Power and Persuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Force and Persuation - Essay Example The workers can improve their expectations for everyday comforts since their pay is expanded. Prize force builds the serious idea of the association and consequently is an apparatus towards battling rivalry. Prize force expands the odds of development in an association and thus can establish the framework to internationalization. Prize force additionally has negative impacts to both the business and the representatives. A few representatives use reward capacity to exploit the efficiency of workers. The prizes in some cases given don't coordinate the necessary yield. The representatives may likewise lessen the nature of work since they mind about the measure of yield as opposed to the quality. This may devastate the picture of an association and in furthest cases may prompt breakdown of the business Raven, 1964). Intimidation is identified with remuneration power in that it prompts expanded yield. In any case, in compulsion the business ingrains dread in the workers to such an extent that their efficiency is because of the dread they have for the administration. Ingraining dread in workers has both negative and constructive outcomes. It benefits the gatherings engaged with various ways. The business benefits since the work yield is expanded and thus they can work all the more productively. The way that the representatives are made to fear their manager makes constrained regard between them. Regard between the business and the workers guarantee that obligations are conveyed put according to the set guidelines and targets. Intimidation diminishes the odds of numerous regular mix-ups done due to pomposity and consequently an association lessens the danger of misfortunes. Be that as it may, pressure can likewise prompt misuse of the representatives. A worker is affected to work past the necessary standard as far as time and profitability. The representatives can't whine about their privileges since they dread being terminated. This prompts poor working conditions, which may even prompt ailment in ventures including

Sociology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human science - Assignment Example A proportion of the wellbeing status utilizing the way of life record shows that dietary decisions change in the two classifications of populace in the various nations or locales. Purchaser inclinations likewise change with an adjustment in ways of life (Mathur, Moschis and Lee 234). Subsequently, the adjustments in dietary decision that go with a way of life rise lead to way of life issue. Diabetes and malignant growth impacts are a high chance in such situations when one’s status rise. An ascent in way of life may start different practices as medication misuse, liquor abuse and smoking in light of the fact that the individual can bear to buy medications and liquor. An adjustment in the way of life may present impacts on an individual’s perception of social standards. People will in general change their recognition to societies as those identified with public activity. Arranged relationships, for example, was a prominent culture in different pieces of the world as Indi a. With the expansion in living status of people, such societies will in general get little contemplations. A noteworthy bit of the populace lean towards decision union with arranged relationships as a result of the expansion in pay and status of the populace. Living status, subsequently, influences the public activity of a network or society. Q2 Among the difficulties, confronting the administration of America is the living status of a bit of its populace. The Census Bureau utilizes the salary factor to decide the degree of pay of the populace to decide the degree of neediness. Should the complete family unit pay be lacking to meet the family edge needs of costs, at that point the family is poor. Destitution in America is generally clear in states as New Hampshire and New Jersey among different states. There are two eminent issues among the poor in America. The principal classification of the poor in America has a high number of low-pay employments while the subsequent gathering is that with about no activity assignments. The two classifications of the poor in America are high in number, which keeps on expanding at a staggering rate. In different pieces of the world, the impoverishment is a key issue influencing the populace. Globalization impacts keep on influencing the business sectors in different pieces of the world. Impacts of monetary backfire are apparent in light of globalization. This is a main source of impoverishment in different pieces of the world as Italy. The polarizing impacts of globalization saw the waning off work open doors for a noteworthy populace of the world. This is like the instance of the poor in America who need employments. The polarizing impacts of the globalization have had impacts of low wages among the utilized that is like the inadequate profit among the poor in America. The closeness between the poor in America and the devastated in different pieces of the world radiates from the deficient wages for the utilized or the all o ut absence of employments. Q3 The monetary emergency that dodged the world in keeps on being top among the worldwide issues, today. The emergency is recognizable through five significant stages. As per Elliott, the emergency started in 2007 August 9 (1). This first stage saw the seizure in the money related establishments (banks being the most influenced). This prompted banks halting business with one another. The August 15 2008 denoted the second period of the worldwide wonder. The administration of the United States, on this date, allowed Lehman Brothers (a speculation bank) to accomplish insolvency status. The tumble down of Lehman Brothers saw the fall

13 Questions You Should Be Asking about Updating Your References

13 Questions You Should Be Asking about Updating Your References National Update Your References Week It seems there are international and/or national weeks for just about everything, and the first week in May was, as proclaimed by Career Directors International, International Update Your References Week (UYRW). Why such a thing? CDI says UYRW “was created due to the importance of job seekers [sic] learning to maintain a network of warm contacts and references, in order to assist them in career change, employment, and growth.” CDI’s director, Laura DeCarlo, asserts that “up to 45% of employers check references, so it is necessary to be prepared to be asked for them.” Are You a Skeptic about National Anything Weeks? Even as a resume writer, my initial response to learning about International Update Your References Week was, “You’ve gotta be kidding. How much could there possibly be to do or say about references?” But then I thought about all the people reading my blog who might not have their references updated. I did a double-take for myself too: If I were to apply for employment somewhere, would my references be at my fingertips at the moment I needed them? I Need to Update My References The answer to that second question was … well … “mostly yes.” I’m connected with the majority of my past supervisors on LinkedIn, and recently had a nice chat with one of them just to catch up. When I travel to New York, I make an effort to visit my old stomping grounds in Brooklyn to stay in contact with the folks at CAMBA Legal Services. So why do I say “mostly”? Well, I have, embarrassingly enough, forgotten the name of my most recent supervisor at the University Of Wisconsin Law School’s Career Services Office. Prior to posting this article, I wrote to the man who was assistant director during my tenureâ€"someone I have stayed connected with through networkingâ€"and asked for his assistance in identifying her. Oops. From my own erroneous ways in the references department, I can confidently say that while updating your references is something that’s best done on an ongoing basis (just like being nice to your mother on days other than Mother’s Day, or showing love to your partner on days other than Valentine’s Day), it doesn’t hurt to give some extra attention to this project once a year. 13 Questions and Answers About Updating Your References Since Update Your References Week proved useful to me, I imagine it will be a wake-up call for some of you too! To that end, here are some questions you might have about updating your references, which are answered on the UYRW information page: Why do I need to provide references for an employer? Who makes a good reference? How many references do I need? What types of information do I list? Should I list references directly on my resume? Should I list “References Available Upon Request” on resume? What if I was fired from my last job? Do I need to list that employer as a reference? When do I send references? What if I can’t find all of my previous supervisors? Do I need to ask permission to use someone as a reference? Someone once suggested that I send a copy of my resume to all my references. Why should I do that? What if I don’t have any prior experience? CDI has thoroughly answered all those questions and I recommend you read the answers. You might be surprised by some of them! Another question came up recently for me: “Can I quote my references on my resume without asking for their specific permission to do so?” My answer to that is, “It depends.” If your reference has publicized their testimonial on LinkedIn, then their recommendation is fair game. If they have not, then best practice is to request their permission before putting their name on your resume, especially if a quote is attributed to them. This doesn’t mean you can’t use their rave review from an evaluation or other sourceâ€"but get their permission first, or, as an alternative, use their title only, without their name attached to it. Keeping It Personal Also missing from CDI’s list is a recommendation that I would like to make: Stay in contact with your references! Are you aware of your former boss’s career transitions? Family milestones? Remember, people will be most willing and enthusiastic about providing recommendations for you if you exhibit interest in them for more than their reference status. Staying in touch with your references will be particularly useful if they are prohibited by company policy from providing a recommendation, but can find a way around the rulesâ€"or if they move to another company, allowing them to provide a reference for the prior one. Do you have other questions about references? I will be happy to answer them even though Update Your Reference Week is over! I’d also love to hear how you would rate yourself on your communications with your references. Is it time to reach out to someone or find out what’s happening with their career or life? There’s no time like a national UYRW to do it!

Emotional Isolation in Mary Shelleys Life and in...

Emotional isolation in Frankenstein is the most pertinent and prevailing theme throughout the novel. This theme is so important because everything the monster does or feels directly relates to his poignant seclusion. The effects of this terrible burden have progressively damaging results upon the monster, and indirectly cause him to act out his frustrations on the innocent. The monsters emotional isolation makes him gradually turn worse and worse until evil fully prevails. This theme perpetuates from Mary Shelleys personal life and problems with her father and husband, which carry on into the work and make it more realistic.(Mellor 32) During the time she was writing this novel, she was experiencing the emotional pangs of her†¦show more content†¦Henry Clerval had a striking resemblance to Percys alter ego, and Mary most likely wanted to spend the rest of her life with a man like this. Mary also blamed Percy for the death of her baby because when she needed a doctor, h e would not allow her to immediately see one. Following the death of their child, he was by no means supportive of Marys needs and feelings, which ultimately propelled her into further pain and dejection. This feeling of resentment shows in Frankenstein when Victor shuns his newly created monster and casts it out of his life. The monster goes as far as saying, I am malicious because I am miserable. Her feelings of isolation can be established with But it was all a dream; no Eve soothed my sorrows nor shared my thoughts; I was alone. I remembered Adams supplication to his Creator. But where was mine? He had abandoned me, and in the bitterness of my heart I cursed him. Marys feelings of resentment, regret, despair, and even hatred are very clear and unwavering throughout the story, and the isolation the monster feels is heavily dependant on her situation. The monsters gradual descent into evil most likely follows the path of depression Mary Shelley takes in the course of her life. First, her father is taken away, much like the separation the monster feels when Victor shuns him. Next, she suffers the extreme losses of her half-sister and newborn, which parallelsShow MoreRelatedMary Shelley and Flannery OConnor: Gothic Isolationists1724 Words   |  7 Pagesdeveloped into a 19th century phenomenon. The success of this dominant genre in England is frequently attributed to Mary Shelley. Despite its success during this time period, gothic fiction ceased to be a dominant genre by the Victorian Era. However, in many ways it had now begun to enter into its most ingenious phase. This paper will analyze the influence of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein on Flannery O’Connor’s work, specifically her novel Wise Blood. Flannery O’Connor emerged as a crucial and contemporaryRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1650 Words   |  7 Pagesthe book of Frankenstein does one just think of a mythical science fiction book that really has no meaning? Frankenstein can have numerous meanings depending on how a person perceives it. Frankenstein can be analyzed into many themes; some say religion, feminism, or scientific symbolization, it all depends on ones own perception. When one analyzes further into Mary Shelly’s life and then interprets the novel it is obvious that is a sociological theme. One can simply assume that Mary Shelley createsRead MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein - Original Writing1489 Words   |  6 Pagesrecurred, but I was unable to solve them (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein).† Mary Shelley’s book, Frankenstein, parallels her own experiences. Shelley’s mother died in childbirth, and she was left â€Å"dependent on none and related to none.† Her father, William Godwin, abandoned his daughter emotionally when he remarried a woman who treated Mary poorly. Shelley often searched for an understanding of who she was. She did not have a mother to give her an education, so Mary taught herself by seeking answers toRead MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein - Original Writing1146 Words   |  5 Pagesrecurred, but I was unable to solve them (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein).† Mary Shelley’s book, Frankenstein, parallels her own experiences. Shelley’s mother died in childbirth, and she was left â€Å"dependent on none and related to none.† Her father, William Godwin, abandoned his daughter emotionally when he remarried a woman who treated Mary poorly. Shelley often searched for an understanding of who she was. She did not have a mother to give her an education, so Mary taught herself by seeking answers toRead MoreEssay about Frankenstein by Mary Shelly1174 Words   |  5 Pagesor major events that affected them psychologically. Authors use the unconscious mind that manifests in actions and Mary Shelley is no exception. In her famous novel about a creation and his creator, the unconscious transformation through adolescents in her life is visible. Some of her own adolescent issues were infused into the creature’s character. People could look at Frankenstein as a dramatic journal entry, allowing Shelley to be able to write about p ersonal issues as she was navigating the trickyRead MoreFrankenstein Literary Analysis Essay903 Words   |  4 PagesFrankenstein Literary Analysis Friends will determine the direction and quality of your life. Loneliness is a battle that all people will once face at a certain point in their life; it is how they handle it that determines the outcome of that battle. In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein loneliness is the most significant and prevailing theme throughout the entire novel. Shelley takes her readers on a wild journey that shows how loneliness can end in tragedy. Robert Walton is the first characterRead MoreTheme Of Isolation In Frankenstein1077 Words   |  5 PagesIsolation in Frankenstein The consequences of isolation can be both physical and emotional. For the characters in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, isolation does both in varying degrees.Through Victor’s self-destructive path for knowledge and revenge, the creature’s descent from curiosity and benevolence to misery and revenge, and Walton’s journey to the Arctic, Mary Shelley explores the theme of isolation in that whether it is intentional or not, isolation only leads to negative consequences. Read MoreZombies And Its Effects On Society1718 Words   |  7 PagesZombies appear to be evolving not only physically, but mentally as well. Due to their adaptations to feelings of sadness, love, and isolation, zombies have been rising in popularity. Their emotional adaptations have extended as far as zombies having romantic relationships, allowing the new genre of film, zombie romance, to peak the horizon and contribute to their prominence throughout history. In addition, the effects of their popularity on society include studies that have shown children obtainingRead MoreEssay on Frankenstein: Reflecting Mary Shelley’s Life Experiences2738 Words   |  11 Pagesis especially true in the case of Mary Shelley. Shelley began her novel at the age of 18 when the most prominent materials in the consciousness and unconsciousness of Shelley were concerned with the conflicts stemming from the death of her mother. Frankenstein is the outcome of Shelley’s unresolved grief f or the death of her mother which was the crisis she needed to work through to forget her own adult identity. Mary was the daughter of a revolutionary author Mary Wollstonecraft who is regarded asRead MoreScience May Be Interesting To Most, But Its Development1781 Words   |  8 Pageswarned of this in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This extremely famous novel is about a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who creates a grotesque creature, using electricity. Many assume the creature’s name to be Frankenstein as it may be depicted in movies but this is false, as the scientist’s name is Frankenstein and the monster does not have a name. New developing science allows Victor to create this creature which, as we learn throughout the story, should never have been created. Mary Shelley uses

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars

While still a child, Mithridates, later King Mithridates VI of Pontus, official friend of Rome, developed a reputation that included matricide and a paranoid fear of being poisoned. Roman Treaties - Information on What Is Meant by a Friend of Rome During the Roman Republic, competing military leaders Sulla and Marius wanted the honor of disposing of the greatest challenge to Roman supremacy since the Punic War general Hannibal Barca. From the end of the second to the middle of the first century B.C, this was the long-lived Mithridates VI of Pontus (132-63 B.C.), a thorn in Romes side for 40 years. The rivalry between the two Roman generals led to the  loss of blood at home, but only one of them, Sulla, confronted Mithridates abroad. Despite the great battlefield competence of Sulla and Marius  and their personal confidence in their ability to check the Eastern despot, it was neither Sulla nor Marius who put an end to the Mithridatic problem. Instead, it was Pompey the Great, who earned his honorific in the process. Location of Pontus - Home of Mithridates The mountainous district of Pontus lay on the eastern side of the Black Sea, beyond the province of Asia and Bithynia, north of Galatia and Cappadocia, west of Armenia, and south of Colchis. [See Map of Asia Minor.] It was founded by King Mithridates I Ktistes (301-266 B.C.). In the Third Punic War (149 - 146 B.C.), King Mithridates V Euergetes (r. 150-120) who claimed descent from the Persian King Darius, helped Rome. Rome gave him Phrygia Major in gratitude. He was the most powerful king in Asia Minor. By the time Rome had annexed Pergamum to create the province of Asia (129 B.C.), the kings of Pontus had moved from their capital in Amasia to rule from the Black Sea port city of Sinope. Mithridates - Youth and Poison In 120 B.C., while still a child, Mithridates (Mithradates) Eupator (132-83 B.C.) became king of the area of Asia Minor known as Pontus. His mother may have assassinated her husband, Mithridates V, in order to take power, since she served as regent and ruled in her young sons stead. Afraid his mother would try to kill him, Mithridates went into hiding. During this time, Mithridates started ingesting small doses of various poisons in order to develop an immunity. When Mithridates returned (c. 115-111), he took command, imprisoned his mother (and, possibly, ordered her execution), and started to extend his dominion.After Mithridates acquired Greek towns in Colchis and whats now the Crimea, he developed a strong fleet to hold his territories. But that wasnt all. Since the Greek towns hed overtaken proved so lucrative, providing resources in the form of revenue, officers, and mercenary soldiers, Mithridates wanted to increase his Greek holdings. Next page Mithridates expands his empire Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Print SourcesH. H. Scullards revised version of F.B. Marshs Roman World 146-30 B.C.Cambridge Ancient History Vol. IX, 1994. Also on this site Gaius Julius CaesarGaius MariusSullaTimeline of the Late Roman Republic Previous Articles -I tell the tale that I heard told.Mithridates, he died old.From A.E. Housman Terence, this is stupid stuff

Fairtale Essay Free Essays

string(45) " be a male and what it means to be a female\." One of the most well known, well loved and influential genre of literature is the fairy tale. A fairy tale is defined by the Oxford dictionary as â€Å"A children’s story of magical and imaginary beings and lands†. Overtime the concept of fairy tales has changed. We will write a custom essay sample on Fairtale Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fairy tales are being re-written and re-illustrated constantly, which makes fairy tales appealing to every generation. Fairy tales broaden the imagination of children. They allow us gain an insight into a world of magic and adventure- a world we will never experience but fantasize about. â€Å"Fairy tales are nothing if not realistic: and it is their cynicism that keeps them lively. (Opie, 1980, p. 19) â€Å"A characteristic of the fairy tale, as told today, is that it is unbelievable. Although a fairy tale is seldom a tale about fairy-folk and does not necessarily even feature a fairy, it does contain an enchantment or other supernatural element that is clearly imaginary. † (Opie, 1980 p. 18). The origin of fairy tales is commonly unknown and more often than not never discovered by the reader. French writers Catherine Bernard, Marie-Jeanne Lheitier, Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy are believed to be â€Å"chiefly responsible for the establishment of the fairytale as a lite racy genre in Europe. (Zipes, 2006,p. 13) of the 1960s. However, it was Italian writers Giovan Francesco Straparola and Giambattista Basile who played a major role in the rise of literacy in Europe. â€Å"This is one of the best kept secrets that is well worth unlocking because it reveals just how closely tied the literacy fairy tale as genre is to spread of the civilizing process throughout Europe. †(Zipes, 2006, p. 13) However, it was the influence of Boccaccio’s Decamerone that led to the production of various collections of ‘novelle’ that had an impact on the literacy fairy tale as a short narrative. Straparola was the first to publish his collection â€Å"Le piacevoli notti (1550 and 1553) from the example Boccaccio had set. Straparola was different from previous writers. He was the first European writer â€Å"to adapt many tales from oral tradition, creating approximately fourteen literacy fairy tales in his collection of seventy four novella. † (Zipes, 2006, p. 14) Straparola’s work caused some controversy and at one time one of his collections was banned by the pope in 1791. This was due to themes which Straparola had included in his work. He introduced â€Å"plain earthy language† and â€Å"critical view of power struggles in Italian society†. Basile shared similar views on power and civility. (Zipes, 2006). Even form this early stage, fairy tales have always been connected to power, social class and gender stereotyping. Both Straparola and Basile recognised that Italian principalities were being damaged through family conflicts, the change in commerce and trade and war. They used fairy tale’s as a written means of broaching their concern over the unexpected change of norms on human behaviour. Although time passes and things change, fairytales have not dated. The classic fairy tales that Basile and Straparola once told are still being told to children today all over the world. Thanks to the origination of the fairytale by Straparola and Basil â€Å"we still rely on its narrative strategy to see how dangerous it is to think that we live in more civilized and better world than the realms of the past. †(Zipes, 2006) For centuries young children have been enthralled by fairy tales. Tales of witches, wizards, princes and princesses, fairy godmothers and villains alike have been influencing how children view the world around them. This appears particularly true in the case of young girls, with whom these stories seem to resonate. However living in a contemporary 22nd century society the question needs to be posed; are these stories, written centuries ago, still providing a relevant and realistic portrayal of female role models to the youth of today? Or are these folktales of ‘prince charming’ and ‘happily ever afters’ corrupting ideals from infancy and setting these young girls up for disappointment? Women today have come along away from their 18th century counterparts. Women have fought for years to be able to vote, work, raise children as a lone parent and run a household. Women have gained their right to respect and independence in a world that is no longer dominated my males. These rights are marked as historic events that women are extremely proud of. However still today, when educating children we use â€Å"fairy tales† as means of communicating, although sometimes indirectly, the role women should play in life. For example, in fairy tales, the concept of beauty is outlined very clearly. Beauty is expressed as a physical necessity. The leading lady in the typical fairy tale is usually described and illustrated as a woman possessing features considered physically attractive to males, a thin figure, glowing skin, red lips, symmetrical facial features and well attired. In the classical tale of Sleeping Beauty Aurora has â€Å"red lips as red as the red red rose† fair skin, blue eyes long blonde hair and an impossibly thin figure. This seems to be the universal concept of what beauty is among all the fairy tales that Walt Disney have produced. This image of beauty is in stark contrast to the reality in which we live into today. This depiction of the need for beauty is not the only negative stereotype conveyed in fairy tales. Instead of being able to defend and stick up for themselves, women are forever relying on males to rescue them. Whether it be the ‘handsome prince charming’ or the father figure, a male, nevertheless is always there to save the day and resolve whatever predicament has arisen in order for all involved except the villain to live â€Å"happily ever after†. The act of stereotyping serves as a short-cut to the way that the majority of the population views our culture. Therefore, though we might not completely agree with the way in which gender roles are represented in these fairy tales, it still serves us well in a sense that we might gain a basic understanding of what it means to be a male and what it means to be a female. You read "Fairtale Essay" in category "Essay examples" Whether personally accepted or rejected, the notion of males being dominant and females being subordinate has been deeply embedded into our culture’s view of the gender roles. The villain is also an interesting stereotype which is evident in all fairy tales. Villains are portrayed as ugly, malicious, jealous characters. They are almost always characterised by being an evil step-mother, wicked queen, a witch or an evil mother in law. The job of the villain in a fairytale is to make life difficult for the leading protagonist. The queen in Basile’s version of Snow White is described as â€Å"a murderous and unnatural, unsexed anomaly who tricks Talia†¦ †(Warner ,1995,p. 220). However, evil they are, they always play a powerful female role in all the fairy tales I have chosen to discuss. To consider whether the portrayals of women in classic fairy tales are genuine role models for young girls, I will be examining and referring to the following books: Cinderella , Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the seven dwarfs, Mulan and Shrek. Certainly by examining classic fairy tales it is obvious that the central female character is continuously presented as being ‘beautiful’. In the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, the story begins with â€Å"Once upon a time there lived a rich merchant with three pretty daughters. The youngest was the prettiest of the there and she was called beauty. † From the very beginning of the story, emphasis is put on how beautiful Belle is in the fairytale. The fact that the lead character is appreciated for her beauty alone speaks multitudes about the message the story gives out to its reader and indeed to young girls. â€Å"There is the threatened union of an almost supernaturally beautiful girl with a hideous monster. † (Iona,Peter, 1980,p. 180) The fairytale puts emphasis on how beautiful Belle is and how ugly the beast is. Similarly Sleeping Beauty â€Å"had a beautiful face and she thought beautiful thoughts†, Snow White â€Å"grew into a beautiful woman†, when Cinderella arrived at the ball everyone wondered â€Å"Who is that beautiful girl? † and The Little Mermaid was â€Å"the youngest, and most beautiful, daughter of Mer King. † The initial portrayal of these women is innocent and positive. Any young girl would aspire to possess such favourable qualities and attractiveness. Being beautiful and falling in love with prince charming, then living happily-ever-after, seems to be the most important outcome of these fairy tales. But the question we have to ask ourselves is -are these ‘harmless’ tales instilling false ideas of what life is like for children? One may not think that reading such biased material to a child could possibly have a lasting effect on their perceptions of how one should conform in society, however according to Bettelheim â€Å"A child trusts what the fairy tale tells, because its world view accords with his own† (Bettelheim, 1991, p. 45) The fairytale is so convincing to the child, as the tale matches the child’s thinking, approach and understanding of the world. Bettelheim states â€Å"these fairytales direct the child’s own thinking about his own development, permitting the child to draw his own conclusion†, yet since some classic fairy tales are known to display gender stereotyping, we must ask ourselves, what implication this has on children’s perspectives of specific gender roles in society if the child is drawing his/her own conclusion after reading the fairy tale. Fairy tales portray a black and white view of society. Males are frequently portrayed as the head of the family, who are physically and emotionally strong, and whose sphere exists outside of the home. Females are frequently portrayed as dependent, physically and emotionally weak, and belong inside the home. This depiction of the male and female roles sends a very false and blinding message to its audience. On the other hand it can be argued that stereotypes are a part of life/society. The act of stereotyping serves as a short-cut to the way that the majority of the population views our culture. Therefore, though we might not completely agree with the way in which gender roles are represented in these fairy tales, it still gives a basic understanding of what it means to be a male and what it means to be a female. A similar theme seems to run through all the fairy tales I have chosen. All of the female protagonists are punished in some way as a result of their physical fortune. In Snow White, the evil queen wants the â€Å"fairest of them all† so a search is sent for Snow White to be killed. Snow White ends up cleaning, tidying and cooking for seven dwarfs in the forest as payment for letting her stay. Similarly in Cinderella, the beautiful Cinderella is made servant to her step mother and step sisters. Cinderella is isolated in the house and ignored by her step sisters and step mother. Sleeping Beauty is cursed from the moment she was born as a result of her beauty. A wicked witch was furious that she wasn’t invited to the baby’s banquet so she put a spell on her to remain asleep for a hundred years. Belle in Beauty and the Beast finds herself in a similar situation; she is one of three sisters and the only one who cleans and cooks as a result of her misfortune. The women all have a variety of traits in common. All of the female characters I have mentioned display admirable qualities. All of the women are kind and gentle but these female characters are viewed as being passive and submissive. These women depend on the male characters in the tales to be either saved or to be happy. This sends out an extremely negative stereotype to young readers, presenting that women’s job in life is cook, clean and wait for â€Å"Prince Charming† to come in order to be happy. According to Bettelheim it is child’s life experiences that teach the child the right manner, he goes on to say â€Å"when children are young, it is literature that carries such information best. † (Tartar, 1999, p. 69) If this is the case then children reading heavily stereotyped tales from an early age will impact their manner and possibly the way they view the gender roles. Bettelheim also states that a child’s â€Å"mind is animistic† and children especially young girls are vulnerable to believing that being beautiful and meeting prince charming are key goals and will result in a â€Å"happily ever after. † West (2004) argues that â€Å"books are such a major influence in the formation of children’s values and attitudes that adults need to monitor nearly every word that children read. (Hunt, 1999, p. 5) If this is the case, should we be reading child fairy tales? It was the feminist movement that brought a closer examination of gender roles in fairytales. In Lissa Paul’s article she argues that â€Å"While children’s literature is predicated on the notion that children are essentially blank or naive and are in need of protection and instruction, then issues of suitability or unsuitability are important. † (Hunt, 1999, p121) This idea seems to be evident in feminist’s attitudes with regards the lead female character in fairy tales. Feminists feel that these women over rely on their beauty and each wait, in some way or another, for their Prince Charming to come rescue them. According to Lissa Paul’s article, while discussing Cinderella, she states that â€Å"Most of us- women, children and feminist critics, I imagine – don’t want to be seen valuing riches. Or princes for that matter† (Hunt, 1999, p. 112). However many of the fairy tales chosen for the essay have the common theme of a male hero rescuing or saving the female heroine in the story. They solely depend on the prince to come save them in the end. In Cinderella her family feels she is inferior to them and so she serves as a slave in her own home. â€Å"They were very unkind to her and ordered her about from morning until night. † She is too weak to stand up to them and so waits for a prince to come rescue her. Similarly in Sleeping Beauty she sleeps for one hundred years before a prince comes and rescues her, in Beauty and the Beast, Belle finally ends up with a handsome prince â€Å"the beast disappeared and in his place stood a handsome prince†. In Snow White after she ate the poison apple, she lay peacefully in her coffin until a prince fell in love with her and rescued her â€Å"she opened her eyes and on seeing the handsome prince she fell in love with him†. There is evidently a strong portrayal of physical beauty in these fairy tales and these images of the female protagonist gives a very weak and negative display of women’s abilities and aspirations. On the contrary, however, a very interesting aspect is in Beauty and the Beast. Belle demonstrates having a mind of her own compared to her female counterparts whose main focus was to find their handsome prince using their good looks. Belle looks beyond physical appearance and recognises the good man in the Beast â€Å"she has not mistaken a human lover for a monster, like Psyche, or failed to see a good man beneath the surface.. †(Warner, 1995,p. 307) This follows her gradual arousal of both attraction and sexuality for the Beast throughout the course of the fairytale until he unsurprisingly too turns into a handsome prince at the end. â€Å"Beauty’s wooer has the appearance of a monster, and only after Belle has overcome her aversion for his vile shape can the monster be seen to be a handsome prince. (Opie, 1980, p. 180) The notion of being socially stable is put forward to us. Once these women are saved by their ‘Prince Charming’ and fall in love with him, they are rewarded with a luxurious life as a princess and will ultimately ‘live happily ever after’. The Little Mermaid was written by Hans Christen Andersen in 1836 and was released by Walt Disney in 1989. This fairyt ale was hoped to go against the grain and portray a leading women who wasn’t submissive or passive but strong and independent and good role model of young children. The tale is about a young teenage mermaid, called Ariel, who doesn’t like her life under the sea and is much more fascinated by the human world. Regardless of her father’s warnings she exchanges her voice for legs with the evil witch to spend three days on land. She must make Prince Eric fall in love with her and kiss her or else she becomes the sea witch’s forever. The witch reassures her â€Å"the graceful form, the modest gait and speaking eyes. With such as these, it will easy to infatuate a vain human male† (Anderson, 1993,p. 8). It is clear from that short summary that the tale still managed to stereotype women. The message being sent out is that if Ariel relies on her beauty alone she will get the Prince to fall in love with her. Trites 1990 said, â€Å"Undoubtedly, feminists’ have criticized Ariel because she seems to have little ambition beyond getting her prince. † (http://charlottesmedia. blogspot. com/) The story of Mulan helped c hange the perception of women in Fairy tales but still managed to imply a message that women are inferior to men. Mulan is no one’s trophy and to me is the first groundbreaking Disney film to show a woman to be capable of taking the same roles of men. The story is based on a Chinese myth about a woman who saves china from the Huns. She goes to fight in the war instead of her father and displays traits that are stereotyped as only being male. She is a strong and a courageous woman and breaks social boundaries and expectations. However, Mulan is similar to Belle in Beauty and the Beast, as she too isn’t seen as acceptable in society and this idea of gender obligations is evident. Women ‘should’ be a homemaker and a wife, not cleaver and strong. Finally the film Shrek, created in the 22th century and displays beauty in a different way. Beauty is displayed on the inside in this new image of the princess, which I found to be really refreshing. The two leading characters are ogres. The film goes against the classical fairy tale characteristics. Princess Fiona is different from other princesses and does not wait for prince charming to rescue her. She is a dependent woman who is able to stand on her own two feet. She chooses Shrek as a husband and decides to live her own life as an ogre. This is a unique fairytale as Fiona overlooks physical beauty and is not saved by a male, which results in her having a better life. However she still does live her life as a princess. Unfortunately, many women today hold a â€Å"princess attitude†, and aspire to have a princess type of life. This attitude can be seen among some girls and young women. They often believe that marrying well, especially financially, is desirable, so they can easily live the life of a princess. This may very well be an effect caused by the women that are presented to us in these fairy tales since early childhood. Certainly a clear progression can be seen with regards the representation of women between the 17th-18th century fairy tales (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty) and the 19th -22nd century fairy tales (Mulan, Shrek). I do appreciate that the morals and values are changing in regard to fairytales in recent years. As a whole, however, In my opinion I think that the fairy tales discussed portray a negative stereotype to young children and are not good role models. According to Zipes â€Å"We can continue to enjoy this harmless pastime of telling classical fairytales to our children, not realising the possible harm or harmlessness. Zipes, 2006,p. 57) Bibliography Andersen, H. C. Fairy Tales: The Little Mermaid, Bristol, Parragon Book Service Ltd, 1993. Bettelheim, B. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning And Importance Of Fairy Tales, England, Penguin, 1991. Charlotte’s media blog. available at http://charlottesmedia. blogspot. com/ accessed on 14/4/2012 Hunt, peter. Children’s Li terature, An illustrated History, Oxford, University Press,1995. Hunt, Peter. Understanding Children’s Literature, London, Routledge, 1999. Ladybird, Snow White And The 7 Dwarfs, Ladybird Ltd, 2005. Marsoli, L. A. Mulan, NY, Mouse Works, 1998. Opie, Iona ; Peter, The Classic Fairy Tales, USA, Oxford University Press, 1980. Soanes, Catherine, and  Angus Stevenson. Concise Oxford English dictionary. New York:  Oxford University Press,2012. Southgate, V. Beauty and the Beast, UK, Ladybird Books Ltd, 1988. Southgate, V. Cinderella, UK, Ladybird Books Ltd, 1982. Southgate, V. Sleeping Beauty, UK, Ladybird Books Ltd, 1984. Warner, M. Beast to the Blonde ,London, Vintage. 1995. Zipes, Jack. Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion, New York, Routledge, 2006. Film: Shrek, Disney, 2001. How to cite Fairtale Essay, Essay examples

Elektra Products free essay sample

How might top management have done a better job changing Electra-Quik into a new kind of organization? What might they do now to get the empowerment process back on track? Elektra Products, Inc. is facing problems such turn down of market share, weak internal communication among departments, low morale, and employees were seeking other jobs. Therefore, the organization has to create a solution which can solve or reduce the problems. Decline of the market share was one of the external problems faced by them which implies that their profit and revenue has been falling as well. To improve upon this they could do research and development about what the customers are demanding and if they would be willing to buy their products. In addition, they should buy new machinery in order to encourage new product innovation. This way they will be able to compete with the foreign and domestic competitors. There are many internal problems as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Elektra Products or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One of the major problems of the company is that the morale of the employees is low and the labour turnover is high. This is due to the lack of vision and mission statements. These statements help employees unify each other to achieve a common goal. Another internal problem was the leadership style used. The management should not only focus on the training of top managers. Due to the extremely precarious case of the organisation, the management need to take an interest with the middle managers as well as the first-line managers (Boone and Kurtz, 2011). They would need to conduct training sessions for all these levels to revive the past glory of the company and increase the morale of everyone in the company, whatever position the employees may be in. To get the empowerment back on track, the top managers have to motivate the employees with empowering interpretations to bring new future and hope for the organization. They have to minimize the problems of the organisation with these following techniques. Firstly, the top management should call a meeting with the organisation employees, arrange various training, discussion that would enable change of the employees attitude positively, improve their communication and motivation, and create sense of partnership of the organization. As stated by the multimillionaire Gary Vaynerchuks 2012) â€Å"The only way to succeed is to be completely transparent . By doing so, then only the employees are able to understand the ideas of the top management. In addition, since the employees of the company might be still unaware of Martin because he is new, he can talk to them personally to improve internal relations which will gain their trust and increase confidence. Secondly, conducting a market su rvey will help with innovation. The survey helps the organization to know about its competitors, for example, having knowledge about the competitor’s price strategy, product design, brand name and customer’s feedback. Lastly, the organization has to develop committee with the goal departments. The committee has to give a lot of attention for the departments like sales and marketing, production, manufacturing, and human resource management (HRM) as there is a more visible gap among these departments. Therefore, to accomplish the empowerment processes, the top management and Martin Griffin should try their best to change the attitudes of employees like Simon and many others that have a negative outlook of the empowerment by bestowing training. Question 2. Can you think of ways Barbara could have avoided the problems her team faced in the meeting with department heads? There are different ways that Barbara could have done to avoid the problems her team faced in the meeting with department heads. Barbara could have used different tactics to keep away from the issues which occurred in the meeting. Firstly, internal communication between different departments of the company should be clearer; managers from every department should discuss among each other in order to avoid arguments and be more time-efficient. Secondly, Barbara and her team should have been more considerate and critically analysed the issues of the other departments’ as well while giving the presentation. For example, since financial department is worried about the â€Å"unethical customers and salesperson’’, they could’ve mentioned about improving product quality since they are in the manufacturing team and offering after sales services to avoid customers to return products back (Roger,2010). Other than that, Barbara and her team should implement the sense of trust within each other. Trust is the key ingredient in having an organization to expand in quality. For example, Simon needed to place trust into the decision of empowerment that has been given from Martin Griffin. By trusting, his idea and performing it with passion then only the company can see the effect of the idea of empowerment. Whether the effect is positive or not, we can narrow down the problem since the staff is already working with passion. According to Steve covey’s (2006), there are 13 behaviours that establish trust. The most important behaviour out of 13 is ‘straight talk’. This point elaborate on how a person should say what they mean when they are having difficulty to adapt to a situation. Question 3 If you were Barbara Russell, what would you do now? Why? If I’m Barbara Russell, I will choose to push slowly for reform and work for gradual support from the other teams. Communication is the key to link each other in the organization. Barbara should have open discussion with the department leaders to figure out the difficulty and solutions to her team’s plan. Amy Barrett (2008) said that, â€Å"Your workforces skills change over time and so does your business. Getting the right people into the right jobs is key to your companys growth. Nevertheless, effective communication between employer-employee and even employee-employee led to minimize misunderstanding, respectful, and create friendly environment in the office. In fact, the company can host social committee to organize events to unite their employees or games in a team. In that way, employees have chances to know each other and sharing information. Company goals should be clearly communicated and displayed in some way throughout the workplace. Barbara could propose SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Responsible person and the Time specific) as guideline for goal setting of both management level and employees. Meanwhile, everyone would have their own goals and these should align with company goals at same, and the organization growth will be on the same horizontal. The management level played the major role to keep their staffs in the correct direction, measure, and support each other to achieve goals. In addition, she could modify the mission and vision statements of the company to give a clear goal to the employees. Along of above point, SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis which Ricky and Ronald (2006) both state that â€Å"involves assessing organizational strengths and weaknesses and environmental opportunities and threats† can be applied to assist on employee’s self-assessment. Employees could evaluate their abilities to task assignment and hence, they can be promoted to assign additional task. In between, they could take in some self-improvement programs such as education or training to enhance their skills and knowledge. For example, the salesperson will take in more responsibility on the product refund and protection of information privacy. They must always be prepared to make decision clearly and protect the interest of company.

Diagnostic Testing Essays - Iowa Tests Of Educational Development

Diagnostic Testing The purpose of this report is to give Mr. and Mrs. G., Nicholas G.'s parents, a more complete and up to date picture of Nick's academic skill levels. Nick is a neighbor of the examiner, and both parents and examinee have cherrfully volunteered Nick as testing subjuect for the examiner's Diagnostic Testing class. Nicholas has been in the Special Day Class Program, attending Santa Barbara public schools since kindergarten. Nicholas is developementally delayed and has mild cerebral palsy. Nick's parents report that he has made good academic and social skills progress, especially in the past two years. Strong parental concern remains in the area of reading and independent life skills. Nick feels that he writes and cuts with extreme difficulty, hates reading, and enjoys math and computers. Nick attends several mainstream classes per semester with an aide's help, and appears to have enjoyed the social aspects, but feels the classes were "really hard." Nick's mother reports that his hearing and vision have been checked within the past six months, with no apparent problems. Despite academic and motor frustrations, Nick's school attendence has been excellent, as has been his general health. Results of academic achievement testing: Woodcock-Johnson Revised: Age Grade Standard Percentile Equiv. Equiv. Score Letter-word Identification 7-2 1.7 49 0.1 Word-Attack 7-1 1.6 62 1.0 Basic Reading Skills 7-2 1.6 52 0.1 Passage Comprehension 7-3 1.7 51 0.1 Reading Vocabulary 6-6 1.2 41 0.1 Broad Reading 7-3 1.7 44 0.1 Dictation 6-5 1.1 29 0.1 Spelling 6-9 1.4 45 0.1 Writing Samples 6-9 1.3 29 0.1 Broad Written Language 6-8 1.3 31 0.1 Calculation 6-9 1.3 28 0.1 Quantitative Concepts 7-6 2.1 53 0.1 Applied Problems 7-0 1.6 59 0.3 Broad Mathematics 6-10 1.4 40 0.1 Visual-Motor Integration ( VMI) (normed on 12-2) raw score 8 standard score 5 %ile 1.0 Visual-Aural Digit Span (VADS) Aural-Oral 3 Visual-Oral 3 Aural Written 2 Visual- Written 2 Total VADS 10 (defective range, grade 4) Nicholas appeared relaxed and eager to please while testing. Once in awhile he would say, "this is hard," but when given the option of stopping or going on he would consistently express a desire to continue. His parents report that this stubborn tenacity has carried him beyond expectations. Nick has a good sense of family, community, and social settings. When offered a cookie on a napkin, he put the napkin on his lap. Nick enjoyed talking between tests about friends, cars, computers, and other age-appropriate subjects. During the testing he concentrated very hard, took his time, and did not answer until he seemed quite sure of his answers. While in deep concentration, Nick's head would temporarily stop the constant movement apparant with cerebral palsy. His mother stated that this recent ability to temporarily cease head movement has aided his reading progress. READING: Test results show that Nick appears to be reading at a level comparable to that of an average student at the grade 1.7 level, which rank at the Very Low level. Reading tasks at the 1.4 level will be easy for Nick, those above grade 2.0 will be difficult for him. It is noted that on the word attack and Word Analysis Skills test, when decoding nonsense words Nick could decode CVC pattern words and has learned some basic sound-symbol associations. Comprehension tests show that Nicholas candetermine meaning from a passage (Passage Comprehension 1.7) at a slightly higher level than he can from a single word (Reading Vocabulary 1.2). While these scores are also in the Very Low range, they show that Nick is beginning to use some contextual clues in his reading. WRITTEN LANGUAGE: Nick's test results on Broad Written Language is comparable to that of the average student in grade 1.3, and in the Very Low range of scores. Tasks requiring written language skills below grade level 1.1 will be easy for him; those above the grade 1.4 will be difficult for him. Spelling Test observations (1.4) showed that Nick has difficulty with short vowel useage, the fine e rule, and consonant blends. An informal writing sample showed that Nick could use correct punctuation at the end of a sentence, but ignored punctuation marks within a sentence. The same sample showed that Nick's writing is legible and that he forms most of his letters correctly, having difficulty with line placement . Nick interspersed cursive letters, and verbally expressed a desire to write in cursive like "mainstream buddies" do. Nick uses simple sentence structures, writing one compound sentence out of 10 total sentences. Because of his orthopedic impairments, the written language tests were untimed. MATHEMATICS: Nick's

Free Essays on History Of KKK

The Ku Klux Klan The KU KLUX KLAN is a group of white secret societies who oppose the advancement of blacks, Jews, Gays and other Minority groups. The Ku KLux Klan also known as the KKK or the Klan, Is active in The United States of America and Canada. It often uses violence to achieve its goal in society. The KKK members wear robes and hoods, and burn crosses at their outdoor meetings. They will also burn crosses to scare non-members. The KKK was formed as a social club by a group of confederate army veterans in Pulaski, Tenn., in 1866, but still goes on today. A former confederate general , was the first Klan Leader , called the Grand Wizard. The group took its name from the Greek word kyklos, meaning circle, and the English word clan. Klan members, who believed in the superiority of whites, soon began to terrorize blacks to keep them from voting or exercising the other rights they had gained during Reconstruction, the period following the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The Klan threatened, beat, and murdered many blacks in the South. To hide their identity, Klan terrorists wore robes and hoods, draped sheets over their horses, and rode at night. The KKK spread rapidly throughout the Southern United States and became known # as the Invisible Empire. Its attacks helped drive blacks out of Southern political life. In 1871, Congress passed the Force Bill, which gave the President the authority to use federal troops against the Klan. The KKK soon disappeared. They then returned to Society in the early 1900’s. In 1915, William J. Simmons, a former Methodist clergyman, organized a new Klan in Atlanta, Ga., as a patriotic, society. The Klan directed its activities against groups it considered un-American, including blacks, immigrants, Jews, and particularly Roman Catholics. The KKK grew rapidly and by the mid-1920's had more than 2 million members throughout the country. The Invisible Empire ... Free Essays on History Of KKK Free Essays on History Of KKK The Ku Klux Klan The KU KLUX KLAN is a group of white secret societies who oppose the advancement of blacks, Jews, Gays and other Minority groups. The Ku KLux Klan also known as the KKK or the Klan, Is active in The United States of America and Canada. It often uses violence to achieve its goal in society. The KKK members wear robes and hoods, and burn crosses at their outdoor meetings. They will also burn crosses to scare non-members. The KKK was formed as a social club by a group of confederate army veterans in Pulaski, Tenn., in 1866, but still goes on today. A former confederate general , was the first Klan Leader , called the Grand Wizard. The group took its name from the Greek word kyklos, meaning circle, and the English word clan. Klan members, who believed in the superiority of whites, soon began to terrorize blacks to keep them from voting or exercising the other rights they had gained during Reconstruction, the period following the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The Klan threatened, beat, and murdered many blacks in the South. To hide their identity, Klan terrorists wore robes and hoods, draped sheets over their horses, and rode at night. The KKK spread rapidly throughout the Southern United States and became known # as the Invisible Empire. Its attacks helped drive blacks out of Southern political life. In 1871, Congress passed the Force Bill, which gave the President the authority to use federal troops against the Klan. The KKK soon disappeared. They then returned to Society in the early 1900’s. In 1915, William J. Simmons, a former Methodist clergyman, organized a new Klan in Atlanta, Ga., as a patriotic, society. The Klan directed its activities against groups it considered un-American, including blacks, immigrants, Jews, and particularly Roman Catholics. The KKK grew rapidly and by the mid-1920's had more than 2 million members throughout the country. The Invisible Empire ...

The Transfer of Japanese-Style Management to American Subsidiaries Research Paper

The Transfer of Japanese-Style Management to American Subsidiaries - Research Paper Example Firstly, the organization should desist from over-depending on personal relationships. Within Japanese sales situations, personal relations with customers are the single most crucial aspect of sales. This is hardly ever the case in the US. Although personal relations are essential in the US, they are not as vital as in Japan (Beechler and Yang 482). Americans are more independent than the Japanese and do not conform to a culturally established need to seek out personal relationships. Often, Americans find it vital to deter the appearance of favoritism opting to conduct business strictly on an emotionally distant basis. It is, therefore, critical that the Japanese realize that they should conduct business primarily on the basis of price, product fit or quality regardless of personal relationships. A notable benefit to the Japanese company is that, as a consequence of the natural interpersonal distance in the US business relations; the conventional Japanese requirement of sending expen sive seasonal gifts to potential, current, and past customers is not necessary. In truth, many Americans consider Japanese gift-giving practices as expensive, excessive and reason for ethical concern. In addition, the Japanese company will also need to change its culture of disparaging the company. In order to show humility and proper hierarchical status, Japanese businesspeople often criticize, disparage and demean themselves, their own products and company. Although this form of outward humility is a norm in Japan, it can result in diminished sales in the US. A Japanese customer automatically understands that a Japanese businessperson demeaning his company or product does so out of cultural behavior even in the event that the product is the best in the industry (Beechler and Yang 486). This is not so in the US, hence in order to attain success in the US production industry, Digital Frontier should express confidence by touting the strength of its  products and services.

Teen Pregnancy in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Teen Pregnancy in the United States - Essay Example The focus of the article then moves on to the steps that could be taken in order to ensure that this issue is dealt with in the most effective manner. It is seen that a multi-dimensional approach is necessary to find out the best solution to the problems related to teenage pregnancy in the United States. Not only there is the need for a more comprehensive educational plan, there is also the need to introduce programs that support the further education and the career of the adolescent mother. In addition, support is also necessary for the mother to understand how to raise the child. The article concludes by discussing the need for a combination of the programs so that there is a comprehensive method to prevent both teenage pregnancies and to support adolescent mothers. Adolescent pregnancy has become a social issue that attracts a very high level of attention because the United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy among the industrialized countries. The rate of teen pregnancy in the US is almost double of that of Great Britain and over 10 times that of Japan (unc.edu, 2005). Therefore, it is no longer an issue that concerns just the teenager and the family, but it has become a social issue that has larger implications and repercussions that has the local and national impact. The peak period for teenage pregnancies was during the early 1990s when the teenage birth rate was over 60 births per 1000 women. Over a period, this rate has come down slowly. During 2006, this number reduced to 41.9 births per 1000 women (guttmacher.org, 2006). Researchers feel that there are two main reasons for this high rate of teenage pregnancy. One is that the age of menarche is now much lower than what it has been before. This results in an increase in sexual activity without the awareness of its consequences at a much earlier age, resulting in teenage pregnancy (Kaplowitz, 2006).

Morality Towards Animals Kantian Vs Utilitarian

Morality Towards Animals Kantian Vs Utilitarian Historically, there has been some debate between Kantian and Utilitarian philosophers on the moral status of animals. This great debate over whether or not moral consideration should be granted to non-human animals deserves to be rectified at some point. Many argue that there is a resolution to this debate that can be used via a distinction between the two to clearly distinguish human beings from all other animals on the planet. But, as shall be shown in this paper, the evidence thus far for such a distinction is seriously doubtful at best. Unfortunately without such a distinction, it becomes increasingly difficult to argue, with a straight philosophical face, that non-human animals should be afforded less than equivalent moral considerations to that of human beings. After all, if no meaningful distinction between human beings and non-human animals, than we ultimately are arguing from an uncertain position that says one group should receive better treatment than the other. This paper shall examine the debate over this issue, primarily through Kantian and Utilitarian perspectives, and hopefully enlighten the problems in both positions, though particularly the Kantian one. Although the Utilitarian position on the issue of moral concerns for non-human animals is far from perfect, it represents a more justifiable position than the Kantians. Its not surprising that many of the people who argue are the very same people who are most interested in justifying and continuing practices towards non-human animals that cause pain, suffering and death to non-human animals (Gruen, 2003). Often the welfare opposed to the rights of non-human animals is more widely accepted which can often confuse the debate in question. People tend to argue that humans unlike animals have characteristics that clearly distinguish the differences those of which include rationality, autonomy, moral agency, language capability, free will and self-consciousness among others (Garner, 2010). Interestingly, Act Utilitarians believe that regardless of human beings and non-human animals, any action toward these is only permissible if it follows the balance of pleasure outweighing pain (Garner, 2010). Not all claims can say as much. The hope, no doubt, is that philosophical wrangling can justify and absolve them of practices that are largely recognized to be cr uel and harmful to non-human animals. Unfortunately for the groups still largely oblivious to the moral considerations for non-human animals, we find that there is no meaningful way, morally or philosophically, to separate humans from non-human animals. The result, in the hopes of being intellectually consistent, is that we need to give consideration to the suffering and moral position of non-human animals equally, as we would also do for human beings. Of course, supporters of the above position immediately argue that there is a clear division between human beings and non-human animals based on speciation alone. In this belief, we might give moral consideration to a fellow human being, but a cow or chicken? A chicken for instance, is not considered a human being (for those who have doubts) and cannot lay claim to the species-specific moral considerations that humans enjoy according to this claim. But, for the philosopher, membership in one species over the other is of utmost irrelevance, especially when considering morality. It is, in essence, considered a non-issue if we cannot in-turn provide evidence for why such species differentiation translates into a differing of moral consideration (Garner, 2010). Ultimately it would be like arguing that any accident of birth is reason enough to deny certain individuals moral concern: perhaps leaving out entirely all women, overweight people, short people or Japanese people. The division be tween human beings and non-human animals must be demonstrated on some other plain other than purely biological grounds. In as such, many have turned to the idea that human beings differ due to their possession of abilities that are unique to our species and that are concrete us firmly in place to that of the rest of the outside non-human world. But, it seems that this argument has fallen flat too. As stated in Gruen (2003), human behaviour and cognition share deep roots with the behaviour and cognition of other animals. There have been numerous examples in the non-human animal world of behaviours that are very similar, if not identical to behaviours that most humans would consider to be uniquely human. In any socially complex non-human animal species, there is evidence of what one would consider to be altruistic or familial behaviour. Family ties are often seen in many of the primate species. Primate mothers often stay with their offspring for extended periods of time. Singer (2009) notes that not only do humans have intelligence and language comprehension, but so do great apes, border collies and grey parrots. A famous gorilla named Koko has scored between 70 and 95 on human IQ tests as well as being able to understand approximately one thousand different signs. In addition, Alex the African grey parrot was able to grasp m ore than a hundred words and was able to answer novel questions presented to him on top of being able to understand basic concepts involving shapes and colours (Singer, 2009). Evidence exists of Meerkats who will risk their own safety to stay with family members who are ill or injured (Gruen, 2003). The usage of tools is also common in the non-human animal world, as is the ability to understand symbolic representations, the basis for language. Some non-human animals even possess some of humanitys less pleasing cognitive abilities, such as the ability to engage in manipulative or deceptive behaviour (Gruen, 2003). The sum of this evidence is not to argue that non-human animals are identical to humans but rather it is to show that the unique behaviours and abilities that we as human beings cling to are actually found throughout the non-human animal kingdom as well, albeit in less complex forms. Some philosophers have turned to metaphysical characteristics as a way to draw the line between the human and non-human animal worlds. Kant puts forth one of the most notable examples of this position. Kants argument is based on the idea that humans are distinguishable from the non-human animal world by power of their personhood and are thus morally considered. In his 1785 Groundwork, Kant proposed that: Every rational being, exists as an end in himself and not merely as a means to be arbitrarily used by this or that will [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Beings whose existence depends not on our will but on nature have, nevertheless, if they are not rational beings, only a relative value as means and are therefore called things (Kant 1785, 428 as quoted in Gruen, 2003). Essentially what Kant believed is that the rational ego of human beings distinguishes us from all other non-human animal life. In less distinct terms, a human being has the capability of seeing himself not only as an individual, but as a rational being able to differentiate the world that grants personhood to human beings and thus affording them moral consideration. What Kant is trying to say is that human beings are rational whereas non-human animals are not. With that being said, Kant believes that irrational animals may be dealt with and disposed of at ones discretion (Kant, LA, 7, 127 as quoted in Gruen, 2003). Kantians argue that it is the ability of human beings to question the source of their desires rationally that separates humans and animals. Whereas the non-human animal is focused only on its sensory perceptions, human beings are not only able to perceive, but question the very nature of their perceptions. According to Kant and his followers, this rational ability is the v ery reason we can justify relegating non-human animals to a lower moral position. As is obvious, there are problems with the Kantian position. Beyond the realization of an artificially imagined separation between man and beast (which is after all, the point in question), Kants position on the matter embarrassingly has difficulties with the matter of what is considered marginal humans, or human individuals that do not possess Kants rational capacity that is a prerequisite for personhood. As understood by many and supported by Singer (2009), there are some humans that fall under categories of mental retardation. For instance, the mentally challenged would have to be excluded from moral consideration by Kants logic, as they are incapable of expressing rational self-awareness that his personhood demands (Gruen, 2003). Singer (2009) demonstrates that some people with profound mental retardation have IQs lower than 25; have an ability to understand that exceeds their ability to speak and may only have the capacity to follow basic directions, and yet these people would c ertainly never be passed over for moral consideration. Whereas, dogs, horses, dolphins and pigeons have been trained to follow basic directions and perform useful work, have IQs over 25 and have an ability to understand that which exceeds their ability to speak, are. Kantians have responded to this concern in a variety of ways; as human beings, we could consider our behaviour towards these marginal individuals as indicative of our own moral sense. Or perhaps, these individuals, because they possess the capacity to become rational individuals, must be treated with the same moral consideration as all other human beings. But, by far the strongest response to the Kantian position comes from the Utilitarians, who reject rationality outright as a marker of moral consideration just as we have already rejected other supposedly unique human attributes (Garner, 2010; Gruen, 2003). Utilitarians argue that the only moral consideration worth considering is one that focuses on promoting happiness and the satisfaction of individual interests, and reducing suffering and interest frustration (Gruen, 2003). Jeremy Bentham was one of the strongest supporters of this position on moral concern. He wrote in 1781: Other animals, which, on account of their interests having been neglected by The insensibility of ancient jurists, stand degraded into the class of things [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] What else is it that should trace the insuperable line [between humans and nonhuman animals]? Is it the faculty of reason, or perhaps, the faculty for discourse? [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk, but, Can they suffer? (Gruen, 2003). According to the Utilitarian position, our moral concerns for non-human animals should be extended as far as the animals capacity to suffer and experience pain in all the ways they are capable of suffering. With the rise in populations, the need to provide mass quantities of food has created an animals nemesis. Factory farming is the most common method used to produce food for human beings, and it is done at an alarming rate. An estimated 8 billion animals in the United States are born, confined, biologically manipulated, transported and ultimately slaughtered each year in methods that create great amounts of suffering (Gruen, 2003). This position has been highly defended by modern Utilitarians who continue to argue that there is no morally justifiable way to separate humans from non-human animals when non-human animals are clearly capable of suffering. Any being capable of suffering should have its interests taken into account and should be granted the same moral consideration regar dless of being human or non-human. Sometimes the Utilitarian position is mistaken for more of an animal rights position than a morals position. Although both positions are similar, the animal rights position believes that there is no circumstance under which an animal should be subject to the will and whim of human beings. As Garner (2010) points out, the animal rights position is more for the equality between the species. One thing to note, however, is that this is not entirely the Utilitarian position. In regards to the Utilitarians belief that non-human animals should not suffer and be extended moral consideration, the Utilitarians also believe that the same would be extended to a human being. But the Utilitarian position allows for the satisfaction of the greater good in all moral matters. If, for instance, more good is done than harm by a particular action, then the Utilitarian would take up the position that the action is morally justifiable. A simpler way of perceiving this is that the Utilitarian could morally justify killing human or non-human animal, if it would save the lives of two other people. Ultimately, the Utilitarians goal is to always reduce harm and suffering, but they unfortunately (when it comes to non-human animals) are not vegetarians. Utilitarians believe that If an animal lived a happy life and was painlessly killed and then eaten by people who would otherwise suffer hunger or malnutrition by not eating the animal, then painlessly killing and eating the animal would be the morally justified thing to do (Gruen, 2003). Seemingly is seems that there are some good and some bad to both positions. Take for example the Kantian position; Emmanuel Kant did not support cruelty towards non-human animals, he just believed that they did not warrant the same moral considerations that human beings do. According to Kant, non-human animals were non-rationally thinking creatures and thus not afforded moral consideration but, he did argue that for the human beings that cause unnecessary suffering to animals. Kant believed that non-human animals were subject to the will and whim of human beings but that when they were put to work for us, they should not be strained beyond their capacities, he also believed that human beings had the right to kill non-human animals as long as it was done quickly and without pain (Kant Gregor, 1996). In essence, Kant felt that although non-human animals did not merit moral consideration, human beings had some type of a duty to them. Clearly, like the Kantian theory, the Utilitarian approach of moral concern for non-human animals is not without its own flaws. The Kantian argument fell apart because of a false distinction between human beings and non-human animals. The Utilitarians, base the fate of individuals and their relative happiness on a type of mathematical equation. Though contrary to some degree, at least on the question of extending moral concern to non-human animals, the Utilitarians recognize that there is no meaningful distinction at play between human beings and the rest of the animal kingdom. In this regard, the Utilitarians will always win out in this philosophical debate, at least for this author. Basing an arbitrary distinction between human and non-human animals just to justify cruelty and suffering is utterly beyond defence from a moral perspective. To ignore suffering because it challenges human beings imagined superior position in the world is not acceptable. Where, then, does that leave the argument of whether to extend moral concern and consideration to non-human animals. Clearly this author rejects the unsubstantiated evidence for drawing a distinct line between human beings and non-human animals, but cannot quite accept the extreme Utilitarian position that all matters of moral concern can be written like a equation. Perhaps it would be wise to investigate the work of other philosophical theories, such as ecological feminists, who argue that the entire approach to the issue is flawed because it fails to grasp the institutional culture of dominance upon which our actions are built (Gruen, 2003). Within this larger context, both the Kantian and Utilitarian positions can be seen as justifications (to vastly different degrees) for a culture that projects its will onto the entire world with dominant force. The bigger question for future consideration of this issue is to not simply question whether or not non-human animals are deserving of the same moral considerations that are granted to human beings, but whether or not human beings have moral authority in the first place to dictate such concerns and arbitrarily impose their will on the rest of the world.

Budget Cuts in Education Essay

Drastic cuts in Florida’s educational system are in resulting increasing class sizes, the elimination of music, art, and other elective classes, the significant reduction in extracurricular activities, and a diminished ability to provide incentives for teachers to continue teaching. The effect of these changes will be a long term negative impact on teacher’s ability to teach and decrease our students’ ability to learn. Budget cuts are forcing qualified teachers out of the classroom where they are most effective and causing them to pursue other careers or academic endeavors. As stated in State Impact, because of the shortage of funds of over $170 million, Broward County alone has laid off more than 2,400 employees and most of them have been teachers (O’Connor, 2011). Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union, said the union is expecting about 20,000 teacher layoffs (Castro, 2011). As a result of these layoffs, and current graduating teaching students, school districts are left with a surplus of teachers. Many have the opportunity to come back to work before the next school year begins but may not be at the same school or even teaching the same grade level. Because this is based on seniority, those teachers who have been laid off and unfortunately are not one of the chosen to go back to work, have been forced to go back to school to either continue to pursue their education career or pursue a completely different major. Recent layoffs have resulted in, expanded classroom sizes with potentially disastrous effect on student performance. There once was a time classrooms had a maximum of 20 students. In some states, classroom sizes have expanded to as much as 36 students in one class. According to Science Daily, reports show that students in small classes in grades four through six consistently have better results than students in large classes. Those in small classes that had better cognitive and non-cognitive skills, had better scores on standardized national tests in grades six and nine, and perceived themselves as developing more self-confidence and greater patience (Expertanswer, 2012). Budget cuts that result in inreased class sizes need to be made with these considerations in mind. Many people are not aware of the effect of music on students’ ability to learn and retain information, yet as documented previously, music classes are one of the first programs to be cut in this environment. According to Science Daily, there is now definitive proof of different brain development and improved memory of students who take music lessons when compared to those who do not (Press, 2006). â€Å"Not only do the brains of musically-trained children respond to music in a different way to those of the untrained children, but also that the training improves their memory as well. After one year the musically trained children performed better in a memory test that is correlated with general intelligence skills such as literacy, verbal memory, visuospatial processing, mathematics and IQ† (Press, 2006). If it costs $2. 5 million to have an art program, music program, and physical education program, one can see why school are making these cuts, however; in the light of this research provided, we can see that these cuts will be coming at the expense of our students cognitive abilities. As the budgets get smaller, and the expenses are getting bigger, specials and elective classes are being cut. Music and art have been eliminated in some schools. In others, it is just part time. Students are not getting the basic musical and artistic education, which were once available years ago. Teachers who used to teach elective classes are forced to teach core subjects if they still want a job. Physical education classes have also been cut in some schools or have been reduced significantly. Some teachers work at two different schools. For example, three days out of the week, they may work at an elementary school and the other two days; they may work at a middle or high school. As a result to physical education being reduced or eliminated, childhood obesity may be more of a concern. Because physical activity has been extremely reduced in many households because of television, it is important that students have physical education in school. Teachers do not have many incentives to continue teaching. There is no money to purchase simple materials for the classroom. As said in Public Good, Public Cuts; elementary schoolteachers have resorted to asking students to buy supplies at the beginning of the school year (Economists, 2011). A suggested list is available for the parents and these supplies are what the students will need for the duration of the school year. Many teachers spend their own money to purchase supplies as well. Students in middle school and high school do fundraisers to raise money for special events at their schools. The effects of these budget cuts are impacting every area of students’ academic experience including the frequency of the update in the school textbooks. Schools typically updated their textbooks every few years, however; with these budget cuts; this researcher has found that students may be using the same textbooks for 10-15 years due to the lack of funds. Although this may not be an issue with some subjects, there are subjects, such as History and Social Studies that are subjects that require updated information as years go on. If students used the same textbook for 15 years, a History book would be missing three presidents. Textbooks are an essential part of student’s education and if there are no funds to purchase new ones, students in the United States will be behind compare to other countries are much more advanced concerning education. Field trips and extracurricular activities have been reduced or eliminated. Students do not have the chance to go on all the field trips that were once upon a time offered. Field trips that are now taken tend to be at the cost of the parents. Parents have been forced to come out-of-pocket for the entire cost of field trips. Schools also sponsor fundraisers to assist these parents in paying for some of those costly trips. For example, fifth grade students who are going on their end of the year trip may sell donuts or candy boxes in efforts to raise money to pay for that trip. Some schools do not have funding to continue specific sports. Fees have increased and parents are having pay out-of-pocket for student’s uniforms and to travel to games in order to continue these sport teams. Budget cuts are now negatively affecting the actual physical environment in which students learn. According to State Impact, future possible district budget cuts in efforts to save jobs include â€Å"eliminating art, music, technology and/or reading teachers to save up to $4. 1 million, eliminating middle and high school athletic programs and saving $2. 2 million, and raising thermostats one degree to 78 degrees, the highest allowed by state law, saving $500,000† (O’Connor, 2011). With increasing class sizes and increase in temperatures, students will now be forced to learn in cramped, potentially uncomfortable conditions that will impact negatively student learning. Given the negative impact of described these budget cuts, it would be wise to consider alternative options to deal with budget shortfalls. Other options of saving money are available, such as teachers taking extended holidays without pay. School district saved millions of dollars by closing all public schools two extra days during thanksgiving break. Schools should only have been closed Wednesday through Friday but the district managed to get approval to close Monday and Tuesday as well. The economic condition has affected drastically the public schools due to the budget cuts they have faced. It has caused major setbacks because there is no money available to supply the materials these students need to learn effectively. At this rate, schools eventually will begin to shut down. Teachers have already begun to retire early because they can only foresee it getting worse. Something has got to give at this point, but it should not be at the expense of student’s education. If schools cannot teach students the simpler things, such as what encyclopedias are which may be an opportunity for parents to spend more bonding time with their children and take them to the library to learn new things. Sooner than later, students in Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten will be attending school for half a day only instead of a full day in efforts to save money. It is imperative that parents encourage educational activities at home as well as physical activities. Broward County Schools are suffering drastically. Although they seem to have it figured out, cutting art, music, physical education, and other special programs may not be what is best for the students.

Compare and Contrast Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass

Different Worlds Same Struggle Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass both grew up in different time periods, in different environments, and ultimately in different worlds. They both faced different struggles and had different successes, but in the end they weren’t really all that different. Although they grew up in different times they both had the same views on the importance of an education. They both saw education as freedom and as a sense of self-worth and though they achieved their education in different ways they both had a strong will and a strong sense of self-motivation.Frederick Douglass and Sherman Alexie both grew up in different times and environments. Frederick Douglass was born in 1818 and was raised on a plantation as a slave, Alexie was born in 1966 and was raised on an Indian reservation, but being raised in different worlds didn’t make either of their struggles any different or easier than the others. They both faced judgment and discrimination agains t their races. Due to their different races they were both considered stupid, illiterate, and were thought to doing nothing with their lives besides working on a plantation or becoming an alcoholic and drug addict.Getting out of those types of environments and doing better things than what they were thought to do was just one of the many things that motivated them into getting an education. Both men had different ways of achieving their education. Sherman Alexie had Superman, his dad, as a guide for him. Alexie watched his dad do better for himself and his family than what a typical Indian was supposed to do. Watching his father read and educate himself was Alexie’s initial motivation for him to want to get his education.Frederick Douglass was one step ahead of Alexie in the fact that he had street smarts. Douglass self-educated himself, he had no one to look up to or to help him. Douglass essentially used the system to gain his education. He not only tricked white boys into teaching him how to spell and write, but he also used his own master’s, who did not want him to have an education in the first place, tools to help him get an education. In ways Douglass was already very smart and had already beaten the system that put him down. No matter the ifferent ways of obtaining their education or the different environments they grew up in, both men wanted the freedom that education offered them and had the same self-motivation to get it. Education was the key to their freedom, and not just physical freedom but mental freedom. With their education they were able to escape and unlock the chains of judgments that held them back and were able to give them a sense of self-worth. People listened to them and cared what they had to say and they became strong men of education.Alexie mentioned his father as being his Superman, but the true Supermen are him and Douglass. No one gave them the self-motivation to get an education they did it on their own. No one co uld force them into wanting to do better for themselves, they had to want it for their selves and they did. Alexi and Douglass were different but similar in so many ways. They both grew up in very different times, but faced all the same hardships. The both achieved things in different ways but they both made the same types of differences for their lives and did better for themselves.They showed people that no matter what you may grow up with or deal with in life, you can make a difference for yourself. Be your own Superman like Douglass and Alexie. No one handed them the key to unlock their success they did that on their own, and they taught people they could only do that for themselves. They obtained self-worth and freedom by their motivation for education, and they are people to look up to today. Dear Professor Smith, I think my writing has become better as I have moved along through your class. I was surprised on how much more comfortable I was with my writing.I really enjoyed wr iting about this topic; I thought it was very interesting. I felt pretty good about my topic paragraphs. TEAL has helped me a lot, and I tried my best to incorporate TEAL in my writing of this paper. I also really enjoyed the links for the websites that you posted on blackboard; I made good use of those and thought they defiantly helped me out with writing this paper. The most frustrating part of my paper was my thesis. I have trouble trying to make a specific, non-obvious, and debatable thesis. I try hard to make a argumentative thesis, but I have a lot of trouble with that.For this essay I was trying to use the point-by-point method that you had shown us. I liked how that method worked and thought it was pretty easy. I felt as though I did good using the point-by-point method and thought it helped to keep my paper from jumping around everywhere. I would defiantly like insight on my thesis because I mostly had trouble with that. Putting all three of those elements into a thesis is really messing me up because I have never had to do that before. Any insight you can give on my paper would be great, I want to continue to keep improving with my writing. Thank you, Katie Holt

A Failure to Identify A Look at United States Cyber Policy - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 946 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/03/18 Category Analytics Essay Level High school Topics: Failure Essay Did you like this example? The old adage that history repeats itself is ever so present in Fred Kaplans Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War. There is a recurring theme in the United States (US) government of implementation lag, policy lag, and a lack of proper oversight in this rapidly changing technology age. The problem is 3-fold: (1) the lack of an implementation plan makes the policy just a piece of paper with ink, (2) the absence of policy hinders the ability for entities to protect critical cyber infrastructure in a systematic manner, (3) the lack of proper oversight allows entities the opportunity to utilize technology with little to no accountability, on the fringe of ethical use in some instances. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Failure to Identify: A Look at United States Cyber Policy" essay for you Create order The reader finds these exact cases when you strip away the minutia of Kaplans book. Kaplan does well at setting the tone for the book. He paints a picture of science fiction becoming science fact with the introduction of a 1983 movie, WarGames, about a tech-whiz teenager who unwittingly hacks into the main computer at NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Kaplan 8). What followed 15-months later, after President Ronald Reagan inquired his staff on the validity of the movie, was National Security Decision Directive Number 145: National Policy on Telecommunications and Automated Information Systems Security (NSDD-145), signed on 17 September 1984, which marked the first of many national policies involving the emerging cyber landscape. This, however, was short-lived as the issue vanished, at least in the realm of high-level politics, and [w]hen it reemerged a dozen years later, after a spate of actual cyber intrusions during Bill Clintons presidency [1993 2001], enough time had passed that the senior officials of the day were shocked by the nations seem ingly sudden vulnerability to this brand-new threat. The technology climate, at the time of signing, was nowhere near as robust as today. Kaplan notes that, the first public Internet providers wouldnt come online for another few years. This climate clearly shapes the apathy by senior officials. While the prescient nature of the policy showed that the US government understood the impending threat, this meant nothing without proper implementation. The recurring theme of lag, this time policy, continues in a 1990 study by the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment, a congressional advisory group, called [the] Physical Vulnerability of Electric Systems to Natural Disasters and Sabotage. The study details a concerning picture of which power stations and switches, if disabled, would take down huge chunks of the national grid. Kaplan walks the reader through a timeline of subsequent events, culminating with Presidential Decision Directive â€Å" 63 (PDD-63), titled Critical Infrastructure Protection, signed 22 May 1998. Kaplan does not explicitly note any protective actions occurring in the 8-years between the publishing of the 1990 study and the directive in 1998. The issue only compounded when the directive called for an additional 5-years to achieve and maintain the protection of these critical infrastructures. This inaction would soon change with the leak of classified documents from the infamous NSA analyst, Edward Snowden. Snowdens 2013 leak of a treasure trove of amounting to tens of thousands of highly classified documents. Of those documents, the most damaging concerned a program known as PRISM in which the NSA and FBI tapped into the central servers of nine leading American Internet companies†Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, AOL, Skype, YouTube, Apple, and Paltalk†extracting email, documents, photos, audio and video files, and connection logs (131). The NSA released a statement shortly after the leak made headlines, stating that PRISM was the most significant tool in the NSAs arsenal for the detection, identification, and distribution of terrorist threats to the US and around the world. Kaplan goes on to show how NSA lawyers even altered plain definitions [with the FISA Court (a.k.a. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court), so that doing this [type of surveillance] didnt constitute collecting data from American citizens [which is illegal]. Under the new definition the NSA was just s toring data; the collecting wouldnt happen until an analyst went to retrieve it from the files. Here is a depiction of gross manipulation in order to put the agencies goals over rights granted by the 4th amendment. Kaplan makes it clear that the restraints had been put up from the inside, and they could be taken down from the inside as well. There were no external auditors for checks and balances. Furthermore, what would have happened if a rogue NSA director or a different president, like Richard Nixon, were in power? The potential for abuse would be staggering. From the first national level policy on cyber warfare, NSDD-145, to the political aftermath of the Edward Snowden leaks, the author presents a coherently weaved pieces of work, while providing the reader with first-hand accounts of the significant events throughout the US growth in the computer age. He sprinkles well-known characters (e.g. Edward Snowden, President Barack Obama) and federal agencies (e.g. FBI, CIA, NSA), while breaking down the US governments struggle of proper utilization of policy driven use of technology, . This is a recommended read for those with established cyber roles in the government to those who are wanting to understand how the failure of governmental cyber policy allowed for the overreaching of boundaries. What it comes down to is whether you want to At its core, Kaplan depicts a history of the United States (US) Government failing to create policy (i.e. the boundaries) for the use of emerging technological advances in the cyber domain. Works Cited Kaplan, Fred M., Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War. Simon Schuster Paperbacks, 2017. Underwood, Kimberly, The U.S. Government Urgently Needs to Address Cyber security Challenges, Signal, September 24, 2018, https://www.afcea.org/content/us-government-urgently-needs-address-cybersecurity-challenges. PDD-63 Critical Infrastructure Protection, 5/20/1998https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/12762