Virgin and Child with Saint Anne

The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne Rebecca Townsend Hum2235 Dr. Hoover Edison College Fall 2012 Townsend 1 The painting of The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne took more than a decade to complete. It was created in the 16th century, in Florence Italy. A young master artist declined the original commission for The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and suggested Leonardo da Vinci. The monks who commissioned the painting, an artifact of Christ’s family tree, gave Leonardo a workroom.The figures in the picture are of Saint Anne representing the grandmother, the Virgin as mother (Mary/Madonna), the Child as Christ, and the lamb as the future sacrifice of Jesus. They are closely intertwined in the painting showing their tight bond in Christian History. Da Vinci could not separate Christianity from his work. Leonardo in his painting as well as in his life seemed to cultivate a sense of mystery (Capra XIX). The monks of the Florentine Santissima Annunziata commissioned Leonardo to pa int The Virgin and Child with St. Anne as an altarpiece for their high altar. In his typical fashion, Leonardo did not complete the work on time.The monks, eager for their altarpiece had to commission another artist to complete the work. The monks approached Filippo Lippi to complete the work Leonardo had started. Filippo Lippi was the artist that painted Madonna and Child with Two Angels in 1465. Lippi was the artist who had initially rejected the commission suggesting the monks give the project to Leonardo. Lippi considered Leonardo to be a superior artist. Lippi agreed to finish the project but died before its completion. After Lippi died, the monks had a young Florence artist named Perugino finally complete the piece.At last, the monks of the Santissima Annuziata in Florence had their painting for their high altar. Some consider the painting to be a treasure of esoteric and occult wonders. Some are fascinated by the sight of St. Anne supporting her heavy daughter on her knee, wi th no visible means of support (Budny36). Townsend 2 It’s hard to find any evidence of Leonardo’s beliefs in his paintings, since there are no written records that have survived if they ever existed. Leonardo believed that a good artist must also be a good scientist in order to best understand and describe nature.The humanistic, naturalistic, and scientific aspects of Leonardo’s life and work are not always clear because he was an original Renaissance man [Leonardo’s art, scientific investigations, technological inventiveness, and humanistic philosophy were all bound] together. During the 16th century he made numerous drawings and sketches with different themes that eventually lead to this famous artifact The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. Various designs still exist of the version painted in 1510. Leonardo could not fuse the two qualities he desired: an abstract formula and the immediacy of life.The final painting now hangs in the Louvre in Paris. The painting is a complex and masterful synthesis of his previous variations (Capra 105). In some research it is stated that this artifact is unfinished, even though he had worked on this painting possibly for eight or nine years (Bramly 321). Leonardo had a habit of never finishing his work. Leonardo had drawn many different cartoons painting and sketches leading up to the final painting of The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. One of his cartoon sketches had St. John the Baptist kneeling next to Christ (Capra 105). Leonardo switched St.John to a lamb in the final painting. The lamb (sacrificial animal) represents passion suffering in Christ’s destiny. It is not known why Leonardo replaced St. John, who was Christ’s cousin, with a lamb. He painted the Christ child as being about a year old. It looks as if he is slipping out of his mother’s hands and trying to grab hold of his destiny, the lamb. The lamb, being embraced by Christ has his head bent, while its tail a nd hind legs are clearly indicated to be in a comfortable place (Johannes 86). Townsend 3 Leonardo put his thoughts to paper and painted through, light, shadow, and geometry, using three dimensions.Da Vinci declared, â€Å"There are three kinds of perspective. † The first is concerned with the reason for the diminution of things as they form from the eye. Second contains the way in which colors vary as they form the eye. The third and last declaration of how objects should appear less distinct the more distant they are. Examples, perspective of disappearance (Capra 219). Perspective in painting was his destiny. From the pyramidal construction to the fact that only three feet belonging to the figures are visible, everything in the picture seems to be threefold.In fact in this painting, Leonardo was pursuing a theological meditation on the destiny of Christ, which had begun in his early painting Virgin of the Rocks (Bramly 320). Most research indicates the rocks, mountain strea ms, and escarpments of his childhood made up his private landscape in his paintings (Bramly 86). Leonardo depicts the women as sister like in age even though they are indeed mother and daughter. Saint Anne, the mother of Virgin and Child, sits with her daughter on her lap. The Virgin is half rising from her sitting position and she appears to want to restrain her daughter from separating the Child and lamb (Kemp 273).It is unusual for Mary to be portrayed in her mother’s lap. The painting may have more meaning to it than the Passion of Christ. Saint Anne perhaps represents the Church in this painting. Art critics have admired the unity of the three figures, the freedom of movement, the sweet and melting quality of the faces, and the mountains in the background. The family figures almost blend into each other in their rhythmic balance, with Leonardo’s dreamy mountains, foreshadowing the landscape of the Madonna, in the background (Capra 105). What better way to describe the bond of maternal love uniting three generations?Leonardo had written in a short note in one of his journals, The Virgin and Child Townsend 4 with Saint Anne means â€Å"the glorification of motherhood†. The Virgin and Saint Anne in this masterpiece seem to be about the same age in the painting, with their two bodies merging almost into one. Leonardo gave the child two mothers both graced with the blessed smile of happiness. To the viewer’s eye, the painting may imply to evoke his thoughts on his childhood which the painter wanted our thought as childhood had been divided between his real mother and his stepmother.He may have united them in his mind as he did in his painting, a picture that no one could have painted except of Leonardo De Vinci (Bramly 318). Both women, Saint Anne and the Virgin, have dedicated their lives to God, which had touch Da Vinci. One research source stated that in the painting Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, the Virgin is designed first, as she is in so many of his drawing, and the landscape seems to flow from her. The Painting is designed by Da Vinci in a diagonal, where we formerly saw a pronounced swing down from top right at the crown of the tree, through St .Anne’s left arm and elbow, through the successive arm/knee/arm/knee configuration of the Virgin, down to the placement of St. Anne’s feet on the then more brightly â€Å"spotlighted† left section of the rocky foreground. Against that progression, we saw in the earlier state how Leonardo had orchestrated a countervailing upper left to the bottom right sweep through the principal heads and the arms of the Virgin and the Child, down to the rump and tail of the lamb. This movement was decisively echoed and enforced by the parallel diagonals of the Virgin’s right leg and St.Anne’s left leg (Johannes 3). It is stated that Saint Anne’s left arm was painted the same way in another Leonardo da Vinci painting. Townsend 5 Leo nardo’s composition of the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne is perhaps the one which, of all his designs, he contemplated the longest and in great depth. Perhaps, he felt attracted by the particular formal and iconographical problems presented by the subject. When we were asked to select an artifact to research and write about, the painting of the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne caught my eye.The love and compassion in the women’s eyes and their expressions towards the innocent child reminds me of the love I have for my own children. Although much research has been done to discover why Leonardo painted the picture the way he did, it is still unclear. It is unclear why the women appear to be the same age and why he substituted St. John with the lamb for the final painting. Research is still being done on his journals and notes. Leonardo, who was left handed, wrote all his notes in mirror writing, from right to left (Capra, 27).Perhaps further analysis of his notes and sketches will reveal more insight into the painting of the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. [pic] Work Citied Bramly Serge. Leonardo the Artist and the Man. Penguin Group. Great Britain. 1994. Print. Budny Virginia. The Art Buletin. Vol. 65, No. 1 (Mar. , 1983), pp. 34-50. Print. Capra Fritjof. The Science of Leonardo. New York. Anchor. December 2008. Print Johannas Nathan. Miteilungen. 36. Bd. H. ? (1992), pp. 85-102. Article. Kemp Martin. Leonardo on Painting. Yale Nota Bene. Yale University. 2001. Print. Marani Pietro C. Leonardo Da Vinci. Abrams Harry N. New York: 2000. Print.

Counseling †an overview of the adlerian theory

Alfred Adler was the founder of Individual Psychology the definition of which is the indivisible of the human personality. The Adlerian theory supposes a single motivating force behind all our behavior, that of striving for perfection. They attempt also to marry the disparities between â€Å"The Self-concept† and â€Å"The Self-ideal†. Along with these come the â€Å"Weltbild† or worldview and our own personal â€Å"right-wrong code† known as â€Å"The Ethical convictions†. Adler argued that humans are born striving to belong are motivated by feelings of inferiority throughout their lives.In order to clearly define what is unhealthy we need to take a look at what is deemed healthy in as far as Adlerian theory has tabled it. The aptitude for a â€Å"Feeling of community† is necessary thereafter becoming ability followed by attitude and motivation. Alfred Adler maintained that individuals were all born with this but that it has to be nurtured t o be of any value as in the ability to make contact with others, relating to them in useful ways and then contributing to the common welfare (Henry T. Stein 1997).The intellectual capabilities include understanding others points of view and needs, accepting common sense over private logic and recognizing the interdependency of people. Appreciating the contributions of others and reasoning with a view to the immediate and future social consequences. The emotional capabilities include empathy for others, feeling connected with others and the ability to feel and express acceptance, liking and love for others. In relation to the environment, or our â€Å"Style of life†, there are both attitudinal and motivational capacities.The attitudinal capacities include feeling at home on earth, a sense of harmony with the universe and a deep identification with others. This also means letting go of the preoccupation of self and along with this comes a profound sense of belonging. The motiva tional capacities include sustaining an active, creative and generous interest in the welfare of others. Contributing significantly to the community and making unconditional, ongoing, spontaneous and positive social effort. The feeling of community is not manifest as mere conformity rather it implies a constant striving for improvement and correction toward an ideal community for all.From an Adlerian point of view, genuine ethics are a result of a high level of the â€Å"Feeling of community† and are a reflection of optimum mental health. Harold Mosak (1995) identified five underlying assumptions to the Adlerian theory. A) The individual is unique, b) the individual is self consistent, c) the individual is responsible, d) the person is creative, an actor, a chooser, and e) people in a soft deterministic way can direct their own destinies (Mosak, 1995, p87). This is basically the identification of what we are born with.The understanding is however that mental ill health occurs when these are not properly nurtured with a view towards enriching the community as a whole. We now can start painting a clearer picture of unhealthy functioning in an individual. A sense of inferiority is an indicator of mental ill health, this of course, only being a symptom of the larger problem, that being â€Å"Self-obsession†. Self-obsession occurs when there is a lack in the feeling of community. Another indicator is when strivings are for the individual’s greater glory and not for the purpose of overcoming life’s difficulties.If the individual is not engaged in striving for self-realization, in contribution to humanity and making the world a better place to live then harmony cannot be present mentally. The role of environment in attaining mental health is paramount. In redirecting the client toward a fulfilling life one is teaching them the importance of a holistic approach. A very simplistic example would be if a client were living in an unhealthy situ ation, perhaps above a club. They need a fair amount of peace in order to study but find it impossible in the current situation.They then stay out all night at libraries in order to find the peace they need but not getting the rest they need to regenerate with all the traveling. This is an extremely simplistic example illustrating a domino effect. The rest of the client’s affairs will start falling apart as they try to keep up with not having had enough sleep. Another little pearl of wisdom here would be â€Å"If you keep doing the things you are doing, you will keep on getting the results that you’re getting†.Now their motivation for moving away might be that they cannot afford to move away. A suggestion would be to share a residence on a communal basis where the necessary structure is present. A small change, as inconsequential as it may seem, has the power of positivity behind it. It spurs on further change in the â€Å"Style of Life†. Adler maintained that human beings were born teleological. His primary example being, that of an infant who as a result of its initial helplessness feels inferior and strives to overcome that by developing to a higher level.Feeling inferior and compensating for that by way of development is the dynamic force behind the motivation, which propels the individual throughout life. This process, as Adler stated, begins in infancy where the child is aware of others who are larger and stronger than they are. In order to survive and attain our goals we must strive forward. Adler described these as minus situations where children compared themselves to older children or adults. The inferiority feelings then become the motivation for striving towards plus situations.Adler said that individuals were not always guided in their actions by reality but also by fictitious goals. Hence the Adlerian concept of the final goal, a fictional creation, an imagined ideal situation that guides a person in the present. The f inal goal is the result of a process that is unique to each individual, a process that Adler calls â€Å"Private Logic†. The process, by which we overcome the obstacles in our way, was coined by Adler as â€Å"Style of Life†. This pattern is generally set by the time we are 6 or 7 years old and is quite difficult to change thereafter.Using Adler’s definition of 3 broad categories of people in terms of neurosis we will illustrate how these two different types encounter and overcome obstacles. Subject A is a Ruling Type (Dr George C. Boeree (2005). They are from early years characterized by their overwhelming need to win. Subject A’s method of overcoming an obstacle will more than likely be confrontational and aggressive. There is no doubt, however, that this obstacle will be overcome but without regard for the consequences. Subject B is categorized as an Avoiding Type (Dr George C.Boeree), perhaps self-explanatory. They only live life through avoidance and as a result never actually grow. As a result of this lack of growth, this type may eventually succumb to psychosis and then retreat within themselves. This was a very simplistic example but serves to highlight the extremes between individual responses. An important skill we have from infancy is the ability to elicit care from others. First and foremost an infant is born physically appealing to its caregiver and has very effective ways of eliciting care.Crying is the most emotive way of eliciting care and is very seldom ignored. If the crying of an infant carries on for an extended period of time then the adult becomes anxious and panicky. This almost certainly ensures that the infant receives the care it needs. Crying is used throughout our lives as a means of manipulation or eliciting care from others. The basic summation here is that manipulation in any form makes up part of our daily interactions with other people. An example would be a teenager seeking a later curfew, citing th eir friend curfews as examples.The Coup de Grace being â€Å"The other parents trust their children† or â€Å"You don’t love me†. Both of these are extremely emotive to parents. Humans by nature are sybaritic and such a sense of community needs to be nurtured and developed throughout their lives. Alfred Adler himself was an early follower of Freud, breaking away later due to the disparities in their particular theories. This perhaps illustrates that there is no holistic method of psychotherapy yet and that perhaps a combination of all the most pertinent types is actually the path one should be following.This is certainly debatable, especially to devotees of either end of the spectrum. The evidence however points to an infinite spectrum of complexity in the human psyche, one which we are perhaps no closer to approaching with any real insight. The Adlerian theory however was a breakthrough in it’s time with aspects such as labeling us individuals which brou ght about a more effective approach to psychotherapy. There is no one set way of treating everyone and the closer to personal the experience of psychotherapy is brought, the closer a solution you get.This is perhaps a simplistic summary of what is essentially a complex theory with many components but the central theme for Alfred Adler was, unlike Freud, he did not believe that our only drives were basic and animalistic. This is a solid argument based on the fact that we are sentient beings with the ability to reason and therefore are able to direct our destinies to a large degree. The study of human behavior is ongoing; call it a â€Å"Work in progress†. All theories and studies will have an impact on psychotherapy as we know it, by its very nature continuing to evolve as we do.

An in-Depth Analysis Essay

Volume 5, September 2010 The International Journal of Research and Review 51 An In-depth Analysis of the Entrepreneurship Education in the Philippines: An Initiative Towards the Development of a Framework for a Professional Teaching Competency Program for Entrepreneurship Educators Maria Luisa B. Gatchalian Miriam College Abstract This research paper is a descriptive study, which aims to identify the training needs of entrepreneurship educators and practices in entrepreneurship education in the Philippines. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and one-on-one interviews are conducted using structured and unstructured interview guides, which revealed the respondents’ answers, thought patterns, expressions and insights on an array of questions pertaining to entrepreneurship education in the Philippines. The result shows that students assign the highest importance to the personal qualities of entrepreneurship educators (e. g. human and motivating, etc. ) and teaching methodology and delivery (e. g. innovative and interactive) among other qualities (e. g. educational attainment). Entrepreneurship educators ascribe most importance on personalized, experience and project-based learning. However, they assert that this teaching practice should be complemented by a manageable class size, program support facilities and teaching skills enhancement (e. g. , mentoring, etc. ) among others. The school administrators play an important role in setting the direction and progression of the entrepreneurship program in their respective institutions against the background of numerous challenges in managing resources to support its needs. This study highlights that entrepreneurship education in tertiary level is best achieved through a well-designed curriculum, effective teaching model grounded on personalized and experience-based learning, and strong institutional support. Keywords: teaching and learning needs, entrepreneurship education, and tertiary level. Introduction Entrepreneurship education is a recent trend in new course development as against the traditional courses that have gained formal recognition in higher-level institutions. Entrepreneurship courses are now finding their way into formal education as subjects or full degree courses in the tertiary level. Unlike traditional business courses, which have developed and evolved over many decades in universities all over the world in conjunction with active practicing business operations, formal entrepreneurship teaching in the tertiary level is a relatively young course. Professional development of entrepreneurship educators, however, is not as institutionalized as the development of teachers for traditional business courses. MBAs and PhDs in general business and in management fill the faculty rooms of colleges and universities, but educators who hold masters and doctorate degrees in entrepreneurship are rare. Even teaching information and resources are not well known or are not available in many schools, making it difficult for budding entrepreneurs to find the sources they need. Entrepreneurship education is, by nature, highly experiential and interactive. Course requirements are mostly output and result oriented,  © 2010 Time Taylor International ? ISSN 2094-1420 Volume 5, September 2010 The International Journal of Research and Review 52 prototype development, hands-on training and other practical applications that require mentoring and close monitoring of students’ progress at each developmental stage. Teaching college teens to become entrepreneurs takes a different set of skills, insights or sensitivity and teaching approaches to connect, motivate and engage them to. The uniqueness of the student needs and the course requirements entails specific teaching skills to match both. One of the perceived tools to address and match these needs is to first conduct an assessment of the qualities, competencies, methods and techniques and other factors that are important to students, educators, and school administrators. There are new challenges of the learning dynamics of emerging youth in the 21st century. Among them are the uses and matching of modern communication technologies with appropriate teaching methodologies, which the new generation is well adapted to but a good number of educators are not. These are only a few examples of the specialized skills and knowledge that are needed to upgrade entrepreneurship training in the tertiary level. Likewise, course management and its administration are also faced more than ever, with challenges and limitations that behoove everyone to deal creatively with. The study is grounded on the premise that if the educational system is to breed entrepreneurs as the future economic movers, it is but appropriate that the learning source, or the educators should be well equipped and sensitive to their needs and learning dynamics who are ? nolonger-children but not-yet adults.? In the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has pushed the formal integration of entrepreneurship education pursuant to Republic Act No. 7722 as embodied in Memorandum Order No. 17 (CMO # 17) Series of 2005 – Curriculum Requirement for Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (BS Entrepreneurship). This document contains the new academic and developmental thrusts of the Entrepreneurship Programs and Courses in the Tertiary Level. It is also important to note that based on the CHED directory in the National Capital Region, there has been an increase in colleges and universities offering business and entrepreneurship courses. Some have indicated the integration of entrepreneurship in their schools, as a full course leading to a degree, a track, or as a major subject. There are already concerted efforts in the government and the private sector to advance entrepreneurship education as a long-term solution to economic advancement. It follows then that the future offering of the course on entrepreneurship will increase, and programs will take on a newer form as it evolves and develops over time. One of the concrete efforts to meet these new challenges is the formation of Entrepreneurship Educators of the Philippines (ENEDA). The main thrust of the organization is to assist all its members in accessing or actually developing for their immediate use all the relevant knowledge and skills needed in teaching college students to become  © 2010 Time Taylor International ? ISSN 2094-1420

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Business Environment - Essay Example This paper approves that the PMT brand of organic products is also part of a monopolistically competitive industry, but a recent visit to their business advisor informed them that the Price Elasticity of Demand for their products is inelastic. But being in the monopolistically competitive industry, the stiff competition from rival businesses does not affect the profit margins of PMT. There is a niche market for the PMT products, which are unique in their own way and add to the variety of organic cosmetics, soaps and perfumes. People who buy such products will prefer to have variety, and so a good number of buyers will regularly come back to the PMT brand, though they test out other brands in the mean time. The factors that would affect this demand curve and hence the PED include the variety of substitutes available for buyers to try around, the proportion of income required for the item and degree of necessity or luxury. This essay makes a conclusion that disposable income is the amount of income a person or an organization has, after the taxes have been deducted from the total amount. It is being assumed that disposable incomes are going to fall in the next two years. With the decrease in the people’s income, the Income Elasticity Demand for the organic products would turn positive or high positive and the niche market catered to would reduce. The organic perfumes, soaps and cosmetics would thus, come under the category of luxury goods.But the fall in disposable income is not likely to affect the services offered by the salon, since people would still be catering to their basic needs. The income elasticity demand for the services is likely to fall between one and zero.

Character analysis of Christian Darling in The Eighty-Yard Run short Essay - 1

Character analysis of Christian Darling in The Eighty-Yard Run short story - Essay Example from them, watching the other backs heading him off toward the sideline, the whole picture, the men closing in on him, the blockers fighting for position, the ground he had to cross, all suddenly clear in his head, for the first time in his life not a meaningless confusion of men, sounds, speed. He smiled a little to himself as he ran, holding the ball lightly in front of him with his two hands, his knees pumping high, his hips twisting in the almost girlish run of a back in a broken field. The first halfback came at him and he fed him his leg, then swung at the last moment, took the shock of the mans shoulders without breaking stride, ran right through him, his cleats biting securely into the turf. There was only the safety man now, coming warily at him, his arms crooked, hands spread. Darling tucked the ball in, spurted at him, driving hard, hurling himself along, all two hundred pounds bunched into controlled attack. He was sure he was going to get past the safety man. Without tho ught, his arms and legs working beautifully together, he headed right for the safety man, stiff-armed him, feeling blood spurt instantaneously from the mans nose onto his hand, seeing his face go awry, head turned, mouth pulled to one side. He pivoted away, keeping the arm locked, dropping the safety man as he ran easily toward the goal line, with the drumming of cleats diminishing behind him. How long ago? It was autumn then, and the ground was getting hard because the nights were cold and leaves from the maples around the stadium blew across the practice fields in gusts of wind, and the girls were beginning to put polo coats over their sweaters when they came to watch practice in the afternoon. . . . Fifteen years. Darling walked slowly over the same ground in the spring twilight, in his neat shoes, a man of thirty-five dressed in a double breasted suit, ten pounds heavier in the fifteen years, but not fat, with the years between 1925 and 1940 showing in his face. The coach was

Midterm election in the House of Representatives Essay

Midterm election in the House of Representatives - Essay Example There are two theories that explain the out come of mid term elections. The first one is the theory of rise and fall of a regime and the second is the performance of the regime and the situation at the time of the election. Both the theories provide different analyses but you can also use a combination of the two for analyzing the outcome; this method is supposed to give better reasoning. Analyzing the data for mid term polls in the last hundred years, the ruling party seems to have always lost, except in 1934. After 1940 the loss used to be 30 seats or more than 30 seats. In the midterm elections of 1946 the loss was as high as 46 seats. According to the rise and fall of a regime theory, the strong performance by the presidential party in previous elections may cause a downfall in the midterm election. But this is more statistically correct than logically applicable. Generally the statistical details about the loss of the President's party in elections denote that the extent of the strong performance in the last election will decide the downfall in the present election.1 But the statistical details were the results obtained by applying statistical analysis to available data. Though all the mid term elections are similar to each other, each election will have its own significance. The significant factor changes from term to term. That significant factor will have an important place in analyzing the outcome of the midterm elections along with the standard issues. This year the war on Iraq and the policy of the government regarding it is supposed to be a deciding factor in the elections. According to the rise and fall theory the strong performance by the presidential party in previous elections may cause a downfall in the midterm election. The strong performance of the president's party depends upon the information provided by presidential candidate about his future activities in power. The strong performance indicates the trust of the people in his policies and words. It is clear that two years period is not sufficient to deliver in all the fields. It can be difficult for the party in power to defend the delay. At the same time it is easy for the opposition party to criticize and exploit the situation in the form of votes polled. The performance of George W. Bush in the last election can be termed as strong, because his party withstood an anti - incumbency wave and won a majority. Winning a second time shows greater expectations from the people and the party itself. It takes time to fulfill the promises made during the election campaigns and to materialize the wishes of the people. In the course of these things when the government has to face the midterm polls, generally the electorate compares the performance with the promises before electoral victory. The dissatisfaction due to the non - fulfillment of the promises results in mid term poll losses. A number of reasons for the dissent of the people towards the party in power can be cited. The uproar about the nominal boss of US intelligence Negro Ponte's activities of pleasure, spying and making Iraqis write pro US articles by funding them, can be one of the number of activities which is capable of fixing the regime in trouble.1 The above-mentioned activities may not show direct affect on the people. When the electorate

America and the First World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

America and the First World War - Essay Example America’s neutrality in the war meant that her banks could lend money to either of the warring sides. However, America’s neutrality is somewhat questionable as she was the main manufacturer and supplier of arms to the warring nations, especially to the Allied side, which was against the Imperial Germans. In addition, America supplied both financial aid and other goods such as army attire to both France and Britain. Her neutrality is also doubtful as she sought the affirmation of her right to immunity from submarine attacks from German submarines. Moreover, America kept a small army active in anticipation for joining the war, she sent out army divisions into Europe, whose tasks were to help out France and Britain. This neutrality was, however, stopped President Wilson after America received the Zimmerman Telegram, intercepted by Britain on its way to Mexico from the German government. The telegram sought to establish an alliance between Imperial Germany and Mexico agains t America. It also assured Mexico of Germany’s assistance in reclaiming the former’s land, which had been acquired by America (Venzon, p. 516). Wilson, who was re-elected because of his insistence on neutrality and seeking an amicable end to the war, was extremely aggravated by the Zimmerman Telegram, resulting in his decision to declare war on Germany. According to Wilson, the move by Germany to declare unrestricted submarine warfare on all marine vessels was evidence of Germany’s disregard for democracy. Wilson saw this as reason enough to go to war against Germany because the German’s had already sunk an American ship, Lusitania, resulting in the death of many Americans.  

Cash Flows Under Different Risk Management Decisions Essay

Cash Flows Under Different Risk Management Decisions - Essay Example A risk is involved because of the uncertainty is present in the future. Therefore, the risk can also be called as the uncertainty of the future events (Crouhy, 2000). It can be explained in a way that we are not aware of the unexpected circumstance, which may happen in the coming future. Despite the projections and planning, one cannot fight with the events which are out of the control of human beings. This can be explained with the example of common human being, who plans and takes decisions in his life with some expectations, which he believes will have more chances to occur in the future but if life does not move according to the expected circumstances so the person may face loss in his decision. Therefore, the chance of occurring unexpected circumstances is referred to as the risk of loss. The reason may be that the decisions may not move according to the plan (Hopkins, 2012). Risk can also be explained with the more specified example of financial planning of a person, who projec ts his cash flows that will occur in the future based on the potential for his career growth. If the result of the decision is in accordance with his plan then he will be able to enjoy profits otherwise loss (David, 2008).The job of any risk manager is to control the risk and identify more profitable option at the given level of risk. The risk level is determined using different risk-based components and the then financial engineering is used to evaluate the results of the risk-based decisions (McLucas, 2003).

Personal Profile of Para Medical Officer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Profile of Para Medical Officer - Essay Example This attribute has helped me in overcoming the emotional trauma that is a norm of my field. I also think that it is a very fulfilling job because it gives me the opportunity to contribute towards the society in a positive sense. Working as a paramedic gives me self-satisfaction, because I feel important, by helping others. I have strong aspirations for future. I plan to introduce a service to patients that is effective and convenient. I believe that good diagnosis systems should be available for the patients; they are given proper treatment, which will help them in their recovery. In order to achieve this, it is very important for me, to have correct systems and knowhow about the management issues of the large medical facility, which I am lacking at this time, but I am learning and will accomplish this goal one day. Over my academic career, I have gathered basic knowledge in the field of paramedics. The focus of my studies has been on providing emergency medical service in case of road incidents. My stronghold on this field helps me in better decision making in volatile conditions, while placing a premium on emotional stability. I have also done practical training which has been very helpful in the development of the ambulatory skills that are needed in a healthcare career. This training was focused on ensuring fewer errors in future. What I found most challenging about my degree was learning English, because, it is not my native language. Therefore, I had to face a lot of problems in my degree because of it. But I had an interest in the medical field, so I had accepted this as a challenge and overcame it by discussing different concepts with experienced doctors on weekly basis. Another challenge that I had faced, was during my paramedic training, caused by witnessing the pain people go through in the case of tragedy, therefore it has taken me, a while before I had gotten acquainted with it.

ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

ART - Essay Example Foster, Krauss, Bois, and Buchloh focuses on a crucial event—how the seminal work is created, how the artistic manifesto is published and the opening of a major exhibition; this crucial event tells us the story of enchanting diversity of practice and interpretation that characterizes the art of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, they made a point to explain in detail all the turning points and breakthroughs of modernism and postmodernism. 1. Modernism is generally an artistic approach, which dominated the European and American art and literature in the Twentieth Century. The key features of modernism are thought to be the principles of formalism and the autonomy of art. 3. The third aspect is the concept of the avant-garde, which challenges the dominant artistic culture. Often referred to as "inner logic of modernism", this critical force makes the art move forward towards Postmodernism. Characterized as a critique of Modernism and the project of modernity, Postmodernism is best understood as a part of a cultural shift which has been felt in science, philosophy, and the arts. Culture is seen by others (e.g. Jean Baudrillard) as an endless play of imitation (simulation) which signals the end of authenticity and reality and the emergence of "hyperreality" (Baudrillard 1049-50) 2. Interventionist is when the artist becomes a manipulator of signs rather than a producer of Art. The viewer becomes "an active reader of messages rather than a passive contemplator of the aesthetic"(Foster 1066). This form of Art is described as "a social sign entangled with other signs in systems productive of value, power and prestige" (Foster 1066) This critique of Modernity often takes the form of a challenge to the norms and values of western culture as a whole. But this critique is losing its popularity. If we still don’t have an answer to Hal Foster’s 1996 question, â€Å"Whatever Happened to

Comments on two posts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comments on two posts - Essay Example How could Germany have altered its command, control, and logistics for more success in the East? One of the most crucial fronts of the war was the east, where Germany launched Operation Barbarossa to occupy Soviet Union and gain control of significant resources in the east.4 According to the post, the winter, bad road conditions, and a lack of cohesion; and that the Germans must have conquered just enough territory to effectively sustain the campaign. However, I think that the biggest mistake of Germany was attempting to conquer the Soviet Union itself, for the Soviet Union was very successful in their industrialization and has so immense resources and manpower to be able to successfully repulse any German advance;5 they must have not invaded the Soviet Union and focused on invading Great Britain instead. Bibliography Clay, Blair. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939-1942. New York: Cassel & Co., 1996. Higgins, Trumbrull. Hitler and Russia: the Third Reich in a two-front war, 1937-1 943. New York: Macmillan, 1966. Overy, Richard.

Benjamin Franklin Essay Example for Free

Benjamin Franklin Essay Founding father Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"The way to see faith is to shut the eye of reason. † Theists for thousands of years have shut their eyes to reason and blindly followed the word of those who would have them believe in false gods. Reason demonstrates, through outlets such as Occam’s Razor, the lack of a need for the existence of those gods and the shortcomings of theists in attempts to prove their faith. Such shortcomings most prominently come in the failure to provide empirical data for the existence of gods, in fact, experimentation and observation show otherwise. To accompany a lack of need and a lack of evidence, because faith causes one to turn a blind eye to reason, arguments for theism are often weak, personal, and circumstantial at best, and can be easily negated. Reason, a lack of evidence, and weak arguments leave mankind only one option in regards to belief in the supernatural; no god or gods actually exist. Occam’s Razor not only establishes the falsehood of a requirement for gods, but also shifts the burden of proving the existence of gods unto the theorists. In blunt terms, the Razor states that, â€Å"All other things being equal, a simpler explanation is preferred over a complex one† (Krauss). Therefore, entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily, so the simplest of theories should be chosen before the most complex and that the unknown should first be measured in known quantities (Krauss). A deity, while providing a simple metaphysical escape for the absence of evidence, adds a plethora of unneeded layers of complexity to the creation of the universe. The addition of a supreme being to the equation not only dismantles established laws of physics, but creates a type of pyramidal scheme to the universal hierarchy, with the deity at the top, as its influence can â€Å"butterfly out† to touch everything in existence and possibly altering its physical properties. The metaphysical effect of a deity on the physical world would have unimaginable effect on known forces and constants, creating a faucet that streams unknown quantities. Fortunately, Occam’s Razor demands that without empirical data solving some of those unknowns, there is no need to add a god to the equation and the deity can be dismissed (Krauss). To stack on the allowance of a dismissal of gods by the Razor, Occam also requires that the burden of proof of gods falls to theists. Without a need for a god, one must not assume without evidence that a deity exists, just as one would not assume a Minnie Mouse teapot floats between the Earth and Mars without empirical proof of its existence (Krauss). Therefore, if there is no need for a god, then theists must provide tangible confirmation demonstrating the existence of such a being in order for a reasonable person to feel the need to believe in it (Myers). If the theists, on the other hand are unable to provide tangible confirmation, then the majority are essentially asking the world to follow their religion without a need for god, without proof, and on the terms that the church understands all there is to know of the universe. In the end, thanks to Occam’s Razor, in order for the thesis to stand atheists need not disprove the idea of gods, as one cannot prove a negative. They need only to disprove (or prove the absence of) the evidence supporting theism. The religious throughout history have failed to provide empirical data for the existence of gods; in fact, experimentation and observation shows otherwise. Theism ultimately provides no factual evidence indicating the existence of a god or multiple gods. The so-called strongest proof for the presence of the supernatural lies almost entirely in the realm of unreliable personal experiences (Faust 72). Theists will often claim that they know of their gods through personal communication or through the feeling of their presence in the world. This idea inspires quite the opposite of the confidence in God the religious are trying to demonstrate by sharing that information. What the concept of â€Å"feeling† gods or having them speak to a person is not only condoned as ludicrous by those who do not partake in the lie, but if true indicates something that drifts very nearly toward borderline mental illness. Those who believe their gods speak to them should not be granted any immunity other schizophrenics are not and need to be admitted into a psychiatric ward. The thought that personal experience that cannot and has not been processed through a reasonable scientific experimental procedure can take the place of real evidence is one shared solely by theists. The world does not so lightheartedly admit untested and inconstant variables such as personal experiences because no one who logically assesses the facts could morally do so. The nonreligious portion of the Earth’s population does not recognize personal experience as a viable form of evidence for anyone besides theists (Faust 72). This arises from the notion that these experiences claimed by the religious are not comparable to witness accounts r recollection of victims in the court of law. Unlike in the case of witness accounts and recollections, theists demand that the supernatural feelings they have be classified as stand-alone evidence without empirical data or essentially a case to back it up (Faust 74). This form of proof cannot stand by itself, especially when one takes into consideration the fact that these experiences happen so little and with so little correlation to any direct event or circumstance that when compared with the rest they produce an insignificant number (Faust 75). Not to mention of course, that any witness account in a case must be taken with a grain of salt, as one can never be certain they are telling the truth without the backing of empirical data. In a vain attempt to denounce alternatives to supernatural creation theists often cling to the proud notion that if they can find a single flaw in an important scientific theory, such as natural selection or evolution, then the entire case of the nonexistence of god collapses (Dawkins 51). First, as proved earlier in the paper, the burden of proof is on the theists, so even if theists can disprove every scientific theory they must still prove theirs (Dawkins 53). Second, a scientific theory must be show to be fundamentally flawed in order for it to collapse. A few issues in the theory simply shows that there is a small amount of data missing or that a certain aspect must be corrected, both of which existences would serve to further the theory (Dawkins 53). The distinct difference between science and religion is that the scientific method of proposing a theory allows for the theory to change and adapt according to what is observed, meaning the core of the idea is what needs to collapse for it to be incorrect, not the random outliers and exceptions picked on by theists. Conclusively, unlike religious arguments, scientific theory is based on observation and change and therefore need to be proven fundamentally wrong to be publically denounced. Atheists have all heard it before, â€Å"Complexity, complexity, complexity, complexity, complexity. Did you know that a cell is really complex? Complexity, complexity, complexity, and you are just going to be blown away by the Trilobites. It crazy, they’re like little machines. Complexity. Therefore, design. † The argument of complexity through intelligent design is another tidbit of supposed empirical data theists put forth in an effort to provide â€Å"physical† evidence for the existence of gods (Myers). This contention is one of the main, and essentially their only, religious attempts to put forth empirical data which scientists can measure. The entire idea of complexity indicating design is in every sense ridiculous. The notion can be dispelled by observing the known world and watching nature, or even humans, create complex structures by chance or accident. Take for example, a young boy who tires of playing with a stick and throws it into a nearby creek. The stick floats downstream until it gets caught between two rocks at a narrow, and begins to catch other debris floating by. Eventually a variety of different types of objects will form a natural dam in the creek, creating a small pond, which in turn can develop its own ecosystem filled with life giving the illusion of design, but being completely natural (Myers). As shown in the example, the complexity of the world derived not from design, but from the wonder of chance, evolution, and natural selection. Over hundreds of millions of years life has slowly developed and pieced itself together much like the dam, changing and adapting to conditions and lifestyles on Earth (Myers). The extreme complexity through which the systems of life today work is derived from the natural selection aspect of evolution, if a system does not work, or fails to quickly adapt, then the system is eliminated time and time again until a system that operates survives (Myers). The argument of complexity solely resides in world of fantasy, has no scientific basis, and should be disregarded as viable physical evidence. Full well knowing how pitiful the points of the argument of intelligent design are, theists look to one final, very childish, measure to save their drowning plight, questioning the validity of science and the scientists who propose it (Mathew 1). Worshippers have long tried to poke holes in important theories such as natural selection and evolution or convince people to dismiss them as simple â€Å"guesses by scientists† (Mathew 1). On the receiving end of most of this ill-informed ridicule rests a creationist’s worst enemy, the theory of evolution. According to many theists, evolution cannot be as there are, so pompously pointed out, several gaps in the evolutionary chain (Dawkins 52). Not only does this not affect the validity of a theory as proved earlier, but is entirely untrue. Fortunately in this world there stands a concept known as a universal constant, a constant essentially keeps humans from testing if the floor will hold them every time they leave bed, or if the stove is hot when the on light is on, or allowing them to understand if they ump from a building they will die. These constants allow mankind to make a series of assumptions that make up nearly every decision in an average day. These assumptions permit humans to deduce situations such as that if a malicious looking; blood-soaked man leaves a room with a knife in hand and a body is found that the man was the murderer. The same idea transfers to the concept of evolution in the regard that scientists, with proper reasoning and motive, can guide the theory across gaps in the chain and still hold a fair evidence base. This utilization of basic skills as assumptions paired with evidence to substantiate them, along with earlier points of scientific theories’ abilities to withstand isolated flaws discredits theist attempts to put science to the question. Not only do the religious weakly attempt to discredit scientific theory and method, but they often will question the religious background of scientists in an effort to win people over to their side (Mathew 4). Perhaps the two most famous cases of the abuse of character are that of Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. For ages now religious fanatics such as Ray Comfort have bastardized their work by releasing edited copies of their books and mining for quotes that will purposely mislead the common citizen into believing the scientists were theist. For example, Ray Comfort puts forth this quote about Einstein, â€Å"I believe in Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Comfort removed the quote completely from context in order to misconstrue its true meaning (Mathew 4). Spinoza’s God is not a god at all, but a term used to sum up the forces of the universe into a word. Einstein in that very paragraph went on to describe how he does not believe in a god who concerns himself with the fates and actions of humans (Mathew 4). Einstein even addressed this kind of misleading material in his own day writing statements denouncing those who claimed him as a believer in God, â€Å"It was of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which has been systematically repeated (Mathew 4). Zealots like Comfort also release carefully crafted versions of great works like Darwin’s Origin of Species in which Darwin claims that he finds it hard to believe that something as astounding as the human eye could have developed through chance, neglecting to add the parts right in which Darwin continues to say that despite this, reason suggests that its true (Mathew 5). The attempt to discredit science and scientists by theists is disgraceful and such a ersonal attack in an impersonal topic alone should be grounds to dismiss the claim. Overall, theists have repeated neglected to present any actual empirical data, therefore have no proof of the existence of gods, and must resort to metaphysical or personal claims. Not only do Occam’s Rule and the absolute lack of empirical evidence disprove the idea of gods, but what arguments theists do rely on are weak, individual, and circumstantial at best, and can all be easily negated. One of these arguments for theism is the existence of morality and the correlation of morals throughout the world and history (Hauser et al 1). This can be easily negated as, put simply, atheists are the perfect example of how this cannot be true. Without guidance and belief in gods they are just as morally good as any religious person (Hauser et al 2).

Neorealist And Neo Marxist Approaches To Globalisation Politics Essay

Neorealist And Neo Marxist Approaches To Globalisation Politics Essay Globalisation is the process of integration which is international and arises from the mixture of products, ideas, views and some other aspects of culture. Neo Realism and Neo Marxism are the different approaches that have different theories, rules and regulation which can be used by different geological countries to accept the different cultures and the technologies to achieve the globalisation. Neo Realism uses the concept of self-interest and that is the reason it is considered as realistic theory to different aspects while Neo Marxism uses the concepts of Marxism and also incorporates elements from other intellectual traditions like  critical theory,  psychoanalysis  or  Existentialism. Globalization process requires different approaches to be followed to get success in particular field. As all we know globalization requires the consideration of many aspects so that it could be accept globally, so the application and selection of the appropriate theory is much important. Globalization is the main factor these days in the success of any country, company, or organization as the global presence only tells about the popularity or the importance of that thing. There are different theories that can be applied like classical or neo classical realist theory, left critical theory, deconstructionist ethics theory, neo Marxism theory or post structuralism theory etc. The application of these theory can be done of anti globalism or alter globalism. We will here compare the neo realism and neo Marxism approaches that can be applied for globalisation and how they can impact the globalisation and which one is better. The comparison will lead to the understanding of the theories and their importance for the globalization. Neo Realism Approach: Basically Realism is considered as the view that different aspects of internationalization are derived from competitive self-interest. Realism is an international theory basically which is centred upon following four propositions. 1. First proposition considers the that no actor above states is capable which can regulate the interactions and states must get all the relations with other states in the environment at their own instead of control from someone else which means that the international system is anarchic. 2. Second proposition considers the states as most important actors. 3. This proposition considers all states as unitary and rational actors which tend to pursue their self-interest. 4. Last proposition considers that all states concern about the survival mainly. In short we can say that realists believe in the self-centred and competitive humankind. Theorists like Thomas Hobbes consider the human nature to be egocentric and conflictual and exceptional in some special cases. These views are different from the liberalism approach that is used for international relations. Realists consider  Sovereign  states  as the main actors in the international system and they afford special attention to large powers because they mainly impact the international stage (Gene Callahan, (2010) pp 872).  International institutions, multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, individuals and other actors like sub-state or trans-state are considered as less influential. Realists believe that all states cant guide their actions by a universal principle. They believe that every state must be aware of different actions of the other states around it and a pragmatic approach should be used in case of any problem. Neo realism is same as classical realism but it focuses on anarchic structure of international system in spite of human nature. It considers that states are main actors due to the non existence of any political monopoly above sovereign. Main attention is given to the forces which are above or below the states using levels of analysis or  structure-agency debate while state will be the main actors. This theory considers international system as a  structure  which acts on the state and individuals as they are below the level of the state who acts as  agency  on the state. Neo realism differs in the emphasis which it places on the permanence of conflict in spite of being affected from English School. It says that states should be constantly prepared for conflict using economic and military build-up so that state security can be ensured. Some of the prominent neo realists are Hans Morgenthau, Kenneth Waltz  (Structural realism), Robert J. Art, Robert Jervis, Stephen Walt(Defe nsive realism), John Mearsheimer(Offensive realism), Robert Gilpin(Hegemonic theory). The main focus of the realist approach to international politics is on the importance of power to establish relations between states. Realists believe in self-help they consider that states should rely on themselves to provide order and to resolve the issues. States should be capable enough to handle the situations and should not depend for any particular power. Criticism: There are different criticisms for the neo realistic theory like it has the problem of Indeterminacy, federalism and democratic peace. These all can be summarized as follows: Problem of Indeterminacy: Though the theory is very rigorous but still there are some fundamental drawbacks which present problems in generating different hypotheses and testing theory. The theory is very indeterminate because it focuses on different effects of the structure of international system on the behaviour of states and on international outcomes (Marianne Wikgren, (2005) pp 19). It says that structures have their effects indeterminately and indirectly. These all can also be found in balance of power theory also. Democratic peace: The theory of realism does not apply to the democratic states relations with each other because some studies found that such type of states dont go for war. However, Realists and proponents of other schools have critiqued both this claim and the studies which appear to support it, claiming that its definitions of war and democracy must be tweaked in order to achieve the desired result. Federalism: Federalism comes from a theory which divides the final authority between different sub-units and a centre. In such type of cases, sovereignty is constitutionally split between at least two territorial levels and results in final authority at each level which can act independently of the others in some area. This gives the citizens the right to have political obligations to two authorities. The allocation of authority between the sub-unit and centre may vary. Typically the centre has powers to shape different policies like defence and foreign policy, but at the same time different sub-units may also have international roles. The sub-units are also allowed to participate in central decision-making process. Neo Marxism Approach: Neo-Marxism  is used for different twentieth-century approaches which append or include  Marxism  and  Marxist theory and incorporates different important elements from other intellectual traditions like critical theory,  psychoanalysis  or  Existentialism. One good example of syncretism in neo Marxist theory is the contradictory of class location theory from Erik Olin Wright which incorporates  critical criminology, Weberian  sociology   and  anarchism.  Neo Marxists have tried to supplement the deficiencies which were perceived in orthodox Marxism (Alf Walle, (2001) pp 805) or dialectical materialism and that is the reason why many theorists and groups has designated the use of prefix neo. Most of the prominent neo-Marxists like Herbert Marcuse  and other members of the  Frankfurt School were sociologists and psychologists. New left considers neo Marxism under its broader framework. In a  sociological  aspect, neo-Marxism is basically the addition of Max Webers broader understanding of  social inequality like status  and  power to  Marxist philosophy. Critical theory, French structural Marxism and analytical Marxism are different strains of neo-Marxism Neo Marxism came in the existence to explain those questions which were unexplained in Karl Marxs works. There are many different branches of Neo-Marxism which are usually not in agreement with each other and their defined theories. There are basically two theories of neo Marxism, which are as follows: Neo-marxist theories of development: Dependency and world system theories are connected to come up with the Neo-Marxist approach to development economics. In this approach exploitation is considered as external exploitation which was used to be considered as internal exploitation in orthodox Marxism. Neo-marxian economics: This approach stresses on the monopolistic capitalism in spite of competitive nature of capitalism. Kalecki  andBaran  and  Sweezy are associated with this approach. Neo-Marxism is the application of Marxist ideas to the global economic conditions which currently exists and considered as a school of economic thought. It was very common during the 1960s and 1970s as many neo-Marxist scholars showed that how capitalist policies can hinder the development and can increase the inequality between the Global North and South. So, neo-Marxists produced different modern world system and dependency theories in form of clear illustrations to show how neo-liberal capitalism has brought increased inequality to the global economy. Criticism: Basically Neo Marxism was a relaxation of the economic determinism and positivism of classical Marxist theories. Its main focus was more on the society rather than on the system alone. It incorporated other sociological views which were developed after Marx so that a more holistic view of social class structures and dynamics can be provided and the target was to focus more on society. Different criticisms for the neo Marxism theory are as follows: It has more concentration on economic relationship which is like going over to the limit as it considers the economic relationship as most important factor. This theory is considered as economically deterministic due to the more emphasis on the economic relationship and it has ignored the other relationship like family, education. Friendship, religious etc which also give shape and determines the success. As it has concentrated on the economic relationships and conflicts, it has overlooked the conflicts that can rise in other forms (non-economic) also. This theory has either overlooked on these factors or has a slight description like it argues that the male-female conflicts are not simply economic rather they are patriarchal. It has under-emphasized the subjective interpretations of individuals when looking at the way in which people see and act in the social world (Thomas M. Jeannot, (1994) pp 91). A persons subjective interpretation of their class, for example, might be quite different to their objective class position. Many forms of Neo-Marxism have been criticised (usually by other Marxists) as being little more than a left-wing variety of Functionalism (Left Functionalism as Jock Young has termed it). In place of society existing for the benefit of all, Young argues that many Marxists simply substitute the idea that society exists for benefit of a ruling class). Some forms of Neo-Marxism resemble little more than a giant conspiracy theory, whereby a Capitalist Ruling Class are able to manipulate other classes in society for their own ends / benefits. Critics like Sir Karl Popper have claimed that Marxism is unscientific in its methodology. In particular, he argues that Marxism is not a theory that can be tested and possibly falsified, mainly because it sees the replacement of Capitalism by Communism as historically inevitable. In this respect, Popper classifies Marxism as a faith. The Marxist perspective lends itself to always examining social relationships in terms of their conflictual basis (just as the Functionalist perspective tends to look at those same relationships in terms of their consensual basis). This emphasis might be misplaced. Conclusion: As per the above discussion, both approaches have different implications for the globalization and have aim to satisfy the need of the states and regions for their success. On the one side neo realist theory tries to aim at individual on the other side neo Marxist theory tries to aim at the economies. Realist theory considers each individual responsible for their own tasks while neo Marxist theory talks in terms of economic stability and other factors (Kavous Ardalan, (2009) pp 525). The globalisation is the process which requires the integration of ideas, views and other factors that can help to get a better international system in the place. So while choosing the best theory for the globalisation, it is important to consider that the theory which is required should be more realistic and should focus on the growth and responsibility of all as a whole, not as an individual. So, neo realism is the theory which is realistic while neo Marxism is the theory which considers the economy as a whole. So I think a mixture of both can be better to be adopted for globalization process. But most preferable should be neo realism theory as it aims at the development of all and the responsibility of all individual state so that they can be economically strong at their own and can give rise to a good competition in the world scenario while keeping in the mind about the international relations.

Evaluation of Burberrys Market Position

Evaluation of Burberrys Market Position Critically evaluate Burberrys market position relative to that of its competitors. What has been the impact on their position in choosing Emma Watson for their latest advertising campaigns ? Burberry : Finds a position among the Top Ten Luxury Apparel Brands and Emma Watson proves to be a catalyst . Burberry is a iconic brand best known for its â€Å"Britishness† , in recent years has undergone a image overhaul having been described as ‘an outdated business with a fashion cachet of almost zero by leading fashion analysts in 1998 (Finch and May, 1998). By 1997, the annual profits of Burberry had gone to  £25 million from  £62 million (Moore, C., Birtwistle, G., 2004) . Over past few years, Burberry has become in themselves the sign of reinventing and extending product lines to adapt to the taste of times.â€Å" Our objective was to distil what the Burberry brand stood for and determine how to make it relevant for todays consumer† Bravo stated (Alderman, 2002). However, changes focused on brand repositioning turned revenues of  £427.8 million in 2001 into  £715.5 million in 2005 (Burberry Group, 2005). Burberry adopted a strategy to create a market position to explain its growth and extend the customer base by offering â€Å"Accessible Luxury† when most other brands were struggling to acquire a broader clientele. Burberry repositioned themselves and opened a flagship store on Bon Street in London (Moore, C., Birtwistle, G., 2004) placing it store among Gucci, Versace, Prada and Chanel. Approximately, Burberry operates in the global luxury sector to about  £145bn (Burberry Plc, 2009c). Jaeger recently bought Aquascutum and the annual turnover for both brands together was  £300m. Whereas, Burberrys current capital is about  £ 2.1bn. Burberry is considered among the top ten luxury brands. Burberrys competitors differ through its categories and price ranges or diffusion lines. Burberry is positioned between Polo Ralph Lauren and Armani considering apparel and Coach and Gucci for Accessories. Giorgio Armani, Coach, Donna Karan, Escada, Gucci, Max Mara, Polo Ralph Lauren, To ds, Hermes, LVMH, PPR, Prada, Chanel and Richemont are a few among Burberrys competitors (Burberry Plc,2009c). However, even after the recession hit Burberry has achieved to increase sales up to  £1,202m by 31st march 2009. In 2008/09 there was a sales increase through retail by 14%, 2% in wholesale and 9% decline in licensing which contributed to overall 7% revenue increase from the previous year (Burberry Plc,2009a). Comparing with the market Burberry Prorsum competes with Armani Black Label, Gucci and Prada. Burberry London Women is placed between Armani Collezioni and Ralph Lauren. Burberry London Men is between the gap of Zegna and Ralph Lauren. Tommy Hilfiger, Armani Jeans and Polo Jeans are the competitors for Thomas Burberry. Most of the Japanese brands like Ozoc, Michel Klein are a tough competition to Burberry Blue while Paul Smith competes with Burberry Black. In recent years Burberry has expanded its product lines which helped to improve on brand standing and growth. Many other fashion brands are following the same strategy to stand the competition like Armani extension into Armani Casa, Armani hotels etc. According to the top 15 luxury brands listed by Interbrand (2009) Burberry is eleventh in the list and among top ten if only apparel brands are considered. Also, comparing the brand values for the year 2008 and 2009, it can be concluded that competitors brand values declined. Only Hermes managed to get a 1% increase in their brand value AND Polo Ralph Lauren is not listed among top 15. Most of the brands managed to climb the ladder on global ranks, Burberry achieved 98th rank in top 100 global brands 2009. The market brand position of Burberry in terms of valuation can be compared through below segments : †¢ European Apparel Brands: companies like Escada, Hugo Boss, HM and Benetton are competitors in terms of product mix and the business model. Though few companies work on lower price range, few brands are tough to compete in terms of the value they offer to consumers. †¢ US Apparel Brands: Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger competes on basis of product mix and has more mature business. †¢ Luxury Goods Brands: brands like Hermes, Coach, LVMH, Tods . Performing better than competitors and beating analyst expectations, Burberry sales rose by 4.6 % to  £ 343m by September. Share price for Burberry doubled during the past year providing a good defense against competitors. Its market position is mainly in the fashion oriented mature sectors focusing on ready to wear and some accessories peers. Burberry continually tries to consider the cost effectiveness in maintaining the quality and enhance the product while trying to achieve competitive pricing and improving efficiency in sourcing the goods. Even in recession it continues expansion in other markets, for instance the launching kidswear store in US. Also, tailoring the merchandise mix according to the climate to attract more customers, some products are displayed only in selected stores for instance, the New York store provides service for customized trench coat, Beverley hill store contains light weight products etc. Comparing revenues below, 33% of non-apparel to 67% of apparel is a correct balance for a brand to display its products and innovations to provide their customers a wide variety. Where brands like Armani, Channel and Polo Ralph Lauren gain most revenues through apparel while others like Coach depend on the accessories. Burberry trench coats were worn by Hollywood stars like Humprey Bogart in Casablanca, Peter Sellers in The Pink Panther (Jackson and Shaw 2009, p.77).Burberry strongly believes that marketing and management are very critical to its success hence, it focuses on coverage in Editorials, advertising, fashion shows both domestically and internationally and has a website, twice yearly ad campaigns focusing on leading lifestyle and fashion publications and fashion shows in Milan. In order to reflect the essence of the brand ,create brand awareness and sustain brands aura, Luxury brands often feature models, celebrities or famous personalitys as they help wield an enormous power in fashion circles and help in making up or destroying a brand. Burberry uses a lot of images of London to represent it English lifestyle with a British celebrity. Burberry had renowned personalities like Stella Tenant, Rachel Weisz, Agyness Deyn, Lily Donaldson and Kate Moss endorsing the brand. Kate Moss was the most popular and high profile face Burberry had. While, other celebrities like Jerry Hall, Nicole Appleton, Jarvis Cocker and Beckhams also contributed. The beautiful, elegant Emma Watson â€Å"the Harry Potter ‘actress, a leading style icon is the new face of Burberry. Advertising campaign images of Burberry featuring Emma Watson as the face of Burberry were unveiled on 9th Jun 2009. Chistopher Bailey ( Burberrys Creative Director) who said â€Å"Having known and admired the lovely Emma Watson for some time, she was the obvious choice for this campaign†. â€Å"Emma has a classic beauty, a great character and a modern edge. Her charm, intellect and brilliant sense of fun made the whole shoot feel like a picnic on the Thames† he added.( Craik, L. ,2009). The advertising campaign was shot by renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino in Westminster, central London which is the global Headquarter of Burberry and directed by Bailey who considered Watson to strong enough and came up with the idea of presenting only girl surrounded by the young Cool British guys. The images in this campaign capture Watson wearing the classic trench coat looking winsome, accompanied by male models Tom Guinness, Charlie France and Douglas Booth. The images represent the rich history associated with the brand as well as the modernity of Burberry which emphasises on the beauty, timelessness and strength of the brand noteworthy at present. Emma Watson has been globally very popular due to her Harry Porter movies for years now. Watsons popularity and appeal as a leading style icon she has a huge fan following, which the brand uses to target a new young set of customer. Watsons high profile catwalk at the London fashion week in September 2009, helped the company to raise its profile in UK .It can also be assumed that the new ad campaign helped the brand to attract more customer base and resulting in sales increase which is evident from the sales figures for 2009. Burberry mentioned the increase in the second quarter sales climbing from 4.6pc to  £343m.Finacial Analyst and business advisors have forecasted that the tax profits will increase towards  £190m ( Hall, J. 2009) The linkage of Emma Watson as the face of Burberry has also helped the brand to increase the sales of handbags and pull on scarves called snoods. The analysts were proposed rise in the profits due to the increase in sales which helped Burberry to beat the market expectations in second quarter of financial year .However, It seems to a bit risky decision for Burberry as she is bound to get a bit older. To conclude, Burberry is an example of complex channel and distribution for luxury fashion ( Moore and Birtwistle, 2004 ) and proved its potential to be a tough competitor by making positive growth of brand value even when economic scenario is not very supportive. Burberrys decision of choosing Emma Watson for their ad Campaigns has proved beneficial for them to increase sales and profits, also, she reflects the same charm and personality as the brand. However, brand understands that the real task is to implement effective strategies in business that can develop and manage a brand. It is not only celebrity that brings success to the brands. Burberry proves to be approachable as the products not only have good aesthetics but also due to durability, functional and practical proving to be inclusive yet offering friendly prices. This results in higher brand value and brand appreciation. REFERENCES: Alderman, E. (2002) Luxury and the downturn: diamonds in the rough, International Herald Tribune, 6 December 2002. Baker, M., Foy,A,( 2003) Business and Management Research. United Kingdom : Westburn Publishers Ltd. Bergin, O. (2009) Emma Watson as the new face of Burberry. Telegraph [Internet] 9 June 2009. Available from Accessed on 17 December 2009. â€Å"Bravo† for Burberry- From bust to boom- creating a luxury fashion brand (2005), Strategic Direction, Vol.21 No.1,pp 22-24 , ISSN 0258-0543. Burberry (2002), Burberry PLC Annual Report and Accounts 2001-2002, Burberry, London. Burberry Group (2005), Annual Report and Accounts 2004/2005, Burberry Group, London. Burberry plc (2009a), Annual Report 2008/ 09, Burberry Group, London,[ Internet] 15th June 2009.Available from ( Accessed on 17 December 2009) Burberry plc ( 2009b )Investor pack- November, Burberry Group , [ Internet] 2 December 2009. Available from ( Accessed on 17 December 2009. Burberry plc ( 2009c ) Corporate Profile, Burberry Group, [Internet]. Available from accessed on 16 December 2009. Burberry Group plc London United Kingdom ,Overview(2009) Hoovers- A DB Company [Internet]. Available from Accessed on 13 December 2009. Burberry Toasts a lift in sales ( 2009 ) The Independent ( London, England). 15 October 2009, P. 44. Burberry Worries Investors ( 2005) [Internet].Available from Accessed on 27 November 2009. Chadha, R. , Husband, P. (2006) The cult of the Luxury Brand- Inside Asias Love Affair with Luxury. London Nicolas Brealey International pp.25-63, 149, 178, 267-77,280. Chiefs call for tighter business models ( 2009) The financial times, 5 October 2009, p.17. Accessed on 24 December 2009. Clark ,N. (2008) Burberrys Sales soar as Debenhams struggles , The Independent -Business, 16 April 2008 [Internet]. Available from Accessed on 13 December 2009. Craik, L. ( 2009) Harry Porter Star Emma Watson Charms Burberry. London Evening Standard, 9 June 2009 [ Internet]. Available from .Accessed on 13 November 2009. Diamond ,J., Litt, S. (2003) Retailing in the new millennium, New York : Fairchild Publications.p.21-23 Easey ,M. ( 1995) Fashion Marketing, India, Blackwell Publishing , pp.174-177. Everywhere is home for the global top one hundred (2008),Strategic Direction, Vol.24 No.5,pp 14-17 , ISSN 0258-0543. Finch, J. and May, T. (1998), â€Å"Reputations: putting a zip in a Burberry†, The Guardian, 27 June. Hall, J. ( 2009 ) Emma Watson helps Burberry beat expectations. The Telegraph- Telegraph.co.uk, 14 October 2009 [Internet]. Available from Accessed on 17 November 2009. Interbrand (2009) Leading Luxury Brands 2008 Rankings, Branding Studies- The Top 15 Luxury Brands, Interbrand-Creating and managing brand Value,[Internet]. Available from Accessed on 27 December 2009. Interbrand (2009b) Best Global Brands 2009 rankings, Interbrand-Creating and Managing Brand Value, [Internet].Available from Accessed on 27 December 2009. Jackson ,T., Haid, C. ( 2006) : Global Luxury Brands-trademark/ Intellectual Property In Jackson, T., Shaw, D. The Fashion Handbook, London: Routledge , pp. 72-81. Jackson ,T., Shaw, D. (2006) The Fashion Handbook. London : Routledge, pp. 61-3. 72-81,105-08,127. Jackson, T., Shaw, D.( 2009) Mastering Fashion Marketing. Wiltshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.12-15,63,161-63,247-250,288-98. Keynote ( 2009) Report Search [Internet]. Available from .Accessed on 18 December 2009. Kiley, D. (2007), ‘‘Best global brands, Business Week, Vol. 4005, August 6, pp. 56-63. Kollewe, J., Wearden, G.(2008) Burberry sees profits rise while Laura Ashley Suffers. The Guardian ,Financial section [ internet] 29 May 2008, pp 26. Available from Accessed on 18 December 2009. Leroux, M. ( 2009 ) Childs play for Burberry . The Times, 15 October 2009, p.51. Luxury Goods. Lex Column ( 2009 )The Financial Times, 21 November 2009, pp 24. Main Movers ( 2009) ,The Independent ( London, England) ,10 December 2009, p.52. Malem Wendy (2008) Practitioner Paper Fashion designers as business: London, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management ,Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 398-414. Milligan ,L. ( 2009) Emma Watson Exclusive. Vogue.com [Internet] > 12 june 2009. Available from Moore, C. and Fernie, J. (2004), â€Å"Retailing within an international context†, in Bruce, M., Moore, C. And Birtwistle, G. (Eds), International Retail Marketing; A Case Study Approach, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, pp. 3-37. Moore, C. and Birtwistle, G. (2004), ‘‘The Burberry business model: creating an international luxury brand, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, Vol. 32 No. 8, pp. 412-22, ISSN 0959-0552. Neumier, M. (2006) The Brand Gap. United States of America: AIGA. Okonkwo, U. (2007) Luxury Fashion Branding. Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan, pp.15-25, 30-37, 132-67, 173-78, 227, 260, 278-83, 310 ONeill, L. (2009) From Hogwarts to Burberry: Actress Emma Watson graduating into high fashion as new face of label. NYDaily News.com [Internet] 9 June 2009. Available from Accessed on 17 December 2009. Pringle, H. (2004) Celebrity Sells. India :John Wiley Sons ,LTd. Satherley, J. ( 2009) Emma Watson unveiled as Burberry Babe [ Internet] 9 June 2009. Available from ile:///C:/Users/Admin/Desktop/burberry/research/Emma%20Watson%20unveiled%20as%20Burberry%20babe%20%20%20Metro.co.uk.htm> . Accessed on 16 December 2009.. Vine, S. ( 2009) Coppy Emma Watsons Burberry Look. The Times-TimesOnline [Internet] 10 June 2009. Available From Accessed on 17 December 2009. Werdigier, J. ( 2009) Burberry Looks Online for Ways to Gain Customers. The New York times-Global Business [Internet] 9 November 2009. Available from . Accessed on 12 December 2009. IMAGE REFERENCES : Image No. 1: Burberry previous ad campaigns by Koko Royle ( 2009) Burberry Handbags resist the chav scandal [Online Image]. Available from [ Accessed on 29 December 2009]. Image No. 2 : Rosie Huntington and Sam Riley in Burberry Fall 2008 Ad Campaign by Foster, K. ( 2008) Rosie Huntington-Whitley for Burberry autmn/winter 2008-9- revealed [Online Image].Available from [Accessed on 14 December 2009]. Image No. 3 : David Victoria Beckham for Emporio Armani by Jane, Tina ( 2009 ) Celebrities for Luxury Brands09 Ad Campaign [Online Image]. Available from .[Accessed on 14 December 2009]. Image No. 4 : Madonna for Louis Vuitton by AmyGrindhouse ( 2009) David Victoria Beckham Armani Fall 2009 Ads [Online Image], 2 July 2009. Available from [Accessed on 14 December 2009]. Image No. 5 : Emma Watson For Burberry- Autumn/Winter 09 Campaign at Burberry Plc ( 2009) About Burberry- Ad Campaign [Online image].Available from . [Accessed on 17 December 2009] Image No. 6 : Burberry Spring/Summer 2010 Ad Campaign for Burberry Prorsum at Burberry Plc ( 2009) About Burberry-Introducing Spring/Summer 2010 [Online Image]. Available from .[ Accessed on 29 December 2009] Image No. 7: Burberry Spring/Summer 2010 Ad Campaign for Burberry Prorsum featuring Emma Watson at Burberry Plc ( 2009) About Burberry-Introducing Spring/Summer 2010 [Online Image]. Available from .[ Accessed on 29 December 2009] Image No. 8: Burberry London ad campaign for Spring/ Summer 2010 at Burberry Plc ( 2009) About Burberry-Introducing Spring/Summer 2010 [Online Image]. Available from .[ Accessed on 29 December 2009] Image No. 9: Emma Watson for Burberry Brit Spring /Summer 2010 Ad campaignat Burberry Plc ( 2009) About Burberry-Introducing Spring/Summer 2010 [Online Image]. Available from .[ Accessed on 29 December 2009]

Essay --

Western philosophy has been around since before the time of Jesus. Few philosophers have had as much influence on the world as Plato in western philosophy. Born over 400 years before Jesus, Plato’s influence may be second only to Christianity in this day and age (outside of eastern philosophy). One of Plato’s greatest works, and considered by many his masterpiece, is The Republic, which is widely read today and covers many topics. In The Republic, Plato presents many interesting ideas and thoughts that look to expand one’s wisdom and knowledge of the world. Plato uses a unique style of writing and welcomes controversy and opposing opinions. Some of the main concepts covered are justice, both on an individual and societal level, what is the nature of a man’s soul, the order and character of a just city-state, the forms of government, and theories of universals such as the Forms, and virtue. However, this book is mainly thought of as a philosophical treatise on politics. The main character in the Republic is Socrates, while other characters like Cephalus, Polemarchus, Thrasymachus, Glaucon, and Adeimantus help Socrates navigate through the problems presented by conventional wisdom, while displaying Plato’s thoughts and wisdom. Each of these characters play a key role in setting up Plato’s ideas and thoughts, while bringing to the story their own perspective and intellect. While Plato was an understudy of Socrates, and became the philosopher he is because of Socrates, Plato uses Socrates as a fictional character in his writing and expels his knowledge mainly through him and the conversations he has with the other characters. Plato is a very interesting philosopher, beyond the wisdom he has passed on to others; he writes in a unique ... ...nd forms previously mentioned. Plato presents that particulars participate in forms and give their common quality, which the quality is a reflection of his idea. Plato finally concludes with an argument for the immorality of the soul. The soul’s illness is ultimately injustice. A man can ultimately overcome injustice by harmonizing reason, spirit, and appetite (desire), which will lead to a healthy life and soul.4 Although Plato uses circular reasoning in many of his arguments, he embraces resistance and argument towards his ideas and philosophy. Plato embraces this because this is what dialectic is, refuting one’s views to progress towards a true knowledge. Dialectic is held very dearly to Plato and this is how Plato became so knowledgeable and wise. Plato is one of the greatest philosophers of all time, and The Republic is a prominent figure in today’s society.

The Good Earth :: essays research papers

The novel The Good Earth is a story of a man living in Chinese society around the time of the Chinese Revolution. Though the story is a work of fiction, some of the events in the story were actual events that the author, Pearl S. Buck, witnessed or experienced during her life while in China. The area of China that the story takes place in is based after the town Nanhsuchou where Buck lived for a period in her life. The main character in the story is Wang Lung, a hard working, but poor, farmer. At the age of marriage, and being of low class, Wang Lung, and his father decide that it is best that he marry a slave, who would be less expensive than other possibilities. Also, if it were to be a slave than it was less likely to being a pretty wife, and they did not want their woman to be pretty. To have a pretty wife would mean that she would have to be kept beautiful and pretty which was expensive, and they were not rich. Wang Lung needed a wife of low maintenance, who would be willing and able to help work the land. Also, a wife who was pretty would be more likely to be looked at and desired by other men and less likely to be a virgin still. The most important thing in Wang Lung’s life is his land. To him, the land is everything; his work, his food, his standing in society, his sustenance. It is, essentially, his life force. His understanding is that as long as he has land, he has enough, and to live without it would seem impossible. It is said that every seven or eight years the gods feel the need to punish the people, and they do so sometimes by flooding the precious land. This can be a life threatening occurrence depending on how long the flood stays. The floods take over all of the fields, killing most or even all of the crops. Without their crops to harvest, people starve, and many die. One of the first floods that takes place during the novel is not as bad as some. It kills much of the crops, but they are able to survive on what they have stored and what they are able to purchase. Many in the nearby village are not as lucky, and many starved to death.

Distance Learning Essay -- Education Distant Learn Essays

Distance Learning "As we enter the Information Age, more and more adults from various economic and cultural backgrounds, already in the workplace, and with families are seeking to educate themselves to keep up in their careers" (Duderstadt, J., 1999). Whether that is through Higher Education, the university system, or their company's Intranet is usually dependent upon the learner. The ways that they seek to educate and re-educate themselves to stay abreast with current trends in their jobs is the topic of this paper, Distance Learning. Many of these non-traditional students are looking to advance their careers through education by non-traditional means. They may have constraints that keep them from attending a structured classroom environment. It is this population that forces Higher Education and the corporate Educational Services to rethink their approach and delivery of instruction. For example, a few days ago I was in the Securities and Loan office of Fidelity National Bank conducting a Needs Assessment on a young SPA Loan Officer Trainee. The young man, a recent graduate in Finance and Economics from Kennesaw State University, planned to enroll in the MBA program at Harvard University. That of course prompted me to ask, "How do you plan to complete a MBA at Harvard and continue your work here in Atlanta?" His reply, "I would take these courses online and meet at the school the second Saturday of every month." He then went on to say that a MBA from Harvard carries a lot of weight in this town's financial community. With new technologies and the Web, more and more Universities as distinguished as Harvard, are putting Masters and Doctorate programs online. Not only are these Universities using the Internet to p... ...orks Cited Comeaux, P. (1995, Oct.). The impact of an interactive distance learning network on classroom classroom communication. Communication Education, 44(4), 353-361. Duderstadt, J. (1999) Can colleges survive in the information age? In Dancing with the Devil. (p.4). San Francisco, Calif.: Joss-Bass Publishers. Harmon, S.W. & Hirumi, A. (1996, May). A systemic approach to the integration of interactive distance learning into education and training. Journal of Education for Business. 71 (5), 2 267-271 Retrieved September 30, 1999 from EBSCO business search on the Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu. Lohman, J. (1998, Sept.) Classrooms without walls: Three companies that took the plunge. Training and Development (52)9 38-42 Matthews, D. (1999) The origins of distance education and its use in the united states. The Journal. 54-64.

Reflective Journal

One of my strengths is inquiring. I’m usually the one in a group questioning everything like â€Å"How did this happen? † or â€Å"What is the meaning of†¦. † I also like to know a lot of information on a subject before I consider doing anything with it. I’m a very curious person and sometimes I’ll look at things from a different and new perspective to see what it’s like. I do this because I really enjoy seeing things from new different angles and comparing the two different point of views. This helps me better understand someone else’s view on something.For example if a friend and I are in an argument, I’ll try to wear their shoes and see their side. I also like to know why certain things have importance and value. I point out and question key facts and points to see why exactly it is of such significance. One of my weaknesses is Critical Thinking. I’m alright at it but I know I could do better and could use some im provement. I love thinking; I do it all the time†¦sometimes even too much. I’m great at thinking about problems and solving them. Although sometimes when I read a story or question that is very long and full of ideas, I may get lost in my tracks and not figure out the main point.It becomes a bit challenging for me because I can’t focus on one idea or thought. I think this is because I’m such a curious guy and I keep on jumping from thoughts and conclusion. Another weakness of mine is that I am not a risk taker. I always choose the rational and logical option and never take a little chance on something different. I know sometimes taking a risk pays off big, but unfortunately there are also times when it doesn’t. I’m always curious about what it would’ve been like if I took a risk. I think I never take risks because I fear that if I fail the damage may be hard.I usually take the path that has less damage possible. Another one of my streng ths is being very reflective. It’s a very important skill to have because if we never look back at what we have done and the mistakes we have made, we would probably continually make the same mistake. I think I reflect every night before I fall asleep in my bed. I think â€Å"Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that,† or â€Å"Yeah that was a funny moment. † I always reflect on my past and on others past. I like to reflect on the past because it helps me see if I made a mistake somewhere so I can keep myself from doing it again.Reflecting helps you see what you’ve missed before, and learn from your past. I know I’m only supposed to mention two strengths but I feel I have another really good one. It’s being a very good communicator. I’m a very social person and I know how speak properly at time and how to explain things if needed. I can also understand someone who doesn’t really explain something great and help them out. I ma y not use all the correct words but I do get the point across. I enjoy public speaking and entertaining, telling a joke here and there. I do have more strengths and weaknesses but those are my main ones. Reflective Journal Reflective Journal Detailed description as if to an outsider. Often you will use your journal to record detailed descriptions of some aspect of your internship environment, whether physical, behavioral, or organizational. When you write them, you will not have a clear idea of what you will make of these details, but you will sense that they might be important later. These descriptions should sound as if you were describing them to someone who was never there. Journals allow you to sound naive. At times you will want to speculate as to why something that you have observed firsthand is as it is.You might derive your explanation from a lecture you have heard, a book you have read, or your own reservoir of â€Å"common sense†. Having posited an interpretation, you will want to continue with your detailed observations on the topic to see if you want to stick with your hypothesis or alter it. Journals allow you to change your mind. Here are a few of the ingredients that go into a ke eping a great journal: * Journals should be snapshots filled with sights, sounds, smells, concerns, insights, doubts, fears, and critical questions about issues, people, and, most importantly, yourself. Honesty is the most important ingredient to successful journals. * A journal is not a work log of tasks, events, times and dates. * Write freely. Grammar/spelling should not be stressed in your writing until the final draft. * Write an entry after each visit. If you can’t write a full entry, jot down random thoughts, images, etc. which you can come back to a day or two later and expand into a colorful verbal picture. Key questions to answer Describe your experience.What would you change about this situation if you were in charge? How have you challenged yourself, your ideals, your philosophies, your concept of life or of the way you live? Was there a moment of failure, success, indecision, doubt, humor, frustration, happiness, sadness? Do you feel your actions had any impact? What more needs to be done? Does this experience compliment or contrast with what you’re learning in class? How? Has learning through experience taught you more, less, or the same as the class? In what ways? Reflective Journal Lecture 3 1. Did you learn anything in the session or reading material that surprised, impressed, or shocked you? If so what? And why did it have that effect on you? During the lecture, Sam introduced the origin of homosexuality. According to two British researchers, Wilson and Rahman, genetic factor is also a determinant of sexual orientation. I was quite surprised because I used to think that the homosexuality was mainly the result of the environmental factor. For example, some girls were born in a single parent family and the lack of a father makes them feel very protective of their family members.Then, they would take up the role of male and become the support of the family. I always wondered why they had to choose to be a gay/lesbian, who has to go through many difficult times as a result of discrimination by the â€Å"normal people†. I thought the homosexual had a choice to decide who they are. Indeed, I was wrong. I did not realize till I saw the research that some of t hem were born to be a homosexual. It is not up to them whether they could live an easier life. So, I just learnt that they are just being who they are and it is not their fault to be who they were born to be.I was so shocked by the behaviors of some homophobia. Isolation and teasing are common to the homosexual people. But I never realize that their life is under threat too. I feel sorry for them when I know that some of the minority were executed because of their sexual orientation. 2. How did you respond (as an individual) to Sarah? How are her lived experiences different from yours? Do you think of her sexual orientation as normal or abnormal? .. acceptable or unacceptable? .. different or deviant? .. healthy or sick? Do you believe she is living out a life choice?Be prepared to explain your views Personally I have no special feeling for lesbians because I think there isn’t really a huge difference between us except that they prefer their partner to be a girl but I like gu ys more. It is similar to the various tastes of different people. Some of them may prefer Japanese cuisine, some other may like Thai more while others may want fast food. Although Sarah has a sexual orientation different from mine, I feel that is absolutely normal. Like I said, it is just a matter of preference. Indeed, for most of the people, the behaviors of the majority eans normal behavior and the rest are regarded as abnormal, which also implies ill deep inside â€Å"normal† people’s mind. Personal judgement is involved. Many people find homosexuality abnormal and unacceptable because their behaviors and sexual orientation are different from the â€Å"normal†. I reckon that so long as the homosexuals are ok with themselves and they do not harm the others, we should not say anything about their personal choice. Why is there such a huge gap of the responses of people towards the choice of the type of food and gay/lesbian’s sexual orientation?It is beca use those people, in particular typical Chinese, think that the homosexual affects the core value of a family, which is the next generation as they cannot reproduce. So, homosexuality is usually suppressed to allow the extension of families. But then, more and more heterosexuals are choosing not to have babies. Even for homosexual couples, they can extend the family by adopting child. Basically, the collapse of a family should not be an excuse to deter them from staying with someone they love. People need to open up their mind towards variances. Homosexuality is a fact that they cannot deny.It has already existed for a very long period of time, even back in 237AD in the imperial China. May they destroy the flowers and yet they cannot stop the spring. We should accept it to promote harmony in society. After all, homosexual also contribute to society like we â€Å"normal people† do and we should respect them like the way we respect the others. Lecture 4 What can a government do to recognize sexual health as a basic human right According to the World Health Organization, sexual health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality.A Government is responsible for upholding its people’s human rights. So, it should carry out both preventive measures and treatment to help to protect sexual health. Currently, our Government is doing well in some aspects of sexual health, for example education of AIDS, provision of support of AIDS patients, sex & reproductive health of woman. The action of Government shows its recognition on sexual health as basic human right it upholds. Here are some examples. Concerning sexual health, AIDS has been one of the diseases that catch most attention. It is a destructive disease with no cure at the moment.There are more than 36 million people carrying HIV and 15000 people become infected with HIV in every 24 hours. (Klesius, 2011). 50% of the patients infected with HIV would develop AIDS if there is no proper treatment. Those people’s lives are at stake due to vulnerability and high susceptibility to infections. Being aware of the high infectiousness and the bad consequences of AIDS, the Government has put huge effort in combating the disease through promotion. For example, there are talks for students, imparting the knowledge about AIDS and advertisement on TV about prevention.The effort has been rewarded as the number of newly infected with HIV case has dropped by more than 20% from 2007 to 2011, according to HK Government’s report. Yet, solely education is not enough because the Government has to take care of the infected too. More resources should be allocated to research to find out cure for AIDS, for example, potential HIV vaccines. (Klesius, 2011). Apart from the AIDS, the Government has also reacted to some alarming sexual health phenomenon, for instance the declining age of the patients of cervical cancer.It is now offering subsidies for the injection of HPV vaccines, which offer more than 90% protection for women against HPV types 16 and 18 infections and their related cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. The action marks the Government’s attitude towards sexual health as a basic right. However, protecting people’s physical health is not the sole mission for the Government but also the mental health. So far, it seems to ignore the mental health of the minorities, like LGBT. This is revealed from the failure to fight against the discrimination in society, which hurts their mental health.More effort should be put to protect these minorities. The Government may start by education, not only for students, but also the public through advertisement, talks, forum to let them know more about LGBT and understand them. The Government should take the first step to open up its mind before it can open up the others. What can the LGBT community do to facilitate their sexual rights as human rights Curehelp them to i dentify what they really are After having learnt about homosexuality and its relevant issues, what can YOU do to help the LGBT community to achieve their basic human rights?The LGBT should be active to fight for and protect their sexual rights. After all, Hong Kong is a relatively conservative society, which is deeply affected by typical Chinese mindset. These sexual rights include the right to express their sexual identity, sexual orientation and equity. Unfairness to LGBT is common in our society. For example, according to Equal Opportunities Commission, people are protected discrimination by Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO). It is an anti-discrimination law passed in 1995, which declares discrimination on the ground of sex, marital status and pregnancy, and sexual harassment are unlawful.Both males and females are applicable. Yet, LGBT is not included in the group under protection. Till now, there is still no law against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This i s obviously a kind of unfairness. So, the LGBT should communicate with the Government and express the need to draft the law, probably through media, email, or even demonstration to call for the Government’s recognition of sexual rights as basic human. Yet, the most effective way to facilitate the sexual right is actually to spread the message of equity in society and right the mindset of the public.Discrimination derives from ignorance. It is the misunderstanding of the people that leads to their behaviors. The LGBT community may make videos or organize forum to share their view or experience with the ordinary people, just like what Sarah did. This can facilitate the communication between the two parties and thus a better understanding among the two groups. The Government can also include the topic of homosexuality in sex education. The most important thing is to correct how ordinary people think about LGBT. By then will they stop the discrimination.After learning so much abo ut homosexuality, I think my greatest contribution to achieve their basic human right is to stop discriminate against them. In the past, I belong to one of those ignorant people and felt that they were weird and scared of them. But after learning so much about them, I understand them a bit more. When my family or friends act like what I did in the past, I will explain to them, saying that every one of us should be respected. I hope what I do can influence my family and friends and make them understand the importance of equity, which is the key for harmony.Hopefully, the influence can spread to friends of my friends and eliminate the discrimination against them. Lecture 5 1. Are people born heterosexual or homosexual, or does sexual orientation develop as they grow? ?2. What is the significance of the change of the terms from â€Å"homosexual† to â€Å"gay† to â€Å"queer†/â€Å"tongzhi†? ?3. How does homosexuality relate to identity politics? How does sex uality relate to politics For some homosexual people, their sexual orientation is inborn. A scientist D. F.Swaab found that a portion of the hypothalamus of the brain of homosexual male was structurally different than a heterosexual brain and hypothalamus is the portion of the human brain directly related to sexual drive and function. (Johnson. 2oo3). This may explain why some people are homosexual. It is just because they are born to be who they are. Yet, I personally believe that the modeling of parents could have some effect on the â€Å"heterosexuals†. They have been implanted with the thought that a boy should always date a girl since they were small and they end up become heterosexual.This is because they are educated to be heterosexual and they simply follow what they are told. However, I think for the majority, which is heterosexual, it is the natural phenomenon. Reproduction can only be carried out by the intercourse of opposite sex and it is the instinct of most hum an that they look for a partner of opposite sex for reproduction. However, I reckon that the above factors are not the only ones that determine the sexual orientation of people. Affection for the others is derived from his/her appearance, personalities, characters and inner beauty.People are attracted to no matter the same or the opposite sex maybe just due to these factors but not the gene or environment. It is simply a way how human express their love. So it is possible that homosexuality is developed as people grow. The change of terms marks an increasing awareness of people on the issue of homosexuality. In the pas, from 1920 to 1950, â€Å"homosexual†, which is relatively more clinical, was more frequently used and then changed to â€Å"gay† from 1950s onwards and to â€Å"queer† from 1990s till now. This suggests that homosexuality is becoming a topic that more and more people will discuss about.So the terms people are using are becoming less and less prof essional but more like a common language. It also reveals an increasing openness of society. This is because in the past the issue was severely suppressed that ordinary people could hardly touch. Now, people are more and more open-minded and the issue is not something prohibited anymore for most of the countries. So, the change of use of terms also represents a change of attitude towards homosexuality. Sexuality is related to politics in terms of the image of the leaders.Most of the leaders appeared to be heterosexual. But being homosexual is seen as being abnormal by most of people. Even leaders are homosexual, they seldom reveal it because this will imply the end of the life in politics. In addition, leaders are trying to be very careful about their personal sexual affairs because it is a potential threat to their power, just like the scandal of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. People, especially in a society of Chinese, do not only look at one’s ability to lead bu t also the impact of their personal matters on society.What the leaders do will have a profound impact on society because they are the ones who lead the people. Being heterosexual is a sign of being normal. People do not say it but this is what they think. To avoid a negative impression, â€Å"being normal† in terms of sexual orientation is what leaders do. Reference: Asia Times Online. (2011). In Hong Kong, a quiet advance for gay rights. Retrieved from http://www. atimes. com/atimes/China/MG15Ad01. html Centre of Health Protection. Cervical Cancer. (2011) Retrieved fromhttp://www. chp. gov. hk/en/content/9/25/56. html Equal Opportunities Commission. n. d. ). Sex Discrimination Ordinance and I. Retrieved from http://www. eoc. org. hk/eoc/GraphicsFolder/showcontent. aspx? content=Sex%20Discrimination%20Ordinance%20and%20I Johnson, R. D. (2003). Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture. AllPsych Journal. Klesius, M. (2011). Search for a Cure—AIDS Turns 20. National Geographic m agazine. The department of Health. Knowing about HIV. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. gov. hk/en/residents/health/sexedu/aids. htm Wikipedia. (n. d. ). LGBT rights in Hong Kong. Retrieved fromhttp://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Hong_Kong Reflective Journal Reflective Journal Detailed description as if to an outsider. Often you will use your journal to record detailed descriptions of some aspect of your internship environment, whether physical, behavioral, or organizational. When you write them, you will not have a clear idea of what you will make of these details, but you will sense that they might be important later. These descriptions should sound as if you were describing them to someone who was never there. Journals allow you to sound naive. At times you will want to speculate as to why something that you have observed firsthand is as it is.You might derive your explanation from a lecture you have heard, a book you have read, or your own reservoir of â€Å"common sense†. Having posited an interpretation, you will want to continue with your detailed observations on the topic to see if you want to stick with your hypothesis or alter it. Journals allow you to change your mind. Here are a few of the ingredients that go into a ke eping a great journal: * Journals should be snapshots filled with sights, sounds, smells, concerns, insights, doubts, fears, and critical questions about issues, people, and, most importantly, yourself. Honesty is the most important ingredient to successful journals. * A journal is not a work log of tasks, events, times and dates. * Write freely. Grammar/spelling should not be stressed in your writing until the final draft. * Write an entry after each visit. If you can’t write a full entry, jot down random thoughts, images, etc. which you can come back to a day or two later and expand into a colorful verbal picture. Key questions to answer Describe your experience.What would you change about this situation if you were in charge? How have you challenged yourself, your ideals, your philosophies, your concept of life or of the way you live? Was there a moment of failure, success, indecision, doubt, humor, frustration, happiness, sadness? Do you feel your actions had any impact? What more needs to be done? Does this experience compliment or contrast with what you’re learning in class? How? Has learning through experience taught you more, less, or the same as the class? In what ways? Reflective Journal Reflective Journal Detailed description as if to an outsider. Often you will use your journal to record detailed descriptions of some aspect of your internship environment, whether physical, behavioral, or organizational. When you write them, you will not have a clear idea of what you will make of these details, but you will sense that they might be important later. These descriptions should sound as if you were describing them to someone who was never there. Journals allow you to sound naive. At times you will want to speculate as to why something that you have observed firsthand is as it is.You might derive your explanation from a lecture you have heard, a book you have read, or your own reservoir of â€Å"common sense†. Having posited an interpretation, you will want to continue with your detailed observations on the topic to see if you want to stick with your hypothesis or alter it. Journals allow you to change your mind. Here are a few of the ingredients that go into a ke eping a great journal: * Journals should be snapshots filled with sights, sounds, smells, concerns, insights, doubts, fears, and critical questions about issues, people, and, most importantly, yourself. Honesty is the most important ingredient to successful journals. * A journal is not a work log of tasks, events, times and dates. * Write freely. Grammar/spelling should not be stressed in your writing until the final draft. * Write an entry after each visit. If you can’t write a full entry, jot down random thoughts, images, etc. which you can come back to a day or two later and expand into a colorful verbal picture. Key questions to answer Describe your experience.What would you change about this situation if you were in charge? How have you challenged yourself, your ideals, your philosophies, your concept of life or of the way you live? Was there a moment of failure, success, indecision, doubt, humor, frustration, happiness, sadness? Do you feel your actions had any impact? What more needs to be done? Does this experience compliment or contrast with what you’re learning in class? How? Has learning through experience taught you more, less, or the same as the class? In what ways?