Types of Abuse

Abuse: There are many different types of abuse and it can be defined as mistreating another human with the intention to be cruel or violent or cause harm. It can be described as the misuse or mishandle of something. It occurs often and usually done to acquire a nasty but satisfying effect. Dating abuse:This occurs during an unhealthy relationship between two people, usually teenagers, when one person wants control or power in the relationship. It occurs repeatedly and usually aggressive and commanding behavior allows the recipient to gain dominance. Profile of the abuser:o Usually has a past of abuse in the familyo May have been abused when they were youngero They may not cope wello Have a high intake of drugs or alcoholo Usually have characteristics of being:? Jealous? Manipulative ? Controlling? Narcissistic? Disconnected? Hypersensitive Profile of the victim: o Usually blames themselveso Goes into depressiono Low self-esteemo Suicidal thoughtso Socially isolatedo May have anxiety Dating abuse examples:Emotional or psychological abuse Making someone feel like they not important my calling them names or treating them like a child by ordering them around, yelling at someone. Insulting, swearing, ignoring, threating or isolating victim. Physical abuse Hurting someone in a way that leaves bruises, using a firearm against victim, doesn't allow victim to eat or sleep. Chocking, pushing, pinching, biting, pulling your hair, locking you out of the house.Sexual abuse Doesn't allow the victim birth control, forces the victim to have sex with them, forces the victim to engage in pornography and prostitution. Unwanted touching, forces you to engage in sexual behavior that hurts you, refusing you to use safe sex practices. Controlling behavior Is overprotective over the victim to a point where they don't trust the victim, isolates victim from family and friends. Overprotective, jealous, creates accusations, criticize or stalks victim.Use of social media encourages dating abuse1. It's addictive:Research shows that people who constantly use social media and their phones to a point where it becomes addictive or excessive, abandon their personal life, show signs of mood modification, and are mentally preoccupied. This shows that people who use social media increasingly can neglect their partners which may cause their partners to leave them which can cause them to become angry and abuse. It can cause them to have mood swings and therefore take it out on their partners when they get enraged.2. It triggers sadness:Social media isolates the abuser and an increase use of it can make the abuser feel lonely even though their partner is with them. This can make them abuse their partner as they could feel like thei r partner isn't supporting them. Sometimes as people get sadder they tend to take it out on others to feel satisfied or content and this could mean taking it out on their partners.3. It can lead to jealousy:Studies have shown that excessive social media users have triggers of jealousy. Abusers can feel jealous when their friends dating lives are more extraordinary than theirs and could become furious that their partners aren't as exciting and therefore take it out on their partner. Abusers are often overprotective and if their partner is engaging with someone else on social media and they see it could infuriate the abusers which leads to violence. Use of cellphones increase dating violenceTeenagers are usually able to get excess to the internet or if not they all have phones. This makes them an easy target to dating violence as their abuser can threaten them anywhere at any time. This means that the abuser can control and degrade the victim just by a click of a few buttons over their mobile phones. Abusers can harass their victims through online texts which may dehumanize the victim and cause them to feel abused. Abusers may also sexually harass their partners online by asking for nude pictures or forcing them to engage in unwanted, awkward sexting. Abusers often message their partners constantly not because they care but because they need to feel like they in control and make the victim intimidated. Abusers can often hack their partners social media sites to know what they up to, they often post private messages or pictures, they can post cruel things about their partner online, they can track their partners location and they can stalk. By doing this they intimidate their partner and will often abuse if their partner is, according to them, doing something wrong. Warning signs of dating abuseo Your partner threatens youo Isolates you from your friends and familyo Dehumanizes youo Your partner makes you feel guilty to get their wayo Your partner is aggressive towards youo Your partner forces you to do uncomfortable thingso You are blamed for everything that goes wrongo You are called names by your partner and belittled by themo Your partner calls and messages you excessivelyo Your partner touches you in public without your permissiono Your partner exceeds your physical boundarieso Your partner controls your reproductive choiceso Your partner has explosive tempero You are forced into having sex with your partner How to escape an abusive relationship?: 1. Talk to someone about your situation 2. Set aside money and slowly move your belongings out 3. Pack an emergency bag 4. Plan your escape route and where you will live 5. Leave when your partner is not at home 6. Don't take the blame 7. Write everything you experience down 8. Warn and tell your friends and family 9. Block the abuser on any social sites 10. Seek physiological help 11. Move on and regain your value and dignityOrganizations that can help Legal Aid South Africa offers legal assistance. To locate your nearest Justice Centre, call 0861 053 425 or visit www.legal-aid.co.za.Rape Crisis offers free confidential counselling to people who have been raped or sexually assaulted. Call 011 642 4345.SAPS 10111University campus law clinics also offer legal assistance. Powa provides counselling, both telephonically and in person, temporary shelter for and legal help to women who have experienced violence.Call 011 642 434Tears foundation Founded in 2012, this non-profit organization provides a database of medical, legal and psychological services available in South Africa to help those who have been raped or survived sexual abuse.Call 010 590 5920Part 2: 55 Tyrone avenue Parkview Johannesburg 21935th February 2018 Dear: Johanna I've heard about your experience with your violent boyfriend and I am extremely apologetic that you had to go through such an ordeal. I cannot even bear to imagine the pain you had to go through. The suffering you have experienced is traumatizing and has happened solely because your boyfriend wanted control in the relationship. Your boyfriend was extremely jealous, controlling and hypersensitive which is usually the characteristics of an abuser. I as your best friend had noticed earlier how distant and melancholic you were, but I had no idea that it would link to your boyfriend. Your boyfriend was always so loving, caring and protective over you but then again that was probably the first stage of dating abuse. Your boyfriend used physical abuse on you when he hit you and physiological abuse on you when he made you feel guilty about leaving him and threatened to kill you. Johanna, you are currently in the third stage of violence wherein your partner is threating you and exceeding your limits and boundaries. You cannot take any more of this, its traumatizing and upsetting. You need to take measures into place such as blocking him on any social media profiles so that he may have no contact with you. You should also inform your family as to the situation so that they are aware and if anything is to happen they know where you are. You should also keep a journal and write all these experiences down so that in case for future references you want to charge him you have proof. You should seek physiological help, so that you have a better understanding of your situation and so you can move on with dignity and value. Most importantly though you should not take the blame for his actions. Johanna, you are not his punching bag and you should know that no one deserves to treat you in a way that he has treated you. You should know that you are worthful and beautiful and if anyone cannot see that and appreciate it then they shouldn't be around you. Always remember that you are not a victim you alive and that makes you a survivor and don't be ashamed of this story others will be inspired.

A clinical guide for nurse practitioners Essay

Reflection is a method used in clinical practice, where one expresses the experiences from a given situation, thus helping to learn and improve skills by applying the knowledge gained for future practice (Cottrell, 2011 and Schon, 1984). It is my intention to use Driscoll (2007) model of reflection to present my understanding of the issues I faced during a recent presentation to the medical centre. This case study involves a reflective account of a patient that I provided care for following blunt trauma, eye injury, sustained during exercise. Description of events A 23 year old male soldier presented to the medical centre complaining that he could not see out of his right eye, following being hit in the face with a blunt object. He was clearly agitated and distressed, as he was repeatedly asking if he would be permanently blind. Therefore prior to commencement of any physical examination I felt it was important to create a good rapport with the patient, in oder to gain his trust in my ability (Platt et al, 2001). Good communication skills are vital in building a therapeutic relationship with the patient. Hence I offered reassurance and advised the patient what examination and tests I was going to perform, in order to effectively assess his condition. Through the physical examination I was able to detect minor fractures in his zygomatic bone that where causing him pain. As the patient was concerned about losing his sight, I had to maintain a supportive environment while explaining the need for an Xray and further hospital input, without causing him undue stress. I assured him that he would regain sight in his eye and that the trauma had caused temporary blindness only due to the impact. Analysis of events It is important to take time to listen to the patient and understand how they are feeling following such injury (Barnes, 2003). However, due to the patient’s distress I was unable to begin a physical examination until I had calmed him down and reassured him that he was in good hands. Consequently, IÂ  found it difficult to deal with the patients’ behaviour initially as I was more concerned in ascertaining the extend of his injury. Although I soon realised that in order to gain his cooperation with the physical assessment I first needed to encourage the patient to relax and discuss his concerns. I feel I communicated well with the patient through the application of a well structured consultation and was able to gain an adequate history, to assist with the diagnosis of the patient’s injury (Seidel et al, 2010). Action following events Maintaining a therapeutic relationship with good rapport can be difficult in situations where the patient is uncooperative and/or distressed. Therefore, in order to find solutions for patients I treat it is imperative to learn many problem solving techniques, including effective communication skills (Egan, 1998). This situation taught me that building a rapport with your patient is just as important as developing physical examination competence. As offering encouragement to the patient ultimately led to a more productive consultation and improved patient/practitioner relationship. I intend to utilise the skills learned throughout this module to enable me to adequately adapt to stressful situations and communicate effectively with my patients. References BARNES, K. (2003) Paediatrics: a clinical guide for nurse practitioners. Edinburgh: Butterworth- Heinemann. COTTRELL, S. (2011) Critical thinking skills: developing effective analysis and argument. (Palgrave Study Skills): Palgrave Macmillan. DRISCOLL, J. (2007) Practising clinical supervision: A reflective approach for healthcare professionals. London: Bailliere Tindall. EGAN, G. (1998) The skilled helper: a problem-management approach to helping. London: Brooks/Cole. SCHON, D. (1984) The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books. SEIDAL, H.M., BALL, J.W., DAINS, J, E., AND BENEDICT, G, W. (2010) Mosby’s guide to physical examination. Philadelphia: Elsevier.

Expansion of Molson Coors Molson Canadian Premium Research Paper

Expansion of Molson Coors Molson Canadian Premium - Research Paper Example This is despite an increase in sales of a competitor. It clearly outlined how Molson Coors had lost it in matters concerning marketing and other strategies relating its sales. One of the major brands that Molson Coors has in mind to promote is the Molson Canadian, one of the three beer brands that it owns. Molson Canadian is a premium lager. One of the possible reasons as to why it is the product of choice to be targeted for expansion is its increasing popularity among beer brands worldwide. It is already a hit in its native country of production, Canada, and the company has major plans for it.   Ranking The ranking of the countries in the order of the best market to the worst is: 1. China 2. Mexico 3. Czech 4. France China There are several reasons as to why China is the best potential market for expansion of Molson Canadian premium lager. One is the popularity gain of premium drinks among the Chinese population (6% in 2010) and its promising steady progress. They distinctively pr efer drinks that have quality and have some status. Premium lager drinks fit perfectly in this description. A preference is skewed towards imported premium lager brands given the inclination of the Chinese to the Western countries culture. This is in fact a perfect opportunity for the Molson Canadian premium lager, given its origin and perfection. The Chinese market has a promising future market, both in the present and in the future. This is given its younger generation’s capability to spend more on luxury goods. The young Chinese thus hold the future market for the Molson Canadian beer brand. Mexico Mexico could have been the best option if at all it had a little glimmer in its economy growth, which is its main letdown while considering the best country for Molson Canadian Premium Lager. This in fact was the main reason as to why they had a drop of 2% of beer volumes sold in 2010. The poor economy is a threat in that the population might prioritize other basic needs due to the rising prices of beer and the overall increased inflation that read 4.4% in 2010 up from 3.6% in 2009. Generally, Mexico has a very conducive market for premium beer with the consideration that a large percentage (94%) is committed to beer among all alcoholic drinks. The age group of the consumer base is also perfect; in the range of 20 – 29 years which is also the future market of the brand. Statistics also show that beer would eventually replace soft drinks for men given the trend it had taken. Of the 3% lager imports that are consumed, 90% comprises of premium lager. This leaves no doubt that Mexico is the second best option for Molson Canadian premium beer expansion plan. Czech Anyone who didn’t have the statistics would have no doubt chosen Czech as the perfect country for this investment plan. This would have been utterly wrong because despite Czech ranking among the top five in beer consumption, most of the supported brands are local brands. This is despite the imports that it gets from Slovakia and Poland. Its recent economic shakedown and the wellness and health sensitization are also designed to increase awareness and thus a high chance of reducing its market.  Ã‚  

Fundamentals of Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fundamentals of Macroeconomics - Essay Example GDP is mainly applied in determining the stability of a country’s economy. Calculations of gross domestic product are commonly done using the expenditure method, which adds total consumption, investment, government spending and net exports (Dolan, 2010). Real gross domestic product refers to gross domestic product evaluated based on the prevailing market prices in a given year. Real GDP can also be regarded as inflation corrected gross domestic product. Real GDP has the capability to indicate changes in the price level with a high accuracy compared to nominal gross domestic product (Dolan, 2010). This refers to the gross domestic product figure that has not received any adjustments on inflation. It is also the value of services as well as goods produced in a given country after the final stage of production. Increased purchase of groceries by households is a clear indicator of their improved economic status. This fact enhances growth of existing businesses as well as the emergence of new investments. In such a situation, the government benefits from increased tax collections obtained from value added tax and taxation from investments (Dolan, 2010). This refers to the reduction of the number of people under employment in a given country. The implications of undertaking such a step include negative impacts on the government, households, and businesses. Massive layoff of employees means that a large number of people within a country will have a reduced purchasing power. In such situations, household living standards will come down; businesses will close down due to low purchases, and government’s revenue collection will go down. Economically stable citizens within a country comprise a key pillar of a country’s economy (Dolan, 2010). Revenues generated from taxation are the principal financers of the government budget. Therefore, a decrease in taxes implies that the government will strain in meeting its expenditures. On the other

Gasland by Josh Fox Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gasland by Josh Fox - Movie Review Example The thesis of the documentary seeks to inform the audience about the environmental effects and human effects from natural gas drilling. Indeed, the documentary uses dark humor to discuss a detailed analysis of the broader effects of the controversial extraction method, hydraulic fracturing, or fracking that is rampant across the globe. The documentary seeks to negate the assertion that natural gas is a clean and safe alternative to oil. In addition, the documentary confirms that the fracked wells leak more often thus polluting the environment through water and air pollution, which endangers the environment and disturbs families (Fox Film). Rhetorical (persuasive) Strategies in the Documentary Notably, the documentary uses the three persuasive strategies, which include logos, pathos, and ethos. Moreover, the documentary uses rhetorical devices to apply the persuasive strategies to support the argument. In this context, I will focus on sound, speech, and visual images in discussing the rhetorical (persuasive) strategies in the documentary... The speaker further says that â€Å"a great deal of faith in people that we wouldn’t succumb to frenzy, or rage, or greed; that we’d figure out a solution without destroying the things that we love (Fox Film).† This comes in a convincing tone that asserts respect for the environment. More so, Josh Fox says that the proposal from the natural gas company to lease Fox’s family land for purposes of drilling natural gas generated a debate in the family. Indeed, Fox’s father initially had the thought of leasing the land for the $100,000 offer (Fox Film). On the other hand, Fox tells his father, ‘I think I have to look into this, so give me some time to go ahead and get the facts.† Indeed, even though, Fox said this in a commanding voice, Fox’s father allowed him to seek for facts and evidence regarding the effects of hydraulic fracturing on the community neighboring the drilling site. In fact, Josh Fox is the dominant narrator in the do cumentary where he gives a personal story. He engaged in interviews, discussions, and debates seeking to unearth the possible environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing. As a result, the film offers facts and evidence in spoken form through the interviews. We can actually experience Josh Fox talking with residents suffering from chronic health ailments that relate to air pollution and water contamination from the drilling of the natural gas using the hydraulic fracturing (Fox Film). This offers facts and evidence in spoken form through the discussions. More so, the residents report on their quest for justice where they visited the court to get an injunction seeking damages from the natural gas companies.  Ã‚  

Diplomacy And the International System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Diplomacy And the International System - Essay Example On the one hand, it was implied that the global process of regionalism had to take Europe as a model and as an outcome. On the other hand, regionalism in itself came to be considered a political project, and regional integration around the world was viewed as a desirable and ‘good’ outcome to complement and support global governance.† + Luk Van Langenhove & Daniele Marchesi (2008), Lisbon Treaty and the Emergence of Third Generation Regional Integration, As the changes required by the Lisbon Treaty are currently being implemented by the EU, the essay will first discuss the new relationships of foreign policy decision making articulated in the treaty with reference to the historical context. Particularly, this method will explore the conflict of relations between a nation’s foreign policy as defined by domestic goals, the requirements of other treaty and charter-based organizations such as NATO and the UN, and the new EU foreign policy structure based on unan imity. The requirements of unanimous decisions in foreign policy will be further discussed in relation to dissent, and the way dissenting states can use their influence in EU foreign policy decision-making to influence or change policy. The essay will provide evidence from research built from historical documents and official statements of political leaders in order to review the practical application of policy in the EU foreign policy decision-making process. III. Cohesion in EU Foreign Policy after the Lisbon Treaty The first aspect to consider in reviewing the effect of the Lisbon Treaty on an integrated EU foreign policy based on consensus and unanimity is how the new accord relates to the Treaty of Maastricht, the Treaty of Nice, the Treaty of Rome, and other fundamental accords of... This essay approves that it is significant that the Treaty of Lisbon requires the unanimous decision of EU member states in undertaking foreign policy decisions and that all use of military force be equally approved by consensus. This acts as a fundamental limit to power in EU authority, and forces the building of community around core European secular values such as democracy, freedom, elections, human rights, and others that represent the best of the evolutionary thought of these nations’ collective history. The Treaty preserves the right of member nations to dissent, but the â€Å"newness† of the Lisbon Treaty makes it less certain as to date how this will influence the policy decisions and actions taken by the EU. This report makes a conclusion that the positioning of the shared values of European history as the rationale behind a progressive and safeguarding form of international government in foreign policy has a wider popular understanding and political support in the grass roots than is commonly assumed, and in this manner, the EU may actually be representative of a wider movement in history rather than a top-down, technocratic imposition. The real test of the union is found in situations where nations like Germany are forced to submit to and accept policies that go against their national state interest in favor of the larger interest of maintaining the progress of European unity, as in the recent financial crises. However, domestic political interests may prohibit the efficient use of EU military power in the future in ways unforeseen by current analysis, forcing the EU leadership into only accepting policy positions with broad consensus, a position well suited for a limited supra-nationa l government in guardianship of the civil rights of society.

Logistic and supply chain management. Need to aswer question 1 and 3 Case Study

Logistic and supply chain management. Need to aswer question 1 and 3 in - Case Study Example This information will be used to compute the annual cost for each customer type. Table 1 indicates that each of MoonChem’s 12 small customers uses chemical amounting to 12,000kg per annum. This means that they receive only one (1) shipment per annum. This stock will last them for three years and three months. It therefore means that a shipment is made once every three years. However, there are consignment costs and holding costs to be considered. Table 2 provides information on these costs. Table 2 indicates that the annual cost to MoonChem of sending full truck-loads to small customers is $604,800. $4,800 of this total relates to transportation, $120,000 to holding costs (calculated as 25% of consignment cost), and the largest portion of $480,000 relating to consignment costs. Table 1 indicates that there are six (6) medium sized customers, each of whom consumes 5,000kg of chemicals per month. The total usage for each of these customers is 30,000kg per annum. This indicates that only one shipment is required for each medium customer per annum. Table 3 provides a breakdown of the annual cost of sending full truck-loads to these customers. Table 3 indicates that two (2) truck-loads of inventory would be required for medium customers per annum. The transportation cost of sending these two (2) truck-loads of chemicals to medium-sized customers is $14,400 per annum, consignment cost $480,000 and holding cost $120,000 per annum. The table also indicates that the total cost of sending full truck-loads of chemicals to medium customers is $614,400. Information in the Table 1 indicates that there are two large customers, each of whom consumes 12,000kg of chemicals per month which suggests an annual consumption for each member of this customer group of 144,000kg of chemical per annum. It therefore means that a total of 288,000kg of chemicals is being consumed by this particular group of customers. Table 4 indicates that the total annual cost of sending full

Describe your professional goals and how your chosen major relates to Essay

Describe your professional goals and how your chosen major relates to these goals. Is there a professional in your field of choice who might serve as your role - Essay Example This would cater to people who want to beautify themselves, eat well, and have time for relaxation in this world of rush. I also want to own the Miss Universe Organization. This follows the same trend as mentioned previously. This gives people the opportunity to see, all over the world, beautiful ladies who also care about other people ´s needs as to when they are asked, what they would like to do. I want to help in various areas of research to help cure many diseases. This research will focus in the following diseases: diabetes, leukemia, breast cancer, and HIV/AIDS. Supporting researchers in these areas will help in prevention measures, maintenance/control, and cure. My desire is to also help combat poverty. There are too many poverty stricken people around the world. Measures to alleviate poverty should be one of the aims entrepreneurs should have while conducting their business. It is clear that corporations make donations and it is also clear that they are tax exempt however, more needs to be done. There is never enough. Working with Adoption Agencies that work with dwarf children and with orphanages is one of my most interests. Children all over the world need attention. They need to feel comfort given their present situations. I would like to build schools in India and in Africa to be in a position to educate children. To give them the opportunities that others take for granted and enjoy. My role model is Donald Trump. He is a wise man, kind, calm, intelligent, thinks quickly, and he is not regularly seen in the tabloids. He is also a successful entrepreneur who owns the Miss Universe Organization. I want to be this kind of person. I want to be an entrepreneur, make donations, become part of the process, and see to it that changes are made to help others in their crisis. I want to be in a position where decision

Outline Current Legislation Affecting the Safeguarding of Children and Young People Essay Example for Free

Outline Current Legislation Affecting the Safeguarding of Children and Young People Essay â€Å"Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: †¢protecting children from maltreatment †¢preventing impairment of children’s health or development †¢ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. â€Å" (Dept for Education www.education.gov.uk) There are numerous laws and guidelines in place which aim to protect children from harm, and promote their health and wellbeing. The need for improved legislation has been highlighted by high-profile cases, such as the death of Maria Colwell in 1973 and, more recently, Victoria Climbià © in 2000. These cases shocked the nation and showed weaknesses in procedures. These policies are constantly reviewed and amended so it is important to keep up to date with these changes. The Children Act 1989 This Act identifies the responsibilities of parents and professionals who must work to ensure the safety of the child. This Act includes two important sections which focus specifically on child protection. Section 47 states that the Local Authority has ‘a duty to investigate when there is a reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm’. Section 17 states that services must be put into place to ‘safeguard and promote the welfare of children within the area who are in need’. The Education Act 2002 This outlines the role of Local Education Authorities (LEAs), governing bodies, head teachers and all those working in schools to ensure that children are safe and free from harm. The Children Act 2004 This is not a replacement of the Children Act 1989. This provides the legal framework for Every Child Matters and sets out the process for providing services in a way which allows every child to achieve the five outcomes of Every Child Matters (described below). It requires local authorities to lead multi-agency children’s trusts, to develop a children and young people’s plan, and to set up a shared database containing information relevant to a child’s welfare. This allows all the organisations involved in children’s welfare to access relevant information and work together to provide the best possible service. Childcare Act 2006 This act aimed to transform early years and childcare services in England. Local authorities are required to: †¢Improve the Every Child Matters outcomes for pre-school children †¢Provide sufficient quality childcare for working parents. †¢Provide a better Parent Information Service. Every Child Matters This was launched in 2002, at least partly in response to the death of Victoria Climbià ©. It is one of the most important policy initiative and development programmes in relation to children and childrens services of the last decade. It has been the title of three government papers, leading to the Children Act 2004. Every Child Matters covers children and young adults up to the age of 19. Its main aims are for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to: †¢Be healthy  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Stay safe †¢Enjoy and achieve †¢Make a positive contribution †¢Achieve economic well-being Each of these themes has a detailed framework attached whose outcomes require multi-agency partnerships working together to achieve. The agencies in partnership may include childrens centres, early years, schools, childrens social services, primary and secondary health services, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS). In the past it has been argued that children and families have received poorer services because of the failure of professionals to understand each others roles or to work together effectively in a multi-disciplinary manner. Every Child Matters seeks to change this, stressing that all professionals working with children should be aware of the contribution that could be made by their own and each others services. Protecting children from harm can be best achieved by effective joint and partnership working between agencies. Working Together to Safeguard Children This provides guidance on what you should do if you have concerns about the welfare of a child. It also recommends ways of working for people who work with young people and their families. What to do if You’re Worried a Child is Being Abused (DfES 2003) This is a guide for practitioners, helping them understand how to work together to promote children’s welfare and protect them from harm. It reinforces Every Child Matters by stressing the importance of joint working. United Nations Convention in The Rights of The Child 1989 This treaty sets out the rights and freedoms of all children in a set of 54 articles. Included in those rights are those which ensure that children are safe and looked after. Article 19 states children’s rights to be ‘protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse by those looking after them’. Those countries which signed up to the Treaty, including the UK in 1991, are legally bound to implement legislation which supports each of the articles.

Indian Cultural Background Essay Example for Free

Indian Cultural Background Essay I have two cultural background which are Cherokee Indian and African American . Cherokee is really pronounced as â€Å"CHAIR-uh-kee† in our language. Cherokee comes from a Muskogee word meaning ‘speakers of another language’. Cherokee Indians originally called themselves Aniyunwiya â€Å"the principal people,† but today they accept the named Cherokee. But in their language it is pronounced Tsadagi . The Cherokees are original residents of the American southeast region, particularly Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Most Cherokees were forced to move to Oklahoma in the 1800s along the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee Indians who survived this death still live in Oklahoma today. Some Cherokees escaped the Trail of Tears by hiding in the Appalachian hills or taking shelter with white neighbors. These people live scattered throughout the original Cherokee Indian homelands. Trail of Tears was the Cherokee name for what the Americans called Indian Removal. During the 1800s, the US government created an Indian Territory in Oklahoma and sent all the eastern Native American tribes to live there. Some tribes agreed to this plan with no problem. Other tribes didnt like this plan at all , and the American army forced them. The Cherokee tribe was one of the largest eastern tribes, and they didnt want to leave their homeland. The Cherokees were peaceful with the Americans. So they asked the Supreme Court for help. The judges decided the Cherokee Indians could stay in their homes. But the President, Andrew Jackson, sent the army to march the Cherokees to Oklahoma . They werent prepared for the journey, and it was winter time. Thousands of Cherokee Indians died on the Trail of Tears. Many Native Americans from other tribes died too. It was a terrible time in history. There are three federally recognized Cherokee tribes: the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the United Keetoowah Band in Oklahoma, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. Other Cherokee communities in Alabama, Georgia, and other states are considered unofficial by the US government. The Eastern Cherokee people live on a reservation. Indian reservations are lands that belong to Native American tribes and are under their control. The Oklahoma Cherokee people live on trust land, though many Cherokees call it a reservation anyway. The Keetowah Cherokee do not have a land base. Each Cherokee tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, Cherokee Indians are also US citizens and must obey American law. In the past, each Cherokee group was led by one war chief and one peace chief. Cherokee chiefs were chosen by a tribal council. Cherokee war chiefs were male, but the peace chief could be a woman. Today, Cherokee tribal councils and chiefs can be either gender and are popularly elected, like senators and governors. Most Cherokee people speak English today, but 20,000 people also speak the Cherokee Indian language. Cherokee is a complex language with soft sounds. The Cherokee language has an innovative writing system that was invented by the Cherokee scholar Sequoyah. Sequoyahs writing system is a syllabary. That means one character represents each syllable. The other cultural background is African American .

The Brewery Industry In Nigeria

The Brewery Industry In Nigeria The brewery industry belongs to the manufacturing sector under the Nigerian Stock Exchange (This Day, 2011). It dates back to over six decades with the birth of the pioneer company; Nigerian Breweries in 1949 with of star larger beer, followed by Guinness Nigeria in 1962 with Guinness stout. The major products in the brewery industry are beer, stout and non-alcoholic drinks (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). For the purpose of this paper, beer will be used to connote lager and stout. The industry experienced a boom in the 1970s due to the fledging oil industry and rapidly increased from less than five n 1970 to over thirty by 1980 (Obot, 2000). The ownership of the firms in the industry are either public or state-owned with or without foreign partnership. There are challenges of high operational costs due to importation, expert-skilled labour, maintenance of machinery and equipments. These challenges have lead to the closure of quite a number of the smaller firms in the early 80s leaving only the large firms with strong financial base.. At present, there are thirteen brewery (Nigerian Custom Service, 2011) companies left with only four listed under the Nigerian Stock Exchange (This Day, 2011). The industry is at the maturity stage of its life cycle but still remains one of the striving industry in the Nigerian manufacturing sector. It has a direct employment of over 30,000 personnel and an indirect employment of over 300,000 thousand personnel as a result of the firms providing ancillary services to the industry (Equity Research report, 2006). Nigerian Breweries and Guinness Nigeria are the two major players in the industry with . Nigerian Breweries leading the market with about 65% market share while Guinness Nigeria follows with about 25%. They both enjoy economies of scale and have good return on their investment (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). Analyses of Macro-environmental factors Every industry is affected by factors in the environment in which they operate. These factors which they have no direct control over, may either impact positively or negatively on the industry. The factors used for this analysis are Political, Economic, Social and Technology. Political The Nigerian political history after independence in 1960 has been characterized by a compendium of military and civilian governments. The military regimes had adversely affected the real sector, an example was the ban placed on importation of barley; the raw material for production of beer, by the military government of Buhari in 1987 (Porter Phillips-Howard, 1994). However the past twelve years of civilian government has witnessed relative stability in most parts of the country except for the restiveness in the Niger Delta region, which has dwindled the countrys crude oil revenue. It is expected that the on-going elections will successfully usher in a new civilian government that will further stabilize the polity and create an enabling environment that will attract foreign investors and stimulate the resuscitation of the real sector (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). Economic Nigeria operates a mixed economy which encourages the co-existence of both the private sectors and the state in the market place. It is an emerging economy with potential economic power given the abundant resources. The countrys economy is well diversified along sectoral classification with the oil sector accounting for over 80% of its GDP, through crude oil export thereby making its revenue highly susceptible to the vagaries of the trends in the international market (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). The economy is supported by a very resilient and strictly regulated financial system that has gone through several reforms within the past decade. While the exchange rate has been relatively stable in the past two years, interest rates have been closely regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria while efforts to bring inflation rate below single digit has been elusive. Other factors that have contributed to the harsh economic climate in Nigeria are lack of power and inadequate infrastructure. The period between years 2000 and 2010 has witnessed the closure of more than 850 industries. However, with the trend of increase in the manufacturing GDP over the past years (i.e. 2008: 3.6%, 2009: 4.2%), it is expected that a stable terrain will continue to attract investors in years to come (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). Social Nigeria with its population of about 150 million is a huge potential market for investors. The country is the second largest beer market in Africa after South Africa. South Africa with a population of 47.9million according to 2007 statistical data, has a beer consumption per capita of 50 hectolitres while Nigeria has 10 hectolitres per capita. Industry operators are of the view that the existing firms capacity are not enough to meet the demand of the market, and there is therefore room for expansion (Momoh, 2009). Nigeria is a diverse country with over 250 ethnic groups. The population of the country gives a religious spread of Muslims(50%), Christians(40%) and indigenous religions(10%). The Muslims and Pentecostal Christians do not indulge in beer consumption due to their religious beliefs (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011) The above notwithstanding, beer consumption remains a social activity in Nigeria and the sale of the commodity has continued to increase from year to year.. Technology The brewery industry is highly capital intensive. This accounts for the reason why the ownership structure is either public and/or state-owned with/without foreign partnership. The technology for the industry, spare parts and expert technicians are not available in country and therefore highly dependent on foreign exchange. Guinness for example has Diego of Ireland as its foreign partner (Trade Invest, 2009). The ban on importation of barley in 1987 necessitated the industry to settle for local substitute of maize and sorghum as raw materials for its production. The resultant plant conversion to accommodate the new raw material input-mix cost Nigerian Brewery a whopping sum of 100million naira! (Equity Research report, 2006). One of the major challenges facing the industry is the maintenance of equipments and machinery. The players commit huge financial resources in technology and upgrades in order to remain competitive (Equity Research report, 2006). Analysis of Industry Competitiveness using Porter Five Forces Industry competitiveness is said to determined by bargaining power of buyers, power of suppliers, threats of new competitors, threat of substitute products and rivalry among existing firms. The profitability of the industry is determined by these five Forces as they influence prices, costs and required investment (Porter, 1985). Bargaining Power of Buyers Buyers create demand in the market and their bargaining power would represent a strong competitive force if they have sufficient bargaining leverage to influence and obtain price concessions and other favourable terms and conditions of sale (Thompson et al, 2010). In the case of the brewery industry, consumers are scattered across specific regions in the country. Some states in the Northern part of Nigeria do not permit the sale of alcoholic beverages due to religious beliefs. The price elasticity demand for sales of brewery products is inelastic, an increase in price may not have a significant impact on demand. A decrease in consumer disposable income may have a small impact on demand, as buyers may go for cheaper brands or substitute products. The introduction of a new product into market that is not related to the brewery industry may compete with brewery products for consumer disposable income. The introduction of GSM service into the Nigerian market in 2003 created a serious competition for the brewery industry (Equity Research report, 2006). The industry has good distribution networks, in fact, they are the buyers in the industry as they control movement of the products from the producer to the retailers, and thus determine the price of the products to a certain extent. This unfortunately does not allow interaction between the producers and the consumers, however the players in the industry especially the two big players strive to maintain contact with their consumers by advertisements, promotion of events and also sponsorships of various programmes and activities (Jernigan Obot, 2006). Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers in the industry include distributors of raw materials, components and finished products. Such components include bottles, crown corks, labels e.t.c. These services are outsourced because the Nigerian law does not permit the brewery firms to produce them (Equity Research report, 2006). There are more distributors and suppliers than existing brewery firms in existence. The raw materials and components being undifferentiated give the manufacturers the luxury to chose their suppliers at will (Equity Research report, 2006). Nigerian Breweries alone has about 147 distributors and wholesalers within the country (Famurewa Orekoya, 2008). However the distributors may pose a threat to the industry during industrial actions. Threat of new Entrants According to Porter, the threat of new entrants will affect the profitability of an industry (Porter, 1985) as the incumbents may be forced to lower their prices in order to discourage new entrants thereby reducing profitability. In the Nigerian Brewery industry, some factors which help to raise barrier to entry include capital requirements, legal costs, economies of scale, distribution networks (oppapers.com, 2011). Nigerian Breweries and Guinness both have foreign technical partners who provide the needed technical and financial assistance (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). The other companies are mainly public or state owned and are localised within their region. There were no new entrant into the business, until 2009 when SABMiller a South African company came on stream with the acquisition of Peabody Breweries and Standard Breweries. SABMiller strategy in gaining part of the market share was to produce low cost beer for a segment of the market who could not afford the premium brand of the existing market. However Nigeria Breweries was already producing such through Consolidated Breweries one of its subsidiary (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). Threat of Substitute The availability of substitute may impact an industrys profitability as consumers may decide to switch to a substitute product (Boeing et al, 2008). In Nigeria the consumption of traditional drinks such as burukutu, palm wine and ogogoro has a cultural affinity among consumers in the rural and urban areas. Other potential substitutes include alcoholic drinks such as wine, brandy, vodka and non alcoholic drinks such as malt, juice, soft and energy drinks. The alcoholic drinks are known to be consumed by a higher segment of the society (Jernigan Obot, 2006), while the non-alcoholic drinks are to target the non-beer consuming religious groups. Beer however remains the beverage of choice as some studies carried out have shown its predominant preference over other alcoholic beverages (Obot, 2000). Beer is known to account for 96% of alcoholic sales in Nigeria (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). Intensity of Rivalry among existing firms This is a measure of the extent to which existing firms compete among each other for customers, this could be price and non-price based (Boeing et al, 2008). In the industry as mentioned earlier, competition is between the two major players, however there are no price wars as the products are differentiated and price differences are insignificant. The industry produces 22 brands of lager and 4 brands of stout besides other non-alcoholic drinks, Nigerian Breweries dominates the market in the larger (Star) segment while Guinness dominates the stout (Guinness) segment (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). For non-priced based competition, the two companies compete on product innovations, such as packaging, branding and advertisements. Consumers have witnessed innovation of packaging from bottle to can and sip-it packs. Summary of Five Forces A summary of the five forces is hereby presented in the table below using key drivers and resultant effect on industry (Boeing et al, 2008). Table 1 Force Key drivers Effect Power of buyers Concentration is high, no bargaining leverage Low Power of suppliers Suppliers more than Producers Low Threat of substitute Increased growth in substitute industry High Threat of new Entrant High barrier to entry Low Intensity of rivalry Two major competitors Moderate Overall analysis Moderate SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis will be used to measure an organizations strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the industry on a four cell chart (Dibb et al, 2006). Figure 1 Strength Economies of scale Strong financial base Experience High staff turn-over Inflexible technology Cost Control Weakness Opportunity Technology Market growth Good distribution network Govt legislation Continued low margin Failure to capture mkt growth Threat (Dibbs et al, 2006) Recommendations With strength and opportunity, an organization in the industry can capitalize by expansion or acquisition of weaker firms. An organization with opportunity and internal weakness should watch the market slowly and formulate a strategy to build on its weakness. A weak organization facing threat should take the strategic turn-around required, by exiting the business or allow itself to be taken over by a bigger firm. An organization with strength but facing threat should use its strength to overcome its weakness (Dibb et al, 2006) Hirschmann Herfindahl Index (HHI) HHI is a measurement of the concentration of an industry. It is measured by squaring the sum of the market share within that industry . A HHI figure greater than 1800 imply an industry that is considerably concentrated (Boeing et al, 2008). Table 2 Company Revenue (2009)m Market share Market share^2 Nigerian Breweries $1,100 65% 4,225 Guinness Nigeria $ 587.7 25% 625 Others 10% 100 Total 4,950 (Corporate Nigeria, 2010/2011). The HHI measure gives a figure of 4,950 which shows a highly concentrated industry tending towards an oligopoly (Boeing et al, 2008). Conclusion The brewery industry has proved to be a sustainable business in Nigeria with over six (6) decades of operation and having survived years of unstable polity, economic downturns and different government policy and reforms. The industry has been consistently dominated by Nigerian Breweries and Guinness and is sadly tending towards oligopoly with the acquisition of five existing breweries by Nigerian Breweries (allAfrica.com, 2011). Nigeria is still considered one of the least penetrated beer market in the world in terms of its demographic population of over 150million (allAfrica.com, 2011). More investors are definitely welcome, however such investors will need to commit huge capital outlay to build plants or acquire existing firms and also create a strong distribution network in order to compete with the existing firms. Beer consumption is a win-win situation, Nigerians drink when they are happy and wish to celebrate, they also drink when they are sad or emotionally down. The brewery industry will therefore continue to enjoy a sustained growth in the country.

Coming out of My Heterophobia Closet Essay -- essays research papers

Coming out of â€Å"My Heterophobia† Closet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing up in a heterosexual world as a Lesbian who remained in many closets, has shape my identity and the way I will transact with people for the rest of my life. Upon coming out of closet, or being pushed out (by suspension from parents and friends) at the age of eighteen or nineteen I quickly assumed the bi-sexual title because it meant at least there was hope for me in the future. This proved to be worse for my self-esteem, and may have caused the most damage because even though I was free to come out, I was still afraid (somewhat) of taking the big leap and being totally ostracized by my friends and people I know. So I felt one million times worst trying to be bi-sexual than I ever did being heterosexual, I knew I was betraying myself before, but now it felt like the ultimate betrayal. During the next year or so I finally got the courage to come out as a full blown Lesbian, and life has never been better.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanted to shave my head and start over fresh as a new person who has this fresh new identity because I wanted nothing to do with the heterosexual and bi-sexual life I had lived in the past; I was on a mission to prove I could be as gay as anyone else. That meant forsaking all straight clubs and hanging out with the straight friends that I had, cutting my hair and actively searching out other lesbians. I went to gay clubs and events and made new friends with total lesbians; I was ashamed of my straight background and even claimed to have been out of the closet for many years when in fact I had not been, I didn’t want to be a new be. I wanted to show my friends that if they couldn’t deal with me as a true lesbian, none changing, then I didn’t want them around me. I took this class because I wanted to know more about our history and try to put a face to gayness for others, an African American face, an educated face, a female face, but most of a ll a human face.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I found out that ninety five percent of the class is straight and homophobic for the most part, I was thrilled yet sadden (because I now had the opportunity to look them in the eye and have them call me all the names I would have been called had I possessed the courage to come out sooner) but mostly thrilled because it felt great being around more gay people, e... ...d the trip to Orlando with them, that in order for them to accept me, I would first need to accept them and give them a face for an African American Jewish Lesbian, who is very well educated and from a upper middle class family, who attended the best private schools and has not become a statistic in any way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’m happy I took this class, and actually am planning to get a certificate in Gay/Lesbian studies as soon as it is offered by the Women Studies Department. I never thought that people like Chris, Holly, Leah, Horacio and a couple like Suarmis and her boyfriend could change in six weeks what it took me years to build. I am not exempt from ignorance and acts of discrimination, the differences are I am willing to recognize them and make adjustments to my character, so that when I decide to raise children I do so unbiased. I will even try not to take the easy route by having only gay friends I will actually start communicating with the rest of the world, now that I don’t feel they are out to get me. Thank you for a class well taught and I wish you well in retirement. I wish I had the honor of studying under you in another class for another semester.

John Adams by David McCullough Essays -- Biography John Adams McCullou

John Adams, by David McCullough   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book, John Adams, by David McCullough, is a powerfully written biography of one of our nation’s greatest heroes. This biography explores Adams’ life in great depth, unveiling a side to his life unbeknownst to those who have never studied his life in great detail. Through diary entries, letters, and various other documents, the reader grasps a sense of what Adams’ day to day life was like, and is also able to grasp the enormity of his lifetime accomplishments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the battle for independence from Great Britain, the founding forefathers of our country came together, uniting for a common cause they would end up fighting for with their lives. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and many others take part of this panoramic chronicle of Adams’ life, all coming together because of their devotion to their country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In particular, of these men, Thomas Jefferson especially is exposed, and his relationship with Adams is explored, as it is a crucial fluctuating one. Though born opposites, they forge a relationship as diplomats, and as close friends, only after meeting and working together, however. In a letter to James Madison, before Jefferson first went to France to work with Adams, he likens him to a poisonous weed. After becoming great friends in Paris, however he writes back to Madison, â€Å"He is so amiable that I pronounce you will love him if ever you become acquainted with him†. Later on though, as the advent of political parties comes into being, and during the intense struggle for the presidency of the election of 1800, the two become archrivals. Incredibly, after this, they become close friends once again, and amazingly die on the same day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other relationship described in great detail was that which he shared with his wife, Abigail Adams. Through all the times he spent away from her, working arduously for the freedom he was so determined to secure for the thirteen colonies, they stayed strongly attached, and wrote numerous letters to one another, many of which are shared. He writes to her while in Congress, one time sharing with her, â€Å"We live, my dear soul, in an age of trial. What will be the consequence, I know not.† She encourages him, giving him her approval and support, in one letter writing, â€Å"You cannot be, I know, ... ... to the realness of this man. This book was first published in 2001, in New York. Though probably released before the September 11 attacks, it is assurable that if it had been released after, the direct correlation of the American hero would be made of John Adams. I think that the author’s goal, in writing this book, is to present the reality of this particular co-revolutionary, which through all the primary documents especially, he was very successful in doing. The single most memorable thing that I learned about were the relationships that Adams had, with other familiar names. This book had really helped me to understand the happenings that went on in the life period of Adams, but also really just how all these historical co-revolutionaries and Founding Fathers were all related.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a whole, I found that the scholarly reviews of this book were very positive. Most of the responses of other scholars were those of praise and commendation on such a great book, an interesting and valid view on the life of John Adams. Works Cited: Gelles, Edith. â€Å"The Adams Phenomenon.† November 2001. http:// www2.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=284001005599191.(05 January 2002)

The Great Land Serpent

For starters, the train Is being portrayed as a serpent, and In biblical terms, the serpent Is an evil creature that lures Innocent people to betraying others. In the cartoon It stretches across the land Into the horizon, In a curvy motion, which shows how wide spread this creature Is, and showing how there Is no escaping It. The creature Is consuming money and people through Its mouth which shows what Is powering it as well as what it takes to create it. Close to the top of this creature is a hole for smoke to blow out of, which homilies the damage it does to the environment.In the smoke there is also a word written, dividend. According to the dictionary, dividend means a sum of money paid to shareholders. There is also another word cleverly hidden in the cartoon, on the street corner, it reads â€Å"Dangerous†, and when you put these two words together, you are able to come to the conclusion that the author doesn't think that the railroad is worth the risks and money. Anothe r important aspect to this cartoon is the human standing to the side.His resent may be to show that humans are responsible for this horrible creation that is in turn killing them. You are able to tell that he is raising his hand but it's hard to tell is he is saying to stop or continue on. By showing the train/creature running over many dead bodies and lots of money, it's clear the author disapproves. â€Å"The Great Land Serpent† symbolizes how the railroad is similar to a beasts evil creature. It's very apparent that it's negative because its' getting its' energy from the dead bodies, money, and manpower.The painter makes it a point to show his disapproval of the railroad and how evil his believes it to be. The author must have been greatly affected by the railroad system to cast such a negative light on It In this political cartoon. The Great Land Serpent By middleman 2 This political cartoon, titled â€Å"The Great Land Serpent,† casts the railroad and its were exp ensive, and had to be maintain constantly. Also it cut Jobs, because it eliminated the need for people to transport items from one place to another. Lord. For starters, the train is being portrayed as a serpent, and in biblical terms, the serpent is an evil creature that lures innocent people to betraying others. In the cartoon it stretches across the land into the horizon, in a curvy motion, which shows how wide spread this creature is, and showing how there is no escaping it.

Gramscian Hegemony and Its Transformation Framing the Transformation of Hegemony of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist in Victorian Era

Nadhira Novembrina â€Å"†¦be equated with the predominance of ‘hegemony’ over ‘coercion’ as the fundamental mode of bourgeois power in advanced capitalism. Since hegemony pertains to civil society, and civil society prevails over the State, it is the cultural ascendancy of the ruling class that essentially ensures the stability of the capitalist order. For in Gramsci’s usage here, hegemony means the ideological subordination of the working class by the bourgeoisie, which enables it to rule by consent.† Anderson, 1976a, pp 26 Introduction The aim of this writing is to explain and assess the relevance of Gramscian hegemony and its transformation toward Charles dickens’s Oliver Twist. The focus of this analysis is the assignation protagonist character Oliver Twist, in relation with his society. This novel written in nineteenth century which manifest the era of Victorian middle class struggle; in order to gain recognition as a higher social class than the (working class) lower class. Therefore I would like to concern on middle class society in the era of Victorian in nineteenth century and also how Dickens put Oliver from one social neighborhood to another. This analysis is more concerned with the dynamics of ideology in civil society. This novel has been analyzed many times especially using Marxist approach, however it is still worthwhile to dig deep the authenticity or see this work differently by using the same approach. Mandy Macklin (2009) consider Oliver Twist is both reject and support the class system as she used Marxism in analyze it. It is acceptable if we see it that way as the novel expose more about class system. Since this novel rejects but at the same time support the class system it is interesting to learn further in what class Oliver Twist is more dominant and which side that Dickens stand in seeing the existence of class system. Here, I concern that the ideological hegemony plays a big role in the way Dickens depict the class system in his plotting. This writing centered on how Dickens placed Oliver; as a civilian from lower society class and end up as higher class.

Aids Funding For Africa And Other Countries

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a serious problem besetting the whole world. However, there is no other region in the world that could equal the sheer number and severity of the AIDS problem in Africa. The situation of AIDS victims in the region makes Africa deserving of help from the more fortunate nations in the world that are not hit as badly as the Africans, such as the United States.There are basically three reasons underlying Africa’s need for funding from other states. First, the number of AIDS victims in Africa is staggering. This reason alone is sufficient to arouse from people a compulsion to help. Basic notions of humanity and compassion dictate that those who are better situated and are able to help provide whatever assistance they can to those in need.Second, the situation in Africa is getting worse, not only for those who are actually afflicted by the disease, but also for their children. There is a growing number of orphans in Africa who desperately need help because t hey lost their parents to AIDS.Third, Africa is in no shape to solve this problem on its own. Almost all its countries are weighed down by the disease; and they have no resources to fund research on, and treatment of, the disease.Main BodyThe African SituationAfrica is the region most badly hit by the AIDS phenomenon. Compared to the number of victims in the United States, which only reached a little over 1 million in the year 2003 (A Glance, 2006), the number in Sub-Saharan Africa reached about 25 million at the end of 2005.Worse, it is approximated that about 2.7 million more infections occurred during that year. The number of deaths in the region is also devastating, reaching a total of about 2 million in the same year. (Kanabus & Fredriksson-Bass, 2006).The prevalence rates of HIV vary among the countries in Africa. Some are very much higher than others.   Among the countries that have the lowest prevalence rate are Somalia and Senegal, which is under 1% of the adult populatio n.Another country with relatively low prevalence rate is Nigeria, despite its being the country with the highest population in Sub-Saharan Africa, with only 3.9% in 2005. However, numbers are creeping up in the said country, as already â€Å"around 2.9 million Nigerians are estimated to be living with HIV.†On the other side of the spectrum, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe registered the highest adult HIV prevalence rates, reaching 24.1%, 23.2%, 33.4% and 20.1%, repectively. (Kanabus & Fredriksson-Bass, 2006).AIDS OrphansAnother grave problem facing Africa today is the number of children who are being orphaned because of AIDS. Although the whole world shares the weight of the 15 million children below 18 who have lost a parent to AIDS, Africa is again the region most badly hit by the situation.Africa is home to more than 12 million of these orphaned children, and it is predicted that this number will reach approximately 15.7 million by the year 2010 in Sub-Saharan Af rica alone.The gravity of the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa, where â€Å"children who have been orphaned by AIDS comprise half or more of all orphans nationally,† is manifested in the mere number of children who have been orphaned in 2005. (AIDS Orphans).South Africa has the most number of AIDS orphans, with 1,200,000 of them in 2005, while Malawi has the lowest population of orphans, with only 550,000. It would be noted that this smallest population of orphans of 550,000 is still a lot, and this in no way implies that the problem is less pressing in Malawi. (AIDS Orphans).The biggest crisis involving AIDS orphans consist in the emotional impact of deaths of their parents on the children. Negative changes are sure to be experienced, such as emotional neglect and trauma, occurring long before they are actually orphaned.For example, studies in Uganda show that high levels of psychological distress, manifested by feelings of anxiety, depression and anger, are common children w ho have been orphaned by AIDS. More fundamentally, the loss of a parent can lead to the subsequent loss of basic needs, such as food, shelter and education.Foreign FundingThe situation in Africa can be improved through the support of other countries and world organizations, particularly in funding. Africa has no sufficient resources to support anti-AIDS campaign on its own. Money, infrastructures and human resources are needed to form an effective HIV prevention and treatment program in the region.Unfortunately, these factors are not sufficiently developed in Africa. Therefore, foreign funding plays an important role in helping Africa combat its problem of AIDS. (Kanabus & Fredriksson-Bass, 2006).Funding to low-income countries, such as Africa, is sourced from only four streams: donations from national governments, major multilateral funding organizations, the private sector and domestic spending. With the other streams being unavailable, donations from foreign governments remain th e only viable source of resources for Africa.The United States is one of the biggest providers of funds in the fight against AIIDS. The American initiative consists mainly of the PEPFAR, or the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, which is a five-year commitment to donate $15 million to regions that are heavily beset by the AIDS epidemic. (Funding the Fight).ConclusionAfrica is the country that is most hit by the AIDS epidemic. The devastating effects of the said disease have led to other problems such as the psychological trauma caused on children who have been orphaned because of AIDS, who are growing in number through the years.With Africa lacking in much-needed resources, foreign funding from rich countries, such as the United States, remain its only hope in dealing with, and combating this deadly disease.ReferencesA Glance at the HIV/AIDS Epidemic. (2006). Retrieved December 1, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/facts heets/At-A-Glance.htmAIDS Orphans. Retrieved December 1, 2006, from http://www.avert.org/aidsorphans.htmFunding the Fight Against AIDS. Retrieved December 1, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.avert.org/aidsmoney.htmKanabus, A. & Fredriksson-Bass, J. (2006). HIV & AIDS in Africa. Pembrey, G. Ed. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   December 1, 2006, from http://www.avert.org/aafrica.htma

Choice and the Characters of Sula

Toni Morrison’s Sula explores the power of choice and its importance in the course of human existence. Regardless of the fact that the African-American characters of Sula are of an oppressed nature, they forever maintain the freedom of choice. This theme of choice provides insight into the acquirement and personification of identity. Sula and Nel, the primary characters of the novel, are utilized by Morrison to highlight how personal identity is established at our own accord.For example, early on in the novel when Morrison is describing the childhood of Sula and Nel, both characters make the conscious decision to act according to their own ideas about the world: â€Å"In the safe harbor of each other’s company they could afford to abandon the ways of other people and concentrate on their own perceptions of things† (55). Nel eventually abandons this concept and assumes a role similar to her mother’s (that of respectable housewife,) but Sula remains this way throughout her life.Because of Sula’s disregard of others’ opinions, she is eventually looked down upon by the townspeople of the Bottom. The actions of these two characters present the question of whether unabashed decision-making is liberating or condemning in terms of social acceptance. Another question Morrison presents is whether we can choose to acknowledge our past or not. At the beginning of the novel, Nel is traveling to her great-grandmother’s funeral with her mother, Helene. Once they arrive, they come into contact with Nel’s grandmother, Rochelle.Rochelle is of Creole descent and makes a living by being an escort. Helene is quick to dismiss Rochelle: â€Å"’I don’t know,’ her mother said. ‘I don’t speak Creole. ’ She gazed at her daughter’s wet buttocks. ‘And neither do you’† (27). It is evident that Helene thinks that by refusing to speak the Creole language that she is also refusing to acknowledge Rochelle and, therefore, erasing her from her and her daughter’s past. With Helene and her behavior towards Rochelle, Morrison presents this question of whether or not we can choose which parts of our past are relevant to our current existence.Following the meeting between Nel and Rochelle, Morrison showcases that characters can choose not only to disregard their past, but also forces in the present that attempt to dictate an individual’s identity: â€Å"’I’m me. I’m not their daughter. I’m not Nel. I’m me. Me’†¦ ‘Me,’ she murmured. And then, sinking deeper into the quilts, ‘I want†¦ I want to be†¦ wonderful†¦ Oh, Jesus, make me wonderful’† (28). Nel realizes that she can make the choice about who she wants to be and about her own identity. She denies her identity being determined by her parents or her heritage.Morrison also highlights how characters utilize the freedom of choice to deter their fears of the unknown future. For example, Shadrack makes the choice to control the uncontrollable after he experiences a mental breakdown during his time in the war: â€Å"It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. In sorting it all out, he hit on the notion that if one day a year were devoted to it, everybody could get it out of the way and the rest of the year would be safe and free. In this manner he instituted National Suicide Day† (14).Instead of letting his life be dictated by outside forces, he chooses the path his life will take by seeking power over what terrifies him the most. While every character in Sula makes a choice of some kind, there is one character who was seemingly denied the luxury of choice and that was Eva Peace: â€Å"The children needed her; she needed money, and needed to get on with her life. But the demands of feeding her children were so acute she had to postpone her anger for two years until she had both the time and energy for it† (32).Eva’s choice was made by the circumstances of her life and the lives of her children. Later on in the novel, Eva denies Plum Peace, her son, the choice to redeem his wayward ways. She sets him on fire after she discovers he has a heroin addiction following the war. In contrast to Eva and her lack of choice in providing for her family by any means necessary, Nel’s husband Jude did possess the power of choice and chose to abandon his family following an affair with Sula: â€Å"’Every man I ever knew left his children. ’ ‘Some were taken. ’ ‘Wrong, Nellie.The word is left’† (143). Morrison uses this conversation to highlight the stark contrast between Nel and Sula and their diverging beliefs in the freedom of choice. Sula maintains that Jude chose to leave his family while Nel argues that he had no choice in being taken away following his shame abo ut the affair. Morrison also portrays how characters make choices based on personal perceptions: â€Å"But thinking Sula had an odd way of looking at things and that her wide smile took some of the sting away from that rattlesnake over her eye† (68).Jude articulates the notion that we can choose how we see things and this can impact the way others see us. Many of the townsfolk of the Bottom perceive Sula as evil based on the appearance of her scar. Morrison’s detailed description of the various images people imagine the scar to be showcases how each individual has the personal power to choose how to view others. While one person may perceive the scar to be a treacherous snake, another perceived it to be a smudge of dirt or a butterfly wing.It is in Sula that readers are presented with various notions regarding the power of freedom of choice. Sula poses the question of what earthly forces influence choice and it also showcases how the power of personal decisions dictate our lives and identities. With Nel and Sula, readers are provided apt character studies in the ramifications of choice. Morrison also presents the rationale behind what actions classify as â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil† when choosing our moral paths in life. Sula is portrayed as â€Å"evil† simply because she chooses her own path, regardless of social norms.In contrast, Nel is considered â€Å"good† because of her ability to assume the role society casts her in, whether it be faithful wife or doting mother. In the end, we come to realize that Sula’s â€Å"careless choices† dictated the prosperity of the town and the behavior of the townsfolk. In her absence, the Bottom and the townspeople suffer from their careless choices that were previously held at bay because of Sula’s presence. Morrison presents the notion that we always possess the power of choice, but whether our choices will be viewed as good or evil is in the hands of others.

An Empty Purse Frightens Away Friends

Even the purity of blood relations and innocence of love is at the verge of extinction. Friendship which once was considered the most immaculate relation is no longer filled with the heartiest emotions of devotion, abstemiousness and harmony. People, these days, like agreements more than relations and friendship. Disloyalty has been the nature of every creature ever since life was concocted. Dog is constantly used in the sayings regarding faithfulness, when gets mad, bites its own master. Some control this evil part (disloyalty) of their complexion, while others bluntly expose it. Many such examples are there in history in which acquisitiveness and perfidiousness overshadowed loyalty. In the start of human race the two sons of Adam fought, and Cain killed Abel despite their blood relation. Since then, human beings are murdering the beautiful emotions like fidelity and adherence. Its intensity has increased, and is increasing as the time is passing. And humanity is being replaced by inhumanness  in society. Friends no longer have the degree of affinity that they once used to have. Nowadays, it is not love or affection that inspires one to be friend with someone; money and status are the factors that matter these days. Persons are friends in just fair weather, when the status drops or money ends, they tend to leave one in the lurch. We read many stories regarding loyalty and friendship like â€Å"three friends and a bag of gold† in which three childhood friends murder each other just for a bag of gold, because when there is money the eyes and heart go blind. As Dr Thomas Fuller mentioned in his â€Å"Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs†, â€Å"Money is the sinew of love as well as war. † People want interest in everything, even if there are emotions at the stake. People make friends not because they are inspired by the loyalty or ersonality of the person but because they are seeing their profit in the friendship, and when this specific profit of theirs starts converting to loss, they disappear like they never even knew or they had a complete overhauling of their mind which made them to forget every little detail of the person they once were so close to. It is very difficult to find a friend that stands with one through thick and thin. If one has a loyal friend than one has got more than oneâ₠¬â„¢s share. An Empty Purse Frightens Away Friends Even the purity of blood relations and innocence of love is at the verge of extinction. Friendship which once was considered the most immaculate relation is no longer filled with the heartiest emotions of devotion, abstemiousness and harmony. People, these days, like agreements more than relations and friendship. Disloyalty has been the nature of every creature ever since life was concocted. Dog is constantly used in the sayings regarding faithfulness, when gets mad, bites its own master. Some control this evil part (disloyalty) of their complexion, while others bluntly expose it. Many such examples are there in history in which acquisitiveness and perfidiousness overshadowed loyalty. In the start of human race the two sons of Adam fought, and Cain killed Abel despite their blood relation. Since then, human beings are murdering the beautiful emotions like fidelity and adherence. Its intensity has increased, and is increasing as the time is passing. And humanity is being replaced by inhumanness  in society. Friends no longer have the degree of affinity that they once used to have. Nowadays, it is not love or affection that inspires one to be friend with someone; money and status are the factors that matter these days. Persons are friends in just fair weather, when the status drops or money ends, they tend to leave one in the lurch. We read many stories regarding loyalty and friendship like â€Å"three friends and a bag of gold† in which three childhood friends murder each other just for a bag of gold, because when there is money the eyes and heart go blind. As Dr Thomas Fuller mentioned in his â€Å"Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs†, â€Å"Money is the sinew of love as well as war. † People want interest in everything, even if there are emotions at the stake. People make friends not because they are inspired by the loyalty or ersonality of the person but because they are seeing their profit in the friendship, and when this specific profit of theirs starts converting to loss, they disappear like they never even knew or they had a complete overhauling of their mind which made them to forget every little detail of the person they once were so close to. It is very difficult to find a friend that stands with one through thick and thin. If one has a loyal friend than one has got more than oneâ₠¬â„¢s share.

Whole Food Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Whole Food Market - Essay Example Whole Food Market has developed an innovation strategy of its kind that would suit its organic business model. Firstly, they integrated the differentiation strategy whereby they provide their customers services they cannot find anywhere else so as to maintain a loyal customer basis. On the contrary, the supermarket was the first to dump use of plastic bags so as to conserve the environment. Furthermore, its social dimension towards its value proposal in engaging in wind energy practices; an environmental friendly approach is part of its innovation strategy. Moreover, in order to satisfy their organic goal, they have also expanded their business to developing their own line of sea food and an animal welfare system and more so boosting new and creative animal production practices. Therefore, putting these factors in mind, it is clear that the organization has justified its organic practices.The environment that Whole Food Market operates in is full of potential. The external threats ar e competition from fast food companies as well as other green companies. However, its differentiation strategy has worked out in terms of beating rival companies. On the other hand, the supermarket realizes the environmental challenges, hence its approach to renewable energy and elimination of plastic. Such corporate responsibilities have enhanced favor to the supermarket from its green customers. Another environemental principle is always being ahead producing high quality products as well as realizing and utilizing opportunities.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Benjamins Character Essay

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Benjamins Character - Essay Example This paper stresses that Genre, Mise-en-scà ¨ne, lighting, camera angle, sound, and narrative are some of the film-making techniques used in this film. This paper is going to analyze these film-making techniques used in the film, and describe how Benjamin was able to face all the difficulties in his life. According to Campsall, a film’s genre hints what to expect in the film, and this film’s genre ranges between science fiction, romance and history. Science fiction is used because Benjamin’s condition at birth, and the way he lived from old to young cannot exist. From this paper it is clear that Romance is also a genre used in this film and it can be seen in the way Benjamin falls in love with Daisy. She developed a close friendship with him from an early age, and even though they were separated at some point, they still loved each other. The movie is set in the just after the end of the First World War, and history as a genre can be seen here. There is family who lost their child in war, and there is a time when Benjamin and a crew in a ship were in war for America. One can be able to see the livelihood of people during that time and learn a few things about history. The movie starts in a hospital, and the director only shows old Daisy lying on the bed, her daughter, and an attending nurse. Mise-en-scà ¨ne is used here because the hospital’s name is not shown, and other patients are also not shown.

Based on public health role in flu epidemic, identify one ethical Research Paper

Based on public health role in flu epidemic, identify one ethical consideration and one cultural consideration for a public health response. What is the nurse's role in address each of these - Research Paper Example Moreover, the paper will demonstrate the role of a nurse in each of the considerations. Being prepared for flu epidemic is crucial since it ensures that the public health system can mitigate the effects of the pandemic. However, certain ethical and cultural considerations must be deliberated on while deciding the appropriate measures. Nurses play an important role in the response to flu pandemic. Understanding the ethical and cultural considerations as well as the role of nurse is thus important (Debruin, 2012). One ethical consideration involved is the moral commitment to justice and alleviating any barriers that could hinder the some people from accessing healthcare. Ethical guidance to public health response to pandemic should be concerned with the justice. Justice is important while dealing with pandemics and it entails disbursement of common advantages as well as equal sharing of burdens. However, justice should be accompanied by reasonableness in that the caregivers should prioritize the needs of the affected population based on their level of vulnerability. Therefore, the public health system should make a pledge to serve all the affected persons with first priority being given to most affect without ignoring those likely to be affected by the epidemic. In a flu pandemic, nurses have a role of enhancing justice by ensuring that they focus on the needs of the most disadvantaged and give equal priority to all irrespective of their ethical background (Debruin, 2012). During pandemics, the public health personnel have to make decisions, which may conflict individual interest with the community interests. However, the response must take into account cultural considerations to ensure that even the minority groups access adequate care. One cultural consideration is the cultural diversity of a nation (Institute of Medicine, et al., 2008). It is important for the caregivers to

The Service Excellence Management Report Research Paper

The Service Excellence Management Report - Research Paper Example It is clear from analysis that the management of Cathay Pacific Airlines is operating with the vertical organizational structure. Moreover, the organization is focusing on too much centralization in its decision making and strategy development process. Employee management has become one of the biggest challenges for the management of the organization. Too much centralization and flatter organization structure is affecting the motivation level of employees, which can reflect in the customer service management process. The organization has adopted old industrial model. Therefore, they are failing to retain their skilled employees. Some recommendation plans have been provided in the report to overcome the contemporary issues. Service excellence can be considered as an attitude that engrained in each and every organization. It begins and ends with people within the organization. Global business environment has become highly competitive as several organizations within the industry are trying to implement unique strategies in business operation process in order to gain potential competitive advantages over the competitors. Customer experience, customer expectation level and customer satisfaction level are the three major aspects in service excellence. In this present era of globalization, consumers always expect better service from the organizations beyond high quality products. It is true that, demand for high quality and differentiated services is increasing significantly among the consumers around the globe. Therefore, several organizations in this contemporary global business environment are looking to provide effective customer service in order to gain potential competitive advantages over the competit ors. Effective customer service and service excellence of organizations highly depends upon the knowledge and skill of

Politeness and Intercultural Communication Essay

Politeness and Intercultural Communication - Essay Example Much emphasis is placed on the non-verbal form of communication. For example, the Japanese place emphasis on their bowing, not only as a sign of hospitality, but also as a way to communicate or get the attention of others. In Indonesia, the offering of beverages or refreshments, and the timing and the manner of drinking them helps indicate whether the talk of business is over or is still ongoing. Politeness in the United States is generally leaning towards the verbal, and will typically be very open or explicit. One form of politeness in the United States is the usual regard of always saying ‘thank you’ as proper courtesy for being given help. In the United States, it is polite to address people in the workplace setting with honorifics such as ‘Ms.’, ‘Mrs.’ or ‘Mr.’ among others. Such practice is especially important to superiors. Lastly, another form of politeness in the United States is the practice of keeping distance when it comes to another individual’s personal space, especially in a workplace

Should democracies be forbidden to possess chemical weapons Essay

Should democracies be forbidden to possess chemical weapons - Essay Example This paper tends to assert that democracies should be forbidden to possess chemical weapons. Possessing chemical weapons threatens the integrity of a country. Let’s take the example of Iran to figure out how much tension possessing chemical weapons can create for the country itself and for the rest of the world. Iran has already been seeing tense relationship with U.S. and its allies, since the Iranian Revolution that came about in the late 1970s. The threat to Iran’s solidarity increased when President Bush declared it as part of â€Å"Axis of Evil† (WBGH educational foundation 2013, par.2). This threat did not decrease with the election bringing Barrack Obama in presidency. The notion that has further triggered the decision of U.S. war with Iran is Iran’s quest in nuclear technology. Iran’s acquiring chemical weapons, according to U.S., will be a threat to world’s peace. Even the allies of U.S. - England, Germany, and France- are worried ab out this nuclear state of Iran. ... Iran is not becoming a nuclear power (Henderson 2013); and therefore, it will not bear any threats from the external world, still threats prevail because Iran has been making military purchases from Washington and Gulf Arab, and has been making military maneuvers. This shows how being involved in and possessing chemical weapons threatens the stability and integrity of a country. Moreover, possessing chemical weapons creates a sense of hostility among countries of the world. USA has already entered into wars with a number of countries due to this reason, and this has destabilized those countries and has also put damaging effects upon the American economy. Entering into conflict disrupts the peace, not only of Iran but also of U.S., who has already lost the lives of many of its soldiers in military actions against Iraq and Afghanistan. Americans will never tolerate if the correct number of casualties of American soldiers in the war on terror is revealed to them (Nouraee 2010). The envi ronment of hostility brought about by chemical weapons only increases hatred, and encourages the residents of the attacked country to develop rebellious feelings. This does not help decrease terrorism, but increases violence and radical hostility. It only turns into a global hate combat. Also, U.S. has already been suffering from financial burden because of heavy budgets being assigned to war on terror. The sense of confrontation has been prevailing throughout the world because of the possession of chemical weapons by some countries, and this unhealthy environment poses risk to economies and social statuses of countries. Possession of chemical weapons should also be forbidden because it increases the chances of warfare. Let’s understand what the ultimate objective behind the possession of

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example This trend can impact n the competitive advantage of the facility since patients weighing more than four hundred pounds will opt to seek the services of other healthcare facilities. Facilities with more capital assets according to Zismer, Sterns and Claus () have a competitive advantage over others. In my organization, there is need for an additional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to prevent long queues in the department as patients wait for their turn. Your case is similar to that in my organization as purchasing these equipments will increase efficiency of services. Your discussion Melton is also correct. Your organization considers the views of employees and incorporates their contributions in the formulation of budgets in terms of prioritizing purchase of capital assets. Incorporating employees in decision making has been proved to improve productivity as employees feel valued. Your organization does the correct thing. Subsequently, your organizations use of information regarding delays in patient care, patient anxiety, and patient satisfaction to demonstrate and justify the need for a vein finder sheds more light on how to demonstrate the need for an equipment in healthcare settings. My organization calculated the expected return of capital (Baker and Baker, 2014) to demonstrate the need for an MRI machine and the time patients wait in queues to be access the equipment. Your technique is applicable to my organization as

The Ukiyo-e Wood Block Print during the Edo Period Essay Example for Free

The Ukiyo-e Wood Block Print during the Edo Period Essay Mention Moronobu, and to the mind’s eye appears a procession of vigorous, picturesque figures, all the motley citizenry of old Edo (Tokyo); the magic name of Harunobu evokes slender, ethereal girls, as lovely and fragile as the first frost of winter; Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige – each name stands for a unique and arresting kind of beauty, whether of voluptuous femininity, masculine strength, or scenic grandeur. These men, and several dozen more, represent the ultimate glory of ukiyo-e. The ukiyo-e masters mark a fitting conclusion to the long and glowing tradition of classical Japanese art. Like the era which nurtured it (the Edo Period from 1600 to 1868), ukiyo-e represents a unique development in Japan, the growth of a great renaissance based upon a largely popular foundation, whereas the earlier high points of Japanese civilization had been forged largely by the aristocracy or the priesthood. That such popularization did not result in vulgarization is one of the wonders of the world of art. This was the consequence, in part, of the innate sense of restrained form and color harmony of the Japanese populace as a whole. At the same time the determined efforts of an enlightened group of artists, artisans, publishers, connoisseurs, and patrons ensured that ukiyo-e standards would always remain several degrees above the level the populace considered acceptable. Politically and socially this was a feudal, almost totalitarian age; the masses accepted the voice of authority in most of their social activities. In their arts, too, they were willing to follow the lead of a loosely bound group of style dictators, much as women have sometimes followed Paris fashions in our own day. The result was two centuries of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, a continuous flow of high quality which was both the reflection and the arbiter of popular taste. And while one may give most of the credit for this phenomenon to the masters who directly produced ukiyo-e, one should not underestimate the power of the populace which supported it. What was even more critical than their taste was the inner need they felt for possessing fine art of their own. What makes the phenomenon of ukiyo-e even more curious is the fact that the Japanese populace was primarily obeying aesthetic instincts, rather than consciously anticipating the unique art form is was to support for such a long period. In general, this paper discusses the development of ukiyo-e during the Edo Period. It starts by describing the city – its city layout, population, warrior culture, and court culture – a major subject of ukiyo-e at that time. This is followed by the origins of this art form, themes and motifs, and techniques. The final part of this paper explains why such wood block prints became so popular in the Edo Period. The City of Edo The great majority of ukiyo-e were produced and marketed in the city of Edo. These prints were bought for the purchasers own enjoyment or to be taken back to the provinces as souvenirs for friends and family. Mass production of ukiyo-e first took place in Edo during the Kyoho period (1716-1736). Ukiyo-e emerged from a social milieu that centered on publishers and groups of cultured individuals who lived in the shitamachi area, particularly around Nihonbashi. From the middle of the eighteenth century, a time when Edo was becoming the cultural center of Japan, this area functioned as the hub of cultural activity not just of Edo but of all Japan. When Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) came to Edo in 1590, he inherited little more than the vestiges of a castle built long before by Ota Dokan (1432-1486). With the implementation of Tokugawa political rule, this sleepy, historic area was destined to become the capital of all Japan. By the start of the eighteenth century, roughly one century after the establishment of the Tokugawa bakufu, the city of Edo already boasted a population of around one million inhabitants. The appearance of a city of such size was an event unprecedented in Japanese history (Matsunosuke, 1997). In the 1660’s the location of daimyo residences in Edo was in fact a miniature version of the position of the various daimyo within the country as a whole. By such means, the bakufu shrewdly stationed the forces of the tozama and fudai daimyo houses in ways that worked to its advantage. The bakufu governed the daimyo with an iron hand. Until the time of the fifth shogun, the bakufu frequently ordered fief transfers or confiscations (Tamotsu, 1961). As a result, daimyo residences were often moved within the city. Incessant changes in city planning also required construction of new wards or forcible relocation of old ones, giving the number of residences the bakufu bequeathed to its vassals, calculated at five-year intervals. Many characteristics of the city of Edo were the result of demographic factors (Matsunosuke, 1997). Building the metropolis had required a tremendous number of individuals with traditional skills and knowledge: house builders, plasterers, tatami makers, carpenters, tailors, armorers, surveyors, draftsmen, scholars, and legislators. Anyone with an outstanding ability sought his fortune in Edo. Competition was fierce, and fighting instincts surged to the fore. The majority of the Edo population was male. Male apprentices and clerks staffed the Edo branches of provincial stores. Most of these men returned to their home area after finishing their stint in Edo. Male laborers were required by daimyo for constructing Edo branches of local shrines and family temples. Samurai stationed in Edo were of course also exclusively male. In addition, Edo boasted a huge population of priests. Masterless samurai (ronin) and the self-styled street knights known as kyokaku contributed greatly to conflicts in the city. With the end of civil wars and with the peasantry under tight administrative control, ronin could no longer ramble freely about the villages. They too began to search for new forms of employment. A few members of this vast population went abroad; but many more slipped into Edo to become merchants, craftsmen, flute-playing monks (komuso), or kyokaku. The warrior population contributed much to the uniqueness of Edo. A large number of bannermen (hatamoto) – direct vassals and guardsmen of the bakufulived in the environs of the castle. A system of alternate attendance (sankin kotai) required daimyo and their retainers to spend alternate years in the capital and at their domains. Daimyo wives and children resided permanently in the capital. Thus at any given time, a large part of the military force of the nation was stationed in Edo. No matter how distant a daimyos domain lay from Edo, he took part in regular grand processions between his home area and the capital. The concentration of warriors in the city stimulated the emergence of a unique Edo economy. The presence of a large stratum of newly enfranchised warrior nobles required the procurement of a tremendous quantity of consumer goods (Matsunosuke, 1997). Supplying such goods was the responsibility of official merchants and artisans who streamed to the capital from all parts of the country. Edo thus became a consumer capital. Forced to live in the city, the daimyo, along with their retainers and families, enthusiastically set about developing their own culture. Both the ancient Kyoto court traditions and the warrior culture of the Kamakura bakufu (1185-1333) developed rapidly among the aristocratic warrior stratum. The habits and lifestyle of the daimyo and the high-ranking officialstheir food, housing, and clothing, their furnishings and utensils, even their styles of seating and deportmentwere in fact all warrior-style variations of the ancient customs, practices, and etiquette of the Kyoto court. Principles of warrior rule governed the rank or status of individuals and families in the feudal hierarchy. Rules were drawn up stipulating the forms a daimyo was required to follow. Social rank determined the shape and size of a daimyos Edo residence, the scale of his processions, and the kind of vehicles, furnishings, and clothing he was allowed to use. Distinctions of feudal rank were displayed to be immediately visible. These included the colors and designs of clothing, styles of architecture and materials used in buildings and gardens, and the methods and ingredients employed in manufacturing various goods consumed by the warrior. Even the borders of straw floor mats (tatami) in Edo castle varied according to the rank of the officials who sat on them. For this reason feudal culture – at its most typical, Edo warrior culture – Is often said to be a predominantly visual culture (Matsunosuke, 1997). Since attempts to strengthen ones military prowess was sure to evoke displeasure from the bakufu, many warriors instead built huge gardens or absorbed themselves in leisure pursuits. Within three or four generations, both the daimyo and the shogun were no longer country bumpkins: they had become a true upper-class nobility in both name and deed. Vestiges of gardens as they existed at Edo daimyo residences can still be found in Tokyo today. Examples include the Korakuen of the Mito house, the Hama Rikyfi of the Kofu Tokugawa, and the Rikugien at the Komagome villa of the daimyo Yanagisawa Yoshi- yasu. These parks, as well as maps of ponds and gardens at residences of the Togoshi Hosokawa, show that construction took place on a grand scale. Residents of such estates could enjoy leisurely strolls within the grounds or ride in pleasure boats on the large ponds. At such villas the Edo warrior nobility sought to revive the cultural life of Heian-period courtiers, who valued natural beauty and lived in natural surroundings. Origins of Ukiyo-e It is rare indeed for a single word to express within itself the changing concepts of an age. â€Å"Ukiyo† is such a word: in medieval Japan it appeared as a Buddhist expression which connoted first â€Å"this world of pain†, with the derived sense of â€Å"this transient, unreliable world† (Lane, 1962). Etymologically it thus meant â€Å"this fleeting, floating world†. However, for the newly liberated townsman of the seventeenth-century Japanese renaissance, â€Å"floating world† tended to lose its connotations of the transitory world of illusion, to take on hedonistic implications and denote the newly evolved, stylish world of pleasure – the world of easy women and gay actors and all the pleasures of the flesh (Lane, 1962). By the time the suffix -e (meaning â€Å"pictures†) had been added to form the new compound ukiyo-e (â€Å"floating-world pictures†) around the year 1680, this hedonistic significance had become predominant in the expression. Thus the subject of our book, ukiyo-e, meant something like the following to the Japanese of the age which engendered it: A new style of pictures, very much in vogue, devoted to depicting everyday life, particularly fair women and handsome men indulging in pleasure, or part of the world of pleasure -pictures, as often as not, of an erotic nature. But what brought about this new development in Japanese art, this revolutionary shift from the overworked themes of classical tradition to those of the workaday world? To understand the origin of the ukiyo-e, it is necessary to look far back into the past. The disruption of the period of the northern and southern courts in the fourteenth century followed by the Chinese renaissance in the fifteenth had meant a real break with ancient traditions. A reaction to the intervening Chinese school could not begin to set in until late in the Muromachi period. In addition, the unsettling wars of the period created a mood in which new ideas could arise, and in which the populace seems to have been less restrained socially than during the rigid Tokugawa regime. Art reflected its environment in the gradual emergence of genre paintings. While the new style did not strictly follow the narrative attitude of the Yamato-e scroll tradition, it was also far removed from the ethical approach of the Kano masters towards figure subjects (Paine and Soper, 1955). The style originated in the old capital of Kyoto, and among the works of the Kano artists who lived there are to be found some which depict and emphasize the contemporary scene in preference to an ennobling idealism. The new spirit was stimulated by Hideyoshis talent for spectacular display. This lowly but heroic figure liked to impress people. The great fete or tea-party at the shrine of Kitano in 1587 introduced a novel kind of popular entertainment. For the occasion Hideyoshi had placards set up in Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Sakai inviting all to come irrespective of class or wealth. At the tea-party Hideyoshis treasures were ostentatiously exhibited. The next year he gave a great flower viewing party at the temple of Daigoji (Paine and Soper, 1955). The popular art of the period deals with masses of people, as though these joyful occasions had also impressed the artists. The following section describes ukiyo-e themes and motifs, which explains why the art was popular during the Edo Period. Ukiyo-e Woodblock Technique Ukiyo-e prints were produced as a result of the collaboration of the artist, the publisher, the master carver, and the printer’s shop. However, it was the artist who received credit for the piece in the end. First, publishers would start the procedure by engaging artists to design a print or sequence of prints. The artists may have a background on traditional styles of painting or they may have learned from style of other ukiyo-e masters while having training in the workshop (Fauntleroy, 1989). Many ukiyo-e artists were commissioned to produce novel compositions to embellish interiors of households or design customized surimono (greeting cards) for clients who could afford the lavishness of unique works of art. Once the artists had prepared hanshita-e (drawing), the precise size of the print for publishing, they would trace the outlines of hanshita-e on a piece of thin paper using black ink. The traced version would be relayed to master woodcutters, who would then translate the artist’s brushed composition into a board of wood using scrapers, chisels, and knives. They used fine-textured and very hard wood to make sure that even the most elaborate parts of the design imprinted in relief would last the pressure of hundreds of other printings. Then, master cutters would put the tracing face down on the wooden board. They would then carve away all wood from the surface excluding that indicating the outlines of the drawing of the artists. Since a design imprinted in relief will create a reverse image when put into print, wood cutters reversed tracing to come up with an image similar to the original conception of the artists. A registration mark was carved beyond the perimeter of the composition in the lower right-hand part of the board (Fauntleroy, 1989). The key block would then be sent to printers, who would finish a number of black-and-white impressions, approximately the quantity of colors to be used in the final print. They did not use a mechanical press familiar to European printers because it lacked the pressure needed for wood block impressions; rather the printer applied physical strength to the woodblock, paper, and baren. Then, the proofs would be sent back to the artist, who would inspect the wood block impression and indicate colors to be used. The proofs would be sent back to the woodcutting shop. After the completion of the carving, the key and color blocks would be turned over to the printers. Following the printing of the first color, the paper would be placed on top of a second block inked with a special color; this process would continue throughout the series of color blocks (Fauntleroy, 1989).