Monday, September 30, 2019
Burglary Prevention Program Essay
Type of Research Design            The research is looking forward to adopt the Quantitative Tradition of research. The Quantitative Tradition of Research employs the method that is based on testing of theories. In addition, such also uses measurement of numbers and statistical analysis. The idea behind quantitative research is often to ascertain that a generalized theory or the prediction of a theory will be confirmed by using a statistical method. Initially, quantitative research starts with the hypothesis and the theories that require being tested (Benz and Newman, 1998). The approach of quantitative research includes the use of formal and generally recognized instruments. In most instances, quantitative research conducts studies with an underlying expectation that a consensus would be arrived at. As such, quantitative research usually aims to conclude a predictable generalization, and a causal explanation(Benz and Newman, 1998). Quantitative research also studies controlled and manipulated the participants on experiments and puts immense emphasis on deduction and analysis; as the goal of the aforementioned is to establish consensus by reducing data to numerical indications.  In effect of this, it could be significantly noted that the goal of quantitative research is the determination a given prediction, as the aforementioned seeks to know if certain generalizations could be verified or confirmed. In general, the quantitative methodology assumes that there is an objective reality which is independent of the person doing the research, it also takes the position that the subject of study can be done in an objective manner. The researcher must maintain independence from the research object. And the research is not expected to be value affected as the researcher must make sure that he or she does not become a part of the research (Benz and Newman, 1998) . The quantitative methodology tests cause and effect by using deductive logic. When done correctly a quantitative research will be able to predict, and explain the theory in question (Benz and Newman, 1998). Type of Sampling            Sampling is the process of identifying the respondents for a particular research in order to attain the data that is necessary for a particular study. Such is also relevant in order to avoid the difficulty of administering the survey on an entire population (Ghauri et al, 1995).   According to Aaker et al (1995) research should cater to a target population that has all the necessary information for the research such as sampling elements, sampling units, and area of coverage.            The research is looking forward to adopt a Cluster Sampling procedure from a number of participants from various police departments who have adopted the burglary prevention that is similar to the Burglary Prevention Program employed by the chief of police in the author’s respective state. Cluster sampling is the process wherein the respondents are chosen in clusters such as police departments in various cities and/or states using the same burglary prevention and the likes. This type of sampling is advantageous to save traveling time and cist reduction. It is also convenient in order to find a good number of participants who since the aforementioned are grouped into clusters (Ghauri et al, 2000). Units of Sampling to be Employed            Determining the sample size for the survey is very relevant because much of the validity of the quantitative data of the research rests upon it. For the purpose of this part of the research, the research will be focusing on the sample size’s confidence interval and confidence level.            The confidence interval is the plus-or-minus figure that determined the confidence results of a particular study. For the purpose of this research, the projected confidence interval is plus or minus 1.75 on a 95% confidence level and a 120 population size.            On the other hand, the confidence level tells the percentage on how the results of the study could be sure. Often times, the confidence level is expressed in percentage and tells how frequently the population on the study would pick an answer that is within the confidence interval. For the purpose of this study, the author used the 95% confidence level which is most used confidence level among researches (Benz and Newman, 1998).            As such, in analyzing the data for the survey, the research will have to look into a 95% confidence with a plus or minus 1.75 intervals. The wider that the confidence level that the research has to work on, the more certain as well that the population response would be more or less within that range.            For the purpose of the research, the following formula will be used for the Sample Size (Benz and Newman, 1998). ss = z2 * (p) * (1-p) _________________ c2 Where as: ss= the minimum sample size z = z value (e.g. 1.96 for 95% confidence level) p = percentage picking a choice, expressed as decimal (.5 used for sample size needed) c = confidence interval, expressed as decimal (e.g., .04 =  ±4) There are three major factors that would affect the confidence intervals, these are the sample size, percentage and the population size.            A huge sample size would make the results of the research mirror exactly that of the population. This implies that a for every confidence level, a huge sample size reflects a more small confidence interval. Albeit it should be noted that the relationship between them is not linear that if one would double the sample size, such would also make the confidence interval go up (Benz and Newman, 1998).            The percentage of a particular response from the survey also is a determinant for accuracy. For instance if a particular response says 51%, therefore it implies that there is a 49% chance of the responses being erroneous. However if the response rates reveal a 99% positive response versus a 1% negative response, there would be no significant difference at all (Benz and Newman, 1998).            The population size also matters when one is studying a segment of population that is relatively small such as those from the specific hotels being studied. On the other hand, if a research would be conducting a study from a very huge population, like for instance 500,000 or more, the size of the sample a sample size that is close to that exact number does not appear to be that relevant (Benz and Newman, 1998). Reliability and Validity            The study’s reliability and validity go hand in hand as patterns of measurement depend on both the dependent and independent variables (Zikmund, 1994). Reliability primarily focuses on the internal consistency and the repeatability of the variables within the research. On the other hand, validity centers on the correctness and appropriateness of the question that one intends to measure (Ghauri et al, 1995). According to Chisnall (1997), validity is generally considered and established through the relationship of the instrument to the content, criterion or construct that it attempts to measure. A lack of validity can lead to incorrect conclusion. Analysis of Data            For the purpose of the survey, the data that will be gathered will be analyzed using the SPSS Software. SPSS (Statistical Products and Service Solutions) is a powerful, easy to use statistical package designed in a Windows environment, which enabled researchers to tap into various options of interpreting data (Griego and Morgan, 2000, p. 2). SPSS has been viewed as the premiere statistical software that are primarily being used to interpret quantitative research results due to its ease of use, technical support, ease of installation, scope of capabilities, user interface, graphical components, and so forth (Hilbe, 2005, p. 68).  Independent and Dependent Variables Independent Variable            The independent variable is the causal factor that shapes or determines the dependent variable. This type of variable is subjected to arbitrary change that is necessary in order to test the results of a particular test (Crown, 1998). The independent variable for this research is the effectiveness of the Burglary Prevention Program. Dependent Variables            Dependent variables are is a variable that depends on the independent variable for change. It is also known as the criterion variable (Crown, 1998). The dependent variables of the research are risk management strategies employed by a particular department such as proper identification of criminal vulnerability areas, use of effective detection alarms, and employee training. Data Collection The researcher will collect data based on primary and secondary methods. Secondary Data Collection            Ghaury et al (1995) emphasized the importance of secondary data collection most especially through desk or library research. The review of related literature provided a scholarly perspective on the subject matter and at the same time made the researcher aware of both previous and contemporary research on the subject matter.            The data collection for secondary sources will be lifted from Questia Media America, an on-line Research Library and EBSCO Host with a special emphasis on literatures from London. Primary Data Collection            For the primary data collection, the researcher will be focusing on getting the data that are exactly needed for the research. With prior consideration on the objectives and the literature that will be collected by the researcher, a seven-point survey will be formulated. Surveys         The primary data that the research will use will be lifted based on distributing the questionnaires and survey forms through snail mail, e-mail, telephone conversation and personal interactions.            According to Ritchie & Goeldner (1994) the process of telephone interview or survey for that matter includes conversing with an interviewee through the use of a telephone, rather than do it in person. In some ways, it could be said that a telephone survey is more preferred than a personal survey because it is relatively faster and could have prevented administrative problems. In addition with these, telephone surveys are relatively more cost effective and have the capability to reach those individuals that could not be reached locally. Although this method appears to be very cost effective, it also proved to be impersonal in nature. One major reason is the interviewer’s failure to see the exact reaction of the respondents on certain questions. .            On the other hand, Chisnall (1997) said that the process of mailing questionnaires include the use of mailing a set of questions to a certain sample population. Such a method could be said to be also relatively cheaper and assures anonymity and confidentiality. Such a method is also preferred when the respondents for the study are located in various locations and a phone interview appears to be not possible. Also, a mailed questionnaire could allow the respondents answer to the questions at their convenience; albeit, it could be significantly noted that it has also been perceived that there is a relatively low response rate on questionnaires. It is said by Chisnall (1977) that a 30% return of questionnaires is already relevant. In addition with this, it could be possible that the respondents might not have understood the questions in the survey form, and a discrepancy could also show in the results. Finally, similar to telephone interviews, the interviewer could also not see the body languages of the interviewee. Justification of the Selected Method            For the purpose of this research, the author will be conducting a pen and paper measurement survey that was sent via e-mail, mail, and personal administered basis. The respondents need to answer question based on a Likert Type Scale which ranks responses in seven different levels: Highly Agree, Agree, Somewhat Agree, Neutral, Somewhat Disagree, Disagree, Highly Disagree and Not Applicable. Whenever applicable, the questionnaires will be asked to be answered on a personal basis in order to avoid errors and discrepancy on the results.            The self-administered questionnaires offered a higher response rate and are also relatively cost effective (Bryman, 1992). Foremost of its advantage rests on the notion that the process of data gathering could be more personal and also the researcher could have clarify certain notions that could be unclear on the survey form. However, one distinct disadvantage of such a method is the difficulty of administrating the survey to multiple respondents all at the same time. In addition, the self-administered data gathering could be very time consuming as well.            Due to the time constraints and the monetary concerns that the research might post, the author perceived that it would be more effective for the survey to be administered on a personal or electronic basis, such as the e-mail. Whenever applicable, questionnaires will be also mailed. Questionnaire Design The questionnaire will be made in a manner that will promote a detailed, precise and logical construction of close-ended question. In addition with this, the questions will also be made in accordance with the hypotheses and the objectives of the research (Oppenheim, 1992).            The questions will be formulated using a 7-Point Likert Type Scale and will be Close-Ended in Nature. Such is relevant so that respondents would only have to encircle the designated number of their corresponding responses (Oppenhein, 1992). In addition with this, close-ended questions are very easy to answer and could enable the researcher create a summated value that could be use for data analysis. Ethical Considerations in Research            To be ethical is to conform to accepted professional practices (Bailey, 1994, p. 454). Utmost on the ethical considerations that this research will focus on is the notion of Informed Consent. Informed consent is the process wherein respondents are made fully aware of the purpose of the study, possible dangers, and also the credentials of the researchers. As such, in doing a survey, it is often the case that there is an introductory statement that will accompany the said questionnaire. The aforementioned are relevant in order to induce individuals to participate in a study in a voluntary manner. For the purpose of the study, the researcher will be providing the respondents with an introductory statement that will accompany their questionnaire.  After reading such, the probable respondents will decide if they wanted to participate in the study or not. This is very important in order to prevent duress and probable respondents would participate in the study on their own free will.            It has also been pointed out by Bailey (1994) that sampling could also pose some issues in research as they could have pose privacy issues. It could be the case that on the course of primary data gathering upon 120 respondents in various police departments, and the respondents felt that there are a number of questions that appears to be invading their privacy, then it could be the case that such an issue could pose a problem in terms of not only the ethical considerations among the respondents but also the validity of the data to gathered as respondents may not choose to answer truthfully such an answer. In the nature of this research, the issue would be a matter of program effectiveness on burglary security. As such, the research would be cautious to questions that would require respondents to reveal personal information and also specific experiences that could place the respondent in a disposition of inconvenience.  As such it is also then part of the proposed methodology for the study , the anonymity of the respondents. The responses of the participants will be kept confidential and will only be used for the purpose of the study.   References Aaker, D. A. and Day G. S. 1990. Marketing Research, 4ed. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons. Bailey K. 1994, Methods of Social Research. New York, New York: The Free Press. Benz C. and Newman I, 1998. Qualitative-Quantitative Research Methodology: Exploring the Interactive Continuum. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Chisnall P. M., 1997. Marketing Research, 5ed., Berkshire: McGraw-Hill. Crown W. 1998. Statistical Models for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Multiple Regression and Limited-Dependent Variable Models. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Ghauri, P., Gronhaug, K. and Kristianslund, I., 1995. Research Methods In Business Griego O. and Morgan G. (2000). SPSS for Windows: An Introduction to Use and Interpretation in Research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Studies: A Practical Guide. Great Britain: Prentice Hall. Hilbe J. , 2005. A Review of SPSS 12.01, Part 2. The American Statistician 58 (2), pp. Oppenhein, A. N,, 1992. Questionnaire Design Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. London: Pinter. Ritchie B. and Goeldner C. R., 1994. Travel, Tourism and Hotel Researcher. New York: Wiley and Sons, Inc. Zikmund, G. W., 1994. Exploring Marketing Research. Dryden
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Programming Language and Effects Essay
In computer science , a function or expression is said to have a side effect if, in addition to returning a value, it also modifies some state or has an observable interaction withcalling functions or the outside world. For example, a function might modify a global or static variable , modify one of its arguments, raise an exception, write data to a display or file, read data, orcall other side-effecting functions. In the presence of side effects, a program’s behavior depends on history; that is, the order ofevaluation matters. Understanding and debugging a function with side effects requires knowledge about the context and its possible histories. [1] [2] Side effects are the most common way that a program interacts with the outside world (people, filesystems, other computers on networks). But the degree to which side effects are used depends on the programming paradigm. Imperative programming isknown for its frequent utilization of side effects. In functional programming , side effects are rarely used. Functional languages such as Standard ML , Scheme and Scala do not restrict side effects, but it is customary for programmers to avoid them. [3] The functional language Haskell restricts side effects with a static type system ; it uses the concept of monads to do stateful and IO computations. [4] [5] Assembly language programmers must be aware of hidden side effects  instructions that modify parts of the processor state which are not mentioned in the instruction’s mnemonic. A classic example of a hiddenside effect is an arithmetic instruction which explicitly modifies a register (an overt effect) and implicitly modifies condition codes (ahidden side effect). One defect of an instruction set with many hidden side effects is that, if many instructions have side effects on a single piece of state, like condition codes, then the logic required to update that state sequentially may become aperformance bottleneck. The problem is particularly acute on processors designed with pipelining (since 1990) or with out-of-order execution . Such a processor may require additional control circuitry to detect hidden side effects and stall the pipeline if the next instruction depends on the results of those effects.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Buyer Behaviour and Integrated Marketing Communication-Starbucks goes Literature review
Buyer Behaviour and Integrated Marketing Communication-Starbucks goes to India - Literature review Example To go ahead with this task, a detailed customer profile is required depending on the targeted segments because in general, as a long term strategy, customers are segmented based on their demographics, marketing habits etc. India is the largest democracy and has the 'distinction' of having population levels second only to China. Present youth profile gives a clear impression that the youth of the day believes in hanging out with the friend circle after a day-long school/ college/ work. The burgeoning IT-enabled services sector, outsourcing, and the call center phenomenon is giving plenty of opportunities as well as a good amount of spare bucks to spend, to the youth of the day. Call centers have been one of the growth triggers as far as an increase in coffee consumption is concerned. Earlier a coffee house's customer was limited to individuals who worked daytime hours, but no more, now we have the nightlife as well in coffee houses, religiously followed by the neo-rich group of professionals who work a night-time shift. Need for a venue to socialize with others of their age who share their interests comes in handy for a coffee house. Â Besides the youth, other working class and couples can also be a target market for Starbucks in India. There are competitors like Barista, Cafe Coffee, Cafe Mocha etc. And some of these brands do have a good international presence as well. Having well familiarized themselves with the Indian terrain and coffee habits, these brands will prove to be a force to reckon with. Moreover, at times, for a change, the customer in India relishes to enter a coffee house and look for beverages other than coffee and some other eatables. Therefore Starbucks needs to plan its strategy accordingly. Maybe it can think of having a tie-up with some other established brands like Pepsi, Coke etc. for the presence of their products within its premises. Company-operated retail stores accounted for approximately 84% of net revenues during fiscal 2004.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Week 7 posts 6330 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Week 7 posts 6330 - Assignment Example The fact that its goal is to educate the students shows that there is focus to the beneficiaries. The evaluation of the relationships at home and the workplace is important since these two are closely related. The post regarding the evaluation model you chose to educate registered nurses in the local hospice was very interesting. I support the fact that the hierarchical model you chose is useful in that it uses multiple aspects to form the evaluation. These aspects include the process, outcome, content, impact, and the program as a whole (Keating, 2011). The only proposal is to look for a wide range of feedback mechanisms to improve the efficiency of the evaluation. The formative evaluation model you chose is very impressive. This is because of the ready availability of the tools to measure input, processes, support systems and outcomes (Keating, 2011). The use of an accrediting agency review to improve this program quality increases its efficiency. This is good in that it helps to recruit the right faculty, and student
Thursday, September 26, 2019
People who will embrace your transformation in to a college educated Article
People who will embrace your transformation in to a college educated person - Article Example This was something they look upon as their gift to me without any monetary equivalent. The support that they provide is not only financial but also moral and spiritual in value. As I journey into the midst of what’s to come, knowing that they will always be there as I strive for success is more than enough to consistently boost my confidence. Nevertheless, I am aware that there are people who will want to drag me down. Some in our immediate family think that college education is not necessary to thrive in life. They maintain that it is in one’s skills and sheer hard work that one gets a good job. Even more understandable is the consequent truth that a diploma costs a lot and this will translate to a huge dent in our financial stability. I recognize that there is a necessity for me to work harder in achieving my goals. Having a clearer path in what I want in life would help in overcoming these apprehensions. College education will allow me not only to have a mere piece of paper but to have life experiences that will lead me to realize where I am heading to in the
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Applying Sociology to Public Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Applying Sociology to Public Practice - Essay Example Sociology is defined as the 'scientific' study of the relationship between human social organization and human behavioural processes. Its early proponents and even sociologists today believe that they can develop a scientific way of studying mankind and his social nature in the same way as natural scientists have formulated a scientific approach to explain the physical world. Fundamental to the field is the notion that the relationship between human organization and social behaviour are subject to law-like processes and forces which can be revealed thru a systematic and careful observation and study. The theoretical models of causality should also be subject to empirical tests. (James, 1996) The problem with sociology which can be observed in the article authored by Francis et al (2007) entitled "Attitude toward Christianity among secondary school pupils in Northern Ireland: shifts in denominational differences" is that sociology tends to become unscientific. Sociology attempts to understand human behaviour not thru a set of a step-by-step analysis of characteristics of individuals but on the influence of interactions among individuals. It emphasizes the social forces present in a certain group which cannot be generalized to other groups much like the way scientific laws work. Social forces cannot be observed directly but must be inferred from human behaviour. In other words, there is no assurance that an observed and analyzed social phenomenon could be applied on another set of events. For example, the case for the article can only be found in Ireland. Sociology, therefore, becomes ambiguous. There is no finality in sociological pursuits because it is subjected to change and what is much more pressing is that mechanisms are often unidentifiable. Even if it was identified, there is always the question of finality. In the article by Francis et al, one can note that there was not even an attempt to determine the mechanism which caused the change in the regard for Christianity by male and female Irish children. All they did was to determine whether there was a change without even attempting to identify whether this was expected or whether it followed some kind of process. There was not even a discussion of a theoretical background discussing the mechanism of change for religious perception. They even conveniently stated that they did not deem it proper to know the underlying cause because it was out of the limits they have set. While it is good to know that there is an improvement in religious perception, wouldn't it have been more useful if one knows what is causing the chan ge so that it may be further developed Sociology will only assume the science mantle when it shakes off its reliance on first person subjective evaluations and surveys. The article itself depends widely on previous studies for comparison and does not even provide a scale of similarity with the procedures used. Most sociologists have little or no understanding of calculus yet they often present least-squares results as with the article. Sociology is for the most part verbal rather than quantitative. (James, 1996) Competing Perspectives As can be deduced from the previous discussion, there is a tendency for sociological knowledge to become of little value. According to Levin (2006), while there are indeed sociological researches that
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Reflective Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2
Reflective Journal - Assignment Example In my opinion, the perception of Total Quality Management (TQM) is essential to consider by an organisation, as in recent times, customers have increased their expectations towards availing their respective desired products. To fulfil the sophistication in products that would raise customer satisfaction, project management must have to introduce TQM concept. Justifiably, if customers do not accept the exact service that they want, they seek for other alternatives and thus create a worsened situation for any particular project. There usually lay several chances for having customer’s dissatisfaction in terms of cost as well as quality along with service. From the basis of discussion, I would like to state that when a project results into cost-effective with minimum quality as well as fulfil all the desirable characteristics from customers’ perception, they become satisfied and after that, such project could be wrapped rapidly (Frame, 2002). For instance, in terms of an on line product like a dress material, a customer may select the material through online marketing site of a company and likewise order that particular item. The site would provide opportunity to the customers like cash on delivery and free shipping. Three days later after ordering, the product would reach to customers’ destination. If there does not exist any such problem in the product, the customer should be happy and remain satisfied with the product and likewise provide the purchasing costs without any hesitation. However, I think these circumstances would change if the product does not contain the same colour or the expected material does not get matched with the delivered product. By considering the above stated circumstances, the customer could refuse to accept the product and the management should recreate the whole process again for gaining the satisfaction level of such customer. After smooth completion of the process, the online company could be able to receive cash
Monday, September 23, 2019
Fine Arts Lsson #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Fine Arts Lsson #1 - Essay Example gures shown in the website look photographed, and seeing them would entice anyone to come to the museum to take pictures with figures of their favorite personalities. There are a number of figures shown in the website but my attention was drawn to the wax figures of Hollywood actors such as Denzel Washington, Johnny Depp, and Robin Williams. These famous Hollywood personalities have their own identities, which the wax sculptors have captured in wax form. The wax figures have some noticeable characteristics that give meaning to the work of art. These include shape, line, texture, and color. The first thing that one can notice in the wax figures is shape. Unlike other figures that one can see in museums and parks, the wax figures at Madame Tussaud’s are shaped to reveal the identity of the model. They are not just plain figures striking a pose or statues holding a symbol of identity. Rather, they are shaped to imply their personal character, the way people know them in the movies. For example, Robin Williams smiles and holds out his left hand to the audience, suggesting a jolly and welcoming attitude, whereas Denzel Washington has his right hand stretched out across his abdomen, which connotes his serious character and masculinity. Meanwhile, Johnny Depp’s pose is likewise serious but his figure is a little too stiff, which makes it less realistic than the other two figures. Also, I believe that the jaws of Depp are not as wide as that of the figure. Nonetheless, Depp’s figure also draws attention because of its color. See Figure 1. One important aspect that deserves attention is line. Notably, the lines applied in the wax figure of Robin Williams are excellent. They are well-planned, varied, and meaningful. The lines are mostly visible on the face of the actor, especially on his forehead, thus suggesting old age. The wrinkles vary in depth to add to the facial expression. The lines for the lips are curved in a natural way to make the figure look realistic.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Strategic retail plan for Spinneys Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Strategic retail plan for Spinneys - Essay Example This paper will conduct a situation audit for Spinneys. The plan will involve doing an analysis of the company internal and external activities. This will mean doing a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threats) analysis. The plan will assist in developing the mission statement and assist in developing the core values of the business. The plan will help in developing goals and suggest ways of accomplishing those goals. Spinneys require an effective, strategic plan to continue growing and improving. The plan assists in monitoring and evaluating the company capabilities. The plan will provide crucial information required to update and improve the company in general. A situation audit for Spinneys will commence with a frame work evaluating the objectives, strategy and capabilities of the company (George, 1987). The frame work will assist the company gauge its’ strength, know its areas of improvement and how to relate with the external environment. Spinneys mission statement is to create value to customers, employees, share hol ders and all partners. This mission statement is not effective as it does not give a continued direction and focus of the supermarket chain stores (Steen & Avery, 2010). A vision statement should show hope for the company and customers. Spinneys vision statement states the desire of the company to grow in Lebanon. The statement has failed in that it does not show any hope for the customer. The value statement is equally valuable in a situation audit. It depicts the fundamental values of a company. Spinneys’ value statement which include - Respect, Integrity, Customer Satisfaction, Team Spirit, Performance and Corporate Citizenship combines the interest of all stakeholders. The external analysis of Spinneys Company is favourable. The company stake holders have a positive impression. Spinneys Company enjoys volume sales. This has
Saturday, September 21, 2019
This Is Just to Say Essay Example for Free
This Is Just to Say Essay Out of all the poems that we have viewed in the first two weeks of class the one that caught my attention was the poem by William Carlos Williams, â€Å"This is Just to Say†. This poem was so short and so simple but seemed to be so much more than what it really is. The poem by William Carlos Williams; â€Å"This is Just to Say†is difficult to dissect. In shorter poems the perception of what it actually means I feel is harder to find. Being the poem is only 28 words and no word is over 3 syllables it seems that this was an intended note left for someone to find. This poem; This is Just to Say was written in 1934 and it is still unknown to whom or what the poem was intended for. As for I reading this poem it seems as if this was left for a lover. I have intended that this note was left for a lover because they have made the plums the center piece of the poem. Fruits in general are an exotic and forbidden form of love and they use the plums in a seductive way to the reader. I came to the generalization that the plums were not edible for the fact that the last ten words in the poem are; â€Å"forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold†; the sender of the poem is pleading for forgiveness for the fact of eating the frozen plums. Also the fact, that the plums were in an icebox so sweet and so cold it feels as if they were not meant for eating. The perspective I am getting from this is that they wanted to let the reader know they were there intended to leave a trace behind and not just a note. It seems as if the writer knew what they were doing and the plums were a significant meaning to the reader and that the poem took little to no time to write. The poem illustrates great detail in so little words giving you an endless amount of thought to why the sender has eaten these so sweet and so cold plums that were in the icebox. The sender seems as if they planned to write their receiver a note and had to input a secret message as to why they actually have written it. In many cases poems are about love and hidden messages that only the writer can tell you the intended meaning of it. Due to the fact that William Carlos Williams never answered the questions asked about this specific poem he wrote in 1934 his answers to all our questions will remain unknown forever.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Christmas and Chinese New Year Festival | Comparison
Christmas and Chinese New Year Festival | Comparison After researching both Christmas and the Chinese New Year Festival, interesting similarities between the two unique celebrations came into fruition. For instance, both contain traditional meals, presents, feasts, decorations, songs, poems, God(s), folk lore, and are family oriented occasions. When discovering similarities, there were also perceptible differences between the two, such as the time of year, and the significance of the occasion within their respective cultures. This paper will be showcasing both Christmas, and the Chinese New Year Festival in terms of their origins, as well as the similarities and differences they both share. Christmas is a religious celebratory holiday, which embraces the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve takes place on December 24th, the day before Jesus Christ is born. This is the day where family members gather for a festive meal, which in North America, usually consists of a large turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, gravy and wine. It is significant to know that different cultures may eat different meals. According to Wikipedia.org, â€Å"In Poland, traditional Christmas Eve meals include one or more of the following foods: Golabki filled with Kasza, Pierogi, Borscht, fish soup, carp, and pickled Herring. Krupnik is sometimes drunk after dinner,†[1] and â€Å"In the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, a coin is concealed in a bread loaf and the host breaks a piece of the loaf at the dinner table for each member of the household: it is believed that the one who gets the piece of bread with the coin will be fortunate in the forthcoming year. The dinner is accordin g to the rules of fasting: fish, baked beans, sauerkraut, walnuts and red wine are common. The dessert may consist of apples and dried fruits: plums, dates, figs. The table is usually not cleared after the dinner and until the next morning, to leave some food for the holly spirits a custom which probably comes from pagan pre-Christian times.†[2] Also, there are many families whom may attend mass or choose to â€Å"divine fast†[3]on this day, as a means to celebrate on the night before Jesus birth. It is important to know that non-religious individuals may also celebrate Christmas as well, whom primarily focus on the family, feasting, and gift giving aspect of Christmas. Some may view Santa Claus, a mythological figure, to be more important than Jesus Christ. Santa Claus is known for travelling across the world on December 24th, from the North Pole, delivering presents to the â€Å"nice†children, while the â€Å"naughty†children receive a lump of coal. H ence, Santas list for delivering gifts to children is called the â€Å"naughty or nice list.†Santa Clause originates from â€Å"St. Nicholas, whom tried to help others while inspiring his virtues. Legends of his unselfish giving spread all over Northern Europe, and accounts of his heroic deeds blended with regional folklore. Eventually, the image of the stately saint was transformed onto an almost mystical being, one known for rewarding the good and punishing the bad.†[4] How Santa Clauss name came to be in North America was due to Dutch immigrants whom â€Å"presented Sinterklaas (meaning St. Nicholas) to the colonies. In their excitement, many English-speaking children uttered the name so quickly that Sinterklaas sounded like Santy Claus. After years of mispronunciation, the name evolved into Santa Claus.†[5] December 25th is the day where Jesus Christ, known to many Christians as their savior, is born. This is the day where a few individuals will put up nume rous decorations, although many will decorate in advance. Examples of decorations used for Christmas are; miniature size nativity scene figures, stockings, wreaths, ornaments, candles, mistletoes, garlands, poinsettias, Christmas lights and most importantly, the Christmas tree. â€Å"The origin of the tree is credited to Saint Boniface (circa 722) who stopped a child from becoming a human sacrifice to a pagan god by striking down the oak tree destined for use as the stake. A fir tree sprang up in its place and he declared it a holy tree and instructed the faithful to carry one to their homes and surround it with love and gifts.†[6] Ultimately, the blending of numerous cultures is how Santa Claus, as well as the numerous traditions on Christmas Eve and Day, came to be. The Chinese New Year Festival is a major holiday, which has been celebrated in mainland China for many centuries, taking place on â€Å"the second New Moon after the winter solstice.†[7] It is significant to know that this festival is also celebrated in other countries by its Chinese inhabitants, while various foreigners have been known to participate in the festivities as well. During this coming year, 2010, the Chinese will be celebrating the year of the tiger, the first day being on February 14th. â€Å"According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien (Chinese: ?;pinyin: nià ¡n). Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year.†[8] The Chinese not only used food as a means to protect themselves from Nian, but they al so released firecrackers, and wore red attire. Hence, the color red is strongly used throughout the festival, such as clothing, decorations, envelopes, sweets, gifts, etc. When families come together, they will feast on meat, noodles, rice, dumplings, mandarin oranges, sweets, and so forth. Before the feast, which takes place on the Eve of Chinese New Year, red envelopes with money inside and gifts should have already been distributed amongst family members, and children. The Chinese New Year consists of fifteen days, with the majority of the days each signifying different customs and actions. For instance, â€Å"The first day of the Lunar New Year is â€Å"the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth.†Many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them,†[9] â€Å"The fifth day is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck,†[10] â€Å"the seventh day of the New Year is the day for farmers to display their produce. These farmers make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. The seventh day is also considered the birthday of human beings. Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success,†[11] and on â€Å"the 10th through the 12th are days that friends and relatives should be invited for dinner. After so much rich food, on the 13th day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens (choi sum) to cleanse the system.†[12] These are just a few of the customs that the Chinese celebrate throughout their New Year Festival. â€Å"It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of â €Å"happiness†, â€Å"wealth†, and â€Å"longevity†.†[13] Decorations are usually red, consisting of pictures, greetings, and Chinese idioms. On the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year Festival, the Lantern Festival takes place. During this period, numerous individuals decorate the streets with Lanterns they have lit, which are primarily red. Some people may add their own unique individuality to a lantern, by adding a song or a poem to it. The Chinese New Year Festival is a high-spirited, content time where family and friends come together in order to celebrate years of tradition, such as feasts, decorations, gifts, envelopes, mythology, fortune gods, national pride, etc. It is also an influential festival that has spread across the world, blending in with copious cultures. It is fascinating to learn that Christmas and the Chinese New Year have actual similarities, with slight variations to them. For instance, the use of flowers is strongly used in both celebrations, although the Chinese convention for flowers has a more significant meaning within their culture. A certain flower can symbolize different connotations, for instance, longevity, luck, prosperity, tranquility, health, etc. The Chinese are known for using many different flowers for the Chinese New Year Festival, such as pussy willows, plum blossoms, water lilies, bamboo, and so forth. For example, the reason for using pussy willows for the Chinese New Year is â€Å"In Cantonese, â€Å"Yin Liu†sounds like â€Å"Yin Lou†which is similar to â€Å"Yin Liang†(money). Therefore, having this plant around during Chinese New Year would represent the invitation of abundant luck and prosperity into homes.†[14] As for western cultures, when celebrating Christmas, individuals use flowers mostly as decorations. It is principal to know, that there is an origin story of how the poinsettia became the official flower for Christmas. â€Å"The poinsettia is a shrub that features green leaves combined with red, white, or pink leaves surrounding tiny yellow flowers. Used by the Aztecs as a dye and medicine, it is native to Mexico and Central America where it is known as â€Å"Flores de Noche Buena†(Flower of the Holy Night) and was used in these areas by Franciscan friars in Nativity processions as early as the 17th century.†[15] In terms of sweets and baked goods, sticky cake and Christmas cake closely resemble one another. Sticky cake, also known as Neen Gow, is a fruitcake that can be either steamed or baked. This particular cake is made in appreciation for the kitchen god. The Christmas cake started out as porridge from the English, evolving over the past couple of centuries into a fruit cake. The ingredients usually consist of eggs, flour, su gar, butter, marzipan, spices, dried fruit, spices, and whisky. â€Å"All Christmas cakes are made in advance. Many make them in November, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container. A small amount of brandy, sherry or whisky is poured into holes in the cake every week until Christmas. This process is called â€Å"feeding†the cake.†[16]Both celebrations are also known for the process of giving and receiving gifts to friends and/or relatives. For instance, during the Chinese New Year, individuals will give gifts, which â€Å"are usually brought when visiting friends or relatives at their homes. Common gifts include fruits (typically oranges, and never pears), cakes, biscuits, chocolates, candies, or some other small gift.†[17] Christmas gifts are also distributed, and some gifts can be similar to those that are given on the Chinese New Year, but Christmas gifts usually consist from a large variety of options. For example, food, alcohol, jewelry, elect ronics, toys, household appliances, automobiles, etc. Christmas and the Chinese New Year are both important celebratory occasions, which can bring joy and anticipation amongst those whom celebrate these events. These are times when family, friends and even complete strangers, can come together in harmonious enthusiasm. Both events contain similarities, such as, folk lore, feasts, decorations, gifts, traditions, songs, poems, flowers, God(s), games, etc. Christmas, a westernized occasion, may contain different significance and symbolic meanings to those whom celebrate it rather than those whom celebrate the Chinese New Year. But, the most important thing about these two occasions, even with their differences, is they bring people together, and are both accepting towards all cultures and beliefs. Works Cited Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.wikipedia.org/chinesesnewyear Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.ci.lenoir.nc.us/index.asp?Type=B_EVSEC=%7BF083A2AC-A24E-4B3B-8944-F912226F078D%7DDE=%7B817E6FA1-42C1-4B01-8A28-F0EF2477494F%7D Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm (December.2, 2001)The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 (February.8, 2007) Popular Chinese New Year Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Davis, John K. (November.10, 2009)The Origins of Traditional Holiday Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve References Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.wikipedia.org/chinesesnewyear Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.ci.lenoir.nc.us/index.asp?Type=B_EVSEC=%7BF083A2AC-A24E-4B3B-8944-F912226F078D%7DDE=%7B817E6FA1-42C1-4B01-8A28-F0EF2477494F%7D Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm (December.2, 2001)The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 (February.8, 2007) Popular Chinese New Year Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Davis, John K. (November.10, 2009)The Origins of Traditional Holiday Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November 27,2009 from http://www.calendar-updates.com/info/holidays/us/christmaseve.aspx Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://www.ornamentshop.com/history_story/part1.asp Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm (December.2, 2001)The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.wikipedia.org/chinesesnewyear Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.ci.lenoir.nc.us/index.asp?Type=B_EVSEC=%7BF083A2AC-A24E-4B3B-8944-F912226F078D%7DDE=%7B817E6FA1-42C1-4B01-8A28-F0EF2477494F%7D (February.8, 2007) Popular Chinese New Year Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Davis, John K. (November.10, 2009)The Origins of Traditional Holiday Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Military Investigation Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Military Investigation Military Intelligence Organizations Military Intelligence is a division of military the purpose of which is to exploit the number of information collected and analysis techniques in order to provide guidance and directions to commanders in support of the crucial decisions made by them. They do it by performing an analysis and assessment of the available data which they gathers from wide range of sources, guiding and directing the commanders to make decisions or respond to focused questions as part of their operational campaign. The collected information is first identified and then incorporated into the process of intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination. Military Intelligence Organizations have played their role in resolving conflicts in any nation. Discusses here is the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the role of U.S. Military Intelligence Organizations to resolve it. The incident took place on August 2 4 1964 (Kim, 1999). This was the incident that helped the America’s involvement in Vietnam War. Gulf of Tonkin Incident Overview When President Lyndon b. took over charge of the country after the death of President John F. Kennedy, he became worried about the South Vietnam’s ability to keep away the Communist Viet Cong guerillas that were actively operating at that time in the country. In order to follow the established policy of containment, the Secretary of Defense at that time Robert McNamara started to increase the military aid to South Vietnam (Trueman, 2000). Many Norwegian built fast patrol boats (PTFs) were purchased and sent to South Vietnam. These PTFs helped in conducting a series of attacks on coastal areas of South Vietnam as part of Operation 34A. 34A was originally began by Central Intelligence Agency in 1961, it was a extremely classified program of the covert operations against North Vietnam. Due to several early failed attacks, in 1964 it was transferred to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, and the focus of it was shifted towards maritime operations. In due course of time, U.S. Navy was also instructed to conduct Desoto patrols off the North Vietnam. The Desoto Patrols consisted of the American warships cruising in international waters in order to conduct electronic surveillance operations (Shane, 2001). As a result of 34A and the Desoto Patrols, the ships offshore were made able to collect important information about the North Vietnamese Military capabilities. The First Attack On July 31, 1964 the destroyer USS Maddox conducted the Desoto Patrol off North Vietnam (Paterson, 2008). Under the operational command of Captain John J. Herrick, it steamed through the Gulf of Tonkin collecting intelligence information. This mission was accompanied by several 34A attacks including many big attacks on two islands of North Vietnam. The Government of North Vietnam decided to strike the USS Maddox and on August 2, three Soviet built P-4 Motor torpedo boats were dispatched to attack the destroyer. About twenty-eight miles cruising in international waters, the torpedo caught the USS Maddox. In the meanwhile, Herrick requested for air support from the U.S. Air Force. The request was granted and the four F-8 Crusaders were sent towards the Maddox position. Herrick also ordered to fire the three warning shots if the torpedo reaches a range of 10,000 yards of ship. These warning shots were fired and the P-4s launched their first torpedo attack. The Maddox scored fire on P-4s and was just being hit by one 14.5 millimeter machine gun bullet. Soon after fifteen minutes, the F- crusades arrived to rescue the Maddox and started hitting the targeted fires on North Vietnamese boats, damaging the two and leaving the third one dead in the waters. The attack was retreated and the Maddox returned to join its friends but the Desoto mission was continued as per orders of the commander in the Pacific. The Second Attack On August 4, the American radars, sonar and radio signals were received of another North Vietnam attacks. Taking evasive action, the U.S. Maddox fired on numerous radar signals targets. After this incident (Parados, 2004), Herrick was not sure that his ship was attacked by the North Vietnam. Reporting at 1:27 AM Washington times that due to freak weather, the radar and sonar signals did report some of the enemy ships but nothing has been visualized by the Maddox. After suggesting the complete evaluation of the affair conducted by the U.S military intelligence, Herrick radioed a request asking for a complete reconnaissance in daylight by the aircrafts. But the American aircrafts flying over the area failed to find out any North Vietnam ship. Although there were doubts about the second attack, those present on Maddox were convinced that the attack did happen. This along with the flawed signals intelligence from the National Security Agency led the forces to attack retaliatory airstrikes against North Vietnam. On August 5, the Operation Pierce Arrow saw aircrafts from USS Ticonderoga and USS Constellation strike and attack about thirty North Vietnam vessels. Although the subsequent research and records prove that the second attack didn’t happen. This was also reinforced by the statements from the retired Vietnamese Defense Minister who admitted the August 2 attack but denied the second attack. After ordering the airstrikes, soon Johnson went on to address the nation on television regarding the incident. He in his address requested the passage of a resolution, which expresses the unity and determination of the United States in support of their freedom and in the hope to protect peace in the Southeast Asia (Cohen Solomon, 1994). He also argued that he didn’t want a wider war, and said that United States would continue to protect its national interests. As approved on August 6, 1964, the Southeast Asia (Gulf of Tonkin) Resolution, gave Johnson the power to use military intelligence and force in the region without requiring a declaration of war. Later on over the next few years, Johnson used this resolution to rapidly escalate the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Intelligence has fulfilled the wider ranging and very important functions in different section including security, diplomacy and statecraft (Augustin, 2009). However in past few years, the role of military intelligence in resolution of conflicts has expanded and broadened its range and now it forms the core element of conflict management policies and procedures. Ancient Greece is the first democracy in the world. It has established several institutions that served as intelligence services. Proxenia were the upper class citizens of Greece who served as top class agents. They used to collect information and even executed the assassinations if required. The Heralds collected the public and private information. Both were protected by the Law of Greece and only the Heralds used to get the rewards of bringing good news back to the nation. Greece impressive political and military achievements really lacked the true intelligence system like today. Although they didn’t have the proper intelligence system like today but still they had the intelligence cycle existed in their military endeavors. The two major requirements of intelligence services are democratic control and the effectiveness of the actions and activities (Augustin, 2009). African countries always had difficulties in managing and creating the solid intelligence systems. The territory of the Sahara Dessert is always problematic so the military intelligence related to that area is restricted. In 1997, the African countries created a security sector reform whose purpose was to try and narrow the challenges and constraints of developing a proper military intelligence system in the area. The main challenges that African countries are facing these days include the legacy of the African socialism and colonialism, autocratic military and security services and the unknown and informal activities of the military intelligence services. Gambia established the National Intelligence Agency in order to protect the regime. The unsuccessful attempts of Eisenhower and Kennedy to remove Castro from the power are considered as the failed military intelligence actions (Augustin, 2009). According to them the biggest threat to democracy is the communism. In Cuba, the America supported the Batista leading anti-communist government. After Castro being elected to power, he started quickly eliminating his enemies. And started to nationalize the economy and created knots with the USSR. His actions made it clear by 1960 that he was following the communism path for the Cuba. Eisenhower tried to remove the Castro from power by training Anti-Castro forces and sneaking them into Cuba. They began to target the Cuban sugar fields and the CIA developed an assassination program to eliminate Castro. Although such attempts were failed again and again, Kennedy tried to invade the Cuba by the Bay of Pigs operation but that was again a failure. This was all due to the strong military intelligence of Castro which saved him from all the American attacks. The Shah of Iran has a weak legitimacy and had lot of enemies (Augustin, 2009), ], so to overcome them in 1957, he formed the SAVAK, a national intelligence and security organization. The SAVAK served a tool to torture and eliminated anyone who could prove as a threat to the Shah and his dynasty. No open opposition was allowed against the institution in Iran during Shah Regime, but with the passage of time the resistance of people became worst. Khomeini got exiled to Iraq and then to France because of his increasing popularity and threat to his life. In 1977, censorship law was introduced in Iran in order to retain the Shah’s power but due to his detachment from the public, the public dismissed him and Khomeini came to power after the over throw of the Shah of Iran .In 1980 under the rule of Reagan (Augustin, 2009), The U.S. Intelligence Community realized a need for more intense intervention in Central America in order to stop the communist expansion. El Salvador’s mil itary government was the only potential barrier against the communism in the Central America. The DIA also tried to help the government of El Salvador to assist them fight against the leftist group called as FMLN. The DIA worked and operated with the direct military intelligence information sharing and between 1987 to 1989 a guerilla attack was made by the FMLN which surprised the El Salvador and the American armies. This also showed that how little the U.S support helped. Over all the defense of the El Salvador is considered as the failure in the history of the U.S. military intelligence. Intelligence is basically the sociological phenomenon that is used for the information gathering and to ensure the prevention of hostility (Augustin, 2009). It is important to differentiate between the intelligence that has been existed in any nation and the intelligence that is established as a result of state concept. Intelligence cycle, covert actions and counter intelligence are all the components necessary for decision making process. Intelligence focuses on the hostility both in democracies and non-democracies tenures. Intelligence in democratic system must have strong relations with the citizens and must work under a legal framework. The functions and scope of working of intelligence agencies must be clarified and their methods of working and sources of information must be protected. However intelligence in the non-democratic system concentrates more on internal opposition rather than external threats. So the intelligence is outside of the scope of legal framework in non-democ ratic system while intelligence in democracies should only be used to measure level of democracy in the country. In 1960, the Egyptian forces entered in Sinai which was a big surprise to Israel (Augustin, 2009). The IDF couldn’t respond in time and it lead to the result that intelligence was needed for an earlier warning of possible Egyptian attack. The methods or tools for an earlier warning were HUMINT, the SIGINT and the VISINT. The 1960 rotten affair and the 1973 Vom Kippur war failure show failure of the intelligence system and a need for strong intelligence system. References [1] Sankt Augustin (2009), Intelligence and Democracies in Conflict and Peace, retrieved from, http://www.kas.de/israel/en/publications/18450/ [2] Tom Kim (1999), The Gulf of Tonkin Incident 1964, retrieved from, http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/usa/GulfTonkin.html [3] Chris Trueman (2000), Gulf of Tonkin 1964, retrieved from http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/gulf_tonkin_1964.htm [4] Scot Shane (2001), The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, retrieved from http://911review.com/precedent/century/tonkin.html [5] Lieutenant Commander Pat Paterson, U.S. Navy (2008), The Truth about Tonkin, retrieved from http://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2008-02/truth-about-tonkin [6] John Parados (2004), The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 40 Years later, retrieved from http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/ [7] Jeff Cohen and Norman Solomon (1994), 30-Years anniversary, Tonkin Gulf Lie Launched Vietnam War, retrieved from http://fair.org/media-beat-column/30-year-anniversary-tonkin-gulf-lie-launched-vietnam-war/
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Chinese Immigration Into America Essay -- essays research papers
Chinese Immigration into America Surprisingly, Asian Americans have been in America for over 150 years. They are as diverse as the immigrants from Europe, ranging from China, Japan, Korea, Cambodia, Korea, Philippines, India, Vietnam, and Laos. (Takaki, page 8) When many people think of American Immigrants, Asians are on the last of their lists. In The Uprooted, Harvard historian, Oscar Handlin, prize winning book with the subtitle "the Epic Story of the Great Migrations that Made the American People," completely left out the "uprooted" from the lands across the Pacific Ocean. (Takaki, page 10) This paper will give some information pertaining to the Chinese immigration into America. China is one of the world's oldest civilizations. It influence have reverberated throughout Asia. It's presence is felt in many of the surrounding cultures. The Chinese people have tried to keep their society pure from outside sources. When foreigners entered their homeland and poisoned the population with drugs, the culture could not stop the imminent alteration of their ways. China was weakened severely and was taken advantage of by many countries. Chinese came to America for a myriad of reasons. The main reason was because of the myth of the Gam Saan ("Golden Mountain.") Other reasons were due to overpopulation, poverty, hunger, flooding, high taxes, bad economy, collapsing government, and crop failure. (Takaki, page 38) James Marshall discovery of gold in California in 1848 prompted many Chinese to take a sojourn into America to get rich quick. A young man in Canton wrote to his brother in Boston saying, "good many Americans speak of California, Oh! Very rich country! O hear good many Americans and Europeans go there very much. I think I shall go to California next summer." Stories like these built up this dream of the "Golden Mountain." The plan for most Chinese was to make their fortune, and return home to their family. The dream of getting rich quick has been around for ages. Due to this, a trickle of immigrants turned into a deluge. The whole thing began in 1835. William Hooper, a young man from Boston, visited a sugar mill in Hawaii. He became determined to start the first sugar plantation in Hawaii. Without a large supply of laborers, Hooper hired "Chinamen" to aid in the su... ...are or "china", is revered by many Americans. Even the name of the represents Americas debt. In addition, many Chinese trinkets and artwork are prized possessions among the American society. The immigration of the Chinese into the United States has greatly supplemented the cultural heritage of the nation. (Melendy, page i) "Asians with their capacity for hard work in the face of economic and social adversity and to advance economically, have created cultural microcosms form which their children venture to become Americans." (Melendy, page i) Unlike most European immigrants, Asians tend to disprove the original Melting Pot theory of America. The Asians, "†¦ did not wish to amalgamate with the dominant society and most certainly white Americans of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made it abundantly clear that they were opposed to Asian immigration and settlement." (Melendy, page i) The United States is a nation of immigrants. "All groups have left their mark upon the country's fabric. Their physical stamina and intellectual abilities have enabled them to make their mark and to add measurably to the American heritage." (Melendy, page 182)
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Corporate Control :: essays research papers
Title: Corporate Control Author: Annonymous Rating: 0 Rate this Paper It seems that there is an ever-increasing trend in our society. Big corporations are becoming more and more influential in our lives. As they gain more and more muscle in our government they also invade our schools and many other facets of our lives. Perhaps the most disturbing area of potential influence, however, is corporate control of the media. Can the American media uphold its values of free press under pressure from big corporations? Can they continue to present the absolute truth? The simple answer, especially in my opinion, is no. The movie The Insider provides us with an excellent case to back that point of view. Perhaps one of the biggest stories of this decade has been the tobacco industry. We saw them stand before Congress and tell the world that cigarettes were not addictive. The industry was able to â€Å"lawyer†its way out of trouble time and time again. They essentially used legal maneuvers, and certainly money, to keep the truth from the American people. Fin ally, we saw all that come to an end. When Jeff Wigand decided it was time to tell the truth, he put everything he valued at risk. He stood to loose his family, any chance at a job, and quite possibly his life. He knew all these things and still he went on, because he thought he could make a difference. He knew that his testimony would never be heard in a court of law, so where could he turn. The answer: the fourth and fifth estates, or the press and television. Every night millions of Americans sit down and watch the nightly news or read the paper. We know that we will be told all the days news, that we will be educated about what is happening in the world around us. We also know that we will be updated on issues that we care about as individuals and a society. Another delivery mechanism for information is television magazine shows like 60 Minutes. People know that when Mike Wallace talks to them, they should listen. They can also look at his reputation and know that he is telling the truth. Wigand put faith in that fact. Wigand agreed to do an interview with 60 Minutes because he knew that people would listen. He knew that the absolute truth would finally be out in the open, and that it would come from a source that people would believe.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Family Essay :: essays research papers
When I was in India, I have heard lot of people going America for study. One of my cousins also came her for study. She told me that study in America and in India is so different. I was very eager to know about it. She told me the main difference is: The relationship between teacher and student, study policy, unity of students. To respect teachers is very important in India. Students have to respect their teachers. When they attend school every student has to respect teachers by standing up. They are not allowed to argue with teachers. If they try to do argue with teachers then they must thrown out of the class or may be out of the school. While here in America students call their names and disrespect teachers. I like one thing most that here students has to change room to attend the classes but in India teachers has to change the room to teach the students which is very unhealthy for students. Policies in Indian schools/collages are same for students. It is very unusual for Indian students to different policies from different professors. Policies like: Attendance policy, exam policy, grading policy. In America schools aren’t strict for students. They can take as many leaves as they want. The Indian schools are very strict for teenage students. The colleges are very smooth to go because no need to go to collage and here in America each and every day student have to attend collage. The Indian college has no policy for exam if one has missed the test then its all over. While in here everyone can get chance to make up the test. Unity of students is the most important. In collages students celebrate all the festival together with teachers. It is not important while celebrating that student is Hindu or Muslim or christen.
Athens VS Sparta Essay
Athens and Sparta were two of the greatest Greek city states ever. Not only do these two cities have many differences but they also have some things in common too. But only one could be the best, was it Sparta or Athens? Many people think that Sparta and Athens were completely different, but this is not true, they had many similarities. To start off they were both two of the most powerful and important city states in ancient Greece. Sparta with it amazing army and Athens cultural legacy, they both set the stage for the history of ancient Greece. These two cities’ also had very strict social classes, for example in both city’s wealthy land owners were the top class and slaves were the bottom class. Sparta and Athens were both strong in certain militaristic areas. Athens had very powerful Navy, while Sparta had one of the best Army’s in ancient times. Lastly, both belonged to leagues of allies. Sparta belonged to the Peloponnesian league and Athens belonged to the Delian League. Although Athens and Sparta have things in common they were more different than they were alike. For example the lives of the Spartans revolved around war, preparing for war, educating their kids for war and conquering other countries during war. While Athens had other priorities, like culture, art, education and unification. Spartan children were only educated in the art of battle and taught how to fight, while Athenian children were educated in math, music, poetry and sports. Spartan women also had more rights than Athenian women. Women in Athens were not allowed to leave their homes or participate in any events; they were considered property of their husbands and were responsible for the household duties. On the other hand Spartan women were educated in reading and writing, could participate in sports, own their own land and were treated more as equals. Sparta was one of the first places in the world to start women’s rights. The governments in these two city states were also very different. In Athens there was a direct democracy, meaning all the male citizens of Athens could vote on the laws being passed. Athens believed that all citizens should be included in government decisions and tried to unite the people. Sparta though, had an Oligarchy which was ruled by 2 kings who were usually in command of the armies. Lastly, the cultures of Athens and Sparta were very different. Athens was a united beautiful city full of art, architecture, literature, philosophy, science, medicine and they enjoyed a variety of luxurious foods in their diets. Although, Sparta on the other hand was not very unified, extremely military based and the people didn’t enjoy many luxuries for example the Spartan diet mainly consisted of pork, blood, salt and vinegar. Athens and Sparta were both wonderful cities but only one could be the best, and that was Athens. Athens was the better city in pretty much all aspects of life. The people prospered in Athens they enjoyed fine dining and art, unlike those in Sparta. Athens focused on so much more than just war; this is why Athens was the city that had some of the best cultural achievements in ancient society. They made beautiful art, medical advancements and were one of the first democratic governments, paving the way for countries today like the USA. Athens was cleaner, nicer and prettier which would have made it a much more enjoyable place to live. Athens may not have had as good of an army as Sparta but in the end cultural and society advancements are more important than having the best army in the world. All these reasons and more just shows how much better Athens is than Sparta. Two of the most powerful cities’ in the ancient times, Sparta and Athens were alike and different. They were both unique in different ways and each thrived in different areas. But in the end, it is an obvious choice that Athens was clearly the better Greek City State.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Communication Essay
Companies often organize their departments into teams that support each other to complete tasks or projects. When working in groups, communication is vital to the success of the team. Teams must work well individually as well as a members of a team. Communication on an individual level differs from communication within a group. Individually, you must actively listen and insure accurate understanding, offer to help solve problems, and focus on not being distracted by your own emotions. You cannot allow your emotions to distract you or cause you to miss the key points or misinterpret information. As an individual you must attend all group meetings, provide feedback and input to the discussions, and be respectful to others input and views. It is important that everyone in the group understand their role and responsibilities to the group. Everyone must contribute to discussions and meetings, and there should not be any silent members. To promote group discussion, you can start by going around the group and allowing each person to speak. This will allow each person a chance to be involved in the discussion and will spark topics of discussion. When working in a group, conflicts usually arise and should be dealt with immediately and directly. Ignoring conflict or disagreements will cause the team to be lose focus, become less productive. Most conflicts result from poor communication and misinterpretations. To resolve conflicts, it is important to locate where the break-down in communication happened. By talking through the conflict with the members of the group, and redefining tasks and objectives, the team can resolve these types of issues. To foster good communication within a group every member must listen to each other, work collaboratively to make decisions, adapt to changes and communication styles, assign specific tasks, set clear deadlines and expectations, and conduct follow-up meetings to review.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
America’s Greatest Fear Essay
The Ebola virus was discovered in the late 1970s by the international community as the causative agent of major outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in Africa’s Sudan and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan (Vasilyevich IV, et al. 2005). Immediately, the International scientific teams moved in to deal with these highly virulent epidemics where their findings revealed that the transmission had exponentially ceased; however, the team could not reconstruct a considerable data from the survivors of the epidemic. The high death rate of medical staff resulted to the closure of many medical facilities, thus doing away with major centers for dissemination of infection through the use of untreated needles, syringes and the lack of barrier-nursing techniques. The deadly Ebola virus is killing thousands of innocent people worldwide, but there are steps being taken to prevent the virus from spreading. In 1989, Ebola virus was reported in the United States of America when it appeare d in monkeys who were imported into a Reston, Virginia, primate facility outside of Washington, DC. Epidemics in monkeys which occurred in this facility and others lasted through 1992 (Georges, 1997) and recurred in 1996. Later, epidemiologic studies were conducted in connection with both epidemics and they successfully traced the virus introductions to one Philippine exporter. However, the studies failed to detect the actual cause and source of the virus. Due to political instability, scientists’ attempts to work in the remote areas where the monkeys were seized have been too small. Laboratory studies were stimulated in order to control these introduced virus outbreaks which were realized in 1989 and chimpanzee inbreed in the 1990s in order to improve diagnosis of nonhuman primate infections (Fields, et Al 1996). However, it has not been confirmed since the materials that were necessary to definitively confirm the utility of these techniques for humans were not provided. After Ebola hemorrhagic fever was discovered in Africa between 1976 and 1979, it was not seen again unti l the year 1994. It is believed by scientists that during this time, possibly it was circulating in its natural reservoir. On the other hand, the virus might have been causing sporadic human infections that remained undetected because Ebola patients never contaminated medical facilities to produce the savage nosocomial epidemics that brought Ebola virus to medical attention. Between 1981 and 1985, Ebola virus surveillance was carried out simultaneously with intensified efforts to contain monkey pox (Vasilyevich IV, et al. 2005). This surveillance may have identified several cases and estimated the prevalence among the population; however, the findings are subject to caveats because of problems with the validity of laboratory tests. Serosurveillance in 1995 also suggested that human infections may have occurred from time to time. It is believed that the Ebola virus may have initially been transmitted to humans from bats (Renaud AA, et al. 199) Bioinformatics researchers all over the world especially those at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, have found that there is a concrete circumstantial case that says infection by bats is likely, but renowned scientists haven’t actually found strong evidence to support this hypothesis. During the period of 1994–1996, almost five independent active sites of Ebola virus transmission were identified: Cà ´te d’Ivoire in 1994 ; Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1995 (Georges, 1997) and Gabon in 1994, 1995, and 1996 . The initially known Zaire subtype of Ebola virus and the newly discovered Cà ´te d’Ivoire subtype were both involved in the report, and as in previous African Ebola virus transmissions, the active sites were within or near tropical forests, for instance along riverine forests. Ebola outbreaks have been reported since its discovery in late 1970s. The first outbreak happened in 1976 in the Republic of Congo. The disease was spread by close personal contact. There were 318 reported cases and 280 of the people died as a result of the virus. Years later in 1995 the Republic of Congo had yet another outbreak. This time 250 of the people infected died. In 2001 in Uganda Ebola appeared out of nowhere. There were 425 reported cases of the virus, 224 of the reported cases ended in death. The biggest outbreak came as of recently, this year. There was a widespread outbreak across West African countries. Over 9,000 reported cases came from this outbreak, 4,800 of the cases resulted in death. There were some people who came in contact with the Ebola virus that were from the United States. The Ebola virus mainly attacks cells of the lymphatic organs, liver, kidney, ovaries, testes, and the cells of the reticuloendothelial system. A trademark of Ebola is liver destruction. The person infected person with the virus loses a big amount of blood. In some of the deadly cases shock and acute respiratory disorder is prevalent. Some of the victims can be delirious from the high fevers. Many people die from the intractable shock. Research done on infectious Ebola and Marburg viruses are always done in a maximum biological containment setup popularly known as Biosafety Level 4. Biosafety Level 4 laboratories require extremely specialized equipment to prevent the spread of the pathogens that are investigated in them. Ebola is stable and remains infective at room temperature (20 °C), but it is mostly destroyed at 60 °C (Fields, et Al 1996) Its’ infectivity is also terminated by gamma and ultraviolet radiation, lipid solvents, ß-propiolactone, and commercial hypochlorite and phenolic disinfectants. Currently there is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola, it is better for prevalent measures be taken as a way of reducing Ebola infections. There are numerous ways to prevent yourself from Ebola. Practice careful hygiene; hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and clean water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Try as much as you can and avoid contact with blood and body fluids from uncertain people. Avoid handling items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids, such as clothes, bedding, needles, and medical equipment carelessly. Some bats are believed to be reservoirs of Ebola Virus and therefore avoid contact with such bats and other nonhuman primates or raw meat prepared from these animals. Tourists and travelers should avoid facilities in West Africa where Ebola patients are being treated. Healthcare workers who may be handling people infected with Ebola follow certain steps to ensure that they do not come in contact with the virus. It is recommended for one to wear appropriate personal protective equipment including impermeable gowns, gloves, and masks. Before being allowed to care for infected patients all workers must observe proper infection control and sterilization measures. Patients with Ebola must be isolated from other patients following strict contact and droplet isolation procedures. Members of the heath care team cannot come into contact with blood or body fluids, such as, feces, saliva, urine, vomit, and semen of a person who is infected with Ebola. People who have been infected and survived the Ebola virus can also spread the virus through semen for at least ninety days after being declared virus free. The symptoms Ebola are fever, diarrhea, vomiting, severe headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle pain, abdominal pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising. These symptoms are one of the major reasons Ebola is transmitted so easily. These symptoms are often described as â€Å"flu-like†or â€Å"stomach flu†symptoms and are easily overlooked. The Ebola symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, but in most reported cases the average is 8 to 10 days. Ebola is only transmitted when infected persons are actively showing symptoms. Currently there are only supportive treatments available to help care for Ebola patients. Patients will be given IV fluids to maintain fluid balance as Ebola is known to produce copious amounts of emesis and stool, medications to help maintain and regulate blood pressure, antipyretics for fevers, ventilation assistance for help with breathing, and dialysis if the patient does into kidney failure. There are experimental drugs that have been used in the treatment of Ebola. Drugs such as Z-Mapp and Brincidofovir have been used in patients to help beat the Ebola virus. While some patients have been successfully treated with these drugs it is also important to remember that these drugs could have many side effects and a testing has not been completed so there are still many questions to the safety and efficiency of their use. Before being approved for use in regular populations these drugs must complete clinical trials and be proven safe and effective. Patients who have survived Ebola have antibodies to the virus for about ten years. During this time they can be a vital source of help for others battling the virus. A donation of life saving plasma from a survivor to an infected person will help the person to begin developing antibodies to begin fighting the virus. To receive plasma the patients must have a matching blood type. Thousands of innocent people have died as the result of the deadly virus. Ebola has been around for over four decades and has really come into the main stream media focus. Ebola has not affected America in the ways that it has ravaged through many of the countries in Africa. To protect our families from this devastating and deadly virus we must practice impeccable hand hygiene and use good sense when travelling especially internationally. Work Cited Akinfeyeva LA, Aksyonova OI, Vasilyevich IV, et al. A case of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Infektsionnye Bolezni (Moscow). 2005;3(1):85–88 Emond RT, Evans B, Bowen ET, et al. A case of Ebola virus infection. British Medical Journal. 1977;2(6086):541-544. Fields, Bernard, ed. †Filoviridae: Marburg and Ebola Viruses.†Field’s Virology, Third Edition. Lippincott-Raven: New York. 1996. 1161-1176. Georges AJ, Leroy EM, Renaud AA, et al. Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Gabon, 1994-1997: epidemiologic and health control issues. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1999;179:S65-75. Khan AS, Tshioko FK, Heymann DL, et al. The Reemergence of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1999;179:S76-S86. Le Guenno, Bernard, P. Formenty, and C. Boesch. â€Å"Ebola Virus Outbreaks in the Ivory Coast and Liberia, 1994-1995.†Ibid. Okware SI, Omaswa FG, Zaramba S, et al. An outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. Tropical Medicine and International Health. 2002;7(12):1068-1075.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Christian religion Essay
A crucifix is not a mere cross, but a representation of Jesus’ body or corpus. Thus, the latin term corpus christi. Whereas, a cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The crucifix is crucial to the Christians because it’s the principal symbol of the Christian religion. It is primarily used in the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox Churches and emphasizes Christ’s sacrifice which is his death by crucifixion. Prayer in front of a crucifix is often part of devotion for Christians, especially those worshipping in a church, and private devotion in a chapel. The person may sit, stand, or kneel in front of the crucifix, sometimes looking at it in contemplation, or merely in front of it with head bowed or eyes closed. In the Catholic Mass, and Anglican Holy Eucharist, a procession begins Mass in which a crucifix is carried forward into the church followed by lector and servers, the priest, deacon, along with some of the other items used in the service such as the Gospels and the altar candles. The crucifix is also one of the most effective means of averting or opposing demons, as stated by many exorcists, including the famous exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth. In folklore, it is considered to ward off vampires, incubus and succubus. â€Å"I never witnessed nor even heard about an exorcism without a crucifix, though several students in eighth and ninth grades were prime candidates for such a ritual. †(Gabriel Amorth) Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, and confessional Lutheran Christians generally use the crucifix in public religious services. The standard, four-pointed Latin crucifix consists of an upright stand and a crosspiece to which the sufferer’s arms were nailed. The Eastern Christian crucifix includes two additional crossbars: the shorter nameplate, to which INRI was affixed; and the shorter stipes, to which the feet were nailed, which is angled upward toward penitent thief St. Dismas and downward toward impenitent thief Gestas. It is thus eight-pointed. The corpora of Eastern Orthodox crucifixes tend to be two-dimensional icons that show Jesus as already dead, as opposed to the depictions of the still-suffering Jesus that can be found in some other Churches. They believe the crucifix is in keeping with Scripture, which states that â€Å"We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. †(Rudolph Koch) . Citations: Old Christian Symbols, Rudolf Koch Tree of Jesse Directory, Malcolm Low Crucifix Lane, Kate Mosse Wellness Exorcism, Donald Ardell Jewish Encyclopedia, Kaufmann Kohler
Friday, September 13, 2019
Corporate Social Responsibility and Law Assignment
Corporate Social Responsibility and Law - Assignment Example Relevance of Legal Context of CSR in the Business World The importance of the issue of legal aspects on CSR cannot be lost on business especially with debate raging on firms’ fiduciary duty to maximise profits for shareholders versus sacrificing part of the profits to benefit individuals. Although firms have found a business case to CSR initiatives, the legal aspect of CSR is a reality that they have to consider. It is important to state that businesses operate within states that are governed by the law. This is true since even internationally there are laws such as International Labour Regulations (Clavet et al. 2008, pp. 41-42). Impacts of the law on a firm’s CSR initiatives have been felt, for instance, in Denmark where there is a law requiring corporations to report on their CSR initiatives (DCCA 2010). The very concept of CSR involves undertaking more than the law requires; hence a legal element in corporate ventures is what CSR is built upon. Bantekas (2004, pp. 3 27-334) states that the core principles of CSR are human rights, labour rights and environmental rights which are subject to human rights, labour and environmental national and international laws; hence their pursuit is directly influenced by the law. Law Subjects related to CSR One of the most important considerations is the issue of CSR being ‘outside the law’ or ‘meeting the law’. In the ‘outside the law’ argument, an issue that transnational corporations can attest to is the lack of a standard framework of CSR to operate on as national laws and management may fail to provide the required standards. Besides, CSR is an enterprise-driven venture by firms beyond what they are legally required to undertake. In terms of the ‘meeting’ aspect, it is a consensus that CSR cannot be defined without taking the law into account. The concept of CSR involves voluntary initiatives and activities that are considered to exceed legal compliance. Thus, CSR is deeply rooted in the premise that hard law has to be met first with CSR initiatives then following on from this (Clavet et al. 2008, pp. 41-46). This aspect is a manifestation of the relationship between legal standards compliance and CSR. International law and the closely related international labour laws are other sets of legal aspects in action in a firm’s CSR initiatives. International legal instruments affecting transnational corporations are expressed through binding treaties with national entities concerned with rights and obligations and through ‘soft laws’ such as by the many International Labour Organisation conventions. Although ‘soft laws’ are heavily criticised for being indicative of transnational corporations’ ability to influence government policy, they are still a testimony of the inseparability of CSR initiatives by such firms and the law. Conceptual Frameworks Theoretical frameworks have been established to expl ain the interaction between CSR and law and its impacts. The mainstream conceptual framework is positivism, which is adapted from natural science and explains observable phenomena through general laws and the special conditions of the situation. Positivist CSR research seeks to provide a distinctive view of a firm’
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Effective Communication Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Effective Communication Skills - Essay Example Effective communication skills are thus necessary to provide effective services in health care. Paul Leagans defines communication as the process by which two or more people exchange facts, ideas, impressions and feelings so that each person gains understanding of use, intent and meaning of the message (Schuster, 1999). Communication includes verbal as well as non-verbal exchange of information. It is necessary to practice effective communication skills in nursing so as to understand, empathize and support patients (Carrol and Dolly, 2008). This paper will elaborate on two elements of effective communication and the skills pertinent to these elements. It is crucial to develop effective communication skills so as to overcome the various barriers to communication. In nursing practice, barriers to communication include physiological, personal, cultural, psychological and physical barriers. Physiological barriers, for example, altered mental state may interfere with the patient’s ability to interpret information. The nurse’s attitude, knowledge and feeling towards a patient may also impede communication. Physical barriers include noise, distance and other environmental factors that may impede communication (Schuster, 1999). The elements of effective communication include the sender, message, channel of communication, receiver and feedback (Schuster, 1999). The sender (source) formulates programs and broadcasts the information, which they want to communicate. The effect of the message is dependent on the sender’s attitude, knowledge, social status and communication skills. The message is the information in physical form conveyed to the audience. The channel of communication is the media used by the source in facilitating communication to the receiver. The receiver decodes, translates the meaning and acts upon the information received. Feedback is the reaction to the information conveyed by the sender. This paper will focus on the message and the channel and the skills therein. There are various forms of message. They include words, signs, symbols and pictures. It comprises of message code, content and treatment (Schuster, 1999). Message code defines any form of signs and symbols that are structured in a meaningful format to the same people. This includes the use of language to convey information. Message content defines the material that is in the message. This is selected by the sender in putting across his information. On the other hand, message treatment shows the decisions which the source undertakes to select and arrange the codes and content. The message communicates the sender’s feelings, intentions and attitudes towards the audience (Balzer, 2007). In nursing practice, information is conveyed from one person to another within a short time. Effective communication skills are necessary to avoid errors in vital information, for example, treatment of a patient (Balzer, 2007). In effective communication, a messag e should elicit the desired action from the audience. It must be clear, timely, specific and in line with the intended objectives. This means that the nurse should ensure that the message is brief, accurate and meets the objectives of its purpose. In addition, the message should be conveyed in a language that the audience can understand. The use of complex vocabulary to explain the patient’s disease and treatment will interfere on the patient’s ability to understand as well as accept their condition. Nursing practice also involves gathering information about the patient, symptoms and their effects to the patient. The use of a common language will enhance understanding between the patient and the nurse (Christie and Robinson,
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