Young Guns

In the 1988 movie Young Guns we will analyze William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez) as the outlaw hero, and Patrick Floyd Garrett (Patrick Wayne) as the official hero. This movie was closely based on real life events of the Lincoln County war of 1877-1878, but because the real life events weren’t nearly as controversial and exciting, the movie was minimally changed in various ways to make it more appealing to audiences.The movie starts out with a group of wayward young men in Lincoln County New Mexico, supply shopping for their benefactor, London native John Tunstall (Terence Stamp). Tunstall owns and operates a cattle ranch and mercantile, and this puts him in direct competition with local rancher and mercantile/bank owner and all around bad guy, Lawrence Murphy (Jack Palance). After hearing a mysterious gunshot, we see a young Billy running through the storefronts, chased by several of Murphy’s men.He jumps into a cattle arena and hides amon g the livestock. Tunstall then comes to his rescue, pulling Billy from the cattle arena and whisking him off to the ranch. It becomes apparent very early on that the portrayal of a young, volatile, and sometimes ignorant Billy is a key trait: He laughs and giggles quite a bit and bumbles around foolishly, seemingly to show his youthful playfulness, while also seeming to seek the approval of elder men like John Tunstall and Pat Garrett.He obviously craves the attention of a father figure and that lends credence to the youthful exuberance that makes Billy â€Å"the Kid†. The characterization immediately begins following the model of the traditional outlaw hero-official hero dichotomy, according to Ray, when he wrote that one of the competing values associated with the outlaw hero-official hero opposition is aging: â€Å"the attractiveness of the outlaw hero’s childishness and propensity to whims, tantrums, and emotional decisions derived from America’s cult of ch ildhood. This much is shown in the very first few minutes of the movie. As young and childish as Billy and the other young wards appear, nearly every other adult male in this film is the opposite and therefore pegged as the official hero, aged and wise with a seriousness and sense of great responsibility. Just as Ray observed â€Å"While the outlaw heroes represented a flight from maturity, the official heroes embodied the best attributes of adulthood: sound reasoning and judgment, wisdom and sympathy based on experience. The politics and law aspects also fit Ray’s theory because he sees the outlaw as having a distrust of politics as a collective activity. The Murphy gang murders John Tunstall over the feuds about their competing businesses and the young men are left to their own devices, and of course they choose to break the law, they will exact revenge upon the Murphy crew. The orphaned young men collectively decide to brush off any worries of becoming wanted outlaws in t he name of revenge; it gave them the rationale of a good cause.Avenging death with death is not often how our society chooses to take care of the rule breakers, there is a judicial system that we must trust to take care of the revenge and justice aspect of murder into today’s society, and the average American today will not go out and become an outlaw to bring justice upon the bad guy himself. Citizens tend to leave that to the court system, although many would like to feel the self-righteous gratification of avenging their loved ones themselves.Even with Ray’s views of how the outlaw hero responds to women and society, in this movie there is nothing but agreement. The young outlaw men in this movie have very little interest in women and society as a whole. There is a scene where one of the men marries a Mexican woman while the group is on the run, but he ultimately leaves his new bride behind to rejoin his â€Å"regulators† on a self-destructive mission from wh ich he never returns. The women are in this movie almost as token pieces, there only because it is somehow silently required by some unspoken rule.The few women in this movie play no big part in helping make decisions and add absolutely nothing to the outcome of the men's lives. In the real life Lincoln County war, there was no â€Å"China Girl† mistress to Murphy, but she was added to Young Guns and pursued by Josiah â€Å"Doc† Scurlock, who in reality was married. Adding a submissive, abused female character is pure Hollywood and only confirms Ray’s observations about the â€Å"bad† woman stereotype (380). Choosing a movie from the same time frame as when he wrote â€Å"The Thematic Paradigm†.Leads me to believe that had I chosen a film from the last decade, the outcome would have been much different because today’s films seem to reflect our society’s new realities and the fact that social norms have been changing. There are no long er clear-cut roles in reality or film; the once defined edges are now blurred. There used to be a saying in my parent’s generation about thinking outside of the box but no one really says that anymore because honestly, the boxes are gone. Our society no longer has these outlaw, official hero roles that are as distinguishable from the rest of us, at least as they were in he 1980’s, because we are all striving to be a little bit of both, we are no longer always on one side or the other. Works Cited Ray, Robert B. , â€Å"The Thematic Paradigm. † Signs of Life in the USA. Sonia Maasik and Jack Soloman. Seventh. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2012. Print. Cain, Christopher, dir. Young Guns. Writ. John Fusco, Perf. Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, and Lou Diamond Phillips. 1988. Film. 11 Nov 2012.

The Novel of Daily Experiences and Environment

Charles Dickens was an influential writer born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. His father, John Dickens, was a minor clerk in the navy offices, a friendly man with a large family (Charles was the second of eight children) and they did not receive a very high income. The family drifted from one poor home in London to another, each worse than the last one. Soon Charles' father and family ended up in the Marshalsea Prison because they were deep in debt. This left young Charles working in a dirty, broken-down warehouse, living in a garret, visiting his family in prison on Sundays if he could, and feeling that his life was shattered before it had ever even begun. Then an unexpected inheritance, that had finally come after a long time, restored the family to an average lifestyle, and Charles had a few nice, quiet years at a private school. Charles later made his father into one of the characters in a book he wrote. His father was represented as Mr. Micawber. Charles did this because of the great love and affection that he held for his father. When his own rising fortune and fame made Charles in charge of a great newspaper, he put his father on the staff to have control over the dispatches and bought him a small country house. Dickens' mother ,however, was unsympathetic and unconscious of his genius. She meant much less to him than his father, and it didn't help when she strongly disapproved of his leaving work to go to school. He made her into the character of Mrs. Nickleby. A few years of secondary school was Charles' only education where he was actually in a classroom reading books taught to him by a teacher. His real education came from his reading, observations, and daily experiences. Except for the English novels of the 18th century, he knew hardly anything of great literature. And he knew practically nothing about history and foreign politics. His novels all deal with his own day's experiences, his surroundings, and they take place in his own time. There are only two exceptions, his two historical novels ‘A Tale of Two Cities' and ‘Barnaby Rudge. These two novels were set in the recent past of the French Revolution and the Gordon Riots. By teaching himself shorthand, Dickens obtained the position of court reporter in the old Doctors' Commons. This experience gave him a peculiar dislike of law that never left him. He also went to other cities and towns to report election speeches, transcribing his notes on the palm of his hand. This experience gave him a detailed and sometimes cynical view of government. He often put such feelings of his into his works. Charles Dickens was drawn to acting. He loved the stage, the acters, the plays, and everything else that went with it. For many nights he would sit awake almost mesmerized by the dramas he had seen that day in the London theatre. He was very interested in all of the love, treachery, and battles in the plays. These melodramas affected Charles deeply, and he never forgot them for the remainder of his life. His intense concentration and curiosity on the subject of acting helped to give him that quality in his writing, which is known by some to be almost hypnotic, that so many people enjoy. As we all know, Charles Dickens never did follow his passion and become an actor, but fate led him in a different direction to that of a writer, his other talent and passion. He turned in stories under a false name, â€Å"Boz†, to an editor. When one finally was published, Charles was overjoyed. He sent in more and soon had an agreement where he would be payed about seventy dollars for each monthly installment of his humorous literature. This was called the ‘Pickwick Papers'. The week they were released Charles was married to one of the daughters of a newspaper associate of his, named Catherine Hogarth. They did not love each other very much, for although Charles was a genius, he was also a bit self-conceited. The ‘Pickwick Papers' did not do well at first, but as Charles added more and more unique characters, new scenes, and twisting plots that were all based on his imagination, they started to sell. â€Å"Boz† was rising in the world to the height of success in only a few years because of the ‘Pickwick Papers' and the books that followed, such as ‘Oliver Twist', ‘Nicholas Nickleby', ‘Old Curiosity Shop', and ‘Barnaby Rudge. ‘ He was no longer a poor boy, but a wealthy, famous, married man. He had conquered England. Now there was America, a whole new land who had never heard of Charles Dickens and was just waiting to be subjected to his writings and works. So Charles started to let them know. America had welcomed his books from the start, mostly because of the lack of international copyright that permitted American publishers to print his novels without paying him. One other reason that he wanted to move on to America was that Charles was, in his youth, a radical who hated Toryism and aristocracy. Therefore, he longed to study America and its freedom first hand. Leaving their four children at home, he landed with his wife in Boston in January 1842. The town welcomed him with open arms, and he attended many parties, dinners, and receptions. Many thrilled people were often praising him, and he loved the adulation and admiration. Here he made many friendships that he never lost, even when he found out that America wasn't as great as he had thought it to be in the beginning. After Boston, he traveled on to New York, then Philadelphia, and then Baltimore and Washington. In all places he was treated as royalty, receptions and crowds waited to meet him at every stop. He even met the President and the Congress. Always ready to raise his voice in defense of a cause he believed in, Charles spoke everywhere of the need for an international copyright agreement that would protect the rights of both American and British writers. He felt that it was unfair and unjust that American publishers should print and sell his or anyone else's books without permission from him and without paying him any royalties. Charles Dickens, although, did not speak of himself as the only victim of this practice. He pointed out that all British writers deserved this right. Also he acknowledged that American writers, such as Edgar Allan Poe, suffered from the illegal selling or reproducing of their works in England. The newspapers in America were appalled by these statements and accused Charles Dickens of bad taste and of abusing American hospitality. In time Charles' view of America as a great country faded. One of his writings, called the ‘American Notes', revealed his views on this and showed his disgust of America. Everything he had seen before of America now seemed different, his views changed on everything he laid eyes on. In Charles' new viewpoint, Americans all seemed to chew tobacco. And they kept slaves, whom he was constantly comparing with the factory slaves of England. To him the American Government seemed to be full of nothing but fraud, trickery, and cheating. Then he traveled West, traveling as far as Cairo, Illinois. His vision of the West contained nothing but foul and reeking canal boats, dank swamps, loud bullfrogs, and that horrible tobacco juice. He refused to see the beauty of America, the hard work that settlers had done to make it what it had become, to give it it's government and to produce the goods that came rom it's factories. He had become impatient, irritable, and cross. No one could please him. After spending a short time in Canada with his friends, he left headed back to England where he would damage the credit and reputation of America in his writings. The years that followed Charles' return from America were filled with more activity, fame, and success than in the early stages of his life. In 1851 he made a grand home at Tavistock Square and lived in great style. His friends were the leading artists, authors, and actors of the day. Later on, he purchased a large country house at Gad's Hill. This had been a dream of his ever since his childhood. His novels, which now were appearing in continual monthly episodes, were very popular. Their success, when looking like it was about to be diminished, only rised to fame once again. Most people think that ‘David Copperfield' was the best of his works at this time. Through all of Charles Dickens' works of sadness and those of joy, people saw the difference between the ones when he was young and carefree, to those of his more serious middle aged years. Soon, Charles became dissatisfied with his writing. He wanted more. He decided that what he wanted to do was become a newspaper editor. This way, he could reform all of England. When he told his friends of the idea, they enthusiastically took their money and founded the Daily News. In January of 1846 gave himself the job of editor, but after only nineteen days of the work, he quit. In 1850 he started a weekly journal, called Household Words, and then a magazine in 1859, called All the Year Round. In this magazine he published many of his famous works, such as ‘Christmas Stories', ‘A Tale of Two Cities', and ‘Great Expectations. ‘ During this time Charles Dickens began to remember his passion for the theatre. He started to do amateur theatricals, which was made possible by his management, energy, and enthusiasm. He also added public lectures and readings from his works to his theatricals. Charles even made a few tours in Ireland, England, and in Scotland that were very successful for him. Charles got seperated from his wife, Catherine, in 1858. Her younger sister, named Georgina, had lived with the couple for many years. She remained with Charles until his death, and his will provided for both sisters. The public were always curious about his personal life, and Charles found relief and refuge in the excitement of his work. He traveled to America again in order to tour, and it turned out to be very successful, but also very tiring for aging Charles. Once he returned home to England, he continued on with his lectures, and made his last appearance in March of 1870. During his retirement, he put great effort and strife into finishing his last work, ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood. ‘ The book, a tale of murder, was left unfinished on June 9, 1870, the day that England's most remarkable and creative writer, Charles Dickens, died.

Essay on Critical Psychology and its critics on the four mainstream

On Critical Psychology and its critics on the four mainstream psychology approaches - Essay Example These mainstream approaches are most commonly taught in universities and colleges and more often used by clinicians and researchers in explaining human behaviour (Prilleltensky & Fox, 1997, p.4). The behaviourist or behaviourism approach is concerned mainly with observable behaviour as opposed to unseen emotions like feelings or thoughts. This approach believes that behaviour manifests as a response to a stimulus. It also believes that our behaviour is largely determined by our environment (Simply Psychology, n.d.). The humanistic approach emphasizes on the importance of studying consciousness and human experience in order to completely explain behaviour. It highlights the importance of â€Å"more individualistic and idiographic methods of study, particularly in the areas of personality and abnormality† (Walker, n.d). It also focuses on the value of responsibility and freedom of choice. The cognitive approach in psychology focuses on our thought processes, how we think-and how such thought processes affect our behaviour (Psychologist World, 2008). This approach focuses on using the scientific approach in explaining human behaviour. â€Å"Cognitive†¦ psychologists attempt to create rules and explanations of human behaviour and eventually generalize them to everyones behaviour† (Psychologist World, 2008). The psychodynamic approach was popularized by several psychologists. Sigmund Freud founded this approach which â€Å"emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind on behaviour† (Wagner, 2008a). He believed that the mind was composed of three elements: id, ego, and superego. Erik Erickson’s approach was also classified as psychodynamic. He expanded on Freud’s theories and emphasized the importance of growth throughout the lifespan. These mainstream approaches to psychology have been criticized by various practitioners, especially by emerging critical psychologists. They believe that mainstream

Burke's arguments against the French Revolution Essay

Burke's arguments against the French Revolution - Essay Example Burke’s work concerns two important consequences of the French Revolution. First, is his focus on aspects connected with the ‘terror’, and second, are those aspects of French thought which had gone into informing the general tenets of individual liberty and democracyBurke’s work concerns two important consequences of the French Revolution with respect to the present discussion. First, is his focus on aspects connected with the ‘terror’, and second, are those aspects of French thought which had gone into informing the general tenets of individual liberty and democracy. In both senses, and to the extent that these are examined mostly from a historical standpoint, he is deeply concerned with the consequences of various forms of change. That is, and in his own words, he is not interested in problems in the â€Å"abstract principles† [Burke, 1987: 109] . The terror is a period of history marking the French Revolution, and it is characterized as the term suggests, with extreme acts of depravity. During the reign of the French terror, priests, aristocrat's and various sympathizers were often indiscriminately burned or hanged – and, private property suffered a similar fate: â€Å"frauds, impostures, violences, rapines, burnings, murders, confiscations, compulsory paper currencies, and every description of tyranny and cruelty employed to bring about and to uphold this Revolution have their nature effect, that is, to shock the moral sentiments of all virtuous and sober minds, the abettors of this philosophic system immediately strain their throats in a declamation against the old monarchical government of France† [Burke, 1987: 108]. The ‘terror’ poses a number of problems for Burke. It was a period of history – contemporary as he writes this work, where freedom was equated with a complete disregard for â€Å"moral sentiments of all virtuous and sober minds†. For Burke, the lack of hie rarchy and political authority, results in barbarous extremes or indeed, chaos. He does equivocate in his condemnation of this situation, but what is important, is that it informs his judgment of what ‘the state of nature’ or a ‘state without authority’ is characteristic of. As a subject of Britain, he raises much concerning the Revolution of 1688, but sees a far more positive outcome. The ‘Glorious Revolution’ in Britain, brought about the institution of Parliament, and for Burke the English predilection to constitutional authority, is much preferred to the terror in this respect. Aside from the extremes of the ‘terror’, he views greater autonomy and freedom with cultural and not simply political repercussions. In this sense, he might be regarded as a Platonist or an elitist. That is, a hierarchy must be maintained not simply to exert direct political control or authority, but also to convey a moral standard or what might be descr ibed as a standard of ‘taste’, so to speak. By this, it is implied to the extent that he is critical of the ‘decadence’ that greater freedom and autonomy (especially in Britain) has brought about. One could describe this social criticism as essentially a critique of the ‘nouveau riche’, over and against the preferred sentiments of aristocratic values. Concerning the nouveau riche, for example, he asserts: â€Å"Why should the expenditure of a great landed property, which is a dispersion of the surplus product of the soil, appear intolerable to you or to me when it takes its course through the accumulation of vast libraries [Burke, 1987: 142]. The freedom of the many – or, even a ‘select’ many (e.g. the Bourgeoisie) is a condition which Burke is deeply critical of.. The above passage suggests that ‘wealth’ or â€Å"surplus† is better spent on the preservation of libraries than on the forms of entertainmen t that appealed to the growing middle classes. The status quo for Burke, is a hierarchy which is not merely constitutional, but also social. His criticism of freedom is thus political and social. Thus, the undermining of authority for Burke, can be understood as extending from both direct (the terror) and indirect forms (cultural, e.g. the ‘nouveau riche’), and in both senses, he regards the consequences as central with respect to what he does regard as the proper political authorit

Business analysis of Galway Bay Seafood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business analysis of Galway Bay Seafood - Essay Example Having knowledge and passion to do something is not considered to be enough in today’s era. Family and traditional businesses may be strong but Galway Sea Foods have always focused towards remaining up to date and also ahead of the current happenings. Galway Sea foods have a modern business structure; it has worked upon maintaining its customer base as the customers are there main source of earning profits (About Us). Strengths The other strengths of the business are that it has smoking facilities along with state of the art processing areas. The investment on the Galway Seafood centre can be reflected on the customer’s face when they visit the store as great with great concentration and focus the interior has been designed for the store. Galway Sea Foods has an online shop that is used for the purpose of purchasing at the international level. It has a retail centre that has earned awards for providing seafood. Galway Sea Foods has invented the first seafood academy rel ated to cooking in Ireland. Noel Holland states that Galway Sea Foods is highly important and valuable for him and they work hard towards making the customers feel important and valued while serving them. He really cherishes on the thought that the business is valuable because of retaining old customers and also attracting new customers too (Welcome to Galway Bay Seafoods). Seafood Centre The seafood centre is where the customer of Galway Sea Foods

Management and Spurious Correlation Research Paper

Management and Spurious Correlation - Research Paper Example The term spurious is derived from the Latin origin. It is meant to mean not true or false. Management and spurious correlations are terms that are used in the field of statistics to make assumptions about certain things and calculations. When looking at the term spurious relationship, it can duly be noted that it is commonly used in statistics and in a particular way to provide certain answers. It is specifically used in particular to help in the  experimental research  techniques which would go a long way in answering some questions. Using spurious correlation in experimenting in research techniques help in the understanding and prediction of other relationships, namely direct causal relationship. An example of a direct causal relationship can be (X > Y). There is also a relationship called a non-causal correlation. A non-causal correlation may and can be created spuriously by a factor that is called an antecedent. An antecedent, for example, causes both the relationship as show n; (W > X and W > Y). Certain variables, known as intervening variables if undetected may make the indirect causations seem to look direct (Wooldridge, 2009).  An example of an intervening variable can be seen in the form of (X > W > Y). Because of the effect of indirect causations being made to look direct, correlations that have been identified through experiment are not seen to represent  relationships otherwise known as casual. This is  unless spurious relationships can be ruled out. Only then can it happen. The purpose of this essay is to bring to light the importance of management and spurious correlations as used in statistics. As the name suggests, the essence of this essay is to bring out the importance of identifying correlations before they become misleading. This topic is important because many people tend to confuse the relationship between variables and by the end of this essay, it will be clear on the methods. In order to become a statistician or a social scient ist, it is paramount that one understands that correlation be shown by being proven statistically. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the widespread occurrence of spurious correlation (Kleinbaum & Kleinbaum, 2008).   In order to test and prove whether a correlation between two variables or constants is genuine or spurious, there are some additional variables and equations that have to be introduced in order to widen the parameters of getting legit results. There have to be sufficient assumptions being made and they must be made in order to help with the proper identification. This proper identification is of the parameters of a wider system and will help in the obtaining of results. It the results are found that the two variables, which were original, are causally related in a wider system, then the conclusion of the correlation is that it is genuine. The difference between a true and spurious correlation is that a true correlation exists and does not have to be proven whi le a spurious one needs to undergo experiments in order to be proven to be wrong. Statistical research has been affected by the identification problem, where many statisticians have been unable to conclude on where the problem is. An example of spurious corr

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 27

Response paper - Essay Example The author also says that there were many continuations of the Algerian War found in the modern French society (McCormack 200). The Algerian War in history terms shows parts of the present in relation to its sequels. I believe the Algerian War memories are important in understanding the modern French society. The Algerian war memory has been reserved while the Indo-China conflict has been truly out of the memory, as it does not reappear in the present. The repression of the memory is unhealthy for the French community as it results in repetition of old divisions. It prevents a peaceful mind from existing and brings about the injury produced by painful memories (McCormack 220). Essentially, the commemoration of the Algerian War events should be perceived as an opportunity for the French administration to show their readiness to the Fifth Republic to identify the problematic facets of its history. The French government must generate a report through the creation of a commission to gather evidence and facts about the Algerian war. Great work needs to be done if France is to conquer the divisions in the French society that were inherited from the

DISCUSS AND ANALYSE THE IMPLICATIONS OF AIRPORT EXPANSIONS IN THE UK Essay

DISCUSS AND ANALYSE THE IMPLICATIONS OF AIRPORT EXPANSIONS IN THE UK USING RELEVANT EXAMPLES - Essay Example Business people want to meet their clients, suppliers and workers for their growth and others want to go abroad for holidays and to meet their extended social network. This industry also plays an important role in the support services such as manufacturing, logistics and transport of services. (BAA, 2007) The aviation centres in other countries including the European Union have been expanding their airports and hubs to cater to the growing demands of people and businesses. Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaulle in France, and Frankfurt in Germany has extended and have five, four and four runways respectively. At the same time, the Chinese have planned to invest $17.5 billion to expand its aviation industry to cater to the ever increasing demand and traverses between borders. (BAA, 2007) In 2003, the UK government published a White Paper that proposed the future plans to expand the airport infrastructure across the country by 2030. The paper takes into account the future demand and capability for charter, business, scheduled and freight air travel as well as the core environmental and social impact on the society. The paper prioritized the efficient usage of the existing runways. It also acknowledged the development of two new runways in the southeast region; one at Stansted by 2012 and the other at Heathrow by 2020. The Heathrow expansion plan will also include a new terminal. At the same time, the plan preserved lands at Gatwick, Glasgow and Edinburg for the future immediate expansion of the runways on the need basis. (Craig, 2003) In the north, the white paper proposed to add a new terminal to the Manchester Airport to cope with the increasing passengers and businesses. It anticipates that the expansion could a satellite addition to the existing terminal or a new terminal from ground zero outside the current boundaries of the Manchester airport.

QUIZ-1 Organized Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

QUIZ-1 Organized Crime - Essay Example Political beliefs do not act as a motivator to organized crime as opposed terrorism which is more of political. (McLean, J. D. 2007) In any organized crime there is always a fixer whose role is to develop contacts with the justice system and politicians and the appropriate time emerges corruption is carried out. Merton used pathological materialism to describe an American preoccupation with economic success. This later translates into focus on the goal of success rather the means by which success is achieved. The unscrupulous Robber Barons that exemplify the spirit Merton refers to as innovation. They do not care about legitimacy and in the end they emerge successful. The term culture refers to the source of patterning in human conduct. Culture plays a key role in understanding the behavior of offenders involved in organized crime Anomie is a condition that was made popular by a French sociologist Emile Durkheim in the early twentieth century. Anomie refers to a condition whereby the society does minimal effort to educate people and give them moral guidance. According to Edwin Sutherland behavior is learnt, whether it is lawful or criminal all behavior is learned. (McLean, J. D.

A point in life Essay Example for Free

A point in life Essay I have come to a point in life that many people have not. I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams. While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck. I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life. Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone. This is why I have chosen to apply for the (Insert name of course) at the (insert name of university). As the world continues to change and the workplace becomes more and more challenging and competitive, it becomes imperative for anyone looking for a successful career to not only have the drive to succeed but also the training and expertise to do so. I am not saying that I do not have the training and expertise at the moment but I do believe that there is still room for more. The rich and diverse academic community at Haas will definitely be the perfect place for me to learn and be prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. Having completed my (insert degree here) in (insert date) from (insert name of university here), there have been so many opportunities in life that I have not been able to take advantage of because of the competitiveness of the working environment. I believe that this experience and background of mine will help me pursue this dream. Being a (insert career) is only the beginning of a long journey for me. I realize that it will not be easy and I look forward to that challenge. In the short term, I see myself completing this degree and fulfilling the requirements for this course. I believe that this experience will be sufficient to prepare me for the next step which is applying for a good internship position that will give me the training that I need. I eventually plan to pursue larger goals such as taking a doctoral degree and perhaps starting my own business. The world is fast becoming a borderless place. Cultures, races, beliefs and ideologies are blend together and interact because of the growing advances in communications. In order to succeed in this world, one needs to be able to adapt to the various cultural differences as well as be able to maintain a certain sense of individual identity. This is the advantage that I feel I can get at this fine academic institution; the training to be competitive in the global economy and at the same time the flexibility to be able to deal with the different cultures in the diverse business world. That is why I believe that this course is a crucial step for me. My success and my accomplishments here will herald the beginning of the fulfillment of my personal and professional goals. It is said that the one thing that nobody can ever take away from you is your education and that is the one thing that I plan to not only gain for myself but for others as well. My most important character strength, in my opinion, is my ability to adapt, accept and learn. My business acumen and knowledge is due to the fact that both my parents are business oriented and running businesses of their own. This provided me with a closer view of what I need to accomplish at an academic level before venturing into a business of my own, particularly in this highly competitive field. My personality, in my humble opinion, is best suited for this kind of endeavor (business) because of my ability to multi-task. During my past work experiences, I have often come across as witty and amiable. Yet, I am no push over when it comes to working in a corporate or business environment. I firmly believe that I can succeed in anything that I want to as long as I work hard at it. I get things done. The job gets done faster and more efficiently as and when the objectives are clear, the strategies acceptable, and the resources are available. Of course, in the real world, these do not always happen. To the extent that they happen and to the extent that I can make them happen, I go after them and manage to get the job done. While I personally believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as a free lunch† and that everything a person has in life must come from hard work and perseverance, I also believe in charity. I believe in helping others who do not have much in life. I believe in helping people regardless of their nation, race or creed. I believe in being a better person so I can best help myself and others around me. I believe that (Insert Name of University) is the best place for me to turn these beliefs into realities.

Control Of Sexually Transmitted Infections Health And Social Care Essay

Control Of Sexually Transmitted Infections Health And Social Care Essay The purpose of this paper is to first discuss the public health impact of STIs, followed by the approaches to their control/prevention in the UK. Unfortunately the public health impact of STIs is negative as it causes or contributes to ill-health. In the UK and other parts of the world, STIs pose enormous challenges for the public health which may be individual well-being, mental health or the burden on health costs. Focus of this paper will be mainly on genital Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV [genital warts]) amongst other STIs due to the reported high rates of infection. Sexually transmitted infections affect people of all ages with the greatest occurrence amongst those under the age of 25 years (Nicoll, 1999; Johnson, 2001). In the UK, certain groups of populations are affected more than others thus creating sexual health inequalities. Primary and secondary syphilis occurs more often in the African community than it does in the White community. Gonorrhoea is reported more commonly among some ethnic minorities while Chlamydia infection rates are disproportionately high in the under 25s. Data on ethnic differences in behaviour and infection susceptibility are meagre and the observed differences are not accounted for. Poverty could be attributable to the high incidence rates in the ethnic minorities as STIs are more common in ethnic minorities than among the white majority which might also be a link between an increased risk and belonging to a minority population. In 2004, women aged 16-24 accounted for 74% of all Chlamydia diagnoses in the UK (anonymo us). Chlamydia rate of infectivity at national level for young people aged 15-24 is one in nine supporting the level of sexual activity in that group (NHS, n.d). The conquest of the majority of communicable disease has been one of the main successes of modern medicine. The diseases have presented the highest causes of mortality and morbidity prior the twentieth century. Until the mid twentieth century in Britain, particularly for women, the pleasures of sex were tempered by the dangers of poor health and social outcomes. However, with the development of modern antibiotics and effective vaccines, communicable diseases menace has mostly been contained and remarkably sex became safer. Although sex became safer, STIs rates have significantly increased in recent years in the UK predominantly from unsafe sex practices arising from various factors like sexual risk behaviours and poor infection control. They have become a major public health concern as highlighted in the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV (Department of Health, 2001). The 16-24 year age group comprising of only 25% of the sexually active population but with the largest diagnosis of STI cases of almost 50% of newly acquired infections. Control of STIs is complicated since many of them are asymptomatic. The economic impact caused by STIs is huge on health services with high costs mostly experienced in the management of infection complications in women. However, older women and men are also at risk especially those entering into new relationships after breaking up from a long-standing relationship. Hence there is ample requirement for protecting, supporting and restoring sexual health in people. Public Health Impact of Sexually Transmitted infections in the UK History Syphilis and gonorrhoea records have been collected for more than 80 years. In England, Wales and Scotland, diagnosis of syphilis and gonorrhoea was recorded highest in 1946, which coincided with the coming back of the armed forces after World War II (Figure 1). A sharp drop was subsequently detected and was linked to the use of penicillin and the re-establishment of social stability. Figure 1: Numbers of diagnoses of syphilis (primary, secondary and early latent) by sex, GUM clinics, England, Wales and Scotland*, 1931 2003. *Corresponding Scotland and Ireland data are excluded as they are not complete from 1925 to 2003. Source: KC60 statutory returns and ISD(D) 5 data. During the sixties and seventies, there was a stable rise in STIs diagnosis owing to more relaxed mind-sets to sexual behaviour. There was an upsurge in cases of Syphilis in males, while in women the number of cases continued to be stable. This implied sex among men during that time turned out to be the main route of transmission (CDC, 1999). Yet an increase in diagnosis was recorded in both males and females for gonorrhoea, genital warts and genital herpes signifying that these infections were acquired during heterosexual sex. Probably the rise in a small number of the STIs could have resulted from enhanced diagnostic sensitivity or public awareness, adding to higher rates of infectivity. However, in the early eighties, HIV and AIDS were first reported which supposedly had considerable effect on other serious STIs. A brisk drop of syphilis and gonorrhoea diagnosis was experienced in early to mid- eighties. This happened simultaneously with the widespread AIDS coverage of embracing of safer sex behaviours, and resulted in a subsequent decline in transmission of HIV amongst male homosexuals (Bosch, 1995). Sexually Transmitted Infections Trends Since 1999 to mid 2004, cases of Chlamydia infection rose by 108%, gonorrhoea by 87% and infectious syphilis by 486%. Still the young people bear the greatest burden. In 2001, women under 20 years of age had reported cases of 42% from gonorrhoea and 36% of Chlamydia. As reported by the Department of Health (DH), diagnosis of new STIs and other STI diagnosed cases in the UK such as re-infections made in genitourinary medicine clinics (GUM) showed a gradual rise in 1999-2008. The introduction of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) in 2003 and other health screens in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and in 2005 in Scotland resulted in an increase of sexual health screens from 759,770 to 1,219,308. For the same period, there was an increase of HIV tests recorded from 520,278 to 951,148. In 2008, uncomplicated infections from Chlamydia, syphilis, genital warts, and genital herpes rose considerably from 1999. Yet for the same year, cases of new diagnosis of gonorrhoea and syphilis were reported to have dropped. The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (NATSSAL) identified sexual behaviour as the risk of acquiring an STI in the young age groups. The factors included lower age at time of having sexual intercourse for the first time, partners frequently changed, increased likelihood of being involved with concurrent partnerships, irregular use of condoms and the increased chances of being involved with a partner from a high-risk area of the world other than UK (Hughes, 2000; Johnson, 2001, Mueller, 2008; Skinner, 2010). However, the young people act as a core group for the risk of onward transmission to other groups. Thus prevention should be mostly targeted at this core group which would result in economic benefits. Literature Review Sexually transmitted infections still exert a major toll on the human population in the UK and other nations worldwide. Bacterial and protozoan infections are curable with antimicrobial therapy, while viral infections are treatable but not curable in the classic sense. STIs can cause immediate pain and suffering, profound psychosocial stress, and serious, long-term health consequences. Many STIs are asymptomatic, and surveillance systems to track STIs are incomplete in developed and developing countries. STIs have been shown to be important cofactors in HIV transmission (Fleming, 1999). New approaches to STI control and prevention are needed to reduce the spread of infection and minimize associated suffering. Chlamydia Chlamydia trachomatis is the most widespread bacterial pathogen transmitted through infected secretions and mucous membranes of urethra, cervix, rectum, conjunctivae and throat following unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner. In addition, an infected mother can infect her baby during vaginal delivery. It is the most commonly diagnosed STI in individuals under 25 years in the UK (Fenton, et al, 2001; Creighton, et al, 2003). Most people infected with Chlamydia show no symptoms until a diagnostic test is performed and in most cases they do not seek medical care. Thus, in those individuals affected by the disease, if efficient and effective health measures are not administered, the STI has the potential of causing a significant amount of health complications to womens well-being including infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (Golden, et al, 2000; Garnett, 2008). There is also greater risk in those with recurring infection and untreated infections to spread to other reproductive organs resulting in chronic pelvic pains (La Montagne, et al, 2007). The number of diagnosed episodes of Chlamydia infection has been rising over the past 10 years (Figure 1). Furthermore, the economic impact of Chlamydia infections on the health service is enormous with high cost in the management of female health complications arising from Chlamydia infection (Garside, 2001). Because of the impact of Chlamydia infection on the health of young people, it is important to identify and treat infected patients and their partners and as a result reduce the burden of the disease on the people and health systems. Figure 1: Rates of genital Chlamydia infection by sex and age group (1995 2004). Source: Health Protection Agency, London In men Chlamydia infection causes epididymo-orchitis and urethritis. Also rectal pain, discharge and bleeding occur from proctitis which is from infection of the rectal mucosa. Additionally, since the incubation phase of gonorrhoea is less than that of Chlamydia, individuals can develop dysuria after their treatment for gonorrhoea causing postgonococcal urethritis. HIV/AIDS In nearly three decades, ever since HIV was first identified, HIV infection has turned out to be a deadly disease and has caused a disturbing adversity to humans, in almost all areas of life. In the early eighties, when the first few cases of AIDS were reported, few might have realised its propensity to become a global public health problem. The UK is facing a sexual health crisis. Between 1999 and 2002, HIV prevalence rose by about 20% annually, and almost a third of HIV-positive individuals did not know their HIV status (HPA, n.d.). Furthermore, the increase in rates of HIV infections could be brought about by the rise in STI incidences in the public as already highlighted in this paper. The number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV increased by 55% from 2000 to 2002 (DH, n.d.). In 2004, a minimum of 49 000 individuals had HIV in England. In the late 1980s and early 1990s in the UK there was a significant drop in STIs figures in reaction to the awareness campaigns on HIV. The disturbing extent of its increase, infection, very long incubation phase, secondary susceptibility of spread and the absence of a vaccine to prevent it calls for the attainment of comprehensive information about the disease. Currently AIDS prevention mainly relies on health education and behavioural modifications based on AIDS awareness, predominantly in the high risk group of young people. Gonorrhoea Gonorrhoea infection is caused by an organism, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) which is highly infectious and a bacterial sexually transmitted pathogen. In heterosexuals, its occurrence is associated with age (90%) asymptomatic in the rectum and oropharynx in both women and men (Hook, 1999; Knox, 2002). In the GUM clinics and various health services, testing for N. gonorrhoeae is a core factor of screening for STIs. Although there is not much evidence to direct testing, every mucosal site correlated with the disease symptoms ought to be tested for infection (Barlow, 1978; Harry, 1997; CDC, 2002; Ghanem, 2004; Bergen, 2006). Screening measures are subjective to an individuals sexual history and repeat screening may be encouraged (Miller, 2003). Gonorrhoea incidence falls by 11% in the UK: The number of new gonorrhoea infections in the United Kingdom fell from 18 649 in 2007 to 16 629 in 2008, the lowest number recorded since 1999. Syphilis Syphilis is caused by infection from Teponema pallidum subspecies pallidum, is a mucocutaneous STI with high infectivity the early infectious stages. It may also be transmitted through the placenta in pregnant women from week nine of gestation onwards. Screening is recommended for all asymptomatic patients attending GUM clinic or those attending other health services are referred appropriately (Nicoll, 2002). Incidence of syphilis also showed a 4% fall, from 2633 in 2007 to 2524 in 2008, (HPA, n.d). Over the last year, there has been almost three times the number of heterosexual cases of syphilis in south London than were diagnosed in 2001 (25 in 2001, 72 in 2002 and over 40 cases in the first five months of this year) (HPA, 2008). Human Papilloma Virus The spread of genital HPV is normally spread during intimate, skin to skin or sexual contact. It is also asymptomatic and can be dormant for years. HPV high risk strains are 16, 18, 31, 33 and 45, which are likely to increase the probability of getting cervical cancer. These strains exist in nearly every woman with cancer of the cervix. Although HPV testing is still not regularly accessible, the National Health Service is considering it to be included in the screening programme of cancer of the cervix. Women who test positive for high risk types of HPV are more likely to need treatment for borderline or mildly abnormal cervical smears. Although in ninety percent of HPV cases, clearance of the virus occurs naturally within two years. Yet, continued use of condoms may possibly facilitate in lowering the risk of infection from genital HPV. Infection from HVP is now being prevented through administration of vaccines for types of HPV that causes cervical cancer. The Gardasil and Cervarix cervical cancer vaccines were licensed in the UK in 2007. However, the genital warts strains 6 and 11 which can be diagnosed by inspecting the genital area of an individual and are usually in the form of small (or large) bump or groups of bumps. They normally develop within weeks or months following sexual contact with an infected partner who might be asymptomatic. Sometimes if treatment is not administered, they might disappear, or remain unaltered and not cancerous. Approaches to prevention and Control of sexually transmitted infections The health of the people and the social and economic success of the UK are extremely connected. The related economic and social costs to public health are enormous and surpass UKs future. Marmots (2010) six recommendations further support the prevention and control of STIs in UKs population. In two of the six recommendations he states that, enabling all children, young people and adults to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives and that of strengthening the role and impact of ill-health excellent well-being over their lives. It is vital that UKs population is educated on sexual health issues so that they are able to make well informed sex decisions that contribute to their well-being and reducing the burden caused by STIs. Marmots report further emphasised other research work (Picket Wilkinson, 2009) that it is not only the poor who suffer from the effects of inequality, but the majority of the population. High priority should therefore be given to the integra tion of STI control measures into primary health care. The worldwide interest in and resources committed to preventing AIDS provide a unique opportunity for health workers to make considerable progress in controlling the other STIs. Sexually transmitted infection control programmes have been and will continue to be the most prominent in public health management and have been at an increase since the mid nineties with rates of unwanted pregnancies still being reported to be high. Strategies to prevent transmission of organisms spread by intimate human contact must remain flexible and adapt to the social, technical, clinical, financial and political realities. A strategy of primary prevention, based on sexual behavioural change combined with the provision of adequate clinical services, is vital for the control of STI. In response to the re-emergence of these diseases in the UK, it was decided by the Department of Health to open for the first time ever STD clinics across the country to help reduce the burden of the STIs. These clinics are staffed with a multidisciplinary group of specialists that offer sexual health services to different age groups of the community. Given the unequal burden of STIs for young people, it is imperative to ascertain effective prevention programmes. Although enhancing access to Chlamydia testing has been an important and urgent focus of Chlamydia awareness programmes and has led to renewed efforts to increase access to Chlamydia testing (WHO, 2001; Santer 2000; Santer, 2003). As more people including this identified group learn their Chlamydia status, and in recognition of the long latent period of the disease before symptoms prevail, factors related to Chlamydia awareness remain crucial to identify in order to design comprehensive Chlamydia management services that meet the needs of the population at risk of infection (Brabin, et al, 2009). A study by Shiely, et al (2009) showed that in Ireland, age specific behavioural interventions could be effective by targeting increased use of condoms to decrease STI incidences. Also in order to boost condom use, a 5% reduction from 13.5% in taxation on condoms could be implemented at policy level. Other studies also revealed age as a risk factor for STI transmission and to that regard there should be enhanced sex education promotion to the target group to enhance behavioural changes (Manhart, et al, 2004; Fenton, et al, 2005). A further study also showed that diagnosis of a viral STI was not associated with multiple partners but however it was possible for females who had more than one sexual partner to be more likely to use protection since they will be more experienced and aware of STI infection (Fenton, et al, 2005). Although condom use has increased in prevalence almost everywhere, but rates remain low in the UK and many other developing countries. The huge variation indicates mainly social and economic determinants of sexual behaviour, which have implications for intervention. Although individual behaviour change is central to improving sexual health, efforts are also needed to address the broader determinants of sexual behaviour, particularly those that relate to the social context. The evidence from behavioural interventions is that no general approach to sexual-health promotion will work everywhere and no single-component intervention will work anywhere. Comprehensive behavioural interventions are needed that take account of the social context in mounting individual-level programmes, attempt to modify social norms to support uptake and maintenance of behaviour change, and tackle the structural factors that contribute to risky sexual behaviour. Accomplishing excellent sexual health for the population of the UK has always created its own distinctive challenges. Meagre sexual health is often disproportionately impacting on those who are already at risk and experiencing inequalities, for instance the young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those in lower socio-economic class, and gay men. While there has been so much public health interest and commitment of resources to preventing AIDS, an opportunity exists for health workers to make significant progress in the control of other STIs as well. Thus the need for comprehensive behavioural interventions that would tackle the social context for individual-level programmes, support and sustainability of behavioural change, and the structural factors that is contributory to risky sexual behaviour. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) suggested the need for health professionals to identify individuals at higher risk of becoming infected with STIs, ascertained by ones sexual history, and organize one to one talks to minimise the risk of infection. However, the sexual health guidance recommends a variety of circumstances for assessing risk of infections which include opportunities where a health professional discusses with a patient contraception, abortion or pregnancy or when conducting cervical smear test, giving an STI test, giving travel immunisation, and during regular care or a new registration by a patient. Any individual identified to be at high risk of getting infected, should be referred to trained health worker for one-to-one talks in an attempt to minimise risky behaviour. Additionally for those who have been tested positive, should be assisted in having their partners tested and treated. Responsibility for the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) was taken over in 2005 by the Health Protection Agency from the Department of Health. Screening is conducted in various locations across the UK, the main ones being youth services, community contraceptive services, general practices, education premises (universities or colleges). Statistics for the programme have revealed that more women are getting screened than men, while an increased number of men are testing positive. Efforts are still being made in most areas to attempt to tackle this variance in trying to reach out to the young men. More partnership work is required to tackle the variances including that of offering screening in health clubs such as gyms and boxing clubs. Although diagnostic testing in sexual health has now been increasingly quicker and easier for patients and the staff, it is crucial that care was personalised especially when engaging with a health worker. Since STIs are prevalent in both asy mptomatic and symptomatic individuals, due to their behaviour, diagnosis, management and follow up require skilled and trained individuals. If a health worker is adequately trained and has knowledge of STIs, it helps in preparing the patient for an STI test and understanding the effects if the test was to be positive.

History of Turkish Occupation of Northern Kurdistan Essay -- Turkey Ku

History of Turkish Occupation of Northern Kurdistan Since 1984, and especially the last few months, the domestic problems of a major N.A.T.O, Middle Eastern, and American ally state have come to the forefront of the international news scene. That state is the Republic of Turkey and it's primary troubles stem from the past seven decades of acrimonious policies directed at the indigenous ethnic Kurds. The main problem, now, is the Kurdish popular insurgency on it's hands, in Turkish occupied Northern Kurdistan. The Kurdish question has long been covered up and denied by the state of Turkey, but recent events has forced Turkey to concede that it has a serious Kurdish insurgency on its hands. Turkey's inability to deal with this situation is the result of the past seventy years of cultural, political, and human rights abuses directed against the Kurdish population. In fact, this "separatism" is so out of hand that the Turkish government has incessantly appealed to it's allies and advisories alike to help counter the escalating Kurdish asperation to succeed from the Turkish republic. Turkey's sputtering and deteriorating economy is directly related to the long Kurdish struggle for independence. Turkey has spent over eight billion dollars or twenty percent of her GDP to combat the ever deteriorating predicament in northern Kurdistan, and should spend more in the future(Laber). Because of the violence, the once prosperous tourist business of Turkey, has now lost about $1.5 billion dollars annually since 1990. Many people now talk openly of another possible military coup, there were three major military coups during the last thirty years (Alister) These circumstances in the state of Turkey have also hurt her chances of ever joining the ever wealthy European Union and battering its ailing economic situation. The depth of Turkey's domestic and ethnic dilemma is one of the many that have arisen after the end of the cold war, yet the cold war is a simple answer to a much more complex one. The factors that have arisen to contribute to this civil war were created far before Capitalism versus Communism, East versus West, or U.S versus the Soviet Union. In order to really comprehend the holistic situation in Turkey one must first be familiar with the complete history of the Turks and Kurds. The Kurds of Turkey constitutes, by far, t... ...even years (Marcus), the army has massacred more then 1,500,000 in the span of sixty years , more the 1,500 villages destroyed, every form of Kurdish identity denied, and their politicians and journalists killed by secret police. After all it is the US constitution that has written: " When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.....whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter it, or to abolish it, and to institute a new government.." It is the very example the United States has set, that the Kurdish people wants to declare their independence. For, the only thing different between the Kurdish revolution and the U.S one, is only two hundred and nine years. All oppressions are bad, all occupations are wrong, every nation has the right to decide their own fate. History of Turkish Occupation of Northern Kurdistan Essay -- Turkey Ku History of Turkish Occupation of Northern Kurdistan Since 1984, and especially the last few months, the domestic problems of a major N.A.T.O, Middle Eastern, and American ally state have come to the forefront of the international news scene. That state is the Republic of Turkey and it's primary troubles stem from the past seven decades of acrimonious policies directed at the indigenous ethnic Kurds. The main problem, now, is the Kurdish popular insurgency on it's hands, in Turkish occupied Northern Kurdistan. The Kurdish question has long been covered up and denied by the state of Turkey, but recent events has forced Turkey to concede that it has a serious Kurdish insurgency on its hands. Turkey's inability to deal with this situation is the result of the past seventy years of cultural, political, and human rights abuses directed against the Kurdish population. In fact, this "separatism" is so out of hand that the Turkish government has incessantly appealed to it's allies and advisories alike to help counter the escalating Kurdish asperation to succeed from the Turkish republic. Turkey's sputtering and deteriorating economy is directly related to the long Kurdish struggle for independence. Turkey has spent over eight billion dollars or twenty percent of her GDP to combat the ever deteriorating predicament in northern Kurdistan, and should spend more in the future(Laber). Because of the violence, the once prosperous tourist business of Turkey, has now lost about $1.5 billion dollars annually since 1990. Many people now talk openly of another possible military coup, there were three major military coups during the last thirty years (Alister) These circumstances in the state of Turkey have also hurt her chances of ever joining the ever wealthy European Union and battering its ailing economic situation. The depth of Turkey's domestic and ethnic dilemma is one of the many that have arisen after the end of the cold war, yet the cold war is a simple answer to a much more complex one. The factors that have arisen to contribute to this civil war were created far before Capitalism versus Communism, East versus West, or U.S versus the Soviet Union. In order to really comprehend the holistic situation in Turkey one must first be familiar with the complete history of the Turks and Kurds. The Kurds of Turkey constitutes, by far, t... ...even years (Marcus), the army has massacred more then 1,500,000 in the span of sixty years , more the 1,500 villages destroyed, every form of Kurdish identity denied, and their politicians and journalists killed by secret police. After all it is the US constitution that has written: " When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.....whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter it, or to abolish it, and to institute a new government.." It is the very example the United States has set, that the Kurdish people wants to declare their independence. For, the only thing different between the Kurdish revolution and the U.S one, is only two hundred and nine years. All oppressions are bad, all occupations are wrong, every nation has the right to decide their own fate.

Blogs and the Blog Revolution Essays -- Internet Online Communication

The Blog Revolution Our history is littered with advancements in writing and communication technologies that have had profound and long lasting effects on our modern society. One need only look back five centuries to the time shortly before the advent of the printing press to see a time when towns were so isolated that even news from their closest neighbors were rare and the sight of a book outside of a church was even less common. Yet 100 years later the total number of books in existence, and the spread of information and ideas alongside, had increased explosively (Burke). The invention of the printing press was undoubtedly one of the most significant advances in communications in modern history. Recently, a similar revolution has been taking place, but this time it has spread across the globe at a much faster speed. We all know this revolution as the Internet, and though it is still relatively young, no one will refute the claim that it has already had sweeping effects upon our society. However, the Internet is not a specific tool, rather it is a means for which other tools can be employed. The earliest and most widespread of these is E-Mail, but no less popular are instant messaging programs, news and personal websites and even discussion forums. Each of these can be said to serve their own unique function and some can even be said to have influenced the way people write. A newer tool has recently arisen as well, most commonly known as blogging software. This software takes the form of an online journal accessible to anyone who cares to view it. These blogs, however, seem to try to accomplish the same function as several of the pre-existing and more widespread tools, and it is for this reason that I do not believe tha... ...action as many other tools already do, is in fact a niche technology. For, as mentioned, some people do wish for a place to be the focus and let their thoughts be known to the rest of the world. This is evident by the fact that blogs and personal websites exist all over, even though they may never be as popular in readership or participation as the other technologies. So, though I do not believe that blogging software will ever become as widespread as its older cousins, it does serve a small niche of people with exactly what they're looking for. Works Cited Mitchell, William J. "Homer to Homepage: Designing Digital Books." Rethinking Media Change. Ed. David Thornburn, and Henry Jenkins. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2003. 203-215. Burke, James. "Communication in the Middle Ages." Communication in History: Technology, Culture, Society. Ed. Crowley, and Heyer. 74-82.

Good vs. Evil

Judgments: Good vs. Evil There are many concepts that are determined in the eye of the beholder. People have different morals; someone’s morals could be seen as corruption to someone else. What someone considers beautiful, another might consider appalling. A person’s definition of justice could be someone else’s definition of illegal. There are many factors as to why we all have different paradigms, such as the way we were raised, our past experiences, our culture, or our faith. Consequently, we all judge accordingly to our own perspectives. In East of Eden, John Steinbeck states that one can be assumed good or evil once the person has died.With our different paradigms, we would have different perspectives on good and evil. Therefore, we do not know the correct definition of good or evil, so it would not be right for us to judge someone at all before or after their death. Everything we see is perspective, but how are we so sure it is the truth? Take for example, a flower. To a human, it is small enough to hold in his hand; to an insect, it is big enough to be a home. The human and the insect are looking at the same flower, but view it differently. Is the ant simply miniature, or is the human just too big?It cannot be deemed because there are different paradigms that manipulate our judgment. There are also more serious cases that this applies to. On July 5, 2011, Casey Anthony was found not guilty for murdering her young daughter Caylee. Observers were stunned and outraged by the jury’s verdict. Jurors claimed that it could not be proven that Casey Anthony was guilty because there was not enough evidence. There were only facts that led up to the conclusion that Casey could be the murderer, but there were no raw and actual facts that clearly showed that Casey was responsible for the death of her daughter.The death penalty weighed a lot on the deliberation of the jurors. They had a life in their hands; conclusions and inferences were no t enough to find her guilty. The jury could be deemed good for following the law and abiding by their oath, or they could be deemed evil for letting a potential murderer get away with a crime. There are many positions on this verdict based on our viewpoints, but we do not actually know the truth. There are so many perspectives in the universe, we can never be so sure which is the correct one. Without knowing the truth, our judgments aren’t justified.They say there is a story behind everything. Stories usually have two sides to them, maybe even more. Often times, we want to believe that we know the full story. As human beings, we like closure and we do not like unanswered questions. But should it often occur to someone that there may be multiple unknown sides to a story? Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her bedroom from an overdose on August 5, 1962. Monroe’s death remains a mystery and has become one of the most debated conspiracy theories of all time. Some people beli eve that her death was a homicide, and some people believed it was a suicide.There could be many unknown explanations to Monroe’s death, and we may never find out. Without knowledge of how she died, our judgments are not rationalized. There are always going to be unanswered questions and ambiguous endings. As humans, what we believe is virtuous usually leads back to our viewpoints and understanding of life. Everyone has their life structured a certain way according to their beliefs. Our beliefs have a huge impact on our mentality and actions whether we believe in God, Buddha, Atheism, Karma, or anything at all. With differentiating religion and beliefs, there is no validity to our judgments.Without the knowledge of the truth, we are not able to judge righteously; we would be assuming blindly. It is a human instinct to judge. We judge to make laws so society can function in an orderly manner, we judge to protect ourselves from harm by distinguishing what seems to be dangerous or harmful, and we also judge to make decisions to benefit ourselves, such as choosing the college to our desire. Although these are rational reasons as to why we should judge, they also lead to war, terrorist attacks, stereotypes, and prejudice. Our assumptions and judgments revolve around our perspective.Our paradigms frame our judgments, and this often results to different positions and viewpoints. The concept of good and evil are in the eyes of the beholder. The true definition of good and evil may never be revealed in our lifetime. Consequently, we are not able to deem someone good or evil before or after their death since we do not have the understanding of these ideas in the first place. Works Cited â€Å"Death of Caylee Anthony. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. .

Immanuel Kant Essay

A. Kant’s ethical theory Standard rationality is the major foundation of Kant’s ethical theory. Moral requirements are also associated with the standard rationality but this standard could be based on instrumental principles of rationality or based on the sui generis rational instinct. A conventional conformity could be achieved through the analysis of rationality with instrumental principles. Kant argued that conforming to instrumental and non-instrumental principles (â€Å"Categorical Imperative†) will both be justified to rationality (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). Kant supported his arguments that being rational reflect free will, law of autonomous will. Each of us is accepted based on our self-governing reasons and gain equal respect from other people. According to him, the standard of rationality is the key foundation of moral requirements. Violation of such rule is thereby irrational. Kant believed that a â€Å"good will† is the highest notion of being such ‘good person’, or ‘a person of good will’ (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). There are no other qualifications of being ‘good’ other than ‘good will’. Basically, the notion of ‘good will’ is the possession of a will that is consistent and on the basis with the notion of the moral law. A person of good will is the one who make decisions, do good things in such a way that he/she told to be morally and taking moral considerations According to Kant, the outcome for search for the inherent and fundamental ‘good’ was not inherently good. Happiness and pleasure could be the result from most evil acts. In fact, he use the term good to describe the ‘good will’ – the resolution in accordance with duty. He believed that reason would give individuals to work out what one’s duty was. Kant also criticized the notion that we are free. According to him, we can’t be described as free if our actions are just circling around a defined boundary. He also stressed that following the belief that god and life is existing, morality would make no sense. The principle that one should act in accordance with such truths was criticized by Kant for this principle says that we would perform these actions of which it is true that they are right and ought to be performed. Wolff’s principle tells that actions must be performed if it falls under the concept ‘to be done’. Autonomy and Heteronomy In philosophical perspective, autonomy refers when a person/individual acts by himself/herself based from his/her internal drives, needs and ideals while heteronomy is defined when an individual acts based upon outside forces and responsibilities. According to Kant, â€Å"Autonomous agents† acts to what their instinct tell them (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). In addition, they act in accordance with the categorical imperative of willing what is â€Å"univerzable† to be known and consistent with moral law. â€Å"Heteronomous agents† think first to the possible consequences of their actions as affected by their environment (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). They derive principles of actions from outside by putting into consideration the consequences of their action or the perception of others towards one thing or object. In a narrow perspective (person), autonomy reflects to selecting right decisions for one-self. In broader sense (political perspective), autonomy reflects the right of self-determination (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). A heteronomous will lies its rules of actions that have been legislated externally to it while autonomous will is completely self-legislating. Kant’s Categorical Imperative Kant is known form his theory called the ‘categorical imperative’ rooted from the idea of duty. According to him, categorical imperative is a principle that is essentially and fundamentally legitimate; universally good to him and to others; it requires to comply with when the situation is associated with the moral law.   Ã‚  Ã‚   His theory is the fundamental foundation at the basis of all our moral values and duties. If we observe, it coined the word â€Å"imperative.† His theory is an imperative for it is a command. It informs and commands us to exercise our wills in a particular way, and not performing the opposite of the theory. Kant distinguished another form of ‘oughts’ other than our moral duties. This principle is so called â€Å"hypothetical imperative† (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004) which is being based on a quite different kind of principle. Like categorical imperative, hypothetical imperative is also a command that also applies to us in virtue of having a good will. However, it is not simply a virtue for we have need of to exercising our wills. Hence, this theory is a command in a conditional form. Kant listed three formulation of the categorical imperative which he believed to be   almost equivalent – Formula of Universal Law (First Formulation), Formula of the End in Itself Second Formulation), and Formula of Autonomy (Third Formulation). The Formula of Universal Law simply states that the maxim should be selected. A supreme law guides this formulation – to do deeds in harmony with that maxim. The first formulation is interpreted as â€Å"universality test† having five steps: (1) finding the agent’s maxim; (2) putting oneself in a parallel circumstance on the real world agent followed that maxim; (3) decide on contradictions; (4) if there’s contradiction, acting on that maxim is not permissible in the real world, and (5) if there’s no contradiction, acting on that maxim is allowed. The second formulation simply says to respect for humanity. Don’t put an end to a certain situation by doing bad deeds just to serve as a getaway. According to him, we must all act accordingly to every rational being and to place restrictions on the acts we adopt on the search of our ends, do not accept it. Kant enumerated two kinds of imperative – hypothetical and categorical. Hypothetical imperative requires an immediate action because it is a necessity and a requirement. In example, if I am hungry, then I must eat something. Categorical imperative refers to an unmodified, categorical prerequisite that is both a requirement and justified. In Kant’s hypothetical imperative, he believed that it would not be accepted. Hypothetical moral systems cannot be as bases for moral judgments since imperatives are subjective. What is morally accepted in an individual may not be absolutely true for others. Consequently, the categorical imperative was presented as an option to the inconsistency of hypothetical imperative (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). Categorical Imperative: Autonomous Ethical Choice The foundation of Kant’s theory states that human wills are self-directed. He believed that we could understand and justify moral requirements if we could be self-governing. Freedom is not merely consisting of any law that everyone is liberated to perform a certain actions. However, freedom is consisting of a law in such a way that this law, in some sense, would allow individuals for one’s own making. The idea of freedom as autonomy is where a person has laid down laws where he has also the decisive authority. Kant explains that free will is naturally inexplicable. A rational person would base his/her decisions on reasons and justifications of his/her act. Categorical Imperative is met when a person justified his/her acts. Thus, reflecting to autonomous ethical choice of a person. With our free will and/or autonomous ethical choices, we act on it objectively. B. Kant’s Ethical Theory: An Analysis For me, I support Kant’s theory on ethical decision-making. Kant pointed-out, we cannot exceed to the limitations of our thinking. Based from our line of reasoning, we justified things objectively. We make decisions based on our understanding. I think these statements are true and absolute. Kant’s argued that categorical imperative must reflect on our free will. He argued that instrumental and non-instrumental principles are necessary to meet the categorical imperatives. General facts may or may not be true for a person who do not understand its concepts or understand it on the other perspective. Good will responds to the universal moral law and we follow these laws according to our autonomous acts. We accept humanity, rational agency as represented by our understanding.

Living in a World of Warcraft: the Complex Sociality of Virtual Worlds

Living in a World Of Warcraft: The Complex Sociality of Virtual Worlds Through the convergence of gaming, the internet and Web 2. 0 technologies, the virtual worlds of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) have emerged: complex new social and cultural environments that bring with them tremendous opportunities for learning. This convergence of contexts, a defining feature of new media, combines the potential sociality of the internet with the fun and challenge of gaming, blurring the lines between entertainment, play, information and socialisation (de Freitas & Griffiths, 2008, p. 1). Through fantasy-styled role-playing MMOG (MMORPG) World of Warcraft (WoW), I will explore evidence of the benefits and drawbacks of these new forms of sociality, and examine ways in which of MMORPGs show potential to develop new social practices and ways of learning, both from a player/learner perspective (Jenkins, 2006; Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106), and in terms of studying and u nderstanding social dynamics of human groups on a larger scale (Szell & Thurner, 2010, p. 14). WoW's enormous success exemplifies the massive social phenomenon of online gaming and virtual worlds (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106). Released in 2004, Steinkuehler & Williams describe WoW as â€Å"the latest step in a progression of social games† (2006, p. 887), referring to the many evolutions in this style of game since its early origins in Dungeons and Dragons-style pencil and paper games (Bradford, 2010, p. 7). Socialisation and the building of relationships is central to the game, which attracts an extremely broad audience worldwide: within 5 years of release, WoW's subscriber base grew to 11. 5 million (Bradford, 2010, p. 56). Steinkuehler & Williams posit that – as new social environments outside of home, school and work – virtual worlds can provide a social context akin to â€Å"pubs, coffee shops, and other hangouts† (2006, p. 889).Cha t channels within the game not only facilitate in-game activities, they also carry â€Å"constant conversation about the game and topics well beyond it† (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 894), to the extent that the in-game social interaction is considered by some players to be more important than the actual gameplay (Stetina, Kothgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, p. 473). The virtual worlds of MMOGs – such as WoW's Azeroth – are â€Å"known for their peculiar combination of designed ‘escapist fantasy' and emergent ‘social realism'† (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 887).Indeed, opportunities for socialisation in virtual worlds are incredibly diverse, evidenced by the unusual records WoW holds for the â€Å"Most People at a Virtual Funeral† and â€Å"Largest Virtual Beer Festival† (Guinness World Records, 2012). Real-world issues can impact the virtual world too, exemplified by WoW's annual â€Å"Running of the Gnomes †, where low-level pink-haired gnome avatars – most created or â€Å"rolled† specifically for the event – run through dangerous terrain to a designated location and, by grouping together, â€Å"form a heart for breast cancer awareness† (Iserloth, 2012).The event raises money for the Cleveland Clinic for vaccine research, and this year exceeded the $1,000 goal (O'Neal, 2012). Such events epitomise the unique social culture of MMORPGs: impervious to the physical boundaries of real-world events, creative player-instigated socialisation takes full advantage of the flexible social environment of the virtual world. Games, in all of their various forms, have given rise to â€Å"new forms of sociality† (Bradford, 2010, p. 63), as evidenced by the role Communities of Practice play in game culture.Bradford's research shows that, whether a game is designed to be played with others or not, â€Å"communities which cluster around games constantly engage i n negotiations over strategies, experiences and opinions† (2010, p. 56). Like most video games, WoW is surrounded by a powerful network of knowledge (Gee, 2003, p. 187) through these Communities of Practice, consisting of â€Å"a content domain, a group of persons interested in this domain and a shared practice to increase the effectiveness of each member† (Wolf, K, 2007, p. 191).There are also communities dedicated to a seemingly endless wave of user-created media, from webcomics created using WoW screenshots to highly-produced â€Å"machinima†, a convergence between games and cinema which combines film-making techniques with computer-generated imagery (CGI), rendered in real-time using game engines (de Freitas & Griffiths, 2008, p. 13). Players forge reputations amongst these robust communities (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106), participating in forums to share advice on how to advance in the game, hosting news sites or writing FAQs and walkthrou ghs.Along with in-game social facilities, they make up â€Å"a crucial component of MMORPGs† (Bradford, 2010, p. 58), necessitating the learning and development of â€Å"effective social practices† (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson & Gee, 2005, p. 106). Despite the growing popularity of gaming culture, a lack of understanding of the social contexts of gamers still produces stereotypical views of gamers, attributing to them â€Å"deviant behaviours and emotional problems† (Stetina, Kothgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, p. 477).In a recent example, Colleen Lachowicz, a Democratic Party candidate for the Maine State Senate, was the subject of a campaign organised by the Maine Republican Party in October 2012 to make public what they called Lachowicz's â€Å"bizarre double life† (Benedetti, 2012) as an orc in WoW. A website created for the campaign proclaimed â€Å"Maine needs a State Senator that lives in the real world, not in Colleen’s fantasy w orld† (Colleen's World, 2012), and a mail-out, featuring images of Lachowicz's avatar with highlighted quotes including â€Å"I love poisoning and stabbing! and â€Å"I can kill stuff without going to jail† was posted to voters (Maine Republican Party, 2012). Lachowicz's casual comments typify the playful tone of MMOG socialisation (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 899) and the misinterpretation, whether accidental or deliberate, is evidence of stereotyping due to a lack of understanding of the complex social culture of MMORPGs. When considering the social potential of MMORPGs, it is also important to acknowledge â€Å"problematic play†: playing excessively at the detriment of real-life priorities and relationships (Snodgrass, Lacy, Francois Dengah II, Fagan, 2011).Not all players are effected and numerous studies show that many cases of problematic play are associated with pre-existing psychopathological problems (Stetina, Kothsgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Ex ner, 2010, p. 474; Snodgrass, Lacy, Francois Dengah II & Fagan, 2011, pp. 1212-1213) including depression, OCD and low self-esteem. Certain player motivations may increase risk of problematic play, such as reliance on online socialisation and escapism as a coping strategy (Stetina, Kothsgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, p. 478).A 2011 study suggested playing with real-life friends or family minimises problematic play, by helping to retain awareness of the real world (Snodgrass, Lacy, Francois Dengah II & Fagan, 2011). Furthermore, such play can enhance existing relationships (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, p. 891). While immersion – â€Å"experienc(ing) the avatar as ‘I'† (Bradford, 2010, p. 57) – can play a role in developing problematic behaviour, it is important to note that not all immersive play is problematic (Stetina, Kothsgassner, Lehenbauer & Kryspin-Exner, 2010, . 478). Immersion plays a vital role in games such as WoW, allowing players to â€Å"think, talk and act in new ways† and â€Å"inhabit roles that are otherwise inaccessible to them† (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson and Gee, 2005, p. 105), creating a more level playing ground for socialisation and situated understanding (Steinkuehler & Williams, 2006, pp. 891-892). With their complex economic, social, political and cultural systems and the potential to access the data of thousands of online players at any given time (Szell & Thurner, 2010, p. 14; Shaffer, Squire, Halverson and Gee, 2005), MMOGs are potentially ideal environments for researching â€Å"collective human phenomena and social dynamics† (Szell & Thurner, 2010, p. 314). In 2007, Lofgren and Fefferman suggested that WoW could be used as a tool to â€Å"substantially boost the reality quotient of disease simulators† (Vastag, 2007), following an in-game epidemic of the virtual disease â€Å"Corrupted Blood† in 2005. Corrupted Blood, introduced through a downloadable upda te, was a highly infectious â€Å"de-buff† designed to make combat more challenging in a new area of the game, accessible only to higher level players.A programming error allowed the disease to spread beyond the intended area into heavily populated areas of the game, â€Å"mimicking the travel of contagious carriers over long distances that has been the hallmark of many disease outbreaks in history† (Lofgren & Fefferman, 2007, p. 625). Lofgren and Fefferman noted that players' â€Å"dedication to the virtual community† (2007, p. 627) provoked diverse reactions – some risking their own character in an effort to heal others, others logging out in â€Å"a panic response† (Vastag, 2007, p. 264) and some even propagating the chaos by intentionally spreading the disease (Vastag, 2007, p. 64) – approximating to â€Å"reactions of people in real-life situations of danger† (Lofgren & Fefferman, 2007, p. 627), suggesting MMORPGs hold great prom ise in terms of measuring social dynamics and collective human response for purposes of scientific research. At its core, gaming culture relies on effective cooperation and collaboration, both in-game and through communities of practice outside of the game. Participation in video games and the communities surrounding them teaches and encourages players to engage in â€Å"effective social practices†, establishing and building upon new and effective forms of entertainment, pleasure and sociality. Bradford, 2010). The success and popularity of these unique worlds has shown immense potential for further study into large-scale social dynamics and human phenomenon, potential which has yet to be fully explored. As contexts and media forms continue to converge, it seems certain that the millions of players whose avatars inhabit the rich virtual worlds of MMORPGs and other online games will continue to create and explore new and innovative opportunities for socialisation and learning. Works Cited Benedetti, W. (2012). Republicans out Democrat in World of Warcraft Witch Hunt.Retrieved from http://www. nbcnews. com/technology/ingame/republicans-out-democrat-world-warcraft-witch-hunt-6283586 Bradford, C. (2010). Looking for my corpse: Video games and player positioning. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 33(1), 55-64. Retrieved from http://www. informit. com. au Colleen's World. (2012). Retrieved from www. colleensworld. com de Freitas, S. , & Griffiths, M. (2008). The convergence of gaming practices with other media forms: what potential for learning? A review of the literature. Learning, Media and Technology, 33(1), 11-20. doi:10. 080/17439880701868796 Gee, J. P. (2003). What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Mamillan. Guinness World Records. (2012). Retrieved from www. guinnessworldrecords. com Iserloth, A. (2012). World of Warcraft gathers for breast cancer. Retrieved from http://www. universitychronicle. net/index. php/2012/10/22/cancer-wow-walk/ Jenkins, H. (2006). War Between Effects and Meaning: Rethinking the Video Game Violence Debate. In D. Buckingham & R. Willett (Eds. ), Digital Generations (pp. 19-31). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.Lofgren, E. T. & Fefferman, N. H. (2007). The untapped potential of virtual game worlds to shed light on real world epidemics. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 7(9), 625-629. doi:10. 1016/S1473-3099(07)70212-8 Maine Republican Party. (2012). Candidate's Bizarre Double Life Raises Questions. Retrieved from https://www. mainegop. com/2012/10/candidates-bizarre-double-life-raises-questions/ O'Neal, A. (2012). World of Warcraft players go pink to raise money for breast cancer research. Retrieved from http://www. examiner. com/article/world-of-warcraft-players-go-pink-to-raise-mo

The Nutcracker

Essay One Waltz of the Flowers† from The Nutcracker â€Å"Waltz of the Flowers† from The Nutcracker I watched Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker online for my first choice in my performance paper. This magnificent piece was composed by Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky during the Romantic period in 1892. This performance is performed by about 12 Ballerinas with the music being played in the background. â€Å"The Waltz of the Flowers† is actually ACT II from The Nutcracker, which is a very well known and amazing song. Tchaikovsky wrote this piece about a young girl named Clara that cannot wait for Christmas morning to arrive. She spends the whole night dreaming of intense dreams with extroidinary characters. This is why the ballet is always performed during the Christmas season. This piece is called a Waltz because the song is done in ? meter. The introduction starts with the amazing sound of the beautiful harps being played. This song has four different themes that repeat themselves. The first theme at the beginning, after the introduction, starts with a melody heard in French horns and clarinets and is repeated, but differently the 2nd time. The second them consists of violins. This theme adds drama and tension to the performance. The flutes start in on the third theme and repeated again with a more illuminated timbre. The fourth theme is heard only once and that is where the cellos come in for the melody. This melody is eloquent and passionate. There is so much detail in every part of this piece that you really have to pay attention to the music, which is what Tchaikovsky’s plan was when he wrote it. I really enjoyed watching this performance because the ballerinas moved so beautifully. They moved their hand to the music perfectly, which is where the Waltz come into the name. My favorite section of this piece is the introduction when you hear the harps playing. The ballerinas move so eloquently with the harps and it just amazed me. I also found myself swaying to the sound of the music without even realizing it because it is so relaxing. I am so thankful that this was one of our choices because I really enjoyed watching this and hopefully I will get a chance to watch it in a live performance one day.

Shangri-La Hotels

What are the key elements of Shangri-La Hotel’s strategy? Which of the five generic competitive strategies described in Chapter 5 is the company employing? What is Shangri-La’s strategy for competing internationally? 2. What policies, practices, support systems, and management approaches underlie Shangri-La’s efforts to execute its strategy? 3. How important are the company’s training and Shangri-La Care program to its success? What is your assessment of Shangri-La’s compensation policies and career growth effort? What pluses and minuses do you see? . What are the key features of the culture at Shangri-La Hotels? How important is the culture in the company’s success? Explain. What impact do the company’s mission statement and the Shangri-La Care program have on the company’s culture? 5. What core/distinctive competencies has management at Shangri-La tried to build and nurture? What challenges does the company face as it attempts to transfer its core and distinctive competencies to other cultures? How has the company attempted to resolve these challenges? Has it been successful in doing so? 6.What does the company’s financial and operational performance reveal about how successful its strategy and strategy implementation efforts have been? Should shareholders be pleased with the company’s financial performance? Why or why not? What financial and operating performance pluses and minuses do you see? 7. What challenges does Shangri-La face in expanding into Eastern China? Do you believe the company’s current policies and operating procedures will be sufficient in addressing these challenges? If so, why? If not, what else may need to be done? 8. How do the challenges associated with Shangri-La’s expansion into Europe,Australia, and North America compare with the company’s expansion in China? Do you believe the company’s current policies and operating procedures will be sufficient in addressing these challenges? If so, why? If not, what else may need to be done? 9. How big a threat does the expansion of other hotel chains into China pose for Shangri-La Hotels? What specific challenges are likely to arise as a result of this expansion? How should Shangri-La address these challenges? 10. What recommendations would you make to Symon Bridle to improve Shangri-La’s prospects for continued success? Shangri-La Hotels Shangri-La Hotels Contents Background Executive Summary Problem Statement Current Strategy External Environment VRINE Model Internal Analysis TOWS Analysis Value Chain Analysis Key Success Factors Alternatives Recommendations Implementation Plan Prologue Appendices Background Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group and regarded as one of the world’s finest hotel ownership and management companies. The Shangri-La story began in 1971 with its first deluxe hotel in Singapore. Today, there are  71 hotels and resorts throughout Asia Pacific, North America, the Middle East, and Europe,  representing a room inventory of over 30,000. In addition, new hotels are under development in  Austria, Canada, mainland China, India, Macau, Philippines, Qatar, Turkey and United Kingdom. Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to provide a strategic analysis of Shangri-La Hotels and its rapidly expanding business of luxury hotels into Eastern China, Europe, North America, and Australia; while still holding on to Shangri-La’s signature standards of â€Å"Shangri-La Hospitality. My analysis supports the recommendation that Shangri-La hotels have the required resources, expertise and efficiencies to successfully expand into these markets even with the tight labor markets and vast cultural differences Problem Statement Shangri-La Hotels is attempting to expand its business into other countries; however, expanding into high-wage economies’ such as E urope and North America could tarnish their brand and lead to a reduced overall profit. Current Strategy External Analysis PESTEL Analysis Political – little impact in Canada, however foreign companies may restrict trade or impose tariffs, thus increasing costs. Free trade may help or hinder companies. Favorable taxation or subsidies in other countries may assist competitors. Economic – Collectivity stage and needing to delegate (marketing). Interest rates, currency fluctuations and unemployment are factors. Social and Cultural – Foreign interest in products could be a fad. Advantage is quality. Technological – improved production/packaging technology needed Environmental- could focus on recyclable, reusable packaging. Legal- Foreign sales may require changes or inter-provincial sales may result in abiding by various provincial regulations. | Test| Competitive Implication| Performance Implication| Valuable| Does the resource or capability allow the firm to meet a market demand or protect the firm from market uncertainties| The product itself doesn’t protect the firm from uncertainties. The marketing concept of a healthy product, charming PEI and authentic ‘goodness’ is the competitive edge. Protecting the branded image and promotion is important in sustaining the market position and increasing this position. | Rare| Assuming the resource or capability is valuable, is it scarce relative to demand? Or is it widely possessed by most competitors| The preserve product can be copied. Strawberry jam has the most demand and supply meets demand in N America. Unique product combining high fruit content and liquors. | Product is easily copied; therefore it is important to differentiate fro m the competition with use of specific formulas of ingredients to have a unique taste. Inimitable and non substitutable| Assuming a valuable and rare resource how difficult is it for competitors to either imitate the resource or capability or substitute for it with other resources and capabilities that accomplish similar benefits| Preserve resource is not rare. The culture of home made natural image in the PEI setting is the rarity and could be substituted but countered with its original/ authentic brand. | Product is easily copied, so value must be in packaging/image/marketing appeal. Exploitable| For each set of the preceding steps of the VRINE test, can the firm actually exploit the resources and capabilities that it owns or controls? | One resource that the company has access to is the fresh fruit within the region, therefore there is the potential that the Company could monopolize the fruit market in the area. | Product is easily produced with access to fruit in the area. | Int ernal Analysis Functional Analysis Production Marketing Human Resources Finance Value Chain Analysis TOWS Analysis | From External Analysis| Opportunities1. New national and international markets/customers2. Custom production to utilize spare capacity3. Japanese tourism and marketplace4. Potential to tailor products to consumers in each geographical region| Threats:1. Potential entrants/substitutions claiming PEI origin2. Tariffs on exports make the product a less competitive price3. Labor intensive and seasonal labor 4. Significant currency fluctuations can impede exporting| From InternalAnalysis| Strengths:1. Quality product attracting premium pricing2. PEI ethnicity and charm3. Favorable tax status in Cda4. Increased sales and international interest5. Fresh local produce not requiring freight and storage costs6. Quality staff with low turnover. | SO strategies (use strengths to take advantage of opportunities)Increasing sales across Canada will promote PEI, incur favourable tax status vs imported products and therefore increase/improve competivenessJapanese market can be tapped with Japanese tourism in Canada (Vancouver/Toronto) without incurring the prohibitive multi levels of taxes and levies. Expansion would not only include different geographical locations but includes the potential to utilize quality staff throughout the year, rather than only seasonallyPromote company culture| ST Strategies (use advantages of strengths to overcome threats)PEI authenticity and premium gourmet product with specific marketing highlights to overshadow competitors substitutions. Selling to tourists within Canada, with no GST/PST or tariffs makes the product more attractive Selling nationally reduces freight/shipping damages and more inventory control | | Weaknesses1. Marketing plan2. Restaurant business dilutes core business3. Seasonal business4. Underutilized capacity5. Management’s lack of experience in growth management| WO strategies (use opportunities to overcome weaknesses)Custom production, expansion of selling to new markets/customers and effective marketing plan can utilize the unused capacity and even out the seasonal nature of the business Outsource canning, packing – research alternatives with environmental/recycle benefits| WT strategies (use defensive strategies to minimize weaknesses and avoid threats) Targeted marketing plan and sales agent to identify the place and promotion of the 4P’s to expand sales and sales mix. Increased sales and production would require full time staff and reduce seasonality which would increase ability to retain quality staff. | Key Success Factors Alternatives 1. Pro Con 2. Pro Con 3. Pro Con Recommendation Implementation Plan Short-Term Long-Term Prologue According to the SHANGRI-LA ASIA financial reports for 2006 through 2009 the Asian division has had an increasing net income with the exception of 2008. Proving that Shangri-La has been a success in Asia, even with the expansion into the Chinese market. Appendices Bargaining Power of Suppliers Substitute Products Bargaining Power of Buyers Threats of new entrants Competitors-Airbus/Boeing CCCComCompetitAIRBUS/Boeing Airlines Leasing companies Governmental institutions FAA, IATA, EPA Other regulating bodies Advance in short haul turboprop technology Advances in automotives industry and infrastructures High speed train Advances in telecommunications: video conferences etc†¦ Engine manufacturer Electronic, Semiconductor etc†¦ Others manufacturers such as metal, composite materials Government institutions Capital sources investors and banks FAA, IATA, EPA Other regulating bodies Mitsubishi Others emerging power Others small aircraft manufacturers Military companies: Dassault, Lockheed, ATR Mission Statement We envision a community of responsible and educated citizens who are environmentally conscious, practice social responsibility in their daily lives and inspire others to do the same. We commit to operating in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner whilst balancing the interests of diverse stakeholders. We strive to be a leader in corporate citizenship and sustainable development, caring for our employees and customers, seeking to enrich the quality of life for the communities in which we do business, and serving as good stewards of society and the environment. Partnering for the Future With a solid foundation and reputation for excellence in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North America, the company's strategic plan now incorporates the goal of expanding the Shangri-La brand globally by operating deluxe hotels in gateway cities and key resorts around the world under management agreements, equity participation or ownership. Given the commitment to becoming a top-end global hotel company, the development functions of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts are directly led by the President and Chief Executive Officer. Shangri-La has always believed in the unique characteristics encapsulated by Asian Hospitality. Our commitment to providing guests with distinctive Asian standards of hospitality and service from caring people remains our major point of differentiation from our peers and the very cornerstone of our reputation as a world-class hotel group. â€Å"Pride without arrogance† is of particular importance as we want our people to be internally proud of our achievements but outwardly humble. After all, the hallmark of true success is that it does not need to be stated. In striving to delight customers each and every time they stay with us we aim to exceed expectations through consistently providing quality and value in our products and services. That’s why we look for trendsetters, professionals who are enthused by innovation and driven by achievement. Environment Our  daily operations ensure that we mitigate the impact of climate change, uphold biodiversity in conservation/habitat restoration, adopt the best practices in preventing ozone depletion, and continually strive to improve ater-use management, waste-disposal management and indoor air quality. Health & Safety We  are committed to protecting our customers, employees, stakeholders and the greater public by providing a safe and healthy environment based on international standards. Employees Our colleagues are our number-one asset, and our source of inspiration for the greater communities with which we work. We value our stakeholders and always engage them with clarity, honesty, and respect. We require that our business partners ensure the highest standards in environmental, hygiene and labour practices. We believe that caring for others today allows them to care for themselves and others tomorrow. ‘Embrace’ aims to build, strengthen and sustain local communities through various and specific education and health projects. Each of our resorts provides a natural habitat for flourishing biodiversity. The ‘sanctuary' is Shangri-La’s project for ensuring the highest standards in marine and terrestrial habitat restoration and environmental conservation.