Barbarous Mexico essays

Barbarous Mexico essays Barbarous Mexico is a book which fully explains the Mexican revolution of 1910. The author John Kenneth Turner travelled to Mexico during the end of Porfirio Diazs rule. Turner gives a shocking portrayl of the abusive planatations were mass amounts of indians lost their lves. Diazs flow of power was downward. This created a dictatorship that allowed Diaz to control every aspect of the peoples lives. The main objection of Barbarous Mexico is to expose the total authoritarian rule Diaz posseses. During the rule of Diaz the people were left behind. They would enivitabley revolt against oppression and try to liberate themselves. Turner has three main parts to this mexican story. First is the slave life on the plantations, the second is the elite society of the Diaz adminstation, and last is foriegn countries. The first chapter sets the tone for the book. The author gives us grim look into the life of the plantation slave. Probaly the worst job in the mexican labor system. The chance of living more than ten years is near immpossible. There is no hope on the plantations. The platations Turner witnessed first hand were in the Yuctan and Valle Nacional. ...

By reference to any company (preferably a sponsor company), essays

By reference to any company (preferably a sponsor company), essays Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost country of the Caribbean is known for its rich culture and natural nons of such resources are crude oil, in the form of petroleum, and natural gas. There are many companies, both local and foreign, that have investments in these resources. Not only do these companies gain from the countrys resources but they also give back to the country in many different forms. Two such forms are social and economical development of Trinidad and Tobago. For social development, they are major sponsors of sports, education and cultural events and for economical development; they provide employment and foreign revenue for the government, which results in economic growth of the country. One such company is British Gas of Trinidad and Tobago, BGTT. In ancient history, sports were played mostly, if not only, by men and were seen as hobbies and a form of recreation. However, in recent years, sports have developed, not only as competitions but also to include both genders. BGTT has been an active sponsor in the development of sports for the youths, most of which are secondary school programs, for more than eight years. The company first started with cricket. Since 1995 they sponsored the national under 15 cricket team and four years later, in 1999, they also started sponsoring the under 17 cricket team. In 2002 they added two more sports to their sponsorship programs. These were the Secondary Schools Netball Association and the Secondary School Football League. Due to the sponsorship of these teams, they are able to participate in many competitions and represent our country in games regionally and internationally. Not only did BGTT sponsor sports and lead to its development in Trinidad and Tobago but they also co-sponsored, along with other companies that also has investments in the natural resources of the country, the building of two centers that would aid in the education and d...

Belle Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Belle Technologies - Essay Example The engineers were also irritated with his obsessive ness with perfection even when it was not required like the diction, fonts etc. of written documents. All this worked against him and despite being the most loyal employee of the company; he did not receive good appraisals from his subordinates and was finally demoted. A: Hersey and Blanchard would never say that Derek is leading the newly hired engineers properly because the approach they believe in and the approach Derek applied was totally different. Though Derek expected greatness from his new recruits he purposely maintained a distance from them because he believed that its better if they learn on their own. Whereas Hersey and Blanchard thought that the recruits are in the R1 stage and the leader should use the telling style of leadership and take time out as much as possible to tell them what to do and give specific directions on how to proceed and complete the work satisfactorily. A: Hersey and Blanchard would not agree with Derek's leadership of the experienced engineers. Derek believed in supervising them in every step of their work. According to him he checked with them as much as six times a day to see whether everything is going well or not. This naturally irritated the engineers a lot. On the other hand Hersey and Blanchard believed that at this stage the experienced workers should be allowed to work on their own as much as possible and give them advice and suggestions when they really require it. This way they will feel that they are worthy enough to be trusted completely. Q.4 Now that they have a new manager, Sinha, how do you think the new engineers ought to be led Your recommendations A: The new manager Sinha should follow Hersey and Blanchard's approach of leadership. He should understand that the new recruits are fresh out of college and would require time, encouragement and guidance to understand work. They are in the R1 stage, which is the telling stage from the leadership point of view. Therefore Sinha should not wait for them to ask questions, as they might be skeptical and conscious that whether they are asking the right questions or not. So Sinha should resort to one-way communication and keep directing them from time to time about what is required and also, guide them on how to go about it. Q.5 Now that they have a new manager, Olin, how do you think the experienced engineers ought to be led Your recommendations A: The experienced engineers should be left alone. With experience they have become experts in their fields and they very well know how to do their work. Unnecessary interference will irritate them and they might even gossip on their leader's back. All this might affect the leadership position of the leader negatively. Therefore advice should be given when really required. They must be led by thrusting complete trust on their abilities. The leader should always be available to them and should not be too task centered. The leader should create a more participating and friendly atmosphere to successfully lead this group.

Business Development in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Development in Canada - Essay Example Canadian resources have been the cornerstone of business development and it is anticipated that it will remain the central avenue for the achievement of business prosperity for current and future generations. Resources and Growth of Businesses in Canada It is evident that throughout history, Canada has been endowed with various natural resources such as land, forests, minerals, fossils fuels, and fisheries. Exploitation of the above resources have been fundamental in the successful development of businesses through the provision of strategic raw materials, mineral and energy that are necessary in trade establishment and growth. The relationship between natural resource exploitation in Canada and business development shows a positive correlation where business and economic development depend on the endowment of an economy with natural resources (Taylor & Owram, 1994). Global and regional trade prior to the pre-war period relied majorly on the availability of raw materials, energy, and mineral commodities. Since Canada was capable of providing the above trade necessities through the exploitation and utilization of her natural resources, trade and business opportunities emerged. The availability of natural resources in Canada contributed to both domestic and international business development opportunities. The availability of natural resources in Canada led to the establishment and development of business opportunities hence intensified industrialization. Nearly all emerging and developing economies including Canada depended on the natural resources as the basis for economic growth achievement. Business growth and development in Canada have historically developed through the exploitation of natural resources that were found to be... This essay approves that United States corporations increased ownership of manufacturing and processing plants in Canada. Foreign direct investment by American firms was concentrated in the resource sector and in particular, the paper mills, and mining companies. The intensive incursion and successive ownership of manufacturing and processing plants in Canada by American led to the emergence of mergers as a new form of business strategy. Merger of multinational firms and local firms also concentrated control and ownership of natural resources in few hands. New economic organizations and re-orientation was evident with entry of larger firms in mainstream business operations. The market shifted from industrial capitalism to corporate capitalism where large multi-organizations began to take charge of business operations in Canada by increasing the size of economic units. This report makes a conclusion that Canada has been commonly referred to as the storehouse of resources since the past decades. Indeed Canada is endowed with various natural resources such as petroleum, fisheries, forests, and minerals among others and it boasts of a huge territory that is under natural resources. Natural resources have played a significant role in shaping up and development of business and economy of Canada. The export of staples such as pulp and paper, industrial minerals, timber, fur and agricultural products has contributed immensely to the growth of business and trade. It resulted in increased revenue and income, industrial growth and foreign direct investment initiatives.

To what degree did Buddhism provide a basis for cultural exchange and Essay

To what degree did Buddhism provide a basis for cultural exchange and trade along the Silk Road - Essay Example On the other hand, the Silk Road, also known as the Silk Route, is comprised of a progression of cultural and trade conduction routes that extend about 4,000 miles (Whitfield 2004, p. 23). It got its name from the Chinese silk trade that was conducted along it from the 206 BC era of the Han Dynasty and greatly contributed to the civilization and development of China, Arabia, Europe, Persia and the Indian subcontinent. Silk was the main item of trade but, inadvertently, different cultures, philosophies and religions interacted as economic and political exchanges took place between different civilizations. The diversity of the cultures that interacted on the Silk Road is evident in the manner in which it linked China, India, Europe and the Middle East and facilitated Buddhism’s transmission to China from India and, consequently, Japan and Korea. Buddhist missionaries, travelers and merchants carried along their religious convictions, values and beliefs to distant territories, at tracting converts along the way. This paper will discuss the degree to which Buddhism provided a basis for cultural exchange and trade along the Silk Road. ... The roads and bridges may have had an underlying administrative and military objective, but they also opened up trade and encouraged exchanges between many diverse communities. The Silk Road was among the roads and routes built to expand the scope of trade and enhance its security, covering most of Eurasia and the northern part of Africa. With the Han Empire maintaining order in China and providing access to western markets and Bactria, merchants from different backgrounds interacted in trade, promoting the spread of their cultures. Traders from different regions exchanged ideas and customs as they traversed the land in search and sale of commodities. Therefore, the Silk Road promoted more than commodity exchange and included culture as well. Buddhism, for example, spread from the Kushan kingdom to other parts of Asia (Hill 2009, p. 69). The degree to which Buddhism provided a basis for cultural exchange and trade along the Silk Road is manifested by the way the faith spread within a ll cities, towns and centers along the trade route. Among the great missionary faiths, the first that took advantage of the Silk Road’s mobility was Buddhism, extending its reach beyond its indigenous grounds in the north eastern part of India within the first century BC. After Military conquests and trade, Buddhism is the next most notable factor that linked the regions of India, to Central Asia and the present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan as early as 206 BC upto the 8th century AD. The transnational link facilitated the establishment of a political empire by the Hephthalites, which covered the expanse from the northern Indian plains to Afghanistan. Politically, the empire

Ratio Analysis Of British Airways Plc Finance Essay

Ratio Analysis Of British Airways Plc Finance Essay British Airways PLC is the largest international airline of United Kingdom. It is based at the London Heathrow Airport and the busiest airports in the world. It is serves 96 million passengers a year using around 441 airports in 86 countries and more than thousand planes. British airway is fiercely competitive, heavily regulated and highly exposed to changes in customer behaviour and consumer confidence. British airway has a total market capitalisation of approximately  £3299 million, Shares in Issue 1153 million and the current share price is 286p. The past economic environment creates a new challenge to the company they concentrate their efforts to seize long-term opportunities for growth. 2. Background Feb 2008 In this fiscal year, British Airways is targeting a 10 percent operating margin, which is said to be the highest in its history, as it taps demand for premium travel It once again declared that it is targeting a full-year sales growth of 3 to 3.5 percent. May 2008 British Airways Operational Environment to keep up with competitors and to incorporate fuel efficient aircraft to its ageing fleet, British Airways signed a firm contract on 28 May 2008 for two Airbus A138 British Airways Report on British Airways The airways has an Operational Environment in order to keep up with its competitors and to combine its fuel efficient aircraft to its ageing fleet, British Airways has signed a firm contract for two Airbus A138 on 28 May 2008. Jul 2008 Merger talks were started between British Airways and Iberia in the year 2008 due to the decrease in passenger demand, whereas on the other hand the pension fund deficit was around 3 billion pounds ($5 billion) and the outcome of the combined entity was striking. British Airways plans to reduce seating, raise ticket prices as there was a 90% fall in the first quarter which was three days after announcing merger talks with Iberia. Mar 2009 By March, 2009 its revenues rose to  £8.99 billion whereas it was  £8.75 billion a year agoBritish Airways revenues rose to  £8.99 billion for the year ended March 31, 2009. The same stood at  £8.75 billion in the same period a year ago. Reduced passenger and cargo demand and high fuel prices last summer contributed to our 220 million pounds . The introduction of Reduced passenger and cargo demand and high fuel prices helped in the contribution of the 220 million pounds operating loss in the last year. April 2009 during the global recession period, Europes third- biggest carrier, the British Airways Plc, gave an approval of a voluntary severance for a total number of 300 workers because the traffic of passengers extended to a great deal. Jul 2009 By John Bowker LONDON (Reuters) British Airways (BAY.L) has not ruled out a major rights issue to help shore up its balance sheet but analysts see such a move as an absolute last resort and one that could destroy management credibility. Sep 2009 On this day the first EMBRAER 170 jet was delivered by Embraer in Sà £o Josà © dos Campos, Brazil, the headquarters, to British Airways. This aircraft was configured with 76 seats and in a singleclass layout, which will be operated by BA CityFlyer, British Airways wholly owned regional subsidiary. Also to mention that the regional subsidiary operates international and domestic routes from London City Airport. Oct 2009 A new service is to be launched by the British Airways from Gatwick to Montego bay, Punta Cana twice in a week. Nov 2009 British Airways (BA) has operated for 23 years at London Heathrow and finally has bid farewell to the facilty. Jan 2010 British Airways has been operating Japan in the past 62 years and at present it operates 7 flights in a week between London Heathrow and Narita International Airport. British Airways Flying Club Piper PA-28-236 G-ODAK. Shoreham 6/3/ 2010. Sep 2010 British Airways provides an Increase in the number of Flights to the Caribbean Just the Filed in: Flight, Travel Campbell River Firm Restoring the Past DC-3 Called a Flying Time Capsule 3. Ratio analysis 3.1. Ratio Analysis- British Airways PLC RATIO 2010 2009 B/W Operating profit margin 231 7994 2.89% 220 8992 2.45% B Current 2674 3740 .71 2346 4142 .56 B Quick 2674-98 3740 .69 2346-127 4142 .54 B Fixed Asset turnover 7994 7973 1 8992 8142 1.1 W Return on capital employed 231 10677-3740 3.33% 220 10488-4142 3.47% W Return on equity 425 2113 20.11% 358 1846 19.39 % B Debt to equity 4824 2113 2.28 4500 1846 2.43 B Dividend yield 5.20 122.8 4.23% 5.02 150.9 3.33% B Price to earning ratio 250 38.5 6.49 137.5 32.6 4.21 W Earning yield 38.5 250 15.4% 32.6 137.5 23.7% W Return on total assets 425 10677 3.98% 358 10488 3.41% B Sales per employee 7994 79097  £ 518565.8 8992 72375  £ 490196.9 B Stock turnover 412 x 365 25842 5.819 days 417 x 365 21890 6.953 days W Dividend cover 38.5 5.20 1.123 32.6 5.02 2.502 W Account receivable turnover 499 x 365 7994 22.78 days 530 x 365 8992 21.51 days W Account payable turnover 3160 x 365 25842 44.63 days 2963 x 365 21890 49.41 days W Total Asset turnover 7994 10677 0.75 8992 10488 .86 W Gearing 4824 4824+2113 69.54% 4500 4500+1846 70.91% B 3.2. Interpretation and Explanations of ratios 3.2.1. Operating profit margin The  Operating Profit Margin measures the Operating Profit in relation to the Net Sales.   This reveals the operating efficiency of the company. The higher the Operating Profit Margin, then more efficient is the business. Operating Profit   Operating Profit Margin  = Sales   As a result of analysis, the operating profit margin of the year 2009 is 2.45% and that of the year 2010 is 2.89%. The operation margin of the year 2010 is higher than that of the year 2009, so it can be concluded that the company is performing an efficient operation. 3.2.2. Current ratio The current ratio compares all the Current Assets of a company to all the Current Liabilities.   What this ratio basically tells us is if the company had to sell all its readily available assets, would it be able to pay off its immediate debt? A ratio under  1 suggests that the company  would  be  unable to pay off  its obligations if they came due at that point. Current Assets Current Ratio = Current Liabilities As a result of analysis, the current ratio of the year 2009 is 0.56 and that of year 2010 is 0.71. Current ratio of both years is below 1 so it can be concluded that the company is not in good financial health. Also it can be said that the company is performing good since the current ratio of 2010 is higher when compared to that of 2009. . 3.2.3. Quick ratio Also called the Acid-Test Ratio, the  current ratio compares all the Current Assets of a company to all the Current Liabilities just like the Current Ratio, but the Inventories are subtracted from the Current Assets. Current Assets Inventory Quick  Ratio = Current Liabilities As a result of analysis, quick ratio of the year 2009 is 0.54 and that of the year 2010 is 0.69. Current ratio of 2010 is higher than 2009, so the company is in a favourable position 3.2.4. Fixed Asset turnover The  Fixed Asset Turnover is measure  a companys effectiveness in  generating  Net Sales  revenue from investments back into the company. The higher the Fixed Asset Turnover ratio, the more effective the companys investments in Net Property, Plant, and Equipment have become. Sales     Fixed Asset Turnover = Fixed asset   From the analysis of the last two years, fixed asset turnover of the year 2009 is 1.1 and the year 2010 is 1. Fixed asset turnover is low in the year 2010, so it can be said that the company is not as effective compared to the year 2009. 3.2.5. Return on Capital employed It is a ratio that indicates the  efficiency  and profitability of a companys capital investments. ROCE should always be higher than the rate  at which  the  company  borrows otherwise any increase in borrowing will reduce shareholders earnings. Operating profit     Return on capital employed = Total assets   Current liability As a result of analysis, the return on capital employed of the year 2009 is 3.47% and the year 2010 is 3.33%. Return on capital employed of the year 2010 is less than the year 2009, so it can be said that, profitability of the company is less when compared to 2009. 3.2.6. Return on equity The  Return on Equity measures the Net Earnings in relation to the Equity.   Return on Equity describes how well contributions from  stockholders  generated earnings for the company. Net Earnings   Return on Equity =   Equity   From the analysis of return on equity ratio, it is 19.39% for the year 2009 and 20.11% for the year 2010. In the year 2010 return on equity ratio is high, so profitability of the company is high compared to 2009. 3.2.7. Debt to equity ratio The Debt to  Equity  Ratio compares the companys dollar amount owed to creditors to the dollar amount supplied by investors of the company.   debt   Debt to Equity Ratio = Equity   As a result of analysis, the debt to equity ratio of the year 2009 is 2.43 and that of the year 2010 is 2.28. Ratio of the year 2010 is low, so it can be said that the company is at favourable position. 3.2.8. Dividend yield A financial ratio that  shows how much a  company  pays out in dividends each year relative to its share price.  In the absence of any capital gains, the dividend yield is the return on investment for a  stock. Dividends per Share   Dividend Yield = Share price As a result of analysis, the dividend yield of the year 2010 is 4.23% and the year 2009 is 3.33%, so it can be concluded that cash flow in the year 2010 is more than in the year 2009. 3.2.9. Earnings per share The  Earnings Per Share compares Net Earnings to the number of Shares, and is simply how much earnings has been generated per one share of stock during the period reported. Profit after tax   Earnings Per Share = Number of share   As a result of analysis, the earnings per share for the years 2009 and 2010 are 12.56p and 5.84p. Earnings per share in the year 2010 are less compared to the year 2009, so it can be said that the company is not performing good. 3.2.10. Price to Earnings ratio The Price to Earnings Ratio  compares the Share Price to the Earnings per Share.   This ratio is a quick measure of how expensive the stock of a company may be. Share Price     Price to Earnings Ratio = Earnings Per Share From the analysis of the price to earnings ratio, it is 6.49 for the year 2010 and is 4.21 for the year 2009. So it can be concluded that the companys share has gone down in the year 2010 when compared to the year 2009. 3.2.11. Earning yield It is the earnings per share for the most recent 12-month period divided by the current market price per share. The earnings yield shows the percentage of each dollar invested in the stock that was earned by the  company. Earnings Per Share     Earning yield = Share Price As a result of analysis, the earning yield for the year 2009 is 23.7% and the year 2010 is 15.4%. Investment percentage of the year 2010 is lower than the year 2009, so the company has not been performing well in the year 2010. 3.2.12. Return on total assets The Return on Total Assets  measures the profit before interest in relation to the Total Assets.   The Return on Total Assets identifies how well the investments of the company have generated earnings back to the company. Higher the ROA number, the better, because the company is earning more money on less investment. Profit before interest   Return on Total Assets = Total Assets As a result of analysis, the return on total assets of the years 2010 and 2009 are 3.98% and 3.41% respectively. Return on total assets in the year 2010 is higher when compared to the year 2009 and hence it can be said that the company has earned high with its investment in the year 2010. 3.2.13. Sales per employee The name indicates how the sales/employee ratio is calculated: a companys annual sales divided by its total employees. Higher sales-per-employee figures are generally considered more efficient than those with lower figures. Sales revenue   Sales per employee = Average number of employees As a result of the analysis, sales per employee of the years 2009 and 2010 are  £ 490196.9 and  £ 518565.8 respectively. Sales per employee of year 2010 are higher than that of the year 2009 and hence in the year 2010 the company has earned more profit with a fewer number of employees compared to the previous year. 3.2.14. Stock turnover (in days)   Stock turnover ratio  shows how many times over the business has sold the value of its stocks in terms of days. A high stock turnover is better, because money is then tied up for a lesser time in stocks. Sales x 365   Stock turnover (in days) = Cost of sales The result of analysis of stock turnover for the years 2009 and 2010 are 6.953 days and 5.819 days. Stock turnover in the year 2010 is lower than the year 2009. So turning the stock of the company to money in the year 2010 is better. 3.2.15. Dividend cover The dividend cover ratio tells us how easily a business can pay its dividend from profits. A high dividend cover means that the company can easily afford to pay the dividend and a low value means that the business might have difficulty paying a dividend. Earnings per share   Dividend cover = Dividend per share As a result of analysis, the dividend cover of the year 2009 is 2.502 and the year 2010 is 1.123. Dividend cover of 2010 is lower than the year 2009. Hence it is difficult for the company to pay dividend in the year 2010 compared to 2009. 3.2.16. Account receivable turnover This is the ratio of the number of times that accounts receivable amount is collected throughout the year. A high  accounts receivable turnover ratio  indicates a tight credit policy. A low or declining  accounts receivable turnover ratio  indicates a collection problem, part of which may be due to bad debts. Debtor x 365   Account receivable turnover = Sales Form the analysis of the account receivable turnover; it is 22.78 days for the year 2010 and 21.51 days for the year 2009. Account receivable turnover of the year 2010 is higher, and so, collection in the year 2010 is hard compared to the year 2009. 3.2.17. Account payable turnover The measure shows investors how many times per period the company pays  its average payable amount.   If the turnover ratio is falling from one period to another, this is a sign  that the company is taking longer to pay off  its suppliers than  it was  before.   Creditor x 365   Account payable turnover = Cost of sales From the analysis of account payable turnover it is 49.41 days for the year 2009 and 44.63 days for the year 2010. Account payable turnover of the year 2010 is less, so it can be concluded that the company is taking longer time to pay off  its suppliers than the year 2009.   3.2.18. Total Asset turnover The amount of sales generated for every pounds worth of assets. It is calculated by dividing sales in pounds by assets in pound. The higher value of asset turnover is better. Sales     Total Asset Turnover = Total Assets   As a result of analysis, the total asset turnover of years 2010 and 2009 are 0.75 and 0.86. In the year 2010, asset turnover is less, so the company was not effective as in the year 2009. 3.2.19. Gearing ratio Gearing is a measure of financial leverage, demonstrating the degree to which a firms activities are funded by owners funds versus creditors funds.  A company with high gearing is more vulnerable to downturns in the  business cycle. Debt     Gearing ratio = Debt + Equity   From analysis, the gearing ratio of the years 2010 and 2009 are 69.54% and 70.91% respectively. Gearing ratio of the year 2010 is less compared to that of 2009, so the company had a good financial strength in the year 2010. 4. The impact of current events Revenue of the company was decreased to 7,994 m in the year 2010 which was favourable for the company Earnings per share in the year 2010 and 2009 were 38.5 and 32.6 and hence the companys earnings from shares are high compared to the year 2008. Operating profit of the company is high in the year 2009 compared to the year before. This is good for the company. The company has failed to give enough dividends in the year 2009 compared to the previous year. So it has failed to attract the shareholders. Total equity of the company has increased in the year 2010 which is not a good sign for the company. Cost of sale of the company is raised in the year 2009 compared to the previous year. Thus the companys expenditure has been increased in 2009. Hence, cost of sale should be reduced by the company. Account receivable turnover is higher in the year 2010 when compared to the year 2009, which is not good for the company. Account payable turnover is high in the year 2009 compared to the previous year which is not favourable for the company. Fixed asset turnover of the company is almost equal in the last two years and hence this does not have any impact on the company. From the ratio analysis most of the ratios turned positive result. This is shows that the company performing well. From the above analysis and the financial data of the company, we can say that the companys performance is good in the year 2010 when compared to the previous year. 5. Prediction for the future The British Airways PLC Company has performed well in the last year compare that of past years. and this may be because of the financial crisis which occurred in the year 2009.as a result of the above analysis the company is expected to perform well in future in order to maintain its standard. For this it should enhance the services and offers given to the customers and also provide good and reliable service. This may help in attracting more customers. The company should offer more facilities compared to the other telecommunication companies and this will greatly help the company to develop and grow in the forthcoming years. Conclusion The Vodafone group PLC is a well-established international company in the telecommunication sector and has a good name in the market. The company has failed to perform well in the year 2009 compare to the year 2008 and this may be because of the financial crisis. But in spite of the crisis it had a good financial history in the past years. So there is a strong hope that Vodafone Group PLC will perform well in the coming years.

Edwin S. Porter :: essays research papers

Edwin S. Porter was both a film pioneer and director. He was a film pioneer because he made people come back to the theaters and start watching movies. His movies also were good because they told a story by editing the move. Being a director he made some of the greatest films in 1902 and 1903. In 1902 he directed The Life of an American Fireman and in 1903 The Great Train Robbery. With these two skills he was able to direct great films and use special camera shots not know of at that present time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Porter was born on April 21st 1870 in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. There was not really any information on his parents but they did his parents first named him Edward. Since he was pudgy people use to call him Betty. There was really no information on why they called him Betty but I am sure it meant something. In 1893 he joined United States Navy and changed his name. He changed his name to Edwin Stanton instead of Edward Stanton. He changed it after Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton before he went into the Navy. They did not go into any detail on why he did it but my guess is he did not like his name and changed it. In the resources that I found I could not find much information about the rest of his family. I could not even find any information on what he did in his early years. The earliest I could find was starting in 1893.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1895 he started to work for the Vitascope Marketing Company. He would use his talent of electrical engineering with the company. With Vitascope he was in the project of the first projected movie that was shown in New York. That date was April 23rd 1896. He used his skills in engineering at Edison’s Manufacturing Company’s Laboratory. He let Edison for a while and went to Eden Musee Theatre in New York where he an operator. He was in charge of getting the films and projecting them onto the screen. His duties also were kind of illegal because he took a lot of films and edited them together to make fifteen-minute films. He would also take some of Melies films and put them into the show, since he like some of Melies work. The films would range from historical Wars and news films.

Analysis of American History X Essay

In this assignment, I was challenged to find important historical and cultural connections of the film American History X and analyze the important rhetorical of my findings. I went about choosing American History X by placing a poll on Facebook listing out the films that I had any slight interest in considering for this assignment and American History X won by a landslide. I was actually somewhat disappointed, because I wanted to do The X-Files, but I chose to stick to my promise and go with whatever text won. I watched American History X some years after its release in 1998. Although, I know I must have watched it sometime after I got out of high school because at the time of its release I was 12 years old and with the amount of violence in that film I know I did not watch it with my parents. From the little memory I had of the film from the first time, I could only recall that American History X had a lot to do with white supremacy and racism, that Edward Norton played the lead ro le and that the kid who played in the first Terminator was his brother and was all grown up. I hesitated watching the film again for quite sometime because I knew I would need to dedicate a solid two hours of mental energy towards it. One could argue that I was merely just procrastinating; however, I benefitted from having done so because future class discussions provided a foundation for how I could study the film. After reading about and discussing in class the topic of approaching a text organically, I decided to implement that mentality and view the film as objectively as non-object individual can. It is difficult to say whether it was that approach that ultimately led to my findings in the film, or if I would have discovered them anyway since it was my second time viewing the film. Everyone can appreciate that after the second and third time of watching any film you begin to pick up on things you missed the first time. In either case, I found the movie to be incredibly eye opening and I enjoyed having to research the history surrounding the film and, ultimately, the state of the nation during what was my childhood. American History X is a film that depicts a traditional white family in the mid 1990s, but spot lights the two brothers’ journeys into maturity. The movie focuses on the older brother Derek, played by Edward Norton, and how Derek’s Neo-Nazi associations in his life greatly influence his younger brother Danny, played by Edward Furlong. Fueled by rage of his father’s death, the film opens with a scene of Derek brutally killing three young black men who were attempting to steal his father’s truck. Derek is then sent to prison for 3 years during which time his younger brother Danny begins to follow in Derek’s footsteps with the Neo-Nazi organization. The movie flips between black-and-white scenes of the past and color scenes of the present. The black-and-white flashbacks attempt to illuminate Danny’s perception of Derek’s past life while intermittently presenting how Derek overcame is his own hatred. The color scenes portray the present and highlight the effects the hatred has had on the entire family. Overall, the movie critiques on not only the effects of urban racism and bigotry, but a lso the how minds of young people are so impressionable. The film even succeeds in creating a sense of sympathy for characters that are typically hated, Neo-Nazi racist skinheads, and paints them not as foolish, uneducated racist bigots, but instead as misguided intelligent human beings. On the surface the film discusses racism, violence, and bigotry, but upon closer examination I found a deeper message within the film. Watching it a second time, I realized that this film is really emphasizing the lack of critical thinking skills in young people, particularly in teenagers and young adults and how impressionable their minds are. Then, upon further research related to those very topics it touches on in the film, I discovered that the entire movie itself actually harbors an obscure form of racism that was reflected in many movies throughout the 1990s. Needless to say, even in today’s society we deal with these same issues of racism and intolerance for other people’s beliefs. However, within the most recent years it has evolved to focus more on the gay, lesbian and transgender community. History certainly can be seen as repeating itself as many of the arguments that gays and lesbians make regarding their civil rights and discrimination almost mirror the same arguments made back in the 1960s during the civil right movement. Reverend Dr. Phil Snider made this connection so blatantly clear in his speech that went viral on YouTube that he gave before the Springfield City Council of Missouri just a few weeks ago. In his speech, Dr. Snider cleverly took quotes directly from speeches given by white preachers in favor of racial segregation in the 1950 and 1960s and merely substituted select words and inserted ‘gays and lesbians’ (â€Å"Preacher Phil Snider Gives Interesting Gay Rights Speech†). I think the twist of his speech highlights the main issues regarding any form of racism and discrimination and they most certainly could be applied to the issues of racism that America faced in the 1990s. The 1990s was saturated with debates over, court cases involving and numerous media outlets centering on the issues of racism and affirmative action. In May of 1992, Newsweek printed an article entitled â€Å"The Crossroads of Shattered Dreams† that summarized the conflicts of racism in the early 90s stating, â€Å"white[s] charge that affirmative action is unfair†¦blacks respond that it was unfair for them to be starved of opportunities by 300 years of slavery and discrimination.† That same year, the verdict of Rodney King’s case outraged the black community and sparked riots lasting six days with over 2,000 people injured and 55 people killed (â€Å"Riots Erupt in Los Angeles†). In March of 1996, the three white law school candidates charged that they were unfairly discriminated against and rejected for entrance into the school for less qualified minorities in the famous case Hopwood v. Texas Law School (â€Å"Hopwood v. University Texas Law School †). Just prior to the release of American History X in 1998, California enacted Proposition 209, which amended the state’s constitution to ban preferential treatment of any persons based on race or gender in public sector education, employment, and contracting (Parker). All of these enormously impactful events and numerous others shaped much of the discrimination that occurred in the 1990s. In fact, sociological research confirms â€Å"discrimination is more often the result of organizational practices that have unintentional effects† or predispositions â€Å"linked to social stereotypes and does not so much stem from individual prejudices† (Tomaskovic-Devey). Nevertheless, the culmination of these types of incidents led to a demand for Hollywood to â€Å"headline positive characters of color† (Hughey 549). Producers and directors felt pressure to make-up for their own history of racist filmmaking and, consequently, this also gave rise to the development of a veiled type of racism within films referred to by Hughey himself as the â€Å"cinethetic racism†(550). Cinethetic racism in the 1990s was typically found in films that have a black character whose purpose in the film is to support the white protagonist. Typically this black character, coined the â€Å"magical Negro† by Hughey, was portrayed as the voice of reason, or having some other type wisdom, within the film and who selflessly helps the white character achieve his goals. â€Å"These films rest on friendly, helpful, bend-over-backwards black characters that do not seek to change their own impoverished status, but instead exhibit a primordial, hard-wired desire to use their magical power to correct the wrongs in a white world† (Hughey 556). The concept expressed in this quote is clearly evident in the film American History X during the many scenes of Derek in prison working in the laundry room with Lamont, a friendly black prisoner who attempts to befriend him. Eventually Derek is able let down his guard and the future interactions between them usually consist of Lamo nt humorously explaining how things work within the prison. There is one scene, however, that does somewhat contradict this concept of a â€Å"magical Negro† and, instead, causes Derek to experience a form of guilt. This contradiction is depicted in the scene of Lamont and Derek working in the laundry room and Derek very genuinely asks Lamont why he is in prison. Lamont explains how he was sentenced for assault on a police officer because he accidently dropped a TV on the officer’s foot that he was trying to steal. Derek initially resists and jokingly asks Lamont to tell the truth, but Lamont insists that he did not assault the police officer and only dropped the TV on the officer’s foot. This is the pivotal moment within the movie that shows Derek’s guilt and sympathy for the first time towards a black person. I think this is the most important scene throughout the entire film because it gives the audience exactly what they want: they want to see Derek experience this epiphany and for him to recognize how he has perpetuated discrimination against black people. But it does not take very long for the film to revert right back into the traditional cinethetic racist ways. In Derek’s last interaction with Lamont, the audience learns that during Derek’s stay within prison Lamont was protecting him from further beatings and rape after Derek chose to no longer affiliate with the Neo-Nazis within the prison. That scene ultimately preserves the concept of the â€Å"magical Negro† and that black people have this underlying desire to serve to the needs of white people. I liken this idea of cinethetic racism to what actors refer to the subtext of a script. Normally, the subtext refers to the underlying motives of a particular character, but this concept of cinethetic racism is like the â€Å"subtext† of an entire film. â€Å"Of greatest critical concern is how [magical Negro] films advantageously shore up white supremacist and normative orders while ostensibly posturing as an irreverent challenge to them† (Hughey 553). On the surface it appears to be a film that tries to defeat racism, but ironically there are hidden agendas that completely go against the moral of this story. Just as magical Negros are a disguised form of racism found in American films in the 1990s, there were also disguised forms of racism going on politically throughout the nation, more specifically in California. During the 1990s, racism and civil rights disputes were approaching the heights they reached in the civil rights era of the 1960s. However, after many decades of affirmative action policies attempting to right the wrongs minorities faced and with California experiencing an economic downturn, many whites became less tolerant of minorities receiving preferential treatment through affirmative action programs (Alvarez). Now the whites are claiming they were discriminated against in a form of â€Å"reverse discrimination.† What I find so interesting about the idea of â€Å"reverse discrimination† is that it implies that discrimination only naturally goes in one direction: whites against minorities. And, furthermore, that there will always be a certain level of racism, as if to suggest that there is a threshold for which it is acceptable, but also that it is the responsibility of the majority, white people, to keep it in check. Yet the moment any form of racism or discrimination is felt against whites, it is completely intolerable and demands political action. It was the supporters of Proposition 209 that argued that current affirmative action programs led public employers and universities to reject applicants because of their race, and that Proposition 209 would â€Å"return [us] to the fundamentals of our democracy,† as summarized in an article capturing the main arguments of Proposition 209 entitled â€Å"Prohibition Against Discrimination.† With in the same article it preached, â€Å"let us not perpetuate the myth that ‘minorities’ and women cannot compete without special preferences†¦vote for fairness not favoritism.† The fairness of Proposition 209 has been hotly debatably ever since it was enacted in 1997, but I think the dinner scene with Derek and his father in American History X most succinctly sums up the mindset of the many supporters of Proposition 209. The scene opens with a dinner table conversation between Derek and his father about the material he is learning for his English class. His father than expresses his distaste for such material with the following monologue: â€Å"All this stuff about making everything equal†¦ it’s not as easy as it looks†¦you gotta trade in great books for black books now? You gotta question these things Derek. We are not just talking about books here, we’re talking about my job. I got two blacks guys on my squad now that got their jobs over a couple of white guys who actually scored higher on the test. Does that make sense? They got their job because they were black not because they were the best? America’s about if you do your best you get the job†¦not this affirmative blacktion crap†¦.it’s nigger bullshit.† This dinner scene perfectly exemplifies the concept that 1) the moment whites feel they are being discriminated they instantly raise the red flag and 2) that â€Å"discrimination is more often the result of organizational practices that have unintentional effects [†¦] and does not so much stem from individual prejudices,† as I stated earlier. Another aspect that I find so interesting about American History X was how writer David McKenna was able to pull directly from real life situations to add dialogue into this screenplay. McKenna and Edward Norton actually rewrote a portion of the script quoting from Governor Pete Wilson’s speech advocating Proposition 209 in 1995 (Goldstein). More importantly, it was used in a scene where Derek is trying to energize a group of young skin heads before they vandalize a grocery store owned by minorities. I find it so ironic that the character of a racist Neo-Nazi was reciting actual words from a speech promoting the removal of affirmative actions polices that were, allegedly, intended to reduce discrimination and increase equality. When I discovered this tidbit of information I was completely blown away. I had no idea how closely this movie reflected real problems going on in society in the 1990s. McKenna’s use of Pete Wilson’s speech is clearly an example of art ref lecting reality, but Pete Wilson’s speech was not the only source from reality in which McKenna got his inspiration. McKenna grew up in Southern California, where the film story takes place, and personally witnessed bigotry and racism (Bruce). From his encounters and extensive research, McKenna decided that the point he tried â€Å"to make in the script is that a person is not born a racist†¦[McKenna] wanted an accurate portrayal of how good kids from good families can get so terribly lost† (Bruce). Personally, I think McKenna succeeded in having that be the main message of the film: the impressionability of a young mind and that all behaviors are learned. The film simultaneously follows Derek’s upbringing and how he becomes involved in the Neo-Nazi organization and how his involvement with that group greatly influenced his younger brother Danny. The dinner scene I detailed above is the key scene from McKenna’s screenplay that supports the idea that racism is a learned behavior stemmed from outside organizational practices. However, despite how well received the movie was and the numerous nominations Edward Norton received for his performance, that is not the original message the director intended. Tony Kaye was the director of American History X and, ironically, he also turned out to be a major competing persuasive force throughout the entire film making process. Kaye battled with directors, producers, writer David McKenna and Edward Norton himself claiming that New Line Cinema never allowed him to create his vision of the film going as far as to take out full page ads in trade magazines bashing the film and even requested to have his name removed from the film entirely and replaced with the pseudonym â€Å"Humpy Dumpty† (Goldstein). In a statement made shortly after the film’s release, Kaye contended that Edward Norton edited a majority of the film in order to increase his screen time in the film and that the producers did not allow Kaye an â€Å"opportunity to present a black voice to provide depth and balance to the film† and furthered that he wanted the film to be an â€Å"homage to free speech and responsibility† (Leinberger). I think the main reason why Kaye’s original vision never made it to the film was because it clashed so much with McKenna’s original message. McKenna wrote the film based off of his personal experience witnessing acts of racisms in Southern California in throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Whereas, Kaye is not only much older than McKenna, but grew up in United Kingdom and had only been living in the United states for a few years before he got involved in the film at all, and, therefore, did not quite have the same outlook for the script (Topel). It should also be noted that this was Kaye’s first feature film and his previous directing experience came from extensive work with TV commercials and music videos (Goldstein). And while McKenna himself may not have been directly involved during the filming process, as most writers are not, I think Edward Norton and the producers all believed in and followed McKenna’s vision because of how much it related to the struggles that America was facing at that time. This is not to suggest that Kaye’s vision for the film was wrong, but that producers have to consider what the audience wants and expects to see. From studying American History X, I have learned how racism evolved in a very peculiar fashion. As racism, specifically towards black people, became less and less accepted by whites over the last 150 years, certain segments of society seemed to find ways to continue a small, but undeniable level of racism since it was no longer socially acceptable among the general population to outwardly express it with for instance, lynching. Racism and discrimination has certainly come a long way over the last sixty years, but it has definitely not been eradicated. In fact, some would argue that now whites are beginning to experience a type of â€Å"reverse discrimination† due unforeseen effects from affirmative action programs. In regards to American films however, one would have to sit down personally with directors and producers of 1990s films to determine if they intentionally created these magical Negro characters in order to perpetuate racism. Aside from the fact that it is highly unlikely that anyone would ever openly admit to that, I personally think that cinethetic racism and the magical Negro were just an unintended consequence of a fad that was going on throughout Hollywood at the time, the fad being to have black people portray certain qualities of wisdom and â€Å"magical powers† within films. In either case, it is very curious that a movie such as America History X meets the qualifications for cinethetic racism. In my opinion, for a film that was intended to enlighten the audience of the problem of racism in America, yet ultimately perpetuated a veiled version of it, could no more flawlessly fit into this concept of cinethetic racism. Also, the argument of whether or not reality reflects art or if art reflects reality is just as frustrating to argue as whether the chicken or the egg came first. But in the case for this film, I would contend that American History X, art, is reflecting reality. In fact, the notion behind cinethetic racism and the magical Negro tie in so neatly with the arguments for Proposition 209 and Gov. Pete Wilson’s speech that it is just uncanny. With a closer look into both, one can see that each share their own masked form of racism veiled as though whites are helping minorities. Art was imitating the subversive racism that was occurring in r eality. As an actor myself, I think it is unfortunate for director Tony Kaye that, for whatever reason, he was not able to get his original vision of the film produced. I think because of the numerous racially historical events that were occurring the 1990s that producing a movie which centered on the freedom of speech around racism as Kaye originally intended, was the last thing any audience wanted to watch in a theatre. All in all, I think film did a fabulous job highlighting historical events and attitudes going on throughout society during the 1990s, despite the fact that the film may be perpetuating racism at a subversive level. Works Cited American History X. Dir. Tony Kaye. Perf. Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. New Line Cinemas, 1998. Film. Alvarez, R. Michael, and Lisa G. Bedolla. â€Å"The Revolution Against Affirmative Action in California: Racism, Economics, and Proposition 209.† State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4.1 (2004): 1-17. Sage Publications, Inc. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. Bruce, David. â€Å"Racism in America=Hating Others.† American History X: A Hollywood Jesus Film Review. HollywoodJesus.com, n. d. Web. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . Goldstein, Patrick. â€Å"Courting Trouble.† Edward Norton Information Page. N.p., 13 1998. Web. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Hopwood v. University of Texas Law School†. Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012 . Hughey, Matthew W. â€Å"White Redemption and Black Stereotypes in â€Å"Magical Negro† Films.† Social Problems 56.3 (2009): 543-77. www.jstor.org. University of California Press, 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . Leinberger, Gisela. â€Å"Film Director Tony Kaye Makes Statement at Berlin’s Brandenberg Gate; Director of ‘American History X’ Speaks to Film’s Issues.† PR News Wire. N.p., n. d. Web. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . Parker, Beth H. â€Å"The Impact of Proposition 209 on Education, Employment and Contracting.† ERA: Prop 209 Impact. Equal Rights Advocates, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. . Preacher Phil Snider Gives Interesting Gay Rights Speech. Perf. Rev. Dr. Phil Snider. Www.YouTube.com. YouTube, 13 Aug. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Prohibition Against Discrimination or Preferential Treatment by State and Other Public Entities. Initiative Constitutional Amendment..† California’s 1996 General Election Web Site! . N.p., n. d. Web. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Riots erupt in Los Angeles.† 2012. The History Channel website. Oct 21 2012 . Tomaskovic-Devey, Donald, and Patricia Warren. â€Å"Explaining and Eliminating Racial Profiling.† Contexts. American Sociological Association, 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. . Topel, Fred. â€Å"Interview with Lake of Fire Filmmaker Tony Kaye.† About.com Oct 21 2012. Whitaker, Mark. â€Å"A Crisis Of Shattered Dreams.† Newsweek. 5 1991: 1. Web. 19 Oct. 2012..

jungle essays

jungle essays The Jungle, written by Upton Sinclair in 1905, the author supports Socialism over Capitalism and used the struggle to keep the house in order to portray the evils of Capitalism on the family and the society in General. The struggle to buy the house and to try keeping it is a symbol of unity in the family represented by the house, which they battle against Capitalism to try to keep it. It takes virtually all their money to get the house, and it will take almost all to keep it. Jurgis worked in Durhams earning about one dollar and nineteen cents a day. The rest of the family worked in other similar jobs to support each other and the house. The industries and bosses who ran them took their toll on what the employees salary would be. This entire Capitalistic environment exploited the worker and used every ounce of the worker just like the pigs in order to help the companies make money. Their constant struggle to work and keep the house was overwhelming and little by little it became more difficult. Here was Durhams, for instance, owned by a man who was trying to make as much money out of it as he could, and did not care in the least how he did it; and underneath him, ranged in ranks and grades like a n army, were managers and superintendents and foremen, each one driving the man below him and trying to squeeze out of him as much work as possible.(63) Socialism is always a win-win situation for everyone in which the community help amongst each other. Whereas in Capitalism, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and the rich manipulate the hard working men to their benefit. The hours worked were inflexible and not safe. Workers would be rushed to work faster increasing the chance of an accident to occur. The working conditions were unsanitary, dreadful, and dangerous. Even kids under the age of sixteen had to work to help the family. Basically, being a decent working person at that time was not enoug ...

Learn About the Central Asian Country of Afghanistan

Learn About the Central Asian Country of Afghanistan Population: 28,395,716 (July 2009 estimate)Capital: KabulArea: 251,827 square miles (652,230 sq km)Bordering Countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and UzbekistanHighest Point: Noshak at 24,557 feet (7,485 m)Lowest Point: Amu Darya at 846 feet (258 m) Afghanistan, officially called the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a large landlocked country located in Central Asia. About two-thirds of its land is rugged and mountainous and much of the country is sparsely populated. Afghanistans people are very poor and the country has recently been working to achieve political and economic stability despite the reemergence of the Taliban, following its fall in 2001. Afghanistans History Afghanistan was once a part of the ancient Persian Empire but was conquered by Alexander the Great in 328 B.C.E. In the 7th century, Islam arrived in Afghanistan after Arab peoples invaded the area. Several different groups then tried to run Afghanistans lands until the 13th century when Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire invaded the area. The Mongols controlled the area until 1747 when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded what is present-day Afghanistan. By the 19th century, Europeans began entering Afghanistan when the British Empire expanded into the Asian subcontinent and in 1839 and 1878, there were two Anglo-Afghan wars. At the end of the second war, Amir Abdur Rahman took control of Afghanistan but the British still played a role in foreign affairs. In 1919, Abdur Rahmans grandson, Amanullah, took control of Afghanistan and began a third Anglo-Afghan war after invading India. Shortly after the war began however, the British and Afghans signed the Treaty of Rawalpindi on August 19, 1919 and Afghanistan officially became independent. Following its independence, Amanullah attempted to modernize and incorporate Afghanistan into world affairs. Beginning in 1953, Afghanistan again closely aligned itself with the former Soviet Union. In 1979, though, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and installed communist group in the country and occupied the area with its military occupation until 1989. In 1992, Afghanistan was able to overthrow Soviet rule with its mujahideen guerrilla fighters and established an Islamic Jihad Council that same year to take over Kabul. Shortly thereafter, the mujahideen began having ethnic conflicts. In 1996, the Taliban then began rising in power in an attempt to bring stability to Afghanistan. However, the Taliban imposed strict Islamic rule on the country which lasted until 2001. During its growth in Afghanistan, the Taliban took many rights from its people and caused tensions throughout the world after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 because it allowed Osama bin Laden and other Al-Qaida members to remain in the country. In November 2001, after United States military occupation of Afghanistan, the Taliban fell and its official control of Afghanistan ended. In 2004, Afghanistan had its first democratic elections and Hamid Karzai became Afghanistans first president via election. Government of Afghanistan Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic that is divided into 34 provinces. It has executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Afghanistans executive branch consists of a head of government and chief of state, while its legislative branch is a bicameral National Assembly made up of the House of Elders and the House of People. The judicial branch is comprised of a nine member Supreme Court and High Courts and Appeals Courts. Afghanistans most recent Constitution was ratified on January 26, 2004. Economics and Land Use in Afghanistan Afghanistans economy is currently recovering from years of instability but it is considered one of the poorest nations in the world. Most of the economy is based on agriculture and industry. Afghanistans top agricultural products are opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins and lambskins; while its industrial products include textiles, fertilizer, natural gas, coal and copper. Geography and Climate of Afghanistan Two-thirds of Afghanistans terrain consists of rugged mountains. It also has plains and valleys in the northern and southwestern regions. The valleys of Afghanistan are its most populated areas and much of the countrys agriculture takes place either here or on the high plains. Afghanistans climate is arid to semiarid and has very hot summers and very cold winters. More Facts about Afghanistan Afghanistans official languages are Dari and Pashto Life expectancy in Afghanistan is 42.9 years Only ten percent of Afghanistan is below 2,000 feet (600 m) Afghanistans literacy rate is 36% References Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, March 4). CIA - the World Factbook - Afghanistan. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html Geographica World Atlas Encyclopedia. 1999. Random House Australia: Milsons Point NSW Australia. Infoplease. (n.d.). Afghanistan: History, Geography, Government, Culture -Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107264.html United States Department of State. (2008, November). Afghanistan (11/08). Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm

A Comparative Analysis of Two Texts Related to Gender Studies of Youth Essay

A Comparative Analysis of Two Texts Related to Gender Studies of Youth in London - Essay Example The researcher states that while both of these studies are gender related, each approaches the problem from a distinctly different viewpoint. In fact, both these studies covering aspects of gender and their reverberations in the social and cultural context of British society have started off from a historical and cultural perspective. Both comment on the changes that have occurred in the external environment that have an impact on how today’s youth think and feel. Included also is the change brought about by individualism, consumerism and the economic difficulties in making ends meet. The importance or uselessness of education, the need for money and the need to explore choices and have a good time are all covered being aspects of today’s teenager’s lives. They are confused and distraught at the lack of guidance that will enable them to achieve their dreams and aspirations, and look for true and valuable input that really makes logical sense rather than being sol d courses that may or may not pay off in the long run. The second study by Francis makes special mention of the ethnic background of the children studied in three schools across the social strata Vietnamese Asians, Chinese, Indian and Afro-Caribbean children are mentioned. Elements of culture are also visible in classifications of the males as macho lads, academic achievers, new enterprisers and real Englishmen from the British perspective as compared to conformists, innovators, retreatists and rebels from an Afro-Caribbean viewpoint. Reasons for the Research and its Significance in the Social and Historical Context Although both books can be regarded as gender studies in their own right a review of each shows that these studies have a very different genesis and raison d’etre. While the Francis study is limited to boys and girls of adolescent ages and their achievements in a classroom context, the Ball et al. study has a distinctly wider perspective and reach. It touches upon choices relating to post high school primarily relating to work and employment. So in a sense the Ball study starts where the Francis study ends. Nevertheless, both studies it can be seen have their own utility and impact on life in the classroom and on the route to work and employment. Although the context and duration of the Francis study is limited to achievements in the classroom, it also relates the fact that gender discrimination can be seen here in various contexts and must be reduced. It is commendable that some changes have been evident since the 1990s, where boys and girls achievements in the GSCE examinations have been decreasing. Similarly we find that even out at work, there still exists a glass ceiling for females in management, disciplines like teaching and nursing are female dominated, and females are paid less than males for similar work. Added to this is the fact that a married woman has to play the role of wife, mother, office worker, cook, carer and confidante f or her boss, family and kids in the course of 24 hours day after day. Admittedly all this is changing in the modern era where we have househusbands and working wives- but the work culture is still male dominated and will take some

The Anti-War Message Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Anti-War Message - Essay Example In terms of style, both authors definitely differ and this can be attributed also to the fact that the historical context of the novel and poem are not the same. In terms of substance also these works have differences, which derive from the difference in social, emotional, and historical context in which the characters exist. But more significantly, the differences also stem from the fact the involvement of these authors in the war that they are protesting against also differs. Nevertheless, both these writers have been able to articulate their opposition to the war in a profound manner through the portrayal of appropriate characters and situations in their works. â€Å"In the Lake of the Woods† narrates the story of an individual’s struggle to deal with the memories of the Vietnam War even after it draws to a conclusion. One can consider O’Brien to be an authority on the subject as he has served in Vietnam as an infantryman during the war. He not only has witnes sed the bloodshed but he has been directly involved in it. Thus, O’Brien also shares the trauma that other American servicemen experienced while fighting a war, which they believe is unjustified and futile. The feeling of guilt a soldier suffers, for engaging in a war that he opposes, becomes palpable due to the intensity of his personal experience. The readers are able to connect with the story more actively as the author’s opposition to the war is presented through the perspective of the soldier and not from the vantage point of the anti-war activists, who were more popular during the times when the Vietnam War was at its peak. Thus, his arguments against the war, founded on psychological and emotional manifestations, remain highly credible and convincing. He may have cited J W Appel and G W Beebe when he writes, â€Å"Psychiatric casualties are as inevitable as gunshot and shrapnel wounds in warfare† (O’Brien 27). However, he does not because he believ es that such a conclusion is intellectually accurate. He has seen his comrades suffer psychological problems resulting from the war and he himself may have experienced the anguish of going through such mental agonies. John Wade, the main character in the story, can be construed as a personification of O’Brien’s argument against the war. It must be emphasized though that such argument are best defended and promoted only when psychological issues arise, which obviously occur after the individual returns home from battlefront. This condition, which is often regarded as post-traumatic stress disorder, can be devastating to an individual. On the other hand, the conditions surrounding Julia Alvarez are much different to those of O’Brien. Her poem, â€Å"How I Learned to Sweep,† is greatly influenced by these. Alvarez looks at the war from the perspective of a non-participant. She finds the war disgusting not because it directly affects her personally. She does not suffer psychological or emotional traumas arising from a war but she does perceive the violence and bloodshed that soldiers have to go through while fighting a war. Whereas O’Brien witnesses the horrors that his fellow soldiers go through, Alvarez expresses pity for both the fighters and civilians caught in the war. O’Brien’s work is the result of his empathy while Alvarez displays sympathy in her poem when she writes, â€Å"I swept all the harder when/ I watched a dozen of them die.† Obviously, the poet is illustrating her reaction on the sight of so much death. Alvarez