Monday, September 30, 2019

Do Schools Kill Creativity Essay

When we were children growing up our imaginations run wild. As we would play on the playground, building friendships, and solve problems that show us things in a different way. Even though everybody talents are pushed away others believe that the public education system is wrong. I was told to summarize the video on â€Å"Do Schools Kill Creativity† by Sir Ken Robinson. As he talks in the video I do agree with some of the ideas. In the video â€Å"Do Schools Kill Creativity† by Sir Ken Robinson, he mentions how the public education system are crushing the children’s talents. He also mentions how classes are being cut such as drama and music. Due to those classes, are not that important, such as your typical math and English classes. Having creativity in are education system helps are children become who they are as an adult. I agree that math and English classes are more important, but I don’t agree we should just cut everything else out. Are children need to be able to express themselves in other activities. Not all children are the best in school, but giving them the other activities will help them let steam off, keep them active and enjoy going to school. Not all talents are being famous in something, but people are talented in their major subjects such as English, math, history, etc. As Robinson states in the video that a simple college degree is not worth much anymore. Jobs are wanting future and current employees to go back to a university to get a higher degree; such as university philosophers. Jobs are wanting to see how far employees will go into school. Before the 1900’s we barely had an education system, but our whole system has been dictating since the system has adapted. Our education is unpredictable on what to  expect. I agree that our education is not worth as much like it used to be when, it had just begun. Having more education is pushing us to reach a higher goal. It may take longer, but its helping us to become a better person for the future. It also prepared us for what is to come. Things are changing more and more every month it never stays the same. Look at this example: Pluto use to be a planet now Pluto is just nearly a star. How do you explain this? In the talk â€Å"Do Schools Kill Creativity† Robinson says â€Å"if your never wrong you will never come up with anything original, if your not prepared to be wrong.† (Robinson, 2007) Our kids now are even more exquisite then when we were kids, we use to tell our kids not to draw and to go to school to learn. Now we are telling them to push harder to achieve their goals and get an education. I do agree our kids are being pushed harder, but its showing how creative they can be. In the end this is going to help them become something. Telling kids that you’re going to take out drama and music, is only going to make them stop trying. Our kids should be pushed more now than ever with the harder curriculum in the public schools. Also letting the kids have more creativity in certain classes like drama and music, which may be where the children show most of their creativity and talents. These kids have so much competition for what their learning and making of themselves. As Sir Ken Robinson has made a lot of great points on creativity, education, and children talents, our education level is higher than it has ever been. I do believe our education is more important when dealing with core classes such as math and English, but you shouldn’t punish the kids and take out their time to be creative and show their talent. So what if these kids are pushed a little harder in the education system they may see who they will become in the future. Are education system is dictating the knowledge of the students and are wrong for taking the creative classes out of the schools. References Robinson Sir, Ken: Do Schools Kill Creativity (Jan. 6, 2007) Retrieved: July 15, 2014 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Journal on Unconditional Positive Regard Essay

In tonight’s session we have been learning further about Carl Rogers and his conditions of a successful person- centred therapy. We have been exploring Unconditional Positive Regard, a term used by Rogers to describe a basic acceptance and support of a person regardless what they say or do. Unconditional Positive Regard is an attitude of the counsellor towards his client. Rogers believes that this attitude is essential to a healthy development and cause a positive therapeutic movement in a therapy. I find this condition; the very definition of humanity. Our species have a rare capability to understand each other, however many of us hardly use it. It requires putting the others first, demands to put our feelings and emotions aside. We are protecting ourselves, afraid, that by giving that support to others, we would be â€Å"losing† ourselves. I do not agree with that, I think that â€Å"more you will give- the more you will get in return†, it is a privilege to be let inside another person’s world, his/ her feelings and thoughts. People, lacking that acceptance in their everyday life, creating a protective layer around them, losing faith in themselves, feeling that they do not deserve to be loved by others. By using Unconditional Positive Regard, the therapist provides an ideal environment for his client’s personal change. Therapist giving his support also gives acceptance and love- that is exactly what makes person- centred therapy so meaningful and unique. Therapist’s willingness for the client to be whatever he is feeling at that moment (no matter if it is positive or negative; fear, pain, pride, love, hatred) makes his client to loose all defences and become honest with himself. I have to learn how to look underneath those layers and accept the real person behind them. However, as people tend to mask their true – self because of the fear, that they going to be rejected- the counsellor’s job is not easy. It is very often a long process. To gain his client’s trust the therapist should care for his client in a non- conditional way. He has to be consistent in valuing his client and also be able to translate it into a client- counsellor relationship. In many cases, clients show signs of disbelief and sometimes even aggression towards their therapist. The reason for that is conditional love most of us have experienced in a lifetime. This is called; conditions of worth, since we were little children we have been told or shown that to deserve acceptance and love we have to behave in a certain way ( e.g. Be good, patient, obedient, confident, etc.) We are  convinced that we have to be worthy of love. For most of us adults other people’s perception is very important and in many cases can even define a person. Being so used to seeing myself through other people’s eyes, being judged for what I do or have done, Unconditional Positive Regard appears to me as almost impossible to believe. I do think that it is possibly also client’s attitude. That disbelief; that the therapist can put aside whatever I have done and see me as a worthy person for who I am, even If I do not believe in me; probably take a while to disappear and change into trust. Rogers said that every one of us has within himself desire to change in a positive direction. I assume that he meant and believed that goodness is our natural aspiration. I fully agree with him no matter how unrealistic and ideal it might seem. If we, learning how to be a counsellor, will understand how to be able to accept another person, regardless of their past, negative attitude or defensiveness we will then understand the true meaning of Rogers’s philosophy and why it is so important in the therapeutic process. Unconditional Positive Regard in my opinion is a loving attitude towards another person and also more than that. The therapist believes in his client’s potential, see in him someone, who has an optimistic future, a little bit more confidence. Person- centred counsellor can see strengths in his client and it is his attitude that counts. Unconditional Positive Regard is a condition in client- centred therapy to create a meaningful relationship where the client can find a way, power within, to believe that he is worth of love and only then everything else has a chance to fall into place.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

German Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

German Legal System - Essay Example The move toward political unification in the 19th century was accompanied by a trend toward legal unification, particularly in commercial matters. In other areas of law, however, the prerogatives of each political entity still governed and only after the attainment of political unification under Prussian dominance in 1871 were a start made on drawing up German legal codes (Berle & Means, 2005). Moreover, the impact of Nazi ideology was greatest on the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. This is because, the Code of Criminal Procedure was distorted almost beyond recognition by the activities of the Nazi-inspired People's Court, in which those convicted of crimes against the state were often sentenced to death (Berle & Means, 2005). The Law on the Reform of Civil Procedure was adopted on 27 July 2001 was the main issue within the Germany legal system in early 21st century. This reforms were designed to prepare the German judiciary for the 21st century against the background of scarce financial and personnel means, the overall goal of the reform law was to enhance efficiency and transparency by reducing the duration of civil proceedings while at the same time maintaining the high level of legal protection traditionally offered by German courts (Berle & Means, 2005). Yes there is room for improvement. The Law on the Reform of Civil Procedure can be strengthened on the issue the proceedings at first instance. The role of the first instance in general can be enlarged by limiting the standard of review at second instance (Berle & Means, 2005). Qn.2 My attitude to pre-contractual negotiations and discussions differ in 3 jurisdictions, in regard to legal responsibilities in each country (Australia, china and Germany) because the differences approaches applied pre-contractual negotiations and discussions can be explained by historical or cultural factors. This is because the laws relating to pre-contractual negotiations and discussions originate from specific historical or cultural factors of the country they are applicable. Qn.3 In Germany, a supervisory board not only has the power of supervising the board of directors and company operation, but also of supervising the financial affairs of the corporation and making business decisions to a certain extent (Berle & Means, 2005).The supervisory board has the duty of submitting their work reports to the supervisory board. In such a case, the supervisory board is not only the supervisory institution but also the decision-making institution of the corporation and has authority over the board of directors. In china, according to the Company Law, the shareholders' meeting has the authority of electing both directors and supervisors of a company whereby the boards are obliged to submit their reports to the shareholders' meeting for review and approval (Berle & Means, 2005). A supervisory board should have no less than three members and among them there should be a proper proportion of employee representatives. Unlike the German practice where the proportion of employee representatives is stipulated by law, the Chinese law leaves this to the articles of association of a company (Berle & Means, 2005). Australia should introduce supervisory board into its legal system. This is due to the fact that, in the modern global economy, competition exists not only in products but also in corporate governance systems. Therefore, reviewing Australia's current corporate

Friday, September 27, 2019

How redefining the term "mistress" can illuminate other Essay

How redefining the term "mistress" can illuminate other confusing aspects of the poem "Sonnet 130", and potentially also, provide evidence about the poet's unknown identity - Essay Example However, the author has not specified this; his use of the term is ambiguous. The word mistress has three identified meanings. The word can be used in reference to a woman that has an ongoing- extra marital relationship, in many cases, with a man that is married. The second meaning of the term is as a prefix to the title that is bestowed upon a married woman – MRS. Lastly, it is used to refer to a woman who holds a position of authority or who exercises control over something or someone. This paper’s focal point is to establish how various statements within the poem could be more sensible should be it taken to mean that his intention for using the word mistress was in the latter regard. From the language used, the author refers to someone that he did not fancy to be in relationship with. The line, â€Å"And in some perfumes there is more delight than in the breath that from my mistress reeks (Shakespeare "Sonnet 130", 7-8),† is the best illustration of this. Had Shakespeare, been referring to a lover, his description would not have been as blunt. This could be the true quality of a lover, due to the romantic regard lovers hold to each other; one is more likely to withhold this kind of information. Furthermore, lovers rarely concentrate on the negative attributes that their counterparts have, but rather chose to focus on the positive. Therefore, this disqualifies the notion that the author could have been using the word to refer to a person that he had for a romantic relationship. If one is in a romantic relationship, they are usually very fond of their counterpart. Therefore, they speak of them only in the most alluring and appealing fashion. However, from the poem, the author appears afraid of the person that they are referring. â€Å"My mistresses eyes are nothing like the Sun (Shakespeare "Sonnet 130", 1).† the statement itself illustrates that the author does not feel fond of the person in question. He does not feel

Thursday, September 26, 2019

MGMT315 U5 IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MGMT315 U5 IP - Research Paper Example The new office which is being planned to be opened in Austin would also need employee strength of the same numbers. This report would look into the various processes that the Chief Human Resource Officer has to take in order to acquire the brightest and the efficient talents from the job market and the strategies that are necessary to make an optimal workforce planning for the forthcoming fiscal year. Literature Review Any workforce strategist would employ a specialised process of identifying the right mix of talents in order to build up a successful team that would prove to be effective as well as efficient in their performances. There are several stages that most of the HR teams of an organisation undertake to ensure that the best talent come on board. The first step of any recruitment process is the job analysis. In this process the human resources department of the organisation has to decide how many roles have been created for that particular financial year. The managers have to perform a task analysis in order to understand the necessary requirements of the candidates who would be able to fulfil the job role. For this the HR managers has to find out the right educational qualification and work experience for the candidates and the suitable skills and experiences. The organisation has to take the help of the possible sourcing techniques like the job portals, employee referrals, newspaper advertisements as well as the other forms of the online media. The company can also go for lateral hiring and pick up candidates from the competitors. The screening and selection process comes next. This can be done with the help of written aptitude tests, psychometric tests, the screening of the candidates based on their educational qualifications and work experience, application tracking systems and so on. In doing so the company has to follow the legal and ethical mandates of the country. The screened candidates then would either go through a group discussion process or may go for an interview process which is generally held in different stages. The soft skills of the candidates are tested. The expected salaries and the other necessary aspects of the job like the timings; the responsibilities are discussed in this phase. Finally the documents of the selected candidates are verified and they are offered the job with the prospective date of joining and the mandatory medical tests that have to be undertaken. HR planning for new office in Austin In the first place the CHRO of Thinkcraft has to decide on the various kinds of roles and jobs that would be required to fulfil the requirements of the company. Just like the other offices the Austin office of Thinkcraft intends to have a capacity of 150 to 175 employees. This would include employees of all the levels. The Austin office would have a proportionate mix of software engineers who would take the control of the technicalities of the software support and the finance experts who would take care of the accounting and the core areas of the software for the financial institutions. The company has to ensure that the major process of the compliance and the auditing part are done by the auditors who are being certified by the government. This would require 50 technical experts and 50 financial experts. There would be 10 teams each having 5 experts from each of the specialised fields. The teams would be managed by 10 managers who have to be both technically sound and should have financial

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Dividend Policy in Publicly Traded Companies Essay

Dividend Policy in Publicly Traded Companies - Essay Example For a firm with good future growth and investment opportunities, investors want the firm to put the earnings in other investment opportunities. Where as for a non growth company, investors would prefer present dividend income rather future capital gains which are uncertain. [2] Dividend policy of a firm will divide the earnings into two parts as Dividends and Retained Earnings. Dividends are paid to the investors as cash for their share of the assets of the company. Where as Retained Earnings are used to fund the long term growth of the company, which are used to generate future earnings. The percentage of Dividends distributed and Retained Earnings are determined by the Payout Ratio of the Dividend Policy. Higher the Payout ratio, higher the Dividends and lower the Payout Ratio imply lower the Dividends. Usually growth oriented firms have lower payout ratio and higher Retention Ratio. That means large amount of earnings are retained to increase future earnings. The investors of low dividend paid companies will get their returns through capital gains. The relation between growth and Payout Ratio can be best understood by Dividends on one hand increase cash earnings of the investors and reduce the share on the assets of the firm. In the case of high tax on the earnings of the dividends by the government investors are more interested in firm to keep the earnings for future growth of the earnings. Otherwise for a low growth oriented firm investors want cash dividends as they can earn more return else where. According to Miller and Modigliani in a perfect market condition and in a no tax situation investors are indifferent to a company that pays dividend and another not pays dividend. What ever the investors lose in the form dividends are gained through capital appreciation. The investors believe that the dividends are put to earn further gains in the future. On the expectation of increased future earnings the prices of the stock increase giving the investors capital investors which they can make by selling the stock at higher price. But stock market history shows us that dividends are really matter for any particular stock. Most of the non dividend paying companies are invariably loss making dogs[4] These companies does not have earnings capacity in their business and are struggling even to pay the dividends shareholders. Investors think the company has lost the earning capacity. The selling pressure decreases the prices of those non dividend company shares. This is quite opposite to what the dividend theory of stock market as well as what Miller-Modigliani postulated. "One look at the JSE highest dividend yield share reveals the problem: It is Northern Engineering Industries Africa whose 3 000% dividend yield places it way ahead of second placed SA Reit at 70%."[5] The above example explains that the highest dividend paying Northern Engineering Industries has a higher price than the SA Reit, in spite of both the companies operate in the same industry. Higher dividends attract more and more investor interest in the stock. Thus the price of the shares increases on the future dividends as well as capital gains. Based

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Different Views on Assisted suicide (I Agree with Assisted Suicide) Essay

Different Views on Assisted suicide (I Agree with Assisted Suicide) - Essay Example In other words, medical profession is intended for saving life rather than destroying it. On the other hand, there are many people who believe that assisted suicide should be allowed legally in order to avoid the pain, agony and discomfort of the patients in no hope conditions. In their opinion, nobody wants to sustain their lives in miserable conditions, if the hope for a survival is completely out of question. Under such circumstances, it is better to assist those people in finishing their lives rather than forcing them to suffer the pain and agony further. In this paper I argue in favour of assisted suicide after analysing both the sides of the issue. Arguments against assisted suicide The major argument against assisted suicide is with respect to the ethical issues involved in it. â€Å"Many faith groups within Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other religions believe that God gives life and therefore only God should take it away† (Info: Ethical aspects of PAS, n. d.). Religio ns argue that life is the blessing of God and man has no authority over it. God has created human life on earth for certain missions. He takes the life back only after the completion of the mission assigned to each person. Disallowing God to complete his missions is unethical according to religions. Religions also argue that a life is waiting for every human after his death and in order to prepare for that life, God has given miseries to human in his present life. It is the duty of the human to go through all these mysteries in order to claim an eternal life after death. Religions believe that assisted suicide will prevent a person from attaining eternal life or salvation. Another argument raised by critics of assisted suicide is based on the importance of human life on earth. Even though, human succeeded in collecting information about outer universe or planets, still his knowledge about this universe is extremely limited. Science does not have any idea about whether life persists in other planets or not. In other words, earth is the only planet in which life exists as per the evidences we have until now. Thus, life becomes most precious thing in this universe. Since human has superior intellectual power, human life seems to be the most important one among other life forms and it should not be destroyed under any circumstances. The chemistry of life is still unknown to science even though we are living in a most advanced era at present. Human succeeded in unveiling many mysteries; however, the secret behind life is still uncatchable to them. Once the life is being destroyed, nobody can give it back to a person. In short, human life is the most important thing in this universe and it should not be destroyed, according to the arguments of critics of assisted suicide. The third argument against assisted suicide is related to philosophy. Many of the prominent philosophers like Immanuel Kant, John Locke etc were argued against the assisted suicide in one way or ot her. Locke argued that life, like liberty, represents an inalienable right, which cannot be taken from, or given away by, an individual. For Kant, suicide was a paradigmatic example of an action that violates moral responsibility. Kant believed that the proper end of rational beings requires self-preservation, and that suicide would therefore be inconsistent with the fundamental value of human life (Chapter 5: The Ethical Debate, 2001,

Monday, September 23, 2019

Literature Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Literature Review - Assignment Example Additionally, the human resource department of any organisation plays a critical role and function in ensuring that the output and productivity of that firm or organisation is on course. HCT as an organisation or a school also has an obligation and duty to ensure that it hires the best talent and skills in the industry to help in achieving the intended outcome. This research also looks into the issues and aspects of how best the HCT as an organisation or school could use the human resource management to continue to give excellence and service delivery not only to the students but the society as a whole. At the end, the students and the whole society of UAE would benefit by receiving the solutions that the HCT as an organisation would give. In principle, it is important and critical to note and mention that the study also aims at devising the ways and modes or approaches of developing a proper working relationship between the students, professors and the whole staff of HCT in the United Arabs Emirates (Sester, Giehl, McNerney, Kampmann, Walzl, Cuchà ­ & Meyerhans, 2010). Tentatively, it goes without saying or mentioning that the end goal and objective of HCT as an organisation would be to attract more students by producing excellence and good performance. This is to mention that continued academic achievements and excellence would be balan ced and coupled with continued growth in the student population by the students in the United Arab Emirates. From the outset, the tone and inclination of this source articulates the changing global patterns and trends by the world as a whole. This is to say that the article appreciates that the world or the global actors in the realm and aspects of business have embraced and continue to pursue new approaches in the area of human resource management. In the past, the societies pursued traditional measures where the human resource management. It also focuses mainly in the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Concrete shelters Essay Example for Free

Concrete shelters Essay Every human being has their own needs in their life either from the nature of their personal necessity or merely wants. In this aspect, these necessities in the human life were actually needed fro the sake of sustenance and the general aspect of the survival of their own existence. In the society of humankind, each individual needs varies depending on the personal views and values of the actual person involved in it and how his or her perspective in life relate to it. In this aspect, one of the considered most important necessity in the life is the shelter of each individual. This shelter can either take the natural or concrete form or the abstract one relying solely on the view of the particular individual involved. Concrete shelters are material manifestations of the word relating to the house or constructed unit meant for personal or the family’s protection. From this protection, people derive comfort and security from their concrete houses with its sturdy and reliable walls, secure roofs and doors denoting privacy and security. On the other hand, abstract homes are the ones that take a more personal view regarding the concept of home. In this aspect, people seek comfort, love and compassion in each of their houses where they desire to feel caring and nurturing from the people they share their home with. Families, marital couples, friends and relative share their homes with each other to satisfy their needs for emotional bonding, social relationship and to incite and receive love form one another thus satisfying their desire for establishing their personal abstract homes. These two definitions often come in contrast with other wherein actual modern homes commonly lack one aspect. However, dwellings of any sort that satisfy both of the said definitions are the ones that are considered indeed perfect homes for the society. Thus, each person has his or her personal needs and preferences in a home they wish to live and be comfortable with. In this same aspect that this writer also has his own requirements for a home which he specifically require as needed foundation of his preferred home. Two of these things are the sense of security in both direct physical manifestations and personal aspect and the sense of emotional stability. First, the sense of security is indeed desired by each individuals not only this writer but also practically all of the people in the society. Homes are basically structural unit to secure people of their individuality and privacy as human beings apart from their society. In addition, homes are also security foundation of the people from adverse forces of nature as human beings struggle for their survival. Second is the need for the comfort and love in one’s home that is why people only invite other individuals who they are comfortable with in their homes. Homes are meant for strengthening and establishing the foundations of human relationship for later years thus, individuals in their homes must complement and respect each other as one of the prime necessity of their home. In this aspect that people resort to different ways and approaches implement their necessities for their own personal homes. Some people concoct different architectural strategy to achieve feats for strengthening and securing their homes against forces of nature and forces of the society. To achieve their sense of security that they can rely on, society has obviously developed their standards for home construction and improvement resulting to modern structural design of present houses. Indeed, modern concrete houses are much stronger compare to primitive huts and caves for the security comfort of the society. On the hand, homes of the present are also able to preserve the emotional stability of the relationships of their tenants. For this writer, emotional understanding is a prime necessity in his home that only people he is comfortable or with a relationship are the ones welcome or have access to his home. He indeed considering his dwelling a personal sanctuary for his emotions and personal relaxation that it is private to the society in general but a comfortable place for his loved ones. Thus, each individual has their own personal requirements for their homes and that they tirelessly to acquire for their own satisfaction. In that very own aspect that the author Linda Hogan wrote his essay entitled Dwellings as she elaborate her personal views regarding the aspect of personal homes. In her literary work, she explicitly presented that home starts with simple structural unit to live in. Gradually, people starts to develop their own homes to satisfy their personal needs and wants such as emotional companion and love thus they establish relationships and dwell in their homes. This is then followed by developing their homes as a couple where they are comfortable with their own personal needs and with this, modern homes are then created originating from their primitive predecessors. At first, they was no doors but only simple openings and then people starts to realize they need it and then apply it in their homes until develop as it is. Thus, the development of the structural and conceptual aspect of homes are directly related to the needs and wants of the people dwelling in it. In addition, Hogan stated in her essay that homes are also structural units for the personal side of each individual where they can share emotions and love with each other. Consider her example of the different structural units that are simple yet they house to different kinds of animals where they all struggle for their survival. They all consider this unit as their home indeed as this simple structure give them all of the necessity they need. On top of that, the aspect of their family unity give these animals a perfect reason why they should stay regardless of the simplicity of the structure. In like manner that some people also consider their simple houses as their perfect home as here they found the elements of love, care and passion each individual seek in the society. Indeed, homes are not a matter of structural feat or architectural design but a sanctuary satisfying the personal needs of the individual particularly with his or her personality as a human being.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Computer Virus and Prentice Hall Essay Example for Free

Computer Virus and Prentice Hall Essay Reports of computer security failures appear frequently in the daily new. Cite a reported failure that exemplified one (or more) of the principles listed in the chapter: easiest penetration, adequate protection, effectiveness, weakest link. There has been a lot of reports of security breaches in the news, for example the Sony Playstation Network, RSA Lockheed Martin compromise, Hyundai and so on, these have been of recent and these all show how vulnerable we are to security threats out there on the world wide web which has very little to do with borders of the country or state. The Internet is a gateway of information all over the word where people are connected and providing and absorbing information. Many of the security restrictions that apply in a physical sense do not in the cyber world. I have picked the Sony Playstation Network (PSN) compromise as my topic of discussion to show the areas covered in chapter one that talk about penetration, protection, effectiveness, weakest link. A successful penetration into the PSN by the attacker, has compromised peoples credit card information, birthdates, addresses, phone numbers and more. The successful penetration was delivered disguised in the form of a purchase as stated by Sony Chief Information Officer Shinji Hajesima (Ogg, 2011). The systems were unable to detect the attack going through as it went through has a purchase transaction. This show lack of adequate protection, in the article it also mentions that the vulnerability that was exploited by the hacker was also known. This shows that it is absolutely important to make sure that the patches for known vulnerabilities are deployed and the systems are patched accordingly, though one may argue if the patching introduces other forms of vulnerability. The successful exploitation of the system led to the loss of personal details of up to 70 million (Schreier, 2011) customers, this information could be used for identity theft, credit card theft, and besides that the down time for customers who are using the system that they have paid for. The effectiveness of this attack is shown by the shutdown of the PSN for a number of days. This shows that the effectiveness of the protection on this system was lacking, the inability to pickup on the intrusion as it happened and thus showing us a weak link in the system security. The article shows us the combination of things that have come into play that have led to the successful compromise of the PSN network. Starting with the vulnerability that was known by Sony with the systems and left unattended, secondly the inability of the intrusion detection system to pick up the actual attack or the delivery of the malformed data that exploited the vulnerability to permit access to the attacker, lastly the storage of data in an unencrypted but hashed form which is reversible to obtain the credentials and personal details of the PSN users or customers.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Investigative Tools and Equipment for Crime Scenes

Investigative Tools and Equipment for Crime Scenes Homicides are punishable criminal acts that involve the killing of an individual by another person. Homicide cases can be either intentional or unintentional. Voluntary homicides are premeditated with the intent to kill such as murders, whilst unintentional homicides occur by mistake or negligence as in cases of fatal traffic accidents. However, these are tackled using the same investigative approach which comprises in using the correct apparatus and techniques to collect evidence from the crime scene, in filing of reports, in conducting searches, in interviewing witnesses and in interrogating suspects in order to arrest, prosecute and punish the offender. Investigative tools and equipment To help the investigator in collecting all available evidence, a list of apparatus that is necessary to keep all proof intact and clean are brought on the crime scene. Universal Precautions such as a disinfectant and disposable gloves, jumpsuits, hair covers, shoe covers, purification masks, and face shields are important to help the investigator in safely touching the environment without tampering evidence and leaving fingerprints. An investigative notebook and stationary such as pens, markers, and pencils are also needed for writing down scene notes. Time reading is very important during the collecting of data such as time of arrival so a wristwatch would be ideal. Official identification of the investigator is also necessary since not everyone is allowed within a crime scene enclosed by crime scene tapes and barrier sheeting (Reno, Marcus, Robinson, Brennan, Travis, 1999). Body bags are brought to the scene to remove the body of the deceased safely from site and ID tags along with evidence seals are attached before removal from site. Cameras are needed to provide visual evidence for later study and measurement instruments such as tape and rulers are needed to record specific lengths or distances. Special containers such as specimen containers are needed to carry and preserve blood, general fluids, and other evidence items to the laboratory. Medical equipment kits are useful for gathering evidence that are complicated to obtain such as scissors to cut clothing samples or cotton-tipped swabs for picking out fluid samples. A trace evidence kit, a first aid kit, a latent print kit, a gunshot residue kit, a blood test kit, a thermometer, local maps, a pair of boots, portable lighting, and reflective vests, are some other important tools for the investigator. Finally, some basic hand tools such as screwdrivers, hammers, shovels, paintbrushes, and bolt cutter s can help investigators to access areas thoroughly (Reno et al., 1999). The Investigation Process Analysing the crime scene The first responder to arrive at the crime scene is usually a police officer and is in charge of the preliminary investigation. S/he has the responsibility of checking whether the suspect is still armed at the crime scene or in the surrounding area. The first responder must render medical assistance to any injured persons and be prepared to write down notes in case of any dying declarations. In case of the latter, the police officer must ask the right questions (such as built, race, hair and eye colour, clothing ect) to try to determine who the culprit is. Afterwards when the dead body is located, death must be confirmed. Thus, the victims pulse, respiration, and reflexes must be checked. Any witnesses should be identified and asked for personal details such as name, address, and mobile/telephone numbers so that they may be contacted later for investigative purposes. It is important that witnesses be separated in order to avoid discussion of the event of crime and thus, contamination of individual accounts of events (Truro Police Department, 2004). The next vital step is to note all weather and environmental conditions, and to protect the crime scene and the evidence found in it until the investigation team arrives on site. This is done by isolating the crime scene from unauthorised persons and by verifying that no evidence is touched prior to the investigation teams arrival on site. The first responder should also establish physical boundaries, park vehicles securely and safely, remove any animals from site, and control traffic. Scene safety is important for all the people involved in the investigation therefore such environmental and physical threats that can cause injury must be removed prior to the crime scene investigation. However, this should be done without damaging and contaminating the integrity of the scene and the evidence. In addition, it is important that the first responder keep a record of all the people that visit the scene, and only allow persons who are needed in the investigation (Reno et al., 1999). Once the investigation team arrives on site, the first responder must report the details to them as accurately and fully as possible. Each member of the investigation team is assigned a specific task to make sure that all the area is covered adequately and to save time. A scene walkthrough should also be established so that entry and exits paths, physical and fragile evidence, and the deceased are identifiable. Depending on the number of investigators, a spiral, grid, linear, or quadrant pattern should be walked so that no area is left unsearched and location of evidence should be marked, photographed. and sketched. This is also essential to avoid alteration and contamination of fragile evidence that includes blood, body fluids (froths, substances from orifices ect), hair, fibres, and fragile evidence that is easily contaminated, lost, or modified. It is important that photographs and sketches indicate the location and patterns of all evidence that is to be collected, preserved, tran sported, and documented so that it can be admissible in court (Reno et al., 1999). An accurate rough sketch of the crime scene containing the case number, location, and case name, can serve as a map to indicate the position and location of the body and any other evidence. All objects should be tied-measured according to stationary landmarks and measurements of the scene taken. A North indication is always appropriate to help understand the general layout of the sketch. If possible, a scale should be included to help calculate distances and sizes of objects. If the crimes scene is indoors, apertures and furniture should be included, whilst if the crime scene is outdoors, trees, fences, vehicles, or any other structures are to be sketched. Afterwards a finalised and accurate version of the sketch is to be drawn so that it can be presented in court. This can also be drawn using computer design software (Bertino, n.d.). Photographic scene documentation helps in providing instant and permanent images of the scene that can be used to recreate the crime and when in doubt about certain details in the report, witness statements, and position of evidence. It is important to include a wide-angle view of the crime scene in order to make the location identifiable. Photographs should be provided with scales and taken at different angles to provide different views of areas. Triangulation of stationary objects should also be included in the photos as reference points. This will also help to uncover any additional evidence that is not noticed by the naked eye (Reno et al., 1999). In addition, photographs with and without measurements, of the initial position of the body, the face of the deceased, objects removed, and the terrain beneath the body should be taken. This is essential to keep record of the position, appearance, clothing, identity, marks and scars, injuries, and final movements of the victim. A detailed record of the evidence such as weapons, cartridge cases, footprints ect, and any necessary measurements along with its relationship to the body should be taken. Volume, patterns, spatters, and other characteristics of blood and body fluids should also be recorded. This also applies for any odours, lights, temperatures, and other fragile evidence. It is important to note that whilst performing these tasks the condition of the body and evidence should never be moderated. Fingerprints, dental, radiographic, and DNA comparisons; personal belongings; photos of tattoos and physical characteristics can all aid in the investigation as these can lead to rela tives if identification of the body is made (Reno et al., 1999). The cause, manner, and time of death can all be determined from post mortem changes such as state of livor mortis and rigor mortis, degree of decomposition, insect and animal bites, and the difference between the temperature of the body and the environment. Documenting such details can help the investigator realise when the witness statements are corroborated and when the body of the dead was transported from a primary location. When the location of death is different from the place where the body is found, it is important for the investigation team to find such a place. Determining the location of death is important to discover how the body was transported to the secondary scene. This can be found by searching on the body and clothes of the deceased and for any drag marks and post-injury marks (Reno et al., 1999). A record of the details of the person/s who discovered the body; the details of where, when and how the discovery was made; and the details of what was exactly was discovered is also necessary for the subsequent investigation and judicial processes. Documenting pre-terminal medical and mental records, and possible incidents and symptoms prior to death and obtaining the relevant ante mortem specimens is essential to determine the deceaseds condition before death. These also help in distinguishing between medical treatment/disease and trauma/injury, and thus determine the cause and manner of death. Marital, family, sexual, educational, employment and financial information, as well as any routines, habits, friends and associates of the dead all help to develop a profile of the deceased that will aid in establishing the cause and manner of death (Reno et al., 1999). Furthermore, the investigation team is also in charge of making sure that the body is protected from further trauma and/or contamination; that all belongings and clothing of the dead victim are properly inventoried, that all evidence items are identified; that all blood and/or vitreous samples are collected; that the body in the body bag is correctly identified and removed from the scene; and that all of these are securely transported to the adequate laboratories and examining agencies. It is also the investigation teams responsibility to notify all next of kin about the death of their relative and to record this (Reno et al., 1999). Documenting and arranging for the secure transportation of body from the scene for autopsy or storage, maintains jurisdiction and chain of custody over the body by the investigation team. In fact, jurisdiction is only released when the body is given to the funeral director. The next step is to perform exit procedures to make sure that: all evidence has been collected, that no materials used in the investigation were left behind; and that all dangerous items were reported. Finally, the family should be informed of any autopsy and support services, and be given a timetable of events such as that of the time of body release and when the test results will be available (Reno et al., 1999). Evidence Evidence can be either direct such as first hand observations of eyewitness testimonies and confessions or circumstantial. Circumstantial evidence is indirect evidence that may prove a link between the crime scene and the suspect. The latter can be divided into physical (fibres, weapons, bullets, shoe prints, blood) and biological evidence (body fluids, hair, plant parts, fingerprints and natural fibres). Biological evidence or individual evidence is many times preferred since this is likely to lead to a specific person, unlike physical evidence or class evidence that leads to a specific group of individuals (Bertino, n.d.). After the evidence is collected from the crime scene, it is usually sent to forensic laboratories to be examined more closely. Test results are important for reconstructing the crime-scene, this means creating a hypothesis to explain the sequence of events from before the commission of the crime to its commission. The investigator should then determine how the evidence fits into the crime and compare it to witnesses statements. Evidence analysis is essential to determine the reliability of such witnesses, to identify suspects, to release any imprisoned innocents, and to verify if the crime scene has been staged (Bertino, n.d.). Evidence such as fingerprints and biological samples from a crime scene can aid in the investigation especially if such biological information is loaded into a database. In this case, links between the new record and a pre-existing record can be established, thus ameliorating detection rates. Such information can then be used to arrest suspects and as evidence in court (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2007). Autopsy In cases where the cause and circumstances of death cannot be verified by the investigator or a doctor, the Magistrate in charge of the case may order an autopsy to be performed on the body by a forensic pathologist. An autopsy allows the examination of the dead person both from the outside and inside. This is done to examine any structural alterations, injuries, toxicological substances, and any other biological material such as blood, saliva, semen, and urine to find out the identity of the person and the cause, time and circumstances of death (Chapter 8, n.d.). Searches Sometimes in the investigation of a crime, searches in buildings, vehicles, and other locations as well as on persons must be conducted in order to look for and seize suspicious evidence. Such searches should always be conducted after the issue of a warrant from a Magistrate (Criminal Code Chapter 9, Articles 355E, and 355L (2)). Interviews Witness interviews can be a good source of information for the investigation. Witness interviews should not interfere with human rights. In order to get as much information out of the witnesses as possible, the investigator should interview the witnesses as close to the event as possible to avoid the forgetting of certain details. It is better to create a favourable atmosphere to conduct the interview in order to make the witness as comfortable as possible. Calming down excited and upset persons and conducting the interview in a private and quiet area is also beneficial. During the interview, the investigator must write down notes unless video recording the whole conversation. Although spoken words are important, the investigator must also understand and record any body movements, emotional outbursts, and/or any sudden silence, as these can mean that further probing or clarification is needed on specific topics (Truro Police Department, 2004). Since witnesses can turn out to be the culprits, investigators must be careful not to reveal important case information. Furthermore, it is also important not to ask close-ended questions so that the person is encouraged to open up to the interviewer. In fact when faced with a shy or reluctant witness, the investigator should try to persuade the individual to be truthful and to appear in court. Putting words in the mouth of the witness by asking leading questions and interrupting the witness constantly during the interview is also wrong since this could result in the witness narrating what the interrogator said rather than his/her account of events (New Mexico Survivors of Homicide, Inc.; Official website of the San Jose Police Department). Interrogations Prior to the interrogation, Miranda warnings must be given to the suspect in an unhurried manner and in a way that s/he fully understands his/her constitutional rights. When an advocate is requested by the suspect, the interrogator must wait for such a person to arrive before initiating the interrogation. In cases of language barriers, underage persons, mental infirmity, influence of drugs or alcohol, wounds, and shock, waivers of Miranda warnings may be suppressed (Truro Police Department, 2004). The interrogation of a suspect may be the only chance for the investigator to obtain an admission or confession. Thus, the investigator must establish a good rapport with the suspect regardless of the type of crime committed and the lack of remorse shown by the suspect. This means that no type of coercion, threatening behaviour or bribes shall be used to obtain a confession (Official website of the San Jose Police Department). If the interrogator is lucky, s/he will get a voluntary confession that can be attained either in response to a question or by the free will of the suspect. In this case, the suspect should not be interrupted. On the other hand, if this is not the case, the interrogator should be tactful, patient, and reassuring whilst asking the questions. Furthermore, just like in witnesses interviews the interrogation is best conducted in a quiet and private room. Questions should be in simple and plain language, and asked consecutively without the use of sarcasm, interruptions, or suggestions of answers. A written record or video recording of all interrogations must be kept in all cases and must include the time and place of the interrogation and the names of the people present in the interrogation room (Truro Police Department, 2004). Reports In all stages of the investigation, the investigation team must keep a detailed report of each action undertaken in the course of the criminal investigation. All facts of the case must be reported since an investigation is only complete when it is accurately reported (New Mexico Survivors of Homicide, Inc.). An accurate report is important because without it, it is impossible to have a strong case against the suspect. All written records must include the name and identification number of the person taking action; the place, date and time of the action; details of the persons present; the case number; and the name of the suspect (Chapter 8, n.d.). The report must include a summary of facts in narrative form (so that the reader can see a clear picture of the event before reading the whole report); a list of evidence listed according to size and using consecutive numbers for separate items (include: what, where, and from whom the item was seized, where it is being stored, and any other specifications such as if the item was used for testing and by whom); any processes that have to do with the investigation such as lab testing and search warrants; a list of witnesses, their testimony and connection with the case; copies of preliminary and follow-up investigation reports; statements of victims and perpetrators; background of deceased and defendants; examination results; photos; and status reports. However, the report should not include opinions of the writer and any other irrelevant material (New Mexico Survivors of Homicide, Inc.). Follow-up investigations Sometimes the initial investigation is not enough to close the case and as a result, follow-up investigations need to be conducted. This is many times done after the case report is reviewed and the investigator realises that additional evidence is needed. A follow-up investigation may include: additional interviews and interrogations; reviews of previous case records, analysing laboratory test results; obtaining information from informants; conducting other crime scene searches; checking criminal records for potential culprits; identifying and capturing suspects; and assisting in court prosecutions (Truro Police Department, 2004). Arrests In cases where there is sufficient evidence that lead to one or more persons as being the perpetrators of the crime, the police have the right to arrest such person/s if in possession of an arrest warrant from the inquiring Magistrate. Arrests can be conducted inside or outside of a police station. However, if the arrest is performed outside the police station, the arrested should be taken to the nearest station and the inspector in charge must be informed (Criminal Code Chapter 9, Articles 355v, 355AE). Court processes Once the arrests are made and the investigation is complete, the investigator can present the case to the courts. If the evidence presented is sufficient and well organised to prove the guilt of a suspect beyond reasonable doubt, charges against the person are filed so that s/he will appear in court in front of a jury. On the other hand, if the evidence is not admissible in court, the case is rejected and dismissed. Therefore, it is in the hands of the investigator to compile a good casebook that will result in the prosecution and punishment of the culprit. After all this is the aim of an investigation to collect enough evidence, to identify and arrest the culprit, and to assist in the successful prosecution of the offender in a court of law (Official website of the San Jose Police Department). References (December 2012). New Mexico Survivors of Homicide, Inc. [On-line]. Retrieved from http://www.nmsoh.org/homicide_investigator_checklist.htm (December 2012). Official website of the San Jose Police Department [On-line]. Retrieved from http://www.sjpd.org/BOI/homicide/glimpse.html (n.d.). Chapter 8: Investigation of a criminal offense. Retrieved from http://www.usip.org/files/MC2/MC2-11-Ch8.pdf Bertino. (n.d.). Chapter 2: Crime-Scene investigation and evidence collection. Retrieved from http://www.cengagesites.com/academic/assets/sites/4827/bertino_chapter2.pdf Criminal Code. Chapter 9. Articles 355E, 355L (2), 355V, 355AE. Nuffield Council on Bioethics. (2007). Chapter 4: Criminal investigation. In The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues (pp. 37-61). London. Reno, J., Marcus, D., Robinson, L., Brennan, N., Travis, J. (1999). Death Investigation: A guide for the scene investigator. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Truro Police Department. (2004). Criminal investigation. Retrieved from http://www.truropolice.org/On%20Line%20Manuals/Criminal%20Investigations.pdf

Thursday, September 19, 2019

John Steinbeck: A Common Mans Man :: essays research papers fc

John Steinbeck: A Common Man's Man "I never wrote two books alike", once said John Steinbeck (Shaw, 10). That may be true, but I think that he wrote many of his novels and short stories based on many of the same views. He often focused on social problems, like the â€Å" haves† verses the "have nots", and made the reader want to encourage the underdog. Steinbeck's back ground and concern for the common man made him one of the best writers for human rights. John Steinbeck was born in Salians, California and spent most of his life there or around Salians, because of that he often modeled his stories and the characters around the land he loved and the experiences he encountered. He lived in Salians until 1919, when he left for Stanford University, he only enrolled in the courses that pleased him - literature, creative writing and majoring in Marine Biology. He left in 1925, without a degree. Even though he didn't graduate his books showed the results of his five years spent there. His books display a considerable reading of the Greek and Roman historians, and the medieval and Renaissance fabalists and the biological sciences (Shaw 11). He then moved to New York and tried his hand as a construction worker and as a reporter for the American. (Covici , xxxv). Steinbeck then moved back to California and lived with his wife at Pacific Grove. In 1934, he wrote for the San Franciso News, he was assigned to write several articles about the 3,000 migrants flooded in at Kings County. The plight of the migrant workers motivated him to help and document their struggle. The money he earned from the newspaper allowed him to travel to their home and see why their reason for leaving and traveled to California with them, sharing in with their hardships (Steinbeck, 127). Because John Steinbeck was able to travel with the Okies, he was able to accurately portray them and their struggles. Each book that he wrote had settings in the places where he has either lived or wanted to live. He presented the land as it was. The characters in his stories experienced floods, drought, and other natural disasters, while in the Salians Valley (Shaw, 5). What Steinbeck wrote was very factual and in depth. He exhibited his awareness of man and his surroundings, in his early books, before people ate, a pig had to be slaughtered, and often that and before they ate, it had to be cooked. Also when a car broke down, the characters had to find parts, and fixed

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Psychology and Depression Essay -- Psychology Psychological Essays

Psychology and Depression "Men pray to the gods for health and they ignore that it is in their power to have it."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Democritus Depression:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depression is an illness, that strikes all ages, all races and all genders. It has no limit on how severe or how slight it will hit. Depression has been with us for as long as people have been around. In biblical times, depression was there, being noted several times in the Old Testament as "manic-depression." Hippocrates, a Greek physician, was the first man to write a medical description of the disease. He called it "melancholia", which means "a mental disorder".   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depression is also proven to be a family thing. Professor Myrna Weissman, from the University of Yale, has proven that if the parent's are depressed the child has a fifty percent chance of being depressed too. She says, "If one parent is depressed, the likelihood of their children becoming depressed increases two- to threefold. If both parents are depressed, the chances are increased four- to sixfold."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English biographer, Samuel Johnson said, "I inherited a vile melancholy from my father, which has made me mad all my life."  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Cause's of Depression: The main cause of depression is stress. It doesn't matter how much or how little stress you have, all of it can lead to depression. Stress doesn't automatically mean depression. Some people can handle stress just fine, and others? It can be the littlest thing and it will just nag and nag at them, until they can't handle it anymore. They start to feel down, and negative about themselves. That's when it becomes a problem. Psychological Depression: The main cause of Psychological Depression, is loss. Children and even adults continually attach themselves to people and things, and when they loss their the object of their attachment, they feel empty and lost. They then sink in to depression, mourning the loss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another cause is the molestation or abuse of a child. Psychiatrist say that when a child is abused they tend to lock away their emotions and the event in the back of their head. There they replay it over and over, many times blaming themselves for the abuse. When parents fail to listen to their teenager, or put down their idea, the teenager then feels stupid and rejected. They start feeling low, and unim... ... psychologists showed that with the right therapy, eight out of ten patients are cured. It usually takes approximately a month to six weeks before the patient will start seeing results.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography 1) Roccatagliata, Giuseppe. (1986) "A History of Ancient Psychiatry".   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Westport: Greenwood Press. 2) Ayer, Eleanor H. (1994). "Everything You Need To Know About   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depression". New York City: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 3) Sliverstein, Herma. (1990). "Teenagee Depression". New York City:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Franklin Watts 4) http://www.depression.com/health_library/s.../special_01_teens.htm 5) http://www.yellowribbon.org/Legacy.html 6) http://www.yellowribbon.org/Warning.html 7) http://www.lesbigay.com/equal_rights/essay12.htm 8) http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Sociology/suicide.htm 9) http://www.hypervigilance.com/Trevor/poems.html 10) http://www.graylab.ac.uk/cancernet/100026.html 11) http://www.mskcc.org/document/wicpsy5.htm 12) http://www.mskcc.org/document/WICLEUK.htm 13) http://www.meds.com/leukemia/atlas/acute_leukemia.html 14) http://www.leukemia.org./docs/pub_media/all/fc_causes.html 15) http://www.leukemia.org/docs/pub_media/all/fc_acute.html

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Is a good one

History Some can argue that the war has been going on since world war 2, when Stalin wanted the farm land In Ukraine and he had found many ways of obtaining their land such as: starving the Ukrainian people of food till they died or gave up their land or they Just killed the villagers, since then there have been many disputes between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has always felt that they had a certain cultural connection with Ukraine because when the Russian empire rose as a great empire its capital was in present day Ukraine. So It Is understandable that some of the Ukrainian people are ad at the Russians.But the more recent conflict which Is still going on started because the east side of Ukraine (which Is the Russian speaking side, many of whom had voted for Hancock) think that Ukraine should not join the European union and protested Hancock removal. So then Russian leaders decided that they should intervene for the sake of Russian speaking Ukrainians, too the west side of Ukraine i t seems like the Russian leaders are ignoring the valid reasons that Hancock was removed for. Some believe that Russian president Vladimir Putting Is using this conflict s a distraction from Russia slaking economy.Escalation Now there was a lot of increase in the violence when people started protesting against Russia. Between February 18 and 20, 103 people were killed and 1419 injured. The vast majority of Russians believe the Ukrainian military shot downplays Airlines flight MI 7, a new poll has shown, underlining how differently the tragedy has been presented in Russia than in the west. Crimean status referendum 2014 was a referendum on the status of Crimea held on March 16, 2014, by the legislature of Autonomous Republic of Crimea as well as by he local government of Soapstone, both subdivisions of Ukraine at the time.The referendum asked the people of Crimea whether they wanted to join Russia as a federal subject, or if they wanted to restore the 1992 Crimean constitution and Cr ime's status as a part of Ukraine. Presently Russia and Ukraine are trying to avoid a big war. So In the conflict life cycle, It Is between escalation and desolation and they are trying to avoid a deadlock. Deadlock but Russia is expecting a peace treaty. Some 70% of the Russian troops believed to have been in Ukraine have withdrawn back across the border, Ukrainian President Petrol Apprehension said, according to the national news agency Cruciform. This is another hope that peaceful initiatives have a good perspective,† Apprehension is quoted as saying during a Cabinet meeting in Kiev on Wednesday. The remarks came several days into a shaky ceasefire deal between Ukrainian forces and pro- Russia rebels, signed last Friday after nearly five months of fighting in eastern Ukraine. The Presidents of Russia and Ukraine are â€Å"broadly satisfied† with the status of the ceasefire, a Kremlin aide said Wednesday. Russian's president has said he is hoping for a peace deal betw een Ukraine and pro- Russian rebels by Friday.Vladimir Putting urged both sides to stop military action in eastern Ukraine, adding that his views and those of his Ukrainian counterpart were very close. We can say that the conflict is De escalating from escalation. Insisting that Russia is in no way a negotiating party in the Ukrainian conflict, Vladimir Putting is nevertheless certain that it is Moscow proposals that are going to advance both sides to peace. Mr. Putting plan is short and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Take, for example, a point on moving Ukrainian troops away from positions from which towns and cities can be shelled.Taken to an extreme, this could mean rewinding the situation on the ground to a point several weeks ago before Ukrainian advances. Just two weeks ago the discussions centered around when, and not if, the rebels would have to move out of Donates and Alumna's. But Moscow plan will allow them to strengthen their control over the two regional cente rs and other areas. Mr. Putting has often seemed unwilling to negotiate from a position of weakness and the reversals of the past few days illustrate this perfectly. Now it's Petrol Apprehension who has to choose whether to accept something which clearly protects Sieve's enemies in astern Ukraine.Ukrainian government troops say they have repelled an attack by pro-Russian rebels on Donates airport. De escalation THE war in eastern Ukraine has quieted, for now. Its disparate factions have as much reason to keep fighting as to put away their guns. But a ceasefire signed on September 5th in Minsk is so far mostly holding. Ukrainian president, Petrol Apprehension, does not want to fight an unnamable war against Russia, which is the situation he would have been in had he pressed on with Sieve's â€Å"anti-terrorist operation† in the east. His Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putting, is happy to seeDonates and Alumna's turn into breakaway territories that can serve as instruments agai nst Kiev. Russian prime minister Dimity Maddened has said the country will honor all its agreements with the European Union and Ukraine, but will trigger â€Å"protective measures† if a trade pact between the two comes into force early. The Nun and the end of 201 5 in a concession to Russia The Ukraine ceasefire might collapse any day. But if it sticks and the war ends here, it poses the question: who won? In military terms, the answer looks clear: Russian leader Vladimir Putting. In March, the Russian army seized Crimea.Last week, it routed Ukrainian forces in east Ukraine. Ukrainian president Petrol Apprehension asked EX. and Nato leaders for weapons. They said â€Å"there is no military solution to the conflict†. But Putting showed there is – several thousand Russian infantry, fighting as formed units, supported by tanks and artillery. The Russian invasion and the lack of Western support is why Ukraine signed the â€Å"Minsk protocol† – a 12-poi nt peace plan – last Friday (5 September). So what if Putting won Crimea and bits of Donates and Alumna's – he lost the rest of Ukraine. Right? Russian's attack has seen pro-Western feeling soar in the rest of the country.Polls now say Ukrainians want to Join Nato. They also say pro-Western parties will sweep pro- Russia MSP out of parliament in upcoming elections. It depicts the crisis in Putting own macho terms. The truth is that everybody lost. EX. civilians (IMHO), 2,600 Ukrainians, and who knows how many Russians lost their lives. Ukraine lost territory. The EX. and Nato lost credibility. But Putting will go down in history as the biggest loser: He lost the chance to make Russia, one of the world's richest nations in terms of natural resources and culture, and Russian's neighborhood into a decent place to live.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Filipino Mode of Thinking Essay

We, Filipinos, are considered hospitable and merry. It has been an attitude the majority enriches or embraces. For instance, looking into our hospitality, when a guest is present in our home, a treatment of respect and comfort will be provided for the person as if the guest is a member of the family. Whereas for being merry, when a problem emerges, a joke or two about the problem will be the response to make the atmosphere be calmer. All these qualities root from are â€Å"communal relationships†. Again we are known from these qualities. All of which are embedded in our culture that originated since pre-colonial times that we still carry today. A lot of things can still be considered to show our identity and uniqueness. It could either be present only in some areas or in the general public but all of these points to our Filipino mode of thinking. Our Filipino mode of thinking is considered as â€Å"oriental, non-dualistic, holistic and has unity between the subject and the object†. It is true on so many ways. Just observing the way our people act and build their houses are fitting cases. A Filipino identity is present even if one goes abroad; a habit that every Filipino will carry whenever he goes – the Filipino mode of thinking. A mode of thinking is a desirable element to have a rich culture and country; every country might as well have it but differs in their own notions or form. It may not apply to everyone due to the globalization, but a hint or two would still pass if there are people with that mode of thinking around that person. To give out examples of this Filipino mode of thinking, a lot can be stated. Two eminent cases are the tattooing art in the country and our â€Å"kamay-kamayan† eating or the buddlefeast. PhilippineTattoo Philippine tattooing has been an art since pre-colonial times which spreads to the three main islands of the country. The word â€Å"Pintados† (Painted Ones) was even dubbed for the Bisayans by the Spaniards. Tattooing is a phenomenon in the whole world nowadays that evolves since the early times. The so-called Pintados of the island of Visayas, Manobo of Mindanao and Kalinga of Luzon are the front runners of tattoo tradition and culture in the country. However, this tradition and art in the country has been partially diminishing in some of the tribes or areas. The few organizations and institutions are at times the only hope in trying to save this continuing crisis. PHILTAG, Mark of Four Waves Tribe and many others are the organizations that are reviving the tribal designs of our traditional tattooing tribes. These people advocate the start of a new revolution in Philippine Tattooing. It has been doing greatly for the past few years. At present, a lot of Filipinos here and abroad, and even those who are not Filipino, are having our tribal designs tattooed on them. Diversities and similarities are present for each country in terms of tattooing but it could still be identified through the processes or the designs themselves. Designs that depicts animals and nature which is one with the people that shows our mode of thinking is non-dualistic. Kamay-kamayan Filipinos are really fond in eating; it is seen in our fiestas, birthdays, wedding or just any party on that matter. These practices can also be the way one could show it hospitality and cheerfulness; for there are times when hosts give out carry-outs or take-outs for the guests or cases when even people the host does not know are invited or welcome. Eating has been essential to show one that he/she is high cultured using proper etiquette like the use of table knives, spoons and forks in different manners or activities. However, some Filipinos don’t practice such customs from time to time for they use their own hands to eat. It may look unhygienic or improper to others but it has been a practice that has been ongoing since before in our history; â€Å"Kamay-kamayan† or â€Å"kamayan† as they called it. I myself tried such a practice and discovered it is quite gratifying; and fitting for eating certain foods. It might as well be our bond to our ancestors which did not have those spoons and forks. It is still abundant in the country even in the urban areas. There are even restaurants that suggest people to eat with their bare hands. Also, â€Å"buddle feasts† are being a trend nowadays. It’s all about eating together, with a small or big number of people, having all the food on a same long tables sharing all these to everyone; another special thing about it is eating with your hands as well. This just shows that we live as a community and shows unity like that of the buddle feasts happening in the Philippine Military Academy and the annual event in Taguig that promotes unity and bonding. The sakop mentality and holistic concept also comes into play in this kind of practices. Eating with your hands may have its pros and cons but a culture correctly done will always be right and rich. Conclusion The Filipino mode of thinking is â€Å"oriental, non-dualistic, holistic and has unity between the subject and the object† as stated in first paragraph. The examples given show all these qualities. The Filipinos should also preserve and enrich these practices for the sake of the country’s culture. The country since before the coming of the Spaniards has a culture to be proud of. It is unique and shows the Filipino in its own way for â€Å"without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future. †

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Nietzsche and Christianity

When the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche referred to himself and the Anti-Christ, he was doing more than simply using a metaphor. A slight look at his work reveals that practically his entire philosophical system was oriented against Christianity. Most of his books, but primarily The Twilight of the Idols, The Anti-Christ, The Genealogy of Morals, contain the fiercest attack that any philosopher has ever conducted against Christianity. Nietzsche attacks both Christianity as a religious system, as well as the Christian idea of God. The Christian conception of God –God as God of the Sick, God as spider, God as spirit – is one of the most corrupt conceptions of God arrived at on earth: perhaps it even represents the low-water mark in the descending development of God type. (Nietzsche, 2003, p. 140). And so he goes†¦ That quote is only a minor example of the insults Nietzsche proffers against Christian values. He does not seem to repair in the fact that Christianity has disciplined the human spirit for thousands of years; that civilization, as we know it today, owes a lot to the Judeo-Christian values and believes. But, this is precisely the problem. Nietzsche does not believe that the current status of humanity, the values that sustain it, are commendable values. Since he states over and over that man is something that must be turned into something else, this is, the overman, he also believes that, as a consequence, Christianity has done anything productive for humanity, especially when it comes to encouraging man to exercise his will to power. Nietzsche expresses his preference for Buddhism, which he calls â€Å"the only really positivistic religion history has to show us† (2003 p. 141). However, he fails to explain in what manner would Buddhism attain what Christianity has. There is no doubt that the influence of Christianity could be evidently perceived in every realm of mother society. Political and social institutions, democracy, and in general, the concept of egalitarism, in one way or the other, are a consequence of Christian values. It is one thing to be critical of the defective concepts or practice of a given system, be it political or religious, but it is a very different thing to try to crush that entire system with a rhetorical hammer, as Nietzsche attempts to do. In his desperate discourse against Christianity, his criticism at times becomes irrational. Nietzsche’s preference for Buddhism could be explained by his personality. He highly valued individualism, which is very emphasized by the practice of Buddhism. Nietzsche considered that both Christianity and Islam are religions of the sheep and that by their very nature deny individualism or prevent the individual from reaching his inner potential. Nietzsche’s logic states that these religions turn man into a little more than an ape, who mostly imitates but is unable to act in obedience to his own will. Let’s remind ourselves that insulting, using degrading epithets against the adversary, does not prove anything, except the fact that the one who proffers the insults does so precisely due to a lack of valid arguments. And this is exactly what Nietzsche does when the few valid points he has made against Christianity have exhausted. Let’s pay attention to this. Christianity also stands in opposition to all intellectual well-costitutedness – it   can use only the morbid mind as the Christian mind, it takes the side of everything idiotic, it proclaims a curse against the spirit, against the superbia of the healthy spirit. Because sickness belongs to the essence of Christianity, the typical Christian condition, faith, has to be a form of sickness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2003, p.181) The use of words such as morbid, idiotic, sickness, all this insulting rhetoric, in reference to Christianity, is in the place where arguments were supposed to be.   This name-calling rhetoric must not be taken as the truth. It would be helpful to remember that while Christianity provides man with a sense of certainty, with a general explanation of the origin and current state of things, Nietzsche’s ideas, especially his ideas of the overman with energy and freedom to do as he pleases, provide no satisfying explanation, but on the contrary, a lot of questions. What Nietzsche proposes could only lead to anarchy. Even for a person who does not believe in the divine origin of Christianity, it is obvious that its values have a positive impact in society. Nietzsche directs a substantial degree of his criticism to the main Christian believes. Concepts such as Guilt, Punishment, Bad Conscience, to which he dedicates an entire section of On the Genealogy of Morals (2006), are treated as if they were not only errors, but a conspiracy against what Nietzsche calls the natural human spirit, which according to him has been contaminated by Christianity. However, it is more than evident that it has been precisely the existence of that type of concepts and ideas what has disciplined man. It would not be exaggerated to state that ninety percent of the degree of civility with which humanity conducts itself is owed to Christianity. The German philosopher himself recognizes that if humanity were to distance itself from the idea of God, in general, and from the believe in Christian values in particular, it would lead to nihilism; this is a state of emptiness that will lead many to self-destruction. In this regard, we arrive now to a very troubling question. Let’s assume that, as Nietzsche conjectures, the entire system of believe upon which Christianity founds itself is a total lie; that there is no God at the end of its road, and that every element that composes it is no more than a man-made fiction. Given the fact that those values have been a great positive contribution to humanity, fro what reason are we supposed to abandon all that and embrace Nietzsche message of the death of God and Christianity? Doesn’t Nietzsche himself recognize that his ideas conduct to nihilism and Christianity to a state of certainty? Let’s go as far as assuming that Nietzsche’s conceptions in reference to the inexistence of God are true. Is it really better to hold on to this truth that leads to the self-destruction than to a fiction that leads to self-preservation? This is a very difficult question. We have no idea of where would these super-human values that Nietzsche proposes take us. This is the poetic form of Nietzsche’s explanation: So I sank once Out of my madness of truth, Out of my longing of days, Weary of day, sick from light, -Sank downwards, eveningwards, shadowwards: With on truth Scorched and thirsty: -Do you still remember, do you remember, hot heart, How you then thirsted?- That I am banished From all truth, Only fool, Only poet! Nietzsche’s obsession with truth, as the poem reveals, not only deviates him from truth, but also prevents him from having in mind that the truth is not necessarily a good thing at all times. This, of course, does not sound good. However, in addition to appreciating truth for what it is in itself, as reasoning beings that we are, it is extremely important that we take into consideration tat the practicality of the truth is equally important to truth.   Christian concepts such as prayer, grace, blessing, and many other concepts that according to the German philosopher do not have a clear connection with reality, provide men with a sense of inner spiritual unity, with peace of mind and heart that Nietzsche obviously sees as undesirable, but that, objectively speaking, seem to be extremely beneficial. But in addition to the passion with which Nietzsche criticizes Christianity, he also spends sometime discussing the founder of Christianity himself: Christ. In reference to Christ, however, it most be pointed out that Nietzsche enters into an obvious contradiction. On the one hand, he uses degrading epithets against Jesus Christ, such as idiot, but on the other hand, he claims that Jesus’ way of life has been distorted by his followers, and accuses the Apostle Paul of founding a religion that is contrary to that taught by Jesus. Nietzsche concludes that Jesus contribution was to teach others how is it that each individual must conduct himself as Jesus did during the incidents that led to his death in sacrifice. Jesus’ inaction, the fact that he did not defend himself during the events that surrounded his execution, is an example of how people should live their lives. At times, it seems as if Nietzsche refers to Jesus with certain tenderness. The case could be made, therefore, that Nietzsche tries to save the historical image of Christ while, at the same time, he declares war against all that has been presented and the legacy of Christ, which Nietzsche sustains is no more that an invention of his disciples. – The word Christianity is already a misunderstanding – in reality there has been only one Christian, and he died on the Cross. The Evangel Died in the Cross. What was called Evangel from this moment onwards was already the opposite of what he had lived: bad tidings’, a dysangel†¦ The Christian, that which has been called Christian for two millennia is merely a psychological self-misunderstanding. (2003, p. 163) However, let’s have one thing crystal clear here. Nietzsche’s criticism against actual Christians is obviously unfair if one takes into consideration that the masses of followers of the Messiah honestly try to imitate him, but are indeed surrounded by a social and political scenario that is totally different to the one in which Christ emerged. Not putting resistance to the physical attacks perpetrated against him had a particular purpose, that is, his execution by his enemies. On the other hand, his followers do not pretend, nor are they mandated by the Christian teachings to seek an opportunity to give their lives. In other words, the word, misunderstanding, which Nietzsche insistently uses, could be applied to Nietzsche himself. He is the one who is misunderstanding what Christ was and what Christianity is supposed to be. In his virtually fanatic criticism against Christianity Nietzsche launches a quasi-violent attack against priests. Nietzsche does not seem to recognize that priests have made any positive contribution to humanity. He adopts here a radical perspective and, according to his statements, priests are one virtually the worst type of ruling class that has ever existed. Nietzsche accuses priests of conspiring against what he calls the natural human spirit. In addition, Nietzsche accuses priests of denying men from exercising their free will when it comes to eating from ‘the Tree of Knowledge’. The beginning of the Bible contains the entire psychology of the priest. – The priest knows only one great danger: that is science – the sound conception of cause and effect. But science flourishes in general only under happy circumstances – one must have a superfluity of time and intellect in order to ‘know’†¦ Consequently man must be made unhappy – this has at all times been the logic of the priest. (2003, p. 177) In general, Nietzsche uses a very insulting language when criticizing Christianity. Instead of providing well founded logical thoughts, he decides to adopt a theatrical rhetoric that proves nothing, except the fact that Nietzsche hated Christianity. But, again, let’s bear in mind that hate an insults are not good arguments. It will be enough to take a look into the following quote, in order to verify up to what point is Nietzsche mad against Christianity. Christianity also stands in opposition to all intellectual well-constitutedness – it can use only the morbid mind as the Christian mind, it takes the side of everything idiotic, it proclaims a curse against the ‘spirit’, against the superbia of the healthy spirit. Because sickness belongs to the essence of Christianity, the typical Christian condition, ‘faith’, has to be a form of sickness. (2003, p.181) This insulting rhetoric, the use of words such as morbid, idiotic, sickness, etc., reveals nothing about Christianity, but does reveal a lot about their author. What do they reveal? It is quite evident: that the mind that produced such insults is precisely a morbid, idiotic, and sick mind. Works Cited Nietzsche, Friedrich, On the Genealogy of Morals, New York, Barnes & Noble, 2006 —. Thus Spoke Zarathustra, New York, Barnes & Noble Classics, 20005 —. Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ, London, Penguin books, 2003                                    

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Character analysis of John Ryan from the movie “Crash” Essay

I will be analyzing the character of John Ryan who is played by Matt Dillon. Ryan is a white middle-aged police officer who has been with the force for quite some time. He appears to be racist from his many encounters with the black characters. From the beginning of the movie, you can tell John is an arrogant person. He seems to feel like he is superior to the other characters. This is displayed in the way he carries himself and the way he condescends to pretty much every other character he interacts with. Minorities such as blacks, Hispanics, and Middle Eastern ethnicities are the groups most often stereotyped in the media. The movie used stereotypical characters so they would be easier to understand or identify with. John interacts with other officers of minority but he seems to have some respect for them because they are a part of his most prominent social group, the police. The other major characters he interacts with are a white officer named Tom Hansen (played by Ryan Phillipe) and a black couple named Cameron and Christine Taylor (played by Terrence Howard and Thandie Newton). He has a real disdain toward blacks because of the way minority owned businesses received preferential treatment from the government which caused his father’s business to fail. Although there are many people who would recognize the injustice of his behavior, there are also many people who would justify it because of the general stereotype of blacks. The media perpetuates the stereotype of blacks by often emphasizing their gang activity, criminal accounts, lack of education, and poverty levels. Ever since John’s father’s business went under, every offense a black person commits continues to reinforce John’s misconception of the black population. Instead of just seeing the person who commits a crime, he sees a black person who commits a crime. He assumes the reason they commit crimes is because they are black and he looks for reasons to hurt or insult any black people. John Ryan is the part of middle America that propagates the race war because he is influenced by the media and lacks the knowledge or understanding of the races different from his own. This is close to a parallel of C.P. Ellis’s and Ann Atwater’s relationship with one another, where once they realize that they aren’t so different they become good friends.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Asian Immigrants in the Us

Asian immigrant families are faced with many challenges upon their arrival in the United States of America. One of the problems Asian immigrants face is fitting in. Asians have always been more traditional and family oriented. When they do things, they do it for their family. For generations parents have ingrained in their childrens mind that family is the most important thing in the world. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but its taught in a way that one must do everything for their family and not themselves. One author states that if one was to ask an Asian immigrant student what they want to do in their life they would most likely say something along the lines of being an engineer, and if one was to ask for an explanation as to why they choose that profession, the most common answer would be somewhere along the lines of â€Å"its for my family† or â€Å"because thats what my family wants me to do† (Eli Lieber 190). Author Eli Lieber explains that for an individual to go against his or her familys wishes is a big taboo for Asians (192). It is seen as an act of rebellion and a way of bringing disgrace to their family. Simple things such as following ones dream of becoming a famous singer, actor, or baker can be seen in the negative light in the Asian community. However, from an Americans perspective it is seen in the positive light as a strong willed individual just chasing their American dream. The American ideology of individuality clashes greatly with the traditional Asian ideology of togetherness. Americans are encouraged to chase after their individual dreams rather than focusing on helping their family. Asian parents encourage their children to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, and other high paying occupations that are well respected by people. American parents also wish for their children to be occupy one of those jobs, but they are also more lenient if their child wishes to be a chef, artist, photographer or any other jobs that arent considered to be as â€Å"important† to society. The differences between ideologies of these two cultures often make it hard for Asians to fit in with Americans simply because they have been taught that togetherness is more important than individuality throughout their whole life. Another problem that Asians are faced with when trying to fit in is the language barrier. Asians often have difficulty learning the English language, especially when they migrate to this country at an older age. The language barrier plays a significant role with their interactions with the native born Americans. Sociology professor, Baek Choi, explains that fluency in the English language plays a significant role in the â€Å"acculturation process of immigrants† (76). Professor Baek Choi goes on to explain that â€Å"acculturation is the process of adaptation and culture modification that occurs as a result of continuous contact between two different and distinct cultures. Oftentimes, it results in the change of beliefs, values and behavior of the immigrants† (197). The more fluent an immigrant is, the more likely they are to interact with the US born citizens simply because they have more confidence in themselves. They are able to understand what is going on around them, and can clearly communicate what it is they want or need with the non-Asian community. However, Asians are more likely to settle in places where there are lots of other Asians rather than venturing out to the non-Asian community. Being around people of their race helps them become more comfortable in their new country. One author states that in some cases these Asian communities become so large they actually resemble their native land (Rong and Grant, Ethnicity). Cities such as Little Saigon, Little Tokyo and Little India have sprung up in Southern California and are a great example for these Asian communities here in the United States. The comfort of these communities limits Asian immigrants contact with the native born Americans. In cases where these immigrants actually have to interact with U. S. Born citizens they often feel uncomfortable and are unable to communicate clearly with them. The difference of ideologies and the language barrier are often the cause for Asian immigrants having a hard time adjusting to their new home country. Things are just too different form what they are used to, and it often takes time for them to adjust properly. Sometimes, the relationship between parents and children become strained due to the new environment. When Asian families migrate to the United States they often bring young children with them. These children sometimes adapt to the new culture a lot faster than their parents because often the children is more exposed to the outside world than the parents. In the article â€Å"An Emergent Leadership Model Based On Confucian Virtues And East Asian Leadership Practices,† Lang, Irby and Brown explains that â€Å"cultural values provide guidance and protocols for peoples thought, attitudes, behaviors, and reactions to external conditions†. When Asian immigrant children are put in public schools they are introduced to the American ideology of individuality through their peers. This concept of individuality is one of Americas cultural values, and it is the exact opposite of the traditional Asian cultural value. As stated in the previous paragraph, Americans embrace the idea of individuality and encourage its citizens to do so, whereas Asian culture is focused more on family and their community as a whole. The introduction of these cultural values at a young age makes it easy for these young immigrants to embrace it. These non-native children, and just all children in general, are often faced with the want and need to â€Å"fit in† especially during their time from middle school to high school. The need to â€Å"fit in† is hard enough for U. S born citizens, but it is especially hard for immigrant adolescents. Culture and health professor of UCLA, Eli Lieber, claims immigrant teenagers are faced with more difficulties during this time of their life than non-immigrant teenagers because they have to find the balance between their two worlds (185). Depending on how close they are to their family or their peers, the teenager could lean towards one culture more than the other. In some cases the need to fit in often over rules the lessons their parents have instilled in their mind of doing things for their family. Like any other teenager, social life becomes more important than their family, and what their friends think is more important than what their family thinks of them. Asian parents often dont understand why this is happening to their child, they see it as an act of rebellion. These acts of rebellion can be as simple as changing the way they dress, how they style their hair, or it can be something much more drastic such as staying out later with friends or engaging in ruffian behavior. The teenagers however see nothing wrong with their actions, and view it as â€Å"normal† since that is how their American friends act. These misunderstandings can lead to a strain on the parent – child relationship. Parents often have a difficult time obtaining a job that can provide for their family. The number one reason why Asians have a difficult time finding a proper job is because of the language barrier. The language barrier, as stated in the previous paragraph, is the most difficult to overcome. Asians typically choose to stay within the safety of their ethnic community, but in most cases those communities dont provide well paid jobs. When Asians first arrived here in the United States, low wage jobs that required lots of work was the only thing that was offered to them (PEW, The Rise Of Asian Americans). Asians were typically discriminated against and were always given the worse end of the deals during the first surge of immigrants in the 1900s (Pew, The Rise of Asian Americans). However, after being pushed aside and discriminated against for the past century Asian immigrants have begun to pave their own roads and have set up some successful small businesses. These small, family owned businesses have sprouted all over Asian communities, sometimes they are successful and sometimes theyre not. Many Asian immigrants choose to either find a job within their ethnic community or open one up rather than venturing out into mainstream America to find a job. Immigrants choose to stay close to their community because that is what they are comfortable with. They are working with people who speak their language and eat the same food they eat. They dont feel the need to worry about whether or not they are fitting in or if what theyre doing is considered absurd by non-Asians. Even though many Asians choose to stay and work in the Asian community or open up their own business, these jobs may not be as successful. In some cases where an Asian immigrant decides to open up their own business they often use their family members as workers. According to Lee Sharons article, â€Å"Poverty and the U. S. Asian Population†, sometimes these family members are unpaid or paid really low wages, and those family members simply let it pass. This also applies to non-family workers of those small businesses. Asians generally believe that family should always stick together, even if it means working for free or a at a really low rate. First generation Cambodian immigrant Nary Ngeth states, â€Å"I have no problem working at my moms bakery for free. Shes my mom. † However when asked if U. S. born citizen Rachel Pike was willing to work for her parents store for free like Ngeth, she replies, â€Å"They would have to pay me. I can probably find a job that pays more than them. † The difference between the two cultures is obvious, one is willing to work for free because they are family while the other insists she is able to find a job that can pay more. This practice of underpaying relatives and Asian immigrant workers is harmful them. It prevents the workers from finding a proper job that can pay them fairly. Some first generation Asian immigrants that choose to find a job in the mainstream America often find themselves underemployed or end up with low wage jobs. A study done by Gordon F. De Jong and Anna Madamba states that Asian immigrants suffer from a â€Å"double disadvantage† (117). De Jong and Madamba claims, â€Å"The double disadvantage hypothesis of minority group and immigrant status is accepted only for Asian men and women with jobs mismatched to their skills and for Asian women who are most likely to be unemployed or be among the working poor† (118). This suggests that Asian immigrants are unable to get jobs they are qualified for and end up with jobs that are beneath their skill level. This can include low wage jobs such as maintenance, retail, etc. Even if an Asian immigrant is qualified for a high paying job the language barrier often sets them back. According to the article Asian American Assimilation : Ethnicity, Immigration, And Socioeconomic Attainment, written by C. N. Le, the lack of having advanced language skills is the most common reason for immigrants not getting a job. If co-workers are unable to communicate properly things will never be able to run smoothly and can actually harm the work place. English and Spanish is the most common language in this country. Its easy for Spanish speaking immigrants to land jobs because of the increase of Mexican and South American immigrants, but its difficult for Asians. In some cases native born Americans have a difficult time communicating with Asians because of their heavy accents. The underemployment, mismatched jobs, language barrier, and agreeing to work for low wages are the cause for Asian immigrants being unable to find a proper job that can provide for their family. First generation children are often faced with the most difficult challenges in the family. These children act as the bridge between the two worlds. If their parents speak little or no English the children become the translators. Sometimes these children are put in situations where they have to make difficult decisions, and if their parents have any questions regarding mainstream America they are the ones to seek out the answer for them. Things such as how to open up a bank account, applying for credit cards, paying bills, getting the right paper work for their business, etc. Parents not only rely on their children as a connection to the American world, but they also expect them to surpass the native born students in their studies. Asians have been called the â€Å"model minority† by Americans, they believe that all the other groups of immigrants should aspire to become more â€Å"Asian† in terms of their work ethic, and academic performances (Wing, 455). Education is highly prized in the Asian community. Parents expect nothing but the best from their children when it comes to their grades in school. Sometimes parents will punish their children if they perform lowly on a test or get a bad grade on their report card. Nary Ngeth says, â€Å"I remember I got a C in my P. E. Class for failing the swimming portion of the class. My mom was so mad, she made me sign up for public swimming lessons after taking away my phone. Because I got a C in P. E! † In 2007, Dr. Jean Wing conducted a study in Berkely High School to see whether or not Asians are the â€Å"model minority†. Wing was able to find the students GPA based on race, and overall Asians outperformed the Latinos and Africans. Wing was also able to figure out which race are ready to attend college based on the CSU and UC eligibility requirement. This showed that more Asians are college bound than Latinos and Africans. 70% of Asian seniors at Berkley are eligible to attend college, while only 32% of African Americans and 48% of Latinos are eligible (Wing, 462-465). The academic success of Asian students overall could be because of how supportive Asian parents are to their children when it comes to schooling. Parents remind their kids to study for tests, do their homework, work on their projects, etc. â€Å"My mom would always help me with math. Having her constantly hover over me while I work on my homework was irritating, but she helped my a lot. It was like having my own personal tutor,† explains Ngeth. Not only do first generation children have to deal with the pressure put on them by their family, but they also have to deal with the problems they are faced at school. First generation children are one of the first members of the family to learn the English language and it can be difficult for them. Sometimes they can be ridiculed by their peers because of the way their accents. As stated in the second paragraph these teenagers are trying to find the balance between the two world they are living in. Teenagers want to become accepted by Americans, but they also want their parents approval of their choices. In Eli Liebers study of Asian immigrant families and European American families he finds that the â€Å"arguments between parent and child from European American families center on â€Å"mundane details of family life: doing chores, getting along with siblings and appearance† (190). However, the conflict that Asian immigrant families face are centered on â€Å"parents disapproval of mainstream American attitudes toward dating and adolescents desire for independence, especially with regard to career choice and marriage† (190). Finding the balance between the two worlds can often take years to find. Finding that balance along with being the bridge between the two worlds and the pressure to perform well in academics are some of the things that first generation children are faced with. The number of Asian immigrants moving to this country has been steadily growing. According to PEW, in the past year Asians has surpassed Hispanics in the number of immigrants arriving in the United States (PEW, The Rise of Asian Americans). The Asian community has left lasting impacts in this nation. Just like all the other immigrants they are faced with many challenges, but Asians are faced with more. The inability to let go of their ideology of collectiveness makes it difficult for them to understand the American culture. This also has lead to the formation of clumps of Asian communities within the nation. Although this is not necessarily a bad thing, it prevents immigrants from venturing out and exploring what America has to offer them. The biggest problem Asian immigrants face upon their arrival is the difference between the two cultures and trying to find the balance between the two. Some choose to ignore the cultures of their new host country, choosing instead to stay within their own ethnic community and having very little interactions with the U. S. born citizens. Some however, choose to fully embrace the new culture and forget their own culture values and traditions in order to fit it with Americans. Asian immigrants must learn to find the right balance between the two. Its important to learn how to live in the new country but its also important to hold onto ones culture. If immigrants can find the perfect balance between the two cultures, they will be able to lead a successful lifestyle in America. Works Cited Baek Choi, Jong, and Madhavappallil Thomas. Predictive Factors Of Acculturation Attitudes And Social Support Among Asian Immigrants In The USA.   International Journal Of Social Welfare  18. 1 (2009): 76-84. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Dec. 2012. De Jong, Gordon F. , and Anna B. Madamba. A Double Disadvantage? Minority Group, Immigrant Status, And Underemployment In The United States.   Social Science Quarterly (Blackwell Publishing Limited)  82. 10(2001): 117. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Dec. 2012. Eli Lieber, et al. Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, Parenting Beliefs, And Adolescent Adjustment: A Comparison Of Asian Indian And European American Families.   Merrill-Palmer Quarterly  53. 2 (2007): 184-215. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. Lang, LingLing, Beverly J. Irby, and Genevieve Brown. An Emergent Leadership Model Based On Confucian Virtues And East Asian Leadership Practices.   International Journal Of Educational Leadership Preparation  7. 2 (2012):  ERIC. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. Le, C. N. Asian American Assimilation : Ethnicity, Immigration, And Socioeconomic Attainment. n. p. : LFB Scholarly Pub, 2007. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 4 Dec. 2012. Lee, Sharon M. Poverty And The U. S. Asian Popu lation.   Social Science Quarterly (University Of Texas Press)  75. 3 (1994): 541-559. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. Ngeth, Nary. Personal Interview. 09 Dec. 2012. PEW. The Rise of Asian Americans.   Pew Social And Demographic Trends. PEW Research Center, 19 June 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. . Pike, Rachel. Personal Interview. 09 Dec. 2012. Rong, Xue Lan, and Linda Grant. Ethnicity, Immigrant Generation Status, And School Attainment Of Asians, Hispanics And Non-Hispanic Whites. (1990):  ERIC. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. Wing, Jean. Beyond Black And White: The Model Minority Myth And The Invisibility Of Asian American Students.   Urban Review  39. 4 (2007): 455-487. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Dec. 2012.