Black English

â€Å"Pink is No Longer the New Black† Jonathan Swift said, â€Å"Proper words in proper places make the true definition of style† What is the true definition of style? When one is asked, one may say it is what you wear. In other circumstances, style may be referred to music, or film and television. Style is also literature and linguistics. Throughout the generations, style has been altered; Cut trimmed and filed down until the original style is far away in the crevices of your mind. Fashion has erupted from something that was once soft and elegant, to now being loud, flashy, and revealing.Language has become something different entirely. In today’s language, â€Å"Black English† is present in our everyday lives. There are various reasons why we speak a certain way. In today’s world, we are always searching for easier ways to do things, we are constantly trying to fit in and do what everyone else is doing, and no matter what, we always do what we ar e surrounded with. The world is forever changing. We are always searching for ways to make everyday tasks easier. People used to walk everywhere, so the bike was invented.Riding a bike everywhere was difficult, so the car was invented. Technology is also forever changing to make things easier. From typewriters, to laptops and ipads, phones so you don’t even need a computer anymore. It is forever changing, but as the language changes with it, it does not mean that it is a good thing. â€Å"Black English† seems lazy in a way. The way people used to talk was thick and luscious. Now, â€Å"black English† has made words short and choppy. Instead of saying, â€Å"I am not going to do anything† many people say â€Å"I ain’t gonna do nothin. It is easier to say, but it does not necessarily mean that it sounds intelligent. Society makes us feel like in order to fit in, we have to look and act like everyone else. If an actor starts to dress a certain way, t hen everyone else wants to look like that actor too. The same goes with language. If a music artist starts to talk and say words a certain way in a song, it starts to catch on. Then a chain starts to form. If one person begins to talk and hang around a group of people who are speaking â€Å"Black English† then that person will begin to speak like them as well.In a world where society is in charge, fitting in is the only way. Psychologists say that we do what our parents do. Technically we â€Å"become† our parents as we grow up. If our parents are racist, then we too will be racist. If you grow up in the South and your parents have a western accent, then you will have that accent as well. As a child, if your parents use â€Å"Black English† then you will too because it is all you have ever known. â€Å"Black English† is in our everyday lives, and if you surround yourself with the language then you will start speaking that way too.Although â€Å"Black Eng lish† is present everywhere we go, it does not necessarily mean it is a good thing. In most cases it can make you sound uneducated and there are specific times when you should, and should not use it. In your home, or with friends is one thing, but in writing an essay for example, you should avoid it at all costs. The world is forever changing, language especially. The language style changes all the time. People are constantly making up new words and adding new meanings to the words that are not as commonly used. In the literary world, â€Å"Black English† has become the â€Å"new black. †

Jay Gatsby And Halvard Solness As Victims Of Their Own Dreams Essay

Do both Halvard Solness in Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder, and Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, destroy themselves in pursuit of their dreams? Clearly, they do, and while their dreams are quite different, they pursue them to ultimately tragic ends. Solness and Gatsby are alike in this critical way. Both Solness and Gatsby are men of considerable material success. Gatsby occupies a mansion in West Egg, New York, a magnificent copy of a French hotel de ville (Great Gatsby 5), from which he pursues a career as a Tremalchio (Great Gatsby 113), opening his house weekly for ostentatious parties open to anyone caring to wander in. (Great Gatsby 39-56). Solness is the master builder, a man at the peak of his powers, able to lord himself over others, although trying frantically to hold on to his position. (Beyer. 171; Master Builder 272 (â€Å"New. Not the sort of old-fashioned rubbish I generally build. †) But Solness has acquired that position by destroying almost everything else that has been of any value, in essence, by killing any dreams he had. Because of his desire to become a master builder, he has lost his wife’s children, her capacity through raising children to â€Å"build† them into fine people, his willingness to build churches, and his faith. (Beyer, 171-74, Clurman 174-75) By his actions, he has reduced his wife to â€Å"a tomb. † (Clurman 175) Even as master home builder he feels that what he is doing is hollow and pointless. â€Å"Building homes for human beings–is not worth a brass farthing, Hilde. † (Master Builder 342) Into his life comes Hilda Wangel, whom he had met and inspired ten years earlier when she was merely a child. She calls him to retrieve the dreams that he then held. She challenges him to overcome his guilt over the many things that he has done by which he has made himself into a financial success but a remarkably small, cramped, and limited person, and in a physical way to overcome his fear of heights. In the end, at her urging, he tries to break free from his confined life. He climbs to the top of the tower on a new house he has had built, trying to master his dread of heights in an effort to repeat the wreathing ceremony which was where he first met Hilda ten years early, at the construction of the last church he ever built. (Beyer 171-74). Solness has lived much of his life tormented by what he did to gain his first major project. He wanted a fire to occur at the home his wife had inherited from her parents, an ugly, barn-like structure, so that he could build in the land. The fire came, but afterwards his wife grew sick, and her fever spread to her infant twins, killing them. (Master Builder 313 (â€Å"the fire was the making of me as a builder. † ) 314, 319-21) Wracked by guilt, he now feels old, on the edge of losing his powers, and he is haunted by what he has done and by what he has failed to do. Possessed of a sickly and fragile conscience, he regrets the limited nature of his life. (Clurman 171-72; Bentley 31) Solness is afraid of youth. Though arguably at the peak of his powers, he fears that younger people, such as his subordinate Ragnar will overtake him. ( Clurman 174) In accepting Hilde’s challenge, Solness tries to break out of the pettiness in which he has lived and to return to something that he had idealized in his youth. (Bentley 30) To do this, he challenges his own fear of heights, insisting on climbing to the top of the new house he has just finished, to drape a wreath over the highest spire. (Forester 10) He overcomes his fears, and atop the house, he appears momentarily to be arguing with someone else who is there. (Master Builder 354 (â€Å"He is disputing with someone. †)) This is apparently his attempt to come to some final reconciliation with God, whom he had renounced ten years earlier in his climbing of the last church he built. (Master Builder 349) In climbing the tower to try to put the wreath over the uppermost spire, Solness is undertakes the great risk that he will be overcome by his dizziness and fear of heights. Nevertheless, he feels that he must do this, futile as it might be, to revive the dreams that he once had. (Gilman 110-111) While his wife and friends tremble at his recklessness, Hilde sees it as the fulfillment of his destiny. (Master Builder 353-54) When he plunges head-first into a quarry, smashing in his skull, she claims him, â€Å"My . . . my master builder. † (Master Builder 354) This is not wild cruelty. When she saw him ten years earlier, placing the wreath on the church spire, he inspired her. She has lived on that inspiration, and wants him to return to that glorious moment when he so moved her, rather than living with the defeats he has borne. (Beyer 175-76) Unlike Solness, Jay Gatsby is not called back to a dream in order to pursue a youthful woman. Nor did he destroy his dream in order to achieve his fabulous wealth. Rather, his dream of obtaining the woman he adores has driven him to obtain wealth as a necessary means to pursuing the woman. Gatsby believed that as a young lieutenant stationed at a camp outside Louisville, he had found his ultimate prize in the person of Daisy Fay, the socialite who was seeing several young officers each day. (Great Gatsby 148-50) He believed he lost her because of the army, the war, and the lack of the resources with which to compete with the likes of Tom Buchanan. Now, just a few years later, free from the Army and free from poverty, he wants to retake his one great and compelling dream. Gatsby is chasing Daisy as the ultimate symbol of success, and while it is a philistine success (Fussell 34), he yearns for it with his whole being. Part of what Gatsby seeks is a wistful longing for a dream that may never have been real. (Stern 105; Great Gatsby 182) There is a naive idealism in Gatsby, the â€Å"heightened sensitivity to the promises of life† (Great Gatsby 2; Gross & Gross 164) that Gatsby inspired in the narrator Nick Carroway. At the same time, while Carroway tells Gatsby, â€Å"You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together† (Great Gatsby 154), he carefully points out that this is the only compliment he ever paid to the man, whom he still disliked profoundly. (Great Gatsby 154, 2 (â€Å"Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. †)). Gatsby stands as a marvel of contradictions. On the one hand, he pursues Daisy with the faith of the true believer. He values and revalues things through her eyes, bestowing on her a romantic’s adoration of an ideal that is not quite real, and indeed, as it becomes real, it loses its significance. (Great Gatsby 92, 94) At the same time, he is willing to use whatever means are necessary to gain the means with which to court Daisy, dealing with Meyer Wolfshiem, the man who fixed the World Series (Great Gatsby 69-74, 114, 134) bootlegging (Great Gatsby 109, 134) and trading in illicit bonds. (Great Gatsby 95, 167) From the outset, Gatsby’s dream is doomed because he fails to realize that in the end, Daisy Buchanan will be so fundamentally careless. As the narrator says, â€Å"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. † (Great Gatsby 180-81) Gatsby accurately sums her up: â€Å"‘Her voice is full of money,’ he said suddenly. //That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money — that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it. . . . high in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl. . . † (Great Gatsby 120) But Gatsby fails to realize that money, and critically the comprehensive security that it represents are essentially all that drive Daisy. While she will gladly come over to spend her afternoons with Gatsby (Great Gatsby 114), and while she will curse Tom Buchanan for the thoughtless trysts he has with any convenient hotel chambermaid (Great Gatsby 78), in the end, she will cling to him rather than risk going away with Gatsby. Eventually, she drives Gatsby’s great yellow car into Myrtle Wilson, races away into the night (Great Gatsby 144-45), and then assumes a stony silence when Gatsby is condemned for the murder. When George Wilson, wild with rage and grief, comes to her house, she allows her husband to point him to Gatsby’s house (Great Gatsby 180), where Wilson kills first Gatsby and then himself, completing the holocaust. (Great Gatsby 162-63) Gatsby believes, with an unalterable faith, that by showing Daisy the towering wealth he has accumulated, if by questionable and never quite clarified means (Fitzgerald’s letter to Maxwell Perkins), he can take her back to the world as it was when they first met. He has a hard time grasping such basic matters as that Daisy has had a child by Tom (Great Gatsby p. 117), and cannot understand that in the end, she will stay with this incredibly wealthy if insensitive brute, because of the stability he offers. In the end, the great tragedy of Jay Gatsby is that he believed so fervently that if he could establish himself with the wealth that he had lacked when he first met Daisy as a young army lieutenant, his passion for her would be enough to pry her away from anyone who lacked the passion and purity of purpose that he drove him on. Daisy never put the value on this purity of purpose that Gatsby had. Thus, both of these men are destroyed by their dreams. Yet dreaming is a great human capacity, and it seems that as long as there are people, they will dream, and in dreaming, risk their destruction. SOURCES USED: Bentley, Eric. â€Å"Ibsen: Pro and Con. † Theatre Arts. 34:39-43 (July 1950), reprinted in Henrik Ibsen. Harold Bloom, ed. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999). Beyer, Edvard. Ibsen: The Man and His Work. (New York, New York: Taplinger Publishing Co. 1978) Clurman, Harold. Ibsen (New York, New York: MacMillan Publishing Co. , 1977). Fitzgerald, F. Scott, Letter to Maxwell Perkins (Dec. 20, 1924) The Letters of F. Scott Fitzgerald. (New York, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1963), pp. 172-73, ), reprinted in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Harold Bloom, ed. (Broomail, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1996). Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. (New York, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925). Forester, E. M. â€Å"Ibsen the Romantic. † reprinted in Henrik Ibsen. Harold Bloom, ed. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999). Fussell, Edwin S. â€Å"Fitzgerald’s Brave New World. † ELH. 19:296-97 (Dec. 1952), reprinted in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Harold Bloom, ed. (Broomail, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1996). Gilman, Richard. â€Å"Ibsen and the Making of Modern Drama. † The Making of Modern Drama. reprinted in Henrik Ibsen. Harold Bloom, ed. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999).

Ethics and Intervention Techniques Essay

Using all three e-Activities and with reference to Intervention Techniques For Integrating Ethics Into Agency Operations in Denhardt, Chapter 4, select the two most effective of the 13 Intervention Techniques for Integrating Ethics into Agency Operations and defend your choices. Denhardt explains that ethics is a process by which we clarify right and wrong and act on what we take to be right. Instead of having employees follow a certain set of rules that management is exempt from, Leaders need to behave by example to reset an ethical culture. Consequently, I would consider ethical values and character in recruitment to be the first important and effective intervention techniques to be mentioned. I would require management to develop a statement of management philosophy for the organization (Denhardt) and a code of ethics like the federal government. In the recruitment of new employees, I would integrate a personality assessment for new applicants that will give the employer insight i nto the genuine ethics and integrity of the applicant before adding them to the organization. For existing employees, I would secondly follow this intervention technique with both compliance and integrity training and counseling. I would begin by developing training programs and/or other devices for communicating those ideals (Denhardt). Intermittently, during employment, I would integrate refresher courses for all employees, including management. It is imperative for new and continuing employees to sign off with a signature that confirms they understand the policies set forth and agree to comply during their tenure with the company. Stillman’s Chapter 16 Case Study describes the ethical tensions that may accompany leadership in the public sector. Analyze the ways in which George Tenet was challenged ethically, and present and assess at least two resolution strategies he used to handle these challenges. Although the goal of any firm should be to increase its owners’ wealth, to do so requires the public’s trust. Ultimately that trust depends on ethical business practices. George Tenet was described in many ways by observers and peers. Stillman describes Tenet as effective and efficient. However, some staffers felt he would oversimplify difficult issues. During the Clinton administration, he worked so hard that he had a heart attack during his term. Before Tenet joined the CIA, he was pretty much inexperienced which would be cause for concern because the CIA was in disarray. There was low morale, high turnover, outdated computer technology and major budget issues because there was no central accounting of funds spent. Tenet immediately began to rebuild. He worked hard to bring in funding and great staffers and recruits to support the upgrades in technology. As time progressed, Tenet became more involved in peace talk negotiations with Yasser Arafat and the Israeli Prime Minister which many thought was inappropriate was an ethical concern. All the while, the CIA continued to have major intelligence failures. People began to question have grave concerns with activity regarding war and attacks in other countries. Then the terrorist attacks in American with the World trade center s, Pentagon, etc†¦All of a sudden President Bush gave Tenet millions of dollars, resources and increased powers to take down our enemies. In my opinion Tenet decided to take a back seat like a coward and take a low profile. When Bush was pressing to go to war, he had an opportunity and an obligation of loyalty to speak up but rather down played crucial information that could have possibly prevented that war. To me Tenet failed with the ethical dilemma of being honest to his colleagues, field officers, and most significantly the entire nation by knowing that the statements about Saddam Hussein and chemical weapons were false. This decision cost American families over four thousand lives. There was a reference in our readings by Stillman that as public administrators climb higher in organizational hierarchy, they must contend with an increasingly intense tug and pull of competing ethical obligations, which in the end caused George Tenet to resign and also the decline of CIA. Two resolution strategies he used to handle these challenges were to resign from the CIA and influenced the government to restructure the agency more effectively and in a better position in the government. http://fs.huntingdon.edu/jlewis/Syl/PA/306StillmanStudOuts.htm Stillman, R.J. (2010). Public administration: Concepts and cases: 2010 custom edition. (9th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin – Cengage Learning

Should there be any liability for Omission in criminal Law and if so, Dissertation

Should there be any liability for Omission in criminal Law and if so, how much it should be extended and Why Penalties for Omiss - Dissertation Example In some jurisdictions, the penalty involves depriving the person of his life. Because the punitive nature of criminal laws invades upon a persons’ rights, the nature of the offences must be such that a harm had been inflicted upon another by the deeds of the accused, which he had clearly intended, in order to justify the harshness of the punishment. These two elements – the offensive act and the malicious intention to inflict harm – must therefore be evident. However, where the offence done had been an omission to perform a deed, then the moral question arises as to whether the absence of an act would justify the imposition of punishment. This is the crux of the debate on criminal liability attached to omissions. This study explores the nature of omissions and the reason why certain types of omissions, and not others, would be worthy of sanction. Since omissions are construed as failure to perform a duty, the types and sources of duties are also examined to gain insight into the type of harm inflicted by the omission. The study delved into the philosophical arguments and set of attributes upon which to base an assessment of whether criminal liability should be attached to omissions. ... SIONS IN CRIMINAL LAW 12 2.1 Elements of a crime 12 2.2 Definition of ‘omission’ 12 2.3 Distinguishing acts from omissions 13 2.4 Omissions as a source of liability 14 Chapter 3: SOURCES OF DUTY AS BASIS OF OMISSIONS 18 3.1 Liability for omissions under the common law 18 3.2 Statutes that impose a duty to act 19 3.3 Failure to prevent or report criminal conduct 19 3.4 Duty arising from special relationships 20 3.5 Duty to avert a danger that was created by defendant 27 3.5 Failure to provide medical treatment 28 Chapter 4: TYPES OF SOURCES OF DUTIES 33 4.1 First type: voluntary assumption of duty 33 4.2 Second type: voluntary performance of an act that incurs a duty 34 4.3 Third type: justification without voluntariness 35 Chapter 5: SPECIAL ISSUES IN OMISSIONS 38 5.1 Corporate manslaughter by omission: omissions by police officers 38 5.2 Liability for omissions in international criminal law 43 Chapter 6: ANALYSIS 45 6.1 The central debate on attaching liabilities to omi ssions 45 6.2 The Act-Omission Paradox 48 6.3 Summary 50 Chapter 7: CONCLUSION 53 Bibliography 56 Table of Cases Airedale National Health Service Trust v Bland [1993] AC 789, All ER 821 Director of Publi Prosecutions v Santa-Bermudez, EWHC 2908 [2003] (Admin). Fagan v Metropolitan Police Commissioner [1969] 1 QB 439, [1968] 3 All ER 442, [ 1968] 3 WLR 1120, DC Lennard’s Carrying Co., Ltd. v Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ltd. [1915] AC 705. R v Adomako, [1994] HL R v Chattaway [1922] 17 Cr App R 7 R v Gibbins & Proctor, [1918] 13 Cr App R 134. R v Instan, [1893] 1QB 450 R v Khan, [1998] Crim LR 830 R v Lowe, [1973] QB 702 R v Stone & Dobinson, [1987] QB 354. R v Miller [1983] ] UKHL 6, 2 AC 161 R v Senior [1899] 1 QB 283 R v Yuthiwattana (1984) 80 Cr App R 55 Re B (A Minor) (Wardship: Medical Treatment)

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, Essay - 3

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you - Essay Example One day, when I stood to address the crowd I heard the voice of my leaders and developed some coldness. I started stammering, a sweat swept through my face and I wished that the earth could open and swallow me. That event changed my qualities in the Girl Scout movement. I started developing courage to address dignitaries. When the camp meetings were organized, I knew it was my time to enjoy. I like meeting people and exchanging ideas, so the camp meeting would provide my needs. The camp lessons brought Girl Scouts together. During the lessons, I listened keenly to the instructors because I knew I would need their information in answering questions. We had to make presentations after the lessons. I took the opportunity to address the crowd about environmental issues that the scouts could tackle. As I spoke, the crowd became still, I was disturbed, but took courage of a lion. I knew I had drummed the right message. I got a Gold Award because of my exemplary duties in the Girl Scout movement. When I left scouting, I joined women movements, which addressed matters affecting women in the society. The interpersonal and leadership skills that I developed while I was Girl Scout have helped me to cohabit in the society. The society has recognized my efforts in championing for rights of the environment. I had never imagined that I could influence many people in the society to vote for me or do whatever I could ask them to do. I am proud because am the president of the National Honor Society. Wooing women in the society is not easy, but I do it with a lot of ease. I developed the feeling of championing for the women rights. My position exposes me to arguments with people who do not believe in the movement. The courtesy that I learnt while in the Girl Scout movement has been a great asset to me since I take my time to respond to people with the utmost respect that they deserve. I believe in the principle of making wise

Herbicide X Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Herbicide X - Case Study Example The results ultimately proved that the level of concentration is enough to cause cancer to the rats. The same concentration of Herbicide X is being used by farmers to control the weed as this is highly effective. In view of this, Herbicide X poses extreme threat to the humans as it is used in the same dosages as found to have affecting rats. Herbicide X is sprayed in the farms twice, once in the spring and the second time in fall. This means that farmers are exposed to the Herbicide X twice in a year that increases the health risk associated with this pesticide. It is quite scientific to assess the risk of any hazardous chemical first on animals such as monkeys, rats, cows. It is certified and confirmed by several peer-reviewed studies that Herbicide X is toxic in the given dosages and cause deadly disease like cancer. It is quite appropriate to conclude that it indeed poses a threat to the human life too, especially when humans are exposed twice in a year with the same level of concentration that affected rats. Moreover, it has also been found that Herbicide X remains in the environment for at least 3 months before it disintegrates into harmless substances; it is slow in biodegradation and not eco

International Business Strategy for Ford Case Study Essay

International Business Strategy for Ford Case Study - Essay Example Ford also started to build electric cars. The political forces facing this industry are getting more and more severe. There are many groups in the society which are demanding stricter environmental norms for the automobile industry (Hoffman, 2012, p. 211). Ford has so far done a good job in maintaining the image as a worker’s truck. Ford has attracted the attention of other social and economic groups which have high-class luxury vehicles. Ford operates in many international countries such as Australia, Japan, UK and America where the business operations are conducive. In 1975, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy took effect, and Ford was able to abide by the regulations. Non-compliance with these laws caused heavy fines, which would prove costly to the company. This made Ford manufacturer one of the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars. The Government also discourages Ford to fully automate its operation which would otherwise result in increase of the unemploym ent rate. Economic forces The leading manufacturers of the vehicles were mainly companies from United States, Western European and Japanese companies. Ford used to produce more vehicles outside their home country than within their own country. The auto industry remained fragmented. In 2010, there were a total of 18 manufacturers with their annual output being more than 1 million vehicles. 3-firm concentration ratio which is measured by the units of production was around 31.5 percent. There were many mergers and acquisitions in the auto industry; still they faced new competition from other countries especially India and China. Figure 1: Mergers & Acquisitions among the major automobile manufacturers. (Source: Ledderhos, 2003, p.68) (Source: Ledderhos, 2003, p.67) Strong competition from the companies forced Ford to go for cost reduction through economies of scope, economies of scale, worldwide outsourcing, off-shoring, just-in-time scheduling and collaboration. In spite of the many c ost reduction techniques, the major automakers were still unable to rival the low cost automakers from India, China and elsewhere. The euro zone crisis further exasperated the problem of Ford (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt, 2010, p. 75). Social Factors The social factors which affect Ford are the changes in the social classes in the world market. With increasing globalisation the car market is witnessing increase in spending from the middle and upper middle income families all across the world. The lines between the social strata are diminishing. Hence companies all around the world are now targeting the middle income group to increase their volume sales. This helps the motor company in expanding their market across the world. This results in more manufacturers coming out with products which cater to the middle income people and results in rise in competition (Stead, Stead and Starik, 2004, p. 89). The consumers are now demanding better quality, safer vehicles at lower prices which ha ve forced Ford Company to produce cars at cheaper ways like outsourcing the parts of their production in outside countries. Hence the company needs to adopt new processes and methods of creating attractive, unique automobiles

Wall Mart Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wall Mart Audit - Essay Example John Fleming and Stephen Quinn were associated with the three-year plan proposed by Eduardo Castro-Wright, former president and Chief Executive of Wal-Mart Stores U.S., the objective of the plan was to increase sales and profitability (Andrew, 2007). The authorities own more than fifty percent of the shares. The members and executives are internal, and no external members have remained affiliated with board of directors, however there have been certain exceptions in past. The stocks owned by the directors and executives have been traded privately. The members of the board of directors have contributed in vigilant manner; and have sufficient experience and qualification to execute their respective task. Charles Holley, the Wal-Mart treasurer, commented that the shuffles at managerial levels "had been overplayed in the media", he regarded that shuffles are normal procedure, and adopted in Wal-Mart on routine basis so that management shall carry diversified experience. According to reports, "Wal-Mart has a history of shuffling top executives so they can learn how different parts of the business operate, Cast is moving into a broader role at the retailer that will involve heading business strategy and strategic planning for Wal-Mart Stores, Vazquez will oversee all day-to-day operations at Walmart.com and will also focus on expanding the site's merchandise assortment". The Castro-Wright will supervise the assignments of Cast and Vazquez; both the executive authorities are required to report to Castro-Wright (Philip, 2007). The recent managerial shuffles have kindled the hopes of the shareholders, it is expected that the appointees have experience and qualification to deliver excellenc e and profits. Strategic Alternatives and Recommended Strategy: Managerial Changes The management shuffle under taken by the company has been rare in any of the American organization. Eduardo Castro-Wright has taken the charge was CEO of the Wal-Mart Stores Division World Wide (except for United States), whereas Doug McMillon has been appointed as the CEO of the Wal-Mart Stores Division in the United States. Soon after the appointment of John Fleming as Chief Merchandising Officer, he introduced major shuffles in his merchandising leadership team. Lee Scott is the CEO and John Menzer is Vice Chairman of the Wal-Mart America (Grant, 2007). Mr. McMillon, the CEO of the Wal-Mart America, has been admired and respected by the suppliers and others who have remained affiliated with the company. Mr. Castro-Wright has been least popular among the suppliers, he has been credited "for renewed effort to increase inventory turns, which has increased pressure on sales, and is believed to be well-regarded by senior Wal-Mart management and the company's board". Ms. Pat Curaan is expected to succeed Mr. McMillon as CEO of Wal-Mart America, and she'll be the first woman to lead the operating units of Wal-Mart (Emilio, 2007). Mr. John Westling has been promoted as the in-charge of Wal-Mart's inventory-replenishment operations, and it is believed that the "he'll work to expand efforts to reduce the retailer's inventory"; he was previously Senior VP-general manager of consumables. Mr. MCall has been appointed as the senior VP-general manager of consumables. Mr. Gary Severson will remain as Senior Vice President of Entertainment, and will be assisted by Ms. Laura Phillips, Mr. Kevin

Reflection on Peacebuilding Simulation Assignment

Reflection on Peacebuilding Simulation - Assignment Example Mike can de-escalade the conflicts between the communities by acknowledging the needs of both parties and their position. The communities have their differences, and knowing what each community expects from the other is a start. The communities need to be brought down and have a talk about the reason for their uncooperativeness. Addressing such issues might be helpful as the real cause of conflict can be noted. Events that might make the escalation be fully blown might include the rising cases of rapes, vandalism and the children of the Westerners being harassed by the Mendozan and Marenese kids (Fischer & Crowe, 2007). This might make the communities seek vengeance against one another, which will in turn cause full escalation to arise. The normal position amid the two parties is that despite the conflicts, and differences they have, the communities living in Blue River do not want to see the economy of the place deteriorate. That is the reason why they are running their businesses; for the Westerners, the shops are open frequently, compared to others that are fighting to keep their businesses alive. The westerners might not be able to accept the culture of the people who lived there initially; the Mendozans and Marenese, and this might cause more problems to arise. There is a difference in beliefs, traditions and the ways of lives of the communities in Blue River (Malek, 2012). Mike should make sure that the riots do not happen again, and this can be done by looking at the grievances of the communities. If the grievances of the communities of Blue River are not addressed, there is the possibility of another riot. Engaging with the communities is a way in which relationship between the communities can be built. The communities in Blue River cannot meet face to face because of the riot that occurred. Some problems that might arise include murders, continued vandalism and rise in rapes. There should be patrols all over the area, from

Life, work and influence of Lord Norman Forster Essay

Life, work and influence of Lord Norman Forster - Essay Example azakhstan, Hearst Tower in New York, National Police Memorial in London, Tanaka Business School in London, London City Hall, Dumas Headquarters, Swiss Re London, and won Sterling Prize twice. Over the years, his style has been evolved into a personification of perfection and he untiringly tries to innovate and improve his designs. â€Å"Fosters earlier designs reflected a sophisticated, machine-influenced high-tech vision. His style has since evolved into a more sublime, sharp-edged modernity† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Foster%2C_Baron_Foster_of_Thames_Bank He was knighted in 1990 and was awarded Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1999. This prize is considered to be the Nobel of subject. He remains a kind of superstar architect, also called the â€Å"Lord Wobbly† of the British tabloids. He is regarded to be one of the best architects in the world today, with immense contribution to the field. His designs are occupying exalted places and Lord Foster is considered to be one of the national assets. This enterprising and visionary architect had been in news all along. He has received life tribute from House of Lords. Also has received hundreds of other awards including the RIBA gold medal. Foster and Partners was established in 1967, and his college mate, Richard Rogers joined him. This pair has created perhaps some of the greatest architectures in the world. Norman, along with architectural designs and execution, also designs building accessories like handles and furniture. Even though born into an ordinary working class family without any prop-ups, Lord Norman created a legendary success story for himself and his company, with his determination and talent. His Pritzker citation says: "His design objectives are guided not only toward the overall beauty and function of a project, but for the well-being of those people who will be the end-users. This social dimension to his work translates as making every effort to transform and improve the quality of life. In

English-language films Essay Example for Free

English-language films Essay Many people wonder these days if peoples lives revolve around the choices they make. This is absolutely true. Everyone in this world is responsible for who they are today. Their choices and ideas pave the road for their future. A quote from Confucius says this, Peoples lives are the result of the choices they make-or fail to make. The path one takes in life is not arbitrary. Choices and their consequences determine the course of every persons life. All people, whatever their circumstances, make the choices on which their lives depend. Confucius is absolutely right. It is a well-known fact that if you take wrong turns in life, you will end up in a wrong state. The regular human psychology states that when a person goes and ends up in a bad state, they blame others and most of the time never take responsibility for it. Take a look at this scene, and look carefully cause this happens all the time no matter the circumstances. There is no way and it is impossible for a child who takes drugs, does alcohol, doesnt obey their parents to find themselves at an Ivy-League college. Sometimes, people change their paths along the way and somewhat improve. But if you keep going in the wrong direction for your entire life, you will not get anywhere. Think about the people who are successful in this world. For examples, lets observe Mark Zuckerberg. He is the youngest billionaire in the world. He was focused, he was determined. In fact he was so passionate about programming that he dropped out of Harvard, the number one school in America. He used his talents, worked his choices and made Facebook. Not all of his choices were good. Some were actually bad; some choices actually got him into trouble with others. This is where the trouble comes in. Wait if some of my choices are good, and some are bad, then whats going to happen with my life? Nothing will actually. All that matters is that the majority will overcome the system. If you have more bad than good, you are more likely to take a wrong turn. If you have more good over wrong, you will most likely take a good turn. Even I have taken wrong turns and bad choices. Everyone has. Nobody in this world is perfect. In fact, taking all good choices and all good turns in life ends up as a bad choice. Even though nobody is perfect, its your own self that will determine your future, what you want to become, your status in life. Thats why its good to switch your determination in life if you are on a bad path. Stick with someone and change your mood. Change your attitude, fix your choices, and keep yourself organized. If you are a person reading this essay, lets say about 12 or 13, even 14 to 18. You still have time. You have so much future ahead of you, dont give up hope cause your choices sometimes do tell your future. Sometimes these choices of yours will end you up in a bad place if you dont work hard. A wise person, my own father once told me that it doesnt make you a bad person if you take bad choices. It makes you a bad person if you dont learn from your bad choices. He also told me that if you want to be someone when you grow up, work hard. In elementary, in middle school, and in high school, work hard so that you can build your base for the future. He concluded with me that once you pay off all your duties, go to college, and graduate, you have the rest of your life to enjoy. Whether its doing your dream job, making millions of dollars, then retiring into a large estate. This is called a dream. If you have more good choices in life, your dream will come to. Trust me, its always worked before.

A political social movement Essay Example for Free

A political social movement Essay One problem the researcher had when operationalising the meaning of punk is that there was a varying meaning of punk. To the people who defined themselves as punk it was a political social movement, to others it was seen as fashion. Another problem is that it was hard to say whom the punks were because of how they act or dress. Some of the people who would say they were punk would not dress or act to the ideal, where others who were acting and dressing to the ideal would not identify themselves as punk. One reason why some sociologists may prefer qualitative methods is that it gives a truer insight into what a respondent has to say. This therefore improves the validity of the research. A second reason is that it provides greater depth into social life. It allows the researcher to look at society in more detail and other than its counter part not just as figures in a table. The research findings in item A tell us that once you label yourself as punk, you undertake three stages in a punk career. In the three stages there are what they define as being punk, how they behave, and their core values. The first stage is rebellion. Their definition of a punk is unconventional and a non-conformist. Their behaviour is anarchic and deviant. The way they dress and hairstyle is aimed to shock people and offend. Their core values at this stage are rejecting and opposing mainstream values. The second stage is belonging. They become a member of a subculture. They conform to common standards of dress, behaviour and may also start body piercing. They value being accepted by peers of being a true punk, not just a poseur. The third stage is belief in core values. They believe that punk values are more important than dress, looks etc. Their behaviour is individual do it yourself creative expression. They value personal integrity, individualism, honesty, and being unique.

Analysis of the EU Enlargement Process

Analysis of the EU Enlargement Process The aim of the group is to gain a first class mark. We want this report to represent our ability to work efficiently together in a group. We endeavoured to produce an end product, which is concise and thorough, highlighting the enlargement aspects of the EU. Our objective is therefore to fully research all areas of the EU enlargement, as our question is Enlargement rationale; How much bigger should the EU expand and why? Upon completion of this report the goal is to have gained a broader knowledge on the European Union (EU) as a whole and have a good understanding of current major issues. Methodology The EU enlargement process is very rigorous. In the past the European Union has undergone many rounds of enlargement (see fig 1). But to what conditions and guidelines must candidate nations comply by? The main guideline is the Copenhagen Criteria which was signed on 21st/22nd June, 1993. This states that by the time candidates join, they must according to the Folketing EU Information centre: [Have] achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, the existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the union (Folketing, conclusions of the presidency). These criterion were laid down by the heads of state and government of the member states at the European council meeting in Copenhagen in 1993 (ibid). In outline the Copenhagen Criteria can be divided into three conditions, which form the minimum entry requirements, before a country is considered for EU membership. These are: The political criterion i.e. democracy, rule of law, human rights and respect and protection for minorities. The economic criterion i.e. a functioning market economy and must be capable of withstanding the pressure of competition and market forces in the European Union. The criterion presupposing the ability to incorporate one entire body of laws and regulations of the EU à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" the aquis communautairÃÆ' © (Source à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Folketing EU Information centre) The country must be able to assume all the obligations flowing from membership, including the aim of political, economic and monetary union (ibid). After all of these requirements, the country is screened and if approved, the Council of the European Union and its country draft a Treaty of Accession. This then goes to the European Commission and European Parliament ratifications and approval. If successful after this process, the nation is able to become a member of the EU (About.com). Screening is the first step in the negotiations stage, when considering a country for membership (EU Commission). Its an in depth analysis of the EU laws with which the candidate country must abide by (known as the aquis). A screening report is then drawn up for each country (ibid). Negotiations take place at ministerial level between permanent representatives for EU countries, and ambassadors or chief negotiators for candidate countries. But why do countries want to join the EU in the first place? This question is asked by Clive Lindley of the Central Europe express (Charles Jenkins, 2000). This author quotes an American journalist as writing What does Europe want to be when it grows up? Julie Smith, Head of the European programme at the Royal institute for international affairs, also begins to explore the boundaries at which the expansion of the will be no longer feasible. She states that How [will] the EU be able to function with thirty or more member states (Charles Jenkins, 2000). According to her, it is a problem that clearly exercised many of Europes leading politicians in 2000. 3.0 When the European Coal and Steel Community was created in 1957 it was with an aspiration to form a trading block of peace and economic prosperity. For more than half a century, the current European Union has exerted its soft power, attracting almost every country in Europe and completed six successful enlargement rounds (fig 1). (fig 1 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" source:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) After the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, Central Eastern European Countries (CEECs) started to show interest in applying for EU membership (EU27 on enlargement). As a result of this, the Copenhagen Criteria was set out in December 1993 declaring the requirements that any potential country wishing to join the EU, would need to meet. This was the first time the EU had made a clear commitment to enlargement, and provided Europe with evidence of their engagement in becoming a bigger and more influential trading block (Lippert et all 2001). Since then, as shown in the timeline, the EU has expanded substantially, and includes today a total of 27 member states. This leaves only 14 European countries (excluding Russia) as non members, four of which are candidate countries, five potential candidates, two who have been declined membership, two with an ENP Action Plan and one with not many EU relations. The size of any further EU enlargement is therefore confined by the borders of Europe and the enlargement rationale, is determined by the economic opportunities and the promotion of security in these 12 remaining countries (Nugent 2004). 4.0 In this part of the report we are going to discuss the economic side of the EU enlargement. Firstly we will be taking a more statistical approach in evaluating the economy. We will then take some candidate countries, and discuss what will happen if they join the EU. Since 1994, when the 10+2 candidate countries was selected they have had significant progress in their economy, they have gained an average growth of 1.3/2.1% GDP per year in between 1994-2004 (European Commission, 2001) but more importantly their GDP would have reduce by 0.1% if they was not chosen as candidate countries( Maliszewska 2003). This showed that the economy was developing quickly, many factors contributed to this including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), imports and exports. Intra trading plays an important part in EU enlargement allowing companies to take advantage of comparative advantages in new Member States and candidate countries. Intra trading has increase from only accounting for a third of EUs trading in 1960, EU-6, to over 70% of EUs trade in 2007, EU-25. Intra trading encourages competition, and enhances productivity and efficiency within the EU. With additional new Member States the EU is now the largest trading bloc importing and exporting 16.7% and 18.8% respectively, where as the US is only exporting 11.1% and importing 17.4% (IMF, EUROSTAT 2009). This gives the EU more power when discussing trade policies at the WTO and more influence on the global economy. FDI plays an important part of EU enlargement and the new Member States GDP growth because an increase of FDI would increase the level of investment, employment and productivity. Breuss (2009) estimated that FDI inflows gave the new States and Member extra growth of 1.75 % GDP on average from period 2000-2008, moreover Bulgaria and Romania could gain an additional 0.5% GDP up to 2020. But other research has shown even though the candidate countries can attract high level of FDI they might not necessarily be able to maintain it, for example in years 2001 and 2002 Cypruss FDI inflow rate actually fell by over half and in Malta FDI was actually reversed. Using Bosnia and Herzegovina as an example if they were to become a member of the EU, the old Member States might have more confident to invest in them, thus rising their FDI rate and unemployment rate, which are the two main underlying issues relating to the economy factors although some issues has to be resolved first like distorted wages setting and low labour mobility which are both halting job creations and the labour market. Also in Albania unemployment rate is high due to the lack of health and safety regulations which could drive foreign investors away, even though they have currently approved for a strategy for health and safety it will be awhile before it will fully take effect. From these 2 examples it shows that even though candidate countries have the economy benefits of an EU member such as free trade, but with different underlying issues in each country preventing them from further economic growth it will be a long time before any candidate countries are near the level of expansion. Therefore in conclusion from the economic overview and evidence I think that it is too early for talks about enlarging the EU further and with the 2008 global recession still in effect I think that even if the EU was to expand it would not be in short future and they will have to be extremely careful with the next enlargement. 5.0 This part of the report is going to be discussing the possible benefits, conflicts and problems that enlargement may cause to the citizens of the EU, the existing member states of the EU and the EU at a global level. In the past, the citizens of the EU didnt have as much freedom or possibilities to travel freely as they do now. But since the events of the fall of the iron curtain or in any of the EU enlargement rounds, more citizens have agreed that the living standards in the Central and Eastern Europe has improved and that the changes from these events have brought more freedom to everybody within Europe (View on European Enlargement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Analytical Report). However some citizens have voted that they feel more insecure after enlargement and believes that it has contributed to redundancies and job loss in their country (View on European Enlargement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Analytical Report). For instance, in Britain, over the past 2 years 139, 000 immigrants have found jobs where as the number of British workers have dropped by 654, 000 (The Daily Mail) also critics say that the pressure from high levels of immigration on housing, public transport, water and energy is highly damaging (T he Daily Mail). So it seems that enlarging would mainly benefit the citizens of the CEECs more than the original EU15s citizens as they are able to freely move within the EU and are able to find work elsewhere. Enlarging the EU may abolish arguments and disputes between conflicting countries, and could mean that they will have stronger relationships in the future i.e. Charles de Gaulle, who was French President at the time opposed the UKs application in both 1961 and 1967 because he believed that the UK was going to attempt to thwart his desire to place France at the centre of the European stage (European Union Enlargement). When France changed their President in 1969 to Georges Pompidou, the UK was finally accepted into the EU for full membership (BOOK). Now in 2010 with France electing a new President, he and the Prime Minister of the UK have joined forces and have both signed a Defence Co-Operation Treaty (MoD), this shows positive progress of enlargement and that it could build a stronger EU. At the core of the EU is the single market, the aim of it is to allow all member states to be able to trade fairly and communicate with each other with ease (Business Link), and if trades are successful it will build trust and reliability between countries à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" which would build stronger relationships within the EU. Enlarging would mean more members to trade with, more communication across the globe and in past events and has effectively shown an increase in the EUs weight in world politics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" also making it a stronger world power (PDF). Sometimes in the EU, there will be problems that cant be resolved, this may make some members want to leave the EU and propose a referendum. For example, each member state is allocated a certain number of seats within the European Parliament (EP), which effectively means how much influence they have within the EU. In 2004 Denmark had 16 seats before the EU became the EU25, after they enlarged Denmarks seat allocation had decreased to only 14 (book), enlarging again could mean that they would lose even more seats in the EP and more influence within the EU altogether, they may not be very happy about this and could propose a referendum as they may feel that they are being treated unfairly. In conclusion, even if one country decides to leave due to enlargement, the EU wouldnt suffer that much as they would have new members coming in and would still have the other existing member states to run the EU. So this report supports the act of enlargement as it will give the EU citizens more freedom and possibilities to travel, may produce stronger relationships between countries and would make the EU a stronger world power. 6.0 This section looks at the security of the EU by analysing the major security threat to the EU today, terrorism. It aggregates the findings of past reports to make sure the safety of the EU citizens is not over looked when deciding whether the EU should expand. It will look at the following in this order- European defence and security policy (EDSP),-Organised crime (OC) and its links to terrorism,-Candidate countries progress. Due to the nature of the topics the information used is mostly of official report base as independent reports have lacked technology and resources to reference and back up their findings especially within the rarely traceable OC and terrorism domains. European defence and security policy pushes for increases in EU military cooperation and joint missions. There have been joint missions to Afghanistan to the terrorism war zones and 3200 EU personnel are currently deployed on joint missions (C.Ashton EDA bulliten 2009). Increasing cooperation at external borders are also main policies, whilst increasing links with EU police forces is also part of policies to help combat terrorism. (EU presidency report 2009) (EDA head report to council 2010) OC and links to terrorism is a major issue. Organised crime is large inside the EU and also externally, trying to enter the EU. Drug trafficking, the exploitation of human beings and illegal migration, fraud, Euro counterfeiting, commodity counterfeiting and money laundering, are all the major OC areas. (Europol OCTA report 2009). A country which the EU allows in must be able to tackle these problems because undoubtedly the Schengen Area, the abolition of the filter border control to the movement of goods, services, capital and people, facilitates criminals, because once in the territory of one member state, they can move freely to the destination of the criminal markets. (A.SACCONE 2006). (Europol OCTA2009) points out the links between OC and Terrorism. It explains that terrorism uses it for funding. A recent (SkyNews) documentary shows Middle Eastern terrorist explaining that they create funds through OC. Any expansion of the EU to a country which cant handle a possible increase in organised crime could increase funding of terrorism, which at the moment the EU is part of fighting a war against. There needs to be emphasis on improving links between military and police forces to tackle this problem. (A.SACCONE 2006) (Europol OCTA2009) Candidate Countries progress reports analyse their current situation. In the following reports it is chapter 24 of the EU rationale which analyses Security. Croatia has set up very good training and systems to regulate borders and has started cooperating with Bosnia and Herzegovina. But Croatia lacks officer numbers to tackle OC. (Croatia progress report 2009-10). (The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonias progress report 2009-10) finds that, police and military officers skill and ability levels are high and they are capable to tackle organised crime and terrorism. They can also handle borders very well, although bad internal cooperation between institutions, decreases success dramatically. In Turkey there havent been improvements in border control, tackling organised crime or investigating and tackling terrorism. There are no steps expected in the future to change this at the moment. (Turkey progress report 2009-10) Croatia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, have good l inks with Europol and EU militaries whilst Turkey has failed to do this because of its lack of data protection laws. (Candidate progress reports 2009-10) In Conclusion of this section EDSP aims to increase EU military cooperation, and links between military and police. EDSP is trying to create a more secured coordinated EU and it is presenting very possible positive steps. With increased joint military missions there may be potential increases in terrorist threats to EU members and also future EU members. OC needs to be a number one target so we can fight terror at its root. Current candidates to join the EU must be prepared to tackle OC and an increase in OC before we accept them. An increase in depth to chapter 24 before we allow them to join is needed. Turkey poses major risk without data protection laws because of the demand on links between police and military. External borders need to be regulated more to stop threats getting i whilst internal borders need better regulation to stop facilitation of OC which links to terrorism. This highlights a need for a review of the Schengen area. From a security analyses I would not expand th e EU, because the major threats have new dimensions and candidates to join are not prepared for them. 7.0 Since the negations for Turkeys accession into the EU began in 2005, rather than seeing a speeding up of the process there has been a slowing down. To date only 13 of 33 chapters of negotiations for Turkeys accession have been opened, and only one, on science and research, completed. Nineteen have been frozen, over the issue of Cyprus, or due to other objections by EU members. (Head, 2010) Since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected in 2003, he identified Turkeys EU entry as a top priority, pledging reforms to make Turkey more democratic and pluralist and bring it in line with the Unions membership criteria (www.setimes.com) However, the biggest challenge now; from those working on Turkeys EU bid is having no certainty of membership in the end. This has all but killed public enthusiasm for Turkey to join the EU. (Euro-Dialogue, 2009.) Figure . Turkish Prime minister: Recep Tayyip Erdogan Further supporting this statement was the response of Hulya Kars Lamb a 2nd year Criminology and Forensic Science student at Manchester Metropolitan University and native Turk. When asked how she felt about Turkey joining the EU, she commented; The public who are already poor will become poorer and the rich become richer. The public does not want to join the EU because everything will become more expensive, foreign people will come to Turkey, buy properties easily and this will increase house prices and lead to even more homeless people. Turkish people will move to different countries as they may feel, they will have a better life and security for themselves; this would be considered by poor and rich. Are EU members ready to open their doors for Turkish immigrants? So we can then ask will Turkey ever join the EU? 7.1 Turkey has many obstacles that they need to overcome before they can gain accession to the EU. The 2010/11 European Commission (EC) strategy report examines Turkeys application amongst other potential and candidate countries. Two of the main stumbling blocks it identifies are the unresolved issues between Turkey and Cyprus (Ugar, 1995) and secondly, the view of Member countries such as France and Germany towards Turkey joining the EU. Turkey still has not complied with its obligations as outlined in the declaration of the European Community and its member states of 21 states of 21 September 2005 and the December 2009 conclusions it does not meet the obligation of full non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement and has not removed all obstacles to the free movement of goods, including restrictions on direct transport links with Cyprus (EC, 2010) France and Germany are somewhat opposed to Turkeys application. With Turkey being a secular Islamic state (Arikan, 2006) it raises concerns for two of the major powers in the EU. Turkey would become the first Muslim country in the EU and in their minds conflicts with the rationale highlighted in Section 3.0 in that it doesnt promote security within the EU. (Nugent, 2004). In conclusion, Turkey has a long way to go before they are accepted into the EU. They need to make drastic changes in areas such as Human Rights for example. Even if they do make the major changes and meet the criteria to join the EU. Opposition may still come from the current member states and prevent them gaining full membership to the Union. We can probably conclude that Turkeys application will not be concluded in the near future. So who will be the one to bend first, Turkey or the EU? Appendices

Life Time Prediction of Node-to-Node Communication Essay -- Informati

1 Introduction Now-a-days any time anywhere connectivity was needed, which can be achieved by Mobile Ad hoc networks (MANET). Infrastructure less, self-organizing networks was called MANET. Nodes in a MANET can act as routers, able to forward packets to other nodes, within its transmission region. Designing a routing protocol for such a dynamic networks was a challenging task, due to frequent link failure, limited battery power, and mobility. Huge number of routing protocols has been proposed for MANET [1], different Criteria were used to classify those protocols. Most important criteria’s are, 1. Route discovery 2. Number of routes that are computed between source and destination. Route discovery Establishing the path between source and destination was called route discovery, as per this idea, routing protocols are classified into 1. Proactive or Table driven 2. Reactive or On demand 3. Hybrid Routing Proactive protocols uses table to maintain the overview of the network topology, these table should be updated when ever there is a change in network topology (e.g. OLSR [2]). In reactive protocols route request is sent on demand i.e if a node want to sent data to another node, during that time route request was broadcast , once response came from destination data transfer will happen (e.g. Ad hoc On Demand Destination Vector Routing AODV [3], Dynamic Source Routing (DSR [4])). Hybrid protocols uses the advantage of both proactive and reactive protocols (e.g Zone Routing Protocols (ZRP [5]), Zone based Hierarchical Link state (ZHLS [6])). Number of routes Another important routing criterion was the number of routes that are computed between the source and destination. As per this criteria Routing Prot... ...etworks using multiple disjoint paths, in: 2nd International Conference on Broadband Networks, Boston, MA, USA, 2005. [17] H. Badis, K.A. Agha, Qolsr multi-path routing for mobile ad hoc networks based on multiple metrics: bandwidth and delay, in: IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2004, pp. 2181–2184. [18] J. Yi et al., Multipath optimized link state routing for mobile ad hoc networks, Ad Hoc Netw. (2010),doi:10.1016/j.adhoc.2010.04.007 [19] J. Vazifehdan et al., On the lifetime of node-to-node communication in wireless ad hoc networks, Com-put. Netw. (2012), doi:10.1016/j.comnet.2011.12.014 [20] Asokan, R., Natarajan, A.M., Nivetha, A.: ‘A swarm-based distance vector routing to support multiple quality of service (QoS) metrics in mobile ad hoc networks’, J. Comput. Sci. , 2010, 3 , pp. 700 – 707, doi: 10.3844/jcssp.2007.700.707

Free Essays - Analysis of Kate Chopins The Storm :: Chopin Storm Essays

The short story â€Å"The Storm† by Kate Chopin, deals with the subject of adultery. The story takes place in the early 1900’s. There are two main characters, Calixta (the wife) and Alcee (the former lover). Alcee must take refuge from a passing storm in Calixta’s house, while he is there the two end up making love while Calixta’s husband and son have to wait out the storm at the local store. By doing this Chopin implies the theme that is, adultery is natural and does not necessarily have negative consequences. Through out the story the constant changing of imagery plays a great role in the development of characters and their ability to demonstrate the theme. The subject of adultery was first introduced soon after Alcee asked Calixta if he may take refuge from the approaching storm within her house. That was also the first point when the author lets us know that Calixta â€Å"may† still have feelings for Alcee. This was shown clearly in the story when it says, â€Å" His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Immediately after this the description of the setting changed from a outdoor relax feel to an indoor tense feel. This also lead to the feelings of both characters towards each other, which was shown when the room was described, â€Å" The door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Soon after this, Calixta who is then feeling the situation gets up to look outside the window, as not to keep looking at Alcee for she knows what may come of it. Alcee then also gets up to look out the window so that he may stand close to Calixta, which shows how Alcee wants to be with her. While Calixta is looking out the window she sees that it is raining hard and there is strong winds and lightning, which clearly signifies how mixed up Calixta’s feelings for Alcee are at that moment. After this Alcee grabs Calixta close to him as she staggers back, she then retreats and immediately asks where her son may be. This also shows that Calixta is having mixed feelings with the situation. Which is the reason she gets loose but does not tell Alcee to control himself but yet like nothing had happened wonders where her son may be, â€Å" Bonte! She cried, releasing herself from his arms encircling arms and retreating to the window†¦ If I only knew were Bibi was!†Ã‚  

Willy Russells Educating Rita Essay -- English Literature

From your study of Willy Russell's Educating Rita, describe which character in the play changes the most Explain:  · How the characters change  · The characters role in the play  · How the playwright uses dramatic devices  · How the use of language shows these changes  · How these changes reflect the social, historical and cultural background. The play 'Educating Rita' was written by Willy Russell in 1985, for all the 'Rita's' and all the 'Frank's' in the audience. The play is based on Willy Russell's life so it could be interpreted as an autobiographical play. Like Rita, Russell did not study at school so he did not have any O levels, so he wanted an education to get away from Hairdressing like Rita wanted an education to see what she could become. At this point in the play Frank can tell Rita anything and she will listen and believe all of it. As time goes on she looses this hunger for knowledge because of summer school and her flatmate Trish that dramatically changes Rita. At the end of the play the two characters seem to have changed roles, Rita comes back from summer school and knows more then she ever thought she could and discovers that the 'proper students' are not as good and intelligent as she thought. Franks relationship with Julia is breaking down and the banishment to Australia seems more and more imminent. The two seem to swap roles because Frank used to tell Rita things and she would try and understand it, but the return from summer school shows that she has memorised Blake poetry and has significantly changed. Rita is driven by the need for education, having realised that life has more to offer then her ordinary existence in the hairdressing salon. Rita says to Frank that b... ...that there is only one thing for her to do to thank him so he sits down and the audience gets the impression of something sexual about to happen but Rita gets a pair of scissors and begins to cut Franks hair. In this scene the dramatic device used is one for humour. Educating Rita is mainly about a character trying to find the right words to express herself, and as she becomes more educated Rita learns to adapt her language to different audiences. Rita's increasing mastery of the language helps her to grow more confident. In the character of Rita, Willy Russell was reaching out to an audience whose daily language was not of the theatre or the university but to all the Franks and Rita's in the audience. Rita attempts to change her language to the proper use of words, because of what Trish said: 'you can't discuss beautiful literature with an ugly voice.'

International Joint venture Essay

International Joint Ventures (IJVs) are becoming increasingly popular in the business world as they aid companies to form strategic alliances. These strategic alliances allow companies to gain competitive advantage through access to a partner’s resources, including markets, technologies, capital and people. International Joint Ventures are viewed as a practical vehicle for knowledge transfer, such as technology transfer, from multinational expertise to local companies, and such knowledge transfer can contribute to the performance improvement of local companies. Within IJV’s one or more of the parties is located where the operations of the IJV take place and also involve a local and foreign company. Basic Elements of an IJV Contractual Agreement. IJVs are established by express contracts that consist of one or more agreements involving two or more individuals or organizations and that are entered into for a specific business purpose. Specific Limited Purpose and Duration. IJVs are formed for a specific business objective and can have a limited life span or be long-term. IJVs are frequently established for a limited duration because (a) the complementary activities involve a limited amount of assets; (b) the complementary assets have only a limited service life; and/or (c) the complementary production activities will be of only limited efficacy. Joint Property Interest. Each IJV participant contributes property, cash, or other assets and organizational capital for the pursuit of a common and specific business purpose. Thus, an IJV is not merely a contractual relationship, but rather the contributions are made to a newly formed business enterprise, usually a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership. As such, the participants acquire a joint property interest in the assets and subject matter of the IJV. Reasons for Forming a Joint Venture There are many motivations that lead to the formation of a JV. They include: Risk Sharing – Risk sharing is a common reason to form a JV, particularly, in highly capital intensive industries and in industries where the high costs of product development equal a high likelihood of failure of any particular product. Economies of Scale – If an industry has high fixed costs, a JV with a larger company can provide the economies of scale necessary to compete globally and can be an effective way by which two companies can pool resources and achieve critical mass. Market Access – For companies that lack a basic understanding of customers and the relationship/infrastructure to distribute their products to customers, forming a JV with the right partner can provide instant access to established, efficient and effective distribution channels and receptive customer bases. This is important to a company because creating new distribution channels and identifying new customer bases can be extremely difficult, time consuming and expensive activities. Geographical Constraints – When there is an attractive business opportunity in a foreign market, partnering with a local company is attractive to a foreign company because penetrating a foreign market can be difficult both because of a lack of experience in such market and local barriers to foreign-owned or foreign-controlled companies. Funding Constraints – When a company is confronted with high up-front development costs, finding the right JVP can provide necessary financing and credibility with third parties. Benefits Many of the benefits associated with International Joint Ventures are that they provide companies with the opportunity to obtain new capacity and expertise and they allow companies to enter into related business or new geographic markets or obtain new technological knowledge. Furthermore, International Joint Ventures are in most cases have a short life span, allowing companies to make short term commitments rather than long term commitments. Through International Joint Ventures, companies are given opportunities to increase profit margins, accelerate their revenue growth, produce new products, expand to new domestic markets, gain financial support, and share scientists or other professionals that have unique skills that will benefit the companies. Structure International Joint Ventures are developed when two companies work together to meet a specific goal. For example, Company A and Company B first begin by identifying and selecting an IJV partner. This process involves several steps such as market research, partner search, evaluating options, negotiations, business valuation, business planning, and due diligence. These steps are taken on by each company. There are also legal procedures involved such as IJV agreement, ancillary agreements, and regulatory approvals. Once this process is complete, the IJV Company is formed and during this final procedure the steps taken are formation and management. Management There are two types of International Joint Ventures: dominant parent and shared management. Within dominant parent IJV’s, all projects are managed by one parent who decides on all the functional managers for the venture. The board of directors, which is made up of executives from each parent, also plays a key role in managing the venture by making all the operating and strategic decisions. A dominant parent enterprise is beneficial where an International Joint Venture parent is selected for reasons outside of managerial input. Finance When two or more partners get together and form an International Joint Venture agreement, they must decide early on in regards to what the financial structure will entail as this will aid in management and control. Some of the steps include establishing the capital required to start the IJV, the impact of securing a strong strategic alliance partner, and financial reporting. Once an arrangement is made, a tax-planned joint venture will be created which will aid in maximizing the after-tax returns. Factors affecting IJV Economic Factors Poor formation and planning Problems that arise in joint ventures are usually as a result of poor planning or the parties involved being too hasty to set up shop. For example, a marketing strategy may fail if a product was inappropriate for the joint venture or if the parties involved failed to appropriately asses the factors involved . Parties must pay attention to several analysis both of the environment and customers they hope to operate in. Failure to do this sets off a bad tone for the venture, creating future problems. Unexpected poor financial performance One of the fastest ways for a joint venture is financial disputes between parties. This usually happens when the financial performance is poorer than expected either due to poor sales, cost overruns or others. Poor financial performance could also be as a result of poor planning by the parties before setting up a joint venture, failure to approach the market with sufficient management efficiency and unanticipated changes in the market situation. A good solution to this is to evaluate financial situations thorough before and during very step of the joint venture. Management problems One of the biggest problems of joint ventures is the ineffective blending of managers who are not used to working together of have entirely different ways of approaching issues affecting the organization. It is a well-known fact that many joint ventures come apart due to misunderstanding over leadership strategies. For a successful joint venture, there has be understanding and compromise between parties, respect and integration of the strengths of both sides to overcome the weaker points and make their alliance stronger. Inappropriate management structure In a bid to have equal rights in the venture, there could be a misfit of managers. As a result, there is a major slowdown of decision making processes. Daily operational decisions that are best made quickly for more efficiency of the business tends to be slowed down because there is now a ‘committee’ that is in place to make sure both parties support every little decision. This could distract from the bigger picture leading to major problems in the long run. Cultures Factors When a joint venture is formed, it is literarily an attempt at blending two or more cultures in the hope of leveraging on the strength of each party. Lack of understanding of the cultures of the individual parties poses a huge problem if not addressed. A common problem in these multi-cultural enterprises is that the culture is not considered in their initial formation. It is usually assumed that the cultural issues will be addressed later when the new unit has been created. Usually, compromises are reached and certain cultural from the parties are kept on while others are others are either out rightly discarded or modified. Pros and Cons for IJV The joint venture is becoming a popular way for companies that outsource their operations to retain a piece of the ownership pie. The creation of a new legal entity during the launch of a joint venture comes with its share of ups and downs. On the plus side: Joint ventures enable companies to share technology and complementary IP assets for the production and delivery of innovative goods and services. Joint ventures can be used to reduce political friction and improve local/national acceptability of the company. Joint ventures may provide specialist knowledge of local markets, entry to required channels of distribution, and access to supplies of raw materials, government contracts and local production facilities. In a growing number of countries, joint ventures with host governments have become increasingly important. These may be formed directly with State-owned enterprises or directed toward national champions. On the minus side: A major problem is that joint ventures are very difficult to integrate into a global strategy that involves substantial cross-border trading. In such circumstances, there are almost inevitably problems concerning inward and outward transfer pricing and the sourcing of exports, in particular, in favor of wholly owned subsidiaries in other countries. Problems occur with regard to management structures and staffing of joint ventures. Many joint ventures fail because of a conflict in tax interests between the partners. Disputes & Agreements Disputes When two or more partners agree on an International Joint Venture, there are possibilities for disputes to arise. Particularly in IJV’s, there can be issues between the partners who are likely to want their home country’s governing law and jurisdiction to apply to any disputes that may come up; therefore, to avoid such a problem, a neutral governing law and jurisdiction is chosen in some cases. A popular dispute resolution technique used in IJV’s is arbitration; however, many times a court process is given priority as this system has more authority. Other dispute resolution strategies utilized are mediation and litigation. Agreements Entering into an International Joint Venture agreement begins with the selection of partners and then generally this process continues to a Memorandum of Understanding or a Letter of Intent is signed by both parties. The Memorandum of Understanding is a document describing an agreement between parties. On the other hand, a Letter of Intent is a document outlining an agreement between the parties before the agreement is finalized. Examples of successful IJV Sony-Ericsson is a joint venture by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to make mobile phones. The stated reason for this venture is to combine Sony’s consumer electronics expertise with Ericsson’s technological leadership in the communications sector. Both companies have stopped making their own mobile phones. Omega Navigation Enterprises Inc. is an international provider of marine transportation services focusing on seaborne transportation of refined petroleum products. One of the vessels, namely the Omega Duke, is owned through a 50% controlled joint venture with Topley Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Glencore International AG (Glencore).They have also formed an equal partnership joint venture company with Topley Corporation, namely Megacore Shipping Ltd.

Mexican Drug War

Since Felipe Calderon became the president of Mexico in December of 2006, more than 30,000 people have died in this nationwide turf war. A large majority of these murders are happening in the states of Chihuahua and Baja, California both of which border the United States. Soon after Calderon took office he launched a military-led war on drugs and that set off conflicts all over the country between rivaling cartels. Not only has there been a war between the cartels, there’s an overall threat to all of the citizens of Mexico because nobody is above the hell these savages are unleashing. All across the southwest United States the drug cartels have been smuggling drugs and weapons between countries illegally. Within the last month U. S. and Mexican authorities unearthed a 2200 ft. long tunnel under the border. This tunnel was used to smuggle drugs into San Diego, California where cartel commanders distribute the marijuana throughout the country. Then going back into Tijuana, â€Å"mules† would carry guns back. This tunnel was state-of-the-art with air conditioning, ventilation, and tongue-and-groove boarding to keep the ground level for the safe transportation of the weed. Other than weed; heroin, cocaine, and guns are also transferred between borders. 70,000 U. S. -originated firearms were recovered between 2007 and 2009. Along the two thousand mile long border between the United States and Mexico there are over seven thousand licensed gun dealers on the U. S. side. Just like the drugs moving North, the guns are flowing South in the trunks of cars, under the beds of truck, and sometimes hidden by clothing in the floorboards of cars. The main thing issue with these cartels is that innocent men and women are dying every day for the sake of a dollar. Some of these people that are dying were totally in the clear and had nothing to do with Mexico, they were just vacationing. Two students who attended the University of Texas in El Paso were hiking through the mountains and accidentally crossed over the wrong hill at the wrong time and that cost them their lives. Along with those two students, the US State Department released a statement saying eighty other American travelers had been murdered in Chihuahua alone. Even Mexican citizens are dying for no reason. A group of twenty vacationers from Michoacan, Mexico were visiting Acapulco and a group of armed assailants snatched them up and took them away. The only reason the men’s bodies were found is because two severely beaten men made a video and broadcast it on YouTube in hopes that somebody would find the mass grave. This group of men died all because their kidnappers thought they were henchmen for a rival cartel. The United States being involved in the Mexican Drug War shows all six steps of the government function: Foreign relations and diplomacy to help with military defense while they try to gain control of the country. Developing business strength while controlling the cartel interactions is another part of the government function. Oil is a major natural resource in Mexico, so helping keep it protected also while keeping its use under control. Another thing is the enforcement and regulation of fair and responsible business practice to handle the legalities of NAFTA in check when necessary. Since the United States feels the need to be a global police state, we also help determine and enforce the laws and help citizens gain more rights. And most importantly, provide public goods and services for the well-being of the community as a whole. Things that the National Guard is there to help with, like vaccination programs, disaster relief, and basic healthcare. The primary policy that would have helped our nation and the drug war was California’s Proposition 19. Proposition 19 also known as the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act was wanted for the decriminalization of marijuana for specific purposes. Many people argued that it would help with cut off the funding to the violent cartels along with helping out California’s budget shortfall and redirecting law enforcement’s resources to more dangerous crimes. While opponents claimed that it contains gaps and flaws that may have serious unintended consequences on public safety, workplaces, and federal funding. However, even if the proposition had passed, the sale of cannabis would have remained illegal under federal law via the Controlled Substance Act. Being active in the Mexican Drug War hasn’t helped the approval rating of the government much at all. Two things dealing with Mexico and its citizens that aren’t helping the public opinion are the DREAM Act and the US Merida Initiative. The DREAM Act is a bill proposed by the House of Representatives that would give citizenship to immigrants who moved into the United States as a minor, have graduated from high school, and are on good moral standings. And the U. S. Merida Initiative s planned cooperation between the United States, Mexico, and countries in Central America with the aim of combating drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, and money laundering. It may sound good, but the government has funneled more than $1. 4 billion into this initiative. Yet the US Department of Education has to cut spending in half? Our government is obviously overstepping its boundaries, when is it not? For example Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement division (ICE) was created to shore up the borders after September 11th. But forced drugging and warrantless raids weren't part of the mandate and in May of 2008, the Washington Post reported that there have been more than 250 cases of the government giving deportees psychiatric drugs with no medical excuse or reason. Yet ICE itself disputes that number of cases and says that only 180 out of close to 600,000 were involuntarily sedated. Another way the government is overstepping its boundaries is with the legalization of medical marijuana in California. Not the fact that it’s legal, but what happens to those who need it and use it. Those who are medically permitted to have marijuana and travel within seventy-five miles of the Mexican border have to deal with Border Patrol and their â€Å"Fourth Amendment-free Zone†. That permits warrantless searches to any and all comers in a bid to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Patients and advocacy groups are complaining that the border area checkpoints operated by the Border Patrol are sweeping up patients, detaining them, seizing their medicine, and sometimes arresting them on federal drug possession charges.

We All Fall Down(Why Tt Was Banned)

We All Fall Down â€Å"Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down. † This nursery rhyme and We All Fall Down are alike in a way. They both result in the falling of dead bodies as they land on the ground, now corpses. The book We All Fall Down was banned due to its violence and vandalism (Sova 2; We All Fall Down); the occurring sexual content (Marshall University Libraries 1); and the alcoholic references and profanity (Cormier; occurring theme) that haunt its pages.The book is worthwhile because it has such a suspenseful plot (Sova 1; We All Fall Down); its advanced vocabulary is enough to be at a college level and it teaches good morals and values (Cormier; throughout book); and the book explores the responsibilities of peoples towards others as well as the motives of teenagers to commit such brutal acts (Sova 2; We All Fall Down). This book shouldn’t be banned because it displays the struggles and family ties that the characters learn to cope with (Cormier; whole book).It has relationships between the trashers’ families and the main heroine’s that differ and demonstrate the importance of close knit ties (Sova 2; We All Fall Down). The book also contains romance to relieve itself from its dark, malignant plot (Sova 3; We All Fall Down). We All Fall Down was banned for a multitude of things for the content it contained. A reason it was banned was for its violence and vandalism (Sova 1; Censorship History of We All Fall Down). The one murderer in this story is the Avenger, a mysterious eleven year old who avenges for the sole purpose of justice.His first victim was his own classmate in the fifth grade, Vaughn Masterson. Vaughn was a bully who humiliated the other children as well as cheat off the Avenger’s tests. The Avenger saw no end to his constant teasing and began to observe his target. He followed him home and knew all his activities. The Avenger is all about observation, and after much o f it, he put on his â€Å"thinking cap† to devise his murderous plot. After following Vaughn home and into his backyard where Vaughn was playing, he pulled out his grandfather’s revolver and shot Vaughn’s face to shreds.The avenger felt no guilt or regret even at Vaughn’s funeral, and instead chuckled and smiled to himself. The Avenger also pushed his grandfather off his own balcony, proving to himself that killing could be done without the use of weapons. His grandfather was a retired policeman, and after much interrogation by his grandfather, the Avenger decided the only way to save himself from being found was to kill a second time. His â€Å"thinking cap† went on once again and his plan carried out perfectly. With two murders, the Avenger was nothing but pleased for his eleven year old heart dreaded nothing.Violence such as this occurred and still occurs worldwide, so banning this book means banning the whole world. Violence is something that w ill continue to live on in this world, whether we decide to change it or not. Vandalism also played an important role in this book’s banning, for vandalism is what set the whole plot’s events in motion (Cormier 1). The trashers, Harry Flowers, Marty Sanders, Randy Pierce, and Buddy Walker destroyed the Jerome’s house and all its belongings. All the boys are juveniles who run around to have what they call, â€Å"fun time. † Their next plans for â€Å"fun time† happened to be set on the Jerome’s house.They destroyed China plates, smashed furniture, and even urinated on the walls. Vomit puddles appeared throughout due to their heavy drinking. Nothing was left untouched for the Jeromes to come home to, nothing but misery and paranoia. The trashers left without a second thought, all but Buddy Walker. Even then though, the Avenger saw it all, and began his observations on his new targets. Vandalism may be considered â€Å"art† to some peopl e, but I still believe it’s wrong. That is damage to someone’s property and they shouldn’t have to clean up what wasn’t theirs.Graffiti art and all of it alike are the faces of rundown buildings, and give the impression that that area is not safe. Another reason for this book’s banning was for its occurring sexual content. Attempted rape occurred in the first pages (Sova 1; Censorship History of We All Fall Down). Harry, Marty, and Randy all participated in attempting to rape Karen Jerome, who came home all too early. The boys took turns, all but Buddy, and repeatedly grabbed at her clothes to reveal the skin underneath. Karen eventually broke free but at a terrible price. She took a tumble down her cellar stairs and fell into a coma.The trashers left and Karen lay in a heap on the cold cellar floor. Other explicit content was the heart-warming romance between Jane Jerome and Buddy Walker . As their relationship became more intimate, their sexual l ust grew. Certain parts of the body were caressed and were furthermore deemed inappropriate for even freshmen (Cormier 139). Making out scenes occur throughout the book and the Avenger even peeps as Jane gets undressed. The sexual content is probably what gave this book more flair to its dark plot. Though it gave the book some flair, it gives nothing when it comes to reality.I, for one, can’t stand rape or any type of abusive sexual interaction between male and female. People become traumatized and feel no trust in others anymore. Rape, like violence and vandalism, occurs everywhere and it most impossible to stop against the sick minded who impose it. Lastly, this We All Fall Down was banned for alcohol references and profanity. The characters use foul language and would curse at each other or even secretly to themselves. Profanity was most likely used to express what the characters felt at the time (Marshall Universities Libraries 1).It was used mostly by the teenagers in th eir conversations with other characters to show just how they felt about the situation at hand. Profanity was highly associated with the drinking that occurred. Not only was alcohol used as a type of anti-depressant, but it was done by under-age drinkers (Cormier; throughout book). Buddy Walker, one of the main characters, is a sixteen year old and started to drink heavily after the divorce of his parents. Buddy began to hand out with Harry and his goons and drank to have fun and forget all his worries. He bought his liquor illegally and continued to drink even when in his relationship with Jane.Even when he was happiest when with Jane, Buddy abused alcohol which became his own brand of heroine. Like Buddy, most people do use alcohol as a way to escape and instead they should be using a proper drug prescribed by doctors. I believe that though alcohol may seem like medicine, it is far from it. It weakens slowly in the insides and confuses the brain to think it’s better than an y pharmacy drugs. It’s a hypnotizer and it performs its work best in all ages, even young teenagers like Buddy. Even though We All Fall Down was banned, it has many points which make it worthwhile to read.It has such a suspenseful plot that leaves you wanting more (Sova 1; We All Fall Down). The story begins in such a matter-of-fact tone, detailing the horrors that initially set the events in motion (Sova 1; We All Fall Down). It begins with the trashing of the Jerome’s house, Karen Jerome falling into a coma, and a mysterious person called the Avenger. This leaves the reader questioning what exactly is happening, like, â€Å"Who are these people, and who’s this mysterious Avenger guy? † As the story progresses, the reader is then able to fill in the blanks about the plot and the characters.It is later learned that the Avenger is actually Mickey Looney, the friendly neighborhood man (Cormier, 173). Robert Cormier, the author, led the readers to believe th e Avenger was some unknown criminal, roaming the streets for justice, when in reality he’s just a normal guy looking for justice. The plot contained so many twists and turns that the book could’ve been its own rollercoaster. Suspense isn’t something I typically enjoy, especially in movies, but it served well in We All Fall Down. It literally left me on the edge of my seat and wanting to read more.The suspense ties in so well with the storyline that I couldn’t imagine what it would be without it. To promote the suspenseful plot, are the advanced vocabulary and the good morals and values it teaches (Cormier; throughout book). Cormier’s extensive use of vocabulary creates a unique writing style for young adults; helps to promote their reading levels. His use of complex words teaches readers and enhances the story. Cormier also teaches good morals and values in this tragic story. He displays the importance of communication and how it should be used to express oneself and help lift burdens.It teaches the consequences of lying and brutal actions that affect not only oneself but others as well. The importance of truth is a main theme of this book (Cormier 191). Cormier teaches truth is a virtue that should be cherished. Truth can affect relationships, and even the past, present, and future. Buddy kept the fact that he trashed Jane’s house and his alcohol problem from others close to him, and this in turn led to even more misery. Truth played an important role in the plot and it states just how important it is in the end. The vocabulary really helped me in learning what Cormier was saying while the story progressed.He targets young readers and places challenging vocabulary to give them a read that’s at their level. This was what I really enjoyed about the book because it made it sound sophisticated. We All Fall Down doesn’t just have a suspenseful plot and advanced vocabulary. It explores the responsibilities of peoples towards others as well as the motivation of teenagers to commit brutal acts. When Buddy’s parents divorced (Cormier 46), he goes out with Harry Flowers and his crew to commit wrongdoings and erase his stress. He communicated little with is mom and sister and wanted little to do with his father, though he secretly wished he’d come back.His father still felt responsibility for both his children and still sent a monthly check of twenty-five dollars. Buddy seldom communicated with his family because of the divorce, and all his sadness eventually led him to do heinous crimes to brush his worries away. The Avenger has his fair share in responsibilities. He took up the job of being a hero to the people by committing vengeful acts (Cormier 20, 74). With Vaughn Masterson, he murdered him to stop the other children’s suffering. He murdered his grandfather to prevent from being caught so he’d be able to carry out justice. Truth to be told, it wasn’t e xactly justice.It was what his name implied: revenge. Still, the Avenger continued on to help the people who have had wrongdoings thrust upon them. Despite being eleven years old, he’d avenge anyone, no matter the consequences. Responsibility is such an important trait to have and it really says a lot about a person. It went well with this book since the characters found faults in one another but still managed to see it through and help others to overcome their problems. Responsibility was demonstrated on the trashers and their actions on society. They showed little respect, but little do people know what they hide behind their mask of tricks and schemes.There are numerous reasons for why this book shouldn’t be banned. First of all, it displays the struggles and family ties of the characters as they learn to cope with them. Buddy struggles with his alcoholism from beginning to end, stopping it only briefly for Jane’s sake. Jane deals with her paranoia, fearing t he trashers will come back to destroy their house once more or even hurt another of her loved ones. Artie, Jane’s little brother, and his frequent nighttime terrors about the trashers’ intrusion; woke up in the middle of the night screaming (Cormier; throughout book, 53).As the story develops, Buddy’s relationship with his sister, Addy develops as well (Cormier 81). Addy was just a stuck up, smart aleck to Buddy, but as they both grow through the pain of their parent’s divorce, they form a strong bond. The relationships that show between the trashers’ families and Jane’s differ and demonstrate the importance of close knit ties. After Karen fell into a coma, Jane and her family visited Karen every day at the hospital to see her current condition (Cormier 4). They also talked to her about their lives and how they were doing, in hopes that she’d awaken from the dark abyss she was in.Harry Flowers, after being caught as the leader, was ba iled out by his father who paid for all the damage done without asking Harry questions. Harry achieved high marks in school and told Buddy later that’s why his father trusts him. Buddy’s connections with his family are not close (Cormier 48, 66). Buddy constantly fights with his sister; he barely acknowledges his mother, and he neglects his father, but wishes still that he’d come back to their family. His family life caused him more struggles and is what ultimately led to his drinking. Communication, as well as responsibility, is very important.It showed how words can help one to cope and find help in someone else. Words can help, or hurt. I think frequent conversations with someone else can help someone to not feel lonely, and this was demonstrated well in the book. We All Fall Down takes a turn from its tragic story to a heartfelt romance (Cormier 125). Buddy falls instantly and irrevocably in love with Jane after encountering her at the mall. Jane later fell in love with him twenty minutes afterwards, but she didn’t know it was love until later. This budding romance serves as a relief from the book’s dark plot.Jane later discovers Buddy’s drinking problem when a bottle of liquor fell out of his pocket (Cormier 147). Jane is deeply worried for Buddy’s welfare and argues with him about his well-being. Buddy comes to terms with Jane and she helps him to cope with his parent’s divorce. Jane becomes Buddy’s shoulder to lean on, and this strengthens their relationship. Their romance lifts the tension off the story, in hopes of eradicating the danger to come. Romance captures the hearts of most people, especially girls. For me, I enjoy romance and found the romance between Jane and Buddy and warm touch to the story.It already talks about murder and alcohol, so for it to turn for a little romance helps the book to seem less violent. Babies fall taking their first steps. Soldiers fall on the battlefield. We all fall from mistakes. We All Fall Down proves that lies and heinous acts can ruin. This book was indeed banned for its violence and vandalism, sexual content, and themes of alcohol references and profanity. The book carried a suspenseful plot, advanced vocabulary, and the responsibilities of people towards others and the motives of teenagers’ brutal acts that make it a worthwhile read.It shouldn’t be banned though, because it displays struggles that characters fight through, the importance of family bonds, and romance to pull away from the unpredictable plot. All the reasons this book is banned are all things that are seen in the media and in the public today. Most teenagers and even younger children have already been exposed to these things. We All Fall Down is just another book that matures readers and helps them better understand the cruelties of the world. In the end, it wasn’t a plague, but in fact the lies, untold truths, and secrets that conquered e ach character one at a time.