Guests of the Sheik

Ethnocentrism: The Cultural Differences between Western and Middle Eastern Cultures Through its ethnocentric tales and family based beliefs, Elizabeth Warnock Fernea’s Guests of the Sheik suggests that to find the true representation of Islamic culture, one must leave ethnocentrism behind. Not only will we discuss ethnocentrism and the cultural differences between Western and Middle Eastern societies, we will also take a look at the women of El Nahra and family within the differing societies. Fernea entered El Nahra naive to the culture.However, was an innocent bystander, she became indignant because of the reference of wearing the abayah, â€Å" because she viewed the â€Å"abayah† as not being a part of her culture and did not have to wear it, â€Å"Why should I have to wear that ugly thing–it’s not my custom† (1965: 5). However, through her stay in the small Iraqi village, she gained cultural insight to be passed on about not only El Nahra, but to all foreign culture. As Elizabeth entered the Sheik’s village, she was viewed with a critical eye, â€Å"It seemed to me that many times the women were talking about me, and not in a particularly friendly manner† (1965: 70).The women of El Nahra could not understand why Elizabeth was not with her entire family, and why it was just her and her husband Bob: â€Å"Where is your mother? Kulthma asked. I told her she was in America far away, and when Selma repeated this in a better accent, the women clucked in sympathy. Poor girl, they said. Poor child. To be alone without any of one’s womenfolk was clearly the greatest disaster which could befall any girl† (1965:36). The women did not recognize her American lifestyle as accurate.This is not only ethnocentrism on the part of the El Nahran women because of their belief system that you are suppose to have your parents living with you or near you but American’s do not see this as a bad thing to live far from ones parents. Conversely, Elizabeth–BJ or Beeja, as named by the village and Bob did not view the El Nahra lifestyle as particularly proper either. They were viewing each other through their own cultural lenses. However, through their constant interaction, both sides began to recognize some benefits each culture possessed.It takes time when you are immersed in a particular community to understand the cultural ethos and eventually the community as a whole. Through Elizabeth Fernea’s ethnography on Iraq’s El Nahra village, we learn that all cultures have unique and equally important aspects. In El Nahra, for example, the cultural ethos is family honor. The actions of the community are based on the solid family bonds that exist throughout. However, individualism drives the majority of America. Our actions seem to be a direct result of the cultural ethos.In this, lied much of the uncertainty between Bob, BJ and the El Nahran people. In America, we spend a grea t deal of the time away from home and our families and completing tasks that will further the success of the individual. Generally, Americans are willing to sacrifice a lot of their family solidity for individual success. A sacrifice of this magnitude would be unheard of in a community such as El Nahra. Their relationships, both marriage and friendship are based on their family, and no one seems to know any other lifestyle. Marriages in El Nahra were, for the large majority, predetermined.This tradition in America would be strongly questioned and completely disregarded, based on the cultural ethos of individualism. Americans put a large emphasis on courting their own spouse. However, based on El Nahra’s cultural ethos of family honor, the people trusted their family unit to make quality choices for them. Obviously, from an American perspective, a women’s freedom of choice in this facet of El Nahran culture is lacking. However, viewing marriage cross-culturally, their p riorities as a tribe and culture are different and we cannot view them through American eyes.We should understand that family is the most important feature of each of their lives, and the preservation of the family line is of the utmost priority to them. In El Nahra, it may have seemed to Beeja that women have no power in their society. However, power may have multiple meanings as one travels from culture to culture. In America, a woman may view power in terms being able to obtain and maintain a stable, high-paying job on her own. We may also view a woman of no power as one without a job, simply satisfied being a common housewife. However, in El Nahra, as Beeja finds out, the women have more power as housewives.Their power comes from their ability to please their husband, and it is known, who were the preferred wives. As a favored wife, bearing children gives the woman power in her community amongst both women and men. â€Å"A typical well-respected wife would have served and respe cted her husband, worked hard, kept herself beautiful for him, made him laugh, and of course borne him sons (1965:169). They also obtain their power and respect from their capability to do what American women may consider to be menial chores. Preparation of meals and the cleanliness of ones home are essential to how a woman is viewed in El Nahra.When the sheik visited BJ and Bob’s home, BJ experienced this concept of power first hand. To make a good impression and understand the customs better, she had her servant Mohammed helped with Sheik Hamid’s feast. â€Å"Then Mohammed and I dished up the food, the chicken, the kebab, the meat dishes, the vegetables and salad and yogurt†, (1965:96). â€Å"We piled the platters, twelve of them, onto the tray. Mohammed mopped his brow, readjusted his headdress, then lifted the heavy, steaming tray to his shoulder and set out for the other room†, (1965:97).These feasts are very imperative to the reputation of a woman i n El Nahra. There are benefits to being a woman in El Nahra. Many women in American communities do not have the opportunity to experience the support and close bond between other women in their community. In America, it is hard for women to find enough time to spend with other women in the same manner as the women of El Nahra. The lifestyle is slower paced, and the importance is more on relationships instead of money and individualism, as in America. These close groups of women are a result of purdah, the veiling and seclusion of women. They say an uncovered woman is an immoral woman,† Bob explained, â€Å"and the tribesmen ask why a woman should want to show herself to anyone but her husband†, (1965:6). Predictably, Americans would perceive this behavior as degrading, while El Nahran women identify with it as a part of life. El Nahran women do not view it as degrading; rather, from BJ’s many interactions with the women of the community, they recognize it makes t hem stronger. The time they spend together is precious. They all gather together in a seemingly jovial atmosphere.Most American women never get to experience that kind of bonding with such a large group of women. Granted, American women some times gather for tea parties to catch up with each others lives, but the women of El Nahra are in constant daily contact, and already know each others lives inside and out. The bonds that the women make are unique outlooks of El Nahran culture that make it equally as important as any other culture in the world. El Nahran women have many unique and important aspects of culture, which contribute to a healthy lifestyle.These aspects are unique to their village and create a positive environment for them to live. However, members of foreign cultures may disagree. At that point, people must understand that cultures can be equally as productive and beneficial no matter the means they use to achieve their particular goals. Elizabeth Fernea conducted her self as a respectful and somewhat open individual within the Iraqi community, she accepted the change of culture in which she was not accustomed and experienced the concept of Iraqi culture.I believe Elizabeth started out with strong ethnocentric views: â€Å"Thus, although I balked at wearing an all-enveloping black abayah, I had elected to live like the women of El Nahra-in relative seclusion behind walls, not meeting or mixing with me† (1965:5), but left with a more opened mind and respect for different cultures, especially the Middle East culture: â€Å"when I came to Selma, heavy and clumsy with the child she was carrying, she smiled politely in a set way and then as I smiled back, her face changed and she threw her arms around me and cried aloud.At this my own reserve broke and I found myself weeping, passing from one abayah-clad figure to another in a welter of embraces and tears†, â€Å"they were bidding me goodbye† (1965:331). This shows how Elizabeth s tarted ethnocentric coming to El Nahra, but her interactions with the women of El Nahra mad her more culturally relative to the Iraqi culture of El Nahra. Guests of the Sheik Ethnocentrism: The Cultural Differences between Western and Middle Eastern Cultures Through its ethnocentric tales and family based beliefs, Elizabeth Warnock Fernea’s Guests of the Sheik suggests that to find the true representation of Islamic culture, one must leave ethnocentrism behind. Not only will we discuss ethnocentrism and the cultural differences between Western and Middle Eastern societies, we will also take a look at the women of El Nahra and family within the differing societies. Fernea entered El Nahra naive to the culture.However, was an innocent bystander, she became indignant because of the reference of wearing the abayah, â€Å" because she viewed the â€Å"abayah† as not being a part of her culture and did not have to wear it, â€Å"Why should I have to wear that ugly thing–it’s not my custom† (1965: 5). However, through her stay in the small Iraqi village, she gained cultural insight to be passed on about not only El Nahra, but to all foreign culture. As Elizabeth entered the Sheik’s village, she was viewed with a critical eye, â€Å"It seemed to me that many times the women were talking about me, and not in a particularly friendly manner† (1965: 70).The women of El Nahra could not understand why Elizabeth was not with her entire family, and why it was just her and her husband Bob: â€Å"Where is your mother? Kulthma asked. I told her she was in America far away, and when Selma repeated this in a better accent, the women clucked in sympathy. Poor girl, they said. Poor child. To be alone without any of one’s womenfolk was clearly the greatest disaster which could befall any girl† (1965:36). The women did not recognize her American lifestyle as accurate.This is not only ethnocentrism on the part of the El Nahran women because of their belief system that you are suppose to have your parents living with you or near you but American’s do not see this as a bad thing to live far from ones parents. Conversely, Elizabeth–BJ or Beeja, as named by the village and Bob did not view the El Nahra lifestyle as particularly proper either. They were viewing each other through their own cultural lenses. However, through their constant interaction, both sides began to recognize some benefits each culture possessed.It takes time when you are immersed in a particular community to understand the cultural ethos and eventually the community as a whole. Through Elizabeth Fernea’s ethnography on Iraq’s El Nahra village, we learn that all cultures have unique and equally important aspects. In El Nahra, for example, the cultural ethos is family honor. The actions of the community are based on the solid family bonds that exist throughout. However, individualism drives the majority of America. Our actions seem to be a direct result of the cultural ethos.In this, lied much of the uncertainty between Bob, BJ and the El Nahran people. In America, we spend a grea t deal of the time away from home and our families and completing tasks that will further the success of the individual. Generally, Americans are willing to sacrifice a lot of their family solidity for individual success. A sacrifice of this magnitude would be unheard of in a community such as El Nahra. Their relationships, both marriage and friendship are based on their family, and no one seems to know any other lifestyle. Marriages in El Nahra were, for the large majority, predetermined.This tradition in America would be strongly questioned and completely disregarded, based on the cultural ethos of individualism. Americans put a large emphasis on courting their own spouse. However, based on El Nahra’s cultural ethos of family honor, the people trusted their family unit to make quality choices for them. Obviously, from an American perspective, a women’s freedom of choice in this facet of El Nahran culture is lacking. However, viewing marriage cross-culturally, their p riorities as a tribe and culture are different and we cannot view them through American eyes.We should understand that family is the most important feature of each of their lives, and the preservation of the family line is of the utmost priority to them. In El Nahra, it may have seemed to Beeja that women have no power in their society. However, power may have multiple meanings as one travels from culture to culture. In America, a woman may view power in terms being able to obtain and maintain a stable, high-paying job on her own. We may also view a woman of no power as one without a job, simply satisfied being a common housewife. However, in El Nahra, as Beeja finds out, the women have more power as housewives.Their power comes from their ability to please their husband, and it is known, who were the preferred wives. As a favored wife, bearing children gives the woman power in her community amongst both women and men. â€Å"A typical well-respected wife would have served and respe cted her husband, worked hard, kept herself beautiful for him, made him laugh, and of course borne him sons (1965:169). They also obtain their power and respect from their capability to do what American women may consider to be menial chores. Preparation of meals and the cleanliness of ones home are essential to how a woman is viewed in El Nahra.When the sheik visited BJ and Bob’s home, BJ experienced this concept of power first hand. To make a good impression and understand the customs better, she had her servant Mohammed helped with Sheik Hamid’s feast. â€Å"Then Mohammed and I dished up the food, the chicken, the kebab, the meat dishes, the vegetables and salad and yogurt†, (1965:96). â€Å"We piled the platters, twelve of them, onto the tray. Mohammed mopped his brow, readjusted his headdress, then lifted the heavy, steaming tray to his shoulder and set out for the other room†, (1965:97).These feasts are very imperative to the reputation of a woman i n El Nahra. There are benefits to being a woman in El Nahra. Many women in American communities do not have the opportunity to experience the support and close bond between other women in their community. In America, it is hard for women to find enough time to spend with other women in the same manner as the women of El Nahra. The lifestyle is slower paced, and the importance is more on relationships instead of money and individualism, as in America. These close groups of women are a result of purdah, the veiling and seclusion of women. They say an uncovered woman is an immoral woman,† Bob explained, â€Å"and the tribesmen ask why a woman should want to show herself to anyone but her husband†, (1965:6). Predictably, Americans would perceive this behavior as degrading, while El Nahran women identify with it as a part of life. El Nahran women do not view it as degrading; rather, from BJ’s many interactions with the women of the community, they recognize it makes t hem stronger. The time they spend together is precious. They all gather together in a seemingly jovial atmosphere.Most American women never get to experience that kind of bonding with such a large group of women. Granted, American women some times gather for tea parties to catch up with each others lives, but the women of El Nahra are in constant daily contact, and already know each others lives inside and out. The bonds that the women make are unique outlooks of El Nahran culture that make it equally as important as any other culture in the world. El Nahran women have many unique and important aspects of culture, which contribute to a healthy lifestyle.These aspects are unique to their village and create a positive environment for them to live. However, members of foreign cultures may disagree. At that point, people must understand that cultures can be equally as productive and beneficial no matter the means they use to achieve their particular goals. Elizabeth Fernea conducted her self as a respectful and somewhat open individual within the Iraqi community, she accepted the change of culture in which she was not accustomed and experienced the concept of Iraqi culture.I believe Elizabeth started out with strong ethnocentric views: â€Å"Thus, although I balked at wearing an all-enveloping black abayah, I had elected to live like the women of El Nahra-in relative seclusion behind walls, not meeting or mixing with me† (1965:5), but left with a more opened mind and respect for different cultures, especially the Middle East culture: â€Å"when I came to Selma, heavy and clumsy with the child she was carrying, she smiled politely in a set way and then as I smiled back, her face changed and she threw her arms around me and cried aloud.At this my own reserve broke and I found myself weeping, passing from one abayah-clad figure to another in a welter of embraces and tears†, â€Å"they were bidding me goodbye† (1965:331). This shows how Elizabeth s tarted ethnocentric coming to El Nahra, but her interactions with the women of El Nahra mad her more culturally relative to the Iraqi culture of El Nahra.

Discrimination Worksheet Essay

†¢ What is discrimination? How is discrimination different from prejudice and stereotyping? Discrimination is unfair treatment to different categories of people based on many things including race, religion, culture, orientation, and so on. Prejudice is, in my terms, judging someone without actually knowing anything about them. Stereotyping is very similar to prejudice but it is widely known groups that people are placed in like jock or nerd. Discrimination is different because you are acting on the hatred you have for people instead of just thinking about it. For example, it is the difference between thinking about killing someone and actually doing it. Discrimination is probably the most hurtful because you are being open about it to someone instead of thinking it to yourself. †¢ What are the causes of discrimination? Many things can cause discrimination. The main thing, I would say, is it is a learned behavior. This means these people who discriminate were probably raised to feel this way towards a certain group of people. What you learn growing up can stay with you for the rest of your life. Here you are a defenseless child who knows nothing but are told to hate a certain group of people, you are going to listen because you were raised to. Then, when you’re older, you will automatically discriminate against this group because you were told to. There is discrimination against people of other races because they have a different skin color which makes them â€Å"different.† There is discrimination against gay people because we don’t understand why they â€Å"choose† to be that way. These are just a couple examples of what causes discrimination. †¢ How is discrimination faced by one identity group (race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability) the same as discrimination faced by another? How are they different? I think discrimination is faced by all groups the same in one way, they are all getting treated unfairly because of their race, ethnicity, religion, etc. I don’t think there is a single person in life, even a white male, who has not experienced some form of discrimination in their lifetime. However, other than that one fact, I think everyone faces discrimination differently. People of different races deal with being called a lot of names. Also, people with different religions get made fun of for what they believe. Women receive a lot of negativity when they try to move up in a company because â€Å"the man† is supposed to. Gay men and women are frequently told they are going to Hell and God doesn’t approve. The funny this is, most gay people I know believe in God and go to church regularly! Discrimination is faced by many different groups in very different ways.

“The Last War” by Katherine Gallagher Essay

Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Tatsuya Shiihara, and today I will be presenting to you my interpretation of the poem â€Å"The Last War†, written by Australian poet, Katherine Gallagher. This poem expresses the feelings of the â€Å"winning† countries before, during and after the Second World War and the anticipation which the end of the war built. Born in 1935, in the town of Maldon, in Victoria; Gallagher went through the 2nd World War as a child, and as a result, experienced many adversities that came with it, such as fear of loved ones not coming home and rationing of food. I believe that this poem is unique in the way that it represents an important point of view on the ending of the 2nd World War, not just because it is Australian, but because it also conveys a form of acceptance and sorrow over the destruction caused by the atomic bombing on Japan. Gallagher uses many techniques, notably metaphors, to represent emotions felt by people, emphasising their despera tion when waiting for news in the line â€Å"Ears keyed to the wireless† and ‘Ghost Towns’, used to aid readers visualise the devastating situation, allowing for them to understand the ravages of the war. The final line, ‘the pit of ash beneath our tongues’, is a distinctive metaphor in that I believe it to not only represent the residue of atomic fires, but also the inescapable legacy that had been passed down, which is indisputably the objectionable usage of the devastating bomb. Symbolism also helps share Gallagher’s perspective on the war. The line â€Å"our teacher joining in† symbolises how even adults celebrated the event by having fun, something which they would not have been able to do for many years. This generates a sense of jubilance, and combined with Gallagher effectively positioning the reader as though they are actually in the situation themselves, World War 2 ended and celebrations everywhere, the reader can understand how joyous people were when the war was finally declared over. With the poem being written in first person, â€Å"we’ve won† and â€Å"The bomb entered our conversation†, Gallagher also uses personificatio n in the lines â€Å"The bomb entered our conversation, a stranger who refused to leave†, to clearly convey that the bomb is unwanted, a symbol of guilt and fear, by making it personal with the reader. Whilst this effectively reflects her personal attitudes towards the war, remorse and acceptance, the reader also starts to question their own attitude towards the war. However, it is the juxtaposition within the layers of the poem that most entices the reader’s attention. The sharp contrast between the cheerful and happy celebrations that the war was over, to the suddenly sombre tone that comes with the realisation of the deaths that were the price of war – combined with the existence of the atomic bomb which spreads fear. It effectively engineers turmoil within the reader. With no rhythm or rhyming scheme within the poem, the poem is a free-verse, following the rhythm of natural speech with no consistent meter patterns. Thus, Gallagher uses precise language and strong phrasing in order to get her point across quickly and concisely, such as the lines â€Å"Japan bombed, gigantic clouds curling, skies burnt scarlet -total destruction . . .† and â€Å"The War over .† This short, sharp rhythm is very effective as it doesn’t let the reader’s mind wander from the point, thereby successfully demanding the reader’s attention at all times. Tatsuya Shiihara English Poetry Year 11 Term 2 Semester 1 2014 1 Poem Annotation The Last War There was only one war, and it was finishing any day soon. Ears keyed to the wireless, we waited. Then the news: Japan bombed, gigantic clouds curling, skies burnt scarlet – total destruction . . . We’ve won, we’ve won, a conga-chant round the schoolground, beating tins, sticks: our teacher joining in – flags, jumbled cries – uncles and cousins coming back. The war over. Hiroshima, Nagasaki – ghost towns now. Over two hundred thousand people ghosts too. We couldn’t imagine it. The bomb entered our conversation, a stranger who refused to leave. Only years on did we become aware of the pit of ash beneath our tongues. Katherine Gallagher Taken From http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/gallagher-katherine/the-last-war-0646045 Comment [u1]: Symbolic – represents the anticipation that everyone had waiting to hear the news that the war had ended – therefore the suffering and death as well had ended. Comment [u2]: Symbolic – represents that this Comment [u3]: Short, sharp rhythm – gets straight to the point instead of wandering, doesn’t let reader’s mind wander from the point. Comment [u4]: Symbolic – represents that there was nearly nothing left after the explosion, everything had been decimated. Comment [u5]: Symbolic – represents the jubilance felt by those who were relieved that the war had ended, generating a sense of relief Comment [u6]: Symbolic – represents how even the adults celebrated the event by having a little fun – something they had not been able to do for many years. Comment [u7]: Symbolic- represents how separated families got back together after the war Comment [u8]: Symbolic – represents how the cities were literally empty no, with nothing at all left untouched. Comment [u9]: Symbolic – represents that how many people were lost Comment [u10]: Symbolic – represents how, in the countries that â€Å"won† after the war, as the people there could not feel the direct effects of how the war was ended (atomic bomb), and no-one could imagine it, people celebrated, instead of mourned. Comment [u11]: Juxtaposition – sharp contrast from cheerful and happy that the war was over to suddenly a sombre tone that was full of guilt and sadness. Comment [u12]: First person – generates a point of view of the poet Comment [u13]: Symbolic – represents the guilt that was felt for having to decimate over 200000 people in order to win this war and the fear because of the atomic bomb existing Comment [u14]: Personification – human nature Comment [u15]: Symbolic – represents how, only after the people of the â€Å"winning† countries realised the extent of the †¦ Comment [u16]: Metaphor – represents the never-ending guilt over the destruction caused. Comment [u17]: No rhyming pattern detected Comment [u18]: Structured to be like a story, many symbolic words and phrases. Comment [u19]: * English Poetry Analysis Commentary * Official draft’

Chevron Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Chevron Corporation - Case Study Example The company owns or has stakes in 9,700 gas stations in the US which operate under the Chevron and Texaco brands. Outside the US it owns or has stakes in 15,400 gas stations, which also use the Caltex brand. The study examines in detail, the three different sectors or industries that Chevron has a stake in: oil and gas exploration and production, petroleum refining, and chemical industry. Earnings for the upstream segment are closely aligned with industry price levels for crude oil and natural gas. Crude oil and natural gas prices are subject to external factors over which the company has no control. Earnings for the downstream segment are closely tied to margins on the refining and marketing of products that include gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, lubricants and fuel oil. The company recorded sales growth of 5.1 percent to $221 billion and net income of $18 billion. Revenue of the company rose to $61.4 billion from $47.7 billion. Worldwide oil-equivalent production fell by 42,000 barrels to 2.61 million barrels per day. A detailed SWOT Analysis has also been conducted in the study, analyzing the various internal sources to examine the strengths and weaknesses, and external factors to examine the opportunities and threats in the environment. Finally, the conclusion and recommendations analyze the different strengths of the company to offset the weaknesses and environmental threats faced by Chevron. Chevron - Company overview Chevron Corporation (Chevron) is one of the largest oil refiners in the United States. The company was incorporated in 1926 and currently has operations in the United States and approximately 180 additional countries. Chevron Corporation, then called Standard Oil Company of California, in 1938 made a huge oil discovery in Saudia Arabia, which eventually led to the discovery of 52 oil fields. After World War II, the company began a major effort to market Arabian crude oil, which was probably the single most important factor in establishing Chevron as a major multinational company. The company acquired thousands of service stations and terminals on the East Coast and part ownership of many more throughout Europe, East Africa, and Asia. The Chevron discovery changed the course of history throughout the world (Jiffynotes, 1998). Today, the company is engaged in every aspect of the oil and natural gas industry, including exploration and production, refining, marketing and transportation, chemicals manufacturing and sales, geothermal and power generation. It is headquartered in San Ramon, California and employs approximately 65,000 people. The company recorded revenues of $204,892 million, during the fiscal year ended December 2006, an increase of 5.8% over 2005. The operating profit of the company was $32,497

Hombres Necios by Sor Juana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Hombres Necios by Sor Juana - Essay Example However, Sor Juana argues that these faults are caused by men themselves. This is seen in the first stanza of the poem where she argues that men wrongly accuse women forgetting that they are the ones to blame for the emergent faults. During the writing of the poem in the seventeenth century, gender equality was a main issue though it was hardly spoken about. Nonetheless, the poem gives a reflection of the scenario during this period while simultaneously condemning men’s actions against women. For example, the poem uses a relationship approach to show the inequality and atrocities committed to women. In every step of the relationship from courtship to the course of the relationship, men always strive to win and do not take responsibility for any fault at all but rather blame women. Generally, although Sor Juana argues for women, she does use the term ‘we’ in the entire poem. Additionally, the poem is arguably easy to understand owing to the short stanzas, four lines each, and the recurrence of the message. Although Sor Juana was from Mexico, the poem gives a reflection of the general societal setting in Latin America. During this period women’s voice and contributions to the society were limited with only two opportunities as either housewives or nuns. Although nuns enjoyed some privileges such as learning, they were still held back by the limitations imposed on women. As such, Sor Juana’s poem critiquing men was a bold move from a woman making her one of the first pioneers of feminism. Considering the odds against women, it is only logical to ask what motivated her. Did other women approve of her ways? More importantly, did her efforts bear any fruits? Additionally, the poem is relatable to the modern society where issues revolving around gender equality are still imminent. Gender inequality is not only an issue in Latin America but rather a global

Frederick Chopins Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Frederick Chopins Music - Essay Example Indeed, the airport at Warsaw is now named Frà ©dà ©ric Chopin International Airport, an indication of the high esteem in which he is held in his native land. It is quite obvious that emotion is very important to Chopin’s music. But in his music emotion is not just a big swirl of impressions. He draws out many nuances with his delicate shifts of tone. In a way it is like poetry, line by line a new feeling or passion is revealed and just about everyone can understand it. It is very pleasant to follow the small steps he takes as he carefully draws out a larger picture, a larger emotional canvas. This style marks out Chopin as a romantic composer. The Romantic Movement, which dominated a great deal of artistic expression during the 19th century, emphasized the primacy of feelings and the oneness of humans with nature. It especially taught that the authentic life is the one in which a person is true to his emotions and not shackled to traditions or the old way of living. It sought to create an aesthetic life rather than a grim and boring one. One of my favourite pieces by Chopin is the Nocturne. This starts off slowly with a melancholic air about it. The melody is quite pretty and delicate. It seems to come from within a deep well inside the composer. The low notes played by the left hard are largely the same, maintaining a certain stability or grounding, while the melody played by the right hand darts around with a much larger range. Sometimes the notes are very high on the keyboard only to fall away like a cascading waterfall down to a lower register.

Energy drinks, possible benefits and health risks Essay

Energy drinks, possible benefits and health risks - Essay Example EDs are also purported to enhance alertness and performance .In addition, the paper will also examine the various risks associated with ED which include undesirable effects of caffeine, dangers of mixing EDs with alcoholic beverages, addiction to the drink as well as weight gain which may result in obesity and other cardiovascular ailments. Nevertheless, consumption of energy drinks continues to rise and several people fall prey to the advertising of these drinks. There is therefore need for more research as well as practical steps to protect public health, especially vulnerable individuals such adolescents and pregnant women. Energy drinks(ED) can be described as beverages that are typified by the addition of different energy-enhancing elements and are claimed to enhance concentration, athletic performance, reaction time as well as basal metabolism (Burrows, et al, 2013).Energy drinks therefore contain modest to comparatively high concentrations and levels of caffeine, as compared with other beverages that contain caffeine such as cola. Energy drink’s popularity has increased exponentially, recording a 240 percent rise in sales from 2004-2009(Reissig, et al, 2009). Thus, within the quickly growing beverage sector, there is dominance by Red Bull which commands 42% of the market share in the US. Red Bull in 2011 sold over 4 billion units in more than 160 states globally. Reports indicate that males aged18-34 years are the greatest consumers of EDs though increased consumption has also been reported amongst younger children as well. In addition, 31% of children aged between12-17 years and 34 percent of young adults aged between 18-24 years reported regular consumption of the energy drinks; with approximately 57 percent of college students claiming frequent use of energy drinks. Energy drink’s regulation comprising their health warnings and content varies

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Business Strategy - Essay Example Thus, the goal of this paper is to identify and recommend specific measures on how the proposed transition in ownership can be best managed with the interest of both parties in mind. This paper will primarily answer the biggest issues that Walden and Able faces which includes their different strategies and success metrics. How would you reconcile Ables need for building market share (long-term strategic business objective) with Waldens drive for year-to year quarterly increases in sales and pretax profit (short-term, corporate objective)? The current strategy of Able is building market in order to efficiently distribute costs. The business organization believes that in order to be successful in its industry, in needs to capture most of the market. The strategy can be seen as a long-term business objective. On the other hand, Walden pursues a short term corporate objective of increasing its quarterly income and pre-tax profits. At the first look, these two strategies seem to be in direct contrast with each other. For one, the focus of Walden is in the short run while Able is concern in the long term. However, looking more closely, both of these strategies can be simultaneously pursued as they will be bringing in the same results for the two business organizations which is growth. It can be argued that establishing the quarterly goal of revenue and profit increases can be attained through revamping the whole operation of Able and in the long run can help it earn a sizable share in the market. Walden’s acquisition of Able can be largely help the latter to pursue its goal of increasing market share and record sales and profit increases each quarter. It should be noted that aside from circular saws, Able’s products are only able to corner no more than 3% of the market. This is amidst the fact that there is a large and growing

(SAVE OUR STUDENTS) SCHOLARSHIP PERSONAL STATEMENT

(SAVE OUR STUDENTS) SCHOLARSHIP - Personal Statement Example As we all know, health insurance will cover only a partial amount of medical needs, and since my mother fell ill we have seen the medical bills pile up faster than expected. Our out of pocket costs were larger than my father could have ever imagined, and he was forced to dip into my college fund to cover the amount of money needed to help lower my mothers medical expenditures. This situation was not something that could have totally depleted my college fund though. Another event happened that has finally pushed my familys finances over the edge. In what can only be called a double whammy of bad luck, my father has been injured at work. This work-related injury has sidelined him from the workforce and has depleted our family savings in the process. Needless to say, my parents’ medical needs take priority over my college education. So it comes as no surprise that my college fund went from helping keep me in the college to helping keep food on the table and bill collectors at bay. At this crucial stage of my health science educational career, it is imperative that I stay in school. I am only a number of units shy of graduating from my chosen major, which I hope to parlay for a nursing education in 2013. However, I can afford to pay for my school fees this coming school year only if I manage to obtain some financial aid. Due to the situation of my parents, I am not in a position to look for a full-time job that will allow me to attend college on my days off. These days, I help augment the family income by working on a part-time basis as a cashier and delivery person. Part-time jobs will not help me pay for my college bills and the needs of my family. That is why I have chosen to become pro-active and to apply for financial aid and scholarships whenever possible. My grades in schools are pretty decent. I have been able to keep up my grade point average despite the situation that I find myself in at home. I managed to

Federalist No. 69 and the Executive Branch Essay

Federalist No. 69 and the Executive Branch - Essay Example A government consists of three branches; the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial. The President of America has the right to revisit a bill, which undergoes two of the branches and forms into a law if approved by two-thirds of the people from both houses. On the contrary, the King of Britain has â€Å"an absolute negative† regarding approval from the houses. This naturally means agitation both from the Parliament and the public before a law is implemented rather by play than force. This authority is only invested in the King and not the President. Then Hamilton states four concrete points of difference between the King and the President: 1. The President has the authority to command the militia occasionally unlike the King of Great Britain and the governor of New York, who can command the whole militia at all times remaining in their numerous jurisdictions. Hence the power of the President is second-rate as compared to the other two. 2.   It is the duty of the Presid ent to be commander-in-chief of the United States’ army and navy. This article brings the President on equal grounds with the King and the governor, however lesser in substance. The President cannot declare war or regulate fleets and armies. Only the legislature has this authority. 3. The President can pardon call cases except for the impeachment case. This is not the case with the governor of New York who can even deal with the impeachment cases except for assassination and treachery. This is aggressively questioned by Hamilton for its undeserving distribution of power vested in the President. 4. The King of Great Britain and the governor of New York respectively have the influence to disband the Parliament or the legislature of the State which may be a purposeful control employed by the governor in certain delicate matters. The President, however, remains at the level of just adjourning only the national legislature under a single case of disagreement circumstance (Hamilton , 1992). These differences have been pointed out to display the real character of the executive, the President of the United States, who may not be compared to the King of Great Britain, not even the governor of New York. In reality, the U.S. Constitutions only recently gained power as the American Legislators made a conscious effort to regain the executive branch through the trust of the people. The President is the magistrate elected by the people of the United States. He is not completely independent because he is chosen for four years through fair elections (Tocqueville, 1945). The power as it is seen in the constitution did not exist prior to the introduction to the Constitutions of the United States. The people lived under the Articles of Confederation, which did not have an executive branch and it lasted for forty years (Prince, 1867). It was considered weak without the executive branch.  Ã‚  

Use of Logic Essay Example for Free

Use of Logic Essay Logic plays a big role in our society today. In fact logic has played a big role in the advancement of civilization. There are many forms of logic and many different applications that go along with them. Logic seeks out the truth in statements through deduction and reasoning. Using logic one can test the validity of a statement just by understanding the format and the content of an argument. Logic is considered to be the science of reasoning and is mathematically inspired as it seeks an answer. Logic is not considered scientifically sound unless it is based off true premises. Sense logic is based off form it is safe to say that it is formal science. Logic is said to have historically originated from the Ancient Greek Philosopher Aristotle. Using the teaching of universal definition from Socrates, Aristotle devised a logical system. â€Å"Aristotle holds that a proposition is a complex involving two terms, a subject and a predicate, each of which is represented grammatically with a noun. The logical form of a proposition is determined by its quantity and by it quality.†(King, Peter, and Stewart Shapiro. THE HISTORY OF LOGIC). Through investigation of the relationship the two terms shared Aristotle theorized that if in certain form one could determine the validity of an argument. â€Å"Logic was further developed and systematized by the Stoics and by the medieval scholastic philosophers. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, logic saw explosive growth, which has continued up to the present.† (Drakos, Nikos, and Ross Moore. Logic and Mathematics). Logic is very useful when debating. â€Å"If engaged in properly, Philosophical arguments can open minds. It can rid us of ignorance and the evils of blind prejudices† (Falikowski, Anthony F. 128). From studying and understanding logic one can pick apart arguments. Just from the form and content of the argument its validity can be assessed. Not only is this useful when arguing as you judge the strength of someone else’s argument it can also benefit your own argument. Through logic you can see the flaws and weaknesses of your own argument. Then by reflecting on your own thoughts one can make their argument stand on their own if it is truly valid. Deductive logic is a form of logic and its more popular subdivision has been given standardized names: modus ponens, modus tollens, and syllogisms. Modus ponens is where you affirm the consequent by affirming the antecedent (If p, then q. p. therefore q.). Modus tollens is actually the opposite of modus ponens. Modus tollens is where the antecedent is denied through denying the consequent (If p, then q. Not q. Therefore not p.). Syllogisms on the other hand are not as concrete as the previous forms. The subdivisions of syllogisms but not limited to: hypothetical syllogisms, disjunctive syllogisms, categorical syllogisms, and practical syllogisms. â€Å"An extremely important form of deductive argument often used in philosophical debate is the syllogism which involve practical value reasoning† (Falikowski, Anthony F. 145). Inductive logic is still considered useful but cannot lead to necessary conclusions like in deductive reasoning. Inductive logic deals with probability, and is used to support factual, empirical claims. Inductive logic is then weaker than deductive logic however still hold some truth to them. Some forms of inductive logic are: argument from the past experience, argument by analogy, and argument by inductive generalization. These forms all deal with probability and should be tested before it is taken as fact, however one must be aware of the fallacious reasoning disguised as valid logic. â€Å"Informal logical fallacies are designed to persuade us emotionally and psychologically, not rationally† (Falikowski, Anthony F. 156). These arguments are often used by seats of power in attempt to allude a group of individuals. These forms of fallacies may be seen as forms of intimidation in hopes to divert attention from the real issues. Some of the more common informal logical fallacies are: ad hominem fallacy where you attack the person and not the issue. Straw man fallacy is where one person misrepresents the arguments of the person deliberately building a false person. Begging the question fallacy where the premise depends on the conclusion and vice versa. Other informal fallacies are two wrongs, slippery slope appealing to authority, red herring, and guilt by association. Only through understanding the informal fallacies can we deduct what we can take for truth. Logic is very prevalent today and proves quite useful on a daily basis. Through studying and familiarizing ourselves with logic we will be able to advance in society just as it has been done in the past. Logic helps us to see the truth in statements and allows us to be free from the vales of illusions. The current media and even the politics of today constantly deliberately mislead the general population and through logic we can test the validity of these arguments. Just as Socrates asked questions and sought the truth in the world we should do the same in hopes to benefit not only ourselves but our society as a whole. Works Cited Drakos, Nikos, and Ross Moore. Logic and Mathematics. Logic and Mathematics. PennState, 29 Jan. 2006. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. http://www.math.psu.edu/simpson/papers/philmath/. Falikowski, Anthony F. Experiencing Philosophy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004. Print. King, Peter, and Stewart Shapiro. THE HISTORY OF LOGIC. Http://individual.utoronto.ca. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy, 1995. Web. http://individual.utoronto.ca/pking/miscellaneous/history-of-logic.pdf.

Insurance History Essay Example for Free

Insurance History Essay Some 2,000 years ago in Roman times a form of life insurance was practiced by burial societies who paid out funeral costs of members funded by monthly contributions. It is thought that these were year to year arrangements but unfortunately there is not enough evidence remaining to be exact on how they operated. In Britain in the middle ages Trade Guilds provided funeral costs to members in much the same way. The earliest life insurance policy in England was recorded as being effected on the 15th June 1583. The policy was on the life of a William Gybbons (a salter in the City of London) and was taken out by a Richard Martin. The premium was set at  £8 per  £100 pounds of benefit insured. Even at that early date it is of interest that when the policy ended in a claim there was dispute between the insurer and the policy holder over whether the policy should pay up. Luckily for Richard Martin he won the case and the insurer lost. In those days life insurance policies where underwritten by individuals as opposed to insurance companies. It was also common practice for people to take out life policies on the rich and famous in the hope that they might benefit if that person died. We would have regarded it as a form of gabling. The first actual life insurance company was the Annuity Association founded by the Rev Dr Assheton on the 4th October 1699. Unfortunately this company only survived for 46 years before going bankrupt. Many life insurers were set up as mutual companies where ownership of the company was among the members of the life fund. The policies did not have fixed sums insured as they do today, but instead the fund would pay out what it could afford based on the number of people in the fund that died that year. Now we can be thankful that life insurance has developed since those days. Most policies offer fixed sum insured which can be up to very large amounts. There are a numerous number of insurers all vying for your business. Not only are there pure protection policies but also those which are also linked to some form of investment factor. Life insurance law has grown up and now there are several layers of protection for the naà ¯ve consumer. Whilst all these changes have been good for the co nsumer it also means that the consumer needs to be more aware of what type of life policy they need and where best to purchase that cover. Choice is a wonderful commodity but you need to be able to make a wise selection. More recent changes have been in the growth of life insurers and life insurance  intermediaries who are using the internet as a place of business. Here costs can be controlled, wider markets searched at the click of a mouse and policies handled and concluded at a faster pace. Why not check out what term life cover you could get by visiting http://www.protected.co.uk/ This article was written on the 15th February 2007. This article does not represent ‘financial advice’ as each persons individual requirements will be unique to their needs. If there is something in the article which you which to rely on then please check those details with any person from whom you purchase a term life policy at the time of purchase.

Approaches to Correction of Class III Skeletal Malocclusion

Approaches to Correction of Class III Skeletal Malocclusion Combined Orthodontic and Surgical Approach in the Correction of Class III Skeletal Malocclusion Dr. Abdulaziz AlShahrani Astrac While growth modification and camouflage orthodontic treatment offers a limited solution in treating some skeletal Class III malocclusion depending on the age of the patient , Underlying skeletal severity, alignment of the teeth and the vertical facial proportions, a combination of surgical and Orthodontic therapy is the treatment of choice in all severe skeletal Class III malocclusion. In this case report I present a combination of surgical-orthodontic therapy for an adult female patient with skeletal class III malocclusion which resulted in good skeletal, dental and soft tissue relationship, with marked improvement in function and facial esthetics. Keywords:Class III malocclusion, Orthognathic Surgery, surgical orthodontics Introduction Class III malocclusion is considered to be one of the most difficult and complex orthodontic problems to treat. The prevalence of class III malocclusion has been reported to be as low as 3-5% in the Caucasian population, but is higher in the Chinese and Japanese population (4-13%) (Often associated with maxillary retrusion)[i],[ii],[iii]. The etiology of class III is complex and multifactorial. However, there is usually a strong genetic contribution. Genetic factor is one of the etiological factors where one third of children with severe Class III had a parent with the same problem and one-sixth had an affected sibling[iv]. Racial tendency may play a role as the blacks have shown higher incidence than white’s[v].Environmental factors appear to play an adaptiverole in the etiology of Class III malocclusion[vi].Class III malocclusion can be associated with other factors such as cleft palate[vii]. Individuals with class III malocclusion show combinations of skeletal and dentoalveolar components. Class III malocclusion may occur as a result of protrusive mandible, retrusive maxilla, combination of both[viii]. While the most commonly found Class III malocclusion (30%) showed a combination of mandibular protrusion and maxillary retrusion, Maxillary retrusion alone was found in 19.5% of the sample and Mandibular protrusion alone was found in 19.1% of the sample[ix].These complex nature of class III requirea careful planning, amultidisciplinary approach and patient cooperation[x]. CaseReport A 17-year-old caucasian girl presented for orthodontic treatment because of referral from her dentist with primary complaint of un-esthetic facial and dental appearance. She has a hyper-divergent Class III skeletal and dental relationship. This is characterized by retrognathic maxilla, retroclined lower anterior teeth, with maximum active opening of 47mm with 5mm negative overjet and lateral excursions of 7 mm to both right and left sides. The patient has an ovoid, relatively asymmetrical face with chin slightly deviated to the left. The lip line at rest displayed approximately 2 mm of upper incisor. At full animation there was 7mm of upper incisal display and 2 mm of lower incisal edge. She has a slightly concave profile, and competent lips[Figure1]. Pretreatment extra oral photos Intraorally, the oral mucosa was healthy. There were no periodontal pockets present. The gingival tissues were inflamed especially around the prosthetic crowns. There was no bleeding tendency except sometimes with brushing. Free gingival margins were near to the CEJ and attached gingiva was of normal width throughout the mouth. The frenal attachments in both arches were normal. The tongue was normal in size, function and appearance. Teeth # 26, 36 and 46 have been crowned. There was a lingual arch placed one year ago to maintain lower incisors position. Occlusion analysis, she was in the permanent dentition and the 3rd molars were un-erupted. She has good oral hygiene. Frontal view: Shows a dental midline discrepancy. The lower dental midline is coincident with the facial midline while the upper midline is not coincident with the facial midline it’s off to the left by 2.5mm, the occlusal planewas slightly canted to the left. A negative overjet of 5 mm reported.Right and left Lateral Views Shows the canines and molars in Class III relationships. The upper occlusal view shows a U-shaped arch with well aligned anterior segment. The lower occlusal view reveals a U-shaped arch with crowding of 3.9mmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹[Figure 2]. TREATMENT OBJECTIVES Our objective is to address compensated lower incisors by proclining them to the ideal position and inclination followed by increasing the horizontal projection of the maxilla to correct upper jaw retrognathism, concave profile, class III dental relationshipand negative overiet. Increased lower facial height and hyper-divergence will be corrected byautorotation of the mandible after the advancement of the maxilla and vertical reduction genioplasty.Mandibular asymmetry will be corrected by BSSO while maintaining lower incisor position. TREATMENT PROGRESS We started Pre-surgical orthodontics using self-ligation bracket system (Roth prescription, 022†slot). Leveling and alignment of maxillary and mandibular arches began with round 0.016 niti arch wires progressing to 0.0170.025 niti arch wires. Patient was referred to extract all 3rd molars at this stage. Coordinated 0.0190.025 Stainless steel then used for arch coordination before sending the patient for surgical procedure[Figures 67]. All the movement and prediction were planned on pre-surgical lateral cephalometric x-ray using Moorres mesh as a guide. A sheet of tracing paper over the original tracing and the outline of the mandible was drawn and trimmed making a template, another template for the maxilla was produced and placed in the post-surgical position. The mandibular autorotation then simulated accordingly. The soft tissue contours then drawn using the guidelines in literatures[xi],[xii],[xiii][Figure8]. Centric relationship of Upper and lower jaws was recorded and Face bow transfer and articulation of models on a semi-adjustable articulator was done. Model surgery then performed using Erickson model blockandacrylic inter occlusal wafer splint was produced. Le fort I osteotomywas performed to advance the maxilla for 7.1 mm and Bilateral sagittal split osteotomy was carried out to correct mandibular asymmetry while maintaining the A-P position of the mandible. Vertical reduction and advancement (4mm each) genioplastythen performed to address the increased lower facial height and achieve esthetically acceptable facial profile. Rigid type of fixations were used in both arches. The patient was followed closely and the post-surgical Orthodontic was resumed 3 weeks after surgery. 0.0190.025 stainless steel changed to 0.021 Ãâ€" 0.025stainless steel to express the torque. Finishing was performed with settling elastics[figures9-12]. Six months later, fixed appliances were removed and lower fixed retainer 3-3 was cemented along with upper and lower Hawley’s retainers [figures 13 14]. Cephalometric finding shows a good skeletal, dental and soft tissue relationship and improvement in the function and facial esthetics[Table 2, Figures15-17]. pre- and post-treatment cephalometrictracings Discussion This case report presents a combination of surgical and orthodontic therapy for an adult female patient with skeletal and dental class III malocclusion. The magnitude of the problem was so severe and lies outside the envelope of possible correction by orthodontics alone[xiv]. In growing patients, early treatment with maxillary expansion and protraction can result in straightening of profile after 6 months[xv]. It can also promote more favorable psychosocial development and greater compliance[xvi]. Delaying treatment can lead to development of posterior cross bite and the subsequent development of facial asymmetry[xvii].During adulthood, correction of the Class III malocclusion usually requires complex surgical procedures to achieve a good skeletal, dental and soft tissue relationship and improve the function and facial esthetics[xviii]. In this case, our objective were achieved. Compensated lower incisors were address by proclining them to the ideal position and inclination in pre-surgical orthodontic treatmentwhile in post-surgical orthodontic treatment teeth were brought into settledocclusion. Normal skeletal relationship was achieved byLe fort I osteotomyto advance the maxilla, Bilateral sagittal split osteotomy to correct mandibular asymmetry while maintaining the A-P position of the mandible and vertical reduction and advancementgenioplasty [i] [ii] [iii] [iv] [v] [vi] [vii] [viii] [ix] [x] [xi]. [xii]. [xiii] [xiv] [xv] [xvi] [xvii] [xviii]

sleep rem :: essays research papers

States of Consciousness Consciousness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1960 a man named W. Dement conducted a series of studies relating to sleep. His main goal was to understand and learn about the effects of dream deprivation. His tactics would soon be very useful in the quest of answering some very complex questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He started out with the idea of observing infants while they were asleep, without realizing that he couldn’t get no verbal feed back from a new born. He then decided to choose 20 random adults to be his ginnea pigs. He would then end up putting these 20 individuals through a series of test and trials. Dement did this by a series of awakenings through the course of sleep. He would monitor his subjects in another room by hooking up electronic devices to the patients muscles located around their eyes. The purpose of the electronic devices was to be able to wake up the subjects in two different periods. One being eye movement and the other no eye movement. He would then wake them up and ask if they could remember their dream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Dement 74% of the 27 awakenings during the periods of sleep accompanied by eye movement, could remember detailed visual dreams. The other 26% reported â€Å"the feeling of having dreamed,† but they could no recall the content in detail. During periods of no eye movement, there were 23 awakenings of which 82% did not remember dreaming and 4 of them said that they might have been dreaming but were not for sure. While his study progressed each subject would have to be awakened more frequently because of the bodies way of REM-rebound. Your body needs sleep and when it is denied sleep it tries to make up for lost sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today we know that there are four different stages of sleep. One being the lightest and four being the deepest. At the time, Dement had no idea that he was messing with one’s circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is like the body’s clock in which it sends messages to your brain to let you know what your body needs. For instance if your body needs sleep you will then start to feel tired.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The results could be used to improve interrogation tactics by utilizing dream, or sleep, deprivation. Dement did this by depriving his subjects of sleep. The body’s continued effort to make of for lost REM sleep, can force someone to say, or do, something that they normally would not have done.

27 Years Of Influential 60 Minutes :: essays research papers

27 Years of Influential 60 Minutes Since 1968 America has been better enlightened than previously concerning current events and happenings around the world. A considerable factor for this occurrence is the television program 60 Minutes which debuted on the air in September of 1968. Many other television newsmagazines have been produced since its creation, however none have possessed the longevity nor the influence of 60 Minutes. Infact, 60 Minutes, which is owned by CBS News, was the first regular network news program to cover actual stories asopposed to topics. Today, similar newsmagazines can be seen every night of the week on various stations, all of whichwere sparked by the inception of 60 Minutes. All of the tabloid television programs being shown today are also a result of 60 Minutes and its bold, gutsy, "gotcha" style of television journalism. 60 Minutes changed the way that the American public receives its television news, stemming forth a whole new format of television broadcast journalism. 60 Minutes has a vast history of stories covered, yet the format has remained unchanged. Don Hewett, creator and producer of 60 Minutes, has been the subject of much criticism for his stubbornness. Since its origin, 60 Minutes has continued to adhere to the same formula that made it such a success. The hidden-camera interviews, the surprising of unsuspecting alleged crooks with a bombardment of questions, the longevity of the featured reporters, all of these are what made 60 Minutes a success--finishing in the top 10 Nielson ratings for 17 consecutive seasons and counting. Other than the fact that it changed from black-and-white to color with the new technology, the appearance of 60 Minutes has remained consistent. There is no reason to change a thing about such a prosperous show according to Hewitt. Not only has the format remained constant but the reporters have as well. Mike Wallace, and Harry Reasoner both appeared on the first episode of 60 Minutes. Reasoner, who passed away in 1991, left CBS in 1970 to pursue a news anchoring position at ABC but later returned to 60 Minutes, in 1978, until his death. Wallace and Morley Safer, who started in 1970, are still featured reporters as well as Ed Bradley (who joined the team in 1981) and newcomers Lesley Stahl and Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes would not be the same without the weekly commentary of Andy Rooney. Rooney started making a regular appearance in 1978 offering humorous, sometimes controversial annotations about everyday life. A well known prime time TV news anchor who did much of his best work at 60 Minutes is Dan Rather.

Pollution :: essays research papers

Pollution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People have long used the sea as a dump for our wastes. Most of the pollution dumped into the ocean comes from human activities on land. Marine pollution is defined as the introduction into the ocean by humans of substance or energy that changes the quality of the water or affects the physical, chemical, or biological environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are different types of pollution. One of them is natural pollutants. An example would be a volcanic eruption which can produce immense quantities of carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur compounds, and oxides of nitrogen. Excess amounts of these substances produced by human activity may cause global warming and acid rain. No one is sure to what extent we have contaminated the ocean. By the time the first oceanographers began widespread testing, the Industrial Revolution was well underway and changes had already occurred. Traces of synthetic compounds have now found their way into every oceanic corner. Pollutants cause damage by interfering directly or indirectly with the biochemical processes of an organism. Some pollution-induced changes may be instantly lethal; other changes may weaken an organism over weeks or months, alter the dynamics of the population of which it is a part, or gradually unbalance the entire community. Oil is a natural part of the marine environment. Oil seeps have been leaking large quantities of oil into the ocean for millions of years. The amount of oil entering the ocean has increased greatly in recent years, however, because of our growing dependence on marine transportation for petroleum products, offshore drilling, near shore refining, and street runoff carrying waste oil from automobiles. Oil reaches the ocean in runoff from streets or as waste oil poured down drains, into dirt, in trash destined for a landfill. Every year more than 908 million liters of used motor oil finds its way into the ocean. Motor oil that has been used is more toxic than crude oil or new oil because it has developed carcinogenic and metallic components from the heat and pressure within internal combustion engines. Spills of crude oil are generally larger in volume and more frequent than spills of refined oil. Most components of crude oil do not dissolve easily in water, but those that do can harm the delicate juvenile forms of marine organisms even in minute concentrations. The remaining insoluble components from sticky layers on the surface that prevent free diffusion of gases, clog adult organisms feeding structures, kill larvae, and decrease the sunlight available for photosynthesis.

Diagnostic and Statistics Manual for Mental Disorders Essay

Although Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and homosexuality has been in the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for many years, I was personally unaware of the controversy that surrounded it. I realized that I needed to educate myself in the issues and changes that have occurred in the DSM regarding GID and homosexuality over the years. The APA is in the process of revising its DSM and part of that process has been to create a Work Group on Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders (WGSGSID). The Work Group is one of 13 groups participating in the DSM-V revision process (Drescher, 2010). There has been a high level of concern from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in regards to the status of the category of GID in the DSM (Drescher, 2010). Activists argued that it is wrong to label expressions of gender variances as symptoms of a mental disorder. Advocates for the removal of the GID compare it to the removal of homosexuality in 1973 (Drescher, 2010). According to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, people experiencing â€Å"strong cross-gender identification and a persistent discomfort with their sex or a sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex† were diagnosed with transexualism in the DSM-III. In 1994, the DSM IV changed that diagnosis to GID. (Drescher, 2010). Removing GID from the DSM would be a major step in destigmatizing the lives of transgendered people, however it would come at a price and this will be reviewed in this paper. Individuals that identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgendered do not believe that they have a disorder and are mentally ill. The inclusion of gender nonconformity among disorders creates stigma for transgendered individuals in society. In 1973, homosexuality was declassified in the DSM (second edition), however, transgender identity and expression still remains. In this paper I will discuss issues of gender identity, how they are defined in the DSM, and the controversy that surrounds them. History of Gender Identity Disorder (Transgender) I’ve always learned that to understand the issues of today we must look at history. And so we don’t repeat the misfortunes of yesterday we must learn from them. So, for this section I have researched a brief history of Gender Identity Disorder and how it became a psychiatric classification. Under diagnostic codes in the DSM, transvestic fetishism, formerly transvestism, (TF) means to wear the clothing of the opposite sex. This term was created and used by Magnus Hirshfeld in 1910. Transsexualism, also termed by Hirchfeld in 1923, first appeared in the DSM-III (1980) as a diagnostic category. Currently in the DSM, heterosexual men can be diagnosed with TF if they meet only two criteria: they have sexual fantasies about cross-dressing and those fantasies cause â€Å"impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas. † DSM Manual The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition) development timeline began almost ten years ago with a series of meetings and conferences that summarized the findings that had accumulated in the scientific literature since the publication of DSM-IV and then developed research agendas for DSM-5 (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010). There are no restraints on the amount of change that can occur in formulating the DSM-5, provided that the changes are based on sound research findings and will enhance its clinical usefulness (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010). The DSM-5 Task Force is composed of workgroup chairs and professionals from other stakeholder groups including APA governance representatives. There is a consumer representative on the task force and the members of the task force are diverse in ethnic and racial groups and gender. There are 13 workgroups, and the workgroups focus on specific diagnostic areas (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010). The taskforce and workgroups are composed of 163 members, 39 of whom are from outside the United States. Thirty percent of the members are female, 18% are non-Caucasian, and there is a diversity of disciplines represented. There is a DSM-5 Web site, www. dsm5. org, which contains Task Force meeting summaries, workgroup progress summaries, the names of the members of the taskforces and workgroups and their disclosure information (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010) . There has been a subworkgroup formed to work on the Gender Identity Disorder. Four topics were nominated by the group to discuss: general issues, the differences and similarities between homosexuality and GID with regard to the DSM; and specific research literature of the criteria for GID in adolescents and adults (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010) . One of the first things that the subgroup did was distribute a short survey amongst transgender organizations. The survey was designed to help the group learn what transgender organizations, not only in the United States and Europe but also worldwide, were thinking about various hot topics in gender identity. They were interested in suggestions for possible reconstruction of the diagnosis if it were to remain a diagnosis in the DSM-5 (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010) . More than 50% of respondents believed that GID should not stay in the DSM. Political and educational transgender organizations were very much in favor of removing GID from the DSM. The political groups had the highest percentages (75%) favoring removal of the diagnosis, followed by the educational groups (70%) (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010) . The DSM is a political document—a social construction—shaped more by sociocultural influences than the demands of practicing professionals in the field of mental health (Conner-Greene, 2006). The DSM has become a profoundly powerful book in terms of the health insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and even the courts (Conner-Greene, 2006). Problems with the Current Diagnostic Criteria for GID Some reasons given for deleting GID from the DSM included: (1) concerns that the diagnosis inappropriately pathologized an aspect of one’s identity; (2) the conviction that the diagnosis is stigmatizing and that this is a major cause of distress; (3) the potential use of the diagnosis as a discriminatory tool, resulting in, for example, exclusion from military service or healthcare services; and finally (4) the belief that GID is a neurological or brain phenomenon, not a mental disorder (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010). Support of Keeping the GID Diagnosis in the DSM The most important reason cited for allowing the diagnosis to persist was insurance reimbursement and legal advocacy. Some members and advocates of the trans community expressed concern that deleting GID from the DSM-V would lead third party payers to deny access to care for those transgender adults already having issues with inadequate private and public sources of healthcare (Drescher, 2010). Some argued that keeping the diagnosis of GID in the DSM would make it harder to misdiagnose transgender individuals with other mental illnesses. Others suggested that it would be easier for family and friends to accept a transgender person’s identity if this identity had an official place somewhere (Narrow & Cohen-Kettenis, 2010). Retention of the GID diagnoses would eventually lead to putting the diagnosis of â€Å"homosexuality† back into the manual (Drescher, 2010). I personally do not see this ocurring, however, it is not inconceivable. Clinical efforts with gender variant children aimed at getting them to reject their felt gender identity and to accept their natal sex were unscientific, unethical, and misguided. Activists labeled such efforts as a form of reparative therapy (Drescher, 2010). Definitions of Conditions in the DSM Transsexualism The second half of the twentieth century saw the development within the psychological and medical communities of a transsexual model and procedures for identifying, describing, and treating individuals who sought sex reassignment. This model viewed transsexualism as a form of mental illness characterized by a pervasive and ongoing wish to be a member of the other sex (Denny, 2004). The 1990s, however, brought an increasing awareness among researchers and clinicians that genital sex reassignment surgery (SRS) is not uniformly desired or sought by all persons who dress and behave as members of the other sex on a full-time basis (Denny, 2004). Therapists Role in Transgendered Issues There is a world of difference when both the therapist and the patient believe the patient to be mentally ill and in crisis, and when both the therapist and the client believe the client to be healthy and self-actualized and contemplating a life-altering decision (Denny, 2004). There is evidence that is reasonably strong that psychotherapeutic interventions are not particularly successful with transgendered individuals (Zucker, 2008). The empirical evidence from adulthood suggests that gender dysphoria is best treated through hormonal and surgical interventions, particularly in carefully evaluated patients (Zucker, 2008). Today’s client is likely to be educated about transgender issues, to know his or her options, and to have a broad-based support system. The therapist can and should provide factual information, help the client understand the available options, and make necessary referrals. This can prove difficult to a therapist unfamiliar with the transgender model, hence it is important to be educated in this area (Denny, 2004). Psychiatrists and other caregivers should be careful not to confuse their personal beliefs about gender with the clinical needs of the patients they are treating. Therapists should know that despite nonsurgical lifestyle options now open to transgendered people, transsexuals tend to view SRS as the treatment of choice (Denny, 2004). In most communities, there are not enough such specialists available to allow for two different roles needed of specialists: one who is the therapist and one (or two, in the case of surgery recommendations) who is the evaluator. Thus, clinicians often find themselves in dual roles of therapist and evaluator. This frustrates many clinicians who worry that clients will withhold information that would aid in the therapeutic process for fear that it will jeopardize their chances of acquiring letters of recommendation (Griffin, 2011).

Managing a Business

Management is an art or practice of managing (especially a business or money. According to behavioral theories of management the traditional notion of Management is planing, organizing, leading and controlling. We have chosen Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) to explain these management concepts.PLANNING:Planning is an important management function that has to be carried out in an organization as it helps in determining the organizational goals and to create an action plan to carry it out.PLANNING PROCESS:Every department’s manager is responsible for preparing its own plans of action to carry out their tasks in the most efficient manner. These plans of action can also be termed as tactical plans as they are designed to help execute major strategic plans along with helping the organization to achieve its overall goals.SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PLANNING:The manager undertakes both short-term planning as well as long-term planning. The bank stresses on the departments to lay grea ter emphasis on short-term goals so that the bank sees at least the short-term results of each department and, therefore, the progress of the departments.While preparing its plans, each department takes into consideration the resources, capital and human both, available to the department and the budget that is available to the department for each of the products. The manager also plans for the existing product line as well as the new products that are recently launched in the market. Lastly, the manager also plans for the targeted volume of each product.After the plan has been devised taking into account all the above factors, the plan is sent to the Central Planning Department, which is centralized. The Central Planning Department is a group of planning specialists who then prepares the overall future plan for the bank and submits it to the Finance Department.At the same time, monthly meetings are held in which all the heads of various departments and the Board of Directors get tog ether to review budget vs. variances, profit and loss accounts, cash flows, inventory level, etc. of each department and then the marketing department, for example, will have to come up with a new plan to overcame the shortcomings as pointed out by the Board of Directors.STRATEGIESStrategy formulation is an important part of planning which the department also undertakes. There are various strategies and methods used by the departments to undertake their plans.PRICING STRATEGY:One of the strategies that it uses is the Pricing Strategy. In this strategy, they look at the current prices in the market and then plan accordingly and then project the new prices which will prove to be more profitable than the old prices.Note: While we are talking about the pricing then we mean the prices of the products that the banks are offering and the price itself is the interest rate being offered.  COST BASED PRICING STRATEGY: The other strategy used by the departments is Cost Based Pricing Strategy . The department’s sets the products prices by looking at the components those make up their price, that is, its imagery, cost and profit. The department always tries to set the price, which is lower than the competitors and brings in positive cash flow. So, it tries to produce the products at the lowest possible cost by investing more money into R&D so that it could increase its profit margin further.OTHER STRATEGIES:Other strategies used are market research, which is conducted on a small basis but is very important for the Marketing Department. And as their focus is on corporate clients, the carry out corporate surveys and interviews with their customers, which adds a personal touch and results in, increased sales. Focus groups and questionnaires are also sometimes distributed to get responses from the customers. Sampling is another strategy used by the department in which they give sample products to various houses which they choose randomly and the results are then verifi ed by the sales and marketing team carrying out the research.ORGANIZING:Organizing is the next important function of management which is the assignment of resources available to the company to different tasks in order to achieve the strategic goals.ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:Like every other company HSBC has also been established as a separate legal entity having its own managing director and a team of professionals to head each department. As evident from the organizational structure of the company, the company has a formal structure i.e. it is official and planned and has deliberately planned structure of roles within the organization.It follows the organic style of management where authority is based on expertise rather than hierarchy and, therefore, believes in participative decision making in which employees working in all levels of the company are involved. Decision making power is delegated up to the level of middle management. The company believes in the philosophy that  "To get the job done most efficiently, people doing the job should essentially be indecision making†.  All the decisions, whether small or minor, are made at the top levels in the company’s hierarchy. Therefore, HSBC is a centralized company in the sense that only the department heads and the managing director is involved in decision making.MARKETING DEPARTMENT’S STRUCTURE:In the Marketing Department, the authority to make decisions is vested in the Marketing Director, who makes all the decisions for his department and then delegate’s authority and responsibility to their subordinates.The sales team collects information like the sales figure currently in the market, information about the competitors, etc. and is handed over to the Marketing Director who then makes the final decision based on the available information. There are assistant brand managers working under the brand managers who are sometimes asked to give suggestions if a decision requires inf ormation related to a task which is directly handled by them.HSBC follows the concept of line authority as the people in the management positions such as the research division manager has the power to control and direct the immediate employees which in this case are the field investigators.LEADING:HSBC believes that leadership is an art or process of influencing people so that they perform assigned tasks willingly and in an efficient and effective manner. The marketing director, therefore, thinks that leadership is crucial in motivating and inspiring the workforce.MOTIVATORS:The company uses only two ways of regarding the employees: either by increasing the salary or prompting the employees if possible. The company strictly adheres to the policy of promotion from within.Job enrichment provided by HSBC is almost negligible which limits the scope of jobs for the employees because of which employees leave the company for better job offers elsewhere.HSBC does provide a good working envi ronment to its employees and there are large numbers of female employees working in the company.There is high employee turnover in HSBC because of the few opportunities of progressing that the company provides to their employees because of which none of the employees stay with the company for a long time.CONTROLLING:Controlling which is the fourth function of management is effectively practiced in HSBC. The director of the Human Resource Department monitors employees’ activities, keeps the departments on track towards achieving the goals and makes corrections as needed. These are the basic functions of controlling which are used in this department.CONTROL METHODS: Regular meetings are held to check the progress of the employees and then make amendments as needed. Marketing and sales teams are sent for national visits to places and when they come back, they have to report to the marketing director in way of both formal and informal reports The director then sees the results of the visit whether there was an increase in sales or not and therefore, make corrections like to change the sales team in the next visit, etc. These, therefore, train the employees in the practical aspects of the job which prove to be beneficial for the company.ReferenceCourtland L. Bovee, John Thill, (2004), Business in Action, 3rd Ed.Christopher Kingsley (1993), A trainer's primer: Advice to the novice trainer about the basics of organizing, planning, and leading an effective training seminar (Technical assistance & training publication series)Sandy Schuman (2005), The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation: Best Practices from the Leading OrganizationLuis Martin Diaz (2006), Evaluation of Cooperative Planning in Supply ChainsDavid A. Baldwin, Frances C. Wilkinson, and Daniel C. Barkley (2000), Effective Management of Student Employment.Rohan Wickremasinghe – (Daily News May 3, 2001), Management Consultant,  Ã‚   President of Institute of Development

Robespierre Execution Research

Question: What are the reasons for the execution of Maximilien Robespierre? Works Cited Hampson, Norman. The Life and Opinions of Maximilien Robespierre. N. p. : Duckworth, 1974. Print. In the Suggestions for Further Reading section of A Short History of the French Revolution by Jeremy Popkin, he recommends this book for further reading on Revolutionary Politics. This would be a good secondary source to look into. Sections of this book can be found on JSTOR. Jordan, David P. The Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1989. Print.In the Suggestions for Further Reading section of A Short History of the French Revolution by Jeremy Popkin, he recommends this book for further reading on Revolutionary Politics. Online, I see that this book has an entire chapter dedicated to Thermidor. This book is a good secondary source to use. Sections of this book can be found on JSTOR. A complete eBook can be found on Google Books. Proyart, Lievin-Bonaventure. La Vie e t les Crimes de Maximilien Robespierre. Augsburg, 1795. Print. In the Works Cited section of The Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre, David P.Jordan cites this book, which was written a year after the execution of Robespierre. This is a good secondary source to look at. ?Robespierre, Maximilien,  Discours prononce par Robespierre, a la Convention Nationale, dans la seance du 8 thermidor de l'an 2 de la Republique une et indivisible ; trouve parmi ses papiers par la Commission chargee de les examiner. N. p. : Knowsley Pamphlet Collection, 1794. In the chapter on Thermidor in  The Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre. David P. Jordan cites this speech and talks about its impact on his execution. This would make a good primary source to look at.

Why Women Should Not Be Assigned to Combat Positions

Throughout history, women have played a role in the defense of their nations. In 1429, Joan of Arc successfully led the French Army into battle against the English at age 17. In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I traveled to Tilbury, Essex to fight beside her Army during the Spanish raid. And in 1788 at the Battle of Monmouth, Mary Ludwig Hayes, also known as â€Å"Molly Pitcher†, took over her husband’s cannon position and continued to engage the enemy after he had fallen in battle. While these are extraordinary accomplishments made by these most admirable women, should this level of close combat be expected, or possibly even required of women in the military? Many will argue that the ban on women in combat is a discrimination issue, and that it creates a structural barrier that can hurt their chances of promotion or advancement. The Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services actually found that â€Å"women serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have had a positive impact on mission accomplishment. But these women were not assigned to an actual combat position in a unit that has a primary mission of direct ground combat engagement of the enemy. They were either assigned to a combat support unit that was engaged by the enemy, or they were attached to the combat arms unit. There is a vast difference, and this essay will explore why placing women in direct combat roles in the military would have a negative impact on combat readiness. All male units in the field experience bonding that enhances readiness and cohesion. When women are introduced, men stop relating to each other and begin trying to attract the women. This puts them in direct competition with each other and becomes a severe distraction from the mission at hand. Morale cannot be maintained if accusations of harassment are a threat, and Commanders are unable to keep the males focused on the mission when they are at war with each other over a female unit member. â€Å"Helen of Sparta was perhaps the most inspired character in all literature, ancient or modern. A whole war, one which lasted for ten years, was fought over her† (Bell, 1991, p. ). King David of Israel ordered Uriah the Hittite into battle to fight in order to commit adultery with Uriah’s wife in his absence. He would even wage war against another nation in order to eliminate any competition for his women. But a relationship with a supervisor or a co-worker is detrimental to teamwork and fairness in the workplace. A lack of trust or possible resentment toward another soldier can possibly result in poor judgment in the heat of battle when someone decides they are mad at the man that got the girl. Disrespect among the ranks, mistreatment of fellow unit members, and destruction of professional reputations will surely affect the career progression of everyone involved. And what happens to the effectiveness of the unit when a female combat soldier gets pregnant? Naval ships at war must return to shore because of the pregnancy of female sailors, thus hindering the combat mission. Infantry units must evacuate the female soldier out of the war zone and reassign her to a support position back in the States. The disruption to combat readiness is extreme and can be costly. Chivalry is not dead. The basic, instinctual nature of males is to protect females. This is true of any species of animal. Parents raise their sons to protect women, and to ensure their safety because they are less capable of protecting themselves. While this may not be true of all women, it is certainly true of all men. In the New York Times article, Female POW is Abused, Kindling Debate, by Ellaine Sciolino, Army Major Rhonda Cornum was interviewed regarding her captivity during the Persian Gulf War. She said â€Å"Everyone's made such a big deal about this indecent assault,† she said, in her first interview since the war. But the only thing that makes it indecent is that it was nonconsensual. I asked myself, ‘Is it going to prevent me from getting out of here? Is there a risk of death attached to it? Is it permanently disabling? Is it permanently disfiguring? Lastly, is it excruciating? ‘ If it doesn't fit one of those five categories, then it isn't important. † But the male so ldier that was with her had a different opinion. The 22-year-old specialist from Fort Rucker whom Iraqis slapped and beat during interrogations said he had not changed his opinion that omen should not be in combat, despite what he described as Major Cornum's stoicism. â€Å"I worried about her all the time,† he said, â€Å"and being a P. O. W. and going through the torture, the pain, you shouldn't also have to worry about what's happening to the female soldier all the time. † While the women may be able to endure such atrocities that come with war, the men are not psychologically prepared to deal with listening to the screams of their women being raped, sodomized, and tortured by the enemy. Then there is the moral question behind women in combat units. The question isn’t necessarily whether a woman can do it, but whether she should do it. Assigning them into these positions would â€Å"require training men and women to regard the brutalization of women, and a woman’s brutalization of others, as normal and acceptable† (Kirkwood, 2003, p. 1). According to Vietnam War hero Ron Ray, â€Å"Women should only be used in combat if national security depends on it. † This means that all of our men have been killed or captured, and the only possibility of survival is left with the women and children. Even then it should be a last resort. There is something unsavory in the mouths of society in turning a woman into the kind of person that is capable of performing such heinous actions that are required in close ground combat against another human being, while being expected to nurture our children once she returns from such brutal actions. Women by nature are the nurturing gender. What will this do to our society of civilized humans if we turn our women into barbaric warriors? Women certainly play a significant role in today’s armed forces. On a grand scale they have been instrumental in improving the readiness of their organizations, better enabling them to perform on the asymmetrical battlefield. But placing them into close ground combat positions will not improve the readiness or performance of the armed forces. The presence of women in combat units creates sexual tension that eventually puts one man against another in direct competition for her, thus affecting morale and cohesion. As prisoners of war, women will put their male counterparts at risk because a man’s instinct is to protect the woman rather than complete his mission and overcome the enemy. As a civilized society, it is morally wrong to place a woman into a position where she could be brutalized, or where she would have to brutalize another. They simply are not emotionally or psychologically equipped to do that, and nor should they be. But in the quest for equality of the sexes, placing women in combat units isn’t the answer. It should still remain more important to maintain military tradition and combat effectiveness than it is for social experimentation.

Atmosphere and Setting

The novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, follows the protagonist Changez’ journey through American business fundamentalism. Hamid utilises a plethora of surroundings that convey specific feelings, throughout the novel to heighten the emotions felt by Changez. This is first evident through New York City’s drastic change from optimistic to hostile, following the 9/11 attacks, which correlates with Changez understanding himself. Further as Changez is through his travels exposed to difference countries such as Greece and the Philippines, he becomes aware of the disparity between Americans and himself.This eventually leading him back to Lahore where he is disgusted to realise that he has become a â€Å"foreigner†. Shortly after . time in Valpariso ultimately leaves him disenchanted with American. Hamid creates such environments and atmospheres to amplify Changez conflicting beliefs about his place in America and Pakistan. The changes in atmosphere and s etting of New York City, mirror Changez changing attitude towards America and his identity in the milieu of New York City.Before the 9/11 attacks New York is depicted as a society that is diverse, modern and full of opportunity. The city itself exudes a feeling of encouragement and optimistic, welcoming individuals of all cultures. Hamid portrays, the city like this to consequently allow Changez, the protagonist to feel as though he belongs. Changez feel at home, in New York because of the taxi drivers speaking Urdu, the Punjab deli and his skin colour falling â€Å"in the middle of the colour spectrum†. He remarks that he â€Å"never [felt] like an American†, but â€Å"immediately [felt like] a New Yorker.To Changez, New York offers him an opportunity to achieve the â€Å"American dream†, it made â€Å"everything possible†. It is because of these specific feelings that Changez experiences towards New York City, that he is infatuated with America. Howeve r after 9/11 New York becomes of city of patriotism and paranoia, much more seclusive and guarded. At this point in the novel, Changez has begun to see the inhumanity of the pragmatic and materialistic America that he has accepted. Hamid, changes the atmosphere of New York, to further amplify Changez' dislike for America.Changez feels as through the city is saying â€Å"We are America-not New York†, making him uncertain of his place, as he never really felt like an â€Å"American†. In addition, New York's tense atmosphere provokes rumours of racism: Pakistani cab drivers being beaten†¦.. the FBI raiding mosques†¦ Muslim men.. disappearing. As a result this atmosphere makes Changez feel uncomfortable and unsure about where he stands in America. Changez time in Greece and the Manila provides the perfect enviorment for him to become increasingly aware of the disparity between Americans and himself.Hamid's use of Greece is significant, due to its laid back, relax ing atmosphere that juxtaposes against New York. This provides the ideal environment to stimulate Changez' American companions, to exhibit their preconceived American superiority. Changez becomes aware of the â€Å"ease at which they parted with money†, and their â€Å"self righteousness†, as though they were part of the â€Å"ruling class†. He becomes increasing attentive of this self satisfaction that American's carry with them. Further, Hamid uses Manila because of its similarity to Pakistan and its idolisation of Americans.Thus, Changez finds that, â€Å"it was one thing to accept that New York was more wealthy than Lahore, but quite another to swallow the fact that Manila was as well†. This setting evokes pride and jealousy in Changez. Hence, he attempts to â€Å"act and speak†¦. more like an American†¦ [he] wanted [his] share of that respect†. Despite his belief that his â€Å"Pakistaniness was invisible†, the glare that he r eceives from a driver of a jeppney, with its â€Å"undisguised hostility†, shakes Changez. He consequently realises, that this driver has seen through him and this once again makes him feel as though he is betraying Pakistan.The atmosphere in Lahore and Valparaiso plays an important role in concreting Changez disenchantment with America. When Changez first returns back to Lahore, he notices â€Å"how shabby [his] house appeared†, he was â€Å"saddened to find it in such a state† and ashamed that this was where he had come from. Hamid creates such an atmosphere to act as crucial for Changez’ realization of who he has become. Soon after Changez releases that his surroundings had not changed since his departure, he â€Å"had changed†. He realises that he, † was looking†¦ ith the eyes of a foreigner†¦. [of] that particular type of entitled and unsympathetic American†. This setting forces Changez to become aware of his new identity and question his loyalty to Pakistan. Changez feels as though he is â€Å"abandon[ing] his people†. Upon realising this, he begins to appreciate his home’s â€Å"enduring grandeur† and â€Å"rich†¦ history†. Furthermore, Hamid chooses Valparaiso as the next crucial setting because Changez associates the city with Pakistan, hence feeling more comfortable there.The city's decline as a great port reminds Changez of Lahore. Therefore he is able to trust the chief of the publishing company, Juan Bautisa. Thus, when Juan-Bautisa tells Changez of the janissaries', Changez is able to realise that he has become,† a servant of the American empire when it was invading a country of kinship to mine†. This setting and atmosphere provides the vital catalyst that convinces Changez that he no longer belongs in America. He now knows that his â€Å"days of focusing on the fundamentals were done†.Hamid uses particular settings and atmospheres in his novel, to provoke his protagonist Changez to feel certain emotions and act accordingly. The environments prove to be crucial in how the plot unfolds as they are all are essential in influencing Changez subsequent actions. The changes of New York City's welcomeness, his observations in Greece and his sense of comfort in Valparaiso all affect Changez emotionally. Overall, had the novel not used such specific surroundings, Changez feelings may have not been realised to their full intensity.