Chinese Economy Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Chinese Economy Master - Essay Example I will be discussing the threats foreign companies are facing in China's business environment and detail the efforts made by the Chinese government to address the said issues. Multinational corporations (MNCs), such as Wal-Mart, have identified that the most troublesome feature of China's business environment is the fragmentation of supply chain and local protectionism resulting to a lack of consistency of inter-provincial rules and regulation. Chinese provinces have, for centuries, enjoyed local autonomy and have made full use of it to protect local interests. Regional and local governments have the power to implement rules and regulation so long as it is line with the core mandates and laws of the central government and they can do this without notice. Foreign companies, most of which operate on the national level, finds this situation to be confusing and costly for business operations as they have to comply with each regulations set by each local entity. It also presents problems in supply chain efficiency as each province may require the inspection of the products being transported. For example, there is the possibility that nationally approved produc ts are barred from local distribution due to differing health and sanitation requirements of different provinces. There also localities that require wholesale purchases of alcohol and tobacco products posing problems for retail-oriented stores. This state of affairs results in fewer choices or higher prices for consumers which can be detrimental to the MNC in light of the very cheap products produced by Chinese companies. Physical infrastructure also differs between provinces due to the gap in funds to implement projects posing difficulties for road transportation whether it may be private or commercial trucking resulting to a problematic interprovincial purchasing. (McGregor 2007, p. 45) Technology and the Abundant Labour Force China's population is one of the largest in the world implying the abundance of the labour supply. While it can be argued that this presents an opportunity for the companies due to the expected lower compensation packages, it presents tradeoffs in accuracy and quality. The cheapness of labour works for industries that employs manual labour but is a nightmare for those which involves automated processes. High-end technology and electronics manufacturing from Japan, Korea and the United States relocating to China require automated processes and invest in usually expensive technologies to meet quality and accuracy standards. They are now faced with the dilemma of resorting to manual labour and risk quality or invest in automation and incur large costs that cannot be easily regained in light of fierce competition. In sectors that make use of manual labour such as those in transportation, distribution and retail, the abundance of labour can be a threat because it decreases entry barriers and forces the company to lower their prices to be able to compete in the market. As a result, foreign companies and their local providers still opt either to process manually or to contract out to local, third-party logistics companies that use manual processes thereby sacrificing quality. (Yan, Rick and Lebeberthal, Kenneth 2006, p.11) Foreign companies that need to have automation in their process could have some part of the process done manually but

Validity, Credibility, & Reliability Essay Example for Free

Validity, Credibility, Reliability Essay When seeking out the validity, credibility, and reliability of a source there can be a vast array of sources to compare when seeking this answer. For example, when validating a source we can research the author and his or her background pertaining to the data in question. Data within a claim can be meant to sway the reader one way or the other, with this in mind, I look at who and what there is to gain from this claim. I can use the gun ban debate stewing in Washington for a great example. President Obama has been pushing for tougher regulations and bans on specific fire arms and related accessories based upon the elementary school shooting in Connecticut implying that this will contest the amount of damage and casualties occurred in mass shootings when statistically more people are killed by drunk drivers in society compared to mass shootings, but yet anyone over the age of 21 can purchase any amount of alcohol. However, even statistics can be swayed depending on the pool of interested parties involved. Some methods I use to determine the reliability of data is to first seek the source from which the data is from. Typically I then seek out other sources in which I can compare that specific data against to validate the data is solid and not transparent. I then will analyze the different sources to be sure there is somewhat of a streamline when these sources are compared.

Law and Ethics in Nursing :: Nursing Ethics Research Paper

In every nurse's career, he or she will face with legal and ethical dilemmas. One of the professional competencies for nursing states that nurses should "integrate knowledge of ethical and legal aspects of health care and professional values into nursing practice". It is important to know what types of dilemmas nurses may face during their careers and how they have been successfully dealt with in the past. It is also important for nurses to understand what malpractice is and how they may protect themselves from a malpractice lawsuit. LAW VS. ETHICS It is important to first understand the difference between law and ethics. Ethics examines the values and actions of people. Often times there is no one right course of action when one is faced with an ethical dilemma. On the other hand, laws are binding rules of conduct. When laws are broken, it is punishable by an authority figure. There are four types of situations that pertain to law vs. ethics. The first would be an action that is both legal and ethical. An example of this would be a nurse carrying out appropriate doctor's orders as ordered. A nurse may also be faced with an action that may be ethical but not legal, such as allowing a cancer patient to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes. The opposite may arise where an action may be legal but not ethical. Finally, an action may be neither legal or ethical. For example, when a nurse makes a medication error and does not report it. ETHICAL DUTIES Nurses have many ethical duties to their clients. The main ethical duties are: nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, veracity, and justice. The duty of nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. The nurse first needs to ask him or herself what harm is. When a nurse gives an injection she is causing the patient pain but she is also preventing additional harm such as disease development or prolonged pain. Therefore, the nurse must ask herself a second question about how much harm should be tolerated. The duty of beneficence is to do good. In a sense, it is at the opposite end of nonmaleficence or at the positive end of the nonmaleficence > beneficence continuum. The duty of fidelity means to be faithful, or to keep to your promises. Therefore, if a nurse tells his patient that he will

Constructivism Learning Theory Essay

Constructivism learning theory is a philosophy which enhances students’ logical and conceptual growth. The underlying concept within the constructivism learning theory is the role which experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in student education. The constructivism learning theory argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based upon their experiences. Two of the key concepts within the constructivism learning theory which create the construction of an individual’s new knowledge are accommodation and assimilation. Assimilating causes an individual to incorporate new experiences into the old experiences. This causes the individual to develop new outlooks, rethink what were once misunderstandings, and evaluate what is important, ultimately altering their perceptions. Accommodation, on the other hand, is reframing the world and new experiences into the mental capacity already present. Individuals conceive a particular fashion in which the world operates. When things do not operate within that context, they must accommodate and reframing the expectations with the outcomes. Bruner’s Theory on Constructivism Bruner’s theory on constructivism encompasses the idea of learning as an active process wherein those learning are able to form new ideas based on what their current knowledge is as well as their past knowledge. A cognitive structure is defined as the mental processes which offer the learner the ability to organize experiences and derive meaning from them. These cognitive structures allow the learner to push past the given information in constructing their new concepts. The learner, often a child, will take pieces of their past knowledge and experiences and organize them to make sense of what they know, then base further concepts and solve additional problems based upon a combination of what they already processed and what they think should be processed next. The teacher resources used should be focused on that of encouragement, aiding and allowing the student to uncover the main principles on their own. Communication between the learner and teacher is the key concept. Socratic learning is suggested as the best method of communication in this theoretical framework, as it allows the  teacher to actively note any study skills the learner verbalizes, their progression, their frustrations, and form a rubric of their current learning state based on the dialogue. Seeing as this theory takes known information and expounds upon it, any teacher lesson plans, teacher worksheets, or resources should in fact be constantly building the learner’s knowledge in a spiral manner. The four major principles of Bruner’s theory on constructivism encompass 1) a predilection toward learning. The second, how a grouping of knowledge is able to be constructed to best be understood by the learner. The third is effective manners for the teacher to present said material to the learner, with the fourth and final aspect being the progression of rewards as well as punishments. Piaget’s Theory of Constructivism Jean Piaget was a philosopher from Switzerland. He was also a natural scientist that was famous for the work that he did studying cognitive development and learning theories encompassed in his view of â€Å"genetic epistemology†. At the young age of eleven he attended high school at Switzerland Latin wherein one of his short pieces was the start of his scientific career. Piaget’s theory of constructivism impacts learning curriculum because teachers have to make a curriculum plan which enhances their students’ logical and conceptual growth. Teacher must put emphasis on the significant role that experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in student education. For example, teachers must bear in mind the role those fundamental concepts, such as the permanence of objects, plays when it comes to establishing cognitive structures. Piaget’s theory of constructivism argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based upon their experience s. Piaget’s theory covered learning theories, teaching methods, and education reform. Two of the key components which create the construction of an individual’s new knowledge are accommodation and assimilation. Assimilating causes an individual to incorporate new experiences into the old experiences. This causes the individual to develop new outlooks, rethink what were once misunderstandings, and evaluate what is important, ultimately altering their perceptions. Accommodation, on the other hand, is reframing the world and new experiences into the mental  capacity already present. Individuals conceive a particular fashion in which the world operates. When things do not operate within that context, they must accommodate and reframing the expectations with the outcomes. Vygotsky’s Theory on Constructivism Lev S. Vygotsky believed that culture is the principal determinant of cognitive progress. In Vgostsky’s theory on constructivism, knowledge leads to further cognitive development. The societal configuration of intelligence states that the individual growth could not be comprehended without indication to the societal and cultural context where the aforementioned evolution is entrenched mind development is continuous. Vygotsky focuses on the actual mechanism of the development. He excludes discernible stages of development as theories and assumptions. Vygotsky’s theory on constructivism does not adhere to the idea that a single abstract principle is able to explain cognitive development. As a substitute to Piaget’s constructivism, he argues that knowledge is internalization of social activity. Mediation refers to people intentionally interject items between their environment and themselves, so that they are able to modify it and gain specific benefits. Mediation is the key propoent of Vygotsky’s theory of constructivism. His theory offers a harmonizing viewpoint to the behaviorist view. Vygotsky’s theory of constructivism supports that the use of mediators helps the human to alter their environment, and this is her way of interacting with the nature. Vygotsky’s theory of constructivism also supports that the use of activity mediators provides a way in which people are able to interact with the nature. Mediation is also defined as the use of certain tools within socially organized activity. There were two phenomena which encompasses the mediated relationship of individuals to their environment. These are 1) Humans use language and physical signs to change social relations into psychological functions between their minds and their environment. The second thing was that higher intellectual progression will actually use symbolic mediation. Apart from learning theories, Piaget’s theory of constructivism addresses how learning actually occurs, not focusing on what influences learning. The role  of teachers is very important. Instead of giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as facilitators whose role is to aid the student when it comes to their own understanding. This takes away focus from the teacher and lecture and puts it upon the student and their learning. The resources and lesson plans that must be initiated for this learning theory take a very different approach toward traditional learning as well. Instead of telling, the teacher must begin asking. Instead of answering questions that only align with their curriculum, the facilitator in this case must make it so that the student comes to the conclusions on their own instead of being told. Also, teachers are continually in conversation with the students, creating the learning experience that is open to new directions depending upon the needs of the student as the learning progresses. Teachers following Piaget’s theory of constructivism must challenge the student by making them effective critical thinkers and not being merely a â€Å"teacher† but also a mentor, a consultant, and a coach. Some strategies for teacher include having students working together and aiding to answer one another’s questions. Another strategy includes designating one student as the â€Å"expert† on a subject and having them teach the class. Finally, allowing students to work in groups or pairs and research controversial topics which they must then present to the class. Jonassen (1994) proposed that there are eight characteristics that differentiate constructivist learning environments: 1. Constructivist learning environments provide multiple representations of reality. 2. Multiple representations avoid oversimplification and represent the complexity of the real world. 3. Constructivist learning environments emphasize knowledge construction inserted of knowledge reproduction. 4. Constructivist learning environments emphasize authentic tasks in a meaningful context rather than abstract instruction out of context. 5. Constructivist learning environments provide learning environments such as real-world settings or case-based learning instead of predetermined sequences of instruction. 6. Constructivist learning environments encourage thoughtful reflection on experience. 7. Constructivist learning environments†enable context- and content- dependent knowledge construction.† 8. Constructivist learning environments support  Ã¢â‚¬Å"collaborative construction of knowledge through social negotiation, not competition among learners for recognition.† Jonassen’s eight characteristics would be supported by both social and cognitive constructivists. There is, however, a difference in the emphasis these two strands on constructivism place on each of those characteristics.

Computerized Grading System Essay

Automation has had a notable impact in a wide range of industries beyond manufacturing (where it began). Once-ubiquitous telephone operators have been replaced largely by automated telephone switchboards and answering machines. Medical processes such as primary screening in electrocardiography or radiography and laboratory analysis of human genes, sera, cells, and tissues are carried out at much greater speed and accuracy by automated systems. Applying automation to Grading systems wherein it will also make a task easy and accurate. Education must share the responsibility of developing technologically literate people (Bitter & Legacy, 2008). Both systemic reform and curriculum cannot be achieved without the aid of technology (Fletcher & Wolf, 2007). Grading and reporting are relatively recent phenomena in education. In fact, prior to 1850, grading and reporting were virtually unknown in schools in the Philippines. Throughout much of the nineteenth century most schools grouped students of all ages and backgrounds together with one teacher in one-room schoolhouses, and few students went beyond elementary studies. The teacher reported students’ learning progress orally to parents, usually during visits to students’ homes (Guskey). Researches in learning assessment, especially in terms of academic performance, have long criticized traditional rating schemes that provide feedback to students. Because learning is multi-faceted, most critiques of such formats tend to see these as superficial and inadequate arguing that they tend to cover only the areas in learning that are widely rated, leaving other areas in learning under-assessed. As a result, different systems were proposed and varying rating structures were employed by different schools in the country such as point system averaging and weighted averaging. This school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) will be using a new grading system in public elementary and high schools in connection to the implementation of K to 12 BEC (Basic Education Curriculum) program. The traditional numerical values in report cards will be replaced by letter-scheme grading system, with â€Å"A† (abbreviated â€Å"Advanced† level of proficiency) as the highest grade and â€Å"B† (short for â€Å"Beginning†) as the lowest. In the event that this format will be fully implemented in the target school, which in this proposal will be San Isidro Elementary School, the workload of the teachers will be increased because they will have to compute for the numeric equivalent of each letter grades. The proponents of this proposal wish to reduce their workload by eliminating the need for manual computation and recording of each grade. The common problems encountered in manual recording and computations are error- and file-handling, and redundancy. As the workload gradually increases with growing amounts of grades and student lists that need to be attended, it becomes tedious on the part of the teacher to proficiently manage them in time for documentation and file submission to higher education authorities. As such, this paper aims to produce a workable computerized grading system that will address these issues.

buy custom Colony Collapse Disorder essay

buy custom Colony Collapse Disorder essay Since ancient times, bees are of great significance to in the human life despite it small size. Bees are essential in pollination and honey production. Due to their significance, human beings have been raring bees throughout the decades. They provide bees with all their basic needs. Bee hives have been of great significance in bee keeping as they are the ones used to rare bees. Bees live in colonies with every group of bees depending on their age and gender having specific job to do. However, unlike initially, bee keepers are currently facing numerous problems with the major problem being colony collapse disorders (CCD). These disorders have proved to be a big threat to the lives and existence of bees, giving bee keepers sleepless nights. Due to increasing effect of colony collapse disorder and the need to eradicate this disorder, researchers are on ground studying the cause (Bright 116). This is because according to the researchers, treating and eradication of CCD needs establishment and identification of its causes. Even though CCD is a major threat, good news is that several factors causing this disorder have been identified. However, the main challenge is that it is not yet clear on whether they are the actual causes or not because they have been found to cause this disorder not on their own but in combination. This has not only led to the need of further study, but also made it difficult to find the proper remedy for this disorder. Causes of CCD Two common infections working together have been found by a major research into a dangerous threat to the honeybee as the cause of disorder. One of the major sources of concerns for farmers of huge variety of crops and beekeepers who rely on bees for pollination since its identification in 2006 is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) that sees apparently healthy honeybee colonies that go into abrupt, steep decline (Miller et al. 16). A research that alleges to have found the cause of this disorder; combination of two common infections- one fungal, one viral- working jointly to create a condition far highly serious compared to what either will do in isolation have been completed by a group of logistics. According to Bright (88), causes suggested by the study included the verroa mite, insecticides, Israeli acute paralysis virus and other diseases were eradicated when they were not found to happen in all the CCD colonies. The invertebrate iridescent viruses (IIV) - one group of diseases- were found to be available in 100% of cases, though in some strong colonies as well. A high similarity was obtained between Nosema and IIV in collapsed colonies, although finding Nosema alone was not obtained dependably to predict collapse (Johnson 13). In the insect world, an empty colony can be a hot real estate particularly if it is full of honey. However, other insects like beetles, moths and other bees that would increase typically at the opportunity to become the new tenants of a beehive, shun CCD for at least few days. However, it is not clear whether these chemicals have anything concerned with CCD, though they are absolutely stressors in the home and in the sources of food. Pesticides have no t shown solely that they are the cause of CCD. Main possible solution for CCD Wiscombe Blackiston (152) stipulate that following thorough research and evidence collected in regard to causes of colony collapse disorder, pesticides have been proved to be the main cause of this disorder. With the industrial revolution, agriculture was high revolutionized. New agricultural tools and machines used for planting and cultivation were invented. This facilitated and eased plantationfarming. People were now able to cultivate huge tracks of lands and plant crops. However, with development of plantation farming and use of advanced tools and machines, good harvest was attained. Nonetheless, it was not long before crops were attacked by insects and diseases. In order to address this issue, pesticides of different types and different chemical contents were manufactured to help control insect attacks. The use of pesticides is common throughout the world. There are different kinds of pesticides applied at different stages of the crops. It is this increased use of pesticides to control pests from crops that is leading to CCD. Bees are of great importance when it comes to pollination. However, it is difficult for a bee to detect nectars with pesticides and those without. It is through these nectars that bees come into contact with pesticides which they digest into their bodies hence leading to CCD. Thus, in order to fully eradicate CCD, the United States Department of Agriculture is advocating the use of traditional methods to control pests. We should start to avoid use of pesticides. We should also adopt healthy farming styles including use of composite manure, rotation farming, shifting cultivation, among others. This will help to reduce disease and pest attacks on our crops. Alternatively, we ought to adopt traditional methods of pest control used in other parts of the world. It is high time for us to start exchanging ideas in regard to how we can control pests without necessarily using pesticides. Like in Africa, for instance, we can adopt the use of ash or raring of birds that feed on major insects found in our regions. This can facilitate agricultural production by controlling pests. While these means are essential in controlling pests, they are environmental friendly and cheap and easily accessible. It is therefore, governments and agricultural institutions responsibility to start educating people on the need to do away with the use of pesticides to control pests and try to use other friendly means. Furthermore, the researchers are exploring means to make seed-drilling machines safer for bees. This will also help cut down cases CCD across the world. According to Thompson (327), the solution is therefore in our hand, we should either do away with current use of pesticides to control pests or start to use other farming styles and practices that are environmental friendly and can help control pests and disease, or continue using modern pesticides and finally, have no bee left. While making a decision, we should remember that bees are significant insects in crop production as they serves as pollinators and thus, need to be well protected. If you are a beekeeper, you are also supposed to ensure that bees can have easy access to basic needs. You should provide bees with adequate water, nectars/sugar syrup, and shade. This will prevent bees from travelling log distances looking for nectars where they are infected with CCD. You should also ensure that the hives are warm and dry, and that there are no openings that can let inn predators. But of great importance, we should away with organic farming and start using inorganic farming. We should condemn and prohibit any use of pesticides in current farming methods and techniques. This is not only due to the fact that it causes CCD among colonies but also because it they are harmful to the environment some seeps through soils and join water bodies hence contaminating them. Benefits and risks of the main possible solution for CCD Benefits The adoption of inorganic and ancient farming methods that dont encourage use of pesticides will be of immense significance to the farmers. For instance, it will lead to production of crops that are healthy for consumption (Schacker McKibben 199). They also reduce cases of CCD among colonies. Consequently, there will high numbers of bees which will facilitate rapid pollination. For bee keepers, this solution will lead to high amounts of honey harvested. Quality of honey produced will be of immense significance as well. Risks With the modern world, lack of using pesticides will have immense negative effects of the harvest. This is because some pests are resistant to ancient methods of controlling pest. Thus, farmers will be harvesting lower harvests than ever before a fact that might lead to famine and starvation if not managed properly. Furthermore, the use of inorganic farming method is tiresome and demanding (Miller et al. 38). For instance, storage and transportation of composite manure is difficult and expensive. Keeping birds that feed on pests will mean additional costs since they will need proper care. Hence, as far as this is a lasting solution, we ought to be very keen when implementing it. We should ensure that we have proper alternatives and that we are all focused on the same objective. Additional possible alternative solutions Proper colony maintenance practices Even though it seems less harmful, the manner in which we handle and treat colonies matter a lot. According to research, proper colony maintenance practices can help significantly in reducing or eradicating cases of CCD. For instance, feed colonies Fumigillin in the spring and autumn to prevent Nosema (Johnson 17). According to researchers, Nosema apis is not viewed as the cause of CCD but its presence can create stress factors that might promote CCD. It is also vital to medicate against Nosema disease. If the colonies show symptoms of CCD, you should not reuse the equipment. Instead, such equipments should be stored till CCD is understood better. Varroa control Research has found that Varroa is also among the causes of CCD. Hence proper control of Varroa will help to reduce cases of CCD. However, consider using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach for Varroa control in honey bee colonies (Jacobsen 153). This approach can reduce the need for chemical use in your hives and also reduces the bees exposure to chemicals, thus preventing CCD. It is also crucial to be monitoring Varroa mite populations and take steps to treat your colony when levels of mite become unacceptable. If Varroa are controlled properly using efficient methods, we will have reduced chance of CCD by a high percentage. Conclusion In brief, scientists have observed in recent years a phenomena referred to as colony collapse disorder (CCD), that is characterized by mysterious disappearance of worker bees from hives, resulting to collapse. The new study has illustrated the correlation between CCD and the use of neonicotinoid insecticides while many factors have been proposed ranging from insect viruses to cell-phone radiation, and they may all play a role. Neonicotinoid insecticides are among the most broadly used in the world, mainly because they kill insects by paralyzing nerves but have inferior toxicity for other animals. Honeybees, themselves are significant part of agriculture, since they are accountable for the pollination of numerous crops, an approximated one-third of which is eaten by humans. Thus, we should do all means possible to ensure that we have controlled and eradicated CCD completely. Buy custom Colony Collapse Disorder essay

Iraqi War An Unjust War

Iraqi War An Unjust War One reason why I believe the Iraq invasion was not justified is because it resulted in an escalation of violence in Iraq. Prior to the 2003 invasion in Iraq, the country had a functioning government in place and not many incidents of violence were witnessed. The war in Iraq resulted to the ousting of Saddam Husain, the then president, and caused a major destabilization in the country.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Iraqi War: An Unjust War specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While it is true that Iraq was plagued by human rights abuses under the reign of Saddam, the country was stable and somewhat affluent before the invasion. It was after these that the country has become turbulent with numerous incidents of gun battles and suicide bomb attacks. These insurrections that are rampant in Iraq are as a direct result of US occupation of Iraq. At the present, the security situation in Iraq is indeed stark and the country re mains very insecure. Kahl, Katulis and Lynch reveal that sectarian violence has erupted in many parts of the country and incidents of sectarian cleansing have followed leading to many deaths (86). Despite addition US forces being deployed to the country and negotiations being held, the violence in Iraq is still prevalent. Kahl, Katulis and Lynch note that there is little hope of national reconciliation or the formation of a stable environment in Iraq in the foreseeable future (83). The second reason for my belief that the war was unjustified is because war badly affects the economy and natural resources of the countries engaged in war. Both the US and Iraq have suffered economically as a result of the War. Before the war, the infrastructure in Iraq was in good conditions and the citizens enjoyed peace and stability with the availability of basic amenities. The war was accompanied by aggressive military campaigns on strategic targets in Iraq. These targets included military facilitie s, government buildings and major industries. After the overthrow of Saddam, loses continue to occur as suicide bombings destroying buildings and roads (Hicks 911). Recovering from these devastating effects of war is going to be a very expensive endeavor. For the US, the war on Iraq led to large amounts of money being taken from the federal reserves to finance the war. As of 2007, the war efforts had cost the US an estimated $1 trillion with most of the money going to military activities and reconstruction efforts (Kahl, Katulis and Lynch 92). These colossal sums of money could have been better used on more development oriented activities in the country rather than war efforts that lasted for years. The final reason why I believe that the invasion of Iraq was unjustified is because the war has led to an increased suffering for the civilian population in Iraq. At the very onset of the war, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled to the neighboring countries to seek refuge from the war. Kahl, Katulis and Lynch document that since the beginning of the war, an excess of four million Iraqis have fled the country or become internally displaced (86).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These group of civilians continue to live as refugees almost a decade after the war was begun. Research by Hicks et al. revealed that the Iraqi civilian population was the primary target for suicide bombers (913). Muggah notes that the impacts of warfare extend well beyond the number of combatants and civilians killed on the battlefield; a vast proportion of deaths occur indirectly owing to easily preventable diseases such as measles and dysentery (2). The war in Iraq has led to a collapse of basic health infrastructure, clean water and food which has led to death and suffering for the population. Considering the fact that one of the reasons for invading Iraq was to oust a tyrant who brought suffering to his people, the reality that the people of Iraq are suffering than they did during his reign as a result of the war shows that the war was unjustifiable. Warfare has been in existence all through the history of human civilization. The reasons for engaging in war have included: ideological differences, competition for natural resources, and protecting a countries territory to name but a few. While wars have inevitably led to death and suffering, most of them have resulted in some positive measures which has made them justifiable. The US invasion of Iraq is one of the wars whose costs far outweigh the benefits and it can therefore be seen as unjustifiable. This paper has demonstrated that the invasion of Iraq was an ill-advised undertaking which has mostly achieved negative results for both the US and Iraq. As long as this invasion continues, human lives will continue to be lost and the economic cost will escalate even higher. It would therefore be i n the best interest of both parties if the US withdrew its forces from Iraq and stopped the invasion. Such a move would result to reduced violence in Iraq since the violence is mostly in protest to the invasion. The huge financial burden that American taxpayers have been forced to bear as a result of the war would also be lifted if the war was ended. Kahl, Colin, Katulis Brian, and Lynch Marc. â€Å"Thinking strategically about Iraq: report from a symposium.† Middle East Policy 15.1 (2008): 82-110. Muggah, Robert. â€Å"Measuring the True Costs of War: Consensus and Controversy.† PLoS Med 8.2 (2011): 1-3.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Iraqi War: An Unjust War specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hicks, Madelyn et al. â€Å"Casualties in civilians and coalition soldiers from suicide bombings in Iraq, 2003–10: a descriptive study.† Lancet 378 (2011): 906–914.

Abstracting and Transcribing Genealogical Documents

Abstracting and Transcribing Genealogical Documents Photocopiers, scanners, digital cameras, and printers are wonderful tools. They make it easy for us to easily reproduce genealogical documents and records so we can take them home with us and study them at our leisure. As a result, many people researching their family history never learn the importance of copying information by hand - the techniques of abstracting and transcribing. While photocopies and scans are extremely useful, transcripts and abstracts also have an important place in genealogical research. Transcripts, word-for-word copies, provide an easily readable version of a long, convoluted or illegible document. The careful, detailed analysis of the document also means that we are less likely to overlook important information. Abstracting, or summarizing, helps bring out a documents essential information, especially helpful for land deeds and other documents with significant boilerplate language. Transcribing Genealogical Documents A transcription for genealogical purposes is an exact copy, either handwritten or typed, of an original document. The key word here is exact. Everything should be rendered exactly as found in the original source - spelling, punctuation, abbreviations and the arrangement of text. If a word is misspelled in the original, then it should be misspelled in your transcription. If the deed youre transcribing has every other word capitalized, then your transcription should as well. Expanding abbreviations, adding commas, etc. risks changing the meaning of the original - a meaning that may become better clear to you as additional evidence comes to light in your research. Begin your transcription by reading the record several times. Each time the handwriting will likely be a little easier to read. See Deciphering Old Handwriting for additional tips for tackling hard-to-read documents. Once you are familiar with the document, it is time to make some decisions about presentation. Some choose to reproduce the original page layout and line lengths exactly, while others conserve space by wrapping lines within their typescript. If your document includes some pre-printed text, such as a vital record form, you also have choices to make about how to differentiate between the preprinted and handwritten text. Many choose to represent the handwritten text in italics, but this is a personal choice. What is important is that you do make the distinction  and that you include a note about your choice at the beginning of your transcription. e.g. [Note: handwritten portions of text appear in italics]. Adding Comments There will be times when youre transcribing or abstracting a document that youll feel the need to insert a comment, correction, interpretation or clarification. Perhaps you want to include the proper spelling of a name or place or an interpretation of an illegible word or an abbreviation. This is OK, provided you follow one basic rule - anything that you add that is not included in the original document must be included in square brackets [like this]. Dont use parentheses, as these are often found in original sources and could lead to confusion over whether the material appears in the original or was added by you while transcribing or abstracting. Bracketed question marks [?] can be substituted for letters or words that cant be interpreted, or for interpretations which are questionable. If you feel the need to correct a misspelled word, include the correct version within square brackets rather than using the word [sic]. This practice isnt necessary for common, easy to read words. It is most useful in cases where it helps with interpretation, such as with people or place names, or hard to read words. Transcription Tip: If youre using a word processor for your transcription, be sure that the spell check/ grammar correct option is turned off. Otherwise, the software may automatically correct those misspellings, punctuation, etc. that you are trying to preserve! How to Handle Illegible Content Make a note in [square brackets] when ink blots, poor handwriting, and other flaws affect the legibility of the original document. If you arent sure of a word or phrase then flag it with a question mark in square brackets.If a word is too unclear to read then replace it with [illegible] in square brackets.If an entire phrase, sentence or paragraph is unreadable, then indicate the length of the passage [illegible, 3 words].If part of a word is unclear, then include [?] within the word to indicate the portion that is unclear.If you can read enough of a word to make a guess you can present a partially illegible word with the unclear portion followed by a question mark enclosed in square brackets such as cor[nfie?]ld.If part of a word is obscured or missing but you can use context to determine the word, just include the missing portion within square brackets, no question mark necessary. More Rules to Remember A transcription typically encompasses the entire record, including margin notes, headings and insertions.Names, dates, and punctuation should always be transcribed exactly as written in the original record, including abbreviations.Record obsolete letterforms with their modern equivalent. This includes the long-tails, ff at the beginning of a word, and the thorn.Use the Latin word [sic], meaning so written, sparingly and in its proper form (italicized and enclosed in square brackets), following the recommendation of the Chicago Manual of Style. Do not use [sic] to indicate every misspelled word. It is best used in cases where there is an actual error (not just a misspelling) in the original document.Reproduce superscripts such as Mary as presented, otherwise, you risk changing the meaning of the original document.Include crossed out text, insertions, underlined text and other changes as they appear in the original document. If you cannot accurately represent changes in your word proce ssor, then include a note of explanation within square brackets. Enclose transcriptions within quotation marks. If you are including a transcription within a larger text you may alternately choose to follow Chicago Manual of Style conventions for long quotes set off by indented paragraphs. One last very important point. Your transcription isnt finished until you add a citation to the original source. Anyone who reads your work should be able to use your documentation to easily locate the original in case they ever want to make a comparison. Your citation should also include the date the transcription was made, and your name as the transcriber.

What can critical theory tell us about international politics Essay

What can critical theory tell us about international politics - Essay Example This paper expounds on the various contributions of the critical theory to international politics. According to Thompson (1990), the philosophical and historical meaning of critical theory is ambiguous and it is both narrow and wide. In its narrow aspect, the critical theory is a development that runs down from several German philosophers and sociologists of â€Å"Western Europe Marxism†, which in other terms is referred as the Frankfurt school. Marxist or Frankfurt theorists argue that the major defining characteristic of the critical theory is that it seeks liberation or emancipation of the human being (Joseph, Andras and Stomp, 2010 p 63). This includes emancipating human beings from enslaving situations and conditions. From the narrow perspective of the critical theory that is concerned with liberation of people, various theories have been developed from the perspective that examines critical theory in a much broader sense. Various factors have contributed to the emergence of these broader critical theories, but the underlying fact is that they originate from diverse social movements that are concerned with â€Å"the authority or domination of people in the contemporary societies† (Chantal 1990 p29). ... Secondly, the critical theory should provide significant account of both the historical and cultural circumstances affecting the individual as well as the society from which the theorists own intellectual activity relies (Craig 1995). Thirdly, critical theory should be a continuous and critical reassessment of the constitutive classes that includes the historical construction of the examined framework. Finally, a critical theory should establish an important engagement with other works seeking social explanation with intention of elucidating the strong and weak points, but also showing the logic behind their misunderstandings in addition to demonstrating the capacity to include their contributions in order to establish a firm and logical theoretical foundation (Craig, 1995 pp87-96) According to Burchill et al (2005, p68) critical theory is â€Å"self-reflective and motivated by values†. The principal objective of critical theory is to change the contemporary society from an op pressive, unjust and inhumane form into a society that respects and demonstrates justice, rationality, humanity and reconciliation (Chantal, 1990, p53). Therefore, critical theory is charged with various responsibilities that are crucial in our contemporary historical circumstances at both local and international level. Some of the roles of the critical theory include promoting and diversifying education provided in the society so that people can develop different expertise and knowledge that protects the society from the dangers of overspecialisation in a particular discipline (Thompson, 1990). Intellectually diversified individuals are capable of thinking

Why did China not become a world power in 1500s Research Paper

Why did China not become a world power in 1500s - Research Paper Example The Qing Empire like its predecessor made landmark steps in the expansion of China’s territory by almost half from what the Ming had achieved. This came with a great increase in the population of China and a period of continued peace and prosperity. However, this was short lived and unlike the expectations that China may have competed with the rising powers in Europe, China vanished from the world all the sudden. The cause of this disappearance had begun during the reign of the Ming Empire but had remained unknown for centuries, and historians still debate over this myth. This paper delves into the subject of the history of China after 1500 and analyses possible reasons that might have led to the collapse of the once powerful nation during that period where the territory was under the Ming and the Qing empires. Key words: Dynasty, Ming Empire, Qing Empire, territory, decline. Introduction The decline of China during the period after 1500 can be attributed to the collapse of th e two main empires that ruled over China within the period; the Ming Empire that ruled between 1368 and 1644 and the last empire that was Qing Empire, which ruled over China between 1644 and the late nineteenth century. Both of these empires saw China through a period of massive growth and prosperity in the world stage, but their gradual decline had the impact of taking China down from its position on the world trade stage. The Ming Empire took over power in China in 1368, when the emperor Zhu Yuanzhang obtained â€Å"the mandate† of heaven. The rule lasted for close to 300 years between 1368 and 1644 with the main reason for its success being the growth of industry and the enhancement of free trade with western powers, specifically Europe (Spielvogel, 2008). Prior to the rule by the Ming Empire, China was under the rule of the Yuan Empire. During the last period of the Yuan empire rule that spanned over 40 years, China was struck by drought and famine, an overflow of the Yel low river that resulted in flooding, a severe pandemic of the plague among other natural disasters. This resulted in the death of millions of Chinese people leading to a feeling within the population that the Yuan Empire no longer had the â€Å"mandate of heaven† to rule over China (Willis, 2011). Naturally, this spurred feelings of rebellion among the people and culminated in revolts that began in the 1350s and continued for close to 20 years. The soldiers of the Yuan Empire were overwhelmed and subdued, as the rebel troops took over many Chinese cities and large portions of the country (Spielvogel, 2008). The most successful of these rebel armies was from the south of the Yangtze River and was under the commandeering of Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang led the troops in conquering major cities in China including Beijing, which resulted in the court of the Yuan Empire fleeing northwards. Zhu Yuanzhang then claimed the â€Å"mandate of heaven† and took over as the emperor of the Ming Empire (Willis, 2011). The beginning of the Qing Empire was marked in an almost similar fashion. Established in Beijing in 1644, the empire took over from the Ming Empire by expelling the remnants of rebels of the Ming Empire, who had occupied Beijing at the time. Like the Yuan Empire that had ruled China before the Ming, the Qing Empire was not Chinese (Thackeray & Findling, 2012). The Qing Empire was under the control of the Manchus; a group of nomadic and tribal folk which originated from the north-eastern frontier of China. While it was regarded as a weak and corrupt empire in comparison to its predecessors, the Qing Empire w

The Protestant reformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Protestant reformation - Essay Example Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation when he nailed his manifesto on the chapel door on October 31, 1517, in Wittenberg. The manifesto consisted of ninety-five theses.That day was the Feast of All Saints in which pious folk came to venerate the precious relics of His Highness the Elector, Frederick the Wise. Valuable indulgences were gained when one venerates the relics. Luther's document was about the abuse of the granting of indulgences to the people. He stated that those preaching in favor of indulgences make a serious error when they say that these indulgences alone can grant man salvation. Luther stated that the indulgences have only one merit, which is to bring money to the church. He also attacked the theological teachings of Catholicism. He stated that true contrition means being open to doing penance for their sins. The indulgences granted by the Church remits the punishment due to sin. Luther believed in justice by faith alone without the necessity of good works . Through the grace of Jesus Christ, the soul's sins are covered by a cloak of light. Thus the one means and only hope of salvation is to entrust oneself to Christ, as it were to cling to Him.There were many causes of the Protestant Reformation. First, the moral authority of the Church in the temporal and spiritual spheres had been diminished. This development was due to the opulence and liberal ways of the Church leaders and bishops at that time.By the sixteenth century, pockets of discontent and indignation had seriously affected Christian unity in France, England,Italy and Germany. Italy and Germany. The strength of the Papacy had also weakened due to constant political differences with the different European leaders who harbored political ambitions. Difficulties and conflicts also rocked the Papacy. In 1305, a Frenchman ascended to the chair of Peter. The new pope, Clement V, settled in France. The Papacy established itself for 70 years at Avignon, France beginning in 1307. It w as during this time that the Papacy had diminished in influence and in public esteem. The Popes had been seen as opulent, bureaucratic, politically-astute politicians and businessmen. Due to the shifting loyalties of its closest allies, the Papacy had also lost its independence and international character. Pope Gregory XI vigorously pursued the heretics and remained true to the faith. After Gregory XI died, a new pope Urban VI, was elected to succeed him. However, the French, who were dissatisfied,decided to elect an anti-pope. Moreover, there was a rise in anti-clericalism in Europe combined with the spread of mysticism and heresy. (Gochberg 43) The most important cause of the Protestant Reformation was the abuse of the use of indulgences by some Catholic preachers. Some of them just wanted the money of the people and they made a business out of a holy practice. Many of the poor Catholics had felt offended and had decided to turn away from the faith. Some of these became Protestants. 2. Historians often consider to the Renaissance to be the "birth of modernity." It was during the Renaissance that Florence used her widespread and highly organized business to extend her banking business parallel to that of her commerce. Florentine banking business controlled the credit all over Christian Europe. The wealth of Florence established the banking business in the Middle Ages. Florence had trounced all its competitors. In 1338, there were eighty Florentine firms doing frenetic banking and exchange business. The Florentines had exchanges everywhere: London, Bruges, Paris, Avignon, Majorca, Pisa, Genoa and Venice. (Greer, 50) Renaissance represented a time for freedom for thought and culture. The Renaissance was the portal to secular humanism which emphasized of an anthropocentric perspective. In this scenario, man determines right and wrong. Secularism states that economics, society, and politics functions well without the intervention of religion. Religion, which used to dominate the

Community and public health nursing outbreak Coursework

Community and public health nursing outbreak - Coursework Example Coronaviruses are mutual throughout the globe and infect both humans and animals. The effects of coronaviruses range from mild to moderate with others like the severe acute respiratory system causing severe effects. The paper will analyze coronaviruses presenting the effects and approaches the community can adopt in overcoming these conditions. The coronavirus that the paper will discuss is the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Coronaviruses indicate a large family of human and animal viruses that lead to a range of illnesses. The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus is caused by a virus and was first discovered in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. The disease assumed the word Middle East following its origin but has since spread to various regions. The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory disease that result in death following the shortness of breath (CDC, 2015). Ever since the discovery in Saudi Arabia, the coronavirus has been reported in some other countries. These countries include Qatar in 2012, Jordan in 2012, United Kingdom in 2013, France in May 2013, United States in April 2014, South Korea in May 2015, China in 2015, and Lebanon (McIntosh, 2015). The primary source that triggered the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus is yet to be established. The precise routes and modes of transmission from human to human have not been identified. However, there is clear evidence that the virus gets passed from one person to another. The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia (2014) recommends standard precautions for management of the transmission of the Middle East respiratory syndrome. The precautions should include contact and airborne methods when dealing with any suspected cases, probable or the confirmed cases. Those suffering from respiratory illnesses or hypoxemia are at a higher risk of acquiring the virus through elective procedures,

Organized Crime Is a Threat to National Security Essay

Organized Crime Is a Threat to National Security - Essay Example There are people who collect money from shopkeepers in context of providing the required support. Prominent disciplinary structure transforms these gangs into a well-organized group. This organized group is at times referred to as a mob. To great extent, it poses threat to national security due to a wide range of illegal activities that can affect many lives. Organized crime is a conspiratorial enterprise, indulged in illicit activities so as to gain high-profit margins. The concept encompasses bribery and violence to enhance overall operational procedure. It initiates grievous retribution so as to sustain external and internal control. This form of the enterprise also contributes towards election campaigns in order to gain political support for achieving immunity. Political parties are witnessed to support such enterprises and this eventually leads to further growth of crime or terrorism in a nation. The wide range of activities undertaken by this enterprise is credit card fraud, in surance fraud, illegal gambling, kidnapping, gun running, narcotics trade, smuggling, pornography, racketeering, vehicle theft, prostitution, etc. Internet and international terrorism enabled organized crime to spread across the wider geographical area. This conspiratorial enterprise also utilizes sophisticated methods and high tech firms for transfer of weaponry and money. Monopolization can be stated as a major area of concern for cartel, triad, mafia and syndicate. To be more precise there are certain unique characteristics possessed by organized crime which differentiates it from unorganized crime. In this study, these characteristics will be further elaborated along with analyzing its impact on national security. The level of security is deteriorating across the globe with the rapid evolution of organized crime. Organized crime is a disciplinary structure of exhibiting illegal activities. The main objective of such crime is to gain high-profit margins.

Community and public health nursing outbreak Coursework

Community and public health nursing outbreak - Coursework Example Coronaviruses are mutual throughout the globe and infect both humans and animals. The effects of coronaviruses range from mild to moderate with others like the severe acute respiratory system causing severe effects. The paper will analyze coronaviruses presenting the effects and approaches the community can adopt in overcoming these conditions. The coronavirus that the paper will discuss is the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Coronaviruses indicate a large family of human and animal viruses that lead to a range of illnesses. The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus is caused by a virus and was first discovered in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. The disease assumed the word Middle East following its origin but has since spread to various regions. The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory disease that result in death following the shortness of breath (CDC, 2015). Ever since the discovery in Saudi Arabia, the coronavirus has been reported in some other countries. These countries include Qatar in 2012, Jordan in 2012, United Kingdom in 2013, France in May 2013, United States in April 2014, South Korea in May 2015, China in 2015, and Lebanon (McIntosh, 2015). The primary source that triggered the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus is yet to be established. The precise routes and modes of transmission from human to human have not been identified. However, there is clear evidence that the virus gets passed from one person to another. The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia (2014) recommends standard precautions for management of the transmission of the Middle East respiratory syndrome. The precautions should include contact and airborne methods when dealing with any suspected cases, probable or the confirmed cases. Those suffering from respiratory illnesses or hypoxemia are at a higher risk of acquiring the virus through elective procedures,

The Causes and Effects of Islamic Resurgence in Late 20th and Early Essay

The Causes and Effects of Islamic Resurgence in Late 20th and Early 21st century in the Middle East - Essay Example The growing interest in the Islamic resurgence can be traced by several factors. Ali E.Hillal Dessouki enumerated three factors: one is the increasing economic influence of oil-producing countries which are mostly Islamic; another is the concern with the security and the stability of the Persian/Arab Gulf countries; and the new wave of Islamic resurgence in almost all countries where Muslims live (page 3). These interests have been the fruit of the Muslim's search in revitalizing Islam and the Muslim community. According to John L. Esposito et al., Muslims seek to restore Islam with the experience of Muslim decline and western domination in the late 20th century (page 37). Baath Party is a political party and movement influential among Arab communities in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq. From the beginning, the Baath Party was a secular Arab nationalist party. Socialism was originally the economic system of belief of the Party. Thematically, the name baath means resurrection or renaissance. This is the apparent initial movement that aims at rebuilding and encouraging the rebirth of Arab national spirit. Most of the major proponents of early Baathist contemplation had been partially influenced by education in the West. At first, the three major proponents of Baathist thought - Arsuzi, Salah, and Aflaq developed their vision of Arab nationalism to just diminutive audiences in Syria. Eventually, Salah and Aflaq joined in support the Ali al-Gailani's government in Iraq against the British presence during the 1940s. From then on, the movement evolved into a party with an approved constitution and executive committee. However, the intention and purpose of the regional Baath Party was wholly surpassed and eclipsed by the regional commands of he Baath parties of Syria and Iraq. Baath parties in Syria and Iraq each created its own national command. These two countries were the guiding force to the rest of regional commands of the Baath Party that existed in other Arab countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen. They served as a subordinate of the dominant Baath Party in Syria and Iraq. A significant rebirth of Islam occurred when the Syrian Baath merged with the Arab Socialist Party of Akram al-Hurani in 1952. They jointly formed the Arab Baath Socialist Party that successfully won at the 1954 election. It was from then on that Baath members played an important role in the politics of Syria. More importantly, the Baath party were instrumental in procuring the union with Egypt that led to the official and momentary termination of the party and let down of the Baathists. B. Secularism Secularism has been the factor of the Islamic resurgence. Since the year 1979 revolution, the Shiite clergy dominated the political life in contemporary Iran. Furthermore, religious fundamentalists in Arab communities campaign for the fusion of religious authority with temporal political power. C. Nationalism In the rebirth of Islam religion, the term nationalism is greatly regarded as Arab Nationalism. It refers to both doctrines and movements emphasizing the cultural identity and the political independence, solidarity, association, or unity of Arab people and sovereign states. The Arab nationalism developed rapidly and hit its

The Illustrated Man Essay Example for Free

The Illustrated Man Essay Ray Bradbury wrote The Illustrated Man in 1951. The general context of that time in the USA had a powerful impact on the themes he chose to base his book on. The Second World War had seen horrific crimes against humanity, dictatorship and a change in family life which was due to both the huge number of dead fathers and the great technological development. Women started working more and more in jobs previously seen as exclusively male and appliances such as the washing machine and the vacuum cleaner cleared more time for the typical housewife. Affected and inspired by these circumstances, Bradbury wrote his 18 different stories in the book, exploring family life, technology implications and politics from extreme points of view. The stories chosen here to be discussed in a comparative and contrasting manner are The Veldt, The Rocket, Zero Hour, The Fox and the Forest and The Other Foot. The main reason for choosing these is their outstanding figurative representation and artistic input. Family life takes a new turn, as Bradbury presents in The Veldt, and it isnt positive. The father-son relationship deteriorates as we can see from their conversations. Even though the parents have done their best to fulfil all their childrens wishes, the final effect is a tense family relationship, mainly characterised by the childrens selfishness. Peter, the son, regards his father as nothing more than a sort of institution to fight against, rather than anything close to his heart. Whats wrong with Africa, Father? calling him Father, on multiple occasions after initially calling him Dad, Also, there is some verbal violence between them, as suggested I dont think youd better consider it any more, Father, I wont have any threats from my son! However, The Rocket provides a completely different picture. Although poor, all members of the family get along and support each other with respect. I go to Mars! He danced wildly. Thank you, Father!' The children are grateful for everything and love their parents. In opposition to Peter and Wendy from The Veldt, the children here are selfless. Another heavy element in Bradburys view of the future is the power of imagination. Once more, this is portrayed as evil or heavenly. In The Veldt the children end up killing their parents through the sole mean of imagination fuelled by the nursery. A similar scenario is suggested in Zero Hour where aliens abuse childrens rich potential for imagination to invade the perfectly defended Earth. A brighter story from this point of view is The Rocket, because the father uses the power of imagination and simulation to offer his children an amazing experience which would have been impossible to achieve in their materially limited reality. The technology bloom in the 1950s influenced Bradbury to magnify his vision of the future in terms of the way homes looked and worked, as well as space travel and time travel. The parents in The Veldt buy a Happy Home which does everything for them: cooks, cleans and rocks them to bed. This seems amazing at first, but they end up wishing they could leave their perfect home behind and start fresh in a regular house, Youre beginning to feel unnecessary, too, says Lydia. Bradbury uses figures of speech to represent this, emphasizing on personification of dead objects And although their beds tried very hard, the two adults couldnt be rocked to sleep for another hour, Also, it appears that children come to replace their parents with the nursery, I wish you were dead! We were, for a long while, The father realises that he and his wife havent spent enough time with their children, making them feel more attached to machinery, That sounds dreadful! Would I have to tie my own shoes instead of letting the shoe tier do it? The language Bradbury uses to describe the nursery is very effective. He uses the senses to emphasize the powerful reproduction of the African veldt, The hot straw smell of lion grass, the cool green smell of the hidden water hole, the great rusty smell of animals, the smell of dust like a red paprika in the hot air, The simile dust like a red paprika and the repetition smell give a good impression of the veldt, the heat and the strong odours in the air. Another technological vision present in Bradburys writings is space travel. In The Rocket, rich people are able to travel and live in space. This is shown as a part of their daily routine, as Bodoni watches the rockets every night and his children have rocket toys. Also, he is able to buy a ticket next day, emphasizing on the ease with which people travel in space. In The Fox and the Forest people are able to travel in the past, anywhere, Travel in Time, Inc., can costume you, put you in a crowd during the assassination of Lincoln or Caesar! This shows the extent to which Bradbury sees the technology rise. Perhaps the most horrifying element of the stories is war within the context of dictatorship and dystopia. A well-portrayed story from this point of view is The Fox and the Forest. Mexico is celebrating during WW2, Everything was good and sweet, the air was that blend of the dead and the living, of the rains and the dusts, of the incense from the church, and the brass smell of the tubas on the bandstand which pulsed out vast rhythms of La Paloma, The atmosphere in Mexico contrasts with the one in the future in the year 2155. The use of language here portrays a horrible world of war and dictatorship, A world that was like a great black ship pulling away from the shore of sanity and civilization, roaring its black horn in the night, taking two billion people with it, whether they wanted to go or not, to death, to fall over the edge of the earth and the sea into radioactive flame and madness, The repetition of the word black in black ship and black thorn signifies death, nothingness and everything evil; the simile A world [] like a great black ship pulling away from [] civilization, shows how the world has shrunk all its possibilities into a black vessel that no one can get out of. The world has lost all its spirit and joy, and all that remained was a continuous chain of destruction and manslaughter. This is a great way of representing dystopia. The political and social elements present in Bradburys The Illustrated Man reflect warnings to humanity, a potential Third World War and its imminence. In The Other Foot there is a strong reference to the racism experienced by black people during the 20th century. You remember how they hung my father on Knockwood Hill and shot my mother? Despite this, the story ends in a positive tone, reflecting Bradburys hope for the future, even in the event that most of it is destroyed. Now everythings even. We can start all over again, on the same level, Bradburys views of the future contrast on all levels, peace and war, wealth and poverty, good families and bad families. In his dark visions there is always a spark of light and in his most utopic views there is a pinch of evil.

General Strike of 1926 Causes and Impact

General Strike of 1926 Causes and Impact A general strike is when a group of workers from different industries all stop work in support of each other to win certain demands. This would bring the country to a halt and make it very hard for the Government to resist giving in to their demands. The general strike of 1926 was mainly for the miners; they had low pay and worked long hours. They wanted better conditions and equal rights for all. In this essay I shall assess the events leading up to the strike and have a look at all the short and long term causes of the strike. The coal industry before the war was booming. It was used for nearly everything and during the war the demand for coal increased even more. Because coal production was so important to the war effort the Government took over the ownership of the mines and ran them instead of the private owners. Improvements were made in conditions and pay for most miners. When the Government nationalised the mining industry miners hoped it would continue after the war. But in 1921 all mines were returned to private owners. After the war the coal mining industry went into decline. This was because, oil was used as a fuel especially in shipping, electricity became available, more efficient boilers were made, other countries began to mine coal and British pits had been over mined during the war and owners were reluctant to spend money modernising mines. When men from the war came home they found the promises made by Lloyd George were not met and if men have been fighting for their country for four years they are prepared to fight for their jobs and standards of living at home. There are many long-term factors, these are; conditions and pay of miners, at the time of the General Strike an average of two miners were killed per day. Miners were also suffering from ill health because of their work. Miners argued they deserved higher wages because of the risks they took. Mine owners made millions whilst miners were lucky to earn 50p a day. Miners felt they were being unfairly treated. Another long-term cause was the Sankey Commission. In 1919 the Government formed a Royal Commission to look into the problems of the coal mining industry. Lord Sankey led this commission, but it failed to come up with a solution to the problems of the miners. Most members favoured nationalisation but the Prime Minister, Lloyd George, refused to nationalise the mines. The decline of the coal, mining industry was a major one, during the decline of the mining industry owners had to increase hours and lower wages to maintain profits. Others were, Change of attitude after the war and nationalisation. A popular idea among trade unionists at this time was syndicalism this was the belief that several trade unions should go on strike together to bring the country to a halt and so take over the Government for working people. The Miners Union decided to increase their strength by combining with railwaymen and transport workers in a triple alliance. A strike in one of industries meant the other two would stop work as well, so it seemed sensible for them to join together and increase their strengths. A strike of three industries shall have a greater impact on the country and government than only one industry on strike. It shall be harder for the government to keep the country running, so they shall have to give in to their demands. In theory this was a great plan. In the 1920s in Britain, there was a great deal of industrial discontent. It began with the miners. As already discussed, the coal industry was in decline, since 1918. This meant mine owners had to increase hours and give less pay to keep profits going. They tried not to buy new machinery or improve mines, as this would eat away at their profits. In 1920 mine owners told miners their wages would be reduced. The miners decided to go on a strike with the other members of the tripe alliance (the National Union of Railway Men and the Transport and General Workers Union). It was understood that these two unions would join the miners in a sympathy strike. But on Friday 15th April the two unions decided not to support the miners and refused to go on strike. The miners called this Black Friday. It was a disaster for themselves and other trade unions. The miners went on strike alone but were defeated, they had to go back to work for even lower wages. Later other industries such as shipyards, printers and railway workers were forced to accept lower wages. The unions had learnt their lesson form Black Friday; a defeat for one union was a defeat for all. In the future they pledged to stand together. In 1925, coal prices fell yet again and owners wanted to cut wages just as they had done in 1921 but the miners were ready to strike developing the slogan, Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day. This time the other industries went on strike with the miners. The Government werent ready for a General Strike so they brought themselves time buy giving the mine owners a subsidy of  £10 million, to keep wages at the same level as they were before the wage cuts were made. This event became known as Red Friday (Friday 31st July 1925) and was seen as a total success for the working class. It also showed what could be achieved if the Trade Unions worked together. However, it was announced the subsidy would only last 9 months enough time for the Government to prepare for a G eneral Strike, if there was one when the subsidy ended. The Government set up a commission called the Samuel Commission, headed by Sir Herbert Samuel to deal with the problems of the coal mining industry. The short-term cause of the General strike was the Samuel Commission; the commission rejected nationalisation and said the government should end the subsidy. It agreed to wage cuts and said working days should be 7/8 hours long. The report sided completely with the mine owners since the whole commission was made up of rich industrialists. The Government immediately responded to the Samuel Commission. They declared the subsidy would end on 30th April 1926. The owners increased the hours and reduced wages by 10-25% with the support of the government. Many meetings were held but no agreement was made so on May 1st 1926 the miners went on strike for better pay and conditions. The government had been preparing for the strike for some time. They built coal stocks to last for 5 months, increased the number of special constables from 98,000 to 226,000, drew up detailed instructions for the army, navy and police to guard docks, telephones exchanges and power stations, gave money to the owners of haulage firms to put 200,000 vehicles at the Governments disposal and set up the OMS . The OMS was a group of about 100,000 volunteers who unloaded cargo from ships, drove buses and trains. People joined the OMS for a number of reasons. The middle class thought the strike was a threat to them and an attempt to ruin the country economically. Others joined for financial reasons, the Government paid constables  £2.31 a week plus food. The miners were on strike refusing to accept wages of  £1.58. The TUC (Trade Union Council) wasted their time. They never expected the Government to allow a General strike to happen. The miners made their positions weaker by getting a re cord level of coal output. This made it easier for the Government to stock up on coal reserves. When the General Strike began the TUC decided to bring out the workers in key industries railwaymen, transport workers, dockers, printers, builders and iron and steel workers. Nearly 3 million men were taken out of work. And later others like, the engineers and shipyard workers can be called out. In London, at the headquarters of the TUC, there was far less optimism than the workers who were prepared to stay out as long as it takes. There seemed to be little unity between trade union leaders. The Government were willing to let the strike continue, as they were prepared and confident they could last longer than the Trade Unions. The TUC had promised their support if an agreement was failed to be reached. So great efforts were made by the TUC to reach an agreement with the Government and mine owners to prevent a general strike. The discussions went on late into Sunday evening (May 3rd) and according to the main TUC negotiator an agreement was close when the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, broke off the talks with the TUC. The reason for this action was that the printers at the Daily Mail newspaper had refused to print an article about the strike the Government had prepared. They were sympathetic to the miners. The TUC apologised but Baldwin refused to re-open talks. Baldwin knew he could win, they had prepared for the strike and knew the TUC couldnt last that long. But in response to the breakdown in negations, the TUC sent strike negations to the Transport, Railway, Dock, Print, Electric and Steel and Chemical workers. The General Strike began on Monday 4th 1926. The TUC argued that the miners were facing longer hours with lower pay, imposed by mine owners to keep profits up. They said it was an Industrial Dispute between bosses and their workers. The TUC also believed if the miners were defeated it would lead to lower wages for all workers. It was a struggle for all working class people not just the mining community. The Government argued this was a Constitutional issue and that the Trade Unions were building up their strength to overthrow the Government. The Government did this to worry people and get them to side with the Government and it worked. Historically it can be seen that the TUC only wanted better pay and conditions. They were not calling for a socialist revelation to over throw the government. The General Strike in 1926 started because of the conditions of the miners. Other workers realised if they didnt support the miners their bosses may lower their wages knowing nothing shall be done as they had previously seen in the case of Black Friday. This was the primary reason why the TUC found the idea of a General Strike appealing, they knew if they stuck together their demands should be met The Government did not want nationalisation; they were prepared and ready for the prospect of a General Strike. Time was on the governments side and their excellent preparations for the strike led to the governments victory I feel the TUC should have been more prepared for the strike and built their case more for the general public to see that the workers were being unfairly treated by the business owners together with the support of Government. Additionally, all the unions should have shown greater solidarity if they had any hope of obtaining better working conditions and pay. Although the idea of a General Strike is theoretically unstoppable there were measures the Government could taken to avoid the strike, by the Government breaking off negotiations just when a deal seemed possible it seems that the Government wanted the strike to go ahead in order to break the resolve of the unions and set an example that a general strike could never succeed, and they should have been more aware. How accurate is this interpretation of the General Strike as a violent dispute? Use the sources and your knowledge to explain your answer. The General Strike started on the 4th may and lasted until the 12th May; throughout this time some areas were hit by violence from striking workers, leading it to be an idea of a violent dispute. There is presented evidence which backs up the idea that the strike was a violent dispute in a few areas, especially the docks. This essay will measure how precise source C is at interpreting the violence of the location using evidence obtained from looking at other resources. The restrictions of the source will also be evaluated to decide any omissions or possible uneven analysis. The sight depicted in source C is definitely an aggressive one, there are many policemen with the crowd of strikers and not many of the strikers are being controlled. This illustrates that the circumstances were out of control causing a great deal of force to be required. This is helpful to show how violence was coped with throughout the strike given that 200,000 special constables were under oath to support the police if strikes took place. Similarly the armoured vehicle just before the front of the portrait implies that plenty of force was necessary to put an end to the strikes which took place. Equally to the points mentioned above an equipped officer is illustrated in the image aiming a machine gun. This tells us that the soldiers felt endangered by the amount of violence being used and were prepared to use arms to look threatening- especially with his finger on the trigger showing that he was ready to open fire. On the other hand this could also illustrate that the soldiers used weapons to frighten and irritate the strikers causing further violence, as The British Worker wrote that this was happening. This tells us that violence was used regularly by both sides of the strike. The information given in the source is useful in terms of portraying the strike as violent and with the advent of the machine gun pointing at the crowds the painting shows an image of a brutal state willing to open fire in order to oppress its people. During the period of this paining it was an era of communism and socialism spreading and the pictures tries to draw some parallel in terms of oppression and class war. Nevertheless, there are also several restrictions in the source which cause it not to be completely dependable. For example, the picture depicted is close by a dock; this is exposed by the cranes shown in the surroundings of the image. The London Dock was the only district in which it was essential for soldiers to be called in and maintain order. The docks in general were mainly well-known areas that strike took place in. Consequently, the sources consistency is in subject as it does not correspond to the whole country and in many places there were no strikes at all, for that reason it is an unreasonable judgement of violent disputes. Only 4,000 people were prosecuted for violence or incitement to violence out of the millions of people striking, which is an extremely small number proportionally. It is an image of a food convoy, which were usually violent events; so it is not possible to suppose strikes similar to these took place every day, hence the stability of them is not possible to conclude. An additional unreliable point is that it was painted for the Electrical Trade Union which suggests it can be pro-union and so exaggerating the strength of the soldiers to make it appear if the strikers were being forced. In support of the above reasons we cannot trust the consistency of the image even though it does suggest some helpful information. Even though the image has numerous implications of violence, it does not actually show any real violence. Nevertheless it is acknowledged there were cases of violence and these are mislaid in this source. For instance, there are reported cases of attempts to deflate tyres and of throwing stones to butt in the movement of those who black-legged the jobs. An additional example was noted where strikers tried to damage a railway line. Other examples of violence used in the General Strike are given from source A, so it does not give the full picture of the types of violence being used, which it would also be vital to know when studying violence used in the General Strike. The painting was painted in 1964. So, at the time there was communism in Russia, and the fear of communism taking over in Great Britain was high, so the Electrical Trade Union wanted to make Communism and Socialism look better than Conservatives. Overall, Source C is a precise explanation of violence in some areas and how order was kept by soldiers of armed policemen; yet its consistency should be questioned given that the view shown was at a food convoy near a dock- both were the most ordinary areas of violence during the strike. It could also be questioned whether the artist was biased since he was painting the image for the Electrical Trade Union. There is also a need of information about violence in erstwhile areas of England, and in relation to dissimilar types of violence used; consequently it is helpful in the direction of studying violence in the General Strike alongside with other sources, but not on its own. Lastly Source C is an accurate explanation of the war, but not sufficient information can be drawn for it to be entirely helpful by itself and there is an explanation to consider why it is not entirely reliable. Is There Sufficient Evidence in Sources A to E to Explain Why the T.U.C. Called of the General Strike? The General Strike was stopped by the Trade Union Congress on the 12th May 1926. Whether it was a working class conflict in opposition to the establishment or an uprising of the unthankful lower classes, it was a stepping stone in Trade Union movement, however it did not appear so for a while later when Trade Unions lost value and resources. The Strike pulled the labour class mutually to work for one reason and it proved that the essential ideas of Trade Unions were well stuck. The General Strike was not continued for several reasons which I will summarize in the following essay. I will consider sources A to E and see if there is sufficient evidence controlled within them to make clear why the T.U.C. called off the General Strike. The Government had organized for the Strike extremely enhanced than the T.U.C. which was in excess of confidence after the new subsidy in 1925. The government had used the more nine months to prepare for an all-out strike and they did a number of things. Firstly, they prepared Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies, where the nation was broken up into regions and every one had volunteers to keep essential services available such as, food supplies and transport. There was sufficient coal to supply electricity. Also, the primary members of the British Communist Party were detained and imprisoned for sentences of 6-12 months, under the Incitement to Mutiny Act. The Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill was in charge of making a certified government newspaper for the duration of the Strike. The British Gazette was extremely biased as it was written by the government. The key aim of the General Strike was to hold-up Britain. Not including a total shutdown of the British nation, the Strike would have had slight impact. Source B can be reliable as it is a photograph from the time, shows us that the nation still had a skeleton transport scheme, only 40 buses from a fleet of 4400 were in operation however necessary supplies were being delivered. Consequently from this source we can see that the Strike was not having a huge impact or the consequence wanted by the T.U.C. Black-leg workers were middle class and jobless people who filled in the jobs of people who were on Strike. E.g. they drove busses and trains. If Britain did not have them, Britain would have totally closed down and the Strike would have been effective, however the majority of the men were pleased to help. The trouble was black-leg labourers were proving to be to some extent excellent at filling in for the strikers who became terrified of losing their jobs eternally and so they returned to work. However, the Source B photo may also be seen as a staged photo as the policeman in the photo appears to be posing for the photo. The government was provoking the strikers to become violent. They had armed policemen and soldiers protecting food convoys and the black-leg labourers, as if daring the Strikers to battle. An extract from English History 1914-1945 says, Churchill tried to provoke conflict by parading armoured cars through the streets. We can see how the government tried to do this from photographs taken during the Strike, though from the photos we can also see the peacefulness of the crowd. In Source C we can see a painting of sturdy, well-fed strikers fighting at the Docks. This was obviously not the real condition the men were in as Britains populations consisted mostly of under nourished, over-worked males-who would have been worse due to the Strike. This source is bound to be unreliable and biased because it was drawn by a member of a Trade Union 28 years after the end of the Strike, even though there was some violence the painting shows just a snapshot of the whole picture and what was happing a cross the country. From Source A we learn that altogether 4000 people were prosecuted for violence or incitement to violence and about a quarter of these received prison sentences. This is an inconsequential number among the millions of strikers and not a major reason to call off the Strike but if there had been aggression the T.U.C might have never recovered. For if there had been hostility the Trade Unions would have lost the sympathy vote and therefore most of their support. Source A is relatively reliable because it is written after the event by a third party. The government could have created far more effective propaganda from a violent strike than a peaceful one. The government also used propaganda to incite brutality. The main line of attack was through The British Gazette, but the strikers had a newspaper too, The British Worker, and they were able to combat the propaganda and broadcast messages, encouragement, warnings and advice to their followers. The sources from both ne wspapers announcing the end of the Strike use words that conjure up images of war, for example, surrender, peace and unconditional. In my view this was a final attempt on both sides to justify the Strike, as wars are thought of as just causes by some and would make the government happy because they had victory and the workers more angry and devoted to their cause due to their losing. The Strike had lost some early support due to a number of peoples believing that the Trade Unions were attacking the British system of government and attempting to overthrow it. They linked it to the Russian Revolution which was known for its violence and brutality (towards the upper classes). The Russian Revolution had begun with widespread strikes and troubled workers, so people were afraid. Also individuals were afraid of syndicalism, the belief that the workers should run the industries as this is rather like communism and would leave many factory and mine owners redundant or in the same circumstances as their own workers. Some early support for the Strike had dried up, perhaps it was going on for too long and people lost interest or perhaps supporters became worried as to how it would affect themselves and their jobs. The Strike could be perceived as a class war and this is illustrated in Source C which shows workers united and fighting for a common cause against a brutal govern ment. Perhaps people believed the working classes were trying to hold the rest of the country to account for its hardships. Others believed it was just two obstinate groups of people on a collision course and assumed they would work out their problems. Unity in the Trade Union Congress might have been fractured. In a source I have seen; a Punch Cartoon from April 1921 An Employers View of the Triple Industrial Alliance there is a three headed dog representing Cerberus-guardian of the gates to the underworld. The three heads, labelled transport, miners and railways are different. Miners looks angry and unsettled whereas the other two look tired and fed up. This shows where most of the turmoil in the T.U.C. was coming from. The miners head is in the middle- as if it is controlling the other parties. Though this is from an employers viewpoint it cannot be ignored as the miners seem, throughout the Strike and even before, to be the angriest, most dangerous of the groups-perhaps the others werent quite so supportive of the Strike and didnt want it to drag on. Another place we can see the miners playing a domineering role in the Strike is Sources D and E. These both state that negotiations are to be resumed in the coal dispute and that t he miners call delegate conference. There is no mention of the other groups of people on Strike-the miners clearly were forthright and more important. So to conclude these sources can tell us opinions and views on the General Strike from both sides but they are mostly biased due to the uses they served. . Source A shows that the strike was mainly peaceful and the government was not able to provoke them which reflects that the strikers were not angry about the strike and hence were looking for a peaceful end to the strike as soon as possible. Source B is vital in explaining why the strike was called off as it shows that the strike was not having the desired effect since goods and services were still being provided by the government. Source C portrays a violent picture but this was not the case across the country. The painting shows that the unions did not have much option but to have a strong, united confrontation with the government but most of the strikers did not have the desire for this and the unions failed to keep the strike going by not being able to have deep unity. Source D shows that the strikers were somewhat glad the str ike was over and tried to show that it ended as they had achieved their aims through negations and there was no need to continue with the strike. This puts on a brave face in the face of what in fact was a defect of the Unions that led to the end of the strike. Source E shows that the government had totally defeated the unions and hence ending the strike, although this was a government paper and can be seen as biased, it turns out to be true as the unions did not achieve any of their aims. However, the two newspaper articles announcing the end of the General Strike are very brief and showed how the government and T.U.C. were trying not to draw great attention to it, as if both sides agreed it was an embarrassment. At the end of the Strike the T.U.C may have hoped that new and unofficial proposals by Sir Herbert Samuel would permit the miners and mine owners to renew negotiations. This was not so. Most men got their jobs back but 3000 men endured recrimination from employers and the railwaymen had to accept pay cuts on return to work. The miners remained on strike for several months. They were ultimately forced back to work after hunger and cold, under the conditions they had neglected in April. All the recommendations of the Samuel Commission, including the ones the government had accepted, were ignored.

The Schlieffen Plan :: European Europe History

The Schlieffen Plan The aim of the plan The aim of the plan was to avoid fighting two wars at once (France and Russia) The Plan The plan was to attack France, not on the main border, which was fortified, but to attack through Belgium and circle the capital Paris. This is all supposed to happen before the predicted 6 weeks it would take for the Russians to get their army ready for action. This would mean Paris would be taken by Germany, therefore capturing France, then the troops could go across the country and attack Russia. What actually happened: * Germans went into Belgium * Belgians blew up railways which stopped Germans * Belgians stopped supplies and reinforcements getting to the Germans * Britain wanted to join war because Germany was attacking France and Belgium * Sir Edward Grey made parliament fight, he said 'if we don't fight Germany will dominate Europe and trade will suffer' * British government sent a telegram to tell Germans to leave Belgium * No reply to the telegram * Britain was at war with Germany * Everyone in all the countries were rushing to join the army, they thought their country was right and they would win * 100,000 soldiers from the BEFC (British Expeditionary Force) landed in France * over 1,000,000 French soldier were ready to use plan seventeen to attack Alasce and Lorraine * after 3 weeks it all went wrong * German troops pushed into France * Russians mobilised more quickly than expected, and invaded * troops were taken from France to defend on the eastern front * French and German soldier met at the river Marne * All the French and English troops went to defend on the river Marne, the battle of the Marne began Why did it fail? The Schlieffen plan failed for many reasons. The trip though Belgium did not go as the Germans wanted. They got slowed down because the Belgian army put up a fight. This meant that the German troops were 10 days late. The Germans wanted to get the war over with France so that they didn't have to fight Russia at the same time, so when they got delayed, they were in trouble. On the 29th august, Von Cluck (German general) changed the plan, so that they didn't attack Paris as planned, instead they went east and sent more troops to attack the forts.