Banana Wars

Banana Wars 1. Who are the winners and losers in the banana wars? The winner of the banana wars is the United States because Dole and Chiquita were in crisis when EU introduced new set of rules for importers to their country. Eventually, these 2 companies were able to adjust and supply to other parts of the world when they experienced problems exporting to EU. The World Trade Organization also took part in this investigation and they were in favor of the United States and which ruled out that the EU’s rules were discriminatory.The losers are the Europeans because not only did they lose banana importers to their country but also their products that they are exporting to the United States were being charged with heavy tariffs which cause some businesses and investors in Europe to be in a critical condition. 2. Is the U. S. response silly? I guess the response is not silly but just some sort of getting back Europe for what they did with their agreement with the banana exportation .Maybe what they want to show Europe was what the situation they’ve given the US when they charged high tariffs for their exports and this time, they just want to let the Europe feel the crisis they’ve given to the US banana exporters. 3. What potential threats to the WTO are illustrated by the banana wars? The potential threats to the WTO are being credible to other trading countries. It seems like WTO is always in the stand of the United States although they may say that there are points considered when they made the decision or final ruling.

Body Piercing and Using Steroids

Nowadays, more and more teenagers are interested in body piercing while their parents don’t agree with them. On the other hand, using steroids is common among athletes and young people who want to increase their muscle size or reduce their body fat. Although getting body piercing and using steroids have become popular activities in modern society, they can both be very dangerous. There are different reasons why young people take steroids or pierce their bodies. Recently, piercings of the lip, tongue, nose, ear, navel, and nipple are growing in the world. The reasons for piercing vary greatly; some people pierce to fit into a certain group that they want to be the member of. Some teenagers pierce to be rebellious against their parents. However, some young people use steroids to increase their performance in sports. For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger has used steroids in 1974, 1977, 1967, 1992, and 1996. He said, â€Å"I used them because they help me an extra five percent, but it was a risky thing to do. † Others use steroids to change their appearance. This drug gives muscles the potential to grow bigger and stronger more quickly. Both users of steroids and people who have their bodies pierced have a similar purpose: to call attention to their body. Some people who use steroids want to show off their body shape with big strong muscles. In addition, most people who have their body pierced try to decorate their bodies with ornate jewelry pieces and show off their personalstyle or follow popular fashion. There are two different ways to have the body pierced or to take steroids. Piercing body is a piercing or a puncture made in a body with a needle. After that, a piece of jewelry is installed into the puncture. The needle must be very sharp and clean, and the pierced area should be clean too. Nevertheless, steroids are taken as pills or are injected. There are several different methods to use. One of them is called cycling, in which users take steroids for six to twelve weeks or more, stop for several weeks, and then start again. What happen after someone uses more steroids? He gains weight very rapidly. According to the author of, Dying to Be Bigger: †I was told to take maybe two or three per day, but I immediately started taking five per day. My body transformations were clearly visible. In less than a month, I took the entire three-month supply. I gained nearly thirty pounds. Most of my weight was from water retention, although at the time I believed it to be muscle. † Conversely, there is often no big problem after body piercing for users, but they should be careful about the piercing area. The approximate healing time for body piercing sites varies. It could be between two weeks and nine months. Both activities, using steroids and getting body piercing, can also lead to some emotional or physical side effects . According to ygoy, the side effects of piercing are nerve damage if the piercing is in an unsafe area of the body; cross-contamination, which is an infection or virus through dirty needles; allergies and infections if your skin is sensitive; pain; keloids; a type of scarring; and prohibition of donating blood for a year.

80’s Celebs and Fashion Icons

The eighties produced some of the most influential men and women in fashion being Madonna, Princess Diana, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, and Michael Jackson. Like never before, musicians became fashion icons and trendsetters. The eighties were known for sex appeal for both men and women. For the men, tanned chests and open collars were in due to the influence of Miami Vice. The young women of the eighties were seen in leg warmers, mini skirts, off the shoulder blouses, chunky jewelry, acid washed jeans, and lace gloves. Princess Diana’s love for fashion and elegant style set a trend for women all across the world.Diana gained media coverage daily to people all across the world. She was chased by the press for her up-to-the-minute look. Brand labels often produced copies of her latest look which flew off the shelves. People ages thirty five to forty five looked at Diana as their fashion frontrunner. Princes Diana supported many designers including Catherine Walker, Arabella Polle n, and David Emmanuel. Diana’s wedding dress was designed by David Emmanuel in 1981. The dress had very large puffed sleeves, a full skirt, 10,000 pearls and sequins, and a twenty five foot train.The style and design of this dress set a trend for brides in the eighties. Madonna was a fashion icon that appealed to young women of the eighties. Her outrageous outfits caused controversy and resulted in young girls wanting to experiment with their looks. Madonna’s transformation of looks made her stand out throughout the decade. Madonna was considered the ‘it’ girl of the 80’s. Madonna created many trends which some are still seen today including miniskirts, teased hair, lacy stockings, leg warmers, and chunky jewelry as well as cross pendants.Madonna also brought fingerless gloves into fashion in the eighties. She made fingerless gloves look hip, stylish, and sexy. Cyndi Lauper created her own unique style which was influenced by the punk rock look. Cyn di Lauper was known for her sense of color and outrageous hair styles. She often wore bright, colorful makeup including eye liner on both top and bottom of the eyes. Her hair style was short on one side and often had different, bright colors in it that changed on a regular basis. Her fashion sense didn’t follow any rules.She incorporated as many colors as possible in her fashion in order to not fade in the background. She wore a lot of accessories such as bangle bracelets and beaded necklace. This fit into the eighties over accessorized theme. She was all about having fun and mixing and matching various pieces of clothing that usually wouldn’t be worn together but Cyndi made it work. She was able to influence the way her fans dressed when music videos became visible. Since gaining recognition as a member of the Jackson Five in the 70’s when Michael Jackson went solo in the 80’s his fans went wild.One of the ways Michael Jackson was able to successfully pr oclaim himself as the â€Å"king of pop† was by dressing like a king. His skin tight leather outfits, shiny black shoes, and sparkle glove, along with his mullet hair style is still a look that is known to belong to Michael Jackson. Fedora hats were also made popular through the use of Michael Jackson. One of the key elements that added to his leather jackets was how Michael Jackson wore the leather jackets. He made the jackets not just look like show pieces, he made them look comfortable. He rolled up the sleeves, owning the look.He also did this with his tuxedo jackets, rolling up the sleeves. Some celebrities today continue to follow this look by pulling up the sleeves to their jackets such as Kanye West. Debbie Harry quickly became a punk icon. She was known for incorporating humor with the seriousness of fashion. Debbie Harry also known as â€Å"Blondie† was recognized for her bold outrageous prints, painted on denim, high heels. Harry combined the cutting edge, b old rocker style with the glamour of Hollywood. She remained very popular throughout the decade of the eighties.Fashions of the eighties will be remembered as bold, bright, and bodacious. Fashion became a part of many celebrities image and helped each of them to set themselves apart from everyone else. Many trends set by celebrities and fashion icons became standard way of how people dressed in the eighties. The decade of the eighties was all about finding individual identity and expressing yourself. Many ideas adapted in the eighties still lives on today. American designers such as Donna Karan emerged in the eighties. Donna Karan started out as the head designer for Anne Klein but left the company in 1984 to form her own company.Donna Karan is known for her contribution in fashion in the eighties for the bodysuit and also her â€Å"Seven Easy Pieces† collection. The bodysuit was known as â€Å"the body†. It was made out of a jersey material and designed like a leotard . This one piece design gave women a smooth silhouette. The Seven Easy Pieces collection consisted on interchangeable coordinates that could be worn daily and also could be mixed and matched. Since during this time period women were starting to climb the corporate ladder and trying to break the glass ceiling, power dressing was in.People were looking for functional clothing, yet elegant, and simple in either black, grey, or white. Donna Karan designed a line of women’s power clothing including work suits which became extremely successful. She became known as â€Å"The Queen of Seventh Avenue†. Karan insisted that she only designs clothing that she would wear herself. She is known for supporting the needs of modern women. In 1988 Donna Karan extended her women’s signature collection to a less expensive line for younger women called DKNY. The line was so successful that Karan became known as the first designer to establish a bridge collection.She then launched DKN Y Jeans, a men’s line, and also a children’s line, and line of beauty products. All of the branches of her collection were very successful. Famous clients include Demi Moore, Bill Clinton, and Barbra Streisand. Years later Donna Karan is still respected as one of the world’s most talented designers. Donna Karan made her mark in fashion and continues to do so today. Recently Karan has gained negative press due to her use of fur in her designs. Animal rights groups demand people boycott her line until she no longer uses fur. Work Cited Kettleson, Casey. 2010, january 6). Styled on icon: debbie harry. Retrieved from http://www. styledon. com/culture/styledon-icon/articles/styledon-icon-debbie-harry Marini, Stephanie. (n. d. ). 80's style icons. Retrieved from www. askbronny. com Donna karan fashion deisgner. (n. d. ). Retrieved from www. infomat. com Nellis, Cynthia. (n. d. ). Design byte. Retrieved from www. about. com Whitley, P. (2008). 1980-1989. American Cultu ral History. Lone Star College-    Kingwood Library, Kingwood, TX. Retrieved from http://wwwappskc. lonestar. edu/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  popculture/decade80. html

American History reconstruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American History reconstruction - Essay Example The next mentionable event in the Reconstruction era was the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864. Republican dominated Congress passed it declaring that Southern States should be run by military governors and Secession and Slavery would be outlawed with the consent of the fifty percent of a state’s voters. Congress passed the 13th Amendment and established the Freedmen’s Bureau in order to provide the formers slaves and black communities with the opportunities of education, employment, medical service, and economic facilities. Indeed the Republican dominated Congress’s attempts complementary ones to a great extent, though they were more stringent and punitive than Lincoln. Reconstruction under Johnson’s Presidency took the same course that Lincoln started. But President Johnson’s lack of foresight made Reconstruction less effective. Consequently the Congress passed the 14th Amendment in order to protect Black people’s civil right and full citizenship in 1866 and the 15th Amendment in order to give constitutional protection to black suffrage in 1870. But along the passage of time, the reconstruction zeal began to wane.

Caucasus Region2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Caucasus Region2 - Essay Example Involvement of USA is vital. On political front reconciliation of the conflicting interests of regional States is required. Flow of oil in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, to the West, can be ensured using diplomatic channels. Oil, natural gas and deposits of rare metals in the region are the main attraction for the world powers. Azerbaijan needs helpmodernize its oilfields, production of which has fallen from 8% of USSR total in 1965 to 0.6% by 1988. Estimated reserves of oil in Azerbaijan are 240,000 billion dollars (Atlas, p86-87). Nine million emigrants in USA and Syria is another asset. Her other main problems are Nagorno Karabakh (N.K). Armenia is over dependent on imported energy and raw materials and fought full scale war on N.K with Azerbaijan in 2003 and this issue dominates national life in both countries (Atlas, p74-75). USA has good opportunity to help resolve the issue of N.K and win appreciation of both countries. She can also increase her exports of raw material to Armenia, thus economically influencing the latter. There is a war and politics for oil and mineral resources and all players are applying military component according to demands of the situation. USSR has not given up its struggle to regain influence in the region. Iran is yet another silent player. But South Azeri People’s Army (SAPA) created problems in north western areas where the emergence of an independent state is in offing. This State of â€Å"Ahurastan†, comprising of north western Iran and western Azerbaijan, has a revolutionary anti-American and anti-West agenda. It may challenge Azeri claim over Caspian Sea area and can disrupt the oil exploration process in the region. 1. Protection of oil pipelines, especially BTC, and bridges from blowing up by SAPA. Such sabotage acts harmed the economies of the regional countries a lot in the

Mergers and acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Mergers and acquisitions - Essay Example Concerning this particular aspect, this paper presents a case study analysis of three recent mergers at a cross-border level, i.e. Johnson & Johnsons acquisition of Synthes GmbH, Microsoft Corporations acquisition of Skype Technologies, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)s acquisition of Nexen Inc. The study signifies that culture, business industry trends and also governmental policies among other attributes play a vital role as a cause of M&As performed by these companies. M&As are often considered as an important strategic function in the modern day business context where recent studies have revealed that companies principally tend to use the strategy of M&A with the intention of enhancing their performances in terms of profitability, greater market share attainment, better resources allocation, risk diversification as well as business expansion. Various factors have been identified in this context to be influencing the performances of companies and therefore, motivating organisational leaders towards the adoption of M&A strategies such as economic and political trade policies enactments as well as social functions. Moreover, globalisation as well as advancement of technology has influenced companies to adopt this strategy in order to perform effectively in the increasingly competitive global market (Coeurdacier & et. al., 2009). In this regard, companies have adopted M&A strategies with the objective of improving competitiveness as well as growth of its market share. It is in this context that M&A strategies assist companies in restructuring its business operations in order to improve its business performances in the global realm (Directors & Boards, 2006). Additionally, it has been observed that the strategy of M&As assist companies in acquiring larger market share, better resources accessibility and an enhanced competitive position within a short term period, thus minimising many hazards which are commonly witnessed by modern day

Europe in the International Economic Order Research Paper

Europe in the International Economic Order - Research Paper Example The European Union was formed with the aim of strengthening the economic and political powers of the European countries and emerge as an international superpower. The emergence of the Euro is also a part of this project. Euro was introduced as a common currency for the participating European nations to remove the exchange rate risks within the internal market, to boost up trade across nations and most importantly to bring in monetary stability in Europe. (Fedee, n.d.) Another major purpose was to challenge the increasingly monopolistic power of the currency dollar as a single international currency and to rescue its members from the fluctuations of the dollar. The introduction of Euro has been the most important development in the international economy; it has become the major medium of trade especially in the euro area and other European countries. â€Å" Euro has played a major role in fostering harmony among diverse economies, which had conflicting monetary and fiscal policies, t ariffs and other restrictions on trade and investments† quotes Haruhiko Kuroda, head of Asian Development Bank at this years Brussels Economic forum (Vucheva, 2009). The Eurozone formed covering 11 countries in 1999, â€Å"Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland† (Q&A: Euro basics, 2002). Greece was allowed to join only after 2001, later Slovenia Malta and Cyprus followed the suit, Slovakia became the 16th country to join the group. (Vucheva, 2009) Joining Eurozone it had the advantage of trading its inflation prone home currency to the stable Euro. It also gained an upper hand in the borrowing activities, which led to an increase in liquidity in the market which in turn improved the standard of living of the Greek citizens. Loans for individuals, governments as well as corporate houses were available at very low-interest rates, which are available only among the developed nations like Germany.  

History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 28

History - Assignment Example Counterculture refers to a group whose beliefs are different from those of the common majority (Misiroglu, Gina p 24). The Free Speech Movement at the University of California: A socially fortunate group of students started identifying themselves as having different interests with regard to the requirements of practices and interests of the university’s corporate sponsors. The Beatles: New cultural forms emerged to oppose the old cultures. The Beatles rock band is an example of such cultural forms that rapidly evolved to mold and reflect the youth’s cultures emphasis on experimentation and change. The hippies: the hippie counterculture’s primary tenet was that life was all about being happy, and not about what others thought they should be. They did not consider the consequences that their actions bore. They sought to replace the dominant mainstream with a Utopian society. Countercultural ideas were embraced differently by different groups. Student movements viewed these ideas as platforms for airing their concerns. They aimed for an overhaul of the current systems that ran schools. The black power appreciated the countercultural ideas. They felt that they had been oppressed for long and wished to mitigate racism. They sought for equal opportunities in the new systems. The new left (activists, educators, et al) utilized confrontational tactics to break the older ideologies. They were concerned with antiwar, feminist, and ecological issues. The anti-Vietnam war groups opposed the Vietnam War. They used countercultural ideas to expose a deep schism within the American

Research Methods unit 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods unit 7 - Essay Example The Mason case study is better known as Sybil based on the novel written based on it. Because of this study, psychologists became aware of MPD; before the book’s publication in 1973, there were only 75 reported cases with MPD symptoms, but thereafter there have been 40,000 diagnoses of MPD mostly in North America (Carroll, 2009). Case studies such as these are usually received with much controversy and scepticism by the scientific community. In the case of Mason’s MPD, psychologists were polarized on the issue of its validity, as many advocating the effectiveness of Wilbur’s methods as those who criticize it for being subjective and partial, creating rather than merely observing or treating the alleged disorder. Detractors believe that signs of MPD only appear after therapy has begun. The advantages of the case study method include the rich source of information provided by this method. Insights are provided by close observation of the subjects’ behaviour, which could provide leads for later controlled, experimental research. Case studies also provide opportunities to try out new therapeutic techniques, or innovative applications of techniques already in practice. Another advantage is that the case study is the best technique to study rare events, and to provide evidence to either challenge or support psychological theories (Zechmeister, Zechmeister & Shaughnessy, 2001:216). Disadvantages of case studies are that they are ambiguous and tentative, and are not capable of providing conclusive cause-and-effect findings. Case studies are prone to possible bias in interpreting results, because of observers’ predisposal to certain ideas, and biases introduced in the collection of data. Finally, there is limited external validity for case studies, as there are problems in arriving at generalizations from the data obtained from a single case (Zechmeister, Zechmeister &

Events in bars and clubs Essay Example for Free

Events in bars and clubs Essay Another source of competition is how an event may have to source out its resources through sponsorship; this means that the event will be marketed to potential sponsors that will believe that the event will create a significant leverage to the companys own marketing initiative. Hence, it is also important to stress to the potential sponsors the benefits of the event. This is discussed by Mack in which the author pointed out that (25):â€Å"[ ] sponsorship allows organizations to reach their target market with less clutter than other communications methods, exposes the product/service directly to the market, and provides an excellent mechanism for the organization to give back to the community by which it is supported. Event sponsorship, or sponsorship marketing, refers to supporting various types of event [..] Whether the type of sponsorship is financial, media, or in-kind support (Cicora 1991), the list of company benefits derived from it can range from publicity, to product sales, image enhancement, or even improved employee morale (Decker 1991). In addition to getting sponsors, companies that are about to hold an event should also take into consideration its capabilities (Silvers). These include the ability to handle the demands of the event and the ability to have the resources. It is also important to have the ability to know how to handle different events; for instance, a bar that may be holding a fundraising concert may be faced with different challenges if organising a battle-of-the-bands. As Silvers pointed, although the core processes of these two events are the same, it should be noted that one of the important elements in events management is the ability to handle the differences in the requirements of different events. All in all, the events management concept can be considered as an important marketing activity in which an establishment or company is able to communicate certain initiatives to the public (Soares). Hence, events serve as an attractor especially if the company utilises popular channels such as concerts, dance events and exhibits,among others; these venues fulfil the curiosity, the wants and needs of the people which is why events continue to be patronised throughout time. Many enterprises venture into the nightlife sector by means of establishing bars and clubs. As Chatterton and Hollands discussed, the demand for these establishments is that these have been a part of the urban landscape; there is always the market among the youth, specifically the young professionals, who are â€Å"in search for the latest cool, chic, fashionable bar or club† (3). Because of this, it can be said that there is business in this industry, especially with the continuous influence of the entertainment and leisure sector. The nightlife scene which comprises of establishments such as bars and clubs can be also said to contribute to the local tourism initiatives (Chatteron Holland). The success of any bar or club requires a significant understanding of the business especially in the aspect of strategy. Lawson provides many guidelines in the success of any club or bar including a good understanding on food service operations (which is a fundamental in any bar or club), the facilities, the design, the themes, and last but not the least, the business aspects. Lawson therefore emphasised the business framework of these bars and clubs which are heavy in the marketing practice; this is because this is a means for companies to get customers into the establishment. Bars and clubs, therefore, do not just have to excel in the food service operations but also in its ability to add value to its basic concept, and that is, to add event concepts to its entire operations. This is further attested by Smith in which the author mentioned that in order for bars and clubs to succeed, it needs to continuously come up with something interesting; hence, in addition to food and drinks and the regular dance floor or in-house performer, it is the specific events that make these bars and clubs special. This is therefore a part not only in the marketing aspect of the bar and club but also these events help the customers to identify what else they can do in the establishment, or at least, have something to look forward to (Smith, 75). Brown and Miron also mentioned the role of events in the success of any bar or nughtclub; these fall in the aspect of marketing and advertising. When an event takes place, the tendency is that the event is supposed to pull more people into the establishment. Hence, events help in the increase in sales and to make the club and bar more memorable to the consumers.

The Naval Blockade Of Cuba History Essay

The Naval Blockade Of Cuba History Essay Since the morning of October 16, 1962, it has been clear that Robert F. Kennedys involvement in the Cuban missile crisis was the definitive factor in the prevention of war. In the months precluding October, U.S owned U-2 spy planes discovered that the Soviet Union were building surface-to-air missile launch sites. Suspicion was also raised from reports that there was an increase in the number of Soviet ships arriving in Cuba, which the United States government feared were carrying weapons. President John F. Kennedy and his own Intelligence Department watched on with great alarm, and seemed to tolerate the arms being supplied to Cuba, as long as the Soviets did not begin to place nuclear missiles there. On September 11th, 1962, J. Kennedy warned the U.S.S.R that he would prevent by whatever means might be necessary Cubas becoming of an offensive military base. Robert F. Kennedy became involved when on October 16th, 1962, President John F. Kennedy revealed to him that a U-2 had just fi nished a photographic mission two days earlier, and had produced evidence that Russia was placing missiles and atomic weapons in Cuba, thus confirming the countries first suspicions. For the next thirteen days, the Cuban missile crisis became R. Kennedys life  [2]  , as he joined the Presidents Executive Committee of the National Security Council, or EXCOMM, to discuss a reasonable but efficient strategy. The members of the EXCOMM discussed, with the help of Robert F. Kennedy, 5 possible courses of action  [3]  : Do nothing. Use diplomatic pressure to get the Soviet Union to remove the missiles. An air attack on the missiles. A full military invasion The naval blockade of Cuba, which was redefined as a more selective quarantine. For each strategy, pros and cons were discussed between the members, and it was mutually agreed upon that a plan that would avoid conflict, while still showing the U.S.A to be strong and serious about the situation, had to be conceived. The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, General Maxwell. D. Taylor, whom was the military adviser for EXCOMM, disagreed and believed that the full-scale attack and invasion was the only probable solution. However, R. Kennedy was extremely sceptical of this, and it was he who helped develop the strategy to blockade Cuba, as it was, in his own mind, the only option that would avoid nuclear war. It was also important for the United States to redefine the blockade as a selective quarantine, as a blockade is a direct act of war. In reference to the other options available, and especially the air strike, R. Kennedy said: Youre going to kill an awful lot of people and we are going to take a lot of heat for it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ youre going to announce the reason that youre doing it is because theyre sending this kind of missiles, well, I think its almost incumbent upon the Russians then to say, Well, were going to send them in again, and if you do it again à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ were going to do the same thing to Turkey or Iran. He also believed that attacking Cuba by air would gesture the Soviets to presume a clear line to blockade Berlin, which they had done previously in 1948 after the conclusion of World War II. If the U.S. was to lose Berlin, R. Kennedy believed her allies would lose faith. He feared that doubt would be casted on the superpower, and that many would believe the only reason they lost Berlin was because they could not peacefully resolve the Cuban situation  [4]  . On the 24th October, the blockade began, and the first 20 missile-carrying ships that were closest to the 800km blockade zone at the time stopped or turned around, in order to avoid their ships being searched  [5]  . It is clear that without the ideas R. Kennedy put forth, an uncivil military strike would have been initiated, and it is for this reason that he is credited with playing the most pivotal role in precluding nuclear war. With R. Kennedys help and support, the U.S.A. had only successfully stopped one problem of the crisis, for they still had to deal with the missiles already in Cuba. After many negotiations, requests, and exit strategies were discussed between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R, a plan of action became apparent to the Soviets. They would agree to dismantle their Cuban missiles in exchange for the U.S. never invading Cuba, and the removal of the U.S. owned Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Italy. R. Kennedy was, at first, against this and was only willing to agree upon the no invasion policy. He believed that this would show a sign of weakness, something that the United States was strongly trying to avoid. However, as no other options became apparent, R. Kennedy suggested their removal after a period of 6 months, as there were already plans to disassemble them. John F. Kennedy suggested his brother be the man to speak with Soviet Ambassador for the United States Anatoly Dobrynin about the crisis, a nd it was his negations with the Ambassador that played the most essential role in the final circumstances of the predicament. R. Kennedys contact with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin was his second biggest contribution to the Cuban missile crisis. Three times R. Kennedy met with Dobrynin, with each meeting being held in secret so that both sides, the U.S and U.S.S.R, could talk freely. Together, they discussed ideas to work out a solution. This allowed R. Kennedy to successfully convey his brothers wishes to Dobrynin, which, as stated before, called for the secret removal of all Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Italy. R. Kennedy had to make it clear that if the Soviets were to go public with their agreement, the U.S. would strongly deny it. He stated to Dobrynin that the missiles would be removed within a short time after the crisis was over, to avoid suspicion from the U.S. citizens. After each meeting, Dobrynin would cable a report through to the Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev, telling his superior of new developments in the crisis, who evidently valued these reports greatly. R. Kennedy, being an infl uential American official, was capable of accurately informing Dobrynin and the Soviets how urgent the situation was. This direct contact with the Soviets was the key feature in the outcome of the Cuban missile crisis, and portrays how important R. Kennedys role was in the crisis. On October 29th Russian Premier Nikitia Khrushchev wrote a letter to John F. Kennedy stating that: The Soviet government, in addition to previously issued instructions on the cessation of further work at the building sites for the weapons, has issued a new order on the dismantling of the weapons which you describe as offensive and their crating and return to the Soviet Union. The quarantine continued to watch over Cuba to ensure that all offensive weapons were shipped out, and on November 20th, 1962 at 6:45pm the blockade was formally ended, although it was not till December 5th and 6th that the final Soviet missiles were shipped off. True to his word and the informal agreement, R. Kennedy made sure that all U.S. missiles were disassembled, and by April 24, 1963 the last of the missiles had been defected and were flown out of Turkey shortly after. These final actions show that the work R. Kennedy contributed to the United States throughout the Cuban missile crisis was extremely fundamental in the avoidance of nuclear war. It can be argued that Robert F. Kennedys role was mediocre and that the successful outcome of the Cuban missile crisis should be more broadly shared. He famously passed a note on to the president, which read: I now know how Tojo felt when he was planning Pearl Harbor. The argument arises because it is unclear if R. Kennedy was making an ironic comment, ridiculing the members of EXCOMM calling for an air strike, or if he in fact meant it literally. It could have been that in the early stages of the crisis, R. Kennedy was for an invasion of Cuba, and he genuinely felt the same way the Japanese would have. Despite this, further evidence shows that R. Kennedy clearly supported the blockade, and even by simply comparing a U.S. attack on Cuba with the Japaneses bombing of Pearl Harbor, R. Kennedy was able to discredit the pro-invasion members of EXCOMM. It would seem that the evidence taken from the secret meetings and initial strategies of the Cuban missile crisis shows how crucial Robert F. Kennedys role was in precluding nuclear war. The 1930s taught a clear lesson for the world; that aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war. The evidence suggests that the Soviets antagonism would have led to nuclear war, and it is therefore accurate in stating that Robert F. Kennedy played the most pivotal role in averting nuclear war, as he was indeed the key voice against the U.S.S.R during the Cuban missile crisis.

The Great Railroad Strike Essay -- American History

The Great Railroad Strike In the first half of the 19th Century the working class in the newly industrializing American society suffered many forms of exploitation. The working class of the mid-nineteenth century, with constant oppression by the capitalist and by the division between class, race, and ethnicity, made it difficult to form solidarity. After years of oppression and exploitation by the ruling class, the working class struck back and briefly paralyzed American commerce. The strike, which only lasted a few weeks, was the spark needed to ignite a national revolt by the working class with the most violent labor upheavals of the century. Railroads were the big business of the mid-nineteenth century. The rail companies employed thousands of people and ran operations nationwide. The railroad transformed American society from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrialized one. The railroads contributed to an economic boom which pulled millions of peasant immigrants from southern and eastern Europe in search of job opportunities and a better life. However, this same industry took advantage of a vast labor surplus and exploited its workers. A record number of immigrants were admitted into the U.S. during the mid-nineteenth century. Attracted mainly by job opportunities and cheap passage from all corners of southern and eastern Europe, a wave of immigrants flooded the American economy. This mass immigration created a labor surplus which produced a marketplace where workers could be hired and fired at will and had to sell their labor for whatever the going rate; labor had become a commodity. Adding to the surplus in available labor was the boom-bust cycle. The depression of 1873 undermined the position of many worke... ...ctuals to the conditions laborers faced. This would lead to the progressive movement at the start of the twentieth century. The railroad was America's first big business. It pulled people from farm labor and individual proprietors to working for wages for a large corporation. Workers were now being treated as a commodity. They were exploited to keep corporate dividends high during an economic bust cycle. In an attempt to stand up to big business small craft unions began to form but they represented a very small segment of the working class. Strike power seemed the only chance to fight backÂâ€"to take a stand for a minimal life-balance. Though the strikes themselves did little to improve things, it brought national attention to the varying middle class as to their labor conditions. This national attention would help launch a new reform movement called progressivism.

Critical Analysis of an Incident Essay -- Nursing Reflective Practice

Introduction The intention of this written essay is to demonstrate an understanding of my views on the art and science of reflection and the issues surrounding reflective practice. It is based on a significant incident from my own area of clinical practice as a state registered paramedic within the U.K. There is a discussion appraising the concept of reflection both generally, and in my particular area of practice. This is followed by an analysis of the incident using The What ? Model of Structured reflection suggested by Driscoll (2000). A rationale is given for the selection of this particular incident and also for the selection of the chosen model as a framework. It will show how the model has been used to reflect on the incident, what has been learnt, and the outcome on both current and future practice. Reflection is an active process of witnessing one’s own experience so that we can take a closer look at it. It has its foundations in the discipline of experiential learning. Dewey (1939 cited in Rolfe, Freshwater, & Jasper 2001) claimed that we learn by doing, and realising what came of what we did. â€Å"Reflective practice is something more than thoughtful practice. It is that form of practice which seeks to problematise many situations of professional performance so that they can become potential learning situations and so the practitioners can continue to learn, grow and develop in and through their practice† Jarvis P. (1992) pp174 -181. Johns, C (2000a) pg 34, describes reflection as a window through which the practitioner can view and focus self within the context of his own lived experience in ways that enable him to confront, understand and work towards resol... ...pman, C.M. (1988) Professional and Ethical Issues in Nursing: The Code of Professional Conduct: Chichester; J. Willey & Sons Ltd. Jarvis, P. (1992) Reflective practice and nursing, in Nurse Education Today, Vol 12, No.3 pp 174 - 181 Johns, C (2000a) Becoming a Reflective Practitioner; Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd. Chapter 3 pg 34 Johns, C. (2000b) Becoming a Reflective Practitioner: Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd. Chapter 3 pg 36 Procter, B. (1986) Supervision: a co-operative exercise in accountability: Routledge U.K. pg 23 Rolf, G., Freshwater, D. and Jasper M. (2001) Critical reflection for nursing and the helping professions: a users guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Roth, P.A. (1989) What is reflective practice? (Internet) Available from http://www/lovehealth.org/tools/reflection2.htm (accessed on 21 December 2006)

Gay Marriage: A Modern Soddom and Gomorra Essay -- Against Gay Marriag

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gay parenting and marriage has become publicly accepted by some and rejected by others. Many have come to believe this topic to be immoral and impossible. Society has also realized that the average family has developed into many different forms in the last few years. Gay families have developed and are perceived today that raising kids without both a Mom and Dad, deprives the child from being introduced to both worlds. The approach to this debated topic will be to analyze and to defend the â€Å"cons† of gay parenting and marriage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever since the beginning of creation, God made man and woman to reproduce and create humanity. God never in between allowed or said that same sex marriage was permissible or was the natural way to create a generation. For example in Genesis chapter 19 the story of Sodom and Gomorrah explained the wickedness of the city that mainly strived from homosexuality. Genesis 19:5- And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us that we may know them. The city’s perverseness made God infuriated and led to the destruction of that city turning it into fire and brimstone. This gives evidence that homosexuality is a religious sin, which is analogous to many other Biblical prohibitions, like committing adultery which transgresses ethics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the Bible, Deuteronomy 32:46- And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. It is impossible to raise children when both parents are the same sex because it isn’t natural and goes against biblical standards. In addition, children won’t have the example from their parents to do different than they do and make better decisions that please God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some issues that are argued on the topic of gay parenting is that gay parenting is no different from heterosexual parenting." Many studies have stated this, but, according to University of Chicago's professor of ethics and social sciences Don Browning, none of these studies were absolute. Other studies show that children raised by homosexuals were more unhappy with their own gender, had more frequent homosexual experiences , and endured a greater rate of molestation by family members (CT). Societies, both gay and straight, view gay paren... ... children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Unnatural way of same-sex parents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Children have the influence IIII. Issues Argued   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Gay parenting is no different from heterosexual parenting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1. Greater rate of molestation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Bonding is only for heterosexuals   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Going against society V. Children and Parents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Same-sex marriage deprives children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Trouble with sexual identity VI. Child Harassment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Preparing the child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Conflict between best interest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Damaging self esteem VII. Gay marriage and legal rights   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. States approving gay marriage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Legal marriage in Denmark VIII. Society and Gay rights   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Owning children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Divorce in court   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Government opposing gay marriage VIIII. Real reasons for opposing gay marriage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Aren’t comfortable with the idea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Goes against religion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Marriage is sacred   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  D. Gay sex is unnatural   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  E. They could recruit X. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Negative influence on children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Soddom and Gomorra   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Set Boundaries Works Cited  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Christian Science Moniter. 2004. Staff of Christian Science Moniter. 10 October 2004

Shakespeare’s Early Life

Although we have many records of his life as a citizen of Stratford, including marriage and birth certificates, little is known about William Shakespeare†s early life and formal education. Due to his success, many would assume that Shakespeare was born and raised in a wealthy noble family but he was actually raised in what would have been considered a middle class family in their time. He was born to middle class parents who lived in Henley Street, Stratford. His father, John, a local businessman made a living as a glove maker and owned his own leather shop. He was a well-known and much respected man that held several important local governmental positions including that of Borough ale-taster to bailiff, the highest public position of office in Stratford. William spent most of his childhood in the small English town of Stratford-upon-Avon. In the sixteenth century, the town was an important agricultural center and market place. â€Å"It is safe to assume that Shakespeare attended the local grammar school that was built and maintained expressly for the purpose of educating the sons of prominent citizens with the sons of burgesses attending free. â€Å"The King's New School was staffed with a faculty of teachers who held Oxford degrees, and whose curriculum included mathematics, natural sciences, Latin language and rhetoric, logic, Christian ethics, and classical literature. â€Å"2 As well as a strong grounding at grammar school, the other significant educational opportunity afforded all middle-class Elizabethans was the mandatory attendance at church where they read either the Geneva or the Bishops' Bible. The ‘Authorized† or King James Bible was not studied by William, as it was not published until the year 1611. Shakespeare did not continue his education and attend the university, since university education was reserved for prospective clergymen and was not a particularly mind-opening experience. However, the education he received at grammar school was excellent, as evidenced by the numerous classical and literary references in his plays. More impressive than his formal education, however, is the wealth of general knowledge exhibited in his works, from a working knowledge of many professions to a vocabulary that is far greater than any other English writer. William Shakespeare married his wife, twenty-six year old Anne Hathaway, at the age of eighteen. Their first daughter, Susanna, was baptized only six months later, which has given rise to much speculation concerning the circumstances surrounding the marriage. In 1585, twins, Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare, were born to the couple. Hamnet died at the young age of eleven by which time Shakespeare had already become a successful playwright. Around 1589, Shakespeare wrote his first play, Henry VI, Part 1. Sometime between his marriage and writing this play, he and his wife moved to London, where he pursued a career as a playwright and actor. In London, he formed an acting company in which he was shareholder, actor, and playwright. â€Å"1 In 1594 Shakespeare became a charter member of The Lord Chamberlain's Men, a group of actors who later changed their name to The King's Men when they gained the sponsorship of King James I. Just a few years later he was considered the â€Å"principal comedian† for the troupe and then later became the â€Å"principal tragedian. † Despite the fact that during this time acting and playwriting were not considered noble professions; successful and prosperous actors were relatively well respected. Shakespeare was, in fact, very successful in his career and he became quite wealthy in the process. He invested his money in Stratford real estate and was able to purchase the second largest house in Stratford, the New Place, for his parents. In 1596, Shakespeare applied for a coat of arms for his family, in effect making himself into a gentleman, and his daughters married successfully and wealthily. William Shakespeare lived until 1616 while his wife Anna died in 1623 at the age of sixty-seven. He was buried in the chancel of his church at Stratford. While Shakespeare is best known for his plays, he also wrote some of the most beautiful sonnets ever produced in the English language. â€Å"His sonnets employ-and occasionally mock-such traditional Petrarchan themes as blind devotion, the value of friendship, and love†s enslaving power. â€Å"1 Together Shakespeare†s plays and sonnets have had an enormous influence on the development on the Modern English language. More famous than his sonnets, Shakespeare†s plays constitute the most significant corpus of dramatic literature in the world. Secular drama was Renaissance England†s most original contribution to the humanistic tradition. Shakespeare took the plots for most of his plays from classical history, medieval chronicles, and contemporary romances, but he used such stories merely as springboards for the exploration of human nature-the favorite pursuit of all Renaissance humanists. â€Å"1 Love, sex, jealousy, greed, ambition, and self-deception are among the definitive human experiences Shakespeare examined in his plays. It can be concluded that Shakespeare†s drama is the first Western Literature to probe the psychological focus that motivates human action. His plays communicate a profound knowledge of the wellsprings of human behavior as revealed in his masterful characterizations of a wide gamut of humanity. The skillful use of poetic and dramatic means to create a unified aesthetic effect out of a multiplicity of vocal expressions and actions is recognized as an achievement unequaled in other literature. Finally, Shakespeare†s employment of poetry within the plays to express the deepest levels of human motivation in relation to individual, social, and universal situations is considered one of the most astounding accomplishments of the human intellect.

Lamm

Lam discusses the issues in our healthcare. We are starting to see a â€Å"brave new world of healthcare†, one where we need to set new standards and obligations. â€Å"We shall have to balance quality of life with quantity of life, costs and benefits, preventive medicine versus curative medicine†. Lam believes that there are two major flaws In and an equal number are undesired and second being the high cost of healthcare. He strongly encourages making healthcare more accessible.He repeats ever and over how the largest flaw Is our lack of access. The problem with having everyone able to access healthcare Is that the costs would Increase. We want everyone to have healthcare, but we are not willing to pay for it. He also discusses how we must now look at the needs of the entire population. We need to limit the use of certain resources of one individual in order to have enough for the whole population. I agree with Lam that our healthcare system is changing and we do need to better accommodate our lives in order to make it work.I believe that we should have universal care, but with that like Lam states with his new values â€Å"personal responsibility. With this responsibility one should take responsibility of their bodies. If there were universal healthcare one should eat healthy and exercise daily in order to stay well and keep costs down. Another issue that needs to be addressed is limitations of resources. Resources are limited, they should not just be used for one individual. There is the rest of the population that need those resources as well.

US-South Korean Relations: A New Era of Cooperation

President Carter stated in a secret memorandum at the beginning of his administration that â€Å"U. S. – Korean relations as determined by Congress and American people are at an all time low. † This statement, coupled with his iron determination to withdraw forces from South Korea, reflected the end of what is often known as the â€Å"Golden Age† of Korean-American relations. During Park Chung Hee†s 18-year authoritarian reign over South Korea, the late 1970s portray a complex web of alliance relations and tumultuous security commitment that threatened the overall strength of the two allies. Constant U. S. intervention and attempts to influence Korea†s political process were met with massive resistance and did not deter then president Park from steadfastly continuing his Yushin system of authoritarian rule until his sudden assassination in 1979 (Gleysteen 4). However, the decades following the 1970s portray yet another shift in Korean-American relations. Once opposed to Western style democracy, the government of the 1990s (namely, Kim Dae Jung) has shed its authoritarian foundation and now supports a policy that reflects the ideals of Western democracy. South Korea has effectively put into place a system of democracy that will now be difficult to overturn, if anyone should ever again try. Although unsuccessful in the 1970s, the U. S. has finally realized its primary goal of political liberalization in South Korea. In this paper, I will discuss the relations between Korea and the U. S. in the late 1970s and the factors that led to tensions in alliance; mainly, differing political ideologies. Then, I will elaborate on the great strides Korea has made in achieving democracy, therefore lessening the political gap between Korea and the Western nations. I will do so by presenting Kim Dae Jung†s strongly democratic vision of Korea among opposing viewpoints. By analyzing his response to Lew Kwan Yew†s generally anti-Western democracy stance, one is able to discern the similarities in political thought that bridged the seemingly irreparable gap rendered during the Park Chung Hee rule. The differences in these two political leaders effectively portray the opposite ends of the political spectrum and show the changes in government Korea has made during the governments of Park and Kim. Upon Park Chung Hee†s rise to power following the military coup of 1961, it was inevitable that Korea would not follow a trend towards democracy. Given Park†s military background, Confucian heritage and Japanese education, there was nothing in his history to suggest that he would embrace democracy American-style. In fact, he considered this practice to be â€Å"inconvenient and unproductive† (Oberdorfer 32). A U. S. military assessment noted: From the time he led the 1961 coup, it has been evident that President Park had little admiration for or interest in the craft of politics. His approach to his stewardship as ROK head of state has remained that of a general who desires that his orders be carried out without being subjected to the process of political debate (Oberdorfer 33). Although heavy U. S. ressure influenced Park to return to nominal civilian rule following his coup, one can see that from the beginning there were prominent factors that foreshadowed the clash of ideologies to come. Park began his most anti-democratic line of rule in 1972 with the advent of his â€Å"Yushin† system that disbanded the National Assembly, declared martial law, discarded the existing Constitution and prepared for indirect election of the president. To silence opposition, Park arrested many of the senior political leaders of the country. He justified this radical line of rule by declaring that they were â€Å"revitalizing reforms† that were necessary to strengthen and unify the nation to prepare for possible Northern invasion and maintain national independence (Oberdorfer 38). All pretense of a civilian government was thus ended by this blatant grab for complete authoritarian power. Following a policy that encouraged gradually lower levels of U. S. engagement with Korea, the U. S. responded to this maneuver by stating that they had not been consulted or involved in Park†s actions and would seek to avoid involvement in Korea†s internal affairs (Oberdorfer 41). In effect, the U. S. was attempting to not endorse the Yushin plan as a whole by following a policy of disassociation that diminished the role of the U. S. in Korea†s political system. U. S. involvement, while always present, became significantly more intrusive with President Carter†s rise to office in 1976. At this time, America†s reaction against military commitments abroad were seen for the first time since the Vietnam disaster when President Carter advocated the withdrawal of U. S. troops from Korea almost immediately following his inception into office. Korea was, of course, adamantly against this maneuver and Carter†s own government displayed opposition to such a drastic move. However, for undetermined reasons, Carter remained steadfast in this course of action for almost the entire duration of his office. Although the administration and Congress opposed the immediate withdrawal of U. S. forces, they were not against the idea of using the issue to induce a process of liberalization. However, they had to be careful in their suggestions so as to not provoke a nationalist and regressive reaction. The U. S. ought to do this by attempting to recover strained relations with Park, hoping it would lead to gradual democratization by a friendly and understated counsel. Park too hoped to end the awkward relations with the U. S. but sought to maintain U. S. support without changing his ruling style. He proposed a summit with Carter in January 1979 but rejected Western style democracy as unsuitable to Korea. Although both sides wanted to return to the friendly relations of the past, misperceptions regarding the other†s government led to escalating tensions (Gleysteen 6). The political interplay was such that Park believed that the U. S. policy toward Korea would shift from human rights and democratization to security, whereas the Carter administration gradually adopted a flexible status quo policy linked to a strategy of offensive intervention. These exchanges in misperceived intentions and mutual suspicions spiraled into political turmoil that culminated in the shocking assassination of Park in 1979. There can be no doubt that although the U. S. pparently had not direct involvement in the assassination, its public statements and support of the opposition helped to fuel and enhance the struggle for Park†s demise. The fall of the Park regime and the â€Å"Carter Chill† are interdependent, and the decline of the Triangular Alliance Security System (TASS) is apparent as Korean politics continued to deviate from U. S. interests. There is a fundamental lack of compromise and miscommunication between the Carter and Park administrations that led to the detrimental effect of unsteady alliance. With this level of tension and uncertainty, relations can only be strained and self-defeating, for they are only encouraging instability in the very region that both are trying to maintain peace in. Judging by the transition of Korean-American relations and the dismal conclusion in 1979, neither side was entirely successful in securing their interests and maintaining a cohesive alliance management. However, the shift to democracy (and consequently, united Korean-American interests) came in 1987 when Korea held its first popular ballot since Park Chung Hee†s narrow victory in 1971. Since then, Korea has been on a sometimes shaky but determined road to continue democracy that appears to have no end. We see this commitment to democracy in current President Kim Dae Jung, who has had a long and remarkable history in advocating democracy. Throughout his long and volatile political career, Kim has remained staunchly dedicated to his belief in democracy despite constant threat and repression. Kim came very close to winning the popular ballot in 1971 against Park Chung Hee and it was no secret that Park despised and feared him. He was abducted by Park†s KCIA in Tokyo and brought back to Seoul bound and gagged, after which he was placed under house arrests and later imprisoned. After Park, Chun continued the vengeance by having Kim arrested and sentenced to death. It was only with the influence of the Reagan administration that Chun reluctantly allowed Kim to live. Prior to 1987, there had been only 2 months since his kidnapping fourteen years earlier when he had been free of house arrest, prison, exile, or some other serious official restriction. In these years of adversity, Kim has had the opportunity to strengthen his convictions and answer major questions facing Korea (Oberdorfer 177). When Kim Dae Jung assumed power as President in 1997, many thought finally. After a political career that has spanned more than 4 decades, Kim was finally able to implement his democratic ideals. Kim was also a U. S. favorite for the presidency for it meant that Korea would strengthen its democratic government and Korea would have a president that the U. S. ould relate to – unlike Park Chung Hee in the 1970s. Overall, Kim†s ascension into the presidency signified increasingly harmonious Korean-American relations into the 21st century. There is perhaps no better assurance of Korean-American political compatibility in the 1990s than Kim Dae Jung†s article that appeared in Foreign Affairs magazine in late 1994. In order to understand Kim Dae Jung†s adamantly pro-democracy article titled, â€Å"Is Culture Destiny? † one must first understand the Lee Kwan Yew interview that provoked it. In his interview with Foreign Affairs in early 1994, Lee Kwan Yew, former Prime Minister of Singapore, stated his belief that the primary reason that Asian countries cannot adopt Western democracy is due to the inherent differences in culture. In response, Korean President Kim Dae Jung argues that Asian culture does not oppose the ideals of democracy, but rather, enhances it. He believes that Asian culture in no way hinders the progress of democracy and the resistance of authoritarian leaders and their supporters only obstructs incorporation of such a culture into democracy. And above all, Kim supports the ideals of democracy and promotes it fully throughout his article. Kim asserts that though Lee stresses cultural values throughout his interview, that alone does not determine a country†s fate. Furthermore, he believes that Lee†s view is not only unsupportable but also self-serving. Throughout the article, Kim disputes Lee†s arguments of incompatibility and implies that Lee†s â€Å"democracy is incompatible with Eastern culture† argument is only used to justify his personal anti-democratic beliefs. The effects of Kim†s history of political oppression and opposition against authoritarianism can be seen throughout this response. In reply to Lee†s view that an individual exists within the context of the family, Kim points out that industrialization has brought the inevitable consequence of self-centered individualism. Also, Lee†s statement that â€Å"the ruler or government does not try to provide for a person what the family best provides,† rejects what he perceives as the intrusive nature of Western governments. In it, Lee claims that this intrusiveness is not suited for family-oriented East Asia. However, Kim argues that this is not true, for East Asian government are much more intrusive than Western governments into the daily affairs of their people. Whereas Western people exercise much more individual liberties than Eastern people, the Eastern governments tend to limit individual behavior. Singapore, for example, strictly regulates activities such as gum chewing, spitting, and littering. Lee even dislikes the â€Å"one man, one vote† principle that Kim states is a fundamental part of democracy, saying that he is not â€Å"intellectually convinced† that it is best (Kim 190). Kim goes on to argue that though he cannot disagree with Lee†s objection to forcing an alien system indiscriminately upon societies in which it will not work, he questions the extent to which democracy is alien to Asian cultures. Contrary to Lee, Kim believes that Asian culture in fact enhances democracy and even contains underlying foundations that are essentially democratic in nature. Similar to the Lockean foundation of modern democracy that gives sovereign right to the people and leaders a mandate to govern through a social contract that the people can withdraw, Asia also has a similar philosophy. Chinese philosopher Meng-tzu preached that the king is the Son of Heaven and is given a Mandate of Heaven to provide government for the good of the people. If he did not do so, the people had the right to rebel and overthrow the government in the name of heaven. A native religion of Korea further advocated that â€Å"man is heaven† and one must serve man as he does heaven (Kim 190). Kim also describes the ancient political systems of China and Korea in which the government practiced the rule of law and saw to it that all citizens were treated fairly. Powerful boards of censors supported freedom of speech by checking imperial misrule and abuses by government officials. Therefore, he says, the fundamental ideas and traditions necessary for democracy exist in both Europe and Asia. Many Asian countries, including Singapore, became prosperous after they adopted a Western style of free-market economy, which is also an integral part of democracy. In countries where economic prosperity preceded political advancement, it was only a matter of time before democracy followed. The best proof that democracy can work in East Asia, Kim says, can be seen in the fact that despite the resistance of authoritarian leaders, Asia has achieved the most remarkable record of democratization of any region since 1974. This achievement has only been overshadowed by Asia†s tremendous economic success. Kim uses the finding of experts who claim that the new economic world order requires guaranteed freedom of information and creativity, things that are only possible within a democracy. Thus, Kim maintains, Asia has no alternative to democracy because it is also a matter of survival in an increasingly competitive world (Kim 192-193). Much to the U. S. â€Å"s pleasure, Kim suggests that Asia look towards the models of the democracy in the West and learn from their successes and failures. He advocates a â€Å"rebirth of democracy that promotes freedom, prosperity, and justice both within each country and among nations, (193)† and using the traditional strengths of Asian society to better the implementation of democracy. Kim says, â€Å"such a democracy is the only true expression of a people, but it requires the full participation of all elements of society. Only then will it have legitimacy and reflect a country†s vision. † Policies which strive to protect people from the negative effects of economic and social change will never be effective if imposed without consent, but those same policies will have the strength of Asia†s people if decided through public debate. Furthermore, Kim advocates the need to strive towards a new democracy that guarantees the right of personal development for all human beings and the wholesome existence of all living this. As a whole, Asia should firmly establish democracy and strengthen human rights. The biggest obstacle to democracy, Kim asserts, lies not within culture but within authoritarian governments. Coming at the brink of a political comeback, Kim†s article was in many ways pivotally timed to gain the support of the international community as well as the majority desiring Korean democracy. Through his support of public voice, direct elections, and humanitarian policies, one can clearly see the enormous change in Korean-American political interplay during the course of two decades. Judging by the strength of Korean-American relations in the 1990s in comparison to the faltering one of the late 1970s, one can reasonably conclude that similar principles (rule of law, popular elections, freedom of press and speech) prove successful in stabilizing alliance management. The more positive image of Korea to Americans as the Koreans democratize versus all the scandals (Koreagate) and human rights violations of the 1970s have also served to improve the image of Korea to Americans. Parallel trains of political thought and an enhanced Korean image in America have helped to make the Korean-American alliance far more beneficial and reliable than it was before Park†s demise, when it was feared that relations were irreparably deteriorated. More than any other president in Korea†s history, Kim Dae Jung personifies the ideals of Western style democracy. In direct contrast to Park Chung Hee†s rule in the 1970s, Kim Dae Jung supports a political policy that embraces Western ideology. The fundamental points within his argument are in line with primary U. S. interests of democratization, so it is easy to see why Americans would welcome Kim as Korea†s leader. Twice in his political history the U. S. intervened to save Kim†s life and they further showed their support more recently when they pledged economic aid and support for Kim†s reforms. Thus, the 1990s have seen the vast improvement and strengthening of Korean-American relations while Korea progresses to become independent of the U. S. Democratization is well on its way and unlikely to regress, and Korean-American relations steadily continue to improve. No longer is their alliance merely one in which Korea is a junior ally unable to exert much influence – Korea has gradually been able to test the limits of their alliance and exercise more power than ever before. An alliance that started as a U. S. security interest has evolved to become a more interdependent one in which both states will reap the benefits. Kim Dae Jung†s parting comment, if followed, will forever bind the U. S. and Korea as allies with the same political vison – â€Å"Culture is not necessarily our destiny. Democracy is† (194).

Conflict in story “The Kind of Light that Shines on Texas” Essay

In the story â€Å"The Kind of Light that Shines on Texas† by Reginald McKnight we encounter several conflicts that our main character, Clint, an African American child who attends a public school back in 1960, Waco, Texas. He faces through out the story several conflicts with society and also the conflicts he faces personally like living in prejudice. He also has problems with his mother due to his inner problems and lack of communication in the house. The point of view of this story is what really makes it so engaging and easy to read. This story is surrounded by conflict since the beginning, when we learn about the class ration of white kids to black kids and our main character is having a really bad experience because he is not getting anything positive out of going to school, his teachers and classmates are not nice to him, they make inappropriate comments which are for the black kids and also bullying from another student towards Clint, and as a result, he get into troub le in school. Clint has several conflicts in the story; the first one is person vs. society. Clint is struggling with the racism that was present in the 60’s in a southern conservative Texan town. The conflict he encounters is that his teacher, Mrs. Wickham, makes inappropriate comments towards the African American students in front of the whole class and then insists the comments where jokes, â€Å"Now don’t you nigra children take offense. This is all fun, you know,†(McKnight, 2006, pg. 226.) Basically making fun of her students and trying to show the other kids that it is okay to laugh at others. This affect Clint because he is the pun in the joke, he is the target to engage to make fun off and this is exactly what Oakley does when he begins to bully Clint. Also this make Client feel like an alien in the class. The other conflict we encounter with Clint is with him trying to understand why society is doing this to him and his similar classmates, why is Mrs. Wickham telling mean jokes, why is no one saying something about the insulting comments. He also starts to wonder why Marvin, the other African American boy in his class, does what he does in class, he wonders why does he spit on his arm and rubs it, â€Å"He had the habit of spitting on his right arm, juicing it down till it would glisten.† (McKnight, 2006, pg. 223.) Instead of helping Clint with his conflicts, also aimed at Marvin and why does he has to be the only target of the teacher and the class bully Oakley. That’s when he remembers the class they had the lights and prism, this made him remember what he learned. â€Å"The color of the  thing isn’t what you see, but the light that’s reflected off it.† (McKnight, 2006, pg. 233.) Here is where he learns that the all are the same but it’s due to the light that they appear to be different. I believe that the conflict is not resolved but Clint learn a valuable lesson about who he really is and Clint gets involved in a fight with his bully Oakley which is the persons vs. perso n conflict, it all started because the gym teacher was the instigator for the conflict to happened, he was the one who put the black kid against the white kid, he knew what was going on, and its because of this that the conflict starts. However there is a twist, Marvin steps up to the bully to defend Clint and give Oakley a beating. We don’t know the actual outcome of the story, but due to the whole set up, we might get an idea of what happened to Marvin. I believe that the possible resolution to this fight is that Marvin could have either get expelled from school because they lived in a conservative town or at least get a really hard punishment, on the other half, Oakley could be suspended for a couple of days or just go off with a warning. The mother son conflict in the story is what Clint really doesn’t want to talk about his mother about the problems he is facing in school, she shows no emotion or care towards him; he would rather be with his dad than his mother, but in this case it can’t be done because his father is in Vietnam fighting the war. She show’s no emotion when they talk, probably the most flat character in the story, she seems to be sad because his husband is away or has so many things going through her mind that stopped paying attention to her family. Instead Clint shows different emotion, like anger, confusion, and disappointment when he feels he can’t communicate with his mother and tell her about the problems he is having in school. In the story, we see that the point of view id form a child, who is beginning to learn about life and society, he feels confused because he doesn’t understand why is he the target and source of conflict in school, this is why we get engaged so easily when we begin reading the story, because we have always been in a similar position when we were younger, we did not understand fully why was something happening and did not received a clear response from the grownups surrounding us. I like it that the story is in 1st person because and we can really connect with t he main character and understand why is he struggling so more, as well as the factor that it’s a boy who is telling the story, we sense the innocence in the writing because  he does not understand why is the teacher making jokes about the 3 students and desperation he must be feeling when he goes to school and has to face all the conflicts. This story is a great example to show conflict between person and society as well as person vs. person. We get the chance to see how Clint sees society and how the school and town he is growing up is. We encounter how Clint has a problem with society because of the way they are treated in class and how the teachers are just making them feel inferior to the other students. Also how the school system plays a roll in the story because of the student ratio of 1:10 students seem to bother a lot Clint. In the story there also is a person vs. person conflict when the fight with Oakley takes place during the gym period, which it was basically set up by the gym teacher who told them that Reference: McKnight, R. (1992) The Kind of Light that Shines on Texas. In P. Shreve & B. Minh (Eds.) 30/30 Thirty American stories from the last thirty years. (Pp. 223-234) New York: Pearson Longman.

Public Officials And Morals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Officials And Morals - Essay Example Negative talks on differences between people such as on ethnicity, race, gender, and age should be avoided at all costs. This is so because people emulate and take to heart the words of these officials and may even act upon them hence fueling hatred amongst people. An example of this is in the African countries that experience civil wars which are fueled and sometimes caused by their elected public officials. Their hatred talks on other tribes and ethnic groups have been seen to lead to fights amongst the citizens as was the case in the Rwandan genocide. Their behavior when in that elected public post should also be one without blemishes even though they are human and are bound to mistakes. They should try to avoid situations that will not stand well with the public that elected them making them regret their decision, showing bad decision-making ability and embarrassing their family and friends. The most common of these situations to avoid is engaging in extramarital affairs while st ill in office. This is morally wrong as it downplays the value of family, the virtue of faithfulness as well as setting a bad example to the young generation by showing that immorality is not a bad thing. An example of this is in the Clinton Lewinsky sex scandal where Bill Clinton who held the highest public office in the United States where the public had elected him to be showed lack of moral exemplary behavior and judgment by engaging in sexual relations with a white house intern while he had a wife.

Brother from another mother Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brother from another mother - Essay Example It is like I now live in a dream. Before I met Keifer, I worked myself too hard to try and grasp any opportunity that was coming my way so as to succeed and have a good life just like anybody else. Being fresh from college with my ambitions down deep in my veins, I could never find that perfect opportunity that would help me change my life. I was broke and tired of living from hand to mouth. In my sleep, I used to dream of big things; having great wealth; a multi-billion dollar company and a mega yatch I used for my holidays. In my dreams I owned a piece of the world but in reality I was poorer than a church mouse. Keifer became a milestone for me the moment he stepped into my life and the life I had dreamt of owning a piece of the world, started to become a reality. First, he showed me a path that led me to my financial freedom that was basically my goal in life. He enabled me to achieve this by carefully selecting reading books and hundreds of magazines on financial matters and how to deal with the financial issues. This has not only ensured my financial freedom, but has also assisted me in running a business that he assisted me to start. Secondly, he ideally put me closer to God by ensuring that I have changed my thinking in terms of believing in God. He not only took me to church, but also introduced me to his pastor and I began attending the Church service every Sunday. This was unlike me; I never even used to get a hundred meters close to triangular shaped buildings with crosses on them. Lastly, Keifer helped me improve my relationships with other people and cultivate a good relationship with them. He struggled hard to make sure that I realized how terribly I could not control my anger and deal with stresses aspects in my life something that had major contributions to numerous failures in life. Truthfully, Keifer helped me restore a very important aspect in life, hope. Ever since he

The World Bank and IMF effects on developing countries Essay

The World Bank and IMF effects on developing countries - Essay Example United States, being the biggest stakeholder holds 17% of the vote in World Bank while all African countries have less than 9% vote (â€Å"The World Bank and IMF in Africa†,2008). Despite six decades of uninterrupted function, according to United Nations development program, over a fifth of world’s population lives below international standard of poverty line of $1 a day, another 1.6 billion survive between one and two dollar. One third of world’s population is either unemployed or underemployed. Combined incomes of richest fifth of the world population was over 60 times greater than the poorest fifth in 1998,in 1997 41% of Third World had no access to safe drinking water,57% had no access to sanitation,40% of children under five were underweight, 840 million people malnourished and under five mortality rate was 169/1000 live births. Moreover, external debt repayment or servicing amounts to 92.3% of the GDP and the list goes on (Ecologist, 2000). Since Asian financial crisis, role of IMF in managing the economies of developing countries is facing severe criticism. Non-governmental bodies have always been concerned about African development and IMF’s role in helping or hampering the process. Moreover, increasing debates over US economic policy for Africa and international pressures for poor countries debt cancellation highlighted IMF policies in Africa. Increasing external debt and multiplying IMF’s power also diverted the attention towards the impact of IMF’s economic policies in African countries (Naiman & Watkins 1999). Davison Budhoo resigned from IMF in 1988 in revulsion over policies what he identified as IMF’s â€Å"Increasingly genocidal policies.†Operations of these agencies proved to be catastrophic (Budhoo n.d., p.20). ‘Instead of development and favourable adjustment, the Third World today is in an accelerated spiral of economic and social decline. That

H.W Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

H.W - Assignment Example This paper will discuss whether it is ethical for managers to control their employees. The major role of a manager is to coordinate the team of employees so that they achieve the organizational goals. Human beings have a nature of working under pressures, and hence, every manager must ensure that the employees have certain set goals. Setting goals for employee is ethically acceptable in business management as it is a measure to maximize productivity. The managing director has the role of ascertaining that his/her employees are working to the required standards and hence must control their mode of operation (Snell, & Bohlander, 52). Controlling the employees to ensure that they deliver work and service of a high standard is ethical and is not a form of exploitation. However, some managers tend to overload their employees with duties that are not meant for them. In such cases, managers are exploiting their employees and it is unethical as per the management codes of practice. Reward programs are meant to be a form of motivation to the employees by ensuring that there are happy at their workplaces (Snell, & Bohlander, 47). However, some managers set extremely high levels of production in order for their employees to receive the rewards. Such acts are a form of manipulation to employees. In conclusion, the function of a manager is to control and coordinate the other employees and hence it is not a form of

Learning agreement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Learning agreement - Essay Example Kim. This will be the best opportunity to capitalize on his experience as well as maximize on the growing interactions I will have with other employees at the workplace. The department has three main areas where I will spend at least five hours a week at each to learn as much as I can during my internship program. This will provide at least three intense rotations as explained below. The first rotation will involve the shelving of the goods as they come. With the busy schedules here, the number of suppliers is also high and the work required when shelving will be intense. I will be receiving the supplies and making sure that they are shelved. Before shelving hem, I will have to check the expiry date. This will mean that the first foods to go will be those having short expiry dates and making sure that the arrangement reflects the need to follow the restrictions accorded (Ojugo 116-7). The obsolete stock will have to be shelved in other areas away from the fresh supplies. I will also need to take stock of the expired stock, spoiled stock, damaged stock and provide evidence of the same. In the process of documenting these stocks, I will have to check on the environment of the stocks and make sure that everything is working as required. The goal is to establish the proper storage requirements and standards (Ojugo 117). The second rotation will involve serving. With the growing need to make everything work towards the growth of my skills, it is only important to learn how to make good servings and also appreciate cleanliness as a way of making everyone happy with my work. I understand that the pressures emanating from the different orders within the workplace will always make it difficult to reach the level of indulgence needed to attain growth within my preferred level of indulgence. The third rotation will be in the management sector where I will be conducting trainings. The aim is to ensure

Product Life Cycle and Consumer Loyalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Product Life Cycle and Consumer Loyalty - Essay Example There are four basic stages in a product's life cycle; introductory, growth, maturity, and decline. The Pantene Pro-V line, which has been around for many years, is in the mature stage of the product life cycle. As author Allan Reddy notes, the "underlying objective is to capture substantial market share in the introductory stage and harvest profits during maturity stage" (1994, p. 53). There are several ways that a company can develop customer loyalty while seeking to gain profits from a mature product. First, the company can enhance the features of its product so that it doesn't stay static. With Pantene Pro-V, Proctor and Gamble has developed a large number of variations targeting consumers who color their hair, or by focusing product innovation on specific segments of the market along demographic lines. A producer can also lower the price of the mature product since the initial marketing costs have been recovered and competition has likely increased. Further, the company can enha nce its distribution strategies through added incentives and intensifying its efforts in successful segments. Finally, the company can use a promotional emphasis to demonstrate their enhancements and recover market share by distinguishing these developments against the competition.

Ways to improve the value of employees work contribution Essay

Ways to improve the value of employees work contribution - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is the Upper Room Soup Kitchen as one of the long serving soup kitchens in Prince Edward Island in Canada serving to the need of the needy and hungry people in the area. During a two weeks voluntary work in the soup kitchen, as a management student I realized that the value the employees added to operations of the business and towards meeting the goals of the Soup Kitchen in serving the needs of the hungry in Prince Edward Island were constrained. This is despite the fact that most of the employees in the Soup kitchen were volunteers even though there was other long term paid employees. Notably, the food donation system was in disarray with the records of food donations received not properly managed. In addition, though there were quite a considerable amount of food donations received in a week, at times the soup kitchen would record shortages in key foods required, while have excesses of some other. Some of these foods that were not usually use d stayed in the storage for too long and when they went bad, they would be discarded. This brought a point that indeed not only were employees’ contribution for effective running up of the place low, but also was the food donation and recording system lacking. After learning about SSM method which is a means through which problems can be holistically resolved, the researcher thought of Upper Room Soup Kitchen’s problems and decided to develop solutions based on this SSM model that would help the manager of the soup kitchen ensure smoother running. The expressed problem situation With the above problem situation, phone interviews were conducted with five soup kitchen employees from various departments and the manger of the soup kitchen to get a grasp on the problem. The Upper Room soup Kitchen whose goal is to meet some food needs of the hungry people in Prince Edward Island through provision of low fat high nutrition healthy meals to this population is faced not only w ith low employee contribution in meeting its goals but also inefficiencies in the management of its food donation system. Markos and Sridevi (2010:91) indeed asserts that for value of employee contribution in an organization to be improved, the employees’ activities and goals need be aligned the organizations goals. Though the employees in the soup kitchen perform their daily duties well, a sense of laxity in the organization has made inefficient several systems that are core to the organization meeting its goals. For instance, the employees in charge of communicating the food needs of the organization to various stakeholders in order to align the food needs of the soup kitchen to those that are received have experienced some problems in that some of

Design an interview schedule and evaluate it Essay

Design an interview schedule and evaluate it - Essay Example In fact, it may be seen that educational exchange programmes create maximum cultural interaction and exchange of views and ideas between different cultures. The city of Newcastle was selected in this project because the city is important in many respects. One, it is a prominent destination in the UK with regard to educational facilities and students, especially foreign students come to this place to pursue their education. The city also provides umpteen facilities and resources for students to exploit and further their educational aspirations. However, the city also has its fair share of problems. Cases of harassment based on colour, religion and ethnicity have recently been recorded from the city and people are apprehensive about local groups that are notorious for harassing foreign students. However, in spite of such irritants, the city administration has done a fair job of providing many facilities for education seekers who come to this place in search of a professional degree and qualifications. The interview will be designed to elicit the answer to the question ‘whats it like being an overseas student in Newcastle?’ The interview will try to encourage respondents to answer what their experiences are as a student at Newcastle. The interview will try to analyse the background of the students and also the common problems that they face as a student in this place. The country has witnessed a tremendous amount of progress in the area of educational reform over the last fifty years: the educational achievement gap between those of different races is narrowing and more and more students are finding the resources necessary to pursue higher education. However, it still has not solved one of the most persistent and pervasive inequities in the educational system: poorer communities suffer from substandard instruction and a lack

Top games Essay Example for Free

Top games Essay Nearly all the children could do the above I therefore suggest that the game is appropriate for the age range I planned it for. Throughout this observation the children have gained developing co-ordination and control over the cards. They have used fine motor skills to lift a turn over the cards, for the first few times the children turned over the cards they had a little difficulty all of the children discovered however that if they slide the card to the edge of the table it was easier to pick up. They have also been learning about sharing and turn taking and how everyone has to have fair turns and not to hurry them along. They have been thinking about ordinal numbers (first second etc) and what number comes next, and also through my open-ended questions, about lengths and sizes of the lines. B F Skinners theory of positive and negative reinforcement also fits in here. If a child gets a number and puts it in the correct order, they may be praised, told well done. There actions have been reinforced (positive reinforcement). On the other hand a child may not come first the first time they play the game, they may not like this feeling which would inspire them to really try the next time, although if they do not come first again the may take a disliking to the game. I was fully prepared for the activity as all I needed was the game cards, I didnt need any additional resources. I discussed with my placement supervisor the suitability of the game and whether she thought it to be age and stage appropriate to these children. I was mostly completely planned and ready for this activity although it would have been helpful if I could have more time, there was enough time to play quite a few games, but not all the children in the class got a chance to play and not also was that unfair to some of the children I could have benefited from seeing the whole class dealing with the game to support my evaluation more. As I have said the number of children in the group was correct it was easy to manage the situation. I think that I gave clear instructions although it may have made more sense to the children if I had set down some firm ground rules at the start. Again the only thing that did not go to plan was the amount of time I had allocated for the game. The resources I made was suitable for its purpose it lasted quite well and was quite durable as they were backed onto card I think in future I would laminate the cards so they were more durable. It did help the children to learn, but I think it would have been more helpful to them if the numbers were higher as most of the children already knew their numbers one to five quite well. I could also have made different versions of the game such as, instead of trains I could do flowers or animals depending on what the subject they were focusing on at the time was. Mind map-China-I think that including the whole class was suitable because the children all gained feedback off each other. Although it was quite difficult to tell how many of the children could count the suggestions as they all counted at the same time, some of the children could have been following what everyone else was saying. When the children were asked (separately) how many suggestions to make twenty? they took a little longer than I had expected to work it out but got it right in the end. Some of the children had a little prompting as how to work it out. As the suggestion about Chinese writing came up a lot I wasnt sure if the children were copying the first child who suggested it or whether they were going to suggest it in the first place. Tassoni and Beith (2002 p 400) state that between the ages of four and six years a child should normally be: Showing more understanding and using reason based on their experiences ? Starting to use and understand symbols e. g. reading and writing Again nearly all the children could do the above I suggest therefore that this activity is appropriate for the age and stage of these children. The children have been learning in the area of knowledge and understanding of the world they have been thinking of past events that they could link with the subject of China (e. g. I had a Chinese last night). The children have expanded in their knowledge of listening, not interrupting and waiting to be asked before speaking. They have also learnt a bit about how to discuss with people. They have also been learning about mathematics by counting how many suggestions are on the board and calculating how many more Again with this activity I can see where B F Skinners theory fits in. in a similar way to the first activity if a child comes up with good suggestions they will get a well done. This will encourage them to think deeper to think of another suggestion to get the same praise (positive reinforcement). B F Skinner also says that by ignoring certain behaviour it may disappear which could be done with the children that interrupt. Tassoni and Beith (2992 p 223) state that adults need to extend childrens vocabulary and help them to use language as a way of thinking, open questions can be used when working with children. This means asking questions where children have to give more than one worded answers during my activity I believe I covered this as I asked a few open ended and the children responded well. Children also need to learn the skills of listening and this means that we must be good role models for them by listening to them although the children were good at listening I still believe that I acted as a good role model to them by listening to all of the suggestions and not being dismissive. I wasnt prepared for the amount of suggestions that the children gave it may have been helpful if I had a spare piece of paper for such circumstances. I had discussed with my placement supervisor the suitability of this activity I discussed whether it was age and stage appropriate and whether it was stimulating enough for the children to sit there for a while and pay attention. I think that the time I had allocated for this activity was appropriate; the times were roughly similar when the children started to run out of suggestions and when we had to start the next activity. The activity was a success there was good feedback later on throughout the day and the children were also asking to have other people suggestions explained to them (showing they were interested in the subject). I had extra support from my supervisor to manage all of the children as it was a class of twenty-eight so it was managed quite well. I gave clear instructions about what we were doing but not about how they had to sit or that they had to wait to be asked. I think that it would have been beneficial to explain this before the activity was started to set down the ground rules. Other than this all went to plan with the activity. Recommendations The train game when I asked the children the questions I often got one-word answers, in order to help them expand on the subject more, the adult in the situations asking more open-ended questions about the subject could do this. During the game I had two children with the same favourite colour I dealt with this by playing two games, it may have been easier to ask the children to swap in the middle of the game or to not let the children choose at all I could just deal the cards to them. I could also for future games keep the colours the same (starting cards one colour, number one cards another colour etc). In order for the children to progress, I could make other cards numbered up to ten, if this proved to difficult because of the amount of cards on the table they could be separated into two piles one to five and six to ten. I could also play the game backwards if they had managed it the original way well. I could make the cards colour co-ordinated e. g. either they have to get the whole set of one colour to win or that the aim is to make a pattern. The best way I think to extend this activity would be turning it into a quiz each child is asked a maths question, if they get the question right they can turn over a card if they get it wrong they will wait until their next turn. In this activity whatever the version an adult would need to be present to make sure the game is being carried out in the way planned, that the children are all taking turns and that the children are being sensible with the cards.