The Presentation of Isolation in Jane Eyre

Isolation in Jane Eyre and the Wide Sargasso Sea. The theme of isolation is explored in Bronte’s novel; Jane Eyre. This theme is also developed in The Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys. Both pieces present different types of isolation, such as isolation due to location and the isolation of a character due to their social status, such as Jane’s status as a governess. The various ways in which isolation is present in each of the texts show how inescapable and unavoidable isolation is for the characters in both Jane Eyre and The Wide Sargasso, with it being present in such a large way in their lives.Physical isolation is present in both texts, with Jane in Jane Eyre and Antoinette in the Wide Sargasso Sea experiencing absolute isolation from society due to their location. In Jane Eyre, Jane experiences such isolation in chapter II when her outburst toward her cousin and patriarch of Gateshead Hall, John Reed, results in her being confined to ‘the red room’. Bron te writes ‘it was silent, because remote from the nursery; solemn, because it was know to be so seldom entered’.This description highlights the extent of the physical separation Jane faces whilst in the room. She is far away from any other beings, being unable to even hear other people, and with little possibility of the room being visited; it suggests there is little hope of escape from the separation from society she is presented with. By saying the room was ‘silent’, it reiterates the idea that Jane was isolated from all things and this highlights its severity and alienates Jane as she is out of touch with her surroundings, and the world.It is clear that this isolation is effective enough to have a negative impact on an individual, as Mrs Reed knowingly uses it as a punishment; this suggests that the isolation is severe. Separation for those who had committed atrocities was seen as apt in this period of 19th century Britain, as it was during this decade that ‘The Separate System’ was being introduced. John Howard proposed that in prisons, criminals must be isolated and alone, as it was felt that they must have time alone to ‘stew in their thoughts’, and to be separated from others to avoid influencing innocent people.The system, although having been used before, was taken up in many households as a punishment. This suggests that the separation from the Reed children, as Mrs Reed had ensured, was due to her fear that Jane would have a negative influence on her children, for fear that they too would learn her ‘ways of the devil’. A review of Jane Eyre, claimed ‘There is a low tone of behaviour (rather than of morality) in the book’, reiterating the point that Jane’s isolation was used to correct her behaviour.Jane’s desperation to escape is shown when she screams ‘Take me out! Let me go into the nursery! ’, and her desire to end her isolation is resultant in her hysteria, attempting to use methods such as violence and pleading to escape her separation. In The Wide Sargasso Sea, Annette and her family inhabit an isolated residence, and subsequently, due to their location, also face separation from society, much like in Jane Eyre.The house owned by Antoinette’s mother is rarely visited, Antoinette is aware of this blatant lack of interaction with other individuals as she asked ‘why so few people came to see us’, suggesting their isolation was severe enough to indicate, even to a child, that their isolation was not common. As Annette responds, it becomes clear that this is due to their geographical location, with the roads leading from Spanish town to their Coulibri estate in need of repair, they limit the accessibility of the residence to visitors and therefore , social interaction.When Annette’s horse, which she uses to attempt to escape the isolated area, dies, she claims ‘we are marooned’. The hyperbole used demonstrates her exasperation and desperation as she is confined to such an isolated area. The term ‘Marooned’ paints a picture of an island, again a piece of land geographical separate from society. This term also demonstrates how helpless she feels in the situation, and suggests she is unable to see a means of escape. It also presents the idea that the separation her family experiences is potentially dangerous.Evidence of isolation due to a characters place, or position, in society can be found in both novels. Bronte demonstrates the isolation Jane inflicts upon herself, coming as a result of her awareness of her place in society, in the Chapter 17 of Jane Eyre, which tells of Mr Rochester’s return from his unexpected departure to Gateshead hall, accompanied by numerous guests enjoying a social stay, comprising mainly of games and dinners. Jane intentionally separates herself from Mr Rochester’s prestigious guests as they gather in the st udy after dinner.After firstly declining her master’s request for her company, anticipating the isolation she will face, stemming from her inferiority in her class, she then goes on to separate herself. Bronte uses the first person narrative to reveal Jane’s feelings, such as in the narrative â€Å"I sit in the shade-if any shade there be in this brilliantly-lit apartments; the window-curtain half hides me†. This demonstrates Jane’s need to physically isolate herself from the party, attempting to not only isolate herself from their conversation with a book, but furthermore their presence, trying to hide.This also indicates her vulnerability, which contrasting with the confidence of the other women. This isolates her further. By saying ‘half hides me’ her reservations are highlighted, shown in the word ‘half’. This demonstrates how unsure she is about her position in society and the level of isolation she should therefore inflict upon herself, which reflects the confusion surrounding the matter in society in 19th century Britain. As a governess, Jane holds a position in society which, during this period, was unclear, as governesses were of the same class as their masters and their peers, but did not hold the same level of wealth.As a result, people serving as governesses would often suffer separation and alienation from those in higher and lower classes as they struggled to determine how to act toward beings in such occupations, Miss Ingram’s mother stating â€Å"don't mention governesses; the word makes me nervous†. Bronte was fully aware of such struggles faced by governesses at this time and wrote in a letter to a friend that his daughter ‘would be very unhappy as a governess’.This suggests Bronte’s knowledge of governesses’ were genuine, as she exerts this knowledge in her personal life. The idea of a struggle to be included is reiterated when the wealthy characte rs talk about Jane as though she isn’t there, which is unusual social behaviour to exert toward those of the same class; â€Å"I noticed her; I am a judge of physiognomy, and in hers I see all the faults of her class. This only furthers Jane’s isolation and separation from the party. Resulting from this place in society and her inferiority in wealth, Jane’s ‘plain grey dress’ contrasts with the extravagant and expensive attires of the other females â€Å"Her black satin dress, her scarf of rich foreign lace, and her pearl ornaments†, furthering her blatant separation and isolation from such a group of people through even her clothing. The Wide Sargasso Sea also presents the theme of isolation due to place in society.Antoinette’s mother, Annette and her spouse were previously slave owners. As a result of this, they are the only white people in the almost solely black community of Coulibri. Slaves in the 19th century were common and wer e often subject to harsh treatment and laborious tasks set by their owners. This would subsequently result in bitterness toward those who had enslaved them, bitterness which drives one man to suicide in The Wide Sargasso Sea.In chapter one of The Wide Sargasso Sea, Antoinette talks about the late man’s house, ‘soon the black people said it was haunted, they wouldn’t go near it. And no one came near us’, groups the family with a house the black community think of as haunted. This suggests that Antoinette feels the black community also believe her family to be alienated and viewed as though from a different world, something to be feared and avoided. By saying ‘near us’, the severity of the isolation they faced is highlighted, with people refusing to even get remotely close to them.This is more severe that Jane’s isolation in chapter 17, in the sense that she is still in the company of others, with Antoinette and Annette rarely experiencin g this, furthermore Jane’s isolation is partly self-inflicted, whereas in The Wide Sargasso Sea, the two desperately wish to escape the isolation they faced, eventually seeking an escape in marriage, however, some could argue Jane’s isolation is consistent throughout her life, having no family, this type of isolation, unlike that faced in her situation in chapter 17, is not self inflicted.Isolation is a theme explored in both Jane Eyre and The Wide Sargasso Sea, with both texts sharing many similarities, in the severity of the isolation faced by characters in each piece for example, and many differences, such as the way in which characters of both novels escaped such loneliness.

Demonstrative Communication Paper

Andrea Dunn Individual Assignment week 2 BCOM/275 Version 1 Tim Wolfe October 30, 2011 Demonstrative communication dates way back before birth as well as before our parents were born and will continue to be of great importance throughout history this paper will attempt to explain how it involves both listening and responding, can be effective or ineffective, positive or negative for the sender and receiver. Non- verbal cues are used in everyday interactions and can often times speak louder than verbal communication. Think back to childhood how momma’s eye contact was understood nothing had to be said and what she wanted was done just by the look she gave. How about in school the raising of hands to answer a question/ask a question? teachers understand these gestures. The same is true in business managers and employees communicate frequently through expectations; for instance the time clock employees want to be paid so they punch the clock. Managers want to acknowledge punctual employees so they review time sheets generated from time clocks. In essence demonstrative communication is of great importance and is an essential part of communication. Listening to music can involve demonstrative communication the receiver (the listener) hears the music and responds to the sender by body motions such as dancing, bobbing of feet, snapping fingers, tapping feet and so forth these movements help the sender to understand that the music is being enjoyed. Let’s look at a lawyer by the name of Belli whom effectively used demonstrative communication by using visual aids and demonstrative materials in the court room. Consider this excerpt from Visual Materials with a point; Belli used scale models to check clearance distances on highway accidents, he even brought a patient who weighed four hundred pounds up to the second floor of a courtroom by means of an outdoor lift because he could not be brought in through a first floor entrance all in an effort to show by actual presence what he could not describe verbally. † (pg. 16). The forms of demonstrative communication/materials which Belli (the sender) used had a positive effect on the jurors (the receivers) because they were able to understand at a profound level. If not careful there are instances where the use of demonstrative communication can be ineffective. A commentary not dated gave some â€Å"practical tips and tactics for maximizing and leveraging demonstrative exhibits† let’s examine number 14 from the commentary it states; â€Å"Know your audience† Daniel & Lance (n. d). Having no prior knowledge of the audience you plan to address could prove to be ineffective. For instance the audience of a traffic police is all drivers including bicyclists. A non-verbal cue when interpreted correctly helps traffic to be directed smoothly avoiding accidents. The examples used throughout this paper are just a few instances to describe demonstrative communication. There are much more examples not shown here the point is what is understood physically (facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions) don’t have to be said. Closing thoughts showing an awareness of non-verbal cues will have a winning effect with communication. Learn to pay attention to facial expressions it will give a better chance of figuring out the meaning behind the message the sender attempts to send through words. Your eye contact can help to gain trust; as not properly knowing when to use touch can cause barriers to trust. Demonstrative communication dates way back before birth as well as before our parents were born and will continue to be of great importance throughout history. Let’s put more thought into non-verbal cues to heighten understanding and cooperation amongst one another. Senders and receivers are in tuned with the communication process by â€Å"determining what they hope to achieve, Identifying the key points, considering the reaction, determining what channel to use, deliverance, ensure the message was received and understood, receive and interpret the response to the message, then decide f further communication is necessary† bcom275 r1 (2011). Communication is an essential part of life; knowledge of the correct use of demonstrative communication will go further than words could express and barriers will be lifted so listening and responding will no longer be a mystery and communication will be more effective and positive vs. ineffective and negative. References Bcom275_r1_the communication process Retrieved from OLS at Phoenix Daniel Wolfe and Lance, J. (n. d). Commentary: Tactics, ethical considerations in Leveraging demonstrations. Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, Retrieved from Ebscohost Palzer, E. (1962). Visual Materials with a point. Today’s speech, 10(2), 15-27, Retrieved From Ebscohost Demonstrative Communication Paper Andrea Dunn Individual Assignment week 2 BCOM/275 Version 1 Tim Wolfe October 30, 2011 Demonstrative communication dates way back before birth as well as before our parents were born and will continue to be of great importance throughout history this paper will attempt to explain how it involves both listening and responding, can be effective or ineffective, positive or negative for the sender and receiver. Non- verbal cues are used in everyday interactions and can often times speak louder than verbal communication. Think back to childhood how momma’s eye contact was understood nothing had to be said and what she wanted was done just by the look she gave. How about in school the raising of hands to answer a question/ask a question? teachers understand these gestures. The same is true in business managers and employees communicate frequently through expectations; for instance the time clock employees want to be paid so they punch the clock. Managers want to acknowledge punctual employees so they review time sheets generated from time clocks. In essence demonstrative communication is of great importance and is an essential part of communication. Listening to music can involve demonstrative communication the receiver (the listener) hears the music and responds to the sender by body motions such as dancing, bobbing of feet, snapping fingers, tapping feet and so forth these movements help the sender to understand that the music is being enjoyed. Let’s look at a lawyer by the name of Belli whom effectively used demonstrative communication by using visual aids and demonstrative materials in the court room. Consider this excerpt from Visual Materials with a point; Belli used scale models to check clearance distances on highway accidents, he even brought a patient who weighed four hundred pounds up to the second floor of a courtroom by means of an outdoor lift because he could not be brought in through a first floor entrance all in an effort to show by actual presence what he could not describe verbally. † (pg. 16). The forms of demonstrative communication/materials which Belli (the sender) used had a positive effect on the jurors (the receivers) because they were able to understand at a profound level. If not careful there are instances where the use of demonstrative communication can be ineffective. A commentary not dated gave some â€Å"practical tips and tactics for maximizing and leveraging demonstrative exhibits† let’s examine number 14 from the commentary it states; â€Å"Know your audience† Daniel & Lance (n. d). Having no prior knowledge of the audience you plan to address could prove to be ineffective. For instance the audience of a traffic police is all drivers including bicyclists. A non-verbal cue when interpreted correctly helps traffic to be directed smoothly avoiding accidents. The examples used throughout this paper are just a few instances to describe demonstrative communication. There are much more examples not shown here the point is what is understood physically (facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions) don’t have to be said. Closing thoughts showing an awareness of non-verbal cues will have a winning effect with communication. Learn to pay attention to facial expressions it will give a better chance of figuring out the meaning behind the message the sender attempts to send through words. Your eye contact can help to gain trust; as not properly knowing when to use touch can cause barriers to trust. Demonstrative communication dates way back before birth as well as before our parents were born and will continue to be of great importance throughout history. Let’s put more thought into non-verbal cues to heighten understanding and cooperation amongst one another. Senders and receivers are in tuned with the communication process by â€Å"determining what they hope to achieve, Identifying the key points, considering the reaction, determining what channel to use, deliverance, ensure the message was received and understood, receive and interpret the response to the message, then decide f further communication is necessary† bcom275 r1 (2011). Communication is an essential part of life; knowledge of the correct use of demonstrative communication will go further than words could express and barriers will be lifted so listening and responding will no longer be a mystery and communication will be more effective and positive vs. ineffective and negative. References Bcom275_r1_the communication process Retrieved from OLS at Phoenix Daniel Wolfe and Lance, J. (n. d). Commentary: Tactics, ethical considerations in Leveraging demonstrations. Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, Retrieved from Ebscohost Palzer, E. (1962). Visual Materials with a point. Today’s speech, 10(2), 15-27, Retrieved From Ebscohost

A flat waterproof keyboard

Schedule: Available now. Due 03/09/2014 11:59 PM EDT Top of Form Question 1 Select one answer. 10 points If you use your desktop computer only for doing schoolwork, which input and output device combination would be best from the options below (considering the best combination of cost, screen resolution, and keyboard design)? a gaming keyboard and a 27 LCD monitor a foldable keyboard and a 15 LCD monitor a wireless keyboard and a 24 LED monitor a split-style keyboard and a 30 LED monitor Question 2 Select one answer. 10 points In a situation where a handicapped person can only input data into the computer using a stylus or light pen, which keyboard configuration might be the solution? A keyboard with internal lighting to support work in low-light conditions. A keypad that is projected on an external flat surface. A flat waterproof keyboard. A split-style keyboard that separates and angles groups of keys into right- and left-hand portions. Question 3 Select one answer. 10 points Which device would not be appropriate for holding data, instructions, and information for future use? 1Tb external hard drive. Cloud storage CD or DVD 8Gb RAM Question 4 Select one answer. 10 points You are considering using cloud storage as your primary system for saving your data. What advantages does this storage media have over using your system’s hard drive or some other external media (external hard drive, flash drive, R/W disks) for storing your data? The cloud storage provider ensures that you have a backup of your data. The data is more secure in cloud storage than on your own storage devices. Cloud storage is definitely less expensive than the cost of a hard drive or external devices. You can always get to your data from anywhere. Question 5 Select one answer. 10 points Which device would be used to hold data, instructions, and information for future use? flash drive cloud storage hard drive none of the above; these are volatile storage devices all of the above; these are nonvolatile storage devices Question 6 Select one answer. 10 points Which of the following can be considered an output device? dot matrix printer wireless mouse joystick virtual keyboard Question 7 Select one answer. 10 points In this diagram of a simple home network, what appears to be missing? a server a modem an adapter card a router Question 8 Select one answer. 10 points One of the major advantages of installing a wireless network is: It does not require a modem to access the Internet. It is initially more secure than a wired network. It provides more flexibility than a wired network. It is faster than a wired network. Question 9 Select one answer. 10 points If you are going to install a completely wireless network in your home, each computer must have: a router a wireless adapter card a modem an Ethernet card Question 10 Select one answer. 10 points If you are going to network two computers together using cable connections, each computer must have: a modem a router a wireless adapter card an Ethernet interface card Question 11 Select one answer. 10 points How is data entered into the computer? using any type of hardware component that conveys information to one or more people using an electronic device that controls the timing of all peripherals connected to the system unit using a hardware component that allows submission of data or instructions. using the circuit board that interfaces with all external components attached to the CPU Question 12 Select one answer. 10 points A webcam would be considered an input device. True False Bottom of Form Bottom of Form

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Reflection paper - Essay Example The truth is that by the end of the buildout phase most of the opportunities to get ahead of competitors are all but gone. One of the benefits of IT is that is can be easily transferred. Not surprisingly the cost of IT has also decreased greatly over the years in conjunction with its increased usage. Outsourcing is an important issue in our economy because there are pros and cons to be argued for its relevance. I can see why so many firms turn to outsourcing, and that is to reduce costs. This is naturally the number one goal of any organization, making the option to outsource work all the more appealing. On the downside, when outsourcing occurs overseas it can evoke strong reactions in home country customers. I think that outsourcing can be a high risk activity, and it is for this reason that it must be done very carefully. In a globalized world IT governance takes on increased importance, as it is often vital to the organizational success of a firm. Managers must understand IT governance because if done correctly it can reduce costs and risks but also help the company to gain a competitive business

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Case Study Example Wells Fargo must ensure that their upper level management pays close attention to the external environment with emphasis on governmental and legal changes to the industry standard. Wells Fargo has been in business since 1852. Their first office opened in San Francisco during the gold rush. The stage coach was used to transport gold and other valuables. Wells Fargo helped establish the Great Overland Mail service continuing to use the stagecoach but also adding steam ship, rail road, pony rider, and telegraph. From their humble beginnings they expanded from California to the rest of the nation. In 1910 they had 6,000 locations nationwide. Then the federal government took over due to the First World War leaving Wells Fargo with just their initial San Francisco location. Once again Wells Fargo was resistant and expanded again. By 1990 they gained back all of their locations across the nation. In the 1980’s Wells Fargo was the seventh largest bank in the nation. (Wells Fargo, 2011 ) Wells Fargo continued to expand throughout the Midwest with their merger with Norwest in 1998. The merger combined the largest bank presence on the West coast with the largest presence in the Midwest. After the merger the bank rated first in financial services in the western hemisphere, mortgage origination services, internet banking, agriculture lending, student loans, small business loans, commercial real estate, auto finance, and insurance agency sales. (Wells Fargo, 1998) Wells Fargo merged with Wachovia in 2009 gaining greater presence on the East coast and Southern states. Wells Fargo now had banking presence in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Core Products Banking Online Banking: Online banking includes mobile and text messaging banking. Wells Fargo offers standard online banking as well as applications for mobile devices and text banking. Currently three are 18.3 million active online banking customers. ATM Banking: Wells Fargo currently has 12,196 ATM’s. 8, 029 of these ATM’s are envelope free accepting checks and bills directly. We offer email receipts and transactions in seven different on screen language. Our ATM’s also feature voice instructions for visually impaired. The ATM’s are also used to market new products and services to the current customer base. Business Banking: Our business banking serves over 2.5 million businesses with annual revenues up to 20 million. Business banking also includes business lending through capital lines of credit, business credit cards, equipment loans, and commercial real estate loans. We offer merchant services and process $108 billion in annual credit card sales. Business payroll services are available as well as year end tax reporting services. Wholesale Banking: Wholesale banking is comprised of commercial banking, treasury management, receivables solutions, payments solutions, and technology solutions. Commercial banking offers solutions that are tailored to the middle mar ket businesses with annual revenues from $10-$750 million dollars. Government & Institutional Banking: This option provides solutions for government, education, health care, and nonprofit organizations. This can be split into education & nonprofit banking, government banking, health care financial services, public finance investment banking, and sales, trading,

Dissertation ;HOW EFFECTIVE ARE CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS IN CHANGING UK Essay

Dissertation ;HOW EFFECTIVE ARE CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS IN CHANGING UK CONSUMER ATTITUDES ABOUT VARIOUS CLOTHING BRANDS - Essay Example The paper has been based on two main objectives, i.e. Studying the consumer attitude towards brands and Studying the impact of the celebrity endorsements on UK customer attitudes in clothing industry. The paper has a major limitation as it lacks a qualitative research and is also focused on the low income group of the population. The research findings clearly highlight that a majority of the individuals are not impacted by the celebrity endorsements. Branding is one of the most essential aspects of any business. In the recent times, the main motif behind complete branding can be understood to be attempts to combine the customer preferences with the various diverse activities. The impact of celebrity endorsements on an overall brand specifically in the clothing industry is essential to understand and relate to. The form of marketing adopted by marketers significantly affect the consumer purchasing style and decisions. Fashion marketing is a complicated business process, much like any other industry, which involves everyone in the industry from manufacturing workers to the retail buyer. Clothing is produced, promoted using a variety of mediums, and ultimately delivered to the final buying segments. Once in the retail environment, the buyer instructs salespersons about new clothing merchandise, develops employee talents in selling and sales techniques, and generally has flexibility in deciding on specific fashions and designs (Care ers, 2005). All of these activities contribute to the process of ensuring that sales targets are met for both the manufacturer and the retail organisation which carries the fashion brands. In the UK alone, consumers spent  £46.2 billion on clothing in 2006 (Brand Strategy, 2008). Across the whole of Europe, consumers spent 311.6 billion Euros on clothing and fashion, representing a very profitable industry internationally. Marketers hence recognise this industry is very large and

International Strategic Supply Management Term Paper

International Strategic Supply Management - Term Paper Example It is the responsibility of the Management to encourage all positive activities by individuals that leads to the attainment of the organizational goals and discourage all negative activities that proves to hinder the attainment of the organizational goals. All managers must have a single minded focus on attainment of the organizational goals. The strategic management process means setting the strategy for the organization. It can also be defined as the process by which managers make a set of strategies that will enable the organization to perform better, leads towards goal accomplishment and attain distinctive competitive advantage over the competitors. Strategic management is the on going process that evaluates the business, market and industries in which the organization is involved, evaluates its competitors, and then set goals to meet all the present and future competitor’s and then re-evaluate each strategy made. organization culture, organization image, type of business, Organizational structure, Key staff, Access to natural resources, Operational efficiency, Operational capacity, competitors, Market share, Financial resources etc plays a great role in setting organization’s strategic management process. Financial market is a place which allows buying and selling activities, there are many manufacturers and consumers available in the market. There are many products available of same type hence that raises competition in the market. The organization must set strategies that will enable them to attain distinctive competitive advantage over their competitors. Organization must realize that in today’s world innovation is the key. As all the producers are constantly trying to get an edge over the other producers in market. The organization must have the best knowledge about the market before setting their Strategic

Bob Knowlton Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bob Knowlton - Case Study Example From tniks study it is clear that Bob should have been adequately prepared for the changes within the organization. Jerrold should have had communication with Bob outside of the work setting and possibly identified Bob's emotional problem with Fester. Communication between Bob and Jerrold was always focused on work and tasks that limited bob's ability to express his discomfort about Fester to Jerrold.As the discussion stresses it is important for members of staff to be involved in team building activities. Before Fester's arrival, the members of the lab did not have team building activities. Emphasis was put on tasks at the lab, and there was no cohesiveness between the staff. The relationships of the staff do not exist outside of the workplace, and this hinders the interpersonal development between the individuals of the group. As a result, the individuals of the group do not feel empowered, and this is worsened by the arrival of Fester. The group members feel that Fester is getting preferential treatment by Jerrold. Jerrold, on the other hand, does not efficiently communicate the role he has planned for Fester, leaving Bob feeling undermined and threatened as the leader of the lab.  Jerrold's passive leadership does not adequately prepare members of the lab for a change. Before Fester's arrival, Bob feels empowered and a valued member of the lab.  Bob was not aware of Fester's hiring and is taken by surprise. He was neither informed nor prepared for this change.

Russian Culture and Civilization under the Tsars Essay

Russian Culture and Civilization under the Tsars - Essay Example Each banner also has a cross on the support pole, again lending to a religious cause. The flags seem to symbolize peace in their beliefs, which is odd given the battle. Some figures do not carry banners; one holds a decorated wooden cross with rounded edges and a representation of Christ being crucified painted or etched into it. Another carries a flag with a representation of Christ on it, the white of the flag surrounded by unreadable red lettering. The back half of the flag is missing and aflame; it is burning in the hands of the carrier. One man in the back, behind the leading line of religious figures, holds a large bound book that may be a Bible, though there is no title on the cover. Another carries a lit candle, while at the other end of the religious figures, a woman holds a two-colored lamp of green and gold that is decorated with crosses on top, signifying her support for the religious cause behind this battle. The ages of those dressed in robes varies; a man with white ha ir and long beard stands facing the battling soldiers, holding a sword with determination and sadness in his eyes, but he does not actively attack. Some figures have elaborate gold embellishment on their robes, while others are clad in simple robes of white or light colors only. Others, as well, grown men of middle age, hold their own banners and flags or candles and look on with expressions of sadness and dismay, as though to say that they believe in their cause, but they worry and pray for the souls that will be lost. All the figures carrying religious banners or items appear to look alike, with their dark hair in the same style, as well as their facial hair, also all in the same style. Towards the back of the religious line, there is an older religious man with a cap, clad in blue; his expression is unreadable. An almost ethereal, heavenly glow appears to surround the persons that wear robes. In the front attacking line, a youthful boy clad all in white with no weapon in hand has an expression on his face of one that is in pain. This is most likely due to the soldier standing in front of him with his sword raised high, ready to strike; however, there is an absence of blood on the youth or the ground. The flag support being carried by the soldier closest to the walls has been broken, the sharp jagged ends sticking out. The flag itself is of a bright orange-red color with a white bird on it, possibly a dove or some other animal that is symbolized in religious writings. As with the banners, the flag has what appears to be a religious â€Å"figure† on top of the pole, cast in metal. The soldiers at the front of the walls are actively attacking the opposing army, with expressions ranging from fear to frenzied rage. All wield axes and strike with fury and vengeance. The soldiers look polished and clean, ready for battle. Others lie dead on the ground, their expressions ones of peace and serenity. All are clad in the same uniform with very slight difference in the attacking army uniforms vs. the opposing army; one must look carefully at the helmets to see that one is different from another. It is clear, however, from the expressions on some of the soldiers’ faces that they did not expect the strength or ferocity of the attackers to be so violent; their shock, fear, and horror are almost palpable. Some figures do not belong to either the religious group or the soldiers. Perhaps

What Kinds Of Psychological Transformation AA Members Undergo Essay

What Kinds Of Psychological Transformation AA Members Undergo - Essay Example Their mysterious 12-step program is promoted as one of the most effective methods for the treatment of addiction by many professionals and researchers. Ironically, nobody knows exactly how the steps work for addiction and why the method is so life changing for its members. What will AA members experience during the AA activity? The psychological transformation among AA members may answer this question. That is why we have to look at the 12-steps closely and study how it applies to alcoholics and their inner journey from seeking help, to conquering alcoholism, to achieve sobriety. A member who completed the 12-steps program is most likely to experience the whole psychological transformation as he achieves sobriety towards the end. The 12-steps and 12 traditions are the primary tenets of AA. The 12 traditions are known as the perspective of AA. This keeps AA anonymous, non-religious and non-profit. The 12 steps can be defined as a step-by-step program for members to follow. Once a member strictly follows the first step, then he can move on and begin with the second. After he goes through all steps and understand and embodies all of the steps, he will achieve long term sobriety. When a person participates in the program, he undergoes a great transformation than will lead him to stop drinking. Those experiences include admitting powerlessness, appeal for the â€Å"higher power†, confession and a new social relationship. Although the actual success rate of AA is hard to estimate, some researchers have found realistic data to reflect how AA succeeds. Hal Arkowitz and Scott Lilienfeld, in their online article, â€Å"Does Alcoholics Anonymous Work?† describe the statistic about AA. The authors cite an investigation called â€Å"Project Match†, issued in 1997 proves that AA is effective in achieving sobriety through abstinence. The experiment divided more than 900 alcoholics into three different therapies. One is mainly 12-steps program associated with a

Internal Audit Function and Fraud Detection in Government Essay Example for Free

Internal Audit Function and Fraud Detection in Government Essay CHAPTER ONE 1. 0Introduction This chapter will cover the background of the study, the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, the objectives, the research questions, and the scope, the significance of the study and the structure of the report. 1. 1Background of the Study According to Hector Perela, (2009), Internal auditing function with other intervention mechanisms like financial reporting and external audit to helps maintain cost-efficient contracting between owners and managers. It is designed by government agencies to add value and improve organizational performance. It helps organizations accomplish their objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approaches to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. † Internal audit helps organizations to ensure that financial and other records are reliable and complete. As well as ensuring that management adheres to policies and procedures for orderly and efficient conduct of the business, proper recording and safeguarding of assets and resources. The purpose of internal audit as far as the organization is concerned is to get accounting errors corrected and control weaknesses eliminated. The most testing time for the internal auditor is the report he/she writes to achieve this end. No precise legal definition of fraud exists; many of the offences referred to as fraud are covered by the Theft Acts of 1968 and 1978. Generally, the term is used to describe such acts as deception, bribery, forgery, extortion, corruption, theft, conspiracy, embezzlement, misappropriation, false representation, concealment of material facts and collusion. For practical purposes fraud may be defined as the use of deception with the intention of obtaining an advantage, avoiding an obligation or causing loss to another part. Internal Audit, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK) On one hand, fraud detection in government agencies involves employees or managers of the victim organization (commercial angles news letters 2001), the most effective tools for fraud detection are internal audit review, specific investigation by management, employee notification, and accidental discovery. Fraud detection helps Management to address its responsibility through development of an appropriate design of the system of internal control and the effective operation of that system. Numerous fraud prevention and detection techniques are now utilized to reduce the direct and indirect costs associated with all forms of fraud. These various techniques include but are not limited to: fraud policies, telephone hot lines, employee reference checks, fraud vulnerability reviews, vendor contract reviews and sanctions, analytical reviews , password protection, firewalls, digital analysis and other forms of software technology, and discovery sampling (Thomas and Gibson, 2003). Government departments implements the ideas and decisions of executive government in a particular area of governance. Each department is led by a minister in charge or commissioner, and the main work of the department is determined by legislation. Despite the internal audit function, many government agencies fail to detect fraud for example loss of huge monies in NAADS. The National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) is a Ugandan government agency created in 2001 to improve rural livelihoods by increasing agricultural productivity and profitability.

The crucial elements of gothic horror Essay Example for Free

The crucial elements of gothic horror Essay Gothic horror first started to appear in the early C19th. Gothic was applied later on by renaissance and enlightenment negatively to mean medieval critics because it was considered barbaric. As the centuries went past the term gothic was no longer the meaning of a negative connotation so it was used to refer an ancient past in a nostalgic way. At the end of the C18th the gothic movement had changed from enlightenment rationalism to horror, darkness and elements from the dark realm. The gothic movement is still but mostly horror. Common motifs used in gothic horror stories are murder, suicide, torture, madness, lycanthropy, ghosts, vampires, demons, poltergeists, demonic pacts, diabolic possession/ exorcism, witchcraft and voodoo. Im going to analyse Napoleon and the spectre, The goblins who stole a sexton and The signalman. Napoleon and the spectre is written by Charlotte Bronte, the goblins who stole a sexton and the signalman are both written by Charles Dickens. At the starting point of the Napoleon and the Spectre story Bronte already mentions that theres something or someone in Napoleons room; she writes: . in a few minutes the emperor felt his pillow becoming hard, and he got up to shake it. As he did so a slight rustling noise was heard near the bed-head. But it stops as Napoleon lies down. This indicates that a ghost is in the room and the mysterious noises also indicate that the presence of a ghost is possible. Ghosts and mysterious noises are crucial elements of gothic horror because theyre inhumane things so people are scared of them and mysterious noises are linked to ghosts, ghosts are one of the common motifs used in gothic horror. Napoleon responds to a deep groan from a closet in the corner of the apartment by crying Whos there? Speak or Ill blow your brains out. A short sharp laugh is the reply to this threat and a dead silence follows. Again this indicates that there is a ghostly presence and the dead silence is a crucial gothic element because this creates tension. When Napoleon opens the closet another rustling noise was heard but nothing was there, also indicates a ghostly presence. Bronte is describing ghostly effects. When the candlelight is obscured by a black opaque shadow another gothic element (darkness) is brought in. Darkness is another crucial gothic element because some of the common motifs used in gothic horror are associated with darkness such as vampires: they come out at night, witchcraft: witches wear black clothes etc.

Features of Goodpastures Syndrome

Features of Goodpastures Syndrome Introduction Goodpastures syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease is characterized by anti-GBM (anti-glomerular basement membrane) antibodies attacking glomerular and alveolar basement membranes of the kidneys and lungs respectively. It was first reported by Dr. Ernest William Goodpasture in 1919 and first used by Stanton and Tange in 1957 in their case studies involving nine patients with the pulmonary-renal syndrome. [1, 2] Clinical Features   Ã‚   The onset of this disease ranges from the ages of 20-30 and 60-70 especially in young men in their late twenties or in men and women over sixty years of age study. [3] The diagnostic techniques involved in detection of Goodpastures syndrome include i) urine analysis that detects kidney damage by presence of high number of red blood cells or protein in the urine sample ii) blood tests showing the presence of anti-GBM antibodies iii) x-rays that can show anomalies in lung anatomy or iv) biopsies that involve imaging of a kidney tissue sample to demonstrate glomeruli characterised by crescent-shaped structures and lines of antibodies attached to the GBM. [4] While Goodpastures syndrome constitutes the representation of clinical features like rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) and pulmonary hemorrhage from any cause, Goodpasture disease also includes the presence of anti-GBM antibodies in addition to the other characteristics. The term anti-GBM disease constitutes a patient with the typical autoantibodies, irrespective of clinical symptoms and characteristic features. [1,5] The clinical manifestations associated with Goodpastures syndrome include acute renal failure resulting from rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis along with pulmonary hemorrhage that might prove fatal. The symptoms in relation to it consist of bleeding of lungs, kidney failure, hematuria, proteinuria, general malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. [1,6,7,8,9] The exact etiology of this syndrome is not known however there seem to be genetic and environmental risk factors. The factors being i) exposure to organic solvents or hydrocarbons ii) smoking and drugs iii) infection iv) exposure to metal particulate matter v) lymphocyte-depletion therapy. [1,5,10] The characteristic pathology in individuals experiencing the Goodpastures Syndrome can be detected by immunofluorescence staining technique of the IgG on the GBM that shows smooth diffuse linear patterns. [11] Hemodialysis, plasma exchange, cyclophosphamide drugs and immunosuppressive agents like methylprednisolone pulse therapy or oral administration of prednisolone are possible treatments for Goodpastures syndrome. [12,13,14] Basic Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms The localization of immunoglobulin IgG deposits at sites of inflammation within the pulmonary and renal basement membranes shows Goodpastures syndrome (a form of the anti-GBM disease) to be an antibody-mediated autoimmune disease. The pathogenic role of these antibodies has been confirmed by  transplantation of circulating or kidney-eluted anti-GBM antibodies to Rhesus monkey or human kidney allografts that result in the development of the disease.  A type II hypersensitivity reaction occurs when antibodies are targeted against extracellular matrix (ECM) specific antigens. [15]   The hypersensitivity response affects all organs in the body of which collagen is a constituent but the alveolar and glomerular basement membranes are more prone to the effect. This discrepancy is a result of increased accessibility of epitopes (antigen molecules facilitating attachment to a matching antibody) linked to overexpression of ÃŽÂ ±3 collagen chains in the respective basement membranes allowing access and formation of antibodies. [16] While ÃŽÂ ±3NC1 antibodies are the most common in patients with Goodpastures syndrome, ÃŽÂ ±5NC1 antibodies are less prevalent. Sometimes antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody [ANCA] can also be present. [5,17] The disorder develops antibodies that target ÃŽÂ ±3 chain of basement membrane collagen (type IV collagen) present in alveoli in lungs and in the glomeruli that form the filtering units of the kidneys within the nephrons. These structures contain the basement membrane with collagen as its essential component that differentiates the epithelia from the underlying tissue. The conformational epitopes of the Goodpasture antigen are localized within 2 regions in the carboxyl terminal, noncollagenous (NC1) domain of a type IV collagen chain, ÃŽÂ ±3(IV)NC1. [1, 5, 18]. Upon interaction of the anti-GBM antibodies with the conformational epitope of the GBM glycoproteins, the complement pathway of the immune system gets activated. This results in infiltration by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes. The severely damaged GBM induces reflux of fibrinogen into the Bowman space, fibrinogen polymerizes to fibrin through the proliferation of procoagulant factors from activated mono cytes, leading to a crescent formation.[19] Goodpastures syndrome is linked with specific HLA types. Both positive (HLA-DR15) and negative (HLA-DR7) associations are defined and being used to develop an understanding of antigen presentation, tolerance and autoimmunity. [20,21,22] Recent Developments Recent developments like the plasmapheresis technique, steroidal drugs, and immunosuppressive therapy have drastically ameliorated the course of the medical condition in comparison to yesteryears, in which Goodpasture syndrome was deemed fatal. [23] Zhao et al., demonstrate the significant role of ÃŽÂ ±5NC1-specific antibodies in pathogenesis of Goodpastures disease and also re-confirm ÃŽÂ ±345 collagen IV molecule as the original GP autoantigen. [17] The invention of a drug, now patented, with its active element containing boron  that constitutes inhibitors of arginase activity has claimed remedial effects in the pathological state of Goodpastures Syndrome. [24] A recently developed, patented prophylaxis for glomerulonephritis resulting from Goodpastures syndrome comprises of administration of a therapeutically effective amount of an IL-6 antibody that binds with or regulates the expression or activity of a mammalian IL-6 polypeptide. [25] Conclusions Goodpastures Syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by anti-GBM antibodies attacking glomerular and alveolar basement membranes. The innate immune response comprises of (i) cell death; (ii) polymorphonuclear cell releasing neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, antigens and monocytes to infiltrate the glomerulus. The adaptive immune response triggers the classical pathway of complement activated by antigen-antibody complex formation, and type II hypersensitivity reaction. Here antigens are targeted against cell- specific and tissue specific antigens (chiefly the connective tissue). Unanswered Questions Currently, there is a lot of research focusing on deciphering the causative agents of the harmful antibodies that lead to the development of Goodpastures syndrome. Evidence from this research can lead to novel drug discovery, eventually leading to a potential definitive cure for Goodpastures syndrome. [17] The exact the genetic determinants that constitute the etiology of Goodpastures syndrome are yet to be found. Bibliography Salama AD, Pusey CD. Goodpasture syndrome and other antiglomerular basement membrane diseases. In: Gilbert SJ, Weiner DE, eds. National Kidney Foundations Primer on Kidney Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014: chap 21. Benoit, F. L., D. B. Rulon, G. B. Theil, P. D. Doolan, and R. H. Watten. Goodpastures syndrome: a clinicopathologic entity. The American journal of medicine 37, no. 3 (1964): 424-444. Hudson B, Tryggvason K, Sundaramoorthy M, Neilson E. Alport syndrome, goodpasture syndrome, and type IV Collagen. New Engl J Med 2003; 348:2543-56. Fervenza, Fernando C. Goodpasture Syndrome | NIDDK National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/glomerular-diseases/goodpasture-syndrome (accessed March 1, 2017). Phelps RG, Turner AN. Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease and Goodpasture disease. In: Johnson RJ, Feehally J, Floege J, eds. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2015: chap 24. Lahmer T, Heemann U. Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody disease: a rare autoimmune disorder affecting the kidney and the lung. Autoimmun Rev 2012;12:169-73. Pedchenko V, Bondar O, Fogo AB, Vanacore R, Voziyan P, Kitching AR, et al. Molecular architecture of the Goodpasture autoantigen in anti-GBM nephritis. N Engl J Med2010;363:343-54. Salant David J. Goodpastures disease new secrets revealed. N Engl J Med 2010; 363:388-91. Dammacco F, Battaglia S, Gesualdo L, Racanelli V. Goodpastures disease: a report of ten cases and a review of the literature. Autoimmun Rev 2013;12:1101-8. Jones, Joanne L., Sara AJ Thompson, Priscilla Loh, Jessica L. Davies, Orla C. Tuohy, Allison J. Curry, Laura Azzopardi et al. Human autoimmunity after lymphocyte depletion is caused by homeostatic T-cell proliferation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 50 (2013): 20200-20205. MD, Edward. Renal Pathology http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/RENAHTML/RENAL093.html (accessed March 1, 2017). Greco, Antonio, Maria Ida Rizzo, Armando De Virgilio, Andrea Gallo, Massimo Fusconi, Giulio Pagliuca, Salvatore Martellucci, Rosaria Turchetta, Lucia Longo, and Marco De Vincentiis. Goodpastures syndrome: a clinical update. Autoimmunity reviews 14, no. 3 (2015): 246-253. Bolton, W. Kline. Goodpastures syndrome. Kidney international 50, no. 5 (1996): 1753-1766. Johnson, John P., Walter Whitman, William A. Briggs, and Curtis B. Wilson. Plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive agents in anti-basement25] membrane antibody-induced Goodpastures syndrome. The American journal of medicine 64, no. 2 (1978): 354-359. Rutgers A, Meyers KEC, Canziani G, Kalluri R, Lin J, Madaio MP. High affinity of anti-GBM antibodies from Goodpasture and transplanted Alport patients to 3 (IV) NC1 collagen. Kidney Int. 2000;58:115-122. Kelly, Patrick T., and Edward F. Haponik. Goodpasture syndrome: molecular and clinical advances. Medicine 73, no. 4 (1994): 171-185. Zhao J, Cui Z, Yang R, et al. Anti-glomerular basement membrane autoantibodies against different target antigens are associated with disease severity. Kidney Int 2009; 76:1108. Borza, Dorin-Bogdan, Eric G. Neilson, and Billy G. Hudson. Pathogenesis of Goodpasture syndrome: a molecular perspective. In Seminars in nephrology, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 522-531. WB Saunders, 2003. Morita, Takashi, Yasunosuke Suzuki, and Jacob Churg. Structure and development of the glomerular crescent. The American journal of pathology 72, no. 3 (1973): 349. Phelps, Richard G., and Andrew J. Rees. The HLA complex in Goodpastures disease: a model for analyzing susceptibility to autoimmunity. Kidney international 56, no. 5 (1999): 1638-1653. Phelps, Richard G., Victoria Jones, A. Neil Turner, and Andrew J. Rees. Properties of HLA class II molecules divergently associated with Goodpastures disease. International immunology 12, no. 8 (2000): 1135-1143. Turner AN, Rees AJ. Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease (Chapter 3.11). In: Cameron SDAM, Grunfeld JP, Kerr DNS, Ritz E, eds Oxford Textbook of Nephrology, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1997 Shah MK, Hugghins SY. Characteristics and outcomes of patients with Goodpastures syndrome. South Med J 2002;95:1411-8. Van Zandt, Michael, Adam Golebiowski, Min Koo Ji, Darren Whitehouse, Todd Ryder, and Raymond Paul Beckett. Inhibitors of arginase and their therapeutic applications. U.S. Patent 9,266,908, issued February 23, 2016. Marshall, Diane, and Stevan Shaw. Method for the treatment of glomerulonephritis by administering an IL-6 antibody. U.S. Patent 9,321,837, issued April 26, 2016.

Slavery: A Building Block in the Foundation of Americas History Essay

Slavery was present preceding the European discovery of the Americas. It was limited to the conquered people of the indigenous nations and it was not widespread. This situation changed with the arrival of Europeans, as they possessed modern weapons with which they were able to overtake the most formidable segments of native tribes. Sickness introduced to the indigenous tribes by the Europeans reduced the enslaved population to the point that new workers were needed. A slave trade was brought into existence by this need. Slaves were still gathered from indigenous tribes, but they were supplemented with African slaves brought by ship. These events helped to forge the Americas into the prosperous cultures they eventually became. Slavery influenced culture during the revolutionary period with the beginnings of racism, this culture change initiated lawmaking concerning race, which started with the first emancipation around 1780. How these two topics were molded until the 1850's, and have remained present in the modern era of our lives will be proven in the following essay. The word racism is a term used to describe the believed differences between people of different colors, because of traits, morals, or intellectual prowess. These perceived differences cause a racist person to treat a person of color in ways that would be unaccepted by most people in their own race. [1] This practice, racism, was initiated in the 17th century to promote or justify the use of slaves in what was to become the United States. Racism is justified by many means including the bible, science, and hypothetical theories. A widespread religious following in the Americas became the basis for acceptance of racism using the bible for justification. It ran into... ...hudacoff, Fredrik Logevall, Beth Bailey, and Debra Michals. A People & A Nation: A history of The United States and A More Perfect Union. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2010. [3]. Goldenberg, Amy Production Editor. RACE Are We So Different?. Arlington, VA: American Anthropological Association , 2010. http://www.understandingrace.org/history/gov/expan_slavery.html. (accessed March 20, 2012). [4]. Valbrun, Marjorie. "Rewriting the Script Won’t Change the Facts in the Trayvon Martin Case." Slate.com. April 2, 2012. Accessed April 12, 2012. http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/04/02/trayvon_martin_zimmerman_s_black_friend_and_hispanic_defenses_won_t_work_.html. [5]. Olafson, Steve. "Tulsa Shootings Evoke City's past Racial Violence." Reuters News Service. Accessed April 10, 2012. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/11/us-usa-crime-tulsa-idUSBRE83A02J20120411.

History of Nazi Germany :: World War II History

History of Nazi Germany National Socialism between 1920 and 1945 can best be described as an era of constant change. Hitler's enrollment in the German Worker's Party provided him the foundation needed to propel his idealistic views of anti-Semitism and Aryan superiority. Soon after Hitler's enrollment the party's name was changed to the National Socialist German Worker's Party and in the summer of 1921 his talents as an orator and propagandist enabled him to take over the leadership of the Nazi Party. Hitler's initial following - stemmed from German hyper-inflation and devaluation of the mark - included unemployed workers and the lower class, his keen ability to organize rallies to hear his speeches were instrumental in raising monies for the Nazi Party. Although the majority of his followers shared his dislike of the Weimar Republic's liberal democracy and anti-Semitic agenda, his party support, due to it's small size, was limited to the Bavarian region of German, this would prove to be a limiting factor w hen Hitler attempted to seize control of the provincial Bavarian government during his Beer Hall Putsch in November 1923. Hitler's ill-fated attempt of treason proved to work to his advantage; thus, giving him national status as a patriot and a hero in the eyes of many. As a result, Hitler served 9 months in prison for the Beer Hall Putsch and wrote a book titled Mein Kampf (My Struggle) outlining his vision for the future Germany. By late 1924 Hitler was release on parole, after serving a portion his five year sentence, and quickly regained control of the Nazi Party, noting that any future seizure must come by legal measures through Parliamentary elections. Faced with a temporary improvement of the German economy by the Weimar Republic's ability to secure loans and investments (mostly from America), Hitler was forced to wait until economic conditions worsened to propel his Nazi agenda. In 1929 Hitler finally got his chance, the American stock market crash of 1929 affected nearly every nation in the world and German prosperity soon came to an end as a result of the Great Depression, vast unemployment and hunger that followed. President Hindenburg's Weimar Republic soon found itself obligated to repay debts owed to countries that once provided assistance during times of prosperity. Discontented German people wanted change and Bruening (Chancellor) believed that a stable parliament majority for his party could deliver the change required, so new elections were held.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder ( PMDD ) Essay -- Biology Essays Resea

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder ( PMDD ) Everyone experiences some unhappiness in his or her lifetime whether it is a specific situation or not. It becomes more serious when the cause is a form of "depression." It is a fact that women experience depression about twice as much as men (1). These causes specifically for women can be complex and so are the solutions (3). A common syndrome affecting an estimated 3% to 8% of women in their reproductive years is called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) (4). PMDD is specifically known as a mood disorder of severe depression, irritability, and tension with symptoms worsening a week or so before a woman's menstrual period and usually settling out afterwards (5). PMDD can be devastating to all areas of a woman's everyday life, including family relationships, friendships, and the ability to work or go to school (3). Many people still believe that the emotional symptoms caused by PMDD are not real, and that a woman should be able to shake off the symptoms if only she tried hard enough. Because of these inaccurate beliefs, women with this depression either may not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment. Often, women's concerns regarding their condition are not taken seriously which leads to feelings of self-doubt, frustration and hopelessness (6). Feeling sad or stressed during a menstrual period doesn't necessarily mean a woman is suffering from PMDD. This is a common assumption made by women who are confused about their emotional state. As a female suffering from PMS monthly, I can admit that PMDD has become questionable in my mind. There have been many times that I have suffered anything from constant tiredne... ...uffering so women can continue to live prosperous and fulfilling lives without the burden of PMDD's awful symptoms. Sources 1) Did you know? Depression, http://www.depression-net.com/dep.html 2) Information and Treatment for Depression, http://www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/index.html 3) Women and Depressive Episodes, http://www.womens-health.com/health_center/mental/depress_pms.html 4) Recognizing the range of mood disorders in Women, http://mentalhelp.net/articles/women.htm 5) Health Advice For Women, http://health.indiahit.com/ 6) Quick Self-Test, http://www.womens-health.com/health_center/mental/depress_pms.html 7) Symptoms and Treatment for PMDD, http://my.webmd.com/content/article/39/1663_52557 8) Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web2/www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010221/msgs/55293.html

Joseph Stalin and First Five-Year Plan Essay

Abstract The historical scope of this research essay focuses on the methods undertaken by Joseph Stalin in industrializing the Soviet Union through his First Five-Year Plan. Thus, the main question arising throughout this essay is the following: To What Extent Were Joseph Stalin’s Methods In Employing The First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932) Effective In Achieving His Original Industrial Aims? In order to be able to analyze such controversial topic, the essay first addresses how Stalin approached the idea for economic growth, mainly by employing three methods: centralized, directive planning, utilization of political propaganda campaigns, and a focus on heavy industry. The results of industrialization are then analyzed and compared to the originally proposed objectives. Much of the research conducted was based on primary sources of evidence as well as secondary sources that most accurately depicted the situation of the Soviet Union at the time and its progress through the specified time pe riod of the Stalin administration. Analysis of such documents was also required in order to correctly deduce the credibility and validity of the evidence presented in order to be able to base the conclusions on the information. Lastly, the use of historians’ interpretations was used in order to substantiate claims or provide helpful alternative viewpoints. This research essay thus concluded that, although he did managed to expand enormously investment in industry and force the nation out of its backward, agrarian state, Stalin did not achieve comprehensive industrialization for the Soviet Union. Essentially, the deep bureaucratization of the economy, in concert with the particular features of the Soviet policy, produced a combination of contradictory forces originating from bureaucratic self-interests and impulsive political will. This would prevent the emergence of the right mix of factors that would assure the normal functioning of the economy. Table of Contents Abstract ———————————————————————————————————2 Abbreviations and Glossary ——————————————————————————— 4 Introduction —————————————————————————————————- 5 Stalin’s Realization for Industrialization 1. Explaining the Five-Year Plan (1928 – 1932) —————————————————-7 Analysis of Soviet Model of Industrialization under Stalin 1. Stalin and Centralized Directive Planning ——————————————————– 9 2. Stalin and Political Propaganda Campaigns —————————————————- 10 3. Stalin and Focus on Heavy Industry ————————————————————- 13 Results of First Five-Year Plan 1. Development of Overall Industrial Sector ——————————————————-10 Conclusion —————————————————————————————————-17 Notes ———————————————————————————————————- Bibliography ————————————————————————————â €”———–19 Abbreviations and Glossary 1. 2. Central Committee: Soviet Communist Party supreme body, elected at Party Congress. 3. Gosbank: Gosudarstvenny bank SSSR (USSR State Bank); Soviet Union central bank and the only bank in the entire USSR from the 1930s until 1987. 4. Gosplan: Gosudarstvenniy Komitet po Planirovaniyu (State Planning Committee); committee responsible for economic planning in the Soviet Union. One of its main duties was the creation of Five-Year Plans. 5. Gossnab: State Supplies of the USSR; the state committee for material technical supply in the Soviet Union. Primarily responsible for the allocation of producer goods to enterprises, a critical state function in the absence of markets. 6. Gulag: Glavnoe Upravlenie Lagerei (main camp administration); eventually in charge of Soviet concentration camps. 7. Mensheviks: Minority faction of the RSDLP, founded in 1903 8. NEP: New Economic Policy (1921-1929) introduced by Lenin. 9. Pravda: the semiofficial newspaper of the Communist Party Introduction In October 1928, Joseph Stalin(1) executed the First Five-Year Plan (piatiletka) in order to strengthen the economy of the Soviet Union and accelerate its rate of industrialization. Part of a series of nationwide, centralized exercises in rapid economic development, the First Five-Year Plan would become the basis for future overall industrial production and development of heavy industries (manufacturing and military goods).(A) Since the conclusion of the First Five-Year Plan, however, numerous accounts have surfaced either praising or criticizing Stalin’s model of economic growth (depending on the interpreter’s predilection of results) in relation to the Soviet Union’s future development. Although modern historians, including  Evan Mawdsley(2) and Robert Gellately(3), debate over the extent of Stalin’s success in achieving the original aims of the First Five-Year Plan, the majority of them will agree that he did accomplish a significant and essential inc rease in industrial growth that would ultimately elevate the Soviet Union as a world class power. (E) Nevertheless, due to the unreliability of primary resources originating from Soviet archives and recurring debates among historians, some difficulties continue to exist in accurately defining the extent of Stalin’s success and whether his methods were applicable in employing the First Five-Year Plan most effectively. Advocates of Marxism-Leninism assert that the coercive and abrasive methodology in achieving major industrialization was the most appropriate and necessary in both the economic and social modernization of the USSR as well as indispensable for its survival in the face of capitalist â€Å"enemies†. However, Non-Soviet Marxists, from Mensheviks to Herbert Marcuse(4), criticize this approach for its long-term detrimental effects on the economy and working class, as well as the profound mark on the Soviet cultural life and standard of living.(F) Therefore, a critical examination of the diverse range of historical interpretations and analyses concerning this controversial subject should thus be conducted, making the topic of Soviet industrialization worthy of investigation. This research paper, in spite of the limited availability of Soviet primary sources and their dubious credibility, will thus attempt to answer the following question: To What Extent Were Joseph Stalin’s Methods In Employing The First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932) Effective In Achieving His Original Industrial Aims? In this way, valuable insight into historians’ methods in incorporating evidence to support their claims and constructing their arguments based on such evidence will be gained. In order to maintain clarity and focus, this research paper will essentially discuss industrialization and will thus revolve around two themes: First, the Soviet model of industrial advancement was not comprehensive and its achievements can only by attributed and limited to certain sectors. Second, the methods employed by Stalin to achieve industrialization and economic modernization were fallible and precluded complete achievement of the proposed goals. Stalin’s Realization for Industrialization Explaining the First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932) It is important to first gain an understanding of what Josef Stalin’s First Five-Year Plan entailed and what he aimed to accomplish in the industrial sectors by the end of the five year period. The latter approach will enable a qualified analysis examining how the results of the plan compared to the originally established objectives, thus, providing the necessary perspective in evaluating Stalin’s methods for economic reformation. In October 1928, Stalin incorporated the Soviet blueprint for the institution of socialism in the First Five-Year Plan, representing the first attempt by a major power to transform all aspects of economy and society. This new Soviet strategy focused primarily on establishing a heavy industrial sector to expedite the growth of manufactured products and armaments as well as reconstructing the agricultural sector on a new technical foundation.(G) This would create a self-dependent USSR in terms of military and industry and, more importantly, prop agate the socialistic doctrines throughout the nation. Overall, the plan would mainly impact the industrial and agricultural sectors, but it was also set to transform the social and cultural aspects of the Soviet populace. The aims were to surpass capitalism’s per capita output; to make greater technological advancements; employ a radical transformation of agriculture through the employment of machinery and modern techniques; to give priority to heavy industry, rather than consumer goods; produce the infrastructure of a modern, efficient state; raise the standard of living, providing people access to better education, health care, and welfare; and to secure the country against foreign invaders.(H) However, this research essay will narrow the scope of Stalin’s Five-Year Plan objectives by focusing on the industrial aspects of the plan. Quantitatively, in terms of industry, the projected growth for overall industrial production was to increase by 250% and heavy industry by 330%.(I) The extent to which this economic feat of mo dernization was plausible was a matter often discussed and disputed inside the Communist Party. Sergo Ordzhonikidze, the commissar of heavy industry, admitted the challenge to be formidable considering the agrarian, industrially-backward state of the USSR. Stalin himself admitted in his 1933 speech on the results of the First Five-Year Plan that â€Å"the restoration and development of heavy industry, particularly in such a backward and poor country as [USSR] was at the beginning of the five-year  plan period, was an extremely difficult task.†(K) Their justification in making such statements probably was that heavy industry requires both the enormous financial expenditure and the existence of experienced technical forces (both of which the Soviets could not afford or did not have), without which, generally speaking, the restoration of heavy industry is impossible. Certainly, with Stalin’s steep demand in industrial development, the Five-Year Plan appeared barely achievable. Historian Evan Mawdsley correctly points out how the two major policies stipulated in the plan were extremely demanding and in the long run proved to be unattainable. It is probable he based such observation on several factors including unavailable seed capital because of international reaction to Communist policies, little international trade, and virtually no modern infrastructure. Essentially, Stalin’s proposition of the First Five-Year Plan seemed unviable and unsustainable, but it is for this same reason that it is necessary to evaluate how Stalin achieved his goals and to what extent. Analyzing the Soviet Model of Industrialization under Stalin Stalin and Centralized Directive Planning Perhaps one of the clearest distinctions in Stalin’s methods of Soviet industrialization was that it was not based on private enterprise, but that it was totally state-driven and was largely based on centralized directive planning.(J) Most effective, argues Evan Mawdsley, was the system of economic administration that was based on the party leadership, Gosplan, the ministerial system, the commissariat of heavy industry (Narkomtiazhprom), and the supervisory role of the Central Committee. In contrast to Lenin’s NEP, the First Five-Year Plan represented this new system’s movement towards establishing central planning as the basis of economic decision-making and the stress on rapid heavy industrialization. This economic mechanism displayed particular strengths at periods when the political objectives of the regime demanded a rapid breakthrough in some branches of the national economy or during the emergency of war. However, Evan Mawdsley further argues against other historians that referring to the Soviet economy as a â€Å"planned† economy would be misleading, especially for the initial period of Soviet industrialization.(M) First of all, Stalinist planning did not make for the balanced growth of industry, or consider investment rates versus  consumption rates. Historian Andy Blunden makes a similar argument in which he proposes that the Stalin economic model of development was not based on the Marxist concept of planned economy, but rather (to some extent) on a bureaucratic centralist-command economy.(N) Combining both historical interpretations, it thus follows to infer that what the system did provide was a means of rigid prioritization, concentrating production in key are as of the Soviet economy (heavy industry), but at the same time limiting the expansion and diversification of the economic sector as a result of stringent political issues. Thus, Alex Chubarov, a professor at Coventry University in England, makes a rather true statement about the overly centralized planning system in the Soviet Union: It did not always work in practice. Stalin’s policies to â€Å"tighten work discipline† often worsened economic output instead of promoting production. Because of the stringent political climate that permitted few people to provide negative input or criticize the plan, Soviet planners had very little reliable feedback which they could use to determine the success of their plans.(O) Thus, economic planning was often done based on faulty or outdated information, especially in sectors with a large clientele. As a result, certain goods, especially consumer goods, tended to be underproduced, leading to shortages, while some goods such as manufactured goods, armaments, etc. were overproduced and put in storage. Furthermore, factories took to inflating their production figures due to the severe punishment of failure and the poor quality of products inhibited their use.(P) Stalin and Political Propaganda Campaigns The next important distinction was that Stalin’s industrialization was greatly politicized. Industrialization as a process usually accompanies the movement towards modernization in any country. However, in the Soviet Union, the achievement of industrialization was greatly a result of political influences, mainly the power of carefully stage-managed propaganda campaigns. These political campaigns ultimately focused on socialist industrialization as the essential and indispensable step in building the material foundations of socialism, a theme constantly used by Stalin in several of his public appearances. The Stalinist political regime and the inflation of ideological principles for the rapid economic growth to prevent hindrance in the global â€Å"competition† would thus prove to be perhaps one of  the most necessary components of the economic success. During the late 1920s, the need for rapid industrialization arose from the question of whether Soviet Russia could pr ovide the needs to support socialism in a country that was industrially underdeveloped and agriculturally backward. Thus, as reiterated constantly by Stalin in his public speeches, socialist industrialization was the key element in instituting the material basis for socialism in the Soviet Union as well as ensuring its success. In November 19, 1928, Stalin delivered a speech warning the populace about the vulnerability of socialism to the capitalist nations, and the survival of the ideology through industrial fronts: â€Å"†¦[Soviets] have overtaken and outstripped the advanced capitalist countries by establishing a new political system. That is good. But that is not enough. To secure the final victory of Socialism in our country, we must also overtake and outstrip these countries technically and economically. If we do not do this, we shall find ourselves forced to the wall.† (B) In this excerpt from his 1928 speech, Stalin instilled fear in the population about imminent attacks from the capitalists if the USSR â€Å"did not overtake and outstrip† the Western nations through technical and economic means. However, this method of conveying war panic through the manipulation of the â€Å"catch up and overtake† (dognat’ i peregnat’) theme was used as justification to dissolve Lenin’s New Economic Policy and attain populist appeal to adopt major industrialization. Robert Gellately, the Earl Ray Beck Professor of History at Florida State University, argues that Stalin inflated a â€Å"war scare† inspired by â€Å"Anglo-French† imperialism that came up in 1927, â€Å"one he deliberately exaggerated to driv e home the point that the USSR was vulnerable to the hostile West.†(N) He denotes how Stalin used the elimination of diplomatic relations by Britain in May and the presence of political friction with France, Poland, Romania to the west and Japan to the east accordingly in â€Å"his demand to industrialize the country as rapidly as possible, to focus on heavy industry, and to drop the NEP in favor of a more Communistic five-year plan.† (D) Based on Gellately’s observation, it would follow that Stalin could then make the argument that it was crucial to the health and security of the Soviets that the Party take this change of course, facilitating popular support for the Five-Year Plan. (C) Stalin was not the only communist to take the threat seriously, and the crisis had an  important influence on the decision to industrialize. But of those nations, Romania was the only threat to ever develop. More important, however, was a subsequent â€Å"war scare† in hi s speech to industrial managers on February 1931 (during the height of the enthusiasm for the Five-Year Plan), when Stalin proclaimed: â€Å"To reduce the tempo, means to fall behind. Those who fall behind get beaten†¦We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it, or we shall be crushed.† (C) Ten years later, in 1941, Adolf Hitler commences military mobilization for â€Å"Operation Barbarossa† to invade the Soviet Union. But to see the German invasion as proper justification for Stalin’s rapid industrialization solely from the perspective of the 1941 invasion would be misleading. During 1931, Germany was suffering deep economic turmoil from the Great Depression and Hitler was still a fringe politician, so it was no real danger to the USSR. Germany’s army had also been limited to 100,000 soldiers, without tanks or aircraft. Historian Mawdsley also identifies the elaborate propaganda machine, â€Å"coupled with upward mobility and popular nationalism at critical periods,† as successful in winning support for the program of industrialization.(M) However, unlike Gellately, he proposes that the acceleration of industrialization as a result of tentative attacks may have been justified. Industrialization came from the Soviets’ general mistrust of the outside world which, in turn, had root both in the Russian tradition and in the Communists’ perception of the outside world. Russia’s rulers had promoted industry for military opposition and defense as well as to assure the country’s power status. In part, Stalin and the Communist Party proselytized the ideology of â€Å"capitalist encirclement† and the real memories of invasion from European powers and Japan during World War I and the Russian Civil War. Stalin’s Method and Heavy Industry Finally, the doctrine of â€Å"socialist industrialization† put great emphasis on massive expansion of heavy industry, particularly the means of production, as a necessary first step on the way to the technological restructuring of the entire economy. Only after a massive surge in heavy industrial capacity had been achieved would it be possible to embark on a more balanced economic strategy, including the development of consumer-oriented light industry. As a result of a whole number of factors, the Soviet industrialization would be  confined, for the most part, to the one-sided priority development of heavy industry. Aside from receiving special attention from the planning the economic system of administration, industrial production was relatively easy to plan even without minute feedback, which led to significant growth in that sector. Consequently, industrial production was disproportionately higher in the Soviet Union than in Western economies, with production of consumer goods also being proportionately higher. However, one of the most eminent Marxist scholars in the world of economics, Maurice Dobbs, points out the problems of Soviet economic â€Å"planning† and explains the fallible economic logic behind the Soviet way of industrialization with investment priority for heavy industries. First of all, the rate of investment or the average savings ratio in an economy will be rather static, largely determined within fairly narrow limits by past history and past decisions. Therefore, focus should be given to distribution of investment because it may essentially determine the future output and consumption in a major way. Dobbs argues that â€Å"it may in fact be more important than the overall rate of investment.†(Q) Dobbs seems to base his argument on the theory of factor proportions, a doctrine of ‘comparative costs’ in terms of marginal productivity, which states that those factors of production that are relatively abundant have a low marginal productivity and henc e a low price and conversely with factors that are relatively scarce. Consequently, those forms of production that use relatively more of the abundant factors and economize on the scarce ones would have the lowest expenditures. He argues that in a country like Russia with plentiful labor and scarce capital, relatively labor-using techniques are most economical (rather than capital-expensive ones). It is thus more beneficial and appropriate for the applications on handicrafts and light industries rather than heavy industries, where there is a large expenditure of fixed capital (plant and equipment).(R) Results of the First Five-Year Plan Development of Overall Industrial Sector After having analyzed Joseph Stalin’s methods in employing the First Five-Year Plan, it is then necessary evaluate their impact on the proceeding industrialization results. First of all, by directing and focusing  investments on heavy industry and not consumer goods, it was possible to attain industrialization over a relatively short period. The industrialization enabled the Soviet Union to mass-produce aircraft, trucks, cars, tractors, combine harvesters, synthetic rubber, and different types of equipment designed primarily for the expansion of heavy industry and military might. In the years of the â€Å"great leap† industrial production grew at an average annual rate of 10 to 16 percent, displaying the remarkable dynamism and seemingly boundless potential of the new economic system. Table 1-1 shows the specific advancements made in heavy industries as a result of concentrating in such sector, thus, illustrating Stalin’s accomplishment of his aforementioned go al of focusing in heavy industry. Table 1-1: Russian Industrial Growth under Stalin. | 1928| 1932| Prescribed Target| Percentage Increase| Pig Iron (million tons)| 3.3 | 6.2 | 8.0 | 87.8%| Coal (million tons)| 35.4 | 64.0 | 68.0 | 80.8%| Steel (million tons)| 4.0 | 5.9 | 8.3 | 47.5%| Oil (million tons)| 11.7 | 21.4 | 19.0 | 82.9%| Electricity (mill. kWhs)| 5.0 | 13.4 | 17.0 | 168%| However, it is important to evaluate these results and compare them with the larger global context. Table 1-1 shows significant growth for heavy industries in the Soviet Union from 1928 to 1932 despite only achieving the prescribed target in one of the five areas of production. Nevertheless, these results were relatively small compared to Western standards and were accomplished at a great human cost. Furthermore, reported Soviet aggregate output figures were too high, not least by failing to take into account of the rising prices. Thus, Stalin’s aforementioned methods of industrialization did indeed make advancements in heavy industrial output but did not accomplish his previous goal of the ‘catch up and overtake’ slogan considering that the Soviet Union still lagged behind Western capitalist nations in terms of economic power. In terms of manufacturing infrastructure and technological advancements, a colossal industrial complex and city were constructed at Nizhni Novgorod on the Volga with the help of the Austin Company (a large American firm), which was designed to produce over 100,000 vehicles per year. Other American companies were also involved  in building tractor plants in Kharkov, Stalingrad and Chelyabinsk. Among the other spectacular projects was the construction of the steel complex at Magnitogorsk, a brand-new city built from the ground up. (S) The colossal project of Magnitogorsk was one prime example of the sixty or more towns created out of nothing during the First Five-Year Plan. Through the accelerated pace of industrialization employed in the Five-Year Plan, the Soviet Union began producing all the machinery and manufacturing plants necessary to supplement heavy industrialization. Major works included the Moscow, Nizhni-Novgorod, and Gorky automobile plants, the Urals and Kramatorsk heavy machinery plants, the Dnieprostroi hydro-electric project, the mammoth steel plants at Magnitogorsk and Kuznetsk, and the network of machine shops and chemical plants in the Urals. Entirely new branches of industry were developed, such as aviation, plastics, and synthetic rubber. The plan constituted an important milestone in the process of the socioeconomic transformation of Russia. At the en d of the Five-Year Plan in 1932, Stalin declared that the First Five-Year Plan had been achieved ahead of time. However, the extent to which it was achieved was vague and unclear, with newspapers only allowed to report â€Å"outstanding achievements† of the Soviet Union advance toward socialism and local state agencies prohibited from publishing any economic data other than the official figures given by Gosplan. Based on the figures in Table 1-1, Stalin declared that the Five-Year Plan for industrial development had been fulfilled by 93.7% in only four years, while development for heavy industry was achieved by 108%. But considering the levels of deception and figure inflation, it is hard to determine how accurate these figures are and to what extent the statements of â€Å"success† can be trusted. Certainly, it was not surprising that the plan did not achieve its prescribed goals of 250% projected growth for overall industrial production and 330% projected growth in heavy industry. Conclusion Essentially, the coercive and abrasive methods of industrialization employed by Stalin during his First Five-Year Plan were admittedly successful when viewed from a holistic perspective. However, it cannot be acknowledged that the plan and how it was particularly executed was comprehensive in achieving its originally proposed objectives of economic development and that the  methods applied were completely effective and appropriate for the Soviet Union. Overall, this essay explicitly raises the question of exactly what constituted the â€Å"achievements† of the Soviet industrial system as a whole, and whether, in fact, the Stalin model of industrialization was ultimately the most effective solution based on its particular approach. First of all, there were several consequences of the over-centralization and very high level of state power reflected in the economic policy of the USSR. The ‘planning’ system established targets emphasizing quantity at the expense of quality, with the particular system of reward and punishment distorting output reports and encouraging ‘storming’ (last-minute attempts to achieve targets) and hoarding, i.e. waste, of raw materials. This system of economy was responsive to a small number of ‘customers’ but inherently inflexible for it could not change to rising demands. Furthermore, due to the stringent political climate that drove the command, bureaucratic economy and encouraged severe output inflation among factories, the extent to which the industrialization results are credible is still unknown. Secondly, the incorporation of the Stalinist political regime into the promotion of economic success would prove to be effective yet also damaging. The elaborate propaganda campaigns set out by Stalin and the injection of popular nationalism at critical periods, won popular support for the program of in dustrialization. Furthermore, there was a particular kind of motivation present in the enthusiastic officials to establish the pace of industrialization. Now, whether such enthusiasm was felt by the Communist Party as much as Stalin is still under question. However, the darker side of the system was that the pace of industrialization could only be accomplished at the human cost and real sacrifices. Lastly, the urban economy was kept static and investment exclusive to heavy industry at the expense of consumer-oriented production. Certainly, the prominence of military production in the economy can be potentially beneficial, but at the same time imminently harmful. Paul Kennedy would later disclose an analysis of the rise and fall of great powers that applied especially to the Soviet Union in which he warned that â€Å"if†¦too large a proportion of the state’s resources is diverted from wealth creation and allocated instead to military purposes, then that is likely to lead to a weakening of national power over the longer term†. (T) The huge investments in producer-goods industries led  to acute shortages of labor, ca pital, and material in other crucial sectors. Factories did not meet their expected targets and would provide quantity at the cost of quality. Instead of producing the projected 2,000 tractors by September 1930, the Stalingrad tractor factory produced only forty-three, which began to fall apart after seventy-two hours of operation. Thus, the deep bureaucratization of the economy, in concert with the particular features of the Soviet policy, produced a combination of contradictory forces originating from bureaucratic self-interests and impulsive political will. This would prevent the emergence of the right mix of factors that would assure the normal functioning of the economy. Completely new branches of industry were built and massive manufacturing plants were undertaken, certainly contributing to the notion of the USSR as an emerging industrial power. However, this new power was endowed with fallible features: the inherent tendency to produce harmful imbalances, the blatant ignorance to consumer goods, production of quantity at the expense of quality, ineffective economic administrative system, etc. Essentially, Stalin did not achieve comprehensive industrialization for the USSR, but he did force the nation to advance from its backward, agrarian state and into a momentum towards economic growth and industrial d evelopment. Notes 1. Joseph Stalin (18 December 1878 – 5 March 1953): born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhughashvili. In office as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 3 April 1922 – 16 October 1952 and Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. 2. Evan Mawdsley: Professor of International History in the Department of History, University of Glasgow. His previous publications include The Russian Civil War (1983/2008), The Soviet Elite from Lenin to Gorbachev: The Central Committee and its Members, 1917–1991 (with Stephen White, 2000), The Stalin Years: The Soviet Union, 1929–1953 (2003) and Thunder in the East: The Nazi-Soviet War, 1941–1945 (2005). 3. Robert Gellately: Newfoundland-born Canadian academic who is one of the leading historians of modern Europe, particularly during World War II and the Cold War era. He is presently Earl Ray Beck Professor of History at Florida State University and was the Bertelsmann Visiting Profe ssor of Twentieth-Century Jewish Politics and

Degrading Women Essay

Today in America there is a vast amount of lyrics that are extremely degrading women. These lyrics are found in many of Hip-Hop, Rap, and Pop music that portray women as objects, and not as an actual human being. Other popular music these days relate to women as tricks or other horrible names that no woman should ever be called. Sadly, since this epidemic of only thinking of women as objects has over come America today, it needs to stop. The teenagers and young adults of this country are hearing many of these degrading songs on the radio and having it engraved in their mind that women are only good for one thing, which is why this current phenomenon needs to be put to an end. Paragraph One: Song: â€Å"Candy Shop† by 50 Cent Lyrics: You can have it your way, how do you want it, You gon’ back that thing up or should I push up on it. Degrading why?: 50 Cent only sees this girl as using her for a one night stand and never having any contact with her ever again. Paragraph Two: Song: â€Å"Can’t Hold Us Down† by Christiana Aguilera Lyrics: This is for my girls all around the world who come across a man who don’t respect your worth. Thinking all women should be seen not heard, SSo what do we do girls? Shout out loud! Not Degrading: Every women should listen to these lyrics and know that even though they are bombarded with lyrics that make it okay for a man to see women as object, its not and no one can hold us down. Paragraph Three: Song: â€Å"Every Girl† by Lil’ Wyane Lyrics: And I’m in he mood to get faded so please bring your finest and what are all your names again? Degrading Why?: Lil’ Wyane obviously sees himself as a pimp who deserves every fine girl in the world, but only to use them for one thing. On top of that he will not remember their names and still relate to them as objects. Paragraph Four: Song: â€Å"A Woman’s Worth† by Alicia Keys Lyrics: ‘Cause a real man knows a real woman when he sees her. And a real woman knows a real man ain’t afraid to please her. And a real man just can’t deny a woman’s worth. Not Degrading: The man in this song sees Alicia as a future soul mate and not just a one night stand. He is not afraid to love her and care for her and that is what every woman should strive to find in a man.