The Recent and Current Global Financial Crisis Essay - 1

The Recent and Current Global Financial Crisis - Essay Example This view has recently been confirmed by an IMF report (2011), that financial crises usually follow "credit or asset price bubbles" (IMF, p. 6). Moshirian (2010) has found that the inability of national regulatory bodies to respond adequately to a global market that has become increasingly interdependent has left these bodies unable to control regulatory arbitrage and the international movement of toxic assets (p. 504). In a way of confirming these last two perspectives Longstaff (2008) has found that lower movements in the ABX Index of credit-default swaps did cause financial contagion in other financial markets. This report will show how in the US, deregulation did serve to encourage market liquidity that could have advantaged banks and homeowners. The report will explain how the lack of appropriate regulation in the financial markets led to both a real estate bubble and the global financial crisis that reached the UK and world markets. Â  Since the Great Depression, the American government has initiated programs that encouraged homeownership for the average citizen while at the same time promoting and ensuring savings, as assets in banking institutions, that could be used to pay for mortgages. Following World War II there occurred several rounds of deregulation policy expressed through the passage of US federal acts that eventually, though not intentionally, allowed banks to collateralize the assets and to use them, as investment banks, to participate directly in the secondary financial markets. Deregulation was originally intended to finance supply with more liquidity of resources in order to meet an increasing demand in the real estate market.

Sensory perception Essay Example for Free

Sensory perception Essay Sensory perception cannot be entirely trusted specifically in terms of knowing what is real from what is not and what is genuine knowledge from what is mere belief for several reasons. For one, the human senses have the tendency to fluctuate in terms of its capacity to perform according to its specific functions (Ross, p. 500). For instance, the ears, when suffering from an ear infection, are highly prone to hear things quite differently. If this is the case, then our sensory perception of hearing through the ears does not have a strong merit for serving as the foundation for knowing the real world and distinguishing those that are not real. It is also the case that human sensory perception varies from person to person. For example, an ageing man may hear the same rustling of leaves or speech of an individual quite differently from a little kid. Or perhaps the same note played in a grand piano may faintly be heard by those with hearing defects but may be clearly be distinguished by the master pianist. These are only a few examples to illustrate the point that human sensory perception varies from person to person, and the list may very well be inexhaustible. This leads us towards the idea that, since human sensory perception greatly varies, it may be quite difficult to reach at a solid agreement among individuals concerning the common understanding of reality. Although there may be attempts to resolve such a crisis, the very fact that human sensory perception differs inhibit human beings from arriving at the bottom of the issue. Yet it cannot be doubted that, when asked about what is real from what is not, the tendency of the individual is to rely on sensory perception (Walton, p. 557). One can defend the idea that ‘this’ pencil is ‘real’ because the individual is able to see and touch the pencil. There are many other ways in order to provide possible arguments that support the idea that sensory perception grants human beings an access to reality and a corresponding awareness of it. While it may be true that the individual is able to see and old the pencil does it guarantee the individual that, indeed, the pencil is real? One is to be reminded that our eyes sometimes suffer from a blurring of vision and that our skin has the tendency to be sensitive or numb or somewhere between depending on the external environment and on the internal bodily processes the individual is experiencing. Apparently, sensory perception gives one experiences of one’s external environment and that these experiences may correspond to an actual object existing in the external environment of the individual (Brown, p. 336). If this is the case, then it is also probable that the object perceived through the senses may exist. Nevertheless, whether or not the object perceived exists in the external environment, the question remains: can sensory perception be trusted? With the idea of trusting the senses, we are directed towards the notion that the senses provide a way for the perceiving individual to ‘sense’ an object outside of one’s system (Sorabji, p. 60). It can be asserted that the senses provide the individual with sensory experiences such as the color and smell of the object, the quality of hotness or coldness and many others. The idea can further be stretched by arguing that, without the senses, the brain will have no way of accepting data from the external objects. But how is one to know what is real from what is mere hallucination? Correspondingly, how is one to know that one’s senses are giving an impression of a defective data offered by the impaired visual senses, for instance? The foundation for the refutation against the credibility of the senses rests on the idea that the senses of human beings are open to impairments and oftentimes prone to the trickery of the external environment. For example, mirages tend to trick the human eye and, consequently, the human understanding and the larger sphere of human knowledge. What appears to be a small patch of water in the middle of a scorching desert is the visual effect of heat on sand from afar. Unless the individual decides to get closer to the source of the desert ‘mirage’ can one be able to fully discern the idea that the eyes do not give us what is really the case. This case holds highly probable for the individual. The larger aspect of the faulty functioning of the senses can all the more be observed in terms of two or more individuals. Take for example the case of two individuals and a small piece of freshly baked bread. Assume that the first individual is one who lives in a warm region while the other individual lives near the fringes of Alaska. The first individual may very well claim that the freshly baked bread is not quiet hot while the Alaskan may very well claim that the bread is warm for the reason that the former is used to a warm environment while the latter lives in an environment where a little heat is easily detected by the skin. Or let one assume that the opposite case is true for the two individuals—either way, it can be observed that there is a difference in the way both individuals have ‘experienced’ the bread in terms of its hotness or coldness. The instance where there are variations in the manner in which individuals tend to have a sensory experience on the warmness or coldness of objects is one proof that, when applied to the larger context of humanity, there can hardly be any precise and unchanging sensory experience for the same object. While it may be true that humanity can generalize an object as either warm or cold, it nevertheless remains that it does not guarantee that all of the individuals have experienced one and the same degree of warmness or coldness of the object given the fact that the specific human anatomy widely varies from person to person although individuals may have the same general anatomy of, say, the head composed of the skull, eye sockets, teeth, etc. The point is that, although two, three, or a couple of individuals may agree that this or that object is ‘warm’, there is hardly any coherent and precise sensory perception that unifies all of human sensory experience on the same object or event at its most detailed form. This contention leads one to the consequent argument that sensory perception cannot be trusted and that these variations in human sensory experience fail to provide a substantial account for what is real from what is not. Why can’t sensory perception be trusted even if there are wide variations and disagreements on human sensory experiences? The answer to this question rests on the idea that human knowledge is a very critical aspect in the lives and progress of humanity. Since the daily experiences of human beings pretty much contribute to and define their knowledge of the external world, a corrupted sensory experience may lead to knowledge founded on false assumptions or beliefs. Further, if the wide variations in sensory experiences will serve as the basis for human knowledge, then it is not a farfetched idea that it will result to multiple interpretations and, consequently, multiple forms of knowledge on the same object or event. All the knowledge in the world becomes relative to the numerous individuals asserting their own stand on what knowledge is; knowledge becomes equally proportional to the total number of individuals advocating their own ‘knowledge’. If this is the case, can the separate notions of ‘knowledge’ correspond to a genuine knowledge? Or does it give the guarantee that all of these knowledge claims are sound and valid even though one or two of these knowledge claims come into conflict? The argument is clear: sensory perception cannot be trusted due to its dire effects on the epistemological exploits of humanity inasmuch as there is the primary concern or need for a true and genuine knowledge that transcends individual interpretations and relative sensory experiences. The seemingly ‘imperfect’ condition of the human sensory organs contributes in large parts to the disruptions in the corresponding sensory experiences. This ‘imperfect’ state should all the more prompt the rational mind to do away with trusting sensory perception as a guaranteed medium for obtaining knowledge and in understanding reality. Works Cited Brown, Kevin L. Dating Adam Smiths Essay Of the External Senses. Journal of the History of Ideas 53. 2 (1992): 336. Ross, Peter W. Qualia and the Senses. The Philosophical Quarterly 51. 205 (2001): 500. Sorabji, Richard. Aristotle on Demarcating the Five Senses. The Philosophical Review 80. 1 (1971): 60. Walton, William M. Is Existence a Valid Philosophical Concept? A Metaphysical Approach. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 12. 4 (1952): 557.

The Cinematography Of American Beauty Film Studies Essay

The Cinematography Of American Beauty Film Studies Essay Cinematography is an art form, not just an aspect of a movie. Cinematography affects the mood and tone of a movie as well as the viewers feelings while watching a movie. In American Beauty this is demonstrated beautifully through camera techniques, lighting, and the framing of the shot. Camera techniques include aerial, deep focus, pan, shallow focus, slow motion, soft focus, and the tracking shot. Lighting is more than just shining a light on a character. The cinematographer must know how to manipulate the lighting to create the mood and the correct throw of the light. He must know when to use soft light and when to use hard light to create the lines and shadows desired. The framing of a shot also adds to a movie. Framing the shot is the placement of objects and people in a scene to create the mood or to direct the viewers focus. These are all elements to think about when watching a movie and they are all shown superbly in American Beauty. American Beauty is narrated by Lester Burnham, the husband of Carolyn Burnham and father of Jane Burnham. He informs the audience that he has less than a year to live but in reality he is already dead; and the whole movie looks back at his life through his eyes. Lester Burnham is a 42-year-old who is unhappily married and is despised by his wife and daughter. Behind the red door of their home, the family is falling apart. The dinner table is a battleground, where the mother and father tear apart one another s unhappy lives and their daughter retreats into a balanced yet flawed reality she has no thought of being loved. Carolyn is only driven by success and Lester has just had enough. He makes friends with the cool, confident Ricky Fitts (who supplies him with drugs) and becomes a rebel, no longer even pretending to accept his family s criticisms. Meanwhile his wife has an affair with the real estate King, Buddy Kane, and even when Lester finds out he does not care. Lester develops an obsession with his daughter Jane s friend Angela and his only goal in life is seducing her because he believes she is the personification of beauty. Ricky likes to film things that are beautiful which includes Jane. At first this freaks her out, but in the end the two develop a relationship. Lester attains his chance with Angela but he discovers that he has been living a fantasy and she is nothing more than a scared little girl. In the end, Lester is killed by Colonel Fitts (Ricky s father). The movie opens with an aerial shot of the street where the Burnhams live. The nameless, one of many streets in the city, provides a sense that the Burnhams are small and unimportant in the world. For the first part of the movie, Lester is shot from above and small in the shot, making him seem small and unimportant. However, as the film progresses and Lester becomes more powerful, shots of him tend to come from below, depicting his power. Also in the office the camera shoots a still deep focus shot, or a shot that keeps the entire image in sharp focus, of the cubicles in the office showing the ceiling. The shot of the ceiling with the lights glaring down makes the scene feel oppressive, like the office is more powerful than man. When the neighbors come to welcome the Fitts to the neighborhood, the camera shows Colonel Fitts opening the door and when the door; swings in front of the camera, it switches to a shot of the people at the door. Cutting the scene when the door swings by make s the scene appear seamless and smooth to the viewer. A swish pan, or a very fast panoramic camera movement, is used when Ricky is filming Jane through his window and his dad comes in yelling. Ricky turns fast to look causing the camera image to blur giving a sense of chaos to the scene. After Lester is shot, he talks about his life and remembers the good times. A left to right tracking shot is used for this scene, making all the memories flow together smoothly and the left to right movement of the camera imitates his life. These are just a few examples of the camera techniques used in American Beauty to help bring the movie to life. Lighting also plays an important role in the audience s perceptions of characters while creating the mood for the scene. Lester has a dream where he walks down a hallway and finds Angela in a bathtub in a room filled with steam at the end of the hall. The entire scene is in soft light, light not directly from the source, to provide the impression of a dreamlike state. Also whenever Jane and Ricky are together, they are filmed in low soft light. The darkness and the soft light help add to the romantic mood and create a kind of calm feeling about the shot. Lester wants to get in shape for Angela so he goes down to the garage to find his old weights. He then undresses and looks at his reflection in the window. The shot of Lester looking at his reflection is lighted from above to make him seem overly chubby. One of the best example of framing the shot are the shots of the Burnham family at the dinner table. Carolyn is seated at one end, Jane in the middle, and Lester at the other end of a long table. This long shot frame that includes all the people and some of the surrounding environment shows the distance between Carolyn and Lester and yields the impression that Jane is just caught in the middle. After an argument at the dinner table Lester talks to Jane in the kitchen. The camera shot from outside through the window shows the window pain splitting Lester and Jane as a sort of dividing line between them giving the impression of a wall. Another example of framing the shot is that of Carolyn driving home from the gun range and the camera shows her gun sitting on the seat next to investment books, suggesting that money kills. Many people share the opinion that American Beauty is a great movie. Michael Wilmington and Jay Carr, two men that review movies, both agree. Its a picture with a great cool shiny surface, and it boasts superb actors, witty and iconoclastic writing, vigorous and imaginative direction and brilliantly stylized cinematography states Wilmington (Wilmington). Also, a millennial classic says Carr (Carr). American Beauty received five, well deserved, Academy Awards one of them for cinematography. For cinematography to be good, the techniques used should not be apparent to the viewer: they should only add to the movie. Conrad Hall shows his style and mastery of the camera and lighting in American Beauty. The audience is not consciously aware of the techniques used but subconsciously they have a big impact on the viewers emotions. Truly, Conrad Hall is a master of the big screen.

Love and Selfishness in Love in L.A. by Dagoberto Gilb Essay -- Love i

Love and Selfishness in  Love in L.A. by Dagoberto Gilb    "Love in L.A.," written by Dagoberto Gilb, is a story full of irony and multiple themes. The story is set in Hollywood during the summer time. Written in third person objective, "Love in L.A." guides the reader along through the story as opposed to an omniscient point of view.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story begins with Jake driving on the freeway. He is so enraptured by his daydream of better possibilities that he ends up smacking the car ahead of him. Jake considers driving away but instead he stops and finds out that the owner of the Toyota he hit was a beautiful girl. From there, Jake switches into his smooth talker role with Mariana. Jake then tries to con her by saying he doesn't have any insurance and assures her that he will pay for it. As he drives away, he sees Mariana behind him writing down the license plate numbers that he stole from another car.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The main characters in this story are Jake and Mariana. Jake is a stagnant and flat character. Throughout the story, he shows himself as a somewhat lazy and rather overly conceited kind of guy. When Gilb describes how Jake, "considered driving past the Toyota." and how, "he considered giving a real phone number but went against that idea and made one up," it gives the reader a sense of how sleazy Jake is. In the end, he has not changed but yet seems even worse and more like a con artist. Mariana is more of an enigma then Jake since the author does not go into great detail about her, there is little characterization to go on. Generally, Mariana is a stagnant character because she is a normal girl with the same suspicious tendencies as most other human beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Love in L.A." contains many symbols ... ...d Russel Crowe, the couple get together and break up numerous times simply because of their mutual fear of intimacy and commitment. Another worthy example of this fear of engagement is the 1999 movie Love Stinks, starring French Stewart and Bill Bellamy. French Stewart's girlfriend demands that he marry her but he refuses to do so. This is obviously due to his definite fear of closeness and commitment. Another attribute of human nature, displayed in this story, is the tendency to be selfish. When people try to evade taxes, it is because they want all their money for themselves and thus are acting avaricious. Another example of this is when people do not donate to charity. This shows an abundance of stinginess as well as greed. Essentially, "Love in L.A." addresses two main inherent qualities of human beings, the want for love and the constant capacity to be selfish.

Caffeine Community Essay

As we go about our busy lives, going here, there and everywhere like a colony of ants building up supplies for the winter, we never truly take a moment to look at the world around us, stop to smell the roses, to coin a popular phrase. We never seem to take in the sights, sounds, smells and feelings that we often disconnect ourselves from in our obsession to make the world a perfect place. There is hardly a moment that we stop to notice the other people around us that even though we do not know them from Adam, they could enrich our lives without us even knowing it, if we just took the time for a smile and polite hello. These people can remind us that there is a diverse world of goals and aspirations. It is quite amazing where such an event can happen. Going for a daily coffee at a favorite cafe can bring about this epiphany. As one sits in this modern coffee shop that caters to the needs of young and old alike, one can look around and simply see the decorative art work on the walls, the small scratches in the table that sits in front of you. But let’s look at little deeper and see the true character of the environment around us. What brought about the scratch in the table. Is it just normal every day wear and tear caused by the many people coming and going to take in their hurried morning coffee or could it, perhaps, be caused by say a bored teenager waiting for the long walk to school, using their pen to make back and forth marks in the table. As one sits and contemplates this, they can take a look around and recognize the other sights, sounds and smells of the little cafe. As one looks two tables away, an elderly man helps his wife to the seat at their table with a gentle hand and beaming smile. They look into each other’s eyes lovingly as a couple would do in an old time movie. He tells her,† have a seat dear and I’ll get our coffees. I still love you very much. The distinct voice patterns give away the fact that they are from New York, but they are very much home in their little coffee community. As the manager of the store brings over their order, they engage him in conversation about how he likes working at this particular place. In the meantime, a young man with the burly looks of a high school football player sits at the table next to the older couple and the gentleman begins a lively chat about the sport of football. A sudden, intoxicating smell of fresh brewed coffee and warm toasted bagels brings you out of your daydreams of a long and loving life with the man that you love, caused by the very happy couple. You look around to see a small table at the center of the busy room. There sit a mother and young daughter. The mother seated at the edge of her seat at the table, sipping on her steamy latte, and desperately trying to relate to her young teenage daughter in an attempt to keep the close relationship with her that she shared when the girl was little and thought that her mother was the only person in the world. The young daughter, dressed in what appears to be a dingy soccer uniform, absently sips on her orange juice with a distant look in her eyes thinking that she would much rather anywhere else but here with her boring mother. Thinking perhaps of that grassy field where she could be playing soccer with her friends, or maybe she is in chemistry class, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the cute boy across the room that she has a crush on. The mother gets a mixed expression of pain and lonliness on her face as she realizes that as she tries to hold onto her daughter, that the young girl is slowly drifting away. But that is the way of life, we do all we can to keep the bonds with our children even though deep down we realize that one day soon, we will have to send them from the nest to live their own lives. As the mother and daughter leave to spend their day with separate agendas, you hear the grating of metal against stone and look around to find the cause of the noise that makes your skin crawl and teeth hurt. You look up to see that the table by the window has grown from a six seat table for a cozy conversation for a small group, to a table fit for a King’s Court. Several smaller tables have been added to the larger one, reminding you of someone trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle. The creators of this elaborate set up are the group of regular coffee drinkers that start each day enjoying each other’s company and sharing their lives with each other. They are so diverse in appearance and personality. There is Martha with her perfectly coifed hair, outrageously oversized jewelry and too bright red lipstick, she is outspoken and her laugh sounds eerily like a hyena. She laughs and gathers everyone around her wanting to be the center of attention because maybe she is ignored at home. Sitting next to Martha is Charles. The tall, slender man sits back in his chair with the ease of man who is comfortable with himself and the way his life is. He is wearing a set of earphones with a microphone on them and one wonders why on earth what use he would have for such a contraption. Then the question is answered a few minutes later when he places a hand held amplifier to his neck and welcomes the newcomers to the table with a hardy good morning and a beaming smile, sounding very much like an electronic voice from a computer. He obviously has had some tragedy that has caused him to lose the use of his vocal cords and possibly hearing and the entire set up is a way for him to communicate with others. The use of this machine is an everyday occurrence and is second nature to him now. Like he doesn’t even know it is there. One has to wonder how this all came about. Is this a case of perfect strangers coming to start their lives each day in the same place? Perhaps this group of unique and diverse friends starts out with a simple smile, with an apprehensive good morning, like children on a playground for the first day of school trying to decide if it is okay to play with each other. Is it possible in this modern world where most people are concerned with number one that there are still people out there that are truly content with inviting others into their little world? You catch an additional name here and there, Tom, Grace, John and Mike. The smiles from the friends are genuine and the laughter is contagious. Everyone at this table is completely different in every way, yet very much the same. A diverse group with different backgrounds, goals, dreams, that found a common bond floating in a steamy, rich drink. Perhaps this group of friends started out like the two young men at the table next to mine. It is hard not to eavesdrop on the lighthearted and endearing conversation that these two obviously longtime friends are having. The two men were best friends in school and because of circumstances beyond their control, were separated to live their own lives. After spending four years being completely inseparable, the first young man left the country to protect the freedoms of his friend, while the second young man went on to college to earn a degree to protect the rights of the second young man. Relaxed and happy as if it has not been ten years since they have seen each other, only keeping in touch through emails and the occasional phone call. The young men chatter on about their lives and families as easily as a pair of school girls talking about the upcoming dance and what they are going to wear. They shuffle through a stack of pictures of the lives that they shared together and separately. Pointing and laughing at the precious, shared memories of times past, reliving the past as it was only yesterday. When they first entered the cafe, the small amount of tension was obvious as they barely spoke as they ordered their coffees and bagels and then waited to pay. By the time they sat down across from each other they were talking more freely and growing more comfortable with each other’s company. Watching these two men can make someone almost want to relive the past. Maybe go back and do things differently with a life that is half way gone. Looking at other people’s lives is like looking at a picture through a glass of water. We think we know what the real image is, it may look clear as a bell, but if we slow down for just a moment, remove the obstacle of the water and look closely and listen with earnest, we see that the picture we are envisioning in our minds may not be the reality of the lives we are surrounded by in this world. We tend to be so self-absorbed in our own lives, in our little world that leads us to believe that is revolves around us, which causes us to forget to look at the big picture and realize that we are all here together. There is an abundance of diversity and culture that we can see and listen to and learn from, and if we take the time to open ourselves up to others, to share what we feel and want with them and at the same time accept what they have to teach us about our lives, that we can enhance and enrich our lives in so many ways.

20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays

20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays 20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays 20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays By Maeve Maddox For me, April is Shakespeare’s month. Ill be writing several Shakespeare-related posts this month, starting with Shakespeare in the movies. According to tradition, William Shakespeare was born and died on Saint George’s Day, April 23. I find it poignant that one of his characters, Cassius, also dies on his birthday: This day I breathed first: time is come round, And where I did begin, there shall I end; Julius Caesar V, iii A popular academic pastime has beenand continues to bearguing that someone other than the man from Stratford wrote the plays because the â€Å"real† Shakespeare was too uneducated and homebound to have come up with such language, geographical references, and classical allusions. It’s one of the oldest conspiracy theories in existence. The official Shakespeare canon includes 16 comedies, 10 histories, 12 tragedies, 154 sonnets, and five longer poems. Writers have been mining the Shakespearean canon for 420 years and show no signs of exhausting it. Movie makers have been at it for 111 years. The first known film to make use of a Shakespeare play was a British production made in 1899. Only a two-minute scene survives, showing Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree acting the death scene of King John from the play of the same name. Hollywood has produced at least 250 films based on the plays or on characters or plots from the plays. Of Hamlet alone, close to 100 movie and TV adaptations have been made since 1907. Not just English-speaking movie makers raid the canon. Ran, for example, is a Japanese movie that sets King Lear in feudal Japan and turns Lear’s daughters into sons. Here are some movie titles followed by the name of the Shakespeare play that inspired them: A Double Life (1947) Othello A Thousand Acres (1997) King Lear All Night Long (1962) Othello Catch My Soul (1974) Othello Forbidden Planet (1956) The Tempest King of Texas (2002) King Lear Kiss Me Kate (1948) The Taming of the Shrew Let the Devil Wear Black (1999) Hamlet Men of Respect (1991) Macbeth My Own Private Idaho (1991) Henry IV and Henry V plays Ran (1985) King Lear Romeo Must Die (2000) Romeo and Juliet Scotland, PA (2001) Macbeth She’s the Man (2006) Twelfth Night Strange Brew (1983) Hamlet The Boys from Syracuse (1940) Comedy of Errors Tower of London (1939) Richard III Were the World Mine (2008) A Midsummer’s Night Dream West Side Story (1961) Romeo and Juliet Yellow Sky (1943) The Tempest Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewForming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz--Insecurities Essays

The Apprenticeship of Duddy KravitzInsecurities Essays The Apprenticeship of Duddy KravitzInsecurities of Duddy Question #3: Duddy hides his insecurities from himself and others. He is afraid to ask his father if his mother had liked him. What does this reveal about Duddy? Why do we often hide our fears? Two thousand years ago, Jesus had said,"Man does not live by bread alone." This is true, for other than physiological needs, man also has other basic necessities. As outlined in an article written by Professor A. H. Maslow called "A Theory of Human Motivation", these basic necessities include a persons desire for security, love, esteem and self-actualization. Thus, when Duddy hides his fears from others and himself, he is only pursuing a sense of safety, which is one of the human fundamental needs. A persons self-projected image is very important. We often hide our own fears because we do not want to acknowledge our dreads. We are afraid that if we show our dreads, our images as great persons will be ruined. People want to feel important, significant and superior; people do not want to feel inferior, subordinate and insignificant. We are afraid that if we concede our fears, others will dismiss us as unimportant. This is even more true for an ambitious young man like Duddy. He springs from humble beginnings, but clearly, he is very eager to become a successful and powerful man. "...his bony cheeks were criss-crossed with scratches as he shaved twice daily in his attempt to encourage a beard." This clearly indicates to the readers that Duddy wants and tries to be someone that he is not. He wants himself and others to think that he is of great significance. The fact that his friends, family and others reject him make his self-projected image even more preponderant. He must convince himself and others that he is a very important figure and he does this by denying his insecurities. Duddy is not a very well-liked figure in the novel. He arouses readers sympathy because his family and friends do not appreciate him. There is much evidence of this throughout the novel. Perhaps the best illustration of this is when Duddy returns from St. Agathe with six expensive sport shirts for Max as a gift, but only to find out that his father is not interested in the gift. Duddy is not loved in his family, yet he needs love desperately. Since his father, uncle and brother do not love him, his desire for love is projected onto his dead mother. Everyone needs to love and needs to be loved, and it is very reasonable for Duddy to inquire about his mother. But Duddy does not dare to ask his father if his dead mother had liked him because if he exposes his sensitive nature, he will ruin the image that he has been trying to build up for himself. And what if his father tells him that his mother did not like him? He cannot take the risk of losing his image, only to find out that his mother had not liked him. He cannot let his fears be exposed either. Other than hiding his fears, Duddy also keeps his image by crazily pursuing money. He does this because he does not want his family, friends and all the people around him to despise him. He tries desperately to be "somebody". Jerry Dingleman, the Boy Wonder comments, "Theres something wrong. A mistake somewhere when a boy your age is already pursuing money like he had a hot poker up his ass." But the truth is that Duddy is only following one of the human drives. He pursues money for the same reason as he hides his insecurities to preserve his self-image and to make others think him worthy. People are often very conscientious about their own images. This is why we curse acquaintances who slander us. We want people to think us great. Trying to be significant is simply one of the human drives. We try to cover all our weaknesses, all our faults and all our fears, because we want to impress others and we want them to think us great. If we say that we do not care what people think of us, we are only lying to ourselves. And Duddy is no different from an ordinary human being. He hides his fears because he must protect his own image. And all of us perhaps to a lesser extent is doing the exact same thing.

The Death of Catherine the Great

The Death of Catherine the Great There is a well-known legend surrounding Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, and it involves a horse. The myth is that Catherine was crushed to death by a horse while attempting to have sex with it. Usually, the collapse of a harness or lifting mechanism is blamed. This would be bad enough, but theres a second myth thats often added when debunking the first. The second myth is that Catherine died on the toilet. But, whats the truth? The truth appears to be that Catherine died in bed of illness. There were no equines involved, and a Catherine with horse nexus was never attempted. Catherine has been slandered for several centuries. The Horse Myth Catherine the Great was Tsarina of Russia, one of the most powerful women in European history. So, how did the idea that she died while attempting an unusual practice with a horse become one of the most virulent myths in modern history, transmitted by whispers in school playgrounds across the western world? Its unfortunate that one of historys most interesting women is known to most people as a beast, but the combination of perverse rudeness and the relative foreignness of its subject makes this a perfect slander. People love hearing about sexual deviance, and they can believe it of a foreign person they dont know much about. So if Catherine didnt die while attempting sex with a horse (and just to reiterate, she absolutely, 100% didnt), how did the myth arise? Where did the fireless smoke come from? During past centuries the easiest way for people to offend and verbally attack their female enemies was sex. Marie Antoinette, the hated queen of France, was subjected to printed myths so deviant and obscene they would make spam emailers blush and certainly cant be reproduced here. Catherine the Great was always going to attract rumors about her sex life, but her sexual appetite, while modest by modern standards, meant that the rumors had to be even wilder to make up the ground. Historians believe the horse myth originated in France, among the French upper classes, soon after Catherines death, as a way to mar her legend. France and Russia were rivals, and they would continue to be on and off for a long time (particularly thanks to Napoleon), so both slated the citizens of the other. If this all seems a bit odd, consider that even in Britain in 2015, Prime Minister David Cameron was accused of an intimate act with a dead pigs head by a political enemy, which was widely reported, and which threatens to become a popular footnote to his governance. David Cameron may no longer be Prime Minister, but the pig jokes remain. It still happens today just as easily as it happened to Catherine the Great. Perhaps even easier, see below. The Toilet Myth However, in recent years another myth has emerged. Take a quick look around the web, and youll find pages debunking the idea of Catherine with the horse while stating that the great Empress of Russia died while on the toilet. Admittedly such sites are quick to point out another fact as myth, that Catherine’s bloated body was so heavy it cracked the toilet (this variation was also spread by Catherines contemporary enemies), but the toilet features prominently nonetheless. Indeed, some sources quote this from John Alexanders marvelous biography of Catherine: Sometime after nine chamberlain Zakhar Zotov, not having been summoned as anticipated, peeked in her bedroom and found nobody. In a closet adjacent, he discovered the Empress on the floor. With two comrades Zotov tried to help her up, but she barely opened her eyes once before emitting a faint groan as she exhaled and lapsed into unconsciousness from which she never recovered. If you take closet to mean water closet, another name for a toilet, the quote seems fairly conclusive. Unfortunately, this fact isnt true but the product of a desire for belittling humor. The toilet is a common enough location of death to be true, but still intrinsically humiliating, especially for a great Empress. Much the same process is behind the spreading of this myth; its just a little bit nicer and easier for the storyteller to be polite about. The truth is in the next section of Alexanders book. The Truth: Catherine may have never recovered full consciousness after her collapse, but she wasnt yet dead. Alexanders book goes on to explain (in paragraphs rarely quoted) how Catherine was laid in her bed as doctors tried to save her body and priests made rites to save her soul. Throughout she was racked with pain, her convulsing appearance causing great distress to her consorts. It was over twelve hours after Zotov found her, well past nine oclock at night, that Catherine finally died of natural causes, in bed and surrounded by friends and carers. Legacy She could have been remembered internationally for many things, but sadly most people know her for horses and toilets. In a sense, her enemies in France have won the longest game of all, because while Catherine dominated her era, the historical memory of her is tarnished, and the internet has turned the whole world into one giant school playground for rumors and hate to be spread, meaning Catherines reputation is unlikely to be corrected anytime soon. Source Alexander, John T. Catherine the Great: Life and Legend. 1 edition, Oxford University Press, November 3, 1988.

County Government Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

County Government - Term Paper Example Hence, this paper seeks to explore the sphere of county government, and establishes facts on matters of a county government. Brief History of County Government Way back from the early years, a county or shire has already existed and established. A county is a political body or a division within the bounds of particular country. Tracing back to the English about a thousand years ago, counties have been serving a dual function: it acted as the administrative arm of the national government and regarded as citizen’s local government. In addition, along the eastern seaboard of North America, the structural form of the county was embraced and adopted by the colonists; they also acclimated its structure in order to better satisfy the needs of colonies geographically and economically (â€Å"Overview of County Government†). However, in the aftermath of World War I, what strengthened the role and function of each political subdivision are the factors such as suburban development, the government reform movement, and the increase in rate of population growth. In fact, these awesome developments opened the door for post World War II urbanization. Moreover, there were ‘catalysts’ that led in a new era for county government: the great changes in the structure of counties, appreciating revenues, greater freedom or autonomy from the states, and the stronger political accountability (â€Å"Overview of County Government†). Exploring County Government The term â€Å"county† has been widely used all over the world, and has given various definitions. One definition of county is that it is a political subdivision of a state, and power and importance of which varies from one state to another (â€Å"County†). It is created with a purpose and function, and role and objectives, though not all has functioning governments. In the United States, there are 3, 068 counties, and all of which differ greatly in range, population and other aspects. Counties are mechanisms for states to use in order to deliver programs within geographic limitations (DeSantis and Renner). To name some are the Arlington County, Va., North Slope Borough in Alaska, Loving County in Texas, and Los Angeles County in California. In addition, there are only forty-eight among the fifty states in the United States have operational county governments (â€Å"About Counties†). 1.1 Roles of County Government Counties are nothing without purpose and roles. What leads to the development of a country is mainly derived from counties. Where autonomy is given, counties perform several roles (Sellers 6.): county finance (which describes the procedure for the adoption of the budget legal taxes and assessment, and defines allowable debt limits and special funds like capital improvement funds), zoning and land use (which defines county’s authority to obtain, hold, and sell public land or expropriation); in roads, bridges, and transportation (analyzes the system of construction, maintenance, and improvement of road system); in recreation, leisure, and culture (county’s powers in the creation of parks and recreational facilities as well as its function to create facilities empowered by the government). Moreover, in terms of public safety, health, and sanitation (county has the authority to perform procedures about public safety like fire protection, and power to promote public health through construction of health departments, hospitals, and ambulance services). However, the role of a county does not

Decision Making - Ethic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Decision Making - Ethic - Essay Example In 6 years, it is pÃŽ ¿ssible tÃŽ ¿ say that these actiÃŽ ¿ns and refÃŽ ¿rms initiate business management ethics which fÃŽ ¿llÃŽ ¿ws strict legal rules values and wÃŽ ¿rk in cÃŽ ¿mpliance with internal and external ethical principles ÃŽ ¿f business. Ethical dilemmas ÃŽ ¿ften invÃŽ ¿lve uncertainty and, when rights and duties are in cÃŽ ¿nflict, it is difficult tÃŽ ¿ find guidance. Ethics is receiving wide-ranging discussiÃŽ ¿n in tÃŽ ¿days pÃŽ ¿pular press as well as in accÃŽ ¿unting literature. Many accÃŽ ¿untants find themselves perplexed by these arguments because they have nÃŽ ¿t been expÃŽ ¿sed tÃŽ ¿ a practical methÃŽ ¿d ÃŽ ¿f dealing with ethical dilemmas. NÃŽ ¿ fÃŽ ¿rmal training and few ÃŽ ¿ppÃŽ ¿rtunities in everyday wÃŽ ¿rking life have been prÃŽ ¿vided fÃŽ ¿r accÃŽ ¿untants ÃŽ ¿n a sustained basis. Greek ecÃŽ ¿nÃŽ ¿mic, philÃŽ ¿sÃŽ ¿phical, religiÃŽ ¿us, legal, business, sÃŽ ¿cial, and ÃŽ ¿ther prÃŽ ¿blem areas and prÃŽ ¿pÃŽ ¿sed sÃŽ ¿lutiÃŽ ¿ns are fÃŽ ¿und in their legal cÃŽ ¿des and in their religiÃŽ ¿us and philÃŽ ¿sÃŽ ¿phic writings (Frederick 62). The SÃŽ ¿cratic philÃŽ ¿sÃŽ ¿phers and military are the chief sÃŽ ¿urces ÃŽ ¿f the ecÃŽ ¿nÃŽ ¿mic, business, and sÃŽ ¿cial thÃŽ ¿ught ÃŽ ¿f that day; their writings are intertwined with philÃŽ ¿sÃŽ ¿phy, ethics, and pÃŽ ¿litics. TÃŽ ¿ ÃŽ ¿btain a better feel fÃŽ ¿r precisely what impact these early writers and thinkers had ÃŽ ¿n present day management and ethical, mÃŽ ¿ral, and sÃŽ ¿cial practices, twÃŽ ¿ ÃŽ ¿f these Greek writers will be examined. First, the writings ÃŽ ¿f PlatÃŽ ¿ (427B.C. - 347B.C.) and then AristÃŽ ¿tle (384B.C. -- 322B.C.) will be examined. The scÃŽ ¿pe ÃŽ ¿f PlatÃŽ ¿s and AristÃŽ ¿tles writings was wide and represented the general thinking and beliefs ÃŽ ¿f the Greek philÃŽ ¿sÃŽ ¿phers ÃŽ ¿f that time; th ey delved intÃŽ ¿ the ecÃŽ ¿nÃŽ ¿mic and sÃŽ ¿cial system in its parts, hÃŽ ¿w it shÃŽ ¿uld wÃŽ ¿rk, and hÃŽ ¿w it shÃŽ ¿uld be used tÃŽ ¿ achieve the desired gÃŽ ¿als and ÃŽ ¿bjectives (BuchhÃŽ ¿lz and RÃŽ ¿senthal 62). Even thÃŽ ¿ugh

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - Essay Example ho is suffering from OCD knows that he or she is reacting excessively but could not control his or her reactions (see American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The overt reactions of the patient in response to his or her thoughts and impulses often appear to be bizarre to the people around him or her. For instance, a person who is obsessed with fear of contamination or dirt may incessantly wash his or her hands until they are raw (Fireman B, Koran LM, Leventhal JL, Jacobson A (2001). Most people who are suffering from OCD are aware that their actions are irrational but they still feel compelled to do what they do to fend off the feeling of panic or morbid dread. (Elkin, G. David (1999). In the early days, OCD was seen more in the spiritual and religious context (Ross G. Menzies and Padmal de Silva C., 2003). A lot of people in the 14th to the 16th century view OCD as the work of the devil and can only be undone through exorcism (Baer, L.; M. A. Jenike & W. E. Minichiello, 1986). Although there were many patients who eventually recovered after being exorcises, a lot of these patients did not really get better (Ross G. Menzies and Padmal de Silva C., 2003). However, as time passed by, many people begun to see OCD as something that is out of the spiritual and religious realm. The French and the Germans brought forth the idea that OCD is a mental disorder sometime in the 1870s ((Ross G. Menzies and Padmal de Silva C., 2003). For years, medical professionals and researchers debated on the issue of what really caused OCD. Some suggested that OCD is a psychological disorder while other believer that it is of neurological origin. Sigmund Freud was one of the first to offer an explanation of what OCD is theorizing that OCD originates from the persons unconscious conflicts (Baer, L.; M. A. Jenike & W. E. Minichiello, 1986). Freud based his explanation of what OCD is on the clinical history of a patient who has a "touching phobia". According to him, where a situation remains

Sustainable urban develpment Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 17500 words

Sustainable urban develpment - Thesis Example The invisible impacts are more deep rooted, though they are difficult to see and assess. These invisible impacts include changes in the quality of life, changing social structures and genetic changes. There are also several possible impacts of urban development, namely, increase in employment opportunities, cost-effective and efficient supply of basic amenities like water, electricity, gas etc., availability of medical and educational facilities, and promotion of safe and environmental friendly public transport system. The implementation sites are therefore required to be sustainable or assessed so as to evaluate the associated costs and benefits to the region and to the life of the people. For this, various environmental impact assessment is carried out. There are several methods for carrying out the environmental impact assessment like the checklist method, the matrix method, the network method, the overlay method and the battelle method. While all the methods have their applicability, Battelle method is found to be more holistic as it takes into account a large number of parameters related to the physical environment and human habitats and also assigns weights based on relative importance of the factors at the given site. The current study uses the Battelle method to evaluate a large implementation site at Hayeel. This implementation site, which is a mixed-use project, covers an area of 3,000,000 meter squares. The results of the Environmental Impact analysis show a negative EIU (Environmental Impact Unit) of -503.9 which means the development will affect the sustainability of the site. The research concludes with making several recommendations that can help in mitigating the detrimental impacts of the implementation site. (I suggest you add some more specific recommendations based on your actual

Art Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art - Article Example In developing these skills, one may reach a point at which one can recognize the cubist mess of a Picasso among the random abstract paintings of an amateur at a garage sale. However, it is better to start with more classical pieces in learning to appreciate the characteristics of true art. One such example is an oil on canvas painting executed by Emile-Jean-Horace Vernet in 1830 commonly referred to by its subject matter – Portrait of the Marchesa Cunegonda Misciattelli with Her Infant Son and His Nurse. By examining this painting, one can begin to pick out the elements of quality that make this work stand out as valuable whether it was shown in the sacred halls of a museum or in the darkened spaces of a corner coffee shop. The painting, part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the University of Arizona’s Museum of Art in Tucson, depicts the image of a woman sitting at the keyboard of a piano or similar instrument. Although her hands are on the keys, presumably in action, her attention is focused over her right shoulder on the small baby held in the arms of another young woman standing behind the first woman’s chair. The baby, seemingly wearing nothing more than the blankets swaddled around him, is reaching out toward the woman in the chair while the woman holding him has captured one of his hands in hers. The nurse also has her attention fully focused on the baby, seemingly making him the primary focus of the image. However, other elements of the painting manage to pull the attention away from this tiny person to redistribute attention throughout the available space. The distribution of attention begins with the fundamental form of the pyramid. Recognized as the most stable geometric shape, artists frequently use the pyramid form in their paintings to demonstrate stability and serenity – the concept that all things are in proper

An era of globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

An era of globalization - Essay Example Apart from the economic conditions which allowed for the state's generosity in regards to welfare provision, political rationales have also been forwarded as contributory to the rise of the welfare state. The widespread victory of Labour parties in Europe, particularly in Britain, for example, is said to have led to an increase in social policies targeted towards the social and economic security of the working class, the main beneficiaries of the welfare state and the backbone of these parties. (Korpi 2003) Esping-Andersen also articulates another view of the welfare state's "golden age" as a political move to instill social citizenship among the citizenry: "In moral terms, the welfare state promised a more universal, classless justice and solidarity of 'the people': it was presented as a ray of hope to those who were asked to sacrifice for the common good in the war effort. The welfare state was therefore also a political project of nation-building: the affirmation of liberal democracy against the twin perils of fascism and bolshevism. Many countries became self-proclaimed welfare states not so much to give a label to their social policies as to foster social integration." (1997) The presence of several contributory factors accountable for the welfare state's "golden age" precludes the existence also of more than one factor responsible for its decline. As has been stated earlier, the decline of the welfare state is said to be marked by the economic recession of the mid-70s. Beginning from then, the expansion of welfare state provisions which marked the golden age of the post-war decades has grounded to a halt, and in most countries has reversed into a retrenchment. This trend continues to persist, and the factors contributing to it have been a matter of much debate. Demographics, or population characteristics such as age, fertility rates, and the gender composition of the labor force within these welfare states is one of the key factors that has often been forwarded in regards to the welfare state's decline. Changes in the demography of these welfare states, particularly an increase in the number of welfare recipients brought about by an ageing population and decreased fertility rates, is said to exert demands on the welfare state which it cannot meet, resulting in a retrenchment of welfare policies. (Pierson 2001) As the main proponent of this view, Pierson further explains that this age shift in the population structure of these welfare states exerts tremendous pressure since it increases the demand on two key welfare sectors: health and pension, sectors which, in the EU alone, accounted for almost 2/3 of the total spending on social protection in 1991. (2001) Cochrane agrees that demographics do influence the policy-making of welfare states: In the golden age, the same demographic trends exerted similar pressure to the welfare states to increase welfare benefits and services. (Cochrane 2001) The differences in government response then and now, though, indicate the prevalence of other factors which determine what

Sustainable urban develpment Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 17500 words

Sustainable urban develpment - Thesis Example The invisible impacts are more deep rooted, though they are difficult to see and assess. These invisible impacts include changes in the quality of life, changing social structures and genetic changes. There are also several possible impacts of urban development, namely, increase in employment opportunities, cost-effective and efficient supply of basic amenities like water, electricity, gas etc., availability of medical and educational facilities, and promotion of safe and environmental friendly public transport system. The implementation sites are therefore required to be sustainable or assessed so as to evaluate the associated costs and benefits to the region and to the life of the people. For this, various environmental impact assessment is carried out. There are several methods for carrying out the environmental impact assessment like the checklist method, the matrix method, the network method, the overlay method and the battelle method. While all the methods have their applicability, Battelle method is found to be more holistic as it takes into account a large number of parameters related to the physical environment and human habitats and also assigns weights based on relative importance of the factors at the given site. The current study uses the Battelle method to evaluate a large implementation site at Hayeel. This implementation site, which is a mixed-use project, covers an area of 3,000,000 meter squares. The results of the Environmental Impact analysis show a negative EIU (Environmental Impact Unit) of -503.9 which means the development will affect the sustainability of the site. The research concludes with making several recommendations that can help in mitigating the detrimental impacts of the implementation site. (I suggest you add some more specific recommendations based on your actual

An era of globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

An era of globalization - Essay Example Apart from the economic conditions which allowed for the state's generosity in regards to welfare provision, political rationales have also been forwarded as contributory to the rise of the welfare state. The widespread victory of Labour parties in Europe, particularly in Britain, for example, is said to have led to an increase in social policies targeted towards the social and economic security of the working class, the main beneficiaries of the welfare state and the backbone of these parties. (Korpi 2003) Esping-Andersen also articulates another view of the welfare state's "golden age" as a political move to instill social citizenship among the citizenry: "In moral terms, the welfare state promised a more universal, classless justice and solidarity of 'the people': it was presented as a ray of hope to those who were asked to sacrifice for the common good in the war effort. The welfare state was therefore also a political project of nation-building: the affirmation of liberal democracy against the twin perils of fascism and bolshevism. Many countries became self-proclaimed welfare states not so much to give a label to their social policies as to foster social integration." (1997) The presence of several contributory factors accountable for the welfare state's "golden age" precludes the existence also of more than one factor responsible for its decline. As has been stated earlier, the decline of the welfare state is said to be marked by the economic recession of the mid-70s. Beginning from then, the expansion of welfare state provisions which marked the golden age of the post-war decades has grounded to a halt, and in most countries has reversed into a retrenchment. This trend continues to persist, and the factors contributing to it have been a matter of much debate. Demographics, or population characteristics such as age, fertility rates, and the gender composition of the labor force within these welfare states is one of the key factors that has often been forwarded in regards to the welfare state's decline. Changes in the demography of these welfare states, particularly an increase in the number of welfare recipients brought about by an ageing population and decreased fertility rates, is said to exert demands on the welfare state which it cannot meet, resulting in a retrenchment of welfare policies. (Pierson 2001) As the main proponent of this view, Pierson further explains that this age shift in the population structure of these welfare states exerts tremendous pressure since it increases the demand on two key welfare sectors: health and pension, sectors which, in the EU alone, accounted for almost 2/3 of the total spending on social protection in 1991. (2001) Cochrane agrees that demographics do influence the policy-making of welfare states: In the golden age, the same demographic trends exerted similar pressure to the welfare states to increase welfare benefits and services. (Cochrane 2001) The differences in government response then and now, though, indicate the prevalence of other factors which determine what

Economics Essay Example for Free

Economics Essay Economics is regarded as one of the earliest and arguably most essential of the social sciences. While not exactly a science as the term science is widely known as today, there are similarities that allow for its classification as a social science. One of these similarities lies in the roles that economists play as social advisors vis-a-vis the role of scientists. As a policy advisor, an economist is expected to make reliable predictions and forecasts with regard to the policies to be instituted. Since the expectation is that of reliability, there is a large amount of precision required which is similar to that of the scientific method employed by scientists. The use of the null and test hypothesis as a scientists has an application for policy advisors in coming up with these forecasts. No policy advisor can make any suggestion without any empirical data or figures in the same way that no scientist will present a dissertation without any evidence. While these may make the roles as policy advisors and scientists similar to a certain extent, there are also differences depending on the situation the economist is placed in. As a policy advisor, an economist is expected to present reliable information in order to aid in the formulation and implementation of policies, while these may have a certain amount of scientific evidence (so to speak), there is a certain reality check which takes place that demands that the economist take the most viable option. The most scientifically correct approach may not always be the most viable option and this is what an economist must deal with when taking on the role of a policy advisor as opposed to when an economist takes on the role of a scientist in policy making, which more often than not entails that only the facts be presented in a scholarly manner without particular attention to its viability under different constraints.

The Argument Of Contingency Theories

The Argument Of Contingency Theories Organizations operate in many different environments and it is vital to assess how they influence their structures. Effective and efficient organizing has become increasingly important in the modern world characterized by rapid changes. Contingency approaches emphasize that in order for organizations to succeed they must adopt a structure suitable for the environment in which they operate. Two types of theories are referred as contingency theories: theories of organizational structure and theories of leadership. In general, contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that state that there is no best way to organize a corporation and the organizational structure of the company. An organizational or leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Therefore, the best way of organizing the company, is contingent upon the internal and external situation of the company. External environments influence organizations in a varied number of ways. Critical external factors include, but are not limited to, the size of the organization, labor markets, availability and cost of capital, competitors, governmental laws and policies, ecological concerns, managerial assumptions about employees, strategies, technologies used, etc. The main ideas of contingency theory are: There is no one best way of organizing or managing the company Organizations are open systems that need careful management to satisfy and balance internal needs and to adapt to environmental circumstances Different types of organizations are needed in different types of the environment Different approaches to management may be necessary to perform different tasks within the same organization Effective organizations not only have a proper fit with the environment but also between its subsystems Several contingency approaches were developed simultaneously in the late 1960s. The emergence of the theory was the result of criticisms of the classical theories such as Webers bureaucracy (Weber, 1946) and Taylors scientific management (Taylor, 1911) which had failed because they neglected that management style and organizational structure were influenced by various aspects of the environment: the contingency factors. The contingency approach originated with the work of Joan Woodward (1958), who declared that successful organizations in different industries with different technologies were characterized by different organizational structures. In this essay I will discuss three influential contingency theories, those of Burns and Stalker (1961), Lawrence and Lorsch (1967), Fiedler (1967) and I will try to assess the relevance of contingency approach in organizations today. Tom Burns and Graham Stalker in their book, The Management of Innovation (1961) studied about 20 Scottish and British electronics companies operating in increasingly competitive and innovative technological markets. Their findings demonstrated that organizations operating in stable environments are very different from those which have to face a changing and dynamic environment. The authors have discovered that differences in the way firms approached change and innovation related to the values and mission of the firms. Burns and Stalker classified the firms into 2 categories on the basis of their managerial structures and practices: mechanistic and organic. The authors found that mechanistic organizations are similar to bureaucracies and suited for relatively stable environmental conditions. Such organizations are clearly programmed, strictly controlled and hierarchically structured. Often they do not have mission and vision statements, and instead depend on established rules for guidance, measuring success by the degree to which staff conforms to process and procedure. Organizational tasks are typically broken down into specialized activities. Individuals are responsible for their specific functions in a relative isolation from the overall organizational goal. The organic organizations are appropriate in unstable, turbulent, unpredictable environments. Organic organizations are orientated towards results, have a flat organization structure instead of a hierarchy, and little structure in terms of process and rules. They focus on results and employees receive positive rewards for creative and pragmatic contributions. Given these conditions it becomes necessary to review and redefine the responsibilities, methods, inter-role relationships, and even goals on a continual basis. Burns and Stalker emphasized that each system is appropriate under its own specific conditions. Neither system was superior to the other under all situations. Since the 1960s much of writings in organization theories field is a constant debate between the machine/organ analogies, and attempts to develop growth models of how simple mechanistic forms can grow into the more complex organic forms. Another significant study to demonstrate the relationships between environmental characteristics and effective organizational structures was conducted by Paul Lawrence and Jay Lorsch (1967). They studied ten US firms in three industries (plastics, food, containers) that confronted varying degrees of uncertainty, complexity and change. The researchers found that successful firms in each industry had a different degree of differentiation. The firms operating in uncertain, complex, rapidly changing environments had more highly differentiated internal structures such as sales, production and RD departments. Such organizations require the greater need for suitable mechanisms for integrating and resolving conflicts between various segments. Successful firms in more homogeneous and stable environment were more formalized and hierarchical in their forms. Authors concluded that in order to succeed firms must have internal structures as complex as environments in which they operate. This seminal work of Lawrence and Lorsch refined the contingency theory by demonstrating that different markets and technological environments require different kinds of organizations, and that subunits or functional departments within an organization might be managed in different ways, due to variations resulting from their sub-environments. Managerial leadership has influenced organizational activities in many ways. These influences include motivating subordinates, budgeting scarce resources, and serving as a source of communication. Contingency theories of leadership argue that no single leadership style is effective in all circumstances, but the leadership styles are contingent on the organizational and situational context. Fred Fiedlers theory (1967) is the earliest and most extensively researched is also known as contingency model of leadership effectiveness. Fiedlers ideas, originated from trait and behavioral models, underline the importance of both the leaders personality known as leadership style and the situation in which that leader operates situational favorableness. Fiedler was the first theorist who said that leadership effectiveness depends on the situation. The leadership style is the consistent system of interaction that takes place between a leader and work group. In order to classify leadership styles, Fiedler has developed an index called the Least-Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale. To get an LPC score a leader is asked to think of co-workers with whom he/she has ever worked and choose the one with whom the work was the most difficult. Then this person is rated on a number of eight-point bipolar scales (friendly/unfriendly, hostile/supportive, etc.). The responses are then summed and averaged: high LPC scores are interpreted as an indication of human relations orientation of a leader, while low LPC scores show a task orientation. The situational favorableness is a measure of the degree to which the situation of the work group affects the leaders ability to influence group members. Fiedler then extends his analysis by focusing on three key situational factors, which are leader-member, task structure and position power. In leader-member relations Fiedler states that leaders will have more influence if they maintain good relationships with group members who like, respect, and trust them, than if they do not. Fiedler determines the task structure as the second most important factor in structural favorableness. He argues that highly structured tasks, which specify how a job is to be done in detail, provide a leader with more influences over group actions than do unstructured tasks. Leaders, who are authorized to hire and fire, to discipline and reward, have more power than those who do not. For example, front office manager has more power than a room clerk. By classifying a group according to three variables, it is possible to identify eight different group situations or leadership style. According to Fiedler, there is no ideal leader. Both low-LPC (task-oriented) and high-LPC (relationship-oriented) leaders can be effective if their leadership orientation fits the situation. Fiedler stated that it would be easier to change the situation (i.e. the work environment) to fit the leaders style. As such, the organization should not choose the leader who fits the situation but should change the situation to agree with the style of its leader since the leaders personality is not likely to change. The following aspects can be considered as strengths of Fiedlers theory: it is predictive and supported by a lot of empirical research; it does not require that people be effective in all situations and provides a way to assess leader style that could be useful to an organization. However, among the theorys weaknesses are the fact that it is cumbersome to use, it doesnt explain what to do when there is a mismatch between style and situation; it doesnt take into account situational variables, like training and experience, which also have an impact in a leaders effectiveness. Finally, the LPC measure has a low reliability and its meaning is unclear, which put in doubt whether it is a true measure of leadership style. Todays organizations are quite complex and there cannot be one correct strategy that works in all situations. The contingency approach stresses the absence of a single best way to manage and emphasizes the need for managerial strategies based in all relevant facts. In other words, each managers situation must be viewed separately, a wide range of external and internal factors must be considered and then the focus should be on action that best fits the given situation. Contingency theory is often called the it all depends theory, because when a contingency theorist is being asked for an answer, the typical response will be that it all depends. While this may sound simplistic, assessing the contingencies on which decisions depend can be a very complex. The appropriate management style and organizational structure depend on the environmental context of the organization concerned. The ability to manage change is now recognized as a core organizational competence. In order to prove the relevance of contingency theory to the modern enterprises I would like to analyze what has happened to the offshore banking industry from 2001 up today and how these changes has influenced to redesign completely the organizational structures of offshore banks and how this change was managed and implemented. Increasing pressure from FATF and OECD on tax evasion issues, anti-money laundering concerns as well as prevention of the terrorism financing from the end of 2001 started to change the environment in which offshore banking was operating. Therefore offshore banks had to adjust their organizational structures and the way these banks have been managed. Increasing importance of the role of compliance processes at offshore banks has changed the organization structures of banks as well as operations processes in the way, where the importance of the compliance departments have become a necessity to survive. Compliance officers have become managers of one of the most important internal processes compliance with the laws and regulations. Therefore now offshore banks operations are centered on the compliance department, rather that business/client management department. This issue in fact is going beyond just offshore banking sector; it has influenced drastic changes of many countries legislation, supervisory and regulation processes as well. So a massive task of reorganizing not just internal organizational structures of banks, but regulating agencies was undertaken in a very short period of time. Those countries and their financial institutions which were able to adapt to the changes rapidly, survived, but entire industries and dozens of banks went out of business because of their failure to act as open systems and balance internal needs and external environmental forces. The change was massive and organizations had to deal with many important issues, interrelated and so interdependent, that in many cases organization have failed to manage the change in order to deal with the following problems: Lack of suitable qualified compliance personnel no professionals available; Lack of appropriate training and educational programs no educational institutions; Increased expenses for appropriate compliance practices lower profitability, dilemma of choice for the CEOs continue as usual to satisfy shareholders needs and create financial benefits for themselves in a short term rather than comply with the demanded change but reduce the performance of the company; Resistance of business departments to accept the necessity of increased compliance interference struggle for power within companies; Insufficient laws and regulations government agencies lagging behind with legislative change, banks had to establish their new internal rules and procedures for compliance; Those offshore banks which where managing their organizations consciously or unconsciously employing contingency theories of organizations, have managed to adopt to the new environment, therefore the relevance of these theories is undisputed to the modern companies, at least in the offshore banking sector.

Environmental Ethics Essay -- shallow ecological thinking, deep ecolog

"If we each take responsibility in shifting our own behavior, we can trigger the type of change that is necessary to achieve sustainability for our race or this planet. We change our planet, our environment, our humanity every day, every year, every decade, and every millennia." -- Yehuda Berg The state of our environment has been deteriorating for centuries. Every part of the planet has been negatively impacted by man. Environmental degradation was greatly accelerated by the industrial revolution that took place in the 19th century. The industrial revolution mechanized the production of goods and introduced the use of machinery and other heavy equipment which were fueled by dirty sources of energy. At first, wood and coal powered the engines of industry, later they were replaced by natural gas and petroleum(Alters 51-63). At this point, it simply is not enough to just "do no harm" to the environment. We must immediately begin to act on behalf of the environment, instead of just not against it. My ethics concerning the environment have always run along the lines of "shallow ecological thinking,(Naess)" as Arne Naess called it. I choose to avoid pollution and to reduce, reuse, and recycle because these actions seem beneficial to humans in one way or another. This reasoning is shared by many people in regards to the environment and animal rights considering anything as a means to human ends, rather than as ends in themselves. Even the above passage from the Bible seems to allocate all the goods of the earth to humans and puts all the natural resources under their direct supervision. I understand the above passage to mean that man is obliged to look after the environment and to protect it, much like a mother looks after her chi... ...ered by a world of people. We need to keep in mind, however, that ethics do not develop spontaneously, so we must allow a bit of leeway, some room to move, grow, and evolve. With this mindset, the environmental damage can first be slowed, then stopped, and eventually reversed and mended. It may seem drastic, but this plan of action may be more necessary than the people of our needy planet realize. Works Cited Alters, Sandra, ed., â€Å"Coal.† Energy: Supplies, Sustainability and Costs. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007. 51-63. EBC. OhioLINK Scholarly and Reference E-Books. Web. 17 Apr. 2015 Naess, Arne. "THE SHALLOW AND THE DEEP, LONG RANGE ECOLOGY MOVEMENTS" Inquiry (Oslo), 16 (1973). Web. 5 May 2015 http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/pessimism/Naess_deepEcology.html Singer, Peter. Practical Ethics. Second ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay -- Hamlet William Shakespeare Essa

Hamlet by William Shakespeare A Shakespearean scene, with all of its intricacies and details, has the capacity to uncover the fundamental aspects of characters while acting as a space for precise language to lead the reader through multilayered themes, tensions, and ideas. Particularly in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the dense, rippling text packs provocative and meaningful language within nearly every line to compose an intricate, seamless tragic play. Specifically in the first scene of Act 3, the actions, dialogue, and movements of each character involved creates a momentum of revelation for the reader regarding central character, Hamlet, and the breadth of his character. Every major, influential character of the play—King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and, of course, Hamlet—appears in 3.1 and every line of dialogue directly concerns Hamlet in one way or another. The scene exhibits the prince alone on stage in a soliloquy to illustrate his inne rmost thoughts, as well as in the presence of others; thus, the reader learns of Hamlet’s propensity to feel, think, or say one thing, while his actions do not always cohere with his thoughts or speech. In this way, one of Hamlet’s tragic character flaws lends itself to the aforementioned discord between thinking and acting, and the scene chronicles the ways in which his dissonance profoundly affects the major themes and characters of the play. Scene 3.1 first unfolds with King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius and Hamlet’s cronies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in anxious dialogue concerning Hamlet’s recent shift in disposition. Claudius refers to Hamlet’s recent state as a put-on of â€Å"confusion† (3.1.2) and a â€Å"turbulent and d... ...impressive ability to move and shape the play’s characters in such a way that the threads of language create a complex web between the layers of each character involved. In this way, the psychology of the characters gains autonomy from the bounds of authorship through the very language of the text and begs to move freely within the text. Shakespeare entrusted an enormous power into Hamlet’s character, especially, because though he acts tentatively and waveringly, the character of him, including his disposition, manners, speech and outward exhibitions, adhere to the other characters of the play as puppet strings, and he inspires almost all of their actions because of his own reluctance to initiate movement. This interdependence of the minutiae of the complex text contributes to the achieved brilliance and long-lived speculation regarding Shakespeare’s tragic play. Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay -- Hamlet William Shakespeare Essa Hamlet by William Shakespeare A Shakespearean scene, with all of its intricacies and details, has the capacity to uncover the fundamental aspects of characters while acting as a space for precise language to lead the reader through multilayered themes, tensions, and ideas. Particularly in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the dense, rippling text packs provocative and meaningful language within nearly every line to compose an intricate, seamless tragic play. Specifically in the first scene of Act 3, the actions, dialogue, and movements of each character involved creates a momentum of revelation for the reader regarding central character, Hamlet, and the breadth of his character. Every major, influential character of the play—King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and, of course, Hamlet—appears in 3.1 and every line of dialogue directly concerns Hamlet in one way or another. The scene exhibits the prince alone on stage in a soliloquy to illustrate his inne rmost thoughts, as well as in the presence of others; thus, the reader learns of Hamlet’s propensity to feel, think, or say one thing, while his actions do not always cohere with his thoughts or speech. In this way, one of Hamlet’s tragic character flaws lends itself to the aforementioned discord between thinking and acting, and the scene chronicles the ways in which his dissonance profoundly affects the major themes and characters of the play. Scene 3.1 first unfolds with King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius and Hamlet’s cronies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in anxious dialogue concerning Hamlet’s recent shift in disposition. Claudius refers to Hamlet’s recent state as a put-on of â€Å"confusion† (3.1.2) and a â€Å"turbulent and d... ...impressive ability to move and shape the play’s characters in such a way that the threads of language create a complex web between the layers of each character involved. In this way, the psychology of the characters gains autonomy from the bounds of authorship through the very language of the text and begs to move freely within the text. Shakespeare entrusted an enormous power into Hamlet’s character, especially, because though he acts tentatively and waveringly, the character of him, including his disposition, manners, speech and outward exhibitions, adhere to the other characters of the play as puppet strings, and he inspires almost all of their actions because of his own reluctance to initiate movement. This interdependence of the minutiae of the complex text contributes to the achieved brilliance and long-lived speculation regarding Shakespeare’s tragic play.

Mankiller: a chief and her people

This book is the autobiography of the former Chief of the Cherokee Nation, unfolding her personal story, the history of her people, and the dawning of the Native American Civil Rights struggle. The book is a quest to reclaim and preserve Native American values and to examine her own role as a woman of two cultures and leader of a sovereign nation. Basically the book is a mix of autobiography, traditional tales, and a lengthy history of the Cherokee. Mankiller's chronicle of her people churns with energy, whether she's raking the federal government over the coals or celebrating past Cherokee leaders like Sequoyah. It is dual story of Chief Mankiller's life and a compact history of crucial and poignant episodes in Cherokee history. This contemporary account of the first woman principal chief of the Cherokee Nation describes the development of a modern-day leader. A tale of personal triumphs and tragedies, it begins with a childhood spent on an allotment farm in Mankiller Flats, Oklahoma, and moves through teenage years in the 1960s as an â€Å"urban Indian,† a near brush with death, and a life of solid accomplishment in service and tribal leadership rooted in Cherokee culture. The mid section of the book is purely historical and the interaction of Cherokee and African American history is fascinating and a reoccurring theme. The average Americans are taught very little about the native peoples, this book is a must read for those who wish to know the Native American life. Wilma Mankiller's story is profoundly interwoven with the history of the Cherokee. Once the Cherokee lived in Tennessee and across the South, by the early 1800's white settlers were pushing them out of their native lands. Some left willingly and established new bases in Arkansas, only to be moved later. In the 1830's two-thirds of the Cherokee Nation were finally rounded up and forced to travel, mostly by foot, on a march now called the Trail of Tears. Those who survived the difficult march were placed on a reservation in Indian Territory. Once there, they were again neglected, the result was a confusion that resulted would greatly affect Mankiller's early life. The book traces her family saga, when they move out in 1950s from rural Oklahoma to San Francisco in a government relocation project. The federal government came up with a policy of â€Å"termination† of tribes to mainstream Native Americans. This policy was trumped up as a â€Å"wonderful opportunity for Indian families to get great jobs, obtain good education for their kids, and, once and for all, leave poverty behind.† In truth, the program gave the government the perfect chance to take Indian people away from their culture and open up the vast Oklahoma territory to white landowners. Wilama is vocal and does not hesitates to vehemently express her views â€Å"In my view, Oklahoma statehood was a very dark page†¦.the harm heaped on our people †¦was tremendous†¦.For the Cherokee Nation and the other of the Five Tribes, statehood meant only the heartbreaking conclusion to decades spent fighting attempts to transform Indian Territory into a white commonwealth.† It was a traumatic change for the 11 year-old Wilma and her 10 brothers and sisters. This sudden shift from traditional life brought her face-to-face with bias, racism and poverty. In spite of this, the Mankiller family had a strength to survive, which came through sheer will alone. Mankiller's father Charley and other relatives helped with the construction of the Mankiller's first real family home. The house was made of rough lumber and had only four rooms described as a â€Å"little bitty house with too many people living there†. There was no electricity in the house, and the family had to use wood, coal, oil, and natural gas to cook and heat the house. Due to the fact that the house also did not have running water, they had to bring water up from a spring for cooking and washing purposes, and use an outhouse to go to the bathroom. Though the home lacked some luxuries, Mankiller looks back on her time there with pleasant memories. However, some memories were not as pleasant as the pride in a family home. To obtain the money needed for basic necessities, Mankiller's parents and older siblings used to go out and cut timber to sell as railroad ties. To further supplement the family's income, Charley Mankiller and his oldest son went every year to help harvest broomcorn, generally working every day from dawn to sunset. And her family's strength and perseverance paid off. Mankiller attested to her family's strength when she stated, â€Å"even though we were poor, I cannot remember ever being hungry as a little girl. Somehow, we always had food on our tables.† Mankiller would feel no different from others until the family was relocated to San Francisco, California. That metropolitan setting opened her eyes to many injustices that existed in society and led the way for her focus on activism. As a child, Mankiller had her doubts about the relocation. These doubts were realized when the Mankiller family arrived in San Francisco and discovered that the situation was not as portrayed. Mankiller and her family had left behind â€Å"the sounds of roosters, owls, crickets.† The Native Americans are in love with their land and cannot think of selling or misusing it, as Supposedly Chief Seattle said in the 1850s â€Å"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land. Every part of the Earth is sacred to my people.† The 1969 Indian occupation of Alcatraz, which she supported strongly proved a turning point in her life. She became an activist in Indian affairs, eventually leaving her husband and returning with her two daughters to her old home. Surviving a debilitating automobile accident and a kidney transplant, she continues to lead her people. In this inspiring story, Mankiller offers herself as a valuable role model–for women as well as Native Americans. Wilama is a tribal woman to the core, who loves her traditions and culture intensely and proud to be a Native American. She unfolds the wrongs of the White Americans settlers, when Native Americans spiritual beliefs and practices were considered ignorance. She explains that to be a Native American means holding a different perspective of the world. She enlightens the readers, that the culture, values and traditions of native people are more than crafts and carvings. The Natives   respect for the wisdom of their elders, concept of family responsibilities, concern for the environment and willingness to share – all of these values makes   Native American culture endurable in the course of time. On personal level the book is an autobiography overcoming the difficulties and problems, however it moves beyond personal woes and traces the history of the Cherokees. The tale revolves around her own battle against devastating personal illnesses–including kidney disease and myasthenia gravis- -evokes praise and admiration for over coming her odyssey of life. The text is filled with her â€Å"innate love of all people’’. Despite talk of   â€Å"spirituality† very little spirituality can found in the book. It is a   story of survival, told with honesty and eloquence, teaching the readers, the lesson of endurance and strength in the wake of crisis. Reference: â€Å"The 2005-06 chairwoman of the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, an independent center at the law school, Mankiller is also serving as a visiting professor in the Ethnic Studies department through the end of this month. The speech opened with a ceremonial welcome by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Honor Guard and a traditional song performed by the Eagle Beak Singers. Mankiller was introduced by University President Dave Frohnmayer, who said it was an â€Å"honor to welcome a woman, a leader, a person who understands the relationship between knowledge and morality.† Mankiller began by mentioning the difficulties of having an informed dialogue on Native American issues. Mankiller deconstructed many stereotypes about Native Americans and reiterated the necessity of doing so†. Oregon Daily   Emerald, November 13, 2005 â€Å"Contemporary Native women of the United States and Canada, politically active in Indigenous rights movements for the past thirty years, variously articulate a reluctance to affiliate with white feminist movements of North America. Despite differences in tribal affiliation, regional location, urban or reservation background, academic or community setting, and pro- or antifeminist ideology, many Native women academics and grassroots activists alike invoke models of preconquest, egalitarian societies to theorize contemporary social and political praxes. Such academics as Paula Gunn Allen, Rayna Green, and Patricia Monture-Angus, as well as Native activists Wilma Mankiller, Mary Brave Bird, and Yet Si Blue (Janet McCloud) have problematized the reformative role white feminism can play for Indigenous groups, arguing that non-Native women's participation in various forms of Western imperialism have often made them complicit in the oppression of Native peoples† Revision and Resistance: The Politics of Native Women's Motherwork, Lisa J. Ude, Frontiers – A Journal of Women's Studies ,2001 The key to reaching this goal is ownership. Service must never be done for others but with them. Before she became Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Wilma Mankiller attracted national attention through her work with self-help community-service projects in isolated Cherokee communities. The most dramatic of these involved the tiny community of Bell, where local Cherokee designed and carried out a project that became a catalyst for bringing their community together. The project could have been done for the people (the approach usually taken by government agencies) rather than by the people. But that wasn't what Mankiller had in mind. Kappan.P   Service-Learning and Multicultural/Multiethnic Perspectives from Diversity to Equity (2005) She has shown in her typically exuberant way that not only can Native Americans learn a lot from the whites, but that whites can learn from native people. Understanding the interconnectedness of all things, many whites are beginning to understand the value of native wisdom, culture and spirituality. Spirituality is then key to the public and private life of Wilma Mankiller who has indeed become known not only for her community leadership but also for her spiritual presence. A woman rabbi who is the head of a large synagogue in New York commented that Mankiller was a significant spiritual force in the nation. Her book also details her social and political involvement in American Indian and women's issues and her return to her northeast Oklahoma roots. Since then, Mankiller worked on many community development programs designed to provide jobs and/or homes to Native American people. In 1991, she was reelected as chief. Power Source, Wilma Mankiller former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Mankiller attributes her understanding of her people’s history partially to her own families forced removal, as part of the government's Indian relocation policy, to California when she was a young girl. Her concern for Native American issues was ignited in 1969 when she watched a group of university students with AIM (American Indian Movement) occupy Alcatraz Island in order to attract attention to the issues affecting their tribes. Shortly afterwards, she began working in preschool and adult education programs in the Pit River Tribe of California. Women History Project In this spiritually moving autobiography, Wilma Mankiller not only tells her personal story, but honors and recounts the complex history of the Cherokees. Her book becomes the quest to reclaim and preserve the great Native American values that form the foundation of our nation. She details the dawning of the Native American civil rights struggle and how the genesis of that movement mirrored her own search for meaning and balance as a woman of two cultures and as the head of state for a sovereign nation of native people. Four Winds Indians Books (2005)             .            

Bohol, in the Eyes of a First-Time Beholder Essay

Perched on a very young palm tree, the tarsier fidgeted as I aimed my camera on its direction. It was only a few centimeters away, so easy to touch and yet I reminded myself to avoid the temptation. I read in an article how traumatizing it can be for these velvety creatures to be held, that they would hurt themselves to death after being â€Å"violated† by curious tourists who are never content with taking pictures. So imagine my surprise when it landed very near me to catch the cricket hiding behind the leaves. Without even thinking, I brushed my fingers on its brown fur in what seemed to be a second or two; it didn’t flinch, but the click of the camera (there was no flash since it was daytime) alerted it, and it darted back to its highest hiding place in the palm tree. Like that unlikely encounter with the tarsier, my trip to Bohol was something worthy to remember. Thanks to the invitation of a friend, poet and journalist Michael Ortega Ligalig, my memory of Bohol was not limited to beaches, Chocolate Hills, and yes, tarsiers. But there is no denying that Bohol is teeming with natural and man-made assets. If you are artsy and into culture, Bohol can offer you a lot with its cultural and historical riches. If you are into nature and adventure, there are surprises that the island can offer. Churches and Heritage Houses For somebody like me who is fascinated with old things and history, Bohol is like a gold mine with its old churches and heritage houses. Almost all of the 47 towns have old, massive, stone churches that have survived natural ravages, wars and even climate change. I asked to be brought to some of the most fascinating ones, like the Baclayon and Loboc churches. The Church of the Immaculate Conception or the Baclayon Church is one of the country’s oldest churches. First built in 1595, the Jesuit frailes built the Neoclassic structure piece by piece using adobe and coral that were joined together by adhesive made from egg whites (imagine all the chicken eggs used to build such a magnificent structure!). From the front door, one could see the marble tombstones that were embedded on the walls and pylons, the names of the dead intricately written in Spanish. The retablo or the church altar was also an imposing piece of art, though we were unable to see the church’s pipe organ. It also has a museum similar to that of San Agustin in Intramuros. The fee is not very expensive, but cameras are not allowed. Still, one can take pictures of the saints on the ground floor joining the museum and the church, where they kept a coterie of human-size religious images or statues. St. Peter Parish Church or Loboc Church is the second oldest church in Bohol. Originally built in 1602, a stronger one was built in 1638. Located near the famous Loboc River cruise, it has survived a number of floods. Inside the church, murals depicting religious events can be found on the dome right on top of the main altar. A Spanish coat-of-arms can be found near the entrance of the convent which today houses the Museo de Loboc. This museum houses a few religious images and artifacts, like registry books from the 1800s and choir books. There is also a magnificent bell tower adjacent the church. One can also find a bridge that was never completed; it would have joined the two parts of the town separated by the river, but it would mean demolishing part of the church. It is also the home of the famous Loboc Children’s Choir. There are also plenty of heritage houses all over Bohol, particularly in Baclayon and Dauis. Owned mostly by merchant families and old political clans, its interiors are characterized by wide and thick wooden floor planks and wide stairways with wooden balusters. The interiors often feature wooden sala and table sets, cabinets and dressers and rocking chairs, while the walls often hold portraits of its departed residents. Some of the houses include the ancestral houses of the Clarin, Villamor, Malon, Luza, Sofia and Abueva, and some of them actually accommodate tourists for a bed-and-breakfast experience. Beaches and Diving Bohol is getting its fair share of tourism fame with its pristine white sand beaches, the most famous of which is Panglao Island and Dauis, although there are plenty of other beaches minus the flock of tourists and expensive. The most famous is Alona Beach, an 800-meter stretch of white powdery sand located south of Panglao Island. Many full-service beach and dive resorts reside there. The sea around Pamilacan Island is frequented by whales and dolphins, as it is also a favored breeding and feeding site of tuna, snappers, groupers, mackerel and surgeonfish, making it a perfect spot for those who want to see the teeming natural fish population at work. There are a number of diving spots that offer priceless views of the sea beneath. Balicasag is known for its rare, beautiful seashells and its beds of corals are considered one of the best dive spots in the country. On the other hand, Danajon Bank is the only double barrier reef in the Philippines and is one of only three such sites in the Asia-Pacific region, spread across almost 130 kilometers of seabed and consist of three large reefs. Flora and Fauna Because of its geographical features, Bohol’s endemic flora and fauna makes it a hot spot for nature lovers. The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella town is a 134-hectare land that has been set aside as a protected area for its most celebrated creature considered the world’s smallest primate. However, there are many mini-â€Å"tarsier zoos† that are maintained by resorts. These resorts or mini-zoos often put these tarsiers in small cages and crowded, considering the wild nature of these animals. While my friend assured me that these resorts have â€Å"adoption certificates† from the local environmental offices, I still find it disturbing to find these magnificent creatures caged like birds. In the town of Albuquerque, there is a mini-zoo that claims to hold the biggest python in captivity ever known. Its name is Prony, approximately almost 30 feet and an estimated weight of about 300 kilograms. They also have a variety of birds species like parakeets, pigeons and other avians. However, a star attraction would be the entertainer which we humorously call â€Å"Kakambal ni Prony.† Clad in shiny gaudy costumes, she would dance near the snake’s spectators. We were also fortunate to visit the Mahogany Man-Made Forest in the town of Bilar, a two-kilometer stretch of densely planted mahogany trees located in the border of Loboc and Bilar. River Cruises The ultimate part of our trip would be the scenic Loboc River Cruise. We took the nighttime cruise as my friend advised because of the lamps that would light up as our boat would pass by. The boat fee includes a buffet meal that included seafood, meat and desserts. As the boat commenced its trip, a man with his electric guitar started to sing, his repertoire including American hits from the seventies. My companions and I found the lineup rather distracting as he started with Don McLean’s Vincent then to assorted songs from Bread and Air Supply. However, as the colored lamp posts began glowing from the sides, we were already transfixed and astonished. We briefly stopped on a floating raft that has a big group of singers belting their original songs. We all got off and started clapping. I interviewed some of the children and the adults who actually make a living from the song and dance number, and it ended with them selling their very own musical CD to the tourists. The visit to Bohol was short and partly fulfilling. I am decided to pursue this island more and look forward to seeing more of its assets very, very soon.