Critique of a Political Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Critique of a Political Speech - Essay Example On the 4th of November 2008, Senator Barack Obama spoke at the rally in Grant Park in his hometown, Chicago, Illinois, after winning the competition for the seat of the President of America. After his victory, the first black president of the United States gave a speech before an enthusiastic audience of 240,000. This speech was marked as one of the most awaited, watched, and reviewed political address in history. Obama’s voice echoed in the world, his slogan of change and his strong political campaign were praised. He mentioned the fundamental issues faced by the United States and the rest of the world. He also mentioned about his late grandmother who died just two nights before this date. The speech referenced some of the influential leaders of the US history. Words and thoughts of John F.Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King were discussed. The voice of Martin Luther King’s â€Å"I Have A Dream† was revived. There were echoes in favor of democratic principle, Abraham Lincoln’s â€Å"a government of the people, by the people and for the people† were heard in President Obama’s manner. The speech granted a deep sense of hope despite of adverse circumstances, an optimistic approach in hard times of tough goals. President Obama also directly quoted Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address in these words:† As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection." Indeed, history was made on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. The impact of the elections result and the speech was tremendous; the sense of joy was carved on the faces of millions listening to the speech. Long term impacts of the slogan â€Å"YES WE CAN† and Obama’s speech were written in journals and newspapers throughout the globe (Saldin). The performance of

Impact of Television Violence on Children Essay Example for Free

Impact of Television Violence on Children Essay These days, we are seeing an increasing amount of violence on television, and this is having a negative impact on children’s behaviour. At present, television plays an important role in everyone’s lives, especially in children’s lives. Television has become a member of almost every single family on our planet. And not just an ordinary member, but a very important one, because the time spent next to it exceeds the amount of time spent together with any other family member. Gone are those days, where children used to watch only ‘Tom and Jerry’, instead they want to watch ‘Power Rangers’, ‘Chota Bheem’, etc. Instead of playing together people prefer to watch an episode from a thriller. The base of the tomorrow’s society – are children today. And on the way they develop depends how are world is going to look like tomorrow. Contemporary parents work a lot, but when they come back home they are not eager to spend time with their child, the consequences of this fact are the following: kids are given to themselves and watch everything they want or TV plays a role of a babysitter. Therefore children learn moral principles from the television, where by the age of 16 they observe 100,000 violent acts and 33,000 murders. Violence on television causes children and teenagers to become less caring, to lose their inhibitions, to become less sensitive, and also may cause violent and aggressive behaviour. In a study on the connection between violence and television done with 1,565 children over a six-year period in London, William Belson, a British psychologist, found that every time a child saw someone being shot or killed on television they became less caring towards other people. William Belson also discovered that every time a child viewed this violence on television, they lost a fragment of their inhibitions towards others. In addition to William Belsons study, other studies did by many scientists and doctors show that seeing violence on television causes children to become less sensitive to the pain of others. Many people believe that children who watch violent television programs exhibit more aggressive behaviour than, that exhibited by children who do not. According to the results of many studies and reports, violence on television can lead to aggressive behaviour in children. Also, when television was introduced into a community of children for the first time, researchers observed a rise in the level of physical and verbal aggression among these children.

Reflection on Sending US Troops to Iraq

Reflection on Sending US Troops to Iraq Why The U.S. Should Leave Iraq. We have been in Iraq since President George Bush launched the invasion on Iraq in March 2003. Since then the war the U.S. has spent about seven hundred million dollars. While we still are in fighting to try to rebuild Iraq when we should be trying to save the U.S. from the down fall of our own economy since March of last year. From the National Priorities Project website I found this chart that shows the cost by year the money we are spending on the war in Iraq as well as Afghanistan. Another reason why staying in Iraq is just a bad idea, as John Weiss states, â€Å"We face a paradox in Iraq: the longer we stay, the stronger our enemies become. We cannot defeat either the insurgency or the civil war resulting from our invasion and occupation; in fact, both have grown stronger. Nor can we protect the Iraqis we came to save. A corrupt Iraqi government wastes the billions we have allocated for rebuilding, while the middle class flees to avoid the danger. The Pentagon trains Iraqis to fight, but we may well be training the army of our future enemies.†(Weiss) The longer we are there the more the people there will learn how to hurt the U.S. learn the ways to operate our own military forces. The longer we leave our troops the longer the people of Iraq have time to see what we do in the middle of war. The longer we stay the longer our nation stays unprotected, think about it we have all these troops across seas fighting when and if there is another terrorist attack we in a way have our shields down. It will take longer for us to get prepared or try to reassemble what just happened. Also I ask the question why are we sending more troops? Costing the nation more money, endangering the lives of more Americans? If we are doing what needs to be done and we are doing our job why send more? If they are fighting back harder than we are wasting our time trying to save a lost cause. Hurting our own nation to support a country just so oil prices will drop seems to be a little much some would say. Like Cenk Uygur says. â€Å"If were doing well, its because of the extra troops so we shouldnt pull them out. If were doing poorly, obviously we need more troops. Either way, we need more troops and need to stay in Iraq longer. This supposition is obvious nonsense, yet were taking it seriously.†( Uygur) On the other hand I guess you could say a reason why we should stay in Iraq is, by leaving our troops in Iraq and leave a few there set up a base to watch over operations of what is going on. In one article Marcus Fryman puts it, â€Å"You see, some people are just incapable of thinking long term. In the grand scheme of things, its better to keep US troops in Iraq just so theyll be ready to enter into combat operations in Iran. I mean, doesnt it seem pointless bringing them all the way back home only to deploy them back onto the streets of Tehran a month later?†(Fryman) Plus it could have the opportunity to set up more jobs in the future. Have you ever heard of the term PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)? It is defined as a severe anxiety disorder can develop after exposure to any event which results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to ones own or someone elses physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individuals psychological defenses. Symptoms include re-experiencing original trauma, by means of flashbacks or nightmares; avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma; and increased arousal, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, anger. Formal diagnostic criteria require that the symptoms last more than one month and cause significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, meaning trying to fit back into society or trying to get back to work after experience PTSD. In a test given to 2525 soldiers returning from a year-long tour in Iraq, 124 (4.9%) reported injuries with loss of co nsciousness, 260 (10.3%) reported injuries with altered mental status, and 435 (17.2%) reported other injuries during deployment. Of those reporting loss of consciousness, 43.9% met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as compared with 27.3% of those reporting altered mental status, 16.2% with other injuries, and 9.1% with no injury. Soldiers with mild traumatic brain injury, primarily those who had loss of consciousness, were significantly more likely to report poor general health, missed workdays, medical visits, and a high number of somatic and post concussive symptoms than were soldiers with other injuries. However, after adjustment for PTSD and depression, mild traumatic brain injury was no longer significantly associated with these physical health outcomes or symptoms, except for headache. I found a story about a soldier call him Mr. K, a 38-year-old National Guard soldier, was assessed in an outpatient psychiatric clinic several months after he returned home fr om a 12-month deployment to the Sunni Triangle in Iraq, where he had his first exposure to combat in his 10 years of National Guard duty. Before deployment, he worked successfully as an automobile salesman, was a happily married father with children ages 10 and 12 years, and was socially outgoing with a large circle of friends and active in civic and church activities. While in Iraq, he had extensive combat exposure. His platoon was heavily shelled and was ambushed on many occasions, often resulting in death or injury to his buddies. He was a passenger on patrols and convoys in which roadside bombs destroyed vehicles and wounded or killed people with whom he had become close. He was aware that he had killed a number of enemy combatants, and he feared that he may also have been responsible for the deaths of civilian bystanders. He blamed himself for being unable to prevent the death of his best friend, who was shot by a sniper. When asked about the worst moment during his deployment, he readily stated that it occurred when he was unable to intercede, but only to watch helplessly, while a small group of Iraqi women and children were killed in the crossfire during a particularly bloody assault. Since returning home, he has been anxious, irritable, and on edge most of the time. He has become preoccupied with concerns about the personal safety of his family, keeping a loaded 9-mm pistol with him at all times and under his pillow at night. Sleep has been difficult, and when sleep occurs, it has often been interrupted by vivid nightmares during which he thrashes about, kicks his wife, or jumps out of bed to turn on the lights. His children complained that he has become so overprotective that he will not let them out of his sight. His wife reported that he has been emotionally distant since his return. She also believed that driving the car had become dangerous when he is a passenger because he has sometimes reached over suddenly to grab the steering wheel because he thinks he has seen a roadside bomb. His friends have wearied of inviting him to social gatherings because he has consistently turned down all invitations to get together. His employer, who has patiently supported him, has reported that his work has suffered dramatically, that he seems preoccupied with his own thoughts and irritable with customers, that he often makes mistakes, and that he has not functioned effectively at the automobile dealership where he was previously a top salesman. Mr. K acknowledged that he has changed since his deployment. He reported that he sometimes experiences strong surges of fear, panic, guilt, and despair and that at other times he has felt emotionally dead, unable to return the love and warmth of family and friends. Life has become a terrible burden. Although he has not been actively suicidal, he reported that he sometimes thinks everyone would be better off if he had not survived his tour in Iraq. Do we want more troops coming back with things like t his happening when they do not even what our help anymore? Is it worth it? I find myself asking the same question. With everything going on here in the United States I do not think we have the money and are running out of the resources to keep fighting a battle that just may be already lost. By pulling out bring most of our troops home back their families, saves lives, and makes a stronger nation. We can keep some troops there you know a small base let our presents be known. I think we need to keep an eye on them, but this fighting for lost cause just needs to end. Sources. Weiss, John. Why We Should Leave Iraq Now. History News Network. 10-9-06 . Uygur, Cenk. Three Reasons Why We Should Leave Iraq. Mo Rocca 180. 4-10-2008 . Cost of War. National Priorities Project . 2008 . Fryman, Marcus. 10 Reasons Why US Troops Should Stay in Iraq. Marcus Frymans 10 reasons why. 2-27-2009 . Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in U.S. Soldiers Returning from Iraq. The New England Journal of Medicine. January 31, 2008 . Friedman, Matthew. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Military Returnees From Afghanistan and Iraq. Treatment in Psychiatry. 4, April 2006 .

House Of The Seven Gables :: essays research papers fc

The House of the Seven Gables   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"[The] sympathy or magnetism among human beings is more subtle and universal than we think; it exists, indeed, among different classes of organized life, and vibrates from one to another† (Hawthorne 178). Loosely based on the events of Hawthorne’s own life, The House of the Seven Gables attempts to show the suffering of descendants forced to repent for the sins of their â€Å"father†, while they are unknowingly renewing the curse by nurturing the ancestral greed that has passed through the generations (O’ Connor 6) . Thus the various themes of the novel reflect the central idea of continued sin through the greed and guilt of a declining family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each generation struggles to escape the sins of the past, only to be thrust forcefully back to face the offenses of their forefathers. The House of the Seven Gables is a tale of loneliness and greed caused by the sin of preceding generations. The opening of the novel is set in puritan times during the Salem witch hunts. The villainous Colonel Pyncheon wrongly accused the innocent Matthew Maule of witchcraft so that the Maule land would fall into the Pyncheon family’s hands. Upon his death, Maule â€Å"addressed [Colonel Pyncheon] from the scaffold, and uttered a prophecy...God will give him blood to drink† (Hawthorne 4-5) . The physical wrongdoing of Colonel Pyncheon against Matthew Maule was avenged at the former’s death, with the curse being fulfilled. However, the essence of the crime lived on through the generations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By chapter two, the focus of the novel has shifted to the modern generations of the Pyncheon family. The family has severely declined since the Colonel’s time, yet the curse of greed is as strong as ever. The remains of the family consist of a decrepit spinster named Hepzibah, now the caretaker of the house of the seven gables; her insane brother Clifford, who was just recently released from prison; their devilish cousin Judge Jaffrey, a man fixated upon his own greed; and their distant cousin Phoebe, the sunny country girl that will be their redemption. Also, the last surviving descendant of the Maule lineage, the handsome Holgrave Maule, resides at the house.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a compilation by F.O. Matthiessen, it is stated that the â€Å"main theme was not the original curse on the house, but the curse that the Pyncheons have continued to bring upon themselves†. It is not Maule’s death which needs avenging, but the anguish caused by the Pyncheon family’s greed. â€Å"Lust for wealth has held the Pyncheon’ in its inflexible

Chapter 20 – Neurofinance

20. 1 INTRODUCTION In this book we have argued that cognition and emotion are powerful influences on people’s decisions. Traders are, of course, no different. This chapter begins by considering what we know about what sets a successful trader apart from other people. We have all contemplated the oft-debated question of nature versus nurture in explaining whether a person thrives or fails. In this final chapter, we further investigate where choices come from. The evidence suggests that there are both environmental and biological foundations. The chapter begins in Section 20. with a discussion of expertise, namely, what makes a skillful trader? Cognitive skills are honed through practice and repetition, but emotion also has a significant role. Next, in Section 20. 3, we turn to the emerging field of neurofinance. Using imaging technology, researchers are contributing to our understanding of how people make decisions. In Section 20. 4, we describe some of the insights recently pr ovided by neurofinance researchers. These researchers have found that cognition and emotion have complementary effects. Traders whose emotions appear to be in balance perform the best.Uncertainty and risk are experienced differently by our brains, as are gains versus losses and risk versus return. The chapter concludes in Section 20. 5 with some practical advice. 20. 2 EXPERTISE AND IMPLICIT LEARNING Consider the following situation. You are at a large concert and run into a good friend, Molly. Of course, you recognize her face immediately. Now think about this. What if, instead, you know Molly is at the concert but is seated across the venue. The friend you came to the concert with, Amy, is going to look for Molly, but the two have never met.You do your best at describing Molly to Amy. What’s the chance that Amy will be able to identify Molly among thousands of concert goers? Not too likely. Much of what we know we cannot describe in words. A face is a very complex thing, an d we simply do not have enough words to explicitly describe one particular person very accurately. Language is categorical, whereas the distinguishing features of two similar faces may be fuzzy. Some cognitive scientists assert that people have knowledge that they cannot verbalize, referred to as implicit learning or tacit knowledge.Brett Steenbarger argues that traders also have information about markets that they cannot adequately describe in words. Like a human face, markets are probably more complex than the language we have to describe them. Does this mean we need a finer grid with which to describe markets? Or, does this view suggest that we need to better understand how traders make decisions? Excellence in most fields requires expertise. How do we define expertise? Usually we think in terms of relative performance so that those at the top of their game are considered to be the experts.Because of tacit knowledge, an expert chess player or pro football player often knows insti nctively what the best move is, perhaps without any cognitive evaluation whatsoever. Recall in our discussion of the foundations of emotion in Chapter 7 that psychologists believe that emotions can develop completely independently from cognition. In other words, you can feel fear without first cognitively recognizing what is making you fearful. While observing a market, a trader may instinctively know the move he wants to make.Steenbarger notes that in many instances traders will make similar buy or sell decisions and then, ex post, provide very different descriptions of the information that led to the decision. The traders saw the same information, acted the same way, but understood their behavior quite differently. Perhaps a trader makes a decision based on instinct with no preceding cognitive evaluation. Afterward, the trader generates an explanation that is cognitively consistent with his expectations. Steenbarger argues that â€Å"the successful trader feels the market but doe s not become lost in those feelings. Studies of expert athletic performers have reached similar conclusions. For example, one study argues that â€Å"emotions, and the capability to regulate them effectively, arguably account for a large portion of the variance in athletic performance. † In the trading domain, an expert trader often has a gut feeling about a particular situation but remains in control by taking careful, deliberate action. Does this mean that trading expertise is innate and cannot be learned? Reading the information in a market could be like understanding a social interaction. Some people are just better at it than others.While some level of innate ability is probably requisite, the evidence suggests that expertise is finely honed. Not too many of us would believe that a professional quarterback spent his teen and early adult years watching football on television while sitting on the couch eating chips. Knowing the rules of a game does not make you good at the game. Practice and repetition are common ingredients across successful experts. For example, accomplished violinists spend, on average, 10,000 hours practicing. Successful traders also devote a lot of time to practice.This practice gives them the ability to connect what they know about a market to the action they should take. Through implicit learning they are able to make better and more efficient decisions. A day trader who spends hours, or even minutes, evaluating a current market circumstance before making a trading decision will certainly find it difficult to succeed. 20. 3 NEUROFINANCE While we know that practice is necessary to hone any skill, unlocking the mysteries of the brain is an important key to understanding how to promote the development of expertise in any realm, including investing.Are evolutionary theorists correct in their contention that our basic emotions have evolved to promote the survival of the species as we discussed in Chapter 7? Do expert performers hav e innate characteristics, or can anyone develop expertise in trading? Neurofinance and neuroeconomics use neurotechnology to examine how the brain behaves while a person is making financial and economic decisions. In these new and growing fields, results from economics, finance, psychology, and neuroscience provide the basis for further investigation.Neuroscience uses brain imaging, as we described in Chapter 7, to understand brain activity and how the brain works. With this technology, scientists can actually measure emotional response. The potential of the technology has not gone unnoticed by practitioners. In fact, Jason Zweig, senior writer for Money magazine and guest columnist for Time magazine and cnn. com writes: I’ve been a financial journalist since 1987, and nothing I’ve ever learned about investing has excited me more than the spectacular findings emerging form the study of â€Å"neuroeconomics. Thanks to this newborn field †¦ we can begin to understa nd what drives investing behavior not only on the theoretical or practical level, but as a basic biological function. These flashes of fundamental insight will enable you to see as never before what makes you tick as an investor. Investors who better understand â€Å"what makes them tick† will be better prepared to make good investment decisions. It is important to understand that neuroscience is not simply interested in mapping out parts of the brain. Instead, by looking at how the brain reacts during various activities, scientists can understand how the brain functions and solves problems.We will better understand the mix of cognitive processing and emotional responses. Which responses are controlled and which are automatic responses? These insights will allow economic theorists to improve models of decision-making, as well as investor education efforts. Recall from our earlier discussion of the brain that automatic and controlled responses are associated with different par ts of the brain. Automatic responses often stimulate the amygdala, whereas controlled responses activate the forebrain (or prefrontal cortex). Using imaging technology, scientists can observe the areas of the brain that are activated during a task.In Chapter 7 we also talked about Damasio’s studies of the behavior of brain-damaged patients. The patients were emotionally flat due to frontal brain lobe damage, and Damasio concluded that decision-making and emotion are intertwined. Though studies of braindamaged patients can be informative, brain imaging technology allows more control so that research can be conducted with greater precision. Neuroscientists are making great progress on brain function, and, as a result, researchers are proposing new models and theories that better incorporate aspects of psychology, including emotion. 0. 4 INSIGHTS FROM NEUROFINANCE Neuroscientists have investigated a variety of questions related to financial decision-making. Several studies have lent insight into the forces of emotion on trading by studying the physiological characteristics of professional securities traders while they were actively engaged in live trading. In one study significant correlations between market movements and physiological characteristics such as skin conductance and cardiovascular data were reported. Differences were also detected across traders, perhaps related to trading experience.Another study looked at whether emotion was found to be an important determinant of a trader’s ability to succeed in financial markets. It was found that those whose reaction to gains and losses was most intense had the worst trading performance, suggesting the obvious need for balanced emotions. Brain imaging has been used as experimental participants have made risky choices. This research indicates that how gains and losses are both anticipated and realized is likely to differ inasmuch as different regions of the brain are activated.When gains are antici pated, a subcortical region known as the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) becomes active. This region is rich in dopamine, a substance that has been associated with both the positive affect of monetary rewards and addictive drug use. The fact that this region is only active during anticipated gains (but not losses) lends plausibility to the differential experiencing of gains and losses in prospect theory. Other brain imaging research indicates that what might lie behind ambiguity aversion is the fact that risk and uncertainty are experienced in different ways.Recall in Chapter 1 where we discussed the distinction between risk and uncertainty. With a risky choice, the person can assess the probability of the outcomes, but under uncertainty the probabilities are unknown. The distinction is important here because the brain may evaluate a choice in a risky situation differently from a choice when one faces uncertainty. Research indicates that when facing uncertainty the most active regions were the orbitofrontal cortex (a region integrating emotion and cognition) and the amygdala (a region central to emotional reaction).In contrast, when facing risk, the brain areas that responded during their task were typically in the parietal lobes so that the researchers concluded that choices in this setting were driven by cognitive factors. In sum, uncertainty appears to be more strongly associated with an emotional response, while risk leads to a cognitive reaction. It has been suggested that when times becomes more uncertain (for example in 2008, as was described in Chapter 14), the inability of investors to properly assess the distribution of future returns leads to their moving from rational deliberation to a primarily emotional response.The result could be widespread unwillingness to hold risky assets in turbulent markets, a tendency that can only exacerbate market declines. A neural test of myopic loss aversion has also been conducted. A group of patients with brain lesions on areas known to be associated with the processing of emotions were compared to a control group. The former group was significantly more likely to take on risk than the control group. Further, the lesion group exhibited greater consistency in their levels of risk aversion. In other words, those with a reduced capacity for fearful responses behaved in a manner more in line with expected utility theory.Another study focused on how decision-makers’ brains reacted to varying levels of risk, rather than on learning or expected values. Using a gambling game, expected values and risk were varied while participants’ brain activation was monitored. As is typical in finance, rewards were measured using expected payoffs and risk using the variance of payoffs. Interestingly, the researchers report that brain activation varied in both time and location for reward and risk. Brain activation in response to rewards was immediate, whereas brain activation in response to risk was delayed .Time and location of activation is important because if we can separate the effects of risk and reward in the brain, researchers can further investigate how changes in risk perception affect decision-making. For example, they could examine how misperception of risk and cognitive difficulties contribute to less-than-optimal behavior. 20. 5 EXPERTISE AND EMOTION Research indicates that understanding neural responses will help us to gain insight into some of the puzzles we have talked about in this book. In addition, there are important implications for trader education.We are all familiar with the old adage that â€Å"practice makes perfect. † In order to gain expertise, it is important to know the rules of the game, so reading up on investing is not a bad idea. But, at the same time, much practice through many simulations under divergent market conditions will promote better decision-making while trading. But, does it pay to become an expert? While we know that many long hour s of studying and practice are required, is this effort sufficiently rewarded? There is evidence that this question can be answered in the affirmative for financial practitioners.One researcher constructed a â€Å"differential reward index† as the income for a specified percentile divided by the median income for each occupation. This measure allows us to differentiate high average income from high income for those whose expertise is greatest in a particular profession. For financial and business advisors, including stock brokers, earnings are related closely to achievement. At the 90th percentile the differential reward index was 3. 5, indicating that the top 10% earned 3. 5 times more than the median income level.In fact, this was the largest observed value for the differential reward index across all occupations studied! Thus the evidence suggests that the benefit of becoming a skilled financial advisor may far exceed the cost. So how can one become an expert? Researchers have concluded that tacit knowledge is an important predictor of success in business as measured by salary, rank, and the level of one’s company (e. g. , whether it is among the top 500 in the Fortune rankings). Practical knowledge, or the ability to gain tacit knowledge and turn it into a good strategy, is a function of a person’s environment and ability.Thus, with a certain level of competence, hard work can be translated into success. A successful trader, nonetheless, should always remember that emotion is critical to the outcome. We have argued throughout this book that emotion can enhance decision-making. Previously cited evidence suggested, however, that traders are advised to be wary of intense emotional reactions. Another recent study used neuroimaging to examine how decision-makers’ brains responded while playing the ultimatum game described in Chapter 11.When unfair offers were rejected by the responders, the investigators reported significant increase s in brain activity in the anterior insula, a brain area associated with emotion. Recall that even offers that are viewed as unfair should be accepted by a responder who cares only about increasing her earnings. Thus, traders are advised to exert their cognitive skills when experiencing a strong emotional reaction in order to overcome the tendency to react emotionally, just as a responder in the ultimatum game who is aware of his emotional response is well advised to accept an offer even if it seems unfair.Emotional responses and cognitive evaluations of risk can be quite different. Think about how many people perceive the risks of automobile and airplane accidents. Though riding in an automobile has been shown to be the less safe alternative, often an emotional response plays the dominant role, which may keep some people off airplanes. CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS 1. Expertise is defined in terms of relative performance so that those at the top of their game are considered to be the experts. 2. Implicit learning reflects knowledge that cannot be described using language. 3.Experts have developed implicit knowledge that enhances performance in their particular domain. 4. Neurofinance uses brain imaging technology and results from economics, finance, and psychology to better understand how the brain works. 5. Physiological differences exist across professional traders, and emotion is an important determinant of a trader’s ability. 6. Measured brain responses to changes in risk and reward vary in both location and time of activation. 7. Practice is necessary to excel in trading, and good traders may make decisions based on gut feelings, while at the same time ensuring that they control their emotional responses.

Free Essays on Air France-KLM

BACKGROUND On Wednesday, February 11th 2004 the merger that would create the world's third-largest airline was approved by the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Air France and the Netherlands-based KLM plan to operate two carriers under a single holding. The two airlines have agreed to form a joint holding company under which the Air France and KLM brands would co-exist for three years. Under the agreement KLM will retain its foreign landing rights even though it will join a French-led holding company. The company, Air France-KLM, will own 100 percent of both airlines but KLM will remain Dutch, with 51 percent of its voting rights held by the state and two foundations. Air France's takeover of KLM will bring the Dutch carrier into the SkyTeam alliance, currently the world's third largest. The product of the Dutch KLM and Air France merger may get even bigger as Italian airline Alitalia seeks Commission approval to join. But even if Alitalia does not come on board, the initial merger will create a competitor for European airline leviathans British Airways and Lufthansa. Additionally, KLM has alliances with Northwest and Continental airlines, while Air France has one with Delta. The partners KLM is a Dutch-based full-service carrier operating worldwide. The KLM group has four main activities: passenger air transport, cargo transport, maintenance services and the operation of charter and low-cost/low-fare scheduled services by its subsidiary Transavia. KLM operates a hub and-spoke network with its principal hub at Schiphol airport. KLM has an alliance with Northwest Airlines covering principally operations on North Atlantic routes and related feeder routes. There is currently no majority shareholder in KLM, although the Dutch State currently holds 14% of the voting rights. Air France is a French-based full-service air carrier with significant international operations. The Air France group has three main... Free Essays on Air France-KLM Free Essays on Air France-KLM BACKGROUND On Wednesday, February 11th 2004 the merger that would create the world's third-largest airline was approved by the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Air France and the Netherlands-based KLM plan to operate two carriers under a single holding. The two airlines have agreed to form a joint holding company under which the Air France and KLM brands would co-exist for three years. Under the agreement KLM will retain its foreign landing rights even though it will join a French-led holding company. The company, Air France-KLM, will own 100 percent of both airlines but KLM will remain Dutch, with 51 percent of its voting rights held by the state and two foundations. Air France's takeover of KLM will bring the Dutch carrier into the SkyTeam alliance, currently the world's third largest. The product of the Dutch KLM and Air France merger may get even bigger as Italian airline Alitalia seeks Commission approval to join. But even if Alitalia does not come on board, the initial merger will create a competitor for European airline leviathans British Airways and Lufthansa. Additionally, KLM has alliances with Northwest and Continental airlines, while Air France has one with Delta. The partners KLM is a Dutch-based full-service carrier operating worldwide. The KLM group has four main activities: passenger air transport, cargo transport, maintenance services and the operation of charter and low-cost/low-fare scheduled services by its subsidiary Transavia. KLM operates a hub and-spoke network with its principal hub at Schiphol airport. KLM has an alliance with Northwest Airlines covering principally operations on North Atlantic routes and related feeder routes. There is currently no majority shareholder in KLM, although the Dutch State currently holds 14% of the voting rights. Air France is a French-based full-service air carrier with significant international operations. The Air France group has three main...

Two Lives Between Schools Professor Ramos Blog

Two Lives Between Schools My story began when I was enrolled in a Catholic grade school, or private school, at the age of five. At that point, I was a part of a huge flock of students that consisted of different two races and ethnicities that were present in different class grades. I noticed that as I started experiencing diversity in during my years in Kindergarten and first grade. In Kindergarten, I sat with different students who come from different races and ethnicities. There were some students that were of Hispanic descent, some were of Caucasian descent, a couple of African-American students, and there were a couple of students that were of Filipino descent. This was the case until everything changed for me in the middle of my year in first grade. At that time, I was being bullied by this one kid that was in the same class I was in and he made me look like I had behavioral problems in front of the teachers. Even worse, my first grade teacher and the principal thought I was the problem child even though I was not at fault. I remember the words of the principal that made my parents switch me to a different school. Those words of that principal that was said to my parents were, â€Å"I think your son has autism.† Since that happened, my parents were offended by that notion and later proved to them that I did not have behavioral problems. In the end, they switched me to a Christian grade school where I later experienced different side of diversity. As my six year-old self began my first time in a Christian grade school, I soon adapted with the fresh, and friendlier faces of students and teachers. It was then that understood my pain   from my time in private school. For about six years, I was with the same students I met since the middle of my first grade since I began my education in a Christian grade school who were in the same class I was in. Moreover, I even met new students that became new additions to our classes and became friends with them. The diversity among my classmates was a little different from my classmates from private school. My class was a mix of mostly Caucasian students, a couple of African-American students, some students that were of Hispanic descent, and some students that were of Asian descent - specifically Filipino and Korean. Aside from the diversity in my school being based on race, color, and ethnicity, the only predicament in the diversity of that school was religion. In other words, my Catholic faith conflicted with their Christian faith. As a matter of fact, I thought my religious faith was the same as a Christian faith even though both were different. At one point, they noticed a side of my Catholic faith when I had ashes on my forehead. That day when that happened was Ash Wednesday. Some of them asked me, â€Å"Joseph. What is that on your forehead?† I told them, â€Å"Today is Ash Wednesday. I had to get my ashes.† Since that moment, I started to notice the differences between the Catholic and Christian faiths. To some, they were confused about what kind of religion I worshipped.   All was well until in the middle of my sixth grade year. At that time, I had a discrepancy with my teacher over some unintended joke my eleven-year-old self made. Since that incident, my parents thought that my teacher was at fault and later moved me back to private grade school. At that point, I thought to myself: it’s just gonna be like private school again. When I began private school, I was now eleven years old - one month before turning twelve years old - and I started my life in private school again. I was along with a different group of faces that I have never seen or met in my class. The class was mostly of Hispanic descent, some were Filipino, and, interestingly, there was one Native American girl whom I later developed a crush on before the end of my year in sixth grade. Since then, I got along with my class and my teachers very well. There were some jokes in bad taste, but I made resolutions with my classmates and we got along very well. For that friendship I had with that one girl I had a crush on, we were good friends. But the ease of friendships in private grade school was more complicated when we were in high school.  I was fourteen years old when I started my first year in a Catholic high school. The sense of diversity in race, ethnicity, and religion was and felt the same as I adapted along with the classmates in the same year I’m in. But as the years passed by until the end of my high school years, some of the friendships I’ve had with some students just died down. That was mostly because of the fact that there were more interesting faces that stood out to my classmates from private grade school. The only friendships I’ve had during my time in high school grew from a few people who were in the second private grade school I went to and from some students who came from different high schools and were friendly with me. Since then, I was with the true friends I knew in my grade level until the end of my senior year. I was eighteen when I graduated from high school and, since then, most of the classmates I was acquainted with and the true friends I knew were off to different colleges or off doing their own thing. For twelve years, my journey in religious education has been quite a ride. From principals being insensitive to my churlish self, to experiencing what it feels like to be in a different faith in a public Christian school, and to being with different faces after switching back to private school, I had gone through a wild ride during my religious education. What I liked the most out of this was having a close friendship with that one girl I had a crush on during my sixth and seventh grade years. Moreover, I also liked the fact that my perspective of diversity has been broadened from the students and teachers I’ve meet in the schools I went to. On the contrary, what I did not like the most was that principal in the first private school I went to seeing me as a problem child. But as time passed by, I later learned and concluded that diversity yields good and bad results. Specifically, I would make friendships with different people because of the different faiths, interests, cultur es, and other background factors that I share or differentiate. Furthermore, I learned and experienced the friendships I made with people of different races and ethnicities because of the interests that the people and I share, differentiate, or favor between one another.  

9 Signs Your Boss Secretly Hates Everything About You

9 Signs Your Boss Secretly Hates Everything About You Everybody wants to be liked- especially by their boss. Your job can go from wonderful to awful based on your relationship with your boss. If you feel yours is lacking- or something is just plain off- then you might want to think about whether any of these signs apply.  Whatever discord there is might just be in your head, but just in case, see if you recognize any signs. If you do, maybe it’s time to have a chat with him/or or HR. 1. You feel it in your gut.Don’t discount your own intuition! If you just feel like your boss hates you, it might be true. Don’t rely on this sign only, but it’s not one to be discarded lightly.2. You’re never asked for input.And you’re left out of key decision processes. It’s almost as if you don’t exist.3. There’s no eye contact.You can tell a lot from your boss’s body language and eye contact. If you’re being avoided, you’ll be able to tell physically. Almost as if it p ains them to look you directly in the eyes- let alone smile or laugh!4. You are getting micromanaged.You- and only you- are being hovered over. If your boss is just a micromanager in general, that’s one thing. But if it’s only in your direction, this could be a sign that you just aren’t trusted.5. You’re avoided.Your boss seems to go out of his way to dodge you in the corridors or elevators. He communicates with you only over email- even when your office is right next door. And when he does come close enough to you- say you show up at his  office door- he doesn’t acknowledge your presence. There’s no exchange of good morning/evening pleasantries either- you aren’t included in any jokes or banter.6.  There’s a sense of snippiness.You get monosyllabic answers to genial questions. Emails are not opened with a friendly salutation or a well-meaning sign off. Basically, your boss is acting like a teenager. This is not a great sig n. Does your boss make small talk about personal things with your other coworkers but not you? Also not a great sign.7. You don’t get enough feedback.Some managers are just terrible at giving feedback- especially positive feedback. If you get negative feedback, it’s usually super public. But if you find you’re getting no feedback, while your co-workers are getting constructive criticism and pats on the back, then you have a problem.8. The door is always closed.There’s nothing like looking at a closed door to make you feel like you’re not welcome. Whether it’s to your boss’s office, or to a big important meeting that you can’t seem to get invited to†¦ you might be out in the cold.9. You get all the worst jobs.You keep getting assigned tasks that are way beneath your level and your pay grade- just busywork that offers no challenge. And no matter how well you accomplish each task, you’re not moving forward. In fact, yo u seem to be moving backward.

Portfolio Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Portfolio - Assignment Example From traditional times, management helped in developing different process of control that would enhance in formulating as well as implementing management strategies. The principle purpose of maintaining managerial function is to develop a better understanding of the different approaches of management to formulate a strategic plan to manage business operations in a coordinated manner. In the diversified environment like the present day business scenario, dynamic planning is most efficient (Evans & Lindsay, 2012). In this context, management of organizations is observed to be effectively managing different management strategies, so that they are able to develop their organizational base and enhance the efficiency of the same. Different theorists have elaborated on the different approaches of management to develop organizational abilities to perform is a sustainable manner. These approaches of management are observed to be having a huge impact on the performances of a business. Effectiv e management of strategies helps in enhancing the productivity of an organization in order to improve the sustainability as well as profitability of an organization (Gibbins-Klein, 2001). In this regard, the assignment elaborates on the different approaches of the management that would enhance the ability of the students to perform better. The implication of the different strategies has been observed to be a part of management that influences personal development and leadership abilities of the managers. Rodrigues (2001) stated that the use of principles of management has deviated largely from its initial position owing to the changing needs in the developmental procedure of an organization. It has been noted that the principles of management have been changing according to the changing needs of the market environment. It has been identified that even though the theoretical approaches of

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Final - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to an identification of the argument, it must be understood that the author’s primary approach is focusing upon the argument that bio-enhancement and the development of humans to manage and change the realities of chromosomal DNA exists, these should not always be used. Moreover, the claim and reason that exists within this article is with respect to an understanding that even though the possibility to create and alter human biology from a laboratory standpoint most certainly exists, a level of bioethics and moral concern for the future fate of this particular industry has thus far constrained individuals that might otherwise be interested in turning a profit via utilizing such an approach. Although the structure and organization of this particular article is above standard, a key concern that can be noted is with regards him to the overall exhibition of evidence and discussion of fact that exist within the article. Firstly, even though data is represente d and sources are cited effectively, the type and extent of this data does not specifically help to corroborate the initial argument that was stated within the preceding paragraph. Moreover, the article itself ultimately collapses into a mere discussion of the technology that exists and a broader understanding of the process of biological engineering. Although this discussion is of course interesting, it does not coincide with the analysis and promise of engaging the reader in the argument that was initially presented. Instead, these statistics and data that are represented do not help the reader to draw any level of inference with regards to the original argument nor are they particularly helpful in understanding the issue to a greater degree. Although it is true that statistics and data are represented, as well as relevant citations, none of these serve the ultimate purpose and appeared to be somewhat gratuitous; only existing to the fact that they are somehow required. Finally, w ith respect to reviewing the argument in terms of its purpose and audience, it can be definitively stated that the purpose of the argument was to shed a further level of discussion with regards to bioethics and bioengineering. However, in order to engage with the audience, as with any form of print journalism, a type of controversy and fear had to be engaged with regards to the way in which runaway/rogue scientists could impact upon the future fate of the human race, biological development, and/or nouveau eugenics. A further question comes with regards to what group this particular article was developed to appeal to. The readership of whatever source this particular piece was intended for was most certainly primarily engaged with entertainment and the means through which time can be passed at work from one article to the next. In such a way, rather than coming down too hard on this particular article and slamming it as having no logic or development of facts whatsoever, it must be u nderstood that the same level of comparison cannot be expected of wired.com as

Research Paper Problem Scenario Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Problem Scenario - Research Paper Example s observed that both the families of pedestrian and sports car driver have threatened to sue Officer Speedy which has brought about a need for certain arguments to be presented to the Sheriff for and against whether she should be disciplined or not. Criminal Justice Administration is of relevance for the decision maker as it offers a foundation to assist in delivering balanced and effective administration replies in relation to the legal issues (San Diego State University, 2007). With regard to the provided scenario, one of the officers of the Saint Leo Police Department, Speedy was patrolling in the midnight in her cruiser to ensure the safety of the people. When suddenly, a sports car which was black in color came at a rapid speed from the corner and nearly hit the cruiser of Officer Speedy. In order to get hold of the sports car driver, the officer chased the car in the streets of Saint Leo at the mid night. All the bars of that area were on the verge to get closed and hence there were a number of people in that locality. Officer Speedy was chasing the black sports car at a high speed which was more than 100mph through the downtown Saint Leo area. Due to the high speed and the presence of a number of people in the area, the officer lost her control and unintentionally killed a pedestrian on the sidewalk with her cruiser. This created a chaos situation in the downtown Saint Leo. In order to see what has happened with the officer with the cruiser, the black sports car driver drove into a telephone pole and lost his life. Subsequently, the scenario is such that the families of the pedestrian along with the sports car driver are intimidating to sue the Sheriff as well as the city of Saint Leo. The case has been handed over to the Special Assistant to the Saint Leo Chief of Police, in order to get good judgement by analysing the legal issues and the facts. Reckless driving is one of major criminal offences as per the US law. Reckless driving as per the case was

Cultural Practices in Yanomamo Culture Research Paper

Cultural Practices in Yanomamo Culture - Research Paper Example This tribe did not have any contact with the outside world until the 1950s before which they lived in complete isolation. They were able to adapt themselves to their environment through means of cultural adaptation by following their cultural standards and practices (Trachoma among the Yanomami, Web). The Yanomamo tribe consists of hunters and horticulturists who frequently move to new areas when the soil becomes exhausted. More than half of the Yanomami live within the Amazon forest while some live along the major rivers. Similar to their living conditions, the Yanomamo also follow different rituals and beliefs. Their religious beliefs are also based on the principles of animism. They believe that the forests entail a spiritual existence along with its other uses of food and plants etc (Yanomamo, Varying Adaptations of Foraging Horticulturalists, Web). One of the main cultural practices followed by the Yanomami is Polygny which is the most common form of polygamy. Polygny is a practice in which a man has more than one wife at the same time. In the Yanomamo society, arranged marriages are common and the marriage is often based on survival and other economic factors. The men are given a higher position or role and the women are treated as servants and properties of other members of the society. The female members of this community are not allowed to participate in most of the activities but the preparation is done by the females themselves.

Review paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Review paper - Essay Example Namely, another incident that was mentioned in Quiet Odyssey was the Russo-Japanese War. Coincidentally, many of the problems Lee faced as a young woman stemmed from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. As has been discussed in this course, obviously various aspects of history have affected and impacted how people react to others, not only in South Asia but in the United States. Of course, people cannot help but be influenced by their surroundings, however one must remember that this is not a carte-blanche excuse to remain uneducated about one’s circumstances and social location. In this course, it has been seen how failing to analyze one’s one social location can have adverse effects on the Other (which is usually, but not necessarily always, a person of color). Socioeconomically disadvantaged peoples are more likely to be discriminated against, have harder times finding jobs, and in general must struggle more than people from more affluent backgrounds, and this is no less true of Ms. Lee, who rose from an impoverished background in Pyongyang, Korea. Even if she had been Japanese, that by no means would excuse such rancorous behavior from people who didn’t even know a person’s particular circumstances or background. Secondarily, the fact that Ms. Lee was a woman made her a prime target because of the fact that women cannot defend themselves in ways that men can. For example, it is considered very rude to be loud and obnoxious in Asian culture. In American culture, loudness and rudeness are allowed, and one might even venture to say such behavior is encouraged. Another token of Asian culture is the concept of respect. This is absent in American culture—which tends to encourage forthrightness and the expression of one’s opinion, regardless of whether one is correct or not. Then there are the immigrants like Ms. Lee and her family, who came to America in search of a better life where their family name

Comm page 383 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comm page 383 - Essay Example no longer making profits; thus, they cannot sustain a massive workforce, and unfortunately, there seem to be no chance of the situation improving anytime soon, as the president of the company Bob Hastings, â€Å"I ain’t running a charity, and frankly I can’t say chances are good these folks are going to get their jobs back.† Looking for a good job is another work in itself. Besides many people lining up for an interview for that same job, the pay is peanuts. For example, the supermarket packing job that Schwartz went for an interview pays $8.5 while at his previous job he was paid $12.50. Moreover, despite having the required qualifications, the job seekers feel like they are begging to be employed rather than deserving to be employed. A Schwartz puts it, â€Å"I always feel like I am begging†¦..Asking for favors† . Nevertheless, he expresses hope that the economy might change soon, and the likes of him will be able to secure a job and take care of their

Cultural Practices in Yanomamo Culture Research Paper

Cultural Practices in Yanomamo Culture - Research Paper Example This tribe did not have any contact with the outside world until the 1950s before which they lived in complete isolation. They were able to adapt themselves to their environment through means of cultural adaptation by following their cultural standards and practices (Trachoma among the Yanomami, Web). The Yanomamo tribe consists of hunters and horticulturists who frequently move to new areas when the soil becomes exhausted. More than half of the Yanomami live within the Amazon forest while some live along the major rivers. Similar to their living conditions, the Yanomamo also follow different rituals and beliefs. Their religious beliefs are also based on the principles of animism. They believe that the forests entail a spiritual existence along with its other uses of food and plants etc (Yanomamo, Varying Adaptations of Foraging Horticulturalists, Web). One of the main cultural practices followed by the Yanomami is Polygny which is the most common form of polygamy. Polygny is a practice in which a man has more than one wife at the same time. In the Yanomamo society, arranged marriages are common and the marriage is often based on survival and other economic factors. The men are given a higher position or role and the women are treated as servants and properties of other members of the society. The female members of this community are not allowed to participate in most of the activities but the preparation is done by the females themselves.

Comm page 383 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comm page 383 - Essay Example no longer making profits; thus, they cannot sustain a massive workforce, and unfortunately, there seem to be no chance of the situation improving anytime soon, as the president of the company Bob Hastings, â€Å"I ain’t running a charity, and frankly I can’t say chances are good these folks are going to get their jobs back.† Looking for a good job is another work in itself. Besides many people lining up for an interview for that same job, the pay is peanuts. For example, the supermarket packing job that Schwartz went for an interview pays $8.5 while at his previous job he was paid $12.50. Moreover, despite having the required qualifications, the job seekers feel like they are begging to be employed rather than deserving to be employed. A Schwartz puts it, â€Å"I always feel like I am begging†¦..Asking for favors† . Nevertheless, he expresses hope that the economy might change soon, and the likes of him will be able to secure a job and take care of their

Critical Essay on ‘Follower’ Essay Example for Free

Critical Essay on ‘Follower’ Essay A poem which explores the problems of growing older is the poem ‘Follower’ by Seamus Heaney. This poem is about Heaney’s childhood memories of his father working on the farm ploughing the land. Heaney talks very highly of his father and creates the impression of a very strong man who was an expert at what he done and a man who was his son’s hero. It also talks about how Heaney used to follow his dad around as he worked and how he dreamed of growing up and ploughing like his dad. However, there is a twist at the end of the poem and Heaney goes from talking about how he was an annoyance to his dad when he was younger but now his dad is the annoyance to him as he is now old. In the first stanza, Heaney talks about his father and his work. He is talking very highly of his father and says, â€Å"The horses strained at his clicking tongue† This quote shows how his father was a man who was extremely good at his work as it shows how his father could control numerous strong farm animals perfectly and with ease just by clicking his tongue, a very hard thing to do using reasonable force never mind just by a simple gesture such of the click of his tongue. The image the reader gathers from this quote goes well with the image of a strong, well-built man that we get when Heaney writes, â€Å"His shoulders globed like a full sail strung† These two quotes together give a very good impression of Heaney’s dad. Together they give the impression that his dad was a very heroic figure to him and that he aspired to be like him. It gives the image of the perfect male, a strong, graceful man that was an expert at his profession and that was an idol to his son. However, these hero-like images of his father when he was younger are dismissed later on in the poem when Heaney writes about how his dad is no longer the big strong man that is an idol to younger males but the complete opposite, someone who is annoying and in the way of him rather than being someone who he looks up to, follows around and aspires to be. These positive quotes of the young strong man and the negative image created by the last stanza go hand in hand to show the problems of growing older. The same kind of idea of the negative points of growing older are continued in to the second stanza when Heaney continues to talk about how his dad was so much of an idol to him and how his dad was someone to be looked up to and to aspire to be like when he was younger and in his prime in this stanza. This time Heaney says, â€Å"An expert. He would set the wing† This is a very powerful line. The short sentence of only two words to start off the stanza is very effective as it gives the impression that his father wasn’t only very good at his job but he was an expert, he was the best. This is once again showing how his father was so much of an idol to him and that he was a very respectable stereotypical perfect father when he was younger as it shows how good his father was at his job. The second part of the line shows that his father knew exactly what he was doing and gives us the impression that his father took his job very seriously and that he was very precise and concentrated when doing anything in his job such as setting the wing. The idea of his dad being so good at his job and being able to do it with ease is continued when Heaney writes, â€Å"The sod rolled over without breaking. At the headrig, with a single pluck† The quotes ‘without breaking’ and ‘with a single pluck’ reinforce the idea that his dad was an ‘expert’ at his job as they show that he could do hard work with ease and that he knew exactly what he was doing and that he could do it perfectly if he could turn soil without it even breaking and control his animals with a ‘single pluck‘. Once again it is the negative image of his father given in the last stanza as he is older that shows the negative effects of growing older as it is so different from the image you gather from the first two stanzas alone about how good his father was at his job and how strong his father was and how much of an idol his father was to him when he was younger. The image of his father being so strong and good at his job in his youth is continued throughout the next three stanzas. The idea of him being an expert and being someone to look up to who was strong and almost perfect is continued through the continued use of quotes such as, â€Å"the sweating team† This shows that the work was not easy. If the team of strong farm horses that where doing the job were sweating and tired you could only imagine how much sweat and effort Heaney’s father would have to put in to the work. It then continues to talk about his expertise in the job as it says things such as, â€Å"Narrowed and angled at the ground, Mapping the furrow exactly.† The first line shows how his father took his work very seriously and that he was very precise in what he done and that he made sure he done it to a good standard therefore he had to concentrate greatly on what he was doing. The second line also reinstates the fact that he was an expert at his work as it shows how he mapped the furrow in his head and made sure it was exact once again showing that he took it very seriously and had pride in his work. Heaney then goes on to write, â€Å"Sometimes he rode me on his back† This gives the impression that his father was the ultimate as he has talked about how hard his work was when he wrote about the ‘sweating team’ and he was talked about how much effort and concentration that he had to put in to his work but he says how he still even managed to carry his little son on his back while he did all of this. Something that would make the work even more harder and longer and would make it harder to concentrate but he still did it. However, all these quotes can be compared to the last three or so lines that show the real problems of growing older. Althought he had listed all of these positive things and even said how he literally followed in his fathers footsteps all day, he finishes of the poem by saying, â€Å"But today It is my father who keeps stumbling Behind me, and will not go away.† This really highlights the problem of growing older as it shows how people can just disregard someone when they get old regardless of what they thought of them when they were younger. Although Heaney had idolised his dad when he was young and wanted to be exactly like him and used to stumble behind his father and annoy him, now that it is Heaney in the position of having his father stumbling behind him and relying on him, Heaney doesn’t even want to know him. This is actually quite a sad ending to the poem as it really does highlight the problems of growing older as it shows how it seems that once you are older and start relying on those younger than you who once relied in you they don’t want to know you. So, as you can see, the author, Seamus Heaney has been very successful at exploring the problems of growing older in his poem ‘Follower’. Heaney does this by writing the vast majority of the poem about positive points about his dad when he was younger making him out to be a hero but then introducing a cruel twist in the last stanza about how even though he once idolised his dad and relied on him now that his dad relies on Heaney, he doesn’t want to know him.

China Social Classes

China Social Classes The social class structure of China has a long history, ranging from the feudal society of imperial times to the industrialising and urbanising society of today. The traditional Chinese social structure was distinct in many ways from the Western societies. Not only has the Peoples Republic by far the largest population ruled by a single government, and has lacked an institutional church or otherwise powerful religious elite, it has also always had a unique and highly developed lineage system operating alongside a centralised bureaucratic political structure. The former disparities have led Whyte et al (1977) to conclude that modern processes of social change would proceed differently from both the West and other developing economies. The main aim of this essay is to describe and account for the changes in Chinas social classes since 1949. It is important, however, to firstly define this term so that a clear distinction of the social groups within the Chinese society can be drawn. It will become apparent, that not only have the changes for the various classes been vast, but also that the Maoist government had been hugely occupied with stratifying their people as a means to abolish the class structure to ultimately reach an egalitarian society. The principal line of reasoning of this paper is that these conflicting events have created the greatest divide amongst Chinese society, i.e. between the rural and the urban population, whose consequences are still omnipresent today more than thirty years after Maos death. â€Å"Class, at its core, is an economic concept; it is the position of individuals in the market that determines their class position. And it is how one is situated in the marketplace that directly affects ones life chances.† (Hurst, 2007) This was theorized by Weber in his three-component theory of stratification which includes wealth, prestige and power on the basis of unequal access to material resources.† (Weber, 1964). One of the most prominent Chinese sociologists and author of Xiangtu Zhonguo, Fei Xiaotong, argues that Chinese society consists of a meticulous ranking of people, who are classified according to distinct categories of social relationships. While western societies are made up of an organisational mode of association (tuantigeju), Chinese society is created by applying logic of chaxugeju, i.e. an egocentric system of social networks linking people together in multiple ways through moral demands on each person in a specific context. As such, Fei argues, China should not be viewed as a class-based but a net-work based system. This notion is a harsh contrast to the Marxist interpretation and to the use of class-analysis that Mao and others applied in an attempt to change Chinese society and to mobilise the peasantry, rather than as a way to understand it. Maos idea was to use Marxism to break through the old relational bonds of society, which he labelled feudalistic, and to create new ca tegories for rebuilding the social order. Much of the difficulties in understanding the Chinese concept of class stems from the tumult within the society it is intended to analyse. As Kraus (1981) notes first revolution, then rapid industrialisation have compressed a broad range of radical social changes within a single generation. And most of all, â€Å"changing Chinese approaches to the class system of the PRC are themselves elements in the social conflict which they prescribe, illuminate and obscure† (ibid). The Party had a great interest in class analysis, which was purely strategic, never academic. Maos 1926 essay â€Å"the Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society† opens with the question â€Å"Who are our enemies? Who are our friends?† (Selected Works of Mao Tse-Tung, 1967). In order to reach one day the desired egalitarian society that Marx had proposed for the future the party had to specify the social order of the present time and of each individual c itizen. That way, potential support could be identified and mobilised, the enemies isolated and the intermediate classes be persuaded to join sides with the revolutionaries. In an attempt to identify the people who should receive benefits and those who should lose them, the Party applied a complex system of over sixty class designations which ranged from categories that were clearly bad such as capitalists and landlords, through to intermediate designations of petty bourgeoisie and middle peasant, to the workers and poor peasants in whose name the revolution had been made.1 The unfamiliarity of the ordinary people and many cadres with the Marxist notion of class categories led Mao to demand the press to publish the categories in newspapers so that all persons could understand the significance of their new class designations. Since the revolution was based in rural areas, the semi-feudal set of class designations was more elaborate than others. Kraus (1981) suggests that the differen tiation of rural classes was complex both because of the wide-ranging relationships which they encompassed and because of the Partys experience with them. It is for this reason that the designation of strata within classes was particularly rich, including e.g. hired agricultural labourer, poor peasant, middle peasant, rich peasant etc., while the varieties of landlords are even more impressive and contain a certain connotation, such as enlightened landlord, bankrupt, tyrannical, reactionary, hidden or overseas Chinese landlords. Although the Party worked systematically in applying the theories of Karl Marx in designating the different classes, and although Marxs theory of class has been subject to considerable controversy among academics and practicing revolutionaries, it is certain that Marx never understood class to be what twentieth-century western social science calls stratification. Unlike the latter, which is essentially a static concept, class is embedded in history, is dynamic and is centred upon the question of change. Dahrendorf (?) adds that, for Marx â€Å"the theory of class was not a theory of a cross section of society arrested in time but a tool for the explanation of changes in total societies.† Social Change under Mao: During empirical times prestige was generated from education, abstention from manual labour, wealth expended on the arts and education, as well as a large family with many sons and an extensive personal network. In summary, there was no sharp divide between the elite and masses, and social mobility was possible and common. Chinese society since the second decade of the twentieth century, has been the subject of a revolution intended to change it in fundamental ways. As the model shows, Chinese society now has a peasant class, a working class (which includes urban state workers and urban collective workers as well as urban non-state workers and peasant workers), a capitalist class (about 15 million), a cadre class (about 40 million and a quasi-cadre class (about 27 million). According to Li Yi the basic pattern of Chinese society was established by 1960, and all changes since then, including the economic reforms in the 1980s have only been modifications and adjustments to the pattern. Li describes this pattern as â€Å"cellular†, i.e. most people belong to one large, all-embracing unit such as a factory, government office of village. The main transformation of the society was carried out by the party during the 1950s in a series of major campaigns. Society was organised â€Å"vertical†, i.e. each individual and social group was put into a hierarchically organised system as opposed to belonging to social institutions that were organised horizontally by their members. On the macro-level one could find the pervasive system of the cerntralised buraucracy (xitong) which itself was organised according to the ‘branch (tiao) principle. The micro-level was represented by work-units (danwei), state-enterprises and rural collectives, which encompassed each individuals live comprehensively. As White (1993) notes, this â€Å"system of verticality has led to social encapsulation† , which means that individuals and groups were â€Å"encloistered† within their units and separated from other units at the same level. Cadres after 1950s: After 1949, the Communist Party cadres became the new upper class in China, with the revolutionaries ruling the country. Their status allowed them access to materials and options that werent fairly distributed or otherwise reachable. Especially housing, which was in great demand particularly in the larger cities, was easily accessible for cadres who were protected from the intense competition for the scarce living space. Countryside: When the communists came to power in the 1950s, the social hierarchy changed fundametally. The communist party held peasants and those people in esteem who had joined the communist revolution. In an attempt to reduce rural inequalities, resources were confiscated from the wealthy, and since wealth consisted primarily of agricultural land, the landlord families were the target of harsh punishment campaigns. Many of the latter as well as educated elites lost their land and other properties and many were executed in retribution for the exploitation of tenant farmers. From 1951 one, the initial land reform redistributed the confiscated land equally and foremostly to those families who didnt own any for them to farm privately. In 1953, however, a series of reformes were implemented in which the government began taking back this land, designating it as community property. â€Å"Families were required to work larger plots of land collectively, in groups of twenty to forty households† (bookrags.com, 2008) and the harvest was split between the government and the collective. At the same time, local governments took over commerce, shops, markets and other forms of private trade and replaced them by supply and marketing cooperatives and the commercial bureaus of the local governments. Thus, instead of using the farmed produce for themselves and instead of selling of the surplus on local markets, individuals were â€Å"paid† for their efforts in points by the newly established supply cooperatives, which then periodically traded the grain for money. On the whole, the size of the unit was increased and the role of private ownership as well as inherited land was decreased. By the early 1960s, an estimated 90 million family farms had been replaced by about 74,000 communes. Maos overall vision was to capitalise on the sheer number of peasants and effecitvely produce a surplus harvest that would help industralisation. This was known as the Great Leap forward, which is now widely regarded as a failure since it had resulted in the death of more than twenty million peasants. Urban life after 1950: At the same time as the land reforms were implemented in rural areas, large industries and in fact virtually all privately owned business were nationalised in the cities and craft enterprises and guilds were reorganised into large-scale cooperatives which became the branches of the local governments. Just as farmers were put into communes, state workers were placed in large work units called danweis. In an effort to ensure full employment, market competition in these firms was eliminated. People leaving school were assigned jobs bureaucratically, and once matched a job, employees could not quit voluntarily. But they could not be fired either, and thus had a job guaranteed in the same company for life with their children inheriting their position. In fact, there did not exists such a word as ‘unemploment in the Chinese language, according to the idea that there exist no unemployment in socialist countries, only individuals â€Å"waiting for work† (Imamura, 2003). Mobility within the danwei mostly only consisted of gaining administrative promotions. Since most of the alternative routes to social mobility were closed off, formal education continued to be the primary avenue of upward mobility. But since the urban education reform grew at a rate much faster than in rural areas, more and more workers were high school graduates. The slowing of state industries and the increasing number of qualified middle class candidates contributed to the fact that it became increasingly difficult to obtain a position as a state worker. Hence, urban youths not selected for further eduaction and those looking for work were often sent to rural areas to work in agriculture. This flow has been increased by more intensive mobilisation and a new law was passed that demanded secondary school graduates to work in agriculture for at least to years before becoming eligible for further schooling. In this mode, a total of 12 million urban youths were moved to the countryside betwee n 1968 and 1975 (Whyte et al, 1977). These large transfers of urban people to rural areas were made possible by the state monopoly over employment and urban housing, by the hukou registration and rationing, and by the impressive political network that had alrady been established in all neighbourhoods. On the whole, one can say that this rural settlement has been accomplished by social pressure rather than by incentives to move. It is debatable whether this massive programm of population transfers was intended primarily to â€Å"avoid having large numbers of ‘unemployed people living in cities parasitically† (Bernstein, 1977), or whether this was meant to be part of a more positive effort to close the rural-urban gap by supplying villages with well-educated and more scientifically sophisticated personnel. Urban inequalities were further reduced through salary compression in firms. Differences in the salary paid for high-skill, high-prestige occupations such as doctors and other professionals, and blue-collar work such as unskilled factory employees was decreased dramatically. Efforts were also maid to downplay the social importance of the former and to increase the prestige of the latter. Ever concerned about economic inequalities, the government also appropriated wealth and abolished labout markets in urban areas. Privately owned housing was seized and subdivided into much smaller living spaces. Effectively, families could rent apartments but never purchase them, which abolished a key element in wealth inequalities because properties could not be perpetuated from generation to generation any longer. Communist overall: position? It is readily distinguishable that communism has brought about far-reaching changes in China with the rural population having to adjust to the shifting ideological currents. Traditionally, the average citizen, and especially the more than eighty percent rural population, had little or nothing to do with the central of local government. Most peasants lives were centred on their home village or township, while the family was the main unit of economic production and social activity. The Maoist revolution, however, injected the Communist party into every sphere of rural and urban life and every institution of society. Thus, for the average Chinese citizen, whether rural or urban, Communism has brought about an almost intrusive role of governmental element into the daily life and embedded itself in the operations of all significant facets of the economy and society. The formerly local, small-scale and fragmented power structure was replaced by a national and well-integrated bureaucratic s ystem. The unpredictable consequences of market forces were replaced by administrative allocation and changing economic polices enforced by the government. Rural-Urban-Divide Marx did, moreover, make out the elimination of the distinction between city and countryside as one of the major goals of the future Communist society. In the 1950s, however, and ironically enough in light of Marxist pretensions the Party drove a wedge between rural and urban areas that was novel in Chinese history. Solinger (1999) explains that its chief purpose was to lock onto the land a potential underclass, ready to be exploited to fulfill the new states cherished project of industrialisation. The party used administrative orders and resource controls to isolate the urban population, not just geographically but socially as well. Although Marx had predicted that only capitalist states would do so, the party hoped to be to be able to draw upon the peasantry as an industrial reserve army. The Hukou-System By the 1960s the Chinese government had implemented their policy of household registration which was different from anything that had previously existed both in China and in the rest of the socialist world. The aim of the hukou system was to avoid over-urbanisation, to make distribution of state services through the work units and communes easter and to better prepare the population for a possible invastion by the Sovjet Union. It eliminated geographical mobility entirely since it â€Å"fixed people permanently on the basis of their birth place or their husbands residence† (Cheng and Selden, the City) and thus made it illegal to migrate from the countryside into cities.Accordingly, all persons were required to register their place of residence officially, with records maintained by the public security office of the higher agricultural cooperative in the countryside and in the neighborhood in cities. From then on, residence status became an ascribed, inherited one, which determ ined an individuals entire livelihood and welfare based on the location of the registration. Since rations of grain, cloth and other needed articles were tied to ones hukou, individuals living in urban areas without permission had to live off friends, relatives or the black market. Although a class system in the usual sense was abolished, a new set of categories, if not precisely a new class system supplanted the dismantled class hierarchy of the past. There were 6 different levels of ranks, in descending order: peasants, non-peasants, city and town residents, urbanities, those in large cities, and those in cities directly administered by the central government. â€Å"Just after liberation, peasant households did not fell lower rank (diren yideng) and urban ones did not feel higher Later, a great difference in interest came from the differences in where one lived†¦ A ranking structure was gradually established with the peasant household at the lowest level.† (Ging, Zhongguo xianxing). Therefore, one can conclude that the hukou system did actually set up a new class distinctions between the rural and urban populace. This understanding of class draws upon Honigs work on the ethnicity of native place in China, in which she offers the rich insight that native-place identity, and thus the urban-versus-rural-identity can well serve as â€Å"a metaphor for class† (Honig, Creating Chinese Ethnicity). The boundaries placed around the rural population as a whole rendered the peasantry as a separate, inferior class or status group in comparison to urban residents. Because the generic peasant was not legally prohibited from migrating, when the Hukou was destroyed in (?), migration took on a totally state-determined and ‘class-based dimension. As Kraus rightly states, â€Å"the CCP first set boundaries around peasants, marking them off as a separate, ascribed status group almost a pariah class and then barring them from entering urban areas.† Or if they did enter, it was never as citizens, but as subjects, who were not supported with the rationed food or access to welfare services. When peasants and semi-peasants entered the city, the often felt comparatively deprived by the tightly locked city walls. Whereas everyone was poor in the country side, differences in wealth were readily obvious after entering the city. Impact of Economic Reform on Chinese Society On the eve of reform, the structure of Chinese civil society was similar to a typical less-developed country of the third world, despite Maos efforts to make certain industrial and technological advancements, which were most notable in the nuclear armaments sector. As Chinese social statistical data (Zhongguo shehui tongji ziliao) states, in 1978 eightytwo percent of the population were rural, 71% of the countrys labour force worked in agriculture or related activites, 93.3% worked in manual labour as opposed to mental ones and the private sector was negligible so that the main destinction was between state and collective sectors. The vast majority of the people, i.e. 76% worked in rural collectives, and only 5.1% in urban collectives. 18.6 % of the people worked for state enterprises. White (1993) concludes, that this institutional devide reinforced the rural-urban distintion because levels of income and conditions of work were generally superior in state firms. Since the rise of ot her classes such as self-employed or private entrepreneurs was prohibited, Chinas social structure on the eve of reform was relatively homogenous. According to White, the ‘official structure only contained two classes (workers and peasants) and one stratum (intelligentsia). In an attempt to further homogenise the members of each social group, uniform conditions of work were imposed upon them and the emergence of internal differences limited. The economic reforms, on the whole, have affected the specific social classes in different ways and have led to changes in the existing groups and have even led to the rise of new ones. This has created a new political environment which may affect the fundamental credibility of the communist regime and may influence the policy process in the future. The main impact of the reforms on society can be described as its shift â€Å"away from the state and its ancillary agencies† (ibid) towards individuals, households, firms and groups. The change in the relationship between the state and society has brought about an uneven redistribution of economic power for the latter and this dispersion of greater social power has opened up the potential for a new social sphrere with greater social autonomy from the state. One can possible observe the shoots of an incipient civil society which also brings about crucial implications for Chinas long-term political future. These shifts were part of a broader process of rapid social differentiation. Chinese social structure has become more complex both in terms of structure and attitudes because the existing classes have itself become more internally complex due to diversification in the different economic sectors, in the forms of ownership and the levels of income. Some of the new classes and strata that have emerged are: The nuveau-riche peasant, who have made money quickly in recent years through specialised agricultural production or diversification into the local industries, trade and services. (see Song article); Private entrepreneurs in the cities, who have accumulated small fortunes through personal initiatives, specialised skills or good guanxi-networks; A growing number of entrepreneurial managers in state-owned enterprises who are well attuned to the spreading logic of market competition. Moreover, Chinese society has become more fluid and dynamic again and there has been a rapid increase in horizontal mobility within the countryside, between urban and rural areas and between regions. Conclusion: The political apparatus used to destroy the old inequalities has itself given rise to a new set of social distinctions. Political power has been employed to transform Chinese society but it seems that the Party changed society faster than it has been able to modify its comprehension of a dynamic social structure. As Wallerstein concludes, â€Å"classes do not have some permanent reality. Rather, they are formed, they consolidate themselves, they disintegrate or disaggregate, and are reformed. It is a process of constant movement, and the greatest barrier to understanding their action is reification.† In the capitalist society movement between classes is a possibility. Hence the use of the term â€Å"The American Dream† to show the ability of people to ascend to a higher class through hard work and ingenuity. â€Å"Class composition is forever changing, to the point where there may be a completely new set of families.† (Schumpeter, 165) Furthermore, Chinas leaders wanted to change some aspects that were found in the traditional society such as the content of education and rural tenure, but they left other aspects, e.g. the family structure, largely untouched. In the villages the army offered the only reasonable alternative to a lifetime spent in the fields, and in fact, demobilised soldiers staffed much of the local administrative structure in rural areas. Systematic attempt by the regime to contain society within a limited number of categories. 1 see handout about social classes References: Hurst, Charles E. (2007). Social Inequality Forms, Causes, and Consequences Sixth Edition. Allyn and Bacon Boston, MA. Weber, Max. (1964). The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. edited by Talcott Parsons. New York, NY: The Free Press Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung, Beijing: Foreign Language Press, 1967, 1:13 (Wallerstein, I. (1975) ‘Class-Formation in the Capitalist World-Economy, Politics and Society, Volume 5(3) p. 369) White, G. (1993), Riding the Tiger The Politics of Economic Reform in Post-Mao China. London: Macmillan. http://www.bookrags.com/research/social-stratificationchina-ema-05/ as at 3rd. April 2008. Imamura, H. (2003) ‘Unemployment Problems and Unemployment Insurance in China Far Eastern Studies Vol.2 (March), pp.45-67. Whyte, M.K., Vogel, E.F., and Parish, W.L. (1977) ‘Social Structure of World Regions: Mainland China Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 3, pp. 179-207. Bernstein, T. (1977) The Transfer of Urban Youth to the Countryside: Revolutionary Change in China. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press. Zhongguo shehui tongji ziliao (ZGSHTJZL; China Social Statistical Data

The Many Benefits of Section Nine :: Sports Athletes Essays

The Many Benefits of Section Nine Section Nine affects all women, not just athletes or children young enough to benefit from equalized funding. Women of all ages, all traditions, and cultures, even/especially the older generations who are being confronted with the changing image of the woman as projected through their grandchildren and children who are benefiting and changing in correlation to section nine. This is seen in all the movies we've watched this semester, and I assume is experienced in most homes and families with young woman. The value system held by the older generation is being met full on by new values, and as Jessie mentions in Bend it Like Beckam, the closer she gets to being who she is now allowed to be, the further she gets from who her family expects and knows her to be. It's not just sports or the new generation benefiting from section nine that is changing; everything is required to change to adopt this modern woman into the family structure. The first group most affected by the new young woman of today would be the older woman of yesterday. Family conflict concerning mothers and daughters in relation to sports was a theme throughout the films. In Love and Basketball, Monica and her mother finally have a confrontation, and her mother admits she gave up her dreams for her husband, children, and their house, but she also declares she would do again, that her family and their happiness became her purpose, and she wouldn't give that up. This notion of the family as the female sphere repeats especially in Bend it Like Beckham. The woman of the family seem to have a spy network of gossiping older women who actually make it their duty in life to learn about and derail inappropriate female behavior. Unfortunately for Jessie, this includes sports (or anything with her legs showing). Her mother teaches her to make a meal, and insists she learn other "wife" activities involving the home, but as with Monica, this casting of the old o n the new never quite takes because of a complete difference in cultural upbringing and its significance for women. At the end of both these movies, all the women essentially compromise. Monica's mother admired the "fight" in Monica, and she tells her to try for Q. Jessie learns to cook and play soccer, and the older women of the neighborhood become more lenient (although it does take the father, symbol of the patriarchy, to get the women to accept Jessie and her goals).

Musicians have a responsibility to serve as role models to our youth :: Music

Musicians have a responsibility to serve as role models to our youth I strongly disagree with this statement because music artists have the right to express what ever subject they wish. Musicians do have to serve as role models to our youth through their actions, if that is their target market, but they do not have to take any responsibility what so ever for what teenagers choose to listen to or the actions they choose to take because of artists lyrics. The lyrics in many musicians? songs, especially ?rap? music should not be taken seriously, because a number of music artists have said that the lyrics in their songs are not meant to be taken seriously. Many rap artists use extremely exaggerated and profound lyrics (which are not to be taken seriously) to portray a message. There has been much debate over whether musicians should be banned from releasing music with explicit lyrics, especially by parents. Ozzie Osbourne has been taken to court on three occasions because of parents that accused him of influencing their sons? actions due to the explicit lyrics in his songs. Each of the boys had committed suicide, and on all three occasions parents believed that Ozzie Osbourn?s lyrics contributed to, or were the main cause of their sons? unfortunate deaths. But in all three court cases Ozzie Osbourne was not held accountable for the actions of the parents children, because music artists are allowed to express themselves freely. Even though all musicians have the right of ?freedom of speech? there is warning stickers on all CD?s such as ?Explicit content MA 15+? or ?High Course Language? etc. These labels help differentiate music with explicit lyrics/content from music that has no explicit content. The labels warn all parents that if their child or teenager is under the age of 16, that this music may not be suitable for them to listen to.