Shortage Of Labor Essays - Labour Economics, Ageing,

Shortage Of Labor One of the major concerns of today's companies is the shortage of labor, especially in management. The baby boomers are nearing retirement age in the United States and the birth rate is dropping. These circumstances, coupled with the booming economy are the main causes of the labor shortage. There is a high demand for labor but the once seemingly bottomless pool of employees and managers that companies drew from has started to dry up. What are the factors that contributed to the problem and how are today's corporations going to handle this problem? The type of labor needed in today's society has been undergoing a constant change. There is an increase in demand for workers but there is a much greater demand for educated white-collar workers, especially management material. Projections state that the growth in managerial positions will increase 20% by the year 2010 yet the population aged 35-50 will decrease nearly 10%. What these figures say is the already diminishing supply of executives is going to dwindle even more over the next 10 years. There is a shortage of blue-collar workers now and there will also be an even greater shortage of them in the future. In order for employers to find people who are willing to perform unskilled, repetitive jobs they are going to have to be willing to raise the level of compensation offered to employees. If McDonalds needs someone to flip hamburgers they better be prepared to pay double to triple minimum wage. There are a wide variety of employment opportunities and today's workforce can afford to be selective when choosing a job. The demand for employees is high while the supply is low. The figures on the change in average population ages and growth in industrialized nations is beginning to make the corporate world stand up and take notice. If the trends continue as they have been for the past thirty years, the shortage of labor is going to continually get worse with each year that passes. The predictions from the United States Census Bureau state that between 1990 and 2000 the increase of the American population over 60 will be 10.5% but in 2010 to 2020, the increase will be 32.5%. The change in the 60 plus population in the United States is projected to nearly triple in thirty years. Compare these figures to the increase in under sixty-year-old population. From 1990 to 2000, the increase in under sixty year olds will be 6.5% and it is projected to drop to 2.8% by 2010. If you look at the changes in the workplace you will see that the average age of an employee is steadily rising as the average age of retirement continues to drop. The projected increase in 55-64 year olds in the workforce from 1996 to 2006 is a staggering 54%. The projected change in the 25-34 year old bracket is -8.8%. These trends are not only true in the United States. Japan is also going to be coping with similar problems. Today the people over age 65 compose 16% of Japan's population, but by the year 2020 it is projected that percentage will soar to 26.3%. Japan, just like the United States is going to have to attempt to retain some of this group in the workforce to compensate for the continually falling birthrate in their country. This problem is very true in Europe too. Since 1995 Germany, France and Italy have experienced a continual fall in working population ages 15-64. This trend is projected to continue into the year 2000. Our aging population is also choosing to retire much earlier than they once did. This is a factor contributing to the strong economy we are enjoying now. The old are growing older, living longer and they are healthier than ever. Breakthroughs in medicine have enabled people to live much longer. The advancements our pharmaceutical companies research and development departments have made are staggering. Diseases that once were a death sentence are curable. Organs that are failing in the human body can be replaced or rebuilt. There are even some types of cancer that are considered curable. These things were not true twenty years ago. There also is a trend in this country towards remaining healthy. Americans are taking much better care of themselves; there is a genuine concern towards health. People are not smoking as much as they did in previous decades and there is a trend towards exercise. We take vitamins, we go out for a weekend run or bike ride and we

Arnold Schoenberg essays

Arnold Schoenberg essays The most important Expressionist composer was Arnold Schoenberg. He was born in 1874 in Vienna to a poor Orthodox Jewish family. He took violin lessons when he was younger but had no other musical training. He began composing at about the age of eight. He gradually came to feel that tonality-the centuries-old harmonic basis of music, with its carefully ordered hierarchy of keys and its feeling of a single, central key for each movement or work-had outlived its usefulness. He began to develop a completely new system of musical organization. At first he called this system atonality-meaning that the music uses so many chromatic notes that no tonal center can be heard. Schoenberg wrote many atonal pieces, the most important being, Das Buch der bangenden Garten (The Book of the Hanging Gardens), Five Pieces for Orchestra, and Pierrot Lunaire (Moonstruck Pierrot.) Schoenbergs music was not very popular and for several years he wrote no music at all. Atonality freed music from the straitjacket of tonality, but it had no organizing principle. In order to structure a piece with no keys Schoenberg had either made the pieces very short or held them together by text. A solution to the problem came with his new idea of the twelve-tone system. The twelve-tone system is an outgrowth of atonality, but has a strict unifying principle. The composer uses all the available notes, instead of just some of them (there are twelve notes in an octave, counting all the half steps.) But the notes are used in a strict order (established in advance by the composer), and this order must be followed throughout the piece. When the Nazis came to power in 1933 Schoenberg was summarily dismissed from his teaching job at the Academy of Arts in Berlin along with hundreds of thousands of Jews around Germany who lost their jobs. As a result, Schoenberg embraced Judaism more firmly than ever and many of his works including the orato...

An Interview with Teachers on Diversity, Inclusivity, Strategies and Respect in the Classroom

An Interview with Teachers on Diversity, Inclusivity, Strategies and Respect in the Classroom I interviewed two teachers about diversity, inclusivity, strategies, and respect in their classrooms. The first teacher, Rachael, is outgoing, creative, family oriented, and very dependable. She is a staple at our school and her opinion is sought by many other teachers. The second teacher I interviewed, Patricia, is a speech pathologist who tends to keep to herself, has an extremely large wealth of knowledge, and is the backbone of our Exceptional Student Education (ESE) department. Educational Setting Education is a field of hard working professionals who are willing to give their time and resources to make a difference in a child’s life. I have the privilege of working with several teachers at my elementary school who inspire both children and their colleagues.The culture of our school is diverse with a large Hispanic and Caucasian population. The ELL department works very hard to make sure students are tested and placed in the appropriate language group. Grade, Age Level, or Subject Areaand Years of Teaching Experience Rachael has been teaching for 11 years. She has taught various elementary grade levels and is currently teaching fourth grade. Rachael is the grade chair (team lead) for fourth grade and is also on the school instructional leadership team (ILT).Patricia teaches speech therapy and language therapy. She assists the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) team with various lesson plan ideas, research based strategies, and writing techniques to promote successful writing. Patricia has been teaching for 19 years and is a huge asset to our school. Patricia teaches every grade level in language or Speech therapy. Diversity of Students They Teach Again, the culture of our school is diverse with a large Hispanic population representing several countries such as Honduras, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Argentina. We also have a student from Greece, a student from England, and a student from Spain. A Description of How the Educators Illustrate the Current State of Inclusivity and Diversity in Their Settings When asked the question â€Å"Describe the current state of diversity and inclusivity in your educational setting†, Rachael answered â€Å"I think we have a pretty diverse setting. We have children from all different walks of life culturally and economically. I personally try to make sure everyone feels valued and has a voice-even if their voice is small-it’s important that they feel important.†, (Rachael, personal communication, May24, 2017).When Patricia was asked this question, she stated â€Å"Diversity tends to be a function of the neighborhood in which a school is situated. Within the school, students appear to be evenly distributed among teachers both when considering race/cultural background/language and when considering disabilities including SLD, Other Health Impaired, and Autism among others. The Administration appears to actively recruit teachers from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Our school is also challenged to bring diversity as one of the ol dest schools in our County. Segregation had a long hold on our school and it continues to push against this legacy. Inclusivity is sometimes challenging for English-speaking staff who cannot communicate effectively with parents of students who do not speak English. There is also a range of experience and skill within the teacher and staff population to respond to the special needs of students with disabilities. The issue of inclusivity seems to be more a function of District support than an intrinsic lack of desire for understanding on the part of teachers toward unique students. In sum, things are good, things are getting better, and theres quite a ways to go before we get there.† (Patricia, personal communication, May24, 2017). A Description of Strategies the Educators Use for Creating Inclusive Learning Environments. When asked the second interview question, what strategies do you use to create inclusive learning environments? Rachael answered â€Å"I try to make an inclusive learning environment by using Kagan structures. It gives each student a chance to participate and have a voice. I also differentiate instruction so that they feel successful at their level. The easiest thing I do is just listen to them and let them talk about their weekend, thoughts, and family. Classroom jobs also help to make the students feel valued.† (Rachael, personal communication, May24, 2017). Patricia answered the second question with this statement â€Å"Speaking only for myself, rather than the general sense as above, inclusivity is the mission for a speech language pathologist. This career exists to help those with communication gaps bridge the gap, or ideally fill the gap. To this end, I am constantly seeking to know the standard for a student without a disability and devising ways for students to reach or come close to meeting the expectations of the regular classroom. At this school, there is also some income disparity. While we are a Title I school and the majority of students meet the poverty criteria, there are students who enjoy a middle and upper-middle class life. The disparity is sometimes glaring as one student may have shoes with soles separating from the shoe body and another is wearing SPARKLY boots today instead of the leather carved pair. I compliment both students, genuinely, appreciating not just the aesthetic of the material item I love those rainbo w sparkles! but the gesture of the item Those shoes must have seen a lot of amazing places! Where have they taken you? Inclusivity also embodies the idea that fair is not necessarily equal. I have used my own resources, time and money, to fill resource gaps for poverty-affected students boxes of crayons just to take home for example outside of the treasure everyone earns. Students know I am here for everyone, not just the ones that look like me!†(Patricia, personal communication, May24, 2017). A Description of Strategies the Educators Use for Demonstrating Respect Toward and Valuing Students from Diverse Backgrounds For the final interview question, what strategies do you to show you value and respect diversity in your classroom setting? Rachael answered â€Å"I know that I can be better at thisits easy to call on the same students because you know they have the right answer or wont waste your time with a silly answer. Sometimes I dont even have time to listen to them. But, I know that they need to feel like they are important.†(Rachael, personal communication, May24, 2017). Patricia answered the final question with this statement â€Å"Growing up in a foreign country, a Spanish-speaking foreign country, has afforded some advantages for me especially in working with the large Hispanic population at our school. Daily, I take a risk and exchange a few conversational turns in the language students hear at home, creating rapport. I do the same for the parents that come to meet with me. I have also integrated materials that resonate with students culture and history such as the lesson I built on Cactus Soup a version of the fable Stone Soup, that includes Spanish words, illustrations rich with images found in towns of the Mexican desert, and Mexican cooking ingredients. Many students here are connected to the strawberry crop. Lessons have also revolved around all things strawberry. This platform allows for more than just discussions about fresas, it creates an opportunity for students to talk about daily life for their family as their parents pick through th e light hours and the students themselves help in the fields on the weekends. Realizing the lesson objective may sometimes take a back seat to conversation is paramount. However, will we guide students toward knowledge if there is not mutual trust and respect that the journey will be what both envision?†(Patricia, personal communication, May24, 2017). An Analysis of How Well the Educators are Creating Inclusive Learning Environments for All Students The Educator I Believe is More Proficient at This Skill Patricia is far more proficient at this skill than the other teacher. Her years of experience and diverse background provide her with various outlooks on any topic. Patricia tends to support her ideas and approach to teaching with research based articles and materials. An Assessment of the Evidence I Have that Supports My View I have witnessed Rachael in action and she truly allows each student an equal opportunity to express themselves. She is quite a remarkable teacher. Patricia’s passion is a reflection of our entire team. Working with her these past three years has been a pleasure and she has taught me many valuable lessons. She utilized so many research-based strategies, programs (LIPS by Linda Mood), and professional development materials in all of her lesson plans and IEP’s. Conclusions or Big Ideas I Drew about Inclusivity and Diversity from My Interviews. My ‘aha† moments, that Patricia inspired, revolve around student self-assessments. Patricia has changed the way I view teaching and her inspiration will be with me for the remainder of my career. She taught me to teach the students to assess themselves and allow them to tell you their comfort level about their knowledge of a topic. An Application of These Big Ideas to My Own Educational Setting How These Big Ideas May Be Applied in My Own Setting to Promote Valuing of Diversity This made such an impact on me. Her response was so heartfelt and sincere. Patricia and I have worked hard to make sure a student is able to attend summer camp at our local science museum. There have been times when we have paid his way out of our own pocket. The look on his is worth a hundred times more.

Nursing Image Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Image - Essay Example Dorothea Lynde Dix (1802-1887) made a significant contribution to the state of mental health in the United States during the period starting late 19th Century. She is remembered for pioneering mental assylums in the United States. Dorothea Dix is regarded as a â€Å"voice for the mad†. Her contribution to the improvement of the lives of the mentally ill people in the United States cannot be compared to that of any other person in the history of nursing. Mental health is an important aspect of nursing, thus all mentally-ill patients deserve good nursing and care, just as other patients. According to Parry (2006), evidence shows that Dorothea might have been a victim of neglect from her parents, thus this might have influenced her to advocate for the well-being of mentally ill people in society, who were equally neglected at most times.In the year 1841, Dorothea Dix volunteered her time and knowledge to the East Cambridge jail, where she held one hour of devotion with female inm ates in that jail. While on this mission, Dorothea Dix realized that those inmates that were mentally-ill were living in poor conditions. For instance, these were chained in filthy and cold cells. Dorothea therefore, after making this observation, was committed to ensuring that the mentally-ill inmates lived in good conditions, and not the one she had witnessed. Most inmates have no power over their health, as while in prison, they cannot control the circumstances surrounding their health, such as the quality of the cells, among other aspects.

Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Knowledge Management - Essay Example My personal knowledge management plan is as follows: Social dimension objective: My social dimension objective is identifying daily contacts that I can improve upon with use of networking, collaboration, or by engaging in productive dialogue in order to produce enhanced work relationships and work productivity (Wright, 5). Social dimension action plan: My social dimension action plan is to have more focused contact with different departments that I frequently interact with as an HR Generalist. By targeting problem areas with each department I deal with, it should improve the availability of knowledge in a way that can benefit the organization. A few departments that I interact with would include payroll, operations line managers, the information technology department, and my fellow HR colleagues. I plan to do this part of my action plan on as close to a daily basis as possible. Information dimension objective: My information dimension objective is to improve my use of information technology to improve work productivity. This could be through informational analyzing, organization, aggregation, or communication (Wright, 4). Information dimension action plan: My information dimension action plan is to identify one or more areas at my work over the next three weeks that could be improved through information technology. This will involve analyzing the current method of doing work, and in proposing improvements where appropriate. Analytical action plan: My analytical action plan involves reflecting on the decision-making process, and attempting to see how to generate ideas along with general interpretation or analysis. I plan to do this after each entry in my personal knowledge journal. Learning dimension objective: My learning dimension objective is to enhance the way I approach processing knowledge or learning. Learning can be by intuition, reflection, resource development, process improvements,

Modern Terrorism Essay Example for Free

Modern Terrorism Essay 1. What major measures can the international community take to prevent terrorism? The fight against terrorist organizations and terrorism is not just a fight that the United States must face alone. This is evident from the Madrid train bombings, the bombings in London, and the terrorist attacks that Israel seems to face everyday from Hizballah. Terrorism is, in effect, international. All nations have a responsibility to combat terrorism to protect them and to protect other nations as well. One of the security measures that can be undertaken is that of securing aircraft and airports. Enders and Sandler cite in their book that between 1973 and 2002, there was an average of ten skyjackings per year (Enders, W. . Sandler, T., 2012). This was a number that is surprising due to the fact that it seems like most werent reported or very little coverage was given to the incidences. There are new technologies being developed all the time to aid in securing of air travel. There is new technology in the area of explosive detection devices. One such technology is called micro-tagging. During this process, tiny chips of micro-taggants are blended into explosive substances and color-coded to identify the manufacturer and batch of explosives (IME, 2005). This system would also be beneficial in the reconstruction of bomb scenes and used to gain knowledge and prepare for future terrorist acts. Another innovative technology is called dielectric analysis. Dielectric analysis is a powerful non-destructive tool for characterizing materials; it can provide accurate, repeatable results unavailable by other electrical means. This, in essence, gives the explosive agents a â€Å"fingerprint† and could provide immediate identification of explosive substances at airports (DHS, 2012). Along with technological advanced in air security, people can often make the biggest impact. In this area, Federal Air Marshals play an important role. This is not something that all countries partake in but more and more countries are adding these individuals to their flights. The airline association estimates that 10 or 20 out of some 115 airlines that fly into the United States already use air marshals (Lichtblau, 2003). Israel, for instance, has used marshals on El Al flights for years, and as stated, some other countries have followed suit more recently, as Australia announced in 2003 that Qantas Airways would begin placing armed marshals on flights to Singapore. Mexico has stated that they would start to use their own air marshals on flights that are going to the United States. However, not all countries and airlines are signed on to the idea. Air France does not use air marshals and the British Air Line Pilots Association said it does not believe that arms belong on aircraft, and British Airways, the countrys biggest airline, said it reserves the right not to fly if it is forced to add air marshals (Lichtblau, 2003). Although there is a general feeling among passengers that they would feel safer on a flight if there were an air marshal on board, not everyone believes the passengers would necessarily be safer. There are those that cite that an armed conflict on a plane would become more dangerous to the passengers as opposed to just letting the terrorist state their demands and work with them for the release of passengers. Sound, actionable, intelligence is another area that countries can utilize for overall protection. Political intelligence is an important factor to combating terrorism. This can be used to identify where the groups are garnering the most support for their cause. When this has been determined, pressure from other nations can be placed on these states to not support the terrorists. The gathering and use of military intelligence is vital in any operation. The intelligence gathered by our forces can assist in finding out how many are in a particular group, what kinds of weapons they have, and where they are located. 2. Do you think the U.S. should follow Israel’s example of fighting terrorism? Explain fully. Israel has been fighting terrorism for many years, even before they became a nation in 1948. They are surrounded by Muslim nations, which historically do not get along with Israelis. This is particularly true of Palestinians. Since Israel is surrounded by so many that wish to do them harm, they have had to take more drastic steps in order to protect themselves. They had become one of the first countries to articulate a deliberate and official policy of retaliation against terrorism. Most nations understand that a nation must fight back in order to protect itself and its interests. Israel on the other hand seems to retaliate in a much more aggressive manner. Such a case was their retaliation against an Arab village in Qibiya, Jordan in 1953. On October 13, 1953, Jordanian terrorists infiltrated the Israeli border and threw a grenade into a house, killing a mother and two children in Tiryat Yehuda. In an effort to prevent further attacks and protect its borders, Israel launched a reprisal raid on Qibiya, a Jordanian town across the border from Tiryat Yehuda. Unit 101, led by then Colonel Ariel Sharon, destroyed 50 homes, killing 69 Jordanian civilians who were hidden inside and had gone unnoticed (Oreck, A. 2007). Sharon had stated that he was not aware that civilians were involved but that did not help in the embarrassment that Israel suffer ed due to the incident. The Israelis have pioneered the area of preemptive strikes against terrorism. This policy is a bit more difficult to convince the international community for its justification. It is one thing to fight back against an attack on your country it is another to strike first to prevent such an attack. But in many cases is necessary to do so. Should we follow Israel’s example? If that question had been posed ten or fifteen years ago, I may have said no. Today, my answer would be yes, with a caveat. Though it may be difficult, I think we would need other countries to publicly back us to carry out certain missions. In the case of a preemptive strike, our allies must be informed of such action so they are not taken by surprise of the situation. As far as targeted killings, we had better have support in this undertaking or else we are going to look like the aggressors or worse, assassins. A prime example is our current situation in the Middle East. Although the United States has a policy against taking out heads of state, which President Ford imposed by executive order in 1976, there is nothing to say that we cannot take out leaders of terrorist groups as in the case of Osama bin Laden. In the climate we live in today, we had better have all of our options open and on the table if we want to defend ourselves and help prevent future attacks. 3. Identify and explain at least three international conventions organized to suppress terrorism. I.The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 9, 1999, and signed on behalf of the United States of America on January 10, 2000. The Convention is aimed at cutting off the funding that terrorist groups need to operate. This Convention provides an obligation that States Parties criminalize such conduct and establishes an international legal framework for cooperation among States Parties directed toward prevention of such financing and ensuring the prosecution and punishment of offenders, wherever found. II.The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing was adopted in 1997. At this convention, The United Nations (1997) states: Created a regime of universal jurisdiction over the unlawful and intentional use of explosives and other lethal devices in, into, or against various defined public places with intent to kill or cause serious bodily injury, or with intent to cause extensive destruction of the public place. (article 2) It is similar to other conventions in that it requires parties to extradite or submit for prosecution person’s accused of committing or aiding in the commission of such offenses. III.The Convention on the Making of Plastic Explosives for the purpose of Detection was ratified by the United Nations in 1991. The members of the U.N. were concerned that plastic explosives had been used for such terrorist acts in the past and could be again in the future and wanted to do something about it. This Convention was aimed at deterring such unlawful acts of the use of plastic explosives because they felt there was a need for an international mandate for States to adopt appropriate measures to ensure that plastic explosives are marked. 4. Briefly evaluate the provision of the U.S. Patriot Act. The U.S. Patriot Act has ten different provisions that outline the United States governments war on terrorism. These provisions impact the war on terrorism in different ways. Some of the provisions deal with rights and responsibilities; others provide areas in which terrorism can be fought. The first title is for the enhancement of domestic security and provides for funding and information gathering. It also prohibits the discrimination against Muslim Americans. Title II is probably the most controversial of all the provisions. It is here where the perceived infringement on civil liberties takes place. This provision reshapes the way the federal government can collect information. The FBI can seize materials from private citizens when it believes national security is at stake and then get permission from courts to do so afterwards. Title III involves the area of money laundering and the financing of terrorist organizations. Title IV increases border patrols and mandates the detention of suspected terrorists. Title V deals with removing obstacles in the investigation of terrorism and addresses the capture and prosecution of terrorists. Title VI provides aid to the families of Public Safety Officers who were injured or killed in terrorist attacks, and amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. Title VII supports the sharing of information by federal law enforcement agencies. Title VIII strengthens criminal laws against terrorism, defines domestic terrorism, and expands biological weapons statutes. Title IX provides guidance on intelligence information sharing from foreign agencies. The information derived from electronic surveillance or physical searches is disseminated for efficient and effective foreign intelligence purposes. The last title is kind of a catchall and is listed as miscellaneous. It contains 16 sections that do not fall under other titles in the act. 5. Briefly discuss the impact of emergency powers on defeating terrorism. Many nations have forms of so called, â€Å"Emergency Powers†. Some countries call it â€Å"State of Exception†, â€Å"Special Powers†, or â€Å"Terrorist Affected†. No matter what a country may call their emergency powers, extreme circumstances may exist in which the security of the country in needed and these powers allow for authorities to stop, search, question and detain individuals suspected of terrorist involvement. There have been emergency powers used even before the United States was formed. Between 1775 and 1781, the Continental Congress passed a series of acts and resolves which count as the first expressions of emergency authority. These instruments dealt almost exclusively with the prosecution of the Revolutionary War (Relyea, 2006). The President of the United States has available certain powers that may be exercised in the event that the nation is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances (other than natural disasters, war, or near-war situations). Part Two: What changes has the F.B.I. made since 9/11? How have these changes improved the F.B.I.’s ability to respond to terrorism? Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert S. Muller, III said the following in a 2008 Washington Times article: Before 9/11, we were an agency that focused primarily on investigating crimes after the fact, he told The Washington Times in an e-mail interview this week. Today we are actively preventing and disrupting destructive and illegal acts before they occur. (para. 3) A few examples of how the F.B.I. is accomplishing this are how they recruit and train their special agents. Mr. Muller instituted a five-year move up or get out plan for its leadership, calling it critical to the success of the future success of the F.B.I. The budget for 2012 was $8.1 billion including $119.2 million in program increases to enhance counterterrorism, computer intrusions, and other programs (The FBI, 2012). They have also made great efforts to increase information sharing with other intelligence agencies which makes efforts to prevent terrorists activities a greater success as in the thwarting of the attempted bombing of downtown Manhattan financial district just a few short months ago. Since the institution of Director Muller’s initiatives and the FBI’s new focus on counterterrorism rather than just being a reactive agency, the FBI is better trained and equipped to not only respond but to go on the offensive when needed. With the help of the Patriot Act and the expanded powers it allows law enforcement to react more decisively and with greater effectiveness. Part Three: What were the policies of Germany and Japan before 9/11? What measures have been taken by these two countries in order to combat terrorism? Prior to 9/11, the German government had a typical laissez faire approach to international terrorists and their organizations. After 9/11 this changed. In a CRS report, Miko, F.T. (2004), stated the following: The German response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States was immediate and unprecedented in scope for that country. Setting aside its post-World War II prohibition against deploying forces outside of Europe and overcoming pacifist leanings of some in the governing coalition, Germany quickly offered military and other assistance to the United States. In his initial reaction to the attacks of 9/11, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder declared Germany’s â€Å"unlimited solidarity† with the United States. On September 12, 2001, the German government, along with other U.S. allies, invoked NATO’s Article V, paving the way for military assistance to the United States. The Chancellor gained approval from the German Parliament to deploy troops to Afghanistan with a call for a vote of confidence in his own government. Since then, German efforts in the fight against terrorism have expanded across a wide spectrum. Germany has instituted significant policy, legislative, and organizational reforms. Bilateral cooperation with the United States has been extensive, despite differences stemming from the distinct approaches and constraints in each country and frictions resulting from sharp disagreement over Iraq policy. (p. 1) Since the end of WWII and Japan’s defeat, their policy has been one of maintaining a Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) aimed at protecting the homeland only. While Japan remains a loyal supporter of the United States, the public is very reluctant to view military intervention outside the country as favorable. However, they did send a small force to Iraq in a relatively peaceful operating environment in the town of Samawah. While there they neither caused nor received any casualties, which was popular with the Japanese public. Although Japanese opinion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq suggests a willingness to recognize the utility of military power for territorial defense, but not for offensive uses of force, unless these are directly related to national defense, they remain a strong supporter of U.S. policies against terrorists. Part Four: Summarize the salient points of the National Strategy For Combating Terrorism. The salient points of the National Strategy For Combating Terrorism can be summed up as follows: âž ¢Defeat Terrorists and Their Organizations âž ¢Deny Sponsorship, Support, and Sanctuary to Terrorists âž ¢Diminish the Underlying Conditions that Terrorists Seek to Exploit âž ¢Defend U.S. Citizens and Interests at Home and Abroad The list above serves as the Goals and Objectives of the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism as of 2007. These same goals still hold true today. Part Five: Summarize the salient points of the National Strategy To Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. This was first issued by then President, George W. Bush in December 2002. A description of strategy is as follows: The Weapons of Mass Destruction strategy presents a national strategy to combat weapons of mass destruction (WMD) through three major efforts: (1) nonproliferation, (2) counter-proliferation, and (3) consequence management in WMD incidents (The White House, 2003). The plan addresses the production and proliferation of WMD among nations, as well as the potential threat of terrorists using WMD agents. I leave you with a final quote from President George W. Bush. â€Å"The gravest danger our Nation faces lies at the crossroads of radicalism and technology. Our enemies have openly declared that they are seeking weapons of mass destruction, and evidence indicates that they are doing so with determination. The United States will not allow these efforts to succeed. History will judge harshly those who saw this coming danger but failed to act. In the new world we have entered, the only path to peace and security is the path of action.† President Bush The National Security Strategy of the United States of America September 17, 2002 References: (2005). Taggant History and Background. IME. Retrieved January 8, 2013 from http://www.ime.org/dynamic.php?page_id=66 (2012). Electromagnetic Studies of Explosives Laboratories. 1-2. Department of Homeland Security: http://www.orau.gov/DHS-TSLvisSciProg/labs/TSL_EMX LAB.pdf. (2012). Quick Facts. The FBI. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/quick-facts Conery, B., Mueller praises FBI’s changes since 9/11. The Washington Times. [Editors Picks]. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/25/mu eller-praises-fbis-changes-since-911/?page=all Enders, W. . Sandler, T. (2012). The Political Economy of Terrorism. (2nd ed., pp. 86-90). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Lichtblau, E. (2003). U.S. says it will force countries to arm flights. San Francisco Chronicle, A/1. Retrieved January 8, 2013, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/12/30/MNGJD40F651.DTLtype=printable. Miko, F.T. (2004). Germanys Role in Fighting Terrorism: Implications for U.S. Policy. (RL32710). 1. United States Congress. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32710.pdf Oreck, A. (2007). Qibya. Jewish Virtual Library, The Library. Retrieved January 8, 2013, from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Qibiya.html. Relyea, H. C. (2006). National Emergency Powers. In CRS Report for Congress. Congress. Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/98-505.pdf. The White House. (2003). National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. Arms Control Today. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2003_01-02/document _janfeb03 United Nations. (1997). Conventions Against Terrorism. Retrieved January 9, 2013, from United Nations: http://www.un.org/law/cod/terroris.htm

Gothic and Feminist Elements of The Yellow Wallpaper -- Feminism Femin

Gothic and Feminist Elements of The Yellow Wallpaper      Ã‚  Ã‚   Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" has been interpreted in many ways over the years. Modernist critics have applied depth psychology to the story and written about the symbolism of sexual repression in the nursery bars, the chained-down bed, and the wallpaper. Genre critics have discussed the story as an example of supernatural gothic fiction, in which a ghost actually haunts the narrator. But most importantly, feminist critics (re)discovered the story in the 1970s and interpreted it as a critique of a society that subjugated women into the role of wife and mother and repressed them so much that all they could ever hope to be was an "angel in the house." Keeping in mind that "The Yellow Wallpaper" can be - and most often is - interpreted as a feminist text in this way, we must also recognize that it holds its own in the Gothic genre. In fact, Eugenia Delamotte claims that "women who just can't seem to get out of the house [are] the most basic subject of Gothic plots" (207). The Gothic has always been and still is a genre that picks up on the concerns of its day. In the same way that postmodern Gothic (Don DeLillo and John Crowley, for example) concerns itself with late twentieth century technological issues, Gilman's Gothic of a century ago was very concerned with the plight of women in American society. When we recognize "The Yellow Wallpaper" as both a feminist treatise and a Gothic text, we can begin drawing conclusions that might not be obvious had we overlooked this dual nature of the story. Gilman's narrator - who appears to be suffering from postpartum depression - has been diagnosed by several male physicians, including her husband, and... ... Gothic and feminist. It is both classically Gothic and an expression of the position Gilman would like to see women achieve in society. This duality is quite powerful. The Gothic trope of concealed objects is what enabled Gilman to best express her feminist views on the status of women in her suffocating society. Her nameless narrator is representative of all American women who have lost their identity to oppressive and unfulfilling domestic roles.    Works Cited Delamotte, Eugenia C. "Male and Female Mysteries in 'The Yellow Wallpaper.'" Legacy. 5.1 (1988): 3-14. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Paula Kepos. 37. Detroit: Gale, 1991. Golden, Catherine. "The Writing of 'The Yellow Wallpaper': A Double Palimpest." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (1989): 193-201. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. David Segal. 13. Detroit: Gale, 1993   

A report on Arranged Marriages Essay

Arranged marriages are marriages that are arranged by someone other than the couple themselves, usually by the parents or family. Arranged marriages are experienced all over the globe, some countries include Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Canada and India. These types of marriages have numerous positive and negative points. In a great part of Asia, marriages are still arranged by parents and family. Arrangements are frequently made simply on rational grounds. In countries such as different as Jordan and Cambodia, daughters are usually married to distant family. Arranged Marriages are very controversial. Many people argue that choosing your life partner is a fundamental right, and others seem to say that mommy and daddy know best. The truth is that arranged marriages are completely legal and practiced in many cultures. In the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, everyone has fundamental freedoms. These freedoms are the basic rights that Canadians have. They state that everyone has fundamental freedoms; freedom of conscience and religion; of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of association. The fact of the matter is, arranged marriages are a cultural thing, and the law is very hesitant to get involved. Most commonly today, children can choose if they want to get an arranged marriage. If the child is lucky, the final vote will be theirs. The idea of arranged marriages is very difficult for our western countries to comprehend. In the western countries, the idea of marrying a stranger seems unnatural and odd. Most North Americans can’t seem to recognize the idea of marrying an outsider. Although, this practice is generally the way things are done in Indian and Muslim countries, they will most likely continue to seem strange to North Americans. In Western countries, we lean on focusing our attention on more material issues such as sex, love, and beauty, which are the center of our relationships. People get married for such reasons, and then as a result, get bored of one another quite easily. In Eastern countries, they tend to look for more practicality in their mates. They look for aspects such as integrity, diligence, ambition, humility and generosity. Arranged marriages can be successful, but either the man or woman may be displeased with the spouse that has been chosen for him/her. Sometimes, the man and woman get along, but at times there can be a lot of conflicting differences. In the case of any marriage, certain qualities are required in order to sustain a healthy relationship. Patience, love, understanding, trust and kindness are a few of many helpful attributes that would help create a long lasting marriage. No matter what your reasons for marrying someone, you can make it a successful relationship by simply being courteous and respectful. In some cases, arranged marriages can improve the social standing of a family. In other cases, women get the chance to get employment, but women are usually stay-at-home mothers. There are certain rules that apply to arranged marriages. For one, you have to be the same nationality, so an East Indian would be pressured to marry one of his kind. In the Sikh culture and religion, the son or daughter have to marry the same caste, which means that the lower class would marry a low class person, and a high class would marry a high-class person. In India, if you try to get a divorce your way out of an arranged marriage, your parents will disown you. In Pakistan, 90 percent of marriages are arranged, compared to Japan, where only 25-30 percent of all marriages are arranged. Some Indian women have overdosed on drugs, in order to escape the harsh reality of their unwanted marriage. Statistics provide evidence that arranged marriages are no less happy, and  even more stable, than so-called love marriages. Through the ages, mothers have reassured their young daughters by the time they where married off that they don’t have to worry; love will come by itself. In some cases, people have grown to love each other, and other cases were not so fortunate. Marriage can be a big decision in one’s life, whether you are getting married because of an arranged marriage or marrying for love. The basis on which marriage is created depends on an amount of factors, which include cultural, economic, and social aspects. Love, on the other hand, is the only factor needed for a love marriage. Two people might support their marriage on rushed, blinding love and find out that they aren’t in the least bit well matched. As Mamoon states, â€Å"Love, marriage and compatibility are not the same†¦ Two people can be completely compatible yet have no love for each other and vice versa.† Although, love might be a beautiful basis for marriage, it is not necessarily the best way to go when choosing whom you want to live with and how you want to be provided for, for the rest of your life. My personal opinion on marriage in general is that it’s all relative. If you feel comfortable that you can choose a suitable spouse, which you will be with for a lifetime, then that should be your personal choice to make. However, if you feel that your parents could decide better than you could, then there is definitely nothing wrong with getting an arranged marriage. The most important thing is that you’re happy. It’s not the route you take getting there, but the destination. If you are married your dream mate, then why does it matter how you found them?

Rhetorical Reading Strategies and the Construction

Rhetorical Reading Strategies and the Construction of Meaning Summary Although the collective knowledge in the field of Pedagogy on how readers, â€Å"actually carry out this interpretive process with college-level expository text is rather limited† (Haas and Flower 167). The study in discussion would like to help the understanding of this constructive, rhetorical view of reading.Throughout the article, Haas and Flower emphasize how students â€Å"are good readers in the traditional sense†¦ yet, they paraphrase rather than analyze, summarize rather than criticize texts† (170). This brings up two key points that Haas and Flower discuss in a relation to rhetorical reading strategies, in student reader-writers. According to the research Haas and Flower conducted, only about one percent of students use the rhetorical reading strategy, which means that most students don’t criticize and analyze text that they read.Most students mainly use the Content and Feature/F unctional reading strategy, rather than deconstructing the text, they just say the basic things, and summarize which brings up the question, how does the constructive process play itself out in the actual thinking process of reading? Haas and Flower purpose that readers â€Å"construct meaning by building multifaceted, interwoven, representation of knowledge† (168).The main focus Haas and Flower have throughout the article is the fact that students are staying at the â€Å"mediocre† level while reading, instead of breaking down the text and actually analyzing what the author(s) were trying to say. Haas and Flower want students to get use to using the rhetorical strategy, since it will help students better understand the text they read especially as they continue on with higher education Works Cited Haas, Christina and Flower, Linda. â€Å"College Composition and Communication† Reading Strategies and the Construction of Meaning. 1988

You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly Essay Example

You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly Essay Example You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly Essay You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly Essay You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly U. A. Fanthorpe U. A Fanthorpe was born in Kent in 1929. After boarding school in Surrey, she read English and became a teacher. She taught for 16 years until she began writing poetry in 1974. Her first volume, Side Effects, was published by Peterloo Poets in 1978. â€Å"You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly†, is a poem that conjures up an image of a malign interviewer looking down in disgust at the unfortunate interviewee. It is a pessimistic experience for the candidate. The poet discusses prejudice and discrimination through the use of tone and language. The poem uses the voice of the interviewer to convey the prejudice. This poem begins in a realistic way but becomes surreal. The title of the poem clearly puts the readers into the context of an interview. These are the words resounding in the ears of unemployed people who seek suitable employment. The employer is always in the superior position from where he looks down upon the job-seekers. Though the words ‘You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly’ sound very polite, they are loaded with prejudice. From the first line in the poem, You feel adequate to the demands of this decision? until the last line, the speaker uses sophisticated language which implies that the interviewer is well educated. But the language is used in such a way that it sounds very snobbish and rude and this sets the tone for the poem. The interviewee seems to be intimidated and feels insignificant for what he/she is. The interviewer is in command of the situation and controls through his use of sarcasm and rhetorical questions. In verse one, the use of the word ‘adequate’ already gives us the feeling that the interviewer thinks that the applicant is not fit to the position that is sought. The next question about the ‘qualities’ the interviewer seeks from the candidate gives an impression of the candidate as a failure and useless at everything. We can perceive that the interviewer already has negative thoughts about the interviewee, but at this moment, the prejudice is more subtle than at the end of the poem. Though the applicant is a qualified person, the questioner makes it irrelevant by stating that the qualifications do not satisfy the requirement they are looking for. The reader is inclined to think and wonder why they call candidates who do not have the required qualifications. The level of prejudice increases as the person in authority comments about the age and looks of the interviewee. Whether the common people are disturbed or not, the attitude of the interviewer is quite disturbing. He causes further damage to the candidate by breaking the boundaries of social conduct. He asks inappropriate questions regarding the accent, education and the family details. The height of prejudice and misuse of power comes out when the very existence of the interviewee is questioned. The poem is written in short stanzas followed by a single line, most often by one word; ‘Ah’, ‘Indeed’ etc. this suggests that a conversation has taken place. The language of the speaker is formal and standard English which intimidate the candidate. Lines of varying length are used in order to suit the mood of the speaker, which is controlling and demanding. The use of complex sentences and the first person plural (‘we’) gives the speaker of this poem an air of authority. Though the responses of the interviewee are not recorded, it is quite understandable what the candidate would have said in reply to the queries made by the interviewer. The alliteration in the words, ‘dubious desire’, domestic disasters’ gives us the clue the extent of degradation the applicant faces. The use of second person pronoun ‘You’ is markedly authorial and its tone is highly dispassionate. First person plural ‘we’ gives the interviewer authority and power. The speaker’s short statements such as, ‘and your accent,’ and sealed questions, ‘that is the way you have always spoken, is it? represents his ominous rule over the innocent, unlucky interviewee, It leaves the applicant no room or space to argue that there is nothing wrong with his/her accent. Together with the interviewee, the readers sense a feeling of uneasiness at the way the whole interview had proceeded. As we feel pity for the applicant, our mind rebels against the prejudiced interviewer. Every one is sure what it means, when the candidate gets the final statement, â€Å"you will be hearing from us shortly†. The answer is not going to be positive.

Carnival Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Carnival - Essay Example This paper aims to discuss the statement of Bakhtin stating that carnival has undergone a great deal of transition from medieval time to romanticism. Furthermore, a discussion or implementation of the idea that was presented by Bakhtin will be done on Batman (1989) and Night before Christmas (1993). It is important to understand the context of carnival theory presented by Bakhtin before discussing the difference between medieval and modern carnival and the reasons behind transition. The contextual understanding of carnival by Bakhtin is based upon the European tradition of carnival. Critics claimed that Bakhtin took interest in assessing the seventh century forms of the grotesque because he was impressed by carnivals as he viewed them as occasions where the lows and highs of the society submerged together for some time. In simpler words, the authority of the church and state came together without any control. It will not be incorrect to state that Bakhtin’s account of carnival was anarchic where everyone liberated as audiences and performers (McNay, 1994). It has further been stated by Bakhtin that Carnivalesque bodies were involved in the use of absurd or laughter in order to present the difference between life and death. Festivity lingered all these years in order to provide people to express their views about life. In short, carnival was just a way to provide a platform for expression for people in all geographic locations of societies over the years. It should be noted that carnival rather gave a way to people to cherish their identity and presence by giving up undertaking a re-birth of experiences (Muggleton, 2000). Bakhtin celebrates the mediaeval culture of the carnival, but he does this in the context of its relevance to the development of the classic  literature of the  Renaissance  ; Rabelais, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Dante and Boccaccio etc. Moreover, Bakhtin asserts that  the Renaissance would not have happened without the carnival  ,

Critical Thinking and Informatics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking and Informatics - Assignment Example In contemporary times, nurses’ assessment relies upon technology, which yields much reliable results. It has not negatively affected the assessment skills of nurses and in fact it has transformed the assessment methods that have improved the clinical assessments (Webb & Shakespeare, 2008). Though technological tools may have errors, but the results are more accurate than human assessment. According to the study of Powell-Cope & Patterson (2008), the use of patient care technology has become complex with the passage of time, and this is because of the reason that the before the use of technology, nurses relied more on their sense of sight, touch, smell and hearing to detect the change in the patient (Powell-Cope, Nelson, & Patterson, 2008). Now, the excessive use of technology tools has suppressed the sense of nurses to detect changes in the patient (Powell-Cope, Nelson, & Patterson, 2008). As cited by Powell Cope in ‘Patient Care Technology and Safety’ nurses relied on change in the skin color and mental status of he patient to determine the changing in oxygen saturation. This reflects that before the invention of pulse oxygmetry nurses were able to identify the oxygen saturation in the patient determining their physical and mental condition. Similar has been cited by Zalumas in ‘Caring in Crisis’ as he states that the overdependence of nurs es on the technology has declined clinical assessment skills (Zalumas, 1995). The legal implication and computerized data has increased the burden on the technical environment. Inducement of Patient Care Technology has provided new dimensions for the clinical practice as nurses are relying more on these technologies that has discarded old methods. On the other hand, scholars believe that the technology has resolved major issues related to nurses assessment (Dickerson, Brewer, & Kovner, 2007). According to Rudy and Bertman,