Military And Civilian Discipline The Effect On The...

Military and Civilian Discipline: The Effects on the Organization Without military discipline, members of military wouldn t be able to function as one team during missions, exercises and training (Spector, Hayes, Shaw, 1978). Discipline and standards provide the foundation for any organization. Through teaching and the infusion of standards and discipline, an organization can ensure their success. Discipline needs to be legally and morally correct to instill trust in your personnel and trust in us as leaders. The laws and regulations that govern discipline need to be followed to help solidify the trust within an organization. The objective of any disciplinary system should be to correct an employee’s work-related conduct and/or performance while maintaining high productivity, discipline, integrity and morale among employees. The military justice has been seen as having a rough form of justice emphasizing summary procedures, speedy convictions and stern penalties in order to maintain obedience throughout the ranks (Heniarti Safei, 1962). But, there are differences between military and civilian discipline. The rules and regulations that govern discipline vary greatly. The military follows the Uniform Code of military Justice (UCMJ) where as civilians have Labor Laws and Unions. Unions are both regulated and regulatory players within a statutory scheme that sets them far apart from other voluntary associations (Estlund, 2015). Can you imagine if a military member wasShow MoreRelatedDiscipline 1817 Words   |  4 PagesDiscipline is of the utmost importance in order to ensure the efficiency of the military organization as a whole as well that of the individual units. Efficiency helps to ensure that goals are met and that the highest level of profeesionalism is maintained at all times. The level of discipline directly affects a soldiers conduct so the two concepts are directly related and of equal importance. Discipline is important in life as well as in the Army. The core values of the British Army are: courageRead MoreTattoos And Its Impact On Society Essay962 Words   |  4 Pagesopinion. From the tattoo placement anywhere on the body, to the vulgar and offensive kind of tattoos; restrictions are absolutely necessary. Some feel as if the Marine Corps shouldn’t have any tattoo restrictions. But I strongly disagree. This Organization has been built on so many great principles, like our Corps Values: â€Å"Honor, Courage, and Commitment.† Then we have our official United States Marine Corps (USMC) slogan: â€Å"The Few, The Proud, The Marines†. We have a reputation for being a professionalRead MoreTattoos And Its Impact On Society Essay955 Words   |  4 Pagescontrol in my opinion. From the tattoo placement anywhere on the body, to the offensive kind of tattoos; restrictions are absolutely necessary. Some feel as if the Marine Corps shouldn’t have any tatto o restrictions. But I strongly disagree. This Organization has been built on so many great principles, like our Corps Values: â€Å"Honor, Courage, and Commitment.† Then we have our official United States Marine Corps (USMC) slogan: â€Å"The Few, The Proud, The Marines†. We have a reputation for being a professionalRead MoreGeneva Conventions Essay770 Words   |  4 PagesThe laws of war The IHL and Geneva conventions are mainly known as the organizations that keep morals and sense in armed conflicts otherwise known as wars. These organizations place laws during war, if these laws hadnt been put in place during 1949 I dont think many of us would be here today. The main international agreements are the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. 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Unified land operations are executed through decisive action by mean of core competencies andRead MoreThe Disgrace of Veteran Homelessness Essay1400 Words   |  6 PagesThe military has been instrumental in the protection and development of U.S interests around the world. From the Revolutionary War, which established the United States as a nation, through the World Wars, which set up the U.S as one of the world super powers, to its current war on terror, the military has helped and protected U.S. interests around the world. During all these wars American soldiers have proudly served their country. Because of these wars America is famous throughout the world forRead MoreWhat Are Military Ethics?1056 Words   |  5 PagesDiscussion 1. What are military ethics? Military ethics can mean a wide range of things. It can encompass all aspects of military conduct, from writing performance reviews on subordinates, to relations of military personnel with their civilian leaders, to issues related to war (Encyclopedia.com 2017). However this reflection paper will espouse on the essential characteristics of leadership choices, higher standard for military personnel, and behavioral traits that must be imparted to our membersRead MoreBeing on Time in the Military Essay2915 Words   |  12 PagesDiscipline is being considered as a primary requisite in each military academy in the world. Especially, during any military training discipline is being required. So, show how well disciplined soldier you are in front of your senior military officials you should be punctual. Punctuality plays a vital role in making any cadet a full fledged military official. Military training is considered as one of the toughest assignment to crack. The road of performing all the drills and exercises will not

Superpower Has No Moral Duty to Intervene in Foreign Tyrannies Free Essays

Lord Acton said â€Å"Power corrupts absolutely absolute power corrupts absolutely. † And it is no wonder that super power corrupts superbly. Honourable panel of the jury, respected teachers all my dear friends, and of course not to forget my worthy but disillusioned opponents, a very warm good afternoon to one all. We will write a custom essay sample on Superpower Has No Moral Duty to Intervene in Foreign Tyrannies or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nowadays the burning topic is whether superpower can involve in foreign affairs. Today I master Bright James George would like to speak against the motion ‘Superpower has a moral duty to intervene in foreign tyrannies. In this contemporary world, superpower has a habit which they call as a ‘moral intervention’. But I refer this as ‘poking their nose in other’s matter’. Since when the superpowers rose into this world, they found this intervention advantageous for them on the other hand harmful for others. I hope my opponents know that every members of United Nations has to abide to its policy. In December 1965, UN General Assembly had declared a policy stating that ‘no country has to intervene in whatsoever affairs of other countries. My opponents cannot turn a blind eye to these events: US-Vietnam war, Russia Chechnya Conflict. Is this what my opponents call these superpowers’ moral duty by violating the UN policies? You got to think twice, my friends. I fail to understand why my opponents believe in the so called moral duty of superpower intervention. Do superpowers know other country’s background, culture, tradition etc.? They know only a little and remember little knowledge is always dangerous. With a little knowledge how can they intervene in foreign tyrannies? It doesn’t sound good too either. When a country allows superpower to intervene in their tyrannies, it shows the incapability of the government to control that country. Moreover all the success of that country becomes the glory of the superpower. What a shame then! A country must stand on its own foot. It can only seek help in a very critical situation. My opponents should not forget that in this politically cut-throat competitive world, one never intervenes unless until if he or she gets a profit out of it. Superpowers do the same. They only intervene in matters for amassing wealth especially to quench the thirst of black water, that is, petroleum. It is no doubt that the motive of the Iraq war was to protect US economic interests- American access to gulf oil. Countries like the U. S. have misused its position as superpower says the global political scholar Francis Fukuyama claims â€Å"Twenty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the accepted end of the Cold War, the United States has misused its position as a superpower. † When President Bush sent US troops to Somalia in 1992, he cited a humanitarian reason: to feed the starving Somali Population. But paradoxically civil Order has broken down, and starvation was usedas a weapon against innocent people. The American troops were engaged in a manhunt for warlord Aideed. This led to ferocious fire fight on October 3, 1993 the search was in futile. Nothing substantial was accomplished. Only misery sorrow. Percy Bysshe Shelly in his Queen Mab says, â€Å"Power, like a desolating pestilence, Pollutes whate’er it touches; and obedience, Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth, Makes slaves of men, and of the human frame A mechanized automaton. † According to me, â€Å"Superpower, like a destructing nuisance, Pollutes whate’er it intervenes. † For instance, the former Yugoslavia, the Serbs, Bosnians etc. fought for nationalism. But as the superpowers like Russia intervened for altruistic reasons, things became worse. The final result was the disintegration of Yugoslavia. U. S China doesn’t give India permanent membership in UN General Assembly. France accepted, UK accepted. Why not the Americans the Chinese? Just a mere fear of India becoming superpower and superpower becoming soft power. Afraid of India becoming superpower, the present superpower USA provides arms ammunitions to Pakistan, so as to suppress India. However my obstinate opponents are still under the illusion of superpower intervention. Why superpower wants to involve in others matter, when they have problems like poverty, economic recession etc. in their country itself? To conclude, I would like to say â€Å"superpowers should not mess around with some other countries till theirs is in order. † Finally those who believe that ‘Superpower has a moral duty to intervene in foreign tyrannies’ I believe they live in the fool’s paradise. Thank you How to cite Superpower Has No Moral Duty to Intervene in Foreign Tyrannies, Papers

Financial Accounting Theory for Westpac Banking- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theFinancial Accounting Theory for Westpac Banking. Answer: Introduction The present paper is developed for presenting an analysis of the sustainability performance of Westpac, an Australian bank recognized for providing innovative financials services to meet the personal, business and corporate needs of its customers. The bank is regarded to be one of the big four bank of Australia by carrying out its business in a sustainable manner. As such, this report illustrates the importance of sustainability in enhancing the bank performance. Implementation of Sustainability Performance in Westpac The Westpac Banking Corporation has integrated the economic, social and environmental dimensions into its business performance for ensuring its sustainable growth and development. The banking corporation has implemented the approach to sustainable business practices into its business strategy for supporting the economic, social and environmental development. It implemented the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) practices into its daily operational and decision-making activities. The concept of CSR aims to integrate social and environmental concerns associated with a business entity into its operational activities for promoting its sustainable growth. The sustainability approach is implemented by the banking corporation through regular engagement with the stakeholders. This helps to develop an in-depth understanding of the needs and expectations of the stakeholders and thus developing the business strategies for meeting their priorities and concerns (Westpac Group, 2012). The banking corporation has also adopted the Squashed Tomato Strategy for analyzing the impact of the bank operations on the internal processes and stakeholder relations. The strategy is focused on examining the impact of the Westpacs operations on its overall stakeholder group and to integrate its sustainability strategies into the organizational practices. The company has also introduced innovative environmental solutions for resolving the environmental problems such as introducing the new energy efficiency program and supporting the growth of clean tech environmental services sector. The banking corporation has also developed a Community Consultative Council (CCC) that meets annually consisting of its different stakeholder groups for analyzing the various aspects of its sustainability strategy. In addition to this, the banking corporation has also developed a Sustainable Supply Chain Management Process (SSCM) for introducing sustainable business practices into its supply chain (We stpacs Squashed Tomato strategy, 2010). Reasons for Westpac to Apply Sustainability Performance The four reasons for Westpac implementing sustainability performance can be stated as follows: Competitive Advantage: The Westpac banking corporation has introduced and implemented sustainable business practices into its daily operational activities for achieving competitive advantage by achieving product leadership and thus maximizing operational efficiency. This is possible by integrating the socially responsible practices into its each business area and thus supporting the development of environment, society and overall economy in which it operates. The Westpac sustainability strategy centered on active stakeholder engagement and minimizing the environmental damage would help it to promote its goodwill in the global marketplace and thus achieving higher brand recognition globally. This would provide the Westpac a global competitive image and thus ensuring its long-term growth and development (Kotler, Burton and Armstrong, 2015). Consumer Engagement: The sustainable practices undertaken by Westpac would help it to develop the trust of the customers through promoting its goodwill in the market. The sustainable business approach would help in developing a positive user experience in the mind of the customers. Therefore, the banking corporation can attain customer satisfaction and therefore increase its customer base thus driving its performance and growth. Developing long-term relations with suppliers: The use of sustainable business practices would help the banking corporation to develop long-term relationship with suppliers. The baking corporation has developed a sustainable supply chain management process that can help the banking corporation to maximize its operational efficiency through reducing the operational cost. Risk Management: The banking corporations are exposed to various types of operational risk such as financial scandals that can result in negatively impacting their goodwill in the marketplace. As such, it is very essential for the banking corporations to incorporate the use of proper risk management strategies for eliminating the chances of occurrence of various types of risks. The implementation of the sustainable practices by banking corporations such as Westpac would help in developing a positive relation with the stakeholders that would help it to meet the various type of situations involving risks effectively. This is because sustainable practices improve corporate transparency and therefore developing a good reputation in the mind of all its stakeholders (Robbins, Bergman and Coulter, 2014). Four Stakeholders in Westpac Sustainability Performance The major stakeholders in the Westpac are customers, communities, employees and suppliers. The customers are the major stakeholder group of the banking corporation as the bank operates for meeting the needs and demands of the customers. The banking corporation develops its product and services as per the customer requirements in order to achieve their loyalty and thus driving the bank growth and development. The communities in which the bank operates are the next prominent stakeholder group of Westpac. The banking corporation operates in co-operation with the nearby communities and therefore it is important for Westpac to ensure the long-term development of its communities (2016 Westpac Group Sustainability Performance Report, 2016). The employees are also an important stakeholder group of the Westpac as they plays an important role in driving its growth through meeting the customer needs and demands. The employees are largely impacted by the decision-making of the banking corporatio n as they are responsible for acting in certain ways to achieve its stated goals and objectives. At last, the suppliers are also an important stakeholder group of the banking corporation that influences the quality of products and services. The development of trust with the suppliers is highly important for the Westpac in order to provide high quality products and services to the customers (Westpac Group, 2012). Conclusion Thus, it can be said from the overall discussion held in the paper that Westpac has integrated sustainable approach and practices into its business strategy effectively. The sustainability practices of the bank are responsible for improving its performance and goodwill across the world. References 2016 Westpac Group Sustainability Performance Report. 2016. [Online]. Available at: https://2016annualreport.westpacgroup.com.au/assets/Westpac_Sustainability_Report_2016.pdf [Accessed on: 20 November 2017]. Kotler, P., Burton, S. and Armstrong, G. 2015. Marketing. Pearson Higher Education AU. Robbins, S., Bergman, R. and Coulter, M. 2014. Management. Pearson Australia. Westpac Group. 2012. Embracing the Corporate Journey into Sustainability. [Online]. Available at: https://www.westpac.com.au/docs/pdf/aw/sustainability-community/2012-SSCM-CaseStudiesBooklet.pdf [Accessed on: 20 November 2017]. Westpacs Squashed Tomato strategy. 2010. [Online]. Available at: https://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/Thought_leadership_docs/Westpac_Squashed_Tomato_March31.pdf [Accessed on: 20 November 2017].

The United States Of America Is A Machine. It Needs Fuel To Start, Yet

The United States of America is a machine. It needs fuel to start, yet once it does, it can support the people of the United States and people all over the world. The United States supports its territories by using the land as food supply and military outposts. In turn U.S. territories receive money to support their nearly independent governments and military protection provided by the U.S. The U.S. has been an immense help in all of its territories. The Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands, Corregidor, Line Islands, Midway Islands, Rawaki and Wake Islands have benefited greatly from U.S. presence. On most of these islands, military bases were set up to protect the islanders and provide half-way points between other countries and the United States. This helped the local peoples and the people of the United States. Also, on some of these islands, the U.S. set up farming projects to supply the mainland with food and enable money to arrive on the island. The United State's presence on these territories saw little controversy and was welcomed by the locals. In Cuba, Nicaragua and the Philippines the U.S. also provided great help for the people, yet local extremists wanted to end all U.S. intervention. The views of these extremists did not reflect the views of the population of the island. I have a message for these extremists, these desperadoes. (I snap, turn on the CD) Nicaragua decided the best way of getting attention for their cause was by killing innocent Americans. This is why their government is an outcast in their own land. Killings innocents is no way to run a country and is why America can't let the government of Nicaragua run itself. The United States was a great provider in the Philippines. Yesterday the Philippines stated "The U.S. gave us many things we otherwise couldn't have, yet were racists." We were called racists by the Philippines yet no proof was given for this accusation. I am appalled that a country that the United States provided so much for would say such a lie. Cuba is a even better example of why some governments shouldn't be allowed to rule. Cuba was under Spanish control and being oppressed. Cuba revolted and the U.S. government intervened on behalf of Cuba. This lead to the Spanish-American War. Eventually, Spain relinquished sovereignty over Cuba to the Americans. Cuba was officially property of America at this time. American felt it would be in the best interest of the Cuban people if Cuba was run by a separate government from the United States, yet still followed U.S. legislation. While under U.S. control yellow fever, was eradicated and the economy was tripled. When Cuba violently took control, they took many loans that they couldn't pay back and robbed money form their people. The United States stepped in and peace was restored. Many small nations can't survive by themselves. The United States has a policy that if a territory wants to become part of the United States, all that must take place is a simple vote. If a U.S. territory doesn't want to be involved with the United States, we will leave if it is in the best interest of the people in that country. To end I'd like to give a perfect example of how the entire world blames its problems on the United States. Lebanon stated that since the United States to enter their war, the people of the United States were idiots. First of all the United States has a policy of remaining neutral and secondly the only idiot is a person who cannot tell who they are fighting a war against.

Irqui sitution end of 2002 essays

Irqui sitution end of 2002 essays Yes, there is little question that Saddam Hussein is no Martin Luther King, Jr.; no question that he is no Ghandi, no doubt that he has subjugated many millions of people and terrorized his own countrymen and has little right to legitimate leadership. Unfortunately, the story is not so simple and our own government is not immune to criticism in the making of this monster. A short chronology of this... The Carter Hostage Situation: It is well known that Regan- Bush Operatives made a deal with Iranian militants to prevent the return of the hostages until after the elections. The Regan Bush tandem won the election vis-a-vis the hostage situation. The result of this deal led to arms and narcotics deals spanning the world from the Middle East to Iran-Contra in violating U.S. law. Moreover, the Regan-Bush administration supported Saddam against Iran giving Saddam chemical and biological capacity. The documents have been published. Eventually these were used against the Kurds. After an eight year war with Iran in which we supported Iraq and had squandered billions of dollars, Saddam asked our ambassador to Iraq (a women) what would our position be if he invaded Kuwait. He was told we do not have a position. Being an Arab and a Muslim, and not trusting a women, he went to a higher up in the State Department and got essentially the same answer. My guess is that he thought it was a tacit consent, and so he invaded Kuwait. Undoubtedly to his great surprise, he was setup. His boys in Washington turned on him: The Bush administration. They played him for a sucker and as the scapegoat of our failed Mideast policy. Not one bit of evidence connects Iraq with terrorism with the exception of funding the families of Palestinian suicide bombers after the fact. There certainly is no connection with the 911 perpetrators. In fact, Saddam suppressed Islamic fundamentalism vis-a-vis war with Iran and at home. He appears to be quite right-wi ...

Harald Bluetooth, Former King of Denmark and Norway

Harald Bluetooth, Former King of Denmark and Norway Harald Bluetooth (c. 910–c. 987), otherwise known as King Harald I of Denmark, was best known for three major achievements. First, he completed the work of unifying Denmark under a single ruler. Second, he conquered Norway- an event which had major historical consequences. Finally, he converted the Danes and Norwegians to Christianity. The dynasty he founded went on to rule over an increasingly large kingdom that, at its height, included much of the British Isles and parts of Sweden. Fast Facts: Harald Bluetooth Known For: King of Denmark and NorwayAlso Known As:  Haraldr Gormsson, Harald Blà ¥tand Gormsen, Harald IBorn: c. 910 in Jelling, DenmarkParents: King  Gorm the Old  and Thyra  DannebodDied: c. 987, probably in Jormsborg in the northern part of modern PolandSpouse(s): Gunhild, Thora  (Tova) the daughter of  Mistivir, Gyrid OlafsdottirChildren: Thyra Haraldsdatter, Sweyn Forkbeard, Haakon, Gunhilde Early Life Harald Bluetooth, or Harold Bluetooth, was born around 910, the son of the first king in a new line of Danish royalty, Gorm the Old. His mother was Thyra, whose father was a nobleman of Sunderjylland (Schleswig). Gorm had established his power base in Jelling, in northern Jutland, and had begun to unify Denmark before his reign was over. Thyra was inclined toward Christianity, so it is possible that young Harald had a favorable view toward the new religion when he was a child, even though his father was an enthusiastic follower of the Norse gods. So fierce a follower of Wotan was Gorm that when he invaded Friesland in 934, he demolished Christian churches in the process. This was not a wise move; shortly after that he came up against the German king, Henry I (Henry the Fowler); and when Henry defeated Gorm, he forced the Danish king not only to restore those churches but to grant toleration to his Christian subjects. Gorm did what was required of him but died a year later, leaving his kingdom to Harald. Haralds Reign Harald set out to continue his fathers work of unifying Denmark under one rule, and he succeeded very well. To defend his kingdom, he strengthened existing fortifications and built new ones. The Trelleborg ring forts, which are considered among the most important remains of the Viking age, date to his reign. Harald also supported the new policy of toleration for Christians, allowing Bishop Unni of Bremen and Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Corvey to preach the gospel in Jutland. Harald and the bishop developed a cordial working relationship, and although he did not agree to get baptized himself, Harald appears to have supported the spread of Christianity among the Danes. Once he had established internal peace, Harald was in a position to take an interest in external matters, especially those concerning his blood relatives. His sister, Gunnhild, fled to Harald with her five sons when her husband, King Erik Bloodaxe of Norway, was killed in battle in Northumberland in 954. Harald helped his nephews reclaim territories in Norway from King Hakon. He was met with serious resistance at first and Hakon even succeeded at invading Jutland, but Harald was ultimately victorious when Hakon was killed on the island of Stord. Haralds Christian nephews took possession of their lands and, led by Harald Greycloak (the eldest nephew), they embarked on a campaign to unify Norway under one rule. Unfortunately, Greycloak and his brothers were somewhat heavy-handed in spreading their faith, breaking up pagan sacrifices and despoiling pagan places of worship. The unrest that resulted made unification an unlikely prospect and Greycloak began to forge alliances with former enemies. This did not sit well with Harald Bluetooth, to whom his nephews owed much for his aid in obtaining their lands, and his concerns were borne out when Greycloak was assassinated, ostensibly by his new allies. Bluetooth took the opportunity to assert his rights over Greycloaks lands and was able to take control of Norway not long after. In the meantime, Christianity had been making some notable headway in Denmark. The Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great, who professed a deep devotion to the religion, saw to it that several bishoprics were founded in Jutland under papal authority. Due to conflicting and unsubstantiated sources, it is not clear exactly why this led to war with Harald; it may have something to do with the fact that these actions made the dioceses exempt from taxation by the Danish king, or perhaps it was because it made the territory appear to be under Ottos suzerainty. In any case, war ensued, and the exact outcome is also unclear. Norse sources maintain that Harald and his allies held their ground; German sources relate that Otto broke through the Danevirke and imposed strictures on Harald, including making him accept baptism and evangelize Norway. Whatever burdens Harald had to deal with as a result of this war, he showed himself to retain considerable clout in the following decade. When Ottos successor and son Otto II was busy fighting in Italy, Harald took advantage of the distraction by sending his son, Svein Forkbeard, against Ottos fortress in Slesvig. Svein captured the fortress and pushed the emperors forces southward. At the same time, Haralds father-in-law, the king of Wendland, invaded Brandenburg and Holstein and sacked Hamburg. The forces of the emperor were unable to counter these attacks, and so Harald reclaimed control of all of Denmark. Death In less than two years, Harald had lost all the gains he had made in Denmark and was seeking refuge in Wendland from his son. Sources are silent as to how this turn of events came to be, but it may have had something to do with Haralds insistence on converting his people to Christianity when there was still a considerable number of pagans among the nobility. Harald was killed in battle against Svein in or around 987; his body was brought back to Denmark and laid to rest in the church at Roskilde. Legacy Harald was by no means the most Christian of medieval kings, but he did receive baptism, and he did do what he could to promote the religion in both Denmark and Norway. He had his fathers pagan tomb converted to a Christian place of worship. Although the conversion of the populace to Christianity was not completed in his lifetime, he did allow a fairly robust evangelization to take place. In addition to constructing the Trelleborg ring forts, Harald extended the Danevirk and left a remarkable runestone in memory of his mother and father in Jelling. The modern Bluetooth technology used to connect electronic devices was named for the ancient Viking king. According to Jim Kardach, one of the founders of Bluetooth SIG: â€Å"Harald had united Denmark and Christianized the Danes! It occurred to me that this would make a good codename for the program. At this time I also created a PowerPoint foil with a version of the Runic stone where Harald held a cellphone in one hand and a notebook in the other and with a translation of the runes: Harald united Denmark and Norway and Harald thinks that mobile PC’s and cellular phones should seamlessly communicate. Sources The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. â€Å"Harald I.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 4 Apr. 2018.â€Å"The Jelling Stone.†Ã‚  National Museum of Denmark.â€Å"Legendary Harald Bluetooth King Of Denmark - Who Made The Danes Christian.  Ancient Pages, 16 May 2017.â€Å"Bluetooth: Why Modern Tech Is Named After Powerful King of Denmark and Norway.†Ã‚  Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 20 Jan. 2017.

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

Interpretive Note on Sarah Orne Jewett's The Country of the Pointed Essay

Interpretive Note on Sarah Orne Jewett's The Country of the Pointed Firs - Essay Example The Country of the Pointed Firs is one such work, in which, Jewett subtly shows how women can live an independent life without following certain stereotypes. So, this paper analyzes how Jewett also focuses on women-dominated space, particularly their psychic. The Country of the Pointed Firs follows the trails of the unnamed narrator in the fictional town of Dunnet Landing, Maine. She is a writer from Boston, who comes to Dunnet Landing to complete the work she has started. Renting a room in the home of Mrs. Todd, she gets acclimatized to the area and becomes captivated by the old-fashioned community. Most of the town’s population are old people with ages ranging between sixty and ninety. All of them are ‘rich’ with many interesting experiences and thus they tell small stories or anecdotes about the town, the sea, as well as the town’s people, to the narrator thereby enriching the narrator’s experience. The narrator was overwhelmed by the experience with nostalgia flowing through her mind. In course of time, she strikes a ‘close relationship’ with Mrs. Todd and that gives another perspective to the work. In most of her works, Jewett, pushed by her wish to break all dichotomies, creates female characters who are strong, confident and independent. In The Country of the Pointed Firs, apart from the narrator character, the character who symbolized the above said positive virtues of woman is Mrs. Todd. This semiautobiographical novel follows a young woman writer, who while spending a summer Dunnett Landing and completing her work, comes in contact with a group of women. These women while telling many stories about the town, become emotionally attached to the writer. â€Å"There she is adopted into a loose knit group of women who weave a web of stories about the town, the surrounding islands and the folks who live, or lived, there.† (brothersjudd.com). They spend a lot of time close to each other, sharing good rapport and so

Restrictive health, safety and technical standards Essay Example for Free

Restrictive health, safety and technical standards Essay Technical Standards: Standards and standards-related technical regulations are pervasive features of global commerce, affecting an estimated 80 percent of world commodity trade. These technical specifications make up much of the vocabulary in the exacting language of industry, consumer protection, and government regulation. As such, foreign standards and methods used to assess conformity to standards can either facilitate efficient international trade and its resultant benefits, or they can impede access to export markets. Divergent standards peculiar to a nation or region, redundant testing and compliance procedures, unilateral and non-transparent standard setting exercises, and a confusing thicket of other standards-related problems are now recognized as major impediments to free trade. For example: Vietnams Ministry of Science and Technology publishes a list of imports and exports requiring mandatory quality inspection. Importers and exporters of the products on the list must subject their products to inspection and obtain a permit from the relevant government agencies (such as the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Fishery, and the Ministry of Science and Technology) at the time they go through customs. In the inspection, some products are subject to national standards, some are subject to regulations of the functional agencies, and some are subject to both. China is very concerned with the transparency of Vietnams mandatory quality inspection system. Language Barrier: Communication is the key to building successful business relationships. However, communication becomes complex when more than one language is involved. Interpreters and translators can play a critical role assisting exporters with the delivery of key information to prospective customers and clients. Interpreters and translators fulfill different roles in different cultures. For example, an interpreter in North America or Europe is expected to relay an unbiased account of the information to the audience. In Japan, however, an interpreter will translate the language and quite likely interpret gestures, context and meanings for those in attendance. Exporters should enlist the services of an experienced, fluent translator or interpreter who is also immersed in the culture of the target market. Working as a team, the exporter and the interpreter can review the text, presentation or other materials together to ensure that there will be no difficulties with background information, technical terms or potentially ambiguous messages. Non-tariff Barriers. Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) refer to the wide range of policy interventions other than border tariffs that affect trade of goods, services, and factors of production. Most taxonomies of NTBs include market-specific trade and domestic policies affecting trade in that market. Extended taxonomies include macro-economic policies affecting trade. NTBs have gained importance as tariff levels have been reduced worldwide. Common measures of NTBs include tariff-equivalents of the NTB policy or policies and count and frequency measures of NTBs. These NTB measures are subsequently used in various trade models, including gravity equations, to assess trade and/or welfare effects of the measured NTBs. Conclusion The world has a long history of international trade. In fact, trading among nations can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. Trading activities are directly related to an improved quality of life for the citizens of nations involved in international trade. It is safe to say that nearly every person on earth has benefited from international trading activities. This may be a good time to reinforce the idea that trade barriers are designed to protect some industries but, in fact they may hurt other industries or even consumers. Economists have found that sanctions dont often reach their political objectives and they come with high costs. A good example is the steel tariff imposed by the Bush administration, on foreign-made steel. President Bush imposed the tariffs, ranging from 8 percent to 30 percent, on some kinds of foreign steel in March 2002, in order to help the U. S. steel industry compete with foreign steel producers. Many U. S. manufacturing companies that use steel, including manufacturers of auto parts and appliances, say that the steel tariffs have raised costs for manufacturers and caused thousands of manufacturing losses. Also, people who buy cars or appliances may have to pay higher prices because of the steel tariffs. The U. S. International Trade Commission recently concluded that the tariffs have caused a $30 million net loss to the U. S. economy. In addition, the European Union is considering retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. TBR (Trade Barrier Regulation) is Europes way of removing obstacles to trade, ensuring that countries abide by the rules of international trade, and providing procedures for resolving international trade disputes. Through the European Commission, its procedures interface directly with WTO dispute resolution procedures, affecting all countries subject to WTO rules and agreements notably the United States and Japan and whose industries have been the subject of recent international decisions. Free trade is usually most strongly supported by the most economically powerful nations in the world, though they often engage in selective protectionism for those industries which are politically important domestically, such as the protective tariffs applied to agriculture and textiles by the United States and Europe. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom were both strong advocates of free trade when they were economically dominant, today the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan are its greatest proponents. However, many other countries (such as India, China and Russia) are increasingly becoming advocates of free trade as they become more economically powerful themselves. As tariff levels fall there is also an increasing willingness to negotiate non tariff measures, including foreign direct investment, procurement and trade facilitation. The latter looks at the transaction cost associated with meeting trade and customs procedures. Traditionally agricultural interests are usually in favour of free trade while manufacturing sectors often support protectionism. This has changed somewhat in recent years, however. In fact, agricultural lobbies, particularly in the United States, Europe and Japan, are chiefly responsible for particular rules in the major international trade treaties which allow for more protectionist measures in agriculture than for most other goods and services. During recessions there is often strong domestic pressure to increase tariffs to protect domestic industries. This occurred around the world during the Great Depression leading to a collapse in world trade that many believe seriously deepened the depression. The regulation of international trade is done through the World Trade Organization at the global level, and through several other regional arrangements such as MERCOSUR in South America, NAFTA between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the European Union between 27 independent states. The 2005 Buenos Aires talks on the planned establishment of the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) failed largely due to opposition from the populations of Latin American nations. Similar agreements such as the MAI (Multilateral Agreement on Investment) have also failed in recent years. Bibliography 1. Barriers to entry: Coping with protectionism. UK Investment. 18 April 2007 http://www. ukinvest. gov. uk/10415/en_GB/0. pdf 2. Boone, L. , and Kurtz, D. Contemporary Marketing. New York: Dryden Press. 2003 3. Brue, S. , and McConnell, C. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2003 4. Churchill, G. , and Peter, P. Marketing: Creating Value for Customers. Austen Press. 2004 5. Czinkota, M. R. , and Ronkainen, I. A. International Marketing. New York: Dryden Press. 2005 6. Competition and Market Power. Econoclass – Sources for Economics Teachers. 18 April 2007 http://www.econoclass. com/imperfectcompetition. html 7. Deardorff, Alan V. , and Robert M. Stern. Measurement of Nontariff Barriers: Studies in International Economics. 2005 8. Debra Ann Skaradzinski. Testing chaotic dynamics via Lyapunov exponents. Journal of Applied Econometrics 20:7, (2003): 911. 9. Fisher, Ronald, and Pablo Serra. â€Å"Standards and Protection. † Journal of International Economics 52 (2004): 377-400. 10. Farese, L. , Kimbrell, G. , and Woloszyk, C. Marketing Essentials. Mission Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. 2003 11. Henson, Spencer, and John S. Wilson, eds. The WTO and Technical Barriers toTrade, in the Critical Perspectives on the Global Trading System and the WTO series, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. 2005 12. Impact of Standards and Technical Regulations on Trade. Press Release from Commerce Ministry (2003). 18 April 2007 http://www. commerce. gov/opa/press/Secretary_Evans/2003_Releases/March/19_Standards. htm 13. Journal of Behavioral Finance, Vol. 4, No. 2, (2003): Pages 65-70 14. Kee, Hiau Looi, Alessandro Nicita, and Marcelo Olarreaga. Estimating Trade Restrictiveness Indices, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper # 3840.2006 15. Kotler, P. , and Armstrong, G. Marketing: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 2004 16. â€Å"Methodologies, Classifications, Quantification and Development Impacts of Non-Tariff Barriers: Note by the UNCTAD Secretariat,† Document TD/B/COM. 1/EM. 27/2. (2004). 18 April 2007 http://www. unctad. org/TEMPLATES/meeting. asp? intItemID=3411lang=1m=10489info=not 17. Non-tariff Barriers Centre for Rural Agricultural Development (2003). 18 April 2007 www. econ. iastate. edu/research/webpapers/paper_12703. pdf 18. RSIE Working Papers. University of Michigan.(2005). 18 April 2007 http://www. fordschool. umich. edu/rsie/workingpapers/wp. html 19. The Impact of Regulations on Agricultural Trade. Working Paper, Centre d’Etudes Prospectives et d’Informations Internationales, Paris. (2003). 18 April 2007 www. econ. iastate. edu/research/webpapers/paper_12703. pdf 20. Trade, Environment and Development. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). (2005). 18 April 2007 www. unctad. org/trade_env/ 21. Vousden, Neil. The Economics of Trade Protection. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 2005.

Double Vision in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby Essay -- Great

The Great Gatsby:   Double Vision  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   F. Scott Fitzgerald once stated that the test of a first rate intelligence was the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. This intelligence he describes is characterized by the principle of â€Å"double vision.† An understanding of this is essential to the understanding of many of Fitzgerald’s novels. â€Å"Double vision† denotes two ways of seeing. It suggests the tension involved when Fitzgerald sets two things in opposition such that the reader can, on one hand, sensually experience the event about which Fitzgerald is writing, The foundation of double vision is polarity, the setting of extremes against one another, which is the result of dramatic tension. The success of the novel depended on Fitzgerald’s ability to transfer the vision he had himself to the reader. This idea dealt with the ability to believe in the possibilities of several opposite ideas at different levels of abstract...

Crash Essay

Description: The film Crash illustrates through various characters many themes that are sociologically relevant and have been intensely covered in course lectures and readings. With the extensive minority groups presented throughout the film; elements of prejudice, discrimination, deviance, patterns of accommodation, as well as strain theory are evident. The film offers an array of conflict in four characters especially that will be discussed here. â€Å"Anthony† and â€Å"Peter Waters† two African-American men, â€Å"Farhad† a Persian shop owner, and â€Å"Officer John Ryan† a white prejudiced policeman all display interesting characteristics of the theories mentioned above. Analysis: Anthony and Peter both commit criminal acts and fit well into the innovation as part of deviance model. They do not believe that they can conform and do not see other opportunities in the largely white areas in which they steal cars, admitting that they want to steal from whites, as they perceive whites to have privilege and hostility toward them. Peter is shot while Anthony attempts to redeem himself by helping another minority group, who he sees to be exploited due to their minority status. Officer Ryan is a prejudiced policeman, who feels the trickle down effect of strain theory. Due to the loss of his father’s job due to affirmative action policies and the subsequent issues with him receiving improper healthcare, this officer turns his frustration to blacks as a whole due to the strain of his father’s condition. Finally, Farhad exhibits the patterns of accommodation, as he attempts to assimilate to the United States, he distrusts others in the different minority groups and feels the shame of being called a terrorist. He retaliates by attempting to kill a Mexican-American, as his level of conflict with other groups is extremely high. Self-reflection: This film is very effective in showing how theories can be applied to actual events that occur in the lives of minorities and those with white privilege. The complex interactions between the different groups highlight much of what conflict theory proposes and elements of structural functionalism, as well. I would highly recommend this movie to any sociology student or others, who have an interest in how groups in society function and deal with one another on a daily basis.

Mass Society Theories, Social Responsibilty Theory and the Media Essay

The first half of the twentieth century played a vital role in the state of the present media. The century commenced with the influx of new forms of media as modernization uncontrollably invaded all social forms. The dominant medium of the nineteenth century, the newspaper, sustained its power at the beginning of the century. Moving pictures, or film, was born and started to form its own cult of followers. The entrance of radio and television also received a warm welcome from the masses in the succeeding decades. These innovations in media technology received harsh criticisms from different sources (Baran & Davis, 1995). The impact of the new media technology in the recent course of history was evident. Thus, it incited chaos among the social elites that started relentless criticism of the power of media and the formulation of what is now known as the mass society theory. Leaders of established social and political institutions feared the kind of society that would grow out of this aspect of modernization. Long-term effects of the ‘uncontrolled’ use of media were the focus of the mass society theory. Mass society theorists highly regarded the power of media, especially the new, more technologically-advanced ones, and how it could influence the average people in the society, which are potentially more powerful than the social elites. They also feared that the power of media could be a tool for the rise of a totalitarian social order in America, as what some parts of Europe had experienced (Baran & Davis, 1995). The reputation of the media also led the theorists to push their assumptions forward. The powerful people manipulated what was supposedly a ‘free’ media. Yellow journalism was rampant to protect their reputation. Sensationalized and over-dramatized news stories were as widespread to attract audiences for profit. The elites also started to question the quality of culture the media projected. It was accused of being cheap and tasteless, and that the media practitioners were not qualified to formulate that type of entertainment which instantly became popular to the masses. With all these issues raised against the dominant and emerging forms of media, scholars and some media practitioners volunteered and attempted to lead media reform and ‘prescribe’ how media system should function, giving birth to the normative theories. Earlier thoughts of authoritarianism and libertarianism were strongly criticized. Many were not convinced what authoritarianism proposed – to subject the media to governing authorities that would control these media and sustain social order (Baran & Davis, 1995). Libertarian thought, on the other hand, seeks total freedom of the media from control. After the World War II, the Hutchins’ Commission formulated the social responsibility theory that compromised the authoritarian and libertarian thoughts. The principles of the social responsibility theory could be considered innovative as it was able to make the two opposing thoughts meet at a certain point. It, somehow, answered the key points of mass society theory, but not totally scrapping them as these assumptions can still be observed today. Social responsibility theory regarded the media the same as the mass society in terms of media’s power. The theory considered how much these media could influence the society, and that the media has the power to corrupt people’s minds. Social responsibility theory advised that media should consider their obligations to the society through professional ethics and by promoting what was lacking or needed in the society. At that point, most media companies had accepted this thought and strived to achieve its ideals. The social responsibility theory encouraged media owners to recognize their role to the society and that they were an effective catalyst to social change, or to a ‘Great Community’, as the Chicago School envisioned. In that way, the fear of a totalitarian social order was reduced since social responsibility theory appealed for idealism of individual media practitioners through being able to identify their active role in preserving democracy (Baran & Davis, 1995). As the twentieth century moved towards its second half, media systems had exerted efforts to absorb the ideals of the social responsibility theory. It diluted the bad image of media that the mass society theorists projected while the social responsibility theory aimed for informativeness, truth, accuracy, objectivity, and balance (Baran & Davis, 1995). Up until now when traditional media boundaries are slowly melting caused by the rapid innovations in technology, the threats posed by the mass society theory are still present and the social responsibility theory’s ideals are still being tried and tested. Reference: Baran, Stanley J., & Davis, Dennis K. (1995). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Revisiting the Rostov Ripper Professor Ramos Blog

Revisiting the Rostov Ripper Between 1978 and 1990, the murderous reign of Andrei Chikatilo was in full swing. Chikatilo was a Soviet serial killer who is responsible for the cannibalistic murders of over fifty people. His case in particular is interesting not only because the large number of victims but also because the society Chikatilo lived in did not accept that a serial murderer could exist in a communist state. That however, proved to be wrong, and indeed, contributed to his success as a murderer and prolonged his spree. He is case and story are definitely one that allows for much discussion. By analysis Chikatilo as a person and his backstory, it is possible to somewhat explain how and why he did such gruesome things. By going in depth about Chikatilo’s life, his murderous rampage, and his reasoning behind killing, there can be a clearer understanding of how not only him, but also other cannibalistic serial killers develop into monsters. Along with a further understanding, it is also interesting t o analyze Chikatilo through the application of Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Monster theses. Applying Cohen’s theses allows an outside eye to see the cultural and environmental issues that led to the eventual creation of the monster that Chikatilo became. It is important to understand Chikatilo’s upbringing and life before analyzing his murders. Andrei Chikatilo was born in Yablochnoye, U.S.S.R (now Ukraine). He grew up during the aftermath of what is now known as the great Ukraine famine of the 1930s, during which the struggling people turned to cannibalism because they did not have the food required to survive. Both of his parents were farm workers and lived in a one-room hut. As a young boy, Chikatilo was constantly told by his mother that his older brother was kidnapped and eaten by their neighbors. This is where many people believe the spark of interest in cannibalism originates. Growing up, his mother was very abusive towards her children and that also may be that cause of some mental distress imposed on Chikatilo. His father was reportedly a kind man, but was not there for them being that he was captured as a World War II prisoner. Despite all of the hardships that he experienced at home, Chikatilo still managed to becom e a great student and an ardent member of the communist community.   He had social issues with women as a result of the abusive experience he had with his mother. He had sexual problems that were related to him suffering from Hydrocephalus (water in the brain) at birth, which caused him to have genital-urinary tract problems throughout his life. His hardships, however, did not stop in his childhood, he failed his entrance exam to Moscow State University, which led to him moving to Rodionovo-Nesvetayevsky, a town near Rostov, in 1960, where he became a telephone engineer. Following that, his sister moved in with him because she was concerned about his problems with women. Because of that, she arranged a meeting between Andrei and a woman named Fayina, who he later went on to marry in 1963. Despite sexual problems that he suffered from, they produced two children, and lived and outwardly normal family life. In 1971, Chikatilo decided he wanted to make a career change and became a sc hool teacher. This is where things began to become problematic. As a result of a string of complaints about indecent assaults on young children, he was forced to move from school to school before he finally settled at a mining school in Shakhty, near Rostov (Wilcott et al.). His troublesome background definitely contributed to his mental instability and his eventual cannibalistic killing spree. When discussing Chikatilo, it is easy to apply the monster theses of Jeffrey Jerome Cohen. By applying Cohen’s theses, it is possible to create a better understanding of Chikatilo as a murderous monster. The first thesis that should be discussed in terms of Chikatilo is Thesis VII. Thesis VII discusses the idea that a â€Å"monster stands at the threshold†¦ of becoming† (Cohen 20). This idea is relative to the fact that Chikatilo is the product of a childhood filled with abuse and hardship. His actions were consequential of all of the poor situations that he endured as a child, and therefore, created the murderous mentality of Chikatilo. This is applicable to Chikatilo because it explains how his actions are a direct result of his feeling of not fitting in. From a young age, he had always been surrounded by situations that caused him to feel bullied or out of place. It seems like he felt odd or unsure about himself, and as a result, experienced mental instability. An example of this is when he had a girlfriend in his adolescence. This is the first situation where his impotence caused him to be bullied. His girlfriend of the time went to her friends to ask them what to do because he was unable to perform sexually. Her friends started rumors and told everyone about his impotence, and therefore, was bullied by everyone about it. As a result of this, he was very shy and his only sexual experience during adolescence occurred at the age of 15. He was reported to have overpowered a young girl and ejaculate immediately during their brief struggle (Goldberg).   When his peers heard of this story, he was ridiculed even more than before. That is a reason Chikatilo performed those horrific acts. He killed to satisfy his sexual desires and was stimulated through the pain that he inflicted on others. The creation of a monster, however, is not only physical but also mental. Granted, he did perform horrible and horrific acts, but that is not necessarily th e only monstrous quality to him. The monstrosity of Chikatilo could also be identified through his mind and mentality. He became the monster he was as a result of his horrible and traumatic experiences. That, coupled with his awareness of his actions, confirmed his demented monstrosity, and in turn, shows that his characteristics as a monster are clear. This is how Cohen’s Thesis VII is applicable to Chikatilo and allows for a better understanding of him as a murderous monster. In terms of Cohen’s Theses, it is important to touch on Thesis I when discussing Chikatilo. As a result of many different environmental aspects, it is clear to see how Chikatilo’s development as a monster came to be. Through a number of childhood issues and other flawed cultural beliefs, he became a character that was not only very homicidal, but also unbeknownst to the people of the time. A point that must be asserted in terms of Chikatilo’s cultural being is the political arena he existed in. As stated, Chikatilo grew up in the Communist state and was surrounded by a shrouded view of murderers and serial killers. Because of that culturally flawed view on murderers, it made it very easy for him to be successful as a serial killer. His mental instability also spurred from his own environmental hardships. From a young age, Chikatilo was in a horrible living environment that was also affect by his impotence. Being bullied for his impotence on top of his feelings of not fitting in created a mentality of loneliness. The failures of the police department along with his job situation are factors that allowed him to harness all of that resentment and murder the fifty-plus individuals he did. As a teacher, that was where he first began to commit crimes. As stated by John Philip Jenkins, in an article on Britannica.com, â€Å"He was forced to resign his position, however, after some parents complained of sexual assault by Chikatilo on their children.† Because of those accusations, he moved from school to school before finally settling down in Rostov, U.S.S.R. In Rostov, he got a job as a factory worker and that is when he began to murder his victims. This is another example of an environmental influence on his murders. Because he was working such a typical job, that drew very little attention to himself, he was able to perform these murders without being easily identified. Along with his job, the other factor that contributed to his success as a murderer was the police malpractice. The police had repeatedly failed to apprehend Chikatilo, and instead, arrested and persecuted other men in his place (Jenkins). The police would try to solve cases as quickly as possible in order to keep down the public concern. As a result, they were brutally interrogating innocent men and forcing confessions out of them. Until the eventual in-depth investigation, Chikatilo had already gotten away with several murders, as a result of poor policing. Chikatilo’s actions are a product of cultural and environmental flaws that surrounded him. In conclusion, Chikatilo is one of the most prolific serial killers that has ever existed. His murderous rampage that resulted in the deaths of, from what he stated, fifty-six women and children should never be forgotten or overlooked. With the deranged mind of a sexually driven killer, Chikatilo’s name will now forever live in infamy. Because of a series of failed policing situations and a job that allowed Chikatilo to remain ordinary, his murders piled up like never before. With a further understanding of his development, mentality, and actions as a monster, there can be an identification of such behaviors before another monster like him is created again. Through the analysis and exploration of Chikatilo with Cohen’s theses, a more vivid picture of the monster he was can be illustrated. Seeing how he was unnoticed and, in some ways, disregarded by the society he existed in is dreadful. His reign was heinous and appalling, and as a result, Chikatilo will be considered one of the worst murderous, cannibalistic serial killers to have ever existed. Chikatilo is an apparent example of a monster that was affected by his surroundings. Whether it be his rough childhood, his impotence, or simply his mental instability, his character directly correlates to the way he was treated. As a community, it is important to identify those in need and reduce the amount of bullying that exists in children. His life was tragic, but that does not justify the horrendous deeds he performed. Therefore, as a member of today’s society, there must be more effort put forth in the preventions of monstrous people like Chikatilo. Cohen, Jeffrey Jerome. Monster Theory: Reading Culture. University of Minnesota Press, 1996. Goldberg, Carey. â€Å"COLUMN ONE : I Was Like a Crazed Wolf : Andrei Chikatilo Looks like a Harmless Schoolteacher. But 53 Murders Make Him the Most Horrible Serial Killer RussiaPerhaps the WorldHas Ever Seen.† Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 1992, latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-28-mn-966-story.html. Jenkins, John Philip. â€Å"Andrei Chikatilo.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Andrei-Romanovich-Chikatilo. Willmott, Dominic, Daniel Boduszek, and Rebecca Robinson. A psychodynamic-behaviourist investigation of Russian sexual serial killer Andrei Chikatilo.The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry Psychology29.3 (2018): 498-507.

Basics of Christianity and Hinduism

Christian fundamental Christianity is one of the most popular religions in the world. Two billion people worldwide are engaged in one-third of Christianity in the world. Christianity is faith in the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The idea of ​​how a father, son, and the Holy Spirit will be one seems to be something you might have in a dynamic way or in some way. The fact that this may be impossible for most people is because the Trinity has never been mentioned explicitly in the text. Religion is not so important in today's world compared to hundreds of years ago. In the United States, the main religion is Christianity, no one is worried about other religions like Hinduism. Strangely, Hinduism was always in the world before Christianity, but many people do not know it. As I have seen before, when teaching religious beliefs, There is lack of complexity compared to Christian lessons (Glod). Some people think Christians are perfect to complete other religions, b ut everyone is perfect in their own way. As we all know, Christianity and Hinduism are different. There is a slight similarity between the two beliefs. Religion is a very important aspect of people's lives. Because Christianity only rules over the rules of people's lives, Hinduism is ahead of Christianity. Since Hinduism is a religion with many beliefs and practices, it is more challenging to offer Christianity and Hinduism. It uses Hinduism as an unfair habit, reducing its theology and philosophy to the extent it really provides for comparison with Christianity. But in Hinduism there are some common principles for all Hindus. The first difference between Hinduism and Christianity is that Hinduism considers Christianity as an effective religion, while the Bible does not. Hinduism is a religion that promotes tolerance. It teaches that all religions are different paths to goals and that all religions are different means. Hinduism is not exclusive and admits that all religions are effe ctive. But Christianity teaches that Christ is the only way to God. John 14: 6 replied, Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, the life, nobody can come to the father except me.

Graph theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Graph theory - Research Paper Example iss Mathematician developed a solution to an old puzzle related to the possibility of establishing a path across every one of the seven bridges that span a forked river flowing past (Biggs 140). From a conceptual perspective, a graph is formed by vertices and edges linking the vertices. From a formal perspective however, a graph refers to a pair of sets (V, E), where V is a set of vertices and E is a set of edges. Based on these fundamental concepts underpinning graph theory, this paper seeks to explain the importance and application of the theory’s theoretical concepts in various fields (Biggs 124). The concept of graph theory is important because graphs allow for a simplification of complex concepts, eliminating the irrelevant details without forfeiting much information necessary for the task. As asserted by Biggs (148), the assumptions made by the graph theory match the real world conditions and are therefore not comparable to any other model. Among the fundamental uses of the graph theory entail; giving a unified formalism for diverse looking real life problems. This has been the sufficient basis upon which algorithms have been presented in this common formalism. The theoretical concepts underpinning graph theory are widely used in the studying and modeling of various applications, in diverse fields. These include; construction of bonds in chemistry, study of molecules, and the study of atoms. Graph theory is widely used in Sociology for instance to measure the prestige of actors or in exploring the mechanisms of diffusion (Biggs 150). Besides, the conservation efforts made in biological sciences essentially apply the concepts of graph theory where a vertex represent regions where certain species exist and the edges are used to represent paths of migration or movement from one region to another (Biggs 152). Such information is important more so when examining the breeding patterns or tracking the spread of parasites, diseases and in the study of the

Locate the budget for a local government Assignment

Locate the budget for a local government - Assignment Example This league has been serving officials since 1915 through the Garden State, and it was authorized by state statute (Dressel, 2014). The revenue sources for the league include property taxes that are levied on all classes of properties this levy is assessed locally and collected to aid in the running of the municipality and county government. The state also gives the municipality some funds directly or indirectly through reliefs in for instance property taxes. Other sources of revenue include; service charge, optional local taxes and counties or special district government levies (Dressel, 2014). Another source of revenue is the inter-governmental transfers, which may be for funding of government activities or specific projects. The largest income percentage of the budget comes from taxes, this is so because there are many direct and indirect taxes levied on individuals and corporations within the league. They include property, sales and income taxes (Dressel, 2014). This method is the best since it covers a wider base as they are charged either directly or indirectly. The government should think outside the box in collecting revenues by looking at other avenues instead of relying on the traditional sources. The internet has opened up many possible opportunities that may help to a great extend in harnessing the incomes. The league can also reduce the operational costs thus increase the net revenues, which will be available to

Write a proposal for relax quantitative easing monetary policy Essay

Write a proposal for relax quantitative easing monetary policy - Essay Example quantitative assistance so as to improve the economic recovery thus the quantitative easing is a monetary policy used to impede the money supply falling when the standard policy turn to ineffective. This policy important in raising the export market but has also effects on the export market and money depreciation of the given currency. Quantitative easing monetary policy intends to increase the money supply which can no longer be decreased further and can only be carried out with controlled currency thus affecting both money depreciation and exportation in both positive and negative ways. Firstly, the policy is used to increase bank reserves via the central bank liquidity appliances and are absolutely executed as it depends on the ordinary channel of credit creation which reduce the risk of bank runs and does not pose any exit problems (Klyuev, De Imus and Srinivasan 9).Creating a habit of energized trades based on pure essential fundamentals’ is an outstanding way for traders to raise their probability of success and produce consistent profitability. It also allows purchases of long term securities that operate with minimal credit risks since it sends a signal that the central bank desire to lower the long term rates thus it’s a way to commit to an accommodative opinion since it will take time to unwind. The policy allows one to borrow by providing credit in a direct manner to end borrowers which is more impressive than going through banks when banks’ role and /or readiness to lend are impaired. This is possible since the inflammatory pressures must be equalized by means of lending out the money and the bank has the possibility of restoring reserves to higher levels. This will furnish a powerful signal to the market participants since the bank is ready to go to large extensiveness to resuscitate the economy. The central bank can be highly specific in effect intending to achieve important and distressed markets. Quantitative easing is also beneficial when

Geographic Profiling of Serial Offenders

Geographic Profiling of Serial Offenders As psychological profiling seems to garner all the attention with television shows that feature FBI profilers, one should be reminded that there is another method of criminal profiling that, while less glamorous, seems to provide a very high degree of reliability. The ‘other’ method is geographic profiling that had it beginnings in a London crime spree involving a serial rapist. In these cases occurring in the mid-1990’s, stumped police called in David Canter, Professor of Psychology at the University of Surrey to assist. After analyzing crime data superimposed over a map, Professor Canter made the suggestion that the perpetrator was to be found in a very specific geographic area based upon these furloughs of crime (Wilson 2002, pp. 14-16). Subsequent retroactive studies have confirmed a number of precepts regarding the proposition that one can predict the â€Å"base† of criminals from computerized algorithms that use generally one of two validated heuristic methods. In fact, of the area defined by a â€Å"search† algorithm that states that is inclusive of a circle defined by the two furthermost crime scenes, fully 51% of the serial rapist offenders lived within the first 5% of the defined area and an overwhelming lived within 87% of the first 25% of the defined search area (Canter, Coffey, Huntley, Missen 2000, p. 457). This algorithm holds regardless of the crime as indicated by the table below (Canter, et al 2000, p. 458): In addition to the â€Å"circle† algorithm described above, another method utilized is the â€Å"Decay† method with analyzes data from the assumption that perpetrators commit crimes near where they live. This method is based upon the idea that crimes ‘decay’ as the distance to the criminal’s residence decrease, in effect, creating something of a ‘buffer zone’ immediately surrounding their house (Snook, Taylor, Bennell 2004, p. 107; Canter, Coffey, Huntley, Missen 2000, pp. 459-460). Somewhat against these two algorithms are the approximately 10% of perpetrators that are labeled as â€Å"commuters† and do not live near the crime scene (Snook, Taylor, Bennell 2004, p. 117). Nevertheless, in these cases as in the easier to classify â€Å"marauder†-type crimes, there is the idea that criminals operate from a base of familiarity such as a home or workplace or other personally significant locale or the route that connects them. While focusing on geography, this brings into the consideration the important psychological construct of â€Å"mental maps† in that the location must have significance from the perspective of the perpetrator†¦ it need not be an actual geographic landmark to have psychological significance that plays out geo-centrically (Holmes Holmes 1996, p. 152). As such it is no surprise that both methods are reliable and that there is a significant degree of overlap in the two model predictions. Of greater interests to both researchers and law enforcement are â€Å"serious† crimes such as murder, rape, arson and burglary. While there is likely a logical high correlation between other ‘petty’ crimes such as speeding tickets or parking violations due to the correlates of where one most spends time is of course most likely a location where there is a high likelihood of violation. With regards to the applicability of the model with regards to even serious crimes, the model is based upon serial crimes, that is, a perpetrator who does so multiple times. Research suggests that as criminals gain â€Å"experience† there is a statistically significant correlation with the distance from home the criminal is (Snook 2004, p. 53). Further, in regards to burglary, there is the additional significant correlation of the value of the crime with the distance traveled to commit the crime (Snook 2004, p. 55). While difficult to put a value on personal crimes, this find ing may extend to crimes such as murder, arson or rape in which it is conceivable that victims could have some relative value to the criminal, similar to the monetary value gained from burglary. Such a concept may partially explain that, as these types of criminal gain experience, they tend to venture out further from their base as they commit additional predatory crimes. In terms of geographical profiling and the case in which an investigator believes that a number of crimes have been committed by a single person, this has special significance as it can serve to focus the hunt for the offender in the vicinity of the first few crimes (Holmes Holmes 1996, p. 155). Of particular interest is that these methods can be utilized without the computer or complex mathematical algorithms. Studies indicated that, in lieu of years or experience or ‘gut feelings’, incorporating these methods simply as heuristic models whose basic precepts can be taught in a class, students can nearly equal the computerized version (Snook, Canter, Bennel 2002, pp. 116-117). Though all law enforcement operates with the goal of catching the perpetrator, authorities do not have unlimited resources of time or finances to investigate all leads thoroughly. Geographical profiling also serves to focus the attention and other resources of an investigative department into the area in which validated statistics indicate there is is a pay-off. By using these methods, search costs can be minimized and offender can be apprehended faster, ideally prior to the accumulation of an additional victim that shows up as a simply data point on a geographic profile (Canter, Coffey, Huntley, Missen 2000, pp. 459-460). Works Consulted Canter, D., T. Coffey, M. Huntley, C. Missen. (2000). â€Å"Predicting Serial Killers’ Home Base Using a Decision Support System†. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, (16), 4, pp. 457-478. Holmes, R. S. Holmes. (1996). Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool, 2nd Edition. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, California. Snook, B., P. Taylor, C. Bennell. (2004). â€Å"Geographic Profiling: The Fast, Frugal and Accurate Way†. Applied Cognitive Psychology, (18), pp. 105-121. Snook, B., D. Canter, C. Bennel. (2002). Predicting the Home Location of Serial Offenders: A Preliminary Comparison of the Accuracy of Human Judges with a Geographic Profiling System†. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, (20), pp. 109-118. Snook, B. (2004). â€Å"Individual Differences in Distance Traveled by Serial Burglars†. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, (1), pp. 53-66. Wilson, J. (2002, November). â€Å"Mapping Murder†. Geographical, (74), pp. 14-17.

Cheaper by the Dozen :: essays papers

Cheaper by the Dozen The book Cheaper by the Dozen written by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey was the life story of the Gilbreth family before Mr. Gilbreth died. Frank Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth were two of the twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth, both industrial engineers, ran a firm, Gilbreth, Inc. which was employed as "efficiency experts" by major industrial plants in the United States, Britain, and Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth had twelve children, six girls and six boys. The names of the children are Anne, Ernestine, Frank, Bill, Lillian, Martha, Jack, Jane, Fred, Mart, Bob, and Dan. The older children's job is to take care of the youngest and the mother took care of the intermediate children and babies. Nothing was consider more a sin than wasting time, that is why the father, Frank, times himself trying to go as fast as he can with almost everything. He timed himself buttoning his shirt to see which way is faster, top-bottom or bottom-top. He timed himself shaving to see which way took longer, using two brushes to apply the shaving cream of one. He found that two were faster. Frank, the father also experiment on which ways was faster, using two razors of one. He found that one was faster, because with two he cut himself so many times it took him twice as much time to cover the cuts up. The book talked about how smart Frank, the Father was. He painted mores code on the walls of their summerhouse to teach it to his children. When the children decoded the message written on the wall, it revealed a clue that tells the child who decoded it where a prize was hidden. He painted also all of the planets and stars you can see in the sky on the walls of their summerhouse to teach his kids astrology. A neat power that the father, Frank, had was that as soon as he look at a person he would know their nationality. When ever the family would go somewhere were you would have to pay by the person, such as a toll bridge, Frank, the father, would take one look at the person and know that their nationality was Irish. The father, Frank, would say, "do my Irishmen come cheaper by the dozen?" The owner would probably say, "Irishmen? If you are Irish, you should not pay a toll on my road. Your trip is on the house." At the end of the book the father, Frank is called for work in

Haitian Vodou Essay

Vodou, A Haitian religion deeply rooted in colonialism stems from several African sources, which have constructed and maintained a hybrid Africana and European diaspora in the Caribbean. In an effort to preserve African tradition and spiritual belief, slaves in Haiti prior to the Haitian Revolution of 1791, established and developed the heterogeneous religion known as Vodou. As Vodou became a more prominent aspect of slave culture in Haiti the hybridization between traditional Africana religion and European religion fashioned a new system of belief. The fusion of Catholicism from Europe and African religions make up one of the most influential religions in Haiti today, in fact Vodou plays an imperative role in Haitian life. In addition to having a tremendous effect on Haitian religious practices, Vodou also plays a fundamentally important role in driving Haitian politics, economics, community, and social relations. From a student and non-Haitian perspective I seek to obtain knowledge on how Vodou has and continues to play a detrimental role in every aspect of Haitian life. Through analyzing and cross-examination of several texts it appears that without boundaries Vodou is important. Before delving into how Vodou effects nearly every aspect of Haitian culture I would like to first analyze the importance of understanding the roots and origin of a belief and practice that has become such a prominent aspect of Haitian life. In the eighteenth century the slave trade in Haiti ushered in a number of African slaves from various groups. These groups of African people brought with them to Haiti their traditions, beliefs, and lifestyles. In â€Å"Haitian Vodou† of Creole Religions of the Caribbean, the authors state that the slave trade was in fact the European way of â€Å"destroying all cultural connections† to the homelands of the slaves (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 101). European slave owners and slave traders thought it necessary to force European ideals and beliefs onto their slaves, ridding and dismantling the beliefs and tradition of their native land. In this respect the slave trade played a significant role in the creation of Vodou, catalyzing Afro-European syncretism into a new belief system. Vodou began as a way for slaves to hold on to their cultural beliefs, and helped refute the impositions of Catholic religion that the French attempted to employ, as they saw it necessary to condition African slaves to their lifestyle (102). In my opinion Afro-European syncretism is one of the more complex and intriguing religious developments as it pertains to Vodou. In Voodoo Africa’s Secret Power author Gert Chesi describes the fusion of African and European culture stating that slaves brought with them the gods of Africa to the Caribbean where they then blended with the Saints and other Catholic and Christian symbols (Chesi 231). The imposition of Catholic and Christian beliefs by Europeans onto African slaves made it nearly impossible for African slaves to remain entirely devoted to their home land beliefs and traditions. African slaves in Haiti adopted Vodou as a means of maintaining their traditional beliefs, however, Christian and Catholic ideals were still important influential factors in the establishment of Vodou. The spirits often associated with Vodou known, as Lwa are similar to Saints in the Catholic Church. Slaves in Haiti dealt with the pressures of forcibly having to adapt to European religion by integrating their belief system with that of the European belief system. I think that Slaves in Haiti used Vodou as a stabilizing factor in Haitian culture. The ritual and practice that developed through the integration of European tradition with African tradition ensures that African tradition will remain considerably important regardless of the fact that Europeans once tried to dismantle African tradition and impose Western tradition on those slaves living in Haiti. Vodou serves as a mechanism for passing on tradition from generation to generation. In Voodoo: Truth and Fantasy the author states that Vodou has emerged as a vibrant cultural force in twenty-first century Haiti (Hurbon 126). This statement supports the idea that Vodou has and continues to have a role in Haitian life and Haitian culture. Vodou has undoubtedly helped restore an almost lost identity to African slaves in Haiti, and has allowed generation after generation to know and understand the beliefs of the homeland from which their ancestors originated. The foundation of many Haitian affairs may not be solely rooted in Vodou, however, the religion holds weight in many political spheres throughout Haiti. Starting from the moment of its development, Vodou has been politically important to Haiti. In fact, its very creation resulted from various political, cultural, and religious â€Å"struggles for freedom† (33). After analyzing the roots of Vodou it has become quite apparent that Vodou played an important role during Haiti’s revolutionary period. During and before the Haitain revolution Vodou was used as a means of protecting and politicizing the interest of Haitian slaves. From that time forward Haitian people have continued to use Vodou as a political tool to protect their interests and assets. Vodou has indeed been subjected to â€Å"persecution at the hands of both Church and state† leaving many non-believers and outsiders to attribute negative connotations to Vodou as a whole (117). In 1835 Vodou began to publically suffer from political ostracizing under president Jean-Pierre Boyer who passed a penal code that called for the imprisonment of six months to two years for followers of Vodou practicing superstitious act (118). It seems to me that the reason behind the ban on Vodou practices not only stemmed from political issues occurring at the time, but also from past political experiences in Haiti. Hurbon does not mention Boyer’s reasoning behind implementing a penal code, therefore allowing one to speculate whether or not Boyer, although Haitian had ties to France. The reason I bring this point to light is because for one, Jean-Pierre Boyer sounds relatively French and secondly Boyer implemented a code that put restrictions on a religion that has roots deep within African culture. In addition to dealing with the idea of possible imprisonment, if caught practicing Vodou, Haitians also faced the possibility of abandoning and giving up the African culture and belief that was associated with Vodou. In response to government restrictions some Haitians created secret societies in order to keep the bonds of Vodou ritual and ties to kinship in motion. In 1957 President Francois Duvalier also known as â€Å"Papa Doc† started a political rehabilitation for Vodou (118). Duvalier’s involvement in Vodou was for the soul purpose of engaging the Lwa through ceremonies in order to gain the Lwas’ good will and also to spark enthusiasm in those who practice Vodou. Papa Doc’s presidency marked a period characterized by dark magic and sorcery. This period in Haitian history displays the negative aspects often associated with Vodou. In my opinion President Francois Duvalier’s understanding of Vodou curtails from misinterpretation and misuse. Duvalier did not seem to grasp the reasoning behind certain Vodou rituals and ceremonies, using them only as a way to advance himself politically. During Duvalier’s reign Haiti saw tremendous political change resulting from the misunderstanding or misuse of Vodou. On one hand Jean-Pierre Boyer refused to let any one in Haiti practice Vodou because of the negative connotations surrounding the religion. On the other hand Francois Duvalier used Vodou to bolster his political appeal, which dismantled the meaning and reasoning behind the ceremonies and rituals performed by those who practiced and truly understood and appreciated the meaning that those Vodou acts carry. In Creole Religions of the Caribbean, the authors mention that within Vodou practices the chief communicators that draw â€Å"konesans† or connaissance/knowledge are the Oungand and the Manbo (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 107). The Oungand and the Manbo are believed to receive knowledge passed down from the Lwa. The Oungand and the Manbo act as political leaders and have rural political power within their own community because the ability to communicate with the Lwa is looked up to. In Michel Laguerre’s book Voodoo and Politics the author states that Francois Duvalier used the political power of the Oungand and the Manbo to establish legitimacy among those who practiced Vodou (Laguerre 87). Today Vodou can be represented in popular culture as dark, sadistic, and involving many acts of superstition, denying it a position central to Haitian culture. However, despite the misconceptions surrounding Vodou today many religious works are carried out by Haitian elites. This goes to show yet another transformation in Haitian politics, and Vodou’s role in shaping a new system of life. From my examination of the texts that emphasized Vodou’s relationship to Haitian politics I have concluded that Vodou does in fact affect politics in Haitian communities and Haiti as a whole. The relationship between Vodou and Haitian economics is a long-standing phenomenon that has existed prior to the Haitian revolution in 1791 and continues to exist today. The slave trades influence on the creation of Vodou links the existence of the religion and also the economics involved between masters and sellers of slaves. During this time the Haitian economy was being stimulated by the slave trade. As the slaves grew weary, a number of rebellions occurred and Vodou greatly affected the plantation economy that the Haitian people originally were forced into. According to Omos and Gerbert, the economy in Haiti shifted from one of plantation to that of a â€Å"rural economy† of â€Å"subsistent farmers† working their own lands (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 103). Vodou practices and rituals play an important role in shaping and maintaing Haitian economics. The initiation and sacrificial rituals performed by many Vodou sects involve a great amount of â€Å"financial sacrifice† (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 117). From my examination of several texts, including that of Olmos and Gerbet I have concluded that preparation for the many Vodou festivals, initiations, and temple gatherings are intensive and call for many financial sacrifices from those who may already be financially unstable. Animal sacrifice plays an important role in the finances of Haitian people. In Voodoo Africa’s Secret Power the author, Gert Chesi, included various photographs of Haitian Vodou sacrifices and rituals. Many of the photographs throughout Chesi’s book showed the sacrificing of cattle, sheep, and chicken. The cross-examination of various texts did not leave me with much information on the Haitian economy as it related to Vodou, however, I was able to infer that the economic sacrifices made by Haitian people were performed in order to obtain personal advancements or for the betterment of the community as a whole. Some sacrifices were performed to win the protection and trust of the Lwa spirits, and some sacrifices were performed in hopes that the Lwa would shed some rain to strengthen planation production. I think that the Haitian economy and the Vodou religion are dependent on each other. The dependency I see in the relationship stems from the fact that without an economy like the one in Haiti, Vodou would not be as prominent or even meaningful to the Haitian people. The economy as it is creates a buffer for Vodou as a religion. The economy allows for Haitians to use their beliefs and connections with the spirits to envoke hope, or optimism that the plantation life in Haiti will somehow flourish. This claim can be supported through the existence of rituals performed for protection, knowledge, and even rainfall. In Hurbon’s, Olmos’ and Gebert’s, Chesi’s, Laguerre and Michel’s and Smith’s descriptions of Vodou in Haitian culture one thing is for certain, Vodou has and continues to influence communities through and through. In Chesi’s pictorial account of Vodou in Haiti one can see pictures of various ways that the religion is linked to community. In one picture, Chesi captured a ritual being performed near a beach where one individual was having a ritual performed on him (ritual not clear from picture) while dozens of his Vodou community member looked on and supported him. What puzzles me the most is how instinctual and ritualized Vodou actually is. Chesi’s pictures show dozens and dozens of Haitian people flocking to support another Vodou practice, but for what reason? Why do these members feel so indebted to one another? From my observation the answer to this question comes from the simple fact that Vodou needs a sense of community mong its members to remain relevant. It was from the simple yearning to keep tradition relevant that Vodou stemmed, so it appears to me that the idea of community or family has been long standing, even deep within Vodou’s African roots. Hurbon’s choice of words within Voodoo: Truth and Fantasy shed’s lite on the communal aspect of Vodou a little differently. Like Chesi, Hurbon acknowledges the importance of community, even stating that Vodou â€Å"bring families together in large gatherings, a festive way of ensuring that religious traditions will endure† (Hurbon 14). In Hurbon’s text it appears that the family and passing of tradition from generation to generation is in fact important to the survival of Vodou. In my examination of Hurbon’s text it seemed as though Hurbon was promoting a balance of kinship and communal ties. Hurbon states that it is important to have family agreement in order to have a positive communal bond. One aspect of Hurbon’s text was that Vodou was often referred to as â€Å"a cult dedicated to spirits. † Hurbon did not let the wording of her description interfere with the way information was conveyed, however, I found it quiet bias that she would call Vodou a cult. Personally I associate the word cult with negative connotations. It is unclear whether Hurbon planned on conveying Vodou in a negative light, but one thing is for certain a cult describes a group of people or the communal bond that Vodou encourages. In Michel’s and Smith’s book, Voodou in Haitian Life and Culture: Invisible Powers, The authors proceed to explain how the â€Å"magical† or â€Å"superstitious† aspect of Vodou conveys a sense of community among its supporters. The authors show that not only is Vodou practice a family effort, but a community effort as well. Smith and Michel both depict a type of Vodou were literally everyone in a community is involved. From small children to the eldest members of a community, all play an important role in carrying on and performing the tradition of Vodou culture. The elaborate rituals and preparation described by the authors is only made possible through communal efforts. From my understanding of the community in Vodou culture, it appears that only through community and unity can tradition be kept alive. Despite any negative connotations Vodou may have, each author showed how important Vodou is in respects to several aspects of Haitian culture. Vodou is not only a religious matter, but also a political, economic, and social one as well. On May 14, 2013 guest lecturer Carnie Fabious stated, â€Å"Vodou is a way of life. † This statement alone sums up what Vodou was, and what Vodou continues to be in regards to Haitian culture. Fabious’ words show the importance that Vodou plays in all aspects of Haitian life, and demonstrates how relative the religion is to such a vast group of people.