How Would You Like to Be Remembered?

As human beings, we should always act in a manner that people will remember us for the good things we do and the legacy we live leave behind. When we die, our deeds live after us whether they are good or bad. Therefore, we should have it at the back of our mind that we are making history by what we are doing presently.Consequently, I live my life, bearing it in mind that what I am doing someday will be used as a measure for judging me. Therefore, if asked how I would like to be remembered, what I will say is enumerated below.First of all I would like to be remembered as an individual with sound ethical values and principles and does not compromise them no matter what the circumstance may be. Also, fairness is a characteristic that I would love to be recognized for.Personally, I have always strove to be fair with others and to recognize my mistakes while learning from them. In addition to this, I would like to be remembered as a person who respects others as much as respects himself. As a child, I have developed some values from my family to treat everybody with respect whether I agree with them or not.Furthermore, in my profession, I would love to be remembered to be a hardworking professional who always strives and ensures that she maximises his potentials in order to bring the best outcomes in his work.I believe that a leader should be a visionary and so I would like to be remembered as a leader with a vision and passion for his personal and professional life. Apart from these, I would like to be remembered as a team player and as someone with good organizational skills and critical thinking. This is because I consider these to be very important qualities that I would like to stigmatize my name.Summarily, I would love to be like to be remembered as person who is always keen and open to correction, always ready and eager to learn. I want to be remembered for the good that I have lived to do and to be remembered for the good and reputable name which I have buil t.Why is the Cambridge MBA right for you?From my consideration, I submit that in any profession, people need to seek out additional knowledge in their field of study and broaden their horizon with the wealth of information available to diligent learners. Lifelong learning for me is a prerequisite of becoming a successful professional.In my quest for my professional development, I discovered my interest and attraction to the field of business and finance, having come from a professional and academic Engineering background. At this stage in my life, I have decided to augment my knowledge in the field of business and finance.I strongly believe that this is the most appropriate time for me to devote myself to making the next step in my professional development. This has made me consider many universities and programmes and later deciding to apply to the Cambridge MBA. I highlight the reasons that informed my decision below.As an institution of learning, Cambridge MBA is one of the best so I will acquire a sound knowledge for the purpose achieving the best results for my future career goals. Apart from this, I made the decision because I want to enter dynamically into the financial and investment field.Also, I want to be part of success considering the fact that Judge Business School has built a respectable name in the world of commerce and I consider this to be a great success for the institution. I see this to be a great opportunity for my future career as a student of this programme to be a prospective recruit for top-tier companies.Cambridge MBA provides me with the opportunity to specialize in the real estate through the Electives and Consulting Projects. So far, I have learned that to attain greatness in one’s personal and/or professional life, one must work hard. Needless to say, challenges are opportunities created to develop one personally and professionally.Experience has taught me the importance of making concise decisions and at the same time, be ing able to view issues from different perspectives in order to achieve the best result. I believe the Cambridge MBA can reinforce such qualities.In conclusion, I believe the competition and intensity of the programme will serve as a great opportunity in improving my managerial and leadership skills, which are necessary for an advanced career. I consider that such knowledge, as the one that I will gain from this programme, is vital in pursuing my goals.

Safety Management Tools Used By The Food Industry Health Essay

Today ‘s people are much more cognizant about nutrient safety and quality than past. Due to nutrient borne unwellness eruption and merchandise callback besides suffered 1000000s of lbs economic losingss in nutrient industry. Major grounds for these failure are botching, alterations in the equipment, add-on of wrong ingredients, preparation procedure, formula or readying pattern, jobs in packaging, deficiency of attending to detail every bit good as malicious taint. A physical belongings that may do a nutrient to be insecure for human ingestion are known as physical jeopardy. Usually occurs in nutrient premises and may do serious unwellness. It could be happen by natural stuffs like bone, tegument, connective tissue or by extrinsic stuffs like foreign organic structures such as glass, plastic, pieces of metal, wood, paper every bit good as insect infestation. The presence of foreign organic structures like glass and rodent dungs in nutrient is a greater concern as it breakdown h ygiene. It may be brought into nutrient premises with the natural stuffs or acquire introduce during any processing phase. Foreign stuffs get into nutrient accidentally for case pieces of metal in mince meat or of course occurring objects for illustration castanetss in fish that are see menace to the consumer. In nutrient processing installations, most common beginnings found are bottles, jars, bulbs, light fixtures, utensils, gage screens, glass containers and glass nutrient containers. Usually it may do cuts, shed blooding that may necessitate sometimes surgery to happen or take this physical jeopardy. To avoid this hazard nutrient industry should minimise utilizing of ordinary glass. Dials and gages on equipment should be perfect. Besides, they should hold a glass policy particularly to manage with breakage spectacless. Possibly, nutrient readying should halt in instance of serious breakage event. Contaminated nutrient must be discarded. By ocular review, nutrient container may look into for any broken parts of glass. It should be guarantee that the country is cleaned and free from broken spectacless before get downing nutrient preperation. Food animal trainer requires proper preparation and direction as if they can response right. Furthermore, to observe glass from nutrient in nutrient industry, optical scanners, x-ray machines, screens, filters and air separation system can use. Furthermore, blaring with air or lavation, inverting, is necessary to minimise the hazard being present in a container merely prior to make fulling. Wood: Common beginnings of wood found in edifices, boxes, Fieldss, wooden palettes or wooden construction used to supermarket and retailer. Besides might be associate with natural stuff transit and merchandise processing industry. It may do cuts, infection, choking. Soft wood should be take from production premises. Wooden containers used for transporting natural stuffs should be phased out. Over unfastened nutrient palettes should non be dual stacked. Rock: Field harvests for illustration lentil, garden peas and beans contain small rocks that may picked up at reaping period. Rocks can besides acquire introduce with nutrients from floor. Plastics: Common beginnings of plastic include boxing stuff, utensils used for cleansing, palettes, baseball mitts worn by nutrient animal trainer. It may do choking, cuts, infection. Metallic element: Common beginnings are machinery, Fieldss, wire and employees. It may do infection, cuts. INSECT AND OTHER FILTH: Cultivation land, works post-process entry are the beginnings of insect infestation. it may do unwellness, injury, choking. Jewelry: Pens, pencils, buttons, careless nutrient animal trainer patterns can be include. It may do cuts, infection etc. Bones: Common beginnings are Fieldss, improper processing works. It may do choking and injury. INSULAION: Common beginnings are constructing stuff. It may do choking, long-run if asbestos. OTHERS: Common beginnings are basics, composition board, fabric, fiber, threading so on. Particular attention is necessary when nutrient deliver in assorted container like paper pokes, boxes and tease board.After taking threading from hessian pokes should instantly be placed in appropriate container to avoid taint. It may do choking and dental harm like dentitions broken. Natural Material: In nutrient processing variable nature of natural stuff quality may be a important job. Natural stuffs can be a of import beginning of immaterial affair and nutrient makers use a scope of screening, cleansing and rating operations to take out the jeopardy stuff. In industry of frozen peas for case, metal prison guards, coffin nail terminals, chaffs, rocks, sticks, caterpillars and soil frequently associate with the vined peas as they arrived at the processing industry. Control step should hold specification to detail maximal allowable degrees of taint in the incoming natural stuffs. By holding specifications with all providers and monitoring and measuring the provider public presentation in run intoing the specifications, the company has an positive tool in minimising the hazard by immaterial affair. Before utilizing natural stuffs, cleaning or rinsing and review may necessary. Most physical taint has to be removed by employee as the veggies pass along an lighted review belt. Food production should be filteed liquid and pulverizations sieved, filters screens and screens should be every bit all right as possible and must be cleaned and checked often. Worn equipment should replaced. Wooden-framed screens are normally non acceptedPackaging Material:Packaging is besides a beginning of immaterial affair in the signifier of warehouse and conveyance dirt/dust, wood from the palettes, paper and polythene strips from over wraps and a assortment of insects and even gnawers. containers ( tins, jars, bottles and fictile pots ) may be used straight foe make fulling with mineral cleansing and any rogue stuff in the container ( metal matchwoods, glass, soil, insects, etc. ) may stop up in the terminal merchandise.Effective WAY FOR CONTROLLING PHYSICAL HAZARDS:To develope, physical jeopardy designation plan in the nutrient industry, processors have to roll up elaborate information for every phase of each nutrient processing and their beginning. Significant physical jeopa rdies can be found by detecting each procedure phase during all phases of its processing at the industry factory.After placing jeopardies, an effectual plan can run to pull off and cut down these hazards of serious happening.Tools of the overall plan include carefully throughout Hazard analysis and critical control point ( HACCP ) , sanitation, care and Good fabrication pattern ( GMP ) programsI? effectual microbiological and chemical confirmation testing, systematic procedures validation both yearly and when alterations occurI? regular employee trainingI? and merchandise design and packaging schemes that should carefully take into history both the possible jeopardies that have been identified and the consequences of possible maltreatment of the merchandise. Auditing agenda must be designed to happen out failings in all of these countries. Identified Critical Control Points ( CCP ‘s ) are critical, and this information must be used to implement apropriate control of the proced ure. Furthermore, regular scrutinizing on this information should happen in order to guarantee betterment bit by bit. Besides, to overlook possible jeopardies, or neglect to execute confirmation measurings where needed can take to disaster really fast. Commercial research labs are besides a possible resource to supply way and input to understand, implement, and utilize these tools. This aid can come in the signifier of microbiological and chemical analysis, proof testing, merchandise testing, audits, consulti-ng services from HACCP ­trained expertness, and customized on ­site preparation pertinent to the sector of the nutrient industry that provides maximal benefit to employees and installation. Standard operating processs ( SOPs ) to minimise hazards of physical jeopardies. †¢ Wearing hair cyberspaces to minimise the chance for hair associate into nutrient. †¢ Avoid utilizing nail Polish or unreal nails. Polish can flake off and fall into nutrient, and unreal nails can come loose and autumn into nutrient. †¢ Avoid utilizing rings with rocks or earrings that could integrate into nutrient.Pay particular attending to the nutrient during readying to place physical contaminations.†¢ Take attention to take and fling all packaging from nutrient. †¢ Remove all castanetss when deboning poulet or other meats. †¢ Look for possible contaminations. For illustration, dry beans must be sorted prior to rinsing to take rocks that may be at that place from crop. †¢ Remove any toothpicks that might be used in nutrient readying.Maintain, clean and usage equipment decently.†¢ Clean and sanitise equipment and utensils after use each clip. †¢ Clean blades of can openers after usage to guarantee that metal shaves do non roll up. †¢ Use merely commercial ice scoops when acquiring ice from an ice machine or assigning ice. †¢ Puting shields on visible radiations. †¢ Shatterproof visible radiation bulbs can be usage.Decision:In decision it can be said to cut down hazard of major nutrient incidents, which cause human unwellness and major economic loss, it is of import to place and understand the possible jeopardies by the nutrient provider. It is their duty to place and minimise jeopardies in the nutrient that they produce or serve. Effective and possible schemes and control steps must be developed to minimise the jeopardies. A procedure should be placed that is well-designed, wellmanaged and capable to regular reappraisal theis at the lowest hazard for critical failures. Overall, an effectual quality control system is the most cost effectual manner to run for the primaryproducer, and consequences in the greatest possible satisfaction for the consumers benefit from the quality of the product.So, supplier quality confidence, good fabrication procedure and preparation installations in nutrient industry among nutrient animal trainer could be effectual safety direction tools. Furthermore, to place any important physical jeopardy or critical control point, nutrient industry should construct a HACCP squad and behavior by flow diagram for the each processing phase. Auditing besides can be

A Summary of the National Response Framework

â€Å"Response doctrine influences the way in which policy and plans are developed, forces are organized and trained, and equipment is procured. It promotes unity of purpose, guides professional judgment, and enables responders to best fulfill their responsibilities. (NFR, January 2008, Page 8 and 9) This summary draws upon multiple documents from one primary source, the Department of Homeland Security web site. Upon examination of these documents it became clear that as our country faced more frequent and destructive disasters, the more collaborative our preparation, response and recovery efforts had to become; and to coordinate that kind of multi-systems response our first responders and decision makers would need a framework from which to provide a powerful unified response. That document is the National Response Framework. Researching and summarizing this document is a crucial foundation to understanding 21st Century emergency management in the United States. A Summary of the National Response Framework â€Å"To prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies, the United States Government shall establish a single, comprehensive approach to domestic incident management. † — Homeland Security Presidential Directive – 5 (NPR Brochure, page 2) The National Response Framework (NRF) is a 90-page guide to how the United States conducts all-hazards response.As a student exploring the field of emergency management as a career possibility, it is clear that the National Response Framework is the essential first-step to having a better understanding of how incident response will be conducted now and in the future. Furthermore, it is the fundamental directive on how local, state and federal preparation, planning, mitigation and recove ry will be forged, as well. So if one wants to be effective in emergency management, one must first become knowledgeable of this framework.The National Response Framework is guided by the input of hundreds of stakeholders, written for government executives, private-sector and nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders, and emergency management practitioners to establish a comprehensive national approach to domestic incident response. The NRF works because it sharpens the focus on who is involved with emergency management at the local, tribal, state and federal levels and with the private sector and NGOs; describes what we as a nation collectively do to respond to incidents; explains how we are organized to implement response actions; and emphasizes the importance of planning.It allows first responders, decision-makers and supporting entities to provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies. (NFP- Fact Sheet, page 4) This document is a result of twenty years of federal planning documents. The NRF was preceded 15 years earlier by a Federal Response Plan (1992) that focused largely on federal roles and responsibilities only. (NFP, January 2008, page 2) However, after the 9/11 attacks, urgent efforts were made to understand and implement common incident management and response principles to develop common planning frameworks.President George W. Bush directed the development of the National Respon se Plan (NRP) in Homeland Security Presidential Directive Number 5, in February 2003. It was published one year after creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Strategy for Homeland Security (Strategy). (NFP, January 2008, page 2 and 12) The NRP formed the basis for how the federal government would coordinate with state, local and tribal governments and the private sector during the response to a national incident.It was the cornerstone for the eventual maturation to the National Response Framework. The NRP brought together best practices from a range of disciplines including: homeland security, emergency management, law enforcement, firefighting, public works, public health and the private sector and integrated them into one unified structure. This unified structure provided the ability to coordinate federal support to state, local and tribal incident managers. (NFP, January 2008, page 12)President Bush’s Homeland Security Presidential Directive Number 5 also ordered the development of the National Incident Management System (NIM S), which continues to bring together federal, state, local and tribal emergency responders into a single system for managing incidents. The NIMS enables responders at all levels to work together more effectively to manage domestic incidents no matter what the cause, size or complexity. (Homeland Security Under Secretary Kicks Off National Response Plan Workshops In D. C. April 15, 2005)The National Response Plan was then renamed the National Response Framework in 2008, to better align the document with its intent. Stakeholders suggested that the NRP did not constitute a true operational plan in the sense understood by emergency managers but rather a construct for coordinated national incident management. The new National Response Framework is based directly on the NRP and retains much of its content. (NFP, page2) As mentioned previously, many of these systems developed as a response to the 9/11 attacks.The NRF is actually a requirement of the larger overarching National Strategy for Homeland Security (Strategy) that serves to guide and coalesce our countrys security efforts to achieving the following four goals: Prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks. Protect the American people and our critical infrastructure and key resources. Respond to and recover from incidents that do occur. Continue to strengthen the foundation to ensure our long-term success. The NRF obviously addresses the third goal.

Human Resource Policy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Resource Policy - Research Paper Example This paper will explore the policies that govern the proper use and disposal of needles and sharp objects in hospitals or nursing homes. #1 The human resource policy describes the rules that are formal and guidelines, which organizations employ to hire, reward, assess and train individuals who join the workforce of the enterprise or organization. When these policies are disseminated and organized in a form that can be comprehended and utilized easily, they can preempt numerous misunderstandings that emerge between employers and employees (Delpo, 2000). These misunderstandings can emanate from the infringement of the rights of employees by employers or ignorance of the responsibilities and duties of the employees in the business premises. In most cases, the policy of a business is written on a paper in a formal way to ensure that every employee gets access to the policies when they sign job contracts in the business. Further, written policies can be employed with extreme consistency a nd accuracy, and they ensure that the business is run in a consistent way with consistent decisions. Moreover, the policies of the human resource can save the company in case of a law suit, which could unearth the issues of employee’s rights and the interests of the business. Unless the business organization has clearly written human resource policies and laws, then the business will suffer from the law suit. Respect to the human resource policies is the core objectives of every worker, especially those who work in hospitals and nursing homes. It has become evident that these policies govern the association between the employee and the employer, and any breach in the contractual performance of duties will result to detrimental challenges (Storey, 2007). The workers in the nursing homes should respect the agreement that they had with their employer, and perform their duties to the expected standards without compromise. #2 The perspective of the roles of human resources depends with the person asked and the experiences of that person with the human resources. Further, the degree of interaction that an individual has experienced with the human resources can also influence the response that one gives regarding the question of the roles and processes (Delpo, 2000). Human resource represents policies and views of the organization, as well as the traditions and the culture that the organization wishes to instill, adopt and empower. In this position, human resources enhance the reputation of the company and the employer (Mathis, 2011). For instance, human resources ensure that the information about the company is not exposed during recruitment and enrolment of employees. In addition, human resources ensure that employees work towards the attainment of the organizational objectives. Furthermore, human resources provide an avenue for employees to air their grievances or seek an arbitrator to mediate the issues and challenges that face employees at the work place. The interests of the employees are represented by this department, though the department cannot skip the constraints that the organization sets. #3 Job analysis describes the process used in the determination of the requirements of work or task and duties of that job. Further, the

Middle east history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Middle east history - Essay Example Politically and culturally, the region was ripe for the rise and fall of many dynasties. To further understand the implications of this age, this paper will seek to examine the religious, political, and social groups of the period and their influence in the shaping of the Middle Eastern civilizations from the years 1100 AD to 1400 AD. By the 1100's, the caliphate which was responsible for the sudden expansion and early stability of the Islamic empire had lost its authority over its territories - and while the last caliph al'Musta'sim was killed by the Mongols in 1258, the caliph had already by then lost all of its power. Most of the Islamic states' ruler had already adoped various religious and political titles. In the wake of the loss of this institution, the territories they governed lost stability and the fragmentation of the Muslim lands was a large factor in its susceptibility to foreign attack. The Mongols were a conglomeration of nomadic tribes from the Ataic steppes brought together by Temujin, the Ghengis Khan (Universal Ruler). By 1258 they had already conquered Russia, Central Europe, and had sacked Baghdad. By the time the Mongol empire crumbled, it had spanned all the way from China to the Middle East and Europe. Unfortunately, while the Mongols were a virtually unstoppable military force, they were also inept at building their empire. They had no succession plans and relied on the uymaq - the military elite at the behest of its chief, for governance. This made for an unstable government, as the state depended on the personal power of the chief - which was further complicated by the troubles they encountered ruling via centralized monarchy. The incursion of the Mongols, however, was disastrous for the Middle Eastern civilization as the Muslim Empire, already weakened by divisions, went into steady decline and never recovered its past glory. The Mongols either killed or deported many scholars and skilled workers, razed libraries and other accomplishments. Much of the legacies of the Golden Age were wiped out, never to be recovered. Some scholars, however, contend that the effects of the Mongol incursion were not that grave. While they did raze whole areas, Egypt was never conquered and became the center of Islamic culture. And while Iran submitted to Mongol rule, they experience a period of political stability wherein trade and literature developed. Ghazan Khan's adoption of Islam as the Il-Khan's state religion in the 1300's had a calming effect on the territories he governed. During this period the Mongolians contributed to the development of the lands they ravaged by rebuilding their cities. Timurid The Timurid dynasty - founded by Timur in 1370 CE over the squabbling provinces of the Ilkhan rulership - lasted until the 1500's. The territories under this pro-Sufi government enjoyed a period of relative stability. Literature, culture and knowledge developed greatly in the intellectual and cultural centers of Herat and Transoxania. The Turks Beginning in the 1100's, many Turks - mercenaries and military forces - migrated into the Middle Eastern lands. The caliphs depended on these heavily on these

What explains the widening and deepening of international peace Essay

What explains the widening and deepening of international peace operations after the Cold War - Essay Example Promise of Peace The ideal state of freedom, security and happiness among peoples and nations in the world perfectly outlines the concept of world peace, which has been extremely elusive to humankind since the dawn of a competitive civilization. Non-violence, understanding and cooperation among countries as well as their leaders signify the essence of this universal aspiration, which for many is a seeming Utopian dream. But, in theory and practice, peace is never impossible.1 While it is believed that it is already embedded in human nature to be violent and adversarial, it is also factually acceptable that war is only man-made and could be prevented through a firm resolve and humane freewill. Immanuel Kant in his classical treatise entitled Perpetual Peace, upheld that the epitome of humanity only occurs when there is a total cessation of hostilities and not just a temporary suspension of conflicts.2 It should be noted, however, that Kant did not imply that there should be a total ab sence of disputes and conflicts before peace is attained. Theoretically, the stress was only placed on the term ‘hostilities’ and that it also implied the polite way of handling issues and settling differences. There has been a wide-ranging scope of theories and conjectures about the idea of peace. Various interpretations were already offered and at times disputed. According to Kacowicz, there is a threefold typology of peace.3 First is precarious peace, which is the temporary absence or armed conflict between nations (some Arab states and Israel). Second is conditional peace, where one or both sides see the necessity of deterrent activities to avoid war (United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War). Third and lastly is the stable peace, which neither side employs force or make a threat of force in any of its disputes (United States and United Kingdom during the 1956 Suez Canal Crisis). As an ongoing and dynamic process, stable peace involves the process of achie ving a continuum of absence of war resulting from a balance of power, deterrence to conflict resolution and consolidation of societal security. For most part, stable peace is the one denoted by historicists and written about by romanticists. Beginning and End of the Cold War Dubbed as a war on ideology, the Cold War (1947-1941) was a period of tension, conflict and competition between the capitalist West and the socialist East. Spearheaded by world superpowers, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic ventured into a prolonged political and military struggle that also involved other countries, called satellites (Eastern block) and allies (Western block). The rivalry for influence in the Third World and dominance in the military force was said to be the major germ that caused the war.4 A considerable mix of calm and high tension appeared in the international stage during this period. The Berlin Siege of 1948, the Korean Civil War in 1950-1953, the Berlin Crisis of 1961, the Vietnam War in 1959-1975, the Missile Attacks in Cuba (1962) and the Soviet-Afghanistan War in 1979-1989 all accounted for the terrible lethal strikes that occurred within this span of time. An imminent nuclear war precipitated by the Able Archer 83 Exercises of NATO was also documented. Nevertheless, the fear of a guaranteed mutual destruction engendered by their own sophisticated nuclear weapons served as a reason for a

Drama, Comed, and Documentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drama, Comed, and Documentary - Essay Example Generally, both drama and comedy attract a larger audience when compared to documentaries. Comedy contains a lot of humor and therefore the liberals and the moderates make up the wide audience that is enjoyed. Conservatives, on the other hand, are able to relish documentaries, News and business channels and Sports. There are many similarities as well as differences between Drama, Comedy, and Documentaries. While Drama appeals to one's emotions and feelings, Comedy does not appeal to one's emotions but appeals to one's senses. If a person is not a humorous person or does not have a good sense of humor, he will not have the capacity to enjoy any type of Comedy. Drama does not have to be all that serious, neither does Comedy have to be totally hilarious. They could borrow from and lend to each other. Drama is based on people in difficult situations who try to find solutions to come out of it. It is primarily held together by emotionalism. It is supposed to look real and move the audiences emotionally. Comedy, on the other hand, is mostly hilarious and engages its audience by compelling them to interact, laugh, cry and exhibit the humorous side of their personality. In Drama, there is little or no interaction, but it makes one feel the situation that is being enacted. Drama draws its audience slowly and gradually, whereas Comedy has the capacity to grab at its audience on the spur of the moment. The centrifugal point in Drama is that it has a strong emotional knot that is slowly unraveled as the scenes proceed. Comedy could be a completely separate track all by itself and does not have to depend on other factors. In Drama, we have both Tragedy and Comedy. Tragedy goes beyond just Drama because it has heightened emotion, creates a greater impact on the audience and culminates in a catharsis.

The Gothic Imagination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Gothic Imagination - Essay Example Gothic literature was named for the apparent influence of the dark gothic architecture of the period on the genre. Also, many of these Gothic tales took places in such "gothic" surroundings, sometimes a dark and stormy castle as shown in Mary Wollstoncraft Shelly's Frankenstein, or Bram Stoker's infamous Dracula" (Gothic). The American critical theorist Eve Sedgwick has been a chief contributor to the idea of Gothic imagination. To understand the term "Gothic" let us note that there is a great relation between Gothic and romance. As Sedgwick, in The Coherence of Gothic Conventions which studies the relationship between Gothic conventions and the ways in which its practitioners use language and structure narrative, remarks, "Gothic" has not been the supplest of terms. (Sedgwick 1986) An analysis of the popular novels, The Castle of Otranto, Frankenstein, and Dracula would give the best idea of what a Gothic Novel is. This is a discussion directed towards the same. The writers beginning with Horace Walpole in his The Castle of Otranto through the famous writers like Mrs. Radcliffe, M G Lewis, Mary Shelley, Maturin, Melville, Faulkner, and Stoker have dealt with the elements of what is now termed the Gothic literature. Their works take the readers to world of sublimity and great imagination. â€Å"Their Gothic novels attempt to submerge the reader in an extraordinary world in which ordinary standards and moral judgments become meaningless and good and evil are seen as inextricably intertwined. Gothic writing is closely related to romantic: both are the product of a profound reaction against everyday reality and conventional religious explanations of existence. But while romantic writing is the product of faith in an ultimate order, Gothic writing is a gloomy exploration of the limitations of man" (Hume 1969). Thus many of the Gothic considerations come to our discussion. The genre of Gothic fiction merges the elements of both romance and horror. This literary tradition has its beginning with Horace Walpole's novel The Castle of Otranto which came out in the year 1764. As the introductory essay of Three Gothic Novels remarks, "a reader familiar with the Gothic novels of the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century will easily recognize in them th emes and proceedings which were stock-in-trade of the tales of terror" (Fairclough et al 1968. p. 7). The finding out of the beauty in elements of terror itself changed the concept of the literary appreciation. The discovery of Horror as the source of delight reacted on men's actual conception of beauty itself: the Horrid, from being the category of the Beautiful, became eventually one of its essential elements, and the 'beautiful horrid' passed by insensible degrees into the 'horribly beautiful" (Fairclough et al 1968. p. 10). The examples of the novels show that the gothic genre is especially noted for its appeal of terror and mystery and it cannot be smothered. "The Gothic novel is defined not by its stock devices-ruined abbeys and the like-but by its use of a particular atmosphere for essentially psychological purposes" (Hume 1969). The Gothic novels of the writers like Walpole, M G Lewis, Mary Shelley, Melville, Faulkner and others submerge the readers in a world where ordinary standards and ethical conclusions are

Organization Psychology and Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization Psychology and Behavior - Essay Example organizations assign responsibility to its people, develops hierarchy, discusses rules and regulations and how these elements collaborate together in affecting the overall life of the organization. This frame revolves around how an organization keenly steps forward to develop, train, manage, motivate and reward its employees. For majority of the organizations, their employees are their key assets. This frame also deals with issues that can give rise to employee satisfaction, retention, training and development. The frame revolves around the political aspects within an organization. It defines that how one can gain power; lose the authority, competition for scarce resources and the ability and the need to establish coalitions with other people. It also discusses that how people make new relations and cultivates friendship with other people within an organization on the basis of loyalty and negotiation skills. This frame discusses that how an organizational culture, the symbolic behaviors of the employees, rituals, organizational development, creativity, communication and organization represents itself through it’s vision, mission, values and goals. The ‘Safety Memo’ issue can be resolved if all and everyone in the organization have focused more on its hierarchical level. The Structure of the company was itself a problem; giving rise to many problems such as the loss control process by different individuals. The gap between different levels of managements has given rise to communication gap and therefore, it is one of the reasons that the company should focus on enhancing its hierarchical structure in more organized manner. It is important for the employees to resolve their issues verbally with each other rather accusing one another for the mistakes. It is also very important for the organization to build trust between employees in a working sphere. Every team or employee should have a strong reporting end that can defend his team or employees in front of

Cultural Competence in Mental Health Treatment Essay Example for Free

Cultural Competence in Mental Health Treatment Essay Trimble’s chapter on â€Å"Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Competence† brings a number of questions to mind, the most important of which seems to be the following: ‘Are psychologists expected to know about all cultures or ethnicities in the United States today? ’ Multicultural course content is expected to enhance students’ understanding of different cultures before they enter the workplace. All the same, it is virtually impossible for a psychologist to learn about all cultures that he or she would be interacting with in the course of his or her career. I would love to believe that the stages of cultural competence development end with â€Å"cultural blindness (Trimble). † Nevertheless, I realize the importance of understanding all possible cultures that I would be interacting with during the course of my career as a psychologist. I must reach the stage of â€Å"cultural proficiency (Trimble). † As a matter of fact, I had a vague understanding of this goal even before I had read Trimble’s chapter on cultural competency. For this reason I had begun to read and watch movies about foreign cultures several years back. Needless to say, it amazes me that people from foreign cultures hold beliefs that are sometimes very different from my own. Moreover, it strengthens my belief that psychologists must understand the different cultures that they interact with. In my opinion, empathy – on the part of the psychologist – is the foremost requirement in a therapeutic relationship. At the same time, however, it is clear to me that psychologists who understand different cultures would be especially empathetic to people who represent those cultures. As an example, Latino psychologists may be especially empathetic toward their Latino clients. Furthermore, the job description of a psychologist cannot admit discrimination, racism, or prejudices. After all, mental health is a requirement of all people. Yet another challenge posed by diversity is that of different moral codes that have been adopted by different cultures and/or races. While multicultural course content could go a long way in helping the psychologist meet the challenges of diversity, it is crucial for psychologists who are introduced to new cultures for the first time to interview their clients on the basis of their cultural beliefs in the first instance. I state this with confidence based on experience, as I have had the opportunity to interview an individual whose belief system I could never have comprehended if I had not asked her questions relevant to her culture. It was important to ask questions relevant to her culture because it was possible for me to consider that her thought patterns needed serious reordering if I was not aware that her thought patterns actually stemmed from different cultural beliefs altogether. Hence, it was vital to frame the interview questions such that the interviewee would be allowed to explain her cultural beliefs while describing her problem. A Case Study The following is an excerpt from an interview report to shed more light on the importance of cultural competence in the psychologist’s career. Mrs. A (2007) is a 69 year old Pakistani lady settled with her son’s family in the United States. She has been a green card holder for the past six years. During an interview, she reported having had â€Å"no problem whatsoever† with the American health care system. After all, both her son and daughter-in-law are doctors. Mrs. A suffers severe depression from time to time. In her opinion, it is â€Å"genetic. † From the time she entered the United States, her family has helped her cope with the illness by ensuring that she had access to the doctors whenever required, in addition to medication. According to the senior immigrant, the attitude that her family has shown toward her illness in â€Å"a foreign land† is, indeed, praiseworthy. â€Å"This is how families from my part of the world are meant to behave,† she adds. She further believes that it is her family alone that she can rely on in the foreign land. In the Indo-Pak culture, an individual must be protected and provided for by his or her family. Women must be cared for by their husbands and sons. â€Å"Single women have no place in our culture,† Mrs. A reported. Individualism is replaced by collectivism, as Mrs. A would like her family to look after her interests at all times. In exchange for the time and energy that she has invested in her family thus far, Mrs. A expects help from her family in times of need. She worries, however, that her family would not be able to meet her needs all of the time. As a matter of fact, the possibility that her family might one day find itself impotent in terms of helping her out is a cause of anxiety for the lady. The intense level of anxiety felt by Mrs. A often translates into severe depression. Even though Mrs. A has a large number of friends across the United States, she believes that it is shameful to depend upon friends in stead of family. This belief is also culture-ingrained, seeing that the Americans do not believe that it is embarrassing to ask friends for help. Mrs. A visits her friends quite often, and they visit her too. All the same, they cannot root out the anxiety that lurks in the back of her mind – that, in fact, it is possible for her to be left without family to take care of her needs, whether they are financial or health care needs. The anxiety is intensified by Mrs. A’s concern that the American value system might abruptly change the Muslim-ingrained values of her son and daughter-in-law. Also according to her, it is widely believed in her own part of the world that the American children have no respect for their elders. â€Å"Parents are sent over to nursing homes; and we would never do that† – she stated. Conclusion As the excerpt from Mrs. A’s interview report suggests, it is essential for psychologists to learn about their clients’ thought patterns and belief systems through interviews with questions that are especially framed to shed light on the clients’ thought patterns and belief systems in relation to their cultures. No doubt, â€Å"cultural proficiency† is essential in the psychologist’s career (Trimble). For this reason, the psychologist must conduct research to find out about all cultures that he or she may be interacting with. Even so, the value of the first interview cannot be discounted in terms of learning about the client’s culture. References Mrs. A. (2007). Personal Interview. Trimble, J. E. Chapter 3: Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Competence.

Prime Minister: British System of Government

Prime Minister: British System of Government INTRODUCTION This essay mirrors the roles of the Prime Ministers and their Cabinet members, and discusses how dominant the role of Prime Minister is in the British system of Government, and to what extent can the power be exercised. The essay begins with a vivid explanation of what the core executive arm of the British government is made up of, what position the Prime Minister stands for in the business of coordinating the affairs of the well-meaning British citizens. Moreover, on the other hand, this essay seeks to address the roles Prime Ministers have played in the Civil Service and the changes they have effected in the past decades. The next point will describe, compare and contrast the leadership styles of some dignitaries who have served in the capacity of a Prime Minister to the British government in the twentieth century to the present Leader Gordon Brown. The next important area this essay will address includes historical decisions former Prime Ministers have made in shaping the British polity and policy formulation. We will resume our discussion with a brief consideration of the structure of the British system of government and gladly guide our discussion into the roles and powers of the Prime Minister in the affairs of the government. THE BRITISH SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT The British system of government is known to be Europes oldest parliamentary democracy. The British parliament was established in the eleventh century and, after King John signed the Magna Charta in the year 1215, it came into power and became the main figure in the British system of government. By this singular act, England piloted the idea of democracy in the whole of Europe. The British constitution, unlike that of most of other countries in Europe and the world at large, is not written as a single document. It is partly formed by statute, and partly by common law and conventions respectively. The constitution can be altered by an Act of Parliament, and/or by general agreement to change convention(s) (Coxall et al, 2003:179-181; 2006: 182-189; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). Britain is a constitutional monarchy and currently has her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. Practically, she reigns but does not rule. The country is administered, in the queens name, by the Government comprising of a body of ministers, which is referred to as the Cabinet and consists of 22 leading ministers, who are responsible to carrying out Parliamentary functions. The origin, traditions, customs and beliefs of the Great Britain are derived from its four countries (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Each of these countries is well represented in the British Parliament, which sits at Westminster (at the heart of London) this is the ultimate legislative authority in the kingdom. The Parliament is composed of three arms: the Sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons (Coxall et al, 2003:182-186; 2006: 185-190; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). In practice, the Sovereign arm officially summons and dissolves the Parliament and generally begins every new yearly assembly with a speech from the throne. The House of Lords consists of traditionally inherited peers and peeresses, which also includes the law Lords. They are so appointed to undertake the judicial duties of the House, and the Lords Spiritual (made up of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and other 24 bishops). On the other hand, the House of Commons is elected by universal adult suffrage and made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) there are approximately 650 seats for the MPs. The chief responsible officer of the House is the Speaker, who is elected by the MPs to take charge of the affairs of the house and presides over the house meetings. The ultimate authority for lawmaking resides in the House of Commons (Coxall et al. 2006: 185-188; Kavanagh 2006: 250-251). Every five years, a general election must be conducted only citizens who are eighteen (18) years of age and above are allowed to participate in the voting exercise; and candidates for various elective positions must be over 21. There are four major political parties, namely: Social Democratic, Labour, Liberal, and Conservative parties The winning party forms the Government. Ministers are chosen by the Prime Minister (leader of winning party). The second party becomes official Opposition to the ruling party and forms the Shadow-Cabinet. MPs who are members of the Opposition blocs are called back-benchers. THE PRIME MINISTER In modern era, the United Kingdoms Prime Ministers lead a major political party, and command a majority in the House of Commons (the Legislative arm), who is also the leader of the Cabinet (the Executive arm). However, it should be noted that under the British system of government, there is a unity of powers rather than separation. The Premiership was not deliberately created as an official position, but has however, evolved into a much structured official power. The office gradually evolved over three hundred years, and defined by customs in the form of conventions that later became generally accepted by everyone. The Prime Ministers relationship with the Sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet was completely defined by these conventions until the twentieth century. Despite its growing supremacy in the constitutional chain of command, the Premiership was accorded with little formal recognition the legal imaginary tale upheld was that the Sovereign still governed directly. For example, many of the Prime Ministers legislative and powers are largely derived from Royal sanctions and are still formally vested in the Head of State the Sovereign (Coxall et al, 2003:180-182; 2006: 185-190; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). Under this arrangement, UK appears to possess two independent executives: the Prime Minister and the Sovereign. However, the notion of the crown settles this paradox. The Royal Crown stands as a symbol of the states authority to govern making laws and executing them, imposing taxes and collecting them, declaring war and making peace. Until the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Sovereign had worn the Crown and exercised the powers it stands for. Thereafter, Parliament gradually took Sovereigns out of the corridor of political powers to a more neutral position. Parliament placed the Crown in commission, thereby entrusting its authority to responsible Ministers including the Prime Minister and the Cabinet crew, who are made accountable for their policies and actions to the Parliament and the people Great Britain. Nevertheless, the Sovereign still wears the Crown and her sanction powers are still legally intact in practice, Parliament has taken everyday governance from her, leaving her with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise, and to warn (Coxall et al. 2006: 185-188; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). The Prime Minister is responsible for recommendations of dignitaries for honour in the various annual special honours lists. The Prime Minister has a distinctive role in the area of national security; being the national leader, the PM represents the country at global events, such as, playing host to heads of government of other countries and international conferences, (Coxall et al, 2003:187-189; 2006: 182-202). The PM also appoints top civil servants. Dating back to the late seventies, it is gathered that quite a lot of key reforms of the civil service has evolved. Margaret Thatcher (the then Prime Minister) highly scrutinised the civil service commission; her civil servant reforms meant making the civil servants more efficient. This effectively reduced the numbers of civil servants in office. The Blair government also continued with this reform. This reform was, however, formally initiated by the previous Conservative government, (Martin 2003:69-70). Notwithstanding, the leadership styles of Prime Ministers have varied historically. Thatcher is famous with having a dominant leadership style in which she had a direct approach, however, the political writer Martin J Smith has described her leadership style as being autocratic. Generally, the Prime Minister seeks advice from the Chancellor of the Exchequer and treasury before economic, foreign policy proposal are made, nevertheless, the final decisions are made by the PM who is central in shaping policies. Over the past forty-five years in the UK government, Prime Ministers had to take an important role in various schemes bothering the different quarters of the economy such as challenges facing the industrial trade unions and issues in Northern Ireland. On the other hand, PMs might delve into areas they fervently believe in, which might sometimes risk being displeasing to other ministers. For example while Margaret Thatcher bought in the poll tax, James Callaghan the PM during the late seventies intervened in educational and health matters, however, Tony Blair, on his opinion, put into operation the millennium dome, had an enthusiastic interest in law and order and supported President Bush in the Iraq war. Gordon Brown has made several decisions (such as cl osing the gaps that exits in the tax haven) that he believes will lead his people out of the current financial crisis. The PM has the power to advise the monarch the arrangement of disbandment of parliament within a five-year period. This strengthens the PMs authority against the oppositional parties; however this political weapon can sometimes flop, for instances James Callaghan in failing to call for a general election in 1978, while his predecessor Edward Heath called an election in 1974, can mean defeat. Final decisions on election dates are generally made after proper consultations with chief whips and cabinet have been initiated. Historically, British Prime Ministers possess distinctive responsibilities to discharge healthy governance to the people of Great Britain, notably in world wars and recent crisis like foot and mouth and fuel crisis. Prime Ministers importantly must govern in a democratic way, by getting a consensus if they are to do well in office. The support of the party gives the prime minister the right and influence to carry out their duties, relationships within the party are paramount and are two way. The relationships the PM has between cabinet ministers and close associates do not necessary have to do with personally as generally they are part of a structural relationship which is linked by the rules of the Whitehall circle, which are made up of institutions of governments, past policy decisions and by outside political and economic matters. Cabinet ministers and the prime minister have resources available to them; however, to achieve this they have to go through a process of exchange. This clearly has to do with the particular framework, which the prime minister would have achieved on the election result, if the PM were unpopular in the polls, and then they become more reliant on others for advice (Coxall et al 2003: 187-193; 2006: 182-202). A prime minister has the most authority after an election victory. CONCLUSION The PM achieves little or nothing in office if they do not have the support of their cabinet ministers. Furthermore, the Prime Minister being in office is based on legitimacy; hence, the PM is reliant on the cabinet. Tony Blair, being aware of how support is vital, owed his position, in many ways, to Browns loyalty. In return, Blair has given Gordon Brown the authority and autonomy to administer the governments socio-economic policies/affairs. Although, Blairs leadership style making of executive decisions which he (Blair) feels is best for the country irrespective of what the bulk of the cabinet members think is more superior to Browns. In conclusion, British Prime Ministers are clearly in a powerful position of authority in the British system of government, which has evolved over time. REFERENCES Coxall B., Robins L., and Leach R. (2006): British Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. Coxall B., Robins L., and Leach R. (2003): Contemporary British Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, 4th ed. Kavanagh D. (1996): British Politics: Continuities and Change. Oxford University Press, 3rd ed. Kavanagh D. (2006): British Politics: Continuities and Change. Oxford University Press, 6th ed. Martin J. S. (2003): Governing as New Labour. Palgrave Macmillan

Immigration and Change as Natural :: Globalization Immigration Migration Essays

Immigration and Change as Natural Voyages: From Tongan Villages to American Suburbs, by Cathy A. Small, is both interesting and entertaining reading. This ethnography of social change of a Pacific island nation, is a fine example of how a system of chiefdoms evolves into a monetary system. It also served to demonstrate how this process affected immigration in mainstream America. My first reaction stemmed from a political theory class I took. This in conjunction with, sociologist Saskia Sassen’s article â€Å"Why Migration† , about the reasons why migration has become a key element of contemporary global society, brought to mind the writings of Karl Marx. Marx who lived from 1818-1883, write extensively on the capitalist form of government and criticized it openly. Although I do not agree with the Marxist school of thought in general, I saw many truths in the things that he proclaimed. Among these he addressed the inroads of capitalism and its corruption of other societies. These issues, along with the many readings we have had, brought to the forefront some of my own feeling of discontent with our present society and world globalization, a discontent different and at times very similar to those who migrate. In â€Å"Why Migration?†, Sassen states, â€Å"The central role played by the United States in the emergence of a global economy over the past 30 years lies at the core of why people migrate here in ever increasing numbers†(Sassen 14). The author goes on to tell how the flow of capitalist goods, services and information creates links between the United States and other countries. These links become bridges across which migrants, like the Tongans flow. With this in mind I could not help thinking how right Marx was, and how well he had forecasted Tongan transnationalism. In â€Å"The German Ideology† Marx writes, in reference to capitalists and their goods, â€Å"in place of old wants satisfied by the production of the country, we find new wants requiring for satisfaction the production of distant lands and culture.† He also writes, â€Å"In place of the old local and national seclusion and self-sufficiency we have intercourse in every direction, universal interdependence of nations† (Marx 162). This to me best sums up the transition of Tongan society. It seems to be the epitome of the issues Sassen raised in â€Å"Why Migration?†, issues that were relevant in Tonga’s new found transnationalism.

David Fincher’s Fight Club Essay -- David Fincher’s Fight Club

David Fincher’s â€Å"Fight Club† In David Fincher’s â€Å"Fight Club† a man battles within himself to live a life he has always dared to live, but in the end when everything is taken to the extreme, he realizes it’s too late to change what he has done. He struggles with the social structure due to his realization that he is in fact powerless in today’s society. He is constantly fighting his alter personality Tyler Durden for control of not only himself but also the world around them. He sees Marla as the lie that exists within himself and despises her for it. Fincher implies that sometimes people have to completely free themselves of their materialistic ideals in order to truly be free. Fincher also suggests that in some cases the absence of a male father figure have lead to instability and the creation of Mr. Hyde. The setting is one marked with desire for an awakening to the world around us. The fact that the protagonist does not have a name is because he represents anyone and everyone in today’s society he could even be named Jack. The opening views inside Jack’s brain are dark with flashes of fear for his very existence. The city view at night is the dark materialistic civilization in which we live. Bob (the man with breasts) is his missing family that isn’t there to hold him. The wet face on Bob’s shirt resembling a face is Jack, giving himself and opening up to Bob. In the beginning, there are several subliminal images of Tyler; this is in fact a manifestation of his subc... David Fincher’s Fight Club Essay -- David Fincher’s Fight Club David Fincher’s â€Å"Fight Club† In David Fincher’s â€Å"Fight Club† a man battles within himself to live a life he has always dared to live, but in the end when everything is taken to the extreme, he realizes it’s too late to change what he has done. He struggles with the social structure due to his realization that he is in fact powerless in today’s society. He is constantly fighting his alter personality Tyler Durden for control of not only himself but also the world around them. He sees Marla as the lie that exists within himself and despises her for it. Fincher implies that sometimes people have to completely free themselves of their materialistic ideals in order to truly be free. Fincher also suggests that in some cases the absence of a male father figure have lead to instability and the creation of Mr. Hyde. The setting is one marked with desire for an awakening to the world around us. The fact that the protagonist does not have a name is because he represents anyone and everyone in today’s society he could even be named Jack. The opening views inside Jack’s brain are dark with flashes of fear for his very existence. The city view at night is the dark materialistic civilization in which we live. Bob (the man with breasts) is his missing family that isn’t there to hold him. The wet face on Bob’s shirt resembling a face is Jack, giving himself and opening up to Bob. In the beginning, there are several subliminal images of Tyler; this is in fact a manifestation of his subc...

Malicious Vengeance: The Ghastly Acts of Murder Essay examples -- essa

Malicious Vengeance: The Ghastly Acts of Murder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, â€Å"The Cast of Amontillado,† and Louise Erdrich’s essay, â€Å"Fleur,† have prominent themes about revenge, Poe focused on the act of Revenge, whereas Erdrich focused more on the events leading up to the horrific act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poe’s short story of revenge discusses how the main character, Montresor, abuses the victim’s trust to ultimately kill him. The story starts out with the victim, Fortunato, and the avenger, Montresor, joking and drinking merrily while walking through a carnival together. Then, Montresor lies to Fortunato about having a rare wine, in a hidden location, that he would love to share with him. Fortunato, an avid wine connoisseur, is pleased to follow him due to his drunkenness, and also for the chance to taste such an exquisite wine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By this time, Fortunato is so drunk and trusting of Montresor that he blindly follows Montresor deep into the back of a catacomb. During their journey Montresor gives Fortunato plenty of chances to turn around; Montresor tells his victim at one point â€Å"we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed.† (Poe 1316) Upon reaching the end of the cavern, Montresor does not explain himself, and does not gift his enemy with a bottle of wine, but instead sentences him to a slow and horrific death. In his short story, Poe describes the act of revenge almost as a dark insanity that plagues the main character. Montresor’s madness is shown when he goes from friend to foe. He gives the impression that he is worried about Fortunato’s health at first, but towards the end takes satisfaction in hearing the cries of his helpless victim. Montresor even told the listeners of his story â€Å"I ceased my labors and sat down upon the bones. When at last the clanking subsided, I resumed the trowel, and finished without interruption.† (Poe 1318) Poe views the act of vengeance as a solemn, sinister, and deranged work of hatred. I hold this to be true because he portrays an image where the murderous avenger can look into the victim’s eyes while burying him alive behind a wall of brick and mortar. Montresor can also continuously hear â€Å"the furious vibrations of the chain.† (Poe 1318) After finally... ...ble by any means. I believe that nature will act upon the â€Å"eye for an eye† belief by its self without me interfering. I also think that if I take my revenge on a person, or group of people, I will also suffer bad karma from nature. I believe that revenge comes from hatred, and living with an excess of hatred throws off one’s balance in life, like the ying-yang idea. Even though I disagree with acts of revenge, I still battle with those undesirable thought. Just today, November 2, 2004, my car was stolen while in Reading class, and I would love to meet the people that stole it. I have thoughts racing through my head about how much I would enjoy making that person, or group of people suffer. I am so angry; I even have thoughts of inflicting pain to anyone that just looks at me wrong. Even though I am very angry about what this person has done to me, I would not do anything outside of my moral and ethical point-of-view to that particular person. Poe’s and Erdrich’s story styles were very different, even though both stories accomplished the same goal of showing the act of murderous revenge. I enjoyed Poe’s story of horror much more then the tame story of revenge that Erdrich showed.

Art History Museum Paper Essay

The Statue of Kaipunesut dates back to the fourth dynasty in the Old Kingdom of Egypt. It was excavated at Saqqara, a vast burial ground. This specific piece was located at the mastaba of Kaemheset, which was Kaipunesut’s brother. It was carved out of acacia wood which is a native timber of Egypt. The native wood did not create the highest standard of sculpture because it was knotty and fibrous which made it difficult to use. The wood was usually painted with bright colors; the body was most likely a reddish/brown color. Although most of this sculpture was preserved, the paint wore off long ago. His belt has his name and â€Å"Royal Carpenter† inscribed which suggested his occupation. It is possible that he was involved with making his own wooden statues. Sculptures based on royalty was made with hard stone to last forever while others of less importance were sculpted with various materials that were not necessarily meant to last. This sculpture is in the round and closed. It has no back rest or support. There are no spaces in the body and the arms are very close to the sides. The pose was very formal with weight put on both legs and facing a frontal direction. The figure is stylized. His face has very large, semicircular eyes and elongated lips. Also, he has broad shoulders and a very thin waist. His fist also appears to be very large. His belt and drapery is form fitting but very rigid and does not flow freely. His body is proportional and appears to follow a grid. This might be because of the times when the king or pharaoh demanded perfection. The calf is bulky and does not show definition. The knee appears somewhat organic but is stylized at the same time. Kaipunesut is in a very rigid standing position. His hands are clenched and his arms are straight down on his sides. One of his legs is in front of the other and both knees are locked. This type of formal pose was very common in sculptures during this ti me and went on for a while afterwards.

Current beliefs about how the first peoples Settled North America Essay

1. Explain current beliefs about how the first peoples settled North America, and discuss the ways in which they became differentiated from one another over time. 2. Describe the founding of European nations’ first colonies in the New World. The information in our text shows many different opinions on how North America was settled. An example would be the discovery of the Kennewick man. The discovery of the skeletal remains opened the door to more opinions of North American Settlement. It is still believed that the initial North American settlers are the Paleo-Indians (www. betheluniversityonline.net, 2012). The Archaic era followed with the development of agriculture. This trend was perhaps the most significant development, because settled agriculture permitted the establishment of a sedentary existence, without the need to pursue herd animals (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). A food source could now be provided from grown crops. The Archaic era was then followed by what is called the Pre-Columbian era. The Pre-Columbian era is when the development of societies began to happen. The societies developed because they were now able to provide the necessary food source by growing crops. The crops gave them the ability to remain in one area for a longer period of time. There are many reasons that caused the various tribes to become differentiated from each other. Language caused a lot of issues among the different tribes. Territorial disputes, competition for resources, and traditions caused most of the instability between the settlers (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). The land was the major issue among the settlers because it affected trade. Reference: Schultz, K. , Hist2, Volume 1, History of the United States I, Bethel University Online https://www. betheluniversityonline. net/cps/SectionFramework. aspx? SectionID=254 When Europe voyage was intended to expand their trading options. Few sought to create lasting settlements, and even fewer sought to colonize these exotic lands (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). Wealth was one of the biggest lures to the European’s. The competitive profits from this wealth led to them to colonization and would give them the power to defend what they had discovered. Portuguese would be followed by Spain and this would lead to the Pope’s intervention. He would draw a line from the North to the South dividing the land between the two. Spain would have claim to the West and Portugal would have claim to the East. Despite Portugal’s early ambition, Spain would be the first to establish colonies in North America (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). This would lead the two to a war that ended in nearly annihilating the two because of death and disease. The Spanish colonization lead to the development armies called the conquistadors. The conquistadors would move in and devastate populations and take over the land. This would lead to the enslavement of the Indians. You would then have the French and English to follow this adventure to the New World. Four reasons for the English to become more interested were Religious reformation from Catholicism, Social because the impoverished Englishmen were seeking to escape poverty, Economically investing stopped in the textile market looking for opportunities in the New World, and Geographically Queen Elizabeth’s Monarchy stabilized the throne and allowed England to participate in New World ventures (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). Reference: Schultz, K. , Hist2, Volume 1, History of the United States I, Bethel University Online https://www. betheluniversityonline. net/cps/SectionFramework. aspx? SectionID=254.

Early Intervention for Special Needs Children Essay

The development and implementation of early intervention activities for young children who have a delay or who are at risk for future delays are relatively recent phenomena in the United States. Early intervention as an applied and academic field has developed primarily within the specialty area of early childhood special education (ECSE), a field comprised of professionals from many disciplines. The genesis of ECSE in the United States may be traced to the formation, in 1968, of the Handicapped Children’s Early Education Program (HCEEP) branch within the United States Department of Education. Although other work had occurred in early intervention prior to this time, the establishment of HCEEP provided national recognition and federal funds to address early intervention issues. Since 1968, rapid changes have occurred in the field of early intervention. The most significant event impacting on early intervention was the passage of Public Law 99-457 (P. L. hereafter) in 1986. This law mandates education for handicapped children aged three to five years and provides both impetus and funding for early intervention for children younger than age three. From the viewpoint of an outside observer, the passage of only eighteen years from the establishment of a specialty area to that specialty area demonstrating efficacy such that its tenets become law is admirable. However, these tenets, and the practices derived from them, are based on research that has recently received negative reviews. It is clear that ECSE has done well, but many challenges remain to be met. Failure to conquer these challenges could result in a loss of valuable ground that many have worked hard to achieve. Early Evidence for Early Intervention As the fields of special education and early childhood education evolved, evidence were accumulating that early intervention could be effective. In a classic study, Skeels (1966) examined the effects of environmental stimulation on two comparable groups of infants. Mentally retarded females acted as surrogate mothers for one group (n = 13), providing these children with attention and stimulation. Twelve infants with average IQs remained in a nonstimulating orphanage environment. Eighteen months later, the stimulated infants gained an average 27. 5 IQ points while the control group dropped 26. 2 points. Twenty-one years later, Skeels (1966) continued to find differences between those who were placed in the enriched environment and those who were not. Of those in the experimental group, all were found to be self-supporting as adults. Four of these adults had completed college and, as a group, had a median high-school education. Of those in the control group, four adults had been institutionalized. The median education for these adults was at the third-grade level. Additional evidence came from the work of Kirk (1965), who studied handicapped preschoolers. He compared institutionalized mentally handicapped preschoolers who received a preschool program with a comparable group who remained on the wards and received no intervention services. Children in the experimental program showed significant gains on intellectual measures. Six of the fifteen-experimental group children were able to leave the institution by age eight, while none of the children in the control group left the institution. Works researched provided additional evidence for the value of early intervention. Based upon these studies, the consensus emerged that children’s cognitive skills develop early in life and very rapidly, and that early enrichment can have profound influences on a child’s future functioning. Although this consensus is no longer accepted without question, this philosophy, nevertheless, played a major role in the acceptance of early intervention and helped to create a social climate for legislation favoring handicapped children. Legislative Activities Both research and societal factors converged to provide momentum for the early intervention movement in the 1960s. The changing social climate in the United States in the 1960s led to the passage of favorable legislation for several groups. Litigative and legislative activities occurred in the areas of civil rights, rights for the disadvantaged, and rights for the handicapped. A breakthrough for early intervention, focusing on disadvantaged children, was the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Part of this act was directed at the establishment of Project Head Start. This program was designed to provide early intervention for disadvantaged preschool children in the research found that these IQ gains disappeared after the children entered school. Based on societal and political pressures, Head Start continued despite the negative research findings. Arguments by researchers who questioned the findings and suggested that unmeasurable gains were being made bolstered the pro-Head Start forces. The results of a nineteen-year longitudinal study on children who participated in Head Start (the Perry Pre-school Project) found a number of positive results. These benefits included: (a) less need for special education, (b) more positive school attitudes, (c) less arrests, (d) less teen pregnancy, and (e) better employment histories. Other research has supported these findings. As an early intervention program, Head Start is the most well-known in the United States and has served over eight million preschoolers. Additionally, Head Start has had a major impact on early intervention for children with handicaps. The Economic Opportunity Acts Amendments of 1972 mandated that at least 10% of the total population served by Head Start be children with handicaps, giving Head Start the status of the first mandated, mainstreamed early intervention program in the United States. This occurred well before the concept of mainstreaming became popular in special education. One of the most important pieces of legislation regarding young children with handicaps was the Handicapped Children’s Early Education Assistance Act of 1968. This act established the Handicapped Children’s Early Education Program of the Department of Education, which has been responsible for funding the majority of innovative service projects in early intervention that occurred in the United States. This legislation may be viewed as the formal beginning of the field of early intervention for the handicapped. HCEEP programs will be discussed more fully later in this chapter in the section on current practices. The next major legislation to affect early intervention activities was an act that impacted significantly on educational practices for all handicapped children–the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (P. L. 94-142). P. L. 94-142 provided for a free, appropriate public education with related services to all children with handicaps between the ages of three and twenty-one years. This act has been called the â€Å"Bill of Rights† for children with handicaps. The overall impact of this act on educational practice has been discussed in other places. While this act documented acceptance of the need for early intervention by the federal government, it also provided individual states with the option not to serve these young children. Unfortunately, this was an option many states adopted. In 1985, only twenty-four of the fifty states had mandated services for handicapped children under age five and only eight states had mandated services for handicapped children under age three. Although P. L. 94-142 had a major impact on such intervention, supporters of early intervention were aware of the implementation problems involved in serving young children. As a result of successes with preschool early intervention, the need for services for even younger children was being heralded. Congress responded to these calls for early intervention in 1983 by passing the Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act (P. L. 98-199). These amendments provided financial incentives for states to extend early intervention service levels down to birth. Unfortunately, funding remained dependent upon the number of children served between the ages of three and five, and the act, in effect, diluted the funding available for the three- to five-year-old children. Also, incentives built into these amendments to encourage individual state participation were weak and ineffectual. Lobbying groups for early intervention continued their activities to push through a law mandating early intervention for all young children with handicaps. In 1986, Congress responded by passing P. L. 99-457, (Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act). P. L. 99-457 mandated that all preschool-aged children with handicaps receive a free and appropriate education by 1991. This law provided penalties for states that did not conform to the law. In addition, P. L. 99-457 created a new state grant program for infants and toddlers with handicaps. The passage of P. L. 99-457 has signaled a new era for early intervention. The federal government has recognized the need for early intervention (at least at the preschool level) and has provided funds to support it. P. L. 99-457 is also significant in other ways. Children need not be classified into narrowly defined categories to receive services. The importance of the family in development has been heavily emphasized, especially for those children under age three years. For infants and toddlers, the definition of what constitutes intervention services has been broadened. For all children, a wide variety of possible intervention options has been acknowledged. It is clear that the passage of P. L. 99-457 is not the final stop for advocates of early intervention. Concerns regarding how states will implement preschool services and how service policies will be defined remain. Questions regarding services for infants and toddlers are just beginning to be addressed. Many problems still exist, but Public Law 99-457 represents a major accomplishment for advocates of early intervention and a benefit for the children and families who will receive services. Problems in the Present Currently, early intervention activities regarding the development of and research on â€Å"best practices† are occurring. However, there is a growing tendency to question some of what has been accomplished by early intervention. Questions have arisen concerning the research on which early intervention activities are based and on the data from which costs have been obtained. These particular areas–research and costs–have traditionally provided a foundation for early intervention. This report briefly reviews concerns regarding knowledge of costs and the research base of early intervention. Early Intervention Research In a â€Å"review of reviews,† White, Bush, and Casto (1985-86) found overwhelming agreement that early intervention is effective (94% of fifty-two studies). Unfortunately, they also found that a number of these reviews based this assertion primarily or solely on studies done with disadvantaged children. The benefits of early intervention for disadvantaged children are not a major issue of contention. Controversy ensues when these findings are over generalized to children with handicaps. A number of well-conducted reviews of early intervention for handicapped children has been completed. These reviews have been cautious with their conclusions, but overall the findings have been quite negative, particularly regarding the validity of the studies. Dunst, Snyder, and Mankinen (1987) found that 71% of the forty-nine studies they reviewed used methods that made the results scientifically uninterpretable. Other researchers essentially agreed with the Dunst, Snyder, and Mankinen findings. They then attempted to argue that the lack of effectiveness found for early intervention programs was a result of the nature of studies in early intervention. Researchers used meta-analytic techniques to examine a number of common assumptions made regarding early intervention programs and found little empirical support for those assumptions. An extremely comprehensive review by Dunst, Snyder, and Mankinen ( 1987), which examined 105 studies by degree of causality and by type of child served, was no more positive for the early intervention movement. These authors stated that any conclusions regarding the efficacy of early intervention must be considered tentative and conditional. They noted that â€Å"there is insufficient evidence at this time to conclude that there are cause-effect relationships between the interventions and outcomes observed†. Dunst and associates further stated, in agreement with Casto and Mastropieri (1986), that children in early intervention programs do make positive developmental and behavioral changes across time but that â€Å"the extent to which the interventions are responsible for observed effects is difficult to ascertain† (p. 285 ). Some researchers have been critical of reviews of early intervention because they tend to exclude single-subject methodology research. Many of the problems in reviewing this literature base are related to the subjective nature of comparing this research, as no standard metric is employed across studies. Reviews of the single-subject literature in early intervention have been conducted and are favorable but have not significantly refuted other reviews. Single-subject studies do show strong evidence for a functional relationship between dependent and independent variables. These single-subject studies usually focus on a narrow, well-defined objective. Although this is useful for demonstrating functional relationships, it represents only parts of the whole of an early intervention program. Also, these studies are usually conducted under rigorous investigative control, a feature not available in most early intervention programs. Successful programs frequently have problems when disseminated for use by a wider audience. Also, many single-subject studies do not sufficiently address generalization and maintenance issues. Researchers provide suggestions for single-subject research in early intervention, many of which are identical to those that need to be addressed by group research.

Crime in the 21st Century: Technology and Terrorism Essay

It is an accepted fact that globalization has been a dominant development of the 21st century. Together with globalization, the major crimes in the 21st century became also global in scope and nature. The website policy-traccc. gmu. edu/ (2008) cited Louise I. Shelley, Director of George Mason University School of Public Policy as saying that â€Å"Terrorists and transnational crime groups will proliferate because these crime groups are major beneficiaries of globalization. They take advantage of increased travel, trade, rapid money movements† (1st para. ). Based from the statement, the major crimes in the 21st century in the likes of Sept. 11, 2001 of World Trade Center and the subsequent activities of Al Queda were considered as terrorist-related crimes. Terrorism which is domestic in nature was defined by www. tfft. co. uk (2008) through Boaz Ganor, an expert in the same field as â€Å"the intentional use of, or threat to use violence against civilians or against civilian targets, in order to attain political aims. †(1st para. ). Based on the definition, the target victims of domestic terrorism were the local population of a particular community or communities within a country. Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General define international terrorism as â€Å"any action intended to kill or seriously harm civilians or non-combatants, with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling action by a government or international organization† (â€Å"Discussion of definitions and the possibility of amalgamation†, 4th par. ). In both definitions, the use of violence, the target are individuals or a country or an international organization and the purpose is to attain political objectives were the salient points. Related to use of violence against individuals or an international organization, experience in 9/11 bombing will tell us that the impact of terrorist act is much intense when it was done in a surprise manner. In this age of great technological advancement, it is imperative for a government to use technology to pre- empt terrorist acts which usually result to great destruction of lives and properties. In order to promote development of anti-terrorism technology, the US Congress after the 9/11 has acted decisively and passed the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act. This act provides protection to sellers, manufacturers, distributors and providers of hi-tech anti-terrorism gadgets and instruments. As a result, about 200 different companies were awarded the SAFETY Act certification. (Cafarano, 2008). This paper aims to document the availability of the latest high technology instruments, what is the principle behind such instrument and elucidate how the government is using the gadgets to 2 pre-empt surprise terrorist attacks. It was mentioned by Louise I. Shelley, Director of George Mason University School of Public Policy that terrorists usually use the benefits of globalization related to increased travel, trade and rapid money movements. This was the reason why terrorists were always associated with urban centers, buses, airplanes, airports and places where people usually congregate. The following are the popular ant- terrorism gadgets so far invented: The Anti Human-Bomb Bus In Israel and Iraq, the suicide bomber is one of the most deadly threats to innocent citizens. Numerous prevention techniques have been developed to address this problematic threat. According to Holmes, et al (2005), in Israel bus system, a new technology aimed at preventing suicide bombers from boarding a bus was invented and being used at present. This is achieved by detecting explosives from approaching passengers. Developed by Israeli Military Industries, the system takes the form of turnstile fitted with shield sensors. The sensors can detect explosives at a distance of up to a meter from the bus. When the sensor detect a suspicious passenger, the turnstile remains blocked and a red warning light flashes near the bus driver. A green light flashes when a boarding passenger is not a threat. Another turnstile at the rear of the bus allows passenger to get off the rear but not board it in cases of emergencies. The bus windows were bullet and shrapnel – proof and a communication system can allow the driver to talk to waiting passengers outside and call for help in emergencies. A bus with these features costs $25,000. 00. Rapiscan Airport Scanner This technology was developed as an answer to the improvements needed with neutron and ion detector technology (Panel on Assessment of the Practicality of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy for Aviation Security, 2008) According to the Panel, the drawback of the two technology instruments earlier developed is that it cannot detect explosives and other materials if hidden under lead cover and plastic materials. According to Holmes, et al , the instrument was called Rapiscan Secure 1000 and function by scanning the passenger like a virtual strip search. The machine uses a low-level reflective x-ray technology to scan a person’s body through their clothing thus showing clearly metal objects like guns and explosives wrapped in plastics. Civil liberties advocates were opposed in using it due to the virtual strip effect. The technology has been considered for compulsory use in airports. The potential of people being embarrassed due to virtual strip effect of the scanner can be avoided by separating the male from female. The eXaminer This is an advanced form of Explosive Detection System (EDS) and is currency being used in the Middle East although the technology is still being perfected in the US according to Holmes,et al. The instrument is called the Examiner 3DX600 and being used to detect explosives in baggage and not from people. This instrument uses advanced Computer Tomography that result to complete 3D image reconstruction of entire bags and analyzes any potential hazards from the baggage without the need for opening it. This reduces the likelihood of exposure of staff to hazardous stuff inside the baggage. . This EDS can completely and continuously scan over 500 bags an hour. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology and Biometrics This new system is called US-VISIT. It scans photographs of the visitor’s face and index finger into a computer and matched with the criminal data base of the federal agencies. According to infowars. com (2005), the RFID technology practically is an invisible automatic ID check by the government and has long been needed in clogged border system of most countries particularly the US. With RIFD technology, people or objects are identified automatically and swiftly. The technology allow vehicles outfitted with the technology to pass through toll plazas without stopping but will be stopped in borders if their identifying data produce red flags; if otherwise, they will just be stopped for a brief check without lengthy questioning. The website declared that â€Å"U. S. officials want to see if the same technology that speeds cars through highway tolls and identifies lost pets can unclog border crossings without compromising security†. As part of the biometric data base, foreign visitors at the 50 busiest land border crossings in 10 states of the US are now being fingerprinted. The chips with identifying information will be placed in a document such as the State Department issued border crossing cards for those making regular short trips across the Mexican border. The chips can also be attached to an antenna that transmit data to a handheld or stationary reader which then converts the radio waves from the RFID tag into a code that links to identifying biometric information in a computer database of border agents. The use of biometrics which involve the physiological and behavioral characteristics for identification purposes has been initiated by the US to enhance security and identification (Batch, et al, 2006). There 4 were considerations however related to its wide scale collection like its practicality and social impact which infringe on self’s autonomy. To address the concerns, the NRC and the CIA were undertaking comprehensive assessments on current biometric capabilities and future possibilities. Summary and Conclusion It was documented that 21st century crimes were mostly international terrorism in nature and can be linked to advances in technology and globalization especially with the ease of international travel and readily available financing through electronic money transfers. Since terrorists were using the technological advances in doing their crimes to achieve their political aims, the countries were also doing its best to encourage companies and individuals to develop technologically advanced gadgets to pre-empt surprise attacks which were the very common style of terrorist activities. In the US, a total of over 200 companies were registered and given the incentive of being free from legal suit and damages for them to continue their business of inventing instruments aimed at pre-empting terrorism. Only a few newly invented gadgets were available in literature. A number of them being done by the 200 companies according to unwritten sources were highly confidential in nature and therefore no literature yet are available. This was being done by the US Defense Department so that the terrorist themselves will be surprised that their planned acts of terrorism has been long monitored and therefore will think twice before implementing their plan. Surprise attack and defense has been the name of the game against terrorists. The new gadgets documented in this paper were living proof that government is not winking their eyes even for a moment and always several steps ahead of terrorist plans. The government was aware that terrorism cannot be stopped and can only be prevented from happening for the time being but the plan and danger will always be there as experienced in 9/11 bombing. Terrorism is man- made and the inspiration which fuel terrorist acts is a product of an insane mind. This cowardice act can only survive in a society which is ill- prepared and whose ideals were blurred by the blinding light of success and achievements. After the 9/11 incident, we can no longer judge the readiness of one country towards terrorism. The technological advances made it possible to hide all the preparations and readiness in the pretext that everything is topsy-turvy and no one dares to make the first move. Technology will save us all. 5 References Batch, K. , Millett, L. , and Pato, J. (2006). Summary of a Workshop on the Technology, Policy, and Cultural Dimensions of Biometric Systems. Washington. National Academy of Sciences. 62 pp. Cafarano, J. (2008). Backgrounder #213:Fighting Terrorism, Addressing Liability: A Global Proposal. May 21, 2008. The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://www. heritage. org/Research/NationalSecurity/bg2138. cfm Holmes, A. , Abarra, O. , Chamberlain, A. , Chan, W. , Ho, K. , Hsiao, A. , Von Lendeiner, J. and Nusibeth, Z. (2005). Technologies for Fighting Terrorism. 2004/2005. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://www. tfft. co. uk/Files/Report. pdf Infowars. com (2005). Radio Technology to Fight Terrorism. TechNewsWorld. February 5, 2005. Retrieved November 9, 2008 from http://www. infowars. com/articles/bb/radio_tech_to_fight_terrorism. htm Panel on Assessment of the Practicality of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy for Aviation Security, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council (1999). The Practicality of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy for Aviation Security. Washington. National Academy of Sciences. 58 pp. Shelley, L. (2008). TraCC: Devoted to understanding of crime scope and causes and to formulating policy to reduce the problem. George Mason University School of Public Policy. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://policy-traccc. gmu. edu/ Tfft. co. uk. (ca 2007). Discussion of definitions and the possibility of amalgamation. Technologies for Fighting Terrorism. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://www. tfft. co. uk/ApproachEnd. htm

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Historical) PowerPoint Presentation

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Historical) - PowerPoint Presentation Example People then were impartial to slavery, â€Å"nativism and religious beliefs. â€Å"(Baltimore† n.d.) The birth of Benjamin came at a time when people have no knowledge of medical research and science, and the phenomenon that happened in the story was not understood. Even medical science books did not provide information about the advanced stage of mind and body of Benjamin when he was born. Since people are bound by religious beliefs, a baby born out of the ordinary situation is a clear sensation in such a small community of Antebellum, Baltimore. Population of Baltimore in 1860 was only 212,000 but the city was bustling in economy because of trade brought about by the railways and steamships, and the first translantic cable system. (â€Å"Baltimore†) The family of Benjamin was one of the elites in the society and they had anticipated the birth of their son with much enthusiasm. This is the time too that discrimination is rife because of the existence of the black slavery. Discrimination is shown in the story not by the color of Benjamin’s skin but by his physical appearance that led to his non-acceptance to Yale. Yale and Harvard are the two most prominent schools most wealthy families send their children for schooling, but it could be seen that there are also student discriminations on these two colleges. The period of 1869 to 1896 was the construction boom in Baltimore. Construction of housing became the major factor in Baltimore’s economy. (â€Å"Baltimore†) It is assumed that this is the time where Benjamin took control of the hardware business of the family that gave them immense wealth. By that, it is calculated he is 20 years old with looks of a 50 year old man when he began to help his father in their business. Baltimore, during the time of the story, was torn by a civil war. It was also agog with politics that kept people interested in their three party political system, powerful bosses, orchestrated political violence and the emergence of