Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Epicurus' and Epictetus' Teachings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epicurus' and Epictetus' Teachings - Essay Example Epicurus, whose teachings are related to the philosophy of hedonism, saw pleasure as the primary goal in every human’s life. He taught that happiness can only be achieved by means of pleasure. The concept of pleasure is also related to the notion of psychic tranquility, which he calls ataraxia. Ataraxia refers to inner peace of a human being and his being free from fear. Moreover, pleasure is also explained as the â€Å"absence of pain†. Just as Epicurus distinguishes between active and passive pleasure, he defines the former as an active process aimed at satisfying people’s desires, and the latter as the absence of pain, the perfect pleasure. Similarly to Epicurus, Epictetus, who belonged to Stoics, developed his view of happiness and what can make humans happy. However, his views are different from Epicurus’ because he assumes that a person can achieve happiness only if he/she desires something which he/she is capable of achieving. Otherwise, this person will be unhappy. Hence, unlike Epicurus, Epictetus believes that controlling desires by means of self-discipline is the way to avoid unhappiness. Furthermore, Epicurus expressed the view that human beings did not need to be fearful of gods since gods do not interfere in human fates and lives. Unlike Epicurus, the representative of Stoics Epictetus believes that it is god that has control of everything. Hence, human beings are â€Å"fragments of god†. ... Broadly speaking, both say that people possess control of their own happiness. Next, both philosophers agree that god exists. However, they disagree about the way god influences people’s lives. Epicurus thinks that god never interferes in people’s fates and lives, while Epictetus believes that every human life is subject to god’s control. Epicurus also believes that people’s body is made of atoms and Epictetus believes that people’s body is part of god’s. Also, the philosophers explain fear of death in a different way. While Epicurus expresses the opinion that we should not fear death since human beings lose sensation at the time of dying (this happens due to atoms dispersal), Epictetus thinks that we just need to change our perception of death and views on it, which will liberate us from fearing death. As for me, Epictetus’ views are more superior since they reject self-indulgence and focus on a personality development. Epicurus views , it seems, lead to moral degradation of people since they risk turning into beasts preoccupied with desires and efforts to satisfy them. 2. Which of Epictetus’ rules do you find most appealing? Why? Which of Epictetus’s rules do you find most distasteful? Why? As I go over the rules of Epictetus, I find all of them appealing. Importantly, these ideas have much in common with what is thought the highest virtues in Christianity. It appears that he even advised not to engage in sexual relationship before marriage, which seems unbelievable if one imagines that society and men’s opportunities. I am literally impressed by how close to my views on life, Epictetus’ rules are. For instance, Epictetus advises not to judge

Monday, October 28, 2019

Electricity and Magnetism Essay Example for Free

Electricity and Magnetism Essay In this investigation I will be burning a range of alcohol in a method known as calorimetry. This will allow me to see the amount of energy produced by each alcohol, and then look at the structure of the alcohol and investigate why an amount of energy is produced for each alcohol. Before I go on with the experiment there are several factors that must be first understood. What is an alcohol? The definition of an alcohol as taken from Richard Harwoods Chemistry textbook is a series of organic compounds containing the functional group OH. The OH group, called a hydroxyl group is what defines the compound as an alcohol. The alcohol compounds are very similar to the alkanes, however alcohols contain one oxygen atom, creating the hydroxyl group, and making the alkane an alkanol (alcohol). As the hydroxyl group makes the compound different to an alkane, the hydroxyl group is seen to be functional. The formula for alcohol is: In this investigation I will look at the first five alcohols. These are methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol and pentan-1-ol. The classification of alcohols is similar to the classification of alkanes, where the name refers to the number of carbon atoms i. e.meth- one carbon atom, eth-=two carbon atoms, prop-=3 carbon atoms, but-=four carbon atoms, pent-=five carbon atoms and so on. The carbon atom that the hydroxyl group is bonded to may classify the alcohol further. If it is joined to the end carbon atom it is classified as -1-ol, if it is bonded to the second carbon atom it is classified as -2-ol and so on. The five alcohols I am testing are shown with formulas, and atomic structure diagrams below: Name RMM Formula Structure Boiling Point Methanol. What is combustion? The definition of combustion as taken from Richard Harwoods Chemistry textbook is a chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with oxygen the reaction is exothermic. Burning is a combustion reaction that produces a flame. The reactions that will take place in our investigation will be combustion reactions, as we burn the alcohol in calorimetry. The combustion of an alcohol produces carbon dioxide and water. This is represented by the following equation: ALCOHOL + OXYGEN i CARBON DIOXIDE + WATER e. g. The combustion of methanol produces carbon dioxide and water: METHANOL + OXYGEN i CARBON DIOXIDE + WATER 2CH3OH + 3O2 i 2CO2 + 4H2O What is calorimetry? Calorimetry is defined as the science of heat. It may be used in chemistry to measure the heat energy exchanged for a substance during a reaction, by allowing the substance reacting to heat a measured mass of liquid. The temperature change of this liquid is measured and recorded, and the following equation may be used to calculate the heat energy transferred to the liquid: Heat change = MC? T (where M = mass of liquid, C = critical temperature, and T = temperature change). The critical temperature is the proportionality between heat energy applied and the subsequent temperature rise. E. g. for 1g of water a temperature rise of 1 i C requires 4. 8 joules of heat energy. Using calorimetry may be used to measure both reactions in solution, and reactions not in solution. Wet reactions or those in solution are more accurate than those not in solution, as the actual energy release of the reaction is being measured directly as a thermometer is placed in the solution. For dry reactions, (a reaction not in solution such as the burning of an alcohol) the reaction must be used to heat a mass of water and the temperature increase measured from the water. As the combustion reaction must transfer its heat energy from the reaction to the water, calorimetry for dry reactions can be inaccurate due to heat loss. HYPOTHESIS I believe that the increased complexity of a molecule and the energy released by it are proportional. I found this idea upon the theory of breaking and making bonds. In a molecule, bonds hold atoms together. When these bonds are formed energy is given out to the surroundings (exothermic), and when these bonds are broken energy is absorbed from the surroundings (endothermic). This may be seen by the alcohols boiling points: Name Boiling Point Methanol 65 Ethanol 78 Propan-1-ol 97 Butan-1-ol 117 Pentan-1-ol 137 Using this theory of breaking/making bonds, we can say that there will be a greater amount of energy released from the combustion of a more complex alcohol, as more bonds will be formed. When more bonds are formed, more heat energy is released. The hypothesis may be seen on the flowing graph: TESTING To investigate the relationship between the structure and heat provided by combustion of a range of alcohols, we will use the method of calorimetry. We will do this by burning an alcohol, and allowing it to heat a mass of water. Measuring the temperature rise of this mass of water we can use the formula to find the heat energy released during the reaction. Apparatus == 1 can == 1 measuring cylinder == Water == 1 thermometer == 1 stand == 1 clamp == 1 boss == 1 heat mat == 1 alcohol burner/candle == 1 balance == Draught shields Fig1: Experiment setup. Method. Safety must be ensured at all times, as highly flammable substances are being burned here. All students must wear eye protection during the experiment, stay standing during the experiment, and be aware of the flames around them. 1. The apparatus is set up as shown in fig 1. 2. The alcohol candle is weighed on the balance, and the mass recorded. 3. The mass of water in the can measured and recorded 4. The height between the candlewick, and the base of the can must be set and recorded, measuring the distance with a ruler. 5. The temperature of the water is measured and recorded using the thermometer. 6. The candle is lit and the thermometer monitored until the water has risen by a given temperature. 7. The candle is blown out, the burnt wax on the base removed of the candle, and the candle is weighed. The data produced by this method will then be calculated by the formulas: ? H (j) = mass of water (g) X specific heat capacity of water (S. H. C) X temperature rise (? C) The result of this is found per gram of alcohol burnt by dividing it by the change of mass ? H per gram of alcohol burnt (J/g) = ? H (? C) / change in mass (g) The results of this are the found per mole of alcohol burnt. ? H per gram of alcohol burnt per mole (J/mole) = ? H per gram of alcohol burnt (g) X RMM of alcohol Variables There are two types of variables: dependant variables and independent variables. Dependant variables are those that are kept constant at a set value, so that they cannot cause variation in the results, by changing throughout the experiments. There should only be one independent variable in a test, this is what is being tested. Therefore the dependent variables for this investigation are as follows (see fig 2): 1. The distance of the wick from the base of the can The distance of the flame from the base of the can may vary the results greatly, as it will decide how much of the flames heat is transferred directly to the can and to the water. The experiment should allow the flame to contact the can at its hottest point. The most accurate and safe way to measure flame distance from the can is to measure the distance of the wick. For the purposes of our experiment this should be accurate enough. Measuring the distance from the wick and the base of the can each time will control this variable. 2. The mass of water heated. The volume of water can vary the experiment greatly, as the greater the mass of water used, the more alcohol will be combusted to reach the target temperature. Also when a greater mass of water is used, the test will go on for longer, and thus a greater amount of energy will be transferred to the surroundings as wasted energy. Measuring the amount of water used each time will control this variable. 3. The type of can used. The type metal the can is made from is extremely important to the experiment, as different metals conduct heat with different efficiency and at different rates. Therefore the type of can used will affect the heat transfer to the water. Using the same can each time will control this variable. 4. The heat increase The heat increase can vary the experiment, as the greater the energy increase, the greater the mass of alcohol burnt, and the greater amount of energy transferred to the surroundings as waste. The start temperature may affect the results, as the higher the temperature the equipment reaches, the more heat will be wasted in the surroundings, according to the theory that heat energy moves from areas of high heat energy to areas of low energy. By allowing the equipment to cool after each experiment to a set temperature this variable may be controlled. 5. Stirring of the water Stirring the water will affect the results, as it means that the whole mass accounted for in the calculation will be being heated, not just one volume of water. The type of stirring in terms of frequency and power may affect the results also, and must be kept constant. To control this variable, the same type of stirring will be used each time. The only variable in the experiment will be the changing type of alcohol being combusted, as this is what is being investigated.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

War Poetry :: essays research papers

War has occurred in several occasions throughout history. We've had several important wars in the twentieth century, World War I and World War II, and Vietnam. Each and every war has had an effect on those who lived through it, and those who fought in it. Poets write about what effects, and inspires them. If they were soldiers in war they often times have a strong opinion of war. This comes out in their poetry. Seigfried Sassoon, and Rupert Brooke were English poets who both served in World War I. Sassoon, a true survivor of trench warfare, wrote, 'Everyone Sang'; protecting war. While Brooke, who did not see the trenches, wrote, 'The Soldier';, and a patriotic war-supporting poem. Each man wrote a splendid war poem, but each from different spectrums of war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'Everyone Sang'; is a two stanza, five-line poem that says so much about the imprisonment of war. The poem was written right after Sassoon's release from the British army. He is so overjoyed to be released that he compares it too, '…prisoned birds must find in freedom Winging wildly across the white Orchards…'; Like many other poets, he is terrified by war and was 'filled with such delight'; to be out. Sassoon witnessed the brutality on war, which hardened him to the idea of patriotism. 'Everyone Sang'; is a rejoice of freedom until the final two lines. '…O, but everyone Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done.'; Sassoon is reflecting on the realities of war. He implies that even though he is 'free'; and will always be rejoicing, he will never be free from the thoughts and memories of war. Let alone the wars to come, and the new soldiers to follow in his path.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rupert Brooke also wrote about war but in a much different light. Brooke did serve in the Navy during World War I but before he made it to the lines he died of blood poisoning. This is obvious when understanding his poems. He has a very positive outlook on war. He has a very strong patriotic love of England. Brooke's wrote, 'The Soldier';, a traditional sonnet. He praises the wonderful land of England. 'Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, A body of England's breathing English air….'; He is loyal to his country for it has been good to him, and he will honor his country by dying for it.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Leonard Bernstein Essay -- essays research papers

Leonard Bernstein   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrenceville, Massachusettes on August 25, 1918. He was the first born child of Samuel and Jennie Bernstein, who lived in Boston, but had gone to Lawrenceville to visit some relatives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bernstein's parents had little knowledge of, or interest in classical music. The only records Leonard remembers hearing on his family phonograph when he was a child were the popular hit songs of the day, such as â€Å" Barney Google† and â€Å"Oh by Jingo.† For the most part, Leonard Bernstein was an unhappy child. He said, â€Å" I was a miserable, terrified little child† (Musicians p.64). His family moved from town to town, during Bernstein's school days, not giving him a chance to make close friends or feel at home. Sadly, Bernstein's peers would make fun of and tease Bernstein. He was a very sickly child as he suffered from chronic asthma, rose fever, and hay fever. This pathetic child grew to be a very shy person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leonard always had a heart for music, even as a young boy. As an eight year old, one morning, when he was sitting in the synagogue, the religious music of the choir and organ overwhelmed him by it's beauty and caused him to burst into tears. When Leonard and his family would visit their friends, Leonard would sneak over to the piano and experiment. When he was eleven, his aunt sent her piano to his house for his family to keep for storage. â€Å"I made love to it right away† he recalled (Musicians p. 65). He could escape from all his frustrations and sadness by playing the piano. His parents didn't like the fact that he was always at the piano, they wanted him to concentrate on his school work. They thought of piano playing as a waste of time because it stood in the way of Leonard's learning his father's business, which they planned for him to eventually take over.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the age of ten, Leonard found a piano teacher who would give him lessons for a dollar a lesson. But that teacher soon moved away and Leonard found himself paying another piano teacher three dollars a lesson out of his allowance. After more than a year of piano lessons that just weren't teaching him much, Leonard found a new, and th... ...  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bernstein has received such awards as the Albert Einstein Commemorative Award in the Arts from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine; the John H. Finley Medal for service to New York City; the Golden European trophy, an annual award given to an outstanding figure in popular music; the Datsun Award for â€Å"outstanding service to American music†; the Institute of International Education Award presented by President Nixon; and the George Foster Peabody Awards for his television programs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bernstein provided the music for four famous Broadway musicals with a superior amount of sophistication and technique. Often times, he would produce music with great humour and sentiment. Bernstein's great talents led him to author a few books in the 1960's. One of his most recent, famous collections of his music is used in the ever popular film West Side Story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leonard Bernstein was the â€Å"Renaissance man of twentieth century music.† Over the decades, Bernstein has been called one of the most charismatic and gifted personalities in the music of our times.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 4

The car was pitch black, but our eyes, now adapted for nocturnal vision, allowed us to pick out a path through the piles of sooty coal in the caboose. Finally we emerged through a doorway into what appeared to be a first-class sleeping car. When no one was looking, we stole a few shirts and pairs of trousers from an unattended trunk and put them on. They didnt fit perfectly, but they would do. As we ventured out into the aisle of the seating coach, the train rumbling beneath our feet, a hand grabbed my shoulder. Reflexively, I swung my arm at my attacker and growled. A man in a conductors uniform flew backward and hit the wall of a compartment with athud. I locked my jaw to keep my fangs from protruding. â€Å"Im sorry! You startled me and † I trailed off. My voice was unfamiliar to my own ears. For the past week, most of my interactions had been in hoarse whispers. I was surprised at how human I sounded. But I was much more powerful than my voice betrayed. I hoisted the man to his feet and straightened his navy cap. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"I believe so,† the conductor said in a dazed voice, patting his arms as if to make sure they were still there. He looked to be about twenty, with sallow skin and sandy hair. â€Å"Your ticket?† â€Å"Oh, yes, tickets,† Damon said, his voice smooth, not betraying that we had been in a gallop to the death only minutes before. â€Å"My brother has those.† I shot an angry glance toward him, and he smiled back at me, calm, taunting. I took him in. His boots were muddy and unlaced, his linen shirt was untucked from his trousers, but there was something about him–more than his aquiline nose and aristocratic jaw–that made him seem almost regal. In that moment, I barely recognized him: This wasnt the Damon Id grown up with, or even the one Id gotten to know in the past week. Now that we were hurtling out of Mystic Falls toward some invisible, unknowable point on the horizon, Damon had become someone else, someone serene and unpredictable. In these unfamiliar surroundings, I was unsure if we were partners in crime or sworn enemies. The conductor turned his attention toward me, his lip curling as he took in my disheveled appearance. I hastily tucked my own shirt in. â€Å"We were rushing, and † I drawled, hoping my Southern accent would make the words sound sincere–and human. His goldfish-like eyes bulged skeptically, and then I remembered a vampire skill Katherine had used on me to great effect: compelling. â€Å". . . And I already showed you my ticket,† I said slowly, willing him to believe me. The conductor furrowed his brows. â€Å"No, you didnt,† he replied just as slowly, taking extra care to enunciate each word, as if I were an especially dull passenger. I cursed silently, then leaned in ever closer. â€Å"But I presented it to you earlier.† I stared into his eyes until my own started to cross. The conductor took a step back and blinked. â€Å"Everyone needs a ticket on their person at all times.† My shoulders slumped. â€Å"Well uh â€Å" Damon stepped in front of me. â€Å"Our tickets are in the sleeper car. Our mistake,† he said, his voice low and lulling. He didnt blink once as he gazed at the mans hooded lids. The ticket takers face went slack, and he took a step back. â€Å"My mistake. Go ahead, gentlemen. Im sorry about the confusion.† His voice was distant as he tipped his hat, then stood aside to let us walk into the gentlemens club car. As soon as the door shut behind us, I grabbed Damons arm. â€Å"How did you do that?† I asked. Had Katherine taught him how to drop his voice, gaze his victim in the eye, and force the poor lad to do his bidding? I clenched my jaw, wondering if shed mentioned how easy it had been for her to compel me. Images flashed into my mind: Katherine widening her eyes, begging me to keep her secret, to stop my father from hunting her. I shook my head, as if to fling the images from my brain. â€Å"Whos in charge now, brother?† Damon drawled, collapsing into an empty leather seat and yawning, his hands stretched above his head as if he were ready to settle down for a long nap. â€Å"Youre going to sleep now? Of all times?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Why not?† I repeated dumbly. I held out my arms, gesturing to our surroundings. We sat among well-dressed men in top hats and waistcoats, who, despite the hour, were busily patronizing the wood-paneled bar in the corner. A group of older men played poker, while young men in captains uniforms whispered over tumblers of whiskey. We went unnoticed in this crowd. There were no vampire compasses revealing our true identities. No one so much as glanced in our direction as we sat down. I perched on the ottoman opposite Damon. â€Å"Dont you see?† I said. â€Å"No one knows us here. This is our chance.† â€Å"Youre the one who doesnt see.† Damon inhaled deeply. â€Å"Smell that?† The warm, spicy scent of blood filled my nostrils, and the thud of pumping hearts echoed around me like cicadas on a summer evening. Instantly a searing pain ripped through my jaw. I covered my mouth with my hands, looking wildly around to see if anyone had noticed the long canines that had shot out from my gums. Damon let out a wry chuckle. â€Å"Youll never be free, brother. Youre tethered to blood, to humans. They make you desperate and needy–they make you a killer.† At the wordkiller, a man with a rust-colored beard and sun-dyed cheeks glanced sharply at us from across the aisle. I forced a benign smile. â€Å"You're going to get us in trouble,† I hissed under my breath. â€Å"Yes, well, youve got only yourself to blame for that,† Damon replied. He closed his eyes, signaling the end of our conversation. I sighed and glanced out the window. We were probably only thirty miles outside of Mystic Falls, but it felt as though everything Id known before had simply ceased to exist. Even the weather was new–the rain shower had ended, and the autumn sun now poked through wispy clouds, penetrating the glass that separated the train from the outside world. It was curious: While our rings protected us from the sun searing our flesh, the burning orb made me feel slightly drowsy. Pushing myself to stand, I took refuge in the dark aisles that led from compartment to compartment. I passed from walking between the plush velvet seats of the first-class cars to the wooden benches of second class. Finally, I made myself comfortable in an empty sleeper cabin, drew the curtains, closed my eyes, and opened my ears. Hope those Union boys get out of New Orleans and leave it to ourselves Once you see those beauties on Bourbon Street, your Virginia virgin won't look the same You've got to be careful. There's voodoo down there, and some say it's where demons come out to play I smiled. New Orleans sounded like the perfect place to call home. I settled into the makeshift bed, content to relax and let the train rock me into some sort of slumber. I found that I fed much better after I had rested.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Jasmine essays

Jasmine essays In the novel Jasmine, by Bharati Mukherjee, Jasmine is determined to become Americanized while at times displaying acts of desperation. Jasmine first expresses that she wants more of an education than what she had in India even though that is not her main reason for leaving. Coming to the United States would provide her that opportunity for an education. Once in America, Jasmine runs into very difficult situations and feels she needs to fit in with the rest of the Americans in this foreign land. She feels the need to find a lover and from there start a family. While Jasmine pursues these ambitions, she must face the fact that she is illegal to America, therefore forcing her into some acts of desperation. Shortly before Prakashs death, he and Jasmine talk about him going to Florida for an education. One day in April, Prakash said, very casually, Well, it came through. Your looking at a bona-fide student to be of the Florida International Institute of Technology(90). They then go on to discuss how to obtain a visa for Jasmine. Unexpectedly, Prakash is killed right in front of Jasmine. This triggers her to fulfill Prakashs dream of gaining an education in the United States. I turned everything over to my brothers, along with my plan. They were stupefied. A village girl, going alone to America, without a job, husband, or papers? I must be mad(97). This is Jasmines first act of desperation. She makes a wild decision in coming to America by herself. Her decision to come to America is not only to fulfill Prakashs dreams, but her own dreams as well. She wonders, I know, why I left. I tell her Education, which is true enough(16). While Mother Ripplemeyer and Jasmine talk, t hey discuss the reason that Jasmine comes to America. Jasmine reveals that one of her reasons for coming to the United States is to seek an education, a quality in which most Am...

Monday, October 21, 2019

How Does the Media Influence the Perception of a Womens Place

How Does the Media Influence the Perception of a Womens Place Free Online Research Papers The excerpt by Susan Douglas gives us an insight on how the media can manipulate the thought process of children. In the United States the media is used to sell products, nothing more, and nothing less. This is not a new idea in the United States; it has been around since newspapers have been selling advertisements. The advertisers decide how they are going to reach their customers. All advertising is based on the customers perception. That’s why most advertising is gender differentiated. You wouldn’t place an ad for men’s hair tonic and show all ladies in the ad space. Companies will continue to influence our thoughts and decisions as long as we continue to buy their products and conform to their messages. I don’t believe women’s place in our society has been influenced by what we see on television or read in print. The role women played in society fifty years ago is much different than that of women today. Fifty years ago women were expected to stay at home, raise the kids, pay the bills, and take care of their man. Men were expected to join the military, go to college, or get a job, and be financial provider for his family. Today, however, those gender based roles only remain in a very small percentage of families in this country today. Through women’s own stance for independence and the ever changing economy, many women are the bread winners and sole financial providers for their families. â€Å"Mr. Mom† is a commonly used name for men who now stay at home and play the role, only women once played fifty years ago. While it easy to blame the media for influencing our thoughts, it is up to you and only you to become the person you want to be. I have three children. A ten year old boy, a seven year old girl, and a five year old boy, all of which watch TV and none of which acts the way they do because TV influenced their thought processes. Sure, they want every toy on every commercial, and their decisions are gender biased, but they all want something different out of life. It is up to parents, and those who educate our children to teach them that whether you are male or female anything in this world is attainable. Research Papers on How Does the Media Influence the Perception of a Women's PlacePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Fifth HorsemanCapital PunishmentMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Because Of and Due To

Because Of and Due To Because Of and Due To Because Of and Due To By Guest Author The saying too many cooks spoil the broth is spot on in the case of English language. Today, even native speakers make blunders in written and spoken English, being influenced by current trends. One such trend we are talking about is the misuse of due to and because of. Many are of the opinion that both of the pairs refer to the same thing, and that they can be used as synonyms. This is an absolute misconception. They cannot be used interchangeably because they do not belong to the same classification. When the classification is not the same, how can the usage be? Some native English speakers also claim that a sentence cannot be started with the pair because of. However, they are unable to demonstrate the reasons. In some cases, the sentence cannot be started with because of whereas in some cases it can. This is the sole purpose of this post. We will be discussing the legitimate reasons, usage and rules associated with both the word pairs. The Classification of The Word Groups In order to get a clear understanding of how to use both the word groups it is imperative to first know their classifications. Due to is an adjective, which means it can only modify pronouns and nouns according to the purest English grammar rules. Because of is an adverb, which means it can only modify verbs, adjectives and clauses, but not nouns and pronouns. The Explanation It is quite difficult to grasp the concept outrightly with just categorizing the two word groups. So, it is important to lay down a little explanation along with some examples for you to get a clearer idea. Here are some examples of the usage of both the word groups: His frustration was due to the mucked up windscreen. He was frustrated due to the mucked up windscreen. In general, both of the sentences may sound right to you, but they are not. Carefully look at the first sentence and apply the grammar rule of noun modification. The word his is a possessive noun and it is complementing the noun frustration, and was is there as a linking verb. Now, due to the mucked up windscreen itself is an adjectival prepositional phrase which is the complement or the reason being attached to the noun with the help of the linking verb was. Therefore, in this case the usage of due to is absolutely right because it is fulfilling the purpose of modifying the noun. Now, take a look at the second and apply the same rule there. The pair due to is not connecting nor complementing the noun because the possessive noun his has been changed to he, which is a pronoun. This way, he is not the possessive noun now has become the main subject of the sentence and a pronoun. The pair due to has nothing to modify here because the verb is now was frustrated and adjectives cannot modify verbs. Henceforth, to connect a reason or a compliment to this sentence the adverb because of should be attached with the reason to make it appropriate. The correct sentence would be: He was frustrated because of the mucked up windscreen. As you can see, the pair because of is now modifying the verb was frustrated, so this sentence is correct now. Use This Trick When in Doubt One trick you can use is to substitute due to with caused by. If the substitution does not work, then you probably shouldnt use due to there. For example: My low grade was due to lack of study. My low grade was caused by lack of study. The substitution works, so due to is being used correctly. Here is another example: I missed the class due to the rain. I missed the class caused by the rain. The substitution doesnt work here, so due to shouldnt be used there. The correct sentence would be: I missed the class because of the rain. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?15 Types of DocumentsParataxis and Hypotaxis

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Developing a Professional Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Developing a Professional Philosophy - Essay Example From the discussion it is clear that most of the philosophers who were for the attachment theory thought that one’s security was a major factor in the relationships, the more secure one is, the more attached they become. The easiest way to know how much one is attached to someone is to know how you feel when you are away from them. It gives a clear indication about your feelings towards them. These were the discoveries of an early psychologist called Mary Ainsworth. She also came up with a technique that could be used to view the differences between attachments in children. The procedure was about exposing children to strange situations and then observes their behavior.This paper stresses that  the choice of models that people tend to admire differs. This depends on what values the person already has. The model is someone they consider attractive and powerful by their own standards. This means that the social-cognitive theory relies on information that had been priory attain ed. The values that the learner had got prior to the learning experience determine the type of model that they will choose to follow. Most people opt to choose models who they think are similar to them in most aspects. This makes it easier for them to try to imitate their behavior.  The main strength in skinners theories is that they rely on scientific tested and proven facts and not from speculations or word of mouth.

Friday, October 18, 2019

A Letter to Dean Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Letter to Dean - Personal Statement Example This disoriented me making me to lose track of my studies. Time flew and before I knew it, examinations approached before I was adequately prepared. I am sure that this unpreparedness played a big role in my poor performance and I regret having misplaced my priorities by having secondary interests. Lack of enough credits partly translated into my GPA falling short of 2.0. The other reason why my GPA fell below 2.0 was that I failed to consult with my professors about my failing grades. I shied away from asking my professors for guidance because I was afraid that they might not listen to me. I regret that I relied on the stories I had form my friends that some professors are unfriendly and today I am positive that had I talked to them, I would have saved my failing grades. I also attribute my poor performance to my failure to consult with my academic advisor because I contacted him when it was a bit too late. I mismanaged my time by prioritizing things that were not helpful to my studies and the company I kept did not make it any better. This flawed prioritization made me to spend very little time in the library and to get to class late. Somehow, I was not aware of how much I had lost track of my studies even when the indicators were so obvious. However, this one year of suspension from college has taught me important lessons that will help me improve when you reinstate me. I have learnt to take responsibility for my mistakes and this is what has given me confidence to write to you appealing to be reinstated. I approached my academic advisor and he advised me to take more credits from other schools in order to help raise my credits and GPA. Acting on this advice, I enrolled into Westwood College where I earned twelve credits. It was disheartening to learn, later, from my advisor that these credits could not be counted. The difficulty that I have encountered looking for a school has taught me how wrong I was taking for granted the chance to

Integrated Marketing Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Integrated Marketing Communications - Essay Example which carry leading brands in other product segments such as hair care and ladies skin care ranges. The product is currently having a 4% market share in the men's face lotion category and included in the top 10 brands in the market. Marketing Communication Process includes five elements. They are: sender, message, receiver, medium, and feedback.In developing marketing communications, the target audience needs to be identified, and a well-coordinated program should be shaped to derive a desired audience response. To have an effective Marketing Communication, Nolan Company should target the right audience. Once the target audience is selected suitable tools of marketing communication should be chosen from advertising, sales promotions, direct marketing, public relations and personal selling. SWOT that is strengths, weaknesses, opportunities; threats are the influencers of marketing communication process of the Black knight lotion. At most times, the communication process is based on sh ort-term objectives such as overcoming immediate awareness problems, image or preference problems in the target market. The achievement of the set MC 1 objectives can be realized through a well-planned MC program utilizing a mix of MC tools and execution of the programs with correct timing and frequency. Before starting the report on Marketing Communication, we should know what that is. ... 7 3.5 Feedback 8 4. Barriers of Effective Communication 8 5. Target Audience 9 6. Findings after Selecting Target Audience 9 6.1 Geographical Audience 10 6.2 Demographics Audience 10 6.3 Psycho graphic Audience 10 6.4 Behavioral Patterns 10 6.5 Viewer ship and Listener ship Patterns 11 7. Brand Analysis (SWOT) 11 7.1 Strengths 12 7.2 Weaknesses 13 7.3 Opportunities 13 7.4 Threats 13-14 8. Marketing Communication Objectives 14 8.1 Short-term 14 8.2 Long-Term 14 9. Conclusion 15 10. Bibliography Introduction Before starting the report on Marketing Communication, we should know what that is. Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering values to the customers or clients and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.2 Communication is a transactional process between two or more parties whereby meaning is exchanged through the intentional use of symbols.3 So marketing Communication is an ever-changed field where new theories, new techniques, cultural changes and technological advances all combined to create a dynamic environment within which marketers try to ensure that, their messages get through to their target audiences. For Marketing Communications to be effective they should be aligned with the overall business and marketing strategies of the product and this is referred to as an integrated Marketing Communication approach. In today's intensely competitive markets, consume rs are becoming more and more sophisticated in terms of their needs as well as their purchasing process. Therefore, need

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Seperate Subjects, 1 page each Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Seperate Subjects, 1 page each - Essay Example Through exploration of these ratios using statistics, can help in limiting the inter-industry effect of inflation. Statistics also help in giving data in a summary form the prices of foreign currencies. This information is useful in controlling inflation rate from outside the country, and thus leads to the success of domestic industries. Statistics are helpful when doing comparison of different economy sectors or organizations Sai Ram Centre for Financial Management Research, 2006). Multinational Companies carry out Research and Development (R&D) to determine their share of R&D in foreign countries. By comparing the ratios, the MNCs are able understand which sector or organization to give more effort in terms of resources, or which country to increase their share of R&D. This has boosted many business organizations as R&D has helped to come up with innovative means of doing business Sai Ram Centre for Financial Management Research, 2006). To increase shareholder value in an organization, correlation is used to quantify association of the shareholder value and the earnings per share or net income. Statistics are important in valuation and monitoring of business operational alternatives (Narayanan, 2004). From previously recorded statistics a manger can alter or adjust a business strategy. However, in making decision regarding the shareholder value, the share price should not be used to make decision as this has no causation relationship with the shareholder value (Glene, 2003). Scenario forecasting is important in any organization that wishes to have a successful planning in future. Scenario forecast prompts team members in an organization to think outside the box by trying to anticipate dynamics that may affect business activities or the team. Scenario forecast goes past simple, straight-line extrapolation of the project performance of a company to portray how different factors interact to

State, Market and Social Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

State, Market and Social Policy - Essay Example At most of part of this paper is the provision of the answer to the question on whether we should be concerned on market failure or government failure. There are inefficiencies brought about by monopolies. One in which is that they can get away with imposing higher non-pecuniary (non-financial) costs on buyers (Lewis and Widerquist 2001). For instance, assuming a small local market for counseling had just one provider of psychotherapy. Clients who went to this provider's office might have to spend long periods in waiting areas. This would have been the time that the clients could have spent engaging in other valuable activities; as a result their waiting time would be a cost. The therapist might be able to do some things to lessen clients' waits, other than as a monopolist, the therapist faces no viable demands to do any of them. In response to this, Lewis and Widerquist (2001) assert that a government has three things it can do to lessen and improve the inefficiency caused by monopolies. First, it can attempt to promote competition in monopolistic markets through breaking up monopolies or by avoiding them from forming. This is the reason why the United States has antitrust laws. Antitrust laws limit mergers (the joining together of firms in order to create bigger firms) between firms that sell goods in the same market. Moreover, antitrust laws also limit price-fixing between firms in the same market through preventing competing firms from performing as if they were monopolists. Evidently, the U.S. government utilized antitrust laws to break up American Telephone and Telegraph's monopoly on long-distance phone service, and the Justice Department has taken Microsoft to court. Second, governments have the power to decide whether to permit the monopoly to survive but regulate its price. As an application and realization, the U.S. government has employed this solution for phone companies and electricity companies, and local governments on occasion use it for cable television. This preference is frequently used for industries that are supposed to be natural monopolies. For the reason that a group of smaller firms would have a higher cost than one large firm would, breaching up a natural monopoly would not work very well. On the other hand, leaving the natural monopolist alone generally is not a good suggestion since natural monopolies have the same aspiration to get the most out of profit as any other firm, subsequently they will increase prices higher than costs and have the tendency to raise prices well above costs. For instance, one may think that his/her water bill is high now, but how high would your bill have to go before you seriously considered drilli ng a well You would probably let it go quite high (as cited in Lewis and Widerquist 2001). Therefore, if the water company were an unregulated monopolist, it could get away with a very high price. It is not easy for government to determine the right price to tolerate a natural monopolist to charge, and firms that face a regulated price have efficiency problems, but regulation may be the best solution, basing on the options. Lastly, the government may perhaps plainly take the monopoly over and run it itself. The U.S. government

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Seperate Subjects, 1 page each Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Seperate Subjects, 1 page each - Essay Example Through exploration of these ratios using statistics, can help in limiting the inter-industry effect of inflation. Statistics also help in giving data in a summary form the prices of foreign currencies. This information is useful in controlling inflation rate from outside the country, and thus leads to the success of domestic industries. Statistics are helpful when doing comparison of different economy sectors or organizations Sai Ram Centre for Financial Management Research, 2006). Multinational Companies carry out Research and Development (R&D) to determine their share of R&D in foreign countries. By comparing the ratios, the MNCs are able understand which sector or organization to give more effort in terms of resources, or which country to increase their share of R&D. This has boosted many business organizations as R&D has helped to come up with innovative means of doing business Sai Ram Centre for Financial Management Research, 2006). To increase shareholder value in an organization, correlation is used to quantify association of the shareholder value and the earnings per share or net income. Statistics are important in valuation and monitoring of business operational alternatives (Narayanan, 2004). From previously recorded statistics a manger can alter or adjust a business strategy. However, in making decision regarding the shareholder value, the share price should not be used to make decision as this has no causation relationship with the shareholder value (Glene, 2003). Scenario forecasting is important in any organization that wishes to have a successful planning in future. Scenario forecast prompts team members in an organization to think outside the box by trying to anticipate dynamics that may affect business activities or the team. Scenario forecast goes past simple, straight-line extrapolation of the project performance of a company to portray how different factors interact to

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Artist Marcel Duchamp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Artist Marcel Duchamp - Essay Example The essay "The Artist Marcel Duchamp" states the Marcel Duchamp, his art, and life. He began to learn artistic processes here, and Duchamp later remarked that his teacher believed the then contemporary impressionist style were debased and sought to instruct only traditional techniques; as a result, Duchamp’s primary influence became his family. During this formative period Duchamp was predominantly influenced by academic style of art including the post-impressionist and symbolist schools. When Duchamp turned 17 he moved to Paris to pursue a career as an artist. He was immediately influenced by the prevailing artistic trend of cubism and much of his early work reflects these influences; Duchamp’s work, however, reflects more eccentric personal images and psychology than most of the established cubist art. In 1912 Duchamp completed one of his most renowned works, ‘Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2’. While the painting incorporates traditional cubist elements of shifting perspectives, its cryptic title and focus on the movement of the object have led many critics to identify it as a monumental work. Like much great art, the painting was derided upon its release. The work was originally supposed to be exhibited in Paris, but the curator asked Duchamp to change the title to which he refused. When it was finally exhibited in a 1913 New York exhibition the painting was even termed, â€Å"an explosion in a shingle factory. The painting is almost ironically referring to the Renaissance ‘nude’ in its title.

Change & Continuity over Time of Religion in Europe from the 1500-1900 Essay Example for Free

Change Continuity over Time of Religion in Europe from the 1500-1900 Essay The period between 1500 to 1900 also refers to the time period from the Middle Ages to the modern world. The period witnessed significant strides in state building in England, France, and Spain, where growing bureaucracies levied taxes to finance large-scale warfare and territorial expansion. At the same time encroachment on the longstanding powers of the nobility caused feudal reaction, while the breach with tradition, particularly by creating new taxes in an era plagued by war, famine, and disease, caused peasants to revolt. A number of historical trends emerged to give the period clear definition: the fragmentation of Christianity and growing secularism; pronounced demographic and economic fluctuation; the development of the European state system; and the emergence of a global, Europe-centered system of production and trade. In the second decade of the sixteenth century, the Christian church experienced the first in a series of religious divisions along geographic lines. The sequence of splits, beginning in the Holy Roman Empire and spreading to the whole of Europe by the end of the century, transformed the relationship of the reformed churches with state, society, and the people. Christianity also spread to the indigenous people of the Americas and Asia. There was a strong desire for religious unity, marked by mandatory conversions of Moors and Jews to Catholicism in Spain and an enthusiastic missionary effort both in Europe and abroad. At the same time in nearly every area of Europe religious conflict and calls for a redistribution of power became virtually unavoidable, causing crisis in authority at state and local levels. Religious evangelism encouraged stronger spiritual education of young people. During the same time period, the advances of scientific information provided new, conflicting methods of learning. For this reason, children of educated classes were brought up in a world of competing models of knowledge advanced by churchmen and scientists, while the children of ordinary people were exposed to combinations of evangelical claims, folk wisdom, and the overpowering and repressive Reformation churches. Protestant and Catholic teachers tried to clarify and define the boundaries of official doctrine. Their interactions with the commoners caused serious tensions. Popular beliefs were judged as pagan. Evangelists tried to impose religious uniformity and eliminate groups or individuals who could not be brought into the mainstream Christianity. In particular, the office of the Holy Inquisition denied the lay peoples claims to spiritual powers in an effort to give all powers to the clergy. It was an attempt to take away the spiritual dimension of the lay people, medicine and science. The religious campaign to denounce magic and witchcraft helped prepare the ground for the late-seventeenth-century and eighteenth-century scientific claims that the cosmos was mechanized. In the modern age, science would undermine magical beliefs and reduce the spiritual influence of the clergy. The religious Reformation, together with the critical and undemocratic nature of Renaissance humanism, shattered the unity of intellectual thought, developments that were vital to the advancement of science. The discovery of new worlds and people and that the earth was round; the invention of movable type; the development of firearms and of a lens that improved the visibility of the stars and planets; improved mechanical clocks; and the development of shipbuilding and navigation opened up new intellectual perspectives and methods of discovery that relied increasingly on rational thinking rather than religion. Scientists made new claims to authority and objectivity, and began explaining the world in mechanical terms. Separating the observable world from the spiritual sphere represented a fundamental shift in thought. To see the world operating on basic principles discoverable by reason created hope that humans could control their environment, a change in attitude that helped pave the way for nineteenth-century industrialization.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Zimmerman Telegraph Impact and Summary

Zimmerman Telegraph Impact and Summary Michael Dean Dennis G. Medina The Zimmerman Telegraph was the catalyst that threw the United States into World War I. In the Zimmerman Telegraph, the German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs sends to the German Minister of Mexico a telegram stating that they want Mexico to become their ally and in turn Mexico would regain their lost territory from the United States (Zimmerman, 1917).   This caused the American public, who were against the war, to become enraged and want to join the fray. The historical context of this document is that the United States was trying to stay out of World War I, and the general consensus of Americans did not want the United States to go to war.   However, with the finding of this telegram Americans became outraged and wanted to join the war.   Many historians say that without the telegraph the United States would not have joined the war.   The primary source document, being the Zimmerman Telegraph, is contextually important to this time due to the fact that without it being found the United States might not have gone to war. The Zimmerman Telegraph is a piece of text sent from the German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the German Minister of Mexico.   It was sent in 1917, and its purpose was to gain an alliance with Mexico.   A summary of this document is that the Germans were going to start unrestricted submarine warfare the 1st of February.   The document also went to state that if the United States became un-neutral that they would ally themselves with Mexico, and in turn they would help Mexico retake their original territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.   The document closed by saying that the President of Mexico should also reach out to Japan to enter the war as an ally as well (Zimmerman, 1917). This source was incredibly important when it was uncovered.   Due to this document, the United States entered World War I.   This source is also important because it showed how important intelligence gathering is and was during wartime.   Due to Britain having a deciphering means for the German cipher, they were able to accurately break the encryption on the telegram.   This priority on intelligence has been a main focus during war times.   The evidence that this provides for the society that produced it was that the Germans were terrified of the United States entering the war.   We can see this due to the fact that they did not want America to join the war, and if they were to join they wanted Mexico to be an ally to help fight the United States (Zimmerman, 1917).   The consequences of send the telegram and the telegram being deciphered was the United States entered World War I.   Because the United States entered the war, the Allies were able to defeat the Germans a nd their own allies. The evaluation that I give to this primary sources is that it was an extremely important intelligence victory for the Allies.   Due to the uncovering of the telegram, the United States was able to make sure Mexico did not attack them.   As well due to the outrage of the American public, the United States entered World War I.   What I inferred from the document was that the Germans were scared of America.   They were terrified of the United States entering the war, because they knew of the power that Americans troops would bring to the fight.   This is why they were going to try and get Mexico to attack American soil.   Due to the efforts of the intelligence professionals who discovered the telegram, the war took a turn for the best for the Allied armies. Primary Source Document Zimmermann, Arthur. 2009. Zimmermann Telegram, 1917. Zimmerman Note, 1917 1. Points of View Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed March 19, 2017).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   https://proxy.nvc.alamo.edu:4443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=21213051site=eds-live Primary Source Document Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917, Supplement I, p. 147-148 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State London, February 24, 1917, 1 p.m. [Received 8:30 p.m.] 5747. My 5746, February 24, 8 a.m. For the President and the Secretary of State. Balfour had handed me the text of a cipher telegram from Zimmermann, German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to the German Minister of Mexico, which was sent via Washington and relayed by Bernstorff of January 19. You can probably obtain a copy of the text relayed by Bernstorff from the cable office in Washington. The first group is the number of the telegram, 130, and the second is 13042, indicating the number of the code used. The last group but two is 97556, which Zimmermanns signature. I shall send you by mail a copy of the cipher text and of the decode into German and meanwhile I give you the English translation as follows: We intend to begin on the 1st of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the Presidents attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace. Signed Zimmermann. The receipt of this information has so greatly exercised the British Government that they have lost no time in communicating it to me to transmit to you, in order that our Government may be able without delay to make such disposition as may be necessary in view of the threatened invasion of our territory. Early in the war, the British Government obtained possession of a copy of the German cipher code used in the above message and have made it their business to obtain copies of Bernstorffs cipher telegrams to Mexico, amongst others, which are sent back to London and deciphered here. This accounts for their being able to decipher this telegram from the German Government to their representative in Mexico and also for the delay from January 19 until now in their receiving information. This system has hitherto been a jealously guarded secret and is only divulged now to you by the British Government in view of the extraordinary circumstances and their friendly feeling towards the United States. They earnestly request that you will keep the source of your information and the British Governments method of obtaining it profoundly secret, but they put no prohibition on the publication of Zimmermanns telegram itself. The copies of this and other telegrams were not obtained in Washington but were brought in Mexico. I have thanked Balfour for the service his Government has rendered us and suggest that a private official message of thanks from our Government to him would be beneficial. I am informed that this information has not yet been given to the Japanese Government but I think it not unlikely that when it reaches them they may make a public statement on it in order to clear up their position regarding the United States and prove their good faith to their Allies. The Essential Documents of American History was compiled by Norman P. Desmarais and James H. McGovern of Providence College.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Assessed Causes Of The First World War :: history

The Assessed Causes Of The First World War Long Term Causes And Arguments: In 1838, a agreement was formed to protect Belgium if attacked or invaded. Briton along with other major European powers signed this therefore dragging themselves into the First World War when Germany invaded Belgium to fight France. In 1848, Austria-Hungary under Franz Josef lost a war against France, beginning a long rivalry between the two countries. In 1860, Italy was founded which agravated Austria-Hungary as parts of ithe land had originally been owned by them. In 186, Austria-Hungary under Franz Josef lost to Prussia creating tention between Austria-Hungary and yet more countries within Europe. In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War happened. France, led by Napoleon III, lost to Wilhelm I. This loss meant Alsace-Lorraine was joined on to Germany Empire. France would never forget this and was keen for revenge. In 1875, France set up a War college â€Å"Ecole Superieure de Guerre† which implied that they were building up a strong army to attack Germany again. In 1879, the Dual Allience was formed between Germany and Austria-Hungary, although Wilhem I was afraid that it might damage relations with Russia, which had always supported Prussia. In 1881, The Emperors League was formed creating more allies for Germany and Austria-Hungary. In 1882, Italy who had been waiting to see which was the stronger empire between the two sides finally joined Germany and formed the Triple allience. In 1888, Wilhelm I died and Wilhelm II was appointed Emperior of Germany. In 1890, Germany refused to renew the Russian Reinsurance Treaty and lets Russia go off to find new allies. In 1891, Russia and France agreed to protect each other if either country was attacked(the Franco-Russian Alliance). This created more strain on Germany as the surrounding empires teamed up. In 1904, Briton became an unoffical member of the Franco-Russian allience, building up to fight Germany if attacked. In 1912, Briton and France agreed to join each others battles if it was an unprovoked attack. The Pig War: The Pig war was an attempt by Austria-Hungary to stop the Pan-Serb movement and eventually Serbia, but all that came from this was a stronger Serbia and encouragement to get revenge somehow. Serbia’s main trade was in live-stock and so in 1906 Austria-Hungary stopped the import of all Serbia’s livestock. The Pig war had begun and continued for five years with unexpected results from both Serbia and Austria-Hungary.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Justification of Hamlets Sanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essays

Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" is about a complex protagonist, Hamlet, who faces adversity and is destined to murder the individual who killed his father. Hamlet is a character who although his actions and emotions may be one of an insane person, in the beginning of the book it is clear that Hamlet decides to fake madness in order for his plan to succeed in killing Claudius. Hamlet is sane because throughout the play he only acts crazy in front of certain people, to others he acts properly and displays proper prince like behavior who is able to cope with them without sounding crazy, and even after everything that has been going on in his life he is able to take revenge by killing his father's murderer. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare Hamlet is sane but acts insane to fulfill his destiny of getting vengeance on his father's murderer. Hamlet throughout the play seems insane but in reality it is only an act to achieve his goal of killing his father's murderer. Hamlet chooses to go mad so he has an advantage over his opponent and since he is the Prince of Denmark certain behavior is unacceptable, so by faking madness he is able to get away with inappropriate sayings and actions. We can see this when he talks to Claudius, Polonius, Ophelia and his mother. When Hamlet talks to Horatio in the first act he says how he is going to "feign madness" and that: " There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy...How strange or odd some'er i bear myself (As i perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on) That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumbered thus, or this headshake, Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase...let us go in toget... ...sane because he is fully aware of his surroundings and before acting he always rationalizes everything. He fakes madness so he can say and do things that a mad man would do, but internally he is aware of what he is doing and we know he is not insane but he acts crazy in front of certain people. His way of thinking is like a normal individual's, if an individual was crazy they would not be thinking everything through and if someone were crazy they would definitely not have the capabilities of outsmarting someone, like how Hamlet outsmarted Claudius. All these reasons and much more are why Hamlet is not insane, he is as sane of an individual as any other, but unlike others he had to go through a lot of emotional pain and a sense of abandonment to reach a successful point in his life. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. New York: Washington Square, 2004. Print.

Critical period in language development Essay

The concept of a critical period is well in nature. In human beings there seems to be a critical for the first language acquisition. Research shows that any human who is not exposed to any language before puberty, becomes completely unable to the syntax of their first language later in life. From my personal experience I have learnt that any individual who learns their first language at infancy and later (at puberty) gets to move from their motherland to foreign land where no one speaks their language, no matter how long these individuals stay from home they can never forget their mother tongue. Accent may change but they will always remember their first language Here is another practical example to prove that there is a critical period in language development. I happen to be living in Africa; my bosses are Italians (man and wife) they have had to learn English and Kiswahili for easy communication with the locals. They have a five year old baby. When the baby is with her parents they always speak in their first language; when she is left behind with the nanny she is spoken to in Kiswahili all the time. The nanny knows no other language apart from her mother tongue and Kiswahili. This baby has been looked after by this same nanny since she was born. At the age of three a teacher from America was employed to teach this girl. She knew no other language but English. Now look at this closely; the baby is now very fluent in two languages; her first one Italian and her second one; Kiswahili. She is so fluent that she corrects her parents on it! She seems to be doing just fine in English for the last two years she has been taught. Interestingly her teach who is very interested in learning Kiswahili asks her enough times to translate to her in English what has been said in Kiswahili by colleagues. I would say that all depends with the stage at which the language was introduced to an individual. The stage in life. †¢ Kiswahili is a language for the East African state and some of the West African.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Effects of globalisation case study- China Essay

China is the world’s seventh largest economy and the largest country in terms of population size. It has also become the 8th largest world exporter of manufactured goods and the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, on the basis of purchasing power parity. The impact of globalisation on China has been profound, having an impact in a number of different areas. Government Strategies to promote economic growth and development Between 1978 to 1994 China abandoned agricultural collectivisation, replacing it with a system of household responsibility, allowing individuals to make their own production decisions. Individuals could sell their surplus output in free markets after the state quota was met. This lead to dramatic increases in food production and incomes. Surplus income was invested into privately run town and village enterprises responsible for light manufacturing. The government also increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry and permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services designed to increase productivity with the ‘profit incentive’. Today, non-state economies account for 40% of China’s gross domestic product (GDP). In 1980 Special Economic Zones were established in the southern coastal provinces of China as a result of its ‘Open Door’ policy, adopted towards foreign trade and investment. These zones attracted foreign investment through incentives offered such as low tax rates, exemption from import duties, cheap labour and power, and less stringent regulations. This resulted in an increase in trade from 10% of Gross National Product (GNP) in 1978 to 36% of GNP by 1996. In 1992 tariff rates were reduced from 32% to 19%, supporting China’s drive for foreign investment. Economic growth, development and quality of life China has been experiencing a high rate of economic growth above 10% per annum. It uses foreign investment funds to finance export industries, enabling it to maintain large foreign currency reserves and receive  technology transfers from industrial countries. Higher productivity and the increased flow of money entering China as a result of globalisation have been increasing development and the quality of life, reducing the number of people below the poverty line. Although incomes in China are very low, the poverty line reflects absolute poverty based on the minimum subsistence necessary to maintain life. Higher incomes have allowed for more investment for further development in the country and living standards. The life expectancy at birth has also dramatically increased from 35 in 1950 to 72 in 2002. The Human Development Index is a number less than 1 (1 being the highest) calculated to enable the comparison of standards of living across different countries. It is based on life expectancy at birth, levels of educational attainment and gross domestic product per capita. China has a Human Development Index of .721, making it a medium developed country. Global Trade, Investment and Transnational Corporations Globalisation and trade have had a great impact on China.. Nearly 400 of the top 500 Transnational Corporations (TNC’s) have opened business or invested in China. By July 1999, China had 334000 overseas-invested enterprises with actual investment of US$288.94 billion. China ranks as the top exporter of many labour intensive products such as garments, shoes, clocks and bicycles and over the past few years many TNC’s such as ‘Streets’ ice cream have moved their operations to China to take advantage of low production costs. These low costs are due to the tens of millions of young job seekers ready to work for even less than the official minimum monthly wage of 700 yuan. Although they provide employment, workers are often forced to do long shifts often under poor conditions in order to support themselves and their families. TNC’s have affected the development of local businesses that are unable to update their technology as often as large, overseas companies. Outdated  technology means that their resources are not used as efficiently, reducing productivity and forcing wages to remain low. Unable to compete with large multinational firms and wealthy nations, small businesses have been forced to do business locally, never growing and reaching their full potential. Larger businesses that have been able to keep up with changing technology, however, have greatly benefited through increased productivity as a result of the increased level of technology brought about by globalisation. Distribution of Income and Wealth Despite average incomes rising, income and social inequality in China have grown between rural and urban populations. China’s growth and development are very dependent on the Special Economic Zones in the southern provinces which are dominated by foreign investment and technology. People living in these areas earn approximately 20000 yuan a year. In contrast, the northern provinces that rely more on agricultural production for the generation of income and employment opportunities earn an average of less than 6000 yuan per year. This is the major cause for inequality in the distribution of income. The top 20% of income earners receive 42.5% of the countries GDP. By international standards, China has entered â€Å"a zone of income distribution inequity.† Environmental Consequences Globalisation has contributed to the deterioration of the environment in China due to a loss of arable land as a result of economic development. An increased population growth in urban areas as people move to be closer to factories results in the clearing of large areas of land and a strain on resources. China, unlike many developed countries does not have extremely strict standards on the disposal of waste. Factories set up by overseas companies often create a lot of pollution and dangerous waste product not always properly disposed of in order to cut production costs. Persistent organic pollutants and the exploitation of fisheries pose major threats to the environment. High levels of energy use bear a large responsibility for man made greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. These factors contribute to  larger problems such as global warming and ozone depletion. The integration of financial markets and trade relationships has also increased the risk of ‘contagion’. Global Financial Markets and The International Business Cycle With more large businesses moving to China, there was a large demand on funds from the financial markets. China, however, does not have a financial market competitive with overseas markets. Many Chinese financial institutions are also required to lend money, under government policy, to government businesses, which are often inefficient, depleting the supply of funds. For this reason, most of the money is generally borrowed from overseas institutions. Like all economies, China acts as a part of the International Business Cycle, moving through booms and recessions. This connection to global movements is heightened as a result of globalisation. The Asian Crisis of 1997 is an example of this. As people lost confidence in Asian economies and withdrew money from investments affecting economies through lost output, rising unemployment, higher inflation and poverty. China was not as badly affected in this crisis as other Asian countries. This was because foreign investment was in the form of assets rather than shares. This meant that investors were not able to withdraw their money quickly as they were in other Asian countries.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Cooperate power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cooperate power - Essay Example For instance, the recent trade agreement between United States, Panama, Colombia and South Korea allows the member state’s corporations to treat each other equally. Though World Trade organization and other trade agreements do not fully offer free trade, corporations have furthered their interests through the lowered trade barriers between trading nations. Trade agreements lower trade barriers such as customs duty, excise duty, quotas and import bans which open markets to the corporations. Arguably, this results to increased production as these corporations will focus on what they produce best (Hoekman et al, 2002). Needless to say, lowered trade barriers allow corporations to increase their trading activities, which results to increased incomes. In addition, World Trade Organization and trade agreements reduce the costs of production which may trigger increased profits for the corporations thus furthering their interests. Debatably, the removal of trade barriers increases the level of cheap imports used in production resulting to abridged costs of production. World Trade Organization and other trade agreements offer business protection and incentives. In this regard, corporations use the business incentives, and protection such as defending of logical property rights offered by World Trade organization and other trade agreements (Hoekman et al, 2002). This assists the corporations in attaining and furthering their interests. The recent trade agreement between United States, Panama, Colombia and South Korea protect intellectual property rights and environmental standards allowing the corporations in the different states to further their interests. World Trade Organization and other trading agreements offer enterprises an apparent view of their future opportunities (Hoekman et al, 2002). This is because trade agreements assure member states that the trade barriers will not be raised

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Competitive and Strategic Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competitive and Strategic Analysis - Assignment Example Corporate strategy: Corporate strategy on the other hand is the overall and general scope as well as the direction that a corporation takes in relation to its activities in the various departments. It is not specific, but gives a glimpse and idea on how all the operations of the various departments contribute to the general good performance of the corporation. Business strategy: Business strategy refers to the choices and decisions made in a company or corporation to realize a long-term value while at the same time achieving the desired objectives of the company or the corporation in question. It is the means of maximizing the outcome in a companys production system or in realizing the maximum profit from a company. At Best Buy, the functional strategy is vital in the marketing department because it is in this operational department that the customers will be able to familiarize themselves with the company and get to purchase the products. Any strategy put in place in this department is important because it affects the entire business outcome of the company. Marketing thus is the functional division of this company that is useful as the company does not produce its own electronics fully and yet it is a retailer competing with thousands of other retailers. Packaging the marketing team with the right and consistent information will thus affect the entire outcome of the company and affects all other departments. The function essential to the goal of 2014, which is expanding the number of stores, is proper marketing in the new zones of operation. The marketing strategy should be so that it captures the tiny little details and appeals to customers all across the boards as it redefines Best Buy as th e best brand in the market. The marketing team should advertise the company as the best brand available in the market and at the same time gives customers the incentives necessary to have the goods and electrical items from the

Monday, October 7, 2019

A topic from your personal knowledge and experience Essay

A topic from your personal knowledge and experience - Essay Example In other words, how their lives affects others. My philosophy of life involves this premise. In a world that is beautiful, exciting and mysterious yet can be brutally unfair, who I am is determined by how my life, my words and actions affect the world and the people in it. This is all I can really control, the person I choose to be. The person that some one chooses to be depends on an almost infinite number of factors including how and where they were raised, environmental influences, choices regarding philosophical thought and, in part, genetic predispositions. However, since the dawn of the internet, people from every part of the world have realized that they can indeed think very much alike those that have had very different life experiences. This proves, I suppose, that where you start does not indicate where you will end up, philosophically speaking. Some do not look at life and the world in the same way as their parents, friends or ethnic group see it, yet some do. It is for higher minds to ponder the reasons for why a person believes what they do but one thing is certain, the path there is very complex and unique to every individual. The roots of my philosophy towards life begin with the Bible yet I do not consider my self Christian, far from it. As a youth, I found the words of Christ simple, to the point and ultimately a path to inner contentment. A life philosophy, I have found, is an evolving viewpoint based on what we learn as we travel through the roller coaster that is life. The Bible gave me the foundation of what I have built upon since my youth. Other philosophies, whether from religions or various ‘wise men,’ that I have read do not contradict, in fact they support the tenets from the book I began with. All books of philosophical content are written as a guideline to happiness. Isn’t an individual’s

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Management Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Final Project - Essay Example The project showed the new shopping cart concepts that embedded the issues including shopping behavior, maneuverability, cost maintenance, and child safety. These concepts aimed at improving the management skills where both the business and the customers were the centers of interest (Kelly, 1999). As the business was reducing the loss of its fixed assets (the cart trolleys), the customer values and interest were also considered whereby despite the crewed developing in the shaping both the cost and customer safety were never compromised. Moreover, the show concentrated on the design process of the IDEO that reflected multidisciplinary team brainstormed, prototyped, and research the gathered the feedback from those who used the design. These applications deployed by the design indicated that good managerial skills that included teamwork as well as the incorporating the end users in the development and improvement of services and products (Kelly, 1999). Teamwork allows acquiring extensi ve knowledge and skills in design products and services that will meet the end users’ desire. Moreover, teamwork allows extensive innovation thereby increasing the production and sale of the intended service or product in the market line. Seeking for the views of customers within the intended product and service line is also an effective business management skill since it allows the business to design products and services that will meet the needs and wants of customers (Kelly, 1999). Notably, meeting the needs of customers within every product and service line often improves sales and profitability in the same sense (Kelly, 1999). Moreover, seeking and using feedback from the targeted customers is essential in that it is a means of improvement of services and products especially in areas that customers feel unsatisfied. It should be noted that the current business management skills are customer centered; the production of goods and services are to meet the needs of the custo mer. In this sense, the application of this design in businesses will improve businesses applying the same since they will be having an extended and elaborate market (Kelly, 1999). Additionally, every proper business management skill usually values the safety of its customer in line with production and service delivery and the IDEO’s design have ensured that child safety is a factor in their production and service delivery in the cart shopping. Another essential management skill demonstrated in case video clip, the continual improvement. Every business must give room for product and or service improvement. In the case of IDEO’s shopping cart design, the continual improvement is demonstrated where it is vivid that the design lacks some steel frame bottom and side to detect theft. However, it substituted plastic baskets thereby increasing shoppers’ flexibility and helped in protecting goods as well as providing a means of promoting the brand awareness (Kelly, 1999 ). The design also incorporated the auxiliary services that usually aim at maintaining customers to the services and products offered or acting as a means of customer attracting other customers to such news services and products. The dual child seat with a swing up tray provides a play surface and a secure spot for placing a bunch of carnations or cup of coffee. Additionally, seeking for the addition information through secondary research enable the IDEO shopping cart des

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Madonna and child Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Madonna and child - Research Paper Example hild Jesus – the main characters in â€Å"Madonna and Child.† Except for Jesus, son of God the Father by Christian faith, there are no other gods and goddesses in the image. The scenery of Madonna, which translates to ‘Our Lady’, and her Christ Child provides relation to Catholic worship of Mary as a Virgin Mother or a woman handpicked by the Divine to conceive for a Holy Child, out of purity. Each of the persons in this biblical theme of Duccio’s work – identified as Mary and Jesus, are dressed in what appears to be a black silken garment and a customary tunic in peach and brown, respectively. Mary and Jesus are in a position where Mary, looking out as though to make contact with audience’s point of sight in calm sacred radiance, holds Jesus close to her bosom while Jesus warmly and innocently gazes at her with an iconic holy sign in the fingers of his right hand. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. â€Å"Madonna and Child – Duccio di Buoninsegna.† The Collection Online. 2000 – 2014. Web. 10 Nov 2014.

Friday, October 4, 2019

The Reporter’s Privilege Essay Example for Free

The Reporter’s Privilege Essay For the last 34 years, over a thousand subpoenas were served to reporters of various news media organizations in the United States compelling them to testify and reveal their sources in all kinds of court cases. In 1999 alone, there were 1,326 subpoenas delivered to 440 news outlets according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP). This epidemic has threatened to destroy the freedom of the press, which is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The source possesses valuable information and is the lifeblood of newsgathering. There will be no story without the source. Professional ethics demands that journalists should safeguard their sources even if it means facing jail terms and always keep the promise of confidentiality they make to the source. The American Society of Newspaper Editors Statement of Principles, Article VI states that â€Å"Pledges of confidentiality to news sources must be honored at all costs, and therefore should not be given lightly. On the other hand, the Radio-Television News Directors Association Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct cite that â€Å"Journalists should keep all commitments to protect a confidential source†. Therefore, it is imperative that journalists should not be forced to disclose their sources because it would undermine their constitutional function to inform the people and even destroy the American free press philosophy that the public has the right to know. Subpoenaing a journalist threatens to transform the independent press into an investigative arm of the government; it silences potential confidential sources, which reduces the flow of information to the citizenry; and it thereby violates the First Amendment. (Bates, 2000, p. 4,  ¶2). If it will give meaning to the First Amendment and the freedom of the press, then the reporter’s privilege must be kept sacred. RCFP Executive Director Lucy Daglish, in an interview with Newsweek in 2004, said that democracy operates because the media provides information to the citizenry. Columbia Journalism Review Executive Director Mike Hoyt describes the press as the oxygen of democracy. However, today’s trends of attacking the source seem unlikely when journalists are getting drowned in a sea of subpoenas and face a ritual of jailing. The courts have been contesting the reporter’s privilege in over 100 years but the press continues to withstand the test of time whether in the court rooms or in the corridors of power. When the government subpoenas journalists in criminal cases, additional concerns are raised. The media is said to serve many functions critical to a democracy. Among these are the tasks of informing the public, serving as watchdogs by checking government abuse, and holding individuals in a position to affect the public interest accountable for their actions. To fulfill these functions, journalists must remain independent of government. Subpoenas naturally reduce this independence, thus undermining the medias function in a democracy. (Schmid, 2002, Proponents Of the Journalists Privilege,  ¶4). Court Rulings. Unlike the attorney-client, doctor-patient, spousal, and therapist privileges, the judicial system still does not recognize the reporter’s privilege. A number of cases have already challenged and continue to challenge this controversial privilege resulting in high profile landmarks of court rulings. The first Supreme Court case that answered whether the First Amendment protects journalists from not revealing their source was the Branzburg versus Hayes in 1972. In 1969, Paul Branzburg of the Louisville Courrier-Journal wrote an article about the views of hippies and their plan to produce and sell marijuana. He used fictitious names to protect the identities of his source. He was subpoenaed to testify in a state grand jury that was investigating a local drug trade. He refused to name the men who were in possession of marijuana and was held in contempt. Not worried he wrote another expose detailing a pot session in Frankfort, Kentucky. He was brought back before a grand jury and asked to describe the criminal acts he had observed but he refused to testify. The case went on for two years that ended up with a Supreme Court ruling. In a 5-4 decision, the court did not recognize such privilege saying that the First Amendment does not protect journalists from not revealing their sources. The Court declared that journalists, like most citizens, must respond to relevant questions put to them in the course of a valid grand jury investigation or criminal trial. (Schmid, Supreme Court Precedent,  ¶2). In the course of news gathering, the reporter becomes an eyewitness to a crime, he or she is liable to testify before a grand jury. Branzburg was sentenced to six months in jail. But in a short concurrence by Justice Lewis Powell, he hoped that in the future the law might give way to a court-recognized privilege. In his argument Justice Potter Stewart gave a three-way test for qualified privilege: that a reporter possesses information relevant to the crime, that there is no other way to get the information and that there is a convincing and prevailing interest in the information. The court left the issue to congress whether to enact laws that would protect reporters from not testifying. As a result of Justices Powell and Stewart arguments that in one way or the other the press has some protection under the First Amendment shield laws were instituted by various states. Currently there are 31 states including the District of Columbia that institute this law. The law however varies in detail and scope according to state laws and has specific limits. Generally, only journalists working full-time in a recognized media organizations are covered and not freelancers or book writers. There are certain events that journalists are excluded from covering. Another threat to press freedom is the case of Judith Miller of the New York Times. After a series of court battles in 2004, Miller spent 85 days in prison for not divulging her source on the Palme leak. The case originated when Valerie Palme wife of a former ambassador Joseph Wilson was named in a series of articles revealing her true identity as a CIA agent. Her name was leaked by an official of President George Bush’s administration to the media. The leakage was considered a criminal offense. Under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, a person who learns the identity of a covert agent like Plame from classified information can get ten years in jail for intentionally disclosing the agent’s identity. (McCollam, 2005, Out of Africa,  ¶3). Many reporters were subpoenaed including Miller. Refusing to testify she was found in contempt. She invoked her First Amendment right but was denied. She was only released when the source voluntary waived his right to confidentiality and came out. It was learned that Scooter Libby, the chief of staff of Vice President Dick Cheney, was the source of the leakage. There are so many other similar cases that hound American press freedom like James Taricani who served six months of house arrest in Rhode Island. In Washington five reporters were in contempt for the stories about nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee named by the press as the source of giving secrets to the Chinese. Vanessa Leggett went to jail for 168 days rather than giving up her source of information while writing a book about a Houston murder. She was only released when the term of her appearance before a grand jury expired. These reporters are fighting for a principle that is sanctified by the constitution. Keeping the source is essential for public trust and to serve the interest of the people. Breaking that trust would only kill the foundation of press freedom and its purpose. Disclosing the whistle blowers would endanger lives in acts of retaliation against them especially from the government. The relationship of journalists to their sources comprises one of the most criticalyet perplexingareas of reporting. Without sources, there would be no stories. The better the source, the better the story. (Willis, 1990, p. 75). The Role of the Press. Since the beginning of the press in 1690 in Boston, Massachusetts, it has grown dramatically through time. In a democratic form of government the press is indeed necessary as Thomas Jefferson once said â€Å"The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.† To serve as check and balance, the constitution created three branches of government, the executive, legislative, and judiciary. However, these branches have now been infected with all sorts of corruptions and abuse of power. Thus the fourth estate was born, the press, to make sure democracy operates as it was envisioned by the founding fathers. In its early stage, the American press was used for propaganda by those who owned it. It was a lapdog that reported only what the publisher wants and solicits advertisements. What made it an instrument of democracy were the many voices that shaped opinion and caused freedom to fly across the country and the whole world. It has become the guardian of U.S. democracy. Today, it takes the role as the watchdog of government investigating anomalies making sure that officials do not violate the rights of the citizenry and become more transparent instead of operating in secrecy. Without the press, we would not have discovered the cheating activities of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal or President Bush’s misleading tactics to justify the invasion of Iraq. Besides of informing, the press also educates, reforms, entertains, and incites. Far from its origins, the press today carries no ideology and not connected with any political party or government agency. At the turn of century, advocacy moved from news stories to editorial pages, where it has since stayed. News reporters of the twentieth-century claim to be politically detached and objective, unlike journalists of the previous era. To modern journalists, objective means an allegiance to the nonpartisan pursuit of factual accuracy. (Soley, 1992, p. 16). Despite criticisms, the press maintains its objectivity as the number guideline in reporting. The Project for Excellence in Journalism identified major trends in the press’ reporting style. The Journalism of Verification is the traditional style wherein reporters must substantiate their facts to come up with an accurate story. Then there is the Journalism of Affirmation where a reporter delivers the news with a point of view. In making its works more professional and transparent, the press empowers the public in judging the stories whether to believe it or not. From watchdog now comes the guide dog concept called civic journalism that focused on the role of the press in building communities. This brand of journalism challenges people to take part in resolving community problems. It aims to educate citizens about issues and current events so they can make civic decisions, engage in civic dialogue and action, and, generally, exercise their responsibilities in a democracy. (Schaffer, 2001,  ¶25). It reinforces the watchdog role but it does not tell how the public should think or act. This journalism delivers news that help communities cope up with difficult issues concerning their everyday life. The model serves as an alternative style that hopes to address the shortcomings of the press. The Code of Ethics. Journalists are guided by the code of ethics to ensure professional integrity and credibility in enlightening the citizenry. Different news organizations have their own ethics and standards but maintain common elements such as objectivity, accuracy, and confidentiality of sources. In its 50-page report in 1947, A Free and Responsible Press, the Hutchins Commission laid out the goals of journalistic performance. The report was written by eminent scholars and authors under Robert M. Hutchins, president of the Chicago University and has served as the basis of journalistic practices today. The Hutchins Commission identified five responsibilities, the fulfillment of which could serve as a measure of press performance. The press should (1) provide â€Å"a truthful, comprehensive, and intelligent account of the days events in a context which gives them meaning, †a commitment evidenced in part by â€Å"objective reporting†; (2) be â€Å"a forum for the exchange of comment and criticism,† meaning in part that papers should be â€Å"common carriers† of public discussion, at least in the limited sense of carrying views contrary to their own; (3) project â€Å"a representative picture of the constituent groups in the society†; (4) â€Å"present and clarify the goals and values of the society†; and (5) provide â€Å"full access to the days intelligence, †thereby serving the publics right to be informed. (Baker, 2001, p. 154). The Society of Professional Journalists urged its members to always seek the truth by being honest, fair, and report the information rightly. A reporter must be accountable to the public about his news stories. He must act independently by being free from other interests other than serving the public’s right to know. He should minimize harm in treating sources. In pursuit of gathering data, the reporter must show compassion by being sensitive to sources that are negatively affected by the coverage. The journalist must recognize that in news gathering he or she can cause harm or discomfort to the source. Arrogance must not be displayed while collecting data and must be cautious in identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes. Sources must be treated fairly and professionally without inquiring pointlessly about their personal life nor threaten them if they do not cooperate. Reporters should always introduce themselves truthfully while interviewing their sources and not carry false identity just to get the information. Importantly, when the source wants to remain unknown, the journalist must respect that trust of confidentiality. The San Francisco Chronicles code offers one of the clearest treatments on the always-thorny matter of dealing with sources that want confidentiality. It reads in part: A reporter who pledges confidentiality to a source must not violate that pledge. If the reporter is asked by an editor for the identity of a source, the reporter should advise the source of the editors request. If the source wishes to withhold his or her identity from the editor, then the reporter and editor must decide whether or not to use the information even though the sources identity remains known only to the reporter. (Steele Black, 2001, Sources and Reporters). The Need for Shield Law. Notwithstanding the important function of the press in defending democracy, there are no sufficient laws in protecting its existence. All sectors of society especially the government depend on the press for timely information in order to make policies. In its 2005 annual report for press freedom rankings, the United States placed 44th falling 20 places from the previous years all because of the Miller case and the legal tactics that attack the privacy of journalistic sources. This is ironic since the country is the champion of democracy the world over. News organizations are now uniting forces to seek legislative action. However, several proposed bills have already been sent to congress but unfortunately no actions have been taken yet. Since Branzburg some 100 federal statutes have been introduced but failed to pass. The Free Flow of Information Act of 2005 is presently pending in the senate and congress. This act is in response to the jailing of Judith Miller. The legislation would prevent government officials from compelling a reporter to reveal a source unless it was determined by clear and convincing evidence that disclosure of the identity of the person is necessary to prevent imminent and actual harm to national security. (Durity, 2000,  ¶34). A federal shield law is important to safeguard the reporter in the performance of his/her duty. The move is for the federal government to recognize state’s interest in protecting the secrecy of sources and that no party may force a journalist to reveal his/her source or notes by suing the reporter in federal court. This poses dilemma for reporters whether to violate a court order and face jail or break the promise of source confidentiality and face public distrust. Subpoenas are burdensome to journalists because it consumes so much time and disrupts their work. A law could provide reporters for motion to quash subpoenas except when there is prevailing evidence that such information is really necessary and when there is no other way to obtain the information. The trend of compelling reporters to identify their sources has sent fears that the American free press is under attack and being used by the government in investigating its own deficiency particularly the leakage of classified documents. When the government fails to resolves its own problems, it may be tempted to enlist reporters in criminal acts as an easy way out. With an existing law, prosecutors and criminals defendants may seek other means or conduct investigations in acquiring information rather than depend on journalists by attacking their sources. Failing to define who qualifies as a journalist has delayed the passage of shield laws. Perhaps with an established ruling, this problem will be addressed giving courts standards and criteria to give judges guidance who qualifies for protection. This law is needed to standardize legal approaches to the privilege of reporters and to assure them that confidentiality to sources is respected. In effect, sources will feel safe and not disappear but will remain for future news stories. In a decision that strongly endorsed the principles on which the reporters privilege is based, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit observed, If reporters were routinely required to divulge the identities of their sources, the free flow of newsworthy information would be restrained and the publics understanding of important issues and events would be hampered in ways inconsistent with a healthy republic. (Ganett, 2006,  ¶7). Responding to the Miller incident, James Goodale, New York Times’ former vice chairman and general counsel, has encouraged the press to fight on and to guard the freedoms of First Amendment in order to come up with better laws. Nobody can dispute that the press has strong influence in every American citizen. It has molded American opinion and shaped government policies through time. Noted journalists have been recognized for their dedication in the profession. Reporters serve as link between government and its citizens and that of other nations. Because of the press, the world has become a global village promoting culture, language, and perhaps peace. Journalists deserve better. They deserve more than just subpoenas. They have earned their right for a privilege in serving and protecting the democracy of this country. References Bates, S. (2000). The Reporter’s Privilege: Then and Now. Research Paper R-23. The Joan Shorenstein Press Politics. Public Policy. Harvard University. John F. Kennedy School of Government. Schmid, Karl H. (2002). Journalists privilege in criminal proceedings: an analysis of United States Courts of Appeals decisions from 1973 to 1999. American Criminal Law Review. Date: 22-SEP-02. Retrieved October 30, 2006, from http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-2470495_ITM McCollam, D. (2005). Attack at The Source Why the Plame case is so scary. Columbia’s Journalism Review. America’s Premier Media Monitor. Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Journalism. Issue 2: March/April 2005. Retrieved October 30, 2006, from http://www.cjr.org/issues/2005/2/mccollam-plame.asp?printerfriendly=yes Willis, J. (1990). Journalism: State of the Art. Praeger Publsihers. New York. ISBN: 0275932443 Soley, L. C. (1992). The News Shapers: The Sources Who Explain the News. Praeger Publishers. New York. ISBN: 0275940330 Schaffer, J. (2001). The Role of the Media in Building Community. Pew Center for Civic Journalism. Global Issues. An Electronic Journal of the U.S. Department of State. Volume 6, Number 1, April 2001. Baker, C. E. (2001). Media, Markets, and Democracy. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, England. ISBN: 0521009774 Steele, R Black, J. (2001). Media Ethics Codes and Beyond. Global Issues. An Electronic Journal of the U.S. Department of State. Volume 6, Number 1, April 2001. Durity, L. (2000). Shielding Journalist – â€Å"Bloggers†: The Need To Protect Newsgathering Despite The Distribution Medium. Public Policy Studies. Duke University. Retrieved October 30, 206, from http://www.law.duke.edu/dev/journals/dltr/articles/2006DLTR0011.html Ganett Company, Inc. (2006). From Barbara Wartelle Wall: Legal Watch. 2000 Media Law Developments – Sources and Public Records. News Watch. Retrieved October 30, 2006, from http://www.gannett.com/go/newswatch/2000/december/nw1228-4.htm