Middle Eastern Studies Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Middle Eastern Studies - Term Paper Example Others include the nationalization of assets previously owned by foreigners or ‘enemies of state’ and foreign aid. Collectively, such revenue streams are economically referred to as â€Å"rent†; similarly, states that are primarily dependent on such revenue streams are referred to as â€Å"rentier states† (Gelvin 247). Infamously, such states are referred to â€Å"allocation states† coined from the fact that the states’ distribution of rent generated in the aforementioned manner favors particular clients or projects. Each state in the Middle East-more or less- relies on rent income. In the period between 1980 and 1988, a third of Egypt’s government revenue was derived from rent. Over the same period, it also benefited substantially from aid from the United States amounting to about $2 billion annually (Gelvin 247). The involvement of Western powers in the oil wealth of the Middle East has entrenched historical backgrounds. More specific ally, their participation was ‘cemented’ through the establishment of agreements or concessions that saw the emergence of strong consortia that have firm hold-unto now-within the oil industry (Fawcett and Giacomo 15). Oil companies would come together to undertake large contracts which exceeded the capacity of any single firm. Such contracts –perhaps uncharacteristically so-extended between sixty and seventy-five years and granted these consortia exclusive rights to exploit, produce, refine, transport and market the oil. Over the past half century, the most dominant consortium in the oil industry has been that of the â€Å"seven sisters† consisting of Exxon, Mobil, Chevron, Gulf Texaco and British Petroleum (Gelvin 249). However, the blatant imbalance in the distribution of the benefits from oil exploitation as to the host nations propelled the formation of an association that would better represent the concerns of oil producers. Furthermore the threat of diminished returns arising from a fall in demand and subsequent slashing of prices by the consuming West-as was the case during the recession of the 1960s- had to be effectively dealt with. The formation of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1970 significantly increased this power and with it oil prices rose by 380 percent. Oil wealth therefore shifted from the industrialized and importing Western states to the producing Middle East (Gelvin 250). The Middle East has seen the staging of two major games. Firstly, and which has recently surfaced with revolutionary effects, that of citizens and governments; usually on opposing ends and rarely in cooperation (Richards and Waterbury 1). The recent revolutions in Middle Eastern states-dubbed the Arab Spring-such as Libya, Syria, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Greece have born evidence to this play. In this game, the motive and desire for the advancement of prosperity and national development has seen the ousting of lo ng-serving governments. In Egypt, specifically, it has seen a transition in which the ousted government and long-serving officials additionally face criminal proceedings. The political space internally is highly uncertain with the much anticipated calls for free and fair elections pitted against the influence of the interim Egyptian military council. Secondly, another battle is underway intersecting the region’

Radio in the 1930s Essay Example for Free

Radio in the 1930s Essay

Looking At The Future Of Civil Engineering Construction Essay

Looking At The Future Of Civil Engineering Construction Essay It is very important for civil engineers of this generation to understand the responsibility of their profession in the perspective of the environment and society, and in the understanding this responsibility they must try to generate changes in their action and thinking. This can be successful but everyone has to be involved needs to support and encourage the sustainable thinking, this change can come through design and construction processes. Design sustainability is not an easy route as it must be applied in every design theory. Starting from the conception of the design and moving to the location, the structural materials, the structural methods and finally the possible demolition of the project, design sustainability have to be applied in many areas. On the other hand sustainable construction must aim to use less natural materials and materials which are dangerous to the environment, also less energy to cut the amount of the waste and reduce the environmental pollution without negotiating the quality of the project. Sustainable thinking, planning and acting must be involved in civil engineering to reduce the environmental effecting projects have over their whole design life. Only in the course of this process, and by implementing sustainable thinking at every phase in a project, can a set of ideologies to improve the quality of life be created. The economic component of sustainability has been the main driver of projects. As civil engineering considering the sustainability issues we need to consider more than today alone. It is vital to account for cost over a whole life cycle and the impact on the future development. These costs must be considered in tandem with the social consequences and environmental impacts. The social aspect of sustainability is one that has only recently come to the forefront, but has this not been part of the civil engineer`s role for many years. [1] The influence of engineers of the past and present has had wide- ranging social benefits in transportation, natural and physical security, safety, resource management and heritage, all of which improve the quality of life. The social benefits of these are immeasurable but need to be considered together with the impact on the environment and the economy. [1] All the significant factors that go into the design and construction of a project must be judged, making it hard task, but we must all try in order to achieve it. Clearly, it is going to be a long and difficult method before these ideologies are established, since all the information, the assessments and the resources available to both design and construction teams develop continuously but from project to projects it will become easier. The civil engineering profession has an exceptional opening to create a progression of change that will progress and sustain the environment and our planet in the long term. These are the very actions that make civil engineering a distinctive and very important profession for our planet and for our lives. There have been several projects in the UK and around the world, which are known to be the most sustainable building in the 21st century. Their design, development, use of material and the construction is processed and analysed so careful and that they have managed to come out with successful result in all of the following projects. They are known to be the environmentally friendly and economically friendly too. IBN-DLO Wageningen, the Netherlands This building of the IBN-DLO, the institute for forestry and nature research, sets a new standard in people friendly and environmental friendly building. The building, design by architect Stefan Behisch, behaves something like a living organism, with a self-regulation capacity for its temperature and water use, a capacity which responds to the cycles of summer and winter, day and night, heat and cold, rain and drought. This building can adapt and store energy to kick in when they climate changes and it will respond to the change very quickly, this somewhat is very environmental friendly building. The materials used to make this building can be all recycled and reused in there things or other projects. The roofing is made from glass, the frame consist of galvanised steel plus a considerable proportion of extruded alumina. The glass roof has proved to be 70% cheaper than comparable normal custom-made architectural atrium roofs. The wood-framed wall, doors and window are all made from w ood which is glued on to each other rather than they being nailed. The environment advantage of this is that a much larger proportion of the tree can be utilized for quality carpentry work; secondly the amount of frame timber has been kept to a minimum. This is possible because the whole building is made of glass so there is less need of window so less wood is used. an ecological issue. Every nail you dont use goes to the benefit of the environment Stefan Behisch said this during this project. [2] ECOS- Millennium environmental centre BALLYMENA, NORTHERN IRELAND This building is used to show the world that sustainable building is very much possible. Its used as a visitor centre, parkland, environmental information library and offices. Its not only used as museum but its used in everyday life. Its landscape architecture division developed the concept of a visitor centre where the building, displayed and surrounding landscape would be integrated to communicate a central theme of environmental sustainability. These are the methods they used to make their building a sustainable and environmentally friendly building. Heat Conservation and Efficient Heat Distribution Heavy mass structure retention of heat within insulated fabric, low temperature under floor heating distributed trough structural floors, passive solar gains- through south facing glazing and ramp structure, elevated solar absorption of renewable, efficient low energy lighting used where possible and combined heat and power unit fuelled from short rotation willow coppice crop grown on site. Renewable Energy- Predicted Annual Generation Biomass combined heat and power unit, solar water collection, photovoltaic array and predicted energy generation from renewable will be 71% of total predicted energy consumption. Materials Selection Where possible, PVC is not used. Alternative materials were used for electrical conduits and cabling. Plumbing and roof membrane durable and potentially recyclable materials were used; copper, steel, and concrete. Where possible renewable were used, timer stud partitions external timber cladding timber structure and floor. All timber was FSC certified. Use of organic and mineral paints, sustainable landscape management- avoidance of fertiliser and pesticides etc. Environmental Improvements and Town Connections Construction of new pedestrian and cycle path from existing housing and estate to town centre which is increasing bio-diversity through sustainable park management. Creation of habitats through new planting. Retention of existing trees and new lake construction. [3] Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd Information and Communication Center, Japan, Tokyo The unusually shaped building represents exceptional design in many respects. The trapezoidal structure encloses a huge, 9 story high atrium. Their intension was to blending technology, people and natural ventilation, a waterfall and pond, roughly cut stone walls and rocks, a floor with pebbled surface and stepping stones and some greenery. Matsushita wanted a highly intelligent large scale building, design in amity with nature. They wanted a holistic architecture that would reflect their own technological and environmental concerns. Three most important design solution that were required were The Ireko (or shell space concept) The creation of a heterogeneous indoor environment The use of natural energy systems throughout the building Ireko is the classical concept in Japanese architecture whereby space is approached by considering the layering of one environment within the other and how they and influence one another. The theory behind this classical Japanese architecture concept is to bring nature indoor and integrated into the building as an important interstice. [4] 60L, Australia 60 is the premier green commercial building in Australia, unique in its approach to energy and water consumption, and the use of recycled and re-used materials during construction. It achieved a commercially feasible, healthy, low energy, resource-efficient workplace with minimal impact on the environment. The design of the building and their motive to make this building the most sustainable they used wide range of materials which were new, recycled or re-used in the construction of the 60L. The original building was not demolished but was partially taken apart so that existing resources could be re-used. The bricks, timber glazed partition and the old building structure was re-used. The concrete poured was 60% recycled aggregate, in this situation crushed concrete reclaimed from other buildings. Timber windows and door frames were fabricated from recycled materials, as are the other items such as reinforcing steel and carpet. Most glues, adhesives, sealants and fillers frequently used in building giving off vastly toxic gases. Used of these was minimised wherever feasible. This building is using 50% less PVC than a typical commercial building of the same size and use. Where they used new material they where advised to use renewable materials such as timber, steel, bricks and copper. T hey used appropriate technology, rather than leading edge technology. In 60L case, it has changed the way water consumption in commercial building use to happen and they take a further step in being more environmentally friendly. They minimised the demand for water by providing water efficient fixtures fittings, including water-less urinals and low flush volume toilets pans. They collected rainwater to replace 100% of normal mains water consumption whenever possible. They installed 100% on site treatment and re-use of grey- water and black-water stream to produce reclaimed water for flushing toilets pans and irrigating the roof garden and landscape. Rainfall from the roof is harvested, and then transferred into the holding tanks by the use of a Syfonic system, which uses gravity to produce a siphon effect, which means water transfer is quicker and pipe diameter can be significantly reduced. [5] Finally, through research and understand of this essay I think sustainability and environmental friendly building is not impossible with this economic condition but its a long term program because sustainability and consideration of the environment has come on top of our agenda for past 10 to 15 years while there was major damage down in the past. There is a solution to the problem but this can take lot of time. We are all observers and assistants to the frequent degradation of our local and global environment. Issues such as deforestation, global warming, waste and rising sea levels are all indication to the fact. The management of sustainable construction must integrate the four dimensions: cost, time, quality and the environment. Each of which has local, national, international and global implications. In order to do this communication is required between personal, projects and companies to ensure that lesson learned and the information gathered is passed in and used to address the issue of sustainability. Sustainability is every person`s responsibility and as engineers we have the fundamental role of ensuring projects are intertwined with the reality of sustainability. In doing so we enable the sustainability agenda to be brought to the forefront of the design and delivery of all infrastructure projects in which we are involved. This needs to be from conception to implementation as the f uture of our planet depends on addressing the current issues, ensuring that sustainable agenda is approached and that in all areas it is implemented. The construction industry is traditionally and by its very nature a high usage sector of resources. As an engineer the first introduction to the concept of sustainability was during civil engineering design. As a concept sustainability was easy to define but when it came to the actual application to the project it became more difficult. In achieving sustainable infrastructure we have the chance to use lessons learned over time from innovative high profile sustainable construction projects and to implement new and improved systems of construction to schemes in which we are involved. In the long term everyone is aware that adopting a more mature and active approach to the sustainability agenda is really the only sensible option. I do believe that it is essential that civil engineers address this issue from now and in the future to make our society, economy and environment better and stronger. We are the designers and constructors of the future infrastructure and as such have a greater responsibility to the population and indeed the environment.

Alfred Hitchcocks Ability to Scare :: Alfred Hitchcocks Film Analysis

Throughout the years, many directors have been making movies that seem to "scare the hell out of people". From thrilling to just suspenseful scenes, Alfred Hitchcock explores different techniques to ensure that he captures the audience's attention. The characters in Hitchcock's films play a very important role in creating the tensions and twists, causing that heart stopping moment where you just want to yell at the TV. He uses the characters like strategically placed chess pieces, knowing exactly when to make his move. Alfred Hitchcock was a very scared person in life, which ironically led him to be one of the greatest directors for thrillers and perhaps horrors. ?I?m not against the police, I?m just afraid of them? is a quote from Hitchcock that leads you to believe the characters in the movies he directed, were what he would be afraid of in real life. Alfred Hitchcock expresses his fear of the police in Psycho when a police officer finds Marion Crane sleeping in her car. The officer looks extremely intimidating and you start to think that maybe he is the psycho. This thought is soon juxtaposed when Marion is at the car yard and the same police officer who had spoken to her earlier, stops his car across the road, gets out and just stands there watching her. We later find out that he is not the psycho and Marion finds herself sheltered by the lonely and secluded Bates Hotel. Here we are introduced to Norman Bates, a shy, nervous but very friendly young man. You would never guess, and end up shocked when you realise that he is the psycho. The sounds and camera angles of this film are the key to the feeling of suspense. The sounds of the violin make up most of the soundtrack for Psycho. Although the soundtrack is very repetitive and slightly annoying, it gives you a sense of anticipation when it played throughout the movie. The screeching violins are always played when you least expect them to, catching you off guard. As said by Alfred Hitchcock, ?There is no terror in the bang, only the anticipation of it.? The camera angles also play an important role in this movie. When Lila, Marion?s sister, goes to find Mrs Bates and talk to her, it seems to take Lila forever just to reach the house, with the camera switching back and forth from her face, then to the door.

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 3-4

3 TRAVIS Travis O'Hearn was driving a fifteen-year-old Chevy Impala he had bought in L.A. with money the demon had taken from a pimp. The demon was standing on the passenger seat with his head out the window, panting into the rushing coastal wind with the slobbering exuberance of an Irish setter. From time to time he pulled his head inside the car, looked at Travis, and sang, â€Å"Your mother sucks cocks in he-ell, Your mother sucks cocks in he-ell,† in a teasing, childlike way. Then he would spin his head around several times for effect. They had spent the night in a cheap motel north of San Junipero, and the demon had tuned the television to a cable channel that played an uncut version of The Exorcist. It was the demon's favorite movie. At least, Travis thought, it was better than the last time, when the demon had seen The Wizard of Oz and had spent an entire day pretending to be a flying monkey, or screaming, â€Å"And that goes for your little dog, too.† â€Å"Sit still, Catch,† Travis said. â€Å"I'm trying to drive.† The demon had been wired since he had eaten the hitchhiker the night before. The guy must have been on cocaine or speed. Why did drugs affect the demon when poisons did not phase him? It was a mystery. The demon tapped Travis on the shoulder with a long reptilian claw. â€Å"I want to ride on the hood,† he said. His voice was like rusty nails rattling in a can. â€Å"Enjoy,† Travis said, waving across the dashboard. The demon climbed out the window and across the front, where he perched like a hood ornament from hell, his forked tongue flying in the wind like a storm-swept pennon, spattering the windshield with saliva. Travis turned on the wipers and was grateful to find that the Chevy was equipped with an interval delay feature. It had taken him a full day in Los Angeles to find a pimp who looked as if he were carrying enough cash to get them a car, and another day for the demon to catch the guy in a place isolated enough to eat him. Travis insisted that the demon eat in private. When he was eating he became visible to other people. He also tripled in size. Travis had a recurring nightmare about being asked to explain the eating habits of his traveling companion. In the dream Travis is walking down the street when a policeman taps him on the shoulder. â€Å"Excuse me, sir,† the policeman says. Travis does a slow-mo Sam Peckenpah turn. â€Å"Yes,† he says. The policeman says, â€Å"I don't mean to bother you – but that large, scaly fellow over there munching on the mayor – do you know him?† The policeman points toward the demon, who is biting off the head of a man in a pinstriped polyester suit. â€Å"Why, yes, I do,† Travis says. â€Å"That's Catch, he's a demon. He has to eat someone every couple of days or he gets cranky. I've known him for seventy years. I'll vouch for his lack of character.† The policeman, who has heard it all before, says, â€Å"There's a city ordinance against eating an elected official without a permit. May I see your permit, please?† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Travis says, â€Å"I don't have a permit, but I'll be glad to get one if you'll tell me where to go.† The cop sighs and begins writing on a ticket pad. â€Å"You can only get a permit from the mayor, and your friend seems to be finishing him off now. We don't like strangers eating our mayor around here. I'm afraid I'll have to cite you.† Travis protests, â€Å"But if I get another ticket, they'll cancel my insurance.† He always wondered about this part of the dream; he'd never carried insurance. The cop ignores him and continues to write out the ticket. Even in a dream, he is only doing his job. Travis thought it terribly unfair that Catch even invaded his dreams. Sleep, at least, should provide some escape from the demon, who had been with him for seventy years, and would be with him forever unless he could find a way to send him back to hell. For a man of ninety, Travis was remarkably well preserved. In fact, he did not appear to be much over twenty, his age when he had called up the demon. Dark with dark eyes and lean, Travis had sharp features that would have seemed evil if not for the constant look of confusion he wore, as if there were one answer that would make everything in life clear to him if he could only remember the question. He had never bargained for the endless days on the road with the demon, trying to figure out how to stop the killing. Sometimes the demon ate daily, sometimes he would go for weeks without killing. Travis had never found a reason, a connection, or a pattern to it. Sometimes he could dissuade the demon from killing, sometimes he could only steer him toward certain victims. When he could, he had the demon eat pimps or pushers, those that humanity could do without. But other times he had to choose vagrants and vagabonds, those that would not be missed. There was a time when he had cried while sending Catch after a hobo or a bag-lady. He'd made friends among the homeless when he was riding the rails with the demon, back before there were so many automobiles. Often a bum who didn't know where his next roof or drink was coming from had shared a boxcar and a bottle with Travis. And Travis had learned that there was no evil in being poor; poverty merely opened one up to evil. But over the years he had learned to push aside the remorse, and time and again Catch dined on bums. He wondered what went through the minds of Catch's victims just before they died. He had seen them wave their hands before their eyes as if the monster looming before them was an illusion, a trick of the light. He wondered what would happen now, if oncoming drivers could see Catch perched on the front of the Chevy waving like a parade queen from the Black Lagoon. They would panic, swerve off the narrow road and over the ocean-side bank. Windshields would shatter, and gasoline would explode, and people would die. Death and the demon were never separated for long. Coming soon to a town near you, Travis thought. But perhaps this is the last one. As a seagull cry dopplered off to Travis's left, he turned to look out the window over the ocean. The morning sun was reflecting off the face of the waves, illuminating a sparkling halo of spray. For a moment he forgot about Catch and drank in the beauty of the scene, but when he turned to look at the road again, there was the demon, standing on the bumper, reminding him of his responsibility. Travis pushed the accelerator to the floor and the Impala's engine hesitated, then roared as the automatic transmission dropped into passing gear. When the speedometer hit sixty he locked up the brakes. Catch hit the roadway face first and skidded headlong, throwing up sparks where his scales scraped the asphalt. He bounced off a signpost and into a ditch, where he lay for a moment trying to gather his thoughts. The Impala fishtailed and came to a stop sideways in the road. Travis slammed the Chevy into reverse, righted the car, then threw it into drive and screeched toward the demon, keeping the wheels out of the ditch until the moment of impact. The Impala's headlights shattered against Catch's chest. The corner of the bumper caught him in the waist and drove him deep into the mud of the ditch. The engine sputtered to a stop and the damaged radiator hissed a rusty cloud of steam into Catch's face. The driver's side door was jammed against the ditch, so Travis crawled out the window and ran around the car to see what damage he had done. Catch was lying in the ditch with the bumper against his chest. â€Å"Nice driving, A.J.,† Catch said. â€Å"You going to try for Indy next year?† Travis was disappointed. He hadn't really expected to hurt Catch, he knew from experience that the demon was virtually indestructible, but he had hoped at least to piss him off. â€Å"Just trying to keep you on your toes,† he said. â€Å"A little test to see how you hold up under stress.† Catch lifted the car, crawled out, and stood next to Travis in the ditch. â€Å"What's the verdict? Did I pass?† â€Å"Are you dead?† â€Å"Nope, I feel great.† â€Å"Then you have failed miserably. I'm sorry but I'll have to run you over again.† â€Å"Not with this car,† the demon said, shaking his head. Travis surveyed the steam rising from the radiator and wondered whether he might not have been a little hasty in giving way to his anger. â€Å"Can you get it out of the ditch?† â€Å"Piece of cake.† The demon hoisted the front of the car and began to walk it up onto the berm. â€Å"But you're not going to get far without a new radiator.† â€Å"Oh, you're all of a sudden an expert mechanic. Mr. help-me-I-can't-change-the-channel-while-the-magic-fingers-is-on all of a sudden has a degree in automotive diagnostics?† â€Å"Well, what do you think?† â€Å"I think there's a town just ahead where we can get it fixed. Didn't you read that sign you bounced off of?† It was a dig. Travis knew the demon couldn't read; in fact, he often watched subtitled movies with the sound off just to irritate Catch. â€Å"What's it say?† â€Å"It says, ‘Pine Cove, five miles.' That's where we're going. I think we can limp the car five miles with a bad radiator. If not, you can push.† â€Å"You run over me and wreck the car and I get to push?† â€Å"Correct,† Travis said, crawling back through the car window. â€Å"At your command, master,† Catch said sarcastically. Travis tried the ignition. The car whined and died. â€Å"It won't start. Get behind and push.† â€Å"Okay,† Catch said. He went around to the back of the car, put his shoulder to the bumper, and began pushing it the rest of the way out of the ditch. â€Å"But pushing cars is very hungry work.† 4 ROBERT Robert Masterson had drunk a gallon of red wine, most of a five-liter Coors minikeg, and a half-pint of tequila, and still the dream came. A desert. A big, bright, sandy bastard. The Sahara. He is naked, tied to a chair with barbed wire. Before him is a great canopied bed covered in black satin. Under the cool shade of the canopy his wife, Jennifer, is making love to a stranger – a young, muscular, dark-haired man. Tears run down Robert's cheeks and crystallize into salt. He cannot close his eyes or turn away. He tries to scream, but every time he opens his mouth a squat, lizardlike monster, the size of a chimpanzee, shoves a saltine cracker into his mouth. The heat and the pain in his chest are agonizing. The lovers are oblivious to his pain. The little reptile man tightens the barbed wire around his chest by twisting a stick. Every time he sobs, the wire cuts deeper. The lovers turn to him in slow motion, maintaining their embrace. They wave to him, a big home-movie wave, postcard smiles. Greetings from the heart of anguish. Awake, the dream-pain in his chest replaced by a real pain in his head. Light is the enemy. It's out there waiting for you to open your eyes. No. No way. Thirst – brave the light to slake the thirst – it must be done. He opened his eyes to a dim, forgiving light. Must be cloudy out. He looked around. Pillows, full ashtrays, empty wine bottles, a chair, a calendar from the wrong year with a picture of a surfer riding a huge swell, pizza boxes. This wasn't home. He didn't live like this. Humans don't live like this. He was on someone's couch. Where? He sat up and waited in vertigo until his brain snapped back into his head, which it did with a vengeful impact. Ah, yes, he knew where he was. This was Hangover – Hangover, California. Pine Cove, where he was thrown out of the house by his wife. Heartbreak, California. Jenny, call Jenny. Tell her that humans don't live this way. No one lives this way. Except The Breeze. He was in The Breeze's trailer. He looked around for water. There was the kitchen, fourteen miles away, over there at the end of the couch. Water was in the kitchen. He crawled naked off the couch, across the floor of the kitchen to the sink, and pulled himself up. The faucet was gone, or at least buried under a stack of dirty dishes. He reached into an opening, cautiously searching for the faucet like a diver reaching into an underwater crevice for a moray eel. Plates skidded down the pile and crashed on the floor. He looked at the china shards scattered around his knees and spotted the mirage of a Coors minikeg. He managed a controlled fall toward the mirage and his hand struck the nozzle. It was real. Salvation: hair of the dog in a handy, five-liter disposable package. He started to drink from the nozzle and instantly filled his mouth, throat, sinuses, aural cavity, and chest hair with foam. â€Å"Use a glass,† Jenny would say. â€Å"What are you, an animal?† He must call Jenny and apologize as soon as the thirst was gone. First, a glass. Dirty dishes were strewn across every horizontal surface in the kitchen: the counter, stove, table, breakfast bar, and the top of the refrigerator. The oven was filled with dirty dishes. Nobody lives like this. He spotted a glass among the miasma. The Holy Grail. He grabbed it and filled it with beer. Mold floated on the settling foam. He threw the glass into the oven and slammed the door before an avalanche could gain momentum. A clean glass, perhaps. He checked the cupboard where the dishes had once been kept. A single cereal bowl stared out at him. From the bottom of the bowl Fred Flintstone congratulated him, â€Å"Good kid! You're a clean-plater!† Robert filled the bowl and sat cross-legged on the floor amid the broken dishes while he drank. Fred Flintstone congratulated him three times before his thirst abated. Good old Fred. The man's a saint. Saint Fred of Bedrock. â€Å"Fred, how could she do this to me? Nobody can live like this.† â€Å"Good kid! You're a clean-plater!† Fred said. â€Å"Call Jenny,† Robert said, reminding himself. He stood and staggered through the offal toward the phone. Nausea swept over him and he bounced back through the trailer's narrow hallway and fell into the bathroom, where he retched into the toilet until he passed out. The Breeze called it â€Å"talking to Ralph on the Big White Phone.† This one was a toll call. Five minutes later he came to and found the phone. It seemed a superhuman effort to hit the right buttons. Why did they have to keep moving? At last he connected and someone answered on the first ring. â€Å"Jenny, honey, I'm sorry. Can I-â€Å" â€Å"Thank you for calling Pizza on Wheels. We will open at eleven A.M. and deliveries begin at four P.M. Why cook when-â€Å" Robert hung up. He'd dialed the number written on the phone's emergency numbers sticker instead of his home. Again he chased down the buttons and pegged them one by one. It was like shooting skeet, you had to lead them a little. â€Å"Hello.† Jenny sounded sleepy. â€Å"Honey, I'm sorry. I'll never do it again. Can I come home?† â€Å"Robert? What time is it?† He thought for a moment then guessed, â€Å"Noon?† â€Å"It's five in the morning, Robert. I've been asleep about an hour, Robert. There were dogs barking in the neighborhood all night long, Robert. I'm not ready for this. Good-bye, Robert.† â€Å"But Jenny, how could you do it? You don't even like the desert. And you know how I hate saltines.† â€Å"You're drunk, Robert.† â€Å"Who is this guy, Jenny? What does he have that I don't have?† â€Å"There is no other guy. I told you yesterday, I just can't live with you anymore. I don't think I love you anymore.† â€Å"Who do you love? Who is he?† â€Å"Myself, Robert. I'm doing it for myself. Now I'm hanging up for myself. Say good-bye so I don't feel like I'm hanging up on you.† â€Å"But, Jenny-â€Å" â€Å"It's over. Get on with your life, Robert. I'm hanging up now. Good-bye.† â€Å"But-† She hung up. â€Å"Nobody lives like this,† Robert said to the dial tone. Get on with your life. Okay, that's a plan. He would clean up this place and clean up his life. Never drink again. Things were going to change. Soon she would remember what a great guy he was. But first he had to go to the bathroom to answer an emergency call from Ralph. The smoke alarm was screaming like a tortured lamb. Robert, now back on the couch, pulled a cushion over his head and wondered why the Breeze didn't have a sleeper button on his smoke alarm. Then the pounding started. It was a door buzzer, not the smoke alarm. â€Å"Breeze, answer the door!† Robert shouted into the cushion. The pounding continued. He crawled off the couch and waded through the litter to the door. â€Å"Hold on a minute, man. I'm coming.† He threw the door open and caught the man outside with his fist poised for another pounding. He was a sharp-faced Hispanic in a raw silk suit. His hair was slicked back and tied in a ponytail with a black silk ribbon. Robert could see a flagship model BMW parked in the driveway. â€Å"Shit. Jehovah's Witnesses must make a lot of money,† Robert said. The Hispanic was not amused. â€Å"I need to talk to The Breeze.† At that point Robert realized that he was naked and picked an empty, gallon wine bottle from the floor to cover his privates. â€Å"Come in,† Robert said, backing away from the door. â€Å"I'll see if he's awake.† The Hispanic stepped in. Robert stumbled down the narrow hall to The Breeze's room. He knocked on the door. â€Å"Breeze, there's some big money here to see you.† No answer. He opened the door and went in and searched through the piles of blankets, sheets, pillows, beer cans, and wine bottles, but found no Breeze. On the way back to the living room Robert grabbed a mildewed towel from the bathroom and wrapped it around his hips. The Hispanic was standing in the middle of a small clearing, peering around the trailer with concentrated disgust. It looked to Robert as if he were trying to levitate to avoid having his Italian shoes contact the filth on the floor. â€Å"He's not here,† Robert said. â€Å"How do you live like this?† the Hispanic said. He had no discernible accent. â€Å"This is subhuman, man.† â€Å"Did my mother send you?† The Hispanic ignored the question. â€Å"Where is The Breeze? We had a meeting this morning.† He put an extra emphasis on the word meeting. Robert got the message. The Breeze had been hinting that he had some big deal going down. The guy must be the buyer. Silk suits and BMWs were not the usual accouterments of The Breeze's clientele. â€Å"He left last night. I don't know where he went. You could check down at the Slug.† â€Å"The Slug?† â€Å"Head of the Slug Saloon, on Cypress. He hangs out there sometimes.† The Hispanic tiptoed through the garbage to the door, then paused on the step. â€Å"Tell him I'm looking for him. He should call me. Tell him I do not do business this way.† Robert didn't like the commanding tone in the Hispanic's voice. He affected the obsequious tone of an English butler, â€Å"And whom shall I say has called, sir?† â€Å"Don't fuck with me, cabron. This is business.† Robert took a deep breath, then sighed. â€Å"Look, Pancho. I'm hung over, my wife just threw me out, and my life is not worth shit. So if you want me to take messages, you can damn well tell me who the fuck you are. Or should I tell The Breeze to look for a Mexican with a Gucci loafer shoved up his ass? Comprende, Pachuco?† The Hispanic turned on the step and started to reach into his suit coat. Robert felt adrenaline shoot through his body, and he tightened his grip on the towel. Oh, yeah, he thought, pull a gun and I'll snap your eyes out with this towel. He suddenly felt extremely helpless. The Hispanic kept his hand in his coat. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"I'm The Breeze's decorator. We're redoing the whole place in an abstract expressionist motif.† Robert wondered if he wasn't really trying to get shot. â€Å"Well, smart ass, when The Breeze shows up, you tell him to call Rivera. And you tell him that when the business is done, his decorator is mine. You understand?† Robert nodded weakly. â€Å"Adios, dogmeat.† Rivera turned and walked toward the BMW. Robert closed the door and leaned against it, trying to catch his breath. The Breeze was going to be pissed when he heard about this. Robert's fear was replaced by self-loathing. Maybe Jenny was right. Maybe he had no idea how to maintain a relationship with anybody. He was worthless and weak – and dehydrated. He looked around for something to drink and vaguely remembered having done this before. Dj vu? â€Å"Nobody lives like this.† It was going to change, goddammit. As soon as he found his clothes, he was going to change it. RIVERA Detective Sergeant Alphonso Rivera of the San Junipero County Sheriff's Department sat in the rented BMW and cursed. â€Å"Fuck, fuck, and double fuck.† Then he remembered the transmitter taped to his chest. â€Å"Okay, cowboys, he's not here. I should have known. The van's been gone for a week. Call it off.† In the distance he could hear cars starting. Two beige Plymouths drove by a few seconds later, the drivers conspicuously not looking at the BMW as they passed. What could have gone wrong? Three months setting it all up. He'd gone out on a limb with the captain to convince him that Charles L. Belew, a.k.a. The Breeze, was their ticket into the Big Sur growers' business. â€Å"He's gone down twice for cocaine. If we pop him for dealing, he'll give us everything but his favorite recipe to stay out of Soledad.† â€Å"He's small time,† the captain had said. â€Å"Yeah, but he knows everybody, and he's hungry. Best of all, he knows he's small time, so he thinks we wouldn't bother with him.† Finally the captain had relented and it had been set up. Rivera could hear him now. â€Å"Rivera, if you got made by a drugged-out loser like Belew, maybe we should put you back in uniform, where your high visibility will be an asset. Maybe we can put you in P.R. or recruitment.† Rivera's ass was hanging out worse than that drunken jerk in the trailer. Who was he, anyway? As far as anyone knew, The Breeze lived alone. But this guy seemed to know something. Why else would he give Rivera such a hard time? Maybe he could pull this off with the drunk. Desperate thinking. A long shot. Rivera memorized the license number of the old Ford truck parked outside The Breeze's trailer. He would run it through the computer when he got back to the station. Maybe he could convince the captain that he still had something. Maybe he did. And then again, maybe he could just climb a stream of angel piss to heaven. Rivera sat in the file room of the sheriff's office drinking coffee and watching a videotape. After running the license number through the computer, Rivera found that the pickup belonged to a Robert Masterson, age twenty-nine. Born in Ohio, married to Jennifer Masterson, also twenty-nine. His only prior was a drunk-driving conviction two years ago. The video was a record of Masterson's breathalyzer test. Several years ago the department had begun taping all breathalyzer tests to avoid legal-defense strategies based on procedural mistakes made by arresting officers during testing. On the television screen a very drunk Robert W. Masterson (6 ft., 180 lbs., eyes green, hair brown) was spouting nonsense to two uniformed deputies. â€Å"We work for a common purpose. You serve the state with your minds and bodies. I serve the state by opposing it. Drinking is an act of civil disobedience. I drink to end world hunger. I drink to protest the United States' involvement in Central America. I drink to protest nuclear power. I drink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A sense of doom descended on Rivera as he watched. Unless The Breeze reappeared, his career was in the hands of this tightly wound, loosely wrapped, drunken idiot. He wondered what life might be like as a bank security guard. On the screen the two officers looked away from their prisoner to the door of the testing room. The camera was mounted in the corner and fitted with a wide-angle lens to cover anything that happened without having to be adjusted. A little Arab man in a red stocking cap had come through the door, and the deputies were telling him that he had the wrong room and to please leave. â€Å"Could I trouble you for a small quantity of salt?† the little man asked. Then he blinked off the screen as if the tape had been stopped and he had been edited out. Rivera rewound the tape and ran it again. The second time, Masterson performed the test without interruption. The door did not open and there was no little man. Rivera ran it back again: no little man. He must have dozed off while the tape was running. His subconscious had continued the tape while he slept, inserting the little man's entrance. That was the only viable explanation. â€Å"I don't need this shit,† he said. Then he ejected the tape and drained his coffee, his tenth cup of the day.

What Are the Problems with the Uk’s Party System, and How Might They Be Resolved?

What are the problems with the UK’s party system, and how might they be resolved? This essay will analyse the challenges and problems UK party system is facing. The essay will look into public apathy and mistrust, resulting in low party membership and low electoral participation. The main argument is that political parties do not have strong enough incentives to connect with voters. Proposals to resolve these problems will be changing electoral system, further limiting donations to the political parties and banning their trade activities, forcing more ideological changes and showing strong real actions to ignite the political debates. As we all know, UK political system is dominated by main two political parties, Labour and Conservatives. Historically, most of the elections, apart from few exceptions, resulted in one party forming the government whilst other party being in opposition. Throughout the history, British political parties enjoyed large memberships and enthusiastic support from all sections of population during the elections. Voters were more politically aware and active in political life. British Election Study’s survey in 1964 showed that three quarters of population had strong or fair affiliation with a political party (Pattie & Johnston, 2007, p. ). In 1950’s Labour had 1 million members while conservatives had 2,800,000 (Fieschi, 2006, p. 143) However, political parties lost the trust and support of public. Membership of parties is at all-time low. According to the recent study, only 2 percent of voters in the UK are party members (Beetham, Blick, Margets, & Weir, 2008, p. 42). People abstain from voting in general elections, the trend observed especially amongst young voters. Pressure groups and lobbyists are gaining more influence and political parties are increasingly getting disconnected from the general public. Latest MP’s expenses scandal dramatically reduced the trust in politicians. The trend is not unique to Britain. Other European states observe the same decline in public participation. Therefore, many analysts declared that the age of mass party membership is over (Beetham, Blick, Margets, & Weir, 2008, p. 42). But what are the reasons that the political parties lost the trust of public? It is not true that people are not interested in politics anymore. Mass mobilisation of cross-party protests against the war in Iraq is the biggest example that politics still plays important part in public’s life. Almost all of the works and researches done on the subject of declining of party politics agree on one thing- the electoral system in the UK and subsequent â€Å"two party† system that results from it is the main obstacle for parties to engage with public. The argument is, political parties only concentrate on swing voters and taking the â€Å"safe votes† for granted (Pattie & Johnston, 2007, p. 7). However, Britain always had a two party system with FPTP. So, why parties did not concentrate on marginal swing voter areas before? The explanation given by commentators is that Britain used to be divided into two poles: conservative traditionalists and labour working class. But now, most of the population is more or less â€Å"middle class† and have moved to the centre (Garner & Kelly, 1998, pp. 255-256). Therefore, people have marginalised their party or ideological identities. This argument does not hold ground, as although political parties reformed greatly, the membership of both parties still declined. â€Å"But this is because voters don’t see the difference between parties and are confused† the critics say. But, is it not exactly what the two political parties used to be; having two distinct ideologies? Yet, membership is declining in both cases. So, one might think that it is inevitable for party membership and influence to diminish on the face of social developments in the UK. However, there is another explanation. Commentators are right to point out to parties only concentrating on swing voters. However, while before, party largely depended on their grass-root support and mass membership, political leaders tried to be â€Å"independent† from their supporters. Many laws were passed amid the opposition of most of the party members. Even the reforms of the Conservatives under William Hague could not produce effective â€Å"democratisation† of the party. Today, both parties are still centralised. Parties just don’t need the support of their members anymore, as parties can only focus on minority of voters and still win the elections. The argument of inevitability of party support declining in the face of rising middle class is also weak. Labour party did manage to almost double its membership in 1997 with the drive to recruit more members (Whiteley, 2009, p. 249). However, once Labour came to power, party became more preoccupied with â€Å"governing†, and disregarded grassroots party (Whiteley, 2009, p. 249). The conclusion from above analysis is that, given the right incentives, parties are able to recruit members. But political parties are more concerned with winning elections and holding office, and not concentrating on representing the people (Copus, Clark, Reynaert, & Steyvers, 2008, p. 6). But how could political parties do it? Do they not depend on members and supporters at least financially to survive? Well, this brings us to the second issue-the party funding. It is only natural that parties did suffer financially with the decline in membership. However, all of the major parties managed to find wealthy donors to compensate for the loss (Jones, Kavanagh, Moran, & Norton, 2007, p. 196). Apart from that, political parties have found ways of generating money through trade, although at the moment it constitutes only minority of their budget (Granik, 2005). The issue of party funding through wealthy individuals have been and still remains a controversy. The funding scandals in both main political parties triggered the need to review their funding and expenditure. Following Neill Committee report, drastic changes were introduced, including declaration of donations over ? 5,000, banning the donations from foreign donors, capping the spending in general elections at ? 20 million and controls over spending on referendum campaigns (Jones, Kavanagh, Moran, & Norton, 2007, p. 196). Even before Neill Committee report, in 1976 and 1981 Houghton and Hansard Society reports respectively, proposed political parties being state funded (Garner & Kelly, 1998, p. 202). No action was taken by ruling Labour on Houghton report and Conservatives rejected Hansard Society report (Jones, Kavanagh, Moran, & Norton, 2007, p. 96). Proponents of the state funding claim that parties, like military or police are vital public bodies, therefore they need to be subsidised by taxpayer. It will also remove the reliance on donors, thus removing the undesired influence (Jones, Kavanagh, Moran, & Norton, 2007, p. 197). However, those arguments are weak. Although, it is true that the state funding might reduce the dependence on donors, it also removes the incentives for parties to recruit more members, thus stopping them further from engaging the people during inter-election times. Provided the public trust in political parties and politicians being record low, it will further raise the suspicions of the public, especially after the expenses scandal. The solution is not state funding, but limiting donations even further. Large donations from interested businesses and individuals should not be just declared, but banned altogether. Parties should be forced to, once again, rely on their members for funding. The claim that political parties are public bodies is untrue. They are voluntary bodies. Political parties are only good if they are fit for purpose, i. e. eing a link between a government and public. When they are successful in this task, they gain trust of public and their membership will soar. This automatically will solve their funding problems. Coming back to the issue of electoral system, most of the public agree that the FPTP is the most unjust type of representative system available. It is made worse by current decline in party allegiance among the popu lation. FPTP is also unfair to smaller parties. While major parties get disproportionately large amount of seats to the votes they received, for smaller parties it works the other way around. A more proportionally representative voting system will result in more parties competing in general elections, with new parties created to contest the elections. This competition will not only motivate parties to engage with public, as noted earlier, but also make people more politically active during the elections. Supporters of FPTP system say that it provides strong and effective government, while PR system likely to produce hanged parliaments and unstable coalitions. But political parties themselves are coalitions of many views, that’s why public is faced with non stopping rifts within the parties. Furthermore, coalitions can be persuaded to work with each other successfully, as it is the case in many European countries. Initially, labour government were committed to electoral reforms, with the promise of referendum on the issue in 1997 manifesto. A decade later, 2007 government green paper on constitutional reform had only one line, informing that electoral reform is still under revision (Brown & Straw, 2007, p. 46). This uncertainty and not delivering promises further alienates voters. â€Å"In 2009 Britain, a frighteningly large proportion of UK voters feel effectively disenfranchised† says John Ward of Guardian (Ward, 2009). One of his proposed solution to representation problem is reducing the power of party whips. He says that reduction of power of whips â€Å"†¦ is absolutely essential if backbench idleness, disillusionment and cynicism are to be curbed – and the executive controlled. Those few still in touch – the likes of Kate Hoey, David Davis, Dennis Skinner and Graham Brady – are popular because they understand widespread concerns (respectively) about rural life, personal liberty, uncompromising values and educational aspiration† (Whiteley, 2009). Problem of parties being too strict is actually good for their discipline. However, over the years one sees that the whip system is been abused to great extends, thus taking away the independence of politicians. There is a problem of people lacking political information. People lacking the political information are less likely to participate in politics. In 2006 Joseph Rowntree Trust’s â€Å"Power Report† was published, where the issue was identified amongst many others. In the report, the solution proposed was â€Å"The citizenship curriculum should be shorter, more practical and result in a qualification. † (Power Report, 2006, p. 204). As Power report admits, the curriculum has many flaws. It is unlikely that curriculum makes any significant impact on young people’s political participation. Therefore, political parties themselves should engage in educational activities. They should hold more meetings and rallies, explaining people why to vote and why to vote for them. Political parties should re-think their methods of appealing to public. Emphasis should be given to enlarging their membership and engaging with public. Rather than being a vote-calculating machines, they have to re-establish their clear ideological stands. Public disillusion with what they are voting fore can only be resolved with party philosophies and ideologies being distinct. They also have to find the ways of re-gaining public trust. For that, they need more action rather than words. Radicalism is missing in modern day politics. Mass rallies, public speeches are being replaced by appearances on mass media and point scoring PR campaigns. Of course, all the symptoms mentioned above are interconnected, so it would be wrong to analyse each separately and come to a negative conclusion. But we believe that old-fashioned traditional politics can work if politicians commit themselves more. If parties reform, they make their positions stronger, with respect and trust vested in them by public. Failure to reform will eventually lead to their doom. Bibliography Beetham, D. , Blick, A. , Margets, H. , & Weir, S. (2008, February). Power and Participation in Modern Britain. Retrieved November 11, 2009, from Democratic Audit: http://www. democraticaudit. org/download/PP_lowres. pdf Brown, G. , & Straw, J. (2007, July). The Governance of Britain (CM 7170, Green Paper on constitutional reforms. Retrieved November 11, 2009, from Official-Documents: http://www. official-documents. gov. k/document/cm71/7170/7170. pdf Copus, C. , Clark, A. , Reynaert, H. , & Steyvers, K. (2008). Minor Party and Independent Politics beyond the Mainstream: Fluctuating Fortunes but a Permanent Presence. Parliamentary Affairs , 62:1, 4-18. Fieschi, C. (2006). How British Parties Lost Our Favour. Parliamentary Affairs , 60:1, 143-152. Garner, R. , & Kelly, R. (1998). British political parties today (2 ed . ). Manchester: Manchester University Press. Granik, S. (2005). Invisible Business: The Unregulated World of Political Party Commerce. Politics , 25:2, 89-98. Jones, B. , Kavanagh, D. , Moran, M. & Norton, P. (2007). Politics UK (6 ed. ). Harlow, New York: Pearson Education. Mehdi, H. (2009, September 29). Do politicians matter? Retrieved November 15, 2009, from Guardian: http://www. guardian. co. uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/29/labour-conference-politicians-least-trusted Pattie, C. , & Johnston, R. (2007). Power to the People through â€Å"Real Power and True Elections†? The Power Report and Revitalising British Democracy. Parliamentary Affairs , 60:2, 1-26. Report, P. (2006). Power to the People. York: Power Enquiry. Ward, J. (2009, October 16). MPs have forgotten how to represent us. Retrieved November 11, 2009, from Guardian: http://www. guardian. co. uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/16/mps-representation-constitutional-reform Whiteley, P. (2009). Where Have All the Members Gone? The Dynamics of Party Membership in Britain. Parliamentary Affairs , 62 :2, 242-257. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. This year’s Ipsos Mori poll suggests that the politicians are the least trusted group of professionals, with only 13% of public trusting them. This is the lowest percentage politicians received in this poll in 26 years (Mehdi, 2009). [ 2 ]. For example Labour abandoning clause 4 and â€Å"modernising† the party [ 3 ]. Interesting to note that, although Conservative party was always associated with rich class and electorate dominated by working class, the party was always able to win the elections, gaining at least a third of working class. Especially during inter war periods; Conservatives were the most favourite party in inter-war period [ (Garner & Kelly, 1998, p. 56) ]. This reinforces our thesis that different ideologies could be overcome by concentrating in recruiting more grassroots party members. [ 4 ]. For example, Poll Tax of Conservatives, war in Iraq, 5 ]. The newly created â€Å"policy forum† to discuss the policies and national party conventions are only advisory and it became harder to challenge the leadership of the Conservative party (Jones, Kavanagh, Moran, & Norton, 2007, p. 287). [ 6 ]. Under this system, most of the votes are wasted. As we have observed before, parties take â€Å"safe seats† for granted and only campaign in â€Å"swing† constituencies. Public, on the other hand, knowing that their vote would not make a difference, abstain from voting. [ 7 ]. Evidence suggests that more competitive the elections, more people cast their vote (Pattie & Johnston, 2007, pp. 5-7).

The eNotes Blog Top 10 Holiday Gifts forTeachers

Top 10 Holiday Gifts forTeachers Teachers. They do so much for our kids all year, often for very little money. The holidays offer all of us the opportunity to show them our gratitude and appreciation. Here at , we posted a question on our Discussion Board, asking teachers themselves what gifts they would most like to receive from students and parents. Here are their top ten suggestions. Make an educators holiday just a bit brighter with these great ideas! 1.   Personalized Notes of Thanks and Remembrance. By far and away, the majority of teachers who commented on our question said what they treasured most were students letters.   Susan3Smith says, The best teacher gifts from students or parents are notes or cards.  The notes can sustain me during a tough time, and they dont make me fat. 2.   Gift Cards. A treat for everyone, but perhaps especially for teachers, gift cards are fabulous way to show you care. As auntlori notes: Because teachers generally do spend their own money on things for the classroom, gift cards are always welcome. 3.   Kindle. If you would like to hear a squeal from a teacher that sounds remarkably child-like, AND you can afford it, consider giving Amazons electronic reader, the Kindle, the second-most requested wish on our teachers list (just behind personalized notes!) 4.   Stationery. Also making a strong showing on the wish list was stationery. As kiwi puts it, The love of stationery is a very close second to the love of teaching. msmegmaynard agrees,   I am personally obsessed with new stationery! 5.   Pens! Also making  their mark on  various wish lists were pens.   Actually, office supplies  of all sorts are in great demand.   As kiwi puts it, Pens pens pens pens. Coloured notepads, fancy staplers, highlighters, erasers the list goes on. I still get gel pens as a Christmas  present  each year! 6. Candles. Scented candles are one of those wonderful indulgences that we teachers love to get but rarely buy for ourselves. Give your favorite educator some aromatherapy! 7. Rare or Early Edition Book. Several teachers and editors who commented noted that a rare or first edition text was a treasured gift. It showed them that the parent and/or student knew them well enough to know their favorite authors, and they were aware of the time it took to find that special gift. 9.   Wine. Quite a few teachers admit that they would love to receive a good bottle of wine. If you know a literature   teacher and wine lover, try out this great, inexpensive (less than $20) vintage called Writers Block, available in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Syrrah. 10.   iPad. Well, we can dream, cant we?   As accessteacher points out, Since its Christmas, why not an iPad? Lets go wild!! From everyone at , we wish all of you, teachers, editors,  students, and parents, happy holidays and a prosperous New Year.

Free Essays on The Iroqouis

are directly related but are not interchangeable. The Iroquois Confederacy (or "League of the Iroquois" according to the whites) was thought to have been founded in the 1500’s by the great Mohawk chief, Hiawatha. The confederacy was first made up of five tribes, the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga and Seneca. This gave them the dubbed name of Five Nations. In 1722, the Tuscarora were added to the confederacy and they were then known and the Six Nations. The Five Nations occupied an area in the present day New York, just south of Lake Ontario. The Five Nations numbered about 5,500 native Americans in their confederacy. In order to organize the affairs of the Nations the "Great Binding Law" was created. The "Great Binding Law" was the confederacy’s constitution. According to one website (ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/DatingIC.html) the confederacy is one of the oldest democracies in the world. The confederacy was thought to be a democracy because, although each tribe wa... Free Essays on The Iroqouis Free Essays on The Iroqouis Iroquois According to the New Webster’s Dictionary the definition of civilization is "a making or becoming civilized; the state of being civilized; the sum or qualities of a particular civilized society" and the definition of culture is "the social and religious structures and intellectual and artistic manifestations etc. that characterize a society." I find these definitions to be easily arguable. The only common word in those two definitions is society, but they are in no way related. I find the two words to be connected but not interchangeable. If I was to write the definitions, I would make the two words more closely related. My definition of civilization would be a community of people who settled in an area whom has also developed a common culture. My definition of culture would be the way a certain society acted and the rituals they performed (i.e. religion, holidays that are observed, language, literature, etc.). Therefore the two words are directly related but are not intercha ngeable. The Iroquois Confederacy (or "League of the Iroquois" according to the whites) was thought to have been founded in the 1500’s by the great Mohawk chief, Hiawatha. The confederacy was first made up of five tribes, the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga and Seneca. This gave them the dubbed name of Five Nations. In 1722, the Tuscarora were added to the confederacy and they were then known and the Six Nations. The Five Nations occupied an area in the present day New York, just south of Lake Ontario. The Five Nations numbered about 5,500 native Americans in their confederacy. In order to organize the affairs of the Nations the "Great Binding Law" was created. The "Great Binding Law" was the confederacy’s constitution. According to one website (ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/DatingIC.html) the confederacy is one of the oldest democracies in the world. The confederacy was thought to be a democracy because, although each tribe wa...

Brooklyn (Colm Toibin) Essay

Cultural context reveals the world of the text. It shows us how the world impinges upon the lives of the characters. The novel I have studied is Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Throughout the text we see many examples of the values of society. The position of women, men and family intrinsically establish the central characters in a specific position. The text has a dual setting between the 1950’s Catholic Ireland and the post world war two world of Brooklyn, America. The two locations help to expose the contrasting values and attitudes of the characters in their world. The role of women in society is vital for my understanding of the cultural context. It is predominantly stereotypical for the time. In both locations, women are subservient, with frequent families being patriarchal. In both locations, a woman’s main desire was ultimately to be married to a wealthy man. This is seen when Nancy and George are in a relationship. Many people respect Nancy at this time because George is from a high class of people, and this is considered to be an achievement for Nancy. At a later date, Nancy marries George and she becomes a well-valued and admired person in society. This is a contrast to Brooklyn, where, often women become educated before starting a family. Eilis’ career opportunities increase while she is in Brooklyn, as she aspires to be an accountant, rather then just a bookkeeper. A main value of women in society was their appearance. We see this in the lengthy preparation for the dances. It plays an important social role in meeting potential husbands. The behavior and values of women at the time is extremely important for the cultural context. Women were expected to adhere to certain moral values. This can be seen in both Ireland and Brooklyn at the dances. In Brooklyn, Eilis dances with Tony and knows she cannot dance with another boy after this. This shows us the attitudes towards women at this time. However, this attitude is felt much stronger in Ireland than Brooklyn. We can see this with Ms. Fortini. She reflects a contrasting attitude, being more independent and modern then the rest of the characters. A key moment in the text, which shows the values women have in society, would be when Ms. Kehoe locks the basement gate of her house. She  does this because she does not approve of the way Eilis acts with Tony. This is a prime example of how women are expected to behave in society. This example is intrinsically linked with the encroaching power of the Catholic Church and the way it shapes the values and attitudes of the characters in the novel. The power of the Catholic Church is clearly evident in the novel. It helps shape the attitudes most of the characters have. The power and influence of Father Flood is distinct throughout the novel. His values of the Church are thou rally respected and admired by everyone in the community. He holds substantial power in both Ireland and Brooklyn, convincing Eilis’ mam to allow her to go to Brooklyn, and getting Eilis a job and a place to stay once she arrived there. In Brooklyn, we see many people know Father Flood, as he was able to get Eilis a place in college, to help further her career. The church also has a controlling aspect on the characters moral values. This is seen with Eilis and Ms. Kehoe’s view on relationships and sex. Their attitude towards relationships are shaped around the beliefs of the Church, an example of this is when Eilis asks Tony to go to confession with her, as she sees sex before marriage as a sin. Ms. Kehoe realizes Tony has been in Eilis’ room soon after this, so she locks the gate to stop this from happening again. In my opinion, the Catholic Church has a substantial influence on Ms. Kehoe compared to Eilis because Eilis marries Tony, but cheats on him in Ireland with Jim. This is against Catholic Church’s teachings but that does not seem to influence Eilis in any way. In the end, she decides to go back to Tony. This might be because she realizes she has sinned, and because of the influence of the Church on her values, she cannot divorce Tony, she has to accept her life in Brooklyn instead. Power is an extremely important factor in the cultural context of 1950’s Ireland and Brooklyn. The power structure in society is the Catholic Church. It helps shape the values of the characters, as many of them live their lives by the Church’s beliefs. Eilis’ mother is an example of this, as she hardly knows Father Flood but immediately trusts him because he is a member of the Catholic Church. He has the power in society and the characters look up to him for guidance. Another position of power seems to be held by those with money. Throughout the book it seems to be an important factor, more so in Ireland then Brooklyn. People with money were treated superior to others, and a woman’s goal was to sustain a wealthy man. Those with money occupy certain positions of class. This can be seen in both societies. It was a very class structured society, with the Church and people with money at the top. Our first example of this is when Eilis and Nancy are at the dance, and Eilis realizes Jim does not want anything to do with her as she and Nancy were from a lower class. He refuses to dance with Eilis and ignores her for the rest of the night. Power was a major influence on marriage, as women were respected a considerable amount more if they married someone with power. Their view was that if they married someone with power, they had achieved a large goal in their life. The influence of power in 1950’s Ireland and Brooklyn shaped the values and attitudes of the characters. Undoubtedly the personal freedom of Eilis and many other characters is affected by the world in which she resides. In Ireland, Eilis’ freedom is largely restricted because she is a woman. She is expected to marry and start a family, and there is no emphasis on her education. She has very little freedom as a teenager; an example of this is when she goes to the dance. Because of the society she lives in, she is expected to dance with only one boy for the whole night; this does not give her any freedom to do otherwise. Many of her decisions in Ireland are forced ones, such as when she went to work with Ms. Kelly. Ms. Kelly assumed Eilis would want to work for her, and did not give Eilis the chance to say no. She did not treat Eilis with respect but Eilis still had to keep working for her. This is greatly contrasted with her life in Brooklyn. Eilis had a large amount of personal freedom in Brooklyn, allowing her to explore the town she lives in. Her decisions were taken solely by herself, unlike in Ireland. She was able to decide if she wanted to further her career in college, whereas in Ireland she would have been expected to become a bookkeeper, but never an accountant. She also had freedom where she worked, with the employees and her boss treating her with respect, this contrasts with Ms. Kelly’s shop in Ireland. She was given opportunities to advance in her role as a sale assistant in the shop in Brooklyn, unlike Ireland where she would always be selling things in Ms. Kelly’s shop. Ultimately, Eilis is affected by the cultural context. It impinges upon her world. This is greatly seen in her last decision in the book, to accept her life in America with Tony. In modern day Ireland and Brooklyn, she would have been free to get a divorce and stay with Jim, but because at the time she was greatly influenced by the Catholic Church and her role in society, this option was not available for her. We discover at the end of the novel Eilis is a conformist, as she allows her values and attitudes to be shaped by 1950’s Ireland and Brooklyn. Overall, my understanding of cultural context is that it is the world of the text. In my opinion, the characters in Brooklyn accept the world in which they live in, and allow their values to be shaped by the time and place. Throughout the book we see the characters being influenced by the role of women, the Catholic Church and the people with power in their society.a

Environmental law has led the development of environmental management Essay

Environmental law has led the development of environmental management systems (and environmental auditing in particular) - Essay Example environmental record keeping and performance and impact review) include illustration of how particular industries or businesses have adapted to the rise of such compliance requirements consider whether there are any disadvantages to environmental auditing being influenced by concerns about legal compliance Word limit: 1500 words Your essay must be typed and all sources must be referenced. Hand in Date: 11th August 2011, 16.00 (generic resit CW submission date!) Marked work to be returned: To be negotiated Environmental law builds on reform movements from the early part of the 20th Century, including consumer protection and industry regulation legislation that was enacted through the House of Commons in the protection of the public welfare and safety of workers. As public awareness and understanding of the danger to the natural environment from pollution and waste produced by industry grew, more and more people began to organize into advocacy groups and political change or reform move ments to affect public policy. Domestic law was the early vehicle for these reform movements and legislative changes produced in this manner became part of the common law tradition that would be enforceable in court with damages or penalties. As the role of governmental authority in policing and regulating industry on environmental concerns became more prevalent, official environmental protection and monitoring bodies were organized on the national level as industry watchdogs. With the rise of this legislation and associated governmental agencies in environmental protection, the requirements for the consumer, business, and industry to abide by environmental regulations led to the development of testing and auditing procedures that would guarantee compliance over large sectors of the economy. This can be seen in automotive emissions requirements and fuel conservation requirements in cars, trucks, and other vehicles; in pollution emissions testing requirements for factories in the ene rgy industry and industrial production; clean water and anti-pollution requirements for companies; as well as in modern movements to initiate a global carbon trading regime based on carbon-credits and a business’ fundamental carbon footprint calculated through use of fossil fuels in all aspects of production. These developments highlight how environmental protection legislation has moved from national law to become a major aspect of international business through treaties, multi-national accords, GATT negotiations, the WTO, etc. Nationally in the UK, there are two main sources of modern environmental law, the 1974 Control of Pollution Act and the Environmental Protection Act of 1990. The 1974 CPA prohibited the dumping of waste material, sewage, and other pollution in public land, rivers, and oceans, â€Å"where— (a) the waste in question is of a kind which is poisonous, noxious or polluting; and (b) its presence on the land is likely to give rise to an environmental hazard; and (c) it is deposited on the land in such circumstances or for such a period that whoever deposited it there may reasonably be assumed to have abandoned it there or to have brought it there for the purpose of its being disposed of (whether by himself or others) as waste, shall, subject to the following subsection, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding ?400 or both or, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment f

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 18

International Business - Essay Example However, the company realized the fact that China would be one of the largest markets in near future. Hence, in 2006 it decided to set up a different home page in Chinese. The site is controlled and maintained by the Chinese employees who work in the company’s Shanghai and Beijing offices. The main challenge that Google faced was to meet up its users’ expectation while not violating the Chinese government’s rules regarding the content of politically sensitive issues. Google has been famous for providing all the relevant search results irrespective of the nature of the subject of search. As a result, when the company started its full-fledged operation in China, users expected that they could access to more information. However, Google had to abide by the Chinese rule and hence declared that the company would enable Chinese users to access â€Å"the greatest amount of information possible† (Henninger, 2006). The company was unable to provide the best informa tion regarding subjects like democratic reform, Falun Gong movement, Taiwanese independence and Tiananmen Square massacre. As a consequence, several experts especially the human rights activists showed their protest against the company. Google tried to manage the situation by saying that it is actually better to provide limited information rather than provide nothing. This was, though, not in alignment with the Google’s ethical values, but the company had to compromise in order to manage the legal challenges from the Chinese government. In this case of Google, Chinese government is the host government which has played significant role in limiting Google’s ability to provide information to its Chinese users. Chinese government has strong policy regarding the nature of information that is to be revealed to the people of the country. It has been very cautious so that the common Chinese people cannot gain insight into the

Extending rights within humanity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Extending rights within humanity - Essay Example e option in the past, still remain an alternative, but do not confer the same benefits, either legal or emotional, on same-sex couples that enter into one; therefore, same-sex marriage must be made legal on the same level as recognized heterosexual marriage to provide these benefits. There are many arguments that support the position of legalizing same-sex marriage, but the strongest is the benefits that would come to children of same-sex relationships upon either the death of a parent or partner, or the dissolution of the union. Gomes is very clear in explaining that even stepparents have more rights than a non-biological parent in a same-sex relationship; stepparents can petition for visitation and custody, and even adoption (3). However, non-biological parents in a same sex relationship have none of these rights, and without a legally recognized marriage in place to support them, the children will suffer unnecessarily at the whim of any family members and/or legal services brought in to assist them. It is a sad testament to the child that has already suffered and grieved, that they may become the object of a feud between estranged family members or legal services, as well as being denied any survivor benefits that would have come from being the child in a leg ally recognized heterosexual marriage. One argument against same-sex marriage is that marriage has traditionally symbolized a relationship in which procreation, meaning children, will occur. Margaret Somerville, in her article The Case Against â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage†, agrees with this objection, stating that â€Å"society needs marriage to establish cultural meaning, symbolism and moral values around the inherently procreative relationship between a man and a woman, and thereby protect that relationship and the children who result from it† (10). Gomes, even though she cites this objection to same-sex marriage, attempts to counter it by stating that marriage and the rights of each partner have evolved and

Effect of E-Business on Marketing Strategies Case Study

Effect of E-Business on Marketing Strategies - Case Study Example Amazon.com becomes the first mover in the e-retailing market proposing a wide product range to diverse customer targets. E-business allows the company to connect customer service and good levels, increases customer satisfaction and decreases retention artistries. The main strategy is a virtual bookshop which helps the company to promote and sell its products to customers. Similar to traditional marketing, a virtual bookshop allows customers to review product details and analysis, read about the main characteristics and qualities. In contrast to traditional marketing, a customer sees only an image of the product. Following Archer et al (2002) "Various information systems can be used to process transactions, collect and analyze data. Technology-based tools have helped marketers perform their marketing strategies more efficiently and effectively in the traditional marketplace" (73). In contrast to traditional marketing, Amazon.com proposes a greater range of titles to choose from. Customers have twenty-four-hour access to book, table of contexts and reviews. They can order the book from any parts of the world and at comparatively low price. Also, e-business allows Amazon to establish a competitive price through lower transaction costs. Customer service therefore plays a pivotal role in e-business. Getting this role right, and to a standard of expertise that is superior to that of competitors and sustainable in the longer term, requires an in-depth understanding of the nature and nuance of customer service. Knowing customers means closing the loop between the messages sent to them and the messages they send back. The personalization of the service allows Amazon to create a core of brand supporters and increase its sales. Core information builds and provides access to the books catalogue (Turban et al 2004). The customer database also provides added-value informa tion. Core handling and processing maintains payment services between the company and its customers whether they be readers, publishers, resellers or authors. This function also covers shipping and delivery administration. From this configuration, the process of publishing and book selling became much more dynamic than the linear model that was the traditional industry model. The Internet has allowed each party in the process to interact with each other with more intensity (www.amazon.com). In contrast to traditional marketers, Amazon has wide possibilities to gather information about target groups and is able to make customer-specific recommendations, analyze their demands and needs. The customer database is used as a marketing tool in targeting existing customers and pursuing potential new ones. Amazon services (web-site and delivery service) are accessible for a large number of households and individuals. Delivering content gives more detailed information on an offer and goods; enabling transaction leads direct to a sale. Shaping attitudes can help build brand awareness, and solicit response. An advertisement may be intended to identify new leads or as a start for two-way communication (Archer et al 2002). In these cases an interactive advertisement may encourage a use to type in an e-mail address. In contrast to tra

Public Relations Strategy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relations Strategy Paper - Essay Example These tools are designed as public outreach events, lasting five days to two weeks, aimed at encouraging students, teachers, and the general public to view the school as friendly. It will encourage contributions in different ways, to ensure the school gets a good reputation and see to it that the target group becomes interested in the events, with ideas shared to maximize the impact on the target group. In the general strategic plan, event planning is one of the most important tools, which in respect to public school would best take the form of a festival, ceremony, competition, convention or a party (Japheth, 2006 pg 5). This will be the duty of the School Board to decide the best event. However, it will be imperative to kindly note that whichever event they choose will follow criteria similar to all. After the board approves the budget for the event(s), dates and alternative dates will have to be set. It will also be a collective duty for the planners to select and reserve the event site, acquire permits from the necessary authorities, coordinate transportation and parking. Once the event has been decided upon by the Board, a theme or a motif for the event will have to be developed which will have a focus aimed at publicity. Should the event require speakers, arrangements for them as well as alternative speakers will be required. Also important is to coordinate location support, such as electricity and other utilities, arranging dcor, chairs, tables, tent, police, catering, toilets, parking and signage. This is not to forget event support and security, emergency, clean up as well as health care professionals who would attend to any fatalities. In order that all the involved parties in the event share a common mental picture of the event in question, a simple training will have to be organized by Fairfax to assist them in handling all the event pressure and work efficiently. Since it is a communication based event, a qualified coordinator, planner or an event manager will be necessary lest the event takes the wrong direction which might work against building good publicity e.g. an accident that goes unattended would tarnish the school's image as nave. Since the purpose for the event is to create a good publicity for the school, deadlines must be met. Press Conference Striving for good school publicity, a positive message must be considered. I would recommend a strong slogan such as: "Fairfax County Public School, the place to be", which would be captivating to everyone without sounding exaggerated. Press releases would be made from the school compounds, with students from all races seen smiling. It would also be important to show that the school has over 168,000 students enrolled, making it the largest public school system in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and in Virginia (Lucy McKenzie,2009). On the press conference, which would be held in the school, it would be a great idea to have the superintendent of schools hammer the sentiments that the school division is the largest in the nation, and also maintains the largest fleet of school buses in the United States (Lucy McKenzie, 2009) The best method for distributing press releases would be through snail mail, where a creative subject such as the slogan, "Fairfax County P

Extending rights within humanity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Extending rights within humanity - Essay Example e option in the past, still remain an alternative, but do not confer the same benefits, either legal or emotional, on same-sex couples that enter into one; therefore, same-sex marriage must be made legal on the same level as recognized heterosexual marriage to provide these benefits. There are many arguments that support the position of legalizing same-sex marriage, but the strongest is the benefits that would come to children of same-sex relationships upon either the death of a parent or partner, or the dissolution of the union. Gomes is very clear in explaining that even stepparents have more rights than a non-biological parent in a same-sex relationship; stepparents can petition for visitation and custody, and even adoption (3). However, non-biological parents in a same sex relationship have none of these rights, and without a legally recognized marriage in place to support them, the children will suffer unnecessarily at the whim of any family members and/or legal services brought in to assist them. It is a sad testament to the child that has already suffered and grieved, that they may become the object of a feud between estranged family members or legal services, as well as being denied any survivor benefits that would have come from being the child in a leg ally recognized heterosexual marriage. One argument against same-sex marriage is that marriage has traditionally symbolized a relationship in which procreation, meaning children, will occur. Margaret Somerville, in her article The Case Against â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage†, agrees with this objection, stating that â€Å"society needs marriage to establish cultural meaning, symbolism and moral values around the inherently procreative relationship between a man and a woman, and thereby protect that relationship and the children who result from it† (10). Gomes, even though she cites this objection to same-sex marriage, attempts to counter it by stating that marriage and the rights of each partner have evolved and

Public Relations Strategy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relations Strategy Paper - Essay Example These tools are designed as public outreach events, lasting five days to two weeks, aimed at encouraging students, teachers, and the general public to view the school as friendly. It will encourage contributions in different ways, to ensure the school gets a good reputation and see to it that the target group becomes interested in the events, with ideas shared to maximize the impact on the target group. In the general strategic plan, event planning is one of the most important tools, which in respect to public school would best take the form of a festival, ceremony, competition, convention or a party (Japheth, 2006 pg 5). This will be the duty of the School Board to decide the best event. However, it will be imperative to kindly note that whichever event they choose will follow criteria similar to all. After the board approves the budget for the event(s), dates and alternative dates will have to be set. It will also be a collective duty for the planners to select and reserve the event site, acquire permits from the necessary authorities, coordinate transportation and parking. Once the event has been decided upon by the Board, a theme or a motif for the event will have to be developed which will have a focus aimed at publicity. Should the event require speakers, arrangements for them as well as alternative speakers will be required. Also important is to coordinate location support, such as electricity and other utilities, arranging dcor, chairs, tables, tent, police, catering, toilets, parking and signage. This is not to forget event support and security, emergency, clean up as well as health care professionals who would attend to any fatalities. In order that all the involved parties in the event share a common mental picture of the event in question, a simple training will have to be organized by Fairfax to assist them in handling all the event pressure and work efficiently. Since it is a communication based event, a qualified coordinator, planner or an event manager will be necessary lest the event takes the wrong direction which might work against building good publicity e.g. an accident that goes unattended would tarnish the school's image as nave. Since the purpose for the event is to create a good publicity for the school, deadlines must be met. Press Conference Striving for good school publicity, a positive message must be considered. I would recommend a strong slogan such as: "Fairfax County Public School, the place to be", which would be captivating to everyone without sounding exaggerated. Press releases would be made from the school compounds, with students from all races seen smiling. It would also be important to show that the school has over 168,000 students enrolled, making it the largest public school system in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and in Virginia (Lucy McKenzie,2009). On the press conference, which would be held in the school, it would be a great idea to have the superintendent of schools hammer the sentiments that the school division is the largest in the nation, and also maintains the largest fleet of school buses in the United States (Lucy McKenzie, 2009) The best method for distributing press releases would be through snail mail, where a creative subject such as the slogan, "Fairfax County P

As You Like It Essay (Advanced English) Essay Example for Free

As You Like It Essay (Advanced English) Essay A sense of belonging can be founded through an individual’s personal aspiration to inherently connect with other people. The interaction and interconnectedness of relationships can be viewed as the most significant factor influencing an individual’s sense of acceptance within their surrounding environment and ultimately will determine the level of affiliation they can acquire personally. The comedic play â€Å"As You Like It† composed by William Shakespeare (16th Century), examines the idea of belonging to people and its significant influence over an individual. Similarly, Ang Lee’s film â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† (1997), correspondingly explores the perception of belonging through the interaction and contact with people and the relationships that are innately developed. Through the use of characterisation within both texts, the notion is thoroughly explored to exert a deepened understanding of belonging to people and how it can significantly influence an individual in most cases favorably. However, there are some instances where an individual cannot find a personal sense of acceptance within the relationships they withhold and therefore do not achieve a sense of affiliation within their social surroundings. The idea that people and the relationships they develop are the most influential facet in deciphering ones’ sense of belonging, is thoroughly examined within Shakespeare’s â€Å"As You Like It†. This is evident through the characterisation of Rosalind and the loving familial relationship she has with her cousin Celia. As they both were â€Å"bred together† and grew up within the court , â€Å"from their cradles† to adulthood, both Celia and Rosalind have developed an inherent familial bond for one another becoming â€Å"inseparable†. Shakespeare’ emphasised on the loving and devout nature of their relationship to the audience by demonstrating Celia’s absolute adoration for Rosalind over her own Father. This can be observed when Rosalind was banished from her home, the court, by Duke Fredrick (Celia’s father). Celia’s sense of belonging to her father was weakened as he betrayed her familial trust and so asked him, à ¢â‚¬Å"Pronounce the sentence on me my liege, I cannot live without her company†. The formality of the blank verse illustrates her detachment from her father and demonstrates the breakdown in their filial relationship. However, Shakespeare has used this to illuminate Celia’s loyalty and familial belonging to Rosalind, thus conveying their â€Å"inseparable† nature and the strong sense of affiliation between one another. (337) Similarly, in â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† the widowed mother Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are exiled from their home due to social expectations. However, even with the removal of their place of belonging it is their strong familial bonds and connections that allow them to find a sense of individual affiliation. This is evident towards the beginning of the film when they are introduced to their new home a small cottage in the country side which has just been juxtaposed with the Mansion seen in the previously. As they walk up towards the cottage their is a long shot that portrays the family walking towards the cottage together in a huddled group. Ang lee, has used this positioning of the camera and the actors to display the idea that it is within family they find belonging not place. This again supports the notion that belonging is most significantly founded within the people and relationships an individual withholds. (537) Furthermore, Shakespeare’s portrayal of the loving romantic relationship between Orlando and Rosalind additionally acts as a representation of how influential the contact between people can affect an individual’s sense of belonging. With Rosalind and Orlando finding themselves in the Forest of Arden due to the external influences of powerful men exerting their hate, such as Duke Fredrick and Oliver, both characters find themselves in similar circumstances. However, it is Orlando’s love that demonstrates his sense of affiliation to Rosalind through metaphorical language by comparing her to precious objects. He passionately declares, â€Å"No jewel is like Rosalind; Her worth, being mounted on the wind† which clearly exemplifies to the audience of his complete love for her. The use of extensive amount of romantic poetry and adoring tone is used to demonstrate their love towards one another. And that they find their sense of belonging with one another no matt er where they are and what place they are set, again emphasising the significance of contact between people becoming a poignant source of belonging for an individual. As each individual is intrinsically different, where relationships and interacting with other’s may offer satisfaction to some, others find greater fulfillment in self. Shakespeare clearly demonstrates this choice of belonging to self rather through the contact of other people, through the characterisation of Jaques. Being described as â€Å"melancholy† Jaques chooses not to affiliate with the people around him, and finds satisfaction in being alone. Jaques believes that â€Å"the worst fault you have is to be in love†. His cynical tone and attitude towards love and relationships demonstrate his choice not to associate himself with others. In effect, Shakespeare uses prose to enhance one’s insight into people who chose not to conform to belonging. This is a singular instance where an individual does not find a sense of belonging through the contact between people and the relationships developed, however, represents a lonely and melancholy life. Contrary to this, majority of the character’s within â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† finds a sense of belonging through the people they associate with. In ‘Sense and Sensibility’, Marian falls in love to a young suitor named Willoughby. However, Willoughby chooses not to belong to Marian due to social expectations, which essentially, caused personal consequences for his sense of affiliation. These consequences become evident within the last scene, â€Å"The marriage†, when Marian has been happily married to Brendan and the whole town is celebrating. There is a close medium shot of the both of them happily departing from the church, when the camera suddenly cuts to Willoughby up on a hill. Out from the town he is looking down on the celebrations with a saddened expression. Through the use of camera techniques and expression it becomes evident to the audience that he feels a sense of exclusion and detachment from the people he once was closely affiliated with. This further emphasises the consequences that can come to an individual when they chose expectations and society over the people and relationships they withh old. Nevertheless, the consequences of being lonely is welcoming to him and therefore, does not negatively affect him like Willoughby. Moreover, the interconnectedness and affiliation with people is the most significant factor influencing an individual’s sense of belonging or not belonging. Throughout the text â€Å"As you like it† and the film â€Å"Sense and sensibility†, this idea is thoroughly explored through the character’s represented by the composer’s and the relationship’s they developed, either familial or romantic. However, although one can find significant belonging through another person, some can chose not to belong, such as Jaques or Willoughby and by choosing not to belong it can create consequences resulting in a sense of loneliness. However, there are singular instances, like Jaques, where choosing not to belong to people can create self fulfillment in one’s self and a sense of belonging.