Consumer Behaviour and Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer Behaviour and Research - Essay Example The theory presents a model that states the factors stimulating individual, group or corporate purchases, the intervening variables that may influence the purchase decisions, and the likely outcome of such purchase decisions. The factors influencing the purchase decision, according to this theory, is the sensitivity to information, perception bias and the active search for information, which ends-up indicating the favorable purchases to be done, based on the buyer preferences (Howard, 1965 p84). This is a progressive development from the earlier utility and Herbert Simon's satisficing life theories, which based the consumer behavior solely on the needs of the individual, ignoring all the intervening factors that could alter the purchase decision (Loudon, 1988 p 48). Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) This theory was developed in 1975, postulating that the buyer decision is fully influenced by beliefs and attitudes (Foxall, 2005 p16). Thus, the process of buyer behavior is preceded by at titude formation, where the buyer evaluates the alternative products and services that are available to satisfy their needs, while gauging each product and services upon its effectiveness and attractiveness. The theory further advanced, to not only look at the attitudes, but also interrogate the behavior depicted by the buyer throughout the purchase decision and execution process (Engel, Kollat & Blackwell, 1968 p10). This advanced the development of the consumer behavior theories further, from a mere focus on the needs and satisfaction process, to the actual involvement of the buyer, in information evaluation and arriving at informed decisions (Massy, Montgomery, & Morrison 1970 p16). The Theory of Planned Behavior This is a buyer intention and prediction analysis... The researcher of this essay aims to analyze the consumer behavior, that usually depicts the processes by which individuals or groups of people secure, utilize and dispose products or services, in a bid to satisfy their needs. Today, there are various theories that have been put across to explain the consumer behavior. Notably, theories of consumer behavior have been widely developed since 1800 to present day, with subsequent theories improving and expanding the previous ones. The development in the theories of buyer behavior took an upward trend starting 1950, with many researchers keenly engaging in the evaluation of the factors that influences the consumption behavior in individuals. The consumer behavior theories that have been subsequently developed include: Herbert Simon's satisficing life theory, the Theory of Buyer Behavior, Theory of Reasoned Action, The Theory of Planned Behavior. These theories were analyzed in details in this essay. The researcher also described the onlin e buying, that has become a norm for many people, owing to the recent technological developments that allow individuals to purchase products and have them delivered, in the comfort of the houses. While traditionally people used to visit stores and premises to inspect the products on sale, they are currently viewing the products online, while assessing their features and usability from the seller’s website, so that straight-to-the-point description of the products are needed for the implementation of the successful strategy.

Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Example for Free

Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Dream is a wildly creative and imaginative futuristic story of ones, or another’s life dream. It is the American Dream is one that encompasses the most imaginative story which is what the person desires to have or accomplish in his lifetime. Although all people of all ages have American Dreams, the notion of such a dream is truly impossible because of its wildly imporportionate measures of desire. In the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, had a similar fantasy dream. But, in theory, Jay Gatsby is just as far as any other person in their progress towards their true American Dream. Jay Gatsby, whose dream included of being with the girl of his dream, and being filthy rich. Having that sort of dream was not only impossible but by pursuing his dream, it directly led to his downfall and soon his assassination. The American Dream is a widely known and used notion of a person’s â€Å"dream life†, many try to follow or achieve their goals until they realize it is just plainly impossible. Others realize from the very start that their most wild and extravagant American dreams are just what they are†¦ dreams. But then, people like Jay Gatsby do not give up and fight until the end, this came to be the case literally in the â€Å"Great Gatsby† when Gatsby pursues his dream until the time of his death. The entire notion of the American Dream had captured Gatsby, and his dream soon began to dictate his life, and actions. Throughout the novel, Jay is following this one dream that he truly believes can be his one day. This dream was to become very rich and have Daisy Buchanan as his lover. In fact, he does quite well in progressing in the dream until the point where he combines reality and his fantasy and completely forgets about reality. This notion of the American dream was very much hyped up in the time after World War 1, in the 1920’s called the Jazz Age, and this is just the same time frame that this novel is put in. Since there was many wrong doings and many people trying to accomplish these impossible dreams, the time period gave quite a influence on Gatsby and his actions toward his dreams. The corruption is explained by Diane Telgen even further; â€Å"Fitzgeralds book mirrors the headiness, ambition, despair, and disillusionment of America in the 1920s: its ideals lost behind the trappings of class and material success (Telgen, 2). Although something may be impossible, Gatsby knows he will not stop until he achieves it, but due to this mindset he also begins living in a fantasy where he sees his dream take over his life and reality and influence his actions. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald both openly and subliminally incorporated symbols to represent Gatsby’s dream and his progress to attain the unattainable. As the reader reads the book he is foreshadowed by these symbols of how the dream for Gatsby is literally out of his reach, and thus will never be able to grab it. Throughout the novel, there are many times where Gatsby is looking out and sees a green light. Since the dream has taken control, he warps a simple light into something magnificently grander in his mind. In the text of the novel Fitzgerald writes, a single green light, minute and faraway, that might have been the end of a dock. †(ch. 1) As seen in this quote, Gatsby has been overwhelmed by his dream and all he sees is his dream. He has even confused the differences between logic and fantasy. because as seen here he, throughout the book, continuously is gazing at this minute green light thinking of it to be his dream and the closeness between him and Daisy. But he of course fails to realize the reality of the scene that it might just simply be the end of a dock, nothing more, nothing less. Not only was Gatsby blinded by such disillusionment between reality and fake, but he strived to achieve his goal by doing whatever he thought was needed for the accomplishment of such a dream. Jay Gatsby was so emotionally and physically attached to his American Dream that he would do absolutely anything to attain such a dream. Jay is willing to not only lie, but to do crime and other horrendous things just for his money and love. While in the Car going to New York City, Jay tells Nick Carraway his life dream, what is not told is that this life dream is late to be recognized as false and a cover up lie for Gatsby to seem better off and richer that what he really is. One of these lies is captured by Richard Lehan; â€Å"These absurd adventures he went on like living like a rajah in the capitols of Europe and collecting rubies and jewels made some question his honesty. † (get real quote not paraphrased one). Also not only did he make up a new life, in order to mpress a simple girl and earn money he was willing to even do crime which is just absurd in today’s society’s eyes. In the time of the 1920’s there were many immoral practices and many immoral practitioners like Gatsby committing crimes and making up his life as he went. In the novel he really is just not willing to give up on his greedy dream. Even to the point of death he kept on thinking to himself that there might still be a chance for him to have Daisy for himself, as his lover one day. The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald included a twisted plot where the main character Jay Gatsby takes off on an impulse to love Daisy Buchanan and want her and his money. OF course his American Dream was just out of reach and due to such standards for Gatsby it truly led to quarrels between the characters which ended up with Gatsby’s death. Jay Gatsby, whose dream included of being with the girl of his dream, and being filthy rich. Having that sort of dream was not only impossible but by pursuing his dream, it directly led to his downfall and soon his assassination. He was so attached to such a dream he saw simple, everyday objects as signs to him that he is getting closer to Daisy, he also was willing to stoop as low as for a wealthy man to commit crime to earn more money just to impress Daisy Buchanan. He also did not stop there, he made up his own fake life where it lightened up his past for Daisy’s amusement and sticked to that notion until his assassination. Through this novel, it is yet again showed how the notion of the American Dream is just what it is; a notion or a dream, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing attainable.

Medieval Castles Essay -- essays research papers fc

Medieval Castles and their Interior   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although it is thought that medieval times were barbaric they too enjoyed many comforts we still do today. There is much more to the castle then its’ size or the stone arches inside which are still used in many homes today. Castles today are still flocked to by millions of people every year. Sometimes you even see copies of castles right here in the U.S.A but they are not quite the same. Although they were originally built to protect the King, Castles became more and more popular among other nobles as well. Each family castle had their own special design and touch but most castles of medieval times had a lot of the same basic elements in their interior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within the shell keep and behind the great walls of these castles there was always one basic element: the great hall. It was often on the ground floor but sometimes it was raised to the second floor for extra security. â€Å"The great hall was a large one-room structure with a lofty ceiling†(Giess 58). This was where all the people of the castles slept (excluding the lord and the Lady). There was of course a great big curtain put up so the ladies would be separate from the men. It wasn’t until the end of the century when separate rooms were invented. The great hall was usually located in the very center of the castle and walls built out of stone surrounded the whole room. The entrance was in a sidewall near the lower end of the hall. An outside staircase would be built if the hall were on the second floor. The family would usually have its feasts in this room (Gies 60). For even more security they would have guards stand outside the great hall on all sides of the room so guests would feel safe when they were feasting (Nardo 57). Early halls were aisled like a church, with rows of wooden posts or stone pillars supporting the timber roof. Windows were equipped with wooden shutters secured by an iron bar but they were rarely glazed. It wasn’t until the13th century a king or a great baron might have white or greenish glass in the windows. Then later in the14th century that glazed windows were in every castle (Gies59).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the castle, the first floor or ground floor (it was sometimes called) was the actual earth itself. ... ...d. All that remains now are ruins that dot the countryside every where throughout England.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though the castle has disappeared it has not been completely forgotten. Today many decorators and homeowners borrow and try to recreate the barbaric look. A lot of people find in quite romantic. People are reminded of royalty and all the important people during this period like King Arthur and Robin Hood. In conclusion, the Medieval Castle’s interior decoration began to have importance and much of its’ innovations are still used today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WORKS CITED Nardo, Don. The Medieval Castle. California: Lucent Books, 1997. Singman, Jeffery L. Medieval Europe. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999. Gies, Frances, et. al. Life in a Medieval Castle. New York: Thomas Crowell Company,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1974. â€Å"Interior Design.† World Book Encyclopedia. 1995. ed. Medieval Castles. 12 Dec 2001. http://www.castles-of-britain.com

Nursing and Care Essay

The concept of Synergy can be applied to the practice of nursing by means of education and service. To obtain Synergy in nursing the nurse’s knowledge and skills are able to meet the individual needs of the patient population that is presented. Currently in Western Pennsylvania, there is a rising number maternal substance abuse during pregnancy. This epidemic in turn creates a different type of population in infants than other areas of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with specific healthcare needs. One area that is lacking synergy is the care of this rising patient population of infants suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). This creates a gap between nursing education and clinical application. Due to the rise in NAS infants it is important for nurses to be educated in proper care for an infant presenting with this diagnosis, symptom management, communication skills, and the fundamental knowledge Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Poor patient outcomes can be caused by a lack of understanding addiction. The Vermont Oxford Network states, â€Å"Fear of stigmatization, discrimination, child removal, poor treatment, and criminal prosecution has deterred women from seeking care. However, the research suggests that providing substance dependent women with comprehensive healthcare, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, and social support improves pregnancy, birth, and child development outcomes. † (Horbar, Soll & Buus-Frank, 2013) When the infant is admitted into the acute care setting, the care needs of these patients should focus less on the immediate outcome, and more on what will create the greatest good for each patient as an individual. There is an essential need for the development of collaborative solutions for care and education in the healthcare setting for the care of this rising population. Often this would be to provide care with a realistic goal of maintaining optimal levels of comfort with minimal side effects of withdraw. â€Å"About 40% of infants who exhibit withdrawal symptoms can be treated without medication. † (White, 2013) Nurses who take time to ensure a level of comfort will help to alleviate symptoms of NAS withdraw and also help support the family in their infant’s care. In addition to providing comfort will help decrease the need to be medicated for withdraw and ultimately will lead to a shorter hospitalization. The manager of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will need to address this issue and implement change in order to improve patient outcomes. The competencies that make up the Synergy model are clinical judgment, advocacy and moral agency, caring practices, facilitation of learning, collaboration, systems thinking, response to diversity, and clinical inquiry. For the NAS population advocacy, clinical judgment, caring practices and facilitation of learning are most important. Advocacy proposes the nurse to serve as a moral agent to work on the infant’s behalf in order to provide the greatest good to help resolve concerns that are both clinical and ethical. Clinical judgment is the ability for the nurse to take on the leadership role to care for their patient. Infants are unable to make healthcare decisions; the nurse must consider the parent’s wishes and what the result the nurses’ actions will yield for this infant. These actions must positively contribute to their plan of care overall. Caring practices creates a compassionate and therapeutic environment for each the patients, recognizing the unique needs of each infant. The nurse acts as a facilitator of learning when he/she incorporates the understanding of the infant’s family into the care. The Synergy mode includes patient characteristics, which are, resiliency, vulnerability, stability, complexity, resource availability, participation in care and decision-making and predictability. For the NAS population the patient characteristics would immediately associate complexity, vulnerability, and participation in care and decision-making. Complexity as referred to as to the multitude of symptoms that are to be considered for proper care of the patient. These infants are unable communicate pain, symptoms needs, and what their desire’s are. For example, these infant’s cry and are inconsolable until the nurse goes through a trial and error until he/she figures out the needs of the child. They do not understand what is happening to them. Vulnerability includes the stressors that these patients will be exposed to that may affect outcomes. The infants depend on the decisions their families and healthcare professionals. Increased length of hospital stay can lead to problems that may decline in their already compromised condition, for example, infection. Lastly, the NAS patients are vulnerable due to the fact that they are unable to make their own healthcare decisions and have to depend on parents and healthcare providers to be speak on their behalf. The parents participate in care as they receive information and help assist in the care for their child. Analyze the Case Nursing education places emphasis on clinical presentation, physical stressors and conditions that affect the patient and their associated treatments. Increased education is needed for nurses on the postpartum and NICU units about the treatment for this specific patient population. With the increase in drug dependent mothers there seems to be little nursing education provided on postpartum and NICU nursing units about the care for these infants, and this issue needs to be addressed. â€Å"Infants with NAS have higher rates of neonatal complications, prolonged lengths of stay and consume substantial NICU and hospital resources. Further, they impose a growing burden on already strained healthcare resources because state Medicaid expenditures are disproportionately impacted. † (Horbar, Soll & Buus-Frank, 2013) The administration and education team needs to identify this problem and incorporate teaching and updated research on these units. One competency that lacks synergy in the nursing care of the NAS population is collaboration. â€Å"Collaboration enhances the capacity of a group and increases the potential for success. † (Hardin & Kaplow, p. 75, 2005) It is not uncommon when different discipline areas such as the nurse, doctor, social worker etc. identify different goals for the patient. Poor communication causes the team to not work in unison to collaborate and work towards a common goal. â€Å"A key to collaboration is the communication that must exist between the patient, family, and health care team members as well as among members of the health care team. Another synergy lacking competency would be caring practices, which is the unique nursing care provided to the patient and families. Within the NAS population nurses have to recognize the differences and incorporated them into the infants care. Having compassion and creating a calming environment help provide comfort in a therapeutic environment. Often times the NAS population is considered as level II care, this allows for the nurses to take on a multiple patient assignment of three to five infants at a time. The NAS population is unique; they require much coddling and almost constant attention from the nurse. Having greater than three patients causes a great disadvantage to these children due to the nurse having to spread herself thin to meet the basic needs of feeding, changing and medicating, the nurse does not have adequate time to rock and soothe the infants causing greater withdraw symptoms. The rational decision-making model will help identify and implement the appropriate changes that are essential in optimizing care for the NAS population. Improvement in the education of the healthcare staff will create better patient outcomes. This decision making process includes three steps to achieve this objective: identify possible outcomes, determine probability of each outcome, and take action with the highest probability to achieve a positive outcome. The considered actions are increased in-person training, mandatory review of printed materials, or an on-line training course. The greatest positive outcome would come from increased in-person training. Create a Change Proposal Part of the nursing orientation for staff will be to participate in a class specified for the training related to care of the NAS infant prior to working in the NICU. Written material as well as a presentation will be provided. The attending physician will make a statement about services provided to the NAS infant, medications and important facts that the physician would like in report. For the staff nurses’ senior nursing projects are assigned yearly and are presented to maintain their status on the unit. Assigning NAS care to a few nurses each year will keep the most up to date research on the unit. These nurses will participate in Internet presentations that focus on quality, safety and care for infants and families of and NAS infant. Finally, a staff member from the social work team will join and present his/her role in the case of a NAS infant. The unit will provide CEU’s for this training. This proposal will affect the unit internally by involving the management team and multiple staff disciplines. The management team will help aid in this proposal by providing a day that is designated this additional training and appoint the appropriate nursing, physician and social work staff to participate in running the program. Finally obtaining CEU’s approved by the state board of nurses to offer education credits for after the completion of training. The designated nurses assigned to NAS as a senior project must keep up to date with the training information prior to the class of new staff, doing so will ensure they are prepared for questions that may arise. With this proposal the staff has the potential to increase the patient stability, outcome and satisfaction. Also this proposal will be aimed to help the nurses caring for NAS infants to promote patient care through evidenced based research. A change model that applies to this proposal would be the Lewin’s change model. This model is based on unfreezing, moving, and refreezing. First the unfreezing stage, the current beliefs and ideas will change with the desired outcome. The health care team will sufficiently identify the epidemic and need for changes in care for the NAS infant, inspiring the education and treatments needed to move the staff towards bettering practices. Lastly, refreezing, the nursing staff will have a new outlook or attitude towards NAS infants. Changes in the treatment process will be instituted based on the staff’s new outlook. Having the knowledge and resources for the care of the NAS infant will allow the care team to handle each unique case with evidenced based approach. Along with any type of change there will always be positive and negative outcomes on the environment. Positive outcomes will include an influx in nursing knowledge, better patient outcomes and an increased amount of resources for the staff. Negative outcomes may include not having the adequate amount of staff to run this program and the biases formed by individuals prior to participating in this class. A way to follow up with the care provided to these patients and their families would be an optional survey completed by the families allowing the unit to see their strengths and weaknesses. The survey will allow for improvement of care. â€Å"Nurses who have confidence in their ability to positively impact maternal parenting behaviors through education and skill building may impact patient care outcomes. It is imperative that the management and supervisors recognize the issues that nurse’s experience when caring for NAS infants. Educating staff will allow for a balance of practice and the nurses actions. Instituting this educational program will provide synergy to the NICU units and the epidemic of withdraw infants. The unit directors will be able to see that the changes to the unit and education instituted has worked when NAS infants have a shorter hospital stay, a decrease in the use of morphine and phenobarbital and finally patient/parental and nurse satisfaction. In conclusion, with the epidemic of substance abuse mothers on the rise it is imperative that neonatal nursing units properly educate their staff about the treatment and care of NAS infants. With the changes proposed in this case the care of this specific population will be enhanced. These infants are very fragile and require a lot of special attention. The proper care and education could make the world of a difference in a baby’s life.

Quikr vs Olx

SWOT ANALYSIS TEMPLATE Before you sit down to plan the future of your club’s marketing activities, you need to take stock of where your club is now and why you are there. One useful way to get a clear picture of where your club currently sits is by using a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. By using the SWOT analysis you can identify where your club stands in the market, which provides a useful launch pad for making future marketing plans. Take the time to work through the SWOT process carefully and you will have a clearer idea of: The things your club does well, and the things you need to improve on (strengths and opportunities). †¢ What types of competition exist for your club and which ones can be defended (strengths and threats) †¢ Whether your club needs to change the product itself to protect from outside influences (weaknesses and threats) †¢ Which issues your club needs to make as its priorities (weaknesses a nd opportunities). Strengths When you look at the strengths, concentrate on the club itself and whether it can achieve the outcomes you want.Examples of strengths include: †¢ Strong financial base. †¢ Strong local need for your product, many new members, etc. †¢ Group of skilled volunteers. †¢ Support from local businesses, politicians, etc. †¢ Well-equipped clubhouse. †¢ Committee is well-structured, enthusiastic, capable, etc. Weaknesses Weaknesses often appear as the direct opposite of the strengths listed above and include: †¢ Weak financial base. †¢ Diminishing need or desire for your product, fewer new members, etc. †¢ Few volunteers. †¢ No support from local businesses, politicians, etc. Out of date ill equipped clubhouse. †¢ Committee is poorly structured, overworked, disinterested, etc. Opportunities Opportunities refer to the possibilities of new growth because of the changes in the external environment and can include such things as: †¢ Promotion of sport by government authorities, e. g. renewed ‘Push Play† campaign. †¢ New population of potential users moving into the area, e. g. with children. †¢ Grants by local and national government to encourage sport and recreation. †¢ Organisations looking to sponsor local activities. Seasonal interest in particular sports, e. g cricket in summer, football in winter. †¢ International or national interests the activity your club is involved in, e. g Commonwealth or Olympic Games. †¢ Promotion of your activity to a different age group or gender e. g. lawn bowls to teenagers, rugby to girls. Threats As with strengths and weaknesses, the threats are often very similar to the opportunities. Examples of threats include: †¢ Traditional sponsors of sport and recreation changing the way they spend their sponsorship dollars. Seasonal interest in particular sports or activities which is in direct competition with your o wn, e. g. competing codes of Rugby. †¢ Promotion of sport to different age groups or gender which competes with your club’s interest e. g. ballet and soccer for girls. †¢ Other interests including television, video games, school activities, part-time work for teenagers, and so on. †¢ Time related issues for example, competition for volunteers time, longer working hours, both parents working – children unable to attend, limited available free time for both children and parents. Other organisations with better facilities. †¢ Lack of knowledge and interest in your product. A SWOT Analysis should be drawn up to look like this: |Internal |STRENGTHS |WEAKNESSES | |Factors |Vision : simple and quick |Not having international experience, therefore diversification | |(Things about |Strong funding |might be a problem at later stage. |your club) |Experienced partners: Norwest Venture Partners brings in a lot of |No acquisition till date as a result OLX has s urpassed quikr. | | |experience |Employee base is very low: Need to increase the sales force and| | |Horizontal rather than vertical |target other opportunity to increase market share. | |Customer Centric, not just technology centric : Free missed call | | | |Investment in analytics, mobile platforms | | |External |OPPORTUNITIES |THREATS | |Factors |Internet penetration(10%) is bound to increase |Low entry barrier | |(Things |Internet surfing through mobiles has surpassed PC. Competitors have international experience and deep pockets. | |outside of |Mobile base is huge and recently they have introduced a missed call |Zero switching cost. | |your club) |feature. |Intense Competiton | | |Cloud computing (SaaS, PaaS) could be useful in reducing the cost. | | | |Network Effects | | It’s a great idea to draw this up on a whiteboard or large piece of paper and use as a brainstorming base at a committee meeting.

Breakdown of Choosing Civility Essays

Breakdown of Choosing Civility Essays Breakdown of Choosing Civility Essay Breakdown of Choosing Civility Essay When approaching meditation as a novice like anything new you begin to categorize and assign key ideas based on the generalization of the word. One would expect when discussing the topic of mediation key components would arise to conform to the American Heritage Dictionary definition, â€Å"a devotional exercise of contemplation or a contemplative discourse† (Heritage, 1982). In such an exercise as mediation how would a simple subject of civility impact your ability to reflect and improve on upon yourself? Forni proposes that, â€Å"as a society we take a new, close look at that intriguing code of behavior based on respect, restraint and responsibility we call civility† (M. , 2002, p. 14); with in mind, one can correlate the relationship civility plays in mediation with Forni’s book Choosing Civility. Three conceptual pillars of civility, respect, restraint and responsibility in place the foundation for achieving a beneficial meditational experience is essentially achievable; from everyday life experiences we can confidently state, everyone has moment of incivility but placing stabilization on your actions can directly affect the growth in your meditation experience. Forni begins to support this by stating, â€Å"As an art, civility has rules one can learn and facility with these rules can improve with practice. This is good news. The bad news is that often we are unable to imagine the benefits of that learning and practice. We thus leave untapped a resource that would prove invaluable in increasing the quality of our lives† (M. , 2002, p. 34). The unstoppable presence of incivility will always be a bump in our proverbial road of life; the ability to remain in a state, a state of civility, is a chance to improve your quality of life and those around you. Meditation as a stepping stone in these situations provides a great learning point and gives one the ability to grow, and keep improving. To further understand the idea of civility and the large role it plays within everyday life, one would need to understand the impact and presence civility promotes within improving meditation. Life is laced with rules, regulations, morals, and standards not only as individuals but society as whole strives to adhere to in regards to meditation, improvement is not only sought by an individual but taken into consideration of others as well. With making the choice in choosing civility over incivility, the ability not only to improve as an individual but also impact a group meditation can be the water in which allows this seed to germinate. Therefore one would tinker with the concept Forni begins to elaborate, â€Å"it becomes clearer and clearer that civility is the place of encounter between Self and Other where altruism and self-interest find a harmonious way to coexist† (M. , 2002, p. 37). What Forni state’s it is obvious, a symbiotic relationship formed between the practice of mediation and the potential to affect another’s civility. As the dissection of Choosing Civility progresses on, one can contemplate the relation of the study of mediation with primary principles broken down by the book. The book in more detail by the text: civility can be described as rather complex and intricate; also coated with an element of good, embraces courtesy, politeness, good manners and inhabits the broad realm of ethics. In establishing these boundaries a connection can be made with the study of mediation with the principles mentioned above; without this understanding embraced of civility, the process of studying and practicing meditation would theoretically be hindered. Deeper into Forni’s text he begins to condense and establish rules or guidelines in solidifying the foundations for civility. Twenty-five established rules allowed the doors of comprehension and the ability to personally relate and reflect to the authors’ view-points to open. As each of these rules plays a defining role in understanding the ability to practice civility, each rule is also a key component in assimilating how to improve on your meditation skills; understand what civility and mediation represent, Forni makes a solid statement that intertwines the two: â€Å"if anything, these rules may feel like a â€Å"longcut,† since civility requires work and dedication. But they do offer a path to serenity and contentment† (M. , 2002, p. 41). Since civility and mediation share multiple common grounds and house a wide variety of rules, three will be singled out in which I have found, the most beneficial to my own personal growth and understanding. How often do you find yourself being spoken to in an unkind manner or talked down to? Everyone at some point is guilty of this at one point or another in their life. Rule six is essentially addressing this issue, speak kindly. Most people do not realize the significance of verbal communication and if practiced incorrectly how detrimental it can be to others. Breaking rule six is a drastic setback in improving your civility skills and can handicap you when it comes to many things. Forni immediately begins to state, â€Å"speaking with consideration and kindness is at the heart of civil behavior† (M. , 2002, p. 65). Without following this key rule achieving a sense of civility would be a farce. Within the description of this rule Forni goes on to describe the importance of speaking slow, calm and concise choosing words with grace and respect in order to preserve your integrity and respect those around you. Next on the chopping block that most people forget about is rule eight, accept and give praise. A feeling engrained into our heads at an early age instills acceptance and pride and leaves a need for praise for the rest of one’s lifespan. born and reinforced during the very first, formative years of our lives, our taste for being praised never goes away† (M. , 2002, p. 73) states Forni. This rule is one that if not practiced often can deteriorate over time causing either party to feel awkward or unsure. Giving and receiving praise can be hard for the sender and the receiver causing somewhat of a disruption in the flow of a conversation. As Forni assures, â€Å"after a while, as we make others feel good about themselves by praising them, we feel good about our selves as well† (M. 2002, p. 73). Great ways to practice improvement on this rule would be adhering to some simple guidelines that often get overlooked outlined in Choosing Civility; when giving compliments make sure they are sincere in meaning, don’t let your mind fool you into thinking people can read your thoughts causing you to second guess issuing a compliment, remember patronizing and compliments are two different things and a personal favorite even the smallest of compliments can make someone feel amazing not all have to be of great importance. Practice makes the difference with this rule and once mastered can greatly benefit one’s personal life and meditational experiences. In parallel with rule eight, rule twenty-three accept and give constructive criticism strikes general similarities and proves to be an area of struggle with some individuals and on the flipside others tend to enjoy it. Misunderstood by many, receiving criticism can provide a great chance to learn and improve on one’s self and the ability to see things that are normally shrouded by a mist of self-ego. Forni touches base on how enjoyable criticism can be and the responsibility it can hold, â€Å"this is a welcome opportunity to learn? mostly about my critics and about life. Although criticism is not always directed at us with the noblest of intentions, nothing prevents us from looking at it as a gift to be put to good use† (M. , 2002, p. 137). The wording in Forni’s statement is great for those who see the negative side in a critique by looking at what is said and breaking it down into a more positive view providing room for growth. In cahoots with rule eight the book also describes principles to assure the effectiveness of relaying criticism in a constructive manner and should be taken into consideration. Identify, describe, show, suggest and remain calm are all tools that should be used when giving proper criticism if one is left out during this process the effectiveness and chance for a jaded interpretation may arise. After reading Choosing Civility one can be almost taken away at the vast information hidden in such a small book. The book jumps from many different spectrums of everyday life; the main purpose stays sincere and structured allowing the reader to apply the reading to a wide array of topics but ultimately set on improving the general quality and civility of life, supported by Forni, â€Å"a better quality of human interaction makes for a better life? a saner, more meaningful, healthier, and happier life† (M. , 2002, p. 172). In application to meditational practices this book proves to be an invaluable source of tips and tools in which if utilized correctly can be beneficial to achieving a pleasurable experience for not only a single person but a group as well. Reference Heritage, A. (1982). Ahd 2nd college ed plain edge. Boston,MA: Houghton. M. , P. (2002). Choosing civility: the twenty-five rules of considerate conduct. New York,NY: St Martins Pr.

A Quick Tutorial on the Perl Array Pop() Function

A Quick Tutorial on the Perl Array Pop() Function When writing a Perl script you might find it handy to use the pop() function, which looks like this: $ITEM pop(ARRAY); Perls pop() function is used to remove and return (or pop) the last element from an array, which reduces the number of elements by one. The last element in the array is the one with the highest index. Its easy to confuse this function with shift(), which removes the first element from an array. An Example of Using the Perl Pop() Function myNames (Larry, Curly, Moe);$oneName pop(myNames); If you think of an array as a row of numbered boxes, going from left to right, it would be the element on the far right. The pop() function would cut the element off the right side of the array, return it, and reduce the elements by one. In the examples, the value of $oneName becomes Moe, the last element, and myNames is shortened to (Larry, Curly). The array can also be thought of as a stack- picture of a stack of numbered boxes, starting with 0 on the top, and increasing as it goes down. The pop() function would pop the element off the bottom of the stack, return it, and reduce the elements by one. myNames (Larry,Curly,Moe);$oneName pop(myNames);

Spanish Phrases That Refer to Foods

Spanish Phrases That Refer to Foods Just because a Spanish phrase includes a word for a type of food doesnt mean it has anything to do with food - just as the phrase eye candy isnt meant to satisfy a sweet tooth. Below are more than a dozen examples of such phrases and idioms. Note that many of the translations arent literal but are colloquial, as are most of the Spanish phrases. Chocolate (Chocolate) In English, you may give a foe a taste of her own medicine, but in Spanish you can give her soup made from her own chocolate, sopa de su propio chocolate. There is also a Spanish equivalent of the medicine metaphor, una cuchara de su propia medicina, a spoon of her own medicine. Los Mets le dieron a los Cachorros sopa de su propio chocolate al barrerles la serie de cuatro juegos. (The Mets gave the Cachorros a taste of their own medicine by sweeping the series in four games.) Harina (Flour) Ser harina de otro  costal, to be the wheat from a different bag, means to be something unrelated to what is being discussed. La carrera de Cameron hoy est en riesgo, pero eso es harina de otro costal. (Camerons career is at risk today, but thats another matter entirely.) Jugo (Juice) To remove the juice from someone, sacar el jugo a alguien, or remove the juice from something, sacar el jugo a algo, is to get the greatest benefit from a person, thing, or activity. El entrenador le saca el jugo a los jugadores. (The coach gets the most out of his players.) Lechuga (Lettuce) Someone who is fresco como una lechuga (fresh as a head of lettuce) is someone who is healthy, alert and in control of him- or herself. Possible similar phrases in English include cool as a cucumber and fresh as a daisy. Estaba fresca como una lechuga, sonriente y dispuesta a hablar con quien se le acercara. (She was all ready to go, smiling and inclined to speak with anyone who approached her.) Manzana (Apple) A bone of contention, something that becomes the focus of a dispute, is a manzana de (la) discordia, an apple of discord. The phrase comes from the Golden Apple of Discord in Greek mythology. Siria es la manzana de la discordia en las negociaciones de paz. (Syria is the sticking point in the peace negotiations.) Pan (Bread) We think of someone in prison as living on bread and water, a pan y agua. In Spanish, the phrase often refers to a strict diet, and sometimes to other types of hardships or deprivations. Si llevas un tiempo a pan y agua, intenta no pensar en ello y busca tu placer de otro modo. (If you spend some time deprived, try not to think about it and seek your pleasure in some other way.) Que con su pan se lo coma (roughly, let him eat it with his bread) is one way of expressing indifference to someones plight. I dont care, is a possible translation, although context can suggest many others. Hay muchos hoteles que no se permite la entrada con nià ±os. Quien elige un hotel para familias, que con su pan se lo coma. (There are many hotels that dont allow children. I dont have any sympathy for someone who picks a family-oriented hotel.) Ser pan comido (to be eaten bread) is to be extremely easy. Similar food phrases in English are to be a piece of cake or to be as easy as pie. Con nuestro software, recuperar un servidor de correo electà ³nico es pan comido. (With our software, restoring an email server is a piece of cake.) Someone born with a silver spoon in her mouth can be said to nacer con un pan bajo el brazo, born with a loaf of bread under her arm. El presidente no entiende  la gente. Fue nacido con un pan bajo el brazo. (The president doesnt understand the people. He was born born with a silver spoon in his mouth.) Pera (Pear) A candied pear, pera en dulce, is a thing or person that is widely seen as desirable. Mis padres terminaron de convertir su casa antigua en una pera en dulce. (My parents finished converting their old house into a gem.) If something is old, it is del aà ±o de la pera, from the year of the pear. No son compatibles con esta tà ©cnologà ­a, que es del aà ±o de la pera. (They arent compatible with this technology, which is as old as the hills.) Taco (Taco) Taco de ojo, meaning eye taco, is used primarily in Mexico and has a meaning similar to eye candy, especially when it refers to someone with sex appeal. As in the following sentence, it is often combined with the verb echar, which by itself usually means throw. Estas pelà ­culas de Netflix estn buenà ­simas para echarte un taco de ojo con los actores que salen. (These Netflix movies are excellent for tossing you eye candy with the actors who perform.) Trigo (Wheat) No ser trigo limpio, to not be clean wheat, is said of a person who is dishonest, creepy, shady, unreliable, or otherwise suspicious. The same phrase is used less frequently for things that seem suspicious or fishy. Recibà ­ un SMS de mi hermano: Cuidado con esa chica, no es trigo limpio. (I received a text message from my brother: Be careful with that girl. Shes bad news.) Uva (Grape) To have a bad grape, tener mala uva, is to be in a bad mood. The same can be said of someone with bad intentions. Tener mala leche (to have bad milk) can be used in the same way. La que tenà ­a mala uva era Patricia. (The one in a bad mood was Patricia.)

Business law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Business law - Case Study Example Based on the second case, Buchanan County and Davis also committed negligent retention of Batz as an employee despite several complaints of misconduct against him (Batz). Evidence presented in the second case included recommendations by Lieutenant Furness, to Davis, proposing termination of Batz as a canine handler. Evidence by Captain Hepke also proposed disciplinary actions against Batz. Davis disregarded all the complaints about Batz as submitted by different parties. On the first instance, a jury returned a ruling that favored Kiesau and offered her $ 160, 000 as compensation. For the second instance, the court ruled against Kiesau by dismissing the negligent supervision and retention claims against Buchanan County & Davis. Argument: Under the laws on negligent hiring and retention applicable in Iowa State, Buchanan County & Davis, were liable for wrongful conduct by facilitating Bazt’s tortious actions through failure to act on several recommendations and complaints. Issues: Were the Republic of France and the French lines liable for the resultant injuries owing to obvious laxity in rules and regulation on smoking at the port loading and offloading bay backing constitution of approximate cause? Rule: If the subsequent action, force, or occurrences that are evident as direct contributors to the injuries suffered by the plaintiff were not probable, many juries hold that it is an intervening cause. Subsequently it pardons the defendant of liability from dangers that trace back directly from the superseding cause. Complainant the US government reason that the French cargo ship crew did not task up, the complainant argue that the crew should have foreseen risk of explosion from the transported FGAN, which is in normal regulations set by the governing bodies on transportation of hazardous materials deem fire hazard. The ammonium nitrate gas is explosive if exposed to combusting materials. With this knowledge,

Personal Growth Influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Growth Influences - Essay Example This lifestyle, with it’s exposure to a variety of cultures and ethnicities, has been the learning experience of my lifetime and has made me very much aware of the universality and basic oneness of mankind, despite differences of race, language and religion. It has made me a true ‘citizen of the world.’ The extracurricular activity I have most enjoyed has been running track in High School. This has inculcated in me the passion to go all out to reach my goal, taught me that preparation is the key to success and has given me endurance and the hunger to win. It has also taught me to work as a member of a team towards a common objective and made me appreciate the camaraderie of a commonly motivated group and also the importance of physical fitness in life. The strongest influence of my life has been my parents. My Mother, who is a registered nurse at a retirement home, has influenced me to be sensitive to the needs of the economically and socially disadvantaged and also the aged and the ill. At her suggestion, I have been involved in a community project in which I have visited hospices for the aged over the weekends and spent some time with the inmates, reading to them (mainly the newspapers and the Bible) and helping them with their letters and other correspondence. I have come away from this experience with the certainty that society owes the aged a gift of security and inclusion. I have a deep admiration and respect for my Father, who is an International trader for a major American bank. He treats me not only as his son, but also as his confidante and friend. I am often privy to the information inputs which guide his management techniques and his responses to the various financial complexities involved in his profession. From his experiences, I have understood that the quality of life and the personal happiness of people all over the world is dependent on their financial security, particularly in the later years.

Analyzing the conditions of oppressed women according to Simone de Essay

Analyzing the conditions of oppressed women according to Simone de Beauvoir's perception - Essay Example Based on the arguments of sexual politics, the economic realm of both sexes is considered to make up two social groups; for instance, men may hold better jobs, with increased wages and salaries, and more chances of success compared to women. De Beauvoir (1949) explains that men had acquired a higher position in industry and politics, thereby monopolizing principal positions. Besides, men had traditional prestige of education, which is aimed at supporting children, since the present is enshrined by their past, while the past resonated history that had been made by men. Nevertheless, women during that time were commencing to participate in affairs of world that was controlled by men. Nonetheless, women were bound to decline and refuse participation in dealing with issues that would derive advantage that are bestowed upon women. Therefore, sexual politics resonates on women’s dependency on men for material protection and this undertakes their moral justification based on their ex istence. Both sexes had ethical purpose of each individual affirming their subjective existence, though there were temptations relinquish liberty. However, this pursuit for women was not promising to those who took it passive; in fact, they became creatures of men’s will, thereby being denying women every value. Nonetheless, this has been a simple pursuit for people focusing on evading the strains involved in undertaking of genuine existence (de Beauvoir, 1949). For instance, men had been taking women as people without manifestation of inclinations focused on complexities, but this has gradually changed. Therefore, through sexual politics women are perceived to be laying claims to their condition of being subjected to deficiencies of definite resources, due to the feeling of being obliged to ties to men, despite reciprocity involve. 1. What is gender? De Beauvoir (1949) explain that men are present themselves as people of a particular sex that, which does not require declarat ion. In this case, definition of gender is based on the terms masculine and feminine, which apply symmetrical with differences based on their forms. Relationship between these sexes is not parallel given that men are considered to represent both positive and neural, as illustrated by application of the term man to stand for human being of both gender (de Beauvoir, 1949). On the other hand, the term woman is negative given that it represents negative; thus is defined with limits of criteria without reciprocity. Nevertheless, there are notions that have been developed by men through abstract discussion such as women have contrary thinking and perception to their own way of thinking because they are men due to understanding that man is no peculiarity. There are gender related notions, which such as a man being considered to be right due to the mere fact that he is a man and not a woman; in this case, a woman is considered to be wrong. Definition of gender has led to absolute vertical a ncients based on the reference to oblique and human type of masculinity (de Beauvoir, 1949). Furthermore, a woman has become subjects to imprisonment due to peculiarities associated by her biological nature such as having ovaries and uterus; in fact, this poses limits regarding her

Dietary analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dietary analysis - Essay Example To be able to analyze the nutritional needs and status, a three-day tabulation diet was undertaken. The food records for three days are presented in the end on the report (Appendix 1). In addition, the pertinent analysis of the different types of foods that had been eaten is also included along with the different nutritional compositions and information (Appendix 2-4). A presentation of the personal information related to health and nutrition is important to be able to compare the diet on the standards that were set which is referred to as the Recommended Dietary Intake. In the analysis of the macronutrients and water content of the food intake for the 3 days that had been studied, there are different observations that can be perceived. For protein, the average of the three values is higher than the RDI. Even the individual protein content values for each day are comparatively higher than the RDI for both males and females. This can be considered still at the optimum level since no upper level of intake had been presented. This is important since it is the major building block of the body (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing National Health and Medical Research Council, 2005). In terms of the fats and fatty acids, upon estimation it can be determined that the daily intakes for the 3 days are above the RDI. For that matter, susceptibility to diseases related to fat accumulation can be one of the risks. No set values were given for carbohydrates because it is needed by the body for vital functions. The carbohydrate component of the diet then is useful for the body. The average and individual dietary fibre values are insufficient compared to the RDI. The water and water content in foods are also insufficient on the basis of the values presented by the RDI. Based on the said group then, there is a need to increase the dietary fibre and water intake to be able to achieve the sufficient RDI

Failure of the Mercantilism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Failure of the Mercantilism - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the mercantilists believed that the presence of more gold and silver bullions in a country translated to a better economy than any country with minimal gold and silver reserves. The theorists believed and encouraged countries not to use their gold deposits for trade even when the people desperately needed these products. The mercantilists had the idea that any successful trade meant the gain of one party and the loss of the other party. They never viewed the trade between two countries as being mutually beneficial. They encouraged their countries to influence the international trade and ensure that the citizens did not compromise their gold and silver deposits.This essay stresses that  the mercantilists developed ideas that were meant to promote the interests of the merchants since they were believed to be a significant source of a country’s gold and silver reserves. The government placed the role of attracting more gold and silver to the country to the merchants and also entrusted them with implementing relevant measures that would seek to regulate the economy. Malynes, for example, states that the merchants more specifically the bankers would develop appropriate measures that would see the increase in the supply of specie into the country. Malynes rejected any effects of the exchange rate in influencing external trade and trusted the â€Å"tricks of the bankers† to solve the economic problem experienced in the country.

The concept of a Property Right Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The concept of a Property Right - Essay Example Under this system, it is expected that market forces will drive down the release of pollutants into the environment, insofar as the cost of releasing pollutants costs more than cleaning up and disposing the pollutant [LIVERMAN 2008]. In the short-term, carbon trading is meant as an incentive. That is, firms are punished by being forced to buy more permits to pollute if they need to; firms are rewarded when they can sell these permits because they have reduced emissions. In the long-term, it is hoped that carbon trading will reduce emissions enough to make a significant contribution to reducing climate change. However, carbon trading schemes largely appeal to those people whose ideologies bias them toward the market-based solution in every case. In fact, there is no economic evidence that price effects through caps and limits is more effective or more desirable than direct regulation or command and control [PARKER 2007]. There is a theoretical problem and a practical problem with trading schemes. The theoretical problem is that trading schemes must rely on the market to form a price mechanism to limit the supply of pollutants—the same market that failed in the first place to provide the socially acceptable outcome. This dissonance poses a difficulty with respect to whom society must trust with achieving reductions in climate change. The practical problem is how carbon derivatives would be traded. Hybrid securities and exotic derivatives were at the root of the most recent recession. It might be difficult to trust these same institutions. b) A property right is the exclusive authority to determine how a resource is used, whether that resource is owned by government or by individuals [ALCHIAN 2008]. The problem of externalities extends to the negative effects of action has on others, and the disconnect between the negative effects and the benefits the actor receives from performing that action. In

Failure of the Mercantilism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Failure of the Mercantilism - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the mercantilists believed that the presence of more gold and silver bullions in a country translated to a better economy than any country with minimal gold and silver reserves. The theorists believed and encouraged countries not to use their gold deposits for trade even when the people desperately needed these products. The mercantilists had the idea that any successful trade meant the gain of one party and the loss of the other party. They never viewed the trade between two countries as being mutually beneficial. They encouraged their countries to influence the international trade and ensure that the citizens did not compromise their gold and silver deposits.This essay stresses that  the mercantilists developed ideas that were meant to promote the interests of the merchants since they were believed to be a significant source of a country’s gold and silver reserves. The government placed the role of attracting more gold and silver to the country to the merchants and also entrusted them with implementing relevant measures that would seek to regulate the economy. Malynes, for example, states that the merchants more specifically the bankers would develop appropriate measures that would see the increase in the supply of specie into the country. Malynes rejected any effects of the exchange rate in influencing external trade and trusted the â€Å"tricks of the bankers† to solve the economic problem experienced in the country.

The development of a marketing plan Personal Statement

The development of a marketing plan - Personal Statement Example The business entrepreneur desires to launch a new business of interior decoration. The business segment of interior decoration is highly competitive in nature. The entrepreneur would not be able to successfully run its business without the help of an appropriate marketing plan. Tastes and preferences of the individuals change drastically, when it comes to interior decorations. Thus, the mogul would face high expenses in business innovation and manufacture process. Moreover, the discounts offered by the potential rivals (Wal-Mart, Home-Depot) in the market would create price pressures on the entrepreneur. The cost of inputs (catalogue resources like pottery barn) used in interior decorations are also increasing with time. So, if the entrepreneur aspires to run its new business successfully he must set up an appropriate marketing plan for the business (SBA, 2013). The entrepreneur would never be able to fruitfully market its business services if the goals and objectives of the marketing plan are not set at the beginning. The goals and objectives of the marketing plan for the interior designing business are:- The desired objectives of the business plan should be measurable in terms of target. The target of 15% growth in sales and 10% growth in profit should be achievable in reality. The target should be attained in a span of say 5 years from the date of inception of the business. It is considered that the above mentioned objectives for the marketing plan are not only specific but also achievable for the business (Westwood, 2005). The interior designing business should offer excellent services to the business clients. The designing should not only be a mark of class, but should also be superior in terms of quality. The company should maintain admirably designed retail outlets and should offer other complementary services that would impress the clients. The

History and Culture Essay Example for Free

History and Culture Essay Too long the country has been deprived of its national pride and independence. By 1911-1912, the foreigners were everywhere. The best way was to use them as sponsors for our changes, and let them call me â€Å"a dictator [corrupt and †¦ brutal] surrounding himself as soon as he could with some of the most despicable Chinese agents of the old regime; favoured [†¦] by foreign financiers [in the lust for] money and power and the means of extravagance and debauchery. † This year, the things are really disastrous. Chinas foreign debt reaches 900 million taels. The dynasty has gone bankrupt undertaking expensive reforms of the governmental administration, military and educational system. The new regime followed the West in the enchantment with democratic elements of constitution, representative assemblies, separation of governmental powers, and political parties. On my side, I was more interested to pacify gentry and to centralize state power having been dissolved after foreign intrusions and imperialistic affairs. For me as President, therefore, the prior task is to obtain the loan from the Four Group Powers in order to keep a strong and obedient military resource to establish the right type of government. My fame played to the benefit of the task. I do remember how Dr. Morrison, the then political adviser to the Chinese Government, was trading with Mr. Crisp, the head of the firm of C. B. Crisp Co, about the loan to pay for our administration needs this year, in 1912. We needed it badly in order not to depend so greatly on the Four Power Group, not to speak about Russia and Japan with their greed in regard to concessions. Then, the last persuasion for the â€Å"hard nut† Crisp to lend us ? 10,000,000 was delivered by Morrison in the words about my dictatorial position being the â€Å"benefit† of China. I am afraid, though, that we will have to owe the Four Group Allies ? 500,000,000, at the rate of ? 100,000,000 a year, not to forget about Japan and Russia trying to cut the fattest pieces of our cake in terms of territory, commerce and politics. Now I shall speak about my plans for the future. I really want to establish a â€Å"no-squeeze policy. † I believe that the modern Chinese state and nation should be centralised. The first step to do is to preserve the capital, thus, the centre of administrative authority, in Peking for the whole period of my office of President. Second, as I have never been a republican, I think about establishing a sort of a military dictatorship. I was often called the â€Å"strong man,† â€Å"a reputed reactionary,† and â€Å"arbitrary, tyrannical and self-indulgent† by my contemporaries, and, no doubt, I will be labelled like this by later researchers. My political opponents from the Kuomintang went even further referencing to me as nothing more than â€Å"[t]he fat bewhiskered general†. But even they can not deny that it was I who could build a strong army and placating fighting camps. That is why, in my opinion, there is no need to let those wordy democrats to spend time, effort and money on elections and the qualifications of voters. Let me stay â€Å"the strong dispenser of law and order† identifying the course of state policy by myself. Consequently, I plan to get rid of those tries to establish â€Å"popular sovereignty in the form of political parties and representative assemblies. † I watch them reorganising Sun Yat-sens Revolutionary Alliance into the Guomindang, or Nationalist Party, to dominate National Assembly after its election in December, 1912. I know that the trifle show with democratic elections for National/provincial/county assemblies could jeopardise the institute of centralised power I am planning to introduce. Later on, I will force the National Assembly to elect me as president for a long term, better for five years. Then, I will kick the Guomindang from the parliament because they are likely to assume too much political weight. The best solution will be also to dissolve all the assemblies that resemble a boiling pot, so â€Å"risky and messy† they are. Finally, I will do my best to consolidate all the state power in the hands of one person, and that person would be I. The best form to centralise power is monarchy, how ever discredited it has become. How about the British or Japanese constitutional model of the Emperor co-existing with the parliament? Lately, the title of â€Å"Grand Constitutional Emperor† has occurred to my mind as the best definition of the political system I want to achieve. Reanimating Confucianism as a state religion, there would be a chance to resurrect also the ideology of monarchism and to get back to traditional values, seeing also to the better economic and education opportunities to provide the nation with wealth and development. Bibliography Bowman, John S. , ed. Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. Cantlie, James, and C. Sheridan Jones. Sun Yat Sen and the Awakening of China. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1912. Croly, Herbert. Willard Straight. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1924. Eastman, Lloyd E. â€Å"The May Fourth Movement as a Historical Turning Point: Ecological Exhaustion, Militarization, and Other Causes of Chinas Modern Crisis. † In Perspectives on Modern China: Four Anniversaries, edited by Thomas P. Bernstein et al. Armonk, NY: An East Gate Book, 1991, 123-138. Hyndman, H. M. The Awakening of Asia. New York: Boni and Liveright, 1919. Leang-Li, TAng. China in Revolt: How a Civilization Became a Nation. London: N. Douglas, 1927.

A Modest Proposal :: Literary Analysis, Jonathan Swift

People have been trying to come up with solutions to threatening epidemics from many years. There was a famine in Ireland that killed many people. The poor people of Ireland could not support their families, which made them go to extreme measures. In order to survive, women and children were forced to beg for food to prevent them from starving to death. Jonathan Swift proposes a solution to this epidemic in A Modest Proposal. Swift states that the poor Irish should sell their children as if they were cattle, or better yet, eat the children themselves. Swift uses a mocking tone in order to effectively convey that he does not actually support cannibalism, but rather uses it as metaphor to describe the harsh times of Ireland. Swift’s occupation makes A Modest Proposal very ironic. â€Å"He was educated at Trinity College, was ordained a minister, and was appointed dean of Saint Patrick’s cathedral in Dublin in 1713† (914). Swift was very critical of how the government was handling issues at this time. â€Å"He addressed the political problems of his day by publishing pamphlets on contemporary social issues† (914). Since the reader knows that Swift was a minister, it helps set the stage for a sarcastic tone. A minister would never condone the selling of poor, innocent children. Jonathan Swift uses verbal irony to emphasize his sarcasm. He does so by mentioning the Catholic Church while saying, â€Å"infants’ flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentiful in March, and a little before and after† (916). The people of Ireland would practice â€Å"lent† (916) in order to be considered holy by the Roman Catholic Church, all while killing babies. Catholics are extremely against abortion and birth control of any kind. Mentioning the Roman Catholic Church in the same paragraph as killing babies is a perfect example of irony. Swift uses satire to give the reader his strange insight. He goes into great detail about how to cure such an overwhelming epidemic. He stylistically uses a very harsh, sarcastic tone when describing what he would do with the poor children of Ireland. â€Å"A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore and hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter† (916). He is not only extremely harsh, but he goes into such detail it makes the reader want to cringe. A Modest Proposal :: Literary Analysis, Jonathan Swift People have been trying to come up with solutions to threatening epidemics from many years. There was a famine in Ireland that killed many people. The poor people of Ireland could not support their families, which made them go to extreme measures. In order to survive, women and children were forced to beg for food to prevent them from starving to death. Jonathan Swift proposes a solution to this epidemic in A Modest Proposal. Swift states that the poor Irish should sell their children as if they were cattle, or better yet, eat the children themselves. Swift uses a mocking tone in order to effectively convey that he does not actually support cannibalism, but rather uses it as metaphor to describe the harsh times of Ireland. Swift’s occupation makes A Modest Proposal very ironic. â€Å"He was educated at Trinity College, was ordained a minister, and was appointed dean of Saint Patrick’s cathedral in Dublin in 1713† (914). Swift was very critical of how the government was handling issues at this time. â€Å"He addressed the political problems of his day by publishing pamphlets on contemporary social issues† (914). Since the reader knows that Swift was a minister, it helps set the stage for a sarcastic tone. A minister would never condone the selling of poor, innocent children. Jonathan Swift uses verbal irony to emphasize his sarcasm. He does so by mentioning the Catholic Church while saying, â€Å"infants’ flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentiful in March, and a little before and after† (916). The people of Ireland would practice â€Å"lent† (916) in order to be considered holy by the Roman Catholic Church, all while killing babies. Catholics are extremely against abortion and birth control of any kind. Mentioning the Roman Catholic Church in the same paragraph as killing babies is a perfect example of irony. Swift uses satire to give the reader his strange insight. He goes into great detail about how to cure such an overwhelming epidemic. He stylistically uses a very harsh, sarcastic tone when describing what he would do with the poor children of Ireland. â€Å"A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore and hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter† (916). He is not only extremely harsh, but he goes into such detail it makes the reader want to cringe.

The Awakening and Butterfly Burning Essay -- Literature Comparison Pap

The Awakening and Butterfly Burning The summaries do not add anything to the paper and could (should) have been skipped. Given the thesis of the paper, I would have liked to have seen a discussion of the male / female conflict, and a more detailed discussion of the individual / society conflict. The two women's struggles "to find their own sense of individuality" are, after all, attempts to free themselves from the expectations of their husbands and of the societies in which they live. Such an exploration might have led the writer to some conclusions about the major differences in the two novels. (Note that the conclusion basically summarizes similarities.) The writer of the paper might well have come to conclusions different than those I am about to describe -- the following comments, in other words, are meant to suggest the type of discussion that I would have liked to have seen. Edna's husband (The Awakening) is financially much better off than is Phephelaphi's (Butterfly). He is, however, portrayed as not particularly loving -- he prefers to spend his time either at work, or gambling with his friends. Phephelaphi's husband spends time away from her, but he needs to do that in order to earn a living. Indeed, Edna's husband is basically indifferent about whatever she does. Phephelaphi's seems to care more about her, but he is clearly upset about her abortion. This leads, if I remember correctly, to his having sex with another woman, just the opposite of the situation in The Awakening, where Edna is the one whose extra-marital affairs are emphasized. Edna is, throughout the novel, much freer from her husband than Phephelaphi is from hers. Phephelaphi's is, in other words, the more difficult marital situation. ... ...hin both novels. In Butterfly Burning, Fumbatha was older and more experienced in the ways of the world than was Phephelaphi. Conversely, in The Awakening, Robert was younger than Edna and much less experienced in life than was Edna. The age differences played key roles in each novel. Age seemed to be the difference in how the world was viewed and the responsibilities required of each person. In Butterfly Burning the man was the older, seemingly settled, and wiser where in The Awakening, the man was younger and much less worldly, settled, and content. 28 In summary, both novels were a reflection of a woman’s struggle and quest to find a new identity for herself. Both novels use water as a symbol of life, death, and a gentle friend. The novels were both an awakening of the spirit and a burning of a spirit crushed like the fragile wings of a butterfly.

Israel †Lebanon War and related problems faced by the American community Essay

Introduction At the time of cold war, democratic world was, virtually, confronted by only one threat, coming from communist regime of the Soviet Union. This foe, though being dangerous, was quite predictable and civilized to certain extent. After the cold war seized it seemed that world would finally find global peace and mutual consent. However, things turned different and such hopes vanished into a thin air. The world community faced new, formerly unwitnessed, threats related to religious, national, and ethnic intolerance. Commonly accepted, though ultimately mistaken, is the belief that the fighting against these threats must be narrowed down to the war against a particular enemy, world terrorism. Comparing the old and new world (time before and after the cold war) it must be noted that confrontation between democratic world and the Soviet Union was based on certain rules, preventing the world from the global conflict. Confrontation with a new enemy has no rules at all. It turns out that to settle a conflict of a new type is more difficult than it used to be, partially because of the reason that sometimes it is, practically, impossible to detect a real initiator of a conflict. All participators of a conflict are guilty. Besides, among the other significant reasons is the great number of conflicting parties and, as a consequence, there is a highly complicated interlacement of interests. To protect interests of one party without neglecting the interests of another one is almost an unattainable aim. The bright example of the conflict of new type is a currently continuing war between Israel and Lebanon. This war affects the events all over the world and American community in particular. Israel – Lebanon war raises an array of problems that need to be solved by the world leaders as soon as possible. Short Historical Background It is reported that â€Å"on 12 July 2006 Hezbollah initiated Operation Truthful Promise named for a â€Å"promise† by its leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah to capture Israeli soldiers and swap them for the remaining three Lebanese held by Israel. The early morning raid into Israeli territory resulted in eight Israeli soldiers killed and two captured. Israel then responded with Operation Just Reward later renamed Operation Change of Direction. Israel’s retaliatory strike has thus far encompassed bombing raids by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), an air and Israeli Sea Corps naval blockade of Lebanon (especially southern Lebanon and Beirut), â€Å"a force of tanks and armored personnel carriers†, and some small raids into southern Lebanon by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground troops. Hezbollah has concurrently engaged in extensive rocket attacks on Israel’s northern cities, including Haifa. However, the Lebanese government has constantly disavowed Hezbollah’s actions and refused to condone them, while urgently calling for international peacemakers to end the conflict. † (Wikipedia) This short passage gives a clear and overall picture of the background of current situation in Middle East. It must be noted that Hezbollah operations on Israeli soldiers capture was preceded by Israel occupation of the west bank of the Jordan River and Gaza Strip. This occupation was in its turn preceded by â€Å"Hamas raid into Israel and capture of an Israeli soldier† (CNN. com) This bundle of events can be untwined to infinity. Analysis of events and their projection at US Foreign Policy The world community acknowledges that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization which directs its actions against Israeli state. Respectively, no one denies Israel’s right to protect itself and its citizens as well as no one rejects Israel’s demand to disarm or destroy this organization. However, Hezbollah located its military camps on the territory of sovereign state of Lebanon, the government of which is, virtually, incapable to control the activity of this organization. Now the issue of Israel self-defense arises from a different perspective: is Israel authorized to conduct military actions against terrorist organization on the territory of a sovereign country? And if initially most countries justified Israel’s actions, civilian casualties made the world be divided basing on its reaction to the Middle East conflict. As it is stated in the article at CNN. com â€Å"leaders in Europe and the Middle East see the attacks against Lebanon as disproportionate† and this statement provokes a new question: at what exactly moment these attacks became â€Å"disproportionate† and Israel self-defence transformed into aggression? When ten civilians were killed or twenty? This question is not a simple one as it raises the global problem of the right to resort to weapon against certain country. It is directly related to the American community and to get into the root of the matter it would be useful to have recourse to the investigation of the question of the legality of the USA invasion into Iraq. Speaking about military invasion legality, as Crahan states, â€Å"†¦ the answer may seem obvious: the U. N. is the world’s premier political body, its Charter requires Security Council authorization for the use of force [†¦]†. (Crahan et al. , p. 135) No one can disagree with this statement. The situation in which the force can be applied is also obvious: there should be continuous failure to execute resolutions, carried by UN Security Council, or their systematic violation. In particular, what concerns Iraq, there was an array of resolutions carried, which Iraq refused to execute. But it is necessary to clarify was it solely Iraq’s fault? As Crahan further continues â€Å"†¦the world body had failed in all those years to attain the goals that the President was seeking, in large part because the Council was bitterly and chronically divided on the critical question of how — sometimes even on whether — to enforce its numerous resolutions on Iraq. † (Crahan et al., 135) Thus it follows that the Council, while carrying its resolutions, even if under the pressure from U. S. side, itself resists their execution. Here the EC countries and Russia are to be fully reproached. No country in the world would execute any resolutions in such circumstances. However, when it came to the point when acts of force were very likely, Iraq, nevertheless, began to execute U. N. Security Council resolutions. But this time the USA and allies decided to launch the invasion with complete neglect to international law . Such total neglect to the Council resolutions, even by its permanent members, caused the situation where UN Council turned into a fake organization, unable to solve global conflicts. Now it is time to return to the case with Israel-Lebanon war, which is more complicated. It should be noted that this war is, virtually, the war of radical Arabs against Israeli country where, unfortunately, peaceful civilians have to suffer. The UN Security Council has passed corresponding resolutions against both enemy parties – Hezbollah organization and Israel. It must be observed that UN Security Council also passed the resolution concerning Hezbollah in 2004 , however, two years passed and it still was not applied either. Failure to fulfill this requirement was a formal ground for Israel to attack the territory of Lebanon. Moreover, the Security Cabinet of Israel â€Å"agreed Israel will not give up its demand for Lebanon to implement U. N. resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah and any other militias, and the deployment of the Lebanese army in south Lebanon†. (www. gopusa. com) However, scrutinizing this war in the context of the Arabs’ war against Israel, one should notice, that Israel made it its principle to violate UN resolutions as related to its enemies. It is necessary to mention the resolutions, the ground of which is the principle of â€Å"land for peace† (See resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and 1515(2003) at Global Policy Forum, July 13 2006). Also it must be noted that Hezbollah movement is supported by Syria and Iran. Syria regards Israel as enemy country due to the Israel’s occupation of Golan Heights, territory of Syria. The cessation of occupation of these territories, according to the â€Å"land for peace† resolution, would stop Syria’s support of Hezbollah. Important in that confrontation is the position of the USA. One should mention Council resolution, vetoed by US, which was forwarded by Qatar as of July 13 2006. Some excerpts from this resolution are relevant here: â€Å"The Security Council, Reaffirming all its relevant resolutions, in particular, 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and 1515(2003),†¦ Condemning military assault being carried out by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Gaza Strip, which has caused the killing and injury of dozens of Palestinian civilians, and the destruction of Palestinian property and civilian infrastructure, notably Gaza’s main power station, and condemning also the detention of democratically elected Palestinian and other officials, Condemning also the firing of rockets from Gaza into. Israel and the abduction of an Israeli soldier by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza, and the recent abduction and killing of an Israeli civilian in the West Bank, †¦ Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldier;†¦ Calls upon the Palestinian Authority to take immediate and sustained action to bring an end to violence, including the firing of rockets on Israeli territory;†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Global Policy Forum, July 13 2006) What exactly in this resolution was unacceptable for Bush’s administration that induced it to veto the given resolution? Was not it the fact that the resolution one more time reminded of systematic UN Council resolutions violation by Israel? Was not it a demonstration of double standards? The idea on this issue is clearly expressed in the article The Economist â€Å"Israel ignores the United Nations and has weapons of mass destruction. So why all the fuss about Iraq? Soon after invading Kuwait in 1990, Saddam Hussein realized that he had made a mistake. [†¦] But as the world debates the merits of another American-led war against Mr. Hussein, the idea has returned in a new form. Israel has violated countless UN resolutions and amassed weapons of mass destruction, say those who oppose this war. Why then is Iraq singled out for yet more punishment while the Israelis get off scot-free? † (www. economist. com, 2002). These question remains without answer. The analogy can be drawn between the case with Hezbollah and Israel and the behavior of a host as regards a thief. If a thief (Hezbollah) breaks into someone’s house (Israel) so what shall a host do? He should call police! (in case with Israel – appeal to the UN Security Council). And what does the host do? He starts striking with his axe destroying everything on his way, including innocent neighbours. But as it turns out the host is himself on the wanted list for countless crimes (resolutions violation). What is then in this situation a host, victim or criminal? And who is to be protected by police (by the USA)? Exactly such inconsistency between the crime and punishment, elevation of one party and humiliation of another, provokes the Muslim world to hate the U. S. policy. Israel’s actions are treated by Arab countries as a challenge to the whole Muslim world. The USA and its citizens began to be looked at as Israel’s supporters who can disregard and manipulate international law leaning on their military and economic might. For a common American citizen this is a terrible situation. In any place of the world he or she becomes an object of hatred. US government’s attempt to protect its people in military manner (in Iraq) and ignoring Israel’s aggression created the situation when neither in Europe nor even at home the Americans can feel safe (9/11 events). In other words, military methods, unapproved by world community, in fact, helped to solve Iraq or Hezbollah problems but immediately generated many other problems. But will Israel attain its aim (peace and remove the threat) when civilians die? Most probably it will not, while killed Hezbollah militants will be replaced by others those, who formerly were peaceful civilians but began to hate Israel because of bombings and there will be the same old story again. The way out from this predicament is to defend not only the interests of own nation and citizens but stand upon the values common to all mankind. Thus Israel defends its citizens by bombing Lebanon but it does not care for dying civilians what leads to conflict escalation . Like Israel, other countries are not governed by human values too. Thus BBC reporting on the evacuation of civilians from Lebanon states: â€Å"A British warship has dropped off 180 UK citizens in Cyprus, and is returning to Beirut to pick up more people, A Norwegian ferry has taken hundreds of Norwegians, Swedes and Americans to Cyprus, while a US-chartered ship has left Beirut with US citizens† (BBC News). The immediate question arises: should not they take first women and children from the territory of conflict? Only when American community realizes that human values are more important than any other, national, religious, ethnic or racial interests, and politicians adhere to this principle, only then the attitude of the world towards the USA and its citizens will change. Another aspect, that American community is confronted with, is constantly increasing military expenses. One can extirpate radicalism and extremism by military means but there is also a chance first to find reasons that induce extremism and then try to eliminate these reasons. Thus Ahmad S. Mousalli in the article Islamist Perspectives of Regime Political Response: The Cases of Lebanon and Palestine claims that â€Å"†¦Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine †¦ are plagued, in one way or another, with poverty, inflation, underemployment, and exploitation. Many Palestinians or Egyptians, for instance, may turn to Islamism because of the corruption of their political elites, exploitation of the nouveau riche, nepotism, favoritism and the like. † (1996, 53) In this view the part of expenses, spent on army, could have been directed to support and reorganize economy of the Middle East countries. One more thing that deserves American community’s attention is that while possessing the veto power in UN Security Council, the US government abuses its power. To prove it there is a table below which shows the frequency of the use of the veto in the Security Council by different countries during the last decade. Period China* France Britain US Russia Total 2006 – – – 1 – 1 2005. 2004 – – – 2 1 3 2003 – – – 2 – 2 2002 – – – 2 – 2 2001 – – – 2 – 2 2000 – – – – – 0 1999 1 – – – – 1 1998 – – – – – 0 1997 1 – – 2 – 3 1996 – – – – – 0 Table is taken from Global Policy Forum â€Å"Changing Patterns in the Use of the Veto in the Security Council† Retrieved from http://globalpolicy. igc. org/security/data/vetotab. htm The USA has a strong leading position in this table. This table is the confirmation of the following statement: â€Å"Many member states have expressed their criticism of the veto, arguing that the veto privilege is an anachronism responsible for much of the Security Council’s undemocratic and ineffective procedures. Not surprisingly, those enjoying the power of the veto don’t want to give it up. † (Global Policy Forum â€Å"The Power of the Veto†) So, the countries with veto power in Security Council should abandon it. Conclusion The situation around Israel and Lebanon is not an exceptional one; it reflects the general tension in the world. This war only confirms that the world policy desperately needs revision. It is necessary to establish new world order and the USA has to head this process. International relations must be established upon the principles different from those existing today, in particular, economically powerful country while taking any actions is obliged to take into account the interests of less developed countries. To settle conflicts it is necessary to resume the authority of United Nations and entitle it to make decisions as regards resorting to force in conflict settlement. The resolutions carried by this organization must be mandatory to all countries. This conclusion can be best supported by words uttered by the ex-president of the USA immediately after the cold war: â€Å"a new era-freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice, and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, East and West, North and South, can prosper and live in harmony †¦ a world where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle †¦ where the strong respect the rights of the weak. † (Miller, Yetiv 2001, 56) Unfortunately, in 15 year period following that speech news line on BBC says: â€Å"The USA is going to accelerate military supplies of high-precision missiles to Israel†. (BBC News) This is exactly the way George Bush junior and Israel decided to realize Bush senior’s dream of the harmony in the world. Works Cited BBC News Dozens die in fresh Lebanon raids BBC News 19 July 2006. 22 July 2006 < http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/middle_east/5193662. stm>. Crahan, Margaret E. , Goering John, and Weiss Thomas G. Wars on Terrorism and Iraq: Human Rights, Unilateralism, and U. S. Foreign Policy. New York: Routledge, 2004. Global Policy Forum Draft Resolution Proposed by Qatar, Vetoed By US.. July 13, 2006 Global Policy Forum The Power of the Veto. July 2006 Global Policy Forum Changing Patterns in the Use of the Veto in the Security Council July 2006 Hezbollah battle along border. United Press International. Gopusa; Israel. 19 July 2006 . Kirkwood-Tucker, Toni Fuss. â€Å"Germany’s Opposition to the Iraq War and Its Effect on U. S. -German Relations. † Social Education. 68. 4 (2004): 285+. Labott, Elise U. S. diplomatic options limited in Israel-Lebanon conflict. CNN. com Jul 15, 2006. 22 July 2006 Miller, Eric A. , and Yetiv Steve A. â€Å"The New World Order in Theory and Practice: The Bush Administration’s Worldview in Transition. † Presidential Studies Quarterly 31. 1 (2001): 56. Mousalli, Ahmad S. â€Å"Islamist Perspectives of Regime Political Response: The Cases of Lebanon and Palestine. † Arab Studies Quarterly 18. 3 (1996): 53+. Press Release SC/8181. Security Council. 09 Feb. 2004 . 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 22 July 2006

Dante’s Inferno: Contrapasso Essay

Contrapasso means suffer the opposite. It refers to the punishment of souls in Dante’s Inferno by a process either resembling or contrasting with the sin itself. There are many examples of contrapasso in Dante’s Inferno, as he travels ever deeper into the depths of hell. In the Inferno, we are given a tour through Hell by Dante, who is a middle-aged man. The Inferno is a story of a journey given by two different Dantes: Dante the pilgrim and Dante the author. He has a natural emotion of pity, which he is often reprimanded for. At the beginning of his journey, he is confronted by three animals. These animals represent the three rings of Hell. The first one is the she-wolf, representing incontinence, the second is the lion, representing violence, and the third is the leopard, representing fraud and deception. According to Dante, fraud and deception are the worst sins, followed by violence, then incontinence. Virgil is Dante’s guide throughout this treacherous journey. Dante uses the concept of contrapasso to express his own views on ethics of various sins, reflecting on the cultural and political state of Italy at the time. Before Dante and Virgil enter Hell proper, they find the opportunists in the vestibule. They are running around wildly chasing a banner, while nude being stung by hornets and wasps. When the split came between Satan and God, they tried to stay neutral, and now they must suffer their punishment. Here, the banner symbolizes a leader, serving as a direct punishment for their indecisive nature. They come across limbo next, where the virtuous pagans are. These are the souls of good non-Christians, who are stuck in limbo because they were never baptized and never went to church to study Jesus. This is where Virgil and the poets reside. Limbo is not a bad place to be, and their only punishment is that they will never get to see the face of God. This is a fitting punishment because while alive they never knew of God, and now they are forbidden from him. They encounter the least offensive sinners in the first ring of Hell, represented by the she-wolf. Once inside the gates of Hell, Dante encounters the Carnal (or lustful). The souls who are in this first section of Hell are so because they let their lusts control them in life. The punishment of the Carnal is that they are trapped in a whirlwind, blizzard storm. They see the object of their lust, but they cannot have sex in Hell. They are doomed to chase their love around in the whirlwind, and they cannot satisfy their needs in any way. Contrapasso is appropriate here because while living they could not control their urges and always satisfied their needs, but now in Hell they are not allowed to. In circle three of Hell, we find the gluttons. Ciacco is a representative of the gluttons whom Dante knows personally. Ciacco means hog in Italian. Because gluttony is a sin of incontinence, their punishment is wallowing around in a slushy mound of garbage. The gluttons are in a storm of putrefaction. Gluttony was considered a major sin back in Dante’s day. Also in this circle are the hoarders and wasters. They contribute to each other’s punishment as they are in a constant rock war. Hoarders and wasters are two extremes. This is contrapasso because the hoarders are constantly trying to take the rock, while the wasters are trying to get rid of it. Next, they come across the wrathful and sullen. They are stuck in the Marsh of Styx. The sullen were drawn within themselves and tried not to associate with others in life, they took a sour disposition towards life. Their punishment is appropriate because they are stuck at the bottom of the marsh, beneath the slimy surface. Moving along through Hell, Dante and Virgil come across the heretics. This is a sort of a transitional stage between the sins of incontinence and violence. A heretic is anyone who doesn’t adhere to strict Catholic doctrine. Heretics committed some of the worst crimes, according to Dante. Their punishment was to spend eternity in a grave on fire. Contrapasso is in effect here because heretics thought that the soul dies with the body, and since they believe their souls died, they are entombed. Some of them even have to share tombs with people they hated. The second category of sinners is the violent. There are three types of violence: violence against neighbors, violence against self, and violence against God. The violent against neighbors are stuck in the river Phlegethon. This is a river of boiling blood, and if the sinners try to escape, centaurs shoot them with arrows. This is contrapasso because these violent souls left their victims in a pool of blood when they murdered them, and now they are stuck in a pool of blood. Violence against self is the next form of violent sin. Those who committed suicide became trees. Since they rejected God’s gift of body, they are forced to stand still and see the human life they rejected. This is their contrapasso, also whenever a limb from the tree falls off, they feel it. The final form of violence is that against God. These blasphemers, who curse God, are punished in circle seven, round 3. They are forced to lie in a field of burning sand and a fire rain constantly falls down on them. This is ironic because it is the first time while Dante is in Hell that we actually see fire. Circle eight of Hell begins the worst sins, those of fraud and treachery. These sins are the worst because it breaks the trust of the individual. The usurers are loan sharks. They do not further mankind, they just want money. According to The Holy Bible, it is unnatural to charge usury. Their punishment is to carry a pouch with lead weights around their necks. They constantly have to fight off fire and chains from lashing devils with their hands. This is their contrapasso because they used to use their greedy hands to abuse people by taking their money. The panderers and seducers are punished by having to constantly run from one side to another, and demons are there whipping them. The second section contains the flatterers. Because they lied and figuratively slung excrement from their mouths, they are punished by wallowing in excrement, which they flatter. This is a perfect example of contrapasso. The fortune tellers and diviners presumed to have the power to see God’s future, but most of them are just tricksters. Their contrapasso is that their heads are twisted completely around, and they can no longer see what’s ahead of them. Dante sees weeping shades slowly marching in single file, each one covered from head to foot with a golden cloak lined with lead. It is appropriate because on the outside the cloaks look beautiful, but on the inside they are horrible, like the hypocrites, and they are weighed down by their guilt. Contrapasso for thieves is depicted as serpents chasing nude sinners, and when the snake bites them, they burst into blames and disintegrate. Sometimes they become the serpent, and the serpent becomes them. This sets out to show that thieves can’t even claim their own bodies. Also, the snakes represent trickery, and the serpents steal the thieves’ bodies, just as they stole. Bertrand de Born was guilty of separating father and son (King Henry II and son), which caused war. His contrapasso is walking around with his head separated from his body, carrying it like a lantern. It is also symbolic of the father being the head of the family, and his body is separated from it because he separated them. In the ninth circle of Hell, Cocytus, Dante encounters the absolute worst sinners, including Satan. These sinners are frozen with the memory of their sins, and they cannot move. These evilest of sinners are in a sea of ice. Sins of betrayal are in the ninth circle. They were cold hearted and fake in life with no warmth of heart. A unique encounter Dante has is with Count Ugolino and Archbishop Ruggiere. In life, they made a deal, but it went awry. Now, the count feeds on the head of the archbishop. Since the archbishop imprisoned him and sons, they starved to death, thus his contrapasso is that Ruggiere is Ugolino’s last meal for all of eternity. At the end of the journey, Dante encounters Satan. He is bigger than the giants with three heads. Each head is chewing on the worst sinners in history up to that point: Judas, Brutus, and Cassius. They represent hate, impotence, and ignorance to contrast the three highest virtues of Heaven. Satan is at the center of the universe. His main punishment is that he is frozen and can’t do anything. This is the ultimate contrapasso. Dante highlights that Satan himself is an example of contrapasso as Satan’s sin of seeking God’s place as ruler of Heaven resulting in him forever ruling over the damned. Here, the sin reflects the punishment as Satan aims to raise himself higher and as a result is cast down into the depths of the Inferno. Dante takes us on an intriguing and eye-opening journey throughout his Hell. He uses contrapasso as a way to show the many different sins and how he thinks they should be punished. Dante also places real people in his Inferno to point out the cultural and political state of Italy at that time. While he does this, he is pretty fair and impartial about who belongs in which area of Hell. Near the end of his journey, Dante finally realizes that the sinners got what they deserved, and he no longer pities them. By having Satan frozen in ice, Dante is portraying the message Satan cannot do anything, unless you let him because he is not that powerful.