separate identities-Cree and French-ultimately succumbs to this omen.Much like the yellow ribbon represents the soldiers fighting to maintain our freedom battling terrorists and risking their lives, the loons in this story represent the battle between two different cultural backgrounds fighting against each other in a metaphorical sense. If a culture denies its history, the culture is denied its identity. History weaved within the yarns of multicultural literature shine a light upon the dusty background that assisted in the formation of the culture, therefore breaking down the barriers of the misunderstanding of ethics, principles, traditions, and mindset.Much like the dissemination of the history and politics of different cultures, multicultural literature also deepens the understanding of perspective, education, and view on controversial topics such as in Ha Jin’s â€Å"The Bridegroom†. The â€Å"Barnes & Noble† (1997-2012) website included an editorial review upon the short story stating that â€Å"The title story is perhaps the most telling indication of the clash of humanitarian feeling and bureaucr atic intervention.The protagonist, who has been taught to believe that â€Å"homosexuality originated in Western capitalism and bourgeois lifestyle,† is unable to credit his own sympathy for his son-in-law, who is sent to a mental hospital to cure his â€Å"disease. † Ha Jin has a rare empathy for people striving to balance the past and the future although caught on the cusp of change. (Oct. ) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information. |† (Editorial Reviews). The story, set in China illustrates the ignorance of homosexuality. Considering the different sects within theUnited States and from other various countries and religious backgrounds that do not understand nor accept homosexuality, this story showcases how relative that misunderstanding can be. Although The United States has erred to the side of acceptance on this particular lifestyle, there are certain groups that due to the ignorance and neglect of education refuse to accept it. Aside from the topic of h omosexuality within the piece and the misinformation regarding that particular lifestyle, the story also initiates the question of what marriage in point of fact entails.With homosexuals fighting for the right to marry within the United States being the most controversial topic, the question that arises after reading â€Å"The Bridegroom†, is whether or not unwavering loyalty without sexual attraction predetermines a solid marriage. Beina, the main female character within the piece remains loyal to her homosexual husband despite his or her lack of physical intimacy instead based the relationship upon respect and companionship.Reading multicultural literature not only strengthens the bond between individuals, it also strengthens the bonds of diversity. Diversity allows individuals to learn and expand knowledge. It increases the amount of respect through first person narratives, memoirs, and the ideals within fiction. Contrary to popular belief, fiction does instill fact in a c omprehensive manner where the reader can walk for a short time in another individual’s footsteps, trace out the character’s heritage, and take a glimpse inside the mind of an individual from a foreign land.A writer puts themselves into their work and the readers having taken the time to examine the stories can see the particular voice of the writer to understand and appreciate the author as well as the characters. References The Complete Review. (2010-2012). Retrieved from http://www. complete-review. com/authors/ngugi. htm Barnes & Noble. (1997-2012). Retrieved from http://www. barnesandnoble. com/w/bridegroom-ha-jin/1102808435