The Beginnings Of Marxism - 986 Words

The Beginnings of Marxism? Written in 1847 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the Communist Manifesto laid out ideas that would change the course of world history. It fully defined the â€Å"Marxist† ideology in which Communism was the goal of humanity. Thirty years after Marx’s death, the people of Russia over threw their leaders and founded a Communist government based on Marxist ideologies. This government was initially lead by Vladimir Lenin who took direct inspiration from Marx. After Lenin died, a man named Joseph Stalin took over and his dedication to Marxism is debatable. What is Marxism? The basic idea of Marxism is that the world will slowly change from an unjust society ruled by a few to one without need for a†¦show more content†¦4) Arguably, this is due to the inherent issues with socialism and communism, but it should also be pointed out Stalin’s â€Å"Five-Year Plan†. This plan essentially took resources away from the population in order rapidly industrialize the nation. (Fitzpatrick, 1999) The whole Marxist philosophy was based on gradual change and Stalin’s prioritizing speed over the people goes against this principal. Stalin and the Abolition of the Bourgeoisie Class Getting rid of private property was a step in Marx’s wider goal: the replacement of the Bourgeoisie as the most powerful class. â€Å"The immediate aim of the Communists is the same as that of all other proletarian parties: formation of the proletariat into a class, overthrow of the bourgeois supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat.† (Marx Engels, 1969) If the bourgeoisie had no private property, they would not remain capitalists. This would mean the great working class would have control of the country. Even though Stalin did get rid of the Bourgeoisie class, he failed to follow through with the Marxist ideology. In Stalinist Russia, the State owned the means of production, so class was based on your relationship to the state and how well off it allowed you to live. (Fitzpatrick, 1999) ThisShow MoreRelatedA Split Between People During The World981 Words   |  4 PagesThis division is the idea of a split between people during an apocalypse. This ide a is known as Marxism. Marxism is the analysis between the working class, which is the majority of the population, and the rich class, which is the minority of the population. Marxism is used to analyze history through social and economical views to better understand about the differences in the world. A prime example of Marxism is the movie Pacific Rim. Pacific Rim is a monster story that shows humanity pitting againstRead MoreWhy Has Marxism Been Neglected For International Relations?977 Words   |  4 PagesWhy has Marxism been neglected in International Relations? One of the major reasons why Marxism has generally been neglected in International Relations is due to the scarcity of Marxist writing that is specifically focused on this subject. However, it can be argued that due to this paucity of material, Marxist theory has nothing of substantial value to offer with regards to international relations. Non- Marxists argue that the concepts in Marx’s analysis of capitalist production; class, labor, exchangeRead MoreMarxism And Its Effects On The World s Republic Of China1493 Words   |  6 Pagesunprecedented manner. Marxism, as it would later be known, or more generally, Communism, was destined to guide countless nations’ paths to â€Å"liberation.† Two countries in particular, the USSR and the People’s Republic of China, can trace their rapid escapes from â€Å"backwardness† into industrial powerhouses, and international superpower and rising superpower, respectively, to their adoption, as well as their exclu sive interpretations, of Marxism. However, such flexible and broad adaptations of Marxism to these nations’Read More Functionalist View on the Role and Functions of Religion in Society716 Words   |  3 Pagesbe compared to Functionalism is Marxism. Marxism agrees that religion is a conservative force, although it is not a positive force or valuable to society. Marxism says that religion is used to reproduce, preserve and legitimise class inequality; it is seen as an ‘opiate of the masses’ and lulls the working class into a state of false consciousness. Althusser suggested religion is an ‘ideological apparatus’. Although, Marxism does fail to take into account secularisationRead MoreMarxism On The Other Wes Moore1272 Words   |  6 PagesStephanie Messina Period 5 Miller Senior Project Marxism on â€Å"The Other Wes Moore† The working definition of Marxism is a theory that analyzes the relationships of classes and the social conflicts that are within the classes. Marxism claims that this conflict is between the rich and the poor. This theory entails thoughts of socioeconomic differences and focuses the systematic view of the economy. The theory of Marxism is very prevalent in the novel, â€Å"The Other Wes Moore.† â€Å"The Other Wes Moore†Read MoreLiberation Theology Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesCatholic Church as well, especially from Pope John Paul II. He insisted â€Å"liberation didn’t come from theology, but from the gospel. † Because liberation theology can lead to Marxism, John Paul II warns priests of the dangers of Marxism. There was much opposition to liberation theology because it led to the thinking of Marxism, which in turn would destroy the church. IV. Thesis The ideas of liberation theology helped change Latin American beliefs, and thus created a stronger Catholic Church. V.Read MoreResearch Schools and Pluralism1280 Words   |  6 Pagesrational choice, institutionalism and Marxism. 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The book is centered around a sailor named Marlow, who is sailing up the Congo river to transportRead MoreThe Brave New World By Aldous Huxley906 Words   |  4 Pagesbook Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Marxism is seen through the whole story. In the story everybody serves the society in the world state. Society makes everybody’s needs and are fulfilled, as well as some of the characters show us Marxism in the way they act or where conditioned. Religion is as well seen in the novel and connected to Marxism. Socioeconomic class is one of the main literacy of Marxism shown in the novel due to human behavior. In the beginning it starts off how in the world stateRead MoreKarl Marx And Its Impact On Society1306 Words   |  6 Pagesthe state owns the means of production and the society would be classless. Although Marx did not believe in religion, parts of his theory can compare to certain ideas in the Bible. However, the eventual Communism that Marxism led to does not agree with God’s word. Influences of Marxism Karl Marx was born into a Jewish family in Trier, Germany in the year 1818. When Marx was a child, his family moved to a town that was predominately Lutheran. Marx’s father Heinrich Marx, formally known as Herschel

Abstract and Executive Overview of Y2K Free Essays

What is the Y2K issue? This paper will describe the problems associated with Y2K and how Industry, Government, and Small Businesses are handling the problem. The first chapter introduces the Y2K issues. Chapter 2 will define how this affects the different businesses and Government agencies. We will write a custom essay sample on Abstract and Executive Overview of Y2K or any similar topic only for you Order Now Chapter 3 will develop an overall plan on how to attack the problem and recommendations. The majority of this paper will develop a plan on how each of the businesses and Government agencies should attack the Y2K problems. There should be a logical approach to planning how to investigate, test, validate, and if required, develop a contingency plan for Y2K. The job is to either form a team of personnel or hire a consulting firm to assess your situation. The team should employ the following steps: assess the system, renovate the system if necessary, validate the renovation if necessary, implement the renovation if necessary, test the renovation if necessary, and finally have a contingency plan in the event that renovating the system is not feasible and/or is too late. The only necessary or required action is to assess the system. This will be discussed in detail in my paper. The real issue is that less than a year remains before the year 2000 problems are here. The recommendation is to begin working this issue now. It may be too late, but that is when the contingency plan comes in handy. 2. What impacts are they†re to Government, Industry, and Small Business? 3. What can Government, Industry, and Small Business Do to Combat the Y2K Issues? There are actually more dates than just the year 2000 date. There are dates that can impact the leap year algorithms; Julian dates, fiscal year dates, calendar dates, and ASCII code dates. The top dates that need to be checked are: 1. 9 September 1999. This date can be read in code as 9999. In computer language, specifically ASCII code, this translates into a request for the processor to stop processing. 2. 1 October 1999. This is the start of the new Fiscal year for the Government (FY00). The algorithm for this may not be able to go from FY99 to FY00. 3. 31 December 1999. At midnight, the date rolls over to 1 January 2000. This problem can exist in two areas. The first is in the BIOS†s that exist for most desktop machines. The BIOS†s normally contain the clock and date data. The operator updates this data, when the system is first turned on and is continuously updated by the computer from then on. The problem is that older versions of BIO software recorded the date in two year digits (99, instead of 1999) so that once the date rolls into the year 2000, the BIOS†s can not understand the rolling of the year and moves it back to 14 Jan 80, the default year date. The other problem is in the application software that uses the two-year date. The application software uses algorithms to roll over the dates and can not roll to the year 2000 date. It normally has to be manually input to get to the new date. 4. 28 February 2000. At midnight, the date should roll over to 29 February 2000. This is determined in the software by an algorithm that checks to see if the current year is a leap year. If it is a leap year then it should roll to 29 February 2000, if it can not determine the leap year, then it will jump to 1 March 2000. 5. 29 February 2000. This is almost the same problem as 28 February 2000. It will try to calculate the fact it is a leap year and roll the date to 1 March 2000. If it can not determine that it is the leap year, it will either go to 2 March 2000 or it will provide an incorrect date. There are several other dates that are important, based on each application software package, and needs. Examples are, a bank computer uses COBOL software that does not calculate the dates well, FORTRAN software used in scientific research does not do dates well, and older versions of Microsoft software used the two-year digit dates. The different application software packages that are available for computers are beginning to fix the year 2000 problem in the next revision and/or update. The problems that are being encountered are that the updates may not be compatible with the data that goes with the application software. An example is that Microsoft Access 2.0 is not year 2000 compliant. To upgrade to a compliant version, the original data associated with Access 2.0 will not run on the upgrade version. In addition, the upgrade Access will not operate on the old versions of Microsoft Windows. Therefore, additional problems are beginning to come into focus with the year 2000 issue. Another issue is all the databases that are used. Relational databases use date fields as part of wildcard actions, used as sorting identification, as grouping actions, and as part of daily identification. Some specific examples are: simple databases, such as the window explorer allow you to view and sort files in a date/time field. If this date field were only two digits, then it would incorrectly sort the files (year 00 would be first rather than last). Another example is a large database that is used to match names with addresses and billing statements. This database would need to flag dates with the billing statements. If the dates were incorrect or not sorted correctly, then the billing statements would be invalidated. As discussed, there are several issues when dealing with Y2K. These issues have a direct impact on both Government and Industry. What impacts are they†re to Government, Industry, and Small Business? There are several impacts to Government, Industry, and Small Business. Dates that can impact the leap year algorithms; Julian dates, fiscal year dates, calendar dates, and ASCII code dates. These dates were discussed in chapter 1. Now we will discuss the ramifications to the new dates. For the Government, the dates will have a major impact across the board. Every Government agency, from Federal to City, will be impacted. The Federal Government uses computers on a daily basis and without them, the Federal Government would not be able to operate. Some specific examples are in the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice. The Department of Commerce utilizes computers to run the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) systems that are used to chase Hurricanes. The problem is that several of the computers are used to log different data and use date/time stamping with that data. This data is later analyzed to try and map hurricanes for the future. If the Y2K issues are not resolved, important data will be lost. The Department of Defense also uses computers to a very large extent. This is especially true for the DOD large complex machinery used to defend the country. There are very few parts of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines that do not use computers. Computers are the backbone to DOD and without them, there is a real fear that our armed forces would not be able to defend this country. The Department of Justice has an even worse problem. They are charged with keeping track of criminals and federal indictments across the country. Because of the complexity of the laws, if the computers used to keep track of indictments and criminal records are not Y2K compliant, then the Justice system could have criminals cleared of any wrong doing because of a simple date issue. It is well known that if the date or address were wrong on an indictment or a search warrant, anything found because of the indictment or warrant would not be used in court. Industry has the same basic problems that the Government would have. They rely on computers in almost every aspect of the business. From robotic assembly lines to employee payroll, all of industry relies on the computer to run its day to day operation. The problem that both industry and Government have is that there was no contingency to the Y2K issue. Both industry and Government have several backup systems. An example is that major banks will have the main frame computer in one location and a hot backup in a totally different location. Take Nations Bank. Nations Bank may have its primary mainframe computer, for all its checking accounts, here in town. There is a hot backup (a hot backup is a main frame computer that records the same exact information that the mainframe computer is recording, but it does not handle any transactions, just records the information) that is located in a different part of the country, say Colorado. In this way, if a major hurricane were to devastate Tampa, the hot backup would come on line take over the responsibility of the mainframe. In this way, vital information would not be lost. This was all thought out years before, but not Y2K. Y2K would impact both mainframes (the primary and the backup) and all the data would be corrupted. The problem with small business is that it relies on the computer to do many of its tasks that employees used to do. In small business, people were employed to handle payroll, marketing, office management, files, record keeping, and profit/loss ledgers. These people were replaced with the advent of the computer. Now any small business could operate without minimal employees. The office manager could now handle payroll, marketing, files, records, and ledgers right on the computer. The computer became the key piece of equipment for the small business. Without the computer, small businesses could not stay in operation. Look at a small business that provides hearing aids to the general public. Besides the payroll, this small business will keep all its customers accounts in a simple database. This database will be used to notify the business when the hearing aid needs servicing, additional hearing tests should be done, replacement batteries, and payment schedules. This is just the tip of the database. The database would also be used to send out flyers on new technology, discounts, and will serve as the business mailing lists. Without this computer, the small business would need to hire additional personnel and return to paper and pencil to operate. What can Government, Industry, and Small Business Do to Combat the Y2K Issues? For both Government and Industry, it will not be a problem to combat Y2K. There is work already being done to correct the problems. Both agencies, through consulting agencies and internal working groups, have developed a series of plans to combat the Y2K issue. The standard procedure is to first do an inventory and assessment on the agency. After the assessment is done, a renovation plan is developed to renovate the different systems. After renovation is completed, the system is placed into the validation phase, where it is tested using the different Y2K dates to ensure that no problems are encountered. After the testing is completed and the validation is verified, then the implementation phase is started. The implementation phase is to implement the system into action, and begin watching the system during the actual crossover dates. The cost to perform all of the plans and phases are high. On most major DOD systems, the cost ranges from $100 Thousand to over $5 Million. For industry, their costs are about the same. It does not matter if the agency does it internally or hires consultants to perform the work. The costs are normally high. These costs are absorbed in industry and/or in the Government by the consumer and/or taxpayer. Industry will pass the costs to the consumer by increasing its price on the product. The Government will either increase taxes or modify the budget to get the necessary funds to ensure Y2K compliance. The real problem lies with small business. The plans and phases that were developed by industry and Government must also be accomplished by small business. The problem is that small business does not have the money to expend on the Y2K issue. Small businesses do not have the overhead or capital to afford to test its systems and ensure that Y2K problems do not exist in its machine. Since most small businesses do not rely on consultants and do not have a computer expert on the payroll, then small businesses must rely on the software companies to ensure that the computer is Y2K compliant. Since they do not have the funds to try and make their systems Y2K compliant, then the small business must rely on Macintosh, Microsoft, and other large software companies to ensure that the software is compliant. This becomes a real issue for the small business. The major software companies have problems with ensuring that the software they are selling is Y2K compliant. An example is that Microsoft Windows 98 may be compliant, as far as the Y2K issue is concerned. But any other application software that is used with Windows 98 may not be compliant, making the system non-compliant. Microsoft can not be held responsible for other software packages built by other software companies. In addition, most software companies will not support older versions of its software. An example is that Microsoft will not support Windows version 3.1. This is based on the availability of newer versions of Windows being available to the consumer. So where does this leave the small business? The small business is in a delicate situation. The recommendation for small business is to work through the chamber of commerce and pool the resources that each small business has to get the support it needs. There is Federal and Local assistance available to help small business ensure that the Y2K issue is resolved prior to the actual dates. The real problem is that if the small business does not recognize that it has a problem, then it will not work to fix the Y2K issue in time. By combining their resources and working with the local chambers, a network of consultants could work together to fix the problem before the actual Y2K dates have come. The only other option would be to spend the money to go through the same plans and phases that the Government and Industry goes through to fix the Y2K issue. This cost would be too high for small business. The final option would be for the small business to cross his fingers and hope for the best. This would be the last option for the businessperson to work with. How to cite Abstract and Executive Overview of Y2K, Essay examples

Bless Me Ultima free essay sample

Antonio is raised in a strict Catholic family, but after being shown the Golden Carp by Cico, Antonio begins to question his religion and everything he had been taught about God. Antonio is fascinated by the golden carp and says â€Å"I could not have been more entranced if I had seen the Virgin, or God Himself. † This shows that although it is against his beliefs to behold another figure, Antonio is amazed to have actually seen the legendary carp he had been told about by Cico, and wonders why God never shows himself. Antonio also says that seeing the Golden Carp was â€Å"what I had expected God to do at my first holy communion†. This shows that experiencing the golden carp in the flesh was more real and meaningful to him than even the most sacred rituals of his own church. Another one of the most important symbols in Bless Me, Utima is the Virgin because she is at the center of Antonio’s Catholic beliefs and keeps him from abandoning his belief in God. We will write a custom essay sample on Bless Me Ultima or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Virgin represents kindness and comfort for Antonio. Antonio sees the Virgin as someone who is close to God, but also someone who he can talk to and will not be judged by. Antonio says when he prayed to the Virgin it was as if he could see her â€Å"turn and whisper into Gods ear exactly what I had just told her†. This shows that he is much more comfortable talking to the Virgin directly than to God Himself because he doesn’t understand and he fears God. The Virgin seems much more human and approachable than the grand, powerful idea of God. Ultima’s owl is also one of the most important symbols in Bless Me, Ulitma because it represents Ultima’s spirit, who’s magical powers defy the beliefs of Antonio’s Catholic upbringing. The owl always seemed to be around while Ultima was performing important magical tasks. For example, while Ultima and Antonio were curing Antonio’s uncle, Ultima’s owl was outside the house fighting off coyotes. The book says â€Å"Then I heard it. It was the call of Ultima’s owl†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"Her sharp claws found flesh because the evil laughter of the coyotes changed to cries of pain. † At the end of the book when Ultima is dying she tells Antonio to â€Å"take the owl, go west into the hills until you find a forked juniper tree, there, bury the owl. † The reason she tells him this is because the owl is really her soul and she wants Antonio to be the one to â€Å"really burry her. † This shows that Ultima see’s Antonio as someone she can trust, and she wants him to be the one to know where her soul was truly buried. The golden carp, the Virgin, and Utima’s owl are clearly the most important symbols in Antonio’s coming-of-age experience because they all symbolize his struggles with his beliefs. Each belongs in a different category of religion, as well as different parts of Antonio’s life, but all influence him in ways that make him question his beliefs and answer those questions. Each of these things were big parts of Antonio’s life, but symbols aren’t always very obvious. Look around at your life, there may be things that are influencing you without you even realizing it.

More matter with less art Essay Example

More matter with less art Paper His prating in this scene can, in some, undoubtedly raise a cynical smile; Polonius is interpreted as a comical character; the fact the Queen demands More matter with less art. is coupled with Polonius artful way of denying hell use it is a prime example of the irony in this scene. He can be therefore viewed as a clownish figure by many audiences. It may be the case, despite the irony displayed in his choice of words, that he is simply afraid of being the purveyor of bad news, especially news he delivers after being wrong about Hamlets madness. But, as we see, after Polonius asks the question What do you think of me?, Claudius answers Of a man faithful and honourable.. If Claudius was to think otherwise, it would be obvious Polonius would not be Secretary of State. Polonius pomposity can be seen in Shakespeares presentation of him in his scene with Reynaldo. He relates to Reynaldo on a high, somewhat elitist level, referring to himself of wisdom and of reach. He may be presented as pompous in the scene with the King and Queen concerning Hamlets madness also; from the prating displayed in an earlier quote he may be interpreted by audience as someone who is showing off his intellect, language skills and deep thought. We will write a custom essay sample on More matter with less art specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on More matter with less art specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on More matter with less art specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Despite this, Polonius has not been wrong in the past; he may have the right to be as pompous as he is, because his actions have always been right before, and he thinks they will be now. It is also arguable that Shakespeare presents Polonius in his dealings with his son Laertes as authoritative and over intrusive, and somewhat of self-interest. In the key scene with Reynaldo, one can assume that Polonius list of activities that he wishes Laertes to be restrained from, including drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling, / Drabbing, that Polonius wants no scandal on him. His methods of finding out the truth, especially the apparent loss of grip on his speech (possibly being a trick) suggest that Polonius is not concerned about Laertes well-being; rather he could be worried his familys reputation. However, Polonius can be seen as very sensible in his advice to Reynaldo in relation to Laertes; although it is restrictive, he does say to allow Laertes to have fun; also, in his advice to Laertes, concerning things such as friends: grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel; clothes: costly thy habit as thy purse can buy; money: neither a borrower or a lender be and socialising: Give each man thy ear, but few thy voice he is very succint and wise in approach. The last two lines, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell, my blessing season this in thee., can be seen as very selfless and purely for the good of his son. Furthermore, Laertes apparent and civilised respect found just as Polonius enters later, remarking that A double blessing is a double grace; Occasion smiles upon a second leave. again shows Laertes courtesy towards his father as a very wise man and a person of great importance to him. Later in the play, seemingly in another act of parental restriction, Polonius is presented to involve himself in relations with Ophelia and Hamlet in a meddlesome manner. He does not want a daughter that would succumb to what he thinks Hamlet is after: sexual relations, and those alone. Shakespeare could be presenting Polonius as using a lie as an example to sway her, and he says how he does know, / When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul / Lends the tongue vows., maybe having her taking his view and keeping away from Hamlet, even though Hamlet seems to need Ophelia as someone to trust and rely on in a harsh time for him. Despite the fact Polonius can be seen to be over-intrusive with Ophelia, lying to her to sway her opinion of Hamlet, this may be in order to keep her safe. If he really has experience in matters of love, and that he does know, When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul Lends the tongue vows., this experience lends credit to Polonius dismissal of the authenticity of Hamlets intentions, especially with reference to Hamlets larger tether and how he can get away with more. It also adds credibility to his opinion of Ophelia as susceptible to fraudulent affections; and it seems very good parental control and advice (even though it does not work out), especially when we find that Ophelia remains attentive, and that she shall obey, my lord., echoing Laertes appreciation of Polonius authority. Polonius may also be seen as a conformist, and someone that will happily change his views of a person to make them happy and improve his image upon them. This idea is presented by Shakespeare in the discussion of cloud shapes Polonius has with Hamlet, where Hamlet tests Polonius to see if he conforms to his thoughts. As a result, Polonius falls into the trap and agrees with Hamlet on three very different shapes; Do you see yonder cloud thats almost in shape of a camel? By th mass and tis, like a camel indeed. then a weasel, and finally a whale. However, Polonius is probably frightened of Hamlet by this stage, and is could be interpreted as not wanting to annoy him, in fear of his own safety. As we tend to sympathise with Hamlet, we also agree with him on certain matters. However, he does remark to the players to look you mock him not, suggesting a recognition of the respect Polonius still deserves from others not involved in his battle, and as a result we see Polonius, presented through Hamlets eyes as an important person. Polonius is also seen in a better light after Hamlet has killed him, where he makes cruel jokes about his corpse; when asked where Polonius is, Hamlet speaks of him being at supper, Not where he eats, but where he is eaten; a certain convocation of politic worms are een at him.. From this, we view Hamlet and his actions in a more inhumane way, especially as Claudius acts in a much more favourable manner in response, pronouncing Alas, alas! after he realises what has become of Polonius. It is evident through the shock of the King, Queen and Ophelias response to Hamlets less agreeable actions that Polonius is a very important man to Claudius, Ophelia and Gertrude. The aftermath of Polonius secret burial has large effects on many; his people go into uproar and when news travels to Laertes, he, in a fit of rage, declares he will go as far as eternal damnation to seek revenge. The people of Denmark are muddled, thick and unwholesome in their thought and whispers for good Polonius death and rise in rebellion to make his son king. It is safe to say that if Hamlet was truly right about Polonius knavish qualities that there would be no after effects of his death. After, when Laertes followers leave, Claudius manages to calm Laertes a little. However, when Ophelia enters and starts singing of a funeral, where in his grave rained many a tear, Laertes is distressed and angry at the person she has become since her fathers death. He is presented by Shakespeare as the man Ophelia loved, characterized by her mixing of love and death songs. Act 4 sees Ophelia drowning due to her madness, reported by the Queen to Laertes.

Undaunter Courage analysis essays

Undaunter Courage analysis essays The main point of this book is on President Thomas Jefferson and Meriwether Lewiss dreams of finding an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean; and explore the northern tributaries of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers (whilst making natural and scientific observations). Jefferson saw immense potential of Lewis, initially only as an assistant to the presidents side. After a few years under Jeffersons belt, he wanted Lewis to direct the Discovery Corp to the west coast eager to enhance the United States awareness of the west. Lewis was about to transform the lives of many people, tribes and tradesmen. This book tells the story of a young Virginian with immense dreams. He hoped to change mankind and achieve something great, the Discovery Corp was going to accomplish just that. First he intricately planned the expedition along with President Jefferson. After months of preparation it was time to set off to the Missouri river. Along the Missouri is where he encountered the first Indians on the journey: the Oto, Sioux and Mandans. Lewiss troups encountered a few problems with the tribes but nothing that would hold them back. They were westward bound. The party crossed the Missouri to determine that two large rivers meet, they chose the south fork that curved into the Great falls. After many days, they ran into the Shoshoni party (this is where they hired an Indian guide named Toby). On the way home the men headed up east the Columbia, which was a harder assignment then thought. They had determined to go overland as an alternative through water. Tribulations with snow had occurred, w hich was blocking trail. Upon reaching the Continental Divide Lewis and William Clark decided to divide up, Lewis wanted to take a small group of men and travel around the north. A brawl broke out among them and some Indians but they came out undamaged. They had finally arrived in ...

Global Warming, El Nino, and other Climate Phenomena

Global Warming, El Nino, and other Climate Phenomena The weather we experience is a manifestation of the climate we live in. Our climate is affected by global warming, which has led to many observed changes, including warmer sea temperatures, warmer air temperatures, and changes in the hydrological cycle. In addition, our weather is also affected by natural climate phenomena that operate over hundreds or thousands of miles. These events are often cyclic, as they reoccur at time intervals of various lengths. Global warming can affect the intensity and return intervals of these events. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its 5th Assessment Report in 2014, with a chapter devoted to the effects of climate change on these large scale climate phenomena. Here are some important findings: Monsoons are seasonal wind reversal patterns accompanied by significant rainfall. They are responsible, for example, for the summer thunderstorm periods in Arizona and New Mexico, and the torrential downpours in India’s rainy season. Overall, monsoon patterns will increase in area and intensity with continued climate change. They will start earlier in the year and end later than what had been the average.In North America, where monsoons are limited to the U.S. Southwest region, no change in precipitation due to global warming has been clearly observed. A decrease in the length of the season has been observed, though, and monsoons are expected to be delayed during the year. So there appears to be no relief in sight for the observed (and predicted) increase in frequency of extreme summer temperatures in the U.S. Southwest, contributing to drought.The amount of precipitation from monsoon rains is forecasted to be higher in the more pessimistic scenarios considered by the IPCC. In a scenario of continued reliance on fossil fuel and the absence of carbon capture and storage, total precipitation from monsoons, globally, is estimated to increase by 16% by the end of the 21st century. The El Nià ±o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a large area of unusually warm water that develops in the Pacific Ocean off South America, affecting weather over a large portion of the globe. Our ability to model future climates while taking into account El Nià ±o has improved, and it appears that variability in precipitation will increase. In other words, some El Nià ±o events will produce more rainfall and snowfall than expected in some areas of the globe, while others will produce less precipitation than expected.The frequency of tropical cyclones (tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons) is likely to stay the same or decrease, globally. The intensity of these storms, both in wind speed and precipitation, is likely to increase. There are no clear changes predicted for the track and intensity of North American extra-tropical storms (Hurricane Sandy became one of those cyclonic storms outside of the tropics).  Ã‚   Predictive models have improved significantly in the last few years, and they are currently being refined to resolve remaining uncertainties. For example, scientists have little confidence when trying to predict changes in monsoons in North America. Pinpointing the effects of the El Nià ±o cycles or the intensity of tropical cyclones in specific areas has also been difficult. Finally, the phenomena described above are largely know by the public, but there are many other cycles: examples include the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, and the North Atlantic Oscillation. The interactions between these phenomena, regional climates, and global warming make the business of scaling down global change predictions to specific locations bewilderingly complex. Source IPCC, Fifth Assessment Report. 2013. Climate Phenomena and their Relevance for Future Regional Climate Change.

Leadership in Teams and Decision Groups Research Paper

Leadership in Teams and Decision Groups - Research Paper Example There are various types of teams in an organization include functional work teams, self managed teams, top executive teams and cross-functional teams. The differences in the teams emanate from the autonomy in determining the team’s mission, authority of the team leader, stability of team members and diversity of the members. Cross-functional teams These teams are formed in an organization to enhance coordination of interdependent activities among the diverse units. Cross-functional teams are composed of representative from all the units and sometimes include representatives from outside the organization like suppliers and partners (McCallin, 2003). To ensure their smooth operations, the teams are given the role to plan and conduct complex work that demands high level of coordination and cooperation among the parties. This type of team is formed when an organization is involved in the development of new product or in the introduction of a new information system that affect the operations of the different units. The members of the cross-functional teams will always remain the same individuals from other particular units and most cross-functional teams are temporary i.e. they are formed to achieve specific organization mission. In order to benefit the organization, the teams must be flexible and efficient in deploying resources and personnel in order to unfold the solution to the problems and challenges. The representatives from the various units should be persons with expertise to help add value to the team’s decision. These teams have the potential to generate new and innovative ideas from the diverse members with differing backgrounds and improved coordination (McCallin, 2003). Moreover, the team have to view the problems in a wider perspective if the organization successes to be achieved. However, cross-functional teams are faced with challenges. The use of jargon creates communication barrier that might impair the realization of the team goals. Secondly, the loyalty of the members to their respective functions should not override the objectives of the team but rather focus on how their diversity can help in realizing the team’s objectives. Managing the disagreements and tight deadline is further essential in the successful operation of the team. A leader with good interpersonal skills and expert position power is needed. This will ensure he leads the people with conflicting interests and resolve the likely problems with the power that is vested on his position (2011). Additionally, the leader should have technical expertise, project management skills, and cognitive skills that will enable understanding of the complex problems. Finally, the leader of a cross functional team should also have political skills necessary in formation of coalitions and in gaining resources. Apart from the skills, a cross-functional leader needs to exhibit some leadership behaviors i.e. being visionary to help in formulating strategic obje ctives and generating ideas. The leader should also require to have the ability to organize and plan activities by creating deadlines and standards. Besides, the leader should be self-integrating i.e. promoting cooperation and equal participating on top of dealing with the external parties. A cross-functional leader should be one who can forecast emerging challenges and problems and influence outsiders. Self managed work teams As opposed to the cross

Persuasive paper rough draft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Persuasive paper rough draft - Essay Example Hybrid cars are still in the experimental stage, meaning there are numerous different models and types to choose from. While some hybrids do not seem to meet the needs of consumers, offering too many negative attributes to offset the positives, plug-in hybrid cars should be considered a good alternative to partially meet the country’s future energy needs. Plug-in hybrid cars are essentially what they would seem to be; they plug into a normal electric circuit and charge from the same electrical source found in a typical home. Research shows that most U.S. drivers travel, on average, less than 25 miles per day, which is a range easily reached by the plug-in hybrid vehicle enabling people to get to work at a fuel rate much lower than that of today’s current gasoline prices (Sanna, 2005). This switch would also mean a significant reduction of CO2 emissions and reduces the nation’s need for non-renewable natural resources. While this does classify it as an electric vehicle, the plug-in hybrid has an additional feature that makes it feasible even for long-distance use. The plug-in hybrids, not intended to run on electricity alone, also carry a liquid fuel tank and combustion engine, which enables owners to fill up when the battery runs dry and continue driving for as long and as far as they wish, all while recharging the elec tric battery. â€Å"The hybrid electric vehicle is a move in the right direction. Its battery/electric motor combination provides the quick starts, so when the vehicle is standing still, the gas engine can be shut off automatically to prevent idling and conserve fuel. In fact, the hybrid can achieve an increase in fuel efficiency of roughly 30 percent. The battery also boosts the performance of the [internal combustion engine] at takeoff and for passing† (Sanna, 2005). As the combustion engine is running and during the process of braking, the battery becomes charged by the

Purple color Essay Example for Free

Purple color Essay Purple color of tetraphenylcyclopentadienone was isolated by aldol condensation between dibenzylketone and benzil. Water was also produced, but it was eliminated by polar protic solvent, triethylene, and heat. Thus, the mixture was heated until the temperature of the mixture reached to 100 ? C so as to eliminate the water present and also to increase the rate of reaction due to increase in entropy. Benzyltrimethylamonium hydroxide was used as a base catalyst. Since catalyst increases the reaction rate much faster at higher temperature, it was added to the mixture at 100 ? C. Once the catalyst was added to the mixture, it turned to dark muddy like and the temperature went up to 120 ? C. Dark purple, muddy like mixture indicated the completion of the reaction. Increase in the temperature indicated that the reaction was exothermic reaction. The completion of the reaction was also confirmed by the color of the filtrate. Methanol washed the impurities and the catalyst on the filter and thus color of the filtrate changed from brown to purple. The product, tetraphenylcyclopentadienone, was purple even though the two reagents benzil and dibenzylketone were yellow and colorless respectively. Tetraphenylcyclopentadienone has extended conjugation between five carbon rings and four phenyl groups that increase stability and thereby lowers overall energy of the molecule. Thus, it absorbs light at lower energy and longer wavelength that is in visible spectrum. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used to test purity of the product, i. e. , tetraphenylcyclopentadienone. Only one spot in the product lane in the TLC plate was observed under UV light which indicated that the product was relatively pure. The percentage of recovery was 76%. Some of the product was possibly lost when the mixture was heated. The mixture was heated quickly, so some of undesired product was also formed. Also, some of the product was possibly washed by methanol because solubility is not absolute.

The Elusive Term :: Essays Papers

The Elusive Term The word "ring-giver" is slippery because it does not stick to its logical meaning. Once researched and defined, it is known that a ring-giver is a king or overlord. Not just a king can be called a ring-giver. A person in an administrative position can be referred to as a ring-giver. The thanes who received this award of arm-ring or neck-ring proved their battle-worthiness and were held in high respect by their kinsmen. Therefore the warriors kept close watch of their rewards. After research, one also finds the term "ring-giver" is a kenning; or Anglo - Saxon metaphor. Ring-giver is an elusive word. Separately, "ring" is defined as an ornamental circular band worn on a finger, and "giver" is defined as to hand over something. Putting those two definitions together, ring-giver implies the act of giving rings. However, this is not at all the case. A ring-giver is a king or overlord. Someone in power is also referred to as being the ring-giver. In the Norton Anthology we read "in heroic poetry at least, a principal form of currency was the gold arm ring; which had the advantage of being valuable, portable and showy; hence the king always being referred to as 'ring-giver.' " (28). Although it was usually the king who was given the name "ring-giver," anyone in power, could be given the title. In the "Grendel, Beowulf's most famous enemy" site, we see another occurrence of a ring-giver being born: "When the retainers [soldiers] returned from battle, they were expected to turn over their bounty to their chief, who would then redistribute it according to the performance of each retainer during battle. Thus, we often find the dryhten [overlord] being referred to as the 'gold-giver' or 'ring-giver.' Usually the king had the power to distribute bounty or rewards, but here we see that anyone in the leadership position might have been given the illustrious title of "ring-giver." The king or overlord gave out arm-rings or neck-rings to promote valor and fighting for land and king. The individual who received the ring was honored by his fellow soldiers. These rings worn on either arm or neck, gave the wearer recognition and instant envy in others. They were symbols of strength and courage; there must have been many attempts to steal such objects of monetary and social value. However, it is doubtful that the brave men who received such awards ever gave the opportunity to lose their trophies.

Effects of Television on Modern Society Essay

Upon its introduction up until the dot com era television was the most popular medium. The ability for news and events to be televised and viewed instantly around the world has given our society the ability to connect with the world by the push of a button. Although TV has made information more assessable it has its weak points as well. Over the years violence on television has become more common and more acceptable. Until the recent push for TV ratings it was difficult for parents to ensure their children were viewing material they deemed appropriate and even so some may not agree with the rating system. I remember as a young child watching â€Å"Power Rangers† which was rated â€Å"TV-Y7†. That meant the youngest viewer watching should be at least seven years old. Kids mimic their heroes and act like they do. I don’t think it’s in the best interest of any seven year olds parents to allow for the child to take in such brutal shows. I am sure that within the next ten years television will either become much more liberal, or much more conservative, but not anywhere in between. Less and less people seem to care what is broadcast on cable TV, while the ones who do care seem to have a dying voice. The effect on our society is rather mixed and it will be a few decades before we see any real effects on our youth.

Pride of China

The four-century-long Han rule is divided into two periods: the Earlier or Western Han and the Later or Eastern Han. In between these two was the short-lived Hsin Dynasty (AD 9-23). The Chinese show their pride in Han accomplishments by calling themselves the Han people. Philosophies and institutions that began in the Chou and Ch'in periods reached maturity under the Han. During Han times, the Chinese distinguished themselves in making scientific discoveries, many of which were not known to Westerners until centuries later. The Chinese were most advanced in astronomy. They invented sundials and water clocks, divided the day equally into ten and then into 12 periods, devised the lunar calendar that continued to be used until 1912, and recorded sunspots regularly. In mathematics, the Chinese were the first to use the place value system, whereby the value of a component of a number is indicated by its placement. Other innovations were of a more practical nature: wheelbarrows, locks to control water levels in streams and canals, and compasses. The Han Chinese were especially distinguished in the field of art. The famous sculpture of the â€Å"Han flying horse† and the carving of the jade burial suit found in Han period tombs are only two superb examples. The technique of making lacquer ware was also highly developed. The Chinese are proudest of the tradition of historical writing that began in the Han period. Ssu-ma Ch'ien (145? -85? BC) was grand historian (an office that combined the duties of court recorder and astronomer) during the time of Wu Ti. His `Historical Records', which took ten years to complete, established the pattern and style followed by subsequent histories. In the Later Han, the historical tradition was continued by the Pan family. Pan Piao, the father, started to bring Ssu-ma Ch'ien's `Records' up to date. The work was continued by his son Pan Ku (twin brother of the general Pan Ch'ao) and was completed by his daughter Pan Chao, China's earliest and most famous woman scholar. Unlike Ssu-ma Ch'ien, the Pan family limited their work to 230 years of the Early Han. This was the first of the dynastic histories, subsequently written for every dynasty. Pan Chao also wrote a highly influential work on the education of women, `Lessons for Women'. Lessons' emphasized the â€Å"virtues† of women, which restricted women's activities. The Confucianism that the Han Dynasty restored differed from the original teachings of Confucius. The leading Han philosophers, Tung Chung-shu and others, used principles derived from the early Chinese philosophy of nature to interpret the ancient texts. The Chinese philosophy of nature explained the workings of the universe by the alternating forces of yin and yang–dark and light–and the five elements: earth, wood, metal, fire, and water. The Han period was marked by a broad eclecticism. Many Han emperors favored Taoism, especially the Taoist idea of immortality. Earlier (Western) Han (202 BC-AD 9). The Han Kao Tsu preserved many features of the Ch'in imperial system, such as the administrative division of the country and the central bureaucracy. But the Han rulers lifted the Ch'in ban on philosophical and historical writings. Han Kao Tsu called for the services of men of talent, not only to restore the destroyed classics but to serve as officials in the government. From that time, the Chinese Empire was governed by a body of officials theoretically selected on merit. Such a practice has few parallels elsewhere at this early date in human history. The new ruler who restored peace and order was a member of the house of Han, the original Liu family. His title was Kuang Wu Ti, â€Å"Shining Martial Emperor,† from AD 25 to 57. During the Later Han, which lasted another 200 years, a concerted but unsuccessful effort was made to restore the glory of the former Han. The Later Han scored considerable success in recovering lost territories, however. Sent to befriend the tribes on the northwestern frontier in AD 73, a great diplomat-general, Pan Ch'ao, eventually led an army of 70,000 almost to the borders of eastern Europe. Pan Ch'ao returned to China in 101 and brought back information about the Roman Empire. The Romans also knew about China, but they thought of it only as the land where silk was produced. The Han Dynasty lasted four hundred years. The term â€Å"The Han people† comes from the name of this dynasty. (The English term for â€Å"China† comes from the name of the previous dynasty Ch'in). The Han dynasty is the East Asian counterpart of and contemporary with Rome in its golden age. During this dynasty, China officially became a Confucian state, prospered domestically, and extended its political and cultural influence over Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Korea before finally collapsing under a mixture of domestic and external pressures. The Han ruling line was briefly interrupted by the usurpation of a famous reformer, Wang Mang, whose interlude on the throne from A. D. 9 to 23 in known as the Hsin dynasty. Historians therefore subdivide the Han period into two parts, Former (or Western) Han (capital at Ch'ang-an, present day Xi'an) and Later (Eastern) Han (capital at Loyang).

International Business and Globalization

International Business and Globalization Free Online Research Papers To begin this research paper, the world globalization comes to mind, where in recent times, we have witnessed individuals protesting, worldwide, what they believe is an unfair disparity of the new rewards that are being reaped via the Internet, and globalization. As an International Consultant, this author should like to assume a number of essential claims and necessities which are relevant to obligations toward developing countries, particularly to the CEO of one multinational company, which this author shall regard for purposes of this research paper as being reflective of multinational companies worldwide. To the greatest extent, the obligation at issue herein is humanistic in nature. The CEOs have certain obligations to the organizations they serve. Leadership and vision elastic management terms on which all of our daily lives depend are the most important of those obligations. And to face the challenges of the future, our definitions of leadership and vision must expand even further today and take their part among the critical skills of the CEO. It is the CEO who must take the first step in identifying the critical skills of an organization. The argument for CEO involvement is irrefutable. After all, the organizations they lead are defined by the quality of the people who comprise them. Since most CEOs fully recognize this fact, it seems prudent that they take the next step and build for the future on a more solid foundation of critical skills, from top to bottom, and in the nation’s schools. Your company, like any other, has a cluster of critical skills. It is up to every one of you to identify these skills and use them more effectively. It is one of the most important, yet most fundamental, management decisions you will make in the new millennium (albeit the aforementioned was extracted from an article published in the 1990s). To excel in the global environment, managers must master the following critical skills: Communications; analytical (being able to take a lot of information, sort out the relevant facts, develop findings, draw conclusions, and make recommendations); production; time management; and teamwork. (Jett, 1993, Pg. 22) While the author places great emphasis upon the people, in the view of this author, this view must be taken further. That is to say, that is the have-nots of the world must be more greatly embraced for the benefit of sharing in the new pie that the Internet/global business relations has prepared. It was reported in January 2001 that the ass istant clerk for Merits Briefing walked briskly down the white marble side corridor, away from the tourists and school groups to return to her mahogany desk in the windowless ground floor anteroom to the clerk’s offices in the U.S. Supreme Court building. That same weekend, Simon Billenness was preparing for â€Å"The Battle in Seattle†. The Free Burma Coalition, in which he was a key figure, was part of an unusual gathering of diverse groups planning to protest the negative effects of international trade and globalization during four days of meetings by the World Trade Organization (WTO) beginning on November 3. Joining with anarchists, environmentalists, union members and other activist organizations, these groups would seriously disrupt the Seattle meetings and do the same the following year to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Washington, D.C. and Prague, as well as the European Union Summit in Nice. The Seattle protests would become famous for the dichotomy embodied in images of environmentalists in sea turtle costumes and unionists exchanging chants of Turtles Love Teamsters ¡Ã‚ ¨ and  ¡Ã‚ §Teamsters Love Turtles ¡Ã‚ ¨, while masked anarchists vandalized Seattle stores. Billenness involvement with both the globalization concerns and the Massachusetts case went back many years. Several years ago, Billenness, an analyst for an asset management firm specializing in social responsible investment, attended a conference marking the end to the boycott of companies doing business in South Africa following the demise of apartheid. Billenness persuaded Massachusetts Representative Byron Rushing to adapt the Massachusetts anti-apartheid legislation to address Burma, literally substituting one country ¡Ã‚ ¦s name for the other in the new bill. The bill became law two years later, in 1996. It was the constitutionality of this bill that was at issue in the National Foreign Trade Council Case. At the same time, the Free Burma Coal ition and other organizations took to the streets demanding greater accountability from international institutions, such as the WTO and IMF, and the end of an  ¡Ã‚ §era of trade negotiations conducted by sheltered elites balancing competing commercial interests behind closed doors ¡Ã‚ ¨, the Supreme Court began wrestling with a similar problem of balancing governmental and popular interests. In trying to determine whether the Massachusetts ¡Ã‚ ¦ Burma Law was such an irritant to foreign relations that it impinged upon the federal government ¡Ã‚ ¦s foreign affairs powers or whether the state was simply exercising its rights to choose how to spend its citizens ¡Ã‚ ¦ tax revenues in the marketplace, the court, like the WTO and the IMF, grappled with a new balance between governmental interest and democracies a new federalism in a global era. As the Chair of the AFL-CIO International Affairs Committee declared in the wake of the Seattle protests,  ¡Ã‚ §Globalization has re ached a turning point. The future is a contested terrain of very public choices that will shape the world economy of the 21st Century. ¡Ã‚ ¨ (Fitzgerald, 2001, Pg. 11) In point of fact, this is a burning global issue. There actually exists many organizations worldwide who communicate regularly via the Internet. This is a kind of global subculture which is bound and determined to see that everyone shares in the pie, and repetitions as we have seen in other countries (keeping in mind that we are now talking about a global marketplace) including the United States, as well as an even greater litany of third world countries where the gap between the haves and have-nots is in fact a horrendous inequity of humanity, or what might be legitimately termed as  ¡Ã‚ ¥mans inhumanity to man ¡Ã‚ ¦. To a great extent, this author would rely upon the aforementioned information to convince this CEO that he had ethical responsibilities. In the United States along, particularly over the past year, corporate responsibility has been given a tremendous amount of attention. Herein lay an analogy to the global marketplace, only in this case, there are many billions of peoples ¡Ã‚ ¦ lives at stake. I would also want to try to convince this CEO why he should be more democratic in terms of his business dealings as one member of a global business community. I believe that it is increasingly good business to be able to label oneself as  ¡Ã‚ §globalized ¡Ã‚ ¨, a term that this author just coined but I do believe that some sort of logo can be established as a selling point and also for the good of humanity. There exists other problematic areas that could and should be addressed. Many of these are environmental in nature and affect everyone, such as global warming. The regulation of carbon dioxide emissions under the Kyoto Protocol will have severe consequences on U.S. business despite assurances by the Clinton Government, as was reported approximately six years ago (1998). The forced reduction of emissions would ravage not only the utilities but also other sectors, such as the aluminum and iron smelting, automobiles, paper and pulp, and oil refining industries. Worse, only the U.S. may suffer because other countries, particularly developing ones, such as China and Brazil may decide not to comply with the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol. They resist emissions trading and do not want their energy use curtailed to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Despite these, it appears that the protocol will be enforced soon enough, with the next round of talks to take place in Buenos Aires. Finds and sanctions are expected to be established there. At this point, this author should like to interject that finds and sanctions could also be inclusive of a larger global program a ddressing the problems associated with globalization as this author has already delineated. Champions of the Kyoto Protocol say curbing carbon emissions will ensure a safer, more prosperous future for all. But if developing countries do not go along with it, Kyoto could put the bite on U.S. GDP.  ¡Ã‚ §We cannot understate the impact that the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions under the Kyoto Protocol will have on American business. Cutting emissions to meet Kyoto goals would devastate not only utilities, but also a whole host of other industries, including aluminum and iron smelting plants, paper and pulp manufacturers, oil refining and automobiles, ¡Ã‚ ¨ says Fred Palmer, CEO of Western Fuel Associates, a large cooperative of coal burning electric utilities. Direct energy costs are likely to soar by at least 50%. (Bailey, 1998, Pg. 8) The fact is that global warming is everyone ¡Ã‚ ¦s problem. While we are not experiencing horrific and immediate problems right now, the co ncern of a global warming rose early when computer climate models predicted that the Earth ¡Ã‚ ¦s temperature might rise between five and nine degrees over the next century. The long range impact for this is known by scientists, all to be completely damaging, yet, there are many unknowns, or factors for which scientists have not considered and for which this world is in no way prepared. I would try to convince this CEO that his children and his children ¡Ã‚ ¦s children will be the object of avoidance of ethical responsibility if  ¡Ã‚ §we ¡Ã‚ ¨ all (globally) do not take more of an interest with commensurate action. The problem, as I see it, and I would share with the CEO of the multinational corporation with whom I am speaking, is that many of the dangers we are aware of, as well as their solutions, are without teeth. We are part of a world community and to quote Senator Hillary Clinton,  ¡Ã‚ §It takes a village ¡Ã‚ ¨. It might seem like a daunting task to ensure that eight thousand individual sales representatives of decorative gifts and accessories for the home understand and abide by their company ¡Ã‚ ¦s ethical codes, according to Joey Carter, president and CEO of Home Interiors and Gift Inc., who explained that it is a matter of incorporating the DSA codes with his company ¡Ã‚ ¦s own code of ethics.  ¡Ã‚ §For purposes of recruiting, it is important that we take about our company ¡Ã‚ ¦s inventory buy back policy and explain our fair earnings claims, which describe realistically what someone should expect to earn for a given effort, ¡Ã‚ ¨ says Carter. This is one example of eth ics in business, however, the greater problem is indeed global, and by exercising ethics, this is in fact good business, as I would try to convince the CEO with whom I am speaking. DFA ¡Ã‚ ¦s President Neil Offen, in face-to-face meetings himself, spends a lot of time promoting code of ethics and their self-regulatory aspects to government and the private sector.  ¡Ã‚ §Right now the European Commission is looking at integrating ethical codes into law under a duty-to-trade-fairly initiative pending in Brussels, ¡Ã‚ ¨ he says. The World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, which globally represents the direct selling industry, conducts a world congress once every three years as well, with the association subsidizing travel expenses for code administrators to attend. (Schweitzer, 2003, Pg. 20) Many strong and relevant points have been made by commissions who have been acutely aware of this ever growing problem and global disparity. For example, the ILO Declaration of Fundam ental Principles and Rights at Work adopted in 1998 could not be clearer:  ¡Ã‚ §The effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation, ¡Ã‚ ¨ (ILO, 1998, Paragraph 2). Are both so central to the ILO’s Social Justice Mandate and Decent Work Agenda that they are two of the four fundamental principles which members of the ILO have a  ¡Ã‚ §good faith obligation to respect, to promote, and to realize ¡Ã‚ ¨. On equal access to collective bargaining is a challenge to equality, and this is now a universal problem, not just something that America has known particularly in the early twenties, and technically right up to the present. This broad view of equality draws upon the deeply egalitarian convictions that characterize the quest for social justice throughout the world of work. It also focuses on the purpose of protection against discrimination, namely to affirm the equal worth and dignity of all human beings. It seeks in ensure that equality, whose fundamental nature is recognized within the ILO’s normative universe and beyond is also a reality in working peoples’ lives. A purposive approach is required given the mandate in the ILO Constitution and in its normative system to include all workers, thereby affirming their equal worth and dignity. Unequal access to collective bargaining represents the major challenge to equality, one that the declaration calls on the ILO and its constituency to address. (Sheppard, 2003, Pg. 13) The International Labor Review is concerned with (as its namesake indicates) the international community. As has been reiterated previously, the push is on for financial and social parity for all members of the world community. To this extent, the international business community has a responsibility which, increasingly, universal organizations, those that are situated around the world, as well as the United Nations are increasingly moving towards a code of equality which will mandate the kind of economic parity that is the antithesis of globalization as has been protested (and described earlier in this research paper). Ultimately, I would tell this CEO that it is good business to get on the ground floor of being one who is aware of globalization and global parity in this now new millennium. REFERENCES Bailey, Ronald, The High Cost of Kyoto Protocol on Carbon Dioxide Emissions ¡Ã‚ ¨, Chief Executive (U.S.), 1, June, 1998, P. 8. Fitzgerald, Peter L., Massachusetts, Burma, and The World Trade Organization: A Commentary on Blacklisting, Federalism, and Internet in the Global Trading Era ¡Ã‚ ¨, Cornell International Law Journal, 1, January, 2001, P. 11. Jett, Charles C., Critical Skills and the CEO, Chief Executive (U.S.), 1, April, 1993, P. 22. Schweitzer, Carole, Putting Teeth Into Ethical Practices: Good Behavior Starts At The Top, Association Management, 1, January, 2003, P. 20. Sheppard, Colleen, Collective Bargaining and Equality: Making Collections, International Labor Review, 22, December, 2003, P. 13. Research Papers on International Business and GlobalizationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Security in Short Range Wireless Networks Thesis

Security in Short Range Wireless Networks - Thesis Example To combat the security threats faced by this short range wireless communication, several techniques have been brought forward. This paper is aimed at evaluating the various threats faced by the short range wireless networks and the effective solutions to these security threats. One of the security problems is eavesdropping. In this case, the attacker ‘listens’ and monitors contents in a message being transmitted. For instance, an attacker may tune into transmissions between a base station and a wireless handset. Wi-Fi is a local networking technology that works on IEEE 802.11 standard implemented by Wi-Fi compatible devices (Davis, 2004). It is used at homes, offices and public hotspots and offer a relatively higher peak data rates than 3G systems do. However, it also creates new security threats as follows. Wi-Fi has a security problem of Evil twin APs. In this case, the hacker creates a rogue Wi-Fi access point to eavesdrop on wireless communications, which appears to be a legitimate one. As a result, wireless clients can easily connect to them, since fraudulent APs can easily advertise the same network SSID as legitimate connections. Once the victim clients connect, traffic is routed using DHCP and DNS through the evil twin, and this may lead to man-in-the-middle attacks (Lemstra, Hayes, & Groenewegen, 2010). Data interception is another security problem encountered. Eavesdroppers can easily capture data that is sent over Wi-Fi within a short distance or even longer with directional antennas. This is done using cracking tools like ElcomSoft Wireless Security Auditor that locates wireless networks and intercepts data packets. Wi-Fi also encounters denial of service attacks, where an attacker frequently sends bogus requests, premature successful/failure connection messages and other commands to Access Points that are targeted. These attacks make channels busy, disconnect

Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization Research Paper

Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization - Research Paper Example David, et al, (1999) identified the simplest sense of globalization encompasses speeding, widening and deepening up of global interconnectedness of national aspects. McMicheal (2000), suggest that the term globalization refers to the integration of a project pursuing market rule on a global scale. Anthony Giddens in his philosophy ‘The Consequences of Modernity’ defined globalization as the intensification of international social relations which shorten distant localities in such a way that events occurring locally are shaped by events occurring miles away. Other scholars such as Roland Robertson, a professor of sociology, defined globalization as â€Å"the compression of the world and the intensification of the consciousness of the world as a whole† (Bartmess & Cerny, 2007). In this perspective, there is no universally accepted definition of globalization, but the acceptability depends on the context at which the term is used. However, globalization can be well be understood by determining factors and aspects that make up the term. In 2000, International Monetary Fund (IMF) developed four basic aspects of globalization; transaction and trade, investment and capital movement, movement of people and migration and dissemination of knowledge (International Monetary Fund, 2000). In terms of transaction and trade, low-income countries increased their share of world trade from 18.6% in 1971 to 28% in 1999. Private capital flows to low-income and middle-income countries replaced by ‘development assistance’ and ‘aid. Foreign direct investment became the investment of concern by larger companies in developing countries, which led the introduction of multinational companies (Asmussen, 2011). David, et al, (2005) identified that globalization developed international trade and companies. Due to increased interaction among nationalities, countries traded with one another with goods and services they have a comparative advantage (David, et

Pragmatics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pragmatics - Essay Example Characterization of polite language includes careful selection of words as well as the reconstruction of the speaker’s communicative intentions through the use of logic practical reasoning (Brown 8). The use of honorifics due to the presence of complex strata within societies in order to impersonalize people as well to further elaborate politeness is another feature seen in polite forms of languages. Also, the concept of face, or the public image of the speaker as he or she perceives it and how everyone else recognizes it, becomes a motivation to be polite at all times, as seen through the eyes of other cultures (Grebe 6). By projecting a positive image of their selves, people are able to communicate effectively in such a way that they get what they want and at the same time are able to maintain their good public images by their careful selection of words and actions. Strong motivation to do as such is a key point in the use of polite forms of language, which is a reason why it still persists up to the present (Brown 23). Depending on the quality as well as the type of social relationship between the speaker and the listener, the style of speech would also be adjusted accordingly (Carter 170). Politeness with regards to speech stems from the different hierarchies within a culture, and by not using respectful language towards different classes of people, speakers would become the target of stigmatization and persecution by the community (Watts 44). The lack of politeness in speech could also mean life or death in ancient cultures as well which suggests the evolution of polite speech patterns in most languages. Most output suggests that politeness in linguistics also originated from the use of indirections in speech, as well as hints, and by not being outright or the avoidance of blatant speech gives the speaker a more amiable or positive image (Carter 169). This also saves a person’s face, or the clean public image of a

Multiple paragraphs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multiple paragraphs - Essay Example I expect my art to inspire my audience to be able to make change just as I did, and to fulfill their dream of what they are passionate about. Again, there is neither right nor wrong in making a hobby into a job, nor making a passion into reality and so they need to be their own judge, and take charge for their own life. Bill does not think his art is great, but he likes how he actually uses bold colors, flashy accessories and trends in the making of his art. Although he sees some technical issues, his art always puts people in light because he seeks the beauty that people wear on the street and finds it. His art changed him, for example, he started to find beauty in his own interactions with people, better than before and will tend to look in his eyes like a genuine human being. He became engaged in life that is because his natural enthusiasm and joy that he cannot help to uplift everyone. Cunningham’s art would influence other people’s lives, because he tends to know much about people without judging them in his art and tends to bring the beauty in them. His art has an underlying message which is â€Å"no matter how you do or look like you will find the beauty within you and you will have a light that will shine on you, so don’t let people judge you, judge yourself

Real Existing Socialism and State Socialism in Romania

Real Existing Socialism and State Socialism in Romania â€Å"Real existing socialism in the GDR and State Socialism in Romania:  A Comparison Introduction Over the course of the last two decades, following the collapse of communism in Russia and other Eastern Bloc states, there has been a considerable amount of debate in academic and political circle relating to the re-definition of socialism, which as a political ideology then became separated from communism. In its purist form, socialism is perceived as the organisational concept within a society whereby the means of production, including factories and farms, is deemed to be held in ownership terms by the whole of a particular community or nation (Caldwell 2003, p.17). Thus, in theory every worker and citizen should benefit equally from his or her share of that ownership. However, as with every other political ideology, in practice such purism does not exist. However, as with other forms of political ideology, a perfect form of socialism does not exist within any national state. As has been witnessed in the Eastern Bloc countries in Europe, there is a significant difference in the way that socialism manifests itself in individual cultures and nations, and this depends upon the prevailing political structure and cultural environment. For example, whilst there are democratic and dictatorship led countries that exercise a socialist agenda, this does not equate to the method of state socialism practiced in other states, even those within the same region. The purpose of this study is to compare two distinct forms of socialism; at the same time seeking to distinguish between the ways that each is operated in their respective societies. To assist with this objective, it is intended to use two nations that have experienced differing political structures. These are GDR[1], which operates a system known as â€Å"real existing socialism† and Romania, which enjoys a state socialism political environment. Socialism There has been a substantial amount of literature produced that has concentrated upon the study of socialism. Much of this has concentrated upon the various divergent forms of the ideology that have emerged within and outside of a communist environment. Although there is still some debate about terminology for these divergent forms of socialism, the vast majority have adapted the two most prominent as being â€Å"real existing socialism† and â€Å"state socialism.† Real existing socialism The studies that have led to the defining of real socialism only really commenced following the breakdown of socialism in areas such as the former communist block (Von Hirschhausen 1995, p.8). From this it has been found that the foundations of real socialism bore no resemblance to the â€Å"planned economy† message that was being projected by the state, and thus cannot be measured or compared with the political systems that exist within the democratic regimes of the western world. Despite it’s similarity to state socialism, the real existing version has none of the unique elements of capitalism. For example, individual property rights, commodity markets, freedom of capital and labour do not exist. Economics was dominated by politics and the two were therefore closely interwoven. This in itself can be seen as part of the cause for their being a lack of planning within these economies, which resulted in problems in three main areas. Firstly, monetary controls and restraints did not exist in the sense that we know in the West. Instead, paper money formed only a part of issues such as workers salaries, with basic goods at low prices or rationed, as can be witnessed by the fact that the price of bread in 1987 had not changed for over fifty years (Von Hirschhausen 1995, p.9), and the higher priced goods were used as rewards for merit rather than available to the citizen as a right. Secondly, there was no attempt to aim for maximum or optimum output from the countries industrial plants as these formed just a part of the party’s objectives, along with welfare and house and a raft of other priorities. Unlike commercial corporations, those within this socialist environment paid little attention to profit and success. Similarly, the idea of plant closure was contrary to the countries socialist identity and beliefs. In itself, this proves the case that there was no economic basis for the nations industrial production and output. The final aspect is planning. As has been discovered since the fall of communism, the official documents issued by the regimes, which purported to be official plans, none of these where implemented or controlled within the industrial environment. This was partially due to the fact that these plants lacked the basic equipment needed to do so, and also because the state showed little interest in the results (Von Hirschhausen 1995, p.9). State Socialism There are many who would argue that state socialism is actually a misnomer. The reason for this is that in this type of socialist community, although there is a limited recognition of private capitalism, the state itself is the centre of power. This power not only includes their ownership of the â€Å"means of production† mentioned earlier in this paper, but also extends to other significant areas as well. For example, their ownership and control extends to the media, transport and communications and, in addition, to the workers, police and military. Similarly, the state uses its power to control dissidents and â€Å"so-called† reactionaries. During the communist era in Eastern Europe, what stopped the nation that followed â€Å"state socialism† from being described more appropriately as bureaucratic regimes was the fact that the state itself was controlled by the communist party, which was essentially determined as a party for the people and thus their representatives. Case Study GDR and Romania The GDR and Romania have been chosen as a comparison case study for this paper as they operate within the two different areas of socialism being discussed, with GDR following the route of real existing socialism and Romania being a state socialism environment. GDR Prior to its reunification with West Germany, the German Democratic Republic was run by a communist regime and operated a system that has latterly become known as belonging to the â€Å"real existing socialism† The economy was controlled and planned centrally by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, who also strictly controlled prices within the economy, particularly those of a basic nature such as basic foodstuff and housing. In these cases the party heavily subsidised production to ensure that prices remained low and manageable for the ordinary citizen. As has been indicated to be the case with such political structures, virtually all of the production process were centrally owned and controlled. Even in the small private sector (around 2.8%), these were subjected to oppressive regulations and taxation, sometimes with the latter exceeding 90%. In essence, at least in the early years, and to a large degree up until a few years short of the fall of the Berlin wall, one of the central intentions of the states plan was the â€Å"total governance† of society (Caldwell 2003, p.2). However, this centralisation of control provided an ideal breeding ground for corruption, with many managers within the publicly owned business sector lining their own pockets and those of party officials, thus creating an even worse economic situation in terms of the production output of their factories. In an attempt to address some of these issues GDR ruling party moved to a more autonomous level of social control (Caldwell 2003, p.15). They adopted the slogan of â€Å"real existing socialism† as a way of showing that, although there was still a large degree of state control, the lives of the individual was said to be, to a large degree, independent and autonomous to the state, which stated that its regime allowed their citizens to live unfettered lives in private, although dissidents claimed that this pretence of â€Å"normalcy† was just an attempt to cover up the high levels of repressions that existed (Maier 1999, p.22). In reality the individual’s emancipation was against wishes of the state but by allowing it to occur it had the opposite effect to that which could have been expected, this being a tendency towards more the creation of more conflict and unrest. However, as Maier (1999, p.42) later shows, the lack of substance in the opposition by ordinary citizens was probably quelled by the measures taken by the state to repress their citizens. Whilst in some cases, such as the media, this was achieved by s strict process of censorship, as far as ordinary citizens a â€Å"stick or reward† policy was operated. For example, rationing and the reward system in terms of luxury goods, which were always accompanied by the threat that the benefits gained through these measures, tended to opposition voice down to a muted level (Maier 1999, p.49). Similarly, the dispersal of the states secret police force led to a situation where fear of neighbours replaced trust as many people responded to the implied threat by showing a willingness to report opposition in secret. This was not only done to curry favour but also to avoid becoming embroiled with the police on a personal level. Thus, as Maier (1999, p.42) states â€Å"real existing socialism thus rested on a double distortion. It transformed the public sphere into one of negotiated bargains, while it twisted the idea of a private sphere into a domain of complicity and secrecy.† Similarly, as has been evidenced within the performance of the state, despite its repressive measures, is more closely linked to the ideals that were previously expressed by Mark (2004). Perhaps the one benefit that East Germany has derived from the real existing socialism that has become inherent within the culture, particularly in terms of the previous movement towards members of the public having an element of a certain degree of autonomy to their lives, is that this has made it easier for the nation to become integrated within the larger German nation following its reunification with the Federal Republic of German (Crow 2001). Romania In certain respects the Romanian socialist structures is similar to that of the GDR. This is certainly true in the case of the party’s control of the media, which has yet to find an independent voice and the state ownership of a large number of commercial assets. However, following the fall of the communist regimes in the Eastern Block, this country has retained a communist political regime, which observers feel results from the fact that the general public are reluctant to involve themselves in politics in a direct manner (Carey 2004, p.10). When compared with the GDR it is found that the population of Romania is distinctly different to those of neighbouring countries. The culture is much more centralised in its thinking. Evidence of this can be found in the fact that most citizens within the Romanian society have a bias towards â€Å"paternalistic protection of authoritarian institutions† rather than being concerned with their own democratic freedom and values (Carey 2004, p.14). A similar situation exists within the business sector. At the present time the state controls and owns most of the production organisations and, in addition, all of the financials institutions are in public ownership. It would be difficult to sell the latter, because of the problem of non-recoverable loans and other debt crisis. Similarly, although many of the countries vast production plants are inefficient and losing money, the ethos of the ruling classes is such that closure of these organisations is an unacceptable option (Carey 2004, p.17). Furthermore, there is a reluctance to allow these to move into private ownership. Even if the state were prepared to look at this option, as Carey shows within his research (Carey 2004, p.18), the vast majority of business and other citizens in Romania are of the opinion that â€Å"the privatisation† process was dishonest. The overwhelming preference within the country and its culture is in favour of state control, particularly in resp ect of what are considered to be the most important issues, these being â€Å"prices and wages.† However, despite the views of the population, the state does have to address the issue of corporate control and, although some attempt has been made in this area, this has yet to lead to a stable environment. One of the problems they have in this respect is that the workers are union controlled and, with the current wish for central state control of wages, negotiating a productivity based working environment would, at present, be very difficult to achieve. It is anticipated that it will take some time for Romania to be able to convert either its political structure to a more democratic cultural base or its production and manufacturing industries to a situation of optimisation and a success based agenda (Carey 2004, p.229). Conclusion It is clear that socialism is still in the process of undergoing radical change, particularly following the collapse of communism in areas such as Russia and the former Eastern Bloc countries. However, as has been seen from the case study of the German Democratic Republic and Romanic, the cultural impact of this varies between nations. For example, prior to the 1989 revolutions the GDR was already experiencing a significant amount of unrest, which was being generated â€Å"from below,† in other words from a groundswell of public opinion and active opposition (Kornai 1992). This country is therefore moving rapidly towards a culture of democratic rights and away from their former position of being subject to real existing socialism. Conversely, in the state of Romania, the movement away from state socialism has yet to begin in earnest. For example, the current ruling party is still based upon a communist stance and, despite the fact that it retains control over areas such as production and the media, which in some cases can be seen to be repressive, there is little will amongst the populace to effect a change at this time (Federal Research Division 2004). However, one area that has certainly added to the differential between the two countries in terms of their movement towards a democratic culture and political environment is the location and structural differences. For example, East Germany (GDR) is situated adjacent to a Western democracy, albeit it with socialist tendencies, whereas Romania was previously surrounded by communist and socialist states. In addition, Romania has become an independent whilst the GDR has lost its independent identity within the enlarged German nation. To this extent for the GDR the dissolution of the communist based socialist environment has been a much smoother transition (Maier 1999). References Brie, Michael (1991). The General Crisis of Administrative Centralised Socialism: A Sketch Towards a Theory of Reproduction. Available: http://www.ceeol.com/aspx/getdocument.aspx?logid=5id=15370fa8-8415-4f96-8ae7-a4580ee58991 Caldwell, Peter C (2003). Dictatorship, State Planning, and Social Theory in the German Democratic Republic. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK. Carey, Henry F (ed.) (2004). Romania since 1989: Politics, Economics and Society. Lexington Books. Langham, US. Crow, Graham (2001). Social Solidarities: Theories, Identities and Social Change. Open University Press. Buckingham, UK. Federal Research Division (2004). Romania: A Country Study. Kissinger Publishing. New York, US. Kornai, Jà  nos (1992). The Socialist System: The Political Economy of Communism. Clarendon Press. Oxford, UK Maier, Charles S (1999). Dissolution, the Crisis of Communism and the End of East Germany. Princeton University Press. New Jersey, US. Nove, Alex (2001). Marxism and Really Existing Socialism. Routledge. London, UK. Von Hirschhausen, Christian (1995). Five years after the collapse: The socialism debate revisited, and the limits of economic thought. CERNA. Paris, France. Available: http://www.cerna.ensmp.fr/Documents/CVH-WP95.pdf 1 Footnotes [1] German Democratic Republic

The Fight for the Ordination of Women in the Roman Catholic Church Ess

It is a well-known fact that women of the Catholic Church have been excluded from holding important leadership roles throughout history. While the more subordinate women of the early Catholic Church once accepted this view, Catholic women around the world are now challenging it. Multiple secular and religious influences over the last few decades have empowered women to find their voice and speak out against this long-standing tradition of discrimination (Henold 15). Despite all of the debate and the shortage of priests, the Catholic Church has not waivered in its belief against the ordination of women into priesthood. To gain a better understanding of this debate, one must examine the history and aspirations of the Catholic feminist movement, as well as the reasoning behind the church’s decision to uphold this long- standing tradition. In the early days of the Catholic Church, strict guidelines were placed on women to ensure that they were pure, domestic, and submissive. They were expected to conform to the model of the â€Å"eternal woman† by giving up any personal desires and surrendering themselves to God (Henold 25). This ideal woman was portrayed in a publication called The Eternal Women, which was written in 1934 by a German historian by the name of Gertrud von Le Fort (Henold 26). Le Fort expressed that women were assigned the duty of sacrifice, and while men had to sacrifice as well, it was not in their nature. It was expected that a woman must surrender to her husband in all aspects of life, including decisions pertaining to child bearing (Henold 27). She used the Virgin Mary as an example of surrender, by explaining that Mary surrendered herself to God when accepting her role as the mother of Jesus (Henold 27). ... ...ntinue fighting for equal rights even when faced with excommunication. The Vatican issued a statement in May of 2008 saying that all women priests and the bishops who ordained them would be excommunicated (â€Å"Roman Catholic†). Despite countless threats to supporters, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests is gaining support as they continue to ordain women into priesthood and establish congregations around the globe. It is difficult to predict what the future holds for the women of the Catholic Church. Although they have found success in some areas in their fight for equality, the Vatican has remained consistent in its refusal to allow the ordination of women into priesthood even into the present day. It is evident that no matter what decisions are made in the future, this will continue be a topic of constant debate and tension in the Catholic Church.

Review of Willa Cather’s My Antonia

My Antonia shows us that it takes time to really uncover everyones true person, and that a book’s cover rarely does the writing any justice. I also found that the Lone Plough represents a mistake that many of us often find ourselves making. But for myself, the biggest learning curve from this book would be that life can at times pass by slowly and seem boring and mundane, but before one knows it life changes, and one is left wondering, how the heck did I get here?Jim Burden’s life changes drastically at the age of 10, when he is forced to travel cross-country by train to live on the Nebraska frontier with his grandparents after the death of his parents. Jim was accompanied by his father’s former farmhand Jake. On that same train headed to Nebraska, there is a Bohemian family headed to the same place. ? Jim's grandparents are simple yet kind people with generous natures. He begins to enjoy the wide open spaces of the frontier. Soon after his arrival, the Burdens g o to meet their new neighbors, the Shimerdas. Jim meets Mr.Shimerda, an educated musician, Mrs. Shimerda a shrewish woman who comes across as demanding, the eldest son Ambrosch, Marek, Yulka, and the eldest daughter Antonia. Soon after meeting, Antonia and Jim become friends. The Shimerdas unfortunately are not faring well in their new country, but do eventually become friends with Peter and Pavel, two Russian men. Jim and Antonia become even closer, after Jim impresses her by killing a snake. Winter follows, Jim gets very ill, and Pavel passes away. Peter then decides to move away, which greatly upsets Mr. Shimerdas.Right in the middle of one of the largest snowstorms that Nebraska had seen in ten years. Mr. Shimerda commits suicide after neatly arranging himself in the barn. The following day when Jim is left alone in the house, he then feels Mr. Shimerda's spirit. The Shimerda family insist that Mr. Shimerda’s body must be buried on their property. While unorganized, the f uneral ceremony is very moving. After this, the Burdens and a few other neighbors come together as one in a combined effort to aid the Shimerdas. In order to help her family, Antonia stops attending school and begins farming in the fields just as a man would.Jim becomes resentful that Antonia is no longer able to spend as much time with him as he would have liked. The Shimerdas briefly upset their neighbors by acting in a very ungrateful way in response to all of the help that they had received from their friends. Eventually though, everyone is reconciled. After living in the country for three years Jim's grandparents decide it best to move to Black Hawk in order for Jim to go to school. Antonia also comes into this town to work for the Harlings. Other immigrant country girls also start working in the town, and they become known as the hired girls.Jim begins to spend a lot of his free time with Antonia and the Harling children. Dancing becomes the new rage in Black Hawk, and Antonia really starts to enjoy it and begins going all the time. When Antonia starts making a bad name for herself, the Harlings ask Antonia to quit going to the dances. In response, Antonia decides to quit her job and starts working for Wick Cutter. During this time Jim becomes a bit antisocial and beings only spending time with Antonia and a few other hired girls. Jim begins to focus on his studies a lot in preparation for college and can’t wait to leave Black Hawk behind as soon as he can.At his college in Lincoln, Jim becomes extremely close with Gaston Cleric, his Latin instructor and mentor. The two start to spend a good amount of time talking intimately together. Although Jim does come to the realization that he is not, and never will, an academic as Gaston is. One of Jim’s favorite hired girl, Lena Lingard, comes to visit him one day, and they begin to rekindle their past friendship by going to plays together. The two begin spend a lot of time together, even though tw o other men are openly in love with her.As a result of Lena’s sudden reappearance his life, Jim begins to let his grades drop. In response to Jim’s lax approach to his schoolwork, Gaston Cleric asks Jim to come with him to Harvard to continue his studies. To Lena’s dismay, Jim agrees, and follows Gaston to Harvard. Before entering law school two years later, Jim decides to return home to Black Hawk, where he hears of Antonia. Antonia had apparently gotten pregnant and was engaged to be married to Larry Donovan. She had apparently followed Larry to Denver, where he proceeded to run off after all of her money was gone.Antonia was forced to then return home to her family's farm where she then gave birth and helped to work the land. Jim heres of this and goes to visit her. Antonia is a bit surprised that Jim is not disappointed in her for poor decisions. Jim finally returns to see Antonia after twenty years passed. He heard that Antonia had finally gotten married, t o a man named Anton Cuzak, and together they had bore about ten children. Jim has also heard that Antonia has had a hard life, and he’s a bit nervous about seeing how the years had affected her.When he arrives at their farm, Jim is greeted by her large family. Antonia doesn't seem recognize him immediately, but becomes extremely excited once she does. She proceeds to show him all around her family’s farm, which seems to be so full of life. Everywhere they go, everyone seems so happy and content. Jim is happy to see his childhood friend Antonia looking well. He stays the night in the barn with two of the boys, so that he may meet Antonia’s husband and eldest son the next day. The following day Jim meets Cuzak, Antonia’s husband.Jim and Cuzak hit it off immediately, and it becomes apparent to him that Cuzak and Antonia's marriage is one of mutual happiness and equality. Jim leaves but promises Antonia’s sons that he will return to Black Hawk one day soon, and take them all hunting. On his way out, Jim finds the old dirt road that he once used to lead him home to his grandparents' farm, and he begins to think about how that road changed his future and how now he has returned full circle back to where he had started years and years ago. Just like with any novel, setting plays a key role.Jim's first impression of his new home on the Nebraska frontier is that it seems vast and empty. He feels that he has stepped out of civilization as he knew it, and that Nebraska will be a new experience, in which he will have to learn to live by a new set of rules and conduct. Jim is leaving his past life completely behind, and will become an entirely new person on the Nebraska frontier. Because of this, he feels as though his old self is now â€Å"erased† and â€Å"blotted out† as he travels to his grandfather's house. I found that the â€Å"lone plough† also held great significance in this novel.To me, it showed that while in the moment something may seem highly important, but in the end its really nothing more than an insignificant memory. Years ago that plough was probably a must have on the Nebraska frontier, and was seen as a shiny new toy to most farmers, but now years later it is left to rust in a field after it became no longer useful to its owner. Looking back at the plough, the farmer probably wouldn’t remember it as the shiny new toy he thought it once was, but instead remembers it as a reliable piece of farm equipment, nothing more and nothing less.While these some what small details hold much importance, I found that the larger picture took me somewhat by surprise and left me remembering this story. For me, while I read the book I found it somewhat interesting with little things happening here and there. With subplots every now and again, and different rising actions eventually leading to a climax. But I thought that the book was rather dull, and lacked interest. Reading it, became mundane to me. That was until the very end. I found that end brought it all together for me.While the story seemed to drag on with little motivation, the end made me realize how much the characters really had accomplished. This reminds me life, from day to day things may seem boring but before you know it, you have accomplished one of your largest goals, and are now looking back wishing that you could do it all over again. I find myself wanting to reread My Antonia to reminisce in the character’s small accomplishments along the way; because while in reality I may not be able to, at least with this book I can relive the climb.