What is a Descriptive Essay

What is a Descriptive Essay? Descriptive essay is devoted to portraying a detailed account of your writing’s subject. The sort of details that should be provided depends on the type of the described concept. For example, if the essay is about a literary character, it should include references to his or her individuality, behavior and its role in the corresponding story. But if your subject is a bicycle, you should refer more to its technical characteristics and parameters. Although descriptive essay obviously requires detailed description, it is not necessary to thoroughly discuss every aspect of your subject. Choose one that is the most interesting and will be in focus – some event, person, mood or feeling – and describe it vividly. Still, do not isolate the subject from its context, as it must serve as a background, which will make your description more expressive. Decide on the purpose of your essay. For example, if you plan to depict someone’s achievements, it won’t be enough just to stick to describing his or her talents. For that purpose, you should relate about competitions the person participated in, list the prizes and honors he or she won. When it comes to description, it’s high time to forget regular cliches. Make use of rich vocabulary; be sure to use plenty of adjectives and synonyms. A few metaphors will also make for a vivid experience of your readers. Try to keep the order of your description in such a way that you proceed from general information to specific details. For example, it is inappropriate to start the person’s description with discussion of his or her clothes. It is better first to give general details, such as gender, age and occupation. There are no strict rules concerning the summary part of descriptive essay. You may add your own attitude, or state what you find special about the subject described.

Why Slavery Was A Source Of Social Stability - 3414 Words

It is not clear to say whether Slavery was a source of social stability or tension in the South between 1820 and 1860’s, in order to establish the correct answer, we must first discuss them, the arguments that exist between the two, the statistics and figures which exist between the two, as well as the overall general opinion at that time. Both points have their own arguments in themselves, people may argue that without the slave trade, America wouldn’t be what it is today, others would argue that the slave trade, has created instability as well as tension due to the cycle of poverty, that has borne fruit in America amongst African American’s with no way out, for ancestors of old southern slaves. It also should be†¦show more content†¦The stability that slavery created in the American South between 1820 and 1860 was phenomenal. Economic stability was like no other country had ever seen, this economic stability created a global marketing network througho ut many different nations, trade routes that still exist within modern America today. Slavery became the bedrock of American South livelihood; it became so valuable that it was almost seen as unimaginable to live without slavery. â€Å"It was inconceivable that European colonists could have settled and developed America without slave labour taking place,† this was according to†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The reason the south prospered and grew like it did was due to slavery. The value that slaves had to their slave owners was unquestionable. Slave owners were able to receive loans, whilst using their slaves as guarantors; these loans would then have been used in the purchasing of further land, more livestock and more slaves. It was also said that slave owners used their slaves to pay of any outstanding debt they may have had. It is clear to see the economic value that slaves possessed; they were included in the valuation of estates, for example; (Example), and this in turn became a sou rce of tax revenue for the National as well as the local Governments, it was also

The Holocaust A Mass Murder Of Millions Of Jews - 993 Words

When the United States heard about the holocaust taking place in Germany, they took action. The Holocaust in Germany was a mass murder of millions of jews that was ran by Adolph Hitler and his Nazi party. The United States is taking similar actions today against syrian refugees just like how they did with the germans running the concentration camps. It was believed that Adolf Hitler (ruler of Germany at the time) and the Nazi party (supporters of Hitler) hated many people for many reasons. They hated jews because jews had most of the money,, most of the jobs, and had already established and owned most of the land in Germany. They hated handicapped people because they were believed to be â€Å"useless†, they hated Gypsies because Gypsies were†¦show more content†¦The Nazi’s nearly killed off the entire European, Jewish race, they killed off â…” of the of them. There were many concentration camps all over Germany. Prisoners could be sent to another camp to survive or for other various reasons. The concentration camps were unstable and unsanitary. The main epidemics or diseases that was within the camps was dysentery (diarrhea) and typhoid. The Prisoners had little to no food and had little clothing. At certain times a SS officer could call for selection meaning he or she will pick the prisoners of best fit that can continue to work. If you ended up on the right, you were safe and if you ended up on the left, you were in danger of being killed, later or on the spot. When enemies or invaders were coming near the camps, the camp officials would call for evacuation or â€Å"Death March.† Not many prisoners would survive because they were already starving and would have to run in the cold nonstop. Officials and the guards ran with the prisoners but they eventually got a break by switching with another official or guard. If you stopped wh ile running, you were shot and killed on the spot. The top 5 most famous concentration camps were Auschwitz, Belzec, Bergen-Belsen, Buchenwald, and Chelmno. Auschwitz opened in 1940, around 1.1 million of its prisoners died. Auschwitz is located in Poland and now is a museum. Belzec opened on November, 1941, and closed December 1942. Around 600,000 Jews were murdered at Belzec. Belzec is listed

Political Parties in George Washingtons Cabinet - 758 Words

A political party is a group of people who seek to win elections and hold public office in order to shape government policy and programs. George Washington warned the nation against creating political parties in his famous â€Å"Farewell Address†. He feared political parties would divide the country and weaken support of the Constitution (Doc 4). The first major political parties, the Federalists and the Republicans, were created during the term of President George Washington. Despite President Washington’s warning, the rise of the two political parties, in the years after his term was inevitable. The Federalists were in favor of a strong central government, while the anti-federalists opposed most their ideas. Over time, the gradual development†¦show more content†¦Hamilton created a financial system and national bank that solved the countries debt problem. The Anti-Federalists held the opposite views. They were a diverse coalition of people who opposed ratific ation of the Constitution. The party mostly consisted of farmers who lived in the south. They objected the new powerful central government, the loss of prestige for the states, and saw the Constitution as a potential danger to personal liberties. They believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States lay in the governments potential to become corrupt and seize more and more power until its monarch rule completely dominated the people. Jefferson believed that the Federalists’ acted as monocrats (Doc 5). The Anti-Federalists strongly supported state rights, but were opposed to a national bank because they didn’t want a strong central government (Doc 2). Local control was crucial to Antifederalists’ concept of democracy. The differences in political parties and philosophies led to the opposing opinions on government issues. Disagreements between Hamilton’s and Jefferson’s viewpoints involving a national bank, constitution interpreta tions, and social differences led to the rise of political parties. The Whiskey Rebellion influenced the division between political parties. The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest in the United States during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold theirShow MoreRelatedGeorge Washington and Thomas Jefferson Contribution to Stable Government724 Words   |  3 PagesRevolutionary Contributions to Stable Government George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were two important presidents who had an enormous affect on our nation’s stable government and beginning years of our country. Each made their unique contributions to a new government under the Constitution after the failed adoption of the Articles of Confederation. 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George Washington had a valuable, well-rounded education from ages seven to fifteen, studying all the subjects (Nevins and Graff). Due to his father’s death, George grew up under the supervision of his half-brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon, learning manyRead MoreGeorge Washington : A Hero Of The Revolutionary War927 Words   |  4 PagesOften referred to as the â€Å"Father of Our Country,† George Washington (1732-1799) is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the early history of the the United States of America and a hero of the Revolutionary War. Honest, humble, noble, farmer, commander-in-chief - all words still used this day to describe our country’s first President. 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Forgive me my foul murder! Essay Example For Students

Forgive me my foul murder! Essay Forgive me my foul murder! That cannot be; since I am still possessd of those effects for which I did murder-. III. ii. 52-6 The hypocritical Claudius proclaims the aforementioned prayer, but is Claudius prayer superficial? Shakespeares Hamlet is teeming with deceit, incest, and hypocrisy; all of which are clearly portrayed through Claudius. Shakespeare obscures Claudius sinister characteristics through hypocrisy, but as the play develops, Claudius Mephistophelian nature becomes evident. In the early acts of Hamlet, there is no direct evidence of Claudius villainy. Claudius first appearance depicts him giving a speech to Queen Gertrude, Hamlet, Polonius, and other attendants. Claudius explains, Though yet of Hamlet our dear brothers death the memory be green, and that it us befitted to bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom to be contracted in one brow of woeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, the imperial jointress to this warlike state, have we, as twere with a defeated joy, with an auspicious and a dropping eye, with mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole, taken to wife. Nor have we herein barrd your better wisdoms, which have freely gone with this affair along. 7 The naÃÆ' ¯ve audience is unaware of the truth of King Hamlets murder, therefore, are also unaware of Claudius hypocrisy. In the beginning of Claudius speech, he implores the attendants to mourn deeply the death of his brother, the former King, Hamlet. The underlying hypocrisy lies within his orders to mourn because Claudius is not actually mourning Hamlets death. Claudius also misrepresents his marriage to Gertrude by providing seemingly sound reasons and downplaying its awkwardness. Noted critic Joseph Bertram also relates Claudius hypocrisy to his devilish tendencies by stating, Elizabethans viewed it hypocrisy as a particularly serious character flaw. The kings hypocrisy is perhaps most evident in his eloquent speech in Act I, scene ii in which he openly discusses his hasty marriage to Gertrude. Bertram 138-139 Claudius continues to mask evilness with sincerity when Hamlet refuses to obey the common theme: death of fathers. Claudius assures Hamlet thattis a loving and a fair reply. Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come; this gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet sits smiling to my heart; in grace whereof, no jocund of health that Denmark drinks today, but the great cannon to the clouds shall tell, and the Kings rouse the heaven shall bruit again, re-speaking earthly thunder. 10 Claudius conveys a remorseful and sincere tone while speaking to Hamlet, but his tone is not justified because he is not sincere and feels no remorse. Joseph Bertram recognizes Claudius false remorse and sincerity and says, To look at him no one would imagine the foul crimes of which he is guilty, the murder of a brother, and the filthy, animal sin of incest. Not the mark of Cain, but a clear conscience seems to show itself on Claudius brow; he seems to emanate health and brightness of soul, and a gracious spirit of nobility. And yet as he wrote the play, Shakespeare, even as he imagined Claudius seeming so splendid, had also imagined him guilty at the very moment of two horrid, ugly crimes. Bertram 140 Although the audience is currently unaware, Shakespeare begins the chronological revealing of Claudius evil nature with his hypocrisy. As the play continues, the audience becomes more aware of Claudius malicious nature. Horatio and Marcellus have previously seen the apparition, whom they believe resembles King Hamlet. Horatio notifies Hamlet of their findings and urges Hamlet to go on watch with Marcellus and him. Horatio spots the ghosts and exclaims, Look, my lord, it comes. 21 The Ghost and Hamlet engage in dialogue and the Ghost admits, I am thy fathers spirit. 23 The Ghost reveals, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears his crown. 24 Hamlet replies, O my prophetic soul! .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 , .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .postImageUrl , .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 , .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:hover , .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:visited , .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:active { border:0!important; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:active , .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820 .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2fb1a190d6fffe1a5250ec2344030820:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: John Berger and History EssayMy uncle! 24 Critic Victor Cahn believes, Hamlets response, O my prophetic soul! tells us that he has suspected as much all along. Cahn 76 The Ghost recommences his describing of the murder by saying, Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, with witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts- O wicked wit and gifts that have the power so to seduce! 24 As Victor Cahn has stated, Hamlet has thought this all along and now the Ghost has confirmed his suspicions, but Joseph Bertram concedes that, There is still a strong possibility that the Ghosts words ought not to be taken. What we have seen of Claudius suggests a clear conscience: we have been present whilst a very gracious and most noble-looking renaissance monarch transacted private and public business with an admiring court around him. Bertram 139 Bertrams criticism relates to the false appearance Claudius is portraying. Claudius egregious hypocrisy deceives the audience, and leads them to possibly disregard the Ghosts statements. Hamlet, however, does not disregard the Ghosts statements, and he becomes increasingly more delirious at the stark realization that Claudius murdered his father. The natural guilty conscience of Claudius leads him to believe that Hamlet is aware of Claudius foul crimes. Shakespeare proceeds to reveal Claudius villainy by showing his guilty conscience when he says to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern speaking about Hamlet, To draw him on the pleasures and to gather so much as from occasion you may glean, whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus that opend lies within our remedy. 33 Here, we see Claudius telling Hamlets boyhood friends to spy on him and ascertain the reason of Hamlets madness. Although the audience receives more proof of Claudius true nature, there is still a feeling of ambiguity about his guilt. Shakespeare provides the final revelation of Claudius Mephistophelian nature as the play culminates. Hamlet concocts a plan to prove Claudius guilt and reveal his true nature. He orders for players to perform The Murder of Gonzago, and meticulously describes how the players are to act. Hamlet plans to have the players emulate Claudius murder of King Hamlet in the play. Hamlet asks Horatio to watch Claudius reaction to the seen of the murder. Hamlet describes to scene to the audience, He poisons him i the garden for his estate. His names Gonzago. The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. You shall see anon how the murderer gets the love of Gonzagos wife. 64 Ophelia notes, The king rises, 64 and Claudius shouts, Give me some light. Away! 64 Claudius reaction to the poisoning scene assures Hamlet of his guilt and he says, O good Horatio, Ill take the Ghosts words for a thousand pound. Critic Joseph Bertram declares, After the moment when Claudius has shown his guilt fleetingly in his face and gesture, upon the talk of the poisoning, there is no more doubt for Hamlet and Horatio, and for audience and reader. And up to this moment Shakespeare does not show Claudius in such a way that we know him for what he is: but once murder has spoken with miraculous organ we can see him without the disguise. Bertram 141 The completely revealed Claudius attempts to prayer and proclaims, O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upont, a brother murder. Pray can I not, though inclination be as sharp as will; my stronger guilt defeats my strong intentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦My fault is past. But O, what form of prayer can serve my turn? Forgive me my foul murder? That cannot be, since I am still possessd of those effect for which I did the murder- My crown, mine own ambition and my queen. May one be pardond and retain the offence? 69-70 Claudius hypocrisy reveals itself again as he tries to pray for his foul offense, but wishes to retain the rewards it has brought him. .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b , .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .postImageUrl , .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b , .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:hover , .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:visited , .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:active { border:0!important; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:active , .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud726c3e9cfd25cbf0acf0dc76e76df5b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Drunk Driving EssayClaudius subverts his conscience and refuses to ask for divine forgiveness. www. liffnotes. com 1 Joseph Bertram maintains, An Elizabethan audience would not likely sympathize with the monarch as he tries to pray in Act III, scene iii, for his admission of sinning coupled with his inability to repent only makes his wickedness more pronounced. Bertram 139 Even after attempting to repent his sins, Claudius now conspires to have Hamlet sent to England and killed on arrival. The true nature of Claudius is completely revealed and his prayers are recognized as pure hypocrisy. Claudius plan to have Hamlet murdered is thwarted, although that does not stop his murderess will. Joseph Bertram explains, Shakespeare makes Claudius a hypocrite in what he says and does as the action progresses, and when the last scene has arrived we have been able to understand the kind of villainy that lurk beneath his fair and smooth appearance. It is obvious then that he has been created by the playwright as this particular kind of dangerous person, the hypocrite, who by virtue of his position and of his seeming splendor can pervert not merely his queen, but the very land, which he has stolen from his victim. Claudius is not a mixture of good and bad, he is an evil man who seems good. Bertram 141 Shakespeare removes the obscurities of hypocrisy and portrays the real Claudius. By the completion of Hamlet, the audience recognizes the Mephistophelian nature. Shakespeare provides the proof is Claudius true nature chronologically as the play proceeds. Claudius dares to be both a villain and a hypocrite; his heart does not smile with his face; he is guilty of murder and incest, the smile on his face hides guilt and the planning of yet more villainy in his heart. Bertram 141 From Claudius the audience learns the dangers of such character flaws and traits that he possesses.

Effects of Divorce on Women in Canada for Symbolic Interactionism

Question: Write about theEffects of Divorce on Women in Canada for Symbolic Interactionism. Answer: According to statistics, four in ten first time marriages in Canada end in divorce (Divorce, 2008). It is important to note that divorce has negative effects on both men and women. However, the effects of divorce among women are more prevalent and severe as compared to their men counterparts. According to the article Women, men, and the economic consequences of divorce: Evidence from Canadian longitudinal data, marriage dissolutions have result in emotional, sociological and economical problems among divorcees, with greater impact among women. From the article, the poverty rate among women divorcees increases significantly from during the year of divorce but later reduces as women seek financial interdependence (Finnie, 1993). In addition, there labour market participation rate falls substantially immedeately after marriage dissolution and increases after a few months (Finnie, 1993). Indeed, these statistics and findings are in line with the concepts suggested in the symbolic interaction theory. According to symbolic theory, the way people understood the role of a husband and wife in the traditional society has changed in the modern society (Crossman, 2018). The symbol of the husband was associated with providing financial stability for the wife. However, with the advent of divorce and modernity, there is a direct correlation between the way society views the role of marriage and the overall health of the family (Symbolic Interactionism, 2017). The roles within marriage and society have changed as women fight to regain financial stability after divorce. References Crossman, A. (2018). Learn About Symbolic Interactionism. ThoughtCo. Retrieved 9 April 2018, from https://www.thoughtco.com/symbolic-interaction-theory-3026633 Divorce. (2008). Statistics Canada. Retrieved 9 April 2018, from https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/help/bb/info/divorce Finnie, R. (1993). Women, men, and the economic consequences of divorce: Evidence from Canadian longitudinal data. Canadian Review Of Sociology, 30(1), 205-241. Symbolic Interactionism. (2017). University of Twente. Retrieved 9 April 2018, from https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/communication-theories/sorted-by-cluster/Interpersonal%20Communication%20and%20Relations/Symbolic_Interactionism/

International Business Law and Environment - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the International Business Law and Environment. Answer: Introduction The case of Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., U.S.A. v. United States 693 FSupp 1183 (1988) saw a number of cross motions being made for summary judgment. This summary judgement had been based on Rule of United States Court of International Trade, particularly its rule 56. The main issue raised here was regarding the duty being imposed on the machinery importation in foreign trade subzone for production of merchandise (Court Listener, 2018). Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. (Nissan) was the plaintiff, who had moved to the court for this judgement on the basis that United States Customs Service (USCS) had to re-liquidate the production machinery entries and relevant capital requirements; along with for getting the duties refunded which were above $3,000,000. The defendant, United States, applied before the court for assessing the duty (August, Mayer and Bixby, 2012). This discussion presents a summary of this case, where the arguments put forth by the defendant have been covered. Background of the case Under the US Foreign Trade Zones Act, the relevant authority was provided to foreign trade zones establishment, in which the merchandise could be imported duty free for the purpose of selling. This included distribution, sorting, grading, mixing, cleaning, storing, selling, breaking up, assembling, mixing of foreign merchandise with mixing, and assumption, or any other sort of manipulation save for the ones provided herewith (Enforcement, 2018). A foreign trade zone was formed in Smyrna, Tennessee, for Nissan. Nissan imported machinery worth $116 million for its use for manufacturing the cars at this plant. US Customs Service assessed over $3,000,000 as the import duties of machinery. Nissan paid this tax under protest and challenged the validity of this duty. This assessment was upheld and an appeal was made against this decision by the defendant (Cameron, 2015). Arguments of Defendant As a defendant, it is argued that the exhaustive list of activities covered in 1950 amendment of the Foreign Trade Zones Act (FTZA), where it is clearly provided that the clear language of the statute distorted the reading as other terms in context of used, operated or used. The general rule under the statutory construction is expressio unius est exclusio alterius, which provides that a specific item is to be considered as excluding the substitute. Reference here needs to be made to United States v. Douglas Aircraft Co., 62 CCPA 54, 59, C.A.D. 1145 (1975) (Case Text, 2018a). The activities identified by Congress in their comprehensive list did not allow the installation or operation of production equipment till the duties were paid. Along with the simple reading of statute, the amendment of 1950 and the legislative history shows the Congresss intention (The Court, 2014). The legislative history would be interpreted by the defendant to show the intention of Congress in the matter of the zones to not be used completely for avoiding the duties on production equipment, which are consumed or used in that particular zone. The defendant supports this interpretation by using the history of statue for amending the FTZA (Durant, 2018). Based on this, it can be presented that as per the amendment of 1950, there was an exemption from payment of these duties, particularly for the merchandise imported in the free trade zone; which is not applied on the machinery or equipment which is imported for purpose of being used in this zone (Bolle and Williams, 2013). The defendant agrees that this observation was made long back in 1984 and that the production machinery by that time had been imported in Nissan subzone, it highlights this amendments history (Justia, 2018a). In the two cases of Co. v. United States, 74 Cust Ct 583, 590, 200 F Supp 302, 308 (1961), aff'd, 50 C CPA 36, C.A.D. 816 (1963), as well as, Butler v. United States Dep't of Agriculture, 826 F.2d 409, 414 n. 6 (5th Cir.1987), a common theme was followed regarding a careful consideration of the following statements as the expert opinions authoritative expression (Case Text, 2018b). Reliance had been made by the plaintiff on Hawaiian Indep Refinery v. United States, 81 Cust Ct 117, 460 F Supp 1249 (1978). This matter had crude oil being imported in the foreign trade one which had been processed at oil refinery present in this subzone. After some time, a segment from this processed crude oil was stored and used as source of fuelling the refinerys operations based on the relevant requirement (Leagle, 2018a). The plaintiff of this case had been asked by USCS, for fling the refined crude oil use as consumption entry in the zone, and for classifying the fuel based on Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS). The decision was protested based on the refined crude oil not being subjected to duty. The refined crude oil was used as secondary source of fuel in this case and this was not made dutiable as a result of this (Justia, 2018b). Though, there is a stark between the quoted case and this present instance. This is because in the quoted case, the FTZA covered refined crude oil in the meaning of merchandise. Though, production equipment is not covered in this definition owing to the Congresss exhaustive list regarding allowed operation not being permitted an article to be brought in this zone, free of duty, and for the same to be used as production machinery for making the other articles. As a matter of public policy, the Congress had no intent of placing the manufacturers or sellers of this machinery in a place which puts them at an entire competitive disadvantage in context of production machinery being manufactured in foreign, which could be imported without the duty in such zones and could be sold off cheaply. One of the Customs Service Decisions provided that the production machinery imported from Japan for using in other foreign trade zone that every article could not be considered as merchandise. Here, the defendant would emphasize on the legislative proposal regarding permitting the entry of this equipment in a specified manner in foreign trade zone, without making the payment of duty, which the Congress had rejected (Leagle, 2018b). In context of Hawaiian Indep Refinery v. United States, there is also a need to present that the tariff schedule which were applicable on Nissan, acted as payment of such duties, had been contemplated specifically by the board creating the subzone. The board did hold the power, as per the defendant, of giving regulations and rules required for carrying this act. Thus, the payment of duties regarding production equipment could not be denied by the plaintiff. Nissan had acknowledged implicitly that the payment of duty as a requirement for the production equipment for foreign trade zone in the complete and formal application was the basic plan in the FTZ system. This had been submitted back in May of 1982. Through these documents, the scope granted by the Board, in context of the zone, had been clearly defined (Leagle, 2018b). Courts Decision The court stated that there was no need to consider the authority of Board in putting the stipulations on granting the payment of duty for production equipment for a particular zone. Still, the Board was not under the condition to grant Nissans subzone any kind of implicit promise on the basis of the documents which had been presented regarding the payment of duties in May. The Court reached the conclusion regarding Order, and regarding the resolution, which had been adopted already and the Grant of Authority been already delivered. Further, in the Federal Register, these documents had been published already (Leagle, 2018b). Regarding the actions of Board, the court held that the application made to the board by Nissan, could not make reference to the dutiable status of production machinery; along with this, the grant of authority does not restrict the right of entry of such machinery by the company in the zone, without paying the relevant duties or the same being conditioned by the grant in such a way which could waive the rights of company for challenging the entry needs of USCS by filing protest and by initiating an action to challenge the denial of such protest. This led to the second argument being declined; but this did not result in the first argument of defendant being defeated regarding legislative history and statue (Schaffer, Agusti and Dhooge, 2014). Based on the amendments of FTA, and its language, coupled with legislative history, the capital equipment and the production machinery were held as dutiable by the court. This led to the summary judgment of defendant being granted and in the denial of the same filed by Nissan (Leagle 2018b). Conclusion This case shows that the production equipments and the capital equipments which are brought in the foreign trade subzones are subjected to duty, owing to the legislative history and the applicable statues. This led to the claims made by the plaintiff in this case being denied and the verdict being given in favour of the defendant. References August, R.A., Mayer, D., and Bixby, M. (2012) International Business Law. 6th ed. London: Pearson Education. Bolle, M.J., and Williams, B.R. (2013) U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones: Background and Issues for Congress. [Online] Congressional Research Service. Available from: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42686.pdf [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Cameron, G.D. (2015) International Business Law: Cases and Materials. Michigan: Van Rye Publishing. Case Text. (2018a) United States V. Douglas Aircraft Co. [Online] Case Text. Available from: https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-douglas-aircraft-co [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Case Text. (2018b) Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., U.S.A. V. U.S., (CIT 1988). [Online] Case Text. Available from: https://casetext.com/case/nissan-motor-mfg-corp-usa-v-us [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Court Listener. (2018) Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., USA v. United States, 693 F. Supp. 1183 (Ct. Intl. Trade 1988). [Online] Court Listener. Available from: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2357262/nissan-motor-mfg-corp-usa-v-united-states/? [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Durant, J. (2018) HQ 219492. [Online] Internet FAQ Archives. Available from: https://www.faqs.org/rulings/rulings1990HQ0219492.html [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Enforcement. (2018) U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board. [Online] Enforcement. Available from: https://enforcement.trade.gov/ftzpage/19uscftz/ch1a.html [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Justia. (2018a) Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., U.S.A., Plaintiff-appellant, v. the United States, Defendant-appellee, 884 F.2d 1375 (Fed. Cir. 1989). [Online] Justia. Available from: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/884/1375/463930/ [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Justia. (2018b) Hawaiian Independent Refinery, Inc., Appellant, v. the United States, Appellee, 697 F.2d 1063 (Fed. Cir. 1983). [Online] Justia. Available from: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/697/1063/11356/ [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Leagle. (2018a) Hawaiian Independent Refinery v United States. [Online] Leagle. Available from: https://www.leagle.com/decision/19781709460FSupp1249_11512/HAWAIIAN%20INDEPENDENT%20REFINERY%20v.%20UNITED%20STATES [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Leagle. (2018b) Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., U.S.A. v. U.S. [Online] Leagle. Available from: https://www.leagle.com/decision/19881876693FSupp1183_11747/NISSAN%20MOTOR%20MFG.%20CORP.,%20U.S.A.%20v.%20U.S. [Accessed on: 10/01/18] Schaffer, R., Agusti, F., and Dhooge, L.J. (2014) International Business Law and Its Environment. 9th ed. USA: Cengage Learning. The Court. (2014) Customs Cases Adjudged in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Michigan: Michigan State University.

Moon Essays - Observational Astronomy, Lunar Science, Hemispheres

Moon The moon is the only natural satellite of Earth. The moon orbits the Earth from 384,400 km and has an average speed of 3700 km per hour. It has a diameter of 3476 km, which is about ? that of the Earth and has a mass of 7.35e22 kg. The moon is the second brightest object in the sky after the sun. The gravitational forces between the Earth and the moon cause some interesting effects; tides are the most obvious. The moon has no atmosphere, but there is evidence by the United States Department of Defense Clementine spacecraft shows that there maybe water ice in some deep craters near the moon's North and South Pole that are permanently shaded. Most of the moon's surface is covered with regolith, which is a mixture of fine dust and rocky debris produced by meteor impact. There are two types of terrain on the moon. One is the heavily cratered and very old highlands. The other is the relatively smooth and younger craters that were flooded with molten lava. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, visual exploration through powerful telescopes has yielded a fairly comprehensive picture of the visible side of the moon. The hitherto unseen far side of the moon was first revealed to the world in October 1959 through photographs made by the Soviet Lunik III spacecraft. These photographs showed that the far side of the moon is similar to the near side except that large lunar maria are absent. Craters are now known to cover the entire moon, ranging in size from huge, ringed maria to those of microscopic size. The entire moon has about 3 trillion craters larger than about 1 m in diameter. The moon shows different phases as it moves along its orbit around the earth. Half the moon is always in sunlight, just as half the earth has day while the other half has night. The phases of the moon depend on how much of the sunlit half can be seen at any one time. In the new moon, the face is completely in shadow. About a week later, the moon is in first quarter, resembling a half-circle; another week later, the full moon shows its fully lighted surface; a week afterward, in its last quarter, the moon appears as a half-circle again. The entire cycle is repeated each lunar month, which is approximately 29.5 days. The moon is full when it is farther away from the sun than the earth; it is new when it is closer. When it is more than half-illuminated, it is said to be in gibbous phase. The moon is waning when it progresses from full to new, and waxing as it proceeds again to full. Temperatures on its surface are extreme, ranging from a maximum of 127? C (261? F) at lunar noon to a minimum of -173? C (-279? F) just before lunar dawn. The Harvest moon is full moon at harvest time in the North Temperate Zone, or more exactly, the full moon occurring just before the autumnal equinox on about September 23. During this season the moon rises at a point opposite to the sun, or close to the exact eastern point of the horizon. Moreover, the moon rises only a few minutes later each night, affording on several successive evenings an attractive moonrise close to sunset time and strong moonlight almost all night if the sky is not clouded. The continuance of the moonlight after sunset is useful to farmers in northern latitudes, who are then harvesting their crops. The full moon following the harvest moon, which exhibits the same phenomena in a lesser degree, is called the hunter's moon. A similar phenomenon to the harvest moon is observed in southern latitudes at the spring equinox on about March 21.

Right To Die Essays - Medical Ethics, Euthanasia, Right To Die

Right To Die In John A. Robertson's essay, "Cruzan: No Rights Violated," he argues that the decision made by the Missouri Supreme Court to deny Nancy Beth Cruzan's parents' request to have their daughter's artificial nutrition and hydration tube removed was not a violation of Nancy Beth Cruzan's right to refuse treatment because she had not personally refused treatment. Robertson also claims that keeping Cruzan alive with this particular medical treatment does not alienate her constitutional rights, or her parents'. Robertson states that, " A permanently vegetative patient does not have interests that can be harmed," simply because he/she cannot feel pain and doesn't know his/her present condition. Robertson then goes on to say that simply assuming that one would decline treatment in that situation because of his/her prior beliefs is not enough evidence to maintain that the directive was, in fact, released by the said person, and to relieve their self from a state law that orders such a treatment, the person must have released a directive against that particular treatment. If one were to argue that an incompetent patient has the right to have their medical treatment decided by another person on the presumption that it follows with the patient's previous beliefs, Robertson would declare that the patient is much different than they were before and does not reserve a constitutional right to be managed in the same way they would have been. In placing the right to decide Nancy's treatment in her parents' hands, her parents would be acting in their own interests according to Robertson, and in choosing to stop medical treatment of their daughter, they would be denying their child medical care deemed necessary by the state, which is illegal. With this in mind, Robertson says that the Supreme Court should not extend a family's privacy to include the refusal of necessary treatment when the [above] treatment is not causing harm to the child. Next Robertson says that if a person wants to refuse treatment while incompetent, it is their obligation to make a directive before becoming incompetent in order to refuse treatment on the principle of that particular directive, and that requiring this is "not an undue burden on persons who wish to issue directives against medical care when incompetent." If "clear evidence" does not exist in a past directive, Robertson says that providing the treatment does not alienate a person's right to regulate his/her own care because of the lack of evidence. Robertson says that people who criticize the rulings of the Cruzan case tend to find the Missouri Supreme Court's decision to not allow Nancy's parents to have their daughter's nutrition and hydration line removed unconstitutional because they overlook the distinctions that he makes in this essay. By looking at these distinctions, Robertson believes that people will see that treating Nancy Cruzan despite her parents' dissent does not violate anyone's constitutional rights. Lastly, Robertson states "Missouri, like most other states, should permit the family to stop Nancy's treatment and end their own ordeal. But Missouri violates no constitutional rights in choosing otherwise." The part about Robertson's argument that I disagree with the most is when he says that keeping Nancy connected to the feeding tube does not violate her parents' constitutional rights. According to the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, "one has the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances" and the Fourteenth Amendment states that, " The stated cannot deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law, nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." With these in mind, it is clear that leaving Nancy connected to the tube is violating her parents' rights. Her parents are going through plenty of grievances watching their daughter lay there and waste away to nothing because she did not specifically say in writing that she did not want to be attached to a feeding and hydrating line if she ever becomes brain dead. That is inflicting pain and sorrow on her parents and is violating their pursuit of happiness. According to the First Amendment, the Cruzan family has the right to petition the government to have those grievances removed. Robertson says that this is not right because the family will be doing it in their own interests because the feeding tube is not harming Nancy in any way. I don't believe that because a mother has a right to tell their child to not climb a high tree because they could get hurt. It is not necessarily hurting them,

Orientalism Essay Example

Orientalism Essay Example Orientalism Paper Orientalism Paper Essay Topic: Literature Orientalism is a field of study which is at style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between the Orient and the Occident. It invokes a flexible positioning superiority in which Europe is put into a number of positions of superiority. It is part of an overall campaign of self-affirmation, belligerency, and outright war, (Said xix) however, and in this we see the religious implications. For much of its history Orientalism carries within it the stamp of a problematic European attitude toward Islam. (Said 73) Islam was a threat to a Christian Europe the Ottoman Empire lay geographically close to Christian lands, so there was not only the threat of different religious ideas but also the treat of a mighty military and political power. It resulted in a historical fear of Islam. Orientalism was essentially an attempt to domesticate that threat, but the Orient needed first to be known, then invaded and possessed, then re-created by scholars, soldiers, and judges who disinterred forgotten languages, histories, races, and cultures in order to posit them as the true classical Orient that could be used to judge and rule the modern Orient. (91-92) The Occident responded with the creation of an imaginative geography within which Islam could be confined. Orientalism legitimates a vocabulary, a universe of representative discourse peculiar to the discussion and understanding of the Orient (Said 71) and it consisted of a set of representative figures, or tropes. (Said 71) This does not go to say that Orientalism formed the cornerstone of truth of the Orient, but rather that it was Western ignorance which becomes more refined and complex, not some body of positive Western knowledge which increases in size and accuracy. (Said 62) As a field of knowledge it is a closed body of knowledge in which objects are what they are because they are what they are, for once, for all time, for ontological reasons that no empirical material can either dislodge or alter. (Said 70) The fact that Orientalism derived its authentic from its unchanging nature would cause problems with the emergence of the 19th century. Orientalism would have to change to survive with the times. There was disillusionment when it was realized that the classical Orient did not properly represent the actual Orient. It became what was known as the betrayed dream. What was realized was that one could only really use generalities to describe the Orient in order not to conflict with the specific actualities; it was almost as if a bin called Oriental existed into which all the authoritative, anonymous, and traditional Western attitudes to the East were dumped unthinkingly. (Said 102) These generalities created an aura of eccentricity surrounding the Orient, by which the Orient becomes a living tableau of queerness. (Said 103) This tableau was designated as a disciplined way from which the Orientalist could approach it; essentially, its foreignness [could] be translated, its meanings decoded, its hostility tamed. (Said 103) From this arose the tactics of modern Orientalism. Orientalism was reconstituted, redeployed, redistributed and in the secular framework. (Said 121) There were four components to this process, the end product being naturalized supernaturalism. The first component was due to the Orient expanding past the Islamic lands. This simply goes to say that there were more lands under scrutiny and a binary opposition between Islam and Christianity was no longer possible; there were too many cultures and religions that could come into interaction. All such widening horizons had Europe firmly in the privileged center, as main observer. (Said 117) Secondly, there was the component of historical confrontation that no longer was viable; the Orient was simply not viewed in a confrontational light. Rather, it was viewed as an (inferior) object of study. It involved a greater involvement with source material and confronting the Orients peculiarities with objective detachment. The third component deals with the notion of historicism. This idea promoted the belief that the Occident could penetrate the Orient on the precedent that all cultures are presumably organically and internally coherent historicism encourages such an intellectual penetration. This was done by sympathetic identification by which the Orientalist saw the elements of kinship between himself and the Orient, and this supposedly gave him access to the Orient. Lastly, the core of modern Orientalism rested in the practice of classification. This process involved reducing vast numbers of objects to a smaller number of orderable and describable types [that] belonged to a system, a network of related generalizations. (Said 119) Thus, when an Oriental was referred to, it was in terms of such generic universals as his primitive state, his primary characteristics, his particular spiritual background. (Said 120) Also, this process was carried out in the name of objectivity and claimed its authority from such scientific procedures, rather than on religious superiority as the classical Orientalism did. This was the essence of naturalized supernaturalism, by which religious structures were recast in the secular. From this it is very evident that Orientalism is a man-made field and not a universal or pure truth. Orientalist disciplines were changing (even as Orientalism claimed the values of an unchanging, classical Orient) into their modern form, in which power welt in the new, scientifically advanced techniques of philology and anthropological generalization. (Said 121) Silvestre de Sacy was the forerunner of modern Orientalism: his work virtually put before the profession an entire systematic body of texts, a pedagogic practice, a scholarly tradition, and an important link between Oriental scholarship and public policy. (Said 124) He was responsible for his revisionist projects: all of his work was presented as a revised extract of the best that had already been done, said, or written. (Said 125) He was reproducing the Orient for the Occident, but only those parts that he deemed useful or important; these were carefully selected and arranged topics from the greater body of Oriental knowledge. He believed that the vastly rich (in space, time, and cultures) Orient cannot be totally exposed, only its most reprehensive parts need be. (Said 125) Sacy was thus in a position of authority that modern Orientalism so proudly touts he was the one that chose what was important from the Orient and his choices gave semiotic power to the topics that would now represent the entire Orient.

The History of Facebook and How It Was Invented

The History of Facebook and How It Was Invented Mark Zuckerberg  was a  Harvard computer science student  when he, along with classmates Eduardo Saverin,  Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes  invented Facebook.  Amazingly, the idea for the website, now the worlds most popular social networking page, was inspired by a botched  effort to get internet users to rate each others photos.   Hot or Not?: The Origin of Facebook In 2003,  Zuckerberg, a second-year student at Harvard at the time,  wrote the software for a website called  Facemash. He put his computer science skills to questionable use by hacking into Harvards security network, where he copied the student ID images used by the dormitories and used them to populate his new website. Website visitors could use the site to compare two student photos side-by-side and decide who was hot and who was not.   Facemash opened on October 28, 2003, and closed a few days later, after it was shut down by Harvard execs. In the aftermath, Zuckerberg faced serious charges of breach of security, violating copyrights and violating individual privacy. Though he faced expulsion from Harvard University for his actions, all charges were eventually dropped. TheFacebook: An App for Harvard Students On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched a new website called TheFacebook. He  named the site after  the directories that were handed out to university students to aid them in getting to know one another better. Six days later, he again got into trouble when Harvard seniors Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra accused him of stealing their ideas for an intended social network website called HarvardConnection. The claimants later filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg, but the matter was eventually settled out of court. Membership to the website was at first restricted to Harvard  students. Over time, Zuckerberg enlisted a few of his fellow students to help grow the website. Eduardo Saverin, for example, worked on the business end while Dustin Moskovitz was brought on as a programmer. Andrew McCollum served as the sites graphic artist and Chris Hughes became the de facto spokesperson. Together the team expanded the site to additional universities and colleges. Facebook: The World's Most Popular Social Network In 2004, Napster founder and  angel investor  Sean Parker became the companys president. The company changed the sites name from TheFacebook to just Facebook after purchasing the domain name facebook.com in 2005 for $200,000. The following year, venture capital firm Accel Partners  invested $12.7 million in the company, which enabled the creation of a version of the network for high school students. Facebook would later expand to other networks such as employees of companies. In  September of  2006, Facebook announced that anyone who was at  least 13 years old and had a valid email address could join.  By 2009, it had become the worlds  most used social networking service, according to a report by the analytics site Compete.com. While Zuckerbergs antics and the sites profits eventually led to him becoming  the worlds youngest multi-billionaire, hes done his part to spread the wealth around. Hes donated $100 million dollars to the Newark, New Jersey public school system, which has long been underfunded. In 2010, he signed a pledge, along with other wealthy businessmen, to donate at least half of his wealth to charity.  Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have  donated $25 million toward fighting the Ebola virus and announced that they would  contribute 99% of their Facebook shares to the  Chan Zuckerberg Initiative  to improve lives through education, health, scientific research, and energy.

5 Exercises to Sneak in at Work!

5 Exercises to Sneak in at Work! You’re triple-booked with meetings, eating at your desk- with no time for a social life let alone a lunch hour! And it’s the holiday season, when all our best habits are dissolving into sugar cookies and sparkling cocktails and cheese trays. No time to hit the gym? If you can carve out just 15 minutes from your workday, you can keep up your fitness without having to drop any of your spinning plates. Try this simple routine a few days a week. All you need is you, your cubicle, and a little willpower!RELATED:Â  Top 9 Stress Relieving Activities at Work That’ll Keep You Happy1. SquatsTarget area: thighs and butt. How to do it: stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Focus your body weight in your heels as you push your hips down to knee level and lean forward at a 45 degree angle. Make sure to keep your knees above your ankles and your core strong. Do this 12-25 times. Extra credit: hold a book above your head to step up the intensity.2. PlankTarget area: core, arms, everything. Combat the negative effects of slumping at your desk and help your posture and alignment at the same time. How to do it: lower your forearms to the ground, fits and elbows flat, your palms directly below your shoulders. Keep your neck and spine neutral, keep your shoulders down and back, and stay as straight and firm as possible for 15 seconds. Repeat 4 times.3. LungesTarget area: legs, lower body. Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Take a large step forward so your front and back leg are at a 90 degree angle. Return to the feet together position and repeat with the other leg. Get all the way down your office hallway. Extra credit: hold the book over your head doing this one too.4. Push-ups and Chair DipsTarget area: arms, arms, arms. Start with doing push-ups (you can use a desk to build up to the real thing), bending at the elbow and lowering your body until you arms are at a 90 degree angle. Repeat 10 times. Then, immediately, go to the c hair. With your back to it, use your arms to lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Straighten your arms to raise yourself back up Repeat 10 times. Do this duo 3 times in succession.5. Power VsTarget areas: abs, quads, hip flexors. How to do it: sit at the edge of your chair and lean your torso back. Tuck your pelvis, hold the base of the seat for support, and then raise your knees and extend your legs into a ‘V’ position. Hold for 5 seconds. Lower and raise up again. Repeat 10 times.Do this series of easy heart-pumping, ab-tightening, body-toning exercises twice through a few times a week and you’ll start to see results without letting your job suffer. No gym membership required!

Career Management in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Career Management in Business - Essay Example â€Å"This section asks you to reflect on THREE significant experiences/incidents where you have learned a new, or developed an existing, skill or competence. These experiences/incidents could be based in any relevant context (e.g. work, university, home, social clubs etc.) but must refer to skills that you believe will be important in your future employment and career.†Ã‚  I was once interviewing a possible candidate for a position with the company and when I asked her why she wanted to change her work situation she informed me that it was her family situation which was forcing her to do so. I was shocked to hear it and when I asked for an explanation she told me how her father had died recently and she had to work to make ends meet rather than go to college. I was quite taken by the situation and decided to give her the job even though she scored very poorly on the interview and the skills evaluations text. In due course, she turned out to be completely incompetent on the jo b and I had to let her go after a few months of trying to deal with her.  What I learnt from this experience is that business decisions must not be made with emotional viewpoints and rational evaluations need to be made in order to get to the right decision. Simply hiring someone because they need the job could be a disservice to both them and the company because they would hurt the company and even hurt their own future prospects if they are not with the company for a significant period of time. This realisation jumped at me as it was fully explained by Welch (2005).  The skill that I developed was the skill of looking at a situation with rationality and it can certainly be applied to the development of my career. I can be rational about my objectives and about my aims with regard to where I want to be in a few years time and what I need to do in order to get there.

Implicit and explicit personality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Implicit and explicit personality - Essay Example motivated by the fact that people express themselves differently within themselves and outwards depending on their personality and the self perception on aggressiveness (Frost, Ko and James, 2007, p. 1305). Through a methodological investigation, the study found out that the hypothesized model of interactive combination of explicit and implicit personalities and the demonstration of aggressiveness is significant in the determination of behavior. The study revealed that people who perceived themselves as being aggressive are attracted to aggressive behaviors especially overt aggression. Therefore people who think that they are capable of being aggressive are more likely to be involved in actions that are considered to be aggressive. The study also found out that people who thinks about themselves as being less aggressive or not aggressive at all but are implicitly aggressive demonstrate aggressive behavior in passive forms. On the other hand, individuals whose implicit personality are less aggressive but believe that they are hostile or confrontational are more likely to engage in verbal forms of aggression as the most appropriate way of expressing their feelings (Frost, Ko and James, 2007, p. 1307). The comparison of the study with prior investigations and the various models enabled the study to determine how implicit and explicit personalities determine the manner in which people think of themselves. This in return was found to be the explanation for the manner in which aggressive behavior of an individual is expressed. The implicit personalities are recommended to psychologist as significant in explaining aggression rather than the reliance of the explicit demonstrations of one’s personality and its implication in expression of aggression. The combination of self reported and implicit personalities in the study is significant because it helps in the understanding of the reasons why the expression of people’s aggression is diverse within organizations and

Strategic Management for Real Chocolate Company Research Paper

Strategic Management for Real Chocolate Company - Research Paper Example Political: Decrease in over all market demand due to unstable political situation. Economic: The Economic downturn being experienced in the whole world can be lethal for the demand of chocolates. Socio-cultural: The population of U.S is getting more conscious about the problems related to health. Any product accused of effecting health of the people can lead to the loss of market share. The changing demographics of US are also affecting the demand patterns. Technological: Increased innovation and technological improvement in manufacturing and services resulting in shape of economies to scale. Legal: Improved laws regarding the health affecting food products. Environmental: The industry can face environmental threat because of the Agro-terrorism. a) Segments (main market segments): The main market segments are the B2b customers getting the franchise of the company. b) Differentiation opportunities: Artisan chocolates are creating marketing Niches. The company can also experiment with exotic flavors and ingredients mixes as experimented with big chocolates in past. Godiva Chocolatier and Russell Stover, Company's largest competitors, hold a larger share of the global market in sales of chocolates. This likely was an outcome of being a publicly traded company and maintaining the capital required for large-scale marketing ventures. Regardless, Real Chocolate Company only maintains between eight and 12 percent of the entire market, which is insufficient for their growth requirements. Market Penetration: The revenue of the company can be increased by the introduction of new franchising schemes as this can be a low cost and high revenue option. The...This likely was an outcome of being a publicly traded company and maintaining the capital required for large-scale marketing ventures. Regardless, Real Chocolate Company only maintains between eight and 12 percent of the entire market, which is insufficient for their growth requirements. The revenue of the company can be increased by the introduction of new franchising schemes as this can be a low cost and high revenue option. The company should also keep its share in the annual sales of its franchised stores and outlets. The new product to be marketed to our existing customers can be the Dark Chocolate. This will be an innovative product for the loyal customers of the Company. The Company should also introduce new franchising programs with different offers for franchisees. The Real Chocolate Company is currently working in a market where sales are being affected by competitor activities and the external environment. There are several opportunities available for Real Chocolate Company to shift its position as a follower in the sales market and emerge a leader. The company reported the revenues of $ 31.6 million which was 12 % more than the previous year.

Literary analysis paper on 2 chronicles 33 1-20 Essay

Literary analysis paper on 2 chronicles 33 1-20 - Essay Example The narrator wished to further his anti-Manasseh sentiments in verses 7-8, relaying how Manasseh was purposely trying to rebut God’s orders regarding his temple to invite his wrath, knowing full well what had happened to tribes of the past who had succumbed to God’s contempt and had been driven out of the land. In verse 9, Manasseh is described as an evil force who led others to the wrong path as well, in the process doing more evil than the people of the past. This more or less sets the scene for God’s resolution with regards to Manasseh to come. That is not to say God does not give Manasseh a chance to improve. In verse 10, God’s goodness is demonstrated when he gives Manasseh and his people a chance to mend his ways. However, in 11-12, Manasseh’s refusal to accept God’s advice angers the Lord further, so that he resorts to resolve the matter by getting Manasseh capture by Babylon in a humiliating way. Manasseh then seeks forgiveness and pr ays to the Lord in verse 13, who listens to his plea and rids him from the clutches of Babylon bringing him back to his kingdom in Jerusalem. This reaffirms Manasseh’s faith in the Lord. ... In verse 18, Manasseh becomes an example for kings and the narrator mentions how his name goes down in the history accounts of the Kings of Israel, referencing further reading at the end of the verse. In verse 19, a summary account is given of the past happenings, of how Manasseh’s prayer was accepted and his land rid of evil by him, referenced again by further reading, in order to secure a place for him with his ancestors in his palace upon his dead in verse 20. He is taken over by his successor Amon, his son as a way of bringing Manasseh’s life to an end. Interpretative Problem The literal narrative brings about an interpretative problem that is central to the theme. It demonstrates that all evil, no matter how obscene and disproportionate to man’s inherent goodness, is redeemable by repentance. God, the all merciful, has a soft spot for those who repent if His creation calls out to Him in prayer. This in a way suggests that a person who goes against Godâ€℠¢s wishes and commands would more than likely cause himself to be addressed by Him in a much more direct way, thus inviting his curiosity and bringing about an insight in God that eventually leads to salvation. This inherent theme to life has a very pivotal criticism, in such that, if the assumption of salvation is made regarding anyone who repents his sins, then is it not also possible for the devil to do the same? This notion is readily defeated if the concept of God’s discretion is invoked. God forgives what he chooses to forgive, and is not bound by prayer alone. In verse 13, in response to Manasseh’s plea for forgiveness and help, God’s eternal compassion was evoked in a discretionary fashion. He chose to forgive

Identify two texts dealing with contemporary art practices related to Coursework

Identify two texts dealing with contemporary art practices related to Italy - Coursework Example The paper "Identify two texts dealing with contemporary art practices related to Italy" concerns the two texts dealing with contemporary art practices related to Italy. This group ÃŽ ¿f powerful families wanted to show the world that their learning, piety and taste made them worthy ÃŽ ¿f their high standing in society. Among the greatest patrons were members ÃŽ ¿f the powerful Medici family, who spent money on constructing churches and encouraging art. The works date from the time ÃŽ ¿f Lorenzo de Medici whom Machiavelli called "the greatest patron ÃŽ ¿f art and literature that any prince has ever been. The Florentine government also transferred the responsibility for artistic projects to individual guilds. The guilds formed the basis ÃŽ ¿f the city's political system. For example, during the fourteenth century, the Duomo and Baptistery were allocated to the Wool and Cloth Merchants respectively. The government also established "...guild rivalry as a powerful competitive spur to publ ic patronage in Florence. Females were also energetic artistic patrons and commissioned art in their roles as religious, royalty and noble women. Time and again, agreements with artists were arranged for females by a male family member, a monk, or a priest. Religious women and their communities (holy orders, individual nuns and abbesses) ordered decorations for their convent cells, refectories, and church altarpieces. The Christian church dominated the lives ÃŽ ¿f Europeans and thus embodied both the government and the patron

Weekly refection Essay Example for Free

Weekly refection Essay Home Page  » Business and Management Mgt 521. Weekly Reflection In: Business and Management Mgt 521. Weekly Reflection Weekly Reflection MGT/521 Learning Team A Team A: Weekly Reflection In this paper, Learning Team A will collaborate on Week One objectives while expressing our level of comfort and discomfort to the following topics: †¢ Identify channels for business communications †¢ Evaluate credibility and validity of sources of information. †¢ Develop effective arguments The information addressed within our Weekly Reflection will provide direction for effectively distinguishing between formal and informal business communication channels. In addition, Learning Team A agrees that identifying the proper business communication channel will ensure the appropriate channels are used and messages are transmitted efficiently through the communication process. Lastly, Learning Team A will also address how the weekly topics relate to our field of business. Team A: Identify channels for business communications In efforts of identifying the various channels for business communication Learning Team A was able to relate to and understand collectively the various forms of communication used within business. We all share the common fact of possessing secure employment; however, the areas of business vary from entrepreneurship, management, and the medical field. Considering our areas  of employment differ with regards to the area of business in which we all specialize in, they all come down to the some of the same channels for business communication. Two primary channels of business included face to face and email communication. Within entrepreneurship, management and the medical field utilizing the benefits of face to face and email communication is most effective. In the area of patient care, customer service and management, conducting one’s self within direct proximity of another individual is extremely common.

Ideological differences of Cold War

Ideological differences of Cold War Question 1 What was the Cold War about? Present a thorough analysis that makes reference to the differences between countries in the East and West up to the demise of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was based upon the ideological differences of the countries of the East and those of the West. The East or Eastern Bloc referred to the countries of Eastern Europe; the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and its satellites in the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia; and the West referred to the United States of America (USA), Britain and France in particular who were rebuilding western Europe post world war II. Geographically speaking the references to east and west were more so based upon the notion that the English speaking part of the world had adopted democracy, in particular liberal democracy as the main or ideal political ideology and capitalism as the method of economic development. Almost like references to the north/ south divide where there is no strict geographical adherence. In this essay I propose to show how the Cold War of capitalism versus communism played out as well as to explain the fall of communism and the subsequent demise of the Soviet Union . Liberal democracy and capitalism seem to go hand in hand at least that is the ideal put forward by the US and Britain who seem to be basking in the consumerism that followed the Industrial Revolution. Liberalism as an ideology developed quickly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Post World War I (WWI) liberal democracy was identified by the President Woodrow Wilson as the ideology that would maintain peace and stability as long as nation states observed each others sovereignty. At the core of liberalism were the freedoms and rights of the individual, respect for private property, representative government, collective will and the minimal role of the state. The rights of the individual in particular were most important. In framing its constitution the United States had taken this into consideration with its Bill of Rights which entitles citizens to life, liberty, justice, toleration and the right to economic prosperity. This paved the way for liberal economics, which encourag ed free trade and the use of the market to determine supply and demand; Adam Smiths invisible hand. This economic policy or capitalism was based on five principles: private ownership, market economy, competition, profit and stable prices. These principles in keeping with the political regime were individualistic in nature. The idea was the private interests (entrepreneurship) would produce goods for mass consumption and the entry or exit of other players would fuel the economy. It is assumed that the consumer is rational, that is, he or she will make choices depending on taste and cost of the product. Production is consumer driven and based on profits. Communism as a political ideology and economic policy has its groundings in the theoretical precepts of Karl Marx (1818-1883). Marx had an economic interpretation of history and war in particular. He saw the basis of any conflict as class related rather than something such as race. The conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, or what he viewed as the exploitation of the masses by the elites was the basis for the production and exchange of goods and services. This was the human interaction which influenced the social processes and institutions. Marx believed that those who owned the factors of production: land, labour and capital controlled the social and cultural norms and as such dominated the society. Therefore the superstructure, laws and government were controlled by these people. Basically those who controlled the economic sphere controlled the political sphere as well. It is to this end that Marx posits that imperialism driven by capitalism has shaped modern histo ry. This knowledge shaped Marxs view that there was a need for social change, a revolution. He believed in the universal nature of class conflict and suggested that sheer universal identification of the working class everywhere would cause mass revolution and the overturn of elite government, bringing social and economic reforms. The basic tenant of communism was the communal ownership of the means of production; the polar opposite of a liberal democratic society. Andrew Heywood (Politics, 1997:33) defines communism simply as a â€Å"communal organisation of socail existence on the basis of collective ownership of propertya classless society in which wealth was owned in common, production was geared to human need and the state had withered away†. In its truest sense the Cold War was not an actual outright war which used military but more of a rivalry expressed through military coalitions, strategic conventional force deployments, a nuclear arms race, espionage, proxy wars, propaganda, and technological competition. This war was fought mostly in satellite areas. It was about military postering and the expansion of ideology on either side. There is much contestation on when the war started, some believe it was right before the end of WWI in 1918 when the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, pushed for socialist revolution and others believe it started after WWII in 1945. Lenin and his Bolshevik party took power in October 1917 and he was the first head of the Soviet Union. His interpretation of Marxs communism is rivalled by no other. His aim was the modernise Soviet Russia, bringing it from a backward agrarian state into an industrialised nation. He knew building a new state from the bottom up was going to be difficult so he or chestrated a means of keeping the working class disciplined and committed to the cause. His attempt at starting with the working class in the countryside was miscalculated. The working class wanted to be the middle class and the middle class wanted to be the upper class, there was no immediate consolidation of the working class and the middle class to overthrow the upper class. So Lenin would have to take measures into his own hands; the revolution had to come from the top then. The Bolshevik party had to seize power and maintain it in order to keep the proletariat in check and committed, it became less of soviet democracy and more like a dictatorship. The pressure that Marx said would force a revolution and development of the state was not coming from the masses but from the political elites. The vanguard party was in the process of fashioning a regime which eventually let to a civil war. The internal fighting did not help the fact that the Soviet Union had now found it self in a d iplomatic wilderness because it had isolated itself from its capitalist neighbours. The civil war started to create chinks in the soviet armour, the intense spending on the war meant less money being spent on the social welfare of the masses. According to Martin McCauleys The Soviet Union 1917-1991 (1993:31), â€Å"(M)ore than anything else it was the lack of Bolshevik success in the economic sphere, under the conditions of civil war, which shaped and fashioned the Soviet regime. Shortages, cold, hunger and disease racked the communist body politic† The Bolshevik party had forgotten about their people, the very people that they were supposed to be serving. The party had lost its way and the Russian economy was dwindling because of it. Money had become useless as the state was encouraging production with out pay, there was little incentive. Lenins dream of a mixed economy had died and had ushered in the new socialist economy but soon he became disillusioned again with what see med to be the non-existence of a proletariat essentially there was no one to lead, the country was far from where he has thought it would be, it was in ruin. With the succession of Leon Trotsky the economy did not fare any better. Trotsky did not under stand the political principles as his rival for leadership Stalin did. Slowly and surely Stalin was undermining Trotskys, at first with minor disagreements and then replacing Trotsky supporters with his own friends especially in the key areas around the country. Even through all of this, Lenin was observing and had found that Joseph Stalin was a brilliantly skilful man but he had become too ambitious and opportunistic. Lenin saw this as huge fault and that is why he continued to support Trotsky as his successor because Trotsky was willing to see Lenins dream through to the end. Stalin however, eventually stepped into the shoes of Lenin by sabotaging Trotskys attempts to let the words and ideas of Lenin live in his memory. Lenin was the only Soviet leader who was even remotely close to what was Marxism and Marxs ideal. Stalin stated that he viewed international politics as a bipolar world i n which the Soviet Union would attract countries gravitating to socialism and capitalist countries would attract states gravitating toward capitalism, while the world was in a period of temporary stabilization of capitalism preceding its eventual collapse. Socialism and capitalism came together to fight World War II against Nazi Germany, but the Soviet Union was growing suspicious of the wests ambitions regarding the resettlement of the war torn European continent. The western Allies desired a security system in which democratic governments were established as widely as possible, permitting countries to peacefully resolve differences through international organizations, such as the League of Nations (United Nations). In order to combat this situation the Soviet Union sought to insert itself into the domestic politics of nations on its borders and so Poland (incorporated into two different SSRs), Latvia (Latvian SSR), Estonia (Estonian SSR), Lithuania (Lithuanian SSR), part of easter n Finland (Karelo-Finnish SSR) and eastern Romania (Moldavian SSR). After annexing several occupied countries as Soviet Socialist Republics at the end of World War II, other occupied states were added to the Eastern Bloc by converting them into puppet Soviet Satellite states, such as East Germany, the Peoples Republic of Poland, the Peoples Republic of Hungary, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the Peoples Republic of Romania and the Peoples Republic of Albania. The Soviet-style regimes that arose in the Bloc not only reproduced Soviet command economies, but also adopted the brutal methods employed by Joseph Stalin and Soviet secret police to suppress real and potential opposition. Stalin began completely shut out the rest of the world. The only thing the people of the Soviet Union knew was the positive propaganda espoused by Stalin. Films, books, art of any kind were forbidden and creativity was stifled. In order to preserve what was left of the communist dream Stalin shut off the world all technology even household appliances were forbidden. Foreign products were contraband and the black market thrived. There was an ideological battle going on within the Soviet Union. Many were executed and exiled. Beginning in 1934, Stalin began murderous purges of the Party through a series of show trials. By January 1947 the Soviet Union had become more and more financially strained. Further more the division of Germany into east and west had created a political nightmare for those living on either side. In Asia, the Red Army had overrun Manchuria in the last month of the war, and went on to occupy the large part of Korean territory. In early 1947, Britain, France and the United States unsuccessfully attempted to reach an agreement with the Soviet Union for a plan envisioning an economically self-sufficient Germany, including a detailed accounting of the industrial plants, goods and infrastructure already removed by the Soviets. In June 1947, in accordance with the Truman Doctrine, the United States enacted the Marshall Plan, a pledge of economic assistance for all European countries willing to participate, including the Soviet Union. The Marshall Plan was to rebuild and democratise Europe and this was contingent on Germanys recovery. The United States and Britain merged their western German occupation zones into Bizonia (later trizonia with the addition of Frances zone). As part of the economic rebuilding of Germany, in early 19 48, representatives of a number of Western European governments and the United States announced an agreement for a merger of western German areas into a federal governmental system. In addition, in accordance with the Marshall Plan, they began to re-industrialize and rebuild the German economy, including the introduction of a new Deutsche Mark currency to replace the old Reichsmark currency that the Soviets had debased. After the death of Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev presented himself as a down-to-earth activist prepared to take up any challenge. Khrushchev arranged for the Kremlin grounds to be opened to the public, an act with great public resonance. Khrushchev sought reforms to agriculture; in fact he started to de-Stalinise the state. To the shock and dismay of his party members he was openly criticising Stalin whom he had seemed so faithful to. He openly discussed Stalins brutish behaviour and all his crimes. Essentially assassinating what little was left behind of Stalin. Nationalist movements in some countries and regions, notably Guatemala, Iran, the Philippines, and Indochina were often allied with communist groups—or at least were perceived in the West to be allied with communists. In this context, the US and the Soviet Union increasingly competed for influence by proxy in the Third World as decolonization gained momentum in the 1950s and early 1960s; additionally, the Soviets saw continuing losses by imperial powers as presaging the eventual victory of their ideology. The US government utilized the CIA in order to remove a string of unfriendly Third World governments and to support allied ones. The US used the CIA to overthrow governments suspected by Washington of turning pro-Soviet Iran in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954. Between 1954 and 1961, the US sent economic aid and military advisers to stem the collapse of South Vietnams pro-Western regime. Many emerging nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America rejected the pressure to choose sides in the East-West competition. In 1955, at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia, dozens of Third World governments resolved to stay out of the Cold War. The consensus reached at Bandung culminated with the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. Meanwhile, Khrushchev broadened Moscows policy to establish ties with India and other key neutral states. Independence movements in the Third World transformed the post-war order into a more pluralistic world of decolonized African and Middle Eastern nations and of rising nationalism in Asia and Latin America. The Soviet Union formed an alliance with Fidel Castro-led Cuba after the Cuban Revolution in 1959. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy responded to the installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba with a naval blockade. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world closer to nuclear war than ever before. It further demonstrated the concept of mutually assured destruction, that neither nuclear power was prepared to use nuclear weapons fearing total destruction via nuclear retaliation. The aftermath of the crisis led to the first efforts in the nuclear arms race at nuclear disarmament and improving relations, although the Cold Wars first arms control agreement, the Antarctic Treaty, had come into force in 1961. In 1964, Khrushchevs Kremlin colleagues managed to oust him, but allowed him a peaceful retirement. Accused of rudeness and incompetence, he was also credited with ruining Soviet agriculture and bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. Khrushchev had become an international embarrassment when he authorised construction of the Berlin Wall, a public humiliation for Marxism-Leninism. From the beginning of the post-war period, Western Europe and Japan rapidly recovered from the destruction of World War II and sustained strong economic growth through the 1950s and 60s, with per capita Gross Domestic Products approaching those of the United States, while Eastern Bloc economies stagnated. A succession of leaders followed and failed to correct or reform the failing USSRs bid for a social revolution. By the time the comparatively youthful Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary in 1985; the Soviet economy was stagnant and faced a sharp fall in foreign currency earnings as a result of the downward slide in oil prices in the 1980s. These issues prompted Gorbachev to investigate measures to revive the ailing state. An ineffectual start led to the conclusion that deeper structural changes were necessary and in June 1987 Gorbachev announced an agenda of economic reform called perestroika, or restructuring. Perestroika relaxed the production quota system, allowed private ownership of businesses and paved the way for foreign investment. These measures were intended to redirect the countrys resources from costly Cold War military commitments to more profitable areas in the civilian sector. There were many contradictions within the party and the execution of the communist re ality. 1. The first contradiction is that collectivization and heavy-handed bureaucracy kept productivity and efficiency in agriculture and industry low. 2. The second contradiction is that the Soviet Union was trying to encourage communism by providing significant monies in aid to countries in its socialist sphere of influence, especially Cuba, and engaging in revolutionary activities e.g.: Angola, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, etc†¦, but was experiencing severe economic difficulties. Overstretch. 3. Marx and Lenin postulated that people would unite base on class but underestimated thee power of nationalism. 4. The Vanguard Party was to be temporary but its top level bureaucrats â€Å"the nomenklatura† became an entrenched class. It was to represent the people but the needs of ordinary people were ignored. 5. The command economy meant that while the USSR was occupied with the space race and arms race, it also had an additional burden not carried by the US, that is, a large welfare system to maintain, as well as satellites to look after. Despite initial scepticism in the West, the new Soviet leader proved to be committed to reversing the Soviet Unions deteriorating economic condition instead of continuing the arms race with the West. Partly as a way to fight off internal opposition from party cliques to his reforms, Gorbachev simultaneously introduced glasnost, or openness, which increased freedom of the press and the transparency of state institutions. Glasnost was intended to reduce the corruption at the top of the Communist Party and moderate the abuse of power in the Central Committee. Glasnost also enabled increased contact between Soviet citizens and the western world, particularly with the United States, contributing to the accelerating dà ©tente between the two nations. Gorbachev spent his first two years consolidating his power by purging the party of dissidents and continuing the policies of previous presidents. It is however, the reform era (1987-1989) in which perestroika took place. Gorbachev was not th e first USSR leader to make amendments; Yuri Andropov had called for increased discipline and decentralization. But these were initially minimalist and so was Gorbachev at first. However, by 1987 it became apparent to him that more widespread changes needed to be made. In his book Perestroika, he noted that his immediate priorities were: to put the economy in order tighten up discipline rise the level of organization and responsibility Catch up in areas where they were behind. And by 1987, Gorbachev had formulated a theory and plan known as perestroika, Russian for restructuring. Gorbachev saw quality control as a means to achieve this. He created a new bureaucracy and introduced evaluators and controllers in factories to reject faulty products (Kenez 249). He sought to implement greater incentives for workers to produce. Kenez notes that these made him unpopular with the working class, diminishing his support. He also cut back on aid and reduced USSR involvement in proxy wars (e.g: Afghanistan), Cuba. He also called for the need for acceleration of scientific and technological progress and modernisation of industry. He gave power to factory workers to determine their own product mix and wage scales (Kenez). These changes undermined the existing centrally planned and centrally controlled economy. Not only this, manager would bid up wages because they knew the state wouldnt allow the factories to go bankrupt and would bail them up and this further contributed to inflation. It should be noted that Gorbachev made it clear that he was conducting all the reforms in accordance with socialism. His initial domestic and foreign goal was to make the existing soviet system work better. He initially spoke of perfecting the economy, rather than reforming it and was sceptical about free market experiments. Perestroika can only come through democracy. Unless the interests of people and social groups were taken into account, it was impossible to accomplish any of these tasks. Glasnost, or â€Å"openness† it should be noted was one of the first reforms he implemented even before this whole reform package which later became known as â€Å"Perestroika†. Glasnost was initially a slight opening of expression to facilitate fuller discussion of economic issues (Ebenstein and Fogelman). Eventually it came to include a wide range of freedoms. But can democratic freedoms be implemented on a political structure held together by force ad expect the structure to maintain its integrity? So what exactly were these reforms and what were the consequences? Foreign radio broadcast beamed at the USSR were no longer jammed. This meant that citizens had access to alternative sources of information about this own country and weakened the position of the party whose power was based on its secrecy and control of info. Openness led to an outpouring of information to Soviet citizens and to the world concerning current Soviet political, economic and social problems, e.g: Chernobyl. The USSRs dirty laundry was being aired. It showed that the seemingly powerful USSR had problems. Formerly banned works of writers were allowed Glasnost was seen as a threat by party members because it threatened the bureaucratic structure and positions of privilege and affluence they once enjoyed. This weakened Gorbachevs support among party officials and hence his legitimacy. â€Å"By opening the door to public criticism of the regimes failures and inequities and perestroika, by decentralizing the economy, threaten the monopoly of party power.† Along with criticism of Stalin, etc.†¦Gorbachev also found himself being openly criticized. This weakened his aura of power and this was decisive because what does this mean for a system predicated on a leader who rules with an iron fist? If the leader is weakened, so is the system. Anti-alcohol campaign was to â€Å"improve the health of the family and enhance its role in society† and stopped serving alcohol at state functions, raised the price of vodka, limited distributions, among other things. The anti-alcohol campaign reduced alcohol consumption to an extent but was largely unpopular. People were hospitalized for drinking poison. Production of home brews increased. More importantly, vodka was one of the mainstays of the USSR economy and revenues dropped (Kenez). To sum it all up, perestroika by itself did not lead to the fall of the USSR, neither did Reagan. The collapse of the USSR was as a result of a combination of factors. Including growing contradictions within the USSR which Perestroika unwittingly helped to exacerbate. Gorbachev sought to bring about democratic practices on a system which had been founded upon and maintained through force. The revelation about the increasing political and socio-economic problems of a military overstretched and overburdened USSR helped to show up the chinks in the USSR armor. A relentless West and a more conciliatory USSR and Gorbachevs weakening position within his own country were the final nails in the coffin, which allowed a coup to occur and Yeltsin to declare independence for Russia and ultimately the fall of the USSR. Bibliography Ebenstein, A. et al (2000) Todays ISMs : Socialism, Capitalism, Fascism, Communism and Libertarianism. New Jersey: Prentice Hall McCauley, M. (1993) The Soviet Union 1917-1991. New York: Longman Pipes, R. (1994) Russia Under The Bolshevik Regime. New York: Vintage Books Kenez, P. (1999) A History of the Soviet Union from the Beginning to the End. New York: Cambridge University Press