Corrections Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Corrections - Research Paper Example 17 states are in the spotlight where the population of prisoners is higher than the capacity of the prison cells to hold them, which not only causes problems for the prison policies but also shows that the facilities designed for the captives are lacking. It was observed that at the end of 2013, Illinois alone housed 48,653 prisoners while, the prisons are modeled only to hold 32,075 prisoners. This meant that the prison system is operating at 151 percent of its actual capacity. North Dakota accordingly has been housing 150 percent of its prison capacity capacity(Wilson). Prisons in all the states in America are facing the issue of overcrowding and inmates tend to take advantage of it. If prison budgets are not increased, then there will be no facilities for inmates to get back on track which means the cycle of crime is to continue without an out. As the prisoner influx increases, the number of prison guards is seen to be decreasing. In 2005, the government reduced the number of guards which means that the imbalance of ratio not only proves hazardous to life inside the prison but might impact the life outside the prison walls as well (McLaughlin). There are many ways by which the problem of overcrowding can be overcome which includes updating laws and reviewing the prison state conditions. Tackling prison overcrowding is an important issue that needs to be dealt with. If the budget of the prisons is not increased to sustain prisoner influx, then it is deemed that it might promote the states to have an early release option for prisoners. California is one such example where the overcrowding situation led the Supreme Court to order to reduce the population of its prisoners by 30,000 on the base facts that it was against the constitution (McLaughlin). In conclusion, serious efforts need to be made to reduce the inmate population and control the influx while sustaining a population that is not

Gated Communities and Segregation in The Tortilla Curtain by T.C.Boyle Essay

Gated Communities and Segregation in The Tortilla Curtain by T.C.Boyle - Essay Example Though segregation based on race, ethnicity, religion, etc., is now illegal, there are still some practices among the citizens like the existence of gated communities that cause segregation and racism. Although, one section of people views gated communities as a feasible and practical way of living, other sections view it as ‘islands’ which promote segregation. This issue of gated communities forms a subtle but a key part of the novel, The Tortilla Curtain written by T.C. Boyle and published by Viking Press in 1995. Boyle is a ‘Distinguished Professor’ of English at the University of Southern California and lives in the Santa Barbara. He has written over 12 novels as well as more than 100 short stories winning, with many of his works reflecting the issues and lifestyle of people living in California including The Tortilla Curtain. â€Å"The Southern California writer T. C. Boyle captures the separation that marks daily life in Los Angeles.† (Fuller, B ridges and Pai 145). Boyle sets his novel in the Topanga Canyon where the lives of two couples, who live an entirely different lifestyles, cross each other with tragic and at the same thought-provoking results. The main protagonist couple, Delaney, a sensitive writer about nature and Kyra Mossbacher, an obsessive real estate agent, move in to a newly gated community nestled among the natural surroundings called Arroyo Blanco. The other couple is the Mexican illegal immigrants, Candido and his pregnant wife America Rincon, who enter the American borders illegally wanting to achieve the American Dream of a prosperous life, but live in an awful condition in a makeshift camp deep in the Topanga Canyon. When a freak car accident involving Delaney and Candido happens, it leads to further interactions between the couples with their opposing worlds intersecting in a problematic and tragic manner. The interactions between the couples mainly arise due the setting of the gated community. Boyle paints the picture of a strictly conforming gated community, where all the houses were white with orange roofs. â€Å"†¦lay the massed orange tile rooftops of Arroyo Blanco† (Boyle 74). The private community gives a sense of exclusivity. The concept of a gated community, with a homeowners association, is to provide a safe neighborhood with all the facilities. However, when viewed from another perspective, by facilitating families of similar races and class to live closer together, while ‘ignoring’ other sections of the people, it is leading to segregation. Part 2: Gated community is the term given to the residential neighborhoods which have a surrounding wall and a main gate for entry. This form of residential living has become a key part of the new housing market, particularly in the urban areas. It is viewed as a new form of urbanism, under which public spaces in various geographical territories are being privatized. They have thus become a â€Å"symbol of metropolitan fragmentation and social segregation†, with segregation happening mainly along economic and racial lines (Le Goix 76a). Le Goix (9) further states that â€Å"gated communities are located within every kind of middle class and upper-class neighborhoods, with half of them are located within the rich, upper-scale and mostly white neighborhoods, and one third are located within

Chinese Kongsi Clan

Chinese Kongsi Clan Chapter 1 Introduction The Chinese of South China came to Malaya in the great numbers. Today, they comprise about the Hokkien dialect, and they quickly established their clan houses or kongsi, in Georgetown. These kongsi are actually clan temples for ancestor worship. They are set like jewels in courtyards, guarded by great stone lions. However, the role of the Chinese kongsi changes very rapid in Malaya since the late 1900s, and hence their impact on the Chinese community was very significance. The Chinese kongsi were district associations was organized on a district (of China) or clan (surname) basis. Chinese kongsi also were mutual-benefit societies whose membership was drawn from particular village and prefectures in China. In China they were originally religious or benevolent â€Å"self help† associations, which assumed a political or anti-dynastic character at the time of the Manchu conquest, and later degenerated into organizations of criminals for exploiting and intimidating the community. Their rivalries, especially regarding control and limits of the â€Å"protection areas† into which they parceled towns and districts, brought them into collision. Their objects were to help needy members carry out various religious rites, and help in settling disputes among their members or between their members and others. Chinese kongsi are organizations of popular origin found among overseas Chinese communities for individuals with the same surname in Malaya. In the opinion of contemporary Europeans, kongsi was quite distinct from the hui or secret society, but the fact is that kongsi was the inclusive term including the benevolent associations, pure and simple, and the hui that was both â€Å"self-help† and criminal in its scope. When the hui were finally suppressed, the kongsi survived and they continue their work of benevolence and mutual assistance.But the maritime province of China from which the Straits Chinese were drawn was notorious in Chinese history for their turbulence and for generations various districts had carried on bloody feuds. When the natives of these districts came to Malaya they brought their feuds with them. To understand how British colonialism affected the Chinese community in Penang to form an association or Chinese kongsi, we have to look into the implications of the colonization of the island by Francis Light an English country trader. 1.1 Background Pulau Pinang or Penang is name of an island in the Straits Malacca and also is a small mountainous island off the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, 15 miles long by nine miles wide. The east coast of the island is the site of Penang’s harbor, formed by the narrow channel that separates the island from the mainland. The name of Penang as called by Chinese as Binlang Xu (means island of Penang) in navigational drawings used by the maritime voyages of Imperial (Ming dynasty China) envoy Admiral Cheng Ho. Penang was already identified in the chart of  Cheng Hos voyage to the South Sea in the 15th century. However, the urban development of Penang only started when Francis Light established the trading base of the East India Company in 1786, for the voyage between China and India. All the varied flavours of both worlds- in the faces, languages, customs and costumer- are blended, yet distinct. Penang was founded for trade, and trade remains the hearts of its economy. In time Penang earned a reputation for having â€Å"the sweetest water in the east†. Similarly, the Chinese settlement in Tanjong Tokong pre-dates the English settlement by several decades. There were also Chinese planters living in Krian and along the Kedah coast, opposite the island. The main urban settlement on the island, George Town, sits close to this harbor on the northeastern promontory of the island. George Town was named by Francis Light on August 10th 1786, and is thus as old as the Settlement itself. Light had occupied the island on (July 17th) that clearing the jungle on Penaga Point and going on to mark out what are still the central thoroughfares viz. Having named the island after the Prince of Wales, Light evidently made amends by naming the town after George III, quickly adding name to commemorate and conciliate the Primer Minister (William Pitt), and the Governor-General (Cornwallis). 1.1.1 Founding Penang Penang was part of the sultanate Kedah until it became a British possession in 1786, gaining independence as part of the Federation of Malaya in 1957. In 1786, Captain Francis Light established Penang to serve as an English trading emporium in the Straits of Malacca, an area strategically located between India and China. At that time, the British had no port between Calcutta and Canton, a matter for concern when monsoon storms drove British ship to seek supplies or repair. These scenario had changed dramatically on 17 July 1786 when Lieutenant Gray, under the command of Captain Francis Light, led a pioneer landing party and proceeded to supervise an orderly disembarkation. Captain Light, who was on board the Eliza, had chosen Penaga Point, a cover on the northeast finger of the island, to set-up his headquarters. The Eliza, accompanied by the Prince Henry and the Speed well, had left Kedah port on the 14th of July after having reached an understanding with the Sultan to establish a trading port on behalf of the English East India Company. After Francis Light introduced the idea of a free port, which in sharp contrast to the established practice in the area. The result was dramatic. Small trades who had been sailing to several small Malayan and Dutch ports turned more and more toward Penang. Soon a steady stream of permanent Asian settlers followed. At the same time, Penang also attracted Chinese traders and merited from India subcontinent and the neighboring Malay States. Light reported to the East India Company that trades came from as far as Arabia in the West and Makasaar in the East. Light successfully negotiated an agreement with the Sultan of Kedah that Penang would be ceded to the East India Company in exchange for  £6,000 per annum and the promise that the company would station an armed vessel in the Straits to guard Penang and the Kedah coast. They agreed that free trade would be allowed, and that anyone could trade on the Kedah coast without restriction. Despite having written reports to his superiors in Calcutta about the helpfulness of the natives on the island, Captain Francis Light and subsequent East India Company officers considered the island â€Å"virtually uninhabited† .Thus Light went on to claim the island for the English Crown and christened it Princes of Wales Island. Its capital was Georgetown, named after George III while the fort itself was named after the Governor-General of India, Charles, Marrquis Cornwallis. Through this second treaty signed in 1800, the English gained control of the coastline stretching from Kuala Kedah in the north to the Krian estuary in the south. This was named Province Wellesley, after Richard, Earl of Mornington, later Marquis of Wellesley, Governor-General of India. Once the agreement was concluded, the British boats landed. The next day, a Chinese from Kedah, together with some Indian Christians, brought Light a welcoming gift of fishing nets. Most agree that this man was Koh Lay Huan, a Chinese from Fujian province whom Light described as â€Å"the most respectable member of the Chinese,† and whom he appointed as Penang’s first Chinese community leader or kapitan (a word borrowed from Dutch into English, Chinese and Malay to refer to the appointed leaders of ethnic groups). Penang quickly became a cosmopolitan commercial center, and among the many who flocked to Penang to seek the â€Å"protection of the British flag† were â€Å"Europeans, Chooliahs (Tamils), Bengalis, Chinese, Burmese, Arabs, Malays and Portugese†. By 1789, there were ten thousand residents, and this number doubled by 1795. 1.1.2 Founding Chinese Kongsi As the majority of Chinese immigrants came from the southern maritime provinces of China (Fukien, Kwangtung and Kwangsi) where the Triad Society had prospered, it is not surprising to find therefore that many of them were in fact Triad members who had brought the secret organization with them to Singapore and Malaya. The available evidence suggests that the Triad was firmly established in the Straits Settlements by the beginning of the nineteenth century. It was first recorded in Penang in 1799 as a source of trouble to the local government. By 1825 there were at least four secret societies- the Ghee Hin, the Ho Seng, the Hai San and the Wah Sang- firmly entrenched on the island. When waves of Chinese immigrants deluged Malaya during the second half of the nineteenth century, they had no intentions of making the country their permanent home. They were hua chiao who left China to find their fortune and having found it, and then they intended to return to the motherland. While the Chinese immigrants lived in Malaya, they wanted Chinese social to comforts for their â€Å"home-away-from-home†. As they increased in number their need for closer identification and security drove to set up associations and societies similar to hose in China. So, while the kongsi administration in Penang at defiance as early as 1799: in 1825 they actually plotted an insurrection in league with the Siamese to overthrow the Government; in 1826 Newbold notes the Triad Society in Malacca as being 4,000 strong. In the meantime, the Chinese immigrant also established the association (or hui kuan) which formed on a provincial basis, there were the Hokkien (Fukien) and Kwangtung Associations. The principal functions of this hui kuan were to keep alive links with their home provinces by making available to members reading materials on their home regions, and to provide mutual aid such as subsidies for funerals of members, education aid include scholarships and loans. While the organizations of the nineteenth century catered primarily to the socio-economic needs of the overseas Chinese, during the twentieth century, as the latter became increasingly politically conscious, these organizations also sought to generate concern for motherland among their members. There were also fully aware that China’s future depended rot on caring for regional interest alone but for those of the whole nation. Socially, the dialect associations offered opportunities for sharing news and reminiscences about the home districts as well as for recreation. However, the mains functions of the associations were to provide social welfare services and protection to the new immigrants and those who needed material help when they first come to Malaya. Basically, the immigrant will join the associations as a member to make sure they get the protection and the rich merchants were usually elected as the leaders of their respective dialect groups. They contributed large sums of money to keep the association going, and in return, they commanded respect in their own dialect groups. Through the dialect associations or even hui kuan, many Chinese leaders were able to influence the attitudes of the members towards practically any matter. Thus, as well be seen later, both the revolutionaries and the reformists competed for the support of the leaders of the dialect groups. In a period of about forty years (1846-89), a series of riots, twelve of which were serious, had occurred in the Straits Settlements. Most of these involved heavy loss of life and property, and were serious threats to public security. The Penang riot of 1867, for example, involved some 30,000 Chinese and 4,000 Malays (about a quarter of the total population of Penang and Province Wellesley) in a bloody fight which lasted for about a month, and damage was estimated at $ 60,000 (Spanish). Like the dialect groups and the clan organizations, the secret societies formed an important part of the social fabric of the Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaya in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Before their suppression in 1890, the secret societies constituted a semi-legal of self-government in the Chinese communities, protecting life and property, allocating jobs and settling disputes among their members. Because of the lenient policy of the government of the Straits Settlements, the secret societies came to assume considerable control over the Chinese by intimidation, blackmail and violence. They sometimes recruited newly-arrived immigrants by force and protected opium and gambling houses and brothels. Personal feuds and factional quarrels over spheres of influence frequently led to armed clashes which affected the safety of all the Chinese, and threatened public security as a whole. Significant of study Rational, significance, or need for the study The topic of the Chinese kongsi of Penang has been the basis of many studies. It has also formed part of wider studies encompassing British Malaya and Southeast Asia. Most of these studies, however, are concerned with the origin of kongsi and limited studies have been made on the major role and role reversal of the Chinese kongsi in Penang. The present study represents an attempt to fill this gap. Penang became a centre of regional trade in the early 19th century. Its status as an entrepot was over-shadowed after 1819 by Singapore, which also took over as the administrative centre of the Straits Settlements in 1832. Nevertheless its economic base was strengthened from the second half of the 19th century by the growth of the tin and later rubber industries in the Malay Peninsula. Then Penang became part of the global political economy of colonial capitalism. The newly-immigrant Chinese, who were legally ‘aliens’ and whose ties to their ancestral homeland remained strong. Leaders of both groups sometimes came together in the Chinese Town Hall and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce as well as various organizations, based on clan, district, and occupation, which were the main channels of Chinese social and political life, but the English and Chinese-educated Chinese were ‘virtually separate communities’. The Chinese secret societies, they began as self-help Chinese associations that provided protection and assistance to members.Chinese do want to remain culturally distinguishable, and hat they are drawn in this century both towards nationalism in China and towards embracing local loyalties by the same forces, that is by he pressures of modernization and the erosion of traditional values. Nevertheless, this study has not tried to evaluate the quality of Chinese political life in Penang. The significance of this study is to prove that the role of the Chinese kongsi have been changed between the period of the study. The subject of Chinese amalgamations-kongsi or hui kuan and secret societies which are such an outstanding feature of Chinese life in the Straits-has not been fully dealt with here because it is thought of enough importance to merit a separate chapter, but now that references has been made to the policing of the Chinese in the first decades of Penang’s story, mention of them cannot be avoided if only in a bare reference. This study has been chosen to discuss the problems in terms of politics because politics can be more volatile and more susceptible to radical change. It may not be as deep as social and culture change, nor as fundamental as economic innovation, but I hope to show that similar questions are worth asking about social and economic change and that the answers these produce would provide a sound basis for evaluating the role of the Chinese kongsi in Penang. Statement of the problem The term for secret society and hui, is often interchangeable with the terms like kongsi or Chinese clan (hui kuan), all roughly translating to the meaning of â€Å"brotherhood†. The term kongsi is more widely know in Southeast Asia, whereas in Penang, the secret societies were simply known as hui or tong. Kongsi or â€Å"clan halls†, are benevolent organizations of popular origin found among overseas Chinese communities for individuals with the same surname. This type of social practice arose, it is held in Penang since 19th century. The term of kongsi is synonymous with the contemporary Chinese word for a commercial firm or business enterprise. The kongsi resembled a miniature Chinese village, with its own self-government as well as educational, financial, welfare and social organizations. However, the establishments of the Chinese kongsi not only cause tenseness among the Chinese communities but also with other group including the Malay and India. This is because of Chinese kongsi only help the member with the same surname but not all Chinese community or other race. Like the Penang Riots of 1867 which were nine days of heavy street fighting and bloodshed among the secret societies of Penang which spiraled out of the British control. However, Chinese kongsi still play a very important role as a benevolent organization of Chinese community in Penang. But, the role of the Chinese kongsi in Penang also changing slowly just as a symbolic of the Chinese culture after 1960. Meanwhile, Chinese kongsi also make distinction between secret societies with Chinese kongsi. That will has to be subject of more detailed in this study. Elements, hypotheses, or research questions to be investigated Chinese community is the second-largest ethnic group in Malaysia, where Chinese groups are allowed to maintain their own cultures, which then fit into a large dominant Malay national pattern. Associational activities had always been an integral part of Chinese life necessitated by economic needs and cultural predilections. Exactly how were these Chinese kongsi originally formed? How did they function? To what extent did these kongsi reflect to the social organization and patterns of the Chinese community? I decide to seek the answer for two questions. The first was how Penang Chinese kongsi attitudes towards the region did and local people change over time, and how this might has influenced their perspective and play the important role on the Chinese groups in Penang? What are their present roles and functions regarding nation-building? In addition, what factors reflected in the general process change of Chinese kongsi’s role? My second question and the more difficult one was whether the alleged similarities between the Chinese secret societies and Chinese kongsi were the result of contact and mutual influence between them in the colonial period. Has the raison d’à ªtre of the Chinese kongsi changed? None of the answers for these questions are self-evident nor could they be adduced from mere observation. I think that such questions should be best subjected to empirical inquiry (as far as is attainable) and treated dispassionately rather than on conjectural or speculative bases. Definition of terms Having thus obtained a general view of the subject matter of this and the following study, it is necessary trace as far as possible from time of its foundation in each Settlement in the Straits, up to year 1867, the history and fortune of each chapter of the local Chinese secret societies and kongsi which collectively are known as the Triad society and upon that evidence to attempt to separate the several societies into the two rival camps of Triad-Hui (secret societies) and Kongsi (benevolent societies). The use of the term â€Å"Chinese kongsi† naturally raises the question: what is a Chinese kongsi and what different between hui(secret society) and kongsi? To prevent conceptual confusion, I shall make a preliminary hypothesis of what a Chinese kongsi is? The word kongsi so frequently made use in the evidence, means â€Å"company†, and the word hui or hoeys means â€Å"Brotherhood†, â€Å"Society†Ã¢â‚¬ , or â€Å"Association†. A hui is a secret society. But the word kongsi is frequently made use of to denote a hui. In Chinese the term kongsi conveys the meaning of secret and illegal society, only when used after the name such illegal society e.g. Ghee Hin Kongsi. While the word kongsi in Malay terms means a partnership or association of any sort, or a barrack or house occupied by Chinese laborers. But when the word kongsi used in conjunction with the Malay word â€Å"gelap†, it means secret society (kongsi gelap). While Barbara Ward defines Chinese kongsi as â€Å"the large political groups in the mining districts†, which seems rather vague. J.C. Jackson’s points are much more specific because he uses the term kongsi to signify alliances of mining unions and their farming and mining members. Wang Tai Peng defines it neither simply as partnership or brotherhood, nor a combination of both. Rather, definition of kongsi is that it was a form of open government, based on an enlarged partnership and brotherhood. Its purpose was to protect economic gains as well as to resist outside powers. This new political organization provided a foundation for the social and economic life of the overseas Chinese. As Wang Tai Peng made a definition of Chinese kongsi in his study: Kongsi is a Chinese world which indicates a firm partnership or society in a very broad sense. The word has been commonly used in the archipelago over centuries and has become current in both Dutch and various native languages. Literally it means government by a general public or administration of public affairs. The world, kongsi, is derived from the dialect of the Hokkien people who have established themselves throughout Java and commercial ports of the outer islands. In the Hakka dialect, it reads as kung-sze. In Riouw and Jawa, administrations of a firm are customarily addressed and referred to as kongsi. Chinese officials also used this title. Owing to the untiring pursuit of the Chinese of the means to raise capital, the Chinese kongsi is numerous not only in our colony but also in the Malay Peninsula, in the outer islands of Indonesia and in the Philippines. The significance of the kongsi for the flowering and development of Chinese industry, commerce and navigation is hard to underestimate. The kongsi were entirely established to hold people of the same home countries and clans in closer tie or relationship. In the family kongsi, no one, because of the tradition, could have private fortune so long as their father lived. All the family capital were at the disposal of the patriarch. Undoubtedly, if under closer examination, many kongsi would no longer be family kongsi as they at first seem to be. The Chinese kongsi have, however, become more and more divorced from the above-mentioned origins over time, more especially recently. (Beknopte Encyclopaedià « van Nederlandsche Oost-Indià «) In fact, almost every Chinese institution during the early nineteenth century was called kongsi. A temple patron god, a clan society or a provincial club of the Chinese overseas was often named kongsi on foundation. Nevertheless, during the later part of the nineteenth century, they became better know as hui-kuan, a name that was actually much older than kongsi, appearing in the sixteenth century. On the other hand, what exactly is meant by the term secret societies? It does not apply to all groups forced into clandestine activities. Rather, it designates associations whose policies are characterized by a particular kind of religious, political, and social dissent from the established order, such as the White Lotus Sect and the Triad Society. And indeed such present-day terms for secret society as mi-mi hsieh-hui and mi-mi she-hui are neologisms, literal translations of the Western term â€Å"secret society† used from the mid-nineteenth century on by such men as Schlegel, Gà ¼tzlaff, and Wylie in describing these Chinese groups as analogous to the Freemasons, the Carbonari and Sainte-Vehme. The groups known in the West as secret societies were classified by the literal of imperial China as hsieh-chiao (perverse, aberrant, or heterodox sects), yin-chiao (depraved sects), mo-chiao (demoniac sects), fei-chiao (rebel sects), yao-chiao (witchcraft sects), etc. Worth noting is the fact that each of these Chinese terms contain an allusion to the religious character of the secret societies, a character discernible in all these groups whether one speaks of the chiao-men, religious sects in the strict sense that propagated a special religious doctrine, or the hui-t’ang, seditious associations or bands in which the religious elements were restricted to the rites of initiation, to the sacred area called Mu-yang Ch’eng (City of Willows), to the oaths of fidelity made by invoking the gods, and to other Para religious acts. The Chinese language at that time had no accepted term for secret society. The modern term pi-mi she-hui was apparently introduced by the Japanese. Of two authors writing in the same period about the corporation between the Republicans and the secret societies around 1910, the Japanese, Hirayama Amane, spoke of pi-mi she-hui, whereas the Chinese, T’ao Ch’eng-chang, retained the traditional distinction between chiao-men and hui-tang. However, other scholar also called Chinese kongsi as secret societies. This had caused much of confusion in the mind of the colonial authorities. The British administration in the Straits Settlements, for example, had been confusing hui-kuan with hui or â€Å"secret† societies until 1892 when it began to draw a clear-cut line between them. Hui or brotherhood is more proper a term to the vehicle of Chinese self-government as it was then the term secret society. The term secret society† is all the more misleading for the objection raised by Purcell, whatever the precise implication of secrecy may have been: â€Å"All Chinese social organization was necessarily â€Å"secret† whilst it was not recognized or was banned by the Government. The Chinese municipal organizations in Borneo, the kongsis, were, and are, referred to as â€Å"secret societies†, as are all Chinese political organization in Siam where they are illegal.† Some of the Chinese kongsi in Southeast Asia may have carried over the ritual oath-taking ceremony and even the name of T’ien-Ti Hui, they generally evolved from a small partnership, either in commerce or mining. On foundation, they were called hui or union, after which was commonly misused in early colonial days to mean a â€Å"secret society†. Later, when they grew into large organizations with hundreds or thousands of members, they were known as kongsi. The T’ien- Ti Hui in Penang was a partnership in origin. In this study, it should be mentioned here that a distinction should be made between the bona fide kongsi which were, and are, benevolent associations, and the dangerous secret societies whose object was extortion and opposition to the law but in these early days it is debatable whether all the associations did not in some measure adopts similar lines of behavior. Europeans have made a distinction between the huis (as the secret societies were called) and the Chinese kongsi, or district or clan associations, labeling the former as secret and subversive, and the latter as open and beneficial. Even thought hui (secret society) is different with kongsi from perceptive of term, but from the social aspects, both associations are formed by overseas Chinese based on dialect group or same family names to look after their member’s affairs and welfare. As what Blythe mentioned, who writers as follows: â€Å"This attempt to distinguish between kongsi and hui is quite arbitrary-based, I imagine, on the uninformed writings of early Europeans. For example, the Ghee Hin Society was normally known as the Ghee Hin Kung Si. On the other side, most purely benevolent societies are know as hui, even down to the Tontine type of monthly subscription and monthly draw (Cantonese Ngan Wui). In 1928, I was in charge of Cantonese secret societies work in Singapore, and although these were not of the caliber of the old Triad Societies (we could only average one murder a day), quite a number of these societies (descended from branches of the Triad) were XX kongsi. And, as we know, the normal term for a business partnership or for a coolie-lines is â€Å"kongsi†, The Clan kongsi of Penang are quite unique. They do not exist elsewhere in Malaya.† In Chinese usage, Mr. Blythe has concluded that the kongsi are includes hui because this both of the Chinese associations are no distinction is made between good and bad. Blythe also defines kongsi as any partnership or group with a common interest. 1.3 Objective Social and linguistic background and the nature of Chinese immigration determined the form of early Chinese social organizations. The surname differences and a strong sense of regional identity encouraged Chinese immigrants to form their respective surname associations or kongsi. The Chinese kongsi had played a major role in socials and economy in Malaya since the early days of British. However, the role of Chinese kongsi has being change after Penang Riots 1867. The objectives of this study have been first, to describe and analyses the Chinese kongsi activities in Penang between 1820 and 1957 to show how the movement grew and developed in these areas, and later became one mainstreams of the Chinese associations; second, to analyses the responses of various social groups among Chinese community in Penang to the Chinese kongsi, and third, to estimate the importance role of the Chinese kongsi in Penang. This study has been chosen to discuss the problems in terms of politics because politics can be more volatile and more susceptible to radical change. It may not be as deep as social and culture change, nor as fundamental as economic innovation, but I hope to show that similar questions are worth asking about social and economic change and that the answers these produce would provide a sound basis for evaluating the role of the Chinese kongsi in Penang.Nevertheless, this study has not tried to evaluate the quality of Chinese political life in Penang. The significance of this study is to prove and report the role of the Chinese kongsi have been changed between the period of the study. 1.4 Literature review The existing studies cover a wide range of themes including administration, the economy as well as social and political aspects. Even thought many scholar show that various kinds of overseas Chinese organizations set up for purpose of trade, protection and management were not merely copies of earlier form in China, but some have been given much attention; others remain neglected or have not been subjected to fresh critical inquiry. While most historians concentrated on the controlling forces of Chinese secret societies during and after the pre-war period. Although secret societies were not politically inclined and tended to maintain their traditional roles in running protection and extortion rackets. Secret societies, on the other hand, recruited across such barriers and members were bound together by the rituals of sworn brotherhood around a charismatic and semi-mystical head. Being tightly knit and glorifying martial prowess, they were particularly well suited to the task of colonization and self-protection demanded of a pioneering community. Mak Lau Fong observes in his sociological study of secret societies in Peninsular Malaysia: â€Å"When sworn brotherhood binds Triad membership together, dialect differences are naturally de-emphasized, and the clan system is consigned to a secondary position†. For the aspect of the Chinese kongsi origins, the study by M.L Wynne, Wang Tai Peng and W. Blythe is the most comprehensive, and the best account to date. Wang Tai Peng’s study, original part of a Ph.D. dissertation, depends heavily on Chinese and Japanese materials in both the Menzies Library and the National Library. The question also led him to consider the historical place of the kongsi, and original

Movie: The Mission Essay -- essays research papers

Movie: The Mission The movie, "The Mission," is about how the Spanish in cooperation with Pourtugal try to get the Jesuits off land negotiated by the two countries. The Spanish Church sends people into Asuncion, Paraguay to persuade the Jesuits to get off the land. The film includes spiritual and political activities the are reflected through the church, natives, and the Jesuits. What the movie mainly tried to show was that the Church wanted to maintain control over the Jesuits. To show that control, they went to Paraguay and tried to persuade the Jesuits to leave. The Spanish allowed them to take care of the matter to prove that. Spain and Portugal had negotiated the treaty of Tordesillias. In this treaty the two countries split the western world into two parts where Spain can have one half and Portugal the other. In the newer version of the treaty, the line that split the land was moved in favor of Portugal. On that land, missionaries had already set up missions. To better the economy for Portugal, the Spanish Church was sent in to get the Jesuits out. The would be effected by the continuation of the Jesuits because of the slave trade. If the Jesuits stayed, the Indians would have a spiritual leader . To brake their faith the Jesuits would have to be removed. Near the end of the movie, the Spanish do try to break the faith of the Indians. Father John is ...

Happy Endings Essay

In the short story Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood the author displays how plot can affect characterization, or the reader’s perceptions of characters, by showing several different scenarios using the same characters but different plot lines. For example, plot B, although it uses the same characters, creates very different perceptions of those characters than the ones created in plot A. In plot A, John and Mary appear to be in love, and they appear to be happy. The plot seems to indicate this; â€Å"John and Mary fall in love and get married. They both have worthwhile jobs which they find exciting and challenging. â€Å"They buy a charming house. From the sequence of events revealed, we are led to believe that John and Mary are two ordinary people with good lives and a healthy relationship. However, in plot B, this perception changes, even though it is told with the same characters. In this story, the reader perceives John as a selfish jerk who shamelessly uses Mary, and Mary as a poor girl with a weak will. â€Å"Mary falls in love with John but John doesn’t fall in love with Mary. He merely uses her body for selfish pleasure and ego gratification of a tepid kind. † This sequence of events leads the reader to conclude very different things about the characters than in the first plot. The plot structure is set so the audience is always changing his or her perceptions. There are some interesting themes that develop from this short story. One theme could be the idea of what the middle class values as important. Version A seems to sum up what the middle class expects life to be and thinks life should be. Another theme is the Inevitability of Death mentioned in version F. This is the idea that death can’t be avoided no matter what as stated in the story over and over again â€Å"John and Mary die. † This is definitely the main thought behind the entire short story.

Essay on Junk Food Essay

Most of today’s Americans are killing themselves with food. Everywhere I go, all I see is fast-food restaurants, lousy eating habits and unconscious people. They don’t seem to make eating habits a priority anymore. I think that people forgot one of the fundamental aspects of the human body: you are what you eat. If you eat fat, you will be fat. It is as logical to me as saying that if you drink five gallons of gasoline, you will die. Thus, I think that children should begin learning good food habits at a young age, so that the doom of an America where people die of heart failure in their twenties can be avoided. Let’s start with fast-food. The best example of this phenomenon is the so-loved – or so-dreaded, in my point of view – Mc Donald’s. I have seen all sorts of awkward situations in these weight enhancement centers. Just lately, they stated that their chicken was now real white chicken. This makes me wonder, how was their chicken before? What was I eating in my Mc Chicken (or not) when their chicken was not chicken? God knows. Even though Mc Donald’s restaurants offer ridiculously low-quality food, millions of people continue eating it regularly. I think I know the reason why: they are lazy. Why make the effort of carefully planning your nutrition when you can pick up a box of junk right off the shelves? I was shocked when I got here and witnessed the obsession that people have with carbohydrates. For every single product (or almost) that is bad for your health, there is another one that is identified as â€Å"low-carb†. To me, this means â€Å"less bad†; I think we can agree that less bad does not mean good. Instead of wanting to eat the same junk with a bit less carbohydrates, people should rather try to change their alimentation to one that is going to be healthy and nutritious. This is the era of communications, technology, stress and hurry. Everything just keeps getting faster, and this includes eating. People don’t take the time to eat slowly anymore. It is scientifically proven that when you eat too fast, you over-eat. This is due to the fact that the status of the stomach (whether it is full or not) is reported to the brain within a ten minute delay. Thus, if you eat too fast, you probably won’t know when to stop. As result of this, your stomach will be overfilled and will stretch without shrinking back afterwards. So, the next time you eat, your stomach  will get larger, and larger, and so on. This will go on until the point where you will die of plumpness. Since these habits are developed at a young age, students should be taught to eat slowly in order to avoid this problem. In conclusion, weight problems in the United States are due to two realities: junk food and bad eating habits. If students were better educated at a young age, over-weight would most probably not be a major issue for Americans.

buy custom Center for Disease Control and Prevention essay

buy custom Center for Disease Control and Prevention essay Introduction Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been given three fundamental functions. One of them is to offer protection by ensuring United States population is healthy and safe. The agency has the obligation to inform the citizens, health care organizations as well as the government bodies in order to help them make sound decisions when it comes to health matters. CDC partners with other department such as National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, National Center on Infectious Diseases and other non-governmental to promote health to the public. The agency is responsible in providing variety of health problems that are preventable and give information about them to the public. It has the role of pinpointing the infectious diseases and epidemics, diseases that are chronic and the effects of environment to peoples health. The other efforts that the agency are to prevent and reduce poisoning that comes from lead which causes heart diseases, cancer, diabetes as well as obesity. The agency is also mandated to inform the public about the causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS. CDC engages in regular health checks; investigate health complications and monitoring any outbreaks of infectious diseases (Harbin, 1994). It also conducts health research to assist in diseases prevention as well as develop and advocate for policies that protect and facilitate public health. The agency keeps on implementing strategies that are useful during prevention as well as promoting heath behaviors that help in disease control. Apart from strategies and policies, CDC supports lives of people in order to have that spiritual perspective of their lives and offer them counseling that help people to deal with stress and adopt a heather lifestyle. Some of the most emphasized behaviors are the issues that would help to surmount obesity an d discipline in the eating habits as well as keeping away from promiscuity. Live a healthy lifestyle There are only two things in our lives that we will never avoid. One of them is growing old and the other is dying. Thus the way we spend our lives really matters. Our way of living definitely dictates our lifestyles and therefore we should know about learn to have that healthy lifestyle. This is not only to prolong our years but also prevent diseases. The kinds of food that people eat and the influence from media have great significance in our lifestyle. These foods normally have enormous significance in our health as well as influencing our lifespan. To have a healthy life try and do exercise for about thirty minutes in a day, eat lots of fruits, maintan a healthy weight and avoid sugary foods. The sugary foods may put one into the danger of becoming unhealthy as it contributes to our weight gain. Tne is also advice to avoid fatty foods since they are the main roots of obesity and heart diseases due high level of cholesterol. Smoking should be avoided as well because of it repercussions. This will not only give one a good healthy life style but also keep away from danger of getting lung cancer. Long television watching should be avoided too (Gray, 2009). The TV has advertisements of junk foods which can leave your mouth watery and in the next minute one is on the shop to purchase the product. The long sittings to watch TV denies one a chance to exercise thus one gains unnecessary weight and definitely become obese. Those are just a few but powerful tips to have a healthy life style. Immunity and child hood disease Immunity is that defense that protects our bodies from pathogens that may cause infections. The immune system of our body attacks these pathogens and other substances that cause diseases. The system is a series of network formed by the body cells, tissues and body organs (Gray, 2009). The three work as a team to protect our bodies from being invaded by diseases. White blood cells or scientifically know as leukocytes are of two fundamental types that work together to kill organisms or substances that cause diseases. The production of white blood cells is in many parts of our bodies for instance the spleen, thymus and in the born marrows. The leukocytes move around the body through the organs and lymphatic vessels as well as in the blood vessels. This kind of coordination makes the immune system to be capable of monitoring the harmful pathogens. The childhood diseases are those diseases that attack children mostly when they are below the age of five. Some of them include the smallpox, Homophiles influenza, paralytic polio, Diphtheria just to name a few. CDC conducted a research to analyze Haemophilius influenza (Hi) in 1994 and 1995 to get the description of Hi invasion to citizens of United States. The research showed that 376 out of 669 children under analysis tested positive for Hi. This was a fifty-six percent representation of all the children under the age of four years who were subjected to the research. The research revealed that the children under five months or below who had Hi recorded the highest aggregate per year. The children who had the age of six to eleven moths recorded the second highest. 181 children with Hi infection, 87 of them representing forty-seven percent were a bit young to have completed the required series of immunization. 83 off those who had been vaccinated and their status known 52 of them were not vaccinated properly and therefore, they had Hi. The remaining thirty-one representing thirty-seven percent had completed the series of taking primary vaccine but it had failed. It is after this research that lead to the introduction of Hid conjugate vaccines. The conjugate vaccine was first given to those children of fifteen months and above but later introduced to those of two months. The main goal of CDC was on Childhood Immunization Initiative which was aimed at eradicating the invasive Hid that caused diseases and deaths among the children of four years and below. Summary of the case study From the case study, we have leant that Edward Jenner was the one who determined that the cowpox virus gave immunity to smallpox. The move was a great breakthrough in medical and gave hope to many lives. We have also seen that in 1980, WHO declared the smallpox no longer a threat to human beings and therefore eradicated. Diphtheria and paralytic polio caused so many childrens deaths in the 19th century but today they are rarely seen. The case study has also helped to learn that Asia and Africa are two regions in the world where the diseases still exist due to inability to afford extensive vaccines. It is therefore important to give proper patient education to parents on childhood immunizations because parents would be educated more concerning every vaccine and its significant role it plays in the childs health. The education will also ensure that the parents to understand the symptoms, occurrence and the risk of the diseases immunized (Harbin, 1994). The parents will as well know the type of products used in immunization process, the accrued merits and side effects of immunization drugs. In addition the parent will not only know the flow up required but also the contributions of the immunization to the community. The education will also help the parent to understand the proper guidelines required when it comes to the feeding of the infant in order for it to cope up with immunization drug. Conclusion The essay has been able to inform us about CDC and its functions in the effort of controlling and preventing infectious diseases. The importance of immunization has also been discussed giving example to some of the infectious diseases that attack children in their early age. The case study has as well helped to learn more about disease that were considered dangerous but nowadays they are no longer a threat to human life. The importance of proper patient education to parents on childhood immunization has as well been demonstrated. Buy custom Center for Disease Control and Prevention essay

The eNotes Blog Are You with theBanned

Are You with theBanned Banned Books Week is currently celebrating its 36th anniversary! This years theme, Banning Books Silences Stories, is a reminder that everyone needs to speak out against the tide of censorship. Did you know that some of the best works of all time, and very often the ones youll have studied in school, have at one time or another been censored from the public? Did you know that the practice of censorship in literature still goes on today? Yup, somewhere out there, a blinkered individual could actually be pondering at this very moment the dangers of a mind raised on an occultist story like  Bridge to Terabithia, while someone of the same mindset argues that the bildungsroman The Perks of Being a Wallflower is unsuited to a teenage audience. Seriously. And its not all Sex, by Madonna, Gossip Girl and l8r, g8r that are considered poised to corrupt our youth either. No, those are part of a tiny minority. What are the most frequently banned books? Our greatest ones, of course. Of Random Houses list of the 100 best novels of all time, 46 classics have been either challenged or banned altogether, some on a frequent basis. Of Mice and Men is one that is commonly challenged today. Even  in the last decade the list of banned books still includes To Kill a Mockingbird (for racial themes), Brave New World (for insensitivity, offensive language, and probably for being dystopian), and  The Catcher in the Rye (for being a filthy, filthy book), proving we are far from the progressive culture we may like to think of ourselves as. No sauciness allowed. Of all the reasons books are banned or challenged, sexual explicitness is cited the most often. Even when it does not concern important works, the point at hand here is that individuals and governments consider it their right to censor what others read, and that (to me) sounds borderline Cultural Revolution/Big Brother-esque. Its a tad hypocritical that the freedom of speech has been such a huge part of the public discourse lately, while so little thought is ever given to intellectual freedom: Intellectual freedom can exist only where two essential conditions are met: first, that all individuals have the right to hold any belief on any subject and to convey their ideas in any form they deem appropriate, and second, that society makes an equal commitment to the right of unrestricted access to information and ideas regardless of the communication medium used, the content of work, and the viewpoints of both the author and the receiver of information.   Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th edition If libraries begin to ban books from the public, weve basically descended into a Fahrenheit 451 situation. Oh wait, thats another banned book, so that analogy means nothing If a book offends you, dont read it. But please, dont worry that Harry Potter will turn an entire generation of kids into wand-wielding Satan worshipers. Moreover, if the people trying to censor these stories really took the time to read them, they might just realize how much more faith in humanity these offensive books store than the censors do themselves. Theres a lot more out there to fear than a mind fed with imagination, fantasy, and original thought. And with that, Ill get off my soapbox. To see a visual history of the last thirty years of banned books, check out this great timeline  from the American Library Association. It contains thirty entries between 1982s banning of Slaughterhouse Five (a just plain filthy book) and 2012s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (banned for concerning ethnic studies).  You can also find out whos behind most of the book challenges, and other information, in the ALAs Statistics page. More famous banned books: Animal Farm by George Orwell Criticism of corruption and depiction of a talking pig.   The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Criticized for profanity and sexual content.   All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque Viewed as unpatriotic. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Challenged for elements of racism and negative portrayal of colonialism. Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Banned for foul language, sexual content, violence, and considered a rejection of American individualism. Lord of the Flies by William Golding Challenged for being racist and offensive to minors.   Call of the Wild by Jack London Considered too radical. Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol Banned for talking animals, negative depictions of teachers, and alleged drug references. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Challenged for stereotyping, racism, and inappropriate language. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Criticized for being sexually explicit, too violent for young adults, and anti-family. What are your thoughts on banned books? Do some deserve to be taken off the shelves? If so, which ones? Wed love to hear your thoughts in a comment below!

Chapter 8 Case Study

How does Wrangler’s new B2C e-commerce site assist Wrangler’s brand recognition and marketing efforts? Wrangler’s new B2C e-commerce site assists Wrangler’s brand recognition and marketing efforts in many ways. Their brand recognition was already high since their company started in 1904. They have grown since their first owner, C. C. Hudson started out with only several sewing machines. Their company has become known country-wide. Their next step to grow even more was to enable purchases through their e-commerce site. Wrangler has made a site with goals to be exceptional from their competitor’s. They have enabled their customers to now be able to purchase online. They are also presenting their site in the best quality website and that proves that their marketing efforts are positive. Without these marketing efforts, no one would like to use their site and would prefer to just visit a brick-and-mortar store. If their website would have not been successful, they would have lost a lot of money by implementing the site to just be a failure. 2. What goals did Wrangler set for its e-commerce site? Visit www. wrangler. com. Do you think its new site meets those goals? Wrangler had several goals set for its e-commerce site. One goal that they had was that it needed to provide visitors with a view into the spirit behind the Wrangler brand. They wanted their site to utilize the latest technologies. The reason that Wrangler wanted to have the latest technologies because they wanted to show that Wrangler is tech savvy and they also wanted the Wrangler’s marketing department to be able to present their products in the best way. I do believe this site meets these goals. It was very organized and user-friendly and it was easy on the eyes. I did not find the site to be distracting or take away from their product but instead enhance on how great their product truly is. Without having a successful site, they would be taking away possible customers because they would be less likely to shop online. E-commerce is very important for profits. Critical Thinking Questions: 1. Wrangler targets a very specific type of person with its marketing and Web site. How would you describe that group? What risks and benefits do companies assume when they target specific types of individuals? Do you think it pays off for Wrangler? Why? Wrangler targets a style that is mostly associated with a western-style. Their slogan is â€Å"Enduring American Freedom; it’s in the spirit of people who work hard, have fun and recognize courageous individuality. † They Wrangler brand targets men, women, and children around the world and with their product being sold in 1 in every 5 pairs of jeans that are purchased, it proves that their target group is successful. With targeting specific groups, there is a chance of failure because your target group may be small. Also, if the target group does not take like the product, they will be doomed due to losing their group. Luckily for Wrangler, they have grown due to their target group. They have been able to be successful for many years and have been able to grow into an e-commerce company. If their specific target group had not liked the product, it would have not lasted as long in the business world. 2. The Wrangler site incorporates a lot of dynamic visual elements. How do these elements affect a shopper? What types of products are best suited for this type of marketing approach? The Wrangler site incorporated a lot of dynamic visual elements. It is important for any kind of business; there are visual elements involved both in a brick-and-mortar and e-commerce. Visual effects are pleasant to look at and there is more of a positive buying experience. These elements make the shopper happy and therefore they will purchase more items. All kind of businesses, including clothing and general stores, must find a way to incorporate dynamic visual elements. Without having dynamic visual elements, people will be less likely to stop in the store and therefore they will not spend any money. Profits are important when you are involved in a business and without profits, you will be unable to stay in the market for long. Being able to be successful requires that visual effects are available in order to make profits and have a successful business. All businesses can benefit from dynamic visual elements.

Questions from School Law and the Public School Book Assignment

Questions from School Law and the Public School Book - Assignment Example A state that promotes liberty and free will knows when not to mix state affairs with religion. Separation of church and state is paramount in bringing up a society that respects freedom of religion, and which enables people to tolerate others’ religions. The state therefore must not side with one religion over another, or promote the creeds of one religion over another. Although all religions should be taught in schools, the government should not foster the spread of certain religions over others. Students should be given the freedom to choose which religion to belong to, without their schools indicating support of any religion. In the first situation, allowing the Local Church Association to donate a copy of the Ten Commands to be placed in the hallway would be a plus for students who profess that religion. However, it is discriminatory because it highlights the basic teachings of that religion over other religions. It indicates a preference of that religion, which would not be taken very kindly by students whom it does not represent. Placing the Ten Commands in the hallway of the school symbolizes an endorsement of that religion by the school administration. Additionally, the act may influence students to follow the commands and profess the beliefs of that religion. Therefore, the act violates Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. It fails the three prongs of the Lemon test in that it does not have a secular legislative purpose. Secondly, it has a primary effect of advancing that particular religion. Thirdly, it results in â€Å"excessive government entanglement† in that it displays direct contact with church authorities (Essex, 2011). In the second situation, applying the lemon test would render starting a Bible club in School a violation of the Establishment Clause. This stipulates that the school is not allowed to establish any religious group including a church. Since the religious group in the school would promote particular religious precepts, this implies that the wellbeing of other religions would be compromised. Furthermore, it is worth appreciating that the school program is already established. Arguably, fixing the religious club as one of the options that students have during the club’s period implies that the school administration considers it equally important and would actually give it an opportunity when given a chance. This contravenes the provisions of the lemon principles that prohibit the government from advancing or inhibiting religion. In the third situation, I would give the non denominational a chance to conduct prayers on a rotational issue, just like the previous principal. From the outlook, the school community is appreciative of religion and does not force its members to participate in the prayers. Furthermore, the prayers do not unfairly promote the beliefs, values and practices of a single region. This is consistent with the provisions of the Est ablishment clause that seeks to uphold the respective state of affairs (Essex, 2011). Question 2 Although the school is responsible for providing religious education, it should not promote the religious precepts of any particular religion. In addition, the students should be at liberty to choose which religious principles to support and promote. Relative decisions need to be personal and should not be influenced by the school admini

Social class in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Social class in America - Essay Example Today, anyone can join the upper class by making tons of money and they can rise from obscurity to being members of the upper class by virtue of their wealth and hard work. It is worth noting that in the past and even in some traditional societies today, one could not get entrance into the upper class unless they are of noble birth or born in a traditionally wealthy family even if one is not wealthy. In fact, in the old days the aristocrats who were often the ruling class considered it disgraceful to work and left all the working to the working class who were oppressed and often forced to squat in lands of the nobility. However, this changed with time and today, moving from middle to upper class is easy if one was to achieve considerable wealth, which will result in a higher social standing. Notwithstanding, there are a few American families that are informally considered elevated because of their histories such as the Kennedys who have been often called the American royal family. However, even such informal recognition cannot be separated from the wealthy they own and at the end of the day; money counts more than a highbrow history. In line with the definition, the upper class are considered thus because of the way society views them and this make them feel superior owing to their financial power they wield. Immediately below the upper class there is the middle class, they consist of majority of the Americans working white-collar jobs who make up the bulk of the population. In addition, they are considered subordinate to the upper class, chiefly because of their comparatively lower financial situat ion. In addition, the American middle class consist of professionals such as doctors, teachers and dentist and other professionals; this class also includes many of Americans with small business and those working in offices as accountants, clerks and civil servants. For instance, Bill Gates is a member of the upper class while many of those working for him in Microsoft, in different capacities such as programmers and accountants, are mostly in the middle class. This distinction is generally based on the economic prowess although the rift between him and his employees is of near unbelievable proportions. Being the most populous middle class is inevitably the most influential, as such even in politics; they are the main voters, which explain why the two presidential candidates are both going out of their ways to show that they have their interests at heart. However, it is noteworthy that the upper class has the ultimate say, since they are the ones who bankroll contestants, as such th ey can influence a candidate campaigning power by supplying them with more funds. Therefore, they will have indirect control of the middle class who as usual will be manipulated into thinking they are making decisions. Finally, the class holding the lowest social position in is lower class, which was traditionally known as the working class, however, the work done by this class often includes menial jobs such as cleaners and other lowly paid blue collar workers. Furthermore, due to recent economic troubles, unemployment has forced many Americans formerly middle class to end up in this class so their description as working class is not entirely correct. This class includes the homeless and many others living below the poverty line often dependent on welfare. In this class, one will also find illegal immigrants who

Country Analysis Paper on Norway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Country Analysis Paper on Norway - Essay Example Good economic performances continue support to areas losing residents in Norway. The Nordic model follows both justice and aggressive apprehensions. Maintaining the main features of the settlement pattern is an eternal objective of the nation. Policies mainly target thinly populated areas, with stress on service delivery and competitiveness. Measures are based on employment oriented economic methods and service delivery balancing. Diagnosis of regional competitiveness advantages could improve the design of policy tools. Regional innovation and competitiveness policies involve a lot of aspects. The role of major urban areas in knowledge production and circulation should be better considered. Recent emphasis on city attractiveness and competitiveness, particularly in Oslo, create the basis for an open city policy. The role of small and medium sized cities needs to be better incorporated into regional innovation strategies. Place-based policy approaches can enhance the impact of regiona l competitiveness and innovation policies. Depopulation and ageing in more than half of Norwegian municipalities affect the cost of services. Population decline produces apprehensions about school closures and staffing problems.

Solve a contemporary social and criminal justice issue Thesis

Solve a contemporary social and criminal justice issue - Thesis Example While this system has been designed to facilitate a more peaceful and non-violent society, there are challenges with criminal justice in providing rehabilitation for criminal offenders sustaining mental illness problems. There have been dramatic increases in the prevalence of mental illness among the prison population in the United States. In 1996, 25 percent of all individuals incarcerated in jails reported that they had sought treatment for a mental illness condition at some point in their lives, representative of approximately 127,000 jail inmates throughout the nation (Whitehead, Jones and Braswell, 2003). In the 1970s, there was a push to deinstitutionalize the mentally ill within psychiatric hospitals and, instead, to provide the mentally ill with community treatment programs. It was determined during this time period in history that such treatment programs would provide a superior public safety outcome, allow jails to operate more efficiently by removing challenges of rehabilitating mentally ill criminal offenders, and provide the mentally ill with more productive treatment methods that jails are unable to provide (Whitehead, et al.). However, this approach at deinstitutionalizing the mentally ill has not been effective. In 2002, it is estimated that a substantial 64 percent of all jailed inmates in the country suffered from a mental health issue (Whitehead, et al.). Community mental health services are designed to provide encouragement and treatment for people suffering from an array of mental disorders in a domiciliary environment rather than in psychiatric clinics. Such community mental health systems provide appropriate outpatient psychiatric services in an age where social perspectives on mental illness have transformed care from intensive psychotherapy to treatment ideology where the mentally ill have a positive place to live with encouraging social environments that

I will upload the file Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

I will upload the file - Essay Example The orientation program will be conducted on all new employees upon arrival at the company. The orientation program covers a presentation on the company history, the mission statement, vision statement and goals. The program will also include a recruitment process, in which the employee learns about the scope of their new jobs, their personal responsibilities and rights. Another aspect of the orientation program is to familiarize the new employee with the organizational structure and the chain of command. The program will also include a visit to all the departments so that the employee can learn about their interdependence. After going through the orientation program, the employee is bound to be more comfortable working in the company. According to McDonald & Hite, training forms an integral part of any career development system since it lays the foundation for good performance within an organization (420). At Superior Roses, both new and current employees will undergo intensive training in their areas of specialization. As for the new employees, training will come right after the orientation process. As soon as the new employee settles in their specific department, then the department members under instruction from the departmental manager will guide the employee on how to go about their duties. For example, an employee joining the sales department will be trained on how to book customer orders, how to prepare order forms, and how to ensure proper shipment of flowers. The employee will also be trained on how to ensure proper coordination of activities in all departments to guarantee customer satisfaction. For those employees who have worked longer in the company, training will also be conducted to ensure that they keep up with variations in the industry. For example, the people within the production department, which basically deals with the production of flowers, will require frequent training on the effects of weather change on flower quality. Most

Country Analysis Paper on Norway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Country Analysis Paper on Norway - Essay Example Good economic performances continue support to areas losing residents in Norway. The Nordic model follows both justice and aggressive apprehensions. Maintaining the main features of the settlement pattern is an eternal objective of the nation. Policies mainly target thinly populated areas, with stress on service delivery and competitiveness. Measures are based on employment oriented economic methods and service delivery balancing. Diagnosis of regional competitiveness advantages could improve the design of policy tools. Regional innovation and competitiveness policies involve a lot of aspects. The role of major urban areas in knowledge production and circulation should be better considered. Recent emphasis on city attractiveness and competitiveness, particularly in Oslo, create the basis for an open city policy. The role of small and medium sized cities needs to be better incorporated into regional innovation strategies. Place-based policy approaches can enhance the impact of regiona l competitiveness and innovation policies. Depopulation and ageing in more than half of Norwegian municipalities affect the cost of services. Population decline produces apprehensions about school closures and staffing problems.

I will upload the file Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

I will upload the file - Essay Example The orientation program will be conducted on all new employees upon arrival at the company. The orientation program covers a presentation on the company history, the mission statement, vision statement and goals. The program will also include a recruitment process, in which the employee learns about the scope of their new jobs, their personal responsibilities and rights. Another aspect of the orientation program is to familiarize the new employee with the organizational structure and the chain of command. The program will also include a visit to all the departments so that the employee can learn about their interdependence. After going through the orientation program, the employee is bound to be more comfortable working in the company. According to McDonald & Hite, training forms an integral part of any career development system since it lays the foundation for good performance within an organization (420). At Superior Roses, both new and current employees will undergo intensive training in their areas of specialization. As for the new employees, training will come right after the orientation process. As soon as the new employee settles in their specific department, then the department members under instruction from the departmental manager will guide the employee on how to go about their duties. For example, an employee joining the sales department will be trained on how to book customer orders, how to prepare order forms, and how to ensure proper shipment of flowers. The employee will also be trained on how to ensure proper coordination of activities in all departments to guarantee customer satisfaction. For those employees who have worked longer in the company, training will also be conducted to ensure that they keep up with variations in the industry. For example, the people within the production department, which basically deals with the production of flowers, will require frequent training on the effects of weather change on flower quality. Most

Definition Of Success Essay Example for Free

Definition Of Success Essay We were born to work. We must achieve something great in a limited time. This is our duty a duty that every man or woman should bear. Depending on how this duty will be beard, we may say whether this person was successful or not. In a book the word success was defined as a favourable result or wished for ending through the achievement of goals. That is, if one attains a desired goal through achievement, he or she can be considered as a successful one. And the only way to achieve your goal is through hard work. Many people define the word success as being rich, which means having a great amount of money and owning valuable materials. Nowadays, this definition of success is thought of as not the most appropriate because there is more to success than just being wealthy or popular. These people should not forget that success is only awarded to those who have worked for it and those who deserve it. Success is not easily obtainable. That is why I can fully agree with the famous hairstylists quotation, that the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

BT Group: Financial Performance Analysis

BT Group: Financial Performance Analysis BT Group (BT) is the leading UK company providing landline telecommunication services and equipment. It also had the mobile telecommunication business which was subsequently sold as MMO2. After the sale of mobile business, BT’s profile has now changed from a growth company to a mature cash generating company. A)  Financial performance The most common objective assessment of the financial performance of a firm is the return it generates on its assets and the quantity and quality of the returns. Quantity is measured by the absolute and percent change in total profits. The profit and loss account of an organisation and its analysis are the prime and first indicators of a firm’s financial performance. The latest annual results of BT is for the period ending 31 March 2005. Appendix I shows the summary of key profit and loss figures over the last three years. BT’s turnover and profit after tax in 2005 have increased as compared to 2004 but are still lower than those in 2003. The turnover has declined by 5.7% only whereas profit after tax has declined by 32.7% over the two year period. This shows that the business has very low variable costs which is in line with the heavy fixed cost investments normally made by telecommunication companies in establishing their networks and subsequent very low variable costs in carrying data. While turnover increased in 2005, operating profits have declined. This indicates that the business is facing some pricing pressures or is spending more on advertisement as the operating profit declined by 0.5% only. BT’s 2005 profit after tax was  £1,820m and was substantially higher than  £1,406m. Though the absolute profit is very high number compared to most of the businesses and indicates that the company is in strong financial position, it also shows that BT has high financial leverage. The company paid a significant high interest and if revenues and operating margins come under more pressure, it could have trouble paying interest costs. BT is aware of this issue and has focused on reducing its net debt. After facing tough times in early 2000s, it has sold many previous investments to raise money for repaying debt. BT’s share price rose after it announced its strategic decision to reduce net debt by raising money through divestments. The net interest payments have declined from  £1,439m in 2003 to  £801m in 2005. Not only that, the net interest payment has declined from 49.5% of operating profit to 29.0% from 2003 to 2005. The reduction in net interest as a percent of operating profit is an important improvement as it gives investors comfort that even if operating margins come under pressure, the company would still be able to meet its interest liabilities. One quick way to analyse a company’s performance is to look at the earnings per share pattern. The earnings per share had also a change pattern similar to that of profit after tax. It first decreased from 31.4p in 2003 to 16.4p in 2004 before increasing to 21.4p in 2005. The 2005 increase in earnings per share highlights the improvement in performance. Though the profits did decrease in 2004, BT kept on increasing total dividend paid to shareholders. This shows the management’s faith in business going forward and its ability to meet higher dividend expectations in future. The returns generated on assets is measured by Return on Capital employed (ROCE). Appendix II shows the calculation of ROCE for BT. BT had a healthy ROCE of 19.0% and 20.7% in 2004 and 2005. The quality of returns is measured by their consistency and by the spread of profits, i.e., the percent of profits being generated from different divisions and locations. The less reliance of profits on any one division and/or location means the company is in better shape to withstand downturns in its markets. None of BT’s business contributed more than 50% in its turnover in the year ended 31 March 2005 (BT, 2005). This indicates that BT Group is reasonably well protected from the declines in a business line. The situation is slightly different if we look at the operating profits where BT Wholesale division contributes more than 50% of net operating profits. Any more margin pressures in this business could reduce future earnings. Most of BT’s earnings originate from UK and hence it earnings are susceptible to changes in UK economy. Financial position The financial position of a company covers its financial structure, its assets and liabilities, its liquidity and risk management approach (Accounting Standards 2004/2005). Appendix III gives the highlights of BT Group’s balance sheet from 2004 to 2005. The total fixed assets have increased by  £639m in the last year. While total fixed assets have increased, the total current assets have decreased by  £254m, so total assets have increased by  £385m. The lower increase in total assets as compared to increase in fixed assets is mainly due to decrease in cash and investments. The major change in financial structure has occurred on the liabilities side. The total current liabilities have gone up by  £3,938m due to increase in current loans and borrowings of  £3,227m. This shows that BT is financing much more of its assets from current borrowings. The massive increase in current loans and borrowings has reversed the net current assets (liabilities) position. BT had net current assets of  £2,027m in 2004 and had net current liabilities of  £2,165m in 2005, a net decrease in current assets of  £4,192m. While the current liabilities have increased, the long term creditors have decreased by  £4,335m. If we just look at long-term creditors, the reduction is impressive and it gives more confidence to the investors that company is in better financial position now. But when we combine the decrease in long term creditors with the increase in current liabilities, the net change is very less. And the fact that changes in current liabilities is mainly due to borrowing instead of increase in trade creditors means that the financing of assets has merely shifted from long term borrowings to short term borrowings. The current assets to current liabilities ratio has declined from 1.24 to 0.83 in the last one year, a sign of concern in terms of liquidity especially when the increase in liabilities is not mainly due to higher trade creditors. Debt to equity ratio indicates the financing of assets. BT had total debt of  £13,697m in 2004 and the corresponding figure for 2005 was  £12,589m, a decrease of  £1,108m. If we now exclude cash and short term investments from total debt, BT’s net debt was  £8,425m and  £7,786m in 2004 and 2005 respectively. The net debt to book value of equity ratio declined from 2.75 in 2004 to 2.02 in 2005. This means that debt finances almost twice assets as being financed by equity. Higher amount of debt results in lower weighted average cost of capital as debt is cheaper equity. But as BT reduces more debt, its weighted average cost of capital will increase. The increase would be partially offset by lower cost of equity due to lower chances of bankruptcy. Risk of bankruptcy is measured by interest cover ratio which is defined as the ratio of cash available for interest payments to net interest. Appendix IV shows the EBITDA calculation and interest cover ratio. The interest cover ratio has increased from 6.1 in 2004 to 7.0 in 2005. The healthy interest cover ratio shows that BT has further reduced the risk of bankruptcy and is in better financial position now. The debt level is now very much within manageable levels and is more like a cash rich mature company. Companies normally tend to follow certain dividend trend to signal market of their assessment of future earnings. Dividend declaration is also part of risk management as it is based on management’s assessment of future cash generation and expenditure expectations. The hike in dividend in 2004 and 2005 inspite of decline in profits in 2004 shows the management assessment of future low risks to cash flows. Financial Adaptability An entity’s financial adaptability is its ability to take effective action to alter the amount and timing of its cash flows so that it can respond to unexpected needs or opportunities (Accounting Standards 2004/2005, page 26). Appendix V shows the main elements of consolidated cash flow statement of BT Group. BT Group is generating high amounts of cash inflow from operating activities. During the year ended 31 March 2005, the company generated  £5,900m of net cash from operating activities. BT is in telecommunication business which demands relatively high level of absolute investments. It spent  £2,408m on capital expenditure during the year ended 31 March 2005. Even if we believe that all of capital expenditure was required under normal operations, BT was still left with  £2,282m of surplus cash in 2005. As we can see from the Appendix III that BT has now focused on repayment of loans. During the last three years, the company has reduced borrowings by  £7,395m. Though BT is able to generate significant amount of cash before disposals but that was not enough in 2003 and 2004 to repay loans. The company then sold some of its investments to generate cash for loan repayments. BT also pays a significant amount of dividend to its shareholders. So if its net cash from operations do decrease in future, it has still some buffer in terms of dividend payments to take care of loan repayments. B) The objective of financial statement is to provide information about the reporting entity’s financial performance and financial position that is useful to a wide range of users for assessing the stewardship of the entity’s management and for making economic decisions (Accounting Standards, 2004, page 22). The compliance of an entity’s financial reports with UK’s Accounting Standards can be gauged over two main areas – content and format. Content is important to give true and correct picture of a firm’s financial performance and position. Different users need different information. Financial statements are used by investors to base their investment decision. So it is important that financial statements have the right content to help achieve this goal. It is also important to have right format of presentation. Investors are more likely to feel comfortable if they see familiar presentation style and can then evaluate the company easily. We will look at the content and major financial statements to see whether they comply with UK Accounting Standards. We will then also at few additional notes to financial statements to see whether they are also in line with true and fair principle and give the readers a clear picture of the entity. First of all we compare profit and loss statement with FRS 3 ‘Reporting financial performance’. BT’s consolidated profit and loss statement clearly shows the total turnover and share from joint venture and associates, and in doing so gives more clarity of its earning base. The financial statement format is similar to the example formats shown in Accounting Standards 2004/2005. BT’s 2005 Annual Report however doesn’t show share of turnover and profits from discounted operations (BT, 2005). It is because BT didn’t sell any business in 2005. If we look at the 2002 Annual Report (BT, 2002), it shows the turnover and profits from discounted operations also. The financial statement also has statement of total recognised gains and losses in line with FRS 3 practices. So the accounts meet profit and loss statement UK Accounting Standards in terms of both content and format. We now compare BT’s cash flow statement with the format prescribed in FRS 1 ‘Cash flow statements’. BT’s cash flow statement has not only got all the headings but they are also in the same order as mentioned in FRS 1. BT report also gives sub-categories under the major headings and hence is a genuine effort to educate investors as much as possible on the generation and use of cash flows. BT cash flow statement uses the format prescribed for the ‘Group’ accounts. The notes to financial statement also has detailed reporting on reconciliation of operating profit to operating cash flows, analysis of net debt, acquisition and disposals in line with formats for the ‘Group’ accounts. The next section we analyse is on segmental reporting and check its comparability with SSAP 25 ‘Segmental Reporting’. SSAP 25 says that a public limited company should provide segmental analysis on lines of business class and geographical location. The notes to financial statement section in the 2005 Annual Report has a section on segmental reporting wherein BT shows the turnover, operating profit/(loss) and net assets/(liabilities) of different business lines. It also provides the above data based on the geographical location of reverse generation. The above meets SSAP 25 requirements and also helps investors make a better judgment of risks faced by BT. BT is in telecommunication business where technology change is rapid. BT has acquired many companies in recent years to keep pace with the technological developments. So it is important to analyse the acquisition policies and disclosures are in line with the UK Accounting Standards. FRS 6 ‘Acquisitions and Mergers’ and FRS 7 ‘Fair values in acquisition accounting’ govern the acquisition accounting policies. BT’s annual report under ‘Notes to financial statements’ gives detailed disclosure of total and fair value of the acquisitions made by it. BT’s financial statements not only give the book and fair value of acquisitions but also a detailed explanation of them for each acquisition. The clear and easy to understand format of financial statements and the depth of information in them signals that BT not only just do the minimum to meet UK Accounting Standards but also follows them in true spirit. Appendix I – Highlight of BT Group’s profit and loss accounts (Source: BT Annual Report and Form 20-F; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/AnnualReports.htm) Appendix II – ROCE of BT Group (Source: BT Annual Report and Form 20-F; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/AnnualReports.htm) Appendix III – Highlight of BT Group’s balance sheet (Source: BT Annual Report and Form 20-F; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/AnnualReports.htm) Appendix IV – Interest cover ratio (Source: BT Annual Report and Form 20-F; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/AnnualReports.htm) Appendix V – Highlight of BT Group’s cash flow statements (Source: BT Annual Report and Form 20-F; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/AnnualReports.htm) Bibliography and references Accounting Standards 2004/2005 – Extant at 30 April 2004 (2004); Wolters Kluwer (UK) Limited. BT (2005); BT Annual Report and Form 20-F for the year ended 31 March 2005; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/AnnualReports.htm BT (2002); BT Annual Report and Form 20-F for the year ended 31 March 2002; http://www.btplc.com/Sharesandperformance/Howwehavedone/Financialreports/Annualreports/Annualreportsarchive.htm

Going Towards a Postpatriarchal Family :: Philosophy Hochschild Women Papers

Going Towards a Postpatriarchal Family Ours is a time of dramatic and confusing transformations in everyday life, many of them originating in the social enfranchisement of women that has occurred over the past twenty-five years. Sociologist Arlie Hochschild demonstrates a widespread phenomenon of work-family imbalance in our society, experienced by people in terms of a time bind, and a devaluation of familial relationships. As large numbers of women have moved into the workplace, familial relations of all sorts have been colonized by what Virginia Held critically refers to as the contractual paradigm. Even the mother/child relationship, representing for Held an alternative feminist paradigm of selfhood and agency, has been in large part "outsourced." I believe that an Arendtian conception of speech and action might enable us to assert anew the grounds for familial relations. If we require a new site upon which to address our human plurality and natality, the postpatriarchal family may provide that new site upon which indi viduals can freely act to recreate the fabric of human relationships. It would seem to be our moral and political responsibility as social philosophers today to speculatively contribute to the difficult yet imperative task of reconfiguring the family. In this paper, I attempt to articulate the basic assumptions from which such a reconfiguration must begin. I. Some Ironies of Our Current Moment While motherhood represented women's primary opportunity for achievement and respect within previous societies, second-wave feminism critically explored the lived reality of women as mothers within our middle-class American society. Betty Friedan's influential The Feminine Mystique, published in 1965, indicted the deadly boredom of the suburban home, while later works such as Adrienne Rich's Of Woman Born, articulated with devastating incisiveness the oppressive qualities of the contemporary institution of motherhood. According to Rich, the intense joys of mothering children were embedded in a patriarchal structure that created agonizing conflicts for any woman who saw herself as more than merely a nurturer of her spouse and children. As feminists, we believed that the institutions of family and motherhood would change quite radically as women entered the workplace. And they have. Our lives have been dramatically transformed over the last twenty-five years, through a process I refer to as "the social enfranchisement of women." (1) As large numbers of women have entered the public workforce and contraception has become widely available, women have come to be seen as possessing the same economic and political rights and responsibilities as men.

The Three Mile Island Accident Essay -- Essays Papers

The Three Mile Island Accident When someone thinks of problems plaguing the world, nuclear energy is not the first thing that comes to peoples minds these days.[1]Nuclear power was once deemed the new energy of the future.[2]However, numerous nuclear power plant accidents around the world put a damper on that notion.The United States considers itself one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, but 103 nuclear reactors currently operating within her borders, one was bound to fail sometime or another.[3] Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Station is on an island that is located about 10 miles from the town of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.The plant housed two nuclear reactors, Unit 1 and Unit 2.Now there is only one that is operable, Unit 1.[4]A week or two before the accident a movie called the â€Å"China Syndrome† was released.This movie was about the possible aftermath resulting from nuclear reactor meltdown.Coincidentally, Unit 2 was in trouble a little while after.[5] Around 4:00 a.m. March 28, 1979, in a non-nuclear section of the Unit 2 plant, the main feed water pumps stopped running.Because of this malfunction, steam generators were not able to remove the heat.This led to complicated chain of events.First, as designed, the turbine shut down, followed by the reactor itself.This led to a rise in the pressure, so the pressurized relief valve opened, just like it was supposed to do.However, when the pressure decreased to accepted levels, the valve should have closed, instead it remained open, it was stuck.This led to a continued decrease in the pressure of the system.[6]Also, in another part of the plant, the emergency feed water system failed to operate because of a human error; the valve was left closed whe... ...21. [2] Lavelle, Marianne.â€Å"When the World Stopped.†U.S. News and World Report, 29 March, 1999, p. 38. [3] See Lavelle p. 38. [4] "Nuclear Disasters andAccidents" http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/nuclear_disasters/nuclear_disasters.html (1 March 2000). [5] Denton, Harold.â€Å"Nightmare at Three Mile Island.†George, March 1999, p. 48. [6] "Nuclear Disasters andAccidents" http://library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/nuclear_disasters/nuclear_disasters.html (1 March 2000). [7] Nuclear Regulatory Commision. "Three Mile Island 2 Accident" http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/gmo/tip/tmi.htm (1 March 2000). [8] See Nuclear Regulatory Commission [9] See Nuclear Regulatory Commission [10] See Nuclear Regulatory Commission [11] See Lavelle p. 38 [12] See Nuclear Regulatory Commission [13] See Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Habits of the Heart Essay

most is Brian Palmer. He is a successful businessman and is a top level manager in a large company. He got divorced from his first wife because of wrong priorities. When they were still married, he dedicated his time in working for his family. He was under the misconception that the role of a father and husband is to provide his family all the things that they need and for him to be a better father, he should also provide their wants. He thought that if he will earn money, which is more than enough for them, his family will live happily. However, he realized that money and work is not everything. He did not realize the toll that his being a hard working father is affecting his children and his relationship with his wife. After his divorce with his wife, their children chose to live with him. This made him realize that he is not as bad a father that he thinks he is. He might have done something to deserve this love from his children. The divorce gave him time and space to think and reflect on the things that had happened in the past and what he had done wrong for this to happen. It was not easy for him or his kids but as soon as Brian Palmer had decided to be happy with his children, that was turning point of their lives. He had changed his priorities and he had also changed his goals. Now that he is married to his second wife, who also had children with her first husband, he has devoted his life to his marriage and to all his children. He also had reestablished his priorities and he had learned that family comes first. He also learned that love is not buying his wife and children things; it is sharing. Love is sharing in terms of his time, efforts, and even thoughts. This shift of priorities had made him happy and his family happy. Although Brian Palmer’s situation and my situation are not exactly the same, I could say that I can relate with him since we now value the same thing – our family. It is a common mistake for people to dedicate their lives in their work to the point that they sacrifice their time which is supposed to be spent for their family. They often defend themselves that they are doing this for the benefit of their family. They think that by providing everything for their loved ones, they are showing their love for them. This is the common misconception of people. I can relate more to the children of Brian Palmer because I came from a broken family. When I was still young, things were going smoothly. My father had a high position in their company and my mom was starting her own business. They were busy but they still found time to spend with me and my brother. Until, things gradually changed between my parents and us, their children. It started when my parents started to miss special occasions, like my birthday or my brother’s graduation in elementary. It also pained us to see them fight at times. At first, I did not understand why they were fighting over money or why I feel awkward when I they kiss me on the cheeks. I soon realized that I now seldom see them together, except when they’re fighting. It was hard for me and my brother to grow up without our parents when we need them. It came to the point where I hated special occasions because it was just a reminder that I was alone and that I don’t have my parents to celebrate with me or to just be with me. It came to a point where my parents have considered getting divorced. My brother got very depressed that he was needed to be brought to the hospital. It was an eye opener for my parents. They got the chance to see each other and stop and talk a while. They got the chance to reflect and ask themselves, â€Å"how did we get here? † After that incident, my parents decided that family should always come first. This brought a new light to our family. With our parents’ support, my brother slowly recovered from his depression. From that time on, our parent’s lives became happier and they now got the time to be with us. I also became happy and now I could say with pride that my parents love me and I have a happy family. The character that I can relate the least is the character of Margaret Oldham. She is a psychiatrist and is trained to listen to people’s drama in life. This in turn made her flexible to the personalities of people around her. This in turn gave her the tolerance that she needs to fit in the world where diverse personalities exist. She was raised in the stable and has a strong sense of discipline. A strong sense of discipline is something that I am not very accustomed with. During the time when I felt alone and that my parents were not in good terms, there was nobody to discipline me. I was under the impression that I could do anything and everything that I wanted as long as I am not doing anything which is against the law. Margaret was an achiever in school and in her profession. I was not very good in academics since my parents did not set any standards for me. Unlike other parents, they tell their children to achieve the best in school for them to get better jobs and that education is something that they can give their children, which cannot be taken away from them. I, on the other hand, was not very aware of this. Education was something I thought was just a stage in life that I have to go through and that it is something that I should also experience for me to be â€Å"normal† among my peers. I disagree to her belief that people should not expect that a person could make them â€Å"magically happy† because when my parents finally realized their mistake on us and decided to reconcile and have a better family life, I was â€Å"magically happy†. I was blissfully happy to see that my parents were now willing to try their best to catch up on us and know us better. However, I could say that she is right in saying that people should communicate more on what they need and feel to be able to be happy. I think, it is through communication that people can understand one another and be aware of the feelings of other people. She also stated that as an adult, one should accept his/her personal responsibility; that everybody is responsible for themselves. I agree to her in a way because we are responsible of our acts and it is up to us to make decisions for ourselves. However, we should also acknowledge the impact that we have on other people’s lives. Our actions and decisions could affect the people who care for us and are dear to us. In making decisions, we should also consider the effect that the decision could give to others. She believes that a person’s fulfillment involves deep self-knowledge, a wide tolerance of the differences among people, and the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life. I must admit that I am not well aware of these responsibilities as a person before, but after I read Margaret Oldham’s character, I must say that it had opened a whole different perspective in my life. It made me realize that there are more things to learn in life so why spend it in self pity.