Continuous Assessment on International Human Trafficking Law Essay

Continuous Assessment on International Human Trafficking Law - Essay Example The practical difficulties will first be explored by outlining the historical developments of anti-human trafficking international law. Secondly, this paper will analyse the European Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings 2005 (Convention of 2005) and the ECHR’s approach to international human trafficking in Ranstev v Cyprus and Russia (2010). Finally this paper will recommend appropriate amendments that can improve the Convention of 2005. I. Historical Developments in International Human Trafficking Law Trafficking in human beings has a long â€Å"legal and political history†.2 The term human trafficking was first used in internationally during the early part of the 20th century and even then it was confined to issues relative to white slavery which was a term used in connection with forced prostitution. Therefore the first anti-trafficking convention at international law was the International Agreement for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic 1 904 which attempted to eliminate the criminal trafficking of females for â€Å"immoral purposes†.3 By 1927, the term white slavery was discontinued as it was perceived to be inadequate in terms of reflecting the real nature of the problem of international human trafficking. As a result a number of international conventions were adopted including the League of Nations’ Suppression of the Trafficking in Women and Children 1921 and the Suppression of the Traffic in Women of Full Age 1933. Neither or these conventions offered a definition of trafficking and were largely concerned with the forced prostitution of women across borders. Moreover, these conventions only dealt with the issue of recruitment as it was perceived that detention in brothels fell outside of international law.4 The United Nations adopted the Convention on Suppression of Trafficking and Exploitation of Prostitution in 1949 which had three significant shortcomings. First it was not a binding convention i n the sense that it only called for cooperation. Secondly, it was based on self-reporting and thirdly, it did not define the term human trafficking.5 The assessment of human trafficking would therefore differ from state to state as each country would have its own definition of trafficking and self-reporting, regardless of how objective could not reflect the real nature of the problem internationally. Moreover, the voluntary cooperative nature of the 1949 Convention could not provide an effective obligation or commitment to reporting and cooperating on the appropriate responses to international human trafficking. By the decades of the 1990s, national governments, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations became increasingly concerned about the problems associated with transnational criminal organizations and the attending problems of human trafficking. Thus the UN implemented the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in 2000. At the same time th e UN adopted the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children (Anti-Trafficking Protocol 2000).6 Significantly, the Anti-Trafficking Protocol 2000 provided for an agreed upon definition of human trafficking, therefore facilitating a harmonized approach to defining human trafficking and as a result

The Electric Power Consumption

The Electric Power Consumption In parallel with swift economic growth, energy demand and consumption grow at a faster rate. Like other countries, Malaysia heavily relies upon fossil fuels as their primary energy source in generating electricity. At production level in 2005, it is proven that oil reserves in Malaysia are expected to last another 19 years while natural gas reserves are expected to last for about 33 years (Apec energy demand,). Hence, a crucial move needs to be done to diverse energy source in order to delay the energy depletion as well as to meet the current energy demand. Referring to Figure 1.1, Malaysiaà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s primary energy demand is projected grow at an annual rate of 3.5 percent, to reach 146.7Mtoe in 2030, a 2.6-fold increase from 2002. Energy demand continues to rise in order to meet the rising electricity demand (Apec energy demand,). In addition, combustion of fossil fuel in electricity generation contributes significantly to air pollution as it emits greenhouse gases which lead to global warming. Referring to Figure 1.2, electric power consumption (kWh per Capita) in Malaysia was reported at about 800 in 1985, at 3428 in 2008 and finally risen up to 3613.53 in 2009 (Electric power consumption, ). This also indicates that the rate of GHGs emission rises over years. Some renewable energy sources such as solar energy, hydropower and biomass are promising alternative energy sources in reducing the dependency of fossil fuel and to diversify energy sources, as well as to reduce pollution to the environment. The future success of bioenergy developments in Malaysia depend on many factors, such as the policy framework conditions, the availability of suitable and high efficient conversion technologies, the long term and cost effective biomass fuels supply security, and the impacts on environmental and social issues. Malaysia is a tropical country and the climate is providing an excellent environment for biomass production. Also, Malaysia is known as one of the leading producers of paddy and is endowed with abundance of agricultural biomass resources. Bioenergy is the most important renewable energy in use today. The demand for biomass as energy source will inevitably increase over time, putting pressure on fuel supply security and associated topics. If sustainability requirements do not receive the necessary consideration, this pressure might affect pricing for agricultural products and food security supply aspects too. For this reason, the use of agricultural residues as energy sources offers a promising opportunity to promote the future development of bioenergy utilisation. Since using agricultural residues as energy sources will not interfere with food security, such fuels will meet the requirements for a future sustainable based energy supply. Problem Statement Normally, paddy cultivation leaves a huge amount of paddy waste such as paddy straws and paddy husks. Although there are a few methods in reusing paddy straws, such as animal feed, cooking fuel, a significant amount of paddy straw remains unused and in order to get rid of the paddy waste, open burning of paddy waste is the most common way, contributing environmental and safety issues, such as air pollution and fire disaster. However, paddy waste is a very useful organic material in producing biogas through anaerobic digestion, thus providing an alternative use and mitigating the pollution problems. In order to utilise biogas produced by paddy waste, conversion techniques have to be technically efficient, economically competitive and environmentally friendly. Biogas and its Potential of Paddy Waste Biogas is generated by the digestion of biodegradable organic wastes in the absence of oxygen, so called anaerobic process. A range of organic wastes can be used as raw materials for the production of biogas; they are agricultural wastes, animal manure, sewage sludge and many more. The major component of biogas, which is methane, is nowadays considered as one of the most important source of energy for heating and electricity generation as well as vehicle fuel. Aims and Objectives As a whole, the aim of this project is to study the production and utilisation of biogas from paddy waste. Several specific objectives are listed as follows: To review current status of energy demand and consumption in Malaysia. To understand the technologies available for biomass power plant, develop and incorporate a concept of sustainable process in the current technologies. To determine process equipments sequence and create process flow diagram. To perform process mass balances through the simulation of the entire system. To access safety and health factors in designing and minimise impacts to the environment. To consider other factors for a successful and sustainable system and operation.

Religion in Colonial America Essay -- Religion

Religion was the foundation of the early Colonial American Puritan writings. Many of the early settlements were comprised of men and women who fled Europe in the face of persecution to come to a new land and worship according to their own will. Their beliefs were stalwartly rooted in the fact that God should be involved with all facets of their lives and constantly worshiped. These Puritans writings focused on their religious foundations related to their exodus from Europe and religions role in their life on the new continent. Their literature helped to proselytize the message of God and focused on hard work and strict adherence to religious principles, thus avoiding eternal damnation. These main themes are evident in the writings of Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mathers, and John Winthrop. This paper will explore the writings of these three men and how their religious views shaped their literary works, styles, and their historical and political views. John Winthrop 1588-1649 John Winthrop was a pioneer for religious freedom in America. As one of the early settlers sailing west on the Arbella, he composed a sermon called A Model for Christian Charity. Winthrop’s sermon is the framework for creating the spiritual colony that he envisioned and a way to unite the people coming to a new land. The people traveling west were not from one group but rather came from many groups and backgrounds. Winthrop knew that in order to succeed in the wilderness these individuals would have to give up some of their individuality for the greater good of the colony. Winthrop felt that religion was the ultimate way to accomplish this and that Christ was the perfect model to follow. In one passage he says: For patterns we have that first o... ...p. cccxi). London: William Ball Paternoster-Row. Walker, R. (2001). Cotton Mather. Retrieved fromhttp://www2.iath.virginia.edu/salem/people/c_mather.html Baym, N. (2008). Cotton mather. In N. Baym (Ed.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature Volume 1 (p. 143). New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Wise, P. M. (2005). Cotton mathers's wonders of the invisible world: An authoritative edition. (dissertation, Georgia State University)Retrieved fromhttp://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=english_diss Mather, C. (2008). From the Wonders of the Invisible World. In N. Baym (Ed.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature Volume 1 (pp. 147). New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Winthrop, J. (2008). A Model for Christian Charity. In N. Baym (Ed.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature Volume 1 (pp. 82). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Safe Driving

Everything happening oh so fast; from getting in the car to seeing the black escalade ram through our car. With the thought of â€Å"im dead† then everything going pitch black, everything seemed meaningless. Accidents factor in more than just impaired driving and icy roads. The drivers’ condition along with their responsibilities is the reason Peggy will never walk again.Drivers need to stay sharp and aware on the road, and judging from the story ken did not seem to follow this. Even if you pay full attention, the danger of others is always on the road. As careful as you are other drivers mistakes are inevitable. In the story it says he rolled up his sleeves, even though it isn’t much; its still a sign of him compromising Peggy’s safety. Even if you take all precautions and stay aware of the road; you can’t always keep track of the always changing road conditions.Safety is key for driving, but there are many complications on the road. It’s no t always the road that complicates your safety; in the story it refers to Peggy wanting to visit the liquor store. Impaired driving injures someone ever other minute; with 16,000 deaths a year. Alcohol could’ve been a factor of why ken crashed, or it could’ve been a health issue. Peggy speculated he had a stroke or something at the wheel. Another safety violation occurred in the story; says he has only hand on the wheel. Again, it’s not much but it could’ve aided to the accident.Even if the accident wasn’t within kens control, he is still responsible for it. Drivers are responsible for just about everything that happens to it and in the car. Ken took the wheel; as long with Peggy’s mobility. Other people on the road are highly unpredictable, but that doesn’t change the fact your responsible for your own.In the end, it truly is Kens fault for paralyzing Peggy. Many things factor into an accident; but I think the main reason were his aw areness for the road and lack of safe driving. It may have been Peggy’s choice to get in the car; but its clearly Kens fault for the crash. I feel people take driving to  lightly, its one of the most dangerous methods of travel. People need to be more cautious.

Is interactive clubbing the future of nightlife? Essay

Abstract The purpose of this study is primarily to provide a denotative definition of an Interactive Clubbing which was clearly manifested in t. The author first provided essential definitions suggested by credible sources as to the definition of the terms involved in the paper such as clubbing, interactive and then the most important concept of interactive clubbing and then provided a brief history on the origin of clubbing as to the technology being used in traditional clubbing. The methodology in this research included two sets of surveys intended managers (First set) and club goers (second set). The questions in the surveys aimed to have as a result an analysis on what are the technology involved in traditional clubs and whether such innovative installations create a positive impact to club goers and eventually to assess whether an introduction of a new concept such as that of an interactive clubbing would be appealing to frequent club goers. The respondent managers fro the first set of survey questions, came from different traditional and contemporary clubs and existent interactive club. The total number of respondents is 50 managers for the United Kingdom clubs. Most of the respondents are managers of clubs that had operated and remained successful for at least six to ten years. They were also managers in such clubs for three to four years. On the other hand, the respondent club goers for the second set of survey questions, consisted of total number of respondents is 50 club goers fro the United Kingdom. Most of the respondents are frequent club goers ranging from ages eighteen to thirty-eight years of age. In the course of this research, the author proposed an interactive club which comprised of a perfect combination of the theories in technological installation in a futuristic club which can be made possible through the proper application of such theories. Finally, the conclusion provides for an assumption regarding the concept of interactive clubbing as the future of clubbing experience. Introduction Definition of Terms Clubbing, like other ambiguous words pertains to different connotations and denotations. In order to have a concrete and working definition for the purpose of this particular research proposal, it is important to associate the word clubbing to the a certain concept identified in this research. The working definition to be used for this paper shall be associated to â€Å"Night Clubbing† which pertains the common term â€Å"Night Life† which is commonly practiced by the young citizens ranging from teen-agers until the young professionals, sometimes even the professionals under 40 years of age. Activities included with â€Å"Night Clubbing† are social dances, drinking, relaxation and other social activities. Necessary equipments present in every club is a dance floor and a bar side. Such equipments improve and enhance as the history of clubbing grows along with the innovations brought about by the evolution of technology. Moreover, nightclub is often denoted as a venue for entertainment which utilizes music, dancing and drinking as form of relaxation. Interactive is a concept that pertains to the innovational enhancement of a communication environment where in more than a party is equipped and is able to participate in a particular given activity. This definition is provided by the â€Å"Alliance of Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)†, an organization that specializes in rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communication and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Combining the two concepts mentioned above would introduce a new era of clubbing apart from the traditional method of the activity as mentioned earlier. The product of the two concepts would give birth to a new concept called, the Interactive Clubbing. According to Sam Radvilla, a Video Jockey (VJ) in one of the clubs in UK, interactive clubbing is the visuals (graphics and video footage) triggered and manipulated by the motion of a dance crowd (sensors) or simply sound waves (microphone or other sound input). It is also the use of real time camera feeds with a visual set to start an optical dialogue between dance floor or audience, screen(s) and stage. Video feedback used by Video Jockeys (VJ) as a symbolic bridge between the digital and the analog world. Playing images with the same techniques and means as electronic musicians use (sampling, pitching, scratching, midi). According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Interactive can be define as the involving the actions or input of a user; especially : of, relating to, or being a two-way electronic communication system (as a telephone, cable television, or a computer) that involves a user’s orders (as for information or merchandise) or responses (as to a poll). A Disc Jockey (DJ) is the person in charge and in control of the musical scoring in a club or any social gathering entailing the need of music. The DJ has often the responsibility in keeping the music alive which also means that he has the obligation of keeping the night lively and keep the party going on till it will end. A Video Jockey (VIDOE JOCKEY (VJ)) has almost the same role as that of a Disc Jockey. The only difference is that the Disc Jockey has utilizes only audio Jockey, where as the Video Jockey comments on a video taped program or the Video Jockey does not only make use of an audio but also a video advantage that he can be seen and can interact with people in a visual manner. The innovative offer of live communication provided the possibility of a Video Jockey in Clubs. Most often than not, Video Jockey preferred in social gatherings and clubs. History The history of clubbing started from the cabarets of Europe during the early years of the 19th century and then it evolved into the bight clubs of the United State not far from the 1950’s. According to Lewis (Lewis, 1981) clubbing became popular as daring past time among urban whites, who would even travel uptown to Harlem after hours of music, food and excitement. Regine Zylberberg in her book Moi, mes histoires, 2006, gave a brief overview of the history of clubbing in the United Kingdom. The first member-only discotheque nightclub was opened at Berkeley Square London, in 1962 through the initiative of Mark Birley. This was then followed by the return of rock and roll during the 1970’s which was remixed into disco music from the French discotheque. The early clubbing according to Regine (as she is popularly called) used jukebox or mostly live bands as a source of musical entertainment. She also mentioned clubs having a dance-floor, suspended colored lights and the juke box were eventually enhanced with two turntables which are operated in order to avoid dead breaks between the music, setting into place the standard elements of the discotheque. As clubbing enters the dawn of technological innovations, additional equipments have been added to make clubbing experience become more exciting. DJ’s of the traditional early clubbing are replaced by VJ’s. The lights are enhanced to move along with the beat of the music. The sounds of music are enhanced through larger and stronger volumes of speakers that replaced jukebox. The musical scoring can be manipulated through an audio mixer that has different controls which makes the job of Jockeys easier. When computers were introduced to play a role in audio mixing, automated and readily mixed music and computer generated effects are now being used in modern night clubs all over Europe and the rest of the clubbing industry all over the globe. Issue Since the introduction of a new form of clubbing, technological issues of its probability and the nature of its existence are haunting the interactive media. The issue that this research attempts to resolve is that, whether interactive clubbing will succeed in providing full satisfaction to modern and contemporary club goers, that would make Interactive technology the future. This research would also attempt to provide a denoted definition of interactive clubbing. Relevance of the Study As an interactive media major, this research would serve as an application of all the theories and practices that I have gathered from my learning experiences. Conceptualizing a new form of clubbing through interactive installation would compel me to combine all the different media in order to come up with a multimedia operated clubbing. This research would eventually serve as the action of the theory that has been instilled in me from my years of studying interactive media. This study would benefit the alternative club goers which are looking for more exciting experiences that other interactive clubbing cannot provide. The right combination technological installations would eventually produce a seemingly perfect environment for club goers to become fully satisfied and fully equipped with an interactive clubbing. Moreover, this research would also provide opportunities for the proper utilization of technological equipments and maximizing the fruitful efforts of scientific research in media and in entertainment. Interactive clubbing would further bring clubbing experience to a higher level of satisfaction which was definitely unable to be provided by the old method of traditional clubbing.

psych 101

psych 101 Magiera PAGE 8Evelyn MagieraApril 24 , 2014Professor RolonThe MetamorphosisKafka's view of society as revealed in his Metamorphosis suggests that man (as represented by Gregor Samsa) is reduced to an insect by the modern world and his family, and human nature is completely self absorbed. Kafka reflects a belief that the more generous and selfless one is, the worse one is treated. This view is in direct conflict with the way things should be; man (specifically Gregor) should be treated in accordance to his actions. Gregor should be greatly beloved by his family regardless of his state because of his great love of them. This idea is displayed in three separate themes. First, Gregor's family is only concerned with the effect Gregor's change will have on them, specifically the effect it will have on their finances and reputation. They are more than willing to take completely gratuitous advantage of Gregor; he works to pay their debt and they are happy to indulge themselves with luxury.En glish: 3:4 Portrait crop of Franz KafkaGregor is the soul employed member of his family and this is their primary interest when Gregor is transformed. Secondly, Gregor is penalized for his efforts to be a good son, and a good worker; his toils are completely taken for granted by both family and employer. The Samsa family is not interested in Gregor beyond their own needs, outsiders are reverentially treated. Thirdly, by the positive changes that occur in the Samsa family as Gregor descends into tragedy and insignificance. As Gregor's life becomes more painful, isolated, and worthless the Samsa family becomes more functional and self-reliant.Metamorphosis is completely self sustained as a novella, however it takes on a deeper meaning when one is aware of its relation to the author; for this reason I am providing some...

Timeline for Applying to Graduate School

Timeline for Applying to Graduate School Applying to graduate school is a lengthy process that begins well before application time. Your graduate school application is the culmination of years of study and preparation.   What You Need to Do (and When) for Grad School Applications Heres a handy checklist to help you keep track of what you need to do and when. First, Second, and Third Years of College In your first and second year of college, your choice of major, courses and out-of-class experiences influence the quality of your application. Research and applied experiences can be important sources of experience, material for admissions essays, and sources of recommendation letters. Throughout college, focus on obtaining mentoring and other experiences that will let faculty get to know you. Letters of recommendation from faculty hold a great deal of weight in graduate school admissions decisions. Spring Prior to Applying to Grad School In addition to obtaining research and applied experiences and maintaining a high GPA, plan on taking the necessary standardized tests for admissions. You will either take the GRE, MCAT, GMAT, LSAT, or DAT, depending on what your program requires. Take the necessary standardized exam early so that you have time to retake it if needed.   Summer/September Prior to Attending Grad School If you havent done so already, take the GRE or other standardized exam needed for admission.Gather information about graduate programs online. Review department websites, peruse faculty web pages and examine program curricula and requirements. Narrow your choices.Consider which faculty members to ask for letters of recommendation. September/October Research sources of financial aid.Carefully examine each of the program applications. Note any questions or essay topics that will require your attention.Write a draft of your graduate admissions essay.Ask a faculty member or the career/grad admissions counselor at your school to read your essays and provide feedback. Take their advice!Ask faculty for letters of recommendation. Provide faculty with a copy of your transcript, links to program information and forms (all clearly labeled in one email), and your admissions essay.   Ask faculty if theres anything else that you can provide to help them. November/December Arrange for your official transcript to be sent to each program to which you apply. Visit the Registrars office to request your transcript. Request that the Registrar hold your transcript until the Fall semester grades are in (unless the application is due December 1, which is common).Finalize your admissions essay. Dont forget to seek additional input from others.Apply for fellowships and other sources of financial aid, as applicable.Check and record the due date for each application. December/January Complete the application for each program. Most will be online. Pay attention to spelling errors in your name, address, email, and email addresses for professors who will write your recommendation letters. Reread your essays and statement of purpose. Spell check! If you are to cut and paste it into an online form, check the spacing and formatting. If its all text, include a blank line between paragraphs. If you are to upload a pdf, be sure to review your document to check for formatting errors.Relax and breathe!Most schools send an email upon receipt of each application and will follow up as files are completed. Keep track of these. If needed, follow up with faculty who have not submitted their letters. February Depending on your field, start planning for the admissions interviews. What questions will you ask? Prepare answers to common questions.Fill out the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. Youll need your tax forms to do this. March/April If needed, visit schools where youve been accepted.Discuss your decisions regarding programs to which you were accepted and reasons why you may have been rejected by a faculty member or the career/graduate admissions counselor at your school.Notify the program of your acceptance.Notify programs that youre declining.

What You Should Know About Ronald Reagans Radio Career

What You Should Know About Ronald Reagan's Radio Career Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. President was many things - including a radio broadcaster. More specifically, he was a sportscaster for several stations between 1932 and 1937 including WOC-AM and WHO-AM. You may not have heard the details, so here are some highlights: WOC - AM 1420 in Davenport was the First commercial radio station west of the Mississippi River and [in 1932] first to hire Ronald Reagan.WOC, needed an announcer to broadcast University of Iowa games. Reagans first assignment - for $5 and bus fare - was the University of Iowas homecoming game against Minnesota. (RonaldReagan.com)After WOC consolidated with WHO in Des Moines...WHO, an NBC affiliate gave Reagan national media exposure. (Reagan.utexas.edu.)  Dutch (a childhood nickname because of his Dutch boy haircut) gained national media exposure recreating Chicago Cubs baseball games from the studio.  One of his responsibilities was to give accounts of Chicago Cubs baseball games via telegraph. During one game between the Cubs and their arch rivals the St. Louis Cardinals that was tied 0-0 in the 9th inning, the telegraph went dead: An often repeated tale of Reagans radio days recounts how he delivered play-by-play broadcasts of Chicago Cubs baseball games he had never seen. Hi s flawless recitations were based solely on telegraph accounts of games in progress. (PBS.org) Once in 1934, during the ninth inning of a Cubs - St. Louis Cardinals game, the wire went dead. Reagan smoothly improvised a fictional play-by-play (in which hitters on both teams gained a superhuman ability to foul off pitches) until the wire was restored. (Wikepedia.org)  Reagan said: â€Å"There were several other stations broadcasting that game and I knew I’d lose my audience if I told them we’d lost our telegraph connections so I took a chance. I had (Billy) Jurges hit another foul. Then I had him foul one that only missed being a home run by a foot. I had him foul one back in the stands and took up some time describing the two lads that got in a fight over the ball. I kept on having him foul balls until I was setting a record for a ballplayer hitting successive foul balls and I was getting more than a little scared. Just then my operator started typing. When he passed me the paper I started to giggle - it said: ‘Jurges popped out on the first ball pitched .’† (intellecualconservative.com)   Did you know that less than six months after President Ronald Reagan left the office he attended an All-Star Game and did some more broadcasting? (BaseballAlmanac.com)  His political career started through the presidency of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). He gained political stature through radio broadcasts and speaking tours sponsored by the General Electric company.

International human resourse managment Assignment

International human resourse managment - Assignment Example Leadership skills and experienced should also be considered when considering a manager. Foreign nations bring new challenges that may overwhelm the managers without adequate skills and experience (GlobalEDGE). The willingness of the manager to travel to a new country can be determined by the marital status of the manager. Single managers are more likely to move to new nations compared to a manager with a family. The company should consider the logistics of moving the manager with his family to the overseas nation compared to the cost of traveling to see his family. The law of the foreign nation should also be learnt by the managers before they are sent to the foreign nation. Learning the law of the nation enables managers to avoid law suits or criminal activities. Learning the law enables managers to respect and be respected in the foreign nations. Understanding the culture of the foreign nation will also enable managers to understand the behaviour of the people in the foreign nation. Understanding the way the society operates fosters a strong relationship with the workers

Guarani and Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Guarani and Nationalism - Essay Example The country seemed to understand the idea of nationalism being among the first in West collectively. Apart from the nationalism, the country was long ago associated with industrialization, urbanization and modernization due to proper understanding of nationalism at an earlier stage. At the beginning of times in Paraguay, there was widespread racial mixing and contact with limited immigration trends, political isolation and geographic trends that produced a remarkable homogeneous population. These factors prevented the creation of the society that is stratified or the rise of the Spanish-speaking group. Geography and race together with the history repeatedly led to growth of the ethnic and language identity aspects to the foreground of the political life of the nation fostering and fueling the sense of distinctiveness that has not abated at backyard and intrigued and attracted the scholars from abroad. The Paraguay’s identification within its territorial integrity and linguistic patrimony is not recent. The background of the identification dates back to the countrys quest for its independence and the self-governance thereafter. This aspect was intensified by the onslaughts that suffered at the time of the War of the Chaco and the Triple Alliance that brought an abiding appreciation and espousal of its distinctive language and heritage. This allegiance culminated in the year of 1967 when Guarani was then declared the national language of Paraguay. Since then Joan Rubin the time when he did the pioneering work it has been assumed that Paraguay is the most bilingual nation in the world and by far its bilingualism is non-volatile rather than a shifting one (Ethnicity and Nationalism (second edition), 2010). The concomitant with the above phenomenon the two languages are supposed to be predominantly infused with positive effect. The Guarani language is

Why pathologies of hope Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why pathologies of hope - Assignment Example This is a thesis that she effectively presented when she claimed that: I hate hope. It was hammered into me constantly a few years ago when I was being treated for breast cancer: Think positively! Dont lose hope! Wear your pink ribbon with pride! A couple of years later, I was alarmed to discover that the facility where I received my follow-up care was called the Hope Center. Hope? What about a cure? At antiwar and labor rallies over the years, I have dutifully joined Jesse Jackson in chanting "Keep hope alive!" -- all the while crossing my fingers and thinking, "Fuck hope. Keep us alive."... (Ehrenreich, Barbara, â€Å"Pathologies of Hope†) As far as ms. Ehrenreich is concerned, postivism will not get you anywhere unless you actually push yourself to take action. Whether you are in a positive or negative state of mind does not have any effect on the outcome. After all, the only goal one has in life is to achieve and succeed. In her case, she found that negativity, anger and the desire to beat the odds worked better than any positive reinforcement she ever got from the medical community, other cancer survivors, or her

Diagnosis of Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Diagnosis of Depression - Essay Example Certain chemicals called neurotransmitters occur in the brain naturally. High-tech imaging of brain shows that physical changes in neurotransmitters causes depression in people, though certain factors like weight loss and lack of sleep might also be the causes of depression. Although it is not a main cause, yet depleted monoamine levels are commonly observed in the chronically depressed patients. Hormonal imbalances also cause depression. Likewise, there are some medicines that have an adverse impact on mood and need proper monitoring, else they can cause depression. ïÆ'˜Â  Environmental FactorsThe environment is also a possible causal factor of depression. In everyday life, people are exposed to numerous stressful situations that include but are not limited to loss of job, divorce, death of a friend or a family member, financial problems, and diseases. In addition to these factors, several unfortunate or traumatic events experienced in the past like child sexual abuse, violence, and bullying and any kind of maltreatment may affect the emotional and psychological health in a negative way. Diagnostic Criteria for DepressionBefore getting into the details of psychoanalytic theories of depression, it is customary to discuss the psychiatric criteria of diagnosis of depression as outlined by DSM-IV. According to DSM-IV, the patient needs to have at least five symptoms from the list of nine symptoms given below sustained over a period of two weeks and the symptoms bring a transition from the previous functioning.

National network, local stations- who better serves the listeners Essay

National network, local stations- who better serves the listeners - Essay Example This paper analysis this article highlighting the main points by the author, why the topic is significant and raises several discussion questions for further analysis of this article. The issues raised in article is the failure of advertisements to take into account of the black market segment which as the research has shown have serious implications on success of an organization. There has also been raised the issue of the nature of advertisement. Originally, advertisements were racist as they mainly focused on the white market segment. By doing this, the advertisers locked away a potential market. Considering that the black community is the second largest race in America, failing to incorporate them in a company’s marketing strategy makes the company lose a considerable potential market. The African American would definitely be repulsed by racist advertisement and look for products that are free of this segregation or those which that they can identify with. This topic is significant because today we are living in a highly competitive business climate. Company is looking for areas where they can get a competitive advantage over their rivals. One way of d oing this is increasing their market scope. The black market provides a potential untapped market which when tapped can help a company have considerable growth. The article shows how the local radios had been used by company focusing their products on the black community and they have been successful. The success of a company depended on its ability to expand into new markets and maintaining the existing ones. Getting insight into how other companies has successfully penetrated the ignored black market can help a company expand and grow. Is there a need to adopt the products for this market in terms of differentiation and prices? This is considering the fact that in the contemporary world, people of the black race are not only found in the lower end of earning but they cut across all levels of

History The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History The World - Essay Example In this regard, it focuses on explaining morality in evolution stages. The emotion and morality document suggests that emotions play a role in the evolutionary stages of morality. Different human emotions either boost the development or the destruction of morality. The document highlighting empathy and morality makes formidable conclusions that all societies have rules and guidelines dictating morality. In short, this document’s point of view is the expected behaviors in reference to people in the society. According to William James, the purpose and morality document pays attention to efforts in trying to establish the role of morality in a society. It reviews the roles played by morality in shaping the world as a better place. The document defining morality refers to Charles Darwin’s contradicting statement that states that one cannot accurately determine the contents of morality. In contradiction, the document leaves out considerations of accurate data that reflects the choices between what is right from wrong. The evolution and morality document has an unreliable statement describing problems in natural selection that helps individuals and their offspring to adopt to moral issues in the tribe. An alternative to this statement is the fact that morality is a single element and the success of the tribe relates to the success of related tribes, in reference to Charles Darwin. The document linking emotions to morality sights an unreliable statement that states emotions help organisms in dealing with adverse changes in the environment. In contrast, a more useful statement to historians is the categorization of emotions and how they affect morality in humans. Some of the religious practices exercised in this document include the belief that man did not evolve on their own, but rather, through creation. Darwin’s theory proposes the evolution of man through various stages from fish and other beings

National network, local stations- who better serves the listeners Essay

National network, local stations- who better serves the listeners - Essay Example This paper analysis this article highlighting the main points by the author, why the topic is significant and raises several discussion questions for further analysis of this article. The issues raised in article is the failure of advertisements to take into account of the black market segment which as the research has shown have serious implications on success of an organization. There has also been raised the issue of the nature of advertisement. Originally, advertisements were racist as they mainly focused on the white market segment. By doing this, the advertisers locked away a potential market. Considering that the black community is the second largest race in America, failing to incorporate them in a company’s marketing strategy makes the company lose a considerable potential market. The African American would definitely be repulsed by racist advertisement and look for products that are free of this segregation or those which that they can identify with. This topic is significant because today we are living in a highly competitive business climate. Company is looking for areas where they can get a competitive advantage over their rivals. One way of d oing this is increasing their market scope. The black market provides a potential untapped market which when tapped can help a company have considerable growth. The article shows how the local radios had been used by company focusing their products on the black community and they have been successful. The success of a company depended on its ability to expand into new markets and maintaining the existing ones. Getting insight into how other companies has successfully penetrated the ignored black market can help a company expand and grow. Is there a need to adopt the products for this market in terms of differentiation and prices? This is considering the fact that in the contemporary world, people of the black race are not only found in the lower end of earning but they cut across all levels of

General Essay on Chinese Religions Essay Example for Free

General Essay on Chinese Religions Essay Early Chinese religion belongs to the mythical and prehistoric period. Tradition speaks of the origins of Chinese culture lying in the 3rd millennium BCE with the Hsia dynasty. As of yet no historical evidence has been found for such a dynasty; all references to it are mythical. It is only with the Shang dynasty, which is traditionally dated from 1766 to 1122 BCE, that we find evidence of a developing culture and religious practices. The religion of the Shang was principally characterised by the use of oracle bones for divination and the development of the cult of ancestors. It was believed that the cracks that resulted from burning ox bones or tortoise shells represented messages sent from the gods about a variety of matters such as illness, the weather or hunting. Belief in deities and the practice of the worship of ancestors has persisted in Chinese life, and has come to form the basis of what has broadly been termed popular religion. Popular religion in fact represents a mixture of early religion and elements of the three great religions: Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. At the heart of popular religion is the worship of deities and veneration of ancestors at shrines in the home or temples. There are many deities associated with this form of religion, but the best known are Shang Ti, the supreme ruler of heaven, and Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy and protector of women and children. In the Chou dynasty a more structured form of religion developed. This is associated with the teaching of Kung-Fu Tzu (551-479 BCE), whose Latinised name is Confucius. Confucius sought to establish a socio-political ethical system, with theological beliefs concerned with human destiny and the conduct of human relationships in society, based on a belief in the goodness of human nature. He believed in a providential Heaven (Tien) and in prayer which encouraged him in his mission. He emphasised the five relationships namely, Father-Son; Ruler-Subject; Husband-Wife; eldest son to brothers; friend and friend to be expressed by li (correct ceremony) to bring he (harmony). Such relationships were rooted in family piety which came to give a prominent place to Ancestor Worship and to respect for deified men, which came to find expression in the Sacrifices of the State religion. The Confucian canon can be divided into two parts: the Five Classics and the Four Books. The Five Classics were handed down from earlier times and emphasised by Confucius. These are the Book of Odes; the Book of History; the Book of Rites; the Book of Divination; and the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Four Books consist of The Analects (Conversations of Confucius); the Doctrine of the Mean; The Great Learning; and the Book of Mencius. Out of the teachings of Confucius emerged various schools associated with a master. Notable was the work of Meng-Tzu (c. 371-c. 289 BCE) and Hsun-Tzu (300-230 BCE). Meng-Tzu and Hsun-Tzu formed rival schools whose doctrinal differences were based in a fundamentally different conception of human nature. Meng-Tzu taught that people were fundamentally good and that what made them bad was their environment. Consequently, Meng-Tzu emphasised the importance of education as a means for bringing out the innate goodness of people. By way of contrast, Hsun-Tzu had a more pessimistic view of human nature. Hsun-Tzu taught that people were inherently evil, and that they could only be taught to be good through training. He also was religiously sceptical, teaching that religious ritual had no purpose except to provide moral training. It was this negative attitude towards religion that was one of the main factors behind the subsequent rejection of the teachings of Hsun-Tzu by mainstream Confucianism and the establishment of Meng-Tzus teachings as orthodox. At the same time that Confucianism was developing, two rival schools were active in China: the Mohists and the Legalists. Mohism was founded by Mo Tzu (c. 470-390 BCE). Mo Tzu advocated universal love and opposed the elaborate and expensive rituals that defined Chinese religious life. This put him at odds with Confucianism in that Confucianism advocated particular love for ones parents as well as the importance of ritual for interpersonal relations. Although during the 4th century Mohism was strong enough to rival Confucianism, it went into decline in the 3rd century, and by the time of the unification of China in 221 had virtually disappeared. It is unclear why the tradition declined so quickly. Legalism is more of a political philosophy than a religion. The various strands of legalist doctrine were systematised by Han Fei Tzu (d. 233 BCE). Han Fei Tzu had been taught by Hsun Tzu and adopted his pessimistic attitude to human nature. Unlike Hsun Tzu, Han Fei Tzu did not believe that people could be reformed, advocating instead a strong, even ruthless, form of government that could control human behaviour. Legalist principles were put into effect by the Chin dynasty, which unified China in 221 BCE, and was subsequently overthrown in 207 BCE. The brief rule of the Chin had a devastating impact on Confucianism, whose scholars it persecuted and whose books it destroyed. Fortunately for the tradition, Confucianism received official acceptance of the Han dynasty and flourished during the Han period. Under the Han dynasty (206 BCE 220CE), the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), and the Sung dynasty (960-1127CE) Confucian teaching was used for public examinations. In 631 CE the Confucian canon was made the sole subject for the examination of aspirants to official positions, so Confucianism came to be known as Ju-chiao, the Doctrine of the learned. During the Sung dynasty (960-1126 CE) Neo-Confucianism emerged as a distinct movement in response to Taoism and Buddhism. Two traditions of Neo-Confucian thought emerged: the School of Principle, represented by Chu Hsi (1130-1200), and the School of Mind, represented by Lu Chiu Yuan (1139-1193) and, later, Wang Yang Ming (1472-1529). Chu Hsi sought to provide a metaphysical explanation of the nature of reality as well as an ethic for human conduct. For Chu Hsi the basis of all reality was the Supreme Ultimate (Tai Chi). In order for people to live properly they had to purify their chi (vital energy) through taming their desires so that they could be united with the Supreme Ultimate. In reaction to Chu Hsis dualistic perception of reality Lu Chiu Yuan presented a monistic picture of the universe. He claimed that the universe and the mind are one. Therefore, through understanding ones own mind one could understand the nature of the cosmos. This was developed by Wang Yang-ming. Wang Yang-ming believed that individuals could perfect themselves through moral self-cultivation. This involved returning to an original mind whose principal quality was love (jen). Also of ancient origin is Taoism whose classic text, the Tao Te Ching, is attributed to a supposed contemporary of Confucius (551-479), Lao Tzu. This text has had many interpreters whose works have developed in various sects, some of which have been very influential. There are two streams of Taoism: Religious Taoism, which is represented by the many sects concerned with the quest for immortality, and Philosophical Taoism, which was concerned to explain the human condition. The major imported religion is Mahayana Buddhism which is believed to have entered China in the 1st century BCE. An important early Buddhist teacher was An Shih Kao who founded what came to be known as the Dhyana School, characterised by its emphasis on meditation. Another major early school was the Prajna school whose doctrines were based on the interpretation of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajnaparamita). It was, however, between the 5th and 8th centuries that Buddhist schools flourished and developed in China. Schools that were active at this time were: San-Lun, Ching-tu, Tien-tai, Chan, Chu-she, Hua-yen, Lu, San-chieh, Fa-hsiang and Chen-yen. The great persecution of Buddhism in the middle of the 9th century led to its rapid decline, and by the time of the Sung dynasty only the Chan and Ching-tu schools remained significant. Incursions from the West began at an early date, mainly in regard to trade and commerce from Arabia and India, probably to Canton or Hangchow. Infiltration of a different kind took place under the Mongols (1260-1368), when the armies of Ghengis Khan spread westwards over countries occupied by the Muslims. The records of the Yuan dynasty indicate that many distinguished officials (both military and civil) were Muslims, bringing with them knowledge of Arabic science known to Kublai Khan and the use of catapults in siege warfare. In Ming times Arabic books on science came into the Imperial library. After the Mongol period, no great influx of Muslims took place, but they spread into most provinces of China, especially in the north-west and west (the provinces of Kansu, Szechwan and Yunnan) and in the north-east (in Manchuria and Hipei). They mainly live in their own communities in their mosques and schools. Their first mosque appears to have been built in Sian in 742. Another group attracted by commerce were the Jews who traded across Central Asia, during the Tang dynasty (618-907), whose communities have mainly been along the sea board in cities such as Shanghai and Canton. The earliest evidence we have of a Jewish community in China derives from a letter written in the 8th century by a Jewish merchant I China. By the 9th century there was a distinct Jewish community in Kaifung, its continued presence evidenced by the construction of a synagogue in the city in 1163. From the 15th century onwards the Jews became increasingly integrated into Chinese life to the extent that by the 19th century the community had all but lost its distinctive identity. As a result of the western colonialism of China in the 19th century and the establishment of new trading contacts with Europe Jews settled in some of the major cities of China. Christianity came to China first by the way of Nestorian Christians, after the arrival of A-Lo-Pen in 781 where it flourished for two centuries (by favour of the imperial court) until the reign of Wu Tsung who closed the monasteries and persecuted the church. It flourished again under Mongol rule in the 13th century, and in 1289 Kublai Khan established an office for the supervision of Christians. At about this time the Roman Catholic Church came to the Mongol empire, when a Franciscan monk came to the Khans court of Kharatorui in 1246. Shortly after that St Louis of France sent an embassy, followed by Marco Polo in 1275; a request from Kublai Khan for a hundred teachers did not, however, bear fruit apart from a small Franciscan mission led by John of Monterovino, who was appointed Archbishop in Cantilec in 1289, and under him three bishops were appointed. Then in the 16th century the Society of Jesus became very active in China inspired by the work of Francis Xavier who had preached in India and Japan. Matteo Ricci came to Canton in 1610 and then to Peking, where he founded a Christian community and gained prominence as an outstanding astronomer. From that time the Roman Catholic Church has continued despite periods of persecution. Protestant missions date from 1807 with W. Morrisons arrival in Canton for the London Missionary Society. Other missions soon followed with the Presbyterians in 1847, the Anglicans in 1849 and the Methodists in 1850. Also prominent have been the China Inland Mission, under Hudson Taylor an interdenominational missionary society. In the twentieth century house churches have been prominent, often associated with such evangelists as Watchman Key. These Protestant activists have contributed greatly to educational and medical developments as well as political and social influences from the West; these were often backed by military force and, therefore, deeply resented. Recent changes under Communist influence, led by Mao, have been profound, strengthening agnostic tendencies for many in the population. Traditional religious practices are still continued in many homes in China and among overseas Chinese. In recent times relaxation of restriction has given fresh opportunity for religious activity. Many Taoist and Buddhist temples, as well as mosques and churches, are being renovated and reopened. Greater openness to the West has been accompanied by renewed conversion to Christianity; the demise of communism has encouraged the rediscovery of traditional religious values. Taiwan has provided an important haven for traditional Chinese religions, as well as the establishment of new religions, since the Nationalist government established itself on the island in 1949. A number of syncretic movements such as San-I-Chiao (Three in One Religion), were suppressed in China following the Communist victory, but have found a haven in Taiwan. Other interesting traditions that have been transplanted to Taiwan are those which are collectively designated the Hsien Tien Tao (Way of Former Heaven sects). Five of the best known of these are the I-kuan Tao, the Tung shan She, the Tien-te Shang-chiao, the the Tao-yuan, and the Tzu-hui Tang. These are characterised by a belief in a creator deity (usually a cosmic Mother figure) from whom humanity has strayed. These sects also claim to transcend all other religions and, therefore, provide a way by which all these religions can be united. All but one (the Tzu-hui Tang) were founded in mailand China, later moving to Taiwan. The Tzu-hui Tang was itself founded in Taiwn in 1949. Also originating from the mainland are the spirit-writing cults. These are cults which derive religious beliefs and practices from a deity mediating through an entranced medium. The practice of spirit writing has been a part of Chinese life probably since the Tang dynasty (618-907). In the 19th century a spirit-writing movement developed in China and entered Taiwan in the same century. This continues to be part of the Taiwanese religious landscape to the present day. There are, of course, a number of recently emerged distinctively Taiwanese movements. Xuan Yuan Jiao (Religion of the Yellow Emperor) was founded in Taiwan in 1957. Xuan Yuan Jiao represents the attempt to recapture the spirit of pre-Han Chinese religion through incorporating Taoist, Confucianist and Mohist teachings and interpreting these as emanating from a tradition that derives from the Yellow Emperor. The religion is highly political in character since its purpose is to revive Chinas national spirit following the loss of the mainland to communism. Buddhism continues to flourish in Taiwan. Following the Communist victory in mainland China in 1949 a further wave of Buddhist monks arrived in Taiwan from the mainland. This has strengthened the presence of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism in the island and influenced the character of earlier traditions. Since 1950 the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China has been the focal point of Taiwanese Buddhism. This is responsible for ordination ceremonies for Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people. In more recent years Taiwanese Buddhism has adopted a more missionary approach both within Taiwan and abroad, particularly in North America. In the 1960s two important Buddhist organizations emerged: the Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation and Fo Kuang Shan. The first of these was founded in 1966 by a self-ordained nun named Cheng-yen. This organization has sought to introduce a strong degree of social concern into Taiwanese Buddhism. Fo Kuang Shans origins can be dated to 1967 when when a Chinese monk, the Ven. Hsing-yun, opened a temple at Fo Kuang Shan in Southern Taiwan. Like the Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation, Fo Kuang Shan emphasizes social action as a means to promote Buddhist values. More recently, Ling Jiao Shan in the north of Taiwan has become a centre of Buddhist activity. Founded by Master Hsin Tao, Ling Jiao Shan has acquired prominence within Taiwan and beyond on account of its establishment of a museum of world religions with branches in Taiwan and the United States.

Diversity commitment at Toyota

Diversity commitment at Toyota DIVERSITY AT TOYOTA Toyota commitment to diversity is built into every area of their business. Everything what they have done was rooted into two fundamental principles â€Å"Respect for people and continuous improvement†. This belief has been supported by work from the United Nations, which explains diversity efforts in the workplace facilitate the exchange of new perspectives, improve problem-solving by inviting different ideas and create a respectful, accepting work environment, all of which make good business sense (Reichenberg 2001). Taken together, the achievements and pledges summarized under the following key business areas represent Toyota 21st Century Diversity Strategy, a ten-year, multi-billion dollar sustainable commitment to minority participation in the Toyota of today and tomorrow. Diversity can be expressed in different ways, such as nationalities, worldviews, gender and minorities, cultures, skills and life styles. In general, studies tell us that no matter how diversity is expressed, it benefits with societies that foster it (Cf. for example, Florida, 2002). Toyota was named to DiversityInc.s 2006 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in recognition of its commitment to diversity and to fostering an inclusive corporate culture. In its first time competing for this recognition, Toyota ranked 29th on the list. The DiversityInc top-50 list is considered to be the most in-depth analysis of U.S. corporate diversity management and leadership. Toyota was also named to Black Enterprises 2006 Best Companies fo r Diversity list in celebration of exemplifying the best practices in diversity across North America. Structure Over the next 10 years, Toyota will invest a multibillion dollar in diversity and align diversity with its mission to provide equal opportunity. Toyota way, the diversity strategy represents a fundamental sea change in the way Toyota do business and think about doing business. For Toyota, diversity is an opportunity to continuous improvement in every aspect of business and to show their respect for people. Employment After issue about Jesse L. Jackson Toyota announced a $7.8 billion 10 year diversity program for its U.S. operations. Partnered with INROADS to provide internships to talented minority youth interested in becoming Toyota team members after graduating from college established an automotive training centre in Los Angeles, which has trained more than 1,400 minority candidates for careers as automotive service technicians. Advertising Hired Asian, Hispanic and African-American advertising agencies to help ensure we are reaching our multiple diverse audiences effectively. Procurement In 2002, Toyota spends $700 million with minority owned businesses. Toyota seeks long term quality relationships with its business partners and suppliers. Partners and suppliers are considered part of the Toyota family and are an integral part of the legendary Toyota supply chain management network. Source: http://www.toyota.com/about/diversity/21stcenturyplan.pdf Dealer Representation When it comes to Toyota dealerships, their aim is clear to have the best dealers in the industry selling the best products in the world. This philosophy extends to Toyotas minority dealership program and is the reason Toyotas dealer diversity program is one of the most successful in the industry. Retail Diversity Initiatives Toyota is committed to helping talented minorities prepare themselves for leadership positions within the retail automotive sector. Toyota pledges $1 million to partner with Toyota Lexus dealers to help recruit, train, and develop minority employees for dealership management and technical position. Automotive Training Centres In 1993, Toyota created the Los Angeles Urban League Automotive Training Centre (ATC). This joint venture with the Los Angeles Urban League provides no cost job training and placement for unemployed and underemployed urban residents in the automotive industry. The program has graduated 850 trainees who have gone on to secure entry level jobs. The economic impact of this program has exceeded $20 million to date. Starting in 2002, Toyota will replicate the success of the Los Angeles ATC by opening a similar training facility in the eastern United States. Over the years, it too will have a significant economic impact of hundreds of millions of dollars. Community Involvement One of the most significant aspects of Toyotas diversity activities is its support of minority organizations. Among these are United Negro College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and our trademark Toyota Community Scholars program. Toyota also provides funding and volunteers to the 100 Black Men Young Black Scholars program. Conclusion and recommendation Toyota sees diversity as a pathway to create a better Toyota. Success in diversity gives Toyota access to the best and the brightest. It creates opportunities for new partnerships. Diversity allows Toyota the ability to fully participate in todays changing marketplace. Diversity gives Toyota additional ways to make a difference and to earn the respect of all of their communities. In short, it provides Toyota with a new way to fulfil its mission to become the most successful and respected car company in America. On a negative side, according to Jobvent.com, a website which rates employers, Toyota is believed to pay well but its workers find it difficult to maintain a good work-life balance. Despite good pay and benefits, the employees also feel a strong lack of respect for them as no one speak to them and they dont feel acknowledged unless they are managers and have to work a minimum 9-10 hours a day being a Japanese company

Glacial Till :: miscellaneous

Glacial Till The characteristics of glacial till reflect the erosional, transportational and depositional history of the constituent sediment.’ Glacial till is a heterogeneous mixture of rock fragments ranging in size from clay to boulders and is deposited directly from glacial ice without water transport. (Strahler A. H. & Strahler A. N. 1976). Ice sheets deposited in the Pleistocene period may be more than 30 m deep and inevitably the constituents of glacial till will reflect the retreats, advances and stationary phases of the ice which have taken place during the history of a glacier since its formation. I shall outline the various forms of glacial till, giving consideration to the type of prevailing climatic conditions which give rise to their formation and deposition to illustrate how the constituent sediment does provide evidence for glacial activity over time. As glaciers are so effective at erosion and transport, large quantities of debris is also associated with them. According to it’s location with respect to the glacier, such debris transported as ice mass may be divided into three main categories. There are three main positions that a glacier can transport debris, englacial debris which occurs within the glacier, supraglacial debris which occurs on the glacier surface and subglacial debris which occurs on the base of the glacier, (please look at figure 15.12 below). While debris is being transported it may remain in any one of these positions until it is deposited by the ice directly or it may end up being reworked by melt water. Deposition of the transported material is a complex process, but the fraction deposited directly from the ice is called till. It consists of a wide range of grain sizes, so it is often referred to as boulder clay. It also posses very little stratification and frequently contains far travelled erratic material, which tends to have clast with edges and corners blunted by abrasion. (Briggs D. Et. Al. 1997) There are two main different types of till which have been recognised, lodgement till and ablation till. Lodgement till is laid down subglacially when debris is released directly from the sole of the ice. Ablation till accumulates initially in a supraglacial position and is later lowered to the ground surface by undermelting. Ablation till can be further subdivided into meltout till and flow till. Meltout till is a direct product of ablation continuing beneath a cover of detritus and flow till consists of debris that has built up on ice and after saturation with melt water becomes so unstable that it flows or slumps into near by hollows.

Responsibility To Protect Essay -- Political Science

Since its adoption by world leaders at the World Summit in 2005, the Responsibility to Protect (herein R2P) has been hailed as a major achievement in protecting populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, or ethnic cleansing that would be committed by rulers. However, some see the R2P not as an effective human right instrument for civilians’ protection as it appears to be another tool for imperialism. My position in this essay is that I believe the R2P doctrine is a considerable achievement in world politics as it signals to potential perpetrators of mass atrocities that the world would no longer stand by, but will use force when necessary to protect innocent civilians. My position is articulated as follows. First, I will present the content/principles of the R2P doctrine . Second, I will point out the legal and moral argument underpinning the R2P, particularly its military aspect. Finally I will evoke some cases where the R2P has been critical in protectin g populations from mass killing and show the shortcoming of those who argue against the R2P. First of all, the R2P clearly states that: i) the State has the primary responsibility to protect its population from heinous human rights abuses such as genocide, war crimes, crime against humanity and ethnic cleansing; ii) the international community has the responsibility to assist States in fulfilling their primary responsibility as indicated in point i) and as such, it should use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means to protect populations from those crimes; iii) however, when a State fails to protect its own populations or is the actual perpetrator of such crimes against its populations, the international community must be prepared to ta... ...international humanitarian and human rights laws as well as international customary laws. There are convincing legal and moral arguments in favor of the use of military intervention as the last resort to protect populations from actual or imminent acts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing. The NATO intervention in Libya in 2011 is a good illustration of the importance of the R2P for the protection of populations from atrocities. The argument of opponents to the R2P is not convincing at all as it only covers one part of the three responsibilities of the R2P. Works Cited 1. World Summit Outcome Document 2. Roland Paris, â€Å"R2P Is Not a License for Military Recklessness†, in the Centre for International Policy Study’s blog (March 12, 2012), retrieved online at http://cips.uottawa.ca/r2p-is-not-a-license-for-military-recklessness/

Medieval Philosophy St. Anselm, an Archbishop of Canterbury

Born in Aosta, in a town off Lombardy, St. Anselm grew up with his mother and father. His mother spoke of the greatness and power of God often. She would describe him with very high regards and Anselm assumed he lived somewhere nearby considering they lived in the mountains already. St. Anselm believed that he witness the greatness of God. He dreamt of his servants and a feast of bread with the King. The servants consisted of women and worked just as servants do. As they were all off gathering the harvest he and the Lord ate a meal of bread together. When St. Anselm woke from his dream he told everyone that he sat with the lord and how immense it was. This sparked his interest in God even more.As a young child he was a quick learner (Eadmer, 1972). When he reached his teenage years St. Anselm was loved by many; even those that opposed authority, He was also still hungry for wisdom. He attempted to join the missionary and become a priest but was denied. The monk would not let him in b ecause they did not think his father would approve. St. Anselm’s mother died some time afterwards. His father was a very strict man and was hard on him. He was so tough on St Anselm that the boy decided to set out on a journey of his own. He looked to learn and he found it in a teacher near Avranches. St. Anselm was a devoted scholar who later became Archbishop and doctor of his church.To the claim: To me God does not yet exist; but there is a creative force constantly struggling to evolve godlike knowledge and power, every man and woman born is a fresh attempt to achieve omnipotence and omniscience.This bluntly means that no current God exist. That everyman and woman is a mold attempt to attain total power and knowledge in an image imitating what he or she believes to be of God. The creative force that is being described is used as a synonym to what God’s power would be in this sentence. Considering that the statement is one without belief then the power and knowledge of a superior is describing a goal man is trying to reach when reproducing him or herself. He has not yet achieved it; therefore he continues to reproduce. Man attempt to create the ultimate human being by mating with those that offer the most beneficial offspring. That is the natural instinct of man; to create flawless images of him; to duplicate his positive qualities into another being.With this being said St Anselm would disagree with the statement that God didn’t exist. God existed in the days of Medieval without question. Philosophers just knew he existed and St. Anselm used the Ontological argument as his own translation. The main problem in the eleventh century was not only if God existence was real, it was proving the theory. Many felt that it was just something in the Bible and others felt there was more answers, St. Anselm being one of them.St Anselm felt that a fool says there is no God. When he or she thinks of this image they contradict themselves. They perceiv e something that is not real to them. He believes it is possible to be because man is created in the image of him and no other. There is no other animal or being that replicates the image of God. St. Anselm considers that we can imagine things but only those that are true will be defined. The definition of God is one being superb to all; he is thought to be just that, even by the imagination of nonbelievers.St Anselm was a philosopher that wanted to analyze the words of the Bible and put proof behind them. His definition of the relationship between man and God requires that you have a somewhat religious background and or belief. (2002). He feels that there is one great thing or many that is created through that one. One thing that is greater than all things.There is a being that is good and that creates and receives goodness through itself. He feels that all things that are good receive their good either through themselves or through another. At the highest level all things are eith er identical or one thing is significantly different than the rest, giving it distinct God-like qualities and making it superior to all else.St. Anselm believes that God does exist in reality. All things that are real exist in reality and all things that are not exist in dreams. Dreams are not reality and all things through God go beyond man’s dreams. St. Anselm would change his opinion to make no one happy but won the hearts of many. He stood behind what he believed. His Ontological argument says that the existence of God can be proven through intuition and reason alone and no physical evidence is necessary.Although many philosophers have disagreed with this argument, St. Anselm insists that if a person can conceive of God, then God does exist. He argues that if someone states â€Å"God does not exist† then he or she is contradictory of his or her self. Since they are made in what he thinks to be the image of God himself.Many theorist and philosophers felt that God wa s a being that common man was incapable of communicating with. They felt that he had given them the knowledge to learn of him but not to go beyond that. Meaning that we will only know what he wants us to know and we will only learn of him what he allows us to. Some felt that they were not going to ever talk with God or get the answers that lead to his existence.St. Anselm believed â€Å" sin has so darkened our minds that we cannot hope to reach the truth unless God graciously leads us to it. He does so by offering us the truth through revelation and by inspiring us to accept that revelation in faith. Once we accept the truth on that basis, however, we can hope to reason out proofs for what we have already accepted through faith. God is rational, and what he does is rational, and we ourselves are blessed with reason. Thus we should be able to discover the rationality of God's actions, at least to some extent. We are like students who, unable to solve a mathematical problem, are giv en the answer to it and then discover they can reason out why that answer is correct (1996).† With this belief strongly embedded into St. Anselm’s way of thinking he would change the way that we look at religion today.This theory is still in existence today. Theologians that studied later on after St. Anselm found it hard to accept this wisdom from such a young philosopher. St. Anselm felt that God spoke to him very clearly. He was taught of this God as a child and as he got older he studied this God. As a man he became to know this God and have an intimate relationship with him. He learned that while in the struggles of life’s journey that God was the not only a philosophy but he was also a reality. God was of concrete power and understanding while all others were temporary. His relationship with his father and many peers were not solid and caused him great grief. The encounters with God were reality to him and they were permanent. He realized that God controlle d all that was. St Anselm intriguingly realized that his life was apart of God’s plan, a part of his story.History in this case defines God’s story. It included St. Anselm’s life plan. He wanted to learn as much as possible about God. St. Anselm was a very wise young man for seeking the wisdom of God and that is why he was given the gift of knowledge.His gift was the ability to spread the word of God and his faith in him. He believed in a mighty God that from his testimonies gave him all that he needed. He was hungry for the knowledge that others may have feared. He was not afraid to die on his deathbed because he was sure that he would go to be with God. He was rumored to have asked the Lord if he could stay long enough to find out where our souls started and their purpose. He felt that after him there would be no one else so competent to do his work.St. Anselm was not only a miracle of his time but ours as well. He proved that nothing could stand in the way of knowledge by not allowing his challenges to lower his power to believe. Believe in what he knew to be. He made history not just for his argument but also mostly for his courageous journey through discovery with his own beliefs.Reference:Eadmer and translated by R.W. Southern. May 1, 1972.The Life of St. Anselm: Archbishop of Canterbury. New York. Oxford University Press.Paul Halsall (Jan 1996). Anselm on God’s Existence. Medieval Source Book. April 26, 2006. http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/source/anselm.asp

Culture and Telecommunication Essay

Telecommunication has been defined as a science of technology and communication at a distance by electronic transmission of impulses, as by cable, telephone, telegraph, radio, or television. Telecommunications is an important area of professional growth. It has also been define as the electronic systems used transmitting messages, as by cable telegraph, telephone, radio, and television. Despite of the sophistication of today’s state of the art communications technology, communication gap is still prevalent and unresolved in the twentieth century. According Minako O’Hagan, communications technology has done â€Å"nothing to resolve the language barriers that prevent a free flow of communication among people who speak different languages† (p. 1) O’Hagan pointed out that today’s world of modern communication, distance, time, and quality have â€Å"ceased to be an issue† as â€Å"Webs of communications networks covering the globe criss-crossing each other with electronic highways on which voice, data and images flow at the speed of light, oblivious to physical boundaries and national borders. These highways provide the backbone of the information structure in the same way as the transport network provides the backbone of the physical infrastructure† (p. 2) However, despite of the modernization of the technology of human communication language barriers remains unresolved in most parts of the world. O’Hagan cited a case in March 1989, at an international hotel in Auckland New Zealand, where a Japanese businessperson with very limited English made a call to the hotel reception. The English-speaking receptionist struggle as she cannot understand her Japanese guest, she then assumes that the man wanted to make a long distance call to Japan guest so she connects him with the international operator who had also difficulty communicating with the man so she puts him through to an international operator in Japan. Finally, the Japanese operator informs the New Zealand operator that the man merely would like to order breakfast delivered to his room. An internet article entitled Communication emphasized that not understanding the language can impede human communication as shown by the case in point above as messages, verbal and non-verbal are in a different language. Context, history of the occasion, relationship, and culture are some of the factors that need to be addressed to be able to have effective human communication. Human communication varied depending on the particular occasion. Jungle drums, smoke signals, morse code, photography, and art are artificial communication instrument used by different groups of people even today. These instruments are as effective and as clear as the verbal communication. The most common methods of communication, which commonly used every day, are the written and spoken language, hand signals, and body language. In general, the mediums of human communications are the mass media, composed of print and broadcast, which denote a section of the media, conceived and designed to reach a large audience, and the telecommunication, which is another major communication medium that conveys signals over a space for the purpose of communication. The article emphasized that modern method of communication such as; via-e-mail, internet forums, and text messaging now permit for intense long-distance exchanges between larger numbers of people, while the traditional broadcast media and mass media such as television, cinema, radio, newspaper, and magazines, still cling to one to many type of communication. Verbal Communication According to Robert M. Krauss of the Columbia University, communication takes place when signals transmit information-bearing messages between a source and a destination (p. 2). Krauss noted that human communication is distinguished for its exactitude and flexibility through the use of language. Verbal communication necessitates the use of words, symbols, vocabulary, and numbers and is arranged in sentences using language. It includes phrasing of words clearly and positively, in which the words and its explanations affect thought and determine emotion (Krauss p. 2). In general, human communications use two kinds of signal, signs, and symbols. Signs are indications that are causally associated to the message they convey, while symbols are the result of social gathering. An internet article entitled How to Improve Verbal Communication cited that verbal communication can be express through telling or reading a story to convey effectively a message. The article noted that stories hold influence to persuade a person to relate to the message. Human communications have four main channels common to the work place or even in the society, the written communication, the telecommunication, the third party communication, and the face-to-face communication. The written communication includes letters, memos, faxes, e-mails, and even text messaging. The concept of written communication according to a web article entitled Communication is that it provides a common message for everyone, as recipients will read the same words. However, the same article stated that the actual words amount to only 7 percent of the message and the remainder is made up of 38 percent tone and nonverbal clues at 55 percent. In other words, the receiver of the message is left with the remaining 93 percent for his or her own interpretation of the message. Telecommunication on the other hand, includes telephones, cellular or mobile phones, intercoms, and other voice communications. According to the same article, telecommunication is more effective than the written communication in conveying a message because it used 45 percent capability of understanding the message as it allows immediate interaction between the sender and the receiver, although there is still remaining 55 percent of the message’s potential unavailable to the receiver. The worse of the four human communications channel, The Third-Communication, the message is subjected to a second meaning, which is that of the person acting as the channel of communication. The message may no longer be concrete as what the sender intended. The fourth communication channel however, which is face to face conversation offers the full array of communication as sender can pass on the desired meaning, and the receiver can clarify or ask question if necessary. Thus in human communication, the most effective would be face-to-face communication followed by telecommunication, written communication in third and third party communication. E-mail simply means electronic mail and is a store and forward method of creating, transferring, and storing, receiving messages to a web portal, or straight to one’s computer or laptop by means of a program such as Microsoft outlook. E-mail messaging has improved the web mail service, which has now the ability to send text message to cell phones directly from e-mail for free. Jefferson Graham calls it â€Å"social Communication† as it makes easier for the public to go back and forth between e-mail, instant messaging, and text messaging. The e-mail messaging is currently dominated by Yahoo mail service with 83 million users in the United States alone. Instant messaging on the other hand is a form of real time communication between two people base on typed text. Text messaging is transmitted using computers linked over a network such as the internet. The difference between instant messaging and e-mail is that instant messaging offers a real time conversation while the e-mail is in letter format where communication may be delayed. Text messaging is a popular form of online messaging. It is defined as a means of conveying short messages to and from mobile phone. Text is a usually the term for transfer of short messages, consisting of 160 characters or lower. Text messages are the individual messages sent using the SMS or the Short Messaging System from the mobile phones. Cultural Differences and Similarities between Koreans and Americans In his article, Conflict Management in an Age of Globalization: A Comparison of Intracultural and Intercultural Conflict Management Strategies between Koreans and Americans, Jongbae Hong noted that findings of his study reveals that both Koreans and Americans were inclined to use similar patterns of Conflict Management Strategies CMS in administering intracultural conflict. Hong found out that while Americans prefer a competition strategy and an assertive orientation, the Koreans tend to avoid strategy and a cooperative orientation to Americans. Another cultural difference between Koreans and Americans is in the Korean’s use of compromise and collaboration strategies and their supportive tendency for managing difference in intracultural interface, Hong explained that Koreans tend to decrease in interaction, the American on the other side tend to also decrease in intercultural interaction in their use of competition strategy and their assertive tendency for managing conflict. Further difference between Koreans and Americans can be observed in the concept of family. In their article entitled Korean Version of the Geriatric Social Readjustment Questionnaire: Cross-cultural Comparison between Koreans and Americans in the Perception Life Events, Seung Chul Shin, SunTaek Whang, Chan Hyung Kim, and Ho Young Lee emphasized that Koreans strictly valued family in line with Confucianism, and are keenly mindful of the importance of the family unity, continuity of the family name, and economic security. Elderly are living with their adult children and tend to be dependent on their children. In Contrast, American family centers on individualism. Children 18 years old and above are expected to live on their own and adults live in the retirement villages or home for the aged. According to Hong, the development of communication and transportation technologies has made the world become a huge global community. Because of this development human interactions and communications between different cultures such as political, social, economic, and cultural boundaries have greatly increase as a result of global connections. The internet technology has facilitated intercultural interactions and communications in cyber space and the development in international transactions, for people who are seeking to study, or to work overseas, and for migration. The intercultural communication provided by the internet establishes the link between cultures through the e-mail messaging service. Language Barriers and Miscommunication caused by Cultural Backgrounds Language barrier normally occurs in every situation particularly if there is a language, cultural, or sexual differences. However, Kimberly Moynahan Garson asserts that language barriers even occur between two people who speak the same language, with the same culture, and even of the same sex. This language barrier according to Garson has to do with behavioral preference for perceiving or judging. Moynahan explain that people differ in perception and judgment regards less of cultural linguistic or sexual similarities. She points out that a person can obtain information and never applies judgment or can apply judgment to something without receiving complete information. Moynahan goes on to further explain that these tendencies, creates language barriers as some would chose the perceiving process withholding judgment as long as possible, while others would jump to the judging process hastily as they can which leads to different actions. This in turn becomes a language barrier. The differences on the human preferences between these two, leads to miscommunication, never-ending rounds arguments and conflict and frustrations. According to a web article entitled Language Barrier Leads to Medical Mistakes, language barrier pose serious threat in hospital patients’ particularly non-English speaking patients. The article emphasized that even with interpreter, translations mistakes may result to serious medical consequences. Realizing the serious consequences of the language barriers, hospitals employed trained interpreter to assist patients who are non-English speakers. Language barrier is one cause of miscommunication in America due to the growing foreign-born population and cultural diversity in the population of the United States. The truth is, cultural and language hindrances can create complications and hinder effectiveness in the workplace. In a report, eighteen percent of the U. S. residents aged five and older speak other than English at home while Spanish and Asian languages has eleven and four percent respectively, which pose barriers for settlers as well as in the workplace. Language alone affects the way of interacting and relationship of people, which reflect with the way they exhibit behavior, beliefs, values, and practices (Lee, 2003, p. 3). Lee mentioned in his paper that language barriers were ranked among the top three barriers †¦ that prevented minorities and the poor from receiving necessary [health] care (p. 6). The influx of immigrant workers in America and other part of the world is a respond to the growing need for workers particularly in the construction, service, and manufacturing industries; and that it creates challenges among them to overcome cultural and language barriers that they experience. Thus, it is the best concern of company manager and owners to bridge the cultural and language barriers that divide the workers in the place of work. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board (2002) has identified common cultural and language that often show up in the workplace in general; they are: roles and status, personal space, body language, religion, and personal appearance (p. 4). Roles and status refer to interaction that goes with male and female while doing various roles assigned to them considering the fact that men and women are distinct in personality and differing cultures have dissimilar outlook to sexes. Personal space is another cultural value since people have contradictory perspective when it comes to distance when conversing with one another; Americans prefer five feet distance while Arab and Latinos like closer space, and others like more distance. Body language as a nonverbal communication gives meaning, which may be interpreted wrongly by person from other culture. Personal appearance like hygiene and grooming is obviously different from one country to another. People give their judgment based on their cultural standards. Thus, language barriers and cultural barriers go hand in hand while in the workplace, which present nuances or problems among the employee. In order to prevent problem, it is necessary that employers have clear understanding of what is going on, and face the problem by giving the workers continuous seminar in order to overcome the differences. Writer’s Personal Experience with SK Telecom SK Telecom as a telecommunication company based in South Korea is one of the country’s largest business group. The company that started in 1984 offers its clienteles with a wired and wireless incorporated multi-internet service. Being internationally known and globally competitive, it almost achieved its peak in handling intercultural differences, from handling clientele, stakeholders, and workers to meeting demands for much advance technology through which communication is vital in the success of the company. Working in a Korean company is totally contrasting to the typical American culture primarily because of language and other cultural values. Koreans are hardworking people, yet they enjoy life and entertainment as well. With a strong devotion to vertical relationship such as with family, relatives, co-workers, classmates, and friends, Koreans tend to support the people closest to them than with other people of different culture. They are also nationalistic who take pride of their national identity. In my experience as a Korean-American employee in that company, I encountered some difficulty adjusting to the culture; though I grew up in a Korean community in America, working in a Korean company is a different experience. The mere fact that Korean company uses a â€Å"top-down management style,† many workers and employees at the bottom of the chain often exploded into violent strikes; usually the chairman and other top administrative personnel are very powerful and all-knowing who do not accept opinion. However, in the recent years, they began to adapt new policies of teamwork among them in order to bridge the gap and lessen the problem brought by cultural diversity. Conclusion Human communication is a blessing from God to humanity for with out it, human society could have ruined along long time ago. Communication makes life more exciting as it brings the world closer especially during the present time in which modern communication technology has transcends all the barriers that were considered in the past as next to impossibility. Practically, the blessings of modernization have erased all this barriers, and the world is heading towards a more unified global community in its effort to further improve the quality of human life. Regardless of race, cultural orientation, and educational attainment, every one must take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with another not only for personal gain but to be able to contribute in the global direction to improve the quality of life, and the world that we live in. Work Cited Cultural and Language Barriers in the Workplace. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board. http://www. charlotteworks. org/clbpositionpaper. PDF Communication http://www. cod. edu/Course/MGT100/mgtcomm. htm Graham, J. Yahoo gives E-mail Texting Capability http://www. usatoday. com/tech/products/services/2007-08-26-yahoo-mail_N. htm Hong, J. â€Å"Conflict Management in an Age of Globalization: A Comparison of Intercultural Conflict Management Strategies between Koreans and Americans. † http://lass. calumet. purdue. edu/cca/gmj/sp05/graduatesp05/gmj-sp05gradinv-hong. htm â€Å"How to Improve Verbal Communication. † http://www. about-personal-growth. com/verbal-communication. html Krauss, R. M. The Psychology of Verbal Communication http://www. columbia. edu/~rmk7/PDF/IESBS. pdf â€Å"Language Barriers Lead to Medical Mistakes. † http://healthlink. mcw. edu/article/1031002276. html Lee, Sharon M. (2003). â€Å"A Review of Language and other Communication Barriers in Health Care. † http://www. hablamosjuntos. org/resources/pdf/SMLeeCommunication_and_Health. pdf Moynahan, K. â€Å"Language: What’s Your Style? † http://www. archaeolink. com/language_barriers. htm Shin,C. S. , et. al. â€Å"Korean Version of the Ceriatric Social Readjustment Questionnaire: Cross-cultural Comparison between Koreans and Americans in the Perception of Life Events. † http://www. eymj. org/1989/pdf/38. pdf â€Å"View Source for Communication† http://en. citizendium. org/wiki? title=Communication&action=edit â€Å"What is Online Messaging† http://www. ancomm. com/igeneration/what_is_online_messaging. html

Coming to America My Personal Story

â€Å"History is something we make together†, Orhan Pamuk once said. It is also something we enjoy together, I would add, because it is often a play of coincidences. Bulgaria is a beautiful country in Europe. The geographical location of Bulgaria is in the South East of Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. It has an interesting geography. It has mountains on the south and the middle and valleys in between. The entire border on the East is constituted by the coastline of the Black Sea. Romania is the border on the North separated by the Danube River.To the West is Serbia and Macedonia, while Greece and Turkey are on the South. After an aborted uprising in 1923, the Bulgarian Communist Party had gone underground and its leaders fled to the Soviet Union. The Bulgarian party was marked by inner turmoil. The German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 brought unity among Communists worldwide. In April 1944 the Communist party proclaimed itself the First Bulgarian Partisan Brigade and st arted communicating with the command center in Sofia.The Chavdar brigade became the main arm of the party leaders in Sofia for sabotage, raids, and intimidation around the capital. During the night of September 8, 1944 the current situation led the partisans in capturing without bloodshed, the Ministry of War, arresting the ministers and seizing the communication system. As the partisans became the new militia, its political chief of staff directed the round-up and execution of thousands of enemies of Communism in Bulgaria.According to the official figures, 12,000 of the population were delivered to the people's tribunals, while untold numbers disappeared without a trial. I was born in 1947, the youngest in the family, in the town of Shumen by the seaside on the cost of the Black sea. We had a two story house on the hills. In the winter season the streets were covered with four feet of deep snow. In spring, Lipton trees bloomed with flowers, lining on both sides of the streets. The smell of its fragrance still remains in my memory.In the summer after school, we were vacationing for three months in the beach house by the Black Sea. My father stayed behind to provide for us. Because of his love, goodness and kindness of his heart to our family, he struggled a lot to make up with the new government changes and restrictions. My father studied in France to be a dentist and had a clinic in our town and my mother was a house wife. Dad had a great influence on us as a pro-westerner because of his study abroad, living experience and knowledge of the life outside Bulgarian borders.He told us amazing stories about the free world like Paris, Rome and the life of the Western world of prosperity and freedom. I grew in communist Bulgaria, but we were Armenian by nationality, because our grandparents came from Turkey as refugees in 1914, when Turks occupied Armenian land. They started their new life in Bulgaria. Communist Bulgaria and Soviet Union became very close. The emerg ence of Nikita Khrushchev as the leader of the Soviet Union replaced Joseph Stalin. After those changes life in Bulgaria became worse, bad economy, no food, no housing, and corruption followed.Only the members of the communist party were privileged! Everyone lost their businesses and personal property because the Government took over. Our house was also nationalized. I graduated high school in December 1965, I could not further my education because my father applied for a refugee visa so that we can leave the country and move away from this difficult and corrupted life. The Government refused to give us a visa for the next five years! Instead they ask me to go to serve in the military for the next two years.I was in the army during the conflict with neighboring Hungary and there were few major crises during my stay in the army. I completed my military service in the Bulgarian army and started going to college for my higher education. I also wanted to be a dentist and a dental techni cian like my father. At the same time our family was hoping that sooner or later the Bulgarian communist party will permit us to leave the country. During his lengthy reign, the President Zhivkov's main policy was to follow the Soviet model. He often stated that loyalty to the Soviet Union was a test of Bulgarian patriotism.He pursued increasing integration with the Soviet economy and resisted the economic experimentation of neighboring Hungary. In cultural affairs he bought off the creative intelligentsia to head off dissent. There were few major crises during his time in power except for one military plot, several instances of terrorism, and occasional outbursts of dissent. Bulgaria's economic advancement during the era came to an end in the 1980s, and the collapse of the Communist system in Eastern Europe marked a turning point for the country's development.In 1990 elections, the Communist Party renamed the Bulgarian Socialist Party and remained in power. A series of crises in th e 1990s left much of Bulgaria's industry and agriculture in shambles. I personally followed politics, economy and finance. Bulgaria joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. We had no hope until the ANCA (The Armenian National Committee of America), the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization helped the Armenian community.ANCA was working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, such as The United Nation, to help Armenian families leave all communist countries around the world to get freedom, destining America. In 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 14, which declares, â€Å"Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. † I was sad that I was leaving the place where I was born, but inside in my heart I was feel ing happy for the new life that I will face soon.Finally we received our visas to leave the country. In order to reach our destination which was the United States, we had to stop in the city of Beirut, Lebanon as a refugee in 1968 and then we flew to our final destination which was New York in December, 1969. New York is an amazing city, no wonder everyone talks about New York. It is one of the most agglomerations in the world at the center of the Metropolitan Area. New Yorker’s called us rubber necks looking always up at the tall skyscrapers.We stayed for some time in New York, but we had to move to Los Angeles where our friends from back home started their life from zero. Our family had to do the same. Life for us was very difficult at the beginning especially for my parents starting at sixty; they had to start all over, building a new life. We lost everything, we had to learn English, find work, go to school at night, and find new friends and neighbors. Refugees or familie s like us really struggled a lot in the beginning. It took us many years to forget the difficulties, the hard work, pain and suffering.Unfortunately, I lost my parents in the first three years of my stay in the United States; they could not take the pressures of the new life. Even though it was difficult for them, they were happy they came, so that we could build our life in this free democratic capitalism. This country is a political, economic, and social system and ideology based on a tripartite arrangement of a market-based, economy based predominantly on a democratic policy, economic incentives through free markets, fiscal responsibility and a liberal moral-cultural system which encourages pluralism.This economic system supports a capitalist free market economy subject to control by a democratic political system that is supported by the majority. I am happy today with my lovely family, my wife and two boys. My older son is following the dental profession, and my younger son grad uated medicine becoming a surgeon. I am still following politics, economy and finance. In 2000 I became a Financial Advisor for WFG. And in 2004 I became a real estate agent and a Broker. Today I am back to school taking classes at an online university for pre-law and I completed my LAVC (Los Angeles Valley College) for Paralegal degree.