Saturday, August 31, 2019

Analysis of the article from Foucault’s perspective Essay

In â€Å"Discipline and Punishment†, Foucault focuses on the major social control institution, which is penitentiary system, or system of punishment and prevention of delinquent and deviant behavior. Andrew Jacobs in his article entitled â€Å"Whistle-Blowers in Chinese City Sent to Mental Hospital† discusses the government’s struggle against undesirable, yet legal, actions of citizens like petitioning and seeking justice. The present paper is intended to analyze the article through the lens of Foucault’s framework of punishment.   First of all, it needs to be noted that neither Foucault nor Jacobs write about the justice as the conceptual and moral foundation of the so-called law enforcement authorities. In Foucault’s opinion, what actually underlies the entire punishment system is striving for power as the end in itself: in the Middle Ages, for instance, public executions were administered in cases of those criminals who obviously undermined the ruler’s power and political influence. The article by Jacobs in fact is additional evidence of this thesis: whereas the citizens do actually nothing unlawful by   preparing petitions, they are nevertheless placed in mental health institutions, due to the fact that they to certain degree interfere with the execution of absolute power. This also proves the fact that the modern authorities and power/ governance institutions nowadays have become so complicated and autonomous system that they begin to function for their own sake, â€Å"forgetting† about their initial purpose, which consisted in serving the interests of the multitude. Foucault admits that the present-day punishment is free of tortures in order to evoke in potential criminals the fear of the penalty itself, rather than the pain and physical suffering. The scholar also adds that science in technology increasingly more often serve the purposes of this system so that a number of professionals including lawyers, police officers, engineers and psychiatrists are involved into the examination and investigation.   In this sense, the case of Shandong Province clearly shows that relatively painless measures are used to prevent citizens from excessive petitioning ; moreover, a successful tandem of police authorities and mental health specialists increase the reliability of this practice: â€Å"During a 20-day stay, he said, he was lashed to a bed, forced to take pills and given injections that made him numb and woozy. According to the paper, when he told the doctor he was a petitioner, not mentally ill, the doctor said: â€Å"I don’t care if you’re sick or not. As long as you are sent by the township government, I’ll treat you as a mental patient† (Jacobs, par.5). Thus, even health care as a social institution in general is actually an institution of social control, fully supporting and following the ambitions and interests of the existing authorities. Due to the fact that justice-seekers, as it has been noted above, act legally, they are not eligible to become prison inmates, so law enforcement agencies send them to mental hospitals. This means, the punishment and corrections system has become so vast and multifaceted that it can now achieve a number of different goals, including the goal of imposing a penalty on the individual, whose actions are not fully beneficial for the institutions of power.   Thus, such institutions, which serve their own needs, find strategies of curbing unfavorable behavior and select a path of minimal resistance: instead of officially declaring active petitioners as criminals (which will result in the need for reviewing and revising the entire legislation), these officials make an open statement that truth-seekers are simply mad and need special medical treatment. Thus, they even show this situation as the act of saving the society from one more mentally imbalanced citizen and preserving or improving this   person’s health. Thus, the philosophy ostensibly underlying this practice   seems noble, but it needs to be remembered that the institutions of power and social control work moistly for their own sake and attempt to expand and strengthen their influence. Foucault also dedicates a part of his work to describing the concept of discipline. In particular, the scholar asserts that discipline is one of behavioral compliance-gaining techniques, which consists in managing the distribution of individuals in space, controlling their time and clearly defining their relations with the institutions of social control. In this sense, the Chinese authorities obviously seek to introduce a new discipline and eliminate the habit of creating petitions and lawsuit against the governmental institutions, i.e. the practice of   hospital confinement is intended to deter individuals from interfering with the government’s course. This is actually the heart of discipline – the recognition of power, obedience and absolute acceptance of the programs and campaigns of the ruling institutions. Moreover, this out of common type of discipline allows finding supporters, who would be the social engines of the promotion and progress of the government’s activities. Finally, it is important to focus on the pure concept of punishment as explained by Foucault and addressed by Jacobs. Obviously, hospital incarceration includes all the components of punitive measure including control over the inmate’s body (i.e. the person depends on the institution in terms of the satisfaction of their basic needs); management of the prisoner’s time and activities and, thirdly, modulating the penalty. In the context of the article by Jacobs, the last component means administering additional therapies, which make the person half-unconscious for days or suggesting the release from the institution in exchange for signing a refusal of the petition. Importantly, the inmate is surveilled, but cannot see all of their â€Å"watchers†. As one can conclude, although the incarceration in mental hospitals is not a traditional form of punishment, it is actually similar to the regular imprisonment, because of the similar concepts like panopticism, discipline, painless punishment and the execution of the government’s authority. Bibliography Rainbow, P. The Foucault Reader. New York: Random House, 1984. Jacobs, A. â€Å"Whistle-Blowers in Chinese City Sent to Mental Hospital†

Friday, August 30, 2019

Agenda-Setting Assignment

5th of November 2012 Agenda-Setting Assignment In agenda-setting news outlets act as gatekeepers of information. Policy agenda is when the media sets their own agenda based on issues that they think are the most important. And when they decide on these most important issues, they give them the highest importance. The media highlights certain aspects because they believe that these aspects are what we should know; and if there is something they don’t mention, then that’s something that according to them, we shouldn’t know – whether for our benefit or theirs.Despite the simplicity of creating an agenda, every different news outlet has a different agenda, based on their interest or what they believe to be our interest. Something important however to bear in mind is that, even though the media draws our attention to certain issues, they can’t tell us how to think about them – at the end of the day, how you perceive an issue depends on you. To giv e examples on how differently agenda-setting can be used, I will talk about two different news sources, an independent one and a national one.As a national news outlet I will talk about â€Å"CNN†. CNN (Cable News Network) is both America’s first news channel as well as the first channel to offer 24-hour coverage. CNN in the United States is sometimes described as CNN/US to differentiate the American Channel from the International one. CNN/US was founded by Ted Turner in 1980, and since then has been one of the worlds leading news outlets. â€Å"The Independent† is an independent, British, morning newspaper owned by Alexander Lebedev with Chris Blackhurst as the current editor in chief.The Independent was first launched in 1986 and holds the title as UK’s youngest daily newspaper. To analyze different agenda-settings, lets look at two similar news items reported in both of these newspapers and compare their similarities and differences. Let’s take the picking of Egypt’s new pope as one news story. Both news outlets reported the story completely different. CNN told the story in a very short article that focused primarily on the fact that Christians in Egypt are a minority.If one were to analyze this article on the terms of Salience and Priming, one would notice very interesting facts. Firstly its very obvious that CNN’s priority is not to talk about the new pope, since he is hardly mentioned throughout the entire article. Instead the article focuses on the terms â€Å"Christians†. The fact that they are a minority is mentioned several times. They also mention that according to a few forums made, the Christian population in Egypt is between 5 and 9%. The church bombing attack that took place in January killing 21 people was also stated.However nothing is mentioned about the ceremony itself other than that a blindfolded boy picked one of the three potential popes through picking his name from a crystal bowl. Egypt’s former pope is also mentioned. His date and cause of death are also cited. In terms or Framing, it is obvious that CNN has given this story a big importance as it was in the â€Å"Top Stories† section. However the words used don’t really talk about the event itself but rather inform us about Christians in Egypt. Despite the fact that this event wasn’t in The Independent’s top news list, they gave the story a bigger importance.The article was a lot longer than in was in CNN and more importantly it focused on the event itself. They talked about the young boy who had to pick a name, about the thousands of cameras that were there, and about how big of an event this was for all 8 million Christians in Egypt. They also quoted many people that said that how important finally having a new pope meant to them and how because of Egypt’s current difficult political status, it’s good to have a figure that represents faith and hope.In term s of salience, priming and framing no words were repeated and the articles priority was to display how significant this event was for many people all around the world. This is just one example of how differently news outlets can report similar stories. Lets look at Superstorm Sandy as another example. Unlike the choosing of a new Pope in Egypt – CNN gave this story a lot of attention. Several articles were written with several images displaying just how big of a disaster has happened.They mention the difficult time that these people are having to go through – not to mention that right now there is another major event happening in the U. S, the elections. Not only are these people dealing with the loss of their homes and lack of electricity but it also seems that another storm will hit New York and northern New Jersey by Wednesday. The weather has decreased suddenly and according to Meteorologists it will continue to drastically decrease. Many people say that it is a ve ry difficult time for these American citizens that have to deal with so much at once.However it is also mentioned how construction work has immediately begun and how many have started working in the 9/11 ground zero sight that has been destroyed by the flood. Although they mentioned the same facts, The Independent, took a different approach in reporting the story. Firstly they mentioned the state governor Andrew Cuomo and how he is trying to quickly solve all of the problems that have suddenly arisen, such as the cold weather and lack of electricity hence lack of heat. There is also a problem with the lack of fuel and the inability to run back-up generators.The difficulty of housing and how many are living in â€Å"  homes that are uninhabitable†, is also a massive problem. Furthermore the article goes on to say that with this new approaching storm, the anger towards the government has increased, saying that they are â€Å"moving too slow†. The articles main priority is to mention all of the problems the people are facing and how the government isn’t very responsive. Words such as â€Å"fear, anger, threat, struggling† are used to display just how drastic of an event this is. Overall, the article is very informative and states clear information without using any repetition.I think by now its clearly obvious that each news source has a different agenda and a different way of reporting a story. The reason behind that varies. Before I mentioned the storm that took place in America, I mentioned a different neutral event. CNN would obviously have more interest in the storm since it’s a national event. Therefore I chose an event that both news outlets aren’t directly related to – Egypt picking their new pope. What I noticed however was extraordinary. CNN talked about it very generally.They didn’t mention any details of the event itself and rather focused on the terrorism attacks that have happened with the in tention of hurting Christians, the countries minority. They seemed to report the story in such a negative way instead of saying how beautiful and important this event was. The Independent on the other hand reported the story in a wonderful way. They said how important choosing a new pope was for the Christian population. They also said that how this event brought peace, joy, hope and love to many people around the world. Lets look at the storm as our second issue.Because CNN is directly –nationally- involved in this event it reported it very differently. It spoke about the difficult times that many are facing, bearing in mind that presidential elections are soon. They also mentioned how construction work has begun to take place quickly. On the other hand The Independent mentioned the lack of response from the government and how many citizens are afraid and aren’t sure what to do next. Unlike the previous story where CNN was slightly negative while The Independent repor ted the story as a positive event, now it’s the opposite.However due to both news outlets orientation its understandable. I mean how would CNN a national news outlet criticize their government for responding to the crisis too slow? It just wouldn’t make sense. That’s why we should play close attention to a news sources’ orientation because they usually create their agenda based on it. Based on their orientation and funding there are things they can and can’t say – that’s why every news outlet reports news differently then others. Through this, I believe that we should learn to be an active audience.We shouldn’t just limit ourselves to one media source, because that one source can be reporting news based on its agenda, and not on what we, the audience, need to know to create an informed decision on what to think about the event taking place. Furthermore we should not let a media outlet tell us what to thing – we should ta ke the information, and create our own opinion about it. Because at the end of the day we’re all human beings and we have the right to think in whichever way we see to be right. Sources: * http://www. independent. co. k/news/world/africa/egypts-ancient-coptic-christian-church-chooses-a-new-pope-in-elaborate-ceremony-8280938. html * http://us. cnn. com/2012/11/04/world/africa/egypt-coptic-pope/index. html? hpt=wo_c2 * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/CNN * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Independent * http://us. cnn. com/2012/11/05/us/tropical-weather-sandy/index. html? hpt=us_c1 * http://www. independent. co. uk/news/world/americas/temperatures-approach-freezing-as-another-storm-looks-set-to-hit-new-york-in-the-wake-of-superstorm-sandy-8282360. html

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Role and Functions of the European Medicines Agency Research Paper

The Role and Functions of the European Medicines Agency - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the agency is made up of a Secretariat (ca. 600 staff), a board of management, a total of 6 scientific committees (human, herbal and veterinary products, orphan drugs, pediatrics and advanced therapies) and a number of scientific working parties (European Medicines Agency. 13 September 2011). The organization is well structured into five units which are mutually related to each other in terms of operation and services. The EMA derives its resources from over forty National Competent Authorities and over 4500 experts from all over European Union countries(European Medicines Agency. 13 September 2011). Although the Community pharmaceutical legislation is based essentially on the Single Market provisions of the EU Treaty, the primary stakeholders obviously include patients and healthcare professionals who operate in quite different healthcare delivery systems (HMA Strategy Paper, 2007). While maintaining regular checks on the manufacturing of biotechnological products, the EMA agency provides for relevant advice to the pharmaceutical companies and caters for the public interest. The field of medicine is a very sensitive area since it embodies the life of an individual and animals as well. Therefore, there has been a need to provide a quality assessment in the medicinal field in order to ascertain safety, efficiency, and quality in the process of manufacturing pharmaceuticals(HMA Strategy Paper, 2007). These require detailed assessment by an external body (EMA) which acts as autonomous body capable of carrying out its activities without the influence or engagement of political entities. Medicines are meant to improve quality of life; any deviation to the expected standards of requirement has devastating effect on the human and animal health.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Both Parent should assume equal responsibilty in raising child Research Paper

Both Parent should assume equal responsibilty in raising child - Research Paper Example These give them the ability to teach their children what is required of them so as to grow up as moral people in the society. When a focus is made to the biblical view of parents’ responsibility for their children, God prepares a place in their heart for the love and nurture of children. God builds a foundation for ones love as well as love for their spouse after which he lays a foundation for the love of their children. These foundations lay a good framework for parents’ responsibility for themselves and their children. It is through the efforts of both parents that a child becomes a true person. Parents offer the first education to their children even before the teacher comes in the child’s life. The child’s first impression of the world is created from the impression the child receives while still at home under their parents’ responsibility. Therefore it is advisable that parents present a better perception of life to their children according to Sclafani (2004). The only way through achieving this goal is ensuring that they take full responsibility of their children lives. For instance when the child goes to school the first time, he/she will perceive the teacher as he/she perceives his/her parents. If he is a male teacher then the child will perceive him the way he/she perceives his/her father. ... Thus it can be argued that the issue of parents’ responsibility is a continuous aspect of live which never comes to a halt. According to Sonna (2006), it is important that parents take continuous responsibility until their children get married as marriage is regarded as the inheritance of love from both father and mother. Through their parents, children learn how to love themselves and others; it is through this they are able to develop love for their spouse in future. If the both parents never played their part better in taking care of this responsibility regarding love, then it is definite that the same will happen to the child’s life. This is because it is in receiving that we learn to give and this completes a responsible individual in the society. It is important that both parents take equal responsibility for their children. This idea can be attributed to the fact that raising children responsibly is among the difficult jobs. The issue of taking child responsibili ty today appears more complex due to the diminishing aspect of the extended families. In order to avoid the complexity, it is the responsibility of each of the two parents to play their roles in raising the child. For the mother responsibility begins immediately after conception. This is because she has to ensure good health of the unborn baby. In this case, the father’s responsibility for the unborn child is to ensure the mother’s health conditions are good and she takes good care of her. After the child is born the mother appears to be the closest parent compared to father due to breastfeeding. At this stage the father should also ensure that come into contact with the child. This is important as child at this

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Calculus and Infinit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Calculus and Infinit - Essay Example However, it was challenged by derision issues and finally withdrawn by the establishment of the concept of limit and epsilon-delta definitions during the 1970s. The latter are still in place up to date. Fortunately, Robinson Abraham restored it in 1960 and began a new era of analysis in the process. Isaac Newton used three varying methods in justifying his calculus. The methods are infinitesimals, fluxions, and the methods of prime and ultimate ratios. According to Newton, fluxion is the speed at which a quantity changes over a period and is denoted by x and x. In addition, he used o to represent very small amount of time and stated that in the infinitely small time, a variable x will become x+xo. Today, the example that Newton gives for the formula defines the differential equation that satisfies the equation of a curve. In deriving his procedures, Newton states that since time are supposed to be infinitely small so that it can express moments of quantities, terms that contain it as a factor will have nothing in equivalence to the others. Therefore, he suggests a cast out. The cast out, however, is not justified in procedure terms of limit but is only institutive in the sense of the manner in which it behaves (Katz, 1993). In a third publication, Newton decided to avoid the infinitesimals although he retained the notation o, which remains with its disappearing property. Newton is said to have developed his calculus ten years ahead of Gottfried Leibniz. However, Leibniz was the first one to publish his. In his publication entitled New Method for Maxima and Minima, and also Tangents, which is not Obstructed by Irrational quantities, (1684), Leibniz presented the values for the product rule, quotient rule, and power rule for finding derivatives. He also presented notations for his formula that are constantly used today. He uses the dx notations. His ways of handling ideas of very small quantities is to cat out terms that have more than one infinitesimals. For ins tance, he demonstrated that the smallest difference in xy is represented by dxy, which is also equal to (x+dx) (y+dy)-xy in his derivation of product rule. He argues that since dx and dy are infinitely small, they can be disregarded (Boyer, 1991). In his work, the infinitely small dx has four minimally different interpretations. First, dx is indistinguishable from zero. Second, dx is neither equal nor not equal to zero and thirdly, dx2 is equal to zero. Finally, dx vanishes (Bell, 1985). 2. The controversy between Newton and Leibnitz Perhaps the controversy between Leibniz and Newton over the invention and publishing of the infinitesimals calculus is the most famous in history of science. Newton and Leibniz are fighting over a number of issues. Though their issues began before the invention of calculus, the controversy became worse because of the fact that they did not deal with the issues of natural philosophy of the world in a direct manner. The main issue now is who is the father of the invention? Fortunately, because of the numerous evidence in form of papers of Newton’s work, it has been established beyond any doubt that Newton was the first one to invent calculus. He started with development of his fluxion theory in 1655 to 1666. Mid 1665, Newton had set down standards for differential algorithms in the generality that Leibniz expounded on after about two decades later. Furthermore, this shows that Newton did not plagiarize or copy anything form Leibniz because at the time of inventing calculus, Leibniz

Monday, August 26, 2019

Family Therapy Modalities Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family Therapy Modalities Paper - Assignment Example Generally, psychological treatments involve communication and issue of instructions to clients, but without administration of drugs. However, therapists or counselors may determine and understand situations to refer their patients to medical doctors or other forms of treatment. Individual therapy and family therapy have certain similarities and differences. Similarities Both individual and family therapies involve or base of psychological processes and procedures. The two methods do not involve administration of medical drugs or any forms of medical diagnosis. However, a therapist can recommend that a patient see a medical doctor when health condition of the given patient proves necessary (Lebow, 2014). When referred to a medical doctor, a patient receives the necessary treatment and returns to the psychologist for actual treatment. In both individual and family therapies, an individual patient attends and is usually the center of focus. Strategies and approaches designed to solve a given problem depend on the nature and condition of the given patient. Even though family members form an important part of the entire therapy in family therapy, much of focus and energy directs to the actual patient. Differences Individual therapy involves treatment of a patient when alone and in engagement with a therapist. Sessions for individual therapies do not involve any other third party besides the patient and the counselor. Family therapy on the other hand involves treatment of the patient while in company of the family members. Sessions for family therapies involve patient, family members and the counselor.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Perspectives of Indonesia to Become Economic Powerhouse in Asia by Essay

Perspectives of Indonesia to Become Economic Powerhouse in Asia by 2030 - Essay Example This essay offers comprehensive analysis of the current state of Indonesian economy and assess its perspectives in becoming Asian economic powerhouse by 2030. Indonesia is an independent republic in Southeast Asia. Indonesia has about 17,000 islands and a population of more than 238 million people, which forms a good foundation for its economy Notably, Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 16th largest economy in the world. It is also a member of the G-20 major economies and is one of the industrialized and emerging economies in the world Economy refers to the state of a country with respect to natural resources, production, and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money. In Indonesia, the economy or financial value is different and never balances. Today, it is one of the emerging powerhouses in Asia with a large population that offers labor and market as well as a wealth of natural resources. Indeed, its population enhances labor productivity improvements, which boost its economy. Domestic consumption and productivity growth in Indonesia offers a good combination for economic growth. This makes Indonesia stand out in the world as many nations lack this fundamental combination. In fact, after China, Indonesian economy is the fastest growing economy among the G-20 members. However, there are numerous economic challenges hurting the Indonesian economy. There is a recommendation for the government continue to address these challenges with a view of attaining its economic goals. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Methodology 7 Discussion 8 Conclusion 14 References 15 Introduction Indonesia is an independent republic in Southeast Asia. Indeed, Indonesia has about 17,000 islands and a population of more than 238 million people, which forms a good foundation for its economy (Ananta et al, 2011). It is an internationally recognized nation where it ranks fourth in the most populous nations in the world and the second richest country in the world. Notably, Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia (Belford, 2010) and the 16th largest economy in the world (Oberman et al, 2012). It is also a member of the G-20 major economies in the world and is one of the industrialized and emerging economies in the world (Oberman et al, 2012). The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta, which is an industrious city. Most assuredly, Indonesia is a very rich country with a wide range of resources, a productive community, and large population. Indeed, Indon esia has many natural resources in earth oil, spice, and agriculture (Ananta et al, 2011). In this context, economy refers to the state of a country with respect to natural resources, production, and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money. In Indonesia, the economy or financial value is different and never balances. Today, Indonesia is one of the emerging powerhouses in Asia with a large population that offers labor and market as well as a wealth of natural resources (Wie & Thee, 2012). Indeed, its population enhances labor productivity improvements, which boost its economy. Notably, the domestic consumption and productivity growth in Indonesia offers a good combination for economic growth. This makes Indonesia stand out in the world as many nations lack this fundamental combination. In addition, Indonesia’s manufacturing industry, chemical industries, automotive, agricultural, and electronic industry enjoy a robust growth thus boosting the overall economic growth of the Southeast Asia nation (Ananta et al, 2011). In fact, after China, Indonesian economy is the fastest growing economy among the G-20 members with an economic growth rate of 6.3 percent in 2012 (Oberman et al, 2012). The country equally boasts of Gross Domestic Product of about $1 trillion at 6.2 % (Asian Development Bank, 2013). Moreover, the government of Indonesia plays a major role in enhancing a market-based economy where the state owns about 141 enterprises and sets prices for various basic goods like electricity, fuel, and rice (Michigan State University, 2013). This ensures that unscrupulous investors do not destabilize the country’s economy. Indonesia participates in global trade where it sells unripe oil to big oil companies like Shell, Castro, and Hexon at competitive prices that guarantee huge returns to the nation. More so, the nation sells raw oil

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Social Thought and Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Thought and Social Change - Essay Example Several theorists have contributed to the comprehensive view of social change, not confining the understanding of social change as associated with globalization alone. Of these theorists come three of the pillars of sociology, whose thoughts have been applied even today. These theorists include Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim. Their concepts might have some strands of divergence, yet these concepts were converged to forming a single praxis for academic integration. According to Daniel Bell (1999 cited in Kalantzis & Kope, 2008), a sociologist from Harvard University, â€Å"post-industrial society† is a term coined to refer to â€Å"new principles of innovations, new modes of social organization, and [the emergence of the] new classes in society†¦ [highly featuring] the codification of theoretical knowledge and the new relation of science to technology.† In addition, the post-industrial society is also characterized by a rapid-growing service sector with a focus on information dissemination and modern technological drives that utilize extensively human knowledge and not human muscles (Bell, 1973, p.127). During Marx’s time, the dominating classes involved in the production system are the proletariats and the bourgeoisie, with the latter own the means of production. In the post-industrial society, a large and a growing number of workers are working not in factories of goods production but in service industries, all of wh ich are using their intellects and technical capabilities instead of physical strength. This class of workers, most are professionals, are what Bell calls the new class.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Critical Issues Contributing to the Persistence of Poverty in our Essay

Critical Issues Contributing to the Persistence of Poverty in our Affluent Society - Essay Example know it,† which effectively withdrew critical support from women, particularly single mothers, and consequently the children they are committed to raise. Shocking as her claims seem to be, Sidel’s facts appear to concur with official statistics by research institutes and policy studies by international organizations. Sidel presents trends and data from the 1970’s to the 1980’s. However, well, into the 1990s, the trends she wrote of continue to hold. In the following table are data compiled by the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College that shows women are worse off than men in both income and asset poverty. It has also been reported that the proportion of the poor in female-headed households climbed from 1959 (17.8%) to 2005 (31.1%). The poverty rate for women-headed households is a much higher figure than other types of households. This trend has led to the development of a phenomenon termed â€Å"the feminization of poverty† by researchers. (Sawhill, 1996) It was also Sidel’s contention that in the late 1970s and 1908s, the United States had the highest poverty rate among Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. A more recent study dated 2003, the poverty rates and percentage of low-wage workers among several countries showed the same trend to persist, with the United States exhibiting the highest rates in both measures. From the foregoing table, it is verified that in the 1990s, the United States continued to register the highest rate for poverty (10.7%) and low rage workers (25%) than the other six countries mentioned by Sidel, confirming her assertion that these are due to conditions prevalent in the United States that are not present or are present to a lesser degree in the other countries. To say, however, that the persistence of poverty in the United States compared to other countries is due entirely to the plight of women and children is generalizing too much to the point of ignoring other issues.

WGS 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

WGS 2 - Assignment Example It is quite pivotal to understand that American political movements were key catalyst to channel social reform as well1. In the modern day, women are independent and have the liberty to work in corporate American. Additionally, the website discusses the intricacies of social issues that plague women. Equal pay is one of the major focal points that was heavily discussed. One of the key things that worries me is domestic violence is another issue that is depicted as a challenge for women who are seeking to have a better life. The website discusses many challenges that women face of domestic violence in their respective home, which does draw a paradigm. The idea of gender disparity in school, government and overall progression of women is clearly hindered in these cultures. . Cultures adhere to gender roles because they assign responsibilities to each gender based on family needs. For example, women in eastern cultures have to follow the cult of domesticity. I think this is a major issue as assimilation of women migration is an interesting point to

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Balance sheet Essay Example for Free

Balance sheet Essay According to the depreciation rates used by the company and described in the Production Cost Report, if a company adds 50 new workstations at a cost of $250,000 each and also spends $5 million for an addition to its assembly plant to accommodate the new workstations. According to the cost allocation methods used in the company’s accounting system and described in the Help section for the Operations Report for any of the four geographic regions, if a company spends $5 million to advertise its camera lines in North America, assembles and ships 300,000 entry-level cameras and 200,000 multi-featured cameras to its North American dealers, derives revenues of $80 million from its sales of entry-level cameras and $120 million from the sales of its multi-featured cameras in North America, then 50% of the $5 million in advertising expenditures will be allocated to the costs of advertising for entry-level cameras and 50% will be allocated to the costs of multi-featured cameras. 70% of the $5 million in advertising expenditures will be allocated to the costs of advertising for entry-level cameras and 30% will be allocated to the costs of multi-featured cameras. the per camera advertising costs for both entry-level and multi-featured cameras will be $10.00. 40% of the $5 million in advertising expenditures will be allocated to the costs of advertising for entry-level cameras and 60% will be allocated to the costs of multi-featured cameras. the per camera advertising costs for entry-level cameras will be 50% larger than the per camera advertising costs for multi-featured cameras.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Can War Ever be Justified?

Can War Ever be Justified? It is hard to think about the future of warfare without being terrified. The new weapons of war-nuclear, chemical, biological-will only get more lethal and more widely available. And the testimony of the worlds madmen and mad states suggests that once they possess such weapons, they will soon use them, or try to enslave the worlds free societies with their threats of mass killing. War inevitably brings death, destruction and suffering, which ruin lives and nations. Using, ethical theories religious guidance and general arguments to decide if killing and war can ever be justified. War in self-defence is an attempt to apply the philosophical principles of ethics to warfare seems, on the surface, to be oxymoronic. And yet, ethics do apply not only to the basis on which the conflict is waged but also to the policies that dictate how it is to be fought. The reasons why one nation enters into warfare with another reflect the ethics of the aggressor nation. The means by which a war is prosecuted by each participant is also established through decisions based on the ethics of the cultures of both nations at war.We must understand that a nations ethics in general, and any specific ethical position in particular, are an inescapable result of that nations worldview, of their epistemology (theory of knowledge) and, more specifically, of their understanding of the origin and nature of man. Just as everything else in life is affected by our worldview, our perspective on war and violence in general is likewise affected. A nation with a morality based on the perspective tha t man is made in the image of God would approach conflict differently than a  nation with a humanist worldview. For more than 17 centuries, the church and society in general have argued the validity of any specific conflict on the basis of several moral criteria. This concept, known by the Latin phrase justum bellum, has been debated in secular and religious circles. For instance, four of these criteria   were explored further in The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). Using these criteria, the conflicts purpose is evaluated as to whether it represents a just cause. Wars fought for a just cause are considered valid and moral. Those that fail to meet the criteria are condemned as immoral. The criteria for declaring a just war are many and varied. Several criteria address the treatment of innocent individuals under the regime against which violence is being used. Protecting the lives of innocents is a worthy moral objective. Regimes that commit human rights vi olations of the most flagrant and egregious kinds are generally recognized as being immoral regimes and, consequently, violent conflicts against such regimes being aimed at bringing an end to these atrocities are seen as justifiable. Through related reasoning, wars designed to prevent the future occurrence of atrocities are also considered justified, although not all people agree on the kinds of atrocities that rise to this level of justification. Pre-emptive strikes against a nation on the verge of committing crimes against innocents fall into this area and are also considered just cause actions. This is, of course, as long as there is sufficient compelling evidence of such impending crimes.Causes for war that are considered just also include a nations attempts to protect itself from invasion or warfare declared to reclaim lands and people captured by an enemy through  force. The protection and reclamation of personal property is second only to humanitarian concerns. This inclu des the assisting of a friendly nation in its efforts to protect itself, its people or its property, especially when there is a   preexisting alliance with that nation. As already mentioned, the just nature of conflict involves not only the reasons for which a war is declared (jus ad bellum) but also the means by which it is conducted (jus in bello). A war that is declared for just reasons but is prosecuted by unjust means is still considered an unjust war. A Utilitarian approach is The greatest good for the greatest number. This can be applied to the theory of Just War. For Utilitarians the end justifies the means. In other words, a country would not need a just war cause other than having the right intentions and making sure the war would produce the greatest good for the greatest number (Act rather than Rule). The idea of jus ad bello is to make sure that less evil will come about if the war is fought. Utilitarians would agree with the just war theory as war may be necessary to make the world a better place as long as the war was justified through just war. However can war be justified, you must look ahead to see what the consequences of a war will be if the war will have a greater overall benefit, thinking of future generations. This rule will give a different answer to each case: If a wars outcome will cause more suffering than good, Utilitarianism would say that that war could not be justified; yet if a war, in the long run would bring greater good than harm, Utilitarian thinkers will say that that war and killing can be justified. Of course, there have always been those who feel that all violence is immoral, regardless of its purpose. Some have tried to base this belief on one of the Ten Commandments, Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13). On this basis, several groups have developed convictions leading to a conscientious objection to all war. Others have taken positions against such things as capital punishment on the same basis, while still others have tried to apply this commandment to personal defense, claiming that the use of deadly force is never justified. ,To a large extent, these arguments are based on a misunderstanding of the commandment in question. Hebrew is the language in which the Ten Commandments were originally written. Of the several Hebrew words that communicate the concept of killing, the term used in this commandment refers specifically to the murder of innocents, as demonstrated by its use again in Numbers 35:16-21. There is no biblical prohibition against what we know as justifiable homici de. Capital punishment is not only allowed but specifically affirmed in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Nature Of Reference Group Influence Marketing Essay

The Nature Of Reference Group Influence Marketing Essay Referent power plays a very important role in marketing communication, following report look in to different influences groups and referent power. How referent power affect one. How affective a referent power is? How a marketer can use it to his advantage. What are the factors which make referent power effective? Different theories have been discussed. This report will be looking critically on evaluating the role of referent power in marketing, evaluate the role it will play in future, and provide a future marketing plan. This report of Referent power and why it can be a potent force for marketing appeals was written as a final assignment for the Consumer Behavior module. Humans are social animals and they always looks to other for appreciation, they want acceptance in the social circle. They identify themselves with some groups and consciously or subconsciously they imitate members of the group to fit in. They try to imitate those qualities by copying the referents behavior. What we think of ourselves is influenced in our social interaction by the reaction of others whose values we share or judgment we respect. Our attire, vehicles we use and career make statements about us, and our behaviors and lifestyles are the presentation of ourselves to our influence groups. By wearing a particular brand T shirt bring us closure to our group. Advertisers have different task while creating a promo or advertising depending on what are their target segment. Marketers use all three major influencing groups before launching a campaign. There are three form of reference group; Informational, normative and identification When an individual is not sure he uses the behavior and opinion of reference group members as potentially useful bits of information and try to copy it. In this case individual may have similarity with the other members of the group or expertise of the member group. So a person sees members of group using the same brand of tea he may decide to try same for Himself because he has evidence that it may be a good brand. Ads which wants to use informational power will quote something like they used it will you? Intelligent people like only one thingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ REFERRENT power is the power of prominent people to affect others consumption behaviors by virtue of product endorsement ( 50 cents for Reebok)(Pic 1.1), distinctive fashion statements On the cover of US Magazine today. Celebrity Baby Jessica Albas little princess, Honor Marie Wearing Ooh La La Mamas FLY SPIRIT onesie). or championing of causes. Campaign began with identifying three major sports figures who had a connection to lung cancer (Troy Aikman, Joe Buck, and Cal Ripken, Jr ( Pic 1.2) To understand this mechanism an example is helpful. Suppose there are two restaurants and a group of people on the street outside deciding which one to eat at. The most well-informed individuals (those with higher precision in making these types of decisions) will decide first and everyone will see some people start to line up outside of one restaurant. If the others know this person is of higher precision (and even if they dont) a few people will follow their lead and join the line. Each new person who lines up outside of the restaurant sends a signal to the rest of the group (and in particular their friends and family) that this is the restaurant to pick. The more people who follow the signal, the stronger it gets and you have an Informational Cascade. Pic 1.2 The idea is presented in rigorous detail in a paper called Theory of fads, Fashion, Custom and Cultural Change as Informational cascades written by Sushil Bikhchandani, David Hirshleifer and Ivo Welch and published in 1992. To paraphrase: An informational cascade occurs when it is optimal for an individual, having observed the actions of those ahead of him to follow the behavior of the preceding individual without regard to his own informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The prediction that a low-precision individual imitates a higher-precision predecessor is consistent with the evidence of numerous psychological experiments demonstrating that a subjects previous failure in a task raises the probability that in further trials he will imitate a model performing the task (see Thelen, Dollinger, and Kirkland 1979, p. 146)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Reference group doesnt have equal power for all types of products and consumption activities. Question is does consumers search rationally or it depends on NEED It has been seen that search is more in consumers who are moderately knowledgeable, when the product is low in perceived risk. There are two dimension that influence the degree to which referent power can work they are whether the purchase is to be consumed publicly or privately and whether its luxury or a necessity. Referent has more power over purchase which re for luxury rather than necessity and second important place where we can see the referent power is when the purchase is socially visible to other(William.,O, et al,1982) Referent power is inferred to the influencer by their subordinates. Project team members who have a great deal of respect and high regard for their project managers willingly go along with decisions made by the project manager because of referent power. If one admires the quality of a person or a group will try to imitate by copying referent behavior Prominent people celebrities can affect peoples consumption behavior by virtue of product endorsement, fashion statements or championing cause . referent power is important to many marketing strategies because consumers voluntarily change to please or identify with a referent 3.2. Normative influence Also known as utilitarian influence, occurs when an individual follows group expectation to gain a direct reward or to avoid a sanction ( Fischer et al, 1998). You may purchase one brand of beer to win acceptance by a friend or wont wear one particular brand for of teasing by friend. This influence is directly related with the bond of a person with its group Strongest the bond strong will be the influence. Mostly younger consumer are powered by this influence. A teenager starts smoking under this influence. 3.3. Identification Influence Also known as value-expressive influence, occur when consumer has adopted all values and attitude of group and identify himself with the. Here to influence advertiser will show the brand being used by socially active group It has been seen that teenagers and young one get influenced by this groups as they live under peer pressure(Auty,s.2001) You will hear in super market a child convincing his mother to buy a particular brand of cereals cause His friends use it , or a particular brand of shoes because his friends told him they are the best. It is these influence which leads them to cigarettes alcohol consumption influence as well. These influences can be used directly or indirectly by the marketer. Many researcher have researchers have come to conclusion lineage is also a very important factor where mother daughter and sisters will use the same brand and will have same shopping pattern (Miller, 1975; Moore-Shay and Lutz, 1988). .4. Celebrity as a referent power in advertising Celebrities like movie stars, sports person, Television stars help grab attention and communicate easily with consumers who admire them or wants to be like them. Its also known as ubiquitous feature of modern Marketing ( Mc Cracken, 1989), and approximately 20 percent of all promotions and advertisement uses use some type of celebrity endorsement (Bradley, 1996) . Marketers spends huge amount of money on celebrity contract on the belief that celebrity are effective spokesperson for their product or brand. Its very common that one celebrity becomes identity of one particular brand or product but in some cases more than one celebrity are being used. Like Pepsi uses superstar Shahrukh khan for his brand promo. Selection of a celebrity is very important characteristics of celebrity should match up with the brand to communicate effectiveness.( Kahle, Homer, 1985),Some companies used multiple celebrities to communicate. In the context of celebrity endorsement advertisement consumer may ask whether endorsers are promoting the product because she really believe in it? Or just because she has been paid to promote it. Its the attributes of celebrity which should match with perception of consumer. Thus sometime using multiple celebrities to endorse the product may help the product to reach the consumer (Mowen and Brown, 1981). Market also assumes that to reach target audience the celebrity should be like the consumer. Celebrity should have credibility attractiveness, Integrity and the main thing Plausibility he/ she behaves as referent influence, if referent Is not plausible it will not be effective . Here referent will be effective and will hold power by their influence as they are aspiration ass ociate group. Celebrities with a bigger Halo will have bigger effect. Despite more and more celebrity are pitched in, many commercials using celebrity endorsers do not live up to the expectations (Miciak and Shanklin, 1994). However, if used appropriately, celebrity endorsers can play a very important role in developing brand equity and enhancing a brands competitive position. Like Andre Agassi fits well with, and enhances, the image of Canons Rebel line of cameras. And Nike and Michael Jordon are synonymous when one thinks of Jordon they think of Nike, they have become part of each other. Before endorsing a product with particular celebrity marketer should do research that how well the celebrity and the brand belong together and how celebrity represent the product.. If there is great ease and relation of brand an d celebrity they get more quickly develop an association. 5. Degree of Reference Group Influence If one sees critically around us we can clearly sees that consumer does not decide abruptly. Referent power of any kind is always playing at the back of his mind. It suggest that rational persuasion, inspirational appeals are effective in influencing final decision(Farrell and Schroder(1996).while the influence of personal appeals, coalition or any kind of pressure were ineffective in any decision outcome( Case etal., 1988). So one can say that things which does not personally appeal or internalize favorable attitude one are not effective or will not have a very strong motivation in buying behavior. As it is well said Power is the ability to effect change (Kohli and Zaltman, 1988.,Ghoneim, 1987) These influencing power can be used by marketer A number of authors have well said that power is the ability to effect changes. Conversely, power bases depends on the characteristics of an individual that afford Referent power will have different impact on different people in different situation, or may be the category of the product used, or the brand used As the purchase is done to influence the group, the product or brand should be visible, for example product like watch, shoes, here product category ( watch), and brand (Swatch) are all visible. The consumption of some tonic is private .Referent power is quite visible when the product is visible to the group and he get accepted or appreciated in the group for his buy. High involvement Low involvement Significant Differences between brands Complex buying behavior Variety- seeking buying behavior Few Differens between brands Dissonance-reducing Buying behavior Habitual buying behavior (Table 5.1) If the need is high there is less power of referent for example when one want to buy a microwave. Reference group influence will be higher if one wants to buy things which is less necessary e.g. in buying clothes or in simple words on can say that decision to buy toothpaste tennis racket, a personal computer, a refrigetor are all very different. Expensive and complex purchase or things which involve more knowledge involve more participant and more suggestion from peer are taken.( Table 5.1)( Henry 1987) Relationship, bondage of of an individual with the group is another very important criteria which can affect on purchasing decision. More one feels committed to the group more he get influence by the referent power . One will be more careful when in dressing up when joining a group whom he wants to influence than when he wants to go for dinner with group he doesnt feel related or committed. It also depends on activity in which individual is involve with a group , How relevant is the activity for example going for office dinner is more important than going out with your friend for a match. There is clear evidence that individual differ in tendency in getting powered by influence (keillor et al,1996)Reference influence is also related to a reward or punishments, reward may be in the form of acceptance in the group, promotion gain trust with your peer and punishments may be in the form of rejection or hatred. In preteen group it may be severe and of social consequences. So to it can be said that referent power should have authority to implement both. We can still argue that referent power should not misuse legal power or illegally pressurize as he might use credibility Refrent power is someone which is look upon by individual and if it loses credibility and trust power will be gone. So we can say that the greater the referent power, the lower the use of legitimate pressure (Farell et al.,1999). In this context its interesting to know about the balance theory (Heider, 1946) Every individual have some preconceived ideas and perception which remain at his subconscious level. And while purchasing it plays a very important role. The greatest power one has over other is when one is sufficiently intimate to permit other to facilitate, because the relation between influencer and consumer is cohesive. Referent power involvement Lets take an example I want to purchase a very expensive notebook I have seen advertisement of Dell, hp and Acer now I m confuse I want to buy something g which is very important but I dont have much knowledge what will I do I will not just go an d purchase it from the counter I will go to one of my friend or family member who has knowledge about it I will involve his opinion. But if at the same time I m hungry and I want to buy a packet of biscuit I will just go to the supermarket and choose any packet or may be the one I have been using from the shelf I would not involve others and take opinion from others for purchasing a pack of biscuit. So opinion leader are needed where there is high purchase involve with no knowledge of product while when low purchase involvement is there I wont take any opinion even if I have less knowledge( Table 1.1) PRODUCT/ PURCHASE INVOLVEMENT Product knowledge High Product knowledge Low HIGH Moderate High Low Low Moderate (Table 6.1) Consumers, especially gen X, tend to follow their peer what they feel trendy and worn by the `in crowd (Agins 1999; Spiegler 1996). Here we can see their deep-seated willingness and thirst to belong, often becoming image- and brand-conscious consumers. Now `what is trendy is what they drive from word-of-mouth communications. Retail Entrepreneur of the Year, Anne Yuri Namba, has found to be quoted as that her home business was initiated and stimulated entirely by word of mouth. As her fame spread, so did the demand for her unusual, highly distinctive fashions (Chain Store Age 2000). Marcus (1999) reported that word of mouth plays an very important role along with demographic information when decisions are made in the fashion industry. One can say, fashion demand may be generated by the simultaneous presence of local externalities and word-of-mouth communication (Corneo and Olivier 1999).Individual sharing information about with other highly target consumer plays a very critical role o n consumer decision and market success. Our friends and relatives are the main source of information, when we are in group we observe their styles, what product they use or by directly asking the opinion. One research shown that half of American agrees that that they often seeks advice of others before making any purchase and 40% feel that people come to them for advice. (Walkes, p 40). The internet has changed the term a little now it can be called Word Of Internet. Where one seek advice from a complete stranger. There are some individual who actively filter, interpret, or provide brand or product information to their family and friends, They are called opinion Leaders they play very strong referent power influence over other WE just cant credit only referent power involved in purchasing decision of an individual we cant pass anything to them making it look like their group or brand image Research have shown that decision to purchase particular product is also influenced by the image and credibility of the companies that market and manufacture consumer products (Lafferty and Goldsmith 1999). If the company is positively portrayed, and has a good image consumers generally maintain a positive disposition toward the company and its products. However, if the company has some rumor some ethical or cultural issues in the backyard , less favorable feelings may subsequently influence whether consumers decide to purchase the companys products (Lee and Bernstein 2000; Ligos 1999). How Much Does It affect During 1996 one rumored was spread about Tommy Hilfiger, stating that company had made some bad remarks African-Americans and Asian which were their core clients. The rumor was mostly on internet. Hilfiger websites denied the rumor completely and there was call to was call to boycott Tommy Hilfiger clothing, especially in the African-American. T The strength and persistence of the strength of rumor suggested that it will affect the sale of brand in African-American market African-American magazine telling them not to buy who doesnt respect ( Graves 1998) here the referent power was internet, mouth to mouth and magazine community, the whole impact was studied and recorded( kImberly 2001) One implication of these recordings was that the staying power of the rumors had eventually harm sales of the Tommy Hilfiger brand in a core target market. Wall street Journal article reported a 28 per cent decrease in sales for the Tommy Hilfiger company (Agins 2001). Company denied the rumored took African-American model and try to recapture the market and used integrated marketing scheme strategically. In retail market consumer is very important and referent power play a very important role Thus retail clothing market should take careful measurements to track their image all designers, regardless of popularity, must follow up their image a nd communications with their consumers. In one of the similar case Reebok has been forced to clarify itself for more than a decade against a rumor that company produce its products in South Africa and supported apartheid ( Turnet 1992). Initially company didnt take much notice and didnt think much of it but later company suffered protests and boycotts and then company has to come out its forceful campaign `Reebok is NOT in South Africa (Kazi-Ferrouillet 1990). And till now company addressed the issue on its website (Reebok.com) Referent influence has been examined in the context of consumer vulnerability to interpersonal influence (Bearden et al., 1989) where influence is the extent to which an individuals consumer choices are influenced by other people. In impulse buying its the cognitive behavior which is seen where a consumer cannot get the information from any one so He doesnt come under informational power but high level of normative influence comes in existence and affect the purchase decision, thus we can say that normative consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence is positively related to the affective component of impulse buying. When will it effect We have to understand stages in purchasing decision of a buyers Information search Refrent group Internet search promo Check option Pricing Brand image Purchase decisions He decide to purchase Need Awareness May be prompted by marketing Post buying behavior, Reinforcement from media friends (Diagram 8.1) Stages of Consumer Buying Behavior 1. Need Awareness: A need may arise or been establish by promotion of a companys marketing. Refrent power here may or may not be very influential 2. Information Search: Buyers search and ask Internet has made research easier for buyers. He may read on websites of different company .Here referent power play a very important role. As he is seeking the information company may use its influence with promos, handout an updated websites or trial samples distribution 3. Check Options: Once information is collected customer will evaluate all option he will search for price and company credibility.. 4. Purchase Decision: The last step just sell and close the deals at this moment any influencing may harm. If he is still hesitant u can still recommend and help your buyers for the best deal .5. Post Buying Behavior: Todays marketer knows very well that to keep loyalty of a customer is very important as now he himself will be a referent power over the other potential buyers. Even at this stage any negative reinforcement will bring remorse and he may not recommend it to others. Influence of referent power also depends on at what stage is a brand once a brand mature its brand image itself is good referent power but at introduction stage a company needs good referent power. 9. Conclusion Referent power is very effective in certain cases and marketer should use that power but at the same time they should keep in mind that for that power to be influential they have to keep certain points in mind Referent power to be effective should bring a connection with the consumer, or he should look up to it or relate to him Message used by referent power should be used as simple as possible it should not be complex or confusing Celebrity power will be more effective if used repeatedly as it strengthen the relationship of brand with that celebrity and so it brings trust in the target audience When choosing a celebrity marketer should be careful that he is already not strongly associated to some other brand or services, but nothing comes without a drawback. If celebrity or your referent power get into negative publicity it brings down with him the product. A wrong selection will tarnish the whole image Referent power is effective if your target audience is young and not much knowledgeable about the brand or product. Its more affective on one who does not have much knowledge and have low self image It so one can say its most effective with children. Referent power does not only influence at the time of purchasing but also post purchasing as after purchasing a product Consumer look at his influence group for appreciation and even any negative comment at that stage will disheartened him and He may not buy the product again A company should not try to play its own trumpet but can bring trust and credibility through awards, media or testimonials of other customers Make a purchase an happy ending for him offer him warranty period or an extended trial period will help in Him becoming a potential referent power over other buyers

Monday, August 19, 2019

Symbolism Essay :: essays research papers

Throughout Elizabeth Winthrop’s short story, â€Å"The Golden Darters,† are symbols of how Emily, the main character, is growing up. The most obvious symbols are Emily piercing her ears, her father’s table where he works on the flies, and the golden darters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A symbol of Emily growing up is the fact that she pierced her ears, even after her parents forbid it, telling her she had to wait until she was seventeen. This shows defiance toward her parents, but also shows her becoming more dependent and able to make decisions on her own. Emily’s father’s workstation, or table, where he made the flies symbolizes the world her father was in. It was in a secluded corner of the house, isolated from much contact with anyone but her father. Her father was trying to keep Emily like the table in a way, wanting to isolate her from the world of â€Å"boys† and everything else that comes with growing up. Another symbol of Emily growing up were the golden darters, or streamers, which were the first fishing lures that Emily and her father made together. He described them as â€Å"a big flashy fly.† After Emily gets her ears pierced, she uses the golden darters to make herself look â€Å"flashier.† The purpose of the lures was to attract fish, but Emily was using them to attract members of the opposite sex. What was meant to be a typical fishing lure is now becoming a sexual lure. Twelve-year-old Emily is obviously trying to grow up, but her father is not ready for that yet. When she shows the new earrings to her father, he is not pleased with what he sees. He is not ready for his daughter to become a woman, yet there she is, standing in front of him, looking like one. It seems as though he is angry that she used the lures the way she did, but he really doesn’t know how else to express his feelings. When he says, â€Å"that is not the purpose for which the flies we re intended,† he meant just that; the flies were not meant to be anything more than fishing lures.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Essay example --

Aristotle and Niccolà ² Machiavelli were two great minds from completely different times, both having rather different views on the world, that touched on many similar points throughout their respective works Politics and Machiavelli’s various writings. This occurred because Machiavelli was illustrating his positions directly against Aristotle’s theories, which allows for an interesting comparison between the two’s opinions on a variety of issues. While Politics is more of a discussion for the populous and The Prince was specifically made as a sort of guidebook for the future ruling class, they can still be compared based upon their similar topics of discussion regarding political goals and the opposing points that need to be avoided. This combined with The Discourses, which was an analysis of the Roman republic and why it was so successful, provide a rather comprehensive view of Machiavelli’s core beliefs. The concept of differing worldviews is key to u nderstanding the similarities and differences between the two as they come from very different basic places of opinion when regarding the overall goal of politics. Aristotle came from a position of lofty, boarding on impractical, goals with the effort of creating the concept of the good life for its citizens, in which they could expand and flourish. Machiavelli on the other hand worked on a much more practical scale of thought, focusing on concepts of gaining power, and control, while maintaining stability as the main goals of participating in politics. Both however stated a vast array of necessary requirements for achieving the best political scenario along with opposing points to avoid, and in turn theories on how to distinguish between the two. In this paper, these two great poli... ...nd goals a governing body can hope to achieve, asking the individual to question how they are being governed and how the system around them can be improved. They also however provide guidelines for how to govern one’s self, and legitimate goals that an individual should strive to achieve, not just goals for the governing body over top of them. From these two theories, an individual should be able to learn how to better govern their soul and identify how best to serve themselves throughout life. No one theorist is ultimately ‘better’ then the other therefore because of this, as they both gain significant merit in the debate that they open up to their audiences. Their timeless core theories will remain with society forever as there will always be some form of governance, and their theories can fit so many scenarios throughout life. Sources:

President Bill Clinton :: William Jefferson Clinton Essays

Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946, in the small town of Hope, Arkansas. He was named after his father, William Jefferson Blythe II, who had been killed in a car accident just three months before his son's birth. Needing a way to support herself and her new child, Bill Clinton's mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, to study nursing. Bill Clinton stayed with his mother's parents in Hope. There his grandparents, Eldrigde and Edith Cassidy, taught him strong values and beliefs such as "equality among all and discrimination to none". This was a lesson Bill never forgot. His mother returned from New Orleans with a nursing degree in 1950, when her son was four year old. Later that same year, she married an automobile salesman named Roger Clinton. When Bill was seven years old, the family moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas for it offered a better employment opportunities. Roger received a higher paying job as a service ma nager for his brother's car dealer-ship and Virginia discovered a job as a nurse anesthetist. In 1956, Bill Clinton's half-brother, Roger Clinton Jr., was born. When his brother was old enough to enter school, young Bill had his last name legally altered from Blythe to Clinton. Clinton's life continued and during his High school years he was awestruck by two successful leaders, John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was inspired by them so much that thrived on fulfilling their dreams. He raised money and organized charity events, but most of all he learned how to work with people and the concept of being a good citizen. In his spare time, he endulged himself in literature and played a saxophone. He loved music, and each summer he would attend a band camp in the Ozark Mountains. His hard work paid off when he became top saxophone player at his school and won first chair in state band. Bill Clinton recognized that although college would be expensive, it would give him the education he needed to accomplish his goals. His hard work in school, combined with his music ability, earned him many academic and music scholarships. With the aid of those scholarships and loans from the government, he was able to attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He chose George town because it had an excellent foreign service program and it was located in the nations capital.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Emotions In The Things They Carried Essay

In his story â€Å"The Things They Carried†, Tim O’Brien, enlightens the reader with the many faces and emotions of men. Although men are normally thought upon as the stronger of the two sexes; physically and emotionally, O’Brien lets us realize that this is not so. Men are weak in even the strongest of situations. And in this case, the situation is war. War is the main theme of the story. Masculinity in the story The ‘soldiers’ mentioned are victims of many emotions, for example, love, hatred, stress, depression, etc. They realize how important love and real-life relationships are. Most men who are prey to long lost love, try to let go of their past and focus only on their duties in vain. As they walk through the streets of Vietnam, they carry with themselves the basic necessities of survival and souvenirs to remind them of home. During these marches, they dispose of some of their supplies because they are aware that they will soon gain much more. War is like a game to the soldiers, there are always winners and losers. It can be played with many different tactics. It is all a matter of luck and strategy. But it is not all that bad. Some of the soldiers, who leave, return soon because the peace ‘hurts’ them too much. And for some, the war is far too much to handle. This is mainly due to the losses they experience. Death is a frightening incident which occurs most often bringing with it tears of pain and stress. The soldiers are afraid of killing as well. The first kill is always the hardest to bear. These soldiers imagine what kind of a life their enemies led before getting involved into such a situation. Deep, dark marks are left within the hearts of these soldiers as they spend endless days on the battlefields. Voegele quotes O’Brien as talking about fear, â€Å"In many respects this was the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down.† (Voegele). The soldiers have dreams about escaping the brutal nature and reality of war because they are unable to remove fear from their hearts. Most of the time, there are petty quarrels that take place, some leading to physically fights, which soon lead to renewed friendships, trust and written pacts, and then ending in death and sorrow. Voegele quotes O’Brien provides the weight of the objects which the soldiers carry by saying â€Å"The weapon weighed 7.5 pounds unloaded, 8.2 pounds with its full 20 round magazine. The riflemen carried anywhere from 12 to 20 magazines†¦adding on another 8.4 pounds at minimum, 14 pounds at maximum.† (Voegele). The story above portrays the masculine romance of the soldier as it portrays the tough and brutal nature of their experience in war. These soldiers have to be tough and brave in the battlefield in order to prove that they are worthy males. Experience of war O’Brien gives a graphic portrait of the experience of war by mentioning the weight of the things which the soldiers carry. The soldiers also have to face other external factors like the weather during the time of war â€Å"They carried the sky. The whole atmosphere†¦they carried gravity.† (Voegele). However according to O’Brien the soldiers have several emotional problems which are much heavier for them than the physical things they carry. â€Å"Grief, terror, love, longing these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specific gravity, they had tangible weigh.† (Voegele). Many different stories are discussed and the lust for women is often brought up during camp talks. But many stories of lost and dead soldiers are never spoken of. Sometimes out of fear, sometimes out of respect, and sometimes out of sheer disappointment and misunderstanding. These stories, burdened by the soldiers sometimes drive them into a negative attitude. Most of these soldiers tend to commit suicide. â€Å"That night when Kiowa got wasted, I sort of sank down into the sewage with him† (O’Brien, pg. 156). The author describes his feelings of when he lost a true friend due to a sudden attack. Kiowa had drowned into the depths of the sewage during this attack. Although O’Brien had tried to help, the smell was excruciating to him. In the story, there is also specifically rumors of a girl smuggled into Vietnam by a soldier are brought up. This ‘soldier’ had to spend a large sum of money into getting his girlfriend there. He warned about how dangerous it was. All the men are duly jealous of the young couple. Superstition is common among the men. They keep certain ‘things’ with them at all times, believing these items may bring them luck. To a few of them, they actually do bring luck! But religion is also a big part of these soldiers’ lives. They chat about how one day; they would like to be monks and priests, and about how they would like to help people and be kind to them instead of killing anyone and anything that came in their way. As the war wages on, the soldiers try to find amusement in the harshness around them. The camps they set around for themselves are of unpleasant surroundings. From the ruthless weather, to the creepy crawlies and even then unbearable stenches, these soldiers have witnessed it all. They joke about the times they had almost died or had cried out of fear of facing death during combat. Most of these men undergo many changes, especially in their personalities. Some of the soldiers like Norman Bowler were decent and law abiding citizens when they were civilians. But this man transformed himself into a heartless creature and around his neck he carried a thumb which had been removed from the body of a Viet Cong guerilla fighter. The Viet Cong guerilla fighter was only a teenager. Bowler was very proud of his first kill. But there were also others, like Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, who had been sensitive during their civilian life. But the effects of war do not change them into animals. They stay the same, lovable humans, hoping for an escape into the arms of their loved ones. But when they face their enemies, regardless of their age or gender, these soldiers are emotionless beasts. They even torture human babies, mostly orphan infants, brutally. O’Brien refers to the babies as a ‘young water buffalo’. Readers will find the story to be devoid of any emotions as the American soldiers engage in torture and brutality for sports and recreation. However, these men tend to feel awful afterwards. They think over what they have done and regret these events so much that they end up hurting themselves in order to finally escape this reality. While some, make all the killing seem like child’s play. And later, all these men share and relate their own life stories to the people they kill during the war. This, according to O’Brien, brings them back to life. He based his life on one motto, â€Å"Once you’re alive, you can’t ever be dead† (O’Brien, pg. 244). Tim O’Brien does not believe in death. The soldiers, even tough are fighting day and night for their country; feel that it is useless to wage this war. They cannot find any real reasons as to why they are there, except that they were appointed to this duty without any consideration. This lack of purpose also drives the men into insanity. When finally, the war comes to an end, the soldiers return home to again lead a ‘normal civilian’ life. But the bitter memories of Vietnam prevent these men from ever being sane again. The war has cast a heavy shadow over the hearts of these once good-willed, god-fearing men. Although, most of the story is fictional, Tim O’Brien portrays to his readers the cruelty of war. He wants people to understand how it felt to experience death, so that they could finally accept it. He tries to share his feelings and the feelings of his fellow soldiers through detached words. He talks of the torture and pain, the crying and screaming, the innocent civilian families watching their loved ones being put to death in front of their eyes aware that their turn is soon to come. The experience of war is romanticized in the novel as the author provides an account of the experiences of soldiers. These soldiers are living in hell but they have a clear concept of the culture of war. They know that they are making history by becoming participants of war. Conclusion This story clearly states that even men are feeble creatures who fall victim to emotions no matter what they do. The life of a soldier may seem to be filled with hardships and killing. But no one really knows the truth behind the lifeless eyes. We, civilians wonder what it might be like out their on the battlefield and how these soldiers live their lives without emotion. When, in reality, they share as much emotion as any normal human being would. They fear the blood shed around them. Some display their feelings and confess their love and fears, while others decide to hide themselves by displaying a merciless attitude. Every experience is hard for them. Every new day is a bigger challenge. If the cards are not played right, there is a loss, sometimes many losses. The story is an important reminder about the horrors and brutalities of war. It tells us how war changes the experiences of soldiers. Works Cited O’Brien. Tim. The Things They Carried. Broadway. (1998) Voegele, Jason. Thoughts on The Things They Carried. Copyright  © Jason Voegele Retrieved 16th August 2008 http://www.jvoegele.com/essays/things.html

Friday, August 16, 2019

Legalization of Marijuana: Should be Approved? Essay

American people have debated over the legalization of marijuana for many years. This discussion is an example of how the united states have struggled to reach an agreement about the use of marijuana. In recent year’s drug policy have been increasingly challenged, especially in America. In the United States a group of nearly twenty states has allowed the medical use of marijuana, even though neither the federal government nor the United Nations Convention recognize that marijuana has medical uses. In the election of November 2012, Washington State passed a referendum, and Colorado an amendment to its Constitution, which allow the recreational use of marijuana. A result of the legalization of recreational use in Denver, Colorado, have entered more than $ 1.2 million with a mechanism for maximum sales per consumer than an ounce profit status, worth $ 200, a strategy that is used to regulate the individual consumption. For instance, according to Jacob Sullum (2013), author of The Cannabis Is Out Of The bag, â€Å"People 21 or older already are allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.† Nowadays Marijuana users in the United States may finally, starting this January 1, legally have it for recreational purposes in two states in the West, Washington and Colorado. Probably the most controversial news until today is that many companies would begin to distribute marijuana in vending machines as if they were sodas this will be addressed to the public who use marijuana for medical purposes, a patient with a serious medical condition that approaches a vending machine to get a dose of marijuana to cope better with certain symptoms of their disease or treatment is an increasingly common act thanks to the progress achieved by the automatic distribution. But you can still go further. Hence Smart Ventures, a company that invests in mining projects in medical marijuana and playful side, has signed an agreement with Mobile Vending, dedicated to developing mobile technology for control of vending .The objective of this joint venture is to expand and renovate the distribution process with the latest equipment and advanced techniques of identification in order to cash in on the recent legalization of marijuana  and the resulting high demand in the state of Colorado. Both formulas will drive new technology payments and cashless biometric identification methods, either through credit cards, electronic wallets and mobile payment. The new company is called Cannabis Funding Group, Inc. and is now a subsidiary of activity as Smart Ventures. One person who is clearly opposed to medical marijuana is Scott M, Arden. He suggests that there is no incentive to fund clinical trials nor advocate the use of marijuana for medical purposes. he expressed her views in the article †Å"Clinician Reviews† journal. For instance, he says, The negative side effects of medical marijuana pale in comparison to the laundry list associated with numerous prescription drugs that are FDA approved—not to mention tobacco and alcohol, much more addictive products on the market that possess no medicinal value, only detrimental. Additionally, currently available pain medications have been proven highly addictive, and their use and proliferation have led to an epidemic of chemical dependence and related crime. If the big players in the industry had significant potential gains from medical marijuana, it would have been legalized at the federal level years ago. What Scott M. Arden is saying is that it makes no sense the idea of medical marijuana. So, obviously that it will be the same as with the other drugs on the market that are addictive. There are some people who think that more states should legalize at least medical marijuana for the people who really need it. One of the strong supporters of medical marijuana is Karen Bender. She is sure that with additional research medical marijuana may benefit many people. In fact, she says, â€Å"Medical marijuana, like prescribed drugs, may benefit people with MS†. What bender means is that, if the American government is willing to continue prohibiting medical marijuana, American people would never know if is the right thing to do. It is simply means that laboratories and people specialized in the field of medical marijuana should do more research to determine the good things about it and the bad things and how will affect society. Second, another controversial reason to support or oppose legalization of marijuana is based in the economics of execution. Legalizing marijuana will save the government $ 41.3 billion a year in law-enforcement and generate $ 46.7 billion in tax according to The Libertarian Cato Institute but Chris Kennedy a spokesman of the journal â€Å"NEWSWEEK† tells that â€Å"all of our scholars definitely support an end to drug  prohibition.† He thinks that instead of prohibiting marijuana government should legalized it, according to The Libertarian Cato Institute. It is simply means that legalizing marijuana is the best thing to do for economic reasons, that’s why there’s so many controver sy in the economic execution, too much money involved. There are not many people, who support the legalization of marijuana, mostly because they think is not going to help American economy. Most people care about the national security because of terrorists and drug dealers. One person who clearly opposes legalization of marijuana is Pat Buchanan, an advisor to presidents Nixon, Ford, and Reagan , he sure believes American people is financing terrorists and drug dealers. He expressed his opinion in â€Å"NEWSWEEK† journal. For instance, he says, How does one win a drug war when millions of Americans who use recreational drugs are financing the cartels bribing, murdering, and beheading to win the war and keep self-indulgent Americans supplied with drugs? There are two sure ways to end this war swiftly. Milton’s way and Mao’s way. Mao Zedong’s communists killed users and suppliers alike, as social parasites. Milton Friedman’s way is to decriminalize drugs and call off the war. What Buchanan is really talki ng about is that most Americans are supporting and financing the cartels, and that Americans are arguing at the same time for the security when they are the cause of drug cartels having power, that’s why criminals continue enriching illicitly. There are not that many politicians who support the legalization of marijuana. One politician who supports the legalization of marijuana is Tom Tancredo who was running for governor of Colorado on the constitution party ticket. He declares that marijuana should be (Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it) He expressed his opinion in â€Å"NEWSWEEK† journal. For instance, he says, With regard to marijuana, I have no plans to push for its legalization. I simply believe that taking money away from the drug cartels, taking the incentive out of pushing marijuana to kids by imposing the most serious penalties possible on those who do so, focusing our resources on stopping illegal aliens and hard drugs from entering the country, and reducing t he corruption now eating away at our law-enforcement establishment has merit and deserves to be debated. Another main argument has to deal with the Mexican border. There is another politician who supports the legalization of marijuana. It’s Grover Norquist, president of Americas for tax reform, he declares that the legalization of marijuana will  end with drug cartels. For instance, he says, First, there is the mess that is Mexico. Narcoterrorism is made possible by our drug prohibition in the U.S. Then there is the cost of incarceration, Proposition 19 has the opportunity to be the domino that could bring about rational drug policy nationwide. What Norquist is really taking about is that next vote in California for or against Proposition 19, which seeks to legalize the use, distribution and sale of marijuana has led, in the United States and Mexico, a debate on the legalization of drugs. Proposition 19 also plans to allow the cultivation of marijuana by adults in an area not exceeding 25 square feet in their homes and allowed local governments to regulate and collect taxes on commercial production and distribution of the drug. The Uni ted Nations (UN) estimates that one third of the cannabis consumed in the U.S. is produced domestically. Under the new laws of legalization, marijuana stores should produce their own cannabis, and will take several months for some power to make its first crop of recreational marijuana. $ 600 million annual leave year the sale of marijuana in Colorado. A study by Colorado State University estimated that the market for legal marijuana state will be about 600 million dollars annually and generate about $ 130 million in new taxes. The study also estimated that Colorado residents consume about 100 grams of marijuana per capita annually, under the new rules. One person who clearly declares that combating drugs is not the way to solve all problems related with drugs as violence, is James A. Inciardi, a director of the center for drug and alcohol studies. He expressed his views in the book, The Drug Legalization Debate. For instance, he says, â€Å"War on Drugs† is not the answers to the many problems of drug abuse in this country. I reach this conclusion by observing that during the entire time the country has been at war against drugs there has been no attempt in any administration to place the federal agencies and the American people on a wartime status. There are several characteristics of a country at war that have not been met. Although it is very obvious for most people, Legalization is not a magic formula to end violence, it may resolve other serious problems in the country but it is a necessary step in the right direction for a new paradigm that means more security. Marijuana it’s not the illegal drug that leaves more profit, but it is the most trafficked and consumed in the world. The blow to organized crime by removing these revenues vary, according to estimates, 15% to 60% of  the â€Å"profits† of t he drug. The opinion of the people in this area is very diverse, from which there are radically opposed to it until its legalization there are supporters unconditionally. These views depend on many factors, such as age, as the person it’s older the more is opposed to the legalization of these substances, another factor that determines a lot is its political ideology. The people on the left political side tend to approve the legalization of these drugs and the right side tends to reject it, it also depends on the sex gender, men usually supports more its legalization. Also people are influenced by the fact that they tried the drug before. Most of the people who have tried the drug before tend to support the legalization of marijuana. Legalizing cannabis would have the advantage that we can all imagine, a greater product quality, if we smoke or use marijuana as this should not be adulterated because going through some health checks, a much lower cost, as there would be many intermediaries as there are now and also end with the black market and drug trafficking networks. While many of these benefits would not be such, because, for example the black market and drug trafficking networks would not disappear, but still try to sell the cheapest product to make the competition to the government. The failure of prohibitionist and punitive strategy against illicit drugs, we still see an overview of production and consumption worse than in the beginning. It is necessary to create useful tools to combat drug use, which must be accompanied by a more flexible-but not libertarian-use and production perspective. Works cited Conant, Eve. â€Å"Pot and the GOP.† Newsweek 1 Nov. 2010: Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Sullum, Jacob. â€Å"The Cannabis Is Out Of The Bag: Why Prohibitionists Have an Interest in Allowing Marijuana Legalization.† Reason Aug.-Sept. 2013: 12. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Arden, Scott M., and Meg Helgert. â€Å"Opposing Views of Medical Marijuana.† Clinician Reviews Apr. 2011: 2. Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Bender, Karen. â€Å"More Support for Medicinal Marijuana.† Momentum Spring 2011: Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Inciardi, James A. The Drug Legalization Debate. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1991. Print.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Phonetics and Phonology

REPUBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGOGICA EXPERIMENTAL LIBERTADOR INSTITUTO PEDAGOGICO DE CARACAS CATEDRA DE FONETICA Y FONOLOGIA ASIGNATURA: FONETICA Y FONOLOGIA II AN ANALYSIS OF A SPEECH SAMPLE IN WHICH UNDERLIE A VARIETY OF ENGLISH VOWEL SOUNDS Authors: Aymara Villasmil Daniel Rodriguez CARACAS, FEBRERO DE 2011 INTRODUCTION Throughout the years, a variety of famous linguists have made an attempt to define the difficult question of what language is. For instance, Halliday (1973) affirms that language is an instrument of communication among members of a social group.In relation to this, Gimson (1962) states that a language is a system of conventional signals used for a communication by a whole community. On the other hand, Whitman (1975) when trying to describe the concept of language establishes a particular connection between the use of language and the mental processes speaker experiences. He states that language, far from being independent of the mind, was so in extricably tied to the mind that the study of language was virtually the study of human mind.These different assumptions of what language is impel us, as future EFL teachers, to recognize the enormous responsibility teaching English as a foreign language involves. Due to the fact that we will necessarily have to handle several definitions of what language is and its components (syntax, grammar, phonetics and phonology, semantics,†¦) in order to help students realize the variety of elements they use when communicating with others.For instance, when teaching our students a language level such as phonetics and phonology, which primary involves pronunciation we have to make them aware that it is not only a matter of pronouncing sounds in isolation, but that these sounds are part of a communicative system the use in daily life. In relation to this, Strickland ( U. D ) states that learning a language, whether it is the mother tongue or a foreign one, is learning a system of sounds an d their arrangements in words and patterns of organization together with the concepts the words and patterns represent.The following written work has as a primary proposal, the analysis of a speech sample recorded from a beginner speaker of English language who read a four – paragraph newspaper article in which the following vocalic sounds were immersed: mid – low back /? /, low front /? / , mid -high back / /, mid – high front /? / . Through the record we will be analyzing the substitution the speaker made or not of any of the four vocalic sounds mentioned before.We will be explaining why the speaker made that substitution, which factors influenced in the substitution and finally, we will be giving a variety of suggestions / recommendations for the appropriated production of vowel sounds of English and the rest of the inventory sounds. General Objective ? To explain the transference the speaker makes when pronouncing the English vowels which do not belong / exi st to Spanish inventory sounds. Specific Objectives ? To demonstrate the articulatory features that influence the speaker when pronouncing English vowel sounds. To establish different factors that affect the Speaker when pronouncing English vowels. ? To provide students accurate and useful pronunciation techniques that will make them improve their pronunciation of English. ONE of the few surprises at the Golden Globes two weeks ago — you’ll be forgiven if you’ve already forgotten about that odd little broadcast — was the award given to â€Å"Carlos,† the French director Olivier Assayas’s five-hour-plus reconstruction of the life and career of the notorious terrorist of the 1970s and ’80s Carlos the Jackal.The award represented a high point of cosmopolitanism at a predictably parochial event: 11 languages spoken on screen; dozens of locations across Europe and the Middle East; a polyglot cast led by a Venezuelan star, Edgar Ramirez, wh o has the potential to become an international sex symbol. What more could you want from a foreign film? /w? n ? v fju s? rprajz? z ? t gold? n globz tu wiks ? go ju ll bi f? rg? v? n ? f ju vealready f? rg? t? n ? bawt t ? d l? t? l br? dk? st w? z ?w? rd g? v? n tu k? rlos, fr? nt? d? r? kt? r ol? vie assayas sfive- aw? r- pl? s rik? nstr? k n ? lajf ? nd k? r? r ? v not? ri? s t? r? r? st ? v 1970s ? nd 80s k? rlos d k? l. ?w? rd r? pr? z? nt? d ? haj p? jnt ? v cosmopolitanism ? t ? pr? d? kt? bli p? roki? l ? v? nt: 11 l gw? d z spok? n ? n skrin; d? z? nz ? v loke nz ? kr? s j? r? p ? nd m? d? l ist; ? p? liglat k? st l? d baj ? v? n? zwel? n st? r, dgar r? m, rezwho h? z p? t? n l tu b? k? m ? n ? nt? rn n? l s? ks s? mb? l. w? t m? r k? d ju w? nt fr? m ? f? r? n f? lm/ |Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? / | | | | |/? f/ | | |Substitution of the mid-high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/ t/ | | | | |/l? t? l/ | | | | |/br? k? st/ | | |Back closing diphthong /ou/ instead of | | | | |the mid low back /? / in the first | | | | |syllable. | |/br? dk? st/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central schwa /? in the second| | | | |syllable. | |/g? v? n/ | | | | |/ol? vie/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central schwa /? in the second| | | | |syllable. | |/k? r? r/ | | | | |/t? r? r? st/ | | |Substitution of the Mid- high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/sev? nt? / | | |Deletion of the mid-high back vowel. |/? nd/ | | | | |/e? t? / | | |Deletion of the mid-high back vowel. | |/d k? l/ | | | | |/? t/ | | | | | | | | | |/pr? ? kt? b? l/ | | |Substitution o the Mid- high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the mid front in the | | | | |first syllable and substitution of Mid-| | | | |high front vowel /I/ for the Spanish | | | | |/i/ in the second syllable. |/? v? nt | | | | |/l gw? d z/ | | |Substitut ion of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central /? / in the first | | | | |syllable. | |/? kr? s/ | | |Substitution of the mid-low back /? , | | | | |for the Spanish /o/ | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central schwa /? / in the second| | | | |syllable. | |/m? d? / | | |Substitution of the Mid- high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/k? st/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the Mid-low back /? / | |/r? mirez/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? | | | | |for the central Schwa /? / | |/h? z/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the Mid-low back /? / | |/b? k? m/ | | | | |/? n/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? | | | | |for the central Schwa /? / | |/? nt? rn n? l/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central Schwa /? / | |/? nt? rn n? l/ | | | | |/s? mb? l/ | | | | |/k? / | | | | |/f? lm/ | | | | Except that â€Å"Carlos† was not n ominated for the Golden Globe in that category (the winner was â€Å"In a Better World,† from Denmark): it was made for, and first shown on, French television, a fact that also rendered it ineligible for consideration — as a foreign-language or any other kind of film — by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which announced its nominees last Tuesday.Mr. Assayas’s dark-horse victory at the Globes was for best miniseries or motion picture made for television. Fair enough, given its origins. Then again, â€Å"Carlos† has encountered its American audience in the way more and more foreign films do these days: on a handful of movie screens in big cities, and on cable and video-on-demand. So its exclusion from the Oscars seems somewhat arbitrary. /? ks? pt t k? rlos w? z n? t n? m? net? d f? r gold? n glob ? n t k? t? g? ri ( w? n? r w? z ? n ? b? t? r w? rld, fr? m d? nm? rk): ? t w? z med f? r, ? nd f? rst ? on ? n, fr? nt? t? l? v n, ? f? kt t ? so r? nd? rd ? t ? n? l? d b? l f? r k? ns? d? re n ? z ? f? r? n- l gw? d? ?r ? ni r kajnd ? v f? lm baj ?k? d? mi ? v mo n p? kt r ? rts ? nd saj? ns? z, w? t? ?nawnst ? ts n? m? niz l? st tuzdi. m? st? r. assayas sdark- h? rs v? kt? ri ? t globz w? z f? r b? st m? nisiriz ? r mo n p? kt r med f? r t? l? v n. f? r ? n? f, g? v? n ? ts ? r? d nz. n ? g? n, k? rlos h? z ? nkawnt? rd ? ts ? m? r? k? n ? di? ns ? n we m? r ? nd m? r f? r? n f? lmz du ? iz dez: ? n ? h? ndf? l ? v muvi skrinz ? n b? g s? tiz, ? nd ? n keb? l ? nd v? dio- ? n- d? m? nd. so ? ts ? ksklu n fr? m sk? rz simz s? mw? t ? rb? tr? ri/ |Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? ks? pt/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the mid front /e/ | |/ t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? | |/? n/ | | | | |/ t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/k? t? g? ri/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? | |/w? n? r/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? n/ | | | | |/? t/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/t? l? v n/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/f? kt/ | | | | |/ t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/? t/ | | | | |/? n? l? d b? l/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ in the second | | | | |syllable. | |/k? ns? d? re / | | | | |/? z/ | | | | |/l gw? d? / | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the mid-front /e/ | |/en? / | | | | |/f? m/ | | | | |/? k? d? mi/ | | | | |/p? kt r/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | | | |/w? t? / | | | | |/? s/ | | | | |/l? st/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? / | |/m? st? r/ | | | | |/v? kt? ri/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/m? st? r? z/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/p? kt / | | | | |/t? l? v n/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/g? v? n/ | | | | |/? ts/ | | | | |/? ? d nz/ | | |Substitution of schwa /? / for the highest | | | | |front vowel /i/ in the second syllable, | | | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ in the third | | | | |syllable. | |/h? / | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/? ts/ | | | | |/? n/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? d/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/f? lmz/ | | | | |/h? ndf? l/ | | | | |/ h? ndf? l/ | | | | |/? / | | | | |/b? g/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/s? tiz/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? d/ | | | | |/v? dio/ | | | | |/d? m? nd/ | | | | |/d? m? nd/ | | | | |? s | | | | |? ksklu n | | | | |? sk? rz | | |Substitution of the mid low back /? /, for | | | | |the Spanish /o/ |But so does everything else about the way the Academy deals with movies from the rest of the world. An elaborate and mysterious winnowing process pares down the thousands of potential nominees to five. This year they are â€Å"Dogtooth† from Greece, â€Å"Incendies† from Canada, â€Å"Biutiful† from Mexico, â€Å"Outside the Law† from Algeria and â€Å"In a Better World,† which might be considered the front-runner if you take the Globes as an omen. /b? t so d? z ? vri ?ls ? bawt we ?k? d? mi dilz w muviz fr? m r? st ? v w? rld. ?n ? l? br? t ? nd m? st? ri? w? no pr? s? s p? rz dawn ?awz? ndz ? v p? t? n l n? m? niz tu fajv. s j? r ? e ? r dogtooth fr? m gris, incendies fr? m k? n? d? , biutiful fr? m m? ks? ko, awtsajd l? fr? m ? ld ri? ?nd ? n ? b? t? r w? rld, w? t? majt bi k? ns? d? rd fr? nt- r? n? r ? f ju tek globz ? z ? n om? n/ |Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? vri / | | | | |/? k? d? i/ | | | | |/w / | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/? l? br? t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/m? st? r? z/ | | |Substitution of mid high front /I/ for the | | | | |mid-front /e/ in the second syllable. | |/w? no | | | | |/ s/ | | |Replacement of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/j? r/ | | | | |/k? n? d? / | | |The speaker did not produce de vowel sound. |/? ld ri? / | | |Substitution of mid high front /I/ for the | | | | |mid-front /e/ in the second syllable. | |/? ld ri? / | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? / in the first syllable | |/? n/ | | | | |/w? ? / | | | | |/k? ns? d? rd/ | | | | |/? f/ | | | | |/? z/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? | |/? n/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | â€Å"Dogtooth† came and went on a few American screens last spring, and â€Å"Outside the Law† had a brief run in December (and may return shortly); only â€Å"Biutiful,† whose globally famous star, Javier Bardem, was nominated for best actor, is likely to be playing now at a theater near you.The others will be released in the late winter or early spring, in the hopes of realizing some kind of box office bounce. The usual pre-nomination handicapping — the canvassing of critical opinion and the weighing of popular sentiment — does not apply to these movies, which might in principle make the choices less compromised, but in practice only serves to make them more confusing. dogtooth kem ? nd w? nt ? n ? fju ? m? r? k? n skrinz l? st spr , ? nd awtsajd l? h? d ? brif r? n ? n d? s? mb? r ( ? nd me r? t? rn rtli); onli biutiful, huz glob? i fem? s st? r, h? vi? r bardem, w? z n? m? net? d f? r b? st ? kt? r, ? z lajkli tu bi ple naw ? t ? ?i? t? r n? r ju. rz w? l bi rilist ? n let w? nt? r ? r ? rli spr , ? n hops ? v ril? jz s? m kajnd ? v b? ks ? f? s bawns. ju w? l pri- n? m? ne n h? ndik? p k? nv? s ?v kr? t? k? l ? p? nj? n ? nd we ?v p? pj? l? r s? nt? m? nt d? z n? t ? plaj tu ? iz muviz, w? t? majt ? n pr? ns? p? l mek t js? z l? s k? mpr? m? jzd, b? t ? n pr? kt? s onli s? rvz tu mek m m? r k? nfjuz / Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel| | | | |/? / for the central Schwa /? / | |/l? st/ | | |Substitution o f the low front vowel| | | | |/? for the low-back. | |/spr / | | | | |/? nd/ | | | | |/h? d/ | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/? d/ | | | | |/? kt? r/ | | | | |/? z/ | | | | |/ple / | | | | |/? t/ | | | | |/n? / | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the central diphthong| | | | |/I? / | |/w? l/ | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/? / | | | | |/w? nt? r/ | | | | |/spr / | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/ril? jz / | | | | |/? ? s/ | | |Substitution of the mid low back | | | | |/? /, for the Spanish /o/ | |/h? ndik? p / | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/h? ndik? p | | | | |/k? nv? s / | | | | |/k? nv? s / | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/kr? t? k? l/ | | | | |/? p? j? n/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | | | |/we / | | | | |/w? t? / | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/pr? s? p? l/ | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/pr? kt? s/ | | | | |/k? nfjuz / | | | | METHODOLOGYAn IPC s tudent from the Second semester was selected for the recording of the speech sample which was one of the main concerns of this investigation. The recording was made on February 9th in a classroom of the IPC. The electronic device used was a low quality cell phone whose recording application allowed us to record the student’s speech and then, through USB connection, transferred the audio to the PC and copied the data in a CD-ROM. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS †¢ CHART N? 1 Production of the vowel sound mid – low back /? / in a text read by a student of the second semester at the IPC. | |Pronunciation | | |Sound | | | | | |Substitution | | |Well – Pronounced | | | | | |Mispronounced | | | | | |Substitution of the mid | |/? |0 |4 |low back /? /, for the | | |0% |100 % |Spanish /o/ in most of | | | | |the cases. | †¢ For the vowel sound low front /? / (fifty – three times). †¢ For the vowel sound mid -high back /? / (two – times). †¢ Fo r the vowel sound mid – high front /? / (eighty – two times). †¢ For the vowel sound mid-low back /? / ( four times) Sound |Right |Wrong |Substitution | | |2 |0 | | |/? / |100% |0% |None | |Sound |Right |Wrong |Substitution | | |57 |24 | | |/? |70% |30% |In most of the cases, | | | | |replacement of the mid high | | | | |front /I/ for the highest | | | | |front /i/ | Sound |Right |Wrong |Substitution | | |22 |31 | | |/? / |42% |58% |In most of the cases, | | | | |Substitution of the low front| | | | |vowel /? for the central | | | | |Schwa /? / | 1- The speaker’s most troublesome sound was the mid – low back vowel of English /? /, although its incidence in the whole article was very low, only four times. Nevertheless, the student substituted the English sound /? / whose lip- position is similar to the one of Spanish / o /, that is, slightly rounded. 2- After the mid-low back vowel, the most troublesome sound was the low front vowel /? /, due to the f act that the speaker substituted this sound /? / in most of the cases for schwa /? or Mid-low back /? /, in which the lips are slightly spread and the vowels for the substitution are lax (/? /) and tense (/? /) respectively. Some aspects that may cause trouble for the speaker is the word spelling, because sometimes they tend to get confused or doubtful when pronouncing a word, in the moment they see a difficult or uncommon spelling. RECOMMENDATIONS In order to facilitate our labor as future English teachers and to encourage our students to learn the language while developing effective skills, being speaking our main concern, the researchers selected a series of educational techniques: ? ReadingsAs future EFL teachers we have to expose our students to English language through â€Å"readings† in which students will find a visual stage (graphemes) and an auditory one (phonemes). Students will read aloud pieces of writings made by them or any selected reading material made by the teacher such as, short stories A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, To Build a fire by Jack London, or any play such as: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Students will read or hear structures like: pot – stop, tip – sleep, car – bad and the will also be aware of the likenesses or differences among vocalic sounds immersed in the readings. Dictation EFL teachers must develop listening skill, so as a speaking one, in their students and this can be done through the appropriate use of dictation as a useful and realistic technique that will allow students to receive a phonic background and then to analyze the spelling data involved, that is, graphemes. The most important part of this method is that students will be able to create the pieces of writings that will be read by the teacher or among the classmates and whose content will be according to their interests and experiences, so student? creative expression will also be taken into account as essential par t of the learning process. ? Poetry According to Stuckland (1962) students like poetry first for its singing quality, for its rhyme, rhythm and all that goes into the melody of verse. That is, the enjoyable environment poetry creates when students interpret its content. Suggested poems will be: Hickory, Dickory, Dock by William Wallace Denslow in whose content are presented a variety of vowel sounds. CONCLUSIONSIn order to make our students aware of the different vowels in English, we as English teachers, have to clarify and exemplify several exercises for them, to make a distinction in pronunciation patterns of the sounds they can find more troublesome in English. We can write similar words in the board and provide a distinction of sounds to differentiate them, so students could see the pronunciation if we would practice with them the distinction and very essential, the spelling patterns for the English vowel productions and examples with these.Furthermore, if we teach these spelli ng patterns criteria and we practice the pronunciation of these difficult vowels for our students, they will assimilate and acquire a better understanding, specifically if we focus our attention on these vowels /? / and /? /. As another useful activity, we can encourage our students to produce the different vowels of English by different techniques, and be aware of common mistakes in the utterance of the mid-low back and /? / and the low front /? /.Regarding this, we can explain our students different techniques to practice in the classroom, such as reading activities, dictations, spelling patterns, pronunciation differences and others. Finally, we as EFL teachers have to be more sensible while listening to our student? s vowel production and when they find it difficult to make a distinction between the vowel systems of English and Spanish, and we can provide them with a comparison and contrast pattern, in order to provide them with the comprehension and accurate distinction between these systems, making their pronunciation more accurate. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCESSAPIR, EDWARD  (1921)  Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech. Harcourt Brace and Company, Orlando, Florida. STRICKLAND, RUTH (1969) The language arts. D. C Health and Company. Lexington, Massachusetts. A. C,GIMSON (1962) An introduction to the pronunciation of English. Reader in Phonetics, University College, London. A. C,GIMSON (1975) A practical Course of English Pronunciation, a perceptual approach. Edward Arnold Publishers, 25 Hill Street, London. ———————– Professor: Viktor Carrasquero Hickory, dickory, dock The mouse ran up the clock The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, dickory, dock