Analyse the way women are treated in Candide. Are gender roles an Essay

Analyse the way women are treated in Candide. Are gender roles an object of satire for Volataire, and if so, what problems andor solutions did he identify - Essay Example Cunegonde is the female protagonist of the novel and she is described as "aged seventeen, was rosy-cheeked, fresh, plump and tempting", in the beginning of the novel. This itself sets pace for and acts as a revelation of Voltaire's satirical take on the mere 'objectification' of women. Further, Candide falls in love with her, owing to her good looks. For this, he is banished from the house of the Baron. Later, Cunegonde falls prey to the exploitation of Bulgar soldiers. As the novel progresses, we find that Cunegonde is constantly being shipped to Constantinople or is made a slave and exploited. The author recurrently brings to our notice that men were a superior clan, while women were merely their counterparts, who had no prominent role or more meaning to their lives apart from succumbing to the carnal desires of the superior males. This gender pattern was a great source of ridicule for many authors and Voltaire certainly does highlight this societal pattern and ridicules it in his satirical novel. In the process of satirising the objectification of women, Voltaire does come to a conclusion regarding the same. He puts forth two exemplary characters; that of Candide and Cunegonde.

Effect of Perception and Empathy on Self Concept

Effect of Perception and Empathy on Self Concept Final Paper: Perception, Empathy, and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Matthew K. O’Hara How does perception and empathy towards those we communicate with at an interpersonal level alter one’s self concept and in effect change the fate of the self-fulfilling prophecy? To begin, one must first understand some of the core concepts and definitions of terms that will be utilized in this paper, such that the reader can understand the relatedness and intertwined nature of one’s perception and the self-fulfilling prophecy. Adler and Proctor define the term self-concept as, â€Å"who you think you are,† in their work Looking Out, Looking In (2011). One’s self concept can be affected by an almost infinite number of factors, some of which are: one’s biological make-up (inherited disease or if an individual is generally a happy or sad person), how we believe other’s see us, how other’s treat us or how others have treated us in the past, how we compare ourselves to others in our social environment, our cultural backgrounds, and simply our gender; all affect who we think we are. The concept of one’s self then leads us to the discussion of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Adler and Proctor describe that a self-fulfilling prophecy, â€Å"†¦occurs when a person’s expectations of an event, and his or her subsequent behavior based on those expectations, make the event more likely to occur than would otherwise have been true. A self-fulfilling prophecy involves four stages: 1) Holding an expectation (for yourself or for others); 2) Behaving in accordance with that expectation; 3) The expectation coming to pass; and 4) Reinforcing the original expectation† (2011). Next, we must consider the ever so interesting concept of perception, for which Adler and Proctor describe in matters of experience where, â€Å"†¦each of us experiences a different reality, and failing to understand other people’s point of view can lead to problems on both practical and relational levels†¦.by seeing the world through other’s eyes, you can gain insights that are different – and often more valuable – than those arising out of your own experiences† (2011). Finally, and in my opinion the most vital element of perception that can improve an interpersonal relationship is to understand and practice empathy. Empathy, â€Å"is the ability to re-create another person’s perspective, to experience the world from the other’s point of view† (Adler and Proctor, 2011). My first example will be based on observations of a colleague (and friend), with whom I currently work. To say that this friend was at times, the most negative person in the world may be an understatement. He would often say things like, â€Å"nothing ever goes my way†¦you just get lucky†¦whatever, I’ll probably get fired soon anyway†¦they [our employer] give me the worst clients,† among many other similarly negative uses of language. Another co-worker (and also a friend) and I, would try to turn his negative attitude into more positively provoked thoughts based on several factors. We would say things to him such as, â€Å"we are all very fortunate to have the jobs that we do in this economy†¦if things didn’t work out with this client, you have to move on to the next†¦we just started a year ago – things will get better/easier†¦you were hired for a reason – don’t be so hard on yourself†¦try to see things a l ittle bit differently.† This was of course not the full extent of our conversation, but this should give the reader some context as to how we would communicate with him. More specifically, there was an instance where this â€Å"negative† friend was preparing for second meeting with a client. In our line of work, the second meeting is where we as advisors diagnose the issues we’ve uncovered regarding a client’s situation; as well as provide suggestion, recommendations, and ultimately â€Å"ask for the business.† â€Å"Asking for the business,† could be having the client transfer money from another firm to ours, or to invest the money they have with us in a more productive manner. Nevertheless, I stopped by his office to see how he was feeling going into the meeting. Not surprisingly, he had what I perceived to be a â€Å"negative† attitude towards the outcome (his mind was already focused on the future or rather his anticipated outcome three hours ahead of the present moment)! I said to him, â€Å"Frank (pseudonym), you have no control on what decision the client will make; therefore instead of thinking the c lient will not do what you recommend, why not feel good about the work you have already done for the client; and think in a way that you believe they will act on your recommendation, because you believe it is in the client’s best interest to do so? And if they don’t act now, perhaps they will act later – but nothing positive will happen if you don’t believe it will.† He then replied something in the manner of, â€Å"yeah, I guess you’re right – I’ve got nothing to lose anyway† (followed by a, â€Å"I don’t care anyway† laugh). I said, â€Å"Great you can do this – and you will. And if you’re confident in your delivery, they will act on your recommendations.† He thanked me; I walked to my desk as he closed his office door and put the finishing touches on his â€Å"mental† preparation for his meeting. Fast forward, after he escorted his clients past my office and to the lobby where he said his good-byes; to my delightful eyes he came back to my office with a bounce in his step. He was walking differently than normal, he was standing more erect, he was smiling – a huge, very happy smile. He said to me (in our non-business, friendship-like communication style), â€Å"bro – you’re not going to believe this†¦.they did everything! They’re going to bring over $2 million from XYZ company, they want to meet with our estate planning expert; and they want me to review their $3 million life insurance policy – oh and he thinks I can help some of the other board members of his university’s endowment fund; he took like five business cards!† I stood up out of my chair in utter excitement, and fueled by his positive attitude – gave him a â€Å"high-five,† and said, â€Å"congrats dude, I knew you could do it – now you’re in a great position to hit your year-end goal.† He thanked me for ac knowledging his accomplishment, but also thanked me for my little â€Å"pre-game† talk when I stopped by his office only a few hours earlier. He said to me, â€Å"you were right, if I just look at these opportunities a little bit differently, perhaps I will have more success.† I said, â€Å"You’re absolutely right.† This was a first-hand experience whereby I saw how a change in perception was indefinitely the game-changer for my friend to perform better, and come across more confident and reassuring to his clients – which ultimately enabled him to earn their trust, and â€Å"win† their business. My next example is such that I consider the positive effects that the practice of Yoga has on an individual’s self-concept, their actions towards others based on their empathetic nature, and finally how all of these positive thoughts and actions promote a positive self-fulfilling prophecy. There is a well-known Yoga sutra that states that minds perceive differently. â€Å"Although the same objects may be perceived by different minds, they are perceived in different ways, because those minds manifested differently.† This is exactly in line with what Adler and Proctor mean when they discuss the many factors that affect one’s self-concept; which in affect alters one’s ability to perceive a certain way. An example of which is described by Swami J. in his writings. â€Å"Imagine that four people are sitting together, meditating on the same object, a flower, for example. One person is meditating on the beauty of the flower. A second person is meditating on the molecular structure of the flower. A third person is meditating on the subtle essence of light that forms the flower. A fourth is meditating on the primal elements, the gunas, out of which the flower manifested. The flower is the same, while the minds differ: In this example, it is not the flower which has changed. Rather, it is the nature of the four different minds that determines the way the flower is experienced. Each of the four minds in this example is operating from progressively deeper levels of being, and thus, the object perceived is experienced at its different levels of manifestation.† The practice of Yoga allows practitioners and followers to see the world as it really is by training their bodies and minds to stay in the present moment – a very important aspect when considering one’s self-concept, as well as imploring the ability to be empathetic towards others in the present moment; a practice of mindfulness. Jeff Martens further describes this concept in his work, â€Å"Yoga and the Mirror of Perception,† such that, â€Å"†¦everything else is just a projection of an imagined future or memory of the past. It is up to us to make sure that our perceptions emerge from a fearless place of love and acceptance. This is the key to living in the eternal present where all things are possible and the world can bloom anew.† Ancient Chinese poet and philosopher, Lao Tzu, said it best, â€Å"†¦wherewe let goof whatweare,webecome whatwe might be.† Further elaborating on the idealistic ways Yoga can help individuals realize their positive self-concept, be more empathic and ultimately have a more positive future (self-fulfilling prophecy), comes from the biographical story of Suzanne Jones, titled â€Å"Exercise Your Empathy.† Her story has to do with how Yoga did in fact change her life, her self-concept, and how empathy towards others changed the way she views and acts towards the world (people, all things living and non-living). She writes, when I was in the darkest time of my life and planning my one shot at doing something right (i.e. removing myself from the world via swallowing a butt load of pain killers), I happened to stumble into a yoga class. And as I learned how to really breathe and concentrated on how to move my body in class and pay attention to how my body was feeling inside, I activated these brain regions†¦I exercised my empathybecause without empathy, we begin to stop being kind to ourselves. And when that happens, we begin to withdraw from others and the cycle of insidious self-destruction begins. Our brains are social organs and in isolation they begin to suffer. (2013). Reflecting back on my own personal experiences, as well as the two stories I shared regarding my friend/co-worker, and the story of Suzanne Jones and how Yoga and empathy changed her life, I truly believe that the intertwined nature of perception and empathy towards those we communicate with at an interpersonal level will not only alter one’s self-concept, but have a lifetime of positive affects in changing one’s fate and ensuring a positive self-fulfilling prophecy. I have supplied both observed and biographical evidence that supports this theory and hypothesis, which suggests that a change in perception and/or empathy towards others will have a positive effect on one’s understanding of the self, which in turn will promote a positive self-fulfilling prophecy (cause and effect). Works Cited Adler, R. Proctor, R. (2011). Looking Out, Looking In. Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Print. Swami, J. (2014). Yoga Sutras 4.15-4.17: Mind Perceiving Objects. Retrieved from http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras-41517.htm Martens, J. (2014). Inner Visions Yoga. Yoga and the Mirror of Perception. Retrieved from http://www.innervisionyoga.com/yoga-and-the-mirror-of-perception/ Jones, S. (2013). How Might We Build a Culture of Empathy and Compassion? Retrieved from http://cultureofempathy.com/projects/Conference/Sub/Yoga/ Jones, S. (January 14, 2013). Elephant Journal. Exercise your Empathy. Retrieved from http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/01/exercise-your-empathy/

The Christian Position on Euthanasia :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

     Ã‚   This essay has chosen to study the largest Christian denomination's attitude toward euthanasia, in order to determine the basic Christian position in the current debate on euthanasia. It is interesting to note that, even within one Christian church like this, there are a host of considerations on the euthanasia question. The rights and values pertaining to the human person occupy an important place among the questions discussed throughout the world today. In this regard, the largest Christian denomination, the Catholic Church, solemnly reaffirmed the lofty dignity of the human person, and in a special way his or her right to life. The Second Vatican Council therefore condemned crimes against life "such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or willful suicide" (Pastoral) The progress of medical science in recent years has brought to the fore new aspects of the question of euthanasia, and these aspects, in the Church's view, call for further elucidation on the ethical level. In modern society, in which even the fundamental values of human life are often called into question, cultural change exercises an influence upon the way of looking at suffering and death; moreover, medicine has increased its capacity to cure and to prolong life in particular circumstances, which sometime give rise to moral problems. Thus people living in this situation experience no little anxiety about the meaning of advanced old age and death. They also begin to wonder whether they have the right to obtain for themselves or their fellowmen an "easy death," which would shorten suffering and which seems to them more in harmony with human dignity.    The considerations set forth here, concern in the first place all those who place their faith and hope in Christ, who, through His life, death and resurrection, has given a new meaning to existence and especially to the death of the Christian, as St. Paul says: "If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord" (Rom. 14:8; cf. Phil. 1:20). As for those who profess other religions, many will agree with us that faith in God the Creator, Provider and Lord of life--if they share this belief--confers a lofty dignity upon every human person and guarantees respect for him or her.    Human life is the basis of all goods, and is the necessary source and condition of every human activity and of all society.

Failure and futility Themes in “1984” and “Never Let Me Go” Essay

Comparison of how Orwell in 1984 and Ishiguro in Never Let Me Go use failure and futility in human relationships as a theme in their dystopian novels As humans, we judge ourselves by how others perceive us and seek to conform to a universally accepted code of ethics and laws. It is this inherent value that we possess, a conscience that make us different from animals and it is also what is missing to a large extent in Orwell’s â€Å"1984† and Ishiguro’s â€Å"Never Let Me Go†. The futility of relationships in these works is part of what makes the worlds in which they are based seem so bereft of hope and consequently, dystopia in nature. In Orwell’s vision of humanity’s future, the only truly acceptable thing to ‘love’ is Big Brother. The Party restricts all other love so as to break down the ties between family, friends and lovers whilst transferring this loyalty to the Party itself as a form of control. The Party is said to have, â€Å"cut the links between child and parent, and between man and man, and between man and women.† This does not just show the breakdown of re lationships, but the reduction of the self. The Party is removing the essential links that allow humanity to be more than a collective of individuals and instead uses this to its own ends, although what these are, beyond a desire for control, we never truly discover. It is partly this lack of knowledge of the Party’s overall goals that makes the situation seem so desperate, it is as though love is being removed without explanation or justification, making the whole process seem devoid of hope as there is no specific element against which to rebel. A similar lack of knowledge also plagues the children of Hailsham in â€Å"Never Let Me Go†. Their future is not clearly explained; instead it is an undercurrent to their education that leaves them prepared for, but not truly conscious of, their fate. As Miss Lucy says, the students have been, â€Å"told and not told.† The situation is much the same for the reader, we learn with the children about their function. Thus we can empathise with the characters; the reader feels a part of the story. Setting it in the 1990s also adds to this sense as it is easy to associate with our own lives. It is for this reason that cloning is a key feature of dystopic fiction from the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries as it does not seem a distant concept but a real possibility. Some may see keeping the children in the dark over their fate as a kindness, however in many ways it seems a further cruelty that they are allowed to hope when this will avail them nothing. Miss Lucy goes on to tell  the children that they had been, â€Å"created†, that they were, â€Å"brought into this world for a purpose†¦ [with] futures, †¦ decided.† This is an indication of what is to come for the students, gaining more meaning the further the reader progresses through the novel, it is in reflecting upon events that the true horror is revealed. It is also a symbol of their relationships with the outside world. They cannot become part of a society we would recognise, for this is not their â€Å"purpose† and so they are kept apart from it. The world of the chil dren seems lonely and isolated for this reason, especially so as it is told to them, and us, as fact by someone in a position of authority. This version of their future seems inevitable and so any hope Ishiguro builds in the minds of the reader in the rest of the novel seems almost foolish, as we have been told that Kathy and her companions have only one path to follow. Orwell uses similar devices in â€Å"1984†. We are told in the first chapter after Winston writes in his diary that â€Å"The Thought Police would get him† and yet through the novel, largely thanks to his relationship with Julia, we come to feel that there may be a chance for him. However, as in â€Å"Never Let Me Go†, this is crushed. Both Orwell and Ishiguro give their characters and their audiences hope and despite all else that is wrong in their worlds, they have an intrinsic human emotion to hold on to, but when both stories conclude, this feeling is shown to have been futile and misleading. The traditional structure of society in â€Å"Never Let Me Go† is altered, as there is clearly a subsection of humanity that the dono rs inhabit which is not apparent in our own lives. However, Ishiguro’s world is not so different from our own, Hailsham seems like it could easily be a twentieth century boarding school with the result that the events have a more profound effect on the reader. Orwell uses a slightly different technique as the structure of human life is reduced in â€Å"1984† rather than altered. It is carried out up to the point where, â€Å"No one dares trust a wife or a child or a friend†. Instead they turn to the only thing in their life that seems concrete, Big Brother. The Spies are the ultimate example of this because the Party has managed to sever the paternal bond, which should be stronger than almost anything else. The extent to which this is achieved is shown by Parson declaring he is, â€Å"proud† of his daughter for denouncing him as it proves that he, â€Å"brought her up in the right spirit.† It is as though the greatest achievement for a parent has become to create a tool for the  party. Winston sums this up by saying, â€Å"The terrible thing the Party has done was to persuade you that mere impulses, mere feelings, were of no account, while at the same time robbing you of all power over the material world.â₠¬  To protect and nurture your offspring is a natural instinct, but the Party has removed this and in doing so has reduced humanity. It is this that makes the breakdown in the family so crucial to Orwell’s dystopic literature, if the feelings had been punished there is hope for salvation but by removing them, there is no hope for a future where the family is once again a pivotal element within a person’s life. When Orwell was writing there was a strong feeling of despair amongst modernist authors and artists relating to the fracturing of society and the reduction of tradition’s role in people’s lives. This is clearly shown in â€Å"1984† through characters such as Parson. Orwell’s reduction of traditional structures is shocking but also hard to relate to, as it seems so extreme. It can be said that Ishiguro’s alteration may not have the same immediate impact, however this slight apathy is caused by the situation presented being all too possible. On reflection this serves to makes it more disturbing; many groups in society are marginalised and so it is not difficult to imagine a situation where there are ‘clones’ amongst us yet not with us who are treated as an inferior race. Ishiguro demonstrates this through the use of the word, â€Å"completion† when the donors die. This is much like a euphemism for death, something else that is treated as taboo, but â€Å"completion† has far more sinister connotations. It suggests the donors have fulfilled their â€Å"purpose†, particularly as the word â€Å"completion† is usually associated with a positive outcome. This can be interpreted as Ishiguro, as a post-modern author, suggesting that a society relying on such a complex structure, is capable of dehumanising and exploiting the death of fellow humans. This is unlike Orwell in â€Å"1984† who bemoans the fracturing of traditional structures, however both show how the breakdown in relationships and marginalisation of certain groups can remove some essence of humanity and it is through this that the authors present their works as dystopic. Winston identifies this loss when he says â€Å"The Proles are human beings†¦ We are not human† because in comparison to Party members, â€Å"They were not loyal to a party or a country or an idea, they were loyal to one another.† Winston himself recognises what it is to be human and sees how he is in some way lacking. He goes on to tell  Julia that they will inevitably be captured and this will leave them both, â€Å"utterly alone† and, â€Å"utterly without power of any kind†. The implication here is that the connection they share is what gives them power but that the Party can overcome this. Despite acknowledging what is necessary to be human and finding his own source of strength, Winston still sees himself as ultimately powerless. Rather than this moment being an epiphany, as you would expect from a traditional hero, Winston is filled with hopelessness and in turn shows his love for Julia as being ultimately futile as it cannot lead to any salvation at all. Julia’s cool acceptance of this only makes it seem more inevitable as she states, â€Å"Everybody always confesses. You can’t help it. They torture you.† The short sentences make each statement a fact rather than a possible future. However we are also given a small glimmer of hope when Winston says to Julia that the, â€Å"real betrayal† would be if they could, â€Å"make me stop loving you† and Julia responds that, â€Å"They can’t do that.† This gives the reader hope that maybe they can best the Party. They may forfeit their lives in doing so but by staying loyal they could prove that love is more powerful than the control of the Party. However this is crushed at the end when they both betray each other. Having demonstrated how important interpersonal relationships are to the nature of humanity, Orwell then shows how easily such relationships can be demolished. This perhaps more than any other feature of â€Å"1984† makes it d ystopic literature as, what is an inherent belief in many that love can overcome any challenge, is destroyed and with it the image of humanity. In â€Å"Never Let Me Go† we are led to believe that what Kathy and Tommy share could be their salvation as we believe that the ‘system’ can be overcome by love. This is shaped by countless stories with which all are familiar where love bests evil. Both Orwell and Ishiguro play on our expectation that a resolution will be found in order to shock the reader to a greater extent when it is shown that hope is lost. This happens in â€Å"Never Let Me Go† as the society presented places small value on these emotions. Miss Emily understands they have, â€Å"hoped carefully† that deferrals might exist, but has to explain to them it was only ever, â€Å"A wishful rumour.† It is this element that shows the dystopic nature of the novel as, up to this point we feel Kathy must achieve some kind of success to fulfil her role as principle character, but it doesn’t happen. The use of the word, â€Å"hoped†, is also key as this is essentially  what the story is about, it reminds the audience that for Kathy and Tommy, their love represents hope of future happiness and leading lives with a meaning beyond being someone else’s spare parts. Both â€Å"1984† and â€Å"Never Let Me Go† demonstrate how fundamental relationships are to human lives. They are what shape us, what allow us to interact with a greater society and what gives us hope. However in both novels relationships are broken down and shown to be futile, in neither do the protagonists find a way to escape their fate through love and nor do they get any real comfort from it as they are always fighting against systems that do not accredit a value to such emotions. It is when these relationships are finally proved to offer little to those involved that faith in a redeeming future is lost in and as such it is when the novels are shown to be dystopic. This is clearly a fundamental element of the authors’ dystopian literature as love tends to be what humankind clings to as the last vestige of hope in a dire situation and even this is removed from these works.

Vietnam War vs Iraq War

With a husband in the Army and currently on his third deployment to Iraq, I am often asked how I think this war is different from past wars. In order to answer this question properly, I found that I needed to do a little bit of research and acquaint myself with some war history. As I learned about previous wars that Americans have been involved in, I learned that only two wars have had a great deal of controversy.The Vietnam War and the Iraq War, while almost identical are vastly different in their own right. In this paper, I will discuss the similarities and differences between two of our most recent wars. Even though there is a twenty eight year difference, there are many similarities between the wars in Vietnam and Iraq. Both Vietnam and Iraq are called wars, even though neither had a formal declaration of war. The â€Å"actions† claimed legitimacy per a Congressional vote authorizing the Presidents to send troops.The Vietnam War was packaged as a crucial front in the Cold War; and Iraq was packaged as a crucial front in the War on Terrorism. Vietnam is seen as Texan President Lyndon Johnson’s war, although he saw it as carrying out military commitments made by his predecessors Eisenhower and Kennedy. Iraq is seen as Texan President George W. Bush’s war, although he saw himself fulfilling the stated goal (Iraq Regime Change) of his predecessors George H. W. Bush and Clinton. The excuse for major combat operations in Vietnam was a perceived attack on the Gulf of Tonkin.The excuse for major combat operations in Iraq was a perceived attack on the Persian Gulf. Elected on a promise to end the war in Vietnam, Nixon expanded it into Laos and Cambodia. During the midterm election, Bush learned that the voters wanted to end the War in Iraq, but instead, he sent more troops. President Johnson left Vietnam unresolved for his successor, Nixon, who had no connection to his administration; President Bush left Iraq unresolved for his successor, Obama, who also had no connection to his administration.The escalation into Vietnam and the invasion of Iraq are often seen as consequences because of events that happened in America less than two years earlier; the assassination of JFK and the September 11 attacks. Prior to the Vietnam War, the United States had military advisors in South Vietnam for about twelve years. After the Gulf War, the United States had combat troops in Iraq for about twelve years and kept them close by in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Both Vietnam and Iraq involved the United States accusing a powerful neighbor, Russia, China, and Iran, of aiding its enemies.Vietnam and Iraq were largely supported by the public until the Tet Offensive and Abu Gharib put gruesome images of hard-won victories on American’s televisions. Soldiers of both Vietnam and Iraq found themselves being criticized for what had been happening, although they were just following orders given to them by the higher-ups. Opponents of both Vietnam and Iraq found themselves being branded as traitors for simply exercising their right to free speech.With all the similarities of Vietnam and Iraq, there are vast amounts of differences too. When the villain in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, was captured at Saigon, his name was put on the city and it became Ho Chi Minh City in 1975. When Saddam Hussein, the villain in Iraq, was captured, he was executed after having his name removed from just about everything in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. The United States got into Vietnam to keep the south from falling to communist dictators, though in the process they cancelled or rigged democratic elections.The United States went into Iraq with the intentions to stop terrorism, but in the process provided fodder for new terrorist groups. The loss of Vietnam was supposed to cause a â€Å"domino effect† of nations falling to Communism. The victory in Iraq was supposed to cause something of a reverse domino effect of other Islamic states yearning for democracy. The Vietnam War ended with the unification of a country formerly divided, while the end of the Iraq War brought with it the partitioning of a country formerly unified.American involvement in Vietnam began after the French stopped fighting; while American involvement in Iraq began after the French refused to fight. When the generals told President Johnson that they needed more troops to win in Vietnam, he refused to provide them and moved to end the war. When the generals told President Bush that they needed more troops to win in Iraq, he refused to provide them and moved to start the war. Vietnam’s fighting force was four times the size of Iraq’s.Vietnam had a draft that was eventually abolished, while Iraq had an all-volunteer military that eventually led to talk of reinstating the draft. The War in Vietnam was a long fight to expel an invading army. The War in Iraq was a short fight by an invading army to expel Saddam, followed by a long fight to expel local militias. If a soldier joined the National Guard in the Vietnam era, they would have avoided getting shipped out, but if a soldier joined the National Guard during the Iraq era, they probably would not have avoided being shipped out.Some people say that America gets involved in wars just for the revenue created, while other people say that without unification of the world, there will never be true peace. As a military wife in a time of war, I find myself often torn between my feelings. There is no doubt that given the choice, I would choose to have my husband home and safe, however, without being needed by the Army, my husband probably would not have a job or be able to support our family. As I did research for this paper, I found myself very grateful that I was not a wife during the War in Vietnam.With the lack of communication, ammunition and support from other countries during the Vietnam War, I would most likely be a widow. Being a military wife during the Iraq War is not easy, but there have not been near as many casualties and while my husband still is not entirely safe, I am able to communicate with him almost every day and have no doubt that he is provided with everything that he needs. There are a great number of similarities between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War, but there are also a great number of differences.

Events Leading to the 1959 Tibetan Uprising

Events Leading to the 1959 Tibetan Uprising Chinese artillery shells pummeled the Norbulingka, the Dalai Lamas summer palace, sending plumes of smoke, fire, and dust into the night sky. The centuries-old building crumbled under the barrage, while the badly outnumbered Tibetan Army fought desperately to repel the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) from Lhasa. Meanwhile, amidst the snows of the high Himalaya, the teenaged Dalai Lama and his bodyguards endured a cold and treacherous two-week-long journey into India. Origins of the Tibetan Uprising of 1959 Tibet had an ill-defined relationship with Chinas Qing Dynasty (1644-1912); at various times it could have been seen as an ally, an opponent, a tributary state, or a region within Chinese control. In 1724, during a Mongol invasion of Tibet, the Qing seized the opportunity to incorporate the Tibetan regions of Amdo and Kham into China proper. The central area was renamed Qinghai, while pieces of both regions were broken off and added to other western Chinese provinces. This land grab would fuel Tibetan resentment and unrest into the twentieth century. When the last Qing Emperor fell in 1912, Tibet asserted its independence from China. The 13th Dalai Lama returned from three years of exile in Darjeeling, India, and resumed control of Tibet from his capital at Lhasa. He ruled until his death in 1933. China, meanwhile, was under siege from a Japanese invasion of Manchuria, as well as a general breakdown of order across the country. Between 1916 and 1938, China descended into the Warlord Era, as different military leaders fought for control of the headless state. In fact, the once-great empire would not pull itself back together until after World War II, when Mao Zedong and the Communists triumphed over the Nationalists in 1949. Meanwhile, a new incarnation of the Dalai Lama was discovered in Amdo, part of Chinese Inner Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the current incarnation, was brought to Lhasa as a two-year-old in 1937  and was enthroned as the leader of Tibet in 1950, at 15. China Moves In and Tensions Rise In 1951, Maos gaze turned west. He decided to liberate Tibet from the Dalai Lamas rule and bring it into the Peoples Republic of China. The PLA crushed Tibets tiny armed forces in a matter of weeks; Beijing then imposed the Seventeen Point Agreement, which Tibetan officials were forced to sign (but later renounced). According to the Seventeen Point Agreement, the privately-held land would be socialized and then redistributed, and farmers would work communally. This system would first be imposed on Kham and Amdo (along with other areas of the Sichuan and Qinghai Provinces), before being instituted in Tibet proper. All the barley and other crops produced on the communal land went to the Chinese government, according to Communist principles, and then some were redistributed to the farmers. So much of the grain was appropriated for use by the PLA that the Tibetans did not have enough to eat. By June of 1956, the ethnic Tibetan people of Amdo and Kham were up in arms. As more and more farmers were stripped of their land, tens of thousands organized themselves into armed resistance groups  and began to fight back. Chinese army reprisals grew increasingly brutal and included wide-spread abuse of Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns. China alleged that many of the monastic Tibetans acted as messengers for the guerrilla fighters. The Dalai Lama visited India in 1956  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹and admitted to Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that he was considering asking for asylum. Nehru advised him to return home, and the Chinese Government promised that communist reforms in Tibet would be postponed and that the number of Chinese officials in Lhasa would be reduced by half. Beijing did not follow through on these pledges. By 1958, as many as 80,000 people had joined the Tibetan resistance fighters. Alarmed, the Dalai Lamas government sent a delegation to Inner Tibet to try and negotiate an end to the fighting. Ironically, the guerrillas convinced the delegates of the righteousness of the fight, and Lhasas representatives soon joined in the resistance! Meanwhile, a flood of refugees and freedom fighters moved into Lhasa, bringing their anger against China with them. Beijings representatives in Lhasa kept careful tabs on the growing unrest within Tibets capital city. March  1959 - The Uprising Erupts in Tibet Proper Important religious leaders had disappeared suddenly in Amdo and Kham, so the people of Lhasa were quite concerned about the safety of the Dalai Lama. The peoples suspicions, therefore, were raised immediately when the Chinese Army in Lhasa invited His Holiness to watch a drama at the military barracks on March 10, 1959. Those suspicions were reinforced by a none-too-subtle order, issued to the head of the Dalai Lamas security detail on March 9, that the Dalai Lama should not bring along his bodyguards. On the appointed day, March 10, some 300,000 protesting Tibetans poured into the streets and formed a massive human cordon around  Norbulingkha, the Dalai Lamas Summer Palace, to protect him from the planned Chinese abduction. The protestors stayed for several days, and calls for the Chinese to pull out of Tibet altogether grew louder each day. By March 12, the crowd had begun to barricade the streets of the capital, while both armies moved into strategic positions around the city and began to reinforce them. Ever the moderate, the  Dalai Lama  pleaded with his people to go  home  and sent placatory letters to the Chinese PLA commander in Lhasa. When the PLA moved artillery into  the range  of the Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama agreed to evacuate the building. Tibetan troops prepared a secure escape route out of the besieged capital on March 15. When two artillery shells struck the palace two days later, the young Dalai Lama and his ministers began the arduous 14-day trek over the Himalayas  for  India. On March 19, 1959, fighting broke out in earnest in Lhasa. The Tibetan army fought bravely, but they were vastly outnumbered by the PLA. In addition, the Tibetans had antiquated weapons. The firefight lasted just two days. The Summer Palace, Norbulingka, sustained over 800 artillery shell strikes that killed an unknown number of people inside; the major monasteries were bombed, looted and burned. Priceless Tibetan Buddhist texts and works of art were piled in the streets and burned. All remaining members of the Dalai Lamas bodyguard corps were lined up and publicly executed, as were any Tibetans discovered with weapons. In all, some 87,000 Tibetans were killed, while another 80,000 arrived in neighboring countries as refugees. An unknown number tried to  flee  but did not make it. In fact, by the time of the next regional census, a total of about 300,000 Tibetans were missing - killed, secretly jailed, or gone into exile. Aftermath of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising Since the 1959 Uprising, the central government of China has been steadily tightening its grip on the Tibet. Although Beijing has invested in infrastructure improvements for the region, particularly in Lhasa itself, it has also encouraged thousands of ethnic Han Chinese to move to Tibet. In fact, Tibetans have been swamped in their own capital; they now constitute a minority of the population of Lhasa. Today, the Dalai Lama continues to head the Tibetan government-in-exile from Dharamshala, India. He advocates increased autonomy for Tibet, rather than full independence, but the Chinese government generally refuses to negotiate with him. Periodic unrest still sweeps through Tibet, especially around important dates such as March 10 to 19 - the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising.

WK 4 Essays

WK 4 Essays WK 4 Essay WK 4 Essay Question 1: Reliability pertains to the consistency of the measurement i.e. to have the same results each time under same conditions and same subjects under consideration. As reliability can not be calculated exactly each time so we estimate reliability. One type of this estimated reliability is Test-Retest Reliability i.e. to check to what extent a test will produce same result over a period or time. For example to test the â€Å"relationship between good neighborliness on health among Afro-American community of some selected New York ghettos† will be tested thrice over a period of over 2 years. Same measures will be emulated and administered thrice. The subjects and other correlative and variables will remain same and only hypotheses will tested again and again to check the reliability of the results. Reliability of measurements leads to the validity of the result i.e. strength of the conclusion(s). A test-pre-test reliability leads to Concurrent Validity i.e. a time-honored result of conclusion established after tests yielded same results each time. For example a clear relationship between good neighborliness and health is established with an adequate consistency level of .80 or greater. This .80 or greater level checked thrice lends validity to the conclusion. Question 2: Ethical Concern A: Human subjects under consideration must be informed of the experiment and must not be coerced to participate. This can lead to slight decrease in the reliability of the experiment and validity of the result to some extent as sampling will not remain same each time. If the quit level is too high then it can affect the reliability of the measurement too drastically. One way to address this ethical concern is that those subjects should be included in the sampling that could be willingly available next two times for test-retest. They should not have any relocation or any other objection on the experimentation during those two years. Ethical Concern B: Covert overt Research is another concern Research participants may change their behavior and modify their responses when they know that they are involved in experimentation. One way to overcome this concern is that participants should be informed of their participation in experimentation but must not be share the objectives and patterns of the research. Participant observation methods should be used for this purpose. Question 3: 1. Validity of the data collection instrument is in question as source of data in these articles is highly unreliable and it is not defined in concrete terms and no specifications are provided for this source of data. Source of data is Senator Clinton supporters in west Virginia but it is not clear whether this sampling represent whole west Virginia or a city. 2.  Opinion polls do follow the criterion for data collection as outlined for sociological research.   There source and sampling is not adequate enough to meet the necessities of sociological research. Mostly their sources are too wide and generic as they capture wider audience and groups. Their hypotheses are not properly formed and variable are not properly controlled. 3.  Reliability and validity can be checked to some extent. If readers are provided with the details of the instrument(s) utilized to collect the data. 4. Results presented by media reports and opinion polls do not undergo the reliability and validity tests. There is no test-pretest procedure over a period of time to lend concurrent validity to the conclusion. Furthermore, their results are molded by subjectivity i.e. personal biases and prejudices.

The 2018 Length Limit for the Common Application Essay

The 2018 Length Limit for the Common Application Essay Students applying to colleges that use the Common Application will typically need to respond to one of seven essay prompts. For the 2018-19 application cycle, the length limit for the essay is 650 words. That limit includes the essay title, notes, and any other text that you include in the essay text box. History of the Common Application Length Limit For years the Common Application had no length limit, and applicants and counselors frequently debated whether a tight 450-word essay was a wiser approach than a detailed 900-word piece. In 2011, that decision was taken away as the Common Application moved to a relatively short 500-word limit. With the August 2013 release of CA4 (the newest version of the Common Application), the guidelines changed once again. CA4 set the limit at 650 words (and a minimum of 250 words). And unlike earlier versions of the Common Application, the length limit is now enforced by the application form. No longer can applicants attach an essay that goes over the limit. Instead, applicants will need to enter the essay into a text box that counts words and prevents entering anything beyond 650 words. What Can You ​Accomplish in 650 Words? Even if you take advantage of the full length available to you, keep in mind that 650 words is not a long essay. Its roughly the equivalent of a two-page, double-spaced essay. Its about the same length as this article on essay length. Most essays  tend to be between three and eight paragraphs depending on the applicants writing style and essay strategy (essays with dialogue, of course, might have far more paragraphs). As you plan your essay, you definitely want to keep the length requirement in mind. Many applicants attempt to do too much with their essays and then struggle to edit them down to 650 words. Realize the purpose of the personal statement is not to tell your life story or to give an exhaustive overview of all of your accomplishments. Let your list of extracurricular activities, academic record, letters of recommendation, and supplemental essays and materials show your range of accomplishments. The personal statement is not the place for long lists or catalogs of achievement. To write an engaging and effective 650 word or shorter essay, you need to have a sharp focus. Narrate a single event, or illuminate a single passion or talent. Whichever essay prompt you choose, make sure you zero in on a specific example that you narrate in an engaging and thoughtful way. Allow enough space for self reflection so that whatever your topic is you spend at least some time talking about its significance to you. A Final Word About Essay Length With the primary Common Application essay, you will need to come in at 650 words or fewer. However, you will find that most supplemental essays on the Common Application have different length guidelines, and colleges that dont use the Common Application will have differing length requirements. No matter what the circumstances, make sure you follow the guidelines. If an essay should be 350 words, dont write 370. Learn more about some of the issues related to essay length in this article:  College Application Essay Length Limits. Finally, keep in mind that what you say and how you say it is far more important than whether you have 550 words or 650 words. Be sure to attend to your essays style, and in most cases youre going to want to avoid these ten bad essay topics. If youve said all you have to say in 500 words, dont try to pad your essay to make it longer. Regardless of length, the best essays tell a compelling story, provide insight to your character and interests, and are written with crisp and engaging prose.

Apple's SWOT Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple's SWOT Analysis - Term Paper Example It is one of the largest technology companies in the world (David B. Yoffie, Renee Kim, 2010). A strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis of the company reveals a lot of issues surrounding the business operations, its resources and its environment. It is worth to investigate all these issues if a person wants to invest in any company. This is because the tool provides information that can be used by investors to predict the company’s operational trends, its financial viability and its markets before investing in it (USDA, 2008). Apple Company has so many strengths that put it ahead of its competitors. The first strength is its brand such that it was rated the best global brand in 2010 by Millward brown Optimor. It increased in value by 84% to $153.3 billion. Its customers are also loyal to apple such that they tend to forgive the company’s product problems. This is a huge strength that most companies strive to get and fail (Millward brown Optimor, 2 011). A second strength is demand; apple’s products are of high demand especially the iTunes that has given the company a huge number of registered users already secured by credit cards. The popularity of its products that have become common street names has increased the demand for its products too (David B. Yoffie, Renee Kim, 2010). A third strength is the design and innovativeness in the products they produce. Apples products aesthetic values keeps their customers glued to the company despite the fact that the products are of premium pricing. On the other hand apple’s products have a unique design that allows consumers to be up and running even without reading product manuals, due to this aspect they have set the standards for design which other companies must follow to outwit them (Stefan Thomke, 2009). The fourth strength is its marketing approach; apple was awarded the title of Marketer of the decade by Advertising Age. It was the first firm to ever receive this title. The company has been able to influence the media, the advertising industry and popular culture through its innovative techniques and marketing approaches that puts it on the fore front as a marketing powerhouse (Appleinsider , 2010). The last strength that can be identified is Apple’s retail stores that are located in many countries. These retail stores ensure that the come continues to receive revenue without having to rely on new product developments. Apple has a few weaknesses that affect the company in its day to day operations though the strengths identified above seem to outweigh the weaknesses. The first weakness is the delay that was especially experienced on iPads. There were shipping problems with the products and also the companies are always put on waiting lists in order to receive products which delay and come with numerous other problems. The second weakness has to do with the way the company reacts to complaints from customers. Most of the time it, will deny the existence of a problem on their products and later come to correct. This was experienced especially with the iPhone 4G that had a problem with its antennae. The problem was corrected later after a long period of accusing customers of mishandling the phones (D.Burton, 2010 ). The third weakness has to do with compatibility issues. Apple has been very protective of the kind of applications to be developed

Justification Report Part 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Justification Report Part 2 - Assignment Example Miller Park construction in Milwaukee which failed to take the equipment efficiency guidelines of OSHA seriously exceeded its deadline by one full year. Their crane collapsed killing three workers on the spot. This caused them unnecessary law suit, loss of talent, labor issues and the construction cost exceeded enormously. Miller Park projects total budget was $413.9 million. This was 28.5% higher the estimated amount due to the one year delay. The crane repair costs and compensation accounted for $100 million. OSHA has reported four potentially dangerous accidents prior to the crane fatality. But the construction company ceased to lend ears to them causing this massive loss of money and man power. Paul Brown stadium was completed in 2.5 years. Its proposed completion budget was $453 million. The project was completed within the proposed amount on the given deadline without any casualties. Construction sites being highly vulnerable places to work, the project recorded a total of 92 minor accidents, 16 of which stalled work causing delays in the building construction. But, severe implementation of strict safety measures saved them nearly $4.6 million and loss of life. The worker compensation went into speeding up the work making up for the delays. OSHA states, implementing the safety measures strictly helped the project save nearly 58% of the money set aside to handle accidents and work place injury. A common debate arouse in this comparison as to why the Millers Park project was initially assigned very little amount for construction. While both the projects involved nearly the same features, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. and Lampson International Ltd agreed to give only $322 million to the Danny’s construction company. This led to compensation in employee safety and use of age old equipments leading to massive losses. Hence, the US government fined Mitsubishi heavily than the other two companies ($240,500). This proves awareness and education

Energy Drinks for Human Consumption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Energy Drinks for Human Consumption - Essay Example The soft drinks market persistently promotes and produces caffeinated energy drinks such as red bull and monster drinks. Most of the restaurants contain energy drinks and advertise it in attractively way. Advertisement often is shown in TVs and radio, while some advertise say, they can help one stay up all night, other energy drink companies say that it can help a person pass exams. Some, for example, red bull, gives a person the superhuman power to fly. Even so, as more research into energy drinks continues, the society is more becoming aware of the dangers of energy drinks. Although energy drinks have several benefits, they have some negative effects that pose health risks to users.  Sports professionals use energy drinks to enhance alertness and improve performance, energy and concentration. It improves an athlete’s movement and ability during sports activities. Energy drinks are a food addition in America and therefore meant to boost athletic performance. Caffeine is goo d for mental and physical capacities and there are still benefits of ingredients that are still not known. Energy drinks may cause serious alcohol-related accidents if mixed with alcohol. According to research, use of energy drinks eventually results in the overuse of alcohol. The effect of overuse of alcohol is drunk driving, which is illegal. In addition, one may engage in careless sexual actions because if too much use. A combination of alcohol and energy drinks harm one physically and emotionally. Energy drinks have the ability to keep a person awake longer and overuse alcohol. Chad Reissiga, Eric Strainia and Roland Griffiths affirm the strong relationship of heavy caffeine usage and the use of heavy alcohol.

Managers Responsibility in Setting Tone and Expectations in Hospital Assignment

Managers Responsibility in Setting Tone and Expectations in Hospital Setting - Assignment Example The paper tells that beyond an iota of doubt, the hospital’s success depends on the level of teamwork and participation invested by various stakeholders. The manager, in consideration of the above fact, needs to awaken to his or her duty as the tone-setter for the team. Considering the team, specifically to include nurses, doctors, administrative staff, lab assistants, support staff and other workers in the hospital setting, the hospital manager has a lot to do in respect of setting expectations and the tone. The manager should realize that his/her weaknesses and faults can easily be magnified within the team. Even though the manager should lead by example, this is no guarantee that their staff will behave positively or that performance will automatically be impressive as a result. However, it must be noted that leading by example increases the chances of having positive results and encouraging positive behavior as noted by Schulz and Johnson. The manager should take time to l isten to other people’s views and abstain from being judgmental. Yet again, he/she should honor their commitments and be interested in his staff members. Furthermore, they should be flexible, calm under pressure, effective in addressing issues, and open-minded and flexible. In addition, they should be respectful to others and work toward increasing productivity and meeting deadlines. Honesty, timeliness, optimism, and integrity should be part of the manager’s delights. The manager should be result oriented, be positively interactive and value meetings and other vital events. By setting the tone in this manner, employees are bound to follow suite, in some cases with a few exceptions. Expectations that the Manager should Communicate Understanding what mangers expect from employees is vital for improved performance, good employee relations and employee success. Saville and Higgins (2010) note that without clear work expectations, employees would waste a lot of effort due to lack of or misplaced priorities, endure a lot of stress and waste a lot of time doing unnecessary chores. They also note that when the manger defines clearly job expectations and communicate this to employees, they get to understand what is expected of them. They also understand the reasons why they are doing the work as directed. Furthermore, they get to understand how work progress and realize at the right time when to ask for assistance. This also helps employees in knowing areas where they need to make improvements (Saville and Higgins, 2010). One of the expectations that a hospital manger should

Construction Engineering Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Construction Engineering - Assignment Example When the constructed facility is offered proper management and maintenance, the facility may last 100 years or more; the facility is also capable of serving different functions within the specified time. The actual lifetime of a property is dependent on a number of factors, including the quality of design, the durability of the materials used for the construction, the quality of the facility and the technology used (Edwards, Bartlett and Dickie 2-7). Other factors determining the lifetime of the facility include the local climate and the location, extent of use and the damage caused by human errors and natural disasters. The components of a project’s life cycle include the initiation phase, which entails the determination of the timing and the scope of the given project. The second component is the planning phase, where the detailed planning of the project takes place, and the actions aimed at the completion of the plan are started. The third is the execution phase, where the action items are implemented, and physical deliverables are delivered. The fourth component is the close-out phase, which covers the wrap-up of the project. It entails summarizing the lessons and the successes of the project to the different stakeholders (Edwards, Bartlett & Dickie 2-7). Qn. 2. The problems facing the Canadian construction industry include global climate change. With the increasing focus on the energy consumed, and the carbon dioxide released by different building models. For this reason, industry players are obligated to work hard, towards the renovation or the replacement of the buildings that don’t offer a minimal environmental effect. For instance, achieving carbon neutrality, while at the same time ending up with a considerable return on investment has forced industry experts to promote the reduction of fossil-fuel consumption (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure). For these different reasons, industry leaders are forced to renovate existing facilities an d to develop new building models. The second challenge is the aging infrastructure, where buildings and other infrastructure like roads need to be changed, redeveloped or renovated, depending on their economic and environmental impact. For example, in some economies, statistics show that traffic congestion costs the economy, more than $67.5 billion a year, through fuel wastage and lost productivity. Further, construction industry leaders faced the challenge of replacing substandard bridges and roads, which are mentioned as factors contributing to highway accidents (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure). There is the challenge of a shrinking workforce, noting that Canadian statistics show that, as of 2016, there will not be enough people to replace the retiring workforce. This is a challenge, because the reduction in the workforce will reduce the capacity of the industry to deliver the developments, and the changes desired. There is the challenge of a declining productivity of construc tion firms. This is mainly caused by the competitiveness required from industry players, which is forcing some to exit the industry. As compared with the productivity of the non-farm productive areas over the years, which has grown by about 200 percent, the

The Marketing Mix (4 P's) on Mercedes When Entering The China Market Essay

The Marketing Mix (4 P's) on Mercedes When Entering The China Market - Essay Example China is a member of the prestigious BRCIS organization which represents the five biggest emerging economies across the world. The purpose of this paper is to describe the marketing mix of the company with an emphasis on its social corporate responsibility efforts. The four Ps of the marketing mix are place, product, price, and promotion. The place the firm is evaluating for further product distribution is China. China is one of the best economic success stories of the past few decades. Its economy has been growing at an approximate rate of 9% during the past 30 years. The current gross domestic product per capita of China is $7,600 (CultureGrams, 2011). The People’s Republic of China is the most populated country in the world with an estimated population of 1.3 billion inhabitants. There is a fast growing middle class in China due to the rising economy of the country, especially in the larger mega industrialized cities such Beijing and Shanghai as well as up and coming cities where major manufacturing centers are located or are being developed. China is the world’s top exporter of goods and the Chinese economy continues to grow exponentially since it has become the hub of manufacturing in the world due to their low wages, lower material costs, an abundance of highly educated professionals, fully developed infrastructure in all the major industrialized cities, favorable governmental foreign investment policies, and lax environmental laws (Mudwig). The country is an excellent location to establish a manufacturing location due to the before mentioned factors, as well as having one of the strongest emerging economies and a fast growing middle class. The heavy industrialization of China led to growing concerns regarding pollution. The Chinese people, like many global citizens are starting to educate themselves more about the importance of safeguarding the environment and how their level of industrial growth has caused China to become one of the most p olluted countries in the world, with 20 of 30 most polluted cities in the world (Worldbank). Mercedes Benz has been importing its luxury vehicles in North-East Asia region since 1986. The Mercedes Benz brand has been building some of its vehicles in China since 2006 through Beijing Benz, a joint venture between Daimler Chrysler and Beiki who is the fifth largest automaker in China. Although Mercedes Benz sales of its luxury vehicles have grown tremendously during the last few years, with sales for 2011 exceeding the sales figures of 2010 within the first 10 months, by September 2011 sales have started to slow down compared with previous year sales (4-traders, 2011).The company is concerned that the level of sales growth that the company has achieved so far is starting to get affected by the global economic downturn. The Chinese economy is starting to feel the effect of decreased global demand for exported goods. The products that Mercedes Benz have been distributing and manufacturin g in China have been mainly its E-Class and C-Class models of its luxury auto line. Currently both the long wheelbase C and E-class luxury automobiles are built in the Beijing Benz plant through a joint venture. Mercedes Benz vehicles are highly regarded in the Chinese market and with one of the fastest growing middle classes in the world the company has enjoyed great sales growth for the last 5 years. Due to a faltering economy the company’

Construction Engineering Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Construction Engineering - Assignment Example When the constructed facility is offered proper management and maintenance, the facility may last 100 years or more; the facility is also capable of serving different functions within the specified time. The actual lifetime of a property is dependent on a number of factors, including the quality of design, the durability of the materials used for the construction, the quality of the facility and the technology used (Edwards, Bartlett and Dickie 2-7). Other factors determining the lifetime of the facility include the local climate and the location, extent of use and the damage caused by human errors and natural disasters. The components of a project’s life cycle include the initiation phase, which entails the determination of the timing and the scope of the given project. The second component is the planning phase, where the detailed planning of the project takes place, and the actions aimed at the completion of the plan are started. The third is the execution phase, where the action items are implemented, and physical deliverables are delivered. The fourth component is the close-out phase, which covers the wrap-up of the project. It entails summarizing the lessons and the successes of the project to the different stakeholders (Edwards, Bartlett & Dickie 2-7). Qn. 2. The problems facing the Canadian construction industry include global climate change. With the increasing focus on the energy consumed, and the carbon dioxide released by different building models. For this reason, industry players are obligated to work hard, towards the renovation or the replacement of the buildings that don’t offer a minimal environmental effect. For instance, achieving carbon neutrality, while at the same time ending up with a considerable return on investment has forced industry experts to promote the reduction of fossil-fuel consumption (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure). For these different reasons, industry leaders are forced to renovate existing facilities an d to develop new building models. The second challenge is the aging infrastructure, where buildings and other infrastructure like roads need to be changed, redeveloped or renovated, depending on their economic and environmental impact. For example, in some economies, statistics show that traffic congestion costs the economy, more than $67.5 billion a year, through fuel wastage and lost productivity. Further, construction industry leaders faced the challenge of replacing substandard bridges and roads, which are mentioned as factors contributing to highway accidents (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure). There is the challenge of a shrinking workforce, noting that Canadian statistics show that, as of 2016, there will not be enough people to replace the retiring workforce. This is a challenge, because the reduction in the workforce will reduce the capacity of the industry to deliver the developments, and the changes desired. There is the challenge of a declining productivity of construc tion firms. This is mainly caused by the competitiveness required from industry players, which is forcing some to exit the industry. As compared with the productivity of the non-farm productive areas over the years, which has grown by about 200 percent, the

Identify Key Technological Influences On the Internationalisation Essay

Identify Key Technological Influences On the Internationalisation Process - Essay Example This essay stresses that if a company needs to decide the strategy to be used to help it improve the overall move and internationalisation process then the company requires to have the available knowledge to do so. Information overload is a high issue that is being faced by most professionals. Intelligent agent is a related technology, which provides a chance to roam networks and selectively refer users to information that would prove to be useful and beneficial. However, it is clear that the best intelligent agent is a human being by himself. It is obvious that computers are useful in KM as they do not slow down the learning, but help the KM to be more efficient and effective in order to support learning to a greater extent. This paper makes a conclusion that the main aspect and factors that affect the internationalisation of any business is the knowledge that is shared within the organisation and the ability of the company to transfer the data and raw information into understandable knowledge. Based on this, it is essential to understand that KM can be improved not only based on the amount of money spent on it but also a great deal of focus is required to be on the efforts of the management process. It is safe to say that knowledge has already grown largely and it has become one of the most essential aspects of any business. It has become a major driver and money is now slowly phasing out of the scene and as the old saying of ‘Knowledge is king’, is now being put to use in almost every industry and every company across the world.

Hitlers Foreign Policies

Hitlers Foreign Policies Ultimately Hitlers determination to transform European society brought war and destruction to Europe in 1939. Though not necessarily the war he was planning for; evidence suggests that Hitler was preparing Germany for conflict with Russia. This indication would consist of economic output towards the end of the 1930s for example, according to Anthony Wood in Europe 1815-1945, the output of steel in 1935 stood at 16.1 million metric tonnes; this by far out produced the superpowers steel industry and could imply the planning for military conflict. Hitlers policies based on lebensraum and the establishment of a racial empire on East European and Russian soil were without doubt ruthless, but did they make the Second World War unavoidable? The extent to which Hitlers foreign policies made the Second World War inevitable has constantly been under contention. A J P Taylor argues Hitler was just an average western leader, and the Second World War was at the fault of many rather than solely Hi tlers foreign policy. According to Ian Kershaw, Hitler defines his foreign policy as the art of securing for a people, the necessary quantity and quality of lebensraum Deflated from the effects of The Treaty of Versailles, German economy was crippled, the army was reduced, and they suffered from loss of Land. Germany was desperate to revoke the Treaty which brought it to its knees, and unite all German speaking countries. In protest, Hitler began a course of secret conscription, written in Mein Kampf, Hiter justified this action, Especially your people, doomed to languish along unarmed beneath the thousand eyes of the Versailles peace treaty' This action can be seen as a trigger, contributing to making the Second World War inevitable as surrounding countries felt threatened by Hitler and his determination to reverse the damages of the Treaty of Versailles. Another breach of the Treaty Hitler was able to embark on was his creation of the Air force the Luftwaffe, Taylor agrees that th e treaty is a cause of the war, Second world war was cause by the first world war, the armistice, or the Versailles treaty. Mein Kampf is a crucial element into understanding the reasons behind Hitlers foreign policy, and being able to assess if they made the Second World War inevitable. Introduced within the text, Hitler establishes the need to achieve aims in which he sees as vital to the success of the Third Reich. Hitler sought to destroy the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Germany after the defeat in World War One. Hitler felt the Treaty was unfair and most Germans supported this view. Uniting all German speakers together in one country would strengthen Germany, as after World War One there were Germans living in many countries spread across Europe. Hitler hoped that by uniting them together in one country he would create a powerful Germany or Grossdeutschland. Finally, Hitler wanted to expand his ideology and population into the East to gain land and vital resources for German y, for example the tank producing factories in Czechoslovakia would prove vital if Hitler was planning for war. By signing non-aggression pacts, Hitler gave the impression he had peaceful intentions which would prevent a war. For example the alliance with the Poles, who felt threatened should Germany attempt to win back the Polish Corridor. This could suggest a triumph for Hitler, as it was evidence of peaceful negotiations which would give reason for Britain to follow a policy of appeasement. Moreover this ensured Hitler was guaranteed Polish neutrality whenever Germany should move against Austria and Czechoslovakia. However, according to John Weitz in his book Hitlers diplomat, Hitler had mentioned a definite solution to the Donzig and corridor problems. This questions if Hitler had an overall plan to attack Poland. Neville Chamberlains policy of appeasement could be seen as a mistake which eventually contributed to the Second World War as, Appeasement was partly the result of a h istory lesson too well learned. After The First World War, Europe was left devastated. Chamberlain was keen to avoid another war and sympathised with Hitler and the severity of the Treaty of Versailles upon Germany. Hitler was able to exploit Britain, as he knew they would appease and compromise with Hitler to avoid another War. Thus Hitler could fulfil his aims without the threat of immediate military intervention, Taking full advantage of appeasement the Nazis moved swiftly to annex German Austria in March 1938. The naval agreements between Britain and Germany reiterate the failure of appeasement and its role in contributing to the Second World War, Both Britain and France were reluctant to take stronger stands against German rearmament for fear that this would give the Germans all the more reason to refuse to cooperate in international efforts to maintain peace. Hitler was able to build up strength of the Navy and the Air Force. Foreign Policy encompassed the importance of racia l purity and the need for a nation to be prepared to compete with its neighbours in a fierce, uncompromising and constant struggle to survive and expand into Eastern Europe. Present in Mein Kampf, this expansion was to give extra living space to the Aryan Master Race. For example, Hitler discusses that Germany must find the courage to gather our people and their strength for an advance along the road that will lead this people from its present restricted living space to new land and soil The occupation of Russia would ultimately give him living space which would provide resources for the German population and an area, in which the excess German population could settle and colonise. An additional advantage Hitler saw was that communism would be destroyed. Most historians are in cohesion that Hitler and his foreign policy caused the Second World War, However, A.J.P. Taylor, claims that Hitler never intended a major war and at most was prepared for only a limited war against Poland. Ho wever this claim is widely rejected throughout the differing interpretations. Germanys constant rhetorical on Russia is crucial to the debate. Russia was rich in raw materials such as oil which is vital for any country planning to wage war. Through realisation that Russia would solve internal problems, strengthen it militarily, and enable Germany to become economically self-sufficient by adding food and other raw material sources, The Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is essential within this argument. The Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union had its advantages for both countries involved. The pact meant that Germany was safe from threat of Russia and communism, but in a secret appendix Eastern Europe was divided into German and Soviet spheres of influence, fascism was safe from destruction whilst this bided time for Russia to prepare for a war. Realising the strength of the French Empire and their colonies, Hitler saw Russia as a temporary ally, until this pact was b roken when Hitler invaded Russia in 1941. Another alliance signed was the Rome Berlin Axis, surrounding countries such as Poland were threatened as the aims of this threatened as territorial expansion and foundation of empires based on military conquest and the overthrow of the post-World War I international order; and to stop the spread of communism throughout Europe. The occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany revealed to Hitler the weaknesses of the allies decision making and tested how far they would be pushed before they would intervene with military action. The events leading up to the union revealed fragments in the Foreign policy of Britain and France who yet again did nothing to protest Hitlers aggressive foreign policy British attitudes were a key factor in the other problem Taylor cites, unity. It also it dealt a severe strategic blow at Czechoslovakia which could now be attacked from the south as well as from the West and North. Another example in which Hi tler recognised is the Abyssinian crisis which Britain and France failed to react towards Mussolini It had already been manifested in their reluctance to wage a full scale economic war on fascist Italy during the Abyssinian crisis, this gave Hitler the opportunity to remilitarize the Rhineland, free from threat from the other western powers, Hitlers coup in the Rhineland the vacillating recognisable pattern of weakness Hitler had given the instruction that if they met any resistance, to withdraw however none was met, And France made no move. This shows the allies as inconsistent, and seemed to be more interested in their own domestic policy rather than foreign policy, most people had the failures of their own government and the everyday worries of trying to cope with economic misery. The Hossbach Memorandum can be used as evidence that Hitler had planned for war and revenge, which would therefore suggest that Hitlers hostile foreign policies made the Second World War inevitable. Thr ough this memorandum Hitlers motives becomes clear. The aim of German policy was to preserve the racial community and gain space; this is mentioned within his works, Mein Kampf. Germany used an aggressive foreign policy force to secure the goals, his successes in foreign policy down to 1938 derived in the main from this bullys intuition, coupled with his instinctive gamblers risk This memorandum has two confliction interpretations, There have been two interpretations of this memorandum, Hugh Trevor-Roper suggest that this was Hitlers scheme for war, The Second World War was Hitlers personal war in many senses. He intended it, he prepared for it, he chose the moment for launching it whereas A.J.P. Taylor disagrees and suggests Little can be discovered so long as we go on attributing everything that happened to Hitler In conclusion, the extent to which Hitlers foreign policies made the Second World War inevitable is open to much debate. A J P Taylor argues Hitler was just an average w estern leader and the foreign policy he shaped would have been similar to that of any other German leader. The Treaty of Versailles acted as a catalyst which ultimately created more problems than in solved. Taylor argues that it was the fault of many events and different leaders, whereas other historians such as Hugh Trevor-Roper suggest that Hitlers foreign policy was fully intent on making the Second World War inevitable. The allies took a stance of non intervention, which could be argued as too little action too late, their policy of appeasement had failed and with it the League of Nations. The evidence put forward would suggest that the aggressive stance in foreign policy that Hitler portrayed was ultimately the last straw in a series of events and different circumstances which led to the destruction of the Second World War.

Practice of Therapy Essay -- Counseling

Practice of Therapy The actual practicing of therapy is a scary step for beginning therapists, although the education has been received and after practicum there will some experience in practicing with clients, doing therapy on your own seems intimidating. However, I am sure like most other experiences in life, the more you do something, the better you get at it and the more comfortable you feel in knowing what you are doing as well as doing it the proper way. With therapy, an individual can learn all about theories, models and assessments but the rapport and confidence from clients can only come after practicing therapy. Protocol For Initial Telephone Contact I will begin by introducing myself and then explaining my qualifications, I want the client to feel at ease in knowing I am not only capable but educated and trained specifically in marriage and family therapy. The next step would be asking the client to specify the issue that has caused the couple or family to seek therapy and then to determine all family members as well as any other individuals or public agencies that are connected to the couple or family. Next would be determining if the situation is a crisis situation and then deciding if I am able to help with the family or couple’s issues. Then I would talk about fees, payments and ensure the family has adequate transportation to attend sessions. After that, I would set up an appointment date and time, preferably within the next 24 hours. Who Comes To First Meeting? If the clients are a couple, I would prefer both individuals attend the first interview, although I realize this will not always be agreeable. In a family interview I would also prefer all members of the family present, this way each member can expre... ...ions. It has often been said there is no substitute for experience and it appears to me that practicing therapy is one of those situations. Works Cited Grewal, Daisy. (2012). In Atheists We Distrust. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=in-atheists-we-distrust Hayslip, Bert., and Schneider, Lawrence. (1985). Effects of Counselor-Client Age Similarity and Presenting Problem Intimacy on Client Satisfaction. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED259254.pdf Locke, H.J., and Wallace, K.M. (1959). Short-term marital adjustments and prediction tests; Their reliability and validity. Journal of Marriage and Family Living. Nichols. (2010). Family Therapy; Concepts and Methods. Patterson, J., Williams, l., Edwards, T. M., Chamow, L., & Grauf- Grounds, C. (2009). Family Therapy; Concepts and Methods.

Pluto: A Planet? Essays -- essays research papers fc

Pluto: A Planet? Many issues have arisen from the debate whether or not Pluto is a planet. Some astronomers say that Pluto should be classified as a â€Å"minor planet† due to its size, physical characteristics, and other factors. On the other hand, some astronomers defend Pluto’s planet status, citing several key features. Indeed, most of the problem is that there is no formal definition of a planet. Furthermore, it is very difficult to invent one that would allow the solar system to contain all nine planets. I suggest that for an object to be classified as a planet, it must embody three characteristics. It must be in orbit around a star (thus removing the larger satellites from contention), it must be too small to generate heat by nuclear fusion (so dwarf stars are excluded) and it must be massive enough to have collapsed to a more or less spherical shape (which excludes comets, and most of the asteroids). These criteria would admit a few of the larger asteroids and probably some of the Kuiper belt objects as well, but adding a requirement for a planet to have a minimum diameter of 1,000 km would remove the larger asteroids from contention while retaining Pluto. Below are some brief reasons as to why Pluto may not be considered a planet with my rebuttal. Pluto is small compared to the other planets. Pluto is about half the size of the next smallest planet, Mercury. However, there is no scientific reason whatsoever to pick the size of Mercury as being the size of the smallest object to be called a planet. Mercury itself is less than half the size of Mars, and Mars is only about half the size of Earth or Venus. Earth and Venus are only about one-seventh the size of Jupiter. Why not pick one-tenth the size of Jupiter as the size of the smallest planet, if the cutoff is going to be chosen arbitrarily? In that case, Mars, Mercury and Pluto would all have to be classified as asteroids. If the size-cutoff between asteroids and planets is going to be randomly chosen, the cutoff value should be agreed upon in open debate among interested scientists. Pluto is smaller than 7 moons in the solar system. Pluto is smaller than Earth's Moon, Jupiter's moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, Saturn's moon Titan, and Neptune's moon Triton. On the other hand, Pluto is larger than the other 40 known moons in the solar system. There is no scientific reason to arbitrarily dis... ...Willem J. Luyten Science, New Series, Vol. 123, No. 3203. (May 18, 1956), pp. 896-897. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819560817%293%3A124%3A3216%3C322%3ATPP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-L This site is very reliable. It is the Scholarly Journal Archive. 2. Letters The Planet Pluto Gerard P. Kuiper Science, New Series, Vol. 124, No. 3216. (Aug. 17, 1956), p. 322. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819560817%293%3A124%3A3216%3C322%3ATPP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-L This site is very reliable. It is the Scholarly Journal Archive. 3. Research News Planetary Scientists are Seeing the Unseeable Richard A. Kerr Science, New Series, Vol. 235, No. 4784. (Jan. 2, 1987), pp. 29-31. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819870102%293%3A235%3A4784%3C29%3APSASTU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-L This site is very reliable. It is the Scholarly Journal Archive. 4. This is a site about Pluto. http://dosxx.colorado.edu/plutohome.html It is reliable since it is a part of an established academic institution. 5. This is the NASA page for Pluto. http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/pluto.htm 6. Another site from NASA. http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/pluto.html

Alexander the Great’s Policy of Fusion Essay

From his conception, Alexander was destined for greatness. Born to Olympias, Princess of Epirus and Phillip II, King of Macedon, passion and purpose were the driving forces of his young life. As a young boy, in Philips absence, he entertained Persian envoys and much to the surprise of the guests instead of asking about the Persian hanging gardens, he asked about the state of the Persian army and the roads. Clearly, at his tender age, his thoughts were already set on conquering. Years later, after the death of Philip in 336 BC, Alexander adopted Philips plans to conquer Persia and travelled across the Hellespont in order to rightfully earn his glory and write his name into the history books. In the years that followed, Alexander did just that, proving his tactical brilliance in battle and as a result, conquering the largest empire of the age. With Persians, Macedonians and Greeks under his rule, Alexander devised a policy that would ensure the smooth running of his empire. It has been dubbed by scholars as his ‘Policy of Fusion’. What was Fusion?! The dictionary deï ¬ nes fusion as: the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity. In the case of Alexander, it refers to his ‘fusing’ of the Persians with the Macedonian and Greeks to create a super empire, combing the best of Persian and Macedonian Kingship. Alexander did not wish to destroy Persia and replace it with Macedonian rule, instead he took several actions to actively encourage the combination of the two cultures. His concept was simple: treat the natives as equal, not inferior, tolerate the native customs and religion and adopt some of the native  customs. According to Curtius Rufus, Alexander said: â€Å"Everything is taking on the same hue: it is no disgrace for the Persians to copy Macedonian customs nor for the Macedonians to imitate the Persians. Those who are to live under the same king should enjoy the same rights†. The nature of Kingship Macedonian The Macedonian nature of Kingship is that the King was ‘prima inter pares’- ï ¬ rst amongst equals. This meant that the King would not bask in splendour, he would wear the same clothes as his men and be approachable to them. (Alexander knew most of his men by name). The epitome of leading from the front, the King would play a major role in battles, earning respect from his men as they shared in the glory of victory. Persian! In stark contrast the Persian King had an exulted status as all subjects were required to perform proskynesis before him. He was considered to be god’s representative on earth. He lived a life of luxury and was attended by ushers, bodyguards and eunuchs. Access to the court was controlled by the Vizier. His dress was extravagant and set him apart from his subjects. He wore a purple tunic, gold cloak and belt and a jewelled scabbard. The vastly different styles of Kingship highlighted the need for a policy of Fusion. Similarities and Differences Philip: Philip’s policies for dealing with conquered people differed vastly to Alexander’s Policy of Fusion. For after the Battle of Chaeronea the Greek States were forced to become a member of the League of Corinth of which Philip was hegemon. From the Greek States money, men and allegiance was needed to ensure peace. Although the Greek states had ‘autonomy’ it was within the Macedonian parameters. A bit of an oxymoron really; incarcerated freedom. Strict Macedonian Garrisons and a pro- Macedonian Government were in play to maintain order and provide a tool if there was disorder. Conversely, Persians and Macedonians were encouraged by Alexander to co-exist and live together, enjoying the same rights and governed by the same rules under the same King. Wether the purpose of Alexander’s policies was ‘homonoia’, or as a practical means to rule or was an attempt to Helenize Asia- Persians beneï ¬ tted from his rule. In the case of Philip, the Gree ks did not receive the same treatment. Lycurgus once famously said: â€Å"The Battle of Chaeronea marked an epoch for all ages. With the dead was buried the freedom of Greece.† The purpose of Philip’s policies was entirely for the beneï ¬ t of Macedonia. Hamilton states that: â€Å"Philip’s policy was primarily aimed at the advancement of Macedon and for this he found Greeks useful, perhaps essential. Alexander and his contemporaries received a good Greek education and in them Greek culture was more securely rooted. But admiration for Greek culture need not imply a desire to secure the welfare of Greece†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Was Fusion even Alexander’s idea- Persian policies! Although it is hard to deï ¬ ne when exactly the idea ï ¬ rst ‘popped’ into Alexanders head, it certainly would have manifested itself during the Macedonians stay in Babylon. Because it was from here that he had the ability to fuse the two cultures, as after Gaugamela- the Persian Empire was effectively his. At the time Alexander’s policy was considered revolutionary, the complete opposite of the Macedonian dealing with conquered people. However, as Fox suggests without the â€Å"Persian background Alexander’s own plans for government have been made to seem unnecessarily radical.† Persians in fact, had been fusing ideas and cultures for generations as â€Å"two hundred years before Alexander, they had overthrown the empire of the Medes and annexed the ancient civilisation of Babylon, but in each case they had availed themselves of their subjects’ experience.† Alexander’s policy and the policy of the Persian King Cyrus (both e arned the title ‘Great’) were very similar. In around 550 BC Cyrus expanded his annexed Median and Persian lands to include the Fertile Cresent. After conquering â€Å"He adopted a policy of toleration toward the people he conquered. For example, he allowed them to speak their own languages, practice their own religions, and follow their own ways of life. He also declared the ï ¬ rst Charter of Human Rights. Etched on a clay cylinder, this charter set forth Cyrus’ goals and policies. His respect for the people made Cyrus popular and made it easier for him to create a peaceful and stable empire.† Reasons for Similarities or Differences! Philip had no reason to fuse the Greek and Macedonian cultures as, aside from Macedonian being governed by an absolute monarchy and the Greek States being governed by democracy the two cultures were fundamentally the same. This was because Macedonia was Hellenized. Alexander on the other hand, was dealing with two tangibly different cultures and needed fusion to effectively rule over both. There were also differences too between King Cyrus, and Alexander’s policies. King Cyrus’s policy worked. As the most important man of the nation, if Cyrus tolerated the Medes and the peoples from the Fertile Cresent, the rest of his subjects would have too. Unlike the Greeks and Macedonians, they did not believe themselves to be superior to the people they conquered. The nature of Persian Kingship ensured the stability of the empire for the next 200 years. Alexander would have known of Cyrus’s policy and could potentially have tried to mimic it, seeing as it was so effective. Without Persian Background Alexander’s own plans for government have been make to seem unnecessarily radical (Fox). Purpose The purpose of Alexanders Policy of Fusion has been widely debated. There are several arguments. On one hand, we have William Tarn’s utopian view of homonoia- Alexander’s desire for universalism, to create a ‘brotherhood of man’. On the other, we have the juxtaposed AB Boswoth’s view that Alexander did not really attempt to ‘fuse’ the two cultures together, instead he was really playing one off against the other. As discussed in Nicholas Ed Foster’s thesis, both Classical Historians have ï ¬â€šaws in their arguments. Tarn is perceived to practically worship Alexander and his achievements, focussing on creating the big picture of the great king, while overlooking massacres that occurred during the campaign. Bosworth does the opposite, as he focuses on the massacres and ignores Alexander’s intentions. There are other ideas surrounding the purpose of fusion, one is that it was used because it  provided the practical means to rule the two peoples. Other’s argue that fusion was an attempt to spread Greek culture. Brotherhood of Man At the time, Alexander’s ideas were considered revolutionary. His actions completely went against the ideas of Aristotle, where captured people were barbarians, treated worse than animals. Alexander changed this completely. When he declared that all men were alike sons of one Father and when, at Opis he prayed that Macedonian and Persians might partners in the commonwealth and that the peoples of his world might live in harmony and unity of heart and mind (Tarn). According to Curtius Rufus Alexander justiï ¬ ed his entire conquest by saying that he had hoped to annex his empire to many famous peoples. He also justiï ¬ ed his actions around marriage by saying that his intention â€Å"was to erase all distinction between conquered and conquerer†. Practical Means to Rule Alexander’s Policy of Fusion is considered by some to have stemmed from necessity. Put simply, fusion was a practical way to bring Hellenic and Eastern cultures under one rulethis was the purpose of it. Due to the vast expanse of the empire, the area simply became too large to be controlled solely by the Macedonian Army. Furthermore, â€Å"By appointing Persian satraps, or in many cases simply leaving them in their previous positions of power, Alexander was able to prevent the rise of dissent from the populace.† (Nicholas Ed Foster, Thesis LSU) Tamsin Woolf AS91397 Policy in Action: Alexanders Policy wasn’t a mere Policy of words, it was a Policy shown in action. Alexander showed his policy in various ways, both big and small. After entering Babylon, Alexander was quick to initiate his policy of fusion through action. His ï ¬ rst action, after entering the great city, was to restore the temples that were destroyed by Xerxes, including the great Temple of Bel, where he made a sacriï ¬ ce. Much to the surprise of the Macedonians, respect was shown to Persian nobility, especially to Kings of the past. Bessus, for the murder of Darius, was paid special attention. After having his face customarily mutilated and torturing him, Alexander â€Å"had him torn limb from limb. He had the tops of two straight trees bent down so that they met, and part of Bessus’ body was tied to each. Then when each tree was let go and sprang back to its upright position, the part of the body that was attached to it was torn off by the recoil. (Plutarch) Persians were given positions of power and included in Alexanders army. Previously considered ‘barbarians’ were made Satraps of provinces with the most signiï ¬ cant being Mazeaeus re-established as satrap of Babylon and Porus, being given back his rule after his defeat at Hydaspes. Alexanders elite Companion Cavalry which previously was comprised of men from the ranks of Macedonian nobility, who had proven their worth in the ï ¬ eld of battle now included Persian Lords. Alexander adopted the Persian dress, wearing the diadem along with a pure white robe and sash, a compromise between Persian and Median costume. â€Å"He may have done this from a desire to adapt himself to local habits, because he understood that the sharing of race and of customs is a great step towards softening men’s hearts.† (Plutarch) Like his father Philip, Alexander also used marriages for political reasons. Through his own marriages to Roxanne (the captive daughter of Oxyartes, a Bactrian noble), to Barsine, the eldest daughter of Darius and (according to Aristobulus) to Parysatus daughter of Artaxerxes Ochus, Alexander had linked himself with both branches of the Achaemenid Persian House. Alexander also encouraged marriages between his men and Persian women. This was demonstrated at the mass marriages at Susa which according to Hamilton: â€Å"brought to a climax his policy of fusing Macedonians and Persians into a single race.† It was at Susa that 90 of Alexanders men married noble Persian women at a mass celebration. The brides received considerable dowries. One of the most dubious enforced actions introduced by Alexander was the Persian court practice, proskynesis. Researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus observed the practice: â€Å"When the Persians meet one another in the roads, you can see whether those who meet are of equal rank. For instead of greeting by words, they kiss each other on the mouth; but if one of them is inferior to the other, they kiss one another on the cheeks, and if one is of much less noble rank than the other, he falls down before him and worships him.† As part of his Policy of Fusion, Alexander believed that the action would bring Persians and Macedonians together, however instead of this, it only managed to highlight the differences between races. While Persians already performed proskynesis to their King, for Macedonians, the action was reserved only for gods. Along with his other actions, Alexander ensured sustainability for the future and had 30,000 Iranian boys trained for the military, they were taught Greek, wore Macedonian attire and used Macedonian weapons. They were called ‘The Successors’. According to Arrian, Alexander called them his Epigoni- his inheritors. The title for the boys was apt as they would inherit the empire, and before Alexander’s death, they were obliged to him only. Persian Reaction: Implications and Impacts The Persian people viewed Alexander as a liberator, his actions repeatedly encouraged them to trust him. Unlike the Macedonians, the Persians did not have to do anything to be a part of Alexanders policy, instead, Alexanders actions encouraged the Macedonians to adopt Persian customs. Through sacriï ¬ cing to the Temple of Bel, ensuring a proper funeral for King Darius and hunting down Bessus for Darius’s murder, Alexander showed great respect for the Persian people and their customs. Before Persepolis Alexander’s men followed their leader blindly. They would die for him. They would die for the noble cause of punishing the Persians. As Alexander started to implement his Policy of Fusion discontent began to brew amongst the Macedonian Camp. Having to live in harmony with the ‘barbarians’ who they came to Asia to conquer was something they were not prepared for. This was something they struggled with as the Macedonians and  Greeks believed that they were the superior race. Furthermore, many Macedonians felt that Alexander was no longer loyal to them and thus became resentful. The strain in the relationship is shown through several events some of which are explicit reactions to fusion, while others are implicit. Division between Old Guard and New Guard The division of the Old and New Guard is shown through the Old Guard’s more extreme reactions to Alexander’s Policy of Fusion early on in the piece. Many of the Old Guard had fought under Philip and were used to his ways. This, combined with their distaste for the Fusion Policy and that the Old Guard felt that their actions at Battles past, had been forgotten created a divide between the young and old. Philotas and Parmenio In late 330 BC, in the early stages of the implementation of Fusion, a plot was hatched to kill the King. Philotas was informed to consult the King immediately, but failed to twice. Because of this he was connected to the plot and killed. Shot down by the Macedonian javelins together with his fellow conspirators (Arrian). There are several other factors that could have contributed to his death. Philotas was known to condemn the Policy. His death was a combination of Alexander’s growing insecurity concerning plots and the Macedonian resentment of Fusion. These factors blinded Alexander into believing Philotas’s guilt. There is no hard evidence to suggest Philotas’s guilt. The only proof of it appears to be his failure to organise an audience for Cebalinus or to inform Alexander of what he had been told (Hamilton). As a result of the danger of a Parmenio ï ¬ lled with vengeance at the death of his son, Parmenio was murdered too. These incidents prove how adamant Alexander was to continue with his policy, using brutality for the greater good of ensuring harmony between two peoples. Cleitus Cleitus the Black was the Commander of the Royal Squadron of Companion Cavalry and a friend of Philip. In Maracanda, 328 BC, at a drinking party Cleitus and some of the older members became offended by an insulting chant. The division between the old and young is highlighted as the â€Å"older members shouted their disproval of both the composer and the singer, but Alexander and those next to him listened with evident enjoyment and told the singer to continue Whereupon Cleitus who, besides being naturally surly and having a savage temper, was by now drunk, became extremely angry† (Plutarch). In his speech, Cleitus vented all his feelings over the last few years, particularly around fusion. â€Å"It was not right for Macedonians who were much superior to those who mocked them, even if they had met with misfortune, to be insulted before natives and enemies.† â€Å"The dead I call fortunate; they don’t live to see the Macedonians ï ¬â€šogged by the the rods of Medians and begging Persians for permission to have an audience with their king.† (Plutarch) †¦ â€Å"Go, and live with foreigners, slaves who will bow down before your Persian girdle and your white tunic.† (Plutarch) As a result of Cleitus’s comments, Alexander (who was also drunk) snatched a spear from one of his bodyguards and ran it through Cleitus. Proskynesis Historically, Persians had performed proskynesis when recognising someone of higher rank than them, as they had done to Darius, they prostrated themselves before Alexander. The action was not one of worship, merely recognising someone of higher rank. For the Macedonians however, the action was something only the slavish barbarians did. For them, the action was strictly reserved for gods. Despite Alexanders attempts to prove his divinity, he was human. What added salt to the wound was that before the campaigns he had adopted the historical Macedonian form of Kingship- prima inter pares- ï ¬ rst amongst equals. Despite knowing this, Alexander had counted in the action to enhance his fusion policy. In 327 BCE Alexander attempted to introduce proskynesis at a drinking party. According to Plutarch Alexander passed the cup to one of his friends, who took it, rose from his couch, turned to face the hearth, drank, and performed proskynesis before kissing Alexander and resuming his place. All the guests followed suit except for the philosopher Callisthenes, who refused to prostrate himself. One opposed to the action seems insigniï ¬ cant. Indeed, he was the only person to voice openly his disproval of what all the best and oldest of the Macedonians resented in their hearts. By preventing the introduction of this practise he saved the Greeks from great disgrace and Alexander from a greater (Plutarch). Mutiny at Opis One of the most illuminating examples of the Macedonian reaction to Fusion was the Mutiny at Opis- as it highlights the extent of the discontent  between Alexander and his troops. With a previous mutiny, conspiracies and the rejection of proskynesis already under their belt, the arrival of the ‘Successors’ in Susa was the tip of the iceberg for the Macedonians. The 30,000 Iranian boys arrived in Susa wearing Macedonian clothing and carrying Macedonian equipment, performing a dazzling display of discipline and deftness  before the Macedonian Army. At Opis, Alexander announced that he was releasing from the Army those who, because of old age or disablement, were no longer ï ¬ r for service and was sending them home (Arrian). This greatly vexed the Macedonian Army as they assumed that Alexander intended to replace them with the young ‘war dancers’ as they resentfully termed them (Hamilton). This assumption, combined with their distaste in Alexander’s dress throughout the campaign, his appointment (or re-appointment) of foreign Satrap leaders and inclusion of Persian in the Army (including into the prestigious Companion Cavalry) lead to their response. Arrian states that: â€Å"they did not stand passively in respectful silence, but shouted to him to dismiss every man of them and carry on with his ‘father’, mocking Ammon by this remark.† A mutiny against Alexanders actions as a result of his Fusion policy is signiï ¬ cant because it shows just how widespread the discontent was, this discontent was not something felt only by the Old Guard. Patterns of Reaction Fusion- Can we trust it?! Fusion rufï ¬â€šed the feathers of the Macedonians. It created tension which lead to recurring negative reaction. Although most Macedonians were opposed to  the policy from the outset, the Old Guard seemed more offended by it and people knew where they stood. The execution of Philotas and Parmenio and the murder of Cleitus show just how important the policy was to Alexander and how seriously he took opposition to it. As time went on war weariness and Alexander’s change in status from ‘ï ¬ rst amongst equals’ to Son of Ammon started to take a toll on the rest of the troops, the discontent in the Macedonian Army regarding fusion became more widespread, ultimately resulting in Mutiny. As none of the primary sources exist today, I have used all secondary sources in my report. This begs the question- can the sources be trusted? The secondary sources each used different primary sources from both the Good Tradition and the Vulgate. I used Arrian, Plutarch and Curtius Rufus. Arrian used mainly Ptolemy and Aristobulous but he also used Nearchus and Callisthenes. Plutarch used all sources, while Curtius Rufus used an unknown source, embellished with Cleitarchus who used sensational popular beliefs, rather than facts. This ultimately made Curtius Rufus less reliable than Arrian and Plutarch. However, it is highly improbable that the secondary sources used the primary sources word for word, rather they used the primary sources to back up their own conclusions about Alexander. There is also the question of what the primary sources had to gain from their writing. Although the good tradition are considered to be more reliable than the vulgate, they were all close to Alexander and potentially built up his achievements for their own personal gain. Conclusion: In conclusion, Alexander’s Policy of Fusion was implemented in order for Alexander to effectively govern both Persians and Macedonians. It sparked many negative reactions from the Macedonians who viewed themselves as superior. Initially the more extreme reactions were shown by the Old Guard, but with time, the whole of the army came to oppose the policy, as shown  through the Mutiny at Opis. Despite the opposition, Alexander chose to continue to pursue his policy with great perseverance. Bibliography Websites: http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=abbott&book=alexander&story=death Date http://www.livius.org/pp-pr/proskynesis/proskynesis.htm http://student.kc.school.nz/ClassWebs/ClassicsWeb/Classics301/Alexander%20The%20Great/ Alexander%20PwrPts/E.%20Alexander%20&%20the%20Macedonians/1.ThePolicyofFusion.pdf! http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-04112005-150526/unrestricted/Foster_thesis.pdf http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CDsQFjAE&url=http %3A%2F%2Feduco.vln.school.nz%2Fmod%2Fresource%2Fview.php%3Fid %3D4300&ei=WMlpU5XECIilkQXVkIHwBg&usg=AFQjCNExDT4GSgLAlubZldzs7r8rQUMag&bvm=bv.66111022,d.dGI http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/ca/books/bkf3/writing/02_empires.pdf Books Arrian. (1976) The Campaigns of Alexander, page 356 Penguin Classics Hamilton, JR. (1973). Alexander the Great. 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