The Media Influence on Society Essay - 2086 Words

The Media influence on society According to Noam Chomsky, â€Å"What lies behind us and before us are very small matters compare to what lies right to the face.† The issue of the media influence on society’s cultural structure has frequently been debated. The impact on the audience by the media influences the interpretations of social order. Also, the media goes hand in hand with American politics. The information provided by the media is controlled by business cooperates and their economic interest that is shared by political elites. The media is responsible for creating different classes with respect to appearance, color, economic status, religion, and with the help of politics, advertisement because of the media’s powerful influence on†¦show more content†¦The news which reach public is filtered thought many steps. Among the most important are the business cooperates who owns the mass media, interest that extend beyond the United States and across the globe to different countries. The media is bias about the Israeli – Palestine conflict. If Israeli soldier die, the media without delay shows the coverage of crying mother and relatives. Audience learns more about died soldier. It is more certain that very less coverage is provided if hundred of Palestinian dies. This creates more sympathy for Israilian than for Palestinian living is America. The economic interest of the media owners are shared by political elites. Politicians and policy maker forms the second filter. These political elites have the power to access and influence the mainstream media and are themselves, part of the system dominated by cooperate money and interest. A good example is the Bush administration and their false statements made against Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11 tragedy. The Bush Administration as well as the media began to influence people in a way breeding contempt for the Middle East. During the Bush administration the coverage of his speeches about War on Terrorism notifies that Iraq is harboring weapons of mass destruction; this speech convinced people they posses weapons and were ready to use it against America. ( explain how media went with the followShow MoreRelatedMedia And The Influence On Society958 Words   |  4 PagesThe Media and the Influence it has on Society Media plays a significant role in the way it can influence our culture. The media can produce positive and negative impacts on our society. It has the power to produce messages that can manipulate the way people think as well as influencing attitudes and actions taken towards the opposite sex. In the video Tough Guise: Violence, Media, and the Crisis in Masculinity Jackson Katz discusses that the rampant of male violence that affects American societyRead MoreThe Influence of Media on Society1266 Words   |  5 PagesThese ideologies are so prevalent in recent society that they have swayed the minds of those who were not interested enough to take a side on an issue, and this has caused a large increase in the amount of people who still believe in unlikely conspiracies or hoaxes. This has caused a large uproar and scepticism of the government, and with more evidence proving the governments secrecy, and conspiracy theories coming true, the citizens of countries are getting more par anoid of their own country andRead MoreThe Media And Its Influence On Society1096 Words   |  5 Pagesrather than society.† This means that a short and simple definition should be something like, only being concerned with what you want, and not caring about the wants of those around you. A similar word sociocentrism means â€Å"a tendency to assume the superiority or rightness of one’s own social group.† A simple definition for this would be, the view that your social group is better than others. So now that we have these two concepts and their definitions, how are they promoted throughout the media? The mediaRead MoreMass Media Influence on Society1476 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Media’s Influence on Society Over the last 500 years, the influence of mass media has grown exponentially with the advance of technology.  First there were books, then newspapers, magazines, photography, sound recordings, films, radio, television, the so-called New Media of the Internet, and now social media.   Today, just about everyone depends on information and communication to keep their lives moving through daily activities like workRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Society1462 Words   |  6 PagesThe media s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that s power. Because they control the minds of the masses† (Ruddy, 2002). Malcolm X, a prominent African American human rights activist, strongly believed that the media played a vital role in how they make society perceive events and people. An issue that is present, historically and currently, is media contributing to racism. When news is reported involvingRead MoreThe Influences Of Mass Media On Society864 Words   |  4 PagesThe Influences of Mass Media on Society For the greater majority of the American society, the presence of mass media is a normal part of everyday lives. With the purpose of mass media being to educate, entertain and inform, the excessive violence, self imaging, and lack of full detail on world events, is having negative influences and unhealthy impacts on society. As early as the 1920s, a form of the media has been present in the American society. Although broadcasted content wasRead MoreMedia s Influence On Society901 Words   |  4 PagesMedia plays an important and influential role in society. The media effects so many different institutions throughout a society that researchers have began to wonder how the media is really effecting these processes. Over the years many models have been developed to explain this process. The models that I will look at, include the hypodermic model, the mass society theory, the minimal effects model, and the agenda setting and priming model. Before looking at these models, we must first look atRead MoreMedia s Influence On Society1269 Words   |  6 Pages The media is full of countless things, it has completely changed the world and is now a part of our everyday lives (Bookman, 64). With television, radio, newspapers, books, etc†¦ working their way into our everyday lives it is impossible to live without the media today. Along with it being persuasive, informational and a great so urce for entertainment it also has a large binding influence on societies all over the world. Media aspects are radically reshaping the world (Marina 240) and though someRead MoreMedia s Influence On Society1256 Words   |  6 PagesThe media are full of countless things, they have completely changed the world we live in and are now a part of our everyday lives (Bookman, 64). With television, radio, newspapers, books, etc†¦ working their way into our everyday lives it is almost impossible to live without the media. Along with it being persuasive, informative and a great source for entertainment, it also has a large binding influence on societies all over the world. Media aspects are radically reshaping the world (Marina 240)Read MoreThe Media s Influence On Society1167 Words   |  5 Pagesassociating with the media can make you believe differently. While the media commence to advance and develop an incomprehensible factor, the appearance of civilization begins to mold and sh ape as a reflection to equally match. Despite the element of using false advertisement or infringement, society is charmed by the sense of exhilaration that is generated by the media. Yet civilization remain uncomprehending to the natural effect that the media leaves printed on them. The media is one of the largest

The Growing Up Of A Refugee Camp - 1064 Words

Moving to America was the biggest change in my life. Before, I know very little of this world and my thoughts and opinion were very narrow. I did not have the best education and I think little about my future since I lived in a refugee camp. I also could not open myself up to people of different background because of the lack of diversity while living in the camp. But moving to America I was introduced with a new culture, education, and diversity that changes my life and my views. Before I moved to America I lived in a Thailand refugee camp called Mae La. Growing up in Mae La camp there was not a lot of diversity since most people who live there were Karen people. All my neighbor were Karen, therefore I was not close to people of different background or people with different ethnicity. I could not open up to them easily since I only speak Karen language. I was more comfortable with the Karen people too since I know mostly Karen people and my school was full of Karen kids. I went to a mission school in Mae la and the school in Mae La refugee camp was not well made like the one in US, it was made of bamboo and there was no floor. Mae La also have a poor education system so many Karen student including myself did not get a full advance education like the one in America. Since I was still a kid when I lived in Mae La camp, I did not know about the struggle of living in refugee camp. One day I come home from school and my family told me that we were moving to America. I could notShow MoreRelatedThe Life Of A Refugee Camp998 Words   |  4 Pagessurface of the lotus leaf. I cannot trust it when people claim that life can’t be changed because of my own life story. How could anyone believe that I was born in a refugee camp? As a matter of fact, I was born there. In the early 1990’s one of the smallest countries in the world, Bhutan was politically active because of growing communism within the nation. At that time, the country was populated with Nepali and Drukpas; two distinct groups of people. One group eats beef for their finest foodRead MoreThe Problems With Refugee Detention Camps Essay example1170 Words   |  5 Pageshave a small hope of not only surviving, but living a normal life. Most of them will end up in detention camps, and most will end up in camps where the conditions are very poor. Some will apply for asylum and be in camp for an undetermined amount of time. Others will not and could be held for even longer, maybe indefinitely. The effects of detention on the human mind are debilitating, and a child growing up in detention is more likely to have serious mental health issues. Is detention necessary?Read MoreThe Issue Of Immigration And Refugees Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pageswho are seeking international protection (Fadzillah, 2016). Refugees and asylum seekers are different visa categories and differ in the rights and protection granted through the visa. For example, according to Dr. Fadzillah, an individual granted refugee status cannot be deported, while individuals under other classifications face that possibility (Fadzillah, 2016). Although there are a variety of difference between the classification of refugees and asylum seekers, many individuals do not understandRead MoreWho Should Determine Refugee Policy870 Words   |  4 PagesWho should determine refugee policy The fundamental definition of refugees include natural disaster, war, class oppression, national oppression, religious, racial discrimination, change of borders and so on. They were forced to leave their homeland because of some or all of the possible reasons. And the United Stated have been working towards the largest refugee camp in the world due to U.S. policy and diplomacy. After the mid 1970s, a prominent American immigration policy issue facing the problemRead MoreAnalysis Of Asif Currimbhoy s The Refugee And Sonar Bangla1333 Words   |  6 Pagesthat transports the audience to the same situation with his dramatic techniques and genius, and that how he also succeed in delivering the message and portraying human emotions through his characters in his plays. These three plays Inquilab, the Refugee and Sonar Bangla written in quick succession are not trilogy in the traditional sense repeating characters and alluding to events common to them all. They are a trilogy in that they are concerned with Bengal and its problems at different point ofRead MoreInnocence and Experience1681 Words   |  7 Pages and understanding life’s lessons. We were all naà ¯ve and knew nothing about the world around us, we were all innocent to life and what it had to bring. It was not until we grew older that we began to lose our innocence with every new experience. Growing older means taking responsibility, accepting and overcoming life’s hardships and understanding oneself. So as we reach adulthood we begin to question when the conversion from innocence to experience occurs and what causes and marks this coming ofRead MoreThe Migrant And Refugee Crisis1452 Words   |  6 PagesMike Carper Mrs. Bardine English 12 6 October 2015 European Refugee Crisis The ongoing migrant and refugee crisis in Europe has recently grown to new heights and is the biggest, most deadly one in the world. Migrants and refugees from the Middle East have been finding risky, unorthodox ways to flee from their different countries to seek shelter in a new safer country in the European Union for many years now. This crisis has only recently drawn the media’s attention because of its rapid increaseRead MoreStruggles for Hope: Hmongs in Laos during the Vietnam War Essay example570 Words   |  3 PagesGrowing up without parents is a rough task, but growing up without parents amongst a raging war is absurd. Having to run and hide in fear as your village is raided by North Vietnam soldiers is something no one should have to experience, but to those such as my dad, who has experienced this, it can be terrorizing. My dad grew up in the little town of Long Cheng, Laos living day to day struggling to survive. Living conditions for the lower class in Laos was already harsh enough, but when the VietnamRead MoreThe Fighting Of The Taliban Essay1520 Words   |  7 PagesGrowing up as a female in Afghanistan in the 1900’s was extremely hard being that the Taliban had then taken over and emerged as a political force and began to establish order. Women were equivalent to slaves, they were denied education, and they were financially dependent, where they couldn’t make money of their own. Prior to the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan women truly suffered. While Afghanistan were under the Taliban they had one of the worst human rights records in the world. The governmentRead MoreThe Long Term Effects Of Refugee Migration1726 Words   |  7 Pagesself-esteem to get jobs due to the language barrier. Refugees who flee their country and sacrifice everything are confident and strong willed with all the obstacles that come through their journey to start a new life. The long-term effects that a refugee experiences due to forced migration is Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. Forced migration has a negative mental and physical affect on refugees. There are many reasons why refugees do not reach for help after entering

How does Browning bring vividly to life the men and their relationships in “Porphyria’s Lover” and “My Last Duchess” Essay Example For Students

How does Browning bring vividly to life the men and their relationships in â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† and â€Å"My Last Duchess†? Essay To be able to create a perceptibly vivid character in literature can be considered to be one of the greatest challenges in the literary world, and doing so to a level where the reader can truly empathise with the created character is a greater feat still. In this matter Browning truly was a literary genius as in less than sixty lines he manages to create two male protagonists that are living and breathing, ready to leap off the page. The different ways in which he achieves this are the structure of the entire poem, vocabulary and word choice, use of literary techniques and their differences in dealing with essentially the same subject. The poem â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover,† which first appeared in 1836, is considered to be one of Browning’s most shocking monologues. The action of â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† unfolds through the recounting of the events of one night, culminating in the murder of Porphyria, by the speaker himself. The structure of the poem could be described as one of twelve stanzas with an ababb rhyme structure, though it is most often printed as a block poem. The majority of the lines contain four iambic feet, though a few are pentasyllabic. The unusual rhyming structure used seems to be the first hint of the speaker’s mental discord, as it is his narrating voice that we are following. A factor that further heightens this, as yet hypothesis, about the narrator’s instability is the enjambment that is used throughout the poem. It reveals his unaffected, lackadaisical nature that relates to something that one truly should not be indifferent to. â€Å" †¦and all her hair In one long yellow string I wound Three times her little throat around, And strangled her.† This shows how unnaturally nonchalant and disorderly his thought processes are, his morbid un-emotionality piques our interest and causes the character to seem truly vivid. This element emphasises the tone and seems to make the understated nature even more sociopathic. Another factor is the vocabulary Robert Browning uses. Most of the words are monosyllabic creating a simple mood that is not broken by the polysyllabic that are incorporated in a quiet and unassuming manner; they do not break the tense tranquillity of the piece. â€Å"I am quite sure she felt no pain. As a shut bud that holds a bee, I warily oped her lids: again Laughed the blue eyes without a stain.† Here we see the simplistic almost naà ¯ve way in which the speech is narrated. Much of the force of the narrative lies in its practically innocent clarity and in the corresponding quiet, matter-of-fact tone of voice that seems to heighten the severity of the actual actions. The line â€Å"No pain felt she, I am quite sure she felt no pain† accentuates the horror of the going on by its seemingly childish-like affirmations. The detached, emotionless account with the cold and distant metaphor creates a chilling effect, by which the character of the speaker is made more vivid. Also, Browning uses literary techniques to truly bring the character to life. One such example is the pathetic fallacy that used to not only set the mood for the entire poem, but also the mind set and mental state of the actual speaker. â€Å"The rain set early in tonight, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake: I listened with heart fit to break.† Immediately we are introduced into a setting where the weather is dark and gloomy. The use of personification instantly hints at the fact that it is not only the weather that is being described. Words such as â€Å"awake†, â€Å"tore†, â€Å"spite† and â€Å"vex† imply a humanness that corresponds with the main protagonist. The slight alliteration that is used â€Å"sullen-soon†, â€Å"tore the elm-tops†, â€Å"worst-vex† further accentuates the fact. He is listening, listening intently and he feels empathy for the weather. He can sympathise, he is feeling the same things. We are shown his inner turmoil, his nebulousness and his destructiveness. The opening lines are a sort of foreshadowing for the rest of the poem and the true character of the narrator. Another way in which Browning brings vividly to life the male protagonist is the slow revelation of true character, the building up of suspense, tension followed by the terrible twist. At first we are simply aware of the hints that are conveyed through the weather, the suspicion of something being amiss. Then we come to the description of Porphyria, through which we learn a lot about the speaker’s character. We know that he is watching her intently by the use of the anaphora, he describes her every motion. Autism EssayThe Duke’s dramatic monologue is full of dramatizations, parodies, flattery and direct confrontations. It is obvious that he is a man of higher society. This is not only implied by his status and vocabulary, but also to the way he acts around the auditor. He tries to hide his true intentions, he makes the envoy feel intimate with him, he even flatters him to an extent. â€Å"Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,† We can clearly see the mask that he puts on, trying to never reveal what is truly going on underneath but when he starts discussing his former wife’s immoderate pleasure that absolutely everything, the perfectly prepared mask begins to slip. â€Å"Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough For calling up that spot of joy. She had A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.† We begin to see the real vile anger that is being covered up by the courtliness. The â€Å"she thought† suggests his disregard for her opinion, his belief that she was wrong. There seems to have been a great age difference between the Duke and the Duchess that caused his inferior view of her. Also, we begin to sense his disapproval of her behaviour. He sees her as being too free with her affections, a slight bit too shallow, too easily impressed. His use of the phrase â€Å"how shall I say?† shows that he is pretending to not be intentionally rude, he is simply stating the truth and already in as mild terms as possible. Here we begin to see his insincerity and manipulativeness. In the lines after that we witness an escalation of his anger. â€Å"The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule† Here we feel a quickening of pace and a distinctness of rhyme and rhythm. The Duke’s use of fricative sounds such as â€Å"officious fool† betray his genuine irritation. We are also made aware of his impossible superiority and his preference of someone else doing his dirty work for him. â€Å"—E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together† For him it is of the utmost importance to never let himself sink below what he considers to be his level. And then we reach the great revelation. â€Å"I gave commands; / Then all smile stopped together.† It is in this line that we find out that the Duke actually did have his Duchess killed, and what for? What he considered to be a simple mindedness and excessive amiability. It also seems as though a matter of life and death is a simple matter for him. He did not view the Duchess as a human being, she was just one more of his precious possessions that didn’t quiet correspond with his expectations, and so he had her removed. We can also see his need for complete control over a situation. He wasn’t able to conform her to his standards so he did it in a slightly more radical way, by eliminating her. In conclusion, there are many ways in which Browning vividly brings to life the men and their relationships in both â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† and â€Å"My Last Duchess†. He does so through structure, revealing their states of mind, through vocabulary, revealing their tone and background, and through slow revelation of character, that builds up and up until all their efforts at concealment are swiped away and all that is left is the bare truth. The last one is what I believe to be the most important factor as it is what interests the leader most. First we get an almost accidental glimpse, then it becomes more and more clear until we have the feeling that we actually understand those characters. They are living people, made of bones and flesh, just as we are and they have opinions and faults and sometimes even virtues and that is what truly makes those characters so vivid, their humanity.

Process Analysis On How To Make Lemonade Essays - Lemonade

Process Analysis On How To Make Lemonade Water is the most refreshing drink in the world, and probably the cheapest. People drink water because its easy to achieve and cost barely anything. Lemon is one of the worse kinds of grapefruit people eat or doesnt eat at all. It taste extremely sour and even bitter if you eat the skin. But if you add these two ingredients together, you get one of the most prolific drinks ever. There are hundreds of ways of making lemonade. From whiskey lemonade to chocolate lemonade, there is a very wide range of making lemonade. But the simplest of all these kinds is the water base lemon drink, where water and lemon is the two crucial flavors in the drink. Its refreshing, healthy, and helps reduce Fibromyalgia, a certain disease. It is incredibly easy to make, that even a 5 year old can make. But let it be advised, however, that without the proper tools and directions, the great American beverage is nothing more than acid in water. People sometimes have the tendency of making the simplest mistake, such as adding sugar before water, and so forth. But with a three-step process, lemonade is bound to be better than beer or sex. To start making lemonade, it is a must to have lemon, sugar, and water. It cost around 65 cents for one pound of lemon, and cost 25 cents for 5 gallons of water. Without these three ingredients, the drink will no longer be called lemonade. It is essential that a knife be there to cut the lemon, a cup or a pot for the drink, and a stove pan to heat the drink. Later on, it is necessary to have a blender for the ice. And the last important detail of the juice is the juice squeezer. First off, wash the lemons clean so there wont be any dirt or bacteria on the lemon. Use the knife and cut the lemon in half so the juice can be easily squeezed out of. If you desire more juice from the lemon, it is a good way to put the lemon in the microwave first for around 10 to 15 seconds. After cutting the lemon and squeezing about 2 cups of juice into the cup or pot, add around 6 cups of water. After adding water to the cup, add 1 and a half-cup of sugar to the juice and water. The most important thing to remember is that the ratio of juice, sugar and water makes lemonade great not too sweet, not too tart. I like 6 cups of water to 2 cups juice and 2 cups sugar. Adjust it to suit yourself. Also, dont forget how great hot lemonade tastes in the winter when you have a sore throat. You can freeze the lemon/sugar syrup for later use. After all said and done with the first process, add the juice in the pan and heat it on the stove. Let it heat up till vapor appears. This causes the heat to reduce the sweetness of the sugar as well as killing off the germs and bacteria. Stir the juice so that the sugar wont go to the base of the drink. This causes the drink to be very unbalanced and make it very sour or bitter. Keep stirring till the water, sugar, and juice are spread equally. Turn off the stove and carefully put the pan off the stove so it could cool off. The third step is very easy. Obtain around 7 cups of ice or more. Put it in the blender, and crush it into small chunks of ice. Repeat this process until you have enough ice for 3 cups or half a gallon. After this is finish, get the pan with the juice and have a taste test. If the drink is too sweet or sour, add water until it suits your liking. Remember to add hot water or warm water. It gives the drink more of vibe and a sting to it. When finish with adding water, pour the juice with the crush ice. Do not stir, but instead shake. Stirring causes the ice to evaporate. It is now finish and time

Advocating for Biracial Adoption

Introduction Adoption of children who have biological parents that are of different races should be encouraged and advocated for. The American National census states that almost three percent of the US population states their race as bi-racial and almost two percent of marriages are bi-racial. Biracial children have suffered the identity crisis throughout history as they have traits from both sides of the mother and the father and hence torn between which of the two races should take preference.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advocating for Biracial Adoption specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Adoption of such a child by all races without discrimination psychologically gives the child an identity as first to consider he/she a human being and the rest later since she/he is welcome to live with any race. Adoption is an important activity in the society and it gives children in a family; helps people unable to raise t heir children hand them over to capable individuals and help those who cannot give birth to have adopted children. Historical Injustices Biracial persons have always faced challenges throughout history. To oppress the black people during the slave era in America, and avoid the poor people of the Caucasoid race from cooperating with the oppressed blacks, the plantation owners developed the concept of the white people of which has no scientific backing. For further deterrence of intermarriages, they stated that a white person is one who has no trace of another race especially the black race. This meant that all the biracial persons were automatically regarded as blacks. This has continued up to date. The president of US is biracial but he is generally regarded as a black president. Biracial adoption improves the racial tension that has existed throughout history. Hegel a great philosopher and historian once claimed that Africa was filled with darkness and darkness is not a subject of history. Hegel and Immanuel Kant also referred Africans as incapable of thinking, stating that maybe it was because of the equatorial sun. However, great philosophers like Aristotle are known to have studied in Africa, and even puzzled by the sophisticated civilization at that time. Adoption of biracial children helps nullify the biased views of people like Kant. Aesthetic and Moral Philosophy In Aesthetic and moral philosophy, all human beings have the same universal qualities and resembling behavioral pattern. Adoption of biracial children firmly asserts that all human beings are authentic and aesthetically appealing. Before the Second World War, it was rare for white couples to adapt a child not of their race. This has been changing as people have come to realize that no race is superior to the other and the differences in the races are only complimentary and not superiority or inferiority.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get yo ur first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Biracial adoption is a very noble course. It shows that the universal man is one. This is shown in the various adoptions from the world in various disciplines. For example, Africa is credited as the cradle of humanity and civilization, Europe with modern industrialization, Asia with medicine and America with computers. This shows how the various people from different races throughout history have contributed to the development of the world. This has eventually led to globalization. Globalization brings all people of the world together without care of race. The biracial adoption is an initiative towards globalization. Biracial children by mere nature of their biological diversity in parenting can unify, and represent different continents for example Barrack Obama has both American and African ancestry. Biracial children could be taken as an entity of globalization instead of a confusion of identity. Biology Biologically interracial marr iages are encouraged. The children sired have a wide gene pool range and thus more resistant to gene inherited diseases like sickles cell anemia. It would thus be noble to encourage biracial adoption focusing on the positive aspects of the biracial children than their disadvantages. Empiricist’s school of thought argues that the mind is empty at birth and knowledge is only possible through sense perception. Based on this argument then it can be argued that children have a universal trait in that they gain knowledge through experiencing. Therefore, there is no difference between biracial children and other children hence should be adopted like any other child without discrimination or bias (Simon Altstein 36). Culture People’s behavior and culture are intertwined. People exist in societies and thus the society is responsible for shaping the individual person. A person’s behavior is directly affected by their upbringing. Therefore, a society can accommodate peopl e of races and mould them into one compact entity. This can be used to support the adoption of biracial children in that they will not become peculiar or different rather they will become what they are fashioned to be like any other child. Throughout history, ethnicity and racial tension have hampered development and at times sparked conflicts and wars. The slave trade in America and slave labor in America is an illustration of racial oppression. However, America was built by the contribution of all races and none can claim ownership. Therefore, America belongs to all races, which must exist in harmony despite the historical injustices and tension, to contribute in the national building. The interracial, cooperation and integration has been emphasized repeatedly. Biracial children should be viewed as one way of reducing the racial tension and suspicion. If all people were to be biracial then there would be no racism, racial segregation and ethical challenges in racism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advocating for Biracial Adoption specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If the child is of a Chinese and American descent then the people adopting the child will be keen to learn more about China, Chinese culture, religion and history and thus more understanding of other countries and in the process international relations are automatically improved. International tensions and warfare are the major issue affecting globalization. Rationality As mortal beings, life takes us through various channels without care of race. All human beings experience pain, joy, win, lose, suffering death, and so on. We all have a common factor, the human entity. We all belong to one species and that is why reproduction between races is possible and unlike other animals, the human race has been blessed with the power of being rational. As a rational being and ethical beings, it is thus unethical and animal like to discrim inate because of race. No person decides the race to belong to so the issue becomes metaphysical (Solomon Higgins 7) and no enough reason can be given. How then can one discriminate another on an issue like race which is beyond our control? On another rational account we deduce that humans beings are one, and race difference is as a result of climatic conditions and habitat variation after thousands and thousands of years, how then discriminate or prohibit on account of natural cause? Throughout America, there are thousands of blended and diversified families as people have become adoptive of children from all races. Agencies for adoption services have been created which is a positive contribution (Sachdev 87). Expectant mothers have the privilege of choosing the families they would wish their babies to be raised in. They do so by looking at the provided family profiles. The adopting families should be emphasized on the need of teaching the adopted child the history of the place of origin of the race, if the family has biological children it would be desired to teach them all and trained to appreciate each other as fully developed human beings lacking nothing. This will remove biases, inferiority complex, and historical bondages (Simon Altstein 45). Conclusion Biracial adoption is a contemporary issue that engages philosophers in the discourse of trying to explain it, its authenticity, moral and ethical issues that may arise and in the process demystifying the issue. Biracial adoption has significantly increased in the 21st Century as the world moves more and more towards globalization. In the past, there was subjugation and slavery between races especially between the Caucasoid race and the black race. Biracial adoption is healthy for all societies as it helps the children to grow in a family just like normal children. It also fosters racial relations eliminating mistrust and bitterness. It is also morally and ethically right as it eliminates discrimination , racism and social segregation yet creates a blended society with equal rights for all. There is also cultural appreciation and endeavors in upholding the dignity of man as a rational being. Biracial adoption should be treated like any other form of adoption without fear, discrimination or bias.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Sachdev, Paul. Adoption: current issues and trends. London: Butterworths, 1984. Simon, Rita., Altstein Howard. Transracial. Sussex: Wiley Sons, 1977. Simon, Rita., Alstein Howard. Adoption, Race, and Identity. New Jersey: Transactional Publishers, 2002. Solomon, Robert., Higgins Kathleen. The Big Questions: A short Introduction to Philosophy. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2010. This essay on Advocating for Biracial Adoption was written and submitted by user Brynlee Vega to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Satire

A Day In The Life A Satire of Teenage Life in America? One morning, Dana woke up and felt fat. Fat and ugly. Now, it's a given that at six in the morning, no one feels too hot about themselves, but this was a feeling that often stuck with Dana throughout the day. She knew she wasn't fat, per se, but she thought she could stand to lose a few pounds, or perhaps place those pounds elsewhere on her body. She sighed, and then heaved herself out of bed. As she walked to the bathroom, she caught a drowsy glimpse of her messy floor. There were magazines all over the place, with pictures of models whose daily regimen was three reps of sticking their finger down their throat. Dana took special care to step on the face of a particularly bright-smiled, empty-stomached young woman who was poised on the hood of a sports car, wearing a precariously short dress that could have been airbrushed on. Her face crumpled upon impact, much like the flashy red car would if it were driven into a brick wall. The bathroom door was locked. Normally, this w! ould be a good thing, but this time she was on the wrong side of the door. She knocked, and she heard her brother's voice come muffled through the door. "What?" he said. ‘What are you doing in there?" Dana asked. "What do you THINK I'm doing in here?" her brother replied. "Well, either you had way too much to drink last night, or you're taking a shower," Dana retorted. There was no response from his brother. She hoped he had slipped on the tub floor and been knocked out upon his encounter with the tile. "Hello?" she called, "I need to use the bathroom! I need to get ready for school!" "It's my turn! You were supposed to get up an hour ago!" Apparently her brother was conscious, after all. "An hour ago?! What the hell are you talking about? It's six! Did the earth rotate a bit faster this morning or something?" Dana had no idea what her brother was talking about. "Apparently, Dana, you forgot abo... Free Essays on Satire Free Essays on Satire A Day In The Life A Satire of Teenage Life in America? One morning, Dana woke up and felt fat. Fat and ugly. Now, it's a given that at six in the morning, no one feels too hot about themselves, but this was a feeling that often stuck with Dana throughout the day. She knew she wasn't fat, per se, but she thought she could stand to lose a few pounds, or perhaps place those pounds elsewhere on her body. She sighed, and then heaved herself out of bed. As she walked to the bathroom, she caught a drowsy glimpse of her messy floor. There were magazines all over the place, with pictures of models whose daily regimen was three reps of sticking their finger down their throat. Dana took special care to step on the face of a particularly bright-smiled, empty-stomached young woman who was poised on the hood of a sports car, wearing a precariously short dress that could have been airbrushed on. Her face crumpled upon impact, much like the flashy red car would if it were driven into a brick wall. The bathroom door was locked. Normally, this w! ould be a good thing, but this time she was on the wrong side of the door. She knocked, and she heard her brother's voice come muffled through the door. "What?" he said. ‘What are you doing in there?" Dana asked. "What do you THINK I'm doing in here?" her brother replied. "Well, either you had way too much to drink last night, or you're taking a shower," Dana retorted. There was no response from his brother. She hoped he had slipped on the tub floor and been knocked out upon his encounter with the tile. "Hello?" she called, "I need to use the bathroom! I need to get ready for school!" "It's my turn! You were supposed to get up an hour ago!" Apparently her brother was conscious, after all. "An hour ago?! What the hell are you talking about? It's six! Did the earth rotate a bit faster this morning or something?" Dana had no idea what her brother was talking about. "Apparently, Dana, you forgot abo... Free Essays on Satire Satire Essay Satire is everywhere. There is an incredibly big amount of satire that goes on that people don’t think about. In the movie â€Å"16 Candles,† there is plenty of perfect examples of satire. Three easy, but very common, examples of satire given in the movie are having your true first crush. Secondly passing notes during class about dull things that are going on. Finally looking up the higher grades, the â€Å"Greats.† Foremost, having your first crush in high school is a very big event in a students life. It makes one do some very brainless actions. Most of the time, the person that you have a crush on will not go out with you, or even talk to you. Therefore, it makes doors to act as dim-witted as possible. Some examples of dim-witted actions include calling the person and hanging up when they say â€Å"Hello,† also writing anonymous love letters and putting them in their locker. That is just few of the most common actions when having a crush. Of course people take those actions to farther extents (They are called stalkers!). Next, the note passing during class. This is a major event that gets satirized very often. Some people, 99% girls, decide to take it upon themselves to write notes to each other about gossip, also about crushes and such things that can not be talked about. A good portion of the time the note gets caught by the teacher and there is a massive quantity of embarrassment. Therefore, passing notes during class is very childish but students in high school still do it. Last but not least, being a freshman is tough. The body is starting to grow into the new person who will some day take over. But the process is tough because there are upper-classmen. Upper-classmen make everything hard for freshmen because of their good looks and their great shaped body because of lifting weights, or the size of the bra, or size of hips. As a result, lower-classmen look up to the higher grades thinkin... Free Essays on Satire Webster’s Dictionary says that satire is â€Å"the use of ridicule and sarcasms to attack vices, follies, ect.† Using that definition, I think that all the Pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales have some sort of satire in them to some extent. Some are more subtle and some are more extreme and noticeable than others. The Knight is one of the pilgrims that Chaucer used more subtle satire with in the Prologue. The first way satire is used in the Prologue is with the Knights character. Chaucer wanted to present a realistic knight, but he also wanted to give that knight some very real and obvious flaws on the way that knights were viewed in the 14th century. Chaucer described the realistic knight in the beginning of the Prologue as a â€Å"worthy man†¦Truth and honor, freedom and courtesy, full worthy was he in his Lord’s war†¦and honored for his worthiness.† This puts the reader at ease and makes the knight look somewhat noble in the beginning. Toward the end of the Prologue of the Knight Chaucer begins to describe the Knight in a less than honorable way writing that â€Å"†¦he was not gaily dressed†¦ stained and dark with smudges†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A knight is someone who is always viewed in bright shining armor and Chaucer describes this knight as being sloppy. When reading the Prologue you notice two different voices. In the Knights case the first voice is that of the narrator who is a naà ¯ve person that is ready to see good no matter how dirty or dishonorable the Knight is. The second voice is that of Chaucer. He is more worldly and sarcastic. It’s this voice that puts the satire in Canterbury Tales. Satire is used very well and effectively through out Canterbury Tales. The perfect knight was always clean, courteous, and honorable without fault. Chaucer used satire to describe a knight that is definitely not ideal. He may be courteous but he isn’t clean by evidence of the dirtiness of his clothing....

Third Party Rights Over Property Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Third Party Rights Over Property - Case Study Example In the first instance Helen does not own the building outright as Kevin invested money into buying the shop and flats; Helen has taken out a mortgage on the building so Southern Counties Building Society would have a vested interest (the property was put up as collateral for the loan) and the second flat has been tenanted with Tom having a five year lease by deed of that flat. The amount of vested interest in the property owned by Kevin will depend on whether or not he and Helen had formed a partnership prior to buying the property, how long him and Helen had been living together in the first floor flat and what rights either of these situations (business partnership or de-facto relationship) might have on the ownership of the building. Because Helen raised the loan to buy the property it could be assumed that she might have a majority stake holding in the building and therefore could sell the business without involving Kevin. However, if Helen raised the mortgage so that her contribution to the building then equaled Kevin's then she has no right to sell the building without consulting Kevin first and the sale would be a joint decision. Kevin has another stake hold... Also any lease agreement he may have would have to be honored by the new buyer. The actual amount of impact Kevin would have on the sale of the building would depend on any agreement made between him and Helen, whether Kevin has any rights under de-facto law (which would be virtually nil in Britain as de-facto couples do not share the same rights as married couples) and whether or not Kevin is listed on the land title as co-owner. Helen would also have to pay off the mortgage owing amount on the building at the time of sale because the building is the collateral for the money loaned. Another problem that the new buyer would have to face is the lien on the property that prevented Helen from setting up a business that would act in competition to other businesses in the area. Any prospective buyer would have to be informed that the shop portion of the building could only be used as a newsagent shop. However, that covenant might not necessarily apply if the agreement was made personally between Helen and the person she purchased the shop from, as this covenant would only apply if it had been entered on the land title. If the land title had remained unregistered throughout the previous transactions then the situation for Kevin and Helen changes slightly. If Kevin does not have a legal partnership agreement with Helen then he would have difficulty proving his claim to any ownership of the building. He may be entitled to some duress under de-facto land ownership legislation, but that would be difficult to prove if he did not have something in writing that could prove the extent of his relationship with Helen (such as a Cohabitation Agreement) and the amount

Radio Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Radio Advertising - Essay Example Modern mass media industry offers a great range of both local and national radio stations broadcasting music of different genres aimed at different ages, backgrounds and tastes. To add more, the majority of radio stations have duplications of their broadcasts on the Internet, so everyone can access the broadcasts regardless of geographical location. The range of the radio stations found for this essay is rather heterogeneous in genre. The Whale 99.1 FM is the radio station focusing on classic rock, as it is stated on the website and clearly understood from the repertoire. WBGO 88.3 FM, the Ney York radio station stating its format as Jazz offers a variety of jazz compositions and related programs. 1033 The EDGE Rock Radio focuses – obviously – on rock format including both old and new songs. Country 106.5 WYRK Radio has mainly country format; 95.5 PLJ New York radio station offers a mixture of genres and musicians in its broadcasts; Pulse 87 NY located at 96.7 FM describes itself as a dance radio station and broadcasts a wide range of pop and dance music including numerous remixes. WQHT Hot 97 radio station features mainly hip-hop and R’n’B compositions. WLTW 106.7 Lite FM and the majority of stations found on the Internet tend to state their format as mix or dance, which means that they feature a diverse variety of pop and dance mainstream songs without focusing on a single genre. Moreover, some of the mixed-format radio stations offer a description such as Top 40 radio stations, which, of course, means that the broadcasts consist of the songs holding leading positions in the charts at the current moment. Narrowing our advertising-related target group to college student, we will inevitable come to a conclusion that mix, pop and dance radio stations are the most efficient means for reaching college students. Such radio stations are usually top, as they don’t offer some peculiar music, instead broadcasting mainstream compositions, which are, first

Dickens Elicit Sympathy for His Protagonist Pip Essay Example for Free

Dickens Elicit Sympathy for His Protagonist Pip Essay Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and past away in 1870. Dickens was born into quite a poor family. He attended a small school until he was 12 and got a job sticking the labels onto the sides of bottles. He did not enjoy this job to the presence of vermin on the premises. His parents and siblings got arrested for being in deep debt so Dickens visited them in jail. This led him into a route of life where he had no friends and no reliable source of money. After this he got a job at a solicitor which made him fell even more strongly towards his views that lie and law were unjust. He may have thought this originally because of his parents arrests. Working at the solicitor made Dickens realise that money made life a lot easier and that lack of money brought poverty and sadness. Dickens started his writing career by writing for magazines and newspapers. Most of his money came from a monthly magazine. This is where a part of his story would be published in each issue of the magazine and the next part of the book is in the next issue. This encouraged the readers to buy the next issue and this brought Dickens his wealth. Although he was wealthy just then he would never forget the time in his life when he was force to live in poverty. I think that these life experiences of poverty and sadness may have inspired him to write about them. Such books as Great Expectations and Oliver Twist both refer to a poor child with no parents. This really shows that he is relating these novels to his own experiences. I think that Dickens may have wrote this book to really show the world was like for him but disguising himself at the same time. Maybe he wasnt meaning to refer to his past life experiences but because he will never forget these times it probably came out in his writing even if he didnt mean it to. When Dickens wrote for a monthly magazine he probably thought, if he left the story in a cliff hanger or left the reader feeling that they want to know more, then the magazine would sell more copies. He may have used Pip for this purpose, by, in the way that he makes us feel sorry for him in places where the magazine issue may have ended. He would have used things like still it was all dark, and only the candle lighted us. If the issue ended here then the reader will have just found out about Pip having to go to Satis House and will have just learned about Estella. The reader would want to know what the rest of the house is like and what happens to Pip while he is there. This quotation leaves the reader wandering if anything out to get Pip lies in the dark corridors. Dickens could be using the dark passageways as a way of showing how Pip felt about being in Satis House: he knows no-one; he is on his own and he doesnt know what might happen to him. The dark corridors may be his thoughts about the place he s in and the way he feels about it all- very alone and not sure where he stands with the candle being his only hope, but there is hope. This could relate to when Dickens parents got arrested and he was left all alone in the dark, the corridors, with only the hope of seeing them and the chance of their release at heart, which could resemble the candle. Satis house would be laid out in a darker way than it would be today de to the time that the book was written. This was during the gothic era during which other books such as Mary Shellys Frankenstein and Bram Stokers Dracula were written. This gives you a feel of the time in which Great Expectations was written in.  When Pip enters Satis house he is probably very afraid. This wasnt helped by the treatment he faced from Estella. Though she called me boy so often, with a carelessness that was far from complimentary, she was of about my own age. She seemed much older than I, of course, being a girl, and beautiful and self-possessed; and she was as scornful of me as if she had been one-and-twenty, and a queen.  This kind of grown-up and almost insulting behaviour from someone his own age must have made Pip feel very intimidated and worried of the impression he would give as he clearly likes her when he says being a girl, and beautiful. He may think that if he does not behave in a way that she would consider as appropriate and accepted behaviour of an adult then he would stand no chance in getting to know her better. This makes us feel sorry for him because he is, again, the under-dog. This time to a person, who happens to be the same age as him as apposed to the building and the surroundings that he is in. As Pip gets over the original shock of being put somewhere he has never been with people he has never met before, he begins to take in the house and its surroundings. The house is a very scary place for Pip because he is not used to the vastness and also the dark corridors and hallways. The first thing I noticed was that the passages were all dark and that she had left a candle burning there. Had Pip been used to these surroundings in a great house then he would not have noticed these things but thought it to be normal. Pip comes from a poor family who live in a small house in the country which, again, shows that he would really not feel comfortable in a great house with dark rooms and corridors. During Pips visit to Satis House he meets a woman called Mrs Haversham. Pips first impression of Mrs Haversham are that she is a strange lady who does nothing but sit in her room and feel sorry for herself. I found myself in a pretty large room, well lighted with wax candles. No glimpse of daylight to be seen in it. This is the first thing Pip says in the book when he enters the room. He was probably expecting to go into an open room with large windows letting in the bright day from outside. Pip would definitely have been shocked to see Mrs Haversham sitting on her own in the dim light provided by many candles. When he sees Mrs Haversham he does think she is strange because he says, With her head leaning on that hand, sat the strangest lady I have ever seen, or shall ever see. This was probably quite an awkward moment for Pip as he almost certainly didnt know how to react to seeing her, as he said, Sat the strangest lady I have ever seen, or will ever see. His views of Mrs Haversham are quite likely to be changed as he sees that everything that she has by her or on her is aged and yellow. Everything within my view which ought to be white, and had been white long ago, had lost its lustre, and was faded and yellow. This would seem very strange to Pip as most of the things in his house, that were meant to be white, were white and not allowed to age and go yellow as his strict sister-come-mother would not allow it. When Pip enters the room he says nothing of a greeting as he is so taken a-back by his surroundings and the woman sitting in the chair. When Mrs Haversham finally speaks and breaks the silence she does so in a way that shows to affection or welcoming. Who is it? This is what Mrs Haversham says in welcome to Pip. Its not really what you would expect as a greeting so he probably felt a bit bashful.

The Paradox of American Power by Joseph S. Nye

The Paradox of American Power by Joseph S. Nye INTRODUCTION In the book of Joseph S. Nye, The Paradox of American Power: Why the Worlds Only Superpower Cant Go It Alone, he shows a complete analysis of the elements contained in formulating consistent foreign policy in the post Cold War world. Nye obtains a relaistic thery for analyzing the countless forces at play. The forces which are effective on the foreign policy areas. . This permission to relevant groups, parties to talk at the same language. So, Nye everytime frames the matters for analysis and debate. Nye mentions about the obvious chaos in the foreign policy realm of the asymmetric post Cold War. He regularly, logically and permamently shows a deep insights of fact-driven context. THE AMERICAN COLOSSUS The U.S. have control on the world affiars as never seen before in the past like since Rome. Globalization became like equal with the made in US productions. But this domination will be countinue or end. Power means in the foreign relations that the capability to effect desired aftermaths and alteration the act of others to make this happen. Power in here mainly deals with the military and economic power. And power can be used effectively or ineffectively. Hard Power Military power is the most important element that can rapidly become a dominant interest as we seen in the recent events. Although nations dont accept the direct use of force, they can recruit to private proxies to hire terroist groups against foes. Nye mentions that these terrorist groups is similar to pirates which were compressed by British Navy in the 19th century. For the stabilizing military force can be used to fix the unstable relationships. For example in many Asian and European states were happy with the coming of US military forces for making stabilizate to their environment against to unstable neighbors in usable ways. Economic power has became very vital for modern states by the effects of rasing economic objectives increases. To maximize economic power, a state should obey to market rules. So, in one sense, modern nations muth dipense with sovereign economic powers to the marketsi f they dont willing to dispense with a appreciable degree of their economic durability and welfare. Despots that dont care the welfare of their citizens can reject market rules and contempt at international enforcements. Military and economic power are sortly but deftly analyzed by Nye in the hard power issue. Soft Power There are some cultural, ideological and institutional forces can be counted as soft powers. Maket o people belive that they want something but actually you want that, to coopt citizens rather than enforcing them. And that is what soft power is. Institutions, beliefs, and values can be set off by soft power. Soft power is more than only influence or conviction, its the talent to seduce and attract, whcih can cause to acceptation or imitation and can make easier to endeavors at leadership. Soft power arises from the citizens as well as from government. Govermental and popular soft power effets each others, work individually. Vanity, the idea of discrepancy from others, and a close approach to national interest are the factors that erode the soft power. Soft power arises from the citizens as well as from government. Govermental and popular soft power effets each others, work individually. Vanity, the idea of discrepancy from others, and a close approach to national interest are the factors that erode the soft power. Different contentions of soft power is analyzes by Nye. Different types of powers in different types of nations, he talks about importance of this. Soft power elements effect distinctively in modern countires than in the pre industrial despotisms states generely in the Africa and the Middle East. There are also distinctions in lately industrializing state like China and India. But, contemporary economic and social streams toward rised effect for soft power elements. In the modern world only military power cant assure the success. U.S. Leadership Simple balance of power researches break up when soft power elements are assumed. Oppositely to balance of power elements, the enormous dominance of US power is not actually driving other states to unite against it. The excitative attraction of its soft power elements and its mostly unthreatening attitude towards peaceful nations should avoid such situations if the US does not start to behave in a manner that build up widespread affright and abomination. After the world war second the nations choose to ally themselves to the US against the Soviet Union threat for instance; although the US was so powerfull at that time. That was the Soviet Union which made widespread affright and abomination. Till latelty, Iraq and Iran concerned more about each other than about the US, although both of them never like the US. Nye analyzed that dominant power can make eras of relative peace and create trade ways among the major states of the world. Nye truely is aware of the need for some dominant power which is comprehensively accepted as a headman to restrict and reconcile conflicts, stabilize world wide finance and economy, and encouraging the found to the adjustments and establishment of the institutions necessary for international governance. The U.S. is too strong to be effectively challenged, but lacks the power to alone achieve such desirable goals as nuclear nonproliferation and the minimization of global terrorism. In pursuing its foreign policy objectives, it needs cooperation and coalitions that require a complex array of compromises and accommodations. Vanity and one sidedness can undermine the effectiveness of the US power, especially the adorableness and effects of its soft power policies and leardship style, Nye says. On the other hand, US strategic restricts is comfortingly the open and pluralistic attitude where its external policy is improved decreaces uncertainty and surprise and its desire to engage in the way of international governence guaranty other states a have a say that rises the adorableness of its leadership. The role of United States in the egypt-isreali war is that took office in the temporary full followed the Lebanese civl war and tried to break out of Kissinger s step-by-step process by offering a plan for a comprehensive settlement. The Carter plan was much like the Rogers plan. It called for a gradual Israeli withdrawal to kto its 1967 boundares with only minor expceptions in exchange for recogniton, great power security guarantees, and demilitarized zones on the borders. The Palestinians gradully would receive self-determination in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as an independent state,or in federation with Jordan. Neither the Araps nor the Israelis were ready for such a compromise, and Carter s own elaboratiopns on the plan gave both sides an excuse to avoid it. Carter first said that Israel should have defensible borders, the code word in the Middle East for according Israel nuch of the territory conquered in the Six-day War of 1967. Carter tried t? correct this impression by speaking later of only minor border adjustments and of a Palestinian homeland, both anathema to the Israelis. The Carter plan bogged down in confusion as the new hard line Israeli administration, headed by Menachem Begin, insisted on the right to make Jerusalem Israel s capital and plant new Jerwish settlement on the West Bank. Carter tried to recoup by bringing the Soviets back to into the Middle East negotiations. Cyrus Vance and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko worked out a joint statement on October 1,1977, that called for reconvening the Geneva conferencewithin 3 mounth. There the Arabs and Israelis would negotiate a comprehensive settlement under the auspices of the U.S, the Soviet Union, and the other powers. Immediately Carter run into a hail of criticism. Many Americans denounced the Geneva approach even though they had agreed to it under duress. Carter tries to appease his American and Israeli critcs by insisring that America had no intention of imposing a settlement and by agreeing to alter the U.S-Soviet understanding to allow the Israelis to veto the participation. Doable challenges for the United States dominance are realistically baselined and analysed. China is in compliance with listed leading as a possible resource for many challenges. On the other hand, Chinas economical and miliraty aspect involves so many existential blockes and obstacles not only for gaining achieve world power situation, but even in dislocating the United States as the dominant force in the Western Pasific and Southeast Asian regions. Dependence can be formed of culturally, politically and economically. The most easily measured one of them is economic dependence. It can be seen in branches of trade, foreign aid and direct foreign investment from the core country. Political depence is mostly about with security and foreign military asistance. This dependence relations lead to dependent foreign policies Pro-Core dependent policy; dependent states apply the foreign policies relevant with the core states prefers. Compliance is an explanation of pro-core foreign policies. Compliance is that dependent states will apply foreign policy within the context of their asymmetrical economic relationships. In this situation Core states will provide th e economic aids and perphery state will behave in the foreign policiy relevant with the core states preferences. Periphery state obeys the core states foreign policy desires for the economical supports from the core state. Under normal circumstances dependent states constent to apply to pro-core policies. Anti-core foreign policy requires counter-dependence, compensation. Compliance means that dependent state- periphery, make foreign policy decisions considering the cores wishes in order to be rewarded or not to be punished. Consensus means the elites of periphery who dominates the agenda , have the same ideas with the core country in economic or political arena. Generally, the elites of periphery had been educated in core country so they can adopt culture of the core easily. Counter-dependence means, not to cause a relationship between foreign policy and dependency. The periphery country makes foreign policy decisions without considering the wishes of the core but in the end there occur some sanctions to the periphery country such as an economic or military embargo. Compensation process is implemented by a government that does not strongly oppose economic ties with the core, but must respond to the popular unrest that such an economic relationship creates. The theory of leadership style is regarding to three critical assumptions.: reaction to political constraints, openness to information and motivation for action. On the other hand; there are two kinds of leader according to this theory on foreign policy: goal driven leader and contextually-responsive leader. Goal driven leaders make decision in light of their ideas, perceptions, belief system, passion and ideologies. They act according to their personal standards. Constraints might be an obstacle but they can ignore them. They are less likely to perceive political constraints. They are intent to perceive informations selectively from their environment. It means they take what they want to take. And goal driven leaders are motivated by an internal particular cause, an ideology or a particular set of interests. On the other side; in contrast, contextually-responsive leaders define situations according to expectations and interests of others. They pay attention to confirmation by others such as public,media, interest groups and advisers. Political constraints are important for them. They are open to all informations and they define the problems by checking what the others are advocating and doing. Their motivation for action is in light of acceptance, approval and support. In a dramatic departure in US foreign policy, president Nixon removed the long-standing hostility to communist China to support Chinas admission to the UN in 1971. He visited to China in 1972 as he called a journey for peace. Two governments agreed to broaden scientific, culturel and trade contacts. Nixon was the first president to visit China and the first to visit a nation which the US had no formal diplomatic relations. On the US foreign policy at that time; Nixon and his advisers desired to provide normalization of relations with China with the assistance of relaxation in the restrictions on travel to China and American support of the Chinese nationalist regime on Taiwan. So we can say that; by using ping pong diplomacy ,that means offering in matters to open channels, president Nixon ordered a review of American policy toward China. In briefly; the time of president Nixon is the time of starting the negotiations and cooperations with communist bloc in order to detent the international system. According to Nixon; era of confrontation was ending and the era of negotiations was beginning. In light of Nixon doctrine, that aims at rapprochement with communist bloc particularly China. The Nixons trip to China transformed the structure of international system. The visible purposes of Nixon were to remove the threat to peace and to provide stability among the major powers thanks to using strategic opportunity that derives from developing relationships with both the USSR and China. With the opening the doors to China in terms of trade, culture and travel on foreign policy such as removing embargo against China, supporting China to join into the United Nations, announcing the new policy that supports the China, supporting trade with China and allowing export etc.. , Nixons fundemental purposes were to demoralize North Vietnam and the other communist forces in Southeast Asia and to gain superiority against Soviet Union not so-called new structure for peace or law and order in streets. His plan became clearer when Henry Kissinger became national security advisor. The main purposes of Nixon doctrine was get rid of Vietnam War, to protect the US dominance in world affairs, to prevent the rising economic and political power of Eastern Europe and Japan, which have capability in order to undermine American markets and Washingtons economic policies regarding Vietnam, Middle East etc. And Nixons trip to China was the evidence of these aim. On the other side; China, the m ost revolutionary of communist states, had desire to cooperate with capitalist US in order to deter a Soviet attact. Consequently the trip by Richard Nixon to China was perceived as a great success. Because Vietnam became less obsession. It means Nixon obtained his and the Americans as a whole psychological aim. On the other hand; he attained other national aims regarding nuclear weapons in Cold War era as well. Because the SALT I Agreements 1972 were accepted by both the USSR and the US. Therefore the Anti-ballistic Misilse Treaty is a definitive long-term agreement which contributes the US security. The possibility of nuclear war has been reduced by this treaty. He was contextually-responsive leader when he made foreign-policy decisions about communist bloc and particularly China. . He took all decisions about China and socialist bloc step by step and ignored the ideological view. If he paid attention to the ideology and if the ideology prevented the rapproachement in spite of too many benefits, then we can say that yes he is goal driven. But he had all crucial points of contextually-responsive l eadership. Nixon encouraged his advisers to believe he was not only strong. It means he paid attention to his advisers opinions as all contextually-responsive leaders do as well. He tried to gain acceptance,approval and support. He had the political base on the right which protected him from the charge of being soft on communism. With the assistance of this opportunity, he gained the public support and acceptance of public on foreing policy about China and communist bloc although Nixons trip created like a bomb influence on Americans. In briefly; he was a contextually-responsive leader in this specific foreign policy issue. He took into account all informations from his environment and took decisions with his advisers. His motivation and action were determined in light of state institutions. He tried to gain general support and ignored his capitalist ideology. As Nye mentioned before, he is the first American president who tried to cooperate and rapproche with communist China. Globalization Globalization means that worldwide Networks of interdependence. National borders have became more blurred, but are stil far from irrelative. Nye states that ; Globalization has a sort of formats, however all of them too often economists write like it and the worldwide economy were unqie and the same. But other sizes of globalization have important effects on our day-to-day life. The oldest form of globalization is environmental interdependence says Nye. For instance, the first variola epidemic is recorded in Egypt in 1350 b.c. The disease showed in China in a.d. 49, Europe after 700, the Americas in 1520, and Australia in 1789.24 The plague or black death originated in Asia, but its spread killed a quarter to a third of the people in the Europe in the 14th century. Europeans carried diseases to the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries that blasted to 95 percent of the endemic in population. Since 1973, thirty previously unknown infectious diseases have emerged, and other familiar diseases have spread geographically in new drug-resistant forms. The spread of foreign species of flora nd fauna to new areas has wiped out native species, and efforts to control them may cost several hundred billion dollars a year. On the other hand, not all effects of environmental globalization are adverse. For instance, nutrition and cuisine in both Europe and Asia benefited from the importation of such New World crops as potatoes, corn, and tomatoes, and the green revolution agricultural technology of the past few decades has helped poor farmers throughout the world. Military globalization consists of networks of interdependence in which force, or the threat of force, is employed. The world wars of the twentieth century are a case in point. During the Cold War, the global strategic interdependence between the United States and the Soviet Union was acute and well recognized. Not only did it produce world-straddling alliances, but either side could have used intercontinental miss iles to destroy the other within the space of thirty minutes.Such interdependence was distinctive not because it was totally new, but because the scale and speed of the potential conflict were so enormous. Today, terrorist networks constitute a new form of military globalization. Social globalization is the spread of peoples, cultures, images, and ideas. Migration is a concrete example. In the nineteenth century, some eighty million people crossed oceans to new homes-far more than in the twentieth century.

Macroeconomics Assignment Essay

1)Fiscal policy is the government’s policy with respect to spending and taxation. It is set by the federal government. It impacts our economy in a couple of ways. Since government spending is a component of aggregate demand government spending on goods and services has a direct effect on the level of aggregate demand. Taxes also effect aggregate demand, however they do so indirectly. When tax’s rise or fall, they change the disposable income of households, which alters consumption. 2)All the different government agencies present congress with the total amounts of money they would like to run their agencies for the next fiscal period. Congress haggles and tries to balance a complete budget by approving & disapproving the various amounts. Eventually the budget goes to the Senate for approval & then to the President. 3)Automatic stabilizers are elements of fiscal policy that automatically change in value as national income changes. Three examples of automatic stabilizers are progressive income taxes, welfare benefits, and unemployment benefits. 4)Fiscal policy is different in different economic systems. The government tends to play a larger role in investment spending in developing countries. A reason for this is that state owned enterprises account for a larger part of the economic activity in developing countries then they do in developed countries. Developing countries tend to rely more on government rather than the private sector to build their schools, roads, and hospitals then developed countries do. In developed countries the government tends to spend more on social services then in non developed countries. Governmental taxes also vary. In industrial countries social security taxes are common, while in developing countries they are rare. In developing countries the taxes on international t rade are very important. Fiscal policy differs greatly depending on the economic system. 5)Progressive taxes mean as income rises so does the rate of taxation. Regressive taxes mean the tax rate falls as income rises. Proportional taxes mean the tax rate is constant as income rises. Taxes are usually progressive because they help offset the effect of lower income on spending. 6)Money has many functions. It can be a medium of exchanges, a unit of account, a store of value, and a standard of deferred payment. As a medium of exchange it is willingly accepted for the payment of products and services. As a unit of account we price goods and services in terms of money. This makes comparing relative values easy. As a store of value it is not perishable. It is durable, and has the ability to retain value over a period of time. As a standard of deferred payment debt obligations are written in terms of money values. 7)Liquidity refers to liquid assets. It is a measure of asset that can easily be exchanged for goods and services. It’s important to individuals and businesses to have liquid assets in order to easily make purchases. 8)A financial intermediaries are middle men between savers and barrowers. The role of them in our economy is to provide a safe place for us to deposit our money and earn some interest on it, and to have someone to barrow from if necessary. My bank functions as a financial intermediary by playing the role between a saver and a barrower. I may deposit 100$ in account, making me a saver. The bank may then turn around and loan 90$ to someone else needing to barrow. The bank charges higher interest rates on those who barrow then it pays to those who deposit, this is how the bank makes its profit as the middle man. 9)There are a few different factors that could cause the actual expansion of money to differ from the expansion multiplier. One is if banks hold more reserves than the minimum required, they lend a smaller fraction of new deposits, this reduces the effect of the deposit expansion multiplier. Currency drain (money being withdrawn from the bank and kept in cash) also reduces the deposit multiplier. The deposit expansion multiplier indicates the maximum possible change, not necessarily the real change.

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 8

I'm not sure how long we stayed in the room together. The minutes ticked away on the grandfather clock in the corner, but all I was aware of was the rhythmic sound of Katherine's breath, the way the light caught her angular jaw, the quick flick of the page as we looked through the book. I was dimly conscious of the fact that I needed to leave, soon, but whenever I thought of the music and the dancing and the plates of fried chicken and Rosalyn, I found myself literally unable to move. â€Å"You're not reading!† Katherine teased at one point, glancing up from The Mysteries of Mystic Falls. â€Å"No, I'm not.† â€Å"Why? Are you distracted?† Katherine rose, her slender shoulders stretching as she reached up to place the book back on the shelf. She put it in the wrong spot, next to Father's world geography books. â€Å"Here,† I murmured, reaching behind her to take the book and place it on the high shelf where it belonged. The smell of lemon and ginger surrounded me, making me feel wobbly and dizzy. She turned toward me. Our lips were mere inches apart, and suddenly the scent of her became nearly unbearable. Even though my head knew it was wrong, my heart screamed that I'd never be complete if I didn't kiss Katherine. I closed my eyes and leaned in until my lips grazed hers. For a moment, it felt as though my entire life had clicked into place. I saw Katherine running barefoot in the fields behind the guest house, me chasing after her, our young son slung over my shoulder. But then, entirely unbidden, an image of Penny, her throat torn out, floated through my mind. I pulled back instantly, as if struck by lightning. â€Å"I'm sorry!† I said, leaning back and tripping against a small end table, stacked high with Father's volumes. They fell to the floor, the sound muffled by the Oriental rugs. My mouth tasted like iron. What had I just done? What if my father had come in, eager to open the humidor with Mr. Cartwright? My brain whirled in horror. â€Å"I have to †¦ I have to go. I have to go find my fiancï ¿ ½e.† Without a backward glance at Katherine and the stunned expression that was sure to be on her face, I fled the study and ran through the empty conservatory and toward the garden. Twilight was just beginning to fall. Coaches were setting off with mothers and young children as well as cautious revelers who were afraid of the animal attacks. Now was when the liquor would flow, the band would play more loudly, and girls would outdo themselves waltzing, intent to capture the eyes of a Confederate soldier from the nearby camp. I felt my breath returning to normal. No one knew where I'd been, much less what I had done. I strode purposefully into the center of the party, as if I'd simply been refilling my glass at the bar. I saw Damon sitting with other soldiers, playing a round of poker on the corner of the porch. Five girls were squeezed onto the porch swing, giggling and talking loudly. Father and Mr. Cartwright were walking toward the labyrinth, each holding a whiskey and gesturing in an animated fashion, no doubt talking about the benefits of the Cartwright-Salvatore merger. â€Å"Stefan!† I felt a hand clap my back. â€Å"We were wondering where the guests of honor were. No respect for their elders,† Robert said jovially. â€Å"Rosalyn's still not here?† I asked. â€Å"Y know how girls are. They have to look just ou right, especially if they're celebrating their impending marriage,† Robert said. His words rang true, yet an unexplainable shiver of fear rushed down my spine. Was it just me, or had the sun set remarkably quickly? The revelers on the lawn had changed to shadowy figures in the five minutes since I'd been outside, and I couldn't make out Damon within the group in the corner. Leaving Robert behind, I elbowed my way past the party guests. It was odd for a girl to not show up at her own party. What if, somehow, she'd come into the house and she'd seen †¦ But that was impossible. The door had been closed, the shades drawn. I walked briskly toward the servants' quarters near the pond, where the servants were having their own party, to see if Rosalyn's coachman had arrived. The moon reflected off the water, casting an eerie, greenish glow on the rocks and willow trees surrounding the pond. The grass was wet with dew, and still trampled from the time when Damon, Katherine, and I had played football there. The knee-high mist made me wish I were wearing my boots instead of my dress shoes. I squinted. At the base of the willow tree, where Damon and I had spent hours climbing as children, was a shadowy lump on the ground, like a large, gnarled tree root. Only I didn't remember a tree root in that spot. I squinted again. For a moment, I wondered if it could be a pair of intertwined lovers, trying to escape prying eyes. I smiled despite myself. At least someone had found love at this party. But then the clouds shifted, and a shaft of moonlight illuminated the tree–and the form beneath it. I realized with a sickening jolt that the shape wasn't two lovers in mid-embrace. It was Rosalyn, my betrothed, her throat torn out, her eyes half open, staring up at the tree branches as if they held the secret to a universe she no longer inhabited.

Improve Your Business Writing Skills (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Improve Your Business Writing Skills (A Step-by-Step Guide) It can be confusing when we either realize or are told that we need to â€Å"improve our business writing skills.† â€Å"Better business writing" is a murky goal. How then, do we improve our business writing skills? In this post, I am going to outline six steps to start improving your Englishbusiness writing today.This goes beyond business writing tips and tricks and lays out a simple step-by-step process for improvement. You will learn how to correct common mistakes, tricks for better formatting, and how to reduce errors in your writing. 1. Remove the Emotions We can feel a little hurt or defensive any time a weakness is highlighted. Many clients have told me that writing was not something they enjoyed in school and memories of a mean English teacher with a red pen poised to slash an essay apart is still vivid. For others, even though they enjoyed writing in school, they realize that business writing is a somewhat different skill than academic writing. Whatever the emotional response, let it go. The truth is everyone needs to write well at work to succeed. If we’re good at, our careers opportunities improve. Turning your attention to improving your busines writing is all good! Let go of any negative emotions and focus on the career benefit and ease of knowing exactly how to tackle the task of better writing at work. 2. Identify Your Particular Weaknesses and Strengths This can be challenging if the only feedback we have received is we â€Å"need to improve.† Where to begin? There are so many embedded skills in business writing, so it’s important to understand what is working and what needs improvement. There are three essential metrics for business writing: Separate the information/substance/content of a document from the words that express that information/substance/content. There is the information, and there are the words that express that information. We have to look at these separately to identify strengths and weaknesses. Reflect on the information contained in your typical documents. Do your readers have the information they need? Is it logically grouped? Does it flow logically? This is the information or substance of your document. Reflect on the words you use to express the information. This is the syntax, or the way you use words. For a deeper analysis of this issue, read Improve Business Writing Skills to Measure What Matters. While it’s possible to review your business writing skills, it’s hard to be truly objective because we know the facts of our documents so well and we understand what we are trying to express. A professional business writing assessment, which should always be part of a good business writing course is always the best measurement. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, '39de76fa-b005-4d0a-9136-a9a423513681', {}); 3. Review and Correct Your Information and Organization First One of my grandmother’s favorite expressions was â€Å"that’s just putting lipstick on a pig† when someone tried to improve or polish something that was innately flawed. Trying to fix the language and words in your business documents before the information and substance is accurate, relevant, and well organized is just like putting lipstick on a pig. Sentence improvements will never fix gaps in content or disorganization. Review several documents you’ve written at work lately. Review varying types of documents and include email and reports. To hone good information and organization: Define your audience clearly Overtly state the purpose of a document - â€Å"I need my audience to know or do X.† Decide on the major categories of information necessary for your defined reader to know or do what you want. Develop details around these major categories of information. Sequence the information logically. What category would lead best and what category should close? Remember the acronym B.L.O.T - bottom line on top. 90% of business documents should begin with the information most important to your audience. This beginning statement should be the purpose statement you identified while you analyzed your audience. The concluding information should elicit the business response you seek.For example, let’s imagine you are an insurance sales representative and a client has inquired about adding additional flood insurance to her homeowner’s insurance policy. You know this coverage would be beneficial to her, and it would increase business, so you want your reader to understand the benefits and purchase the additional coverage. Your introduction could be:The additional flood insurance coverage would protect your home if it were to flood because of hurricanes, river overflows, or excessive rain. All of these hazards have increased in your area i n the past five years by 36%. Your conclusion should make it easy for your reader to act as you need:To enact this coverage, please sign the enclosed coverage agreement on both pages three and five. Scan the signed coverage agreement into a PDF document and email it back to me by May 13. Look back at your sample work documents. By following these steps, can verify that your information is correct? And, breaking it down will help you identify where you tend to lose focus. 4. Review and Correct Your Format Next Study several different documents you wrote in the past few weeks and ask yourself what formatting enhancements would make them easier to scan. Helpful format elements are: Headings above document categories Indenting text to show it’s a sub-element of the previous information Bullet and number lists Lots of white space Short paragraphs Appropriate use of bold and emphatic text 5. Now It’s Time to Review and Correct Language Everyone makes different grammar and stylistic errors, so nothing will improve your business writing as well as business writing training that includes a professional instructor review of your writing. If that is not possible, you will need to self-diagnose your language and grammar. Grammar Diagnosis Run at least ten recent documents through Grammarly. Grammarly is an excellent spelling and grammar checker that will flag errors and explain what is wrong. You want to look for patterns. If, for example, Grammarly tells you that you made three â€Å"me, myself, and I† errors across your documents, accept that as a strong indicator that â€Å"me, myself, and I† usage is an error you need to correct. Run all of your documents through Grammarly and compile a list of all the errors Grammarly diagnosed. Grammarly is not foolproof, but it’s quite good. Without a professional review of your business writing, it’s the best objective assessment. Grammar Correction The best grammar resource on the Internet is the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL). Use the search button on Purdue’s OWL and search for the first error in your compiled list. Purdue OWL has detailed explanations and exercises to help clarify your understanding and use of that grammar rule. Stay with the exercises until your grammar understanding of this first error is corrected. Once you feel comfortable with your correction of your first grammar error, then move on to the next. Make sure you’re comfortable with your new grammar skills before you move on because grammar correction is primarily a habit of practice. Your grammar skills will improve from awareness and practice. How to Hone Clarity Business writing is notoriously bloated. Instead, business documents should be clear and concise. Fewer words are better than more. Bloat typically creeps in through sloppy verb use. Clarity Correction #1: â€Å"Unsmother† Your Verbs Focus on verbs. They are the action of a sentence, and the best opportunity to enhance clarity. Imagine watching a Bruce Willis movie that shows Bruce napping or knitting or whittling on a park bench for 90 minutes. Bored yet? So too are readers if your writing has little action or wimpy verbs. This article will explain smothered verbs in detail. You will cut at least 25% of unnecessary words by simply â€Å"unsmothering† verbs. Let the verb do its job in a sentence without smothering add-on words. The impact on business writing clarity is amazing. Business Writing Clarity Strategy #2: Avoid Adverbs Choose powerful verbs that connote meaning, which don't need a second modifying word to do their job! For instance: "The attendant shouted loudly." "The attendant shouted," is a perfect sentence. "Loudly" is inferred and extraneous. "The executive ran quickly into the boardroom." "Ran quickly" is wasteful. Pick a better verb. "The executive sprinted into the boardroom" is concise, visual, and lively. Business Writing Clarity Strategy #3: Recognize the Power of Short Words. Years back, some business writers felt they conveyed their intelligence more by using long words when short words worked better. Long words don’t make you sound intelligent unless used very skillfully and judiciously. In the wrong situation, they’ll have the opposite effect, making you sound pretentious and arrogant. They’re also less likely to be understood and more awkward to read. I've always loved Hemingway's response when Faulkner criticized him for his limited word choice: Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use. Example: Fine, but can be improved: It has never been a good writing practice to use big words indiscriminately. Better: It has never been a good writing practice to use big words needlessly. ("Needlessly" is shorter and simpler than "indiscriminately.") Best: It has never been a good writing practice to bloat with big words. (More powerful verb "bloat" instead of the vague verb "use" eliminates the need for modifying adverb "needlessly.") Remember this maxim about business writing: Write to express, not to impress. Good business writers use short words and fewer words well. Richard Lederer sings the praises of the short word to enhance clarity in his book, The Miracle of Language: Here is a sound rule: Use small, old words where you can. If a long word says just what you want to say, do not fear to use it. But know that our tongue is rich in crisp, brisk, swift, short words. Make them the spine and the heart of what you speak and write. Short words are like fast friends. They will not let you down. 6.Ongoing Improvement To Your Business Writing Read good business writing blogs. Our blog addresses business writing improvement specifically. Join 25,000 other monthly readers by subscribing to our newsletter here. Grammar Girl will explain the nuances of grammar very well. Read good writing. Read anything that interests you that is written well - novels, newspapers, good blogs, short stories, or essays. This helps you developskills needed for good writing. If you want to hone clarity, read anything by Theodore White or the short stories of Andre DuBus. These six steps will diagnose and improve your business writing skills. If tackling all of this on your own is too much, contact us for information about business writing courses.We’re here to help.

antigun control essays

antigun control essays I. Intro. - Imagine you are sitting home one night with nothing to do. Your parents have gone away for the weekend and there is absolutely no one around. So you sit around that night watching TV for awhile but find nothing on worth watching. You go on upstairs to your room and get ready for bed. Turn off the lights, lay down, and close your eyes. All of a sudden you here a crash of glass in your kitchen. You rush to your feet and put your ear to the door listening to whats going on downstairs. You begin to hear the voice of two men as they start going through the living room, making their way to the stairs, right outside your room. What do you do? You arent going to confront them since its just you-remember you thought you heard two of them right? Well you are really stuck in your room and all you can do is sit there hoping that they leave soon and dont harm you. Now if it were at my house things would be a little bit different. For starters I would get out my shotgun from my closet and begin to see what is gin on down stairs. As soon as those burglars saw me walking around with a gun, you better believe they would think twice about sticking around any longer. A. 39% of felons aborted a crime due to the victim being armed B. 74% say they avoided dwellings all together if they felt they might be shot. One of the major arguments against the theory that gun control would save lives is that although two-thirds of all homicides are committed with firearms, firearm controls would have no effect on homicide, because human nature is what it is. Even if guns disappeared from the crime scene, criminals would replace them with knives, clubs, axes, or even fists. Guns dont kill people, people kill people. Stated simply, these crimes occur because some people have come to hate others, and they will continue to occur in one form or another as long a ...