Joseph Stalin Essays - Old Bolsheviks, Marshals Of The Soviet Union

Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin was a Georgian Marxist revolutionary leader and later dictator of the USSR. He was born in Gori, Georgia. He studied at Tiflis Orthodox where he was expelled from in 1899. After joining a Georgian Social Democratic organization in 1898, he became active in a revolutionary underground, and he was twice sent to Siberia. As a leading Bolshevik he played an active role in the October Revolution. In 1922, he became general secretary of the Party Central Committee, a position that he held until the day of his death. Stalin also occupied other key positions, which enabled him to build up enormous personal power in the government. This is a key point in Stalin's life where he was enormously confident about himself which led him to do things that were no acceptable in today's standard life. After the death of Vladimir I. Lenin in 1924 Stalin became leader of the Soviet Union where he made many changes to agriculture and industry. He believed that the Soviet Union was one hundred years behind the West and that they had to catch up as quickly as possible. This is where the idea of his ?Five Year Plan,? came about. The five-year plan basically got the people involved and motivated them into a modern life. From the 5-year plan, 25 million farms were produced which were only big enough to feed the families that were harvesting them. The more successful peasants were called the Kulaks. Along with the five-year plan, Stalin launched a campaign for the ?collectivization of agriculture,'' where millions of peasants were recognized as part of the civilization. Between 1934 and 1938 he built up a government, and armed forces in which millions of people were imprisoned, exiled, or shot. In 1938 he signed a Non- Aggression Pact with Hitler which bought the Soviet Union two years after the involvement in World War Two. After the German invasion in 1941, the USSR became a member of the Grand Alliance, and Stalin, as was leader, took the name of Generalissimo. He took part in the conferences of Tehran, Yelta, and Potsdam that resulted in Soviet military and political control over the liberated countries of postwar E and C Europe. Much of the blame of the concentration camps and German invasion are blamed on Adolph Hitler, but in the lost shadows is this man, Joseph Stalin. Stalin is responsible for some concentration camps and exiles that went on with the slaves. Joseph Stalin was an evil man. The party of slaves that he started, the Kulaks, (meaning that they had a little bit more than the regular slaves) were being stubborn and they didn't want to give Stalin their crops without him paying a certain fee for them. When the Kulaks started to rebel against Stalin, he was infuriated and he declared war against the slaves. Stalin and his armies overpowered the slave's and they had to surrender to them before anything else occurred. Along with their crops came all the machinery that they had and everything that they possessed. Due to Joseph Stalin's actions, many people who were on this collective farm system starved to death. The exact amount of people whom Stalin caused death to is not known but facts prove tha t there were many of people who died to his actions. In 1945 he conducted foreign policies which contributed to the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the West. By1950 Stalin's mental and physical health had begun to deteriorate and he was absent from the Kremlin, the government headquarters in Moscow, for long periods of time. In January 1953 Stalin ordered the arrest of a group of Kremlin doctors on charges of plotting the medical murder of high-level Soviet officials. A few days later, Stalin died of complications from a stroke in March. After his death, the people were upset while Stalin's political successors expressed relief and moved quickly change some of the most brutal features of his regime. Nikita Khrushchev, who replaced Stalin as general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, denounced Stalin's methods of rule and political theories, known as Stalinism, in his secret speech to the 20th Party Congress in 1956. Stalin's historical legacy is really

Disney Marketing Paper Essay Example

Disney Marketing Paper Essay Example Disney Marketing Paper Paper Disney Marketing Paper Paper This takes great planning and heavy research to make sure hat the Wall-E is being marketed as the right product, at the right price, sold in the right place, and promoted the best way. Some ways this can be done is by targeting a specific market location, identifying potential buyers (as well as the influences that make their purchasing decisions), and understanding the competitive landscape. Understanding and learning about these areas will help Disney launch the Wall-E toy in the best possible way. Segmentation and the Target Market To create a successful marketing strategy, Disney must first answer the question, who Is the customer who will be most Interested In new voice-activated robotic Wall-E toy. In order to find out the answer to that question, Disney must divide the market up into groups of customers with distinct needs, characteristics or behaviors, then select the segment that best suits the product; this is called market segmentation. The next step in this process of developing a marketing strategy is to decide how to best serve the target customer. This step is known as target marketing. Target marketing is a process to evaluate each of the segments and to select the one or more segments hat will generate the most customer satisfaction and the highest level of profitability. Target market selection is crucial to productive marketing efforts. Products and even companies sometimes fail because marketers do not identify appropriate customer groups at which to alma their efforts. Identification and analysis of a target market provide a foundation on which a marketing mix can be developed? (DDCD Marketing, 2006). The new release of the Disney,Polar movie, Wall-E Is currently for Pixies third-largest opening with $62. 5 million, according to studio estimates from Nielsen (Bowels, 2008). According to Scott Bowels from USA Today, surprisingly more than a fifth of the audience, during the opening weekend, included adults without children. The Disney Corporations numerous market segments all seem to be related and reinforce each other: The Disney Stores promote the consumer products which promote the [theme] parks which promote the television shows. The television shows promote the company (Seder, 2008). Ebbed also suggests, children are increasingly the target of advertising and marketing because of the amount of money they spend themselves, the influence they have on their parents spending (the nag factor) and because of the money they will spend when they grow With this In mind, Disney/Polar will broadly Identify the target customer for the new robotic toy as children. Children and teens, of all ages who presently watch the Disney channel will see previews for ten movie Ana commercials Tort ten product Trot ten movie. Enlarge will tombstone, ask parents to go see the movie and ultimately to the store to shop for related merchandise. Buyer/Consumer Disney has been a major player in toy development for decades and has always been n innovator when it comes to robotics and animation. Wholesale and retail buyers will not be in short demand. Most organizations are going to use the markups to price Wall-E, so price should not be an influential factor. Quality will be. Disney has a Strategic Sourcing and Procurement organization that will work with product development in order to select vendors that will bring the best value to the Wall-E robot. One of those vendors was Thinking Toys. Disney and Thinking Toys have teamed up in the past on such projects as Toy Story, Little Mermaid and Beauty in the Beast (thanklessly. Com). Thinking Toys has won numerous awards regarding quality and product. Having these types of partners on board will ease the concerns of organizational buyers. Demand will also be an influential factor for buyers. The continued success of the movie as well as promotions should keep demand high. Disney will be best served to continue to partner with numerous companies from local and regional retailers and wholesalers to the larger global ones such as Toy-R-Us. Additionally, Disney Interactive as well as the numerous Disney stores around the globe can stock their shelves according to their local markets emend and their distribution network will ensure there is always stock in hand. The consumers of the Wall-E robot are mostly going to be parents of children from ages 6 through their mid-teens. These are going to be parents at least in the working class or lower middle class income bracket and above. The Wall-E robot, while still cheaper than its more advanced competitor, is still an expensive item. Parents with tighter budgets constraints are going to be hesitant to purchase such an expensive item. The working class is also the majority class in the U. S. Making it the most ideal market to target. Working class consumers cover a broad range of different types, but they will be influenced by price more so than classes above them. Rebate offers may be very effective if deployed during a lag in sales. Middle class consumers have a comfortable standard of living, economic security, and will be more willing to spend the extra money to satisfy their wants. Warranties and service will be more important here as well as the Disney brand. Competitive Landscape Competitive landscape analysis identifies who the competitors are ND what the competitor is doing in order to generate sales of the product. The best way for an organization to compete is to prepare them with an in-depth knowledge of what the competition is doing. Chris Byrne, contributing editor of Raving Toy Maniac News, stated of the competitive landscape, there are innovations across the board, which deliver more fun no matter what kids are playing with. The interactive Wall-E two biggest competitors are the Polo dinosaur and the Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer. Polo is an interactive robotic dinosaur that is designed from the same maker of the Furry. This techno dinosaur is equipped with 35 sensors throughout its body, allowing Polo to react instantly to slant, sound Ana touch . I en Polo Languor Is also Adult Walt a camera-oases vowels system for light detection and navigation within its plane. With a price tag of 350 dollars, this high-end toy is not made for the average consumer. The Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer is a spoof from the original Japanese toy line, which debuted in 1984. The Transformers toys line from Hasher is unique in the fact that it features a toy vehicle that can be modified and changed into a robot, which is perfect or an inquisitive young boy. The Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer features an advanced animators design, which means the toy can move itself when in robot mode. His arms and wings move up and down, and his head moves from side to side. It seems to have full sound detection capabilities. It responds to noises, like clapping, by turning and making sounds. At $90, is said to be perfect for older children, toy collectors, and for adults with their inner child waiting to come out and play (Rose, 2006). The Wall-E is interesting, in that it combines characteristics from the top brand. With the price tag of $120, Wall-E falls in the middle-tier of its competitors. However, Wall-E wins the competitive edge stemming from the features-to-cost ratio against the top leaders. Dealing with competition can be difficult, as the competitor can duplicate the product or even improve on the strategies. It is critical for organizations to have a unique selling proposition that puts it above the competition. Conclusion All in all, research shows that Disney has identified their target market for the new voice activated robotic Wall-E toy to be parents of children from ages 6 through mid- teens. The targeted market location is believed to be in the working class, which covers a broad range of individuals, who will be influenced by the price more so than classes above them. Wall-E will be promoted through the Disney channel and commercials of the Wall-E movie. The toys top competitors are identified as the Polo dinosaur and the Ultimate Bumblebee Transformer. Both have features like the Wall- E robot, but the price is more reasonable for its targeted market. Being the movie tied for third largest opening with $62. 5 million, Disney should have great success with the release of the new Wall-E toy.

Understanding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Understanding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) were chartered by Congress to create a secondary market for residential mortgage loans. They are considered government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) because Congress authorized their creation and established their public purposes. Together, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the largest sources of housing finance in the United States. Heres how it works: You secure a mortgage to buy a home.Your lender probably resells that mortgage to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac either hold these mortgages in their portfolios or package the loans into mortgage-backed securities (MBS) that they then sell to the public. The theory is that by providing this service, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac attract investors who might not otherwise invest funds in the mortgage market. This, theoretically, increases the pool of money available to potential homeowners.By the third quarter ​of 2007, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac held mortgages valued at $4.7 billion- about the size of the total publicly-held debt of the U.S. Treasury. By July 2008, their portfolio was called a $5 trillion mess. History of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Even though Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were Congressionally-chartered, they are also private, shareholder-owned corporations. They have been regulated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development since 1968 and 1989, respectively.However, Fannie Mae is more than 40 years old. President Franklin Delano Roosevelts New Deal created Fannie Mae in 1938 to help jump-start the national housing market after the Great Depression. And Freddie Mac was born in 1970.In 2007, EconoBrowser noted that today there is no explicit government guarantee of their debt. In September 2008, the US government seized both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Other GSEs Federal Farm Credit Banks (1916)Federal Home Loan Banks (1932)Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) (1968)Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) (1988) Contemporary Congressional Action Regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac In 2007, the House passed H.R. 1427, a GSE regulatory reform package. Then-Comptroller General David Walker stated in Senate testimony that â€Å"[A] single housing GSE regulator could be more independent, objective, efficient and effective than separate regulatory bodies and could be more prominent than either one alone. We believe that valuable synergies could be achieved and expertise in evaluating GSE risk management could be shared more easily within one agency.† Subprime Mortgage Crisis A subprime mortgage crisis occurred in the United States between 2007–2010, in part as a result of a weakening economy but also as a housing bubble which had pushed housing prices higher and higher collapsed. Houses were large, their price tags steep, but mortgages were inexpensive and easy to get, and the prevailing real estate theory was that it was smart to buy (much) more house than you needed because it was a solid investment. If they wanted, buyers could refinance or sell the house because the price would be higher than when it was purchased.   Fannie and Freddies concentrated exposure to US residential mortgages, coupled with their high leverage, turned out to be a recipe for disaster. When the inevitable crash in home prices occurred, it created an associated spike in mortgage defaults, and Fannie and Freddie were holding hundreds of thousands of underwater home mortgages- people owed more, in some cases far more, on their houses than the houses were worth. That situation contributed greatly to the 2008 recession.   Collapse and Bailout By mid-2008, the two firms had expanded to almost $1.8 trillion in combined assets and $3.7 trillion in combined net off-balance sheet credit guarantees. Over the same period, however, they posted $14.2 billion in losses and their combined capital only amounted to about 1 percent of their exposure to mortgage risks. Despite efforts in the summer of 2008 to prop up the failing GSEs (the Housing and Economic Recovery Act on July 30 temporarily gave the US Treasury unlimited investment authority), by Sept. 6, 2008, the GSEs held or guaranteed $5.2 trillion dollars in home mortgage debt.   On Sept. 6, the Federal Housing Finance Agency placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship, taking control of the two firms, and entering into senior preferred stock purchase agreements with each institution. The U.S. taxpayer ultimately paid a $187 billion bailout to the two GSEs.  Ã‚   One stipulation to the bailout was that going forward the quality of housing loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had to improve. Investigations by economists Dongshin Kim and Abraham Park reported in 2017 indicate that the quality of post-crisis loans is indeed higher, particularly in the requirements on the levels of debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, and credit scores (FICO). At the same time, loan-to-value (LTV) requirements had been loosened since 2008, allowing a steady increase in the number of first-time home buyer loans.   Recovery By 2017, Fannie and Freddie had paid back $266 billion to the US Treasury, making their bailout a tremendous success; and the housing market has recovered. However, Kim and Park suggest that continued monitoring of the quality of the mortgages would be prudent. While FICO and DTI are indicators of the borrowers ability to pay their mortgages on time, the LTV is an indication of the borrowers willingness to pay. When the house value falls below the loan balance, people are less likely to pay on their mortgages.   Sources Boyd, Richard. Bringing the GSEs Back In? Bailouts, U.S. Housing Policy, and the Moral Case for Fannie Mae. Journal of Affordable Housing Community Development Law 23.1 (2014): 11–36. Print.Ducas, John V. Subprime Mortgage Crisis 2007–2010. Federal Reserve History. November 22, 2013.Frame, W. Scott, et al. The Rescue of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Journal of Economic Perspectives 29.2 (2015): 25–52. Print.Kim, Dongshin, and Abraham Park. How Sound Are the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Recoveries? Are There Vulnerabilities for History to Repeat? Graziadio Business Review 20 (2017). Print.Agency/Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) Product Overview 200What Are the Origins of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae?

Analysis of Financial Statements of Bogus Limited For the Year-ended Essay

Analysis of Financial Statements of Bogus Limited For the Year-ended 30 June 2004-2005 - Essay Example The firm's inventory turnover also shows net improvements in its efficiency. In terms of stability, although there is marked recovery in the leverage and liquidity ratios, Bogus Limited's debt ratios imply that the firm is still highly leveraged and may possibly encounter liquidity problems in the future as a result of its financial positioning. Given these outcomes, a potential shareholder is recommended to invest in the company and take advantage of the firm's bright earnings prospect. In light of the firm's highly-leveraged position, a potential creditor is recommended to prudently extend credit line to Bogus Limited. Prior to arriving at an investment decision, potential shareholders and creditors must initially analyse the financial position and health of a particular company. This report provides an overview of the financial standing of Bogus Limited as at year-end 30 June 2005. It intends to aid a potential shareholder in assessing the feasibility of investing in the company's stocks by reviewing the overall and per-share performance of the firm in the past two years. Moreover, this report aims to assist a potential creditor in evaluating the company's financial health by looking at the efficiency and stability of Bogus Limited as indicated by the liquidity, leverage and turnover ratios posted in the given period. Body of the Report Performance Based on the income statement of Bogus Limited for year-end 2005 and 2004, the firm's sales increased by 26% or $554.4 million, from $2,124.1 million to $2,678.5 million. This signals that the company has sustained its earnings growth from operations in the last two years. This assertion on the firm's profitability is supported by the net profit margin posted that rose to 13% as at year-end 30 June 2005 from 11% in the previous year. Although the company's cost of goods sold substantially increased resulting in lower gross profit margin, Bogus Limited is

Title Foreign Exchange Market Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Title Foreign Exchange Market - Research Paper Example The German is expecting a 0.6% gain in CPI. The cost of durable goods ordered has increased to 2.8% favoring the growth of Euros. The value of the quarterly GDP of US released has fall short of what was the initial estimate. US Q4 is 2.1% while the original estimate was 2.6%. Although the US Dollar is among the most traded currency, many countries in Euro zone use the Euros money. The interest rate is a weapon used to influence the stability of Euros against the US Dollar. In the Europe region ranking, Germany is seventh in trade Netherlands being its primary partner. Germany trades with not less than 17 European Countries. Its strategic location favors marketing to the rest of the countries. Many countries neighboring Germany has preferred the enormous growth in its economy (Floyd, 2010). There is little risk associated with Germany thus doing trade activities with German is promising. Germany has numerous strengths that will lead to real trading activities. The country has a solid base for industrialization as per the quarter GDP (Hill, 2011). The country is among the few countries that is profitable and contributes competition to the rest of the world. German has a diversified export basis that makes trading easy and efficient. The Germans show aggressiveness and are capable of achieving more stable economy and currency. The GDP of German is predicted to have big potential and able to overtake other countries. By 2030, the German predict their GDP to rise to $60,000, a figure past Japan and U.S (Floyd, 2010). The German think this is possible with their dominant industrial sector, which is the most productive in the

Truearth Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Truearth Case Analysis Essay Competitors began offering similar products in 2008 which cause the growth to slow. * Some of their competitors are Nestle and Kraft. * The do not make a rash decision. The success of Cucina Fresca was a calculated risk based on significant research. The company only uses high-quality durum wheat and mostly organic ingredients. * The company further raised consumer awareness through several promotional programs, using coupons, magazine advertisements, and in-store demonstrations. * Idea generation. As the company grew, the idea generation process became a more systematic evaluation of consumer trends, with formal management brainstorming sessions. * Three important developments reshaped how consumers purchased groceries. The first important trend was a new, loosely defined food category in the United States— â€Å"home meal replacement† (HMR). An increase in dual-income households had led to higher disposable incomes coupled with â€Å"time poverty,† as both workers found themselves lacking the time to cook a meal and clean up afterward. Further, consumers had tired of unhealthy carryout and fast food and started seeking greater variety and freshness. Supermarkets began meeting HMR needs by enhancing their fresh, prepared food offerings. * There was no fresh whole grain pasta with broad distribution, with 85% of those in favour of the concept having never purchased it before. In an attempt to retain our leadership position and extend our product line, we have invested in the development of a new whole grain pizza. We must decide whether to launch our pizza offering. Our decision must take into consideration that the new product’s wholesales volume estimates must exceed $12 million to meet our return requirements. The decision-making process is time sensitive because one of our competitors, Rigazzi Brands, has already tested a whole grain pizza concept and is not far from introduction. Given these factors, we can either debut or suspend the product. Based on sales volume estimates and situation analysis, I recommend that the company launch the pizza. The introduction will result in a wholesales volume that exceeds our return requirements and these additional funds can be reinvested into the firm. Option I: Launch Whole Grain Pizza Product The launch of a whole grain pizza kit will capitalize on the same consumer trends that prompted the release of Cucina Fresca: growing demand for quick, customizable home meal replacements that are refrigerated and available in tasty, whole grain options. Also, pizza is a core component of the Italian-American food category that we cannot ignore because it is frequently purchased by customers on a monthly basis. Our whole grain pizza product resolves the time- and health-related concerns of American consumers in one of their favorite dishes (see Exhibit 1: SWOT Analysis for Whole Grain Pizza Product). The growing demand for a whole grain crust has been addressed by local pizzerias and take-out franchises, but not in the store-bought refrigerated pizza market. The immediate release of the pizza kit would allow us to penetrate this market before Rigazzi and benefit from first mover advantages. As a result, our 1st year wholesale volume estimates would exceed our return requirements by approximately $4. 5 million (see Exhibit 2: Whole Grain Pizza Concept Purchase Volume Estimate, Year 1 [Excellent]). The excess returns can be reinvested into the firm and used to expand our manufacturing facilities or further extend our product line. If the pizza kit is launched, the firm must consider the potential consequences. We must assess the impact it will have on Cucina Fresca’s success and production, as well as the TruEarth image if the product flops (see Exhibit 1: SWOT Analysis for Whole Grain Pizza Product). Likewise, we must review the potential consequences if the wholesale volume estimate is calculated using the percentage repurchases when the product is perceived to be of mediocre or average quality (see Exhibit 3: Whole Grain Pizza Concept Purchase Volume Estimate, Year 1 [Mediocre, Average]. Option II: Do Not Launch Whole Grain Pizza Product The competitive environment of the pizza market and quality-related issues discovered in the BASES studies indicate that the whole grain pizza product should not be launched. Although the market generates high sales, it is extremely crowded and dominated by powerful players like Kraft and Nestle. Furthermore, the ability to market a tasty whole-grain pizza crust and communicate its benefits will be difficult because the American public perceives whole grains to be less appetizing than white flour. Attempting to change consumer preferences is timely and costly. By foregoing the release of the pizza kit, the company can focus solely on Cucina Fresca. The operating facilities will not have to worry about manufacturing two different product lines and our distribution infrastructure will not be overworked (see Exhibit 1: SWOT Analysis for Whole Grain Pizza Product). Likewise, our marketing team could concentrate on attempting to revive the pasta meals. This product has proven to be successful at one time. Investing all of our resources into the pizza product could be both disastrous and expensive considering we have no experience in this market category. However, by shelving the pizza, an opportunity is lost because our company would be ignoring the needs of a potentially profitable market. The health-conscious trend is not going away and our firm needs to expand our product line in order to retain our leadership as a gourmet, healthy alternative. Recommendation At this time, our company would benefit the most by launching the new whole grain pizza product. By not launching the pizza kit, our investments and time can be focused on expanding the pasta line and retooling the marketing campaign to improve sales; however, in order to diversify the TruEarth brand name, innovation is needed. Although the pasta market may seem safe, we must venture into new categories in order to raise brand awareness, seek new customers, and increase our profits. Exhibit 1: SWOT Analysis for Whole Grain Pizza Product Strengths| Weaknesses| Highly selective about ingredients * Existing infrastructure for coupons, magazine advertisements, in-store demonstrations * Existing formal 4-step process for research and development * Incremental investment for pizza less than pasta.

My Experience with Computers :: Personal Narrative Writing

My Experience with Computers I remember walking single file to the computer Lab. It was a room that was completely new to my whole fifth grade class. What did it look like inside? Did we all really get to play on these machines? I had never even typed on a computer before. This was fifth grade and my computer experience was, well, let's just say lacking. Learning to use these computers was a great experience for me. I was pretty scared but I learned how to play a lot of games and the teachers were very kind and helpful. Computers were a thing of the future, and more and more kids needed to learn how to use them. This was the case at our school. They thought it was time to conquer our fear, they were no longer valued as precious treasures that were only available to those over the age of eighteen. I had seen computers before but had never learned how to use them because I was never allowed, my mother always looked at me as an accident waiting to happen when it came to expensive things. Now that I am in college, I must say that I have gained some knowledge in this area, though I wouldn't consider myself an expert. I use my computer now for typing papers to turn in for school, using America Online to talk to friends, and downloading music to burn CD's. In sixth grade I moved from a poor public elementary school to a wealthy middle school. This meant I went from sharing fifteen computers with the whole school of five different grades, to having my very own computer in each individual class, teachers in the classes learned my name and my strengths and weaknesses when it came to these machines. I was terrible at typing but was awesome at just about any game you could put in front of me. I believe this also helped me gain experience. Having more access to these computers and I didn't have to bother waiting in line anymore, I wanted to participate because I had more of an opportunity to do so. I began to play around with games like "The Oregon Trail" and programs like "Microsoft Word" which helped me learn the proper technique to typing. I got my first computer from a friend of my mom's.

Mexican Drug War

Since Felipe Calderon became the president of Mexico in December of 2006, more than 30,000 people have died in this nationwide turf war. A large majority of these murders are happening in the states of Chihuahua and Baja, California both of which border the United States. Soon after Calderon took office he launched a military-led war on drugs and that set off conflicts all over the country between rivaling cartels. Not only has there been a war between the cartels, there’s an overall threat to all of the citizens of Mexico because nobody is above the hell these savages are unleashing. All across the southwest United States the drug cartels have been smuggling drugs and weapons between countries illegally. Within the last month U. S. and Mexican authorities unearthed a 2200 ft. long tunnel under the border. This tunnel was used to smuggle drugs into San Diego, California where cartel commanders distribute the marijuana throughout the country. Then going back into Tijuana, â€Å"mules† would carry guns back. This tunnel was state-of-the-art with air conditioning, ventilation, and tongue-and-groove boarding to keep the ground level for the safe transportation of the weed. Other than weed; heroin, cocaine, and guns are also transferred between borders. 70,000 U. S. -originated firearms were recovered between 2007 and 2009. Along the two thousand mile long border between the United States and Mexico there are over seven thousand licensed gun dealers on the U. S. side. Just like the drugs moving North, the guns are flowing South in the trunks of cars, under the beds of truck, and sometimes hidden by clothing in the floorboards of cars. The main thing issue with these cartels is that innocent men and women are dying every day for the sake of a dollar. Some of these people that are dying were totally in the clear and had nothing to do with Mexico, they were just vacationing. Two students who attended the University of Texas in El Paso were hiking through the mountains and accidentally crossed over the wrong hill at the wrong time and that cost them their lives. Along with those two students, the US State Department released a statement saying eighty other American travelers had been murdered in Chihuahua alone. Even Mexican citizens are dying for no reason. A group of twenty vacationers from Michoacan, Mexico were visiting Acapulco and a group of armed assailants snatched them up and took them away. The only reason the men’s bodies were found is because two severely beaten men made a video and broadcast it on YouTube in hopes that somebody would find the mass grave. This group of men died all because their kidnappers thought they were henchmen for a rival cartel. The United States being involved in the Mexican Drug War shows all six steps of the government function: Foreign relations and diplomacy to help with military defense while they try to gain control of the country. Developing business strength while controlling the cartel interactions is another part of the government function. Oil is a major natural resource in Mexico, so helping keep it protected also while keeping its use under control. Another thing is the enforcement and regulation of fair and responsible business practice to handle the legalities of NAFTA in check when necessary. Since the United States feels the need to be a global police state, we also help determine and enforce the laws and help citizens gain more rights. And most importantly, provide public goods and services for the well-being of the community as a whole. Things that the National Guard is there to help with, like vaccination programs, disaster relief, and basic healthcare. The primary policy that would have helped our nation and the drug war was California’s Proposition 19. Proposition 19 also known as the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act was wanted for the decriminalization of marijuana for specific purposes. Many people argued that it would help with cut off the funding to the violent cartels along with helping out California’s budget shortfall and redirecting law enforcement’s resources to more dangerous crimes. While opponents claimed that it contains gaps and flaws that may have serious unintended consequences on public safety, workplaces, and federal funding. However, even if the proposition had passed, the sale of cannabis would have remained illegal under federal law via the Controlled Substance Act. Being active in the Mexican Drug War hasn’t helped the approval rating of the government much at all. Two things dealing with Mexico and its citizens that aren’t helping the public opinion are the DREAM Act and the US Merida Initiative. The DREAM Act is a bill proposed by the House of Representatives that would give citizenship to immigrants who moved into the United States as a minor, have graduated from high school, and are on good moral standings. And the U. S. Merida Initiative s planned cooperation between the United States, Mexico, and countries in Central America with the aim of combating drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, and money laundering. It may sound good, but the government has funneled more than $1. 4 billion into this initiative. Yet the US Department of Education has to cut spending in half? Our government is obviously overstepping its boundaries, when is it not? For example Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement division (ICE) was created to shore up the borders after September 11th. But forced drugging and warrantless raids weren't part of the mandate and in May of 2008, the Washington Post reported that there have been more than 250 cases of the government giving deportees psychiatric drugs with no medical excuse or reason. Yet ICE itself disputes that number of cases and says that only 180 out of close to 600,000 were involuntarily sedated. Another way the government is overstepping its boundaries is with the legalization of medical marijuana in California. Not the fact that it’s legal, but what happens to those who need it and use it. Those who are medically permitted to have marijuana and travel within seventy-five miles of the Mexican border have to deal with Border Patrol and their â€Å"Fourth Amendment-free Zone†. That permits warrantless searches to any and all comers in a bid to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Patients and advocacy groups are complaining that the border area checkpoints operated by the Border Patrol are sweeping up patients, detaining them, seizing their medicine, and sometimes arresting them on federal drug possession charges.

Vampire Academy Chapter 6

SIX AS MUCH AS LISSA AND Christian's meeting bothered me, it gave me an idea the next day. â€Å"Hey, Kirova – er, Ms. Kirova.† I stood in the doorway of her office, not having bothered to make an appointment. She raised her eyes from some paperwork, clearly annoyed to see me. â€Å"Yes, Miss Hathaway?† â€Å"Does my house arrest mean I can't go to church?† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"You said that whenever I'm not in class or practice, I have to stay in the dorm. But what about church on Sundays? I don't think it's really fair to keep me away from my religious? ­um, needs.† Or deprive me of another chance – no matter how short and boring – to hang out with Lissa. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. â€Å"I wasn't aware you had any religious needs.† â€Å"I found Jesus while I was gone.† â€Å"Isn't your mother an atheist?† she asked skeptically. â€Å"And my dad's probably Muslim. But I've moved on to my own path. You shouldn't keep me from it.† She made a noise that sort of sounded like a snicker. â€Å"No, Miss Hathaway, I should not. Very well. You may attend services on Sundays.† The victory was short-lived, however, because church was every bit as lame as I remembered when I attended a few days later. I did get to sit next to Lissa, though, which made me feel like I was getting away with something. Mostly I just people-watched. Church was optional for students, but with so many Eastern European families, a lot of students were Eastern Orthodox Christians and attended either because they believed or because their parents made them. Christian sat on the opposite side of the aisle, pretending to be just as holy as he'd said. As much as I didn't like him, his fake faith still made me smile. Dimitri sat in the back, face lined with shadows, and, like me, didn't take communion. As thoughtful as he looked, I wondered if he even listened to the service. I tuned in and out. â€Å"Following God's path is never easy,† the priest was saying. â€Å"Even St. Vladimir, this school's own patron saint, had a difficult time. He was so filled with spirit that people often flocked around him, enthralled just to listen and be in his presence. So great was his spirit, the old texts say, that he could heal the sick. Yet despite these gifts, many did not respect him. They mocked him, claiming he was misguided and confused.† Which was a nice way of saying Vladimir was insane. Everyone knew it. He was one of a handful of Moroi saints, so the priest liked to talk about him a lot. I'd heard all about him, many times over, before we left. Great. It looked like I had an eternity of Sundays to hear his story over and over again. â€Å"? ­and so it was with shadow-kissed Anna.† I jerked my head up. I had no idea what the priest was talking about now, because I hadn't been listening for some time. But those words burned into me. Shadow-kissed. It had been a while since I heard them, but I'd never forgotten them. I waited, hoping he'd continue, but he'd already moved on to the next part of the service. The sermon was over. Church concluded, and as Lissa turned to go, I shook my head at her. â€Å"Wait for me. I'll be right there.† I pushed my way through the crowd, up to the front, where the priest was speaking with a few people. I waited impatiently while he finished. Natalie was there, asking him about volunteer work she could do. Ugh. When she finished, she left, greeting me as she passed. The priest raised his eyebrows when he saw me. â€Å"Hello, Rose. It's nice to see you again.† â€Å"Yeah? ­you too,† I said. â€Å"I heard you talking about Anna. About how she was ? ®shadow-kissed.' What does that mean?† He frowned. â€Å"I'm not entirely sure. She lived a very long time ago. It was often common to refer to people by titles that reflected some of their traits. It might have been given to make her sound fierce.† I tried to hide my disappointment. â€Å"Oh. So who was she?† This time his frown was disapproving rather than thoughtful. â€Å"I mentioned it a number of times.† â€Å"Oh. I must have, um, missed that.† His disapproval grew, and he turned around. â€Å"Wait just a moment.† He disappeared through the door near the altar, the one Lissa had taken to the attic. I considered fleeing but thought God might strike me down for that. Less than a minute later, the priest returned with a book. He handed it to me. Moroi Saints. â€Å"You can learn about her in here. The next time I see you, I'd like to hear what you've learned.† I scowled as I walked away. Great. Homework from the priest. In the chapel's entry way, I found Lissa talking to Aaron. She smiled as she spoke, and the feelings coming off her were happy, though certainly not infatuated. â€Å"You're kidding,† she exclaimed. He shook his head. â€Å"Nope.† Seeing me stroll over, she turned to me. â€Å"Rose, you're never going to believe this. You know Abby Badica? And Xander? Their guardian wants to resign. And marry another guardian.† Now this was exciting gossip. A scandal, actually. â€Å"Seriously? Are they, like, going to run off together?† She nodded. â€Å"They're getting a house. Going to get jobs with humans, I guess.† I glanced at Aaron, who had suddenly turned shy with me there. â€Å"How are Abby and Xander dealing with that?† â€Å"Okay. Embarrassed. They think it's stupid.† Then he realized who he was speaking to. â€Å"Oh. I didn't mean – â€Å" â€Å"Whatever.† I gave him a tight smile. â€Å"It is stupid.† Wow. I was stunned. The rebellious part me of loved any story where people â€Å"fought the system.† Only, in this case, they were fighting my system, the one I'd been trained to believe in my entire life. Dhampirs and Moroi had a strange arrangement. Dhampirs had originally been born from Moroi mixing with humans. Unfortunately, dhampirs couldn't reproduce with each other – or with humans. It was a weird genetic thing. Mules were the same way, I'd been told, though that wasn't a comparison I really liked hearing. Dhampirs and full Moroi could have children together, and, through another genetic oddity, their kids came out as standard dhampirs, with half human genes, half vampire genes. With Moroi being the only ones with whom dhampirs could reproduce, we had to stay close to them and intermingle with them. Likewise, it became important to us that the Moroi simply survived. Without them, we were done. And with the way Strigoi loved picking off Moroi, their survival became a legitimate concern for us. That was how the guardian system developed. Dhampirs couldn't work magic, but we made great warriors. We'd inherited enhanced senses and reflexes from our vampire genes and better strength and endurance from our human genes. We also weren't limited by a need for blood or trouble with sunlight. Sure, we weren't as powerful as the Strigoi, but we trained hard, and guardians did a kick-ass job at keeping Moroi safe. Most dhampirs felt it was worth risking their own lives to make sure our kind could still keep having children. Since Moroi usually wanted to have and raise Moroi children, you didn't find a lot of long-term Moroi-dhampir romances. You especially didn't find a lot of Moroi women hooking up with dhampir guys. But plenty of young Moroi men liked fooling around with dhampir women, although those guys usually went on to marry Moroi women. That left a lot of single dhampir mothers, but we were tough and could handle it. However, many dhampir mothers chose not to become guardians in order to raise their children. These women sometimes worked â€Å"regular† jobs with Moroi or humans; some of them lived together in communities. These communities had a bad reputation. I don't know how much of it was true, but rumors said Moroi men visited all the time for sex, and that some dhampir women let them drink blood while doing it. Blood whores. Regardless, almost all guardians were men, which meant there were a lot more Moroi than guardians. Most dhampir guys accepted that they wouldn't have kids. They knew it was their job to protect Moroi while their sisters and cousins had babies. Some dhampir women, like my mother, still felt it was their duty to become guardians – even if it meant not raising their own kids. After I'd been born, she'd handed me over to be raised by Moroi. Moroi and dhampirs start school pretty young, and the Academy had essentially taken over as my parent by the time I was four. Between her example and my life at the Academy, I believed wholeheartedly that it was a dhampir's job to protect Moroi. It was part of our heritage, and it was the only way we'd keep going. It was that simple. And that was what made what the Badicas' guardian had done so shocking. He'd abandoned his Moroi and run off with another guardian, which meant she'd abandoned her Moroi. They couldn't even have children together, and now two families were unprotected. What was the point? No one cared if teenage dhampirs dated or if adult dhampirs had flings. But a long-term relationship? Particularly one that involved them running away? A complete waste. And a disgrace. After a little more speculation on the Badicas, Lissa and I left Aaron. As we stepped outside, I heard a funny shifting sound and then something sliding. Too late, I realized what was happening, just as a pile of slush slid off the chapel's roof and onto us. It was early October, and we'd had early snow last night that had started melting almost immediately. As a result, the stuff that fell on us was very wet and very cold. Lissa took the brunt of it, but I still yelped as icy water landed on my hair and neck. A few others squealed nearby too, having caught the edge of the mini-avalanche. â€Å"You okay?† I asked her. Her coat was drenched, and her platinum hair clung to the sides of her face. â€Å"Y-yeah,† she said through chattering teeth. I pulled off my coat and handed it to her. It had a slick surface and had repelled most of the water. â€Å"Take yours off.† â€Å"But you'll be – â€Å" â€Å"Take this.† She did, and as she slipped on my coat, I finally tuned into the laughter that always follows these situations. I avoided the eyes, instead focusing on holding Lissa's wet jacket while she changed. â€Å"Wish you hadn't been wearing a coat, Rose,† said Ralf Sarcozy an unusually bulky and plump Moroi. I hated him. â€Å"That shirt would have looked good wet.† â€Å"That shirt's so ugly it should be burned. Did you get that from a homeless person?† I glanced up as Mia walked over and looped her arm through Aaron's. Her blond curls were arranged perfectly, and she had on an awesome pair of black heels that would have looked much better on me. At least they made her look taller, I'd give her that. Aaron had been a few steps behind us but had miraculously avoided being nailed by the slush. Seeing how smug she looked, I decided there'd been no miracles involved. â€Å"I suppose you want to offer to burn it, huh?† I asked, refusing to let her know how much that insult bugged me. I knew perfectly well my fashion sense had slipped over the last two years. â€Å"Oh, wait – fire isn't your element, is it? You work with water. What a coincidence that a bunch just fell on us.† Mia looked as if she'd been insulted, but the gleam in her eyes showed that she was enjoying this way too much to be an innocent bystander. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"Nothing to me. But Ms. Kirova will probably have something to say when she finds out you used magic against another student.† â€Å"That wasn't an attack,† she scoffed. â€Å"And it wasn't me. It was an act of God.† A few others laughed, much to her delight. In my imagination, I responded with, So is this, and then slammed her into the side of the church. In real life, Lissa simply nudged me and said, â€Å"Let's go.† She and I walked off toward our respective dorms, leaving behind laughter and jokes about our wet states and how Lissa wouldn't know anything about specialization. Inside, I seethed. I had to do something about Mia, I realized. In addition to the general irritation of Mia's bitchiness, I didn't want Lissa to have to deal with any more stress than she had to. We'd been okay this first week, and I wanted to keep it that way. â€Å"You know,† I said, â€Å"I'm thinking more and more that you stealing Aaron back is a good thing. It'll teach Bitch Doll a lesson. I bet it'd be easy, too. He's still crazy about you.† â€Å"I don't want to teach anyone a lesson,† said Lissa. â€Å"And I'm not crazy about him.† â€Å"Come on, she picks fights and talks about us behind our backs. She accused me of getting jeans from the Salvation Army yesterday.† â€Å"Your jeans are from the Salvation Army.† â€Å"Well, yeah,† I snorted, â€Å"but she has no right making fun of them when she's wearing stuff from Target.† â€Å"Hey, there's nothing wrong with Target. I like Target.† â€Å"So do I. That's not the point. She's trying to pass her stuff off like it's freaking Stella McCartney.† â€Å"And that's a crime?† I affected a solemn face. â€Å"Absolutely. You've gotta take revenge.† â€Å"I told you, I'm not interested in revenge.† Lissa cut me a sidelong look. â€Å"And you shouldn't be either.† I smiled as innocently as I could, and when we parted ways, I felt relieved again that she couldn't read my thoughts. â€Å"So when's the big catfight going to happen?† Mason was waiting for me outside our dorm after I'd parted ways with Lissa. He looked lazy and cute, leaning against the wall with crossed arms as he watched me. â€Å"I'm sure I don't know what you mean.† He unfolded himself and walked with me into the building, handing me his coat, since I'd let Lissa go off with my dry one. â€Å"I saw you guys sparring outside the chapel. Have you no respect for the house of God?† I snorted. â€Å"You've got about as much respect for it as I do, you heathen. You didn't even go. Besides, as you said, we were outside.† â€Å"And you still didn't answer the question.† I just grinned and slipped on his coat. We stood in the common area of our dorm, a well-supervised lounge and study area where male and female students could mingle, along with Moroi guests. Being Sunday, it was pretty crowded with those cramming for last-minute assignments due tomorrow. Spying a small, empty table, I grabbed Mason's arm and pulled him toward it. â€Å"Aren't you supposed to go straight to your room?† I hunkered down in my seat, glancing around warily. â€Å"There are so many people here today, it'll take them a while to notice me. God, I'm so sick of being locked away. And it's only been a week.† â€Å"I'm sick of it too. We missed you last night. A bunch of us went and shot pool in the rec room. Eddie was on fire.† I groaned. â€Å"Don't tell me that. I don't want to hear about your glamorous social life.† â€Å"All right.† He propped his elbow up on the table and rested his chin in his hand. â€Å"Then tell me about Mia. You're just going to turn around and punch her one day, aren't you? I think I remember you doing that at least ten times with people that pissed you off.† â€Å"I'm a new, reformed Rose,† I said, doing my best impression of demure. Which wasn't very good. He emitted a choking sort of laugh. â€Å"Besides, if I do that, I'll have broken my probation with Kirova. Gotta walk the straight and narrow.† â€Å"In other words, find some way to get back at Mia that you won't get in trouble for.† I felt a smile tug at the corners of my lips. â€Å"You know what I like about you, Mase? You think just like I do.† â€Å"Frightening concept,† he replied drily. â€Å"So tell me what you think of this: I might know something about her, but I probably shouldn't tell you? ­Ã¢â‚¬  I leaned forward. â€Å"Oh, you already tipped me off. You've got to tell me now.† â€Å"It'd be wrong,† he teased. â€Å"How do I know you'd use this knowledge for good instead of evil?† I batted my eyelashes. â€Å"Can you resist this face?† He took a moment to study me. â€Å"No. I can't, actually. Okay, here you go: Mia isn't royal.† I slouched back in my chair. â€Å"No kidding. I already knew that. I've known who's royal since I was two.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's more than just that. Her parents work for one of the Drozdov lords.† I waved my hand impatiently. A lot of Moroi worked out in the human world, but Moroi society had plenty of jobs for its own kind too. Someone had to fill them. â€Å"Cleaning stuff. Practically servants. Her dad cuts grass, and her mom's a maid.† I actually had a healthy respect for anyone who pulled a full day's work, regardless of the job. People everywhere had to do crappy stuff to make a living. But, much like with Target, it became another matter altogether when someone was trying to pass herself off as something else. And in the week that I'd been here, I'd picked up on how desperately Mia wanted to fit in with the school elite. â€Å"No one knows,† I said thoughtfully. â€Å"And she doesn't want them to. You know how the royals are.† He paused. â€Å"Well, except for Lissa, of course. They'd give Mia a hard time over it.† â€Å"How do you know all this?† â€Å"My uncle's a guardian for the Drozdovs.† â€Å"And you've just been sitting on this secret, huh?† â€Å"Until you broke me. So which path will you choose: good or evil?† â€Å"I think I'll give her a grace – â€Å" â€Å"Miss Hathaway, you know you aren't supposed to be here.† One of the dorm matrons stood over us, disapproval all over her face. I hadn't been joking when I said Mason thought like me. He could bullshit as well as I could. â€Å"We have a group project to do for our humanities class. How are we supposed to do it if Rose is in isolation?† The matron narrowed her eyes. â€Å"You don't look like you're doing work.† I slid over the priest's book and opened it at random. I'd placed it on the table when we sat down. â€Å"We're, um, working on this.† She still looked suspicious. â€Å"One hour. I'll give you one more hour down here, and I'd better actually see you working.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† said Mason straight-faced. â€Å"Absolutely.† She wandered off, still eyeing us. â€Å"My hero,† I declared. He pointed at the book. â€Å"What is this?† â€Å"Something the priest gave me. I had a question about the service.† He stared at me, astonished. â€Å"Oh, stop it and look interested.† I skimmed the index. â€Å"I'm trying to find some woman named Anna.† Mason slid his chair over so that he was sitting right beside me. â€Å"All right. Let's ? ®study.' â€Å" I found a page number, and it took me to the section on St. Vladimir, not surprisingly. We read through the chapter, scanning for Anna's name. When we found it, the author didn't have much to say about her. He did include an excerpt written by some guy who had apparently lived at the same time as St. Vladimir: And with Vladimir always is Anna, the daughter of Fyodor. Their love is as chaste and pure as that of brother and sister, and many times has she defended him from Strigoi who would seek to destroy him and his holiness. Likewise, it is she who comforts him when the spirit becomes too much to bear, and Satan's darkness tries to smother him and weaken his own health and body. This too she defends against, for they have been bound together ever since he saved her life as a child. It is a sign of God's love that He has sent the blessed Vladimir a guardian such as her, one who is shadow-kissed and always knows what is in his heart and mind. â€Å"There you go,† Mason said. â€Å"She was his guardian.† â€Å"It doesn't say what ? ®shadow-kissed' means.† â€Å"Probably doesn't mean anything.† Something in me didn't believe that. I read it again, trying to make sense of the old-fashioned language. Mason watched me curiously, looking like he very much wanted to help. â€Å"Maybe they were hooking up,† he suggested. I laughed. â€Å"He was a saint.† â€Å"So? Saints probably like sex too. That ? ®brother and sister' stuff is probably a cover.† He pointed to one of the lines. â€Å"See? They were ? ®bound' together.† He winked. â€Å"It's code.† Bound. It was a weird word choice, but that didn't necessarily mean Anna and Vladimir were ripping each other's clothes off. â€Å"I don't think so. They're just close. Guys and girls can just be friends.† I said it pointedly, and he gave me a dry look. â€Å"Yeah? We're friends, and I don't know what's in your ? ®heart and mind.' † Mason put on a fake philosopher's look. â€Å"Of course, some might argue that one can never know what's in the heart of a woman – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, shut up,† I groaned, punching him in the arm. â€Å"For they are strange and mysterious creatures,† he continued in his scholarly voice, â€Å"and a man must be a mind reader if he ever wishes to make them happy.† I started giggling uncontrollably and knew I'd probably get in trouble again. â€Å"Well, try to read my mind and stop being such a – â€Å" I stopped laughing and looked back down at the book. Bound together and always knows what is in his heart and mind. They had a bond, I realized. I would have bet everything I owned – which wasn't much – on it. The revelation was astonishing. There were lots of vague stories and myths about how guardians and Moroi ? ®used to have bonds.' But this was the first I'd ever heard of anyone specific that it had happened to. Mason had noticed my startled reaction. â€Å"You okay? You look kind of weird.† I shrugged it off. â€Å"Yeah. Fine.†

Steps Towards Resurgence essays

Steps Towards Resurgence essays A declining economy, an aging population, and government corruption are just some of the reasons that account for Japans declining global role. Many issues pose a serious threat to the countrys citizens now and the future that put in doubt Japans current decline as a temporary consideration. The countrys stock market collapse in 1990 not only affected its own economics and politics but also the markets of other countries like the United States. Japan is steadily continuing to decline as a global power let alone the superpower it dreamed of being and the countrys stock market collapse in 1990 not only affected its own economics and politics but also the markets of other countries like the United States. Regaining a higher position in the eyes of the world is very important to Japan but its focus before anything else needs to be on the resurgence of its morality as expectations for accelerated unemployment, widening economic inequality, unprecedented domestic debt levels, and feeble po litical efforts to address these problems, (MacDonald and Lemco 2002, 157) are very real. Currently, Japan is not only shrinking in its population but also aging as well, a problem not unique to only Japan but other Asian countries as well. (French 2002). More people are retiring than there are young people entering the workforce, which means people now working and paying into pension funds can expect their money to be used up by their retirement (MacKinnon 2003, 1). Japan is not only seeing more of their younger population going across seas for education but end up staying for work which could cause the country to approach a brain drain. The population decline does not seem to be a temporary issue, as it will peak in the year 2005 at 125 million. Given the Japanese birthrate of 1.3 per woman, by the year 2030 the proportion of Japanese adults will have fallen in half, and twenty year ...

An Analysis Of William Shakespeare’s Othello

An Analysis Of William Shakespeare’s Othello There are many powerful stories in the world. Tales of intrigue, revenge and redemption. But it is the skilful craft of storytelling which makes these narratives memorable. Narratives which are well told that involve the compelling characterisation of complex individuals, an engaging and suspenseful plot which reflect the values of the narratives context and masterful use of language to create a story which has withstood the test of time. Great storytelling appeals to the audience with its engaging plot through the universal themes that have been demonstrated in the tragedy of both Othello and New Boy through their individual context, utilising the Aristotelian elements. William Shakespeare’s Othello has been reimagined by Tracy Chevalier, where she encapsulates the solid and timeless themes of jealousy, duplicity and the use of the tragic hero and transports them onto a school playground. With the shift in time, from the 17th Century Venice in Othello, to New Boy’s much more contemporary era, 1970’s Washington DC, the same themes are explored in both texts and are used to their full potential. So, what is it that makes Othello so powerful and memorable that its’ story can be reimagined to todays time? How skilfully the story must be moulded so the untouched themes can fit the drastic change in context? â€Å"A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language;†¦ in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.† â€Å"A cartharsis of pity and fear†, that is what has made Othello so memorable. Words spoken by the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, has recognised the basis of what consists of powerful storytelling, the plot, the character, the melody, and has aided some of the most classic and timeless stories having Othello being one of them. When Chevalier chose to mirror Othello in New Boy, she felt that â€Å"an American school playground† would be most appropriate, where there is active evidence of dramatic affairs taking place, a clear order of hierarchy and a lot of room for drama. All these factors that come with the playground context make room for Chevalier to write a more contemporary version of Othello, where the times and values have changed. One thing Chevalier noticed in Othello was the lack of the involvement of the ladies in the play as the values of the people at the time saw women as weak and submissive, so she chose to give the girls in New Boy, Dee, Mimi and Blanca more of a voice, fitting to today’s contemporary era as the feminism movement grows stronger. This would appeal to a wider audience considering ‘girl power’ is much more prominent today compared to the 16th century when Othello was written, further making New Boy a powerful narrative through time whilst still encap sulating those same timeless themes of jealousy and duplicity. Characters are what bring the story to life. Compelling characters are what keep the story alive. Othello is an outsider, a moor in Venice and has eloped with the most sought-after girl in the city. Osei is a new boy, the Ghanaian son of a diplomat and has earned the title of ‘Dee’s boyfriend’. Sound similar yet? This is what makes these characters complex. They’re not one-dimensional and have sides to them which are revealed throughout the play and novel. The tragic heroes of both Othello and New Boy have been developed and twisted by the antagonists, Iago and Ian respectively. They have been adapted for the sake of creating what the author feels best about how to intensify their story, how to mould each character and their perspectives by utilising the language forms, with one being a drama and another, a novel. The skill of crafting a story is essentially how well the author can shape the language forms and features to create and enriching experience tha t highlights the core themes and the context. Through time, the concept of an unreliable narrator has only recently been coined, where the narrator’s credibility is questioned, and the perspective of other characters has been closed off by the author. This concept has been recognised by Chevalier as her novel can be read from the point of view of many characters. Not only has she created an unbiased view but her deliberate choice of a playground setting has created intensity by concentrating all the drama into one day and one setting. She makes her novel follow the recognisable language features that are prominent throughout Othello, the motifs of the handkerchief and the pencil case, the bestial imagery, having race as a line defining who the outsiders are, only to showcase how the shift in time from when Othello to when New Boy was written is very much reliant on how those same themes and language features is being represented. Shakespeare’s Othello, however, has bee n a culprit of potentially having unreliable narration. The conscious choice of exploring the aspects of jealousy and manipulation through a play has restricted Shakespeare by limiting him to create the multiple perspectives, which is what builds up intensity. Instead, he depends on the dramatic irony and soliloquys that are mostly presented by the malign Iago. He’s first shown as an intriguing character, â€Å"Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles, or sow lettuce†¦either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry, why the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills.† Presenting himself in this soliloquy as the ‘master gardener’ because of his great self-control over himself and his actions and his ability to plant the seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello’s mind. This powerful and skilful use of language features, with the analogy about the garden is used by Shakespeare to enhance and further contribute to the characterisation of Iago, to mould his perspective of himself and others, creating dramatic irony which further involves the audience making the play more powerful. Shakespeare also explores Othello’s language as he uses Iago as a puppet that works on him, showing the decline of his character through how his language has changed. His once calm and edu cated tone, twisting him into a â€Å"Green-eyed monster†. The character development that has been written for Othello is remarkable. Watching him undergo a transformation that makes him so fascinating contributes to how powerful the story of Othello and New Boy really is.

Current Public Heath Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Public Heath Issues - Essay Example This disease in a healthy, productive work force of the country is a major problem for the government, as it has to spend increasing amounts of funds on their treatment and care, while earning hands have decreased. For the past four decades, there was an encouraging decline in the spread and attack of CVD (Heart Disease May Be On The Upswing 2008), which led to the hope that there was finally a check on it, and still a chance for recovery from this problem. However, this hopeful trend lasted just till 1995 (Heart Disease May Be On The Upswing 2008). ... Discussion: in this study carried out on 425 people in Minnesota, US, who had died of unnatural causes, researchers found shocking evidence that CVD is on the rise again, and this time it is affecting a lot of young population as well. This study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Heart Disease Might Be On The Upswing 2008) in early February 2008, and explored the trends and the causes behind this upsurge. The age group of the cases under study ranged from 16 to 64. What was surprising was that out of the younger cases, 8.2% had high-grade heart disease, and 83 percent had clogged arteries, marking a beginning of coronary artery disease, which puts them at a risk of developing major heart problems as they age (Heart Disease May Be On The Upswing 2008). Researchers are yet trying to establish firm causes of this upswing of CVD, especially among the younger population. They are especially not sure how and to what extent do obesity and diabetes play a role in increasing the occurrence of CVD among young people. However, they have confirmed that recent trends and changes in the lifestyles of the people are the major causes of this rise. There has been an increase in the sedentary lifestyle of people, owing to the introduction and the spread of computers, which has led to a decline in their physical exercise (Heart Disease May Be On The Upswing 2008), and computer related activities like playing games and working solely on computers, such as typing jobs. Another study