Forecasts of Demand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Forecasts of Demand - Assignment Example So, how do companies prepare for growth while still acknowledging that this forecast might not materialise? How do these estimates, which are a rough estimate of the actual demand or sometimes the mirror image of the market conditions, affect human resource, capacity, and the supply-chain management? How does this forecast influence the flexibility of these three important factors in manufacturing whether weekly, monthly or annually? The paper discusses the role of Operations Management, its framework and concepts while developing an appreciation for the operational processes, techniques, planning, and control systems. It also demonstrates the application of appropriate measures and the techniques for planning and production control. It is further classified under the three items for discussion for precision and clarity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the residential statistics for June 2013 showed that privately-owned housing units were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 911,000. This was 7.5% below the May rate of 985,000 but stood at 16.1% above the June 2012 estimate of 78500. The single-family authorisations were at 624,000, which was a 1.2 percent increase from the 620,000 in May. The industry is a replica of other organisations in terms of the forecasts from previous years to current times, and from current years to the future. In Ontario Canada, the houses were trending at 184,514 units in June compared to 184,087 in May. This is according to statistics from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). According to Mathieu Laberge, the Deputy Chief Economist at CMHC, they use this trend to measure as a complement to the monthly SAAR of housing to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and obtain a more comple te picture of the state of the housing market. In some situations, however, Mathieu acknowledges that the data or projections

Interest groups in the U.S. politics Essay Example for Free

Interest groups in the U.S. politics Essay The United States is a democratic country, which supports non-violent political and social movements, seeking different improvements in the U. S. domestic and international policies. That is to say, the requirements of interest groups are not always met, because whereas various types of interest groups are acknowledged, there still exist those factions, which have narrow social base and whose political presentation is limited in scope, as a rule, to financial interests of their members. For instance, the sugar lobbies (such as SIG) represent the opinion of 10, 000 -15,000 farmers, who call for the restriction of import of sugar and for the special social programs for sugar farmers. Such factions are usually intended as those with narrow interests and their founders and members lobby these interests in special moments and periods, when the atmosphere becomes more conductive for promotion –for instance, when they find out that the imported sugar does not fir into the international quality standards, or before the elections (Elhauge, 2002). Special interest groups are usually distinguished from â€Å"constituency-representing organizations, which have a broad social base, address a wide range of issues, and balance members’ interests with a strong commitment to the commonwealth† (Etzioni, 1990, p. 172). These organizations might pursue such non-financial interests as those related to social status, value issues in addition to financial ones, for instance the Urban League represents the interests of urban residents and seek environmental, social and political changes in large cities. â€Å"While the public views interest groups as threatening pluralistic democracy, the conventional wisdom of political science has seen them as beneficial† (ibid). In fact, it is possible to assume from the present situation, that the most beneficial activity is related to the constituency-representation. Furthermore, special interest groups are likely to bring problems to larger factions, due to dynamic interactions between political parties, movements and non-profit organizations. Small factions pursuing narrow goals are also more likely to use ‘black PR’ technologies, directed to changing public attitudes towards certain political parties and either to increase or to decrease loyalty rates. On the other hand, the eradication of small ‘narrowly-specialized’ factions is neither possible nor useful, as the statement that competing factions (Mcwilliams, 1988) are likely to reduce each other, is valid only for small groups, whose interests are temporary. On the contrary, constituency-representing organizations are more likely to produce long-term programs including political, economic, social and cultural dimensions of human life. â€Å"The balance between interest groups and the shared polity is maintained most effectively when the pro-community forces rise up, but not higher than, the level they are able to contain but not suppress interest groups† (Mcwilliams, 1988, A9). Moreover, the role of factions is viewed in the context of the historical development of the United States. Over the last three decades, the American political institutions have become less integrated, and the power of factions has increased. On the other hand, due to the growth of their number, it is much more difficult nowadays to maintain the balance between the main political course and the consent between the state and narrower interest groups (Etzioni, 1990). It would be also important to mention the functions of interest groups. First of all they serve as a supplementary force that intensifies the public opinion representation, especially during the electoral process. Moreover, they make the political process more receptive comparing to the electoral process, which is intended as a domination of majorities, while factions are more likely to have goals, which are cohesive with the main wishes of social and national minorities; and thus they serve as a mediating force standing between the person and the state. Interest groups are known to improve the disproportionate separation of the legislative and the executive branches, because their propositions of legislative changes are logically supplemented by similar propositions for the executive branch. Another important cultural function is associated with the growth of political consciousness and political culture as well as the amount of political information in media, which represents a number of standpoints. At all times interest groups and political parties served an indicator of public consciousness and diversity as well as intensified political antagonism, especially in the most critical periods: for instance, during the Vietnamese military invasion, Carter’s position were actually weakened by interest groups, including the most peaceful youth movements, dissatisfied with the resolution of Iranian hostage crisis. As a rule, interest groups arise in the most conductive atmosphere (liberal or democratic regime), in which human rights and freedoms are declared. Political, economic and social factions can originate from professional unions or leagues (like social workers’ professional organization), which seek to represent the opinions of their professional group or their customers’ viewpoint (for instance, social workers nowadays initiate law enforcement and the adoption of certain legal acts as well as get directly involved in lobbyist activities). The discontent with government policies is another important recondition for the arousal of an interest group: political activity is actually determined by the existing economic and social policies, so it’s easy to predict, for instance, the activation of industrial unions, when under the pressure of ecological groups, the U. S. government or certain local authorities put additional taxation on enterprises, dealing with toxic substances or with oil and natural gas. It is also important to note that interest groups will exist as long as the democratic system exists, because it is impossible to satisfy the needs of the whole society with respect to its diversity. Consequently, those concerns, which have already been satisfied, are likely to be replaced by new demands. This means, human needs are immeasurable and never-ending, whereas material resources are limited, so the U. S. government today can provide only partial gratification of political claims. Furthermore, the issue of representation is also quite contradictory: on the one hand, the growth of diversity among political parties signifies positive dynamics in this sense, on the other hand, due to the increase of public consciousness, the diversity in worldviews has grown disproportionably to the number of existing factions, so that even small groups (families, local communities) seek social or economic support, but in this case we cannot speak about true representation, since their influence is insufficient to initiate the changes at legislative or executive levels. The representation of each citizen’s interests is a utopia, as at the present time only large (more than 100,000 members) interest groups can achieve representation, can be heard, if speaking figuratively. Furthermore, it is important to note that the complete representation is inhibited by the demands of the epoch, to which self-respecting factions are supposed to adjust. For instance, the ISN movement, whose leaders several years ago (in 2000-2001) called for the changes in the U. S.immigration policy and were representing the viewpoints of national and ethnic minorities, who live and work in the country (Elhauge, 2002), has changed its directions and now are trying to create more constructive basis for the U. S. foreign policy. On the one hand, it is associated with the events of September 11, which were close followed by the violations of Muslim minorities’ human rights. On the other hand, political changes forced this faction to make a more profound inquiry into the current state of affairs and to find the most acute concerns of the society. Similar dynamics can be noticed in a number of special and constituency-representing interest groups which removed irrelevant concerns and posed new questions, such as those related to women’s rights, ethnic minorities’ human rights, social security and intellectual property. As one can assume, certain interests remain overlooked or underrepresented, whereas the most ‘fashionable’ sociopolitical trends (gender equality) are overstated and therefore prioritized. Works cited 1) Elhauge, E. Does interest group theory justify more intrusive judicial review? Yale Law Journal, 2002, Vol. 110 2) Etzioni, A. Special interest groups versus constituency representation: Research in social movements. Conflict and Change, 1990, Vol. 8. 3) Mcwilliams, R. The best and the worst of public interest groups; from lifting up the poor to shaking down the elderly, Washington Monthly, March 1988, Vol. 20.

James Baldwins Narration and Analysis in Notes of a Native Son Essay

Experiences There is a very thin line between love and hate in James Baldwin’s essay â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† Throughout this essay James Baldwin continually makes references to life and death, blacks and whites, and love and hate. He uses his small experiences to explain a much larger, more complicated picture of life. From the first paragraph of the essay to the last paragraph, Baldwin continually makes connections on his point of view on life; beginning with the day his father died, to the time that his father was buried. James Baldwin is an outstanding author, who creatively displays his ability to weave narration and analysis throughout his essays. The binaries between life and death play a huge role in Baldwin’s â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† The day that James Baldwin’s father died, his mother had borne her last child. Although the day his father died was extremely upsetting, a new child coming into the world is exciting. This brings hope to the reader that eventually through all the trials and tribulations Baldwin goes through, that eventually he might find a state of peace. Baldwin’s father’s funeral happens to fall on Baldwin’s nineteenth birthday, which brings up another way Baldwin is able to show how life and death affect this essay. Instead of trying to deal with his father’s death with his family, Baldwin decides to celebrate his birthday with a bottle of whiskey and a girl that he knew. Baldwin is unsure of what to do now that his father is gone. He says, â€Å"I imagine I decided it, since, as the funeral hour approached, it became clearer and clearer to me that I would not know what to do with myself when it was over† (Baldwin 77). Baldwin figures that if he gets drunk enoug... ...ne to them and they would not tolerate it. So instead of cowering to the white girl’s â€Å"white power† they stood up for themselves; and showed this girl that she was not better than them just because of her skin color. It is these girls that help to diminish the â€Å"separate but equal† facilities. James Baldwin is an incredible essayist. He skillfully intertwines his own experiences growing up, into a more universal theory. Using binaries, Baldwin explains the hatred between whites and blacks and his desire for a change. His point of view on life is slightly different from the beginning of the essay to the last. However, he creatively shows these changes through narration and analysis. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York, New York, Library of America, 1998. 70-84.

Benefits of being a Vegetarian

Why does one become a vegetarian? Is it because of the health benefits, animal rights, or maybe something else? Although animal activists, religious reasons, and money reasons are a large reason why people choose to become a vegetarian, health factors are also a large reason why people chose this lifestyle. Today, six to eight million adults in the United States do not eat meat, fish, or poultry, according to a Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, a nonprofit organization that disseminates information about vegetarianism (Harvard, 2009).Everyone has it in their mind that vegetarians are so much healthier than meat-eaters, but is it really true? Why would cutting meat out of one's diet really make that much of a difference? Vegetarians do tend to lead a healthier lifestyle, because they plan meals intently, making sure their meals contain all of the vitamins and nutrients they need.According to Betty Kovacs, a registered dietitian, â€Å"Most America ns of all ages eat fewer than the recommended number of servings of grain products, vegetables, and fruits, even though consumption of these foods is associated with a substantially lower risk for many chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer† (Kovacs, 2009). Vegetarians take greater care into planning meals to make sure they are getting the correct amount of vitamins and nutrients.However, is that the only perk? Digesting all of the vitamins and nutrients one needs? No, it's not. Research shows that becoming a vegetarian has many health benefits such as lower cancer rates, lower obesity rates, and lower heart disease rates. Documentation shows many different studies that have been conducted that prove people who do not eat meat are much less susceptible to get cancer, have heart disease or high blood pressure and they are much less likely to be overweight.Harvard Health Publications states, â€Å"Hundreds of studies suggest that eating lots of fruits and vegetable s can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, and there's evidence that vegetarians have a lower incidence of cancer than non vegetarians do† (Harvard, 2009). While this is true, it is much more likely these statistics be true if one eats the right amount of vegetables and fruit and do not only eat junk food. What a person eats is everything. These statistics won't be true if the diet consists of candy, cheese pizza, or any other junk food.This is also considered â€Å"vegetarian,† but it's not healthy. It is important to lead a healthy lifestyle if one chooses to become a vegetarian or not. Almost all cancers, can be prevented with regular consumption of fruits and vegetables. Foods such as calciferous vegetables (cabbage family), herbs, and fruits have cancer-protective photochemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids, ellagic acid, sulfide compounds, isoflavones, isothiocyanates glucarates, phenolic acids, phthalides, phytosterols, saponins, and terpenoids among others.These chemicals work as antioxidants that help rid the body of harmful cancer-causing molecules (Benefits of Vegetarianism, 2006). Eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables will definitely lessen chances of cancer, but strictly cutting meat out of the diet will do wonders as well. According to a study published by the British Journal of Cancer Research, â€Å"A study was done of 61,566 people who scientists followed over 12 years.During this time, it was found that 6. 8% of meat eaters (2,204 of 32,403), and 4.0% of vegetarians developed cancer (829 of 20,601)† (McVeigh, 2009). They found that 180 meat eaters developed blood cancers, while only 49 vegetarians developed the diseases. They found the risk of being diagnosed with cancers of the stomach, bladder and blood was significantly lower in vegetarians than in meat eaters as well (McVeigh, 2009). These numbers tell it all! 1,375 less people developed cancer because they cut meat out of their diet. Even if on e cannot cut meat from their diet completely, eating a significantly less amount will still help one's health.According to The Guardian, â€Å"Two years ago, the World Cancer Research Fund found a link between red and processed meat and bowel cancer and recommended that the average amount of meat eaten should be no more than 300g a week. In Britain, the current meat intake is about 970g a week for men and about 550g a week for women† (McVeigh, 2009). So many people are eating way too much meat. People have it in their mind that eating so much meat is good because it's packed full of protein. That is most certainly not the case. These types of stereotypes about eating meat are what cause statistics like the ones stated.Protein and other nutrients can be absorbed by eating many other things other that meat. â€Å"In 2005, the Epic study, funded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, concluded that eating just tw o portions of meat a day – the equivalent of a bacon sandwich and a fillet steak – increased the risk of bowel cancer by 35%† (McVeigh, 2009). Most people eat at least two portions of meat a day, some even eat three! People are not educated in the sense of meat portions and the consequences one can face after making the same mistake over and over by eating too much meat.On a diet free of meat, one of perhaps the greatest health benefits can happen, which would be reduced heart disease risks. Cholesterol levels are greatly increased by the digestion of meat. â€Å"'Fatty red meats and many processed meats are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases risk of coronary heart disease,' says Dr. Rachel K. Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association and professor of Nutrition and Medicine at the University of Vermont† (Deusen, 2012).Vegetarian diets are also low in saturated fats, which are common in meat. Cholesterol and saturated fats are the major causes of heart disease. This is because they clog the inside of the blood vessels over time. This leads to heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. â€Å"Vegetarian diets that have abundant sources of fiber, such as the ones found in carrots, beans, and apples, can help in lowering cholesterol levels that might have been built up over the years, adding years back on to lives† (Shanti, 2009).According to Seven Common Vegetarian Health Benefits, â€Å"Fruits, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables have flavonoids that have some biological properties and other vegetarian health benefits that are responsible for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They are antioxidants and they protect LDL (bad) cholesterol from undergoing oxidation, effectively inhibiting formation of blood clots in the arteries and other blood vessels. The flavonoids also have a hypolipidemic effect and an anti-inflammatory effect† (Benefits of Ve getarianism, 2012).So by eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting meat out of the diet, chances of  heart disease are greatly reduced. Many studies have shown how much eating meat can increase one's chances of getting any type of heart disease. One study in particular published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that eating large amounts of meat (e. g. a small steak every day) also increased the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (Deusen, 2012). In another large study, â€Å"a combined analysis of data from five prospective studies involving more than 76,000 participants published several years ago — vegetarians were, on average, 25% less likely to die of heart disease† (Harvard, 2009).Another vegetarian health benefit is that vegetarians have lower blood pressure compared to those who eat meat, especially red meat. This is because vegetarian diets are low in salt. Meat has high amounts of cholesterol, saturated fat, and salt. Salt has been iden tified as the main cause of high blood pressure and hypertension. High blood pressure also occurs when blood tries to flow faster due to obstructed blood vessels. The obstruction is usually caused by a build up of cholesterol ingested from eating meat (Benefits of Vegetarianism, 2006).Cholesterol is only found in animal foods, so vegetarian diets are completely cholesterol free, reducing the chances of high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease tremendously (Thompson, 2011). Adults and children who follow a vegetarian diet are generally leaner than non vegetarians. This may be because a vegetarian diet typically includes less saturated fat and adds more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which are foods that are more filling and less calorie dense (Zeratsky, 2007). According to Brown University, â€Å"Vegetarian diets are usually lower in fat and higher in fiber† (Brown, 2010).Fiber fills you up more quickly than fat and it keeps you feeling fuller longer. Vegetarians are more likely to eat less and better food. According to a study conducted from 1986 to 1992 by Dean Ornish, MD, president and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, found that overweight people who followed a low-fat, vegetarian diet lost an average of 24 pounds in the first year and kept off that weight 5 years later. They lost the weight without counting calories or carbohydrates and without measuring portions or feeling hungry (Vegetarian Times, 2012).Why do people lose so much weight by cutting meat out of their diet? Meat is full of saturated fat, which is not good for a person. It is also full of sodium (salt), and preservatives. These things can make one bloat and gain weight like crazy. According to Woman's Health Magazine, â€Å"A large-scale 2010 study from Imperial College London found that those who ate about 250 grams a day (the size of one half-pound steak) of red meat, poultry, or processed meat gained more weight over fiv e years than those who ate less meat, even if they consumed the same amount of calories overall† (Deusen, 2012).Eating meat has been proven to increase chances on developing a few unpleasant health factors or diseases. Research shows that eating meat does increase the chances of cancer. Statistics have shown that vegetarians are less likely to develop any type of cancer, especially blood cancer, breast cancer, and bowel cancer. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables have also shown that the risk of developing cancer is less likely to happen if one is ingesting these. Fruits and vegetables contain cancer-protective chemicals that help prevent cancer.These chemicals work as antioxidants that help rid the body of harmful cancer-causing molecules (Benefits of Vegetarianism, 2006). It has also been shown that eating less or no meat reduces the chances of developing any type of heart disease. It also lessens chances of having high blood pressure or a stroke. Meat is full of saturated fat, salt, and cholesterol. Cholesterol is the number one reason why people have heart disease or a heart attack. Cholesterol blocks arteries to the heart, causing a heart attack.By not eating meat, one will not be ingesting cholesterol, saving yourself from heart disease. Obesity rates drop when it comes to vegetarians. Vegetarians plan meals accordingly, so all of the nutrients and vitamins are accounted for. Meat is also full of saturated fat and salt. These both are well-known for making people gain weight. Many studies have shown how much more likely someone is to be overweight if they eat meat versus if they do not eat meat. Scientists have done many studies proving these claims to be true.The documentation that has been provided does show that eating meat does increase chances of cancer and heart disease and obesity rates are higher. If everyone cut meat out of their diet, not even all the way, these disease statistics would drop dramatically. Diets actually improve when mea t has been cut out because it forces one to think about nutrition choices. Fruits and vegetables are more thought about and the body gets the nutrients and vitamins it needs and deserves. The body will no longer be punished by trying to digest the fat, sodium, and cholesterol that has been forced into it.

Doll Wife

A Doll’s House Play written by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen on 1879 (Britannica) brings up various social topics into questions especially during the early 20th century. The topics or themes revolve on gender roles particularly that of women, women’s self fulfillment vs. their constructed roles only limited as a mother and wife and love in marriage.The writer of this play displays many facets of realisms about how women are being treated at times in a male dominated society, which was often illustrated during the early times. Here Ibsen presented the characters’ individuality and how they approach the different facets of societal realisms to illustrate the early dilemmas not just towards women’s position in the society but of human injustices.The play’s story is domestic in scope, primarily because two of the main characters are husband and wife.   Nonetheless, the play did include broader issues.   It showed how society in the 1800s vi ew marriage, the functions assigned to man and wife, and the limitations it gave to women in general.   It is also climactic in structure.The whole play takes place in one setting: in a particular room inside the house which is dominated by Nora’s character. Nora is the main protagonist of the story who initially enjoys being trapped in domestic comfort. She cheerfully goes with the flow on how Torvald, her husband, treats her. But rising events in the play made sudden transformation on Nora’s personality she was changed from a rebellious housewife to an independent woman of society.Nora is forced to pretend to be someone she is not in order to fulfill the role that her father, her husband and the society at large have expected of her. Her unjust conformity though is only realized during her climactic confrontation with Torvald at the end of the play. She eventually admits that she needs to detach herself from things and people that force her to follow societal stand ards.Taking into consideration the social and political attitude of Europe during Ibsen’s time towards women, Nora made a courageous decision to leave her family and walk into an uncertain future examining her life even though she’s aware that the society may not going to support her. The consequences of her decision are very uncertain whether she will succeed or fail as a person after gaining her independence.  However the question whether is it right for Nora to leave her children for the sake of her independence may seem a selfish act for a mother to do. Nora’s clear and impassioned declaration of her bitterness as well as her decision to leave her family seems inappropriate that made the play extremely controversial. Ibsen himself made an alternate ending â€Å"in which Torvald makes Nora takes a last look at their children before leaving and, seeing them, she loses her will to go† (â€Å"A Doll’s House Review†).This manifest that perh aps Ibsen is not advocating radical change the way others would want to believe it but he is just presenting mere realities that is truly apparent during his time. A Doll’s House is not a feminist literature. As a matter of fact Ibsen, the writer, believes in the importance of domestic roles and motherhood but also recognize the significance of exercising individual freedom.Most people may well say that that a woman’s first responsibility is her family and children more importantly, but a woman’s ultimate responsibility as well is herself. Ibsen in this play successfully demonstrates the message that wives and mothers should not stop and be trapped by their domestic roles but should continually discover their true selves, their true strengths and potentials.Women must experience true freedom. Nora in this play represent woman in the midst of society where males often oppresses females, reducing them to mere objects of playthings. That oppression often enslaved t hem restricting them to fully enjoy their individual freedom and eventually their God given potentials.Reference:â€Å"A Doll’s House Review online†. Retrieved on 12 May 2009 from:

Reading the Secret Signs The Art of Finding Symbols

Reading the Secret Signs The Art of Finding Symbols Introduction: On Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality Though in the modern world, all people are considered free and possessing equal rights, it has not always been this way. The road to the existing society where people enjoy equal rights and freedoms has been long and exhausting. Although there is a considerable gap between the Ancient Greece and the XIX-century world, the problem of liberty, not only physical, but also moral, intertwines these two epochs. That is why there is so much in common between Antigone, Sophocles’s drama, and Doll’s House, the creation of Henrik Ibsen.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Reading the Secret Signs: The Art of Finding Symbols specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To some extent, it must be admitted, each of the books suggests the ideas of feminism – in their embryo, of course, yet there can be no doubt that Doll House is one of the books that were the first heralds o f the feminist epoch coming on. However, it must be admitted that the feminist ideas are shifted into the background of watch story, whereas in the center the demand for recognizing human rights is placed. Indeed, it would be rather unreasonable to interpret the play only as an anthem for feminist movement. In comparison to this story, Antigone, the drama by Sophocles, offers another idea of liberty, yet it aims at the same effect – the recognition of people’s rights, namely, the right to be self-sufficient and do the things that one considers right. However, despite the common ideas, each author chooses his own symbols to convey these ideas to the public. Comparing the methods of the Ancient Greek philosopher and the XIX-century playwright, one can see the distinct difference between the methods that the two utilize, and at the same time trace the similarities between their approaches. Burying Secrets: Antigone. Behind the Shadow of Death The rich symbolism of the Gr eek tragedy offers a plethora of food for speculations. One of the most thought-provoking creations, the drama by Sophocles is saturated with metaphors, using the symbols that leave the most vivid and memorable impressions. Considering the drama, one can notice instantly that the key symbol of Antigone is the death itself. Interpreted in a number of ways, this name makes the essence of the afterlife, the mysterious Hereafter – the world of the dead. The world of the dead in Sophocles’s drama is considered as the place where one can be completely free – in constant to the life on earth, where each of the mere mortals is bound by the restrictions cats either by the gender issues, or by the political ideas, or any other ideas that prevent people to live their full life. Calling this place in a number of ways, Sophocles still leaves the basic idea of the mysterious afterlife interwoven into the drama. Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Travelling down the land of the dead, Antigone claims: â€Å"Who did the deed the underworld knows well: A friend in word is never friend of mine† (Sophocles 53) Thus, exposing the underworld as the place where people obtain their freedom and where nothing can be concealed from the watchful eye of Hades, Sophocles raises the topic of freedom on earth. Another peculiar recurrent symbol in the drama is birds – a large variety of birds that the reader can spot on the book pages. Describing the ease of their flight, Sophocles makes the reader compare these free creatures to people and realize how despicable the freedom of the humankind is. Living in a Dollhouse: Ibsen and His Protest Depicting the same idea of obtaining the needed liberty, Ibsen uses quite different means. Let along the striking difference of the lead characters in the two stories, the determined and decisive Antigon e and the cowardice, chicken-hearted Nora, the books differ in the symbols they use. Considering the symbolic means that were at Ibsen’s disposal, one can claim with certainty that Ibsen created a masterpiece of refinement and sad sarcasm. If there is anything that can symbolize the lack of responsibility, self-sufficiency and liberty better than Nora herself, that is the Christmas tree used to decorate the Doll’s, that is, Nora’s, house. Indeed, the beautiful and at the same time helpless, completely useless attribute of the holiday, the tree is much like the hostess of the house – just as weak and dependent on the support: †The Christmas Tree is in the corner by the piano, stripped of its ornaments and with burnt-down candle-ends on its disheveled branches. Nora’s cloak and hat lying on the sofa† (Ibsen 39). Such quick is the transition from the tree to Nora’s clothes – and, in fact, Nora herself – that the par allels drawn between the hostess and the article of the house decoration that it becomes obvious: Nora has never been a human being in its full sense – she has always led the life of complete dependence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Reading the Secret Signs: The Art of Finding Symbols specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it would be erroneous to think that the symbols in Antigone and Doll’s House have nothing in common – at certain point they coincide, depicting the same things. A good example of such coincidence is the symbol of death that is also present in Doll’s House. However, in this drama, a black cross (Ibsen 48) serves as a symbol of passing away. The last, but not the least is the name of the play – Doll’s House as a symbol of the state of dependence that Nora used to be in and that she escaped from so painfully. Though she is filled with the intense grief, Nora is still willing to get rid of the humiliating environment that she has been living in for so long. Thus, freeing herself, she comes close to the character of Sophocles drama, Antigone. Conclusion: The Jailbreak Despite the time gap between the two dramas, there is the common idea that intertwines them, making each story closer to the other. However, each of the authors reaches the highest level of expressivity with different means. Resorting to the use of symbolism in their stories, the two writers create a range of metaphors that serve as the clues for the reader to follow. Triggering a number of associations and creating the vision of the epoch, these tiny details reveal what used to be hidden under the cover of the storyline. It cannot be doubted that the symbols used by the writers are strikingly different, yet each of the metaphor used serves the same purpose, namely, emphasizing women’s dependence. It is quite remarkable that, despite the years passed since the times of Sophocles, the problem remains topical. Perhaps, even with Ibsen’s attempts to free those that lack liberty in their own life, the issue still needs solution. No matter how hard it might be to admit it, this is the hard truth the humankind has to live with – or fight it until every single person can feel freed. Ibsen, Henric. A Doll’s House: Unabridged. Clayton, DE: Prestwick House, Inc., 2005. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sophocles. Antigone. New York City, NY: ReadHowYouWant, 2008. Print.

Snowboarding vs Skateboarding Essay Example

Snowboarding vs Skateboarding Essay Example Snowboarding vs Skateboarding Essay Snowboarding vs Skateboarding Essay Skateboarding vs. Snowboarding By Santiago Durr ENG 1111 Brenda Phegley 9/20/2012 Durr ii Outline Thesis: Skateboarding and snowboarding, they are two sports that could look similar, but they differ in several ways which are: terrain, tricks, cost and pain. I. Introduction II. Background A. Skateboarding B. Snowboarding III. Terrain and season A. Skateboarding B. Snowboarding IV. Tricks A. Skateboarding B. Snowboarding V. Cost A. Skateboarding B. Snowboarding VI. Pain A. Skateboarding B. Snowboarding VII. Conclusion Durr 1 Skateboarding vs. Snowboarding One of the things that has had the greatest impact on my life has been skateboarding, and now there is a new similar passion coming into my life which is snowboarding. I used to think that the two sports would be similar; but as the time went on, I found out that this was not the case at all. The two sports differ in several ways: terrain, tricks, pain, and cost. Skateboarding was the first board sport to come into my life and I must give it the most credit for molding me into the boy I am today. It is not the board or the tricks, but the whole attitude that comes with it: The adrenaline pumping through your body as you outrun some overweight police officers and the excitement of learning something new every day. The best thing, I think skateboarding gave me was friendships; and although I am not good friends with some of the people I used to skate with, I have been able to build some wonderful friendships that I love and consider my family. Snowboarding has done good things for me as well, even though I have only been practicing it a year. I got into snowboarding when I came to the US. I was not able to practice it in my country because we do not have a winter season. Even though I hate to say this, I think snowboarding is more fun than skateboarding. The terrain for skateboarding is pretty much wherever there is concrete. However, skateboarding is illegal in most spots which make it difficult to stay in one place for a prolonged period of time. Snowboarding takes a mountain and lots of snow, and it is not illegal, so the last thing that crosses your mind is picking up your board and running from the police. The biggest and most frustrating difference is that skateboarding can be done during the whole year, while snowboarding is a seasonal sport. Durr 2 The tricks involved in the two sports are the second biggest difference. On a skateboard your feet are free to move around and off the board. Being detached from the board enables you to do such tricks as the â€Å"kickflip† or the â€Å"shuvit†. The â€Å"kickflip† requires the individual to jump above the board as the board spins underneath them. The â€Å"shuvit† is done by jumping above the board, while it turns 180 degrees and then landing on the board as if nothing happened. Snowboarding has an entirely different tactic for tricks. An individual is attached to the board, so jumping above the board is completely out of the question. Most of the tricks involve spins in which one turns 180, 360, or 540 degrees with the board. The tricks done in snowboarding also require a lot more height and speed than those in skateboarding which is why is have taken such affection for the sport in this short time. The cost for practicing skateboarding is not as high as the cost for practicing snowboarding. One just needs a board that costs around sixty dollars and it can be done just about anywhere with pavement and is usually for free. In snowboarding not only the gear necessary is way more expensive than needed in skateboarding, but there is also added cost of getting somewhere to do it. The pain that comes with the two sports is somewhat similar. After all, a bruise is a bruise and a cut is a cut. Skateboarding is the sport in which one would suffer from gashes and bloody wounds. Snowboarding is mostly sprained wrists and really bad bruises. Take it from me, falling on a solid sheet of ice hurts a lot more than any pavement. In the end, I have chosen to stick with snowboarding because of its faster pace and the height one can get off a well-made jump, but I will always have a special place in my heart for skateboarding.

Thrinaxodon Facts and Figures

Thrinaxodon Facts and Figures Although it wasnt quite as mammal-like as its close cousin, Cynognathus, Thrinaxodon was still a startlingly advanced reptile by early Triassic standards. Paleontologists believe this cynodont (a subgroup of the therapsids, or mammal-like reptiles, which preceded the dinosaurs and eventually evolved into the first true mammals) may have been covered in fur, and also may have possessed a moist, cat-like nose. Name: Thrinaxodon (Greek for trident tooth); pronounced thrie-NACK-so-donHabitat: Woodlands of southern Africa and AntarcticaHistorical Period: Early Triassic (250-245 million years ago)Size and Weight: About 20 inches long and a few poundsDiet: MeatDistinguishing Characteristics: Cat-like profile; quadrupedal posture; possibly fur and warm-blooded metabolism Completing the resemblance to modern tabbies, its possible that Thrinaxodon sported whiskers as well, which would have evolved in order to sense prey (and for all we know, this 250-million-year-old vertebrate was equipped with orange and black stripes). What paleontologists can say for sure is that Thrinaxodon was among the first vertebrates the body of which was divided into lumbar and thoracic segments (an important anatomical development, evolution-wise), and that it probably breathed with the aid of a diaphragm, yet another feature that didnt come fully into mammalian vogue until tens of millions of years later. Thrinaxodon Lived in Burrows We also have solid evidence that Thrinaxodon lived in burrows, which may have enabled this reptile to survive the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event, which wiped out most of the worlds terrestrial and marine animals and left the earth a smoking, inhospitable wasteland for the first few million years of the Triassic period. (Recently, a Thrinaxodon specimen was discovered curled up in its burrow alongside the prehistoric amphibian Broomistega; apparently, this latter creature crawled into the hole to recover from its wounds, and both occupants then drowned in a flash flood.) For nearly a century, Thrinaxodon was believed to be restricted to early Triassic South Africa, where its fossils have been discovered in abundance, along with those of other mammal-like reptiles (the type specimen was unearthed in 1894). In 1977, however, a nearly identical therapsid species was discovered in Antarctica, which sheds valuable light on the distribution of  the earths land masses at the start of the Mesozoic Era. And finally, heres a bit of showbiz trivia for you: Thrinaxodon, or at least a creature closely resembling Thrinaxodon, was featured in the very first episode of the BBC TV series Walking With Dinosaurs.

Collaborative Research Discussion Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Collaborative Discussion - Research Paper Example Focus topic 1: Creating a system Article 1: Hiring for the organization, not the job The article by Bowen, Ledford, and Nathan discusses a new hiring model that focuses on organizational fit and not on job fit. It explains the involved process in the new hiring model and its application in an organization, and projects a wide future application of the model. The article identifies concepts of workforce planning as a best practice to human resource management because the established hiring strategy employs analytical approaches that identifies organizational needs and develops an outline for finding a suitable employee. Consequently, it facilitates understanding of an organization’s context and a plan for effective creation of an effective human resource base (Bowen, Ledford and Nathan 37- 40; Harris 15). Focus topic 2: Maintaining a system Article 2: How to get supervisors to sell safety The article discusses approaches to empowering supervisors to ensure effective application of safety measures. Its scope promotes employees’ safety in their working environment and therefore contributes to maintenance of an effective and efficient human resource base (Johnson 1). ... The article therefore establishes a basis for enforcing organizational safety measures through employees’ adherence to safety standards and helps in maintaining a regular workforce (Johnson 1; Harris 19). Article 3: Reward and compensation systems The article identifies approaches to reward and compensation, constructs of the reward and compensation approaches and effects of the strategies. Based on â€Å"strategic compensation theory,† the article identifies personal efforts, group initiatives, human capital, a person’s level in an organizational structure, and market trends as some of the widely applied approaches to compensation and reward that motivates employees (Howard and Dougherty 43). The article’s features that relates to maintenance of human resource system are the bases of each reward strategy and the effects that the strategies have on employees. Established attachment between a reward and aspects of human resource such as efforts, unity, and employees’ value, for example, identifies a relationship between rewards and reward systems and sustaining achieved employee characteristics. Effects of the strategies that encourages features of a human resource system also ensures that a developed system maintains its output level, corporation, â€Å"skills and flexibility,† (43) and record minimal mobility rate (Howard and Dougherty 41- 49). Focus topic 3: Improving a system Article 4: Designing management and development for competitive advantage: Lessons from the best The article reviews effects of employee training and development on improving and sustaining organization’s ability to compete in their markets. Its application of benchmark organizations identifies success in training and development initiatives and therefore promotes the practices

The state and international community counterterrorism response to Essay

The state and international community counterterrorism response to [insert terrorist group] - Essay Example Thus, it is an international threat to both the foreign and local governments that wage war on terror. This factor forces the United States, alongside the international community, to take measures of executing counters to these acts of terror. The countries constitute legal establishments and law enforcement strategies to continue the fight against terrorism. Al-Qaeda is a militant Islamism organisation founded under the stewardship and overview of Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Yusuf Azzam in the town of Peshawar, based in Pakistan. Its established dates back to the Soviet War in Afghanistan, between august 1988 and late 1989, with is objective of formulation being to assist defeat the Russians (Chaliand & Blin, 2007, p. 67). Over the years, Al Qaeda grew, and today it boasts of the status of a fully pledged multinational army that is stateless. Subsequent to the Soviet War in Afghanistan, the group dispersed; nonetheless, it continued to present its displeasure and opposition to what the leaders of the group considered corrupt and foreign Islamic regimes such as the presence of United Sates in Islamic lands. During its formation, the group had a base in Sudan, but eventually resettled in Afghanistan in 1990, under the patronage of the Taliban militia. The Al Qaeda group merged and established partnerships with several other militant Isla mist organizations after its reestablishment that held views and practices similar to its visions (Gerges, 2009, p. 98). Such organizations that it merged with include the Islamic Jihad and the Islamic group of Egypt and the leaders of the group then declared holy war against the United Sates and her allies. After forming partnerships, the Al-Qaida started establishing its camps throughout the world, recruiting Muslim people into the group and training as well as equipping them with skills for fighting and carrying out the terror

The Role of Salt in UK Diet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Role of Salt in UK Diet - Essay Example This report approves any talk of salt consumption stirs up in the mind the general public the picture of domestic cooking as a favourite seasoning and as a preservative for food preparations that are made for staying. In the same manner manufactured food products use salt for taste purposes and as a preservative. The presence of salt in manufactured food products is high and has an impact on the continued consumption levels of salt. There is evidence to suggest that an individual’s daily intake of salt can be influenced by the habitual intake of salt in the consumption of food stuffs as the taste buds adjust for the intake of salt. Elevated or lower intake of salt cause the taste of the individual to adjust to a different optimum level of salt intake. This essay makes a conclusion that salt is an essential part of our diet, because of its sodium content. Consumption of salt in excess of the physiological requirements of the human body increases the risk of diseases like high blood pressure and stomach cancer. In the United Kingdom the dietary intake of salt is in excess of the recommended 6g per day. A major portion of dietary salt comes from food products of the manufactured food industry and not from domestic use in cooking or at the table. FSA has set targets for the voluntary reduction of the percentage of salt in 85 products of the manufactured food industry with the hope that this reduction in the percentage of salt in these products would contribute to a reduction in the daily consumption of salt in the United Kingdom.

The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War Essay

The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War - Essay Example There are other reasons for war such as ethnic and religious killings among others. War has become part of human beings and for a long time, it has really affected them. Generation after generation, nations have sent their youths to the fields to participate in these wars. Some have died in these wars as war does not discriminate. The costs of these escapes are very evident and some have been very severe1. For example, a look back to the damages that the First World War brought to the political structure of Europe makes it possible to understand the effects of war, and fight to stop its causes. 2 It is not a surprise to find that most historians are less concerned on the causes of war and have tended to concentrate on the causes of peace. This is not sufficient because the absence of peace is as a result of the war. Therefore, it is very important to look at the causes of a war rather than look for ways to bring peace after a war has already happened. The aim of this paper is to dig deep to the events that triggered the gulf war of 1991, and briefly shed light on the consequences of that war. What is the Meaning of the Term War? Before embarking on discussing the Gulf war that took place in 1991, there is need to clearly understand the meaning of the term war. There are many definitions of the term war, but only one definition will be used in this paper. The term war refers to the large scale violent conflict that occurs between organized groups that have already established governments or at times, those that seek to one day establish their own.3 Something that should be noted is that not all conflict is war, but only the large scale conflict is referred to as war. Therefore, the Gulf war of 1991 suits the description of war, as it involved large scale conflict. As mentioned earlier, this paper will concentrate on the causes of the Gulf War that took place between the American military and their supporters, and the Iraqi government in the year 1991. First, her e is a brief on the general causes of any kind of war and the meaning of the term war. General Causes of War The televisions, radios, and newspapers constantly remind people that the world they live in is not a world that has absolute peace. Day in day out, the reports are showing different nations being affected by conflict. For example, Somalia is country that has suffered warfare for many years. Statistics about wars are always frightening and since the Second World War, most of the social scientists have made great efforts, to attempt to identify the causes of interstate wars. Many researches have shown that there is no single master cause of war, but rather, the causes are different. Most of the wars occur as a result of a number of important causes and due to this, many states have found it difficult to solve their differences to bring about peace.4 Some have tended to argue that banning of nuclear weapons will help in eliminating the causes of war in the world. I tend to argu e otherwise because there are other root causes of wars around the world and some may come as a surprise. The following are different classes that can be used to classify the causes of war: Individual level causes: The causes of war in this category are normally short term and immediate. These are causes such as a leader’s personality. A leader’s personality on occasion plays an important role in the way he or she reacts to stressful situations. For example, a leader

Attraction of Developed Markets for Emerging Market Brands Essay - 1

Attraction of Developed Markets for Emerging Market Brands - Essay Example This paper illustrates emerging markets as the markets or nations that have economies classified as being in their relatively early development stages. These nations’ financial markets are less developed compared to the major financial centers from all over the world. However, these markets are becoming increasingly integrated and sophisticated into the international and developed markets. The emerging markets spread across the globe and they differ extensively in their cultures, political, and economic behavior, as well as in factors that drive their market growth. There has been an increasing attraction of the developed markets for the emerging market brands, though they face numerous challenges. Emerging markets face numerous challenges in their efforts of joining and competing in the developed markets. Agtmael stated that limited financial resources and the lack of international experience force the emerging markets into becoming low-cost equipment manufacturers and provid ers for the developed markets. The result is that the developed markets consider the products within the emerging markets as commodities and competitive, which leads to lower performance levels of the emerging markets, as well as the products within these markets. An additional obstacle for emerging markets venturing into the developed markets is that the developed markets are the negative stigma that consumers in these markets have on products from the emerging markets. Most of the consumers within the developed markets, as Agtmael states, are usually not willing to pay the market price of emerging commodities. This forces the companies within the emerging markets to lower their sales prices to make sales. In return, the companies get little or no income, and at times, they make losses on the products they provide to the markets. The negative stigma of the developed markets makes it difficult for the brands within the emerging markets to grow and join the developed markets. Emergin g market brands seek to join the developed markets for various reasons. The different reasons are mainly to benefit from the greater developed market. The main reason is to gain a greater market. Developed markets have more customers compared to the emerging market. These markets provide a wider range of consumers for the products that exist within the markets compared to the developing markets. The developed markets usually have more participants, who are willing and committed to trading business activities.

The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War Essay

The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War - Essay Example There are other reasons for war such as ethnic and religious killings among others. War has become part of human beings and for a long time, it has really affected them. Generation after generation, nations have sent their youths to the fields to participate in these wars. Some have died in these wars as war does not discriminate. The costs of these escapes are very evident and some have been very severe1. For example, a look back to the damages that the First World War brought to the political structure of Europe makes it possible to understand the effects of war, and fight to stop its causes. 2 It is not a surprise to find that most historians are less concerned on the causes of war and have tended to concentrate on the causes of peace. This is not sufficient because the absence of peace is as a result of the war. Therefore, it is very important to look at the causes of a war rather than look for ways to bring peace after a war has already happened. The aim of this paper is to dig deep to the events that triggered the gulf war of 1991, and briefly shed light on the consequences of that war. What is the Meaning of the Term War? Before embarking on discussing the Gulf war that took place in 1991, there is need to clearly understand the meaning of the term war. There are many definitions of the term war, but only one definition will be used in this paper. The term war refers to the large scale violent conflict that occurs between organized groups that have already established governments or at times, those that seek to one day establish their own.3 Something that should be noted is that not all conflict is war, but only the large scale conflict is referred to as war. Therefore, the Gulf war of 1991 suits the description of war, as it involved large scale conflict. As mentioned earlier, this paper will concentrate on the causes of the Gulf War that took place between the American military and their supporters, and the Iraqi government in the year 1991. First, her e is a brief on the general causes of any kind of war and the meaning of the term war. General Causes of War The televisions, radios, and newspapers constantly remind people that the world they live in is not a world that has absolute peace. Day in day out, the reports are showing different nations being affected by conflict. For example, Somalia is country that has suffered warfare for many years. Statistics about wars are always frightening and since the Second World War, most of the social scientists have made great efforts, to attempt to identify the causes of interstate wars. Many researches have shown that there is no single master cause of war, but rather, the causes are different. Most of the wars occur as a result of a number of important causes and due to this, many states have found it difficult to solve their differences to bring about peace.4 Some have tended to argue that banning of nuclear weapons will help in eliminating the causes of war in the world. I tend to argu e otherwise because there are other root causes of wars around the world and some may come as a surprise. The following are different classes that can be used to classify the causes of war: Individual level causes: The causes of war in this category are normally short term and immediate. These are causes such as a leader’s personality. A leader’s personality on occasion plays an important role in the way he or she reacts to stressful situations. For example, a leader

Marketing principles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing principles - Assignment Example The aim of the process had to be under the management of a marketing manager (Drummond & Ensor, 2005). All these definitions are important. Marketing has to be under the management of an individual with appropriate skills to accomplish the missions set. It is a process that ensures the organization meets its objectives in terms of sales of products and services, and it is a process that has to ensure the consumer gets what he or she wants. One common idea is that it is an organizational process meant to increase profits. This could be by making the customers aware of the existence of the product, informing the consumers of its benefits, or even enticing consumers to buy the product. Marketing is a vast field and involves a lot of other organization activities. The manner in which an organization conducts its activities can also be marketing. Through their activities, people will get to know them and appreciate or grade them, hence improving the image of the company. This is indirect marketing (Drummond & Ensor, 2005). ... This information is then disseminated across departments to ensure a specific aim is attained. It is all about an organization making use of the marketing concept as the basis for its marketing plans, therefore, supplying products that suit consumer preferences and tastes (Blythe, 2009). A perfect example is the production of iPhones by Apple and Samsung. These companies conducted thorough market research, found out the consumers’ desires, and used research and development techniques to develop what the consumer wanted: the iPhone with various pleasing features. The companies then made use of promotional activities to inform the consumers about the product (AFP, 2013). Marketing oriented organizations also have to monitor what their competitors do, and the effect of such actions on consumer preferences and tastes. The organization should also analyze the effect of other exogenous factors (Blythe, 2009). Marketing oriented organizations can also be oriented towards marketing fr om a sales, product, production, or marketing perspective. This means that an organization can focus on marketing a specific product, can focus on increasing sales, and can focus on improving its production, or even marketing the whole organization’s products. There are different perspectives that can be taken. In ‘Tip-Top accessories’ for example, the manager can focus on increasing the sales of all the products; hence identify marketing strategies appropriate for such an approach. The manager can also focus on the production approach, conducting market research and supplying products with features needed by the consumers, or the manager can just focus on appropriate marketing strategies for various products depending on the market environment, and the internal conditions

Corporate Social Network Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Network Essay

Child Refugees

Child Refugees Backdrop Half of the worlds refugees are children but their voices are amongst the least heard. Amidst the debate and conflict around refugees and border protection, the rights of refugee children have been neglected. â€Å"We come to a country we heard has human rights and freedoms. We cant believe whats happening to us†¦.We havent any human rights. We are just like animals. We do not have a normal life like a human. Our feeling is dead. Our thinking is dead. We are very sad about everything. We cant smile.† (Ibrahim Ishreti-refugee living on a bridging visa) Australia is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and has a proud tradition of sheltering refugees but the current mandatory detention (an essential component) for on-shore arrivals including the children of asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors has enormously damaged its international reputation. Whilst these might be legitimate policy concerns they have led to an approach to asylum seekers that has caused wide community debate and division in Australia. The writer is a Pakistani origin immigrant in Australia. Pakistan considers a poorest country of the world host over a million Afghan refugees enjoying ample freedoms, however in Australia where the number of unauthorized arrivals has never been much more than 4000 in any one year are placed indefinitely in detention camps with limited access to services, hence the motive for selecting this topic. Key Aspects of the Policy The major policy objectives of mandatory detention have been to have â€Å"ordered† approach to immigration and to ensure that Australian borders are secure. But little or no consideration has been given to the impact of these polices on the children who are caught up in them. That policy ââ€"  Denies internationally recognised fundamental human rights to all the children of particular social group;ââ€"  Locks up, behind razor wire, children who have committed no crime;ââ€"  And fails to recognises the vulnerability and special needs of these children. The fundamental purpose of childrens rights is to identify children as human beings who because of their vulnerability and special needs require special protection. To address this special status the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was developed. The UNCRC to which Australia is a party (1990), decrees that a child seeking refugee status is to receive appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance. Refugee children share certain universal rights with all other people; have additional rights as children and particular rights as refugees. It provides a comprehensive framework to guide the development of policy and practices that relate to children. Irrespective of where people stand on the Australian Governments broad asylum seekers policy it is an undeniable fact that any form of detention applying to children is a breach of their rights. In the terms of UNCRC the imprisonment of these children is either â€Å"cruel and inhuman treatment† or at the very least â€Å"harsh treatment†. Both of which are unacceptable under the terms of the convention. Detention compounds the effect of previous trauma and exacerbates the grief and loss that these children have already suffered whether they are accompanied or unaccompanied in their flight to Australia. UNCRC The UNCRC articulate that holding children in detention shall be used as a measure of last resort and only for the shortest possible time. But in Australia, detention is the first and only resort and for an indefinite period of time. We are letting these children down by neglecting this provision of the UNCRC. The difficult lives these children have suffered at the hands of their won governments or fellow beings are beyond the comprehension of most Australians. Yet we compound that damage by allowing children to spend their formative years in detention . Keeping children in mandatory detention is denial of their internationally recognised basic human rights. Childrens developmental needs which are a fundamental reality often not considered in relief efforts. In order to grow and develop normally, a child has certain age-specific requirements that must be satisfied. Basic health care, nutrition and education are generally recognised as necessary for the physical and intellectual developmental of children. Beyond these, however, healthy psychosocial development depends in large measure on the nurturing and stimulation that children receive as they grow, and on the opportunities that they have to learn and master new skills. For refugee children, healthy psychosocial development also requires coping effectively with the multiple trauma of loss, uprooting and often more damaging experiences. Hence, tragic long-term consequences may result where childrens developmental needs are not adequately met. Challenges and/or Controversies The Australian public is not generally informed about international obligations towards refugees and the many false perceptions that migrants are a major cause of economic and social problems remain largely unchallenged. In many instances, the government has demonized asylum seekers in emotive language and as a result many people consider that refugees are lairs, criminals, ‘forum shoppers, welfare cheats and queue jumpers . The terminology of ‘queue jumper does not exist in international law nor does it exist in other countries. Australia has adopted it simply because it prefers to offer refugee status to a carefully selected number of people from overseas countries and it does not like being forced to consider applications from those it had not already selected. Australia, in comparison with most other western societies, has a small number of children arriving, nevertheless, in relation to the total number of asylum seekers arriving, children remain a significant percentage. Some travel with parents or guardians and other often travel alone (identified as unaccompanied). Regardless of the motive, children have no choice in the decision that has led them to be vulnerable to the notions of a new authority. The overriding principle, contained in Article 3 of UNCRC the Best Interests of the Child: In all actions concerning children, weather undertakenby public or private social welfare institutions, courtsof law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies,the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration. Various laws in Australia mention the Bets Interest of the Child and propose to support this principle. The law that relates to onshore asylum seekers is not one of these laws. The Migration Amendment Act of 1992 identifies asylum seekers as designated persons. Section 189 states that a designated person must be detained during the processing of their refugee status and Section 192 goes on to identify two options for release obtaining a Temporary Protection Visa or being deported. Under this section everyone is detained until they are either accepted or rejected as refugees, regardless of age or infirmity. This is where politics becomes involved in childrens rights and immigration detention of children where the Act does not make any distinction between the immigration status of adults and children and therefore there is no legal status between adults and their children and no difference in their treatment. This is of course dismisses the idea of the ‘best interests of the ch ild. Childrens needs cannot be met in isolation. They are normally met most effectively within the context of family and community. Moreover a childs welfare is closely linked to the health and security of the primary caregiver. It is therefore, necessary to strengthen the capacities of refugee families to meet their own needs and improve the participation and situation of adult refugees particularly women, thereby contributing significantly to the welfare of their children. Selection of one challenge and its reflection on policy based solution Best Interest In relation to the refugee children whether accompanied or unaccompanied the primary goals of any action or program must be: †¢ To ensure the protection and healthy development of all children†¢ To achieve durable solutions which are appropriate to the immediate and long term developmental needs of children.While there is no one definition of what will be in the best interests of each and every child, a childs ability to enjoy all of his or her rights in a given environment is a good indication of whether the childs best interests are being met. Furthermore, the UNCRC also doesnt explicitly define ‘best interest it is clear that in the case of actions and decisions affecting a child; it is the best interests of that individual child which must be taken into account rather than children generally. The childs best interests†¦..must be the subject of active consideration. It needs to be demonstrated that childrens interests have been explored and taken into account as a primary consideration. The ‘best interests principle is reiterated in article 9(1) of the UNCRC states that children should never be separated from their parents against their will except when ‘necessary for the best interests of the child. The interaction between the ‘best interests principle, family unity and immigration can be enlightened by referring preamble of the UNCRC providing a reference point by recognizing that: â€Å"[T]he child, for the full and harmonious development ofhis of her personality, should grow up in a family environment,in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding†. In order to support the best interests of the refugee children many of the obligations under the UNCRC are relevant for instance, protection from violence, the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, special care for children with disabilities, education, keeping confidentiality of their personal information, non-discrimination, recreation and the right to full cultural life (including language) are all factors that create a nurturing environment. Incorporating Children voices into policy debate The idea of childrens participation gained currency due to UNCRC. This legal instrument grants children civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. Articles 12-15 are interpreted as conferring on children the right to participate in their societies. This includes the right to have their views heard in matters affecting them; the right to freedom of expression, information, religion and conscience; and the right to form associations. The UNCRC marks a change from understanding children as objects of adult interventions designed to meet their developmental needs, towards a construction of children as rights holders with the ability to participate in defining their own requirements for well being . Refugees children being most vulnerable members of Australian society, they should have the right to have their fundamental need for shelter, food, physical and emotional care and education met, and to live freely and securely within a society that values and protects them. It is the responsibility of Government and communities to ensure these needs are met if a childs family/caregiver cannot or will not protect their rights. But due to their protracted legal status refugee children have spoken loud and clear. The welfare of kids in immigration detention is jeopardized because the three agencies supposedly caring for them the federal government, the private correctional firm that runs the detention centres and the state government wont consider childrens interests before their own. Where are the kids in this picture while the adults are fighting with each other over jurisdictional and policy issues? They are unheard and ignored. It proves that these children have worries, distress and concern for their unresolved legal situation and their inability to move towards an integration into the Australian community. Many children describe themselves as happy, good, but detailed their depression and distress that accompanied being in a limbo situation. The non-resolution of their migration or refugee situation was their paramount concern. The current manifestations of distress, while particularly concerning are equalled by the knowledge of the long term impact of ‘not belonging; to a community; to a state and to a nation If a child cannot access normal citizenship, then their ability to grow emotionally and integrate themselves into their new country is diminished. These children have the possibility of becoming adults with a sense of frustration and anger that will impact on their lives and will impact on our lives in the Australian community in the forthcoming years. [NOTE: the writer considers the points of this paragraph as specifics impacting her local area of residence surrounded by refugee children] Conclusion Refugee children, just like our won children, need access to education and health care, and have the right to live with their families and be reunited with them when separated. They are entitled to a safe environment, free from fear and intimidation. Why do we recognize this for our won children but deny it for Iraqi, Afghan and Iranian children? We must take them into the community where they can play, learn and grow. At least when our children look back on this time and ask us what we did to stand up for refugee kids, we can say we gave them their childhood .

A LAiterary Review Of The Dead Poets Society :: essays research papers

Literary Review of Dead Poet’s Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the 20th centuries most compelling and best films goes by the title Dead Poets Society. This movie is set at the Helton Academy for Boys in 1959. The movie focuses in on a small group of boys. They have been sent to this preparatory school, most against their will, and have been forced to conform. However, they come across an English professor, Mr. Keating, whose lesson plan contradicts the entire schools mentality. He taught that to conform was to die. Carpe Diem – seize the day. He taught the boys to march to the beat of their own drummer, to suck the marrow out of life, but above all never conform. They didn’t. The students reformed the Dead Poet’s Society. For this they were punished. None of the boys suffered from their nonconformity more than their leader Neil. He joined a play without his father’s consent. His father told him that he would be going to a military school and would never be in the theatre again. Thus, Neil fe lt he would rather die. Hence, he committed suicide. As Mr. Keating left the boys all stood and addressed him one last time as â€Å"O’ captain. My captain.† This movie is perhaps one of the greatest movies of all time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I view this as one of the few truly great movies of all time. I say this because it carries all of the basic cinematic elements that compose a great film. These elements begin with the characters. You can hardly expect to enjoy a movie if the characters are not believable. In this particular movie the characters were not only believable but you could identify yourself a little in one or all of the characters. One thing that can have an unfortunate detraction from even a good movie is anachronisms. The only one I found was a halogen bulb in a light fixture. However, I doubt anyone would notice were they not looking for one. This movie can be enjoyed by even the most mentally devoid of audiences. The reason for this is that most people do not like being bossed around or forced to do anything. It did make me think about how little freedom we actually have in life and how we all need to live just a little bit more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After considering the aforementioned traits of Dead Poet’s Society, one can only wonder why someone would argue that this was not one of the greatest movies of all time.

Exam Malpractice

Abstract Show/Hide This study considers the remote causes of examination malpractice in the Nigerian education system with a view to suggest new ways of combating the problem. Three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Using the multistage stratified sampling technique, 200 students were selected for the study from 20 secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. An Examination Malpractice Questionnaire (EMQUE) was used for data collection. The three research hypotheses were tested statistically using the Chi square statistical technique.The results indicate that poor study habits, paucity of educational facilities, and inability of schools to cover prescribed syllabuses are significant remote causes of examination malpractice in the country. Based on these findings, methods of tackling the menace are proffered and counselling implications are suggested. Introduction The issue of examination malpractice is a national emergency situation. Before the advent of western type e ducation, traditional Nigerian education was based mainly on experience and practice.Its mode of instruction was simple as knowledge was passed on orally and through practical tests. Students then only had to commit to memory, learn by rote, or through observation (Ibia, 2006). Because traditional Nigerian education placed little or no emphasis on certification, students had the proper view of education, seeing it as a means to an end not an end in itself. Besides, the Nigerian culture then frowned at dishonesty and would not hesitate to sanction offenders (Agogo, 2006).According to Ejiogu (2001), general moral decadence and the high premium placed on achievement and certificates by Nigerians has in recent times spawned examination fraud. The general overdependence on educational certificates as a measure of one’s knowledge and competence has led to a mad rush by most people for educational certificates (Sofola, 2004). In a bid to acquire such certificates, many have resorted to unethical means—foremost among which are examination malpractices—just to acquire the certificates at all cost.Without doubt, the persistent occurrence of examination malpractice in Nigeria has spawned heinous problems such as: 1. Lack of credibility of academic certificates acquired in Nigeria by the international community. 2. Declining standard of education in the country. Onyechere (2004) asserted that unless we are able to stop examination malpractice, the standard of education in Nigeria will continue to fall. 3. The problem of turning out into the society half-baked—if not unbaked—graduates who are virtually good for nothing and functional illiterates. 4.Inability to secure competitive and challenging jobs which require practical test of proficiency and skills. 5. The existing correlation between examination malpractice and corruption in public offices. As noted by Thomas Derry of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and quoted in the E xaminations Ethics Project (EEP) survey (2004) report, students who steal their ways to higher offices through examination malpractice would not find it difficult to engage in corrupt practices when they are employed. 6. Finally, examination malpractice has economic implications.According to EEP (2003) report, Nigeria loses more than one billion naira annually to examination malpractice. Thus examination malpractice could equally be seen as an economic crime. Mention-worthy at this juncture is the fact that Nigerians have not been sleeping since the wake of this mischief in the mid 1970s. It is on recorded history that the first serious case of examination malpractice in independent Nigeria was the leakage in 1977 of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) question paper for the West African School Examination (Onyechere, 1996).The outcry by WAEC in the wake of this incidence led to the setting up of a tribunal by the Federal government of Nigeria to investigate the mass leakage and to suggest possible measure to forestall future occurrence. The tribunal recommended severe punitive measures. The federal government followed this up by promulgating Degree No. 20 of 1984 and later, Degree No. 33 of 1999 in which severe punishments against perpetrators of examination malpractice were clearly enshrined.Further measures which have been taken in recent times to eradicate examination malpractice include that taken by the Obasanjo Administration which embedded in the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) policy document a target of 40% reduction in examination malpractice annually; the existing legislation on examination malpractice, Degree No. 33 of the 1999 Constitution which is still in force—though not enforced; and the move by the Federal Ministry of Education to introduce the study of ethics in the school curricula with a view to forestalling examination malpractice.It is a truism that even though much has been done, it is eith er grossly inadequate or ineffectual at curbing the menace as we day-in-day-out see examination malpractices take newer, dynamic and appealing forms especially with the advances in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) coupled with the general falling standards of societal norms. It is also true that examination malpractice would not have attained its present endemic state but for the fact that the major stake holders in education are at the forefront aiding and abetting the crime.Orhungur (2003) decried the general opinion which tends to indict the students and exonerate the teachers and other examination agents. Quoting a tentative report by Usman, he maintained that if the staff, that is, all who have to do with examinations—examiners, typists, custodians, staff of examination bodies, printers, transporters, and security agents—put their house in order, students would not have access to examination materials before examinations. Umar (2003) indicted head m asters and principals as the biggest perpetrators of examination malpractice in the country.He asserted that headmasters in connivance with their teachers initiate primary school pupils into examination malpractice during common entrance examinations by giving answers to the students so that they would record high number of passes in their schools. In the case of secondary school principals, Umar (2003) stated emphatically that they are the worst perpetrators of the crime as they, in a bid to have the names of their schools praised and recognized, manipulate and aid the crime.In the same vein, Ike (2004) of the EEP held that principals have gone to the extent of building into the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) registration fees, an examination malpractice fee variously referred to as cooperation fees, understanding fees, examination welfare fees, and miscellaneous fees with the sole aim of bribing supervisors and invigilators an d whoever sent them so that they might ‘cooperate’ during examinations.Another group of master-minders who have rather taken centre stage in recent times are operators of private study centres also known as extramural classes. These study centres are veritable fronts for examination fraud operated by organized syndicate who charge outrageously high fees for examinations. Funnily enough, students are, more often than not, willing to pay because in the end it pays off very well (Thisday, 2004). The last group which is also a strong force behind the perpetration of examination malpractice is the parents. Many parents would not want their children to repeat any class no matter their level of performance.Thus, they pressure school authorities to give their children automatic promotion even when they fail their examinations. Parents are also in the forefront of hiring mercenaries to write examinations for their wards. They thus collude with principals to issue fake but favour able examination results to their children. Looking beyond the contribution of education stakeholders to examination crimes, other important causes of examination malpractice revolve around the students and their attitude towards their studies as influenced by the general socio-economic situation in the country.In recent times, students prepare—if at all they do—lackadaisically for examinations. The reason for this lacklustre attitude as opined by Thomas Derry of WAEC is that the youths have prioritized entertainment and pleasure at the expense of their books (myspacefm. com, 2004). Furthermore, Anger (2004) pointed out that the high fees associated with especially the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) makes malpractice unavoidable as poor students cannot afford to repeat a given examination and would in the first instance do anything to pass it at all cost.A comprehensive submission by Anyiin (1998) identified the fundamental causes of examination malpracti ce to include: 1. Lack of necessary facilities for teaching/learning 2. Non-coverage of prescribed syllabuses due to their extensiveness and the general nonchalant attitude of teachers towards teaching. 3. Industrial actions by teachers. 4. Mass promotion of students in internal examinations. 5. The general misconception of good performance by some principals and the society as a means of enhancing the status of societal rating of the principals and their schools. . Faulty or lack of proper administration of examinations. 7. Imposition of school subjects on candidates by parents. 8. Poverty and greed on the part of the teachers who constitute the bulk of invigilators and examiners. 9. Constant increase in examination fees, among others. Statement of the Problem In the fight against examination malpractice, it appears that no one is exonerated. As exposed in the preceding section, education stakeholders, the students, as well as the national economy could rightly be apportioned blame s for the preponderance of this menace.In sum, these variables tend to operate interdependently such that there is a cumulative influence, with one variable buttressing the others. This could be seen in the fact that the poor economic situation in the country has compelled most poor parents to resort to unethical means in order that their wards may pass their examinations at one sitting. Therefore, this research investigates remote causes of examination malpractice in Nigeria with a view to proffering effective methods for curbing the menace.

Great Expectations and Oliver Twist Essay

Every author has his own style of writing. He may use an idea in one of his novels in another. In the books Great Expectations and Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, the author uses descriptive plots, exiting characters, and a meaningful message to prove that two ideas in a book although similar can be presented differently. Throughout the plot of Great Expectations and Oliver twist, Dickens uses robbery to show the similarities and differences within the book. After a young child, Pip, visits his parents’ tombstone in the graveyard, he comes across a petrifying convict on the run; the convict threatens to hurt Pip unless he bring the man food and makes the child keep his whereabouts a secret. Pip wakes up in the middle of the night and admits, â€Å"I was in mortal terror of myself, from whom an awful promise had been extracted†¦. I had no time to spare. I stole some bread, some rind of cheese, and about half a jar of mincemeat†¦. and a beautiful round compact pork pie. The child is terrified of the convict and is afraid what will befall him if he does not do as the convict instructed. The boy steals food , not out of the evil within his heart, but out of fear that the felon might hurt him. On the other hand, Oliver, a homeless orphan, is welcomed into the home of Fagin (also known as the Jew) who brings in stray children. A while later, while walking through the city streets with his inmates, what appears before the child is, â€Å"†¦. Oliver’s horror and alarm as he stood a few paces off, looking on with his eye-lids as wide open as they would possibly go. o see the Dodger plunge his hand into this old gentleman’s pocket, and draw from thence a handkerchief, which he handed to Charley Bates†¦. In one instant the whole mystery of the handkerchiefs, and the watches, and the jewels, and the Jew rushes upon the boy’s mind. † Fagin always teaches Oliver how to snatch handkerchiefs, jewels, without oliver realizing what he is doing it for and now the boy understands that they are all robbers and they wanted to turn him into one as well. Seeing Dodger and Charlie rob the old man brought pip to such a realization as to stop himself into falling into their trap. Pip robs out of fear of a threatening felon but Oliver stops himself from committing such a crime using the clues around him; Pip could have stopped himself from stealing from his home if he was smart enough. Similarities are found between Magwitch, a runaway convict, and Bill Sikes,a dangerous robber, as they do fairly identical actions with opposite outcomes. keep still, you little devil, or I’ll cut you’r throat† Magwitch is bullying Pip, an innocent child, by telling him that he will kill him if he does not do as the criminal instructs. Though traumatizing the child forever, Magwitch benefits Pip thought his childhood to sooth guilt brought about through his terrible actions. â€Å"If you speak a word out o’doors with me, except when I speak to you, that loading will be you’r head without notice. † Bill Sikes forces young Oliver, a lone orphan, to help him with a major robbery, willing to shoot the child if he does not listen. Bill shoots Oliver and does not regret it one bit, acting as the perfect villain. Magwitch may have started out like Bill but he was exposed to be a good hearted man. In Dickens’s novels it is presented how ones wrong doings does go unpunished. â€Å"It was two years more before I saw Estella. I had heard her as leading a most unhappy life, as being separated from her husband, who had used her with much cruelty†¦ † Estella, a cruel woman who breaks a young boy’s heart, lives her life suffering through a tragic marriage. Estella pays the price of her actions, feeling the pain that she gave the boy who’s hart she broke when she was younger. â€Å"There was nobody there ti speak to him; but fell back to render him are visible to the people who were clinging to the bars. † Fagin, the robber, influenced many children to believe that robbing for a living is justified, showing them his many methods of robbery from previous experience of his own. The man is forced to face his fate by eternally rotting in. prison. Both Estella and Fagin pay for the price of their actions.

The Monguls

What did the ancient Mongols do? The ancient Mongol empire controlled more land than any other empire and included a very wide range of cultures, peoples, and religions. Everyone knows the name of Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan) and his reputation as a fierce warrior and brutal conqueror. What you may not know is that he was a very savvy politician. His political skill not only created this tremendous empire, but also saved his people from destruction. He established the system that preserved their lives and their way of life.He and his successors took the system he set up and used it to spread their influence far and wide. So, the Mongols owe Chinggis Khan a debt of gratitude for preserving their lives and culture. We modern Westerners also owe him and his people respect for connecting the inhabitants of Western Europe with Asia and all the many benefits of trade and interaction that brought to the world. The Mongols preserved order in the areas they conquered which made it possible fo r traders to travel safely. This was called Pax Mongolica and was very significant in fostering contact between Europe, China, and all the lands in between.The disintegration of the Pax or Peace is part of the reason that Europeans were motivated to seek out sea routes to China, since it was no longer safe to travel overland. So, in a sense, you can say that the Mongolians are responsible for Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the Americas! Another thing you may not know about Chinggis Khan: he was not as brutal as he has been depicted. He would usually send emissaries ahead to invite a group of people to ally with him or to give him whatever he was seeking. If they agreed, they were typically required to give a certain number of warriors and some goods to the Mongols.If they refused, his warriors would attack mercilessly. However, they typically left women and skilled artisans to continue productive work, rather than totally destroying an area. This is different from some la ter conquerors who would completely annihilate opponents and their territory. Why did the Mongols pursue such extensive conquests? This geography is an important part of the answer to the question: Why did the Mongolians invade their neighbours? To answer this question, we have to know something about how Mongolians lived in the 1200s.Because of their geography, Mongols were usually herders and nomads. Define nomad. Why would herding require nomadism? Mongolians had to be able to move frequently in order to find pasture for their animals, primarily sheep, so they needed mobile housing. They made (and still make) felt from wool and use this felt to make the tent-like rounded houses called ger, or yurts by the Russians. Ger can be set up and taken down quickly and packed to be moved. [4-minute video of contemporary Mongolian felt-making and setting up a ger: http://ragcha. om/mujaan/shorts. html Click on â€Å"Making felt†] Note the horse pulling the felt in order to compact an d flatten it. Facts about gers: http://www. chaingang. org/yurtquest/FAQ. html Many more pictures of gers: http://www. chaingang. org/yurtquest/pics. html You can see that nomadic life isn’t easy. For one thing, it requires cooperation which binds people together, since they depend on each other to help them sustain life. At the same time, this kind of climate and terrain will not provide enough food in any one area to support a large population.This encourages the development of small tribal groups, people who can depend on each other but who do not have too large a footprint on the environment, since they will survive best when they are not all together. If a herd gets too large, it will destroy the grassland and not be able to graze in one place. Also, this climate makes it difficult to accumulate a large enough surplus that you could afford to pay someone else for services. For one thing, you would need to move everything you owned. It was not possible to stockpile any su rplus, even if it were possible to accumulate some in a particularly good year.In the conditions of this harsh nomadic life, it was not possible to create a social class of artisans who would manufacture goods. People were needed for herding and moving. And although there was some very limited agriculture, it was not possible for Mongolians to rely on farming for foodstuffs either. What do you think are typical Mongolian foods? [Animal products predominate – meat, milk products. Berries and vegetation that grows wild or with very little cultivation play less of a role in the traditional diet. ] This video clip shows men working on the felt and the ger.Of course, it is set in contemporary time, not in ancient Mongolia. In ancient Mongolia raiding other tribes or settlements in neighboring areas was an important part of the economy. Of course, raiding isn’t part of Mongolian culture now, but it was back then. If military might, necessary both to raid and to protect your own tribe, were such an essential part of your society, how would it affect the culture? One thing that contributed to Mongolian military success was the fact that the men were always ready and available for war.In order for that to be true, women had to take on many of the jobs that men do in other societies. Along with greater responsibility, the woman also had more rights and privileges than was common in other East Asian societies at that time. For example, they had the right to own property and to divorce. They also were sometimes trained for and participated in the military. We can find many references to women of the Mongol elite in 13th century chronicles from different cultures, including Mongol, Chinese and European. Later on we will discuss some prominent Mongolian women leaders who were very important in China.Raiding wasn’t the only contact they had with settled agricultural society; they also had to trade in order to get many of the goods they needed. Two things happened in the early 1200s to make both nomadism and trading more difficult. One was that the temperature of the steppe declined a little, not enough to threaten human life directly, but enough to affect the fragile balance of the environment and reduce the length of time during the year that grass grew. With less grass, herders had to move. [Refer back to map, climate. ]The other singular development in Mongolia in the early 13th century was the rise of a man called Temujin. He introduced the momentous political innovation of uniting all the Mongolian tribes under his leadership. Previously they had been scattered into separate tribes, a logical political system since the ecosystem would not sustain a large group gathered together, and they had frequent warfare among themselves. But in 1206, after years of preparation, Temujin was named the Great Khan, or ruler over all the tribes at a meeting of tribal elders called a quriltay (koor-ill-tie) or a council.He claimed to have bless ed ancestry and took the name of Chinggis Khan or Ruler of the Universe. His line was established as supreme and having the inherent right to rule. This political development influenced societies in many different areas for hundreds of years. Chinggis Khan took control in a period of economic and political crisis for the Mongolians. Not only was climate change pushing them to move away from their usual areas in search of better pasture. In addition, the northern Chinese ruling dynasty had cut trade with the Mongols.The Chinese did not need Mongolian products – but the Mongols needed to obtain things from the Chinese. In this unequal relationship the Mongolians were vulnerable. Forced by climate to search for better pastures, cut off by their usual trade partners, Mongolians faced severe challenges to their lifestyles and even their lives. These were the conditions when Chinggis Khan took control over a mobile, dedicated and militarily adept population. The stage was set for t he Mongolians to sweep south, east and west throughout Asia and into Europe, conquering as they went.What were the effects of Mongolian control? Intermixing of many different tribes of people and their geographical displacement. When the Mongols conquered a settlement or tribe, particularly of the Turkish nomads who inhabited the steppe to their south and west, they set them up in a military command structure. Conquered men were turned into warriors. Families accompanied warriors, serving as support so that the men were always available for military service and were not required to stay home and work to care for their families’ basic needs.They also intermixed peoples from different areas in each command unit. That way there was less possibility of conquered peoples uniting to revolt. They were turned into mobile military units which would sometimes be left to settle a different conquered area. This had the effect of intermixing ethnic and tribal affiliations so that most of these peoples no longer retained their own distinct culture, but resulted in them adopting their designation as specific units of the Mongols, or hordes. This legacy is still seen in Kazakhstan today, where the Kazakh population is divided into Greater and Lesser Hordes.