Sorrowful Black Death is Not a Hot Ticket and Seduction...

Sorrowful Black Death is Not a Hot Ticket and Seduction and Betrayal Toni Morrison and bell hooks share the same views on how white America envisions blacks. In bell hooks essays Seduction and Betrayal and Sorrowful Black Death is Not a Hot Ticket she focuses in on the portrayal of African Americans on the big screen. In Seduction and Betrayal hooks uses Spike Lees Crooklyn to demonstrate how invaluable the life of a black person is. In Sorrowful Black Death Is Not a Hot Ticket she claims the Bodyguard and The Crying Game illustrate the notion that blacks, especially black females, are inferior to whites. In Toni Morrisons introduction to Birth of a Nationhood , she suggests these same views by looking†¦show more content†¦hooks feels that in our culture a white life has more value then a black one; and therefore audiences are more willing to accept the worthlessness of black life. hooks goes on to state, There is collective cultural agreement that black death is inevitable, meaningless, not worth much. That there is nothing to mourn (100). Americans as a whole do not take black life seriously (hooks, 100). Through her review of Crooklyn, hooks is able to reinstate her idea: white America sees blacks as worthless. hooks selects the movie Crooklyn to illustrate Americas views on how worthless black life is. In this film the mother dies, but the audience is not aware of this until the children are found discussing the funeral, Carolyns death is treated in a matter-of-fact manner....We never see the family grieve (hooks, 105). Instead of crying, the daughter throws up, again showing how even a family member treats death awkwardly. The advertisements for this film even down play death telling moviegoers The Smart Choice is Spike Lees hilarious Crooklyn (hooks,100). The movie was presented as a comedy due to the fact that people would not be intrigued by a black death. hooks feels that this movie was directed towards mainstream, largely white, viewers which would account for the nonchalant addressing of a black death. This target audience has preconceived

My Vision And Goals Of My Life - 874 Words

I grew up in an under resourced, underdeveloped community where every day was as difficult as the last. These hardships shaped me to become the individual I am today. My vision and goals for the future are specifically influenced by the events that I witnessed and one of these events that took place in my country of origin, Lebanon. On the night of July 12, 2006, I woke up to the piercing cries of frightened children as bombs were targeting civilians and destroying the nation’s basic infrastructure. My family decided to head to the mountains in hopes of finding a safe shelter. On our way, I witnessed buildings collapse and dead bodies scattered on the streets. Suddenly, I heard an explosion and realize that the vehicle ahead of us had been†¦show more content†¦During times of war, we decided to seek a better life in the United States. My focus was to purse the American dream by achieving a higher education and provide a better quality of life for my family. However, b eing a first-generation college student, I experienced financial, academic, and motivational struggles. Conversely, through hard work and dedication, I was able to consistently earn a competitive GPA. Furthermore, I had to develop excellent organization and time management skills to find a way to balance work, academics, and personal responsibilities. Although I went through tough times, I let my hardships serve as a lesson and a reminder for me to stay focused and motivated to attain my goal. During my time in college, I volunteered in several settings. These experiences allowed me to gain exposure to people of various cultures and thus improve my ability to effectively communicate with individuals from different backgrounds. Volunteering also allowed me to experience the satisfaction of being able to selflessly give to others without expecting anything in return. Through these projects, I learned that although we are improving as a community, it is important for every individual to do their best to give back and support those who are less fortunate in any way possible. This could be through aiding them in finding shelters, offering them food, and helping them establish a betterShow MoreRelatedMy Passion For Christ Drive Everything That I Do933 Words   |  4 Pages2.1 Mission Statement. I am determined to allow my passion for Christ drive everything that I do. This includes being a good friend and investing myself into people more, asking the hard questions both in class and in life, and improving on my self judgement (being my own worst enemy). Included in this is, having more internal self-confidence. I will also take advantage of my strengths by accepting that imperfections are normal, and weakness will allow me to grow and trust more with all of thisRead MorePersonal And Career Development Program1144 Words   |  5 Pagessubstantial opportunity to discover my practical and management skills. As a result, I learned about my thinking approach, decision-making ability, capacity, and time management skills. I become more confident in communicating with others, how to discuss and make effective decisions while working with a team. I am able to gain professional experience and developed leadership quality. With the help of this course and the internship, I found a lot of changes in my behavior, feeling, and thinking. IRead MorePersonal Leadership Philosophy Of A Healthcare Organization1627 Words   |  7 Pagesexplore the organizational beliefs, vision, team motivations in order to accomplish the perceived vision successfully and professionally. It is my responsibility as a leader to effectively articulate the identified vision of the organization and motivate the team associates toward the accomplishment of the goals and objectives. It might require the confrontation of challenging and difficult choices and the leader’s deeply held philosophy. In this paper, I will create my personal leadership philosophyRead MorePersonal Statement : My Vision Statement869 Words   |  4 Pages We all have that vision statement that reflects your vision of your future, but also serves as a roadmap of your future. A vision statement is something we all have it’s one thing we really nev er notice. Just as I noticed mine. As everyone has a different vision statement my vision statement was really unique and made me realize a lot. To begin, a few information on my vision statement in my personal life starts off with important person which is my high school principal who really motivatedRead MoreLeadership As A Leader : Leadership1645 Words   |  7 PagesThis class has taught me much about leadership through the semester. Each chapter I learned something new about leadership. In this paper I will reflect on what I’ve learned chapter by chapter and how what I’ve learned has shaped my style of leadership. Being a leader: I never thought much about leadership prior to this class. I knew what leaders were in the sense of that they were the people in charge. That’s all I knew about leadership; leaders were people in charge. While that’s not necessarilyRead MoreComprehensive Life Plan Essay1156 Words   |  5 PagesComprehensive Life Plan By Meganne Standal Meganne Standal APOU101 Momentum (03) FA1 2012 18 September 2012 Comprehensive Life Plan I spent my high school years dreaming of places I wanted to see, things I wanted to do, and people I wanted to meet. After graduation reality set in and I realized I abused my time in high school, making it difficult for me to transition into adult hood. I thought of what I was going to do rather than how I was going to get there; I could not have been moreRead MoreTransformational Leadership1211 Words   |  5 Pagesleadership qualities that not all people have. This does not mean though that they are born leaders. This also doesn’t mean that all leaders are good leaders. They can also harm society, like Hitler. People build their leadership qualities through life experiences. Great leaders are able to effectively influence their subordinates. This influencing is usually done by using their authority. Most people tend to believe and trust in people in authority because they have reputation and rapportRead MorePersonal Vision Statement : My Vision1508 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In this paper, I will outline my personal vision statement. This vision and mission will help determine the steps I need to take now in order to become the type of leader that others will follow. Next, I discuss those internal and external obstacles which may prevent me from achieving my goals. Lastly, I will identify the steps I will take to overcome or mitigate those obstacles. In conclusion, by outlining my desired personal vision statement I hope to have a picture or image uponRead MoreWhy Business Should Develop A Strategy1216 Words   |  5 PagesStrategy could be a set of goals that you achieve to gain competitive advantage over competitors. Strategy is something a business utilizes to build on to stay in business for a long time. According to Harvard Business Review â€Å"strategy is something that set you apart from other businesses† (Michael Porter). This paper will define strategy, also talk about why or why business should develop a strategy. Another eye open statement will address can or should individuals have a life strategy. What strategyRead MoreMy Vision997 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿What is your vision for the future? What is your purpose in life? What gets you out of bed every morning? These are questions we must constantly ask ourselves. As a college student, these are questions that are drowned out by the noise of academia, but as a young entrepreneur these are questions I ask myself daily.   I have a vision for change that has come from a longing of something more by a Power greater than myself. Gandhi once said, â€Å"Be the change you wish to see in the world.† I read

Bio-Polymer Chemistry Assessment Task Free Essays

Production of Materials: Chemistry Assessment Task Part A: Biopolymers Definition: The term â€Å"Biopolymer† refers to polymers that are produced by living organisms. Since these are polymers, biopolymers contain monomeric units that are covalently bonded to form larger sructures. Biopolmers are divided up into 3 main classes. We will write a custom essay sample on Bio-Polymer Chemistry Assessment Task or any similar topic only for you Order Now These are: Polynucleotides (which include RNA and DNA), Polypeptides ( short polymers of amino acids) and Polysaccharides. Examples of some Biopolymers include: Cellulose, Starch and Proteins. Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Biopolymer#Polypeptides Biopolymer: Polylactic acid Formation: PLA is produced from a renewable source. For example corn. Corn is harvested and then milled to extract the starch from the raw materials. From the starch, dextrose is produced. The dextrose is then fermented, transforming into lactic acid. The lactic acid is altered into a polymer by the process of condensation, then forming long chain molecular compounds into polylactic acid. The organism is Lactic Acid. Source: http://www. hitachi-pt. com/products/ip/process/pla. html Properties and Uses: Being able to degrade into lactic acid, PLA is used as medical implants in the form of screws, pins, rods and as a mesh. PLA can also be used as a compostable packaging material. Cups and Bags have been made out of PLA. In the form of film, PLA shrinks upon heating allowing it to be used in shrink tunnels. PLA is also useful for producing loose-fill packaging, compost bags and disposable tableware. PLA can also be used in treatment in the body. Depending on the exact type used, it breaks down in the body within 6 months to 2 years. This degredation is desirable for a support structure because it gradually transfers the load to the body as the organ heals. Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Polylactic_acid#Manufacturers Assessment: The impact of PLA on the society is that due to the high demand or PLA products from resources such as corn, corn growers have been tampering with the genes of the corn to produce higher yields in order to suffice the demand. Even though PLA is biodegradable it still takes at least three months in a controlled environment to properly break down into it’s components. However it is estimated to take 100 to 1000 years to decompose in landfill. PLA is also from a different origin than regular plastics, therefore it needs to be kept separate when recycling. PLA is an alternative to the common plastic bag or plastic cup since it can be recycled which can be useful to the society. Source: http://www. scientificamerican. com/article. cfm? id=environmental-impact-of-corn-based-plastics Judgement: Even though PLA is an alternative to common plastic due to it being recyclable and biodegradable, PLA still needs to be refined to make it more efficient to produce, be cost effective and to be able to degrade at a much faster rate. Part B: Batteries Sources: Vertex Learning Centre: Book, HSC chemistry, Vertex Learning Centre: Book, Production of Materials Section 6 and 7 Button Cell Plastic seal Zinc case Graphite rod Electrolyte Negative terminal Positive terminal Plastic seal Zinc case Graphite rod Electrolyte Negative terminal Positive terminal Leclanche Cell (Dry Cell) Sources: http://www. comf-hk. com/zcart/index. php? main_page=pageid=3chapter=1 Leclanche Cell diagram- 4. 6 cells and batteries word document By Bernard Broekhuizen How to cite Bio-Polymer Chemistry Assessment Task, Essay examples

Report Card free essay sample

The Report As I opened the report card my eyes went into slow-motion as they glanced at the results I had made in the quarter of school that year. It would be my way of saying thank you for finally trusting me. In March of this year I was a junior at Saint Joseph High School but things there turned for the worst when the administration changed their views on how to run the student body and I knew it was time to leave and start my journey at Jonathan Law High School. Some friendships would be postponed but many would start again . My parents were against the idea of me going to a public school ever since I left it when I was in fourth grade when we moved from New York to Connecticut. Public school seemed like the right place for me, but my parents thought they knew best. We will write a custom essay sample on Report Card or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was intimidating to walk in on my first day in the middle of March as a new student, and also being a junior, I knew it was going to be like my first day of high school all over again, but I did not care because I was there to improve my grades and become the student my parents always wanted me to become. Leaving my friends was the hardest thing because I had become popular at my old school and everyone was like family there to me and none of my friends accepted the fact that it just was not for me anymore. They had to realize that I was not leaving them, I was leaving something I had no believed in anymore. I had to do what was best for me and not them anymore. As the year went on it was like I had never left though, I was always around campus whether it was a lacrosse game or a dance, and my friends were always excited to see me come through. Each day here I become more comfortable around my peers and I have opened up to them and I have something new to tell my friends every time is see them. On my way home with the report card finally given to me that day I could not stop looking at the packet in the passenger seat and I honestly think I paid more attention to the beige folder with black marker writing than the same concrete road I had been driving on for years. I wanted my parents to come home and open it first so they could share such an important moment with me but they were still at work. When I got home, I decided to leave right away so I would not be tempted to sneak a peak, and I went for the longest workout of my life that day. I returned to see my both my parent’s cars in the driveway. I rushed in and threw the report card in their laps and waited for a response. My mother started to tear up and my dad’s face glistened with acceptance. She handed me the report card to see for myself and I saw something I had never seen before, I had gotten all A’s. This moment will stay for me for guidance because now I realize that I can achieve any goals I set if I just try my best even when the situations are intimating. Going to a new school is not always a bad thing. I had try and do better for myself and I believed strongly that it was the right move for me at the time and I am very confident that it was the right choice. Going to school where your friends go should not be the main reason to attend there. It was time to show my parents that I was the son they had once dreamed of having. My family is strong and I have a great relationship with them now. I have came a long way from where I was at Saint Josephs and I am striving to excel every day for my future.

Ayn Rands The Fountainhead Essays - Philosophical Novels

Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead Imagine power as a form of free flowing energy, a source found within every one and for each individual. Assume that to gain power, one has to tap this resevoir of immense proportions and relish upon the rich harvest to their hearts desires. Consequently, when there is such a dealing of concentrated materials, nature takes charge and similarly to other physical abstracts, rendering this package lethal, with the potential for untold destruction. In other words, power in the wrong hands or power without responsibility is the most harzardous weapon mankind can possess. To say that power is a medium out of control and pertaining to something with incredible destruction, is rather quite true. Assuming that every one and anyone has the potential to be entitle to a share of this universal medium. Then it would be justifiable to claim that like any other unmoderated activities, raging amibition for power uncontroled could wreak havoc and acts as a catalyst in the breakdown of a society. Similar to politics which deals with the static physical component of society, there must be a more formidable source of pervailance over the mystical realm of power. There fore, this form of guidance can only exist from the mind, and as product of thought, thus the ideas within a philosophy. The Ideals warp between the covers of, The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand's philosophical revolution of Individualistic power, is her solution to society's request for a cure. She believe that the highest order of power stands above all alternatives as the power belonging to an individual and her mission is to prove the greatness of individualist power within the hero she christain the name Roark. Rational thinkers, do not make decisions in a give or take scenario, but instead they carefully distinguish between be extremes of the Black, the White, and the median Gray. The Fountainhead, simulates the world as a whitches cauldron, filled with many evils, among which only one true and worthy victor can pervail. Ayn Rand explores the many facets of power within a structural community, relying upon her philosolophy as a test-bed and a believable standard. In essence the portfolio of The Fountainhead, contains, four major fronts of power, each dominated by a type of relative character and characteristics. Manipulative Power entitle itself to be crown the champion of false promises and deciet. The Power of Green or power due to money is difficult to achieve and deserve honorable mentioning, yet it is a virtual power built upon wealth. Worst of all evil in man's search for power lies behind the mask of a man built on betrayal, resorting to self-deprivation for prestige and the selling of oneself to fame. The true power belongs to an individualist, who fights for himself, lives for himself and is Rand's answer to the plea of the people. Subjecting to visualization, this could be interpret in the form of a compass rose with its four extended arms representing each front of power, converging onto a center of origin. This origin is the birth place of all men. Attaining power is a rather lenghthy, delicate process and is likely prone to failure. Life's goal is determining of one direction and that single path can represent an arm of the rose. Simply it may seem not too difficult to make the correct choice, yet many fail to do so. Ironically, Ayn Rand play the role of a mischieve when she weave such a believable character to represent the cold, uncompassionate, and power hungry Manipulator. She fool the reader to believe that Ellsworth Toohey, a successful and very influential member of society, is a worthy man, fighting for the cause of the human kind. His generosity and sacreficial offerings are only cover-ups from his true nature, the impulsive liar who strive on manipulating others for power. Physically Toohey is described as a weak man, apparent only through the power of his mind. According to Rand, a wholesome, powerful character has to unify both the mental and physical hemispheres. Toohey is a man that could have been, yet upon his own choosing, warp himself into something beyond rescue. Toohey is a very dangerous man. Dangerous because he knows the weakness in other men and uses this porthole as a point of attack. His aim, is the breakdown of another's soul and thus in this way he gain power over them. Toohey can be rank above the most tyrant Monarchs and the worst dictators in history. His ambition is not only to physically own people, but the possession of

The Friendship Story of Damon and Pythias

The Friendship Story of Damon and Pythias Turn of  the 20th-century storyteller James Baldwin included the story of Damon and Pythias (Phintias) in his collection of 50 famous stories children should know [See Learning Lessons From the Past]. These days, the story is more likely to appear in a collection showing the contributions of ancient gay men or on the stage, and not so much in childrens storybooks. The story of Damon and Pythias shows true friendship and self-sacrifice, as well as concern for family, even in the face of death. Perhaps its time to try to revive it. Damon and Pythias endured either the father or the same despotic ruler as Damocles of the sword hanging on a slender thread-fame, which is also in Baldwins collection. This tyrant was Dionysius I of Syracuse, an important city in Sicily, which was part of the Greek area of Italy (Magna Graecia). As is true of the story of the Sword of Damocles, we can look to Cicero for an ancient version. Cicero describes the friendship between Damon and Pythias in his De Officiis III. Dionysius was a cruel ruler, easy to run afoul of. Either Pythias or Damon, young philosophers in the school of Pythagoras (the man who gave his name to a theorem used in geometry), ran into trouble with the tyrant and wound up in prison. This was in the 5th century. Two centuries earlier there had been a Greek named Draco, an important law-giver in Athens, who had prescribed death as the penalty for theft. When asked about his seemingly extreme punishments for relatively minor crimes, Draco said he regretted there was no punishment more serious for more heinous crimes. Dionysius must have agreed with Draco since execution appears to have been the intended fate of the philosopher. It is, of course, remotely possible that the philosopher had engaged in a serious crime, but it hasnt been reported, and the reputation of the tyrant is such that it is easy to believe the worst. Before the one young philosopher was scheduled to lose his life, he wanted to put his familys affairs in order  and asked leave to do so. Dionysius assumed he would run away and initially said no, but then the other young philosopher said he would take his friends place in the prison, and, should the condemned man not return, he would forfeit his own life. Dionysius agreed  and was then greatly surprised when the condemned man returned in time to face his own execution. Cicero doesnt indicate that Dionysius released the two men, but he was duly impressed with the friendship exhibited between the two men and wished he could join them as a third friend. Valerius Maximus, in the 1st century A.D. does say that Dionysius released them and kept them near him ever after. [See Valerius Maximus: The History of Damon and Pythias, from De Amicitiae Vinculo or read the Latin 4.7.ext.1.] Below you may read the story of Damon and Pythias in the Latin of Cicero, followed by an English translation that is in the public domain. [45] Loquor autem de communibus amicitiis; nam in sapientibus viris perfectisque nihil potest esse tale. Damonem et Phintiam Pythagoreos ferunt hoc animo inter se fuisse, ut, cum eorum alteri Dionysius tyrannus diem necis destinavisset et is, qui morti addictus esset, paucos sibi dies commendandorum suorum causa postulavisset, vas factus est alter eius sistendi, ut si ille non revertisset, moriendum esset ipsi. Qui cum ad diem se recepisset, admiratus eorum fidem tyrannus petivit, ut se ad amicitiam tertium adscriberent.[45] But I am speaking here of ordinary friendships; for among men who are ideally wise and perfect such situations cannot arise.They say that Damon and Phintias, of the Pythagorean school, enjoyed such ideally perfect friendship, that when the tyrant Dionysius had appointed a day for the execution of one of them, and the one who had been condemned to death requested a few days respite for the purpose of putting his loved ones in the care of friends, the other became surety for his appearance, with the understanding that if his friend did not return, he himself should be put to death. And when the friend returned on the day appointed, the tyrant in admiration for their faithfulness begged that they would enrol him as a third partner in their friendship.M. Tullius Cicero. De Officiis. With An English Translation. Walter Miller. Cambridge. Harvard University Press; Cambridge, Mass., London, England. 1913.

Economic Impact of the Cocoa Industry Case Study

Economic Impact of the Cocoa Industry - Case Study Example It lies between Liberia and Ghana and borders the North Atlantic Ocean. Other neighboring countries are Mali and Burkina Faso in the north, Guinea in the east, and the Gulf of Guinea in the south. (Central Intelligence Agency) Its principal city is Abidjan, which is the economic and political capital of the country. Yamoussoukro is its official capital city. (Bureau of African affairs) Ivory coast plays a major role in the economic and political stability of the whole of Western Africa, with people from poorer neighboring countries relying on it to provide employment.Felix Houphouet-Boigny was the main political figure leading the rebuilding of the country after the World War II. Consequently, he became the country’s president after it achieved independence in 1960. He motioned for the improvement of the conditions of the African farmers and other laborers. He believed that the path to African harmony was through gradual economic and political cooperation, recognizing the prin ciple of laissez faire in the internal relationships. The country began to prosper with the help and cooperation given by France. Up to now, France remains as one of the major markets of the country. In the 1980s the country's economy began to suffer as the population began to grow. This caused the decline in the county’s standard of living. â€Å"A failed coup in September 2002 left Cote d’Ivoire divided between a rebel-held north and government-controlled south transforming the country from a regional economic miracle to a conflict hot-spot.†Ã¢â‚¬  (IRIN) Today, the Ivory Coast is struggling to maintain economic and political vitality. Ivorian Economy Since the colonial period, the Ivorian economy is chiefly market based and depends a lot on the agricultural sector. Together with forestry, and fisheries, the three sectors account for a considerable part of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and of exports. â€Å"Almost 70% of the Ivorian people are involved in agricultural activity in one way or the other† (Cote d'Ivoire). As a result, the country’s economy fluctuates from time to time, depending on the international prices of its agricultural products, and productivity according to whether conditions. Its main products and exports are cocoa beans, coffee, and palm oil. Other principal exports are banana, cotton, pineapple, tuna, rubber, and tropical woods. Table 1 shows the ups and downs in Ivory Coast’s economy from 1980 up to 2005. Table 1 Gross Domestic Product and Dollar exchange rate of Ivory Coast from 1980 to 2005 (International Monetary Fund) Year Gross Domestic Product US Dollar Exchange 1980 2,121,163 211.27 Francs 1985 3,077,900 449.26 Francs 1990 2,939,400 272.26 Francs 1995 5,490,706 499.10 Francs 2000 7,416,793 709.87 Francs 2005 8,532,387 526.56 Francs Year 1990 has the lowest GDP although the CFA stands strong against the American Dollar. There was no drastic change in the economy until 1990. In the succeeding years, there was noticeable increase in the country’s GDP, but the country’s currency value decreased. Increase in GDP may be due to the country’s oil produce. On the other hand, the slump of CFA Franc in 2000 is largely caused by loss of foreign investors and decrease in agricultural profit due to the civil war. â€Å"To reduce the economic fluctuations caused by price variability, the government encourages diversification in export and intermediate processing of cocoa beans†. (Bureau of African affairs) â€Å"Despite attempts by the government to diversify the economy, it is still largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population†. (Wikimedia Foundation Inc.) The government continues to be optimistic that the

Social Psychology - Exprerimental Psychology Essay

Social Psychology - Exprerimental Psychology - Essay Example Experimental psychology, Patrick McGhee has decribed as the most dominant form of psychology in north America and Europe. Whether or not this dominance is desirable, secure or important is another issue. In the perspective of experimental social psychology, the most scientifically efficient, intellectually rigorous method for understanding human social behaviour makes for the making of three assumptions viz: Experimental psychology can be viewed as the first of the three individual "visions" of social psychology. This "vision" when applied in to the understanding of Liv Ullman does not really explain anything about her success as a film star, but then goes to make us understand her person to the point of why she did what. When put under experimental psychology, the social psychology of Liv Ullman can be understood. The reasons for her being a committed UNICEF goodwill ambassador who has also travelled wide for the organisation can be explained. She is Norweigian, born in Tokyo and has a half Swedish daughter with Swedish Ingmar Bergman. Her vast travel experience may have contributed to her being multi-lingual which may have been useful to her in her many travels across the globe in furtherance of her humanitarian service as a UNICEF goodwill ambassasdor. The fact that she has continued in th... The fact that she has continued in the movie industry as a director (even after retiring as an actress) is a confirmation of the experimental psychology. She will definitely be more comfortable in the movie industry than any other industry. Her role in the movie Scenes from a Marriage, which turned her into a feminist and cultural icon in the 1970s and also placed her as one of the most respected actress of her time was directed by Ingmar Bergman. The position the film put her may have influenced her going into humanitarian service. Her cross-cultural background- born in Tokyo; raised in Norway; married and worked with a Swede, whom she has a child for; and now married to an American- have all contributed to explain her many travels on humanitarian purposes as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Looking at this first "vision" of social psychology, it can be said that in understanding Liv Ullman, it is useful. But there are questions that it does not exactly provide answers to. Like how she became so good an actress and so much critical acclaim that has not yet been seen since the 70s. Her sense of security, even when she is not with the ones she loves, or in strange land have not been explained using this "vision". The second "vision" is humanistic and experiential. What this seeks to do is to blend the study of personal and social life in the actualities of lived experience. It tries to look at the lived world and the behavoiur of an individual to the experiences of this world. This vision regards people's experience and the meanings they attach to their actions and that of others. It believes behaviour has to be interpreted to be made meaningful. Thus the behaviour which is objectively observable and analysable is

16th Century Travel PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

16th Century Travel - PowerPoint Presentation Example With the domestication of animals that can bear people on their backs, people found it more convenient and, during that time, more time efficient to ride animals to get where they were going than walk. Consequently, people started to journey using horses, donkeys, camels and even water buffalos. The distance did not matter although horses were more commonly used for long travels because of their speed. Land transportation soon saw another change. Mostly on horses, man decided to find a much easier way to bring their crops or goods. This brought about the development of rough sledges and sleds on snow. The rolling drag was used for regular ground. Logs were placed under a platform so that the platform moved along whenever the logs rolled. Later on, the log was sliced and a hole was carved out from its center. This was the called the wheel. The use of the wheel made transportation even faster and more convenient. It also made traveling more comfortable. Even before the beginning of the modern era, the wheel had given rise to carts, chariots, wagons, carriages and coaches. Carriages came with four wheels and a rounded top and were pulled by two or four horses. The decoration and the materials used in making the carriages defined what class of people used them. Even before domesticating animals, man had already developed a way to move on water. â€Å"The origin of the dugout boat is one of history’s great mysteries.† (The History) Later on, a piece of cloth was added to the boat and this was called a sail. In the 16th century, explorers and traders alike would spend a lot of time on the descendant of the simple boat. From the junks of the Chinese to the caravels of the Mediterranean and the caravels of the Europeans, men of the 16th century saw themselves moving across the seas aboard huge ships. The caravel was the most commonly used water vessel in the 16th century due to the fact that the built and strength met

European Union’s Democratic Deficit: A Critical Assessment

European Union’s Democratic Deficit: A Critical Assessment Introduction The European Union is in a middle of a crisis. The worst part of its economic crisis has passed but it still faces even more severe issue: a trust crisis. People do not feel represented by the European Union and have turned their support towards populist and radical movements. What is the basis of this crisis? Some authors incline to say it is the EU’s democratic deficit. Thus, since there is a wide gap between what EU citizens want from their politicians and how the EU bureaucrats and institutions act. This leads to a situation where the public’s opinion and desires are not taking into account by the body that should represent them[1]. Yet, first we need to analyse in detail what a democratic deficit means to then address this problem. Democratic deficit is a tricky issue as it does not have a widely accepted definition between politics and law scholars. Depending on the author and its background, the term can be used with different connotations and meanings; hence, the results of the analysis tend to depend on the notion of democratic deficit the author uses[2]. Therefore, first, we shall develop our own democratic deficit conceptual approximation. Then, we will be able to lead a critical assessment on representation and participatory actual problems of the European Union. Afterwards, we will have all the tools necessary to address in detail if there is a true democratic deficit problem in the European Union and to propose some possible alternatives to solve it. The European Union and Democratic Deficit If a hyperbole is permitted, democratic deficit may have as many meanings as authors have discussed it. It is not an easy issue to address or to encompass in a single-simple definition. First of all, especially because, even though we can agree on some basis for democracy, in wide terms it is an ambiguous subject. So, what an author considers a democratic deficit will be highly influenced by what he considers to be a democracy. One of the first scholars to use this term was British David Marquand. He used it to define the democratic legitimacy faintness of –then- European Community. He suggested direct elections for representatives before the European Parliament. When this was adopted, the issue around European Community democratic legitimacy arose even further, as for the European Parliament represented the voice of the European Community citizens but the Community was not ready to give more powers to the Parliament, causing more tension. After the approval of the Maastricht treaty, the problem grew. Two pillars were added to the Union (common Foreign and Security Policy and Home Affairs), and in none of them the Parliament had any control[3]. Other authors propose the democratic deficit problem in the terms of a backwards Hume’s is/ought as they consider there is a discrepancy between is and ought/ should in the European Union[4] institutions and democracy as the transfer of substantial amounts of political decision-making towards the supranational level on non-elected institutions has diminished the democratic influence and the basic control the citizens have on their political institutions. It is obvious that at the first stages of the European Community it was reasonable and necessary to keep citizens away from decision-making as it was initially designed to be an economic community and not a political institution[5], but its goals mutated in time. The Community passed from a purely economic institution to a political one. As it was a community formed by democratic countries, one could expect that the supranational body they formed would also have democratic and participatory channels. Nonetheless, European Union turned into a bureaucratic and political giant that has slowly diminished the national entities and directly-elected supranational bodies -European Parliament- and passed it to its hands. Yet, other approaches[6] suggest that, even though the democratic deficit issue is real, it has to be attributed to the Union’s member states, rather than the Union itself. Integration between European states was responding to a series of already-existing democratic legitimacy issues within the states. They argue that the Union is not democratic enough because the member states have not been able to democratise their integration. The issue of the lack of democracy within European Union institutions is not considered as the cause of the problem, but the natural consequence of the democratic deficit of European Union members. This perspective must be necessarily rebuked. Even with their flaws, most of the European Union members have developed and stable democracies. If an institution poses itself as the supranational ruler of a continent and its legitimate representative, it must follow the same form of government that those national units it intends to rule, which is democracy. Where could European Union legitimacy come if not from its citizens? The Union’s decisions directly impact its citizens, as much as a national government decision, or even more. It also breaks citizens’ capacity to rely on the regular channels of influence –voting- to ensure they are being listened and to participate in political process[7]. The lack of democracy of the Union and is tightness to evolve and accept citizens demands only causes further disgust and loss of legitimacy. European Union is a sui generis institution, as it is not a state but it represents them and takes decisions in their name, therefore it should be held accountable for its decisions in direct elections. One cannot fail to notice that there is a deep democratic deficit in the European Union from the turnout in its elections. Ever since legislative powers were transferred to the Council of Ministers of the European Union from the national governments, the setup of the European Union shifted from that of an economic block to that of a political one. The lack of democracy in the Union has been evident in the voter turnout. From the first vote in 1979, the turnout has been going lower and lower with the 2014 election having a disappointing turnout of 42.54%. Compared to the individual member nations where the average voter turnout is 68%, this is a sign that the members of the European Parliament have noted something wrong with the setup and are thus silently revolting. This has led to the debate as to what ought to be done to get the Union back on track. While one side states that reforms are enough to make the Union serve its needs, others think the European Union should be simply debunked. The fact that the European Union has a lot of benefits for its member states and the world in general, however, means that its abolishment is not the best solution. To get the best solution for the case, therefore, requires an in-depth analysis of how the Union works and where it is failing. The Origin of the Democratic Deficit of the European Union Looking at the origins of the European Union, it is easy to make the conclusion that it was primarily meant to be purely economic and the introduction of the political aspects only complicated issues. The Treaty of Paris in 1951 saw to the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) which was meant to provide a trading bloc for coal and steel in Europe as suggested by its name. In 1957, the Treaty of Rome saw to the establishment of the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC’s original members were known as the European Communities. In 1993, the Maastricht Treaty would see to the establishment of the European Union. With the European Union came the introduction of European citizenship. The latest of the treaties in this regard is the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon. While a lot has changed in the structure and function of the European Union to the present moment, some of the problems that plague the Union are the same.   The Manifesto for the Young European Federalists by Richard Corbett first raised the issue of the lack of democracy in the European Union in 1977 where the term democratic deficit was first used. David Marquand would later use the term in reference to the workings of the European Economic Community. The coining of the term primarily focused on the European Parliament, which was previously referred to as the European Assembly, and why it had a deficit of democracy. The primary argument behind this assertion is that the Parliament was made up of members who had not been directly elected by the citizens of the European Union. As such, the European Union was not serving the needs of its citizens but those of a few people. Effectively, the European Union is thus not democratic enough given that it does not meet the definition of a democracy where there is a government for the majority. The fact that the majority is not represented through free and fair elections of the members of the European Parliament is one point to the fact that there is a deficiency of democracy in the Union. The European Constitution The European Union prides itself in democratic legitimacy through various aspects of the constitution. The first of these aspects is the European Parliament. The Parliament is subject to the electorates of the member states. The other organs are the Council of the European Union also called the Council of Ministers, and the European Council made up of the heads of national governments of the member states. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union appoint the European Commission members. This system of making decisions is supposed to give the European Union democratic legitimacy in the same way the US House of Representatives and the US Senate give democratic legitimacy to the United States. Decisions are thus to be reached by both bodies agreeing, and a third organ in this case the European Commission. The intended democratic legitimacy has, however, not been entirely attained by the European Union. The construction of the Union itself has occasioned what the German Constitutional Court called a structural democratic deficit in the Union. This court established that the process of making decisions for the European Union was primarily those of an international organisation rather than those of a government. The difference is that, as an international organisation, the European Union based its democracy on the equality of the member nations rather than the citizens of these countries. It is thus difficult to reconcile the needs of the citizens and those of the member nations of the European Union provided its operation as an international organisation rather than a government. Similarly, the British Electoral Reform Society filed a report in 2014 to the same issue of the EU constitution having a structure which focused on the needs of the member states rather than the citizens. The r eport stated that, while the European Union has focused on upholding the principles of democratic engagement, accountability and representativeness, there is the need to focus on the needs of the minority in any democracy. The European Union, being mostly made up of minorities, thus needs to have a focus on serving the needs of the citizens rather than those of the member governments[8]. Democratic Deficit and the European Commission One of the main structures put in place by the European Union in support of democracy is the European Commission. First, there has been criticism concerning the legitimacy of the European Commission and its role in the initiation of legislation in the European Union. However, this criticism does not have the backing of facts as similar bodies within national governments have yielded similarly poor results. However, its position as a body that legitimises the European Union and its take on democracy has failed by a large extent. The main weakness with such a body, as also noted in the case of the United States government, is that the regulations may be so detailed that the member states have little freedom in making their decisions on legislation[9]. While the issue of a democratic deficit was noted as far back as the 1970s when the idea of a united Europe was still in development, democratic legitimacy has always been an issue the Union has been dealing with ever since. When the Treaty of Lisbon was put in place, its primary aim was to provide room for better democracy in the region. The Treaty of Lisbon required that the President of the European Commission ought to take account of the results of the European Union parliamentary elections. This simply means that the President of the European Commission should be nominated by the   most dominant group in the parliament. This step effectively makes the European Union a political body rather than the economic one meant for the over watch of the economic activities of Europe. In fact, the European Union, owing to this kind of structure, has become partly a federation and also an international organisation[10]. The President of the European Commission would thus be partly elected and partly appointed. This position gives the president less power than is needed to win the confidence of the population, and too much power to earn the trust of the governments of the member nations. The resulting model is one where little democracy is accorded to the citizens of the European Union and their governments as well. The European Parliament and Democratic Deficit When the European Parliament was set up, a lot of people were ready to voice its weaknesses in seeing to the implementation of legislation. However, political scientists would come to the rescue of this organ by stating that, first, the European Parliament is different from the parliaments of single countries due to various factors such as the lack of a divide between the government and the opposition, the presence of a divide between the executive and the legislature, the presence of political parties that are decentralised, bipartisan voting, and the roles of the various committees. For this reason, the European Parliament has been compared to the US House of Representatives but with the advantage of not having a governing body over it like the latter house. The fact that the majorities in the European Parliament have to be built each time while depending on negotiations, persuasions, and explanations ought to make it better in function than the US House of Representatives. This is true given that the lack of interference between the executive and the legislature has made the European Commission and the European Parliament more effective. For instance, the member states of the European Union have less than 15% of their legislative initiatives becoming the law. This is largely due to the lack of support from the executive. The executive bodies, on the other hand, rarely require the input of the legislature in the same nations to pass amendments. The role of the European Parliament is the propositioned amendments to the existing laws. The success rate of these amendments is as high as 80% with the lowest levels recorded (mostly for the hotly contested topics) is at 30%. To an extent, however, the structure of the European Parliament allows for a level of lack of accountability and weakness when it is compared to parliaments with an overwatch body like the case of the US House of Representatives. Voter Turnout in European Elections and the Impact on Democratic Deficit With any democracy, the legitimacy of the leaders in power heavily relies upon the turnout of the voters during elections. The European Parliament has had some of the lowest levels of elections voter turnout hence the reduction in its democratic legitimacy. This is based on the fact that the turnout of the European Parliament elections has been declining consistently since its formation. However, the President of the European Union, Pat Cox, said that the 1999 European Parliament elections and a far much better turnout than the presidential elections in the United States. Compared, the voter turnout for the presidential elections in the United States in 1996 was 49%. However, the voter turnout in the European Parliament elections for 1999 was at 49.51 percent. For both types of elections, this turnout was among the very lowest. While both are at their lowest, it is difficult to use this as an excuse for the lack of democracy in the European Union. As a matter of fact, the case of the United States is very different from that of the European Union and the reasons for the low voter turnouts. For the European Union, the people have an option of whether to belong to the Union or not. And the way they can show their willingness to belong or not belong to the Union is through participating (or not participating) in its activities such as elections. The social aspect of the European Union, that of being accepted or rejected by the people, has been observed in the way the people have turned out in low numbers at each European Parliament vote[11]. The massive lack of knowledge for the common citizen of the European Union has led to the lack of participation by the voters. On the other hand, the United States electorate can have a low voter turnout for many other reasons none (or very little) of which is being against the union that is the United States. As it is, the European Union is not a very effective and efficient democracy given that its workings are not in line even with the developing democracies of the world. First, it is torn between being a government, and an international organisation. Secondly, the citizens, having seen that the democracy of the Union does not work (and it is too complex to understand), are increasingly ceasing to buy into the idea of the European Union being there to improve their lives through fostering democracy. Democratic Deficit and the Council of the European Union Another organ of the European Union is the Council of the European Union. This Council is also part of the efforts of the union to foster democracy among the member states. Its primary role is acting as the voice of the member governments of the EU while adopting the laws European Union and coordinating the polices of the union as well. Depending on the policies of the union, the government ministers of the members states are the members or the Council of the European Union. The presidency of the Council is held on a rotating basis (among the states) with each president holding the office for 6 months only. The Council carries out voting on legislation and discussions with both exercises being held in public. The decisions are based on a qualified majority whereby at least 55% of the countries (which is about 65% of the total population of the European Union) are required. In blocking a decision, 4 nations are needed (being the equivalent of 35% of the European Union population). For issues that are of an administrative and procedural nature require a simple majority while a unanimous vote is needed for the very sensitive topics such as taxation and foreign policy. While the structure of the Council of the European Union seems to read democracy all through it, the same weaknesses that plague the European Parliament plague it hence it is just another example of democratic deficit in the EU. For one, own-initiative reports from either the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union do not have legal consequences as such to the member states. Also, both bodies cannot play major roles in the amendment and repealing of legislation that is already in place. Lastly, and most importantly, the bodies do not address the needs of the citizens of the member nations. Looking at the structure of the European Union, it is easy to conclude that the reason it has not met the needs of the citizens is because there is too much bureaucracy between the top organs of the Union and the common citizens for the member states. The organs are too separated from the citizens in that the decision made take a very long route to reach the citizen. The representatives also have to make decisions which serve the needs of the Union and those of their respective countries; an issue which often introduces a conflict of interest. What the European Union has Done to Better Democratic Legitimacy All the concerns expressed here about the democratic legitimacy of the European Union have been expressed before by various persons and bodies and they have been heard by the people at the helm of the Union. For this reason, the Union has put in place various changes to the constitution with the focus being on doing away with the noted weaknesses in the laws and constitution of the Union in general. Among the changes made include the introduction of the Maastricht Treaty. This was a landmark treaty which is credited with the introduction of citizenship of the European Union. This citizenship would grant EU citizens voting rights to the European Parliament in each of their countries. Even municipal elections of the European Union were also included in the treaty. The treaty would also introduce co-decision procedure in which the European Parliament was given powers that gave it an equal footing to the Council of the European Union in making legislative decisions[12]. These steps would make the European Parliament much more functional and powerful but not powerful enough to overcome the issues of being a purely democratic entity.   The other change made to the constitution of the European Union is the Treaty of Lisbon. Becoming effective from the 1st of December 2009, the treaty saw to better representation of the EU citizens both directly in the European Parliament and indirectly through the Council of the European Union. This was meant to foster democracy and representation. The treaty would also see to the implementation and acceptance of the co-decision procedure as the primary procedure for the legislative dealings of the Union. The Treaty of Lisbon is also credited with tremendously increasing the powers of the European Parliament by a large extent[13]. One of the main areas in which the Treaty of Lisbon helped focus on the EU citizens was in giving the citizens the right to make petitions to the European Parliament concerning any matters of material effect[14]. This increased the powers of the citizen and their levels of participating in the making of decisions. Further on, the treaty would ensure th at Council of the European Union meetings which discussed public matters are made public for all to see. In this way, the citizens can better understand the debates and the workings of the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon also receives credit for improving on the role played by the national parliaments of the member nations in putting in place the laws and legislations of the Union[15]. Lastly, the Treaty of Lisbon is credited with giving the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union full legal effect. This meant that various steps taken by the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Parliament would have full legal effect in areas where they apply[16]. Conclusion The workings of the European Union in seeking democracy have been so far ineffective on various levels as observed above. While there is intention from the leaders of the European Union to remedy these weaknesses in the workings of the Union, the fundamental reason why there have been low levels of success when it comes to attaining democracy for all citizens is its structure. It aims to operate like a government yet at its basic form it is an amalgamation of governments. Each of these governments have different needs, goals, histories and fundamental principles. The rest is that the leaders of each country first take care of their countries’ needs before those of the European Union. Also, its structure makes it difficult to make laws that will lead to better governance as each piece of legislation needs to have the needs of the many member states at heart. With time, it can be hoped that better legislation will be enabled for all the democracy to be attained. References Avbelj, M. 2005. Can the New European Constitution Remedy the EU Democratic Deficit?. EUMAP.org Campbell, M (2012) The Democratic Deficit of the European Union. Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union, p. 25. Castro, C. (2015). Assessing the Democratic Deficit in the EU: towards a Participatory Approach. RIPS, 14 (1), p. 63. Craig, P; Grainne De; P. P. Craig (2007). Chapter 11 Human rights in the EU. EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 379. Dilek, K. (2011). The Problem of â€Å"Democratic Deficit† in the European Union. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (5) p. 244. Electoral Reform Society — Close the Gap — Tackling Europes democratic deficit. European Parliament: Relations with National Parliaments. Innerarity, D (2015). The Inter-Democratic Deficit of the European Union: The Governance of Europes Economic, Political and Legal Transformation. Pp. 173-174. Kelemen, R. (2012). The Rules of Federalism: Institutions and Regulatory Politics in the EU and Beyond. Harvard University Press. pp. 21–22. Milev, M. (2004) A ‘Democratic Deficit’ in the European Union? Master Thesis, I.H.E.I. p. 10. Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 99. [1] Castro, C. (2015). Assessing the Democratic Deficit in the EU: towards a Participatory Approach. RIPS, 14 (1), p. 63. [2] Milev, M. (2004) A ‘Democratic Deficit’ in the European Union? Master Thesis, I.H.E.I. p. 10 [3] Milev (2004), pp. 11-12. [4] Dilek, K. (2011). The Problem of â€Å"Democratic Deficit† in the European Union. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (5) p. 244 [5] Castro, C. (2005), p. 66. [6] Innerarity, D (2015). The Inter-Democratic Deficit of the European Union: The Governance of Europes Economic, Political and Legal Transformation. Pp. 173-174 [7] Campbell, M (2012) The Democratic Deficit of the European Union. Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union, p. 25. [8] Electoral Reform Society — Close the Gap — Tackling Europes democratic deficit. [9] Kelemen, R. (2012). The Rules of Federalism: Institutions and Regulatory Politics in the EU and Beyond. Harvard University Press. pp. 21–22. [10] Charlemagne. 2013. A democratic nightmare: Seeking to confront the rise of Eurosceptics and fill the democratic deficit. The Economist. [11] Avbelj, M. 2005. Can the New European Constitution Remedy the EU Democratic Deficit?. EUMAP.org [12] Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 31–32. [13] Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 43–44 [14] Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 99. [15] European Parliament: Relations with National Parliaments. [16] Craig, P; Grainne De Burca; P. P. Craig (2007). Chapter 11 Human rights in the EU. EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 379.

Fiscal Policy In The US Essay -- essays papers

Fiscal Policy In The US â€Å"Real plans for real people.† This was the coined theme for the Bush campaign back in September. As far as I can see with his tax cut plan in doesn’t involve â€Å"real people†. It may just depend on your definition of the term, but the â€Å"real people† of America are the middle class, hard working families. Bush’s tax plan is now said to be $1.6 trillion over a ten year period of time. Most of this money will go to the upper brackets, the â€Å"better off†. Granted they do pay the most money, but then when you think about it, why do they need the cut? Can they not afford to pay their taxes? In this economic time of a feared recession our government should be doing everything in their power to avoid this situation. Having a prolonged tax cut does nothing to help the economy now. By the time the money is given back we and more than likely to have already succeeded this economic down low. The economist will tell you the in order to dodge this the money must be given back now. If the money is given back earlier there is a better chance of people spending it and stimulating economic activity. When looked at by this point of view I most definitely agree with Laura D’Andrea Tyson when she said, â€Å"Bush wants a large tax cut for political reasons, not economic ones.† When Robert J. Barro discuses how he thinks the tax cut will stimulate investment and growth, increase incentives to work and save, and lower the amount of money Congress can spend, I find myself d... Fiscal Policy In The US Essay -- essays papers Fiscal Policy In The US â€Å"Real plans for real people.† This was the coined theme for the Bush campaign back in September. As far as I can see with his tax cut plan in doesn’t involve â€Å"real people†. It may just depend on your definition of the term, but the â€Å"real people† of America are the middle class, hard working families. Bush’s tax plan is now said to be $1.6 trillion over a ten year period of time. Most of this money will go to the upper brackets, the â€Å"better off†. Granted they do pay the most money, but then when you think about it, why do they need the cut? Can they not afford to pay their taxes? In this economic time of a feared recession our government should be doing everything in their power to avoid this situation. Having a prolonged tax cut does nothing to help the economy now. By the time the money is given back we and more than likely to have already succeeded this economic down low. The economist will tell you the in order to dodge this the money must be given back now. If the money is given back earlier there is a better chance of people spending it and stimulating economic activity. When looked at by this point of view I most definitely agree with Laura D’Andrea Tyson when she said, â€Å"Bush wants a large tax cut for political reasons, not economic ones.† When Robert J. Barro discuses how he thinks the tax cut will stimulate investment and growth, increase incentives to work and save, and lower the amount of money Congress can spend, I find myself d...