A Separate Peace By John Knowles Dealing With Your Feelings And Summa

A Separate Peace By John Knowles: Dealing With Your Feelings And Summary. Separate Peace Enemy Dealing with enemies has been a problem ever since the beginning of time. In A Separate Peace by John Knowels, the value of dealing with your feelings and dealing with your enemies is shown by Gene Forester, a student in Devon during World War 2 dealing with few human enemies, but his emotions create a nemesis far greater than any human enemy. I never killed anybody, Gene had commented later in his adulthood, And I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at Devon; I killed my enemy there. Now about the enemies that Gene had put into his own life. Gene had a best friend, his name was Finny, they were roommates and did many activities together. Finny was never the source, but the core of most of Gene's feelings, both good and bad. First, one of the biggest problems that Gene had, that is jealousy. Gene was jealous of Finny's confidency, openness, modesty, superb athletic abilities, his natural leadership skills, his ability to deal with stress easily, his care free attitude, his people skills and, of course, his good looks. Early in the story Finny demonstrated his openness by when asked for his height, he said 5 foot, 8? inches, while Gene replies 5 foot, 9 inches. Finny pointed out that they were the same height and you shouldn't be ashamed to tell anybody your real height. Later that day, they skip dinner to go swimming in the river, by Finny's choice, and are asked where they were on return. Finny quickly replied that they were swimming in the river, something that is forbidden, right down to the last detail, and they got away with it. Gene said that the rules are very bent during the summer session, but it was actually Finny's people skills that had kept them out of trouble. Finny was very bold, as Gene many a time wished he was, on one occasion Finny wore a bright pink shirt symbolizing the first U.S. bombing in Europe. Gene called him a faerie but really envied him. Later Finny wore the school tie as a belt and when questioned he claimed that it represented Devon in the war. Gene was hopeingly awaiting a scolding for Finny, but again, he got in no trouble. Another day the two were walking and came across a plaque near the pool claiming that A. Hopkins Parker held the record for swimming across the pool the fastest, Finny took one look at and thought he could beat it, so without any practice at all he plunged into the pool, Gene timed him and he beat it, just like that. Gene wanted to get an official scorekeeper so Finny could get a plaque but Finny said no, in my head I know that I did it, that's all that matters, thus demonstrating that Finny is very modest and secure. The next day Gene and Finny went to the beach, which wasn't allowed. This was done at Finny's request, Gene was going to study for a test, but he felt that he can't say no to Finny so hey went. At the beach Gene noticed a lot of people looking at them, he knew they were looking at Finny because of his well built body and his golden tan but Finny said that they were looking at Gene. Before they return, Finny calls Gene his best pal and Gene wanted to reply, but he wasn't sure about it himself and he also has a hard time expressing his true feelings. That was his first enemy, now the next, anger. Gene's anger isn't too bad alone but when jealousy and anger are lurking in the same domain, they prove to be a deadly combination. Gene was angry about such things as Finny's ability not to get in trouble, and Gene's unwillingness to say no to Finny, but the real war started when he got the idea that because Finny has low grades, he wanted to lower Gene's grades as well so he will better

True democracy essays

True democracy essays Complete and true democracy is almost impossible to achieve, and has been the primary goal of many nations, beginning from ancient civilizations of Greece and Roman Empire, all the way to the government of the United States today. In any system, which claims to be democratic, a question of its legitimacy remains. A truly democratic political system has certain characteristics, which prove its legitimacy with their existence. One essential characteristic of a legitimate democracy is that it allows people to freely make choices without government intervention. Another necessary characteristic that legitimates government is that every vote must count equally: one vote for every person. For this equality to occur, all people must be subject to the same laws, have equal civil rights, and have to be allowed to freely express their ideas. Democracies fall into two basic categories, direct and representative. Modern society, with its size and complexity, offers few opportunities for direct democracy and today in America, the most common form of democracy, is representative democracy, in which citizens elect officials to make political decisions, formulate laws, and administer programs for the public good. In the name of the people, such officials can deliberate on complex public issues in a thoughtful and systematic manner that requires an investment of time and energy that is often impractical for the vast majority of private citizens. Public officials in today's representative democracy hold office in the name of the people and remain accountable to the people for their actions. Considering the achievement of complete democracy is most likely impossible, the political system of American government is democratic, but its democratic legitimacy is clearly limited. Although in theory the American system calls for one vote per person, the low rate of turnout results in the upper and middle classes ultimately choosing candidates for the ...

Lesson 7 discussion & Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lesson 7 discussion & - Assignment Example Devendra Banharts song touch upon his own reflections of the past, including the themes of social inequality. Willy Masons lyrics, just as that of Bob Dylan, are often focused on issues of tensions between social classes, poverty and existential problems, such as loneliness and senselessness of the modern way of life of an ordinary man. Beth Orton reminds me of Joan Baez with both her style of singing and subjects that her lyrics is focused on. She often sings of love and failed relationships between a man and a woman. I do not agree with Pete Seegers statement according to which folk magazines have to print the best rap songs. Although, the origins of rap root to American hip hop, which, in turn, is in incorporates some distinct features of traditional music of African American people. At first glance rap and hip hop have nothing to do with folk at all. In fact, these are different musical styles and genres. Unlike folk, rap is more of spoken word poetry with a monotonous rhythmic music on the background, where lyrics lie at the heart of every song and the role of music itself is neglected, though there are certain criteria to it among rap artists. Rap culture was initially widely spread in urban areas among African Americans, although today the situation has changed and the genre found its audience among other social and racial groups. Folk, to the contrary, rooted from suburban and countryside areas populated by white communities. On the other hand, comparing rap and folk Pete Seeger believed that there are more similarities in these two genres than differences. In fact, the way lyrics plays a the most important role in each and every rap song, touching upon social and existential issues, has a strong resemblance with the style and spirit of folk music, not to mention the historical implications of the development of rap genre. In spite of similar subjects that both rap and folk tend to

Tesco Marketing Strategic Analysis Research Paper

Tesco Marketing Strategic Analysis - Research Paper Example The report below provides an insight into the supermarket company, Tesco, with emphasis on its external environment analysis and the company's analysis of resources, competence, and culture. Two future marketing strategic options are suggested in regards to the resources based marketing strategies. Tesco is one of the biggest food retailers in the world, functioning around 2,318 stores and has more than 326,000 employees. It offers online services through its subsidiary, Tesco.com. The United Kingdom is the biggest market for the company, where it functions under four signs of Extra, Superstore, Metro, and Express. The company vends approximately forty thousands of food products, together with clothing and other non-food lines. The own-label products (fifty percent of sales) of the company are at three stages, value, normal and finest. As well as conventional produce, many stores have gas stations, becoming one of the largest independent petrol retailers in the UK. Other retailing services offered include Tesco Personal Finance. Operating in a globalized environment with stores around the globe, Tesco's performance is highly influenced by the political and legislative conditions of these countries, including the European Union (EU). For employment legislation, the government encourages retailers to provide a mix of job opportunities from flexible, lower-paid and locally-based jobs to highly-skilled, higher-paid and centrally-located jobs. Also to meet the demand from population segments such as students, working parents, and senior citizens. Tesco understands that retailing has a great impact on jobs and people factors (new store developments are often seen as destroying other jobs in the retail sector as traditional stores go out of business or are forced to cut costs to compete), being an essentially local and labor-intensive sector. Tesco employs large numbers of; student, disabled and elderly workers, often paying them lower rates. In an industry with typically high staff turnover, these workers offer a higher level of loyalty and therefore represent desirable candidates. Economical Factors Economic factors are of concern to Tesco because they are likely to influence demand, costs, prices, and profits. One of the most influential factors on the economy is high unemployment levels, which decreases the effective demand for many goods, adversely affecting the demand required to produce such goods.These economic factors are largely outside the control of the company, but their effects on performance and the marketing mix can be profound. Although international business is still growing (Appendix 1) and is expected to contribute greater amounts to Tesco's profits over the next few years, the company is still highly dependent on the UK market. Hence, Tesco would be badly affected by any setback in the UK food market and are out in the open to market concentration risks.

Legal Case Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Case Analysis - Research Paper Example The issue was framed on the state’s authority to control private commercial enterprises that justified itself on protecting the health of children and women. The proceedings of this case clearly elaborated how children and women worked, and conditions of the factories they worked at as found by the Chief Factory Inspector, Florence Kelley, and her staff. The hearing and testimonies presented in the court constituted the truthful record that formed the foundation of the appeal to the Supreme Court (Ritchie v. People (1895). The laws established that the case was still in effect until the Supreme Court of United State decided that the case was in favor of the National Consumers League. This was according to Muller v. Oregon judgment that was handed over on 24 February, 1908. Soon after the United Stated Supreme conclusion in Muller v. Oregon, Louis Brandeis, the attorney in the National Consumers League, claimed that before the Supreme Court had a hearing challenging the constit utionality of the recently enacted Illinois law modeled precisely upon Oregon law that was upheld by the United States Supreme Court. It was a fair decision since that case of Ritchie v. ... Fifteen years later, the decision became a legal nullity, even though the opinion in 1895 was never completely overruled by either the Supreme Court of Illinois or the United States Supreme Court (Herman, 1987). Wal-Mart Stores Inc. v. Samara Bros. Inc. (Forensic Evidence) On March 22, 2000, in an agreed decision, the Supreme Court of the United States handed a win to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. It also gave much needed intelligibility for the involved people in the case over a specific dress type and design. In the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. v. Samara Bros. Inc. case, the court held that the plaintiff claimed a trade right following Section 43 (a) of the Lanham Act 2 for product designs that are not registered should provide evidence that the design is unique by showing that it has a secondary meaning as a source’s indication to consumers. The court refused the inherent test for inherent uniqueness raised by the owners of the dress trade in the case, the Clinton Management, and many IP a ssociations. This meant that the tests are unproductive and unworkable in cases dealing with product design and made a decision that product design can by no means be inherently unique; rather, uniqueness must every time be acquired (Lemley et al., 2007). Decision Highlights The court made its decision on the case and the following is a summary: 1. For it to give explanation for the raised question on a particular design of a product to meet the requirements for the trade dress protection in the situation where a registered trademark is non-existent, the court ruled that a petitioner should always avail proof that the design has obtained a secondary meaning. This resolved a tear in the US Circuit Appeal Courts (WAL-MART STORES INC. v. SAMARA BROS. INC). 2. The court

The Development Of Frank And Of Rita English Literature Essay

The Development Of Frank And Of Rita English Literature Essay At the beginning of the play, the audience see Frank in a sort of interesting way. The fact that Frank is looking at the bookshelf leaves us wanting to know what will happen next. Frank, at this point, begins talking to himself Where the hell? Eliot? this shows us that he is desperately trying to find a particular book, but this is not true as he pulls out the book and pulls out a bottle of whisky behind it. All of a sudden, the audiences impression of Frank changes from someone who is obsessed in reading, to someone who likes to hit the bottle. As the scene progresses, Frank is talking to Julia (Franks partner). We understand that Frank hates teaching in the Open University Oh God, why did I take this on? From this, it seems as if Frank regret his choice in taking up this job. Frank answers his own question, Yes, I suppose I did take it on to pay for the drink. This shows that Frank had taken this job in order to pay for his drink. We see that Franks important thing in his life is to drink. When Rita entered Franks room, the audience can see that Frank does not fully understand nature. When Rita said that the poster is very erotic, Frank says: Actually I dont think Ive looked at it for about ten years, but yes, I suppose it is. From this, we learn that Frank does not really appreciate life. Later on in Act 1 Scene 1, Frank describes Rita as the first breath of fresh air thats been in this room for years. This shows That Frank is bored of teaching student in contrast to her. He is interested in teaching new students. At the end of the scene, we see that Frank states about his feelings as a teacher in Open University. Frank describes himself as an appalling teacher and does not like the hours at the Open University. This shows the audience, how he does not like his job in spite of the fact that there is a breath of fresh air and that he feels Rita deserves the likes of someone better than himself. In the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, we see Rita oiling Franks door, Willy Russell highlights that Frank is very lazy and that Rita is sort of doing everything for him. This makes the audience believe that Frank does not really care about the environment. We have seen that Frank does not really enjoy teaching students at the Open University. But, as scene two concludes. We see that Frank becomes interested in teaching and begins to talk about the way in which Rita should concentrate on the reason she has come to the university. Yes. And youre here for an education. Come on Forster! The audience are given the impression that Rita has already started persuading Frank as he now has a reason to come to work and be excited about it. While there are many ways in which Franks character is shown throughout the beginning of the play, the same goes with Rita. We first see Rita when she comes raging through the door and tells Frank to get the bleedin handle on the door. You wanna get it fixed. The audience reacts to Rita by noticing that she is an arrogant person. We also get the feeling that Rita is very confident. But this is not true when she said to pack the course in and later saying Im not, yknow confident like in response to a question Frank asked about her willingness to learn. At the beginning of the play, the audience see that Rita wants to be a genius. Frank asks Rita why did you enrol in first place? after which Rita answers that she wants to know everything. We know that she is eager for knowledge, when she asked, What does assonance mean?, See I wanna discover meself first. At the beginning of the play, we also learn that Rita is inexperienced in a number of ways. The first clue of Ritas inexperience is through the quote from Frank: Its the sort of poetry you cant understand unless you happen to have a detailed knowledge of the literary references. Likewise, Rita seems to be under the impression that all books are literature and so Frank explains to her why that is not true. Her inexperience is also shown in the beginning of the play when Rita says that she has a lot to learn and that she describes herself as dead ignorant. As the play, progresses, Frank does not look as if he has changed much at all. This is shown from what Rita says in Act 2 Scene 2, Just that I thought youd started reforming yourself. This shows that Rita has not really influenced Frank. An example of him not changing is when Rita asks him, Are you still on this stuff? after which Frank admits to continue drinking: I need the drink to help me step delicately through it. At the beginning of the play, we saw many ways in which Franks relationship with Julia was not really exotic. Frank then says that Julia would be upset and jealous if Frank were to go to the theatre with Rita. He says it would be deaf and dumb breakfasts for a week. This gives us the impression that Frank cares about Julia and does not want to upset her. However, after his visit to France, Franks attitude towards Julia changes as, he talks to Rita about his trip to France, Frank says Julia left me, in a matter of fact tone. We can see that Franks character tells us how secure he really is. At the beginning of the play, Frank felt secure, but throughout the play, it suggests that he is very vulnerable. The first sign that we see his lack of confidence when in the end of Act 1 Scene 8 Frank says that he doesnt know if he wants to teach her, because he says that what Rita possesses is very precious. Frank likes the way Rita is at the moment; this can be shown when Frank invites Rita to his house, early in the middle of the play and when Frank sweet-talks Rita at the beginning. Frank uses many phrases to praise Rita, most of which arent taken seriously by Rita: Ah, but Rita, if I was yours would I stop out for days?; What Id actually like to do is take you by the hand and run out of this room forever; Rita why didnt you walk in here twenty years ago? After her visit to summer school and London, Frank says nothing. At the beginning of the play, Frank is the only one, who has any influence on her. But, throughout the play, the number of people having influence on her has increased. Rita begins sharing a flat with a friend called Trish. Rita admires Trish and wants to be like her, as a result changing her accent to the one Trish has. She says that she want to talk properly Frank is angry that she has changed her accent. After Frank tells Rita to stop it Frank begins to see that Trish is having a major influence on her. When Rita begins her friendship with the students at the university, Frank seems rather concerned about it. Rita says that she has only been talkin to them for five minutes and hes inviting me to go abroad with them all. instantly Frank says that she cant go. To prevent her going to France, Frank begins to make up excuses of how she cannot go, because of her exams. Rita, however, resists this and so Frank alters his excuse to how she cannot go because she has got her results to wait for The audience see Franks fear about the matter through when he says Is there much point in working towards an examination if youre going to fall in love and set off for the South of This is unusual as Rita never mentioned about being in love. We see that Frank is a paranoid because he does not want Rita to go on the holiday with them and be influenced by then. At the beginning of Act 1 Scene 5, the audience learn that Denny (Ritas husband) has burnt all of Ritas books because she had changed from how she was when he married her. Instead of trying for a baby, Rita wants to discover herself before doing so and that is precisely why Denny has acted in the way he did. Rita feels that she need to talk to Frank at the university rather than staying at home and fighting with Denny. We see that Ritas confidence is growing this is shown when Frank asked Do you want to abandon this course? and Rita says No. No! in a, determined way. This shows how her confidence has increased over her time at the Open University, and realising that being educated is more important than anything else. In the end of Act 1 Scene 5 and the beginning of Act 1 Scene 6, the audience see that Rita is determined to explore new things. In the end of Act 1 Scene 5, we learn how keen Rita is to see a live play; Well come on hurry up Im dead excited. Ive never seen a live play before. It is shown also when she says: I had to come an tell y, Frank, last night, I went to the theatre! A proper one, a professional theatre. At the end of Act 1 Scene 6, Frank invites Rita to his house, but we realise that Rita has a couple of problems. Firstly, Rita is worried about the attendance of Denny and how he would react if he were to come. Will you bring Denny?; (puzzled) all right. after which Rita says, What shall I wear? This shows that Rita feels that she is different in terms of class. It means that someone who is in same class does not ask what kind of clothes they would be required to wear. Secondly, just asking Denny if he wanted to visit Franks house, Denny went mad and they had a big fight about it. Rita also says that the wine was a factor in her attendance. When Frank says that he wouldnt mind if shed walked in with a bottle of Spanish plonk, Rita then says that It was Spanish and this is amusing to some level as what Frank consider to be rubbish wine, is precisely what Rita had brought along. In Act 1 Scene 7 we see that Ritas character is also the reason for her difference to Frank and his friends. Rita wants to be like them I wanna talk seriously with the rest of you Rita then tells Frank about how she visited the pub. We see that Rita highlights about that she cannot fit in either two classes and says that she cant talk to the likes of them on Saturday because she cant learn their language, after which she describes herself as a half-caste. At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 1, the audience realise that Rita has changed. We see that she is dressed in new, second-hand clothes. This shows that although the clothes are second-hand, they are new to her in terms of class difference. Rita begins to make friends with the students at the Open University. This is shown when Rita says, For students they dont half come out with some rubbish yknow and when she says, Ive only been talkin to them for five minutes and hes inviting me to go abroad with them all this shows that there is a powerful friendship between them. This makes Rita that she is a middle-class Liverpudlian. The audience see that Ritas character changes in terms of how open she is it also changes in terms of how secure she is. After her visit to both summer school and London, we can see that she is increasingly secure when she says Im havin the time of me life; I am yknow. I feel young, you know like them down there. This makes Frank more insecure, and makes Rita more secure. Willy Russell keeps us interested by doing this. At the beginning of the play, Ritas response to a question about Peer Gynt is: Do it on the radio. Here she does not realise that expressing opinions do not exactly pass exams. As the play progresses we see that she has developed educationally. At the end of Act 2 Scene 2, Frank says that Ritas essay wouldnt look out of place with the other students and so Rita has therefore begun to realise that passing the exams are more important than opinions. We also see that she becomes educated when she delivers correctly a poem she learnt at summer school from memory. Eventually, we learn about how Frank is at the end of the play and how he has changed from being the person he was earlier on. At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 3, the audience are aware that Frank is drunk. We can see this from how he is swearing. He refers to his students as mealy mouthed pricks. He describes his lecture he had just given as the best lecture, because we are told that he had fallen of the rostrum. At the beginning of the play, we saw how Frank really liked Rita for who she was and the fact that she was a breath of fresh air meant that she somewhat differed to the other students in the university. Later on though, we begin to see how insecure Frank becomes to a change in Ritas class, as she moves towards the middle class, by making friends at the Open University. We can see a change in Franks character; at the beginning of the play Frank was flattering Rita, he now seems more hostile towards her. After Rita begins talking about her essay on Blake, Frank states his view on how the essay is not wrong but he doesnt like it. During Act 2 Scene 4, Frank is also made out bothered during a conversation regarding work places. When Rita talks about her change in work place, Frank then goes on to ask, Is Mr.Tyson one of your customers?, after which he says, Perhaps perhaps you dont want to waste your time coming here anymore?. Yet again, Frank is saying something that is not relevant to Ritas words; Rita never mentioned anything such as working at the cafà © full time she has just said that she likes to be with them. Therefore, it can be said that Frank still seems bothered and somewhat insecure about Ritas change in herself. In fact, Frank is so disappointed with how Rita has changed that he refers to himself Mary Shelley, writer of Frankenstein. Since he believes he has had the most influence over Rita, he is making a reference of himself here to Victor Frankenstein. However, although Frank is increasing insecurity throughout both the middle and end of the play, just as the play ends. The insecurity is somehow destroyed. Instead of reacting in a hostile manner towards Rita in response to her statements about the students etc., Frank reacts in a way similar to how he did at the beginning of the play. When Rita says, Tigers asked me to go down to France with his mob, Frank says, Will you? as opposed to something of a more hostile nature. Whether it is because of his visit to Australia in the near future or just a change of heart, the bottom line is that Frank has now accepted Ritas change. After Rita talks about her options to Frank, Frank reveals a package hidden behind some of the books. This is quite amusing, as it is usually his alcohol that is stashed away there. Even so, Frank takes down the package and says, its a dress really. I bought it some time ago for erm for an educated woman friend of mine. The important aspect to this quote of Fra nks relates to how he bought itfor an educated woman friend. This shows that Frank feels that Rita has become more educated. At the end of the play, we also learn further changes Rita has undergone in comparison to earlier parts of the play. The first indication of a change in Rita happens immediately in Act 2 Scene 3, whereby Rita is sitting in the armchair by the window, and Frank enters. This is ironic as it is usually Frank who is earliest but Rita has arrived earlier and we discover that wants to get here early today so that she can start talking to some students down on the lawn. This is an obvious change in her as we see how Rita has become highly influenced by the students and has become more of a middle class citizen than a working class one. We see that Rita is now part of the middle class group and has learnt pretty much all there is need to know. Dont keep treatin me as though Im the same as when I first walked in here and I can do without you reveal how she is able to lead her life without any more knowledge required. But, it is not only Rita who feels she has become more educated it is the audience as well. In Act 2 Scene 3, after Frank says that her essay is not wrong., Rita says, Youre being subjective, precisely what Frank said at the beginning and so reflects how Rita has become more educated in terms of language. A further sign of Ritas improvement in education is seen in Act 2 Scene 5, after Rita comments on Franks poems. Rita says that if she had seen those poems when she first came in, she wouldnt have understood it and that she would have thrown it across the room and dismissed it as a heap of shit. This short feature to the play is extremely helpful in understanding Ritas change in education as an example i s used here that indicates how Rita would have reacted to the same situation at the beginning of the play. Rita describes Rubyfruit Jungle as hardly excellence at the end of the play. This is a big difference to how she perceived it at the beginning of the play and so it shows of how educated she has become. A further extremely important aspect to Ritas change is shown right at the end of the play, whereby Rita considers her options in the near future. She says, I dunno. I might go to France. I might go to me mothers. I might even have a baby. I dunno. Ill make a decision, Ill choose. I dunno. This shows us how Rita now has more choice and better options in choosing what she will do. At the beginning, we saw how determined she was to do the course and so that was pretty much her only option at the time. Now, however, having accomplished her targets, she now has much more of a choice in doing what she wishes. Finally, as the play concludes, there is also some humour involved. After Rita says, All Ive ever done is take from you Ive never given you anything, Frank says, Thats not true youve Before letting Frank finish his sentence, Rita intervenes and says, But there is. Come here, Frank From this, what immediately comes to mind is something dirty. However, instead, we discover that Rita is giving him a haircut and so this is amusing as Willy Russell changes our expectations of what is going to happen so vividly. In conclusion, I feel that Rita has certainly changed for a number of reasons. Rita has become more educated while also changing into a middle-class person. In addition, it has also become obvious now that Rita has more choice in comparison with before. Whats more, Rita also has better choice, which is essential as that is what Rita aimed for, to some amount. Despite the fact that she has become less open and more serious over time at the Open University, Ritas objective of discovering herself has been achieved. While Ritas development throughout the play is obvious, Franks seems to be there, sort of. At the beginning of the play, we saw how Frank was encouraged to come to work because of Rita as he regarded her as a breath of fresh air. However, during the middle of the play, we also saw how Frank began drinking more because of how insecure he felt. Frank now has a better choice in what he can do. Before, we saw how Frank needed to go to work in order to pay for his drink. Now however, he has the choice in whether he wishes to go to Australia or even commit suicide. The fact that he seems to be happy about going to Australia may also result in a further change in him this might eliminate his drinking addiction. Although it seems unlikely, Frank now has a reason to enjoy life.

Oppression and Resistance in Jamaican Reggae and Afro-Brazilian Music A Comparative Study of Race in Music and Culture :: essays papers

Oppression and Resistance in Jamaican Reggae and Afro-Brazilian Music A Comparative Study of Race in Music and Culture Cultural expression frequently serves as a lens to the conditions, historical and contemporary, of a society. Film, music, and literature often serve as an extension of oral traditions and can provide us not only with a glimpse into history but can also share with us the cultural impact of the past and give us a greater understanding of the present. In the countries of Brazil and Jamaica with similar histories of oppression, from slavery, to genocide, to crushing poverty and systemic racism, it is not surprising to see a similarity in the heightened consciousness in their music. Through analysis of the histories of Brazil and Jamaica, from slavery to the institutionalized systems of oppression, one can understand how such seemingly different musical traditions frequently share a common theme, resistance. "†¦a good part of the attraction of reggae music to its metropolitan audience is the anger and protest of the lyrics. We obviously face a contradiction between the message of urban poverty and protest which reggae conveys and that of pleasure and relaxation inherent in our holiday product. In short, when we promote reggae music we are promoting an aspect of Jamaican culture which is bound to draw attention to some of the harsher circumstances of our lives." -- Jamaica Tourist Board Memorandum, October 10, 1975 (Davis and Simon, 1977, p. 1) Jamaican reggae is music of protest that carries an angry message of poverty. Listeners worldwide often simply enjoy the swaying upbeats and melodies of reggae while giving little thought to the importance of the lyrics or the ‘harsh circumstances’ that have given birth to the music. Similarly, the music of Brazil has been neglected. Musical prejudices commonly lead to the association of subtle rhythms and light, casual melodies with bland music and not profound expression (Byrne, 1989, p. 2-3). However, the music of both cultures caries with them strong traditions of resistance. They both pay homage to their leaders and mythic figures and work to carry on in their tradition of resistance. The Maroon States In contrast to the thirteen colonies which were to become the United States of America, which were colonized by settlers seeking a new life in the West, the majority of the new world colonies were established to be financial ventures based on the exploitation and exportation of natural resources and the running of massive plantations.

Stakeholders in Health Reform

When talking about healthcare reform, one must always think about the stakeholders. Stakeholders are â€Å"people and organizations that have a stake (interest) in what a healthcare organization does and that could affect the healthcare organization† (Olden, 2011). There are many different stakeholders in our case study but we will focus on the main ones. In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act had a considerable impact on hospitals and the health care system.Most community health centers were benefiting from coverage expansions and safety net hospitals were struggling financially due to the fact that the state put more funding towards insurance subsidies to expand coverage. Academic medical centers (AMC) were able to command higher prices and attract more patients from community hospitals due to the fact that policy makers kept putting off making decisions about slowing the growth of healthcare spending.AMCs â€Å"received the highest payment levels and we re able to negotiate the largest percentage increases, which increased the spending trends and widened the disparities between have and have-not providers in the market. † The more prestigious, big name hospitals had more power and thus could exercise more leverage. AMCs also expanded to the suburbs, which posed a considerable amount of threat to community hospitals by â€Å"raising the rates paid for services delivered in community settings and by increasing the number of referrals to downtown AMCs, which command the highest rates. Physician/ providers who owned free-standing, ambulatory centers had been approaching hospitals with offers to sell their facilities due to the fact that they were becoming less profitable due to â€Å"updated fee schedule and more aggressive health plan utilization management. † Physicians were also aligning themselves with hospitals and other larger practices. Small practices risked losing a large share of their patient panels if they dro pped out of health plan networks.The impact on the smaller, less prestigious hospitals/ healthcare systems were definitely negative, while the impact on larger, more prestigious hospitals/healthcare system seemed considerably more positive and beneficial. In regards to employers, according to the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act (the Act), on July 1, 2007, Massachusetts employers with 11 or more full-time employees working in Massachusetts had three principal obligations. First, Massachusetts employers had to either make a â€Å"Fair and Reasonable Premium Contribution to heir employees' health care premiums or make a contribution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of up to $295 per year per employee. Second, Massachusetts employers had to establish a cafeteria plan for their employees under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code. Finally, every employer was required to report whether the employer has offered to pay for-or to arrange for-health care insurance coverage and w hether the employee has accepted or declined it† (James, 2007). If employers did not comply, they would face hefty fines.A provision of the Act was the merger of the small group and individual or non-group insurance markets, which was designed to make premiums more affordable for individuals. Small group premiums actually increased by 2. 6%. â€Å"The premiums of small employers had increased substantially since the merger of the small group and individual health insurance markets† (case study). Employers who were merged into the small group and non-group market â€Å"felt the impact of rising premiums because they were now subsidizing individuals in that market† (case study).Large employers didn’t really feel any impact except for the hassle for complying with the reporting requirements. Smaller employers usually didn’t have the manpower to guide them through the Act’s requirements, which put them at a higher risk of not being compliant. Ove rall though, compliance became a lot more challenging and â€Å"annoying† for employers. Insurance providers are also â€Å"major† stakeholders in healthcare policy and decision-making.Though they can be very influential in the healthcare policy and law decision-making process, they also are probably the most vilified. In Massachutettes, health plans wanted to eliminate â€Å"continuous open enrollment, assess the full annual penalty for any significant period of continuous un-insurance, impose waiting periods for certain services and bar consumers from buying in the merged market if they had access to employer sponsored coverage† (case study). Doing these things, the insurance companies hoped to lower premiums.Bill 2585 did pass but the law did not go as far as the insurance companies had hoped. It only â€Å"limited open enrollment in the merged market to twice a year in 2011 and once a year after that† (case study), which didn’t really help much . Due to loss in the small market group in 2009, health plans â€Å"planned double digit premium increases in 2010† (case study), but the government stepped in and put a stop to it. Even though the big name hospitals were driving up cost, the insurance companies were seen as the bad guys.This caused local plans to â€Å"record sizable operating losses for the first quarter of 2010 and had to draw on reserves to cover expected losses resulting from the rate rollbacks† (case study). The insurance companies, especially the smaller ones, suffered financially. The most important stakeholder in the healthcare policymaking is probably the patient. In Massachusetts, the Act provided â€Å"nearly universal health insurance coverage† (case study). In 2009 the uninsured dropped from 8. 2% to 2. 7%. People who had previously been uninsured and had no way to get proper healthcare, could now do so.There were some issues though. According to the Act, â€Å"the youngest and he althiest could avoid being the merged risk pool by purchasing less expensive coverage in a separate young adult market or by remaining on their parent’s plan until they turn 26† (case study). This was good for those patients but for others, it was a big issue because it was causing premiums to increase. Freestanding, ambulatory centers were being sold to hospitals. This increased the rates paid for services delivered at these facilities.Patients who â€Å"were covered by employer-sponsored insurance can buy short-term policies so that they can get access to treatments which are not usually covered in their regular plans† (case study). This is known as jumping in and out. Jumping in and out of these short-term plans caused premiums for other patients to up, which was one of the big issues that health plans wanted to resolve. Policymakers also proposed provider rates or giving the state the authority to tie provider rate increases to medical inflation in order to c ontain cost but nothing really came of that.There are many stakeholders involved in healthcare reform in Massachusetts. These included patients, hospitals and health systems, employers and insurance providers. There are of course other stakeholders that are on a smaller scale, such as medical equipment providers, healthcare advertisers and so forth but we wanted to focus on the major ones. Works Cited: James, L. H. , ; Rebecca, F. A. (2007). The massachusetts health care reform act: What employers need to know. Employee Benefit Plan Review, 61(12), 17-19. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/216889767? accountid=10559.

Evolution of Australian Biota Assessment Answers Essay Example

Evolution of Australian Biota Assessment Answers Essay Example Evolution of Australian Biota Assessment Answers Essay Evolution of Australian Biota Assessment Answers Essay Discuss current research into the evolutionary relationships between extinct species, including megafauna and extant Australian species. Megafauna simply means large animals, in which most have become extinct within the last 20 000 to 50 000 years. The extinction of megafauna was, debatably, due to climate change and human expansion. Although, Africa still retains some megafauna, such as the elephant or the rhinoceros. Australia has managed to keep many examples of relict species, some from the time of the megafauna.These include the Crocodile, Wollemi Pine and Stromatolites. Megafauna are not direct ancestors of the current animals, rather certain animals both evolved from a common ancestor. An example of this can be seen in the Diprotodon optatum, it does not belong to the same family as the modern wombat, but they are relatives which can be observed in their similar characteristics. Their structural similarities include their skull structure, body covering, structure of limbs, ears and snout. However, the Diprotodon was huge; 3 metres long and 2 metres high, comparable to a hippoptamus.They also had pigeon toed feet, a longer nose, possibly a small trunk, a very dense coat and sharp claws. The Diprotodon flourished in the late Tertiary and declined in the Pleistocene, becoming extinct at the time humans arrived, 50 000 years ago. The Diprotodon is mentioned in some dreamtime stories, supporting the idea that human hunting and Aboriginal fire stick burning (burning vegetation for easier hunting) altering the ecosystem both contributed to the extinction of the Diprotodon. Current research into extinct megafauna and extant Australian species revoles heavily around the finding off fossils.Fossils provide Palentologists with information about the similarities and differences between species, deducing certain evolutionary relationships. Other research includes radiometric dating, providing dates for when fauna died and the possible cause. Ideas about the ecological and environmental conditions of the time can also be found from fossils and other technology today. Fossils of the Diprotodon have been found all over Australia, in places such as the Wellington caves, which have assisted Palentologists in discovering similarties and differences between the Diprotodon optatum and the modern wombat.Other forms of current research include techniques to do with DNA hybridisation, molecular biology techniques and DNA preserved in bones to discover information about evolutionary relationships. b) Identify data sources and analyse information from secondary sources and use available evidence to illustrate the changing ideas of scientists in the last 200 years about individual species such as the platypus as new information and technologies became available. The Platypus is one of Australias most unique animals, of which its origins and classifcation is still debated today.Over the past 200 years, technology has rapidly developed, causing scientists ideas about the Platypus to change and develop. When first discovered in 1798, a Platypus skin was sent to England which scientists thought was a hoax. As the specimen was observed more, it was considered to be a primitive species, but it was in fact a highly evolved form of an ancestor. It is unique from a mammal as it lays eggs, there is an absence of teeth, it also has a bill similar to that of a duck. It also has webbed feet and a short tail.However, it does have fur like other mammals and it secretes milk from special glands. As technology began to improve, scientists were able to understand how the Platypus reproduced. In 1826, it was found that it had mammary glands, and in 1884, scientists captured female eggs. In the 1940s, an Australia scientist invented the Platypussary. This was technology that attempted to stimulate its natural habitat, hoping to breed a pair. In 1943, the first Platypus was bred in captivity, which gave scientists much research into lifestyle and breeding habits; gestation and pre and post natal processes.Another scientific question was that of its body temperature, but with the development of radiotelementary scientists ideas about this changed. Radiotelementary can record body temperature and transmit this information. It has helped scientists in understanding whether the Platypus can maintain its body te mperature when swimming in cold water. Scientists have contiuned to develop their ideas through the research of amino acids, which allowed them to observe trends between the sequences of placentals and marsupials. Fossils have also been an important technological development in understanding the Platypus.As well as cell observation, allowing Scientists to discover the Platypus salt retaining kidneys. Another huge discovery about Platypus was able to come about because of new technology, the question of how the Platypus got its food. Using Electron Microscopy, scientists were able to observe the Platypus bill. The discovery was made that the bill had extremely sensitive touch receptors which helped the Platypus navigate underwater with its eyes closed, and it detected prey. They also discovered Electroreceptors on the bill, which detect tiny electrical signals, creating an image underwater for the Platypus and located the prey.Scientists have contiuned to develop their ideas through the research of amino acids, fossils, fibre optics, radio tracking, genetic fingerprinting and cell observation, which allowed Scientists to discover the Platypus salt retaining kidneys. c) Gather information from secondary sources to describe some Australian fossils, where these fossils were found and use available evidence to explain how they contribute to the development of understanding about the evolution of species in Australia.Fossils are huge scientific development which have altered and explored many scientific theories. The sequences of fossils indicates the progressive chronology of the changes in plants and animals over millions of years, the dating of rocks indicates the time periods of extinction and the type of plant and animal in the fossil depicts the environment in that past area. An example of this is within the fossil tooth from a placental mammal, about 55 million years old. This was found in Murgon.This particular fossil changed the understanding of fossil mamm alian history, as it is Australias oldest placental land mammal. This fossil now supports the theory that both placentals and marsupials lived in Australia around 55 million years ago. Another example of how fossils contribute to the understanding of evolution is in the Glossopteris flora. It is especially significant as it provides the first evidence of continental drift, as the leaf is dominant in America, Australia, Africa and India, supporting the theory that these continents had once been joined.The Glossopteris developed understanding about the Australian evolution of species as the adaptation of its thick skin indicates Australias changing climate throughout evolution. This skin prevented a rapid loss of moisture as Australia became more arid. Some important fossil sites that have developed our understanding about the evolution of species in Australia include Lightning Ridge, Murgon, Riversleigh, Bluff Downs and Wellington Caves.

FDRs NEW DEAL A SUCCESS essays

FDRs NEW DEAL A SUCCESS essays Franklin Delano Roosevelts New Deal programs for relief and works projects were beneficial to Americas economic collapse while helping the nation as a whole. Before these programs, however, the nation was in a most needy state. On October 24th 1929 a day known as "Black Thursday" came. The stock market crashed and so did the economy. Unemployment ran rapid through the country whereas millions of Americans were out of work and money. The nation succumbed to one of the fiercest events in history- the Great Depression. Roosevelt, the governor of New York at the time, was well aware of the need for action and swept the election of 1932. In his inaugural speech he spoke of a "New Deal" for America and thus the New Deal was born. As soon as Roosevelt took office, help was on the way as he created many programs to take the nation out of hard times. The most important ones were FERA, or Federal Emergency Relief Administration, the CWA, or Civil Works Administration, and the WPA, or Works Pro gress Administration. Each one of these programs had an impact on the nation that aided in helping the people and the badly scarred economy. They also lifted the spirits and morals of the people. In addition, the lasting effects of the New Deal programs are still felt today, which proves that the relief and works progress programs were of outmost benefit to America. Roosevelt was determined to directly relieve the suffering of the American people. In his inaugural speech he said, "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people". He meant that, as president, he promises a new America that will help the people and preserve their morale. Roosevelt was committed to helping the nation out of the economic crisis and directly helping the people. The New Deal was made up of numerous programs to help the nation surpass the depression. Roosevelt had long been a supporter of direct government assistance. He believed the governmen...

Cultural Event Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Event Report - Essay Example I decided to attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art because an important event related to world culture was organized by the museum authorities, i.e., an exhibition on Chinese art named as Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carvings. My friends and I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 08.09.2012. As pointed out, my focus was on the Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carvings, especially the artworks in the Gallery 22. Visiting the museum, I was overwhelmed by the dedication shown by the museum authorities towards art and architecture. Elephant Carrying a Vase and Pomegranates The two artworks selected for description are Elephant Carrying a Vase and Pomegranates, displayed at Gallery 222. The artwork named as Elephant Carrying a Vase (see appendix-1) is symbolic of the decorative art in China during Qing dynasty. The medium used for this artwork is jade/nephrite. Besides, the artist provided ample importance to decorative work with ruby. But one can see that decor ative work with precious stones is not related to Chinese art. Instead, one can assume that the decoration is the visible example of the influence of Indian art on Chinese art during this time period (say, 18th -19th century). Ebrey (1993) states that, â€Å"Traditional scholarship and arts flourished under the patronage of the Qing emperors, and even in rural areas schools were common and basic literacy relatively high† (p.267). ... In short, the artwork is symbolic of the rich tradition of art in China, especially the tradition of stone carving in China. The artwork named as Pomegranates (see appendix-2) belongs to Qing Dynasty. In addition, this artwork is symbolic of the development of art in the 18th century China. The lower side of the artwork consists of a wooden like structure, which acts as a foundation to the artwork. The artist made use of dark and light colors to provide importance to the whole work. One can see that this artwork is symbolic of the Chinese belief in the relationship between seeds and fertility/longevity. To be specific, pomegranate is used as a medicine to enhance sexual performance, and the same is related to fertility. So, the artist amalgamated the importance of pomegranates in Chinese belief and fertility in his artwork. To be specific, most of the Chinese artworks during the Qing Dynasty are interconnected with the beliefs and rituals during that age. Besides, Chinese artworks ca nnot be considered as mere showcase pieces. Instead, artworks are presented to express one’s gratitude. In this artwork, agate is used as the medium. So, this artwork is symbolic of the Chinese tradition of providing importance to art in daily life. One can see three pomegranates, flower and leaves on the upper side of the artwork. Summary and reaction The exhibition (say, Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carvings) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, consists of a number of artworks related to Chinese art. Most of the artworks belong to 18th-19th century art in China. I tried my level best to have deeper understanding of the inherent theme/symbolism of the artworks. At first, I tried to have a bird’s eye

Compare with crime control theory vs due process Essay

Compare with crime control theory vs due process - Essay Example In contrast to this the crime control model has been designed to make sure that the criminal cases are dealt fast and disposed off as early as possible. Both these models are important to the system of criminal justice and they play a key role in identifying offences and also in the interpretation of the criminal justice system. During 1964, Herbert Packer who is a Law professor wrote an article which provided a good philosophy on criminal justice. â€Å"In particular, the work of Packer provoked civil libertarian concerns over the police deviation from due process protections in pursuit of the objectives embodied in the crime control model† (William, 2002, p.11). In the said article, the author has further proposed the criminal justice model and the due process model. His article is said to have influenced every person who works on the criminal justice system. While crime control deals with the suppression of crime, the due process is concerned with the safeguarding the rights of the innocent. However, both have the same goal of punishing the guilty and protecting the innocent. The major difference lies in the fact that models use different means and approaches. â€Å"The question therefore arises for every society as to where on the continuum between crime control and due process it wishes to anchor its criminal justice values, subject to the observation that the two models in reality represent different means to a broadly common goal –the detection and effective punishment of crime† (Bryett & Osbome, 2000, p. 14). When comparing the crime control and the due process, it can be seen that the proponents of both approaches uphold constitutional values. However, some people view the crime control model in a negative light because of the fact that it assumes the criminal who has been alleged of an offence, guilty even before he is brought