The European Debt Crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The European Debt Crisis - Research Paper Example The crisis accentuated the economic interdependence of the EU, as it highlighted the deficiency in the Eurozone’s political integration which was vital for the provision of a well-harmonized and effectual financial response. To ease the debt crisis and improve economic status, EU’s richest members encouraged the most highly indebted EU members to cut down on government expenditures and programs and to increase their taxes. Despite efforts, market instability continued until the end of 2011, thus questioning the future of the euro (Alessi). This paper will discuss the European debt crisis and the mitigation measures implemented to resolve the issues. The European Debt Crisis The  Maastricht Treaty outlined the conditions for European nations aiming to be a eurozone member by organizing its finances through guaranteeing an annual inflation not exceeding 1.5%; maintaining finance debits up to 3% of GDP; and keeping a debt-to-GDP ratio below 60%. The European nations agre ed to tighten budgets by decreasing public expenditures and increasing tariffs. However, the enforcement of the EU conditions was not strictly implemented (Wignall and Slovik). Since the 1930s, the European Union was in serious economic downturn with actual GDP expected to plummet by 4% in 2009, the biggest decline ever recorded in the EU history. While indications of improvement have been observed, economic revival stays improbable. The response of the EU to the recession had been fast. Besides the intervention to steady and restructure the banking sector, the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) was commenced in 2008 for re-establishing reliance and reinforcing demand by increasing the economy’s purchasing power through balanced tactical financial schemes and measures that would support the business and employment sectors. The entire economic incentive and the outcomes of regulated fiscal stabilizers total 5 percent of European GDP (â€Å"Economic Crisis in Europe: Cause s, Consequences and Responses†). The execution of crisis emergency measures by European members momentarily sustained the labor markets and heightened investments in the public infrastructure companies. To guarantee the economic resurgence and to continue the European nations’ future development possibilities, the focus must change from temporary demand administration to a long-term supply management, otherwise, it could hamper EU’s reformation or build damaging deformations to the Internal Market (â€Å"Economic Crisis in Europe: Causes, Consequences and Responses†). European Crisis Mitigation Measures In 2010, the leading European nations implemented an emergency protocol to cease the mounting fiscal market strains arising from distress about the financial recovery of indebted European nations (Ahearn et al). Financial Aid to Greece, Portugal, and Ireland In 2009, existing alarms concerning the sustainability of household finances in some Eurozone nation s started when the sentiments of financiers turned against Greece. Over the past ten years, Greece had loaned deeply in the global capital markets to sustain soaring government expenses, banking system inflexibilities, and deteriorating competitiveness (Nelson). Access to funds at minimal interest rates and poor imposition of EU regulations regarding debit limits facilitated the onset of today’s European sovereign debt dilemma (Nelson et al). Greece, Ireland, and Portugal have been given considerable financial supports by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Eurozone and EU monetary

Learning Visual Basic Essay Example for Free

Learning Visual Basic Essay Visual Basic was a learning challenge for me. After my first assignment, I started learning from my mistakes and eventually started understanding a little more at a time. Having already learned a few basics in Web Development coding, Visual Basic was quite a bit different in programming language. Visual Basic is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to create and modify code that is written in a basic programming language. There are different ways to use code in Visual Basic to make time more manageable by using less lines of code. During Class we learned how to convert algorithms to programs using input, output, variables, and looping. By reading flowcharts, hierarchy charts, and pseudo code a person can analyze and process the steps on how a program is to run. There was also a discussion on the different data types and how to use them. There are 11 data types used in Visual Basic and they are: * Boolean * Byte * Currency * Data * Double * Integer * Long * Object * Single * String * Variant Using Windows Form Applications, various input/output boxes were designed and rogrammed to run by setting up variables using expressions and operators. Visual Basic could be an asset in the future as I pursue a career in Computer Science or programming. I believe this course will help by adding to the accumulating skills and could be used to open many opportunities in the Information Technology field. Learning to analyze and make decisions on various programs and their creation, Visual Basic could aid in understanding different coding concepts that may be familiar or similar.

Plato Vs. Aristotle :: essays research papers

Plato vs. Aristotle Plato and Aristotle, two philosophers in the 4th century, hold polar views on politics and philosophy in general. This fact is very cleverly illustrated by Raphael's "School of Athens" (1510-11; Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican), where Plato is portrayed looking up to the higher forms; and Aristotle is pointing down because he supports the natural sciences. In a discussion of politics, the stand point of each philosopher becomes an essential factor. It is not coincidental that Plato states in The Republic that Philosopher Rulers who possess knowledge of the good should be the governors in a city state. His strong interest in metaphysics is demonstrated in The Republic various times: for example, the similes of the cave, the sun, and the line, and his theory of the forms. Because he is so involved in metaphysics, his views on politics are more theoretical as opposed to actual. Aristotle, contrarily, holds the view that politics is the art of ruling and being ruled in turn. In The Politics, he attempts to outline a way of governing that would be ideal for an actual state. Balance is a main word in discussing Aristotle because he believes it is the necessary element to creating a stable government. His less metaphysical approach to politics makes Aristotle more in tune with the modern world, yet he is far from modern. Plato's concept of what politics and government should be is a direct result of his belief in the theory of forms. The theory of forms basically states that there is a higher "form" for everything that exists in the world. Each material thing is simply a representation of the real thing which is the form. According to Plato, most people cannot see the forms, they only see their representation or their shadows, as in the simile of the cave. Only those who love knowledge and contemplate on the reality of things will achieve understanding of the forms. Philosophers, who by definition are knowledge lovers, are the only beings who can reach true knowledge. This concept has to be taken a step further because in The Republic, Plato states that philosophers should be the rulers since they are the only ones who hold the form of the good. Plato seems to be saying that it is not enough to know the forms of tables or trees, one must know the greatest form--form of the good--in order to rule. The reasoning is: if you know the good, then you will do the good. Therefore, philosopher rulers are by far the most apt to rule. In The Republic, Plato builds around the idea of Philosopher Rulers.

Five Factor Model of Costa and McCrae Essay -- Psychology

In psychology, the Big Five personality traits are five broad dimensions of an individual’s personality. The personality traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The two psychologists who discovered this theory are Costa and McCrae. In this paper I will discuss the history of the five-factor model, each of the five different personality traits, and how this is significant in my own life and my behavior. In 1992, two psychologists by the name of Costa and McCrae made a brilliant discovery of various dimensions of personality traits and put them in five separate personality traits. The five dimensions are usually described in the subsequent order of decreasing vigor based on previous personality scales: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. â€Å"Costa and McCrae’s discovery has also influenced other ways of measuring personality including the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), which is based on the five-factor model of personality† (Hart, Stasson, Mahoney, Story, 2007). The method of discovering which of the five personality traits you display most is in the form of a test. Twelve items, making a total of sixty items, measure each of the five personality traits. The items are statements measured by five-point scales that are formed by two poles from strongly disagree to strongly agree. â€Å"The scores of the twelve items, which measure each trait, are summarized and each person obtains a raw score of each of the personality traits† (Hart et al., 2007). The personality trait that your score is highest indicates the trait you lean towards most. It is also important to note that each of the five dimensions is bipolar, describi... ...b and career and what I want to accomplish in my life. I need to have a job where I am able to travel and not be stuck at a mundane desk job, somewhere where I am constantly learning and expressing myself with others. Personality develops around the age of seven and is definitely one of the most important parts of a person. Personality is your own set of qualities that makes you unique from other people. It includes all of the thought and emotions that cause us to do and say things in particular ways. Personality is an incredible captivating and enthralling concept in understanding how a certain person acts the way they do. The Five-Factor Model is an amazing discovery of five main dimensions of a human’s persona and even though not everyone fits exactly into only one personality it is still an undeniable way of helping us to better understand ourselves. Five Factor Model of Costa and McCrae Essay -- Psychology In psychology, the Big Five personality traits are five broad dimensions of an individual’s personality. The personality traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The two psychologists who discovered this theory are Costa and McCrae. In this paper I will discuss the history of the five-factor model, each of the five different personality traits, and how this is significant in my own life and my behavior. In 1992, two psychologists by the name of Costa and McCrae made a brilliant discovery of various dimensions of personality traits and put them in five separate personality traits. The five dimensions are usually described in the subsequent order of decreasing vigor based on previous personality scales: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. â€Å"Costa and McCrae’s discovery has also influenced other ways of measuring personality including the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), which is based on the five-factor model of personality† (Hart, Stasson, Mahoney, Story, 2007). The method of discovering which of the five personality traits you display most is in the form of a test. Twelve items, making a total of sixty items, measure each of the five personality traits. The items are statements measured by five-point scales that are formed by two poles from strongly disagree to strongly agree. â€Å"The scores of the twelve items, which measure each trait, are summarized and each person obtains a raw score of each of the personality traits† (Hart et al., 2007). The personality trait that your score is highest indicates the trait you lean towards most. It is also important to note that each of the five dimensions is bipolar, describi... ...b and career and what I want to accomplish in my life. I need to have a job where I am able to travel and not be stuck at a mundane desk job, somewhere where I am constantly learning and expressing myself with others. Personality develops around the age of seven and is definitely one of the most important parts of a person. Personality is your own set of qualities that makes you unique from other people. It includes all of the thought and emotions that cause us to do and say things in particular ways. Personality is an incredible captivating and enthralling concept in understanding how a certain person acts the way they do. The Five-Factor Model is an amazing discovery of five main dimensions of a human’s persona and even though not everyone fits exactly into only one personality it is still an undeniable way of helping us to better understand ourselves.

Defeat of the Red Army Essay

By looking at what the areas where the Soviets failed during their in Afghanistan, we can further develop our counterinsurgency tactics and doctrine and shape our forces. Mujahideen Defeats of the Red Army An important and remarkable event in history was the Soviet-Afghan War. The Afghans, like their ancestors, battled a hostile, invading force that wanted to dominate their homeland. â€Å"For the first time, Afghanistan would become the center of a modern pan-Arab Jihad (Holy War)† (Hill, 2008). The Afghans were fighting a war of attrition just as their ancestors did during the Anglo-Afghan Wars. The Afghans would find themselves using modern weapons that had the potential of causing a high number casualties and emigration of greater proportions. The difference between the Afghans in the Soviet-Afghan War and the Afghans who fought in the Anglo-Afghan war would be the help and support from outside superpowers. By the end of the Soviet-Afghan War, the Soviet Union was at the point of falling; the Afghans and those who were assisting them were looking at a victory. How could such a powerful country like the Soviet Union be defeated by the Afghans? The Soviet Union lost the Soviet-Afghan War as a result of mistakes and failures that they made. The Soviets failure to seal the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, failure to stand up and effective Afghan Army and failure to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people contributed to the defeat of the Red Army. Failure to Disrupt Supply Lines During the initial five years of occupation, the Soviets never mounted a sustained effort to cut off the Mujahideen supply lines that ran from Pakistan’s tribal areas, across the Hindu Kush Mountains, and into Afghanistan (Roy, 1991). Instead, the focus of the Soviets from 1980 to 1982 was to conduct large-scale armored operations in locations that were considered hotbeds of rebel activity. After 1982, the Soviets used aerial assaults to assist in their combat operations to eliminate the support base of the Mujahideen. It was not until 1985 that the Red Army starting making an effort to disrupt the Mujahideen supply lines. The Red Army began using Spetsnaz units, which were the Red army Special Forces units, behind Mujahideen frontlines, to organized surprise attacks against the rebel supply caravans. Once the Spetsnaz had the location of the Mujahideen, they would load into Mi-24 helicopter gunships, sneak behind the Mujahideen positions, and launch attacks. The effectiveness of the raids the Spetsnaz used became apparent in 1986 where there was a decrease in the number of Mujahideen attacks against the Soviets. The attacks against the Soviets decreased because the Mujahideen was not able to get men and equipment that they needed to mount an effective guerrilla campaign. The Soviets leadership was aware of the amount of men and a large amount of equipment that the Mujahideen was moving from Pakistan across into Afghanistan on regular bases, so it’s interesting why they did not make an effort earlier in the war to disrupt the supply lines. The Soviet leadership feared that if they conducted operations that might extend into Pakistan they would draw the United States into a large-scale war that the Soviets did not want. So, conducting operations on the Afghan side of the border against the rebels was an activity that the Soviets could justify without drawing the United States into the war. According to Oliver Roy, the Soviet failure to seal the border with Pakistan was the most significant military mistake in the war against the Mujahideen (Roy, 1991). With an unsealed border, the United States with the help of the help of the Inter-Service Intelligence, ISI, began funneling in weapons to the Mujahideen in the 1980. At the start of 1980, the Central Intelligence Agency began to purchase weapons from several countries to include China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations. Once these weapons had been purchased they were shipped to the ISI headquarters located in Peshawar Pakistan. The United States funded some $30 million dollars in 1982, but in 1984, the CIA spent some $250 million purchasing pistols, AK-47s, ammunition, surface to air missiles, and other supplies for the Mujahideen. By 1985, the CIA was spending $500 million dollars on the resistance in Afghanistan. 1985 was the same year the President Ronald Reagan signed the National Security Decision Directive 166. This directive stated that the CIA was to drive out the Soviets from Afghanistan †by all means available† (Crile, 2003, p 363). In 1986, the CIA approved the purchase of heat-seeking missiles and almost 1000 per purchased. The heat-seeking missiles were very effective in downing the Soviets helicopters, but the Mujahideen did not put these missions into use until 1987. Pakistan who was driven by Islamic identity had a vested interest in the outcome of the Soviet-Afghan War and made a great effort to ensure that the Mujahideen was victorious. To ensure victory for the Mujahideen, Pakistan established a network that would transport all of the weapons that had been purchased to the Mujahideen. Once all of the weapons that had been purchased and arrived to the ISI headquarters the ISI would distribute the weapons to the Mujahideen, who would get the weapons and supplies to the soldier in the field. The Mujahideen would use tractors, trucks, camel, mules, and horses that could blend in with the rest of the cross border traffic or they would move on dirt roads that were only accessible by foot over the border into Afghanistan. It is evident that without the help of the Pakistanis, the Mujahideen would not have been able to fight because they could have not been able to supply their soldiers. Throughout the war, the Soviets and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, DRA attempted to pressure Pakistan’s President Zia to seal the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan with troops, but this came to no avail. President Zia responds to the request to seal the border was that Pakistan would not do it but that the Red Army and the DRA were more than welcome to do it. Regardless of who would attempt to seal the border it would be an impossible task when you consider the length and mountainous terrain that would have to be covered. In 1985, the Red Army started to disrupt the Mujahideen supply lines by putting thousands of troops on the border with Pakistan. At the same time, The Red Army began a bombing campaign hitting border towns that were sympathetic to the rebels and placing Spetsnaz units along the borders to conduct search and destroy missions from behind Mujahideen front lines. The Red Army began using their gunships to move up and down the border looking for destroying Mujahideen supply caravans. The bombardment used by the Red Army turned a large portion of the border etween Afghanistan and Pakistan to land that no longer could be inhabited. This depopulation effort started to become effective as it made it almost impossible for the Mujahideen supply caravans to move freely. In 1986, the Mujahideen countered the Red Army by using the Stringer missiles to bring down the Red Army Helicopters. To avoid being hit by a Stringer missile the Red Army Pilots had to fly at a higher altitude but the higher alt itude made it difficult for the Red Army to effectively attack the Mujahideen supply lines. Although the terrain along the Afghan and Pakistan border made it difficult to totally seal the border, it would have been possible to disrupt the flow of men and supplies coming into Afghanistan. This was evident by the Red Army between 1985 and 1986. Had the Red Army been willing to take a higher loss of life before 1985, it would have been possible to slow down the Mujahideen’s ability to get weapons into Afghanistan. The inability by the Red Army to establish an effective way to disrupt the Mujahideen supply lines was not the only reason that the PDPA could not survive without the support of the Red Army. The Red Army also failed to build an Afghan National Army that could protect the PDPA against the Mujahideen. Part of the reason why the Red Army could not stand up the Afghan Army was because there were Mujahideen sympathizers in the ranks. This is also part of the reason why the Soviets could not win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. When the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, they left the country without the means to protect its self. Failure to build an Afghan Army As early as 1980, Soviet leadership knew that it was going to be difficult to build up the Afghan Army. This was partially due to the fact that the PDPA regime was unpopular with many Afghan people, and there was also a deep hatred for the Red Army troops. The unwillingness to fight for the Soviet Union and the DRA was reflected by the decrease in the Afghan Army’s ranks. The Afghan Army decreased from 90,000 to 30,000 men from 1980 to 1983 (Schofield, 2003). During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, it was common for Afghan soldiers to leave their units with their weapons and ammunition and join the Mujahideen. There is an account in July 1987 where an entire 2,000-man unit defected to the Mujahideen in Kandahar (McMichael, 1991). In addition to the defecting that was happening there were reports of Afghan officers frequently sabotaging Soviet equipment and vehicles. For the Afghans who remained many only fought because of the Soviet troops presences on the frontlines who would not allow them to runaway. As a result of the Afghans people unwillingness to fight for the Soviets and the DRA, the PDPA could only build a small military force, the total that numbers 120,000 to 150,000 fighting men. With its small size and the challenges they had recruiting the Afghans to fight for the PDPA regime, the Afghan Army was ineffective. The Afghan government was also only able to draft sixty-five percent of the personnel it needed to fight the insurgency they faced. Although the Afghan Army did have their share of success, these successes were limited. Mostly because the Mujahideen had sympathizers in the ranks that would provide the rebels with intelligence about upcoming operations that were planned. Since Mujahideen supporters had infiltrated the Afghan Army, Red Army soldier do not care to work closely on operations or share the intelligence they had because of fear that the details on upcoming operations would be shared with the rebels. To make matter worse for both sides, commanding officers of Afghan units would only be informed of upcoming operations one day in advance. On 9 January 1981, a conscription law designed to increase the strength of the DRA Army, was adopted by the Supreme Military Council of Afghanistan. The Afghan Army was given tanks, aircraft, armored personnel carriers, and small arms by the Soviets. Regardless of what had been given to the Afghan Army they were not going to be able to defend the PDPA regime from the rebels by the time the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan. This is based on the fact that it was going to be hard to recruit soldiers to fight for a socialist an also because many of the soldiers that had been recruited were informant for the Mujahideen. â€Å"The ineffectiveness of the DRA Army was illustrated by two Soviet deserters when they said, â€Å"The Kabul army was not an army, just a mess, with half of the soldiers running away and the other half joining the rebels† (Amstutz, 1986, p. 80). The inability of the Soviets to win over the Afghan population showed to be a tremendous obstacle as the attempt was being made to stand up an effective Afghan military. Had the Soviets convince the Afghan population that the PDPA was worth fighting for; the Soviet’s counterinsurgency plan could have been more effective in getting rid of the Mujahideen. The Soviets inability to win over the hearts and minds of the Afghan people ended up being a big obstacle that led to the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan. Failure to win the Hearts and Minds â€Å"The Soviets needed to convince the Afghan population that it had a stake in the survival of the socialist regime if they were to have a chance of preserving the PDPA government† (Delgado, 2006, p. 27). This would show to be impossible since the Afghan mullahs had declared jihad against the occupying Red Army. Knowing the jihad had been declared against the Red Army, they still launched a program with the intent on winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. The Soviets attempt to Sovietize the Afghan people used measures that included revamping the education system and teaching the population a pro-Soviet ideology. Adults and children were taught Marxist terms by Soviet institutions that had been imported into Afghanistan. The Soviets reformed the education system, reinterpreting Afghan history, taking control of the media in order to reeducate adults, and sending children to the Soviet Union in order to be educated. The Soviets goal in all of this was to create a version of Islam that the new Afghanistan would be based off. Building a strong Communist party was part of the Sovietization program. A strong Communist party would be the center of all legitimate political activity for the country. In order to monitor social organizations in Afghanistan, Soviet style government institution were established. A diligent effort had been made by the PDPA to indoctrinate its member, a majority of which joined the party so that they could obtain a job in the state. The task of trying to indoctrinate the member was difficult and many felt that it was irresponsible and corrupt. The DRA was unpopular throughout a large portion of Afghanistan. With this unpopular view of the DRA, there was a need to rewrite history in order to paint the Soviet Union in a more favorable light. This change to history was going to be done in two parts, first was to depict Russia as the essential supporters of Afghan independence, and the second was to minimize the cultural ties the Afghan people had with India, Pakistan, and Iran while emphasizing the ties with the citizens of the Soviet Union. The Soviets strategy in winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people was not to turn all Afghan into Marxist, but to teach the Afghans that they identified more with the Soviet way of life than with traditional Afghan society and customs (Roy, 1989). The Soviets took total control of the Afghan media and bombarded it with pro-Soviet propaganda. The Soviets desired in all of this was to have the Afghans forget what their history was and replace it with the identity that the Soviets were giving them. The Soviets not only rewrote the history books and took over the media; the Soviets took control of the education system with the goal of molding a new generation of Afghans that would support the PDPA. To accomplish this, teachers who refused to do what was asked were arrested or exiled. â€Å"Fatherland Training Centers† were created around Afghanistan, where Afghan orphans were trained to be Soviet special agents, political organizations for children and teenagers in order to teach them to become faithful Soviet citizens. The Soviets made Russian the official language of all students attending middle school up to college. The Russians were committed to indoctrinating Afghan children. Statics reflects that by 1989, 000 Afghan students were being educated in the Soviets, and another 15,000 students annual would travel to the Soviet Union see the Russian way of life and to take part in short courses and training programs (Roy, 1989). The Soviets used psychological operation to undermine not only the Mujahideen but also the civilian population to resist the Soviet occupation and the PDPA regime. Some of the bigger programs used included massive leaflet drops, propagandistic radio programs, starting conflict between rival tribes that would undermine Mujahideen unity and bribing teachers to use their classroom in order to spread Soviet propaganda. KHAD Intelligence would insert special agents into Mujahideen units and prisons where Mujahideen members were held with the goal of getting information on operations that were being planned and to find out whom the leaders in the resistance were. Regardless of what the Soviets attempted to do in order to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people they failed. The Afghans remained true to their Islamic identity, culture, and family traditions so it made it impossible for the Soviet Union to convince the Afghans that they were acting in the best interest of the country of Afghanistan by occupying and supporting the PDPA. With a call of jihad being declared against the occupying Red Army, it was going to be impossible for the Soviets to win the hearts and minds. The Afghans viewed the Soviets as an occupying force that were hostile to Islam so no program introduced by the Soviets to win the hearts and minds would be successful. The Soviets made an admirable effort to win over the Afghan people but due to the fact that they were viewed as a foreign occupier took away any possibility that they could convince the Afghan people to support the PDPA government. Winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people were impossible from the beginning since the Afghan people had such a strong Islamic heritage and tribal culture and that the Soviets were viewed as a foreign occupier, but the Soviets also did not help themselves with their brutal campaign to drive Mujahideen supporters out of Afghanistan as refugees. The effort to rid Afghanistan of Mujahideen supporters left one million Afghan civilians dead and five million displaced (Roy, 1989). The strategy used by the Red Army to rid Afghanistan of Mujahideen supported included artillery strike against Pashtun villages, bombing raids and, the burning of agricultural fields, the killing of livestock through the use mines and artillery, and the contamination of water and food supplies through the use of chemical weapons (McMichael, 1991). The efforts made by the Red Army to deprive the Mujahideen from a portion of its civilian support network was successful, but with the brutal methods that the Soviets used in order to get the objectives done did very little for the chances of winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. Conclusion The Soviets lost the Soviet-Afghan War to the Mujahideen do to their own failures and any country could stand to earn a few lessons from the Soviets after their experience in Afghanistan. The first lesson would be the importance of disrupting the Mujahideen supply lines. Although totally securing the border may have been impossible, the Red Army could have focus more of an effort prior to 1985 to slow down the amount of men and supplies that were moving into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Had the Soviets been willing to take more of rest with their Soldiers, the Mujahideen would have never been able to get the supplies they needed into Afghanistan. The second lesson that could be taken from this is that before the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan they needed to ensure that the Afghan Army was ready to defeat the Mujahideen on their own. Since the Afghan Army was not able to defeat the Mujahideen on their own, everything that the Soviets attempted to achieve in Afghanistan was lost once the Red Army withdrew. The weak Army allowed Afghanistan to fall into a civil war where the Taliban came out victorious. The Soviets should have taken into consideration what they thought the status Afghan Army would be once they withdrew before invading Afghanistan. The third and final lesson is that it was going to be impossible for the Soviets to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. Many Afghans viewed the Soviets as invaders, and a jihad had been declared against them. Along with the hatred that the Afghans had for the Soviets the Soviets also countered themselves with brutal military operations against Afghans that were thought to be loyal to the Mujahideen. The Afghan population will refuse to support a regime that is viewed as a foreign occupier, regardless of the sophistication of the occupying country’s effort to win the native hearts and minds†(Delgado, 2006, p. 35). References Crile, G. (2003). Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History. New York, NY: Delgado, J. A. (2006). Troubling Parallels: An analysis of America ’s Inability to overcome the obstacles that led to the defeat of the Red Army in the Soviet-Afghan War. Athens, OH: The University of Ohio. Hills, C. R. (2006). Beyond Charlie Wilson: The Soviet Afghan War. Atlanta, GA: Atlanta International School. McMichael, S. (1991). Stumbling Bear: Soviet Military Performance in Afghanistan. London, England: Brassey’s. Roy, O. (1989). â€Å"The Sovietization of Afghanistan. † Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Roy, O. (1991). The Lessons of the Soviet-Afghan War. London, England: Brassey’s. Schofield, V. (2003). Afghan Frontier. New York, NY: Tauris Parke Paperback.

On June 24th, 1947 while searching for the remains Essays

On June 24th, 1947 while searching for the remains Essays Ufo On June 24th, 1947 while searching for the remains of a downed Marine C-46 transport, lost somewhere in the Mount Ranier area, a young Idahoan businessman named Kenneth Arnold spotted something that would change his life forever. Just north of his position flying at an altitude of 9,500 feet and an unprecedented airspeed of 1,700 mph he spotted nine circular aircraft flying in formation. According to his estimate the aircraft were approximately the size of a DC-4 airliner ( Jackson 4). This account was the first sighting to ever receive a great deal of media attention. This sighting gave birth to the phrase flying Saucer coined by a reporter named Bill Begrette. Although not the first UFO sighting in history, Kenneth Arnolds account is considered to be the first documented UFO sighting. The following day Mr. Arnold discovered that in addition to his sighting there were several others in the Mount Ranier area that same day (Jackson 6). When most of think of UFO sightings we picture an unemployed, half- crazed, alcoholic hick living in a trailer park in the middle small town USA. Often times this description, although a little exaggerated, seems to fit fairly well. In the past when the average person spotted a UFO they were quickly discounted as a kook or con-artist in search of either attention or monetary reward. It wasn't until more reputable figures in our society began to come forward that we that we started looking at this issue a little more seriously. An article written 1957, entitled Strange lights over Grenada written by Aime' Michel describes just such an account: At 10:35 p.m. on September the 4th, 1957 Cpt Ferreira ordered his wing to abandon a planned exercise and execute a 50 degree turn to port. Ferreira was attempting to get a closer look at what he described as brilliant, pulsating light hanging low over the horizon. When the turn was completed he noticed that the object had turned too. It was still directly over his left. There was absolutely n o doubt that the orange light was shadowing the F-84s. For another 10 minutes, it followed the jets without changing direction or appearance. The pilots watched as four small yellow discs broke away from the large red object and took up a formation on either side of it. All at once the large luminous disc shot vertically upward while the smaller discs shot straight towards the F-84s. In an instant the flat disc sped overhead in a hazy blur and vanished. When Cpt Ferriera was questioned by Portuguese Air Force Investigators he was quoted as saying: Please don't come out with the old explanation that we were being chased by the planet Venus, weather balloons, or freak atmospheric conditions. What we saw up there was real and intelligently controlled. And it scared the hell out of us. (32) This is only one of literally hundreds of pilot accounts that have been documented and cross verified by other sources. To date the Portuguese Government has taken no official position as to what the luminous discs were. The United States has had more than it's fair share of unexplained aerial objects. In February of 1960 the N.A.A.D.S. (North American Air Defense System) spotted a satellite of unknown origin orbiting the Earth. They knew that it wasn't a Soviet satellite because it was orbiting perpendicular to trajectory produced by a Soviet launch. It also had a mass estimated at 15 metric tons, no evidence of booster rockets and traveled at speed three times faster than any known satellite. The satellite orbited for two weeks and disappeared without a trace. Before its disappearance, the object which appeared to give off a red glow, was photographed over New York several times (Jackson 19). Lights in the sky aren't the only evidence that suggests we may have cosmic company. In the book A History of UFO Crashes, the author Kevin D. Randal gives detailed accounts of numerous UFO crashes in history. Perhaps the most famous of these crashes occurred on July 4th, 1947 in Roswell New Mexico. The crash at Roswell was witnessed from afar by over a hundred people. Until just recently, no one who was involved in

Being Brave The Essay Expert’s New Year’s Ressaylutions

Being Brave The Essay Expert’s New Year’s Ressaylutions Every year in January, I make New Year’s Resolutions and report them to you, my 1800 or so readers. For anyone who’s serious about resolutions, making them is brave. First of all, we need to do some honest assessment of what’s working and not working in our lives and businesses. We need to consider where we want to head in the next year. Serious resolutions mean the year is going to be a challenge. Of course many of us make our resolutions and then promptly forget about them or give up on them. They are not real to us. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. Making New Year’s Resolutions publicly holds me accountable! As some of you know, I report both my wins and my fails for the year in August and January. This transparency helps me get a lot of things done (though not everything I promise, as you will see below) and encourages me to continually assess and reassess my goals and progress. Here’s what happened in 2013: My 2013 â€Å"Ressaylutions† and results were as follows: Publish a Spanish-language version of How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile. Not done. After full consideration of the possibility, I decided it would be untenable to keep up with all the updates of content and images in a foreign-language version of the book as well as an English-language version! Project tabled indefinitely. Publish a 50 Resume Tips book. DONE! In fact, I published two: How to Write a WINNING Resume and How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume. They have been selling fairly well on Amazon – and many resume writers and clients have told me they are very helpful. I have one job seeker who updated her resume based on the book and promptly got a job! Obtain my CMRW (Certified Master Resume Writer Certification, offered by CDI). DONE! Increase the college essay / personal statement portion of my business to 25% of total business. I’m still at 10%. However, realizing that I was not going to make this goal, I have already put some things into place for 2014, and I will be focusing even more on building this aspect of my business. Start a training for resume writers. This one got put on the back burner as I completed my e-books. Tabled for now but might come up again in 2014. Ressaylutions for 2014: Increase college essay / personal statement portion of my business to 25% of business (carried over from last year for a second go). Some steps already taken in the right direction: Speaking at the NRWA Conference in Denver about how to write a standout college essay. Getting interviews for a widely circulated newspaper talking about college essays (publication still pending). And advertising a new summer program for rising high school seniors to work on their writing skills and personal statement topics (Let me know if you have a student who would like to participate). Roll out a new â€Å"responsive† (mobile-friendly) website. I have already hired web designers and they are hard at work! Choose a CRM and project management system. The Essay Expert and my assistant Jeanne Goodman do entirely too much record-keeping by hand. I will be investigating CRM and project management systems this year to determine whether there is one that will make our lives easier over here at The Essay Expert! Serve 250 clients. This year The Essay Expert worked with 200 clients to find new jobs, get into school, and achieve business results. I’m aiming to increase that number by 25%! Generate 214 success stories. I haven’t given up on collecting 200+ client success stories. This year we reached 122 (up from 109 in 2012). I’m planning to increase client numbers next year (see #4) so there will be a better chance of increasing the number of success stories. Please share yours if you haven’t already! What are your New Year’s Resolutions and how will you hold yourself accountable? Please share! Category:Life and LeadershipBy Brenda BernsteinJanuary 13, 2014 3 Comments Scott Becher says: January 14, 2014 at 12:33 am Wonderful and impressive goals Brenda. Log in to Reply Scott says: January 15, 2014 at 10:01 am Have your expectations ever been disappointed by the outcome of your goals that you had no control over? Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: January 15, 2014 at 10:34 am Ever? Im sure they have! The trick is to adjust and come up with new goals! All I have control over is my own actions and how I respond to what happens around me. Log in to Reply

Round vs. Around

Round vs. Around Round vs. Around Round vs. Around By Maeve Maddox One of the differences between American and British English is the usage of the words round and around. Americans use around in contexts in which most British speakers prefer round. The word round has five grammatical functions: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, and preposition. The fighter was able to go another round. (noun) We watched as the runner rounded first base. (verb) Do you want a round plate or a square one? (adjective) The bridge was out, so we had to go round. (adverb) The tiger ran round the tree. (preposition) Round came into the language as a noun meaning â€Å"a circular object.† At various times, the â€Å"circular object† was a racecourse, a ring, and a coin. In a text from 1325, round is the word used for a diadem encircling the head of a man in a painting. Chaucer used round in the sense of a globe. In Macbeth, Shakespeare used round as a word for a sovereign’s crown. Around was formed from the noun round by adding the prefix a-, a variation of the prefix on-, creating an adverb that meant â€Å"in a circle.† In some contexts, British speakers use round and around interchangeably; for example, either â€Å"He put his arm round her,† or â€Å"He put his arm around her.† Otherwise, according to a note in the British English section of Oxford Dictionaries, there’s a general preference among British speakers to use round for â€Å"definite, specific movement,† and around in contexts that are less definite. For example, She turned round. A bus came round the corner. She wandered around for ages. The computer cost around  £3,000. According to a rumor circulating around the track, he’s using steroids. American usage sometimes reflects British usage by using round, but around is more common. Although the Oxford note says that in most contexts, â€Å"round is generally regarded as informal or non-standard,† I haven’t found anything in Merriam-Webster or the Chicago Manual of Style to indicate that using round the way the British do is â€Å"non-standard† in American usage. It may be old-fashioned, but it is not unknown in American writing: By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson, â€Å"Concord Hymn,† 1837 I should like if my sisters are well and all the people round the neighborhood. letter from Peter Van Wagener (son of Sojourner Truth), March 22, 1841 The usage is still seen in emails and web comments by American speakers: We live downtown and I take them round the neighborhood, A mother talking about taking children trick or treating in Sacramento, California. One of the latest scams going round is that someone will stop you and ask if you are interested in perfume, email debunked on Snopes.com/. The strange form ‘round crops up in both British and American contexts, but as round is not a shortening of around, and as there’s no law against the American use of round to mean around, the apostrophe makes no sense in either dialect. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Using the Active Voice to Strengthen Your WritingPreposition Mistakes #3: Two Idioms

Mattel Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mattel Inc - Research Paper Example ategy that resulted to the acquisition of the Leaning Company reduced the management ability to carry out the normal quality inspection of the company products (Erika 28). This was the strategy that reduced the company success and quality of the products than the anticipated. In essence, the company thought that the diversification of its business would give it a lead in the manufacture of communication materials, not knowing that the cost of operation would be tremendously increase. As well, the expansion increased the operation cost, making the company to spend billions of US dollars in running the daily activities (Wooten and Erika 7). When the Leaning Company started registering losses, Mattel had to make an effort to rationalize the impacts that this would cause in the company (Segundo 1). They had to pay the debts that the acquired company made, thereby, affecting their financial position. As a result, the company accumulated losses, amounting to $475 million, in 1997 (Erika 33). This was the beginning of the company’s nightmare in maintaining the cost of operation and quality of the products. Secondly, the expected boom in the internet sales of the toys did not yield the outcome (Segundo 1). Indeed, the internet sales targeted the world market, and steady customer demands. Instead, the company recorded loss from the venture, thereby worsening its financial position. Third, the raised labor requirement also did not work well for the company. Therefore, the company embarked on a job cut, to reduce the expenses. In further reducing the cost, the company opted to use cheap materials in making the toys. In fact, the materials did not meet the quality requirements, making the products to be an environmental and health hazards to the users (Erika 39). Specifically, the coloring element that the company used in making the toys contained high amount of lead that exceeded the limit that the government had set. In summary, the problem that resulted to the

Crime rate in Accra Ghana and its contributing factors Essay

Crime rate in Accra Ghana and its contributing factors - Essay Example The recent increase in horrendous crime in Accra present an issue of major concern demanding global attention because armed robberies, rapes, murders, and burglaries occur on daily basis now. The list of horrific atrocities committed by active criminals in Accra goes on and on and the societal structure is being deteriorated more and more, eventually. Both local citizens and expatriates are badly offended and affected by this phenomenal increase in crime rate, and no one can remain oblivious to this strengthening societal evil. The growing crime pattern largely depicts the devastated economic conditions that are prevalent in Accra. With the population of the Accra city recorded to be 4.5 million as of 2011, Accra represents the largest metropolitan assembly in Ghana. (Vanderpuije). Crime is a major challenge to the administrative team of Accra owing to the high density of population in the city. As the city of Accra is considered to be the hub of Ghana due to its massive population, this place has also become the hub of criminal activities as well. Urban growth has brought with itself the problems of low economic conditions, unemployment, lack of educational oppurtunities, and poor infrastructural state. (Adu-Mireku 153-168). The combination of giant population and poor economic state proves to be lethal for the suture potential of any place. This is because many facilities needed ferociously for the giant population are cancelled out by low economic state of a city. The case of Accra is just the same because more and more employment opportunities are demanded by the local citizens and in response to minimal employment opportunities, the youth promptly falls in the silken snare of crimes. Unemployment and lay-offs are terrifically common in Accra thus boosting the crime level. The present state in the capital is that the organized crime knows no boundaries and much of the crime is accentuated by poor socio-economic conditions. The incidence of burglary, which i s an ubiquitous crime, is highly distressing while the heads of the family are outside at the workplaces. The crime of car theft is so common in Accra that the police force has repeatedly issues warnings to the local citizens to have parts of their cars engraved in an order to make their cars more identifiable once stolen, which is highly common in Accra these days. This step has slightly reduced the rate of car theft because â€Å"the most up-to-date figures put car thefts in 2008 at 131 compared with 146 the previous year.† (Wanted in Africa). The demographic and gender makeup of any place is very necessary to scrutinize when discussing crime rate and its patterns. Age, race, gender, and marital status are the most important predictors for explaining crime trends, patterns, and its distribution in the society. According to (Ghana  Police  Headquarters, cited in Appiahene-Gyamfi 20), â€Å"Accra data showed a progressive concentration of crime among young males aged bet ween eighteenand  thirty-six  years.† Most of the criminals caught by the police force are single and appear to have little or no educational knowledge. They also do not have any employment records owing to their minimal education. Age differences are also highly related to the type of criminal activities performed. Car thefts and robbery incidents are more common among the younger age group in Accra and operating burglaries involving residential places of expatriates is more common among the middle age group. A study conducted between 2004 and 2005 by (Adjei et al. 594) reveals that the most

Managers should adapt their leadership style according to the context Essay

Managers should adapt their leadership style according to the context. Discuss - Essay Example he or she might inspire or motivate the employees or followers towards his decisions thereby amplifying their level of performance and devotion towards the assigned tasks. This might prove effective for both the manager as well as the organization to enhance its reputation and brand image in the market among other rival players (Northouse, 2010, pp. 768-781). This essay is divided into three parts that mainly highlights the importance of leadership and the types of leadership style. Along with this, it also highlights the reasons for which, a manger need to get adapted to situational or different leadership styles so as to manage the impacts of the situations in an effective way. Finally it is concluded with a conclusion at the end of the essay. Leadership is a style that is used to influence other followers or employees to get attracted towards the decisions and actions taken or implemented by a leader or manager. With the help of this style, a leader or a manger very easily motivates or inspires others to enhance their level of performance and devotion towards the assigned jobs or tasks. As a result of which, the level of productivity of the organization gets enhanced resulting in amplification of its brand image and market share in the market among others. Therefore, it might be clearly stated that, in this age of competitiveness, an organization may retain its sustainability and competitive position only if an experienced and tactful manager or leader is present within it. Otherwise, it may not be possible for the organization to cope up with varied types of business challenges such as oil hick, recession, excess attrition, employee conflicts and many others. All individual may not comprise of the inherent quality of being a leader, but might attain such a position through vigorous experience and talents. However, in order to do so, it’s extremely essential to know about behavioural, situational and contingency dimensions of leadership. Among all these

Business Strategy Report of Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc Essay

Business Strategy Report of Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc also known as RBSG is an international company dealing in banking and financial services. The company offers a wide range of products as well as services and serves the commercial, personal along with the large institutional and corporate customers. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc tends to operate through its subsidiary named the royal bank and the National Westminster Bank Plc also referred to as NatWest. Some of the financial services offered by the Bank include commercial banking, investment banking, and services of wealth management. The bank offers the product through its various brands like RBS, Direct Line, NatWest, Churchill, Ulster Bank, Coutts and the Citizens. The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) forms it’s headquartered in Edinburgh and serves about 30million customers in Europe, UK, and America, Middle East and also Asia and employees about 130,000 staffs glob ally. Some of the major product and services of RBS includes, credit cards, insurance products, retail issue charge card and service offered by the Bank are foreign exchange finance, money market, deposit and investment, treasury services, electronic services, insurance, loans, development along with other services and information technology operations. The banking and financial sector has encountered unprecedented change and turmoil globally. Failure of some of the renowned financial leader like the Lehman Brothers had focused attention towards interconnected debt. Credit along with interbank liquidity had frozen across the globe and it was since then the government across the globe has been pumping money in order to bail out the failing banks in order to normalize the activities of the financial institution and prevent meltdown down of the global financial system.

Public health law. (summary topic about marijuana legalization ) for Scholarship Essay

Public health law. (summary topic about marijuana legalization ) for scholarly paper. not full scholarly paper but only one page summary topic - Scholarship Essay Example In addition, it is also argued that decriminalizing the use and sale of marijuana would reduce the processing and enforcement tasks for criminal justice agencies that are associated with marijuana use. Thirdly, proponents for decriminalization of marijuana contend that a direct correlation exist between the number of cases or arrests that the criminal justice system processes for marijuana sale and use and the funds used by criminal justice agencies (Brownstein, 2013). Finally, there is an argument that elimination or reduction of events related to marijuana would portend a proportionate decline in the expenses for criminal justice agencies. However, opponents of this argument claim that the increased use of marijuana that will result from legalization (Pacula & Kilmer, 2013), which may result in additional crime and a subsequent increase in costs for non-criminal justice agencies like mental health facilities. In addition, it is also claimed that legalizing marijuana could result in lower worker productivity due to the depressant-effects of marijuana. Finally, statistics show that a high proportion of those in adult correctional facilities have an ongoing marijuana habit and, therefore, legalizing marijuana would result in increased rates of crime (Hoobler & Hoobler, 2012). In conclusion, it seems that the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana may only portend marginal effects on costs to the criminal justice system. However, it could allow the criminal justice system to focus on public safety issues of more

Business Strategy Report of Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc Essay

Business Strategy Report of Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc also known as RBSG is an international company dealing in banking and financial services. The company offers a wide range of products as well as services and serves the commercial, personal along with the large institutional and corporate customers. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc tends to operate through its subsidiary named the royal bank and the National Westminster Bank Plc also referred to as NatWest. Some of the financial services offered by the Bank include commercial banking, investment banking, and services of wealth management. The bank offers the product through its various brands like RBS, Direct Line, NatWest, Churchill, Ulster Bank, Coutts and the Citizens. The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) forms it’s headquartered in Edinburgh and serves about 30million customers in Europe, UK, and America, Middle East and also Asia and employees about 130,000 staffs glob ally. Some of the major product and services of RBS includes, credit cards, insurance products, retail issue charge card and service offered by the Bank are foreign exchange finance, money market, deposit and investment, treasury services, electronic services, insurance, loans, development along with other services and information technology operations. The banking and financial sector has encountered unprecedented change and turmoil globally. Failure of some of the renowned financial leader like the Lehman Brothers had focused attention towards interconnected debt. Credit along with interbank liquidity had frozen across the globe and it was since then the government across the globe has been pumping money in order to bail out the failing banks in order to normalize the activities of the financial institution and prevent meltdown down of the global financial system.

BCEN Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

BCEN - Assignment Example The markets are dwindling, leaving us almost stranded. With the above in mind, I think it is wise we sell off the chemicals department, to safeguard the hardware depot. A personal valuation of the company puts it at roughly $500,000, which I think would be a good sales price for the business. Please look into this matter and consider taking the best decision. The best way for a company to plan for unpredictable crises is to ensure that there is a crises management tactic put in place to deal with any unexpected occurrence. This may involve having an efficient communication plan. The best strategy to combat an online rumor is to come up with a fast and comprehensive rebuttal. A quick and consistent crisis response plan is essential for a company in responding to crises. Prioritizing stakeholders involves complete mapping to show the manner in which the stakeholders interlink, and the influence they hold on each other (Seeger, Sellnow & Ulmer

The need for humans in the delivery of services in the evolving hospitality industry Essay Example for Free

The need for humans in the delivery of services in the evolving hospitality industry Essay Assignment overview: To write an academic and speech report, encouraging student creativity. Overall aim: The student is to consider how he/she would imagine the evolving role of humans in the service delivery process in the hospitality industry based on historical research, contemporary thinking, and future predictions. Learning outcomes (from the CRS): 1. define the principles and practices of marketing management as related to service management. 2. analyze the nature of services marketing within the hospitality industry. 3. recognize opportunities for research that can be applied in a marketing consulting environment. Organization methodology: Imagine that you are about to give a conference address to a high level audience from the industry. Your address is titled: The need for humans in the delivery of services in the evolving hospitality industry† Consider how you imagine the evolving role of humans in the service delivery process in the hospitality industry based on historical research, contemporary thinking, and future predictions. Your conference speech is to be supported by an academically written paper which will underpin your  actual address. You therefore need to submit (a) an academic paper and (b) a speech (in the appendices). The speech can be written in any style you wish based on the readership, e.g. conference delegates and media. However, it needs to be professionally presented and be coherent with the academic paper. The academic paper needs to: i. include some of the following terms: culture, creativity, destruction, disruption, experiences, industry examples, innovation, key writers, perceived risk, relationships, the service offer, and any relevant theoretical models; ii. have a standardized front cover sheet with the statement of authorship, with page numbers, using 1.5 spacing, with a clear and tidy font style and size; iii. follow Glion academic conventions (e.g. APA referencing, good scholarly writing, etc); iv. be submitted through the Turnitin link on the course site in Moodle, and submitted to Reception between 13h00 and 15h00 both on 30th April 2014. Your academic paper will be graded using the Glion Graduate School Assessment Criteria (overleaf), with 20% for each criterion. Think carefully what the 5 criteria within KASAP will reward! Word count: Paper – 1600 words Speech– 2000 words (in appendices, and also available for conference and media distribution – think of your audience!) Resources available: Library resources as well as any academic article on Moodle, that is relevant to the topic. Add the performance benchmarks with weights for each graduate skill assessed Graduate skill assessed Below standard 70 – 79% 80 – 89% 90 – 100% Weight Knowledge Inadequate facts or concepts collected. Limited in scope and very descriptive in style. Knowledge irrelevant for purpose. Develops and demonstrates a limited depth of knowledge in a complex and specialized area or interdisciplinary area and/ or applied areas where they are working towards current limits of theoretical research or understanding. Develops and demonstrates great depth of knowledge in a complex and specialized area or interdisciplinary area and/ or applied areas where they are working at current limits of theoretical research or understanding. Develops and demonstrates an excellent depth of knowledge in a complex and specialized area or interdisciplinary area and/ or applied areas where they are working at current limits of theoretical research or understanding to challenge contemporary thinking or paradigms. 20% Analysis Data has not been sufficiently well analyzed to draw appropriate conclusions. Argumentation and discussion is very limited or shows a lack of understanding of the evidence collected. Demonstrates limited ability to deal with complexity and scope in the knowledge base where the applications of paradigms, concepts and theory have not been sufficiently developed. Limited selection of tools and techniques for problem solving. Deals with some levels of complexity and applies concepts, theory and paradigms. Clearly recognizes lacunae and/ or contradictions in the knowledge base and makes appropriate selection of tools and techniques for problem solving. Deals with complexity and applies a wide range of concepts and theory where lacunae and/ or contradictions in the knowledge base have been clearly identified and discussed. Makes appropriate selection of tools and innovative techniques for problem solving. 20% Synthesis and Creativity Unable to find, categorize idea and rely information in an acceptable way for  this level. Synthesizes some information/ ideas and creates a more limited redefinition of existing knowledge with limited scope to new situations. Autonomously synthesizes information/ ideas and creates responses that expand or redefine existing knowledge and/ or develop new approaches to new situations. Autonomously synthesizes information/ ideas and creates responses that challenge existing knowledge and/ or develop innovative solutions to new situations. 20% Application Lacks originality in the application of knowledge in professional level context. Applies a very limited range of professional skills and shows no understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied. Demonstrates some originality in the application of knowledge in professional level context. Applies a limited range of professional skills and shows some understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied. Demonstrates originality in the application of knowledge in a variety of professional level contexts. Applies a range of professional skills and reflects on current practice. Shows an understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied, to inform judgments to the development of practice. Demonstrates originality in the application of knowledge in a wide and often unpredictable variety of professional level contexts. Applies a significant range of complex professional skills, practices and techniques and reflects on and subsequently mo dified practice. Shows an understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied, to inform judgments and make original contributions to the development of practice. 20% Presentation Does not meet a number of key requirements and fails to follow an acceptable style. Often unclear and untidy Organized and coherently structured work. Presents ideas to facilitate comprehension in an orderly manner with acceptable referencing and minor errors of detail. Work coherently and comprehensively organized and structured. Presents ideas with considerable attention to detail which facilitates effortless comprehension in an orderly  manner and accurate referencing. Presented work with exceptional clarity that demonstrates ability to attend to all detailed aspects of organization and structure of discussion and all supporting evidence. The work has the qualities consistent with published material. 20% Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of presenting another’s ideas or words as one’s own. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the intentional falsification or fabrication of any academic activity, unauthorized copying of another person’s work, or aiding and abetting any such acts. Particular care must be taken when presenting information that has been obtained from an internet site. Should this information not be correctly referenced then you are guilty of plagiarism and will be penalized accordingly. Statement of authorship Following the title page of your assignment there should be a page on which you sign a statement that the work included in the assignment is your own work except where appropriately referenced. The following statement should be included in your assessment Statement of Authorship I certify that this assignment is my own work and contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any degree or diploma in any institute, college or university. Moreover, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text of the work. I also understand that under no circumstances should any part of this assignment be published, including on the internet, or publicly displayed without receiving written permission from the University.

Diabetes Mellitus Among Filipinos Philippines Health And Social Care Essay

Diabetes Mellitus Among Filipinos Philippines Health And Social Care Essay Most of us just heard about diabetes but how much do we know about it. The thing that we only know that many people does have diabetes mellitus, and most of them are Filipinos. There Mellitus are more than 300,000 Filipinos who suffer from Diabetes Mellitus. In the United States, there are about 16 million diabetics and about 1800 new cases are diagnosed each year. Type I Diabetes, used to be called Juvenile Diabetes, is insulin-dependent (the persons pancreas does not produce insulin), meaning insulin injection is needed to treat the condition. It is medically known as IDDM (Insulin). Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, most commonly among persons younger than 30 years old associated obesity is not common. It accounts for 5 to 10% of all diabetics. Type II Diabetes is NIDDM (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Melllitus), which can be treated by pills (sulfonyl ureas, antihyperglycemic drugs) rather than insulin, most commonly found Diabetes those who are older than 30, and associated obesity i s frequent. It accounts for majority (90 to 95%) of diabetics. The third type is Gestational Diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin or cells stop responding to the insulin that is produced, so that glucose in the blood cannot be absorbed into the cells of the body. Symptoms include frequent urination, lethargy, excessive thirst, and hunger. The treatment includes changes in diet, oral medications, and in some cases, daily injections of insulin. The most common form of diabetes is Type II, It is sometimes called age-onset or adult-onset diabetes, and this form of diabetes occurs most often in people who are overweight and who do not exercise. Type II is considered a milder form of diabetes because of its slow onset (sometimes developing over the course of several years) and because it usually can be controlled with diet and oral medication. The consequences of uncontrolled and untreated Type II diabetes, however, are the just as serious as those for Type I. This form is also called noninsulin-dependent diabetes, a term that is somewhat misleading. Many people with Type II diabetes can control the condition with diet and oral medications, however, insulin injections are sometimes necessary if treatment with diet and oral medication is not working. The causes of diabetes mellitus are unclear, however, there seem to be both hereditary (genetic factors passed on in families) and environmental factors involved. Research has shown that some people who develop diabetes have common genetic markers. In Type I diabetes, the immune system, the bodys defense system against infection, is believed to be triggered by a virus or another microorganism that destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. In Type II diabetes, age, obesity, and family history of diabetes play a role. In Type II diabetes, the pancreas may produce enough insulin, however, cells have become resistant to the insulin produced and it may not work as effectively. Symptoms of Type II diabetes can begin so gradually that a person may not know that he or she has it. Early signs are lethargy, extreme thirst, and frequent urination. Other symptoms may include sudden weight loss, slow wound healing, urinary tract infections, gum disease, or blurred vision. It is not unusual for Type II diabetes to be detected while a patient is seeing a doctor about another health concern that is actually being caused by the yet undiagnosed diabetes. Education is the Cornerstone of Diabetic Therapy said by World Health Organization. We will try to see and enumerate in this study the dominance of Diabetes Mellitus Among Filipinos in the Philippines. B. Statement of the Problem The research aims to know the dominance of diabetes Mellitus and the different factors that affect a person specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions: Specifically the study sought to answer the following: How prevalent is the diabetes mellitus? Which type of diabetes is most common among Filipinos? Is diabetes hereditary? What are the signs and symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus that occurs to all diabetic Filipinos? What are the things that can be done to treat Diabetes? C. Hypothesis There is very huge number of diabetic people and they are continuing to grow even more larger as expected, due to the different factors related to the illness. D. Significance of the Study The study is important for several reasons. Goverment officials of the Philippine Republic. The government officials will eventually know that one of the disease that kills a person is diabetes, and for them to give importance in giving a prioritize fund about it. Nursing Students. The students will realize the importance of taking good care of their self, especially their eating habits which is the most common reason of having Diabetes. Parents. The study will serve as guide to parents on how to manage the proper diet for their family knowing the study of diabetes Mellitus. Future Researchers. The research paper will help them to more about it in a concrete way. So that, they will be able to conduct a more efficient research on this. E. Scope and Delimitation The study aims to determine the dominance of diabetes among Filipinos here in the Philippines. Furthermore, this research explored the statistics of Filipinos who have Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetic Filipinos in Philippines are the only concerned population and it is limited to the study of Diabetes Mellitus. F. Materials and Methods G. Definition of Terms In order to have a clear view of the problem in this study, some terms considered relevant to the study have been made defined. Diabetes Mellitus. Often referred to simply as diabetes (Ancient Greek: ÃŽÂ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ to pass through), is a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of hereditary and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). Diabetes type 1. Is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin. A polypeptide hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans and functioning in the regulation of the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, especially the conversion of glucose to glycogen, which lowers the blood glucose level. Any of various pharmaceutical preparations containing this hormone that are derived from the pancreas of certain animals or produced through genetic engineering and are used in the medical treatment and management of diabetes mellitus Sulfonylurea. Any of a group of hypoglycemic drugs, such as tolbutamide, that act on the beta cells of the pancreas to increase the secretion of insulin. Anti-hyperglycemic Drug. A drug that helps to move out of the system the presence of an abnormally high concentration of glucose in the blood. Gestational Diabetes. is a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Microorganism. An organism of microscopic or submicroscopic size, especially a bacterium or protozoan. Pancreas. Secretes hormones that affect the level of sugar in the blood. These cells secrete: Glucagon-raises the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood Insulin-stimulates cells to use glucose Somatostatin-may regulate the secretion of glucagons and insulin. Hereditary. Transmitted or capable of being transmitted genetically from parent to offspring: a hereditary disease. E.g. Diabetes Mellitus. Lethargy. abnormal drowsiness : the quality or state of being lazy, sluggish, or indifferent. Chapter 2 Related Literature Many people are diagnose to have diabetes mellitus and there are also many people who didnt know that they have diabetes. The extent of its disease In Filipinos is really big. Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus among Filipinos Different statistic has been laid out by different people at different time. Administration [1] Four point one (4.1%) of Filipinos have diabetes mellitus. At the current estimate of the population, this means 2.5 million Filipinos with diabetes, with perhaps an equal number which remain undiagnosed. Administration [2] The health care Indicator statistics of the Department of Health has found that diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in the Philippines, affecting 1 out of 25 Filipinos. As estimated 3.36 Million Filipinos are affected by the disease today. Leading cause of mortality by sex, number, rate/100,000 population and percentage Philippines, 2003.Diabtes Mellitus, Male-6,823, Females-7,373, number, rate-17.5% and a percentage of 3.6.This number is expected to rise to about 8 million after 20 years. Types of Diabetes most common among Filipinos Gonzales [3] There are two main types of diabetes mellitus: type 1 and type 2. There are several other specific types, but they occur rarely. There is also a type of diabetes, gestational diabetes mellitus that occurs during pregnancy. In this type of diabetes, the abnormality in sugar metabolism usually disappears after delivery although women who develop this condition are at a higher risk (30-60 percent) of developing diabetes later in life. Type 1 diabetes, which accounts for about five to 10 percent of all cases of diabetes, is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body s defense system (immune system) against infection and other foreign substances turns awry and attacks the bodys own cells.Type 2 diabetes the type that afflicts your partner is the most common form of diabetes. It accounts for about 90-95 percent of all cases of diabetes mellitus. Initially, people diagnosed with this type of diabetes produce enough insulin, but for unknown reasons, the cells do not respond appropriately to it. Subsequently, over a period of years, insulin production by the pancreas decreases. Diabetes a Hereditary Gonzales [ 3] The risk of a person with a parent with type 2 diabetes of developing diabetes is about 15 percent if the parent was diagnosed before age 50 (as in the case of your husband) and seven to eight percent if the parent was diagnosed after age 50. If both parents have type 2 diabetes, the probability is about 40 percent. Signs And Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus Manzella [4] Signs and symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus: Frequent trips to the bathroom, Unquenchable Thirst, Losing Weight Without Trying, Weakness and Fatigue, Tingling or Numbness in Your Hands, Legs or Feet, and Blurred vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal are also signs that something is amiss. Things done that leads to a better health even you have Diabetes. Administration [5] There is currently no cure for diabetes Mellitus. Diet, exercise, and careful monitoring of blood glucose levels are the keys to manage diabetes so that patients can live a relatively normal life. Diabetes can be life-threatening if not properly managed, so patients should not attempt to treat this condition without medical supervision. Treatment of diabetes focuses on two goals: keeping blood glucose within normal range and preventing the development of long-term complications. Alternative treatments cannot replace the need for insulin but they may enhance insulins effectiveness and may lower blood glucose levels. In addition, alternative medicines may help to treat complications of the disease and improve quality of life. References: A. Book Boulton, A. J. and Rayman, G. (2006). The Fact in Diabetes. West Sussex, England: John Wiley and Sons Limited. RD 563 B6 2006. Unger, U. M. D. (2001). Diabetes Management in Primary Care. Philadelphia, USA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins a Wolters Kluwer Business. RC 660 U5 2007. Schwarts, S. L. (1989). Management of Diabetes Mellitus. Texas, USA: Essential Medical Information System, Inc. MS616 462 sch1m 1989. Drum, D. and Zierenberg, T. (2006). The Type II Diabetes Sourcebook. New York, USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 616 462 D8447 2006. Frost, G. and Moses, R. (2003). Nutritional Management of Diabetes Mellitus. West Sussex, England: John Wiley and Sons Limited. 616.4620654 F92n 2003. Parriesh, D. and Machado, A. C. (2006). Healing Gourmet eat to beat Diabetes. New York, USA: Medical Meals, Inc. 616.4620654 d197H 2006. B. Article Pultante, Jr. Diabetic Foot Care, Manila Bulletin, (August 17, 2002). p.11-13. Gonzales, Dr. Eduardo G. Diabetes Mellitus, Manila Bulletin, (August 23, 2005). p. C-4 Ramirez, Carlo Gerando. Therapy Option for Type I Diabetes, Manila Bulletin, (February 25, 2002). p. 1 Mercado, Charmaine. How to Help a loved one with a medical condition, Health Today, (December 2003). p. 50-51. Tacio, Elena D. Diabetes: Hidden Epidemic, Philippine Panorama, (August 3, 2003). p.19 Sy, Gary S. What is Diabetes Mellitus?, Manila Bulletin, (August 21, 2002). p.11-12. Mamanglu, Shianee. Juvenile Diabetes cases rising in RP, Manila Bulletin, (March 28, 2000). p.23. Gonzales, Eduardo G. A Primer on Diabetes Mellitus, Manila Bulletin, (July 16, 2007). p. C-5. Fox, Maggie. New drug study raises worries, Manila Bulletin, (May 23, 2007). p.11, B-12. Sy, Gary s. Understanding Diabetes and its Complications, Manila Bulletin, (January 25, 2008). p.11, B-18. Lopez, Estrellita. Diabetes and Diet, Life Today, (June 2001). p.15. Tacio, Henrylite D. Taking Diabetes More Seriously, Manila Bulletin, (October 21, 2003). p.32-33. Lansang, Segundo L. Diabetes, A Brief History, Life Today, (June 2001). Calcimon, Nerissa V. Nature of Diabetes, Life Today, (June 2001). Lopez, Estrellita. Treatment of Diabetes, Life Today, (June 2001). Salazar, Tessa R. 2-M-1 Pill for Diabetes, Philippine Daily Inquirer, (April 22, 2006). p. B-6. Puyalte, Jose.Now that youre Diabetic, Womens Journal, (April 9, 2001). p.11. Moseh, Terry L. WHO: Diabetes, a health threat, Manila Bulletin, (November 27, 2005). p.H-2. Gomez, Ma. Congee S. Beware: Diabetes the New Health Scare, Womens Journal, (August 24, 1996). p.40-41. C. Electronic Media Manriquez, D.J.: Diabetes Melltus.2008. Diabetes Profile. February 22, 2009 Manzella, D. : Top Warning Signs of Diabetes December 15, 2008. Diabetes Mellitus. P., Erlich H.A ET. Al. The association of class 1 and II alleles with type I diabetes among Filipinos June 2002. Diabetes rising among Filipinos. February 22, 2009. http://article.wn.com/view/2008/11/11/Diabetes_rising_among_Filipinos Philippine Inquirer  ¶ Diabetes Mellitus Case Study. May 15, 2008. http://nursinocrib.com/diabetes_mellitus_case_study Treatments for Diabetes Alternative. Medicine February 22, 2009http://www.shirleys_wellness_cafe.com/diabetes.htm. Diabetes Mellitus. Februaty 22, 2009. www.diabetes center.org.ph/?fid=education Februaty 22, 2009

History of Ford Thunderbird :: essays research papers

The Ford Thunderbird, an American classic, is a car manufactured in the United States by Ford Motor Company. It was created only twenty months after Chevrolets Corvette as a comeback car and entered design for the 1955 model year as a two-seater resembling a sports car, which went on sale on October 22, 1954 (Wilson 116). As the Thunderbird was a better performer and cost four hundred and ninety six dollars less, no wonder it sold better. In fact, the sales figure for the first model was nearly four times that of the Corvette (Georgano 122). Through the development of the Ford Thunderbird it has evolved drastically in style and performance over its long history. Although none of this would have happened without the formation of the idea to create what is known as the Ford Thunderbird. There are two stylists credited with the creation of the Thunderbird: Lewis D. Crusoe and George Walker, who later became a chief stylist and a Ford vice-president. They took a trip to Paris, and while they were there they saw a sports car that got their attention. From that moment on, they knew they had to come up with something just like it. They went to work as soon as permission was given from headquarters. Their goal was to have a lightweight sports car with a V-8 engine that accelerated to speeds above 100 mph. They achieved this goal successfully, but they did not meet their projected weight for the car. Crusoe started a clay model of the car and finally gained the acceptance on it in May of 1953 (Wilson 116). Once the model was complete there came about the difficulty in deciding on a name. The designers were completely lost when it came to names but suggestions came pouring in by the thousands. Finally, the designers narrowed it down to just one name â€Å"Whizzer,† but Crusoe was just not satisfied with it. He devised a reward, a two hundred and fifty dollar suit, for anyone who could come up with a better name. It was not long before they received a submission from a designer named Alden Giberson. The name he came up with was â€Å"Thunderbird.† Crusoe approved it and the name was no longer negotiable. His idea for that name surprisingly did not come from the Native American symbol for â€Å"Thunder-bird,† but from a very prominent subdivision in Rancho Mirage, California.

Nebuchadnezzar and the Creation of Dissedence :: Essays Papers

Nebuchadnezzar and the Creation of Dissedence The artist of the piece to be examined, "Nebuchadnezzar", painted in 1795, is the Romantic poet, author, artist and theorist William Blake. I viewed the piece on Monday 27 September 1999 at the Tate Gallery in Westminster. The piece is a colour print finished in ink pen and watercolour on paper. (See Figure 1) The subject of the piece is King Nebauchadnezzar, ruler of the Babylonian empire from 605 to 562 B.C. The narrative behind the image is that of partly historical and partly mythological backround. The king is a factual person, but the image which Blake depicts is from a story of Nebauchadnezzar's dream and the allegorical interpretations of historical events in the Old Testament's Book of Daniel to illustrate the power of God. The story of King Nebauchadnezzar which the print depicts is that of one of the King's dreams. The powerful Machiavellian king dreamed one night of a great tree growing from the earth. The tree produced abundant amounts of fruit and it grew until its top reached heaven. A celestial being appeared in the King's dream and ordered him to cut the tree down, leaving only its roots bound in iron and bronze in the grass. The same being then decreed that the King's mind be changed from a man's to a beast's. Because the King did not understand his dream, he called on the prophet Daniel to explain it. Daniel told him that Nebuchadnezzar was the strong tree in his dream. He interpreted the dream as being a decree from God that the mighty King who ruled without care for anyone but himself would be condemened to dwell with the beasts so that he would recognize God's superior power.

Wider Reading – Cider with Rosie and Cranford

Cider with Rosie is an autobiography, it is not fiction like a novel but an account of a persons own life. Unlike a novel, it does not have the thread of a story with interacting characters connecting all it's parts. It has a different pattern with which we are all familiar. It is about childhood and growing up. We all have our own special early childhood memories and Laurie Lee seems to highlight the things we all have in common. The book starts with early childhood, early memories of people, an animal and places which then seemed strange and sometimes frightening. It goes on to describe going to school and branches out to tell us about members of his family, neighbours, tales about the neighbourhood and how the changing seasons of the year changed peoples habits and activities. Laurie Lee writes about the illnesses which brought him close to death. He writes about the entertainment to be had in those days, his first girlfriends and the book ends in his teens with the first of his family about to leave home to get married. The book is set in the village of Slad which still exists, not far from Stroud in Gloucestershire, however Laurie Lee is writing about the village as it was fifty or sixty years ago. We are reading about a past that has changed almost out of recognition. Laurie Lee uses language in an attempt to make his memories come alive, vividly and colourfully. He may use a single word: â€Å"Peas come in long shells of green pearls† Or a comparison: â€Å"The sun hit me smartly on the face like a bully† Or a very descriptive and poetic sentence: â€Å"All day she trotted to and fro, flushed and garrulous, pouring flowers into every pot and jug she could find on the kitchen floor. † All of these words, phrases, comparisons and rhythm of sentences are chosen to add spring and sparkle into what is being described. Cider with Rosie is a youthful biography set in the colourful world of over half a century ago, it is about those occasions that occur in most of our lives. This is what makes the book such an enjoyable read. Cranford is the work of Elizabeth Gaskell on the surface it appears as a quaint picture of provincial life, we are told in the first sentence it is a society of â€Å"Amazons†. However as you get deeper into the book a somewhat ironic distance from society is maintained. Throughout the book there seems to be a tender, delicate mocking of lifestyles and values which invites us to marvel and sympathize with the eccentricity of the characters. Unlike Cider with Rosie, Cranford is a novel, studying the aspects of change in the world. However like Laurie Lee, Elizabeth Gaskell writes about the people she had known in her childhood. It must also be taken into consideration that Cranford is set one hundred and fifty years ago, about one hundred years before Cider with Rosie. Cider with Rosie and Cranford are both similar and different in many ways. Both books seem to be made up of short stories rather than a novel. In fact some chapters first appear as single articles in a magazine. In Cranford this is rather like the germs of stories which are found in the letters Miss Matty has kept tied into bundles which she reads with Mary. Cranford is a series of linked sketches of life among the ladies in a quiet country village in the 1830's, it is based on Knutsford in Cheshire where Elizabeth Gaskell spent her childhood. The novel revolves around Miss Deborah Jenkyns and her gentle sister Miss Matty, daughters of the former rector. Elements of drama are provided by the death of Captain Brown whilst trying to save the life of a child, the surprising marriage of the widowed Lady Glenmire to the vulgar Mr. Hoggins, the failure of a bank which ruins Miss Matty and her rescue by the fortunate return from India of her long lost brother Peter. In my opinion the reason why Cranford is such an enjoyable read is its amusing but loving portrayal of the old fashioned customs and ‘elegant economy' of a group of middle aged figures in society. Women in Cranford are very set upon keeping up their appearances and this can make them seem somewhat fierce, never openly admitting to straightened circumstances. They would rather practice ‘elegant economy' and observe the smallest rules of etiquette. At the tea table they would wear appropriate headgear while keeping to the well-understood patterns of social visiting. To gain self-respect you had to keep your feelings hidden this was as important as status. Due to this fact Mary learns more about the great sadness in her friend Miss Matty's life through the details she fails to tell her than through the details she reveals. In the book Cider with Rosie the narrator, Laurie Lee, actually lives in the village and sees and takes part in all village activities. Whereas in Cranford the narrator, Mary Smith, is an outsider and only hears of the goings on in the village from her friend Miss Matty. The idea of social order and solidarity is most strongly seen in Cranford when Miss Matty looses all her money. The other ladies of Cranford contribute all they can to set her up as a tea-seller and sweetshop keeper even though these kind and commercial practices would not enable her to survive elsewhere. As Mary comments: ‘My father says; â€Å"such simplicity might be very well in Cranford, but would never do in the world†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Cranfords marketing may not be responding adequately to change but social forms show otherwise. Although Cranford ladies stress the importance of class distinctions, it is in fact Miss Matty's loyal servant Betty and her new, labourer husband who offer her a home. This arrangement however does not need to be put to the test because Peter returns from India with enough money to bale out his sister. Peters return brings up another illusion the ladies in Cranford hold; the fact that they can manage without men. Elizabeth Gaskell can be seen as being somewhat tongue in cheek about the self-protective, socializing characteristics of the unmarried women. But on the other hand, Elizabeth Gaskell seems to be experimenting with what might be thought of as women's narrative. Mary comments that: â€Å"I had often occasion to notice the use that was made of fragments and small opportunities in Cranford; the rose-leaves that were gathered ere they fell, to make the pot-pourri for someone who had no garden; the little bundles of lavender-flowers sent to strew the drawers of some town-dweller, or to burn in the chamber of some invalid. Similarly, Cranford is made up of ‘fragments and small opportunities', The letters, which Miss Matty reads with Mary, carried with them: â€Å"A vivid and intense sense of the present time, which seemed so strong and full, as if it could never pass away. † These letters symbolized, as they are dropped one by one into the fire, a passing of a changing world. The world around Cranford is changing but the women seem to be set in their ways. They prefer to ignore the vast economic and social changes taking place taking place in England at that time. However they cannot remain unaffected. Cranford is made up of a collection of ageing women who although want to stay as they have always done are now becoming unable to do so. Throughout the book new influences keep on creeping their way in. These begin with the arrival of Captain Brown and continue with the closeness of the railway. Cranford is a town in a world of its own but it snobbishness and old-fashioned ways must make way for the more vital energetic forces of the new age. Never the less Cranford did have some good points. The motivation of Miss Matty and her friends was based on true kindness and generosity the very qualities the industrial new age lack. In the village of Slad in Cider with Rosie, everyone was poor. It was an extremely rural dwelling. There was a church, a chapel, post office, two pubs – the Star and the Woolpack – and the Hut for penny dancers. There would have been one woman in the village who acted as midwife and another who would lay out the dead. Villagers bottled fruit, kept pigs and hens, trapped pigeons, collected kindling, fermented flowery wines and bartered home grown vegetables, eggs, rabbits and game. There was a heroic village cricket team. Life was intensely communal, with choir outings, concerts and harvest festivals. Otherwise they just amused themselves. However the village was not all ‘fields of poppies and blue skies'. There were tramps and children dying of perfectly ordinary diseases like whooping cough. Then there was the murder of Vincent, the boastful villager who had returned from New Zealand, the escape of Jones's goat: â€Å"Huge and hairy as a Shetland horse. † There was also the tale of the Browns' sad ending in the workhouse and the suicide of the beautiful Miss Flynn. Walking was probably the main form of transport in Cider with Rosie along with cycling. The whole village went on many outings which mainly consisted of walking and picnics: â€Å"Then sometimes there'd be a whole days outing, perhaps to Sheepscombe to visit relations – a four-mile walk, which to our short legs seemed further, so that we needed all day to do it. † Laurie Lee also took trips with his local choir. These outings were a great reward and had to be worked hard for. They may have ventured to places like Weston-Super-Mare or Bristol to see the docks. â€Å"The first Choir Outing we ever had was a jaunt in a farm wagon to Gloucester. † A farm wagon was probably the most common form of transport for this kind of outing up until: â€Å"The coming of the horse-brake and charabanc† Man and horse power were the only power ever known to Laurie Lee in the village of Slad, with the horse being the most powerful. You could only travel at speeds of up to eight miles an hour, which really limited where you could go, as it says in the chapter ‘Last Days': â€Å"That eight miles an hour was life and death, the size of our world, our prison. † As Laurie Lee grew older he noticed changes occurring in the village transport which he had always known and been familiar with. There was the introduction of ‘The brass-lamped motor-car', ‘the clamorous charabanc', and ‘scarlet motor-bikes. ‘ Everything began to change as new technology began to take over. Cranford is almost the complete opposite to Cider with Rosie. In Cider with Rosie walking was common and thought of as the norm but in Cranford walking was almost unheard of especially among the upper class members of society. Miss Jamieson comments: â€Å"Don't you find it very unpleasant walking? † Miss Jamieson says this as if she looks down upon those who wish to walk. Or maybe it is just that she likes to draw attention to herself and the fact that she has ‘her own carriage in the coach house' and her very own sedan chair which she always went out in even if it was to cover the shortest of distances. There was also the railway which although everyone hated as it showed the change taking place in the outside world, was still a means of transport. The main means of education in Cider with Rosie is the small village school to which all the children attend. The school was made up of only two classes which you stayed in up until the age of fourteen. School was where you met the other village children and made friends. You didn't learn much at school, you left with: â€Å"Nothing in his head more burdensome then a few mnemonics, a jumbled list of wars and a dreary image of the worlds geography. It seemed enough to get by with. † School was more of a place to learn manners and prepare yourself for when you left and had to work in a field or factory. Unlike Slad there was no village school in Cranford, children would have been sent away to a boarding school or a private tutor would be hired. Peter was sent away to Shrewsbery boarding school and was to go to Cambridge but he did not do very well. His father could not afford to hire him a private tutor and so taught him to read and write himself. In Cider with Rosie Laurie Lee talks a lot about his first girlfriends. The relationships are mainly those of a young boy whereas in Cranford there is talk of marriage and settling down. In Cider with Rosie there was young Jo, a thin girl with brushed back hair a ‘cool face' and ‘speechless grace'. She was the first girl Laurie was ever interested in. Laurie would wait for her after school when they would go and play a game together. The game was: â€Å"Formal and grave in character, its ritual was rigidly patterned. It was almost like a game of doctors, Jo would be the patient lying on the grass and Laurie would be the doctor moving his hands across her, exploring her body. They played this game every night until they were caught and even then they were just laughed at, Laurie comments: â€Å"There were no magistrates to define us obscene. † Then there was Rosie Burdock, a devious girl who had ‘sharp salts of wickedness about her' and looked at you with the ‘sly glittering eyes of her mother. ‘ The events between Laurie and Rosie are what give the book its title. Rosie was provocative. Laurie had gone to the farm to help with the haymaking when he stumbled upon Rosie behind a haycock. She had a bottle of cider and offered it to Laurie and so he had: â€Å"His first long secret drink of golden fire. † It was at this time under the hay wagon that Laurie had his first kiss: â€Å"We kissed, once only, so dry and shy, it was like two leaves colliding in air. † These images of romance in Cider with Rosie are very innocent, those of a young boy learning more and more about the world each day as he becomes adolescent. Cranford is a society of women who think they can live without men. It was unheard of for women in this period to tell a man that they were interested in them. It was not like today where it is perfectly acceptable for a woman to ask man out in those times the women had to wait to be asked by the man. In the chapter ‘A love affair of long ago' we hear of Miss Pole's cousin Mr. Holbrook who offered to Miss Matty long ago. From then on the whole chapter revolves around the ladies gossiping about why Miss Matty did not accept his offer. Also within this chapter we can see another example of class-consciousness: They did not like Miss Matty to marry below her rank. † This gives the impression that Mr. Holbrook was not looked upon as good enough for Miss Matty. When anyone in Cranford got married it made all the other ladies look to themselves and wonder if their turn would ever come. For this reason they would dress up smartly perhaps to impress the men or perhaps simply to make themselves feel better. Contact between people in Cider with Rosie is mainly by word of mouth. As the village is so small everyone hears about each other's business. Everyone hears about the death of Miss Flynn and the murder of Vincent the New Zealander. The good thing about this is the fact that everyone knows each other and however bad the crime committed they are not about to go and tell the police. To this day it is still unknown as to who committed the murder. Of course letters were written but as education was poor many people in Slad could not read or write, which made letter writing difficult. In Cranford contact was also spread by word of mouth and gossiping between the ladies but the main point of contact was through letters. Mary Smith keeps in contact with Miss Matty through letters, it is the sorting through of old letters which prompt Miss Matty to unearth the story of her younger brother, Peter. In the beginning of the book the only contact that Mary has with the village is from her occasional visits to Miss Matty. However, as the book progresses she becomes increasingly active in shaping the town she records. It is she who initiates the scheme to set Miss Matty up in her teashop and she who sends off the letter which recalls Peter. The older generations in the village of Slad in Cider with Rosie seem to make more of an effort to dress up formally then those who are younger. Laurie Lee's two Grannies, Granny Wallon and Granny Trill included. They wore: â€Å"High laced boots and long muslin dresses, beaded chokers and candlewick shawls, crowned by tall poke bonnets tied with trailing ribbons and smothered with inky sequins. † Laurie was enthralled by their attire. He would imagine many, many grannies all dressed up parading in front of him, as he puts it: â€Å"Rank upon rank of hobbling boots, nodding bonnets, flying shawls and furious chewing faces. There is talk in the chapter ‘Outings and Festivals' of Peace in 1919. Everyone was to go in fancy dress. Laurie watched everyone change. He watched as his sister Marge transformed herself into Queen Elizabeth with his other sister Phyllis as her lady in waiting. Marge wore: â€Å"A gown of ermine, a brocaded bodice, and a black cap studded with pearls. † Laurie sees his sister in a new light. She is beautiful and graceful, Laurie is awestruck. Phyllis is also looking beautiful, she is wearing: â€Å"A long chequered dress of black and white velvet, and a hat full of feathers and moths. † Ladies in Cranford weren't too fussy about what they wore. They didn't follow fashion but what they did wear made them look respectful and admirable, as it was the expected rules of dress. They observe: â€Å"What does it signify how we dress at Cranford, where everybody knows us? † When they visited other towns or villages their explanation for dress was: â€Å"What does it signify how we dress here, where nobody knows us? † So the women in Cranford stuck to clothing that was in general ‘good and plain'. There are many interesting characters in Cider with Rosie but perhaps the most amusing are the grannies. Their constant bickering and unusual habits make you feel warmth towards them. They are two very different characters. Granny Wallon was the more mysterious of the two, scurrying around never saying much about her past. She was very interested in the outside world collecting plants and taking walks in the garden: â€Å"One saw her hobbling home in the evening, bearing her cargoes of crusted flowers, till she had buckets of cowslips, dandelions, elder-blossom crammed into every corner of the house. † Then there was simple Granny Trill who seemed to the children very strange. Her pattern of life was very different to others, Laurie says: â€Å"She breakfasted, for instance at four in the morning, had dinner at ten, took tea at two-thirty, and was back in her bed at five. † Granny Trill seemed almost fierce. She was very religious and believed very much in fate, she also believed she knew what was going to happen in the future. These two Grannies were ancient enemies but their lives revolved entirely around one another: â€Å"Like cold twin stars, linked but divided, they survived by a mutual balance. † The Grannies died within two weeks of one another. Granny Trill was the first to go and once she was gone there was no further reason for Granny Wallon to live. You can tell from the constant references throughout the book that Laurie Lee has a lot of respect for his mother. She has been through a lot. She was left to bring up many children on her own after her husband left to go to war. She lives in hope of his return and when the war ends she is really exited but he never returns and ‘mother' is left to nurse a broken heart forever. Cranford also has its far share of interesting characters. There is ‘The Honourable Mrs. Jamieson', all but Mary look upon her as the local oracle although she shows herself to be quite unworthy of her status. She doesn't seem interested in others and at house-parties when everyone else is chatting and playing cards it can be counted upon that Mrs. Jamieson would be found fast asleep or eating. There is also Signor Brunoni who is a majestic figure revealed when the curtain rises on a much vaunted performance of magic in the assembly hall. He is an exotic touring conjurer who is not all he appears to be. Of course there is also the dear and innocent Miss Matty who everyone knows and loves. Unfortunately she has led a sad life of lost opportunities. She admits: â€Å"I dream sometimes that I have a little child†¦ she comes to me when she is very sorry or very glad, and I have wakened with the clasp of her dear little arms round my neck. † Finally there is Mary Smith the narrator of the novel. She has much affection for the ladies in Cranford and provides a link between the old world and the new industrial one. She is practical and down to earth, able to sort out many of her neighbours' problems and on many occasions she has the last word. I would now like to end by saying which of the two communities I would like to live in and why. Cranford is very picturesque with its ‘elegant economy' and rules of social etiquette. The people who live there are very interesting and amusing and have true qualities of kindness and generosity. If somebody gets into trouble they stick together and help each other. But Cranford is in a little world of its own. The world around them is changing but they are too determined to stick with their old fashioned traditions that they will not move with the times. For this reason I can say I would prefer to live in Slad with Laurie Lee. I like the fact that everyone knows each other and are willing to stick up for one another. Everyone one treats each other equally and they aren't as class conscious and so quick to pass judgement as those in Cranford. Slad is a more rural community where everyone chips in. There seems to be more freedom and although the education isn't brilliant at least you get to stay with your family. If you have a problem you don't have to go through it on your own, everyone will be there to support you and won't judge you for it. As far as I am concerned, Slad, the rural village of the 1940's would offer me a more fulfilling existence.