Cognitive Design Essay

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini is seen through the eyes of two young female protagonists, who have a strong and well-developed character. In the novel, the author shows their hardship, their lives in a hopeless society, Afghanistan, and how throughout their life they face cruelty and vulnerability. The author portrays the experiences of the two Afghan women, Mariam and Laila, who live in a society where women are mistreated. Mariam’s character is described as a quiet and thoughtful girl who questions the society and dreams of a luxurious life. She experiences physical and mental abuse from almost every person in her life and is brought up in an isolated environment by a bitter mother who puts her down. For instance, in the beginning of the novel Nana, Mariam’s mother, says: â€Å"You are a clumsy little harami† (Hosseini, 4). This very word â€Å"harami† helps the reader to analyze the struggles of an illegitimate child. Nana also prepares Mariam to expect nothing from men: â€Å"Like a compass needle that always point north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always †¦. Mariam† (Hosseini, 7). This is also used to foreshadow Mariam’s husband, Rasheed, a cruel, abusive and hot tempered man, who physically and verba lly abuses Mariam after marriage. Although Laila was also brought up in the same society as Mariam, her character is stronger as compared to Mariam’s. She has a strong desire to use her intelligence and education to improve the society and as her father, tells her: â€Å"Marriage can wait, education cannot†¦ You can be anything you want†¦ Because a society has no change of success if its women are uneducated†¦ No chance† (Hosseini, 114). The characters personality evolves over time, and this helps to analyze the tragic themes of the novel which are oppression, hope, and internal strength of women. The ability for any individual to imagine to endure the pain and sacrifices that Mariam and Laila endured are overwhelming. Yet the authors’ description of the characters makes it easy to analyze them to a great depth.

Real Problem Behind White-Collar Crime

White-collar crime is a term that has been applied to a wide variety of non-violent crimes that are often committed in offices and boardrooms rather than on the street. Crimes are committed by means of unlawful paper transactions rather than with weapons, by middle-class people rather than by career criminals (Sutherland, 1983). It includes the crime of fraud in its many variations, as well as violations of government regulations that might not even result in immediate, ascertainable harm. The term refers to crimes committed by individuals, as well as wrongs inflicted by corporate entities (which are also subject to criminal prosecution). White-collar crime is investigated and prosecuted by the federal and state governments. For most individuals, white-collar crime is not viewed as a crime at all, because of its non-violent nature. Violent crime has an immediate and obvious impact on its victims, which raises the attention of the public, whereas white-collar crime frequently goes undetected or is viewed as a bending of the rules (Geis, 1982). White-collar crime; however, can have more of an impact than violent crimes. The victim of a violent crime can recover (most times, but not always), were as the victim of fraud can have immeasurable impact, that can devastate his/her home, family, and even life. The real problem behind white-collar crime is not defining white-collar crime, but developing the appropriate means to correct this type of crime. One of the most popular white-collar crimes is embezzlement. Throughout the rest of this literature review, embezzlement will remain the focus of the discussion. Embezzlement is the most popular financial crime in the nation, and is the predominant factor in the failure of all types of businesses (Barlow, 1978). Also, embezzlement is an individual crime, not just a document or technological crime. It is often the most misunderstood and complicated crime to discover, or to investigate. The crime of embezzlement accounts for the majority of all financial institution crimes investigated by the FBI (Geis, 1982). It is often a function of an employee†s circumstances and/or attitude combined with employer naivete and carelessness and with the decreasing threat of prosecution and other detrimental consequences (Weisburd, Wheeler, Waring & Bode, 1991). Embezzlement may occur because an employee who is in a position of trust with access to company funds is experiencing difficult, personal financial problems. The temptation becomes too great and the employee resorts to embezzlement to solve his/her financial problems. It also occurs because employee loyalty is less now than in the past years and employees often believe that they are paid too little and treated unfairly. Law enforcement agencies have less and less manpower to pursue embezzlement so the fear of prosecution is less of a deterrent to employees. Embezzlements are generally both ego and habit crimes, and are rhythmic, predictable and cyclic (Jamieson, 1994). Embezzlers rationalize their behavior to conform to their own morals and ethics. Embezzlers realize that their actions will ultimately hurt people around them, and they just do not care. Embezzlements are secret crimes, but someone else within the institution often has knowledge of the crime. Most embezzlements are actually a series or combination of crimes, rather than a single crime. The majority of embezzlements begin as a simple misuse of the company†s funds for a short-term personal purpose (Geis, 1968). These occurrences then become a habit, requiring additional misuse to hide the original crime. Embezzlements are generally committed by one of three methods: By trickery, deceit or misrepresentation (e.g. account holder or rightful owner impersonation, official seals of fictitious accounts); by documents (e.g. check, â€Å"authorization note†, power of attorney); and by technology (e.g. on-line computer, FAX machines, ATM access)(Weisburd et al., 1991). Generally, embezzlements committed by staff personnel are more numerous, and the individual amounts taken are relatively small. Embezzlements committed by supervisors and officers are less frequent, and the amounts taken are more significant. Taking money to support a certain lifestyle or an employee†s family is the most popular motive. Revenge against the employer is the next most popular motive. Periodic surveys and statistics gathered by law enforcement agencies indicate that losses attributed to acts of embezzlement are more significant than losses attributed to all other types of business crimes combined (Barlow, 1978). The number of embezzlements increases annually, primarily because of: 1. Inadequate pre-employment screening by employers, 2. Changing morality in all segments of society, particularly the work force, 3. Decreasing law enforcement help and emphasis, and 4. Minimal punishment for offenders. Embezzlements include both misuse and misappropriation. Misuse is defined as the abuse of privilege or position without the specific intent to steal; misappropriation is defined as the taking of funds or property with the specific intent to steal (Geis, 1982). Estimates are that less than 10% of these crimes are reported. The true scope of the embezzlement problem may never be known for many reasons. Embezzlement is not just theft, it is also misuse. Thefts require a specific intent to steal, are relatively simple to prove and are reported more often than incidents of misuse. Acts of misuse require no specific intent to steal, and are often difficult to prove and are often categorized as â€Å"mysterious disappearances† (Jamieson, 1994). The discovery of embezzlement requires the institution to file a criminal report and a criminal referral form, which removes the control of an investigation from the institution. It is often believed to be more â€Å"convenient† to allow an embezzler to terminate employment and voluntarily repay the loss than to file a crime report and become involved with the criminal justice process (Weisburd et al., 1991). Embezzlement is also a secret or closet crime and is often discussed in the same â€Å"whispered tones† as crimes of child or adult sexual assault are. Denial of the act, a sense of violation and feeling shame for allowing it to happen are responses reported by victims of both assaults and embezzlements. These victims are then reluctant to report the crime, fearing public exposure and humiliation. Some people purposely embezzle (steal) while others simply misuse (borrow or use) the institution†s assets (service, equipment, supplies and facilities) without intending to steal. Both actions create losses to the institution. The disastrous effects suffered by the nation†s financial institutions and related industries, and the loss of public trust in those industries, have primarily resulted from acts of embezzlement or from self-serving transactions by key employees working within all levels of the institution (Geis, 1982). The misuse and misappropriation of assets significantly contributed to the crippling or failure of many industries such as: Financial institutions (e.g. savings and loan industry); defense contractors (e.g. overcharges, failed product design, diversion of funds); securities brokerage firms (e.g. junk bonds and diversion of funds) and insurance companies (e.g. investment in prohibited ventures and diversion of funds) (Weisburd et al., 1991). The very people who work within and manage these industries are disabling them. Their leaders have been the subjects of unfavorable from-page news stories. Their crimes and lack of corporate morals overshadow, and contribute to, similar behavior of their employees. In other words, creating an embezzlement environment starts at the top of the organization. It†s less expensive to prevent embezzlement than it is to investigate one. Estimates are that for each $1.00 lost to any crime, the institution loses and additional $4.00. These calculations are conservative, and don†t take into account the other losses the institution will ultimately suffer (Jamieson, 1994). Embezzlements are emotional as well as financial crimes. Victims of embezzlement display the same progression and range of symptoms displayed by victims of sexual assault or catastrophic disasters: shock, disbelief, denial, rage, grief and recovery (Geis, 1982). This cycle generally peaks within six months of the crime, and it may take up to three years for the institution to recover fully. While the actual monetary loss from an embezzlement may be significant, it will be relatively insignificant compared to the losses caused by these other factors that will become evident after an embezzlement has been discovered: lowered employee morals due to increased security measures, and aggravated by distrust of other employees; employees† disorientation and their accompanying mistakes, resulting in poor customer service; a reduction in actual tasks performed by employees, because of their pre-occupation with events related to the embezzlement; adverse publicity due to management†s likely inability to control the flow of information to the media; and the necessary interaction with the criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts and corrections) (Weisburd et al., 1991). Mistakes often appear to be embezzlements. The results of poor training and supervision often appear as clerical errors, as mis-coded or miscounted items, and as misapplied transactions. Appropriate training, supervision and the application of effective loss prevention techniques are necessary to protect the institution and its employees from both mistakes and embezzlements (Jamieson, 1994). Honest employees must be protected from suspicion of dishonesty, and embezzlers must be removed. A successful defense begins with a single action demonstrated by one concerned person. Someone must take a stand against the problem, and then become knowledgeable and concerned enough about the problem to persuade others to take a stand. You will likely find both supporters and detractors within every level of the institution. Embezzlers will continue to be successful until industry leaders acknowledge the magnitude and pervasiveness of the problem; until industry leaders believe that this activity is intolerable; and until industry leaders take an active role in embezzlement prevention and education (Weisburd et al., 1991). To truly understand the scope of embezzlement individuals must research and understand new policy techniques and educate themselves on the crime of embezzlement in order to combat this up and coming crime. Embezzlers violate all commonly accepted business and personal values, morals and ethics. Embezzlers are rarely prosecuted criminally, rarely receive jail sentences upon conviction, and rarely repay the victims or court costs. As we learn more about the criminal act of embezzlement, and more about the people who commit these crimes, the better prepared we are to identify behaviors commonly displayed by both the institution and the employee who embezzles. Corporations and business owners need to establish a code of conduct with their employees. This method would provide an excellent way to communicate with employees and describe acceptable standards of behavior within the company. Also, this method gives the employee a list of employee†s rights and obligations to follow. Employees who believe that they are treated fairly, and equally with every other employees, are less likely to become discontented and commit an embezzlement crime. If corporations follow the simple but effective methods mentioned above they should have more success in removing embezzlement from the business world.

A Comparison of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice and the Mending Wall

A Comparison of Robert Frost's Fire and Ice and the Mending Wall Robert Frost was a successful poet for many reasons. He was well known for the diction used in all his poems. Along with diction, he was widely known for the complexity of his poems. Imagery also was key in many of Frost poems because of the way he described events, people and places. He appealed to many Americans because of the life lessons told in many of his poetry. In all, Frost was one of the most popular poets in America’s history. The diction in Frost’s poems stood out to many of his readers because of the elementary language he used, which made his poems easy to understand. To make his poetry easy to understand, he ventured away from difficult words. The elementary diction was shown in â€Å"Fire and Ice† and â€Å"The Mending Wall†. â€Å"Fire and Ice† is an example where the diction draws attention to a certain concept or idea for the reader to understand. When Frost uses the antonym words â€Å"fire† and â€Å"ice†, he is making a point to the reader that the words are representation of love and hate. In â€Å"The Mending Wall†, there are examples of elementary diction that noticeably portrays Frost intentional word choices. Frost says that, â€Å"there where it is we do not need the wall†(Frost 23). Another focal point is Frost’s poetry was complexity. The messages of his poems are interesting because he does not usually talk about the main idea directly but by using figurative language to get his ideas across. Frost was also commonly known for writing different types of poems like his most humorous one, â€Å"Home Burial†. One of Frost’s most complex poems is â€Å"The Road Not Taken†. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Frost uses complex metaphors to describe the story within the poem. â€Å"Two roads diverge in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by† (Frost 19). When Frost uses a metaphor about the â€Å"two roads that diverge†, he is referring to the two paths in life that there are to take. Imagery in Frost poems was extremely vivid to describe events, people and places. Frost often related nature imagery with romantic views. In â€Å"Desert Places†, Frost uses snow to describe an image of loneliness. For example, the word â€Å"snow† is described as expressionless, â€Å"A blanker whiteness of benighted snow/ with no expression, nothing to express†(Frost 12). â€Å"Birches† is a typical example of the use of nature imagery that Frost uses to talk about the dislikes of the pressures of social life. While Frost does not specify exactly which burden he is targeting, the reader can easily piece together enough evidence from various parts of the poem to depict Frost’s meaning. When Frost compares ice to crystal shells, he uses descriptive words to enhance the image to the reader. The words â€Å"shattering and avalanching† (Frost 11) are used to enhance a visual image for the reader. Robert Frost was most famous for the way that he structured and managed his career. Frost became most popular because of the stories told within his poetry. In Frost poetry, he avoided any explicit language. He also did not discuss the economy or anything dealing with politics. Many other Americans became aware of who Frost because he was the first American poet to read poetry at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. He read â€Å"The Gift Outright†, which was a poem that was written especially for the inauguration. In all, Frost was known for the elementary diction that he used in all of his poetry. Along with diction, he was widely known for the complexity of his poems. His use of imagery was descriptive in a way that it painted a picture for his readers. The life lessons that were depicted in his poems were one of many reasons why Americans favored him. Altogether, Frost was one of the most popular poets in America’s history.

The Lust for Blood Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Lust for Blood - Movie Review Example The lust for blood from an aggrieved criminal who goes on a killing spree is the main theme behind the episode that will be reviewed in this essay. The producer’s concept of depicting two men that have been bludgeoned to death in the beginning of the film is the epitome of brutality as a result of blood lust. The murder took place near a hospital one evening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The BAU agents, Hotch, Rossi, Prentiss and Reid are called in to solve the case. The two dead bodies had been placed in such a way that showed the perpetrator (s) was remorseful about the act. For the perpetrator to have been able to kill the two physically strong men, he or she must have been physically strong as well. The unsub must have been somebody who was good at fighting. The victims found beaten in the same manner that the perpetrator had bludgeoned the first two men shows that it is the same person who has been committing these murders. The manner that these subsequent deaths have be en executed shows that he is no longer remorseful for the killings. There is a very high probability that the perpetrator will strike again. Viewers are left in suspense, wondering when and where he will strike next. Analytically, the murders are being executed by someone who enjoys killing people. He is killing them very precisely and easily. The subsequent victims are found to have been beaten in a very organized and thorough way, indicating that the criminal is knowledgeable about fights. He must be a fighter or boxer because of the nature of execution of the deaths. The BAU ventures into the boxing and fighting scene all over Philadelphia so as to find the connection to the string of deaths. The search for the killer leads the BAU team to venture more and more into the boxing scene so as to find out who has been executing these deaths near the hospital. This was a clever move because the killer must have been a boxer. Later on in the program, it emerges that the killer is a prof essionally trained boxer, Jimmy who is killing people because of his presumed blood lust. Hotch’s encounter with a lady named Beth shows that he is finally interested in love again for the first time since his wife Haley died. He has been holding on to the death of his wife and has finally decided to let go of the past and move on. In regard to this, he is quoted saying, â€Å"Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes its letting go†. This can be said to be after he has finally made the resolution to move on with his life and stop mourning the death of his wife. The case that the team was working on was taking too long but the change in direction of the movie makes it more interesting when Hotch meets this girl Beth and finally considers to move on. The introduction of Beth into the scene is a great strategy because the suspense of wanting to know whether Hotch’s new love will fail or succeed keeps viewers glued to the screen. The conversation be tween Hotch and Rossi below shows that Hotch is interested in Beth â€Å"Rossi:  (discussing Beth with Hotch)  Is she cute? Hotchner: Yes, she is, but I need to be focused on my training. I don't need to be distracted. Rossi: Yes, you should be. Distracted is good. What's her name? Hotchner: Beth. Rossi: I like it. And you know what they say about riding a bicycle. Hotchner: Who's getting a bicycle?

New balance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

New balance - Essay Example Therefore, the company has made commitment to making the company an environment friendly organization where all the processes ranging from footwear manufacturing to retailing are environment friendly and dedicated to CSR activities. In light of its new mission, the company has identified various steps which could be taken to become more environment friendly globally and locally. New Balance has been involved in CSR activities and has been adopting various strategies from time to time in order to become more environment friendly. From the case study, following strengths can be derived about the company which makes it a successful candidate for adopting CSR strategies: The company’s employees are dedicated and committed towards adopting a strong CSR strategy and work for making the company more environment friendly. They are willing to adapt to changes which may be required in order to become more environment friendly. Therefore, the upper management will not have to face resistance if they need to change the working conditions or company operations for successful implementation of CSR strategies. The suppliers of the company, both locally and abroad are also supportive and ready to adapt to any changes which may be needed in the manufacturing process of footwear in order to become more environment friendly or to abide by the laws of the legislation which may require the company to change their current manufacturing processes. The company is ahead of its competition in some of the manufacturing processes such as the elimination of PVC in the manufacturing of footwear. This can give the company a competitive advantage over its competitors which it can utilize to gain a larger market share. The company has a good reputation in the market and a large market share, thus a greater profit margin. This profit margin can be used to finance the R&D or the adoption of new technologies

Global warming proposing solutions essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global warming proposing solutions - Essay Example Air pollution is the basic cause of global warming. The air has been enormously polluted by the smoke escaping from chimneys, and the burning of fuels in automobiles. Man made causes are the biggest contributors of the global warming. Fuels made from such organic materials as oil and coal are called as fossil fuels. When they are burnt, fossil fuels give off gases rich in carbon content. These gases are known as greenhouse gases. These gases include but are not limited to carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NO). The methane present in ground is collected along with the oil or coal that is extracted from ground. Population is another major cause of increase in global warming. More people require more vehicles. Thus, more vehicles are on the roads to burn the fossil fuels and generate methane and carbon dioxide. Also, the residue of animals that is often dumped into barren lands or even farms is rich in methane. To accommodate the food related needs of the growing po pulation, more cattle are kept because they are the fundamental source of food and dairy products for humans. Their manure is also rich in methane. Even if people become very prudent in their activities and use of things in every day life, they would still give rise to global warming because all living animals and humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Humans replace the oxygen in atmosphere with carbon dioxide, and cause global warming. In fact, humans not only replace atmospheric oxygen with carbon dioxide, but also eradicate the fundamental source of oxygen. Millions of trees are cut every year to accommodate the needs of humans. People require wood to construct homes and make things of everyday use. Trees have to be cut in order to gain wood which cuts short the source of oxygen in the atmosphere. Thus, humans are making every effort they can to increase the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and in turn, increase the global warming. Global warming is causing a lot of problems. With the increase in temperature, more and more glaciers are melting away every year and this water pours into rivers and seas. The resulting increase in the sea level is the main cause of the frequent and severe hurricanes, cyclones and tsunamis. The rise in temperature of water on the surface of sea facilitates in the building up of tsunamis. Natural disasters have blanketed the world in the recent years. Every year, many areas are flooded with water which is a potential threat to the life of animals and humans. Many people lose their lives in tsunamis. Glaciers that are melting away are depriving many animal species of their habitat. Glaciers are the primary source of food and shelter for polar bears. The rate at which glaciers are melting away presently will soon make the polar bears extinct from Earth completely. Also, thousands of cattle are drowned in floods whenever they occur. In addition to that, many people die of severe heat in the summer season every y ear because every summer season is getting much hotter than the preceding one. Air pollution has made people acquire many diseases. Thus, global warming is a big threat to life on Earth in many ways. Owing to the dangers associated with the rising temperature on Earth, there is dire need to take such measures that would reduce global warming. In order to control global warming, things of everyday use should be recycled and reused. The reliance on oil and coal should be minimized. Use of HVAC should be minimiz

Presidential election of 2012 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Presidential election of 2012 - Essay Example However, the Republican Party in support of Romney managed to maintain control of the house representation at 233 seats, while the democrats were the majority in the senate representation with 53 seats (BBC bbc.co.uk). The 2012 U.S. elections came at a time that required special attention due to slow economic recovery, and the New Jersey Superstorm Sandy that gave people an opportunity to criticize the existing leadership. The catastrophe had called for the previous Obama government and Democratic Party to act wisely, maintain balance, and a good image before the nation that paid close attention. The quick move taken by the President Obama with the New Jersey governor, Chris Christie of the Republican Party to provide aid to the affected East Coast society, benefitted President Barack Obama in gathering support from people of New Jersey, for handling the emergency with integrity. During the last days of the campaign, the two presidential candidates had to perfect their actions and im ages towards the New Jersey disaster but as usual, it was up to the voter to decide how they related and viewed the actions of both candidates. The disaster seemed to be the last determinant of the voters’ motivation in support of their favorable candidate. Mitt Romney in his campaign marked the last Tuesday to the elections as ‘Storm Relief Events’ where he took blankets and food to the affected victims, while Obama rescheduled his activities on the following Wednesday, forfeiting the valuable time he would have had campaigning for his re-election, to focus on immediate management of the crisis, talking with the affected society and viewing the storm damage one on one (Fischer, spiegel.de). This strategy was well rewarded for Obama who Acquired 58 % of the votes in the state of New Jersey (â€Å"US election 2012† telegraph.co.uk). 1. Social Welfare Politics in North America have had along history with differentiated support of the leading political partie s that seem to be divided along racial and religious voters. Certain people tend to be associated with Democratic Party and not republican, based on their religious belief and race which end up into political debates, and in turn affect the voting pattern. The 2012 U.S. elections had a major issue surrounding the personal religious identities of the two leading presidential candidates, which well connects with the divisive social issues within religious dimensions. According to Wade, the Republican Party has more support from the whites than black based on their catholic and protestant religious faith (thesocietypages.org). There was little support for the Republican from the blacks and religiously unaffiliated (see fig. 1). Fig. 1. Republican composition based on religion from Lisa Wade. ; â€Å"Religion and Race among Democrats and Republicans†; thesocietypages.org. 15 September, 2012; Web; 12 November, 2012. On the other hand, democrats have most of their stronghold from t he societies dominated by black people and those religiously unassociated than in republican support (Wade thesocietypages.org ). Certain issues like permission of same sex marriages, the legality of abortion, inclusion of the word God on Parties platform and critical controversy of the Muslim video, set the differences between the parties and their support (see fig. 2). Fig. 2. Democrates composition based on religion from Lisa Wade. ; â€Å"Religion and Race among Democrats and Republicans†; thesocietypages.org. 15 September, 2012; Web; 12 November, 2012. Mitt Romney was initially satisfied by women making their decision on abortion, but following

An Organizational Structure and Administration of Law Enforcement Essay

An Organizational Structure and Administration of Law Enforcement Agencies - Essay Example It is usually depicted on charts by solid lines connecting the positions. Line relations or direct or executive relations are those existing between a senior and his subordinates at all levels of command. The senior's instructions are to be complied with as authority is direct. Paramilitary model of management is typical for law enforcement agencies. As with other aspects of the personnel function it is important that line officers are involved, at least to some extent, with employee relations (Sewell, 2002). There must be teamwork and a concerted organizational approach to the management of employee relations. This is made easier when top management, who retain ultimate responsibility for the personnel function, take an active part in fostering goodwill and co-operation between departments. "Administration assigns, directs, controls and coordinates department personnel and material resources. It involves budgeting, planning, purchasing, personnel administration, payroll, public rela tions, union contract administration, grant applications, special reports and secretarial support' (Department structure, n.d.). The current structure of New York Police Department can be reorganized into functional organization.

The impact on China foreign exchange reserve if china aids European Dissertation

The impact on China foreign exchange reserve if china aids European union debt crisis - Dissertation Example As economies of the world have become highly integrated because of globalization and therefore poor economic condition of one country or one region of the world could influence the other economy. In other words, China is looking to help the European nations out of this problem so that their poor economic situation does not influence the growing economy of China. Countries like United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, France and several other European countries have good trading relationships with China and sizeable amount of goods are exported from China to European countries and therefore it helps the economy of China to prosper. But if these countries will default then China would not be able to export its goods and therefore demand of their products would be reduced and it could hurt the economic condition of China as well. 1.2. Background to the Research Study: China is planning to give aid to European countries and China is looking this aid as an investment to keep its economic growth. The foreign exchange reserves of the country at the end of December, 2011 were $3.18. This foreign exchange reserve reflects the strong economic condition of China. This foreign exchange reserve would allow China to help and bail out European countries suffering from debt crisis. Although, China has made investment in several parts of Europe and even China has increased its investment almost thrice between 2009 and 2010 however Europe requires a lot more aid and investment to get out of trouble. Not only Chinese investors have made investments, but bonds of different European banks have also been purchased by China to boost the economic condition of European Union.... There are different benefits to China if they help the European region. The aid would help China to improve its image plus it would help them to have better return on their investment. Also with this aid, China would be able to have a greater say in European and financial talk. According to Chinese government, the investment would be safe because European countries are facing temporary issues however they are rich nations. Not only this would be a safe investment, but it would be helpful for China to enter into certain parts where their products have not been dominating and several other European countries could be entered by China in which they were not been able to export sufficient number of product. In addition to this, European countries like United Kingdom, Germany and France are important trading partners of China and helping them would give them advantage in the long run. Therefore, the investment would be highly beneficial for the country in the long run. 1.3. Rationale of t he Research Study: The researcher has started conducting research to identify and analyse the impact on Chinese foreign exchange reserves if China aids European nations to help them out of debt crisis. European nations are important trading partners of China and helping them out from this crisis could not only be an investment but this would be helpful for China to maintain their economic growth rate (REUTERS, 2011). If European countries default then the exports of China would be hurt and this could hurt the economic growth rate of China and as a result this would hurt the demand of Chinese products. So, with lower demand the industries in China would suffer and it

Junk Food in Schools Essay Example for Free

Junk Food in Schools Essay The school bell rings, signaling the start of the lunch hour and the kids all head out to the same direction: the cafeteria. After hours of sitting through class after class, their minds get weary from having to cram all that information into their heads. Consequently, the need for sustenance is almost always overpowering. Lining up towards the food counter, the children load up their trays with goodies of their own pickings. A can of Coke, a cheeseburger or tater torts, a bag of Cheetos and a candy bar and they’re on their way to devouring their savory spread. Thousands of schools across the globe are now being seen to serve an array of food that is high in calories and have elevated salt and fat content, not to mention the amount of preservatives in them. Cheeseburgers, fries, pizza, chips, sodas and candy bars have become largely available in today’s cafeterias, providing an unhealthy alternative to the traditional cooked meals. â€Å"Junk food†, as is appropriately coined for food that has low nutritional value, has largely become a favorite on our average youngster’s menu. As such, profit-seeking companies have targeted schools to market such products. Not only are they being promoted in high schools but they have now infiltrated the middle schools as well, knowing that most of these children are probably eating the same amount of junk food in their homes too. Although major cola companies are denying several harmful effects of their products, colas are causing children to be caffeine dependent. Crisps and other snacks may be attractive to [Insert Last name 2] kids in that they taste good but the consumption of these â€Å"empty† calories is the leading cause of obesity in youngsters and obese children could end up having chronic heart problems. Thousands of parents have voiced out their concerns and a lot of people are aware of the threat that this issue poses on the children’s health. Some areas actually pass laws prohibiting schools from turning on vending machines during lunch hours. This measure has proven to be ineffective. Such failure is the culmination of years and years of neglect upon the dietary needs of the children. If adults were more vigilant in supervising such an integral part of their growth, this health issue would not be an issue at all. As a result, what adults can do is to wean these kids from this unhealthy inclination and provide them with a well-balanced, highly nutritious yet equally satisfying fare. Regulations in preparing meals should also be implemented with respect to the children’s vitamin and mineral requirements. Fried products should be kept at a minimum as they are high in fat content, having been fried in oil. Burgers, sausages and other types of â€Å"mechanically recovered meat† should be banned from the cafeteria as well as sweets like candy bars, toffees, mints, chewing gum and savory snacks such as crisps, salted nuts and tortilla chips. These food items contain large amounts of sugar, salt, food additives such as monosodium glutamate and polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. The school is a place where the youth, who are to become tomorrow’s adults, go in order to gain knowledge of all the worldly things that they would need in the future. It is a place where they feed their minds but what they are feeding their bodies in a place of learning might someday lead to unseen health problems unless, the serving of highly nutritious and substantial meals can be strictly enforced in the educational system and that the adults who run the schools keep in mind that the children’s health should in no way be compromised. [Insert Last Name 3] Works Cited â€Å"Junk Food Banned in School Meals†. 19 May 2006. BBC News. 11 April 2008. http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/4995268. stm â€Å"Junk Foods†. 2008. Ask the Dietician. 11 April 2008. http://www. dietitian. com/junkfood. html

Comparison of Colonisation in Brazil and Ireland

Comparison of Colonisation in Brazil and Ireland INTRODUCTION Purpose of this paper is to compare the colonisation of Ireland with that of Brazil. In order to do this, the paper has been structured into three parts. The first part looks at the pre-colonial period of Ireland and Brazil. This is followed by the comparison of colonisation processes that each one was faced with. Finally, the post-colonial Ireland and Brazil are discussed. PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD COUNTRY AND POPULATION According to Smith (1999), authority within the Irish island was decentralised, with important regional variations between communities of independent or semi-independent Gaelic chieftaincies, turbulent Anglo-Irish marcher lordships, and an east coast area regularly influenced by the operations of English common law and the officials of the royal administration at Dublin. Its population has been estimated at around 2 million (Encarta 2000). Most of the hundreds of indigenous peoples who inhabited eastern South America prior to the arrival of the Europeans were members of the Tupà ­-Guaranà ­ cultures. In Brazil, the native Toupi-family groups we found in areas along the eastern coast of the continent south of Amazon River and inland south of the Amazon to the Andean foothills (Encarta 2000). According to Economist (2000), population of pre-colonial Brazil was about 2.5 million when the Portuguese arrived. According to Encarta (2000), this number is difficult to estimate since there are no written records, with recent calculations suggesting between 1 and 6 million Native Americans in 1500. CULTURE AND LANGAUGE Said (1990) described Ireland as a third world country, both England’s poor â€Å"other† and belonging to the cultural domain of the developed world. However, Encarta (2000) indicates that its Celtic culture was famous for its artworks, music and cultural institutions. People spoke Celtic, Gealic language. Indian societies belonged, for the most part, to the great Tupi cultural root, which had been lasting for at least 500 years when contact with the Europeans was established (Metcalf 2005). In comparison to Irish, Tupi society was much more primitive. The village was the basis of the Tupi social organisation. The society was often referred to as the ‘land without evil’ and it had no slavery among its groups. According to Encarta (2000), these people had no metal tools, no written language, no beasts of burden and no knowledge of the wheel. They worshiped spirits and relied on religious figures known as shamans for healing, divination of future events, and connection to the world of spirits. They spoke variations of the Tupian language. COLONIAL PROCESS SYSTEMATIC VS ACCIDENTAL In the history of the Irish colonisation by England there are two distinct colonisations (Nelligan 2000). The first was in the 13th century with the arrival of the Anglo-Normans. This was a colonisation that had some form of dialogue, an interaction between the coloniser and the colonised, where eventually it is deemed that the colonisers became â€Å"more Irish than the Irish themselves†. However, the second type of colonisation in Irish history occurred in the 1560s, with the advent of Cromwell’s campaign, which entailed the attempted total destruction of Irish culture, language, history, lifestyle, and rights of the Irish people. This entailed no dialogue except for the threat of death if compliance with the coloniser was not forthcoming. While the colonisation of Ireland was systematic from the beginning, discovery of Brazil by the Portuguese came in 1500 by accident, when a fleet commanded by Pedro Alvares Cabral and bound for India was blown off course (Economist 2000). Furthermore, it has been claimed that the conquest and appropriation of the Brazilian territory, and the questions that they provoked, did not always put Europeans and Indians one against the other (Abreu 2004). Colonisation often demanded that the Europeans allied themselves to the natives against other Europeans, and that the natives allied themselves to Europeans against other natives. SETTLEMENT AND OPPRESSION VS ECONOMY BY SLAVERY Irish colonisation was an attempt at annihilation of the Irish in order to make room for English settlers (Nelligan 2000). It was an outright attempt at domination, usurpation and control of the Irish people. According to Lilley (2000), the process of colonisation in medieval Ireland needs to be viewed in the context of Norman and English depictions of the Irish as non-urbanised and therefore uncivilised, because towns were of operated without urban laws. This lack of written urban law has sometimes led historians to accept that the Normans and the English introduced urbanism into Ireland and that they therefore also ‘civilised’ the country. This was done in order to show that there was just cause to settle and urbanise the ‘barbarous people’ of Ireland. The legal and economic privileges contained in these urban laws initially excluded indigenous peoples, and the landscapes of newly developing towns were organised so that Irish were spatially marginalised. I n this context, the idea that the Irish were socially and culturally inferior to the Normans and the English was reinforced. This confirms Meining’s (1982) assumptions that the exercise of ultimate political authority by the invaders over the invaded involves the locating of agents representing the imperial state in the subordinate area; as well as his argument that imperial expansion is basically predatory, and that agents of the imperial power will seek to extract wealth from the conquered territory, creating new economic relationships. This also goes inline with Meining’s (1969) argument that only by appreciating the nature of the geopolitical environment of the early seventeenth century can the ideological significance of the Self/Other theme be truly recognised. Colonisation of Brazil served different purpose. According to Marchant (1942), it involved two stages. The first one, prior to colonisation, was dominated by barter and was profitable for both sides. This is why the natives were compelled to search for contact with the Europeans. In fact, bartering became so important to some native communities that they continued to practice it even when the terms of trade were modified, that is, after the Europeans started to require the ownership of the Indian labor force. The second phase started in the fourth decade of the sixteenth century, when the first sugar mills were established. To be profitable, sugar production demanded a multiplicity of hands and hard work journeys, which the majority of the Portuguese settlers had no condition or will to provide. Furthermore, Portugal did not possess a demographic surplus that would be able to sustain, at the same time, the voracity for men of the Brazilian sugar plantations and the labor force needs of metropolitan agriculture. As the option for wage-earning labor was not considered, because it made impossible the commercial production of sugar, the enslavement of the native of the country started. According to Metcalf (2005), an ever increasing West African slave trade did not only carry powerful economic interests, but the well developed justification for slavery, as well as legal principles certified by the pope. The trade in Africa encouraged an immediate adoption of slave trading in Brazil by Portuguese merchants. Argeu (2004) claims that, with the establishment of a general-government in Brazil, in 1549, the first official determinations against slavery appeared but only to the ‘allied’ natives, required to be settled near the European cities and towns. The policy of Indian settlements was introduced at the end of the 1550s. The work of the natives was compulsory in the settlements. In the last quarter of the sixteenth century, as the natives were becoming rare in the coast, it became necessary to attract the native populations from the interior, thus starting the cycle of ‘transfers’ that would last until the eighteenth century. It involved conv incing the natives in the interior that it was their interest to settle near the Portuguese, for their own protection and well being. Reality, however, ended up by being different, as it became very common to bring the natives by force to the coast, where they were distributed among the sugar cane plantations and European settlers. In 1570 the crown adopted the medieval concept of ‘just war’ to Brazil, and slavery was seen as the fair price paid by those who opposed themselves to the civilising and catechising role of the Europeans. Although only the king or the governor general had the power to declare just wars, the requirements were not always obeyed, resulting in the breaking out of just wars everywhere. This resulted in the massive enslavement of all kinds of natives, including the allies. Thus, according to Metcalf (2005), Indian slavery expanded dramatically after 1570, becoming an integral part of the colonial Brazilian economy and society. Following the discove ry of gold in the late 1600s, Brazil expanded its borders into the interior of the continent (Encarta 2000). Gold made Brazil the most economically important region of the Portuguese. In the late 17th century, gold was also discovered north of Rio de Janeiro. By 1700 the western world’s first great gold rush had begun as thousands of colonists and slaves poured into the region. It received new stimulus in the 1720s with the discovery of diamonds in the region north of the gold fields (Encarta 2000). The slave system began to disintegrate in the 1880s with the rise of a vocal abolitionist movement, largely in the cities, and the growing tendency for slaves to flee from their masters. By 1888 unrest on plantations, and the refusal of the army to step in and halt the flight of slaves from their masters, brought the system to the brink of chaos (Encarta 2000). The colonial process in Brazil was inline with Meining’s (1982) and (1969) arguments discussed above. POST-COLONIAL PERIOD INDEPENDENCE For Said (1990), Irish people were central to the emergence of Irish nationalism. Independence was finally achieved in the early 20th century. According to McDonnell (2001), there were two stages of decolonisation. The first stage of decolonisation was the founding of the Free State. The second stage was the decision of the Irish Free State to remain out of WWII, where as the northern state became more and more identified and incorporated into the UK as a colonised state. One of the major results of decolonisation was that the state of Northern Ireland was formed which would remain under British control. Ireland is usually referred to as post-colonial despite continuing conflict over Northern Ireland. This led to the isolation of Northern Irish Catholics within that territory and their further colonisation. Northern Ireland will never be apart of the republic, and at bet will be its own independent state. Many argued that Ireland had not fully decolonised and expressed the struggle t hat was the begging of the process (McDonnell 2001). According to McDonnell (2001), Irish became own critics when they no longer had critics. The colonial thinking led to the selective teaching of history in Ireland, as the 19th and 20th century was not taught in schools until the 1950s. Today teachers still have an agenda to give a republican perspective on what happened (McDonnell 2001). In contrast to Irish, Brazilian independence was achieved without violence. When Napoleon invaded Portugal and Spain in early 19th century, Portuguese were forced to transfer the center of the empire to Rio de Janeiro (Encarta 2000). In 1815 John VI elevated Brazil to the status of a kingdom, placing it on an equal footing with Portugal. The presence of the monarchy and court in Rio brought Brazilian and Portuguese elites together and paved the way for a gradual transition to independence. Once Napoleon was defeated, John VI reluctantly left for Portugal in 1821. His son Pedro remained in the colony as prince regent of Brazil. Pedro and his advisers realised that revolutions in other Latin American countries were encouraging a movement for national independence in Brazil and decided to take control of this movement. In 1822, after receiving orders from the Portuguese Cortes curtailing his authority in Brazil, Pedro declared Brazil’s independence. COUNTRY SIZE AND POPULATION Ireland republic today comprises about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, and excludes North Ireland (Encarta 2000). The country consists of the provinces of Leinster, Munster, and Connacht (Connacht) and part of the province of Ulster. The rest of Ulster, which occupies the northeastern part of the island, constitutes Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom. The population of Ireland is predominantly of Celtic origin and no significant ethnic minorities exist. In 1998 it was estimated at 3,619,480, which is a decrease from the 1840s, when about 6.5 million people lived in the area included in the republic. This was largely because of a high emigration rate (Encarta 2000). Colonisation of Brazil, on the other hand, has resulted in an enormous country, occupying area along the eastern coast of South America and including much of the continent’s interior region (Encarta 2000). The population increased during the 18th century as a result of natural increase and immigration to Brazil’s gold fields, which were discovered in the late 17th century. Population further increased when the Portuguese brought more than 2 million slaves from Africa to Brazil to provide labor for the sugar plantations and gold mines. During the early part of the 19th century over 1 million more slaves were imported. After the slave trade was abolished in 1850, the country’s population continued to grow by natural increase and immigration from Italy, Portugal, Germany, and Spain. By 1900 the population was just over 17 million. Immigration continued to be substantial until the 1930s, with many Japanese arriving after 1908. Since then, population growth has been p rimarily due to natural increase. In 1950 Brazil had 51,944,000 inhabitants, and in 1998 estimated 169,806,557 (Encarta 2000). However, colonisation has reduced the number of natives from perhaps 2.5m when the Portuguese arrived, to just 100,000 in the 1970s, although the Amerindian population has now risen to 325,000 (Economist 2000). Native population decreased rapidly as a consequence of war, enslavement, and the introduction of European diseases. In the 1990s Native Americans made up less than 1 percent of the population, living in isolated groups in remote regions of the rain forest. However, it has been suspected that their birth rate is now 10% above the Brazilian average. As a consequence of colonisation, Brazil’s population is a mixture of Native American, European, and African peoples. These groups have intermingled over the years to create a society with considerable ethnic complexity. CULTURE Evidence suggests that both Irish and Brazilian cultures suffered from colonisation. It has been claimed that the exposure to Portuguese society was shocking. It resulted in introversion and shame, created by slavery, which lasted longer and involved larger numbers in Brazil than anywhere else (Economist 2000). It also resulted in isolation of Brazil form its Spanish-speaking neighbours. Negative effects of colonisation in Ireland varied from loss of culture to the emotional and material losses (McDonnell 2001). Colonisation of Ireland had caused feelings of withdrawal and inferiority. Kenny (1985) described the post-colonial Irish personality as one in which the inner world is elaborated, bringing a focus on fantasy, magical thinking, superstition, and creativity. Furthermore, the reaction to the outer world is one of helplessness and passivity, as people came to believe in their own inferiority and powerlessness to change things. According to Economist (2000b), five centuries of miscegenation in Brazil have blurred the racial boundaries between Europeans, Africans and Amerindians. Today 38% of Brazilians call themselves brown, blacks are only 6% and Amerindians a mere 0.2%. Such racial mixing encouraged Brazils largely white elite to nourish a myth that their country had overcome the legacy of slavery and become a racial democracy, with no colour prejudice (Economist 2000b). Different off-shot has been seen in Ireland where, according to Lipsky (1979), the group accepts very narrow definition of its membership, including being catholic, nationalist, and a member of the GAA. This effectively excludes many because thy do not conform to some rigid stereotype, or they themselves do not feel a part of the group. Internalised oppression leads to mistrust about their own thinking and intelligence among members of the group, trusting more their oppressing group’s thoughts and opinions, rather than that of each other. According to Economist (2000b), Brazil’s deep social inequalities run broadly along racial lines. Brazil is still largely governed, managed and owned by whites. Blacks and browns are disproportionately poor, and find it harder than similarly qualified whites to get a job. After being elected in 1994, president Cardosa took modest steps towards solving the problem, setting up an advisory council on race issues and appointing Pele as Brazils first black minister. Recently, the Brazilian army gained its second black general and the federal police its first black commander. Access to education is still the greatest obstacle to the advancement of black Brazilians. Amerindians are in even worse circumstances, urging the Congress to pass a law to strengthen their rights, which has been under discussion for nine years. Although Irish people have a long historical experience of oppression, they still participate in the oppression of many other groups (McDonnell 2001). Ireland at the present has become a primary destination for immigrants from war-torn African countries and Eastern European countries. Many people reflected that it ironic that people in Ireland are acting in a racist fashion against these incoming peoples considering how much Ireland depended on having a welcome in other countries during the hard economic times. Violence is present in both countries. According to Economist (2000), Brazil has ugly everyday violence. In Ireland, the frustrations of repressed emotions and interpersonal suspicion have led to behaviour that evidences anger and violence, and also is abusive to other Irish people in particular (McDonnell 2001). According to McDonnell (2001), most people accepted that Irish are looking for an opportunity to find a way around the law, are being indirect about the truth, and have problems being empathetic and helpful. In addition, most people seem to think that the Irish emphasise the need to own the land but do not care for its beauty or upkeep, which is seen as a direct result of colonisation. Furthermore, it has been argued that Irish have more problems with sexuality and alcohol than other nations. LANGUAGE Only about one-fourth of Irish speak Irish, a Gaelic language, while almost all the people speak English (Encarta 2000). The constitution provides for both Irish and English as official languages. However, some have interpreted acquisition of the English language in positive terms, as it has helped people who emigrated from Ireland to establish themselves in English speaking countries. The second advantage of the English language is that it has helped to attract foreign business, in particular America. Finally, the success of Irish people in adapting to the English language has produced world renowned literature. Portuguese is the official and prevailing language of Brazil, although there are some regional variations in pronunciation and slang words (Encarta 2000). Since 1938 Portuguese has been the compulsory language for teaching in schools, but German and Italian are still spoken in homes in the South by some descendants of immigrants. English and French are the main second languages of educated Brazilians. There are also over 100 indigenous languages, of which the most important are Tupà ­, Gà ª, Arawak, and Carib. The Portuguese borrowed some Indian words, particularly from Tupà ­. Many settlements and physical features still have Indian place-names. The settlers also borrowed some words from the vocabulary of African slaves. CURRENT CHANGES Irish culture is, at present, undergoing a transition time and is emerging out of some of the effects of colonisation such as poor self-esteem and lack of self-confidence, into a new and effective role in the world (McDonnell 2001). The Celtic Tiger, the name given to the recent economic boom in Ireland, is seen to have the most change, brining economic success and concurrent financial independence and efficacy to the culture. This is perceived to have reached many levels of the culture, bringing benefits and a general increase in confidence. Ireland is undergoing a transformation from being an economic underdog to one of first world economic success. The process of Ireland being caught in the colonial dynamic of relating only to the coloniser, Britain, was seen to be ameliorated by the coming of the EU. This was followed by the influx of American companies into Ireland, which effectively changed the economic status of the country. According to Economist (2000), only Japan recorded faster economic growth than Brazil between 1900 and 1982. And though Brazil is not free of racism, it has been strikingly more successful than the United States and many other countries in creating a multi-racial society. Its recent democratic governments have made big efforts to tackle other social problems, ranging from education to land reform. Having overcome hyperinflation, and ridden out last years devaluation, the economy is now set to grow again. Brazils prospects now look brighter because over the past decade the country has moved far in opening itself up, slashing tariffs, abolishing state monopolies and selling off state-owned businesses to private investors, many of them foreigners. BIBLIOGRAPHY Abreu, M.A. (2004). â€Å"European Conquest, Indian Subjection and the Conflicts of Colonization: Brazil in the early modern era†. GeoJurnal, Vol.60, pp.365-373. Eagleton, T., Jameson, F., Said, E. (1990). â€Å"Nationalism, Colonialism and Literature (eds)†. University of Minnesota Press. Economist (2000). â€Å"Brazil’s 500 Years of Solitude†. Vol.355, Iss.8167. Encarta Encyclopedia (2000). Microsoft. Economist (2000b). â€Å"Brazil’s Unfinished Battle for Racial Democracy†. Vol.355, Iss.8167. Kenny, V. (1985). â€Å"The Post-Colonial Personality†. The Crane Bag, Iss.9, pp.70-78. Lilley, K.D. (2000). â€Å"Non Urbe, Non Vico, Non Castris: territorial control and the colonization and urbanization of Wales and Ireland under Anglo-Normans lordship†. Journal of Historical Geography, Vol.26, Iss.4, pp.517-531. Lipsky, S. (1979). â€Å"Internalized Oppression†. Black Re-Emergence, Iss.2, pp.5-10. Marchant, A. (1942). â€Å"From Barter to Slavery: The economic relations of Portuguese and Indians in the settlement of Brazil, 1500-1580†. Johns Hopkins University Press. McDonnell, A.P. (2001). â€Å"Internalized Colonisation Ireland and Irish Culture: A psychological enquiry†. American School of Professional Psychology. Meining, D.W. (1969). â€Å"A Macrogeography of Western Imperialism: some morphologies of moving frontiers of political control† in Gale and Lawton settlement and encounter. Oxford University Press. Meining, D.W. (1982). â€Å"Geographical Analysis of Imperial Expansion† in Baker and Billinge Period and place: Research methods in historical geography. Cambridge University Press. Metcalf, A.C. (2005). â€Å"The Entradas of Bahia of the 16th Century†. The Americas, Vol.61, Iss.3, pg.373. Nelligan, L.M. (2000). â€Å"Home Fronts: Domestic civility and the birth of colonialism in 16th century Ireland†. University of California. Smith, B. (1999). â€Å"Colonisation and Conquest in Medieval Ireland: The English in Louth, 1170-1330†. Cambridge University Press.