Free Essays on The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan’s the Joy Luck Club is a prime example of real mother and daughter relationships that are strengthened over time. Through four Chinese pairs of mothers and daughters, Tan shows the true bond that gets stronger as the woman grow up together. The mother’s come from different backgrounds and have all experienced different childhoods than their daughters growing up in America. These cultural differences make it hard for Waverly Jong and Jing Mei Woo, two of the daughters growing up in America, to accept their mother’s advice. Throughout the text, Tan uncovers Chinese culture that Waverly and Jing Mei’s mothers are trying to instill in the girls. From their love of food, to their love for one another to succeed, Amy Tan exposes the realities between mother and daughter relationships and the importance of understanding each other and each other’s true culture. Both Waverly and Jing Mei Woo are especially close in character, growing up in America with Chinese mother’s guiding their way. Both mother’s wish for their daughters to be successful and happy, and eventually try and make them both into prodigies using their skills acquired during their childhood to fuel the desire to be happy. Through these failures in childhood, and achievements later in life, both mother and daughter accept one another for the women that they are and the culture they grew up in. Lindo Jong, Waverly’s mother, is seen through her story â€Å"The Red Candle†, which describes mother’s expectations for their daughter’s future. In China, where Lindo was raised, she was forced into marriage around age 12 to save her family and was told to â€Å"obey your family. Do not disgrace us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (54) She was forced to follow what her mother in law said to do and she said she once â€Å"sacrificed my life to keep my parent’s promise.† (49) Lindo muted her feelings about the relationship to save fa... Free Essays on The Joy Luck Club Free Essays on The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan’s the Joy Luck Club is a prime example of real mother and daughter relationships that are strengthened over time. Through four Chinese pairs of mothers and daughters, Tan shows the true bond that gets stronger as the woman grow up together. The mother’s come from different backgrounds and have all experienced different childhoods than their daughters growing up in America. These cultural differences make it hard for Waverly Jong and Jing Mei Woo, two of the daughters growing up in America, to accept their mother’s advice. Throughout the text, Tan uncovers Chinese culture that Waverly and Jing Mei’s mothers are trying to instill in the girls. From their love of food, to their love for one another to succeed, Amy Tan exposes the realities between mother and daughter relationships and the importance of understanding each other and each other’s true culture. Both Waverly and Jing Mei Woo are especially close in character, growing up in America with Chinese mother’s guiding their way. Both mother’s wish for their daughters to be successful and happy, and eventually try and make them both into prodigies using their skills acquired during their childhood to fuel the desire to be happy. Through these failures in childhood, and achievements later in life, both mother and daughter accept one another for the women that they are and the culture they grew up in. Lindo Jong, Waverly’s mother, is seen through her story â€Å"The Red Candle†, which describes mother’s expectations for their daughter’s future. In China, where Lindo was raised, she was forced into marriage around age 12 to save her family and was told to â€Å"obey your family. Do not disgrace us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (54) She was forced to follow what her mother in law said to do and she said she once â€Å"sacrificed my life to keep my parent’s promise.† (49) Lindo muted her feelings about the relationship to save fa...

8 Jobs That Won’t Exist in 2030

8 Jobs That Won’t Exist in 2030 Times are changing so rapidly, and the job market is going right along for the ride. You likely already know that technology is forcing many of the things we’re used to toward extinction. Non-electronic books? Soon to be a thing of the past. CDs? Try finding anyone under 20 who listens to them. But unfortunately, many jobs are getting swept out the door, as well. If you’re just entering the job market, or want to get a sense of your career trajectory, it’s wise to know which gigs probably won’t be around in 10 to 20 years before you’re stuck in a dead-end field. 1. LibrarianMore and more people are clearing out those paperbacks and downloading e-books on their Tablets and Kindles instead. The same goes for borrowing- as books fall out of favor, libraries are not as popular as they once were. That means you’ll have a tough time finding a job if you decide to become a librarian. Many schools and universities are already moving their libraries o ff the shelves and onto the Internet.2. Paperboy/PapergirlBooks are not the only paper-based reading materials in jeopardy. As more news junkies get their daily fix online, actual newspapers are falling out of favor. This is good news for trees but bad news for all the kids who once earned extra cash delivering papers door to door.3. CashierIt can be really nice to see a friendly face when paying for your groceries, but a lot of shoppers would rather just pay for their stuff and get out. Many retailers are catching onto this, as well as the cost-effectiveness of not having to pay cashiers, and are opting for self-checkout machines. This can be a real problem for the teenagers, college students, and adults looking for hourly work who rely on cashier jobs.4. ReceptionistIsn’t it annoying when you call a business and have to deal with an automated system that may not be able to answer your questions quickly and courteously? Too bad. Many businesses have adopted such systems, whi ch does not bode well for human receptionists. They may soon find themselves going the way of the dodo too.5. TelemarketerOkay, this one might actually seem like good news, because no one likes to have her or his day interrupted by telemarketers. Yes, telemarketers are no longer in high demand because of Internet-based marketing, though equally obnoxious â€Å"robo-calls† are still pretty common.6. Travel AgentSites such as Expedia and Travelocity have made booking a trip as easy as posting a few Tweets. However, there was a time when you would actually have to go to a travel agency and deal with a human being behind a desk to make arrangements to visit Disneyland. Those obsolete professionals are known as travel agents, and unfortunately, most of them have had to move on to other careers.7. Word ProcessorTyping was once a pretty common and obtainable office job. Word processing apps have made hiring living, breathing typists unnecessary. Such jobs are in a downward spiral li kely to hit bottom sometime in the next 20 years.8. Social Media ManagerLibraries and travel agencies probably seem pretty old fashioned- real products of the twentieth century. However, social media has only been a major force for 15   years or so. Yet even this relatively new technology is not safe from change. Actually, it is the popularity of social media that may force social media managers out of business. Who needs these experts when we’re all becoming experts? In 10 or 20 years, we may not even remember what a social media manager, cashier, or receptionist is.As you can see, jobs over the next decade will evolve in ways we can’t even imagine right now- you just have to be willing to go along  with the ride and adapt as the times around us change.  Although these 8 positions  may  still exist in some form in 2030, they most likely will come with different titles and require skillsets that positions of the past never required.

The Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Business Environment - Essay Example Business also stabilizes the country’s currency through exports which counters the imports brought in the country. Governments also levy goods that are exported out of the country making it possible for it to invest in projects that will spearhead growth of the economy (Begg, 2001). One of the roles of businesses in the economy is the circulation of currency in the economy. The movement of money is what is called the velocity of money in the economy. This helps in reducing the rate of inflation rate in the country which has adverse effect on the growth of the economy (Begg, 2001). When the velocity of money in the economy is high, the rate of growth in the economy is also is high. Therefore, businesses play an important role in sustaining the economy of the country. Business also offers commodities and services to the public by making them to be easily accessible to them. It ensures that goods and services are available to consumers in the right time, at the right place and at the right quantity (Denby, 2010). This ensures that there is coordination on every part of the economy regardless of its position. The ease with, which products can reach the market and be consumed, can always bring economic prosperity, which is the dream of most governments. Business therefore, plays a crucial role in sustaining the population of the country therefore creating a serene environment for the public to venture in other economic growing activities. The urge of the profit organization to make maximize profits sustains the level of supply and demand. These forces enable the economy to remain stable as high demand results from deficit while low demand is as a result of low surplus. Increased profits by the organizations especially from exports play a crucial role in increasing savings by the banks which are later used to lend to banks customers. This capital is used in

2008 Economic Crisis in the U.S. and media connection Assignment

2008 Economic Crisis in the U.S. and media connection - Assignment Example While millions of people have spent their lives adhering to this American dream, there have been periods throughout our history where tireless amounts of work and sacrifice have not been able to stop the economy of this nation from crashing down upon the very people who work endlessly to build it. Nearly five years ago, 2008 was no exception as the core of the American economy crumbled beneath the people of this nation who were standing upon it to bolster their careers, their lives and their homes. As this recession immediately spurred talk of the next Great Depression, the American people as well as the rest of the world watched in varying states of horror as the media depicted an economic downfall which the country was not prepared for. The purpose of this paper is to establish that the America people give the media almost an absolute power in determining what we believe, see, think and feel about the world around us. In order to demonstrate the proposed goal of this literary work, the following pages will first define the â€Å"economic crisis† the country faced and then will break into discussions on how the media covered the events which unfolded in the midst of such a crisis at both a national and international level. Economic Crisis Upon its arrival, the 2008 economic crisis left families decimated and crippled the financial outlook of this nation. As soon as the reality of what was happening became apparent, the media became fixated with determining a cause and definition for this crisis. Initially after the crisis, news media turned to the experts and featured a high number of guest experts who could immediately pinpoint causes of the economic situation. One such example comes from the Accuracy in Media group with a guest column from financial expert James Davis. According to Davis, an international bank analyst, the complete downfall which caused the 2008 financial crisis was caused by faulty bank lenders (2008). From a media perspective, using these analysts in such a heavy rotation placed incredible emphasis on their words to the public. Essentially, whatever reasoning these analysts were giving were becoming the scapegoats of the financial crisis with heavy rotation of media coverage. In 2011, the New York Times was able to compile and pinpoint key causes of this economic crisis. According to the article, the economic crisis can be defined as the combination of â€Å"widespread failures in government regulation, corporate mismanagement and heedless risk-taking by Wall Street,† (Chan, 2011). In addition to these components, the New York Times also highlights that the key parts of these economic failures included a factor of American life which affected nearly all people in the country – the real estate market. As Chan wrote, the economic crisis can be defined as a â€Å"calamitous concoction – shoddy mortgage lending, excessive packaging and sale of loans to investors and risky bets on securities b acked by the loans† (2011). With the gravity of the situation recognized by news organizations, the chain of events was quickly dubbed an â€Å"economic crisis† as the amount of families standing to lose their homes was staggering. According to Baily, Litan and Johnson in â€Å"The Origins of he Financial Crisis,† the issues which were at the center of the economic crisis included faulty lending practices in the form of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) and allowing homebuyers to purchase homes with no money down, substandard financial portfolios and credit default swaps (2008). As the housing market buckled in the wake this crisis, financial panic spread through America with

Nursing Theorist Essay Example for Free

Nursing Theorist Essay Formulate 3 nursing diagnoses using the Problem, Etiology, and Signs and Symptoms (PES) format and the taxonomy of NANDA. The diagnoses must be based on the case study, be appropriate, be prioritized, and be formatted correctly. For each nursing diagnosis, state 2 desired outcomes using NOC criteria. Desired outcomes must be patient-centered and measurable within an identified timeframe. For each outcome, state 2 nursing interventions using NIC criteria as well as 1 evaluation method. Interventions and the evaluation method must be appropriate to the desired outcomes. Provide rationale for each nursing diagnosis, and explain how PES, NANDA, NOC, and NIC apply to each diagnosis. Use a minimum of 3 peer-reviewed resources, and create an APA formatted reference page. Nursing Diagnosis 1: Urinary Retention R/T Anesthesia Nursing Interventions Desired Outcome 1 Desired Outcome 2 Nursing Intervention Visually inspect and palpate lower abdomen for distention (Mosby 2012). Patient’s abdominal girth will not increase and distention will decrease. Patient will remain free of abdominal pain r/t urinary retention. Nursing Intervention 2 Urinary Catheterization (Mosby 2012) Patient will empty bladder 30ml an hour Patient will demonstrate clean technique if performing self-catheterization. Evaluation method Measure input and output hourly to obtain accurate measurements. Make sure catheter is free of kinks to allow for proper drainage Rationale Keeping accurate records of I/O will ensure that the patient is evacuating properly. Ensuring patient is free of pain will promote less anxiety and keep vital signs within range. Educating patient on clean technique will promote an environment with less bacteria and keep risk of infection lower. Nursing Diagnosis 2: Risk for Infection/RT Urinary Catheter Desired Outcome 1 Desired Outcome 2 Nursing Intervention 1 Infection Control Patient remains free of infection, as evidenced by normal vital signs, and absence of purulent drainage from wounds, incisions, and tubes (Mosby 2012). Infection is recognized early to allow for prompt treatment (Mosby 2012). Nursing Intervention 2 Infection Protection Teach patient to wash hands often, especially after toileting, before meals, and before and after administering self-care (Mosby 2012). Teach patient importance of eating well balanced meals to promote healthy nutritional status. Evaluation method Evaluate patient perform self-care as to promote further education. Allow patient to verbalize and demonstrate understanding of proper nutrition and signs of infection. Rationale Patients with indwelling catheters need to be shown clean techniques when being discharged home. Educating patient on proper hand washing will promote clean environment and keep patients risk of infection lower. Educating patient on the early signs of infection will promote prompt medical intervention. Educating patient on proper nutrition and importance of well balanced meals will promote faster healing of incision and lower patients’ risk of infection. Nursing Diagnosis 3: Pain R/T Postoperative pain Desired Outcome 1 Desired Outcome 2 Nursing Intervention 1 Anticipate need for pain relief (Mosby 2012) Anticipating pain may result in medicating at a lower dose to keep patient comfortable. Maintaining a level of comfort where the patient is not begging for relief. Keeping vital signs stable while maintaining the patient comfortable. Nursing Intervention 2 Respond immediately to complaint of pain (Mosby 2011) Creates a trusting relationship with patient to ensure open lines of communication. Allows the patient to know that you are empathetic to their discomfort and that they are not alone. Evaluation method Evaluate scheduled times of medication administration. Round hourly on the patient as to reassure the patient that their needs will be met. Educate patient on medication administration time so they are not waiting until their pain is at a level 8 before they ask for relief. Evaluate the responses from the patient as to ensure that they are feeling comfortable with the care. Rationale Anticipating pain will allow the nurse to be on time for the patient in pain. Creating that trusting relationship with the patient will allow open lines of communication with the patient which will in turn allow for better care and outcome. Educating a patient on when to ask for medication will ensure that the patient never reaches a level of extreme pain. Treating your patient with compassion and empathy will allow for the patient to feel satisfied with the care they are receiving and create a trusting relationship. Reference Swearingen, P. L. (2012). All-in-one care planning resource: medical-surgical, pediatric, maternity, psychiatric nursing care plans (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Mosby. Gulanick, M. (2011). Nursing care plans: diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes (7th ed.). St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier Mosby. Doenges, M. E., Moorhouse, M. F. (2002). Nursing care plans guidelines for individualizing patient care (6th ed.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.

The Human Body in Ancient Greek Sculptures Essay example -- Art Histor

The Human Body in Ancient Greek Sculptures The primary focus of ancient Greek sculptures was that of the human body. Almost all Greek sculptures are of nude subjects. As the first society to focus on nude subjects, Greek sculptors attempted to "depict man in what they believed was the image of the gods and so would come to celebrate the body by striving for verisimilitude or true – likeness (realism and naturalism!)."(Riffert) Not only did the Greeks celebrate the human form in their art but also in everyday life. (Riffert) One of the favorite topics for sculptors was that of the athlete. In Greek culture athletes were described as "hero–athletes". (Riffert) This shows that athletes were revered and looked upon as heroes. The influence of athleticism is evident in many famous sculptures. I will attempt to show how the human form influenced Greek art. It is important to note that many of the Greek sculptures discussed do not exist in their original form but rather in Roman copies of the original bronze sculptures . (Riffert) Greek art progressed through four divisible periods from ninth century B.C. to the second century B.C. The primary subject matter for all of these periods was humans. (Sowerby, 150) Each period progressed further than the last with developing the human form and making it continually more realistic and natural. (Boardman, 275) The most basic human forms were depicted in the Geometric period where triangles and ovals were used to make a rough human form. The Archaic period came next with artists slowly moving away from set geometric figures and incorporating more human detail into their art. Great change in art came in the Classical period. Sowerby states this by saying: "The classical artist concentrates up... ...in our readings. Understanding the importance of the athlete to the Greeks will further our understanding of why so much of their art is focused on athletes and athletic events. It is important to understand that everyday Greek culture is depicted by Greek art. "Greek artists†¦explored people’s experienced, interactions with the natural world,and human relations to the gods. Everyday people were represented in Greek art†¦" (Emory)       Works Cited Boardman, John, Jasper, Griffin, and Oswyn Murray. The Oxford History of the Classical World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986 Sowerby, Robin. The Greeks: An Introduction to Their Culture. London: Routledge, 1995. Riffert, David. The Academy of Art College. 1997. Web. 16 Jan. 2015 http: www.net/~sonnyj/h/Greek/gree004.html. "The Olympics" Web. 16 Jan. 2015 http://olympics.tufts.edu/pentathlon.html.

Did Anyone Benefit from the Cultural Revolution? Essay

Few people would deny that the Cultural Revolution is one of the most significant events in China’s history, with its extraordinary effects on many groups of the population. The main aim of the revolution was simple: having risen to power, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wanted to reform the Chinese population so that they followed the communist ideology – the favour of absolute social equality. While the initial impression of this aim seems positive, many people nowadays consider that there were few benefits of the Cultural Revolution, due to the turbulence that it caused between 1966 and 1976. Whilst it could be considered that there was initially some reform of the Chinese people, it is now widely considered that these reforms did not bring about benefits. The group that the CCP wanted to help most was the lower class, especially the peasants in the countryside. Meisner (1986, p.373) points out that initially, the Cultural Revolution hardly affected the countryside , with the Red Guards banned from entering the peasant villages, presumably because virtually all peasants were already loyal followers of Mao. Mao tried to restore peasant associations in an attempt to bring more political power to rural areas. Nevertheless, in general, if these peasant associations tried to participate in their villages, higher powers intervened. Therefore, all in all, peasants did not really gain power from the Cultural Revolution (Meisner 1986 p.375). Some argue that there were benefits of the Cultural Revolution for rural areas. Meisner (1986 pp.376-378) states that a main aim of the revolution was to promote rural industrialisation to narrow the gap between urban and rural living and to make use of the local labour forces. Thanks to this project, almost 20 million peasants became industrial workers. However, one aspect that certainly did improve in rural areas was the availability of health care. According to Byong-joon Ahn (1976 p. 155), in the early 1960s, more than 200,000 health clinics were closed in rural areas of China. However, as Meisner (1986 p.379) mentions, Mao changed this by reducing the program of study of doctors from six years to three in order to encourage more rural students to join the health care. In spite of the decrease in the number of study years, the knowledge and ability of the doctors was generally sufficient, as they were only trained to deal with the most common problems. It is worth considering the changes in the education system in rural areas. According to Meisner (1986 p. 380), Mao’s attitude was that the book-learning technique that had been used before the Cultural Revolution should be replaced by a system which combined education with productive labour. Additionally, monetary aid given by the state to richer areas was cut and more support was given to rural areas, thus increasing the number of primary school students from 116 million to 150 million and secondary school students from 15 million to 58 million (Pepper 1986 pp. 6-7). â€Å"Tuition fees, entrance examinations and age limits on student attendance were abolished† (Meisner 1986 p.381), thus making education more accessible for those of lower social classes. However, in spite of these changes, Meisner (1986, p.382) also points out that the living conditions and incomes of the peasants in rural areas showed little improvement. Therefore, it is questionable whether the improvements made brought true benefits to society. The Cultural Revolution was frustrating for many as China underwent turmoil and disruption to industry and education, yet without much positive change. As Meisner (1986 pp.382-385) states, during the Cultural Revolution, many demands were made by the wor king class which were not responded to. For example, producers, who were frustrated by the dominance of the state which prevented them from making their own decisions, demanded more control over the means of production. However, there was little change, even with the new factory revolutionary committees. What happened was that factory revolutionary committees were given less importance than the factory party committees, meaning that the state continued to make the decisions in these industries. Prior to the Cultural Revolution, there was a â€Å"highly exploitive system of temporary and contract workers† (Meisner 1986 p.383). This system was denounced for being capitalist and for not promoting the egalitarian state that the CCP desired. Thus, both the workers (who would have been better off with permanent jobs to guarantee a constant income) and the CCP suffered because of the fact that this system remained (Meisner 1986 p.383). It is also worth considering the state and government workers. Initially, these had more privileges than the average Chinese person, with much higher salaries and meals provided and some even had houses, servants and personal drivers (Meisner 1986 p.391). However, Mao wanted change this as it was preventing the country from achieving egalitarianism. He therefore ordered government officials to engage in productive labour in order to narrow the gap between classes. Whilst this did happen, all in all, the officials were still treated as officials, having higher salaries and official titles (Meisner 1986 p. 391). Therefore, these officials did not benefit from the Cultural Revolution, as their status and standard of living remained the same. Few would disagree that the most harmed individuals during the Cultural Revolution were the intellectuals. Meisner (1986 p. 386) points out that Maoism was particularly anti-intellectual, as it was these intelligent people that were considered the most â€Å"bourgeois† in society, with their superior knowledge and possessions. Meisner (1986 p.387) describes the suppression that these intellectuals underwent: â€Å"their homes (were) frequently ransacked, their books burned and manuscripts destroyed†¦they themselves were often subjected to physically as well as psychologically agonizing â€Å"study and criticism† sessions†. Like the state workers, many were sent to the countryside to carry out menial work or were arrested. Due to this maltreatment, many feared to continue with their studies and research, which led to a dampening in the Chinese intellectual level. Whilst it could be argued that rural students benefited from the Cultural Revolution, few would deny that urban students suffered. In fact, Mao sent them off to the countryside to be educated by the peasa nts, whose knowledge was inferior to the intellectuals in the cities. Again, the aim was to narrow the gap between the city and the countryside by putting all members of society on a similar level. But by doing so Mao harmed the future of these youngsters by refusing them a good education (Meisner 1986 p.388). Meisner (1986 p.389) states that this generation of urban youngsters regarded themselves as â€Å"the lost generation†. Likewise, those that worked for the arts, such as writers, painters and playwrights, suffered in the Cultural Revolution. Very few writings were accepted, except those of Mao, and there were declines in the number of paintings produced and in the number of actors and musicians performing. The only accepted art forms were those that were considered â€Å"revolutionary†, such as Chiang Ch’ing’s ballets and operas (Meisner 1986 p.388). However, one person who did benefit from the Cultural Revolution was Mao himself. Previously, Mao’s reputation was weak due to the failure of the Great Leap Forward, when he â€Å"moved too fast†, for example, with his optimism in the peasants to produce high-quality steel without good-quality resources (Spence 1990 pp.550-1). Many people disapproved of his lifestyle, as he seemed to be living like an emperor. His doctor Li Zhisui (1994) provides details, describing Mao to have a personal swimming pool (p.132) and to indulge in sexual pleasures with multiple women (p.358). However, the views of Mao significantly changed in the years ahead. Timothy Cheek (2002 p.229) describes how Mao was viewed like a god during the Cultural Revolution, saying that people â€Å"paid homage to his image, sang Mao quotation songs, chanted his sayings, performed the Loyalty Dance†. Additionally, the Cultural Revolution solidified Mao’s power. During the Great Leap Forward, Mao was marginalised by the CCP while Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping rose to power. Another key figure was Lin Biao, who Mao originally trusted with the role of Minister of National Defence, but who became an enemy. However, his death in a plane crash helped Mao to eliminate this enemy. As for Liu and Deng, Mao removed their threat to his power by removing them from the communist party. Therefore, the Cultural Revolution allowed Mao to grasp more power. In conclusion, few would deny that the Chinese Cultural Revolution was a period of turmoil in so many ways. For many, the standard of living remained unchanged, even if certain aspects, such as the availability of education and health care in rural areas, were improved. For some, such as intellectuals, urban students and those who worked for the arts, the situation was dampened, with their activity disrupted and many were subjected to violent torture or imprisonment. The only person who definitely benefited was Mao himself, as he gained power and popularity. All in all, it is no wonder that Chinese people regard the Cultural Revolution as a period of disaster. Reference list Books: Byong, J.A. 1976. Chinese Politics and the Cultural Revolution. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Cheek, T. 2002. Mao Zedong and China’s Revolutions. New York: The Bedford Series in History and Culture. Li, Z. 1994. The Private Life of Chairman Mao. New York: Random House. Meisner, M. 1986. Mao’s China and after: A History of the People’s Republic, 1st Edition. London : Collier Macmillan. Spence, J. 1999. The Search for Modern China, 2nd Edition. London: W.W. Norton & Company Ltd. Journals: Pepper, S. 1980. Chinese Education After Mao: Two Steps Forwards, Two Steps Back and Begin Again. The China Quarterly. 81 (March 1980) Word count: 1484 words (excluding reference list)

Travel as a Political Act

Introduction: 1. The notion of travel that still persists is the relative affluence of wealthy travelers (Americans) who only seek the doctrine of pleasure. I believe overseas travel should be an understanding of different cultures, even educational. I’ve had the privilege to travel to Norway, Germany, France, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Guam. Some of my travel was in early adolescents and my understanding of different cultures was drastically different. I expected life to be as it was in the United States with all the amenities we take for granted.Just last year in December, my job took me to Germany and France. I made sure to research there culture and customs concerning food, manners, and restaurants†¦ etc. I even tried to learn some German and French. The conveniences I desired as an adolescent where all the comforts of home, T. V. , water, video games and â€Å"American food†. As an adult my conveniences are more practical and hopefully sim plistic, clean water (without bubbles) a clean place to sleep and a few electrical outlets to plug in all my devices. 2. I believe Steves is making a generalization of the modern traveler.Steves has traveled all over and experienced many cultures and ethnicities. To me, Steves is telling us that he has â€Å"seen it all† and has a respect for others culture. 3. Steves defines good citizenship as, â€Å"Holding our country to a high standard and searching for ways to better live up to it lofty ideals. † Yes, it is okay to criticize our country. If we do not question and critic ourselves, we do not leave much room to grow and improve. Yes, we can learn from other nations. My observation in some of the countries I’ve visited is, they are better at recycling then we are. This is an opportunity to learn from another nation.Chapter 1 1. Elected leaders of today have no more of a connection then those â€Å"divinely ordained† kings did centuries ago. The example presented form a political office often differs from when they were campaigning. There seems to be a lot of hypocrisy in our politics. 2. â€Å"Travel challenges truths that we were raised thinking were self-evident and God-given† (pp. 5). We learn that other cultures and ethnicities do things differently according to religion, food†¦etc. 3. Looking out over the action, with Pillars of Hercules in the misty Moroccan distance is where Steves says two great civilizations came together.I would love to see Christianity and Islam co-existing in peace, but as he said before, this is nothing new. From my perspective, Islam was birthed from Christianity and there can only be one true God and that is through Jesus. Ultimately there will always be a battle until the new heaven and earth. 4. Fear is often a barrier to travel. Fear is not a factor in my willingness to travel. I believe we all should get out of our comfort zones and experience something different. 5. Americans would benefit most from international travel. Learning about the world and coming home with a new perspective 6.Steves learned that there are more Lutherans in Namibia then in the US. I don’t think it affects my perspective at all. If anything, my thinking brings me to spreading the gospel of Jesus and how many people are lost. Chapter 2-Lessons from the Former Yugoslavia: After the War 7. Ethnicities that exist in the former Yugoslavia are all South Slavs. The difference between them is what they choose to call themselves according to what religion they associate with. Catholic South Slavs are called Croats; Orthodox South Slavs are called Serbs; and Muslim South Slavs are called Bosniaks.In 1995 they laid down their arms and agreed to a peace agreement. According to Steves it is a slow progression each year. (pp. 28) It takes time to heal but all three countries are on the mend by putting aside their political and ethnic differences. 8. Home mortgages ceased to exist after the c ivil war ended. There is confusion on who owns what. Many surviving companies do not have money and the bank of Yugoslavia, which held the many of the mortgages is gone. The economic cost after the war still has a major affect concerning commerce, tourism and the ability to rebuild. 9.The effect of the â€Å"iconostasis† in the church Steve visited is to separate the common worshippers from â€Å"heavy lifting† priests. It gives them a sense of privacy. There shouldn’t be that much privacy between the religious leaders and the common worshiper. Jesus was very approachable. There is a certain humanistic ritual that comes with religion, in elevating the teacher or priest. I believe this is unnecessary. My pastor is very approachable. We are encouraged to get involved with many ministries within and outside of the church. It would be very difficult to be part of a church where your leadership was unapproachable.Chapter 3-Europe Unites: Successes & Struggles 10. 10. The big news in Europe today is Unification. Since the Unification of the 27 European countries they have opened up a free trade zone which promotes a competitive market along side the U. S and the up and coming powers of China and India. Benefits of the European Union come from high taxes. There is a much hire expectation of their big government to provide an extensive welfare network. This includes, childcare, healthcare, education, and retirement. In conclusion, I believe the benefits of their big government are well organized programs that benefit society as a whole. 1. Steves maintains that all societies have socialistic elements. I agree with Rick to a certain point. We (America) are a very well run Republic. I’d like to think that I would be open to more progressive policies in our country. So far, our in-class discussions and this book have shown me that we can learn from other countries and possibly adapt their policies to fit our style of government. The beauty of our constitution is it is meant to be adaptable. 12. Steves says, â€Å"In America we believe in government by and for the people through the corporations that we own. † Corporations in America do have a lot of influence and power.This can have a positive or negative influence. I believe it is there right to have choices. We are only as good as our ethics. Unfortunately we have seen many large corporations fail because of bad business ethics. As far as the Supreme court ruling concerning corporations and their ability to contribute unlimited funds to political campaign; I believe is a privilege. I do not know the intricacies of this policy, but with my limited knowledge, they have earned the right to give as much or as little as they please. Everything comes back to business ethics and morals in my opinion.Great power and wealth also comes with greater responsibility. The ability to choose is what makes our country unique. The ability and privilege to choose is healthy. The o utcomes of our decisions are what hinder or help. 13. Europeans work 25 percent fewer ours then we do. Americans work more hours at their jobs than Europeans because of cultural differences. The, â€Å"American Dream† is to work as much as possible to achieve more, financially and materialistically. 14. Steves maintains that Europeans prefer diplomacy to war, because of their interdependence on each other financially.I do not believe that we as Americans are to eager to go to war. Steves mentions that America has a unique position in the world as its â€Å"protector†. I believe this has become Americas default. If another country is suffering or looking for help, America has been the military presence. If anything, we over extend our resources. Many of my family members have served in our military or are closely affiliated with other government agencies. I fully believe that we as regular citizens do not know what goes on enough to truly have an objective opinion conce rning many of the wars we are involved in. 15.Steves took it upon himself after feeling oppressed, to speak with the local lions club president in his hometown concerning the numerous flags set out. When they did not take down their flags Steves took it upon himself to start removing the flags. I strongly disagree with what Steves did. For him to compare us flying our flag to the Nazi oppression concerning the â€Å"Gruss Gott† or even the Northern Ireland cause is ignorance. I believe the majority of this nation fly our flag in support of our troops and not towards a political affiliation. I also believe it is our right to fly our flag anytime especially in time of war.It shows pride toward our country and support of our troops and the freedom they fight for. Regardless of political affiliation, I feel it is insecurity that allowed him to proceed the way he did. That is also the beauty of our country. He can do what he did because our troops defend his rights as well. 16. St eves says we put a guilt trip on Europe in saying, â€Å" Don’t they remember how we saved them from the Nazis? † Hopefully, we are making an impact on countries, to where they don’t feel obligated but want to take our side. I would like to think they wouldn’t think twice about siding with us. 7. Steves says, he â€Å"loves America more. And because I care about our society, I challenge us to do better. † I don’t think it is fair to tell anyone to leave. I think it is more of an irrational emotional reaction. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve thought about saying that to someone in a political position or even thought while reading this book about Steves. But I know that it comes from an irrational part of my brain. I agree with Steves in that, we need to find common ground and could learn from Europe and some of their policies. Chapter 4 Resurrection in El Slavador 18.Steve’s points out that the minimum wage is $ 1. 00 in El Salvador. Minimum wage in America is usually a starting point where as the indigenous people of El Salvador â€Å"only aspire to the minimum wage†¦and that’s all they get†. I think our minimum wage should increase with inflation. Many of our resources go up such as, groceries, rent, gas†¦etc. So it only makes sense that minimum wage go up as well. A â€Å"living wage† ideally sounds like a great. The problem with a set living wage is the affect it could have on independent businesses. A higher wage could contribute to higher unemployment.Employers may not be willing to higher as many people in order to make a profit. I’ve contradicted myself somewhat with my desire for an increased minimum wage. All that to say, it is a tough job to figure out. 19. 20. Globalization is defined as; the growth of interregional and worldwide linkages and the changes these linkages are bringing about. According to Steve’s, the driving force is, na ked ambition to open new markets to firms and products. Altruism is defined as the unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others. Altruism is demonstrated in my life through giving.I currently sponsor two World Vision children. Hopefully at the end of my college education I can help better lives even further. My ultimate goal is to help others through the skills and education Trevecca will provide. 21. Steve’s says that he is not anti-globalization. He is anti-bad globalization. Steve’s believes that if globalization is implemented thoughtfully compassionately it can be the salvation of the developing world. Rick believes we have an obligation to be responsible. I agree that we have an obligation to be responsible. The role of the wealthy in our world is to continue to become wealthy. 22.Rick believes that our leadership manipulated our national grief to justify our actions in war. Rick believes that with the overwhelming sympathy from other nations we coul d have lifted the world into an unprecedented unity. I don’t think America could have done anything differently after 9/11. As Rick mentioned before, we haven’t had any conflicts hit American soil. In my opinion, a conflict reached our soil, and we reacted. 23. Steve’s quotes comes from Mathew 25: 35-46. I believe Steve’s is correct in these verses. Our responsibility as Christians with regards to poverty is what the verse in Mathew projects.Christians and the church as a whole can improve poverty. I recently, made a career change from Tour Manager in the Christian Music Industry to full time student. A large influence was because of an organization called World Vision and a book written by its CEO . â€Å"The Hole in our Gospelâ€Å" A paraphrased quote that had a large impact on me says†¦. †We have expansive, beautiful church buildings, huge choirs and the best praise and worship bands anywhere, but if all that is playing so loudly that ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s drowning out the cries of hundreds of thousands of suffering children all over the world.Then there is a hole in the gospel we are preaching here in America. † We are guilty of being a â€Å"me† society and need to improve our resources to the poverty in our country and the world. Chapter 5-Denmark: Highly Taxed & Highly Content 24. Rick states, they have an efficient train system and many Danes will never get around to buying a car. I believe we have to depend on our cars especially in more rural/ suburban areas. We do not have an effective transit system in many parts of the country. We are a society that does not provide sidewalks, or mass transit; in general we are not pedestrian friendly.We would need to build more mass transit station and less High ways. The best solution thus far is HOV lanes and carpooling. 25. Danes are more reliant on government then large corporations. They prefer to hold their government to a high standard and expect the elected off icials to do their job. In my limited knowledge I would say; Yes, we may give too much power to corporations but that is what our government is for. (Ex: monopolies) Government and corporations should balance one another. The proper role of our government is to uphold our constitution and liberties.The federal government is to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to our Posterity and ourselves. I think Ronald Reagan said it best during his First Inaugural Address: â€Å"We are a nation that has a government, not the other way around. Our government has no power except that granted by the people, and this makes us special among the nations of the Earth. † 26. I believe the â€Å"free rider† problem in the USA today is our social welfare system.This means that people take advantage of a government program that is meant to help lift you out of poverty rather then ke ep you in poverty. We are a society with an entitlement attitude. Americans take advantage of the system specifically through our welfare system. If you remember a show on MTV called cribs, they had a well known rapper who obviously made money then the allotted figure in the welfare system but was still being afforded a welfare check and food stamps. Without conviction he flaunted this on national t. v. Unfortunately this still happens today.This shows that a government program intended to help those in need is being taken advantage of and is broken. I thought of poor people and our broken welfare system. Now that I read this question our system is broken in ethics concerning corporate America as well. I’m not sure there is an explanation as to why I thought of the poor over the rich. 27. Taxes in Denmark are extremely high. Regular workers pay up to 50% in taxes and the wealthy pay up to 70% in taxes. There collective decision is based on what is best for society verses the individual. I don’t think we should model Denmark’s taxation policy.I think we need to fix ours. Our system has worked in the past and is what has made us unique as a country. We are a world power because of our unique economy not only because of our military. 28. The system for owning a car in Denmark is ridiculously expensive. If you are to buy a vehicle the cost and fees add up to buying 3 cars. This would not work in the USA. We rely to heavily on our vehicles for something like this to work. 29. Danes as a whole seem to not support marijuana. I do not believe we should legalize marijuana. We already have many vices that contribute to our society†¦ie alcohol and tobacco.Colorado is already having many issues on how to handle their legalization of the drug. I do not think there are any pros to adding to legalizing Marijuana. If I had to think of a pro, it would be to help generate revenue for the economy. Over all the disadvantages of legalizing this drug out w ay any positives. Regulation of outside distribution of the drug, affects it has on an individual, study’s show it kills brains cells over long periods of using. Colorado is already having problematic debates on where to grow and use the drug is acceptable. Chapter 6-Turkey & Morocco: Sampling secular Islam 0. One man keeps the Quran, Torah and Bible in his â€Å"Quran bag†. I believe we can and should get along with other religions. We should love people where they are. Christ calls us to love God and love people. The only way to affectively love and share truth is in love and relationship. I truly believe us as followers of Christ are all disciples and are responsible for representing Christ the best way possible. I deal with non-Christians the same way I would anyone else, with love. The best way to deal with Jews and Muslims again, is to love them where they are. 31.The evidence that Steves presents that Turkey maybe lurching into Islamic fundamentalism and theocra cy are women in public wearing the traditional headdress and walking behind men. He also noticed/felt disdained as he walked down the street, as if everyone should be praying and not out and about. I feel that our country was founded on Christian principles. In many ways we are a Christian nation. I believe our founding fathers intended this country to be free from religious persecution concerning the way they worshiped in their Christian beliefs. It is my opinion that we should be a God fearing Christian nation.We can still be a Christian nation and accept other people and the way they choose to worship. 32. Islamist are the expansionist/extremist and are afraid of the very existence of Israel. Islamic’s are the opposite. Truly, in my heart I do not feel any ill will toward Muslims. I see them as people just the same as you and I. The reason I feel this way is because of the love God has for us. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I often think they are wrong in the ir belief, and it is our job as Christians to lovingly start a conversation with them and hopefully share our beliefs. The problem is noted in this book.They believe Muhammad is the one true god. Steves friend also says, â€Å"Christendom should be threatened by Islam only if the Christian West seeks Empire here†. 33. Steves says there are advantages and disadvantages to a guided travel tour. He almost seems disappointed in the advice given in one of his books because of the fear seen on his trip to Morocco. Advantages of a guided tour are to see and experience landmarks and history behind a certain traveled area. Cons would be only experiencing the Touristy areas which are usually overpriced. I personally would prefer to visit another country on my own or with a local.I feel that is where you learn and experience the most. Although you are still a tourist you don’t stand out as much. Chapter 7-Eurpoe: Not â€Å"Hard on Drugs† or â€Å"Soft on Drugs†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦but Smart on Drugs 34. Most European nations have in common is the emphasis on education and prevention. Thinking back to my middle school and high school days. My thoughts on drug education were; it’s a joke. D. A. R. E. was the education tool used and was implemented in my elementary school. There weren’t any preventative measures in middle school or high school while I was in school. 35. Marijuana is not legal in the Netherlands.The Dutch take a more relaxed approach. There belief on Marijuana is as soon as you criminalize something; you lose any ability to regulate it. So they tolerate recreational pot smoking until it is harmful to themselves and others. I don’t really have an opinion on pot coffee shops in the Netherlands. What works for some may not work for others. I think it might be difficult to travel to the Netherlands and enjoy coffee if pot is there as well. I don’ think this would work very well in the U. S. We are not a society that appr oves of pot, and pot smoking is usually associated with harder drugs here. 36.Roughly 18,000 die of drug overdose in the U. S according to 2007 UN drug report. Looking at the statistics concerning the Dutch and Switzerland approach on hard drugs, I think it could work in the U. S. It would be something that would take time and diligence on private organization and government. The obstacles I see are our current healthcare debacle and recession. Chapter 8-Mission: Understand Iran 37. Steves had been giving his taxi driver a â€Å"thumbs up† when they had a good film take. His driver finally informed him he was mispronouncing his name and that giving someone a â€Å"thumbs up† was like giving them the middle finger.In my personal experience, reading about the culture before you visit is a huge help. Knowing currency, rate of exchange, tipping servers and even some food knowledge can go a long way. Try to understand and speak a little of their language. Most people are gr ateful you made an effort to speak there language. 38. Men and women squat when they urinate because they believe you do not get rid of your urine when you stand up. It is an overall Muslim religious conviction. I would definitely have some trouble in a place that did not have a toilet or toilet paper. I don’t think it would prevent me from visiting.It would just be difficult to deal with. 39. The dress code at the university was very strict and conforming. I think that we all need a little guidance. Dress codes help keep some order and moral decency. All within reason. I don’t feel the dress code at Trevecca affects me in any way. I think it is fine. 40. Steves said he was disheartened by the conformity imposed at the University of Tehran. The proper role of a university professor/instructor at Trevecca is to teach and inform the students on a certain subject. I think if, it is relevant to the class we should be challenged to use our brains concerning opposing views o r ideas.I don’t believe we should only look at one point of view. As for the Nazarene point of view we can learn about this specific view point but should also be challenged to see other viewpoints. 41. Brightly colored banners translated to â€Å"Death to Israel† where posted throughout the Mosque. If the police or some other group were there to â€Å"keep order† I would feel violated. Definitely grateful for our freedom of religion. 42. Steves says that the segregation among the males and females contributes to the negative image many of the Western Christians have of Islam.In some legalistic Christian churches women have to dress a certain way and in other situations, women do not have certain authority to â€Å"preach†. 43. The U. S. supported Iraq against Iran in the 1980’s. It does a little. Overall I would need to research more and find out why we backed Iraq. Then I could come to a better-educated thought. 44. Steves says, â€Å"†¦tra vel can be a powerful force for peace. Travel promotes understanding at the expense of fear. And understanding bridges conflicts between nations. † I think he means that we are at times very narrow minded as a nation.We would rather listen to what our preferred news source tells us and make our judgments from there. Traveling helps people see an entirely different perspective. Steves tends to see the humanism and similarities that cross cultural barriers. 45. Steves compares us by saying, â€Å"Iran has one dominant ethnic group and religion that’s struggling with issues of diversity and change, -liberal versus conservative, modern versus traditional, and secular versus religious. † Yes, we are sometime intolerant like the Iranians. People are imperfect and growing. We all have different opinions and some times allow our strong opinions turn into intolerance. 6. Steves is passionate about his personal experiences and how he has seen them affect others. He believe s that the American Flag doesn’t belong in his church and the Ten Commandments do not belong in City Hall. I have traveled all over the United States and have seen an American Flag in many of the churches I’ve visited. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with having the American flag in church. As far as the Ten Commandments, we are a nation that believes in the separation of church and state. I am personally not opposed to it but understand the necessity to not impose this on others.

Maestro Essay Essay Example

Maestro Essay Essay Example Maestro Essay Essay Maestro Essay Essay Maestro Essay Discuss the ways that composers of text use distinctively visual elements to convey ideas in their texts. Distinctively visual elements convey concepts and ideas presented by composers in texts which are expressed through the construction of writing within a novel or through symbolic artworks. In the novel ‘Maestro’ by Peter Goldsworthy and the sand art performance by Kseniya Simonova, distinctively visual images are generated thorough various techniques which convey the concepts of love and lust, the significance of loving bonds and the impact of war. 68) Paul, the main character in ‘Maestro’ is taught by a musical maestro named Keller who not only teaches him about his music, but also life skills. Keller becomes instrumental to Paul’s life and Goldsworthy presents this clearly in his novel. As Paul matures, he slowly comes to the realisation that he is beginning to learn from the maestro, and that Kellers phrasings, which seemed absurd in adolescence, blossom into a musical bible whose texts I knew by heart (p. 123). This is a metaphor that emphasises the importance of Keller’s phrasings to Paul as they are referred to as a â€Å"musical bible†, displaying the importance of Keller in Paul’s life. It is through this metaphor that the composer conveys the significance of the loving bond between Paul and Keller to Paul in his development. (133) Although, as Paul matures, his attitudes towards the Maestro become warmer and they develop an unexpressed bond â€Å"I came to love the man, to depend on him† (p. 13). The metaphor, â€Å"A straining hawser† (p. 18) provides a distinctively visual image of Paul and Keller firmly clenching each others hands which symbolises the strength of the emotional connection between Paul and the maestro. This is significant as Paul’s connection with the maestro possesses great importance throughout his life as Paul develops a sense of maturity and personal development through him. Therefore, it is through this distinctively visu al element generated by Goldsworthy that the loving bond and the significance of the bond between Paul and Keller is conveyed. This concept of love is also expressed in Kseniya Simonova’s sand art performance (1:05-2:00) through the tears of the woman resulting from the separation from her loved one due to the war. (148) Through the use of contrast, Goldsworthy creates distinctively visual images between Paul’s female friends Megan and Rosie, differentiating between love and lust simply through the use of descriptive language used to describe them. Distinctively visual images are illustrated of Megan as an angel â€Å"haloed vision†, â€Å"glowing hair† and Rosie as a fly â€Å"podgy, dimpled legs† in the novel and clearly express Paul’s initial feelings towards the girls, yet Paul becomes interested in Rosie â€Å"she had turned†¦pedalled to Rosie’s house†. Through these distinctively visual images the composer successfully conveys the idea of love overriding lust. 94) When Paul initially began lessons with Keller, his first impressions were misleading, a boozers incandescent glow†, â€Å"sun-coarsened-skin, â€Å"a cheap, ruined leather†, providing a distinctively visual image of Keller indicating that he has a wasted appearance. This is expressed by juxtaposing adjectives such as ‘cheap’, ‘ruined’, ‘coarsened’ and ‘incandescent’, which emphasise the effects alcohol has had on his appearance. This distinctively vis ual image of Keller demonstrates the detrimental impact of the war on him due to the loss of his family. The sand art performance by Kseniya Simonova also depicts the harsh affects of war. She sculpts one image skilfully into another and telling a story with her fingers and the sand about WWII. During the act (4:10 – 4:40), a young beautiful woman is transformed into a sorrowful old lady after receiving news that her loved one is dead. This conveys the detrimental impact of the war on this lady through this distinctively visual image. (159) Throughout the novel, Goldsworthy explores the impact of war which is expressed through Keller. In the novel, Paul comes across a tattoo situated upon Keller’s forearm, â€Å"tattooed upon his forearm, six faded, blue digits† which symbolised Keller’s involvement within the concentration camps and the Holocaust. It is through the use of descriptive words such as ‘faded’, which creates the meaning that it was faded because it was something of Keller’s past he wanted to forget about but will always remain with him, both internally and externally, that the composer has created a distinctively visual image of Keller’s tattoo indicating the traumas of his past resulting from the war, which conveys the idea of the impact of war. The concept of the impact of war is similarly illustrated in Kseniya Simonova’s sand art performance as during the act (1:45-2:00) a happy couple is suddenly interrupted by the initiation of the war causing the woman to weep in fear and sadness. This scene provides a distinctively visual image of a traumatised woman which fosters the composer’s idea of the traumatising impacts of the war. (189) Kseniya Simonova’s facial features and agile movements throughout her performance evoke emphasis on her art work and it is through these movements that she engages herself in her artwork. It is through her use of violent movements as her fingers fly over the sand, creating then destroying images that a distinctively visual image of WWII is created which conveys the traumatic impacts of the war. This is displayed during the act (3:10-3:15) as she violently throws sand destroying the illustration which represents the destruction of the war and therefore generates a distinctively visual image. (94) Resulting from the war, Keller lost his wife and son which resulted in Keller becoming an alcoholic. He chose the life among the ‘booze and blow’ (p. ) of Darwin to constantly remind himself of the weakness and absurdity of the human condition. The use of descriptive words such as ‘booze’ and ‘blow’ indicate the alcoholic smell of the place and creates a distinct image of the place, portraying it as an unpleasant atmosphere, which expresses the severe impacts that war has had on Keller as he surrounds himself in an uncomforting environmen t. (92) In these texts, the composer’s have clearly conveyed the concepts of the impacts of war, love and lust and loving bonds and shaped meaning of these concepts through the construction of distinctively visual images. (34)

How Senators Use the Filibuster to Stop Legislation

How Senators Use the Filibuster to Stop Legislation The term filibuster is used to describe a tactic used by members of the U.S. Senate to stall or delay votes on legislation. Lawmakers have used every trick imaginable to filibuster on the floor of the Senate: reading names from the phone book, reciting Shakespeare, cataloging all the  recipes for fried oysters. The use of the filibuster has skewed the way legislation is brought to the floor of the Senate. There are 100 members of the upper chamber in Congress, and most votes are won by a simple majority. But in the Senate, 60 has become the most important number. Thats because  it takes 60 votes in the Senate to block a filibuster and bring an end to unlimited debate or delay tactics. Senate rules allow any member or group of senators to speak as long as necessary on an issue. The only way to end the debate is to invoke cloture, or win a vote of 60 members. Without the 60 votes needed, the filibuster can go on forever. Historic Filibusters Senators have effectively used filibusters or more often, the threat of a filibuster to change legislation or block a bill from being voted on the Senate floor. Sen. Strom Thurmond gave the longest filibuster in 1957 when he spoke for more than 24 hours against the Civil Rights Act. Sen. Huey Long would recite Shakespeare and read recipes to pass the time while filibustering in the 1930s. But the most famous filibuster was conducted by Jimmy Stewart in the classic film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Why Filibuster? Senators have used filibusters to push for changes in legislation or to prevent a bill from passing with less than 60 votes. It is often a way for the minority party to yield power and block legislation, even though the majority party chooses what bills will get a vote. Often, senators make their intent to filibuster known to other senators to prevent a bill from being scheduled for a vote. Thats why you rarely see long filibusters on the Senate floors. Bills that will not be approved are rarely scheduled for a vote. During George W. Bushs administration, Democratic senators effectively filibustered against several judicial nominations. In 2005, a group of seven Democrats and seven Republicans - dubbed the Gang of 14 - got together to reduce filibusters for judicial nominees. The Democrats agreed not to filibuster against several nominees, while Republicans ended efforts to rule filibusters unconstitutional. Against the Filibuster Some critics, including many members of the U.S. House of Representatives who have seen their bills pass in their chamber only to die in the Senate, have called for an end to filibusters, or to at least lower the cloture threshold to 55 votes. They allege the rule has been used too often in recent years to block important legislation. Those critics point to data that show the use of the filibuster has become too common in modern politics. No session of Congress, in fact, had attempted to break a filibuster more than 10 times until 1970. Since then the number of cloture attempts has exceeded 100 during some sessions, according to the data. In 2013,  the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate voted to change the rules on how the chamber acts on presidential nominations.  The change makes it easier to set up confirmation votes for  presidential nominees for executive branch and judicial nominees with the exception of those for the U.S. Supreme Court by requiring only a simple majority, or 51 votes, in the Senate.

ETHICAL ISSUES Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ETHICAL ISSUES - Research Paper Example This ensures that only the researches that meet the minimum ethical requirements are conducted, hence, increasing the chances of having a successful research. Another way that an internal review board assists in ensuring the researches undertaken are successful is through provision of information and training to researchers. According to Craig (2009), an internal review board serves as a resource for researchers by providing them with training and information necessary for conducting a successful research. This ensures that the researchers are well equipped when they are undertaking a research and, thus, influences their ability to achieve a successful research. The training and information that this board provides assists researchers in facing some of the challenges of conducting a research and, hence, makes their research successful. The ethical issues involved in research vary with the kind of research undertaken, as well as the research method chosen for the research per se. The ethical issues for an engineering research that does not involve human subjects are different from the ethical issues of a social research that involves human subjects. However, several ethical issues are applicable in almost every research undertaken regardless of the research type and research method. One of such ethical issues is the way subjects in a research are to be treated by the researcher. Another ethical issue is how the research should be undertaken while the other one is how the research findings should be reported. These three ethical issues are sensitive when it comes to any kind of research undertaking. If the subjects in a research are not well treated by the researcher, they can experience some direct or indirect harm because of the participation in research (Oliver, 2010). Therefore, the ethical issue of treating the subjects well and carefully during a research is a very sensitive issue. The ethical issue on

Neo-Liberalism. How is it Related to Free Market Fundamentalism Essay

Neo-Liberalism. How is it Related to Free Market Fundamentalism - Essay Example The Roots of Neo- Liberalism The popular ideology has its roots from the Father of Economics, Adam Smith, who advocated for less government role in markets, manufacturing and barriers to trade . This and other basic fundamentals such as the productivity of labor are mentioned in his book An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. After the end of the World War, and during the Great Depression, liberalism was highly critiqued. The high level of unemployment, and downward spiraling business activity became the major threat to the foundations of Capitalism and it was at this time that prominent economists such as John Maynard Keynes and Margaret Thatcher stepped up with their theories that questioned such matters as the employment line and government intervention. Keynes’ belief was that the government could indeed be used for the purposes of taxation and borrowing, to stimulate and expand economies rather than simply to shelter storms . The two factors economies are measured by are empl oyment determination and income distribution. Keynesianism felt that the economy would time and again result in weaknesses of employment demand generation, such as the Great Depression, and this could be cured with the use of monetary and fiscal policies. The Keynesian model would dominate Capitalist economies for nearly 35 years after the World War, introducing new institutions and unions. Although Keynesianism as an economic model rose to become accepted reality for more than a quarter of a century, it would be replaced by the contradictory policies of neo- liberalism by the end of the 70’s. The switch between policies occurred over many reasons. Some attributed it primarily to global events such as oil price shocks, and the Vietnamese war, while others have placed the divide between Keynesians over policies as a primary reason. Others believed it was due to the lack of implementation of Keynesian policies in particular borders or countries due to rising globalization at the time. But one factor that all historians agree unanimously on is the change in public opinion over the mixed economy. One writer of her time, Ayn Rand, is famous for penning down the fears of the public over extensive regulation and control in her magnum opus novel; a fictional work titled Atlas Shrugged. Whatever the reasons, an amalgamation of these factors is what led to the rallying of public opinion towards Neo-Liberalism. Amongst those who strove for this cause, the names of three economic philosophers are embedded in history- Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, and Robert Nozick are most relevant in understanding the views of Neo- Liberals. Each man had a different viewpoint of why there was a need for an open market economy, and each has left a mark in their own right for contributions vital to the cause. Neo-Liberalism, as an economic model, has served the economy well in that the standard of living has generally been upwards since its wide acceptance. We have also, seen the development of institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund pushing for the removal of trade barriers and a more globalized world as the by-products of this approach, and over the last half decade, we have come to observe that Neo-Liberalism has become a global phenomenon. But is this static in lieu of the Global Financial Meltdown of 2008? Are critics of Neo-Libe ralist polices correct in linking it to