Nokia Siemens Networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nokia Siemens Networks - Essay Example The organizational structure of the new company will see its headquarters based in Helsinki, Finland-the home of Nokia. It will also house the company’s Radio access and operational support systems for the new firm. Munich, Germany-the home of Siemens-will have four business units for the new firm. All the sectors of the two companies will be headed by the current executives of the companies both in Finland and in Germany. The technical systems of Nokia Siemens Networks are designed into six business units, these are; Services, Radio Access, IP Networking, Transport, Operational Support Systems, Service Core and Applications and Broadband Access. Individual financial performance, services and products offered by each company differ and therefore the joint venture is expected to incorporate not only the services but also the strategies used by both Nokia and Siemens to improve the new business. Looking at the individual companies, a lot has been done by the two in terms of technologies, skills, human resource, and infrastructure. Siemens is an electronic and Telecommunication Company located in Berlin and Munich, Germany. It is considered one of the greatest and successful companies of all time with well over 461,000 employees and millions of employees in over 190 countries according to 2006 estimates. Siemens has been active in many areas of electrical, communication, construction, medical and transportation sectors. The main business that the company engages in is the communication sector. It offers products, services, and other solutions for industries adopting ICT technology in their day to day running of their businesses. Siemens also provides a range of power and lighting products such as electronic control gear, opt semiconductors, lamps etc.

Work Unemployment And Poverty Essay Example for Free

Work Unemployment And Poverty Essay Introduction The decline of the traditional industries and the emerging of new industries brought changes which resulted in unemployment and poverty. The world wide slump also contributed to the problems of unemployment to the working class individuals. The national government responded to unemployment in positive and negative ways. The growth of poverty had social and political impacts on the individuals. The essay will conclude on the government’s attempts, churches, organisations and other individual’s ways to alleviate the problems associated with poverty. Analyse the occupations and industries of the 1930’s in Britain The occupation and industries of Britain in the 1930’s was heavily industrialised and traditional industries that were available in the 1930s were iron, coal and steel industries. These industries were the most important source of employment for the individual especially in South Wales and Northern England. These industries provided jobs for individuals( individuals were employed as coal miners, peddlers’, iron workers, labours, ship builders etc,) and created the working class and this enabled them to earn incomes to buy goods and pay bills like rent , and a better standard of living. (Tiratsoo, 1997) Upper class and middle class people also invested money and started new businesses and this boosted the economy and increase the number of working class people. At the end of the 19th century the industries started to decline for a number of reasons. Ross 1995 points that the worldwide slump was one of the reason industries closed, wages were cut and millions of individuals were made redundant. Minchton (1969) points that the welsh economy suffered because of the lack of demand for iron and coal because the wars had ended and there was less demand for coal to smelt iron and iron to make iron ammunitions. This resulted in industries getting less orders for exports, making less profit and in addition, coal miners, puddlers, iron workers were made redundant and their wages were reduced . The coal fields and iron ore deposits of South Wales and Northern England were no longer the main source of employment for the individuals. According to Williams (1988), Wales overspecialised and heavily relied with the manufacture of primary industry and this lead to the welsh economy to its decline. Baber and Williams (1986) supports that  the regions primary industry had over –concentrated on coal, steel tin plate and iron and has lead to the downturn of the business cycle. The closure of Dowlais Company in 1931 and the collapse of Palmer’s shipyard in 1931 and the emerging of public services or( white –collar jobs) and electric industries saw the beginning of structural unemployment. (Smith, 1998, 31) Evaluate the changes in industry and their effects upon the individual. However this had negative effects to the individual s during the decline period workers were made redundant and this resulted in high employment rates, their wages were lowered and all this resulted in workers struggling and unable to pay their bills and buying other commodities especially food. Since most of the people had no wage and could not afford to buy things, this resulted in most businesses to go bankrupt and creation of continuous unemployment. (Egan 1987: 15, 20, 26) The emerging of new industries meant that the workforce no longer possessed the skills needed to work in these new industries. The new industries The coal miners from the declined industries were faced with an effect of being unable to get employment in the new industries because their skills were not matching with the new technology skills needed in the new industries e.g. as electric technicians , nursing , teaching and administration. Smith 1998 supports this by pointing out that there was a problem in matching the new jobs to the jobless in the consumer industries and public services . The changes of the old industries to new industries came with more unemployment because the majority of the workforce jobless and could not easily transfer skills, e.g coal miner could not easily adapt to the work of an electrical engineer. Summarise the problems of unemployment and implications for the individual(Lower class, middle class and upper class) In summary the problems of unemployment and implications it had on individuals they were problems associated with unemployment and implications it had on the individuals. The problems of unemployment during the 1930’s were that individuals or the working class were not earning a wage to be able to maintain a good standard of living. This resulted in the unemployed not able to pay their rent and a a result they were evicted from their homes leading homelessness The working class fell on the lower class category . According to Ross 1995, the lower class was 68 per cent of the population  and had to do manual labouring jobs a nd earned between  £50 to  £150 a year and did not own their own homes and they lived in homes that were small poorly built , crowded no bathrooms or electricity. The problems the working class was that there were unemployed and could not get jobs in the new industries because they were unskilled. (Smith 1998) The working class was not able to buy food and this resulted in them eating unhealthy diets and leading to malnutrition. ) . The other problem was that the unemployed the new industries were not located in areas where there was high unemployment for example in old traditional industries, industries like in Methyr Tydfil were located close to raw materials whereas the new industries were located in London, south east and West midlands and they were powered by electricity not coal and goods were transported by road not rail. (Rowe 2004) But however Smith 1998 pointed that most unemployed individuals found themselves better off on the dole than earning a wage. Because, the dole was given , taking the family size into consideration whereas, the wage did not consider the size of the family. The upper and middle classes did not have the same p roblems and implications compared to the working class (lower class). According to Ross 1995, the upper class did not have to work to earn a living they had enough money to live on and were about seven percent of population. The middle classes were about twenty-five percent in population and were the individuals who got employed and had the skills to work in the new industries and they were educated and did not have to manual labouring work. The types of jobs they worked were doctors, lawyers , nurses electricians, brigadier general shop assistants’ administrators and teachers just to mention a few the jobs that the lower class were unskilled in. The middle classes, owned homes, bought cars, new technological goods, such as washing machines, irons and had some savings. However even though some of them lost their jobs during the slump but they were able to survive. (Rowe, 2004) (Ced , 1985) points a good comparison between the lower class and upper class that . A retired Brigadier general who had inherited an ancestral home five years before had already sold half his land , he was also earning  £800 per annum in pension . he owned properties which he collected rent from even though he had lost half of his land he lost  £6000 on Haltry crash and his wife had an income as well. Whereas there was lower class individual who lost his job as a labourer and  with twenty children living in a three bed rented house. This two scenario’s points that it was an unjust society and there was a huge difference between the middle classes and the poor. Even though the rich lost some of their wealth during the slump but they were able to continue with their normal life ate well and lived in a good home and even had extra but for the labourer he lost his job , had twenty children a a wife to feed. He also needed money for rent otherwise him and his family face eviction and homelessness. Explain the impact of unemployment and briefly evaluate the national Government‘s response to unemployment Unemployment caused further implications; the more the workers stayed at home unemployed the more they lost their skills. Also the fact that most women continued in employment after men came back from war meant that some of the jobs that were available to men before war were taken by women. (Smith, 1998) This increase in unemployment led The National Government to respond to unemployment by introducing The Unemployment Act of 1934 which gave family means tested benefits for unemployed individuals. It also helped the unemployed workers to retrain this was good because the individuals however had a basic standard of living however some of the unemployed coal miners and steel workers were no longer interested in looking for work to relying on benefits this resulted in government spending more on benefits . (Smith, 1998) The National Government also introduced the Industrial Transference scheme which meant to that workers were being moved from areas without employment to areas where there was employment. This left older people and young children in areas where there was no employment leaving the areas under populated and areas of employment populated Minchiton (1969) The government also introduced the Special areas act of 1935 which attracted new industries to invest in areas where there was no employment. This was beneficial to South Wales and parts of Scotland (Rowe 2004) The national government also came off the gold standard and the effect of this was that it devalued the pound against the US dollar and resulted in boosting the British economy. The National Government did cut unemployment benefits by ten percent and this lasted till 1934 had an impact on the individual it meant that they had to cut back on things including food.( Rowe 2004) However , Rowe (2004), points that the unemployed benefited during this  period the managed to earn a suburban life, managed to buy car , the new technological gadgets including washing machines, electric cookers irons etc. Explain the growth of poverty and assess its social and political impact. The growth of poverty during this period had social and political impacts. The poverty was caused by unemployment and low wages due to the closure of the old traditional industries, the world wide slump (great Depression), and benefit cuts. The working class (lower class) suffer poverty because the Socially the unemployed were not able to earn a good standard of living. They had no money to pay rent and they lived in appalling conditions, and they were not able to buy the new technological gadgets that had just entered the market. This resulted in some of the unemployed being evicted from their homes or having to rely on family means tested benefits. It also resulted in some of them being opting to relocate to areas where there was employment leaving their families and children behind. According to Tiratsoo (1997), the growth of poverty socially had an impact to the unemployed that were unable to eat a healthy diet and they lacked food and this resulted in malnutrition and physical stresses. Smith 1998 points that, The wives of the unemployed men fund themselves constantly cutting their own diets, medical needs, and clothing in order to keep men in the family ‘ready for work’ Source: Democracy in a depression According to Tiratsoo (1997), the middle classes had bags of disposable incomes; they had private health care, pensions, private education for their children, and lots of leisure time. Whereas the lower classes had no disposable incomes instead there were on benefits. The impact of poverty was that the working classes organised a general strikes of 1926 and it was unsuccessful the government said it was illegal and the middle classes opposed it saying that violence frightened them .The Jarrow crusade of 1936 was sparked by mass unemployment and poverty the march was not successful the government dismissed the marchers and there was no success on this march. (Ross , 1995) Evaluate the attempts at solving the problems associated with poverty The government, charities, churches and other individual tried to solve the problems associated with poverty. The government introduced benefits the mean tested to the unemployed. Charities  like Joseph Rowntree Trust they helped with their writing and research with the wage increases and a pension scheme for the poor. (Ross, 1995) , According to Smith ( 1998) other individuals helped with food parcels and clothes for the poor . The government’s welfare system during the 1930’s was helpful because it brought a relief to the unemployed and reduced poverty even though it was not enough. This essay concludes that the disappearance of the traditional industries and the emerging of new industries brought changes which resulted in unemployment and poverty. The world wide slump also contributed to the problems of unemployment to the working class individuals. The national government responded to unemployment in positive and negative ways. The growth of poverty had social and political impacts on the individuals. The government, churches, organisations and other individuals attempted to alleviate the problems associated with poverty. References, Baber, Colin Williams L, J , ( 1986)- modern South Wales, Cardiff University of Wales Press. Ced , N Gray (1985) ,The worst times: An oral History of the Great Depression in Britain, Scholar Press. Egan, David, ( 1987)- People Protest and Politics: Case Studies in Nineteenth Century Wales (Paperback) , Gomer press Minchinton, W, E (1969), – Industrial south Wales 1750 -1914, Frank Cass and Company Limited, London. Rowe, C, (2004), Britain 1929- 1998, Harcourt Education, Oxford. Ross, S (1995), Britain through the Ages. Britain Since 1930, Evans Brothers limited, London Smith , M, (1998) Democracy and Depression , University of Wales press. Tiratsoo,N (1997),Blitz to Blair , A new History of Britain since 1939, London .

marx Essay -- essays research papers

Marxism is a philosophical system developed by Marx and Friedrich Engels. The theory is also known as dialectical materialism, under which matter gives rise to mind. Dialectical materialism is based on social and political institutions progressively changing their nature as economic developments transform material conditions. This is the basis for communism. The reverse theory would be capitalism. While communism in some forms can be traced to various utopian ideas, the theoretical basis for the communist countries is from Karl Marx, an impoverished German, and his colleague Friedrich Engels. Marx believed that all the evil in the world could be attributed to a class struggle between the "haves," the wealthy, who controlled the means of production and the "have nots," the workers, who actually did the laboring. Marx saw greater and greater wealth being concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer, while the masses, the workers, were being deprived of the rightful fruits of their labors. Marx envisioned a world union of the Working Classes, where the proletariat would arise and overthrow the bosses. Then, with the workers controlling everything, everyone would work to the limits of his (or her) abilities, and everyone would receive all he or she needed. Marx envisioned this taking place first in the highly industrialized countries of Germany and England, not in largely rural and illiterate Russia. Lenin's contribution to Marxist theory was the concept of the weakest link: that Russia, as the weak link in the chain of industrialized countries, should be the first to overthrow the bourgeois and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat. As we can see in recent years, things did not go according to his plan. Marx's economic theories were complicated and mostly very wrong. Central to his conception of economics was the labor theory of value. According to this theory, the amount a product was worth depended on how much labor was put into it. In reality, a product is worth how much you can sell it for. Marx thought that capitalists, the people who owned the means of production, would constantly push to get more and more labor out of workers, the people who comprised the proletariat, so they could get more and more profits. ... ...rx envisioned, there would not be the need to invest hard work and risks for greater returns. Without motivation and hard work, Utopia is only a dream, and living standards will probably seek the lowest level of subsistence. This has proven true in most all such experiments with communism. Even the lowest level in a good capitalist society gains advantages as the standard of living rises. The rising tide raises all boats. Some boats may not be as grand as others but are adequate for those who apply their talents and energy. In the Marxist social model, there is a trend toward mediocrity at best and mere survival at worst. Competition and striving seem to gravitate toward the best of all worlds even for the least of us. We can, in effect, enjoy the fruits of the efforts of others and aid their ascension while enjoying these benefits. Utopia is a situation of unrealistic expectations where there is not a drive to excel and compete. A pie that is small and divided evenly is still a small piece of pie. On the other hand, a larger and more magnificent pie has the potential of satisfying needs although the wedge is narrower.

Analysis Rocking-Horse Winner Essay

People in life who are unware of how they affect others, brings out their struggle with ignorance. This ignorance can hit every aspect of their life. In the short story by D. H. Lawrence, â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner†, a young boy named Paul encounters a rough lifestyle due to fact that nothing is ever good enough for his dear mother, Hester. He takes the burden on himself, and tries to reclaim everything that his mother desperately longs for. As young as Paul is, he takes a huge responsibility in resolving the financial burden of his family. Paul is a crucial character element to the plot and this relationship between the two helps the story unfold. The relationship between Paul and his mother is very unusual compared to your average mother son connection. Being an innocent child, Paul feels that his mother just doesn’t have the luck in life to be happy. From his point of view he felt that the way to get to happiness for himself and his family was to provide monetary materialistic pleasure. Thus ultimately leading to his epic journey for contentment. Hester, Paul’s mother, doesn’t recognize how much of an influence she is on her son’s life. Even though her actions of bad parenting habits and lack of a self-filter, she doesn’t realize that her outlook on life is critically affecting her child’s livelihood. She has a rare way of seeing things, belief in that luck is what brings you money and that without that it you won’t be prosperous. The reasoning behind this is that Paul is constantly hearing the phrase â€Å"There must be more money†, whispering throughout the house. Between the whispering and his mother, Paul witnessing actions of this sort pretty much corrupt himself by the end. Paul has many interactions between himself and the family gardener named Basset on the topic of horseracing. Basset is a veteran at placing bets on horses and he loves it. Paul and Basset come to be great friends when, Paul finds that he is able to come up with the winner of the upcoming derby. Using this to his advantage, Paul enlists the help of Basset to help himself to start winning money. Uncle Oscar gets word of the betting and wants in on the partnership, which is great because Paul finds Uncle Oscar lucky. These interactions between these three characters help secure Paul with a small fortune. Even though Basset and Uncle Oscar never forced him to come up with the winning horse, there were consequences that could not be foreseen. Paul rode his rocking horse hard and put lots of effort into it, sometimes hours upon the horse. Keeping in mind that the reason he did this  was to please his mother with a monetary gain. Sadly before a big derby, Hester finds Paul thrashing upon his rocking horse, falling off in a heap. He yells out the winning horses name â€Å"Malabar† and becomes unconscious. Paul unknowingly took his life for the sake of his messed up mothers eternity. The setting in this particular short story was fairly stagnant. The majority of the time, the setting was at the family’s house in England. Then, a small segment was at a horse race in which Uncle Oscar took Paul to. Setting was relevant to the character Paul, because it mainly revolved around what he was doing. For example, he is the one that wants to provide for the family, so the story follows him and his journey. An important element to â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† is the relationship between the character and how the plot is patterned. The plot is set up in order of sequence of events, Lawrence wrote to where he could follow the thoughts and actions of Paul through a third person point of view. For instance, Paul realizes he can get money for his financial burdened family through the horse races. So in turn, he starts riding his rocking horse for the major derby’s coming up. The author D.H. Lawrence establishes character to bring out the conflict and resolution into the story. Conflict is brought upon the main character, Paul by his mother relating to the fact that the family does not have enough money for what they desire. Her desire for more financial wealth lies at core of all the conflict that happens in the story itself. Paul is the one that is trying to resolve this issue by using his special power of prediction. This story as a whole is a closed plot. Paul eventually ends up dying at the end with his final hurrah of â€Å"Malabar†, making the story have a definite ending. Personally I am satisfied with the way the story ended. It went out with a bang and it’s nice to not be puzzled on how the story could end that way. I am though interested in how the family would survive without not only Paul but the huge money supply he left the family. Wealth is one thing people can go crazy over. Hester is a great example of how ignorance can ruin someone’s life and even majorly affect other people around. Paul was just doing what he thought was morally correct to help his mother and the family. He did his deed without them knowing and never got any appreciation. This unappreciated hero helped give plot to the story and life to the characters.

Obama’s Election and First 100 Days

The American politics proved to be dynamic and changing over the years. The changes was seen huge in a sense that voters no longer consider race and color as a basis on selecting leaders in the country. Many people across the globe are even greatly involved of the latest presidential election since changes in public opinion are evident. In the context of Obama’s election and the first one hundred days of his service as President of the country, we may analyze the American politics in terms of voting behavior, public opinion, elections and political parties. Primarily, the election of Obama as the President can be attributed to his desire to serve the country. Being a community organizer and tough politician in Chicago, he was able to develop a political clout that brought him to where he is now. He is prepared to face the challenges before he ventured into the highest executive post in the country. It is difficult to analyze the development of American politics without understanding the behavior of candidates since it is a factor that affects winning the most coveted seat in American political leadership. In the case of Obama, he persuaded some influential politicians that could endorse him into the presidency. In other words, the determination of Barack Obama to defy all things that would prevent him to win in the presidential elections helped him legally seized power from the past President. Thus, within two years up to his candidacy, he made sure that he would not be involved on nasty and huge political issues to build a name for the voters to choose during the elections. In connection, there are additional factors that led to the victory of Barack Obama in the Presidential elections. These factors include voting behavior, public opinion, election machineries and political parties. In terms of voting behavior, it is apparent that voters are more aware of their rights as well as benefits compared to the past. When Barack Obama rendered his electrifying speech at the Democratic National Convention four years ago, voters and commentators stated that Barack Obama would become the first black President of America (Liberty Lounge 1). This comment catapulted voters to watch over their new leadership prospect and decide to take side on him. The behavior of the voting public is glued on the possibility of electing a black President since Barack Obama was able to shield himself from political detractors along the way. Even young children are aware of the popularity of Barack Obama which made their parents think of the possibility of making him the next President of the country. With that, young voters showed a huge difference in the presidential elections. In fact, young voters volunteered to organize campaign activities for Obama and aided in raising funds for his political machinery. The efforts of these young people contributed so much for the election of the first black President. Many voters also gave comments that the election of Obama is revolutionary, historic, and record breaking. Gone are the days when elections for President are for white Americans only. The American voters are now willing to entrust their future to a black leader in a country wherein race and color resulted to chaos and dilemmas so many years ago. This phenomenon is historic and revolutionary because its huge impact to the voters marked the start of gaining more cooperation, freedom and liberty. On the other hand, public opinion shaped and molded the way for Barack Obama to be elected as President. The role of the news media on his success is vital since the voters could not have considered voting him if not for the massive campaign through news media and other channels of public information. In fact, modern technology magnified the candidacy of Barack Obama. It is also undeniable that Obama expertly utilized interactive social technology. Other means of electoral campaign for Obama includes employing blogs, click-to-donate tools, phone brigade, text brigade, door-to-door campaigns, and even online updates on the election (Sarmiento 1). Besides, presidential and vice-presidential debates that are televised aided voters in choosing their candidates for the elections. Above all, the television media, radio, and print media has done their job well in keeping the electorate informed on the differences of the official candidates for President in America. Hence, public opinion easily shaped the choice of the people for their leader. With respect to political parties in relation to American politics, it is worth to mention that there is a shift from Republican to Democratic. It is clear that citizens and individuals in the United States nowadays were aligned to Democratic Party principles in terms of their political orientation. In the year 2008, majority of the voters leaned to the Democratic Party (Sarmiento 1). The fact is that there were 29 states and the District of Columbia which are involved with increased Democratic Party affiliation (Liberty Lounge 1). Barack Obama is identified with the Democrats and was chosen by the majority of the citizens in the country. In American politics, the aspect of public opinion, political parties, electoral campaigns, and electoral behavior. In these past few days within the first one hundred days period of the leadership of Obama, it is apparent that these aspects of American politics are identifiable. We take a closer look on the results of the electoral behavior and public opinion after the elections. Since Obama inherited economic problems from the past President, he faced tremendous scrutiny from the public on how he would carry on despite the problems. Many activists warned the new administration to refrain from overreaching to the people. It is evident that within the first one hundred days of Obama as President, he started implementing policies in order to save the economy which was questioned by some people. He also initiated the repair of the broken healthcare system, ending two wars, fixing poverty and inequality dilemmas, and wiping the stained US reputation in the world. Although the presence of both Democratic Party and Republican Party within the American political system stimulated the political processes, there is no way to prevent Obama in implementing his ways to improve the country. As conclusion, it is evident that Obama won the elections because of his charismatic aura and ability to render electrifying speeches. This also includes the apparent willingness to inherit economic problems from the past administration and to help the people cope up with the crises. The American political system has also changed from being conservative to a more revolutionary one. Race and color is no longer a barrier in attaining political power in the country. Hence, Obama’s election and first one hundred days may be tremendously scrutinized, yet it marked the start of more revolutionary governance in consonance to the will of solving economic problems as a primary goal. Works Cited â€Å"Analysis: Organization, strategy keys to Obama victory†. 5 November 2008. Liberty Lounge. 4 May 2009 < http://www.libertylounge.net/forums/36978-post-election-analysis-why-obama-won.html.>. Sarmiento, Rene. â€Å"10 Lessons Learned from the US Presidential Elections†. 19 January 2009. ABS-CBN News. 4 May 2009 < http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/features/01/19/09/10-lessons-learned-us-presidential-elections >.

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare is a delightful comedy which plays out a number of Shakespeares best loved themes: confusion between lovers, the battle of the sexes, and the restoration of love and marriage. It also features two of Shakespeares most formidable lovers: Benedick and Beatrice. These two characters spend the majority of the play bickering and thenas in all great romantic comediesfall in love in the final acts.Much Ado About Nothing begins in Messina, soon after the end of a war. A group of soldiers are returning, victorious. Amongst them are Don Pedro, Claudio (a handsome youth) and Benedick, who is known to be proficient both in the art of war and the art of speech. He is also a self-proclaimed woman-hater, who vows he will never settle down. Soon, Claudio falls in love with a noblemans daughter, Hero (a beautiful and quiescent young maiden), and they decide to marry. Heros elder sister, Beatrice, is unlike her sister in that she has a fast tongue. She and Benedick enjoy baiting each other as both are clever and witty.The lovers, along with the rest of Hero and Claudios wedding party, decide to bring Benedick and Beatrice together. They perceive, perhaps, that there is already a spark of love between them. By the time the wedding comes around, the two are very much in love. But love is never easy in Shakespeares plays, and on the eve of the wedding Don Pedros bastard brother, Don John, decides to break up the marriage before it begins by trying to convince Claudio that his betrothed has been unfaithful. Claudio goes on to the wedding and calls Hero a whore, disgracing her before the whole community. Beatrice and Heros father hide the poor girl, and let it be known that she has died from the shame that Claudio unfairly placed upon her. In the meantime, Don Johns henchmen are arrested by the local constable (whose malapropisms create a little comic relief) and the plot to besmirch Heros name is exposed.Claudio is wracked with grief. To make amends, he promises to marry Heros sister, Beatrice. However, when he reaches the altar and lifts his wifes veil, he finds that he is marrying the woman he thought to be dead. The wedding is made into a double celebration when Benedick and Beatrice also decide to tie the knot.The majority of the plot in Much Ado About Nothing revolves around Hero and Claudio, but Shakespeares dramatic sympathies remain very clear. Benedick and Beatrice are ever at the center of our attention. They get the most stage time, as well as the majority of the best lines. With their gentle bickering, they hope to expose the frailties not only of their opponent, but also of his or her entire gender. These interchanges are early examples of what would become the fast-paced exchanges in modern screwball comedy. With Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare also creates the first example of the romantic generic convention of the two romantic leads that love to hate each other. That they are tricked into loving each other is only possible because that love already resides in their hearts. They use their mutual animosity to cover their true feelings. Of course, Much Ado About Nothing is never simply just a romantic comedy. Rather, the play creates a lighter, more frivolous counterpart to some of his darker tragedies. For example, like Romeo and Juilet, we see a lover pretend to be dead, hoping for a Romantic reconciliation with the man to whom she is betrothed. Unlike that tragedy, however, the lover does not realize his mistake too late. The work is one of Shakespeares most serious comedies, and also one of his most human. The back-and-forth between Benedick and Beatrice, and the triumphant finale in which the divine grace of love is celebrated has had a feel-good effect on its audience down the centuries. Beautifully written, and beautiful in its conception, Much Ado About Nothing, is one of Shakespeares most delightful plays.

101 Solution Examples and Structure Professor Ramos Blog

101 Solution Examples and Structure Creating Structure Quick Write What is Academic Writing? The article â€Å"What is Academic Writing?† is a brief introduction to the writing you will be expected to do in college. The article begins by addressing common myths about what academic writing is.  Which ones have you heard before?  Think of one or two more myths, or ideas of writing, that you have heard before. Myth #1: The â€Å"Paint by Numbers† myth Myth #2: Writers only start writing when they have everything figured out Myth #3: Perfect first drafts Myth #4: Some got it; I don’t- the genius fallacy Myth #5: Good grammar is good writing Myth #6: The Five Paragraph Essay Myth #7: Never use â€Å"I† Irvin quotes a study by Lee Ann Carroll about the writing students do in college: What are usually called ‘writing assignments’ in college might more accurately be called ‘literacy tasks’ (7). What do you think she means here? In a short paragraph, write what you think the author is saying. Knowledge of Research Skills The Ability to Read Complex Texts The Understanding of Key Disciplinary Concepts Strategies for Synthesizing, Analyzing, and Responding Critically to New Information Academic Writing Is an Argument To start, let’s focus on argument. What does it mean to present an â€Å"argument† in college writing? Rather than a shouting match between two disagreeing sides, argument instead means a carefully arranged and supported presentation of a viewpoint. Its purpose is not so much to win the argument as to earn your audience’s consideration (and even approval) of your perspective. Characteristics of Academic Writing Clear evidence in writing that the writer(s) have been persistent, open-minded, and disciplined in study. (5) The dominance of reason over emotions or sensual perception. (5) An imagined reader who is coolly rational, reading for information, and intending to formulate a reasoned response. (7) Your professor wants to see these three things in your writing Solution Argument Examples One example of a solution argument essay that we have previously discussed in this class is â€Å"The Danger of a Single Story† by Chimamanda Adichie. To quote a  CNN article on the Danger of a Single Story: Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie believes in the power of stories, and warns that hearing only one about a people or nation leads to ignorance. She says the truth is revealed by many tales. She illustrates this with a story about coming to the United States, as a middle-class daughter of a professor and an administrator, and meeting her college roommate. Adichie says that her roommate’s â€Å"default position toward me, as an African, was a kind of patronizing, well-meaning, pity. My roommate had a single story of Africa. A single story of catastrophe.† Adichie also tells how growing up in Nigeria reading only American and English children’s books made her deaf to her authentic voice. As a child, she wrote about such things as blue-eyed white children eating apples, thinking brown skin and mangos had no place in literature. That changed as she discovered African writers, particularly the Nigerian Chinua Achebe. This is a great quote that highlights some of the moves we need to do in our article. It summarizes her topic, problem she is addressing, and solution; including examples she uses. Topic:  Many people do not realize that they are getting only one story. A single story is incomplete and she says dangerous. Problem:  Having a single story about an issue or group of people leads to stereotypes and incomplete information. Solution:  To look for multiple stories of whatever issue or topic you are hearing. She recommends we get our news and stories from multiple perspectives. Reasons and evidence:  She gives examples from her personal life to highlight that she has a personal connection. Background:  She gives background information, citing quotes and examples that place her issue in a historical context. She also uses current examples to place the issue in a contemporary context. Audience Who do you think her audience is? What do they value? Does she address those values? Sample Essays Clicking Originality Away: Social Media’s Effect On Young Female’s Self Esteem Papers Please! The Illegal Immigration Problem Creating Structure Structure is very important to making an argument. It needs to be deliberate and well organized. You cannot come across as being all over the place. An argument needs order in order for the audience to follow along. Here is one possible outline to use to build your paper: Position (thesis) Background Reason with evidence Reason with evidence Reason with evidence Reason with evidence Counterargument with refutation Conclusion with so what question addressing audience

Interview Storytelling How to Tell a Story During Your Interview

Interview Storytelling How to Tell a Story During Your Interview â€Å"I remember the daffodils were beautiful that summer. I was young then, just starting out, full of optimism and joie de vivre†¦What? My management skills? Don’t worry, I’m getting to that part eventually.† One of the best things about the in-person (or phone) job interview is that it gives you a chance to take your sterile-looking, rigidly bulleted resume and create a more rounded narrative of yourself and your career. But it’s an area that takes a bit of skill and finesse. You don’t want to end up way out in Tangentville, but you also don’t want to seem like you can’t back up the information on your resume.Find Your NarrativeBefore the interview, it’s important to limber up by coming up with the narrative you want to express during the interview. Is it that you’re a tough leader who always wants to improve? Are you a problem solver who thrives on challenges? Once you work out what you want to achieve with your interview (and what works well with the job description), you can shape your stories and anecdotes to bolster that narrative.Storytelling isn’t just a way to package yourself, it’s also a way to pull in the interviewer and make them care more about the person and resume sitting in front of them. [via DynamicYield]What to Talk AboutAt The Muse, they recommend having six types of stories in your pocket for any interview:Solving ProblemsProblem solving is a very highly regarded skill for hiring managers. They need to know that you’ll step in and be able to handle things on your own.Talk about: You resolved a conflict between two coworkers, or between you and someone else. You came up with a solution to a crisis at the last minute. You identified an area of cost savings that helped save a budget crisis.DON’T talk about: The time you brokered a peace deal between your two fighting frat brothers, or between your mom and Aunt Susan at Thanksgiving. Unless you ma naged a peace deal in the Middle East in your spare time, stick to work-related stories.Overcoming ChallengesEveryone loves the underdog, right? And sure, it’s good to have examples of when things went well, but many interviewers want to know about how you do when things aren’t going so well. In this story, it’s important to identify the challenge, but more important to show how you conquered it successfully.Talk about: You had a difficult relationship with your boss, but came to an understanding. You found a new and more efficient process for doing something that used to take hours. You had a crazy deadline for a project- and met itDON’T talk about: How you started waking up on time after you got in trouble for constantly coming in late.Bouncing Back from MistakesYou’re not perfect. Spoiler alert†¦the interviewer knows that. The trick here is turning mistakes to your advantage. It’s important to be selective here; you want to pick some thing that wasn’t too egregious, and also something that shows real professional growth. Be sure to focus on the outcome (how you’ve pivoted and this mistake made you stronger) over the mistake itself.For this one, you not only have to be a storyteller, but also a spinmaster. It’s important to show that you’re a better and stronger employee for the experience, which of course wouldn’t be repeated in your new job.Talk about: A mistake you made early in your career that made you better at your job. A knowledge gap that you worked hard to address.DON’T talk about: The time you almost got fired for negligence. A major mistake you made for which you never got caught. The time you hit reply-all to make a snarky comment about someone on the email chain, even though you meant to forward it to your friend Jake only. Or the confidential company information that somehow got made public via your Twitter account.Making Good DecisionsThis is not the time for an elaborate story that ends with your colleagues carrying you out of the conference room on their shoulders, chanting your name. Look for stories that show how you took charge of a situation, or managed others to a successful outcome.Talk about: The team you led to a successful year of sales. The event you organized (and went well). The project you spearheaded.DON’T talk about: Successful initiatives where you weren’t actually the person in charge. It’s a dangerous game, taking credit for things. You never know who knows whom, and what can be factchecked as soon as you leave the interview.Working Well with OthersYou don’t have to be the shining leader here, it’s more about how you interact. This one is pretty flexible- any kind of project you’ve done in conjunction with other people will do. Colleagues, clients, volunteers, all are potential teamwork stories.Talk about: The event you organized in conjunction with others. The high-profil e project that involved several different departments.DON’T talk about: Times you didn’t get along with others, or had conflicts.Being, You Know, a Real PersonSometimes you get a bit of a wildcard, an interviewer saying, â€Å"So tell me about yourself.† Rather than launch into a chronological timeline of your education and experience, pick a story or two that expresses your priorities and values. It doesn’t have to be strictly related to work, but if you can use it to shore up one of the big skills (leadership, problem solving, commitment, etc.), all the better.Talk about: You’re training for a marathon. You speak three languages and are working on a fourth. On weekends, you volunteer at a farm for rescued mongooses.DON’T talk about: Inappropriate personal stories. Health issues. Political activities.How to Frame Your StoriesGood interview stories do two things:1. They tell the interviewer something about you that goes beyond your resume bu llet points.2. They engage the interviewer.It’s the same as any story you tell, whether you’re hanging out at a cafà © with friends or in a job interview: you want to tell it in the best, most entertaining way. This does not mean you need to adopt a Catskills comedian persona (â€Å"take my boss†¦please!†), but it’s worth the effort to put a little sparkle on your stories, even if they’re just meant to flesh out the bullet points on your resume.Make the listener care about what you’re saying.Try to tie things back to the job at hand. If you’re talking about leadership skills, talk about how your past leadership makes you a great fit for this job managing three employees. Show the value of these stories to the company that might hire you.Stick to the important points.These stories should be short (maybe only a few sentences). You want to make sure you zero in on the most important details: who, what, when, where, and how it appli es to this new job.Be upbeat.People respond to tone, and if you try to keep the story light and professional, it helps maintain that tone for the overall interview.Make sure there’s a clear ending.You don’t want to trail off, or wrap up with a weak, â€Å"So†¦yeah.† End on a strong note about your goals or what you hope to achieve in this new job.Keep it as short as possible.Here, the sweet spot is somewhere between one-or-two word answers and a ten-minute monologue. Try out some standard answers to interview questions as part of your pre-interview prep. Time yourself†¦if you feel like you’ve been talking for a while without coming up for air, you probably have. If you find that your story is going more than a minute or two, start thinking of spots where you can cut it down.What Not to DoWhen thinking about the stories you want to tell in an interview, the things not to do are just as important as the story itself.Don’t use a timeline.Thi s happened, and then this happened, and then this other thing happened.† I’m already asleep, can you repeat that last event? Instead, try a pattern of â€Å"this happened, and this was the result. What I learned from this was†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Don’t use jargon.Try to keep terms as universal as possible. If you’re talking to someone whom you know is familiar with them, or they’re culturally appropriate to your industry, it’s okay to use specific words, but don’t take for granted that everyone will know what a GMU report is if they haven’t mentioned it before.Don’t make stuff up.The truth is always the best in a job interview scenario. Even if it would make for a better story if you accepted the Nobel Peace Prize at the end, it’s not worth the embarrassment of getting caught in a fib.Don’t leave the professional zone.Even if you’re asked to talk about hobbies or personal interests, don’t use that as an excuse to list all of your pet topics. Pick one or two that you can talk about, and for goodness’s sake, make sure they’re work appropriate. (Any story where your friend had to bail you out- not great.)Moral of the StoryAt the end of the interview, you want to feel like you’ve achieved a good balance between the you-on-paper (your resume) and your presentation. Using stories and anecdotes to show (not tell) how those bullet points and skill actually shape your career is a great skill to have, and just takes a little practice.

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business Assignment

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business - Assignment Example (Recall.gov, 2010) The other aspect that needs highlighting is that the company must not violate the ethical and normative rules of business by pushing defective products into the market. Hence, I would stress on the damage to the company’s reputation and consequently to the bottom line apart from issues of ethics and responsibility. In case where defective products have been shipped to the customers, I would deal with care and caution as there are multiple issues involved here. First, customers have to be informed in a manner that would not alarm them and also alert them as to the steps that the company is taking to ensure the recall or replacement of defective products. At the same time, the customers should not perceive the company in a bad light and hence, the communication regarding the recall or replacement of the defective products must be done in a responsible and honest manner. Honesty is especially important as the trust that has been built up by the company must not be lost. Hence, I would assure the customers of the company’s resolve not to repeat the occurrence of defective products being sold. Further, I would invite them or the representatives of consumer watchdogs to come and visit our facilities to see for themselves the steps being taken by us to ensure that we sell only quality products . (Wired.com, 2010) The answer to this question flows from the last few sentences of the previous answer. First, I would take to task the employees responsible for the situation and ensure that key personnel who are in charge abide by the company’s directives and are committed to the vision and mission of the company. Next, I would immediately order a review of the processes and procedures and remove any bottlenecks that are holding up quality. Finally, I would direct the marketing and corporate communications departments to convey and communicate the company’s resolve not to repeat the same in a clear

NYC Department of Education Teachers of Speech Improvement Essay - 1

NYC Department of Education Teachers of Speech Improvement - Essay Example The first learning strategy that needs to be implemented is to incorporate the utilization of the auditory process itself. Some children are prone to be weak in attention and memory that leads to speech impairment. Teachers can help with students to assist them in slowing their rate of speech which focuses on enunciation. In addition, factors such as visual cues can further dramatically increase focus and memory. Moreover the utilization of eye contact can also be embedded at this strategy. Eye contact is an absolutely necessary element that has many benefits. First and foremost is the fact that a steady eye contact induces confidence for the student who is presenting. Eye contact also enables the student to acknowledge the body language of the audience, which may assist the student in modifying their speech. Maintaining a steady eye contact enables the student to better understand the environment they are in. The second learning strategy that is an absolute must is the utilization of group sessions in which students will engaged in a collaborative learning effort. This unique strategy will enhance dialogue amongst students, stimulating conversation and collaborative learning. Although this strategy might be underestimated, conducive research shows that that student who are likely to be involved in conversations are more likely to enhance their linguistic skills. The third learning strategy that is extremely essential is focusing on the syntax of the vocabulary. Using expressive language goals for children will induce focus on vocabulary development. It will give the children a boost of confidence. Helping children with syntax goals comprises of developing phrases and sentences. In addition, it can also focus around isolationing sounds and words with the emphasis on enunciation. Speech therapists can facilitate the process with repeating syllabuses that can help reduce cluttering. This

Differences in Setting Up a Business in China vs India Research Paper

Differences in Setting Up a Business in China vs India - Research Paper Example A major difference between China and India lies within the political systems of the two countries, with China having the Communist Party system while India having a democratic system. This provides India with numerous comparative advantages over China (Nobrega, 2008). In spite of the laziness of the courts in India, the legal system protects the property rights whereas intellectual property rights are frequently violated in China and business is done primarily through interpersonal networking; a concept known as guanxi (Adams, 2007). In terms of the political systems, China is following market reforms economically which encourages business models that are capitalist-based and allows more free trade than India. India, on the other hand, has a system of commerce that was based upon the Soviet model until the 1980s, and has ever since, reforming to follow China in terms of freedom of trade and establishment of the capitalist-based business models (Runckel, 2007). China and India have co mparable trade barriers and reduced tariffs. However, China is more liberal for the international companies than India. China has removed restrictions on the retail trade and is modernizing the sector with huge investments whereas, in India, international companies find greater restrictions. For example, a US corporation can have just one director to establish its business in China whereas for it to establish a business in India, a minimum of two directors are required (inchincloser.com, 2010).

LifeStyle Lift Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LifeStyle Lift Company - Essay Example LifeStyle Lift Company operates in an industry characterized powerful buyers. The company’s target market is mainly women aged between 50 and 70 years. LifeStyle Lift’s buyers are highly responsive to product price, credibility, quality as well as accessibility. High insurance cost in the industry makes it difficult for buyers to switch from one firm to another. In order to minimize the threat of high bargaining power of buyers, the company can offer excellent customer service and ensure high transparency in its operations. LifeStyle Lift Company needs to establish competitive advantage over its rivals in order to do business successfully. It needs operation precision machinery and operation tools that can ensure efficient and effective service delivery to customers. There are few medical companies supplying LifeStyle Lift with the resources it needs to serve its target market effectively. Few suppliers in the industry mean high supplier bargaining power and hence high product prices. Currently, the company is more focused on the prices of its products rather than quality. However, it is difficult for companies in the industry to change suppliers because the business is more specialized. Some of the barriers to entry in LifeStyle Lift’s market segment include insurance and legal requirements, which are both financial and regulatory. However, the barriers to market entry are not meant to discourage foreign firms from invading the local markets and hamper global growth of the

Are the constructive trust rules affecting co-owned housing based on Essay

Are the constructive trust rules affecting co-owned housing based on the common intention of the parties - Essay Example First and foremost, intimate relations are based on trusts and this is particularly important where â€Å"individual autonomy† is ceded in reliance and trust on the perpetuation of shared goals and objectives.3 Secondly, the rules applicable to constructive trusts recognize that the intimate bond can be broken and equity will intervene to ensure that one party is not unjustly enriched to the detriment of the other.4 Thus the rules of constructive trust are designed to interpret and affect co-owned housing in circumstances where factual evidence contradicts the legally documented ownership of the house in question. The courts do not automatically interpret the mere existence of a relationship at time the house is acquired as evidence of co-ownership. The courts are guided by the concept of unconscionability and refer to the common intentions of the parties in determining what is conscionable or unconscionable. The main idea is to determine whether the common intentions of the p arties are sufficiently made out to justify a claim to co-ownership against the legal title to real property.5 Thus it is argued that the rules of constructive trusts affecting co-owned housing are based on identifying the common intentions of the parties. This paper demonstrates how the courts have relied on the identification of the common intentions of the parties to determine whether or not it would be unconscionable to enforce ownership by reference only to the legal title. The first part of this paper therefore examines and analyses the doctrinal basis of constructive trusts and the second part of this paper demonstrates how the common intentions of the parties forms the basis by which co-owned housing is interpreted under the rules of constructive trusts. The Doctrinal Basis of Constructive Trusts The result of a court finding the existence of a constructive trust is twofold. First the court may order that one party compensate another or that one party â€Å"convey a particu lar right† to another.6 It is this characterization of the constructive trust that has given way to criticisms that the constructive trust is no more than a fiction created by the courts and is not comparable to an express trust. More specifically it is argued that the constructive trust is confusing and with an unclear doctrinal basis because it interprets entirely personal matters relative to property and thus does not follow a clear and concise doctrine.7 Despite the criticisms about the nature and doctrinal basis of the constructive trust, it is based on a sound doctrine: the equitable distribution of property.8 As Hudson explains, the constructive trust serves a practical purpose. It provides a means by which the courts may imply a trust so that â€Å"justice is done on the facts before† the courts â€Å"on the basis of preventing unconscionable conduct†.9 It therefore follows that constructive trusts are not based on a doctrine that facilitates random distr ibution of property. Rather, the constructive trust is applied â€Å"to ensure that an ethical notion of good conscience is maintained in English law.†10 The House of Lords puts the doctrinal basis of the constructive trusts in its proper perspective by noting the equity has always focused on the conscience.11 Hudson argues that constructive trusts are imposed: ...on the basis of the defendant knowing of some factor which affects her conscience in

Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Topic - Essay Example Thereby, as per Epicurus, every individual is free to lead the kind of life one wants to lead and to choose the values that one respects and considers sacrosanct and worthy. Hence, it is quiet not possible to understand the dogmas of Epicureanism, without paying heed to the importance that Epicurus endows on free will and the human capacity to engage in rational decision making. Consequently, the restraint suggested by Epicurus in the sphere of simple living and parsimony needs to be understood in the light of these innate human capacities. As per Epicurus there is a limit to simple living and any individual indulging in the extremes of simple living is as likely of being erroneous as the one who engages in prolific extravagance. As per Epicurus, every person tends to seek pleasure in life. To put it in simple words, each and every individual tends to aspire for a life that is endowed with a measure of gratification and happiness. The values like honesty, prudence and justice cease t o hold a pragmatic and viable meaning in case an individual’s life is totally devoid of pleasure. ... Epicurus suggests that while opting for a viable choice in the matters or simplicity and for that matter any other value, one needs to ascertain the amount of pleasure and pain it would lead to and thereby should decide matters while weighing the one against the other. As per Epicurus, â€Å"Necessity is a bad thing, but there is no necessity to live with necessity (36).† Thereby, if one tends to translate the Epicurean philosophy in the matters of simple living, it amply gets clear that Epicurus vehemently stands against any such idea of simple living that not only augments the content of pain in life, but also deprives one of the minimal necessities required to lead a fruitful and happy life. Extremes of simple living expose life to a situation of dearth and necessity that eventually gives way to pain and hurt. Epicurus warns the human intellect against ascribing to this idea of leading a simple life that unnecessarily augments pain and necessity and consequently dilutes ple asure or happiness. As per Epicurus, â€Å"Life is ruined by delay and each and every one of us dies without enjoying leisure (36).† Thereby, it gets quiet evident that Epicurus is totally repugnant of the idea of adhering to extremes, whether it be living an extremely simple life that is ascetic in its approach and deprives the human experience of all pleasure, or adhering to a life of profligacy and extravagance, which force the human consciousness to make comprises in the quest for extreme pleasure, and thereby eventually getting mired in the bog of pain and dearth. Thereby, the Epicurean approach towards the matter of living a simple life is one of moderation and balance, which on the

Are the constructive trust rules affecting co-owned housing based on Essay

Are the constructive trust rules affecting co-owned housing based on the common intention of the parties - Essay Example First and foremost, intimate relations are based on trusts and this is particularly important where â€Å"individual autonomy† is ceded in reliance and trust on the perpetuation of shared goals and objectives.3 Secondly, the rules applicable to constructive trusts recognize that the intimate bond can be broken and equity will intervene to ensure that one party is not unjustly enriched to the detriment of the other.4 Thus the rules of constructive trust are designed to interpret and affect co-owned housing in circumstances where factual evidence contradicts the legally documented ownership of the house in question. The courts do not automatically interpret the mere existence of a relationship at time the house is acquired as evidence of co-ownership. The courts are guided by the concept of unconscionability and refer to the common intentions of the parties in determining what is conscionable or unconscionable. The main idea is to determine whether the common intentions of the p arties are sufficiently made out to justify a claim to co-ownership against the legal title to real property.5 Thus it is argued that the rules of constructive trusts affecting co-owned housing are based on identifying the common intentions of the parties. This paper demonstrates how the courts have relied on the identification of the common intentions of the parties to determine whether or not it would be unconscionable to enforce ownership by reference only to the legal title. The first part of this paper therefore examines and analyses the doctrinal basis of constructive trusts and the second part of this paper demonstrates how the common intentions of the parties forms the basis by which co-owned housing is interpreted under the rules of constructive trusts. The Doctrinal Basis of Constructive Trusts The result of a court finding the existence of a constructive trust is twofold. First the court may order that one party compensate another or that one party â€Å"convey a particu lar right† to another.6 It is this characterization of the constructive trust that has given way to criticisms that the constructive trust is no more than a fiction created by the courts and is not comparable to an express trust. More specifically it is argued that the constructive trust is confusing and with an unclear doctrinal basis because it interprets entirely personal matters relative to property and thus does not follow a clear and concise doctrine.7 Despite the criticisms about the nature and doctrinal basis of the constructive trust, it is based on a sound doctrine: the equitable distribution of property.8 As Hudson explains, the constructive trust serves a practical purpose. It provides a means by which the courts may imply a trust so that â€Å"justice is done on the facts before† the courts â€Å"on the basis of preventing unconscionable conduct†.9 It therefore follows that constructive trusts are not based on a doctrine that facilitates random distr ibution of property. Rather, the constructive trust is applied â€Å"to ensure that an ethical notion of good conscience is maintained in English law.†10 The House of Lords puts the doctrinal basis of the constructive trusts in its proper perspective by noting the equity has always focused on the conscience.11 Hudson argues that constructive trusts are imposed: ...on the basis of the defendant knowing of some factor which affects her conscience in

Analysis of a Key Scripture of Buddhism Research Paper

Analysis of a Key Scripture of Buddhism - Research Paper Example Within a framework of the present study, the Vimalakirti Sutra has been selected for analysis. This text is claimed to have been composed in India approximately in early 2nd century CE . Representing a story of a certain Vimalakirti, this sutra provides a sophisticated theological account of the concept of bodhisattva as the ideal form of attaining the Awakening, which is contrasted and compared with the traditional Buddhist idea of arhat. Nonetheless, the Arhatship is far from being rejected in the text of the sutra; on the contrary, the text purports to provide instructions for both categories. The main thrust of the Vimalakirti Sutra is aimed at the followers of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism. This tradition encompasses a number of Buddhist schools and sects that, despite their manifold differences, agree on the necessity of helping the other being to achieve Awakening, rather than purely individual efforts at attaining this condition themselves. The former variant, known as t he Bodhisattva Path, is construed as involving the dedication of life energies of the prospective bodhisattva to the assistance to other living beings, rather than disappearing from the worldly existence (sa?sara) at the end of the personal lifetime, as in the case of traditional concept of arhat. The collectivist impulse found in Mahayana allowed it to become more popular than traditional ‘Southern’ schools of Buddhism in many regions of the world, including Japan, Mongolia, China, etc. The Mahayana Buddhism was not, however, a completely laymen-based phenomenon, as there is strong evidence that the monastic spiritualists play an important part in its development (Mitchell 97). The main aim of Mahayana devotees has always been the definition of the essence of the ‘Great Vehicle’ that can allow them to reach the condition of Buddha through the path of Bodhisattva. Such Great Vehicle was eventually associated with the altruistic desire (bodhicitta) to assist the other mortals in achieving the Awakening necessary to free themselves from the shackles of earthly existence. Various Mahayana schools used differing terminology to describe the specific stages that must be passed on the way to the state of Bodhisattva, but eventually the majority of Mahayana teachers laid down the sequence of Ten Stages that are to be passed by the true Bodhisattva, with generosity, morality, tolerance, effort, concentration, and true wisdom being the most important virtues of this set. It is worth noting that it was the Vimalakirti Sutra that introduced this canon of virtues of Bodhisattva for the first time in history of Mahayana school. The role of the Vimalakirti Sutra for the adherents of Mahayana Buddhism is rather encompassing, as this is the text that laid down some of the most important tenets of Mahayana doctrine. The main subject of the sutra is both practical and philosophical, as it combines the discussion of the most important themes in Buddhist ontology (e.g. the concept of ‘emptiness’, or sunyata) with the practical advice and contemplations on the integration of Mahayana Buddhist practices in daily life of the devotee. The Vimalakirti Sutra played an important role in further development of Mahayana cosmogony; by introducing the concept of ‘Buddha-field’, it has connected the notions of cosmic existence inherited from the Hindu tradition with the specifically Buddhist philosophy of

Ant 101 Australian Aboriginals Essay Example for Free

Ant 101 Australian Aboriginals Essay The Australian Aborigines are a nomadic band of people that roam the outback of Australia. They walk for miles a day, rest at night, and then walk some more the next day. The men kill the animals of Australia for food and the women gather what roots and berries that they can find. They travel from place to place according to the seasons. They go where the food is. The Aborigines know that they cannot control the weather or the condition of the land so they learn to live with it. They believe that all plants and animals contain a spirit. They treat nature with respect knowing that the land will provide what they need for their survival. They are a kinship band that has many families. They use the method of general reciprocity to survive. What one male of one family kills for food, they share with the other families in the band, expecting nothing in return. They also use the balanced reciprocity. When they meet other bands they will trade left over food or other items for something of equal value. There are small markets where they can take their belongings and trade for things that they need. The Aborigines believe in the cross-cousins marriage. They marry within the family. Cross-cousins are the children of the opposite-sex siblings. They marry their uncle’s or their aunt’s children. The male will usually move in with his new wife’s family and help to furnish food and other things that they need. Divorce is very easy among the bands because there is no property to divide. It is usually the woman who initiates the divorce. When she gets tired of her mate, or decides that she want Aborigines 4another mate, she leaves him. When a couple no longer sleeps together, then they are considered divorced. When a couple divorces it usually does not affect the family ties. If the woman is breastfeeding then the baby goes with her. The children that are old enough can choose which parent they want to live with. Since they are all in the same family, custody is shared. The men are considered the hunters of the band and the women are the gatherers. The women are the ones who control the population. Because of their constant roaming, their children must be at least 4 years apart. Breastfeeding is a natural form of birth spacing. While a woman is breastfeeding she produces a hormone that stops ovulation and they cannot get pregnant. They cannot carry more than one baby at a time so their other children must be old enough to walk. It is not unusual for a woman to kill or leave a newborn behind to die because of deformity or starvation. They will mostly kill the female and try to keep the male. A Shaman is a healer among the people. They can be male or female, depending on the cultural rules. In some cultures, shamans use their power to cause rather than heal illness. Shamans who make people sick are sometimes said to be using sorcery. Among one Aboriginal community, bad feelings can be caused between groups if it is believed that sorcery has caused someone to die. Religion among the Aborigines is more spiritual. They believe that every living thing has a spirit. Also that a certain totem gave birth to their ancestors in a mythical time and that it holds their spirits. They also believe that the totem controls their health and wellbeing. Their belief is so strong that they will have certain rituals to make sure that the totem is taken care of. Aborigines 5 They believe that Dreamtime is the time that the earth was created. It is what the aborigines live by. Dreamtime has different meanings. They are the source of all spirits, the moral order, ancestral beings and the period of creation. It can all so mean a totem’s spirit. And a certain lay of the land. They believe that their ancestors put certain spirits on the earth during Dreamtime. Also that their ancestors still exist in Dreamtime and they can be used to bridge the natural world with the spiritual world. They believe that the ancestors walked the earth during Dreamtime and marked the territories for all the bands. They also created singlines. They are songs that describe certain mountains and lays of the land so that the bands know what to look for and which way to go in their travels. The Aborigines are adapting to the modern world. They are working with the organizations that are helping them to get ownership of their territories, using dreamtime and songline to point out their boundaries. Aborigines6 Conclusion The Aborigines are a resourceful group of people that get along with nature and know how to survive in the wild. I believe that they will be here for a long time. Aborigines7 Resources Barbara Nowak and Peter Laird/ Cultural Anthropology/ Chapters 3 and 4/ Ashford Libraries.

How Do You Respond To Mid-Term Break? What techniques does Heaney use? :: English Literature

How Do You Respond To Mid-Term Break? What techniques does Heaney use? Having read the title Mid-Term Break, I assumed that the poem Having read the title ‘Mid-Term Break’, I assumed that the poem was about a student’s holiday abroad or something similar, however as I progressed through reading the play, I realized that it had a different meaning. The poem has a very deceiving title, a mid-term break is supposed to be a joyous time of holiday but here Heaney must deal with the death of a family member. This misleading title is the first technique used by Heaney to attract the attention of the reader. The poem is also told in first person and this gives the effect that the emotions come straight from the boy to the reader. We respond directly to the boy, which provokes greater sympathy in us when we find out that his brother dies. The first stanza is telling us that the boy is away from home, isolated, upset and waiting. It is made up of short sentences to build up tension and create shock as though the reader is expecting something to happen. One phrase that struck me was ‘our neighbors drove me home’. This suggested to me that something had happened as usually a student’s parents take them to and from school. We then find out that the father, apparently always strong at other funerals, is distraught, while the mother is too angry to cry. Also the euphemism used by ‘Big Jim Evans’ – ‘it's a hard blow’. Having read this I thought it suggested that he probably is afraid to express his condolences and tries to make it as manly as possible. But later I realized that ‘Big Jim Evans’ is speaking of a metaphorical ‘blow’ as we find out that the boy was killed in a car crash. Heaney then walks into the living room and is met by older men. They stand to greet him and they shake his hand and one says ‘Sorry for my trouble’. This was rare for him because these men were treating him as an equal and I was confused at this point as to why older men were apologizing to a young boy and turned to respect him. This is another technique used to create more tension. By telling us his emotions "I was embarrassed" we have a better idea of the atmosphere around him. We can tell by the tone in which the boy introduces his family, that he is not content with the current situation. He then enters the bedroom of his brother.

The Salem Witch Trials :: American America History

The Salem Witch Trials Why do you hurt these children? I do not hurt them. I scorn it. Have you made no contract with the devil? No! Mr. John Hathorn, a Judge involved in the witchcraft case of Sarah Good, then asked all of the afflicted children to look upon her and see if this was the person that had hurt them so. They all gazed at Goody Good and said that this was the person that tormented them-presently they were all tormented. Puritanical beliefs had all of Salem truly believing that witches rode on broomsticks across the sky every night alongside the devil himself. They believed that these mere humans could send their "specter" out and haunt the children of their town. Proof of their belief follows, in an excerpt from Cotton Mather's Memorable Providences: Go tell Mankind, that there are Devils and Witches; and that tho those night-birds least appear where the Day-light of the Gospel comes, yet New-Engl. has had Exemples of their Existence and Operation; and that no only the Wigwams of Indians, where the pagan Powaws often raise their masters, in the shapes of Bears and Snakes and Fires, but the House of Christians, where our God has had his constant Worship, have undergone the Annoyance of Evil spirits. Go tell the world, What Prays can do beyond all Devils and Witches, and What it is that these Monsters love to do; and through the Demons in the Audience of several standers-by threatned much disgrace to thy Author, if he let thee come abroad, yet venture That, and in this way seek a just Revenge on Them for the Disturbance they have given to such as have called on the Name of God. Rebecca Nurse Goody Nurse was a highly regarded, pious pillar of the community who unfortunately could not withstand the power of hysteria. There were many reasons that Rebecca was accused, but it was mostly the hatred exhibited towards her by the Putnam family. She was against Samuel Parris as Reverend of the Salem Town Church, while the Putnam family was his friend, and her husband was at war with the Putnam family estate over some land. Rebecca exuded a saint-like presence over the dark days of the witch-hunt. After her accusation, thirty-nine of the most prominent leaders of the community signed a petition attesting to Rebecca's goodness of heart. Even one of her original accusers, Jonathan Putnam, put his name to the appeal.

Modern Life Has Improved Since the 1950’s Essay

Modern life has improved since the 1950’s. This period is quite memorable for a lot of things, the more famous of which being the flared trousers Elvis Presley, the icon of rock and roll and pop music, brought into style. There were many positives and negatives of living in the 1950’s, but it is clear that modern life has been a great step forward from those times. Firstly, the general aspects of life such as money, crime, racism and drugs, were viewed very differently in the past. Secondly life today may not be as simple as the 1950’s, but huge leaps have been made in technology, medicine and education. Finally, the word ‘community’ has developed a very different definition to the past, as we have overcome the racial, religious and gender inequalities that separated us as people; modern life has improved in leaps and bounds since the 1950’s. In the 1950’s certain aspects of life including money, crime, racism and drugs, were viewed very differently compared to the modern day. Petrol prices could be found on the McDonald’s loose change menu, and a kid could go down to the corner store, empty his pockets and buy the groceries before walking the way home safely. Drugs and smoking were regarded the same way we would a morning jog today: harmless and good for the system. Racism was just a part of life: the blacks sat at the back of the bus, the whites at the front, and that was that. Nowadays, if petrol was that cheap, the earth would be run dry and pollution levels would greatly increase due to mining and car exhaust. Crime rates may be much higher than the innocent 1950’s but along with with the higher stats the modern police force is further advanced and more successful than the past. Racism is still a part of our lives, but there is a general understanding that no matter the colour of our skin, we are equals, and opportunities for ‘blacks’ have been improved far beyond better seating positions on buses. Thank goodness times have changed – while we may not be living as simply as before, the modern day is aware of saving the planet, good health and human rights; other areas of living have also been greatly improved during the last half century, especially education, medicine and technology. The frontiers of science and technology have taken education and medicine far beyond what the 1950’s could have dreamed of. Without internet and mobile phones, the 1950’s must have been a quiet life: but consider the fact that technology today is enabling our world to communicate faster and better than ever before. Most schools have access to computers, such as Friends, with each individual person owning a laptop that is vital for their education. Education can now be more efficient and fun with the new technology spreading world-wide. A leap in technology is supporting a huge economy and has opened up many job opportunities as well as developing frontiers such as science and medicine. Polio scares rocked the 1950’s with over 257,455 related deaths, but thanks to medicine advances nowadays polio is just a term many people confuse with a pool game (Marco Polo! ). In the 1950’s the life expectancy was much, much lower than it is today – is that a wonder with the many cigarette adverts that declared the health benefits of smoking? Medicine has been advanced to the point of bringing people back to life after death, and is often one step ahead of what nature throws at us. This is evidence that modern life has improved greatly since the 1950’s; but our culture has also developed to be stronger, more equal and empathic than the 50’s. The definition of community has greatly evolved since the 1950’s: community in the 1950’s went by the motto love thy neighbour, except the neighbours who don’t believe in your religion or those of different race; the term community in the 21st century is referring to equals who share their culture with one another. Children stayed children for longer in the 1950’s, neighbours new everything about each other, a hello was said to every passer by on the street and it is said there was never a greater time of peace than in those years. However, amongst the idealistic community life, it was black and white: literally. Blacks were discriminated far beyond what is accepted in Australian communities today, with over 50% of families living below the poverty line as a result of racism. Without the many new laws and rights other races are now entitled to (that have developed since the 50’s), many people would still suffer unjustly, and blacks would still sit at the back of the bus. Religion could lower your worth just as quickly as the colour of your skin: schools only taught by the Bible, and ‘good’ people believed in the Christian faith. Discrimination against women was also still in practice. An obedient wife was not to be unished, but the occasional wife-beating was completely in-line with the law. The phrase ‘kitchen bitch’ may have originated in the 1950’s, where the women were expected to work around the house, doing the everyday chores such as cooking for their husbands. Many women did not begin to demand recognition for their rights to work until much later, and in modern times, women are regarded as equals in Australia. The 1950’s were the calm ‘after’ the storm, the storm being World War II. Peace may be a word which is almost lost to the entire world, with conflict present at all times in many countries, such as Iran and Afghanistan. This may be the only aspect of life that has worsened since the good ol’ 50’s, but even so, the countless improvements to our beliefs, everyday life and sense of community balances this issue. In conclusion, though the 1950’s are remembered as a peaceful, simple and straight-forward period of time to live in, behind the scenes racism, lack of knowledge and inequality ruled. Modern times have greatly improved on these factors and many others since the 1950’s, with gender equality, medicinal knowledge, and new technology being just a few of the more major developments. Nevertheless, the past was vital in shaping our daily lives and culture today, and it’s impossible to brand the 1950’s as a wasted part of our history; our modern world evolved out of the 20th century. It is clear to see that life today has greatly changed since the 1950’s, for the better.

Medicinal Herbs (Shilajit, Neem, Stevia)

Shilajit Once believed to be simply a powerful aphrodisiac, recent research has determined that the substance known as Shilajit has many additional health benefits not originally known to possess. Research conducted by The Medical College in Baroda, India based on ancient text discovered by Dr. Michael Hartman support these claims and show many ancillary health benefits of this powerful miracle herb. According to Dr.Michael Hartman, ancient texts described a mysterious substance known as shilajitas which was referred to as â€Å"the destroyer of weakness which provided powerful health benefits as well as provided users with positive changes in their total life balance. † Based on these translations performed by Dr. Hartman, The Medical College in Baroda, India went many steps further and applied modern-day scientific research to confirm these beliefs of nearly 3000 years prior.As recent as 2011, research performed at The Medical College in Baroda studied the effect of Shilajit on Diabetic Rats to monitor how this wonder herb effected blood glucose and lipid profiles when combined with traditional anti-diabetic drugs. Across the board, the Diabetic Rats which were given Shilajit experienced a significant reduction in blood glucose levels as well as increases in HDL levels. Based on this and other findings conducted with beginning human trials, The Medical College in Baroda concluded that Shilajit is a legitimate natural supplement which helps the long-term management of Diabetes. Neem Neem is a tree. The bark, leaves, and seeds are used to make medicine. Neem leaf is used for leprosy, eye disorders, bloody nose, intestinal worms, stomach upset, loss of appetite, skin ulcers, diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), fever, diabetes, gum disease (gingivitis), and liver problems. The leaf is also used for birth control and to cause abortions. The bark is used for malaria, stomach and intestinal ulcers, skin diseases, pain, and fever. The seed and seed oil are used for leprosy and intestinal worms.They are also used for birth control and to cause abortions. The stem, root bark, and fruit are used as a tonic and astringent. Some people apply Neem directly to the skin to treat head lice, skin diseases, wounds, and skin ulcers; as a mosquito repellent; and as a skin softener. Inside the vagina, neem is used for birth control. Neem is also used as an insecticide. Contd.. Stevia What is Stevia? Stevia is one of the most health restoring plants on earth. What whole leaf Stevia does both inside the body and on the skin is incredible.Native to Paraguay, it is a small green plant bearing leaves which have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. Besides the intensely sweet glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside), various studies have found the leaf to contain proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin (a flavonoid), true vitamin A, Vitamin C and an oil which contains 53 other constituents. Quality Stevia leaves and whole leaf concentrate are nutritious, natural dietary supplements offering numerous health benefits.Slim Tea Slim Tea, a kind of herbal tea, especially prepared for controlling the obesity is a natural product composed of Himalayan herbs whose main focus is decreasing obesity. The main ingredients of Slim Tea like Gymnema sylvestre (reduces fats and helps preventing accumulation), Eommiphora mukul (reduces weight, scrapes fat deposits), Ocimum sanctum (good antioxidant, minimize negative effects of obesity) and Piper longum (increases metabolism and reduces fat deposits) are the anti-fat natural herbs which especially works on obesity decreasing fats of body and increasing metabolism activities.Therefore, slim works greatly against obesity and provide great other health benefits. It reduces the fat accumulation, increases the body’s metabolism and thereby reduce obesity and also minimizes the side – effects caused by overweight . For further information: Narendra Hamal +977-9851046024 n. [email  protected] com

Global communication Essay

The explosion of the internet has improved global communication and created a significant impact in our lives. With the advent of broadband wireless internet access in Singapore, our adolescents are spending intensive hours in cyberspace everyday and everywhere to meet their educational, entertainment, social and emotional needs. While they are going through this transitional stage of their life in seeking the ‘Who am I’ answers, this article reviews and seeks to understand what they do on the internet. It was discovered that both U.S. and Singapore adolescents enjoy interactive cyber communication with their peers and sharing common interest such as on-line games and audio/video downloading. An action research on a group of 35 adolescents in Singapore has revealed some interesting patterns in their internet engagement. This emerging engagement cannot be ignored by parents and teachers as we discuss our roles in protecting and nurturing our adolescents. Literature Review Introduction The Singapore Government is systematically and strongly promoting the use of information technology. One of its strategies is to make it compulsory that 30% of the school curriculum to have an information technology component and to be computer-based by 2002 (Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, 2000). Naturally, the advocacy of Internet use is part of this omnipresent attempt. Young Singaporeans are placed right in the midst of all these changes and soon Internet use will be commonplace given the Government’s ubiquitous promotion. As an academic staff in the Polytechnic, my objective is to study what our adolescent students do on the internet. By having a better understanding of their engagement on the internet, it would help us as facilitators to identify their interests, needs and to understand what motivates them. This literature review covers some surveys on adolescents conducted in the United States, studies on the impact of the internet on adolescents’ be haviour and a regional governmental conference on cyber endangerment. United States Adolescents’ Engagement on the Internet As the U.S. adolescent internet usage grew exponentially in the last decade, a number of correspondent expectations have emerged (Gross, 2000). Gross performed a research to identify the activities that adolescents in suburban California engaged in on the internet and why they perform them. She discovered the following: (1) that gender predicts usage, i.e., boys spend more time online, surfing the web and playing violent games, while girls chat or shop online; (2) that internet use causes social isolation and depression, especially for teens; and (3) that adolescents use the internet for anonymous identity experimentation. By means of highly detailed daily reports of adolescents’ home internet usage and peer-related adjustment, the present research sought to compare these expectations with the actual experiences of early and mid-adolescents in 2000 and 2001. For the most part, adolescent boys’ and girls’ online activities have become more similar than different. On average, boys and girls alike described their online social interaction as (1) occurring in private settings such as e-mail and instant messages, (2) with friends who are also part of their daily, offline lives, and (3) devoted to fairly ordinary yet intimate topics such as gossiping with friends (Gross, 2000). This is an interesting article that relates the conflicts faced by adolescents. According to Erikson, adolescents are experiencing a transitional stage of their life between childhood and adulthood where they need to deal with the conflict between identity attainment and identity diffusion (Berk, 2002). Gross(2000) discovered that adolescents need to explore their identity through identity play and role experimentation. Apparently, the internet serves as an ideal platform for them to play an anonymous role in their email and instant messaging (IM) communications. They tend to take on a role of an older character in attempt to explore their future self and identity (Gross, 2000). Another of their interest at this stage is to relate to their peers more than their parents or teachers. They could engage in intimate and private relationship with their peers on the internet interactively and instantly. Escober-Chaves, Tortolero, Markham, Low, Eitel and Thickstun (2005) attempted to study the effects of the internet on adolescent sexual behaviours. It was triggered by the fact that adolescents in the United States were engaging in sexual activity at early ages and with multiple partners. The mass media have been shown to affect a broad range of adolescent health-related attitudes and behaviours including violence, eating disorders, and tobacco and alcohol use. The authors wanted to explore the factors that contribute to adolescents’ sexual activity. It was found that the mass media plays a very influential role in shaping adolescents’ attitudes and behaviour towards violence, eating disorders, tobacco, alcohol and sex. Based on their survey, the internet is a significant media that the U.S. adolescents engage in (Escober-Chaves, Tortolero, Markham, Low, Eitel & Thickstun, 2005). In 2003, 60.8% of the U.S. household have at least one desktop computer at home. The adolescents spend 2 hours online each time for 4 days per week. Of the contact time on the internet, 61% of it is spent on surfing the internet. It is interesting to note that the adolescents consider 14% of what they do in the internet as activities they would not want their parents to know. The authors have summarised some pre-studies of the effects of media on adolescents. They have collected some useful statistics that describe the breakdown of adolescents’ exposure to the media, from radio, television, internet to magazines. The statistics in adolescents’ sexual behaviours have supported their linkages to adolescents’ exposure to sexuality in the media. Regardless of the measure of the correlation, one thing that is apparent is that the media does pose a significant impact on adolescents’ attitude and behaviour in various areas, including violence, eating disorder, tobacco, alcohol and sex (Escober-Chaves, Tortolero, Markham, Low, Eitel & Thickstun, 2005). How the adolescents were influenced by the media were also analysed in this article. Adolescents learn their behaviour through imitating a character they aspire to be (Bandura’s social learning theory). Other supporting theories include arousal, motivation and super-peer theory. In the latter, adolescents have a tendency to model people older than themselves. This resonates with the earlier findings by Gross (2000) that adolescents like to explore their self and future identity. Singapore Adolescents’ Engagement on the Internet The above studies have surfaced couple of gaps that I could address in my research. Firstly, we need to do a study in Singapore’s context. Secondly, I can learn from the challenges that the authors have shared. It would be an upstream task to measure the specific effects of the media on adolescents. Hence, the key objective of my research would be focusing on finding out and understanding adolescents’ usage of the internet. Moving closer to this region, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State and chairman of the Inter-Ministry Committee on Youth Crime, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee talked about the internet and its impact on Asia (Ho, 2005). He suggested that as nations and governments become increasingly ‘wired’, its youths naturally become more in tune with the cyber world and its hosts of activities. Our youths surf the Internet for information and resources for their schoolwork. They play online games with faceless opponents for their leisure; or to enhance their social life, they may enter chat rooms and journal their thoughts in blogs and make new friends in cyberspace. These are creative and healthy online activities – if done with the right motivations and values, and in moderation. But, as our youths become increasingly cyber-savvy, they are also becoming increasingly cyber-endangered. Hence we need to be cautious of the dark side of internet (Ho, 2005). Besides cyber addiction, we need to be aware that exposure to unhealthy materials on the internet such as violence imageries may lead to increasing violence and anti-social behaviour amongst youths. Apart from preparing our youths to be cyber-savvy and protecting them from becoming victims, we should also be mindful that they are susceptible to the temptations of cyber vices and may end up committing cyber crimes themselves. Once online, a whole new cyber world greets them. Therefore, proper education and programmes need to be in place in society in order to help our youths cope with making informed online decisions, and learning to surf the internet safely and moderately. Professor Ho has started a discussion on the double-edged impact of the internet on our youths. While the internet is a valuable resource basin for their learning and development, it could also pose a threat to their safety, social, emotional and moral developments. There is a need to protect and educate our youth on how they could use the internet safely and responsibly. He shared an important statistic in our youths’ usage of internet. 68% of Singapore youths have frequent access to the internet; that is 18% higher than the regional average of 50% (Ho, 2005). Hence it is critical that we take the leadership role in understanding our youths’ engagement in the internet and taking proactive measures to promote cyber wellness. Research Question The Research Question: What do Singapore adolescents do on the internet? Purpose Why do I want to understand adolescent usage on the internet? Firstly, it is the desire of adults including parents, teachers and mentors, to improve our communication with adolescents. By understanding what they do on the internet, we would be able to identify their interest and needs. According to Ho (2005), it is important that we understand the potential threat based on the activities they engage on the internet. Besides promoting their cyber wellness, it is also our desire as adults to determine effective channels to influence them positively and to support their development. Benefits The results of this survey would be useful for me as an academic staff whose primary role is to facilitate their learning and development in the polytechnic. By understanding their interest and internet activities, it would help me to improve my communications with them and strengthen facilitator-student bonding. I believe that this would in turn increase my effectiveness in preparing them for the industry as they graduate from the polytechnic. The second group of adults that would benefit much from this research are their parents. In the same way, by understanding the paradigm that their children live in, parents could better connect with them and improve family bond. Methodology Research Paradigm Our nation has arrived at this era where youths are playing a more critical role in leading our country. That is why our Ministry of Community Development has added in Youth as an additional portfolio that deserves increased focus and attention. In the recent general election in 2006, the incumbent People’s Action Party has recruited significant number of young leaders who were born after our independence in 1965 (Balakrishnan, 2004). The key reason is to equip the party with leaders who are closer to our youths and adolescents in communication and understanding of their needs and ideology. This group of citizens plays a pivotal role in shaping our future nation as they would be exercising their voting power in future elections, getting involved in national policies and ultimately replacing our current aging population in the long term. With the emergence of information technology and the internet, the learning curve of our adolescents has risen exponentially. As far as communication and information exchange is concerned, the size of our globe has shrunk and distances between countries have become irrelevant with the click of the computer mouse. The internet has emerged to be a major channel of media, especially among the adolescents. The researches done in the U.S. as discussed above have shown that internet pose a significant impact on adolescents. Considering the higher internet penetration in Singapore compared to the U.S. per household, we would not expect the impact of the internet on our adolescent to be any lower. Scope As discussed in the review of Article, it is important that I set a realistic scope of study considering the limited time and resources. As this is the first research, I would be focusing on finding out the activities that adolescents engage in on the internet. I have designed a survey that captures what adolescents use the internet for, the activities they engage in, how much time they spend on them. There were some qualitative question to understand their preferences, interest and reasons for engaging in the internet activities. Subjects and Materials The stakeholders were adolescents. I managed to survey 35 adolescents in my network, of which most of them are polytechnic students between 18 to 19 years old. The materials required for this survey were basically printed copies of the survey questionnaires. They spent about ten minutes each to complete the survey forms. Procedures As this is my first research on the adolescents, it would be practical for me capture a broad span of their activities as a foundation for future or follow-up focused activities. The model of action research used must support continuous improvement and leverage on past findings with an interpretive approach. Hence, the model which I choose to adopt is the Zuber-Skerritt’s spiral model. The steps of Zuber-Skerritt’s spiral model are: (1) develop a plan of critically informed action to improve current practice. The plan must be flexible to allow adaptation for unforeseen effects or constraints; (2) the group members act to implement the plan which must be deliberate and controlled; (3) this action is observed to collect evidence which allows thorough evaluation. The observation must be planned and the action process and its effects within the context of the situation should be observed individually or collectively; (4) reflection of the action recorded during observation is usually aided by collaborative discussion among the group members. Group reflection can lead to a reconstruction of the meaning of the social situation and provides a basis for further planning of critically informed action, thereby continuing the cycle. I designed a survey questionnaire and printed out multiple copies to the adolescents. Participation was purely based on voluntary basis and their identities were all anonymous. I explained the objectives of my survey clearly to them through both direct verbal communication and highlighting them on the survey form in print. Results and Discussions The Survey forms were given to adolescents in my network as planned. They responded positively and completed the survey with ease. The feedback was that the questions were clear. There were total 35 adolescents who participated in the survey. The gender groups were well represented with 16 males and 19 females. There were some triangulations of the reflection stage of this research as I spent some time after the survey to talk to some of the adolescents to clarify certain information pertaining to some websites or online games which I was not familiar with. It was a meaningful session as they were very open to share with me their interest such as why the males like to play challenging online games like Dota and Warcraft. I then compiled that information gathered into a spreadsheet and studied the pattern of their engagement in the internet. Activities on the Internet It is interesting to note that the adolescents spend more than one-third (an average of 9 hours per day) of their time on the internet. This is supported by the fact that internet access is highly available both at school and at home. First of all, the Polytechnic provides the infrastructure to support the use of Information Technology (IT) in learning. Every student is required to own a notebook computer for administration, curriculum-related communication, research, performing on-line tutorials and submissions of assignments. The entire campus is enabled to provide wireless broadband access. In line with the national adoption of internet access, all the students here have internet access at home. Internet access and cost of IT equipment have become so affordable that most of them (26 out of 35) have wireless broadband access in their homes. [pic] Note: IM : Internet Messaging Games: On-line games on the internet Blog : blogging on the internet Surf : Internet search for information Music : Downloading of audio files Video : Downloading of video files and watching video on-line Chart 1 : Adolescent Internet Usage It is apparent that the adolescents spend most of their time on the internet messaging and chatting. Comparing with the adolescents in the U.S. (Gross, 2000) who spend about 40 minutes in IM per day, Singapore adolescents spend 4.75 hours per day. That is an astounding seven times more. Next in line would be surfing the internet, followed by entertainment such as video and music downloads. Why do they spend almost 5 hours per day internet messaging? Based on the survey, the adolescent revealed that IM is the most convenient and fastest way for them to communicate with their classmates and friends. Besides, it is interactive and free. This is in line with Gross’s analyses of the rationale for adolescents’ affinity to IM (Gross, 2002). Adolescents like to move fast and do not have much patience to wait for response especially when they want to relate to their peers. IM is real-time. They could instantly chat with their peers online and express their emotions immediately. Similar to adolescents in the U.S. as studied by Gross (2000), I also discovered that the adolescent here do not use their real names in their IM image. They like to use emotive roles such as â€Å"I am so scared†¦test is coming†. This also reflects Erikson’s theory on adolescent anonymous identity which teenagers enjoy relating their emotions to their peers in role exper imentation (Suler, 2005). The second most common activity the adolescents engage in is in surfing the internet for information. This is not surprising as they are required to research for information as part of the requirement in projects and assignment in class. [pic] Chart 2 : Favourite Website With reference to Chart 2, it is not difficult to explain the frequent usage of Google and Yahoo as search engines for their studies. However, it is unanimous that Friendster is the most popular website that the adolescent visit. The reasons quoted for visiting this website are to connect with their friends and to update each other of their latest profile. This is in line with Suler’s findings on peer intimacy (Suler, 2005). During adolescence, humans experiment intensely with new intimate relationships, especially opposite sex relationships. They look for comrades and new groups where they can feel a sense of belonging. All these relationships become a big part of exploring one’s own identity. Through communication website like Friendster and Livejournal, there is an almost limitless array of people and groups to interact with – all kinds of people and groups with all kinds of personalities, backgrounds, values, and interests. The adolescents here are curious in discovering both their identity and that of their peers. To reinforce adolescents’ interest, Blogspot and Blogger take up 13.4% of the total favourite websites count. Of the 35 adolescents surveyed, 7 of them have their own blog site and 10 of them are active blogger. They enjoy expressing their emotions and sharing their social life with their peers. One popular site they like to visit, especially among the females is that of a flamboyant 21-year old female XiaXue. The girls like to her blog because it is funny and she shares her social life openly. This confirms that adolescents prefer to interact with people they can identify with (Berk, 2002). Another interest that is significant is that of video watching on the Youtube website. The adolescents’ favourite videos are humorous and entertaining like those of XiaXue and Mr. Brown who is famous for his local political jokes. Gender Comparison [pic] Chart 3: Gender Comparison of Internet Usage Chart 3 above is essentially a breakdown of Chart 1 by gender. It is interesting to note that males spend more time than females in IM. This is also related to their indulgence in on-line games and video downloading. Because of these common interests among their peers, the males derive a sense of achievement as they share information of the latest on-line games and videos using IM. In fact, the more knowledgeable or competent males would co-teach their peers on how they could excel in the on-line game. This phenomenon was highlighted by Suler(2005) in his study. He suggested that adolescents love the sense of mastery and accomplishment as they engage in peer teaching. While females prefer fantasy on-line games like Maple Story and Audition, males indulge in war, strategy and shooting games like Warcraft and Dota. The key reasons are that the males enjoy challenge and like to take risk. Besides, they are also intrigued in connecting with and challenging people in other parts of the world. Males spend substantial time in downloading video over the internet. Their favourites are comedy movies. For females, their favourite are MTVs of their idols. This resonates with the study done by Gross (2000) on adolescents’ tendency in pretending to be someone else. By idolising an older person such as a superstar, they are exploring their future identity (Gross, 2000). Recommendation First of all, as part of the Zuber-Skerritt’s spiral model in action research, I would recommend a follow-up to the above research. We have achieved our objective of gaining a general understanding of what adolescent do on the internet. Of the various activities they engage on the internet, the most significant is in IM. Hence, I would propose to do a further action research on why and how they use IM. In doing so, adults could understand them better and even use IM in improving adult-adolescent relationship. Secondly, I would recommend to adults including parents and teachers of our adolescents to be aware of the above findings and take proactive actions to build strong bonding with our adolescents and to protect them from the potential cyber danger. As is true of all adolescent activities, they need at least some supervision to stay on track and avoid trouble (Suler, 2005). Getting involved doesn’t just mean supervising in order to avert trouble. The world of computers also can become an excellent way for parents and adolescents to have fun together, to get to know each other better. There will be a part of the adolescent – maybe even a part that they try to hide – that will love this. Suler suggested a few anecdotes which I think could be applied in Singapore. First, adults could get knowledgeable of the internet and join in with the adolescents. To be most effective in supervising the adolescent’s cyberspace activities, the parent needs to know something about the topic. Parents could talk to their kids about cyberspace and join them in some of their online activities. They could even communicate occasionally with their adolescents through IM to keep in touch with them. It is encouraging to note that our government is supporting the formation of cyber wellness centre such as the PlanetCRuSH which was launched by TOUCH Community Services in August 2006 (Seow, 2006). During the official launch of the centre by Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, some parents and their adolescents were playing on-line games together in the E-sports Carnival competition to promote family ties (Seow, 2006). Secondly, adults need to acknowledge the merits and threats of the internet. We should not vilify cyberspace – that will only alienate the adolescent. Instead, we could talk to them openly about both the pros and cons. We should show an acceptance of their cyber life, but discuss some of the dangers and what steps they should take if they encounter unsavoury situations or people. Thirdly, adults should advocate and encourage a balance in cyberspace time and other activities. If there’s something they really enjoy on the Internet, find a way to expand that activity into their in-person life. The idea is to integrate cyberspace into the rest of their life, and encourage them to develop non-Internet activities too. Conclusion Through the above article review and action research, I see Erikson’s psychosocial theory of adolescents’ behaviour in action. What adolescents do on the internet are manifestation of their identity experimentation and exploration, peer intimacy and belongings, separation from parents and venting frustrations. The common activities that both U.S. and Singapore adolescents engage in are IM, emails, audio/video downloads and online games. However, in terms of the length of engagement, Singapore adolescents spend 7 times more than their counterparts, especially in IM. This could be due to the higher broadband internet access rate and availability in Singapore. A further study on how adolescent use the IM is recommended to understand this intense engagement of activity. As parents and teachers, we need to be aware of the intensity of adolescent engagement in the internet and take proactive measures to protect them from cyber danger and be jointly involved in some of their internet activities such as IM and on-line games. By expressing our interest in their lives and communicating with them via their preferred platform, not only could we create a positive impact in their internet experience, we could also foster strong adult-adolescent bonding. Reference List Balakrishnan, V. (2004). 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