Identifying Barriers to Diversity in Law Enforcement Essay

Our country, America is a melting pot of many different races, ethnic groups, and cultures, which occurred because of immigration. That is why our communities are known as multicultural communities. Our communities may consist of African Americans, Whites, Latinos, Chinese, Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Indians. These multicultural communities experience prejudice actions from law enforcement. Prejudice means a judgment or opinion formed before facts are known, usually involving negative or unfavorable thoughts about groups of people (Shusta and Levine, 2010). Law enforcement tends to discriminate against individuals because of their race, culture, or ethnic background. Law enforcement is now trying to figure out methods that they can use to improve their relationship with multicultural communities. Shusta and Levine (2010) offered some methods that can improve law enforcement in multicultural communities: (1) †¢ Make positive contact with community group members from diverse backgrounds, don’t let them see you only when something negative has happened, and allow the public to see you as much as possible in a nonenforcement role, (2) Take responsibility for patiently educating citizens and the public about the role of the officer and about standard operating procedures in law enforcement and remember that citizens often do not understand â€Å"police culture,† (3) Don’t be afraid to be a change agent in your organization when it comes to improving cross-cultural and interracial relations within your department and between police and community, it may not be a popular thing to do, but it is the right thing to do, (4) Donâ₠¬â„¢t appear uncomfortable with or avoid discussing racial and ethnic issues with other officers and citizens, and (5) Make a conscious effort in your mind, en route to every situation, to treat all people objectively and fairly. In my community they are only Blacks and Puerto Ricans races, but they are a diverse cultures, such as the locals called Cruzan’s, Kittians, St. Lucians, Dominicans, Haitians, Antiguans, Nevisians, and many other Caribbean islands. In my community law enforcement is prejudice against the stereotypes of the individuals, such as members in gangs. For example if law enforcement is called to the community for a theft, they would suspect a gang member of committing the before they suspect a regular guy walking down  the street. If they take time out to socialize with these so called gang members they would see a different side of them. Also getting to know the different cultures would allow having better communication skills with the citizens, and maybe the citizens would feel safer in open up to them and help them in the community. In a scenario in which a method would work would be: A patrol unit is patrolling the community a see a group of young boys sitting under a tree cooli ng out, they decide to stop and have a talk to the young boys, about what they’re doing and how is their life, and officers even tell them about their days when they was the same age as them, the boys know see that these officers are no different than them, and their just doing their duty. That shows that the boys and law enforcement is communicating and gaining trust within each other.

Office Equipment Written Answers Essay

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONS Unit 221 Use Office Equipment Learner:Signature: AssessorSignatureDate Outcome 1: Know about different types of office equipment and its uses 1.1 Identify the different types of equipment and their uses  phones & e-mail allow people to contact you. Computers allow you to process business data, send pictures, pdf files and other files to customers, and vendors. Computers to design ads, budgets, as well as tracking and paying employees. printers and copiers to bulk create documents in the least expensive way possible. Hole punches to allow paperwork to be placed in binders or small folders easily. Answering machines to pick up missed calls. Post it notes to add importance to voice mail. Servers to allow multiple computers to access the same data. 1.2 Describe their different features and what they can be used for? Computers: Email, Word processing, internet, databases, file storage – Computers can be used for contact and also researching things on the internet. Computers can also be used to type professional letters or emails to customers. Files made can also be saved onto the computers memory and then can be edited or used again. Computers are also good for designing ads, look at budgets and can be used to track the payment of employees. Answering machines: Answering machines are used to pick up messages that people may have left you; it is normally used to ring customers back if you have missed their call. A good form of positive customer service. Photocopier & Printer: The printer is used to print off any work you have done on the computer or any files you have been sent or downloaded. Most regularly used for printing letters to customers and vendors. Photo copiers can are used to  copy hard copies of files. You get small copiers which only copy files, or you can get a copier that can also print and scan documents to your computer. 1.3 Explain why different types of equipment are chosen for tasks and what they are used for (e.g. to produce booklets) 1) Computers are used to write letters and communicate because letters look more professional when typed out, and by communicating online via email, it prevents the use of more paper. 2) Printers and Photocopiers: These are used because not all things can be done electronically, for example if a letter needed sending to lots of people, a hardcopy could be photocopied lots of times. Or if you have the letter template already on your computer, you can print lots of copies Outcome 2: Understand the purpose of the following instructions and health and safety procedures 2.1 Why is it important to follow manufacturer’s instructions when operating equipment? Manufacturers instructions are usually in place to not only protect the equipment from being damaged, but to also stop you getting injured using the equipment. Instructions are there to make sure you know how to use the equipment properly and how to use it without faults. 2.2. Why is it important to follow organisational instructions when using equipment? Organisational instructions are instructions that organisations put in place, they may have policies on how much you print or who can use the equipment for safety reasons. They may only have a photocopier in reception area so they know exactly who is using it and when. It is important to follow instructions of an organisation because they are normally put in place to help things run more smoothly and also for the safety of the staff. 2.3 What are the health and safety procedures for using different types of equipment? There should always be a risk assessment in place for possible accidents in the office, health and safety procedures in the office may be as simple as putting your bag under your desk to stop slips and trips. The most common injury is caused by manual handling; moving heavy equipment in the wrong way can cause strains and pulled muscles. Another procedure that may be in place is, no fluids at your desk. If you were to spill fluids, it may cause an electrocution hazard 2.4 Why is it important to follow health and safety procedures when using equipment? Health and safety procedures are in place to protect anyone from injury or harm, they’re there to prevent any hazards that may come into play in the office. In order to keep yourself and your colleagues safe, the procedures should be followed. 2.5 Why is it important to keep equipment clean and hygienic? You may not be the only person having to use the equipment and it is only courtesy to keep the equipment as you found it. Equipment should be kept clean and hygienic to prevent picking up illnesses such as cold and flu, and also to keep it pleasant. A sticky desk or keyboard and a crumby desk isn’t the nicest mess to tidy up when it isn’t your own. Outcome 3: Understand how to use equipment in a way that minimises waste 3.1 Give examples of waste when using equipment] The biggest source of waste is paper, every time a letter is opened, the envelope is thrown away, and when printing goes wrong the paper is thrown away. Ink cartridges from printers and photocopiers are thrown away when empty, as are multiple pens when they run out of ink. 3.2 Give examples of ways to reduce waste There are multiple ways to reduce waste, one of them being electronically. If people have email accounts, then letters can be sent this way rather than via post. Another way is to recycle waste, although maybe this may cause the same amount of waste, it will be used to make another batch of usable paper or other supplies. 3.3 Explain why you should minimise waste Reducing waste saves money and also is eco friendly. By printing on both sides of paper, the cost of paper is decreased by half. It can also maximise space in the office, by having less paper supplies around the office, more space becomes available in its place. Outcome 4: Know about the different types of problems that may occur when using equipment and how to deal with them 4.1 Give examples of equipment problems Technical faults can happen regularly in an office where lots of equipment is used in one place. Faults can include power shortages, phone line faults and technical faults on computers. Other faults can include issues with the printers or copiers and also issues with shortages of stationary. In order to prevent these issues, regular checks should be carried out on stocks and also the electrical equipment. 4.2 Explain why you should follow manufacturer’s instruction and organisation procedures when dealing with problems Manufacturer’s instructions ensure you are using the equipment in the right way and so reduces the chances or breakages via using the equipment wrongly. Organisations procedures make sure that the equipment is being used appropriately and so only the things that need to be printed or copied should be. Both of these should help prevent problems, but should also help  you deal with problems when they arise. 4.3 Give examples of how to deal with problems A technical issue should always be reported to the technician who knows how to deal with the problem. But the ideal way to deal with these problems is regular checks on the equipment to make sure no issues are arising. Outcome 5: Understand the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines 5.1 Explain the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines when using equipment If there are standards and deadlines in place for using equipment, it’s probably for a good reason. For example, you may get a task to type, print and send out a number of letters before a certain time. You should follow these deadlines as there is a possibility that the letter is of high importance and may contain valuble information which they will need for a certain time. This is the same for any deadline, there will be an importance behind the deadline which will be the reason you have to have the task done for a certain time. Outcome 6: Understand the purpose of leaving equipment and the work area ready for the next user 6.1 Explain the purpose of leaving equipment and the work area ready for the next user Leaving the equipment ready for the next user is manners, maybe the next people who use your work area wont need the stationery you’ve been using and won’t be using the same equipment you’ve been using. To have your area ready for the next person, make sure you leave it exactly how you found it when you started the day. Make sure it’s left how you would want to find it when you start work

Support Learning Assessment in Pract ice (nursing) Essay

Support Learning Assessment in Pract ice (nursing) - Essay Example ust learn to exercise the discretionary authority when involved in client’s care (Oregon Department of Human Services Seniors and People with Disabilities, 2006). Diabetes educators, in collaboration with other health professional, work to enhance activities in case management to create and evaluate guidelines in clinical practice, recommend therapy changes, and reduce errors in medication (Seley, et al., 2009). Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust (2006) noted that nurses must be able to have the knowledge, skills and abilities for lawful, safe, and practice effectively with no direct supervision for them to have competent practice. Kozier, et al. (2004) noted that in teaching a student nurse how to do blood glucose test, it must be insured that the nurse practice act and the policy of the facility must be checked. It must also be determined in the procedure manual the person delegated to perform this procedure (Kozier, et al., 2004). A nurse student must be taught to determine the following before obtaining a capillary blood specimen: (1) the type of testing and frequency, (2) the understanding of the client on the procedure, and (3) the response of the client to previous testing. In obtaining blood glucose test, a nursing student must be able to determine whether the puncture site is intact and the circulation is not compromised by means of assessing the puncture site of the skin. Moreover, it is important to note that the student nurse must review the records of medication of the client that may possibly prolong bleeding time (Kozier, et al., 2004). The following are the equipments that must be used by a stu dent nurse in obtaining blood glucose: blood glucose meter, blood reagent strip, paper towel, warm cloth, antiseptic swap, disposable gloves, number 19 or 21 sterile lance, lancet injector, and cotton balls (Kozier, et al., 2004). A type of meter and instructions from the manufacturer must be reviewed and the equipment must be assembled at the bedside. It

Health education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health education - Research Paper Example The topic of HIV/AIDS is very broad, therefore, this research papers focuses on transmission of HIV/AIDS. In addition, the impacts of the problem in the society are highlighted and recommendations are given on how to mitigate the spread of the disease. According to Akinwumi (2001), the rate of HIV/AIDS infection is high among the poor and the rich as well as the educated and the illiterate. It is, therefore, critical to evaluate how the disease is transmitted from one individual to another. Transmission of HIV occurs when the virus from an infected person gets into the body of a healthy person. This is through the semen, or injecting the virus into the body of a healthy individual. This means that there are numerous mechanisms through which the HIV virus can get into the body of a healthy individual as highlighted in the subsequent literature. In most instances, HIV is spread into a healthy person when the individual engages in unprotected sex with an infected partner. Though there are chances that the virus can be transmitted through oral sex, in most cases, the virus gets in the body of a healthy individual through the penis, vagina, vulva and through the mouth when the saliva has infected blood cells. It is, therefore, important to note that HIV is principally transmitted from one individual to another through sexual intercourse. The HIV infection is also transmitted among the intravenous drug users who share the needles employed in injecting the drugs. This is because the contaminated blood is transmitted from one person to the others sharing the syringe, therefore, in case one of the members sharing the syringe is infected, then the virus will eventually be transmitted to the others too (Henderson, 1994). The virus is also easily transmitted from the infected pregnant mothers to the children either during the

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Critical Thinking - Essay Example verall there are various arguments placed suggesting the use of various important methods of rhetoric and language however the use of language is not appropriate at some place as Williams sometimes provide unilateral treatment to the issues. The first paragraph of the easy is very confusing in nature as Williams has tried to make a connection between the inefficiencies in governance with the money of the Tax payers. Further there is also a contrast in the argument when he mentions the secrecy provision which do not seem to be in continuation with the earlier sentences in the paragraph. The use of the word Political neglect in the subsequent paragraph points towards a general climate in the country where political rights of the individuals are completely neglected. This is unfair in the sense that it provides a very extremist view against the performance of the past Australian governments and almost unilaterally declares past Australian Governments as failure. The next stage of the paper is contrasting with the arguments made in the later part of the article. Williams do not seem to support its claims made in earlier part of the essay with that of being made in the later part. Williams use the word â€Å"rare opportunity to tackle them head on† suggests Author’s complete ignorance of the historical evolution of Australia. This also suggests that Williams is trying to stamp his conclusion in the article in earlier part of the paper. Being a scholar of high repute therefore does not necessarily means that the Williams is an authority in making conclusions based on pure use of guess work. In the next stage of his article Williams use the word â€Å"Stark Choice† which in itself an indication of the totality of his argument and suggest the use of language in the most of the part of the article as concluding in nature. Similarly in the following paragraph Williams make a contrasting argument that local government should remain in Australia. This is again a deviation

3M and its unique culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3M and its unique culture - Essay Example The company is consistently developing new products that is set up with inter-actions with customers and at the same time creating a culture that promotes employee pride and well-being, encourages integrity, and supporting social and environment development. Systems established to institutionalize this culture among employees 3M has set aside a budget that exceeds $1 billion annually for research and development to support innovation. 3M allowed employees to do their work in their own way. The management believed that as their business expands, it becomes necessary to delegate responsibilities to workers and to encourage them to exercise their initiatives. To date, 3M has over 50,000 products that were developed through constant research and innovation. Some well known products are the sandpaper, Scotch tape, Scotchguard fabric protector, Post-it Notes, O-CelO sponges, asthma inhalers, medical and dental adhesives, and plastic sheeting. Drawbacks on such culture. In allowing employee s to experiment on their ideas, failures and mistakes cannot be avoided. But when this happens, 3M does not punish the employees because by doing so, initiatives of personnel are dampened; and they consider people with initiatives important in the organization in order to grow. Drawbacks also consist of time and expense.

Report on the feasibility of the overseas expansion of acomb tyres in Essay

Report on the feasibility of the overseas expansion of acomb tyres in india - Essay Example The best beneficiaries in this case would rightly be India & China, with Russia just beginning to emerge to becoming a challenger to them in this are. The world has seen similar advances in other domains of trade & commerce as well. Companies today feel pride in declaring themselves as multinational corporations rather than be known more as local or regional players. The tyre industry is one such area, which has seen similar changes. Today major tyre industries like Bridgestone & Dunlop are popular & financially very strong owing to the fact that they are MNCs (Multi National Corporations). But, Yadong Luo (1997) is of the positive view that this must not deter other SMEs (Small & Medium Enterprises) from aspiring to go global as has been cited by Zoltan J Acks (2001). This report is written as an advisory statement to the Acomb Tyres of the UK (which is an SME) as to what are the pros & cons of setting up shop in other countries. In this report, the country under discussion is India. The reasons for selecting this country as the most favorable destination is discussed in the following sections of the report. As the Acomb tyre Industries' major area of production is in the area of agricultural tractor tyres, the report concentrates on analyzing a suitable market for the same type of products. The present section concentrates on what are the reasons for global expansion as also what are the best strategies to initiate such expansions. Examples in support of the argument are discussed in the section that deals with the expansion of Acomb in India. REASONS FOR OVERSEAS EXPANSION & STRATEGIES TO DO SO There is no doubt that Acomb Tyre Industries is established & considerably popular in its native market in the UK with an estimated annual turnover of around 22m. But the following points that are described below outline the prime reasons as to why Acomb should consider a major overseas expansion: Limited Home Market It is a known fact that Acomb industries has won several awards for its unique and innovative products and has earned a solid reputation among farmers and other users of agricultural vehicles in the Northeast England and its surrounding regions. But a point to note is that the tyre market in the UK has been found to become stagnant in terms of growth & the economy. The tyre industry is no longer seen as a major contributor towards the development of the economy as it used to be so previously. Siobhan A Austen (1999) says that a prime reason for this can be attributed to the fact that the amount of sales of tyres on an annual basis; especially in the agricultural sector has reached its optimum levels owing to the limited amount of land available in the UK. Acomb has also been feeling the effect of the limited market, which is one of the company's prime reasons for asking us to prepare this report. The analysis of the prevailing market conditions in the UK have led us to the conclusion that it is time for Acomb to start looking for greener pastures. Better Profit Margins History has shown that today's major companies have come to dominate the market,

Desertion of human resource management the topic it's management Dissertation

Desertion of human resource management the topic it's management performance - Dissertation Example Utilizing Mark and Spencer Company as model, researcher will undertake data analysis using information from purposive-respondents through structured survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Table of contents Chapter 1. Introduction and Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Chapter 2. Literature Reviews†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. a. Management Concepts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. b. Human Resource Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ c. HRM and Theories of Motivation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ d. Managing Workers’ Performance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ e. Competitive Advantage†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Chapter 3. Research Methodologies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Chapter 4. Analysis of the Data found†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Chapter 5. Discussion/ Recommendation.............................................................. Chapter 6. Conclusion............................................................................................ ... Literature Review Management is a system or approaches that relates to the ability of leaders or managers to create a motivating environment for co-workers contextualized on situations. It is to lead that value on developing human resources, discipline, effective relations, transformation, strategizing and integrating situational leadership to effect desired change (Hersey, Blanchard, and Dewey, 1998). Applied to human resource, management is a strategy or approach where all workers systematically contribute to the achievement of a firm or company’s goals by employing persons, enhancing their skills, maximizing their capacities with due compensation to services rendered (Armstrong, (2006). To this end, managers evaluate worker’s performance based on corporate standards as part of career development and to employ feedback mechanism for the improvement of performance through coaching (Schneier and Beatty, 1979). This chapter will explicate the correlation of human resourc e management and managing workers performance as contributory factors in engendering competitive advantage. Management Concepts Nienaber. H (2010, pp. 5-6) explained that management relates to an organizational structure where â€Å"general manager† run a business and performed tasks to ensure success in production and marketing affairs. The tasks are often classified into five broad categories: planning, organizing, direction, coordination and control (Fayol, 1916, pp 145-152). These constitute as major managerial functions, with communication, motivation and decision- making as secondary management tasks. Management means â€Å"getting things done effectively through people†. This connotes the imperativeness of leadership’s pivotal role in managing people and their expertise to

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina Essay Example for Free

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina Essay There are lots of effects which DotA brings to our society, to be particular, the youth. With no doubt this game is one of the hottest game in the market. In every Cyber Cafe you can see gamers stick with their screen and mouse and  keyboard, with their face that full of concentration and excitements finding ways to defeat their opposing team or enemies. Actually Computer games or DotA serves as a platform for youth to communicate. Teenagers who initislly don’t know each other can easily become friends through Computer games or playing DotA. Chapter I Introduction DotA effects have been continue for several years since the launch of the War of War Craft and the Frozen Throne. Almost every people especially the youth has played this game at the very beginning of the years. What is the content that DotA offers to the gamers? And how’s the excitements that brings towards the gamers. And you may ask a key question, how long will DotA effects last? The lifestyle of the youth who have been playing Computer Games especially DotA is affected by the game. There are both advantage and disadvantages for them. Let’s talkl about the advantages first. As one of the most playable games online, DotA can make the players become alert in the mental, They will also turn to be strategic and cooperative through computing the magic, damages, gold, physical reduction, present and other stuff, they will get more lore in mathematics. Thus the youth can also get some benefits on playing Computer games. Statement of the problem or Thesis Statement Why is Computer games or DotA so Addicting to Students? 1. A Time killer Boredom is the most common problem of most people today. DotA can consume a lot of time without you even noticing it . you just say after the game â€Å"WTF !, Im late !† 2. Non-exhasuting game Unlike basketball or other physical sports , you can play DotA until you can still mangae to sit, look at the monitor, use mouse and keyboard and think, Yes , using your is aslo tiring but it’ll takes an average of 3 games before you’d want to take a rest 3. Fame Source Most players want to be the best in this game to gain fame which I find natural but technically nonsense. I have to admit that thirst for fame drove me to practice and improve my game. After getting the fame I wanted, I asked myself â€Å"Now what?†. For players who don’t have plan on having DotA as their profession ,Fame isn’t that important. 4. Team work game When we were kids, we already love having team battles. That’s why a lot of team sports games cames up and multi-player computer games have been invented. Playing with teammates is more addicting than playing alone. 5. Tranquilizing DotA makes you forget your problems and make you think of simpler problems (like how to win the game) 6. Non violent war We love wars. That’s why there are shows like Wrestling, UFC ,Action films , etc. DotA is a chance to engage in wars safely. We can fight all day long and just stand up from our computer without even having a scratch on our face. 7. Easy to play Surveys shows that DotA is played by more people thatn other strategy like Starcraft. One of the reason is its simplicity. You only have to control one hero (great news for people who are not into doing micros.) 8. No height or physical disadvantages In basketball you cannot have a team composed of 5 short players. In Rugby , you should be muscular. In DotA you can be as thin and as short as you want and still own everyone. 9. Losing makes you thirsty to win On the other hand, losing is still addicting because you become more urge to have that wonderful feeling of winning. 10. Winning feels Good Yup, winning in every game makes you feel good and addicting. Background of the Study Significance of the study How to overcome DotA Addiction ? 1. Accept responsibility The problem lies within the individual, not within DotA. No attempt at beating addiction can succeed until the individual accepts its existence. 2. Identify the Impact How many hours a day do you spend playing DotA? Do you normally go out on the weekend?When was the last time you read a book?Identifying the negative impacts of the addiction will help you focus on positive improvements and getting back the things that you really are missing. 3. Avoid Blame Blaming others for problems that you alone must face does not solve the problems. 4. Set limits If you decide that you have 1 hour per day to spend playing DotA. Since DotA requires many hours of gameplay to have fun, you likely should consider a different game or different genre of games. 5. Stay positive Be positive whenever possible. While negative reinforcement is sometimes necessary, positive reinforcements will always go further in the end. What is DotA ? DotA is basically game expanded from version of War of War Craft, which initially a strategic game similar to Red Alert Series. But eventually evolved into current state. Gamers can play Dota in a Wide range ; from single player, local LAN, or LAN over internet connection with various country’s gamers. There contain variety of Heroes to be chosen as your character, There are many type of gaming modes , and different type of map for the game modes. There are lots of gamers who are more expert in the world of playing DotA . Chapter V Summary and Conclusion Summary and Conclusion We know that Playing computer games especially DotA brings bad effects to the students, they influenceed by the other gamers like â€Å"trash talks† they know how to gamble because they are playing DotA for â€Å"pustahan†. DotA really affects the lifestyle of the youth who are into this game, although it has one good benefit, but it corrupts the mind and the way the youth think. It also weakened the body system, money and moral values were not given importance because of this game.

Beneath - Original writing Essay Example for Free

Beneath Original writing Essay Psychoanalysis begins. Monday morning, it was a big rush. I had to pack the kids lunches and watch after them as they left for school. It was Kellys first day at junior school, and Michelles at secondary school. I dont know why, but as I shut the front door I had flash backs of my first day at secondary school. I got worried. Michelle is a lot like me when I was her age. To my children, I am a normal nice mother, ordinary like everyone elses mother. That is how they see me. They know nothing about my past It was an excruciatingly hot and sunny day July 30th 1993. I dreaded the moment the sunrise began. I felt a huge lump at the back of my throat, my head was pounding, and droplets of cold sweat trickled down my forehead. I used to be a normal, quiet, and well behaved person but, all that changed when I met Camryn Barnes. After the first three times, I promised myself I would never do it again. Yet here I was with the hammer in my hand smashing the new lock on the school gate. It fell to the ground making a loud sudden noise, which made me jump even though it was expected. I ran towards the school building, but the school doors were all locked up. After approximately an hour of struggling through one of the technology department windows, I managed to squeeze in. I ran to Dr Daniels office, pushing the door open. There, looking up at me with his beady black eyes was Cuddles Dr Daniels hamster. I had my equipment ready and then I opened the cage door picking up the small rodent with my trembling hands. I whispered to him in the darkness, Dont worry, itll only take a second. I reached into the back of my threadbare jeans pockets and pulled out the razor sharp penknife. Tears poured down my face. One, Two, Three. I did it. My hand was drenched in fresh, warm blood. I dropped Cuddles on the floor and retreated back to the technology department. I can still remember the cold beady eyed stare Cuddles had given me as I pulled the pocket knife out of him. I recollect a similar expression from the past victims. I got back to Camryn a lot quicker this time. Camryn was pacing outside and when she saw me she signalled to me to hurry up. I half jogged and half ran. When I reached her, she caught hold of my wrist and pulled me along with her. I glanced at her beautiful tanned face and saw the contented smile displayed along her lips. I could almost hear her heartbeat, and taste her idea of sweet satisfaction. When we reached her house, she dragged me to her bedroom then leapt onto her red crumpled bed and kicked off her scuffed trainers. Did you do it? Did you top the pint sized rat? she asked with enthusiasm. There was a malicious gleam in her green eyes. I nodded staring at my sweaty bloodstained hands. There was a huge lump in the back of my throat, my stomach churned. I couldnt take it any more, You said wed never do it again! Wasnt killing Jackies budgie, Peters cat and Ellies turtle enough? Why Dr Daniels hamster? Why? Camryn stood up with a frown creasing up near her finely plucked eyebrows. Whats wrong with you? Dr Daniels failed me in English! I worked so hard for him! He got what he deserved! A sudden anger flushed through my body, Like the others got what they deserved?! Looking at Camryn, and seeing her satisfied realization from her manipulation, I had to leave. I walked home, showered and then lay in bed. I remember glancing at my digital clock it read 6:16am. I tried so hard, but failed to fall asleep. It was only a few hours, but seemed like days passing by. Eventually my mother came into my room to see why I was not ready for school. I dont feel well, I murmured. Mother carelessly shook her head and left me alone. A month ago I used to be really close to my mother, but now I just seem to want to push her away and out of my life. It was almost as if I surrendered everything I loved for Camryn. My mother, my old friends and, my self respect. Eventually I fell asleep. Beneath my closed eyes, my thoughts swivelled in front of my eyes. All I saw was beautiful, cold water, ripples glistening. That was where I wanted to be. I woke up and changed into my favourite clothes. I knew what I was doing. I felt dizzy but ignored the queasy feeling. I sat on the floor and scribbled a note for my mother. I used to write little poems to my mother ages ago. I knew that was what I had to do now. I still remember what I wrote in the poem, word for word. June year 1993, on the 25th day, The day I changed, stopped to pray, I made promises, made to break, But itll be over, whilst I lie in this lake, I feel like Im, spiralling into a deep dark hole, Hopefully this depth, can contain my soul, What Im trying to say, dear mother, Im Sorry, For pretending to be so upbeat and jolly, Sorry mum, I didnt mean to, Ill be thinking of you through and through.

Analysis Of The Leadership Of Kim Jong Il History Essay

Analysis Of The Leadership Of Kim Jong Il History Essay It is believed to be important to examine the life and leadership style of Kim Jong Il for several reasons. Among these reasons are the following. There is much talk about an absolute and/or unquestioning loyalty to Jong Il (e.g. Kang, 2006; Pollack, 2009), and it is deemed important to understand the reason for this. In addition, although North Korea bears the description The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, its political ideology appears to be in no way linked to democracy, and it is believed that the reason for this should be investigated. Also, of grave concern is how the people of North Korea continue to remain in submission to the inhumane treatment that they have been receiving, and how they have managed (i.e. despite the atrocities taking place in their country) to maintain the ideology that their homeland is literally Paradise on Earth (Hyun Sik, 2008, p.50). What allows North Koreans to perpetuate the thought that they are living in a chosen land (Hyun Sik, 2008, p.50) ? Does their political leader have anything to do with it? What about his leadership style? This paper is expected to unearth the truth behind the North Korean situation. It is believed to be important to understand the North Korean situation through the image of its leader, because of the nature of his leadership. Jong Il is described as one who has assumed absolute control of North Korea (Kang, 2006). He is what is known as a dictator. Consequently, it is believed that if he were to be properly examined then it may be understood why he is the way he is, how the people of North Korea have been affected by his rule as well as how things may be able to turn around for his country and people. To gain the above understanding, an academic research will be conducted on Jong Il in an effort to be able to assess his life and leadership style to gain the desired result. This research will be conducted in the form of a literature review. First the leaders biography will be presented followed by which his leadership style will be diagnosed and assessed within the context of Nahavandis text book on leadership (i.e. The Art and Science of Leadership, fifth edition). Through an analysis of the literature and Nahavandis text, the parallels between Jong Ils leadership style and the concepts discussed within the text will be identified in order for a critical assessment of the North Korean political leadership situation to take place. This assessment should be what will produce a conceptual understanding of the present political leadership within the North Korean context as well as how this leadership situation not only coincides with what Nahavandi (2009) presents, but also works to a ffect the lives of the North Korean people (i.e. inclusive of its leader, Jong Il, the one in question). A brief history of the leader It is unclear when Kim Jong Il was born as well as under what circumstances his birth took place. Jong Il, according to Pike (2009), was born on the 16th day of February, 1941. AE Television Networks (2009) also stated the same date of birth for Jong Il. However, both Pike (2009) and AE Television Networks (2009), acknowledge that Jong Ils year of birth was subsequently adjusted to 1942. The reason given by Pike (2009) for this change was that the same was expected to necessitate a thirty-year age difference between Jong Il and his father Il Sung. The circumstances surrounding Jong Ils birth remain a mystery. Many accounts have been given of the same. Some of these accounts include the following: Jong Ils family claimed that a swallow foretold his birth; others claim that a double rainbow appeared over Mount Baekdu when he was born, while some even stated that with the event of his birth, a new star appeared in the heavens. All these theories surrounding his birth take root in what is described as a cult of personality, which simply illustrates that legend and official North Korean government accounts describe [Jong Ils] life, character, and actions in ways that promote and legitimize his leadership (AE Television Networks, 2009). Needless to say, whether Jong Il was born in Khabarovsk, USSR or in a secret camp on Mt. Baekdu in Samjiyon County, Ryanggang Province (Pike, 2009), there appears to be something mystic about this leader. If there was not, then why would all of North Korea hail him as the Dear Leader and interpret hi s as well as his fathers existence through an analogy of Jesus Christ and God (i.e. with Jong Il being made to represent Jesus Christ in the minds of the North Korean people, while his father, Il Sung, is being made to represent God in the minds of the same) (AE Television Networks, 2009; Kang, 2006)? As Kang (2006) stated, the people of North Korea literally worship Jong Il just as they worshipped his father Kim Il Sung. One North Korean gave the following account of Jong Il: General Kim Jong Il is a rare great man of Baekdu type who was born at Mt. Baekdu, the sacred mountain of our nation, and made an unusual growth amidst the special revolutionary education of his parents, brilliant commanders of Baekdu, as well as the practical training of the revolutionary struggle. He personifies the revolutionary spirit, trait and nature of Mt. Baekdu. The revolutionary spirit of Mt. Baekdu personified by him is the spirit of independence associated with the soul of Baekdu, the spirit of gun inheriting the linage of Baekdu, the indefatigable revolutionary spirit replete with the mettle of Baekdu and the optimistic spirit consistent with cheerfulness of Baekdu. The revolutionary trait of Mt. Baekdu possessed by him is pluck and courage of Baekdu-style giant, ever-victorious sagacity of the brilliant commander of Baekdu, broad-mindedness befitting a heroic man, organizing ability of leading millions of people, indefatigable attacking spirit, strong ability of executi on (Pike, 2009). As mystic as Jong Il may have appeared, he was seen as one who demonstrated loyalty to his father Il Sung. This loyalty, according to Pike (2009), was demonstrated through Jong Ils involvement of the purging of his fathers guerrilla cronies as well as those who were not deemed personal friends of the Great Leader (Kang, 2006). It is believed that this loyalty to his father is what made him his fathers successor. Jong Il was described as forever being in politics. He was noted as being active in the Childrens Union a youth organization that promotes the concept of Juche (the spirit of self-reliance) as well as in the Democratic Youth League, where he engaged in the study of Marxist ideology (i.e. in relation to politics) (AE Television Networks, 2009). It is believed that in 1974, Jong Il was named the successor of the revolutionary cause of Juche, and that between 1971 and 1980; he was given positions of increasing importance within the Korean Workers Party (Pike, 2009). When Jong Il was named successor to the cause of Juche, he reportedly embarked on an initiative, which saw to the advancement of the program, which was concerned with the imbuing of the entire Korean society with the Juche ideology (Pike, 2009). Kim Jong Il reportedly had an interest in many disciplines, none of which he was particularly good at (Hyun Sik, 2008). One of the disciplines Jong Il was interested in was the arts. He was described by AE Television Networks (2009) as the overseer of the Propaganda and Agitation department in his country. This department was the one responsible for controlling the media as well as for censorship (AE Television Networks, 2009). As leader of this department, Jong Il reportedly used the mass media, literature and art, all media that fall under the umbrella term popular culture, to stretch his public image as well as to obtain popular support for himself (Pike, 2009). When Jong Ils father died in 1994, Jong Il reportedly assumed supreme power over the North Korean state. It is through this acquisition of power that Jong Il à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦micro-manages every detail of government business (Pike, 2009). Pike (2009) describes Jong Il as being opposite to his father. He is described as being impatient as well as a vivid displayer of extemporaneous behaviours. Jong Il is described as being arrogant and self-centered in policy decision making, unappreciative of criticism as well as opposing opinion and emotional when it comes to displaying his likes and dislikes (Pike, 2009). However, on his softer side, Jong Il is known to be a lover of movies (e.g. James Bond movies) and is known to have a personal collection of films in excess of 20000 (AE Television Networks, 2009). Nevertheless, despite the latter, Jong Il can be thought of as a sad case, because his legitimacy as ruler of North Korea is determined by the said countrys political system. As a result, Jong Il remains prisoner to a system into which he was born. There is nothing Jong Il could do to reform his nations political system without undermining his own legitimacy. Therefore, his only rational option is to uphold the system (P ike, 2009). Jong Ils upholding of the system is notably in the best interest of his country. A critical assessment of the life and leadership style of Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il, on the basis of his biography, can be deemed a charismatic leader. However, he is of the unethical type. He is deemed a charismatic leader because he shows forth characteristics such as a high degree of self-confidence (expressed through his firm belief in his ideology), strong convictions about his ideas (which is based on him being unaccepting of criticisms as well as opposing opinions), expressiveness (manifested through his description of being an emotionally expressive individual) as well as activeness in image building (expressed through his use of popular culture to expand his popular image) (Nahavandi, 2009; Pike, 2009). However, although the above is true of Jong Il, he is also deemed to be unethical for several reasons. Jong Il is noted to use his power for personal gain or impact and to promote his personal vision (i.e. through the use of the Propaganda and Agitation Department), to censure critical or opposing views (i.e. through his unaccepting of them), to demand that his decisions be accepted without question (as manifested through the unquestioning compliance spoken of by Kang, 2006), to use one-way communication, and to be insensitive to followers needs (accounted for through Kangs description of the sufferings that the people of Korea are made to endure at the hand of Jong Il) (Howell Avolio, 1992). Although Jong Il uses his power indiscriminately, he can still be considered an effective leader. This is because based on the circumstances in his country; he uses his power to maintain the stability required for the effective functioning of the same. It may not be the view of many outside of North Korea. However, with the level of brainwashing the people of that land have received nothing seems wrong for most of not all. As it was noted earlier, even though Jong Ils leadership style is not the best, he has no choice than to ensure that it is perpetuated. This is because if he chooses to change the way his authority is ascribed to him (i.e. to reform the political system in his country); he will be doing himself more harm than good. As Pike (2009) described, Jong Il is a prisoner to the system; a prisoner in that even if he wants to change the system, he would not, because of the unwillingness to give up his supreme, divine status. It is what grants him his legitimacy as political l eader of North Korea, and it therefore cannot be changed without upsetting the present leaders legitimacy to rule over the state. Jong Il can therefore be placed within the context of the contingency era of leadership. This is because as Fiedler describes, his effectiveness as a leader is based on a match between his leadership style and the leadership situation (Nahavandi, 2009). Jong Il is effective as a leader because his leadership style matches his leadership situation (Nahavandi, 2009). Jong Ils leadership personality can also be interpreted in terms of the behaviorist perspective. It can be thought that Jong Il was trained to be the type of leader that he is. His father, Il Sung, ensured that Jong Il was groomed in a particular way from young. He (Jong Il) was made to attend specific schools; namely, Namsan Primary School (a school he later destroyed through bombing), Namsan Higher Middle School, and Kim Il Sung University (AE Television Networks, 2009; Hyun Sik, 2008). According to Hyun Sik (2008), these schools (afore mentioned) were reserved for the elite of the North Korean society, in particular, party officials above the rank of vice minister (p.47). At these schools, the concept of Juche was taught. Apart from attending these schools, Jong Il was able to nurse the Juche ideology from being in close contact with his father as well as through his involvement with the Childrens Union. Consequently, he was able to perpetuate its existence. Jong Il believably lea rned to be a dictator, an autocratic, because as his former instructor described, he was a shy young man (Hyun Sik, 2008). But what made him acquire this leadership personality? It is believed that Jong Il was predisposed to acquire certain behavioral characteristics that would have allowed him to be an effective leader today. It is believed that Jong Il was exposed to a great deal of charismatic experiences throughout his early life. As a result of this it is assumed that he has adopted a certain degree of charisma and that this very charisma is what he was able to use to sway the minds of the Korean people in the direction that he wanted them to go. Jong Il, because of his ability to manipulate the minds of the North Korean people, through the channel of indoctrination, as accounted for by Lankov (2007), can be described as an individual who scores high on the Machiavellian personality scale. Jong Il and his parents crafty use of supernatural accounts at the time of his birth were used to convince the people of North Korea that Jong Il is a deity. Consequently, the North Korean people found themselves worshipping Jong Il in much the same way as they worshi pped his father (Kang, 2006). Apart from Jong Il being made to look like a deity, he reportedly did all in his power to keep the people of North Korea thinking and acting in a particular way, a way that would ensure the continued legitimacy of his power that flows from his position as Supreme Leader/Ruler of the DPRK. For example, as stated by Lankov (2007), North Korea has maintained a self-imposed information blockade that is without parallel (p.71). North Koreans are not allowed to have free tuning radios, neither are they allowed to listen to news casts and programs that are from sources outside North Korea. This news blackout is supposed to keep North Koreans believing that their country is an earthly paradise (Lankov, 2007, p.71). In this way, North Koreans will cast a blind eye upon the inhumanities that Jong Il is said to bestow upon them, because they supposedly do not know any better. In other words, their reality is based purely on what Jong Il feeds them. So, although North Koreans may feel in their h earts and minds that something is wrong with the political leadership in their country (if even they do), they will continue to exist within a false reality, because of the unadulterated doctrine, which has been ingrained deep within their psyche. Continuing on the subject of power, the other sources of power that Kim Jong Il possesses is that of Coercive Power and Reverent Power. Nahavandi states that coercive power is the leaders ability to punish; persons comply for fear of this punishment. Kim Jong Il exercises his Coercive Power by ensuring that he attains full compliance from the people by instilling fear in them by threatening to arrest persons who refuses to adhere to his directives; deeming them political criminals. Jong Il also received Reverent Power through his coercive tactics on his people. He did this by mandating the people to worship him and his father and demanded that all believed and followed the principles of Juche. So not only was he their political leader her was their spiritual leader qualifying his Reverent power. Jong Il is accused of committing many heinous crimes against the North Korean people. Kang (2006) argues that he should be charged for crimes of war as well as of genocide. Kang (2006) argues that although Jong Il may not commit these crimes himself, he (in one way or another) sanctions them. Kang (2006) was careful to mention that the people of North Korea were mistreated on the basis of their religion and nationality. Christians and what were described as half-Han Chinese infants fathered by Chinese or other non-Koreans fell victim to Jong Ils rule. Women, who fled to China and got pregnant there, and were later forced to return to North Korea, were forced to have abortions. In the case of religion, any one who was deemed associated with any other religion besides Juche was persecuted by Jong Il. These persons were typically those who fled to countries outside North Korea seeking refuge, and were suspected of being influenced by outside intervention. However, unfortunately for th em, they were forced to return to their home land (Kang, 2006) where they paid the ultimate penalty for their supposed spiritual fornication. According to Kang (2006): One person testified that she saw prison security officers kill several Christians by pouring molten iron on them after they refused to renounce their religion and accept the state ideology of Juche. In particular, members of underground Christian churches and persons in contact with Christian missionaries have been subjected to harsh punishment, prolonged detention without charge, torture, or execution (p.99). Jong Il is so adamant about his belief in Juche that he went to great lengths to gain compliance from all persons dwelling within his territory of rule. Kang (2006) stated that the citizens of North Korea were literally mandated to worship Jong Il and his father based on what was known as the Ten Great Principles of Unique Ideology. Persons failing to comply with this order became political or ideological criminals and were made to suffer much abuse (inclusive of rape and the deprivation of food and medicine) (Kang, 2006). No one was spared the wrath of Jong Il from the smallest and most innocent of children to the oldest of adults, were made to suffer the consequences of their perceived defiance to Jong Il. For example, it was noted by Kang (2006) that Jong Il punished a nine year old and his family, because the child innocently scribbled over the faces of Jong Il and his father Il Sung that were printed in his text book. Neither the child nor his family was ever seen again; they l iterally vanished off the face of the earth. The interesting thing about Jong Il is that he ensured that he was awarded compliance from his citizens by instilling fear in them. Kang (2006) noted that In addition to [a] cult-like mentality [existing in North Korea], a culture of surveillance pervade[d] [the] North Korean societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p.56). Every individual was literally placed as each others watch man to ensure that each individual was living according to Jong Ils rules and/or orders. The Peoples Security Agency, the State Security Protection Agency, and the Korean Workers Party each plant[ed] their own informants in all work-places and units of organization', and since no one knew who exactly was an informant, they were all forced to be on their Ps and Qs (i.e. to be on their best behavior) (Kang, 2006). All these efforts to ensure forced compliance to Jong Il illustrates that the North Korean leader is definitely a high Mach because he is more than willing to do whatever is necessary to gain his desired end (i.e. e ven though it means manipulating other people [as he evidently did] or gaining his desires at the expense of other individuals). From the preceding essay, it can be deduced that Kim Jong Il is definitely the leader of a brutal dictatorship. He displays qualities of an autocrat, because he makes decisions on his own (i.e. without being opposed). The literature exposed him as one being intolerant of criticism and disfavoring of opposing opinions. Jong Il was described as a leader to which there was an unquestioning loyalty. Everything he ordered was executed by his subordinates (i.e. the people over which he ruled) without question. This occurred irrespective of whether the actions were right or wrong. Jong Il was termed a high Mach because he was seen as one using the legitimacy of his power to manipulate his followers into doing precisely what he wanted them to do (i.e. without care for how his desires were affecting the persons directly involved). Jong Il utilized fear tactics to ensure that he gained the compliance he required another indicator that he would score high on the Machiavellian personality scale. Apart from severely punishing people for defying him, he placed the North Korean people against each other by making them all spies for him. The North Korean leader appeared to be a possessor of charismatic qualities (i.e. he was deemed to be one born with special qualities for a special purpose). His birth was described as supernatural in occurrence, and the activities surrounding his birth were used as a tactic to gain the desired support from his followers. Jong Il, despite his negative qualities, appears to be an effective leader because he is able to maintain the stability required in his country. He appears to be operating under the contingency model of leadership because his leadership style appears to be directly related to his leadership situation. However, although Jong Il appears to be an effective leader, he is one that is unethical for various reasons. For example, Jong Il is noted to use his power for personal gain or impact and to promote his personal vision, to censure critical or opposing views, to demand that his decisions be accepted without question, to use one-way communication, and to be insensitive to followers needs all actions that are unethical by Howell and Avolios standards. Jong Il appears to be an explicit case of the nature/nurture principle. He is believed to be endowed with certain character traits (e.g. influence and/or charisma) nature that together with his ideology (Juche) and/or trained behavioral characteristics (authoritarianism or dictatorship) shapes his leadership style nurture. Jong Ils personality and leadership style have created a North Korea that sparks immense interest from the outside world. Apart from them being interpreted as treacherous, it is still unfathomable how the people of North Korea, at the hands of one man, can live to accept such an inhumane political system, and comply with it unquestioningly. Could this be a case demonstrating the share power of indoctrination or is it that North Koreas leader has emerged to be so powerful and feared, because his society provides the grounds for him to do so? Some food for thought.

The Great Depression of the 1930s in Canada Essay -- World History

The Great Depression of the 1930s in Canada The Great Depression of the 1930's is a benchmark for all depressions and recessions in the past and in the future. In the booklet "The Great Depression of the 1930s in Canada" , Michiel Horn gives an intellectual dissection of the events that occurred during the Great Depression. Michiel Horn's approach leaves the reader with a foul taste for the Dirty Thirties. This essay will summarize Michiel Horns key points as well as discuss the ability of Michiel Horn to report his findings. Michiel Horn is currently the Chairman of the History Department at York University. His interests in the Great Depression revolve around the history of taxation. Therefore, he is interested in making sure that this sequence of events is fully understood so that future generations never allow it to happen again. There are several causes of the Great Depression which Michiel Horn touches on throughout his writings. The initial tool that he used to help understand the situation was to look at statistical data from that time. Through use of this data, a greater understanding of the physical hardships could be quantified and compared to present day. The reading begins with statistics about the shocking rate of unemployment. In 1933, at the height of the depression, the unemployment rate was between 19.3and 27 percent. The industrial activity in 1933 was only 57 percent of the average activity for the years 1925-29. The causes for the Great Depression were easy to see, but hard to fix. The problems included the inability of foreign countries to purchase surplus goods produced by other countries. Before the Great Depression, the British used this tactic to stabilize the market. Unfort... ...ults of the recession. In order for this never to happen again, there is a need to learn from the mistakes in the past and to look for the warning signs. The problem is not just restricted to one country, but is a global problem and needs to be addressed as such. The Great Depression often seems very distant to people of the 21st century. This article is a good reminder of potential problems that may reoccur. The article showed in a very literal way the idea that a depression can bring a growing country to its knees. The overall ramifications of the event were never discussed in detail, but the historical significance is that people's lives were put on hold while they tried to struggle through an extremely difficult time. Bibliography Michiel, Horn. The Great Depression of the 1930s in Canada. Ottawa: The Canadian Historical Association, 1984.

First Amendment Essay -- Governmental Freedom Constitution Essays

First Amendment The modern American conception of freedom of speech comes from the principles of freedom of the press, and freedom of religion as they developed in England, starting in the seventeenth century. The arguments of people like John Milton on the importance of an unlicensed press, and of people like John Locke on religious toleration, were all the beginning for the idea of the â€Å"freedom of speech†. By the year of 1791, when the First Amendment was ratified, the idea of â€Å"freedom of speech† was so widely accepted that it became the primary, and a very important issue in the amendment. â€Å"Freedom of press† came with it to insure that the written and printed as well as oral communication was protected: â€Å"Congress shall make no law †¦ abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.† From the 1791 and until the beginning of the twentieth century the idea of â€Å"freedom of speech† and the â€Å"freedom of press† was not interfered in by the judicial system. And only during World War I did the Supreme Court actively start to work on the issue of the â€Å"freedom of speech/press† of the First Amendment. In 1919 cases like Schenck vs. United States and Abram vs. United States did the new interpretation of the First Amendment come into place. Schenck vs. United States was argued on January 9 and 10, 1919. The first charges were based on him breaking the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917, because he was getting on the way of the governments recruiting practices, Act of May 18, 1917, while the country was at war with German Empire. The second charge was a conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, to use the mails for the transmission of the things that were declared to be non-mailable by title 12, 2, of the Act of June 15, 1917. What happened was, that in 1917, when the American troops were away fighting the war, the general secretary of the Socialist party, Charles T. Schenck, and the members of the party mailed between 15,000 and 16,000 pamphlets to draftees. Those pamphlets described draftees as â€Å"a little more than a convict† and tried to convince them to resist conscription. The case was decided March 3, 1919. Mr. Justice Holmes delivered the opinion of the entire Court. He stated that â€Å"in many places and in ordinary times the defendants in saying all that was said in the circular would have been within their constitutional righ... ...ts to change the mind of the country. Now nobody can suppose that the surreptitious publishing of a silly leaflet by an unknown man, without more, would present any immediate danger. The ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas†¦ the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market†¦. That at any rate is the theory of our Constitution. It is an experiment. While that experiment is part of our system I think we should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe†¦ unless they so imminently threaten immediate interference with the lawful and pressing purposes of the law that an immediate check is required to save the country.† So now because of this case the â€Å"clear and present danger† speech had to become â€Å"imminent danger† speech to be punished. In the case of Schenck vs. United States the decision contracted civil rights, by creating the â€Å"clear and present danger† rule. But in Abrams vs. United States the civil rights have been expanded, because now just simply a clear dangerous speech wouldn’t be punished, it would have to be an â€Å"imminent danger† speech.

Children vs. Authority: Rebellious Attitudes

Children vs. Authority: Rebellious Attitudes to Avoid Societal Expectations Children's literature has an extremely influential way of shaping a child's outlook on life. When children read stories, they often relate to the characters on a very personal level, whether the character is polite and kind or rude and bratty. The plots of children's stories can influence generations of children in negative and positive ways. For over one hundred years, one of these influential texts is still J. M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy, which originated as a play.The main character, Peter Pan, is a boy ho lives in Neverland and refuses to grow up. He lives by his own rules, with no parental guidance to help him learn right from wrong. The same concept is depicted in Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Harriet, an eleven year old aspiring writer, creates her own rules for being a child rather than conforming to societal expectations. In a book written by Colin Heywood, the historical expectations of childr en are explored with the conclusion that the expectations of children will continue to change over time, and Heywood is in hopes of this becoming a positive change.During the transition period from child to adult, many children rebel against authority figures, including parents or institutions. In Peter and Wendy and Harriet the Spy, the main characters rebel against authority in such a way as to defy social order. Living in Neverland, Peter refuses to mature and wishes to remain a boy forever, while Harriet could careless about conforming to the typical social requirements of her gender. Heywood discusses the gradual societal changes inflicted upon children from before the writings of J. M. Barrie to current novelists today.Both Peter and Wendy are strong examples of children who oppose parental authority fgures in order to resist the social normalities which proceed adolescence. Barrie's character of Peter Pan opposes all authority in Peter and Wendy, however, the parental fgure o f Neverland -Captain Hook- is the one authoritarian fgure in Peter's fantasy which he cannot escape. The plot seems to thicken as the story continues, and their is major friction between the two characters: Peter avoids authority while Hook demands it. Peter interacts with parental authority throughout the novel, beginning with the Darlings.He frequently listens to the stories Mrs. Darling tells in the nursery, yet will not commit to the idea of parents and the rules that come along with them. He instead encourages Wendy, Michael and John to fly to Neverland with him, enticing them with â€Å"mermaids† and â€Å"pirates† (Barrie 97-100). This enticement is a depiction of Peter avoiding authority; he is encouraging the children to rebel and leave their parents for a fantasy island with no rules. A second example of Peter resisting authority is his interaction with Captain Hook in Neverland.Hook represents the dominant adult authority in a fantasy land with no ules, ther efore, Peter and Captain Hook are polar opposites in the story. Peters constant opposition to boyhood leads to Hooks death to the infamous crocodile. Through Peters defile of authority to both parental fgures in the novel, he is avoiding the social structure which occurs in ones growth from child to adult. Besides blatantly stating â€Å"l always want to be a little boy and to nave tun,† Peter Pan continuously suppresses the idea of parental guidance or any type of authority (Barrie 92).Peter does not want to participate in the normal milestones of life, nstead, he wishes to stay a boy forever. He is constantly avoiding rules, adults, and any concept of responsibility expected from him. Although Peter demonstrates many qualities of a young man, especially with his leadership of the lost boys, he continuously defies the social normalities which follow adolescence. In an article written about J. M. Barrie, it states that Peter and Wendy stand out from other works for its use of â€Å"childhood innocence, the island as a retreat from society, separation, the fantastic, and the need for social order† (Schoenberg and Trudeau 2).Social order s a reoccuring theme in Barrie's novel; the evident lack of social order emphasizes the evident need for it. When Wendy travels to Neverland with Peter she begins feeling romantically inclined towards him, however, Peter does not return the same emotion. He is incapable of romance, as he is not a man nor wishes to be one. He demonstrates authority himself, yet will not accept it from others. With the control of his own fantasy in Neverland, Peter eliminates any possibility of having a father and instead takes on the role as he sees fit.

Celebrities: Perfection and Individuals

ENC 1101 March 24, 2013 Celebrities’ dysfunctions and transgressions In this age of the scandalisation of public life the media suffers from an overload of films stars, sport personalities, that is, celebrities, caught in socially unacceptable situations. Celebrity and scandal are closely linked, where scandal often enhances the celebrity quotient of the star (Nayard 2009: 112).In other words, even negatives disclosure and representation of their marriages (practically most film stars), their pedophilia (Roman Polanski), breaking the law (Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Charlie Sheen), are all important part of the celebrity culture that fans and spectator so love to hear about. The privilege of fame may act as a license to transgress meaning the can get away with a lot, resulting in greater tolerance for celebrity wrongdoing.However, paradoxically, it is also clear that, as an in? uential elite, celebrities are expected to conduct themselves with propriety, meaning that their be havior is closely scrutinized (Gieles). Most individuals love a scandal, barring the people caught in one, of course. The rest of society most often absolutely cannot get enough. Fans are mostly interested in the good and the bad actions of a celebrity. In the others, there are spectators that are only interested in the scandals about the celebrities.Whether one admit it or not, few things make a person feel better about them quite as intensely as seeing the people that society places on the highest of pedestals get knocked off of them in spectacular fashion. Celebrities’ dysfunctions and transgressions attract high audience interest not only from the celebrity fans , but other spectators. Celebrities scandals appeals to individuals. As a result, they show that celebrities’ larger-then-life figures are idolized by fans and envied by others, enhances that celebrities are ordinary individuals, and sparks curiosity and interest.First, audiences are highly interested in sc andal. The fans are very interested in the stars career and personal life either good or bad. Individuals, whom are not fans of a specific celebrity, are more likely to pay attention to this celebrity when they are spotted on the headline of the tabloids for doing something wrong. Both fans and other individuals pay close attention to those scandals which give these scandals a larger audience. Individuals obtain a certain amount of pleasure from hearing scandals about celebrities.Elizabeth Bird suggests that a scandal story evokes a pleasure derived from both fascination and revulsion for the social mess that scandals symptomatize (Bird 2003:45). Sensational headline build on ones fears, anxieties and desires. Indeed scandals appeal because they deal with the moral values, fears of the people as a whole (Bird 2003:32). Social values and norms are violated by scandals, and thus is what interests fans, that individuals are able to break social norms. Fans anxieties about broken marria ges or families of being failures’, even their own desire for wealth or fame, fuel their reading of scandals.In the case of scandals, it’s not simply media production. It is the sustained interest of the fans that generates. To continue, while some fans idealized a celebrity there are others who envy them. Joseph Burgo, a psychologist and author of â€Å"Why I Do That† argues that idealization and envy; are two powerful psychological forces that always go together. Fans often want to believe that some privileged people have perfect lives, full of satisfactions, without the everyday pain and frustration that they face in their own lives. In a way, fans take displaced pleasure in a celebrity glamorous existence.On the other hand, there are individuals that secretly hope that if those people manage to have a perfect life; it is always possible that they could eventually have one, too. However, fans and other spectators often grow increasingly envious of that perfec t life they do not have. Envy is a very negative force and one feel envious at one point or another. Because certain fans often envy celebrities with perfect lives, they take pleasure in reading and gossiping about their downfall. Individuals who are not fans of the celebrity often take the most pleasure on watching their downfall.When an individual want something that they cannot have, they often times tend to devalue it, make it undesirable so it is no longer envy. In addition, although mass media often represents a celebrity as perfect individuals, their transgression and dysfunction shows fans that they are ordinary individuals (Lieves). They are fantasy objects, perfection that ordinary individual can not hope to attained, and ‘hold out the lure of fully –achieved selfhood to those who yearn for such an impossible fullness and perfection (Gilbert 2004:91).This argument helps one better understanding the interest in celebrity dysfunctions or transgressions. Celebrit ies’ scandals, misbehaviors or faults show that they are not all perfect individuals. Messy marriages, financial bungling, substance abuse and mistakes humanize celebrities, bring them down to earth. Those transgressions help one identify with the celebrity. Individuals often identified with imperfect individuals. Their misbehaviors helps fans sees that they are ordinary individuals with everyday life problems just like them.Although, it is easy to see a celebrity culture as actively encouraging, constructing the cult of perfection and success by producing beautiful models, successful film stars, singers and sportsmen. Scandals about celebrities are highlighted, reported as a means of debunking the myth of human perfection. Furthermore, audiences always look for stories that spark their curiosity and interest. According to Tyler Cowen, all forms of sorts of behaviors both good and bad are used to attract fans.Right or wrong are blurred and subsumed into the general category o f a publicity folder (Cowen 2000: 17). Society often tends to want to hear about someone getting a divorce, getting arrested instead of stories about someone donating money to a charity or saving someone life; stories like that do not make the front page of the tabloids at the grocery stores. Fans might pay attention to the stories about a celebrity donating or saving someone life, but might not spark the interest of individuals whom are not fans of the particular celebrity.Seeing a tabloids headlining â€Å"Chris Brown abusing Rihanna and Rihanna getting back together with Chris brown† can definitely spark curiosity and interest. Hence, this headline can attract attention from a variety of different audiences whom shares different views and belief on the subject. These headlines fans of Chris Brown, fans of Rihanna and also the interest of those who are not fans of neither celebrities. Of course, these headlines will have hundred bloggers writing tortured messages about how concerned they are for Rihanna and the message she is sending to her leagues of fans.Stories about celebrities’ life and mistakes are all very entertaining. For example Lindsay Lohan’s drug addictions, Kim Kardashian’s reason for being famous, and Charlie Sheen crazy personality. Stories about these celebrities’ scandalous lives are engaging, stimulating and attract countless numbers of audiences. In conclusion, scandals about celebrities attract high audience interest because fans of the celebrity are not the only paying close attention to these scandals. People pay more attention to celebrities when they do something bad without even ealizing that they are doing so. While people are trying to raise a major point about how a celebrity action is immoral, incorrect, offensive, or corrupting, the rest of society are just giving it attention, increasing how well-known it is, and arousing people's natural curiosity as to why it is so offensive. Certain fans i dealize a celebrity, but there are those individuals whom take pleasure in judging them by especially harsh and oversimplified standard (Cowen 2000, 70).Citation Page Pramod, Nayard. Seeing Stars: Spectacle, Society and celebrity culture: SAGE, 2009. Print Bird, Elizabeth. The audience in Everyday Life: Living in a media World. Routledge, 2003. Print Cowen, Tyler. What Price Fame? Harvard 1999. Print Gilbert J. Small Faces: The Tyranny of Celebrity in Post-Oedipal Culture. Mediactive 2004. Print Gies, Lieve. â€Å"Stars Behaving Badly. † Feminist Media Studies 11. 3 (2011): 347-361. Communication ; Mass Media Complete. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.

How to Write a Book Review

How to Write a Book Review A book review is a description, critical analysis, and an evaluation on the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, not a retelling. It should focus on the book's purpose, content, and authority. A critical book review is not a book report or a summary. It is a reaction paper in which strengths and weaknesses of the material are analyzed. It should include a statement of what the author has tried to do, evaluates how well (in the opinion of the reviewer) the author has succeeded, and presents evidence to support this evaluation. There is no right way to write a book review. Book reviews are highly personal and reflect the opinions of the reviewer. A review can be as short as 50-100 words, or as long as 1500 words, depending on the purpose of the review. The following are standard procedures for writing book reviews; they are suggestions, not formulae that must be used. 1. Write a statement giving essential information about the book: title, author, first copyright date, type of book, general subject matter, special features (maps, color plates, etc. ), price and ISBN. 2. State the author’s purpose in writing the book. Sometimes authors state their purpose in the preface or the first chapter. When they do not, you may arrive at an understanding of the book’s purpose by asking yourself these questions: a. Why did the author write on this subject rather than on some other subject? b. From what point of view is the work written? c. Was the author trying to give information, to explain something technical, to convince the reader of a belief’s validity by dramatizing it in action? d. What is the general field or genre, and how does the book fit into it? (Use outside sources to familiarize yourself with the field, if necessary. Knowledge of the genre means understanding the art form. and how it functions. e. Who is the intended audience? f. What is the author's style? Is it formal or informal? Evaluate the quality of the writing style by using some of the following standards: coherence, clarity, originality, forcefulness, correct use of technical words, conciseness, fullness of development, fluidity. Does it suit the intended audience? g. Scan the Table of Contents, it can help understand how the book is organized and will aid in determining the author's main ideas and how they are developed – chronologically, topically, etc. . How did the book affect you? Were any previous ideas you had on the subject changed, abandoned, or reinforced due to this book? How is the book related to your own course or personal agenda? What personal experiences you've had relate to the subject? h. How well has the book achieved its goal? i. Would you recommend this book or article to others? Why? 3. State the theme and the thesis of the book. a. Theme: The theme is the subject or topic. It is not necessarily the title, and it is usually not expressed in a complete sentence. It expresses a specific phase of the general subject matter. . Thesis: The thesis is an author’s generalization about the theme, the author’s beliefs about something important, the book’s ph ilosophical conclusion, or the proposition the author means to prove. Express it without metaphor or other figurative language, in one declarative sentence. Example Title: We Had it Made General Subject Matter:  Religious Intolerance Theme: The effects of religious intolerance on a small town Thesis: Religious intolerance, a sickness of individuals, contaminates an entire social group 4. Explain the method of development-the way the author supports the thesis. Illustrate your remarks with specific references and quotations. In general, authors tend to use the following methods, exclusively or in combination. a. Description:  The author presents word-pictures of scenes and events by giving specific details that appeal to the five senses, or to the reader’s imagination. Description presents background and setting. Its primary purpose is to help the reader realize, through as many sensuous details as possible, the way things (and people) are, in the episodes being described. b. Narration: The author tells the story of a series of events, usually presented in chronological order. In a novel however, chronological order may be violated for the sake of the plot. The emphasis in narration, in both fiction and non-fiction, is on the events. Narration tells what has happened. Its primary purpose is to tell a story. c. Exposition: The author uses explanation and analysis to present a subject or to clarify an idea. Exposition presents the facts about a subject or an issue as clearly and impartially as possible. Its primary purpose is to explain. d. Argument: The author uses the techniques of persuasion to establish the truth of a statement or to convince the reader of its falsity. The purpose is to persuade the reader to believe something and perhaps to act on that belief. Argument takes sides on an issue. Its primary purpose is to convince. 5. Evaluate the book for interest, accuracy, objectivity, importance, thoroughness, and usefulness to its intended audience. Show whether the author's main arguments are true. Respond to the author's opinions. What do you agree or disagree with? And why? Illustrate whether or not any conclusions drawn are derived logically from the evidence. Explore issues the book raises. What possibilities does the book suggest? What has the author omitted or what problems were left unsolved? What specific points are not convincing? Compare it with other books on similar subjects or other books by the same as well as different authors. Is it only a reworking of earlier books; a refutation of previous positions? Have newly uncovered sources justified a new approach by the author? Comment on parts of particular interest, and point out anything that seems to give the book literary merit. Relate the book to larger issues. 6. Try to find further information about the author – reputation, qualifications, influences, biographical, etc. any information that is relevant to the book being reviewed and that would help to establish the author's authority. Can you discern any connections between the author's philosophy, life experience and the reviewed book? 7. If relevant, make note of the book's format – layout, binding, typography, etc. Are there maps, illustrations? Do they aid understanding? 8. Check t he back matter. Is the index accurate? Check any end notes or footnotes as you read from chapter to chapter. Do they provide important additional information? Do they clarify or extend points made in the body of the text? Check any bibliography the author may provide. What kinds of sources, primary or secondary, appear in the bibliography? How does the author make use of them? Make note of important omissions. 9. Summarize (briefly), analyze, and comment on the book’s content. State your general conclusions. Pay particular attention to the author's concluding chapter. Is the summary convincing? List the principal topics, and briefly summarize the author’s ideas about these topics, main points, and conclusions. Use specific references and quotations to support your statements. If your thesis has been well argued, the conclusion should follow naturally. It can include a final assessment or simply restate your thesis. Do not introduce new material at this point. Some Considerations When Reviewing specific genres: Fiction  (above all, do not give away the story) Character 1. From what sources are the characters drawn? 2. What is the author's attitude toward his characters? 3. Are the characters flat or three-dimensional? 4. Does character development occur? 5. Is character delineation direct or indirect? Theme 1. What is/are the major theme(s)? 2. How are they revealed and developed? 3. Is the theme traditional and familiar, or new and original? 4. Is the theme didactic, psychological, social, entertaining, escapist, etc. in purpose or intent? Plot 1. How are the various elements of plot (eg, introduction, suspense, climax, conclusion) handled? 2. What is the relationship of plot to character delineation? 3. To what extent, and how, is accident employed as a complicating and/or resolving force? 4. What are the elements of mystery and suspense? 5. What other devices of plot complication and resolution are employed? 6. Is there a sub-plot and how is it related to the main plot? 7. Is the plot rimary or secondary to some of the other essential elements of the story (character, setting, style, etc. )? Style 1. What are the â€Å"intellectual qualities† of the writing (e. g. , simplicity, clarity)? 2. What are the â€Å"emotional qualities† of the writing (e. g. , humour, wit, satire)? 3.. What are the â€Å"aesthetic qualities† of the writing (e. g. , harmony, rhythm)? 4. What stylistic devices are employed (e. g. , symbolism, motifs, parody, allegory)? 5. How effective is dialogue? Setting 1. What is the setting and does it play a significant role in the work? 2. Is a sense of atmosphere evoked, and how? . What scenic effects are used and how important and effective are they? 4. Does the setting influence or impinge on the characters and/or plot? Biography 1. Does the book give a â€Å"full-length† picture of the subject? 2. What phases of the subject's life receive greatest treatment and is this treatment justified? 3. What is the point of view of the author? 4. How is the subject matter organized: chronologically, retrospectively, etc.? 5. Is the treatment superficial or does the author show extensive study into the subject's life? 6. What source materials were used in the preparation of the biography? . Is the work documented? 8. Does the author attempt to get at the subject's hidden motives? 9. What important new f acts about the subject's life are revealed in the book? 10. What is the relationship of the subject's career to contemporary history? 11. How does the biography compare with others about the same person? 12. How does it compare with other works by the same author? History and other Nonfiction 1. With what particular subject or period does the book deal? 2. How thorough is the treatment? 3. What were the sources used? 4. Is the account given in broad outline or in detail? 5. Is the style that of reportorial writing, or is there an effort at interpretive writing? 6. What is the point of view or thesis of the author? 7. Is the treatment superficial or profound? 8. For what group is the book intended (textbook, popular, scholarly, etc. )? 9. What part does biographical writing play in the book? 10. Is social history or political history emphasized? 11. Are dates used extensively, and if so, are they used intelligently? 12. Is the book a revision? How does it compare with earlier editions? 13. Are maps, illustrations, charts, etc. used and how are these to be evaluated? Poetry 1. Is this a work of power, originality, individuality? 2. What kind of poetry is under review (epic, lyrical, elegiac, etc. )? 3. What poetical devices have been used (rhyme, rhythm, figures of speech, imagery, etc. ), and to what effect? 4. What is the central concern of the poem and is it effectively expressed? Subject headings used in the catalog: Book reviewing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Criticism Related books: Book reviewing : a guide to writing book reviews for newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. Boston. The Writer, 1978 PN98. B7 B6 Drewry, John. Writing Book Reviews. Boston: The Writer, 1974. PN98. B7 D7 1974 Teitelbaum, Harry. How to Write Book Reports. New York: Monarch Press, 1975. LB2369 . T4 Miller, Walter James. How to write book reports : — analyzing and evaluating fiction, drama, poetry, and non-fiction  New York. Arco Pub. , 1984. LB2369 . M46 1984 Sources of Book Reviews Book Review Digest  1985+ INDEX Z1219 . C96 Book Review Index  1965+ INDEX Z1035. A1 B6 Contemporary Authors  REFERENCE Z1224 . C5 Related Websites: How to Write a Book Review. Stauffer Library. http://library. queensu. ca/inforef/bookreview/wri. htm Writing Book Reviews. University of Waterloo Library. http://library. uwaterloo. a/libguides/1-12. html ————————————————- How to Write a Book Review. Dalhousie University Libraries. http://www. library. dal. ca/How/Guides/BookReview/ How to Write a Book Review chillibreeze writer  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  Amy Sengupta A book review is a critical summary of a book. It is an open forum where one analyses and forms an opinion of the writers work. This critical evaluation is not only a useful source of information for the reader, but for those who intend to read the book. The essential step for writing a book review is to read it thoroughly and understand the contents of the book. One has to understand that it is simply not a summary but a critique. The three important steps in writing a book review are: Step 1: Introduction Start by mentioning the essentials like the title of the book, author’s name and relevant publishing information. You should also specify what type of literature it. For example it could be a sociological analysis, a historical book, a purely academic one or a lighter piece of work. Normally, the background about the writer is not required but one should not omit it if it’s of special relevance – for example a refugee writing on refugees. This helps to put the text in a specific context. Step 2: Main Section – Description and Summary The main section ideally consists of two sections – the description and the summary. The description can have excerpts from the book that give valuable insight into the work. However, while reviewing the storyline one has to make sure that the suspense of the story is not given away. Step 3: The Critical Analysis In this section, one has to remember not to critically analyze the entire book but take out those points which are intriguing. For example, if the book is on the urban poor, one can perhaps focus on their politics and culture. Your opinion on the book is crucial here as it shapes your analysis. It helps to provide an insight into the attributes of the book – Is it worth reading, is it interesting and so on. This section should also talk about one’s learning’s from the book and whether it holds an important or interesting message that caught your attention. Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.

Problems of Democracy in Pakistan Essay

After years of military dictatorships followed by sham democracy, the situation in Pakistan has reached such a point that the masses are yearning for radical change. Their suffering is immense as the people at the top continue to enrich themselves at the expensive of the workers and peasants, collaborating with imperialism as it rides rough-shod over the people of Pakistan. Everything is moving to an inevitable revolutionary explosion. Pakistan’s Supreme Court in its verdict of 16 December, 2009 declared the notorious NRO null and void ab initio. The National Reconciliation Ordinance of October 2007 was promulgated by the then President of Pakistan General Parvaiz Musharraf. It was the outcome of a deal he had struck with Benazir Bhutto, life Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party in a covert meeting in Abu Dhabi. The deal was brokered by the United States and Britain. The aim was to create a new setup that could facilitate the imperialist war and other interests in this turbulent region. According to this ordinance all cases of politicians including corruption, murder, extortion, kidnappings and other heinous crimes would be withdrawn. Some of the major beneficiaries are now in power including Benazir’s widower Zardari, now the President of Pakistan and some of his most sinister ministers. The other main beneficiary is the Muteheda Qaumi Movement, MQM, whose leader, an absconder resident in London for several years, and its other leading figures were facing charges of murder and other crimes. The MQM is a mafia-type organisation with neo-fascist tendencies and its main ideological baggage is based on ethnic conflict. The present democratic dispensation is the product of such a nefarious design. After Benazir’s assassination in December 2007 Musharraf’s fate was sealed. The plan B came into action and Zardari having a long standing relationship with US officials was catapulted into the presidency with his firm assurance that he would be more subservient to the Americans than Musharraf or Benazir could ever have been. The Electoral College for this election are comprised of members of the National and provincial assemblies who were elected in the February 2008 elections, the results of which were tailor-made in Washington to serve the imperialist strategies. Ironically this unanimity, or â€Å"reconciliation†, between all the parties in Parliament was prompted by a collective fear on the part of these representatives of the ruling class in the wake of the beginnings of a mass movement that they witnessed on the arrival of Benazir from exile in Karachi on October 18, 2007 and later after the explosion of the wrath of the workers, peasants and youth at the news of her assassination on December 27, 2007. After a long period of suffering, the oppressed in Pakistan had risen up in the hope that the leader of their traditional party, the PPP under Benazir Bhutto, would be a beacon of change and free them from the unrelenting misery and distress. The Americans had already done their homework with the PPP leaders, who mainly come from the moneyed classes, to divert this outburst into a democratic election and facade of â€Å"democracy†. These leaders drowned the mass anger and revolt in sorrow and despair. They refused to call for a general strike for the elections to be held on the scheduled date of January 8, 2008 and blocked the movement. This gave an opportunity to the Pakistani state and its imperialist masters to regroup their forces and stave off the threat of a revolutionary upheaval. The Military in Pakistan has ruled directly for more than half of the country’s 62 years of chequered history. All the military regimes were supported and propped up by US imperialism. During the â€Å"democratic† intermissions the plight of the masses continued to deteriorate. After the first decade (1947-58) of democratic regimes, such was the crisis that when Martial Law was imposed by Field Martial Ayub Khan there was even a sense of relief amongst several sections of society. Ayub Khan had the impertinence to say in one of his initial statements â€Å"we must understand that democracy cannot work in a hot climate. To have democracy we must have a cold climate like Britain. † General Ayub told the first meeting of his cabinet, â€Å"As far as you are concerned there is only one embassy that matters in this country: the American Embassy. † The Ayub dictatorship embarked upon an ambitious economic, agrarian and industrial programme in the 1960s, mainly sponsored by â€Å"US Aid† and the World Bank. Although Pakistan achieved its highest growth rates under Ayub, Keynesian economic policies failed to improve the lot of the masses. The aggravated social contradictions exploded into the revolution of 1968-69 that was fundamentally of a socialist character. See Pakistan’s Other Story-The 1968-69 Revolution]. The failure of the existing left leadership to give a clear revolutionary programme and perspective to the movement resulted in the rise of the Populism of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Due to the absence of a Bolshevik-Leninist revolutionary party the revolution was lost. But it did shake the whole of South Asia. The ruling classes initially tried to impose Martial Law again. However, its failure to curb the tide resulted in the first elections based on the adult franchise in 1970 where the PPP became the largest party in West Pakistan. Having failed to curtail the revolutionary wave that pierced through the ballot, ultimately the ruling classes resorted to a war with India, which led to the break-up of Pakistan and then Bhutto was given power who, forced by the pressure of the masses, initiated radical reforms from above, but only to exhaust the revolution brewing below. Bhutto’s elected left reformist government was subsequently overthrown by a military coup led by General Zia ul Haq in July 1977, who later hanged Bhutto at the behest of US imperialism. The eleven-year brutal dictatorship of Zia was perhaps the most traumatic period for the working masses in Pakistan. In connivance with the Americans, Zia propped up and unleashed the beast of Islamic fundamentalism to crush the left. The continuance of that grotesque monstrosity is what produced the present day fundamentalist terror that is ripping apart the social fabric of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Zia Dictatorship began to crumble after another upheaval on the return from exile of Bhutto’s daughter Benazir in April 1986. The contradictions in the already weakened dictatorship were thus sharpened. General Zia’s plane was conveniently blown up in mid air in August 1988 – some have speculated that this may have been done at the request of the Americans, whom the megalomaniac and insane general had begun to â€Å"disobey† seeking his own personal agenda. From 1988 to 1999 there was another democratic interlude, where Benazir and Nawaz Sharif alternated in short stints of rulerships. This period was marred by an orgy of corruption, incompetence, spiralling economic decline and chaos. General Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup by overthrowing Sharif. Musharraf then introduced a â€Å"quasi-democracy† in 2002 but the 9/11 episode in the USA once again made another dictator another main American collaborator. This time the facade was not against communists but we had the so-called â€Å"war against terror†. Musharraf’s demise and the regime that ensued once again brought unprecedented agony and pain for the people of Pakistan. History has turned full circle. This vicious cycle of Pakistan’s political superstructure – dictatorship to democracy and back to dictatorship – has brought no respite to society. Only the suffering has intensified. In reality this is a reflection of the ongoing social and economic crisis built into the foundations of this tragic country. The Pakistani ruling class after its independence from direct British rule came onto the scene of history too late and with this came an inability to develop the economy. It was a weak class even at its inception. It could not produce enough surpluses for its profits and capital needed to tap the resources of the country and carry out its historical role of the national revolution that its pioneers had envisaged. It adjusted itself accordingly, and its survival depended on the one hand by being subservient to imperialism and on the other allying itself and compromising with the landed aristocracy created under the Raj. The founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as early as November 1947, less than three months after the formation of Pakistan, had sent his emissary to Washington asking for a $2bn loan. The response he got was a mere $10million of loose change. The failure of Pakistan’s ruling elite is evident 62 years later. None of the national democratic tasks have been completed. Several agrarian reforms have failed to abolish feudalism. Pakistan came into existence not as a nation but as a state comprising different nationalities. National oppression continues and the national question has become a festering wound on the body politic of this country. The task of the formation of a modern nation state is far from being achieved and will in fact further deteriorate with the impending crisis. This state of incompleteness of the tasks has wrought havoc on the social and economic life of Pakistani society. The social and political infrastructure is in a state of collapse. â€Å"National sovereignty† is a farce and hardly anybody believes in the state’s independence. Imperialist intervention and domination is on a greater scale today than it was in 1947, the year of Pakistan’s creation. Except for a few years under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, all the finance ministers have been employees of the World Bank or other imperialist financial institutions. Now the US is even trying to control sections of Pakistan’s armed forces and intruding its military corporate contractors to take over â€Å"security† in several vital parts of the country. These include former Blackwater now XE securities, DynCorp and others. An embittered general described the strategic relationship as Americans using Pakistan as a â€Å"condom†. The conflicts within the army are also the result of this aggressive hegemony being thrust into the Military’s domain. This is already giving rise to bloody conflicts among different agencies and sections of the armed forces representing black money and other sections of finance capital. This conflict is being waged covertly at the present time. But if a desperate imperialism faces an impending defeat in Afghanistan and tries a partial US occupation of NWFP (Pushtoonkhwa), it could even trigger a severe crisis in the army already under strain from carrying out the CENTCOM instructions on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The fallout could have catastrophic consequences. Similarly the severe crisis of Pakistani capitalism has failed to develop a parliamentary democracy. The Pakistani ruling class, in the wake of its economic failures turned to plunder of the state at an early stage. They pay less than 10% of total taxation revenues. The real burden falls on the working class who are forced to pay more than 80% of the revenues through indirect taxation. The capitalist class steals electricity and gas, while billions of dollars of bank loans have been written off. According to the figures presented before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a small section of these leeches’ annual corruption exceeds Rs. 500 billion (US$6. 2bn). Most of this money is stashed away in western banking havens. As this process started to become more and more evident, the army, the most powerful instrument of the state, started to become part of this evil nexus of plunderers and usurpers. The drug-funded and US/Saudi sponsored Afghan Jihad brought even greater loot to the coffers of the generals. Other institutions of the state and society including the judiciary, the bureaucracy and the media joined in this orgy of corruption. Hence, whenever there was a political crisis (conflict of the civilian plunderers) the military moved in to quell the rot. The dictatorships bred more corruption and as they began to lose their grip democracy was introduced – the main reason being the growing danger of a mass revolt that is provoked by these repressive regimes. Although even a bourgeois democracy is a progressive step forward as compared to military dictatorships, the exploitative system that the military rulers intervene to salvage remains intact. In Pakistan this crisis-ridden system again creates a political instability that reflects the burning economic turmoil. The army and state are not a class, but in the last analysis the economic and social conditions determine the nature of the regime that is needed by the ruling class to preserve the system of exploitation of labour. Comrade Ted Grant elaborated on this in 1949 â€Å"The state by its very nature is composed of a bureaucracy, officers, generals, heads of police etc. But those do not constitute a class; they are the instrument of a class even if they may be in antagonism to that class. They cannot themselves be a class. † (The unbroken thread, pp. 235). In Pakistan the irony is that time and again the masses have risen up against the dictatorship, fundamentally to overthrow the yoke of exploitation and misery inflicted upon them by this vicious system of class rule. When they were allowed even to make half a choice through the ballot-box they propelled the PPP to power. Yet their hopes have been dashed time and again by the PPP in government in the short span of less than 40 years. The toiling masses have been loyal to their tradition for generations. The ruling class only allowed the PPP into the corridors of power to dissipate the mass upsurge. Above all the ruling class, the state and the imperialists have used the capitulating leaders of the PPP to carry through cuts, privatisations and other drastic anti-working class measures. They could not have achieved so much with the right-wing governments of Sharif, etc. , but even under the dictatorships they combined caution with repression. However, at least in the 1970s the PPP government did carry through some reforms for the betterment of the impoverished masses. In the later PPP governments since 1988 such was the crisis of Pakistani capitalism that there was no room for even minimal reforms.