Mesopotamia and China

Although Mesopotamia and China had similarities in politics, economics, social organization, and religion between 8000 BCE – 600 CE, they also had differences. Both Mesopotamia and China followed the same pattern to state and empire building (Supanick, Notes 2012). They both also had agricultural and trade societies (Supanick, Notes 2012). Both also had social inequities and were both polytheistic (Supanick, Notes 2012). They also had important differences, Mesopotamia's empires were replaced by outside groups as in China's empires being replaced by other chinese (Supanick, Notes 2012).Also, Mesopotamia had a lot of long distance trade, while China trade more internally, with the exception of the Han (Supanick, Notes 2012). They also had differences in their social stratification, Mesopotamia had a major priest class. China had one but is was not important as the one in Mesopotamia (Supanick, Notes 2012). Religiously, China had a diversity in religion, as in Mesopotamia's one religion (Supanick, Notes 2012). China and Mesopotamia had many political similarities. Both civilizations were threatened by invaders.Mesopotamia was threatened by many invaders that sometimes conquered and established empires in the area, like the Assyrians and Babylonians. The biggest invaders of China were the Xiongu, a nomadic group from the north. Both were invaded for many reasons. One reason was the invaders were trying to expand and/or conquer. Also, the geography of the areas predisposed invasion. Another political similarity was the type of government, which was monarchy. Mesopotamia had many different leaders, the first was Sargon, followed by Hammurabi. China also many leaders, the emperor at the height of the Han was Wudi.Monarchs arose in Mesopotamia and China because peoples were seeking protection and power. A final political similarity was the order of state and empire building. Both China and Mesopotamia followed this order: Rise of Agriculture to Villages to City -States to Kingdoms to Empires. Both civilizations followed this pattern because of population growth, that allowed them to expand and grow. Mesopotamia and China also had political differences. Both civilizations had many different empires, however Mesopotamia had more than China. Mesopotamia empires were being replaced frequently, as in China empires lasted longer.Mesopotamia had many empires coming in and replacing each other. Sargon and the Akkadians were the first, then Hammurabi and the Babylonians, then the Assyrians, and then Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. While China only had the Qin, that was later replaced by the Han. This difference occurs because Mesopotamia had many invaders and the geography made them open for invasion, as in China they didn't have to worry about many invaders and had protection by having parts of the great wall to protect them. Another political difference is the groups of people who conquered the empires.In Mesopotamia, their empire were conque red by external invaders, as in China their empires were conquered by other chinese civilizations. In Mesopotamia, the Babylonians were conquered by the Assyrians, an external invader. In China, the Qin empire eventually replaced with the Han, a chinese civilization. Like other differences this happens because of invaders and geography. Mesopotamia has many invaders and is open to invasion while China is composed of many neighboring chinese civilizations protected by some parts of great wall and only have some invaders.Not only does Mesopotamia and China have political similarities they also have economic similarities. One economic similarity is their mode of production which is Agriculture and Trade. Mesopotamia did a lot of trade and farming, they farmed wheat and barely. China grew rice and millet and trade mostly internally until the Han and the Silk Road. Both civilizations were agricultural and trade societies because their geography allowed them to farm and trade easily. Anot her economic similarity is agricultural technologies.Both civilizations created many ways to make farming easier. They both made irrigation systems and agricultural tools like the wheel. They both created new technologies to make farming easier and more productive. Mesopotamia and China also had economic differences. Mesopotamia and China did not always traded long distances. Mesopotamia traded long distances, unlike the chinese who only traded internally. Mesopotamia and China traded to get things they couldn't, but China only traded internally because they were ethnocentric.They thought they were superior to others and would be thought as soiled if they were dealing with foreigners. However, when the Han took over China they established the Silk Road that they traded long distantly on. Another economic difference is what they grew. China grew rice and millet, while Mesopotamia grew wheat and barely. This difference occurs because of their geography and climate. Mesopotamia's geogr aphy and climate was favorable to wheat and barely, while China's was favorable to rice and millet. Mesopotamia and China also had social similarities.Both civilizations had major inequities in society. China's stratification was: Emperor, Nobles, Peasants, and Merchants. Mesopotamia's stratification was: Emperor, Priest, Nobles, Artisan, Peasants/Slaves. The upper class in both societies made up about 5% of the population while the peasants and slaves made up 95% of it. However the upper class got 95% of the wealth, while the peasants and slaves got 5% of it. This occurred because people with power were not interested in sharing and didn't care for those below them. Another similarity is the Emperor was the all powerful leader.

Marketing southwest airlines

Gone were the days when companies used to be product-focused, utilizing salespeople to sell their products to the market without any specific goals in mind. The advent of marketing changed all this and has since revolutionized the manner of marketing certain products and services. This paper shall look into the marketing strategies Southwest Airlines is currently utilizing to gain a good market share amidst a long list of airline companies today. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines was initially incorporated to serve three cities in Texas as Air Southwest on March 15, 1967, by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. Air Southwest changed its name to Southwest Airlines In early 1971 and the first flight was recorded on June 18, 1971.   Over the years, Southwest has added improved 737 variants but has stayed within the Boeing 737 family to reduce operating costs. Because this technique simplified training, maintenance, and ground operations, it revolutionized the industry's approach to building aircraft fleets. In January 2005 Southwest put to rest its remaining 737-200, the oldest type in its fleet. This event was highlighted with employees wearing pajamas for an early morning flight covering the original Dallas-San Antonio-Houston before returning to Dallas and called this â€Å"putting the -200s to bed†. Marketing Strategies Southwest is known for putting value to the most important people, the customers and the employees. The success of behind a company’s success is its people who understand the significant contribution of their company. Southwest believes that with unsatisfied employees may be translated to unsatisfied customers. The company is known for its distinct customer service philosophy.   Lovelock and Wirtz (2002, p. 58) made is clear that a good customer service spells a big difference in gaining a good number of customers. Southwest must see to it that despite the large number of airline companies that exist today, customers must continue to fly their airline. This is no easy task considering the challenge of trying to beat the other airlines who may offer lower fares or provide more valuable services. Flying on Southwest is quite different from that of most other U.S. airlines such as that tickets are only available and may be purchased from the airline itself. They are not available through travel agents or through common online venues. The tickets may be bought over the phone or via online transactions at the company’s website. Another thing that sets the company aparts from other airline companies is that reservations can be changed at will without corresponding penalties. To an ordinary customer, this service means so much. There’s another way Southwest is doing to gain more customers. It offers Rapid Rewards where customers receive one credit per each one-way ticket (http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Southwest%20Airlines.htm). This program was eventually modified to provide a better offer to customers who frequently fly the airline company. In February 2006, Southwest instituted Capacity Controls to redeeming its free tickets. This means that the airline limits the seats offered to frequent travelers using free certificates on each flight, whereas previously if there was a seat available, you could use the award, provided you were not flying on one of the five blackout dates. Southwest has added fun in its advertisements such as â€Å"just Plane Smart,† The Somebody Else Up There Who Loves You† and â€Å"The Low Fare Airline†. This is its way of reaching to its targeted audience in the simplest and easiest way possible. Since the 1990s, Southwest has come up with television campaigns based on the phrase â€Å"Wanna get away?† Their TV commercilas are filled with funny scenes showing how people appear during situations they find themselves while ‘wanting to get away’. What really distinguishes Southwest from other airlines is its sound clip ‘ding which is now being associated with the company. Conclusion No amount of enticing marketing strategies will be able to entice the most number of customers if all they get are airline employees who give them the cold shoulder. This is something that Soutwest is being known for and its management is trying to build up among its employees. Southwest employees are generally regarded for their friendliness. The Economist   came up woth a Special report entitled â€Å"Low-cost airlines Turbulent Skies† in July 8, 2004 highlighting the present dilemma airline companies are facing. The 9/11 incident actually changed the way people are dealing with airline companies. No one can deny the fact that people have started developing a kind of fear against flying. Peterson (2004 p.124 ) illustrates the changes which companies like Southwest may undertake to compete with the times by using marketing principles attuned to the times. As Lovelock and Wirtz (2002), there are better ways to deal with certain situations that beset companies like Southwest. The problem left by the 9/11 incident among airline companies, the best way to sell or encourage more customers to fly Southwest is to offer them more than just low-cost fares. It is important to provide them the best customer service experience no other airline can give. Works Cited: http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Southwest%20Airlines.htm (Retrieved September 12, 2006) Lovelock, C., & Wirtz, J. Services Marketing People Technology Strategy. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. July 2002 Low-cost airlines Turbulent Skies. The Economist Special Report. Jul 8th 2004 Peterson, B.   Blue Streak: Inside jetBlue, the Upstart that Rocked an Industry. Portfolio Hardcover. 2004      

Business Environment in Cuba

Business Environment in Cuba Cuba is a beautiful country that lies to the north of the Caribbean Sea, the Mexican gulf and the Atlantic Ocean. It is made up of several islands and among the island of Cuba is the largest. Its total area is 109,884 km2 making 104 th in the world. Its population according to 2015 census was 11239,004 making it 78 th most populous country. Its GDP, according to the 2014 estimate was 82.775 billion, making it to be in top ten in countries with high GDP. Its major trading partners include Canada, China, Venezuela, Netherlands, and Spain. Its major exports are sugar, fish, fruits, agricultural produce, and livestock. It also has nickel mines and its contribution to the international market amounts to 4 percent. It is also a major producer of sugar and was accounting for 36 percent of the total amount of sugar produced, but a recent survey reveals that it only supplies a 10 percent as of 2014. Cuba is one the countries that practice socialism in their administration and had close t ies with USSR before its collapse [1] . After the collapse of the Soviet Union the country experienced hard economical times characterized by food shortages, lack of proper medical services caused by emigration of doctors and general decline in all the sectors of the economy [2] . The Cuban government came up with a new guideline for foreign investment that states that the profits tax be reduced into half and ensure foreign companies are not taxed for a period of 8 years in order to attract foreign investment. It has done away with duty free zones and industrial parks in a quest to increase investment opportunities. Investment is encouraged in all the sectors of the economy except in public health and education sectors. Due to their strict laws on the conservation of the environment, any company that its business interferes with the environment is prohibited. Foreign investment proposal goes through the ministry of trade and foreign investment, which is later approved, by the Coun cil of State, and Council Minister. The corporate tax incentive is at 30 percent. Several companies operate in Cuba mostly from Canada, China, Russia and Brazil. No company from the united sates operates in Cuba but its products can be found in Cuban markets. Such companies include Sherritt International, Macdonald’s Mining Corporations, Air France, Lufthansa, Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Mercedes Benz among Others. The country has experienced all forms of violence in the past and has had bitter relations with the United States after the overthrowing of the then government by Fidel Castro in 1959. Since then, the communist party led by Fidel Castro as the president until 2008 when he retired and was succeeded by his brother Raul Castro has governed it. Due to its past relations with the US, there have been very many conflicts with the tiny island nation. Due to its alignment with the USSR during the cold war, it worsened its relations with the west and in 1961; a nuclear war alm ost broke out with Cuba and the US. With the introduction of the communist party, which is the only political party there, has been so much abuse of human rights in the country. There is no freedom of expression and journalists are arrested and jailed for speaking against the government. Many organizations and governments have voiced their worries that the situation in Cuba is bad for its citizens as the government was exercising all forms political dissent such as arbitrary imprisonment, extrajudicial killings torture, and unfair trials. The statistics of 2008 show that Cuba had the second number of imprisoned journalists. The country has an extensive maximum-security system totaling to 40 and various work camps. The people are confined in the prisons where they face torture and sexual harassment coupled with poor living conditions. The Cuban human rights watch reported that in 2010 there were 167 political prisoners. The country also restricts emigration, obtaining a passport is v ery expensive, and only few people can afford. There is limited internet access to the government only operating 118 cybercafà ©s and the sale of computers is highly restricted. With these conditions, investing in Cuba may be very challenging [3] . Cuba’s scenery is beautiful and attracts many tourists to come and watch its vast beauty and natural resources. There is range of plant and animal species only found in Cuba. In fact, 22 percent of its total area is restricted for conservation of the natural environment. It enjoys large plantations of sugarcane, mines, and advanced medicine production plants. However, the government controls 90 percent of the factors of production. The state runs and operates most of the firms and employs 78 percent of the labor force with the private sector dismally at 22 percent as per 2006 statistics [4] . Penetrating into Cuba for a private company the firm has to pay the government, which in turn pays the employees. This may not be favorabl e for any business because there will be no motivation of the labor force. A firm may face labor challenges venturing into Cuba because the workers are poorly paid, and are not represented by the trade union. The average monthly salary is 19 US dollars, which is relatively low to expect a large output from them. The transparency international survey of 2008, ranked Cuba as the 67 th most corrupt in the world. The corruption perception index (CPI) showed that Cuba scored 4.3 which rates from zero (highly corrupt) to 10 (highly clean). Corruption is rampant because the state owns all the resources and getting services from the government officials one has to pay a bribe.   The government lacks accountability as there are no pressure groups in the country and corruption is highly practiced by top government official such as the military officials who enjoy favors that ordinary Cubans cannot have. A ministry to investigate corruption was set in 2001 to eliminate corruption and bring accountability in the government, which is a good gesture towards the step towards the right direction. Cuba has one of the lowest unemployment rates, and as of 2015, the rates were 2.40 percent. This is a very low percentage and this can be attributed by the firm grip of the government owning all the factors of production. The government has established work camps, which employ most of the people [5] . If you are to venture into Cuba and the form of business you wish to conduct is labor intensive then looking for labor may be a challenge because the population is engaged. On the other side, high employment ensures that there is money in the economy, which increases demand for goods and services. This would ensure that the firm might grow the economy with high standards of living, proper medical services, and high levels of literacy levels, gain some big sales. Before the collapse of the USSR, the Cubans enjoyed a good life with a vast. After it abandoned them, the country was plunged into crisis and general decline of the economy [6] . Since the collapse of the COMECON, Cuba has not joined any trading block and has since concentrated on building its communist policies. However, it trades with the MERCUSOR members such as Brazil. The sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union did hurt its economy. The US has enforced an embargo on Cuba, but things are looking good as president, Obama made his trip to Cuba and it is a step towards the right direction. The economy is recovering due to trade between it and Canada, especially through its tourism sector.   However, the government needs to do a lot, reduce its force on the people, and give them freedom.

Sustainability In Global Business Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainability In Global Business - Dissertation Example EDF Energy is faced with the problem of meeting U.K. government policies and regulations. The U.K. Government has passed regulating companies and their operations. The government policies affecting EDF Energy are those concerning the environment, manufacturing, energy. The Environment Agency policies direct that companies produce very little toxic waste and manage any waste produced. EDF Energy is faced with the problem of reducing the amount of waste produced from its power generating stations. Nuclear waste produced from the eight nuclear power plants has to be appropriately handled. Greenhouse gases and smoke are emitted from various power plants and this causes constant conflict with the Environment Agency. EDF Energy is faced with the social challenge of meeting shareholder needs over fulfilling corporate social responsibility projects. There is also constant pressure for social groups on the company to reduce prices and pay higher wages (Paul, 2000). The rapidly increasing popu lation of the U.K. has increased the demand for energy. Therefore, all energy sector stakeholders have the challenge of meeting the country’s growing energy requirements. Increased demand for electricity and gas means that EDF Energy has to generate higher quantities of electricity than it is currently producing. Machinery, capital, and resources have to be increased in order to meet energy needs. EDF Energy has to constantly upgrade equipment and technology in order to keep up with energy production and transmission standards.

Economics cuurent macroeconomic situation Research Paper

Economics cuurent macroeconomic situation - Research Paper Example These figures are significantly showing progress but by no means indicate that things are turning out for the best (Avent, 2010). Unemployment and its direct correlation with inflation clearly show on these figures. This indicates that stimulus packages and the low interest rates provided by the government is showing its effects. Without these, businesses would not venture into accruing capital and entrenchment would ensue. More and more firms and departments are hiring temporary workers including census jobs which will show countercyclical effects. This suggests that confidence and optimism is slowly gaining momentum. It is a clear indication that more needs to be done before the country can truthfully say that it is out of the recession slump. Robert Reich (2010) suggests that only reason the economy is not in a double-dip recession is due to the boosts injected by the government. He further adds that 41,000 new jobs provided in May which mostly consisted of temporary Census workers is not enough. At the minimum, 100,000 new employments are needed every month to cope with the population growth. Apprehensions are now directed over what will happen once these are directly withdrawn from the economy. Policy makers play an integral role in ensuring the health of the economy doesn’t flat line. The applied easy money policy tools which are apparent in the contingency efforts of the government to stabilize the economy are already in place. It becomes indispensable at the current situation but â€Å"Effectively zero interest rates are creating distortions in capital markets. Monetary conditions need to be back to normal by the time economic slack disappears and inflationary pressures begin to reassert themselves† (Padoan, 2010). Government hand can only go so far before it reverts into prioritizing the need for other programs before money runs out and the Federal Reserve reverts to government

Find all Details below Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Find all Details below - Research Paper Example Number of researches have been carried out to understand the role of these factors in the decision making process regarding various business related issues. However, most of these studies fail to provide a proper understanding regarding the effects of these factors in the context of a particular country. This paper includes a proposal of a research that will be conducted in order to gain insight into the role of different micro as well as macro environmental factors that are likely to impact the businesses which are operating in Australia. This research proposal is consisted of the principle aims and objectives of the research. Furthermore, it also includes the literature review, thesis structure as well as the expected outcomes of the actual research that will be carried out in near future. The research is expected to be very useful for the individuals from the both industry and academia as the focus will be on a particular country i.e. Australia. Purpose and Aims The central aim of the research is to identify the major macro and micro economic factors that are capable of influencing a particular organization in Australia. In addition to this another main objective of this research is to find out the ways in which the decision making process regarding the marketing of a particular company or its product or brand can be impacted by these factors. The main focus of the research will be on the strategic marketing decisions of a firm in a sense that how such decisions are impacted by the various environmental factors. The major research questions are properly mentioned below – 1. What are the major micro and macro environmental factors that are capable of impacting the business in Australia? 2. How the macro and micro economic environment of Australia impact the strategic marketing decisions of an organization in the particular country? Literature Review Success or failure of any research is greatly impacted by the theoretical base of it. In order to analyz e the theoretical background, a review of literature is conducted. No research can be said to be a completed one without the proper review of literature. As far as this research is concerned there are several theoretical aspects that will be properly analyzed. Two of the most important aspects in the context of this research are strategic marketing and macro and micro environmental factors. Preliminary study shows that marketing decisions at the strategic level make significant difference. On the other hand there are number of macro environmental factors such as culture, politics, economy, technology, society etc. that may influence the performance of a marketing campaign. Extensive literature regarding strategic marketing as well as several of the above mentioned factors is likely to be available in different books, journals and magazines. These sources can be accessed both online as well as offline. However, investigation regarding the academic theory of these aspects should be ma de limited. Marketing is a vast concept and hence it is not feasible to get into all the aspects of it. In fact, the focus will be on strategic marketing while searching the literature. On the other side, only relevant literature will be searched

Financial reporting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial reporting - Assignment Example Financial statements, prepared on the basis of historical cost accounting method, do not provide a fair and true presentation of equity’s performance or future prospects, if capital is inadequately maintained (Charnes, 1976). Moreover, critical assessment of equity’s performance by studying ratios, such as, return on capital employed, will be useless if capital is undervalued, profit is overstated and values of assets are misinterpreted. These sometimes occur because of historical cost accounting. The limitations have been summarized as follows: Overestimating and valuing profits by undercharging depreciation on the basis of historical cost and recording sales cost at original cost of inventories, may result in the reduction of an entity’s capital because of high taxation charges and distribution (Belfo and Trigo, 2013). This accounting approach toughens the task for analysts and shareholders of evaluating and assessing the ability and performance of management. This is precisely because variations in the situation of the current market are not considered in historical valuation approach. Then, owner of the entity tried to restock his inventory and realized that the cost of replacement was $2,200. They did not have enough cash to restructure to the pre-sale condition. The difficulty escalated due to the fact that the owner was unable to differentiate between the profits generated from holding the inventory for a particular time period before selling it and the revenue that was generated through trading. Had the company matched the cost of replenishment against revenue, they would have realized a profit of $300. If this excess proceed had been withdrawn, it would have left the company with $2,200, which could be used for the purpose of inventory replacement. Thus, this example suggests the fact that historical accounting can be misleading to the user of the information (Bakar and Said, 2007). The application of general price index under this method is

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Economic - Essay Example There are even stray reports of tribes, scavenging the barren earth to seek out any plant life, or sapling which may have grown under cover and beneath the rocks. Concerted efforts have been made to serve cooked food at many centers, and even dry food packets have also been distributed from various locations in order to tackle this menace. The effectiveness of these adopted strategies can be felt to a great extent, but to completely wipe out this menace from the earth’s face, needs a long drawn and sustainable fight. It is indeed an irony, that when hunger and malnutrition is so rampant, large tracks of cultivable land explicitly for agricultural production, is being covertly and illegally altered to cultivate the highly profitable ‘poppy’ crop. The cash rich small farmers brave the authorities’ eyebrow, and a few corrupt officials are bought off by the powerful lobby of drug mafias, not only in Africa but in a few countries of Latin America. The world authority is striving hard, but political boundaries often act as a hindrance. The following table and illustration will make the gap between the income of developed and developing economies prominent: The prominent height of the two columns corresponding to the nations of America and UK shows the stark difference in individual level income or wealth from that of the developing economies of China and India. However, in these less developed countries of the world, the problem is not restricted to the cultivation of ‘poppy’ only by a restricted few – the signs are ominous enough! A whole new generation has been entrapped in its grip. It is quiet widespread in the towns and cities, and that too, among a cross- section of the society who can ill afford to. It is indeed a tragedy that the less fortunate strata among these less developed countries are its worst victims, who could otherwise have lived a life not so mucky and enslaved. The rehabilitation

Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example These strategies are very workable for any company in need of expansion to adopt. The intensive strategy used by an organization can improve its market share and the revenue benefits it acquires. It is a strategy of aggregation and strategy where benefits come through expansion of the business. The business can expand its product’s range and market with the view of deeper market penetration. Market development for a business means introducing a new product in the market to achieve an increased profit margin. It also aims at reducing the total cost of produce but increase the average cost of the output (Lamb, 2011:453). Market development of a company makes a company enjoy the economies of scale and a diverse spread of the business risks. However, market development is different from product development but is more often than not confused. Product development helps the current product achieve more revenue under a new strategy. A business may improve its products that are presen tly in the market or replace it with a new product. For example, the Toyota Company always seeks for new technology to increase its vehicle fuel efficiency hence making it to be more competitive than others do. Therefore, the Toyota Company gains more sales by selling the hybrid vehicles that help reduce pollution to the environment as well (Mullins, Walker and Boyd, 2010:45). Integration strategies can be forward either backward, or horizontal. Forward integration is where a firm grows by taking over it functions forward in the chain value previously provided by manufacturers, distributors, or retailers. This takes more control over the final product and distribution strategies. Backward integration means that growth of a company may take functions that were earlier in the chain as provided by suppliers and other organizations. For example, the Toyota may make agreements with suppliers who wish to meet the JIT processing. This is a win-win deal where the company may increase its co ntrol powers over the suppliers and hence increase revenue and profit (Thomas, 2001:276). Horizontal integration is a strategy that seeks the ownership to increase control over the firm’s competitors. This form of integration increases control power of the company over the firm’s competitor and encourage mergers and takeovers by the enhanced transfer of resources and competitiveness (Armstrong and Kotler, 2002:267). Diversification strategy is also another from of cooperate strategy that seeks to increase the profitability of a company through greater sales obtained from new products and new markets. Diversification of the business can be at unit level or at the cooperate level. Diversification can be concentric, conglomerate, or horizontal. Concentric diversification focuses on portfolio creation with business relation. Conglomerate diversification refers to diversification on matters that relate to the current line of business. It aims at improving the profitability and achieving proper marketing. The case study analyses the growth strategies of the of Toyota industry in the era of currency fluctuations and the new needs of the market. The Toyota industry, founded in 1926 by the Sakichi Toyoda, manufactures and sells the automatic looms, which he had invented and perfected. Since then the Toyota Company

University Culture Essay Example for Free

University Culture Essay There are universities all over the world with their own unique cultures which include their own customs among other things. Rice University is a great example of a college with its very own unique culture compared to other universities. E. B. Tyler defined culture as â€Å"†¦that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society† (Howe â€Å"Culture† lecture 2011). This is only one of many definitions of culture that have been thrown around by numerous individuals throughout the course of history. This definition in particular fits Rice University extremely well. No one of the before mentioned qualities such as knowledge, morals, or customs make Rice University what it culturally is, but it is when all of these aspects are brought together that Rice really becomes what the university is today. When one matriculates at Rice University they all of a sudden become a part of something much larger than they were before. They become part of a grand family. One of the first things that Rice University drilled into my head when I first arrived was the idea of the honor code, which is really a set of laws that govern the student body. In this system the student is granted a great deal of trust from their professors and the university in as a whole. Things such as take home exams are commonplace thanks to the commitment from the students to respect the honor code. Since such a high focus is placed on the honor code it is in fact a major piece of the culture here at Rice. I feel like this practice works at Rice so well because the students at Rice tend to have shown a great deal of commitment to get into such a great school that they are able to be trusted to be more responsible than the average college student. In different cultures across the planet there are an abundant amount of rituals practiced. Things such as holidays and religion are specific to certain cultures. Rice University has a few rituals of its own. The one that comes to mind most often for people is the running of Baker 13. This is a taboo ritual in the sense that it is prohibited to just anyone (Howe â€Å"Rituals† lecture 2011). This practice would actually be illegal outside of Rice actually. A brief overview of what Baker 13 entails is a bunch of naked college students running around campus at night covered in shaving cream. They attempt to attack any other students unlucky enough to get in their path with a naked, shaving cream covered hug. This practice is unique to Rice University and thus is a way to help establish Rice’s own culture. When it comes to Rice’s ethnic culture things are quite different from the average run of the mill culture. While cultures usually have a specific ethnic group that is prevalent, Rice University prides itself by having so many students with such a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Rice actually draws from a plethora of ethnic groups, in which â€Å"members share certain beliefs, values, customs, and norms because of their common background† (Howe â€Å"Ethnicity† lecture 2011). This ability to draw from so many different cultures and their ethnic groups is a major part of Rice University’s own culture. Much the same as American culture is borrowed culture from other areas in the world, Rice can be seen as being multicultural. Rice is definitely not only composed of many other cultures coming together. Rice’s culture has many other aspects unique to itself such as the before mentioned rituals and life here in general. Rice University even has its own language exclusive to Rice. This can be seen in the different cheers of each of the eleven different residential colleges here on campus. These cheers tend to be somewhat more vulgar than the average language seen outside of Rice University with some even referring to sexual acts with another’s parents. Language here at Rice is not restricted to merely vocalizations. We, much like gangs in the streets, have a few hand gestures and symbols that are commonly used here. One such gesture is when one makes an owl with his or her hands. This is commonly seen at sporting events when students are cheering on for the Rice University owls. This is one way in which all of the students come together in show support for their fellow students. In some ways people might think of Rice University as not really having a unifying culture. This can be attributed to the eleven different residential colleges here on campus. Each college does in fact have its own culture, so Rice University is actually made up of eleven sub-cultures. These sub-cultures actively compete amongst one another in events such as powder-puff, basketball, and other sporting venues. This competition can come across as counterproductive in keeping a university wide culture intact. Many might wonder how a culture that has almost a dozen sub-cultures that compete against each other so often and even have anti-cheers for one another could still be called a culture. Culture is in fact seen as something that unifies groups and individuals so it is understandable when people do not see Rice University as really having a university wide culture. To me this idea of Rice University not having a culture is totally ungrounded. The many sub-cultures of Rice actually add to the overall campus wide community in my opinion. Rice University has the culture it does because of the ability to have so many different sub-cultures coexist with one another and form such a unified student body. This unification is not always noticeable on the surface, but rest assured Rice people love other Rice people. Like I mentioned above, the whole university comes together at college-level sporting events to cheer on the team against other universities. Another example of members of the different residential colleges coming together is during classes. Since attending class plays such a major role when one is at a university they can be great opportunities for cooperation among the eleven residential colleges. Students from all the residential colleges work together in class on group projects and discussing the topics of the class. Like all universities, Rice has numerous clubs and organizations that one can become a part of. The clubs and organizations welcome anyone to join in and become a member. Even cultural clubs that represent specific foreign cultures welcome individuals from any other cultural background to join in their activities. A few weeks ago I attended a production put on by Rice’s own Southeast Asian dance organization. There were an abundant amount of individuals participating in the production that were obviously not of Southeast Asian heritage. To me this proves just how many different cultures can coexist within Rice University’s very own culture. In other words I believe that Rice University has a special and unique culture thanks to the university’s ability to bring so many diverse cultures together. Not many other places or organizations could have such a strong presence in my opinion. In my short time at Rice so far I have already been affected by the culture of this place. I remember when applying to colleges I would think of how it would be when I actually started attending a university. I would think of all the college cliches from movies and friends’ experiences that had already began their collegiate career. I began to form my thoughts of how I thought college would be when I finally got there. After I got to Rice I soon realized that how I thought the culture would be was completely off. Rice is a place where one has to really be a part of and experience its culture for that culture to be really understood and appreciated. Works Cited Howe, Cymene 2011 â€Å"Culture† lecture. Rice University, Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology, Fall. Howe, Cymene 2011 â€Å"Rituals† lecture. Rice University, Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology, Fall. Howe, Cymene 2011 â€Å"Ethnicity† lecture. Rice University, Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology, Fall.

Distinguishing Whether Virtue Is Knowledge

Distinguishing Whether Virtue Is Knowledge Plato presents Socrates views on the question whether virtue is knowledge and whether it can be taught in several dialogues, most notably in Meno. In this dialogue, Socrates makes many different arguments on the subject of virtue. These arguments include how virtue is defined and whether or not people can acquire it. He examines the ways that virtue can be attained; whether or not one is born being virtuous, whether virtue can be taught or it is another factor for virtues people have. In this essay I will focus on the question of whether virtue can be taught. Platos answer is that virtue cannot be taught. In this essay I will suggest that Plato could have framed the questions a bit differently, which would have probably given him a different answer. In particular I will argue that Plato might have done better to ask whether virtue could be learned instead of asking whether virtue can be taught. The Meno begins with Meno asking Socrates whether virtue can be taught. The argument then is drifted then to another question, what is knowledge. Then Meno proposed an interesting paradox: one can never find out anything new: either one knows it already, in which case there is no need to find it out, or else one does not, and in that case there is no means of recognizing it when found (Plato 1997, 80d-e.). In other words if one does not already know what arà ªte (virtue) is, he cant even search for it, because if he does not know what it is already, then even h he searches, he wont be able to know when one has found it. Socrates suggests a way to solve this dilemma which is based on the Pythagorean view of the immortal soul. According to that notion, the soul, after the physical body dies, is reincarnated and thus never destroyed. If one can never acquire any new knowledge and at the same time it is obvious we are always learning new things, then it is be concluded that learning mus t be a matter of recollection of past life experiences and knowledge. In other words there is no such thing as teaching, but only remembering. In the Meno he demonstrated with a young slave boy who apparently didnt have any knowledge of geometry. By asking the young boy questions he managed to show that the boy had knowledge of certain mathematical theorems. Meno asks again his original question, that is whether one can be taught virtue, or one gets virtue by nature or in some other way. Socrates consents to proceed but argues that they need a common ground due to the fact that neither of them can say at this point what virtue is. Then Meno is made agree that if virtue is not knowledge then it cannot be taught, and if a knowledge then it can be taught. He points out that one can teach something only if one knows what it is that he is teaching. Someone who does not know himself how to drive a car seems unlikely to be able to teach someone else how to. Socrates and Meno much agree that there is no one that truly knows what is meant by virtue and because of this reason cannot be taught. According to Socrates, If virtue could be taught, we should be able to know not only those who teach it but also those who learn from them, which in truth we cannot easily do (Plato 1997,HYPERLINK http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=plat.+meno+96c 96c). Socrates claims that teachers for horsemanship, medicine, etc. exist and everybody recognizes these as genuine teachers, whereas people dont agree about whether the Sophists really do teach virtue. Socrates goes one to speak of Thucydides, who had two sons, neither of which was considered to be virtuous. However, it is said that Thucydides educated his children in many different disciplines, but it seems that he could not find a teacher of virtue even though he found teachers for other aspects of life he found valuable. He could not teach it himself either, even though he himself was known to be virtuous. Therefore it seems virtue cannot be a form of knowledge. In order for something to be knowledge, someone must be able to teach it to others. Socrates concludes that virtue cannot be taught and that there is no means or method by which virtue can be acquired. Virtue is simply shown as coming to us, whenever it comes, by divine dispensation (reference?) In my view, if Plato had framed the questions somewhat differently, he might have gotten a different answer. That is Plato could have better asked whether virtue could be learned instead of asking whether virtue can be taught. What I mean to say is that asking whether one can be taught something entails that the relationship of a student and a teacher, whereas asking whether something can be learned implies only that there is a student (whose life experiences might be said to be a teacher.) For example, to ask whether I was taught geometry is to ask whether a teacher taught me geometry. Whereas to ask whether I learned geometry is simply to ask whether I learned it, whether or not I was taught it by a geometry teacher or learned geometry myself either from (lets say) a book or by some other means. Learning can come in various forms. In order to learn something, one does not require a teacher in the strict sense. For instance, learning can be achieved from studying people who have virtue and yet the latter may not be aware that they are studied. So a man may be learning virtue, and his teachers may be virtuous, even though the teachers might not even be alive. Another form of learning is experience. Virtue may be learned through personal experience. In this example, the teacher would be both life experiences and the reflective nature of the learner. There is still another form of learning. A man can learn, even if he cannot offer an explanation of how he learned or of what he exactly knows. For instance, after someone has been through a particular problem in his life, he can then detect that a relative of his is going through the same problem. And although he can know it, he cannot give an explanation of how he recognized it. Another example is that of the musicians or painters who have learned their craft and are able to perform well, but find it almost impossible to give an explanation of what they have learned. So the question whether virtue can be taught is a much different, and narrower, than whether virtue can be learned. Plato is right in suggesting that virtue cannot be taught. I believe that we all know or have heard of people who recite rules of virtue (such us be compassionate or be honest,) but find it impossible to put them into practice. Certainly in this sense virtue cannot be taught. A mentioned above, having the ability to be virtuous is like having the ability to be musical, which is to some extent instinctual. So, for example, it could be argued that knowing when, for example, to offer help to a friend when he needs it, is a matter of instinct or judgment. All of this means that although virtue may not be taught, this is not to say that virtue cant be learned. Plato suggests the notion that virtue is inborn. Certainly this is to some degree true. There are some people with an exceptional capacity for virtues like compassion, etc. since they were born. Yet others look as if they are born with little to no moral conscience, which seems to be necessary for virtue to exist. However what this means is just that the foundation of virtue is inborn, not that it cant be learned. In the same way that we comprehend the fact that one can be preached how to be virtuous but fail to be virtuous in practice, the converse is also possible: people can refine the ways they understand virtue, they may become more virtuous by reflective practice, and their views of how to act in a virtuous way changes significantly as they grow up. In my view, if Plato put his questions in a different way (that is if he had asked whether virtue can be learned, instead of whether virtue can be taught) he might have found a much more affirmative answer.

God and Daniel Defoes Robinson Crusoe Essay -- Defoe Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe and God    As Robinson Crusoe salvages anything useful for his subsistence off of the shipwreck, he alludes to his materialism. "...O Drug!.. what art thou good for, thou art not worth to me, no not the taking off of the ground, one of those knives is worth all this heap, I have no manner of use for thee, e'en remain where thou art, and go to the bottom as a creature whose life is not worth saving... However, upon second thoughts, I took it away..." (Defoe 57) It is easy to take Crusoe's statement literally and dismiss him merely as an ostentatious person; however, Crusoe sees real beauty in the saving hand of God.   The dominant theme in Robinson Crusoe   is that sin has its retribution, but peace can be found through forgiveness and belief.   Young Crusoe's "Original Sin" leads him into a desolate plight.   Crusoe finds strength in God, which he has been reacquainted with while on the shoals of secularism.   Providence prepares Crusoe to escape with the aid of the Spaniards, and also sends an English ship.   Crusoe rises only were all people ought to rise- in thankful   acknowledgment of the divine mercy. Crusoe spurns his fathers advice and commits what he calls his "Original Sin."   His fathers Philosophy, which is designed to buy man happiness and pleasure in both this life and the next, nevertheless fails to persuade young Crusoe, who finds nothing, but boredom amid the comforts of the middle class.1 "I was sincerely affected with this as indeed who could be otherwise?   And I resolved not to think of going abroad anymore, but to settle at home according to my fathers desire.   But alas! A few days wore it off,... in a few weeks I resolved to run quite away from him." (Defoe 3) .. ...Crusoe's conversion does not go unrequited; as he surrenders to God, the island surrenders to him.   After   twenty-eight years on the island, he is able to escape through divine Providence.   The major theme of Robinson Crusoe is that sin leads to punishment, while devotion leads to peace.   Robinson Crusoe is nothing less than a textbook in the appropriate relationships among human beings, culture, and God  Ã‚   Works Cited 1 http://www.kirijusto.scifi/defoe.htm 2 http://www.kirijusto.scifi/defoe.htm 3 Zimmerman, Everett.   Defoe And The Novel.   University of   California Press.   Berkeley, California.   1975 pg. 36 4 Zimmerman, Everett.   Defoe And The Novel.   University of California Press.   Berkeley, California.   1975 pg. 37 5 Zimmerman, Everett.   Defoe And the Novel.  Ã‚   University of California Press.   Berkeley, California.   1975 pg. 37

interracial marriages Essay -- essays research papers fc

The law forbidding interracial marriage was terminated in 1967, and in the midst of rapid racial change, one fact is unmistakable: A growing number of Americans are showing that we all can get along by forming relationships and families that cross all color lines. In the past couple decades, the number of interracial marriages has increased dramatically. Interracial dating and marrying is described as the dating or marrying of two people of different races, and it is becoming much more common to do so. Thirty years ago, only one in every 100 children born in the United States was of mixed race. Today, the number is one in 19. In some states, such as California and Washington, the number is closer to one in 10 (Melting Pot). Since 1960 the number of mixed race marriages has doubled every decade (Love’s Revolution). Interracial couples only represented a surprising 2% of all couples in 1990, with interracial marriages representing only 4% (YGGDRASIL). In 1998, there were 1,348,000 interracial married couples. Today, 15% of all babies born in the Golden State are of mixed race. Between 1968 and 1989, children born to parents of different races increased from 1% of total births to 3.4%. There has also been an increase in births to Japanese and White parents. There are now 39% more births to Japanese-White parents than births to Japanese-Japanese parents (in the U.S.). Between 1968 and 1989, Chinese-White births more than tripled (from 1,000 to over 3,800). From 1970 to 1991, t...

Utilitarianism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Utilitarianism The concept of sustainable development is an attempt to balance two moral demands placed on the environment. The first demand is for development, including economic development or growth. It arises mainly from the interests of people who live in developing countries. Their present poverty gives them a low quality of life and calls urgently for steps to improve their quality of life. The second demand is for sustainability, for ensuring that we do not risk the future in the sake of gains in the present. This arises from the interests of people in the future who will need access to a reasonable quality of life, non-renewable resources, unspoiled wilderness, and a healthy biosphere. These two moral demands do conflict. In fact, economic growth is the prime source of threats to the natural environment. We have a rough sense of what a good quality of life for humans consists of. Also, we can make some rough judgments about when a person's quality of life has increased or decreased. Utilitarianism about future generations says that people should weigh these increases impartially with respect to times. And, in particular, should not prefer a smaller increase in the present well-being to larger increases in the future. We should try to maximize the sum of increases in well-being across times counting future lives equally against those in the present. Our moral goal should always be to produce the greatest total of such gains, no matter by whom they are enjoyed. Utilitarianism has been extensively discussed by philosophers, and many objections have been raised against it. Two objections are especially relevant here. First, utilitarianism is an extremely, even excessively demanding moral view for most humans. If we have a duty always to bring about the best outcome, than any time we can increase the well-being of others (which is just about at any time), we have a moral duty to do so. There is no moral time off, no moral relaxation, nor is there a moral holiday. Humans are always duty bound to sac... ... we can see that each generation should pass on to its successors a range of opportunities that allows for a reasonable quality of life. However, it should not be seen as a duty. If it is seen as a duty, then most humans may be turned off by the prospect of taking care of their environment for future generations. If it is seen by humans that our environment is a precious jewel, then we will more than likely want to share it with our future generations. Works Cited [1] Brian Berry, "Intergenerational Justice in Energy Policy." In D. MacLean and P. G. Brown, eds., Energy and the Future Totowa, NJ: Rowan and Littlefield, 1983 pp.274. Resources 1. Barry, Brian. "Intergenerational Justice in Energy Policy," in D. MacLean and P. G. Brown, eds., Energy and the Future Totowa, NJ: Rowan and Littlefield, 1983. 2. Danielson, Peter. "Personal Responsibility," in H. Coward and T. Hurka, eds., Ethics and Climate Change: The Greenhouse Effect Waterloo: Wilfred Laurier UP, 1993. 3. Sidgwick, Henry. The Methods of Ethics, 7th ed. London: Macmillan, 1907. 4. World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.

Ch 9 Criminal Justice Administration

1)What factors contribute to the correctional populations? What impact do drug laws have on them? a. Truth-in-sentencing laws have contributed to the increase as well as failure to rehabilitate. The increase and crack down on drug related laws have contributed a significant portion of the population. 2)What are some of the major administrative positions within a prison system? a. Some of the major administrative positions are prison director, public affairs coordinator, legislative liason, legal advisors, internal affairs representative, health care professionals, correctional program professionals, and human management. )How do supermax prisons operate differently from other prisons? What concearns have been raised concerning the alleged effects on inmates, constitutionality, and public safety. a. Supermax prisons operate differently in the way they have to secure the prison and prisoner, and house them in solitary cells. Concearns that have been raised are things like the condition of confinement, there is no safety cushion provided these criminals escape, psychological harm from the way they are housed, and medical conditions. )What are at least five of the major U. S. Supreme Court decisions affording rights to prisoners? a. Ruffun v. Commonweath, Turner v. Safley, Cooper V. Pate, Johnson V. Avery, and Bounds V. Smith are all cases affording rights to prisoners. 5) When and how did such decisions serve to end the hands-off doctrine? a. They started in 1871 and they served to end the doctrine by proving that inmates should not entirely be derived from the constitution. )What is a direct supervision jail, and how does it differ in the design and function from traditional jails? a. A direct supervision jail is a new face on the old way of jails. It differs by physical environment, separating officer from inmate, allowing officers to have a direct line of sight, and softer furniture. 7)Why was the Prison Litigation Reform Act enacted, and has it made an impact? a. It was enacted to provide resoutions for prison condition lawsuits and discourage abuse.It has made an impact by reducing inmate petitions. 8)In what major ways do jails differ from prisons in their organization and administration? Assist with inmate reentry back into the community? a. They differ mainly through who looks over them. Jails serve as agaents of change and have goals for assisting in reentry. 9)What are the primary functions of a jail administrator? a. They are law enforcers. 10)What are the advantages accrue to a corrections facility if it is accreditited? a.Advantages are having state of the art procedure, improving morale and professionalism and much more. 11)What are the various types of probation systems administered in the united states? Describe each. a. Juvenile which monitors juveniles on state municipal or county level, Municipal which is independent and is administered by the lower courts, county which functions under state law, state which is centralized and provides service throughout the state, state combined which is both probation and parole, and federal which is administered by the federal courts. 2)Should Probation services be placed within the judicial or executive branch of government? Defend your answer a. They should be placed with executive because they are in charge of carrying out the laws have to see who follows them or not. 13)What are the two basic models of parole administration? a. The two basic models of parole administration are the independent model and the consolidated model.

A Doll’s House Study Guide Essay

Act I: Kevin Gao The setting is on Christmas Eve, in the Helmer’s Household. There is the aspect of the contrasting temperature, in which inside the house it is warm, symbolic of security and safety, whereas outside it is harsh and cold, symbolic of the real world and how cruel it is. These details are important in that they set the stage for the rest of the story. The people who live in the house are obviously very well-off people. They have money, yet they are frugal, not very lavish. The title â€Å"A Doll’s House† suggests that their home is very decorative. There is a bookcase, fine China, and other neat little ornaments. The characters are all described as dressed in nice clothing. Nora has all kinds of things on her like money and sweets. Money is very important in the play in that it seems to directly influence the kind of lifestyle they live. I’ve noticed that the gifts are very tacky, showing poor taste, and are very unnecessary and needless objects. In my opinion, only the rich people seem to be able to afford macaroons and other sweets. The macaroons are characteristic of lavish lifestyles, for people who have time to kill. Nora Initially seems like a silly, naive woman, indicated by her playful attitude (noticeable when she says things like â€Å"Pooh! † and â€Å"Just a tiny wee bit†). Her appearance in Act 1: she is very pampered and spoiled by her husband, yet later she reveals her slightly rebellious side, showing that she does not need to be treated as such by Torvald. I predict she will later develop a more independent lifestyle from Torvald. I notice that she is constantly asking for money. It’s as if she wants to do things by herself, with her â€Å"own† money. Mrs. Linde is Nora’s childhood friend. Mrs. Linde is like Nora’s foil in that her life of poverty seems to underscore Nora’s wealthy and privileged life. Nora isn’t being honest to Torvald. She is obviously lying to Torvald about eating the macaroons, and she is described as being â€Å"rather uneasy†. Nora adores her own children, her most prized possessions. She shows herself as a genuinely loving mother. Torvald delights in his position of authority as a husband in the house. He believes that it is a man’s job to protect and guide his wife. Torvald treats her like a child, which was described as like her father would, and is name calling (little squirrel, little lark) is like he masking his authority with tenderness, and that he sees her as a simpleton who will succumb to his bantering. He constantly reminds Nora not to be a thrift spender. He does not see Nora as an equal, and his teasing, his referrals to her as â€Å"a girl†, and his uses of pithy phrases suggest that Torvald doe sn’t take her quite seriously. Krogstad is a lawyer who went to school with Torvald. He is essentially the antagonist of the play. He was employed by Torvald, but he might lose his job. He constantly torments Nora with financial issues; he once loaned to her, but he blackmails her because he knows she forged her dad’s signature on their contract, even though he also committed the same crime. His actions aren’t characteristic of his good intentions and his sympathy for her. Unlike Torvald, who desires to get respect for his own selfish satisfaction, Krogstad wants that respect for the sake of his own family. Krogstad and Mrs. Linde used to be lovers, but she left him because of his immoral behavior and because she wanted to marry someone with more money. Dr. Rank is one of Torvald’s friends. Rank seems to be obsessed with talking about the diseased natures of all the people he is acquainted with, even himself. Nora and Torvald do not think very highly of Dr. Rank; he is simply unimportant to them and everyone else. He does not rank very high in their thoughts, hence the irony in his name. Act II: The setting takes place on Christmas Day. The space around the tree is very messy, indicating that they had a Christmas celebration. The room and the tree have been removed of all signs of festivities. The costume is what Nora has to wear to the Stenborg’s ball; however it is in need of mend. This is representative of how Torvald wants to dress Nora as one would dress a doll. The letter Torvald sent to Krogstad shows his complete narrow-mindedness, as he is not changing and as understanding as the other main characters. The maid hands Nora Krogstad’s visitor card and tells her that Krogstad will not leave until he has spoken with her about the issue. Krogstad’s letter is used to inform Torvald of the forgery committed by Nora. He uses this as blackmail for Nora to get a better position in the bank. Dr. Rank plays the piano in accompaniment, showing that he is still the supporting character and unimportant, as in the first act. Again, there are recurrent aspects of the â€Å"rich-family† theme, with the champagne and the macaroons at the dinner party. Nora has been thinking about leaving her family, specifically, she is contemplating suicide. However, she is hesitant about doing so because she is worried that her kids will miss her, and she thinks it will be difficult for her kids to adapt to life without her. The reason she wants to commit suicide is because of her forgery crime on the contract for the money, but she wanted to do this because she knew it was a choice to save either Torvald, or her dying father. Nora is afraid that if Torvald find outs about her crime, he will sacrifice himself and take all the blame onto himself (a fantasy she has concocted in her mind) and go to jail, which would be great but terrible at the same time; this is the terrible thing she hopes and fears for. Nora does not persist with her request for Dr. Rank because she is disturbed by how he feels about her, as she has stated that â€Å"there are some people one loves best, and others whom one would almost rather have as companions†. Nora wants Christine to be her witness in case she goes mad over the crime she committed, or if something happens to her (presumably, her suicide) and her credit is dishonored. To make matters more complicated, Torvald had written a letter notifying Krogstad of his dismissal. Nora tries to stop him by saying that Krogstad has power with the press to bad mouth Torvald. That’s when Torvald makes the connection between him and her father: that she fears for Torvald as much as she used to fear for her father, but that he is, unlike her father, not in any legal trouble, which makes him safe from all threats. He tells Nora that he doesn’t want to take back the dismissal letter, as it would show his weakness and that he is easily swayed by his own wife. This shows his belief that a wife has no authority in a household or in business; he thinks she knows nothing of the business world and that her opinions have no real intent. This, in turn, shows that he does not know anything about his wife at all, which might lead some to believe that their marriage is nothing but a charade, an act without meaning or purpose. However, it is his â€Å"knowledge† of her that Nora tries to use to her advantage. By calling herself â€Å"little skylark† and â€Å"little squirrel†, she is trying to manipulate him into doing what she wants. However, Torvald’s pride is persistent, as well as his stubbornness. He thinks that he must dismiss Krogstad to keep his own appearance of a strong man who is not easily stifled. Also, in my, opinion, Torvald’s view of social life has stemmed from his very stubbornness. For example, he believes that Nora does things, like warning him of Krogstad’s power over the newspaper, simply because she loves him, as a â€Å"typical wife† would, and that he must show her that she has nothing to fear (this is that â€Å"strong manly husband† fantasy). Christine agrees to help Nora with her dress because she wants to help her make a good impression with Torvald. Christine, claiming her to be more mature and more experienced than Nora, tries to figure out some of Nora’s problems, specifically, to look out for Dr.  Rank and to end her friendship with her; Christine does not leave because she is suspicious of Nora, and she knows that she is hiding something from her. When Christine reappears, she tries to help Nora understand the fact that her marriage is not what she thinks it really is; it is not perfect and she isn’t really happy with it. Christine agrees to be Nora’s witness to testify that Nora did that whole act on her own, and that Torvald was not connected to it at all. She agrees because she wants her to continue her endeavor to save Nora’s marriage; she gives Nora the courage and reassurance. Krogstad is pretty much described as a nuisance to Torvald; he is â€Å"morally diseased† to Torvald because he did not confess to his crime of forgery and that there was no justice done onto him. Torvald is disgusted with Krogstad because, since they used to be friends, he calls Torvald by his first name. Torvald would prefer if he showed him more respect as a superior. Krogstad is so desperate because he wants to gain as much respect as he can, and to achieve a high position in the bank, higher than Torvald. He does this in order to take care of his children. He threatens to use the forgery contract as blackmail to have influence over her and to make her get his job back. He says that he is willing to keep it all a secret as long as Torvald promotes him to a higher position. We learn the Dr. Rank is ill from syphilis, that he received it from his father (who was sexually overindulgent), and that he does not have much time left. This shows Ibsen’s tragically flawed philosophy that morals are hereditary, for example, Nora’s naive belief set, that any action is acceptable as long as it benefits her loved one; also, another trait is that Nora’s father always made excuses, and later â€Å"passed it down† to Nora. Dr. Rank confessed that he loves Nora. Nora is surprised because they have been best friends for a long time, and that she feels that his confession is basically a misinterpretation of her affection toward him. She does not continue with her request because she feels that he would think of it as exploiting his love for her, since he knows now that Nora will reject him. Unlike the other two, Dr. Rank is pretty much ‘the help’, as he states it. He has not changed much from the first act in that he is still nothing but a supporting character; he remains unimportant in anyone’s thoughts. Krogstad, unlike Torvald, is working for respect to support his family as well as establish an appearance/personality for him to others. Dr. Rank is not like Torvald in that he is only one Nora feels she can express herself fully in front of, something she wouldn’t dare try to do with Torvald. Act III: The setting is in the Helmer’s household. There is dance music upstairs. The table is in the center of the room with a lamp burning on it, surrounded by chairs. The lamp is like Nora’s realization; at first, there was nothing in the room, but as time went on, a spark grew in her mind, with its own ideas, independent from that of Torvald’s. The dress is great, but it shows how possessive Torvald is of Nora, and the costume he dresses her in is from his own choosing, as one would do when dressing a doll. The mailbox is like a cage; no outer forces can penetrate it, and it holds Nora captive in the way that she is trapped by the letter inside the mailbox. The door slam at the end is like Nora has finally woken up and has realized that her life for the past 8 years has been an act, nothing more. She closes the door on Torvald, suggesting that she no longer wants Torvald’s guidance; that she needs to do things on her own from now on. Nora doesn’t want to come back into the house because she will never be understood in her house. Torvald will never treat her like an independent woman, that she will always be a child. She leaves what she describes as a ‘stranger’s’ house. Nora’s dance, the tarantella, is an Italian dance. Her dancing is so flustered, and it is constantly full of uncertainty in the moves, which is like Nora’s character. The dance expresses the idea that an ugly truth, though it might be harmful, is the only way to mend Nora’s marriage with Torvald; it is Nora’s last chance to be Torvald’s little doll, to amuse and satisfy him. She says â€Å"Never to see him again. Never! Never!†¦. † indicates that she is leaving Torvald and her children, because she still thinks that he will step in and take the blame, and she does not want him to do this. This is also shown in the phrase â€Å"You shan’t save me, Torvald†. After the second letter, Nora becomes frozen, all quiet and puzzled. Nora suddenly realizes the truth about their marriage: that Torvald only cares about aesthetics, and that he would do anything for a seemingly happy marriage. The â€Å"most wonderful thing† it, to its fullest, a marriage that is not tied down by any social bindings. What Nora wants is a marriage that is purely feeling, unconditional love, without duty or responsibility. Torvald’s imaginings indicate that he is very self-protective, and that he is worried too much about what others think of him. His reaction to the letter suggest that he does not care about Nora, but that he only cares about himself and whether or not his â€Å"reputation† will be destroyed or not. These selfish reason are based on his desires for appearances; also, he forgets that the only reason Nora committed the crime was to save him, which further underlines his selfishness. by He mentions Nora’s father as a way of saying that it is not his fault, it is Nora’s father’s fault, and ultimately, her fault as well, which is very different from what Nora thought he would do (to take the blame upon himself). He repeats the most wonderful thing of all because he has no idea what it is, showing how blinded he is by his own fantasy of a â€Å"real† marriage. The story opens with Christine and Krogstad as a way to set the stage for the background story. From the phrases that the two exchange, it is obvious that they were once lovers, but that Christine left Krogstad for someone else with more money. It is also apparent that Christine often regrets throwing him out of their home, and that she justifies it by saying that she had to take care of her own family and siblings. Deep down, she always wanted to stay with Krogstad. Christine is Nora’s foil in that Christine’s poor, cruel, and bitter lifestyle seems to underscore Nora’s lifestyle, and her actions, such as living prudently, underscores Nora’s wasteful and lavish lifestyle. The quote â€Å"but now I am quite alone, my life so empty and I fell forsaken. There is not the least pleasure in working for oneself† suggests that Christine wants to get back together with Krogstad. Krogstad and Christine’s relationship is like a foil to Nora and Torvald’s marriage in that their broken and â€Å"shipwrecked† marriage underlines Nora and Torvald’s successful and ‘happy’ marriage.

Political Issues Essay

Political and Social Apathy, there are two faces of apathy. The first considers apathy as a choice and participation in public life a consequence of one’s affirmative use of freedom. The second face of apathy arises when citizens are led to believe that their personal needs are not part of the political agenda, resulting into political deprivation and the reaffirmation of the status quo. Philippines political and social life is marked by the second kind of apathy, which might also arise from the belief that individuals are powerless and hopeless in making significant changes in their lives. For this reason, the paper would like to awaken reflection on apathy in the personal and public spheres and to outline ways by which the individual can move towards sympathy. It is the intention of this paper to show contemporary Filipinos can find his passion again in order to move out of apathy. The paper will explain the rationale behind the development of the Philippines social and political issues. The Philippines is faced with a number of issues that concern our organization. We are passionate about raising awareness of these issues, and developing grass-roots solutions. Poverty, unemployment and environmental legislation are the major issues facing the country, and these problems have resulted in a large number of Filipinos moving overseas for work. We believe social entrepreneurship can help address some of the issues facing the Philippines at the moment. Read more:Â  Political Issues in the Philippines Essay

Mark O’Connor Imagery

Poet and Environmentalist, Mark O'Connor, expresses his admiration for the cyclical and resilient aspects of which nature is comprised. The persistence of nature depicts the ideas that nature is just as, if not more, dominant as man. His poems Turtles Hatching and To Kill An Olive explore these themes and elucidate O'Connor's compelling perspective of nature. These two poems hold distinctively visual images that enable the reader to envisage the scene presented.Turtles Hatching's poetic recount encapsulates the trials and tribulations of the turtles. O'Connor describes the turtles as â€Å"high revving toys†, ready for their chance at life. He elucidates the persistence of the turtles by using distinctively visual images describing how determined these turtles were at reaching their safe haven: â€Å"Scrambling in sand, scrabbling in slime, or sculling deluded through sand-pools to beaches of death†. This alliteration of the visual images highlights the desperation of t he turtles on their fight for survival.O'Connor has created a distinctive image to aid readers in creating an idea of just how determined and persistent, not only the turtles were, but also just how determined the crabs were at preventing the turtles from reaching their goal. â€Å"Queued up crabs† gives readers an image of an army of crabs; so many as they wait for the turtles to come. Not only was natures tenacity evident in Turtles Hatching, O'Connor has also brought this theme to the readers attention in To Kill An Olive. O'Connor has started out To Kill An Olive, diving straight into the resilience and persistence of olives trees.He has accumulated the many things that are incompetent of killing an olive tree elucidating just how determined they are at overpowering man. â€Å"Hack one down, grub out a ton of main root for furl, and next spring every side-root sends up shoots†. O'Connor has described visually these connotations of just how in destructive these tree s are, despite are the treatment it is being subject to. O'Connor has made reference to the prolonged period of time these olive trees has been persistent in overcoming mans many obstacles. â€Å"Burnt-out ribs  of siege machines† not only highlights how long these olive trees have been standing for, but also how the tree has overcome the old-timed machines and gone and lived another age. The distinctively visual images used here can encapsulate this theme and gives readers a deeper understanding of the tenacity these olive trees are willing to relinquish. O'Connor is fascinated by just how much humans underestimate nature. The smallest creatures can overcome any adversity and the dullest of trees can overpower any man. Nature, if it wants to, can be just as powerful as man. In Turtles Hatching, Mark O'Connor has done just this.

Statistics paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Statistics paper - Essay Example ere chosen for discussion in this statistics paper from the works of Bennett (2004), Greenblatt (2002), Hiller, Knight, Rao and Simpson (2000), Makkai and Payne (2003), Niazi, Pervaiz, Minhas and Najam (2005), Wei, Makkai and McGregor (2003), and Young, Dembo and Henderson (2007). The Bennett (2004) study began in 1996 to ascertain the prevalence of drug usage among offenders in the United Kingdom, and to trace whatever links there are between drugs and crime in relation to arrestees. This study was patterned after the Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) program of the United States Department of Justice. Like the DUF program, the Bennett (2004) research is being carried out using interviews and drug tests as the key methodology. The following substances are being tested as part of the large-scale drug research : amphetamines (including ecstasy), benzodiazepines, cannabinoid metabolite, cocaine metabolite (including ‘crack’), LSD, methadone, opiates (including heroin) and alcohol. The Bennett (2004) research used both descriptive and inferential statistics. Measures of central tendency including the range, median, proportion, frequency, percentage were used to describe the prevalence of drug use among the arrestees. The range was used to describe the length of the interval which contains all the data. The range also indicates dispersion of the data. Arrestees who tested for cannabis, for example, ranged from 36 per cent to 58 percent across the five survey area (p. 17). The proportion states the relationship of one part of a measure compared to a whole. In this study, proportion was oftentimes used to depict the picture of the size of the populations of arrestees testing positive for any of the eight substances in the aforementioned paragraph, such as â€Å" †¦ three out of four arrestees tested positive for at least one drug (including alcohol)† (p. 18). The median in this study describes the midpoint of the range where half of the data contained in the range falls

The Relationship between the Consumers Need for Uniqueness and Essay

The Relationship between the Consumers Need for Uniqueness and Purchase Perception of Fast Fashion Co-Brands - Essay Example The paper tells that co-branding in fashion is the pairing of two of more branded products forming a separate and unique product. It facilitates parent brands to access to a broader consumer base as well as to form a new relationship with the clients. Fast fashion co-brands serve as a constructed idea and lifestyle which the consumers not only desire but also identify. People with a high need for uniqueness fell comfortable when they are different from others, as a result, engage mostly in changes towards dissimilarity related to others. They either counter to conform to creative choices, avoid similarity or like the unpopular. This is dependent upon consumers’ subjective judgment, quality and consumers need for the uniqueness of a product or service. Hypothesis developed to explain purchase perception include hypothesis 2; consumers having a higher need for uniqueness in fast fashion have higher favourable purchase perception of fast fashion co-brand, hypothesis 3; consumers having higher need for uniqueness on designer fashion brand have higher favourable purchase perception of fast fashion co-brands, hypothesis 4; consumers having higher need for uniqueness on fast fashion co-brand have higher favourable purchase perception of fast fashion co-brand. Empirical research methodology in form of survey questionnaires was used. A pilot survey was carried out to ensure that the survey questions and research instruments operate well. The authors also employed convenient sampling approach using a random survey procedure, week through. Need for the luxury design was higher than the need for uniqueness in fast fashion brands. Need for fast fashion came in between. Respondents’ need for uniqueness in first fashion co-brands had the largest impact on their purchase perception on fast fashion co-brands, followed by fast fashion brands and lastly, the need for uniqueness in luxury designer brands. Since fast fashion brands are easily and affordably possessed and are of comparatively low quality, consumers might feel they are less unique. Luxury designer fashion brands scored highest.

Adding value by analyzing an issue in a website Article

Adding value by analyzing an issue in a website - Article Example The first step is to explore Trent’s undergraduate programs. This link takes the student to a page that outlines the undergraduate courses offered. These courses are categorized into Undergraduate Degree Programs Available in Oshawa, Undergraduate degree programs and specializations available in Peterborough, Professional programs of study, Emphasis programs, Diploma programs, other programs, Graduate programs offered at Trent. After the student has analyzed the courses and identified one that they are interested in, they go to the next link which is Applicant Pathways, which outlines the admission requirements and deadlines for the specific course they wish to undertake. Finally, the student is required to apply to the university through Ontario Universities Application Center, which is the center through which application to all Ontario universities, including Trent University, is done. The proposed change is to reduce the steps required to be followed by a student to be admitted to the university so as to reduce the complexity of this process for the students aspiring to join Trent

Self Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Self Marketing Plan - Assignment Example Part of my responsibility is making sure there is enough staff for the upcoming shift based on census and call out and to notify the supervisor in charge. Staffing is one of the job responsibilities of a nurse manager/nurse administrator. Other job responsibilities include financial management and budgeting which is an area I would need more experience in, recruiting, interviewing and training new employees. I have oriented several new RNs that have joined our unit and I very much enjoy teaching one on one or in small groups. Completing performance evaluations, determining what services the healthcare facility will provide, and ensuring that all employees’ licenses and certifications are up to date would also be my responsibility. I would do well with these responsibilities because I am organized, and have already thought of several changes I think would be beneficial to the patients and staff if they were to be implemented on our unit. Based on my knowledge, skills and t6he experience I have gained so far, I expect to be compensated a salary within the range of 80,000-120,000. I would engage in various activities to prepare myself for this role in order to ensure that I am always in good shape to offer my services. For instance, I would ensure I keep myself abreast with current hospital policies, medical knowledge, and current healthcare issues. I would also look for a role model or mentor that I could speak with and learn from especially in the beginning. I anticipate having to continuously educate myself on changing policies and healthcare issues as well as adapt to budget cuts and new staffing. I think there’s always opportunities for personal and career growth within each job description even if it’s just improving or excelling at daily job assignments and responsibilities. In general, I consider myself a friendly person so I think I would

Paper on Freeman Dyson's Technology and Social Justice Essay

Paper on Freeman Dyson's Technology and Social Justice - Essay Example As a matter of fact, he effectively counters the arguments of some sections of the society maintaining that technological sophistications have in fact led to a rise in social injustice and inequalities. Dyson elaborates this by coming out with a real-life example. He states that, the invention of diverse household appliances have enabled the advent of a scenario where, the need for servants was eliminated. In addition, sons and daughters of servants have been enabled to pursue higher education, and thus get elevated to middle class. (1) Dyson considers that as a vivid reflection of a key facet of social justice: the segment that was hitherto downtrodden has now been empowered by the knowledge gained through education. And according to him, that became possible solely because of the advent of the aforesaid technologies (domestic appliances). (1) Dyson emphatically argues that technology should be more focused on meeting the needs of the poverty-stricken people, rather than providing m ore luxuries for the affluent. He goes on to add that poverty could be eliminated by appropriately combining the technologies of genetic engineering, solar energy and Internet. In this context, he strengthens his argument by focusing on the fact that there is plenty of untapped solar energy in some zones of the Globe where, severe poverty is the order of the day.

Criminology and criminal justice system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminology and criminal justice system - Essay Example The report shows that the witnesses and victims, on the other hand, get an entirely different treatment, they’re offered protection and kind words are offered to keep them calm. On first glance, it might seem unfair that since the system is not sure of their innocence, theirs or the suspects but again just like the system has criteria to meet in order to be able to arrest some one, they have their reasons of suspecting these people to be innocent and worthy of protection. Protection is provided so that the criminals might not try to hurt the witnesses or intimidate them into not coming to court, because this is the reality of our system, even if every one knows that a person is guilty of a crime but cannot be proved guilty albeit he contrived in the background for getting the witnesses out of the equation to eradicate proof in the form of intimidation or physical or fatal torture, even though everyone knows that for a fact, if it can’t be proved the person walks free an d it is for these reasons that there are many criminals plaguing the society but they have developed such strength and organization that the law cannot touch them. Our criminal system might not be perfect as regards to efficiency and sometimes even seem brutal especially if a mistake is made. It might some times seem unfair to give special treatment to some people but more often than not the law doesn't make the mistake of protecting the wrong person and the risk that their hypothetical guess as regards to one party’s innocence.... the manner in which all of this is imposed upon him isn't quite what an average human would haggle over but if it were a true con who were getting that treatment, of course it would be perfectly befitting. Perhaps that is what the authorities assume before undertaking any arrest. The criminal justice system perhaps prides itself for efficiency, there are a myriad number of checks the ground police have to go through before they can freely proceed to even search a suspected person's property let alone undertaking an arrest. The authorities take great care that they are not mistaken in their doubts of a person before they go charging up towards him to remind him or rather impose all his rights on him and try to persuade him that now may be the perfect time to start making use of them. Sure they might make a mistake some time and its most unfortunate for the society and of all people the accused when that happens but in order to keep a city clean of crime and cons policemen must be afforded some free movement as well, its up to the court to make the final decision and it is the duty of a policeman to bring a possible crime to light, it is only after a suspect meets all the criteria, and comes up to the bench mark of suspicion that our officers can go ahead and carry out an arrest, it is not an easy job, their prime incentives are to uphold the law and protecting the innocent. Keeping crime orientated people off the streets and keeping the pious ones

Recation paper 8 9 and 16 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Recation paper 8 9 and 16 - Essay Example However, in the social sphere (i.e., in civil society), women are accorded an important status which is not ordinarily contemplated for them in the political sphere. The piece insightfully notes that there is a dualistic nature to women’s citizenship, that aside from women’s inclusion in the application of general legal precepts, there are likewise special statutes which pertain in particular to women, alluding to a specific ideological gender construct, whether favourable or discriminatory to women. While this differentiates women’s legal rights, provisions for benefits such as maternity leaves and similar privileges in labour legislation are not so much the state’s imposition on women, as the result of women’s initiative to fight for considerations that would enable them to exercise the same rights as men (e.g. the opportunity to have a career) as well as continue to perform their biological and social functions (such as bearing and raising childr en). Radhakrishnan (1992) has a slightly different concept of the interface between nationalism and sexuality. The author regards separately the politics of nationalism and the politics of women, and that an emphasis on one will normally overwhelm the impact of the other. A duality similar to that of Yuval-Davis is conceived by Radhakrishnan; the duality this time is not in regard to women in the legal system, but rather the polarities existing in state politics. These insights were drawn in the context of the Indian state which itself is caught in the duality of East and West, modern and traditional, the mystical and the progressive. While the author discusses this duality in relation to India specifically, it is undeniable that the constructs created may easily apply to nearly any developing country with a colonial past and on the threshold of accelerated growth. The discussion by Radhakrishnan began strongly with the premise of gender relations in the state; however, somewhere in the course of the discussion the topic veered exclusively into the realm of Indian politics and relegated the issue of sexuality and gender relations to the background. What one may deduce from this is that gender is but one of the details subsumed into the greater issue of nationality and statehood. Towards the end, the author concentrated on insights by Nehru and Gandhi, which, while valuable to the discussion on India, does not quite square with the discussion of nationalism and gender. It seems as if the treatment of gender is but incidental to the broader issue of the duality of a post-colonial state. Exploring the topic of duality and taking it further, the article by Kandiyoti (1991) comments on the outright contradictions that exist in former colonial societies. In this case, society’s control over women becomes the manifestation of a nation’s identity and cultural distinctiveness. In the emergent nation, as the people gain their status as individual citizens endowed with rights, their traditional regard for women will have to evolve in order to accommodate the extension of the benefits of citizenship to women. Women’s emergence as citizens is â€Å"predicated upon the transformation of institutions and customs† (Kandiyoti, 1991, 429) that had formerly bound the social

How Did the Buildings and Landscapes of the Secular Elite Shape Term Paper

How Did the Buildings and Landscapes of the Secular Elite Shape Medieval Settlement and Social Relationships - Term Paper Example Deer parks were formed only on those estates of the very rich, nobility and the great clerics, who spent much of their time hunting, however by the end of the15th century, according to Michael Reed (page 124) the wood contained in the parks had become more valuable than the deer. Deer are notorious for stripping bark and so destroying woodland and the animals would be excluded in order to allow the trees to grow undamaged. Occasionally land in private ownership would pass back into public ownership as when Henry VIII gave his private hunting ground, Sutton Park to the people of Sutton Coldfield in 1528, as described on the web page Sutton Coldfield, but this did not necessarily mean it could then be farmed. When poor men hunt it is called poaching and punishable, but it was the rich who had the horses, weapons, and birds of prey, so once again it was they who were the main beneficiaries. The deer park was of economic importance in that it provided food, leather, wood etc, but also employment for many people. Just as with the fish ponds they provided an easily available larder of fresh food before the advent of modern-day preserving methods and chill rooms and freezers. Hunting was an expensive pastime but there were other advantages in that if the king was kept happy then social advancement was possible. The Medieval Source Book recording an Inquest of the Sheriffs Regarding the Forests in 1170 mentions reward, promise, and friendship as being the products of hunting. Hunting was both a pleasure and a necessity – a way of entertaining guests and also of filling their bellies. By the later medieval period new methods of farming were being used and hunting for survival was no longer required. Instead, hunting moved on from being a necessity into a stylized pastime for the aristocracy. James III of Scotland in the 15th century had several hunting lodges, as described by Gilbert, 2003, (page 42).  

Effective Communication Essay Example for Free

Effective Communication Essay Effective communication between team members is a desire to have within all criminal justice organizations. Communication cannot only be done verbally; it can also be done nonverbally with the use of body language as well. Another major component in effective communication is having the ability to know the difference between listening and hearing. Even though effective communication is vital to the success of criminal justice organizations, there are many barriers to overcome such as: language barriers, communication involving semantics, and the ability to listen. The Process of Verbal Non-Verbal Communication and the Associated Components of Each There are two types of effective communication channels in the criminal justice field that are known as formal and informal channels. According to (www.businessdictionary.com), â€Å"A type of verbal presentation or document intended to share information and which conforms to established professional rules, standards and processes and avoids using slang terminology. The main types of formal communication within a business are downward where information moves from higher management to subordinate employees, upward where information moves from employees to management and horizontal where information is shared between peers.† In the criminal justice organization, the formal communication channel goes upwards within the chain of command based on the ranking system. The military is a perfect example because they are ran through a chain of command system where they are forced to utilize the formal communication channel. According to (www.ehow.com), â€Å"Formal channels of communication are within the hierarchy of the criminal justice field. The chain of command directs the formal channels of upward, downward, and horizontal communication through the  levels of command. The organizations hierarchy establishes procedures related to communication within the levels of command. The directors dictate the means of communication and to whom each subordinate is to report. The hierarchy sets the structure and atmosphere through written policies and procedures.† An example of an informal channel of communication would be a conversation between two people at work about a particular individual and their work habits. There is no documentation of the entire conversation and it is not formal. The Difference Between Listening Hearing in Communication There are a few key differences between listening and hearing. When you actively listen you are able to comprehend what the person is saying and able to remember it along with giving an accurate response. The meaning of hearing is one of the five senses. According to (www.differencebetween.info), â€Å"Hearing is one of the five senses of a person and it is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through an organ such as the ear. According to Merriam-Webster, hearing is â€Å"the process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.† In hearing, vibrations are detected by the ear and then converted into nerve impulses and sent to the brain. A person who is unable to hear has a condition known as deafness. Hearing occurs even in sleep, where the ear processes the sounds and passes them on to the brain, but the brain does not always react to the sound. Listening also known as ‘active listening’ is a technique used in communication, which requires a person to pay attention to the speaker and provide feedback. Listening is a step further than hearing, where after the brain receives the nerve impulses and deciphers it, it then sends feedback. Listening requires concentration, deriving meaning from the sound that is heard and reacting to it. Listening is a process of communication, where if the person is not listening it can cause a break in communication. Listening is defined by Merriam ­-Webster as, â€Å"to hear something with thoughtful attention: give consideration.† When you are an active listener you are giving the speaker the upmost respect because it shows that you truly care about what they are saying. This is the best way to effectively communicate and it he lps build the relationship between the two individuals who are engaging in conversation. Criminal Justice Language Barriers Solutions to Barriers Just a few weeks ago a San Diego Naval Hospital bomb scare occurred due to a language barrier in communication. Nobody was able to understand two Spanish men that approached the gate to deliver a package. According to (www.sandiegoreader.com), â€Å"When questioned by the sentries on duty, a language barrier prompted uncertainty about the mens intentions, specifically regarding a package in their possession. Notice went up through the chain of command, and orders came back to follow precautions used in case of a bomb threat. The gate was put on lockdown, and bomb-sniffing dogs were called in. Since the area immediately surrounding the gate lies outside Navy jurisdiction, a notice went out to police for assistance. The SDPD complied by setting up a blast perimeter, closing access to Florida and — according to an eyewitness — Pershing Drive north of 26th Street and south of Upas. No residential streets were affected by the closures.† Eventually a border patrol offi cer came to aid the Naval Police and translated the words of the two Spanish men. They were not a threat at all and were merely just delivering hospital items to the base. A solution to this problem must take place to avoid an issue like this happening again. A quick solution to this issue is to train all security personnel on navy bases so they can understand multiple languages and/or having personnel who already speak multiple languages guard the front gate. If all personnel were able to understand all languages then this problem will have never happened. A situation like this is an embarrassment and is also can fall into the lines of harassment if the two men wanted to press charges. References Business Dictionary. (2014, Jan 6). Formal Channels of Communication. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com Difference Between. (2013, December 12). Difference Between Hearing and Listening. Retrieved from http://www.differencebetween.info San Diego Reader. (January 2, 2014). Language Barrier Prompts Naval Hospital Bomb Scare. Retrieved from http://www.sandiegoreader.com eHow. (2014, Jan 10). Formal and Informal Channels of Communication. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com